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I'm working on revisions for Hollyweird and I'm trying to work out a sticky plot point, but I haven't come up with the perfect thing yet. I know eventually I'll be zapped with an "Aha!" moment, but I hope it hurries up. LOL. I don't like feeling stuck. In the meantime I'm doing research and looking for inspiration everywhere. I want to nail this ending!

This weekend I'm going to the Colorado Teen Lit Conference and I'm really looking forward to it. I get to visit with some authors I only get to see at these events (Lauren Myracle, Todd Mitchell, Amy Kathleen Ryan) and I'm looking forward to meeting new authors Amy Efaw and Becca Fitzgerald (who I've only spoken to on email). 

I'm also really excited to FINALLY meet Ellen Hopkins. We had stories together in the anthology Breaking Up Is Hard To Do and I have an essay in the anthology about her work, Flirtin' with the Monster. Ellen and I have talked on email, and both Lynda and Nic have met her, but I've yet to have that pleasure. 

Even more fun will be having two of my creative writing club teens attend with me. :) I know the Kels(e)ys are going to have a blast! 

This conference is always a favorite of mine. And this year the weather is supposed to be much nicer than last year so attendance should be higher.  

Can't wait!

I've been doing a lot of workshops and programs lately at area library events. It's something I really enjoy doing, although I still get nervous and consider myself a beginner on the circuit. If you've been to any of my events you've probably heard me rave about a book I recently finished. I brought the book up not only because I LOVED it, but because it's a great example of realistic fiction and because I always tell writers to never hold back. Amy Efaw's AFTER is about a teen who gets pregnant, but she's one of those rare girls you occasionally hear about in the news. She's so far in denial that she doesn't really show and her fam and friends have no idea. When she delivers the baby she goes into complete shock and breaks down. She takes the infant, puts it in a garbage bag and throws it away. The baby is found and the teen mom is arrested and put in a juvie center. The story is about her coming to grips with what she's done and it masterfully shows her psychological unraveling as her denial slowly slips away. I was in awe of this book. Amy made me FEEL Devon's shock from the very first scene and took me on a journey of fear, self-discovery, regret and hope. I call myself a popcorn fiction writer. My stories are entertaining, but I don't know how impactful they are. For me, Amy's story resonated and affected me enough I wanted to pass on my recommendation and I wanted to elevate my own storytelling. I thought she was fearless and did amazing research, which is why I find it HUGELY irritating to learn that she's getting bashed by commenters following an NPR article and interview. In no way do I have the reach that NPR does, but I'll do my part to recommend this to everyone I know. And maybe those commenters on NPR might consider reading the entire book before tearing it and the author apart. And, no, I don't know Amy, but I've written to tell her how much I love her book. :)



Publisher's Weekly
Starred Review
"It's an emotionally wrenching story that will keep readers' attention through its surprising conclusion."

VOYA 
"Chilling, realistic and horrifying, this book examines clinical denial in a young girl. Graphic and heart-wrenching, this book belongs in every high school and public library."  Reviewer: Nancy K. Wallace

SLJ
This is a skillfully written, emotionally raw story detailing one girl's difficult journey from denial of her circumstances to acceptance and redemption.—Sharon Morrison, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OK

 

Today I have the pleasure of sharing with you all my first author interview :) So without further ado, I welcome Amy Efaw, author of Battle Dress and After. A mother of five, I’m impressed that she has any time to write, let alone do a ton of radio interviews (read more about those on her blog) and even respond to me :D. Amy Efaw’s most recent novel for young adults, After, does a fantastic job dealing with the “Dumpster baby” phenomenon (see my review from yesterday for more on the book).

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KB: What was your inspiration for After?
AE: I first got the idea for AFTER while living in Philadelphia with my law student husband and then 3 little kids, all under the age of 5. One cold winter day, the big news story in Philly was of an off-duty police officer and his pit bull. During their early morning walk, they stumbled across a live baby in a trash bag that was left at the curb. That incident got me thinking about the issue – how could someone do something like that? And why? Then a couple of years later, I had just published my first book for teens, BATTLE DRESS, and I was trying to figure out the topic of my next novel. We were living in Washington State, I was pregnant with my fifth child, and my Army prosecutor husband got his own “Dumpster baby” case to try! At that point, I just knew that I had to write a novel involving the “Dumpster baby” phenomenon.

KB: How did you choose the title?
AE: Actually, the working title I used while I was writing the book was AFTER BIRTH (which I thought was perfect – gritty and graphic, but also clever because of its double meaning). But my publisher thought it was just too icky (“afterbirth” – one word – is another term for “placenta,” and my publisher felt that too many people would’ve been grossed out by that title). So, we tossed around many different ideas, which just weren’t working for one reason or another. And then one day, my amazing editor Joy Peskin and some of the other “decision-makers” at Viking were meeting around some conference room table (at least, that’s how I imagine it happened), and they came up with the simple, but intriguing, title AFTER. And I really liked it, too!
In fact, Joy emailed me about their choice right after the meeting, hoping I’d like it. She wrote, “And, hey “After” is half of your original title :)!”

KB: When did you start writing?
AE: When did I start writing, period? Well, one day in junior high, my 7th grade English teacher called me up after class. She told me she was so impressed with one of the creative writing stories I had turned in to her, that she wanted to submit it for publication. That was the first seed – a teacher telling me I wrote well. A couple of years later in high school, I started writing a novel, but I never finished it. Over the years, I’d write poetry just for myself. But I seriously considered trying to become a writer when I became a mom. I’d sit around in the children’s section of this really cool Borders Bookstore in Philadelphia and read picture books to my kids, and I thought, “Hey! I can do this!” So, I got to work.
I wrote a couple of picture book manuscripts first and sent them off to publishers. But I didn’t have much luck besides collecting rejection letters. But I didn’t give up. Then I attended a weeklong children’s writer’s conference in Chautauqua, New York (I had won a full-ride scholarship to it), and when I returned home all inspired, I started a novel, based on my experience as a female cadet at West Point. It sold before I had even finished it! That was my first book for teens, BATTLE DRESS.

KB: Why did you choose to write for teens?
AE: I might get into trouble for saying this, but I’m going to do it anyway – I think in many ways you have to be a better writer to hold a teen’s attention than an adult’s. We young adult authors have a lot of competition – video games and MySpace and TV and iPods and text messaging, etc. If we don’t grab our audience right away, our book will be tossed, relegated to some corner in a closet or under the bed, never to be cracked again. Adults tend to be more patient when they read; they’ll give a book more time to draw them in.
Also, I believe that teens tend to be more open to new ideas than adults tend to be. Not that I write with an agenda in mind, but as an author, I think it’s a powerful thing to possibly affect the way people look at a particular issue or expose them to a new concept.

KB: What do you hope readers will get out of reading After?
AE: Of course I’d like to bring more awareness to the “Dumpster baby” issue. But even more than that, I’d hope AFTER encourages readers to get involved in other people’s lives. Don’t sit by when your friends withdraw into themselves or change. Take a risk, step up, and ask, “What’s going on with you?” OR “I’m worried about you.” And don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Life can be tough; we need to help each other get through it when we can.

KB: Are you working on anything right now?
AE: Yep, I’ve started working on my next novel for teens. It’ll be another psychological, “get into the head” type story. The going is kind of slow at the moment since AFTER is just coming out, and I’ve been bombarded with tons of radio and blog interview requests, so I’ve been funneling my time in that direction lately. I get distracted very easily, unfortunately! And having five busy kids, my writing often gets shoved onto the back burner.

KB: Thanks, now for a few random questions. Since it’s August, what’s your favorite summer food?
AE: I really love a good burger, grilled out. Lots of ketchup. And ice cream – anything with chocolate. I have a couple of really cool ice cream shops within walking distance of my house in North Denver, so that’s been my vice this summer – taking a walk in the evenings with my husband, Andy, and stopping to grab a scoop!

KB: What song is playing in your head the most right now?
AE: “Paper Planes” by M.I.A.

KB: What question do you wish you were asked more often?
AE: “So, when is that next book coming out?” Because I could always use that extra kick in the butt to stay on task!
KB: Haha, I’m sure we’ll all have to keep that in mind ;) Thanks so much for visiting and best of luck to you.

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After was released just last week - August 11th - so that means you don’t even have to wait to get a copy. And for even more about Amy Efaw, visit her website and check out this website for After.

First, I just HAVE to share the captivating book trailer that Penguin released:





After tells the story of Devon, a girl who was once a completely normal teenager. Scratch that – Devon was never just normal. She was a hardworking straight-A student with an undeniable talent for soccer who as a high school student acted as mature as a college grad. Then one day a newborn baby appears abandoned in a dumpster – the same day that Devon is home sick. It’s not long before the connection is made, identifying the baby as Devon’s and leaving her with multiple criminal charges, the most serious of which being attempted homicide.

I’ve always been horrified and almost disgusted by the concept of dumpster babies, so After really opened my mind. I was incredibly impressed by Amy Efaw’s ability to make Devon a sympathetic character, especially considering that After isn’t even narrated directly by Devon. Amy Efaw creates a likeable though desperate protagonist who is not yet sixteen to make the issue far more complex than today’s media generally makes it out to be. Especially due to the emphasis put on intent, the courtroom scenes were fascinating, and as a reader it felt like you were there in the courtroom with Devon and Dom.

After makes great use of flashbacks to slowly reveal the entire story behind Devon’s pregnancy and her baby’s birth. These flashbacks truly contribute to the novel’s intensity without confusing the reader. Amy Efaw’s characters, especially Devon and her mother, felt very realistic, even when, in the case of Devon’s mother, they weren’t always likeable. I was really moved by the ending and impressed by Devon’s maturity, something you can hardly say about many the protagonists in many young adult novels. Though I only finished reading After a few hours before writing this review, I can say honestly say that I haven’t been able to get my mind off of the book since finishing it. The questions posed by After are incredibly thought provoking, and I expect to continue thinking it over for some time to come. I should warn you, though. After is a gritty novel about a sensitive subject and some of the excerpts are graphic. I believe readers need to approach After knowing you’re in for a serious read in order to really appreciate it. I give it a 9 out of 10.

P.S. Check back tomorrow for an interview with Amy Efaw!!
P.P.S. Don’t you love the cover? The subtlety of the girl’s reflection is ingenious.

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi from The Story Siren. Here's what I found in my mailbox, at the bookstore, and at the library these last two weeks. Summaries are taken from Amazon, B&N, and GoodReads.

Today is release day for Amy Efaw's new teen novel After and I am wholeheartedly encouraging you all to go out and grab this one. A tough subject does not even begin to describe what the reader is getting into, but the writing and the emotion are incredible, the main character a realistic portrayal of a teen girl, and the plot completely riveting.

Devon is an overachieving high school sophomore, a star soccer player with an amazing GPA, and a whole lot going for her. Until she secretly gives birth and puts her baby in a trash can. Though initially shocking, Efaw manages to give the reader a glimpse into just what Devon went through during an unplanned pregnancy, birth, and ultimate arrest and placement in a juvenile facility and empathize with her. A good, straight-laced kid put in a jail system for an absolutely unthinkable crime is typically not a subject to evoke sympathy, but Devon could have been me when I was a sophomore. She could have been my best friend. And I think teens will get a lot out of her story.

Completely realistic, from the description of Devon before getting pregnancy right down to the courtroom scenes, it is obvious that author Efaw did her research and is rewarded with what will prove to be a very popular novel. Not an easy read by any means, but certainly one you won't be able to put down.

Efaw also includes an author's note at the end of the story, letting us in on what inspired her to write After and some statistics on how often this occurs.

Abby is giving away two copies of this book! Head on over to her site to enter :)

Thanks again to Abby for her ARC!