Carly Reads for TBF!

Miranda Reads, Too!: Alumni Edition with Simone Elkeles

2012-01-27T06:25:00.000-08:00

Hi Readers,

Today, Miranda is back at Carly Reads with a review for Carly Reads: Alumni Edition of Simone Elkeles’ “Chain Reaction.” Read and enjoy!

Hey readers!

When I’m not reading a current TBF author, I’m usually reading a TBF Alumni. It gives me a chance to see what they’ve been writing these days. Simone Elkeles, our 2010 alum, released her latest novel, “Chain Reaction”, the third book in the Perfect Chemistry series.

Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks — whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill. Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules — boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules. Getting Nikki to take a chance on a south-sider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?

Simone Elkeles is known for her incredible romance novels. Her first book was “How to Ruin a Summer Vacation.” The Perfect Chemistry series is one of her best works. In the first book, “Perfect Chemistry,” readers get to meet the oldest brother in the Fuentes family, Alexander. She continues the series by introducing the second brother, Carlos, and later on Luis, the youngest. These brothers are equally handsome, charming, have a bad boy demeanor and a soft heart. They are stuck in a rough Mexican gang but that doesn’t stop them from reaching for a brighter future.

When I first met Simone Elkeles, she was energetic and funny. Surprisingly, she said that she hated writing so much that she refused to write an essay to get into college. She admitted that those cheap and cheesy romance novels got her started to write. I admire her choice to choose to give writing a second chance. Her decision really paid off in the end. She is now a New York Times bestseller.

Lesson of the day: give things a second chance. It may be worth it in the end.

Miranda

Thanks for another great post, Miranda!

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Good Morning Readers!

Laurie Halse Anderson and TBF go WAY back. All the way back, in fact, to the very beginning. Laurie was one of our first 11 authors featured at TBF, and she’s made several reappearances at the festival. She’s also attended a TBF Read-a-Thon and always spreads the TBF love. Laurie was kind enough to take time out of her VERY busy schedule to answer a few questions for me, and today, I’m going to share her answers with you!

Carly Reads: Your young adult realistic fiction deals with a number of tough issues, including eating disorders, suicide, rape, and teenage pregnancy. What role do you think books can play in helping teens deal with these issues and other struggles?

Laurie Halse Anderson: Teenagers are young enough that the harsher realities of the world can shock and hurt them, and old enough that they want to understand those realities. Even kids who haven't been through the struggles of the characters in my novels want to understand what the characters are experiencing. Readers who have dealt with tough realities want solace and hope. Books give us information, insight, and empathy. They also save lives. I've had countless letter and emails from readers who, after reading one of my books, found the courage to speak up and get help.

CR: You also write historical fiction for younger audiences, how does writing for this age group differ from writing for young adults? Do you prefer writing for one group over the other?

LHA: In the early stages of a writing project, I don't think about the audience at all. I focus on character's voice and listening to her story. It will take two or three drafts for me to get the structure and imagery of the story in place. Then I begin revising; that's when I consider my audience. For my YA novels, I make sure that the pace of the novel moves smoothly, that there is humor and the wide range of emotions that teens are swamped with every day. For my younger readers, I make sure that scenes are described well so that they can clearly picture where the characters are and what is going on around them. This is especially important in a historical novel because the world of 250 years ago was quite different than our world today. I really enjoy writing for both age groups!

CR: Have you always known that you wanted to be a writer? Was your journey to getting published like, and what advice do you have for aspiring writers?

LHA: I never thought about being an author when I was a kid. I was a reader, first and foremost. After several years of being a journalist, I decided to try my hand at writing books for children. It seemed to be a more positive way to make a contribution to the world than writing another story about city budgets or Santa visiting the mall. I was a fairly awful writer when I started and have hundreds of rejection letters to prove it. After a few depressing years, I embraced the concept of revision and my books started - gradually - to become less bad. My first published books were picture books. Then I wrote “Speak” and my life changed completely.

CR: What five books are on your list of “Books I Can’t Live Without”?

LHA: 1. The Oxford Unabridged Dictionary 2. The Watsons Go To Birmingham – 1963 3. Blueberries for Sal 4. The Collected Works of William Shakespeare 5. Weetzie Bat

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting/seeing at the Seventh Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?

LHA: One of the many wonderful things about the Teen Book Festival is that is has become another home on the road for our wandering bands of motley YA authors. It has become part of our community. So I am looking forward to seeing old friends, like Terry Trueman, and to hanging out with new friends, like Brandon Mull.

Laurie, thank you so much for answering these questions for me! I’m looking forward to seeing you again in May!

Meet Miranda

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Readers,

As you know, I try to feature guest bloggers at least a few times a year. Today, Miranda, an avid TBF fan, is contributing to the blog. So everyone, meet Miranda!

Hey, guys, I’m Miranda, a guest blogger for Carly. Like Carly, TBF is an event that I get all hyped up about. It’s like my birthday; I look forward to it every year. It’s that great! My first time going to TBF was in 2009 and I loved it! I was so excited to go back in 2010. Now, this is the seventh year of TBF and I’m so pumped. Here’s why:

Ten Reason Why TBF Rocks

1. It’s a teen book festival. Not an adult or a kid book festival, it’s a teen book festival.

2. It’s a free admission event.

3. Different young adult authors from around the country come right here to Rochester!

4. You get to meet your favorite or soon-to-be favorite authors.

5. You get to know more about the authors and their books through our author panel and author sessions.

6. You can chat with the authors and gush to your favorites about how much you love their books and how amazing they are. (They really do love hearing from their fans.)

7. You finally have the chance to get ask the authors all of the questions that you’ve been dying to know the answer to.

8. You can buy the authors’ books (provided by our sponsor, Barnes and Noble, thank you guys!) and get them personally signed by the author themselves.

9. You can also buy TBF merchandise so you can remember this great day.

10. It’s a fun event! Getting together with your friends, reading books, and chatting with other teens. Have fun picking on Terry Trueman (Haha, just kidding! We love you, Terry! J).

Remember the date for TBF in 2012 is Saturday, May 19 from 9am-5pm. It will be great, trust me. Be sure to come back and visit the blog to get the inside scoop about books and authors from TBF!

Miranda

Well said, Miranda! Thanks so much!

Carly Reads: Alumni Edition with Lisa McMann

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Readers,

Lisa McMann graced TBF with her presence in 2010 as part of the High School Humiliation Panel. Along with Robin Brande and A.S. King, she had us rolling on the floor with laughter, while also assuring us that one day, high school will end and you’ll be able to laugh about your experience … or turn it into a really great YA novel.

The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

You can always count on Lisa for a high-quality suspense novel, and “Cryer’s Cross” is no expection. A spine-tingling ghost story, “Cryer’s Cross” will have you flipping pages as fast as you can and guessing throughout. I love a good ghost story, and a good ghost story is what you get with “Cryer’s Cross.” Like all good mystery novels, the end is unexpected, but fits the story perfectly. If you’re looking for a quick and satisfying read, look no further than “Cryer’s Cross.”

Lovestruck by "Lovestruck Summer"

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Readers,

Over the course of the past year, Melissa Walker has emergedas one of my favorite YA authors. It’s rare to find an author that you KNOW youcan count on to write a really great book that you’ll enjoy no matter what, butMelissa is definitely one of those authors.

The latest proof? Melissa’s “Lovestruck Summer.” I’m not ahuge music fan – I like music, I listen to the radio in my car, but I rarelyuse my iPod and my music taste is definitely mainstream. It’s rare, therefore,that I connect to a book about a music lover. Because of this, I was a bit waryof “Lovestruck Summer,” a novel about Quinn, a music enthusiast who scores asummer internship with her favorite indie label in Austin. But I liked it. Alot. Because even though she may be a rabid music fan, a little judgmental, anda lot clueless, I liked Quinn.

“Lovestruck Summer” isn’t just a frilly story about a summerof live music, partying with sorority girls, and a dreamy DJ. It’s a storyabout a girl who learns important lessons about first impressions, healthyrelationships, and true friendships.

My only complaint about “Lovestruck Summer” is that now thatI’ve read it, I’ve read all of Melissa’s published novels. I’m in seriousWalker withdrawal, and anxiously awaiting May when her newest novel “Unbreak MyHeart” is released.

Seeking Talented Teens!

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Readers,

I wanted to drop you all a quick reminder that the deadline for the TBF t-shirt and/or cover design contest is approaching. Are you a teen with talent? Do you know a teen with talent? The TBF Planning Committee is looking for teens to design the program cover for TBF 2012 and a t-shirt for TBF 2013. Find the details here, and start brainstorming!

Good luck!

Carly Reads: Alumni Edition with Sarah Ockler

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hello Readers,

Sarah Ockler joined the TBF family after her attendance in 2010, when she participated in the New Author Panel. I adored her first two novels, “Twenty Boy Summer” and “Fixing Delilah,” so I was anxiously awaiting the release of “Bittersweet” and devoured it in a matter of hours.

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last…

Let’s kick off this review by stating a simple fact: this book is about cupcakes and ice skating. Cupcakes and ice skating are my two favorite things in the WHOLE WORLD. (Except, of course, books. And TBF.) Therefore, when I started this book, I was pretty sure that there was a 100% guarantee that I would enjoy it. And I was 100% right.

To say that “Bittersweet” is ONLY about cupcakes and ice skating is to grossly misrepresent it, though. At its core, “Bittersweet” is about a girl who’s trying to figure out where she fits in the world and how to get there. There is a little bit of Hudson in all of us. I think that we can all identify a time when it felt like our world had dissolved and there was no clear way to put it back together. Hudson’s journey isn’t easy, but it’s full of mouth watering descriptions of cupcakes, cute hockey boys, and kick butt triple-triples, which sure makes it fun for the reader.

Jenny Han and the Interview

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hello Readers,

Jenny Han is one of our TBF returners – she attended in 2009 as part of our New Author Panel. I love all her books, but especially her Summer series. I’m so glad that she agreed to be interviewed for the TBF blog, and I’m so excited to share her interview with you. So without further ado …

Carly Reads: This summer, the conclusion of your “Summer” trilogy was published? Was this a bittersweet occurrence? I know that even though you left them all in a good place, your readers will miss Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah, do you feel the same way? Jenny Han: Definitely bittersweet. I was tearing up as I wrote the end. I've spent several years with these characters, and it was sad to let them go – but I do feel like they are in a good place. In my head, the story is never really over, the characters live on and on.

CR: In addition to your “Summer” series, you’ve also written a middle grade book, “Shug,” and a children’s book, “Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream.” How does writing for teens differ from writing for younger readers? JH: It actually didn't feel so very different. I worked equally hard on all the books-- in fact, “Clara Lee” took me the longest to write because I felt every word had to be just right because it's such a little book. Sort of in the same way a poem isn't easier to write just because it's short.

CR: Are you working on any new projects (new books!) that you can tell us about? JH: Yes! I am working on a new series with my BFF Siobhan Vivian. It's called “Burn for Burn,” and it's about three high school girls who take revenge on the people that have wronged them. It takes place on a Martha's Vineyard-type island... so of course we have to do lots of in person research! :)

CR: What was your favorite book when you were a teenager? JH: A tie between “The Prince of Tides” and “Gone With the Wind.” I loved sweeping Southern love stories.

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting/seeing at the Seventh Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival? JH: So many of the authors attending are already friends of mine – and it's always so good to see friends! Most of all, I am looking forward to meeting all the teens.

Thank you so much for taking the time to allow me to interview you, Jenny! I’m looking forward to seeing you again in May.

Carly Reads Returns Tomorrow

2012-01-10T18:19:00.000-08:00

After an extended absence, Carly Reads will return tomorrow!

Upcoming in the next few weeks ...
- Author interviews
- Book reviews
- Guest reviews
- Giveaways

Carly Reads: Alumni Edition with David Levithan

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

What’s up readers?

It’s been a few weeks since my last Alumni Edition post, and I’m so looking forward to reintroducing the feature with one of my all time favorite books, “The Lover’s Dictionary” by David Levithan (TBF alum 2007 and 2009). Technically, “The Lover’s Dictionary” is an adult book, but it definitely has older teen appeal. There is also a “Lover’s Dictionary” Twitter feed (@loversdiction), which I am TOTALLY obsessed with, so if the idea of a novel written in dictionary entries intrigues you, get an idea for the format by checking it out on Twitter.

How does one talk about love? Do we even have the right words to describe something that can be both utterly mundane and completely transcendent, pulling us out of our everyday lives and making us feel a part of something greater than ourselves? Taking a unique approach to this problem, the nameless narrator of David Levithan’s The Lover’s Dictionary has constructed the story of his relationship as a dictionary. Through these short entries, he provides an intimate window into the great events and quotidian trifles of being within a couple, giving us an indelible and deeply moving portrait of love in our time.

Struggling to find a word to describe love? In “The Lover’s Dictionary,” you’ll find more than 200 of them.

David Levithan, the author of “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” “Boy Meets Boy,” “Will Grayson, Will Grayson,” and many other acclaimed young adult novels, as well as the editor of the wildly popular “The Hunger Games” series, made his way into the adult fiction world this January with his newest novel, “The Lover’s Dictionary.”

“The Lover’s Dictionary” tells the story of two nameless, twenty-somethings living and dating in New York City. Their story is revealed to the reader in dictionary entries written by the narrator, slowly revealing parts of his relationship with his sweetheart. From the good times (“breathtaking, adj. Those mornings when we kiss and surrender for an hour before you say a single word.”) to the bad times (“reverberate, v. Why did your father leave?”), readers follow the narrator and his lover through the ups and downs of their relationship.

Written by Levithan as a Valentine’s Day gift for his friends, “The Lover’s Dictionary” is not arranged chronologically, but rather alphabetically. According to Levithan, he opened an old book of ‘words you need to know’ to random pages in alphabetical order and then constructed “The Lover’s Dictionary” from these random words. Despite it’s unconventional origin, readers will have no trouble piecing together the story told in “The Lover’s Dictionary.”

“The Lover’s Dictionary” is a lyrical read. It flows beautifully from one word to the next, and will leave the reader dreading the end of a letter’s section, because the end of section means that the book itself is nearing an end. Lovely prose, endearing characters, and a sweet storyline make Levithan’s latest endeavor ethereal. (“Ethereal, adj. You leaned your head into mine, and I leaned my head into yours. Dancing cheek to cheek. Revolving slowly, eyes closed, heartbeat measure, nature’s hum. It lasted the length of an old song, and then we stopped, kissed, and my heart stayed there, just like that.”)

Interviewin' Cyn

2011-11-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Readers,

On Monday, I promised you an interview, and now I’m here to deliver! I am pleased to present the first interview of the 2012 season … an interview with Cyn Balog.

Carly Reads: Your books deal with the paranormal, which is a very popular subject at the moment, but your novels include less popular forms of the paranormal, namely fairies, sandmen, and ancient astrology cults. How did you stumble upon these subjects in the first place? What made you interested in writing about them, and did you research the subjects? Cyn Balog: I come up with the subject matter all different ways. With “Fairy Tale,” I was lying in bed just thinking about all the books that feature a girl learning she is a fairy princess. How lucky she would be! She'd be the envy of all her friends. I realized that by turning it on its head, making the GUY learn he was a fairy prince, it was much more interesting. Imagine HIM discussing that in the locker room with his buddies after football practice! For “Sleepless,” I was driving home, listening to a child's song about a sandman (my daughter was in the car with me), when I got the image of a sandman sitting outside a girl's bedroom, waiting to put her to sleep but secretly in love with her. For “Starstruck,” I was watching the news about the H1N1 virus and part of the story was about how the word "influenza" was based on the ancient belief that stars influenced our behavior and could make us ill. So yeah, my ideas come from all over the place, and I think that's the case for anyone... Ideas are all over.... but it's the job of a writer to recognize them, or to twist them around and work with them until they'll make good material for a novel. I've found that I'm getting better at that as I go along!

CR: Your story of bullying is one of the many included in the new anthology “Dear Bully.” What do you think the importance of books like “Dear Bully” is? And what advice do you have for teens who are struggling with bullying? CB: When I read “Dear Bully” for the first time, I was struck by the fact that bullying is not something that happens to a select few. It pretty much happens to everyone at one time or another. Still, being bullied can make you feel so alone. Those people who said high school is the greatest four years of a person's life are nuts. I had a bad case of body dysmorphic disorder and obsessed constantly about my appearance, where I was checking myself in the mirror every two seconds and thinking everyone was looking at me, analyzing my flaws. I was bullied as often as the next kid, but I chose to believe those baseless comments, to internalize what my bullies said and hate myself for it, which made it so much worse. I distinctly remember as a teen, thinking that if this was the best it was going to get, I should probably just pack it in right then. I'm glad I didn't listen because things get waaaaaay easier when you are older. For one, I stopped seeing my every flaw as life-ending and learned to like myself a lot more.

CR: Are you currently working on any new projects (new books!) that you can tell us about? CB: Yes, my new book, coming out in 2012, is called “Touched” (Delacorte) and it's about a boy who can remember his future, all iterations of it, so every time he changes something small, it can have disastrous results. I also have a book called “Dead River,” which is coming out most likely in 2013, and am in the process of trying to sell a dystopian series while writing another paranormal novel about a girl who is hired as a caretaker at a strange mansion, that I hope will come out in 2014.

CR: What was your favorite book when you were a teenager? CB: I was obsessed with everything Stephen King. I loved “Pet Semetary” and “Misery.” I also loved everything Judy Blume.

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting/seeing at the Seventh Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival? CB: Actually, when I was growing up, another one of my favorite books ever, that inspired me to write my first novel (I was 14) was called “The Year Without Michael.” When I read “Life as we Knew It,” I loved it (even though I don't think I slept for days as I was planning my basement fall-out shelter), and was so surprised to find out that the author of that book was the same author that I'd read as a teen, Susan Beth Pfeffer. It will be like a dream for me to finally meet one of the greatest influences for me and my writing! I also adore all of Laurie Halse Anderson's books, and there are many other authors that will be appearing that I admire... Jenny Han, Beth Fantaskey.... oh, the list just goes on and on! I think I will probably be so starstruck when I get there that I will probably throw up on one, or several, of them.

Cyn, I am so psyched for you to meet Susan Beth Pfeffer. I think that is the coolest story ever. Thanks so much for taking the time answer these questions for us, Cyn! We can’t wait to meet you in May.

Calling All Artists!

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hello Readers!

I’m back, and I missed you! I am DROWING in work over here.Between homework, graduate school applications, and writing my 50 to 70 pageHonors Thesis, reading and blogging have gotten put WAY on the back burner. Sofor that, I apologize! I’m trying my best, and I hope to be able to get backinto posting more regularly, especially since interviews have started arriving inmy inbox!

Be on the lookout for an interview with one of our TBF 2012authors on Wednesday, but today, I want to share some information about an excitingopportunity for all the artistic teen fans out there. The TBF planningcommittee is searching for teens to design the TBF 2012 program and the TBF2013 tee shirt. All of the details can be found here.

So if you are an artistic teen fan, or know an artist teenfan, spread the news!

Waitin' on Interviews and More Time to Read

2011-10-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers,

I wanted to check in and let you all know that I'm hopping to resume regular posting in the next week or two. Unfortunately, I've gotten behind in my TBF reading, so I don't have any books to review until I catch up again. I'm currently in the middle of "Everybody Sees The Ants" by A.S. King (which is WONDERFUL), so be on the lookout for a review of that coming soon.

I also just sent out the first batch of 2012 author interviews, so those should start trickling in soon and I'll be able to share them with you!

Keep checking back, I promise I haven't abandoned the blog!

Sticky Excuse

2011-10-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

Carly Reads: Alumni Edition with Jennifer E. Smith

2011-09-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers,

It’s time for another installment of Carly Reads: Alumni Edition. Thisweek, I’m featuring a review of “The Statistical Probability of Love at FirstSight” by the very talented Jennifer E. Smith. Jennifer, who works as an editorfor Ballantine, an imprint of Random House, attended TBF 2010 where shepresented on the production of a book from an editor’s perspective. In addition to “The StatisticalProbability of Love at First Sight,” she is the author of “The Comeback Season”and “You Are Here.”

Who would have guessed thatfour minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days ofseventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to herfather's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon tobe step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy inthe airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he'sin seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in thisthoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Setover a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe thattrue love finds you when you're least expecting it.

I love all of Jennifer’s books, and this one was no exception.“The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight” is a unique novel inthat it’s written in present tense and takes place over the course of only24 hours. I can't think of anything else that I've read in present tense exceptfor "Love at First Sight" and "The Comeback Season,” but it’s sonatural in "Love at First Sight" that about halfway through I startedsecond guessing myself as to whether it was even unusual and had to pagethrough a few other books to reassure myself that books are not usually inpresent tense. I also loved that it took place over 24 hours. I was worriedthat, because of the timeline, the story would feel rushed or would drag, butthe timing was perfect.

Readers, in case you haven’t noticed yet, characterizationplays a huge role in whether or not I like a book. I have to like a character, and relate to a character, and feel invested in a character in order to enjoy abook. And I didn’t just like Hadley and Oliver, I loved them. I loved Hadley'svoice and I REALLY loved Oliver, especially his sense of humor.

Jennifer has a way of writing lines that literally stop me in my tracks. Her prose is gorgeous and beautifully constructed, which can be so hardto find in young adult literature.

I come back to Jennifer’s books again and again, rereadingthem in their entirety or sometimes rereading just a chapter, or a paragraph,or a line. And each time I do, I find discover something new about the way a scene is put together, or I connect to somethingshe's written in a way that I haven't before. “The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight” is noexception to this rule.

Unfortunately, readers, you’re going to have to waituntil February 2012 for the “Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight,”but add it to your Goodreads queue and start a countdown to release day. Itwill be well worth the wait.

Share the love! Support TBF!

2011-09-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers,

Remember last year when I blogged about my second favorite day of theyear? The TBF Read-a-Thon? Well, it’s coming up again!

This year’s Read-a-Thon will be held on October 15 from 1-5 p.m. at thePittsford Barnes & Noble.

In case not all of you are familiar with the Read-a-Thon, allow meprovide you with brief explanation. Imagine curling up in a chair in thePittsford Barnes & Noble with a book, surrounded by tons of other teens andadults that all love YA lit as much as you do, and reading for four hoursstraight. Sound like a fantasy? At the Read-a-Thon, it becomes a reality!

The Read-a-Thon serves as TBF’s largest fundraising event. It began as acollection of smaller Read-a-Thons held at individual schools across thecounty. (I still remember my first Read-a-Thon, held in my high school’slibrary. I came straight from taking the PSAT exams. Ugh.) Now, the Read-a-Thonis an area-wide event, bringing together teens and adults with a mutual lovefor YA fiction and TBF.

This year, each reader who participates in the Read-a-Thon is asked tobring a donation of at least $20 to support the Teen Book Festival. Donationscan be collected via sponsorships. So, just as you would go to family andfriends asking them to sponsor you for a charity walk, ask your family andfriends to sponsor you for the Read-a-Thon.

Like last year, there is an added incentive for readers in this year’sRead-a-Thon. The teen who collects the most money in pledges will win twotickets to this year’s author dinner, held the evening before TBF 2011.

Barnes & Noble will also hold an in-store bookfair the day of theRead-a-Thon, so if you bring this voucher to the clerk, part of the profit fromyour purchase will be donated to the Teen Book Festival.

Another great reason to participate in this year’s Read-a-Thon? TBF 2011and 2012 author Charles Benoit will be visiting the Pittsford Barnes &Noble for a reading and book signing during the Read-a-Thon!

Pre-registration IS required for this year’s Read-a-Thon. So, if you’reinterested in participating (and I hope you all are!), get in contact with theTBF committee through this page right here.

If you’re not able to make it the Read-a-Thon, there’s another great wayto support TBF. From October 16 until October 20, you can support TBF by buyingbooks online from Barnes & Noble’s website. You need to enter a specialcode in order for TBF to get a portion of the proceeds and you can find thatcode right here.

Teen Book Festival happens every year because of donations from generousgroups and individuals and events like the Read-a-Thon and the Barnes &Noble Bookfair. So share the love for TBF! Attend the Read-a-Thon, buy a bookin-store on October 15, or shop online from October 16-20.

Carly Hearts Carter

2011-09-26T17:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers!

I hope you had a relaxing weekend full of reading. I,unfortunately, did not. I was in the newspaper office until 1 a.m. last night(by which I mean this morning) attempting to figure out how to convert an AdobeInDesign file into a PDF so that I could submit our first issue of thenewspaper to the printer. I finally figured it out. And had time to write thispost. Aren’t you impressed? I’m quite impressed with myself.

HOWEVER, we are not here tonight to sing my praises. Rather,we are here to sing the praises of Brent Crawford and his book “Carter FinallyGets It,” which I love. Really love. Really, really, really, really, really,really, really, really, really, really love.

Will Carter is a freshman with ADD, a stutter when he talksto girls, and a desperate desire to make his first year of high school assuccessful as possible. Unfortunately for Carter (but fortunately for thereader), things don’t go exactly as planned. Carter narrates the ups and downs of his freshman year, fromhis first date to his first (and second) disastrous encounter with shaving, hisfirst college party to his first (and second) run from the cops, and everythingin between.

“Carter Finally Gets It” is one of the funniest books I haveread (ever!), and it’s also such a realistic portrayal of 14-year-old boyseverywhere. Any reader, though, will be able to relate to Carter and his strugglesto fit in and keep up. As thesister of a teenage boy, I found “Carter Finally Gets It” to be especially relevant.Readers, pick up a copy of “Carter Finally Gets It.” You’ll gain a newfoundrespect for how hard it is to grow up from a boy to a man in our modernsociety, but you’ll also have a heck of a good laugh.

Carly Reads: Alumni Edition with Libba Bray

2011-09-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers,

Welcome to the second installment of Carly Reads: Alumni Edition. In case you missed edition one, check out my original post. It gives a little bit of background information about this new Carly Reads feature, and it includes a review of Robin Brande’s newest book, “Into the Parallel.”

This week, we're talking about Libba. Libba Bray, of course, and her newest novel, "Beauty Queens."

The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.
What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program--or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan--or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?
Welcome to the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Your tour guide? None other than Libba Bray, the hilarious, sensational, Printz Award-winning author of A Great and Terrible Beauty and Going Bovine. The result is a novel that will make you laugh, make you think, and make you never see beauty the same way again.

The brilliant Libba Bray's newest novel "Beauty Queens" celebrates diversity and girl power while tackling how hard it is to grow up as a girl in America, no matter your background. Tongue-in-cheek and darkly humorous, "Beauty Queens" is chock-full of situational comedy and one-liners that had me laughing out loud. I love a good satire, and “Beauty Queens” is one of the best examples of great satire that I can think of. It tackles everything from reality TV to dictators, and it’s the most fun journey I took through a book all summer.

Get yourself a copy of “Beauty Queens” ASAP, you won’t regret it!

Thoughts on "Mindblind"

2011-09-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hola Readers!

Happy Wedneday. You know what Wednesday means, right? Mostimportantly, it means that Friday is only TWO DAYS AWAY! But it also means thatI finished “Mindblind” three weeks ago, and now I have a review to share withyou.

Fourteen-year-old Nathaniel Clark is in a rock band, has acrush on his mom’s best friend’s daughter, and gets wildly drunk at his firsthigh school party. He also learned to read at age three, has already completedhigh school and college, and isfilling out his grad school applications. Nathaniel has Asperger’s Syndrome, aform of Autism, so even though he has a memory like a computer, he has troubleunderstanding and engaging in social interactions and doesn’t always quiteunderstand how to relate to other “neurotypical” kids his age.

As someone who has spent the last three years of my lifestudying cognitive communication disorders like Asperger’s Syndrome, I enjoyedthis book. Jennifer Roy did an excellent job of portraying Nathanielrealistically, while also making him entirely likeable and relatable.

“Mindblind” is an excellent example of diverse YA lit, and Iwouldn’t hesitate to suggest it any reader.

"Starstruck" Winner

2011-09-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

Hello Hello Hello, Readers!

I have a winner of the “Starstruck” contest! Congratulationsto

Mikki P.

Mikki, I’ll be sending you an email to find out where Ishould send the book.

If you didn’t win this time, readers, don’t lose heart.There will be many more contests this year, so keep checking back!

Carly Reads: Alumni Edition with Robin Brande

2011-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers!

Remember on Monday when I said I had a really excitingannouncement to make up for my absence last week? Well today is the big day!Today I am introducing a brand new Carly Reads feature. I’ve been thinking alot about our TBF alumni lately. Over the past six years, we’ve had so manyAMAZING authors attend TBF and although they are not all returning for TBF2012, they’ll forever be part of the TBF family. As I was scrolling through myGoodreads list last week, I realized that almost half the books I’ve read inthe last year are written by authors who’ve attended TBF in the past. Therefore, today I introdice CarlyReads: Alumni Edition. Once I week, I will review a book written by a TBF alumwho isn’t attending TBF 2012, but will always be a part of the TBF legacy.

I couldn’t think of anyone better to kick of Carly Reads:Alumni Edition than Robin Brande. Robin is one of my all-time favorite authors.All of her books are incredible and she is totally awesome. Recently, I read “Into the Parallel,” thefirst book in Robin’s in-progress “The Parallel” series, and I LOVED it.REALLY, REALLY, REALLY loved it. I gushed about it on Goodreads … and Amazon …and Barnes & Noble.com, but it’s definitely a book deserving of moregushing.

So here I go (I hope you’re making a ‘drum roll’ noise rightnow) … Carly Reads: Alumni Edition presents a review of “Into the Parallel” byRobin Brande.

Description: Science has become the new magic .. . High school senior and amateur physicist Audie Masters has discovered whatno other physicist has been able to prove: that parallel universes do exist,and there is a way to journey into them. She also discovers something else: aparallel version of herself, living the kind of life Audie never could haveimagined for herself. Now Audie is living that life, too, full of adventure,romance, and reality-bending science. It’s all more than she could have hopedfor – until something goes wrong.

I don't even know where to begin reviewing RobinBrande's latest book, so let me start with this: it was, like everything shehas written, excellent. "Into the Parallel" had the same spot-oncharacterization, emotion, and dialogue that I have come to expect from Brande,but it also added aspects of reality that read like fantasy to mix. "Intothe Parallel" will undoubtedly satisfy both fantasy fans and thecontemporary realistic fiction crowd with its mix of quantum physics that seemstoo crazy to be true and a smart, adventurous narrator who couldn't be moretrue-to-life.

Brande effectively brings some of the most complextheories of quantum physics down to a level that the average reader canunderstand, and, as she's done in "Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks ofNature" and "Fat Cat," shown that science is way more cool thanthe every-day high school chemistry teacher may lead you to believe. With a cliffhangerending that has me counting down the days until book two is released, "Intothe Parallel" has me shouting off the rooftops that everyone should readthis novel.

"Into the Parallel" is available as an ebook on Barnes&Noble.com, Amazon, or Smashwords, or as a paperback through Barnes&Noble.com and Amazon.

Blog Tour

2011-09-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers,

I’m not sure how many of you are also book bloggers, but Isome exciting news for those of you who are.

Maya, of Not on Shelf, approached me several months ago withthe brilliant idea of a TBF 2012 Blog Tour. I’m still working on the details,but before I know for sure if a Blog Tour is going to happen, I need to know ifthere are bloggers interested in participating!

If you have a book blog and you would be interested inparticipating in a TBF 2012 Blog Tour (it would take place in April of 2012),please fill out this form. Filling out the form does not commit you to takingpart in the tour, I’m just trying to get an idea of how many bloggers areinterested.

Maya and I are really hoping this idea takes off, so passalong to message to any of your fellow TBF-loving blogger friends!

Struck by "Starstruck"

2011-09-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers,

Clearly, I didn’t make it back to the blog on Wednesday, butI have really cool news that is going to make up for my absence. The only badnews is that you’re going to have to wait for that news. I know! I know! Thetorture! But I promise, it will be worth it.

In the meantime, allow me to distract you with my review ofCyn Balog’s “Starstruck.” I won“Starstruck” from Random House during their #labordayreads Twitter contest. Itwas the first time that I ever won a book via Twitter and it was VERYexciting. I entered because Cyn isa TBF 2012 author, but I didn’t know anything about the book, and boy wasdifferent from anything I’ve ever read.

Gwendolyn, stuck with the unfortunate nickname “Dough,” hasbeen dating her best friend Wish for a few years. Their relationship is notexactly a typical high school one, though, in that Wish moved away just beforetheir started dating so for the last few years, they’ve communicated onlythrough email, instant messaging, and phone calls. When Wish announces thathe’s moving back to New Jersey, Dough is less than excited. While Wish hasgrown from an awkward kid to a golden-haired surf god, Dough has spent the lastfew years as the class outcast who drowns her sorrows with donuts from hermother’s bakery. When Wish returnsto New Jersey, Dough can’t imagine why he’s still interested in her, but themysterious newcomer, Christian, a literary scholar disguised as a dreadlockedslacker, who’s landed a job in Dough’s mom’s bakery, suggests that there may bemore to Wish’s transformation then meets the eye.

I really enjoyed the paranormal twist to this book. (I know!I enjoyed a paranormal twist!) It’s practically unheard of, but “Starstruck”struck my fancy. I don’t want to give out too much information about theparanormal side of this novel, so I’ll say only this: it was a fascinating andunique concept that I was completely unfamiliar with before reading“Starstruck,” and I love how Cyn incorporated it into the story. Although I did get frustrated with Doughbecause she is SO dissatisfied with her body and SO down on herself, theparanormal aspect made this a book that I enjoyed.

Okay readers, I won “Starstruck” in a contest, so I thinkit’s only fair that I return the favor. I’m passing on my copy of “Starstruck”to one lucky reader. Fill out this form to enter. The contest will untilSunday, September 18 at 5 p.m. and you may enter once per day between now andthen. Good luck!

I'm back!

2011-09-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

Hello, hello, hello, Readers!

Long time no see! And when I say "long time," I mean "really long time." Apparently my fancy shmancy (and by "fancy shmancy" I mean "not really that fancy at all") "1 Day Until Carly Reads returns" message didn't post ... I'm still figuring out this whole Blogger scheduling thing. (One day, Blogger, I will conquer you!) Anywho ...

I took a long hiatus from the blog in order to prepare for my final year at Nazareth, which is both a happy and sad fact ... but now I am back and ready to return to blogging! I'm trying to get myself onto a steady posting schedule for this year. I'm thinking I'll post on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but don't hold me to that because I may change my mind!

In the meantime, allow me to dedicate this blog post to directly you away from the blog. (Yes, I too recognize the irony.) Direct yourself to the official TBF website (<-- click on that handy link right there!) and check out the awesomely huge list of authors that are confirmed for TBF 2012. "Oh" and "Ah" over it, and then start thinking about an interview question that you want one of the confirmed authors to answer. There will be a contest soon, and the prizes will be big. Stay tuned for more details.

Missed you, Readers! I'll be back soon. (Hopefully Wednesday!)

2 Days!

2011-09-04T17:07:00.001-07:00

2 days until the return of Carly Reads!

3 Days!

2011-09-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

3 days until the return of Carly Reads!

It's Not Summer Without "The Summer I Turned Pretty"

2011-08-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers!

A number of authors have recently been confirmed for TBF 2012, so head over to the official TBF website right now to check out the growing roster. One of the recently added authors, and a TBF alum, is Jenny Han, the author of “Shug,” “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” “It’s Not Summer Without You,” and “We’ll Always Have Summer.”

Contemplative and endearing, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is the perfect contemporary YA read for anytime of the year, but especially for summer. Belly lives for summer. For her, the other nine months of the year are nothing more than days that she can’t be at the beach house with her family and her mother’s best friend, Susannah, and her two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. But one summer changes everything for the two families and as the events of the summer unfold, Belly grows and matures and develops new relationships with the people who have always been there for her during her summers at Cousins Beach.

It really is the setting and the quality of the characterization and relationships that make “The Summer I Turned Pretty” as wonderful as it is. Han has created a summer paradise that feels so real and genuine – Belly’s beach house is not a McMansion on the Jersey Shore where teens party like it’s Spring Break in Cancun. Cousins Beach feels simple, and welcoming, and beautiful, but still rustic. Reading “The Summer I Turned Pretty” makes you feel like you’re laying in bed on Cayuga Lake with a cool breeze blowing through the window and the sounds of the waves lapping against the shore roaring comfortingly below.

As for the characterization and the relationships of the characters, Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah are as real as it gets. I’ve heard complaints that Belly is annoying, or selfish, or immature, but it’s Belly’s raw realness that makes the book so genuine. Belly makes the same mistakes that all teenagers make and she has the same thoughts, and worries, and feelings that all teenagers have. I should also add that “The Summer I Turned Pretty” flashes back to summers of Belly’s past, when she was twelve, eleven, ten, and even younger, and those chapters are as spot-on as the rest.

Summer is coming to an end (I know, I know! Don’t think too hard about it!), but before you submit to the cooler temperatures and turned leaves of fall, let summer live on a little bit longer by borrowing “The Summer I Turned Pretty” from your local library and living vicariously through Belly.

"Blood Wounds" ARC Contest Winner.

2011-08-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to

Laura W.

the winner of the "Blood Wounds" ARC contest. Laura, I hope that you enjoy "Blood Wounds" as much as I did! Keep an eye out for my email with directions as to how to claim your prize.

A Sneak Peek at "Blood Wounds"

2011-07-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers,

I’m sure that most, if not all, of you have heard of or read Susan Beth Pfeffer’s award-winning series affectionately known as “the Moon books.” The series, which begins with “Life As We Knew It,” details the events that follow a catastrophic collision between the moon and a meteor that knocks the moon out of orbit and sets off a chain of events that forever alters … well … life as the characters knew it.

Although Pfeffer is currently working on a fourth book for the moon series, her latest novel, “Blood Wounds,” due out on September 13, 2011, deals with a very different type of catastrophic event. In “Blood Wounds,” Willa Coffey is a high school junior living a relatively normal life. She resides in a wealthy suburb with her mother, stepfather, and stepsisters, attends a very nice public school, and sings in the chorus. But Willa’s life is forever changed when her father, whom she has not seen since she was a young child, murders his new wife and their three young children and then heads north, presumably towards Willa, forcing her and her mother into hiding under police protection.

Although the publisher’s description of “Blood Wounds” suggests that the novel is a suspenseful, action-packed account of Willa fleeing from her father, the book is really much more about the aftermath as Willa attempts to come to terms with her own identity and how she fits into the many families in her life. In fact, “Blood Wounds” opens with a scene in which Willa reflects on a Tolstoy quote from "Anna Karenina" about families and that quote sets the scene for the entire novel. “Blood Wounds” isn’t about running from a madman as much as it’s about realizing that no family is perfect, and no family is the same, but nevertheless, family is important and sometimes it’s all we have.

“Blood Wounds” is a must-read and since I’m so excited about it, I am going to give my copy to one lucky reader. If you want to get your hands on an ARC of “Blood Wounds,” fill out this form. You can earn extra entries by tweeting about the contest, promoting it through Facebook, or posting about it on your own blog!

Review Flashback

2011-07-24T16:47:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers!

As you may have noticed, I've been taking it pretty easy this summer. I have three(!) summer jobs, so the blog has been pushed a bit to the back burner, but don't worry - I'm saving up all my good stuff for the fall. :)

While you anxiously await the good stuff, I figured I would link back to reviews of books that TBF 2012 authors that I've published previously on the blog. Follow the links and enjoy!

Last June, I reviewed "Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side" by Beth Fantaskey. I said that "Twilight" fans and non-fans alike would appreciate this novel with a kick-butt heroine, and I stand by the statement.

Guest reviewer Colleen reviewed "Jekel Loves Hyde" by Beth Fantaskey in February, saying that she thought the expansion of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson story would appeal to many readers.

In March 2010, I posted a review of Ellen Hopkin's "Tricks" which had originally been published in Nazareth's student newspaper, "The Gleaner." My favorite of Ellen's books thus far, I raved about the novel-in-verse.

Jordan, my first ever teen guest blogger, provided her review of "Crank" by Ellen Hopkins. Jordan raved about the book and wrote that she loved the way "Crank" allowed her to get into the mind of teenage drug user Kristina.

One of my very first reviews on the blog covered Terry Trueman's "Stuck in Neutral" and earlier this year, I reviewed its companion novel, "Cruise Control." Both are must-reads, and good preparation for "Stuck in Neutral"'s sequel, which is on its way to publication.

I reviewed one of my favorite reads of last summer, "Violet on the Runway" by Melissa Walker more than a year ago. I love Melissa's writing and she is one of the authors that I am most looking forward to meeting at TBF 2012. Also be sure to check out my review of her newest novel, "Small Town Sinners," which celebrated its book birthday this past Tuesday!

So readers, hopefully this blast from the past provided you with at least one new review and a few books to add to your TBF TBR pile. And like I said, get ready for this fall - exciting things are coming. (New reviews! Giveaways! Interviews! Sneak Peeks! Can you feel the excitement?)

"Wintergirls" in Summertime

2011-07-15T14:05:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers!

Okay I realize that it has been waaaaaay too long since I last posted, and I apologize, but I have a pretty good excuse. I was in Harry Potter World! And it was incredible! I’ve been dreaming of going since they first announced the project and this year I was lucky enough to finally get the chance. My family spend half a day there and it felt just like living one of the Harry Potter books. I wandered around Hogsmeade, wound my way through Hogwarts, poked around in Zonkos and Honeydukes, and whizzed around a “broomstick.” It was so worth the years-long wait. But enough babbling about the awesomeness that is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter … I have TBF business to get to!

TBF 2012 will mark the third time that the amazing Laurie Halse Anderson has attended Teen Book Festival. She was an attendee at the very first TBF, which is where I first saw her speak. I actually stumbled upon her presentation by accident – I was looking for Alex Sanchez’s room, turned the corner too soon and ended up the cafeteria where she was presenting. It was the best wrong turn I ever took. Her presentation was hilarious, and serious, and heartbreaking all at the same time.

Although she’s most well-known in the young adult world for her novel “Speak” she has authored four other YA novels: “Catalyst,” “Prom,” “Twisted,” and “Wintergirls.”

In “Wintergirls,” Lia and Casie were best friends until Casie’s death. Twins in mental illness, both Lia and Casie struggled (and continue to struggle) with eating disorders. Bulimia stole Casie’s life, and although Lia is no longer in treatment for anorexia, she is still hiding her illness from her dysfunctional family. Booklist described “Wintergirls” as “a brutal and poetic deconstruction of how one girl stealthily vanishes into the depths of anorexia.” I can’t think of a better way to describe this book. It’s disturbing and hearth wrenching, but it’s also eye-opening. It provides the reader with a glimpse into the mind of a teenager struggling with a very serious and very real issue. “Wintergirls” is not a book to be taken and read lightly, but it is a book with the potential to change lives, and that is an astounding thing.

TBF 2011 Video!

2011-06-29T12:38:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers,

This is two videos in a row, but I haven't exactly started my TBF 2012 reading yet and this is another awesome video that I want to share with you. So check out this video produced by Nazareth. And if you were at TBF 2011, look for yourself in the crowd scenes!

It Gets Better

2011-06-20T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

I'm sure that many of you are familiar with the It Gets Better project which has been floating around cyberspace for a while (and there's even a Google Chrome commercial featuring the project showing on TV right now!), but have you seen this It Gets Better video? It's authors and illustrators assuring gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning teens that life does indeed get better after high school and the teenage years, and about halfway through you'll see Ellen Hopkins, A.S. King, Coe Booth, Lisa McMann, and Matt de la Pena, five incredible TBF authors, featured. Check this video out and know that it's true, readers. It gets better.

Last minute addition: Whoa, readers. I completely overlooked the fact that the awesome Laurie Halse Anderson (TBF 2006, 2010, and 2012) is also featured in this video. So sorry, Laurie!

Poppa Was a Rolling Stone

2011-06-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers,

I’ve been taking a brief(ish) hiatus from the blog, using my “free” time to work and read, but I am back and I have lots of awesome posts planned for the upcoming summer months. To kick it off, today I have a very special post featuring Torrey Maldonado (TBF 2011). Torrey was asked to write a guest post for the Latina Book Club for Father’s Day, and the Book Club published his post on June 17. Torrey was kind enough to give me permission to run his guest post, as well, so I am honored to share Torrey’s essay with you this weekend in honor of Father’s Day. Enjoy!

Poppa Was a Rolling Stone
By Torrey Maldonado

"Your father’s dead. He's gone."

That's what my mother told me over the phone.

I didn’t know how to feel. He was absent for so much of our lives. Wasn't he already “gone” to us? Yet, here I was experiencing his real death. The kid in me suddenly wanted him back to give us what he never had: his full and fully positive presence.

True to the song, my “poppa was a rolling stone.” He regularly disappeared for years and, during his absence, I didn’t know him. When he returned, my mom let him stay with us and I didn’t know him. He often disappeared into the streets, came home, and disappeared into his bedroom. From my first day of daycare to my first gray hair, he spent more time outside with guy-friends and almost no time doing "fatherly" things with my sisters and me. Yes, he was a “rolling stone”, “macho”, and what my students call a “hard rock”.

At some point, my mom told me about his rough upbringing filled with close relatives being more distant, "hands off", and cruel with him than loving. She said he fathered me how he was fathered; he loved me the best way he knew how. Whatever the reasons, his absence produced two reactions: first, I searched for father-figures with mixed results; next, there was an empty dad-seat that my mom worked overtime to fill.

Before I knew about Oprah, I knew a quote she loves: “It takes a village to raise a child.” During my Vassar College freshman summer, I taught in the Harlem Freedom Schools for Geoffrey Canada and “It takes a village” was our mantra. It sums up my life: a village-effort set up by my mother raised me to be the first in our immediate-family to attend college. Within my village, two villages of men shaped me.

During the early years of my life, Red Hook projects was a haven where kindergarten kids played late outside. It birthed the NBA star Carmelo Anthony and raised him until age eight (cool personal side-note: my sister was his daycare teacher). Then drugs ripped Red Hook apart and, by 1988, LIFE magazine ran a nine-page photo spread calling it “The Crack Capital of the U.S.A.” and “One of New York City’s Worst Neighborhoods.” The crises in Red Hook created a crisis in guys around me and in me: I call it “the boy crisis” ON STEROIDS. In 1992, my elementary school principal, Patrick Daly, was shot in the chest and killed in Red Hook. As boys, the two charged with his murder and I briefly ran wild together.

Growing up, we saw our fathers—good men who got caught up in unfortunate situations—jailed, killed, waste away from addictions, and run away. That cut a huge hole into our community and that void was quickly filled with one-sided images of men from our streets and media. During my pre-teen and teen years, a lot of guys and I spent countless hours idolizing “hard rocks”—real or Hollywood-created. I’d race to see Hulk Hogan on TV rip his shirt apart, brag about his twenty-two inch pythons (arms), and body-slam anyone who disrespected him. I couldn’t watch enough Iron Mike Tyson fights where he KOd guys in early rounds. If I wasn’t imagining I was Schwarzenegger terminating people in The Terminator, I pretended to be Darth Vader bullying the universe. I held onto these men because, in having them I had a constant male-presence and, in imitating their toughness, I was becoming my father. Males around me (both younger and older) were slowly splitting into two groups: positive Gs (Gentlemen—who only worked to increase the peace) and Gs (what my students call a guy if he gets money, power, and respect—especially on the streets. They say, “He’s gangster.”). My father, like many males, spent time being both Gs and it blurred which G was he, but most agree he was a G.

A G could be a great guy but, like Anakin Skywalker, sometimes falls victim to the Dark Side. What traits does a G have?

First: money, power, and respect (and my friends and I wanted them because our families had unmet needs, experienced powerlessness, and often were disrespected).

Second, Gs on a daily basis were seen or heard talking about fighting other males, disrespecting, killing, or helping them down destructive paths.

Third, these guys often lived fast—fast cash, fast everything—and sadly died young.

As sure as the sun came up, one of those things was seen in my neighborhood before sundown.

“Like father like son” isn’t what my mother wanted so she convinced positive Gs from Red Hook and beyond to usher me into manhood.

No “bom chicka wah wah” ever happened between my mom and these men. They respected her, her parenting, and they sat in my father’s empty dad-seat every now and then.

I didn’t immediately bond with them. They weren’t the “hard rocks” my friends and I admired. But they had my back.

Some just policed me from their hang-out spots to make sure I behaved. Others invited me to visit their jobs daily so they could hand me coins or (when times were better for them) bills so I didn’t watch with hungry eyes as my friends ate “treats” paid by their two-parent allowances.

A tug of war began in me. Picture me as a little boy, clipped to the center of a rope and the positive Gs and Gs yank me in opposite directions. My small feet dangle over a yellow line on the floor and my white t-shirt asks a black-letter question: “Where Will I Stand?” That’s how I felt.

Not all Gs did, but many Gs disagreed with the positive Gs on one subject: education.

My young mind needed distractions from household and neighborhood drama. Reading and writing helped. Yet where I’m from, female-readers get called “geeks” and studious males get called the other “g word” since school is considered a “girl’s thing.” So I hid my passion for school to avoid being bullied. Why did my mother have to tell the positive Gs that I had writing-talent and honor-roll potential? That turned them into broken records: “Education’s your ticket”, “School’s your weapon”. As for the other Gs, people convinced them school wasn’t manly or shouldn’t be top-priority. They passed that message on to me. Did my father value education and know good grades would improve my life? Yes. But he grew up in a home that said academic-guys weren’t “real men”. I still remember times he yelled at me to stop studying inside so much. “Go outside! Hang with other boys!” I worshipped him and nearly followed his advice to chase street-thrills instead of chasing my dream to be who my mom wanted me to be.

My mother, my village of positive G's, and others kept guiding my hands to piece the puzzle together until I saw the big picture: men like President Obama are “real men” too and I could excel in school and still be a "real man". As I started to examine this picture more closely, I realized positive Gs weren’t “hard rocks” but maybe rare diamonds because they had more developed and polished sides.

I used to feel jealous when I heard people say that, as a youngster, they had read this or that life-changing book. As a pre-teen and teen, I wasn’t introduced to that book. Growing up, I found something else. Comic books pumped me up the way sports, video games, and movies did—not chapter-books. I’m approaching my tenth year as a public school teacher and I annually see the same thing. Lots of kids don’t like chapter-books and, second, most of the books they love give them brief escapes from reality but returns them home without tools to solve daily problems.

A couple of years ago, two of my “hard rock” male-students—both with deadbeat dads and more negative male-influences than positive—experienced life-changing incidents. One embraced the street-life, visited another neighborhood, and was murdered. The other boy’s father stopped flirting with leaving his family and fully abandoned them. The boy came to me in tears; his change in grades reflected how much of him was taken away when his dad left. He soon graduated and I don’t know what’s become of him. Those boys made me say, "If I could go back in time, I would’ve done more as their teacher.” The boy in me who experienced similar losses wished he could time-travel back and also help the Gs of my upbringing.

In reality, I can’t rewrite history to maybe save the life of my one student and strengthen the other. I can’t have my father back. If he was alive, I couldn’t change him. But I can practice another quote Oprah loves: “When you know better, you do better.”

A few years ago, I reminded myself that I knew how to write and I knew one thing to be true: if we want better men, we must get more boys reading, period. Reading freed me then polished me.

So I pumped myself up: "Torrey, write the book that you, your dad, and Gs needed as a teen.” So I devised a plan to write a novel so real that it would be a page-turner to “A students”, Darth Vaders, and everyone in between. “It’ll show the roadmap your mom and the village made that led you to who you are,” I thought. “Make it an escape from reality then return readers ready to solve daily problems.” It was from the fire that I forged Secret Saturdays.

This year:
It became an American Library Association 2011 Quick Pick for Young Adults (12-18),
NBC and others have showcased it, and
Colleges assigned it as required-reading in Education Departments alongside S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders.

These are dreams coming true and magic happened during a school-trip. A few “hard rock” students who remind me of middle-school versions of my father approached me. They hate to read. One said, “Mr. T., I know one of the raps from your book by heart.” Then, he lit up and quoted my book so perfect that you’d think he read it from a cloud. He asked me where he could get the album of my character Black Bald and his jaw dropped when I told him, “I made up Black Bald and his raps.” He said, “You? You wrote that? That’s gangster.” Here is a young male who hadn’t shown he loves school or books he admires me, he has holes in his life that I’m filling holes with positivity, and he’s being polished into, maybe, a rare diamond because of my teaching and writing.

My father didn’t live to see me take lemons he gave me and make lemonade. All my positive Gs and Gs aren’t around to see how they helped sweeten that lemonade. Yet, the two villages of men that shaped me influence my teaching and writing to show boys that a lot influences their choices and they can choose differently: to evolve into better men and fathers. I think of the 2011 boy-versions of my father who feel so moved by my work that they come from behind everything dumped on them to show positive emotions about education. Through them, it feels as if my father is alive and there is a chance for him to “know better and do better”.

Thanks again for granting me the right to print this great essay, Torrey!

Wavering Faith

2011-05-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

It is so rare to find a book about religion that avoids preaching, but Melissa Walker’s newest novel "Small Town Sinners" is far from preachy. “Small Town Sinners” introduces the reader to Lacey Anne Byers, a teenage girl raised by parents firmly rooted in their deep Christian faith in a town where the large fundamentalist church is the cornerstone of society. Good girl Lacey is the opposite of a rebellious teen – she doesn’t object to her early curfew, she actually enjoys hanging out with her parents, and one of her greatest desires is to play the role of “Abortion Girl” in her church’s annual Hell House. However, a series of events – a long-lost childhood friend, Ty, moves back to town after being away for several years and Lacey’s best friend’s sister, a girl Lacey always idolized, becomes pregnant – causes Lacey to begin to question her steadfast faith.

Walker has crafted "Small Town Sinners" in a way that avoids leaning towards either a religious or anti-religious perspective. “Small Town Sinners” is an intriguing and well-done exploration of faith and what happens when life causes you to question everything you’ve ever believed. Walker’s latest is a must read, regardless of your belief system.

(And as a bonus: how awesome is that cover? Love it!)

“Small Town Sinners” will be released on July 19.

A New Page

2011-05-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

I just put the finishing touches on the newest "page" of Carly Reads. Scroll down and look on the right-hand toolbar for the square that says "The Authors." Click on the square and it will take you to a page that shows you how you connect with the TBF 2012 authors online through their personal websites, blogs, Facebook pages, and Twitter feeds. There are also short author bios and pictures. Check it out and let me know what you think! As authors are confirmed for TBF 2012, I'll add them to the page, so keep checking back for the latest.

TBF 2011 Blog Recaps

2011-05-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers!

I’m back! And in the time that I’ve been gone, I’ve been collecting blog posts that other bloggers have written about TBF 2011. So, if you don’t yet have your TBF 2011 fill (and, really, who’s had their fill yet?), check out these posts!

Author A.S. King blogs about TBF here.

Author Julie Halpern blogged about TBF in five parts. Check them out here:

Maya blogged about TBF on her blog Not on Shelf.

Jen blogged about TBF on Girls Just Reading.

And Jordan, who was a guest blogger a few months ago, blogged about TBF on her blog Sleep.Eat.Read.

So readers, while I get ready to start blogging about TBF 2012, reflect back on TBF 2011.

Looking Back at TBF 2011

2011-05-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers!

TBF 2011 is over and it was awesome, wasn't it? Here's my photo recap of the weekend ...

On Friday night, there was the annual author dinner. This year's dinner took place at Artisan Works on Blossom Rd. in the city. Here's James Barry and Kathleen Duey outside of Artisan Works with a giant red gorilla. (Which, trust me, was not even the coolest piece of art there.)

Artisan Works is INCREDIBLE. There is art on every surface, including the ceiling. This picture gives you a glance at what the entire warehouse is like.

Charles R. Smith, Jr., Terry Trueman, Torrey Maldonado, and Carl Deuker got to know each other better at Friday night's author dinner.

Author Torrey Maldonado took on committee member Olivia in Scrabble after dinner at Artisan Works. Torrey won, but there was a rematch the next night ... Olivia won that game.

As many (if not all) of you know, Stephanie dyed her hair pink and orange because teens raised more than $6,666 for TBF 2011. To which we say, TBF Runs on Dunkin?

Just like last year, the Eastridge High School Marching Band led the authors onto campus for their red carpet entrance.

The authors arrived in style in a vintage restored bus and classic cars.

Heather Brewer was psyched to arrive at TBF 2011.

After breakfast on the day of the festival, the authors took pictures with the mascots from the Monroe County Library System's upcoming Summer Reading Program. Jackie Morse Kessler, A.S. King, and Heather Brewer pose with three of the mascots.

Charles Benoit poses with the Red Reader - the Fairport Library's Summer Reading Program mascot.

Terry Trueman. No further caption needed.

As teens waited for the Opening Panel to start, they shopped for books at the Barnes & Noble book sale tables.

The Mercy High School Show Choir also provided pre-Opening Panel entertainment.

Terry Trueman crowned Stephanie "Queen of TBF" as James Barry and the other authors (not shown) bowed down to her.

Terry Trueman and Carl Deuker combined resources for a packed third breakout session that filled the hallway with TBF fans.

The line for an autograph from Ellen Hopkins was out the door of the gym, but fans waited patiently for the chance to meet Ellen in person.

Eric Luper signed autographs for adoring teen fans.

Melissa Kantor, like the other TBF 2011 authors, signed books, t-shirts, tote bags, and autograph books for TBF attendees.

The gym was packed for the autographing session at the end of the day.

So readers, it was an amazing day. I'm so sad that it's over, but there's good news: only 367 days until TBF 2012.

Better Late Than Never!

2011-05-17T16:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers!

Well, this post was supposed to go up on Friday night, but unfortunately, Blogger decided to go down for DAYS and I’ve been unable to post until very recently. So, please accept my apologies for the delay and enjoy reading my interview with Garret Freymann-Weyr.

Carly Reads: You say on the homepage of your personal website that you do not fully understand Y.A. and that it’s your perception that the majority of your readers are women in their twenties or gay men. However, your books feature teenage characters and I see “After the Moment” and “My Heartbeat” (the two books of yours that I’ve read) as containing messages and characters that have the power to make an impact on many young adults. Therefore, I’m curious: do you write your books with teenagers in mind? And do you believe that teenagers can benefit from reading your books? If not, for whom do you write your books?

GFW: I write my books with a character or an image or a vague idea in mind. I suppose I write because I love to and because I am curious. For example, in “My Heartbeat” I was curious to know what it was like to be the younger sister of a boy that you loved but didn’t know. I wrote “After The Moment” because I knew so many women who had been terrified that after 9/11 a draft would be put in place. It wasn’t, but I was curious to know what it felt like to be a boy in this country who didn’t go to war.

I NEVER think of my audience. That would be paralyzing. I would also, as it happens, despise myself (or any writer) who set out to write a novel with a message. I have no idea if teenagers can benefit from reading my books. I think everyone benefits from reading, but novels are not therapy. Neither are they instruction manuals. They are, amongst other things, a passport to your imagination. They are pure pleasure and to treat a book as a message delivery system is, I think, a crime.

Carly Reads: “After the Moment” is told from the point of view of a teenage boy who’s trying to find his way in the world and trying to discover what it takes to grow into good man. Were there unique challenges that arose when it came to writing a book from a boy’s point of view? If so, what were these challenges?

GFW: I wanted to be respectful of what I didn’t know. And even though I write about young women whose lives and personalities are foreign to my own, a shared gender gives you the illusion of commonality. So there’s a certain comfort level when approaching a female character that was missing when I began spending time with Leigh. I know a lot of smart, interesting and thoughtful men, but you don’t see them very often in YA novels. Instead, you see geniuses or video-playing lunkheads.

I wanted to explore what it was like to be a young man, thoughtful, and battling one’s own surging hormones. I’m not a huge fan of Caitlin Flanagan but she makes a good point in her article Love, Actually (published in The Atlantic in June. 2010 and available here).

“The wishes of girls, you have to remember, have always been among the most powerful motivators in the lives of young men. They still are.”

Leigh really wants to meet Maia’s wishes and as he struggles with his inability to do so, he becomes both more and less of himself. My challenge was to capture that struggle in a way that wove itself into the story.

Carly Reads: Your first picture book will be released in December 2011. What was it that inspired to you to venture into the picture book world? How did writing a picture book differ from writing a novel?

GFW: They are actually going to market this as a middle grade book. I’m not sure what that means. Maybe that the readers should be 8-12? Not sure. Anyway, I just wanted to tell the story about two ducks who learn that sometimes happiness contains some sorrow. It happened that their story fit into one that went well with pictures.

Carly Reads: What five books are on your list of “Books I Couldn’t Live Without”?

GFW: “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, “Mary Poppins” by P.L. Travers, “The Age of Innocence” by Edith Wharton, “A Room With A View” (actually, I would take “Maurice” or “Howards End” if need be), “Rumors of Peace” by Ella Leffland.

Carly Reads: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?

GFW: Everyone and anyone!

Thanks so much for your thoughtful answers, Garret. It was such a pleasure meeting you this weekend!

Yup, Another Makeover

2011-05-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

Ummmmm ... Hi Readers!

Can you tell that I'm one of those people that moves around the furniture in their bedroom on a monthly basis? Yup, this blog has undergone a makeover - AGAIN! I felt like the last one was really girly (was it guys?), and I was ready for a change, so I went in a completely different direction. Thoughts? It's not completely finished yet (older posts still have the "old" signature), but the basic structure is in place.

I hope you all love it as much as I do!

Two Days and Jon Skovron!

2011-05-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

Guess what, readers?

2 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes. I’m way too exhausted to write any more of an intro, so let me say only this: enjoy this interview with Jon Skovron!

Carly Reads: Music was such a huge part of “Struts & Frets.” I imagine that music must be a huge part of your life, as well. What role does music play in your own life and how did this influence your decision to make music such a huge part of Sammy’s life?

Jon Skovron: Music has always been a huge part of my life. My grandfather played piano and one of my earliest memories is of me sitting next to him on the piano bench watching him play some old Billie Holiday song. At his urging, I started to play trumpet in 4th grade, and moved to guitar in middle school. I was in a bunch of bands in high school, and it's those experiences that I drew heavily from when writing “Struts & Frets.” I still play guitar, although not nearly as often as I would like. Mostly I'm just a big music fan now and probably spend way too much money buying albums. But sometimes I miss that part of my life. The camaraderie of a band, getting loud and crazy on stage in front of a bunch of people. I suppose writing “Struts & Frets” allowed me to reconnect to that missing part for a little while. From the very first line I wrote, that book was always about Sammy's passion for music.

CR: This line appears in the description of “Misfit,” your newest novel due out in August 2011, on your website: “Steeped in mythology, this is an epic tale of a heroine who balances old world with new, science with magic, and the terrifying depths of the underworld with the ordinary halls of high school.” I just completed a course in mythology this semester so I’m interested in knowing, what kind of research, with regards to mythology, did you do in order to write “Misfit?”

JS: I'll be honest, I am OBSESSED with mythology. And not just the Greco-Roman stuff (although that's cool, too). There's a lot of different kinds of mythology from all over the world that appears in “Misfit.” From Haiti, West Africa, India, the Middle East, the British Isles. And then there are the cultural permeations that spring up around modern religions. The Catholic Church has a ton of this strange, unofficial mythology. Things my Polish grandmother used to tell me when I was growing up that I later found out were probably more based on local Polish folklore than any sort of sanctioned Catholic theology. My favorite thing is how all these crazy stories from all these different places overlap, interconnect, and compliment each other.

As far as research goes, I feel it's really important to get your hands on the source material whenever possible. Rather than reading a book that analyzes the Old Testament, read it yourself and draw your own conclusions. In some cases, there is no official source material. For example Haitian Voudou. So then the best thing to do is to talk to people who are a part of its oral tradition, and read as many different perspectives on it as possible. For the parts that feature Voudou, I spoke with several Haitians, both practicing and not, read “Go Tell My Horse” by Zora Neale Hurston, “Serpent and the Rainbow” by Wade Davis, and “American Voudou: Journey into a Hidden World” by Rod Davis, and probably a few others I've forgotten.

CR: You say that you write books for “teens and the troubled at heart.” Did you always know that you wanted to write for this audience?

JS: Um, no. I kinda stumbled around for a long time. In high school, I was going to be a rock star. In college was I was going to be an actor. Then after I graduated, I actually wrote a couple of adult books that never got published. I was really struggling, full of doubt, wondering what I should do next, when my agent suggested I look at Young Adult. This was back in 2005 when YA was just starting to take off. I picked up “Valiant” by Holly Black and “Elsewhere” by Gabrielle Zevin, and I knew I'd found my place.

CR: What was the last book that you read for pleasure?

JS: “The Lover's Dictionary” by David Levithan. This book is a magnificent, poignant snapshot of modern love written in the form of dictionary entries. At times hilarious, at times heartbreaking, it is a perfect distillation of everything I love about David's writing. To get a sense of it, check out the twitter feed at twitter.com/loversdiction.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these interview questions, Jon! Readers (and Jon!), I also LOVED “The Lover’s Dictionary” and David Levithan is a TBF alum, so be sure to stop by your local library or bookseller to pick up Jon’s book and “The Lover’s Dictionary”!

Super Post #3: Elizabeth Scott and the end of Would You Rather

2011-05-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers!

Super post number three and TBF is only # days away! Woo hoo! Let’s start off with an author interview … my interview with Elizabeth Scott.

CR: You are most certainly a prolific YA author, tell me a little bit more about your books.

ES: It's so funny because when people say I'm prolific, I'm really not. What happened is that I wrote three young adult novels before I thought I'd give finding an agent a try (and that was, quite honestly, so my friends would stop bugging me about it!).

So, I signed with my first agent in 2005, and she sold my first three young adult novels. The first one, “Bloom,” came out in 2007, the second, “Stealing Heaven,” in 2008, and the third, “Love You Hate You Miss You,” in 2009 – so with gaps of two, three, and four (!) years between purchase and publication, I had plenty of time to write. So me being "prolific" is just the result of how my first three novels were scheduled for publication!

CR: You have two new books coming out in the next few months (“Between Here and Forever,” due out May 24 and “As I Wake” due out September 15). What can you tell us about those novels?

ES: I'm super excited about “Between Here and Forever” – for those of you who've read my first novel, “Bloom,” some characters from that book show up – but in a very unusual way!

“Between Here and Forever” is about Abby, who long ago accepted that she can't measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby's life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.

She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she'd never seen.

Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...

As for “As I Wake,” I have to say I never thought a story that was inspired by my love of modal realism, my fascination with the Stasi and East Germany in the late 1980s, plus – of course! – true love, would ever get published, but it is, and I'm thrilled. Here's a little more:

Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them – and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is.

Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers … but only in exchange for her trust.

CR: Did you always want to be an author? What was your journey to published author like?

ES: I did not! I didn't like the creative writing assignments I was given in school, and when I went to college I went out of my way to avoid any classes that had a fiction-writing component to them. I loved writing papers and actually thought I'd end up teaching. Instead, I wound up with a series of interesting jobs (except for that dot.com stint!) and was working at a university when one afternoon, during a meeting, I ended up writing a story instead of taking notes. I was 27 and I still remember looking at what I'd written and thinking, "But I thought writing wasn't fun – and it IS!"

After that, I was off and running – I wrote short stories for about five years for fun and then, after a great group of my closest friends kept nagging – er, I mean asking super nicely! – me to try and get published, I wrote a query letter for my first novel, “Bloom” and saw an agent's blog post about email queries. I sent it off, though, "Perfect! I'll get rejected, and can tell my friends I tried, and that'll be that."

But then the agent wrote back and wanted to see the first three chapters, and then, about an hour later, the whole book – and I signed with that agent the next day. It was so unbelievable. And then selling books I'd written? I was in shock for most of 2005, let me tell you!

I also realize how amazingly lucky I am, and I wake up every day grateful that I get to do something I love so much.

CR: What was your favorite book when you were a teenager?

ES: I read constantly, but I never had a favorite book. (I still don't – there's too many amazing ones out there for me to only pick one!)

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?

ES: I can't wait to see Melissa de la Cruz again. I met her at BEA when it was in Los Angeles, and she was so funny and sweet and down-to-earth – I adore her. (And her books? LOVE!!!)

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these interview questions for us, Elizabeth. We can’t wait to meet you in person in only a few days!

Hmmm so I hope you’re not getting bored with them yet, readers, but there are more Would You Rather survey results to reveal!

Would you rather eat an ice cream cone or a cupcake?

Dark purple = ice cream cone

Light purple = cupcake

Would you rather own a dog or a cat?

Dark orange = dog

Light orange = cat

Would you rather be fluent in a foreign language or an expert at calculus?

Teal = fluent in a foreign language

Light teal = expert at calculus

Okay readers, that’s all for now! Stop back tomorrow for the fourth super post…

Super Post #2: Charles R. Smith, Jr. and More Would You Rather

2011-05-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers!

It’s time for super post number two! Let’s get started right away with my interview with Charles R. Smith, Jr.

CR: You’ve written children’s books, poetry books, photography books, and, of course, a YA novel. How does your writing process differ depending on what type of book you’re creating?

CS: Ultimately, writing is problem solving so I just focus on what works best for what I want to say about a particular subject. When it comes to biographies, I feel that since I’m a poet, I should take advantage of that and use poetry to form the narrative. For my picture books, sometimes I may focus more on the visual and let the photos dictate what I write. As for the novel, I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could do it. And I did.

CR: What made you decide that you wanted to write a novel for teens?

CS: Most authors will say that you have all your life up until your first novel to write it. For me, I wrote what I knew so I focused on one of the biggest transitions in a teenage boy’s life: going from junior high to high school. Where did your inspiration for “Chameleon” come from? The idea mostly came from my upbringing in Compton and Carson, California, same as Shawn in the book. I personally dealt with some of the things that Shawn dealt with like the gang situation and alcoholism, but Shawn had far more fun than I did since I wasn’t allowed to venture out past our block and my friends lived further away.

CR: Although I feel like I should be asking you a more “teen” related question, I really do feel as though readers of all ages would love your photography book, “My People,” which won the 2010 Coretta Scott Kind Award for Illustration. It’s a beautiful book of photography set to a Langston Hughes poem. What was the process of creating “My People” like?

CS: It was a challenge because the poem only has 33 words total and a standard picture book is just 32 pages. That meant about one word per page! But since no words are wasted, I decided to strip the images down to the basics; facial expressions. The “people” Langston speaks of are his fellow black people, so I photographed a variety of black faces, old and young, dark and light, wearing black against a black background using black and white film. That way, when the light hit each face, that would be the only thing you see. Simple as the words.

CR: What five books are on your list of “Books I Couldn’t Live Without”?

CS: That’s a very tough one because I’ve read so many great books. But there are a few that stand out. They are “Tao Te Ching,” “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison, “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole, and “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.”

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?

I’ve been at numerous events with Ellen Hopkins so I’m always happy to see her, but I do look forward to meeting Carl Deuker. He writes about sports as do I and as you can see, the guys are outnumbered.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these interview questions for us, Charles. We can’t wait to meet you in person in only 5 days!

Okay, readers! Here are some more “Would You Rather” survey results …

Would you rather fly to China or drive across the United States?

Dark blue = fly to China

Light blue = drive across the United States

Would you rather sleep in a tent or stay in a hotel?

Dark green = sleep in a tent

Light green = stay in a hotel

Would you rather have the superpower of invisibility or super strength?

Dark red = invisibility

Light red = super strength

Okay readers, that’s all for now! Stop back tomorrow for the third super post …

Super Post #1: Melissa Kantor, Would You Rather, and Pink Hair

2011-05-07T18:53:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers!

Six days, 12 hours, and 29 minutes! Ah! And I still have SO much stuff to share with you guys. Therefore, I am beginning a series of super posts on the blog. From now until the day before the festival, I will be posting interviews, pertinent TBF info, and goodies! Are you ready?!?! I’m SO ready!

Part 1 of today’s super post is my interview with Melissa Kantor …

CR: You write realistic fiction with very sincere and relatable protagonists. How do you get into the head’s of your protagonists and where do you draw your inspiration for these characters?

MK: The emotional lives of my characters are very much connected to my own feelings and experiences, especially the feelings I had when I was growing up. It's not that my characters ARE me, but they have a lot of the emotional responses I would have. One of the major challenges of writing “The Darlings Are Forever” was writing a novel with three characters who had some of my emotional makeup but who weren't identical--to me or to each other. I think what ended up happening (though I wasn't conscious of doing this) is that each of the characters in the book has some of my qualities. Jane, for example, blurts out things she then regrets saying. And Natalya (who's a really good student and gets a scholarship to a fancy private school) feels confident in a classroom but not necessarily at a party. Victoria avoids confrontations. Those are definitely all qualities I have.

CR: My favorite part of “The Breakup Bible” was Jennifer’s younger brother and their relationship. I have a 13-year-old brother so I could certainly relate to their relationship. Do you have siblings? And if so, did you draw on your relationship with your sibling(s) when writing about Jennifer’s relationship with her brother?

MK: I have siblings who are much, much younger than I am, and I definitely drew on some of my experiences with them when I was writing Jennifer's relationship with her brother. We tease each other a lot even now that we're adults. When my siblings were younger, I was really careful not to hurt their feelings, though, because they were still kids (or teenagers) when I was already in my twenties. Jennifer isn't quite as nice as I was.

CR: I know that “The Darlings Are Forever” was just published, but are you working on anything new at the moment? (Can you tell that I’m waiting anxiously?)

MK: “The Darlings in Love” (book two in the series) is finished!!! And it comes out in January. And now I'm working on the third book. It's so much fun to have all this time with these characters instead of having to say goodbye after one book.

CR: What was the last book that you read for pleasure?

MK: Oh my god, I am obsessed with the Hex Hall series. I just finished both “Hex Hall” and “Demonglass” in about two nights. I'm dying for book three. I also read a dark but beautiful book called “Never let Me Go” by a writer named Kazuo Ishaguro. I think he might be one of the world's most brilliant living writers.

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?

MK: I've been emailing with the writers I'm doing a panel with (Julie Halpern and Garret Freymann-Weyr) and I can't wait to meet them!

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these interview questions for us, Melissa. We can’t wait to meet you in person in … 6 days, 12 hours, and 24 minutes!

But wait, readers! This super post isn’t over yet … remember all the way back to last year. I asked all of the TBF authors “This or That” questions and posted their answers on the blog. This year, I decided to go a slightly different route and ask the authors “Would You Rather” questions. I’m going to share some of the results with you, but I also want to drop a little hint for all of you loyal readers. I’ll say only this, if you enjoy this post, then you’re definitely not going to want to miss the Opening Panel at TBF 2011. So readers, be there or be square. May 14 at 10 a.m.!

Would you rather read or write?

Blue = read

Red = write

Would you rather climb a mountain or lay on a beach?

Dark purple = climb a mountain

Light purple = lay on a beach

Would you rather read a hardcover or a paperback?

Dark orange = read a hardcover

Light orange = read a paperback

There’s still more, readers! (This may be a bit extreme, but I have so much stuff to tell you guys!) All of you teen readers who took part in any of our TBF fundraisers know that if teens raised $6,666 in honor of the 6^th Annual Teen Book Festival then the TBF committee members would be dying their hair. Well, the teen readers did it! And so, on Tuesday morning (bright and early!) the TBF committee will be at Lari James Salon in Webster having their hair dyed on Channel 13 News. Be sure to tune into the morning news to see Stephanie go pink! (At least I THINK she’s going pink …)

Alright readers, that’s it for the first super post. Come back tomorrow for another one!

Vampires of a Different Color

2011-05-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

Hola Bookworms!

Okay, as someone who’s just not a fan of vampires, I feel like I’ve written a lot about them in the past year. First, there was my confession that “Hex Hall” made me not hate vampires so much. Then, I reviewed “Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side” by Beth Fantaskey (who will be joining us for TBF 2012). And today, I’ve got another vampire book review for you. However, this vampire book is a little bit different than your traditional vampire story because, in this vampire book, the vampires don’t seek blood. Instead, they’re after tears. And what better place to find tears than at a high school?

In “The Tear Collector” by Patrick Jones, Cassandra is a teenage vampire who seeks human sorrow in order to sustain not only her life, but her family members’ lives. She acts as a friendly shoulder to cry on for her classmates and works at the hospital where she can interact regularly with the grieving. However, Cassandra is beginning to tire of her vampire lifestyle and beginning to wish that she could just live a normal human life.

So, for those of you who are seeking a vampire book with a twist, pick up a copy of “The Tear Collector”!

Diaries and Unicorns

2011-05-04T16:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers!

Kathleen Duey’s books and I go way back. I’ve been a voracious reader my entire life. As a child, I loved series of books because I knew that if liked one of them, I was likely to enjoy the others, as well. And I loved historical fiction. Therefore, Kathleen’s “American Diaries” series was one of my all-time favorites. I can still remember going to library each week hoping that there would be an “American Diaries” book on the shelf that I hadn’t read yet. (Although I certainly wasn’t against re-reading. I think I read the “American Diaries” books about Josie Poe and Evie Peach about fifty times each.)

However, since this is the official TBF blog, and the “T” stands for “teen,” I’ll stop boring you with my trip down memory lane and get on with the review of Kathleen’s contribution to the “Zombies vs. Unicorns” anthology. (Side note! “Zombies vs. Unicorns” is edited by Holly Black, TBF alum 2010, and also contains a story by Libba Bray, TBF alum 2008.)

In the great, age-old debate of zombies vs. unicorns, Kathleen represents Team Unicorn by contributing her story, “The Third Virgin.” I’m finding it quite challenging to develop a synopsis for the story – it’s so hard to condense a short story, seeing as they’re already short! – but let me say this: “The Third Virgin” is not your typical sparkles and glitter unicorn story. It’s creepy and bloody, but it’s worth reading.

Musings on Manga

2011-05-01T18:03:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers!

We may or may not have talked about this in the past, but I’m not a huge manga fan. I don’t read it, but more than that, I’ve never really had the desire to read it. I’m a word girl – I want words to tell me a story and I’ve never been much into comic books. Therefore, I’ll be honest when I say that I wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit to read Svetlana Chmakova’s “Dramacon.” In fact, I really didn’t want to read it. However, I read it, and more importantly, I enjoyed it.

“Dramacon” definitely opened my eyes to manga as an art form AND a form of writing. After reading it (really reading it, as in, not just flipping through the pages and trying to get an idea of the story), I realized that manga really is a form of narrative. In “Dramacon,” Svetlana tells the story with words, but she also tells the story with illustration. The characters’ facial expressions, the scenery, the con costumes – they are all part of the story.

I guess what I’m trying to say, readers, is that “Dramacon” opened my eyes to manga. I haven’t become a total manga buff, I’m not sure that I’ll read more, but now I’m able to appreciate it for what it is – a unique art form that tells a story just as the written word can. So readers, if you think you’re not a fan of manga, give it a try. Read “Dramacon” … it certainly warmed me up to the genre.

15 Days and an Awesome Interview!

2011-04-29T18:43:00.000-07:00

Alright Readers.

It’s been a while, I know, since I last posted. And guess what? TBF. Is. 15. Days. Away.

Yeah. 15 days.

So I’m freaking out. Because there is SO MUCH left to be done.

So readers, no chit-chat, let’s get to it. My interview with Torrey Maldonado!

Carly Reads: You were (still are?) a teacher. How has your career as a teacher influenced your writing (specifically “Secret Saturdays”)?

Torrey Maldonado: I'm a Hip Hop fan and I taught in the middle school where Jay-Z was a former student. We're all sponges. I can vouch for Jay; he absorbed the toughness of that school and neighborhood and poured that into his raps. Like Jay-Z's music, “Secret Saturdays” is an outpouring of my life and the lives of students and families I've worked with over the last thirteen years. People say, "This book is so real" and that's because I lived it. I had the same struggles with friends, family, trust, keeping secrets, and bullying that my characters have. The Housing Projects where I was born and raised became my book's setting. The three years that I taught Conflict Resolution in schools all over New York City dipped my foot in the water. Over the last ten years I've been with teens everyday, soaking up their worlds as a Social Studies (History) teacher. I squeezed that into “Secret Saturdays.” Readers tell me, "Your book is my life." My book is also curse-free and sex-free and that reflects my teaching-career. What sort of teacher would I be if my author-mouth needed to be cleaned out with Orbit?

CR: As a teacher, what are your thoughts about incorporating popular young adult fiction (like your book and your fellow TBF authors’ books) into a school curriculum? Do you think that these books have more to offer students than the “classics”? Less to offer? Are they even comparable in what they offer?

TM: I was just invited to speak at a college where Secret Saturdays is required-reading alongside a "classic" – S.E. Hinton's “The Outsiders.” So, it's like American Idol: people choose and love TBF authors as much as the "classics". TBF authors rock readers' worlds. During a school-trip a student who hates school approached me and said, “Mr. T, I know a rap from your book by heart.” I said, “Show me," not believing him. He looked into the air and said a Black Bald rhyme so perfectly that you’d think he was reading the rhyme off a cloud or streetlight. His teachers think he doesn’t enjoy school yet he memorizes parts of my book? I did a signing alongside Barry Lyga – a TBF alum. A high school girl was on his line CRYING. Why do TBF authors trigger these reactions? Is it because we wear AXE effect? No. Fans say we share something in common: today's youth are in our writing. Oprah Winfrey made this quote popular: "When you know better, you do better." If more schools knew about TBF authors, the better they'd hook teens to books.

CR: How did your childhood and adolescence and your upbringing influence “Secret Saturdays”? Are any of the characters in “Secret Saturdays” autobiographical?

TM: There were points my life where I could have taken different turns and that would have drove my life over a waterfall to a crash ending. In 1992, my elementary school principal (Patrick Daly) was shot in the chest and killed in my Housing Projects. Years later, I became the first person in my immediate family to go to college. As a Vassar College student, I ran into someone arrested for Daly’s murder in an upstate prison where I tutored. The inmate was a boy I hung out with as a kid. “Secret Saturdays” shows that choices lead to consequences, a lot influences the choices youth make, and youth can choose to follow their own path and be their best selves. I had to keep secrets (even from my best friends) and that became a theme in my book. Some people who know me say, "You're Sean." Some say, "You're Justin" or "Kyle". Who's right? Everyone is right because “Secret Saturdays” is my autobiography in different ways.

CR: What was your favorite book when you were a teenager?

TM: As a teen, I needed real thrills to distract my mind from the rough realities of my neighborhood and schools. In 1988 Life Magazine called where I grew up "the Crack Capital of the U.S.A." and one of New York’s "10 Worst Neighborhoods.” Violence, crime, drugs, and people trying to knock me off-track surrounded me. Reading could have helped take my mind off my problems yet being a reader in my neighborhood brought new problems. The crowd felt school equaled corny. Where I’m from, female readers get called "geeky" but boys get called the other "g word' and I don't mean g-g-G Unit since people feel school is a "girl's thing". So I read what guys in my neighborhood read to avoid being bullied. Comic books. In third grade I got hooked on them because they pumped me up the way sports, video games, shows, and movies did. By age fourteen, I had almost two hundred comics. So I didn't have a favorite book; I had a favorite type of book. After my teen years, my college professors weren't forced to assign boring books so they introduced me to chapter-books with TBF swagger. That's when I decided who I wanted to be as a chapter-book author and that's why “Secret Saturdays” is designed to deliver the same rush as video games, shows, movies, and comics. It's rewarding when teens tell me, "Your book should be a movie. I can picture it."

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?

TM: I'm excited to meet a few authors and I also want to meet the teens because some will be our future published authors. Readers of “Secret Saturdays” bring me their notepads, notebooks, and even though I wear a baldie haircut, I've heard some story-ideas that made my hair stand up in good ways. I'm also looking forward to experiencing that at the Sixth Annual TBF.

Torrey, you won’t believe how many awesome teen readers you’ll meet at TBF. You’re going to love it! And we’re going to love meeting you. Thanks again so much for taking the time to answer these questions for me!

Interview Marathon Day 6 - Eric Luper

2011-04-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers!

This is the final day of the Carly Reads Interview Marathon. :( A sad fact, I know, but it’s not the last of the interviews. I’m hoping to hear back from some more authors so I can share their answers with you. In the meantime, I’ll be posting book reviews and the results of the Would You Rather survey that I distributed to the authors. But for now, my interview with Eric Luper!

Carly Reads: What kind of research did you do in order to write “Bug Boy,” which takes place in 1934 during the Great Depression? Was there any particular reason that you decided to set “Bug Boy” during this time period?
Eric Luper: 1934 was an interesting time. It was the heart of the Great Depression and Prohibition had just been lifted. The rich were incredibly rich and the poor were destitute. Many rules at the track were changing too. Betting had just been re-legalized and there was a lot of corruption. Also, they had just invented the starting gate, so the horses were skittish and lots of injuries happened. For me, it seemed the perfect year to set a gritty book filled with corruption that showed the seedy underbelly of the track.
I did the bulk of my research at the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs, NY. They were incredibly helpful there, finding me any information I might need in the archives. I also did research at different area historical societies and at the New York State Archives in Albany. I also had the opportunity to interview different track personalities who actually remembered the 1934 season and I got to ride the racehorse simulator at the museum! The trouble was the more answers I got, the more questions I had!
The hardest part about writing that book was deciding what information to put in and what to leave out. I wanted that book to burst from the starting gate and keep moving fast until the end. And ultimately, the book is less about racing and more about love, friendship and loyalty.

CR: I was lucky enough to win an ARC of “Jeremy Bender vs. the Cupcake Cadets” in a contest that you ran a few months ago. (It was a great book. I think I must be a 7th grade boy at heart because I love a good book about the adventures that middle school boys get themselves into.) “Jeremy Bender” is a middle-grade book – did the writing process for “Jeremy Bender” differ from the writing process of your YA books? Do you prefer writing for one age group?
EL: First off, I’m hoping “Jeremy Bender vs. the Cupcake Cadets” appeals to both boys and girls. After all, it’s the fact that it’s so hard to be a girl that makes Jeremy and Slater’s antics so funny. Plus, the strong female characters were so fun to write!
The writing process was definitely different. My technique was the same (sitting at my laptop and writing/editing for hours on end while I drink coffee and eat junk food), but I found myself redirecting my humor from the bawdy naughtiness of Dimitri in “Seth Baumgartner’s Love Manifesto” to the slapstick grossness of the younger boys. So… much… fun…!

CR: Did you always know that you wanted to be an author? What was your journey to published writer like?
EL: I only discovered I loved writing when I was in college. I was a biology major at Rutgers University and I took an introductory creative writing class as an elective. It felt so good to have work to do that did not involve textbooks and Scantron sheets. And I took to it like a rat to a dumpster.
For years, I struggled to write adult fiction, but whenever anyone read it, whether it was a professor or a friend, they always told me I had a more youthful feel to my writing and that I should try doing something for a younger audience.
I hated hearing that. Serious authors are supposed to write for grown-ups, right?
Wrong.
As soon as I started writing for teens, I never looked back.

CR: What was the last book that you read for pleasure?
EL: That is a really tough question to answer because I’m in the middle of three or four right now. The last book I finished was a re-reading of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams. Even if you are not a sci-fi fan, you should read this book, or better yet the whole series. Adams’s use of words to create his humor is absolutely brilliant. Like the stuff legends are made from.

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?
EL: It’s weird because I’ve already met most of the authors coming to TBF at one event or another. Many of the others I feel like I know from Facebook or other online hiding places we authors like to go. Mostly, I’m excited to meet the teens. Just the thought of so many kids pumped about reading is awesome! See you there!

Yes, Eric, we will indeed see you there! And thanks so much for sharing your answers.

Interview Marathon Day 5 - Shari Maurer

2011-04-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers!

This is the final day of the Carly Reads Interview Marathon. Today: my interview with Shari Maurer!

Carly Reads: I saw on your website that you were a voracious reader as a child, but did you always know that you wanted to be a writer? What was your journey to becoming a published author like?Shari Maurer: I’ve always flirted with writing. In 6th grade, I took my favorite book, “Cheaper by the Dozen” and adapted it as the class play. I meant to get a job when I graduated from college, but had written a screenplay on a lark and submitted it to NYU Film School. Much to my surprise, I was accepted and I got my MFA in Dramatic Writing. Even when I worked on international versions of “Sesame Street,” one of my favorite things was reviewing scripts for our foreign partners. So it’s always been there, I think.
My journey to publication felt like it took forever, but it was only three and a half years from first putting pen to paper to the publication date. Looking back, that’s not so bad. I had my eye on WestSide Books, because I thought their issue-oriented fiction mission was a good fit for me. My agent submitted the book in September and we didn’t hear back from them until May. It was a long eight months, but certain worth the wait!

CR: I think this is cheating, but I’m going to do it anyway. I was reading your blog and I stumbled across your interview with another author in which you asked, “When you were 15, what did you want to be when you grew up?” I love that question! So now, I turn the tables … your answer to that question?SM: I love this question, too. I’m always so curious what people were thinking back then and how it has or hasn’t changed. I wanted to be a child psychologist. So in a way, now that I’m exploring characters and their personalities, it’s sort of related.

CR: Are you currently working on any projects (new books!) that you can tell us about?SM: I have three books at various stages of development. I’m hoping to find a home for them. I can’t give details but will say that if you enjoy “Change of Heart,” I think you’ll like these, too.

CR: What was your favorite book when you were a teenager?SM: Probably a tie between “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” and “To Kill A Mockingbird.”

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?SM: One of the nicest surprises about being a published author is how welcoming the writing community has been. I’ve made so many new writer friends, several who will be at TBF, and I’m looking forward to meeting the others. I’m especially excited to meet Elizabeth Scott. I’ve read several of her books and really admire her writing.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions for me, Shari. Looking forward to meeting you (in only 26 days)!

Interview Marathon Day 4 - A.S. King

2011-04-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers,

I barely got this post in by midnight, but lo and behold, here it is on time for day 3 of the Carly Reads Interview Marathon. Today’s interview is with TBF returned A.S. King. This interview makes Amy the second author to have two interview on Carly Reads. You can read her first interview here. Amy got an extra question, because I wanted to provide her with a choice of questions regarding “Please Ignore Vera Dietz” and as awesome as she is, she answered both. Thanks, Amy!

Carly Reads: “Please Ignore Vera Dietz” is, in my mind, a book with a lot of layers. I related most personally to the theme about responsibility to a friend who hasn’t been such a good friend, but I also identified a theme about the role that parents play in their children’s lives, and you’ve said on your blog that you’ve “always considered ‘Vera’ a book that can show readers what a good man looks like.’ Did this proliferation of themes come about naturally as you wrote “Vera” or did you go into the writing process knowing that you wanted to focus on certain themes? Is there any one theme that you consider more major or more important than the others?

A.S. King: I’m a “pantser,” so I write completely by the seat of my pants. This means I don’t go into a book with any expectations of theme or plot. I didn’t even know what was under Vera’s car seat until she reached under and pulled it out. But as a book goes along, the themes polish up as I get to know my characters and see what they’re doing, so I can concentrate in future drafts about themes and thing like that.

As for any theme being most important, I just made up a theory thanks to this question. I think themes and messages and the general feeling of a book are a lot like bands and songs. There are melodies and harmonies and a rhythm section and a percussionist and maybe a horn section and they all work together to make a killer song. So all the themes in a book are of equal value and they all work together to make a great book. None can be more important than the others, and they all help illuminate each other.

And you know how an amazing song can be 300% more amazing just because the drummer hits a cowbell at the right times? Sometimes, little things in books can make a book extra special for a reader. I know a lot of readers have responded really positively to the pagoda in “Vera Dietz” even though the pagoda has the fewest words to say. So, in a way, the pagoda is the book’s cowbell. (Or maybe Ken Dietz’s flow charts are the cowbell. Either way, you get my drift.)

CR: The style of “Vera Dietz” is very unique. It jumps from Vera’s perspective, to her father’s perspective, to her father’s flow charts, to the pagoda’s perspective, and every once in a while, Charlie throws in a word. The story is not linear, but the structure is one of the things that makes “Vera Dietz” so incredible. How and why did you decide to write “Vera” in this fashion? Did you write “Vera” straight through (in the order that it was published), or did you write it in parts and then assemble them into the story later on?

ASK: The book came out nearly in the order you see it in now. I think a few Ken parts were rearranged—I wasn’t sure about his inclusion at first, but then he started making those flow charts and I realized he was supposed to be there. Once the first draft was written, I made a lot of color-coded tables of contents to keep things straight.

CR: Can you tell us anything about your upcoming books “Everybody Sees the Ants” (fall 2011) and “Ask The Passengers” (fall 2012)?

ASK: Since this is my first time talking about “Ants” in detail, I am totally going to cheat and use the amazing “Everybody Sees the Ants” copy that’s online:

Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their family is fine. And he certainly didn't ask to be the recipient of Nader McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.

Lucky has a secret--one that helps him wade through the daily dysfunction of his life. Granddad Harry, trapped in the jungles of Laos, has been visiting Lucky in his dreams--and the dreams just might be real: an alternate reality where he can be whoever he wants to be and his life might still be worth living. But how long can Lucky remain in hiding there before reality forces its way inside?

And “Ask The Passengers” is a novel about acceptance, small town gossip and airplanes.

CR: You use your blog to speak out on a variety of issues that you are passionate about, including internet piracy and violence against women. What role do you see the written role as playing when it comes to educating people about these issues? And do you anticipate that these issues that you are passionate about will ever work their way into any of your books?

ASK: I’m a pacifist kindness ninja, so I usually try to stay pretty mellow on my blog, but it’s true, in the last year, I’ve posted a few blogs about piracy that got a few extra hits. :) I don’t like people who steal stuff from other people. I can’t help it. *shrug* I’ve never thought about the piracy issue working its way into a book, but maybe one day it will. I’d never set out to write a book in order to educate anyone, though. I think it might seem too much like preaching. I do write about violence against women and domestic violence in most of my work. It just seems to show up. I think I just try to make accurate settings and characters, and my knowledge of statistics seeps into those settings and characters.

CR: What five books are on your list of “Books I Couldn’t Live Without”?

ASK: “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., “Breakfast of Champions” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., a thesaurus, “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding, and “Jitterbug Perfume” by Tom Robbins

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?

ASK: This is a completely impossible question to answer. I look forward to meeting all TBF authors every year. But to give you a better answer: after perusing the Official TBF webpage, and reading people’s Fun Facts, I can say I am looking forward to seeing Eric Luper and saying, “Dude—you’re a chiropractor by day? That’s awesome!” Or meeting Rachel Hawkins and asking her to explain MacBeth to me. Or meeting Charles Benoit and saying, “You play tenor sax in a ska band, lived in Trinidad & Tobago, and scuba dive? That’s awesome!” Or meeting Shari Maurer and saying, “I met my husband at summer camp when I was 17 too! How cool is that?!” Or meeting Kathleen Duey and talking about self-sufficiency and saying, “Dude! You totally rock!” and other stuff like that. I love TBF Fun Facts. (Also, did you know Ellen Hopkins once saw Elvis in his underwear? Click the link! I’m telling you!) Thanks for having me, Carly! See you all in a month! Can’t wait.

Thank you for taking part in TBF again this year, Amy! Looking forward to seeing you again soon.

Interview Marathon Day 3 - Patrick Jones

2011-04-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers!

The Carly Reads Interview Marathon continues with my first second interview! Confused? Well, Patrick Jones is the first author to ever have two interviews published on the blog, so congrats, Patrick! Readers, check out my first interview with Patrick here, and then enjoy this second interview.

Carly Reads: Your third Fun Fact says that there was a 16 year gap between writing and publishing your first novel. What did you do during those 16 years? Did you continue to edit that first book? Did you work on other books? And how did you keep up hope that that first book would eventually get published?

Patrick Jones: During those sixteen years, in addition to a nine to five job working in libraries, I focused on writing about books for teens, in particular how libraries could connect with young adults. I wrote the first edition of “Connecting Young Adults and Libraries” as well as several other books, plus hundreds of articles and book reviews. I was also very involved in the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) during this time. Still, I pulled out “Things Change” every now and then to work on, but didn’t get serious about rewriting it until we moved from Houston to Minneapolis in late 2000. Instead of taking a day job, I spent most of 2001 rewriting “Things Change” (several times), but it still took until March 2003 before I landed a contract. “Things Change” I thought was a good story; it just took me a while to develop the skills to tell it.

CR: You are a former teen librarian. How has career as a teen librarian influenced your writing?

PJ: My career was a tremendous asset in every part of my writing, in particular in getting “Things Change” published. Rather than using an agent, I had – because of my work with YALSA – made contacts so I could “hand” my manuscript directly to Emily Easton at Walker Books for Young Readers. The job helped tremendously since I was immersed in teen literature, and thought I knew what worked and what didn’t. Finally, doing all of the professional writing not only helped me develop skills and confidence, but lead me to think about the lives, drives, and developmental assets of teens.

CR: Is writing your only focus right now, or do you also have a “day job”? If so, what is that day job? And if not, how do you spend a typical day? Do you write all day or only for a few hours? Do you write every day or only a few days a week?

PJ: I still have a day job as I don’t make enough money writing. I’m with a smaller publisher, and my content (sex, drugs, violence, profanity) keeps them out of many libraries. Because of the content, I also don’t get a great deal of school visits. The day job is to provide library service to people who face a barrier to using libraries in person, such as homebound customers, and people in county correctional facilities. I do the direct work with juvenile offenders.

My work pattern for writing seems to be a come up with an idea, think about for a while, and then start taking notes. At some point, I’ll do an outline or summary. And then I wait until it is time to write. Once the “clock strikes” I will write in huge junks of time – pulling all day marathons on the weekends, and writing from 6:00 to 10:00 (when Jon Stewart) is on. Then, once I get to rewriting, I normally only do that two hours a day since it is hard work.

CR: What was your favorite book when you were a teenager?

PJ: Actually I wasn’t much of a book reader, so my favorite reading materials were probably pro wrestling magazines, the newspaper, and Rolling Stone. That said, the “life changing” books for me were “Ball Four” by Jim Bouton and “Carrie” by Stephen King. In my book “Connecting with Reluctant Teen Readers,” there’s an essay about why these books made a difference to me as a teen.

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?

PJ: All of them really because I think the YA writing community is pretty amazing. In particular, I hope I get to chat with Charles Benoit (who says he’s a fan), and Torrey Maldonado so I can crush him in Scrabble since he threw-down about that in his interview. I’d also better meet up with Eric Luper before we present together!

Thanks so much for your answers (again!), Patrick. By the way, your day job sounds totally awesome. I plan on asking you more about it once we meet in person. :)

Interview Marathon Day 2 - Ellen Hopkins

2011-04-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hola, Readers!

The Carly Reads Interview Marathon continues … with Ellen Hopkins!

Carly Reads: Your books are so unique in that they’re written in verse. How did you decide to write your novels in verse?
Ellen Hopkins: I started my first novel, “Crank,” in prose, but the voice was all wrong. My voice, not "Kristina's." I put the book away and saw another verse novelist, Sonya Sones, speak at a conference. I've written poetry most of my life, so decided to give it a try. It worked for “Crank,” and then I discovered a talent for it.

CR: I’ve heard you say that some of the characters in “Tricks” are based on young people that you’ve met in ‘real life.’ Do you often find inspiration for characters in real people?
EH: All the time. Some I know. Some I interview. Some I just observe.

CR: You’ve been to TBF multiple times! What is it about TBF that has you returning year after year?
EH: It's just such a great event, from the exceptional organizers, to the lineup of authors, to the wonderful reception we receive every year. I always have an amazing time.

CR: What five books are on your list of “Favorite Books Ever”?
EH: “The Great Gatsby,” “Sometimes a Great Notion,” “Catcher in the Rye,” “Of Mice and Men,” and “The World According to Garp.”

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?
EH: That's a really hard question because I'm connecting with several friends there, plus meeting a number of Twitter buddies for the first time. But Terry Trueman is always a hoot to be around, and I always look forward to seeing him.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my interview questions, Ellen. Looking forward to seeing you soon (29 days)!

Interview Marathon Day 1 - Melissa de la Cruz

2011-04-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

Alright, Readers …

It’s day one of the Carly Reads Interview Marathon. In case you haven’t noticed, TBF is 30 DAYS AWAY!!!! This means that I am in TOTAL PANIC mode. I have sooooo many interviews left to post, soooooo many book reviews to write, and ummmm, yeah, a few books left to read. Remember how last year, I said that I was going to be more on top of it and I wasn’t going to post three things a day for the month leading up to the festival? Yeah. That didn’t happen.

So, enough talking – let’s get to interviewing! The lovely Melissa de la Cruz was kind enough to agree to an interview with moi, so here is what we discussed …

Carly Reads: I picked up your novel “Angels on Sunset Boulevard” because I was intrigued by the social networking theme. What inspired you to take such an extreme approach to social networking?

Melissa de la Cruz: A couple of friends of mine were talking about MySpace (I wrote the book around 2005 or so) and I was intrigued by how they met people through the Internet, not in a chat room, and how they had these very personalized web pages, it was like having your bedroom walls (posters, quotes, etc) on the Internet. I was also fascinated by pyramid schemes, and also something I read about how 60% of American teens think they will be famous. It just seemed so odd to have your popularity online through the number of "friends" you had, and it just sparked my imagination to think of something evil behind it. Social networking was still pretty new about six years ago, so it was fun to think of how it might be used for nefarious schemes. :)

CR: “Angels on the Sunset Boulevard” is very plot-driven. I didn’t want to put it down until I had finished it. When you begin a novel, do you know how it will progress and/or end? Or does it come to you as you write?
MC: I always outline all my novels, so I know all the plot points beforehand. I aim to write page-turners, so thanks for the compliment! But it's all a process, sometimes the story takes off in a different direction, so you need to keep pushing it until you get to the core of the story. Some things are planned, some things are surprises from the writing process. The easiest books to write are the ones where the plot is perfect from the outline, then I'm just fleshing it out. “Angels” was actually a difficult book, I had to keep rewriting it to figure out what the real story, the real plot was. I always know the ends of all my books though. That I know from the beginning. I know all my endings and I try to figure out the best way to get to them, so it builds up to the ending.

CR: Have you always wanted to be a writer? When did you know that you wanted to write for teens?
MC: Oh yes, ever since I could read. Being a writer was a dearly treasured childhood dream that I never gave up on, it was my life's goal. I knew I wanted to write for teens when I read "Gossip Girl.” I thought, "I could do this, I want to do this." I wrote “The Au Pairs” and never looked back.

CR: What are your top five favorite books?

MC: So hard to choose. But here goes. “War and Peace.” “Dune.” “Lord of the Rings.” “Wizard and Glass” (from the “Dark Tower” series). “Harry Potter.”

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?

MC: My dear friends Ally Carter and Elizabeth Scott. I cannot wait to hang out with them, I don't get to see them enough!

Thanks so much, Melissa. I can’t wait to meet you in person in 30 days! (Yikes!!!)

Baby Book Festival (And the "Heist Society" Winner!)

2011-04-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers!

I have an exciting announcement to make, and it’s all about babies. Unfortunately, Beth Fantaskey will not be able to join us for TBF 2011. But fortunately, it’s for a really good reason. Two days before TBF, Beth will be boarding a plane to China to adopt a new baby! So although we will miss her at TBF 2011, we are all so happy for her and her family and their newest addition. Beth will be attending Teen Book Festival 2012, so we all look forward to hearing about her new baby (who won’t be quite so new anymore!).

Beth isn’t the only member of our TBF community to be gaining a new family member, though! We have a new TBF Planning Committee baby! One of our amazing committee members had a beautiful baby girl only a few weeks ago. I have yet to meet our newest little committee member, but I know that she’s a book-lover-in-training. (I wonder if we can get a TBF t-shirt in a newborn size … or maybe Terry Bear will share his t-shirt with our newest TBF member.)

So readers, all these TBF babies are keeping the storks busy. Congratulations to all the happy parents and their families! I can’t wait to see pictures!

I have also have a contest winner to announce! The winner of a copy of “Heist Society” by Ally Carter is

Miranda E.

Miranda, send me an email at carlyreadsfortbf(at)gmail(dot)com so that I can get in touch with you to find out where to mail your book!

An interview marathon is coming, readers! An interview a day til I’ve posted all I’ve got. Check back tomorrow for the first one!

Spying on Ally Carter

2011-04-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers!

I think this is going to be an interview week because I’ve gotten an influx of responses from authors. (Yay!) So, today I’ll share my interview with Ally Carter with you. And … in addition to my interview with Ally, I’m running a contest! Courtesy of TBF Chair Stephanie Squicciarini and Disney Hyperion, Ally’s publisher, I have a gorgeous hardcover copy of “Heist Society” to give away to one lucky reader.

In order to be entered to win a copy of “Heist Society,” leave a comment on this post answering the following question: What is your favorite book by Ally Carter? Or, if you haven’t read anything by Ally yet, which of her books are you most looking forward to reading? The contest ends on Monday, April 11. Sorry, this contest is not open internationally.

So readers, enjoy Ally’s interview, and I wish you all luck in the contest!

Carly Reads: Where do you get your story ideas? I am particularly interested in how you came up for the idea for the Gallagher Girls series.
Ally Carter: Story ideas come from all kinds of places. My very first novel (“Cheating at Solitaire”) came to me one night when I was making spaghetti. “I’d Tell You I Love You But Then I’d Have to Kill You” popped into my head during an episode of “Alias.” Really, each book comes along in its own way and, as the writer, I just have to keep my mind constantly scanning and searching for the good ones.

CR: Do you have a favorite Gallagher Girl? I’m partial to Cammie, but I do love Bex’s personality!
AC: I honestly don’t have a favorite. They each serve their purpose for the story and for their friendship. I feel as if the girls balance each other out quite nicely so that, taken together, they’re a much, much stronger force.

CR: Are you currently working on my other projects (new books!) that you can tell us about?
AC: Right now I’m hard at work on the first draft of Gallagher Girls 5. It doesn’t have a title or a specific release date just yet, but I feel confident it will be in stores in early 2012. The next book that will be in stores for me is “Uncommon Criminals.” It’s the sequel to Heist Society and it will be out on June 21, 2010.

CR: What was the last book that you read for pleasure?
AC: I just finished Megan Whalen Turner’s “The Thief.” As a rule, if more than three people gasp when I say I haven’t read a certain book, that book goes to the top of my reading pile. That was the case with “The Thief” and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed.

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?
AC: Everyone! It’s an amazing lineup, and while I can’t wait to catch up with old friends like Melissa de la Cruz, I can’t wait to meet new people too. Really, that’s one of the greatest things about book festivals and one of many reasons we authors enjoy them as much as the attendees.

CR: You get a bonus question because Dr. Laura Jones, one of the TBF committee members, requested that I ask you: are you a spy?
AC: Well, if I said yes, I wouldn’t be a very good one!

Thanks, Ally! We can’t wait to meet you in May!

You Should Read This Interview ...

2011-04-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers,

Last week I reviewed Charles Benoit’s novel “You.” This week, I have an interview for you (Haha!) with Charles.

Carly Reads: “You” is your first young adult novel – you’ve previously written mysteries for adults. What has your journey into the young adult lit world been like?

Charles Benoit: I have found the YA world to be very welcoming. The talent level scares me though – every YA book I pick up is freakishly well-written. It forces me to work harder on my on books, which is a good thing, yes, but man, it can be intimidating! I've been reading the books by the authors on my TBF panel (Torrey Maldonado, Jon Skovron and Josh Berk) and each one wow-ed the hell out of me. I hope I don't get all fan-boy during the panel... The other cool thing I've noticed: When you're doing book talks for adult books, 90% of the time no one will have read the book. When I've done talks for “You,” lots of folks in my teen audiences have actually read the book. The level of questions they ask are better then the questions I get for my adult mysteries. And they don't let you get away with vague, off-the-question answers. YA audiences are much more fun.

CR: “You” is written in second person, which I’ve heard you say was something you did to add an extra challenge for yourself. Would you write another book in second person?

CB: Noooooooooooooooooooooooo. I spent months after finishing “You” trying to get that second-person voice out of my head. It was starting to freak me out. So, no, no more second person for me!

CR: I don’t want to give too much away, but I love how “You” begins and ends in the same place. Is this something that you intended from the beginning? Or did it the full circle ending evolve as you wrote “You?”

CB: I knew before I started that that was how the book would start and finish – it was just everything in between I wasn't so sure of. For my adult mysteries I've always been a plotter, planning the whole book out from the start. But for my YA books I've let go of much of that, trusting the process a lot more. Now I find I just plot out a scene or so in advance. I know where I want to go – sortta – but the exact route is up in the air.

CR: What was the last book that you read for pleasure?

CB: I'm reading a biography of the jazz legend Cab Calloway (“Hi De Ho” by Alyn Shipton) and I’ve got a couple chapters to go in “Buy Back” by Brian Wiprud. It's part comedy, part art heist book, which is coincidently the type of book I just finished writing.

CR: What authors are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?

CB: I've met a few already and I want to meet all the rest of course. I want to meet Svetlana since I love graphic novels; Ally Carter's “Heist Society” is sitting on my desk to read so I hope to meet her; Patrick Jones writes the kind of stuff I like to write, so I want to meet him and try to steal some of his ideas or maybe a finished manuscript I could pass off as my own. I wish I could play poker (I have a hard time with Go Fish), but the idea behind “Big Slick” is so intriguing that I hope to chat with Eric Luper; And I must meet Melissa Kantor since every one of her 5 Fun Facts are true for me, too. Erie, huh?

Thanks, Charles, for answering these questions for us! We can’t wait to meet you at TBF 2011!

Interview with the Mascot

2011-03-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers,

It’s a double dose of Terry Trueman on the blog! Today … my interview with Terry.

Carly Reads: You keep coming back year after year, what is it that you love so much about the Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?
Terry Trueman: TBF is a special gig. I know a lot of authors who have particular places where they are always welcome and treated great, even singled out a bit, which I always feel at TBF, plus Stephanie stalks me, what am I gonna do? Would you want someone with a last name like her pissed at you? :)

CR: Do you play the Whack-an-Author game on the TBF website? If so, what’s your high score?
TT: I don't play Whack-an-Author, in fact, I don't play any games on video or etc. I hate to lose so much it's sickening – to kill myself over not being able to whack myself on the head better than anyone else, would seem … I dunno, kind of pathetic I think.

CR: Do you have a favorite among the books you’ve written?
TT: I love all my children, but my new one a sequel to “Stuck in Neutral” and its companion “Cruise Control,” working title “Jump Start” hopefully coming out in 2012, is pretty special and I LOVE it. You'll hear a bit of it at this year’s TBF if you come to one of my sessions.

CR: What are your five favorite books?
TT: R U kidding? If I name my own, which obviously are my five faves, I'll have to leave one out and that book will be heartbroken. If I list books by other authors, I can only make five friends happy and thus have a few hundred others po'd at me. It's a NO WIN. I will admit that “The Art of Racing in the Rain” and “Love That Dog” are books I admire written by authors I loathe for writing so beautifully.

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?
TT: To be honest I haven't seen who's coming this year. I always enjoy meeting authors for the first time and seeing old pals, so picking any one would be impossible. I know I always get a huge kick out of hanging around with . . . myself . . . So there is that!! :)

Thanks, Terry! As always, we can’t wait to see at TBF come May.

Cruising with Terry

2011-03-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Readers!

Those of you who have been to TBF in previous years know that Terry Trueman is a TBF favorite. Before we had an opening panel, there was a keynote address to kick off the festival, and Terry gave the keynote address at the 1^st and 2^nd TBF. He’s attended every festival thus far, is the face of “Whack and Author” on the TBF website, and at TBF 2009 he was named “TBF Mascot.”

Therefore, I thought it was only appropriate that I dedicate a post to Terry and my favorite of his books. I’ve already reviewed “Stuck in Neutral.” (In fact, it was my first review on Carly Reads!) As a quick recap, “Stuck in Neutral” tells the story of Shawn, a bright teenage boy trapped in his body by severe cerebral palsy and convinced that his father is trying to kill him. “Stuck in Neutral” has a companion novel, “Cruise Control.” “Cruise Control” is told from the point of view of Paul, Shawn’s brother. “Cruise Control,” like “Stuck in Neutral” is a short but emotionally loaded read. While it is, like I said, a companion to “Stuck in Neutral,” it can easily be read on its own.

And in exciting preview news, when Terry visited Nazareth as part of Teen Reads Week in the fall, he read an excerpt from his newest book, which is a sequel to “Stuck in Neutral.” I’m hoping there will be another preview at TBF 2011 …

It's All About "You"

2011-03-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader,

Today, you turned on your computer, opening your Internet browser, typed this blog address into the search box, and landed on the homepage of this blog. You scanned the headlines, and then began to read this post.

Whoa. Second person. It’s a strange tense to read. But Charles Benoit’s novel “You” is written entirely in second person. It’s something that can be tough to get used to, especially at the beginning, but the storyline of the novel is definitely worth braving the unusual tense.

“You” is really about choices. It’s about how the choices that the narrator, Kyle, makes influence his life. Kyle is not an overachiever. In fact, he’s what many may call an underachiever or a screw-up. He’s smarter than he lets on, and he doesn’t work nearly as hard as he could. But he’s a relatable narrator nonetheless. Readers will connect to Kyle and the choices that he’s facing in his life. “You” also has a certain suspense to it. It begins with a bang, and that bang will keep readers guessing throughout the rest of the book. “You” is a powerful book. Benoit gives readers a powerful message about the importance of making choices and he does so in a memorable manner.

So, brave the second person tense, make the right choice, and give “You” a try.

Colleen Falls for "Miki Falls"

2011-03-27T18:31:00.000-07:00

Hello Readers!

No, I didn’t disappear off the face of the earth, I merely disappeared to San Francisco where I spent four days touring the city like a crazy woman. I saw elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park, visited the Vera Bradley store in downtown San Francisco, saw the aquatic animals at the California Academy of Sciences, shopped at the Chronicle Books store, and took every form of public transportation that travels around the city, including an old-fashioned cable car. I then spent the next week an half trying to recover from the lack of sleep and get back into the swing of school and classes. (Let me tell you readers, this whole “college” thing is TOTALLY cutting into my free reading time …)

But now I’m back! And there are only 47 days left until TBF 2011. (Yes, 47! That’s left than 50! Ahhhhh!) That means that it’s time to kick into high gear here on Carly Reads. So check back every day, because I’ve got lots to post before the big day arrives!

For today? A review of Mark Crilley’s “Miki Falls (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter)” by Colleen!

High school senior Miki Yoshido is determined to make her last year count. She meets Hiro Sakurai, a new student at school whose stand-offish demeanor (and good looks) immediately catches her interest. Despite Hiro’s discouragement, Miki is determined to get to know him. When Miki finds out about Hiro’s secret life as a Deliverer, a quasi-celestial being whose job is to keep watch over the survival of love on Earth. Despite their growing feelings for each other, Hiro knows that he is breaking the rules of his very existence by being with Miki, and he breaks off their relationship. The two are thrown back together when Hiro’s superiors come after the couple, determined to break them apart and punish Hiro for his transgressions. Determined to stay together, Hiro and Miki run away together on perilous quest for survival.

I went through a whole anime/manga phase in middle/high school (my friends and I were literally obsessed). I’m not such a hard-core fan anymore, but I do still enjoy a good manga read every now and then. I had seen “Miki Falls” on the shelves at the library before, and had been interested in reading the series. When I found out that author/illustrator would be coming to the TBF this year, I had my “excuse” to finally read the series! And I must say, I really did enjoy it. The story was surprisingly original and the artwork was quite good. I’m always in awe (and in envy) of people who can write and illustrate so well… The series was definitely a fun read – and with its well-balanced combination of romance, comedy and action, it carries a wide reader appeal. If Mr. Crilley comes out with a sequel, I will definitely be reading it… and rumor has it that they might be considering making the series into a film… oh the possibilities!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Colleen!

Carrie Blooms

2011-03-09T15:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Readers,

Today is the last day of guest blog posts by Dr. Laura’s students. Last, but most certainly not least, is Carrie’s review of “Bloom” by Elizabeth Scott.

Hi Teen Book Fest Readers! My name is Carrie and I have my Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies and Special Education (Grades 7-12) from Nazareth College. Now I am a graduate student at Nazareth studying Literacy Education. I am an avid reader and love YA literature.

Some of my favorite YA books include “The A-List” series by Zoey Dean and all of Terry Truman's novels. I am a sucker for all romance novels :-) I am really looking forward to meeting Terry Truman and Elizabeth Scott at this year’s TBF! As a literacy student, I am always looking for new and exciting ways to incorporate YA lit into my classroom. Because of my background in Social Studies, I see the importance of integrating historical YA novels in my future classroom.

I believe YA books can give a stronger and deeper meaning of history than just a textbook alone. But, I did not review a historical novel… I got suckered into a romance novel.

I recently read Elizabeth Scott's “Bloom,” and boy was I blown away. This is NOT your average high school romance (and I could not put it down).

Most romance books are always about the unpopular girl who wants the perfect blonde-haired, blue-eyed jock. Usually, that girl comes from a great family that supports her and she is usually smart. Everything in the book just seems to be too perfect, and it has the perfect ending. It never seems like reality. It is just the typical high school fairy tale. Well, “Bloom” is not that story.

Lauren already has the perfect boyfriend, Dave. He is the hottest guy in school and all the other girls melt whenever they see him. Everyone envies Lauren's relationship. Dave seems perfect. He will hold her hand in public, and he always kisses her every time he sees her. He comes from a great family, who love Lauren. They try to include her in family dinner and reunions. He is a star athlete. He is very smart and well-liked in school. And he is head over heels in love with Lauren. He thinks she is perfect. He is even planning his college choices with Lauren in mind. (Cue the awwwww.) He thinks that they can last forever. There is only one issue; Lauren does not, but she is too scared to leave Dave, because he is perfect.

This all changes when a blast from the past named Evan comes back into Lauren's life. Lauren will have to decide if she wants to leave her perfect boyfriend for someone she has not seen in years, or stay in a relationship that she is unhappy with.

Lauren also struggles with opening up her life to those around her. Lauren's mother left when she was really young and she and her father do not communicate (he's a workaholic). Lauren also does not have that many friends, and her closest friends has issues of their own. As a reader, it's easy to see yourself in the characters of “Bloom.” Lauren is not the perfect character and “Bloom” is not the perfect love story. Nothing is perfect in this story. But this creates a perfect young adult novel, one of the best I have read in a while! So go read it now!!!

Thanks Carly for letting me "guest" blog and I can't wait to see you all and all the authors at the Teen Book Fest!

Thank you, Carrie, for taking the time to share your review with us! And thank you, readers, for being loyal followers of Carly Reads!

Meghan Reviews Melissa

2011-03-08T15:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Bookworms!

Today I have a review written by one of Dr. Laura’s students, Meghan, of “Girlfriend Material,” by Melissa Kantor. I gave rave reviews to Melissa Kantor’s “The Breakup Bible” and “The Darlings,” so I’m just as excited as you are to read Meghan’s thoughts on “Girlfriend Material.”

So without any more delay, meet Meghan …

Hey guys! My name is Meghan and I just wanted to thank Carly for letting me be a guest blogger on her TBF blog. :-) Just a bit about me … This past May, I graduated from Nazareth College of Rochester with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and a certification in Social Studies and Special Education (Grades 7-12). I currently am working on my Masters Degree in Literacy Education (Grade 5-12) at my alma mater.

Due to my background in Social Studies, I tend to gravitate to YA books that are historical or multicultural in nature. I am a huge fan of Deborah Ellis, the author of the award winning novel, “The Breadwinner.” In addition, I recently had the opportunity of reading Nujood Ali’s memoir entitled “I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced” and grew in love with her. What an excellent book… I highly suggest reading it.

I’m really looking forward to utilizing these two particular pieces of YA literature in my future social studies classes to teach students how their counterparts live in other parts of the world. I think each of these texts provide plenty of teaching opportunities!

I also have come to love Terry Trueman, one of the TBF authors this year and I can’t wait to meet him. I have read both “Stuck in Neutral” and its companion novel “Cruise Control” and think that his texts provide valuable lessons about truly accepting others.

Enough about me … onto my review on “Girlfriend Material” by TBF author Melissa Kantor. I have read most of Kantor’s work and I really enjoy it. I always wanted to read this particular book... I just never had the chance to until this past week. If you read it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :-)

Kate, the main character, is a sixteen-year-old girl that has never had a boyfriend and wants to spend the summer with her friends in Salt Lake City. Instead, Kate is forced to go with her mother, Jane, to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. They plan to stay with one of Jane’s old college roommates for the entire summer, as Jane works through some personal issues.

Things look horrible from the beginning for Kate. The summer sure starts off rough. Jane’s roommate’s daughter, Sarah, wants nothing to do with Kate and she doesn’t have anyone to play tennis with. She is just all-around bored-out-of-her-mind. Kate is convinced that her summer is ruined, until she meets Adam.

“Girlfriend Material” is a really cute summer read! It was very easy to picture exactly what Melissa Kantor wanted to paint in the reader’s mind because of her detailed descriptions.

Kate was so easy to relate to. I can remember being 16 and having no clue how to act around boys. It was as if I was reading about myself. Adam was so sweet and seemed like he would make a great boyfriend. I just kept turning the pages, hoping everything would work out in the end.

I really, really, really enjoyed this book! It reminded me that everything happens for a reason.

Wow, Meghan, thank so much for the review. Now I’m really anxious to read “Girlfriend Material”!

Heather on "Blue Bloods"

2011-03-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

Hey Readers!

Welcome back to Carly Reads for day two of guest reviews by Dr. Laura’s students.

Today, Heather reviews “Blue Bloods” by Melissa de la Cruz!

My name is Heather and I am a graduate student studying Literacy (5th-12th grade). I am hoping to get the literacy extension in birth through sixth grade so I can be dual certified. This is my second semester here at Naz and I absolutely love it. I love reading in my spare time, and I am a fan of authors like Terry Truman, Joyce Carol Oates, Edgar Alan Poe, and now Melissa De La Cruz. In my spare time, when I am not reading, I am a Varsity Cheerleading coach and a Graduate Assistant for the Homework Help Program here at Naz.

Before reading “Blue Bloods,” I could not help but think that this would be another vampire love story. You know, the vampire novel in which the vampire and human fall in love and try to figure out a way to make things work. However, “Blue Bloods” is not like your typical vampire series! Melissa De La Cruz does NOT present her readers with the typical human falls in love with vampire love story. Instead, Cruz presents a realistic, mysterious story in which vampires are trying to live “normal” elite lives in Manhattan.

“Blue Bloods” is set in Manhattan and follows the lives of a few teens that attend Duchesne, a prestigious private school. These teens are different, not just because they are rich, powerful, and among the elite in Manhattan, but because they are vampires. The "main character" Schuyler Van Alen is a misfit at Duchesne. Schuyler is different, not just because she does not dress like the other girls in the school, but because she is part vampire. Schuyler does not realize that she is a vampire until she is fifteen when she beings noticing blue veins on her arms, and begins craving raw meat (YUCK!). There is a scene in the book where readers witness Schuyler eating the raw meat with blood streaming down her face. At this point I got a little queasy and wanted to tell her to stop! However, I kept reading because I was wrapped into the book and couldn’t wait to see what Schuyler would do next.

Once Schuyler finds out she is a blue blood, she realizes that the death of one of her classmates, who was also a blue blood, was not an accident, especially since vampires are unable to die. Who or what is the cause of her classmate’s death and other young vampires? Readers spend the book, along with Schuyler trying to uncover this mystery while putting her own life on the line. Readers read parts of a diary, written from one of the female members of the Mayflower. The way it is presented, it feels as if we, the “hooked” readers, are reading it while Schuyler is having a flashback or while she is reading the diary herself. It’s as if readers are uncovering parts of the mystery through this diary, while learning the history of the blue bloods.

I loved this book and I cannot wait to read the other books in the series. Melissa de la Cruz effortlessly combines the elements of horror and suspense with a splash of love (but then again what is a good story without a little bit of romance?). Cruz’s writing captivates and draws readers in. Once I began reading, I could NOT put it down. I definitely recommend this book to all readers! What are you waiting for?! Go read it. :-)

Thanks for your review, Heather. Looking forward to seeing you again at TBF 2011!

Melissa and Seth

2011-03-06T18:04:00.000-08:00

Hey Readers!

Dr. Laura is one of stupendous members of the awesome TBF planning committee. She’s a professor in the Education Department at Nazareth and this semester she’s teaching a class in young adult literature. Dr. Laura’s students are reading lots of the TBF books, and she and I decided that it would be fun to invite her students to be guest bloggers here at Carly Reads. Therefore, for the next four days, I will be posting book review written by Dr. Laura’s students: Melissa, Heather, Meghan, and Carrie.

Melissa is up first … enjoy!

My name is Melissa, and my favorite YA book is “The Breadwinner” by Deborah Ellis. I am most looking forward to meeting Ellen Hopkins at TBF 2011, as I have read “Crank” and “Tricks” and really enjoyed both books. I am currently a graduate student at Nazareth College and am studying to be a literacy specialist. I am also certified to teach English for grades 7-12. Hopefully, I will be able to use many YA novels in my future classroom, especially those written by TBF authors.

“Seth Baumgartner’s Love Manifesto” by Eric Luper is an amazing book! The novel begins with the main character, Seth, having the worst possible day of his life. First, his girlfriend dumps him at Applebee’s, then he sees his father with another woman (NOT his mother), and he gets fired from his (fourth) job. All three of these horrible things happen to Seth within one afternoon! The rest of the novel deals with the ways Seth tries to cope with all of these events during the rest of the summer. While news of his breakup and his lost job travels fast among his family and friends, Seth is determined to keep his father’s alleged affair a secret from everyone, including his best friend.

In order to deal with his father’s secret, and since he has no one to talk to, Seth decides to start a podcast. Since he would be uploading his podcasts online under the title “The Love Manifesto,” Seth feels free to discuss his feelings and problems anonymously with his digital audience. But, in this digital world, how long can Seth’s identity remain a secret? I’ll leave that to you as a reader to figure out.

Throughout the book, Seth tries to track his father’s behavior and find out the identity of the mysterious woman that he saw with his father. While he is preoccupied with this task, Seth also tries to cope with his breakup and focus on his new job at the golf course. To make matters worse, Seth and his father are supposed to compete in the annual father-son golf tournament at the country club. As he prepares for the tournament, Seth wonders if he should confront his father about the affair and the mystery woman. I don’t want to spoil the ending of the book, but it does have a twist (which some readers may guess even before Seth finds out).

This book is perfect for anyone who has been in love and/or has been through a breakup. Seth continuously tries to determine what love really means throughout the book, and the reader is able to work through this dilemma with him. Seth’s thoughts about life and love were one of my favorite features of this novel. I especially like how Luper includes transcripts of Seth’s podcasts in between some of the chapters, so the reader knows what Seth is saying to his digital audience. Also, Luper includes the songs and sound effects that Seth plays during the podcasts, which really give the reader the feeling that he or she is actually listening to the podcast on iTunes. Overall, this is an enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it!

Thanks for the review, Melissa! Readers, have you read “Seth Baumgartner’s Love Manifesto” yet? If so, what are your thoughts?

Spy Girls

2011-03-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

Hello Readers,

Do you have certain books that you associate with specific times in your life? A book that, when you open it, brings back a flood of memories about the first time you read it? For me, “I’d Tell You I Love You, but Then I’d Have to Kill You” by Ally Carter is one of those books. “I’d Tell You I Love You, but Then I’d Have to Kill You” will forever make me think of laying on a chaise lounge on my deck, reading the book in a pair of sunglasses during the summer that I was sixteen. Needless to say, “I’d Tell You I Love, but Then I’d Have to Kill You,” is one of my faves.

Cammie Morgan attends the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a spy school in disguise as an elite prep school. Cammie can speak fourteen languages and kill a man seven different ways, but when she meets a normal guy, she has to learn how to have a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her.

“I’d Tell You I Love You, but Then I’d Have to Kill You” is a sweet story with a strong female protagonist (and you all know how much I love those), and best of all, it’s first in a series. So far, there are four published Gallagher Girls novels, so once you finish the first one ,you can move right on to the next.

Have you read any (or all!) of the Gallagher Girls books? If so, which is your favorite?

Interview With An Illustrator

2011-03-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

What’s up, Readers?

I’ll tell you what’s up here at Carly Reads … an interview with James Barry!

Carly Reads: According to your website, you illustrate a variety of mediums (comics like “The Warrior” series, textbooks, posters). How does your creative process differ depending on what medium you are illustrating?
James Barry: I really enjoy working on comics because of the creative process involved in storytelling. When illustrating comics, multiple drawings are used to tell the story, and I get to consider the dramatic aspects like pacing and character, as well as the artistic elements like panel design and setting. The words are integrated into the drawing as opposed to a poster or textbook, where the art is separate and supports the writing. Drawing a comic is a lot like directing a movie.

CR: Do you have a favorite character from “The Warriors” series? Is there one character or scene that was harder to draw than the rest?
JB: So far, I would say Ravenpaw is my favorite character because I identified with a lot of his personality traits. He was also the hardest to draw because I had to ink in all that black fur! Scenes with cars are sometimes difficult to illustrate because I want the automobiles to seem threatening, like "monsters" to the cats

CR: What is the process of illustrating a book in “The Warriors” series like?
JB: When I receive the script, I start sketching out a rough draft of each page on cheap paper – these are called thumbnail drawings. I send scans to my editor who looks over the drawings and gives any suggestions to make the story more clear Since each page is only a rough sketch, it is easy to make changes at this stage. Once everything is agreed upon, I print out the revised thumbnails at 150% the final print size. Illustrators almost always make drawings larger than the final print because it is easier to add little details as well as cover mistakes. Using a pencil, I trace these thumbnails onto another sheet paper and start refining the drawing. Inking the comic takes the most time. Some artists ink digitally but I still do this stage by hand. I use a dip pen and bottled ink to go over the pencil drawing, adding depth and more details. It can seem daunting, making each un-erasable line, but with practice it can be a lot of fun. When finished inking, the pencil lines are erased and the page is scanned into the computer where tones or color are added. The digital files are sent to my editor where the word balloons are placed, based on the design in my thumbnail drawings.

CR: What was the last book that you read for pleasure?
JB: I am currently reading "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman.

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?
JB: I look forward to meeting Melissa de la Cruz and reading some of her novels. They sound quite exciting!

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these interview questions for us, James. We’re looking forward to meeting you in May at TBF 2011!

Colleen on "Jekel Loves Hyde"

2011-02-28T19:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Readers!

I told you to come back today for Colleen’s first review, so without further ado, Colleen’s review of “Jekel Loves Hyde” by Beth Fantaskey.

Straight-A student and all-around good girl Jill Jekel always follows the rules, especially about never opening the mysterious old box in her father’s office. But when her father is mysteriously murdered and her college savings disappear, Jill is tempted to peek inside, especially since she believes the secrets to winning a lucrative chemistry scholarship are hidden inside. To better her odds of winning, Jill asks fellow student Tristan Hyde to partner with her in the experiments. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, the pair attempt to recreate experiments from the classic novel. At first, Jill is only in it for the money, but, as her feelings for Tristan begin to grow, so do her concerns about his well-being. For Tristan has a dangerous secret; one that puts both of their lives in danger. Tristan believes that he is a direct descendent from the original Mr. Hyde. When he realizes that Jill’s father had been studying the scientific notes of Dr. Jekyll – notes that could contain a potential cure for Trista – he convinces Jill to help him to try and find a cure for his curse. Jill’s knowledge may be the only thing that can save Tristan, but first she must overcome her own dark nature.

Overall, I thought this was a fun read. Not my usual genre of choice (I’m more of a dragons and magic fantasy type, but I’m branching out by trying to read at least one book by every TBF author). I found the author’s expansion of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson “Jekyll and Hyde” story to be creative and definitely appealing for younger readers. Once I got used to it, I also liked how the author switched between Jill and Tristan’s points-of-view each chapter. This allowed us as readers to get the full story. Overall, I enjoyed it enough to want to read more from this author… hopefully “Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side” in the near future?

Thanks for the review, Colleen … I’m looking forward to the next one!

Meet Colleen!

2011-02-27T18:07:00.000-08:00

Hey Bookworms!

Today I have a special guest here on Carly Reads … I’ll allow her to share a little bit of information about herself with you, but allow me to introduce you to Colleen!

Hi! My name is Colleen. I have always loved to read! I am 25 years old and currently finishing up my last semester the University at Buffalo, working towards my master’s degree in Library Science. Prior to that, I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from Nazareth (home to the TBF – yay!). Because of my love of books, I got my first job as a page at the Webster Public Library shelving books when I was 15… and have been there ever since! I’m still at the same library – but working as a librarian assistant now. For my final semester of grad school, I am working on a special project with the Teen Book Festival (as an intern of sorts). In addition to working alongside TBF-founder and committee chair Stephanie Squicciarini on several TBF-related projects and events, I am also attempting to read my way through all of the authors coming to the festival this year (a big task, I know… but I’m up to it!). Carly, my fellow WPL employee and Naz student, has been kind enough to let me be a guest blogger on Carly Reads as part of my project. I’m new to writing reviews… so please bear with me!

Hope to see you all at the TBF!

Colleen :)

So readers, come back again tomorrow for Colleen’s first book review.

"Demonglass" Winners

2011-02-24T17:46:00.000-08:00

Well Readers,

It’s time to announce the winners of the “Demonglass” contest! Congratulations …

Valerie B. and Cheyanna W.

Valerie and Cheyanna have each won an ARC copy of “Demonglass” by Rachel Hawkins, courtesy of Rachel’s publisher and the marvelous Stephanie Squicciarini, who picked up the books at a conference.

Also, several readers submitted questions that they wanted Rachel to answer when I interviewed her for the blog. I have selected three reader submitted questions. Valerie wants to know if Rachel’s experience as a teacher helped her identify the genre that she wanted to write. Jordan is wondering why Rachel chooses to write YA. And Stacey asks, who are Rachel’s favorite YA authors to read, and why?

Readers, you’ll find out the answers to all those questions (and more!) as soon as I do. Keep checking back for Rachel’s interview … and for more book reviews, sneak peeks, and giveaways!

Win an ARC of "Demonglass"!

2011-02-20T17:11:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of Rachel Hawkins’ publisher, Hyperion, and Stephanie Squicciarini, who picked them up at a conference for me, I have ARCs of “Demonglass” to give away to two lucky readers!

To enter this giveaway, fill out this form.

You can enter the contest once, but you can gain an extra entry by submitting a question that you would like me to ask Rachel when I interview her for the blog. So, have you been dying to know if she has any pets, what her favorite book is, or how long she’s wanted to be a writer? This is your chance to find out!

Contest winners will be randomly selected. I will choose five questions to ask Rachel from the submissions from you readers.

This contest ends on Wednesday, February 23 at 8 p.m. Sorry, but this contest is not open internationally.

Good luck!

Sharing the Love for "Change of Heart"

2011-02-14T19:36:00.000-08:00

Hi Readers!

For Valentine's Day ... a review of "Change of Heart!"

In Shari Maurer’s “Change of Heart,” Emmi is your average teenager. She goes to high school school, plays soccer for a local travel team, dreams of an athletic scholarship to a good college, enjoys hanging out with her friends, and has a crush on one of her classmates, Sam. Her “average” world, though, is sent spinning when what she assumes is just a cold turns out to be a life-threatening virus that leaves her heart weakened. So weakened, in fact, that within months, Emmi is in need of a heart transplant.

A little while ago, I reviewed Selene Castrovilla’s “The Girl Next Door” as a beautifully developed tearjerker, and it’s fair to put “Change of Heart” in the same category. Maurer will make you care about Emmi as though she were your own best friend. You’ll celebrate Emmi’s triumphs, and feel the pain of her struggles and roadblocks. “Change of Heart” is not an easy book to read, because you care so deeply about the characters, but it’s a book that’s worth reading.

100th Post Prize Pack Winners

2011-02-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

Hello Readers!

Today is the day you’ve been waiting for – the day that the winners of the 100th Post Prize Pack Contest are announced! I won’t bore you with my jabbering, let’s get right on to the good stuff …

The grand prize consists of a paperback copy of “Get Well Soon” by Julie Halpern, a hardcover copy of “The Kings Are Already Here” by Garret Freymann-Weyr, an official TBF sling bag, and TBF pens. The grand prize goes to …

Jordan B.

The second place prize is an official TBF tote bag, a gift certificate for a 6^th Annual TBF t-shirt (redeemable at TBF 2011), and a TBF decal. Second place goes to …

Juliana C.

And lastly, the runner up prize pack includes a gift certificate for a 6^th Annual TBF t-shirt (redeemable at TBF 2011) and a TBF decal. The runners up are …

Stacey M. and Cathy K.

Congrats to all the winners! I will be in touch you all by email so that I can find out where I should send your prizes.