Cafe Chit Chat: Simone Elkeles

Simone Elkeles is the awesome author of the How to Ruin a Summer Vacation [Review HERE], How to Ruin My Teenage Life [Review HERE] and her new book of the series, How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation which is hitting stands in October.

She is also known for her other books, Leaving Paradise and Perfect Chemistry [Review HERE]. She is just such a great author and her sequel to Perfect Chemistry is coming out in 2010 *total squeal*

So now, onto the interview...

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Wdebo: What is your favorite color?

Simone Elkeles: I love the color turquoise. It’s not blue, it’s not green…it’s somewhere in the middle. I love that! It’s bright, it’s happy, it’s colorful. Who wouldn’t like it?

W: Turqoise is just so pretty! Do you have an author that you really admire?

S: I admire a lot of authors. I like Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely (she’s also a nice person, which is cool). I like John Green’s books. I know this totally sounds cliché, but I love Judy Blume. She created this genre where you can write real books for real teens. She’s a total inspiration!

W: Yeah, go Judy Blume!! And John Green is such a great author also, love his books!!! Do you enjoy watching movies if so, do you have a movie you absolutely cannot stop watching?

S: I’m a total dork when it comes to movies. I still love the 80’s movie Sixteen Candles. But I also cannot stop watching some newer teen movies like She’s the Man and Superbad. I love funny or romantic teen movies the best! The more ridiculous, the better!

W: Aw, She's the Man was just such a cute movie, Amanda Bynes is so awesome! And I really need to watch Sixteen Candles, seeing as how my birthday is coming up soon. :) Where did you get the idea of Perfect Chemistry?

S: I very loosely base Perfect Chemistry/Fairfield High School off of Highland Park High School in Illinois. HPHS was the rival school of my own high school. The different cultures at the school just made me think of a guy and girl from two different sides of town falling for each other. I did love West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet…although admittedly I hated the endings. So I made up my own contemporary story…and made a better ending!

W: Haha I do love the ending a lot more! How has your own cultural identity, as the daughter and wife of an Israeli immigrant to the US inspire you to write about clashes in culture and how teens deal with these differences?

S: US inspire you to write about clashes in culture and how teens deal with these differences?
I’ve always lived with someone who was born and raised in another country. People had pre-conceived notions about who I was because I had an Israeli father. Even in my adult life, I had my neighbors say they didn’t invite me over for the first year because they were afraid we were too different – now we’re all friends and laugh about it. I had to deal with culture clashes my entire life (and still do!). I’m fascinated with different cultures and how they mesh, especially when it comes to romances.

W: I know, that's so true. Which character, that you have written about, can you relate the most to?

S: I love all of my characters, and they all have a piece of me in them. But the character who is most like me is Amy from the How to Ruin a Summer Vacation series. She’s funny and quirky, just like me. And she does stupid things, just like me. (I did the stupidest things as a teen to get a boy to like me.) And most of the ridiculous thoughts she has are actually MY ridiculous thoughts. So as much as it’s embarrassing to admit, Amy is the character I can relate to the most.

W: Amy is one of my fav characters, she is so quirky, real, and just plain funny. Do you base your characters on anyone in your real life?

S: A lot of my characters are caricatures of people that I know in my life. Or they’re a mixture of a lot of people in my life. My male characters (the main ones) are a sprinkling of guys I dated as a teen…all mixed up to make the perfect boy!

W: Haha that's so cool! Do you have any future book projects?

S: Yes! I’m so excited to announce that right now I’m writing a sequel to Perfect Chemistry – it will feature Carlos (Alex’s brother) and a new heroine readers haven’t met yet. It will be out in 2010. Also out in 2010 will be the sequel to Leaving Paradise. I’m excited for those two books, although I don’t have final titles for either of them.

Thanks for the interview Simone!!

You can check out Simone's super cute/cool website HERE

Wdebo :)