Fun on Friday: Grace Kelly

To end our first week of the Bradford Blog Bash, here are some fun videos honoring Grace Kelly that we thought you'd enjoy. And scroll down for the winner of this week's Mondays with Micol giveaway!


This one seems to be a teaser for an old Grace Kelly documentary. But it shows a few clips from her movies and her fairytale wedding and gives a good short overview of her life.




A nice slideshow of Grace Kelly, where you can really see her resemblance to Spencer. Not so sure about the heavy rock soundtrack that goes with it, but it's better than the Yanni song that was playing on another slideshow of her!



The trailer for To Catch a Thief:




And, a fun music video for Mika's "Grace Kelly":




Finally, we've done the random drawing, and the winner of this week's Mondays with Micol prize is: Meredith! Congratulations, Meredith, we'll be contacting you soon via e-mail.

Also, check out this great Bradford Prep mention, and comment on YOUR favorite fictional school.

See you on Monday!

Blogger of the Week: Cynthia Leitich Smith

At our Vermont College Winter '09 Residency "Opening Ceremonies," Cynthia Leitich Smith was named the Patron Saint of "The Undead, The Unpublished, and Everyone in Between." This lofty designation is no exaggeration.

Cyn is popular among readers for her contemporary, accessible look into the lives of multi-culti tweens and teens, and, more recently, her wildly successful forays into Southern Gothic supernatural (mwah ha ha!). She is popular among writers because her blog, Cynsations, serves as a comprehensive resource on all things kidlit. She is popular with ME because she rocks it out, all over the place, and in addition to be VERY VERY smart and talented, she is also phenomenally supportive of the many aspiring and burgeoning writers who are lucky enough to cross her path. I am so excited to have her here as a guest blogger today!

And, as an extra-special treat, we're giving away a copy of Cyn's TANTALIZE (also one of Madison Takahashi's picks, as per her student page, which is also a personal fave of mine!) Comment to this post by midnight Thursday (2/5), and you'll be entered in the random drawing to win her book. Winner to be announced a week from today.

Name: Cynthia Leitich Smith
Blog url: http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/ or
http://cynleitichsmith.livejournal.com/

Tell us a little bit about your blog (the content, editorial identity, purpose):
Cynsations is a source for interviews, reading recommendations, publishing information, literacy advocacy, writer resources, and news in children's and teen literature.

How/when/why did you decide to start blogging?
November 2004

Is your current blog your first? If not (or, if so), how did your original blog/s evolve to your current blog-incarnation?
One of them is. Cynsations is mirrored at Blogger and LiveJournal. The Blogspot came first, and then I decided to crosspost to LJ and more easily reach the YA community there.

What's your favorite thing about blogging?
Being able to offer a most-days hearty dose of information and inspiration. It satisfies my inner journalist, allows me to participate in the greater conversation of books, and hopefully is of some use to the audience.

It is! Okay, what is one thing that surprised you about the blogging process?
The size of the audience. On occasion, I'll ask at a children's-YA writer's conference how many people read Cynsations, and often the majority of hands go up. Jeepers.

Jeepers indeed! You're famous! And with good reason. . . . So, in your opinion, what constitutes a "good" (ie: interesting, readable) blog post?
Anything of interest to the targeted community of youth literature enthusiasts. Styles vary, and that's part of the charm of the community.

What sort of information are you looking to offer your readers?
I tend to go for the substantive--meaty conversations and shared resources with an emphasis on the positive and outreach to the YA readers themselves through giveaways and book-related information of particular interest to them.

What blogs do you read regularly?
The list is too huge to mention, though I skim the whole blogroll on JacketFlap daily. Just for fun, though, I'll highlight: Through the Tollbooth, The Blue Rose Girls, The Longstockings, Read Roger, Fuse #8, Nonfiction Matters, and the whole Austin Blogger Community (see my sidebar for links).

Great recommendations! Thanks for stopping by, Cyn!

Bio: Cynthia Leitich Smith is the author of TANTALIZE (Candlewick, 2007), ETERNAL (Candlewick, 2009), RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME (HarperCollins, 2001), several short stories, and award-winning books for younger readers. She is a member of faculty at the Vermont College of Fine Arts M.F.A. program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Her website at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com was named one of the top 10 Writer Sites on the Internet by Writer's Digest and an ALA Great Website for Kids. Her Cynsations blog at cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/ was listed as among the top two read by the children's/YA publishing community in the SCBWI "To Market" column. She makes her home in Austin, Texas, with four bossy cats and her husband, author Greg Leitich Smith.

Awesome Authors: Amanda Marrone

Amanda Marrone grew up on Long Island and now lives in Connecticut with her family and talking dog Griffin. You can learn more about her and hear Griffin say “hello” here: www.amandamarrone.com.

Blogs are a central part of the Bradford Novels universe. If you have a blog, why did you start blogging, and how did you come up with the name for your blog? I started blogging after taking an online YA writer’s class that used LiveJournal as its virtual classroom. The instructor, author Lauren Barhnholdt, was a big blogger and I found a lot of other writers there. We were all sharing our writing journeys and successes as well as pictures of our kids and pets. I came up with my blog name after watching a really cheesy reality show called The Surreal Life. Being a mom and wife can be a bit unreal sometimes, so I came up with The Surreal Wife.

What's your favorite thing about blogging?
Meeting other writers and hearing from people who’ve read my books. It also gives me a great place to brag about my dog, Griffin, oh, and sometimes my kids, too.

What's the difference between a blog and a diary? A blog is a place to put yourself out there for the world to see, and a diary is a place to reflect on things privately. I’ve only kept one diary that was used as a sounding board when I had just turned seventeen and spent eight weeks in France as an au pair. I still have it and rereading it makes me cringe! I was horribly homesick, and it’s filled with all sorts of moaning about missing my boyfriend back in the states, doodles, song lyrics, and endless pages about how I was going to be a changed person when I got home. Yeah, that didn’t happen.

Spencer Grace Kelly, the main character in GoldenGirl, is named after her distant relative, the Princess of Monaco. What’s your favorite Grace Kelly movie, and why? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this, but I loved High Society. I’m a huge musical fan, and Grace Kelly is just stunning in this one. I loved the telling moment when her finance gushes about putting her on a pedestal and you can see the wind being sucked out of her, because she she’s looking for an equal partner not an admirer.

GoldenGirl is full of scandals and exposed secrets. What was the biggest scandal at your high school? Did your classmates discover any of your deep, dark secrets?
There was one deep, dark secret that luckily only a few people found out about, but I sure wish no one had!

What are your most recent books? What new projects are you working on now? My most recent books are Uninvited and Revealers. Right now I’m working on a middle grade series about a twelve year old girl working in a magic repair shop, and I have two new young adult ideas I’m playing around with.

Blogger of the Week: Raisin Rodriguez!

(Ed.'s note: My good friend Judy Goldschmidt, AKA the de facto publicist for one Miss Raisin Rodriguez, has been kind enough to pass along the below questionnaire from Raisin, who is no stranger to the potential perils of blogging. Judy has an 'in' with Rae. Enough said.)

Blogs are a central part of the Bradford Novels universe. If you have a blog, why did you start blogging, and how did you come up with the name for your blog?

I began my blogging career when I moved from Berkeley to Philadelphia. I would talk to my two best friends, Pia and Claudia, every day, but sometimes stories aren’t as good when told a second time around.
For example, when I first found out I’d have to wear a uniform to my new school, I told Pia that I was so upset I needed to be Medi-Vac’d off my roof. But then when I told Claudia the same thing, I said I needed to be air lifted off my roof. "Medi-vac’d" is obviously much funnier. Now, through the miracles of blogging, I can get the story right for both of them.
It’s just that little extra something my customers have come to expect from me.

Can we get the URL for your blog?
About that: I named my first blog twoscoopsofraisins.com because my name is Raisin. But then there was an unfortunate event that resulted in everybody reading my very personal and private blog, so I changed the address to noneofyourbeeswax.com. Now I change it every month for security purposes.
But honestly, I miss noneofyourbeeswax.com. It says "Raisin Rodriguez" in a way that the others don't.

What's your favorite thing about blogging?
No matter how ridiculous, incorrect, or nauseating I sound, I can speak freely without interruption.

What's the difference between a blog and a diary?
I’ve tried keeping a diary but since no one besides me is supposed to read it, I kinda lost interest. I prefer an audience whenever possible.

Spencer Grace Kelly, the main character in GoldenGirl, is named after her distant relative, the Princess of Monaco. What’s your favorite Grace Kelly movie, and why?
I've never seen a Grace Kelly movie, but I knew this girl who once said “People tell me I look like Grace Kelly.” Which I don’t think you’re allowed to say about yourself. It's very braggy if you ask me.
So now I call her Princess Grace when speaking of her in the third person.

She'd probably take it as a compliment!...GoldenGirl is full of scandals and exposed secrets. What was the biggest scandal at your high school? Did your classmates discover any of your deep, dark secrets?
Ummm . . . remember that unfortunate event I referred to in the first question? I wrote in my very private and personal blog about using a tampon for the first time (I’m in middle school.) Things were said. Body parts were named. There may or may not have been a mirror used. And then someone printed out my blog and passed it around to everyone in my grade. I’ve been piecing my life back little by little but I’m not sure I’ll ever be the same.

What’s the worst thing you ever did to a friend? Are you still friends with her or him?
One time I had a friend over and my sister’s poodle pooped out part of my bra. Things did not end well.

If only we had a picture of that! Well, Raisin, thanks for stopping by! I think you've taught us all a valuable lesson about privacy settings. And personal hygiene.

Behind the Scenes of Bradford: Photographer John Barone

As part of our effort to provide a truly unique reading experience, we worked with talented Philly-based photographer John Barone to put together a marathon two-day shoot featuring Spencer, Madison, Paige, Regan, Tyler, Dalton, and Ryder Jared.

On the first day, we started out on the campus of Chestnut Hill College, which doubles as the campus of Bradford Prep. Despite the fall weekend, the temperatures were in the 90s(!!), and the humidity was through the roof! But our models, stylist, hair & makeup, and the rest of the crew were real sports, making the best of the sweltering day despite the fact that everything took about three times as long. We arrived at our second location (the photographer's studio) about 3 hours late, where we grabbed fake publicity and paparazzi shots of Hollywood hunk Ryder Jared. We also took some really amazing photos of Spence, Mads, and Regan for book #2 (one happens to be the photographer's favorite image from the shoot, and is posted below). Then, it was off to bed before an early call the next morning.

On day 2 of the shoot, our location was Pearl, a swanky restaurant/lounge in Center City that doubled as Saketini, Soirée, and Bar Fetish. Being indoors, it was much more relaxed for the models, but there was a lot of work for the crew to make the mini-sets look like completely different places. It was another long day, but we had plenty of fun making fake cocktails for the girls to hold (colorful, but non-alcoholic) and photographing some of the super scandalous events from book #1.

All in all, the models, crew, and photographer were all wonderfully patient, super creative, and a very entertaining. And today, as part of our Behind the Scenes at Bradford theme, we have a chat with photographer John Barone.

Please tell us a little about your photography background. How did you get started? What’s your specialty?
I have a four-year degree in art with a studio concentration in photography. Post college, I spent an additional 5 years expanding my education, between working in a pro photo lab, interning, and working as a freelance photo assistant. I started shooting commercial jobs back in 1997, but officially started my commercial and editorial business in 2000.

The Bradford photo shoot involved 2 days, 3 locations, 7 models, and a ton of wardrobe, lighting, and set changes. Have you ever done a photo shoot as crazy as this one before?
Oh, most definitely. Multi-day jobs all seem to be crazy. At least this one was local and not across the country.

What was the most difficult part of the photo shoot?
I would have to say the time allotted for production and actual shooting. It always seems like if we could just have more time we could take things to a whole other level . . . or at least catch our breath on the level we are presently on . . . LOL.

How many people worked on the photo shoot, and what were some of their jobs?
I think the on-site crew totaled 17 people. There were 2 art directors, 1 photographer (me), a first photo assistant, a second photo assistant, 2 photo interns to help with the runaround stuff, 1 hair & makeup person, 2 wardrobe people, and 7 models. But there were countless others that helped with production tasks like securing our locations and casting our models.

You took an amazing variety of photos during the Bradford shoot, from casual snapshot-style photos, to simulated celebrity publicity shots, to fake paparazzi and mug shots. How challenging was it for you to take so many different types of photos in two days?
It wasn’t too bad. I enjoyed the freedom I was given to experiment with some new lighting techniques.

Which shot was the most complicated to set up, and what made it so difficult?
The most difficult shots were probably those at Saketini. While the shots were close and intimate, we needed to light the entire room to set the mood. We used quite a few lights and many different colored gels.

What was the most fun for you to shoot?
I really enjoyed everything we shot, but I would say I had the most fun taking the paparazzi and the fashion show shots.

If you could only pick one image from the photo shoot as your favorite, which one would it be?
Hmmmm . . . that’s a tough one. I’d have to say that there is a shot of Regan during the runway fashion show that I absolutely love. All the models were amazing, but I really felt that she connected with me best throughout the entire shoot and it totally came through in that shot.


Thanks for hanging out with us today, John!

Awesome Authors: Aimee Friedman

We're so happy to have YA author Aimee Friedman as our guest today, especially since she wrote A Novel Idea, part of the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies line that Micol has also written for. Aimee is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for teens, including South Beach, French Kiss, Hollywood Hills, and The Year My Sister Got Lucky. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Aimee has written stories and novels since she was very young, and today lives and works in Manhattan. Please visit her website.

Blogs are a central part of the Bradford Novels universe. If you have a blog, why did you start blogging, and how did you come up with the name for your blog? I don't have one solo blog, but I would love to start one. I used to blog more regularly on the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedy blog, but I've been negligent with my posts there as of late! The same goes for my Amazon blog, and the blog on my website, www.aimeefriedmanbooks.com. That will be my February resolution: to blog more!
I will say, though, that I am addicted to Facebook, which, with its updates and live feed, is very blog-like in nature.

What's your favorite thing about blogging?
I am a bit of an oversharer with my close friends and family, and there is something cathartic about blogging, about letting the world inside your daily life, lending your foibles and your feelings a kind of grandeur and resonance. Also, as a writer, I find blogging very freeing; there's less of the pressure to "get it right" that I usually feel when I'm sitting down to work on a novel. Something about the informal format and vibe of a blog lends itself to a looser, more relaxed writing style, and experience. Yay for blogging!

What's the difference between a blog and a diary?
I still think of diaries as somehow more private, something to be locked up and tucked into a desk drawer. Writing something by hand, as opposed to typing it on a laptop, creates an intimacy, a secrecy. A diary is something you write for yourself, a blog is something you write with an audience in mind, and a novel may fall somewhere between the two.

Spencer Grace Kelly, the main character in GoldenGirl, is named after her distant relative, the Princess of Monaco. What’s your favorite Grace Kelly movie, and why?
Growing up, my favorite Grace Kelly movie was High Society, because my mom loved it, and would make a point of watching it with me and my sister whenever it was on TV. I loved the sophistication, and the glamorous vibe, and the music! But once I was older, I discovered the amazing Hitchcock films Dial M for Murder and Rear Window, both starring Grace, and both sexy, smart, and stylish mysteries.

GoldenGirl is full of scandals and exposed secrets. What was the biggest scandal at your high school? Did your classmates discover any of your deep, dark secrets?
I attended the Bronx High School of Science, which is a very competitive public school in New York City. So, dorky as it sounds, some of the biggest scandals in school swirled around who was going to what college, SAT scores, and GPAs. I swear! Of course, there were also the who-is-dating-who scandals, the so-and-so-had-a-fight gossip, etc. I tried to keep my secrets pretty close to the vest in high school; sure, my best friends knew who I was crushing on and what my craziest dreams were, but I tended to be pretty private.

What’s the worst thing you ever did to a friend? Are you still friends with her or him?
I like to think of myself as a very loyal and trustworthy friend. My biggest friendship regrets are those friendships that, through laziness and the passage of time and my chronic inability to stay in touch, I have let slip away. Probably my second biggest regret is making prank phone calls to various friends when I was growing up! Prank calls were all the rage back then, before the age of cell phones, caller IDs, IMs, etc. Prank calls: funny in the moment, but not a great idea.

What are your most recent books? What new projects are you working on now?
My latest novel, The Year My Sister Got Lucky, came out last year and will be released in paperback this June. It's a tale of sisters, secrets, betrayal, ballet, and yes, even some IMing! My newest novel, Sea Change, which will be in stores this June, doesn't involve much blogging, but it does involve some serious romance, legend, and lore.

Awesome Authors: Robin Wasserman

Today is the first Awesome Authors post, and we're lucky enough to have Robin Wasserman visiting with us. She is the author of the Seven Deadly Sins series, Hacking Harvard, and Skinned. You can find out more about her—and her random obsessions with Neil Patrick Harris, Gossip Girl, cupcakes, and Robert Downey Jr—on her website, www.robinwasserman.com, or her blog, robinwasserman.livejournal.com. She is, for the record, very good at keeping secrets.

Blogs are a central part of the Bradford Novels universe. If you have a blog, why did you start blogging, and how did you come up with the name for your blog? My blog is called The Procrastinator, which I suppose is self explanatory (and explains why I keep at it). I started blogging a year or two after my first book came out, because I was really enjoying the blogs of other writers and figured I would give it a try. I quickly discovered that it was the perfect place to prattle on about all the stuff—TV shows I love and hate, articles that make me angry, random stuff I desperately wish I could buy, bizarre absurdities, etc—that I stumble across when I should probably be working. I’ve always dreamed of having a newspaper column, but until someone drops one of those in my lap, blogging has turned out to be an excellent substitute.

What's your favorite thing about blogging? I love having the freedom to write an exceedingly long rant about something relatively ridiculous (my love for Neil Patrick Harris, why you should watch Battlestar Galactica, the embarrassing thrill of shaking hands with Mandy Patinkin)—and I especially love when someone I don’t know comments on the post to say, “I know exactly how you feel!” There’s something oddly gratifying about connecting with strangers over shared passions for minutiae.

What's the difference between a blog and a diary? For me the big difference is that I’ve written more than three posts. I’ve owned a lot of diaries in my life, and every single one of them contains two or three entries . . . and then a lot of blank pages. I’m not sure why it’s so much easier to keep up with the blog than with the diary, but I suppose the big difference is the awareness of having an audience. With the diary, I was always writing for some hypothetical future me who might want events recorded for posterity. That’s some serious delayed gratification, and I’m impatient. With blogging, on the other hand, you don’t have to wait for an audience. They’re out there 24/7, waiting for you.

Spencer Grace Kelly, the main character in GoldenGirl, is named after her distant relative, the Princess of Monaco. What’s your favorite Grace Kelly movie, and why? High Society, because a) the only other Grace Kelly movie I’ve seen is Rear Window, and I didn’t like that one at all, b) I love Bing Crosby, and c) the soundtrack is excellent, and how can you not love a song called “High Society Calypso?”

GoldenGirl is full of scandals and exposed secrets. What was the biggest scandal at your high school? Did your classmates discover any of your deep, dark secrets? Seeing as how my high school life was intensely boring, I didn’t actually have many deep, dark secrets (except for the secret that I hated every minute of it and was just waiting for college, and that was no secret at all). The biggest scandals I can remember all involved things like people cheating on physics tests by inputting the equations into their graphing calculators . . . which, while dramatic at the time, probably wouldn’t make for a very good book.

What’s the worst thing you ever did to a friend? Are you still friends with her or him? I once accidentally-on-purpose sabotaged a friend’s blind date by revealing a detail about the guy that I knew she really wouldn’t want to know. (I realize this is rather cryptic, but if I go into any more details, I’d get in trouble all over again. We’re still friends, and I’d prefer to stay that way . . . )

What are your most recent books? What new projects are you working on now?
My latest book is Skinned, about a girl who nearly dies in a fatal accident and gets reborn in an artificial body. On the up side, she’s pretty much immortal . . . on the down side, her friends and family treat her like a total freak, her boyfriend doesn’t want to touch her, and she’s not sure she’s the same person she used to be, or even a person at all. It’s about memory, identity, life, death, and the question of what makes us human. The sequel, Crashed, comes out next September.

Thanks for stopping by to chat, Robin! Hope it helped you procrastinate a bit!

Blog Bash Banner!

To celebrate the official release of GoldenGirl today, here's a little random goodie: a fabulous graphic designed by Little Willow to advertise our blog bash! Isn't she the very bestest? Full disclosure: she is the webmaster of my author website (www.micolostow.com), so I have big love for her. BUT SHE DESERVES IT. She'll be guest-blogging for us during the bashity-bash, too, so keep an eye out!

Feel free to download it and post it on your own blog. Spread the Bradford joy!

:)

Author Chat with Micol TONIGHT

Don't forget to drop by the author chat with Bradford author Micol Ostow, hosted by The Page Flipper. Tonight at 8pm EST, here.

See you there!

Mondays with Micol: Two Questions for the Price of One

So, to celebrate the Bradford Blog Bash, we're hosting a little sit-down with Bradford author Micol Ostow every Monday. She'll answer a question or two about the books, and then ask you, the readers, for your opinions.

And the best part is that you'll be entered to win a prize, just for commenting! On Thursdays at midnight EST, we'll randomly select a winner for the week's Mondays with Micol giveaway, and will announce the lucky recipient in Friday's post.

Share your thoughts and possibly win a prize! It's that easy.

To start this blog bash off right, we're asking Micol not one, but two questions today. If your comment discusses BOTH of the questions, you get TWO entries in the giveaway drawing. That's double the chance to win. So, without further ado . . .

Philadelphia's Main Line is practically a character unto itself in the Bradford books. What makes the Philadelphia Main Line unique as a setting? As a die-hard New Yorker, for me it's fun to research the history and culture of another major city. We folks in NYC tend to forget that other cities even exist. I didn't realize that the legacy of the Main Line was as old and storied as it is. I also love the idea of an idyllic suburban-style enclave just outside a major metropolis—the best of both world for my characters.

Which Bradford character is the most like you?
They all have a little bit of me in them: I'm an overachiever like Spencer, while Mads and I are both bold, creative types. Regan is earthy, spiritual, and grounded (I would totally go to yogilates class with her if she asked), and Paige and I are equally snarky and straightforward.
(Full disclosure: Paige is probably the most fun to write, because she says all of the horrible thoughts that we all have, but would NEVER say out loud. It's extremely cathartic and a wickedly guilty pleasure.)

So, friendlies:

1. What are some of YOUR favorite settings for books? Were you excited to learn about a series that features the Main Line? Did you know anything about Philadelphia before you read (or read about) Bradford? Please to share.

2. Who is YOUR Bradford alter ego? Inquiring minds, and all.

Bradford Blog Bash!

This is not a test, friendlies—the Bradford Blog Bash is kicking off TODAY!

If you will kindly refer to the image on the left, you will see that, while GoldenGirl is officially set to release on Tuesday, 1/27, some eagle-eyed folks have already spotted it out there in the retail wilds, spreading joy and blogtasticness amongst your friendly neighborhood teen readers' sections.

FABBITY FABNESS, no?

Yes.

And in honor of all of the Brad-fabulosity, we will be hosting a month-long Bradford Blog Bash that starts, as I mention, NOW NOW NOW!

We've got a tentative schedule of sorts for ya:

Mondays: will be Mondays with Micol, aka: a q&a with little old me, at the end of which I'll be shooting the q's out to you-all. If you post a response, you may just win yourself a special pressie. No lie.
Tuesdays: we'll have Awesome Authors: that is, interviews with lots of your favorite YA writerly types (many of whom will be offering copies of their books as giveaways, which is awfully nice of them, I must say).
Wednesdays: we will run Behind the Scenes with Bradford, where we give you a little glimpse into the making of our humble series.
Thursdays: will feature a Blogger of the Day, aka a super-loverly book blogger who comes by to chat with us (spreading the web-wealth; it's the Bradfordly way!).
And Friday is my fave: Fun on Friday, quizzes and other cool stuff, in addition to announcing the prizewinners of the week.

So. Much. Funness.

I CAN'T WAIT.
Thank goodness I don't have to.

OH—and lest I forget, here is a link to the groovadelic Pop Culture Junkie's review of GoldenGirl:
http://aleapopculture.blogspot.com/2009/01/goldengirl-by-micol-ostow.html

AND a reminder that I'll be chatting with The Page Flipper tonight: thepageflipper.blogspot.com, 8pm EST.

Come party with us, pretty please!

Book learnin'

See what I did there? It's a double-entendre, of sorts.
For the past ten days I have been submerged in snowy Montpelier, Vermont, at my graduate residency of my MFA program, Vermont College of the Fine Arts' MFA in writing for children and young adults.
That's right, folks, I'm all fancified and certified now! I've got the diploma and everything!
So, now that my two year, incredibly intense schooling is behind me, what better way to keep myself busy than the GOLDENGIRL LAUNCH-A-PALOOZA?
!
As you MAY already know (ahem), GoldenGirl will *officially* release on Tuesday, 1/27. This means that as of Tuesday, my editors and I will be kicking off a frenzy of online fun for you: interviews with other awesome teen authors, behind the scenes info and pics from Bradford: The Making of a Series, polls, contests, prizes, giveaways, and more!
And for those of you who just can't get enough of mememe, I'll be chatting away with The Page Flipper on the evening of 1/26. I hope you'll join us, Monday night, and throughout our blog festivities!

So, now that I've got a big ole' master's degree, am I going to start talking all proper and finally forgo the slangity?
Well, what do *you* think?

Exactly.

Besos,

--Meeks

One Week

Just one more week until the first Bradford novel, GoldenGirl, hits stores. And the websites keep coming! Check out the latest ones:

Richmond Resort Group, owned by Dalton's dad. His company was the developer of the Oceana Casino. Check out the map—when you click on a dot, you see the resort they own there!

Kenzo Takahashi Restaurants, owned by Madison's dad, obvs.

Bar Fetish, the hot new nightclub at the Oceana Casino where Spencer, Mads, Paige, & Regan party. I'm slightly obsessed with the cool tabletop navigation menu and the music that plays as you enter the club.

Let us know what you think of all the websites, and keep your eyes peeled for more sites, character blogs, student pages, etc. going up soon!

Primped, polished, and ready for viewing!

So, I know we've been teasing you with promises of the Bradford book trailer. Well, it's finally primped, polished, and ready for its debut. Check it out and let us know what you think!

And feel free to embed the trailer on your website or blog to help spread the word! The trailer is available on Vimeo, YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace.


GoldenGirl: A Bradford Novel book trailer from FlirtyGirl Productions on Vimeo.

One Thousand Words

That is the alleged value of a single snapshot.
Thus, I will sidestep the lengthy postmortem of last night's reading. Suffice it to say, the event was standing room only, and GoldenGirl was very well-received!
Herewith, a pic of yours truly and the fiance, smiling away after the finish of the Q&A.

It was fun to hear the other authors read, as well, and I am especially dying to read SCHOOL FOR DANGEROUS GIRLS.

Event! Event! Event!

That's really the gist of it.
My friendliest people:
This Wednesday marks the inaugural Bradford launch event: a reading at the New York Public Library!
Not only will I be regaling you with a snarkalicious, scandal-filled snippet from book one, GoldenGirl, but you will also get to hear from some other fabu teen authors, including a few personal favorites. (I won't name names. A lady never. Suffice it to say, they are all groove-tastic).

I hope you'll come out to hear the reading, prepped with lots of question-y thoughts and comments. Bonus points (possible bribery involved, in point of fact), if you have an actual teen in tow.

The gory deats:

January 7 -- Teen Author Reading Night (6-7:30, Jefferson Market Branch of NYPL, 425 6th Ave , at 10th St .)

Claudia Gabel, Friends Close, Enemies Closer
Bill Konigsburg, Out of the Pocket
Micol Ostow, Golden Girl
Marie Rutkoski, Cabinet of Wonders
Eliot Schrefer, School for Dangerous Girls

We'd love to see you!


Muchos besos,

Meeks