Friday Five -- Tracy Bilen

Today's interview features Tracy Bilen, author of WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND, published by Simon Pulse in May. She has traveled Europe, studied at the Sorbonne and shares my love of quiet trips through a winter forest (she cross-country skis, I snowshoe!)


THE FIVE:

1.  What single thing would improve the quality of your life?



A transporter. From Star Trek. Because I love to travel but hate getting there. Airplanes make me sick, so just thinking about taking a plane anywhere spoils the fun.

2.  What is your favorite word?


Plethora. Because it’s the first fancy word I ever learned. I don’t ever say it out loud, but I THINK it a lot.

3.  What word do you like the least?


Purchase. O.K., so there’s a lot of other words I don’t like, but this is one that my husband says all the time and to me it just sounds way too formal. I like buy. Not purchase. BUY.

4.  What other profession would you like to learn?


I’ve thought optometry would be cool (I like the part where they ask, “Is it better one or better two?”)
When I was a kid I definitely wanted to be a vet. I had a building design in mind and check-in procedures all set up. But the second I smelled formaldehyde in high school it was all over.
And I’d really LOVE to learn to paint. But I have absolutely no patience for it. ZERO. That and I’m horrible at it.

5.  What profession would you never, ever want to have?


Anything that involves the smell of cleaners or working in a bathroom.

ABOUT WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND:


“Don’t even think of leaving…I will find you,” he whispered. “Guaranteed.”


Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it. 


Each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late… for them both.

See the trailer here.
Order WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND here.



ABOUT TRACY:

You can find Tracy at her website.
And on Twitter.

Weekend Recap!

I grew up in a small town.  After  two years away, I returned to finish my college education in the same small town.  I return on a regular basis to see my family, visit friends and spend hours on the (empty!) beaches listening to the waves.  Even though I haven't lived here for fifteen years, I still consider Humboldt County my home.

So when I discovered that GILT was going to be made into an actual book, I went to my favorite Humboldt bookstore and asked if I could do an event.  

The Booklegger in Eureka is a used bookstore.  Their shelves are full of classics and literary novels, romance, comic books, photo books, garden guides and rare, intriguing titles that scream to be taken home.  The owner, Jennifer McFaden, has amazing taste in literature.  And she remembers me from when I was in college, working at the bakery next door, and coming into the store on my lunch break, poring over exotic guidebooks and the travelogues of Paul Theroux, Colin Thubron and V.S. Naipaul.  Even after five years in England, she remembered me.  That's the sign of a great bookseller.

This past weekend, the Booklegger had a GILT-fest.  Jen, Amy and Nancy spent the morning cutting out Henry VIII paper dolls, clothing them in finery and decorating the front window with them.  In the afternoon, I went next door to pick up a cake I had ordered from Ramone's Bakery (yes, where I worked during college!) and discovered that the decorator had hand-drawn the book's title on the top with such intricate detail it took my breath away.  

The best part of the afternoon was the crowd.  Sure, there weren't a lot of people there.  But those who did come made the entire event a party.  The mother of one of my oldest friends showed up - having already read the book - and asked careful, interesting questions.  My high school prom date was in town just for the weekend for his father's 80th birthday and took an hour to spend with me, asking questions about history and writing.  And the man who taught me how to pull a perfect shot of espresso at the bakery next door, and who filled my college years with music singing with local band Small Fish (and who happened to be in town for his father-in-law's 75th birthday!).  And the booksellers.  And people I didn't even know.  It was intimate, awe-inspiring and so much fun.  I love doing readings and talking about writing and books, and have had some amazing experiences, but this, I think, was my favorite so far.  Memorable and humbling.  

So if you're ever in Eureka, California, stop in at the Booklegger - I can almost guarantee you'll find a book you want to read (I left with seven on Saturday).  And grab a cappuccino at Ramone's next door.

Friday Five -- Huntley Fitzpatrick

Today's Friday Five features the lovely Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of MY LIFE NEXT DOOR (which I just read, and which is fabulous!)  She is funny and engaging on Twitter, a sister Apocalypsies and Penguin author, and a Shakespeare fan.  What's not to love?

THE FIVE:

 1.  What single thing would improve the quality of your life?

Nanny/Housekeeper in a bottle. I’d so love to be able to call these up genii-style and then dismiss at will.

2.  What is the worst job you’ve done?

Post college I worked for an investment firm in a job that got me a great stay at a NYC townhouse, but I had to walk cranky, flatulent dogs…..Math…annoyed beasts….not my best choices.

3.  What is your most treasured possession?

In a good way, I don’t care much for stuff anymore. My parents were married for a long long time, then split up and we had to choose what we wanted fast. I realized how little of what mattered was contained in any object. It was a good lesson.

4.  What one word do you think describes you best?

Persistent. The fact that I don’t give up—on things, on dreams, on people, is the best virtue I can claim.

5.  If you knew you would be stranded on a desert island, which book, piece of music, and snack food would you take with you?

Ooh. That’s a really good one. And of course, a hard one. I’d love to say The Complete Works of Shakespeare, and honestly, that could work. I majored in English Lit and wrote my Senior Essay on Hamlet and still feel as though I have a lot to learn.

I send out a list of questions to all interviewees, and allow them to choose the five they want to answer most - Huntley has accidentally answered six, and because I love the answer to the next question, I'm letting this slide...

6.  What intrigues you?

People. Oh I love to people-watch. I am not someone who can write at Starbucks or Panera as, very inconveniently, I require absolute quiet when I write. But I get my fix on drama by watching what goes on when I get coffee!

ABOUT MY LIFE NEXT DOOR:


“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

You can order MY LIFE NEXT DOOR here.

ABOUT HUNTLEY:

You can find Huntley on her website.
On Twitter.

Intermission

I'm taking a breather from my revision marathon and just had to post this video that my friend Kristen Held mentioned to me.  Enjoy!

Friday Five -- Catherine Knutsson

This week's Five features the author of SHADOWS CAST BY STARS (published by Athaneum last month).  Catherine Knutsson lives in what sounds like an idyllic setting in Vancouver, British Columbia.  She rides horses and trains for marathons (yikes!) as well as writing novels.


THE FIVE:


1.  What would your super power be?

Since I have a terrible fear of flying, I’d say the power to fly would be pretty fantastic.

2.  What is your guiltiest pleasure?

It’s pretty hard to beat a soak in the bath in the middle of the afternoon, especially if I’ve got a good book that I can’t put down.  Ah, the life of a writer!

3.  What one word do you think describes you best?

Determined!

4.  If you knew you would be stranded on a desert island, which book, piece of music, and snack food would you take with you?

Book: AN EQUAL MUSIC, by Vikram Seth.  Piece of music: Bach violin sonatas/partitas, played by Gidon Kremer.  Ah, bliss!  Snack food: Hawkins Cheezies, which you can only get in Canada....mmmmm....

5.  What intrigues you?

Life intrigues me.  Nature, and fear, and danger, and risk, and love, and the sky, and stars, and bugs, and birds - I could go on for a while!  Even the smallest things, like a dandelion seed, are so amazing, don’t you think?

ABOUT SHADOWS CAST BY STARS:


Old ways are pitted against new horrors in this compellingly crafted dystopian tale about a girl who is both healer and seer.

Two hundred years from now, blood has become the most valuable commodity on the planet—especially the blood of aboriginal peoples, for it contains antibodies that protect them from the Plague ravaging the rest of the world.

Sixteen-year-old Cassandra Mercredi might be immune to Plague, but that doesn’t mean she’s safe—government forces are searching for those of aboriginal heritage to harvest their blood. When a search threatens Cassandra and her family, they flee to the Island: a mysterious and idyllic territory protected by the Band, a group of guerilla warriors—and by an enigmatic energy barrier that keeps outsiders out and the spirit world in. And though the village healer has taken her under her wing, and the tribal leader’s son into his heart, the creatures of the spirit world are angry, and they have chosen Cassandra to be their voice and instrument…

You can order SHADOWS CAST BY STARS here!


ABOUT CATHERINE:

You can find Catherine on her website.
On Twitter.
And on Goodreads.

San Francisco Here I Come!

Tomorrow night, I will be at the YA author party of awesomeness hosted by Not Your Mother's Book Club at Books, Inc.  It looks like it will be a fabulous night, and I promise to try my best not to fangirl (too much).

Check out the list of authors who will be there (and dare me not to fangirl!)


Malinda Lo
CJ Omololu
Jandy Nelson
Heidi R Kling
Cheryl Herbsman
Cory Jackson
Lewis Buzbee
Tamara Ireland Stone
Lynn Hazen
Amy Reed
Ingrid Paulson
Kristin Tracy
Corina Vacco
Stacey Jay
Avery Williams
Veronica Rossi
Lisa Desrochers
Veronica Wolff

Hope to see you there, too!

Summer Reading

I love it when people say GILT is a great beach read.  Good for summer.  When I was young, I spent many many hours at the public library during the summer.  It was just down the street (actually, down a very steep hill!) from my house, and I'd return with my arms full of books.  We didn't have summer reading lists at my school, so I got to choose anything and everything I wanted.  I choose fun covers, series books, books by authors I loved and reread favorites.  Summer was a chance to enjoy any and every book I came across.

And for good or for ill, this has always stuck with me.  I'd pore over high school reading lists and pick up one "good for me" book as well as a stack of my favorites each time I went to the library or bookstore.  I've tried to go on reading binges of the classics.  I made my way through David Copperfield and The Mill on the Floss while traveling in Africa and enjoyed them, but they took me forever (which was a good thing, because in some places, books were hard to come by).  I think some of it is the difference between classics and modern books that Nathan Bransford addressed in his blog today.  But to be honest, some of it is just that sunshine and free time seem to call for something else.

I find myself craving books that will make me laugh.  That will remind me of what love feels like.  That will transport me wholly and fully to another world, another time, another country.

I recently finished MY LIFE NEXT DOOR by Huntley Fitzpatrick and submerged myself in a summer world I've never experienced - a beachfront community in Connecticut - and in a love story that feels deep and true.

I'm now reading CROAK by Gina Damico - another summer, another east coast setting, but a completely different world (one in which the protagonist is a grim reaper).  This book is hilarious and I'm reading it slowly to prolong the enjoyment.

Now, summer reads don't have to be about summer.  And they don't have to be "fluff."  I know how they make me feel, but they kind of defy definition.  They just feel good.

How about you?  What would you call a "summer read"?