6 Signings This Weekend in Illinois! Come see me!

This weekend, June 10th-June 12th is the first ever B-Fest at Barnes & Nobles across the country! So cool! I'll be chatting and signing (and participating in a panel) at 6 different times/locations. If you're nearby one, please come see me!

GCC Spotlight on: THE ALMOST TRUTH by Eileen Cook

I just love Eileen Cook’s books and she has a new one coming out December 4th! Check it out:

Book Summary:

From the author of Unraveling Isobel and The Education of Hailey Kendrick, a smart, romantic novel about a teenage con artist who might be in over her head.

Sadie can’t wait to get away from her backwards small town, her delusional mom, her jailbird dad, and the tiny trailer where she was raised…even though leaving those things behind also means leaving Brendan. Sadie wants a better life, and she has been working steadily toward it, one con at a time.

But when Sadie’s mother wipes out Sadie’s savings, her escape plan is suddenly gone. She needs to come up with a lot of cash—and fast—or she’ll be stuck in this town forever.

With Brendan’s help, she devises a plan—the ultimate con—to get the money. But the more lies Sadie spins, the more she starts falling for her own hoax…and perhaps for the wrong boy. Sadie wanted to change her life, but she wasn't prepared to have it flipped upside down by her own deception. With her future at stake and her heart on the line, suddenly it seems like she has a lot more than just money to lose....

Our Interview:

KRISTINA:  How did you get the idea for THE ALMOST TRUTH?

EILEEN: Most often book ideas come to me as a collection of unrelated things. A bit of an idea here, another piece there, until it sticks together as one idea.  This process can take months or years. This is one of the few books where I can remember the exact second I had the idea.  I was on the ferry and saw a missing child poster.  At the bottom there was an age-enhanced photo so you could see what the person might look like now. I had the thought "How weird would it be if I looked like the age enhanced photo?"  In that instant the idea of the book dropped into my head. I ran back to my seat and wrote it down as fast as I could.  I spent another week thinking over some different details, but I started writing almost right away.

KRISTINA: If your book was made into a movie, who would star as your main character?

EILEEN: I’m terrible at this! I always want to cast actors who died years ago or else I can’t remember their names. I think I would have them cast all unknown actors- that way I won’t have any preconceived ideas.  However, I’m open for them putting Colin Firth in the movie just so I can meet him.

KRISTINA:  How do you come up with the names of your characters?

EILEEN: I search baby books that list names along with what the names mean. Sometimes a name pops out right away and just feels right. Other times it takes a long search. I have a hard time starting the book until I know the main character’s name.

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

EILEEN: Yes, please! My twitter name is  Eileenwriter

KRISTINA: What are you working on now?

EILEEN: I am working on a new YA which is currently being called LOST TO BE FOUND, but stay tuned the title may change. It’s about a girl named Avery who decides to search for her birth mom as part of her senior project, but ends up finding out more about herself than she expected.

Praise for Eileen Cook’s books:

".. enormously appealing and great company throughout this breezy read.....the highest quality—like a gourmet truffle. Cook has whipped up a real treat." - Kirkus Starred Review

"Thrilling and creepy, super sexy, and so very hilarious." - Lisa McMann, bestselling author of the Wake trilogy

"Sassy and sly and sweet all at the same time, this book made me laugh out loud." - Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries and Airhead

About Eileen Cook:

Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in eight different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer.  Her latest release, Unraveling Isobel came out in Jan 2012. You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at www.eileencook.com.  Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

Find THE ALMOST TRUTH on Indiebound, B&N, or Amazon.

New Release Coming in December!

I'm so excited to share some news! My young adult contemporary book, THE PAPARAZZI PROJECT, will be coming out in kindle format on December 15th!

Here's the book summary:


Livvie Peterson thought taking Interpersonal Communications her junior year would be an easy A. But when the first assignment is given, her world flips upside down.  Here’s the deal: the class is assigned a six-week project and is split into three groups— Paparazzi, Tabloid, and Celebrities. The Paparazzi follow around the Celebrities taking pictures and grabbing any kind of quotes they can. The Celebrities try to navigate being tailed on a daily basis. And the Tabloid receives all the information collected by the Paparazzi and decides what makes the weekly summary report. Sounds harmless…and it’s all just pretend anyway, right?

Livvie is assigned as Paparazzi and when she is matched up with the über-cute Chas Montgomery as her Tabloid boss she’s pretty sure things couldn’t get much better. Livvie’s uncanny ability to capture the Celebrities in compromising photos matched with Chas’s skill of exaggerating captions and editing the photos make them an unstoppable team. And the long hours working side by side with Chas aren’t a bad bonus.

Livvie simultaneously launches an anonymous blog, leaking the class’ photos and stories on the Internet. Her rising follower number quickly becomes addicting and she possibly spills too much information online. Once she finds her own celebrity will she be able to give it back? And will Chas be gone before she ever has the chance to find out?

____

I'm SO excited for this book to be out in the world! Stay tuned for the cover reveal on October 15th.

And p.s., if you don't have a kindle but have an iPad or iPhone, download the free kindle app. That's how I do my reading. :-)

Just Your Average Princess is a Perfect Fall Read

This is my absolute favorite time of the year! From the Pumpkin Spice Lattes to pumpkin scented candles and baking pumpkin bread, I just love it all.

It's also the perfect time to read Just Your Average Princess if you haven't already.

Here's a summary:

Jamie Edwards has loved growing up on her family's pumpkin patch in Average, IL, and she's always dreamed of one day being the town's Pumpkin Princess at the annual Pumpkin Festival. But when her rich and famous cousin, Milan Woods, comes to town and changes everything, Jamie knows she has to expose Milan for who she really is and teach her that life's not all pumpkins and apple butter at the patch.

Enjoy it with a latte at your favorite coffee shop! :-)

7 Clues to Winning You is Out Today!

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY 

TO MY FRIEND KRISTIN WALKER!!! 


Kristin Walker's newest super funny contemporary book, 7 Clues to Winning You, is out today.

From Goodreads:

When a humiliating picture of Blythe goes viral, she's instantly the target of ridicule at her new school. To salvage her reputation, Blythe teams up with Luke to win the Senior Scramble scavenger hunt. But Luke is an unlikely ally and potentially can't be trusted.


Perhaps it's his Shakespearean witticisms that reel Blythe in despite her better judgment . . . or maybe she just craves the thrill of the game. But as the hunt progresses, their relationship heats up. Soon their madcap mischief spirals out of control. Blythe is faced with arrest and expulsion, among other catastrophes - until Luke shows her what the Scramble (and love) is really about.


What People are Saying:


"In this hilarious account of a girl's reluctant adjustment to new circumstances...Walker (A Match Made in High School) focuses on Blythe's regrets and changing attitude... The vibrant, first-person narrative captures the humor and heartache of Blythe's predicaments." - Publishers Weekly


"7 Clues to Winning You is a definite winner for any contemporary fan! I loved it! This is exactly the kind of YA I need more of in my life. I want more of these kind of stories. Funny light yet deep and thought provoking. I hope you'll all give this book a try!" - Princess Bookie


"A clever, well-woven plot with a loveable cast of quirky characters and a sprinkle of Shakespeare. Kristin Walker's latest laugh out loud book will leave you wanting more." 
– Kristina Springer, author of The Espressologist and My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours


My Thoughts:

Yep, that last blurb was from me. :-) I adored Kristin's newest book! It's on the long side at 317 pages but reads fast because Kristin has such a great and hysterical voice. She first won me over with her debut book, A Match Made in High School, which is a tears rolling down your cheeks from laughter kind of book. And her latest did not disappoint. While I loved her main character Blythe, I have to say the two elderly woman she befriends at the nursing home are by far my fave. Just read it, you'll love it. Promise. 

Find it now on Indiebound, Amazon, or Barnes and Nobles. Follow Kristin on twitter at @Kristin_Walker or visit her Web site www.Kristin-Walker.com.