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Today we have Jenny Meyerhoff joining us in the shop! Jenny is a Class of 2k8 member and the author of THIRD GRADE BABY, a chapter book which Instructor Magazine says is “a great choice for fans of Clementine, Junie B. Jones and Judy Moody.”



So welcome, Jenny!  Grab some coffee, get comfy in th chair and let's get down tot the gossip.  First off, when’s the last time you treated yourself to a manicure?

I don’t get manicures too often, but I love a pedicure. I get them at least once a month. There is a little nail boutique right next door to the café where I write, and it’s a nice little reward/incentive. Plus every pedicure comes with a shoulder rub—great after a few hours hunched over a keyboard.

What’s the most regrettable hairstyle you ever had?

I have naturally curly, baby fine hair. An odd combination, I know. As a kid, my hair didn’t even start growing in until I was in elementary school, and then my mother kept it cut short. It was too tangly and hard to take care of. But short hair did not flatter me. Mostly people thought I was a boy. If I had a nickel for every time someone called me son, I’d be able to support my writing career!



Aww, too cute!  Love the pose, too. ;)  Okay, what hair-styling product can you not live without?

Can I name a book here? It’s called CURLY GIRL, by Lorraine Massey and Deborah Chiel. It taught me so much about how to properly take care of my curls. I no longer have frizz! It’s a must read for anyone with curly or wavy hair.

Time for your Hypothetical Questions of the Week:

HQ #1: If you followed the career path you chose for yourself in high school, what would you be doing for a living right now?

At my high school, we all had to take one of those personality inventories that predicts what jobs you are best suited for, and that test told me I should be a forest ranger. I wanted to be a writer, and I thought it was ridiculous. I am now a writer, but I live in a forest. The town I’m from has a law that you can’t cut down any trees and all our lots are heavily wooded. I guess that test was able to pick up on an affinity for nature I didn’t even realize I had.

HQ #2: iTunes has invited you to submit a Celebrity Playlist of all your favorite songs. What tunes would make your top picks?

My favorite songs are changing all the time. Here’s what I’ve been listening to lately:
Rain by Patti Griffin
The King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1 by Neutral Milk Hotel
California Stars by Wilco and Billy Bragg
Following an Angel by They Might Be Giants
Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
The Real Slim Shady by Eminem
Our Song by Taylor Swift
Modern Nature by Sondre Lerche

The Lightning Round:  No more than two words per answer!

Do you….

Outline or wing it?     Outline
Talk about works-in-progress, or keep your trap shut?     Shut, preferably.
Sell by proposal or completed draft?     Draft
Love to edit or cringe at the thought?     Linge. Crove?
Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old?     Writing!
Write better at home or in a coffee shop?     Coffee shop
Read your released book or no, I’ve read it enough?     No way!

And finally, what’s your favorite…

Time to write?     Morning
Movie?     BBC Pride and Prejudice/Princess Bride
Book?     Persuasion
Author?     Jane
Song?     Can’t pick one
Pair of shoes?     Bare feet
Guiltiest pleasure?     America’s Next Top Model
Line from a movie?     “Stop that rhyming now I mean it! Anybody want a peanut?” 

Thanks for stopping by, Jenny, and best of luck with Third Grade Baby!  Oh, and America's Next Top Model is NOT a guilty pleasure.  It's a necessity, my friend.   Rock of Love Charm School?  Now that's a guilty pleasure. ;)

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Today it's Kristin O’Donnell Tubb's turn in the shop talk chair!  Kristin is a Class of 2k8 member and the author of Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different.



Autumn has charmed a hive of bees, wrangled a flock of geese, and filched a stick of dynamite from the U.S. Government. But it’ll take a whole new kind of gumption to save her Cades Cove home.

Wanna see the book trailer? Click here!  Until then, welcome, Kristin!  Grab some coffee, get comfy in the beautician’s chair, and let’s get down to the gossip.

Okay, what’s the most regrettable hairstyle you’ve ever had?

Oh, lawsy, I’ve had every hairstyle in the book (long, short, permed, straight, and a myriad of colors). With that much experimentation, I can say I’ve had several regrettable styles. I had that whole asymmetrical cut thang going on in the 80s – short on my right side, long on my left. Sheesh. I’ve permed hair that was all one length, and subsequently wound up with triangle head. And once, I went from having hair to the middle of my back to short-short in one cut. But I think the stylist must’ve wigged out a little (no pun intended!) chopping off all that hair, and decided to leave these long tendril-like things hugging my neckline, a la Carol Brady. That night when I got home, my sister Kathy said, “No. Unh-unh. Sit.” And she chopped off the tendrils then and there. It was a much better cut after that.

Ever had a major hair or salon disaster?

Absolutely. A year or so after my daughter was born, I decided I wanted to change things up a bit and Go Red. I’m naturally a dirty blonde (I think? Who knows anymore?), so my stylist really heaped on the color, telling me that a lot of it would wash out in the next day or so. I didn’t have anywhere to go, did I? No – I was a writer and a stay-at-home mom; Walgreen’s was as exotic an outing as could be expected. My hair was red-red – like fire. Like lipstick. Like paint.

When I got home, there was a message from my dad. My grandmother had passed away that morning. (She was 100 years old, so I promise not to make this into a sad tale!) I had to leave the next morning to make the funeral. There I stood, the harlot in the receiving line, with my hair glowing like the Exit sign above my head. The good news? It made my dad (and several others) laugh on a day when laughing wasn’t really expected!

How long have you been with your current stylist and what are your appointment conversations like—chatty and personal, or quiet and professional?

My current stylist is Barbara Presson at Salon Cappelli in Franklin, TN. I’ve been with Barbara for five or six years now, and I’ve hopped salons four times to stay in her chair. Our conversations are chatty and personal – she always asks about my next book, and I always ask her about her two sons. Getting a haircut is so therapeutic, I can’t help but spill my guts as I watch all those dead ends fan out on the floor mat. And it’s far cheaper than psychiatry! 

Here’s your Hypothetical Questions of the Week:

HQ #1: You magically find a $100.00 bill in your box of cereal. In what frivolous way would you spend it?

Jewelry! The bigger and cheaper, the better.

HQ #2: TV execs are offering you a spot on a new reality show for writers. Do you say yes? If so, how would you be portrayed? (i.e. the boss, whiner, bore, paranoid-wreck, etc.?)

Sure, I’d say yes – what fun! I’d likely be portrayed as the Pollyanna: “Gosh, it’ll be okay! I know your best friend just stabbed you in the back to land that writing contract, but look at the bright side – he might get carpal tunnel!” I wouldn’t last very long on a cutthroat program.

HQ #3: Paparazzi are stalking you, looking for shots of odd things authors do while writing. What do they catch you doing, hmm?

They’d catch me plucking cat hairs from between the keys of my keyboard. I do it whenever I get stuck on an idea. My cats’ hair is magical; it can weasel its way into a closed laptop and lodge itself in the tiniest of crevices in my computer. If I could somehow spin cat hair into best sellers, I’d be John Grisham.

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?

I’d like to say Randy Jackson (fair but valuable feedback), but I’m probably more like Paula Abdul – did I mention I’m a bit of a Pollyanna? Crit group – are you listening? Wanna chime in?

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

“Writing the Great American Novel.” The proof is in my yearbook.

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

Do you . . .
Outline or wing it?      Both.
Talk about works-in-progress, or keep your trap shut?      Talky talk!
Sell by proposal or completed draft?      Completed draft.
Love to edit or cringe at the thought?      Love it!
Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old?      Writing new.
Write better at home or in a coffee shop?      Coffee buzz!
Read your released book or no, I’ve read it enough?      No, thanks!

And finally, what’s your favorite . . .

Time to write?      Late afternoon.
Movie?     They still make those?
Book?     A Wrinkle In Time
Author?     Madeleine L’Engle
Song?     Twinkle, twinkle little star (rating based on frequency heard in my home)
Pair of shoes?     Grey slouchy boots
Guiltiest pleasure?     Zappos.com
Line from a movie?     “And this paddle game. The ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need. And this remote control. The ashtray, the paddle game, and the remote control, and that's all I need. And these matches…”

Thanks for stopping by, Kristin, and best of luck with Autumn Winifried Oliver does things different!  And okay, your favorite line sounds so familiar but I can't figure out which movie it's from.  Any guesses, anyone?

I'm off to vote!!  :-)

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Today we have Regina Scott on the hot seat! Regina is a Class of 2k8 member and the author of eighteen books set in the Regency period of England. Her latest is La Petite Four, a historical romantic romp for young and old alike.



Lady Emily Southwell and her three dearest friends intend to take Society by storm by hosting the most elegant, elaborate, exclusive ball 1815 London has ever seen. But dashing Lord Robert Townsend insists that she honor the engagement their parents spoke of years ago. Has he no sensibilities? No refinement of spirit? No idea he has laid down a challenge Emily has no choice but to accept? For she will not give up the ball, and Lord Robert Townsend will rue the day he dared to stop La Petite Four.

Check out her website or nineteen century teen blog!

Welcome, Regina! Grab some coffee and get comfy in the beautician’s chair.

What’s the most regrettable hairstyle you’ve ever had? Any mullets? Rat tails? 

I did actually have a rat tail at one time, but I don’t regret it. I was the leader of an after school daycare center at the time, and I needed all the “cool” I could get. My most regrettable hairstyle was in 8th grade. I call this my inspiration picture, because it inspires me to never look this bad again!



How long have you been with your current stylist and what are your appointment conversations like—chatty and personal, or quiet and professional?

I’ve been with Lyndsay Rodgers for over 3 years now. I had an amazing male stylist before that, but he moved out of town and I found Lyndsay. She’s brilliant and about the sweetest person I’ve ever met. We totally chat it up for the entire hour.

What kind of hairstyle did you have in high school?

I have naturally curly hair and a mother who’s allergic to styling products (no joke!) so I never learned how to take care of my curls until much later in life (bless you, Lyndsay!). For most of high school I had shoulder length, incredibly bushed out hair. I couldn’t find my face some days, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, as I was very shy and had severe acne back then.



Time for your Hypothetical Questions of the Week:

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?

Wokmana Nefgetter. I’m considering taking it as a pen name if my sales go south.

HQ #2: If you followed the career path you chose for yourself in high school, what would you be doing for a living now?

Actually, I intended to be a writer in high school, but I was afraid to take chances with the publishing world so I thought I’d better get a steady job to pay the bills while I was writing. I thought I’d be a cruise ship activities director.

No, really.

HQ #3: If you could go back in time and make changes to any of your published books, would you? If so, which one and why?

I’d change quite a few of the earlier ones. I love interconnecting my books, but I didn’t outline all 18 of them in advance (silly, silly Regina!), so when I came to the later stories, I found I’d sometimes written myself into a corner. I’d love to go back in the earlier stories and plant other seeds I could grow later. You know, like how in the latest release of Episode Six of the Star Wars saga Hayden Christensen now shows up in the final scene as a ghost with Obi Wan and Yoda instead of the other guy who played the older Darth Vader.

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

Do you . . .
Outline or wing it?    Outline, sadly.
Talk about works-in-progress, or keep your trap shut?    Depends
Sell by proposal or completed draft?    Proposal
Love to edit or cringe at the thought?    Love it
Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old?    Writing
Write better at home or in a coffee shop?    Airplanes
Read your released book or no thank you, I’ve read it enough?    Never read!

And finally, what’s your favorite . . .

Time to write?     Early morning
Movie?     Pirates of the Caribbean
Book?     The Prydain Fantasy Series
Author?     Lloyd Alexander
Song?     Behold He Comes (Days of Elijah)
Pair of shoes?     Blue suede walking shoes
Guiltiest pleasure?     Shopping
Line from a movie?     “There is no try; there is only do.” Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back. 

 Thanks for stopping by, Regina!  Best of luck with Le Petite Four and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  A birthday and release in one month?  That's a good reason to celebrate. ;)
 

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Remember that blogging break I was talking about last week?  Yeah, I was just kidding about that. Sort of. ;)

I'm coming out of blog-hibernation long enough to post this fabulous interview with Class of 2k8 member Debbie Reed Fischer, (debbierfischer,) author of the recently released young adult novel BRALESS IN WONDERLAND and SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS, set to come out in September.   Why?  Dude, she sent photos and you know how much I love posting hair-don't photos!

Allee Rosen is a lot of things: high school senior, overachiever, feminist, brainiac. The one thing she’s not is super model material. She leaves that to pretty people like her little sister (a.k.a. “The Fluff”). That’s why it’s a complete shock when Allee, not her sister, is the one spotted by modeling scouts at the mall and signed by a major modeling agency in Miami.

It’s classic GEEK-to-CHIC  – but it’s not like it’s going to change her right? She’s just doing it for the money that will pay her way through college. Very soon, however, Allee is swept up in the whirlwind of go-sees, designer labels and photo shoots.  Will her elusive “It Girl” status lead Allee to drop her dreams and forget who she really is?

Meet Peyton Grady: self-declared president of The Neverhadaboyfriend Club, six feet tall, “freckled and flat as a skateboard,” on financial aid, with only her best friend Maya to rely on. Until now, she hasn’t exactly been the poster child for popularity at her posh private high school, Beachwood Prep. But everything is about to change, because this year, Peyton has a coveted spot on the varsity cheerleading squad. Now she’ll finally have a shot at the life she’s always wanted, complete with membership in the Alpha Clique, the boyfriend of her dreams, and “no more standing on the social sidelines.”

But treasured goals never come easy. When the principal, Dr. Johnson, appoints new student Ellika Grosset, a “squatty stump of a girl” with zero athletic ability as the squad’s newest member, things get complicated. Peyton and the rest of the squad are outraged that this girl has been forced upon them, simply because her parents donated millions for a new athletic facility.

But none are more furious than the queen fly girl herself, charismatic and powerful squad captain, Lexie Court. Ordering Peyton and her team mates to “take initiation rituals to the next level,” Lexie hatches Operation Smellika, a bullying campaign to drive Ellika out. “Do whatever it takes,” she tells them. “It’s for the good of the squad.”

Peyton knows it’s wrong. Horrible, even. She feels sorry for Ellika. But in the end, Peyton participates along with the others. Torn by her conscience, yet seduced by the chance to have everything she wants, she gets further and further involved in Lexie’s sick hazing plan.

Until it goes too far.

Peyton knows she has to stop Lexie.

But how?

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 Hey, all! In the hot seat today is Jennifer Bradbury, a Class of 2k8 member and author of the young adult novel, SHIFT!

Imagine...

You and your best friend head out West on a cross-country bike trek. The two of you get into a fight—and stop riding together. You reach Seattle, go back home, start college. You think your former best friend does too. He doesn't.

Imagine your world shifting.

"This is a great realistic mystery. Jennifer Bradbury tells a totally believable, totally engrossing story. You will keep the pages turning." --Chris Crutcher, Margaret A. Edwards Award winning author of Deadline and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Click here for the behind the story scoop on SHIFT!

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

When’s the last time you’ve treated yourself to a manicure?

Fall of 2005. We were living in India and you could get a full spa day for about fifteen dollars—including threading (don't ask), pedicure, skin treatments, massage and manicure. Trouble was, there were only a handful of Caucasian people in the city of almost 1,000,000, so the spa I visited didn't have any nail polish colors on hand that really went with my skin tone. I had to rush out to the chemist and buy nail polish remover on my walk back to my apartment.

Hey, Jennifer, what's treading?  (Sorry.  Couldn't help it.)  Okay, what beauty product can you not live without?

The only thing I wear every day is my Oil of Olay complete moisturizer with sunscreen. I love that stuff. I think I'd put it in my coffee if I thought it would help. Burts Bees lip balm and Clinique mascara are tied for a very close second.

How long have you been with your current stylist and what are your appointment conversations like—chatty and personal, or quiet and professional?

I just started seeing Hilda, my current stylist. I ended up leaving another sylist recently, which always feels weird. But I like Hilda (who talked me into my first highlights!) and she's a friend from my church home group so we have lots to talk about.

Here’s your Hypothetical Questions of the Week:

HQ #1: You magically find a $100.00 bill in your box of cereal. In what frivolous way would you spend it?

Probably on the pair of NAOT sandals I tried on a couple of days ago, or maybe on a prepaid gift card to my favorite Espresso place. If I were smart, I'd spend it all on more boxes of the same cereal, betting there's more cash in there. But I'm not. Or I like shoes and coffee too much. 

HQ #2: 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?

Somehow I ended up in a critique group with two women who do not have televisions either. So they would mostly say "Huh?" in response to this question. But I think I have Simon tendencies when talking about my own work, and a little Randy Jackson when addressing others.

HQ #3: If you followed the career path you chose for yourself in high school, what would you be doing for a living now?

I'd be a journalist, hoping for an assignment with some foreign press bureau. Basically, I wanted to be Rory Gilmore before there was a Rory Gilmore.

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

Do you . . .
     Outline or wing it?    OUTLINE!
     Talk about works-in-progress, or keep your trap shut?    Hint around . . .
     Sell by proposal or completed draft?    Completed draft.
     Love to edit or cringe at the thought?    Love it.
     Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old?    Writing new.
     Write better at home or in a coffee shop?    Both (I usually write at home, but if I can sneak out . . . )
     Read your released book or no thanks?    All done.

And finally, what’s your favorite . . .
     Time to write?      Naptime!
     Movie?      Rear Window.
     Book?      Jane Eyre.
     Author?      Jane Austen.
     Song?      If I Had a Boat by Lyle Lovett
     Pair of shoes?     Dansko clogs. (I was a teacher, so yeah . . .)
     Guiltiest pleasure?    Gummi Sweet Tarts.
     Line from a movie?    "Step aside, homeschool," from Blades of Glory, mainly because it’s the only one I can think of that I've quoted recently. 

Thanks, Jennifer, and best of luck with SHIFT!  Around my house, there's quite a bit of quoting from Will Ferrell movies as well, especially Talledega Nights.  Oh, and I still want to know what threading is.  Okay, okay, I'll let it go. ;)

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The next gal making the rounds in the Girlfriend Cyber Circuit is Shanna Swendson, (shanna_s) author of fairy tales for modern times like DAMSEL UNDER STRESS and the recently released DON'T HEX WITH TEXAS!



A Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Original
May 2008, 304 pages, $14.00
ISBN 978-0-345-49293-7

    Katie Chandler has fled fast-paced Manhattan and returned home to a simpler life, working at her family’s feed-and-seed store in Cobb, Texas.  In a painfully selfless gesture, Katie left the sexy wizard Owen Palmer to battle his demons in the magical realm—after all, she just seemed to attract evil, which only made Owen’s job a lot harder.  But now, it seems, trouble has followed her home.  Despite the fact that Merlin, Katie’s former boss at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., has assured her that Cobb is free of enchantment, magically speaking, Katie begins to notice curious phenomena.

    Cobb is being plagued by a series of unexplainable petty crimes and other devilish mischief, and after her experiences in Manhattan, Katie knows “unauthorized magic” when she sees it.  As this new dark magic strikes deep in the heart of Texas, Owen reappears (literally) to investigate.  Now Katie’s friends and family must show the bad guys why it’s bad luck to hex with Texas, while Katie and Owen combine their strengths like never before to uncover a sinister plot before evil takes root in the Lone Star State.

    Swendson’s contemporary urban fantasy novels have enchanted fans of romance, chick lit and fantasy alike.  DON’T HEX WITH TEXAS—and don’t miss what Booklist calls “one of the best romantic-fantasy series being written today”!

Click here to read an excerpt!

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

What’s the most regrettable hairstyle you’ve ever had? Any mullets? Rat tails?

I have curly hair and didn’t learn how to deal with it until I was out of college. I didn’t know that you weren’t supposed to brush it once it was dry, and my mother thought that my hair had to stay short or else the weight of long hair would pull the curl out of it, so I spent my childhood and teen years with truly unfortunate hair. It was too short to curl properly, and I kept trying to brush it into submission, so I tended to have a big, poofy cloud of bushy hair. My high school nick name was “bird nest.”

What hair styling product can you not live without?

Conditioner. Without it, I would strangle in the knots created in my mass of hair.

How long have you been with your current stylist and what are your appointment conversations like—chatty and personal, or quiet and professional?

I just had to switch stylists because my former one vanished without a trace. Even the salon doesn’t know what happened to her. That was a real crisis because I have trouble finding people who can deal with curly hair, and I loved this stylist. We had nice, long chats during appointments, so I was surprised that I never heard from her when she left the salon. I discovered that she’d gone missing when I called for an urgent appointment before my book release and a big awards ceremony weekend.

But I think I like the stylist I found when I tried the salon that just opened across the street from my house. It’s too soon to tell what our appointments conversations will be like.

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: For one day, time travel is a reality and you have the opportunity to visit any famous deceased author you want. Who do you pick?

I’d love to hang out with C.S. Lewis for a while. The Narnia books were a major influence on me when I was a kid, and as an adult I’ve enjoyed his theological writings. I’m curious about what he was really like as a person.

HQ #2: You magically find a $100.00 bill in your box of cereal. In what frivolous way would you spend it?

I’d head straight to the bookstore and load up on the books that I’ve been curious about but haven’t bought because I couldn’t justify spending the money.

HQ #3: Paparazzi are stalking you, looking for shots of odd things authors do while writing. What do they catch you doing, hmm?

They would die of boredom watching me stare into space for hours on end. They might occasionally catch me bursting into song for no apparent reason.

HQ #4: If you followed the career path you chose for yourself in high school, what would you be doing for a living now?

I’m doing exactly what I really wanted to do when I was in high school, but if I was doing what I told people I wanted to do, I’d be a globe-trotting television reporter (my degree is in broadcast journalism).

HQ #5: If you could go back in time and make changes to any of your published books, would you? If so, which one and why?

Most of the changes I want to make are minor, just wording tweaks. But I did learn after this new book (Don’t Hex with Texas) was written that my publisher didn’t want the last book I’d planned for completing the series, so I suppose I wish I could go back in time and write that last book instead of this one so the series could end properly. Still, though, I really love this book and I would hate to erase it from existence, so I live in hope that eventually the publisher will want to finish the series.

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

Do you . . .
    Outline or wing it?     Both!
    Talk about works-in-progress, or keep your trap shut?     Some talk
    Sell by proposal or completed draft?     It depends
     Love to edit or cringe at the thought?     Love editing
    Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old?     Both
    Write better at home or in a coffee shop?     Home alone
    Read your released book or no thanks, I’ve read it enough?     No, thanks!

And finally, what’s your favorite . . .
    Time to write?    Late afternoon
    Movie?   I can’t possibly pick one – it depends on my mood
    Book?   To Say Nothing of the Dog, by Connie Willis
    Author?   Connie Willis
    Song?   Another one I can’t possibly pick. I have different songs that strike me at different times.
    Pair of shoes?   The Infamous Red Stilettos – a pair of candy-apple red patent heels I bought to reward myself for selling the first book in the series that ended up inspiring the second book in the series. They’re my power shoes that I wear to major events when I want to make a splash.
    Guiltiest pleasure?   Sci Fi Friday – I love it when the Sci Fi Channel has a good Friday-night line-up, like now when they’ve got The Sarah Jane Adventures, Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica. I make a good TV-watching dinner, like pizza, some snacks and a dessert, then spend the evening bonding with my sofa. And then I get online to discuss it all.
    Line from a movie?    “We’ll always have Paris.”

More about the Author:

SHANNA SWENDSON escaped the corporate rat race to be a novelist and pop culture essayist.  She is the author of Enchanted, Inc. and Once Upon Stilettos, in addition to contributing essays to books about television series, authors, and novels.  When she’s not writing or watching television and movies so she can write about them, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and singing.  Visit her web site at www.shannaswendson.com.

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Today we have Suzanne Crowley joining us in the beauty shop!  Suzanne is the author of The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous  Greenwillow Books, the story of a girl with asperger’s who learns to let friendship in when two strangers come to town.  It was a Fall Booksense Children’s pick and was recently selected by Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Books of the Year!



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

When’s the last time you’ve treated yourself to a manicure?

About a month ago. It’s one of my few pleasures.

What’s the most regrettable hairstyle you’ve ever had? Any mullets? Rat tails?

A semi-mullet in college. It was called a bi-level haircut with lots of wings and feathering on top of the ear and then long in the back. I couldn’t wait for it to grow out.

Ever had a major hair or salon disaster?

I had my hair dyed it’s “natural” color to cover up to light hairlights and it turned out black. It was the day before a Christmas party at my home. My husband nicknamed me Elvira till it finally washed out a few months later.

What beauty product can you not live without?

Mascara and an eye-lash curler

How long have you been with your current stylist and what are your appointment conversations like—chatty and personal, or quiet and professional?

I’ve been with him several years and we are chatty and personal. I think there is a button in the styling chair that makes people open their mouth as soon as they sit down.

What kind of hairstyle did you have in high school?

The Farrah Fawcet flip

Ah, yes.  I had the Farrah-do as well.  Okay, time for your Hypothetical Questions of the Week:

HQ #1: For one day, time travel is a reality and you have the opportunity to visit any famous deceased author you want. Who do you pick?

Jane Austin. I’d have tea with her and her sister Cassandra and I’d tell Cassandra not to destroy any letters in the future.

HQ #2: You magically find a $100.00 bill in your box of cereal. In what frivolous way would you spend it?

The bookstore.

HQ #3: Paparazzi are stalking you, looking for shots of odd things authors do while writing. What do they catch you doing, hmm?

Constantly jumping out of my seat in sneaky procrastination attempts – going to the kitchen for snacks, throwing a load of laundry in, pacing around, anything not to be in the chair. They’d also catch me browsing Ebay.

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?

I only went to a critique group twice because I was too uncomfortable criticizing other people’s work. So I guess that makes me Paula.

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

In high school my English teacher had us write a note to ourselves describing what we wanted to be. She mailed the letter to us ten years later. I had written “Interior Designer.” I do love to decorate, but writing has always been my biggest passion.

HQ #6: If you could go back in time and make changes to any of your published books, would you? If so, which one and why?

No changes as of now. It’s perfect.

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 (but shouldn’t)
    Sell by proposal or completed draft?     Completed draft
    Love to edit or cringe at the thought?     Both eventually
    Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old?     New Book
    Write better at home or in a coffee shop?     At home
    Read your released book or no thanks, I’ve read it enough?     Small Sections

And finally, what’s your favorite . . .
Time to write?     Morning
Movie?    Shadowlands, You’ve Got Mail
Book?    Wuthering Heights
Author?     Jane Austin
Song?     I’ll Melt With You, by Modern English
Guiltiest pleasure?     Chocolate and browsing the internet
Line from a movie?     “We read to know we are not alone.” Shadowlands

Thanks for stopping by, Suzanne, and best of luck with all your writing!

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Today we have Jody Feldman, (jodyfeldman ) joining us in the beauty shop! Jody is a Class of 2k8 member and author of the mid-grade novel, THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES.



25,000 contestants will enter, but only one will win what might be the biggest, bravest, boldest kids’ competition the world has ever seen. Gil Goodson may have more reason to win than anyone else. It was, after all, the Golly Toy & Game Company that had had his father arrested and ruined Gil’s life. If Gil can get through the questions, puzzles and stunts, he might have a chance at redemption. Does he have what it takes to win? Do you?

So welcome, Jody! Grab some coffee, get comfy in the beautician’s chair, and let’s get down to the gossip.

Thanks! If you don’t mind, though, I’ll take that Caffeine-Free Diet Coke. I may be the only writer in America who doesn’t do caffeine.

Nope, make that two. I've been caffeine-aspartame-splenda-free for weeks now, so how about a boring green tea with skim milk? Yum. Okay, first off: What’s the most regrettable hairstyle you’ve ever had? Any mullets? Rat tails?

Oh, I was proud of this haircut:



It was the 80s when you either wore your hair long in a high, side ponytail or teased it really big or wore it the way we short-haired people did. Spiky. And how do you like all that make-up?

First, major kudos for sending a picture. We like pictures. And yes, I fondly remember my streaked blusher and 'Jack it to Jesus' hair. ;)  Okay, what hair styling product can you not live without?

Hairspray. Otherwise my hair flattens down and falls forward. Believe me, it isn’t pretty.

Ever had a major hair or salon disaster?

I thought I had a major hair disaster in high school. I went to a new stylist and told her I was ready for a shorter cut. By shorter, I meant three or four inches shorter. When I walked in, my long, straight hair reached the middle of my back. When I walked out of there with barely shoulder-length hair, I was so in shock, I couldn’t even cry. I think I muttered the rest of the weekend. Then Monday came, and I had to go to school and face the ridicule. But out of the clear blue, one of the cutest, most popular boys who’d never really spoken to me came up, told me he liked my hair that way, and meant it. Just goes to prove that, sometimes, hair stylists know best.



Rock that short hair! Okay, time for your “Hypothetical Questions of the Week:”

HQ #1: TV execs are offering you a spot on a new reality show for writers. Do you say yes? If so, how would you be portrayed? (i.e. the boss, whiner, bore, paranoid-wreck, etc.?)

Me? On reality TV? Let’s say I didn’t think through the ramifications of potential miscommunication and embarrassment and say, “Yesiree Bob!” Now, my first thought as to how’d I’d be portrayed fits in with the fact that, deep down, I’m still that shy five year old. I’d sit back at first and fly under the radar, I told family members when they asked what I was typing, then emerge to be a strong, competent contender. Oh no, they said. You’d be the boss.

HQ #2: 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?

If I happened to undergo a complete personality reversal along with my new celebrity status …

Cylery Godzilla.

Cylery for the fact that celery is thin and regal and stalk-y in a non-paparazzi-stalking sense. (But really. Who’s going to spell their child’s name like a vegetable when there are perfectly good y’s in the world?) And Godzylla for the strength and godlike characteristics I’d want him or her to have. (Yes, this really is a name for both genders.)

HQ #3: Paparazzi are stalking you, looking for shots of odd things authors do while writing. What do they catch you doing, hmm?

You mean besides talking to myself? How about crawling into a Mort-like shell, as in the guy from the Bazooka Joe comics? Bringing a shirt collar up, covering my mouth when I’m deep in thought … and did I really admit to that?



Yep, you did.  And I just posted it so it's too late to take it back, hehehe! ;)

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?

I’m way too blunt to be Paula, but too nice to be Simon. I’m just keepin’ it real, dawg.

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

Sigh. Grunt. Ponder. Sigh.

That’s me in high school, trying to fill in the Major spot on the college application. I had zero clue. I sort of liked science and math, but couldn’t see myself going down those roads. I didn’t have that history teacher that gave me any desire to look backward. Writing bored me. I loved to read, but only books I wanted to. I wasn’t an athlete, an actress or an artist. So for lack of anything better, I finally wrote “Psychology” in that blank. The doctor is out.

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

Do you . . .
    Outline or wing it?     Just go!
    Talk about works-in-progress, or keep your trap shut?    Limited verbage
    Sell by proposal or completed draft?     Proposal eventually
    Love to edit or cringe at the thought?     Hives
    Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old?     New!
    Write better at home or in a coffee shop?     PJs
    Read your released book or no thank you, I’ve read it enough?     Onward!

And finally, what’s your favorite . . .
    Time to write?     Roll-out-of-bed, can’t-open-my-eyes, don’t-talk-to-me-yet morning.
    Movie?     Romantic comedy, Tootsie; war, Stalag 17; action, The Fugitive.
    Book?     Kids, The Westing Game; Adult, Pride and Prejudice.
    Song?     Classic, Maggie May (Rod Stewart); Past decade, Crazy (Gnarls Barkley)
    Pair of shoes?     Currently … red, patent-leather pumps
    Guiltiest pleasure?     Spending an entire day on the couch, watching the 5-hour version of Pride and Prejudice (1995), stopping only for some really good take-out food.
    Line from a movie?     I’ll leave you with two. (Can you tell? I don’t actually have any favorite-favorite anythings. And many of these favorites would change if you asked me tomorrow.)

From My Big Fat Greek Wedding:  "Here tonight, we have, ah, apple and orange. We all different, but in the end, we all fruit.”

From You’ve Got Mail:  "When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does.”

Aw, I love that line from You've Got Mail!  Sniff.  So sweet.  Thanks so much for stopping by, Jody, and best of luck with THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMES!

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Woo-HOO, today we have Liz Gallagher joining us in the beauty shop! Liz is the author of The Opposite of Invisible, a debut young adult novel from Wendy Lamb Books (Random House) about a fifteen-year-old Seattle girl and how she learns the difference between a crush and love, and love and best friendship. She is also a member of the Class of 2k8!



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

Nice to see you, Laura! I hope you know that whenever I think of you, I think of going for ice cream that time! Not a bad association, I dare say.

Good times, hehehe! Okay, when’s the last time you’ve treated yourself to a manicure?

Manicures are my biggest indulgence lately. I have my Nice Place and my Cheap Place. I try to go every couple of weeks. If I could afford it, I’d go every day! The last time was this past Saturday, right before my book release party. I went for Lincoln Park After Dark, OPI’s almost-black color.



What hair styling product can you not live without?

Stuff to help my waves get curlier. Lately, I’m obsessed with the whole line from UNITE Eurotherapy, especially their curl cream.

How long have you been with your current stylist and what are your appointment conversations like—chatty and personal, or quiet and professional?

I’ve been jumping around because I just did a bunch of research for Seattle magazine’s big beauty issue, which is coming out in February. That’s my kind of research! My last appointment was with a young superstar who does the BEST BLOND. We’re chatty with each other.

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: If you could hit the rewind button, which book published by another author do you wish you could have written? Which movie screenplay?

For a book, I’d have to say FEED by M.T. Anderson, because it’s the book that inspired me to write YA. It has the best first line ever: “We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck.” For a movie screenplay: Garden State. Those characters are pretty similar to the kinds of characters I write.

HQ #2: You magically find a $100.00 bill in your box of cereal. In what frivolous way would you spend it?

Fancy mascara and a cozy sweater.

HQ #3: TV execs are offering you a spot on a new reality show for writers. Do you say yes? If so, how would you be portrayed? (i.e. the boss, whiner, bore, paranoid-wreck, etc.?)

Heck, yeah! I think I’d be the even-keeled one who goes with the flow. When I had random housemates in Canterbury (England) during my junior year of college, that’s what they said about me: I was the one who wasn’t a drama queen and wasn’t in the middle of everything. I was just always around!

HQ #4: 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?

I’m not sure, but I do know that Jason Lee’s kid is called Pilot Inspektor! I think that’s pretty out-there, and it MAY have inspired the name of one of the characters in my WIP. I might go for Winter -- my mom says she wishes she’d named me that. I actually think Apple is a cute name!

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’d be an author. It’s a true dream (and an actual goal) come true.

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

Do you . . .
Outline or wing it? I fly.
Talk about works-in-progress, or keep your trap shut? Vault-like
Sell by proposal or completed draft? Whole enchilada.
Love to edit or cringe at the thought? Love. It.
Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old? Both good.
Write better at home or in a coffee shop? Coffee shop!
Read your released book or no thanks, I’ve read it enough? Uh-uh.

And finally, what’s your favorite . . .

Time to write? First thing.
Movie? Too many.
Book? Too many.
Author? M.T. Anderson.
Song? Peanuts dance.
Pair of shoes? Need some.
Guiltiest pleasure? American Idol?
Line from a movie? "Nobody puts Baby in the corner."

Thanks so much for stopping by, Liz, and congrats again for the recent release of your first novel! It's so awesome how your high school goal came true! (Had mine, I'd be on the Olympic Equestrian Dressage team right now. Go figure!)

Now go work those killer almost-black nails! ;)

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Today we have Lisa Schroeder joining us in the shop! Lisa is the author of I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME, a young adult novel in verse about love and grief in which a fifteen-year-old girl’s boyfriend, who is dead but not gone, is keeping her from moving on.



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

Thanks, Laura. I’m so glad to be here. I love this shop you’ve set up for authors to come and chat with you. I hope I get to do it live and in person someday!!!

Wouldn't that be cool?  And if it was televised!  Hmm . . . what would I wear?  Can't go wrong with a nice pant suit.  Or wrap dress.  Wait, aren't I supposed to be interviewing you?  Right.

Okay, Lisa, when’s the last time you’ve treated yourself to a manicure?

Can you believe I’ve never had a manicure? I do indulge in a pedicure every now and then, however. I had one last summer, right before the SCBWI conference in LA. I even got cute little flowers painted on. They were SO cute!

What beauty product can you not live without?

I have REALLY dry skin, and I need a super rich moisturizer at night. I use Extra Emollient Night Cream by Mary Kay and hope they never, ever discontinue it!

How long have you been with your current stylist and what are your appointment conversations like—chatty and personal, or quiet and professional?

I’ve been with Mia for about three years. I had to switch when my other one refused to let me grow my hair out. She didn’t think it’d look good on me, so she’d cut it and cut it, and so I finally had to leave. I really like my hair now, so it was the right decision.

Mia and I are very chatty and personal. If you think I’m going to divulge what we talk about, well, sorry. What happens at the hair salon stays at the hair salon. ;)

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: For one day, time travel is a reality and you have the opportunity to visit any famous deceased author you want. Who do you pick?

Since I’ve been on a Jane Austen kick lately, I’ll go with her. I would love to sit and have tea with her and see if she’s as witty and funny in person as she is in her books.

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

Turn the music up, turn the music down, turn the music up, stare out into space for awhile, turn the music down, open the window, close the window, turn the music up, stare out into space for awhile… You get the picture.

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.)

So many people in LJ-Land raved about LIFE AS WE KNEW IT, by Susan Beth Pfeffer, and put it on their top-of list for 2007, so this would be the one.

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 Jackson. I try not to sugar coat things like Paula, and yet I don’t knock someone down just for the pleasure of it (like Simon). I think I try to be honest, but kind. I understand that writers take their work very seriously, and it’s important to point out the good things about it as well as the areas it needs work.

The Lightening Round—no more than two words per answer!
Do you . . .
    Outline or wing it?     Wingingly outline
    Talk about works-in-progress, or keep your trap shut?     Some mumbling
    Sell by proposal or completed draft?     Completed draft
    Love to edit or cringe at the thought?     Love it
    Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old?     Writing, please!
    Write better at home or in a coffee shop?     Coffee shop
    Read your released book or no thanks, I’ve read it enough?     Read it.

And finally, what’s your favorite . . .
    Time to write?     Early Morning
    Movie?         I’m torn between PRETTY IN PINK and THE GOODBYE GIRL.
    Book?     Impossible to name just one, so I’ll just say BEAUTY SHOP FOR RENT was one of my favorite books read in 2007!
    Author?     John Green
    Song?     NAME by the Goo Goo Dolls
    Pair of shoes?     My 15 YO Nike Air running shoes
    Guiltiest pleasure?     My weekly Starbucks Chai Tea Latte
    Line from a movie?     “The hard is what makes it great.” – A League of Their Own

Thanks for stopping by the shop, Lisa, and for that sweet compliment about my book!  (Remind me to send you that five bucks later.)  Your favorite line is one of mine as well--I always repeat it to myself whenever I'm struggling with my writing!  That and Tim Gunn's Work it out. ;)

Best of luck with I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME, and everyone be sure to check out Lisa's website!

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by Rafe Martin
illustrated by David Shannon
Scholastic / Arthur A. Levine Books 2001

In this adaptation of a native tale from Hawaii, two children, a boy and a girl, find a shark tangled in netting on the shore. Their attempts to get adults to help them are met with derision so the decide to free the shark themselves. The shark can sense the children mean to help and once freed gives them a bit of a nod of thanks before disappearing into the ocean.

Jubilant at their rescue, the children run through the edges of the jungle, stumbling on the king's sacred drum. In their excitement they long to sound the drum, to announce their achievement to the world, but to do so would be kapu (forbidden). But they're kids, they lightly tap the drum anyway, under the watchful smirk of the king who sees it all. Having waited until they have hit the drum the king then calls out his guards to seize the children and have them held for punishment.

Their parents plea to the king, hoping to appeal to his softer side, but his heart has grown cold to the entreaties of his people. Likewise, appeals to the other members of the community are cold and the parents decide that they must make their case elsewhere.

Seeking out the cave of the Shark God they place their lives on the line as the mountain-sized god swoops them up for a snack. After hearing their story the Shark God agrees to help and sends the parents home with instructions to prepare a canoe filled with goods and to wait for a sign.

The Shark God brings about a massive wave that floods the village and frees the children from their cells. The parents, having seen the sign they were waiting for, launched their canoe before the wave hit and were well at sea when their old village was destroyed. They quickly found their children (with the aid of a friendly shark) and the king's drum and with it sail to anew island where they hoped to find (or start) a new community, one with an open heart.

The author points out in an afterword the differences between the original folk tale and the modifications made for this version. The differences mentioned appear slight and motivational and make a good case for maintaining the essence of the original. A little casual Internet research shows that this story has many variations across the South Pacific and not all of them pleasant. In one, "Kauhuhu, The Shark God of Molokai," the children belong to a priest and they are killed for beating on the drums when the chief is away, no mention of freeing a shark. There are greater details about the ordeal necessary for avenging the children's deaths and the wave brings a hoard of sharks who feast on the cold-hearted villagers.

So on the one hand we have these tales collected by a couple of German brothers that are filled with all sorts of strange dismemberings and transformations and gore, and despite there being no solid evidence they were meant for children we consider them as such. On the other hand when we get a story from a non-Western culture we see a need to make it more palatable and perhaps soften the rougher edges? True, many a Grimm tale are themselves softened to the point of innocence though they are far from their original spirit and, for the most part, have been co-opted by Disnefication. But where we have the original tales in translation for ready comparison such isn't always the case and a lesser-known tale like The Shark God, without research, becomes practically gutted and filleted from the original to a piece of nicely presented same at a sushi bar.

In the end, I'm not taking a stand on this book either way. No, really. I read it knowing nothing about its origin and enjoyed it. Had there not be the author's afterword I might not have gone searching for the original story and not known what had been changed. I think I would prefer that when we introduce stories from another culture to children -- especially if there is little to suggest they will one day be taught it's true origins -- then I guess I'd like that "one shot" to be an accurate one. I wouldn't want any child drawing all their knowledge of ancient Egypt from watching mummy movies and don't like the thought of children learning about the culture of our island state in such a sanitized manner.

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