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Have you ever seen a John Wayne movie? I hadn't - until I read Girl, Hero by Carrie Jones.

The Girl in question is a high school freshman named Liliana. Lili's not looking for someone to save her, but rather someone to listen to her. Aside from her cat, Muffin, she really doesn't have anyone. Her parents aren't together. She only sees her day on Sundays (and that's about all she can deal with) and her mom, who hasn't had the best romantic track record, is now dating a guy who's pretty creepy. Meanwhile, her older sister, Jessica, in also in a bad relationship, and her best friend, Nicole, isn't so nice anymore.

Remember Leigh, the boy who wrote letters to his favorite author in Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary? If you like epistolary novels (stories told through letters) like that, then you'll like Girl, Hero. Rather than sharing her thoughts and feelings with someone she knows, Lili writes letters to John Wayne. She thinks the world of Mr. Wayne. She watches his movies over and over and wishes that he were her father.

As a fellow actor, I respected John Wayne's body of work and his lengthy career, but I had never sat down and watched one of his films. You see, I'm not really a fan of westerns. Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and things of that nature, I'll watch, but not so much the shoot-'em-ups or saloon brawls. After reading Girl, Hero, I watched the movie True Grit - just for you, Carrie!

With the help of some new friends, Lili summons up the nerve to audition for the school musical. Though I'm not particularly a fan of South Pacific, I'm always happy to read stories which feature productions*, and I cheered Lili on as she found her voice and her footing.

Throughout the book, Carrie Jones does a great job of making Lili really sound like a freshman. Not overly naïve and never striving to be sophisticated, Liliana is simply a girl in her early teens trying to quietly deal with everything and everyone around her.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Each of us has the potential to be a hero, even as we're looking for someone else to save us. I truly believe that you can be your own hero, and I'm glad that Lili learned this, too.

Read my review of Girl, Hero at SparkLife!

* Looking for more stories about performances, practices, and prestige? Check out my booklists called But I Don't Want To Be Famous! and But I DO Want to Be Famous!

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Looking for an online book group? Look no further! readergirlz actively discuss books AND are active in their communities. At the readergirlz forum, it's easy to strike up a conversation with other readers.

Every month, we host an hour-long chat at the readergirlz forum and discuss that month's book pick with the author and with each other.

Join our chat tonight! We'll be discussing Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham with the author herself. We hope to see you there this evening.

This Month's Book: Shark Girl
This Month's Guest: Kelly Bingham
Date: TODAY, Thursday, April 24th
Start Time: 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST

Want to learn more about this month's book? Check out our roundtable discussion of Shark Girl.

Don't forget to bookmark www.readergirlz.com

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The readergirlz book selection for April is Shark Girl, a verse novel by Kelly Bingham about a young woman whose life changes after she loses an arm. Little Willow, Miss Erin, and Lorie Ann Grover gathered around a virtual roundtable to discuss the book.

Little Willow: I'm fond of saying that Shark Girl is 95% verse novel but 100% heart.

Miss Erin: When I finished reading it, I felt that the story wouldn't have been as good if it'd been told using prose. For certain "tough subjects," verse novel seem to make the story feel starker, more real, more close somehow. Does anyone else feel the same way?

Lorie Ann Grover: Verse is the perfect format to carry intense emotion about hard subjects. Shark Girl definitely deals with these. Verse allows readers to jump in and out of the poems. We have a chance to consider and recover and move forward. It's not as daunting as, say, an entire prose chapter on amputation.

LW: Lorie Ann, you've written multiple verse novels. For you, what's the most difficult part of the writing process? The easiest?

Lorie Ann: I'm actually writing in both prose and verse now, and I don't find either is easier or harder to write. What I do find is each has its own
benefits. Prose carries far more details; verse provides the punch because of its visual impact and structure. I love them both! The work in verse is to pare down to the essentials. The work in prose is to tell enough to create a real sense of place. I guess those are my goals.

LW: I write poetry from time to time, but more often, they are lyrics. I write songs, and they tend to appear complete with lyrics, melodies, and harmonies, all at once.

Erin: I write poems - free verse, mostly. I'd love to write a novel in verse one day.

LW: Write it, Erin!

Lorie Ann: Jumping in here. I don't write much stand alone poetry anymore. I just have so many novels I'm rewriting! Although standalone poems will eek out of me into board books. I love the format so much.

Erin: I adore verse novels. My favorites are Make Lemonade by Virginia Wolff and Loose Threads and On Pointe by Lorie Ann Grover. My favorite poet is Emily Dickinson. I have a book of her complete poetry collection.

LW: Emily is my favorite poet as well.

Erin: What's your favorite poem by Emily? It changes all the time for me, but at the moment I really love poem #704.

LW: I have always favored one of her most famous pieces, ##288 - I'm Nobody! Who are you? I discovered #953 - A Door just opened on a street just a few years ago and like that quite a lot as well. My favorite poem/passage from Shark Girl is this:

Their heads lean toward each other.
Their whispers reach my ears.
The two girls over there
fingering their notebooks,
staring.

If they would lift their tinted eyelashes
they would notice I'm staring back.
But they don't.
So I turn in my chair,
placing my shoulder out of their sight.

Erin: Here's my favorite passage:

You know the part in Cinderella
when everyone goes to the ball
and she sits at home, crying?
It wasn't because her gown was ripped.
It was because she knew
she was an idiot
for thinking
she could grab a prince.

Lorie Ann: I love Ghost, printed in light gray before the book begins. Here's the last portion:

Sometimes
a prickle crawls across my cheek,
and that right hand tries to
rise from the grave,
moved to scratch.
The fingers, palm.
wrist, and arm
that I remember,
don't know enough
to know
peace.

Erin: Oh yes, that one gives me chills!

LW: After Jane loses her arm, she has to learn how to write and draw with her other hand.

Erin: I was rooting so hard for her! I knew that she could get back to it. Her determination and bravery was inspiring.

Lorie Ann: It was a huge undertaking but so important for her soul and felt purpose. I loved the support she received from family and friends to just try.

LW: Does this book make you reluctant to swim in the ocean?

Erin: Not really. I guess I don't want fear of something that may never happen to keep me from enjoying something as amazing and wonderful as the ocean. What is meant to be will be.

Lorie Ann: Yes! But JAWS did that back in the seventies, I guess. Growing up in Miami, sharks were always on our mind. Sections of beaches get closed
because of shark sightings in shallow water. (Lorie Ann shivers) It's a reality. I always think about it when I go in. And then the gators are in the fresh water. We used to swim in a sulphur pond with the gators. We got out whenever they came to our side of the pond. Water equals predators (sharks, gators, water mocassins, man o'war jellyfish, eels. Maybe that's why I love the Pacific Northwest beaches. You hardly ever go in.

LW: Don't tell Maureen Johnson about the jellyfish! My favorite sea creatures are otters. When I was a kid, I had a friend who loved sharks almost as much as she loved cats. What are your general feelings about sharks?

Erin: As long as I'm seeing them behind glass, I'm okay with them!

Lorie Ann: Scary, scary beasties that freak me out! Was I happy when my daughter fed the sharks by walking on a plank with no rails above the middle of their huge tank? She dropped chunks of fish to them? (She was job shadowing Marine Biologists.) Yikes! Although, most of my nightmares have orcas in them...

LW: Sadly, there are people who judge others based on their appearance. Have you ever felt as if you were judged on your looks, or on your abilities or disabilities?

Erin: Well, as an actor, I am constantly being judged by my abilities. It's tough, when I don't get a role, not to take it personally sometimes.

Lorie Ann: I'm usually quickly judged on my height. I'm perceived as haughty rather than shy.

LW: Any closing thoughts?

Lorie Ann: Thanks, Kelly, for writing a book to encourage readers to redefine themselves after life changing events. Thanks for inspiring us!

"Big picture, Jane," he says.
"You could have died.
Instead, you are here. You have time to find out why.
You have your whole life to discover
and rebuild."

If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll check out previous roundtable discussions, which include three friends giving A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian a try and the postergirlz for readergirlz considering Just Listen by Sarah Dessen.

Related Posts at Bildungsroman:
Interview: Kelly Bingham
Book Review: Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
Booklist: Verse Novels

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Class of 2k9 Accepting Applications...

An executive member of online marketing collective the Class of 2k9 posted to the CW list on Friday saying that the Class is accepting applications for membership. If you have a mid-grade or YA novel under contract for 2009 publication and have an interest in joining the Class of 2k9, you can e-mail them at theclassof2k9@hotmail.com.

If you're not familiar with the Class of 2k7 and Class of 2k8, visit their websites. Also see Greg Fishbone's 2008 CWIM article: "Class of 2k7: First-Time Authors Band Together for Book Promotion" (pgae 98).

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I'm a cross-poster today!  (Oh, the scandal.)  This was posted on the Class of 2k7 blog, but I wanted to post it here as well because I really like the interview I did with Sarah about her amazing young adult novel debut, HEAD CASE.  Enjoy!

“One mistake.
One bad night.
One too many drinks.”

Frank Marder is a head, paralyzed from the neck down, and it’s his fault. He was drinking. He was driving. Now Frank can’t walk, he can’t move, he can’t feel his skin. He needs someone to feed him, to wash him, to move his body. Now he must learn to deal with his lack of independence, his parents, his sister, his friends.

Will he ever feel like a whole person?

When you're a head, do you ever get to forgive yourself?

But if you ask most of the people who post on www.quadkingonthenet, he hasn’t been adequately punished. Two people are dead because of him. Frank should go to jail. Only “Anonymous” disagrees.

A powerful and heartbreaking debut novel about a guy who had it all… until he drank that one last beer and got into the car. Head Case will make you consider how we judge each other. And how we can move beyond our mistakes—with honesty, compassion, and even humor.

“…full of humor and the strength of the human spirit.”—Reading Rants

"It will make a strong impression on readers with its raw emotion and bitter narrative tone."�Booklist

"Aronson's raw first novel delves into the emotions, mobility, daily functions (e.g., eating, talking on a phone and using a computer) and even the pleasures and sex of quadriplegics. Above all, it asks us to consider how we value individuals with disabilities."�Kirkus Reviews

"First time novelist Sarah Aronson's take on a situation that most people would consider nightmarish manages to not only be hopeful, but also full of humor and the strength of the human spirit."�Reading Rants


Okay, Sarah, I was blown away by Frank and the raw, beautifully honest look into his life that you gave us. How were you able to tap into his emotions and were there times when it felt as though his story was too difficult to tell?

I am so glad that you enjoyed the book, Laura. Frank’s voice was the first thing to come to me—and it was always clear and raw and honest. The inspiration for the book came from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s THE SCARLET LETTER. I asked myself who would be today’s Hester Prynne—and what crime would that person have to commit to receive universal shunning. In my mind, the crime was vehicular manslaughter—and driving while drunk. The scarlet letter was the chair. Tapping into those feelings—isolation, the pain of being labeled, the inability to help yourself—helped me understand Frank better.

As a physical therapist, you’ve helped many people who have experienced a traumatic injury. Has being around patients with a spinal cord injury, or telling Frank’s story change you or your outlook on life?

Working with people with disabilities definitely changed my outlook on life. When you are recovering from an injury—when you are dependent on others for the most intimate activities of daily living—a lot comes up. As a physical therapist, I held some of the keys to independence. The families I got to know were strong. They were determined and stubborn and loyal and optimistic. They held on to their memories—but eventually, we had to look forward together. There was always a moment when they had to let go of the person that was for the person that would be. Those moments changed me forever.
We all take risks. We can’t live in fear. But now I take nothing for granted.

Has HEAD CASE always been the original title?

Yes. I’m a titler. I can’t write a word without a title.

You initially wrote HEAD CASE as a poetry novel. What was it that made you decide to turn it into prose?

Honestly, it was not my choice. I loved that poetry, or maybe, I loved that I had written it, but my trusted readers (including my advisors at Vermont College) encouraged me to try it in prose. They made me re-imagine the book. Starting from scratch was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but I’m glad I did. The poetry acted like an emotional springboard. The prose helped me enrich and deepen the story.

I was intrigued by Frank’s mother and the obsession she developed after 911 over bad news and petty gossip, especially since her own son was involved in a tragic accident that sparked much debate in their small town. Will Frank’s decision to face his fears and speak at his school inspire her to change or will she still hold on to this obsession?

I hope so, but the truth is, I know a lot of people like this. Before we’ve gotten out of bed, we scan the media for bad news—from gossip to tragedy. I don’t think that’s about to end.

I love your cover, from the photo used, to the red font color and the black outline of the wheelchair. Did you have any input in this?

No. Not at all! I am so grateful to Laurent Linn for designing this perfect cover. He understood the book. (And I love that the back text is on the slant!)

Another fascinating character is Freeberg, a patient who first shares a hospital room with Frank and then later returns after having another accident. Has this ever happened to any of the patients you worked when you were a physical therapist?

Freeberg is a totally fictional character, but I did treat one patient twice for two separate injuries. Risk takers don’t stop taking risks just because they’ve been injured.

I remember reading on the Class of 2k7 blog that you didn’t discover young adult literature until you were an adult. What sparked this discovery and why did you want to write young adult books as a result?

When I was a kid, I hated reading. I grew up loving TV, theater, and film. I found young adult literature after I started writing. One of my writing pals, Cindy Faughnan, got me hooked on books. She started handing me classics and contemporary YA and MG novels. I owe her a lot! I don’t think you can be a writer without being a reader first.

While I don't want to give away the identity of “Anonymous” for those who have yet to read your book, that person’s role was so poignant and beautiful, the perfect way to end your book. Has this always been the original ending?

No. But teshuvah—forgiveness—has always been an important theme. The ending came from that.

Do you have a favorite line or passage from the book, one that can still give you chills?

“Once I was a boy who became a man. Then I was a man who became a head.”  That line makes me sad.

Can you tell us a little bit about your next book or what you’re working on next?

I’m working on two projects. A middle grade novel about luck, and a young adult novel about the aftermath of a young woman’s attempted suicide.

How’s Frank doing now? Where do you see him in ten years?

In early drafts, I hinted at a future that included college and love. But it felt convenient and unrealistic. Unfortunately, many people with high complete spinal cord injuries die young. My greatest hope is that the book will inspire people to raise money for spinal cord injury research, and we will find a cure—and make this book historical fiction!

Thanks so much, Sarah, and best of luck with HEAD CASE and your current projects!

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Published as part of Penguin's Students across Seven Seas (S.A.S.S.) line, Girl Overboard by Aimee Ferris charts Marina's trip aboard a ship with kids from around the world. (Read my full review.) The well-traveled author dropped by, speaking at length about places I've never been, conservation efforts, and her love for dolphins and octopi.

Your book's main character, Marina, grew up in Vermont and plans to attend the University of Hawaii. What is your hometown, and where did you study?

Like Marina, I lived in Stowe -- which is a gorgeous little mountain village in the middle of Vermont. However, I grew up in Illinois just 15 minutes over the Mighty Miss. from St. Louis. Our house sat in a rural town smack dab between a corn field, a bean field, and a whole lot of cows -- not exactly where you'd expect someone who's done thousands of scuba dives to come from! I had planned to attend U of Hawaii and was actually accepted into the Marine Biology program, but my plans changed and I am now finishing the last of my degree in Philosophy from the University of Illinois. Just for the fun of it, I've been known to argue that dolphins should be considered persons in the occasional ethics class -- a little homage to my past life.

Your experiences as a divemaster and dolphin trainer lend real credence to the story. Do you still work with marine life?

Sadly, no -- and I'm probably the most annoying person in the world to take on an aquarium visit. I tend to forget where I am and fall into divemaster nature lecture mode! I haven't given in to the urge to slide into the tanks to play with the octopi though…yet. I'm now landlocked here in the mountains of New York State. Beautiful scenery, but I've traded the sight of breaching humpbacks from my lanai for lumbering black bears fromm my back deck.

It sounds as though dolphins are to you what otters are to me, except I've never had the opportunity to work with otters. Tell me a little known fact about dolphins.

I managed to sneak some cool tidbits into the book -- like the tiny bone still found in the hip area that some scientists believe suggests they might have developed from a prehistoric wolf-like creature who had to turn to the sea for sustenance and spent ever increasing length of time diving underwater for food and that they “sleep” with one brain hemisphere at a time, keeping the other in an alert mode to stay safe from predators. Now otters would be fun to scuba with!

How can landlocked readers help save the oceans? Or, if that sounds too heady, contribute to conservation programs?

This is such a massively huge area to cover that it makes this a difficult question to explain well. I guess the best way to answer that is that all rivers run to the sea, so besides (once old enough) being politically aware when bills come into play that effect the health of our oceans, being environmentally aware in everyday life - no matter how landlocked! – all will have a positive effect on marine life.

Marina's name fits her perfectly since she wants to become a marine biologist. When you were a teenager, what did you want to be?

I really wanted to be an artist. I had my heart set on attending the Art Institute of Chicago, but someone or other during my high school years convinced me that art was not a very practical field of education to pursue (insert sound of giant raspberry). Everything works out for a reason though, and I can't imagine doing anything differently than I did (which was somewhat along the lines of close my eyes tight and let the current take me where it chose). But I will admit to reliving that decision making time from my past in my next novel. One of the perks of writing fiction -- you can rewrite your script, names changed to protect the innocent of course, hehe.

You once were a volunteer EMT. Would you ever write a fiction or non-fiction book about that experience?

I also write for magazines and newspapers and have written some essays based on my experiences, but I'd like to work on a longer piece someday. It was such an amazing experience that I want to be sure to approach it the right way to really express what an incredible experience it was.

This is going to sound strange, coming from a girl who is barely five feet tall, but I liked that Marina was 5'11", and that the characters, who came from all over the world, looked and sounded quite different. Which character is the most like you?

They probably all had elements I could relate to, but a lot of the character's flavor came in varying degrees from real people I've traveled with.

Link is based on a real Aussie raft guide (and yes, he is totally gorgeous) who I lived with on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Marina reminded me of a very cool and beautiful girl (who was equally clueless as Marina to her outward amazing looks - in a good way) I worked on boats with in Maui. She was actually 6'1" which I remember so clearly because we were partners while getting our divemaster certification and one of the course exercises was to trade every last piece of our scuba gear while 30 feet under water, which was made that much more fun since we wore drastically different sizes.

Ryan and Jeanette were two baristas at the Canadian coffee house where I wrote most of GIRL OVERBOARD. I used their names in gratitude for supplying me with copious amounts of caffeine, a writer's best friend.

Si and Kris were very similar to some of my closest friends I lived with in the Caribbean (and whose wedding reception I attended last week!). In fact, the real Kristen (a Scuba instructor as well) and I have an outing planned to an aquarium. Between our extensive marine backgrounds and love of sea life, well, let's just say aquarium security better keep an extra close eye on the hatch to that octopi tank . . .

Visit Aimee's LiveJournal and her page at the Class of 2k7 website.

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Sometimes, two books have the same title. Typically, they are vastly different. In this case, both of them are definitely worth reading. While Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Headley hit the slopes on New Year's Day this year, Girl Overboard by Aimee Ferris sailed into stores last May.

Published as part of Penguin's Students across Seven Seas (S.A.S.S.) line, Girl Overboard by Aimee Ferris charts Marina's trip aboard a ship with kids from around the world. This book is not only about studying abroad, but about appreciating and protecting marine life. It touches on many other things, such as being away from home, relating to different cultures, even unmasking poachers.

Much like the seas in which Marina swims, there's more to this book than meets the eye. The poacher storyline is handled well, and the creatures and facts sprinkled throughout the story are well-researched. The school-on-a-ship setting will appeal to teens who dream of traveling to other countries. I hope that readers start thinking about how they too can make conservation efforts.

Read my interview with Aimee Ferris.

Visit the S.A.S.S. website.

Check out tips from S.A.S.S. on studying aboard. (PDF)

Check out my review of Justina Chen Headley's Girl Overboard.

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Jo Knowles' debut novel, Lessons from a Dead Girl, details the complex and painful life-long friendship of two girls: Leah, the abuser, and Laine, the victim. Out of shame and confusion, Laine refuses to tell anyone what Leah does for years. It's a remarkable book, and anyone who reads the author's blog can tell that she's remarkably compassionate. I had the good fortune to speak with her at length.

What resources - books, websites, hotlines, support groups - did you use while writing your book?

You know, it's an interesting question. Many years ago, I read an article about kids who abuse kids. I'm not even sure where I read the piece. I was working on a freelance project about abuse and this article was included in the research package I was provided. The story just went right to my heart. I started thinking about how complicated childhood friendships can be. How incredibly binding they are, even when the friendship is far from perfect. So often as a kid, friends can be forced upon you based on family friendships and other circumstances. I don't think it's always true that you can pick your friends. Growing up, there were certain kids my mom made me invite over, or visit, for different reasons. Some of those, I really didn't want to be with. That's just how it was.

From there, a story emerged.

As I shared early drafts and chapters with other writers, one of the universal reactions I received was a name. Almost always someone would tell me about a childhood friend who bullied them, or who they experimented with, or who they were sure was being abused. I really don't think Laine and Leah's story is unique in substance, though of course the tragedy of Leah's death is.

One of my biggest wishes for this book is that it opens up some long-overdue dialogue.

Do you recommend any of these resources for victims of abuse?

There many resources out there. [Here are] two:

The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) and Hotline
1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673)
www.rainn.org

For emergencies:
The National Hopeline Network
1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)

If the title didn't give it away, the first page does: Leah dies in a horrible accident. Laine then remembers how they met as children a decade earlier, and the book moves forward from there. Did you know from the beginning that Leah wouldn't survive?

Yes. In my heart I knew, even though at some point I rewrote the story creating a scenario in which she doesn't die. But those drafts didn't work, and I knew, painful as it was, the reason why.

Though Lessons from a Dead Girl is your fiction debut, it is not your first published work. How did you come to write a non-fiction juvenile book about Huntington's Disease for Rosen Publishing Group?

I do a lot of nonfiction writing for my day job, and a previous colleague of mine got an editorial job at Rosen. He offered the project to me. I'm currently working on another juvenile nonfiction book for Chelsea House on over-the-counter drug abuse.

Congratulations on the sale of your second novel! Does it have a working (or permanent) title yet? Will you reveal its premise?

Thanks! The current title is Jumping Off Swings. It follows four characters through one year of high school (two boys and two girls) and how they each react and change when one of them discovers she's pregnant. The story explores friendship, love, sex, abandonment, communication and family. Obviously, I'm still working on my elevator speech. :-)

What prompted your Weekly Writing Prompts, aka Monday Morning Warm-Ups?

A friend of mine was telling me about a writing group she belonged to and how they shared prompts with one another. Most of the people who read my blog are other writers, and I thought it would be fun to have a weekly prompt that we all did together. Sometimes people share what they wrote either in the comments section of my blog, or on their own blogs, which I love. I think it's great for those of us who don't write during the weekends to have a prompt to get us back into the writing mind as we begin our week.

Tell us about your special Tuesday night class.

On Tuesday nights, I volunteer teaching a writing workshop at a women's prison. I started going there about three years ago when I met with one woman and acted as a sort of writing mentor. One day she asked if she could bring a friend who liked to write, and the group grew from there. Now, I work with 8-9 women at any given time, and the editor of a local newspaper comes with me to help. His weekly paper publishes the women's essays in their own editorial column called The Glass House. The articles have helped give the women a public forum to share their thoughts and reflect on their experiences. Their words have also helped open the eyes, hearts and minds of many people in our community, so it's been a great experience for everyone.

Name a book you recently read to or with your son.

Oh, we just finished reading a really fun one! The Name of This Book is Secret by Psuedonymous Bosch. It's a really silly mystery, with some rather dark elements. My son loved it.

What are your ten favorite books?

Yikes. This changes all the time! I don't think I could possibly narrow it down to 10, so here are ten of my favorite authors:

Markus Zusak
Adam Rapp
Robert Cormier
E. R. Frank
Chris Lynch
Jacqueline Woodson
Kate DiCamillo
Natalie Babbitt
Lois Lowry
Jack Gantos

Oh, it's so hard to stop there! But I guess I've broken the rules enough for today.

Visit Jo's website to learn some more lessons.

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Happy Tuesday! Today we have Jo Knowles joining us in the beauty shop. Jo is the author of the YA novel, Lessons From A Dead Girl (Candlewick Press), the story of an abusive friendship and one girl’s struggle to find understanding and forgiveness.



Welcome, Jo! Grab some coffee, get comfy in the beautician’s chair, and let’s get down to the gossip.

Thanks, Laura! It’s so nice to be here!! I could use some highlights and a trim.

Wow, you truly are a brave woman if you trust me with scissors.  ;)  Okay, first off, when’s the last time you’ve treated yourself to a manicure?

Actually, I have NEVER treated myself to one. I’m so embarrassed! I’ve had two manicures in my life. One for a friend’s wedding—she paid. And the most recent (10 years ago) for my own wedding. A friend of mine was a little horrified that I wasn’t planning to have my nails done so she went out and bought me a gift certificate. I can’t help it. I’m guess I’m just not a painted nails kind of gal. :-)

Nah, neither am I.  What’s the most regrettable hairstyle you’ve ever had? Any mullets? Rat tails?

A few days before I started high school I cut my hair short and got a perm. I looked like a mousey Orphan Annie. It was a really regrettable way to start my high school career.

What beauty product can you not live without?

Oil of Olay hydrating lotion. I’ve been using it forever.

In my novel, the ladies have fun answering the “Hypothetical Questions of the Week” from their favorite tabloid. So here are some for you:

HQ #1: You’re a big-time celebrity who just had a baby. If you were competing for the most bizarre celebrity baby name, what would it be?

Pickle (girl or boy)

HQ #2: Paparazzi are stalking you, looking for shots of odd things authors do while writing. What do they catch you doing, hmm?

Eating Smarties for breakfast.

HQ #3: You’ve been locked in a bank vault with that guy from The Twilight Zone, so you finally have time to read! What’s the first book you crack open? (And don’t worry—no one stepped on your glasses.)

I’ve always wanted to read War and Peace?

HQ #4: If I asked the members of your critique group who you’re most like when critiquing manuscripts, would they choose Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul or Simon Cowell?

Probably Randy. I think it’s really important to be honest AND nice. :-)

HQ #5: If you followed the career path you chose for yourself in high school, what would you be doing for a living now?

I think I changed my mind about 500 times in high school. So let’s see. Either a photo journalist, a nurse, a private investigator, a veterinarian, a teacher or a graphic designer.

The Lightening Round—no more than two words per answer!

Do you . . .
    Outline or wing it?   Wing it
    Talk about works-in-progress, or keep your trap shut?   Talk
    Sell by proposal or completed draft?   My choice?
    Love to edit or cringe at the thought?   Love it
    Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old?   Both
    Write better at home or in a coffee shop?   Coffee shop
    Read your released book or no thank you, I’ve read it enough?   Just passages

And finally, what’s your favorite . . .
    Time to write?   Daytime
    Movie?   Princess Bride
    Book? Author?   Impossible to choose!
    Song?   It depends on my mood. ;-)
    Pair of shoes?   Flip flops
    Guiltiest pleasure?   The E! channel
    Line from a movie?   That day, she was amazed to discover that when he was saying "As you wish", what he meant was, "I love you."

Thanks for joining us, Jo, and for being brave enough to let me work with your hair.  Those chunky highlight stripes look . . . um, real nice, sweetie.  And about those lopsided bangs . . . asymmetrical hair-dos are due for a comeback, right?
Have a great holiday!

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National Book Award Nominees...

Finalists for the National Book Award for have recently been announced. Authors nominated in the Young People's Literature include 2008 CWIM contributor Kathleen Duey, for Skin Hunger: A Resurrection of Magic, Book One (Atheneum) as well as Sherman Alexie for The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Little, Brown); M. Sindy Felin for Touching Snow (Atheneum); Brian Selznick for The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Scholastic); and debut author and Class of 2k7 member Sara Zarr for Story of a Girl (Little, Brown).

The full list is posted in GalleyCat. Winners will be announced in November 14.

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Debut Author of the Month: Eric Luper...

Just as those unfortunate folks who can't keep away from casinos, if you read the first chapter of Eric Luper's debut Big Slick you'll be hooked. Luper's young adult novel is set in a Texas Hold'em world of high stakes and big bucks, but, as the author explains below, it's more than just a book about playing poker.

Tell my readers a little about your first novel, Big Slick, which was just released by Farrar, Strauss & Giroux.

Big Slick is a novel about a young poker prodigy named Andrew Lang who gets himself into some hot water after he decides to "borrow" a few hundred dollars from the cash register at his family's dry-cleaning business to play in a big tournament. Andrew makes mistake after mistake and things quickly spiral out of control. Throw into the mix a hot co-worker crush, a borderline geeky best friend, and a very strange family dynamic and we have the recipe for some major-league hi-jinks.

But although people like to pigeonhole Big Slick as a "poker book," it's really a novel about love, friendship and trust.

And tell us about some of the research you did as you wrote. Did it ever get...expensive?

Surprisingly not. I started writing Big Slick soon after I learned about the game. After reading about a dozen books on Texas Hold'em, I was probably better prepared than most when I first sat at a table. And I had a killer good-luck streak. I played in Atlantic City, Las Vegas and at a local Indian casino and every time I left with more money than I started with.

Lately, I have been playing far less often and my skills have waned. I'm not nearly as sharp as I was. In fact, I'm a sitting duck (at least that's what I want you to think!).

What's a bigger gamble: going all-in, or submitting an unsolicited manuscript?

Submitting an unsolicited manuscript is not a gamble at all. A writer must continually hone his craft, write and revise relentlessly, and do the research to find the best publishing house and editor for his novel. If some part of that is luck, please show me the angle!

You didn't have an agent for your first book Big Slick. How did you wind up at FSG?

I met Wes Adams at the mid-winter SCBWI conference in New York City. I found out he was Jack Gantos's editor and I had to go see what the guy had to say. Wes had forgotten his glasses that day and winged his presentation. I'm not sure if this was shtick or if he actually showed up with notes that he was unable to read, but it won me over. He had me at hello.

Tell us a little about your path to publication.

I have an English degree from Rutgers College, but I decided rather than choosing the path of the starving artist I would choose the path of the not-starving artist. So, I went to professional school after undergraduate. After a few years, I decided to get back into writing and I began to tinker around with this and that. I worked on a middle grade fantasy, a picture book, a chapter book and another young adult title. Each piece I worked on got progressively better, and although I had a few nibbles, I couldn't seem to get any traction. Then Big Slick happened in 5 months or so and it was accepted on one of its first submissions with very few revisions necessary. It seems I had turned a corner.

Why did you decide to pursue an agent after your first publication was underway? How did you find your agent Linda Pratt?

Having my professional practice and a family and a house and pursuing a writing career is too much for any one person to handle. I opted to get an agent because I wanted the additional time to write.

I have known Linda Pratt since 2001 when I got a 10-minute critique with her at a conference in Lake Placid, NY. After her critique, she offered to take a look at my submission once I revised it. In retrospect, the book was terrible, but Linda read all 200+ pages of it and sent me a 5-page single-spaced critique letter that did not spare the rod. Short of getting my first book contract, it was the most cathartic moment in my writing career. I submitted things to her periodically after that, but somewhere deep down I knew I wasn't ready.

Then, after Big Slick was in the can and I was going full-steam on my next novel, I saw Linda at the Rutgers One-on-One conference. It may sound crazy, but I walked right up to her and told her that I was ready for her. She lit up and suggested I send her what I was working on. I sent her Bug Boy in February of this year and the Sheldon Fogelman Agency offered me representation within weeks. The call came as I was trying my best to navigate Disney with my family. I was so excited that it was a struggle not to drive my rental car into a giant topiary of Goofy.

You're an active member of SCBWI, part of the Class of 2k7 and a member of several critique groups--how has this network been helpful to you as you sought publication?

This question alone could be a topic for a book-or at least a thesis of some sort. For me, writing is a very private endeavor. However, I think writers, like any artists, need an outlet to share the experience with other like-minded people. I consider myself fortunate to have grown alongside dozens of other writers-seeing each of them develop, blossom, stumble, and succeed right as I'm doing the same has been awesome. The Class of 2k7 has been particularly interesting because we are all following a very similar trajectory right now-the release of our first books. It's been so helpful to hear about editing woes, cover design gripes, review indigestion and book release jitters from so many other talented authors right when I'm experiencing the exact same thing. Even though we are all very different, we're all in this together!

How did a reluctant reader like yourself end up an English/Creative Writing major at Rutgers?

I am going to have to chalk that up to uninspired high-school English teachers. I remember Mr. Byrne teaching us about iambic pentameter with his head buried in a book. He read us Reuben Bright by Edwin Arlington Robinson with such a stress on the meter that he sounded like a depressed robot. I tuned out for the next three years.

Only when I got to college-when I took my freshman composition class-did I get the suspicion that I might actually like this stuff. We read The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera and our professor asked us to write an essay on it. Then the teacher scrambled up the essays, redistributed them, and charged us with writing a "review" on the other student's paper. Mine was called "The Unbearable Paper of Rebecca ______." I trashed this girl's essay like I was a scorned lover with a thorn in my paw and haven't looked back since.

And before I get all sorts of hate mail: No, our grades were not affected by the reviewer's opinion!

Do you think if there were more books like Big Slick (exciting, a little racy, with male main characters) when you were younger, you may have been more interested in reading?

I would like to think so. When I was in 7th grade, I thought I should be "into" books like Lord of the Rings and Dune, but they were far beyond my reading level. This shut me down. For a guy who didn't read much, I spent a lot of time in the library. I actually got into a fistfight in the library. Clearly, I lacked proper guidance.

What's your advice for reaching the notoriously reluctant teen male reader?

Write about what makes you nervous, happy, sad, or frightened-whatever moves you. Then trust that it will move someone else. For me, this is the hardest part about writing. You have to bare your innermost feelings. You have to put everything out there. If you are writing and you do not have a visceral reaction, then you are not digging deep enough.

Short chapters and a lot of action help too!

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring YA novelists? What's your best piece of advice for aspiring gamblers?

My advice for aspiring YA novelists and aspiring gamblers is the same: Get a real job. Very few novelists and very few gamblers are able to make a living at what they love to do!

Can you beat me at poker? (Does everyone ask you that?)

Like I said before, my skills have really slipped. I'm terrible these days. So, when do you want to play?

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On Friday, August 3rd, I got up bright and early - which I always do, but this time, I had a very special purpose. I had been invited to speak on a panel with four other lit-happy bloggers at The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference. Our panel was entitled Having Our Say: Blogging About Children's Literature. I was flattered to be in such good company and looked forward to meeting my fellow panelists - Gina from AmoXcalli, a. fortis and TadMack from Finding Wonderland and Readers' Rants, and Kelly from Big A, little a - in person.

Sadly, Gina had become ill earlier in the week and was unable to attend. However, she truly was a part of our panel, as she had created the bulk of our PowerPoint slideshow. If and when someone posts the slideshow online, I'll add a link to it in this post. Thank you so much, Gina, for all of your hard work. I hope that you are feeling better and that we do meet up in the future.

Kelly and I met up in the morning and discussed the wonders of technology and travel until TadMack and TechBoy arrived. Before we knew it, it was time for the conference to begin, and poor a. fortis was still stuck in traffic. Kelly, TadMack and I scurried into the grand ballroom, where nearly one thousand people had already gathered, and listened to the hilarious welcome speech from Lin Oliver, the SCBWI Executive Director.

The faculty members - anyone speaking on a panel - then lined up and introduced themselves one by one (or group by group - go, Class of 2k7!), with each person saying one word that represented his/her/their panel or mood. When John Green introduced himself and added, "Nerdfighters," a young woman screamed loudly to show her support.

Yes, that was me.

I apologized to Kelly and TadMack for bursting their eardrums. Shortly thereafter, we took to the stage, introduced ourselves, and said:

"Controversy . . .
" . . . conflict . . . "
" . . . and connectivity."

Oh, how I adore alliteration!

a. fortis arrived shortly after the introductions. We all headed over to the room where our panel was going to be held. While telling each other our life stories and discussing new and classic stories, we reviewed the slideshow, which ran throughout the panel.

Once our room filled up, we filled an hour with talk and laughter. I know we could have talked all day about the importance of literacy, free speech, and communication. After briefly introducing ourselves, we talked about our love of literature and of blogging while TadMack clicked through screenshots of various lit blogs and online events. We talked about The Cybils, Toon Thursday, Poetry Friday, The Edge of the Forest, readergirlz, the upcoming 1st Annual Kidlitosphere Conference as planned by Robin Brande, MotherReader's The 48 Hour Book Challenge, 7-Imp's 7 Kicks, The Carnival of Children's Literature, Chasing Ray's various events (the Summer Blog Blast Tour and Wicked Cool Overlooked Books plus the upcoming Winter Blog Blast Tour, Radar Recommendations, and One-Shot World Tour), Class of 2k7, The Longstockings, and more.

Many thanks to the bloggers, authors, and readers who attended our panel. Thanks also to those who sent us notes of support and good luck wishes.

I have an idea for next time: broadcast the panel live on the internet - podcast, anyone? - or incorporate a chat element, making it accessible to the everyone who can't attend in person and encouraging them to take part and ask questions.

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08 CWIM Preview: Interview with Jo Knowles...

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting previews of features and interviews that appear in the 2008 CWIM, which will be in stores in early August. (Just this minute Greg the Production Guy handed me two advance copies! A nice morning surprise.)

Today I offer an abbreviated version of my Q&A interview with debut novelist Jo Knowles. Jo's first book, Lessons From a Dead Girl, offers readers a powerful, often uncomfortable journey into the world of abuse and healing, chronicling the complex relationship between main character Laine and her best friend/tormentor Leah, who, Laine learns at the book’s opening, has died.

Jo's journey to publication was helped along by winning grants and awards including an SCBWI Work-in-Progress Grant for a Young Adult Novel in 2002, which attracted the attention of her agent Barry Goldblatt. And she won a PEN New England Children's Book Caucus Discovery Award in 2005, which lead to a contract with Candlewick. She's a member of the Class of 2k7 collective.

Would you recommend contests and grants to other writers pursuing publication?

Absolutely! There are so many good things that come out of applying for a grant. First of all, you have to write a synopsis, which is very hard but really forces you to think about your manuscript and what it’s about. I guess that sounds pretty obvious but when you do it for the first time, it’s like a revelation!

Second, I think submitting a sample of your work, say 10 pages, makes you look at those pages in a really intense way, through the eyes of the most critical reader you can imagine. Every sentence counts! Since doing this I now revise my manuscripts in roughly 10-page chunks, which usually translates to two chapters for me. I look at those chapters and work on how they stand on their own. It’s a great exercise.

Third, getting that call is the biggest thrill! At the time I got the call about the SCBWI grant I had been through some tough times in my personal life and was feeling pretty hopeless. I remember hanging up the phone and sitting on the floor and crying. It was wonderful! And then soon after that I received a letter from Barry Goldblatt (he’d read the notice about the grant in the SCBWI Bulletin) asking if I’d be interested in submitting my work to him. He’d only been in the business for about a year or so at that point, so I was really lucky! And then when I applied for the PEN award I’d sort of sunk to that hopeless place again. I’d had some close calls with revision requests, but I was beginning to feel like maybe I just didn’t have what it takes. A good friend of mine, Cynthia Lord (author of the Newbery Honor-winning Rules), encouraged me to give it a shot so I decided to take a chance on Lessons from a Dead Girl, a manuscript Barry hadn’t actually shopped around yet because I had nearly given up on it. I was totally shocked and thrilled when I got the call and found out I won.

Any tips on catching the eye of judges?

Hand in your best work. I know that sounds a bit simple, but really I think you have to make those first pages sing, just like the first pages of any book. How can your first sentence hook the reader? What would make the judge keep going? Read the pages out loud, have someone else read them to you, read all the first chapters from your favorite books and think about what it is that makes those resonate with you. Don’t just hand in any old thing for the sake of submitting. Respect the judges’ time and only submit if you have something you’ve put your all into. Also, follow the rules to a T. Don’t hand in more pages than requested. Follow the formatting guidelines. If the submissions say the excerpt should come from a completed work, don’t hand in something you’ve only written the first chapter of. Be professional.

You’ve admitted that you were a little nervous after sending me your manuscript to read. Are you apprehensive about your book arriving in stores?
Well, I’m a natural worrier but of course this is the biggie! I know that the subject matter of Lessons from a Dead Girl is a tough one, so there could be strong reactions to it one way or the other. This is a story that I felt had to be told though, and told with honesty, however painful or uncomfortable it might be. I look back to Robert Cormier and how brave he was to cut right to the truth in The Chocolate War and really in all of his books. He’s not afraid to write about ugly things. Ugly things exist. I think that’s the beauty of his work: he knows how to draw that curtain open and do it in a way that isn’t sensational, but real.

As a first-time author, were there any surprises during the publishing process? What has your relationship with your editor been like? With your agent?

It’s funny but I don’t think there have been too many surprises. The biggest surprise was getting an offer! My editor, Joan Powers, is wonderful. She is very straightforward, asks lots of questions, and trusts me to answer them in my revisions. I certainly don’t think she ever shied away from asking tough questions, and I really appreciate that. My agent, Barry Goldblatt, is terrific. He’s become a good friend who knows and cares about my career and me. Barry has a reputation for being “brutally honest” but I think I should set the record straight right now and say he also has a huge heart. You have to be honest in this business. That may sound harsh but dishonesty will only lead to disappointment later. Barry knows that, and I think by being honest up front he is giving aspiring writers a huge gift. Writing is hard, hard work. But if you keep at it, if you keep revising, keep listening to the feedback rather than feeling it, you will get better, and you will succeed.

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What begins as a typical day at the beach ends in tragedy. While swimming in the ocean, with her mother and older brother looking on, Jane loses her arm to a shark. Needless to say, her life changes forever. While recovering from her loss, she must visit the hospital, the psychiatrist, and the physical therapist in turn. She details these appointments as well as her readjustment to life at home and high school. As different people attempt to heal her body and question her abilities, Jane must try to heal her own spirit and mind.

Jane was once an artist, dependent upon that arm, that hand, those fingers to express herself on paper. Her other arm is fine, but her thoughts don't flow as freely down that way, and her other hand and fingers feel awkward, pudgy, unable to capture the pictures in her mind's eye. Everything looks and feels wrong, wrong, wrong.

Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham is 95% verse novel, with news clippings, letters, and phone conversations interspersed. At first, Jane feels as though she is maybe half of who she once was - maybe even less - but as she attempts to regain control of her life and regrasp her talents, she starts to feel whole again. This book is 100% heart. Recommended.

Give this review a positive vote!

Read my interview with Kelly Bingham.

Read one of my favorite passages from the book.

Check out my booklist dedicated to verse novels.

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Their heads lean toward each other.
Their whispers reach my ears.
The two girls over there
fingering their notebooks,
staring.

If they would lift their tinted eyelashes
they would notice I'm staring back.
But they don't.
So I turn in my chair,
placing my shoulder out of their sight.

- from Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham, Page 158

Read my interview with the author.

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There are many reasons why you should read Jay Asher's debut novel . . . but I'll save those for my review of the book, which is on my list of Best Books of 2007 (So Far). Thirteen Reasons Why is coming out this fall; my review, this weekend, if time permits. In the meantime, I've asked the author thirteen questions.

When did this story first come to mind?

I once took a self-guided audio tour at a museum and thought that'd be a cool way to format a story. Instead of Chapter 1, you have Cassette 1: Side A. But I was only interested in writing humorous middle-grade novels at the time, and I couldn't find a funny storyline for that format. Years later, I was in Wyoming, driving on a dark and icy road in the middle of winter (a tense experience for a California boy), and the idea just hit me. I pulled into the nearest gas station parking lot and, for the next twenty minutes, cranked up the heater and scribbled out the book's introduction.

Did you have any hesitation about addressing the subject of suicide? Did you do any research?

I only hesitated because I wanted, primarily, to write a suspense novel. Since I'd never written anything suspenseful before -- or for teens -- I knew it could easily turn into a "problem" novel. But the subject matter itself didn't scare me. A close family member attempted suicide when she was Hannah's age. Over the years, we discussed the events and emotions that led to her decision, so I felt confident tackling the subject. But to make sure I didn't overlook any of the warning signs or stages a suicidal person goes through, I read a lot of books on the subject and attended suicide symposiums. I'm fortunate to have an editor who used to work at a crisis hotline. She had a special sensitivity to the issues in this book.

If someone is worried that a friend might be depressed or suicidal, who should be told first?

The first person a concerned friend should talk to is the person they're concerned about. Suicide has such a stigma attached to it that we feel we're going to offend that person by bringing it up. But I'd rather err on the side of offending them than losing them to suicide. That person needs to know they can talk to you, and that you won't downplay their feelings. But then you need to assist that person in finding those avenues of help that are available. Don't let them brush it off as something they'll take care of if things get worse. Instead, give them the phone numbers and contacts they need…or initiate those contacts for them.

And if readers see pieces of Hannah in themselves?

They absolutely must talk to someone about their feelings. But finding that person can be a problem because of the stigma I mentioned earlier. Most people are embarrassed to admit they're having suicidal thoughts, or even that they're depressed. On my book jacket, we're including a phone number and website (1-800-SUICIDE and www.hopeline.com) for teens who might need someone to talk to. That was something my editor agreed to early on.

Thirteen Reasons Why is told from two perspectives: Hannah, talking on the tapes, and Clay, listening to them. Which POV was more difficult to write?

Clay's. I had a strong vision of Hannah's character from the very beginning, so I never struggled with her. In fact, after reading my manuscript, my agent told me I must have a depressed teenaged girl in me trying to get out. But Clay's character was harder to pin down. He needed to be someone we could empathize with, but who wouldn't overshadow Hannah. But then I was concerned that his part of the story might be boring. I had a breakthrough when my wife told me, "No matter what he does while listening to those tapes, even if it's just picking blades of grass, it's going to be a tense scene." In honor of my wife's wisdom, I have a scene with him doing just that - picking blades of grass.

At what point did you decide which of Hannah's listeners would be the one to share the reader's journey? (In other words, did you plot out Hannah's story and then later decide Clay would be the other protagonist, or did you know all along who it would be and why?)

When I first started writing, I knew about ten of Hannah's so-called reasons, but none contained an appropriate character for the reader to follow through the entire novel. When I figured out what Clay did to wind up on the tapes, I knew he was the person we should follow. Then I altered some of the other stories so that his "reveal" happened at what I considered an appropriate spot in the novel.

If I could, I would package your book with blank cassette tapes in an effort to get readers to record their responses to the book or even reveal their own secrets, like an audio version of PostSecret. Have you thought of doing any cool tape-based project like that?

The people in Penguin's marketing department seem to be having a ton of fun with this book. They designed a chamber of commerce map for my fictitious town, mimicking the one used throughout the book. They're building a website (www.thirteenreasonswhy.com) that'll have some cool interactive elements to it, such as audio clips from each tape. But I did pass your idea onto them, as well! I think readers could really get into something like that.

There are those who hold superstitious thoughts about the number thirteen. I think it's a lucky number. Why did you pick it?

When the premise came to me, I knew Hannah's last name was Baker. And because I love puns, I originally called my manuscript Baker's Dozen, realizing it solidified how many turning points in Hannah's life I needed to write. That's the only reason for the number thirteen. If a baker's dozen was fourteen, Razorbill probably would've changed the title to Fourteen Reasons Why, which isn't as catchy.

You and two of your best pals are collectively known as The Disco Mermaids. What's the story behind the name?

Robin Mellom and Eve Porinchak are my writing buddies, as well as two of my closest friends. Every year, at the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators summer conference, they have a themed after hours party. One year, the theme was The Glitter Ball, so we dressed as disco dancers. The next year, it was a Beach Bash, and we dressed as mermaids. Both years, we won first place in the costume contests. When we decided to work together on a blog, that was the first name we thought of, and you can see pictures of the costumes on our blog. Unfortunately, we all own way too much mermaid memorabilia now.

Was the road to publication bumpy or smooth?

Both! The tagline on our blog is, "The road to publication isn't easy. It's kind of like a churro . . . long and bumpy, but sweet." And that has definitely been true. Along the way, my manuscripts have won a lot of writing contests. But with each win, I assumed publication was right around the corner. Silly me! There was a time when I became so frustrated that I almost gave up. I figured there had to be another outlet for my creativity. But when I told my wife, she started crying because she knew it amounted to giving up on my dream. So I promised to stick with it, mainly because I've never been able to handle seeing her cry. And eight months later, I sold this book. (I told you my wife was the smart one, right?) To go along with your lucky number thirteen idea, Thirteen Reasons Why will be released thirteen years after I decided to become an author.

Normally, I ask folks to list their top ten favorite books. Would you like to list thirteen?

I can't think of any reasons why not (told you I like puns)!
- The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
- The Mad Scientists' Club by Bertrand R. Brinley
- Stotan! by Chris Crutcher
- M is for Monster by Mel Gilden
- Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
- Jake, Reinvented by Gordon Korman
- Vegan Virgin Valentine by Carolyn Mackler
- The Secret Life of the Underwear Champ by Betty Miles
- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
- There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar
- Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol
- Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
- The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone

Hustle over to the blog of the Disco Mermaids.

Visit thirteenreasonswhy.com

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What begins as a typical day at the beach ends in tragedy. While swimming in the ocean, with her mother and older brother looking on, Jane loses her arm to a shark. Needless to say, her life changes forever. While recovering from her loss, she must visit the hospital, the psychiatrist, and the physical therapist, then readjust to life at home and at high school. Among so many other things, she must learn how to write with her remaining hand. She was an artist before the accident, dependent upon the hand she lost. Can she ever regain her artistic ability? As different people attempt to heal her body and question her abilities, Jane must try to heal her own spirit and mind.

The book is 95% verse novel, with news clippings, letters, and phone conversations interspersed. There are many passages which struck me, and I've selected one to share with you - tomorrow, for Poetry Friday. I was granted permission to quote the book from the lovely Kelly Bingham, who is here today to be interviewed.

What came first, the desire to write a novel or the plot itself? At what point did it become a verse novel?

Well, I'd wanted to write a novel for a very long time. And I did. I wrote two or three really awful ones. Then in the summer of 2001, the nation had a sudden "rash" of shark attacks around the country. This made me start thinking about what that would be like . . . to be attacked and lose part of yourself and then have it be fodder for the national news. To be the subject of nationwide sympathy (or pity, depending on how you look at it) and maybe even charity drives, cards and letters and gifts from strangers. I wondered what such a thing would do to your personal identity. Wouldn't you always be known as "that kid that was attacked by a shark?" So, I started writing.

In 2003, after you'd already started (or completed?) your manuscript, a young surfer named Bethany Hamilton lost her arm in a shark attack. You mention this tragedy in your book. Have you contacted her at all?

I completed the first draft of my manuscript in October 2003. Just a few days later, Bethany Hamilton was attacked. Like the rest of the world, I was shocked at what she had gone through.

I didn't know what else to do but put the book away for a long time. I knew that my book now looked like something I thought up based on Bethany's personal loss. I didn't want anyone, especially her, thinking I'd just capitalized on her attack. I put Shark Girl away for a year, but finally pulled it out and made some revisions, including adding a mention of her. I couldn't see just skating around the issue of my storyline coinciding with her tragic shark encounter. I finished the book and submitted it in the summer of 2005.

And no, I have not contacted her. I certainly admire the way she has continued on with her surfing and her life with no regrets. She seems like an amazing person.

How much research into attacks, amputation, and recovery did you do?

Quite a bit. I did most of my research online, visiting websites and forums, reading material about amputation, the recovery process, and the physical and emotional aftermath. I also researched prosthetic limbs, as well as products available to make everyday chores easier for amputees, such as specialized cutting boards, knives, and bowls, which I used in the book.

I also visited a southern California university and toured their facilities where occupational therapists study. They had a whole little home-like area set up where they help new amputees relearn basic necessities such as cooking, washing dishes, making the bed, etc.

I spoke with physical therapists and an occupational therapist, as well as interviewed a man who makes prosthetic limbs. Know what kind of patient he sees most often in his line of work? Men who have lost a leg in a motorcycle accident. I had no idea, did you? (But my kids are never getting on a motorcycle now.) And I interviewed a man who had lost his right arm over twenty years ago. He was quite frank in sharing his situation with me...the physical pain that lingers after amputation can stay with a person for their entire lives, as it had him. The pain can be sharp, dull, tingly, or achy . . . but it's pretty much always there. Can you imagine having to live with such a thing? I listened to this man tell me how he deals with the daily pain year after year, mainly by trying to have a positive outlook, not take it out on other people, and to focus on healthy outlets, because he was quite adamant that he did not want to spend his life on pain pills. For that, I admire him tremendously.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone who shared their time and expertise with me. People really are so generous and wonderful . . . the research part of this novel really turned out, for me, to be a reflection on the human spirit . . . how so many are drawn to helping others, and how so many can deal with such adversity with such calm courage.

Shark Girl also includes phone conversations between Jane and her friends and relatives. Did you read anything out loud - with others or by yourself - to test it out?

I often read out loud while I'm drafting, but only to myself. I'm pretty private about my work. I have one friend, Betsy, that I like to share my work with because she is so very good at pinpointing what works and what doesn't. And I have discovered that I enjoy sharing my work with my husband Marty. But only bits and pieces.

I do read parts of it out loud when I'm alone, I find it helps me in the revision process to do so.

You set the book in Los Angeles, with the tragedy occurring at Point Dume State Beach. Why there?

I wanted it set in Southern California because I lived there at the time and wanted it set in an environment I knew well. Also, there are the occasional shark attacks out there. I had to pick a real location to have it happen, so I put it there. Sadly, that turned out to be a spot where a shark attack actually did happen, and it was fatal.

Your picture book Z is For Moose sounds zany and fun. When is the Moose hitting the shelves?

I really don't know. Greenwillow has had it for quite some time and my understanding is they are searching for the right illustrator.

You worked as a story artist on many Disney films. What was your favorite?

I had the most fun working on Hercules . . . we had a great story team and fantastic directors in Ron Clements and John Musker. The entire project was a joy for me. But I guess my favorite film was the last one I worked on that never got made -- a movie about garden gnomes called Gnomeo and Juliet.

Are you still working in the animation industry? What led you to the writing world?

No, I left the industry a few years ago. I was ready to peruse my writing full time and spend more time with my children. I decided to leave California and move to Georgia to be closer to my family. I had sold a picture book (Z is for Moose) and had Shark Girl underway---I told myself "go for it," and took the leap.

What are your ten favorite novels?

Hmm, that's a toughie. Only ten? Well, I'd say . . .
(and this list could be altered on any given day)

Holes
The Midwife's Apprentice
A Corner of the Universe
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Gone With the Wind
Walk Two Moons
Prairie Songs
Watership Down
Sarah, Plain and Tall
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood

Visit Kelly Bingham's official website.

Related Booklist: Verse Novels

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The title Revenge of the Homecoming Queen might bring to mind a horror film or a murder mystery. The book's cover might make you think of a comedy or a high school dramedy. The story itself is a fun, fast-paced blend of all of these things, except for the horror film.

But when you're Aspen Brooks and you lose the title of Homecoming Queen to Angel Ives, the school's brattiest girl, that is an absolute horror. Aspen is also shocked when the Homecoming King's crown is placed on the head of a geeky boy named Rand. Sooner than she can blink her pretty eyelashes, everything has changed. Aspen's boyfriend breaks up with her, Rand gets a makeover, and girls from her class start disappearing.

Homecoming candidate one moment, quasi-detective the next -- who died and made her Nancy Drew? Determined to get to the bottom of things - and get that crown! - Aspen starts to investigate the recent disappearances with Rand's help. Will the missing girls be found? Will Rand continue to climb the social ladder? Will Aspen ever get crowned? You've got to read the book to find out!

(Due to romantic content and language, this book is rated PG-13 and best for those in high school.)

While looking for her crown, debut author Stephanie Hale dropped by Bildungsroman for an interview.

Do you own a tiara?

Unfortunately not. I don't like to talk about it.

That's a shame. If you did have a tiara, what would be your royal title?

In my wildest dreams, I'd loved to be crowned Queen of Teen Fiction!

Revenge of the Homecoming Queen blends comedy, mystery, and romance. Did you set out with a particular genre in mind?

Not really. I knew that there would be a romance, and I hoped it was funny, but the mystery kind of dropped in as I wrote it.

How did your manuscript end up at Berkley Jam?

My agent sent it out to several editors and Berkley responded very quickly. I was so excited that they wanted Revenge so badly because I am a huge fan of all the authors in their line.

What are you working on now?

I just finished up the revisions to my sequel, Twisted Sisters, which will be released April 1st, 2008.

What is the hardest thing about writing young adult (YA) fiction?

Sometimes I have to remind myself to think like a teen instead of a 30-something! I might think that John Cusack is hot, but he's probably going to remind my readers of their dad! Eww!

John Cusack rocks. I hope your husband also appreciates him. Now that you have two munchkins, would you consider writing a picture book, or does your heart belong to YA?

I don't think I could ever do a picture book. I'm not good at limiting my word count. I like to talk/type too much! I do hope to expand into the adult market someday though.

You've professed your love for the original Choose Your Own Adventure novels. Did you have a favorite adventure?

I have to admit that I don't remember one particular book standing out. I just loved the control I felt at being able to make the book go in the direction that I wanted it to. Now I get to do that all the time! :)

What are your ten favorite books of all time?

Revenge of the Homecoming Queen (oh, come on, you knew I was gonna say that)
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
The Little Leftover Witch by Florence Laughlin
Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton
Any Sweet Valley High novel by Francine Pascal
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress by Tina Ferraro
Conversations with a Fat Girl by Liza Palmer
Sweet 16 by Kate Brian

That was so hard. I could have listed hundreds!

Walk down the hallway and open a locker at Stephanie's official website.

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Catch up on what has happened so far this June at Bildungsroman:

Special Events and Group Projects
The 48 Hour Book Challenge 2007
Scholar's Blog Book Group
Free Monkey World Tour, Day One: Girl Meets Monkey
Free Monkey World Tour, Day Two: Take Your Monkey to Work Day
Keep tabs on the traveling trooper at free_monkey, where his happy hosts are posting his adventures.

New and Updated Booklists
Series Spotlight: Nancy Drew
Fairy Nice
Peter Pan and Friends
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Books to Read
Tough Issues for Teens
Class of 2k7
Quick Reads and Short Stories
Best Books of May 2007

Other Bits of Interest
Associated Content
Playlist for Readergirlz
Readergirlz Community Challenge: Go Eco: Lifestyle Changes
Readergirlz Chat, Podcast, and Line Up
Why Do You Read? (also available at http://yaauthorscafe.blogspot.com/2007/06/open-discussion-why-do-you-read.html" target="new">YA AU

New Author Interviews
Janet Lee Carey
Alex Richards
Kristen Tracy
Sarah Beth Durst
Sameera "Sparrow" Righton via Mitali Perkins

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Sarah Beth Durst shares my love for fairy tales, (nice) dragons, and cats. Two of this three things are big factors in her debut novel for kids, INTO THE WILD. Is it any wonder that I jumped on the chance to read the book and interview the author?

What made you select Rapunzel as the mother of the protagonist? (Did the story start with Rapunzel or with Julie?)

I have kind of always had hair issues. (I even wrote my college admission essay about the horrors of having curly hair. Shockingly, they let me in.) So I can't help but identify with Rapunzel, who definitely has some hair issues of her own.

Seriously, though, INTO THE WILD began as two separate ideas: (1) if Rapunzel lived in my hometown, she'd own a hair salon. (2) What if a girl had a monster under her bed and her mother knew about it? Once I decided that the girl's mother was Rapunzel and the monster was the essence of fairy tales, INTO THE WILD was born.

Puss-in-Boots is effectively Julie's adopted brother. If your cat Perni could speak English and go on adventures like Boots, what would she say and where would she go?

My cat would most likely go to the beach, lie in the sunlight, and say to passersby, "Don't pet me. Don't touch me. Don't look at me. I'm going to bite you."

She is a bit maladjusted.

You set your novel in Massachusetts, your home state. What was your favorite place when you were Julie's age? (Your home, an attraction, a restaurant, a hideaway?)

When I was in sixth grade, we had to write an essay about our favorite place. I wrote about a tree in our backyard. I said I loved to climb it. Anyone who has met me knows that I am not nearly coordinated enough to climb trees. I just worried that people would think my real favorite place was boring.

My real favorite place was my room. It was filled with a zillion stuffed animals (all of them with really creative names like "Bear" and "Cat"), mementos (I'm a total packrat), and books (alphabetical by author with a selection of my favorite on the shelf closest to my bed). I had this fabulous skylight over my bed with a view of the top branches of a beautiful catalpa tree. I spent hours curled up on my bed reading and writing. It still makes me happy just to think about that room.

You are a graduate of Princeton University. What college do you think Julie would attend, and what career might she pursue?

Right now, Julie just wants to survive middle school. (It's not so easy when your mother is Rapunzel, the essence of fairy tales lives under your bed, and you have to keep it all a secret.) But I can see her going to a liberal arts college in New England, close enough to home to visit regularly but not so close that she’d have to live at home. Afterwards… she might become a writer or a librarian or a bookseller because she knows how important stories are. Or she might decide to travel the world and have adventures. Can "adventurer" be a career goal?

Tell me more about the play that was your senior thesis. Has it ever been performed? Do you still write for the stage?

For my senior thesis, I wrote a play called "To Ride a Dragon." The cast of characters included Morgana le Fay, Mrs. Bennet from Price and Prejudice, and the Cheshire Cat (visible only as a grin). And a dragon named Smaug. It was never performed.

Junior year, though, I wrote a play called "The Last Train to Alpha Centauri," which was performed, and that was an incredible experience.

I do miss the theatre sometimes. But novel-writing was always my first love. And also, you can put dragons in novels without causing your Technical Director to have heart failure.

What are you working on now?

Just last week, I handed in the revised manuscript for my next book. I'm really, really excited about it. The plot is still a bit of a secret, but I can tell you that it will be coming out from Razorbill / Penguin Young Readers in summer 2008.

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