Though based on themes fairly common to both writers and readers of teen fiction, Alexander Alexandrov's ALL FOR YOU might be considered something of a rarity, in that it chronicles a coming of age and romance told from a male point of view. In today's guest blog, he shares his motivations behind writing this debut novel and muses on two of the most important things young people struggle with on their road to adulthood.


What themes are relevant to young adults and teens? My own experience has shown me that most people in transition to adulthood pursue two things: love and independence. It may not be obvious, but most young people are looking to emerge from underneath their parents’ protective, sometimes even over-protective, wing and follow their own path in life. Along the way, we have relationships and flirtations and deal with issues of intimacy and commitment.

This is a universal rite of passage, the transition from boyhood/girlhood to being an adult. My debut novel, ALL FOR YOU, tries to capture these themes and portray them in a very candid way. Rather than writing what I would consider a predictable, cookie-cutter romance novel, I wanted to bring the reader a refreshing first-person view of growing up and maneuvering through the complexities of work and personal relationships in the search for meaning in the 21st century.

The book tells the story of Valentin, a nearly penniless recent college graduate, who defies his parents’ fierce objections and leaves home to work abroad and chase his love interest, Maria. As soon as he has settled into his new job, the hopelessly in love twenty-something decides to confess his feelings. But Valentin is heartbroken to discover that Maria does not reciprocate his love. Soon afterward, he runs into a gorgeous woman named Irina, and they begin a whirlwind romance. But the idyllic situation quickly turns sour and leaves Valentin with few options, forcing him to take drastic action in a final bid to achieve his goals. All the while, the main character is trying to handle an increasingly complex situation at work and with his family back home.

The story is told using first person because it’s very important to bring the reader into the main character’s mind. I wanted to expose Valentin’s thoughts in a very honest way and show him as an idealistic and determined, albeit flawed, young man who is following his heart and trying to make it on his own. I want the reader to know exactly what Valentin is thinking and why he acts the way he does.

Some readers, particularly female readers, might be surprised to find out that many guys are sensitive and emotional, while trying to appear tough and rugged. One of my intentions was to break the traditional romance fiction genre by showcasing how love and relationships are perceived from a male perspective.

As this is my debut novel, I am very interested in receiving feedback from the public, so feel free to check out my Myspace profile. I invite everyone who feels comfortable doing so to share their own stories of independence, love, etc. I enjoy interacting with readers of the book and hearing what you have to say.

-- Alexander Alexandrov

Labels: Alexander Alexandrov, All For You

In support of next week's release of the graphic novel adaptation of iconic, dystopian classic FAHRENHEIT 451, Ray Bradbury made an appearance at this year's Comic-Con, held last week in San Diego. In attendance was The Book Report Network co-founder and president, Carol Fitzgerald, and below, she recounts the experience of hearing this living legend speak about his seven decade-long writing career and lifelong affinity with illustrated books.


Somehow, when I was plotting my Con schedule, I had missed that Ray Bradbury would be here. He had been one of the featured guests at the first Comic-Con back in 1970, when the crowd was a mere 300 at the U.S. Grant Hotel. I had seen him three years ago at the L.A. Book Festival in what was one very memorable afternoon. Thus when I learned he was on the lineup, I found my way to the room where he would appear. On the way, I thought I was on the right line, only to be told it was actually one for Boondock Saints 2. When I said I wanted to see Bradbury, I was told, "There will not be a line like this for HIM." Well, while I did walk in the room without waiting, the room still was filled with what looked like a couple of thousand people, and when Bradbury's wheelchair hoist got him to the presentation level, the place immediately erupted into a standing ovation. The thing about the Con: There's something for everyone.

Since the last time I saw him, Bradbury has aged. That time, he spoke for more than an hour on his own, with no notes. This time, both Arnold Kunert, his longtime friend, writer, and producer, and Sam Welller, his official biographer, joined him onstage. But, he was still marvelously spunky and opinionated for a man of almost 89. And he had command of the event from the start, when he requested that a tape be shown of an interview he did the night 40 years ago when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Of course, this had not been on the agenda, but a DVD appeared and was cued.

It opened with Walter Cronkite introducing Bradbury and Mike Wallace saying that science fiction writers, especially one like Bradbury, were vindicated with the moon landing. (When Cronkite appeared onscreen, there was wild applause from the audience.) In the segment, Bradbury opined that the moon was just the beginning. We needed to move on from the moon to Mars, and then the stars. He saw the rocket as a moral substitute for weapons of war and instead a chance to conquer the universe peacefully. He felt that here on earth wars would be stopped as we moved as one to find life elsewhere in the loneliness of space. He saw the lunar landing as a moment for mankind to redesign itself.

Continuing with anecdotes, he recalled that that night he was to appear on the David Frost show behind '60s pop music singer Englebert Humperdink, but he found him to be such an absurd guest for such a momentous evening that he bolted from the studio to do the Wallace piece. After recording the show, he walked the streets of London looking at the moon with a mixture of laughter and tears.

For the record, Bradbury plans to be buried on Mars. He did say he plans to live to at least 100; thus the space program has 11 years to get us there.

Back on more earthly topics, Bradbury talked about how he learned to read with illustrated books. He remembers his first book was BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and he taught himself to read from it at 5 and then read comics. He read Buck Rogers for 7 years and then Tarzan at 12 and Prince Valiant at 15. He still owns two original Faust drawings of Tarzan, which he treasures. He feels all his work is tied back to those early years reading illustrated material. Seeing the work, not just reading it, infused his sensibilities as a writer.

He feels education needs to change and that we need to focus on 3-5 year olds and teach them to read with comics. He sees Peanuts and then Calvin and Hobbes as wonderful educators. He said jokingly that perhaps Calvin and Hobbes should be put in charge of education. (It made me remember the summer my younger son read Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side books back to back.) He also does not allow so-called intellectuals to tell him what he is doing and why. He knows what mattered to him.

Tim Hamilton, the creator of the graphic novel of FARENHEIT 451, which will hit stores on August 3rd, joined Ray onstage and talked about how he felt like Ray was working over his shoulder as he approved both the prose and the art. This book is on GraphicNovelReporter.com's Hottest Graphic Novels of Summer list and after hearing Tim, I look forward to GNR Editorial Director John Hogan's interview with him.

Bradbury then opined the best advice I have heard, which I recalled from seeing him in the past. "Listen to your heart. My ideas are not in my head, but rather in my heart. Do what you love; love what you do."

The room exploded in applause and another standing ovation. And then the crowds flocked the table against the instructions of the room monitor where Bradbury signed, and posed for photos. I left and there was still a long line of folks waiting to talk to him. Sometimes it's not about the line to get in, but rather the line that stays that shows star quality.

-- Carol Fitzgerald

Labels: Comic-Con, Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury, Tim Hamilton

Remember how I mentioned last week that new books always come out on Tuesdays? I lied. Much to my surprise, this week we've got a few Saturday releases to share with you --- which will be available August 1st --- along with a pretty exciting list of hardcovers and paperbacks you can expect to see in stores tomorrow.

New Releases for July 27th

Hardcover

DANIEL X: WATCH THE SKIES by James Patterson and Ned Rust (Little, Brown and Co.)
LIGHTS
All's quiet in the small town of Holliswood. Television sets, computers, and portable devices are aglow in every home, classroom, and store. Yet not all is perfect. Evil is lurking, just out of sight, behind the screen.

CAMERA
Residing in this sleepy town is a villain with more ambition than the world can withstand. Twisted beyond reason, he is dead set on throwing Holliswood into chaos and documenting the destruction of every person in it, including Daniel X.

EXTERMINATION
The only person who can stop this made-for-TV tyrant, Daniel must use his extraordinary power to save the town. But this devilish director has assembled an all-star team of his own creation and vows to stage the most spectacular finale the world has ever seen. Can Daniel X stop this deranged outlaw --- or will he find himself on the cutting room floor?

New Releases for July 28th

Hardcover
THE ETERNAL KISS: 12 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire, edited by Trisha Telep (Running Press Kids)
There’s an allure to vampire tales that have seduced readers for generations. From Bram Stoker to Stephanie Meyer and beyond, vampire stories are here to stay. For those fresh-blooded fans of paranormal romance or for those whose hunt and hunger never dies, these stories have what readers want!

This collection of original tales comes from some of the hottest, most popular, and best-selling YA writers, including Holly Black, Libba Bray, Melissa de la Cruz, Cassandra Clare, Rachel Caine, Cecil Castellucci, Kelley Armstrong, Maria V. Snyder, and more! They will make everyone a sucker for eternal kisses.

NOTES FROM THE DOG by Gary Paulsen (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House)
Fifteen-year-old Finn is a loner, living with his dad and his amazing dog, Dylan. This summer he’s hoping for a job where he doesn’t have to talk to anyone except his pal Matthew. Then Johanna moves in next door. She’s 10 years older, cool, funny, and she treats Finn as an equal. Dylan loves her, too. Johanna is dealing with breast cancer, and Matthew and Finn learn to care for her, emotionally and physically. When she hires Finn to create a garden, his gardening ideas backfire comically. But Johanna and the garden help Finn discover his talents for connecting with people.

THE TREASURE MAP OF BOYS: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon --- and me, Ruby Oliver, by E. Lockhart (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
Ruby is back at Tate Prep, and it’s her 37th week in the state of Noboyfriend. Her panic attacks are bad, her love life is even worse, and what’s more:

Noel is writing her notes, Jackson is giving her frogs, Gideon is helping her cook, and Finn is making her brownies. Rumors are flying, and Ruby’s already-poor reputation is heading downhill.

Not only that, she’s also: running a bake sale, learning the secrets of heavy metal therapy, encountering some seriously smelly feet, defending the rights of pygmy goats, and bodyguarding Noel from unwanted advances.

In this companion novel to THE BOYFRIEND LIST and THE BOY BOOK, Ruby struggles to secure some sort of mental health, to understand what constitutes a real friendship, and to find true love --- if such a thing exists.


Paperback
MY SWORDHAND IS SINGING by Marcus Sedgwick (Laurel Leaf Books/Random House)
In a bitter winter, Tomas and his son, Peter, settle in a small village as woodcutters. Tomas digs a channel of fast-flowing waters around their hut so that they have their own little island kingdom. Peter doesn’t understand why his father has done this, or why his father carries a long, battered box, whose mysterious contents he is forbidden to know.

But Tomas is a man with a past --- a past that is tracking him with deadly intent. As surely as the snow falls softly in the forest of a hundred thousand silver birch trees, father and son must face a soulless enemy and a terrifying destiny.


New Releases for August 1st

Hardcover

MILESTONES by Samira Armin Hodges (Hungry Goat Press)
One day. That’s how long it took for fourteen year-old Faye Martin’s ordinary life to take a dramatic and unexpected turn. First, she gets struck by lightning. Second, Benjamin Parker, the object of her obsession, witnessed her near-death experience. Finally, her parents force her to leave her hometown of Seattle to attend a summer camp, aptly named ‘Camp Milestone’.

Only, Camp Milestone is no ordinary camp. Before she knows it, Faye finds herself caught in a whirlwind of uncertainty, torture, calamine lotion and romance….All in the name of summer camp. But as the summer unfolds, she realizes there is much more to Camp Milestone than meets the eye. Will she be able to unravel the mystery that surrounds this unusual camp? And more importantly, will she be able to survive the madness long enough to put the pieces together.

MY SOUL TO TAKE by Rachel Vincent (Harlequin Teen)
She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who will be next…

Labels: New Releases

Self-proclaimed teenager at heart Sarah Burningham has written two YA nonfiction books about mining the slippery slopes of adolescence --- HOW TO RAISE YOUR PARENTS, and her most recent release, BOYOLOGY: A Teen Girl's Crash Course in All Things Boy. Below, she gives us the inside scoop behind getting her first book published, and reminisces about the excitement and anxiety felt over showing the finished product to the two people who inspired her to write it.


It was raining the day my agent called to say Chronicle Books wanted to publish my first book. I remember, because immediately after she called, I found myself standing on a busy street in downtown New York City, shivering and dialing my parents’ house in Salt Lake. They were my first call --- the book is titled HOW TO RAISE YOUR PARENTS: A Teen Girl’s Survival Guide, after all.

As luck would have it, my mom was just back from running errands and my dad had stopped home for lunch, so they were both on the phone when I broke the big news. It was fitting actually, considering the idea for this book was hatched while I was having a talk with my parents. Only this time, I wasn’t a teenager --- and I wasn’t in trouble.

“Just don’t tell the world what bad parents we are,” my mom said, laughing, but I could hear the hesitation in her voice.

A few days later I got an e-mail from my dad, “This made me laugh and think of you. Love, Dad.” Attached was a Dan Piraro cartoon of two ragged parents at their author/daughter’s book signing. The bubble above their heads couldn’t have said it better: “Look, we’re SORRY. If we had known you were going to be a writer, we’d have been better parents!”

That settled it. My parents were terrified.

I imagine that most parents, even the most nearly perfect among them, would feel the same way. The thought of your family’s dirty laundry being aired in front of the world à la Augusten Burroughs probably isn’t what most parents have in mind when they think of leaving their history behind for posterity. Lucky for my mom and dad, my book isn’t that kind of book. It’s a parent-friendly advice book for teens, not a personal tell-all. For all our quirks, my family just doesn’t have enough dirt to make a good memoir. But try telling my parents that.

The fact that I conceived this book as a sixteen year old while being lectured about curfews probably didn’t help ease their minds. Yes, I was more than an hour late that night, but I couldn’t very well sit there quietly after I noticed the open parenting book on my mom’s nightstand --- broken curfew or not, they were as clueless I was!

I figured the best way to convince them that my book wasn’t actually based on their parenting was to fill them in on the writing process. After finishing each new chapter, I would call home and casually slip what I thought were reassuring references to “the book” into our conversations.

“I finished the dating chapter today and it reminded me of that time I rented a movie with that guy and dad sat by us on the couch for the entire thing. Remember that?”

Pause.

“What about the first time I drove to the mall with you in the car? I thought you were going to hyperventilate!”

Pause. Pause.

“You guys really shouldn’t be worried. You know me better than anyone. Have I ever done anything to embarrass you?”

At this point the pauses were so long I could have driven the 2,174 miles home and arrived before either one of them offered a real response. My let’s-all-have-a-good-laugh-together theory wasn’t working. Maybe I had been a worse teenager than I remembered. Maybe the thought of reliving my teenage years was just that scary for them. I racked my brain trying to think if I’d ever come close to burning the house down.

And then the advance copies arrived.

For a new writer, holding your first book in your hands is a near-religious experience. I didn’t want to let it go, just in case the publisher changed its mind and this early copy was the only one ever printed; but at the same time, I was dying to share it with my mom and dad. I nearly choked when the woman behind the counter at the post office said the total for overnight delivery was $40. I could buy the complete series of “My So-Called Life” for that! But I forked over the cash after imagining waiting one more day for my parents’ final verdict.

Sure enough, the next afternoon, my cell phone rang and “Home” popped up on the caller ID. This was it. The moment of truth.

I shut my office door and clicked the green button. “Hi!” (Was I being overly cheery?)

My mom didn’t even offer a greeting before she launched in. I could hear my dad talking in the background.

“We were just laughing remembering that time the entire school showed up for your small birthday party and practically turned our basement into a mosh pit.”

(For the record, I remember that too, and the party was hardly reminiscent of a mosh pit, but my parents would say that’s my “teen interpretation.”)

“But you like it?”

“We love it. We’re so proud of you…”

There had to be more.

“And we can’t wait until you have teenagers.”

I didn’t say that at least my teenagers will have a copy of my book on hand. One thing I definitely learned as a teenager is knowing when to keep my mouth shut.

-- Sarah Burningham

Labels: Boyology, How To Raise Your Parents, Sarah Burningham

Some exciting news! With the growing popularity of Stephenie Meyer, Sarah Dessen and other YA authors, Borders is launching a new teen department that will stock graphic novels, fantasy and YA titles, as well as a variety of other fun teen merch, like Twilight bookmarks and pencil cases. Called Borders Ink, the departments have opened in several Borders locations in Michigan and should be available in most Borders superstores by the end of August.

Labels: Borders Ink

Today's guest blogger is 18-year-old Kelly O'Brien from Jacksonville, FL (that's right, where Bella's mom from Twilight lives). Below, she recalls the excitement of attending a midnight viewing of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on opening night, and shares her thoughts on this latest movie in the series. Beware, spoilers ahead!


Last week, I was lucky enough to go see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at midnight. Like millions of people across the country, I was extremely excited. I'm a *big* fan of Harry Potter. I've read all the books and remember even the most minute details. So there I was sitting in the middle row of a packed theater waiting for the film to start, feeling both excited and a little apprehensive because, as many of you who have read the books and seen the movies know, important subplots and details from the story are often left out or altered.

While waiting for the movie to start, it was fun watching the rest of the people piling in. (Luckily, my mom and I were smart enough to get there two hours early.) Some were dressed in Hogwarts gear and Harry Potter glasses, and there were even a few in Dumbledore beards (one was made of cotton balls). My favorite was a lady who was dressed up like Professor McGonagall --- complete with the "McGonagall Stare." She stood in front of her seat with her arms folded, watching the crowd as they scattered to find seats as if she were waiting to teach us all how to transfigure into a rat. It was very cool. Two guys even started dueling in the aisles. The battle ended when one of the boys went flying over the railing after being defeated in battle. Fortunately, Madame Pomfrey did not need to be called; no one was hurt.

As the lights dimmed I found myself getting excited, and when the Harry Potter logo appeared on the screen, people started screaming (while others started "shhhhing"). The movie starts out in the muggle world as the Death Eaters attack a bridge in London. Those scenes may cause some to get dizzy (like my mom), while making others (like myself) feel like you are being taken on a roller coaster ride (I loved it!). The film does stick closely to the book with a few scenes added and removed. The movie shows a lot of the romance between Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, Ron/Lavender, and Ginny/Dean. And who can forget Cormick's relationship with Hermione...much to Hermione's displeasure, which wasn't as pronounced in the book as it is in the movie.

There are many things I loved about the movie. Some of my favorite parts included Harry and the Felix Felicis potion, the range of emotions Draco goes through as he tries to follow through with Voldemort's wishes, and the little moments between Harry and Ginny. The cast seemed to really step it up for this one. The effects in the cave were spectacular and terrifying at the same time, and Greyback was really scary. Of course, there were also things that I missed, such as the older Weasley brothers Bill and Charlie, who were not included in the movie. The Dumbledore death scene was different than the one in the book, but the emotion was still there, and I loved the scene when the school finds Dumbledore lying on the ground (heartbreaking!). At the end, you weren't left feeling a sense of dread or happiness, but rather a sense of curiosity; you're left wondering how the next film will play out.

In the end, this movie turned out to be my favorite out of the franchise. Though there were parts left out, I believe they got the heart of the book right: the fact that Harry has lost the one person who was like a father to him and now must face he-who-shall-not-be-named without a guiding force, how he has had to grow up so fast and deal with being "The Chosen One" and saving the world. And I was definitely glad to have gone at midnight; it's fun to see all the fans. That's the brilliance of the series.

-- Kelly O'Brien

Labels: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

In case you didn't already know, most new books (as well as CDs and DVDs) are released on Tuesdays. I'm not really sure why, but a quick Google search revealed many different, but plausible reasons for this, relating to things like sales figures, shipping time, and in-store preparation. Regardless, you'll often see "New Tuesday Releases" lists in bookstores, magazines, newspapers, websites, blogs, etc.

Aside from the guest posts from YA authors, Teenreads.com staff members and readers (which we've been really enjoying, and hope you are too!), many of you have suggested that you'd also like to see entries about new books coming out every week. So, because we don't update this blog on Tuesdays, we figured we'd give you all a head start by sharing a list of titles released on both hardcover and paperback every Monday, allowing you a full 24 hours of prep time for the following day's mad dash to the neighborhood bookstore.


New releases for July 21st

Hardcover
COFFEEHOUSE ANGEL by Suzanne Selfors (Walker Books for Young Readers)
From the author of SAVING JULIET comes a romantic comedy that is good to the last drop. When Katrina spots a homeless guy sleeping in the alley behind her grandmother’s coffee shop, she decides to leave him a cup of coffee, a bag of chocolate-covered coffee beans, and some pastries to tide him over. Little does she know that this random act of kindness is about to turn her life upside down. Because this adorable vagrant, Malcolm, is really a guardian angel on a break between missions. And he won’t leave until he can reward Katrina’s selflessness by fulfilling her deepest desire. Now if only she could decide what that might be . . .


Paperback
CHEATED by Patrick Jones (Walker Books for Young Readers)
Mick Salisbury wonders how he got where he is. For as long as he can remember, people have been saying the same thing about life being a series of choices. The problem is, he’s never been particularly good at making the right ones—especially since he was born and raised in Flint, Michigan, where most people are cheated out of all the better options in life.

So when a normal night spent hanging out, drinking with his two best friends, ends in a deadly mistake, individual decisions suddenly seem more important than Mick ever realized. And when he’s sitting in the police interrogation room, it will all come down to one choice. But once he heads down one road, will it ever be possible to turn back?

IVY by Julie Hearn (Atheneum)
In an engrossing odyssey into gritty 19th-century London, red-haired Ivy has been a thief. Her status improves when she becomes an artist's model. But she is also a drug addict, rendering her indifferent to the attention she attracts. Will she survive the deadly intentions of an unlikely murderer?

REVELATIONS: A Blue Bloods Novel by Melissa de la Cruz (Hyperion Books for Children)
The Blue Bloods are dealing with darker forces in this third volume of Melissa de la Cruz’s series. Most have completed their change into vampires, but they continue to train to hone their skills with The Committee. Some are even preparing for their Bonding. Still, the danger of the Silver Bloods lurks, and plenty of secrets are uncovered in REVELATIONS.

Labels: New Releases

Today's guest blogger is 15-year-old Mary Sturgis, from Chicago, Il. Below, she shares her experiences meeting Ally Carter, author of the Gallagher Girls series, at a book signing for her latest release, DON'T JUDGE A GIRL BY HER COVER. Mary also runs her own YA literature blog, where you can find this piece and much more, at http://officiallymrs.blogspot.com.


Ally Carter is the New York Times bestselling author of the Gallagher Girls series: I'D TELL YOU I'D LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU, CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO SPY, and her most recent book, DON'T JUDGE A GIRL BY HER COVER. All of these books are great, and I strongly recommend them. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Ally Carter at a signing in Anderson's Bookstore in Naperville, where Ally had a tour stop for her latest release. (I just realized while reading the book today that "cover" not only means her appearance, but also the false identities that spies assume.)

In total, I traveled three hundred miles and about six hours in one day to go see Ally. Although this is a bit dramatic, author signings are a lot of fun and this one was definitely worth it! Ally really gets that teenagers are smart. Her stories --- not only her books, but her personal stories on how the books came to be --- are incredible. Although there is much, much more to her story, Ally told us about how we should always have someone in our lives who gives us the honest answer, even and most especially when that answer is not the one we want to hear. This is what Ally's publisher did for her.

There were a lot of different questions answered by Ally during the Q&A portion of the signing. I was lucky enough to get called on, so I asked, "If the characters in her books (Zack and Josh) were real, which one would you choose for yourself?" This got quite a big laugh, followed by an unexpected answer:

"Joe Soloman. He's my man," as well as something along the lines of, "He is a hottie." This made me smile and laugh, along with all of the other girls at the signing.

Ally then went on to talk about a character in her new book about teenage thieves that is coming out in February. I believe his name was Hale, and even though we have not met him yet, I have been assured that he is a babe and we will love him, so that is something to look forward to for all of you Ally Carter fans out there.



The photo above is of Ally and me after she signed my books. She is really, really nice, and the way she talks about being a young adult writer gives you no doubt that she really loves her job. She says that the three things that writers do for a living is: 1) Work in their pajamas, 2) Lie, and 3) Screw with people's lives (in this case, her characters').

Ally is the first author I have ever met personally, although I know many, many through twitter and facebook (oh the wonders of technology!). You can find Ally on twitter and myspace, as well her personal page. If you have not read the Gallagher Girls series, I would highly recommend it! These stories are well written, well thought out, and really great, fun reads!

If you have never been to "Meet the Author" event or a book signing, keep your eyes open --- it is a great opportunity to really connect with authors and the books that they write. Check author websites and call your local bookstores to see if any authors are headed your way. Thank you so much to Anderson's bookshop for hosting the event! We had an amazing time. Also, thank you, Ally! You are so talented and an all around really nice, fun person. It was awesome meeting you!

-- Mary Sturgis

Labels: Ally Carter, Don't Judge a Girl by her Cover, Gallagher Girls, Mary Sturgis

Shaun Tan is the author and illustrator of five books for both children and young adults, including THE ARRIVAL and TALES FROM OUTER SUBURBIA. He participated in a video interview recently with our graphic novel and manga reviewer John Hogan, where he talks about his creative process and even gives a demonstration on how he draws characters from his books. Get to know Shaun in our three-part interview with him below.

Labels: Shaun Tan, Tales From Outer Suburbia, The Arrival

Patrick Jones is a librarian and the author of five YA books, including THE TEAR COLLECTOR, which will hit stores this September. In today's guest blog, he tackles the subject of edgy teen fiction, using his own novels to illustrate his belief that pain can be turned into something positive.

For more info on Patrick Jones, visit his Facebook, Myspace or Wikipedia pages.


How do you like your coffee? Me, I like mine black: no cream, no sugar. I once dated a woman who used six creams, six sugars --- to me, that’s not coffee. That’s hot cream soda. But light or dark isn’t just about coffee, it is about books for teens. It is about taste and how close you want to get to the bitterness of the bean.

My first novel, THINGS CHANGE, is about teen dating violence. We can ignore or we can explore. We can only understand it by asking hard questions and seeking harder answers. In my fiction, the punches are real, the light shines on the secret corners, and, as the carnies would say, this is a dark ride. In THINGS CHANGE, readers follow the main character Johanna’s journey. It is a coming-of-age story as Johanna moves from the protected world of her parents, of childhood, of books, and of innocence as she enters in her first romance, her first sexual experience, and first heartbreak with Paul, a boy more known for cracking a joke than cracking open a book. The novel explores the hidden shadow yet no less real specter of dating violence, which, some studies indicate might occur, in some fashion, in almost 20% of teen romances.

THINGS CHANGE is an honest novel about teens growing up in Flint, and that honesty makes some adults nervous. THINGS CHANGE presents a teen world where life is often unkind, sometimes unfair, and never uncomplicated. And there is no happy ending. I don’t want to give it away --- for the ending makes you rethink the entire book --- but we don’t cue up happy music. In tune with the book’s soundtrack, instead let’s cue up Springsteen’s “Badlands”; but remember the last line: "I want to spit in the face of these bad lands." Dark tales are survival tales; you can’t have light at the end of the tunnel unless you have a darkness to emerge from.

But how real is too real? Consider my third novel CHASING TAIL LIGHTS. told in first person by a 17-year-old girl named Christy growing up in poverty of Flint. If I’m going to write about Flint, I need to write about poverty. If about poverty, then drugs and crime. If about drugs and crime, then justice. If about justice, then injustice. If injustice, then poverty. Repeat process. Its not a vicious cycle; its downward spiral.

For my main characters like Paul, Bret, Christy, Mick, and Danielle, their lives are harder because of sins / flames they’ve inherited. One theme runs through out my work is this: life is hard, so don’t make bad decisions, which makes a hard life even harder. Yet, for all the darkness, I think my books give voice to Flint kids --- and by that I don’t just mean youth in my hometown --- but youth anywhere who are growing up in hard economic times with an uncertain future.

My new novel THE TEAR COLLECTOR is an “if you like TWILIGHT” title, but is still grounded in the realism of a rumor-filled, drama-stuffed high school. The main character, Cassandra, is a vampire-like creature who lives off the tears of humans. For her to survive, other people have to suffer. Sometimes I think that’s what YA authors are at the core: we are tear collectors. We take the pain of the teen years and through author alchemy turn it into something positive.
The positive message to teens struggling is that within books, they can find stories that reflect their experience. What might seem on the edge to adults is at the deep, dark, heart center of adolescent life. Ultimately, it is the issue of relevance that drives any discussion of teens and reading. When teens find relevance in books, they place a value in reading. Once they accept that value, then they come into a library or bookstore and say the best words possible for an author: “can I get a refill”?

-- Patrick Jones

Labels: Chasing Tail Lights, Patrick Jones, The Tear Collector, Things Change

Though Carol Lynch Williams has over twenty novels for teens under her belt --- including MY ANGELICA, PRETTY LIKE US and THE CHOSEN ONE --- even she suffers from writers block every now and then. Below, she shares a few suggestions that always get her through a case of the "icky middles."


Let’s face it. Writing is hard. Harder for some people than for others (I believe it’s hardest for me. Way, way, way hardest.). An author takes an emotion, an incident, a glimpse of something and turns it into a whole book --- a seemingly something-from-nothing sort of magic trick. Many times, writers have no idea where their books are headed. And yet their editors demand that books be finished, deadlines met, writers block (imaginary or otherwise) hurdled. It’s the Icky Middles of novels that always slow me down.

I have come up with a few simple ways to avoid the Icky Middles. There are plenty of articles out there talking about how to write ‘through it.’ But what about the parts of a story where you know you could skip that tough place, leave a bunch of blank pages, and get right to those last two words “The End” and life would be that much easier? Some of these suggestions may seem a bit, well, excessive. But one must do what one must do. And the beauty of these ideas? They work for any career.

Whine about the Icky Middles
While some propose throwing obstacles in the way of your main character so she has something to overcome, I recommend whining about how hard the icky middle of a book has become. You can do this whining anywhere: As soon as you open your eyes, over breakfast, while following your significant other around. But whining can be shared with anyone: At the grocery store. At the home improvement store (see below). With your critique group. At church. To the neighbors. The list goes on and on (if you’re stuck in a story right now, start your own list of whining places.)
Advanced stage whining. Throw in some low-tone muttering. This shows just how stressed out you are. It makes people take notice when the whining does not. Add a bit of staggering-around-as-though-your-legs-cannot-hold-their-own-
weight-because-your-writing-problem-is-way-more-difficult-than-
other-people’s-problems to this mix and you have a perfect strategy to avoiding that difficult part of a novel. Caution: this may make people avoid you.

Acquire a New Skill
Understanding what your main character really wants isn’t easy. Neither is knowing her motivation --- why she does what she does. So why not acquire a new skill? This will take your mind off those tough parts of the story where your character isn’t doing a thing you’ve told her. Perhaps you can become a brick layer or can learn to pour concrete (you can now mutter, whine and wander freely in the home improvement store if you have reason to be there). Acquiring this new skill --- especially one so physically demanding --- could then be used in a book. For example, your main character could be mixing cement when a hot new guy shows up. Who is that hot guy? Will he tear out the main character’s throat? Ask the main character out for an ice cream sundae? Will he complicate things in the story? Hmmm. Note: Be most careful in new skills choices as they may cause more problems in your novel.

Move
Knowing if anything is really happening in your book might be hard to see. We become blind to our own words when we spend a lot of time in the midst of them. Some might advise having a friend read through what you’ve done to see if your icky middle is moving along at the right pace. But we’re avoiding writing. So why not plan a move? This is a biggie, but it really works. I’ve been moving now for more than a month. I’ve found that I can combine whining, staggering, muttering and acquire new skills just from this one avoidance behavior. Yes, I do have a self-imposed deadline for the rough draft of a book I started many years ago. I’m on page 70. So what? I am practicing what I believe to work. And the move is almost over.

While I have written only three small ways to not write, believe you me, I have plenty of other suggestions. And I’d be happy to talk to you about them. We could e-mail, chat on the phone, meet in a home improvement center. You tell me. I’m stuck in an icky middle.

-- Carol Lynch Williams

Labels: Carol Lynch Williams, The Chosen One

In the vein of previous anthologies GOTHIC and THE RESTLESS DEAD, Deborah Noyes's latest compilation of short stories is SIDESHOW: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists and Other Matters Odd and Magical. In today's guest blog, she explains the appeal of "freaks" in circuses and carnivals and explores the idea that being different can be something to embrace and celebrate, instead of something to hide.

We had a more catch-all theme in mind when we started work on SIDESHOW (the anthology was called A Cabinet of Curiosities at the time). I’m a sucker for great showmen like P. T. Barnum and Harry Houdini, and invited contributors to submit stories about “conjurers and ventriloquists, necromancers and illusionists, spirit mediums and Siamese twins, oddities of science and purveyors of educated fleas.” But when the submissions rolled in, most were very literally set in circus and carnival sideshows, which says a lot about the hold these places have on our collective imagination, and on writers and artists especially.

What also emerged is this idea of being a “freak,” which in our culture can mean any variation at all on being different, on living outside the main. We all feel that we don't fit in sometimes, but if walking into the high-school cafeteria with a raging zit or a bad haircut can trigger your adrenaline --- make you feel like you’re trapped onstage in a sideshow --- imagine for a moment life as a bearded girl or a dwarf or shape shifter.

I think part of our fascination with freaks and these settings stems from the longing we all have at some point in life to, at least metaphorically, "run away and join the circus." The narrator in Matt Phelan's graphic short “Jargo!” explains that "circuses are famous for being the sort of place you can hide out in." They offer refuge. As a freak, you not only belong but are celebrated for your differences --- however startling they may be --- for what makes you novel or unique. Matt’s story is so heartbreaking because even the circus has trouble welcoming his main character; there is no refuge for him, which is a terribly lonely way to live (but on the other hand, the story points out, if just one person can get beyond your jarring exterior, look into your soul and say, I see you, there’s hope).

The other thing about the sideshow is that everyone is wildly, exaggeratedly, enthusiastically different. It’s a topsy-turvy world where anything goes. There’s an audience, sure, and that audience may gawk, but like any performer, the freak holds power in the exchange, puts her or himself out there, boldly and purposely, and says, "Yeah. Take a look. Here I am.” Freaks play unabashedly to our curiosity, good or bad, and our sense of wonder. Back in the 1800s, in fact, before medical science demoted them from “marvels” to pathological specimens, congenital freaks, like their fellow novelty acts, enjoyed celebrity status as America’s most popular form of entertainment.

Many of the characters in these ten stories take charge of whatever it is they’ve inherited from chance --- be it a feminine beard or a bizarre bread starter --- and exploit it, rather than be exploited by or because of it. They own and embrace their oddities, and draw strength from them, which is a great message, I think. One we can all learn from.

-- Deborah Noyes

Labels: Deborah Noyes, Sideshow

Summer romances can take more forms than one, as any fan of Edward Cullen and Chuck Bass can attest. Below, Teenreads.com intern Allie Bodack looks back on some of her literary first loves, and falls back on an old flame she's happy to revisit time and time again.


For the past five summers, I have been working as a lifeguard at the pool of an apartment complex. Let me first clear something up before you get the wrong idea. When I say “lifeguard”, I am not referring to spending strenuous hours sweating high up on a lifeguard stand, attentively watching to ensure the safety of children playing pool-side, or that no one is holding their friend’s head under the water for too long. No, that is not what I am doing at all. My duties fall at the complete other end of the spectrum. My normal clientele consists of about five elderly women who enjoy spending endless hours lying in the sun, ordering take-out, and playing cards. Don’t get me wrong --- I love these women, but they do not necessarily make my nine-hour pool days pass quickly. On an eighty-degree, not-a-cloud-in-the-sky summer day, I’ll be lucky if one person ventures into the pool beyond the occasional “quick dip” that my reliable girls take hourly to ensure they are getting perfectly golden tans during their games of Rummy. So how do I pass the lonely hours? Huddled under the shade of an umbrella, I read…a lot.

Sometime during my early years of lifeguarding, I fell in love. Actually, to be quite honest, I fell in love a few times. First, it was with the number one “it” girl, Blair Waldorf, and the gorgeous Nate Archibald. There was something about her endless supply of Manolo shoes…or was it his flawlessly tanned lacrosse body? Regardless, I ended up soaring through the Gossip Girl series, one book after the next. Then it was the awkward, but still somehow loveable, Lee Fiora from Curtis Sittenfeld’s novel PREP. Oh, and of course, my ultimate go-to crush, Marcus Flutie, from Megan McCafferty’s Jessica Darling series. Somewhere along the way, I also discovered my love for J. K. Rowling’s infamous trio, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, a series that truly spanned across my years at the pool. Alright, I guess I fell in love more than just few times.

Nearly five years later, I look around the pool and realize that not much has changed. I still see my five girls chatting away as they deal out the cards, and an empty pool in front of me. I then look into my pool bag, where HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS lies on the top. Would you judge me if it was my third read-through? Don’t get me wrong, I read new books all the time, and not just from the YA, teenage girl-coming-of-age genre. There is something comforting about falling back into the adventures that I have grown up with and have learned to know so well, especially after the third reading. I definitely will be picking up a few of this summer’s “must reads”, but for now, the books buried deep in my pool bag from years past feel just right.

-- Allie Bodack

Summer is the perfect time to catch up on all the books you didn't have time to read during the school year, but required summer reading often gets in the way. In today's blog, Greg Fitzgerald --- Teenreads.com assistant producer and soon-to-be sophomore at Fordham University --- describes what he hated the most about that dreaded summer reading list and shares his secret to balancing his assigned books with his guilt-free reads.


Summer Reading. These words were enough to strike fear in me as the dreaded list arrived in English class every June. For four years of high school, these required books became the hurdle I would have to jump if I wanted to succeed in the next year’s course. And while I love to read, getting this list would not be something that would encourage me to read, but rather, something that would paralyze me. Just the idea that I had to read another four assigned books was not very exciting after being told what to read all year.

Sure, some of the books were pretty good. If I am honest, there were some I would have likely picked up on my own; THE KITE RUNNER, for example, became both a great selection and a new favorite. I flew through THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER floating in the pool one afternoon. But STEPPENWOLF? Sorry to all the Hesse fans out there, but it’s not my ideal choice for a summer read.

Here’s the biggest problem with summer reading, at least for me. The list --- unless it’s really thought through to include books that I might actually like, which most aren’t --- seems so daunting that I do not even want to start it. Here are these books that you have to read for school. Over the summer. It turns reading into an assignment, not a pleasure. Every year, I’d look at this pile of required books, with their crisp new covers and unturned pages, and be intimidated by it. Then I’d look at the books I actually wanted to read that summer --- which were both well-worn old friends, and the latest releases from favorite authors --- and they would be calling to me to read them. But, because I felt that I had to slog through the required pile first, I’d put off reading the “fun” books... for two whole months. The summers I had required reading I actually read less, not more.

Inevitably, I would polish off the summer reading list the last week before school started. And in the end, I’d have read four books that summer out of necessity, and a just a few from the “fun” pile that I’d snuck in, though not without feeling really guilty about reading them.

So, as the summer kicks off this year, I give you advice from someone who survived four years of required summer reading. Take that intimidating pile of books, and pick one up now. Just read it. It may actually end up being much better than it looks. But more importantly, you will have gotten started. Next, read a book for fun. Then read another required one, and so on, until you finish your list. Then if you get it all done early on, you can spend the rest of the summer reading whatever you want, guilt-free.

-- Greg Fitzgerald