Book Launch Interview: Mia Garcia & THE RESOLUTIONS!

Hi, there! Today I'm super excited to share an interview with one of my favorite authors, Mia Garcia!

M. García was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She moved to New York where she studied creative writing at The New School, worked in publishing, and lived under a pile of to-be-read books. She is the author of Even If the Sky Falls and the upcoming The Resolutions from Katherine Tegen books (an imprint of Harper Collins) coming November 13, 2018.

That's right. The Resolutions is out TODAY. Here's a bit more about this amazing book:

A heart-expanding novel about four Latinx teens who make New Year’s resolutions for one another—and the whirlwind of a year that follows. Fans of Erika L. Sánchez and Emery Lord will fall for this story of friendship, identity, and the struggle of finding yourself when all you want is to start over.

From hiking trips to four-person birthday parties to never-ending group texts, Jess, Lee, Ryan, and Nora have always been inseparable. But now with senior year on the horizon, they’ve been growing apart. And so, as always, Jess makes a plan.

Reinstating their usual tradition of making resolutions together on New Year’s Eve, Jess adds a new twist: instead of making their own resolutions, the four friends assign them to one another—dares like kiss someone you know is wrong for you, find your calling outside your mom’s Puerto Rican restaurant, finally learn Spanish, and say yes to everything.

But as the year unfolds, Jess, Lee, Ryan, and Nora each test the bonds that hold them together. And amid first loves, heartbreaks, and life-changing decisions, beginning again is never as simple as it seems.

In honor of Mia's book birthday, I sent her some questions and did my best not to exclusively discuss food (it was very hard not to!). Here's what Mia had to say:

 

1) Let's talk writing. How would you describe your drafting process for The Resolutions? How did it differ from your (AMAZING) debut, Even If The Sky Falls?    

This is an excellent question because Even If the Sky Falls felt like such a plot driven story – not that emotions didn’t play a large role in it – but because of the 24-hour time constraint I had to keep the action going and make sure you were always aware of the storm that was approaching moments away.

With The Resolutions we follow four characters over a whole year, which meant I had more time to work with feelings and linger on small moments.  It also meant that with four characters that time was limited.

I forgot where I was going with this…Ah yes. Both novels were started under-contract so I had a strict deadline for both. Both were written in under 4 months and each editorial round took around 6 weeks to complete. But (going back to my earlier statement) because Even If the Sky Falls was a much more plot driven story, there was a clear skeletal structure that I could grasp onto while I was editing. It took me several revisions to find that structure in The Resolutions because each character had their own beat and each beat had to come together with the other to form a symphony or at least a runaway pop hit. 

2) The Resolutions centers around a group of friends who pick New Year's resolutions for each other (confession: I wouldn't trust my friends with that, lol). What came first during your brainstorming process for this particular story, the characters or the premise? 

I hear you – I’m not sure if I’d trust my friends with that either, though I have a feeling I know exactly what they’d pick.

The Resolutions was a collaboration between my editor Alex Arnold and myself. We both have a love of book friendships. In fact, I think the way she described this book when it was announced was “friendship = life’s blood” which is totally true. We brainstormed each character’s resolutions, which gave us the skeleton for the story. But it wasn’t until I figured out their relationship and voices (and particularly their repartee) that things really came together. My favorite scenes to write were the text exchanges and the moments where they were being silly and supporting each other.

3) One of the reasons why I love The Resolutions so much is the FOOD. You have no idea how stoked I am to see Puerto Rican cuisine so often in this story. If you could eat only one Puerto Rican dish for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

Amparo! How could you do this to me? ONE dish!?! Can I have a savory and sweet dish? I’m going to pretend you said yes.

I’m a sucker for a good bistec and habichuelas – particularly because I can never find recao over here so it never tastes right when I make it. For dessert I am very judgmental of flan/tres leches because I’m partial to my mami’s. OMG I almost forgot mallorcas – like – how could I?

Clearly I can’t answer this question…

4) If you were a character in The Resolutions, what's a resolution you'd like for your friends to pick for you? It can be one that's not featured in the book!

Ohh, that’s interesting, because I put a little of myself in each of my four main characters so in a way it feels like I’m in the novel already, but…Amparo this is hard!! OK, I think they would encourage me to have a little more patience with the dating process, but to be honest it feels like another job and I don’t need another job!

5) Which fictional character from any other story would you pick a resolution for and what would that resolution be? 

I would tell Minerva McGonagall to take a sabbatical – she needs it.

Thank you so much to Mia for letting me pick her brain! Make sure to get your copy of The Resolutions at the links below: 

IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books A Million

Also, you can follow Mia here:

Website / Twitter / Instagram / Tumblr / Pinterest

Things That Feed My Soul: FIRST DRAFT Podcast With Sarah Enni

So. Podcasts. 

I don't usually listen to them, which is something I'm slowly changing about myself. A friend of mine started one recently (a super geeky, pop culture heavy one), and it was the push I needed to start diving into the podcast waters for real. 

A few months ago, I'd heard about one that seemed perfect for me:

Folks, Sarah Enni is brilliant. If you haven't read her posts on YA Highway, you're missing out. That's how I learned of her awesomeness. Then I read that she was starting FIRST DRAFT, a podcast featuring authors of both YA and MG books. My mind pretty much exploded, but since I wasn't too committed to podcasts back then, I didn't check them out immediately. 

Present Me is all sorts of upset with Past Me. Sarah's interviews are both enlightening and inspiring. She sits down with the most remarkable artists anyone could ever encounter, then proceeds to let them school her audience in the art of resilience. Last week, I was so, so sick. It was the cold from Hades, I tell you. But once I pressed Play on an episode of FIRST DRAFT, boom. Instant remedy. I felt like stopping everything and writing until the wee hours of the morning. I felt like strapping on my boots and climbing as many mountains as I could. I felt like dancing and belting out party songs with my ridiculously terrible singing voice.

I felt like not giving up on my dreams.

Go ahead. If you haven't done it already, press Play. Now. Right now. 

Happy listening!

Why It's Okay To Want (And Some Laini Taylor Gushing)

So. Laini Taylor. Lots of people have been telling me--no, no, INSISTING--that I read her books. All of them. Immediately. 

Well. This week, I finished her short story anthology, LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES. Holy amazeballs, Batman. Holy. Amazeballs.

First off, there's the (glorious) cover.

The eyes! The flames! THE LIPSTICK THAT MATCHES THE FLAMES!

Then there are the actual stories.

Goblin Fruit
In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses
A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling
Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?

Awesome, no? Well, I enjoyed all three stories, but my absolute FAVE was "Goblin Fruit." Like the talented Laini Taylor, I'm quite fond of Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market." I even chose to study it for my comprehensive exams in my M.A. program. Everything about "Goblin Fruit" rocked my world: the mythology, the dynamic between main character Kizzy and her friends, her BADASS grandma, the tempting suitor.

Which is why I've decided to highlight something particularly awesome about this story.

You see, there's a paragraph on page 41 that knocked me sideways with its brilliance. It deals with the many, many things Kizzy daydreams of having and doing. The paragraph is immediately followed by a single sentence:

I couldn't help but stop reading to stare at the wall in front of me. Not only was the writing gorgeous, it was also speaking of true things. Of things we can all relate to, whether or not we've been seduced by a goblin disguised as a pretty face. Publishing offers aspiring authors many things. But before we can attain any of them, we're left with the insatiable yearning. Some people advise against thinking of landing film deals and hitting the NYT Bestseller List and touring the world and having monuments built in your name. I say there's nothing wrong with wanting. It's okay to want.

The problem comes when we turn a blind eye to what's within our reach--writing--and only see what we would love to have. Or even worse, when we only see how others obtained what we want first. This helps no one. You should want as many things as you can, but you must fight for them. And even if you fight for the things you want, that doesn't guarantee you'll get them. That's why you should always put writing first. Regardless of what happens, you'll have put in the work toward your dreams instead of just dreaming all the time. You tried. Others might not make it past the first page, but you will. You want. That's the first step to having and doing.

Now go out there and write, folks.

Also, if you haven't already, please devour Laini Taylor's LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES. I insist.

BRB Crying. Or, How ALLEGIANT By Veronica Roth Destroyed Me In The Best Way.

Some of you may know that this book has been the source of CONTROVERSY and FEELS. Not only is it the ending of a (hugely successful) trilogy, it's the ending's ending that got tongues wagging.

I managed to avoid spoilers before sitting down to read ALLEGIANT. 

I'm so thrilled I did. 

I was genuinely surprised by the ending.

I cried while reading it.

I cried after I finished the book.

And I feel a strong need to thank Veronica Roth for destroying me. 

I think this ending is going to haunt me forever, not just as a reader, but as a writer. Especially as a writer. Stories that resonate and linger and cling to my bones often have authors who do the unthinkable. In ALLEGIANT, a character tells another the following two words: "Be brave." It's a story for the story's sake, not its fans' sake. I wouldn't have it any other way. Veronica Roth's bravery, as well as that of the countless authors I admire, has taught me that I should never conform with whatever I can conjure. No. It's not enough to write. 

It's enough to write bravely.

Even if it destroys you. Even if it destroys those who trust you to pick them up and give them the happy ending they envisioned. Fiction isn't one thing. It doesn't provide the same answer over and over. Sometimes, it doesn't provide answers at all. I'm at peace with that. I think I always have been.

I'm going to try and write as bravely as I can. I hope you do the same.

10 Killer Queries That Worked Part 2

Some of you have read my 10 Killer Queries That Worked post. It features 10 of my absolute fave query letters for manuscripts that ended up being published. Well, since I'm always on the hunt for a new query to drool over, I figured I'd turn the post into a series. 

Welcome to Part 2! :)

Okay. Let's get to it. *cracks knuckles*

Here is another batch of amazeballs queries:

1. Miranda Kenneally's query for CATCHING JORDAN, originally titled SCORE (bonus points: this post features an interview with Miranda's agent, Sara Megibow).
2. MarcyKate Connolly's query for MONSTROUS, which comes out in 2014 from HarperCollins.
3. Megan Sheperd's query for THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
4. Carrie Ryan's query for THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH.
5. Beth Revis's query for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, originally titled LONG WAY HOME.
6. Francesca Zappia's query for ASK AGAIN LATER, originally titled ALEXITHYMIA. The book comes out in 2014 from HarperCollins. 
7. Stephanie Diaz's query for EXTRACTION, which comes out in 2014 from St. Martin's Press.
8. Claire Legrand's query for THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS (bonus points: this post features commentary from Claire's agent, Diana Fox).
9. Kate Karyus Quinn's (my blog chain buddy!!!) query for ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE, which comes out June 11th from HarperTeen.
10. April Tucholke's query for BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, originally titled THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA (bonus points: this post features commentary by April's agent, Joanna Volpe). The book comes out August 15th from Dial. 

So there you have them! I hope they prove as helpful as the first batch :)

Have you read these query letters before? Which one(s) do you love most? Are there any other query letters you love that aren't on the list?

Teen Girls And The Things They Love

"As soon as teenage girls start to profess love for something, everyone else becomes totally dismissive of it. Teenage girls are open season for the cruelest bullying that our society can dream up. Everyone's vicious to them. They're vicious to each other. Hell, they're even vicious to themselves. It's terrible.

So if teenage girls have something that they love, isn't that a good thing? Isn't it better for them to find some words they believe in, words like the 'fire-proof and fearless' lyrics that Jacqui wrote? Isn't it better for them to put those words on their arm in a tattoo than for them to cut gashes in that same skin? Shouldn't we be grateful when teenage girls love our work? Shouldn't that be a fucking honor?

It's used as the cheapest, easiest test of crap, isn't it? If teenage girls love a movie, a book, a band, then it's immediately classified as mediocre shit. Well, I'm not going to stand for that. Someone needs to treat them like they're precious, and if nobody else is ready to step up, I guess it's up to us to put them on the path to recognizing that about themselves."

                                           --Ben in Mary Borsellino's The Devil's Mixtape, page 108 

Operation Awesome's New Year's Revisions Conference Is Here!!!

What are you doing here??? 

No, seriously. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

The party is over at Operation Awesome, where the New Year's Revisions Conference is in full swing! Now go and soak up all the awesome from our wonderful guests!

Happy Friday! :)

Guest Post: Clueless + Werewolves = YA Author Kathleen Peacock!

Hello, all! I'm THRILLED to share today's guest post with you! Please give a warm welcome to Kathleen Peacock, a YA author whose debut Hemlock will be out this May! Since Kathleen's novel includes werewolves, I figured I'd ask her to write about which werewolf she'd love to see in a YA book. But to be totally honest, her idea was MUCH better.

Check it out below!

Clueless: The Whatever Edition

When I was first asked to guest post on which movie werewolf should have their own YA novel, my first thought was, “Awesome!” That thought was immediately followed by the sound of crickets chirping. Gingernaps? I wouldn’t want to read an entire book from Ginger’s PoV. An American Werewolf in London? David wasn’t bitten until after high school and we all know how hard it is to sell YA with a protagonist over eighteen. Oz from Buffy? Not a movie and can you imagine an entire book told from Oz’s PoV? You’d be lucky if you could get him to say enough to scrape together five chapters. Double spaced.

So I did the only thing I could think of: I asked if I could pick a movie that was based on a book and add werewolves to the plot. And the movie I came up with? None other than Amy Heckerling’s totally classic Clueless.

Now just hear me out… Clueless is actually a slick reboot of Jane Austen’s Emma. Both Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility have gotten the monster treatment (with zombies and sea monsters, respectively). Plus, think about how totally awesome it would be if Cher was both fashionista AND furball.

Still not convinced? Just take a look at how these lines from the movie could easily be tweaked to reflect the werewolf angle.

Original: Okay, so you're probably going, "Is this like a Noxzema commercial or what?" But seriously, I actually have a way normal life for a teenage girl.

The Werewolf Edition: Okay, so you're probably going, "Is this like a Purina commercial or what?" But seriously, I actually have a way normal life for a teenage werewolf.

Original: Christian said he'd call the next day, but in boy time that meant Thursday.

The Werewolf Edition: Christian said he'd give me a howl the next day, but in werewolf time that meant the next full moon.

Original:

Mel: You mean to tell me that you argued your way from a C+ to an A-?

Cher: Totally based on my powers of persuasion, you proud?

Mel: Honey, I couldn't be happier than if they were based on real grades.

The Werewolf Edition:

Mel: You mean to tell me that you threatened your way from a C+ to an A-?

Cher: Totally based on what big teeth I have, you proud?

Mel: Honey, I couldn't be happier than if they were based on real grades.

A HUGE thank you to Kathleen for stopping by and making me 1) fangirl Clueless even more, and 2) make me laugh so. Hard. Make sure you buy your copy of Hemlock when it hit stores May 8th! 

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered. 

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf. 

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control. 

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk. 

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

Interview: Kirsten Hubbard, Author of WANDERLOVE!!

I'm BEYOND delighted to welcome one of my fave YA authors to the blog today!! Ladies and gents, I give you Kirsten Hubbard! *claps like a maniac* Kirsten is the force of nature behind contemporary YA novels Like Mandarin, and the upcoming Wanderlove (which I've reviewed here). Without further ado, here's my quick interview with Kirsten:

1) Favorite movie genre

Honestly, just like books, I love movies from almost every genre (including really good horror).

2) Favorite teen movie

I adore Clueless, but if I had to pick just one, it'd be Empire Records. I was in junior high when I saw it, a wannabe grunge kid, and I wanted to work in that record store and make out with A.J. SO BAD.

(I've yet to see this movie, BUT I've heard great things about A.J. *grins*)

3) If Bria Sandoval could direct her own movie, which genre would she choose and why?

 Bria loves fantasy, art and humor, so I could totally see her working for Pixar someday.

(*makes note to stalk Bria into Pixar someday*) 

4) What about Grace Carpenter? Which genre would she choose and why?

 Grace is a tough one. She's extremely introspective, and very much a people watcher. I could see her working as an indie filmmaker, making quiet, heavy films with an undercurrent of magic. I'm thinking Sofia Coppola.

(I would totally be her best friend. Forever)

5) What's one thing you've learned as a writer from watching teen movies?

Because movies are visual by nature, they can't just stick conversations and plot events in the same old settings; they often utilize creative, dynamic backdrops -- even when the whole film takes place in a record store, like Empire Records. I took a screenwriting class in college, and it really inspired me to do the same with my novels: to explore the power of setting, on both a large-scale and scene-by-scene level.

(*takes notes from brilliant advice*)

It all begins with a stupid question: 

Are you a Global Vagabond? 

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path. 

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward. 

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back. 

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry into this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

A huge thanks to Kirsten for stopping by!! Make sure you pick up Wanderlove when it hits stores on March 13th, 2012! AND go buy your copy of Like Mandarin, which is in stores now!

Interview: Myra McEntire, Author of HOURGLASS!

Remember that time I blogged about how the film rights to Hourglass had been optioned by Twentieth Century Fox? Well, today I bring you the woman behind the time slip story--Myra McEntire! Myra was gracious enough to take time out of her uber-busy schedule and granted me an interview!

Le interview:

Favorite movie genre

SciFi Fantasy

Favorite teen movie 

Sixteen Candles - I used to be able to quote it line by line. And then I got old. 

(you are NOT old, Myra. *shakes fist*)

If Emerson Cole could direct her own movie, which genre would she choose and why? 

Horror, definitely. So she could make it funny. 

What about Michael Weaver? Which genre would he choose and why? 

Romance. Because he's swoony. 

(um... YES PLEASE).

What's one thing you've learned as a writer from watching teen movies? 

Anything goes, as long as you keep it real. 

(very true!)

One hour to rewrite the past . . . 
 
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past. Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

Make sure you go buy your copy of Hourglass, which is in stores now! And remember to follow Myra on Twitter, and go check out her blog!

Guest Post: YA Author Miranda Kenneally And GIVEAWAY!!

Yep. I have another amazing guest post (and first ever giveaway!) for you today, folks. I'm thrilled to welcome YA author Miranda Kenneally to the blog! Since Miranda's debut novel, Catching Jordan, features a girl who plays football, I figured I'd ask her about her favorite YA sports movie. (Bonus points: she chose a movie I LOVE).

Take it away, Miranda!

Varsity Blues: The Ultimate YA Sports Film

Varsity Blues came out when I was 16. The movie is R-rated so I had to buy a ticket to “She’s All That” and sneak into Varsity Blues. Also, I went with a guy who turned out to be a major asshole, but that’s beside the point because the movie was INCREDIBLE.

The plot of the movie is thus: Mox has a great family and a super cute girlfriend, but he wants out of his football-obsessed town. He wants to go to Brown University. Mox is very smart and wants to focus on school, but everyone expects him to play for the football team because that’s what athletic guys are supposed to do in Texas. Mox finds out that the coach has been forcing the star quarterback, Lance, to get cortisone shots in his injured knee so he can keep playing. Then Lance gets sacked hard and the coach denies he knew anything about Lance’s injury.

Mox has to step up and take over as quarterback for the rest of the season because Lance’s knee is ruined. Mox is disgusted with the coach and his overbearing ways, and throughout the season, Mox lets the coach bully him and threaten his dreams of going to Brown. Finally, Mox steps up and confronts the coach, which inspires the rest of the team to confront their bully of a coach too.

Why is this movie great YA? It starts with a serious problem. Mox sees that his best friend Lance is injured, but the coach tells Mox it’s none of his business. When Lance gets hurt, it inspires Mox to confront the issue.

YA is all about hope and Mox has big dreams he wants to fulfill. Other secondary characters have similar dreams about wanting to move beyond football, and Mox inspires them too.

Ultimately, Varsity Blues isn’t about football. It’s about standing up for what’s right. It’s about confronting bullies. It’s about going after dreams. That is Reel YA. 

(*snickers*)

Miranda Kenneally is the author of CATCHING JORDAN, a contemporary YA novel about football and femininity, coming in December 2011. Other books include PLAYING PARKER (fall 2012) and BAD, BAD THING (spring 2013). Miranda is the co-creator of Dear Teen Me. The Dear Teen Me Anthology will be published in late 2012. She enjoys reading and writing young adult literature, and loves Star Trek, music, sports, Mexican food, Twitter, coffee, and her husband. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook. Miranda is represented by Sara Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency.

A huge thanks to Miranda for stopping by! And to celebrate the release of Catching Jordan, I'm throwing a preorder giveaway! There are two rules to enter the giveaway: 1) be a follower; 2) comment on this post. That's it! Contest ends on November 2nd,  and I'll be choosing one winner through random.org.

Here's Catching Jordan's official blurb:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

Best of luck to all who enter!! :)

Guest Post: Shaun David Hutchinson + DONNIE DARKO = Awesome YA Novel

I'm pleased to welcome Shaun David Hutchinson to the blog today! Shaun's the author of The Deathday Letter, a hilarious yet touching YA novel that should be on everyone's to-read pile. And since I loved this book so much, I figured I'd ask him to stop by and share his awesomeness with you. 

Take it away, Shaun!

What character from a teen movie deserves his own YA book?

I love movies almost as much as I love books.  Having an older brother, I grew up with the great teen movies of John Hughes and others from that era.  The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, One Crazy Summer, Better Off Dead, Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  In fact, I sometimes pitched THE DEATHDAY LETTER as a Ferris Bueller's Day Off type adventure...the big difference being that my character dies in the end.

There are so many to choose from.  I think the geek from Sixteen Candle could definitely have his own YA series (and I think Jake Wizner could totally write it).  One of my favorite teen movies, Stand By Me, was already a novella by Steven King.  I'd love to see more of Brendan Frye from BRICK, and I bet Steve Brezenoff would own writing a book like that.  But for me, if I were writing it, I'd want to write a YA series about the character Donnie Darko from the movie of the same name. 

Clearly, that's not possible (and if you've seen the movie, you'll understand what I mean--if you haven't, quit reading this and go watch it).  But what draws me to Donnie is the oddness of him.  I'm drawn to reading and writing characters who don't fit in.  Characters who are average and normal and on the outside.  I'm drawn to misfits who are forced into unique situations.  A random, horny teen having to decide how to die.  A scared guy living in a hospital.  An orphan searching for his parents' murderer.

The character of Donnie is this guy who talks to a giant talking rabbit.  He hallucinates.  He narrowly avoids being crushed under the weight of a jet engine.  But he's not special.  He's normal.  Maybe a little mentally unstable.  But he still worries about dying, and girls, and kissing.  And despite the fact that he might possibly be living in a parallel timeline created by a paradox, life goes on.  Because we're all normal, a little screwed up, and living in this surreal world.

Those are the people who are interesting to me.  Donnie Darko...and Frank the rabbit. 

And if I had a second choice, it'd be Brian Johnson, the geek from the Breakfast Club.  Because I'm betting at some point, he loses it.  And I think that'd be interesting to see.

The clock is ticking?

Ollie can't be bothered to care about anything but girls until he gets his Deathday Letter and learns he's going to die in twenty-four hours. Bummer.

Ollie does what he does best: nothing. Then his best friend convinces him to live a little, and go after Ronnie, the girl who recently trampled his about-to-expire heart. Ollie turns to carloads of pudding and over-the-top declarations, but even playing the death card doesn't work. All he wants is to set things right with the girl of his dreams. It's now or never?

Huge thanks to Shaun for sharing his pick!! And if you haven't done so yet, go check out The Deathday Letter, which is in stores now!

Have you seen Donnie Darko? If so, what's your favorite thing about it? Any other dark movie characters you think should get their own YA novels?