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.

About A Match Made in High School
When a mandatory marriage education course forces Fiona to “try the knot” with super-jock Todd Harding, she’s convinced life could not possibly get any worse. Until moments later, when her long-time crush is paired with her arch-enemy (otherwise known as Todd’s obscenely hot, slightly sadistic girlfriend). But that’s nothing compared to her best friend’s fate – a year with the very shy, very goofy, very big Johnny Mercer.

A series of hilarious pranks and misunderstandings leave Fiona wondering: is there something her supposed “best friend” hasn’t told her? Could there be more to Johnny Mercer than a deep voice and an awesome music collection? And perhaps most intriguing of all, is it possible that Todd Harding could actually have a heart – and a brain – beneath his pretty-boy exterior?

About Kristin Walker
Kristin Walker grew up roaming the Pennsylvania countryside. She finally landed at Penn State, where she earned a BA in Theatre Arts. In addition to being actor, Kristin was many things on her way to becoming an author, such as a lifeguard, a nanny, a beginning ballroom dance instructor, a library circulation clerk, and very nearly a nurse. A Match Made in High School (Razorbill/Penguin Group) is her first novel. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Ladybug, Wee Ones, and two Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Kristin lives in a Chicago suburb with her husband and three sons.

Learn more about Kristin at her website.

A Match Made in High School is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!

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?!?!

About Stupid Cupid
Felicity Walker believes in true love. That’s why she applies for a gig at the matchmaking company Cupid’s Hollow. But when Felicity gets the job, she learns that she isn’t just a matchmaker…she’s a cupid! (There’s more than one of them, you know.)

Armed with a hot pink, tricked-out PDA infused with the latest in cupid magic (love arrows shot through email), Felicity works to meet her quota of successful matches. But when she bends the rules of cupidity by matching her best friend Maya with three different boys at once, disaster strikes. Felicity needs to come up with a plan to set it all right, pronto, before she gets fired…and before Maya ends up with her heart split in three.

About Rhonda Stapleton
Rhonda Stapleton started writing a few years ago to appease the voices in her head. She has a Master’s degree in English and a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. Rhonda works as an editor for a legal publishing company and enjoys offering editing workshops. Rhonda lives in Northeast Ohio with her lovely, energetic family, who are more than enough to keep her busy when she’s not writing.

In the twelve minutes of free time she has each day, Rhonda enjoys reading, photography, writing poetry, singing in the shower (and in the car, at work, or basically anywhere that provides oxygen), drinking chai tea, and playing on the Internet.

Learn more about Rhonda at her website.

Stupid Cupid is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!

“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.

About Struts & Frets
More than anything, Sammy wants to play guitar in a famous indie rock band. The problem is that his front man is a jerk who can’t sing, his bassist is a burn-out who can’t remember the songs, and his drummer is just out to lunch. But Sammy needs this band because it’s the only good thing he’s got going. His father skipped out before he was born, his mother is an overworked therapist with a drinking problem, his grandfather is slowly losing his mind to Alzheimer’s, and the girl of his dreams is dating his jerk lead singer.

Now that jerk lead singer has entered them in a Battle of the Bands contest to win free studio time and guaranteed radio play. Sammy has two weeks to get them to sound like a real band, or face public humiliation in front of the entire local indie music scene.

About Jon Skovron
Jon Skovron is an insatiable music geek who can play eight instruments, but none of them well. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, has lived all over the US, and now resides with his wife and two sons in Washington, DC. His short stories and reviews have appeared in publications like Jim Baen’s Universe and Internet Review of Science Fiction. Struts and Frets is his first novel.

Learn more about Jon at his website.

Struts & Frets is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!

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.

About Flash Burnout
Fifteen-year-old Blake has a girlfriend and a friend who’s a girl. One of them loves him, the other one needs him.

When he snapped a picture of a street person for his photography homework, Blake never dreamed that the woman in the photo was his friend Marissa’s long-lost meth addicted mom.

In a tangle of life, death, and love, Blake will emerge with a more sharply defined snapshot of loyalty.

About L.K. Madigan
L.K. Madigan is a writer living in Portland, Oregon, who finds it odd to speak in the third person. Therefore:

Hi. I am married with one son, two big black dogs, hundreds of books, and a couple of beaters, I mean vintage cars.

Learn more about L.K. at her website.

Flash Burnout is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!

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.

About The Espressologist
What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

About Kristina Springer
Kristina Springer has a Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Illinois State University and a Master of Arts in Writing from DePaul University. Her first novel, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, was published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux on October 27, 2009. Her second novel, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS, also from FSG, will be published in the fall of 2010. She lives in a suburb of Chicago, IL with her husband Athens and their four small children Teegan, Maya, London, and Gavin.

Learn more about Kristina at her website.

The Espressologist is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!

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.

About Candor
Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he’s found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He’s got them all fooled: Oscar’s the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he’s made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar falls in love. He must choose whether to let Nia be lost to brainwashing—or to sacrifice himself.

About Pam Bachorz
Pam Bachorz grew up in a small town in the Adirondack foothills, where she participated in every possible performance group and assiduously avoided any threat of athletic activity. Pam attended college in Boston and finally decided she was finished after earning four degrees. Her mother is not happy that Pam’s degrees are stored under her bed.

Pam lives just outside Washington, DC with her husband and their son. She likes to read books not aimed at her age group, go to museums and theater performances, and watch far too much television. She even goes jogging. Reluctantly.

As far as she knows, Pam has never been brainwashed. Or maybe that’s just what she’s supposed to say.

Learn more about Pam at her website.

Candor is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!

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!

About Give Up the Ghost
Cass McKenna much prefers the company of ghosts over “breathers.” Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody… and Cass loves dirt. She’s on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass’s whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim’s life, she’s surprised to realize he’s not so bad–and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it’s time to give the living another chance…

About Megan Crewe
Like many fiction authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and two cats (and does on occasion say “eh”), she tutors children and teens with special needs, and she has yet to make friends with a ghost, though she welcomes the opportunity.

Learn more about Megan at her website.

Give Up the Ghost is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!

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:

About Hate List
Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saves the life of a classmate, but is implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things they hated. The list her boyfriend used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

About Jennifer Brown
Jennifer Brown is the author of HATE LIST, a YA novel coming out in September 2009. As a two-time winner of The Erma Bombeck Global Humor award and weekly columnist for The Kansas City Star, as well as Saturday Featured Blogger for Mom2MomKC.com, Jennifer spends a lot of time dressing up her dog for laughs and thinking of new ways to works words such as “Puh-lease” and “Ch-yeah!” into sentences. Jennifer grew up in the Kansas City, Missouri area, where she still lives with her husband, three kids, and whole herd of uncooperative pets.

Learn more about Jennifer at her website.

Hate List is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!

About As You Wish
Seven months ago, Viola’s boyfriend told her he was gay—moments before she was going to lose her virginity to him. Heartbroken, Viola has resigned herself to near invisibility, until she inadvertently summons a young jinn out of his world, Caliban, and into her own. Here he will remain until she makes three wishes.

Jinn is anxious to get back to Caliban, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid her wishes will be manipulated into curses. Jinn knows that should she wait too long, the Ifrit, guardians of earthbound jinn, will press her to wish by hurting those around her.As they spend time together, Jinn can’t deny that he’s slowly falling in love with Viola, blurring the lines between master and servant. It’s only after Viola makes her first wish—for a popular boy to love her—that she realizes the feelings are mutual.

With every wish Jinn’s time with her diminishes, but the longer she waits to wish the greater danger she’s in from the Ifrit. Together, Viola, Jinn, and Viola’s ex-boyfriend try to outwit the Ifrit while dealing with their own romantic complexities and the alcohol-laced high school social scene.

About Jackson Pearce
Jackson Pearce is twenty-four years old and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with a slightly cross-eyed cat and a lot of secondhand furniture. She recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and a minor in Philosophy and currently works for a software company even though she auditioned for the circus (she juggled and twirled fire batons, but they still didn’t want her). Other jobs she’s had include obituaries writer, biker bar waitress, and receptionist.

In addition, Jackson coaches both colorguard and winterguard at a local high school; she’s taught over four hundred students since starting six years ago. Coaching provides the greatest “research” for writing YA that she could ever ask for and has introduced her to some of the most unique characters she’s ever met.

Jackson began writing when she got angry that the school librarian couldn’t tell her of a book that contained a smart girl, horses, baby animals, and magic. Her solution was to write the book herself when she was twelve. Her parents thought it was cute at first, but have grown steadily more concerned for her ever since.

Learn more about Jackson at her website.

As You Wish is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!

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.

About The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z
Gianna Zales has a lot on her plate this fall – a father who drives her to school in the family hearse, a mother who’s turned into the junk food police, a little brother who thinks he’s a member of the paparazzi, and a grandmother who leaves false teeth in the refrigerator. Worst of all, she’s left her 7th grade leaf collection to do at the last minute. It’s a monster project, and Gianna will miss cross-country sectionals if she doesn’t meet the deadline. She’ll need the help of her geeky friend, Zig, and some brilliant ideas of her own to pull it off.

About Kate Messner
Kate Messner grew up in Medina, New York and graduated from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Communication with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. She worked as a television news producer and reporter in Syracuse, NY and then Burlington, VT, before going back to school to get a teaching degree. These days, Kate is a National Board Certified middle school English teacher. She has helped hundreds of kids work on leaf collection projects and likes sugar maples and catalpa leaves the best. Kate lives on Lake Champlain with her husband and kids and loves spending time in the woods.

Learn more about Kate at her website.

The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!

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.

About Lipstick Apology
Four little words written in lipstick mean Emily must say goodbye to everything she knows. Emily Carson has always been a good girl. So when she throws a party the night her parents leave for vacation, she’s sure she’ll get busted. What Emily doesn’t know is that her parents will never return. That their plane will go down. And the only thing left amidst the wreckage will be a tray table with the words: Emily please forgive me scrawled in lipstick – her mother’s last words.

Now it’s fall in New York City and Emily’s trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Her public tragedy captures the attention of more than just the media – and soon two very different boys at her new school are pursuing her: the cute, popular Owen, and the quirky chemistry partner slash pastry-baker-by-night, Anthony. But even with such delicious distractions, Emily can’t let go of her mother’s mysterious apology. Does she have the courage to face the truth?

With help of a whole new kind of family – one that includes a make-up artist to the stars, a teen hand model, and a wacky hairdresser – Emily must choose between the boy who makes her forget it all, and the one who encourages her to remember, and ultimately, heal.

About Jennifer Jabaley
Jennifer Jabaley was born in New York and raised in Bridgewater, New Jersey. She graduated from James Madison University with a degree in chemistry and received a doctorate from Southern College of Optometry. A part-time optometrist and mother of two, Jennifer began writing her first novel after a phone call from her sister sparked an idea for a story that lingered in her mind and stirred her creative juices. LIPSTICK APOLOGY will be released in August of 2009 by Razorbill. Jen lives in Blue Ridge, Georgia and is currently at work on her second book.

Learn more about Jennifer at her website.

Lipstick Apology is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!