Bookanista Feature: Recommended Reads

So yesterday, I talked about how hard it is to really recommend a book to someone, especially if you don't know that person.

Well, today I'm going to try to do just that.

Here's my list of "if you like one, you'll like the other." I tried to come up with some specifics on why someone would probably like both titles--each book is individual, but each has similar elements, so that if you liked the elements in one, you'll probably like the elements in the other.

Let me know if you like this feature--I may do some more of them :)

First up:

DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth and LEGEND by Marie Lu. You're going to have a little while to wait for LEGEND--and I'll do more of a review on it later, closer to its pub date--but I think fans of DIVERGENT are going to love LEGEND.


Second on my list of comparisons:

THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab and CHIME by Franny Billingsley. If you recall my review of CHIME, you'll know that it was one of my favorite reads of last year. It truly created a whole new world where the magic seemed real--and so does Victoria's debut.


And third:

THE LAST LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPE by Maureen Johnson and the S.A.S.S. books published by Penguin Young Reader's Group (various authors). The SASS books (School Across the Seven Seas) are exactly the kind of books I wish I had when I was a kid--a whole series of books that feature girls who go on study abroad trips. They discover new worlds (there are books that feature many different settings--Europe, South America, a cruise ship, and more) and they typically involve a personal mystery or goal for the girl to solve. THE LAST LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPE is one of those rare books where the sequel is even better than the first book--and it's the epitome of its genre.

I hope you like these suggestions! If you liked one of the books in the list, you should definitely check out the other--and if you're looking for something new, try both! :)

To see what the other Bookanistas are raving about this week, check out these links:

• Elana Johnson revels in Ruby Red
• LiLa Roecker  is nuts for I’m Not Her
• Christine Fonseca  interviews picture book author Michelle McLean – with giveaway
• Beth Revis reveals her reading recommendations
• Jessi Kirby discovers Where Things Come Back
• Shannon Whitney Messenger swoons for Supernaturally – with giveaway
• Shelli Johannes-Wells features “guestanisto” author Matt Blackstone
• Carolina Valdez Miller is bedazzled by Between – with giveaway
• Shana Silver wonders at The Near Witch
• Stasia Ward Kehoe celebrates Selling Hope

The Problem with Recommending Books

I have a hard time recommending books.

Because here's the thing. We all like books for different reasons. And that makes it all but impossible to accurately recommend one book to someone else. I've found this is especially difficult for me because, well, I like a lot of books for a lot of different reasons. I read MG to YA to adult (sometimes), sci fi to contemporary, fantasy and romance and magic realism and everything in between. 

Let me give you an example. One of my favorite books is THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan. After I read it, I pressed it into the hands of all my friends and forced them to read it. Many of them (like me) loved it. And they asked what they should read next.

The obvious choice is to look at the plot--at it's very basic form, THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH is a zombie book. So, makes sense to recommend another zombie book, right? Like Carrie Harris's (just released!) new title, BAD TASTE IN BOYS. 

Side note: What is WITH Carries and zombies?!

But....a book is more than one thing. THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH is more than zombies (and so, btw, is BAD TASTE IN BOYS). 

Let's say you loved it for the writing style--it was lyrical and beautiful and every word was like poetry. In that case, you should pick up LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES by Laini Taylor--another beautifully written book whose prose sings. There's not a zombie in it, but if you're like me, you'll love both books anyway.

But maybe you don't care so much about writing style OR zombies. Maybe the thing YOU liked in THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH was the complicated romance. You liked the love triangle built on difficult situations, the complicated society that constructed a situation where love is a luxury most people can't afford. In that case, you will want to read Lauren DeStefano's WITHER.

WITHER, BAD TASTE IN BOYS, and LIPS TOUCH are three very very different books--but each one is a possible recommendation for someone to read after reading THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH.

And therein lies the problem with recommending books. Unless you know why someone liked one book, it's difficult to really recommend another book based on it.

Things get even more complicated when you bring into account the idea that some people like--or dislike--a book for very personal reasons. I, personally, have heard from several people that they didn't like sci fi and the only reason they bought my book was because it was titled after their fave Beatles's song, "Across the Universe." For personal reasons of my own, I never read books about angels (fallen or otherwise) or where I know the plot relies on sibling death. My husband likes books where there's a terrible, tragic ending--my mom likes the exact opposite.

The truth of the matter is, there will NEVER be ANY book where everyone loves everything about it. And it's difficult to recommend a book to someone based on another title if you don't know why that person likes the book--writing style, subject matter, plot, or characters. There are, quite simply, just too many variables for every recommendation to work.

That said--I'm going to post tomorrow some books that I think are pretty comparable--a sort of, "if you like this, you'll probably like this." It won't be perfect--but I hope it'll make you think of some new titles to read!

Google+

Today's League post was about Google+. While I'm not going to go into all the deets of what I said there, I'll add here that I am on G+ now, so if you'd like to add me, please feel free! I'm at the point now where I'm basically adding everyone who's added me, but if you'd like to add a little note about who you are (i.e. author, book blogger, librarian) then that will help me sort you into the proper circles later.

I know a lot of people's first response to G+ was "not another social networking site! *groan*" And yeah, I get that. I feel like we have Facebook and we have Twitter and G+ is a little bit of both Twitter and Facebook. But the thing I like about G+ is that it takes the two things I dislike about Facebook and Twitter and changes it.

--What I dislike about Facebook: Privacy issues. There's not just the fact that FB has a very poor stance on a person's privacy to start with, there's also the issue with what you share with whom. I have a Page and a personal profile. Anyone can go on the Page, and I limit what I put there--it's all book-specific and author-specific stuff, stuff I wouldn't mind anyone in the world knowing. But on my personal profile (which, I'm sorry, but only people I know in real life are allowed to be on) I include pictures of my family and updates about my life that I want to share with family and friends I don't see everyday. But flipping back and forth between the two is a pain, and keeping things separated is sometimes difficult.

--G+ fixes the privacy issue for me. Because with G+ I only have one place to go--my own G+ profile--and I can filter from there who sees what. In G+ you create "circles" and you have the option of what you share with which circles. I have a "family" circle which will get the info and pictures that I would post on my Facebook profile page--the stuff that I want to limit to people I know in real life. But I also have circles for fellow writers, book bloggers, and librarians. I can easily post to any circle with just a click. Also: this helps ensure that the proper people get the proper info. I can post articles on writing for writers without bugging bloggers. I can post something about books for all the book-related circles without bugging my family.

Additionally, with the way circles are set up: anyone can follow you (unless you block them), but you're not obligated to follow back--it's similar to Twitter in that regard.

--What I dislike about Twitter: Keeping track of conversations. If I'm not online for a few days specifically, I sometimes get very lost in who said what, especially if there's more than one conversation going on. Also, I like to @-reply to everyone, and I sometimes miss out on that.
--Also: Not being able to easily see what a link or picture is. Call me lazy, but I don't always want to click on something. I often have slow internet, and it's kinda a pain to stop everything and wait for a pic or link to load.

--G+ keeps all conversations together, like in Facebook, and shows a smaller version of a pic or an extra bit of a link in a post, also like in Facebook. So there's that problem fixed.

As you can see, G+ is a little like Facebook (in appearances) and a little like Twitter (in functionality) with an additional bonus of organization (with circles). Do you need to sign up for it right away? No. But it's neat (especially for a technophile like me) to see how these sorts of things develop. Will G+ stick around? I think so. Judging by the rapid flock of people to the site, and how people really are thinking it takes the best of Twitter and Facebook into one world, I think G+ is a site that will continue to grow...until the next big thing.

You Should Definitely...

..you should definitely check out the Across the Universe Fan Page.

I mean, if you are curious about the cover of A MILLION SUNS or anything.

Just saying.

Today would be a good day to check it out.


PS: I'm technically not here today--I've scheduled this post in advance. So I'm not 100% sure what time it will be up...but still. Check it out! :D

Bookanista Feature: Interview with Aimée Carter, author of THE GODDESS TEST

Today, it's my great joy to be talking with Aimée Carter, author of THE GODDESS TEST! I first "met" Aimée on Twitter--and she was gracious enough to ignore my nerd-spazzing and do an interview here! Not only that, but...she's giving away a signed copy of THE GODDESS TEST--just read through to the bottom of the interview to find out how you can enter!

YOU
We can read all about your life from your bio in the jacket flap of your book. So, what's a completely random fact about you that most people don't know?

Strangely enough, there is no bio in THE GODDESS TEST. There was an oops, and the first editions don't have any sort of bio or author photo in them (though the second printing will!). Does that count as a random fact? No? Hmm. In that case, I'm an extremely picky eater. Really, taste buds of a five-year-old over here. I don't think I've ever ordered an entree straight off an adult menu without some kind of modification, and I have a tendency to order off the kids' menu whenever a restaurant lets me.

As a kid, what was your favorite book? Have your tastes changed since growing up?

As a kid, my favorite book was probably Black Beauty or Matilda. My tastes haven't changed too much, though I tend to be a more selective reader than I used to be. I still troll the middle grade section though, trying to dodge the kids and parents who give me funny looks. There's a certain kind of voice that most MG writers have that I really connect with, and a lot of my favorites - Harry Potter, the Percy Jackson series, etc. - tend to be from that section of the bookstore.

Your academic background is in film. Did that have any influence on your writing?

A massive amount. I fully believe the screenwriting classes I took at university are the reason I'm published. They taught me how to craft a proper story, about making every scene, character, and line on a page count, how to really grab a reader's attention, how to include conflict in every part - they were by far the best (and most useful) classes I took. I highly, highly recommend every commercial novelist take a screenwriting course, if only to learn about in-depth story construction. They are two very different formats, of course, but they're both all about telling stories, and I can't rave enough about how much I learned and how much my storytelling improved.

YOUR BOOK

It's the inevitable question: what inspired THE GODDESS TEST?

-I've been asked this so many times that I'm tempted to say it all came to me in a dream, but really, the truth is much more boring. I've always loved mythology, from the moment I first read D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths as a little kid trolling the grown-up kids section of the bookstore (sensing a pattern?). The first time I read about the myth of Hades and Persephone, I was fascinated about his side of the story. Being kidnapped must've been awful for Persephone, but why did Hades do it? Was he really so lonely to risk the wrath of his brother Zeus and sister Demeter?

From there, that question sat in the back of my mind for years. I started writing original works around fourteen or fifteen - I wrote fan fiction before then - and that was one of the first stories I came back to. I couldn't make it work though, so I set it aside and, over the years, continued to develop it. Eventually I decided that the protagonist wasn't Persephone after all - that Persephone, who was such a strong woman in mythology, could have left Hades, paving the way for a new girl. The only question was, who was that new girl, and why would she ever want to be with the gloomy and moody God of the Underworld?

Many years later, while I was taking those screenwriting courses, I began to think about that story again, and it occurred to me that maybe she wasn't doing it for herself or for Hades. Maybe she was doing it for someone else she loved, to keep Hades from taking them into the Underworld. And at that point, Kate's mother, who is dying of cancer, popped into my head. I immediately began to outline it, and first chance I got, I started to draft it.

One of the great things about THE GODDESS TEST is the background in mythology. What made you decide to write about mythology?

It wasn't a conscious decision, really. I didn't pick through a book of mythology, searching for a myth to redo. That story had been been in the back of my mind for so long, working itself out, that when all of the pieces fell into place, I had to write it. It's very much a sequel of sorts to that myth - Persephone has left Hades (now called Henry), and he must find a replacement Queen before time runs out, or he'll fade and someone else will take his place. Only problem is, someone's killing off the candidate, and the protagonist, Kate, is his last chance.

Can you tell us a little bit about the process--particularly the timeline--of writing THE GODDESS TEST?

I got the idea sometime in the early 90's, as a little kid questioning why the God of the Underworld would have to steal a girl to be his Queen. Everything snapped into place in 2007, and I outlined it many, many times, trying to find exactly the right way to put the story together. In the summer of 2008, I was supposed to be a production assistant on the set of a movie called Youth In Revolt, which was filming in Ann Arbor. However, I had my wisdom teeth taken out a week or two before everything was set to start, and the dentist had to break my jaw in two places in order to complete the surgery. Not fun, let me tell you. I looked like a chipmunk for ages. While that lost me the chance to be a PA, it did free up my summer to write the story that I'd been obsessing over - and that's exactly what I did.

I write fairly quickly, so by early July, I was done with the first draft. I edited it, edited again, edited a third and a fourth and a fifth time, and finally in August (I know, I know, don't make my mistakes - wait longer!) I queried agents. I don't know how I got so lucky, but my agent, Rosemary Stimola, signed me a few weeks later. During the submission process, I got a lot of "almost, but not quites", which were heartbreaking. I rewrote significant chunk of the story, including adding a prologue at an editor's suggestion, and finally almost a year after being signed, I received an offer from Harlequin Teen. At that point, however, I was so dissatisfied with the draft that after I received the editorial letter, I completely tore the book to shreds, rewriting a massive amount of it. So counting that, it took me over a year to really get it into anything close to resembling the story you read on the page now.

If your reader could only take away one emotion, theme, or idea from THE GODDESS TEST, what would you want it to be?

Interesting question! I've never thought about that. If I had to narrow it down to one thing...maybe that life goes on. For Kate, going through her mother's death; for Henry, who's lost the love of his life. Even the Greek gods in general, who in Kate's world have been reduced to mythology, but still continue to exist despite it all. There's still life after tragedy, no matter how difficult it might be to face.

YOUR WRITING

What's the most surprising thing you've learned since becoming a writer?

That the rejection doesn't stop with getting an agent, getting a publisher, or even when the book comes out. It's hard - a lot harder than most of the writers out there today make it look, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Beyond the typical--never give up, believe in yourself--what would be the single best advice you'd like to give another writer?

For a commercial novelist, take a screenwriting course, definitely. And in lieu of that, pick up a book on screenwriting (The Screenwriter's Bible is one, but there are a ton of terrific options at your local bookstore) and read it cover to cover. For writers in general, nothing beats butt in chair. Don't let anything get between you and your writing time.

What do you think are your strongest and weakest points in writing?

Strongest - plotting, I'd say. And I think I've grown a ton since I wrote THE GODDESS TEST as well. The stuff I'm working on now won't be seen for at least a year and a half though, so we'll see!

Weakest - I'm not a master wordsmith. I'll never write literary fiction or the books that win all of the awards. I also have to really work at description. Some writers are truly incredible with the way they can paint a picture with their words, and I could never in a million years do that.

Thank you for stopping by, Aimée! And thank you for offering the readers here a signed copy of your book! To enter, just leave a comment to this post letting Aimée know why you're excited to  read her book. I'll pick one random winner next week to get a signed copy of her book, THE GODDESS TEST!

Additional contest information:

• Open to US addresses only (sorry!)
• Entrants must be 13 years old or older
• Only one entry per person
• Comment to this post to enter
• Leave an email address if it's not linked with your profile already
• Contest closes on July 14th

To find out what the other Bookanistas are reading today:

• Elana Johnson celebrates A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie
• LiLa Roecker adores Torn
• Christine Fonseca is crazy about Cryer’s Cross – with giveaway
• Beth Revis interviews Goddess Test author Aimee Carter – with giveaway
• Carolina Valdez Miller delights in Texas Gothic AND Bad Taste in Boys – with giveaways
• Jessi Kirby is giddy about Hourglass
• Shana Silver fawns over Forever
• Jen Hayley is hot for Wildfire
• Matt Blackstone savors Something Like Hope
• Stasia Ward Kehoe jumps for Bumped
• Veronica Rossi  devours Bad Taste in Boys

On Reading

Like many of you, I joined up with the GoodReads reading challenge at the start of the year. After some thought, I decided to shoot for reading 30 books in 2011. For a lot of you, that won't sound like much, but in 2010, I only got through about 25 books, so I thought I was challenging myself.

I happened to look at my challenge the other day:

I...what?! It's only halfway through the year, and I've already read more book than I read in all of 2010?! And if you count manuscripts and books that aren't on GoodReads yet, I'm closer to about 35.

What precipitated this change in my reading style? Was it because I suddenly found myself with twice as much reading time?

Excuse me while I die laughing over that idea.

Nope, the simple truth is I actually have less time to read, but I'm still reading more. Why?

Because for the first time, I'm reading in different formats.

The first method: audiobooks. Now, I'd listened to audiobooks before, but I basically just listened to the Harry Potter books on repeat, because those were the only ones I had (thanks to a generous gift from my in-laws). Audiobooks were too expensive, frankly, and the ones I bought on CD didn't play nice with my iPod, my main listening device.

Then along came Audible. Audible has great prices on audiobooks--usually around $15 or so, often less--and it made it super-easy to get audiobooks onto my iPod, all nicely formatted for the audiobook part of the iPod.

That's all it took for me: ease of access and a lower price-point completely sold me on audiobooks. I've been downloading a variety of audiobooks (I'm in the monthly membership program) and love it. Those super-long adult books I've been avoiding? So much easier to read while on the treadmill at the gym. Those books I've been meaning to read and just haven't gotten around to yet? Listen to 'em while cleaning the kitchen. I generally listen in about half-hour chunks, and have found that I don't have a problem at all stopping and re-starting the audiobooks--much like I don't have a problem putting down a book and picking another back up. In fact, with a couple of really good audiobooks, I've actually volunteered to do more housework just for the excuse to keep listening.

The other reason why I'm reading more?

E-books.

Now, I'm not about to get started on the ebook vs. print book debate. I used to do that: I used to be a total print snob and be one of those who would scream out about how much books will never die and nothing will replace the feel of a good book in my hands.

And that's still true. Sort of. I don't think books will ever die. But I do believe that there's room for ebooks, and that's it's not about one or the other.

Instead, I've found that since getting an ereader, my reading habits have changed. I used to read in two main methods: during the day, where I'd set aside part of my day to read, and at night, where I'd read a bit before going to bed. The Kindle has replaced the books on my bedstand. So, I still read a book during the day, but I shift to the Kindle at night and read that in bed. And...I'm reading more. There's a lot of reasons for that. I increase the print size so it's easier on my eyes, and the Kindle's lighter than a paperback, and easier to hold up for longer in bed.

If you look at my "currently reading list" over there on the sidebar, one of those books is an audiobook, one is a Kindle book, and two are hardcovers I bought from my local Indie. They are each providing me with a different, fun experience in reading--and they are each in a different format.

All this means is that stories are even more accessible than they've ever been before. You guys, it's an awesome time to be a reader right now. You can easily get your books in any format you want for a reasonable price, using devices that are perfect for getting you those stories.

And honestly? It's a great time to be a writer, too. I know there's a lot of stuff in flux right now. Pirates, ebook royalties, dominate formats, etc. But I'm not worried about that. (At least not much, lol.) I'm too busy being excited about how stories--in whatever form--are spreading around the world like a glorious plague.

Ash2Nash: A Southern Book Tour!

GUYS. GUYS. GUYS. I am sooooo thrilled to tell you about my latest project: a book tour in my own backyard! You can find out more about it here, and you can be entered to win SIX SIGNED BOOKS while you're at it!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Myra, Victoria, and Beth are thrilled about bringing a tour to their local areas--from Asheville, NC, to Nashville, TN. We'd love it if you came out to see us, and we want to make sure that everyone in the area knows about it!

But we know that not everyone gets to have a tour stop in their backyard. So, we're going to bring the tour to YOU. With signed books, straight from the tour, mailed straight to YOU.

We're going to be adding to the prize pack as we go, but so far we're happy to say that these will be included, all of which will be SIGNED by the author!

SIGNED hardback copy

SIGNED hardback copy

SIGNED hardback copy

SIGNED hardback copy

SIGNED ARC copy

Signed copy PLUS a signed poster!

SIGNED hardback copy

That's right! SEVEN SIGNED BOOKS + a signed poster + more swag + some fun things that we're going to pick up on the way. THIS PRIZE PACK IS HUGE!!!

To enter: help us spread the word & fill out the form below!


There are lots of way to help us spread the word! You can do something as simple as tell a friend, but we want as many people as possible to come to our tour and find out about it. 


So, tell a friend about it!


Or...tweet!

Or...Facebook!

Or...blog! You could either make a post about it or share our widget!

Additional contest information:

• Open to the US & Canada only--sorry, but the authors have to pay shipping themselves.
• Entrants must be 13 years old or older
• To be entered, you must fill out the form below
• Contest closes on August 12, 2011

You Know What Goes Well With 4th of July BBQs?

Ice cream.

Especially ASTRONAUT ice cream.

Don't forget to enter! And I'm not going to say more, but THIS WEEK would be a GOOD week to keep an eye on that there fan page. You know, if you're curious about any upcoming COVERS for any upcoming SEQUELS or anything...

The Secret of the Stars Revealed!

Guys. GUYS. I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

SecretOfTheStars.com

This is...this is a fansite. For ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. Made by fans. 

*dies of joy*

I mean, yeah, there's the Official Fansite, but that's run by my publisher. Secret of the Stars is run by Megan and Mindy, two book bffs who are amazing and wonderful and charming. They came up with the idea of a fansite on their own, and I am just in awe of what an awesome job they did!

Megan and Mindy have lots of amazing stuff already up on the website. There's Operation Elder, their drive to get people to read the book.

And they're hosting a Read-a-Long. Read the book alongside them for fun discussions (maybe a few secrets from me), and a chance to win lots of prizes! They have a whole schedule, starting July 5, and they have a TON of prizes to give away!

The whole thing looks AMAZING and I'm really and truly in awe of them--and incredibly touched that they made such a wonderful website! Please, please, please go over and check the site out!!

I almost forgot the best part: They're kicking the site off today with a bang--and a contest for a signed copy of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE + swag! Just visit the page and fill out the form to win!

Also, I'm thinking that it would be great to give them some exclusive content, or a really neat prize to share with everyone. Are there any AtU questions or secrets you're dying to know, or a prize you'd love to have? Let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to make it work!


That said, let's make the comment area of this post a spoiler zone--please feel free to post spoilery questions that you'd like an answer to. If you want to stay spoiler free, please email your suggestions to me at bethrevis@gmail.com.

Author Interview: Matt Blackstone, author of A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE

Today I'm celebrating the launch of a fellow Bookanista's book launch! Matt Blackstone's novel, A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE will be released in just a few days, so be sure to check it out!

YOU

We can read all about your life from your bio in the jacket flap of your book. So, what's a completely random fact about you that most people don't know?

I’m bad at following directions, I run marathons, I have a stuffed animal named Flopsy, I coach my school’s tennis team, I find the smell of Australian Gold sunblock to be glorious and intoxicating, I rode elephants in Thailand (and learned that elephants’ breath smells the opposite of glorious and intoxicating); I planned on skydiving until watching an introductory video that said six times, “We are not responsible if you die”; my favorite color was red, then green, then blue, then black and now whichever color my wife tells me to wear; I am not related to magician Harry Blackstone, the investors at the Blackstone Group, the hotelier at the Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel, or the founders of Blackstone Wine; I caught my first foul ball at a game two years ago and I still get made fun of for my celebratory dance; I dance with my hands balled up fists, except when I do The Worm; I have a younger brother who unfortunately is bigger and stronger than I am; I hate grape jelly and love crunchy peanut butter; my Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor says I have a deviated septum; I am a proud member of the Lake Owego Polar Bear Club; I can hold my breath underwater for 16 minutes less than David Blaine; my favorite baseball player is Matt Stairs, he is 43 years old; I find it hilarious that as kids we used whoopee cushions and now we have a Big Fart Button on our phone.

Oh, you wanted one random fact? Told you I’m bad at following directions.

As a kid, what was your favorite book? Have your tastes changed since growing up?

At age 5, my favorite was definitely Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. Alexander is such a whiner, but you gotta feel for him: gum in his hair, getting smushed in the back of the car . . . life in Australia probably would be better.

Honorable Mentions:
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and Sam Who Never Forgets by Eve Rice. I now realize that my four favorite children’s books are about screw-ups. Alexander and Sam are forgetful, and Max is a troublemaker. I’m not sure if I’d categorize my kid-self as a forgetful troublemaker, but I sure loved reading about them.

My tastes haven’t changed all that much, as I’m now immersed in YA novels that feature a host of loopy, loony characters who like to stir the pot. And plot.

You're also a high school English teacher. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages to writing while teaching?

Advantages

• My 9th grade students inspire my characters with delightfully awkward goofiness
• I can test out my writing with the target audience.
• I can leave by 4 pm, except during tennis season.

Disadvantages

• I need to wake up at 6 am to get to school on time. If I want to write, I’m up by 4.
• Editing essays, in addition to editing my own work, gets tedious.
• I’m a very patient man, which is why I got into this profession in the first place, but 12 hours each day with teenagers (9 hours of teaching and then coaching them, 3 hours of writing about them) is a lot of time. (No, I’m not a parent of teenagers yet. Those of you who are deserve to be knighted.)

YOUR BOOK

It's the inevitable question: what inspired A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE?
Teachers often say that loud, disruptive students are thorns in their sides but most would admit that the truly dangerous ones—dangerous, at least, to themselves—are the quiet, aloof ones who fly under the radar because they nod politely at their teachers. They play the game well, well enough to get promoted, but they are anything but well.

A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE is the result of seeing a growing number of my students isolate themselves. Rene’s rituals and magical thinking exemplify what it means to be mentally ill, or at least socially inept, in a high school setting that demands academic prowess and social fluency. I wrote this book to offer hope to wild card teenagers (what teen isn’t a wild card these days?) or those who begrudge their parents (sometimes deservedly so), question conformity, and feel so desperate and alone that the only safe place is inside their heads. But what if even that place isn’t safe?

One of the great things about A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE is that the main character suffers from OCD. Can you tell us about why you gave this affliction to your hero, Rene?
Because it’s so scary and dangerous and serious, yet so accessible and universal. Unless you’re Ryan Seacrest, you’ve panicked at some point in your life, uncontrollably so, sweating through your shirt. And we all have our quirks, our “things,” our obsessions that we cling to for comfort, especially when we’re stressed. So we all can relate to Rene on some level. Except for Ryan Seacrest. (With his oceanic name, his suave hair, and a job that makes other people panic, I can’t imagine him ever freaking out. I don’t think he’s human. But I can’t prove it. Yet.)

Can you tell us a little bit about the process--particularly the timeline--of writing A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE?
The first draft was surprisingly quick—about six weeks. I started it on a train ride and couldn’t type fast enough. Then next day, I took it with me on a family vacation to Mexico, where I typed at the beach, at the pool, on local sweaty bumpy buses to and from Chichen Itza, on the plane ride home, and then every morning and night until I finished. I spent two months revising it before I sent it off, mumbling a prayer at the mailbox. Editing was slower than I’d imagined, but I enjoyed every step of the process.

If your reader could only take away one emotion, theme, or idea from ASSIASM, what would you want it to be?
Hope. Things are never as bad as things may seem. Except when they are.

But even then, you’ve gotta hope.

YOUR WRITING

What's the most surprising thing you've learned since becoming a writer?

How long it takes for a book to be published. And how often I get to the keyboard and think, “Holy crap, my powers are gone! What happened to my ability to write complete sentences?”

Beyond the typical--never give up, believe in yourself--what would be the single best advice you'd like to give another writer?
Momentum is everything. Write every day. I find that if I take days off in the middle of a project, I lose the voices of my characters and am less motivated to push through.

What do you think are your strongest and weakest points in writing?
Strength: creativity, especially in my characters.

Weakness: There’s isn’t enough room on the internet galaxy for this list.


Thank you for stopping by, Matt! To find out what the other Bookanistas are posting about, check here:

• Elana Johnson adores A Need So Beautiful
• LiLa Roecker is gaga for Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?
• Christine Fonseca interviews YA Fiction for Dummies author Deborah Halverson – with giveaway
• Beth Revis interviews A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie author Matt Blackstone
• Carolina Valdez Miller is wowed by Wildfire – with giveaway
• Shana Silver gushes over Hourglass
• Jen Hayley delves into Divergent
• Rosemary Clement-Moore thinks Chime is divine
• Stasia Ward Kehoe has applause for Trauma Queen

IT'S HERE!

In case you checked earlier and didn't see it...the cover's online now! Just click here to see it!!!

Ah!! I hope you love it as much as I do!!

And don't forget to enter below so we can celebrate together with astronaut ice cream! :D

Cover Reveal!

I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT TODAY.

You know why?

Because today you get to see the new cover for the paperback of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE! The cover is being revealed exclusively at the official Facebook page--and to entice you to go over and check it out, I would like to bribe you with....ICE CREAM!

That's right...ASTRONAUT ICE CREAM!!! I've got five packs of astronaut ice cream, and I'll be sending them out to five winners. And one winner will also get a little something extra, inspired straight from ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.

When Amy first starts living on the ship Godspeed, I wanted to show how different it was. In an early scene, Amy goes to the shower, which isn't entirely like our showers:

It takes me a moment to figure out the shower. There are buttons, not knobs, and more steam than water pours from small mesh squares embedded in the walls of the shower stall. Two bars of soap line a tiny shelf near the top of the shower. There are no shampoo or conditioner bottles, but the round bar of soap lathers in my hair when I test it.

The shampoo bar is something that exists now, not in the far-distant future. I first heard about them from the store Lush, but quickly found my way over to Etsy, where I found a fantastic seller who makes the best shampoo bars I've ever had. If you've never tried solid shampoo, it's so amazing--it cleans much better than bottled liquid shampoo.

And I'm giving away a bar to one of the winners of today's giveaway so the winner can try it out for him (or her) self! And it's scented lemon-lavender, the same scent that Amy uses!

To enter: visit the Facebook page and check out the new cover! (And let Razorbill know what you think of it!) Then fill out the form below :)

Additional contest information:

• Open internationally
• Entrants must be 13 years old or older
• Only one entry per person
• Contest closes on July 11, 2011

Bookanista Feature: Jodi Meadow's INCARNATE

The bad news: we have a long way to wait until we get to read Jodi Meadows's INCARNATE.

The good news: I've already read it hahahaha! 

The good news: We have a beeeeeeeeeee-yoooooooo-tiful cover to stare at until INCARNATE is released in early 2012! And Jodi is giving away hand-knitted mitts as prizes until then! 

I mean, just check out that cover. So pretty. The colors are amazing--and butterfly, a very symbolic image in the book, looks perfect here.

Go ahead. Stare.

Want to find out what the other Bookanistas are loving this week? 

• Elana Johnson adores Hourglass
  Beth Revis has cover love for Incarnate
  Shana Silver swoons over Supernaturally
  Rosemary Clement-Moore jumps for Jinx
  Stasia Ward Kehoe praises Possession
  Gretchen McNeil is giddy about Moonglass
  Sarah Frances Hardy brags about The Grandma Book

You Know You're Curious!

Sorry I've been a tad MIA on the blog lately. It's for two very good reasons:

1. I have tons of cool things I'm dying to tell you about! But...I can't. So I'm just sitting here, keeping my mouth shut.
2. I'm, you know, working. On stuff.

In the mean time: if you have any love at all for Harry Potter, you know you're curious about this. Whatcha think it is?! We'll find out tomorrow!!

Testing...& Author Visits

So, I've been getting lots of requests for visits lately! Yay! But...as some of these visits would be something that I would pay for myself, I want to make sure I'm going somewhere where I can have maximum impact. After a bit of research (and thanks to someone on Twitter--I've lost the tweet, but thank you!) I found a website called Eventful that makes widgets where you can demand an event in your area! I thought I'd give it a spin here--so if you'd like to see me in your city, bookstore, or school, please let me know here! Likewise, if this widget doesn't work for you or something, please also let me know and I'll come up with a different way to do this...

View all Beth Revis tour dates

SOLSTICE Celebration!

PJ Hoover is celebrating the release of SOLSTICE with an epic book tour! Check more out on Twitter by tweeting the hashtag #Solstice. 


You can check out the stops of the tour here, or you can read a free sample of the book (which is only $2.99) by clicking here.

Book description:
Where Mythology and Dystopia meet...

Piper’s world is dying. Global warming kills every living thing on Earth, and each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles which threaten to destroy humanity. Amid this Global Heating Crisis, Piper lives with her mother who suffocates her more than the chaotic climate. When her mother is called away to meet the father Piper has been running from her entire life, Piper seizes an opportunity for freedom.

But when Piper discovers a world of mythology she never knew existed, she realizes her world is not the only one in crisis. While Gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper's life spirals into turmoil, and she struggles to find answers to secrets kept from her since birth. And though she’s drawn to her classmate Shayne, he may be more than he claims. Piper has to choose whom she can trust and how she can save the people she loves even if it means the end of everything she’s ever known.


SOLSTICE is available as a $2.99 ebook (paperbacks should be available in the next week or two) from:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Solstice-ebook/dp/B004ZF804E/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304621416&sr=1-5&tag=wwwpjhooverco-20
Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Solstice/PJ-Hoover/e/2940012467874
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/57682

CRACK the CODE Winner!

A loud click sounds within the door. Heart drumming, you pull on the handle and the monstrous round door swings open.

76 - 11 - 13

Congrats goes to Miranda Hannah who successfully CRACKED the CODE at The Bookshelf Muse, winning a signed copy of my book, Across the Universe. Please contact me as soon as possible so I can get your prize to you! Thanks everyone for playing along & helping to celebrate a great writing community. :)

Edited to add: Well, I was an idiot! Sorry about forgetting to put the winner's name in the post!!! I thought I'd scheduled it before leaving for Father's Day, but apparently now. I've changed it now!

Winner of HOURGLASS

The winner of the signed copy of HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire is...

Nicole!

Thanks everyone for playing, and thanks Myra for donating the prize!