Could You Do Better?

What an interesting question! It's exactly that question that Daphne Wells, the heroine of Stephanie Lehmann's brand new novel, YOU COULD DO BETTER, poses to herself. Welcome, Stephanie, and thank you for agreeing to an interview! Stephanie also sent me an advance copy of her book, and it's a lot of fun. We like Stephanie... :)

ABOUT THE BOOK

Daphne Wells tells herself being glued to the TV counts as research for her job at the Museum of Television and Radio. But the truth is, as much as she's looking forward to a future with her fiancé, their sex life just isn't ready for prime time. What if she can do better?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Lehmann is the author of Are You in the Mood?, Thoughts While Having Sex, and The Art of Undressing. Her plays have been produced Off Off Broadway, and she is a contributor to Salon. Originally from San Francisco, she's a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, and has a master's in creative writing from New York University. Lehmann now lives with her husband and two children in Manhattan.

THE PRAISE

"I laughed until my sides ached... Full of unusual and interesting TV trivia, Stephanie Lehmann has a winner on her hands."

-- Contemporaryromancewriters.com

"But things don't sort themselves out the way Daphne wants them to in this very funny tale. And just when it seems that it's all about the laughs, Lehmann switches gears and introduces true poignancy."
--Booklist

“Readers looking for fluffy fare and pleasant, light humor will be sated.”

--Publishers Weekly

YOU COULD DO BETTER is a fine lighthearted romantic romp... filled with amusing asides and entertaining TV trivia footnotes interwoven into the plot.

--TheBestReviews.com

TV trivia and history fans who enjoy summer-style reading will quickly devour this story and its references to TV shows: past, present, and fictional.

--Blogcritics.com

Turn off that TV and pick up this book.”

--Sarah Mlynowski

“Sharp, fresh, and clever… Simply put, it doesn’t get much better than this.”

--Johanna Edwards

“Near the top of my list of favorite writers.”

--Rian Montgomery, Chicklitbooks.com

THE INTERVIEW

Q: How did you get the idea for this book?
A: I was trying to think up a book idea, and I wanted the main character to do something different, something I’d never read about, and something I would enjoy researching. I hit on the idea of setting the novel at The Museum of Television and Radio. There actually is such a museum in New York, and I’ve been to it many times. (I’ve always been a TV watcher, still am -- even my own daughter sometimes tells me to “get a life.”) The first time I went to the museum because I was trying to get a job writing for ALL MY CHILDREN and wanted to watch old episodes. They had some from the 60s and the 70s with the original ads still in. I was hooked. (Didn’t get the job, though.) I thought the place was a great discovery, though. They have and incredibly large collection of shows to watch dating from 1947 to now. So I made my heroine a curator there. (I love it that you could “curate” at a museum that “collects” TV shows!) This character loves the history of television, so I read every book I could find on the subject and spent lots of afternoons going there watching old shows. Not that it really became necessary that I view old episodes of, oh, say Bachelor Father, but it was fun…

Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
A: Give your writing to people who will tell you it’s good and encourage you. There’s a lot of critics in the world, and it’s important to feel supported!

Q: What's your writing day like? Any tips or tricks for getting organized?
A: My typical writing day. It’s usually the weekend, as I get most of my work done then. So… get out of bed thinking about that first cup of coffee. Leave the apartment before seeing children, who thank god are now old enough to sleep late. (Husband has already left to go exercise.) Get to coffee shop at undisclosed location where no one in my family can find me. Order that cup of coffee I’ve been thinking about, along with a whole wheat bagel with butter and marmalade. Sit down with coffee and bagel and read something for awhile (newspaper, magazine, book for research, novel for fun) and procrastinate turning on laptop. Sometime around when finishing that cup of coffee, force myself to turn on laptop. Read over what I’ve already written, hopefully not from first page. Rewrite obsessively until I get mad at myself for not writing anything new. Get more coffee. Eat one more bite of (now cold) bagel. Actually write something new. Start worrying that I should be getting home. Continue to write. Feel more pressure to get home. Try to squeeze more writing in. Perhaps get second cup of coffee. Squeeze in more writing. Realize that two hours has gone by, maybe three. Perhaps get call on cell phone from daughter, who is now up and wants me to bring home a muffin. Tell her I’ll be home soon. Squeeze in one more half hour. Leave for home. Hopefully remember to get muffin for daughter and one for son too, just in case. Once home, present muffins, hope that earns me points as a good mom, set up laptop on kitchen table, put on a pot of coffee, and basically begin cycle again.

Q: What's been the most exciting thing about publishing? The most
frustrating?
A:The first time seeing your published novel on the shelf at the bookstore./Not being able to find your published novel on the shelf at the bookstore.

Q: Do you think you might write a follow-up to this book? If not,
what else is in the works?
A: I’ve thought about it, but no plans at the moment. I’m on to something else that I can’t talk about yet!

Q: Do you eat when you write?
A: Yes, it's absolutely necessary for me to begin with a cup of coffee and something sweet.

Q: Do you need it to be neat and organized where you write?
A: No, it can be (and is) a total mess on my desk. My motto is messy house, clean manuscript.

Q: Do you need it to be quiet when you write?
A: No, I can write at the kitchen table with my entire family around me talking and getting food. The key thing is that they are getting the food.

Many thanks once again, Stephanie! You can find Stephanie's book at your local indy (THE BEST CHOICE), or at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

How Do You Squeeze in the Time?

This week the kids are off school. And the to-do list (see post below) is a mile long... As a consequence, it's been near impossible to find the time to write. Or has it?

Here are some ideas for "found" time that may help you find the time to write:

a) My son sees a tutor in the library for an hour twice a week, and during that time my daughter knows she is "required" to find a book and read it, or work on some math pages. She and I find conjoining "study carrels" in the back of the library and do our work side-by-side. It's quiet and the children aren't likely to run anywhere and make a huge mess. Even if your child doesn't see a tutor, how about a day at the library with your kids? They can read or do some reviewing of key math/science/etc concepts before school starts, and you can take an hour and work. (Incentives work well with my kids... ie, read for an hour and we can watch a movie tonight!)

b) I cannot get up early and work. I just cannot, cannot, in a boat. However, it IS possible for me to sit up late and work. A lap top or Alphasmart is very portable, and I often bring it up to bed with me to catch up a bit.

c) I've had success bringing the laptop and/or Alphasmart to the playground or pool. My kids are old enough where I don't need to be completely engaged in their play all the time. Of course, I feel more comfortable with the Alphasmart at these places. If it gets stolen, it's worth a lot less than my laptop... and if it gets wet, it might actually survive!

d) Just cut things out. Hell's Kitchen is over and Big Brother All-Stars is an absolute insult to my intelligence, and I am NOT the most intelligent TV watcher, to which anyone can attest. Why not put on some Life With Derek or That's So Raven, cuddle up with the kids, and edit a scene or sketch out a new one?

e) Waiting rooms. We have a lot of doctor's appointments as school begins. That's just our time of year when we catch up on these things. Don't forget your writing bag. It may contain a chapter to mark up, it may contain a laptop, it may contain a boook and some notecards for research... but just don't forget it. Otherwise, you will be stuck for an hour reading DOG FANCY magazine and articles about healthy pregnancies, while your novel is in the car. This has happened to me. I don't recommend it.

f) They read, you write. We have a rule at home--you MUST read for at least a half an hour before the TV goes on in the evening. Usually, I read too. But sometimes I'll make that reading Chapter 5 of the novel-in-progress... etc.

g) Just read whenever you can. Read good stuff. I just finished Joshilyn Jackson's BETWEEN, GEORGIA the other night. IT MADE ME WANT TO WRITE. Next up is COMPANY by Max Barry. Of course, I am also constantly reading about the Irish Tinkers and Travelling People, but that's research. if you're an author who has a lot of research-related reading, make sure to add in some pleasure reading, too. It'll inspire you. And if you WANT to write... you will.

More later... I have some writing to do!

Inspiration for the Day

Lots of things to do today. It's the kids' last day of day camp before one week of "pure-bred" vacation, to be filled with Marine World, parks, pools, the City, and... basically, we're going to pack in everything we can before school starts.

Sometimes I get really overwhelmed with the amount of things there are to do by the end of the day. Tidying up for the housecleaner, running to the post office, folding laundry, dealing with the back deck (still covered with flood-soaked boxes filled with things we just haven't been able to part with yet), doing SOMETHING about my hideous office... I'm tired just thinking about it.

I even feel this way about writing sometimes. How is this blank screen, I ask myself, ever going to turn into a chapter, or, God forbid, a BOOK? Sometimes, as for The Bitch Posse and my recently-completed nonfiction book, the words just flow, tumbling out so quickly I can hardly jot them down quickly enough. But I would be a liar if I told you that was the case all the time.

In the past, I've kept lists. Huge, long lists that cover one side of a page and go over to the back of the page. Someone once told me to write down things I knew I'd be able to cross off, so I'd feel better if I didn't complete the list. So I'd put things on the list like "take shower," "eat lunch."

It didn't help me feel better, really. First of all, I NEVER completed the list. EVER. And some days, I didn't even get to "take shower," "eat lunch." Leaning somewhat to the obsessive end of things (all addicts do, probably), I felt like complete shit if I didn't finish. And as far as writing... I might put "write 1000 words" on the list, and yes, I'd do them... but I don't like writing to feel like a task on par with my laundry and my shithole office. I really don't.

Yesterday, I got a great little trick from an recovery-based email list to which I subscribe. Using this trick makes you look at the big picture and then focus down to what you can do TODAY to work toward your big goal. I suppose it's a twist on the One Day At A Time thing. What you do is, write down your Large Goals. Each morning. (And yes, I need to do this. As they say, if I fail to plan, I plan to fail.) Here's a Large Goal for me: Keep office a tidy place where it is pleasant to work. Here's another: Complete a publishable novel. Just for thrills and giggles let's write down another lifelong goal, which really, when you think about it, ought to be first on my list: Stay sober.

All right, let's stop there. All of those are HUGE prospects if taken in and of themselves. However, step two of this trick has you write down ONE SIMPLE THING you can do TODAY to work toward that goal. Let's call my first goal Goal A. It would be impossible to clean the whole office today. But one simple thing I can do TODAY toward that goal is bring a big trash bag into the office and tidy up the floor so I can actually see it. THAT'S what I write down next to my Large Goal A. As for Goal B, I can TODAY revise and edit the next 25 pages of the opening 125 pages of the novel. That's what I write down next to Goal B. As for Goal C? I'll write down three things, just because I know I'll do them today: Stay away from the first drink, attend a recovery group meeting, email my mentor in recovery.

The beauty of this plan is that you don't lose sight of the overall picture. The items on the list are not mere tasks to be checked off, but are intrinsically related to one's lifelong goals. They're intertwined. So because these tasks are related to your goals and dreams... they don't even feel like work.

Even if you aren't in recovery, you can use these principles to help you reach your goals. It's working for me!

Welcome to a Secret Society Girl~Diana Peterfreund!

Hello, blogland! I have been doing that thing lately where you staple your ass to a chair and put yourself in a soundproof room and... oh, WRITE a little? So I haven't been around lately. I'm 125 pages into a new book and have taken the time to go back and rework some things based on some new historical information I've found about the subject. And that's all I'm sayin!

However, let me introduce you to exciting new author, Diana Peterfreund. Diana is the author of the brand new novel SECRET SOCIETY GIRL, which is getting all kinds of buzz. Here's a snippet about the book itself:

THE BOOK

Secret Society Girl takes us into the heart of the Ivy League’s ultra-exclusive secret societies when a young woman is invited to join as one of their first female members.

Elite Eli University junior Amy Haskel never expected to be tapped into Rose & Grave, the country’s most powerful–and notorious–secret society. She isn’t rich, politically connected, or…well, male.

So when Amy receives the distinctive black-lined invitation with the Rose & Grave seal, she’s blown away. Could they really mean her?

Whisked off into an initiation rite that’s a blend of Harry Potter and Alfred Hitchcock, Amy awakens the next day to a new reality and a whole new set of “friends”–from the gorgeous son of a conservative governor to an Afrocentric lesbian activist whose society name is Thorndike. And that’s when Amy starts to discover the truth about getting what you wish for. Because Rose & Grave is quickly taking her away from her familiar world of classes and keggers, fueling a feud, and undermining a very promising friendship with benefits. And that’s before Amy finds out that her first duty as a member of Rose & Grave is to take on a conspiracy of money and power that could, quite possibly, ruin her whole life.

A smart, sexy introduction to the life and times of a young woman in way over her head, Secret Society Girl is a charming and witty debut from a writer who knows her turf–and isn’t afraid to tell all....

THE AUTHOR

Diana Peterfreund has been a costume designer, a cover model, and a food critic. Her travels have taken her from the cloud forests of Costa Rica to the underground caverns of New Zealand (and as far as she's concerned, she's just getting started). Diana graduated from Yale University in 2001 with dual degrees in Literature and Geology, which her family claimed would only come in handy if she wrote books about rocks. Now, this Florida girl lives in Washington D.C., and writes books that rock. Her first novel, Secret Society Girl, is a hardcover debut from in July 2006. The second book in the Secret Society Girl series will be published by Bantam Dell in 2007.

THE BLURBS

"Ms. Peterfreund’s descriptions of the ambitious Amy Haskel’s collegial life are both vivid and amusing ... Amy's story is both witty and endearing, peppered as it is with rhetorical questions and moments when she emphatically addresses the reader as “dude.” As she discusses her
dorm-room drama, her study sessions at the library, and the awkward interactions she shares at the lit-mag office with her “friend with bennies,” Amy proves herself a rather appealing girl. To top it off, Amy knows about Said and Lévi-Strauss."
- The New York Observer

"Amy Haskel is a studious junior at elite Eli University (read Yale)
when she's tapped for Rose & Grave (read Skull & Bones) and finds
herself anointed as one of the social elite -- a frothy summer read for
anyone interested in the collegiate antics of the secret rulers of the
world."
- Edward Nawotka, Bloomberg News

"Peterfreund leaves some loose ends to entice readers to pick up her next installment...the story is...fun to read--full of quirky characters and situations. It's bound to appeal to readers looking for entertaining escape and college humor."
- Booklist

" Absolutely captivating, Secret Society Girl takes us into the mysterious, rarified, and delicious world of an Ivy League secret society--but even more, into the life of a fascinating and dauntless young woman. Diana Peterfreund has such a bright, original voice, and she has written an unforgettable novel."
- New York Times Bestelling Author Luanne Rice

"A warning label should be put on the cover of this book: Get comfortable, because once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down. Secret Society Girl has it all: razor-sharp wit, nail-biting suspense, and pitch-perfect storytelling that will leave you begging for more... The Ivy League has never been this fun."
- Cara Lockwood, bestselling author of I Do (But I Don't)

"Chick lit heads off to the Ivy League in Diana Peterfreund’s superfun, supercool debut novel, Secret Society Girl. Of course, I’d like to tell you all the reasons why I loved it, but then I’d have to kill you...”
- Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of The Thin Pink Line

THE INTERVIEW

Q:How did you get this idea for this book? Please describe how the book grew from a glimmer of an idea into a whole novel.

A: I was watching the movie THE SKULLS on TV and thought it was about time that someone wrote a secret society story that described them the way they really were. From there, it was a matter of finding the right facet of the long collegiate secret society history to use as a framework for the story. It was very important for me to make the story as accurate as possible, which is why most of the events in the story are based on things that happened in real life. So the tricky part was finding a story that accurately portrayed society life without being too boring to write about.

I usually write a few chapters of a book before I tell anyone about it, just to make sure there's "there" there. As soon as Amy came to life for me, I realized that I had a character that could support the weight of a novel or two on her back.


Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

A: Write a whole book. Don't worry about the industry until you have a full manuscript. None of that stuff means anything until you have a huge pile of paper with Chapter One on top and The End at the bottom. Once you have done this, learn everything you can about the industry, agents, editors, everything. But write a book first.

My favorite advice that others have given me: "Love the book, not the scene." "Get in late, get out early." "Don't write the parts people skip." "Once you have the right project, getting an agent and a publisher is pretty straightforward, so don't worry about tricks to get in. Just concentrate on writing your best book."


Q: What's your writing day like? Any tips or tricks for getting organized?

A: Yes, if you have some tips, I'd really appreciate it. My days are an endless struggle to avoid distractions and get BICHOK (butt in chair, hands on keyboard). (From Martha--Oh, a variation on the staple your ass to the chair thing!)

As far as organizing my writing (as opposed ot my writing time) I'm a very intense plotter, so I do have several techniques to keep my story in line. When I first plot, I write a sort of free-form outline,w hich I later bang into shape as a synopsis. I refer to it throughout the writing of the book. I also have an excel file that tracks word count per chapter and turning point so I can track my pacing and make sure the book doesn't drag. Finally, I have a large plotting board covered in post it notes (one square for each scene) that are color coded according to plot thread so that I can make sure I haven't dropped any.


Q: What's been the most exciting thing about publishing? The most frustrating?

A: Everything about publishing my first book has been exciting! Meeting my edtior, having professional input on my edits, seeing my cover, seeing my books on shelves, hearing from people who have it, doing the publicity... I love it all. The most frustrating thing, perhaps, has been coming into contact with people who don't "get" what I'm trying to say with my book. I knew that would happen, since I used to enter writing contests and saw the range of reaction from judges, but it's still difficult. Whenever you write comedy, there's going to be a certain population whose humor doesn't match yours.

Q: Do you think you might write a follow-up to this book? If not, what else is in the works?

A: I'm working on a sequel to Secret Society Girl now. It takes place during the first semester in Amy's senior year, and deals with the responsibilities that come with being the caretaker of a centuries-long tradition like Rose & Grave.


Q: What was your favorite scene to write in this book?

A: Probably the scene at the library. (I know, I'm supposed to say "the initiation" but that was probably one of the trickier scenes since there was so much true-to-life detail that I had to make sure I was following.) Since I do so much planning ahead of time, it's always interesting to see characters I've invented come to life. I knew that Malcolm and Clarissa were going to be important characters in the book, but I was nervous to see how their chemistry worked with Amy on the page. And they instantly clicked. I think it was then that I knew I had a whole book on my hands.

Q: Are you Amy?

A: I get this question a lot. NO, this book is a work of fiction. Amy and I actually have very little in common, other than the obvious educational similarities. We also each have a smart mouth, but every character I've ever written shares that trait with me. Amy is a pretty serious student, with a focused plan for her future. That would not have described me in college.

Q: Your book touches on issues of feminism. Do you think that it's an important issue in this day and age?

A: Ironically, it wasn't something I spent a lot of time thinking of when I was in college, because I was surrounded by feminists. But as soon as we exited our ivory tower and got out in the real world I realized that this was an ongoing battle. Right now, it's a battle that is raging on college campuses, as certain academics have stated that women have less aptitude for hard sciences, and we've seen a recent upswing in the "MRS" myth. I think that the way women's rights become an issue for the characters is a very realistic one. It's not women who are campaigning to be let INTO this all-male's society. It's a few men in the society who, believing in equality, choose to tap a few qualified women, and others object. The real battle in the book is a defensive one; the female characters are defending the right of their male forebears to choose women as well as men.

Thanks so much, Martha!

Thank YOU, Diana, for visiting us! You can buy Diana's book at any good local indy (the bestest choice), or at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Virtual Paperback Tour!

As I collapse in front of my computer, having been walked by the dog for 3 miles (I am sooooo out of shape, it's not funny), I am barely able to hold my head up. However, I am THRILLED to link a few blog interviews for you--these are some of my stops on the Virtual Book Tour for THE BITCH POSSE paperback release (available now at stores everywhere, 3 for 2 at Borders, yadda yadda):

• Joshilyn Jackson (gods in Alabama; Between, Georgia) does her trademark Three Question Interview and gives me a BIG compliment... and did I mention Joshilyn is pretty? :0)
• I take The Bad Boy Quiz with Tanya Lee Stone (A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl). Now, was this one made for me, or what?
  
• Natalie R. Collins (Wives and Sisters) and I talk about being "Trapped"
• Sara Rossett (Moving is Murder) does a quick-n-dirty interview wherein you will learn the secret of the Grand Tarino named "Tacky"
  
• I tell Ellen Meister (Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA) about my Hollywood version of The Bitch Posse
• I take The Fly on the Wall Survey with E. Lockhart (Fly on the Wall) so you can find out about my superhero fantasies
• Nichelle Tramble (The Dying Ground) reveals the secrets lurking on my desk
• Laurie Stolarz (Blue is for Nightmares) does a Quick Quiz
• Michelle Richmond (Dream of the Blue Room) reveals my musical sensibilities
• Julie Kenner (Carpe Demon, The Givenchy Code, and sooo many others) does a detailed interview
• Kelly Parra (Deadly Adam) gives a behind the scenes look at my writing life (very glamorous indeed... note, you may have to scroll down)
• Stephanie Lehmann (You Could Do Better) and I have a discussion about everyone's favorite vice--television. Note--it involves Vyvyan from The Young Ones!
• The inimitable Karin Gillespie, Queen of the Girlfriends (Dollar Daze and other Bottom Dollar Girl books) finds out what you always wanted to know about The Bitch Posse, but were afraid to ask

Thanks so much to all these lovely, intelligent, witty women for interviewing me in so many creative ways. I'm also grateful to my fellow members of the Girlfriends Cyber Circuit who included mentions, write-ups, and reviews on their blogs (Megan Crane, Melissa Senate, Sheila Curran, Johanna Edwards, Melanie Lynne Hauser, Cindy Cruiger, Lauren Barnholdt, Shanna Swendson, Anne Frasier, Alana Morales, Diana Peterfreund, Jennifer Barnes, Alison Pace, Jennifer O'Connell, Lara Zeises, Deborah LeBlanc, and Kyra Davis). Hope I didn't miss anyone~you all are great! Kisses!

The Chance To Make a Difference~and Jennifer Barnes

Well, I hope you will excuse my absence once again! I've been so wrapped up in this new puppy, Shana. (See below.) It's not exactly like having a new baby, but it's close.

Before I get started with the events of the day, let me tell you about my friend EJ Knapp.

EJ is a writer (his best known book is THE GREAT GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE TRIVIA BOOK, published by Chronicle Books) who has been through the wringer in life. One year ago, after 25 years of addiction, EJ hit a wall and lost everything. From EJ's blog:

When it all hit the wall a year ago, when the drinking and the stress and the hatred of life I’d accumulated all came together in a cataclysmic explosion, when I spent that month in rehab, when I lost my job, I came out of it all with such hope. Can you believe that? Hope. What a fool I was. And, fool that I am, dreamer, I pursued that hope. I was sober after what, 25 years? I had hope. A new life. I would pursue my dreams. I would write. I had my pension money. I had the house. I had a good car. And I was sober. Really sober. For the first time in years. And I wanted to be sober. It felt good. To see the birds fly. To see life without the amber haze.

Those of us who have battled addictions, myself included, know EJ's feelings precisely.

Now EJ's pension money is gone and for the lack of $2600, he may lose his car. This may not seem like much to those of us who take our wheels for granted. However, EJ has hit another wall, this one of desperation:

A .38 comes to mind but I sold my guns long ago. So I guess I’ll just have to get past this and carry on. Not sure where that’s going to take me, hence this letter.

All my life I’ve run way, leaving nothing behind, no forwarding address, no explanation, just a mystery for others to ponder, if they even took the time to bother. I don’t want to do that this time. (emphasis mine)

Instead of drinking, EJ has decided to do something positive. I'm so pleased because everyone who has dealt with addiction knows how easy it is to just turn to the drug of choice again.

Instead of drinking, EJ reached out for a helping hand. And many many hands have reached back in return. EJ's friends in recovery and friends in the writing world have banded together to rally around our friend for the first ever (that I know of) writing fundraiser. It was EJ's brainchild. We can't take any of the credit except for rounding up donations!

Donations of what, you may ask? OF WORDS. Yes, EJ's friends have donated their hitherto unseen work. At the rate of $2.00 per story or group of poems, you may download some of the following works, from published and unpublished authors. If the blogosphere helps to spread the word, perhaps enough money will be raised to pay off the car. Authors include:

Jon Clinch, author of FINN (forthcoming, Random House, lead title Spring 07)
Jackie Kessler, author of HELL'S BELLES (forthcoming, Kensington)
Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of VERTIGO (Bantam) and others
Karen Dionne, proprietor of literary site Backspace and science thriller author
Heather Brewer, author of EIGHTH GRADE SUCKS (Dutton/Penguin)
Lori Weinrott, co-author of THE ULTIMATE BAR/BAT MITZVAH BOOK (Random House)

This authors join many other agented and SOON TO BE PUBLISHED authors in helping out a friend in need. I've donated five poems, which should be at EJ's donations site shortly if they aren't already there.

Please go check EJ's 1500 Story Sales in 20 days website in order to learn more, to purchase a story or two, and to help a fellow who is reaching out for help instead of acquiescing. Go, EJ!

Now, onto the Girlfriends Cyber Circuit and my guest, Jennifer Barnes!

Jennifer is busy on booktour and wasn't yet available for interview, so keep an eye out for one in the next little while. However, I didn't want to waste any time in telling you all about her new YA book, GOLDEN.

ABOUT THE BOOK

At Emory High, there are two kinds of people: those who matter, and those who don’t.

When Lissy James moves from California to Oklahoma, she finds herself in the middle of a teenage nightmare: a social scene to rival a Hollywood movie. And if understanding the hierarchy of the Goldens vs. the Nons isn’t hard enough, Lissy’s ever growing Aura Vision is getting harder and harder to hide, and if she’s not careful, she’s going to become a Non faster than you can say “freak.”

But it’s becoming clear that Emory High has a few secrets of its own. Around the halls, the term “special powers” goes way beyond one’s ability to attract the opposite sex, and there may be something more evil than the A-crowd lurking in the classrooms. Lissy can see a lot more than the average girl, but she’s about to learn the hard way that things aren’t always as they appear and you can’t always judge a girl by her lip gloss.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

“…A well-balanced blend of fast-moving fantasy and light, playful chick lit.”

–Kirkus Reviews

“Golden glows with the spot-on 
insights and pitch-perfect prose of someone whose knowledge of adolescence is absolutely fresh… Golden is a captivating mix of everyday teen terrors and supernatural suspense."

-Borders Online, July Newsletter

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A Native Oklahoman, Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a recent graduate of Yale University, where she studied cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought). Her research on animal and child cognition has been featured on ABC’s World News Tonight, Animal Planet, and The New York Times, and Jennifer will be spending the 2006/2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge.

Jennifer wrote Golden at the age of nineteen, and her second book, Tattoo, will be available in January of 2007.

Check out Jennifer's website for more, and buy her book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or the best choice, your local indy bookseller.

And BLOGGERS, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD on EJ's fundraiser. PLEASE!