Three Thursday Things

1. Another amazing entry in the big Violet contest came from Regina, who created a Violet fansite (that's a screenshot above), complete with an awesome poem about Violet and a soundtrack, which I have to post because I love the explanations for song choices! Soundtrack for the Violet books, by Regina Glamorous- Fergie I chose this because this was how Violet's life became after she entered the modelling world. Girlfriend- Avril Lavigne How Violet felt when she saw Chloe and Roger together Crush- David Archuleta Violet's love for Roger or Roger's love for Violet Teardrops on my guitar- Taylor Swift Whenever Roger talks about Chloe in front of Violet Rumours- Lindsay Lohan The way Violet feels about the paparazzi Picture to burn- Taylor Swift Message to Peter from Violet ;D Thanks, Regina--I love this tribute site! 2. I'm over at Kelly Parra's Secret Fates Extravaganza today, sharing a secret... about graveyards. Creepy. So go check me out for a chance to win a copy of Violet in Private there, and also check out all the other posts--everyone is giving away books. It's like a crazy contest blowout. YES! 3. It's Fat Talk Free Week, and tons of pro-women organizations have teamed up with the Tri-Deltas to host this week, and they made this video, which has some eye-opening statistics about women and body image, and may make you think twice about what you say to other girls about their weight--even if you think you're being positive. I'll let you go explore the site on your own, and sign the Fat Talk Free pact, too! Hope that wasn't overwhelming. Sometimes when I blog about more than one thing I feel spazzy.

Win-It Wednesday: Poseur, Frenemies and Two Amazing Clutches

Okay, so you know how I had five Ballet Shoes DVDs to give away? I'm about to list the winners. But first, I must confess that I opened one of them so I could watch it, so someone will get an opened and once-watched DVD. But it'll still be near-pristine! And the movie is really cute--I have it on right now while I should be working. Anyway, winners! They are: Carol (who would be famous for writing an urban fantasy series), Kate (who would be a critically acclaimed YA author), Marie (who'd be famous for her writing), The Bookworm (who'd be famous for snapping a picture of Big Foot!) and Rylie (who'd be famous for something that helps a lot of people -- like finding the cure for AIDS or cancer, or solving the climate crisis). Ooh, hearing about your ambitions was great, and giving away five things was also fun. So maybe that's why I'm again going to do a multiple winner contest. I have another copy of Alexa Young's fantastic Frenemies to give away (see my original giveaway here), and I also have a signed copy of Rachel Maude's Poseur. Did you know Rachel and I are doing a reading together in Brooklyn next Tuesday? We are! Come if you're around. Info in the sidebar. Poseur is a really fun book with dozens of amazing subplots that make each character really come to life. Rachel's writing is fast and funny--a perfect combination. (Also, this cover pictured is the one I have, but I've seen a white cover in stores... weird?) Now, each winner of these two books will also win one of these two amazing fall clutches. Here's the shameful part: I cannot remember the designer who donated these clutches for Win-It Wednesday, and there is no label inside the bags! But they are so great looking (I'm a sucker for a kissing clasp) and they're lined with black silk. Such ideal holiday party bags. Please contact me, designer, if you read this, and I will shout your name all over this blog in thanks. I'm so sorry I can't remember where they're from. My boyfriend will tell you that I get tons of mail and it disorients me a little but I love it all. Forgive! So, two winners this week, and each winner will receive either Poseur or Frenemies + a clutch. Yay! To enter, post a comment below and tell me this: What's the last book you read? For me, I just finished The Geography of Girlhood by Kirsten Smith, and I adored it! I'd never really read a YA novel in verse before, and she captured such nuances of growing up that I was totally smitten. PS-Still time to win Violet in Private over at Kathleen's Book Reviews. Just a reminder!

Something to check out this week: Readergirlz Night Bites

So last week I went to a reading where I got to see Coe Booth, Maureen Johnson, Siobhan Vivian and Judy Blundell all read excerpts from their most recent novels. Quite a lineup, no? And in the audience were Cassandra Clare, Tara Altebrando, Adrienne Vrettos and Michael Northrop. And those are just the authors I recognized. I'm not trying to say "Come live in NYC," but hey, that was a good night.Still, you can hang out with a ton of authors online this week at readergirlz. Very Halloween chic. Live chats every night at 9pm EST right here. (The preview trailer is awesome.) PS-Thanks to Talking with Tami, who loves the Real Housewives of Atlanta as much as I do, for the awesome interview.

Cover Stories: The Elite by Jennifer Banash

This week's Cover Story comes from Jennifer Banash, author of The Elite Series. I remember first seeing her cover on myspace and thinking it was really eye-catching. That beaded curtain adds something I've never really seen on a book cover--it's all sparkle and mystery. Now, Jennifer herself reveals the drama behind the scenes:"I didn't have a specific idea in mind--all I knew was that I wanted the cover image to reflect the glamorous world of the book, and to somehow convey the elitism of the Upper East Side itself--which, I'll admit, was a pretty tall order. My editor was very receptive to my ideas--I basically told her what I wanted the image itself to convey-- wealth, power, prestige, excitement, glamour--and then left it up to her to pass along my ideas to the art department over at Berkley Jam. "When I saw the original cover, I cried. It was so far from what I had been expecting that I was devastated. The original cover image was not at all what I had in mind for the the first cover in the series-not by a long shot. It was basically a girl with a no head in a clothing store. "Thank god, my editor was sympathetic when I called her up and basically declared that I'd kill myself if the book went to press with that original cover design LOL! Without batting so much as an eyelash, she related my concerns to the art department, went to bat for me, and got the book cover a complete redesign. Without her getting on board, it just wouldn't have happened. "The next cover I saw was the image that became the final cover. So they definitely took my suggestions to heart! I love the final cover--I think it says everything that I wanted to get across about the series in one sexy, powerful, glamorous image. I was very lucky that I had an editor who really cared when I wasn't happy about things--many authors don't have that luxury, so I feel very fortunate." Thanks, Jennifer! I actually had the same editor at Berkley Jam for the Violet books, and it's definitely cool that she was so responsive. I'd love to see that first rejected cover, but I can imagine that it wasn't nearly as fabulous as the final product, and the sequel cover for In Too Deep is amazing too (get the countdown widget below). It makes me want to wear false lashes to parties. Seriously, I thought about this cover while getting ready for an event recently. But I'm not sure I can pull that off!

Get this widget!

What do you guys think of this series' covers?

New LES store!

The fabulous Lois Eastlund is opening her own boutique on the Lower East Side this week, and I had to give a shout out! For my book party, Lois made the most original gift bag contribution--she dressed dolls in her designs (a Union Jack dress, like the one in the window here) and gave them a tiny Violet in Private book to carry. How cool is that? You can see her lookbook here, and the next time you're wandering around Ludlow Street, stop by! PS-Thanks to Books with Wings for the reviews of Violet on the Runway and Violet by Design!

RIP, COSMOgirl!

I'm so sad. You guys know I've always mourned the death of ELLEgirl, which was my favorite job ever. And now COSMOgirl! is closing. I was just reading their October issue on the subway, and I was folding down the page that featured "Pretty Cool Job: Nail Polish Namer," because when I was younger, I came across a lip gloss color called Frosted Pumpkin and for some reason I thought that was the Best Name Ever, and I decided I wanted to grow up and name makeup shades. I love that they always had features that made me think, "Yes! I'm so glad they covered this!" Plus, I had been scheduled to work during the Executive Editor's maternity leave, so I was just getting all psyched to be in the office with such an amazing staff.I'm rambling, but the point is, I really have loved COSMOgirl! The smart editorial (this month's "The Myths of Eating Disorders" is a can't-miss read, as is "Stop the Skank Talk"), the increasingly amazing fashion spreads (quirky beautiful, I think) and their focus on leadership among girls. I was also unexpectedly enthralled in their "The Boys of Twilight" triple interview. Sigh. I'll miss you, CG! The website lives on at cosmogirl.com. A question for you guys: Are magazines dying? Like, do you read magazines regularly, or have subscriptions? I am online all the time, but I still read magazines too. What about you?

Violet Contest Entry: Liviania's Love Your Body campaign

Based on the Mirabella Prince "Love Your Body" campaign in Violet by Design, the fabulous Liviania created her own LYB ads starring friends of hers. What a cool idea! I really adore the photos she took, which are natural and sweet and gorgeous. (I almost said, "Easy breezy beautiful" but that's Cover Girl's line...). Enjoy! And speaking of Body Image, Little Willow did a fantastic interview with awesome author Claire Mysko, who wrote You're Amazing! A No-Pressure Guide to Being Your Best Self (a signed copy of which will soon be up on Win-It Wednesday!). Quote of the day from Claire: "I think we can't have true beauty without health."

Win-It: Ballet Shoes, with Emma Watson

It was awesome to hear about good deeds last week. A few people said they felt uncomfortable tooting their own horn, but I say TOOT TOOT! We all deserve to celebrate the ways we help to make the world better. Like, I think the makers of these tattoos make the world better, but I know some of you might disagree. I just have to say one more thing about YA for Obama: my vlog is up today! I hope you'll go watch it and comment. And, for the other side, there's now a YA for McCain group, which is really cool--something for everyone!Now, political stuff over and it's time to talk of shiny, pretty things: Shiny, pretty #1: The winner of Elizabeth Scott's Living Dead Girl (+ TESS lip gloss) is... Nikki U! Send me your address, N. Shiny, pretty #2: I have five (yes! five!) DVDs I have to give away for this week's Win-It Wednesday. Ballet Shoes, The BBC Adaptation of Noel Streatfeild's 1936 novel, stars Emma Watson in her first non-Harry Potter role. I love her! I interviewed her for ELLEgirl and she was totally sweet. The story revolves around three orphans raised as sisters--Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil--who are eventually left to fend for themselves. Each has a talent--acting, machinery and... ballet! Pauline also experiences overnight stardom... not unlike a certain book character whose name starts with V (and Emma herself, actually). I like Emma, I like the BBC and I like ballet (not that I'm good at it, but I just think it's a gorgeous art, minus the bloody toes). So I'm happy to be able to give away five copies of the DVD to five random commenters! The question to answer in the comments is: If you were going to be famous overnight, what would it be for? Happy Wednesday! PS-Thank you Em for the VIP review! PPS-Here's the original cover for Ballet Shoes from the 1930s (there are new editions on amazon here). I love vintage books!

I heart your blog! (Plus contest links)

Pop Culture Junkie Alea and The Chick Manifesto's Amee have given me the "I Heart Your Blog" award, and I thank you both! (UPDATE: Jocelyn of Teen Book Review also hearted me! Yay! UPDATE 2: So did Gabrielle of Innovative: A Word for the Wri-Teen--thanks! UPDATE 3: Alyssa Goodnight shared love too! UPDATE 4: The generous Writers Block Reviews listed me in great company--wahoo!) UPDATE 5: Em hearted me (and called me cute)! Yay! UPDATE 6: Another nomination from Peace, Love, Vote Books! Thanks, Voter!Now, I get to pass it on. Rules: 1) Add the logo of the award to your blog. Check. 2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you. Done! 3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs. Okay, but I read a ton more than this, I just thought of these first today. 4) Add links to those blogs on your blog. See below. 5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs! Okay! Blogs I Heart: 1. Fashion Robot. So much personality, so little time. My favorites are outfit-posting days. 2. The Longstockings. Eight YA novelists writing about whatever crosses their minds. How could this be anything but total fun? The writers include: Siobhan Vivian (a fabulous road trip partner, I might add), Coe Booth, Caroline Hickey, Kathryne B Alfred, Lisa Greenwald, Lisa Graff, Jenny Han and Daphne Grab. 3. The Book Nymph. Kate gets in-depth with her reviews, and also includes her emotional reactions, which feels really honest and complete! 4. michaelnorthrop.net: My friend Michael Northrop has a debut YA novel called Gentlemen coming out from Scholastic in Spring 2009. I have already read it (I'm special like that, sometimes), and it's fantastic. Also: It has a crazy cool cover, and I hope Michael will share his Cover Story here one day. But about his blog: It's funny because he is funny. 5. Style Goodies. A quick and entertaining place to find out about various corners of the fashion and beauty worlds. 6. Magazine Milf. Because I can't read all the magazines I get, let alone all the magazines that are printed, and somehow this snarky siren keeps up with most of them. 7. Single-ish. My friend Erin is the girl half of the dating blogger for Glamour, and I love her for her smarts and wit. Now, I just have to add two contest links, just for fun: 1. Win a signed copy of Violet in Private over at Kathleen's Book Reviews (I met her this weekend at a book fair, which was so much fun!). 2. Head over to Kelly Parra's Secret Fates Extravaganza, where there are oh-so-many chances to win great books as part of the promo party for her new novel Invisible Touch. I'll be blogging about a secret there next week! Here's the promo video:

Cover Stories: Cruel Summer by Alyson Noel

This week, the talented Alyson Noel is sharing the Cover Story behind her much-lauded book Cruel Summer (see book trailer below for all the dish on it). Take it away, Alyson!"This may seem surprising, but while I'm writing a book I never really think about what its cover might look like. Which is weird, since I'm a really visual person, seeing my stories unfolding before me so clearly I often feel like I'm not so much writing as transcribing the movie I see in my head. And still, I'm always so surprised and (usually) thrilled when I see how the art department has interpreted my words. "So last year, while I was vacationing in Maui and received an e-mail with the subject line 'CRUEL SUMMER cover,' I opened it immediately and peered at the tiny picture on my Blackberry, which looked like this: "And I went, Oh, look at that, it's so different from my others--I can't wait to see it full size! And then I pretty much went on with the rest of my vacation, occasionally peeking at it between snorkeling and pool time. "Not long after I returned home, I got another e-mail stating that there'd been a general consensus that the male model was "too wimpy and not Greek enough" (Yannis, the love interest in the book, is described as a fine-bodied Greek). And so they went back to work and came up with this: "And, I have to say, it was love at first sight!" I'm with Alyson--the blue just pops more, and the guy is more, um, well defined. Plus, I love the open sky on both covers--it's rare that you see such a "clean" book cover, and I think it stands out. What about you guys? Also, here's the trailer for Cruel Summer, so check out the book. Yes, it's in my ever-growing pile and I can't wait to read it!