Laurie Stolarz has two new books out, and because she can do a better job telling you about them than I can, here's a little note from Laurie. (but before that, can I just say that I LOVE the cover for DEADLY LITTLE LIES).

Dear Readers of Jenny's Blob:

Thanks so much for inviting me to talk here about BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS and DEADLY LITTLE LIES.
BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS is a companion book to the BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series. When my editor approached me with the idea of writing a graphic novel, I was very intrigued because it gave me the opportunity to not only try something new, but to really picture the book as a movie. I have a background in screenwriting and wrote BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS in screenplay format, adding in ideas for illustrations and sidebars. It was an absolute thrill to write – to have the opportunity to work with an illustrator, and to see my work come to life in this way. BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS does not take the place of a regular prose novel in the series. It is a companion piece, complimenting the entire series as a whole. It picks up where RED IS FOR REMEMBRANCE left off, and also shows some fan-favorite scenes from the entire series.

DEADLY LITTLE LIES is the sequel to DEADLY LITTLE SECRET, (the first book in the TOUCH series). I’m really excited about it, because I think it has even more suspense, romance, and twists than the first book. It starts up a few months after Ben’s departure at the end of DEADLY LITTLE SECRET. Camelia’s spent those months researching everything she can.

I’m launching the release of DEADLY LITTLE LIES with a really exciting contest; be sure to check out the details here.

Lastly, the paperback of DEADLY LITTLE SECRET is out as well. For a limited time Barnes & Noble is offering an exclusive edition that has bonus excerpts from Ben’s secret blog.

Many thanks again for this opportunity to chat!
All best,
Laurie Stolarz

A Good Book?

I'm jonesing for a good book. I have about 5 books that I recently bought and, sadly, none of them is doing it for me. And I really, really want to like them. One is actually the third book from an author I've read in the past. I never loved the other two I read, but I enjoyed them. But this one, I'm just not getting into it (although I think it has one of the prettiest covers I've seen in a while). Last night I started LIAR and I'm hoping I like it. Everyone seems to have something to say about the book, so we'll see.

I just wish I had a book that I couldn't put down.

I just finished reading Sonya Sones' latest book, WHAT MY GIRLFRIEND DOESN'T KNOW (making it the fourth book with a male main character I've read this year). I loved WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW but wasn't convinced I'd enjoy reading about the continuing story from the boy's point of view. But I LOVED it. Then I picked up another of Sonya's books, ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES. And I just ordered another of hers (sadly, after this one I'll have read all of her books and will have to wait for a new one).

Sonya writes in verse - that means they're poems!! Yes, I'm loving poetry (or at least Sonya's). These books are so amazing. But I decided to see what other readers thought of her latest, because not that many teen books are written in verse. I found a review by a mother.

The title of her review was Absolutely Disgusting. In her review she said that the book "is all about sex, kissing, arranging alone time while parents are not present." And she went on and on about how inappropriate this book was (even calling it a glorified sex movie in print). And nobody in the book ever even has sex!!

It totally boggled my mind. Because I have a daughter and I'd let her read this book in a heartbeat. The writing is wonderful, the characters are finely drawn. And to her point about the "sex" etc., the fact is Robin (the male main character) had an opportunity to "kiss" and go further with another girl, but he chose to be with the girl he loves - the very girl who wasn't having sex because she wasn't ready. I was more disturbed and appalled by the actions of the other characters - the kids who callously pick on Robin, the "best friends" who turn their back so easily - than I was by the honest emotions and physicality of the main characters.

I can't imagine writing a book that wasn't honest to the characters in it. And I certainly can't imagine keeping my daughter from reading a book because I was afraid she'd feel it was an endorsement of what takes place in the story. I read books growing up that contained sex, drugs, pregnancy, etc. and you know what? I didn't end up a crack addicted pregnant teen. But you what I did end up being? Someone who can appreciate stories and characters and the thrill of loving a story told through the eyes of fabulous characters.

What about you? Did your parents ever prohibit you from reading an "inappropriate" book? How do you feel about this?

Over on the MTV Books Blog, Jennifer Echols posed the question: What DON'T you see yourself ever writing? Thought I'd repost my answer here (although in addition to this one thing, I also never see myself writing anything having to do with fantasy, vampires, angels, ghosts, special powers or historical fiction).

In the past 4 years I have read exactly 3 books with a guy as the main character. And those three books are all by the same author (John Green). Is that lame? Maybe. But here's the thing: I love reading about girls. I like when I feel like I relate to a character, that she could be my best friend or my enemy or even me.

And a guy? Well, I'll never be a guy. I can't even pretend to know what goes through a guy's head. In my book THE BOOK OF LUKE every chapter begins with a "Tip" for guys. Like Chapter Two: "Tip #3: Toenail clippers do not require hours of instruction, exceptional manual dexterity or an advanced degree. They're like scissors, but smaller. Use them." Or Chapter Twenty-five: "Tip #86: Bed head is not a hair style. Show a little effort. It can go a long way." I had so much fun coming up with those tips, I got to rehash everything about guys that I don't understand and put them down on paper. It was like therapy.

I suppose I should be open-minded enough to admit that some great male characters come from women, and some men have written great books with a girl as the main character. But that's them. Me? If I was going to try to honestly and truly get inside the head of a guy I may as well spend my time trying to get inside the head of a nuclear physicist. They'd be equally challenging. (caveat: I love, love, love writing the male characters in my books, but would never ever want them to be the main characters) So I don't think I'll ever write a book with a guy as the main character.

That said... I am currently writing a book with a boy as the main character (RYAN PICKLER: BORN TO BE RAD). But it's a middle grade book and I'm writing it with my son, who is a fourth grade boy. And I know him pretty darn well enough to write a character that is the spitting image of him (and all the gross things a 9 year old boy does). I'm loving every minute we spend coming up with crazy stuff for Ryan Pickler to do, say and react to. I love Ryan Pickler, farts and all.

But as soon as Ryan turns 14, I'm done with him.

I just read a book I loved, loved, loved!!! WHAT MY GIRLFRIEND DOESN'T KNOW by Sonya Sones. I loved the "prequel" to this book, WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW but hesitated a bit before buying this book. Because the main character is (gulp) a guy! And I don't usually like books about guys (and you can see why here).

But, boy, it was awesome (no pun intended). Sones writes in verse - which means it's (another gulp) poetry! But it feels like the most fluid story ever, and I hated, hated finishing it.

So, Sonya Sones, I love your books! Go out and buy one and see for yourself why her books are so great. ( just bought her book ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES and I can't wait to jump in!)

My new jeans just arrived in the mail and my husband rolled his eyes at me. "How many pairs of jeans does one person need?" he wanted to know.

"You can never have too many jeans," I told him. But it got me thinking about jeans, and how jeans have defined parts of my life.

One year for school (6th grade) I told my mom I wanted "French" jeans. She bought me a pair of Sassoon jeans before anyone had ever seen them mentioned (along with Oo-la-la) in a commercial. The next year I got a pair of Calvin Klein jeans and I can remember how they'd stretch when I put them on because they had spandex in them. Those were my designer years, when jeans felt "formal" and special. And even though nothing came between Brooke and her Calvins, underwear came between me and mine.

In high school, my sophomore year, I got the greatest pair of Girbaud jeans. They were amazing. I wore them with flats. I went to a high school with a dress code that didn't include jeans, so on the weekends all I ever wore to parties were jeans. That pair of Girbaud saw lots of life in their three years of high school. I felt so contemporary when I wore them.

My first week of college I bought a pair of Levi's. I thought they were too dark, so I also bought a bottle of bleach and soaked them in the bathroom sink until they were a nice pale shade of blue with some patches of dark where they didn't get covered. I wore those jeans into the ground. Jeans in college were all about comfort and feeling good. Even when they eventually ripped (I really did wear them ALOT) I sewed blue bandannas into the knees and kept wearing them (I went to college in the late 80's so the look was totally acceptable).

After college I bought Gap jeans. Skinny ones. They never made me feel as good as the Levi's.

Now I have 12 pairs of jeans in my closet. The newer ones are bootcuts (from Abercrombie), which I never thought I'd wear because I never thought I was a bootcut kind of girl. I have some with tab pockets in the back, which look cool but sort of make me feel like I'm trying too hard. And I have a few old pairs that for some reason I keep even if I haven't worn them in years. And I still have that faded pair of Levi's from college (and they still fit). It's not like I ever plan to wear them with all their holes and bandannas sewn all over the place. But I can't bear to get rid of them. They remind me of college and hanging out with friends and writing on my jeans in class when doodling was more fun than taking notes on Plato's Republic. If those jeans could write a book, let me tell you, it would be a comedy and a drama and one heck of a read.

What about you? Do you have clothes in your closet that tell your story?

Happy Back to School!!!

For everyone heading back to school, good luck & have fun!