2017 Debut Authors Bash!!

Welcome Readers to 2017's Debut Authors Bash! 

I hope you have had a great month of reading so far! I am so excited to be part of this again this year! 

Please make sure you go and check out everyone else's post and if you are doing any social medias include  the hashtag #17DABash!

I am so pleased to announce that I did an interview with Karen McManus - the author of "One of us is lying"! I have included some information about her, the interview and a giveaway! Make sure you get to all of it and if you have read the book I would love to hear your thoughts! 

  

Author's Bio:

"As a kid I used to write books when I was supposed to be playing outside, and not much has changed. I'm a marketing and communications professional who also writes Young Adult contemporary and fantasy fiction in Cambridge, MA.

 When not writing or working I love to travel, and along with my nine-year old son I've ridden horses in Colombia and bicycles through Paris. A member of SCBWI, I hold a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. Which I have never, ever used professionally.

​One of Us Is Lying is my debut novel, and I'm currently working on a second book with Delacorte Press that's scheduled to be published in 2018."

(from karenmcmanus.com)

Author's Interview: 

1) First of all thank you so much for the interview! So, How long did it take you to write this book?

It took two months to write and two months to revise, so four months total.

2) Who are your favorite authors? Did they influence your writing style? What about your favorite book? What is it and did it influence this book?

Two of my favorite classic authors are Agatha Christie and Charles Dickens, and they definitely influence my style—Christie for her red herring-laden mysteries, and Dickens for the sprawling cast of characters he always creates. When it comes to contemporary young adult, I love Becky Albertalli’s witty, authentic dialogue, and Mindy McGinness’ unflinching take on dark themes. I could never pick a favorite book, but also I’m a big Suzanne Collins fan, and the Hunger Games series is what inspired me to start writing YA in the first place.

3) I saw you got your Bachelors in English, is writing books what you always wanted to do?

Yes, but it took me a long time to get here! I started writing stories in second grade, but by the time I was in college I’d given it up, because I found it too hard to finish a book. I thought I’d do something else with writing, like marketing or journalism. And in fact I’ve done business-related writing for a long time, but the urge to create stories never really went away.

4) When and how did you get your idea for this book?

I was driving to work one day and the song “Don’t You Forget About Me” came on the radio. It’s the theme to The Breakfast Club, and I started thinking about that movie and how it might be fun to write a modern, twisted take on it. The phrase “The Breakfast Club, with murder” popped into my head and stayed there. I started thinking how you could kill somebody in a classroom without anyone realizing you’d done it, and thought of a way. Then I wondered WHY you would do that, and the story started to take shape.

5) I think what pulled me in right at the beginning was how similar it was to Gossip Girl (which is my favorite tv show) - Did this show have anything to do with some of the ideas in the book?

It was an influence, along with The Breakfast Club and Pretty Little Liars. I’ve seen the book described as a mashup of all three, which I take as a compliment :)

6) Do you have a favorite character? Personality wise or favorite to write?

I love them all equally, but Nate was the most fun to write. His voice was clear as a bell from the beginning and his scenes always flowed. Addy’s character arc was my favorite and her storyline is close to my heart.

7) Was it hard going from character to character between chapters? Like having to go from one head space to the next?

It was! I made it easier on myself by creating a separate musical playlist for each character. I’d listen to that while writing their scenes, which helped me get into their heads.

8) Did you know how it was going to end when you started writing or did it come later?

I didn’t know at the very beginning. I had a few different ideas, and decided to get started by writing sample chapters and getting to know the characters. By the end of the second chapter I knew who these kids were, and who had done it.

9) What is something you edited out of the book? Or what is something extra about the book the readers do not know?

While I was drafting I asked my son Jack, who was nine at the time, if he wanted to name a police officer. He immediately said, “Officer Hank Budapest.” So I put that in. Once the book sold and started going through the editing process, I thought somebody might suggest I change it, because it’s a highly unusual name. But nobody ever did, and Officer Hank Budapest is now canon, which makes Jack extremely proud.

Thank you all for joining me for the 2017 Debut Author Bash!! I hope you all are inspired to pick up this book because it is simply amazing! 

Make sure you enter into the raffle below for your chances to win a hardcover copy of "One of us is lying" - Open to anywhere bookdepository.com can ship to. 

See you all next year!! 

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2015 Debut Author Bash - Day 2

Welcome back Everyone!!

Hope you all are enjoying your posts for the Author Bash!
Find some new authors or books and get to reading! 

Lauren Gibaldi Mathur

Hello, I’m Lauren. I’m an author of young adult novels and public librarian. I’ve been, among other things, a magazine editor, high school English teacher, bookseller, and circus aerialist (seriously). I have a BA in Literature and Master’s in Library and Information Studies, both from Florida State University. I currently live in Orlando, Florida with my husband, daughter, and ever-expanding collection of books. (I mean, it comes with the professions, right?)

I love dinosaurs, pasta, musicals, and cheesy jokes.

I’m represented by Claire Anderson-Wheeler with Regal Literary.

The Night We Said Yes

 

Before Matt, Ella had a plan. Get over a no-good ex-boyfriend. Graduate from high school without any more distractions. Move away from Orlando, Florida, where she’s lived her entire life. But Matt—the cute, shy, bespectacled bass player who just moved to town—was never part of that plan. And neither was attending a party that was crashed by the cops just minutes after they arrived. Or spending an entire night saying “yes” to every crazy, fun thing they could think of. Then Matt abruptly left town, and he broke not only Ella’s heart but those of their best friends, too. So when he shows up a year later with a plan of his own—to relive the night that brought them together—Ella isn’t sure whether Matt’s worth a second chance. Or if re-creating the past can help them create a different future.  In alternating then and now chapters, debut author Lauren Gibaldi crafts a charming, romantic story of first loves, lifelong friendships, uncovered secrets, and, ultimately, finding out how to be brave.  

1) What were you like in school? Where you good at English back then?

I was a drama girl in high school--I pretty much spent all my time in the drama room, or in the theatre. I loved it! I did like English class, too--I've always liked reading. I went on to major in English Literature.

2)  How did you come up with the idea for the book?

I love the idea that in one night, anything could happen. I kind of wanted to write about a really fun, amazing night where the characters felt unstoppable, and then revisit them a year later to see how that night changed them.

3) On your Goodreads page, many people compare your book to John Green's 'Paper Towns'; How do you feel about that?

As someone who loves "Paper Towns," I think it's a major compliment! I love John Green's books! That said, I think outside of both stories taking place in Orlando, they're quite different.

4) If 'The Night we Said Yes' is the so called "baby" of two other books, What would you say it's parents were?

I thought about this for a bit, and honestly have no idea! What do you think?

(Answer below in the comments) 

5) The friendship between Meg and Ella is so amazing and honest - Did you take that friendship from one in your real life?

Thanks! I didn't base Meg and Ella off anyone, but I think their friendship is similar to several of my friends. I love that honest friendship--the one that's so deep and loyal that you if you do fight, you know it'll end in about five seconds because it's not worth it. I wanted that for the two of them. I wanted them to be undeniably honest and open with one another, even when it was hard. I wanted their friendship to be just as important as the relationship between Ella and Matt because, to me, friendships are just as important as relationships.

6) I would have to say that Ella was my favorite character because she was so relatable and down to earth. It seemed like we grew with her as we went through the book. Who is your favorite character and why?

Thank you so much! I have a weak spot for Ella, definitely. She's the most like me. But I have to say my favorite character is probably Jake, I think mostly because I feel like I have to take care of him. He needs someone like that! I just want to pop into his life every now and then and make sure he's okay. I also adore Meg. I'm very protective of her.

7) There was a conversation towards the end of the book that really made me rethink things about my life and how I am living now; While writing the book was there any point where you did the same thing?

That's very amazing to hear! I think the whole "saying yes" message of the book made me want to "say yes" to more things. Like publishing in general! It's scary, but worth it. So, I think, like Ella, I say yes to more things now, even if they're scary.

8) What is one secret about the book? Like was there something you almost wrote differently, or a routine you have while writing?

Hmmm. Barker's first name is Jeremy. I wrote the entire book as Jeremy, and then changed it to his last name. So when referring to him, I still call him Jeremy (or Jerm, for short).

9) What is your favorite book and why?

I'm both a librarian and writer, so it's impossible to choose a favorite! I'll go with the ones I've read the most: The Great Gatsby and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. They're both amazing and beautiful.

10) What is the one thing you hope people take from your book?

I want people to not be afraid to go for what they really want, despite it being hard or scary. I had people tell me I shouldn't make a career of reading and writing because there's nothing in it, but, hey, I'm a writer librarian. I wanted it, so I went for it. So go for it!

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2015 Debut Authors Bash

Hey everyone! Welcome to the start of the YA reads 2015 Debut Authors Bash!

Make sure you check out all the other blogs as well! 

Jasmine Warga

 

Hi, I'm Jasmine. I live and write in a small town (technically a village, but that sounds so medieval) that is a few miles outside of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Since I find it exceedingly uncomfortable to write about myself, I will keep this short. MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES is my first novel and will be published by Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins in Winter 2015. My second novel, which is currently untitled, will most likely be published in 2016.

My Heart and Other Black Holes

 

 Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness. There’s only one problem: she’s not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel’s convinced she’s found her solution: a teen boy with the username FrozenRobot (aka Roman) who’s haunted by a family tragedy is looking for a partner.  Even though Aysel and Roman have nothing in common, they slowly start to fill in each other’s broken lives. But as their suicide pact becomes more concrete, Aysel begins to question whether she really wants to go through with it. Ultimately, she must choose between wanting to die or trying to convince Roman to live so they can discover the potential of their energy together. Except that Roman may not be so easy to convince.

 

1)  Is 'My Heart and Other Black Holes' your first time writing or have you been writing since you were younger?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I started to get more serious about my writing around the age of twenty-two, but I had trouble finishing projects. I would start novels and lose momentum around page 50 or so. (I still have this problem to some respect to be honest!). MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES is my first published novel, though it’s definitely not the first novel I ever tried to write.


    2)  I know you wrote this book after a close friend of yours passed on; (I'm sorry for your loss) Do you think this kind of helped you understand or get over what happened?

I don’t think that writing the book helped me get over losing my friend. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever be over losing my dear friend. In Jandy Nelson’s beautiful book, THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE, the narrator states: “Grief is forever. It doesn't go away; it becomes a part of you, step for step, breath for breath.” And I really think that is true. But I do think working on this book was a huge part of my grieving process. It allowed me to contemplate for hours on what it means to die, and more importantly, what it means to live.


    3) Before you were a full-time writer you were a science teacher - do you think this helped you with your book?

Help? I’m not sure if it helped, but it certainly influenced the book. I think Aysel’s penchant for physics stems directly from my frustration at having to teach physics when I knew so little about it. (I’m terrible at science and it was a really bad idea that I was assigned to teach it!) I also think that teaching was such a life-changing experience in general for me. I was so affected by my wonderful students so those interactions have certainly influenced my writing.

    4)  I personally have gone through some of the issues in this book so this really touched my heart - Other than "Everything gets better" what is something you want the readers to take from this book?

First, thank you so much for your kind words—it means so much to me to hear from readers like you who have struggled in similar ways to Aysel. To answer your question, I’m not even sure that everything gets better, but I want readers to understand that they will get better. You are stronger and braver than you realize. And you are more loved than you realize. I want more people to understand that depression is an illogical illness that lies. It will try to convince you that you are alone. But you are not alone—you are never alone. Please hold on. And please reach out and get the help you need. We are all counting on you to stick around.

    5) Of course I have to settle on Aysel as my favorite character but I love them all. Do you have a favorite character? Why?

Oh, I don’t know! I’m probably partial to Aysel was well since she was my narrative companion throughout the novel and I knew her better than any of the other characters. I also have a soft spot for Aysel’s little brother and Roman’s mother just because I believe that they are so full of love and very large-hearted.

    6) Are you currently writing another book? If so, Can you tell us anything about it?

Yes! It’s actually written and I’m currently revising it under the guidance of my brilliant editor. I’m really excited about it. I can’t say too much about it yet, but it’s about music/reclusive rock stars, fandom, and secrets. It’s certainly different from MY HEART, but I think ultimately plays with some of the same themes. 

Hope you all enjoyed this little interview! I sure did! I thank her so very much for taking some of her time out of her day to do this with me! 

If you loved this book as much as I did then make sure you enter my giveaway!!

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