rgz Seattle HOST: Stephanie Guerra and the YA Extravaganza!

Here's a great entry from our Seattle HOST, Stephanie Guerra! Her debut young adult novel, TORN, will be published by Marshall Cavendish in spring of 2012. Take it away, Stephanie!  

Last night, Third Place Books held a YA extravaganza hosting six local authors: Suzanne Young (A Need so Beautiful; The Naughty List), Lisa Schroeder (The Day Before), Eileen Cook (The Education of Hayley Kendrick), Mandy Hubbard (Ripple), Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder; Desires of the Dead) and Cat Patrick (Forgotten).

All of these fabulous authors were warm, funny, and engaging as they took Q and A’s and did some great giveaways. Here are a few fun quotes on inspiration:

Eileen Cook on The Education of Hayley Kendrick: “More people are killed by falling vending machines than shark attacks. I wanted a risk adverse character who would worry about things like this.”

Eileen

Cat Patrick on Forgotten: “My twins were five months old and in the middle of an activity in the kitchen, and I forgot what I was doing. I started to think about how tough it would be to have amnesia, especially in high school. And then I wondered what it would be like if people could remember things in the future…”

Kim Derding said her husband gave her the idea for The Body Finder with the simple question, “What if there was a kid who could find dead bodies?”

Mandy

Suzanne Young found the idea for A Need So Beautiful  when she was offered inspiring words by a stranger after receiving the terrible news that a family member was dying. The incident made her wonder about angels, and the ways that a single sentence can change a person’s life.

And some great advice for aspiring authors!

“Don’t be afraid to get in there and play. You don’t know what you’re good at until you try.” –Lisa Schroeder

“After you’ve written something, walk away for awhile and then come back with truly fresh eyes.” –Cat Patrick

“Continue to write. Sometimes your ideas develop into other ideas that are a little bit better.” –Suzanne Young

“I have stacks of rejection letters. Want it so bad that you’re willing to keep working at it. It’s about not giving up.” –Kimberly Derting

“Give yourself permission to write crap. Crap can be fixed.” –Mandy Hubbard

“Read a lot! …and keep trying, because you don’t have anything to lose.” –Eileen Cook

Cat, Suzanne, and Lisa

And to close, a few suggestions for more great reads. These are the titles the authors offered in response to the question: “What book do you wish you had written?”

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Divergent by Veronica Roth

White Cap and Red Glove by Holly Black

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Mrs. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Thanks for reading, girlz. It was an amazing night all around and I hope you’ll check out some of the books by these talented ladies.

~Stephanie