Book Review + Cafe Chit Chat: 52 Reasons to Hate My Father By: Jessica Brody

"My father's face remains a blank page but he leans in closer to me-close enough that I can feel his breath on my forehead. The proximity is making my stomach flip so I take an instinctive step back. 'You'll do it,' he promises ominously. 'Or you'll lose everything'" (51). 

Title: 52 Reasons to Hate My Father
Author: Jessica Brody
HARDBACK
Amount of Pages: 335
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Geared Towards: Teens/Light Reads
From: Author (Hardback Copy)



Summary (From Front Flap):

BEING AMERICA'S FAVORITE

HEIRESS IS A DIRTY JOB...

BUT SOMEONE'S GOTTA DO IT.

Lexington Larrabee has never had to work a day in her life. After all, she's the heiress to the mutlibillion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they're not supposed to crash brand-new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Boulevard either.

Which is why, on Lexi's eighteenth birthday, her ever-absent tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. but if there's anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it's dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.

In a hilarious "comedy of heiress" about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and, best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have fifty-two reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.

Wdebo's Review: I greatly enjoy reading stories in which heriesses/rich ungrateful people are taken down a notch and taught a lesson. That is the main reason why I decided to pick up this novel. I've never read any books by Jessica Brody before so I wasn't sure what to expect from her style and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

I liked the writing a lot. It was a lot of fun and was surprisingly easy to get into. Brody created a very convincing teenage voice which is not always an easy feat to manage. It was nice to see Lexi mature not only through actions but also her voice. In the novel, she also has to do "status updates" to her "babysitter," Luke, and I greatly enjoyed . They were funny and were another way to see her gradual maturity.

Now, on the subject of Luke. I really liked him and the inevitable connection/chemistry that formed between him and Lexi. Though I was not particularly found of the fact that their relationship at the end was pretty ambiguous seeing as how I like a defined love story in YA novels but it didn't bother me too much. I felt like it ended very well. Lexi, on the other hand, was an ok character. I did not connect with her as I would have liked with other protagonists. However, compared to other stories about rich, spoiled girls I surprisingly did not hate her at first sight. I harbored fairly indifferent feelings towards her. Which can be both a good and bad thing.

I was hoping that the stories would go into my depth about the jobs, but they didn't. At least they talked about them briefly in the status updates, but that was one of my main concerns about the book.

Cafe Cover Chat: The front cover is pretty good; however, all of the other random (Stock?) images on the flaps and back cover were pretty childish and not as good as the front cover. (B-)

All in all, this book is heaps of fun and for a big book it sure went by fast. Though it may not be the most insightful YA novel out there, it will definitely accompany you through a few enjoyable hours.

Grade: B+

~~~

And now for a little author interview with Jessica Brody. Jessica has written quite a few YA novels (7) as well as a couple of adult novels. She also happens to be the awesome founder of Free Book Friday.

Enjoy!

~~~

Wdebo: Please describe yourself in three adjectives. 

Jessica Brody: Sensitive. Motivated. Tech-savvy.

W: Please describe a typical day. 

JB: Get up. Get dressed. Drive to coffee shop (because I can’t write at home!). Order same pastry and coffee as I do every single morning. Write 1500 words (usually takes me about 2-3 hours). Drive home. Gripe to husband about latest story crisis. Listen to husband suggest ideas about how to solve latest story crisis. Shoot down everything husband has to say because it’s stupid and he doesn’t understand anything! Wait two hours. Realize husband is actually quite brilliant and his solution fixes everything. Apologize to husband for being a difficult, moody writer (and praise him for his brilliance). Eat dinner. Watch TV. Sleep. Repeat. 

W: What is your favorite color? 

JB: Purple!

W: In the "About the Author" section of the novel, it says that you researched the book by doing minimum-wage jobs. What kinds of jobs did you do? How long did you do each job? what was your experience with different jobs? How did those experiences factor in with the novel itself? 

JB: I had many jobs growing up and my parents owned a restaurant for most of my teen and young adult years. I did every single job in that restaurant. So I guess you could say I’ve been researching this book for years! But one place that I’d never worked at was a fast food restaurant. My friend happened to own one in Denver so I asked if I could “under cover” for a day and train as an employee. I especially wanted to research this location because a few really important scenes take place there in the book and I wanted it to be as accurate as possible. Plus, I wanted to know what it would feel like to come into a new restaurant/job and have no idea what you were doing and have to learn it all on the job. I have to say I was very overwhelmed. The job wasn't as easy as I thought it would be! And I put some of that emotion into Lexi when she worked there.

W: What is something that you want your readers to get out of your novel? 

JB: First and foremost, I always want my readers to laugh. I write these contemporary stories to be a source of entertainment and fun. After that, if my readers walk away with a little insight about life, family, and love, then that’s a bonus!

W: Who is your favorite character in 52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER? How about your favorite character out of all of your books? 

JB: I know it’s going to sound strange but I’m going to have to go with Horatio, the butler. He was one of those characters that I didn’t expect to be very significant and then ended up having a much bigger role than I anticipated. I know, he’s not the most fun character in the book but he was interesting to me as the author. He really does love Lexi but he’s also always the consummate professional. He’s constantly torn between fulfilling his duty to the family as an employee, and his duty to Lexi as kind of a father figure, and that made for a fun dynamic in his personality. It was entertaining for me to be able to hide his affection for her in little subtle actions that some people may miss.

W: I also heard that 52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER has been optioned for film. Can you tell your readers the status on that? 

JB: Yes! It’s very exciting! The status is that it was optioned for film by a wonderful producer named Jane Startz whose credits include The Indian in the Cupboard, Ella Enchanted, The Babysitters Club Movie, and Tuck Everlasting (A bunch of really great book adaptations!) She’s chosen a writer to adapt the book into a screenplay and now she’s currently looking for a studio to attach to the film. Still a pretty long way to go but I’ve got my finger tightly crossed!

W: If you were stranded on an island what are five items you would want to bring?

JB:

1) A copy of “How to Survive on a Deserted Island.” (I’m sure that book must exist somewhere!)
2) My laptop (so I can write)

3) One of my dogs (to keep me company)

4) My collection of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER dvds. I will NEVER get sick of that show!

5) An airplane to get me off the island? Or is that cheating? Okay, I’ll go with my Magic Bullet so I can make yummy island smoothies.

W: Are you working on any projects right now? If so, can you tell us a little about it?

JB: Last year, I sold a sci-fi/suspense trilogy to my publisher and the first installment releases in March, 2013! The first book is called UNREMEMBERED and it’s about a sixteen-year-old girl who wakes up among the wreckage of a devastating plane crash. She’s the only survivor but she has no memories and identity. The only clue to her past is a mysterious boy who claims they were in love and that he helped her escape from a top secret science experiment. It’s kind of like a Bourne Identity for teens. I’m really excited about it because the genre is totally new to me and writing the first book was so much fun! Plus, it’s my first crack at writing a series so that presents a whole new set of fun challenges. The second book, which I’m currently writing now, is called UNFORGOTTEN and it will release in early 2014. 

W: Who are some of your favorite authors? 

JB: In no particular order:

1)   Sophie Kinsella

2)   Suzanne Collins

3)   Emily Giffin

4)   J.K. Rowling

5)   Alyson Noël

6)   Jennifer Bosworth

W: Do you have anything else you would like to add?

JB: Thank you SO much for featuring me and my book! I hope you and your readers enjoy the interview! XO – Jessica

W: Thank you for agreeing to do the interview! It was awesome to have you on TEBC~

~~~

Wdebo :)

I have not been paid for my review or interview of the author. 

Blog Tour + Cafe Chit Chat: Bitter Melon By: Cara Chow

Bitter Melon is a novel by Cara Chow that tells the story of Frances a girl of Chinese decent whose one goal in life is to get into UC Berkley (Well, actually it's her mother's goal for her.) Everything was going the way it should until a scheduling mixup that caused her to be put into speech instead of AP Calculus. At first, Frances thinks her life is going to end if she doesn't change her class, but she soon finds out that Speech gives her a chance to speak out in a way she never thought possible, in the classroom, in her home, in her life.

I have reviewed Bitter Melon HERE, and now, without further ado is an interview with the author Cara Chow.

Enjoy!

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Wdebo: Please describe yourself in three adjectives.

Cara Chow:

Workaholic

Conscientious

Obsessive

(This wouldn't look very sexy on Match.com, would it?)

W: Please describe a typical day

CC: WARNING: it’s not glamorous.

7:20am: Roll out of bed.
7:45am: Warm up milk, feed son, change diaper.
8:10am: Wrestle son into stroller, walk around neighborhood.
8:50am: Make breakfast.
9:00-1:00pm: Nanny is here! Time to write/work.
1:00-3:00pm: Eat lunch. Pray that son stays asleep so I can work some more.
3:00pm: Warm up milk, feed son, change diaper. Then we go outside to play: playground, beach, parks, etc.
6:00pm: Feed son, make dinner.
7:00pm: Dinner, wash dishes.
8:00pm: Give son a bath. Then play with son, sing songs, teach new words. OR, if I have a deadline, pass son to husband like football, then lock self in office to work.
9:45pm: Read to son, sing songs, then put son to bed.
10:00pm: Prepare son’s food and diaper bag for the next day.
10:15: Shower, then some TV, then read 2 sentences in bed before falling asleep. OR, if I have a deadline, work until 11:30pm.

Not too exciting, huh? That’s why I write fiction, not autobiography!

W: What is your favorite color?

CC: Honestly, I don’t have one! What makes a color beautiful is how it looks next to another color. Think about this the next time you gaze at a sunset or the highlights in someone’s hair.

W: In Bitter Melon Frances was put into speech class through a scheduling mistake. I know that you competed in speech during high school, how were you introduced to speech class? What was speech like for you?

CC: I don’t remember how I got introduced to speech class. (I still talk to my speech coach, who is now retired, and we both marvel at how memory deteriorates with age.) As for how speech was for me, it was fun but very stressful, so stressful that is was necessary to wear an extra coat of deodorant as insurance. There are different categories of speech competition. I was good at original oratory because I could take my time writing, rehearsing, and memorizing my speech before reciting it to an audience. But I was horrible at impromptu, in which they gave you a topic, and then you had two minutes to prepare a speech before delivering it. I don’t think fast on my feet, and when I’m under pressure, I freeze up and start sounding like a clip from The King’s Speech. In fact, the one and only time I did impromptu, I stood in front of my competitors and the judge for several seconds, frozen in terror. One of my competitors was this tall blond kid who wore a nice suit and a long black coat. He could see that I was struggling, so he nodded at me and gave me this “you can do it” look. Because of his encouragement, I was able to relax and deliver my speech. Afterwards, he applauded warmly, which was rather charitable, considering my mediocre performance. When it was his turn to speak, my jaw dropped. He delivered his speech like he had been preparing it for weeks! Of course, he won that competition. I was eliminated before the semi-final round. Anyway, that blonde kid became the inspiration for the character of Derek Collins in Bitter Melon.

W: What inspired you to write Bitter Melon?

CC: Though I have a very positive relationship with my mother today, we struggled a lot when I was a teen. My mother wanted me to be the best, and her way of motivating me was by being very hard on me. Unfortunately, I was a very sensitive kid, so I took my mother’s words and actions personally. This not only strained our relationship for many years, but it also affected my confidence and self-image well into my twenties. As I got older, I felt compelled to understand how we became the people we became and how our relationship had gotten so bad in my teens. Bitter Melon, in part, reflects that journey of understanding.

W: What is one important message you want your readers to get from your book?

CC: For readers who identify with Frances, the message is: “You’re not alone.” For all my readers, I hope this book will show the psychological and cultural factors that influence Frances’s and Gracie’s attitudes and behaviors. I hope that readers can apply this understanding to themselves and others.

W: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring five items what would they be?

CC: First of all, I insist on choosing my island because I don’t want to be like Tom Hanks in Castaway. So I choose Maui, and here are my top 5:

1. Husband (my son would be with a sitter—now I get a second honeymoon!)
2. Reservation for a nice B&B.
3. A gift certificate to eat at Roy’s. Make that 5 gift certificates.
4. Tour reservation to swim with dolphins and turtles.
5. My camera, plus extra batteries and memory chips.

W: Are you working on any projects now? And if so, can you tell us a bit about them?

CC: The only project I’m working on now is Project Bitter Melon Blog Tour. After this is done, I will work on Project Rest and Recuperation. Then I’ll get to work on Project Book #2.

W: Who are some of your FAVORITE authors?

CC: Everyone asks me this, and it is a hard question to answer because there are so many authors I enjoy. It is also hard to answer because I usually think in terms of favorite books rather than favorite authors.

Here are some favorite authors I haven’t mentioned in previous blog posts. Non-fiction: Temple Grandin, who has written many books on animals and autism. Fiction: I really love and recommend Talking to the Moon, which was written by Noel Alumnit.

W: What are some books that you would recommended to readers who are of Chinese heritage or enjoy reading books like Bitter Melon?

CC: Bitter Melon has been compared most often to The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua because all three are Chinese-American, mother-daughter stories. Joy Luck is an awesome book—I’ve read it at least twice. Though I’ve read the excerpt from Battle Hymn in the WSJ, I haven’t read the entire book yet so I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

W: Do you have anything you would like to add?

CC: Thanks for inviting me to participate in your blog!

W: Thank you for letting me interview you!

~~~

Wdebo :)

Cafe Chit Chat: Erin McCahan

So, this post was supposed to be apart of a blog tour...but since of some circumstances I was not able to recieve the information and post it up until now. But, oh well!

Here is an interview I did with Erin McChan the author of I Now Pronounce You Someone Else [Click HERE for review]. Enjoy!

~~~

Wdebo: Please describe yourself in three adjectives.

Erin McCahan: red, blue, 5’7”

I got these from my driver’s license – hair, eyes and height. Driver’s licenses should come with the following warning: Photo merely approximates actual subject’s appearance. In real life, I do not walk around looking as if I’m following a very bad smell but trying to politely ignore it.

W: Please describe a typical day.
EM: Up early.
Chai/coffee with my husband.
Wave as he leaves for work.
Say morning prayers inside, in my icon corner.
Read paper, watch a few minutes of national news.
Go up to my desk.
Write.
Delete.
Stare blankly at computer screen.
Write.
Get on the treadmill.
Go back to writing.
Race up to the store at 5:30 when I realize I have nothing in the house for dinner.
Dinner.
Read.
Sleep.
Up early . . .

Yes, it’s true. Writers lead exciting lives.

W: How did you come up with the storyline for I Now Pronounce You Someone Else?
EM: It evolved from the collision of three elements:

1. My shameless fascination with weddings. From black tie to blue jeans, I love weddings.
2. My own alias, which I gave myself in the event I ever need to leave the country in a hurry. Phoebe Lilywhite – sounds English, which I long to be, and also sounds like someone who has never been tan in her life. That’s definitely me.
3. My relationship with my step-dad – who died before I had a chance to tell him how much I loved him.

W: What do you believe is one important message readers will take from your book?
EM: The one that most people write me about it this: You really need to know who you are as an individual before you become part of a couple – before you become an “Us,” as Bronwen says.

W: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring five items what would they be?
EM: Wood, a saw, a hammer and two shipbuilders to build a boat to get us off the island we got stranded on.

W: Are you working on any projects now? And if so, can you please tell us about them?
EM: Yes, I’m working on another YA novel, tentatively called Kissing Mr. Glaser. In it, brainy sixteen-year-old Josie Sheridan falls in love with a guy who falls in love with Josie’s older sister who is engaged to a man Josie hates. When the sister seems to return Josie’s love interest’s feelings, Josie finds herself armed with all the ammunition she needs to prevent her sister’s wedding. But Josie hesitates and must examine how pure her motives are, where her loyalty lies and just what this business of love is all about.

W: Who are some of your favorite authors?
EM: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Kurt Vonnegut, J.D. Salinger, David McCullough, Annie Dillard, Francisco X. Stork, Katherine Howe.

W: What is your FAVORITE book in the world?
EM: Franny and Zooey

W: Do you have anything else you would like to add?
EM: Yes. I would like to add 13, 679 and 4,192. In my head. Just to see if I can.

~~~

Hope you enjoyed!

Wdebo :)

Cafe Chit Chat: Jessica Verday

As a way to promote her new tour with Michelle Zink, Jessica Verday has decided to do interviews with a few bloggers. And so here we are! Jessica Verday is the author of The Hollow and the second book The Haunted...well enjoy!

~~~

Wdebo: Please describe yourself in three adjectives.
Jessica Verday: Adventurous, Creative, and Silly

W: Please describe a typical day.
J: Wait, there's a such thing as a typical day? Every day's a little different.

W: How did you come up with the idea for your The Hollow trilogy?
J: A lot of credit has to go to Washington Irving for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. But it was Abbey herself that first came to me and I built the story around her.

W: Do any of your characters remind you of someone you know from real life?
J: Several of my characters have traits that were inspired by real people but they are all very much fiction.

W: What is your favorite color?
J: Purple

W: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring five things what would they be?
J: My husband, a fully loaded Kindle, plant seeds, a box of matches, and rope.

W: Are you working on any new projects now? And if so, can you tell us more about it?
J: I am. But for now, it's super secret.

W: Who are some of your favorite authors ever?
J: L. M. Montgomery, Charlotte Brontë, Eudora Welty, Stephen King, L.J. Smith

W: What is your FAVORITE book in the whole world?
I don't really have one. I enjoy reading a lot.

W: Do you have anything else you would like to add?
Thanks so much for having me. I hope you enjoy The Haunted and I hope to see everyone at the Ghosts and Graves Book Tour.

W: Thanks so much for letting me do the interview!

~~~

Wdebo :)

T2T (Review + Interview + Contest): Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens: A Reading Journal for Young Adult Book Lovers

Brought to you by the amazing Traveling To Teens Book Blog Tour [Click HERE to visit]~

CONTEST!!! (Want to win this book? Sure you do!) Just click on this Link and give your name and email and you're ready to go! :)


Title: Read, Remember, Recommend for Teens: A Reading Journal for Young Adult Book Lovers
Author: Rachelle Knight
SPIRAL-BOUND
Amount of Pages: 345
Publisher: Sourcebooks Inc.
Release Year: 2010
Originally Published: 2008 (Bibliopages)
Geared Towards: YA LOVERS :D

"We bibliophiles (book lovers) need to gather books. We can't deny it-and we shouldn't try. And who among us can resist a good annoted list?"

Summary (From Amazon): This journal leads you on a personal journey through the best loved and most highly acclaimed fiction and literature of all times. This 236-page spiral bound journal encourages you to read and interact with the greatest and most intriguing books and establish intimate relationships with your favorite writers and fellow book lovers.

*Discover literary prize winners from 1919 to now.
*Peruse several "Best Book" lists, all with columns to indicate books read, to read and books to buy.
*Jot down notes about your favorite writers.
*Create your very own personal "To Read" list.
*Keep a detailed record of what you've read.
*Journal your thoughts, feelings, and insights about each book.
*Record a list of books you would recommend and readers you would recommend them to.
*Track books you have borrowed and loaned.

By engaging more intimately with the books you read and share with others, you become as closely bound to the pages as the pages are bound to one another. Read, Remember, Recommend enhances the reading experience and makes each book you encounter an integral part of who you are.

Wdebo's Review: I have never had a book journal before, or anybook that suggested books, so I was very excited to be able to "review" RRR. RRR is such a wonderful resource for YA lovers and just book lovers in general. I was going through all of the titles and all I could think was, "Oh my god, I haven't read so many books." All of the books are divided into sections, which is nice, now my new personal goal is to be able to read at least one book from each section.

There is also a little creativity in the back, blank spaces in which you can write down books you've loaned out (as a stingy-book-horder...that's nice :) ) and books you've read and places to jot down your thoughts. One of the reasons I started my book blog was to be able to rememeber all of the books I've read and my thoughts on them, and so RRR will be the same thing, I just don't need internet access to access it :D

Also, it is very well organized and the tabs look cool and professional.

Cafe Cover Chat: Nice cover, I think it's kinda cute looking (B+)

All in all, a great reasource that is sure to sit on my bedside table for a long time.

Grade: A-

~~~~

Now we have an interview with the wonderful Rachelle Knight, enjoy!

~~~~

Wdebo: Please describe yourself with three adjectives.

Rachelle: A creative, messy dreamer!

W: Please describe a typical day.

R: First thing is rushing around getting my little boy ready for school: making chocolate milk, finding socks and something amazing for show-n-tell, packing a lunch, and creating "Wolverine" spikes in his short hair with gel (who would have known?). After getting him to school my three year old little boy and I have breakfast and then we both 'check our email'. He has his own computer, which allows me to work on my blog and other journals. We have playtime together which is mostly playing Indiana Jones - I follow him around our house with a Nerf gun shooting bad guys. In the afternoon we pick up my five year old from school and then participate in a myriad of lessons: karate, swimming and soccer. After dinner, we watch "Monster Buster Club" and "Johnny Test" on Disney as a family and then when my boys are in bed, I read for at least two hours - in a bubble bath and bed. The best part of my day!

W: Why did you decide to write Read, Recommend, Remember?

R: My inspiration for creating the journal came from a cluttered purse full of reading suggestions on scraps of paper - a lot of which were books I learned about from following award and notable lists. When I set out to buy a journal to keep these suggestions organized, nothing existed that provided the awards and notable lists nor places to kept track of everything I wanted to buy and recommend to others. In addition, as a book club member, I was always looking for ways to keep my thoughts and discussion points about reading available for discussing. The Read, Remember, Recommend journal was the marriage of both needs

W: What did you do to compile all of the books? Did you have to do a lot of research?

R: I researched through the internet almost exclusively. There are a few sites available that have fairly comprehensive lists of lists, but for the most part each of these were found individually. I became an expert at Google search! I am a computer programmer, so I created a database and wrote a program to take in all the data and perform the cross-referencing of the awards. This made it easier to keep all the data together.

W: What is your favorite color?

R: Green!

W: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring five things what would they be?

R:
1. Flint. I have watched enough "Survivor" episodes to be proficient at starting a fire!
2. Fishing gear - a girl's gotta have something to put on that fire.
3. A tarp. Again, too much "Survivor" watching.
4. A toothbrush. Enough said. :)
5. Pictures of my sweet baby boys (ages 3 and 5) - oh, and my hubby!

W: Are you working on another project now? And if so, could you tell us a little bit about it?

R: I am currently working on my blog everyday - as you know, it is a lot of work! I post my own journal entries, spotlights on award and notable lists, spotlights on other book blogs, and any other book related stuff that catches my eye.

I am also working on a mystery and romance version of the journals. I am hoping to complete the series with science fiction/fantasy, tween, children's and nonfiction versions.

W: Who are some of your favorite authors ever?

R:

Cormac McCarthy
Barbara Kingsolver
Toni Morrison
Stephen King

W: Yeah!! Love Stephen King :) What is your FAVORITE book in the world?

R: My Name is Asher Lev, by Chaim Potok.

W: Do you have anything else you would like to add?

R: I would love feedback on the journals. If you are using the teen journal and have questions, comments or suggestions, I would love to hear from you! Email me at: suggestions@bibliobabe.com

W: Thanks so much for lettting me interview you!

~~~~

Hope you enjoyed! And please remember to support RRR and join the contest for your chance to win the journal!

Wdebo :)

Cafe Chit Chat: Melissa Walker

Melissa Walker is the wonderful author of The Violet Trilogy (Violet on the Runway [Click HERE for review], Violet By Design [Click HERE for review] and Violet in Private [Click HERE for review]) and also Lovestruck summer.

Enjoy....

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Wdebo: Please describe yourself with three adjectives.

Melissa Walker: Quick, social and nostalgic

W: Can you describe a typical day?

M: It changes a lot, but usually I eat breakfast, work out, write 1000 words, eat lunch, work on magazine stories, then stop and go have fun. And I watch oprah on dvr at lunch!

W: What was it like to work at ELLEgirl and Seventeen? Do you have a fun story to share about it?

M: It was great! I miss working in a magazine office sometimes because we had so much fun. For Seventeen, I got to go to Atlanta for a prom dress fashion market. That was nuts! There are some intense prom dresses out there!

W: How did you come up with the idea for the Violet trilogy/Lovestruck Summer?

M: Violet was inspired by young models I interviewed for Ellegirl. Their world is so glam and so dark at the same time.

A trip to Austin inspired Lovestruck Summer. Such a fun, music-filled city!

W: Could you give a short summary of the Violet trilogy/Lovestruck Summer for those not familiar with it?

M: You can see summaries of all the books on melissacwalker.com under the "writing" headline. (I'd send a link but I'm traveling and answering on my iPhone!)

W: Are any of your characters based on people you know/have meet/etc?

M: Some are loosely based on combinations of people I've known. I think that's true of most authors. We steal gems from real life.

W: What is your favorite thing to do apart from writing?

M: Reading! Or maybe hanging out with my friends. Does that count?

W: What is your favorite color?

M: Green. I was just in Morocco and all the mosque doors are green to signify peace.

W: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring five things what would they be?

M: I can't answer this one. I always try to answer, but it's too hard!

W: Are you working on another project now?

M: Yes, my next book is called Small Town Sinners and I'm working on revisions now.

W: Could you tell us a little bit about it?

M: It's about a small town girl who wants to star in her church's annual haunted house of sin... Until a boy from her past makes her start to question the things she's always believed.

W: Who are some authors you look up to?

M: Authors from my childhood... Judy Blume, Ann M. Martin. And today I adore Sarah Dessen, among others.

W: What is your FAVORITE book in the whole world?

M: Probably Catcher in the Rye. a common answer, but with good cause.

W: Do you have anything else you would like to add?

M: Just thanks! Thanks!

W: Thanks for letting me interview you Melissa!

~~~~

Hope you enjoy and support her books!!

Wdebo :)

Cafe Chit Chat: Steve Kluger

Steve Kluger is the wonderful author of My Most Excellent Year [Click HERE for reivew], for those who haven't read it...you should!! Highly reccomended :) It was one of those books that I stayed up late, so I could finish in one sitting.

Now, onto the interview...

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Wdebo: Please describe yourself in three words.

Steve Kluger: Depending on the day of the week? “OUT OF CONTROL,” “TOTALLY LAID BACK,” “SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN,” or “RED SOX FAN.” On all days of the week: “WORLD’S BEST UNCLE.”

W: Can you describe a typical day?

SK: Depends. When I’m working on a book, I write from 10:00 to 6:00 Monday through Friday. If I’m not involved in a creative project, I’m working in civil rights law, which is usually 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. between leaving home in the morning and getting back in the evening.

W: How did you come up with your idea for My Most Excellent Year?

SK: My then-6-year-old niece Emily was watching The Princess Diaries and sighed at the end about how much she loved Julie Andrews. The idea was born on the spot.

W: Could you give a short summary of My Most Excellent Year for those readers who might not be familiar with it?

SK: Best friends and unofficial brothers since they were six, ninth-graders T.C. and Augie have got the world figured out. But that all changes when both friends fall in love for the first time. Enter Alé. She’s pretty, sassy, and on her way to Harvard. T.C. falls hard, but Alé is playing hard to get. Meanwhile, Augie realizes that he’s got a crush on a boy. It’s not so clear to him, but to his family and friends, it’s totally obvious. There’s also a 6-year-old deaf kid who’s convinced that his life is going to get back on track once Mary Poppins comes to stay with him. Told in alternating perspectives, it’s a story of a most excellent year, where these three friends discover love, themselves, and how a little magic and Mary Poppins can go a long way.

W: Are any of your characters based on anyone you know?

SK: Hucky Harper is a deaf version of my nine-year-old nephew Noah, right down to the hangaburs, his mad face, and his stuffed dog named Shut-the-Door (the purple balloon story happened to us when he was 3-1/2); my sister-in-law Lori (Noah's mother) is Lori Mahoney, replete with her pathological refusal to sneak down to the empty expensive seats during a ball game; my sister-in-law Alejandra (who goes by "Alé") always said that the one role she always wished she could have played was Lilli in Kiss Me, Kate (her audition song when she first moved to New York was "The Music and the Mirror"), Phyllis Bryant is one of my dearest friends; Lee Meyerhoff and I have known each other since we were in third grade; Augie is me when I was that age; T.C. is me when I became a Big Brother to an 11-year-old without a father; Ted is mostly my brother Garry (with a touch of my father, who built the planetarium and the state map for two of my school projects); and when I was 15 years old and wanted desperately so see the Tony Awards (which were sold out), I snuck out of boarding school in my school blazer and slacks, took the train into New York, tried without success to find a standing room ticket, and wound up pulling open the gold-painted stage door at the Shubert and telling the stage doorman that my mother--Carol Channing--had forgotten to leave my ticket at the box office. Two things worked in my favor: (1) I may have been 15, but I looked 12, which made it appear extremely unlikely that I was pulling a fast one; and (2) I was obviously telling the truth since it would have been so easy to prove that I was lying. "Miss Channing, is this your son?" "Why, no, dear. I've never seen this boy before in my life." So he waved me in and told me where to find Mom's dressing room. When he wasn't looking, I took a detour up the stairs leading to the stage and watched the entire thing from the downstage left wing with Angela Lansbury and a handful of other celebrities. (Funny--that's the only part of MMEY that people occasionally think is simply too over-the-top to be credible. But Angela Lansbury is my witness.) That's why I always felt that this particular novel was more a matter of creative reporting than creative writing--though I get a big kick out of sharing the emotional by-line with the people I love.

W: What is your favorite color?

SK: Blue–especially aqua.

W: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring five things what would they be?

SK: Oh, boy. An iPod with my entire CD collection on it, the Fireside Book of Baseball, and three boxes of Snackwell’s Devil’s Food Cookie Cakes.

W: Are you working on a project right now? And if so, can you tell us a little about it?

SK: Nothing in the writing venue; I’m spending a lot of time on the anti-bullying programs in schools.

W: Who are some authors you look up to?

SK: Bel Kaufman, Mark Twain, Madeleine L’Engle, John R. Tunis, William Manchester, and Mark Harris.

W: What is your FAVORITE book in the whole entire world, one that you think everyone should read.

SK: The Southpaw by Mark Harris, Iron Duke by John R. Tunis, and Tom Sawyer by Mr. Twain have always tied for my number 1 slot.

W: Do you have anything else you would like to add?

SK: Fingers crossed for the Red Sox in 2010!

W: Thanks for letting me interview you!

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Click HERE to visit Steve's website! And don't forget to support My Most Excellent Year!

Wdebo :)

Cafe Chit Chat: Malinda Lo

Malinda Lo is the amazing debut author of the wonderfully dark retelling of Cinderella~Ash. [Click HERE for review]. Malinda was born in China and then she moved to the US (woohoo another Chinese author :) ) She was also the former managing editor of AfterEllen.com.

Now on to the interview....

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Wdebo: Can you describe a typical day?

Malinda Lo: I get up around 6:30-7 because my dog wakes up that early! Then I eat breakfast while checking my email and reading the news. Around 8:00, I take my dog out for a walk. When I get back, I like to spend the whole morning writing. If I am working on fiction, I try to stay offline. In the afternoon, I may continue writing, or I might spend time doing business stuff like answering email, doing blog interviews :), etc. In the evening I hang out with my partner, eat dinner, and if I'm lucky, I watch TV. I love Top Chef!

W: My dog wakes up that early too, I'm glad my dad is the one who takes care of her, lol. How did you come with the idea for Ash?

M: My favorite books as a child were Robin McKinley's fairy tale retellings, but she never retold Cinderella. So I decided to write the book I wanted to read.

W: Could you give a short summary of Ash for those readers who might not be familiar with it?

M: Ash is a retelling of Cinderella, a fairy tale about a girl who is forced to work as a servant for her wicked stepmother after her father dies. In traditional versions, Cinderella falls in love with Prince Charming, but in my novel, Ash, the Cinderella character, falls in love with another girl.

W: Are any of your characters based on someone you know?

M: I answer[ed] this in my Ash FAQ right here: http://www.malindalo.com/ash/faq/#faq8

W: What is your favorite thing to do (apart from writing)?

M: Eat!

W: What is your favorite color?

M: Red.

W: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring five things what would they be?

M: 1. A satellite phone to call for help
2. Water purification tablets
3. A tent
4. Good hiking shoes
5. A book about edible plants
(I'm practical.)

W: Are you working on another project now? And if so, can you tell us about it?

M: I am currently writing a companion novel to Ash. It is set in the same world as Ash but several hundred years earlier, so there are no crossover characters. It's a young adult fantasy, and it should come out in fall 2010.

W: Who are some authors you look up to?

M: Robin McKinley and Madeleine L'Engle are my favorite children's/YA novelists.

W: What is your FAVORITE book in the whole world, one that you think everyone should read.

M: A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle

W: What is your favorite chinese dish in the whole world?

M: Hong shao rou, or red-cooked pork. Specifically, the kind made by my mother!

W: Do you have anything else you would like to say?

M: Thanks for the interview!

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Thanks so much for letting me interview you!!

Check out Malinda's site HERE! And don't forget to check out Ash!!

Wdebo :)

Cafe Chit Chat: John Ford

John is the awesome author of The Morgue and Me [Click HERE for review]. John is also a law school graduee, by attending both Standford and the University of Michigan Law School.

Now onto the interview...

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Wdebo: Can you describe a typical day?

John Ford: The typical day, as it’s supposed to happen, is this: work out at the gym, work the “day job,” write for three hours, have dinner or meet up with friends, bed. This happens about 3% of the time. I’m taking a month-long break between “day jobs,” and here’s how today went. Write for two hours Put together that IKEA entertainment center that I’ve been meaning to get to for three months now Get a gift for my friends one-year old baby Try to writeGet distracted by reading a friend’s screenplayDeal with reservations for fall travelEmail friend with comments on screenplayTonight: pub trivia with friends

W: How did you come up with your idea for The Morgue and Me?

J: I wanted to write a traditional-feeling detective novel with a young main character. All of the usual occupations you might see—cop, private investigator, etc.--were out of bounds to an 18 year-old, so I just started thinking about how a kid might stumble across a serious crime. A part-time job at the morgue seemed perfect. I really built the mystery around that setting and character.

W: Are any of the characters based on someone you know?

J: Can I plead the fifth? Actually, seriously, none of the characters are based on real people. Though, I suppose, there’s a little bit of me in all of them—which is a very scary thought.

W: What is your favorite thing to do (apart from writing)?

J: I love to go running. It’s a bit like writing—a solitary activity that can sometimes feel like torture, and often takes the wind out of you. But when you’re in the groove, there’s nothing like it.

W: What's your favorite color?

J: Blue. Light blue. (Imagine me saying this like “Bond, James Bond.”)

W: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring five things what would they be?

J: I suppose it’d be cheating to bring a power-boat, map, and plentiful supplies of food and gasoline?

Okay . . . running shoes, a good falafel sandwich, a fountain pen, a bathrobe from the Ritz-Carlton, and a copy of The Great Gatsby.

W: Who is your favorite superhero and why?

J: Either Aquaman, because I used to be a swimmer, or The Green Lantern, because the name is so cool. (Though, actually, the Green Lantern is a whole group of superheroes, so Aquaman it is.)

W: Who are some authors you look up to?

J: Nancy Werlin and Ned Vizinni are two YA authors I admire greatly.

W: Do you have a new project you are working on? And if so, can you tell us a bit about it?

J: Yes, and no. Not to be all mysterious or anything, but it’s not quite finished enough for me to go off blabbing about it. I’ll say this: it’s a thriller-type book that, at the moment, I feel very good about.

W: I know a lot of my blog readers are writers. Do you have any tips to share to aspiring authors?

J: Read, read, and read—you soak up so much about writing that way, without even knowing it. The other thing I would say is to be careful about drawing from your own life too much. Make sure what you’re writing about is just as interesting to other people as it is to you.

W: What is your FAVORITE book in the world, the one that you think everyone should read before they die?

J: Too hard! I said that I’d take The Great Gatsby with me to the island, so I guess I’m going with that. I read Stephen King’s The Stand when I was in high school and it floored me. Back then, I would have picked that one.

W: What is one thing that not many people know about you?

J: I hardly ever return my library books on time. Sorry, Cleveland Park Library! For the record, though, I do pay all my late fees.

W: Do you enjoy watching movies if so, do you have a movie you absolutely cannot stop watching?

J: I absolutely love movies. I have a thing for movies that take you on a head trip, like Memento or Being John Malcovich, but those aren’t to everyone’s taste so don’t necessarily take that as a recommendation.

W: Finally, do you have anything else you want to say?

J: I think you know all my secrets now, so I’m good. Thanks so much for having me!

W: Thanks for letting me interview you!

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Check out John's Goodreads page HERE

Remember, if you comment on this post you recieve TWO extra entrees for the GIANT blogoversery bash contest HERE. Where one of the prizes you can win is a signed hardback copy of The Morgue and Me. Check it out!!

Wdebo :)

Cafe Chit Chat: Julie Schumacher

Welcome to another post for my blogoversery bash!! This is an interview with Julie Schumacher, the author of Black Box [Click HERE for review].

Julie's first published story Reunion was part of The Best American Short Stories 1983, she works at the University of Minnesota as the Professor of English and Creative Writing.

Now for the interview....

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Wdebo: Can you describe a typical day?

Julie Schumacher: I try to write in the mornings, before I go to work. If I can get a couple of hours of productive writing in, that's a success. I've never written full-time, because I have two kids and I teach at the University of Minnesota. I try to reserve evenings for reading -- mainly novels and short stories.

W: How do you come up with the ideas for your stories, mainly Black Box?

J: Ideas are everywhere, all the time: we just aren't used to recognizing them as ideas. We think we're day-dreaming, when in reality we're sifting ideas through our heads all day long. The trick is to catch hold of the themes and ideas that come back to you, over and over like recurring dreams, and then give them shape and polish them so that they have meaning and are appealing to others, as well as yourself.

W: Could you give a short summary of Black Box, for those readers who might not be familiar with it?

J: Black Box is about two sisters, Elena and Dora. Dora, the older sister, suffers from depression; Elena, the younger, doesn't think that anything is terribly wrong until Dora is hospitalized. She tries to hang on to the sister and to the relationship she once knew, and she tries to help -- but Dora gets worse. Elena seems to have no one to talk to about what has happened to her family -- until she meets Jimmy Zenk, a quirky loner who offers her frightening information about the hospital where Dora is being treated.

W: Are any of your characters based on anyone you know?

J: All my characters, I think, are some version of me. As a day-dreamer, I like to imagine myself in a lot of different scenarios and situations, and to imagine how I would react. That said, I do know a number of people who have suffered from severe depression, and their experiences helped inspire me to write the book.

W: What is your favorite thing to do (apart from writing)?

J: Reading. Hands down. I am one of those wackos who hates television and cell phones and computers. I still write all of my books by hand, with a ball-point pen

W: What's your favorite color?

J: Blue. Which seems appropriate to a person who has written a book about depression.

W: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring five things what would they be?

J: Well, if this were an island well equipped with food and water and a comfortable house and clothing (so I didn't have to bring those), I suppose I'd bring a combination of favorite books and family and friends. Something to read and someone to talk to -- those are the necessities in my life.

W: Who are some authors you look up to?

J: Lots and lots of authors. Too many to name -- many of them dead (Jane Austen and George Eliot for starters), and many of them alive. I keep books of quotations/favorite passages from novels that I love, and I re-read them a lot. They inspire me as a writer, and they also help me maintain a sense of who I am and who I was.

W: Do you have a new project you are working on? And if so, can you tell us a bit about it?

J: I'm superstitious about revealing too much about what I'm working on -- writers tend to be nervous about these things. But I'm working on a few projects: a novel and a book of short stories, among others.

W: As an only child I am curious, what is it like being the youngest of five children?

J: I loved growing up in a big family. There was always conversation, always someone to talk to or pester, always something to do. I grew up hearing family stories at the dinner table, and playing games: solitaire, ping-pong, kick-the-can, cribbage, soccer, tennis, caroms, bridge, hide-and-seek, hearts, field hockey, lacrosse... you name it. A family is a sort of universe unto itself.

W: What is your FAVORITE book in the world, the one that you think everyone should read before they die?

J: Middlemarch, by George Eliot. It's very long: it's best to read it when you have a fair amount of time.

W: Finally, do you have anything else that you would like to say?

J: Yes. I think everyone should turn off the TV and the computer and read a good book.

W: Thanks for letting me interview you!

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Remember to check out Julie's site HERE!

And also remember that when you comment on this post you recieve TWO extra entrees for my GIANT blogoversery bash contest HERE, where you also have a chance to win a copy of Black Box.

Wdebo :)