What's New With Heather

Catching up week continues with Buzz Girl Heather, who filled me in on the latest doings and goings on in her world. Let's see what Heather had to say...

What are you working on?

Right now, I’m putting the finishing touches on a new proposal. It’s a book about the closeness of sisters, a topic I haven’t really touched much in my work so far. I’m excited to be going deep and personal with this story, and of course, it has a touch of the supernatural. I also just sent back my page proofs for Wherever You Go, my next book for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. That’s the last call for changes and corrections before the actual book is printed. I’m working on things like bookmarks, interviews and other promotions for the book. And, very soon, I’ll be relaunching my website with a whole new look and feel that reflects where my fiction is going these days.

What’s coming up in 2011?

November 14th is the release date for Wherever You Go. It’s a book that deals with several family issues close to my heart: Alzheimer’s and teen depression. I’m hoping that the novel will give teen caregivers and families struggling with these problems hope and comfort. The story’s theme is “real love is seeing the people you love for who they are, not for who you wish they would be”. Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more about the necessity of that practice -- of taking the time to honor the truth of our loved ones and ourselves. As you can probably guess, there are no car chases or explosions, but there is a ghost boy, wandering among the living while he tries to find his way to the light. And a wonderful Italian grandpa who I wish was real.

What about upcoming travels?

Like several other Bees, I’m attending the RT Booklovers Convention in LA this April. I can’t wait to interact with readers and meet some authors I admire. (No fan girl incidents a la Meg Cabot in Atlanta circa 2006, I promise!) It's going to be my first time there -- I have no idea how crazy that teen day might be, which is kind of exciting.

After that, I’ll be packing my bags for a much anticipated trip to Italy, where I’ll be writing some pages of the new book, riding some Vespas, eating way too much, and appreciating great art. I’ve been studying Italian since last September, so I’m excited to try it out in real life. I’m hoping to be able to blog from there -- we’ll see!

Wow, sounds like a fabulous year in store for Heather! Don't you think? Keep up with Heather on Twitter and stay turned for her website relaunch.

Remember to comment below (with a question or a thought or whatever) to be entered to win our fabulous St. Patrick's Day jewelery prize.

Hugs,
TLC

teralynnchilds.com

An interview with Lois Lowry

It is my great privilege and honor to have been able to interview the amazing Lois Lowry, a fellow Houghton Mifflin Harcourt author, about her amazing career, her characters, and her writing.



First, for those of you not familiar with Lois' books, I ask you..."where have you been?" Lois is famous for her Anastasia Krupnik series that started in 1979 and continues today with more Anastasia books, as well as a spinoff of her brother, Sam. She's also penned the ever-so-charming Gooney Bird series. Lois lives and writes in New England, where she makes her homes in Maine and Cambridge, Massachusetts.



Thanks to my fabulous publicity contact at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, I was able to snatch a few minutes of Lois' time to ask her some questions.

Marley: Thanks so much for joining us here at Books, Boys, Buzz, Lois! We appreciate your taking time out of your busy schedule to answer some questions for our readers. My first question in, you've been writing for many years now and have created some amazing characters with Anastasia and her brother Sam, the Gooney Birds, not to mention all of your single title books. What do you think it is about your writing...your storytelling...that resonates so well with readers that keeps them coming back for more?

Lois Lowry: I’m not sure I have a good answer to that. I think I’m pretty adept at getting into the head and heart of a character and writing through his/her sensibilities (I don’t mean, necessarily, writing in the first person, although that is true sometimes) and so the character, to the reader, seems real and believable---even when exaggerated, as Gooney Bird, for example. I think I’m good at assessing and choosing detail, and that I have a good sense of the fluency and flow of language. And I avoid like the plague trying to hook into any glib, contemporary vernacular. Most of these are subliminal things but they do affect a reader and a reader‘s reaction.

Marley: That's excellent. Can you tell our readers a little bit about your journey to publication? What was your original inspiration to start writing?

Lois Lowry: Nothing unusual here. I majored in writing and in literature in college. Writing had always been my goal. I married young, had children young, so I postponed professional writing until the kids were in school, then began working as a journalist and photographer. Fiction was always my first love but it was (probably still is) much harder to achieve publication of fiction. I did not plan to write for young people. But when a children’s book editor, having read some adult fiction I’d written, contacted me and asked my to consider writing a YA book...I took her up on it. That resulted in my first book for a young audience---A SUMMER TO DIE---(1977, still in print) and eventually, after other books, I realized I loved the young audience and their response. Gradually I shifted until I began doing kids’ books almost exclusively.



Marley: A SUMMER TO DIE is a phenomenal, timeless book. You write a lot about your own personal experiences, weaving in deep and believable emotions. How is it for you when you're writing such personal stories? How do you manage the emotions? How do you answer readers' questions when they're seeded in stories related to your own life?

Lois Lowry: I’ve always felt that the best way to write a story is as if you are writing a letter to a friend. The reader, actually, is a friend...just one you haven’t met in person. And so you tell that friend your story, and you tell it with the kind of affection, intimacy, and honesty that a friend deserves. It’s true that some of my fiction has arisen from my own experience. But I treat “real” fiction the same way---it, too, becomes a true story to me. I don’t “manage” emotions; I let them affect the telling. And I try to do so with honesty. Same with readers’ questions.

Marley: That's a beautiful way to view writing and your stories..."a letter to a friend." I'm sure that's helpful to any aspiring writers out there. Since you have literally your own library of titles, can you tell us which is the "book of your heart" or the one that stands out as your all time favorite and why?

Lois Lowry: I am particularly fond of one called THE SILENT BOY, which is set in the time of my own mother’s childhood, and in the town where she lived, and illustrated by old photographs—several of her as a child. It is not a “true” story, but it has all the elements that appeal to me: the visual element in the old photos, the nostalgia and the carefully-chosen details, quite a complex plot, characters with heartbreaking problems, and some deeply felt themes.



Marley: I can see how that would be a favorite for you. A lot of our readers are fellow writers and/or aspiring writers. Let's ask a question for them like what is your writing "ritual?" Do you play music? Seclude yourself? Go to Starbucks or tuck away in a nook in your home?

Lois Lowry: I have two houses, and I have an office in each house. In summer, I am in Maine, which is much more isolated, so with fewer distractions, and I am able to work better and more productively there where it is quiet and undisturbed. But the rest of the year, in my “real” house, I also work each day, sit at my desk for many hours. Few rituals. No music. No Starbucks. But I do read poetry frequently. It reminds me, lures me back into, the cadence and flow of lyrical language.

Marley: I'm jealous of your getaway in Maine! My getaway is putting on my headphones during my lunch break so I can block out everything else. LOL!! So what can we look forward to in the future from the amazing pen of Lois Lowry?

Lois Lowry: I have a picture book, CROW CALL, coming out in the fall, gorgeously illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. In spring, 2010, a light-hearted playful novel called THE BIRTHDAY BALL, with black-and-white illustrations by my friend Jules Feiffer. A lot of other stuff, including a new Gooney Bird, in the works, but I don’t like talking about things in progress. Superstition, maybe.



Marley: LOL! I certainly understand that! And we appreciate the preview of the books you can talk about. I'm sure our readers here will run out and get them as soon as they hit the shelves. I want to thank you sooooooooo much for hanging out here with us at Books, Boys, Buzz. We all love your books and you're an inspiration to us in our own writing. We wish you much continued success!! Thanks again!

For more information about Lois and her books, please visit her website at http://www.louislowry.com/

Thanks again to Lois! If you'd like to win a copy of your favorite Lois Lowry book, please leave a comment in the comment section and let us know what you think of Lois' interview. You may comment/enter as many times as you'd like.

Hugs,
Marley = )

GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING (Available Now! Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
GHOST HUNTRESS: THE GUIDANCE (Coming September 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
GHOST HUNTRESS: THE REASON (Coming May 2010, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
THE OTHER SIDE: A TEEN'S GUIDE TO GHOST HUNTING AND THE PARANORMAL
(Coming September 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
CHRISTMAS MIRACLES (Coming October 2009, St. Martin's Press)
SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (Available from Puffin Books)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (Available from Puffin Books)

Introducing John Green

When we Buzz Girls decided to do this very special interview week, my first thought was, "John Green!" Some bees might remember John from my Geeky Cute AuthorBoyz post of last year. (He was #1, by the way.) Since I have a huge author crush on him and my editor was the assistant on his first two books, I thought I would take advantage of this opportunity to get to know him a little better.

Before we get into the interview, here's some background on John. His first book, Looking for Alaska, won the Michael J. Printz Award (mega-prestigious) along with a bunch of other accolades. Then came An Abundance of Katherines, a Printz honor book and Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. Now, his latest, Paper Towns, is following in those well-awarded footsteps by winning the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for YA lit. Pretty awesome credentials, huh?

Well, on top of all that, John has a huge online following (the Nerdfighters) that began with Brotherhood 2.0, a vlog between John and his brother Hank. Their cleverness and hilarity earned them legions of fans that quickly followed them to the Nerfighters Ning--and made Paper Towns an instant bestseller.

The very best part is that John is genuinely nice, answered all of my questions with his characteristic wit (and uncharacteristic speed), and has proven himself entirely worthy of my author crush.

Now, without further explanation or gushing, John Green.

1. The obligatory author question: What's your process? Do you begin with a premise or a situation or a character? How do you proceed from there?

I begin with characters, although saying that maybe creates the expectation that I sit down and start writing with these wholly formed characters in my mind, which isn't the case. I start with characters, but in the process of writing the first draft, try to understand the people in the book and their stories better. Then I delete most of that first draft in revision. Most of the real writing of my books is done in revision.

2. The other obligatory author question: Describe your workplace. Do you write at home or out in the world? On the computer, longhand, in crayon, or by other means? What do you drink/eat/listen to while writing?

I write on a computer, and I have written on a computer since I was eight and my dad got us an Apple IIe. In a lot of ways, my books are collaborations between the computer and me. (I assume this is true for many writers, but my writing process is so intertwined with the architecture of word processing software--the cutting and pasting and scrolling and searching and replacing--that I literally don't know how to do it any other way.)

Physical location is less significant to me--I often write in various rooms of my house, but sometimes go to coffee shops or write in hotel rooms or airports or wherever I find myself. I don't listen to music while writing, except occasionally.

3. You collect famous last words (and used them in your debut, Printz-and-billions-of-others-award-winning novel, Looking For Alaska). Have any new ones or favorites you'd like to share? Or, if you could pre-script your own last words right now, what would they be?

If I could prescript my last words, I would tell my wife I love her. Hardly memorable, but that's what I'd say. Most of my favorite last words didn't make their way into the book, actually, because I didn't want to overwhelm the novel with last words and make it feel all schticky. The best last words I've come across are those of Emily Dickinson: I must go in. The fog is rising.

4. For An Abundance of Katherines, you had to do some serious, brain-bending, math-related research. What's the most outrageous/hardest/craziest thing you've done in the name of research?

Well, the vast majority of my research involves typing things into a computer. I know that there's no substitute for "being there," but there's also no substitute for detailed satellite maps with topographical overlays. (So, for instance, I had to figure out how to break into Sea World for Paper Towns. It is easy enough just to break into Sea World--I'm not going to comment on whether I did that--but just breaking into Sea World does not give you an actual sense of HOW it happened, only that it happened.) I go to the places I write about, and spend a lot of time there, but other than that, yeah, all my research is inside the Internet. (Yet another way my books would be impossible without computers.)

5. You are single-handedly responsible for the resurrection of the word awesome. Why awesome? Why not rad, amped, killer, or some other slang term from our generation?

I don't even know, and I partially regret it. I've always liked taking a word and playing around with its tense or usage--adjectiving nouns or verbing adjectives or whatever. Awesome was ruined long, long before I got to it--here is this word that manages to capture both the fascination and the terror we feel when we encounter something radically other, the feeling we have when we're on our knees and praying in hope *and* praise *and* fear *and* gratitude. Here is this amazing word, and now we use it to describe...a skateboarding trick. Ideally, we should have let awesome go the way of rad, so that it might one day be returned to its original splendor, but the problem is that for me at least the word still retains the tiniest vestige of its former greatness, and so I just like it.

So when my brother and I started making videoblogs, we used the word a lot because we liked it, and then we started using it as a noun because we both like to play around with usage, and then it just kind of took off with our viewers.

6. If you were in high school today, what fictional character(s) would you want to take to prom and/or eat lunch with?

Huck Finn.

7. If you could require every teen in the country to read three books before graduation, what would they be and why?

My answers are involve the dreaded classics, I'm afraid: The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, because it's beautifully written and discusses all the most important things. The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger, because more than any other book I've read, it gets to the murderous isolation that accompanies every adolescence. And The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, because love is never any better than the lover.

8. Define irony. (Seriously. I was a theatre major. I'm still trying to figure it out.)

I've always just gone with the definition Ethan Hawke's character uses in the film Reality Bites: Irony is when the actual meaning is the complete opposite from the literal meaning.

9. First there was the blog, then the vlog, and now Twitter and the Ning. Your online presence has been a major contributor to your success--that and phenomenal writing talent, of course. Is that "work" for you, or fun? Do you ever worry that it takes time away from the writing? What's the next big thing in online networking?

I think Twitter is the next big thing in online networking, but it's important to remember that nothing lasts forever in this brave new world. We're always cycling through technologies, because the next one will give us the feeling of interconnectedness we want (which of course the next one never quite does).

I think to be totally honest that my online presence has done more to get my books out to their audience than any talent I might have as a writer. My job is to write the best books I possibly can, but I also want people to read and like those books. So certainly the online work is very much part of my job. Vlogging and blogging are fun a lot of the time, but so is writing. (Working at Steak 'n Shake was also often fun, but it was still work.)

As for whether it takes time away from my writing: I'm sure it does. But I've always had work other than writing--whether it was a day job or Internet-based stuff, so I don't see it as a problem.

10. What can gushing fangirls and nerdfighters everywhere expect from you next? (In the literary sense, not the general, what-I'm-having-for-lunch-tomorrow sense.)

I've got a new book coming out in April of next year that I cowrote with my friend David Levithan called WILL GRAYSON WILL GRAYSON. So look out for that! And of course between now and then, many vlogs and blogs and tweets and status updates.

Oh, I think we'll all be following closely.

Now for the free stuff! I'm giving away a collection of John's books (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Paper Towns). Comment below with your answer to Question 6: What fictional character(s) would you want to take to prom and/or eat lunch with? (I'm feeling generous, so I won't outlaw Edward Cullen as a possible answer.)

Hugs,
TLC

OH. MY. GODS. (now in paperback!)
GODDESS BOOT CAMP (out now!)

WINNERS!!! and Something Very Exciting

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the contests all week long. Here's the list of winners (in Monday through Saturday order, so there's no confusion):

Hillary
Liyana
Kate Sutton
What a Girl Reads
RagDollVampGirl
Breanna

Please contact me via email (tlc@teralynnchilds.com) with your mailing info. Congrats!

And now, it is my exceptional pleasure to give you the details on one of the coolest things we've ever done here on the Buzz Blog. For almost three years(!) you've tuned in to read about us Buzz Girls and our books and some of our happy/sad/wacky/inspiring/terrifying experiences. Well, this week we're changing it up. This week we're going to introduce you to some other authors.

Over the next few days, each Buzz Girl will be posting an interview they conducted with an author they admire, but whom they might not know very well. Let me tell you, Buzzies, we've got some big fish lined up for your enjoyment. (I'm not spilling the beans, but let me just say that my interviewee is made of awesome!)

Plus, not only will you get to read about these amazing authors, but you'll also get a chance to win one or more of their books! (Yay, free books!)

So, be sure to check back every day, because this is one week you will not want to miss!

Hugs,
TLC

OH. MY. GODS. (now in paperback!)
GODDESS BOOT CAMP (out now!)
teralynnchilds.com

Some fun interviews for Ghost Huntress

The winner of Tera's joke contest is Meredith F. with this joke: What's green and has wheels?Grass! I lied about the wheels!! (Isn't that hilarious?) Please email at tlc@teralynnchilds.com.

Wow...GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING has been out for a few weeks now and the feedback is so encouraging and fun. The Amazon.com reviews are wicked awesome and I've managed to snag a few interviews on paranormal radio programs here and there. Everyone has been so wonderful and supportive...from the Buzz Girls to readers alike.

I wanted to share a couple of interviews that I've done. My friends, New York Times bestseller, Gena Showalter (who will be launching Harlequin's YA line soon!!) and her fabulous critique partner...and partner in crime, Jill Monroe, were kind enough to interview me for their cult hit, Author Talk (where authors talk to other authors.) We had an absolute blast taping this! Hope you enjoy!



I just love these ladies!!

And also, here's another interview. While attending GhoStock 7 on April 18th, 2009, in historical Salem, Massachusetts, Angelique Avalon from Paranormal SPY interviewed me about my paranormal investigations as well as the release of the GHOST HUNTRESS series.



Now, I must return to the writing cave where I'm cranking out GHOST HUNTRESS: THE REASON. If you've read GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING, I'd love to hear from you. Let me know what you think about it!

Hugs,
Marley = )
www.ghosthuntress.com

P.S. Don't you just love our new headers that our webmistress extraordinaire, Tera, did for us? Cheers to TLC!!!!

Buzz Girl on CNN.com!

Just had to do a quick buzz by to post this link to CNN.com where I was interviewed in a story about ghost hunting...along with the experts! Whooohooo! Be sure to check out the "slideshow" for pictures and sound files I've captured!

Thanks!
Marley = )

To laugh often and much...

Quick aside: I did an internet radio show recently to help promote my new series GHOST HUNTRESS and talk about ghost hunting. Please click here to go to Toginet.com and download the podcast.

I've never been one to blog about my toils, troubles, or personal problems, and I'm not about to start now...other than to say I received some news on Wednesday of a challenging nature that has me focusing on the positive and not dwelling on stupid, petty, ridiculous things that mean nothing in the grand scope of things.

On Thursday, my boss sent this out to our sales team here at work as incentive to them during these tough economic times. However, I think it's a great, overall message to share with everyone, and I hope our readers get something positive out of it:



DEFINITION OF SUCCESS

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To endure the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you lived.
This is to have succeeded.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pretty cool, huh? I know that each of these lines means something to me and I hope it does to you, too. What have you done today to succeed?

Have a wonderful Saturday full of light, hope, and love.

Hugs,

Marley = )

SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (Available Now! Puffin Books)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (Available Now! Puffin Books)
GHOST HUNTRESS SERIES (Coming May 2009, Houghton Mifflin)

Just Who Is Tina Ferraro?

As resident Sunday BuzzGirl, I got the mega-honor of interviewing Monday Blog Mom Tina Ferraro. Tina is the incredibly talented author of Top Ten Uses For An Unworn Prom Dress (which gets the BuzzBlog longest title award) and the just released How To Hook A Hottie. If you haven't read these two, then get to a bookstore or click over to Amazon and put them in your TBR pile. You won't regret it.

The official author headshot, aka Nutmeg Cabot.

TLC: Mark Wahlberg knocks on your door. Why is he there and what do you do?

Tina: He’s there because someone-knew-someone-who-knew-someone, etc., and the Buzz Girls sent him as a birthday surprise. He hands me a rose, kisses my cheek, and then saunters off while I scream for my kids to bear witness to what just happened, to assure me that I haven’t lost my mind.

TLC: You would just let him go? I'm disappointed. Then again, you're the girl who passed up a chance to meet him... I shouldn't be surprised. What is the worst thing about being a writer? The best?

Tina: The worst is when I get my first revision package from my editor, and I am in a cold sweat that the book has completely disappointed her. (So far, my fears have not come to fruition, thank God.)

The best is...well, every day when I wake up and get to “go to work” in my family room, wearing a sweatsuit and dorky glasses.

TLC: I think we need to see a picture of those dorky glasses. How has being a short story writer helped/hindered you as a novelist?

Tina: I am a self-learner, so writing short stories was my classroom to teach myself about story structure and follow-through.

TLC: Describe your typical day. (Or, if there is no such thing, you dream day.)

Tina: Typical starts at 5:45, get the family up and out. I write, go out to the supermarket or errands, write some more, pick up a kid or two, usually read or write, make dinner, take an evening walk with my husband, do some writing or reading, asleep by 10:00. Not a very exciting life, but I like it!

TLC: Yes, but you get to do plenty of exciting things. As a native East coaster and an adopted West coaster, which suits you more?

Tina: I think I’ve found a comfortable blend of both at this point, and don’t have a preference for either coast or lifestyle.

TLC: Sounds like me. How do you get from idea to The End?

Tina: Nervously, worried that the story won’t hold up, and constantly going back and strengthening the plot points.

TLC: Well, if Top Ten Uses For an Unworn Prom Dress and How To Hook a Hottie are any indication, you can stop worrying. If you could write anything in the world and know it would sell (market trends and demands aside) what would you write?

Tina: But the question is: would it be good and sell well?? Um, I’ve long had a time travel idea about a family driving cross-country. Suffice to say, the family would have teens, but it would probably be marketed as adult fiction.

TLC: Intriguing. I'm picturing Back To the Future in a station wagon. Where do you see yourself and your career in five years? In twenty-five?

Tina: Rich and famous and still alive. No, really, I don’t plan that far ahead. I just live inside whatever book I’m presently writing and hope there are more in me.

Tina signing copies of Top Ten Uses For an Unworn Prom Dress at the RWA Literacy Autographing in Dallas last year. Note: The RITA flag on the table belongs to Caridad Ferrar, but Tina is predicted to have her own flag this year.

TLC: If you weren’t a writer, what would you do?

Tina: I wanted to be a flight attendant, but they wouldn’t take me! Actually, I’m a natural organizer, so probably running conferences or a bustling office, like I’ve done in the past.

TLC: As terrific of a flight attendant as you would have been, I think we're all glad that wasn't your destined career path. Name one thing you don’t like that most people love.

Tina: Cheesecake.

TLC: Really? And you're from New York? Name one thing you love that most people don’t like.

Tina: Eating orange rinds.

TLC: Um, ew. Disneyland or Walt Disney World?

Tina: Disneyland, although I’ve never been to Disney World, so I have nothing to back this answer up.

TLC: Which three writers or works most influenced your writing?

Tina: Stephen King, Sue Grafton, Harlan Coben

Tina with fellow BuzzGirl Stephanie Hale, both glitzed out at the dessert reception following the 2007 RWA RITA awards ceremony.

TLC: Finish this sentence: Never under any circumstance...

Tina: Believe anything I tell you about someone I only very casually know. Especially if it’s someone whose path I cross on a regular basis, like another parent at school or a checker at the supermarket. Because I have this habit of embellishing their characteristics based on a sentence or action, and a week or a month later, I forget that I made it up and pass it off as truth.

“No, really,” I say, “she’s putting her house on the market. I know because I saw her reading the real estate section.” Once. When the kids were late getting out of school. And she’d finished the rest of the paper. And I was bored, too. And noticing her, and wondering about her... “Okay, maybe she’s not. And uh, maybe don’t mention this conversation to anyone, either.”

TLC: [Mental Note: Never trust anything Tina says about other people.] What one question do you wish someone would ask you? (And answer that question.)

Tina:
Q: How do you stay so young looking?
A: By having such gracious friends as you!

TLC: Aw, how sweet. Thanks for answering all these bizarro questions! That wraps up my interview of Tina and the BuzzBlog interview series.

Tina Ferraro is the author of Top Ten Uses For an Unworn Prom Dress and How To Hook a Hottie, both from Delacorte. Her third novel, The ABC's of Kissing, will be out in 2009.

Hugs,
TLC
OH. MY. GODS. -- Dutton, May 2008
teralynnchilds.com

I give you debut author - Tera Lynn Childs!

I'm thrilled to have the chance to interview our very own Tera Lynn Childs or TLC as she's affectionaly known as.



Tera's debut novel OH. MY. GODS. comes out in May of this year and we're just all so proud of her and happy for the release. Pull up and chair and learn a little bit more about TLC.

MARLEY: Hey TLC! Thanks so much for your time! Let's just dive head first into the interview with a good ol' stand by question. What's the first thing you remember writing? How old were you?

TLC: When I was in elementary school, like third or fourth grade, I started a “book” about a little boy whose toy soldiers came to life at night. They carried out missions like retrieving juice and crackers from the kitchen. I still have it, hidden away somewhere.



MARLEY: Oooo...how fun it would be to find that and post here or on your website. Maybe the Buzz Girls will do a feature like that one day. = ) Okay...so tell our readers what your writing habit is...how often, where, when?

TLC: Not often enough (unless I’m on deadline, then I write every day). Almost always at Starbucks, for the following reasons: 1) no internet (unless I want to pay--which I don’t), 2) no distractions (i.e. the aforementioned internet, television, dirty dishes, laundry, etc.), 3) comfy chairs, and 4) the deliciousness that is a caramel Frappuccino. I’m most productive, writing-wise, in late morning/early afternoon.



MARLEY: See, I'm not a coffee person, so going to Starbucks just makes me come out of there smelling like the beand. LOL! They do have the comfy chairs and free internet, which is definitely a bonus. So, can you tell us how you came up with the initial idea for OH. MY. GODS.?

TLC: It all started with the original title, GROWING UP GODLY, which sounded like the title of an inspirational book. I knew I could never write that, so I had to come up with some other concept to fit the title. Eureka! The Greek gods. The premise just fell into place after that.



MARLEY: And luck for that is did. What person or person(s) has/have helped you the most in your writing career?

TLC: Ugh, that’s a tough one. There’s my writing mentor, Shane Bolks, who gave me loads of encouragement and stellar advice on how to approach this business as a career. There’s my critique partner, Sharie Kohler, who is an amazing writer and always helps me fix my plot holes. And, of course, my agent, who keeps me sane, on track, and looking to the future.


[TLC with fellow West Houston RWA members Shane Bolks (aka Shana Galen), Sharie Kohler (aka Sophie Jordan), and Sharon Forret.]

MARLEY: Agents are great that way, don'tcha think? What's your most memorable teenage experience? Why?

TLC: Another toughie.

MARLEY: I'm no Tyra Banks...this is hardball, baby!

TLC: I think I would have my mot memorable teenage experience was starting college. I was only seventeen when I left Missouri to start school in New York City. At the time it seemed like a totally normal and common thing to do, but looking back, I think it was pretty gutsy. I’m proud of that.



MARLEY: You certainly should be! You've lived in several places, how has that helped you as a writer?

TLC: Having lived in every time zone, at a variety of latitudes and altitudes, and in one foreign country has helped me in the way that any variation of experience helps a writer. Every new person you meet and new place you visit broadens your mind. Even if you never use that experience directly, it comes across in your writing as a greater sense of understanding and of perspective.

MARLEY: That's so true. Now, in addition to being a talented writer, you're also a master with web-design (case in point our lovely Books, Boys, Buzz blog.) How do you channel all of your creative energies?

TLC: Web and graphic design is my guilty pleasure. It’s how I procrastinate. It uses such a different type of thinking, much more logical and technical, that it give my writing brain a break.

MARLEY: It's great that you can "take a break" by continuing to do creative things. Tell me, what made you want to write young adult stories?

TLC: I never consciously thought, "Hey, I’d like to write for teens." The story of OH. MY. GODS. came to me, and it fit into a teen world. But the more I learn about the teen market, the more I love it and the more I realize that I’m perfectly happy here.

MARLEY: I'm sure your readers will be happy to hear that. Do you have any advice for young writers?

TLC: Besides the standard, "Read and write," I would have to say, "Observe." Becoming an observer of people, places, and situations is the quickest path to writing believable fiction. Notice things, like how cafeterias always smell like over-cooked tuna casserole, how your science teacher takes three deep breaths when she’s really frustrated, or how your best friend sits up a little straighter when her crush walks by. Those are the kind of details that lend realism to your writing.



MARLEY: Such great advice. (And you're right about caf smelling like tuna noodle casserole!) Okay, a very, very serious question...who's your favorite Buzz Girl? Hahaha...just kidding! I'd never make you answer that (me, me, me!! ) question...that's just not fair. (hee hee) Okay, seriously...this is...what's your favorite teen movie and why? And how many times have you seen it?

TLC: DRIVE ME CRAZY starring Melissa Joan Hart and Adrian Grenier. Omigod, I looove this movie. It has all the best teen romantic comedy elements: a former best boy friend, next door neighbor, makeover-the-outcast-boy-into-the-coolest-guy-in-school plot, revenge, and some really smart views on the nature of high school social politics. I’ve seen it dozens of times.

MARLEY: I've never seen that! I totally have to add that to my Netflix list. All right, some fun questions for you...what's the best ice cream you've ever had in your life...flavor and brand. (Calories and fat grams don't count!)

TLC: Ben and Jerry’s White Russian!!! But it’s been discontinued and no attempts at resurrection have been successful. If anyone has connections...

MARLEY: Mmm...sounds decadent. Are you a cat or dog person?

TLC: (with little hesitation) Dog!

MARLEY: TiVo or DVR? OnDemand or Netflix?

TLC: DVR and Netflix!

MARLEY: Channing Tatum or Wentworth Miller?

TLC: Wentworth Miller!



MARLEY: Okay, we're just going to have to agree to disagree on that one. Last question...if you were stranded on a desert island with only three books and three music CDs (okay, and a player with an endless supply of batteries...it is a deserted island after all), what would they be and why?

TLC: Well, for books - 1) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen -- #1 favorite of all time; 2) A survival manual -- so I don’t: a) starve, b) get eaten, or c) accidentally lick one of those hallucinogenic toads (not that I go around licking toads regularly); 3) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak -- I would hate to leave it unfinished. As for CDs - 1) Come Away With Me from Norah Jones -- I can listen to her over and over and over; 2) A compilation of 80s one-hit wonders -- nothing picks me up like good 80s music; 3) Queen: Greatest Hits -- their songs would motivate me while I’m building a raft.

MARLEY: Wow! What a list! Sounds awesome. Well, thanks for chatting with me, Tera. I hope the readers get a better sense of who you are as a person and a writer. Remember to pick up Tera's book in May 2008!

Marley = )

SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (May 2008, Puffin Books)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (May 2008, Puffin Books)
GHOST HUNTRESS SERIES (May 2009, Houghton Mifflin)

Introducing ... Griffin

After interviewing Phoebe via IM chat, I decided it was worth the international charges to actually call Griffin (aka the dark brooding bad boy maybe-hero of OH. MY. GODS.). Besides, he's not the most talkative guy so I figured it wouldn't be a multi-hour conversation. [Here's the pic of Tom Welling from my dream cast list.]


TLC: Hi Griffin! How's it going?

Griffin: Fine.

TLC: [waiting for more] Um, okay. So why don't you tell the readers a little more about yourself. They're here to learn about you, after all.

Griffin: Like what?

TLC: Like... anything. We already know you're a descendant of Ares and H--

Griffin: Hey, privileged info. Don't spread that around.

TLC: Oh, I forgot. But you know everybody's going to find out as soon as they read the book, right?

Griffin: [probably clenching his jaw] Yeah. I know.

TLC: Alright. For now we'll stick to the common knowledge. So what's it like being a descendant of Ares? He's the god of war. Does that mean you like to fight a lot?

Griffin: No. It's not that simple.

TLC: Sometimes you do have a bit of a temper...

Griffin: Who doesn't? But war isn't his only area of expertise. Ares is also the patron god of athletics.

TLC: Which brings up something you and Phoebe have in common: running. You guys are getting off to a bit of a rough start, but admit it. You kinda like her.

Griffin: I don't know what you're talking about.

TLC: Your Aunt Lili adores her.

Griffin: [silence]

TLC: Just wait until your running date--

Griffin: It's not a date.

TLC: --tomorrow. I've got a few surprises up my sleeve.

Griffin: Great. Look, I need to go. I promised Aunt Lili I'd help her decorate some cupcakes for bake sale.

TLC: [snicker]

Griffin: What?

TLC: Nothing. That's cute.

Griffin: Later. [click]

Well, that is apparently the end of my interview with Griffin. Get his full story in OH. MY. GODS., coming in May from Dutton Children’s Books. The as-yet-untitled (and un-revised) sequel is slated for Spring ’09. (I haven't told Griffin about that yet. He can sweat it for a while.)

Hugs,
TLC

OH. MY. GODS. -- Dutton, May 2008
teralynnchilds.com

Interviewing the guys from SORORITY 101

Happy Saturday to everyone! It's a cold winter day here, but I have some warm (good looking) faces: the guys from SORORITY 101: ZETA OR OMEGA? and SORORITY 101: THE NEW SISTERS. Since the books aren't out yet and we don't want to give too much away, we'll see what the guys are up to and what you have to look forward to... We've got DeShawn Pritchard, David "Tiger" Harrison, and Lance McManus.

ME: Hey guys! Thanks for joining me today!

LANCE: Hey.

DESHAWN: What up?

TIGER: Thanks for having us.

ME: Introduce yourself and tell our readers something about you.

DESHAWN: I'm a sophomore at Latimer and I'm a running back for the Red Raiders. I'm majoring in architecture and I have a couple of classes with Lora-Leigh Sorenstein. She's pretty cool, but I have to stay focused on football and don't really have time for girls, even if they are cute.

LANCE: I'm on the Latimer swim team and spend most of my time between class and the natatorium. Roni Van Gelderen and I have had some interesting races in the pool. She's an amazing swimmer.

TIGER: David here. I'm on the Latimer golf team, so my fraternity brothers call me Tiger. I'm a sophomore in Phi Omicron Chi. I met Jenna on her first day of class. What a cutie she is! She's a lot of fun and I can't wait to hang more with her.

ME: Now...all three of you make your appearance in ZETA OR OMEGA?, but the book's really about the girls mostly. How do you feel taking a back seat to the ladies?

LANCE: Well, we're in THE NEW SISTERS a lot and readers really get to know us.

DESHAWN: (shrugs) I'm focused on football, like I said. Winning the game and getting seen by pro scout. That's what matters.

TIGER: I have a bigger role in ZETA OR OMEGA? so, you know, whatever. It's just great to be around such fun girls and help tell their stories.

ME: DeShawn, Lora-Leigh tells me that you also have a real talent in art. Can you tell us about that?

DESHAWN: (shrugs again) It is what it is, you know? You need to know how to draw if you're an architect, so it blends together. If I get in the NFL, I can't live off that forever. I just want to be able to make some good money and take care of my family since they've taken care of me.

ME: That's really great. Tiger, are you going to do anything with golf in the future?

TIGER: Not sure. Right now, I just like hanging with the guys and doing stuff at the frat house. I figure I've got the rest of this year to sort of figure out where I'm going.

ME: And Lance, what's your major?

LANCE: I'm studying Criminal Justice right now and I love my Geography class, as well. I'm with Tiger over here, college is great and I'm just trying to enjoy the exeperience and meeting so many new people.

ME: Thanks guys! One last question: who'd play you in a movie?

DESHAWN: (laughs and smiles) My man, Tyrese.



LANCE: Roni makes a reference to me being Clark Kent-ish, so I guess Brandon Routh.



TIGER: I've been told that I look like that guy on THE O.C. You know, Ryan Atwood.

ME: Benjamin McKenzie?

TIGER: Yeah, that's him.



ME: I agree with all three. Okay, guys! Thanks for your time. I hope our readers will look forward to reading more about you in the sorority books, available May 1, 2008. Thanks!

Marley = )
SORORITY 101: Zeta or Omega? (May 2008, Puffin Books)
SORORITY 101: The New Sisters (May 2008, Puffin Books)
GHOST HUNTRESS Series (Begins May 2009, Houghton Mifflin)

Introducing ... Phoebe

My interview with Phoebe (aka the cross-country-running superstar heroine of OH. MY. GODS.) was a logistical nightmare since, you know, she lives in Greece. We finally decided to do the interview in IM chat since neither of us has webcams and I was not about to foot the bill for an international call. [Here's the pic of Amanda Bynes from my dream cast list.]


TLC: Hey Phoebes! It’s been a few since I wrote your sequel. How’ve you been?

LostPhoebe: I thought we weren’t allowed to talk about that. It doesn’t even have a title yet. Besides, don’t you have a revision letter waiting on your desk?

TLC: You’re right. Forget I mentioned it. What have you been up to?

LostPhoebe: Well, today was my first day at The Academy. And, as I guess you already know, it was pretty awful. Serfopoula sucks.

TLC: A lot of people would take your place on a freakin' Greek island in a heartbeat. Besides, think about it. What kind of story would you have if you’d stayed in L.A. and graduated from Pacific Park with Nola and Cesca?

LostPhoebe: Like you had no other choice. You just had to uproot me from the school I’d attended since Kindergarten--away from my two life-long best friends--to move halfway around the world and attend a secret school founded by Plato that just happens to be populated by descendants of the gods? You’re creative. I bet you could of come up with something closer to home.

TLC: Maybe. But it wouldn’t have been as much fun. I promise, someday you’ll be glad I did. Tell me more about your day.

LostPhoebe: As the only nothos (normal person) in school, most of the kids just look at me like I’m a circus freak. Except for Nicole and Troy. They’re super cool.

TLC: Yeah, I like them, too. Nicole’s a kick-butt girl and I like any guy who could double as Chad Michael Murray.

LostPhoebe: [rolls eyes] Meeting them almost makes up for having to deal with the wicked queen of the cheerleaders and the evil stepsister.

TLC: Come on. Adara and Stella aren’t that bad.

LostPhoebe: [not dignifying that with a response]

TLC: Well, what about Griffin? You like him, right?

LostPhoebe: I’m not sure. When we met on the beach this morning I thought he was a kindred spirit. I mean, how bad can a guy be who does long-distance beach runs before dawn? But then at cross-country tryouts he [---spoiler deleted by author---]. So I’m not sure what to make of him.

TLC: But he’s so yummy!

LostPhoebe: You’re the author. You tell me if he’s a good guy or not.

TLC: Um, that would be a spoiler.

LostPhoebe: That’s what I thought. Hey, I’d better go. I still have twenty pages of Animal Farm left to read and the stepdad told me my lit prof gives reading quizzes.

TLC: Okay. And Phoebes?

LostPhoebe: Yeah?

TLC: I can’t tell you much at this point, but things are going to get better. I promise.

LostPhoebe: Am I going to make the cross-country team?

TLC: ‘Night Phoebe.

LostPhoebe: Copout. You’d better make my life easier in the seq--

Oops, my connection dropped out. Darn wireless internet. Well, that does it for my interview with Phoebe. Find out the answers to all of your (and Phoebe’s) questions in OH. MY. GODS., coming in May from Dutton Children’s Books. The as-yet-untitled (and un-revised) sequel is slated for Spring ’09.

Hugs,
TLC

OH. MY. GODS. -- Dutton, May 2008
teralynnchilds.com