Suzanne Young's Blog, page 9

Time to Catch Up!

I haven't been blogging much over the past few weeks, but I figured I'd FINALLY upload some of my photos. And then after going through them, I realized that my phone takes TERRIBLE pictures. Oh, well. Here they are anyway!

First up is me and my sassy author friend Lisa Schroeder. (Sorry, Lisa. I just loved this picture too much not to share!) Her second middle grade novel SPRINKLES AND SECRETS just came out. Pick it up!



Then here we are with blogger Vy at the Smart Chicks Tour



This may be a scene in the upcoming A WANT SO WICKED...

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Sara Gundell (Novel Novice) and I were at Kidlit Con a few weeks ago, speaking about how bloggers and authors can work together for promotion. It was a blast! Here we are with Scott Westerfeld.



And here we are with the harbinger of death.



Sara even created some fan art for A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL

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Just before we picked up some conference essentials

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Coming up soon after was WORDSTOCK. Amazing, time. And I got to fulfill a life long dream of singing karaoke with John Corey Whaley (WHERE THINGS COME BACK)--who happens to be the coolest man alive. YEAH, HE IS!



Partied the weekend away with Vania of VLC Productions and Sara

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Also hung out with Kim Derting, Lindsey Leavitt, Lauren Oliver, Patrick Carman--plus got to panel with Maggie Stiefvater and Isaac Marion.






Took some photos for the imagined setting of a new YA novel I'm working on--THE CONSTANT. Pretty, right?




Went to PNBA and met up with the super duper dope Kendare Blake (ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD).



And then this week I went to Laini Taylor's DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE event at my favorite book store Powell's. Laini read possibly the best excerpt EVER. Check out the book, for real.



That's it! I mean, there are more pictures, but this took me about an hour to put together. So maybe I'll update again next month. What have you been up to? :-)

New Photos!

One of the first things my friends say to me when picking up a finished copy of A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL is--"Is that you?"

My author photo, taken by the incredibly talented photographer Dawn Goei, was a totally different direction for me. I, get this, wasn't smiling. I looked serious. No, not just serious serious, but I-might-kick-your-ass serious. I loved it!!

But over time, I got sick of people not recognizing me from my author photo. After all, I smile constantly. Annoyingly often. So I asked Dawn to retake my pictures--this time trying to capture more of me.

The result:



So I'm pretty happy, although as most people can tell you I seek out and mention each flaw. I won't do that here. Hooray for not having to put on that much makeup again any time soon!

In other news, I believe I might be able to show my amazing cover for A WANT SO WICKED soon. Seriously, I love it so much. It's just... perfect. Will keep you posted!!!

In the meantime, here's this....

Let's Talk Wordstock!

On October 8th and 9th there is an amazing event at the Portland Convention Center. Wordstock is the largest literature and literacy festival in the Northwest. You can learn more about it at www.wordstockfestival.com. I'm excited to be a part of it this year, and if you're in the area, you should definitely come by!


Where to find me:

12pm on Sunday, October 9th

Paranormal lit panel-Vampires are SO last season: Trends in paranormal fiction are always shifting. Panelists explore what trends are hot right now, and what will likely be the next big thing. Fellow panelists are Isaac Marion and Maggie Stiefvater.

1pm on Sunday, October 9th

Solo presentation focusing on A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, followed by a signing. Paired with Kim Derting for the hour.

Other than that, I'll be hanging around to watch all the other amazing authors!! Good times! I'll see some of you there!

A WANT SO WICKED songs

A WANT SO WICKED is less than a year away (which still feels like a million years away), and I'm finalizing lots of cool things. In the meantime I thought I'd share some of my AWSW inspirations. This time, it's music! So here are just a few songs that helped to inspire the vibe of the book.

Sinister Kid- The Black Keys
Barton Hollow- The Civil Wars



Closer- Kings of Leon
Killing Moon- Nouvelle Vague



Can't wait to share more about it!

My Creepy Photo Inspiration

Since writing THE PROGRAM (Simon Pulse/Spring 2013) I've thought and thought about cover possibilities. Would I want something mysterious? Something heartbreaking? I sketched out one image of a girl in lemon yellow hospital scrubs staring down a long, stark-white hallway.



A few weeks later when the family and I were on vacation in Lake Shasta, I decided to drag them on a tour of the Shasta Dam (because I'm a dork and LOVE guided tours). But while I was on that tour, I found the perfect hallway! So I had my daughter star as the cover model (minus the teenager and yellow scrubs part) and snapped this photo.



This is my creepy photo inspiration for when I work on THE PROGRAM. :-)

A Want so Wicked

Wait... is it still summer? I'm not quite sure because instead of going outside, I've been typing my little fingers bloody working on revisions. One of those revisions is A WANT SO WICKED, the sequel to A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL. I've gotten a few emails from readers asking for AWSW's summary, but unfortunately, I can't share it yet. Sorry!!



But since I'm here.... I thought I might post a quick little excerpt and not even try to explain it. Enjoy!





At the sound, my heart kicks up its pace and I slowly lift my eyes. The guy--the hot one from the motorcycle--is looking down at me, apologetic. The frazzled feeling I just had immediately evaporates as I stare at him, struck by how incredibly handsome he is up close. His eyes are an amazing shade of hazel, more green than brown. His dark hair is long, curling under his unshaven chin, evening out the prettiness of his features. He's certainly rough around the edges, but I like it. He looks kind of dangerous.



Gosh. I wonder who THAT could be. Anyway, A WANT SO WICKED isn't up for pre-sale yet, but you can add it to your goodreads shelf HERE. More info soon!!!

Preview: THE PROGRAM

I'm wrapping up my revisions on A WANT SO WICKED, the sequel to A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, this week. I can't wait to show you the cover! It's AMAZING!!



In the meantime, I can't give any spoilers for the book--not even the official summary yet! But I can tell you a little about my new series coming Spring of 2013. Book 1 is THE PROGRAM, and I did a quick interview about it over at Presenting Lenore!



Click to Check it out!!!!

Conferencing....

SCBWI LA is coming to a close (although not quite yet...) and I think it's time to put up some pictures! To find out more about the conference, the sessions, and interviews--check out the official TEAM BLOG!!!



The first night:











Me and amazing author GARY PAULSEN!







The pajama party!













The book signing at Once Upon A Time Book store with Nova Ren Suma, Cindy Pon and Holly Goldberg Sloan







And, of course, through it all... I was revising.... :-)

Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit: Starring Jennifer Echols

I'm thrilled to bring you author Jennifer Echols are part of the Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit. Her newest book LOVE STORY (awesome title!) is out now!!! Let's hear more about it!


From Jennifer Echols, the award-winning author of Going Too Far and Forget You, comes LOVE STORY(Gallery Books; July 19, 2011; $11.00), a provocative and powerful story of teen romance, set against the bustling world of a New York City university.

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions – it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a local coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter… so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter… except this story could come true.

"A tremendously talented writer with a real gift for developing relationships."
– Romantic Times Magazine


And here's more about Jennifer!


JENNIFER ECHOLS is the author of teen romantic dramas for MTV Books and teen romantic comedies for Simon Pulse. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her family. Please visit her online at www.jennifer-echols.com.

WOW!!! I'm totally stoked for this one! Everyone, pick up your copy of LOVE STORY today!

Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit: Starring Melissa Walker

Today I'm so excited to feature friend and author Melissa Walker! Her new book, SMALL TOWN SINNERS, is available now. Check out this awesome cover!




"A devilishly good read." —Lauren Myracle, NY Times bestselling author of Shine


SMALL TOWN SINNERS
A NOVEL OF FAITH, FRIENDSHIP AND FAMILY

New York (Winter 2011)— Inspired by an article on Hell Houses (haunted houses of sin) she wrote for ELLEgirl magazine, journalist Melissa Walker set out to delve deeper into the culture of this phenomenon, as well as the community that creates them. The result: Small Town Sinners (July), a universal story of first love and finding your voice set against the backdrop of extreme religion. This thought-provoking, touching story of faith in family, friends and self will have readers endlessly talking about and sharing this break-out novel.

"I was so intrigued by the small town I traveled to and the warmth of all the teenagers I met, plus their obvious passion for this production, that I had to revisit that world," said Walker.

Hell Houses are often run by fundamentalist Christian churches and emphasize the belief that anyone who does not accept Christ as their personal savior is condemned to Hell. The way they often work is that a script is written covering a variety of sins each of which is performed within its own vignette in its own room in the house. A guide leads the visitors through each room acting as narrator. The performances have a controversial tone focusing on issues such as abortion, suicide, drinking and drug use, premarital sex, and homosexuality. Hell Houses usually take place in the fall.

Small Town Sinners is the story of Lacey Anne, daughter of the pastor and perennial good girl, who is eligible for a lead role in the season's Hell House production—a role she's been coveting for years. But when Ty moves to town as casting begins, a new perspective is added to Lacey Anne's world and she starts to see her tight-knit, Evangelical community in a different light. With the help of her two best friends Starla Joy and Dean, and her potential first love Ty, Lacey Anne begins exploring her own thoughts and feelings about her religion, her community, and her place within both. While this novel deals with provocative issues like religion, teen pregnancy and underage drinking, it is not an "issue" book; the topics are masterfully interwoven into this story of friendship and family.

Early readers agree:

"Small Town Sinners shines a light on the fascinating world of the teenage Hell House. Sit back and let Melissa Walker be your guide. She writes without a shred of judgment and plenty of heart." —Dana Reinhardt, author of A Brief Chapter of My Impossible Life

"Walker is sympathetic and respectful of her characters' faith, while putting on display the shocking extremist scare tactics that make Hell Houses, well, hellish." —Donna Freitas, author of This Gorgeous Game and The Possibilities of Sainthood.


"A non-judgmental, nuanced, fascinating look at the teenage religious right… Walker writes an outstanding contemporary novel with a cast of characters who, far from being portrayed as hateful zealots, are relatable for readers of all faiths. The extremism of Hell House is tempered by the perfectly understandable attitudes and intentions of Lacey Anne, who struggles with what it means to grow up, to question and to think for herself." –Romantic Times

"Both tender and provocative… Walker creates an astutely balanced portrait of a conservative congregation's in-your-face response to perennial issues of domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, and suicide, as well as of those who struggle to fit the prescribed Christian mold." –Publishers Weekly

"This secular story about religious people could easily devolve into camp mockery, but because Walker takes her character's crisis of faith seriously and sensitively, readers will, too." –Kirkus Reviews

And also in the NYTimes Book Review



MELISSA WALKER: Melissa has worked as ELLEgirl Features Editor and Seventeen Prom Editor. She is the author of the Violet on the Runway series as well as Lovestruck Summer. Melissa manages I Heart Daily, an e-newsletter and blogs for ReaderGirlz, an online community for teens. www.melissacwalker.com

You can check out The Apple Challenge HERE for your chance to win!

SMALL TOWN SINNERS is available now! Pick up your copy today!!