Lisa Roecker's Blog, page 29
May 11, 2011
GIVEAWAY: 101 Success Secrets for Gifted Kids
Today we're welcoming the amazing and wise Christine Fonseca to discuss her latest book 101 Success Secrets for Gifted Kids
. As most of you have probably inferred from reading our blog on a semi-regular basis, we're pretty much clueless when it comes to raising children (gifted or otherwise) so Christine's books and practical advice have come in pretty handy over in LiLa Land. Lucky for us we managed to pin down Christine for an interview.1. Give us your best piece of parenting advice in 140 characters or less.
Oh man, 140 characters or less? Okay, here it goes:
Never do for someone else what they are completely capable of doing for themselves. Instead, remind them just how capable they are.
That works, right??
2. The jury's still out on whether or not our kids are gifted, but how can parents/teachers apply your research to the average Dora-obsessed toddler?
Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students is full of advice that can be applied to almost any child – things like setting a solid foundation at home, one that included rules, consistent consequences, unconditional love and non-emotional parenting (yea, that IS the hard one!). Furthermore, coaching your child to learn to discern the difference between what they can control and what they cannot control is advice for any parenting scenario. The big thing, which I mentioned earlier, is to focus on teaching self-sufficiency. Never do for the child what they can do for themselves. Let them make mistakes, and learn that it is through those mistakes that learning takes place. Let them become empowered by learning they can push through things that are hard without needing to be rescued!
3. What do you think is the most surprising piece of research you've come across?
For 101 Success Secrets for Gifted Kids, I interviewed nearly 1000 gifted kids from several countries. What I found the most interesting or surprising were their comments about expectations. Pretty much every kid I interviewed stated that they felt undo pressure from their parents and teachers – pressure to get straight A's, to always be on top, etc. Interestingly, the parents I interviewed all said the thing they worried about the most was the pressure KIDS put on THEMSELVES to perform. Talk about interesting – neither side saw themselves as a piece of the problem!!!
The truth, in my opinion, both sides apply pressure.
4. Are there things that we as authors can do to better reach gifted children?
The GT kids I spoke with are all readers – but they like complex plots and complex characters. The younger kids liked complex plots as well, and liked characters they could identify with. To reach GT readers, we need to appeal to that desire for complexity, while delivering stories that are rich in both character and storyline.
Another thing – help those GT kids that want to write. I met a lot of would-be writers on my journey. So many, in fact, that I will likely start a writer's club for teens this summer. These kids have questions, tons of them, on how to break into this industry. We, as authors, are in a great position to mentor and guide them.
5. For parents with younger children, what are some signs that you might be raising a gifted child? (Stealing food? Knowing how to turn on the TV? Constant whining? Extensive building of marble mazes? These are hypotheticals, of course.)
Ha! Many of these things can indicate giftedness. Here are a few other typical indicators that your young child may be gifted:
· Early walkers and talkers
· Very alert
· Gets very fussy if facing in the same direction for too long (in the crib or in a chair, for example)
· Demonstrates a strong desire to explore and learn
· Easily bored with toys and things
· Shows a strong preference for new things.
· Easily frustrated with familiar objects
· Highly intense
· Early reading or math skills
· Demonstrates an early and high interest in numbers and letters
· Lots of "why" questions
· Emotional intensity - may be highly sensitive to their environment, for example
6. Anything else to add?
101 Success Secrets for Gifted Kids was specifically written for kids as a resource to give them what they need to grow into their full potential. While it is definitely written with GT kids in mind, I have to say I think the advice is good for any kid. And any adult for that matter. I'm pretty sure this is going to sound super embarrassing, but I have mini ah-ha moments every time I read the book. My hope is that anyone can find their own ah-ha moment.
Amazing, right? I love how Christine's advice is practical and can be applied to ALL kids. Lucky for you guys we have a copy of 101 Success Secrets for Gifted Kids to give away today. All you have to do is leave a comment to be entered! If you tweet or Facebook about the contest we'll give you an extra entry. In the meantime, learn more about Christine and her books at her Website or Blog and find her on on Facebook or Twitter. And click here to read an excerpt!
May 10, 2011
Lisa and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad DRUG TEST
So as you might have read yesterday, I'm heading back into the world of the working. Hoorah! Unfortunately, there's a lot of annoying hoops you have to jump through before you can become all official. One of those things just happens to be a drug test.
Let me just say this upfront, a drug test is just about the only test I'm confident I can pass with flying colors at this point in my life. Sadly, I can't say the same for a driving test. Parallel parking is a bitch.
Anywho, last week I reluctantly made an appointment for my drug test at my local testing facility. Hilarity ensued. Here's the breakdown:
6:44 AM: House is completely silent. Everyone is still asleep. This ONLY happens when we have to leave early, so naturally I set the alarm on my phone the night before.6:45 AM: Alarm on my phone goes off. 6:46 AM: Hit snooze.6:47 AM: Listen for children, hear nothing. Curse them for only sleeping in when we have to be at school early.6:48 AM: Fall back asleep.6:50 AM: Alarm goes off again.6:51 AM: Decide to scratch the shower in favor of sleeping for another 15 minutes.7:15 AM: Finally drag myself out of bed.7:18 AM: Yank my hair into a greasy ponytail and deeply regret my decision to forgo a shower.7:25 AM: Wake up all three kids and attempt to get them ready for public consumption.7:49 AM: Realize I've failed when I see that Mia has her shoes on the wrong feet and Jack's hair makes him look like the fifth member of A Flock of Seagulls. 7:50 AM: Pretend not to notice and head to school.8:08 AM: Arrive at Jack's school brunch 8 minutes late only to find that we're the first people there.8:09 AM: Curse myself for being the only sucker guilted into dragging three kids out of bed for this crap.8:10 AM: The second person to arrive is the mom who sent me an email about a play date that I ignored because her son may/or may not be the spawn of Satan. 8:11 AM: Die a little inside.8:12 AM: Start shoving food into Ben's face to avoid questions about future playdates and/or speculation that her son is the anti-Christ.9:15 AM: Watch Jack's music performance and try to pretend that I'm listening to the songs instead of thinking about how badly he needs a hair cut.9:22 AM: Look down at a smiling Ben in his car seat and congratulate myself for bringing him with me instead of wasting money on a baby sitter.9:48 AM: Catch an unsavory scent coming from the general direction of my 7-month-old.9:51 AM: Spawn of Satan's mom tries to corner me, but I gesture apologetically at the baby and make a hasty exit. First time in ages I've actually been excited about a poopy diaper.9:52 AM: Layer public changing table with paper towels and assess Ben's "situation."9:53 AM: There's poop everywhere, including (but not limited to) Ben's back, legs, and inexplicably his left foot.9:54 AM: Die a little inside.9:55 AM: Regret making fun of Laura for carrying a diaper bag around for 2 years when I realize I don't have a change of clothes for Ben.9:56 AM: Throw away Ben's onesie, manage to remove most of the large chunks of feces with three semi-wet baby wipes that have been in the bottom of my purse since Jack's birth and put Ben in his t-shirt and a hoodie. 9:57 AM: Hum a few bars of Pants on the Ground and stuff Ben back into his infant carrier, carefully covering his pantless legs with the cozy attached to the seat.
9:58 AM: Toss the carrier back into the base in my car and head to the nearest drug testing facility.10:14 AM: Congratulate myself for managing to arrive early for my 10:45 appointment and try to grab the infant seat out of the car.10:15 AM: Infant seat doesn't budge.10:16 AM: Remember that the only stroller I have is the Snap N' Go that must be used with the infant carrier. 10:17 AM: Remove pantless child from seat and place him tenderly in the front seat of the car.10:18 AM: Attempt to pry the infant seat from the base using various inanimate objects found in my car including, A Glee CD case, a ballpoint pen and a pair of Dora sunglasses.10:42 AM: Uninstall the car seat from the car and briefly consider kicking it across the parking lot and/or lighting it on fire.
10:43 AM: Realize that in two more minutes I'll miss my drug testing appointment.
10:44 AM: Briefly consider carrying the naked child into the facility but remember I won't have anywhere to put him EXCEPT THE FLOOR OF THE DIRTY BATHROOM while I'll be peeing into a cup.10:44 AM: Pop pantless child into the basket of the Snap N' Go Stroller. As you can see from the picture, it looks vaguely like one of those shopping carts that old ladies use to carry their groceries.10:45 AM: Avoid judgey looks from other people walking into the drug testing facility.10:46 AM: Push pantless baby into the drug testing office and have this conversation:
Me: Hi, I have a 10:45 appointment for a drug test. Sorry I'm a little late...Lovely lady behind the counter: You can't bring your baby up in here.Me: Seriously?Lovely lady behind the counter: *Slams the sliding glass window in my face and knocks twice on the glass where there's a picture of a baby with a huge red line through it.*
10:47 AM: Do the walk of shame out of the drug testing facility.10:48 AM: One of the drug testing patrons gives Ben a disgusted look and I notice a rogue smear of poop on his thigh.
10:48 AM: Die a little inside.10:50 AM: Get back to the car only to remember that I uninstalled the car seat and can't reinstall it.10:51 AM: Jerry-rig the car seat in the most unsafe installation job you can imagine and head back to school to pick up the kids.12:13 PM: Call husband to see if he can be home in time for me to take my damn drug test.12:14 PM: He can't.12:15 PM: Nosy neighbor pulls up to see me carrying around a pantless Ben while trying to break up a wrestling match between Jack and Mia.12:16 PM: She wants to chat. Of course.12:17 PM: I'm so flustered that I drop a couple of f-bombs.12:18 PM: Nosy neighbor smiles and I can practically hear her telling everyone on our street about the trashy girl with the three kids who lugs around half naked children and regularly drops f-bombs in casual conversation.12:19 PM: Die a little inside.12:59 PM: Beg my friend to take all three of my kids so I can pee in a cup after nap time.1:00 PM: She agrees.4:00 PM: Wake Ben up from a dead sleep for the second time in one day so I can get to the drug testing facility before they close.4:20 PM: Grab a bottle of wine on my way out the door to my friend's house. I figure she'll need it after an hour with five kids.4:35 PM: Snag the last appointment of the day for my drug test.4:40 PM: They call my name, I head to the back and have this conversation with THE SAME WOMAN who kicked me out earlier:
Not-so-lovely-lady behind the counter: Put your bag on the chair and pee in this cup. Bathroom's right there. No flushing, no running water.Me: Um, ok. Thanks.Not-so-lovely-lady behind the counter: You pregnant? You've got the cutest little baby bump.Me: Uh, no.Not-so-lovely-lady behind the counter: I was gonna say, that's a tiny little bump.
Me: Yeah, that's just a muffin top.
4:41 PM: Die a little inside.4:42 PM: Slam the door to the bathroom and attempt to pee in the cup.4:43 PM: Can't pee.4:44 PM: Not-so-lovely-lady-behind the counter screeches, "TIMES UP! What's going on in there?"4:45 PM: Die a little inside.
4:35 PM: Reply that I don't have enough pee for the test, she tells me that I have to come out of the bathroom immediately. 4:46 PM: Based on the look on the woman's face I'm lucky she's not frisking me for contraband urine.4:47 PM: She deems the tiny amount of urine I managed to squeeze out sufficient for drug testing purposes.4:48 PM: I drive home from the facility wondering if I've eaten anything that might set off a false positive.5:05 PM: Finally back at my friend's house. She has Skinny Girl margaritas chilling and I can almost forget that this day happened.
Almost.
Let me just say this upfront, a drug test is just about the only test I'm confident I can pass with flying colors at this point in my life. Sadly, I can't say the same for a driving test. Parallel parking is a bitch.
Anywho, last week I reluctantly made an appointment for my drug test at my local testing facility. Hilarity ensued. Here's the breakdown:
6:44 AM: House is completely silent. Everyone is still asleep. This ONLY happens when we have to leave early, so naturally I set the alarm on my phone the night before.6:45 AM: Alarm on my phone goes off. 6:46 AM: Hit snooze.6:47 AM: Listen for children, hear nothing. Curse them for only sleeping in when we have to be at school early.6:48 AM: Fall back asleep.6:50 AM: Alarm goes off again.6:51 AM: Decide to scratch the shower in favor of sleeping for another 15 minutes.7:15 AM: Finally drag myself out of bed.7:18 AM: Yank my hair into a greasy ponytail and deeply regret my decision to forgo a shower.7:25 AM: Wake up all three kids and attempt to get them ready for public consumption.7:49 AM: Realize I've failed when I see that Mia has her shoes on the wrong feet and Jack's hair makes him look like the fifth member of A Flock of Seagulls. 7:50 AM: Pretend not to notice and head to school.8:08 AM: Arrive at Jack's school brunch 8 minutes late only to find that we're the first people there.8:09 AM: Curse myself for being the only sucker guilted into dragging three kids out of bed for this crap.8:10 AM: The second person to arrive is the mom who sent me an email about a play date that I ignored because her son may/or may not be the spawn of Satan. 8:11 AM: Die a little inside.8:12 AM: Start shoving food into Ben's face to avoid questions about future playdates and/or speculation that her son is the anti-Christ.9:15 AM: Watch Jack's music performance and try to pretend that I'm listening to the songs instead of thinking about how badly he needs a hair cut.9:22 AM: Look down at a smiling Ben in his car seat and congratulate myself for bringing him with me instead of wasting money on a baby sitter.9:48 AM: Catch an unsavory scent coming from the general direction of my 7-month-old.9:51 AM: Spawn of Satan's mom tries to corner me, but I gesture apologetically at the baby and make a hasty exit. First time in ages I've actually been excited about a poopy diaper.9:52 AM: Layer public changing table with paper towels and assess Ben's "situation."9:53 AM: There's poop everywhere, including (but not limited to) Ben's back, legs, and inexplicably his left foot.9:54 AM: Die a little inside.9:55 AM: Regret making fun of Laura for carrying a diaper bag around for 2 years when I realize I don't have a change of clothes for Ben.9:56 AM: Throw away Ben's onesie, manage to remove most of the large chunks of feces with three semi-wet baby wipes that have been in the bottom of my purse since Jack's birth and put Ben in his t-shirt and a hoodie. 9:57 AM: Hum a few bars of Pants on the Ground and stuff Ben back into his infant carrier, carefully covering his pantless legs with the cozy attached to the seat.
9:58 AM: Toss the carrier back into the base in my car and head to the nearest drug testing facility.10:14 AM: Congratulate myself for managing to arrive early for my 10:45 appointment and try to grab the infant seat out of the car.10:15 AM: Infant seat doesn't budge.10:16 AM: Remember that the only stroller I have is the Snap N' Go that must be used with the infant carrier. 10:17 AM: Remove pantless child from seat and place him tenderly in the front seat of the car.10:18 AM: Attempt to pry the infant seat from the base using various inanimate objects found in my car including, A Glee CD case, a ballpoint pen and a pair of Dora sunglasses.10:42 AM: Uninstall the car seat from the car and briefly consider kicking it across the parking lot and/or lighting it on fire.10:43 AM: Realize that in two more minutes I'll miss my drug testing appointment.
10:44 AM: Briefly consider carrying the naked child into the facility but remember I won't have anywhere to put him EXCEPT THE FLOOR OF THE DIRTY BATHROOM while I'll be peeing into a cup.10:44 AM: Pop pantless child into the basket of the Snap N' Go Stroller. As you can see from the picture, it looks vaguely like one of those shopping carts that old ladies use to carry their groceries.10:45 AM: Avoid judgey looks from other people walking into the drug testing facility.10:46 AM: Push pantless baby into the drug testing office and have this conversation:
Me: Hi, I have a 10:45 appointment for a drug test. Sorry I'm a little late...Lovely lady behind the counter: You can't bring your baby up in here.Me: Seriously?Lovely lady behind the counter: *Slams the sliding glass window in my face and knocks twice on the glass where there's a picture of a baby with a huge red line through it.*
10:47 AM: Do the walk of shame out of the drug testing facility.10:48 AM: One of the drug testing patrons gives Ben a disgusted look and I notice a rogue smear of poop on his thigh.
10:48 AM: Die a little inside.10:50 AM: Get back to the car only to remember that I uninstalled the car seat and can't reinstall it.10:51 AM: Jerry-rig the car seat in the most unsafe installation job you can imagine and head back to school to pick up the kids.12:13 PM: Call husband to see if he can be home in time for me to take my damn drug test.12:14 PM: He can't.12:15 PM: Nosy neighbor pulls up to see me carrying around a pantless Ben while trying to break up a wrestling match between Jack and Mia.12:16 PM: She wants to chat. Of course.12:17 PM: I'm so flustered that I drop a couple of f-bombs.12:18 PM: Nosy neighbor smiles and I can practically hear her telling everyone on our street about the trashy girl with the three kids who lugs around half naked children and regularly drops f-bombs in casual conversation.12:19 PM: Die a little inside.12:59 PM: Beg my friend to take all three of my kids so I can pee in a cup after nap time.1:00 PM: She agrees.4:00 PM: Wake Ben up from a dead sleep for the second time in one day so I can get to the drug testing facility before they close.4:20 PM: Grab a bottle of wine on my way out the door to my friend's house. I figure she'll need it after an hour with five kids.4:35 PM: Snag the last appointment of the day for my drug test.4:40 PM: They call my name, I head to the back and have this conversation with THE SAME WOMAN who kicked me out earlier:
Not-so-lovely-lady behind the counter: Put your bag on the chair and pee in this cup. Bathroom's right there. No flushing, no running water.Me: Um, ok. Thanks.Not-so-lovely-lady behind the counter: You pregnant? You've got the cutest little baby bump.Me: Uh, no.Not-so-lovely-lady behind the counter: I was gonna say, that's a tiny little bump.
Me: Yeah, that's just a muffin top.
4:41 PM: Die a little inside.4:42 PM: Slam the door to the bathroom and attempt to pee in the cup.4:43 PM: Can't pee.4:44 PM: Not-so-lovely-lady-behind the counter screeches, "TIMES UP! What's going on in there?"4:45 PM: Die a little inside.
4:35 PM: Reply that I don't have enough pee for the test, she tells me that I have to come out of the bathroom immediately. 4:46 PM: Based on the look on the woman's face I'm lucky she's not frisking me for contraband urine.4:47 PM: She deems the tiny amount of urine I managed to squeeze out sufficient for drug testing purposes.4:48 PM: I drive home from the facility wondering if I've eaten anything that might set off a false positive.5:05 PM: Finally back at my friend's house. She has Skinny Girl margaritas chilling and I can almost forget that this day happened.
Almost.
May 9, 2011
Don't Quit Your Day Job
Lots of exciting things going on over here in LiLa Land. Changes are afoot my friends! One of the biggest changes is that my fabulous former employer is in desperate need of a proposal writer so I'm going to have a day job again. Honestly, I was a little nervous about the decision until I had this conversation with Laura:
Lisa: So, are you sure you're ok with me going back to work? I mean I think we wrote more back when I actually had a job, so productivity shouldn't be an issue.
Laura: Well...don't take this the wrong way.
Lisa: Um....that almost always means I'm going to take whatever it is you say, the wrong way.
Laura: It's just that, I remember you saying that you never really thought you were cut out to be a stay-at-home mom.
Lisa: I never said that! sdkgjiejgijvsmskdfcksookfskmdkmcfo
Laura: Huh?
Lisa: Oh, sorry. Jack just body slammed Mia and I accidentally stepped on my computer in my rush to pry their small bodies off each other. Yowsers, I need a drink and a manny. In that order.
Laura: *expectant sigh*
Lisa: Crap. You're totally right.
Laura: I always am.
To be completely honest, I'm REALLY excited to head back to work. I've had the opportunity to talk to a few of the people on my new team and they seem pretty amazing. It was essential for me to find a job where I'd still be able to write, continue to be a hands on mom and make a steady income. I've enjoyed the past couple of years at home with the kids, but this just feels like the perfect opportunity to bring a little more balance into my life.
Lucky for all of you, the new job means new opportunities for me to humiliate myself. Stay tuned for tomorrow's installment tentatively titled: Lisa and the Terrible Horrible, No Good, Very Bad DRUG TEST.
Lisa: So, are you sure you're ok with me going back to work? I mean I think we wrote more back when I actually had a job, so productivity shouldn't be an issue.
Laura: Well...don't take this the wrong way.
Lisa: Um....that almost always means I'm going to take whatever it is you say, the wrong way.
Laura: It's just that, I remember you saying that you never really thought you were cut out to be a stay-at-home mom.
Lisa: I never said that! sdkgjiejgijvsmskdfcksookfskmdkmcfo
Laura: Huh?
Lisa: Oh, sorry. Jack just body slammed Mia and I accidentally stepped on my computer in my rush to pry their small bodies off each other. Yowsers, I need a drink and a manny. In that order.
Laura: *expectant sigh*
Lisa: Crap. You're totally right.
Laura: I always am.
To be completely honest, I'm REALLY excited to head back to work. I've had the opportunity to talk to a few of the people on my new team and they seem pretty amazing. It was essential for me to find a job where I'd still be able to write, continue to be a hands on mom and make a steady income. I've enjoyed the past couple of years at home with the kids, but this just feels like the perfect opportunity to bring a little more balance into my life.
Lucky for all of you, the new job means new opportunities for me to humiliate myself. Stay tuned for tomorrow's installment tentatively titled: Lisa and the Terrible Horrible, No Good, Very Bad DRUG TEST.
May 6, 2011
Friday Five!
1. On Monday, we had a premonition that this week would be a good week. Turns out, it was a great week! Good news all around to be shared in the upcoming months--yeah, yeah, we're a bunch of teases.
2. We made a list! Booklist nominated ten books as Top Ten Crime Fiction for Youth: 2011 and we're on it! I thought Lisa was kidding when she called, but she. was. serious. I danced!
3. A fan emailed this week revealing that LS is her third favorite book of all time. And she said she's a picky reader. Who needs 1st or 2nd place? WIN.
4. We're cashing in early Mother's Day presents on Saturday after our library event. Shopping, pedicures, dinner and a movie! It's sad how excited we are. Must get out more.
5. Today is the last day for Adele Griffin's iClue (which, *ahem*, you don't want to miss). Check out the full mystery here. Have a fabulous weekend everyone!
2. We made a list! Booklist nominated ten books as Top Ten Crime Fiction for Youth: 2011 and we're on it! I thought Lisa was kidding when she called, but she. was. serious. I danced!
3. A fan emailed this week revealing that LS is her third favorite book of all time. And she said she's a picky reader. Who needs 1st or 2nd place? WIN.
4. We're cashing in early Mother's Day presents on Saturday after our library event. Shopping, pedicures, dinner and a movie! It's sad how excited we are. Must get out more.
5. Today is the last day for Adele Griffin's iClue (which, *ahem*, you don't want to miss). Check out the full mystery here. Have a fabulous weekend everyone!
May 5, 2011
Bookinistas: MOONGLASS
It's no secret that I'm in love with Sarah Dessen. I've been working my way through each of her novels this past year (just finished another yesterday, actually). So when I saw Sarah Dessen's blurb on the front cover and read the name-drop in Kirkus, I was ALL over this book. And, of course, Jessi is one of the nicest people on the face of the planet, so that didn't hurt either.
What the back cover has to say:
When Anna was little, she and her mother used to search for sea glass, but since they looked at night, they called it moonglass. Now, ten years after her mother's mysterious death, her father is working as head lifeguard on the same beach where her mother grew up and her parents first met and fell in love.
Reluctant to get close to anyone (including her father) and not pleased about having to start at a new school, Anna begins to spend more time alone, running the length of the beach and wondering about who her mother really was. After meeting a lifeguard named Tyler, she slowly lets her guard down and together they start exploring the abandoned houses that dot the beach.
But when learning more about her mother's past leads to a painful discovery, Anna must reconcile her desire for solitude with ultimately accepting the love of her family and friends.
What Lila has to say:
Oh, I loved this one. The setting plays a huge role in the story and there's nothing I love more than a beachfront setting. The fact that the setting is integral to Anna's journey is a huge bonus for me. Not only does it contribute to the memories of her mother, but it plays a very important part in the discoveries she makes in regards to her mother's mysterious death.
And the beach is significant in other ways as well. It's intertwined in her dad's history (one particular scene Jessi wrote involves Anna's parents and the beach and is my favorite of the book) as well as the life of another haunted character, who was absolutely fascinating.
But at its core, this book is about finding your own way, growing up, coming to terms, remembering, moving forward--all of those themes I enjoy so much in a novel. It's sweet, it has heart, it's romantic, it's sad, it's a little bit of everything and I would highly recommend checking it out! You won't be disappointed.
Check out what the other Bookinistas are up to this week!
Shelli Johannes-Wells gives us THE ROYAL TREATMENTElana Johnson hosts a blog tour stop for 101 SUCCESS SECRETS FOR GIFTED KIDS with a giveawayShannon Messenger adores THE DAY BEFORE plus a giveawayCarolina Valdez Miller is passionate about POSSESSION and gives away an ARCBeth Revis shares some SOLSTICE cover loveLisa and Laura Roecker and Stasia Ward Kehoe marvel over MOONGLASSMegan Miranda and Veronica Rossi delve into DIVERGENTShana Silver shows her desire for DEMONGLASSCarrie Harris is PUTTING MAKEUP ON DEAD PEOPLESarah Frances Hardy wants to be just LIKE MANDARIN
May 4, 2011
WTF Wednesday AWESOMENESS
First off, you need to high tail it over to the POSSESSION website RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND because Elana Johnson is releasing the first two chapters of the book TODAY
. That's right. You can read the awesome RIGHT NOW. Go! GO!
Sadly, it looks like J. Simp interpreted our advice to GO on a tandem bike. Oh, Jess. This picture is pretty much a hot mess of REALLY bad ideas. WTF indeed.
. That's right. You can read the awesome RIGHT NOW. Go! GO!Sadly, it looks like J. Simp interpreted our advice to GO on a tandem bike. Oh, Jess. This picture is pretty much a hot mess of REALLY bad ideas. WTF indeed.
May 3, 2011
Tell The Truth Tuesday
1. I have been staring at this screen for 30 minutes trying to think of an appropriate truth.
2. I have lots of truths this week, but very few are internet appropriate.
3. There's a decent chance I'll be sneaking off to Vegas to steal Little Ms. J's baby girl. I mean, those cheeks KILL ME.
3. I accidentally typed 3 twice. I'll take it as a sign that we're meant to have two #3 truths.
4. I may or may not be leaving all three of my children with the youngest sister Roecker and her two kids for two hours today. If she survives, I'll owe her some MAJOR babysitting.
5. Went to Leah Clifford's signing on Saturday and was happy to see only 3 remaining copies of Liar Society on the shelf (there were a few million more than 3 after our signing). But then Scott Tracey pointed up to a couple hundred stacks of LS on the top book shelf. Niiiice.
6. I can't watch this commercial without bawling like a baby.
7. I've been having some major issues with productivity lately. My house looks like a bomb exploded, I'm a deadbeat writing partner and I panicked when the doctor asked Lydia what she likes to eat for dinner because I was afraid she'd answer that her mommy doesn't make dinner. I swear I make something with the microwave.
8. I REALLY want to eat something chocolate right now.
9. I also REALLY want to look skinny at this wedding in two weeks.
10. The chocolate wins every time.
11. In related news, I'm in the market for some new Spanx and a magic dress that will make me look 10 pounds skinnier. Leave your suggestions in the comments.
2. I have lots of truths this week, but very few are internet appropriate.
3. There's a decent chance I'll be sneaking off to Vegas to steal Little Ms. J's baby girl. I mean, those cheeks KILL ME.
3. I accidentally typed 3 twice. I'll take it as a sign that we're meant to have two #3 truths.
4. I may or may not be leaving all three of my children with the youngest sister Roecker and her two kids for two hours today. If she survives, I'll owe her some MAJOR babysitting.
5. Went to Leah Clifford's signing on Saturday and was happy to see only 3 remaining copies of Liar Society on the shelf (there were a few million more than 3 after our signing). But then Scott Tracey pointed up to a couple hundred stacks of LS on the top book shelf. Niiiice.
6. I can't watch this commercial without bawling like a baby.
7. I've been having some major issues with productivity lately. My house looks like a bomb exploded, I'm a deadbeat writing partner and I panicked when the doctor asked Lydia what she likes to eat for dinner because I was afraid she'd answer that her mommy doesn't make dinner. I swear I make something with the microwave.
8. I REALLY want to eat something chocolate right now.
9. I also REALLY want to look skinny at this wedding in two weeks.
10. The chocolate wins every time.
11. In related news, I'm in the market for some new Spanx and a magic dress that will make me look 10 pounds skinnier. Leave your suggestions in the comments.
May 2, 2011
We Want to Meet YOU
Happy Monday! I have a good feeling about this week for some reason. I foresee nothing but awesomeness. Of course, this usually means that by 4 PM today I'll be hiding somewhere into the house, curled into the fetal position, begging for Friday, but whatever. I'll take my chances.
In other EXTREMELY exciting news, we've got some superfun authorly appearances on the books. That's right. We're taking this LiLa show on the ROAD and we want to meet YOU.
Here's what we've got cookin':
Parma, OH Tuesday May 3, 7 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library. Parma-South branch, 7335 Ridge Road, Parma. 440-885-5362 or cuyahogalibrary.org. Meet the Author: Lisa and Laura Roecker, "The Liar Society." Registration required.
Aurora, OH Saturday May 7th, 1:30 PM. Two sisters from Northeast Ohio, who teamed up to write the new young adult novel -- "The Liar Society" -- will talk about their book, working together, and getting published at the Aurora Library. Lisa and Laura Roecker will make this presentation May 7 at 1:30 p.m. in the downstairs gallery. All area teens are invited and can win a copy of book, which is a murder mystery set against the backdrop of an elite private school. Teens can register by visiting www.portagelibrary.org, clicking on "library programs" and selecting "teen" programs. Light refreshments will be served and the authors will sign copies of their book.
Naperville, IL Friday May 13th, 7 PM
What are you doing on Friday the 13th? If you're in the Chicagoland area, I hope you'll be swinging by Anderson's Bookshop (123 W Jefferson Ave, Naperville, IL 60540) to hang out with TEN YA authors. We'll be talking fiction, answering your questions, and turning bad luck into good luck… well, okay, we'll probably just be signing our books. But I think we'd be very lucky authors indeed if you stopped by!
Even better, we'll be raffling off signed copies of books of all the authors attending! All you have to do to enter is show up!
Any of you guys in the neighborhood? We'd be SO EXCITED to meet some of our favorite blog friends! Be sure to let us know in the comments. And Happy Monday. This week is going to ROCK! I can feel it!
P.S.
Adele Griffin's iClue is LIVE now! Read it immediately. You won't want to miss it! And holy cannoli, have you read TIGHTER
yet? If not, pre-order immediately. One of the best books we've read all year. And if you don't trust us, check out this STARRED REVIEW from Kirkus!
In other EXTREMELY exciting news, we've got some superfun authorly appearances on the books. That's right. We're taking this LiLa show on the ROAD and we want to meet YOU.
Here's what we've got cookin':
Parma, OH Tuesday May 3, 7 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library. Parma-South branch, 7335 Ridge Road, Parma. 440-885-5362 or cuyahogalibrary.org. Meet the Author: Lisa and Laura Roecker, "The Liar Society." Registration required.
Aurora, OH Saturday May 7th, 1:30 PM. Two sisters from Northeast Ohio, who teamed up to write the new young adult novel -- "The Liar Society" -- will talk about their book, working together, and getting published at the Aurora Library. Lisa and Laura Roecker will make this presentation May 7 at 1:30 p.m. in the downstairs gallery. All area teens are invited and can win a copy of book, which is a murder mystery set against the backdrop of an elite private school. Teens can register by visiting www.portagelibrary.org, clicking on "library programs" and selecting "teen" programs. Light refreshments will be served and the authors will sign copies of their book.
Naperville, IL Friday May 13th, 7 PMWhat are you doing on Friday the 13th? If you're in the Chicagoland area, I hope you'll be swinging by Anderson's Bookshop (123 W Jefferson Ave, Naperville, IL 60540) to hang out with TEN YA authors. We'll be talking fiction, answering your questions, and turning bad luck into good luck… well, okay, we'll probably just be signing our books. But I think we'd be very lucky authors indeed if you stopped by!
Even better, we'll be raffling off signed copies of books of all the authors attending! All you have to do to enter is show up!
Any of you guys in the neighborhood? We'd be SO EXCITED to meet some of our favorite blog friends! Be sure to let us know in the comments. And Happy Monday. This week is going to ROCK! I can feel it!
P.S.
Adele Griffin's iClue is LIVE now! Read it immediately. You won't want to miss it! And holy cannoli, have you read TIGHTER
yet? If not, pre-order immediately. One of the best books we've read all year. And if you don't trust us, check out this STARRED REVIEW from Kirkus!
April 29, 2011
iClue Made Easy: WIN AN iPOD TOUCH!
So, we've been blogging about iClue all week, but most of you guys haven't entered yet. We couldn't decide if you're too busy or we're boring, so we decided to assume the former and make it SUPER easy for you to solve The Case of Seth and the Secret Admirer.
Happy Friday super sleuths!
***
I shoved the last of a king-sized Snickers bar in his mouth as I wrapped up our weekly Northern Ohio Association of Conspiracy Theorists online chat. Kate thinks it's hilariously appropriate that a group of guys who spend the majority of their time debating whether or not the moon landing was a hoax goes by the acronym NOACT because we get NO ACTION. Get it? Yeah, Kate might be hot but I'm not giving her any points for originality.
I was just about to log out of instant messenger when a new chat popped up.
SethFan#1: Hi there!
SethaSaurus: Very funny, Kate.
SethFan#1: This isn't Kate.
SethaSaurus: NOT funny Liam.
SethFan#1: It's not Liam either.
SethaSaurus: ...ok? So who is it then?
SethFan#1: Someone who has a thing for you...
SethaSaurus: Yeah, sure. Logging out now.
My finger hovered over the logout button but I saw that SethFan#1 was responding to my message and I couldn't quite bring myself to log out without seeing what they said. I mean, what if it wasn't a joke? What if some girl actually had a thing for me. I grabbed the bag of Cool Ranch Dorritos shoved underneath my desk and tore it open with my teeth. Something told me this was about to get interesting.
SethFan#1: Meet me at Farrow's Arches at midnight and I'll explain.
My Cool Ranch Dorrito crusted fingers hovered over the keyboard, but I had no idea how to respond. It was 11:38. That gave me 12 minutes to get to the arches to either be humiliated or meet my dream girl.
SethaSaurus: Not sure this is a good idea.
I polished off the last few chips in the bag and poured the crumbs down my throat. There's no way I wasn't going to the arches, but I had to figure out who was going to be waiting for me.
My phone buzzed on the desk next to my computer. I had a new text.
Right. So apparently my secret admirer was into riddles. Not gonna lie, that's kind of a turn on for a guy who's been known to spend entire weekends trying to break a code created by someone named ConspiracyLuvR. I looked at the clock on my phone, only 10 minutes till midnight if I was going to get there in time I had to get going. I peeked my head out into the hallway, the house was silent and dark. My parents had a strict 9 PM bedtime routine and I could hear my dad snoring loudly behind the closed door of their room. It was now or never.
I fired up my mom's minivan and crossed my fingers that the sound machine in my parents' room would drown out the noise of the garage door opening. My stomach grumbled as I pulled out of the driveway. All this stress was making me hungry. Thank God my mom kept snacks for me in the car. I grabbed a package of Oreos and stuffed a few in my mouth. By the time I pulled up to the school I had finished half the package and it felt a little like all the cookies had congealed together in a giant cookie cannonball in my stomach. Not. Good.
The clock on the car radio read 11:58 PM. I threw open the car door and made my way through the shadowed gardens to the arches. Out of nowhere two hands flew around my eyes.
"Guess who?" The voice sing songed softly while someone else slipped a worn piece of paper into my clammy hands.
Honestly, I had no idea.
But when I opened my eyes and saw three girls staring back at me, I knew this was going to be more complicated than I ever could have imagined. Especially after I read the note.
Standing in front of me were three of the hottest girls in my school. I had to pinch myself to make sure this wasn't one of those dreams they teach you about in health class.
Pain shot up my thigh my bicep and I had to bite back the urge to yelp. Yep, this was actually happening. I grinned from ear to ear. I just couldn't help it. Three hot girls waiting in the garden for me? This was awesome.
"Eeew, Seth! You have all this black stuff in your teeth. What have you been eating?" Kate looked totally disgusted with me as usual, but she slung her arm around my shoulders and gave me a little squeeze. I don't even think she realized she was doing it. Typical Kate. Liking people in spite of herself.
Taylor hung back a little from the rest of the girls. Her icy blue eyes looked even more haunted than they usually did in the moonlit garden. She offered me a small smile and I had to wonder if she was the one who came here to meet me tonight.
Meanwhile Maddie stood next to Kate, pulling down her t-shirt and tugging at jeans that looked too tight now that she was eating again. Her eyes flicked onto my face and then flicked back to the ground.
All of the sudden I knew exactly who had called me there tonight. At first my jaw dropped in shock but then I felt my lips turn up into a smile when I noticed the tiniest pink flower embroidered on Maddie's shirt.
So....now that you have all the clues, who do you think Seth's secret admirer is? Click here to enter and if you guess correctly you'll get an entry to win the iPod Touch loaded with 6 AMAZING books!
Happy Friday super sleuths!
***
I shoved the last of a king-sized Snickers bar in his mouth as I wrapped up our weekly Northern Ohio Association of Conspiracy Theorists online chat. Kate thinks it's hilariously appropriate that a group of guys who spend the majority of their time debating whether or not the moon landing was a hoax goes by the acronym NOACT because we get NO ACTION. Get it? Yeah, Kate might be hot but I'm not giving her any points for originality.
I was just about to log out of instant messenger when a new chat popped up.
SethFan#1: Hi there!
SethaSaurus: Very funny, Kate.
SethFan#1: This isn't Kate.
SethaSaurus: NOT funny Liam.
SethFan#1: It's not Liam either.
SethaSaurus: ...ok? So who is it then?
SethFan#1: Someone who has a thing for you...
SethaSaurus: Yeah, sure. Logging out now.
My finger hovered over the logout button but I saw that SethFan#1 was responding to my message and I couldn't quite bring myself to log out without seeing what they said. I mean, what if it wasn't a joke? What if some girl actually had a thing for me. I grabbed the bag of Cool Ranch Dorritos shoved underneath my desk and tore it open with my teeth. Something told me this was about to get interesting.
SethFan#1: Meet me at Farrow's Arches at midnight and I'll explain.
My Cool Ranch Dorrito crusted fingers hovered over the keyboard, but I had no idea how to respond. It was 11:38. That gave me 12 minutes to get to the arches to either be humiliated or meet my dream girl.
SethaSaurus: Not sure this is a good idea.
I polished off the last few chips in the bag and poured the crumbs down my throat. There's no way I wasn't going to the arches, but I had to figure out who was going to be waiting for me.
My phone buzzed on the desk next to my computer. I had a new text.
Right. So apparently my secret admirer was into riddles. Not gonna lie, that's kind of a turn on for a guy who's been known to spend entire weekends trying to break a code created by someone named ConspiracyLuvR. I looked at the clock on my phone, only 10 minutes till midnight if I was going to get there in time I had to get going. I peeked my head out into the hallway, the house was silent and dark. My parents had a strict 9 PM bedtime routine and I could hear my dad snoring loudly behind the closed door of their room. It was now or never.
I fired up my mom's minivan and crossed my fingers that the sound machine in my parents' room would drown out the noise of the garage door opening. My stomach grumbled as I pulled out of the driveway. All this stress was making me hungry. Thank God my mom kept snacks for me in the car. I grabbed a package of Oreos and stuffed a few in my mouth. By the time I pulled up to the school I had finished half the package and it felt a little like all the cookies had congealed together in a giant cookie cannonball in my stomach. Not. Good.
The clock on the car radio read 11:58 PM. I threw open the car door and made my way through the shadowed gardens to the arches. Out of nowhere two hands flew around my eyes.
"Guess who?" The voice sing songed softly while someone else slipped a worn piece of paper into my clammy hands.
Honestly, I had no idea.
But when I opened my eyes and saw three girls staring back at me, I knew this was going to be more complicated than I ever could have imagined. Especially after I read the note.
Standing in front of me were three of the hottest girls in my school. I had to pinch myself to make sure this wasn't one of those dreams they teach you about in health class.
Pain shot up my thigh my bicep and I had to bite back the urge to yelp. Yep, this was actually happening. I grinned from ear to ear. I just couldn't help it. Three hot girls waiting in the garden for me? This was awesome.
"Eeew, Seth! You have all this black stuff in your teeth. What have you been eating?" Kate looked totally disgusted with me as usual, but she slung her arm around my shoulders and gave me a little squeeze. I don't even think she realized she was doing it. Typical Kate. Liking people in spite of herself.
Taylor hung back a little from the rest of the girls. Her icy blue eyes looked even more haunted than they usually did in the moonlit garden. She offered me a small smile and I had to wonder if she was the one who came here to meet me tonight.
Meanwhile Maddie stood next to Kate, pulling down her t-shirt and tugging at jeans that looked too tight now that she was eating again. Her eyes flicked onto my face and then flicked back to the ground.
All of the sudden I knew exactly who had called me there tonight. At first my jaw dropped in shock but then I felt my lips turn up into a smile when I noticed the tiniest pink flower embroidered on Maddie's shirt.
So....now that you have all the clues, who do you think Seth's secret admirer is? Click here to enter and if you guess correctly you'll get an entry to win the iPod Touch loaded with 6 AMAZING books!
April 28, 2011
Do You iClue? The Case of Seth Allen's Secret Admirer Part #4
Kate Who? It's time for an iClue Mystery Featuring Our Favorite Binge Eating, Conspiracy Theory Obsessed, Ginger. Click here to read Part #1, Part #2 and Part #3.
It's Day 4 of Liar Society iClue week over here and The Reading Room has posted our final clue! Check it out and CLICK HERE to solve the mystery and enter to win an iPod Touch! Happy sleuthing!
