Seventh grade was supposed to be fun, but Tori is having major drama with her BFF, Sienna. Sienna changed a lot over the summer—on the first day of school she’s tan, confident, and full of stories about her new dreamy boyfriend. Toriknows that she’s totally making this guy up. So Tori invents her own fake boyfriend, who is better than Sienna’s in every way. Things are going great—unless you count the whole lying-to-your-best-friend thing—until everyone insists Tori and Sienna bring their boyfriends to the back-to-school dance.

Daisy: If you met your 16 year old self, what piece of advice would you give her?
Kristina: You’ll never need math! Just kidding! Um, I’d tell myself not to miss great opportunities (like trips abroad, proms etc.) because friends or boyfriends ask you to—because later those friends and boyfriends will likely be gone and you can’t go back and do it again!

Daisy: I have created magnificent ass dents in two couches from all the writing time I log. I also have a pair of white fuzzy boot slippers that look like something a yeti might wear if yetis wore boots. What piece of clothing or item in your home would provide the necessary evidence to prove to the authorities that you are a writer if questioned?
Kristina: I have a laptop graveyard in the office. Really, I’ve just killed my fourth one. Sigh.

Daisy: When you’re not reading or writing, where can you most likely be found?
Kristina: With my four super cuties—ages 2, 4, 5, and 7.

Daisy: In my first novel The Mockingbirds, a group of boarding school students form an underground justice system to right the wrongs of their peers. Looking back on your high school experience, what type of secret society did your school need the most?
Kristina: One to fight bad hair. Armed with smoothing serums and flat irons they could save me and many others from the six-inch high hairsprayed bangs that we thought were oh so cool.

Daisy: I’m going to tweet this blog post. So tell me in 140 characters or less, why people should buy your book.
Kristina: “My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours is about two 7th grade BFFs who get in a crazy and funny competition of the fake boyfriends.”

Thanks, Kristina!

Well, I haven’t either. In fact, I still don’t really know what a yeti is. But no matter.

Today’s post is to celebrate the release of my friend Kiersten White’s awesome debut novel PARANORMALCY by giving away a hardcover of the book! Her book tells the story of a 16-year-old who is tasked with tracking down all the world’s paranormal creatures from vamps to hags to werewolves. So in a celebration of her book, whoever comes up with the most clever mash-up of a supernatural, paranormal, other worldly creature will receive a copy of her book!

Leave your entry in the comments below and I will pick a winner by Friday September 3.

Disclaimer: This contest is open to contestants in the United States only. The book will not be signed by Kiersten. I will simply be making the purchase of the book and sending it to you – the winner!

To wit – I am about to delete 11,380 words from my current manuscript as I embark on the Great Revision of September 2010. This will be the first act of literary murder I commit while working with my current Little, Brown editor on the sequel to THE MOCKINGBIRDS. So here goes….

Deleted!

Last night, I attended my first “meet and greet” with about 30 teens and some Chicago area educators in advance of the November 2 release of my novel THE MOCKINGBIRDS. The event was held at the warehouse to Anderson’s Bookshop, a hugely influential and infinitely awesome independent bookstore in Naperville, Ill. Becky Anderson hosted the event and all the teens and teachers had read my novel. Which was thrilling and humbling and flattering and pretty much incredible all over. There were six tables of teens and teachers and I spent five to ten minutes with each group as they asked me questions about the story.

Signing books with awesome teens!

Then I talked to the entire group for about 15 minutes, sharing first my big hair pictures — complete with wings and loads of hairspray — from high school. Then they asked me more even more questions! These teens inspired me with the depth of their insight, their curiosity and their connection and engagement with the material. Among the questions they asked: why the “To Kill a Mockingbird” tie-in, why does my main character play piano, and how did I come up with the other crimes the Mockingbirds secret society investigates and prosecutes in the story.

Reading rocks!

Next I signed all their books! Wow! For all the authors who read this let me just say you will never forget your first signing! It’s magical and I loved every single second of it! The teens and teachers then signed an ARC of my book and now I have this wonderful treasure with all of their thoughts, feeling and reactions to the story. And let me tell you — their reactions and their responses alone make it all worthwhile. Because they are smart and funny and thoughtful and excited and idealistic and they want to do good in the world! That makes me a very happy writer, but an even happier person. Here are some more pics and a video to come later.

Boys read too!

Hurrah for teachers!