BBAW: Blogger Interview Swap

Hi guys! So if you've been anywhere in the book blogging world lately, you probably know that this week is Book Blogger Appreciation Week. As a part of BBAW, there is a book blogger interview swap. We're very excited to be interviewing Roberta from Wrapped in Foil. Roberta is a scientist, writer, and mother who reviews children's books. Her blog is great if you're a parent looking for good books for your kid or just someone who's a little kid on the inside. To visit Roberta's blog, click HERE. Roberta also has a science blog called Growing With Science. Make sure to stop by Roberta's blog to see her interview with us and find some great children's books. Also, stop by the BBAW Interview Swap Day pageto check out the rest of the interviews! Without further ado, let's welcome Roberta!

Okay, so we're going to start out with a really random but fun question. What is an interesting fact or two that not many people know about you?
I once helped build a boat out of cardboard that actually floated on a lake and carried people.

That's actually really cool. That must've been loads of fun! So, you review children’s books, what made you decide on that genre to review? What got you interested in it?
That is an easy question. When my son was born, I wanted to read to him every day like my mother had for me. As with many new parents, I wasn't knowledgeable about current children's books, so I had to start researching what was out there. Every year my son's interests and needs changed and I kept researching. The more I discovered, the more I became committed to promoting children's literacy.

Children's books remain appealing to me for a couple of reasons. I love the art in picture books, I'm definitely a visual person. I admire how children's book authors are able to distill a huge mound of information into a few perfectly chosen words. To me, that is more impressive than authors who chug out a series of books with thousands of words.Reviewing children's books has an added benefit: I can read a children's book quickly when I want to do a last minute review. I probably would give up book blogging if I had to finish a full length book each time. :-)

Besides children’s books, what are some of your favorite types of books to read?
I read a lot of adult nonfiction (science/nature), but I also read some fiction and I have been a mystery fan forever. This month, in addition to the review books, I have been reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett, books from the Mrs. Pollifax mystery series by Dorothy Gilman, and Words in a French Life by Kristin Espinasse. I especially like the last one because the book is based on her blog. I am always inspired by bloggers who get published. I will be adding Wither and a few others I was on your blog to my TBR.

Well we're glad you found some new books to add to your pile on your blog. Anyway, on your blog you mentioned that you started blogging as part of National Novel Writing Month, what got you interested in writing?
When you love books, it isn't much of a leap to realize you want to have your own out there.

That makes sense. We always thought it'd be cool to have a book of our own, too. Okay, now for another fun question. If you could meet any one person in the world, from the past or the present, who would it be and why?
When I was in graduate school, the building I worked in was named for a man and his wife. Her name was Anna Botsford Comstock. Intrigued, I looked into the story of her life. It turns out she was the first woman professor at Cornell University. She was an artist, teacher, prolific writer and outstanding naturalist. She wrote the Handbook of Nature Study in 1911, and it is still in press today. I would love to go back to her time and talk with her.
Why? Because she had so many diverse interests (similar to mine) and was successful enough to break barriers.

We always love to hear what someone’s favorite part about blogging is. So what is your favorite part about blogging, what gets you excited about it?
Blogging has so many benefits; some tangible, some not so tangible. I think everyone loves to hear comments about what they posted, to know someone read what they wrote and cared enough about it to reply. It is wonderful to get to know other bloggers, in particular, which is why I signed up to do the BBAW.

I really like the visual aspect of blogging, too. In some of my other blogs, I post quite a few photographs. Getting to play with images and color is fun, and it so easy using blogging software.

Yeah, we saw lots of those pictures not only on your book blog, but on your science blog. How does your love of science influence your reading and/or writing?
Being a science/nature geek definitely influences my reading, because I do tend towards science-related nonfiction. As for writing, I have to say because I learned how to do scientific writing first, it has probably been a hindrance to creative writing. Scientific writing is full of the passive voice, for example, which is a big no, no in English class.

You’ve been blogging for quite a while, how has blogging changed your reading tastes or your writing style, if at all?
Actually, I was hoping that blogging would improve my writing, but I find that readers give no feedback about the writing itself, and without feedback it is hard to improve. I do think it helped me with finding different voices, especially with the different blogs. I can probably gather my thoughts and get something down on paper more quickly, too.

Now for a last fun question. Both of us are kind of twitter fiends, and we love to find new and interesting people to follow. Who is one of your favorite people to follow on twitter and why?
After playing with lists and such, I decided the best way to treat my diverse interests was to have two Twitter accounts, @RobertaGibson for books/writing and @ScienceAntics for geeky science/nature stuff. In the children's book world, @FuseEight is definitely the person to follow.

Again, thank you to Roberta from Wrapped in Foil! Also make sure to follow all the fun happenings of Book Blogger Apreciation Week and check out all the other interviews to learn more about your follow bloggers.

xoxo and love always,

Shelbie and Amanda

Interview with Melissa Walker

Hey Everyone!

We have a special treat for you today, an interview with Melissa Walker, the author of Small Town Sinners which is one of my most anticipated books of next year, it comes out on July 19th 2011, so keep your eyes out for it then!

What’s your favorite dessert?

All-time: Key Lime Pie. Lately: Blueberries with ricotta cheese and a drizzle of maple syrup—trust me!

What inspired you to write a novel involving Hell Houses?

I pitched and wrote a piece on Hell Houses for ELLEgirl when I was Features Editor there because I had heard about the concept from a friend’s mom. I was so intrigued by the small town I traveled to and the warmth of all the teenagers I met, plus their obvious passion for this production, that I had to revisit that world.

What were you like when you were Lacey Anne’s age?

At 16 I was obsessed with my clunker used car (which I’d saved up to buy since age 10), I was praying I’d find a boyfriend before high school ended so I could have an epic first love story (I did), I was being encouraged to write by my parents (thanks, Mom and Dad) and I spent nearly every moment with my group of friends, whom I laughed with nonstop. Now that I’m older and have met more people, I can confirm that they were and are some of the smartest and funniest people in the world.

What do you hope a reader will take away from Small-Town Sinners?

I hope readers will take away whatever they need in the moment that they read the book. Maybe that’s a sense of kinship with Lacey Anne because their world is changing too. Or maybe it’s that there are a lot of ways to have faith in the people around you. Mostly I just hope they like the book, and that something in it stays with them in a positive way.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I pounded out a paragraph-long tale called “The Very Vain Cloud” on my parents’ typewriter at age 6, and I never stopped making up stories. When I joined my high school yearbook staff and got to write articles, I knew I wanted to go into journalism. Fiction came later, after I met some crazy characters out in the world.

If you were directing the film version of Small-Town Sinners, who would you cast in a few of the main roles?

I’m a huge fan of unknowns, and I’d probably like to see fresh faces playing Lacey Anne and her friends, but that’s avoiding the question, right? If I had to cast, I’d go with Taylor Swift as Lacey Anne, Ashley Green as Starla Joy and maybe David Archuleta as Dean (does he act?). If not him, maybe a Jonas brother—probably Nick, with some weight gain. For Ty, I have a picture in my head that I can’t replace with a real actor. Book guys are better. I will say that I’d love to see Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton (Coach and Mrs. Taylor on Friday Night Lights) as Lacey Anne’s parents. Love them!

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a still-untitled book for Bloomsbury about a girl named Clementine who spends the summer with her parents and little sister on a boat. It’s the summer following a particularly dramatic year, and she has a lot of things to figure out about herself. Like why the hilarious red-headed guy who she keeps meeting dockside has such a hold on her thoughts when she’s supposed to be single this summer.

Keep it here for the rest of Bookmas!!

xoxo and Love Always,
Shelbie and Amanda

Author Interview: Kody Keplinger!

Hey guys, we have a special treat today for you! Kody Keplinger author of The DUFF, which both me and Amanda LOVED, agreed to do an interview with us... Here it is!

1. How did you get started writing? When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

I started writing when I was really small. Well, really, it started more as me
telling stories. I used to sit at my mom's typewriter and tell her what I
thought I was writing - since I was only three or four and had no idea how to
type or write back then. When I got older and learned how to write my stories
down, I would always draw pictures to go with them and made up these epic tales.
I was about eleven when I first started writing longer, unillustrated stories.
And everything just went from there. As for deciding I wanted to be a writer - I
don't remember making that conscious decision at all. I remember telling myself
it was really unlikely to happen so I needed a backup career (my backup was actress - yes, I was a smart one). I was a senior in high school when I actually decided to major in writing at college and to try, no matter what happened. Shortly after that, The DUFF was signed my an agent and then a publisher. So I'm really, really happy I decided to take that risk and pursue a dream I knew might not ever happen.

2. What is your favourite genre to read?

Really, any type of young adult. I love both fantasy and contemporary. I love dystopian and sci-fi, too. Usually, if there are teenagers involved in the story, I'm hooked. I will say, though, that usually a romance makes me love it
even more.

3 .Describe The DUFF in 3 words.

Sarcastic, sexy, real.

4. Pick a song (or two) that describes The DUFF.

Oh, this is easy. I can just pull stuff from the book's soundtrack!

The song that most describes the book - centering on the relationship between Bianca and Wesley - is "I Can't Stay Away" by The Veronicas. That song is the reason I wrote the book. I heard it, and then I immediately started writing this story.
But if I'm allowed to pick another song, too, I'd go with "Everything is Alright" by Motion City Soundtrack. It's very much a Bianca song, from her weird habits to her constant saying "I'm all right" or "I'm fine" when she isn't.

5. What was/is your favourite character to write?

Hands down, it has to be Wesley. His character really surprised me. When I first started writing, he was a very, very different character in my head More cruel and cold and calculating - think Sebastian at the beginning of Cruel Intentions. But the more I wrote, the more his character changed and became, yes a womanizer, but also a guy with issues and compassion for those he cares about
(even if you can't see it right away.) Also, some of the jokes he makes were so
fun to write. I miss writing him so, so much.

6. Who was the first person to read The DUFF, and how did they help you with the writing process and your journey to getting published?

The very first person to read The DUFF was one of my beta readers - Hannah
Wylie. She read it very quickly (blamed me for her getting very little sleep
that night) and sent it back with lots of comments. She loved the story and had
some great advice for how to make it better. She was the first person to tell me
to go for it and send this one to agents. We're still friends today.

7. How is your writing process different now, than from when you were first writing The DUFF?

It's actually not terribly different. I still prefer writing with no outline (I have used outlines before and it worked, but I do better when I wing it the wayI did with The DUFF). I still try to focus more on my characters than on the
plot. The only major difference is that now I have more people to bounce my ideas off of. When writing The DUFF I only had a few friends and readers. Now I have a great critique group plus an agent and an editor who are GENIUSES. It's nice being able to run ideas past lots of people before I go in any drastic directions.

8. What projects are you working on now?

I'm in the middle of my last bit of edits on my second book, LUSTSTRUCK, which
will be out next year! I'm so excited!

9. What are some things you want readers to take away from The DUFF?

Just one thing, really. A sense that you are not alone. Every single person has
felt like a DUFF before, even if they aren't ugly or fat at all. Its more about
inferiority than appearance, and we all get that feeling sometimes. It's normal,
and we shouldn't let it get us down.

10. Do you have anything else to add? Anything we forgot?

Just one thing - thanks for having me here! Loved all of these questions!

Blog Tour with Sybil Nelson!

Were on Priscilla the Great's Blog tour and we were lucky enough to have Priscilla's interview with Sybil Nelson, enjoy!

Hey, hold up. Before click away into cyberspace, I gotta tell you this is
not religious or anything. My creator is none other than Sybil Nelson, author of
Priscilla the Great. And I’m Priscilla. I’m a lean, mean, tween, machine and I
want to tell you all about my world. But I thought a more fun way to do that
would be to interview the person who created me. I think she might know me
better than I know myself. So here it goes:

Priss: Hey Sybil. What’s up?

Sybil: Not much.

Priss: Quick, tell the people at The Mortal’s Library five interesting
things about yourself.

Sybil: Okay, let’s see. I’m a wife and mother of two little girls. I’m a
PhD student. I love to write in my spare time and create new realities. I taught
high school math and dance for nine years. And I love Justin Bieber.

Priss: Whoa. Wait. What? You love Justin Bieber?

Sybil: And not just Justin. I love all pop music. I was just “whippin my
hair” to the latest Willow Smith song this afternoon.

Priss: For future reference, I would just like to request that you do not
have me singing any pop music in future books.

Sybil: Not a problem. You’re a horrible singer anyway.

Priss: Good point. So where did you get the inspiration for my character
and my powers and my quirky little town of River’s Bend?

Sybil: Well, you are actually a compilation of two of my students named
Helen and Ellen. They were two hilarious girls that I taught a couple of years
ago. Helen especially would come to class each day with a new story of something
weird that happened to her or that she did. Your personality came from her. And
you looks came from Ellen. As for your town, I like to think of it as a kind of
Stars Hollow from the TV show Gilmore Girls. It’s small, quaint and tight nit.
Everyone knows everything about everyone…well, except for the fact that you can
shoot fire out of your fingers.

Now your powers, that’s kind of a crazy story. Originally, Priscilla Maxine
Sumner was a girl who got super powers along with her first period.

Priss: Wait. What? Is that why my initials spell PMS? How embarrassing!

Sybil: I know. It was a funny story, but an editor talked me into taking
out that angle. So instead of The Adventures of PMS Girl, we now have Priscilla
the Great.

Author Interview: Cassandra Clare

Hey guys, today we have a special treat for you! An interview with the author of The Mortal Instruments series, Cassandra Clare! Her new book, Clockwork Angel, is the start of a new series called The Infernal Devices, and it comes out on the 31st! Make sure to go out and buy it in a couple days, it's sure to be amazing!

1. How did you get started writing? When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?


I always loved reading. For all of my childhood I was always with a book in my hand. When I got to college, I minored in "composition" — there was no "creative writing" minor, so that was as close as I could get. At the time it was something I enjoyed doing and wanted to get better at, but I hadn't given thought to it as a career. It just seemed impractical — who could make money writing books? Everyone said it was impossible. I went into journalism after college, but my love of writing fiction caught up with me and I ended up writing City of Bones while also holding down a job as a copyeditor at a New York magazine.

2. What were you like as a teen? How did this affect your writing or you wanting to write, if at all?

Introverted, shy, like a lot of writers. I lived a lot in my head and in books. I did write when I was a teen — it's just that everything I wrote was pretty bad. Bad romance novels, bad vampire novels, bad historical novels — the works. I'm sure it was good practice though.

3. What writer do you look up to, or would be totally shocked and honored if your books and writing were compared to theirs?

Oh, the great urban fantasy writers of my teenage-hood — Ellen Kushner, Charles de Lint, Emma Bull.

4. How is your writing process different now, than from when you were first writing City of Bones?
These things become more fluid with practice. I'm used to the outlining and development process, so things go quicker.

5. Are there any people in real life that you’ve based a character off of?
Occasionally with truly hateful characters I start off by basing them on people I've disliked in real life. The problem is that as soon as I start giving them dimension and life and motivations, I start liking them more than the people in real life I based them off!

6. Which Clockwork Angel character was the most fun to write and why?

Will was a lot of fun to write because his character keeps so many secrets — so much of what he does is a pretense, that it's like creating a character within another character. You only see his real self peeking out some of the time.

7. Which Clockwork Angel character is most like you, if any?
Oy. Probably Charlotte. I relate to her feeling that she needs to prove herself, and her self-recrimination when things go wrong. I also relate to her desire to save things — I'm always rescuing mice in shoeboxes and that sort of thing.

8. Which Clockwork Angel character would you like as your best friend, and why?

Perhaps Sophie. She's very loyal and defensive of the ones she cares about.

9. Are you Team Jem or Team Will? Or (like I’m guessing we’ll be) do you not care and just love the Magnus parts?

Fond as I am of Magnus, I love Jem and Will just as much. I can't really *have* a team — there's no point rooting for a game you know the outcome of! I'll just say I love both boys. I know with Will, making him as unlikeable as he is in the end of Angel, I'm playing a risky game. Everyone could wind up Team Jem just because Will's such a jerk. But I'm hoping that events in the second book will put things on a more even keel. This is absolutely not the story of a girl who reforms a bad boy and makes him good through her love. This is a story about the masks we wear, the pretenses we put on to protect those we love, and about the shifting nature of identity. Will and Jem and much more complicated than just "the nice one and the bad boy." I hope to show that in the second book.

10. Who do you think has the most problems in their love life in City of Fallen Angels? What couples or characters don’t have major love life problems in City of Fallen Angels?

Probably Jace and Clary have the most, or biggest problem. The only couple for whom its fairly smooth sailing is Jocelyn and Luke.

11. Which pair of lovers in City of Fallen Angels do you like the most as a couple? Or if you were one of your readers, which couple would you be rooting for to stay together no matter what?

I don't have personal favorites, but one thing I think is interesting is that I can never predict fan reaction. I knew people would root for Clary and Jace and not for Simon, but I had no idea there would be so many people invested in Magnus and Alec. And people do seem really interested to see where Simon's love life goes now, though I have to say it's really a mess at the beginning of CoFA.

12. Do you think that people will be really surprised with Clockwork Angel or City of Fallen Angels, if so, why?

I don't think people are going to go into Clockwork Angel with that many preconcieved notions, because it's the first book in a series. They're more likely to be surprised by developments in Fallen Angels, because things do get very dark.

13. How many characters from Clockwork Angel will we see in City of Fallen Angels, or have we seen any of them (besides Magnus) in any of The Mortal Instruments books?

You haven't seen them, but you've heard them referred to — Camille, for instance and Ragnor Fell. As for characters from Clockwork showing up in CoFA I can think of two off the top of my head.

14. Are any of the characters in Clockwork Angel at all like the ones in TMI?

Yes and no. A lot of people are reading Will as Jace. That isn't surprising, as they are 1) obviously blood related and 2) share a similar sense of humor and a way of using humor as a deflector against real feelings. I think of Will as almost a commentary on Jace's character, but that will be more clear in book two, when you learn there are ways in which they absolutely aren't alike at all. Tessa is very unlike Clary — where Clary is a visual person, Tessa's a word person; where Clary never thinks before she acts, Tessa deliberates; Tessa's views on the role of women in society would be puzzling to a modern girl like Clary. I've seen people compare Jem to Alec, and while I understand the desire to map characters you know onto new characters, I think that's a huge stretch. Alec was nasty to Clary from the moment he met her because he was jealous; he was in love with Jace, and was deeply shy and insecure. Jem is neither shy, nor insecure, nor ever rude to Tessa, because he's romantically interested in her himself.

15. If you could describe Clockwork Angel in 3 words, what would they be?
Romantic, steampunk, adventure.

16. What song(s) describe Clockwork Angel?
I have a whole playlist — I guess I'll pick two off it: 'The One I Love" by Greg Laswell, and London, 1888 by Momus.

17. What is one thing readers should pay attention to in Clockwork Angel?
The details of the stories about Will's childhood and his family.

18. In the end, what is one thing that you want your readers to take away from Clockwork Angel?
Things aren't always what they seem.

19. Okay, now a writing/publishing/Mortal Instruments question. Who was the first person to read City of Bones, and how did they help you with the writing process and your journey to getting published?

Probably the first person to read City of Bones was my friend Holly Black. She actually recommended the book to her agent, and he signed me on after reading the first ten chapters.

20. After you’re all done with Clary and Jace, and Will and Jem, (We know that’s a long time from now) what do you think will be your next project? Are you working on anything else right now?
I'm hoping to work on a modern-day comic take on Pride and Prejudice with a co-author. We both really want to work on it and just don't have time.

Anything else? Anything we forgot?
At almost thirty questions, no, I think that was pretty thorough!


*side note: This was 30 questions, but we shortened it for your reading pleasure :) and the City of Fallen Angels cover is not the offical one. But it's pretty!

We hope you loved her interview as much as we did! And make sure to go get Clockwork Angel when it comes out on the 31st! Also, City of Fallen Angels, the fourth book in The Mortal Instruments series comes out in April 2011, keep your eyes peeled for that!

xoxo and love always,

Shelbie and Amanda

Author Interview: Rebecca Maizel + Giveaway!

Hey guys, like we promised, we have an interview with the awesome author of Infinite Days, Rebecca Maizel! We hope you enjoy this interview, and make sure to buy her Debut Novel; Infinite Days when it comes out on August 3rd! Also, make sure to go check out our calendar for August HERE and see what else we've got in store for Fantasyfest 2010!

What were you like as a teen? How did this affect your writing or you wanting to write, if at all?
I wore my heart on my sleeve all the time. I was a real romantic and I completely believed in finding that storybook romance. I would have loved Infinite Days as a teen because I wanted to believe in that never ending love and that it was possible for me to find in my high school!

My sister is older than me so when I was a kid in 1991, she got her first video camera. Most of my friends were playing with Barbies, I was making movies of my Barbies! I think I was a creative kid but my creativity was harnessed in a narrative way. I was always writing, creating.

What books/authors were you into as a teen?
Babysitters Club! I loved the Babysitters club!
YA wasn’t the same (I was a teen in the 90s) as it is now, there wasn’t as much to choose from but I really adored Judy Blume, she wrote about all the things I was afraid to ask my parents and friends.

Why did you choose to write a young adult fantasy novel instead of another genre or age group?
As a young adult the best times of your life are ahead of you. You may not know it, you may think your life is really down and out but in the end all of the choices of all of your days are far ahead. I loved juxtaposing that to Lenah’s dark past. I love writing for young adults.

Who was the first person (besides you) to read Infinite Days? How did they help you during or after the writing process?

My friend Amanda, who is one of the most brilliant teenagers I’ve ever met. She was the first reader, she always is! She gives me honest feedback. Whatever she does later in life is going to be amazing.

If you could describe Infinite Days in three words, what would they be?
How about phrases and words? :)

1. Falling irrevocably in love.

2. Red roses, lavender, and rosemary.

3. Letting go.

What song (or two) describes Infinite Days?

1.I keep listening to Kate Nash’s - Nicest Thing

2.Coldplay’s – Fix You

Which Infinite Days character is most like you, if any?
Sometimes, I look at the world like I’m standing on the outside looking in. I think a lot of writers feel this way. This is what connects me most to Lenah, my main character. I also think I have a mischievous streak like Tony. :)

Are there any people in real life that you’ve based a character off of?
No, this is an interesting question, though. All of my characters have come from my head, which I suppose is an amalgamation of all of my experiences, and people I’ve met.

Which Infinite Days character was the most fun to write and why?
Oh boy. I can tell you I am having a ball writing a certain character in book 2 but for Infinite Days, I loved writing Rhode. He was so romantic! I also loved writing Justin; especially the end scenes.


Which Infinite Days character would you like as your best friend, and why?
Oooh! Tony, for sure. He’s fun, loyal, and really smart. I would love to have him in my life every day.

What is one thing readers should pay attention to in Infinite Days?
That’s a hard question. I think people should know it’s a story about coming back to life. How you can rise above your past and accept the choices you’ve made.

In the end, what do you want your readers to take away from Infinite Days?
I hope you love this book. I hope I’ve written something that you can’t put down!

Now, one last question we can’t resist asking. Can you tell us anything about the sequel to Infinite Days?
No! But I can tell you that the prologue and first chapter of STOLEN NIGHTS (the sequel) are at the end of the final copies of Infinite Days.

That’s all we’ve got, is there anything else you’d like to add, anything we missed?
August 3rd!! :) That’s when Infinite Days hits the shelves.

Now... to the giveaway! Rebecca has been so kind as to donate some Infinite Days bookmarks and postcards and some dried lavender for our giveaway! So.... we are having an Infinite Days themed giveaway, and the last day to enter is August 8th. And this contest IS INTERNATIONAL. Just fill out the form below! So what will you win??
 
1 Person will win:
1 copy of Infiinite Days
A few bookmarks, and a bag of lavender!
 
1 Person will win a swag bag filled with:
Infinite Days bookmarks
Infinite Days postcards
Baggies of Lavender
This will all be in a Barnes and Noble reusuable tote!

Now, we might extend this contest if not a lot of people enter, and the prizes may change, since they are tentative because we have not received the swag yet, but it's on its way! So, if we have enough, there will be more winners!