Cover Stories: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Jeri Smith-Ready's latest book, SHADE, is the first in a young adult urban fantasy series about a world of ghosts only the young can see. When Aura's boyfriend meets a most untimely end, she is forced to reconsider her relationship with the living and the dead.

Ooh! Here's the deal with that dark and stormy cover:

"I imagined your typical young adult urban fantasy cover for SHADE--girl's face, maybe half cut off. I've always loved Simon Pulse's covers. They're so sophisticated and evocative, so my expectations were pretty high. Since violet and red are important elements in the story, I assumed they would be used on the cover.

"My editor sent me their ideas for the cover concept, but it was more of a, 'Here's what we're thinking' rather than a 'What would you like to see?' e-mail. Which is fine, because I'm so not a visual person. I would've been like, 'Um, how about a girl's face, half cut off? Maybe some swirlies? Oh, and definitely use black.' So helpful.

"The first time I saw my cover, I was Blown. Away. Seriously. I've been super lucky with all my covers, but when I saw the SHADE cover and jacket wrap-around, I cried. I felt like I was in the presence of genius--the designer was Cara Petrus, who designed the House of Night cover series (see book 1, Marked, right) when she was at St. Martin's. She's a goddess.

"My only comments were a series of incoherent noises of glee, so my agent was the one to respond with, 'We unequivocally LOVE THIS SO MUCH. We love EVERYTHING. Really. Home run...THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!'

"Oh, and when I met Cara in November, I had a doughnut in my mouth, so all I could do was bow to her, Wayne's World 'We're Not Worthy' style. I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm a dork, and I'm also pretty sure she's right.

"There were no changes, other than to add a tagline and cover quote, plus a short scene on the back cover. They also changed the font on my name (see the full jacket wrap photo with the original font on melissacwalker.com). It probably changed before I saw it, though.

"It was shot with a model one night on a Brooklyn rooftop. I need to find out which building so I can visit it and take a picture...."

Read the rest of the story, and see the full jacket wrap, on melissacwalker.com.

May: Read, Reflect, Reach Out with 826 National!

In their own words, 826 National is a nonprofit tutoring, writing, and publishing organization. Kids between 6 and 18 can visit their local 826 chapter for tutoring sessions, writing assistance, free workshops, and more.

Hopeful writers should definitely check out the organization's opportunities for student publishing. High school students located in the Bay Area who love to write and are in need of financial aid may apply for college scholarships offered by 826.

The organization also has lots and lots of amazing volunteers who donate their time, energy, and expertise. 826 opened in Valencia in San Francisco's Mission District in Califo

rnia in 2002 and have since added locations in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Michigan, Boston, and Washington, D.C. If you live in or near any of these cities, you should definitely drop by in person and volunteer your time and/or share your writing!

Cover Stories: It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Jenny Han shared the Cover Story for The Summer I Turned Pretty last year, complete with inspiration board and amazing on-set back story. Now, she's here with tales of the sequel, It's Not Summer Without You, which just came out this month.

Here's Jenny:

"I actually didn't really have too many ideas or preconceptions for It's Not Summer Without You. Since it's the second in a series, I knew it had to be of the same mood/general look as the first--and I truly loved the first (below). My one thought was, since the first one is so up-close and intimate, I thought the sequel could maybe be from far off.

"We weren't able to get the same model from Book 1, because she is (obvi) gorgeous and busy and on the cover of Nylon now or whatever. But, after much debate and back and forth, we found someone we liked just as much. We knew that her face would be somewhat obscured, so as long as Belly's 'essence' (ha!) was there, it was all good.

"As a birthday present to me, my editor invited me to come to the set. Best birthday present ever! The set was actually on Rockaway Beach at Jacob Riis Park. There was me, my editor, my book designer, the models, the photographer, and the makeup artist, who kept spritzing the models with some sort of beachy hair tonic. I mostly stayed quiet and watched them work their magic. Everyone was lovely and I just felt honored to be there..."

Read the full Cover Story at melissacwalker.com, and see a behind-the-scenes photo!

May: What's Your Creative Outlet?

Lisa says, "Ted's creative outlet is talking and schmoozing. Hollywood's is making films. Maybe's is making tacos. What's yours?"

Catching Up with Beth Kephart

We're catching up with Beth Kephart, who was our first Author-in-Residence from September through December 2009, and whose novel Nothing but Ghosts is a recommended read in this month's issue of readergirlz.



Thank you, Beth! You sound as busy as ever. :)

Cover Stories: Ash by Malinda Lo

The Possibilities of Sainthood author Donna Freitas asked me to dig up the Cover Story behind Malinda Lo's Ash (a lesbian retelling of Cinderella), and I was happy to oblige (um, because look at that cover)!

Here's Malinda:

"I had no idea of what the cover would look like -- absolutely none. I clearly do not think like an artist!

"My publisher didn't ask for my input, and I didn't offer any. I only knew that a cover designer had been assigned and that she was working on it. My editor told me she thought the designer really 'got it.'

"It's a stock photo that the book designer, Alison Impey, had found before she worked on Ash and had saved on her computer. When Ash came to her desk, she did search for other images, but ultimately chose that image she had found earlier.

"When I first saw the cover, I was totally floored. I think I probably gasped out loud. I thought it was stunning. I would never have come up with that cover idea -- I'm a writer, not a designer! And yet it fit the mood of the book perfectly. I felt so lucky to have this as the cover of my debut novel.

"My editor did ask for comments, and my only comments were about the font. The first version of the cover that I saw had my name in a script font like the one used for the title, but I thought that made my name a bit hard to read. I have a very short last name that looked a little confusing in the script font, and my first name has an unusual spelling, so I wanted to make sure it was readable (and easily alphabetizable).

"They changed the font of my name so that it's very clear to read, and they even tweaked the letter "S" in the title so that it was clear it was an "S" and not an "A" (which it had sort of looked like in the earlier version).

"In the end, I love love love it. Every time I show it to someone, they love it, too! I think it's so striking and unique. It's just wonderful. Alison Impey is a genius!"

I agree, and I love this cover! It's stunning. Malinda interviewed her designer Alison Impey, who has also designed the covers of Sara Zarr's Sweethearts, Wendy Maas' Every Soul a Star, Simon Holt's The Devouring, Suzanne Phillips' Burn, and Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (all right), so check out that interview here for more on Alison's take.

Thanks to Donna for pointing me Malinda's way. If you guys have covers you want to hear about, let me know. Meanwhile, what do you think of Ash?

PS-Just found the UK cover for Ash (left). While it's also very pretty, I prefer the starker US version. Thoughts?

Little Willow's Book Bag

This Week's Picks
The Map of Moments by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Summer of the Geek (Geek High #3) by Piper Banks
The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti

This Month's Spotlighted Title
Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

The 50 Best Blogs for Teen Readers

This is a fun list and a lot of our friends are there! We're honored to be featured!

Check it out and make your blogroll waaaay longer.

May: Would You Dye Your Hair?

Lisa says, "Maybe likes to change her hair color. Have you ever done this? Would you?"

rgz TV: Little Willow talks to Lisa Yee!

In the summer of 2008, shortly before the book was released, postergirl Little Willow interviewed Lisa Yee about Absolutely Maybe. Watch the video (and read the Cover Story here!):

Story Secrets: ABSOLUTELY MAYBE by Lisa Yee

It's a treat to welcome Lisa Yee, author of ABSOLUTELY MAYBE (recently out in paperback) and the featured author this month at readergirlz, to dish on all of her Story Secrets today.

Welcome, Lisa!

*****

How did Maybe come into being?

ABSOLUTELY MAYBE is just out in paperback right now, but it wasn't even supposed to be a book. At least, my editors had never heard of it until I handed it in instead of something else they were expecting. I had a funny middle grade novel under contract called CHARM SCHOOL DROPOUT about a tomboy whose mom wants to make her into a beauty queen.

Only, as I started writing, the story began to morph. The main character went from 12 to 14, to finally 17. The plot changed drastically, too. It got much darker and heavier, albeit, still humorous...

See Peepy hug the book! See Laurie Halse Anderson as Maybe! Read the rest!

rgz New York HOST: Oh, the Drama!

Liz here, ushering in your NYC Host, Micol!

Take it away, Micol . . .

Happy May from NYC, readergirlz! Some of you may know that in addition to writing, I also teach a young adult novel-writing workshop here in New York through Mediabistro.com.

Through that class, I’ve had the joy of working with some amazingly talented students, many of whom have gone on to find agents and have their work published!

My most recent rock star “success story” is Alecia Whitaker,
who worked with me for two straight semesters last fall, and just sold her first novel, RICKI JO, to Poppy (a division of Little, Brown). Alecia came to class with a gleam in her eye, a pen in hand, and the memories of her own hilarious and poignant struggles with adolescence firmly in mind. We plotted, we poured over first drafts, we revised. Sometimes we ate candy. Yum!

Though RICKI JO will be Alecia’s young adult debut (look for it Fall 2011), she’s been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil, and is an accomplished playwright. In fact, many of her own experiences as a teen provided fodder for her show, BECOMING WOMAN, a collaboration with fellow writer Ellen Hagan. That’s why I was thrilled to be able to see her perform last month live, right here in town!

Check out this pic of Alecia and co: she’s third from the left in the blue cardi.



That’s Ellen Hagan on the far left, and from left to right are the rest of Alecia’s new publishing fam: her editor, Elizabeth Bewley, editor Julie Scheina, and the inimitable Cindy Egan (whom I’d never met before but who lives up to her brill and vivacious rep). Finally, on the far end, is Alecia’s powerhouse agent, Alyssa Reuben of Paradigm. Aren’t they the cutest?

The vignettes in the show are semi-autobiographical, and it is at turns laugh-out-loud, evocative, and blazingly energetic. I recognized many personalities from Alecia’s book in her show, and am now more eager than ever to read her story when it’s a real, live book!

You can watch excerpts from BECOMING WOMAN online, or you may even be able to catch a student performance at a theater near you. If not, though, never fear – soon enough, RICKI JO will be here to stay!

May: One More Thing About Lisa Yee...

She's a game show rock star!

See Lisa's rundown of the Ultimate Author Showdown, where she and Peepy take on RL Stine, Gordon Korman, and Christopher Paul Curtis . . .

May: Things to Know About Featured Author Lisa Yee

Favorite library: All of them. If they have books, I'm there!

Pets: "Puppy," my black Labradoodle

Place to write: In my cluttered (but creative) office at midnight

Dream book tour: Tour of European bookstores with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy as my author escort

Writer buddies: Elise Broach, Dan Santat, Cecil Castellucci, Jordan Sonnenblick, Julia DeVillers

Cure for writer's block: Chocolate (and the fear of missing a deadline and being labeled a slacker.)

Favorite outfit: Crummy old jeans and a worn, soft sweater

Author idol: Markus Zusak

Next up: Bobby the Brave (Sometimes), the sequel to Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally). Also currently working on a YA mystery novel for Arthur A. Levine Books.

Additional Interviews: Publishers Weekly, TeenReads.com, California Readers, Shrinking Violet

Websites:

http://www.lisayee.com
http://www.absolutely-maybe.com
http://lisayee.livejournal.com

Cover Stories: Karma Club by Jessica Brody

Jessica Brody runs Free-Book Friday, of which I am (naturally) a fan! Her debut YA novel, The Karma Club, came out this week, and I invited her over for a little cover talk as a stop on her Girlfriends Cyber Circuit tour.

Here's Jessica:

"When I first saw the cover: Oh my God, I fell in love with it...instantly! They actually showed me two different ones and my editor told me beforehand that this one was her favorite of the two and I couldn't have agreed more! I am pretty bad at envisioning covers so I really didn't know what to expect. I just wanted something fun and colorful because I think that represents the book and that's exactly what I got! It's my favorite cover thus far!

"The only suggestion I made was that they separate the "R" and "M" in Karma because when blended together, I was worried it would look too much like The Karina Club. They agreed and it was quickly changed."

Read the rest of Jessica's Cover Story, hear about the Flip Video Cameras she's giving away, and see the trailer (which is very Hollywood) at melissacwalker.com.

PS-Does this cover remind you of any particular readergirl?

Video Interview: Meg Cabot

Wondering what Meg Cabot thinks about the Twilight movies? Check out this video interview, in which the bestselling author of The Princess Diaries talks to rgzTV host Little Willow about movies, TV shows (Meg Cabot loves Glee!), and her typical writing schedule.



If you can't see the video above, click here.

Make sure to check out the December 2008 issue of readergirlz, when we spotlighted Meg's book How to Be Popular.

May: What Would Your Nickname Be?

Lisa asks, "Maybelline calls herself 'Maybe.' What would you nickname yourself?"

rgz LIVE! Twitter Party with Elizabeth Scott!

Join us tonight for our first ever twitter chat with Elizabeth Scott, the winter Author in Residence. Ask her about her books, her video blogs for readergirlz...anything!

The chat will start live at the top of the hour over at twitter. Elizabeth Scott can be found on twitter at escottwrites

rgz LIVE! Twitter Party tonight with Elizabeth Scott!

Stop by twitter for a chat with Elizabeth Scott, author of THE UNWRITTEN RULE! Live chat at 6pm PST/9pm EST - see you there for our first ever rgz twitter chat! (Elizabeth Scott is on twitter as escottwrites).

Don't have a Twitter account? It's fast and easy to set one up!

At http://twitter.com, just click on the yellow "Give it a try" button to get started. All you will need is your name, a unique user name, and an email address. Add a password, and you're now on Twitter!

Search for readergirlz to begin following us and our tweets.

If you want others to see your posts ("tweets") during the chat, make sure the "Protect my tweets" box is not checked on the Accounts tab. If you want to get fancy, you can add a picture and customize your page in the Design tab.

Protect your privacy! No one can see your email address on twitter, but it's a good idea to choose a user name that doesn't give away your real name or location (especially if you are not an adult).


To join the Elizabeth Scott chat:

Click on the "Home" page and enter #rgz in the Search box. Our chat will come up, and you can jump right in! Be sure to include #rgz in your chat posts so that everyone else can see them and respond.

We'll see you there tonight!

rgz Street Team: Jacqueline Reviews Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

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, Jacqueline reviews Absolutely Maybe, the featured title this month by Lisa Yee!

"Named after her mother’s favorite mascara, Maybelline Mary Katherine Mary Ann Chestnut is different in every way. With multiple hairstyles, and very little fashion sense, Maybelline is the opposite of her mother, Chessamay Chestnut Abajian Wing Marshall Wing Sinclair Alavrez -- also known as Chessy. With quite a long name for small-town, pageant-loving, commitment-confused, alcoholic mother you would be surprised how little self confidence she has.

"Through too many marriages to count, Maybelline’s last name seems to be the only thing she has in common with her mother. Her nonexistent father figure has always bothered her and when Chessy believes her soon-to-be-husband over Maybelline, it’s finally the last straw. On a quest to find her father, Maybelline finds herself on the way to Los Angeles with her best friends Ted and 'Hollywood.'

"This book is officially on my top ten favorite books' list. Throughout the book, I felt as if it were my life and I had to turn the page to see what would happen! I absolutely loved this book!" --Jacqueline Glade

Little Willow on the Walk of Fame!

In honor of Absolutely Maybe, Little Willow hit Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Check out the fun she had along the way, her fabulous singing voice, and the guys she met! :~)

Cover Stories: The Comeback by Marlene Perez

Here's a gorgeous Cover Story from Marlene Perez about her August 2009 release, The Comeback.

"THE COMEBACK's main character is Sophie Donnelly. I knew exactly what she looked like in my mind, but I didn't think I wanted a face on the cover, because I knew it probably wouldn't match my imagination. I was thrilled that they used a model, but that we don't see her face. Other than that, I didn't have any cover in mind, but the result is pretty much a dream cover.

"The book sold on a partial, so my editor did ask for a description of the main character, which I really appreciated. It always puzzles me when the cover features a person and the person doesn't look anything like the character described in the novel. But other than that, I didn't give any input, because I loved the cover!

"I know the designer is Yaffa Jaskoll and she's brilliant! You can see more of her work here.

"I fell in love with the cover the minute I saw it. The rich colors, the fact that you can't see the model's face as she's peering out into the audience, everything about it.

"I didn't have any feedback for this cover, but I have been able to make suggestions on other covers. A cover can really make or break a book. I had a difficult experience with the cover of my first book, UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT. It's a great cover, but perhaps edgier than the actual book was, and that created issues with stocking the novel. Some stores didn't want to carry it because of the edgy cover.

"Every time I look at that cover of THE COMEBACK, though, I think how lucky I am. I think it just invites someone to pick it up and open the book.

"And I got a great surprise when I received my author's copies. The back copy is as equally as cool as the front. The roses at her feet ROCK!"

I agree! Love the back cover, and the front makes me want to peek backstage and wear that dress and touch those curtains! Amazing colors and I love the shimmer of the spotlight. (And I have to admit that I think the Unexpected Development cover misses the mark a little....) What do you guys think?

Welcome, Lisa Yee!

We are thrilled to welcome Lisa Yee to readergirlz. Her new-in-paperback novel Absolutely Maybe is our May pick! Check out our interview with Lisa, book party ideas themed around her book, and our Reach Out project idea--as well as the awesome soundtrack Lisa has chosen for the book--on readergirlz.com.

Here's a little about Absolutely Maybe:

Meet Maybelline "Maybe" Chestnut - Goth girl and daughter of Chessy Chestnut, owner of the No. 1 (and only) charm school in Kissimmee, Florida. When her mother refuses to protect Maybe from her latest scuzz-ball fiancé, Maybe heads to California to find her biological dad, who doesn't even know she exists.

Accompanied by her friends, budding filmmaker Hollywood, and the irrepressible Ted, Maybe is ready to get on with her life. However, Los Angeles is nothing like she thought it would be. Maybe hadn't counted on being homeless - and finding her father becomes nearly impossible.

And the buzz...

"Readers will absolutely enjoy the ride." - Horn Book

"A breezy read populated with friendly characters and sunny serendipity." - Booklist

"Cleverly conceived and executed . . . tragic, comic and heartwarming by turns." - Kirkus

". . . quirky and likable characters, the humor is topnotch." -Teenreads.com

"A funny, tender coming-of-age story." - Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books

We are so excited to have the lovely Lisa with us this month! Join us all month right here on the blog for discussions and mark your calendars a LIVE chat on Wednesday, May 19th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.

Happy May, readergirlz!

Robin Benway Shoutout

Last month, author Robin Benway participated in Operation TBD. Last weekend, I ran into Robin at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, and she gave a shoutout to readergirlz. Thanks, Robin!

Robin's first novel, Audrey, Wait!, was recommended by the postergirlz in the October 2008 issue of readergirlz. Her next novel, The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June, will be released in August.

Read my full-length interview with Robin Benway from 2008.

See how Robin rocked the drop in 2010.

Read my review of Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway.

Little Willow's Book Bag

This Week's Picks
Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski
Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin, illustrated by Lisa Brown

For Your Younger Sister
This Is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee
Stolen by Vivian Vande Velde

This Month's Spotlighted Title
Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

May 2010 Newsflash: Win ABSOLUTELY MAYBE by Lisa Yee!

Dear rgz friend,

Thanks for helping make our third-annual Operation Teen Book Drop the best one yet.

• Thanks to the generosity of publishers, we delivered over 10,000 books to teens on Native reservations and tribal lands.


• 772 books were purchased by individuals to completely sell out the TBD Wish List. The books were donated to two tribal school libraries through GuysLitWire.


• More than 100 authors and friends left books in secret spots from Seattle to Madrid.

In short, it was awesome. Thanks to everyone—publishers, authors, editors, agents, bloggers, readers—for playing along. Thanks, also, to our partners: YALSA, GuysLitWire, and If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything.

This month’s featured book
We’ll be talking with Lisa Yee about her terrific novel ABSOLUTELY MAYBE. Set in Hollywood, it tells the story of a girl trying to make it in L.A. however she can. And because it is a Lisa Yee book, it’s hilarious, even as it touches on homelessness, abuse, alcoholism, and all manner of tacos.

We’ll be chatting with Lisa May 19 at 6 p.m. Pacific, location to be announced. Watch for the determination at http://readergirlz.blogspot.com to join the fun.

If you comment on our blog by May 5, we'll enter your name into a drawing for Lisa's novel.

Learn alongside our Author in Residence
We have loved having Elizabeth Scott as our AIR, and have learned a ton from the link roundups with really fantastic information for writers. If you want to know why characters need to suffer, what effect e-books will have on the printed ones, and how famous authors insulted each other with style, you have to continue the discussion on Elizabeth's blog.

Then, help us say goodbye to Elizabeth on May 3 at 6 p.m. Pacific, 9 p.m. Eastern. She’s been amazing, and we’re going to have a blast talking about THE UNWRITTEN RULE and what she’s learned as our AIR.

We’re definitely trying something new for this chat. It will be a TWITTER party! If you don’t have an account, sign up. Then look for us under the hashtag #rgz.

Our next AIR is Lisa Ann Sandell, author of A MAP OF THE KNOWN WORLD and other superb YA books.

Lisa starts the third week of May. We can’t wait!

Welcome to our newest diva!
Readers, we are thrilled to announce the addition of a new diva to our fold—one who has already been working tirelessly behind the scenes as our rgz media specialist and who will now take on the role of Social Media Diva. Please give a warm welcome to the witty, wonderful Martha Brockenbrough, author of Things That Make Us (Sic), the grammar guide which will have you laughing out loud! Martha is also the founder of National Grammar Day and SPOGG - the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar. Perfect, right?!



This month’s Postergirlz Picks:

LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI by Melina Marchetta
BEIGE by Cecil Castellucci
GINGERBREAD by Rachel Cohn
NOTHING BUT GHOSTS by Beth Kephart
SOMETHING, MAYBE by Elizabeth Scott
GIRLWISE: HOW TO BE CONFIDENT, CAPABLE, COOL AND IN CONTROL by Julia DeVillers

This month’s community service project
826 National is a nonprofit tutoring, writing, and publishing organization. Kids between 6 and 18 can visit their local 826 chapter for tutoring sessions, writing assistance, free workshops, and more.

Hopeful writers should definitely check out the organization's opportunities for student publishing. High school students located in the Bay Area who love to write and are in need of financial aid may apply for college scholarships offered by 826.

The organization also has lots and lots of amazing volunteers who donate their time, energy, and expertise. 826 has locations in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Michigan, Boston, and Washington, D.C. If you live in or near any of these cities, you should definitely drop by in person and volunteer your time and/or share your writing!

*****

the readergirlz divas' twitter~
Martha Brockenbrough (@mbrockenbrough), Things That Make Us [Sic]
Holly Cupala (@hollycupala), Tell Me A Secret (June 2010)
Liz Gallagher (@lizgallagherliz), The Opposite of Invisible
Elizabeth Scott (@escottwrites), The Unwritten Rule
Melissa Walker (@melissacwalker), Lovestruck Summer

co-founders~
Dia Calhoun (@diacalhoun), Avielle of Rhia
Justina Chen (@justinaychen), North of Beautiful
Lorie Ann Grover (@lorieanngrover), Hold Me Tight


http://www.readergirlz.com/
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