She's been published in more than 20 countries and has appeared on bestseller lists from The New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound and Bookscan. Ally Carter, the Oklahoma writer known for her engaging Young Adult novels, lured her readers in with the first four books of The Gallagher Girls series and to no surprise has done it again with the fifth, OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME. The story is based around a girl named Cammie, who has been hunted for over a year by the ancient terrorist organization, Circle of Cavan. Cammie wakes up one day and the last thing she can remember is leaving Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle. Apparently months have passed and her memory has faded. It's up to her and a mysterious spy Zach to travel to the other side of the world to piece together the puzzle. It's not going to be easy as she thinks because the circle isn't completely out of the picture and will do anything to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer. Miss Literati got the chance to speak to author Ally Carter about her new book in the series, her solution to writer's block and what author she would want to meet -- dead or alive! We asked you what questions YOU would want to ask her -- and she answers them here!

MISS LITERATI: How did you get inspired to write this book series?

ALLY CARTER: The idea came up to me when I was watching an episode of Alias. I misunderstood what was going on and thought it was about a character going to a boarding school for spies.

MISS LITERATI: How did you first get into writing? Was writing something you always thought you would do?

ALLY CARTER: Writing was something I always wanted to do. I started daydreaming about this when I was in middle school but didn't start pursuing it until my mid-twenties. I had time and realized it was now or never -- not everybody gets to do this! I spent enough time talking and dreaming about it and at one point I realized it was about time to actually start doing it.

MISS LITERATI: How do you keep each book you write fresh and different from the last?

ALLY CARTER: That's always the hope and the goal! For me it starts with knowing that each book has to be about a different thing. The characters have to have fresh challenges over and over again. I can't write every book about finding out if the boy in town likes you. Each character has to have a fresh load of conflicts in every book.

MISS LITERATI: What goes into creating your characters?

ALLY CARTER: Cammie was the character that came first in The Gallagher Girls series. She's a spy. I wanted to write this heroine who was someone that no one really saw. Real spies aren't supposed to be recognizable. People aren't going to turn around and be like, "Oh that's a spy!" I wanted her friends to go out to the opposite corners of the spectrum and be totally different than Cammie.

MISS LITERATI: Do you have any advice for teens looking to launch a writing career?

ALLY CARTER: If you want to become a writer you should read as much as you can and write as much as you can especially during their teenage years. Learn how to use words, create conflict and structure. Don't worry about getting published. I'm saddened by this push I see by teen writers who think if they're not published by 19 years old they're a failure. This is so not true! It's like being a professional athlete. You don't see 14 year olds going for the NBA and there's a reason for that! Those who eventually want to go out for the NBA are at home perfecting their skills. So should writers!

MISS LITERATI: Why do you love writing for the Young Adult audience?

ALLY CARTER: I really love writing for teens because teens are better readers than adults. One of my pet peeves is when people say, "This page gets so good after page 150!" I don't want to write for anyone who would sit through 150 pages before it starts getting good! And also, the young adult audience I write for are loyal advocates for a series they love!

MISS LITERATI: If you could be any fictional character ever, who would it be and why?

ALLY CARTER: Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. She marries Mr. Dray and, well, that's awesome!

MISS LITERATI: What's your favorite book of all time and why?

ALLY CARTER: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee because it was such a powerful book when I read it as a kid and as an adult it's still amazing but a different read. It changes and grows with you.

MISS LITERATI: If you were to meet an author dead or alive who would it be and why?

ALLY CARTER: I would love to meet Harper Lee, the author of To Kill A Mockingbird. I think it's amazing that she wrote this book and she never wrote another one. I would want to talk to her about how publishing changed her life.

MISS LITERATI: When you're not writing what are you doing?

ALLY CARTER: I watch way too much television. I love to cook and bake. I go for walks and I'm a huge movie buff!

MISS LITERATI: How do you get over Writer's Block?

ALLY CARTER: There are two types of writer's block. Type one is when I need to write and I feel like I should write but there's something good on TV and I'm lazy. That's when you just need to give yourself a deadline and set a goal. Tell yourself, "Okay, I have to write 20 pages a day." The second type of Writer's Block is when you are working and trying really hard but you just need to step away from it for a while. When this happens take a nap, go for a walk, do something that takes you away from the book and your writing. Your subconscious has an opportunity to work on the problem.

Haven't purchased OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME yet? Get your copy today and let us know what you think of the next book in the series!

She's the author of over a dozen bestselling books. She's got a Masters of Fine Arts in writing for children and young adults and knows how to grasp the voice of any teenage character. The one and only Carol Lynch Williams has wowed readers once again with her book WAITING, a story about a girl named London whose brother, Zach, died tragically at only 16 years old. Now that he's gone, her mother doesn't talk to her; London feels so alone and empty. People at school know. They treat her differently and whisper things. There are so many questions that run through London's head, so many thoughts of guilt. Maybe it was all her fault? Why does her mother hate her?

The voice is so distinct. You can feel yourself get to know London. You can hear her thoughts. You feel like YOU are London. It hurts to be her, though, because her brother who was her best friend died, and her family who was once so close, now is torn apart. Her mother used to be so happy, too. You can tell that she was totally a different person before Zach died. Of course his death is the reason for this. But what London doesn't get is why her mother won't speak to her...why she won't even say hello...why, if London had to suddenly disappear, her mother wouldn't even care.

And to top it all off, Taylor, who was Zach's best friend, just broke up with his girlfriend and now is trying to hang out with London -- again. But the thing is his car smells like Zach and everything seems to -- in one way or another -- remind her of her brother. Even though months have passed since her brother died, London sees him in everything. Then there's this mysterious boy named Jesse who is super cute. London finds herself torn in between her brother's best friend and this new guy in her class.

What's really interesting about this particular book is the structure in which it was written. It's poetic and written in verse, instead of chapters. Her voice seems scattered, choppy -- much like London's own thoughts. The structure and rhythm of the book is a reflection of London's racing, emotional mind.

Read WAITING to get more than just a glimpse into the life and mind of London -- you'll finish it in a matter of a few hours and you'll yearn for more as you turn each page. It's a story about love and loss -- and one about finding yourself and moving on after tragedy.

Purchase your copy of WAITING and read our interview with the author herself about her previous novel, MILES FROM ORDINARY.

"Fourteen-year-old Lacey wakes to a beautiful summer morning excited to begin her new job at the library, just as her mother is supposed to start work at the grocery store. Lacey hopes that her mother's ghosts have finally been laid to rest; after all, she seems so much better these days, and they really do need the money. But as the hours tick by and memories come flooding back, a day full of hope spins terrifyingly out of control...."

Miss Literati got the chance to speak with renowned author Carol Lynch Williams about her book MILES FROM ORDINARY, a captivating novel about a young 13-year-old girl named Lacey and her mentally ill mother.

We'll be reviewing Carol's latest novel WAITING for you all within the next few weeks. She'll even answer some questions for you as well! COMMENT below with your thoughts on MILES FROM ORDINARY.

MISS LITERATI: What was it like writing MILES FROM ORDINARY?

CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS: In the beginning I was thinking, What would it be like to have a novel that would take place in just 24 hours? I always write stories that have a little bit of a darker plot. I wanted to put this little girl in a dark and hard situation where there really is no way out. I wanted to make it hard for Lacey because her mom is mentally ill and so that means her life is going to have to be tough. No one would be able to rescue her; she would have to rescue herself. I guess I felt a little sad for her. She's not a weak girl; she really has to find out who she is in the end. One of the things I talk about when I talk to teens about writing is that sometimes we try to make it easy for our characters but then there's no real story. If we consider ourselves the goddesses of our writing, we're in control and we can make our main character's lives miserable...in a good way! I wanted my readers to really see Lacey change at the end of the book.

MISS LITERATI: Where did you get the inspiration for the story?

CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS: I don't really know. Many of the books I write are, in a way, based on my life. I once had a roommate who came from an abusive family -- her father was sexually abusing her.  One day she was on the phone with her mother and she was digging and scratching her skin off her forehead. We were both 17 years old and when I saw her do this I just told her to hang up. She had scratched herself till she was bleeding! I think her mom had triggered an emotion in her so she started ripping up her face. Part of the inspiration for the book also came from the thought "What if there was someone who was so mentally ill that they thought the dead could speak to them?" I wanted to alienate Lacey and her mom so they couldn't distinguish what was real and what wasn't. Being the goddess of the book, I turned up the heat on my character. How much of it was her mom? How much of it was Lacey? Some of the things going on in the book are real and some aren't. 

MISS LITERATI: What's it like writing from a 14-year-old's perspective? How do you do it?

CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS: I always write from a younger point of view. The main character is almost 14. I always write that age because I think that's how old I really am in my head. I'm not trying to dumb anything down. Readers are smart, they are experiencing life, they have hard times and they know far more than we ever give them credit for. If you're a 12-year-old writer, you should never write from a 20-year-old main character's perspective. Writers should be honest to their character and what they as writers know. I never use big words because I don't have a very huge vocabulary. That's just naturally how I write. That young voice is just automatically there because that's who I am. I think like a kid. I ask myself, What would happen if I were in this situation? How would I feel and why?

MISS LITERATI: How would you describe your novel?

CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS: I think that it's a story about a girl who has to come to terms with the fact that life is not what she thought it was and that she honestly can't save her mom. I think it's a bit of an edgy and honest account with some hope. The book ends the way our lives do; rarely do we ever do things exactly as we had hoped. 

MISS LITERATI: How do you really get to know your characters?

CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS: It's kind of a discovery. I'm on a path. I'll start with the main character. There has to be something about her that is interesting to me. Lacey is in a situation she can't get out of. I knew the novel would take place in 24 hours and I knew her mom was very sick but I didn't know what details would follow. As I write, I learn more and more about my characters. I try to make them independent and quirky in some way. Afterwards I ask, Could any other character out of all the characters that I've ever written been that person? Could anyone else have been Lacey?  I started to discover things as Lacey does. By the time I got through the novel I knew who Lacey was and what she would or wouldn't do, and same with her mother. In the first draft of your writing you put down the skeleton, and in the revision you add in the meat. You get this real fleshed-out character after a lot of revision. Sometimes things have to be written,  rewritten and rewritten again. But eventually you have to turn in the book to get published!

MISS LITERATI: What do you think it's like to be Lacey?

CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS: Awful. I've written a main character who had to marry her uncle and I've written about death and dying and things like that. I think because this was all so mental that it was probably really hard for her. Lacey has to be the adult and take care of this woman, her mother, who is very, very ill and doesn't have the tools to get better. Lacey doesn't even know what's right or wrong; this is her life. She's not accepted at school, doesn't have friends and her beloved aunt is gone. She has to do this all alone. As writers our characters have to do things alone. The character has to fix whatever is going on. Because you're not sure what is real and what isn't real you ask yourself if Lacey is mentally ill like her mother. You ask, Will she end up like her mother? 

MISS LITERATI: What was it like developing Lacey's mother's character?

CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS: It was a little bit sad because she's a pathetic woman filled with anxiety. She's so anxiety-ridden. She's wasting away to nothing. She's not eating, she thinks it's the end of the world, she's hiding. She's just so mentally ill. It was not a fun place to go but it was interesting. I did research about several mental illnesses; I talked to therapists to see what kind of delusions it could have been. For this book it had to be as bad as it could be. We come into the book right as the mom has this final breakdown. 

MISS LITERATI: Mental illness is a really hard issue to write about, let alone talk about for those that it hits close to home. What went into the writing process when dealing with such a topic?

CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS: I wanted to be as honest in the telling of what was going on with the mom as I could. I had known someone whose mom was mentally ill when I was growing up. It was just really difficult for the kids. There was never any real diagnosis back then.  A good writer has to make her reader uncomfortable (or super happy) and try to allow her readers to experience what the character is going through. 

MISS LITERATI: What are some tips you have for teen writers?

CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS: Get involved in a critique group for writers. In the craft of writing, revision is really importance. Teens really need to read all the time. Just see everything that's out there. Reading is one of the best teachers. I think they need to read really good books -- and not just the popular books. Read the best books and see what's going on out there. Teens need to have a goal as to how much they will write. I say write 1,000 words a day for five days then take some days off. Have a good goal in mind and then write. Writing is hard work. Some writers will have 100 beginnings and no finished novels. That's because beginnings are fun to write. Middle are hard! You need to write through the hard part of the book and then you'll finish one.

MISS LITERATI: What can readers expect next next?

CAROL LYNCH WILLIAMS: I have a novel called WAITING, which was released May 1. It's about a girl who's brother just died and the family is really struggling. The main character's mom stopped talking to her and everything seems to be falling apart.

Also, this June 18-22 is our Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers Conference. I've been working on this conference for 13 years and it gets better every year. So if you are a serious writer, this is the conference for you. Writers (ages 15 and up) may attend the conference. But you have to know, this is HARD work. And lots of fun. Just a couple years ago, a 16-year-old writer found her agent at our conference! Another 17-year-old is interning for an agent just from the contact she made at WIFYR. You can learn more about the conference at www.wifyr.com.

Or, if you want to learn more about writing, visit my blog www.throwingupwords.wordpress.com. We try to have writing exercises and contests and giveaways there. It's fun.

Lexington Bartleby is only 16 years old but over the past two years she's stolen stuff, doused the cheerleaders in ketchup, set the drama club kids' wigs on fire and sucker punched a classmate. She's certainly a tough cookie and her parents are super fed up with her violent, aggressive and punk-like behavior. They decide to send her off to her Uncle Mort in upstate New York for the summer. Lex thinks she's spending the next few months on a farm shoveling cow manure, but she's actually in for quite a surprise when she arrives to Croak, a town for Grim Reapers. Turns out Uncle Mort isn't exactly the farmer she thought he was. He's more like a Grim Reaper and has every intention to teach her the business. CROAK author Gina Damico spoke with Miss Literati about her most recent humor-packed book now out in stores. Learn from Gina about how to fully develop your characters!

MISS LITERATI: Where did you get the idea for this story?

Gina Damico: To be completely honest, the idea for CROAK popped into my head randomly one day. I was working at a bread store at the time and it was a very slow afternoon. I didn't know the other girl who I was working with (we weren't talking which was kind of awkward) so I started working on a crossword puzzle. At that moment, while working on the crossword puzzle, Lex and Uncle Mort just popped into my head. When I got home, I immediately started writing and the story just evolved from there, starting with a very random moment of inspiration at a bread store.

MISS LITERATI: You created this character, Lex, who is vey unique and different to any character we've ever read about and she acts very violently. We are made completely aware of this in the beginning of the story. Why is she so violent and how come she's so different from her twin? Why is her twin not like this?

Gina Damico: When I was first plotting out Lex's world I knew I wanted her to be snarky and sarcastic. These two personality traits fit well with the kind of person she just seemed to be. I wanted her to have violent tendencies just because of the nature of a Grim Reaper's job description. It takes a certain amount of aggression to do the job well! Everyone when they first get to Croak, a town populated by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next, come from slightly violent and delinquent backgrounds. When they get to Croak, they calm down a bit because they have an outlet to express themselves. When they hit puberty at that age, their aggression comes out and the Grim Reaper in them is manifested. The mystery is why if Lex and Cordy are twins, why would this happen to Lex and not to her sister? But this is explored in the next two books. Just got to read them all!

MISS LITERATI: What was it like creating Lex? How did you go about creating this character?

Gina Damico: My sister and I have the same back-and-forth witty dialogue so I used that as a basis for Lex and Cordy's relationship. It was fun to write Lex with Cordy because Cordy has a similar kind of snark but she's nicer. I wanted Lex to be resistant to other people, an outcast at school who can't really explain these violent tendencies but acts on them without really knowing why. She can tell that there's this force inside of her and though she doesn't know what it is, she goes with it. When she gets to Croak she sees people as people who are to be punched or not punched...but usually punched. She has a hard exterior and has trouble letting people in because she's a little unstable. Put all that to the side, you'll see that Lex is really good deep down. She doesn't want to be violent; she wants to be good. Eventually you'll see her make friends with people -- and she even gets a boyfriend in the book, which you would have never expected! Lex came from this paradox of secretly good but with a thick layer of aggression on top of it that she can't quite control.

MISS LITERATI: Could you give a few tips to our readers about how to really create a distinguished character? Lex has so much personality! How can our teens really get to know their characters inside and out?

Gina Damico: Spend time with your characters inside your head before you even start writing them. Generally I like to think about what a character is like before I even start writing. I like to think about what they do in their time off, what their favorite book or movie is and whether or not I would be friends with them. (I think I would be friends with Lex!). You have to really know your characters because the better you know them the more authentic their dialogue will be. Sometimes I'll be writing dialogue and the characters we'll be talking and I would eventually be like, "Wait a minute! That character would never say that..." If your characters are formed well enough, they'll just do the talking for you.

MISS LITERATI: Our teens writing on Miss Literati want to get published. What would you suggest to them to go about this?

Gina Damico: Just write as much as you can. It's quite obvious and everyone says it. But sometimes I'll write and get stuck and can sense when something isn't working. Sometimes you may be writing yourself in a corner. Even if a story goes no where and you think it's a scrap piece of writing, you're still writing and stimulating a different part of your brain. Just write different things, even if it's a little idea. It might not come to anything but it's still a writing exercise. Soak your creativity in ways that you might not have expected. Some ideas morph and eventually down the road it can turn into something you can actually use. Even if it sounds totally stupid, just write it! It's good to develop your voice. All these "failed" experiments will help you develop who you are and how you write. Everything you write makes you a better writer so it's important to keep writing. And definitely have other people read what you write. I certainly struggled with that for a while -- it's very personal to have other people read your stuff. For a while it's only been you and your work and to have other people judge you is very terrifying. But the thing is, it ends up making everything that much better when you have other people read your work. You'll get new perspectives and new ideas. I had so many new ideas suggested by my editor and agent. Never underestimate the power of other people to make your work better. They can have some really good ideas but you're the only one who can execute them. Join critique and writing groups. There's a whole community of writers out there! If you like blogging, try it. Developing a strong online presence for your writing is important!

MISS LITERATI: If there was one thing you could change or add to Lex's character, what would it be? Would she do something different?

Gina Damico: I know not everyone loves Lex. You kind of have to take a leap of faith in the beginning with her and stick with her in the long haul. She's not a harsh and abrasive person. Lex is set up as a jerk but you'll see that she changes. If a character doesn't change then why are you reading? The temptation is there to make her nicer but then that's not true to the actual story.

MISS LITERATI: We were laughing out loud as we were reading CROAK! Does humor come natural to you when writing? Any words of advice for teens who are interested in implementing humor into their story?

Gina Damico: I was never a funny kid. I was actually always serious. But in high school I surrounded myself with funny people and in college I was in the Committee for Creative Enactments, a murder mystery improv comedy troupe. We wrote our own wacky mysteries, over the top characters and did a lot of improv. I did that for a solid four years. I was immersed in this over-the-top comedy. I really think that helped with being able to create memorable characters that have all these quirky traits. I've also watched The Simpsons since I was five. Whatever comedy shows you love, if you watch enough of them, you'll know what's funny and what to laugh at. When you're writing you know what works and what doesn't. Sometimes I go back and read what I wrote and actually laugh! If you want to get better at writing comedy, do your research. Watch what you think is funny and internalize that kind of technique. Having distinct characters will help and they'll know what to say. There's a lot of playing around with the characters when it comes to comedy.

MISS LITERATI: So you're writing a sequel to CROAK call SCORCH out in September. How was writing SCORCH different to writing CROAK?

Gina Damico: With writing a series what I have found is that you are juggling so many balls up in the air because there are so many intersecting plot lines. You know you want to land them a certain way but some things change. And some things actually won't change the way you think they do. When you adjust one part of the story, you have to adjust all the events that led up to that one thing. I have a lot of notes and drawings showing where plots intersect. SCORCH was trickier than CROAK. I set certain things in motion in CROAK; you can't just give up and drop a plot line...you have to deal with it in the sequel. I wanted SCORCH to still be as entertaining as CROAK and keep the action moving. At the end of SCORCH things are getting intense and coming to a head. SCORCH is coming out September 2012. Of course the characters are growing and there are a lot more scary moments in the second book. I'm not afraid to kill off main characters.

Purchase the book by clicking here!

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND ME is an empowering and real novel about love and standing up for what you believe in. The story centers around two characters, Jesse and Emily, who practically live in two totally different social realms, but find themselves completely and utterly attracted to one another. The thing is, Emily has had a long term boyfriend and is Vice President of her student body. She's always neat and proper and has a particular image and reputation she needs to keep up. However, Jesse, the girl Emily can't help but feel passion towards, wears combat boots and dreads pep rallies. The two girls have nothing in common but somehow feel this pull towards one another. But Emily feels uncomfortable letting the world know about their secretive relationship. She thinks she's got a lot to lose and because she's not ready to declare her situation to the whole student body, she hides her relationship with Jesse, much to Jesse's dismay. But Jesse doesn't seem to want to lose Emily, so what's a girl to do?

As you travel through the story it's easy to see how it's possible to relate to both characters. We're attached to Emily and Jesse's relationship because the author creates an engaging, honest and relatable account. Jesse is brave and she's got a strong sense of her own identity, although she begins to question it a bit when she allows Emily to pull her along by a string; Emily comes off as a bit cold and afraid of the world, but covers it up with this I'm-on-top-of-the-world facade.

We loved this book and we think it's such a satisfying and refreshing read for our high school students using Miss Literati. This contemporary thought-provoking story is full of personality and rich detail and leaves you thinking long and hard after the last page.

Miss Literati got the chance to speak with the author, Madeleine George, to learn more about the book and her writing process. Want to learn how to get your writing noticed? Madeleine tells you how! You could even win a FREE SIGNED copy of THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND ME!

MISS LITERATI: What's the main goal behind your book THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND ME? What's the underlying message?

MADELEINE GEORGE (MG): The book really has two equal purposes and two equal stories. One story is about figuring out what you believe in and learning how to take a stand for your beliefs, no matter what the cost.  At the same time it's also a love story--it's just as important to me that it's a juicy love story!  In the book, Jesse, the protagonist, is a very open, politically aware girl who in spite of herself is having a secret affair with Emily, the school overachiever--Emily is the vice president of student council, she's popular, she has a boyfriend, etc.  The book follows what happens when they become pitted on opposite sides of a controversy in their school.  In the end, for Jesse, standing up for what she believes in in the world ends up being connected to standing up for herself in her relationship.

MISS LITERATI: Why do you think every girl should read this book? How do you think your readers will be able to relate to the story?

MG: I think that almost everybody has had the experience of being totally in love with someone who can't love them back in the right way.  It's a story about two girls who are in that situation, and in a lot of ways it's no different for two girls to be in that kind of relationship--where one person wants to be more open about it than the other person--than it is for a boy and a girl to be in that kind of relationship.

MISS LITERATI: Would you say you like to write about teens?

MG: My novels are all for teens and young readers. I also write plays and those are meant more for adult audiences, though I do have one play, "The Most Massive Woman Wins," that is done in high schools all over the country.

MISS LITERATI: What was the writing process like? Where did you get inspiration for the book?

MG: I knew I wanted to write a book about a girl taking a stand on a controversial issue.  Originally I started writing about a girl who takes a stand on a Title IX problem.  Title IX is the portion of the Education Amendments that says that guys and girls should be treated equally in high school and college athletics.  But I know absolutely nothing about sports.  I tried so hard to learn about it--I read books about basketball, I went to basketball games and took notes.  But in the end I was faking it, and my editor told me to stop.  I had to throw away almost half a book because I was writing about something I didn't know about and it totally came through in my writing.  So then I took a step back and asked myself, What DO I know about?  What could my protagonist take a stand about that is closer to my own experience?  The writing process was long and painful but I eventually came to a story that I really felt good about telling.

MISS LITERATI: What's the one thing you want readers to take away from this book?

MG: I want my readers to know that there can be a real bridge between things that they read in novels and things that they might do in the world. I don't necessarily think someone is going to read this book and say, "I'm going to jump up and take some action right this second!" But at the end of the book I provide links for people to learn more about how they can take action on certain issues, if they want to.  I would love for readers to see that all fiction is connected to the real world.  Books aren't only an escape from life--they are also connected to the real world, and sometimes they can even affect how we behave.

MISS LITERATI: What's one piece of advice you would give to teen girls who go through what Emily and Jesse go through? 

MG: It's a cliche to say, but no matter how much you want to be with another person you have to do the thing that is true to who you are.  Figuring out who you are is your job as a teenager.  It's good to try out different ways of living (studying, dressing, talking, working, etc.) to see what fits best for you, but in the end everything you do as a young person is a step on the path to answering the question, Who am I really?  Who am I going to be in the world? 

MISS LITERATI: Our readers want to know...what happens when you get writer's block?

MG: My sister-in-law is a sculptor, a visual artist, and she says this really smart thing: that whenever she's stuck it's because she is trying to jump over what she needs to do next.  A lot of times when we're stuck it's because we want to be ahead of where we genuinely are in the process of writing or making something--we've bitten off more than we can chew.  When this happens I remind myself to take baby steps. Writing is often a lot slower than I want it to be, and from book to book, story to story, I don't usually change as much as I want to.  I don't have to write something so drastically different than what I just wrote. Sometimes it's all about the tiny steps.

MISS LITERATI: How can teens get their writing noticed?

MG: Besides blogging, which I think is an amazing way for young writers to get their voice heard in the world, I strongly suggest that teens find other writers their age to collaborate with.  Alone in your room you can delight yourself with your work, but you can do so much more if you can find a community of likeminded writers.  You can share your writing with them--maybe meet at a local library or bookstore?--or start a literary journal, or put together a reading.  I have a theater company in New York City that is built on the principle that working together is better than working alone--we're a group of 13 writers who have come together to put on each others' plays (www.13p.org).  Miss Literati seems like an excellent online version of this, which is great!  The very best thing is to figure out who your allies are at your school, town and neighborhood. This doesn't mean you'll be immediately published by doing this, but it could lead to an opportunity to be published. And it builds your confidence to see your goals reflected back to you by other people you like and admire.

MISS LITERATI: What's the best part about writing?

MG: The best part of writing is when I'm working and I'm so engrossed in the world I'm creating that I forget where I am.  It's such a funny kind of amnesia, that state.  The second best thing is interacting with people who have read my writing after it's in the world.  That's like the sundae at the end of the writing meal!

MISS LITERATI: What's the hardest part about writing?

MG: Besides finding the time to write, the hardest part about writing is that there's all this negative chatter in my head--critical voices telling me I'm too boring, not good enough, or embarrassing myself. I wish those voices got quieter over time but they're always a problem.  When I was a teen writer I had less trouble with those voices--I was sort of brash and confident.  As I got older it got harder to drown them out, and I have to really work hard to tune them out so I can get down to work.

MISS LITERATI: Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?

MG: Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh, is pretty much my favorite book. It's a book about spying but in reality it's a book about writing...well, how spying leads to writing.  I also love Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home.  It's a graphic novel about her life growing up in a family full of secrets who run a funeral home in a small town--I can read it over and over again and find new things in it every time.  Recently I read and loved Nick Horby's About A Boy and How to Be Good.  His characters are so sweet and screwed up and lovely--they seem like real, living people to me.

Want to win a FREE SIGNED copy of THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND ME? COMMENT below and tell us in just a few sentences how you would change the world.

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Miss Literati got the chance to speak with fellow Miss Lit, Leah Alvord about how the Miss Literati website really allowed her to launch her writing career. Read below about how she got started and her tips on what YOU should do as a writer! Never knew that your writing on Miss Literati could get published? Well, Leah Alvord proves that they can!

MISS LITERATI: So you started writing on Miss Literati. How did you use the website to eventually publish your own book?

LEAH ALVORD: I actually began writing years prior to finding Miss Literati but I lacked the push to pursue publishing until I began writing on the site. That is what I gained from the site: my amazing fans/friends/Dedicateds. If CHASING PERFECTION hadn't become so popular and gained so many fans, I never would have considered publishing it.  And, actually, it is one of my favorite books and was such an amazing experience to write. A lot of that had to do with the enthusiasm of the Miss Lits.

MISS LITERATI: What is the hardest part about writing?

LEAH ALVORD: The hardest part of writing, for me, is actually the editing process. When I am inspired, I can write like a machine.  Each word just continues to appear. Once I'm done, however, my least favorite thing to do is to go back and literally search for all of my mistakes. I know what it's supposed to say so well; it's hard to find if I've missed typing a word, or used the wrong 'your' or 'you're' or 'to' 'too' or 'two.' And then to decide what needs to be rewritten versus what needs to be taken out all together...I'm just terrible at that.

MISS LITERATI: Compare your two published books CHASING PERFECTION and SIREN SONG. What did it take to write both books?

LEAH ALVORD: It was actually a whole different experience to write both books. With SIREN SONG I worked every single day. Sometimes only to get a couple of sentences or a paragraph done or sometimes to write chapter after chapter until I was falling asleep at my computer.  It took actually two long years to write SIREN SONG.  Whereas, CHASING PERFECTION was written in 35 days, posted on Miss Literati in 31 days, and edited in two days.  As I often joke with my Dedicateds, it felt as if Miranda truly took over my life for that month. I guess the only similarity between the two was my own determination and the never-ending inspiration I found to keep going.

MISS LITERATI: What was your reaction when you heard your book was going to be published?

LEAH ALVORD: Well, I self-published so I had it in my mind what I was going to do.  At the same time, it was so surreal. I couldn't even believe what I had just committed myself to. I just remember how excited I was and now that's like one of my guilty-pleasure memories.  I love just sitting in a quiet corner and thinking about that day over and over again and getting that feeling back.  And, some days, it still is very surreal.

MISS LITERATI: What was the publishing process like?

It was definitely not what I expected.  There was a lot I had to do myself, since it was self-publishing, but it also meant I got the final call on everything that went into making the books.  I got to decide on the covers, including having a dear friend of mine, Erika Reisinger, actually draw the cover for SIREN SONG. I also had to write my own back covers and author sections, and that, to me, was actually the most difficult to create.  Yet, all of that was exhilarating because I was a part of the creation, though I became increasingly impatient because there is a lot of waiting involved. But is well worth it, in the end.

MISS LITERATI: What's one piece of advice for teens out there trying to get discovered? 

LEAH ALVORD: Just keeping writing. The more we write, the more we improve.  People tend to take notice when our creations bloom and grow and take on lives of their own.  As long as you write to impress you, then it's astounding who else you will impress and maybe even inspire.

MISS LITERATI: Why is Miss Literati a good platform for teens to launch their writing career? How can they use it to their advantage?

LEAH ALVORD: When Miss Literati had the live chat with FALLEN author, Lauren Kate, one of the things she said to us was one great advantage for an author was having an online fan base. I could not imagine a closer, more appropriate community than the one I found on ML. Many of the girls on there are far more than my fans; they're my friends. It was because they are both fans/friends that I got the push I needed to pursue publishing. When you have such a stable, solid foundation, you feel like you can take on the world and you can chase your dreams.  And having that support is wonderful as a marketing tool, as well, because word-of-mouth catches like wildfire and who better to light the blaze than those who know what you're capable of?

MISS LITERATI: Which authors inspire you?

LEAH ALVORD: There are so many authors who inspire me. Some are well-known while others might not be.  Stephenie Meyer is the sole author-inspiration behind Siren Song certainly. But as far as as much of my writing, I find inspiration from such authors as Anne McCaffrey, Robin McKinley, J. R. R. Tolkein, Mary Shelley, and Jane Austen.

MISS LITERATI: What can fans expect from you next?

LEAH ALVORD: More books, hopefully! I'm constantly writing and am actually entering into an editing process with one of my projects and hope to send it to a publisher this summer. My writing is something I will never give up on and I just hope my fans/Dedicateds are willing to stick it out with me.

A self-publisher, Amanda Hocking has sold millions of copies worldwide. ASCEND, is the concluding book in the Trylle series, preceded by SWITCHED and TORN. The main question, Wendy Everly is faced throughout this book is what if the only way to save your world is to leave it behind? That's a loaded question...ever thought you would have to handle that one? We sure hope not.

In this captivating tale, Wendy, whose mother was convinced she was a monster at the age of six and tried to kill her, has to save the land of Trylle, as Trylle Queen, from their deadliest enemy. And in doing so, she has to sacrifice herself. Throughout this breathless tale, Wendy has to make the ultimate decision as to who she should love for the rest of her life, on top of already having to save everyone she loves from her Vittra rivals.

Love a good romance story mixed with action and suspense? Haven't heard of the Trylle series before? READ the first two books then come back to ASCEND, which ties up everything together in the end.

ASCEND comes out April 24, 2012. You can purchase your copy here.

Miss Literati spoke to Amanda Hocking previously when SWITCHED came out but we had a few extra questions so we decided to chat with her again to learn a little bit more about her writing career!

MISS LITERATI: What's the hardest part about self-publishing?


AMANDA HOCKING: All the work that isn't writing. Self-publishing is relatively easy in that you just kind of click a button to upload it. But if you want to do well with it, then there's a ton of work that goes into it behind the scenes. All the aspects of publishing can be hard.

MISS LITERATI: How do you keep readers involved and excited about new books in your series?

HOCKING: I try to keep them interested and involved with my blog and Twitter. I do videos sometimes, give away books, and I've done a few book signings. The most important thing, I think, to keep readers engaged is to keep talking to them, and to keep writing books.

MISS LITERATI: How was writing ASCEND different to writing SWITCHED and TORN?

HOCKING: Of the three books, ASCEND was probably my favorite to write. I think SWITCHED asks a lot of questions, TORN answers them, and ASCEND is about what Wendy is going to do with that information. By the last book, she kind of has all the facts - she knows what the right thing is and what she needs to do. So ASCEND has a lot more action - both romantic and dramatic.

MISS LITERATI: What's the one thing you do to really develop a character?

HOCKING: I think about them a long time before I start writing, getting a real sense of them in my mind. Then I take notes on the, creating a basic character list where I explain what they look like, how old they, important facts about them.

MISS LITERATI: You were recently inducted into the "Kindle Million" club after selling your one millionth e-book on Amazon's Kindle Platform and chosen as Publishers Weekly's "notables of 2011," -- first of all, congrats! That's such a huge honor. How does that feel?

HOCKING: The weird thing about the "Kindle Million" club is that I'd actually sold a million books before that. Roughly 60% of my sales come from Amazon, but the other 40% come from other ebook retailers, like Barnes & Noble. So I'd already sold well over a million books and that was a strange thing to come to terms with. It was very exciting, but it also seemed totally unreal. Everything that's happened the past few years seems so impossible, but it's really wonderful and I'm incredibly grateful for this whole experience.

MISS LITERATI: What do you want readers to take away from your stories?

HOCKING: I just want readers to have fun and be entertained. Life can be painful and hard at times, and dull and boring at others. For a few hours, I just want to help people escape in another world, have some fun, and forget about their problems.  

MISS LITERATI: How do you keep the reader coming back for more?

HOCKING: I don't know exactly. My goal is always to write entertaining stories, and I think if I keep doing that, readers will keep coming back.  

MISS LITERATI: If you could go back and do one thing differently in regards to ASCEND, what would it be and why?

HOCKING: I was fortunate enough that after I self-published ASCEND, I got to go back and make a few changes with it before I republished it with St. Martin's. I was able to smooth over a few bumps, elaborate on a few ideas, and I have added an additional chapter. So now I think that ASCEND is exactly where I want it to be, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Nope, this book doesn't feature Snooki, let alone any cast member from the Jersey Shore, and it's not a cookbook or one about tomatoes, really, for that matter. Eva, one of the main characters in JERSEY TOMATOES ARE THE BEST says, "You've got to have attitude if you're from New Jersey." While that is definitely true, you've also got to have attitude if your name is Maria Padian, author of recent must-read Random House Teen YA novel. The story, which is full of spunk, life and everyday teen problems quite prevalent in today's modern society, is one that every reader will be able to relate to. Why? Well, you've got two best friends to start off with in which Padian does an awesome job at exploring. The book goes back and forth from Eva to Henry's perspective, so the reader really has enough time to get to know each individually as well as gradually see how their friendship only gets stronger by the end of it. If you think Henry is Eva's boy next door, think again -- she's actually her best friend. Yes, Henry is a girl. Just another reason why this book is totally on the top of our reading list.

JERSEY TOMATOES ARE THE BEST is a hilarious read and for sure one that breaks at the heart a bit. Henry and Eva are best friends and both athletes -- Henry is a star tennis player, while Eva is a competitive ballerina. One summer changes things for the both of them right before they enter their third year in high school. That particular summer means Henry spends a few weeks relieved from her loudmouthed overbearing father while getting the chance to practice her sport in Florida, and Eva gets the chance to perfect her plies at ballet camp. The two may be living their own dreams in two different states, but their friendship only strengthens as you devour each page.

In the beginning of the story the author hints at Eva's struggle with anorexia and we're fully exposed to this as the book progresses. Padian really explores an issue that many teens deal with. Eva's inner voice is so powerful and strong yet so negative because she's always calling herself fat and putting herself down. Miss Literati got the chance to speak with Padian about her writing process, where she gets inspiration and how she really got into the mindset of Henry and Eva. Buy the book for an honest account of the lives of two teen girls who you may even be able to relate to personally. Padian aced this YA novel and we're totally excited to see what else is up her sleeve.

MISS LITERATI: First of all, how did you come up with the title for your book? It's an interesting one!

PADIAN: When I was a teen growing up in New Jersey my mom bought me a t-shirt saying, "Jersey Tomatoes Are The Best." Many people don't realize Jersey is "The Garden State."  They think of us as the "Chemical State" because of all the refineries along the turnpike.  Anyway, Jersey is known for fabulous tomatoes, and the word "tomato" is also slang for "girl" so the title essentially asserts that Jersey Girls Are the Best. It was the easiest title I've come up with yet.  

MISS LITERATI: What do you think is the number one underlying message of the story?

PADIAN: I think the number one underlying message of my book would be to trust your positive inner voice. What I've learned about girls with eating disorders is that they have a very negative inner voice that runs them down all the time. That was the contrast between Eva and Henry. Despite Henry's problems, she has a powerful positive inner voice making her strong while Eva's inner voice was feeding off of her insecurities. For me as a writer and someone who loved these characters, I hoped that the readers would follow more positive instincts and listen to the good things about themselves and not let the negativity hold them back because when we do that it stifles our potential.  

MISS LITERATI: What did it take to develop Henry and Eva, the two main characters in the book?

PADIAN: Each chapter you go back and forth from Henry's perspective to Eva's. What was it like going from getting in the mindset of one character to going to the next?It was originally supposed to be Henry's story, but then Eva kept elbowing her way into scenes! She developed into this really interesting character, so when Henry was heading to Florida I realized I couldn't just leave Eva behind in Jersey.  I was discussing this problem with my teenage daughter (who is actually a fabulous writer and always "processes" with me about my characters) and she declared, "You need a two-narrator novel!"  She marched into her bedroom, scooped up a stack of her books and tossed them on my bed.  "Take a look at these and you'll see what I mean," she said.  They were all two-narrator novels, and I studied them and figured out what made them so effective.  At that point, my entire novel changed.  

MISS LITERATI: What's your writing process like?

PADIAN: I'm one of those writers who knows the beginning and ending of the story when I start. The only question is, "How am I going to get there? The first step is knowing my characters really, really well. I'm a firm believer that plot follows character, so if you want to know what happens in your story you need to know the characters.  I spend a lot of time journaling about the characters and exploring their personalities and motivations.   I'd compare writing to driving on a foggy night.  I know if I stay focused on what's immediately ahead of me, and keep moving forward, I'll get to my destination, even if I can't see it yet. Along the way, I have to open: to debris that blocks my way, potholes, and or course, hitchhikers. Those are the unexpected characters who show up. If I ignore them, the story is more linear but less interesting. If you invite the hitchhiker in, all of a sudden things start to change. Mr. Beady, in my first novel, Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress, is one of my favorite hitchhikers.  He popped up halfway through the first draft, and the entire book changed!   

MISS LITERATI: What was it like writing about something teens could relate to?

PADIAN: I think I love writing YA because my favorite books of all time were YA's I read when I was a teen!  Here's what great about teens:  they read with their hearts.  They read with passion and emotion, and they get involved with the characters.  A YA novel is an invitation to get aboard an emotional roller coaster, and as an author, I'm determined to make it a great ride!  So I work hard to create characters they love and characters they hate, because they relate to their experiences.

MISS LITERATI: What are some of your favorite books?

PADIAN: My favorite book of all times is Charlotte's Web by E. B. White. I still cry when Charlotte dies!  I loved Johnny Tremain and The Witch of Blackbird Pond when I was growing up. These were books I read over and over. Oh, and of course,  I loved Judy Blume's books...she's just the best. I hate to name some authors and not the others because there are so many good ones out there, but if I had to pick just a couple of the contemporary "greats" in YA I'd say Laurie Halse Anderson has been a game changer for this genre.  She's amazing. I also really enjoyed The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. My daughter would say her favorite is The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler. 

MISS LITERATI: What's your main goal when you write?

PADIAN: My main goal is to be relatable. Don't get me wrong, I love The Hunger Games and the Twilight series, and I wish I could write books like that -- but I write realistic fiction. I love when kids come up to me because they have been able to relate personally to a character I created in a book. I love it when I touch something inside of them and they just get on board and get on this ride with me and this character becomes real for them. The characters become real for me! I'll talk to my daughter about all the characters and we talk to others about these characters as if they're real people. I've tried so hard to create a character that I really care about and one that strikes an emotional chord in a reader.  

MISS LITERATI: How were you first introduced to writing?

PADIAN: I've always been a reader. I'm a passionate reader. I was one of those kids who would order 20 books when Scholastic held its book fair at my school!  I think that naturally developed into a desire to tell stories myself.   

MISS LITERATI: So where do you get the inspiration?

PADIAN: Each of my stories starts differently. My first started with this character's voice. My kids were going through this stage with childhood friends changing and I wanted to write a story about friendships changing in Junior High School. I spent a lot of time journaling about the character and before long I had this 14-year old girl's voice in my head, telling her story. 

MISS LITERATI: What tips do you have for teen writers?

PADIAN: Move the pen and make yourself write. Peter Elbow, the author of Writing Without Teachers, has this exercise where you set a timer (ten minutes) and you cannot stop writing words until that timer goes off. You would be amazed at what comes out on the page. It's like tossing a rope overboard into water, waiting a minute, then hauling it up. All sorts of "stuff" clings to rope, some of it junk, like seaweed or trash. But maybe also a beautiful shell; a treasure. That's what moving the pen across the paper is like for me: you definitely write some words you'll throw out, but also find some read keepers. 

MISS LITERATI: How can teens get their writing noticed? 

PADIAN: I think it's really important that you should honor your apprenticeship:  practice, get better!  Don't worry about "publishing" yet.  I mean, would you hang a kindergartener's fingerpainting in the National Gallery?  Ask a dancer who has taken one lesson to dance the lead in a ballet?  Writing takes practice, so be patient with yourself and concentrate on improving. At this stage in your writing life, look for people who will give you good feedback.  There are writers' conferences and summer programs designed just for teen writers, where you can get some constructive criticism from excellent teachers and also "workshop" with kids your own age who also like to write.  Sign up for creative writing at your school. Check out what your library might offer.

MISS LITERATI: Best part about writing?

PADIAN: Surprises.  When that pen moving across the page spits out something I didn't expect.  The story moves in an unexpected direction, and it's just magic.   But here's the thing:  it doesn't happen every day. You might have one day like this out of five. Most days, you wait for the magic.  Faith is a big part of this job:  having faith that if you did it once, twice, three times ... yeah, you can do it again.  And when you do, it's ... fantastic.  

MISS LITERATI: Hardest part about writing?

PADIAN: The hardest part is literally sitting at my desk all day. My back hurts! The physical demands of spending all that time sitting still is hard for me. I have this active dog who has to be walked so there are a lot of excuses to take the dog out or go for a run.

Our most swoon-worthy revenants are back in UNTIL I DIE, the highly anticipated sequel to DIE FOR ME. Author, Amy Plum, delivers the perfect combo of love, thrills and a very surprising twist all while keeping us happily entranced in Paris, the city of love. Read the rest of the preview!

Miss Literati spoke with writer Amy Plum (we're pretty sure she's a comedian too...you'll think so too after you read her answers). You'll learn a bunch of random stuff about the author; she likes to write in bed, LOVES to blog and rarely ever plans the plot ahead of time when she writes. PHEW. Good to know, right?

How did you first get into writing?

Well, in first grade a poem I wrote about a turkey that didn't want to be eaten for Thanksgiving got into the school paper. That literary landmark was followed by many years of poetry-writing, which abruptly ended when a poem I wrote was rejected by my university literary magazine. That one rejection made me decide that I sucked and I then stopped writing poetry. But I was always getting "Great writing!" scrawled by my professors on my essays. And then, a few years later, I wrote an essay to get into grad school and it got me into every school I tried for, including Oxford University. That was definitely an ego-booster. Those little affirmations, along with the pleasure I got from writing, made me want to continue.

How did you then launch your writing career?

Eight years ago, I moved to the French countryside. And after having lived in Chicago, Paris, London and New York, I suddenly found myself in the middle of nowhere, with no friends and no job. To keep in contact with my faraway friends and family, I started a blog and began posting stories and photos about my life there. I quickly gathered nearly a thousand loyal followers, some of whom were writers and journalists. They gave me the encouragement I needed to try to get published. And though my first book, A YEAR IN THE VINES, which was about life in the French countryside, was never published, it got me my agent and led to the sale of DIE FOR ME.
 
UNTIL I DIE is your sequel to DIE FOR ME.

What were the differences when writing each?

When I wrote DIE FOR ME, it was actually just for fun. Of course, I wrote it in hopes that it would be published some day, but I wasn't counting on it since I had only done memoir-style writing before. So, with this first foray into fiction, I was totally relaxed and creative because I believed no one would ever see it. I thought of it as practice...until the day that my librarian friend Claudia, who had been reading every chapter as I wrote it, said, "I really think you have something here!" And then my agent read it and loved it. And finally I was like, "Wow! This might really work!"

So going into UNTIL I DIE was a lot harder because I knew that expectations were high. And I had a deadline. (Eek!) But there was also the fact that I already had the mythology worked out, as well as the characters' personalities. So even though I was pantsing it (I didn't have a clue what would happen), I was starting with a good foundation in those aspects.

And quite honestly, I couldn't wait to get back together with my characters. I had really missed them in the time between books, and it felt like a reunion with friends.
 


What goes into writing a sequel? Is the sequel planned ahead of time?

When I wrote DIE FOR ME, I wrote the ending in a way that it could easily be followed by a sequel. So when my agent asked me how many books I thought could be in the series, I said the story could handle at least two more. But when she asked me to give an outline of what would happen in Books 2 and 3, I admitted that I usually don't even know what's going to happen in the next chapter, much less the next book. She said, "Just make something up." So I did.

I actually don't remember anything about what I suggested for Books 2 and 3, except this final battle thing in Book 3 where all sorts of supernatural creatures are roped in to fight with the revenants. Guess what. That doesn't happen.

So I had an idea of what would happen at the very end of the series, but had no idea how I was going to get there.

 
Describe your writing process. Where do you usually write? Do you have an outline you follow?

I write in bed. When I built my office (in an ancient building on our property), I put a desk in there thinking, "I'm going to be a grown up and work at a desk." That lasted about a week. And then I moved a little bed in there, and haven't used the desk since. I don't follow outlines. My friend Josephine Angelini rolls her eyes when I talk about my writing process. She's a plotter. Every beat is planned ahead of time. I'm a pantser. I work things out as I write. Life would be a lot less stressful if I could plot...but what can I say? My brain prefers pantsing.

Having started in blogging, I like to have constant feedback. (Those comments are ADDICTIVE, let me tell you - it's like applause.) So when I'm in first draft mode, I send my friend and Beta reader, Claudia, what I've done every day. Even if all she says is "nice!", knowing that she is waiting for me to send what I've promised that day motivates me to get it done. Which means about 1500-2000 words per day when I'm in first-draft mode. That turns out to be about a chapter, since my chapters are short. 
If there's one piece of advice you would give to teens who are just getting started in their writing careers, what would it be?
 
Write every day. Or at least a lot. The more you write, the better you get.

I had an 11th grade English teacher who had us write two pages of anything we wanted every day. Just the necessity of writing something different every day forced me to get really creative. Maybe a little too creative: my teacher pulled me aside after a while, probably thinking I was disturbed or something. I wish she knew I was writing about the undead now. That would probably make her feel a lot better about that strange student she taught years ago.

Who or what influences your writing? Where do you get ideas for your books?

Some writers get their ideas from their surroundings or everyday experiences. I draw a lot on my past and present experiences when I am in the midst of writing a story. But when I'm coming up with a new concept, I have to go into the writing cave in my head--put myself into a kind of abstract zen-like state--and then really THINK about it. It's like a brainstorming session...in my brain. (Hmm.)
 
How would you classify your writing style and how have you been able to perfect it?

I used to think that to be a writer you had to use big words. And then when I began writing my little stories from everyday life, I found that I was much more myself writing in a conversational style. You don't say "egregious" or "meritorious" in everyday language. So I write how I would speak. (Full disclosure--okay, I admit, I do use some big words when I speak. Just not egregious and meritorious.)

When I was writing my blog, I found that people related best to my style when I wrote in a certain way. It made a difference if I had 100 comments saying, "I know EXACTLY what you mean," or 1 comment saying, "Your writing is egregiously meritorious." I think that helped me hone my technique, in that I wanted to write in a style that evoked a response from my readers.


What is the best part about writing for you? What's the hardest?

There are two "best parts" about writing for me.

When that perfect dialogue or scene or even WORD comes out on the paper and you sit back and think, "Oh my God, that was really good." That's how I felt about the fight scene at the end of DIE FOR ME when Kate put the ... through Lucien's ... (how's that for spoiler-free?). I saw the scene in my mind and it just started writing itself, and when I got done I stood up and fist-pumped and said, "Yes!" Then, I read it to my husband when he was driving and he was so surprised that he drove off the road. Oh sweet success! Hearing from readers afterward. The notes and letters people send me telling me that they liked my book mean so much to me. And when readers respond to characters or situations I've written, that is the very best reward. I had a few letters after DIE FOR ME from readers whose parent(s) had died, and when they said that they had experience the same reaction to grief as Kate had--well, I've rarely felt so fulfilled.

The hardest part about writing is self-motivation. When I spend so much time communicating with readers and other writers, social networking and all that, it is hard just to turn everything off and focus on the writing itself.

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We were first introduced to historical comfort-read writer Eve Edwards with her novel THE OTHER COUNTESS, a story based in year 1582 when 18-year-old Will Lacey's family bumps heads with some trouble. The story centers around a determined half-Spanish girl named Ellie, only trying to survive during a hard time when England is at war with Spain. As you read you'll immediately say goodbye to 2012 and be transported into the world of Queen Elizabeth I. Just as Will falls in love with Ellie, you'll fall in love with the way Eve captures her characters. In a story that has slight similarities to Romeo and Juliet (OK, not exactly) you'll witness Will, a young noble, fall deeper and deeper in love with a girl who's very different. Although he must marry into a wealthy family, you'll be faced with the same question he ponders: is it duty or pure love that should rule your heart?

Two years later we're in year 1584 in Surrey, England with THE QUEEN'S LADY. During the first few days as one of the Queen's Ladies, you'll learn that Lady Jane Rievaulx is head over heels with the newest court's arrival, who just happens to be Master James Lacey, the younger brother of her previous courtship. But James has other things he's got to worry about, and although he is certainly fascinated with Lady Jane (she is quite the catch), this lad is heading towards the "New World" -- or as we know it, the Americas. It's safe to say he's got bigger things he's got to deal with than a love interest. Nevertheless, he can't deny some sort of feelings towards Lady Jane, who pines over the charming James, an attractive man who seems to encompass all that she had loved and lost. We do see a shift in James since THE OTHER COUNTESS; he's gone through war, a life changing experience to say the least. But we're still as drawn into his character as Jane is.

In just over 300 pages, Edwards engages her readers in a tangled romantic tale that features an array of themes of the era including colonization, racial prejudice, discrimination and cultural differences. We'll even be re-introduced to Diego, an African-born servant of the Lacey family, who is more prevalent in this story and whose character has been more fully developed than in THE OTHER COUNTESS. You'll really get to know Jane by the end of the story, who is often seen by others as being cold but she's just a bit hesitant to trust others, because, well, she doesn't come from a very loving family.

The descriptions of character and setting have been detailed out to the T. As you turn each page, you can't help but wonder if Eve lived in the 1500s herself or if Jane is her own sister she knows inside and out. You'll ask yourself questions a bit in the beginning, so it's best to read THE OTHER COUNTESS prior to devouring THE QUEEN'S LADY so you're fully aware of the entire story. However, it's not absolutely necessary. Lady Jane's tale is filled with historical details of the Elizabethan England and characters who dance their way into a delightful and satisfying romance. Eve Edwards' fans will be begging for the third in the series as soon as their fingers flip the last page. You'll never want the story to end!

But Miss Lits, you'll have to be patient because the third in the series, The Rogue's Princess, a love story about Kit Turner and Mercy Hart, will only be out in July 2013. Patience, my friend.

THE OTHER LADY is out in STORES TODAY, APRIL 10. Get your copy now!

READ an excerpt from THE QUEEN'S LADY.

Book Review by Michelle Golden