October: Discussion Roundup

Did you miss any of the chatter? Still time to jump in. Thanks, rgz and Laini!

Discussions with Laini
The concept of beauty
The power of desire

Which Lips Touch story is your favorite?
Punishments for Desire

Which Lips Touch story would you live inside?

Chance vs. Fate

Do you believe in the soul?

Girl-Mothers Leaving Babies Behind

Religion and disasters

Would you want to live forever?

Giving up humanity
 

Extras

Welcome, Laini!

Things to know about Laini

Laini's post of awesome
Soundtrack for Lips Touch

Party ideas for Lips Touch

Reach Out: Body HeART

Recommended Reads Guest Post: Jamie S. Rich

Recommended Reads Guest Post: Pat Mora

Thank you, Libba Bray!

Here's a big GRACIAS to the incredible Libba Bray for joining us at readergirlz this month! Things we learned about Libba include:

1. She can compose a fierce Post of Awesome, complete with moisturizer tips.
2. She finds wonder in "almost everything."
3. She'd like to play guitar like Stevie Ray Vaughn and drum like Dave Grohl.

Well, at least she can write like... Libba Bray! After you finish the Gemma Doyle trilogy, check out Going Bovine, her latest novel. Libba bills it as "the feel-good-mad-cow-disease/string-theory-book-of-fall." Yes!

Thank you, Libba!

October: Roundup of Discussions

Did you catch all the Libba exchanges this month, rgz? Check out the list and weigh in!

October Newsflash
Welcome, Libba Bray!
Things to know about Libba
October Roundtable
Poetry Friday
October Book Party
Video: Girl Anger in YA Lit
The Sweet Far Thing Soundtrack
rgz LIVE!
Chat Highlights
The Rose of Battle

Hot Topics with Libba Bray:
A Woman's Place
Post of Awesome by Libba
Solving Other People's Problems
Your Own Magic
What is Love?
Magic for a Day
Finding the Authentic You
Fate or Free Will
Victorian Fashion

~the rgz divas

October: Libba Highlights (from the chat, not chunks of her hair)

Here are a few, rgz. Read the whole transcript for the entire fun hour!

Highlights from Libba:

I am in my pajamas live on your internets! I am wearing super fancy Target sweats plus a Book Fair t-shirt. Glamour! Apparently, I also look like a drawing of a microphone.

It took me forever and a day to write them, Melissa. I am actually 402 years old now.

My fave book to write might have been Rebel Angels because I got to go to London and it wasn't either the first or the last. I just got to play.

Memorable fan moments. Loved the girls who dressed up as Beauty, Hope, Song at a signing in Ohio. Loved the sixth grade boy who begged me to take out my artificial eye for him. Good times.

Hey Rachel, I def. found it hard to write the ending of TSFT. I cried.

NO plans to write a fourth Gemma book right now, Deena. I have a new trilogy to write. Mwahahahhaa! *suspense*

Dia, I can barely find my socks. I do not outline or plot anything in advance. What I do do (heh-heh, I typed "do-do"...so mature) is do a lot of writing in notebooks for a year or two in advance, asking myself questions, sketching, if you will, seeing how things will take shape. I'm doing that now and have been for over a year for a new one.

Meg, my tantalizing hint is this: a new supernatural historical trilogy. But first, I am writing a crazy satire for David Levithan about a plane of teen beauty queens that crashes on an island. Think Lord of the Flies meets Lost but with a talent portion. And sequins. Lots of sequins.

Viv, the series was inspired by my love of Victorian and Gothic novels and creepy ghost stories. I grew up on them and wanted to write one. And I also thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to write a sort of Victorian Buffy?" I did lots of research including going to the British Library in London but I never feel like I do enough.

Great question, Meg. I wanted to write a complicated female character. All the women I know/have known have been so complicated and interesting and I wanted to do justice to that, not simplify. I searched my own soul and looked to the lives of others as well. But I always think you have to go inside and ask yourself the tough questions.

I like writing both male and female characters. The story dictates who will do the telling, male or female. It's nice to be able to inhabit both sexes on paper.

Cat, I had no idea how the characters would grow. That's the fun of writing--seeing where they take you. I can tell you that I changed right along with them. I had no idea that Felicity would become so vulnerable. Or that Pippa would become so evil. Or that Kartik would become...um, leafy. And I was glad that Anne broke out.

At this point Barry Goldblatt joined us in his jammies!

Thanks, Rachel. The book that launched me on my YA career was Rob Thomas' RATS SAW GOD. Awesome book. He created Veronica Mars, btw.

My fave book as a teen was The Catcher in the Rye. I also loved The Bell Jar. And Hitchhiker's Guide. Can't remember exactly when I read that but I loved it. I read a lot of plays as a teen, too.

Barry: For those asking, there's really very little happening on the film front. The first option has lapsed, and we're shopping the books around again.

I had lots of role models growing up. You're going to laugh, but I remember really liking Barbra Streisand because she was talented and strong and she didn't change her appearance to suit H'wood's narrow confines.

Aspiring writer advice? Read. Read, read, read. And write every day even if you don't feel like it. sound simplistic but you'd be surprised how many people don't follow that. And learn to hear your voice on the page. Learn to be as truthful as possible. Don't flinch away from the bad stuff about yourself--go there.

Barry: My advise to writers? Read a million books before you try to write one.

Writing rituals: I like a dark, funky cafe. A corner table out of the way. Coffee. Food product. headphones and a playlist. That's ideal.

Rachel, Most Important Role Model...Well, creatively I might say Stephen Sondheim. he's a stone-cold genius.

LOL. Lorie, I thought your question said, "Can you tell us about your favorite hubby?" Which seemed very "Big Love." My fabbity hubby is Barry Goldblatt, literary agent extraordinaire. He also does childcare and takes out the trash. But only if you're married to him. He's also the agent for Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Lauren Myracle, Robin Wasserman, among many other stellar talents. I like him and have decided right now to keep him.

Emma, I can write from both a man and a woman's POV. I've never found men to be that foreign--maybe it was having an older brother who spared me nothing. and lots of great male friends. (Hi, Les!) I think it's easier to write male rage and get away with it. This is because our society doesn't allow women full access to their anger, IMHO. Justine Larbalestier just wrote a whole post about how there seem to be double standards for female characters, that if a male character did something icky, he'd probably still be crushed on but a female character would get piled on for it. Thoughts?

Oh, I had lots of fave interactions, Isabella. That was certainly one of them. I loved Gemma and Miss Moore, especially at the well. I am partial to the scene between Fee and Gemma when Gemma finds out about Fee and they are alone in fee's room and G. comforts her. I enjoyed writing the hot scene between Kartik and Gemma. And I liked the scene between Gemma and Mrs. NW that comes at the end of Rebel Angels when we find out that humanizing bit about the old battle axe.

Libba Bray is my real name. Libba is short for Elizabeth.

Thanks again, Libba!

rgz LIVE! with Libba Bray

Welcome to rgz LIVE! with Libba Bray. Tonight, enter the magical realm of a live chat with New York Times Bestselling author Libba Bray. The chat goes live at the top of the hour!

October: The Sweet Far Thing Soundtrack

Check out the awesome playlist that Libba Bray chose for The Sweet Far Thing! Tori Amos! Mazzy Star! Nicole Kidman!

Chat tonight with Libba Bray!

Don't forget, tonight is our rgz LIVE! chat with Libba Bray!!!



6 p.m. Pacific/9 p.m. Eastern, we'll chat with Libba about THE SWEET FAR THING and all things Gemma!

October: Victorian Fashion and You

Libba says, "New dress code: You have to rock a piece of Victorian clothing. What do you wear and how do you wear it? Describe your ensemble. Make it work, people!"

Don't Forget: chat Wednesday night with awesome author Libba Bray!

Set your calendars, iPhones, Blackberries, and Mom's good old fashioned Palm Pilot to go off for this Wednesday's rgz LIVE! chat with Libba Bray!!!



We'll chat with her on October 28th at 6 p.m. Pacific/9 p.m. Eastern about THE SWEET FAR THING and all things Gemma! See you here!

October: Fate vs. Free Will

Libba says, "One of the themes in the book is about fate versus free will. Gemma believes in free will while Kartik believes in fate. What do you believe?"

rgz LIVE! Beyond Hardship with Lorie Ann Grover, Elizabeth Scott, and Lynn Weingarten

Welcome to the second of our week long series of live chats in celebration of Teen Read Week--READ BEYOND REALITY. Tonight join us for Beyond Hardship with three amazing authors:

LORIE ANN GROVER


ELIZABETH SCOTT


LYNN WEINGARTEN


The chat goes live at the top of the hour! Get ready to dive into the deep stuff, rgz!

rgz LIVE! Beyond Imagination with Justina Chen, Zoe Marriott, and Alyson Noel

Welcome to the kickoff of our week's series of live chats in celebration of Teen Read Week: READ BEYOND REALITY. Tonight readergirlz tantalizes your imagination with three amazing authors:

JUSTINA CHEN, ZOE MARRIOTT, and ALYSON NOEL!

The fun starts at the top of the hour! Let's go, rgz!

October: Finding the Authentic You

Libba says, "The novel deals a lot with the question of identity -- the process of finding and defining yourself as opposed to letting others (society, family, friends, romantic partners) do so. Why do you think this is so hard? What pressures do you face in your own quest to be a more authentic you?"

October: Magic for a Day

If you had the magic of the realms for a day, what would you do with it? What would you hope you wouldn't do with it?

October: Party It Up with The Sweet Far Thing!

Planning your own book group/get-together for The Sweet Far Thing? Here are some party ideas from the fabulous Libba Bray!

Invite: Victorian high tea or London debutante's ball OR an evening in the Realms. The first could have an invitation in calligraphy on cardstock, wrapped in a velvet ribbon. The second could be an evite or webpage with flashy-flash bits so that it looks magical and creepy. (Really, you can be both magical and creepy. I promise.)

Food: Scones, cream tea, cherry punch, finger sandwiches. But not with real fingers.

Décor: Could be fashioned after Felicity's tent at Spence, with dramatic curtains of damask or velvet. Peacock feathers (or homemade peacock wallpaper). A Victorian-style portrait of Eugenia Spence.

Movies: A Room with a View, A Little Princess, Great Expectations, Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Forsyte Saga, Moulin Rouge

Craft: Make personalized fans, ostrich feather “crowns,” your own fortune-telling deck or Order pendants, paint mendhi designs on your hands, illustrate maps for the Winterlands/Borderlands.

October: What is Love?

Libba says, "Let's talk about love and romance. There are several romances that take place in this book. Do you believe people have only one true love or can they have more than one over a lifetime? How do you define love? Is that different from romance?"

October: Your own magic

Libba asks, "What would you say is your own personal kind of magic?"

Poetry Friday: The Sweet Far Thing

The Sweet Far Thing

Taking Libba's hand
I walk through the realms and fight
alongside Gemma.

Lorie Ann Grover, 2009

Inspired by The Sweet Far Thing? Leave your haiku or other poetic format in the comments. I'll post them on Fridays through the month if you do, rgz. :~)

Catch the full Poetry Friday roundup with Anastasia Suen at Picture Book of the Day.

October: postergirlz recommended reads

Thanks, postergirlz, for these most excellent companion books to read along with The Sweet Far Thing!

Fiction
East by Edith Pattou
A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
The Young Wizards series by Diane Duane (starting with So You Want to Be a Wizard)
The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare (starting with City of Bones)
Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman

Non-Fiction
Chill: Stress-Reducing Techniques for a More Balanced, Peaceful You by Deborah Reber

October: Things to Know About Libba Bray

We know she's delightful and hilarious and an amazing writer. What more did we find out about Libba Bray? Read on.

On the nightstand: Seven partially read books. My son's artwork. A pink Post-It that says, "don't forget!" which is not so helpful.

Favorite drink while you write: Coffee or tea with cream and sugar. Water.

Favorite bookstores: I love you all, bookstores. You are beautiful. And you smell fantastic.

Inspiration: Every. Single. Thing. And music twice.

Cure for writer's block:
1. Without censoring yourself, free write for twenty minutes about something that doesn't seem to matter till you hit something that does.
2. Dance around your living room to very loud music.
3. If all else fails, imagine your computer in its underwear.

Wanna learn more? Visit this month's issue.