Thursday, June 27, 2013

manicpixiedreamgirl by Tom Leveen





First of all, congrats to Buttah who is the winner of The LastCamellia! Please email me your full name and address at stephanieelliot@gmail.com and I'll get your copy of the book to you! Congrats!

I love a good Young Adult and I've had the pleasure of featuring Tom Leveen and his book PARTY on the blog in the past so I was excited to have him on again for his latest novel called — also a favorite title because check it out — there's the word MANIC in it:

manicpixiedreamgirl 

Really cool title, and it's a really cool book, about a boy who's been in love with a girl since freshman year but dates another girl for a pretty long time because … well, because he's a guy who can't figure out the next step of getting his head out of his ass and making the right move, really, like all high school guys, hah hah hah!

I really liked this book - it's fun and kinda sad with very unique and bold and flawed characters and it's told from a guy's perspective which is a great change of pace from the usual women's fiction I lunge after, and it's mostly told from one night working its way back into the past leading up to the grand finale. I think you'll really enjoy this one!

Here are Tom's THESE THREE THINGS:

1. I often give tertiary or walk-on characters the names of close friends or family. In the case of manicpixiedreamgirl, I named Ty and Syd’s English teacher after a dear friend known locally as The Book Babe (she’s one of several, actually). It’s sort of a hat-tip and Thank You to people who have made or continue to make a big difference in my life.

2. manicpixiedreamgirl was originally entitled Mustardseed, after Becky’s nickname. I briefly considered writing a sequel called, of course, Sparky, from Becky’s POV.

3. manicpixie originally began as a NaNoWriMo project, which I did not complete on time. In fact, I’ve never completed NaNoWriMo, a source of ongoing shame… [Note from Stephanie: for those of you who don't know NaNoWriMo is when writers attempt to write 50,000 words during the month of November, which I personally think is crazy -- WHY November -- the month of Thanksgiving and the month before the busiest holiday of the year? Why not March -- when there is practically NOTHING going on? Hmmmm....] 

And then because I wanted to dig a little deeper into the story, I asked Tom a few questions about the book: 

I'm curious as to if any of the book is based on your own personal high school experience and if so, can you tell me about it, and I'll maybe share part of that in the feature? 

The outline of manicpixiedreamgirl  is true enough – there was a girl, then there was a girl (or two) that I dated, and never the two shall meet. That’s about it, though. It is true in an emotional sense, in that the things Tyler experiences in his own head are certainly things I felt as well, but the facts of my case and the facts of his are wildly different. We were both stupid, but at least he wasn't as big an ass about it as I was. 

Did you know a manicpixiedreamgirl or dump a "Sydney" for one during high school? 

In all fairness, I think I must say No to both questions. My “dream girl” was not a manic pixie. As I got to know her, I did discover she was much more of a genuine goofball than I’d believed at first, but I don’t think she really qualified as a manic pixie. As for “Sydney,” that character is sort of a composite of many people I knew, some of whom were girls I dated and many of whom were not. I never dumped anyone because there was someone else waiting in the wings, though. None of that is to say I was a good guy; I don’t think I was. 

Do you get a lot of book ideas from your theater group?

When Is What It Is Theatre (1995-2006) and Chyro Arts Venue (2007 – 2010) were in full swing, I’d say I got a lot of technique from them. Not really book ideas, per se. I talk a lot about utilizing the craft of theatre in my dialogue classes, and always encourage fiction writers to get involved in live theatre for those same reasons; but ideas for books always came from other places, not theatre. I think it’s because directing or acting in a play requires intense concentration, so there’s not a lot of room for outside ideas. That’s probably why I didn’t try to publish sooner – my theatre calendar was just too full. 

You currently are a theater teacher, right? What do you love more? Theater or writing? Or, rather, if you could only do one, which would you choose, and why? 

I am not currently a theatre teacher, but I have taught before – I’ve taught basic acting classes, stage combat, that sort of thing. I do currently teach a variety of writing classes across all age groups whenever I can. (Hire me! www.tomleveen.com!)

January of 2013 marked the first full year period during which I did not do any theatre of any kind since 1988. I’ve directed about 35 plays, been in about as many, and that doesn’t include a variety of classes and performances all over the place. I think it’s safe to say my theatre ship has sailed; I did pretty much every play I ever wanted. There’s a few stragglers out there, though, and I would not be surprised if I blew the dust off my promptbook and directed another show or two some day.

Forced to choose, I’d have to stick with writing. Part of the reason for that is that while I am a storyteller, I am not a playwright. I only directed a bare handful of original plays, and all of them more than once, and only a couple with any real success. So being able to write fiction – particularly YA – is more fulfilling for the storyteller in me; I get to be fairly autonomous and not have to work with what some other storyteller has already written (in the form of a play). I was always telling my interpretation of someone else’s story instead of my own. So I’m happy with where I’m at. But I do miss my actors and technicians a lot. 

What are you writing next? 

That’s at least a two-part question!

The next thing that’s coming out is SICK (Abrams/Amulet) on October 1, 2013. It’s about a group of kids who get trapped in their high school drama department during what amounts to a zombie apocalypse. The publisher is calling it The Breakfast Club meets The Walking Dead. Spoiler: They are not actually undead, so technically, not zombies.

What I’m writing, on the other hand, is a variety of contemporary YA novels. I’m starting to play again with multiple-POV, like in PARTY; maybe another horror YA; and hopefully soon, my first middle-grade adventure. We’ll see! 

Want to win a copy? Tell me an angsty story about how you loved someone from afar when you were in high school, because really, we all did. I had a crush on the cutest guy who was deaf when I was a sophomore, and it would have been a perfect relationship, because he wouldn't have to listen to me! Seriously! He was SOOOO cute!  

If you are new, thank you for stopping by:
If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please leave a comment on this post and use an identifying name when commenting. It's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in a few days to see if you've won the book -- I will either list the winner in a new post OR highlight the winner's name at the top of this post, or tell you where you can find the winner's name at the top of this post. I do NOT personally contact the winners. It is YOUR responsibility to come back to see if you've won. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher or author within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot[at]gmail.com. Thank you for your support!


Thursday, June 13, 2013

THE LAST CAMELLIA by Sarah Jio

Congrats to Buttah who has won a copy of The Last Camellia! Email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address so we can get you your book!





The Last Camellia 
Sarah's Facebook Go like her page now please!
Sarah's Website

I've been a huge fan of Sarah Jio's since her first book came out, and she is such a talented author, weaving the past with the present, and tossing mystery and romance into her novels. She writes such descriptive novels, you feel as if you are living in the scene with her characters, feeling everything that's going on. I have been known to give her books as gifts to friends because they are so beautiful on the inside and out!

Sarah has shared with us some really fascinating info for THESE THREE THINGS, so I will let her take it over right now, then I'll be back with her latest, The Last Camellia, which is up for grabs in this blog feature!


From Sarah:

I think I'd be far less productive if I lived in California: Right now, I'm on a two-books-a-year schedule with my publisher Penguin (Plume), and the pace suits me. People always ask me how I do this, or if I feel incredible pressure to write all the time, and the answer is, honestly, no. I love the schedule I'm on, and it's working really well for me right now. Just when I'm winding down one story, I'm eagerly looking to begin the next. But, I think there are a few factors that make my pace work for me. For once, my husband is incredibly hands on with our three little boys (all 6 and under), and I happen to love coffee, and caffeine can buzz me through a late-night writing session. But ultimately, I think, it's my location that makes it all work. I live in Seattle where it rains 84.9 percent of the year (OK, I made that stat up, but it does rain A LOT), and that's OK with me. Rainy weather = good writing weather. If I lived in Southern California, I think I'd probably get nothing done. 

I have no feeling (or taste) in about 3/4 of my mouth: Crazy-but-true fact about me…I had a filling replaced last month, and the dentist nicked my lingual nerve (a real and random risk of any dental procedure, I've learned). I went home that afternoon with a numb mouth, and woke up the next morning … with a numb mouth. I can feel about 1/4 of my tongue, and can only taste my food on the far left side. The dental experts I've talked to say that it's likely my nerve damage is only temporary (though it can take up to a year to fully heal), but there's a chance that it could be a lifelong thing. For now, I wait, and dream of a day when I can fully taste chocolate ganache again. 

I was "recognized" for the first time recently at the bank: A woman stopped me and said, "Hey, are you Sarah Jio the novelist"? I was so caught off guard, I nearly was at a loss for words. Too bad my 2-year-old was in the middle of an epic meltdown and I was wearing a T-shirt and leggings that may or may not have had a small hole in them. The writing life is so not glamorous!

And now, about The Last Camellia: 

On the eve of the Second World War, the last surviving specimen of a camellia plant known as the Middlebury Pink lies secreted away on an English country estate. Flora, an amateur American botanist, is contracted by an international ring of flower thieves to infiltrate the household and acquire the coveted bloom. Her search is at once brightened by new love and threatened by her discovery of a series of ghastly crimes.

More than half a century later, garden designer Addison takes up residence at the manor, now owned by the family of her husband, Rex. The couple’s shared passion for mysteries is fueled by the enchanting camellia orchard and an old gardener’s notebook. Yet its pages hint at dark acts ingeniously concealed. If the danger that Flora once faced remains very much alive, will Addison share her fate? 

Would you like to win a copy of The Last Camellia? If you can go over to Sarah's Facebook and like her page, we would be very grateful! Also, since the book is about the camellia plant and gardening, leave a comment here and tell me if you've ever attempted to grow a garden and if you succeeded or failed? If you haven't, tell me your fave flower/plant. I can't keep a basil plant alive, but I love the smell of gardenias! As usual, I'll have random.org choose one winner from the comments below, and we'd love it if you could go LIKE Sarah's Facebook page too! This is where she shares all the info on her books including her next one that will be out before you know it, MORNING GLORY! (Sarah writes TWO BOOKS A YEAR!) Thanks!

Check HERE to see if you won THE GLASS WIVES! 

If you are new, thank you for stopping by:
If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please leave a comment on this post and use an identifying name when commenting. It's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in a few days to see if you've won the book -- I will either list the winner in a new post OR highlight the winner's name at the top of this post, or tell you where you can find the winner's name at the top of this post. I do NOT personally contact the winners. It is YOUR responsibility to come back to see if you've won. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher or author within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot[at]gmail.com. Thank you for your support!
 




Monday, June 10, 2013

Winner of The Glass Wives + more about What She Left Us


 

Hey All, I will have a new book up for you in a couple of days but I wanted to announce the winner of The Glass Wives now. Congrats to Jess Blair who will be receiving a copy of Amy Sue Nathan's book The Glass Wives. Please send me your address so I can get the book out to you. Email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com

A new book will be featured probably Wed or Thursday -- just waiting on some logistics from the author. It's been busy here at the Manic house. My youngest son Luke, who has epilepsy, left for camp on Sunday -- my first child to ever go to sleepaway camp! Waaahhhh! But I did not cry until MONDAY! It was really strange because I'm so happy for him, I know he's having a blast and doing a ton of great things (here he is ziplining on his first day!), but still, he's my baby and I miss him.

I woke up in the middle of the night the first night he was gone, because I WAS CONVINCED he was standing over me, tapping my leg, trying to wake me up as he does sometimes when he's not feeling well, so of course, I laid there awake, thinking, "Oh my gosh, he's awake at camp, not able to sleep, missing me, not feeling well..." And then that's when I got sad.

But, he's fine, I'm sure, and there's nothing to be freaked about. Right? Right.

So, I told myself before he left that I should use this time to concentrate on editing my next book and working on PR for WHAT SHE LEFT US, and what did I do all day today? Slept. Not very productive. But if you haven't yet read my novel, WHAT SHE LEFT US, it's available on KINDLE for less than a grande latte these days, at just $3.99, and here are a few links from some nice peeps who had some nice things to say:
WSLU amazon FINAL COVER FROM SARAH

Chick Lit Central's Review

The Book Chick

The Book Bag

Chick Lit is Not Dead

Even Tracey Garvis Graves, who wrote On The Island and the upcoming Covet, which I LOVED, has read What She Left Us had this to say about it: "This book kept me turning pages because the author does a great job of raising questions I wanted the answer to. It also highlights - beautifully - the relationship between two sisters, and how much they rely on and support each other." 

So, if you haven't yet downloaded What She Left Us and are looking for a book for your kindle, why not check it out? You can get it by clicking here! Thanks for your support and I'll have a bunch more books featured for you here coming soon! XO!