I don’t read a lot of contemporary realistic fiction. I’ll admit it. I like my elves and my spaceships. But I also love characters with heart and wit who pop off the pages, and that perfect mix of side-splitting humor with real emotion, and the sharp perfection of well-done banter. And I love good voice. It’s what I adore about books like Dairy Queen, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, The Boyfriend List by E Lockhart, and the book I’m here to talk about today: A Match Made in High School, by Kristin Walker. I read MATCH back in May of 2009 (it was originally slated to release last year) and I still remember the characters fondly (even the ones I thought I would hate). I loved the mixture of humor and emotion, the sharpness and determination and very human flaws of the main character Fiona (who reminds me a bit of Veronica Mars as she deals with the High School experience, the ins and the outs, the yearnings and the humiliations). I’m so excited it is finally out in the world, so other folks can have the fun of reading it. Note: it is YA, and there’s some colorful language.

So today, here’s Kristin to talk a little about her debut!

Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.

A: Sam’s character was really easy for me to write, probably because I’ve been around kids pretty consistently for the past 15 years.

Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?

A: The Seven Chinese Brothers is one of my favorites. I’ve always liked the theme of people using their separate, specific talents to work together toward a common goal.

I also love the Maori folktales about Maui. I have a special affinity for all things New Zealand, since I lived there as a child.

Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?

A: Besides getting the offer of representation from my agent, and getting the offer of a sale from my publisher, I’d say it was holding the ARC of MATCH in my hand for the first time. Then later, seeing them lined up on a shelf. That made it all tangible and real.

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Today I’m happy to welcome Rhonda Stapleton (the last, but not the least of the 2009 Debutantes) to my blog, to answer a few questions about her debut YA novel Stupid Cupid.

Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.

A: The tarot card reading scene was surprisingly easy to write…in fact, it’s the only scene my editor didn’t bleed all over. LOL

Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?

A: I am fascinated (and super saddened) by the little mermaid–the original one, where she turns into sea foam. Wow, how awful is that, really?

Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?

A: Getting my final author copies in. It’s really real now!! How crazy is that?!?!

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Today I’m happy to welcome Jon Skovron to my blog, to answer a few questions about his debut YA novel Struts & Frets. I am eagerly looking forward to getting my own copy this very weekend, when I get to meet up with Jon and several other debut authors at Books of Wonder for a holiday book signing and Q&A. I am especially excited about Struts & Frets because I have a soft spot for books about teen musicians, and because of this blurb:

“Struts & Frets will feel instantly authentic to anyone who’s ever felt the pride and shame of being an outsider” –Cory Doctorow (author of Little Brother and co-founder of BoingBoing.net)

Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.

A: All of the dialogue between Sammy and his best friend Rick flowed so easily. Their humor, their rhythms. Honestly, I think I could write an entire novel of nothing by their conversations, although I don’t think anyone but me would be entertained by that much snarky teen boy goofiness.

Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?

A: I love so many of them, but one of my all time favorites is Cinderella. The real story. The one where the stepmother cuts off parts of the stepsisters feet to try to get them to fit into the glass slipper. Yeah, dude. That’s the way I like my fairy tales. Grimm.

Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?

A: So far, holding an actual final hardback copy of my book in my hand. Not gonna lie, I got a little misty.

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Today I’m happy to welcome L.K. Madigan to my blog, to answer a few questions about her debut YA novel Flash Burnout.

Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.

A: The scene in which Blake’s dad talks to him about birth control was really fun to write.

Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?

A: Classic fairy tales are pretty grim. (Get it? Grimm?) The female character is always being poisoned or slaving away for villains or getting locked in a tower/dungeon/cellar. The fairy tale I most dislike is the original Little Mermaid story – not only does she give up her voice to be with her beloved prince, but having legs instead of a tail feels like walking on knives to her. THEN he chooses someone else, anyway, and she can’t go back home unless she kills him. She bravely refuses, and becomes foam on the sea. Sob!

Maybe that’s why I wrote my own mermaid book. (Coming out next year.)

Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?

A: I’m starting to receive fan mail (really! I got an email yesterday titled “fan mail”), but I think the most exciting part of this journey has been the friendships with other writers I’ve developed. I expect that pleasure to continue, so I’m totally thrilled by that perk of being published.

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Today I’m happy to welcome Kristina Springer to my blog, to answer a few questions about her debut novel The Espressologist. I haven’t had the opportunity to read this one myself yet, but I love the cute premise: a barista who matchmakes her customers based on their drink choices. (For the record, my husband and I both like chai lattes. Hopefully that means we are meant to be together!).

Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.

A: The opening of the book was really easy to write. I remember sitting at Starbucks, trying to figure out how to start the book when this obnoxious guy came in was going bonkers oogling this girl. I started writing about him.

Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?

A: I’ve always been a Cinderella fan. When my husband and I got married we had the horse and carriage, the castle wedding cake, glass slippers, and a groom’s cake in the shape of a storybook. I’m not sure why I’ve always been drawn to that story. Maybe it’s all that housework my mom made me do as a kid.

Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?

A: Signing advanced review copies of the book at ALA in Chicago was pretty freaking cool. That made it all seem very real. The day I got the ARCs was also pretty exciting. I recall dancing in the driveway with my books.

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Today I’m happy to welcome Pam Bachorz to my blog, to answer a few questions about her debut novel Candor.

Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.

A: I love the scenes that flow out of my fingertips. They are always my readers’ favorites too. But there was one scene that tied me in knots–it happens about a third of the way in, and it’s a really important one. The secrets that my MC have been keeping from his girlfriend all come spilling out, and the plot spins off in a new direction. I probably rewrote that, changing setting, characters, dialog, at least ten times–not counting just editing rewrites. Man it made me insane. I hope it’s good, now. But honestly I never want to see that chapter again!

Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?

A: I love myths and fairy tales. My fave is actually Snow White / Rose Red. I love that it’s a story about sisters who loved each other (instead of, say, destroying each other’s ball gowns) and I also love the image of that bear visiting them every night, sleeping in front of the fire, so grateful for human companionship.

Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?

A: I got to go to a very large publishing convention called the BookExpo America (BEA) this year, to help support the launch of CANDOR. It was wild to see my title, my name, my BOOK!, displayed in my publishers’ booth–and they really treated me like something special, which was head-spinning. It was equally exciting to meet the authors whose work inspires and feeds me, and to grab some copies of upcoming books I’m pumped about (like CATCHING FIRE, months before its release!). I just felt so…. legit that weekend.

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Today I’m happy to welcome Megan Crewe to my blog, to answer a few questions about her debut novel Give Up the Ghost. I first met Megan years ago when we were both members of the Online Writing Workshop for SF, Fantasy and Horror (which I highly recommend for anyone looking for an online critique site). Even back then I knew Megan would be published one day — her prose was just so lovely and her ideas so bewitching! We’ve been critiquing one another’s books ever since, and so this debut is particularly noteworthy and exciting for me, because I have been following this book from fairly early on, and have seen how much love and work Megan has put into it, taking what was already a brilliant concept (a girl who talks to ghosts and uses them to get gossip to keep the mean kids in line at school) into a truly haunting and beautiful book. I am reading the final published version now, and it is wonderful. I love the main character Cass particularly, with her prickly ways and emotional damage and wry humor. If you like ghost stories, beautiful writing, and fully realized characters check this one out!

Now, here’s Megan to answer a few questions about her book!

Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.

A: Most of the scenes with Paige were easy–I felt that I knew her character really well right from the start.

Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?

A: One of my favorite myths is the one about Thor’s wedding day. It has that balance of humor and violence that makes Norse mythology fascinating.

Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?

A: I think the most exciting part has been holding the actual (advance) copies in my hands–that made everything seem so much more real. I can’t wait until I have the finished books!

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Today’s installment of the Debut 2009 Blog Tour is a special Double Feature: two fabulous debut novels and two talented debut authors!

First up is Jennifer Brown, author of Hate List. Even if that striking cover didn’t make me want to pick it up, the premise certainly would: it’s the story of the girlfriend of a school shooter, coming to terms with her own role in the tragedy. I am really looking forward to reading this one.

Here’s Jennifer, to answer a few questions:

Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.

A: My main character, Valerie, was very difficult to write, because it was tough to accurately show her grief and pain and confusion and anger, but still make her someone my readers would like and care about. Someone in that kind of emotional trouble is tough to like. I had to dig deep, get really down into her emotions to find the soft spots that would make readers go, “Oh. Now I understand her.”

Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?

A: Who doesn’t love Cinderella? And what I love most about it is there are so many ways to re-tell it, and it never, ever gets old.

Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?

A: I’ve met a lot of really cool people in the YA world. From bloggers to dedicated YA fans to… Debs. Everyone’s so awesome!

Part two of this Debut Double Feature is the infamous and multi-talented Jackson Pearce, author of As You Wish.

I want to read Jackson’s book for a lot of reasons (and yes, one reason is that the title of her debut is a line from one of my favorite movies!). Jackson is the founder of the 2009 Debutantes, a community of debut YA and MG authors that saved my sanity dozens of times over the past year. She’s full of energy, creativity, and wit, and everything I’ve heard about As You Wish leads me to believe it’s exactly the sort of book I would enjoy: charming, magical, clever, and fun. Plus, it features an (in my opinion) considerably underutilized supernatural entity: a genie!

In addition to being an author and the fearless leader of the Debs, Jackson creates some brilliant vlogs about all sorts of book and publishing related topics. My favorite is probably her Imaginary Writing Process:

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Today I’m happy to welcome Kate Messner to my blog, to answer a few questions about her novel The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. I read Gianna in ARC form a while back and really enjoyed it. I think readers who love the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary (or more recent books like A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban or Rules by Cynthia Lord) would love this warm, richly imagined story, sparkling with quirky and, yes, brilliant details.

Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.

A: The scene in the doctor’s office was the hardest for me but is one of my favorites now. Without giving too much away, it’s a huge turning point in the book and an emotional one that I hadn’t explored fully in the first draft. My editor asked me to go back, dig deeper, and rewrite it. I was writing in the library that day and remember sitting in the corner with tears rolling down my face when I finally felt like I’d gotten it right.

Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?

A: Native American stories are usually my favorites because their heroines think for themselves and show courage and cleverness in solving problems (and defeating monsters and things like that). I’m not a big fan of fairy tales where the women sit around waiting to be rescued. Who has time for that?

Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?

A: I pretty much screamed when I found out that THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z. was chosen for the Fall Kids Indie Next list. I’m a huge fan of independent bookstores in general and my local indies, Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne, VT and The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, NY, so having independent booksellers choose my book as one of the top choices for kids this fall was a terrific honor.

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Today I’m happy to welcome Jennifer Jabaley to my blog, to answer a few questions about her novel Lipstick Apology. I haven’t read this one yet but it’s got a very interesting premise and I am looking forward to checking it out!

Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.

A: For some reason, the character of Trent, Aunt Jolie’s best friend, was really easy and fun to write. He was inspired by a guy I met and talked to for about 10 minutes, but his personality was so vibrant I was able to just expand him into this zany character.

Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?

A: I love the classic Beauty and The Beast. I think aside from a charming story, it has wonderful themes to teach: You can be beautiful but also smart. Someone may not be beautiful but may have a heart of gold. I love that the internal traits weigh more heavily than the outward appearances and ultimately that’s what brings them happiness. It’s such a great message.

Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?

A: Wow, everyday I’m blown away by all the exciting things that are happening! When I received my ARCs it was the first time I think it really hit me – this is happening! Hearing early reviews has been wonderful and even receiving some fan mail from early readers has been wonderful! And I’m so anxious to walk into a bookstore and see my book on the shelf. That, I think, will truly be the ultimate feeling of accomplishment.

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