Lizzie Friend's Blog, page 2

More reviews — more doughnuts!

It’s okay if they’re gluten-free, right?

I can’t believe we’re finally, finally getting close to launch day (Dec. 18th!). The wait is starting to feel excruciating, but to tide me over for now, at least the reviews are starting to roll in. First there was Kirkus Reviews, and now this week I couldn’t be more honored to have received a really great review in the ALA’s Booklist, which can be viewed here.

Unfortunately most of it will be hidden unless you’re a Booklist subscriber, but I’ll share a...

First review is in! Time to break out the doughnuts

Good things come in pink boxes…

Celebratory doughnuts, that is! I am beyond excited to have received a very positive review from Kirkus today for Poor Little Dead Girls.My favorite part?

“A girl wins a scholarship to an elite boarding school and finds herself entangled in a powerful secret society that threatens her life.Friend writes with a sure, often witty touch… .The story is both immersive and topically relevant.A promising suspense debut.” –KirkusReviews

Full review coming a little closer...

Countdown to DECEIVED, by Julie Anne Lindsay

My fellow Merit Press authorJulie Anne Lindsay launches her new book, DECEIVEDin two days. Really excited to read this one! Boarding schools, long-standing family secrets, murder–this book is so far up my alley that it basically is my alley. Can’t wait for Wednesday.

What you don’t know can kill you . . .

Ever since she could remember, Elle has had to hop from town to town to keep up with her dad’s demanding career as a corporate insurance agent. Each time, a reoccurring nightmare followed her...

Next Big Thing Blog Tour

My fellow Merit Press author Lisa M. Cocca tapped me this week to take part in the Next Big Thing, a blog tour that was created in Australia to highlight up-and-coming authors, illustrators, and their work. Here goes!

If you’d like to see Lisa’s interview, you can check it out on Nancy Raines Day’s blog here.

What is the title of your next book?

My next–and first–book is called Poor Little Dead Girls, coming from Merit Press in November.

Where did the idea come from for your book?

Let’s keep it si...

Don’t fear the rewrite

Get used to it, peasant.

Whenever aspiring authors ask me about the publishing process, one question inevitably comes up: How much has your book changed?

They always seem a little nervous to ask, and you can see the answer they’re hoping to hear written clearly on their faces. They want me to tell them that an agent won’t offer representation and then ask for a completely different ending, or that an editor won’t acquire their book and then ask that the female main character be turned into an a...

YA Writer Wednesday – Via Beth Fehlbaum Books

My recommended writing technique.

I’m on fellow YA author Beth Fehlbaum’s site this week participating in her “YA Writer Wednesday” series. Beth has a new book coming out (also being published by my editor, Jackie Mitchard, at Merit Press), called BIG FAT DISASTER. See my answers below, or head on over to Beth’s site to read my interview as well as other recent interviews with Merit Press authors.

What is your book about?

POOR LITTLE DEAD GIRLS is about a girl who transfers from public school in...

New from Merit Press: Vigilante Nights by Erin Richards

My fellow Merit Press author Erin Richards launches her new book, VIGILANTE NIGHTS, today! Pick it up on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or IndieBound. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m looking forward to it.

Here’s the backflap:

“A “good boy” will do anything for vengeance when a gang rite kills his twin sister. Will Lucas win, or follow his sister into the darkness?

After a hideous car wreck, Lucas wakes from a coma to find that his world is gutted. Not only is his beloved twin sister, Silver, gone for...

Sex, drugs, and author accountability

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“We’re just here for the booze.”

Once I knew I was going to write YA, I set some ground rules for myself. I knew I wanted a strong female lead who did the saving instead of being saved–that was non-negotiable. But I also knew I wanted to write a fun, creepy thriller that was written for teens, not at them. This meant including a lot of things that are true to the high school experience, even if we often wish they weren’t.

In Poor Little Dead Girls, my characters swear, drink, and hook up. They...

Merit Press in Pictures

Here’s a little preview of all the recently and soon-to-be published titles from Merit Press. Can’t wait to read them all.

When writers mix wine and PhotoShop

One of my agency sisters,Bria, launched her debutWRECKLESSthis week, so we wanted to do something special.Valeriehad the great idea to surprise Bria with photos of ourselves with her book and, well…things kind of spiraled from there. This ended up being way more fun than it had any right to be:

These guys are such gossips

See the rest here. Honorable mention to Jodi and Robert for risking bodily harm, and to Hollyfor showing that parenting is easy when you can multitask.

I’ve been hearing about...