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Cynthia Leitich Smith is a huge supporter of the YA writing community who truly rocks. I recently wrote a guest post for her awesome blog, Cynsations, about writing "true" vs. "likeable" characters. She also happens to be the New York Times and Publishers Weekly best-selling author of the Tantalize series: ETERNAL, TANTALIZE, and BLESSED, Gothic fantasies from Candlewick. TANTALIZE: KIEREN’S STORY, illustrated by Ming Doyle, is a graphic edition in which Cynthia re-envisions her dark fantasy through Wolfish eyes. How cool is that?
Here's Cynthia with the Cover Story for TANTALIZE: KIEREN’S STORY:
"I anticipated that the cover would nod overtly to Kieren’s identity as a human werewolf-hybrid. We often see this with books that involve a shape-shifter protagonist. I tend to prefer those in which it’s more subtle, like Vivian’s wolf shadow on the original cover of Annette Curtis Klause’s Blood and Chocolate (right).
"Usually in shifter books, the transformation is a powerful moment in the story, and as a reader I prefer to experience that in my imagination rather than to be offered a visual up front. However, in my story, because Kieren is a hybrid (and has some issues with that), he doesn’t shapeshift as easily or completely as, say, his mother who has no known homo sapiens heritage.
"I was wary of the idea that the cover might suggest that Kieren would go full Wolf and managing that more delineated duality would be the book’s focus. The story is more of a murder mystery with strong romantic elements than a straight-up creature feature, though certainly creatures abound.
"My first thought when I saw the cover was, He’s a boy. Definitely a boy..."
Read the rest of Cynthia's Cover Story at melissacwalker.com.
PS-Read the original Cover Stories for
Eternal and
Blessed.
Congratulations to my wife,
Cynthia Leitich Smith, on the release today of her first graphic novel (illustrated by
Ming Doyle),
TANTALIZE: KIEREN'S STORY! Go check out an interview with Cyn and Ming
here, and a brief article called
Going Graphic at Hunger Mountain on turning
TANTALIZE into a graphic novel!
Jill and I recently got the chance to interview the tantalizing Cynthia Leitich Smith. Check out her answers to our questions below!
Cynthia Leitich Smith is the New York Times and Publishers Weekly best-selling author of ETERNAL, TANTALIZE, and BLESSED (Candlewick). She also writes short stories and acclaimed books for younger children.
Cynthia is a member of faculty at the Vermont College M.F.A. program in Writing for Children and Young Adults.
Her website at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com was named one of the top 10 Writer Sites on the Internet by Writer's Digest and an ALA Great Website for Kids. Her Cynsations blog at cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/ was listed as among the top two read by the children's/YA publishing community in the SCBWI "To Market" column.
Thank you, Cynthia, for joining us on the YABC Blog today! First off, can you tell us a little bit about your latest novel,
Blessed?
Blessed is the story of Quincie P. Morris, a teenage restaurateur who’s facing the consequences of her own undeath, trying to clear her true love of unfounded murder charges, and fighting to stop the monster that remade her from cursing hundreds of others. Or, put another way, it’s your basic rescue the boy, destroy the monster, save-the-world story.
Blessed crosses of the casts of my two previous books, Tantalize and Eternal, and picks up at the very scene where Tantalize leaves off. Like those earlier titles, it’s a Gothic fantasy with strong elements of romance and some humor.
What was it like stepping back into the world of Tantalize and Eternal for this third book?
Fun, perilous, ambitious.In Tantalize, we meet the everyday people of the world—high school students and teachers, a wedding planner and police officers, waiters and a homeless guy. In Eternal, the stage shifts to spotlight the major players—the vampire royalty and the forces of heaven who combat it. Blessed is a bridge book of sorts, bringing together characters from all walks.How intriguing to rediscover guardian angel Zachary trying to fend off restaurant customers who longed to touch his hair and to join high-school student Quincie in meeting vampire queen Sabine for the first time.
Will there be a fourth book in the series? If so, can you tell us a bit about it?
Yes, I’m revising it now! Book four is still untitled, but it will feature characters from all of the previous books. Th
*SPOILER ALERT* There may be some spoilers if you have not read Tantalize and Eternal. Continue at your own risk!
Publisher: Candlewick Press (February 8, 2011)
ARC: 480 Pages
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: Tantalize # 3
Book from: Publisher*
From Goodreads. Quincie P. Morris, teen restaurateuse and neophyte vampire, is in the fight of her life -- or undeath. Even as she adjusts to her new appetites, she must clear her best friend and true love, the hybrid werewolf Kieren, of murder charges; thwart the apocalyptic ambitions of Bradley Sanguini, the seductive vampire-chef who "blessed" her; and keep her dead parents’ restaurant up and running. She hires a more homespun chef and adds the preternaturally beautiful Zachary to her wait staff. But with hundreds of new vampires on the rise and Bradley off assuming the powers of Dracula Prime, Zachary soon reveals his true nature -- and a flaming sword -- and they hit the road to staunch the bloodshed before it’s too late. Even if they save the world, will there be time left to salvage Quincie’s soul?
Review by Jessica
BLESSED, by Cynthia Leitich Smith finishes up Quincie P. Morris's story with a bang. Quince faces more obstacles than ever with making sure the restaurant she inherited stays up and running, dealing with her werewolf true love being gone, trying to find a way to save a group of humans from turning into bloodsucking monsters, all while dealing with her own undead status.
This book drove me absolutely crazy. It took me longer to read than the first two books in the
Tantalize series and I couldn't get really interested in it until towards the end. Don't get me wrong, the book was great all around but about three quarters of the book was very slow.
I have to admire Quincie, she takes on so much responsibility without much complaining. Both her parents are dead, her undead uncle is eternally dead and she still has school, her restaurant, and herself being a new vampire without anyone to guide her or help her. A lot of new characters came into play in this one, and a lot of old ones.
Smith weaved
Eternal, the second book in the
Tantalize series, perfectly into
Blessed. I was amazed at how perfectly she brought the MC from
Eternal, which is a completely different story than Quincie's into this one. It was absolutely perfect. The book was well written and I did like the book overall, it was just a bit slow for my tastes for the majority of the book.
Publisher: Candlewick Press (February 13, 2007)
Paperback: 336 Pages
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Series: Tantalize # 1
From Goodreads. CLASSIFIED ADS: RESTAURANTS SANGUINI'S: A VERY RARE RESTAURANT IS HIRING A CHEF DE CUISINE. DINNERS ONLY.
APPLY IN PERSON BETWEEN 2:00 AND 4:00 PM.
Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap cape, and red contact lenses — or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything? TANTALIZE marks Cynthia Leitich Smith’s delicious debut as a preeminent author of dark fantasy.
Review by Jessica
TANTALIZE, by Cynthia Leitich Smith presents you with a very sad, confused and lonely Quincie Morris. Her parents are dead and she is managing their restaurant with her Uncle and her world is further rocked when close family friend and the restaurant's head chef is brutally murdered.
I was a little undecided about this at first because the plot didn't seem like my usual kind of interest but I found out quickly that sad lonely Quincie was just like a lot of teenage girls, except the fact that she was in the know about all the paranormal activity going on around her.
I love Kieren, Quincie's best friend and the only hybrid werewolf. I actually found myself jealous of their friendship. There of course is the slight sexual tension because they haven't pronounced any real feelings for each other, even though you want to scream at them!
I found Brad to be a very complex character, and I couldn't tell if his intentions were good or bad! I would like to give a round of applause to Cynthia Leitich Smith for giving me a character I could not completely predict! This book moves steadily and keeps you interested the whole time! Vampire lovers? Come this way please!
First of all I have to say that I have not yet read the first 2 books in this series, Tantalize and Eternal. That being said right off the bat I was a bit confused, but quickly caught on. The book was very easy to follow without having read the previous two. That is sometimes hard to do, but Mrs. Smith pulls it off! Second, I love Quincie! She is such a strong female character! She is running her parents restaurant, dealing with becoming a vampire and fighting her emotions over her best friend and true love, Kieren. To read more of my review, click here.
Robin and I are nearly apoplectic to have had the opportunity to interview the extraordinary
Cynthia Leitch Smith, who is on the top of our personal
Childen's Lit Rock Star List. Cynthia is a living, breathing embodiment of the concept of karmic networking. Called a "rising star" by the
Multicultural Review, Cynthia seems determined to populate the night skies with the stars of all the other authors for children and young adults. She is tireless promoter and advocate for children's literature, a constant and reliable conduit of industry info, and has become
the essential, trusted resource for authors/illustrators, educators, librarians, booksellers.
Cynthia is the author of three titles with Harper Collins--
Jingle Dancer (2000), Rain is Not My Indian Name (2001), Indian Shoes (2002), Santa Knows (Dutton 2006)) and her latest title,
Tantalize (Candlewick 2007) is her first dark fantasy. Horn Book calls it an "intoxicating romantic thriller" and Booklist notes, "...
If Joan Bauer took a crack at dark fantasy, the result would probably be something like this gothic-horror comedy..."Tantalize will be followed by a companion novel entitled Eternal in 2009. She is also the author of numerous articles, and her short stories have been featured in a number of anthologies.
In her 'free time' (sound of Mary and Robin choking on their lattes), Cynthia is a faculty member with Vermont College in the MFA Writing for Children program
* * * * *
Robin and I have pegged you for an introvert? Are we right?
Hm. It depends on the situation. If I'm with friends or familiar colleagues or have a specific purpose, I'm generally relaxed. However, tossed into a roomful of strangers, I'm more likely to become shy. I'm also not a hit-and-run kind of networker or, really, a "networker" of any kind. I'd much prefer to have a friendly, even thoughtful chat witha few interesting folks than "work" the room. The exception to this would be if I'm the host, in which case I certainly would want to personally welcome everyone and thank them for coming.
At a big conference, would you rather:
1. Be the keynote
2. Introduce the keynote
3. Be in the front row of the audience with a group of friends
4. Be in the back of the audience sitting alone
5. Be in the Witness Protection Program
Today I'm somewhat stunned to realize that I'd rather do the keynote, but this was a long evolution. I have a clear memory of being assigned an oral report in Mr. Pennington's senior AP European History class, doing my preparation, practicing in front of a mirror, and the moment I was supposed to launch in, losing all ability to speak. It was utterly beyond me. I'll also never forget that the same teacher allowed me to turn in a written version of my report the same day with no penalty. What a great guy. Later, a university-level Speech class was required for my journalism degree. Though I graduated from a big state school, I took that class one summer at my local junior college so I could be in a smaller setting. There, I overcame much of my anxiety and learned to focus onwhat I was saying rather than my own self-consciousness. For me, that has been the key since. It's so easy to do with children's-YA literature because I have such a passion for reading and the body of literature. It's not about me--it's about the process, the books, the readers, and the people who connect them. I'm just one of the many folks supporting that greater effort andthe community behind it.
What is your favorite book promotion/marketing activity?
I recently had great fun putting together a
book trailer for TANTALIZE (Candlewick, 2007). I worked with a seventeen-year-old genius (Shayne Leighton) on it, and I appreciated her expertise and enthusiasm.
Your least favorite?
I'm uncomfortable doing any kind of event that has evolved, without my knowing, since I agreed to participate. I certainly can be flexible, but shifting gears at the last minute from, say, an informal library chat to a keynote on a specific topic is a challenge.
I think most authors/illustrators would now agree that having a website is nearly an imperative. But, what about a blog? Your thoughts on that?
I enjoy the blogs as a way of "pajama outreach"--you don't have to put on dry-clean-only clothes and get in the car/plane to do it. But it's a personal choice. If you feel burdened by the idea of blogging, then you don't have to (and probably shouldn't). Put the energy into something that feeds you instead. On the other hand, if it sounds attractive, I recommend:
(a) choosing aparticular theme/focus and sticking to it;
(b) posting on a regular schedule (I keep hearing that regularity is more important than frequency);
(c) keeping in mind that, even though the exercise feels private (you're at home alone on your laptop/PC), what you're sending out is public. Building on the latter, I have chatted with a few editors and agents who're uncomfortable with their authors' blogs (and may have even been asked to "talk" to them by higher-ups). What you elect to write is up to you, but remember that your author blog is still a view of your professional face to the world.
I fret that some talented writers maybe losing opportunities to work with certain agents/editors/schools/publishers because of what they're posting. My rule is to never say anything at Cynsations that I wouldn't on the podium or anything at Spookycyn that I wouldn't during lunch after I sat down from the podium. Along the way, I draw heavily on my journalism background. It's a more formal approach than most, and I'm not at all suggesting it should be adopted by anyone else. But do put some thought into process and its reach, both positive and negative.
What is something that you now are comfortable doing that you would have never imagined yourself being able to do?
Everything? Okay, not quite. I always had some sense that I had an aptitude for language and enjoyed playing with it. I wrote a lot of poetry as a child, and later went into school journalism, eventually majoring in it at college. All the surrounding "author" stuff would've been completely beyond me. But writing fiction is a such privilege. If I'd known at age ten that I'd get to do this someday--to be part of this magical, inspirational, sometimes neurotic world of youth literature, that realization would've far exceeded my wildest, most optimistic dreams. It's led the one-time girl who couldn't do a ten-minute oral report to dress like a vampire and throw a launch party for 100.
You have an extraordinary gift of making connections. Where in your past does that come from?Thank you. I consider myself a community author. When I quit my full-time law job with over a hundred thousand dollars in student debt, it was a decision of the heart, not the head. My commitment wasn't only to my own work, which I take quite seriously, but to the children's-YA literature as a whole. I'm not sure where it comes from. My family background is very working class, though... a world where you don't "make connections," you just have people stop by for coffee and donuts. But maybe that's it. There was somehow always room for one more guest in my grandparents shoe-box-sized 1940s cottage. Part of me tries to honor that.
Complete this sentence: Writing conferences are to extraverts, what ___________ are to introverts.
Tsunamis. But I'd suggest reconsidering it. After all, a conference is a manufactured professional setting designed to deliver to you information and opportunity. Much of the groundwork is done for you. Just keep chanting--this isn't about me, it's about my manuscripts.
If you knew you had just 24 hours left to live, blog or not blog?
I'd definitely blog--briefly. I'd thank everyone who'd read Cynsations over the years. I'd thank everyone who shared their thoughts via interviews or news bulletins. I'd wish them all well in the future and say how much they meant to me that day and in the past. Speaking of which, thank you!
* * * * *
Cynthia, thank YOU so much for taking the time with us here today, and all you do to blaze the trail for us. The Shrinking Violet community is on their feet today, giving you a most deserved standing ovation.
Mary and Robin
(IN AWE)
Win an autographed copy of Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2007) at Vampress.net. All you have to do to enter is send an email. The deadline is April 30. See complete information.
Becky's Book Reviews says: "No one is safe in this thrilling vampire tale of murder and seduction." Read the whole review.
Author Alex Flinn writes: "It's more mystery than horror, more horror than comedy, more comedy than coming-of-age story (and probably more Thirsty than Twilight), but it's all these things and more. Even if you don't know much about vampires, I highly recommend Tantalize. It's good undead fun, and I hope Cyn plans a sequel." Read the whole review.
In other news, Tantalize is now in its fifth printing!
Thanks to all for your support!
More News & Links
Melissa Wyatt has launched a new MySpace page. Melissa is the author of Raising the Griffin (Wendy Lamb, 2004).
Enchanted Fridays - Journey of a Novelist features an interview with Polly Shulman, debut author of Enthusiasm (G.P. Putnam's, 2006) from Kimberly's Wanderings: Thoughts, Musings, and the Writing Life of YA Author Kimberley Griffiths Little.
Alma Fullerton offers new interviews with authors Karleen Bradford, Dianne Ochiltree, Katy Duffield, and Robin Friedman. She also offers a new interview with agent Scott Treimel.
Here's a peek at Scott's: "Editors, once authors' in-house protectors, are themselves often treading water, beholden to marketing and sales executives, and often job hopping as a result. An author needs an advocate inside the industry, and that's an agent." Read the whole interview.
Alma's books include In the Garage (Red Deer, 2006) and Walking on Glass (Harper, 2007).
More Personally
"Chatting with Cynthia Leitich Smith" from Hello Ma'am. A look into the writing of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007). The interview is mirrored at Melissa's MySpace blog.
"Shop Talk Tuesday with Cynthia Leitich Smith" from Laura Bowers at Writing Without the Reins. Light and entertaining, beauty-shop style chat. Laura is the debut author of Beauty Shop for Rent (Harcourt, 2007), which is highly recommended.
Thanks to Sara's Holds Shelf for the rave about Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007). Sara says: "Don't read this book on an empty stomach! I'm serious. In the very first paragraph of the first chapter, we find Quincie, our heroine, eating fettuccine with scallops and garlic. I think my mouth actually started watering at that point." As a vampire-restaurant novelist, I can think of no higher praise! Read the whole recommendation.
"Presenting...Cynthia Leitich Smith:" a Girlfriends Cyber Circuit interview by Lara M. Zeises of Girl Uninterrupted: the rambling confessions of a not-so dangerous mind. Lara's books include Anyone But You (Delacorte, 2005), which was a A Pennsylvania School Library Association Fiction Selection for 2005-06 and A Teen People Top 10 Pick. Read a Cynsations interview with Lara.
Thanks to it's not just a sunset, it's a moonrise too, Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2007) readers may join a new MySpace group, Tantalize Fans Unite!
I haven't read anything in book form recently, so I haven't had any books to tell ya'll about. I'm talking Texan in honor of this book set in my current stomping grounds, Austin. It was nice to read a book with lots of place names, and to not only recognize them, have them be somewhere other than New York. Read on now, y'hear?
Tantalize
By Cynthia Leitich Smith
Yesterday our store got in local author's Cynthia Leitick Smith's book. I checked it out, and last night I read it instead of the fascinating marketing book I had planned on reading instead. It was a tough decision. Before I go much farther, I must warn you that (Twilight and Undead and Unwed aside) I don't generally like vampire novels. However, I did enjoy this one. It reminded me a lot of Sunshine(NOT a kid book) by Robin McKinley, an author I adore. In both books the characters live in a world populated with werecreatures and vampires. And that's about where the similarities end. Smith's main character Quince, named meta-textually after the Texan in Dracula — a nice touch I must say — lives for her family's Italian restaurant. The place is more than just an income stream; it's a link to Quince's dead parents and a bond between her and her guardian, Uncle D. After the book opens with a brief passage where we learn that Quince's psuedo-boyfriend is part werewolf, Quince and Uncle D are struggling to redefine their restaurant in a changing market place. They've decided to go campy and have a vampire theme. Then only 5 weeks before opening, the head cook is murdered in something resembling an animal savaging. Who done it? Quince's werewolf? A human trying to make it look were related? Someone else? I won't tell you anymore so that you can enjoy the suspense of the book itself. Although some of the plot and character developments are obvious (I spotted one of the vamps the moment it entered the page), others came out of nowhere. There were a couple of times, especially near the end, that I was just as shocked as Quince at the revelations. And let me tell you, these days it's pretty darn hard to actually surprise me with a plot twist. Bravo! All in all, I would reccommend reading this book. I give it 4 out of 5 wax seals of approval.
Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu (Morrow/HarperCollins, 2000) has been named among best Multicultural Books for Early Childhood Educators in the most current issue of Montessori Life, Volume 19, Number 1, 2007. See page 97. Thanks to Debbie Gonzales for letting me know about this honor.
In other news, Finding Wonderland: The WritingYA Weblog discusses my revision process as mentioned in my recent interview on Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) at Not Your Mother's Book Club.
Thanks to A Fuse #8 Production for highlighting the YABC giveaway contest (20 copies of Tantalize) and Greg's post "How Bleak Thou Art." Thanks also to Stephanie Burgis for ordering Tantalize (enjoy!).
More News & Links
Poetry Friday: Yoga Poems. A recommendation of Twist: Yoga Poems by Janet Wong, illustrated by Julie Paschkis (McElderry, 2007). Source: Writing with a Broken Tusk by Uma Krishnaswami. Read an interview with Uma.
Young Adult (& Kids) Book Central is sponsoring a giveaway contest that features 20 available copies of Tantalize. The challenge is: "Make up a favorite recipe/dish for either a vampire or a werewolf. Be Creative! And remember, answers DO count!" See the entry form. The event is co-sponsored by YABC and Candlewick Press. Please help spread the word!
In review news, Publishers Weekly cheers "...horror fans will be hooked by Kieren's quiet, hirsute hunkiness..." I love the alliteration "hirsuit hunkiness." How fun is that?
Thanks to BookPeople of Austin, Texas for featuring the book in its March newsletter! This is my local independent bookstore. Yay, Austin!
Thanks also to Cat for her kind and enthusiastic welcome to MySpace. I'm honored.
And last, I'd also like to note that I've signed a contract for a new picture book ("Holler Loudly") with Dutton. I'll keep you posted on illustrator and pub-date news.
More News & Links
Congratulations to my pal and fellow Austinite Chris Barton of Bartography on the sale of his SECOND book! Wahoo!
"How Bleak Thou Art:" my comedic writer (and very cute) husband and sometimes co-author, Greg Leitich Smith, blogs about the dearth of YA/tween comedies at Blogger. See also comments on his LJ syndication.
Debbie Reese at American Indians in Children's Literature blogs about Less Than Half, More Than Whole by Michael and Kathleen Lacapa (Northland, 1999). See my bibliographies on books with interracial family themes and Native themes.
I found out yesterday that my new novel, Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007), which was released Feb. 13, is already in its third printing. Thanks to all for your support!
Thanks also to A Fuse #8 Production and Buried in the Slushpile for the kind words about my recent article "How to Throw a Book Launch Party" at Create/Relate.
Here's the latest:
"An Appetizing Gothic Fantasy:" a review of Tantalize by Norah Piehl of BookPage. She cheers: "Quincie's sarcastic narration and take-charge attitude, will appeal to fans—both teens and adults—of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ...readers will certainly be licking their lips at the end of Tantalize, their appetites whetted for Smith's next enticing adventure." Read the whole review.
In other news, I have launched a new MySpace! For now, I have selected the sunset lake design because it reminds me of Austin. Although there will be some crossposting, my plan is to emphasize YA lit on this site--both my own and books by other authors. Please surf by to check it out and consider adding me as a friend.
From Vermont
Union Institute, the current owner of Vermont College, is selling its three MFA programs (including the one in Writing for Children and Young Adults), the campus, and various buildings to the newly-formed Vermont College of the Fine Arts. See the article in the Barr Montpelier Times-Argus. Read interviews with past faculty chair Kathi Appelt and present chair Sharon Darrow.
More News & Links
"Building with Plot Blocks" by Jan Fields from the Institute of Children's Literature.
Learn more about Cecil Castellucci's graphic novel The Plain Janes, illustrated by Jim Rugg (DC Comics/Minx, May 2007). More soon on her fierce and amazing new prose novel, Beige (Candlewick, 2007); read a Cynsations interview with Cecil.
The Den of Shadows: author site by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes.
"Every picture tells a story in Selznick's 'Invention'" by Heidi Henneman from BookPage. See also "Recent graphic novels explore strange new worlds" by Becky Ohlsen from BookPage.
BookPage also offers reviews of the children's books Skyscaper by by Lynn Curlee (Atheneum), The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (Atheneum), Runaround by Helen Hemphill (Front Street), Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson (Putnam), and A Dog Called Grk by Joshua Doder (Delacorte). In addition to Tantalize, featured YA titles include Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson (Viking), The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti (Simon & Schuster), and Harmless by Dana Reinhardt (Wendy Lamb/Random House).
Congratulations to Brent Hartinger on the glowing review by USA Today of his new release, Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (HarperCollins, 2007). Read a recent Cynsations interview with Brent.
"Increasing the Odds That the Book Will Be Read:" an exclusive Authorlink interview with Alan Gratz, author of Samurai Shortstop (Dial, 2006), by Susan VanHecke (March 2007).
Melissa Marr, author of Wicked Lovely (HarperCollins, 2007), visits the YA Authors Cafe. Read her interview and ask her a question. Visit Melissa's site, and learn more about Wicked Lovely.
Newly featured authors and illustrators at Children's Literature include Cynthia Kadohata, Walter Dean Myers, and Susan L. Roth. Read a Cynsations interview with Cynthia.
"Rising Star - Sy Montgomery" from the Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books. Here's a peek: "Sy Montgomery's enthusiastic and skilled nonfiction work first came to the attention of the Bulletin with The Snake Scientist [Houghton Mifflin, 1999], a look at the work of zoologist Bob Mason, who studies, among other subjects, the red-sided garter snakes that inundate Manitoba."
"Writing a Memoir: Should You Do It?" by Lisa Silverman at Absolute Write.
Learn "How to Throw a Book Launch Party" via an article I've written that has been posted to Anastasia Suen's blog, Create/Relate: News from the Children's Book Biz.
Speaking of which, the lovely Elizabeth Garton Scanlon at Liz In Ink is the latest blogger to chime in about my Tantalize launch party. Liz is the author of A Sock is a Pocket for Your Toes: A Pocket Book, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser (HarperCollins, 2004). Visit her author site and read her recent interview at Cynsations.
Don't miss the other party reports from Cynsations, GregLSBlog, Don Tate's Devas T. Rants and Raves, Camille's Book Moot, Jo Whittemore's LJ (great pics!), and Alison Dellenbaugh's Alison Wonderland. Read Cynsations interviews with Greg, Don, and Jo.
My new novel, Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) received a five-star review from Karin Perry at TeensReadToo.com! Karin calls the novel "...a stimulating paranormal mystery mixed with romance. The relationship between Quincie and Kieren is touching and so deep that the reader feels Quincie’s pain at the thought of losing Kieren, while at the same time understanding Kieren’s reasons for keeping Quincie at arms length..." Read the whole review.
Speaking of Tantalize itself, though, Alison Dellenbaugh (AKA She Who Brought Her Own Fangs) offers her report on the novel's launch party at Alison Wonderland. So does Jo--news with many party pics!--at her LJ. And Tanya Lee Stone offers cheers. See the full launch party report.
More News & Links
Interview with Robin Friedman on The Girlfriend Project from Little Willow at Slayground. The Girlfriend Project will be published by Walker in April. Read an excerpt. (By the way, The Girlfriend Project official site is an excellent example of a book-specific site and was designed by Lisa Firke of Hit Those Keys.
The lovely and talented Newbery Award honor recipients offer a show of solidarity for this year's recently challenged winner, Susan Patron, at Cynthia Lord's LJ, "from Jennifer Holm, Kirby Larson, and Me."
Alma Fullerton offers new interviews with authors Kristy Dempsey, Dori Chaconas, and Douglas Rees. She also offers a new interview with agent Nadia Cornier of Firebrand Literary. Nadia says: "I'll overlook a lot for a great story. I mean, I've read some fabulous books that are perfectly crafted but really boring stories - but a really perfect story, even if it isn't perfectly crafted will have such MEANING and resonance. I want those." Read the whole interview.
Thanks to all who celebrated with us in person or in spirit at the launch party for Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) on Friday, Feb. 23!
In keeping with the Sanguini's motif (the fictional vampire restaurant in the novel), guests were asked to sign in as predator or prey.
We decorated in low-key Gothic colors, mostly with accents--including the framed Sanguini's fangs-style logo in the foyer, black-and-red linens for the daybed, black tapers in the candlesticks, black votives in the tray display, black-and-red pillar candles in the fireplace, red drop crystals in the parlor chandelier, black coasters, and black table cloths. Off-limits rooms were marked with crime-scene and police-line tape.
We also set three tables with the matching linens on the front terrace for those who wanted to enjoy the bright, breeze, 70-something degree night.
So far as wardrobe went, I opted for a slinky black shell and pants, black cowbody boots, my snake-wrapped earrings, my antique gold watch necklace (originally grandma's), and a full-length black net cape.
The previous day, Barbara Marin at Bo Salon on South Congress had taken my hair to a near black featuring a subtle dark blue sheen with red stripe accent streaks in front, and Kate Pham, also of Bo, painted my nails in alternating red and black. Many guests commented that they thought I should keep the 'do permanently.
The to-die-for menu, from Primizie Catering, featured: antipasto; smoked salmon gravlox; fresh vegetable crudite platter; imported and domestic artisan cheese board with vineyard grapes and seasonal berries; fresh seasonal fruit; oven dried tomatoes finished with local goat cheese balsamic vinaigreette and snipped chives; Italian sausage "spiedini" with peppers and pecorino romano cheese; calzone with mushrooms and Italian cheeses; miniature stuffed and baked pizza pockets filled with Italian cheeses, wild mushrooms and charred tomato; cocktail sandwiches (wild mushrooms, garlicky spinach and artichoke herb spread on Italian flatbread); and stuffed porcini mushrooms. Absolutely delicious! The calzone and porcini mushrooms were especially popular with our crowd. Guest Anne Bustard graciously provided an Italian creme cake.
Colby Neal 's The Flower Studio designed the gorgeously gothic buffet flowers.
Candlewick Press co-sponsored a giveaway of the final book (guests were each welcome to take one). I pre-autographed the copies. A few folks also bought (prior to the party) and brought more for me to sign.
Door prizes included ARCs of the following 2007 novels by Austin-area authors: Brothers, Boyfriends, and Other Criminal Minds by April Lurie (Delacorte); Onaj's Horn: the Silverskin Legacy (Book Three) by Jo Whittemore (Llewellyn); Runaround by Helen Hemphill (Front Street); and Wonders of the World by Brian Yansky (Flux).
We also gave away a basket filled with fixings for an Italian dinner from Central Market. Contents included: black squid ink pasta; pesto sauce with truffles; sun-dried tomatoes; parmesan; dark chocolate; Sanguini's mug, sticker, mousepad, and magnet; wine biscuits; and a bottle of Travis Peak Cabernet Sauvignon.
We had a crowd of about eighty from throughout Central Texas, though with ebb and flow, there were usually only about sixty people inside the house at any given time.
Guests included such luminaries as writers Brian Anderson, Kathi Appelt, Anne Bustard, Janie Bynum, Betty Davis, Alison Dellenbaugh, Peni R. Griffin, Lila and Rick Guzman, Helen Hemphill, Frances Hill, Varian Johnson, Lindsey Lane, April Lurie, Mark Mitchell, Sean Petrie, Lupe Ruiz-Flores, Liz Garton Scanlon, Elaine Scott, Jerry Wermund, Jo Whittemore, and Brian Yansky, illustrators Gene Brenek, Joy Fisher Hein, Christy Stallop, and Don Tate, current and former Austin SCBWI RAs-authors Tim Crow, Meredith Davis, Debbie Dunn, Julie Lake, and Nancy Jean Okunami, as well as a bounty other book pros (teachers, school and public librarians, university professors of children's/YA lit, and so on), including author-librarian Jeanette Larson, librarian-blogger Camille Powell, and a number of additional book lovers, friends, and significant others.
Kathi Appelt was kind enough to propose a toast!
I'd say about a third of the guests were writers or illustrators, about a third other book folks, and about a third significant others and additional guests, which made for a lovely mix.
My special thanks to the central Texas children's and young adult book community for all of its enthusiasm and support. I'm so honored and thrilled to have such amazing people in my life.
Cynsational Notes
Thanks also to our servers, Anna and Eric! They looked fierce in their custom Sanguini's T-shirts designed by Gene Brenek. Thanks to author Julie Lake for facilitating their hiring.
Thanks also to Michael Helferich for lending us his chainsaw. Because the weather cooperated, we didn't need to have the outdoor fireplace on the terrace, but it gave us peace of mind to have it as a back-up plan.
Primizie Osteria – Italian Café and Wine Bar will open soon at 1000 E. 11th Street, Suite 200 in Austin.
See more party news and pics at GregLSBlog. Once the festivities started, we were too busy to keeping shooting photos, but I'll be sure to highlight any other party posts that may arise. Speaking of which, check out Don's "A tantalizing party" at Devas T. Rants and Raves, Liz's "Community" at Liz In Ink, Camille's "Friday Night Highlights" at Book Moot, "Tantalize Party" (with excellent party pics!) at Jo's LJ, and Alison's "A tantalizing weekend" at Alison Wonderland.
Gene Brenek on Gene Brenek: "Well I had to put on a little 'ABBA Gold' to gear up for this. Let's see, I was born in Houston many moons ago, but not as far back as when ABBA was still in heavy rotation. I was an 80's kid, more Prince back before he changed his name to a hieroglyph and way before he went back to being Prince. Why is my bio suddenly full of old pop artist references? Dunno, I guess that's what happens when I'm left to my own devices.
"Let's move this ahead a few years shall we? I'm currently a creative director for a big ad agency in Austin, Texas. In my spare time, I'm working on a master's in writing for children and young adults at Vermont College, which is truly a great program. I also have been illustrating dummies for my own picture book ideas. Let's just say I don't sleep. And I'm waiting, PATIENTLY, to be discovered. Ahem."
Thanks so much for designing logos for Sanguini's, the fictional vampire restaurant featured in my gothic fantasy, Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007). What was your initial inspiration for the designs?
Designing a logo is a lot like creating a picture book in a way. You need a very simple idea. A logo can't contain several different concepts at once and be effective. The ones with staying power are very iconic.
Certainly what separated the dead from the undead restaurants was the vampire mythology. So I started brainstorming and writing down anything that came to mind when I thought about vampires.
Usually I spend a fair amount of time trying out various color combinations but this assignment begged for two colors. Black, the color of night and red. Yes, black is the absence of color but when you're talking to printers it's still an ink color. Red seemed an obvious but essential choice: blood, wine, marinara.
One logo idea, that for better or worse got nicknamed "the girly one," came out of Quincie's, the protagonist's, femininity. I loved the idea of blood draining off the gothic lettering and dripping down a flowering vine, as if elements of the restaurant were changing who she was.
I also kept coming back to puncture wounds. The other logo (see above) incorporated that idea. So thank you for coming up with a restaurant that had two i's in the name, you made my job easy. If you ever write a book about a vampire-themed Ikea, I may have some leftover ideas for all those umlauted furniture names.
What considerations came into play when developing the logos?
I treated this project as I would any other design project. Before starting any sketches I had a few questions. What the owners were like? What was their vision for the restaurant? Who was their clientele? What cues could I get from the interior spaces? And while that may seem like a tough assignment, given that it's a fictional place, I found that the writing was crafted in such a way that it was very easy for me to get a sense of all of these things.
I approached this as not a design project for author Cynthia Leitich Smith but for Quincie [the protagonist]. I tried to understand her as much as I could and what her sensibilities were. Now it could be argued that Cyn and Quincie are one in the same, certainly there are aspects of that, but they are different people.
What were the challenges in bringing them to life?
Honestly the biggest challenge was not getting to design the menu, interior, the matchbooks, the business cards –all the elements that go into shaping one's identity.
What was your experience working with Printfection and CafePress? Why did you select those companies?
I went with these two companies because they offer so much flexibility. They print on demand, meaning that rather than doing a run of say 100 shirts in every size that I then had to store and ship, when someone places an order then it gets printed and shipped. They take care of it all. And I like the quality of their merchandise.
What advice would you give to folks trying to design and produce book tie-in promotions?
Think outside the box. Why not create items for a fictional vampire themed restaurant? But know that your reader is smart. Just because a tie-in isn't physically in the book, it's a part of the book. Initially I had envisioned staying away from a gothic typeface. I was leaning toward something more modern. Then I read a passage about the gothic lettering on the menu and it guided me away from something slick and contemporary. I needed to remain faithful to the book. It wasn't an entirely blank canvas.
Restaurant items made sense; to me Sanguini's was a prominent character in Tantalize. Designing items based around where the protagonist had gone to school would've made no sense what so ever.
More personally, do you count yourself among fans of the fanged ones? If so, what do you think is the appeal?
Of course I'm a fan. Vampires seem to have all the smarts. They also have big personalities, charisma. You want to hang out with them. Imagine a book where someone opens a tax-attorney-themed restaurant. Yawn.
What do you do when you're not working for the undead?
What do you mean? I'm an art director for an ad agency. I'm always working for the undead.
Actually, I'm writing and illustrating a couple of ideas of my own in the picture book arena. Depending on who you talk to that particular market is either dead or undead. For my sake, I'm hoping it's undead.
Cynsational Notes
Shop Sanguini's at Printfection and CafePress; see the other Sanguini's logo option.
Austin illustrator Gene Brenek has designed two logos to celebrate Sanguini's, the fictional vampire restaurant featured in my upcoming YA gothic fantasy novel, Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007).
The logos are now available on T-shirts, a mousepad, and a cutting board for sale at Printfection and on more T-shirts, a mug, a magnet, and a sticker at CafePress.
Cynsational Notes
Shop Sanguini's at Printfection and CafePress.
Read a story-behind-the-logos interview with Gene and see the other Sanguini's logo option.
More News & Links
Hurry, hurry! Zip over to Julia Durango's LJ to enter her giveaway of Angels Watching Over Me, illustrated by Elisa Kleven (Simon & Schuster, March 2007). Read a related Cynsations interview with Julia.
Artist and Author Cynthia von Buhler Talks about Her Cats at CatChannel.com. Cynthia is the author-illustrator of The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside (Houghton Mifflin, 2006).
A couple of bloggers have commented on my recent interview with Not Your Mother's Book Club, specifically about my revision process. Check out Justine Larbalestier's "Different Strokes" and Stephanie Gunn's "suddenly my writing methodology doesn't seem so strange."
Thanks also to Elizabeth Garton Scanlon and Lara Zeises for cheering my new release, Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007), and return to blogging. Read Cysational interviews with Elizabeth, which was recently recommended by HipWriterMama, and with Lara.
Read the latest interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith (me again) at Not Your Mother's Bookclub. The topic is my new YA gothic fantasy title, Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007), and the Q&As are fangfully fantastic. Here's a sneak peek:
"As for the long answer... It hardly seems possible, but I first began looking through magazines for photos to inspire characters and asking them to write letters to me in late 2001. I don't know though that I did more than just flirt with the story in that first year. I was essentially gathering courage. In the couple of years that followed, I wrote short stories for a number of anthologies, taking full advantage of the opportunity to stretch my skills. Write stronger. Braver. Fangs out. Eventually, I sank in with a vengeance."
More News & Links
Check out the latest review, this one from the Wordcandy Blog. Here's a taste: "Tantalize features a genuine sense of foreboding, contrasted with the frenetic atmosphere of a major restaurant opening. This unusual combination made for a constantly surprising and highly effective horror story."
The 11th Carnival of Children's Literature from MotherReader.
2007 Oklahoma Book Award finalists include: Sharon Darrow for Trash (Candlewick); Molly Levite Griffis for Paradise of the Prairie (Eakin); and Tim Tingle for Crossing Bok Chitto (Cinco Puntos). See the whole list. Read a Cynsations interview with Sharon.
From Page to Screen: Gabor Csupo's Bridge to Terabithia by Martha V. Parravano from The Horn Book.
Author Alma Fullerton offers new interviews with authors Niki Burnham and Mark L. Williams as well as agent Stephen Malk of Writer's House.
Author Anastasia Suen has launched the Blog Central Guide, highlighting children's authors and illustrators' blogs. Read an interview with Anastasia.
Debbi Michiko Florence has launched her redesigned author site. See her new interview with Sally Keehn, author of Magpie Gabbard and the Quest for the Buried Moon (Philomel, 2007). Learn more about Debbi's superheroic web designer Lisa Firke of Hit Those Keys (who also is my web designer).
The YA Authors Cafe offers its first interview at a new location. Cynthia Leitich Smith (that would be me) is the featured author, and I'm talking about Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007).
Here's a sneak peek: "My world is eclectic, and (also unlike most genre fiction) reflects the diversity of our real one. Peel back the scary romp, and there's depth there--thematic treatments of alcholism, feminism, race and class relations, all through analogy. But many YAs will just enjoy the marinara-baked chills, and that's just fine."
Read the whole interview. Leave a question in the comments today.
Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, Feb. 13, 2007) is now available. Here's a peek:
Classified Ads: Restaurants
Sanguini's: A Very Rare Restaurant is hiring a chef de cuisine. Dinners only. Apply in person between 2 and 4 P.M.Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her hybrid-werewolf first love threatens to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. And just as she and her uncle are about to debut Austin's red hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef.
Can Quincie transform the new hire into a culinary dark lord before opening night? Will Henry Johnson be able to wow the crowd in fake fangs, a cheap cape, and red contact lenses? Or is there more to this earnest fresh face than meets the eye?
As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything?
Tantalize marks Cynthia Leitich Smith's delicious debut as an author of dark fantasy.
Here are the official blurbs:"Looking for something to read that will make your TV jealous? Cynthia Leitich Smith's Tantalize has it all—hot vampires and wolf-boys, a super-cool heroine in cowboy boots, nail-biting suspense, romance, chills 'n' thrills, and Austin, Texas. What more could you want?"
--
Libba Bray, author of
A Great and Terrible Beauty and
Rebel Angels"Full of unexpected, delicious delights that kept me guessing and turning the pages, Tantalize creates a froth of danger, suspense, and wit. This original book tantalizes the senses indeed, as it explores the border between attraction and disgust, and makes us question our perceptions. Who are you? Predator or prey?"
--
Annette Curtis Klause, author of
Blood and Chocolate,
The Silver Kiss, and
Freaks! Alive on the InsideIn breaking news, we have new reviews:"If
Joan Bauer took a crack at dark fantasy, the result would probably be something like this gothic-horror comedy..." and goes on "...the immersion in food culture--including an overhauled menu, as grisly as it is gourmet--successfully builds on the sensual aspects of vampire mythology."
--Booklist
"An intoxicating romantic thriller... Quincie's longing for a physical relationship with her boy-wolf is as palpable as the taste of the food... Smith adds a light touch of humor to the soup, but the main course is a dark romance with all the gory trimmings."
--
The Horn Book Magazine"Quincie must make a terrifying choice in a heart-pounding climax that will have teen readers weeping with both lust and sorrow."
--Kirkus Reviews
Check out all the buzz!
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Cynthia Leitich Smith is a huge supporter of the YA writing community who truly rocks. I recently wrote a guest post for her awesome blog, Cynsations, about writing "true" vs. "likeable" characters. She also happens to be the New York Times and Publishers Weekly best-selling author of the Tantalize series: ETERNAL, TANTALIZE, and BLESSED, Gothic fantasies from Candlewick. TANTALIZE: KIEREN’S STORY, illustrated by Ming Doyle, is a graphic edition in which Cynthia re-envisions her dark fantasy through Wolfish eyes. How cool is that?
"I anticipated that the cover would nod overtly to Kieren’s identity as a human werewolf-hybrid. We often see this with books that involve a shape-shifter protagonist. I tend to prefer those in which it’s more subtle, like Vivian’s wolf shadow on the original cover of Annette Curtis Klause’s Blood and Chocolate (right).
Great interview! Really dig CLS as she's a fellow Texan AND crazy talented!
EJ
I have a new blog which includes reviews on books! So far I have done The Vampire Diaries review! please check it out - michellebebeautiful.blogspot.com/ xx