Cover Stories: Belles by Jen Calonita

Jen Calonita shared a fun Cover Story here a while ago, for Reality Chick, and she's back, yay! The first book in the Belles series is, well, Belles. Here's Jen to talk about the cover:

"Designer Tracy Shaw has worked on all my Secrets of My Hollywood Life covers and did Sleepaway Girls as well so to be honest, I wasn't really worried about the design--I knew she'd come up with something beautiful.

"The team is always nice enough to tell me what they're thinking, and I figure they know best so go with it! The only concern I had when they were doing this cover was who the cover model was going to be. I had hoped she'd resemble one of the two protagonists--Mira or Izzie. This cover definitely feels like Mira to me--a true Southern belle. There will be four books in the Belles series and each cover will feature a different girl from the series. Hopefully Izzie will get her turn at some point! The Winter White cover (Belles 2, out this October) features a girl who looks like Savannah, Mira's best friend (well, best friend when we start out in book one!).

"The girl on the cover is a real model! I know that because she actually friended me on Facebook and told me this was her first photo shoot..."

Read the rest of Jen's Cover Story at melissacwalker.com.

Jen Calonita rocked the drop! #operationtbd

This just in from the author herself:  

I wanted to tell you I'm rocking the drop today at 3:30 and leaving a book at the Dunkin Donuts on Merrick Avenue in Merrick, NY (original spot I know, but I'm with the kiddies!). I'm leaving an autographed copy of Sleepaway Girls.

Learn more about Jen at her website.

I could use a donut right about now...

Rgz Street Team: Vanessa Reviews Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita

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, Vanessa reviews Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita:

Sleepaway Girls begins realistically with a hopeful teenager getting ready for her first summer as Counselor-in-Training at a sleepaway camp in the mountains. Describing Sam's nervousness over a summer without her best friend, Jen Calonita perfectly captures the dreams we all have about what summer lays before us.

The transition from Sam's hopes to the ups and downs of the actual camp was flawless with the best friends she made and the mean girls she dealt with at the same time. Sam felt alive to me, I could easily slip myself into her shoes and feel like I was the one living through her experiences. Just as summer camp has always been close to my heart, I loved everything about reading this book. Honestly, I'd love a sequel to find out what happens next summer at the Pines.