Mondays with Micol: Double Feature

To celebrate the beginning of the last week of the Bradford Blog Bash, we decided to do a double feature for Mondays with Micol. So read both Q&A's and then comment on one or both to be entered in this week's giveaway.

Would you want to attend Bradford Prep?
I actually attended a private day school that was similar to Bradford in that academics were strongly emphasized and there was a LOT of pressure on students to perform. And I was always a bit of an overachiever: student council, newspaper, yearbook, lit mag, in addition to honors classes and AP track and that sort of stuff.
(Gawd, I'm making myself sound like a HUGE nerd. But there you have it. Would it help if I told you I was also a cheerleader for a brief stint? 'Cause I was.).
So I think intellectually, I would have been prepared for a place as rigorous as Bradford. Still, though, my school was very small, so as much as we had our cliques, the social life wasn't quite as cutthroat as it is at Bradford. The mean girl culture might be hard to adjust to.
All that being said—who wouldn't want to go to Bradford? The glamour! The drama! The outfits!

Which Bradford character did you think you'd hate, but end up bonding with?
I have a soft spot in my heart for poor Kaylen, who is so cripplingly insecure and transparent. I thought I would find her annoying and needy, but actually, she's lots of fun to write, and she brings out my sympathy and pity. I hope she has a chance to come into her own later on as the series evolves.

So, two questions for you, friendlies:
1. Would you want to attend Bradford Prep & why/why not?
2. Of all the scandal-mongers, frenemies, and bizznatches out there in the Brad-verse, which one do you LOVE to hate?

Tell us what you think by this Thursday at midnight EST, and you'll be entered in this week's giveaway. Since there are two Mondays with Micol questions this week, you'll get an entry for each question you comment about—that's two chances to win, just for letting us know what you think! We'll use a random number generator to select a winner, and will announce the lucky recipient in Friday's post. Good luck!

Spring Cleaning

The Bradford Blog Bash is ending its THIRD week, and we've still got a bunch of new awesome authors visiting next week. In fact, we had so many authors volunteer that we have TWO coming by over the weekend, so stop by on Saturday and Sunday for those Q&A's.

To celebrate the Blog Bash, we decided to do a little redecorating over at the Bradford Novels website this week, so check it out! Some of the new stuff includes an excerpt from GoldenGirl, a link directly to Spencer's student page (from which you can access other characters), and downloadable avatars featuring our Bradford girls. We're also working on some desktop wallpaper.

Since it's Friday, it's time to announce this week's randomly generated Mondays with Micol winner. Congratulations, Faith (who is not-so-secretly crushing on Jeremy)! We'll get your prize to you soon.

Mondays with Micol: Who's Your Bradford Crush?

Tee hee. Cute boys. One of our fave topics! For today's Mondays with Micol question, we asked our favorite authoress which Bradford boy she totally crushes on. Here's what she had to say:

Jeremy is the one I would have dated in high school: artsy, deep, thoughtful, above all of that social mafia stuff.

BUT I think I probably would have had a weak spot for bad-boy Dalton, too. He's like chocolate-chocolate chip ice cream; decadent, indulgent, bad for you in large quantities . . . but irresistible.

Okay, it's share-time, people: which Brad-boy gets YOU all haute and bothered?

If you need a cheat sheet, check out their pages on the Bradford Prep website. Log in using the username "guest" and the password from the e-mail on Spencer's desktop at the end of GoldenGirl.

Tell us what you think by this Thursday at midnight EST, and you'll be entered in this week's giveaway. We'll use a random number generator to select a winner, and will announce the lucky recipient in Friday's post. Good luck!

Mondays with Micol: Who's Your Bradford BFF?

Friends? Or Frenemies? For today's Mondays with Micol question, we asked our favorite authoress which Bradford character she would most like to be friends with. Here's what she had to say:

Hmm . . . you need each of them for different purposes.


I think Spencer is the most tried-and-true of all of the girlies, always wanting to believe the best in people and give her friendlies the benefit of the doubt.

But Mads is all about fun and flair, and Regan is probably the most understanding.

Paige is the girl you go to when your ex starts dating someone new and you need her to remind you of why you're way cooler than his flavor of the week and how it will never last.

So, dear readers, which Bradford bestie would you hang with, if you could, and why? Tell us what you think by this Thursday at midnight EST, and you'll be entered in this week's giveaway. We'll use a random number generator to select a winner, and will announce the lucky recipient in Friday's post. Good luck!

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.