Jessica Brody

Return of the Save the Cat Novel Workshop!

2012-01-05T20:24:00.000-08:00

Attention, writers!!! Back by popular demand (I've always wanted to say that!), I'm doing another SAVE THE CAT Novel-Writing Beat Sheet Workshop!

I was thrilled when the kind people over at Blake Snyder Enterprises (publishers of the SAVE THE CAT books and software) asked me to teach another class. And of course, I said yes!

The workshop is two-days in Los Angeles, CA and takes place over the weekend of March 3rd and 4th.

All the details, including price and what you will learn can be found here: http://www.blakesnyder.com/services/novel-writing-beat-sheet-workshop/

And if you have absolutely NO idea what I'm talking about and are thinking to yourself, "Save the WHAT?", then let me fill you in:

I owe my entire novel-writing career to Save the Cat! A book series by the genius Blake Snyder about how to outline any story in the world. He calls his trusty "formula," the "Blake Snyder Beat Sheet", and it consists of 15 "beats" (or story points) that fit into pretty much any movie ever made. And I've adapted them to novels to help me outline all my books. Since starting to use the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet, I've sold nine novels. Yep...NINE! I don't think that's a coincidence! Now, I never start writing another book until I've got my trusted 15 beats in place.

And during this two-day workshop, I'm going to teach you exactly how I do it!

Basically it works like this: you come to the workshop with an idea for your next novel (all genres welcome!), the group spends the next two days working through the 15 beats of each of your ideas, and by the end of the weekend, you have a sturdy (unbeatable!) outline to start writing your book with!

Space is extremely limited. There are only SIX spots open for this class. So ACT FAST!

Oh, and if you want to read the beat sheet for THE KARMA CLUB that I published on Blake Snyder's blog, click here!

Hope to see you there! Happy writing, writers!

Jessica

Guest Star: Laurie Stolarz

2011-12-24T14:13:00.000-08:00

It's time for another Guest Star! Our guest this week is Laurie Stolarz, author of the brand new release, Deadly Little Voices!

About DEADLY LITTLE VOICES

Camelia Hammond thought her powers of psychometry gave her only the ability to sense the future through touch. But now she’s started to hear voices. Cruel voices. Berating her, telling her how ugly she is, that she has no talent, and that she'd be better off dead. Camelia is terrified for her mental stability, especially since her deranged aunt with a suicidal history, has just moved into the house. As if all of that weren't torturing enough, Camelia's ex-boyfriend, Ben, for whom she still harbors feelings and who has similar psychometric abilities, has started seeing someone else. Even her closest friends, Kimmie and Wes, are unsure how to handle her erratic behavior.

With the line between reality and dream consistently blurred, Camelia turns to pottery to get a grip on her emotions. She begins sculpting a figure skater, only to receive frightening premonitions that someone's in danger. But who is the intended victim? And how can Camelia help that person when she’s on the brink of losing her own sanity?

From DEADLY LITTLE VOICES

“You’re just one big fat joke,” the voice hisses.

I cover my ears, but the insults keep coming.

“Just do it,” a voice whispers. It’s followed by more voices, of different people. They talk over each other and mingle together, producing one clear cut message – that I’m a waste of a life.

I rock back and forth, trying to remain in control. I smother my ears with the sheet. Press my forehead against my knees. Pound my heels into the floor, bracing myself for what comes next.

Meanwhile, there’s a drilling sensation inside my head; it pushes through the bones of my skull, and makes me think that I’m going crazy.

“Please,” I whisper. More tears sting my eyes. I shake my head, wondering if maybe I’m already dead, if maybe the voices are part of hell.

Check out the book trailers

DEADLY LITTLE SECRET: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fzMpVMy2fQ
DEADLY LITTLE LIES: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9Qk0VG2Nz0
DEADLY LITTLE GAMES: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc8N4Q0YDuM

TOUCH SERIES CONTEST

From the author: “In keeping with Touch series tradition, in celebration of the release of DEADLY LITTLE VOICES, I’m launching my annual “winner-gets-to-have-a-minor-character-named-after-him/her” contest! The grand prize winner will get to have a minor character in DEADLY LITTLE LESSONS, the fifth and final book in the TOUCH series named after him or her. Other prizes include autographed book copies and the opportunity to have original work appear on my web site, Facebook, and Twitter pages. OFFICIAL RULES and GUIDELINES for this contest are on my website, under NEWS. ALL ENTRANTS MUST SIGN A RELEASE FORM, DOWNLOADABLE FROM WWW.LAURIESTOLARZ.COM/NEWS.html. Sign up for my e-Newsletter for updates on contest, book, and appearance info: http://www.lauriestolarz.com/newsletter.html

Praise for the TOUCH series

Texas Tayshas List, 2010 (DLS)

Children’s Book Council’s 2010 & 2011 Teen Choice Book of the Year Nominee

Reluctant Reader Quick Pick Nominees, 2010 & 2011, American Library Association

Teens@Random, Favorite Book of 2009 (DLS)

Gold Star Award, TeensReadToo.com, 2009 (DLL)

"...lively first-person narrative.... CW-worthy dialogue, quirky secondary characters, romance and suspense: a winning combination" - Kirkus Reviews

"An engaging, eerie tale about the darker side of relationships - when it becomes a matter of life and death to know who your friends are." - KLIATT

“The book was full of shocking surprises and revelations, earning the book five stars. This is a must-read for fans of romance, suspense, and mystery because it won't disappoint.” – Teens Read Too (DLL)

"Laurie Faria Stolarz is a master creator of suspense and romance. Her words cause the heart to pound, the palms to sweat, the spine to shiver, and the stomach to flutter. The trepidation born from the anonymous threats will make the pages fly, and the palpable tension between Camelia and Ben as they attempt to ignore their hearts causes the fire to burn hotter." - TeenReads.com

Laurie’s Guilty Pleasures

Favorite snack: Popcorn with soy butter and lemon/pepper seasoning.
Touristy Trip: Paris.
Fashion addiction (at the moment): artfully torn jeans, tall boots, pretty scarves, and Michael Stars tees.
Dessert: Dark chocolate in almost any form - the darker the better.
Fast food: French fries at least once every few months (with lots of ketchup).
Beauty Binge: Aveda haircare products, which includes indulging in high-and/or-low-lights every eight weeks. Also, Caudalie skincare, Ineke perfume (Field Notes from Paris), Revitalash mascara, and Buxom Lips from Bare Escentuals.
Late-Night TV: Real Housewives of (wherever), Mad Fashion, Fashion Hunters.
Chick Flick: Never Been Kissed, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Juno, Green Card, Once, The Devil Wears Prada, Bridget Jones Diary, Thelma & Louise, Mean Girls, Moonstruck, Clueless, Under the Tuscan Sun, and anything with John Cusack.
Nightlife: Pilates in front of the TV (a regular occurrence), answering e-mail (also regular), and dinner and/or a movie out with friends (happens far too rarely).
Cheap Thrill: Window-shopping, tabloid magazines, buying a new lip gloss, a tall cup of coffee from Peet's or Starbucks.
Ultimate Splurge: G2O Day Spa for a massage.

Other Random Info

Favorite Quote: Perseverance is key.
Favorite cuisine: Indian food – onion chutney, curried vegetables, and kashmir bread. I also love cheeseless pizza from Bertucci's.
Interests: Vegetarian cooking, holistic nutrition, aromatherapy.
Favorite Music: Adele, Fergie, James Blunt, Gavin Rossdale, Tori Amos, Sting, Sarah MacLachlin, Gwen Stefani, Black-eyed Peas.
Hobbies: Walking, napping, cooking, shopping, interior decorating.

How to bring your psychometric senses to fruition

By Camelia Hammond, main character, TOUCH series by Laurie Faria Stolarz

1. Make yourself comfortable in a place that feels “sacred” to you. For some it’s outside, surrounded by nature; for others it’s a favorite chair or surrounded by candles; for me, it’s wherever I’m doing pottery.
2. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breath, letting go of any stray or nervous thoughts.
3. Now, take an object in your hand. A good idea is to have someone give you something they’ve owned for a long time, i.e. a favorite bracelet or a set of keys.
4. Close your eyes again and concentrate on this object. Be aware of any thoughts or feelings that come about as a result of holding this object. Talk those ideas through, even if they seem silly or insignificant, but never make information up.

Remember, this takes practice and a bit of experimenting. The goal is to begin tuning in to your own inner awareness and your ability of perception. What often works for me is asking a question aloud, and then sculpting out the answer, using my power of touch in a creative and organic way.

Good Luck!

About the author:

Laurie Faria Stolarz is the author of Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Deadly Little Games, Deadly Little Voices, Project 17, and Bleed, as well as the bestselling Blue is for Nightmares series. Born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts, Stolarz attended Merrimack College and received an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College in Boston. For more information, please visit her Web site at: www.LaurieStolarz.com

Revisions and Cruises and Holidays!

2011-12-19T16:50:00.000-08:00

Hey all! Sorry for the LONG gap between blog posts. Things have been quite busy over here. I FINALLY finished the second draft of UNREMEMBERED, the first book in my upcoming sci-fi trilogy! I'm really excited about how the revision came out and now my fingers are TIGHTLY crossed that my editor is just as excited!

The hubby and I celebrated the completion of the manuscript by taking a quick last-minute cruise to the Caribbean. It was so amazing and JUST what I needed.

Here are few of my favorite pics from the cruise!

Hanging with our new friend, "Mickey" at the Roatan Marine Sciences Institute in Honduras!

Very excited to have my lovely SeaPass card!

Saying goodbye to Miami.

My "Statue of Liberty" pose, complete with napkin hat provided by Angel, our kick-ass waiter!

Showing off my SUPER stylish motion sickness pressure point wristbands!

So, now I'm relaxing at the in-laws house in Dallas, getting ready for a BIG Texas Christmas! I hope everyone has a very happy holidays!

Peace on Earth,
Jessica

Guest Star: Kristina Springer

2011-10-13T17:33:00.000-07:00

It's time for another Guest Star! Our guest this week is Kristina Springer, author of the brand new release, Just Your Average Princess!

About JUST YOUR AVERAGE PRINCESS

Jamie Edwards has loved everything about growing up on a pumpkin patch, but ever since her cousin Milan Woods arrived, things have really stunk. Jamie can’t imagine it was easy for Milan to leave her life back in Los Angeles and move to Average, Illinois, population one thousand. But it’s kind of hard to feel sorry for her since (a) Milan’s drop-dead gorgeous; (b) she’s the daughter of two of Hollywood’s hottest film stars; (c) she’s captured the attention of everyone in town, including Danny, Jamie’s crush since forever; and (d) she’s about to steal the title of Pumpkin Princess right out from underneath Jamie!

Praise for Just Your Average Princess:

“This cheerful and heartwarming novel set in a small town will appeal to teens who enjoy YA chick lit.”
--VOYA

“It was such a quick and cute read! The dialogue contained a generous amount of wit and snark. As a fan of both, it heightened my enjoyment of Just Your Average Princess even more. I really enjoyed Kristina Springer’s style of writing as well as the cast of characters she created in Just Your Average Princess.”

--The Fiction Enthusiast

And here's my interview with the author, Kristina Springer

Just Your Average Princess sounds like such a great concept. How did you come up with the idea?

I love pumpkin anything—candles, bread, you name it. I was staring at my pumpkin colored kitchen walls and the idea of a pumpkin patch setting popped into my mind. Then I thought what if you were a teen girl who grew up on an awesome touristy pumpkin patch. And I was off from there.

What kind of research did you have to do to bring Jamie’s story to life on the page?

I researched the heck out of pumpkin patches! I read everything I could on life as a pumpkin farmer (and family), what goes in to running a big patch and fall festival every year, and I went to visit pumpkin patches. I even went through my kids’ books on the different types of pumpkins for added details.

The Danny character in your book is very dreamy. I fell just a little bit in love when I read it. Is he inspired by anyone you know?

Yeah, pretty much every guy I ever had a crush on but was too afraid to tell. The more in love from afar I was with them the more perfect I thought they were. They could never do any wrong. Danny is sorta like that.

If there was one thing about Jamie’s life that you’d like to have in your own life, what would it be? What about the one thing about his life that you’d NEVER want to have?

I’d love to live in a small town in the middle of nowhere with lots of land. But I wouldn’t want to do all of the farm work that Jamie has to do!

What are you working on next?

Right now my newest YA book, THE PAPARAZZI PROJECT, is on submission. This was a super fun book to write and I think any tabloid loving teen will love it.

About the author:

Kristina Springer is also the author of The Espressologist, a Society of School Librarians International Book Award Honor Book, and My Fake Boyfriend is Better Than Yours, which Meg Cabot calls, “Irresistible as a fluffy kitten. I laughed out loud and so will you!” You can visit her online at Kristina Springer, follow her on Twitter @TinaSpringer, or friend her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KristinaSpringer.

Guest Star: Jeri Smith-Ready

2011-09-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

It's time for another Guest Star! Our guest this week is Jeri Smith Ready, contributor to the brand new anthology, Enthralled

About ENTHRALLED

This collection of original paranormal YA short stories grew out of the 2010 Smart Chicks Kick It Tour, a multiauthor, multicity, author-organized tour of the US and Canada. With it, these 16 authors hoped to bring a little taste of the Smart Chicks experience to readers everywhere.

About the story "BRIDGE"

In the world of the SHADE novels, everyone seventeen and under can see and hear ghosts, but no one else can. So when Logan Keeley dies and his eighteen-year-old brother Mickey blames himself, they can’t ease each other’s pain or reconcile their rage. Over the course of SHADE and SHIFT, Mickey sinks into a near-suicidal depression over Logan’s death.

“Bridge” is the story, told in free verse, of how two brothers, with the help of a stranger, forge the chasm between them to find a lasting peace.

“A solid collection of stories...Sarah Rees Brennan's ‘Let's Get This Undead Show on the Road’ follows a vampire in a boy-band and stands out with its perfect blend of snark and sincerity. It's followed in a one-two punch by Jeri Smith-Ready's intense and earnest ‘Bridge.’...This collection is ideal as a sampler tray for paranormal readers looking to pick up new authors to follow or to further explore the fictional worlds they already know.

—Kirkus Reviews

A standout among the many paranormal-themed anthologies.

—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (Recommended review)

And here's my interview with the author, Jeri Smith-Ready

What was your favorite part of writing this book? Your least favorite part?

My favorite part was trying something different-writing in free verse. I've always loved reading it, in books by authors like Ellen Hopkins, Lisa Schroeder, and Jame Richards. It drills down to bare emotions and forces the writer to choose precise words to express their meaning. I loved creating rhythms and sounds to reinforce the feelings and thoughts Logan was trying to get across.

My least favorite part is my fear that I did it wrong.

As writers, we all love to procrastinate. What's your favorite procrastination activity?

Hands down: Twitter. I've never been addicted to anything-food, video games, drugs-but I'm addicted to Twitter. It's like my lifelife to other people. I have this fear that if I leave it for a day, everyone will forget about me. So it's more than an addiction, it's a full-blown existential crisis! ;-)

If your main character, Logan, could give one piece of advice to teenage girls, what would it be?

Since he died from a mixture of drugs and alcohol (not an overdose, but a deadly combination), he would definitely warn teens to stay away from that stuff. Especially alcohol, because it makes you do stupid things (like take drugs).

As a guy talking to girls, he would say to watch out for "bad boys." They're so popular in YA literature, but in real life, they're not secretly good on the inside, waiting for the right girl to come along and redeem them. They're just bad. Except Logan would use a harsher word than "bad."

If there was one thing about Logan's life that you'd like to have in your own life, what would it be? What about the one thing about his life that you'd NEVER want to have?

I would love to be a musician! I've always dreamed of performing in a band-I guess that's why I love reading aloud so much. And to have the close relationship he has with his siblings, both the ones in the band (Siobhan and Mickey) and his younger brother Dylan. My brother and sister are eight and ten years older, and while we're close now, when I was growing up it was like having four parents.

I wouldn't want to live in a world with ghosts everywhere, even if I wasn't young enough to see them. That would be really creepy.

What are you working on next?

I'm still revising/perfecting SHINE, the third part of the SHADE trilogy, which comes out May 1. Then I'll write the final book in my adult vampire series, LUST FOR LIFE, which comes out next October.

Then I start my first YA contemporary, slated for a Fall 2013 release. We'll be announcing more details next month, but I can tell you this much: 1) it's about a boy and 2) I am very, very excited about it!

About the author:

JERI SMITH-READY has been writing fiction since the night she had her first double espresso. Her nine published books include two series for adults and the SHADE trilogy for teens, about a world of ghosts only the young can see, which concludes May 2012 with SHINE. Like many of her characters, Jeri enjoys music, movies, and staying up very, very late. Visit her at www.JeriSmithReady.com, or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/JeriSmithReady) or Twitter (http://twitter.com/jsmithready), where she spends way too much time. Logan himself can be found on Twitter @keeley_logan, as can his rival/”brother-in-pulp,” Zachary Moore (@moore_zachary). The boys love to chat with each other and with their real-life fans.

First Impressions: What I Love about Brazil!

2011-09-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

So here I am in gorgeous, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and it couldn't have exceeded my expectations more! It's so beautiful here! I love it!

Atop Sugar Loaf Mountain!

I really enjoy experiencing new countries and cultures. And since it's my first time here, I thought I'd share with you a few things that I love (so far!) about Brazil.

A quick disclaimer: I've only been in the city of Rio and so these impressions are limited to what I've seen here. I obviously can't speak for the rest of the country!

Food/Drink:

There's cheese EVERYWHERE! In the pastries, in the bread, served as a side dish. And since I'm such a big lover of cheese, this won me over on day ONE!
The soda here is made with actual sugar (not high fructose corn syrup!) In fact, when I tried to explain this strange American phenomenon of the High Fructose Corn syrup to a Brazilian friend of mine here, she looked at me with a funny expression and said, "Corn? In soda?" Exactly!
The coffee is heavenly! And it's served (at least at my hotel) with a choice of cold AND hot milk! And the milk is thick and creamy and delicious! I haven't seen a dinky little artificial creamer cup anywhere.
They serve coconuts with a straw in it! As evidenced in the photo. It's better than any "juice box" of coconut water I've ever tasted! The coconut is literally pulled from the tree, a whole is drilled in it, a straw is added, and voila! Refreshing drink! (And" it's got electrolytes!" Note: if you haven't seen the movie, Idiocracy, either go rent it or disregard this joke.)
Other random foods I've found irresistible: Pão bisnaguinha (little sweet bread rolls that look like mini hot dog buns), pipoca caramel (caramel popcorn), Aipim Frita (some kind of fried root vegetable similar to a potato that reminded me a lot of potato pancakes), Guarana Soda (which tastes kind of like ginger ale but sweeter, hence, better!) and Pão de Queijo (cheese bread. Let's face it, is it EVER possible to go wrong when you put cheese and bread together?)

General Cultural Observations:

When you order something "pequeno" (small), like coffee, drinks, etc, it's actually SMALL! As someone who has often been accused of "eating like a bird," I'm very appreciative of this. I'm tired of ordering "small" portions in the U.S. and not even being able to finish them. And then feeling guilty for wasting food. Since when did the "small" soda at fast food restaurants become a Big Gulp? Observe the photograph. This was a "chocolate pequeno" (A small hot chocolate) or as my husband likes to say, "Jessica Size" and I actually finished it! And the tiny little spoon was just too "fofa" (cute) for words.
The public buses (at least the ones in Rio) have both a driver AND a cashier, who sits in a little booth behind the driver and sells tickets. I find this to be completely brilliant! I've been to so many countries where the driver is both the driver and the cashier and not only does it slow down the entire boarding process, it puts a lot of stress on the foreigner (that would be me) who is trying desperately to figure out how much I owe, how to ask how much I owe in a language I barely speak, and which one of these unfamiliar colorful bills is the right denomination (all while the driver is speeding to the next stop). So thank you, Rio, for this simple yet effective solution!
And speaking of unfamiliar colorful bills, the money here has animals on it! As an animal lover, I find this to be totally awesome! I mean, seriously, how cool is it to pay for your dinner with money that has a monkey, a parrot and a jaguar on it? I'll tell you.... it's REALLY cool!
Rio has some of the most well groomed dogs I've ever seen! I'm not kidding! Around 6-8 pm, everyone is out walking their dogs and it looks like a dog show. The coats are shiny and immaculate, as though the dogs spent the entire day at the beauty parlor while their owners were at work. They make my dogs (who spend their days, rubbing themselves in the dirt and chasing squirrels through fields) look like bums!
Everyone here is really active and in shape. There are always people jogging, biking, and playing volleyball all day long. It's great! Check out the picture of the Ipanema beach strand on Sunday. They close the street to cars and everyone is out walking! And instead of fast food restaurants and Starbucks on every corner, they have juice shops. Seriously, the Brazilians LOVE their juice. And I don't blame them, it's delicious! So hmmm....juice instead of fast food on every corner, real sugar instead of High Fructose Corn syrup, and I haven't seen a single overweight local? Seems pretty self-explanatory to me!
And the final thing that I love about Rio (so far)...is that everyone is really nice! They smile at you, and are helpful and are very appreciative when you try to speak Portuguese! (The operative word here being "try").

Well, that's all for now! I'll post more first impressions as they come!

Tchau!
Jessica

Brody Book Hunt #2

2011-08-31T14:29:00.000-07:00

Time for another Brody Book Hunt!

Background:

I travel around so much I thought, wouldn't it be fun to leave things behind in the various cities I visit...as little mementos for others to find. And thus the idea of the "Brody Book Hunt" was born.

This is what I'll be doing:

In random cities that I visit, I'll be "hiding" an autographed copy of one of my books somewhere. (Stores, shops, restaurants, etc.) Then I'll Tweet and Facebook clues and photos about where it is.

If you're the first to find the book, it's YOURS! Yep, FOR FREE! Just Tweet/Facebook me back to let me know you found it so I can mark it as "claimed."

So without further ado, here is the next Brody Book Hunt location:

If you're in the LA area, head over to Sony Studios in Culver City. On the corner of Washington and Motor, you'll find a surprise. For a hint, check out the photo below:

Happy Hunting!

Jessica

52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER Cover Reveal!

2011-08-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

Hoorah! Today I revealed the cover for my next book, 52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER, which will be released on July 3, 2012. And here it is!

As you can probably tell from the cover and the title, the book is another comedy. And I think this cover represents the humor and tone of the story perfectly!

52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER is about a spoiled teen heiress, famous for her party-girl antics and tabloid headlines, who is forced by her ever-absent mogul father to take on a different low-wage job every week for a year, if she wants any hope of receiving her trust fund.

The book was recently optioned for film by producer Jane Startz (Ella Enchanted, The Babysitter's Club, Tuck Everlasting). We've got our fingers crossed that it will be made into a movie soon!

Click here to mark this book as "To Read" on GoodReads!

Have a great week, everyone!
Jessica

The Pen Fatale Tour Coming this FALL!

2011-08-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

Sooooo! I'm getting REALLY pumped because the big Pen Fatale Tour with fellow authors Alyson Noel, Mary Pearson, Gabrielle Zevin, and Alexandra Adornetto is kicking off in a little over a month!

And the publisher just released this AWESOME poster for it! Check it out!

So the BIG question now is...will you be there????

Check out the dates and list of cities below.

I hope to see you at one of the events!

XO
Jessica

TEXAS

September 28, 7:00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
The Woodlands, TX

September 29, 7:00 p.m.
Off-site event hosted by Blue Willow Bookshop
Houston, TX

October 1
Austin Teen Lit Festival
Austin, TX

ILLINOIS

October 4, 7:00 p.m.
Anderson's Bookshop
Naperville, IL

COLORADO

October 5, 7:00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
Boulder, CO

October 6, 7:00 p.m.
Tattered Cover
Highlands Ranch, CO

CALIFORNIA

October 9, 3:00 p.m.
Vroman's
Pasadena, CA

October 10, 5:00 p.m.
Upland Public Library
With Mrs. Nelson's Toy & Book Shop
Upland, CA

WASHINGTON

October 12, 7:00 p.m.
Third Place Books
Lake Forest Park, WA

October 13, 7:00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
Lynnwood, WA

Guest Star: Melissa Walker

2011-07-18T12:59:00.000-07:00

It's time for another Guest Star! Our guest this week is Melissa Walker, author of the brand new novel, Small Town Sinners

About SMALL TOWN SINNERS

Lacey Anne Byer is a perennial good girl and lifelong member of the House of Enlightenment, the Evangelical church in her small town. With her driver's license in hand and the chance to try out for a lead role in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, Lacey's junior year is looking promising. But when a cute new stranger comes to town, something begins to stir inside her. Ty Davis doesn't know the sweet, shy Lacey Anne Byer everyone else does. With Ty, Lacey could reinvent herself. As her feelings for Ty make Lacey test her boundaries, events surrounding Hell House make her question her religion.

Melissa Walker has crafted the perfect balance of engrossing, thought-provoking topics and relatable, likable characters. Set against the backdrop of extreme religion, Small Town Sinners is foremost a universal story of first love and finding yourself, and it will stay with readers long after the last page.

"Walker has written a credible and tender evocation of the moment when a young person’s beliefs begin to emerge and potentially diverge from the teachings of a family’s religion"
— New York Times Book Review

“Both tender and provocative… Walker creates an astutely balanced portrait of a
conservative congregation’s in-your-face response to perennial issues of domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, and suicide, as well as of those who struggle to fit the prescribed Christian mold.”
— Publisher's Weekly

And here's my interview with the author, Melissa Walker

Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel. I was calling it HELL HOUSE while I was writing it, until people started telling me that might not fly with some bookstores/libraries. I never thought of "the H word" as especially bad, but I didn't want to risk it being an issue, so my agent and I brainstormed SMALL TOWN SINNERS and I love it just as much!

If you could choose one dessert or snack food that you could eat as much as you want of (and never gain an ounce!) what would it be?

Buttered popcorn. I can't stop eating it if it's in front of me. I'll eat until the bottom of the bowl and then I'll chew on unpopped kernels. It's a sickness. I blame years of working in a movie theater in high school.

If your main character, Lacey Anne, could give one piece of advice to teenage girls, what would it be?

Explore the boundaries of your world and don't be afraid to ask questions about why people believe what they believe.

I love the name Starla Joy [Lacey's best friend]! How do you come up with your character names?

I love to walk through cemeteries to look for character names, but Starla Joy actually started out as just "Sarah." Then I wanted her to have a punchier name, so I moved to "Starla," and I wanted her to have some personality aspects of my friend "Joy" so I added that in the draft to remind myself of who she was. It became "Starla Joy" and I loved it too much to drop the double name.

What are you working on next?

I have a May 2012 novel with Bloomsbury that's untitled at the moment... but it involves summer sun and a very fraught double-love story.

About the author:
MELISSA WALKER has worked as ELLEgirl Features Editor and Seventeen Prom Editor. She is the author of the Violet on the Runway series as well as Lovestruck Summer. Melissa manages a daily newsletter, I Heart Daily, and handles blogging for readergirlz.com, an online book community that won the 2009 National Book Award for Innovations in Reading.

Visit her online at: www.melissacwalker.com

My Life Undecided in Teen Vogue AND Seventeen

2011-07-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm so delighted, I just have to share!

MY LIFE UNDECIDED was chosen as both a TEEN VOGUE Must-Read Book of the Summer AND a SEVENTEEN Summer Beach Read pick! Squeee!!!

You can read the reviews from each by clicking the links below.

Teen Vogue
Seventeen

MY LIFE UNDECIDED is about a fifteen-year-old girl, notorious for making terrible decisions, who enlists blog readers to vote on how she should live her life. But she soon discovers, some things in life simply aren't a choice...like who you fall in love with.

If you haven't seen the book trailer yet, watch it below!

And check out the brand new book website I just launched for the book: www.MyLifeUndecided.com where you can post your own undecided questions and poll our readers for some advice!

Happy Friday everyone!

XO
Jessica

Brody Book Hunt #1

2011-07-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

Who likes scavenger hunts!? ME!

I travel around so much I thought, wouldn't it be fun to leave things behind in the various cities I visit...as little mementos for others to find. And thus the idea of the "Brody Book Hunt" was born.

This is what I'll be doing:

In various cities that I visit, I'll be "hiding" an autographed copy of one of my books somewhere. (Stores, shops, restaurants, etc.) Then I'll Tweet and Facebook clues about where it is and the secret password you need to claim it.

If you're the first to find the book, it's YOURS! Yep, FOR FREE! Just Tweet/Facebook me back to let me know you found it so I can mark it as "claimed."

So without further ado, here is the first Brody Book Hunt location:

If you're in the Dallas area, visit the Yogurtville in Carrollton (on Hebron Pkwy) Tell them, "Karma Sent Me" to claim the prize.

Happy Hunting!

Jessica

Follow me on Twitter and Win an Autographed Copy of THE KARMA CLUB!

2011-06-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

So, I just noticed I'm ALMOST at 1000 followers on Twitter. I know 1000 followers is just a Wednesday afternoon for people like Jessica Simpson and Justin Bieber, but for me, it's pretty dang exciting!

To help me reach that 1000 mark, for every 25 new followers I get, I'll be giving away a free autographed copy of THE KARMA CLUB to a lucky (random) follower.

So since I'm currently at 900, the first giveaway will happen at 925, then 950, etc, until we reach 1000!

Which means, if you're not already following me, you should! Just click on www.Twitter.com/jessicabrody and click "Follow"

And if you ARE already following me, then just relax. You're already entered!

Winners will be announced on Twitter (obviously!) so all the more reason to follow so you can see your name printed when you win!

Good luck! And thanks for the follow!

XO
Jessica

Guest Star: Suzanne Young

2011-06-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

It's time for another Guest Star! Our guest this week is Suzanne Young , author of the brand new novel, A Need So Beautiful

About A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL:

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte’s destiny is to be Forgotten…
Charlotte's best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she's cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what's really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become—her mark on this earth, her very existence—is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny—no matter how dark the consequences?

"A clever and well-written fantasy. Whether Charlotte is an angel or a being less freighted by religious tradition is left up to the reader, but the dilemma of how we can make a lasting impression is a very human concern. Young offers an elegant solution that is well worth consideration."
— Booklist, starred review

“A gripping supernatural romance… An imaginative twist on the timeless battle between dark and light.”
— Kirkus Review

And here's my interview with the author, Suzanne Young!

A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL sounds like such a great concept. How did you come up with the idea?

A family member was sick and I was feeling lost. At my lowest point a stranger gave me advice and it helped me through the tough times. I often wondered how she was there, just when I needed her. It sparked the idea of these beings from the light, meant to help others. And A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL was born.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel. My original title was just BEAUTIFUL—but that was taken. So I thought about it and came up with A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL. And after that, I couldn’t imagine calling it anything else.

What’s your strangest writing quirk or habit? Something that would make all of us go, “huh?”

I like to eat candy corn or other tiny food items while I work.

I love the name Charlotte! How do you come up with your character names?

I discovered a site for old fashioned baby names and now I’m hooked. My characters sometimes go through a few different name changes before I find the perfect fit.

What are you working on now?

The sequel is called A WANT SO WICKED and comes out next summer, so I’m busy revising. I also have a new series THE PROGRAM that comes out Spring of 2013 from Simon Pulse.

About the author:
Suzanne Young currently lives in Portland, Oregon, where she uses the rainy weather as an excuse to stay inside and write obsessively. After earning her degree in creative writing, Suzanne spent several years teaching middle school language arts. Now she can be found at home chasing after her two children and poorly behaved dog and writing novels for teens. You can visit her online at www.suzanne-young.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter @suzanne_young.

Watch the book trailer:

Pen Fatale Fall Tour Dates and (some) Details!

2011-06-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to be part of a fantastic fall tour featuring FIVE totally kick-ass authors! It's called the Pen Fatale Tour (get it? Femme fatale, pen fatale, 5 female authors? Haha!) and it features the following authors:

Alyson Noel (author of the Immortals Series and the Riley Bloom series)
Mary Pearson (author of the Jenna Fox series)
Gabrielle Zevin (author of Elsewhere, Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, and the upcoming All These Things I've Done)
Alexandra Adornetto (author of the Halo series)
And Yours Truly! Moi!

The details are still being ironed out, but here's what I know so far about where we'll be stopping:

September 28, 2011: Barnes & Noble, The Woodlands, TX
September 29, 2011: Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX
October 1, 2011: Austin Teen Lit Festival, Austin, TX
October 3, 2011: Anderson’s Bookshop, Naperville, IL
October 4, 2011: Anderson’s Bookshop, Naperville, IL
October 5, 2011: Barnes & Noble, Boulder, CO
October 6, 2011: Tattered Cover, Denver, CO
October 9, 2011: Vroman’s, Pasadena, CA
October 10, 2011: Los Angeles, CA (events TBD)
October 12, 2011: Third Place Books, Seattle, WA
October 13, 2011: Barnes & Noble, Lynnwood, WA

These events are subject to change but should stay the same. So mark your calendars! Hopefully you can make it to one! I really hope to meet some new readers who haven't been able to make it to my usual LA/Denver events.

I will post more details as they come to me. So check back!

XO,
Jessica

Guest Star: Elana Johnson!

2011-06-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

My Guest Star author this week is Elana Johnson, author of the brand new novel, Possession

About POSSESSION:

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don’t walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi’s future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they’re set on convincing Vi to become one of them….starting by brainwashed Zenn. Vi can’t leave Zenn in the Thinkers’ hands, but she’s wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous: everything Zenn’s not. Vi can’t quite trust Jag and can’t quite resist him, but she also can’t give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

"Possession held me completely captivated from beginning to end. And what an end! I fell in love with the characters and had countless moments of 'Wow.'"
--James Dashner, bestselling author of The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials

"Who Should Read This: Anyone who wants a challenge: This plot is so twisty, I had to read the last chapter twice before I could believe what happened. There's also a very nice balance between badass action and romantic tension for readers who like a good mix of the two."
--MTV.com

“Most [readers] will be drawn in by the love triangle, revelations about Vi and her family, and a dark twist ending that maintains the faintest glimmer of hope.”
--Publisher's Weekly

And here's my interview with the author, Elana Johnson!

If you could have dinner with one of your characters who would it be?

Oh, I would definitely have dinner with Zenn Bower. He’s so mysterious in the book—and in my head. I still don’t quite have him figured out. So dinner with him would be fab!

What’s the first thing you do when starting a new book? What’s the first thing you do when finishing a new book?

I don’t really have a process for writing. So sometimes I begin my books with an email to myself. Or a scene in my head that just needs to be written down. I think a lot. I might write another scene. And another. After a while, I think, “Hmmm, this might be a book.”

The first thing I do when I finish a book is celebrate. Writing an entire novel is a lot of work! Then I let the MS cure for a little while before coming back for the first round (of many) massive rewrites.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel came first. I brainstormed a billion titles with the word “control” in it. I thought I had a good one. My publisher and I discussed it, and decided something a little less punny would be better. That’s how we came to POSSESSION.

If you could choose one dessert or snack food that you could eat as much as you want of (and never gain an ounce!) what would it be?

Oreos and milk.

What are you working on next?

I’m working on resting before I have to do edits for the companion to POSSESSION, which is tentatively titled FUGITIVE and will be out with Simon & Schuster in June 2012.

To read the first two chapters, go to the official POSSESSION website.

MyLifeUndecided.com is NOW LIVE!

2011-06-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

I'm SO excited to announce that my new website project, MyLifeUndecided.com is now LIVE!

The site has been a fun little project of mine for a few months. It's the same site Brooklyn starts in the book, MY LIFE UNDECIDED (where she posts all her life's decisions and has people vote on what she should do) but now it's been expanded so that anyone can post their life's big questions and ask for help deciding what to do!

So head on over and post your pressing questions, collect votes, and get help making those decisions. Or just head over and vote on everyone else's questions. Either way it's fun!

And keep a look out for little posts, notes, and photos from Brooklyn herself. After all, she's the original founder of the site. :)

Enjoy!
Jessica

Guest Star: Amanda Ashby!

2011-06-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

My Guest Star author this week is Amanda Ashby, author of the brand new novel, Fairy Bad Day

I ordered my copy last week and let me say, it looks fantastic! I can't wait to start reading!

About FAIRY BAD DAY:

It’s going to be a fairy bad day...

First, my rightful designation of dragon slayer is STOLEN right out from under me by Curtis Green. Sure, he’s really cute, but that doesn’t give him an excuse.

On top of that, I am assigned to slay fairies. I know what you’re thinking—how hard could it be, right? Wrong! These menacing beasts with their tiny hipster clothes and mocking sarcasm love taunting me. And they won’t STOP!

But the thing that tops my list of stuff to ruin my day? That would be the GIANT KILLER FAIRY that I have to hunt down and slay because I am the only one who can see it. There is someone who can help me. Unfortunately…it’s Curtis.

"Teens with a taste for the paranormal school story and a tolerance for raucous humor will be involved with and amused by this romantic fantasy. The exciting plot, humor throughout—often provided by the little fairies—and relatively innocent romance between characters will grab readers and keep them involved. " Kirkus Reviews

"In a fun mashup of the modern and the magical, Ashby (Zombie Queen of Newbury High) creates nicely developed characters and supports them with strong plotting and zippy writing. Laced with humor, danger, and romance, this book will have readers smiling all the way to the last page." Publisher's Weekly

And here's an awesome interview with Amanda!

What fictional character would you like to have coffee with?

Bartimaeus from Jonathan Stroud’s amazing series or Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich. Or both. In fact I think they’d have a lot in common since they both accidently get into lots of trouble despite having the best of intentions and while I’m not sure that Bartimaeus has blown up as many cars as Stephanie has, he’s sure pissed off his fair share of Kings, which has to count for something!

As writers, we all love to procrastinate. What’s your favorite procrastination activity?

Twittering with Jessica Brody about our shared love of English nineties pop music and chocolate bars. I also tend to check pinkisthenewblog a zillion times a day for my latest celebrity gossip (for research purposes obviously!)

Who’s your favorite character in the book and why? Who was the most fun to write?

I really loved writing Emma, my main character. She’s quite bolshy (and I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that some people might find her annoying) but I just really felt she was justified in acting the way she did. Plus, she was pretty tough, which made her fun to write because she got to play with swords and kill things!!!!!

Which came first, the title or the novel?

Title!!!!! I actually started writing a werewolf book called Bad Hair Day and then I decided to change it to a fairy book and steal the title! Unfortunately my agent didn’t like the first chapter I sent her but she adored the title so we brainstormed the book and she actually came up with the idea of a fairy slayer who was the laughing stock of her entire academy. And then, because I always have FAR too many ideas, I suddenly remembered that I’d plotted yet another fairy book and so I sort of lifted the world building from that and plotted the new idea (and then spent six torturous months trying to make it behave itself!!!!!)

What’s your strangest writing quirk or habit? Something that would make all of us go, “huh?”

It might not make you go “huh” but it will make you go “ewh” because it’s disgusting, but I’m totally addicted to chewing drinking straws (after first using them to drink my Diet Coke of course). It really is a disgusting habit and my family hates it, but I just can’t seem to stop doing it. And besides, if I did try and stop doing it then I would only go and search out all the Easter chocolates that my kids have been saving and apparently that is frowned upon, so really I’m doing everyone a favor! And btw, I actually think that Stephen King once wrote about a writer who chewed straws so that made me feel a little less freakish!!!!

Be honest, how many drafts did you have to write for this book? Any horrific scenes that were cut from the original that you want to share?

There were so many rewrites of this book that I’ve actually lost count. I did a load for myself then about two for my agent and then about three for my editor and while the basic premise stayed the same, there were a lot of changes. In fact by the end of it I was starting to feel more like a patchwork quilt maker than a writer. There were no horrific scenes that I lost but I did have to cut a lot of my wildly hilarious one-liners (I’m assuming it was because my editor didn’t think that they were quite as wildly hilarious as I did). Oh, and I’ve actually remembered that I did have to cut the love interest between two of my secondary characters Loni and Tyler, which was a bit sad (fortunately, they still hook up in my head so shhhhh, don’t tell my editor!!!!!!)

What are you working on now?

Right now I’m in the middle of writing new stuff and also doing revisions on my MG series that is coming out next year called Sophie’s Mixed-Up Magic. It is so much fun and I basically gave an eleven year old magical powers and then made sure that she made as many mistakes as she possibly could. There is also a djinn ghost who looks like Zac Efron and a shark-obsessed six year old sister.

About the Author
Amanda Ashby was born in Australia, and has spent the last fifteen years dividing her time between England and New Zealand before finally deciding that to move home. When she's not moving country, she likes to write books (okay, she also likes to eat chocolate, watch television and sit around doing not much, but let's just keep that amongst ourselves, shall we?)

She has a degree in English and Journalism from the University of Queensland and is married with two children. As well as writing, she works part-time at the children/teen desk of her local library, which basically means that someone pays her to talk about books. Her debut book, You Had Me at Halo was nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award, and her first young adult book Zombie Queen of Newbury High was listed by the New York Public Library's Stuff for the Teen Age 2010.

http://www.amandaashby.com

http://www.amandaashby.blogspot.com/

Click here to order FAIRY BAD DAY now!

Overdue Winner Announcement!

2011-06-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

So apparently my scattered writer brain has failed me once again! A lot of people have been asking me when I'm going to announce the winner of the Find the Typo Contest from back in March and I quickly realized that although I announced the winner on Facebook and Twitter (and emailed the winner), I forgot to add it to the blog. Doh!

My apologies if I've kept you waiting!

The winner was John Nowakoski.

If you didn't win, fear not! We'll be having TONS more contests to win copies of MY LIFE UNDECIDED (which releases in FOUR days!) so keep an eye out for those coming soon!

Again my apologies!
Jessica

#FastForward: Coming of Age in the Digital Age

2011-05-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

I consider myself lucky. I was born and raised in a time before internet and 300+ TV channels, and being able to control your refrigerator with your iPhone. When you had to be home at 8:00 pm on the dot if you wanted to catch your favorite TV show and writing on people’s walls would land you in jail.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not one of those luddites who despise technology and think it’s the end of the world. Actually, it’s quite the opposite. I LOVE technology. I embrace it. I read books on my eReader and make dinner plans via text and do my Christmas shopping with a single click.

But the reason I consider myself lucky is because I’ve been able to witness the rise of all these advancements. I remember what it was like to have to drive to the AAA store and buy a map for your next road trip, or ask people for step by step directions, or look things up in the phonebook. I remember what a phone book is. And therefore I feel as though I can fully appreciate things like Google maps and phone apps and the soothing voice of my car’s navigation system. More so than the generation that’s growing up not knowing any different.

A few years ago I was babysitting for a friend. Her two year old son and I were watching a Tivoed episode of Sesame Street. Like any human being with a developing personality and sense of taste, there were certain characters and skits in the show that he liked better than others. But I’ll never forget when Bert and Ernie came on and this two year old kid turned to me and made a pantomime motion of pushing on a remote button with his thumb. It took me a few seconds (and him a few more fake remote jabs) to realize that he was asking me to fast forward. He didn’t want to watch Bert and Ernie. He wanted to skip it and get to Elmo or Grover. And I remember being so blown away by this realization. This kid can’t speak yet. Can’t tell me what he wants for dinner. But he can tell me that he wants to fast forward through Bert and Ernie.
There is an entire generation of kids today who don’t know (and will never know) what it’s like to watch live TV. To be forced to sit through things you don’t like in order to watch something you do. And that is simply baffling to me.

Although I didn’t grow up being able to fast forward through things I didn’t want to watch or have an entire conversation with my friends using 140 characters or less, as an author of young adult fiction, it’s my job to understand what it’s like. If I’m going to write believable stories for teen audiences, I have to be able to put myself in the shoes of someone coming of age in today’s world. A world in which your embarrassing moments are not only at risk of being gossiped about…but at risk of being caught on film (sorry, digital video) and posted on YouTube for all to see.

Everyone knows your teenage years define you. It’s when you start to search for your own identity. Seek independence. Rebel from your parents. Try to figure out what kind of person you want to be and why. And in today’s modern society, those kinds of life-altering reflections are not done in private anymore. They’re done in public. For all to see. On the internet.

Today’s teen is growing up on Facebook and Twitter and Youtube. They’re posting things we use to only share with our closest friends in notes passed between classes. Photographs that used to be kept privately in our photo albums are now sitting on a server somewhere in Palo Alto, CA for all of eternity. You can no longer rip your ex-boyfriend out of a picture after he cheats on you. There’s no physical photograph to rip. All you can do is “unfriend” him. “Unfollow him.” Unsubscribe. But it’s only virtual. It’s not real. Like money in your bank account. It’s all just data on a screen. 1s and 0s.

This modern day setting for teenage life fascinates me and it’s what I set out to explore in my upcoming novel, MY LIFE UNDECIDED, about a girl trying to decide who she is and find her identity…through an anonymous blog. By asking strangers to make her decisions for her, she ends up discovering the person she wants to be. And it’s certainly not the person she thought she wanted to be.

I had so much fun writing this book and putting myself in the shoes of a girl who grew up in today’s “when you want it, how you want it” culture. And interestingly enough, what I found through my writing and research was that although today’s technology offers a whole slew of new social issues that teenagers have to deal with, being a teenager is pretty much still the same. The emotions are the same. The heartbreak is the same. The way you feel about your first kiss hasn’t changed with the times. And this made me smile.

Apparently there are some things that are not only universal. But timeless as well. Teenage life is hard. It’s trying. It’s memorable. It’s full of decisions that define you. Regardless of whether or not you grew up being able to fast forward through Sesame Street.

*First published on Get to the Point, a blog from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group

Buy THE KARMA CLUB This Week and Win MY LIFE UNDECIDED next week!

2011-05-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

New contest alert everyone! I know how we all LOVE contests!

So here it is. It's quite simple: Buy THE KARMA CLUB this week and win MY LIFE UNDECIDED next week! That's two books for the price of one!

Here's how to enter:

1) Buy a copy of THE KARMA CLUB paperback edition between 5/24 and 5/31.

2) Post a photograph of you with the book on your facebook page

3) Tag The Karma Club Book Fan Page in your photo (this part is important so we can count your submission!)

That's IT! You're entered!

Next week we'll be choosing FIVE lucky winners to receive autographed copies of MY LIFE UNDECIDED (which releases in stores June 7!)

The Karma Club Paperback can be found in Barnes and Noble bookstores, online at B&N.com, Amazon.com or other online book retailers. If your local bookstore doesn't have it in stock, tell them to order it (they can!)

**Open to U.S. and Canada only

A Great Review and a Gift from Brazil!

2011-05-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

This just in! The Brazilian cover for Karma Club has long last been revealed. TA DA!

Isn't it gorgeous? I just want to eat it up! Okay, perhaps I'll simply frame it and put it on my wall. Purple is my favorite color, so I'm just loving this one! Thanks, Brazil! And side question: how can I get that dress in my size. I adore it!

The book releases in Brazil on May 27th! So if you live there (I wish I did!) then go pick it up next Friday! And if you haven't seen the Brazilian book trailer, watch it here.

Okay, in other good news, this great review just came in from the School Library Journal for MY LIFE UNDECIDED. And let me tell ya, it definitely made my day!

"Brooklyn is a sympathetic protagonist with whom teens will identify. Her journey is fun to read, and decision-challenged readers will learn an important lesson about self-acceptance along the way."
--School Library Journal

Woo hoo! More evidence to support the fact that I truly still am a teen and never did grow up past age 15. But hey, I'll take it!

That's all I got for now. Except to say that MY LIFE UNDECIDED comes out in (yikes!) 17 days! And The Karma Club Paperback edition releases on TUESDAY! Be sure to hit stores and pick up a copy. It's got LOADS of bonus stuff in it.

Tchau! Ate mais! (That's bye and later in Portuguese) :)

Jessica

Tips for Writers: Writing in Public

2011-05-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

I used to be one of those writers who could only write at home. Shut up in my office, lights low, door closed, windows shut—a make-shift cocoon. Because I required complete silence and isolation. But I became frustrated that I couldn’t be one of those cool writers you see in coffee shops and cafes, sitting at their laptops with a cappuccino on one side and a yummy pastry on the other. Plus, I also found that being able to write only in my home was extremely limiting to my overall mobility as an author.

But then, about three years ago, I discovered the magic solution. Well, at least it was magic for me. Because now I barely ever write at home. I write everywhere. Coffee shops, cafés, restaurants, airports, airplanes. The world is my writing oyster. So I hope in sharing my little magic tip, that other writers may be able to come out of their cocoons as well and experience the joys of writing in public.

So…are you ready for it? Are you sure? It’s pretty life-altering. And yet, so simple. It’s called “White Noise Meditation.” Which is really just a music track of white noise. I play it on repeat in iTunes, stick in my little noise canceling ear buds, crank up the static and voila! I am safe in my “virtual” cocoon, yet still out in the world like a normal human being! The noise blocks out all distractions and actually helps me focus. To the point where I don’t even write at home any more without my white noise track playing.

I actually use a track called “10 Hz Alpha Relaxation and Learning” by “White Noise Meditation”. It has an extra special technology embedded in it called “Holosyncing.” You might have heard of it before. Basically holosyncing is the science of “syncing” your brain waves to vibrate at a certain frequency. In this case, the frequency is one of “relaxation and learning,” helping me to concentrate on my writing even more. The waves are buried deep below a constant waterfall sound, making them undetectable. And the overall effect is awesome. After having written three books listening to the same 10 minute track over and over again, my brain has ultimately been trained to go into writing mode when it hears that track. So it ends up keeping me motivated to write as well. A double whammy!

So here’s another tip, if you see me out in public, wearing those magic headphones, I wouldn’t try talking to me. Chances are, I’ll be too “zoned” to even notice your there, let alone hear you!

Best of luck, writers!

*Originally published on Linda Gerber's Author Blog as part of "Writing Tip Tuesday" http://lindagerber.blogspot.com

Tips for Writers: How to Trick Your Brain into Writing

2011-05-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

Writers are very good at coming up with clever ways to procrastinate. Ask any writer and they’ll immediately recite off the top of their head five useless things that they can easily do every morning before tackling that looming daily word count. Which is why I’m always trying to come up with new ways to trick myself into writing…as opposed to out of it.

Over the years, I’ve found that I tend to write most efficiently and quickly when I’m “in the zone.” Meaning when I’m fully focused on writing, the rest of the world has disappeared, and it’s just me and the story. But as a full-time writer with tight deadlines, I can’t always count on that zone to just magically appear and for me to just magically fall into it. For most writers I’ve spoken to (myself included), the “zone” seems to be this far-off fantastical place (like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow) and we’re lucky if we happen to stumble upon it once in a blue moon (and always when we’re not looking for it) let alone every day.

Obviously that’s not the most effective way to write a novel…waiting around for a fantastical place that may or may not exist. So throughout the course of my six years working as a full-time author, I’ve come up with several methods that I use to literally “trick” myself into the zone. It may not be as wonderful as the real thing, but it’s worked for me. So I’ve decided to share. Here are my top three favorite:

1. Location! Location! Location!

Reserve a place in your house or a local favorite coffee shop that is designated for writing and writing ONLY. Nothing else can be done there. No emailing. No Facebooking. No TV watching. Just writing. (Oh and cell phones should ALWAYS be turned off in this space). It can be a spare bedroom that’s rarely used, a small fold up table in the corner, or even a linen closet! But it has to be RESERVED for writing. After a few days, just entering that space will automatically jump start your brain into writing mode. You’ll feel less prone to procrastinate because your mind and body will know it’s time to work. If you need to take a quick break, LEAVE the space and come back only when you’re ready to write again. Don’t take email or twitter breaks in your sacred space, only write there.

Living in LA, I don’t have a huge house with idle bedrooms to spare, so I use a coffee shop down the street from my house. I never go there with friends. I never go there just to read the paper. I ONLY go there to write! Now, the moment I step foot in there, I’m instantly in work mode.

2. The Magic of Food (and Beverages)

Along the same lines, I will always eat and drink the same thing during the course of writing a book. When writing MY LIFE UNDECIDED, every morning for three months I would eat the same two mini brioches and a cup of coffee while I wrote. And I never ate this UNLESS I was writing. This further helps in getting your brain into writing mode. Not only are you in your little writing “sanctuary” but now you’re eating your writing food. Your mind is tricked into thinking it’s time to write! And it is. It doesn’t matter what food it is, just make sure you only eat it when it’s time to write. And don’t cheat and start chowing while you’re finishing up that email to your mother! All other windows should be closed and your manuscript should be open on your screen and ready to be tackled before you take that first bite!

I also have a rule that I only drink coffee when I’m writing. Not when I’m blogging, emailing or doing any other work-related things (I usually drink tea then). Only when I’m chipping away at my word count do I allow myself a cup of joe. So now my mind automatically associates the caffeine buzz from coffee with working. And I get so much more done that way.

3. The (Artificial) Ticking Time Bomb

This third one, I actually found out the hard way. When writing MY LIFE UNDECIDED, I had this old laptop that only had three hours of battery life on it…tops! And my writing café doesn’t have any plugs. So I had exactly three hours to get my word count done or I was done. (Or rather my computer was.) This ended up really helping me focus. Every time I would feel inclined to check email or surf the net, a little voice in the back of my head would chime in (or maybe it was just the ticking clock of my battery) and say, “No, no. You only have 2.5 hours left!” This forced me to focus on writing and nothing else. So I encourage you to leave your plug at home. Or even in another room of your house. It may take a few drained batteries (and zero progress on your book) or your brain to catch on, but pretty soon, you’ll train yourself to write more efficiently and with less pointless procrastination breaks on the internet. Because when you’re “in the zone” there is nothing else. The internet doesn’t exist. Email is a foreign concept. And anyone who lives outside of the world of your book is forgotten. So the key is to do your best to emulate that state.

And voilà! Those are my top three “mind tricks” for getting into writing mode. If you’re having trouble getting your butt in the chair and finishing your novel, try one or all of these and see if they help you as much as they help me. The first book I wrote employing all three of these tricks was MY LIFE UNDECIDED which releases next month and I finished writing it in 3 months (writing only 3 hours a day). And for me that was proof enough that it worked.

Good luck and keep writing!

Upcoming Releases and Events!

2011-05-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Oh my, so much new stuff. Where do I begin?

Releases:

First up, THE KARMA CLUB paperback releases on May 24...that's like 18 days away! I can hardly believe it. If you haven't pre-ordered, DO! Here, I'll make it really easy for you. CLICK HERE! It has a fancy new cover and everything. Read all about the book here.

Next up is MY LIFE UNDECIDED! Hoorah! It releases on June 7 (which is less than a month away!) If you haven't seen the trailer yet, be sure to watch it here. You can also read an excerpt there. I'm so excited about this book. It's actually my favorite book I've written thus far (shh...don't tell that to my other books). And not just because it's shiny and new and has an awesome cover. But because I really do love this character. She's very different than any of my other characters...and really nothing like me. At times, while I was writing, I felt as though I were channeling her from some far off place. Anyway, you can pre-order that one too! Look, I'll make it just as easy: CLICK HERE!

Reviews:

The reviews for MY LIFE UNDECIDED are starting to roll in! Publisher's Weekly called it, "An amusing coming-of-age story with many funny moments." Check out the full review here!

Upcoming Events:

I have some really cool upcoming events to share as well. I'll be reading and signing copies of MY LIFE UNDECIDED and KARMA CLUB in Los Angeles and Denver next month. Here are the deets for both:

June 7, 2011 - 7:00 pm
Barnes & Noble - Santa Monica
1300 Third Street Promenade
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Event Page

June 9, 2011 - 7:00 pm
Tattered Cover
9315 Dorchester St # H-101
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2521
www.TatteredCover.com

I hope to see you at one (or both, if you happen to have a lot of frequent flyer miles).

Until then, Ate mais! (I'm taking Portuguese lessons for my upcoming trip to the Rio Book Fair.)

Jessica

Contest #2: Find the Typo, Win a Book!

2011-03-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

Congrats to @GallagherGirl59 for winning last week's contest for a free ARC of MY LIFE UNDECIDED. That book is signed, sealed and on its way to her!

Now it's time for our next fun contest! This one's called "Find the Typo, Win a Book!"

Shortly after we finished the MY LIFE UNDECIDED book trailer, I became aware of a pesky little typo buried somewhere within the trailer. At first I was devastated because it was too late to fix it (as often happens when you find typos) so I decided to turn it around into something positive and make a contest out of it!

You have until Thursday at midnight (PST) to find the typo and send it to mylifeundecided@gmail.com. Everyone who correctly identifies it will be entered to win another signed ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) of MY LIFE UNDECIDED!

I'm embedding the trailer below so watch away and see if you can spot it! It's pretty well hidden. But here's a hint: it occurs during one of the scenes where Brooklyn's blog is on the screen. :)

Make sure you when you email me, you describe exactly WHAT the typos is and WHERE it occurs, if you want to be eligible to win! Good luck!

Start Date: 3/14/11
End Date: 3/18/11
Number of ARCs Given Away: 1
Winner Announced: Friday 3/19/11
Who's Eligible: Anyone! (International entries are accepted!)

How to Enter:

1) Watch the Trailer
2) Find the typo
3) Send it to mylifeundecided@gmail.com

Save the Cat! Novel-Writing Workshop!

2011-03-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

A lot of people ask me how I write and outline my novels and I always have one response: Save the Cat!

I owe my entire novel-writing career to Save the Cat! A book series by the genius Blake Snyder about how to outline any story in the world. He calls his trusty "formula," the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet, and it consists of 15 "beats" (or story points) that fit into pretty much any movie ever made. And I've adapted them to novels to help me outline all my books. Since starting to use the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet, I've sold nine novels. Yep...NINE! I don't think that's a coincidence! Now, I never start writing another book until I've got my trusted 15 beats in place.

So when the kind people at Blake Snyder Enterprises recently asked me if I wanted to teach a workshop about how to apply the Beat Sheet to writing novels, I jumped at the chance!

I'll be teaching the Save the Cat Novel-Writing Beat Sheet Workshop alongside screenwriter, Ben Frahm, one of their "Master Cats."

Basically it works like this: you come to the workshop with an idea for your next novel (all genres welcome!), the group (10 people) spend the next two days working through the 15 beats of each of your ideas, and by the end of the weekend, you have a sturdy (unbeatable!) outline to start writing your book with!

Our first workshop is in LA on April 16 and 17. All the details can be found here: http://www.blakesnyder.com/2011/03/04/announcing-our-first-novel-writing-beat-sheet-workshop/

But hurry up! There's only FOUR SPOTS LEFT!

I hope to see you there!

Jessica

PS Click here to read the beat sheet for my young adult novel, THE KARMA CLUB, that I wrote for the Save the Cat blog!

Contest #1: Win a signed ARC of My Life Undecided!

2011-03-08T13:13:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the release of the MY LIFE UNDECIDED book trailer (and the book release in 3 months!) we're launching a few fun contests for free autographed ARCs (advanced reader's copies) of Jessica Brody's MY LIFE UNDECIDED.

And here's the first!

Start Date: 3/8/11
End Date: 3/11/11
Number of ARCs Given Away: 1
Who's Eligible: Anyone! (International entries are accepted!)

How to Enter:

1) Tweet the following to receive one entry:

Watch the MY LIFE UNDECIDED trailer http://bitly.com/hzIBO0 & win a signed ARC of the book! RT to enter! #MyLifeUndecided

(Don't forget the hashtag to make sure your entry is counted!)

2) Follow @jessicabrody to receive a second entry. (If you already follow Jessica, don't worry, you're automatically entered. But be sure to tweet to get your second one!)

That's it! Good luck everyone! Winner will be chosen at random and announced on Friday, 3/11/11!

More contests to come so stay tuned!

My Life Undecided - Trailer!

2011-03-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

HOORAH! After two long months of work, my new "movie-style" book trailer for MY LIFE UNDECIDED (June 7, 2011) is finally released!

It stars the very talented Taylor Coliee (a fresh new face in Hollywood) and features songs by Radio Disney stars, Josh Golden and Savannah Outen! Plus a few fun cameos (see if you can spot them!)

Check it out:

So what do you think? Comments welcome! :)

I hope you enjoy! And stay tuned for some really fun contests to win free autographed ARCs of the book. The first one is announcing today!

XO
Jessica

My Life Undecided - COVER!!!!!

2011-03-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

Hey all...so excited to announce that we FINALLY have a cover for my next book, MY LIFE UNDECIDED!

And so without further ado, here it is! Tada!

Well, I'm in love. Officially. What does everyone think? It comes out June 7, 2011 and if you want to read more about it...including an excerpt, just click here.

Oh...and the publisher has decided to redesign the paperback for THE KARMA CLUB which hits stores May 24, 2011. Check it out:

Notice how both the books are all matchy-matchy now? LOVE IT!

Okay, that's all for now. Stay tuned because we're releasing the much-anticipated trailer for MY LIFE UNDECIDED...next week!!! It's SOOOO amazing! I can't wait to finally share.

XO
Jess

My Life Undecided Trailer - FIRST PHOTOS!

2011-01-25T10:22:00.000-08:00

This weekend we filmed the trailer for My Life Undecided (June 7, 2011)! It was an amazing experience! The cast and crew were fantastic! Here are a few production stills to give you a sneak peak of what's in store! More photos to come soon!

MY LIFE UNDECIDED is about a fifteen year old girl, notorious for making bad decisions, who enlists the help of the online blog reading population to vote on how she should live her life.

The trailer will be released at the end of February! So stay tuned!


Brooklyn (Taylor Coliee) blogs in her room.

A flashback sequence shows Brooklyn's history of "bad decisions." 8 year-old Brooklyn (Riley Chambers) is being dared to drink Windex.

Brooklyn (Taylor Coliee) is tackled by a stunt woman (Jessica Bennett) during Rugby practice after her blog readers decide she should try out.

Brooklyn's blog readers decide she should join the debate team. Pictured here with her debate opponent (Cesar Manzanera)

The catalyst moment of the story. Brooklyn is arrested and realizes she must do something about her "bad decisions."

Full photo gallery coming SOON!

All photo credit goes to Holly Karrol Clark

52 Reasons - Film Option!

2011-01-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

2011 is already off to a GREAT start! It was just announced that my forthcoming young adult novel, 52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER (releasing summer 2012) was also optioned for FILM!!!!

Excuse me, while I do some more happy dancing!!!

Here's the scoop:

Producer Jane Startz, who's best known for films like Ella Enchanted, Tuck Everlasting, The Indian in the Cupboard, The Babysitters Club, and the show Charles in Charge, optioned the book and plans to adapt it into a feature length film! I've met with Jane several times and she's fantastic! I adore her. I couldn't be happier placing my book (aka my baby) in her hands!

52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER is my sixth novel (and third for the young adult market). It releases in summer 2012 from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. The book is about a spoiled teen heiress, famous for her party-girl antics and tabloid headlines, who's forced by her ever-absent mogul father to take on a different low-wage job every week for a year of life--and love--lessons, if she wants any hope of receiving her trust fund.

The next step in the process is to attach writers and find a studio. Fingers crossed it actually makes it to the big screen!

The Story of the Karma Club Book Soundtrack

2010-12-14T08:34:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been reading a book, stopped at a specific part and said, "I know the perfect song to go with this scene!"

Well, as authors, this happens to us very often. Except when we're actually writing the book. When writing The Karma Club, however, I wanted to take it a step further. I wanted to create an entire book soundtrack with songs that you could listen to while you read and that contributed perfectly to scene you were reading. I thought, if movies can have soundtracks, why not books?

So I teamed up with my very good friend and brilliant producer, Holly Karrol Clark, and we set off to produce one of the first Original Book Soundtracks, featuring songs that directly enhance your experience when reading the story. And we even produced FOUR original songs directly inspired by the book!

Here are some fun stories of how each song came to be included in the Karma Club Book Soundtrack and how/when it fits into the story of The Karma Club.

Dance Floor High – Madisen Hill (pg. 27)

Written by Matthew Clark
Produced by Ted Perlman

Author’s Note:

Dance Floor High is a great upbeat dance song about having fun and living life to the fullest. To me, this song perfectly represents a snapshot of my main character, Maddy’s life before everything falls apart. She has this great boyfriend, amazing friends, and she’s just received an invite to a very exclusive party (something she’s been wanting for years). So overall, her life is going rather well and she’s having a blast. This is one of the songs on the soundtrack that we produced specifically for the book. I approached Matthew Clark, the song writer, and told him that there’s a scene on page 32 where Maddy and her friends are at this really awesome party and everything is going her way and I wanted a song that would correspond with this scene. Something to show Maddy’s life before the story really gets into full swing. He came back with “Dance Floor High” and it was the perfect fit. We hired the talented Ted Perlman to produce it and this is the final outcome. When you get to page 32 in the novel and Maddy says, “My favorite song comes on over the speakers,” pump up this song because that’s what she’s dancing to!

Kick Her to the Curb – Savannah Outen (pg. 72)

Written by Matthew Clark
Produced by Ted Perlman

Author’s Note:

This is an awesome revenge song and it fits perfectly with the chapter, “Operation Splitsville” which starts on page 72 of The Karma Club. In this chapter, Maddy and her friends are launching their first attack against Maddy’s ex-boyfriend, Mason, and his new girlfriend, Heather Campbell. From the time Maddy wakes up on page 72, she’s feeling good, confident…and very vengeful. I picture this song playing on her car stereo as she drives to school in the morning. For this chapter I wanted a fun, kind of “battle cry” song that would represent the way Maddy and her friends were feeling as they set off on their Karmic quest. And songwriter, Matthew Clark, once again, hit it out of the park. So when you get to this chapter in the book, crank up this track to get yourself in the same mood as The Karma Club girls.

Let’s Take a Ride – Tommy Fields (pg 57)

Written & Produced by Tommy Fields

Author’s Note:

Tommy Fields is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. I absolutely love his voice and his lyrics are both inspiring and thought provoking. There were many times over the course of writing and brainstorming this book that I had one of Tommy’s tracks playing in the background. So when I had the idea to produce a book soundtrack for The Karma Club, he’s one of the first people I approached to participate. I was thrilled when he said yes! One of my favorite songs of Tommy’s is this one, “Let’s Take a Ride,” and I thought it fit perfectly into the chapter, “The Dalai Who?” which begins on page 49, in which Maddy’s mom drags her to a spiritual retreat in Napa Valley to try to help her get over her recent break-up. The lyrics in “Let’s Take a Ride” have a great message about how life is what you make of it and things are only as bad as you let them be. This is the same message that Maddy’s mom tries to instill in her by taking her to this retreat. Plus the title, “Let’s Take a Ride” is extremely fitting for two reasons. First, it’s exactly what Maddy’s mom does to her. She forces her into the car on page 50 and doesn’t tell her where they’re going. A literal “ride.” And secondly, on a metaphorical level, this chapter is the beginning of Maddy’s adventurous “ride” through the world of Karma. Both the good and the bad. When reading the book, play this song when you get to page 57 (the moment of Maddy’s Karmic “revelation”) to feel the full effects of her shift in perspective.

Can’t Take it Back – Savannah Outen (pg 202)

Written by Matthew Clark & Jason Clark
Produced by Ted Perlman

Author’s Note:

“The Butterfly Effect” chapter starts off a long sequence of regret as felt by Maddy and her two best friends. They’re realizing that they might have taken this Karma thing a bit too far and it’s starting to catch up to them and bite them in the butt. I wanted a song for the soundtrack that really captured this remorseful emotion that the characters were feeling. I approached Matthew Clark and explained what was happening in the book at this moment and the sentiment attached to these scenes and he wrote “Can’t Take it Back.” From the moment he first played it for me (in my co-producer’s living room, with his acoustic guitar), it’s been my favorite song on the whole album. I knew right away that it was the perfect song for this chapter and the scenes that follow. This song always plays in my head on page 206 when “The Butterfly Effect” chapter ends. If you play it while you read, I think you’ll see why.

Hide and Seek – Nikki Boyer (pg 37)

Written by Nikki Boyer, Tommy Fields, & Jill Altemus
Produced by Tommy Fields

Author’s Note:

I’ve been a huge fan of Nikki Boyer for a long time. She and I met years ago through a mutual friend and then we both ended up working together a few years later at Yahoo! We both worked on one of their original online shows. She has this amazing voice that stays with you even after the song stops playing. And when I heard that she was working on some new songs with Tommy Fields (one of my other favorite musicians) I immediately wanted to hear them. I fell in love with “Hide and Seek” instantly. For one because, once again, Nikki managed to blow me away with her flawless voice and for two, it fit so effortlessly into the story of The Karma Club. “Hide and Seek” is the ultimate song for someone who has been broken up with and can’t figure out why. And this is where Maddy is on page 37. Abandoned and wondering how it all happened and where it all went wrong. So when Nikki croons, “Why you wanna take it away? Why you wanna play this game?” at the beginning of the chorus, I always think of poor Maddy at this moment of the book. Play this song at the end of the “Behind Door Number Three” chapter on page 37 and through the next chapter to really feel the extent of Maddy’s pain. Nikki’s voice captures it perfectly!

Take Pity – Savannah Outen (pg 228)

Written by Matthew Clark
Produced by Ted Perlman

Author’s Note:

I LOVE this song! It’s a funny story because originally it was my least favorite song on the soundtrack. We first recorded it with an adult singer because we felt the whole vibe of the song was older. But then the song felt way too mature and didn’t fit the tone of the book…which is essentially a coming of age story. We almost cut the song from the album until our producer, Ted Perlman, suggested we have Savannah Outen sing it. She had already recorded “Can’t Take it Back” and “Kick Her to the Curb” and we all loved her voice and versatility so much. So we brought her back into the studio and the instant we heard her start to sing, we knew the problem was fixed! Although Savannah has a very mature sounding voice for a teen, she was still able to give the song the innocence and youthfulness that it needed to fit the story.

The song first originated because I asked Matthew Clark to write something for the scene in the book when Maddy is pleading her case to Rajiv, the Indian spiritual guru who she thinks will give her all the answers she’s seeking. She’s swearing to him that this whole thing is not her fault and that she doesn’t know how to fix it. Matthew came back with “Take Pity on Me” which I think completely captures the essence of this scene as well as Maddy’s frustration about everything that’s going on in her life. Especially with the lyric, “Got a mess on my hands, but it ain’t my fault….take pity on me.” But in the end, it just needed the right singer to make it work. Play this song while reading “The Space-Time Continuum” chapter to enhance the scene and bring Maddy’s emotions to life.

Someday I Will – Tommy Fields (pg 154)

Written by Tommy Fields & Blair Pickar
Produced by Tommy Fields

Author’s Note:

Once again, Tommy Fields rocks. I listened to his stuff all the time while writing and outlining this novel. I’ve always loved songs about guys who are in love with quirky girls and I think “Someday I Will” by Tommy Fields is one of the best. I don’t want to give away too much about the story if you haven’t read it. But listen to this song while reading the chapter, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Cooper.” I think this song describes how the guy in this chapter is feeling about Maddy at this point in the story…who can be a bit quirky herself at times.

Letter to the Past (Acoustic) – Word to the Wise (pg 220)

Written by Sarah Meeks-Clark & Ari Cruz
Produced by Matthew Clark

Author’s Note:

Word to the Wise is a remarkably talented female teen duo group that was brought to my attention because one of members, Sarah Meeks-Clark, is the daughter of Matthew Clark, the amazing song writer whom we worked with for this album. Although the duo is relatively unknown now, I have a feeling they are going to go VERY far.

I started listening to their music on MySpace and the one song that always haunted me was “Letter to the Past.” I simply love this song and thought it fit so well into the scene on page 220 when Maddy is alone in her room contemplating the concept of Karma and how messed up everything is in her life right now. I can almost hear this song playing softly on her stereo in the background. So I contacted Sarah and Ari of Word to the Wise and asked if they would record an acoustic version especially for the book soundtrack and they said yes! I think the new acoustic version adds even more to the emotional turmoil of this scene. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

XOX – Madisen Hill (pg 242)

Written by Madisen Hill, Jonathan George, and David Wachs
Produced by Anthony Mazza and Jonathan George

Author’s Note:

Madisen Hill is actually the star of the Karma Club Book Trailer. She plays the role of the main character, Maddy! And when I heard she was also a singer, I knew that we had to feature her on the soundtrack too. Not only did we bring her in to sing “Dance Floor High” (which she rocked!) I also wanted to include one of her existing songs on the album as well. So I listened to all of them to find one that fit the story. XOX is the one that stuck out the most. It’s got an awesome upbeat pop tempo but it’s also has this really cool suspenseful vibe. Not only in the lyrics, but also in the melody and the beat. So I thought it worked really well in the chapter, “Kisses for Karma?” when Maddy is setting up her action plan to help get her Karma back on track—a very suspenseful part of the story that builds directly to the climax of the plot.

The song also fits really well with the love story aspect of the book which is also prominently featured in this chapter. I don’t want to give away too much, so I’ll just say, listen to “XOX” when you get to page 242 and hopefully it’ll all make sense when you do!

Remember When (The Karma Club Theme Song) – Nikki Boyer (pg 258)

Written by Nikki Boyer, Tommy Fields and Jill Altemus
Produced by Tommy Fields

Author’s Note:

From the moment I first heard this song, I knew it had to be the theme song for the whole book. Everything about it just screamed Karma Club Theme Song! The song is all about looking back on your experiences and coming to terms with the lessons life has brought you. Especially when not all of them came in “happy packages.” And most of the time, it was all just terribly confusing. This is the very same message of The Karma Club. Life doesn’t always go your way and at the time, you might not fully understand why. But if you’re patient, a deeper meaning will usually reveal itself. So sometimes you just have to trust. If The Karma Club were a movie, I can imagine this song playing as the credits roll. So when you get to the end of the book (on page 258), crank it up and enjoy!

The Karma Club Book Soundtrack is available on digital download sites worldwide.

Click here to download it on iTunes

Click here to download it on Amazon.com

Click here to order the book on Amazon.com

To learn more about The Karma Club novel, click here

To learn more about The Karma Club Book Soundtrack and to listen to samples, click here.

The Karma Club Book Soundtrack - Track List!

2010-12-01T13:55:00.001-08:00

You've been asking for it, so here it is! The official track list for The Karma Club Book Soundtrack (coming December 14!) Here are all ten track titles including artist names, songwriters and producers!

Plus, be sure to note the page number after each song title to see which part of the novel the song corresponds to. For the full multimedia experience, we recommend listening to each track while reading the indicated page in The Karma Club by Jessica Brody!

1. Dance Floor High – Madisen Hill (pg. 27)
(Written by Matthew Clark, Produced by Ted Perlman)

2. Kick Her to the Curb – Savannah Outen (pg. 72)
(Written by Matthew Clark, Produced by Ted Perlman)

3. Let’s Take a Ride – Tommy Fields (pg. 57)
(Written & Produced by Tommy Fields)

4. Can’t Take It Back – Savannah Outen (pg. 202)
(Written by Matthew Clark & Jason Clark, Produced by Ted Perlman)

5. Hide and Seek – Nikki Boyer (pg. 37)
(Written by Nikki Boyer, Tommy Fields & Jill Altemus, Produced by Tommy Fields)

6. Take Pity – Savannah Outen (pg. 228)
(Written by Matthew Clark, Produced by Ted Perlman)

7. Someday I Will – Tommy Fields (pg. 154)
(Written by Tommy Fields & Blair Pickar, Produced by Tommy Fields)

8. Letter to the Past (Acoustic) – Word to the Wise (pg. 220)
(Written by Sarah Meeks-Clark and Ari Cruz, Produced by Matthew Clark)

9. XOX – Madisen Hill (pg. 242)
(Written by Madisen Hill, Jonathan George & David Wachs, Produced by Anthony Mazza & Jonathan George)

10. Remember When (The Karma Club Theme Song) – Nikki Boyer (pg. 258)
(Written by Nikki Boyer, Tommy Fields & Jill Altemus, Produced by Tommy Fields)

Executive Produced by Jessica Brody and Holly Karrol Clark

BIG NEWS: Four new books AND a film deal!!!!

2010-11-29T08:20:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! For months I've been keeping mum as we negotiated all the details of my exciting new book deal with my publisher, Macmillan Children's and I guess all the "mumness" paid off because in the midst of our negotiations, my brilliant and savvy agent, also managed to put together a film deal!

As reported in Publisher's Weekly today, I recently sold four new books to Macmillan. The first three are part of an exciting sci-fi/love story trilogy, starting with the first book titled, UNREMEMBERED. (A sixteen year old girl awakes amongst the wreckage of a devastating plane crash with no memories--the only clue to her identity is a mysterious boy who claims she was part of a science experiment 100 years in the future) And I've also sold another one of my contemporary stand-alone titles (along the vein of The Karma Club and my forthcoming, My Life Undecided). This fourth book is not yet titled.

The Unremembered trilogy was optioned to producer Doug Davison (The Departed, The Lake House, The Ring, How to Train Your Dragon) with screenwriter Whit Anderson attached to adapt it as a film. Doug and Whit are both also attached to the recently-announced reboot of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie.

This is by far, the biggest news of my career to date! And I'm beyond excited as it brings the count of my total books sold to...NINE! I can hardly believe it! I remember when I made that first sale. Way back in 2006. I never, in a million years, imagined myself a few years later with a total of NINE books!

If you want the full details (including more info about the Unremembered trilogy), you can read Publisher's Weekly's write up here: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/deals/article/45329-deals-week-of-11-29-10.html

And now, I better go. I have a LOT of books to write! :)

But first, thank you all for your support of my writing career over the years. Being able to write books for a living is a dream come true. I'm so grateful for all of you!

XO
Jess

Love Under Cover in France!

2010-11-22T20:16:00.000-08:00

So excited! At long last, my second novel, Love Under Cover, the sequel to The Fidelity Files, has released in France!

The book has been given the French title, En toute discretion, which roughly translates to "In total secrecy." The publisher is Fleuve Noir, which is an imprint of Univers Poche, one of the biggest publishing houses in France.

Check it out on Amazon.fr by clicking here!

And I've got some REALLY exciting news to announce very soon. Probably the biggest yet! So stay tuned!

The Karma Club Book Soundtrack!

2010-11-12T16:46:00.001-08:00

So excited everyone! After six long months of work in the studio, I can finally announce the release of The Karma Club Book Soundtrack!

It will be coming to all digital download sites on December 14, 2010!

So what is a book soundtrack you might ask? Well, it's exactly what it sounds like! A soundtrack for a book! The album will include 10 songs inspired by my novel, The Karma Club. Each song is inspired by and meant to be listened to while reading a different section of the book. A reading/listening guide will be available on my website soon but in the meantime, please enjoy these fun promos that we've produced to help spread the word and give you a sneak peek (er...listen) to a few of the songs.

As you'll notice from the promos, the soundtrack features brand new exclusive songs by Madisen Hill and Radio Disney star Savannah Outen. Both talented rising teen stars in the world of music.

So that's my good news for the week! I hope you enjoy the promos!

Guest Star: Denise Jaden

2010-10-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

My Guest Star author this week is Denise Jaden, author of the brand new novel, Losing Faith.

About LOSING FAITH:

When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don't know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith's final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

And here's an awesome interview with Denise!

1) What's the first thing you do when starting a new book? What's the first thing you do when finishing a new book?

This is a great question for me, because it's the stage I'm at right now. The first thing I did after finishing my last book was take a few days off. I actually don't like taking time off writing, as my mind starts to come up with all sorts of critical thoughts when I'm not in the throes of working. But usually I need a few days to let my mind refresh. My first thing upon starting a new book: brainstorming! I love to chat with my friends, husband and critique partners about my new ideas and how I plan to implement them. It can be a really fun time in the process!

2) Who was the most fun to write?

Tessa Lockbaum was absolutely the most fun to write. She was not in my extensive outline, but just showed up in a scene while I was writing the first draft. After that, she just seemed to take over every scene she was in. She was constantly surprising me. I'm toying with the idea of writing a companion novel in Tessa's point of view.

3) What's your favorite part of the writing process? Your least favorite part?

I love first drafts! There's so much freedom, and often the characters do some pretty unexpected things. It's a very exciting time for me, and there is much celebration when I reach "The End." As for my least favorite part, that's a little more difficult to answer. I usually don't mind revising, but I guess the worst part is when I know something is not working and can't seem to find a fix for it. Often it feels like I'll never find the solution.

4) I love the name Brie! How do you come up with your character names?

Brie is an interesting situation. A few years ago, my husband met his birth mother and birth sister for the first time. His birth sister's name is Brie, and I loved it the moment I heard it! This is not always the way I select names, of course. I often jot down names I come across while I'm out around town and the odd one makes it into a book.

5) What are you working on next?

I'm working on another contemporary YA novel called PERFECT AIM. It's about a teenage archer whose plans to reunite her family go way off target and she finds solace in the arms of a young and understanding teacher.

Click here to order Losing Faith on Amazon!

About the Author
Denise Jaden lives just outside Vancouver, Canada. When she’s not writing, she can often be found homeschooling her son or dancing with her Polynesian dance troupe. Losing Faith is her first novel. Find out more at www.DeniseJaden.com

The O.C. Kids Book Fair - Pictures and More!

2010-10-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

So I had a blast and a half last weekend at the OC Kids Book Fair in Costa Mesa! The event was so amazing and thank you to all the readers who showed up and bought books and listened to all the readings at the teen stage! I met some really cool peeps like Robin Benway, author of AUDREY, WAIT! and THE EXTRAORDINARY SECRETS OF APRIL, MAY AND JUNE and Joanna Philbin, author of THE DAUGHTERS.

I have to give mad snaps to the fine people who organized and ran the event (it couldn't have gone smoohter!) and the people at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in San Diego who sold all the books at the event! And if you want an autographed copy of The Karma Club, I hear they have a few left so hurry over there if you live in the area!

Okay, so without further ado, here are some photos from the event. Enjoy!

Reading from The Karma Club on the Teen Stage

Interview with PeopleJar.com


Signing copies of The Karma Club at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore Booth!

Phoenix School Visits!

2010-09-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! During the week of September 27, I'll be touring the Phoenix area, visiting schools to talk about writing and books. Here's a list of the schools I'll be visiting while I'm there:

Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School
Aprende Middle School
Verrado Middle School
Altadena Middle School
Greenfield Junior High
Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School
Payne Junior High
Hamilton High School
Chandler Public Library - **OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! (Friday, October 1 at 2:15 pm)

If you go to one of these schools, I hope to see you there! If not, but you're in the Phoenix area, head on down to Chandler Public Library Teen Lounge on Friday October 1 at 2:15 pm. This will be a public event and all are welcome!

Happy weekend, everyone!

Save our Schools - Reading/Signing

2010-07-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

Hey all!

On Friday, August 6, I'll be spreading some good Karma out in Santa Monica by supporting a very important cause and hope you'll come down to support it too!

The Santa Monica public school system is waging a huge battle against recent education budget slashes and trying to raise enough money to restore all the school programs that have been effected by the cuts.

One of the events they're hosting is a Book Fair at Barnes and Noble in Santa Monica where several popular young adult authors will be doing readings, Q&As and book signings to support the cause. 20% of all book sales will be donated back to the Save our Schools initiative.

I'll be reading from The Karma Club and doing a Q&A at 6:30 pm on Friday, August 6 and signing books afterward. So please stop by and say hi and help Save our Schools!

Plus here's a list of other young adult authors reading that day:

4:00 pm -- Janet Tashjian
4:30 pm -- Lin Oliver
5:00 pm -- Sally Nemeth
5:30 pm -- Sonya Sones
6:00 pm -- Tracy Trivas
6:30 pm -- Jessica Brody
7:00 pm -- Michael Reisman

More information about the Santa Monica Save Our Schools program can be found by clicking here.

Hope to see you there!

Guest Star: Jenny O'Connell

2010-07-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

My Guest Star author this week is Jenny O'Connell, author of the hot summer teen reads, LOCAL GIRLS and RICH BOYS, the first two books in the exciting Island Summer series!

About the Island Summer Series:

Bestselling author Jenny O’Connell presents a sizzling series for summer. Her first two Island Summer novels, LOCAL GIRLS and RICH BOYS highlight the lives of the summering visitors, the year-round locals living in the beach towns of Martha’s Vineyard, and the fireworks that explode when they combine for three steamy months.

In LOCAL GIRLS, friendships are in danger of ending with the summer. Kendra and Mona are best friends, local girls who spend their summers catering to rich tourists and the rest of the year chafing against small-town life. Then Mona's mom marries one of the island's rich summer visitors, and Mona joins the world of the Boston elite, leaving Kendra and Martha's Vineyard behind. When Mona returns the following summer, everything is different.
Unlike his sister, Mona's twin brother Henry hasn't changed. He's spending his summer the way he always has: with long, quiet hours fishing. Early mornings before work become special for Kendra as she starts sharing them with Henry, hoping he can help her figure Mona out. Then Kendra hatches a plan to prove she's Mona's one true friend: uncover the identity of the twins' birth father, a question that has always obsessed Mona. And so she begins to unravel the seventeen-year-old mystery of the summer boy who charmed Mona's mother. But it may prove to be a puzzle better left unsolved--as what she is about to discover will change their lives forever...

In RICH BOYS, Winnie jumps at the chance to babysit for a wealthy summer family and earn some extra money—but soon learns that life in the Barclay’s beautiful vacation home isn’t as perfect as it appears. And what was supposed to be a carefree summer quickly becomes more complicated than she ever thought possible.

Click here to order Rich Boys on Amazon!

Click here to order Local Girls on Amazon!

Praise for Jenny O'Connell:

“Sweet romances with relatable characters trying to find themselves.”
—Cosmo Girl

"O’Connell is a smart, talented author; I’m really looking forward to
seeing what she writes next!”
—Teens Read Too.com

About the Author
Jenny O'Connell received her BA from Smith College and her MBA from the University of
Chicago. The author of PLAN B and THE BOOK OF LUKE, she lives outside of Boston with her family. Visit her online at: www.jennyoconnell.com

The Karma Club is now available in the UK!

2010-06-29T14:03:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! Big news! The Karma Club is now available in the UK! Hoorah! Or should I say, Jolly Good!

The wonderful people at Tick Tock Books have published this gorgeous UK edition and I couldn't be happier with it.

So if you're across the pond, head on over to your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy.

More information and links to order online can be found from the publisher's website here: http://www.ticktock.co.uk/fiction/karma_club.html

Desperately Seeking Frances...Any Frances!

2010-06-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

Is your name Frances? Then I might have a free copy of The Karma Club for you!

Okay, allow me to explain. Someone named Frances won a free copy of The Karma Club on my site a few weeks back and I accidentally signed two copies to her. So now I have this extra book made out to "Frances" that I don't know what to do with!

So my brilliant author friend, Joanne Rendell (yes, I'm giving proper credit where credit is due!) came up with the idea to do a contest in search of Frances.

And here it is! So if you're name is Frances, leave a comment on this blog and I'll choose a random Frances winner to send the book to!

If your name is not Frances...many apologies. Maybe some day I'll sign a duplicate book with your name in it. But until then, if you know anyone named Frances, please pass this along!

The contest will be open for two weeks. I'll draw a winner on Friday, June 18.

What's the Worst Job You've Ever Had?

2010-05-12T20:57:00.001-07:00

Hey all! I need your help with my next book! 52 Reasons to Hate My Father (scheduled for release in 2012) is about a spoiled teen heiress who has to take on 52 low-wage jobs in order to receive her inheritance. I'm in the process of writing it now and I need some inspiration!

I'm currently collecting a list of horrible jobs. So leave a comment on the post and let me know what's the worst job you've ever had.

All comments will go into a drawing for a free copy of The Karma Club, AND your worst job ever could end up in my next book!

Looking forward to reading about everyone's occupational miseries. LOL!

XO
Jessica

Guest Star: Jeri Smith-Ready

2010-05-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

My Guest Star author this week is Jeri Smith-Ready, author of the brand new novel, Shade

About SHADE:

Love ties them together.
Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding--and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Order SHADE from Amazon now!

And here's my interview with Jeri Smith-Ready!

1) Your main character Aura has the power to talk to ghosts. If you could have any special power, what would it be and why?

I’d love to have some sort of physical enhancement, because I’m such a weakling. I’d like to be able to defend myself. So make me the female Incredible Hulk. It would fit, because I have quite the temper!

2) As writers, we all love to procrastinate. What’s your favorite procrastination activity?

One word: TWITTER. When I joined it back in November 2009, not very many people were on it, so there wasn’t much to see. It was a quick little break now and then. Now I follow more than 600 people (and have more than 2,000 followers who engage me in conversation), so I can literally spend an hour at a time on there if I’m not careful.
It’s become such a big part of my life and such my portal to the universe, I sometimes dream about it. Pathetic, huh?

But it satisfies my need to interact with people in more or less real time. I write full-time and don’t get out much (which I like, as I’m kind of a hermit who hates to get out of her pajamas), so it helps me feel less isolated.

3) Who’s your favorite character in the book and why? Who was the most fun to write?

I can’t really pick a favorite among the three main characters (Aura, her ghost boyfriend Logan, and the “Other Guy,” Zachary), but the most fun character to write was Logan’s geeky younger brother Dylan. For some reason, he was incredibly real to me right from the first scene, so writing his dialogue and mannerisms was a breeze. He has a bigger role in the sequel, SHIFT, some of which was rather unexpected.

4) Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel came first, and the title actually helped me take the book to a whole new level. Believe it or not, I didn’t know there would be such a thing as a “shade”—the dark, malevolent spirit a ghost becomes when it goes bad and bitter—until after I’d written the first draft, which was around the time we picked a new title for the book (originally the series was called GENERATION GHOST). Between drafts I was thinking the ghosts were too harmless and not exciting enough.

Then I remembered that “shade” was a term used in Greek mythology to describe the restless, miserable spirits in the underworld.

So then over the course of three weeks before the book was due to my editor, I completely revised the novel to incorporate the threat of these scary shades, including the possibility that Aura’s beloved dead boyfriend, Logan, would become one.

5) I love the name Aura! How do you come up with your character names?

I'm sort of embarrassed to admit this, but I named Aura after the new Saturn sports sedan. Okay, I didn't really name her AFTER the car, but when I saw a commercial for it, I said, "That's my main character's name!" I'd been pondering the story idea in the back of my mind for a couples years but hadn't started writing it. Having the name really jump-started the brainstorming process.

I feel like I should buy an Aura in gratitude. ;-p

One way I pick names that fit a character’s age—especially for minor characters—is to use the Social Security Administration’s Baby Name database. You can plug in a year and find out the top 1,000 names in order of popularity. It helps in keeping a name “generationally correct.” For instance, there are a lot of thirty-something guys named Scott, but when was the last time you knew a teenager or child with that name?

Other names just come to me and feel right instantly, like Logan.

6) What are you working on next?

I’m writing the sequel to SHADE, called SHIFT, which will be out in May 2011. I also just finished page proofs on the third book in my adult vampire series, BRING ON THE NIGHT, which comes out in August.

I can’t wait to see what fans of the series think of this installment!
After I turn in SHIFT, I’ll get back to work on the fourth vampire book, which is still deciding what it wants to be named.

Thanks for interviewing me, Jessica!

About the Author
Award-winning author Jeri Smith-Ready lives in Maryland with her husband, two cats, and the world’s goofiest greyhound.

Jeri's plans to save the earth were ruined when she realized she was more of a “problem maker” than a problem solver. To stay out of trouble, she keeps her Drama Drive strictly fictional. Her friends and family appreciate that.

When not writing, Jeri she can usually be found—well, thinking about writing, or on Twitter. Like her characters, she loves music, movies, and staying up very, very late.

Spread Good School Karma...Online!

2010-05-05T17:25:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! So remember that big red carpet event I threw last weekend that supported the local Santa Clarita schools? If you don't check out the video below about the event.

Well, good news! You don't have to be local to support the schools. And if you couldn't make it out to our event on Saturday, here's your chance to spread some good Karma right from your computer! All you have to do is make a purchase at BarnesandNoble.com (any purchase will do although I hear that book, THE KARMA CLUB is pretty good!) and enter in one of the book fair numbers below at check out (At checkout, it will ask if this is a book fair purchase...that's when you say, "YES!"). A portion of your purchase will go back to the school!

How easy is that? I know ALL of you have SOMETHING you've been meaning to order from BarnesandNoble.com. Well, here's your chance to make that purchase AND spread some good Karma in the process. What a deal!

Here's the list of schools and their unique book fair IDs.

Arroyo Seco Jr. High 10203933

Canyon High School 10201044

Carousel Ranch 10201069

Golden Valley HS 10201226

Hart High School 10201200

La Mesa Jr. High 10201242

Placerita Jr. High 10203941

Rancho Pico Jr. High 10203925

Rio Norte Jr. High 10201051

Saugus High School 10201028

SCV Int'l Charter School 10200608

Sierra Vista Jr. High 10201218

Valencia High School 10201234

West Ranch High School 10203966

The Event Video:

The Karma Club Launch Party and Fundraiser!

2010-05-02T22:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! The launch party this weekend was a HUGE success. We had a fabulous turn out and I want to thank everyone who came out to celebrate. I especially want to thank our amazing performers: Josh Golden, Savannah Outen, Madisen Hill, Nikki Boyer, Tommy Fields, Ari Cruz, and Sarah Meeks-Clark. You guys ROCK...literally!

Check out the video below to see all the teen celebs who showed up to celebrate with us and some footage from our live concert!

XO
Jessica

Good Karma Book Launch & Fundraiser Promo!

2010-04-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

Hey all! Check out this awesome new promo for The Good Karma Book Launch and Red Carpet Fundraiser on May 1st! Thanks to Madisen Hill and Nico Nevolo for participating in the making of the video.

Guest Star: Kay Cassidy!

2010-04-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

My Guest Star author this week is Kay Cassidy, author of the brand new novel, The Cinderella Society

About THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY:

What's a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider. So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it's like something out of a fairy tale. Swept up by the Cindys' magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she's finally found her chance to fit in.

Then the Wickeds--led by Jess's arch-enemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there's more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside. She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.

Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her. Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn't want to be seen with her in public? And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters?

Order The Cinderella Society from Amazon now!

And here's my interview with Kay!

1. The Cinderella Society sounds like such a great concept. How did you come up with the idea?

The Cinderella Society actually came from a magazine article about high school sororities. I'd never heard of that before and, once I started thinking about the kind of society I would create if I could, I realized I would want it to be an organization devoted to fighting the everyday battle of good vs. evil. The idea snowballed from there and The Cinderella Society was born.

2. This series would make an awesome movie. Any interest from studios or producers?

The Cinderella Society is out on submission as a TV series right now. There were some early nibbles of interest, so we'll have to see how it shakes out in the end.

3. What’s the first thing you do when starting a new book? What’s the first thing you do when finishing a new book?

The first thing I do when starting a new book is fill out a couple of worksheets to lay the groundwork. I'm a big plotter (I usually use Hauge's method), so I use those worksheets to create a scene-by-scene outline of the entire book before I sit down to write the first draft. The plotting process can take several months, but once I'm done I can usually hammer out the first draft in less than a month because I know the story and characters so well.

The first thing I do when I finish a book is SLEEP. :-) And then celebrate by taking some time off to read with no nagging feelings of "If I have time to read, I have time to write."

4. As writers, we all love to procrastinate. What’s your favorite procrastination activity?

Ooo… that's a tough one. Probably a tie between Twitter and email. If I had no internet access, I would be a gazillion times more productive than I am. If I'm on deadline or if I have writer's block, I've been known to unplug the modem entirely just so I can focus with no tempting distractions.

5. What are you working on next?

Right now I'm working on the sequel to The Cinderella Society, titled Cindy on a Mission. It follows the further adventures of Jess and the Sisters as the Wickeds launch an offensive that threatens everything the Cindys hold dear. Cindy on a Mission will be on shelves in Spring 2011.

About the Author
Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt Contest reading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your Five web project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, 2010 - Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.

Chance to win a free Amazon Gift Card!

2010-04-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

Hey all! My fellow writer, Ellen Meister has a great contest going on right now for a free Amazon gift card!

All you have to do to enter is join her mailing list. Easy peasy, right?

So click here, fill out the form, and remember to click through when you get the confirmation email. That's it.

Ellen only sends out a few updates a year, so you won't be bombarded. Besides, I think you'll want to hear about her breakthrough novel, THE OTHER LIFE (Putnam/2011), which is already getting great early buzz.

The Karma Club Theme Song on iTunes

2010-04-13T20:33:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm so excited to announce that The Karma Club Theme Song, performed by Nikki Boyer is now available on iTunes!

Click here to check it out!

And if you like THAT song, then you'll The Karma Club Original Book Soundtrack that releases VERY soon.

Stay tuned!

Fidelity Files Russian Edition!

2010-04-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Check it out everyone! I just received the Russian cover for THE FIDELITY FILES!

I love seeing every publisher's take on the concept. This is a fun one!

The Good Karma Book Launch and Red Carpet Fundraiser!

2010-04-05T18:38:00.000-07:00

After much planning and coordinating, I'm so excited to announce a VERY SPECIAL event coming up!

It's a Red Carpet fundraising event to celebrate the launch of The Karma Club!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

1-5 pm

Barnes and Noble - Santa Clarita

26360 Valencia Blvd. Santa Clarita, CA 91355

All sorts of fun stuff will be going on throughout the day. Including:

Musical Performances
Celebrity Appearances
Autographing Sessions
Book Signings
And more!

Proceeds from the event will go to support the local schools of Santa Clarita Valley.

So if you live in the Southern California area, be sure to come on down and help us spread some Good Karma!

Mark your calendars! Hope to see you all there! Watch the promo for the event below!

The Karma Club Theme Song!

2010-04-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

They have theme songs for movies. Theme songs for TV shows. Why not a theme song for a book!?

I'm excited to announce the official release of The Karma Club Theme Song!

It's called "Remember When" and it's performed by the lovely Nikki Boyer, who you might recognize as the host of Yahoo's hit show, Daytime in No Time.)

The song is featured prominently in the Karma Club book trailer. (If you haven't had a chance to take a look, be sure to do that by clicking here.)

And now it's available for download on Amazon.com!

I really think the energy, feel and lyrics of this song capture the spirit of the book perfectly!

You can listen to a sample and download from the widget below:

Guest Star: Elizabeth Scott

2010-03-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

My Guest Star author this week is Elizabeth Scot, author of the brand new novel, The Unwritten Rule

About THE UNWRITTEN RULE:

Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don't like you best friend's boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend.

Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful.

Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself
from wanting more...

And here's an awesome interview with Elizabeth!

1. What’s the first thing you do when starting a new book? What’s the first thing you do when finishing a new book?

Start: Write down everything I know. Finish: Send the draft off trusted readers!

2. As writers, we all love to procrastinate. What’s your favorite procrastination activity?

Reading celebrity gossip.

3. When you set out to write a new book, are you usually sparked by a story idea or a character?

It depends--sometimes it's an idea or even just a scene that I know is going to grow into something, and sometimes it's a character.

4. What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Your least favorite part?

I love writing. I hate, hate, hate revising. But you have to do it.
(And I have to do it a lot!)

5. What are you working on next?

My next book, Grace, will be out from Dutton in September. It's about a girl who's been raised to be a suicide bomber--and what happens when she decides she wants to live.

Click here to order The Unwritten Rule on Amazon!

About the Author
Elizabeth Scott grew up in a town so small it didn't even have a post office, though it did boast an impressive cattle population. She's sold hardware and panty hose and had a memorable three-day stint in the dot-com industry, where she learned that she really didn't want a career burning CDs. She lives just outside Washington, DC, with her husband; firmly believes you can never own too many books; and would love it if you visited her website: www.ElizabethWrites.com

This blog has moved

2010-03-17T17:35:00.001-07:00

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Karma in Action: How Deepak Chopra Appeared in My Book Trailer

2010-02-23T17:50:00.000-08:00

The book trailer for The Karma Club launched only yesterday and already the question I've been asked several times over is: "How did you get Deepak Chopra to cameo in your book trailer?"

I had a feeling this question might come up. So I thought I'd do a quick blog about it.

I'll start by saying, I don't believe in accidents. Nor do I believe in coincidences. I believe the universe lines up exactly the way it's supposed to and this story is more proof of that than I'll ever need.

When I wrote The Karma Club a few years back, I created a character in the novel named Rajiv--a wise, kindhearted Indian man with a rich, melodic accent and a playful sense of humor. Rajiv's purpose was to offer guidance to my broken-hearted teen character and inherently influence her journey throughout the book. Of course, he was inspired by one of my favorite spiritual teachers, Deepak Chopra.

Two years later, I was on a flight from New York to LA, somewhere high above the middle of the country, on my laptop, checking Twitter (thanks to Virgin America's Wi-Fi enabled flights!) Deepak's latest tweet happened to be on my screen at the time and the man sitting next to me noticed, tapped me on the shoulder and said, "That's my dad."

It turned out I was sitting right next to Deepak Chopra's son! And if it hadn't been for GoGo's Inflight Internet service, I never would have known. Gotham Chopra (also a writer) and I started chatting, exchanged contact information and a few weeks later I asked him if he thought his dad would be interested in making a cameo appearance in my newest book trailer, playing the character that he inspired. He said, "Possibly," and the next thing I knew, I got a call from Deepak himself saying that he'd love to participate! It was, for lack of a better word, unbelievable.

So I, along with my lead actress and a small crew of five people, traveled down to the Chopra Center in Carlsbad, CA to shoot our big scene. Deepak was a pro. So generous with his time and just an overall joy to be around. We were in and out in a matter of a few hours and I think it's safe to say, we all left feeling just a little bit...well, inspired.

Now if that isn't a story of universal alignment, I don't know what is! Maybe I should just chalk it up to Karma. :)

To view the book trailer with Deepak's cameo, click here.

THE KARMA CLUB BOOK TRAILER IS HERE!!!!

2010-02-23T17:18:00.000-08:00

After three months of pre-production, production, post-production, blood, sweat and a lot of tears, The Karma Club book trailer is FINALLY finished and ready to show to the world!

So without any further ado, here is the official book trailer for The Karma Club, with a special cameo appearance by Deepak Chopra!

The Karma Club - UK Cover!

2010-01-23T08:38:00.001-08:00

Hello friends!

Sorry for being so quiet lately. The past few weeks since the holidays have been a total blur. I've been working night and day to get the Karma Club trailer ready for its big debut next month! It's coming along SO well and can't wait to share it with everyone!

AND I've been trying to wrap up my new book. I'm SO nearly there!

Well, enough excuses, on to the fun stuff...

The Karma Club - UK Release!

I've just heard from my fabulous YA publishers across the pond, Tick Tock Books, and they've designed the cutest cover for The Karma Club, which will be out there in June of 2010! You ready? Are you sure? Okay, here it is...

Tada!

Isn't it gorgeous!? I'm supposed to get a galley this week. I can't wait!

Okay, back to work. It was fun to come up for some air though and chat for a while. But now it's back to my writer's cave.

See you soon!

Jessica

Photos from The Karma Club Trailer Shoot!!

2009-12-23T09:05:00.000-08:00

Sorry it took me so long to post these. Been a busy bee with production work, Christmas shopping and trying to get some actual writing in. But here are a few behind the scenes stills from our Karma Club Trailer production! Aren't they gorgeous!?

All photo credit goes to the fabulous Holly Karrol Clark of C Level Photography. She is THE master!

Maddy (Madison Hill) walks through the Loft party, looking for her boyfriend.

The Karma Club Girls (from left to right), Jade (Megan Yelaney), Maddy (Madison Hill), and Angie (Gina Cecutti), scheming in Maddy's room about Karmic retribution.

Flashback scene when Jade (Megan Yelaney) finds evidence that her boyfriend Seth (Nico Nevolo) cheated on her.

The queen bee of Colonial High, Heather Campbell. Played by actress/model Leah Clark.

The Karma Club girls set up their revenge on Jade's ex boyfriend, Seth.

Watching to see if their revenge scheme on Maddy's ex-boyfriend is working.

Maddy (Madison Hill) contemplates the meaning of Karma.

Me and my Director of Photography, Jason Fitzpatrick set up an outdoor lunch scene shot.

Angie, played by Gina Cecutti, calls Maddy with bad news.

Maddy (played by Madison Hill) recreates the book cover image with our awesome Karma Club notebook prop!

Me and my Karma Club girls in the wardrobe room! I miss them already!

Click here for more info on The Karma Club (available April 27!)...including an exclusive excerpt from the book!

Happy Holidays everyone! See you next year!!!

Reviews, Freebies and More!

2009-12-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

Just got done with an exhausting, but totally exhilarating two-day shoot for The Karma Club book trailer! My feet are sore, my legs feel like jello but my spirits are sky high. It was probably one of the best experiences of my life. And I simply cannot WAIT to edit it all together and share it with all of you! Plus we've got some special surprises in store that I'll be able to talk in the new year.

I'll be posting pictures from the shoot VERY soon so watch this space. But in the meantime, check out this other cool stuff:

Love Under Cover just received an amazing review from Kristin Contino at Examiner.com who called the book "humorous and heartfelt." Read the full review here.

Also, there are two national giveaways going on right now. The first is in the National Examiner magazine. They're giving away copies of both Love Under Cover and Fidelity Files. And Complete Woman magazine is also giving away some copies of Love Under Cover in their current issue. So check out both the magazines for more info!

More exciting news, updates and photos coming soon!

Have a great week!
Jessica

Email Issues Resolved!

2009-12-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Many, MANY apologies if any of you have been trying to email me through my website at: email@jessicabrody.com and the email got bounced back. I've been having technical difficulties with my email addresses lately and I'm happy to say they're all resolved! So you can now use that address to send me email. I look forward to reading them!

Two more days until we shoot the Karma Club Book Trailer. I can hardly contain the excitement!

XO-
Jessica

Denver Post Bestseller, Reviews and Photos

2009-11-24T18:06:00.000-08:00

So much to report. Sorry it's been so long. Let's play some catch up!

Just got back from the LOVE UNDER COVER book tour and let me just say it was AWESOME! Thanks to everyone who came out to listen to me read and get some signed books! It was so fantastic to meet some of my readers!

And a special HUGE thanks goes out to everyone in Denver who showed up at the Tattered Cover and bought my book out there. Your support was so overwhelming! And so amazing that we made it to NUMBER FOUR on the Denver Post Bestseller list! Hoorah!!! THANK YOU!!!!!

Check out the list here.

And here's some fun pics from my NY signing last week.

Also, we've had some great new reviews for the book. Here are a few:

"Brody's follow-up to The Fidelity Files is another fast-moving, titillating read centered around our favorite 'fidelity inspector.'... At its core, this novel has great sensitivity, humor, and heart."
Romantic Times BOOKReviews, 4 Stars

"This book is written with great affection and humour and I thorougly enjoyed it."
Bookshipper

"If you are looking for a fun, well written read that will hook you from the very first page you've found it here! Pick it up for the winter holidays, cuddle up, read and enjoy!"

Library Lounge Lizard

"A unique book about undercover fidelity inspectors. I highly recommend this novel...a fun read."
Juiciliciousss Reviews

So thank you for those!

If you haven't picked up your copy of LOVE UNDER COVER, you can order it from Amazon.com by clicking here!

I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving!

XO
Jessica

Big News and Tattered Cover!

2009-11-11T14:37:00.000-08:00

We'll I've been promising you big news...and here's the big news!

Just yesterday it was announced in Publisher's Marketplace that I sold my fifth book to my young adult publisher, Farrar, Straus, Giroux!!!!

The book is called 52 REASON TO HATE MY FATHER and it's about...well, I'll just let the announcement speak for itself. :)

Jessica Brody's 52 REASONS TO HATE MY FATHER, in which a teen heiress, famous for her partygirl antics and tabloid headlines, is forced by her ever-absent mogul father to take on a different low-wage job every week for a year of life

-- and love -- lessons if she wants any hope of receiving her trust fund, to Janine O'Malley at Farrar, Straus Children's, for publication in Spring 2012, by Bill Contardi at Brandt & Hochman (World English).

I'm so thrilled to be able to work on another book with my fantastic editor, Janine O'Malley! So thanks, FSG for believing in me and buying my next book!

Thanks to everyone who came out to my LA book signing and release party last night. It was such a blast! Check out the pictures below!

My friend Leslie and me at the signing.

Reading from the book...

The fantastic Love Under Cover cake! Courtesy of the brilliant and creative people at Cake and Art. If you haven't heard of them, be sure to check them out! www.cakeandart.com

Tonight I'm in Denver at the famous Tattered Cover Bookstore on Colfax. Be sure to come by at 7:00 pm to hear me read a passage from the book and get a signed copy!

All the info can be found by clicking here!

And if you haven't picked up your copy of LOVE UNDER COVER, do it now!

You can order it on Amazon by clicking here. I mean, seriously, how easy is that?

Hope everyone is having a fabulous day.

Love,
Jessica

Release Day!

2009-11-10T10:49:00.000-08:00

It's finally here! The release of my second novel, LOVE UNDER COVER, is TODAY!

Check out some of the awesome things the reviewers have had to say about it:

"With a complicated, sympathetic protagonist, worthy stakes and a clever twist on the standard chick lit narrative, Brody will pull readers in from the first page."

-Publisher's Weekly

"Those who enjoyed Brody's debut will be eager to catch up with Jennifer, but newcomers will be intrigued, too...an honest, witty portrayal of modern love."
-Booklist

With her usual smart, deft, and witty prose, Brody delves deep into the psychology of a woman who tests the fidelity of strangers for a living but struggles with commitment in her own life."
-Joanne Rendell, author of Crossing Washington Square and The Professors' Wives' Club

And take a look at this amazing window display that the Barnes and Noble in Santa Monica did for the book!

So if you haven't already pre-ordered a copy, be sure to pick one up at your local bookstore, or order one online by clicking on one of the following links:

Order Love Under Cover on Amazon

Order Love Under Cover on BN.com

And I'll be reading and signing books in LA, Denver and New York. If you live in one of those cities, I hope to see you at an event. Click here for all the info.

Thanks everyone for your support!

Love,
Jessica

Free Exclusive Short Story Available!

2009-10-28T11:53:00.001-07:00

Can't wait for Love Under Cover to be released in 13 days? (I know I can't!)

Then here's a little something to tide you over until then!

St. Martin's Press (my awesome publisher) is giving away a free short story by yours truly. All you have to do to receive it is click on the e-card below...or click here!

I'll give you a TINY hint about its contents...the short story is written from the perspective of one of the other fidelity inspectors that works for The Hawthorne Agency (the company Jennifer Hunter runs in the second book). It was a blast to write about this subject matter in another character's POV and I hope you enjoy it!

Denver Post Write-Up

2009-10-25T08:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Denver (and Bill Husted!) for such an awesome write-up in the Denver Post this morning (Sunday, October 25)

Colorado-ites, check the A&E section of your paper.

Everyone else, check the online version here:

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_13635663

Colorado rocks! I can't wait to go back on November 11 for my signing at the Tattered Cover. More tour dates can be found here.

Karma Club Galleys and Title for Book 4!

2009-10-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

So I've been a bit mum lately about my fourth novel (another young adult book) which releases in Spring of 2011 from FSG for two reasons 1) Spring 2011 still feels like eons away and more importantly, 2) the book hasn't had a title.

Well, until now.

Thanks to my fabulous friend (and comedian) Michael Bachmann, the book is now titled!

And it will be....drum roll please...

MY LIFE UNDECIDED

Tada!!

And here is the one-liner elevator pitch (longer synosis to follow shortly...stay tuned!):

When notorious screw-up, fifteen-year-old Brooklyn Pierce, finally realizes that her decision-making abilities are epically flawed, she enlists the help of the world's blog-reading population, by posting every decision she comes across in an online poll, vowing to adhere to whatever the outcome might be.

More news about book 4 to follow. But in the meantime, check out these beautiful galleys for THE KARMA CLUB (releases in April!) which I just received in the mail this week. Keep a look out for some giveaways featuring a few of these over the next few months...

Happy Friday!
Jessica

Free books, book samplers and 20% off designer labels at ShopLAStyle.com!

2009-10-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

Some very exciting (and fashionable) news to report! To celebrate the release of LOVE UNDER COVER on November 10, I've teamed up with the fantastic people at ShopLA Style.com, an awesome online clothing retailer that sells some of the coolest clothes around (the kind of clothes that Ashlyn, my main character would definitely wear!)

Not only are they giving away five autographed copies of the novel on October 31 (click here to enter on their blog), if you order anything on their site between now and the release day, you'll get a free Love Under Cover book sampler included in your shipped order. How cool is that?! I got a look at the book samplers the other day, and they are SOOOO awesome!

AND...as if that wasn't enough, Shop LA Style is offering a special coupon code in association with the book. Just enter the code, "UNDERCOVER" at checkout and receive 20% off all full price items! And all of their orders include FREE ground shipping! It doesn't get much better than that!

So shop (and read) away!

Jessica

TV Option Renewed!

2009-10-06T09:02:00.001-07:00

I promised to keep you updated on all the exciting news as the fabulous folks at Curious Pictures work to turn THE FIDELITY FILES and LOVE UNDER COVER into a TV show!

Well, the latest is that they've renewed their option on the books! Very awesome!

Basically this means that they still have hopes of getting the TV show made.
Options are always made with a set amount of time that the producers have
to get the project done. Usually 3 months, 6 months or a year. Then at the end of that time, the producers have the opportunity to "re-option" the project if they want to keep working at it. Or they can "let the option expire" or "lapse" which means they've done all they can with it and are moving on to other projects. So the good news here is that they've signed on for another six months!

They've kept me very involved in the process (for which I'm grateful) and things are really starting to move now so I hope to have some more exciting news shortly!

In the meantime, don't forget to check out the LOVE UNDER COVER book trailer here! And vote for it for "Most Intriguing Trailer" here! (entry 4)

More "love" for Love Under Cover

2009-10-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Joanne Rendell, the fabulous author of Crossing Washington Square and The Professors' Wives' Club for her beautiful endorsement of LOVE UNDER COVER.

"Love Under Cover is a thoughtful and compelling follow-up to The Fidelity Files. With her usual smart, deft, and witty prose, Brody delves deep into the psychology of a woman who tests the fidelity of strangers for a living but struggles with commitment in her own life."

And don't forget to vote for LOVE UNDER COVER to win the "Most Intriguing Trailer" award here! (It's entry #4)

XO
Jessica

UK Release Day!

2009-10-02T08:53:00.001-07:00

It's official, THE GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO BAD MEN released in the UK yesterday!

Don't forget to pick up your copy! It's available online, in bookstores and I'm told there's LOADS of copies being delivered to WHSmith Travel shops across the UK. So buy one for your next train ride!

Just a reminder, THE GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE is the EXACT same book as LOVE UNDER COVER (in the US) just with a different title and a different cover. But the story is exactly the same...well, apart from a few "favorites" being changed to "favourites" and "specializes" turned into "specialises"...God, I love those Brits!

And check out these awesome words from the queens of chicklit themselves, The Chick Lit Review.

"The Good Girl's Guide to Bad Men carried on perfectly from The Fidelity Files...well worth a read."

Have a fabulous weekend!

XO
Jess

Vote for Love Under Cover!

2009-09-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

LOVE UNDER COVER is up for "Most Intriguing Trailer" Award!

But we need your help to snag the official title.

Just think of it as the "People's Choice Award" for book trailers...

:)

Please vote here!

http://thenewcoveytrailerawards.blogspot.com/

It's entry #4.

Thanks!!!

Guest Star: Hank Phillippi Ryan

2009-09-25T12:38:00.000-07:00

My Guest Star author this week is Hank Phillippi Ryan, author of the Charlotte McNally Mystery series, Prime Time, Air Time, and Face Time.

About AIR TIME, the latest in the series:

Star reporter Charlotte (Charlie) McNally enters the glamorous and high-stakes world of high fashion ...and soon discovers when the purses are fake, the danger is real.

To break her latest big-money blockbuster, Charlotte must go undercover--but what if the bad guys recognize her? This savvy TV journalist must face more than her fear of flying when her inside scoop on designer duplicates suddenly turns deadly.

Carrying a hidden camera and dressing to deceive, Charlie finds she's not the only one disguising her identity. Nothing--and no one--is what they seem. And that means nothing--and no one--can be trusted. In her high-risk job and in her suddenly steamy love life, how can she tell the real thing?

Charlie is forced to make some life-changing--and life and death--decisions. With only a split-second to act and with her own life in the balance, Charlie knows if she chooses wrong it will be the last decision she ever makes.

Real-life investigative reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan devises a scheme so timely and innovative you'll wonder why someone hasn't tried it. AIR TIME takes you behind the scenes of TV news--and reveals what can happen when a savvy, sexy journalist turns from hard-working reporter into becoming a killer's target.

And here's an awesome interview with Hank!

1. Charlotte (Charlie) McNally is an investigative TV reporter, and so are you! What qualities do you share with Charlie, and how are you different?

When my husband talks about Charlie, he calls her "you." As in--when "you" are held at gunpoint, when you track down the bad guys, when you solve the mystery . . . and I have to remind him, "Sweetheart, it's fiction. It didn't really happen."

But a couple of things: I've been a TV reporter for more than 30 years. (Yes, really.) And so it would be silly, in writing a mystery about TV, not to use my own experiences. Think about it--as a TV reporter, you can never be wrong! Never be one minute late. Never choose the wrong word or miscalculate. You can never have a bad hair day, because it'll be seen by millions of people! It's high-stakes and high-stress--literally, people's lives at stake--and I really wanted to convey that in the books.

And everything that TV people do and say in the books is authentic and genuine. (Of course, Charlie can say things I can't say, and reveal things I can't reveal.) We're both devoted journalists, and over-focused on our jobs.

But Charlotte McNally is different, too. She's single--I'm happily married. She's ten years younger than I am, and so is facing different choices and dilemmas. She's braver than I am, certainly. Funnier. And a much better driver.

2. Charlie has some exciting adventures in your mystery series--going undercover, confronting some really bad guys. Tell us about some of your adventures as an investigative reporter.

There's a huge been-there-done-that element to the books--I've wired myself with hidden cameras, confronted corrupt politicians, chased down criminals . . . been in disguise, been stalked, and threatened and had many a door slammed in my face. I've had people confess to murder, and others, from prison, insist they were innocent. So when that happens to Charlie, it's fair to imagine me. Although the plots are completely from my imagination, those are real-life experiences.

3. Your job sounds very demanding. How (and when) do you find the time to write? Do you ever take a vacation, and, if so, what do you do with your time off?

Short answer--no. I don't take vacations anymore. We used to! We love Nevis, a tiny island n the Caribbean with empty white beaches and nothing to do. We love to go to western Massachusetts, to Tanglewood, to go to plays and the symphony and museums. We love to go to Cape Cod, to Truro, to sit on the beach with pals and read, then go out to wonderful dinners. All in the past. Now, I write. And Jonathan lounges in the back yard. Luckily, we have a lovely yard, with a pool and beautiful gardens.

4. Charlie is afraid of flying, and the airlines are constantly losing her luggage. When you write in Charlie's voice about these dilemmas, you sound like you're writing from experience. Is this true?

Sigh. Yes. I am a luggage-loss magnet. If they can lose my bags, they will. It's almost funny. Almost. As for fear of flying, yes, I am afraid. (Although not as much has I used to be. I've worked very hard and tried a lot of things to get over it.) I was once covering a very bad plane crash, in a major airport, and was in a room with a lot of the bleeding and upset survivors of the crash. I often wonder if that bad energy someone affected me.

5. Even though Charlie has a love interest, basically she's married to her job. You are married to a very successful criminal defense and civil rights attorney. Is it difficult to maintain a balance between the demands of your careers and your relationship, or do your exciting careers help "keep the fire going."

Fire? Well, hey. We both really respect each other, and we each think the other is really attractive and funny. We each understand when the other is immersed in work--in a story, or a writing a book, or handling a big case. We think each other's work is fascinating. Jonathan is incredibly patient. An endlessly interesting. It's wonderful for me to have in-house counsel to make sure my books are authentic when it comes to legal issues--and it's fun for him to have a writer-wife who had advised him on his dramatic closing arguments.

Click here to order Air Time on Amazon!

Visit Hank online at: www.HankPhillippiRyan.com

Everyone Loves Free Lingerie!

2009-09-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Hunter, the main character of my two novels and fidelity inspector extraordinaire, has quite a selection of uber sexy lingerie...especially given her line of work.

That's why to celebrate the UK release of my second novel The Good Girl's Guide to Bad Men (Titled: Love Under Cover in the US, my UK publisher and I have teamed up with Figleaves.com (a popular lingerie online retailer) to offer one lucky winner a £500 shopping spree at Figleaves.com. And the best part is...the giveaway IS available for US residents too! Just visit www.figleaves.com/goodgirl to find out how you could win.

AND...that's not all! In conjunction with the book release, between now and October 14, EVERY shopper can get 10% off their next Figleaves.com order plus FREE shipping to both US and UK residents. Just enter GOODGIRLS when you get to the checkout for your exclusive discount.*

*Offer valid until October 14th, 2009

Make sure to head on over there and check it out!

Also, if you live in the UK, don't forget to order your copy of The Good Girl's Guide to Bad Men by clicking here. It releases on October 2. (Don't worry US

Booklist loves LOVE UNDER COVER!

2009-09-11T09:38:00.002-07:00

This is always the most nerve wracking part of the publishing process, watching all the early reviews start rolling in. I'm so grateful to have received another awesome one...this time from Booklist.

Here's what they have to say:

"Those who enjoyed Brody's debut will be eager to catch up with Jennifer, but newcomers will be intrigued, too...an honest, witty portrayal of modern love."

Thanks Booklist!!!

Guest Star: Joanne Rendell

2009-09-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

Our Guest Star author this week is Joanne Rendell, author of the new novel, Crossing Washington Square, which I had the pleasure to read an advanced copy of earlier this year. And so I can say with authority that it's a fabulous read!

And if you head over to Free Book Friday before Thursday night, you can enter to win a free autographed copy!

Here's what the book is about:

A story of two strong-willed and passionate women who are compelled to unite their senses and sensibilities, from the author of The Professors' Wives' Club.

Professor Diana Monroe is a highly respected scholar of Sylvia Plath. Serious and aloof, she steadfastly keeps her mind on track. Professor Rachel Grey is young and impulsive, with a penchant for teaching relevant contemporary women's stories like Bridget Jones' Diary and The Devil Wears Prada, and for wearing her heart on her sleeve.

The two conflicting personalities meet head-to-heart when Carson McEvoy, a handsome and brilliant professor visiting from Harvard, sets his eyes on both women and creates even more tension between them. Now Diana and Rachel are slated to accompany an undergraduate trip to London, where an almost life-threatening experience with a student celebrity will force them to change their minds and heal their hearts...together.

And here's my interview with the author!

1. Any fan/fan mail stories you care to share?

My first novel was The Professors' Wives' Club. A couple of months after its release, a woman contacted me and said she'd read and enjoyed the book. She told me she was a professor's wife and after a few emails, she revealed that she was the wife of a very distinguished professor of cultural studies whose work I'd read, who I'd seen giving keynotes talks at conferences, and whose work greatly influenced the writing of Crossing Washington Square. Not really a "rock star" moment, but still exciting to know the wives of influential professors (professors I really dig!) read my book.

2. Where do you write?

I write at my desk at the front of our apartment. We live on a very busy street in Manhattan so my writing is "lulled" by taxis honking, firetrucks hooting, and jackhammers pounding. With all this practice, I could probably keep writing through a asteroid shower!

3. What was your inspiration behind your latest novel?

The idea for Crossing Washington Square evolved over a few years. As someone who has lived the academic life (I have a PhD in literature and now I'm married to a professor at NYU), I've always loved books about the university - novels like Michael Chabon's Wonder Boys, Richard Russo's The Straight Man, Zadie Smith's On Beauty, and Francine Prose's Blue Angel. But what I noticed about such campus fiction was the lack of female professors in leading roles. Even the female authors like Francine Prose and Zadie Smith's novels focus on male professors. Furthermore, most of these male professors are disillusioned drunks who quite often sleep with their students! I wanted to write a novel with women professors taking the lead and I wanted these women to be strong and smart and interesting – instead of drunk, despondent, and preoccupied with questionable sexual liaisons!

4. What line or section of your novel are you most proud of?

Rachel Grey and Diana Monroe are both literature professors in the old boys club of Manhattan University. While this should create a kinship between them, they are very much at odds. Rachel is young, emotional, and impulsive. She wrote a book about women's book groups which got her a slot on Oprah and she uses "chick lit" in her classes. Diana is aloof, icy, and controlled. She's also a scholar of Sylvia Plath who thinks "beach" fiction is an easy ride for students. My favorite scene is where these two women face-off in a department meeting. Neither of the professors is a shrinking violet and thus sparks really fly! The scene was such fun to write.

5. If you were in charge of casting the movie adaptation of your book, who gets the call?

Crossing Washington Square loosely echoes Austen's Sense and Sensibilty - with one professor being led by her sense, the other by her sensibility. I love the Ang Lee adaptation of Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet playing the two very different Dashwood sisters. I'd love Emma and Kate to play my professors too!

Praise for Crossing Washington Square:

"Joanne Rendell has done it again! Crossing Washington Square is a book that will stay with you long after you turn that final page. Curl up on a park bench somewhere, watch the leaves fall, and spend some much beloved time with Rachel and Diana."
-Jessica Brody, bestselling author of The Fidelity Files and Love Under Cover

"For every reader who has ever wondered why nineteenth century novels about women are called ‘the canon’, but contemporary novels about women are called 'chick-lit' comes a charming, witty and cerebral novel about Rachel Grey, an Austen-worth heroine fighting for love and respect in the academic shark tank."
-Nicola Kraus, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Nanny Diaries

Click here to order Crossing Washington Square on Amazon!

About the Author:

Joanne Rendell was born and raised in the UK. After completing her PhD in English Literature, she moved to the States to be with her husband, a professor at NYU. She now lives in faculty housing in New York City with her family. Visit Joanne's website at: JoanneRendell.com

I heart Publisher's Weekly!

2009-09-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

So here I am on a lazy Monday Labor Day morning, just scrolling through my meaningless junk emails when I stumble across a Google Alert that appropriately "alerts" me to the fact that LOVE UNDER COVER has just been reviewed in Publisher's Weekly. Imagine my surprise when I didn't even KNOW they were reviewing it!

So with shaky hands, I clicked to read the review and two minutes later I was promptly hopping about the room like Tigger on steroids.

Here's the clincher:

"With a complicated, sympathetic protagonist, worthy stakes and a clever twist on the standard chick lit narrative, Brody will pull readers in from the first page."

Yay! This was a HUGE relief given that this book was SO difficult for me to write (they call it the second book curse!), keeping me up nights, causing me to pull my hair out on several occasions and many, MANY gallons of frustrated tears. It's just so great to know that at least all the pain was worth it!

If you want to read the full review, you can do so by clicking here. (There are many books reviewed on this page, make sure you scroll down until you find "Love Under Cover")

Thanks, PW. You are my new best friend!

The Karma Club - Release Date!

2009-08-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! This just in from my young adult publisher. The Karma Club has finally been given a release date. The book will hit stores in May 2010. Yippee!!! Everyone mark your calendars!

"Awesome" New Review of The Fidelity Files

2009-08-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

If you book lovers haven't yet discovered the blog, Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf, then you MUST head over immediately. She does some great stuff over there. And she's now my new best friend after giving Fidelity Files an A+ rating (it's been a few years since I've been in school, but if memory serves, it doesn't get any higher than that right?) and a kick-ass review!

Here's my favorite part:

Adding to the awesome main character, the plot was also intense and provided for several twists and turns you didn't see coming. Also, I enjoyed how it has a light side too it because of funny secondary characters...Overall, The Fidelity Files is definitely a book filled with awesomeness, I truly look forward to reading Love Under Cover.

Thanks Lauren!

Click here to read the full review on her blog!

I'm holed up in my office right now, putting the finishing touches on my second YA book, still untitled, and counting down the days until I turn it in and then leave for vacation!

Hope everyone's having an "awesome" day!

Jess

In Memory of Blake Snyder and John Hughes

2009-08-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

What a sad, sad week.

I know most of you know who John Hughes is. He pretty much shaped my pre-adolescent years with films like Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Sixteen Candles (my personal favorite--oh, Jake Ryan) and The Breakfast Club, but less of you might know who Blake Snyder is.

He happens to be a hero of mine. A screenwriter/teacher/story guru who wrote a marvelous book called Save the Cat which incorporates a tool that no novelist, screenwriter or storyteller should live without. It's called the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet (or the BS2, to those of us die hard fans!) And it's a 15-point format that can pretty much be applied to ANY Hollywood blockbuster. I use it to outline all of my books and screenplays. Check out my For Writers page to read more about my Blake Snyder Obsession.

Well, both Blake Snyder and John Hughes passed away this week from a cardiac arrest, leaving behind legacies that will be remembered for generations. Every time I outline a new book I will remember Blake and what he has done for me and writers everywhere.

Guest Star: Carleen Brice

2009-08-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Our Guest Star author this week is Carleen Brice author of the new novel, Children of the Waters.

Here's what the book is about:

Still reeling from divorce and feeling estranged from her teenage son, Trish Taylor is in the midst of salvaging the remnants of her life when she uncovers a shocking secret: her sister is alive. For years Trish believed that her mother and infant sister had died in a car accident. But the truth is that her mother fatally overdosed and that Trish's grandparents put the baby girl up for adoption because her father was black.

After years of drawing on the strength of her black ancestors, Billie Cousins is shocked to discover that she was adopted. Just as surprising, after finally overcoming a series of health struggles, she is pregnant--a dream come true for Billie but a nightmare for her sweetie, Nick, and for her mother, both determined to protect Billie from anything that may disrupt her well-being.

And here's my interview with the author!

1) How do you come up with the names for your characters?

I often use family names or names of friends to start and then see if the name changes as I go along.

2) When you got that first phone call announcing your had sold a novel, how did you react? How did you celebrate? If you've sold more than one novel, do you have a celebration ritual for subsequent sales?

I yelled and cried and beat on the steering wheel (my agent called just as I was leaving for work). I bought myself a pair of diamond earrings and got hubby a guitar, and there’s been lots and lots of champagne. This is my 2nd novel and it was part of a 2-book deal, so I celebrated the deals for both at once, but I also partied when each book was released.

3) If your book were to be made into a movie, who could you see playing the lead role?

Halle Berry could play Billie. Jennifer Aniston as Trish. Or Alicia Keys as Billie and Reese Witherspoon as Trish.

4) Since becoming a writer, what's the most glamorous thing you've ever done?

Attended awards ceremonies and actually received 2 awards! Almost like the Oscars! (not really, but you know what I mean)

5) If you could be a superhero, what would you superpower be?

Invisibility. (She said after months of doing self-promotion.)

Paise for Children of the Waters:

"I was exhausted and singing the blues the hour I began Carleen Brice's new novel, CHILDREN OF THE WATERS. Five hours later, I'd finished this fresh, free-rein novel about mothers' secrets and children's sorrows and was shouting 'Hurray!'"
--Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean

Click here to order Children of the Waters on Amazon!

About the Author:

Carleen Brice was recently named 2008 "Breakout Author of the Year" by The African American Literary Awards Show for her debut novel Orange Mint and Honey, which was also a selection of the Essence Book Club. She is also the author of Walk Tall:Affirmations for People of Color, and Lead Me Home: An African American's Guide Through the Grief Journey and edited the anthology Age Ain't Nothing but a Number: Black Women Explore Midlife. She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and two cats. Visit her online at: www.CarleenBrice.com