Interview with SWEETHEARTS author Sara Zarr

Why Young Adult?

I feel like YA chose me more than I chose it. When I think of story ideas, they just happen to involve high school characters. I am interested in writing for and about other ages, too, but I’ve always been a fan of YA. Also, characters at that age are going through so many changes and new experiences and self-discovery - it’s a time rich with story possibilities.

What do you like best about being an author?

Number one is fan mail - hearing from readers (of all ages) who respond in some personal way to my books. Two is getting to live a flexible lifestyle in which I keep my own schedule and get to linger in bed in the mornings.

Jenna’s a character I think a lot of teenagers can relate to. What was one of the first things you knew about her as a character?

I knew that she was loyal, maybe to a fault, and that her definition of herself was rooted a lot in childhood events.

What do you like best about Jenna?

I like that she sincerely wants to do what’s best and right.

What was your favorite scene to write in the book?

There were a few I enjoyed, including the positive childhood memory about being in the aspen grove with Cameron, and then the present day scene with Jenna and Cameron on the porch in the early morning snow.

What do you hope for readers to take away from the story?

I just hope people have a satisfying and memorable reading experience. Anything they draw beyond that is gravy!

What’s next for you?

My next YA novel with Little, Brown will be out sometime in late 2009 or early 2010. I can’t talk about it too much, but it will be pretty different from my first two.

Interview by Lisa
April 2008

Interview with YA Author Melissa Walker

1. What made you want to be a writer?


It may have been the old typewriter my parents had, which I thought was super cool. But probably it was just something innate, because I’m not sure how many four-year-olds would have found an ancient typewriter cool.

Also, my dad, my uncle and my grandmother are all writers at heart.

2. How did you get started?


Really it was doing work for my high school yearbook, and then my college newspaper. I got a magazine internship during college, and I just loved the environment, so I knew that’s the field I wanted to work in after graduation.

After a few years editing and writing with magazines, it was time to try books!

3. What do you like most about writing young adult?

The readers. I love writing for teenagers because I think they’re such an honest, open audience. They’ll tell you if they LOVE a story and they’ll call you out if something just sucks.

4. What sparked the idea for the Violet series?


As soon as I started peeking behind the scenes of modeling and fashion as a magazine editor, I knew that I wanted to put a "real girl" in the middle of this crazy world, a girl who would see it from the outside and be like, "Holy crap!" It’s an insane environment, so there’s lots of fodder for adventure, humor and drama, especially from the point of view of a small town girl who’s not yet jaded.

5. Can you describe Violet in just three words?


Self-conscious, smart, and lovely

6. What qualities do you like most about Violet?


While she’s very insecure, she also has an inner strength. Even she doesn’t really know about it, but she finds it more and more as she deals with the fashion world and starts to question its values. I like that quiet strength, which will hopefully overcome her eagerness to please and be accepted.

7. There’s a lot of emphasis on healthy body image in the series, especially in VIOLET BY DESIGN. Was that intentional, meaning there when you plotted the series or did it just come up organically?


I didn’t plot the series—I just planned one book. When Penguin wanted three, I had to think up a second and third, which was fun. International modeling came up, and I know how rigid foreign runways are, so weight was a natural issue for Violet to deal with. I suppose that means it was organic when I started plotting book 2.

8. What was your favorite scene to write?


I love every scene when Roger and Violet are together. Those just feel natural to me.

9. Did any character surprise you when you were writing?


Veronica did. She’s sort of a frenemy, a rival model, but she’s not one-dimensional. At first I thought she might be pure evil, but her humanity keeps showing through, and I like that.

10. What would readers be surprised to know about you?


I’m obsessed with Oprah. My friend Anne and I even have a blog at ohoprah.com that no one reads, but I love it.

11. Can you give us a hint about what happens to Violet in book 3?


She does go to college… and she tries to quit the modeling world for good. She also has quite a romantic roller coaster ride!

12. Have you ever thought of maybe doing a spin-off of the series with one of the other model characters?


Oooh, no! But I like this idea! Can I steal it?



Interview by Lisa

Enchanting Review: Violet By Design

VIOLET BY DESIGN
MELISSA WALKER
Contemporary Young Adult
Berkley Jam
ISBN 978-0-425-24940-9
205 Pages
$9.99
Trade Paperback – Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments


Welcome back, Violet Greenfield.

VIOLET BY DESIGN picks up a few short months after book one left off. Violet’s preparing to say goodbye to her college-bound best friends, Julie and Roger, and head off to Brazil for the upcoming fashion show there. With any luck, the Brazil shows will lead to the fall shows in Paris and then, who knows?

Violet grows up a lot during the course of this book and we get a deeper glimpse of the relationships she has with those closest to her. I especially liked the growing attraction between her and Roger, even with the unexpected complications as she realizes he’s had feelings for her for so long.

VIOLET BY DESIGN is a great second book in Ms. Walker’s VIOLET series. This one delves deeper into the fashion world, with Violet being on the receiving end of some rather harsh criticism about her weight; her potential relationship with Paulo, the hot young Brazilian designer, and her recent choices, including blogging about issues a lot of people would prefer she kept quiet. Most of the characters from Book One make a return appearance for Book Two. I was especially glad to see Veronica return in this one and look forward to seeing where Ms. Walker takes the Double Vs in the third book in the series.



Lisa
YA Director
Enchanting Reviews
March 2008

Enchanting Review: Violet On The Runway

VIOLET ON THE RUNWAY
MELISSA WALKER
Contemporary YA
Berkley Jam
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21704-7
228 pages
$9.99
Trade paperback - Available now

Rating: 5 Enchantments

After being discovered by a high profile modeling agent at her after-school job at her local movie theatre, Violet Greenfield finds herself thrust into the New York modeling scene as the next hot ’it’ girl.

Violet’s new model status elevates her popularity--especially at school where her height had earned her the nickname ’green giant’--and the girls she always wanted to hang out with suddenly think she’s cool. So who can blame her for testing out everything her new life has to offer? Its not like she’s planning on ignoring her two lifelong best friends forever…she just wants to test the new waters she’s suddenly found admission into.

Violet finds herself immersed in an entirely new world in NYC where her life in North Carolina seems so far away, especially her two best friends, Julie and Roger. When a new Violet starts to emerge, one who’s confidant and more popular than she could have ever imagined, can Violet resist the temptation to let go of the ’old’ Violet?

Violet is a vibrant character who comes to life on the pages. I loved the scenes where Violet has her first go-sees and her newfound agent Angela tags along with her to one, and then basically throws her to wolves to fend for herself for the rest of the day.

VIOLET ON THE RUNWAY is an addicting debut novel by Ms. Walker. I was hooked from page one and look forward to reading more about Violet.


Lisa
YA Director
Enchanting Reviews
March 2008

Enchanting Review: Sweethearts

SWEETHEARTS
SARA ZARR
Contemporary Young Adult
Little, Brown
ISBN 0-316-01455-9
217 Pages
$16.99
Hardcover – Available Now

Rating: 4 Enchantments


Jennifer Harris’ life has undergone a serious transformation since the last time she saw her childhood best friend, Cameron Quick. Gone is the shy, chubby outcast Jennifer and in her place is Jenna Harris, a teenager who is popular, happy and dating one of the hottest guys in school. She is in fact everything that ’Jenna’ knows Jennifer never could be. But when her long lost friend Cameron suddenly reappears in her life, a friend she thought dead, both are faced with the stinging memories of the past that no transformation can truly leave behind.

Confronted by her past and the truth about Cameron’s disappearance, Jenna struggles to come to terms with who she was then and who she is now, all while rebuilding one of the most important relationships of her life.

Full of emotion, SWEETHEARTS is a beautifully written story about the power of friendship and its ability to transform. Anyone who’s struggled to fit in will be able to sympathize with Jennifer’s desire to transform herself into someone else.

This is Ms. Zarr’s second young adult novel.

Lisa
YA Director
Enchanting Reviews
March 2008

Enchanting Review: Poseur

POSEUR
RACHEL MAUDE
Contemporary YA
Poppy
Trade
ISBN-10: 0-316-06583-8
290 Pages
$9.99
Available Now

Rating 4.5 Enchantments

Janie Farrish, Petra Greene, Charlotte Beverwil, and Melissa Moon are four girls who couldn't be more different if they tried. So how can they be expected to co-exist? They can't—except when the four of them are paired up for a "special studies" class at school, involving the one thing they have in common, fashion. But can the four girls with widely different thoughts about what the special studies class should entail actually work together or further alienate each other more?

I really enjoyed POSEUR. It was a fun read, with lots of potential for the next book in the series. Janie is pretty well the star of the first book, with a lot of the action centered on her. It's hard enough to be Janie without having to deal with the fact that her brother has suddenly become popular and is hanging out with Charlotte Beverwil, Janie's sworn enemy. But when the two have to work together as part of 'The Trend Set', their special studies group, things get downright combustible, especially when Charlotte thinks Janie's the reason her brother Jake is starting to pull away from her.

One of the highlights of this book is the launch party for the Trend Set's clothing line, a line that actually doesn't quite yet exist. Forced to wear outfits the others designed for them, only Janie is actually happy with what was made for her while the others are anything but. Can the girls actually bond when it's one disaster after another? Or will they cave and give up once and for all?

I look forward to reading the next in this enjoyable series, due out in September 2008.

POSEUR is Ms. Maude's first novel.

Lisa
YA Director
Enchanting Reviews
March 2008

Enchanting Review: Princess Mia

PRINCESS MIA
MEG CABOT
Contemporary YA
HarperTeen
ISBN 978-0-06-072461-0
274 pages
$16.99
Hardcover - Available Now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Mia has a lot to deal with: her break up with Michael, the sudden silent treatment from her best friend Lilly, not to mention the continuing Princess Lessons. But now because of her depression over the break-up—doesn’t everyone just want to spend a week in bed?—Mia’s forced to go see a psychologist. And not just any psychologist either, Dr. Knutz (aptly named!) is supposed to be one of the best in the country, but the guy is beyond kooky!

And in the midst of all of this, Mia’s agreed to give a speech in front of several thousand of the top businesswomen in New York and stumbles onto a long lost family diary that could have serious repercussions, depending on what Mia decides to do with it.

In PRINCESS MIA, the ninth book of the Princess Diaries series, Mia’s growing up, in more ways than one. She’s grown another inch and weirdly enough, she’s also gained a bit of weight, which translated, means she’s now got boobs, which means she needs an entirely new wardrobe. Her grand-mère is thrilled! Now Mia can carry off a strapless gown. But Mia’s got real problems. Like her depression over the split with Michael, the fact that JP seems to be everywhere and Tina keeps saying he’s in love with her. As if right? But stranger things have happened.

My favorite scene is when Mia’s father has finally had enough of her week long stint of staying in bed and hiding out from all those who care about her, and carries her—Hello Kitty pajamas and all—into Dr. Knutz’s office, a psychologist who Mia thinks more than lives up to his name. The whole scene truly made me laugh out loud. One of the best in the whole series.

With a few shocking surprises in store, PRINCESS MIA won’t disappoint fans of this wonderful series. Another terrific read by Ms. Cabot.

Lisa
YA Director
Enchanting Reviews
February 2008