Winner!
Of Linore’s The Country House Courtship is Karen! Congrats! Now everybody go enter the new giveaway below for the fabulous Stephanie Morrill’s Out with the In Crowd.
My Friend Stephanie – Interview and Giveaway
Today we’re welcoming Young Adult author extraordinaire and my bestest bud, Stephanie Morrill. Stephanie’s second book, Out with the In Crowd, just released from Revell on January 1, the second title in The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt trilogy.Stephanie is offering a signed copy to one lucky person, so leave your comments between now and next Thursday for a chance to win!
~*~
About Out with the In Crowd
Skylar Hoyt may have vowed to change her partying ways, but it’s not so easy to change her friends. She’s trying hard to live a new life, but her old one is constantly staring her in the face. Add to that two parents battling for her loyalty, a younger sister struggling with a crisis pregnancy, and a new boyfriend wishing for more of her time, and Skylar feels like she can’t win. After all, how do you choose favorites among the people you love most?
About Stephanie
Stephanie Morrill is a twentysomething living in Kansas with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband and their daughter. She loves writing for teens because her high school years greatly impacted her adult life. That, and it’s an excuse to keep playing her music really, really loud.
~*~
What’s your latest book?
My latest book is Out with the In Crowd, which released from Revell on January 1st. It’s the second book in The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series, which follows Skylar through her tumultuous senior year. In Out with the In Crowd, Skylar finds that while she vowed to change her partying ways, it’s not so easy to change her friends. She’s trying hard to live a new life, but her old one is constantly staring her in the face. Add to that two parents battling for her loyalty, a younger sister struggling with a crisis pregnancy, and a new boyfriend wishing for more of her time, and Skylar feels like she can’t win.
My latest book is Out with the In Crowd, which released from Revell on January 1st. It’s the second book in The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series, which follows Skylar through her tumultuous senior year. In Out with the In Crowd, Skylar finds that while she vowed to change her partying ways, it’s not so easy to change her friends. She’s trying hard to live a new life, but her old one is constantly staring her in the face. Add to that two parents battling for her loyalty, a younger sister struggling with a crisis pregnancy, and a new boyfriend wishing for more of her time, and Skylar feels like she can’t win.
What’s your favorite part of the story?
One of my favorite aspects of this story is Skylar wrestling with how much she should be willing to give up for her high school boyfriend, with whom she believes she has a future. My husband and I met and fell in love our freshman year of high school, so it’s an issue really close to my heart.
Mine too! (One of the things that helped Stephanie and me bond. I married my high school sweetheart too. =) Okay, on with the questions. What was the hardest part to write?
Two things come to mind. One is any scene that involved Skylar’s 15-year-old sister, Abbie, who’s pregnant and trying to figure out if she should keep the baby or not. The scenes were fun to write because of all the conflict, but stepping inside Abbie’s shoes was always emotionally draining.
The other is a specific scene where Skylar’s mom is breaking the news to her that she intends to leave Skylar’s farther. Skylar and I both cried as I wrote that one.
And for the record, they’re incredibly emotional to read too. What’s your favorite genre to write? To read?
Young adult fiction is by far my favorite to write. By that, I mean books for teens. Some people think I mean books for 20-somethings, but that’s actually called New Adult fiction.
I used to say that young adult fiction was also my favorite to read. Now I’ve discovered that I like any story that’s good. A year ago I would have told you that I’d never be interested in a book about vampires, and I’ve now read The Twilight Saga twice in the last six months. A genre I find myself drawn to is historical fiction. They have some of the prettiest covers!
(She has to say that about historicals because her crit buddy [me] writes them, mwa ha ha.) What are you reading right now—and what do you want to read next?
Right now I’m reading Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. My husband has been harassing me to read it for about a year now, and I finally made it a priority. I’m a few chapters in and really enjoying it.
(Roseanna butting in to say that I seconded her hubby on the necessity to read Ender’s Game and she can’t fight both of us. 😉
Next up is either The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen, Nothing but Trouble by Susan May Warren, or Anything but Normal by Melody Carlson. They’re all high up on the stack so it’ll just depend on my mood.
What lessons have you learned through the publication process that you wouldn’t have guessed as a pre-published writer?
That getting published is really only the beginning. I worked toward getting published for years. I dreamed about it, prayed about it, educated myself. When I signed my contract, I had that sense of, “Ah … I made it!” It lasted about five seconds, and then I was like, “Oh my gosh, marketing! Blogging! Getting a web site up! Writing new projects! Keeping up with everything else being published!”
I quickly discovered that I knew the ins and outs of being an aspiring author, but I knew nothingabout building a career. And there’s not much of a learning curve, either. Fortunately, I’ve been able to reach out to other fab young adult authors like Shelley Adina and Jenny B. Jones. They’ve been sweet enough to lend a helping hand, and I hope to pay it forward someday!
And as someone who could offer her a tidbit here and there that I picked up through reviewing, as well as someone who gets to soak up all she’s learning, I can tell you that this author is one who puts her all into her books, both during the writing process and once they’re on the shelves. Not that I’m biased. =)
~*~
Thanks, Stephanie, for chatting! Everyone should check out her beautiful website, where she also has a blog that alternately makes me laugh and touches me.
For those of you who don’t win the giveaway, you can purchase this fabulous book at Amazon. But by all means, try to get the signed copy here first! Just leave a comment and where I can reach you if you’re the lucky duck.
Contest will end 1/15/10. Void where prohibited and all that jazz.
Thoughtful About . . . Book Lovers
I will never forget my shock. There I sat, an innocent, in the admissions office at my college. All around me were the usual people that made up my day–the admissions counselors, the office manager, the director and associate director. We were minding our own business, recruiting future students for St. John’s College, a.k.a. the Great Books School. When out of nowhere, it happened. The new data manager (not an alum, let it be noted, unlike most of the employees) showed her true colors. “Tim and I are spring cleaning, and I threw out three boxes of books.”
Gasp! The horror . . . The sacrilege . . . Oh, let it not be so, let not this blasphemer be sitting two feet away from me . . .
We just stared at her in shock until she started laughing at the matching expressions on the faces of the four of us in the room. “What?” she finally asked.
I wrapped my tongue around it first. “You threw away books? And you dare to admit it here?”
Now, it’s no secret that we Johnnies are book-lovers. We make a four-year career out of collecting obscure literature, reading it, and discussing it in class. It’s what we do. In a lot of ways, it’s who we are. We are Book Lovers. We unite to sing the praises of all things bound in card stock with hotmelt and trimmed to size.
But there are those in the world who oppose our Creed. There are those who value Space and Organization above the wonder of typeset ideas. Some compromise by donating their unneeded books to good homes or libraries, which is an understandable decision. But some . . . some toss them carelessly to the side. As if they are . . . nothing! (Sob, gasp!)
Well, I am here as a safehouse. Just last night my husband erected four new four-foot shelves to hold the overflow. Now, most of these books that I so carefully placed in alphabetic order last night will not be with me forever. I am but a steward of them, seeing to their well-being until I find a good home for them, readers to devour their pages and write reviews for me. But oh, how I long to adopt them all!
In my quest to provide an island of safety for books of all kinds, I have developed several identities. I will answer to The Reviewer. The Librarian. The Bookworm. My keen ears can hear the phrase, “I need a new book to read” from a mile away, and my deft fingers will quickly pluck a selection from my shelves and deliver it to the friend or family member in need. It is not always an easy calling, but it is one I cannot ignore.
And we are training up another generation to take over our operations even now. As my itchy fingers dove into the box of books-awaiting-shelves the moment plywood touched brackets, my son and daughter were there beside me. Believing, hoping. And asking, “Mommy, do we get to keep all these books, or do we give them away?”
I caressed the spine of a novel just begging to be read. “These, sweetie, we’ll have to give away.”
A definite pout entered her tone. “But why, Mommy? Why can’t we keep them all?”
A question to bring tears to this Bookworm’s eyes. “Because, sweetie, other people need to read too. But don’t you worry. Though we send these out, new books will come in to take their places.”
I felt a little hand press against my leg. “I’ll help you Mommy. I’ll help you divide them. You just hand the non-fishing to me.” And she picked up a book with a cover that declared it non-fiction and put it in the pile for the lower shelf.
My chest swelled with pride. They’ll learn . . . and they’ll carry on. It’s what we do. It’s who we are.
We are Book Lovers.
Remember When . . . The Magi Arrived?
Happy Epiphany, everyone! (Okay, I don’t know if that’s the traditional greeting, but it’ll work. 😉 The twelve days of Christmas are officially over, and today’s the day when traditionally the decorations come down. Literally “manifestation,” the Epiphany is about commemorating the importance of God being made man through Christ. It’s also the celebration for when the Wise Men arrived on the scene.
Much of our Christmas tradition actually comes from the Magi. We give gifts because they gave gifts. And ah, how well we know them. Right? Gold–a traditional gift to give to royalty, arguably the most valuable commodity on earth at the time of Jesus. Frankincense–an aromatic resin used in perfume and also a traditional gift for a king, which is considered symbolic because of Christ’s divine authority. And myrrh–an incense used in burials, which is generally considered prophetic of the sacrifice of our Savior.
But did you ever stop to wonder about the Magi themselves? Their identities are greatly disputed, but their importance is well recognized. Because they were obviously not Jewish, their part in Jesus’ arrival points to the salvation offered to the Gentiles. They’re also generally thought to be scholars or astronomers, the only ones who would have taken enough note of the star to follow it. To me, that also indicates that Christ truly came to complete the Law as representing reason and logic; He calls us to faith, but also to understanding.
The traditional names of the Magi are Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar; these are in a Greek manuscript found in Alexandria in the sixth century. Given this and references to them as “kings,” historians think that Caspar may have been Rustaham-Gondofarr Suren-Pahlav, king of modern day Iran from 10 BC to 17 AD. As his name means “master of the treasury,” he is the one thought to deliver gold to our Lord.
One more interesting tidbit. On the Twelfth Day of Christmas (yesterday), observers would always scratch C+M+B onto their doorposts. Many mistake this as standing for the names of the Wise Men, but really it’s an abbreviation of the Latin phrase Christ Mansionem Benedictat, which means “Christ Bless this Home.”
In this coming year, may Christ dwell with you, giving you His blessings and filling you and yours with His Spirit. May today, and every day, bring you an Epiphany of the reality of His sovereignty.
~*~
Reminder–you only have until tomorrow to enter the giveaway on The Country House Courtship!
Story Time . . . OUT WITH THE IN CROWD by Stephanie Morrill
This week’s author interview and giveaway will be with my best friend Stephanie Morrill, about her second release, Out with the In Crowd. So to whet y’all’s appetite, today I’m going to tell how awesome her book is. =) (And don’t forget that you only have until Thursday to enter Friday’s giveaway on Linore’s The Country House Courtship.)
I read this book as soon as she finished writing it, and I remembering thinking then how she’d really come into her own with this one. Last night I grabbed it and sat down, intending to just flip through and refresh my memory. A hundred pages of flat-out reading later, I went to bed thinking that my crit partner is just awesome. The wit–hilarious. The plot–gripping. The characters–so honest it makes you want to take a closer look at yourself.
Out with the In Crowd is the continued saga of Skylar Hoyt, a former party girl who decides to turn her life around after a close call at a party last summer. In the first Skylar book, Me, Just Different, Skylar learns how hard it is to try to be better than you were, especially when you’re still hanging around the same friends. She now realizes it’s impossible without God . . . but even with Him, changing doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing.
Her parents are back together, but she can’t help but fear their family’s just one more hobby for her mom to take up, only to lose interest halfway through. Her sister can’t decide what she wants to do about the crisis-pregnancy-baby. And the boyfriend she loves doesn’t seem to get that he shouldn’t be so chummy with his ex–who happens to be her ex-best friend.
She isn’t the same Skylar she used to be. She wants to be a good daughter, a good sister, a good girlfriend . . . but she isn’t so sure she even knows who she is.
Out with the In Crowd is way more than a sequel–this is a book that dives into the nitty-gritty of a young woman’s heart, both the noble goals and the ugly hang-ons of her former self. It doesn’t just pull you in–it connects you with the Skylar in you.
Stephanie Morrill is a talented new voice who has really outdone herself with this new book. Witty, honest, and soul-wrenching, Out with the In Crowd won’t let you go once you turn the first page.
The story will update anyone who hasn’t read the first book in the series, but since it’s a continuation of Skylar’s story, I do recommend getting your hands on Me, Just Different first so you can enjoy the full rediscovery of our once-popular friend. And you’ll be on pins and needles for the final book in The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt trilogy, So Over It, that hits shelves this summer. (I happen to know the third one gets only better, as miraculous as that seems now that I’m rereading book two. I’m so in awe of you, Stephanie!)
These are the perfect books for the teens in your life, but fair warning–you adults out there might just get caught up in it too. You’ll be amazed at how quickly she drags you back to the drama of high school!
About Me
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.