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

Watch for It: Formerly Shark Girl

Here's a verse novel to watch for, rgz. You know I'm partial to the verse novel. Kudos to publishers who continue to give them voice! So, remember Shark Girl? You can read Kelly Bingham's full issue for rgz here. Get ready to see what happened afterwards: Formerly Shark Girl!



Kelly picks up Jane's story a year after the shark attack. She's waffling between nursing and art school. She's dealing with unexpected pain, a possible surgery, fan mail, and a bucket list for her senior year. The pages turn quickly as you journey with Jane through her choices, and she reaches satisfying conclusions.

Way to go rgz, for nudging Kelly to tell the rest of the story. Her dedication reads: "This book is for all the readers who asked for more of Jane's story. Without you, this book would not have been written." Brava, rgz!

Formerly Shark Girl
by Kelly Bingham
Candlewick Press, 2013

About a Boy: Boy on the Edge

We don't offer recommends with boy protagonists, but there should always be an exception, right? About a Boy entries will be for exceptional books that cross our path that we want to share. Boy on the Edge by Fridrik Erlings is my first entry.



I thought it would be compelling to read an Icelandic author. Don't you think? And it was. The Home of Lesser Brethren is perched in a lava field on the edge of the sea, and Henry is sent to reside there to live with other young boys, the reverend, and his wife. With a stutter and clubfoot, Henry makes his home in the cowshed, tends to the livestock, befriends the bull, and finds hope in a dark, barren place.

While the setting is new and fresh, the truths of the individuals resonate. Maybe that's a slight difference between our writing and this work from Iceland. The themes aren't buried quite so deeply. The reverend says, "And that is my biggest failure, I guess. Believing that absolute control would make everything all right." Even the flap copy notes, "This story is meant to show that there is always hope, even though its existence may sometimes be denied." So themes are closer to the surface, without giving the feeling the reader is being preached to.

I recommend this peek into Iceland, and getting to know Henry, who will haunt your soul. Read, reflect, and reach out, rgz! Read about a boy.

Boy on the Edge
by Fridrik Erlings
Candlewick Press, 2014

Read, Reflect, and Reach Out: Gendercide

Hey readergirlz,

As a community which reads, reflects, and reaches out, I have to share the impetus for my lastest novel, Firstborn. In 2004 I happened upon a snippet of an article which spoke of ekthesis, the word for infant exposure in Greek antiquity. I was dumbfounded to learn that girls were still being left in the elements to die, just because they were female. Today we use the term gendercide, and over 37 million girls are missing in China alone, due to the One Child Policy.

Having learned of the modern practice, my rage looked for a place to turn. The release came through writing. What if I could create a fictional story illustrating a society practicing gendercide? What if that story could raise awareness and sympathy, and ultimately action against the horror? I began to write Firstborn.

Just think for a moment, how many readergirlz' lives would have been threatened or forfeited by the practice of gendercide if each had been born in another situation? The United Nations estimates 200 million girls are missing worldwide.

There are things to do. You can make an impact. Start by watching It’s a Girl movie. It's Instant View on Netflix. Share the link, the trailer, and your reactions.



Grow familiar with the Global Gendercide Advocacy and Awareness Project. They offer internships! Visit All Girls Allowed, where you can learn the latest news and sponsor a mother carrying a female child.

I am sharing posters I created on Polyvore across social media for 30 days. I'm gathering them in an album on my Facebook Author Page hoping they will be shared and awareness will grow.

Gendercide is an atrocity. Don't look away. Read, reflect, and reach out, rgz. May they all be allowed to live.

Cover Stories: The Sisters 8

Lauren Baratz-Logsted has been here many times sharing Cover Stories, and here's one for the final book in her Sisters 8 series (which she writes with her husband and daughter)! You can read the Cover Story for the first two books here.

Take it away, Lauren!

"On August 7, 2012 the ninth and final volume in The Sisters 8 was published. The Sisters 8 is a series for young readers, that I created with my husband and daughter, about octuplet girls whose parents go missing one New Year's Eve.

"From the time we sold the first book to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, I was curious about what the cover would look like. Perhaps more than any area of books I can think of, series for children are defined in the public mind over a long period of time by the packaging. Can you imagine Harry Potter or Junie B. Jones with a different style artwork on the cover? Try switching the two styles in your mind. Does your head hurt yet? So, as perhaps you can imagine, I was nervous..."

Read the rest of Lauren's Cover Story on melissacwalker.com.

And more of Lauren's Cover Stories are here: Crazy Beautiful and The Twin's Daughter.

Cover Stories: Firstborn by Lorie Ann Grover!

Our beloved Lorie Ann Grover, a co-founder of readergirlz.com, is the soul behind this site. Her spirit, her love of reading and her writing... Well, let's just say we all look up to her mucho. Her latest novel, Firstborn, already has a star from Kirkus. And she has this to say about it: 

"Firstborn originally sprang from an article I read on gendercide. Over 37 million girls are missing today due to China’s One Child Policy. Visit Global Gendercide Advocacy Alliance Project or All Girls Allowed to learn more and act."

And now, her Cover Story:

"I’m so honored to be included in Melissa’s Cover Stories! I have to say, we authors usually sit at home holding our breath, waiting for our cover reveal from the publishing house. On rare cases we are able to interject a thought before the creation. In On Pointe I was able to ask for a specific type of toe shoe to be portrayed (read that epic Cover Story!). Even more unusual is the request for a correction after the image is designed. Upon seeing the cover for Loose Threads, I asked for embroidery needles to be replaced by knitting needles, in keeping with the story. My request was granted. But as I waited for the unveiling of the Firstborn cover, I prepared to give zero input. Zero. Like normal.

"What a delight to not have a speck of criticism. When I opened the cover file for Firstborn, I was blown away! I remember sitting in amazement that Mike Heath from Magnus Creative had caught the atmosphere, the character, the place with his art. The font itself conveyed the angst and aggressiveness I had hoped to convey within the story. There was my moment of awe, followed by chills, a prayer of thanks, a happy dance, and then a call to my family to see and share my first fantasy cover.

"When I’m working on a novel, at the start or shortly after, I’ll often create a vision board to help me capture those first impressions and hold onto them through the process to publication. I’ll tear out images of characters, the setting, and objects from magazines and books. Then I compose the pieces into a unified whole. This is the vision board I created for Firstborn:

"I believe the essence of my board lies in the Blink cover, which was created before I shared this image with the team. "

"I’m incredibly blessed to be working with such a talented team at Blink. I appreciate that they have visually brought my story to the cover. It’s a perfect bridge to the reader."

Thanks, LA! Cannot WAIT to read this book (which is out this week!).

Watch for It: Feral Curse by Cynthia Leitich Smith

The second book of the Feral series, Feral Curse, releases tomorrow! Here's what Kirkus said:

"Campy humor is paired with themes of social justice in this fast-paced, clever second volume in the Feral series. ... [T]he dynamics among characters are fascinating and are well-served by the first-person narration alternating between Yoshi and Kayla. A neat, smart middle novel that clearly sets the stage for an epic showdown between those who champion the rights of shifters and those blind to their humanity."

Kayla is a strong female protagonist, perfect for readergirlz, while many will swoon for Yoshi. The pacing is fast, the mystery layered, and the adventure full. Congratulations, Cynthia! Happy book birthday!

Feral Curse
by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Candlewick Press, 2014

Cover Stories: The Witch Narratives, Reincarnation

 I often talk to authors who have very little say in their covers, but today I'm hosting Belinda Vasquez Garcia, who had total control.  The Witch Narratives Reincarnation was featured alongside Unbreak My Heart in Kirkus, and I thought the cover was so incredibly arresting that I had to ask her about it. Here's Belinda:

"In choosing my cover image for The Witch Narratives Reincarnation, I searched through stock photos. I was looking for a photo I had found on the internet and was using on my website at the time. In keeping with my covens, The Sisterhood of the Black Rose, a photo of a black rose with its leaves flung out like arms was so haunting.

"There are drops of blood on the stem, as though the black rose has been wounded. To me, this bleeding black rose represented Salia, my main character, a 3^rd generation witch forced by her mother and grandmother to follow their paths. However, though I found this picture on various photo websites, it was not on any sites of stock photos that could be purchased...."

Read Belinda's full Cover Story on melissacwalker.com.

Diva Delight: Going Over by Beth Kephart

I trotted home with one book from ALA Midwinter. I was so excited to see Beth Kephart's upcoming Going Over being released from Chronicle. I love Beth. I love Chronicle. That's enough for me.

As always, the language is gorgeous, the love full of meaning, and the plot tight and tense.

"We live with ghosts. We live with thugs, dodgers, punkers, needle ladies, pork knuckle. We live where there's no place else to go."

Set in a 1983, within a divided Berlin, two teens in love are separated by the wall. The work is told in both their voices so that the reader can sit in the East and the West. An unexpected layer adds the plight of the immigrants of Kreuzberg and the further oppression of Turkish women.

Aside from the language, the imagery, and the sensory input, I marveled at the pacing. Beth creates these moments of stall, rewind, and then a lurch forward, over and over. As the story progresses, the pauses shorten and the reader is launched farther and farther. That so perfectly mimics the passing of time for the characters themselves, caught on either side of the wall. Simply brilliant.

Don't miss this important novel. There's a great giveaway over at Goodreads right now. Click here and leap over! Congrats, Beth, and bravo, Chronicle!

Me, I'm off to read: Nest. Flight. Sky. Beth's new memoir!



Going Over, starred review from Booklist
by Beth Kephart
Chronicle Books, 2014

Cover Stories: Masque of the Red Death

Bethany Griffin is here today to talk about her cover for Masque of the Red Death, which is a twist on Edgar Allen Poe's gothic short story (cool!). The cover has atmosphere in spades.

Here's Bethany:

"I think that covers are the most exciting thing, seeing a visual interpretation of your work, and every time we've sold a foreign right, a part of me is jumping up and down going, Another cover! Another cover! But, I didn't have an image in mind as I wrote.

"In retrospect, I'm not sure that there was much discussion with my publisher, but one thing we did discuss during revisions was having some symbols for different groups in the story, because through a good part of the story evil is sort of amorphous, and since there are multiple groups vying for the city, it made sense to give the reader some visual clues. I think it was great editorial advice, and added to the story, but...in my mind I was picturing a more gender-neutral cover, perhaps using some of those symbols, so I was surprised when I got the cover, initially..."

Read Bethany's full Cover Story on melissacwalker.com.

rgz Newsflash: And the winners are...

What fantastic choices! Congrats to all the winners and thanks to the librarians who worked so hard to award these books. Here's the link for the full list of glory!

** Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:

“Midwinterblood,” written by Marcus Sedgwick, is the 2014 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Eleanor & Park,” written by Rainbow Rowell and published by St. Martin’s Griffin (Macmillan); “Kingdom of Little Wounds,” written by Susann Cokal and published by Candlewick Press; “Maggot Moon,” written by Sally Gardner, illustrated by Julian Crouch and published by Candlewick Press; and “Navigating Early,” written by Clare Vanderpool and published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House LLC, Penguin Random House Company.

 

rgz Newsflash: ALA Midwinter Hello

Hello from ALA Midwinter, rgz! I saw a lot of YALSA teens on the floor yesterday, and I was happy to share readergirlz buttons. So many cheerful faces, square glasses, and books bulging in bags. Thanks for dropping by the Blink booth for Firstborn. Such a great celebration. Super fun to see postergirl Jackie Parker Robinson, as well!

Okay, in anticipation of the awards tomorrow morning, check out this video of some of your childhood favorites. We'd like to see a similar video for the Printz!



Here's to the festivities and thanks to all the librarians for their work in selecting this year's winners!

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!).

Cover Stories: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Jennifer Echols has some great covers. (Remember the makeovers of her illustrated-cover books into photographic covers? Love that!)

Her 2012 book, Such a Rush, is no exception. Jennifer's here to share her Cover Story:

"When the publisher asked me for my input on the cover, I told them a big sky would be good, but we would also need to see the characters Leah and Grayson to make it evident to readers that the book is a romance. They came back with two possibilities. One looked like the back cover, showing the small-town airport with an airplane overhead, except that Leah and Grayson were also lying in the grass. The other looked like the front cover...."

Read Jennifer's full Cover Story on melissacwalker.com.

Bad Reviews Read by Authors

As the launch of my fantasy approaches, I await good and bad reviews from readers. It's just the case that every book is not going to connect with every reader. However, I found this video, recommended by FUSE#8 on Sunday, along with my Firstborn trailer. Seriously, it gives great perspective in the midst of the journey. So yes, thanks for talking about our books in every way, rgz!



This is just part one. Go to Marc Tyler Nobleman's blog for more!

Crossing Genres: Donna Jo Napoli and Melissa Walker

Sometimes we hear of those in the publishing industry who dissuade authors from writing in different genres. As if YA readers don't read various styles of storytelling. YA readers do, and so do YA writers. Therefore, writers like the freedom to crossover. We choose the best genre to tell our story. Because ultimately, it's all about good story.



I'm happy to share two books by authors writing in different genres than they usually do. The first is Skin by Donna Jo Napoli. I did expect fantasy when I picked up the work, but then quickly entered into Sep's world as she discovers she has vitiligo. The realistic work is paced well as Napoli draws us alongside Sep. We feel compassion, frustration, and ultimately empathize with a character accepting her new self and redefining normal.



The second work is by our own rgz diva, Melissa Walker: Ashes to Ashes. I expected a contemporary work, which, true enough, the story begins with, but the paranormal afterlife caught me by surprise. (I don't tend to read flaps. :~) Melissa's setting is fresh and will draw you to think and ponder your own beliefs. That is of course after you've run with Callie through her trial, been pulled and torn through her decisions, and cheered her character growth. And as always, Melissa writes of real, compelling love. My favorite quote: "Life is fragile, worthy of reverence and gently care." Great thoughts for the new year!

Find these, rgz, and let us know what you think, here or on facebook. Happy new year!



Skin
by Donna Jo Napoli
Skyscape, 2013

Ashes to Ashes
by Melissa Walker
Katherine Tegen Books, Inc. 2013

Song of the Week: Little Mix by Little Me

Anything is possible, if you set your mind to it, work hard, and have your heart in the right place.

Little Mix, an awesome all-female vocal group and winner of The X Factor, reinforces these ideas in their new song "Little Me."  The next time you're feeling down on yourself, turn this song on and remind yourself that the possibilities are endless, and that you can be anything you want to be. 




If you can't see the video embedded above, click here to watch it on YouTube.

Wish I knew back then what I know now
Wish I could somehow go back in time
And maybe listen to my own advice

I'd tell her to speak up, tell her to shout out
Talk a bit louder, be a bit prouder
Tell her she's beautiful, wonderful,
Everything she doesn't see

You gotta speak up, you gotta shout out
And know that right here, right now
You can be beautiful, wonderful,
Anything you wanna be

Click here to read all of the lyrics.

rgz Newsflash: Co-founder's Trailer at Hypable

So excited to share my trailer for FIRSTBORN! Right now it's an exclusive at Hypable.


We'll do a Cover Story soon with Diva Melissa Walker. Thanks for celebrating with me! And thanks to Kirkus for the starred review. Happy holidays, rgz!

rgz Newsflash: Online Author Visits' Holiday Offer

Newsflash from Online Author Visits:

 

We are a group of children’s authors that do Skype and Google visits with classrooms and book clubs across the country (we donate 25% percent of our fee to a chosen charity). To celebrate such a successful year, we are hosting a contest where two winners will get to each choose two booksfrom among our talented author pool. But wait – there’s more! The winners will also get to choose a school library of their choice to receive a collection of 5 books valued at over $150! At a time when school libraries are experiencing significant budget cutbacks, this is a great opportunity to do something nice for the library you love.

 

So while you’re shopping online, why not hop on over to www.onlineauthorvisits.com and enter our ‘Tis the Season Book giveaway? It’s easy and a wonderful chance give back to the library in your life.

 

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

 

 

 

 

rgz Circle of Stars: Sonya Sones and Deb Caletti, Crossover to Adult

Do you crossover and read adult works as well? Of course we've seen many adult authors enter the YA stream. Now watch as YA authors step into the adult market. Sonya Sones did it with her Hunchback of Neiman Marcus, which Meg Cabot called: "Funny, fresh, and heartbreakingly poignant, this book had me laughing and crying at the same time."



And now Deb Caletti has as well with He's Gone.



Watch:



Kirkus gave He's Gone a starred review and said, "YA veteran and National Book Award finalist Caletti (The Story of Us, 2012, etc.) makes a striking adult debut with this tale of a husband's mysterious disappearance...Well written, strongly characterized and emotionally complex fixtion."

Well done, ladies! Representing! Rgz, look for these if you read adult, or maybe they are the perfect gifts for those adults you live with. :~) Happy shopping!


 

Films Now, Books First

What are your favorite book-to-film adaptations? Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, The Book Thief? Anxious for the movie version of Divergent? Can't wait to see the next installment of The Hobbit? Leave a comment at Allie's latest Teens Wanna Know article!
 

http://teenswannaknow.com/films-now-books-first/

rgz Newsflash: J.J. Abrams and Operation Teen Book Drop

Okay, how cool that J.J. Abrams' fascinating new novel S sprang from a book he found years ago. It was left in a public place with the intention of being found, read, and passed along. Did you catch him on Colbert? Listen in for a laugh, and just imagine who might find your next Operation Teen Book Drop donation, and how might they be moved to act, give, or create...

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-stephen-colbert-gets-abramsesque-on-jj-abrams-20131122,0,1210323.story#axzz2lP8o3uHB


Photo from Collider.com

Attention Filmmakers and Readers: Make a Snowblind Trailer!

Attention filmmakers (and readers!)

Want to show the world what you can do AND spread the love of a good book? St. Martin's Press and Talenthouse are accepting 1-minute trailers for Christopher Golden's upcoming book SNOWBLIND. All of the submitted videos will be seen by some pretty cool folks - legitimate directors, writers, producers - and one will be selected to be the book's official trailer.

If you are interested, you should enter.

If you know other filmmakers - be they amateur or professional, adults or teens or kids - please let them know about this incredible opportunity.

Trust me. I've read the book, and it's amazing. With edge-of-your-seat tension and jaw-dropping twists, Christopher Golden's Snowblind blizzard is going to blow you away!

So what are you waiting for? Spread the word, gather a production team, and make that mini-movie!

Here's the official press release and all of the pertinent information. Good luck!

St. Martin's Press and Talenthouse invite amateur filmmakers to produce a short horror book trailer for SNOWBLIND, the highly anticipated novel by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden. The winning trailer will be heavily promoted and used as part of an integrated marketing and advertising campaign for the book and will also receive a consultation with one or more of the judges to discuss their work.

Helping St. Martin's Press judge the entries are:

FRANK DARABONT (Director, Writer, Producer) - The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Walking Dead, Mob City, among others.

DAVID S. GOYER (Writer, Director, Producer) - Man of Steel, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Blade, Da Vinci's Demons, among others.

DON MURPHY (Producer) - Transformers 1-4, Real Steel, Natural Born Killers, Vampire Academy, among others.

STEPHEN SUSCO (Writer, Producer) - The Grudge 1 and 2, Texas Chainsaw 3D, Red, High School, among others.

CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN (Author, Editor) - Of Saints and Shadows, Baltimore, Tin Men, The New Dead, among others.

For more information on how to enter:
http://www.talenthouse.com/create-a-video-for-snowblind

SNOWBLIND trailer competition guidelines

Video should be a maximum length of 1 minute.

The end shot of the trailer must provide the publication information for the book, including title, book image provided, and the publication information:

SNOWBLIND
On Sale
January 21, 2014
Wherever Books Are Sold

Choose one of the three options listed below:
1) Create a scene from pages 28 - 30 featuring Cherie, her dog, and the iceman. (See the book excerpt linked below.)
2) Create a scene from pages 48 - 51 featuring Isaac looking out the window at the ice men dancing in the snow in his yard, with Jake not believing him. (See the book excerpt linked below.)
3) Entrants are invited to create their own scenes or images inspired by a provided sample from Snowblind. These original trailers should capture the tone of the novel. For example:
- A woman sitting on her bed with the covers drawn up, hugging her knees, staring in terror at the window with the wind rattling the glass, snow piling up against it or pelting it.
- A woman smoking a cigarette outside a bar at night with the snow falling. She hears a sound, turns, looks terrified.
- An anchor reads the news about the blizzard and what happened twelve years ago and then the power goes out and you hear the whistling of the wind as snow whips across the screen, perhaps suggesting the image of evil features looking in.

The presence of the snowstorm/blizzard may suggest digital effects but they are not required.

Entrants may devise their own approach to representing the ominous presence of the storm and the fear of the townspeople.

Judges will consider many factors, including imagination and ingenuity.

Submit by: January 6th, 2014


Direct links to all of the necessary ingredients:
SNOWBLIND Novel Excerpt
About the book
St Martin's PRESS Logo
3D Book Shot SNOWBLIND
Judging Panel Official Bios

Get Snowblind:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
BAM
Indiebound

rgz Newsflash: Charlotte Church and the Demoralization of Women in the Music Industry

Did you all see this article from Charlotte Church on Digital Music News from her lecture? What do you think? Any crossover to YA? Literature in general?

Exclusive interview with Alison Cherry!

What if you lived in a town where redheads reigned supreme? That's the premise of Alison Cherry's satirical new novel Red, set in the fictional town of Scarletville. Felicity St. John has hair to die for - rather to dye for. You see, her mom has been getting Felicity's strawberry blonde hair dyed since she was little, determined to make her daughter popular and powerful. Now Felicity's in high school, about to participate in the Miss Scarlet Pageant, much to her chagrin and her mother's delight. Then a series of anonymous notes appears in Felicity's locker: someone knows the truth about Felicity's hair and is threatening to reveal all unless she does what they say. How far will Felicity go to protect her roots? Will she do what her mother wants, or will she finally be able to just be herself?

Author Alison Cherry, a natural redhead, stopped by my blog Bildungsroman today. Check out our discussion about society, conformity, and individuality, as well as the writing process.

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!

Cover Stories: For Darkness Shows the Stars

Diana Peterfreund tends to have great covers, and when I saw For Darkness Shows the Stars (a post-Apocalyptic take on Jane Austen's Persuasion, hello!), I fell in love with the starry sky. So I asked her about it, and here she is:

"I always have an idea in mind for my covers, but since I’m not an artist it’s probably best that my publishers ignore me. They did ask me to send inspiration pictures, though. I sent in a lot of pictures of harsh seascapes and rocky cliffs and beaches beneath a sunset/sunrise and a starry sky. Sometimes there were forlorn women standing on these beaches. I think Harper and I were totally on the same page about the direction we wanted to go in, which mostly makes me feel like I’m finally getting a hang of this imagery thing.

"I asked for something very lush and romantic, to fit the feel of the book. Also, because this book has such a distinctive title that bucks the trend of the one-word YA book titles, I asked for a fun font treatment that really highlighted the title..."

Read the rest of Diana's story at melissacwalker.com.

Cover Stories: Eve by Anna Carey

I'm a sucker for bridges. And running. And flowing hair. So the cover of Eve? Kind of up my alley. Here's Anna Carey to talk about the cover of the first book in the Eve trilogy:

"I had a vague sense of what the book might look like. The name--Eve--conjures so much. We all know Adam and Eve, and there's so much imagery associated with their story. Originally I saw the cover as having a lot of lush greenery. I sometimes saw a pale girl lost in the forest. It's funny, the book trailer captures a lot of those original images and ideas that were left behind as the cover evolved.

"The designer asked for a list of images or words that appear in the book. I can't seem to locate that list, though I'm 99% sure the designer came up with the bridge idea, which I love. It's hard to go back through your book and decide which imagery is meaningful and/or metaphorical--so much of that is folded into the manuscript unconsciously. I'm pretty certain all my suggestions were fairly basic. Thankfully she didn't put a wall or a cluster of trees on there. I don't think it would've had the same effect..."

Read the rest of Anna's Cover Story on melissacwalker.com.

Cover Stories: 52 Reasons to Hate My Father

Jessica Brody has shared two previous Cover Stories here (for My Life Undecided and The Karma Club). She's back to tell the tale behind the cover of 52 Reasons to Hate My Father.

"I’m terrible at envisioning covers. So no, I didn’t really have an idea in mind. But I knew I wanted it to show the contrast of my main character’s two worlds (spoiled heiress and working girl) which I think they ended up doing really well!

"Honestly, I was surprised when I saw the cover. It was SO different from the light, pastel, girly looks of my other YA book and my publisher had told me they were going to keep with the same look. So when I opened this, I almost thought that they sent me the wrong cover! It was all edgy and kind of punk rock-ish. I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it..."

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