Quote Call: See It, Say It

Hey rgz,

Can you believe our 7 year birthday is coming? Seriously, March 1, we are 7 years old! Watch for posts throughout the month of authors we featured in the past. They will be sharing 7 Things We Don't Know or giving a speedy update on their writing.

But now, I'm posting to make a quote call. Let's See It, Say It. Take your favorite quote from YA lit, snap a pic of the page, or write the quote out and take a pic, or design something awesome over at Polyvore. However you like, get it visual and post it on our Facebook page. Authors, draw from your own works and others; readers share the best bits from the books you heart; and librarians, teachers, and booksellers, jump on in.

Our beloved Ellen Hopkins has done this for awhile:



Here's one from co-founder Dia Calhoun:

And here's another from co-founder Justina Chen:

Here's one from me which I put together on Polyvore:



So you get the idea right? Okay! Find those quotes and get them onto our Facebook page. We'll make an album and cull some for the blog as well. Thanks for celebrating with us! Happy early birthday, rgz! xox

Rock the Drop: Photo Op!

So, I just Rocked the Drop! I dropped Ellen, Maureen, Siobhan, and Samantha. They are all awaiting to be found and loved at Pierce College.

It's hard for me to drop! Does that happen to anyone else? I have to use an accomplice. Is it because I am shy? It was easier to drop books I didn't author, I noticed.

Another year, another drop. Cheers!

Rgz Shoutout: Ellen Hopkins!

We featured her book Impulse last year, and Ellen Hopkins has been writing away!

Check out all her new titles here.



Yay, Ellen!

Rgz Street Team: Sarah reviews Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

The rgz Street Team is a group of teens who bring YA reviews to our blog, led by Postergirl Miss Erin. Find out more.

Today, Sarah reviews Tricks by Ellen Hopkins (who was here as our featured author of Impulse last April!):

"Tricks is a story of five teens that find themselves in a place that they never though that would be. Each characters comes from a different background and had their own journey there. Their stories are all intertwined and create a large story about making choices, taking leaps of faith, falling down, and growing up. All are living their lives as best they can, but all are searching... for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don't expect, though, is what can happen when those powerful little words -- 'I love you' -- are said for all the wrong reasons.

"Tricks is a powerful book. The characters are like people I know. I related to aspects from pretty much every character. They were definitely three dimensional. I cheered for them and cried for all of their sadness. I felt that the plot moved a bit too slow for some of the characters and was resolved rather quickly. It was an original look on teen prostitution and how people get in to it. I love how Hopkins makes sure to keep the story real and edgy. Hopkins created a wonderful book that I think that you should check it out. At the end, you will be thinking 'What if this happened to me?' and will want to read more." --Sarah

TRW Tribute: Ellen Hopkins 8:00

On writing for teens in celebration of Teen Read Week:

"One of my greatest joys is opening a reader email; telling me they've never finished a book before, but finished mine in record time, and could I please recommend other books? Reading empowers. If I can empower one young person, my job is truly valuable. To empower many completes me."

Ellen Hopkins

April: Roundup of discussion questions

Here's a roundup of all of Ellen Hopkins' discussion posts for Impulse this month. Feel free to jump in and add your thoughts at any time! Thanks again, Ellen and rgz!

Welcome to Ellen Hopkins!
What does perfect mean to you?
Thoughts on suicide
Help prevent suicide
April recommended reads
Humor as a coping mechanism
Has love surprised you?
Your poetic style
Have you ever been in a life or death situation?
April Impulse party ideas
rgz LIVE! with Ellen Hopkins
April Playlist by Ellen Hopkins
Have you been to a survival camp?
Thank you to Ellen Hopkins

Thank You, Ellen Hopkins!

Here's a big gracias to the awesome Ellen Hopkins for joining us at readergirlz this month! Things we learned about Ellen during our LIVE chat include:

1. Her advice for aspiring authors? "Read, read, read... and write, write, write."
2. Ellen's favorite character of her own is Tony from Impulse. He's so sweet.
3. She likes bombardment in a LIVE! chat... which is a GOOD thing since the readergirlz chat was crazy! In an awesome way.

Having Ellen here this month has been beyond beyond amazing. Thank you, Ellen, for hanging out with readergirlz!!

April: Have you been to a survival camp?

Tony, Vanessa, and Conner go through an intense survival camp together. They each find power and strength to do what they think is right through this experience. Have you ever gone away and participated in a similar extreme challenge?

April: The IMPULSE Soundtrack

As discussed last night in our awesome LIVE! chat, Ellen Hopkins has chosen an amazing and eclectic soundtrack this month for Impulse. Here's a peek at who's on it--you can play it in the right sidebar, or hit up this month's issue for automatic listening action.

rgz LIVE! with Ellen Hopkins

The chat will open at 6:00 Pacific! Join in!

Giveaway: 3 Copies of Flirtin' with the Monster

We're excited to have three copies of Flirtin' with the Monster (May 2009) to give away this week, courtesy of BenBella Books.

Our featured author Ellen Hopkins served as editor to a host of other writers as they explore her books Crank and Glass, from the straight truth on the physical effects of methamphetamine addiction to the psychological consequences of keeping secrets (and how Hopkins' books have encouraged so many teens to reveal theirs).

Flirtin with the Monster includes an essay by Ellen's real-life daughter (the basis for the character of "Kristina") that tells her version of the events that inspired the books--along with perspectives from "Scott," "Jake," and ten-year-old "Hunter," the baby from Crank.

Plus, all these voices weigh in: Niki Burnham, Cinda Williams Chima, Terri Clark, Gail Giles, Megan Kelley Hall, Susan Hart Lindquist, Micol Ostow, Mary Bryan (drug counselor), John Tatro (criminal court judge).

Hearing from experts, authors and even "characters"? What a great way to delve more deeply into Ellen's awesome books!

For a chance to win one of the three copies we have, make sure you're a follower of the readergirlz blog, and tell us below what other books you'd like to delve this deeply into! (Good news: Mind-Rain, an exploration of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series, is out in June 2009). We'll pick three winning commenters at random next week.

Good luck, readergirlz!

PS-The winner of the final week of the 5-week contest, as announced during our LIVE! chat last week, is Paradox! Congratulations, P!

April: Impulse Party!

Throw an Impulse book party with these great suggestions from featured author Ellen Hopkins, who'll be LIVE! here on Wednesday night at 9pm EST/6pm PST! (The magazine-word poem? Inspired.)

Invite: Text-message blast. MySpace bulletin. Facebook event invite.

Food: Veggie platter; crackers and cheese; popcorn

Décor: Scatter words cut from magazines or newspapers in the center of the tables. Find words signifying hope, despair, perfection, stress, depression, mania, etc. Use for craft (below). Also votive candles in glass bowls, signifying hope.

Movies: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; King of California; A Beautiful Mind

Craft: Use words cut from magazines to create poems. Glue them on construction paper.

April: Have you ever been in a life or death situation?

Back to our guest author, Ellen Hopkins! Her live chat is next Wednesday night, April 22nd, at 6:00 Pacific, rgz!

Vanessa finds her mother overdosed on the kitchen floor but doesn't call 911. Do you understand Vanessa at this point? What do you think you might have done?

Have you ever been in a life or death situation like this?

April: Your Poetic Style

Connor, Tony and Vanessa all tell their stories with signature poetic styles. Have you ever expressed your feelings through poetry? What's your poetic style?

April: Has love surprised you?

In a surprising twist, Tony and Vanessa fall in love. Has love ever surprised you? Tell us, rgz! We are ready for some good love stories! Can't wait to hear from Ellen, also. :~)

Raw Sugar! And Other Things to Know About Featured Author Ellen Hopkins

We're loving our time with Ellen Hopkins, and here are some little-known facts about our featured author:

Favorite drink while you write: Coffee, with nonfat half and half and raw sugar.

Favorite bookstore: Sundance Bookstore, Reno

Pets: Yukon and Arson (German shepherds); Toby (cat)

Writer buddies: Susan, Suzy, Susie, Jim (they can’t ALL be Susans!)

Cure for writer's block: Exercise. The brain kicks in when the body works.

Author idol: Stephen King

Other YA Novels: Crank, Burned, Glass, Identical

Other Interviews: Powells, Publishers Weekly, The Paper Movie Project, Mrs. Magoo Reads

Find out more about Ellen in the current issue of readergirlz!

Rgz Street Team: Alex reviews Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

The rgz Street Team is a group of teens who bring YA reviews to our blog, led by Postergirl Miss Erin. Find out more.

Today, Alex skillfully reviews our featured April title, Impulse by Ellen Hopkins:

This book kept my heart and stomach in knots. It was a whirlwind of pain, humility, and sorrow. Everyone has secrets and some eat at us, slowly rotting us from the inside out. In Impulse, this was painfully obvious as three teenagers--Conner, Tony, and Vanessa--fought the demons within them that drove them to attempting suicide.

Tony used pills to fight his past of sexual abuse and abandonment.

Vanessa used knives to battle her bipolar disorder and fear of becoming her mother.

Conner used a gun to drive away his childhood sexual abuse and the lack of love from the person he wanted it the most from.

Each walked a different path in life but their roads collided when they were institutionalized.

This book emphasizes that depression is real and treatable. However, if not treated, it can lead to death--the most irreversible and final thing of all.

April: Humor as a Coping Mechanism

Tony deals with his painful past through humor. How can humor be used as a coping mechanism?

April: How do we choose features and April recommended reads

How are books chosen to be featured on rgz? Basically, the divas listen to teens and book the main features. Sometimes they will find a "must read" that they strongly believe they have to bring to attention. If an author is available, a month is agreed upon and booked. Thanks to Dia Calhoun for her hard work as our author liaison!

The divas then ask the postergirlz for excellent other reads that compliment the feature. There is no runner up, honor read, or second place. Every single feature and recommend stands tall as a significant contribution to YA lit. And we are honored to have each one spotlighted!

So special thanks to our postergirlz for this month's recommended reads that accompany Impulse so well!

And what a delight to turn a corner at TLA and run into Margo Rabb! She's absolutely delightful!

Be sure to snag a copy of Cures for Heartbreak!

April: Help to prevent suicide

We have touched on suicide on several books at rgz, so our fantastic postergirl Jackie made this document for us. I thought to share it again as each of Ellen's characters has been hospitalized for attempted suicide.

If you or your friend is contemplating this act, GET HELP NOW. Each individual matters to our world.

Suicide is the third most common way for young people ages 10-24 to die. More worrisome is that for every suicide death among young people ages 15-24 there are 100-200 failed attempts. In 2005, 16.9% of U.S. high school students revealed that they had thoughts of attempting suicide in the preceding 12 months.*

Suicide is serious, but it is preventable. If you are thinking about suicide or someone you know is exhibiting signs that they might make an attempt on their own life, please use the resources below. All calls are confidential.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

1-800-273-TALK

1-800-273-8255

Call this 24-hour hotline for any kind of emotional distress ranging from suicide and mental illness to homelessness, loneliness and family problems. They’ll listen, and refer you to resources in your area.

National Hopeline Network

www.hopeline.com

1-800-SUICIDE

1-800-784-2433

This 24-hour hotline will seamlessly and immediately connect you to the crisis center closest to the place you are calling from.

The Trevor Helpline

www.thetrevorproject.org

866-4-U-TREVOR

866-488-7386

A 24-hour suicide prevention helpline focused on helping gay or questioning youth, but anyone is welcome to call.

Read more about suicide, warning signs, and general mental health issues:

http://www.copecaredeal.org

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/

http://www.teenscreen.org/teens

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/teenmentalhealth.html

* http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/Suicide/default.htm