rgz HOST: Stephanie Guerra reviews Incredibly Alice

And now an awesome review from our Seattle HOST, Stephanie Guerra! Her debut young adult novel, TORN, will be published by Marshall Cavendish in spring of 2012. 


 

Hi Girlz,

Sometimes I pick up a book in the middle of a series to see how well it stands on its own. Incredibly Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor gets a gold star. I jumped into the series on book 5, which takes place when Alice is seventeen.

Alice is a sweet, steady narrator with a gentle approach to life. She’s “any-girl”; not gorgeous or brilliant or wildly unique, but solid, honest and dependable. She’s the kind of person you’d want for a best friend. The book opens on New Year’s, and takes Alice through the bittersweet last semester of high school.

As her classmates prepare to launch their lives, Alice struggles with feelings of inadequacy. Her long-distance boyfriend, Patrick, is off to a semester abroad in Spain. One of her closest friends has just been accepted to theater school in New York. Another friend is getting married.

Alice wonders: what should she do with her life? Is it wrong to stay close to home for college? Should she be aiming higher, or adventure-seeking like everyone else? What, if anything, meaningful has she done with her years in high school?

Incredibly Alice is a slow, thoughtful novel that tackles the big questions about growing up, leaving high school, and taking that definitive step into adult life. There’s no pitching, heaving drama or bizarre plot twists in this book, but it is thoroughly engaging nonetheless. Reynolds brings alive the drama of small moments, like the excitement of being chosen for a part in a play, or the thrill of a limo ride after prom, or the delightful dance of flirtation with a gorgeous guy.

Two things about the book struck me in particular. First, Reynolds is bold and honest in her approach to the issues girls face today. For instance, one of Alice’s friends is considering labial surgery. It’s a real issue for many girls, who feel they have to compete with porn stars for their boyfriends’ attention. Another of Alice’s friends is pregnant. And yet, Alice herself is a virgin. There’s a nice mix of experience levels in the characters of the books, just as there is in real life.

The other thing that I noticed was an old-fashioned vernacular that crept into the book; terms like “taking in a movie” and “that was a scream!” The result is a charming mix of the quaint with the contemporary. Reynolds has stayed well abreast of issues for teens, and she doesn’t hesitate to allude to edgy topics. But her language has a slight flavor of the fifties, a sound that actually adds to the nostalgia at the heart of Incredibly Alice.

I recommend Incredibly Alice as the perfect read for anyone wrestling with her future after high school, and I can say with confidence that you’re safe to jump into the series at any point and still enjoy a delightful book. ~Stephanie

rgz Newsflash: Happy Book Birthday, Stephanie Guerra!

Today we're toasting Seattle Host Stephanie Guerra on the launch of her latest book! Billy the Kid is Not Crazy is a hilarious middle-grade novel about a kid who gets in trouble so frequently that his parents send him to a psychiatrist. 

Billy March has been grounded for 63% of the past month. Every time he almost gets his parents’ trust back, his mind wanders off, and he causes another disaster! Like the time he and his best friend Keenan decided to play droid war in a parking lot—and ended up launching a shopping cart into a car. . . . Now Mom and Dad are threatening to send Billy to a psychologist. They may even make him take brain drugs! But deep down, Billy really worries that Dad wishes he had a different son. He’ll never be as perfect as his sisters. Maybe he doesn’t belong in this family at all. But maybe, just maybe, talking to a “shrink” won’t be as terrible as Billy thinks. With generous black-and-white illustrations in every chapter and ton of heart and humor, readers will be cheering for Billy as he struggles to find his place in the world—and discovers his true talent in the process.

Wanna know the whole the story behind the book? Check out this post on From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors.

 And here's some great early buzz from Amazon Vine:

“My son is a reluctant reader, but Billy the Kid is Not Crazy is the first book he ever read with enthusiasm on his own. He laughed out loud a few times, and could really relate to the main character.” –Scott Sherman

“I'm considering buying ten copies to have on-hand as my friends' children age. This is great for kids and parents. It's about a boy who is totally NOT crazy. He's a typical dreamer who often makes bad decisions because...he's still a kid!” –Mage

“My third grader loves this book. It is filled with heart and humor… I love the jokes that are mixed in and the heart felt moments. Junie B watch out.” –Edward Walker

“The author has done such a wonderful job with these characters… The artwork is a great addition, delivering tons of laughs. Combine that with some truly witty dialogue and you get a book that is in turn hilarious, thoughtful, and very real.” –J. Prather

“The artwork in the book is great, lots of fun. Really adds a lot and speeds up reading--illustrations in books are almost always a plus! Highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended!” –K. Davis

“I got this book for a boy who is diagnosed with Asperger's… He sped-read through the book once and liked it so much that he's reading it through again but more slowly. He says the title character is "just like" him.” –J. Tant

Congratulations, Stephanie - we can't wait to get our hands on Billy!

rgz Seattle HOST: Stephanie Guerra and Stages on Pages!

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

A couple of nights ago, I visited Secret Garden Books to see Stages on Pages, a book tour comprised of YA authors who hail from various backgrounds in the performing arts. The tour will stop at cities along both coasts, with changes in the author line-up depending on location. For more information on who will be where and when, go here.

The gathering at Secret Garden opened with a gorgeous violin performance by Jessica Martinez, and moved quickly to author readings. It was a treat to hear the authors (pictured below) read their own work, and I got a good sense of each of their strengths.

Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe is a stunning novel in verse about Sara, a ballerina struggling with the intense pressures of her art. Kehoe’s writing is lyrical and elegant, with strong images that resonate with emotional truth. This is verse at its most accessible, meant for lovers of poetry and prose alike.

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez is the story of Carmen, a teenage violin prodigy who falls in love with her greatest competitor. Martinez is a master wordsmith. Her descriptions are simple but evocative, and I felt the depth and complexity of Carmen’s relationship to music in the first few pages of the book.

Amplified by Tara Kelly has got me excited about voice. Kelly has a pitch-perfect ear for dialogue, and she’s nailed the voice of a young female guitarist who pursues a future with a rock band instead of going to college. When she finished the reading, I was convinced I’d heard the living character speak to me.

Second Fiddle by Roseanne Parry is set in Berlin just before the Wall came down. It has a blockbuster plot and a great hook: When thirteen-year-old Jody and her friends witness the attempted murder of a Soviet officer, they save his life and attempt to protect him by disguising him as their music instructor.

Adios Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft is one of those books that grabs you by the throat and gives you a dose of gritty truth. Unflinching and honest, it is the story of a talented boy wrestling with an accomplished twin, his own musical future, and an instructor he’d rather not have. The voice is pure teen male: curses, crudity, and general bravado concealing a good heart and passion for music.

Jewel and the Key by Louise Spiegler is a jewel-box of a book, with lovely descriptions of old-time theater. In this historical fantasy, a time travel device shuttles the heroine between 1917 and the present. In both periods, she is drawn to Seattle’s grand Jewel Theater, where she must come to terms with the realities of war, past and present.

Cover Stories: Torn by Stephanie Guerra

Stephanie Guerra's 2012 debut novel has a cover that really tells a story, especially when you look at the entire jacket. Here's Stephanie (our fabulous Seattle Host!) to talk about the process: 

"I love the cover of Torn, because by some amazing coincidence, the model looks like the friend on whom Stella, my narrator, is based (see the picture of 'Stella' and me in high school, below right). I also like the model because I can see both Latina and Eastern European characteristics in her face, and Stella is biracial Mexican and Croatian..."

Read Stephanie's full Cover Story at melissacwalker.com (and see many other considered options!).

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

rgz Seattle HOST: Stephanie Guerra celebrates our own Diva Martha!

Did you know that our very own Martha Brockenbrough has a new book out? That's right -- Devine Intervention released on June 1st, and Seattle HOST Stephanie Guerra is here with the full report.

I'm thrilled to announce the release of Martha Brockenbrough's new book, Devine Intervention, a work of comic genius about the world’s worst guardian angel. Martha’s fabulous launch party was at Secret Garden Books in Seattle (see pictures below). Here are her thoughts about the launch, plus some peeks into her inspiration and writing process. Thank you, Martha, for sharing, and for writing this delectable book!

What were some of your favorite moments at the launch?

I loved the whole thing. Holy cow. I was surrounded by friends and family, delicious food—including an angel food cake from my editor, Arthur Levine—and music from a harpist who played the classic rock songs I referred to in my novel. In my book, I imagine an entertaining sort of heaven, a place where the grass is greener than green, the sky is Tidy Bowl blue, where elderly people frolic to the music performed by a heavenly choir called Nun of the Above. In real life, though, heaven is being surrounded by your favorite people on the day your life's big dream has come true. Confession: I bawled like an infant, but one who made the bad decision to wear non-waterproof mascara.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Devine Intervention?

A lot of things came together for me with this book, but the chief inspiration was the loss many years ago of someone I'd known in high school. She was one of those incredible people—beautiful, brilliant, athletic. And then she got cancer and passed away on her twenty-third birthday. During her memorial service, a friend said they used to talk about "when my life begins," referring to some time after graduation when they'd truly be alive. It was a deeply sad thing to hear, and that was the situation I started with, the idea of someone who'd died before she felt like she had a chance to live. I didn't want to write a deeply sad book, though, and was rescued by my character, Jerome, the world's worst guardian angel. I absolutely loved writing him.

Can you tell us something about your writing process?

It took me forever to learn how to write fiction. Even though I was always a good writer in school, and even though I've worked many years as a journalist, creating a world and populating it with human beings is enormously challenging for me. For anyone who feels the same way, keep working. You'll get there! 

But I finally have a system that seems to work. I start with some sort of potent situation and a character I care about. I write a sentence summarizing what the story might be. Then I wrap layers around it—additional details and complications—until I have what feels like a story arc. Then I start writing, to get a handle on the character's voice. I also wrestle with the best point of view to write the story in. 

As I do this, I think of things that will enrich the story, usually scenes that are particularly important, but sometimes lines I know I'd like to use. When I feel ready, I write a chapter-by-chapter summary that I use to guide my writing. I also keep track of the characters' relationships with each other, so these can evolve in an understandable fashion. 

Inevitably, I veer from the outline a bit as I learn more about the characters and the world. As long as the story is getting better, I don't mind that veering at all. Oh, and I sometimes share early drafts with very trusted friends and my agents, but I usually like to have the whole thing finished and cleaned up a bit before I pass it around much beyond that. 

Thanks so much, Stephanie, and congrats again, Martha! 

rgz Seattle HOST: SCBWI and the Inside Story!

Here's host Stephanie Guerra with the latest from Seattle! 

Hi girlz!

Last week SCBWI Western Washington celebrated the bi-annual Inside Story at Mockingbird Books in Seattle. Local authors and illustrators came together to share their recently published books and tell their “inside stories,” including the inspiration behind their works. There was an amazing turn-out with all seats filled and a lively audience of booksellers, teachers, librarians, and fans. Host Martha Brockenbrough (Things That Make Us [Sic], Devine Intervention) upped the fun with literary trivia questions and prizes. Below please find a spotlight on the YA authors who presented, with information about their newest releases. (I was one of the number, and so excited to be a part of it!)

Weaving Magic by Mindy Hardwick

He loves magic. She loves romance. But the biggest illusion is the one Shantel and Christopher perform together.  Sixteen- year- old Christopher fights to stay sober while fifteen-year-old Shantel struggles in the aftermath of her mother’s death and seeks refuge in a fantasy world. But the unacknowledged roots of their problems refuse to stay buried and soon, the two are headed toward a deadly magic trick. Can Shantel and Christopher move beyond magical illusions to find love?

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

Cecily’s father has ruined her life. He’s moving them to occupied Wales, where the king needs good strong Englishmen to keep down the vicious Welshmen. At least Cecily will finally be the lady of the house.

Gwenhwyfar knows all about that house. Once she dreamed of being the lady there herself, until the English destroyed the lives of everyone she knows. Now she must wait hand and foot on this bratty English girl.

While Cecily struggles to find her place amongst the snobby English landowners, Gwenhwyfar struggles just to survive. And outside the city walls, tensions are rising ever higher—until finally they must reach the breaking point.

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.
 
When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

The Lost Code: Book One of the Atlanteans by Kevin Emerson

The ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have risen, and the sun is a daily enemy. But global climate change is not something new in the Earth’s history.

No one will know this better than less-than-ordinary Owen Parker, who is about to discover that he is the descendant of a highly advanced ancient race—a race that took their technology too far and almost destroyed the Earth in the process.

Now it is Owen’s turn to make right in his world what went wrong thousands of years ago. If Owen can unlock the lost code in his very genes, he may rediscover the forgotten knowledge of his ancestry…and that less-than-ordinary can evolve into extraordinary.

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

Wilde Island is not at peace. The kingdom mourns the dead Pendragon king and awaits the return of his heir; the uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is strained; and the regent is funding a bloodthirsty witch hunt, hoping to rid the island of half-fey maidens.

Tess, daughter of a blacksmith, has visions of the future, but she still doesn't expect to be accused of witchcraft, forced to flee with her two best friends, or offered shelter by the handsome and enigmatic Garth Huntsman, a warden for Dragonswood. But Garth is the younger prince in disguise and Tess soon learns that her true father was fey, making them the center of an exciting, romantic adventure, and an ancient prophecy that will bring about peace between all three races - dragon, human, and fairy.

Torn by Stephanie Guerra

Stella Chavez is your classic good girl: straight As, clean-cut boyfriends, and soccer trophies . You’d never guess that Stella’s dad was a drug addict who walked out when she was a kid. Or that inside, Stella wishes for something more.

New girl Ruby Caroline seems like Stella’s polar opposite: cursing, smoking, and teetering in sky-high heels . But with Ruby, Stella gets a taste of another world—a world in which parents act like roommates, college men are way more interesting than high school boys, and there is nothing that shouldn’t be tried once.

It’s not long before Stella finds herself torn: between the best friend she’s ever had and the friends she’s known forever, between her family and her own independence, between who she was and who she wants to be.

But Ruby has a darker side, a side she doesn’t show anyone—not even Stella. As Stella watches her friend slowly unravel, she will have to search deep inside herself for the strength to be a true friend, even if it means committing the ultimate betrayal.

The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond

The day Brigitta accidentally flings herself into the lap of a guy she's never met, her friend Natalie is convinced he's Trent Yves, egotistical heartthrob-in-hiding. When the boy, who calls himself Luke, is nearly eaten by a cougar, Brigitta finds herself saving his life, being swept into his spectacular embrace and wondering if she wants Natalie's fantasy to be true.

As the two spend the summer together raising orphaned cougar cubs, Brigitta still can't be sure of his true identity. But then again, since her grandparents' death, her father's sudden urge to give away all their possessions and become a shaman, and her own awkward transition from girlhood into a young woman, she isn't sure of anything. What is the truth? More importantly, can she accept it?

Sounds like a fantastic event! Thanks, Stephanie!

rgz Seattle HOST: Stephanie Guerra at ALA Midwinter!

Stephanie Guerra is here to report on the details from the 2013 ALA Midwinter conference, which took place in Seattle: 

Hi girlz!

The 2013 ALA Midwinter Conference took place in Seattle recently. For days, the city was overrun by literally all of my favorite people: authors, editors, agents, publishers, teachers, and most of all, librarians. The energy, humor and passion of these literacy professionals made for an exhilarating and transformative gathering. I had a chance to meet some of my favorite authors and illustrators, as well as some impressive new talent. I’d like to introduce you to three debut YA authors who will be making a splash in the spring. To give you a taste of what’s to come, I’ve asked each to share a few words about a writing topic close to her heart. Meet Leslie Stella, Lindsay Moynihan, and Olivia Samms.

PERMANENT RECORD by Leslie Stella is the story of a bullied Iranian-American teenager, and the unorthodox way he retaliates against his tormentors. This dark comedy explodes with an edgy attack on post-9/11 fears.

Leslie Stella on her first writing inspiration:

My mother gave me a copy of Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses, illustrated by Ruth Ruhman, when I was four. She said I taught myself to read from that book. That may be; I remember lying on the bed in the room I shared with my sister, the book open on my pillow, “reading” the pictures with my fingers. Yes: reading the pictures. It’s a gift small children have, to extract knowledge through their fingertips. The book wasn’t textured, no pop-ups, nothing unusual from a tactile sense, yet with that open curiosity that kids have—not knowing that reading pictures with your fingers was “wrong” or didn’t make sense—I drew my hands across Ruhman’s illustrations, and that brought me to the setting of each Stevenson poem. The riverbank sands of “Where Go the Boats?” and the Indian mother’s sari in “The Sun Travels” and the cold garden walls and howling dogs of “The Moon”; all of these set my imagination turning in ways I could not explain then, and really can no longer understand now that I am grown. But I felt the slick silk of the mother’s sari in my fingers—I really did!—and it made me dream of India; what was the weather like there? Were the windows open all the time? Were the mothers like mine? I touched the leaves in “Autumn Fires,” and I smelled the wood-smoke from English bonfires thousands of miles away and a hundred years before. It’s a magical ability that all children have, natural and unbounded. It was the first step in my writing history, the first step for any writer: Transport yourself. This is simple; this is beautiful; this is reading.

THE WAITING TREE by Lindsay Moynihan is about a young gay man in rural Louisiana who is “outted” to his family and community and examines his own beliefs about what love means and who he is as a person.

Lindsay Moynihan on plot and character development:

At A.L.A, I was asked some interesting questions about why I had made certain decisions regarding the plot and characters. People were intrigued. Why did I make a character this and not that? Why did I have this person go here rather than there? It got me thinking about my writing process in general. While I managed to come up with intelligent answers (well I thought so anyway), the whole time I was thinking to myself, I’m really not sure why I did that…I just did! Not to say that there was no method to the madness here. I am very aware of the message I intended this book to present to the reader and made every effort to see to it that it happened. In terms of certain character or plot details, however, I don’t always have a reason for the decisions on the tip of my tongue. Some things just feel right. That’s what I love about writing, though. You spend all this time creating people and places and lives that you know better than your own family. Then you send them out into the world so that the reader can get to know them, too. It’s exhilarating…and frightening. Maybe the next time I’m asked a “why this and not that” type question I won’t give them my own opinion. I’ll ask for theirs. After all, The Waiting Tree is in your hands now.

SKETCHY by Olivia Samms is the story of Bea, a seventeen-year-old artist with the disturbing ability to see—and then draw—images from other people’s minds. Can Bea use her talent to take down a local killer before he strikes again?

Olivia Samms on her main character:

SKETCHY (April ’13) deals with a seventeen year old edgy, artistic, recently sober girl, Bea. I firmly believe that the most sensitive, important people in society carry around demons in their back pocket, sometimes secretly, sometimes openly, and the struggle of keeping those demons at bay fuels passion, art and great inventions—and has throughout time. Bea struggles daily with “the beast” but with her newfound sobriety, discovers she has the uncanny ability to draw the truth out people . . . literally. I love Bea—her core imperfections—her being empathic and an HSP (highly sensitive person). And I love that she uses her “power” to help others.  My hopes and dreams with this series are that it resonates with those struggling—and informs others to think before they judge. Sometimes bad stuff happens to good people. And sometimes that bad stuff is the impetus for great stuff.

Thanks for all of the fun intel, Stephanie! Maybe next year we'll see you there! 

rgz Seattle HOST: The Cassandra Clare & Holly Black Tour!

Hi readergirlz,

Earlier this month I headed out to see Holly Black and Cassandra Clare on tour promoting Red Glove and City of Fallen Angels at Third Place Books in Seattle. There was standing room only (see right), unless you wanted to pick your way through tightly packed knees and take the one seat deep in the middle, between the mom with the baby and the big pack of girls. I was eyeing it… but I chickened out.

A few highlights from Holly’s and Cassandra’s Q&A:

Advice for aspiring authors: Read outside your comfort zone; read a lot of nonfiction, because you’ll use it; write a lot; and find a critique partner who’ll tell you when your stuff is crazy.

For Shadow Hunter fans: Cassandra has a new trilogy in the works!

Holly’s favorite part of being an author is meeting other authors, and “not having to pretend [she's] not staring at them in a creepy way.” Love that, Holly! Except tonight, I was the one staring at you in a creepy way.

Cassandra’s favorite part of being an author is getting to talk about her characters with people who know all their quirks and foibles, just like she does.

It was amazing to see these two ladies in action -- they're warm and totally down-to-earth, with wicked senses of humor. Don't miss them if they hit your town on the tour.

See you soon, girlz! --Stephanie

Our Seattle Host, Stephanie Guerra, teaches children’s literature, young adult fiction and a seminar in writing instruction at Seattle University. She also heads a volunteer creative writing program at King County Jail, and researches and speaks about literacy instruction for at-risk and incarcerated young adults. Stephanie lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband and children. Her debut young adult novel, TORN, will be published by Marshall Cavendish in spring of 2012.