Tell Me a Secret!

We're especially excited to give you a sneak preview (or a Fresh Teaser, as we like to call it!) of a debut book from a friend we first met as a reader here on YA Fresh. The author is Holly Cupala:

and the book, releasing from Harper-Collins in June of this year, is, Tell Me a Secret:

Advance praise includes blurbs from these notable YA authors:

“A powerful story of self-discovery, and a brilliant debut novel.” ~Ellen Hopkins, New York Times bestselling author of CRANK

“A gripping, emotional story about a young girl with a tragic past and an uncertain future. I dare you to set it down during its last hundred pages. I dare you.” ~Deb Caletti, National Book Award Finalist, author of HONEY, BABY, SWEETHEART

Wow, huh? And Holly's been kind enough to provide us with a blurb so we can read a bit about it ourselves:

It’s tough, living in the shadow of a dead girl…

In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams — a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all — Miranda has a secret.

Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own...

So now Holly's secret is out...she's got a fantastic book that we can all look forward to right before summer!

New Year, Need a Web Makeover ;)

It's the New Year and it's time to revamp my site with some fresh info. I've chatted about this topic before but I'm always interested in what readers look for in an author's website.

Here are a few things that are must for me on an author's website:

~ Book cover and description (as well as where I can buy the book.)
~ Excerpt! Yes, yes! Sometimes I visit sites and there isn't an excerpt on the book. Luckily Amazon and B&N help me out with that. A glimpse into a book allows me to decide if the author is right for me. Even if it's only a short scene.
~ I like to know a little about the author. Maybe why/when they started writing, a few snapshots are nice.
~ Easy navigation. If I don't know where to find things it's a little tough to keep browsing.

So those are my top picks to be included in an author website. Any other suggestions? Or if you know an author website that is totally fresh--please share!

Forgive My Fins

Continuing with our occasional series of books we're looking forward to in 2010, we present the next release from Tera Lynn Childs, Forgive My Fins.

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Tera was kind enough to provide us with a sneak peak, too:

Water calms me. It’s like chocolate or hot tea or dulce de leche ice cream. After a rotten day, I lock the bathroom door, fill Aunt Rachel’s old-timey tub with steaming water and bath salts, and then sink into a world where my problems all melt away.

Some days it’s not enough.

FORGIVE MY FINS (great title, huh?) releases on June 1st, but is available for pre-orders now!

What's Fresh with Eileen Cook's Getting Revenge with Lauren Wood

Popularity is the best revenge.

In the final weeks of eighth grade, Lauren Wood made a choice. She betrayed her best friend, Helen, in a manner so publicly humiliating that Helen had to move to a new town just to save face. Ditching Helen was worth it, though, because Lauren started high school as one of the It Girls--and now, at the start of her senior year, she's the cheerleading captain, the quarterback's girlfriend, and the undisputed queen bee. Lauren has everything she's ever wanted, and she has forgotten all about her ex-best friend.

But Helen could never forget Lauren. After three years of obsessing, she's moving back to her old town. She has a new name and a new look, but she hasn't dropped her old grudges. She has a detailed plan to bring down her former BFF by taking away everything that's ever been important to Lauren—starting with her boyfriend.

Watch out, Lauren Wood. Things are about to get bitchy.

Hello Eileen, it's great to have you back on YA Fresh! Please tell us about your latest novel Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood and what we can expect.

Eileen: Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood, Simon Pulse, January 5, 2010

Readers can expect, humor, mayhem, hidden identities, best friends, secrets and a love for classic movies.

What's up next? Do you have another project in the works? If so, please tell us about it.

Eileen: I am doing a middle grade series about a girl who comes from a long line of fairy godmothers. All she wants is to be normal, but that is harder for her than you might imagine.

I’m also starting another YA book, but it is still in the idea forming stage and far too ugly to share.

Thanks so much for sharing, Eileen, I wish you the best with Revenge. Would you like to close with a writing tip?

Eileen: READ! Read a lot. Read books you like and even books that you don’t. Books and other writers are the best teachers.

Eileen Cook spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. When she was unable to find any job postings for world famous author, she went to Michigan State University and became a counselor so she could at least afford her book buying habit. But real people have real problems, so she returned to writing because she liked having the ability to control the ending. Which is much harder with humans.

You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at eileencook.com. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

Fresh Teasers!

Kelly and I are starting a new occasional series this year called "Fresh Teasers," in which we're going to talk about 2010 young adult releases that we're excited to read.

We're kicking it off with GONE, the final book in Lisa McMann's mega-popular WAKE trilogy, due out on February 9th. Our readers may remember that Lisa visited with us when WAKE was first released, and we've recommended her whole series in a gift giving post.


Here's the blurb for GONE:

Janie thought she knew what her future held. And she thought she’d made her peace with it. But she can’t handle dragging Caleb down with her.

She knows he will stay with her, despite what she sees in his dreams. He’s amazing. And he’s a train wreck. Janie sees only one way to give him the life he deserves—she has to disappear. And its’ going to kill them both.

Then a stranger enters her life—and everything unravels. The future Janie once faced now has an ominous twist, and her choices are more dire than she ever thought possible. She alone must decide between the lesser of two evils. And time is running out…

Sounds great, huh? Anyone else excited about this book? And/or have others you're anxiously awaiting?

Happy New Year!

Woo-hoo, it's that exciting night again, New Year's Eve! Last year I toasted in the new year with a fever and a medicine cup of Nyquil, so no question that this New Year's Eve is going to be better for me!

We'd love to hear any plans you have for celebrating the big night.

And Happy New Year to all our friends at YA Fresh!

Kelly Parra Shares Her Favorite Holiday Movie

For our final young adult author's favorite holiday movie, I put our own Kelly Parra in the hot seat. What say you, Kelly?

"My favorite Christmas movie," she tells us, "is none other than Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.


"Why? Because it brings me back to my days as a kid, watching it every Christmas Holiday, and still it plays today! I was curious and did a little research...

Release date? 1964!

Before my time, definitely before my kids', and yet it's a heart-warming classic, with a cute reindeer embarrassed by his red nose, a jolly Santa, and a kind of awkward and unforgettable Abominable Snowman."

Definitely a personal favorite in our house, but I think I get a little more nostalgic about the movie than anyone else in my family."

I love that one, too, Kelly! And we'd love our readers to weigh in on Ruldolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or any other favorite holiday movies, as we come to the end of our (very fun) month of hearing some of the favorite movies of our favorite authors.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to our friends here at YA Fresh!

To all who celebrate Christmas, wishing you a safe and merry holiday! And if you find some new books among your Santa haul or in presents around the tree, please come back and share the news with us!

Kay Cassidy’s Favorite Holiday Movie

Today we are happy to feature Kay Cassidy, debut author of The Cinderella Society (to be released on April 13, 2010, but available for pre-orders now).

She wrote us up the following essay--and how cute is this?--called "Why ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas' is the best Christmas movie ever!”

Take it away, Kay...

I love holiday movies. LOVE. THEM. When I was younger, my mom always planned our tree trimming evening the day of a big Christmas special on TV. This was back in the day before they were available on video, so you only got to watch each one once a year (if you were lucky!). I will always equate those classic Christmas movies to decorating the tree, time spent with family, and my mom's egg nog. Mmmm.

Which movies do I adore? I love Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. I chill to Frosty the Snowman. But my favorite classic of all? A Charlie Brown Christmas, hands down.

While there is much to love about this Peanuts classic, here are my favorite things:

** The scene with Lucy and Schroeder where Lucy is trying to get him to play the "real" Jingle Bells. The look on Schroeder's face when he finally gives up and does it her way makes me laugh every time.

** When Lucy instructs Charlie Brown to buy a Christmas tree... a "nice aluminum one". Commercialism to the extreme. As an ace shopping avoider, I can relate to how Charlie Brown feels.


** When Charlie Brown gives up on his poor little tree and the others finally come around to embrace it, decorating it up until it is beyond anything its tiny little branches could imagine? Gets me every time.

** And, of course, what would a Charlie Brown holiday special be without Linus as the voice of reason? His short and sweet vignette about the true meaning of Christmas is classic Linus in its simplicity and reverence. (Although in truth, my favorite Linus moment is in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving when he explains to Peppermint Patty and the gang what Thanksgiving is really about.)

So here's to holiday classics and time spent with family. No matter how you spend these last few days of December, I hope they find you happy, healthy, and filled with cheer!
Thank you, Kay, and we look forward to having you back here at YA Fresh next year, to learn more about your writing and The Cinderella Society!

In the meantime, we’d love to hear from our readers...do you remember the Charlie Brown Christmas movie as well and as fondly? I sure do...and often point out the small trees on the Christmas lots and try to get my family to indulge me in a Charlie Brown Christmas tree! Hasn't happened yet...but someday!

Keri Mikulski's Favorite Holiday Movie and Book

Today we are happy to host Keri Mikulski, author of Screwball, Change-Up, and the upcoming 2011 Pretty Tough series to talk about her holiday favorites.

"Ah.. The holidays," says Keri. " There is nothing better than snuggling up on the couch next to a sparkly tree and watching a movie or diving into an amazing book. Total bliss.

So, what’s my fave holiday movie? By far, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Even though I’ve seen it over a zillion times, I still come down with a serious case of the giggles each and every time I spend time with the Griswalds. Gotta love Grandma."


"And holiday books," continues Keri. "So many to choose from… Last year, I loved John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle’s Let it Snow. But, the holidays are my time to cuddle up with a cozy holiday-themed romance. My faves are the classic old lovers reunite during the holidays. A guy and a girl (went to the same high school, middle school, elementary school, knew each other from past, etc…) are stuck in their hometown for a White Christmas. They’re both seriously down on their luck and happen to run into each other at the grocery store on Christmas Eve. After chatting, heart flutters, and stomach swirls, they realize they’re soul mates and live happily ever after. Sigh.

Have a fabulous holiday, everyone! I cannot wait for 2010."

Thank you, Keri. And some of our YA Fresh readers might know that I consider Let It Snow to be my favorite holiday book, as well. In fact, I might just have to make a tradition of re-reading it each December!

We'd love to hear from readers about holiday books or holiday themes they enjoy reading!