Lauren Miller is the author of Parallel and FREE TO FALL, both published by HarperTeen. She is an entertainment lawyer and television writer. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two kids.
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By: Melissa Walker,
on 9/17/2013
Blog: readergirlz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: jessica brody, 52 reasons to hate my father, Melissa Walker, cover stories, Add a tag
By: Amanda,
on 3/7/2013
Blog: A Patchwork of Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: author guest post, Jessica Brody, Add a tag
By: Jennie,
on 2/21/2013
Blog: Biblio File (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: YA, Fiction, Jessica Brody, Add a tag
By: Wendy Toliver,
on 3/14/2010
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Neil Gaiman, book trailer, YA books, Simone Elkeles, Lifted, Jessica Brody, Shoplifting, Add a tag
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By: Bianca Schulze,
on 6/16/2014
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Chapter Books, Farrar Straus and Giroux, featured, Razorbill, Delacorte Press, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Lauren Miller, Jessica Brody, Disney-Hyperion, Jessi Kirby, Tamara Ireland Stone, Teens: Young Adults, Best Kids Stories, Jessica Khoury, Best YA, HarperTeen Books, E. Lockhart, Young Adult, Book Lists, Add a tag
Blog: The Children's Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Chapter Books, Farrar Straus and Giroux, featured, Razorbill, Delacorte Press, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Lauren Miller, Jessica Brody, Disney-Hyperion, Jessi Kirby, Tamara Ireland Stone, Teens: Young Adults, Best Kids Stories, Jessica Khoury, Best YA, HarperTeen Books, E. Lockhart, Young Adult, Book Lists, Add a tag
By: Melissa Walker,
on 9/17/2013
Blog: readergirlz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: jessica brody, 52 reasons to hate my father, Melissa Walker, cover stories, Add a tag
Jessica Brody has shared two previous Cover Stories here (for My Life Undecided and The Karma Club). She's back to tell the tale behind the cover of 52 Reasons to Hate My Father.
"I’m terrible at envisioning covers. So no, I didn’t really have an idea in mind. But I knew I wanted it to show the contrast of my main character’s two worlds (spoiled heiress and working girl) which I think they ended up doing really well!
"Honestly, I was surprised when I saw the cover. It was SO different from the light, pastel, girly looks of my other YA book and my publisher had told me they were going to keep with the same look. So when I opened this, I almost thought that they sent me the wrong cover! It was all edgy and kind of punk rock-ish. I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it..."
Read the rest of Jessica's Cover Story at melissacwalker.com.
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By: Amanda,
on 3/7/2013
Blog: A Patchwork of Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: author guest post, Jessica Brody, Add a tag
The amazingly talented Jessica Brody offered to write up a guest for me and I was thrilled to take her up on it. In a publishing world where thousands upon thousands of books are published every year, she explains what it's like when an idea doesn't come from a single author. Timely and intriguing! Enjoy!
The universe is a mysterious place. Particularly when it comes to books. Ask any author and they’ll tell you, “the minute you come up with a fantastic idea, I can guarantee you, seven other authors are having the same or extremely similar idea at the exact same time.”
Here’s a familiar story I hear constantly from authors:
“I had an idea to write a book about [insert trendy YA topic here] two years ago, before anyone else was writing about it, and then as soon as the book came out, BOOM! There were suddenly 2 or 3 other books releasing at the same time that were also about [insert trendy YA topic here].”
I’ve heard this so many times it’s scary. And it makes me wonder how on earth that could happen. It’s a phenomenon that still mystifies me. It’s like our muses are cheating on us. They’re whispering sweet nothings in our ears, telling us, “you’re the only one for me,” while they’re secretly having love affairs with five other writers at the same time, whispering the same sweet nothings in their ears.
There’s a reason why YA literature moves in “trends.” There’s a reason why 5 books that are eerily similar will come out in the same year, completely separate from each other. And despite what some readers may think, it’s not because one book did well and then 4 other authors decided to copy it very quickly. The publishing industry doesn’t work that fast. It takes up to two years for a book to come out. So the only explanation for the perplexing phenomenon is that the authors are actually having the ideas at the same time.
I like to call it “universal consciousness.” The very reason you’re having the idea is not because your muse is exceptionally brilliant and faithful to only you, but because the idea is floating out there in the universe, ready to drift into your awaiting mind, making it completely accessible to every other awaiting mind at the same time.
Of course, I always heard these kinds of stories and thought, “Well, that will never happen to me!”
But lo and behold, it appears it has...
Three years ago I had an idea for a book (You can read the conversation with my muse in which I had said idea here). When I pitched it to my agent I said, “It’s the Bourne Identity for Teens with a Sci-Fi twist!” I thought that was such an intriguing pitch. And of course, I’d never heard it before! And neither had my agent.
He later used that same pitch to sell it to my publisher. And now, nearly three years later, when UNREMEMBERED is finally out in the world, I’ve just recently discovered that there are at least two other books releasing around the same time that were pitched the exact same way. “The Bourne Identity for Teens!” And those books explore a very similar idea as UNREMEMBERED. They all deal with teenagers who have been manipulated (or I like to say, “enhanced”) by science. In fact, I recently discovered that there are several books that are either out now or have recently been released that deal with the subject of Scientifically Enhanced Humans.
So did I cry and stomp my foot when I found out that my muse hadn’t been faithful to me and that I wasn’t the only person who thought to write about a teen girl who had been “touched up” by mad scientists?
No. Actually, I rejoiced! I thought, “YES! I’ve stumbled into the new thing.” Remember how popular vampires were? And werewolves? And fairies? Maybe “Scientifically Altered” is the new vampire!
In fact, just yesterday I learned the term, “Biopunk.” I was fascinated when I found it in a review of UNREMEMBERED, since I’d never heard of it before, and immediately had to look up what it meant. Here’s what Wikipedia reported back to me:
Biopunk science fiction is a subgenre of cyberpunk fiction that focuses on the near-future unintended consequences of the biotechnology revolution following the discovery of recombinant DNA. Biopunk stories explore the struggles of individuals or groups, often the product of human experimentation, against a backdrop of totalitarian governments and megacorporations which misuse biotechnologies as means of social control and profiteering. Unlike cyberpunk, it builds not on information technology, but on synthetic biology. Like in postcyberpunk fiction, individuals are usually modified and enhanced not with cyberware, but by genetic manipulation. A common feature of biopunk fiction is the "black clinic", which is a laboratory, clinic, or hospital that performs illegal, unregulated, or ethically-dubious biological modification and genetic engineering procedures.
I literally got the chills when I read this. This description contained so many elements relevant to UNREMEMBERED, it was scary. Like REALLY scary! I felt like the writers of this post had reached into my brain and pulled out this description. And I never even knew the term existed until three days before my books was scheduled to release.
This is Universal Consciousness at its finest.
Although I haven’t read every single book that fits this new “biopunk trend,” from reading their descriptions I can still see how they’re all are very different in their approach on the topic, which just fascinates me more. I’ve always said, if you give 10 authors the same one-sentence description of a book and tell them to write it, you’ll wind up with 10 VERY different books. I do think UNREMEMBERED stands apart in this new YA trend. There are some twists and turns that readers won’t expect and won’t find in other stories like it. But I’m excited to be part of this new growing trend in YA literature. And especially excited to be in the company of some amazing authors who, like me, are clearly fascinated by how science can change us, and how it can make for a thrilling story.
Unremembered by Jessica Brody is available now! I loved it and definitely recommend you all checking it out -- her writing is awesome.
0 Comments on Jessica Brody: Scientifically Altered is the New Vampire as of 3/7/2013 8:42:00 AM
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By: Jennie,
on 2/21/2013
Blog: Biblio File (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: YA, Fiction, Jessica Brody, Add a tag
Lexington Larrabee has just crashed her $500,000 custom-built Mercedes into a convenience store. She's a spoiled brat and her father decides that if she wants that $25mil trust fund, it's time she got a job. He picks 52 different minimum wage jobs and she has to work each one for a week.
Of course, Daddy can't be bothered to see if she does them-- that's what he has Luke the intern for. Just like Bruce the lawyer and Caroline the PR head tell her all the family news. And the gardener and butler and nannies are the ones who actually raised her.
Lexi has heard her father say that he loves her 4 times-- all on TV, and none actually to her. She may be a spoiled brat that the tabloids love, but she's also deeply lonely and it's very easy to see why she's so troubled.
Overall the book is just really well done-- it's a funny and quick read, but Lexi's character development is paced just right-- it doesn't happen overnight and it's fun to see what jobs she really takes to, once she gets her head in the game. It's easy to feel sorry for Lexi, but you don't want to actually like her, but after awhile, it's really hard not to.
A very fun read.
More importantly, I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately. Part of it is committee work and committee recovery. Part of it is parenting a toddler. Part of that is addicting video games. But a large part is just lost mojo. I mean, with the exception of the toddler, none of the other factors are exactly new. But this weekend, I finished reading 2 books. And then I read 2 more cover-to-cover. That used to be fairly standard for a weekend. Will the mojo come back? I think/hope so. If it does though, this book deserves a lot of the credit.
Book Provided by... my local library
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0 Comments on 52 Reasons to Hate my Father as of 2/21/2013 10:23:00 AM
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By: MacKids,
on 12/10/2010
Blog: MacKids Home (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Teens, Jessica Brody, Year of the Book, Add a tag
Blog: MacKids Home (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Teens, Jessica Brody, Year of the Book, Add a tag
#FastForward: Coming of Age in the Digital Age
By @jessicabrody
I consider myself lucky. I was born and raised in a time before internet and 300+ TV channels, and being able to control your refrigerator with your iPhone. When you had to be home at 8:00 pm on the dot if you wanted to catch your favorite TV show and writing on people’s walls would land you in jail.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not one of those luddites who despise technology and think it’s the end of the world. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. I LOVE technology. I embrace it. I read books on my eReader and make dinner plans via text and do my Christmas shopping with a single click.
But the reason I consider myself lucky is because I’ve been able to witness the rise of all these advancements. I remember what it was like to have to drive to the AAA store and buy a map for your next road trip, or ask people for step by step directions, or look things up in the phonebook. I remember what a phone book is. And therefore I feel as though I can fully appreciate things like Google maps and phone apps and the soothing voice of my car’s navigation system. More so than the generation that’s growing up not knowing any different.
A few years ago I was babysitting for a friend. Her two year old son and I were watching a Tivoed episode of Sesame Street. Like any human being with a developing personality and sense of taste, there were certain characters and skits in the show that he liked better than others. But I’ll never forget when Bert and Ernie came on and this two year old kid turned to me and made a pantomime motion of pushing on a remote button with his thumb. It took me a few seconds (and him a few more fake remote jabs) to realize that he was asking me to fast forward. He didn’t want to watch Bert and Ernie. He wanted to skip it and get to Elmo or Grover. And I remember being so blown away by this realization. This kid can’t speak yet. Can’t tell me what he wants for dinner. But he can tell me that he wants to fast forward through Bert and Ernie.
There is an entire generation of kids today who don’t know (and will never know) what it’s like to watch live TV. To be forced to sit through things you don’t like in order to watch something you do. And that is simply baffling to me.
Although I didn’t grow up being able to fast forward through things I didn’t want to watch or have an entire conversation with my friends using 140 characters or less, as an author of young adult fiction, it’s my job to understand what it’s like. If I’m going to write believable stories for teen audiences, I have to be able to put myself in the shoes of someone coming of age in today’s world. A world in which your embarrassing moments are not only at risk of being gossiped about…but at risk of being caught on film (sorry, digital video) and posted on YouTube for all to see.
Everyone knows your teenage years define you. It’s when you start to search for your own identity. Seek independence. Rebel from your parents. Try to figure out what kind of person you want to be and why. And in today’s modern society, those kinds of life-altering reflections are not done in private anymore. They’re done in public. For all to see. On the internet.
Today’s teen is growing up on Facebook and Twitter and Youtube. They’re posting things we use to only share with our closest friends in notes passed between classes. Photographs that used to be kept privately in our photo albums are now sitting on a server somewhere in Palo Alto, CA for all of eternity. You can no longer rip your ex-boyfriend out of a picture after he cheats on you. There’s no physical photograph to rip. All you can do is “unfriend” him. “Unfollow him.” Unsubscribe. But it’s only virtual. It’s not real. Like money in your bank account. I
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By: Wendy Toliver,
on 3/14/2010
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Neil Gaiman, book trailer, YA books, Simone Elkeles, Lifted, Jessica Brody, Shoplifting, Add a tag
I don't know about you guys, but I LOVE watching book trailers. This one is amazing, don't you think? The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. (I just barely started reading this book, by the way.) Or check this one out: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. It's like a mini-movie! And so is The Karma Club by Jessica Brody's book trailer.
Yesterday my husband and I headed to Hastings (which I have to say is always so supportive of its local authors) to film what will eventually become the book trailer for my June 8th release, Lifted. While I adore the trailers for The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren and Miss Match (thank you Air Productions Co!) but I thought it would be fun to do something a little less traditional, a little crazy, and maybe even a little illegal when it came to Lifted. So, with the help of my husband and my brother (who is putting it all together for me), I'm hoping it will be awesome!
What's YOUR favorite book trailer?
4 Comments on Book Trailers, last added: 3/16/2010
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So exciting about the book trailer for LIFTED, Wendy!
I particularly like Simone's RULES OF ATTRACTION trailer. It so happens that I know Patrick Peach, her producer, and am familiar with his strong work ethic, so no surprise that two such talented people collaborated on that fine production.
In my classroom we do trailer Tuesdays, and I show 1-3 trailers at the start of class. The kids love it, and they do hook them on to some books. The best we've watched lately was the one for A Whole Nother Story. Super cute!
I'll have to check those trailers out! And what a great idea to start class with viewings!
I heart book trailers! Oooh..I'm intrigued about the Lifted book trailer. Will have to watch out.
My favourite book trailer is Jacqueline Wilson's My Sister Jodie.