Tell the Truth Tuesday...

1. I've tried on a bazillion outfits for our NYC trip and all of them make me look 6 months pregnant. I wish I was kidding. MAJOR fashion crisis.

2. I'm spring cleaning right now and it feels really good. Really good. Is there something wrong with me?

3. I might have squealed out loud (in case you're wondering, I sounded like a jealous pig) when I read this fantastic news about Beth Revis. I mean HOLY. CRAP. How good does that book sound?

4. We haven't had nearly enough time to read blogs--see number 1 and 2.

5. The show How to Make it in America sort of makes me want to leave my family and move to New York City to do something crazy like try to be a professional writer. Oh wait....

6. The last time we went to New York, we dressed in business casual (or as Lisa likes to call it "business chic") to meet our agent (Lisa was all, "Trust me, I worked at a company. You were just a teacher). Clipping around NYC in heels was a big mistake. Big. You can bet your bottom dollar that I'm packing flats this time. [Editorial note from Lisa: Who says bet your bottom dollar? People who don't get "business chic," that's who. Can you tell who did the final edit on this blog post?]

7. I'm really nervous for the big Sourcebooks Fire Launch Party on Thursday. I mean, what if no one talks to us? What if we hide in the bathroom the entire time? What if I talk too fast and too loud? Yeah, that last one is pretty much a guarantee. I've never encountered an awkward silence that I don't rush to fill. It's a little like my mouth gets the runs. And let me tell you, Laura just loves it when that happens.

8. I gave up candy for Lent and have been housing cartons of ice cream and cookies. Yep.

9. I just finished a book that is a New York Times Bestseller, a book EVERYONE raves about, a book that sold for huge amounts of money, and I hated it. Really hated it. So apparently, I have terrible taste in books. Super.

10. I'm listening to A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY because I just know Libba (we're on a first name basis) will want to talk to me about it at the launch party. As my daughter plays outside, I blast it from my car. I'm that neighbor.

Ok, you're up. What's your truth this Tuesday?

In Which Laura Has a Panic Attack (again)

As you know, this blog is rated PG (and so are our books). But if I'm being honest, I'm the true prude of this twosome [Editorial note from Lisa: Shocker!!!].

I think it's because I used to teach 6th grade and I know exactly how young our readers are (Lisa may or may not think high schoolers are the equivalent to the cast of Gossip Girl) [Editorial note from Lisa: Honestly, I think it's more of a cross between Gossip Girl and the new 90210. Totally fair assessment in my opinion].

I also realize that my daughter will one day read what we put out there. So, I guess you could call me relatively conservative. [Editorial comment from Lisa: If you consider wanting our book club members to call us Ms. Roecker conservative, then yes, I would agree with that statement. Of course I would also call it having a stick up your ass. But that's just me.]

That means I like to read the books BEFORE we choose them for our YA book club. But at our last meeting, something happened. It all went down so quickly, I didn't even have time to think. First we were watching a book trailer, then we were reading the premise, then we were checking out reviews and then we had chosen the book. All without me having read it first! I know, shocking, right? Anyways, Lisa was making fun of my panic stricken looks and subtle warnings that maybe this book would be inappropriate for 6th graders as the girls were chatting happily about reading BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver.

[Editorial comment from Lisa: For the record Laura looked like she was going to cry. At one point I considered giving her a paper bag to breathe into.]

As soon as everyone left, I immediately began my research about whether this book would be appropriate for our savvy 6th grade girls. Let's remember, I run into their mothers at the grocery store and they live in my neighborhood. I don't want to be responsible for exposing them to...well, anything (that's the baby in me speaking). So, you can imagine the growing pit in my stomach as I read the pages available on Harper Collins' website. Let me say, Oliver's words were amazing, hooked my right away, and I absolutely didn't want to stop reading. But I learned that the main character is a senior, like many kids her age, she went to parties and *gasp* drank alcohol and was contemplating having sex for the first time with her boyfriend.

All of these issues are totally appropriate for ages 14 and up, as the book says, but our impressionable, somewhat naive eleven, soon-to-be twelve-year-olds? I started to feel a panic attack coming on. I called Lisa, [Editorial note from Lisa: Laura called me three times and sent me two separate e-mails. When I finally answered she was out of breath and fighting back tears. I laughed at her and we got into a fight.] she got annoyed and told me to email the girls' parents.

So I did.

[Editorial note from Lisa: Laura was obsessed with getting responses. I think she was worried that the parents were going to blackball her from book club or something. She's seriously going to give herself an ulcer.]

And they wrote back the most open-minded, reassuring, responsible emails. They said things like, "...opening up lines of communication," "I prefer to have issues presented to the kids in this manner," "As long as it's YA," "...wonderful opportunity for her," "....I soooo appreciate the positive influence."

[Editorial note from Lisa: They also said things like "the girls are gushing when they leave meetings. They trust you and see you as peers." I might have cried. Just a little.]

So, wow. Crisis averted. Pretty amazing that in this age of helicopter parenting there are still parents out there who give their kids complete freedom when it comes to reading books. So, where do you stand on this issue? Do you (or will you) let your kids read whatever they choose? Fire away in the comments.

The Most Important Question of All

It may just be the weather--you know, longer days, sunglasses, car windows half down, warm breeze blowing in, music rolling out.

Or maybe it's the feeling that anything could happen, that anything is possible. The realization that at this time next year, we'll be published authors, that kids everywhere (or somewhere) will be reading our words, the ones we chose, the message we've delivered.

Perhaps it's the 6th grade girls we meet with once a month to discuss amazing books. The ones who once sat stiffly on my couch, unsure and uncomfortable, who now curl their legs beneath them, throw out high fives, laugh and joke. The same girls who brainstormed title ideas with us, who plan to create their own version of our cover with color and sparkles. The girls we write for.

It might be the outlet, the creativity, the writing. The late nights and early mornings, fingers clicking, paragraphs written, chapters woven. The way places come alive and characters fight to be understood while navigating conflicts we've created.

Or maybe it's the support. The blog posts, the witty comments, the amazing friends. The way people light up when you tell them that you're actually doing it. You're following your dream. Living it.

Either way, we're happy. The kind of happy that has us scrambling to our computers in the morning. The kind of happy that makes you realize that in 10 years you hope you're lucky enough to be doing the exact same thing you're doing now. Only, you know, better.

So, on this gorgeous, almost-spring Friday we have only one question for you guys: What's your particular brand of happy?

Behind the Cover: WE HEAR THE DEAD

Today we'd like to welcome the fabulous Dianne Salerni whose debut novel WE HEAR THE DEAD will be published by Sourcebooks Fire this May.

And based on this blurb it's clear why the book is generating so much buzz:

Maggie & Kate Fox didn’t mean to create a new religion. It started out as a harmless prank. But soon enough, spiritualism was the fastest growing movement of the nineteenth century, and they were trapped in a life of deceit.

Lucky for us, Dianne agreed to write a guest blog about what it was like to see the cover for WE HEAR THE DEAD for the first time. Join us as we live vicariously through her.

***

So … Lisa and Laura asked me: “What did it feel like to finally see your book cover from Sourcebooks?” I had to cast my mind back to my original reaction when I saw the cover last summer. As near as I can recall, I jumped up and ran excited circles around the living room – kind of like our dog. Embarrassing, huh?

I’d envisioned various covers, of course. Who wouldn’t? But I have to say this cover was unlike anything I’d ever imagined. I was struck by the bright colors and the confident, perky stance of the girl in the illustration, which contrasted sharply with the title “We Hear the Dead” and the creepy font chosen by the designers. Sourcebooks selected a title that hinted at spooks and horror, but coupled it with a cover which emphasized the performance aspect of the whole story. Looking at this cover, I think readers will know immediately that Maggie Fox is bamboozling her audience. And because the viewer is positioned behind her on the stage, readers will expect to be “in on the secret.”

Seeing the cover for the first time was awesome. The only thing better than that first glimpse of the cover was seeing it on an actual ARC. And the only thing better than seeing the ARC … will be seeing a stack of them at a book store!

I should mention that credit for the title goes to one of my fifth grade students. My editor and I were bouncing around various ideas for a title (and the design crew kept throwing them back). I mentioned the problem to my class, and one student, Emma, suggested “We Can Hear the Dead.” I threw that one into the mix in the next batch of titles I sent to my editor, and wouldn’t you know – they loved it! Not only is Emma getting a free, signed copy of the book (as soon as I get some), but I think she might just have a future in publishing!

***

Total author porn, right? Follow Dianne on her journey to superstardom on her blog, Twitter or friend her on the Teen Fire Ning. Thanks for a great post, Dianne!

Boobs

That's right. This blog post is about boobs. If you find that word disturbing on any level, I think it's best you stop reading right now before we seriously offend you.

OK, so now that it's just us pervs, let's get started, shall we?

Yesterday I got a fantastic e-mail from our friend Loretta posing a very simple question: What are 16-year-old boys calling breasts these days?

Well, unfortunately (actually I think maybe it's fortunately) I've never had the opportunity to talk to any actual 16-year-old boys about the female anatomy on a day-to-day basis. However, I watch a LOT of television shows that feature 16-year-old boys, mainly because I'm suffering from an extremely advanced case of arrested development.

So, let's break this down:

Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl (suave, obnoxious, Upper East Sider) would DEFINITELY say breasts. As in "Her breasts are fantastic."

Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights (love of my life, truck driving, football playing, rough around the edges, Texan) would say jugs. As in "Check out the jugs on that stripper."

Finn from Glee (geeky, singing, quasi-dumb jock) is definitely a boob guy. As in "Holy crap, I hope I might get to touch Rachel's boobs."

Puck from Glee (hot, cougar hunting, singing, jock) is probably a random boob euphemism guy. As in "Damn, Rachel's got some nice fun bags."

The moral of the story is that you can tell your reader a lot about your characters based on how they talk about female anatomy and other less controversial topics. So remember, whether they're discussing jugs, breasts or (my personal favorite) fun bags, it's not just about the boobs. When it comes to your characters, you've got to choose your words wisely.

Tell the Truth Tuesday...

1. Sometimes I have to watch Damages twice to really understand what's going on.

2. I only half watched The Academy Awards this year because I haven't seen any of the films nominated for best picture. Oh, the shame!

3. My sitter fell through today, and I'm supposed to get my hair cut and colored. Rather than cancel my appointment and go to NYC with hideous hair, I'm dragging my daughter along with The Curious George Movie loaded onto my husband's iPod. This has got to be a whole new low.

4. I like writing my truths better when Laura isn't around to edit them. She always deletes my confessions that she feels aren't ready for public consumption.

5. Sometimes I think the pace of the publishing industry might kill me. (I've been trying to sneak that one past Laura for weeks.)

6. The other benefit to Laura being out of town is that I can send e-mails to our editor and agent without her approval. She is not going to be happy camper when she sees our inbox tomorrow. Sorry, Laur!

Your turn. What's your truth this Tuesday?

Hello. My Name is Lisa and I am a Cover Whore

Yup, it's true. I judge books by their covers.

And the weirdest part?

I love covers that other people openly despise. And I hate covers that some people adore. As our fellow Elevensies start to share their book covers we're getting more and more excited to see what the cover of our book is going to look like.

And to be perfectly honest, we're a little scared too. I mean, we all know that people who say they don't judge a book by their cover are either a) lying or b) an author that got stuck with a really unfortunate cover themselves.

So, I thought it would be interesting to post a some book covers that are so amazing that I'd be forced to pick them up if I were browsing at the bookstore.

Ok, so I love the big sunglasses. I love how there's a painting in the reflection. I love that the girl looks super fashionable. Bottom line: This just looks like a book I'd really enjoy.

Ok, I've been waiting over a year to read this book, so I might be a little bit biased here, but I love the color. I love that it somehow manages to evoke creepiness without being obviously creepy. I love how the title sort of speaks for itself. Just an amazing cover.

I love the red umbrella and the overall look and feel of the cover is just compelling and slightly mysterious. I want to know more.

I think this cover is just gorgeous. The colors are so exotic and her eyes are just amazing. I can't wait to see this one in person.

And I'm going to let you guys in on a little secret. I really did not care for the covers in THE HUNGER GAMES trilogy, especially the forthcoming MOCKINGJAY. Honestly, I think it took me forever to actually read THE HUNGER GAMES because it just didn't look like a book I would enjoy. Um, yeah, needless to say I was completely wrong. But those books are a great example of covers that people rave about that I just don't like. Weird.

So, now it's your turn. Favorite cover? Least favorite? Feel like ripping me a new one for hating the cover of THE HUNGER GAMES? I want to hear all about it in the comments.

The Winner of DREAMING ANASTASIA

Krispy you are the lucky winner! (22 is your lucky number by the way)

Send us an e-mail with your address at lisa-laura(at)live(dot)com and we'll send you your copy DREAMING ANASTASIA. Also, if you like we'll be meeting Joy in person on March 18th so if you'd like a signed copy we'll wait and ask her to sign it for you. Totally up to you!

Congratulations! And for those of you who didn't win, the good news is that we've got tons of giveaways coming up over the next month, so stay tuned!

Five Fabulous Things on a Friday

Holy crap. It's been a FABULOUS week, people. There are good things happening in publishing right now. Things that are making us jump up and down and dance and squee and do all sorts of things that will one day embarrass our children. And sadly, we can't share all of them today.

Lucky for you there are five we can share.

1. YA Rebels: Victoria Schwab is the author of THE NEAR WITCH, which will be published by Disney Hyperion in the winter of 2011. She is also a member of the kick ass vlogging group The YA Rebels along with six other talented Young Adult authors. Below is her response to the question, "What makes me a rebel?"

How cool is that?

2. Some of the Elevensies are beginning to reveal their covers! (And yes, in case you're wondering we're TOTALLY jealous.) Check out Amy Holder's and Kirsten Hubbard's gorgeous cover art and start drooling.

3. Unless you haven't heard, the NYC Teen Lit Festival will run March 15th through the 21st! And, in case you forgot, we will be at the Teen Fire Launch Party with bells on. Join us! You know you want to...

And the next two require a little introduction. We have some truly amazing, crazy talented writing friends and two of them landed kick ass publishing deals this week. We could not be more excited for them and...HOLY CRAP 2011 is going to be a good year for debuts!

4. Lisa Albert's MERCY LILY, about an Oregon teenager faced with a heartbreaking choice about her ill mother, to Brian Farrey at Flux, for publication in Fall 2011, by Mary Kole at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

5. Jen Blom's POSSUM SUMMER, her debut novel, will be published by Holiday House books in Fall of 2011.

Totally amazing week, right? We'll be back with more amazing news next week, so be sure to check back. Have a fab weekend everyone!!!

UPDATE: MORE GOOD NEWS!

6. That's right there's MORE! One of our absolute favorite and most talented bloggy friends, Sarah Wylie has sold her debut novel ALL THESE LIVES in a two-book-deal AT AUCTION. Holy. Crap. Ok, we've read the book so we're totally not surprised, but still. Awesome, awesome news. We could not be more thrilled for Sarah. Hoorah!

Review, Interview and Giveaway: DREAMING ANASTASIA

I've always been fascinated with the Romanovs and the folklore surrounding the youngest daughter, Anastasia. DREAMING ANASTASIA by Joy Preble is a fun, modern take on Anastasia's story full of history, magic and even romance. One of my favorite things about this book is that it never takes itself too seriously. Anne's quips and commentary throughout the narrative had me laughing out loud. You guys have got to read this book.

And because Joy is so awesome she even agreed to answer a few questions for us about the book.

1. Tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.

Girl meets mysterious handsome guy. Wackiness ensues. Magic, princess, witch, bad guys & kissing. (I might have gone over, but I think I came close.)

2. Where did you get the idea for DREAMING ANASTASIA? (As the official idea whores we have a vested interest here.)

The Anastasia story has fascinated and resonated with me since I was in junior high. And I've been a fan for a long while of kick ass female characters, reverse fairy tales, genre shaking/blending. So, I guess Dreaming Anastasia is a product of all of that. You can probably blame some of it on my hero, Joss Whedon. But mostly, I think it's the story I've been trying to write since I was a teenager, only I just didn't quite know how. Once Anne's voice came to me, the rest of the story followed.

3. Someone has a pair of scissors to your head (oooh, SCARY!) and you have to choose: Awesome title or gorgeous book cover?

Gorgeous book cover. Hands down. I work in a public high school and I see what students check out of the library. Honestly? People DO judge a book by its cover. But a good title doesn't hurt, either.

4. When did you know you had to be a writer?

I've written since I was about seven years old. But I would say that about ten years ago, it occurred to me (well past 2nd grade at that point) that I just wasn't happy if I wasn't writing. So I started taking it seriously and lo and behold, I started getting pieces published - in magazines and newspapers, mostly for about five years. In 2003, I upped the stakes and joined SCBWI. And in 2004, I began what turned into Dreaming Anastasia. The rest of this grand adventure followed. So your question is a good one; I don't think you find success until you realize you MUST write.

5. Twizzlers or M&Ms?

Twizzlers. Sometimes I bite off the ends and use one as a straw to drink Diet Cherry Coke.

Wow! Girl after our own heart, right? That is clearly the best way to enjoy a Twizzler. Although we do find they get a little hard and waxy if you use them as a straw for too long. Just something to keep in mind.

Anyways, we're going to give one lucky reader our copy of DREAMING ANASTASIA. All you have to do to enter is follow our blog and leave a comment. We'll announce the winner tomorrow. Good luck!

Psychiatric Evaluation Gaga Style

I enjoy Lady Gaga's music, have even been known to sing along to a few songs (okay, okay and maybe have a dance party or two in my living room), but I think she's batshit crazy. I get that the insane-looking outfits (she makes Bjork look like an amateur) are her "thing" and probably make her more popular because they force people to talk about her and remember her (exactly what I'm doing here), but just looking at her annoys me.

Anyways, I've decided to put the pics to the Rorscharch test. Move over ink blots.

Dr. R: Tell me, what do you see after looking at this picture?

LiLa: Nurse of the high seas. She is mocking all land animals with the chicken claw bracelet.

Dr. R: Good, good, and this one?

LiLa: Room Raiders--that terrible show on MTV circa 5 years ago. It looks like she's going to use a gloved finger to see how dirty my ceiling fan is.

Dr. R: Ah yes, that is very telling indeed. How about Lady Gaga at the Grammy's?

LiLa: Bedazzled hooves. That is all.

Dr. R: (Writing vigorously on his notepad): Fascinating, fascinating. How about here?

LiLa: The Devil Wears Nada, the soft porn version of The Devil Wears Prada.

Dr. R: Your free association is magnificent, not to mention your taste in porn. Tell me, what are you thinking now?

LiLa: Wedgewood. Mr. Gaga and Wedgewood had a baby. A high-waisted Wedgewood-inspired spandex baby.

Dr. R: And, our last picture. What comes to mind, ladies?

LiLa: Good God, her breasts! They've stolen her breasts. Sparkles! Sunglasses! Robert Pattinson.

Dr. R: This is troubling. Very troubling indeed. Further evaluation is mandatory. Please see my receptionist up front to schedule a follow-up ASAP.

Now it's your turn! Head to the comments to use free association to share the first thoughts that came to your mind after being eye-raped by Lady Gaga's particular brand of crazy. Dr. R. will be checking in periodically with evaluations.