Megan McCafferty's Blog, page 10
April 9, 2012
SLOPPY FIRSTS: You Asked, I Answered
I was in Florida for spring break last week (think LEGOland, not Ft. Lauderdale) so I didn't get a chance to thank the Forever YA book clubbers for asking such probing questions about SLOPPY FIRSTS.
March 13, 2012
THUMPED: Preview the Sequel Before it Goes On Sale 4/24
Here are the first 40-something pages of THUMPED.
The sequel to BUMPED–the second and final installment of this futuristic satire–goes on sale April 24th. Kirkus called it "a sparkling, imaginative romp." You should really read BUMPED first. Fortunately, BUMPED goes on sale in paperback also on April 24th.
March 7, 2012
My SLOPPY FIRSTS Playlist (Inspired by Forever Young Adult)
I'm so flattered that the lovely ladies at FOREVER YOUNG ADULT chose SLOPPY FIRSTS as their book club pick for March! I mean, there are many, many books and only so many months in the year. I love that new readers are just discovering Jessica Darling and Marcus Flutie (SLOPPY FIRSTS came out more than 10 years ago, people, when I was so convinced of the superiority of the Backstreet Boys that I was totally blind to J.Tim's many multi-talented charms) and I appreciate Forever Young Adult's positive propagandizing.
What's more, they put together an awesome Jessica Darling playlist. Now I ALWAYS listen to music when I write and have been known to listen to the same playlist over and over and over again as I work. So what better time to share my personal* and incomplete** soundtrack to the Jessica Darling series?
*Offered without explanation.
**Edited to avoid repeats with the 4YA list and also because it would be way too long otherwise.
1. Here You Come Again – Dolly Parton
2. If You Were Here – Thompson Twins
3. Sick of Myself – Matthew Sweet
4. What Goes Around Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
5. Pop Song '89 – REM
6. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da – The Police
7. Left of Center - Suzanne Vega
8. Hello, Goodbye – The Beatles
9. There is A Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths
10. Quit Playing Games With My Heart – Backstreet Boys
11. Here is Where the Story Ends - The Sundays
12. Only You - Yaz
Please share the songs you'd put on your Jessica Darling playlist via Facebook or @meganmccafferty on Twitter!
February 10, 2012
Book Bloggers Love THUMPED!
"Thanks in part to its intricate world building and clever invented slang, BUMPED was my most memorable read in 2011. I was super excited for THUMPED and it really delivers (do you like my use of double meaning? lol). These two books were so much fun, I wish Megan McCafferty would write 100 more books in the series." Presenting Lenore
"For a book that covers such strong and polarizing issues as teen pregnancy, birth control, surrogacy, religious freedom and the influence of celebrity, it does so in an amazingly fun and unique way." Galleysmith
The second (and, yes, final) book in this series goes on sale April 24th, 2012.
February 6, 2012
Thanks, Kirkus!
The first review of THUMPED is in. And it's fantastic!
This breezy and intriguing near-time dystopia concludes with the much-anticipated birth that was bought and paid for in the first installment, Bumped (2011).
After a virus destroyed the ability of anyone over the age of 18 to reproduce, teen pregnancy became big business and major TMZ-style entertainment. Now the whole United States eagerly anticipates the day that twins Melody and Harmony will each give birth to two more sets of twins, but Melody has a secret. [THE SENTENCE REVEALING MELODY'S SECRET HAS BEEN REMOVED, COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR. NO SPOILERS HERE.] Meanwhile, Harmony realizes that her religious cult will take her children from her, so she escapes. The famous stud Jondoe, who has fallen in love with Harmony, prepares for the birth with gusto, knowing that these are his twins, not Harmony's husband's. All the secrets finally explode, but not before readers have plenty of fun in McCafferty's futuristic world. However, this book, even more strongly than the last, makes the deliberate point that teenage pregnancy and sex without love can seriously damage both the teens and society. Despite that serious message, the author serves it all up with bubbly banter, full of invented slang ("I'm not pregging!").
A sparkling, imaginative romp that is nevertheless plenty provocative.
February 1, 2012
THUMPED is “a sparkling, imaginative romp that is nevertheless plenty provocative.”
Thanks, Kirkus! Full review will be posted 2/5!
THUMPED goes on sale April 24th.
THUMPED is "a sparkling, imaginative romp that is nevertheless plenty provocative."
Thanks, Kirkus! Full review will be posted 2/5!
THUMPED goes on sale April 24th.
January 10, 2012
New Year, New Projects!
This is a photo of my desk as it looks right at this moment. I haven't said much about what I've been working on lately because everything I've been working on is very new to me. Too new to share to the world. Yet. I've been working a lot lately. But the writing has been so much fun that it hasn't felt like work. This is my absolute favorite phase of the creative process. The "what if?" part. When I'm mulling over ideas and researching those ideas and wondering if I can turn those ideas into something creative that someone–you–would be interested in knowing more about. I hope that sometime in 2012 I can tell you more.
For now, I'm happy to announce that BUMPED is #5 the Children and Teen bestseller list of the Apple iBookstore! Thank you! The Epic Reads 99 cent promotion ends 1/30. The second and final book, THUMPED, goes on sale April 24th.
As always, thanks for reading!
Megan
P.S. For those who are interested, here are the songs in the iTunes playlist that I'm listening to right now.
Helix/Justice
UBerlin/R.E.M.
Gold on the Ceiling/Black Keys
Lover to Lover/Florence + The Machine
How Deep is Your Love/The Rapture
Beth/Rest/Bon Iver
Helena Beat/Foster the People
Under Cover of Darkness/The Strokes
Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win/Beastie Boys (feat. Santigold)
Raconte-moi une histoire/M83
Cruel/St. Vincent
Santa Fe/Beirut
December 13, 2011
The World of BUMPED and THUMPED is Already Here
November 10, 2011
NCTE/ALAN in Chicago!
See me in Chicago! Don't miss my dramatic gestures and facial expressions.
I'm so happy to be attending the 2011 NCTE/ALAN Conference in Chicago. I'll be wandering the convention floor (inevitably overwhelmed by it all) from Saturday, November 19th until Tuesday, November 22nd. Here are specifics on where I'll be and when:
Sunday, November 20th @11-11:30AM HarperCollins Booth #513
Signing copies of BUMPED (with a sneak peek of THUMPED)
Tuesday, November 22nd @12:30-1:15*PM
Chicago HIlton and Towers, Grand Ballroom, 2nd FL.
Interactive Panel: FUTURE WORLDS
with: Veronica Roth, James Dashner and Don Testa
*I'll be available to sign copies of my books afterward. I'll stay until I have to leave for the airport.
