Cover Stories: Coin Heist by Elisa Ludwig

Elisa Ludwig's Coin Heist is out this month, and we had to ask her about that cover! Here she is to share the story:

"I felt very very lucky to be part of the early cover design discussion. We shared some of our favorite covers for books out now, as well as some movie posters and went back and forth. My main input was that I wanted the cover to feel contemporary and fresh, to capture the fun and exciting pace of the story, and to appeal to boys and girls equally. No small feat!

"I got to see four rounds of comps, and it was fascinating to watch the ideas and inspirations evolve. I made some comments and suggestions along the way, but I also acknowledged that even though I have lots of opinions, I'm in the word business and not the image business, so I fully trusted the experts involved to come up with a great solution.

"I saw many 'original' images with different initial concepts. While they all shared a certain minimalist sensibility, some emphasized coins rather than human figures, others a 'plan notebook,' and still others had a tiled floor that represented the Mint at night. It's truly amazing how a seemingly simple design can communicate the plot, the mood, the characters and even the imagined reader of a book.

"When I first saw the final cover, I loved it right away. I'm a sucker for vintage graphics, and I thought the white font, bold green and stark silhouettes really evoked classic mystery/heist book covers while the background suggests the more tech-y, modern element of this particular plan. At the same time the details on the figures are emblematic of the characters in a way that won't limit the reader's imagination. My biggest takeaway: I'm in awe of designers! The silhouettes are an original illustration by Tahnee Gehm.

"I've already gotten a ton of positive feedback (from, it should be noted, both guys and girls). So yeah, I'd say it hit the mark."

Thanks, Elisa! Watch the trailer here!

Watch for It: Jerk California, Mayday, and Aquifer

Hey rgz!

I recently toured with Jonathan Friesen and wanted to introduce you to his writing if you haven't found it yet. His body of work is impressive with Jerk California a recipient of the Schneider Award. I just started it!



Here he is talking about his mysterious, dystopian novel, Aquifer, released from Blink.



Mayday recently released, featuring a female protagonist. Isn't the cover totally evocative?



So there you go, rgz. Check out Jonathan's work. You won't be disappointed! Oh, and if you are going to ALA Annual, we'll be signing at the Blink Booth. We'd love to see you so stop by!

Jerk California
Aquifer
Mayday
by Jonathan Friesen

Watch for It: Remnants, Season of Wonder

Just finished Remnants: Season of Wonder by Lisa Bergren and wanted to give rgz a heads up to watch for it. Talk about a fierce female protagonist. Andriana, a gifted Remnant, teamed with her Knight, Ronan, join the elite teen group of Ailith who are charged to heal the world. Set in the future, following the The Great War, the small band goes questing for their rightful leader.

Even as an empath, Andriana doesn't hold back from fighting her own battles. The conflicts are physical, intense, and realistic. The reader has to wonder if Bergren is a kick boxer herself.

Quick quotes that held great meaning to me:

"The road became more a series of unified elements, a path that led us forward rather than a barrage of threatening blocks."

"Every time I give in to concern about tomorrow, even my next hour, I rob this hour, this day of strength, peace."

One note: Andriana visits a society practicing gendercide. Bergren gives the fullest ramifications of the practice. What a complimentary work to my own Firstborn. Want to know more and reach out? Check out It's a Girl movie on Netflix, Instant View.

Can't wait for Remnants: Season of Fire, Jan. 15, 2015!

Remnants: Season of Wonder
by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Blink, 2014

Now & Forever Book Trailer!

Love this trailer? Enter to win a signed copy of the Now and Forever, out today!

Cover Stories & Giveaway With Susane Colasanti!

Susane Colasanti's latest novel (out next week!) has a great Cover Story. Here's a peek at it:

"The hottest thing about the cover of Now and Forever might be that the models are a couple in real life.

"Or maybe it’s how the background image totally captures the excitement of a concert. And not just any concert. Now and Forever is about a girl whose boyfriend, Ethan Cross, is the world’s biggest rock star. So of course we had to do some kind of concert venue type design. I couldn’t wait to see which direction the art department would take.

"My contract says that I’m allowed cover consultation. When my editor sent me the first draft of the cover for feedback, something very obvious was missing in the audience..."

Read the full Cover Story at melissacwalker.com, and US residents can enter to win a signed copy of the book below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

rgz Newsflash: Salt Lake City and Tempe, rgz!

Hey rgz in Salt Lake City and Tempe, AZ!

I'm coming to town! I'd love to meet you and give you a rgz button. Do you have the time free?

 

Memphis is cancelled with the hope to make a stop in the future, and the authors I'm traveling with are: Jill Williamson, Jonathan Freisen, and Lisa T. Bergren.

Hope to see you! Read, reflect, and reach out!

Rock the Drop Recap (third time's the charm)!

We just keep finding these amazing snippets from folks who rocked along with us on April 17th, and we have to share!

A "found" tweet - we love these!
maggz (@nogginquest)

4/18/14, 1:07

@JenniferBrownYA @MCPLMO @readergirlz Thank you Jennifer Brown! We had a very excited Patron find your gift. It was a joy to see her joy.

This email about a group effort from a team of debut authors: 

Hi,

My 2015 YA debut author group, The Freshman Fifteens, had a blast participating in your even yesterday. We have a blog post about where we left our books, country wide.

Thanks for creating this initiative!

http://freshmanfifteens.com/the-freshman-fifteens-rock-the-drop/

Lori Goldstein

Here's a great video of a true readergirl dropping over 30 books in her hometown! Love it!



Thanks, everyone, for rocking out with us! We love all of the enthusiam and the updates!

Rock the Drop: Recap #2

Thanks to the many authors who Rocked the Drop on Thursday! Crissa Chappell filmed this very cool drop video in Brooklyn!

And Conrad Wesselhoeft send in these pics after he dropped off a couple of books at a school and at a "Little Free Library." 

Rock the Drop: Recap #1

We cannot express how grateful we are about the amount YA love that you showed today! Here are just a few screen grabs of tweeted photos. More recap to come! If you have a story you'd like to share, email us at readergirlz AT gmail and we'll post it here. THANK YOU FOR ROCKING THE DROP!

Rock the Drop TODAY!

 

Support Teen Literature Day and Operation Teen Book Drop are underway! Sending our love to YALSA, YA authors, the publishing industry, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and rgz around the world. Special thanks to our 2014, sponsors, iheartdaily and Justine Magazine!

Here's the drill:
1. Find a YA book to donate.
2. Print the bookplate below and paste it in your book.
3. Leave the book in a public place to be found.
4. Snap a pic or post a message about how you Rocked the Drop on our facebook or twitter. #rockthedrop

 

Keep up the celebration by checking out these 7 philanthropies. It is rgz' 7 year anniversary after all!

 

1. Girls Write Now

2. First Book

3. 826 National

4. The Lisa Libraries

5. Room to Read

6. Reading is Fundamental

7. World Literacy Foundation

 

The Operation Teen Book Drop party is on, so join in! Get out there and rock the world with YA lit!

 

~the readergirlz divas

Operation Teen Book Drop, 2014, Philanthropies

As we get ready to Rock the Drop on Thursday, the 17th, here's a list of seven philanthropies you might look into. Get your book ready to drop with a bookplate and think how else you might contribute to Support Teen Literature Day!

Operation Teen Book Drop, 2014 – Seven Literary Philanthropies We Love

1. Girls Write Now
Founded in 1998, Girls Write Now is the first organization in the country with a writing and mentoring model exclusively for girls. Girls Write Now provides guidance, support, and opportunities for at-risk and underserved girls from New York City’s public high schools to develop their creative, independent voices, explore careers in professional writing, and learn how to make healthy school, career and life choices.

2. First Book
A recognized leader in social enterprise, First Book has pioneered groundbreaking channels to provide new books and educational resources at deeply reduced prices — and for free — to schools and programs serving children in need.

3. 826 National
826 National is a nonprofit organization that provides strategic leadership, administration, and other resources to ensure the success of its network of eight writing and tutoring centers. Its mission is based on the understanding that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.

4. The Lisa Libraries
The Lisa Libraries donates new children's books and small libraries to organizations that work with kids in poor and under-served areas. It was started by author Ann M. Martin and friends to honor and memorialize children's book editor Lisa Novak. Since its founding in 1990, the Lisa Libraries has contributed over 300,000 books to nonprofit organizations across the country.

5. Room to Read
Room to Read works in collaboration with communities and local governments across Asia and Africa to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the life skills they’ll need to succeed in school and beyond.

6. Reading is Fundamental
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is the largest children’s literacy nonprofit in the United States. It prepares and motivates children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most. RIF inspires children to be lifelong readers through the power of choice.

7. World Literacy Foundation
The World Literacy Foundation is an independent not-for-profit charitable body, founded in Australia in 2003 that acknowledges education as a basic human right, and believes that literacy unlocks the door to a life of learning.

rgz Newsflash: Get Ready to Rock the Drop, April 17th, 2014

It's coming! Support Teen Literature Day is Thursday, April 17th, 2014! So we all need to get ready for Operation Teen Book Drop. Above is the banner celebrating the day and our fabulous sponsors: iheartdaily and Justine Magazine. Feel free to grab and share it!

Below is the bookplate for you to print and glue into the young adult book you choose to drop in a public gathering place to Rock the Drop on April 17th. Follow us on facebook and twitter and plan to post a pic. #rockthedrop

 

To continue the celebration of our 7 year anniversary, we thought to recommend 7 philanthropies you might support as well this season. Watch for a full write-up soon!

 

1. Girls Write Now

2. First Book

3. 826 National

4. The Lisa Libraries

5. Room to Read

6. Reading is Fundamental

7. World Literacy Foundation

 

In the meantime, readergirlz, let's get ready to Rock the Drop!

 

  



7 Things You Don't Know About Little Willow

Many thanks to everyone who participated in this month's blog series! I had a lot of fun gathering candid and heartfelt responses from authors. Lorie Ann asked me to post my own list, so here goes nothing:

7 Things You Don't Know About Me
1) I've been writing stories and songs since birth, practically.
2) I am capable of charming squirrels out of trees.
3) There is no television show I have loved more completely from start to finish than Leverage.
4) I love word play.
5) Synchronicity and causality are recurring themes in my life.
6) Chances are, I'm shorter than you.
7) I project. In more ways than one. 

So there you have it! I hope March has been lovely for all of you. Don't forget to mark your calendars for Operation Teen Book Drop 2014, which will be happening in just a few weeks on April 17th. Stay tuned to the readergirlz blog, Facebook, and Twitter to learn how you can participate and #rockthedrop!

What's new with Holly Cupala

Hello, dear readergirlz, and Happy Anniversary! It's pretty exciting to see the fruition of all of the ideas and hard work of the co-founders--Justina Chen, Dia Calhoun, Janet Lee Carey, and Lorie Ann Grover--and all of the helpers along the way! I'm honored to have been a part of it.

What's new with me? After readergirlz featured TELL ME A SECRET, my second YA novel, DON'T BREATHE A WORD, came out in January 2012 from HarperCollins. Since then, I've been working hard on a third YA (in the home stretch, hopefully!) with secrets...still so many secret stories to tell!

There have been big changes for me personally, too--family up by one, a crazy move to the country, wild forages for ideas and edibles, lots of DIY projects, and...three? four?...novels brewing.

I'm inspired by all of you, readergirlz! Keep up the wonderful work.

 

Cover Stories: The Black Butterfly

Shirley Reva Vernick's latest novel, The Black Butterfly, is her third for young adults, following the award-winning The Blood Lie and Remember Dippy. She's here today to share her Cover Story!

"Designing the cover for The Black Butterfly spanned several months and numerous drafts, and I think the effort really paid off. This is my third novel with Cinco Puntos Press, and while I immediately liked the initial designs for the first two books, I wasn’t crazy about the early renditions of The Black Butterfly cover. I didn’t have a specific image in mind of what I wanted, but I knew it needed to evoke a sense of eeriness and otherworldliness.

"This novel is about ghosts, haunted mansions and strange dreams, after all. The original cover versions didn’t capture that, in my opinion. The early designs were all variations of the cover on the right.

"The designer was thinking that the hands resembled a butterfly. One of the thumbs is supposed to be see-through, like a ghost. But it just didn’t work for me. The typeface of the title is meant to look like a teen’s handwriting, since Penny, the main character, is something of a writer. But I felt the typeface didn’t match the mood of the story inside.

"Then the designer suddenly 'got' it. Out went the photos of hands, and in came an illustration of…something wonderful. Something dangerous, ambiguous and compelling. Part butterfly, part phantom, part human, part mystical. I love how the dripping streaks of color could be either tears or blood—or both.

"I consider this cover to be a true collaboration among the publisher, the designer and me. While I’m not the most visually oriented person (which is how I ended up with a green house when I thought I was picking out grey paint), I do appreciate being included and heard.

"In closing, I should mention that the designer gave birth a few days after coming up with the new prototype, and she jumped into the tweaking stage just three weeks after the delivery. Talk about girl power!"