3 Heart Review: All We Have Is Now by Lisa Schroeder

All We Have Is Now
Lisa Schroeder

Page Count: 272
Release Date: July 28th 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Source: Complimentary copy provided by author via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Lisa Schroeder and CBB Book Promotions!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

What do you do with your last day on earth?

There are twenty-seven hours and fifteen minutes left until a meteor strikes North America, and, for Emerson and everyone else who didn't leave, the world will end. But Emerson's world already ended when she ran away from home last year. Since then she has lived on the streets, relying on her wits and her friend Vince to help her find places to sleep and food to eat.

The city's quieter now that most people are gone, and no one seems to know what to do as the end approaches. But then Emerson and Vince meet Carl, who tells them that he has been granting people's wishes. He gave his car away so a woman could take her son to see the ocean for the first time, and he gives Emerson and Vince all the money he has in his wallet.

Suddenly this last day seems full of possibility. Emerson and Vince can grant a lot of wishes in twenty-seven hours—maybe even their own.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-a-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

Review

"Pay it forward, if you can. Look for those who have wishes or regrets."
Panic rises up, and Emerson realizes she doesn't want to be here. She starts to run, heading back the way they came.
She remembers Vince's words. "I just want it to be easy."
There is nothing easy about this, she realizes. Not a single thing.

The biggest disappointment about this book was that it actually sounded inspirational and intriguing in its sci-fi backdrop. An impending apocalypse combined with a mission from a stranger to spend the last day on Earth performing random acts of kindness—excellent. Add to that a developing "romance" between two teenage outcasts who've been surviving on the streets and only have each other—I really thought this story could have gone somewhere.

Unfortunately, it was subpar in pretty much every literary criteria. The cheesy and uneventful character interactions, story line, and so-called "inspirational" message actually had me wondering how exactly this could sit well with any reader. Unless you are a 10-year-old who has never experienced real-life conflict involving family, friends, and romantic love, I'm confident you'd read this and feel the same way. I cringed at a lot of the dialogue, and got really, really exasperated by the time I finished the last page.

Schroeder's writing itself is not incredibly flawed, but that's a pretty basic statement because it isn't profound or particularly thoughtful either. Her prose lacks an engaging element that I'd associate with a pre-apocalyptic and/or teen-oriented novel, and I feel the randomly interspersed pages of verse are unseasoned, as well. Most writers can get away with underdeveloped prose, but in poetry, the quality of writing shows. And I was shown how poor it was all throughout the book.

The worst part is the stilted and superbly unrealistic/cringe-worthy dialogue scenes. And before you try to argue that it's sci-fi, it isn't supposed to be realistic—that's not what I mean. Obviously "end of the world" stories aren't meant to be realistic contemporary fiction, but they should still immerse a reader into the fictional setting. All We Have Is Now failed miserable at doing this overall.

Emerson and Vince are supposedly each other's "one and only" (although not initially in a romantic way), but their dialogue is stiff and gives me secondhand embarrassment:

"Where'd you learn to dance anyway?" Emerson teases. "A cute girl teach you?"
His eyes turn cold and he stares straight ahead. "No. Nothing like that. If you have to know, it was my mom."

Not only are Vince and Emerson poorly portrayed, but they're also VERY difficult to like and relate to, mostly because I found a lot of their characteristics to be inconsistent. For instance, Vince is the smooth-talking "cool" black guy whom Emerson doesn't realize she's in love with, but he has strange bouts of emotional outbursts, and can be really pushy and obnoxious. Emerson is the troubled runaway who is afraid to reconcile with her estranged family, but she's prude, whiny, equally as unnecessarily emotional, and just plain stupid at times. I'm not saying that to be offensive; she seriously reads like a one-dimensional cartoon character:

"Don't do that," Emerson says through gritted teeth. "Don't insult my intelligence, Mr. Say-One-Thing-and-Do-Another."
"Wait. Are you, like, mad right now?" Kat asks [and] holds out her hands as if to say, What's the big deal? (....lol) "But why?"
Vince crosses his arms. "I'd actually like to know the answer to that question, too."
"You guys left me out here while you did who-knows-what in that bed that isn't even yours," Emerson yells. "I mean, gross! And rude." (..LOL!)
Vince steps forward, tries to touch her, but she steps back. "Girl, come on. You know it wasn't like that."

This one just cracks me up. Every time a character speaks, you think that's the punchline but it just keeps getting better and better.

I could have gotten over the unpleasant characters (maybe) but what bothered me even more was the story itself. Yes, it starts off as a provocative Mitch Albom-esque plot, but turns into something I became weary of immediately. The ending takes a 180° turn and (if you can't guess it already), here's a quick spoiler to get off my chest: SPOILER START (highlight the white text to view): The conclusion isn't dark and wish-welcoming like the synopsis suggests. In fact, the apocalypse turns out to be a government hoax to teach US citizens a lesson to appreciate what they have (WTF!) and everything returns to normal the next day. No end of the world, no lives lost, no deep, dark, revealing, or even remotely inspirational matter. Just a bunch of psychological effing-up. Literally that's what we encounter about 80% of the way in, and then there's a bunch of happy endings (yaaaayy) and a ridiculous last chapter. :SPOILER END. A better writer COULD have even made this ending jaw-dropping or uplifting in some sort of way, but Schroeder accomplished neither. The construction of the conclusion itself was poor, with very unlikely conflict resolutions that occur in a couple pages (that happens in real life?!) and a rushed, cheesy, and very unbelievable ending.

I didn't see it coming because I refused to even believe that the author would take a turn like that... it was completely out of the realm of possibility... and then it happened -_-

Pros

Appropriate for younger YA or middle-grade audiences (very clean "romance," and even the darker themes are portrayed lightly with a definite resolution) // Inspiring message about appreciating what you have // Extremely easy to read and flows well

Cons

Pretty much everything else: Stylized and very basic, unimpressive writing // Numerous unsuccessful attempts to be profound and engaging // Character interactions, action scenes, and overall plot (especially the ending) are difficult to believe // The verse portions don't have ANY effect on me; I could have gotten the same thing out of this book without them // The budding "romance" (romance in quotations throughout this entire review because I don't really even consider it one) between Vince and Emerson just doesn't make sense // Emerson is unlikable, unrelatable (typically characters are one or the other), shallowly written, talks in a ridiculous, childish way, has random inappropriate mood swings etc. etc. etc. // Vince is just as bad: tremendously cheesy, unbelievable, has similar weird mood swings (I know they're teenagers and all but c'mon...) // The worst ending/conclusion plot twist ever

Love

The best kind of days are the ones that make you feel like you are living inside a kaleidoscope, twirling and swirling with dazzling joy.

Verdict

Unfortunately All We Have Is Now has very few redeeming qualities; it was unimpressive and quite cringe-worthy in almost every way. The characters are neither endearing nor enduring, the plot-line is very quick to resolve and painfully anticlimactic, and the ending just sealed the deal, leaving me dumbfounded (and NOT in a good way!). I feel like my standards have gotten much higher since when I first started reviewing, because I probably would have given this a decent 2.5-star rating previously; now, however, I'm just getting tired of tolerating stilted action and unintentional character flaws. While the suggested readership audience is ages 12-18, I would recommend it more for ages 10-14—if you even decide to pick this book up—because of its unrealistically optimistic plot and empty characters (maybe middle schoolers won't notice). My opinion may not sit well with Lisa Schroeder readers, as I know she has a large YA fan base, but I simply didn't like this book, even though it was a quick-paced and uncomplicated read 

3 hearts: Not a fan; I don't recommend this book (x)

5 Heart Review: Don't Call Me Baby by Gwendolyn Heasley

Don't Call Me Baby
Gwendolyn Heasley

Page Count: 304
Release Date: April 22nd 2014
Publisher: Harper Teen (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Little Bird Publicity!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Perfect for fans of Jennifer E. Smith and Huntley Fitzpatrick, Don't Call Me Baby is a sharply observed and charming story about mothers and daughters, best friends and first crushes, and our online selves and the truth you can only see in real life.

All her life, Imogene has been known as the girl on that blog.

Imogene's mother has been writing an incredibly embarrassing—and incredibly popular—blog about her since before she was born. The thing is, Imogene is fifteen now, and her mother is still blogging about her. In gruesome detail. When a mandatory school project compels Imogene to start her own blog, Imogene is reluctant to expose even more of her life online... until she realizes that the project is the opportunity she's been waiting for to define herself for the first time.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-A-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Publisher

Review

"You're [speaking at the Mommies/Daughters panel at BlogHer], no ifs, ands, or buts. We've made a commitment, and we're keeping it. The Mommylicious name means something, and I intend for it to stay that way."
It's funny that my mom cares more about what strangers think of her than her own daughter. Good thing she can't read my mind; she'd flip if she knew about The Plan. What will strangers think after I follow through on that?

In an age of expanding technology and the inclination to go public with every single detail of our lives, it's no secret that bloggers and blog followers rule the internet (I mean, hello? Who's writing and reading this right now?). But have we ever stopped to think about how the internet is ruling us?

Don't Call Me Baby raises an issue in social media through the exasperated perspective of the daughter of a prolific mommy blogger. Labeled "Babylicious" since before she was even born, Imogene is fed up with 14 years of her life revolving around her mom's blog. When the opportunity to give her mother a taste of her own medicine arises, she takes it. Her best friend (also a big-time blogger's daughter) becomes her partner-in-crime, and both girls are determined to show their moms what it really feels like to be exposed to the public 24/7.

Imogene is in ninth grade, but not yet in high school, so I would avoid categorizing this book into the Young Adult genre. Its tone and content make it seem very much more Middle Grade, and I guess that's one of the first things that irked me. Imogene seems extremely immature, even though she claims to be all-knowing. She's just a difficult character to like overall: not humorous, not humble, not particularly strong, not clever. Since she narrates the story first-person, it was hard for me not to be annoyed by it. There are other elements that make this book seem more likely appropriate for a younger, simpler audience as well, including the linear, predictable storyline, the static schoolgirl crush that attempts to incorporate a flavor of bland "romance," and the exaggeratedly clichéd characters, e.g. the stubborn, loyal best friend, the kind dad, the adorable crush, the awesome teacher... it was like Gwendolyn Heasley took a "Character Clichés in Children's Fiction" checklist and ticked each one off one by one.

Everything is too cut-and-dried, rather than realistic, so I just couldn't get that into the story. I appreciate the contemporary significance and the scattered bits of internet humor—I have to say, how many novels have you read about blogging?—and Heasley's writing style is clear enough, but Don't Call Me Baby failed to really engage or impress me.

Pros

Easy to read // Tackles an underrated but prevalent issue today through the format of a children's novel // Sweet sentiments on family, friends, and identity // Might be popular among middle grade readers

Cons

Not really YA, more middle grade // Mommylicious is ridiculous and over the top // Unrealistic // Imogene is really childish and annoying // Formulaic secondary characters

Love

It's really, really easy to love something—or someone—once. It's much harder to learn to love something—or someone—the second time, but it's that second time that usually matters most ... Loving twice is harder, but love anytime is always worth it.

Verdict

Both a modern parody of the blogging life and a snapshot of one bitter daughter's attempt to get her mother's fickle attention, Don't Call Me Baby is a light middle grade novel that contains amplified teenage angst and some deeper views about relationships and realizing that the world does not revolve just around ourselves. While I did find Imogene to be egocentric and irritating, and the story to be rather unexciting, this is a swift, mindless read that deals with an aspect of the digital age that I do find important. Mostly, though, I cringed at some hyperclichés and the it-all-works-out-in-the-end! attitude; Gwendolyn Heasley's newest novel is too fluffy, too even, too square. It's not a bad read necessarily, but it just didn't awe me, didn't make me bleed 

5 hearts: Doesn't particularly light any of my fires; I feel indifferent about this book (x)

7 Heart Review: House of Secrets by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini

House of Secrets (House of Secrets #1)
Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini

Trailer: Watch it here!
Page Count: 490
Release Date: 23 April 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Ned!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia Walker once had everything: two loving parents, a beautiful house in San Francisco, and all the portable electronic devices they could want. But everything changed when Dr. Walker lost his job in the wake of a mysterious incident. Now in dire straits, the family must relocate to an old Victorian house that used to be the home of occult novelist Denver Kristoff—a house that feels simultaneously creepy and too good to be true.

By the time the Walkers realize that one of their neighbors has sinister plans for them, they're banished to a primeval forest way off the grid. Their parents? Gone. Their friends? A world away. And they aren't alone. Bloodthirsty medieval warriors patrol the woods around them, supernatural pirates roam the neighboring seas, and a power-hungry queen rules the land. To survive, the siblings will have to be braver than they ever thought possible—and fight against their darkest impulses. The key may lie in their own connection to the secret Kristoff legacy. But as they unravel that legacy, they'll discover it's not just their family that's in danger... it's the entire world.

Buy the book at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-A-Million | Sony eStore | Kobo

Review

Magic Tree House meets Harry Potter in Chris Columbus's literary debut, which just so happens to be co-written by one of my favorite YA authors, Ned Vizzini. Both Columbus and Vizzini contribute immensely to the story; House of Secrets is swash-buckling action and magical diversion blended with humor and real-life dilemmas that made us fall in love with both authors' works in the first place.

The premise of the eerie Kristoff storybooks coming to life is thrilling and enchanting. I love the fantastical elements including pirates, monsters, and a very wicked witch that each find their way to wreak havoc in the Walker children's lives. This novel is suspenseful and thoughtful to its core, and watching the Walkers grow and face their fears was a wonderful, highly illuminating experience.

Since this book is targeted for younger teenage readers, there are some aspects that I found a bit childish. For instance, the ending is really quick and insta-happy; I would have liked to see a little more struggle—or at least a little more excitement—in the tangled plot's solution. Our three main characters, Cordelia, Brendan, and Eleanor, are likable, but hardly relatable; they tend to bicker amongst themselves a lot (annoying, but not unrealistic) and afterwards almost immediately come to sappy reconciliation (annoying, and very unrealistic).

As expected from a middle-grade novel, House of Secrets moves very quickly and easily, and has a predictable, victorious flourish of an ending. All the while, I was happy to see darker, more serious undertones plague the situation in which three otherwise unworldly children from our much too comfortable day and age find themselves. The gravity isn't too harsh, and there's always a lesson at the end, so in prevalent Lemony Snicket-esque gloom, I am confident middle-age readers will delight.

Pros

Original premise // Comical // Imaginative cast of fantasy characters introduced // Light, but doesn't skimp on values // Fast-paced // Funny, well-balanced protagonists // Cliffhanger ending 

Cons

No real climax // A bit disorienting... nothing in particular stands out because the story is just a jumble of random events that lead up to a disappointing final "battle" // Idealistic, predictable ending

Verdict

House of Secrets is a rip-roaring, action-packed, child-approvable ride of a novel that still contains sentiments on courage and on the importance of family. Recommended for children ages 9-12, Columbus and Vizzini's adventure-packed collaboration will teach, entertain, and be a hit among young readers, as well as encourage them to believe in the sheer power—and magic—of the written word 

7 hearts: Not perfect, but overall enjoyable (x)

7 Heart Review: Remember Dippy by Shirley Reva Vernick

Remember Dippy
Shirley Reva Vernick

Page Count: 162
Release Date: 14 May 2013 (first edition)
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review for the Books Complete Me virtual book tour (thank you!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Johnny's plans fly out the window when he finds out his single mother is leaving town for the summer. She has a breakthough job in upstate New York. He can live with his Aunt Collette but only on the condition that he "help out with" his autistic older cousin, Remember. Yup, you heard it right: Remember Dippy.

That's his cousin's name—and Remember is a gawky awkward kid with some pretty strange habits, like repeating back almost everything Johnny says and spending hours glued to the weather channel. Johnny's premonitions of disaster appear at first to come to cringeworthy fruition, but when the two boys save a bully from drowning, salvage the pizzeria guy's romance, and share girl troubles, Johnny ends up having the summer of his life.

Buy the book at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Review

Remember Dippy is a cute, middle grade/young adult coming-of-age novel about the lovable and smart-alecky Johnny whose mother plucks him from his home and plops him at his aunt and cousin's during summer vacation. This is the ultimate injustice to the modern teenager—especially since Johnny has suddenly assumed the role of Remember, his autistic cousin's, caretaker—but soon, his own self-discoveries in tandem with his time with Mem and the things that happen around him, make it clear that this is one summer that Johnny will never forget.

14-year-old Johnny is good-natured and likable. He's such an honest, smart, and self-conscious character who captures teen spirit—and angst—accurately. I loved him as a narrator! Remember, our other protagonist, isn't explored as deeply because we never gain his perspective, but I warmed up to him immediately. He's definitely not perfect, and his lack of awareness and social direction sometimes get Johnny in trouble, but he's affectionate, and he's pure; with all these edgy books about forbidden romances and gangs and communist regimes and love triangles flooding the YA scene these days, a book like Remember Dippy is refreshing and enlightening because it actually has a message—a moral that everyone should take to heart.

This is the summer when Johnny grows up, gets real, and figures himself out. This is the summer when Remember shows Johnny what true friendship is about, as he becomes as much a friend to Johnny as Johnny is to Mem; the entire wholesome, heartfelt journey will stick with readers of all ages.

Pros

Lovable and real narrator // Sentimental // Demonstrates value of friendship and family // Parent- and child-friendly // Lots of plot action—never gets boring

Cons

Nothing phenomenal... overall everything—from the plot, characterization, style, and structure—is good, but not great

Verdict

Shirley Reva Vernick's Remember Dippy is a slow journey of embracing family, friends, and identity—exactly the type of book parents will want their kids (ages 9-13) to read. With beautifully crafted sentiments, heart-wrenching twists and turns, and an emotional, triumphant finish, young readers will be glued to this one, and guaranteed to be cheering by the last page 

7 hearts: Not perfect, but overall enjoyable (x)

Sky On Fire Giveaway!

Sky On Fire (Monument 14 #2)
Emmy Laybourne

Hitting shelves May 28th, from Feiwel & Friends, a children's division of MacMillan...

Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

In this sequel to Monument 14, the group of survivors, originally trapped together in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, has split in two. Most of the kids are making a desperate run on their recently repaired school bus for the Denver airport where they hope to reunite with their parents, be evacuated to safety, and save their dying friend.

But the world outside is dark and filled with dangerous chemicals that turn people into bloodthirsty monsters, and not all the kids were willing to get on the bus. Left behind in a sanctuary that has already been disturbed once, the remaining kids try to rebuild the community they lost. But when the issues are life and death, love and hate, who can you really trust?

Buy the book at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Sony eStore | Kobo

Click "Read more" for the chance to win an ARC of Sky on Fire, plus some awesome Monument 14 swag!!!

6 Heart Review: Izzy's Pop Star Plan by Alex Marestaing

Izzy's Pop Star Plan
Alex Marestaing

Page Count: 229
Release Date: 29 December 2010 (first edition)
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (MacMillan)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by BookSneeze in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Izzy Baxter has big plans—popstar plans.

Ever since she was six, she's dreamed of becoming the world's next singing sensation. Now sixteen, her singing career is on the rise, and she's been selected to compete on the hit TV show "International Popstar Challenge." As Izzy performs in far off locations such as Tokyo and Paris, it seems as if her plans are coming off without a hitch. But God has plans of His own, and Izzy will soon discover that living for Him is "way cooler" than megastar fame.

Presented like a daily blog, set up like a devotional, and read like a novel; this book will be an instant hit with tween girls. This cutting edge new product will meet girls where they are, and girls will love following Izzy on her incredible adventure. Plus, they'll get daily spiritual food to equip them on their own incredible adventure with God.

Buy the book at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Christian Book | Sony eStore | Kobo

Review

Hollywood native Izzy Baxter has come far with her pop star dream. As a contestant of "International Pop Star Challenge," she travels to Harajuku, Paris, Buenos Aires, and New York to finally make that dream come true, but she's going to have to overcome life's obstacles before she gets there. Izzy's Pop Star Plan is a 90-day devotional with strong Christian approaches on dealing with jealousy, anger, grief, sadness, moving on, helping others, disappointment, intimidation, good tidings, displaying faith, companionship, abandonment, staying true to yourself and your faith, dating, teenage rebellion, heartbreak, standing out, and worship and praise.

The story isn't that exciting; I wasn't exactly excited to see what happened next. It just describes day-to-day things, and I definitely saw the "happily ever after" coming, but the few dramatic twists and turns in the middle are worthwhile. Izzy's discoveries and personal dilemmas are well-portrayed and the way she faces her fears and makes tough decisions is moving and affecting.

Izzy as a narrator is likable enough, but the main problem I had is how UNCHARACTERISTICALLY she acts for a 16-year-old. She's way too mature and her thinking process is literally that of an adult's; I don't care how "Christian" she is... teenagers just don't act that way. On the other hand, sometimes she acts like a baby, crying every time her father leaves the house, refusing to date guys because her dad told her not to (hello???), and being too dependent on other people. And yet she discovers, on her own, God's messages? The character is just unrealistic and contradictory to me. She doesn't act like an adolescent; she acts either childishly and immaturely, or like a boring adult, so I couldn't quite place her as a real person. However, I was proud of her because she overcomes her homesickness and the challenges thrown her way, in order to pursue her lifelong aspirations; she's a dynamic character and Marestaing did a great job demonstrating her growth through gospel.

Overall, her, her family, and her friends are living in a naïve, blind Christian world that doesn't realistically depict real life, but then again this is a juvenile novel so I guess Marestaing was aiming for the grossly oversimplified and positive outlook.

Izzy's Pop Star Plan is a Christian-tinted self-improvement devo set to an agreeable tune. As a devotional, this book is very heavy on God-this and God-that—way too preachy for me—but as a debut novel, it's sentimental and promising.

Pros

Blog format with comments—felt like a real online journal // Evocative of countries Izzy travels to // Solid Christian approaches to everyday human emotions and difficulties // Lots of character growth

Cons

Not very exciting or fun // Very predictable // Izzy doesn't act like a 16-year-old... she acts like she's 30 one day, and 3 on another. There's sadly no in-between // Competition results are way too idealized; nothing disappointing ever happens to her career // Preachy

Verdict

Touching and full of the honest emotion only found in a teenager's diary, Alex Marestaing's first novel is an entertaining daily devotional about finding yourself through friends, family, new experiences, new people, good music, and of course, God. Izzy takes readers with her on her adventures around the world, giving fascinating glimpses of the reality show industry, pop star fame, and Christian lifestyle. I personally didn't enjoy the cheery storyline that seemed to always be favorable to the main character, but I do think middle-grade girls (ages 9-12) will like it 

6 hearts: Satisfying for a first read, but I'm not going back (x)

Author: Brent Hartinger Interview + Giveaway!

You've seen my reviews for the acclaimed Geography Club and newly released installment in its original Russel Middlebrook series, The Elephant of Surprise, and today, the wonderful author will be joining Books à la Mode for an exciting, revealing interview! Readrs, please help me welcome YA author, Brent Hartinger, to the blog today to celebrate his new book. Let's get this interview started, Brent!

Will you please share a brief bio with us?

Brent Hartinger is the author of a number of novels, mostly for and about teens, including Geography Club (HarperCollins, 2003) and three sequels: The Order of the Poison Oak (HarperCollins, 2005); Double Feature: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (2007); and The Elephant of Surprise (2013).

His other books include The Last Chance Texaco (HarperCollins, 2004); Grand & Humble (HarperCollins, 2006); Project Sweet Life (HarperCollins, 2008); and Shadow Walkers (Flux Books, 2011).

Mr. Hartinger’s many writing honors include being named the winner of the Lambda Literary Award, the Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award, a GLAAD Media Award, the Screenwriting in the Sun Award, and a Book Sense Pick (four times).

A feature film version of his first novel, Geography Club, will be released in 2013, starring Scott Bakula (Star Trek: Enterprise) and Nikki Blonsky (Hairspray).

Hartinger is also the author of many award-winning screenplays and plays, including a stage adaptation of Geography Club, which has received regional productions in Tacoma, Salt Lake City, Edmonton, and elsewhere. A feature film version of his play The Starfish Scream, which has also received many regional productions (and was twice produced Off-Off Broadway in New York), is in active development for a possible 2014 release.

Hartinger is a sometime-member of the faculty at Vermont College in the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and is also the co-founder of the entertainment website AfterElton.com, which was sold to MTV/Viacom in 2006.

He lives in Seattle with his partner, writer Michael Jensen.

What are Geography Club and The Elephant of Surprise about?

Russel Middlebrook is convinced he's the only gay kid at Goodkind High School.

Then his online gay chat buddy turns out to be none other than Kevin, the popular but closeted star of the school's baseball team. Soon Russel meets other gay students, too. There's his best friend Min, who reveals that she is bisexual, and her soccer-playing girlfriend Terese. Then there's Terese's politically active friend, Ike.

But how can kids this diverse get together without drawing attention to themselves?

"We just choose a club that's so boring, nobody in their right mind would ever in a million years join it. We could call it Geography Club!"

Brent Hartinger's debut novel is a fast-paced, funny, and trenchant portrait of contemporary teenagers who may not learn any actual geography in their latest club, but who learn plenty about the treacherous social terrain of high school and the even more dangerous landscape of the human heart.

Buy the book at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Sony eStore | Kobo

Book 4 in the Lambda Award-winning Russel Middlebrook series!

People aren't always what they seem to be. Sometimes we even surprise ourselves.

In this latest book, Russel and his friends Min and Gunnar are laughing about something they call the Elephant of Surprise—the tendency for life to never turn out as expected. Sure enough, Russel soon happens upon a hot but mysterious homeless activist named Wade, even as he's drawn back to an old flame named Kevin. Meanwhile, Min is learning surprising things about her girlfriend Leah, and Gunnar just wants to be left alone to pursue his latest technology obsession.
But the elephant is definitely on the move in all three of their lives. Just who is Wade and what are he and his friends planning? What is Leah hiding? And why is Gunnar taking naked pictures of Kevin in the shower?

The Elephant of Surprise includes Hartinger's trademark combination of humor and romance, angst and optimism. Before the story is over, Russel and his friends will learn that the Elephant of Surprise really does appear when you least expect him—and that when he stomps on you, it really, really hurts.

Buy the book at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Kobo | Smashwords

How did you arrive at writing YA fiction? Are there any other genres you've tried or would like to try?

When I started (in the 90s), YA was just starting to get big. But I didn't read it—I barely knew it existed, and I definitely didn't think I was writing it. I thought I just happened to be writing stories with teenage characters. Then my agent said, "This is young adult." At first I was offended—"What?! A kids' book?!" But then I started reading YA and realized, "Ohhhh. This is a lot better than most of the 'adult' books I read. YA authors actually care about plot."

YA really exploded right after that, and I sort of rode the wave. I still love YA, but I confess my eyes glaze over a little now with all the dystopian books, fairy tale retellings, and paranormal romance.

On the other hand, I also love (and write) mystery/thrillers, fantasy, and sci-fi, both YA or not. And I absolutely love writing screenplays of all genres. I didn't write the screenplay for Geography Club (the movie), but the first movie based on a screenplay of mine will hopefully be released next year.

Oh, I know what you mean! YA is getting so overhyped. It's a good genre, but not when all the plots and premises start to overlap. What was the inspiration for Geography Club? Tell us how the whole series began.

Well, it's very loosely based on my own experiences as a gay teenager, and also my experience founding one of the United States' first LGBT teen support groups (in 1990). I was really young, but it was my job to sort of "interview" the attendees before the first meeting, and they were all so incredibly diverse: a prom queen from the suburbs, a guy from a small town who wore a cowboy hat and drove a pick-up truck, a drag queen who'd been kicked out of the house by his parents and who lived on the streets.

Before the first meeting, I remember thinking, "This is crazy! None of these kids have anything in common! And I have to lead them in a support group?!"

But of course once we were all together and they started talking, I didn't have to say a word. The superficial differences immediately fell away. They all knew exactly what it felt like to be outsiders, to feel like frauds, to know what it felt like to hide the truth about themselves. It was magic.

That first meeting stuck with me for a long time—so much that it sort of became the centerpiece of Geography Club, when the kids all get together for the first time and realize that even though they seem different, they're really all alike.

After that, with every new book in the series, I've wanted my characters to have some interesting, but completely different experience.

In The Order of the Poison Oak, the second book in the series, they go to work at a summer camp for burn survivors. In Double Feature, the third book, they get jobs as zombie extras working on a horror film.

And in The Elephant of Surprise, this latest book, Russel gets involved with a group of "freegans"—people who give up all their possessions and live on the street. Just how much of an outsider is Russel really? The Elephant of Surprise forces him to decide.

Isn’t it rather risky to write teen novels that tackle gay issues, especially with all the controversy in the media today? I personally admire how you’ve been bold enough to use them as a basis for your books—we need more YA fiction like yours! But the question is: how have you overcome any consequent challenges of writing about a controversial topic for a younger audience?

When I was first trying to sell it, in the 90s, it was enormously controversial. I mean, just off the charts. My agent once told me the book was rejected by thirty-eight editors. A lot of them said they wanted to buy it, but they'd go to the accountants, and they'd always say the same thing: "There's no market for a book about gay teens."

Of course, once an editor at HarperCollins finally got it through the acquisitions department, the book was a big hit, right away—we went into a third printing at the end of the second week. So the conventional wisdom that there was no market for a book like this was just completely wrong. But at the same time, it was controversial. It was challenged and banned all across the United States.

So that part of the process was intensely frustrating. But the other part is that I immediately started receiving a flood of letters and emails from grateful teens and adults. I've talked to the authors of other LGBT teen books, and we all get these incredibly touching letters. I've written non-LGBT books too, and I have fan mail about them too, but it's not the same thing, not in the same category at all.

So whenever I depressed by the controversy, I remember the letters and emails. There is a huge audience for these books. But sometimes the controversy makes it difficult for readers to get them.

That definitely is a great reminder about all your hard work, and the huge impact it's made on teen LGBT fiction. How did you first get published? Tell us your call story.

Like I said, a number of editors had wanted to publish it, but they couldn't get their houses to agree. Steve Fraser, my editor at HarperCollins, was rejected by the accountants there too. But he simply wouldn't take no for an answer. Finally, they said, "We still think this is going to flop, but you're obviously passionate, so we'll give you a tiny bit of money."

He called my agent, and she called me. I was overjoyed, of course. But the frustrating thing was that it took almost two years before the book was finally released!

And we readers are SO grateful he gave the book a chance! I know the first three books in the series were published by HarperTempest, an imprint of HarperCollins, but am curious as to why you chose the indie route for re-release and for the fourth book. Also, since you've had a taste of both large-house and self-publishing, could you share some advantages and disadvantages to both?

My experience with HarperCollins was mixed. I had six different editors in six years. I had some good editors, but just the revolving door alone made it tough. And of course I had a few editors that I didn't always see eye-to-eye with, so that made it even tougher.

But when I left HarperCollins in 2008, I asked them if I could have the rights back to these books. They were generous enough to say yes, but only for the last two books. So a year or so later, around 2010, I created my own imprint and published those two myself. I wasn't particularly interested in going that route (I still work with traditional publishers on other projects), but I knew no other publisher would be interested in these books since HarperCollins had kept the rights to Geography Club.

Anyway, to my surprise, the titles sold really well. Obviously, the technology has changed a lot in recent years, and that's made it possible to get the books to the readers all over the world in a way that wasn't possible before. And the royalty rate is so much higher that I can sell fewer books, but make a lot more money.

When it became clear last year that the Geography Club movie was really happening, I decided to write a new original book for the series. I'd always wanted to sort of wrap the series up, and that gave me perfect opportunity. I hired my first editor from HarperCollins (who is now an agent), and also my first copy-editor; this became The Elephant of Surprise.

Truthfully? I think it takes a very, very specific kind of project to become a successful indie title. I was lucky because this series was already pretty well-known, and I also have the publicity of the upcoming movie. But just releasing yet another novel without any traditional support or an existing media "hook," I think it's almost impossible to get much traction for your book or land any real sales (and with all the self-published stuff out there now, I think it's getting harder by the day). Yes, there might be one or two exceptions to the rule, but seriously—those are exceptions.

Basically, if I were an aspiring writer, I would definitely try the traditional route first. And if I couldn't sell anything, or at least land an agent, I think I'd assume it's because I wasn't yet writing at a professional level, or I wasn't writing books that are marketable. I'd take a good hard look at the work itself.

For what it's worth, I think a lot of self-published writers really discount the importance of a good editor. And I mean an EDITOR, not just a copy-editor. My first drafts suck. Some of my second drafts do too, but I can't always see it, at least at first. That's what an editor is for: to help you tear everything apart and rebuild it, so you're sure when it's released, it's the best possible book you can put out into the world.

Fortunately, working with my old editor, I sort of have the best of both worlds.

That's incredibly insightful, and interesting how you got to re-publish those books, too! Indeed, you're lucky in already having had publicity from HarperCollins to make your self-published titles successful—but then again, I'm sure the quality of the books influenced that success, too! Are the characters from the Russel Middlebrook series based off anyone you know in real life?

Russel is certainly "inspired" by me, and his two best friends Min and Gunnar were "inspired" by two of my friends. All through my life, I've also always had a thing for friendship trios. Maybe this has something do my being a gay teenager—life was safer that way.

But it's interesting how quickly Russel, Min, and Gunnar became their own characters. In my mind, they now seem totally different from myself and my actual friends. Embarrassingly, I think of them as real people. Even now, when people ask me who they're based on, my first impulse is to think, "What do you mean 'based on'? They're real people!" Which I guess is the goal of writing fiction, right?

LOL! Nothing to be embarrassed about—it just shows how well you've crafted them... and trust me, everyone, they sure feel like real characters to me! How much else of your actual life gets written into your stories?

It's both "very little" and "quite a bit." Almost nothing is exactly what happened to me. But almost everything was "inspired" by something—like the night of that support group I mentioned earlier.

It's not that I need to know how something feels before I can write about it—writing is all about imagination. But isn't it interesting that if I have experienced the feelings of something, it's a lot more compelling to me?

Yes, yes, yes—I so agree. Fiction is definitely about creation, but it's so much more genuine if you can write it from the heart. How difficult was it finding Russel's narrative voice—writing from the perspective of an angsty, insecure, gay teenage boy?

It was hard to find the exact voice at first, but it's not anymore. I feel pretty close to Russel. I'm not claiming his mix of insecurity, angst, humor, and optimism is representative of ALL teenagers. But I was trying hard not to make him the "typical" movie or novel teen character. I often find those characters are either too blase and sophisticated or too angst-y and depressed, so neither of them quite ring true for me. Russel is sort of a mix between the two: hyper-aware in some respects, and totally clueless in others. Which happens to have been a lot like I was back then, I think!

What do you consider your biggest strengths and weaknesses as an author?

I try hard to write books that people like to read. I want to write books that are smart and hopefully thought-provoking, but also fun and entertaining: dessert, not broccoli. The most frequent comment I get from readers is that my books are “page-turners,” which makes me very happy, because that is exactly what I want them to be. If I had to describe my own books, I would say, “Strong central concept, strong plot, strong character and voice.” (I may not always succeed in creating these things, but they’re what I always strive for).

As for my own weaknesses, I probably don't have as thick a skin as I could. The job of a writer isn't to be adored. It's to be read. And reading fiction is all about an emotional response, some good, some bad. It's literally a writer's job to be analyzed and criticized.

That said, I stay as far away from criticism as I can. I write the book, and my job is pretty much done. While I'm writing the book, I listen to criticism from my editors and early readers. But once I'm done writing it, that means I'm satisfied. It also means it's out of my hands—it can't be changed. I let other people have their own reactions, and I don't want to intrude. I also don't want it to bum me out! It can be such an emotional roller-coaster if you let it, because obviously everyone reacts to a book differently. Again, that's the whole point. But I don't want to be there to watch. I'd never get out of bed if I did.

Gah, I can only imagine. Criticism—especially from unnecessarily brutal reviewers who pick at books just for the sake of it—can be really tough. It's great that you don't let all that get to you and just do what you're supposed to do: write. Name the top five novels that have made the biggest impact on your life or on your writing.

When I was a small kid, The Chronicles of Narnia taught me that books could be fun. When I was an older teenager, The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant taught me that big books weren't necessarily boring. And The Outsiders taught me that even realistic books could be relevant and interesting.

And lately, honestly, The Hunger Games has taught me that you can take a pretty hackneyed concept and, if you're talented enough, give it a wonderful, fresh new spin. Katniss is just one of the greatest characters ever written (at least until the third book, which didn't really work for me).

All those are some of my childhood classics too! With the exception of The Hunger Games, which I have, but STILL have yet to read (I'm ridiculous, I know!) Give aspiring writers a piece of advice you wish you had known before getting published.

On some level, I think I was under the impression that everyone shared my taste in books. I'd read some critical darling or a bestseller, and I'd hate it, see all these flaws, and I'd think, "Well, if people like this book, they're going to love mine!"

Now, of course, I understand that's not how it works: everyone sees every book differently—REALLY differently! Those books that I hate—that seem so obviously flawed to me? Other people really do love them! It's not just that they haven't read the right books: they'd probably read the books I love and hate them just as much as I hate the books they love.

I won't say that awards and reviews sometimes seem completely random to me—I still believe that cream usually rises to the top, and that the audience is usually right (although some successes still do completely baffle me).

But the point is, you just can't control how people respond to your book. I mean, I always knew it was out of the writer's control, but it's REALLY out of your control.

But in a way, once you really internalize that, it's kind of liberating. Because then you can stop worrying about how others will react to your book and just write the book you would love to read.

Excellent, excellent advice. You can't really anticipate anything from readers, because everyone has their own preferences, but you shouldn't let that get to you because that's not what penning a novel is about. Now give us your best personal advice—something you wish you had known when you were younger and would offer to your own kids.

The more you give, the more you get. If you're a bitchy, selfish, or entitled jerk, you will attract people just like that into your life, and you'll end up bitter, lonely, and miserable. But if you're cool to others, you'll attract cool people as your friends. Sometimes it takes a while for this dynamic to play out, but this is always how it ends up in the end.

Oh, and whether you're popular or not in high school is completely irrelevant to the rest of your life. It seems so important at the time, but it just isn't, not at all.

Your words really resonate with me, because I think that's something teenagers—and even some adults—don't realize until they've been burned and it's already too late. So, thank you for that! What would you say are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?

Persistence, a really thick skin, and an ability to be open to criticism but also stick to your vision.

But while sanity is certainly the goal of being a writer, I'm not sure any writer is completely sane. We do this incredibly personal thing, sharing our most intimate feelings and selves. But then we're not supposed to take it personally when people reject and criticize us. Is that really even possible?

Ahaha you're right—in and of itself, writers are automatically a bit crazy. But that's what he love about them! What’s the most interesting comment you have ever received about your books? 



Sometimes close friends read my books and say, "Wow, this book is really, really you!" I don’t really think about my books like that when I'm writing them—I try to keep some professional difference.

But when all is said and done, I think they're right: certain books of mine, definitely all of the books in the Russel Middlebrook series, couldn't have been written by anyone else, not at all. They're completely, uniquely "me." And that makes me very happy. Talk about self-expression!

I think that's an enormous achievement, to really put such a large portion into yourself into a novel. Books, like people, need to be unique—need to be personal and individual and real—in order to really connect. And your books do that perfectly. What is the message in your series that you want readers to grasp?

No "message" exactly. The book has a theme or two, for sure, but mostly I just want my readers to be entertained: to laugh and cry and relate and be surprised.

If there's any point to all my YA books, it's that teenagers are smarter and more sensitive than most adults realize, and their lives are more complicated. The one thing that every adult has in common is that we were all once teenagers. So why don't more adults remember better what it was really like? I don't get it.

You're spot on! It's hard being a teenager—not only emotionally, but in not knowing who you are yet—and adults usually dismiss that as immaturity or hormone-induced histrionics. But that's so not true; young adults experience the same troubles and feelings that adults do, with the pressure of high school, parents, first times (in everything!), academics, and identity. What are your goals as a writer?

My personal goal has always been to be read at least enough to make a living doing what I love (and it's worked out so far at least!). My creative goal is always to be entertaining and compelling, while also being honest and authentic. Whether I've succeeded at that, that's for the reader to decide.

Switching gears now, tell us a bit about the Geography Club film! Congrats on the movie deal, by the way—I can't wait to watch it!!! Here's the official trailer, courtesy of Shoreline Entertainment:

There are really only two ways movies get made: (1) everyone thinks the project will make a lot of money, or (2) a handful of people feel so passionately about the project that they move heaven and earth to get it made, even if people DON'T necessarily think it will make a lot of money.

The movie was definitely number two—a passion project. Once the book was published, we had movie interest right away. And over the next ten years, it was optioned and developed by a series of different producers. But everyone kept coming to dead end. The money people always said, "There's no market for a movie about gay teens. It won't make any money!"

But these latest producers refused to take no for an answer. They moved heaven and earth, and they got it done. It's a little different from the book, but it's a really good movie. And they've treated me like a king. Everyone who worked on the movie, cast and crew, was asked to read the book—and almost all of them did. I've been involved with movie projects before, and the kind of respect for the source material almost never happens.

Wow, that's amazing of them. Both the you and the actors are so lucky to have gotten this experience! The trailer made my spine tingle... now I REALLY need to watch it! Here are a few pictures from on set Brent has shared with us. Look at all these wonderful, beautiful people!

Before we conclude this interview, Brent, share with us what dreams have been realized as a result of your writing.

I used to dream that I'd be a famous actor, and a pop music star, and a screenwriter, and a movie director. But now that I'm older, I realize that you can work your whole life at just one of those things and still only just begin to understand the craft. That's the way I feel about writing: it takes at least ten years to be any good at all, to have any idea what you're doing.

I love writing so much, I'm so satisfied with what I do, that now I don't really have any desire to do anything else. So I guess, when it comes right down to it, my life "dream" has been realized, even if it's not quite the dream I had when I started out 

That's more than enough if you think about what you've accomplished. Where can you be found on the web?

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Series

It was an absolute treat having you over at the blog today, Brent! Thank you so much for joining us, and for sharing your insightful, moving personal experiences and thoughts.

Check out what I thought about Geography Club, the book that started it all
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My review of The Elephant of Surprise, Book 4 in the same series

Giveaway!

Brent has been generous enough to offer a copy of the newest book in the Russel Middlebrook series, The Elephant of Surprise to one lucky commenter at Books à la Mode! To enter, tell me something relevant to the interview or LGBT fiction. Here are some pointers:

What do you think about young adult LGBT fiction? Do you think it's inappropriate for adolescent readers, or do you want to see more of it? Are there any titles in particular that stand out to you? Share with us!

Please make it MEANINGFUL—comments only consisting of "I think it's alright" or "Thanks for the giveaway!" will not be considered for entry!!!!

You might have guessed from my glowing reviews for Brent's books, but I LOVE it and think we need to see more of it. Since Geography Club was written, in the past ten years, it's really evolved in the YA genre, which is amazing. I think gay fiction makes for incredible coming-of-age stories, and who says it should be excluded in times like ours? We should see an equal amount of it in teen novels, because there are teenagers today—both homo- and heterosexual—who need the insight, the encouragement, the escape. Some of my favorite LGBT books are Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (or anything he writes, really!) and Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle. I read them way way back and they were the first books I read with gay protagonists, which was not only a fresh, but also underrated perspective.

After commenting, please fill out this Rafflecopter form to keep track of all your entries. You can enter even without commenting if you follow Brent or me somehow. You know the drill:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules and Disclosure:

Giveaway ends 15 April 2013 at 11.59 PM (your time).

Open internationally! Woohooo! However, only US residents will be eligible for the print copy. Readers outside the country will receive an eBook copy in their format of choice.

Winners have 48 hours to claim their prize once they are chosen, or else their prizes will be forfeited.
Although I do select winners via Rafflecopter (Random.org), I am in no way responsible for prizes, nor for shipping and handling.

As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤ Plus you get extra entries ;)

Good luck!