I've been slacking on my posts lately. Sorry! I'm busy working on the sequel to A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL and getting ready to have fun times in LA for SCBWI's summer conference. Woo Hoo!!
Are you going? I hope so.
Other than that, I plan to start working on another book pretty soon and I'm crazy excited about it....
Oh, and Portland finally got sunshine! So I've been soaking it up.
What the heck have you been doing?
-Suz
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Book love! TELL ME A SECRET by Holly Cupala is here!
My friend and amazing writer Holly Cupala is debuting this week! WOO HOO! I adore Holly and I'm so so so happy to have her on my blog today. She is fabulous, both as a writer and as a person.
Check this out! (cover hotness!)
SUMMARY:
Tell me a secret, and I'll tell you one...
In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own.
Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own.
In this powerful debut novel, stunning new talent Holly Cupala illuminates the dark struggle of a girl who must let go of her past to find a way into her future.
What do awesome authors who blurbed this book think??
“A powerful story of self-discovery, and a brilliant debut novel.” ~Ellen Hopkins, New York Times bestselling author of CRANK
“A gripping, emotional story about a young girl with a tragic past and an uncertain future. I dare you to set it down during its last hundred pages. I dare you.” ~Deb Caletti, National Book Award Finalist, author of HONEY, BABY, SWEETHEART
Now meet Holly!
Holly Cupala wrote teen romance novels before she ever actually experienced teen romance. When she did, it became all about tragic poetry and slightly less tragic novels. When she isn't writing and contributing to readergirlz, she spends time with her husband and daughter in Seattle, Washington. These days, her writing is less about tragedy and more about hope. TELL ME A SECRET is her first novel. Ten percent of the author's proceeds go toward World Vision's Hope for Sexually Exploited Girls.
Wow, she's amazing. And generous. And kind. Please, pick up TELL ME A SECRET today. You will LOVE IT!
Let me know what you think! Holly will be by later to read your comments.
XOXO Suz
Check this out! (cover hotness!)
SUMMARY:
Tell me a secret, and I'll tell you one...
In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own.
Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own.
In this powerful debut novel, stunning new talent Holly Cupala illuminates the dark struggle of a girl who must let go of her past to find a way into her future.
What do awesome authors who blurbed this book think??
“A powerful story of self-discovery, and a brilliant debut novel.” ~Ellen Hopkins, New York Times bestselling author of CRANK
“A gripping, emotional story about a young girl with a tragic past and an uncertain future. I dare you to set it down during its last hundred pages. I dare you.” ~Deb Caletti, National Book Award Finalist, author of HONEY, BABY, SWEETHEART
Now meet Holly!
Holly Cupala wrote teen romance novels before she ever actually experienced teen romance. When she did, it became all about tragic poetry and slightly less tragic novels. When she isn't writing and contributing to readergirlz, she spends time with her husband and daughter in Seattle, Washington. These days, her writing is less about tragedy and more about hope. TELL ME A SECRET is her first novel. Ten percent of the author's proceeds go toward World Vision's Hope for Sexually Exploited Girls.
Wow, she's amazing. And generous. And kind. Please, pick up TELL ME A SECRET today. You will LOVE IT!
Let me know what you think! Holly will be by later to read your comments.
XOXO Suz
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit Starring: Wendy Toliver
Today I'm very happy to welcome fellow girlfriend Wendy Toliver and her new release LIFTED!! (Love that cover!)
Let's learn more about it!
Being Bad Never Felt So Good.
Poppy Browne had never stolen anything in her life before moving to Pleasant Acres, Texas and meeting Mary Jane and Whitney. But when Poppy walks out of the mall with her two new friends and her first pair of stolen jeans, she’s hooked.
Before long, Poppy is lifting whenever she gets the urge—it’s never about the merchandise, it’s always about the thrill. But when her secret gets out, the girls in Poppy’s clique turn on one another. As she watches her life collapse around her, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie … and how far she’ll go to protect herself.
Author Bio
Born in Texas, raised in Colorado, and now living in Utah, Wendy Toliver has successfully eliminated “y’all” from her vocabulary. However, she still managed to marry a pickup man. They have three young sons and an assortment of furry, scaly, and slimy pets. She is the author of three novels for teens: The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren, Miss Match, and Lifted.
Online
Web-site: www.wendytoliver.com
Blogs: www.teenfictioncafe.blogspot.com, www.booksboysbuzz.com, www.pulserocom.com
Other: www.facebook.com/wendy.toliver, www.twitter.com/wendytoliver, www.myspace.com/roxytoliver, http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Wendy-Toliver/44777487
And you can even check out the trailer:
What people are saying about LIFTED!
“Smart, deftly written, and extremely well-observed, Wendy Toliver’s Lifted is so realistic and moving I felt like I was transported right inside Poppy’s world, watching as she struggled to navigate her way through a school where appearances are deceiving and no one is quite what they seem. A hard to put down, compelling read!”
Alyson Noël, #1 New York Times Best Selling author of The Immortals series
"Lifted is the story of an imperfect heroine seeking her place not only in school, but in life. Its exploration of the amount of truth behind social and religious stereotypes escalates into a double-dog dare to believe them. A haunting morality tale that will leave you questioning just what it means to be "good."
Aprilynne Pike, author of the #1 New York Times Best-Selling novel Wings
"Lifted by Wendy Toliver is an amazing, compelling read, filled with all the realness of being in high school, from humor to love to angst. I haven't met a character so well developed as Poppy since reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. At times heartbreaking, at others uplifting, Lifted is a book that I absolutely loved."
James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner and the13th Reality series
Wow, sounds awesome, right? Well we have a few questions for Wendy too!
1. Okay, first question. If this were high school, which senior superlative in the yearbook would you score?
Most likely to become addicted to Diet Coke
2. What is one thing you wish you would have done when you were younger? For me, it’s that I never studied abroad. How about you?
I wish I would’ve done and kept more art. I was good!
3. Now here’s the self-promotion part: Can you please tell us all about your book? We have some book shopping to do!
I am so excited about this particular book. Lifted was a solid two years in the making and went through some major metamorphoses before becoming the book it is now.
It’s the story of Poppy Browne who moves to a town in East Texas and is upset about her mom enrolling her in a private Baptist school. But she’s immediately invited into two very different social folds: the proverbial popular crowd (with Mary Jane and Whitney) and the choir kids (with Bridgette). Poppy soon discovers that nothing is what it seems in this Bible belt town.
4. So, say your book just got picked up for a movie (congratulations!) Who’s playing your MC?
I’d love for AnnaSophia Robb to play Poppy Browne. She’s darling and the perfect mix of innocence and edginess. I think she’d do a great job.
5. If you could take one literary character to prom, who would it be, and why?
The Cat In the Hat, because he’d be a blast (and he’d actually be taller than me, which is good for dancing), but only if I wasn’t on the cleanup committee.
6. And finally, since all of the other questions were so serious… What do you hope teens take away from your book?
Lifted is full of great discussion and debate issues, including moral perspective, the turbulent state of relationships (mother-daughter, friend, society-teen, and romantic), the effect of religion on a person and on a town, the pressures of high school, how one’s past impacts one’s destiny, and, of course, the sticky issue of shoplifting. It also has romance, humor, and even some (in my opinion and hopefully others’) moments that might bring tears. It is a very complex book and I think different people will get different things out of having read it.
Thanks, Wendy! And everyone, pick up your copy of LIFTED today!!
Let's learn more about it!
Being Bad Never Felt So Good.
Poppy Browne had never stolen anything in her life before moving to Pleasant Acres, Texas and meeting Mary Jane and Whitney. But when Poppy walks out of the mall with her two new friends and her first pair of stolen jeans, she’s hooked.
Before long, Poppy is lifting whenever she gets the urge—it’s never about the merchandise, it’s always about the thrill. But when her secret gets out, the girls in Poppy’s clique turn on one another. As she watches her life collapse around her, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie … and how far she’ll go to protect herself.
Author Bio
Born in Texas, raised in Colorado, and now living in Utah, Wendy Toliver has successfully eliminated “y’all” from her vocabulary. However, she still managed to marry a pickup man. They have three young sons and an assortment of furry, scaly, and slimy pets. She is the author of three novels for teens: The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren, Miss Match, and Lifted.
Online
Web-site: www.wendytoliver.com
Blogs: www.teenfictioncafe.blogspot.com, www.booksboysbuzz.com, www.pulserocom.com
Other: www.facebook.com/wendy.toliver, www.twitter.com/wendytoliver, www.myspace.com/roxytoliver, http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Wendy-Toliver/44777487
And you can even check out the trailer:
What people are saying about LIFTED!
“Smart, deftly written, and extremely well-observed, Wendy Toliver’s Lifted is so realistic and moving I felt like I was transported right inside Poppy’s world, watching as she struggled to navigate her way through a school where appearances are deceiving and no one is quite what they seem. A hard to put down, compelling read!”
Alyson Noël, #1 New York Times Best Selling author of The Immortals series
"Lifted is the story of an imperfect heroine seeking her place not only in school, but in life. Its exploration of the amount of truth behind social and religious stereotypes escalates into a double-dog dare to believe them. A haunting morality tale that will leave you questioning just what it means to be "good."
Aprilynne Pike, author of the #1 New York Times Best-Selling novel Wings
"Lifted by Wendy Toliver is an amazing, compelling read, filled with all the realness of being in high school, from humor to love to angst. I haven't met a character so well developed as Poppy since reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. At times heartbreaking, at others uplifting, Lifted is a book that I absolutely loved."
James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner and the13th Reality series
Wow, sounds awesome, right? Well we have a few questions for Wendy too!
1. Okay, first question. If this were high school, which senior superlative in the yearbook would you score?
Most likely to become addicted to Diet Coke
2. What is one thing you wish you would have done when you were younger? For me, it’s that I never studied abroad. How about you?
I wish I would’ve done and kept more art. I was good!
3. Now here’s the self-promotion part: Can you please tell us all about your book? We have some book shopping to do!
I am so excited about this particular book. Lifted was a solid two years in the making and went through some major metamorphoses before becoming the book it is now.
It’s the story of Poppy Browne who moves to a town in East Texas and is upset about her mom enrolling her in a private Baptist school. But she’s immediately invited into two very different social folds: the proverbial popular crowd (with Mary Jane and Whitney) and the choir kids (with Bridgette). Poppy soon discovers that nothing is what it seems in this Bible belt town.
4. So, say your book just got picked up for a movie (congratulations!) Who’s playing your MC?
I’d love for AnnaSophia Robb to play Poppy Browne. She’s darling and the perfect mix of innocence and edginess. I think she’d do a great job.
5. If you could take one literary character to prom, who would it be, and why?
The Cat In the Hat, because he’d be a blast (and he’d actually be taller than me, which is good for dancing), but only if I wasn’t on the cleanup committee.
6. And finally, since all of the other questions were so serious… What do you hope teens take away from your book?
Lifted is full of great discussion and debate issues, including moral perspective, the turbulent state of relationships (mother-daughter, friend, society-teen, and romantic), the effect of religion on a person and on a town, the pressures of high school, how one’s past impacts one’s destiny, and, of course, the sticky issue of shoplifting. It also has romance, humor, and even some (in my opinion and hopefully others’) moments that might bring tears. It is a very complex book and I think different people will get different things out of having read it.
Thanks, Wendy! And everyone, pick up your copy of LIFTED today!!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The Novel Graveyard
Since it's raining and I'm not sure if it will ever stop, I figured I'd sulk around the house and go through the novel graveyard. I have something to share with you!! It's from an early story called SERVED COLD. I only made it as far as the first chapter, but I'll be honest, I have a soft spot for this one. What do you think??? (this is from an unedited manuscript)
SERVED COLD
Chapter 1
I once knew a guy whose girlfriend drowned in a river while they were rafting. He was totally messed up. But that didn’t stop me from dating him. No. Not a chance. Because that’s what I did. I dated the non-committals. Not on purpose. At least not until now.
It was my New Year’s Resolution to date every jerk in the school. To do it knowingly so that I could screw them over. Break their hearts. So that it wouldn’t happen to me again. So that it wouldn’t happen to other girls. I thought of myself as a crusader, really. Like Super Chick, but without a cape.
And I just found my first victim…er, date. Marc Jackson. Yes, Marc with a c. Such a tool. I’d heard he dumped his last girlfriend at the junior prom so that he could hook up with the foreign exchange student. And since Helga went back to the Ukraine, it left Marc prowling the sophomore’s hallway.
I slid on an extra gleam of Cherry lip-gloss. I couldn’t wait to get started.
###
The sophomore hallway was crowded like usual. I think they felt cool when they were late to class, but the seniors knew the deal. Hit all your classes and get early release. Being cool meant NOT being in school.
I saw Marc near the lockers, his dark hair hanging over his eye as he bent over a giggly girl with braces. He looked like a predator. Like Dateline would jump out at any second to do an exclusive on him. I cringed just thinking about being nice to him. But Giggles over there looked totally caught up. I couldn’t walk away now.
I stalked over in his direction. Then just before I reached him, I extended into a graceful prance, like I just NEEDED to talk to him.
“Hey, Marc,” I said.
He glanced over quickly and then did a double take. He wasn’t used to me talking to him. In fact, when I won the homecoming crown this year, he slapped my ass when he walked by. At the time I cussed him out and let my boyfriend (not the river-survivor one. The one who was really in love with his cousin) punch him in the gut. Guys like Marc were the scum of the Earth. Even below my usual dating class.
“Well, Abigail Anderson. Are you lost?” He was being condescending. Trent should have hit him harder.
“Not lost,” I said, careful to curl a blonde strand around my finger. See, Marc wouldn’t be hard to fool. He had the every-girl-wants-me complex. If anything, the more over the top, the more believable. “I wanted to talk to you for a sec,” I said.
Giggles made a small squeak but when I looked at her, she avoided my gaze. That hurt a little. Being seen as a stealer. Like I was ruining her only chance with a senior hottie. But what she didn’t know was that I was saving her. Saving her from being this week’s locker-room joke. Saving her from looking into her bedroom mirror and crying, wondering what she did wrong.
Yeah. I’d been there. More than a few times.
Marc grinned at me and stepped forward without so much as a glance back at the girl he’d been trying to lure. “What can I do for you, Abby?”
Showtime.
“I was wondering if you wanted to workout with me in the gym. I need a good personal trainer.” Now, I wasn’t a big exerciser, but Marc loved it. When he wasn’t trying to score, he was lifting weights. A little investigation went a long way.
“Really?” he asked. “I never see you at the gym.”
Giggles trotted away and I could imagine her sitting all through her next class, plotting my death, but I focused on Marc’s patchy facial hair.
“I’m shy,” I said. “I don’t like people to see me sweat.” That was actually sort of true.
“Aw… that’s cute.”
Gross.
“All right, baby,” he said. “I’ll get sweaty with you.”
Double gross. Did he actually think this was charming?
“Great.” I nearly gagged on my words. “I’ll meet you after school then?”
“Definitely.” I nodded and turned around, his eyes like a laserbeam on my ass. Then I trotted down the hallway just as the bell rang. I had some plans to make.
SERVED COLD
Chapter 1
I once knew a guy whose girlfriend drowned in a river while they were rafting. He was totally messed up. But that didn’t stop me from dating him. No. Not a chance. Because that’s what I did. I dated the non-committals. Not on purpose. At least not until now.
It was my New Year’s Resolution to date every jerk in the school. To do it knowingly so that I could screw them over. Break their hearts. So that it wouldn’t happen to me again. So that it wouldn’t happen to other girls. I thought of myself as a crusader, really. Like Super Chick, but without a cape.
And I just found my first victim…er, date. Marc Jackson. Yes, Marc with a c. Such a tool. I’d heard he dumped his last girlfriend at the junior prom so that he could hook up with the foreign exchange student. And since Helga went back to the Ukraine, it left Marc prowling the sophomore’s hallway.
I slid on an extra gleam of Cherry lip-gloss. I couldn’t wait to get started.
###
The sophomore hallway was crowded like usual. I think they felt cool when they were late to class, but the seniors knew the deal. Hit all your classes and get early release. Being cool meant NOT being in school.
I saw Marc near the lockers, his dark hair hanging over his eye as he bent over a giggly girl with braces. He looked like a predator. Like Dateline would jump out at any second to do an exclusive on him. I cringed just thinking about being nice to him. But Giggles over there looked totally caught up. I couldn’t walk away now.
I stalked over in his direction. Then just before I reached him, I extended into a graceful prance, like I just NEEDED to talk to him.
“Hey, Marc,” I said.
He glanced over quickly and then did a double take. He wasn’t used to me talking to him. In fact, when I won the homecoming crown this year, he slapped my ass when he walked by. At the time I cussed him out and let my boyfriend (not the river-survivor one. The one who was really in love with his cousin) punch him in the gut. Guys like Marc were the scum of the Earth. Even below my usual dating class.
“Well, Abigail Anderson. Are you lost?” He was being condescending. Trent should have hit him harder.
“Not lost,” I said, careful to curl a blonde strand around my finger. See, Marc wouldn’t be hard to fool. He had the every-girl-wants-me complex. If anything, the more over the top, the more believable. “I wanted to talk to you for a sec,” I said.
Giggles made a small squeak but when I looked at her, she avoided my gaze. That hurt a little. Being seen as a stealer. Like I was ruining her only chance with a senior hottie. But what she didn’t know was that I was saving her. Saving her from being this week’s locker-room joke. Saving her from looking into her bedroom mirror and crying, wondering what she did wrong.
Yeah. I’d been there. More than a few times.
Marc grinned at me and stepped forward without so much as a glance back at the girl he’d been trying to lure. “What can I do for you, Abby?”
Showtime.
“I was wondering if you wanted to workout with me in the gym. I need a good personal trainer.” Now, I wasn’t a big exerciser, but Marc loved it. When he wasn’t trying to score, he was lifting weights. A little investigation went a long way.
“Really?” he asked. “I never see you at the gym.”
Giggles trotted away and I could imagine her sitting all through her next class, plotting my death, but I focused on Marc’s patchy facial hair.
“I’m shy,” I said. “I don’t like people to see me sweat.” That was actually sort of true.
“Aw… that’s cute.”
Gross.
“All right, baby,” he said. “I’ll get sweaty with you.”
Double gross. Did he actually think this was charming?
“Great.” I nearly gagged on my words. “I’ll meet you after school then?”
“Definitely.” I nodded and turned around, his eyes like a laserbeam on my ass. Then I trotted down the hallway just as the bell rang. I had some plans to make.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
A Super Fun (and sunny!) Weekend!
The sun came out. Now, I told you SO MANY BOYS would stop the apocalypse didn't I?? It's true!
Well after weeks, and I mean WEEKS of nonstop rain, the sun came out and filled us with its vitamin D goodness. The Rose Festival was going on downtown and we got to go and have some carnival fun! Woo Hoo!
Hope you all had a fantastic weekend too! :-)
The kids did a little bungee jumping...
The Ferris Wheel!
Hope you all had a fantastic weekend too! :-)
Thursday, June 10, 2010
SO MANY BOYS! Official release and dope Reading!
It's HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO MANY BOYS (The Naughty List 2) is OUT IN THE WORLD!!!! Please spread the word, and man... I hope you like it!
But here's the fun part... my friend and insanely talented author Josh Berk was kind enough to do a reading from SO MANY BOYS. SO MANY BOYS is the second book in THE NAUGHTY LIST series--which is about a group of cheerleaders who investigate cheating boyfriends. Who better to do a dramatic interpretation than Josh???
Enjoy! And please, if you're down for SO MANY BOYS or THE NAUGHTY LIST let me know! I love comments! And look out for some fun contests coming soon.
You can buy the book HERE!
But here's the fun part... my friend and insanely talented author Josh Berk was kind enough to do a reading from SO MANY BOYS. SO MANY BOYS is the second book in THE NAUGHTY LIST series--which is about a group of cheerleaders who investigate cheating boyfriends. Who better to do a dramatic interpretation than Josh???
Enjoy! And please, if you're down for SO MANY BOYS or THE NAUGHTY LIST let me know! I love comments! And look out for some fun contests coming soon.
You can buy the book HERE!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
In just a few hours...
My second book SO MANY BOYS will be released!!! Fun videos to follow....
Disclaimer: Although it has not been scientifically proven that SO MANY BOYS (The Naughty List 2) will stop the apocalypse, it is highly recommended that you own a copy before the sky collapses and zombies kill us all. SO MANY BOYS--give it to someone you care about today.
Disclaimer: Although it has not been scientifically proven that SO MANY BOYS (The Naughty List 2) will stop the apocalypse, it is highly recommended that you own a copy before the sky collapses and zombies kill us all. SO MANY BOYS--give it to someone you care about today.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Where have I been?
Man, things have been BUSY lately. I've moved and still haven't fully unpacked. I finished my revisions on A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL (summer 2011) and I can't wait for you all to read it! I'm working on DELINQUENTS (fall 2011) and soon a shiny new idea that I can barely contain.
We also got a PS3--which normally isn't my thing. But I also got SingStar and became a superstar. Seriously, no one can Bust A Move by Young MC better than me in this house.
Speaking of house... have you seen The Dome?? It's my new place and it's rocks. Seriously, I don't ever want to leave the house anymore because I am so content here. It's like my own little writer's cabin in the woods. I'll show a couple of pictures!
I'm also gearing up to head to LA SCBWI this summer (Woo Hoo) and I hope to see you all there. SO MANY BOYS comes out on Thursday (Hope you like it!) and I'm heading to Cali on vacation next month.
So tell me... what are you looking forward to this summer???
We also got a PS3--which normally isn't my thing. But I also got SingStar and became a superstar. Seriously, no one can Bust A Move by Young MC better than me in this house.
Speaking of house... have you seen The Dome?? It's my new place and it's rocks. Seriously, I don't ever want to leave the house anymore because I am so content here. It's like my own little writer's cabin in the woods. I'll show a couple of pictures!
I'm also gearing up to head to LA SCBWI this summer (Woo Hoo) and I hope to see you all there. SO MANY BOYS comes out on Thursday (Hope you like it!) and I'm heading to Cali on vacation next month.
So tell me... what are you looking forward to this summer???
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
SO MANY BOYS-First Review
SO MANY BOYS comes out in 9 days (holy hell!) and the first review is in. And it's GOOD!!! Check it if you get a chance.
REVIEW: "Incredibly strong writing with a bold, realistic voice, a mysterious and convoluted plot, and characters who’s view by the readers will be challenged tie together to make So Many Boys even more potent than The Naughty List."
*excited!
Suz
REVIEW: "Incredibly strong writing with a bold, realistic voice, a mysterious and convoluted plot, and characters who’s view by the readers will be challenged tie together to make So Many Boys even more potent than The Naughty List."
*excited!
Suz
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