Our Author in Residence (A.I.R.) Elizabeth Scott is calling for ideas for her first vlog entry for rgz. Click here to leave your comments on her site. Could be very fun, rgz...
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Call for Vlog Ideas for A.I.R. Elizabeth Scott
Our Author in Residence (A.I.R.) Elizabeth Scott is calling for ideas for her first vlog entry for rgz. Click here to leave your comments on her site. Could be very fun, rgz...
Things to Know About Featured Author E. Lockhart
On the nightstand: Domino Book of Decorating, Going Bovine by Libba Bray, The Calvin and Hobbes Treasury, Metropolis by Elizabeth Gaffney
Pets: I have two ancient and pukey cats.
Place to write: I just bought a new apartment and have a gorgeous office with a view of the park. It has wainscotting!
Inspiration: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos
Cure for writer's block: Don't believe in it. Or pretend not to believe in it. Just do my job. Every day.
Favorite outfit: Today I am wearing new knee-high boots, a green corduroy skirt, a stripy shirt with a gray cardigan and a polka dot scarf. I am quite amused by my outfit today, actually.
Laptop or longhand? I type like 90 words a minute (with mistakes). Longhand would make me crazy as my brain goes much faster than that. I do have attractive handwriting though.
Next up: The Treasure Map of Boys, third in the series that started with The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book, is in stores now. Next December, the fourth in that series: Real Live Boyfriends.
Author idols: Michael Chabon
Interviews: The YA YA YAs, Debbi Michiko Florence, Page Numbered
Website: www.e-lockhart.com and www.theboyfriendlist.comRead more about E. in this month's full issue!
Cover Stories: Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph
A little bit of trivia: My original working title for Violet on the Runway was Shrinking Violet! So this book has been on my radar for a while. I love the cover, and I invited Danielle to come talk about it on my blog this year. Here she is, now at readergirlz:
"When I imagined my cover, I thought there might be a girl speaking into the microphone and maybe her face would be obscured. My publisher did not ask for my input, so I was definitely on pins and needles waiting to see what they would come up with.
"When I saw the cover, I was like, wow, this is my cover? MY COVER? Then I thought, wait a minute, Tere has curly hair and brown eyes! Then I thought about it some more for awhile and decided to make those changes to her character to reflect the cover and was happy that I did. I never would compromise who she was but I have always secretly wanted green eyes so I thought they would definitely add to Tere's character, being a more unique eye color. The cover is a stock photo. I think they just changed the color of her sweater from blue to violet.
"We talked about the changes in hair and eye color and decided together that I would make the changes to the manuscript instead of her going back to MTV for a cover change. The only thing that really changed about the cover was that they decided to put the blurb from Ellen Hopkins on the front cover of the book. I also had input in the back copy when we had to shorten it because the text was too crowded.
"I am really happy with my cover. I truly like everything about it. And now I am a total purple fiend!
"My favorite question about the cover is when people ask is that you on the cover? My answer: 'I wish!'"
Yes, I totally feel that way about the Violet series covers too! Haha. I love the sly shyness of this cover. And I'm so glad the cover matches the character's traits because it drives me crazy when that doesn't happen. What do you guys think?
PS-Alea posted a Lookalike story about this cover on her blog, and it's really fascinating!
"When I imagined my cover, I thought there might be a girl speaking into the microphone and maybe her face would be obscured. My publisher did not ask for my input, so I was definitely on pins and needles waiting to see what they would come up with.
"When I saw the cover, I was like, wow, this is my cover? MY COVER? Then I thought, wait a minute, Tere has curly hair and brown eyes! Then I thought about it some more for awhile and decided to make those changes to her character to reflect the cover and was happy that I did. I never would compromise who she was but I have always secretly wanted green eyes so I thought they would definitely add to Tere's character, being a more unique eye color. The cover is a stock photo. I think they just changed the color of her sweater from blue to violet.
"We talked about the changes in hair and eye color and decided together that I would make the changes to the manuscript instead of her going back to MTV for a cover change. The only thing that really changed about the cover was that they decided to put the blurb from Ellen Hopkins on the front cover of the book. I also had input in the back copy when we had to shorten it because the text was too crowded.
"I am really happy with my cover. I truly like everything about it. And now I am a total purple fiend!
"My favorite question about the cover is when people ask is that you on the cover? My answer: 'I wish!'"
Yes, I totally feel that way about the Violet series covers too! Haha. I love the sly shyness of this cover. And I'm so glad the cover matches the character's traits because it drives me crazy when that doesn't happen. What do you guys think?
PS-Alea posted a Lookalike story about this cover on her blog, and it's really fascinating!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Cover Stories: Far From You by Lisa Schroeder
Lisa Schroeder's Far From You comes out in paperback this week, and it's got a new cover. I asked her for the back story:
"I'm not a very visual person, so I really don't think about cover images when I'm writing the book. I also think it's important to be open to whatever the art department comes up with. I would never want to have my mind set on something specific and then be disappointed because it's so different from what I envisioned it to be.
"My publisher hasn't ever really asked for my input, and I'm okay with that. I've had many people tell me all my covers have been fantastic, and I agree. They know what they're doing, and I trust them to know what is going to represent the book well and sell it!
"The first time I saw the new cover for the paperback version of FAR FROM YOU, I thought it was probably one of the most beautiful covers I'd ever seen. But I also freaked out a little bit because it's more of a symbolic cover than a literal one. If you look at the cover, you'll see it's a young girl lying in the snow, and she has angel wings. If people think they are going to be reading a book about a girl who turns into an angel, they will be wrong. There are angel references in it, and I love the tag line - do you believe in angels. But I do worry a little bit about what people might think if they read it expecting something it's not...
Read the rest of Lisa's Cover Story, and see the original hardcover design, at melissacwalker.com.
And don't forget to revisit Vanessa's review of Far From You for the Rgz Street Team!
"I'm not a very visual person, so I really don't think about cover images when I'm writing the book. I also think it's important to be open to whatever the art department comes up with. I would never want to have my mind set on something specific and then be disappointed because it's so different from what I envisioned it to be.
"My publisher hasn't ever really asked for my input, and I'm okay with that. I've had many people tell me all my covers have been fantastic, and I agree. They know what they're doing, and I trust them to know what is going to represent the book well and sell it!
"The first time I saw the new cover for the paperback version of FAR FROM YOU, I thought it was probably one of the most beautiful covers I'd ever seen. But I also freaked out a little bit because it's more of a symbolic cover than a literal one. If you look at the cover, you'll see it's a young girl lying in the snow, and she has angel wings. If people think they are going to be reading a book about a girl who turns into an angel, they will be wrong. There are angel references in it, and I love the tag line - do you believe in angels. But I do worry a little bit about what people might think if they read it expecting something it's not...
Read the rest of Lisa's Cover Story, and see the original hardcover design, at melissacwalker.com.
And don't forget to revisit Vanessa's review of Far From You for the Rgz Street Team!
January: Do People Behave a Certain Way Because They're Being Watched?
Frankie learns about the theory of a panopticon. E. Lockhart asks, "Do you agree with the theory that most people behave because they have this sense of being monitored? Do you think this sense prevails in modern life even more than in previous times? Why or why not?"
Saturday, January 2, 2010
January: Beautiful and taken seriously?
In The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks, Frankie "blossoms" and finds family and friends not taking her seriously. E. Lockhart asks if you think it's difficult for women who are beautiful to be taken seriously? If so, why?
Little Willow's Book Bag
This Week's Picks
For Teens
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
For Your Younger Siblings
The Curse of Cuddles McGee by Emily Ecton
The Chaos King by Laura Ruby
The Kind of Friends We Used to Be by Frances O'Dowell
Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland by Martin Powell (graphic novel)
This Month's Spotlighted Title
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
For Teens
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
For Your Younger Siblings
The Curse of Cuddles McGee by Emily Ecton
The Chaos King by Laura Ruby
The Kind of Friends We Used to Be by Frances O'Dowell
Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland by Martin Powell (graphic novel)
This Month's Spotlighted Title
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Cover Stories: Prada & Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard
Since I heard about Prada & Prejudice (which is a great title), I've wanted to see the cover. Mandy Hubbard shared the Cover Story on my blog last year, and here it is for readergirlz:
"I have to admit, I'm kind of obsessed with covers. If you read my blog, I'm always talking about my favorite covers, or comparing two covers when the publisher changes it. Suffice to say, I thought a lot about what I'd want mine to look like. I definitely pictured a headless model--like a Maureen Johnson or an Ally Carter cover. (Irony: I guess I did sort of get the headless model, she's just upside down and missing the torso, too). I figured it would have to have some kind of old-meets-new, so I was picturing either my main character (Callie) dressed in a ball gown but with ultra-modern high heels poking out, or perhaps she'd be wearing her jeans and hoodie, leaning against a guy dressed in typical 19th century garb.
"My publisher didn't ask for my ideas, so when they sent over the first cover, I had no idea what to expect. She called it a 'cover comp,' which to me was meaningless. (Lesson: A cover comp means that its a very rough, early idea of the direction they're going. Sort of like if you were making a scrap book page, it would be when you just lay down all the photos to see what it looks like, before trimming anything or refining it.) Since I didn't understand that it was sort of a rough-draft, I totally freaked out. The first set of legs were scary-skinny and all crumpled looking, like they'd been run over by a bus. I talked to my editor, who reassured me that there would be a lot of modification.
"A few weeks later, they had a photo shoot, and they sent me the three best options--and they let me pick (my choice at left)! There were two styles of jeans and two types of red high heels. It was super exciting to be able to have some input at that point, and I'm grateful that the folks at Razorbill shared it with me. True story: the legs don't belong to a model, but to another editor at Razorbill.
"At that point, I thought my cover was pretty well done, and it appeared in the catalog exactly the same as the cover I had picked out of the three, with a wallpaper-esque background, and my name in a cute little banner at the top. However, my editor emailed me saying she had given some more thought to the background, and they were going to change it. After a couple weeks of wondering exactly what was going to change, I received a new cover (right)--this one with adorable little swirls to replace the wallpaper, and my name became bigger and moved to the bottom. I'm glad they went the extra mile, because I much prefer the swirls! It makes it look more like she's actually falling.
"Finally, after the ARCs were printed, they ended up darkening some spots on the bottom of the cover and on the spine, which I think was a nice adjustment (left, final cover). The fact that they were constantly thinking of ways to improve the cover was really impressive, and I can't thank them enough for going the extra mile. In the end, I really love my cover, and I think it conveys the right tone."
Ooh, I love knowing that those are an editor's legs! That photo shoot must have been hilarious. Also, I think the yellow teacup adds a nice touch, and the quote from Kieran Scott is great--I like that they replaced the tagline with that. What do you guys think?
"I have to admit, I'm kind of obsessed with covers. If you read my blog, I'm always talking about my favorite covers, or comparing two covers when the publisher changes it. Suffice to say, I thought a lot about what I'd want mine to look like. I definitely pictured a headless model--like a Maureen Johnson or an Ally Carter cover. (Irony: I guess I did sort of get the headless model, she's just upside down and missing the torso, too). I figured it would have to have some kind of old-meets-new, so I was picturing either my main character (Callie) dressed in a ball gown but with ultra-modern high heels poking out, or perhaps she'd be wearing her jeans and hoodie, leaning against a guy dressed in typical 19th century garb.
"My publisher didn't ask for my ideas, so when they sent over the first cover, I had no idea what to expect. She called it a 'cover comp,' which to me was meaningless. (Lesson: A cover comp means that its a very rough, early idea of the direction they're going. Sort of like if you were making a scrap book page, it would be when you just lay down all the photos to see what it looks like, before trimming anything or refining it.) Since I didn't understand that it was sort of a rough-draft, I totally freaked out. The first set of legs were scary-skinny and all crumpled looking, like they'd been run over by a bus. I talked to my editor, who reassured me that there would be a lot of modification.
"A few weeks later, they had a photo shoot, and they sent me the three best options--and they let me pick (my choice at left)! There were two styles of jeans and two types of red high heels. It was super exciting to be able to have some input at that point, and I'm grateful that the folks at Razorbill shared it with me. True story: the legs don't belong to a model, but to another editor at Razorbill.
"At that point, I thought my cover was pretty well done, and it appeared in the catalog exactly the same as the cover I had picked out of the three, with a wallpaper-esque background, and my name in a cute little banner at the top. However, my editor emailed me saying she had given some more thought to the background, and they were going to change it. After a couple weeks of wondering exactly what was going to change, I received a new cover (right)--this one with adorable little swirls to replace the wallpaper, and my name became bigger and moved to the bottom. I'm glad they went the extra mile, because I much prefer the swirls! It makes it look more like she's actually falling.
"Finally, after the ARCs were printed, they ended up darkening some spots on the bottom of the cover and on the spine, which I think was a nice adjustment (left, final cover). The fact that they were constantly thinking of ways to improve the cover was really impressive, and I can't thank them enough for going the extra mile. In the end, I really love my cover, and I think it conveys the right tone."
Ooh, I love knowing that those are an editor's legs! That photo shoot must have been hilarious. Also, I think the yellow teacup adds a nice touch, and the quote from Kieran Scott is great--I like that they replaced the tagline with that. What do you guys think?
Friday, January 1, 2010
YA Cybils Finalists!
The YA Cybils Finalists are posted!!! Congrats to our own diva, Justina Chen! Woohoo! And thanks to the judges for their hard work. An amazing accomplishment.
by Michelle D. Kwasney
Chronicle Books
Nominated by: Jo Knowles
by Brent Crawford
Disney Press
Nominated by: Heather Kemp
by Courtney Summers
Macmillan
Nominated by: Robin Prehn
by Natalie Standiford
Scholastic
Nominated by: Mary Kole
by Julie Halpern
Feiwel & Friends
Nominated by: Sara Grochowski
by Justina Chen
Little, Brown
Nominated by: Torey Yates
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Viking
Nominated by: Jeni Bell
Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction
by Pam Bachorz
Egmont USA
Nominated by: Chelsea Campbell
by Sarah Rees Brennan
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Nick Jessee
by A.S. King
Flux
Nominated by: Lisa McMann
by Kristin Cashore
Dial
Nominated by: Jenny Moss
by Laini Taylor
Arthur A Levine
Nominated by: Jolie Stekly
by Kathleen Duey
Atheneum
Nominated by: Jenn R
by Antonia Michaelis
Amulet
Nominated by: Carolyn Dooman
Welcome to Elizabeth Scott, rgz Author in Residence
And a welcome to Elizabeth Scott, our new Author in Residence for four months. Little Willow just pointed me to this great trailer. Enjoy meeting Elizabeth!
Welcome, E. Lockhart!
We are thrilled to welcome E. Lockhart to readergirlz. Her novel The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is our January pick! Check out the our interview with E., book party ideas themed around both books, and our Reach Out project idea--as well as the awesome soundtrack E.'s chosen for the book--on readergirlz.com.Here's a little about The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks:
Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14: Debate Club. Her father's "bunny rabbit." A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.
Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15: A knockout figure. A sharp tongue. A chip on her shoulder. And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.
Frankie is no longer the kind of girl to take "no" for an answer, especially when "no" means she's excluded from Matthew's all-male secret society.
Frankie Landau-Banks at age 16: Possibly a criminal mastermind. This is the story of how she got that way.
And the buzz...
National Book Award finalist
Printz Honor
Winner in the Young Adult Fiction category of The Cybils Awards
Starred reviews in Kirkus, PW, Booklist, School Library Journal
We are excited to have the fantastic E. with us this month! Join us all month right here on the blog for discussions and mark your calendars a LIVE chat on Wednesday, January 20th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.
Happy 2010, readergirlz!
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