Nina LaCour + Book Banning = Worst. Mistake. Ever.

I think it's no surprise how I feel about book banning. 

Not a fan, folks. Not a fan.

Some of those banned books are my absolute favorites. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, for example, changed my life as both a person and writer forever. I owe so much to someone I've never met.

That's exactly how I felt after reading Hold Still by Nina LaCour. I actually recommended it a couple months back. LaCour's writing is not only gorgeous, but her characters feel like long lost friends. Through them, I learn about the world and myself. I see light where darkness reigns supreme. 

Which is why banning it from school libraries is a mistake.

Sure, parents--the good kind--want what's best for their offspring. They care about them, of course. But telling other parents' offspring what they can and can't read? That's overstepping, folks. Big time. And more likely than not, teens who pick up Hold Still need to read it. Not for a grade, but for themselves. For their friends, or loved ones, or strangers they wish they could help. F-bombs and sex are in the book, and if teens take issue with those particular story elements, they will choose to put the book down on their own. 

But here's the kicker: we have to let them choose.

They are not little kids. They are young adults. 

Please stop disrespecting them.

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!

Blog Chain: My Favorite Monster

Okay. For this blog chain round, the ridiculously awesome Matthew asked:

What is your all-time favorite monster? 

*ponders*

So. My fave monster.

Thing is, I've never really thought about it. There are so many books, movies, and TV shows with creepy creatures I love. Choosing was much harder than I expected! 

But as I usually do, I go with the first thought to pop into my mind.

Folks, my all-time favorite monster is...

*drumroll*

Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas

Confession: Tim Burton is my hero. He's one of the reasons I write, and why I believe dreaming isn't a waste of time. Even though he didn't direct The Nightmare Before Christmas, he wrote the screenplay, and had its characters living in his head for a long time. To me, Sally is his crowning achievement in this film.

For all intents and purposes, Sally is a monster. She's broken--literally. Her body's held together by black threads. She's a walking, talking ragdoll. Whenever her limbs fall off, though, Sally grabs her needles and sews herself back together. Despite her physical restrictions (and her caretaker's desire to have her with him 24/7), she yearns to see the world and the beauty it has to offer. She's kind, rational, and painfully shy when it comes to sharing her feelings for Jack. She's relatable. 

But she looks like she haunts little kids in their sleep.

Sally proves that age-old saying: never judge a book by its cover. 

Make sure you go check out Abby's fave monster, and stay tuned for Sandra's pick tomorrow!

Now tell me: have you seen The Nightmare Before Christmas? Is there another character you think is an awesome monster??

Guest Post: THE BREAKFAST CLUB Review By Marie Rearden!

Today's guest post comes from the awesome Marie Rearden! Not only is Marie a writer, but she also loves movies. So much so that she reviews them in 100 words on her blog. It's my pleasure to let her take the Reel YA stage and share a review near and dear to her heart. 

Take it away, Marie! 

Five teens.

Eight hours.

One essay on who they think they are.

With John Bender's troubled encouragement, Claire admits she's a virgin, Brian confides his thoughts of suicide, and five almost-strangers come together to admit how much their parents just don't get it. After that, five lives are changed, and we wonder what happens at school on Monday. To me, the members of The Breakfast Club defeat the adolescent caste system and never turn out like their parents, but most importantly, they each come closer to understanding who they really are.

Without a doubt, the timeless, phenomenal, BEST teen movie ever. :)

Huge thanks to Marie for stopping by! Make sure you go check out her blog, and follow her on Twitter!

Have you seen The Breakfast Club? Which is your fave character? 

Mystery Agent Contest: Get Those Twitter Pitches Ready!

Happy NaNo, everybody!!

*tosses confetti*

For those of you not entering NaNo this year, and have a completed manuscript, I've got great news. We're celebrating another Mystery Agent Contest over at Operation Awesome!

To enter, you need a Twitter-length pitch and the first 500 words of your manuscript.

Click here for more details.

And best of luck!!

Trick-or-Treaters You Should Stay Away From...

Happy Halloween, folks! Hope you're stocked up on candy and spooky reads today! 

Me? Well, I'm... scared.

You see, trick-or-treaters will knock on my door tonight. And although I love giving people unhealthy foods, I may just keep all my lollipops to myself when these dudes come around.

Here's my Halloween Survival Guide: Trick-or-Treaters You Should Stay Away From:

Muscles? HA! Nobody cares, dude. Nobody cares. If he shows up half-naked to your doorstep, he should not be trusted, people. Plus, nobody cares about muscles.

*stares at muscles*

Do not take his hand. Ever. No matter how deep and reassuring his voice is when he says he'll save your life. Dudes that do this might kidnap the heck out of you, okay? Say no to the hand.

Why do I insist on staying away from all this pretty?

Oh, come on. You know the truth about pretty, don't you?

STAY AWAY FROM THE PRETTY!!

Now if you'll excuse me, I must go chain myself to the wall before The Pretty ring my doorbell.

*flees*

Are you prepared for The Pretty today? What survival tips work best for you?

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!! :)