Hey guys! 2010 DEBUT AUTHOR WEEK is now over! I hope you all enjoyed it because I loved planning all of this and meeting these new and awesome authors! If you need to be caught up, here are the links!
Day one: Denise Jaden
Day two: Wendy Delsol
Day three: Andrea Cremer
Day four: Anastasia Hopcus
Day five: Kiersten White
Answer me one question though: Did you guys like it? Would you like me to do this once a month? Or at least as much I could can! Let me know in the comments :)
Comment! Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.
Showing posts with label Exciting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exciting. Show all posts
6.22.2010
The day: 2010 Debut Author Week: Wendy Delsol :)
Part two of the awesomely awesome 2010 Debut Author Week! Today I have the lovely Wendy Delsol, author of the up-coming book Stork which you'll see in stores in October! Summary:
Oh baby! A hip heroine discovers that she has the ability to decide who gets pregnant in this witty YA blend of romance and the supernatural.
Sixteen-year-old Katla has just moved from Los Angeles to the sticks of Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, she learns to her horror that she’s a member of an ancient order of women who decide to whom certain babies will be born. Add to that Wade, the arrogant football star whom Katla regrettably fooled around with, and Jack, a gorgeous farm boy who initially seems to hate her. Soon Katla is having freaky dreams about a crying infant and learns that, as children, she and Jack shared a near-fatal, possibly mystical experience. Can Katla survive this major life makeover and find a dress for the homecoming dance? Drawing from Norse mythology and inspired by The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, debut author Wendy Delsol conceives an irreverent, highly entertaining novel about embracing change and the (baby) bumps along the way.
Sixteen-year-old Katla has just moved from Los Angeles to the sticks of Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, she learns to her horror that she’s a member of an ancient order of women who decide to whom certain babies will be born. Add to that Wade, the arrogant football star whom Katla regrettably fooled around with, and Jack, a gorgeous farm boy who initially seems to hate her. Soon Katla is having freaky dreams about a crying infant and learns that, as children, she and Jack shared a near-fatal, possibly mystical experience. Can Katla survive this major life makeover and find a dress for the homecoming dance? Drawing from Norse mythology and inspired by The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, debut author Wendy Delsol conceives an irreverent, highly entertaining novel about embracing change and the (baby) bumps along the way.
-from amazon (SOUNDS AMAZING!)
INTERVIEW:
If you had to live in a house with 3 fictional YA characters, who would they be?
Hmmm. In the spirit of YA, I’m going to transport my sixteen-year-old self from across the chasm of time for this exercise. The young, time-traveling Wendy would love it, I’m sure; travel has always been an interest. And as I’m the fourth character in this scenario, here’s a little back story. At sixteen, I was the quintessential good girl: an all-A student, a rule follower (you’ll see ;), a joiner, funny, but kind of quiet (until you knew me). Yep, what this equation needs are some big personalities—some real characters. So, who better to invite than:
Alejandro (Alex) from PERFECT CHEMISTRY by Simone Elkeles. As if it needs explaining, he’s a heart-of-gold bad boy who would definitely shake things up. OK, it doesn’t hurt that he’s gorgeous, either. No smoking in the house, though, Alex. Let’s call that rule #1.
Aislinn from WICKED LOVELY by Melissa Marr. I could learn a thing or two from Aislinn’s grit and tough-as-nails determination. No faeries in the house, though, Aislinn. Rule #2.
Emma from WHAT WOULD EMMA DO by Eileen Cook. Because she’s hysterical and her list writing will come in handy for groceries. No bringing home (and kissing) other people’s boyfriends, though, Emma. Rule #3.
What do you want to accomplish 10 years from now?
Having just traveled back in time, it’s a little dizzying to go forward. Nonetheless, ten years from now I hope to have a small pile of books that represent my work. I hope those books have found an audience and have taken readers on a few adventures. Speaking of adventures, ten years from now I hope to have seen more of this fascinating world of ours. Australia is up there on my wish list. I am, by nature, a wanderer. So here’s hoping for good maps, good company, and a good pair of walking shoes.
If you could say something to your younger writing self, what would you say?
Back in time again? Am I getting AAdvantage Miles? (It’ll take a few to get to Australia.) My advice to all young people is give yourself time and trust yourself to learn in your own individual way. As a young girl, I wasn’t the prototypic bookworm. In elementary school I was fidgety and distractible. My parents, to their credit, never made me feel less than my eager-reader older sister. And when in fifth and sixth grade I won creative writing awards, they praised and celebrated these small successes. I came to reading and writing on my own terms, thus it was a fun discovery. I feel incredibly lucky to have found a passion. I do hope STORK and its characters, Kat and Jack, tempt a few reluctant readers. That would make me very happy. But rule #4—no unborn souls in the house, Kat. The place is crazy enough.
If you had to live in a house with 3 fictional YA characters, who would they be?
Hmmm. In the spirit of YA, I’m going to transport my sixteen-year-old self from across the chasm of time for this exercise. The young, time-traveling Wendy would love it, I’m sure; travel has always been an interest. And as I’m the fourth character in this scenario, here’s a little back story. At sixteen, I was the quintessential good girl: an all-A student, a rule follower (you’ll see ;), a joiner, funny, but kind of quiet (until you knew me). Yep, what this equation needs are some big personalities—some real characters. So, who better to invite than:
Alejandro (Alex) from PERFECT CHEMISTRY by Simone Elkeles. As if it needs explaining, he’s a heart-of-gold bad boy who would definitely shake things up. OK, it doesn’t hurt that he’s gorgeous, either. No smoking in the house, though, Alex. Let’s call that rule #1.
Aislinn from WICKED LOVELY by Melissa Marr. I could learn a thing or two from Aislinn’s grit and tough-as-nails determination. No faeries in the house, though, Aislinn. Rule #2.
Emma from WHAT WOULD EMMA DO by Eileen Cook. Because she’s hysterical and her list writing will come in handy for groceries. No bringing home (and kissing) other people’s boyfriends, though, Emma. Rule #3.
What do you want to accomplish 10 years from now?
Having just traveled back in time, it’s a little dizzying to go forward. Nonetheless, ten years from now I hope to have a small pile of books that represent my work. I hope those books have found an audience and have taken readers on a few adventures. Speaking of adventures, ten years from now I hope to have seen more of this fascinating world of ours. Australia is up there on my wish list. I am, by nature, a wanderer. So here’s hoping for good maps, good company, and a good pair of walking shoes.
If you could say something to your younger writing self, what would you say?
Back in time again? Am I getting AAdvantage Miles? (It’ll take a few to get to Australia.) My advice to all young people is give yourself time and trust yourself to learn in your own individual way. As a young girl, I wasn’t the prototypic bookworm. In elementary school I was fidgety and distractible. My parents, to their credit, never made me feel less than my eager-reader older sister. And when in fifth and sixth grade I won creative writing awards, they praised and celebrated these small successes. I came to reading and writing on my own terms, thus it was a fun discovery. I feel incredibly lucky to have found a passion. I do hope STORK and its characters, Kat and Jack, tempt a few reluctant readers. That would make me very happy. But rule #4—no unborn souls in the house, Kat. The place is crazy enough.
Hope you guys enjoyed Wendy's interview because I loved it! Totally agree with her choices, expect Aislinn can bring Keenan into the house whenever she likes ;)
Comment! Discuss! Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.
-Harmony B.
5.30.2010
The day in which I have a guest!
Kersten Hamilton is the writer of many children and MG books and how she's tried --and succeeded-- with YA as well! Tyger Tyger (her debut YA novel), which I reviewed here (link at the bottom) is coming out in October and it is absolutely fantastic! Like seriously, pre-order it and mark it on your calender! Do something! This is a book to watch out for!<----- There it is! h
Interview:
h1. Welcome to Harmony's Radiant Reads, Kersten! Now, I heard that before you wrote Tyger Tyger, you had written many children and MG books. What made you decide to write some YA?
h
There was a story – the story of Teagan and Finn – that I really, really wanted to tell. And since Teagan was sixteen, and there was a sizzling romance in the midst of the action, it just had to be YA!
h
2. Your childhood was a crazy and exciting one! Caribou, typhoons, and rattlesnakes! How'd that help you grow as a writer?
h
If you want to be a writer, highly recommend having a crazy childhood. It gives you so much grist for the writerly mill. The way the sound of a rattlesnake makes your skin tense in anticipation, the sight of the northern lights undulating over a frozen lake, the carnivorous cow-bone monster in your closet, it’s all research. All of it. The best books aren’t really made out of stacks of words. They are made out of wonderful whirlwinds of life.
h
3. I dont' think I ever wanna hear a rattlesnake! Tyger Tyger combines a lot of Irish myths and Celtic lore. Did you always have an interest in it and how much did you research for it?
h
My own roots are Celtic. I have always been so drawn to the folklore, spirituality and music of the Celts that I wonder if there isn’t some truth to the theory of racial memory. I did spend a lot of time researching both before and while I was writing Tyger Tyger.
h
4.Tyger Tyger is so full of wonderful world-building! Did you create the world already in your head or did you make it as you went along?
I made it up as I went along. For me, world-building involves characters interacting with their environment. We experience our environment through friends, technology, history, science, art, music — all of these helps us connect to and make sense of the world around us. I try to let my readers experience the worlds of my books in the same way.
5. And of course, I have to ask about Finn. He was a breath of fresh air. I loved him so much. He was gorgeous but gallant and protected Aiden and Teagen at all costs. Do any of your characters remind you of real people in your life? Family members, friends?
I can’t conjure characters from thin air. I use stolen slivers of real people to animate my characters. Finn is very like my husband Mark. He’s my hero. J But I could never write someone who was exactly like Mark, because Mark is real, and real people are infinitely complex. The more you know about them, the more there is to know. Finn has bits and pieces of other people in him as well. In fact, I use bits and pieces of different people in every character I create.
A tiny bit of me creeps into most characters as well. Two of the characters in Tyger Tyger (I won’t tell you which ones. I’ll let you guess!) are very, very like me.
6. Finally, I heard about your love of rhyme. How about one before you go?
Oh, my! People should never, ever ask me to rhyme!
The Polar Bear
By Kersten Hamilton
A polar bear’s
a solar bear.
He soaks up sunlight
with his hair*.
It warms his hide
From tail to snout —
and keeps the arctic
shivers out!
h
* Polar bears have specially adapted hollow hair. It absorbs energy from the sun, and transfers it to the bears skin to help him keep warm.
h
Thanks for interviewing me, Harmony!
h
My own roots are Celtic. I have always been so drawn to the folklore, spirituality and music of the Celts that I wonder if there isn’t some truth to the theory of racial memory. I did spend a lot of time researching both before and while I was writing Tyger Tyger.
h
4.Tyger Tyger is so full of wonderful world-building! Did you create the world already in your head or did you make it as you went along?
I made it up as I went along. For me, world-building involves characters interacting with their environment. We experience our environment through friends, technology, history, science, art, music — all of these helps us connect to and make sense of the world around us. I try to let my readers experience the worlds of my books in the same way.
5. And of course, I have to ask about Finn. He was a breath of fresh air. I loved him so much. He was gorgeous but gallant and protected Aiden and Teagen at all costs. Do any of your characters remind you of real people in your life? Family members, friends?
I can’t conjure characters from thin air. I use stolen slivers of real people to animate my characters. Finn is very like my husband Mark. He’s my hero. J But I could never write someone who was exactly like Mark, because Mark is real, and real people are infinitely complex. The more you know about them, the more there is to know. Finn has bits and pieces of other people in him as well. In fact, I use bits and pieces of different people in every character I create.
A tiny bit of me creeps into most characters as well. Two of the characters in Tyger Tyger (I won’t tell you which ones. I’ll let you guess!) are very, very like me.
6. Finally, I heard about your love of rhyme. How about one before you go?
Oh, my! People should never, ever ask me to rhyme!
The Polar Bear
By Kersten Hamilton
A polar bear’s
a solar bear.
He soaks up sunlight
with his hair*.
It warms his hide
From tail to snout —
and keeps the arctic
shivers out!
h
* Polar bears have specially adapted hollow hair. It absorbs energy from the sun, and transfers it to the bears skin to help him keep warm.
h
Thanks for interviewing me, Harmony!
link to review: http://harmonyradiantreads.blogspot.com/2010/05/day-in-which-i-sing-tyger-tyger.html
h
Well I hope everyone enjoyed that because I loved interviewing Kersten!
Comment! Discuss! Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.
h
Well I hope everyone enjoyed that because I loved interviewing Kersten!
Comment! Discuss! Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.
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