The Debut Club: An interview with Abi Ephinstone, author of THE DREAMSNATCHER and THE SHADOW KEEPER

Sweet Sixteeners Perdita and Honor Cargill recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Abi Ephinstone about her debut MG novels, THE DREAMSNATCHER (out now) and THE SHADOW KEEPER (February 25, 2016 from Simon & Schuster).

About the Author: 

Abi Elphinstone grew up building dens, hiding in tree houses and running wild across highland glens in Scotland. She worked as a teacher in Africa, and England.

Find Abi on her website, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and Twitter.

 

 

 

About THE DREAMSNATCHER and THE SHADOW KEEPER:

THE DREAMSNATCHER Twelve-year-old Molly Pecksniff wakes one night in the middle of the forest, lured there by a recurring nightmare – the one with the drums and the rattles and the masks. The Dreamsnatcher is waiting. Because Moll is more important than she knows…The Oracle Bones foretold that she and her wildcat Gryff are the only ones who can fight the Dreamsnatcher’s dark magic. Suddenly everything is at stake, and Moll, Alfie, a runaway from the enemy gang, and her friend Sid, are drawn into a world full of secrets, magic and adventure.

THE DREAMSNATCHER is available from: Amazon, Powells, Books A Million, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

And in the sequel, THE SHADOW KEEPER, outlawed from the forest, Moll, Gryff, Sid and Alfie continue their adventures in a secret cove down by the sea…

THE SHADOW KEEPER is available from: Amazon, Books A Million, and Barnes & Noble.

 

 

 

 

The Debut Club: An interview with Kate McGovern, author of RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES

Sweet Sixteener Marisa Reichardt recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Kate McGovern about her debut contemporary YA novel, RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES (November 24, 2015 from Macmillan/FSG).

About the Author: 

Kate McGovern has taught theatre and language arts to middle schoolers in Boston, New York, and London. A graduate of Yale and Oxford, she currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she was born and raised.

RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES is her first novel.

photo credit: Liz Vidyarthi

Find Kate on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES:

Seventeen-year-old Rose Levenson has a decision to make: Does she want to know how she’s going to die? Because when Rose turns eighteen, she can take the test that tells her if she carries the genetic mutation for Huntington’s disease, the degenerative condition that is slowly killing her mother.

With a fifty-fifty shot at inheriting her family’s genetic curse, Rose is skeptical about pursuing anything that presumes she’ll live to be a healthy adult-including her dream career in ballet and the possibility of falling in love. But when she meets a boy from a similarly flawed genetic pool and gets an audition for a dance scholarship across the country, Rose begins to question her carefully laid rules.

A heartrending but ultimately uplifting debut novel about learning to accept life’s uncertainties; a perfect fit for the current trend in contemporary realistic novels that confront issues about life, death, and love.

RULES FOR 50/50 CHANCES is available from: Amazon, Powells, Books A Million, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, and Porter Square Books (signed copies available).

The Debut Club: An interview with Ronni Arno, author of RUBY REINVENTED

Sweet Sixteener Brooks Benjamin recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Ronni Arno about her debut contemporary MG novel, RUBY REINVENTED (November 3, 2015 from Simon and Schuster/Aladdin).

About the Author: 

Ronni Arno writes middle grade and young adult novels, because she thinks kids are cool, and so are the books they read. Ronni lives on the coast of Maine with her husband, two daughters, and a dog named Hazel. Her debut, RUBY REINVENTED, publishes with Simon & Schuster/Aladdin on November 3, 2015. Her next book publishes with Simon & Schuster/Aladdin in Summer 2016. When she’s not writing, Ronni stalks her kids for story ideas, kayaks, and eats chocolate… but not usually at the same time. 

Find Ronni on her Website, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, and Twitter.

 

About RUBY REINVENTED:

When twelve-year-old Ruby learns that her supposed BFFs are only friends with her because her of her famous parents, she finds a place as far from fake and phony Hollywood as she can get: a Maine boarding school. In her panic to distance herself from her star-studded folks, Ruby tells her new friends that she’s an orphan. She feels awful lying to her weird but wonderful roommate Summer (the first real friend Ruby has ever had), but not awful enough. In fact, now that nobody’s comparing her to her perfect parents, Ruby can finally let her own talents as a dress designer take center stage. But when Ruby finds herself connecting with a boy who really did lose his parents, she’s torn between who she is and who she’s pretending to be. And with Parent’s Weekend approaching, she must find a way to keep her secret… without losing her new best friend, the trust of her first crush, and the chance to shine as the designer of her own fashion show.

RUBY REINVENTED is available from: Amazon, Powells, Books A Million, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound. 

The Debut Club: An interview with Ingrid Sundberg, author of ALL WE LEFT BEHIND

Sweet Sixteener Shannon Parker recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Ingrid Sundberg about her debut contemporary YA novel, ALL WE LEFT BEHIND (November 1, 2015 from Simon Pulse).

About the Author: 

Ingrid Sundberg holds an MFA in writing for children from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman University. She grew up in Maine, but now lives in sunny California, where she misses the colors of autumn. She loves polka dots, baking, and dying her hair every color of the rainbow. All We Left Behind is her first novel. 

Find Ingrid on her Website, Facebook, Instagram (@isundberg), Pinterest, and Twitter.

 

 

About ALL WE LEFT BEHIND:

An evocative and tantalizing debut novel! For teen couple Marion and Kurt, every kiss unravels memories they would both rather forget, and long-buried secrets threaten to tear them apart. Explosive together and hollow apart, Marion and Kurt may be totally wrong for each other – or more right than they ever thought possible.

ALL WE LEFT BEHIND is available from: Amazon, Powells, Books A Million, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Marcy Beller Paul, author of UNDERNEATH EVERYTHING

Sweet Sixteener Rebecca Podos recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Marcy Beller Paul about her debut contemporary YA novel, UNDERNEATH EVERYTHING (October 27, 2015 from Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins).

About the Author: 

Marcy Beller Paul still has all the notes she passed in seventh grade (and knows how to fold them). She graduated from Harvard University in Massachusetts and worked as an editor in New York before moving back to New Jersey, where she now lives with her husband and two children. Underneath Everything is her first novel.

Find Marcy on her Website, Facebook, and Twitter.

 

 

 

 

About UNDERNEATH EVERYTHING:

Mattie quit the social scene for a reason, but by senior year she’s sick of missing things. When she drags her best–and only–friend Kris to the bonfire, Mattie is drawn back into an intoxicating–and toxic–relationship that blurs the boundary between reality and fantasy, love and loyalty, friendship and obsession.

UNDERNEATH EVERYTHING is available from: Amazon, Powells, Books A Million, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound. Find signed copies at Books of Wonder.

The Debut Club: An interview with Dawn Ius, author of Anne & Henry

Sweet Sixteener Sonya Mukherjee recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Dawn Ius about her YA contemporary debut novel, ANNE & HENRY (September 1, 2015 from Simon Pulse).

About the Author:

Dawn Ius is a short-story author, novelist, screenwriter, professional editor, and communications specialist. She is the Assistant Managing Editor of the International Thriller Writers Association’s monthly magazine, The Big Thrill, co-founder and senior editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and the author of ten educational graphic novels published by the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. When she’s not slaying fictional monsters, she’s geeking out over fairy tales, Jack Bauer, Halloween, sports cars, and all things that go bump in the night. Dawn lives in Alberta, Canada, with her husband, Jeff, and their giant English Mastiff, Roarke. Dawn also writes paranormal young adult fiction under the last name Dalton.

Find Dawn on her website, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Goodreads.

About ANNE & HENRY:

In this creative retelling of the infamous—and torrid—love affair between Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, history collides with the present when a sizzling romance ignites in a modern-day high school.

Henry Tudor’s life has been mapped out since the day he was born. But ever since the death of his brother, the pressure for Henry to be perfect has doubled. And now he’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing a life as an artist or dating any girl who isn’t Tudor-approved. Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life. Wild, brash, and outspoken, Anne is everything Henry isn’t allowed to be—or want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. Henry is willing to do anything to be with her, but once they’re together, will their romance destroy them both?

ANNE & HENRY is available for purchase from Amazon, Powell’s, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Ann Jacobus, author of ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT

Sweet Sixteener Rosalyn Eves recently interviewed Fearless Fifteener Ann Jacobus about her dark YA contemporary, ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT (October 6, 2015, from St. Martin’s Griffin).

Marc Olivier Le Blanc photography, Pictures by San Francisco Photographer, advertising and editorial.

About the Author:

As a teen, Ann Jacobus was always in the chorus of plays and musicals, never the lead. She earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She and her family spent many years in the Island Kingdom of Bahrain in the Arabian Gulf and in Paris, France. She now lives in San Francisco where she writes, reads, teaches writing, and volunteers weekly on a suicide crisis line.

 

Find Ann on her website, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

 

 

 

About ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT:

Haunting and beautifully written, with a sharp and distinctive voice that could belong only to this character, ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT is an unforgettable young adult novel.

Summer Barnes just moved to Paris to repeat her senior year of high school. After being kicked out of four boarding schools, she has to get on the right track or she risks losing her hefty inheritance. Summer is convinced that meeting the right guy will solve everything. She meets two. Moony, a classmate, is recovering against all odds from a serious car accident, and he encourages Summer to embrace life despite how hard it can be to make it through even one day. But when Summer meets Kurt, a hot, mysterious older man who she just can’t shake, he leads her through the creepy underbelly of the city-and way out of her depth.

When Summer’s behavior manage to alienate everyone, even Moony, she’s forced to decide if a life so difficult is worth living. With an ending that’ll surprise even the most seasoned reader, Ann Jacobus’ ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIGHT is an unputdownable and utterly compelling novel.

ROMANCING THE DARK IN THE CITY OF LIFE is available from Amazon, Powell’s, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Indiebound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Sarah J. Schmitt, author of IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH

Sweet Sixteener Erin Teagan recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Sarah J. Schmitt about her YA fantasy debut novel, IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH (October 6, 2015 from Sky Pony Press).

About the Author:

Sarah J. Schmitt is a K-8 school librarian and Youth Service Professional for Teens at a public library. Prior to immersing herself in the world of the written word, she earned her Masters of Science in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from Indiana University where she worked with first year college students as they acclimated to college life. Sarah lives outside of Indianapolis with her husband, two kidlets and a cat who might actually be a secret agent. She is an active member of SCBWI, ALA and the Indiana Library Federation and is a regular participant at the Midwest Writer’s Workshop.

Find Sarah on her website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

About IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH:

Seventeen-year-old RJ always gets what she wants. So when her soul is accidentally collected by a distracted Grim Reaper, somebody in the afterlife better figure out a way to send her back from the dead or heads will roll. But in her quest for mortality, she becomes a pawn in a power struggle between an overzealous archangel and Death Himself. The tribunal presents her with two options: she can remain in the lobby, where souls wait to be processed, until her original lifeline expires, or she can replay three moments in her life in an effort to make choices that will result in a future deemed worthy of being saved. It sounds like a no-brainer. She’ll take a walk down memory lane. How hard can changing her future be?

IT’S A WONDERFUL DEATH is available for purchase from Amazon, Powell’s, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Mackenzi Lee, author of THIS MONSTROUS THING

Sweet Sixteener Jessica Cluess recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Mackenzi Lee about her YA fantasy debut novel, THIS MONSTROUS THING (September 22, 2015 from Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins).

About the Author:

Mackenzi Lee holds a BA in history and an MFA from Simmons College in writing for children and young adults. She loves Diet Coke, sweater weather, and Star Wars. On a perfect day, she can be found enjoying all three. She currently lives in Boston, where she works as a bookseller and almost never reanimates corpses. Almost.

Find Mackenzi on her Website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

About THIS MONSTROUS THING:

In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits. His brother, Oliver—dead. His sweetheart, Mary—gone. His chance to break free of Geneva—lost. Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead. But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship. Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

THIS MONSTROUS THING is available for purchase from Amazon, Powell’s, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

The Debut Club: An interview with Constance Lombardo, author of MR. PUFFBALL, STUNT CAT TO THE STARS

Sweet Sixteener Jennifer Bardsley recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Constance Lombardo about her debut middle grade illustrated novel, MR. PUFFBALL, STUNT CAT TO THE STARS (September 29, 2015 from Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins).

About the Author: 

Constance Lombardo began drawing when she was 10 years old. She studied Illustration at Syracuse University, took classes in drawing and printmaking at the Art Students League of NY, and worked with a muralist in San Francisco. Her illustrations have appeared in a variety of magazines. Her debut illustrated middle grade novel, MR. PUFFBALL: STUNT CAT TO THE STARS (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins) is coming out this fall. She is represented by Lori Nowicki of Painted Words. Plus she likes cats. And cake. But not at the same time.

Find Constance at her website, or on Twitter and Facebook.

About MR. PUFFBALL: STUNT CAT TO THE STARS:

Mr. Puffball’s a hero for today. Or possibly tomorrow. He’s a cat. He’s awesome. And . . . wait for it . . . he’s going to Hollywood to become a famous movie star! Follow Mr. Puffball on his trip cross-country. (Look at all the postcards to Mom!) See him stumble upon Hobowood! (Not as glamorous as Hollywood, but full of beans.) Watch him land at last in Hollywood, where he meets a cast of thousands (or at least half a dozen) and catapults himself into the next best thing to being a famous movie star: working as a stunt cat to his movie star hero, El Gato!

MR. PUFFBALL: STUNT CAT TO THE STARS is available for pre-order at:Amazon, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, and Indie Bound, or purchase a signed copy here.