Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit: Starring Jessica Brody!

Jessica Brody is stopping by with her new Young Adult novel The Karma Club. I already started reading it and it's so good!! I've been dying to read this book for awhile truthfully. Partly because Jessica is already a bestselling author of women's fiction (like The Fidelity Files and Love Under Cover) and because this book deals with a group of girls getting revenge! As you may remember I wrote a book called Revenge Queen that I love and am still revising. What is it about revenge that is so darn fun to write about?






















ABOUT THE BOOK:

When you mess with Karma, Karma messes back...

Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. Do good things and you'll be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what you deserve. But when Maddy’s boyfriend cheats on her, nothing bad comes his way. That’s why Maddy starts the Karma Club, to clean up the messes that the universe has left behind and get back at the people who have wronged them. Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. It turns out Karma often has plans of its own.

Praise:

"Written with wit and panache. Readers will have fun with this one, and it might make them think a little, too."
--Booklist

“Fresh, funny and engaging. This is one YA debut you won’t want to miss.”

-Alyson Noël, NYT bestselling author of The Immortals series

"A well-paced comedy, with a nice balance of cinematic physical humor and genuine teen emotions."
--Publisher's Weekly

OUR INTERVIEW:

KRISTINA: In my book, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, Jane, a coffee barista, matchmakes people based on their favorite coffee drinks. What’s your favorite coffee drink? (If you don’t like coffee, tell me what your favorite drink in general is. But I am sorry, you’ll never find love. Kidding!)

JESSICA: When it’s in season, I love me a Pumpkin Spice Latte. I wish they had it all year! Gosh how those long, lonely, decaffeinated months from March to September drag on without them!

KRISTINA: I am always curious about when and where writers write. Can you tell me about your schedule and your favorite place to work?

JESSICA: I can only write for about 2-3 hours a day. For one, I get antsy and can’t still for much longer than that and I always seem to have so many other things to do. I’m a full time writer, but you’d be amazed at how much other work besides writing piles up. When you work for yourself you also end up being your own tech person, graphic designer, accountant, publicist, assistant, photocopier, filer, and online marketing specialist!

So in the morning, I usually go to my favorite coffee shop and write for a few hours until I fulfill my daily word quota (which is normally 1000 words a day), then I come back to my home office and take care of everything else that needs to be done.

KRISTINA: What is the title of the first book you ever wrote?

JESSICA: “The Kitty and the Puppy.” I wrote it in second grade. And it was also the first one I ever published (with wallpaper, cardboard and electrical tape, that is). When I go back and read it now, I realize not only did it lack an inspired title, but also most of a plot. Although there were some good twists and turns throughout. Ones I’m sure the reader didn’t see coming!

KRISTINA: Are you on twitter? Where can we follow you?

JESSICA: But of course! Please follow me @jessicabrody

KRISTINA: What are you working on now?

JESSICA: Ooh, lots of fun stuff! Right now I’m working on a new YA book that will be out in 2012 called 52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER about a teen heiress who is forced by her ever-absent mogul father to take on a different low-wage job every week for a year if she wants any hope of getting her trust fund. I’m SO excited about it! Plus, I just finished the copyedits on another book that will be out in 2011 called MY LIFE UNDECIDED. And I’m also working on a new YA series that I can’t quite talk about yet. But it’s gonna be SOOOO cool!

KRISTINA: Oh my gosh, that all sounds great! I can’t wait to read more from you! I wish you tons of success with The Karma Club and hey, if you guys haven’t seen Jessica’s freakin’ awesome trailer for Karma Club, watch it now!

And don’t miss her cool contest!

FREE FLIP GIVEAWAY:

To celebrate the release of The Karma Club on April 27, Jessica is giving away FOUR Flip Video Cameras (as well as TONS of other cool prizes!) on her site. Visit her website, http://www.jessicabrody.com for all the details and to enter to win!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jessica Brody is the author of two books for adults. The Karma Club is her first book for teens. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California where she is working on her next novel. Despite what some people from her high school might claim, she has never sought revenge on an ex-boyfriend. Visit her online at: http://www.jessicabrody.com

Click here to order The Karma Club!

I Love When Baristas Read My Book

This morning I went back to the coffee shop where I had my launch party 6 months ago, Fat Bean Cafe.

















I hadn't been there since-- not because I don't love them or have given up coffee (Gasp! No!) but only because it's a bit out of the way and well, been busy and all that. So, anyway, I order my coffee and the smiley barista says, "I knew you were going to order that." Me=giggle. "Huh?"
See, I had forgotten that I gave them a copy of the book at the party. And the barista told me that they loved it and all passed it around and ever since have been trying to guess people's drinks and figure out who should go out with who. She then went on to tell me about their various customers and how they match up with different characters in my book. Like who's an Americano and who's a soy latte. And she said I'm always right on. Yay! I love it!! :-) This totally made my day! I kinda want a sticker now that says "Barista Approved" on the book.

Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit: Starring Kay Cassidy!

Kay's debut book, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY recently released and I'm actually reading it right now-- it's adorable!! What a clever idea-- I'm so glad there's a second book coming out next year too!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

What a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider. So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it's like something out of a fairy tale. Swept up by the Cindys' magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she's finally found her chance to fit in.

Then the Wickeds--led by Jess's arch-enemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there's more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside. She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.

Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her. Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn't want to be seen with her in public? And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters?

OUR INTERVIEW:

KRISTINA: In two or three sentences, can you tell me what The Cinderella Society is about?

KAY: The Cinderella Society is about an outsider who gets tapped to join a secret society of good populars dedicated to defeating the mean girls of the world. It's about girl empowerment: getting comfortable in your own skin and being true to who you are. It also deals with the effects of girl bullies and what unconditional friendship really means.

KRISTINA: In my book, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, Jane, a coffee barista, matchmakes people based on their favorite coffee drinks. What’s your favorite coffee drink? (If you don’t like coffee, tell me what your favorite drink in general is. But I am sorry, you’ll never find love. Kidding!)

KAY: Ha! I'm actually a big tea drinker. My standard go-to drink is decaf mandarin orange green tea with honey. But I love the smell of coffee and sometimes splurge on a café mocha if I'm at a coffee shop. Does that count?

KRISTINA: What three things must you have while you’re writing?

KAY: If I'm brainstorming, I need my plotting worksheets, several sharp pencils and my big pink eraser. If I'm writing, I need my laptop, good lighting and a mug of the aforementioned tea. If I'm editing, I need my recliner, a colored pen, and either Twizzlers or caramel Nestle Treasures (okay, sometimes both).

KRISTINA: Are you on twitter? Where can we follow you?

KAY: I am! Tweeting at @kaycassidy is one of my favorite ways to procrastinate. I just had a Twitter launch party on April 13th to celebrate the debut of The Cinderella Society. It was a blast!

KRISTINA: What are you working on now?

KAY: Right now I'm working on the sequel to The Cinderella Society, titled Cindy on a Mission. It follows the further adventures of Jess and the Sisters as the Wickeds launch an offensive that threatens everything the Cindys hold dear. Cindy on a Mission will be on shelves in Spring 2011.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt Contest^TM reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your Five^TM web project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, 2010 - Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.

Click here to order The Cinderella Society!