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Blog: readergirlz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Rock the Drop, Wendy Toliver, photo op, Add a tag
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Meg Cabot, tina ferraro, Tera Lynn Childs, Stephanie Hale, Marley Gibson, wendy toliver, Add a tag
Thanks to Stephanie Hale for opening our discussion yesterday about the Romance Writers of America conference in Orlando, Florida, attended by five of the seven Buzz Girls. (Next year we're hoping for a full house!)
Here are Steph and Tera flanking me in a picture Tera somehow managed to be in AND take (I am always inspired by multi-taskers):
Here stands me, Marley, Wendy and Tera, in a photo perhaps worthy of one of Marley's Ghost Huntress books:
And now replace Wendy with Steph, and add in the middle...oh...um...what's her name...(choke, sputter, gasp)... MEG CABOT.
Yes, *the* Meg Cabot. Looking every bit as warm, friendly--and gorgeous--as she is in real life. It was a thrill and delight for us to meet her!
That's it from me. Maybe some of the other Buzz Girls have pictures to share?
Tina
Tina Ferraro
The ABC’s of Kissing Boys, 2010 Rita® Finalist
How to Hook a Hottie, 2009 Rita® Finalist
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
www.tinaferraro.com
Blog: readergirlz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Wendy Toliver, cover stories, lifted, Add a tag
Wendy Toliver's new book, Lifted, is already getting rave reviews. Wings author Aprilynne Pike says, "Lifted is the story of an imperfect heroine seeking her place not only in school, but in life. Its exploration of the amount of truth behind social and religious stereotypes escalates into a double-dog dare to believe them. A haunting morality tale that will leave you questioning just what it means to be 'good.'"
Ooh... intriguing! Wendy's here to talk about her cover:
"I had a vague idea of what the cover might look like. I visualized dark or bright colors rather than pastels, and maybe a part of a girl (not her whole body and face) or several girls with cross necklaces.
"In fact, the cover was complete surprise. When you put so much of yourself into a book, it's always scary to see the cover for the first time, particularly if you know it's pretty much set in stone. My agent is always really good to call so we can discuss our first thoughts together. If I remember correctly, I could change a color or something (like if I wanted her hoodie to be a different color) but couldn't add something, for example, the cross necklace I'd proposed.
"I think when people read it, they'll be able to see that the girl in the photo does look a lot like how I describe Poppy, so that's good. And I love the colors and the bold font (which is carried throughout the book in the chapter headings, etc.) When I started sharing the cover image with a few author friends, someone called it to my attention that it's the same cover (well, the same image) as AnnDee Ellis's Everything is Fine (right). The weird thing is, Ann Dee and I both live in Utah and we see each other at local author gatherings. My agent and I brought this up with my editor and she mentioned our concern to the art and marketing departments but they really loved the cover Cara E. Petrus had designed for my book and didn't want to change it...
Read the rest of Wendy's Cover Story (and see a third lookalike for this cover) at melissacwalker.com.
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: YA books, free book, wendy toliver, Lifted, Add a tag
Congratulations to the following Books Boys Buzz commenters for winning a signed copy of my brand-spankin' new book, LIFTED:
Steph & Bookaholic
Please contact me via my web-site, www.wendytoliver.com, with your full name and U.S. mailing address as well as who you'd like the book signed to, and I'll get them mailed off when I'm home next week!
Thank you to everybody for stopping by this week and thanks so much for participating in the contest! I hope you had as much fun as I did! :)
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: wendy toliver, Lifted, friends, giveaway, Add a tag
What an awesome week we've got here celebrating Wendy's new book, LIFTED. I'm so proud of her and this book and everything she put into it. It really gives a good look at friendship and how important it is in our lives.
Through the years, when people have formed best friendedness, as I like to call it -- and I'm known for making up words -- they often choose some sort of symbol to show their connection to their best friend. I know that when I was growing up, we'd sometimes buy the same stuffed animal or the same outfit so we could be besties and twins almost.
Friendship has been symbolized with embroidery thread (gimp) bracelets...
Safety pins with beads on them...
Even friendship rings...
Or a necklace that breaks in two so each friend can wear a piece...
And more recently, the trading of Silly Bandz, which I'm completely fascinated by. You'll see people with seven or eight of these bands in different colors and shapes around their wrist...
So, in celebration of the release of Wendy's LIFTED and to be entered to win a copy of the book, leave your comment about the symbols of friendship you've seen over the years. As a special bonus, I'll have Wendy's son draw an extra name for the winners and you'll get two packs of Silly Bandz sent to you. How's that?
Hugs,
Marley = )
Ghosts don't hang up their sheets November 1st...
GHOST HUNTRESS: THE REASON - available now!
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: wendy toliver, Lifted, contest, friends, Add a tag
Congratulations to Buzz girl Wendy on the release of her third book, LIFTED! (This is Wendy's first release week as a Buzz girl, so let's make it a good one!) In honor of her book, we're talking friendship all week long.
For my part, I want to talk about one of my favorite romantic plots of all time: the best friends who realize they love each other. I am such a sucker for this storyline. It might all date back to kindergarten when my best friend was an adorable blond Dutch boy named Wauter. Secretly, I still wonder whether we're still meant to be....
Anyway, I adore books and movies about best friends (or childhood friends) who all of a sudden wake up to the fact that the perfect person has been right next to them all along. I think it's all about getting to that moment, that instant where one of them realizes the truth of their feelings. The duality of being thrilled to find love and terrified that the other friend won't feel the same way and that confessing might end the friendship all together. How will it all work out?
One of the first complete stories I ever wrote was about a pair of best friends/roomies who realize they're meant to be together after an April Fool's joke forces them to start thinking about each other differently. Hmmm, might have to go dig that story out....
This theme is one of the reasons I love The Hunger Games. There's obviously something under the surface between Gale and Katniss, I mean he almost said he loved her in Catching Fire, right? And when Mockingjay comes out in two months (TWO MONTHS!!!) I fully expect a little best friends romance.
I'm a sucker for best friends turning into lovers in the movies, too. One of my all-time favorite movies is Drive Me Crazy, starring Melissa Joan Hart and Adrian Grenier. The pair were best friends in elementary school, but had drifted apart by the time high school rolled around. But a basketball mishap and a breach of dance date protocol brings them back together as pretend boyfriend-girlfriend. It's only a matter of time before the pretend part disappears.
Now I'm looking for recommendations. To be entered to win a copy of LIFTED, tell me about your favorite best-friends-fall-in-love book or movie. And if the boy has secretly loved the girl all along, then all the better!
Hugs,
TLC
Oh. My. Gods. and Goddess Boot Camp (Greek gods are more than myth.)
FORGIVE MY FINS (What happens when a mermaid kisses a human?)
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Lifted, wendy toliver, Add a tag
We’ve got a fun week happening as we’re discussing the qualities that make a good friend in celebration of the release of Wendy Toliver’s newest book,
Lifted.
Here is my favorite quote about friends:
“Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.”
For me, the mark of a wonderful friendship is one that feels close and personal no matter how much time has passed. That it’s not the amount of energy you put in on a day-to-day basis as much as the capacity you have to give when needed or when the circumstances present themselves. For this reason, I rarely let old friendships go...try to stay in touch via the internet and/or vacation visits.
Here are two sets of celebrity besties whose friendships have proven the test of time, Matt Damon & Ben Affleck and Courteney Cox & Jennifer Aniston:
And here is one brand new one, Lea Michele & Dianna Argon from GLEE:
To be entered in our contest to win a copy of LIFTED (seven days, seven winners!), simply name another set of best friends, either from public life, literature, movies, songs...
And check back next Sunday, when Wendy will announce the winners!
Tina
Tina Ferraro
The ABC’s of Kissing Boys, 2010 Rita® Finalist
How to Hook a Hottie, 2009 Rita® Finalist
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
www.tinaferraro.com
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Ya lit, YA books, YA novels, wendy toliver, Lifted, Add a tag
And now I'm going to tell you all about The Contest that will be running this week right here at the fabulous Books, Boys, Buzz blog.
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: wendy toliver, YA authors, Heather Davis, Miss Match, Never Cry Werewolf, Lifted, Secret Life of a Teenage Siren, giveaways, Add a tag
Happy Thursday!
A little housekeeping before we get into our daily celebration of Wendy Tolliver, our new bee – the winner of last week’s Favorite Things giveaway – is HEATHER M. Please email me at heather(at)heatherdavisbooks.com with your mailing address so I can send you delicious chocolate-orange fondue, gummy bears, and a signed copy of my book, Never Cry Werewolf.
And now – without further ado, I’m so very lucky to get to interview our brand-spanking-new Bee, Wendy Toliver! Since most of us YA authors relive the high school years on a daily basis in our writing, I thought it would be fun to dig into Wendy’s memory of her formative years.
Q: Hey, Wendy! Welcome to the Buzz Girls. To start, please tell us what kind of kid were you in HS?
A: Hmm, good question. I played basketball and soccer, sang in concert choir and school musicals, played piano, took Honors and AP classes (though art class was my favorite), and was active in my church's youth group. I had a best friend who I did everything with and was completely boy crazy. I drove a humongous and totally unglamorous Ford LTD we called the Banana Boat, and my wardrobe was pretty Gap-ish. My favorite lunch was Cheetos, a poppy seed muffin, and a raspberry New York Seltzer. I loved The Simpsons, Depeche Mode, and going to dance clubs and Nuggets basketball games.
A: A news anchor or a psychiatrist.
Q: As a YA author, have you used any incidents or memories from HS in your novels?
A: Not directly, but definitely as far as feelings and the daily in-and-outs of high school.
Q: Inquiring minds want to know -- did you have a secret HS crush?
A: Oh yes, many many, many crushes. And they changed almost daily, ha ha! I tended to like guys who were athletic, funny, handsome, and taller than me (I'm 5'9"). I went to a school with about 2,000 students and worked at a grocery store with a lot of other teenagers, so guys were plentiful in my life. Unfortunately, I didn't really have much reciprocation, so whenever I wanted to do something couple-ish, I resorted to having people fix me up with guys who went to different schools. I think the biggest secret crush I had was a guy named Shane who worked at the grocery store with me. He had a girlfriend, though, so I never told him.
Q: Did you have a nickname in HS?
A: Yes I did! Fergie (My last name was Ferguson before I got married) and Prancer amonst basketball team-mates (I don't know if this came from my tiny feet that looked like hooves in my basketball high-tops, or if it's because of the way I ran. Either way, kind of funny.)
Q: Who were your best friends in HS?
A: Amy Uppinghouse (in picture with Wendy at right) and Tonya Monson. I met them both in junior high and we're still close even though we went to different colleges and live in different states. Another of my best friends was Emily Bateman, who went to a different high school but we became friends way back in second grade!
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: contest, winner, critique partners, wendy toliver, Add a tag
In celebrations of Wendy Week, I wanted to give a little writer's history on our new bee!
I first met Wendy at the Romance Writers of America (RWA) National Conference in Dallas, Texas...in...geesh...was it 2004? It's been so long, I don't even have pictures from the event! But, nonetheless, I was president of the newly formed Chick Lit Writers Chapter and I was thrilled to meet someone as positive, bubbly, and determined as Wendy Toliver.
When I first started writing, there were wonderful people in my RWA chapter who mentored me and really took me under their wing. I asked how I could pay them back and they told me to "pay it forward." I have certainly tried to do that with Wendy, acting as a sort of mentor. I read some of Wendy's first writing and immediately loved her voice and the way she created her stories. I especially loved a story of hers called BLUE CORNMEAL PANCAKES which came this ---> <--- close to selling! Being the good mentor, I hooked her up with her first agent (sorry about that, Wendy...LOL!
The day that Wendy sold, I felt like I had sold all over again! I was (and still am) proud of her and her accomplishment! So, imagine how happy I am to have my critique partner, Wendy, as a new bee. Welcome sweetie and big hugs!Winner of Gena Showalter's INTERTWINED is Stacy Stew!
Congratulations! Send your mailing info to marley_gibson AT yahoo (dot) com.
And don't forget to comment on today's post (and every post this week) for a chance to with a $10 gift card from Borders.
Hugs,
Marley = )
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: books, wendy toliver, Add a tag
The Wendy welcoming week continues! Yesterday, Tina told us about Wendy's upcoming book. Today, I get the honor of telling you about the two books she already has out. (And such fun!)
The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren
Geeky to gorgeous in sixty seconds...
Roxy's about to turn sixteen, but life isn't so sweet. As a band geek, Roxy can barely get the cute guys to notice her, much less go out with her. Then, on her birthday, Roxy is transformed into a siren: seductively beautiful with the power to control all men. She thought sirens were an ancient myth, but suddenly Roxy can get any guy she wants with just a few notes on her flute.
There are only two rules: don't tell anyone about being a siren, and don't fall in love. When she starts dating Zach, the guy everybody's crushing on, Roxy realizes she could get used to this siren thing...but how can she keep herself from falling in love?
Like it? Order it!
Miss Match
Has this miss finally found her match?
Sasha Finnegan has always had a knack for setting people up, and at sixteen, she's turned her talent into an online business, molding high school crushes into true love.
But Sasha finds her toughest match yet when hottie Derek Urban asks her to set him up with Sasha's gorgeous sister, Maddie. It's not that Derek isn't a good catch. In fact, after spending so much time with him, Sasha can't help but think he's perfect -- for her, that is.
Can Sasha push her feelings aside for the sake of her business? Or has this miss finally found her match?
Winner of The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty
YA Vampire Books
Congratulations! Send your mailing info to tlc13 Comments on Books By Our New Bee, last added: 1/8/2010Display Comments Add a CommentBy: Marley Gibson, on 5/17/2008
Blog: Books, Boys, Buzz (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: critique partners, jessica andersen, wendy toliver, Diana Peterfreund, Add a tag...or three, if you include me. LOL!!
In our week of tributes to our critique partners (CPs in the writing world), I am blessed to have two awesome ladies who read all of my work and give me their invaluable input. I've known then pretty much since this whole "writing thing" started and I've cried and celebrated along with them when they sold their books.
First up is the fabulous Diana Peterfreund.
Diana and I met in 2002 on the eHarlequin message board, right after it first came out. We joined a critique group together and it was soon apparent that our voices and writing style didn't mesh with the others, so Diana and I politely exited. I've had the priviledge to see Diana's writing develop over the years into the wonderful Secret Society girl series and her upcoming YA book, RAMPANT. Her third book in the Secret Society girl series is coming soon...don't miss it!
Next up is the equally appreciated Wendy Toliver.
Wendy and I met at the Romance Writers of Ameria conference in (what year was it? Ummm...I want to say 2004 in Dallas?) I was immediately drawn to Wendy's sweet smile and friendly demeanor. She's just a total ball of energy and I saw that "must write" sparkle in her eyes. Ironically, I judged some of Wendy's work in a contest before we teamed up. I knew her style and work ethic and it just works to help each other with our writing. I introduced Wendy to her awesome agent and I squealed like a little girl when Wendy's book, THE SECRET LIFE OF A TEENAGE SIREN. Cutest. Book. Evah.
And a discussion on CPs wouldn't be complete without a shout-out to my first CP, and my writing mentor, Jessica Andersen.
Jess befriended me at my very first RWA meeting and from then on, she never gave up on me, taught me so much about style and substance of writing, and helped me navigate the waves of the publishing industry. Jess doesn't write YA, but for our adult readers, her unbelievable FINAL PROPHECY series comes out next month and let me tell you...she is going to hit it big with this. Go pick it up!!!
Have you read their books? If so, be sure to let them know here how awesome their writing is! If you haven't, I encourage you to pick up their books immediately...if not sooner.
Here's to Diana, Wendy, and Jess!
Hugs,
Marley = )
SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? - Available Now! Puffin Books
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters - Available Now! Puffin Books
GHOST HUNTRESS Series - Begins May 2009, Houghton Mifflin6 Comments on Two heads are better than one!, last added: 5/18/2008Display Comments Add a CommentBy: Kate Hall, on 11/22/2007
Blog: Books4Ever (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: king, children's book, quests, children's, fantasy, Add a tag
In the second book in the Erec Rex series, Erec is called back to Alypium where he must start the quests he needs to do to become king. But all is not as he expected when he goes back. The people hate him and think he is a monster rather than their future king. He doesn’t understand how it could have gone so wrong, and he knows that people important to him are keeping something really big a secret (it is pretty easy to guess what it is). Added to that his twin siblings have been kidnapped and he can’t seem to find them. But with the help of his friends, Erec will right wrongs, save people, and show that he really is meant to be king (even if he doesn’t really believe it either). A great read, but I wish I had gone back and read the first book again before reading this one. I had forgotten some things that would have helped my understanding tremendously. These are a great set of books that is somewhat similar to Harry, but can defintiely stand on their own. Plus the covers are great!
0 Comments on Erec Rex: The Monsters of Otherness by Kaza Kingsley as of 1/1/1990Add a Comment
It looks like you had a great time. Wish I could have been there.
I wish you had been there, too, Janie. You were missed!
Great pictures! I'm sorry I had to miss the gathering this year. You guys look like a million bucks!
xo,
Heath
ZOMG MEG!! I so hope one of you remembered to say hi to her for me. If not, that's ok. I'm sure I'd forget everything I wanted to say to her if I saw her in person.
I really wish I could have been there too. Ah well. I will just have to live through you guys and your recaps!
BookChic--I KNOW! OMG, Meg! And among the fun was telling her that we'd met before, at the Grove in Los Angeles years ago, when I brought my daughter to hear her speak about the Princess Diaries. And she remembered the event--not us, of course--but the event. That was fun for me!
It was so surreal meeting Meg. I don't think I said a word. What a nerd I am! It was a great time but the bees missed Heather and Dona!
I'm so happy for you guys!!!! Your pics are amazing!!!!! It sounds like so much fun!!!!!