Laurie&#39;s Blog

: lstolarz; October 14th, 2013

For this round of the GCC, welcome back Debbie Rigaud!

In honor of my Touch series, also known as the "Deadly Little..." series, fill in the following blank and explain.

Debbie says, "I have a deadly little STARE. When I was a bit younger, I'd sense a concentration of energy fill my eyes during those rare moments I'd get angry (I'm normally a passive-aggressive pushover). For example, once a tough girl working the register at a fast food joint got nasty with me. But as soon as I let my frustration with her show up in my eyes and their killer stare, she backed off. Still, it wasn't until I stood up for a friend who was being verbally abused by an ex did I realize that there was something to this killer stare thing. I just remember this guy--who stood at least six foot four inches tall--get totally spooked by me and then refer to me as the girl with the eyes. That pretty much confirmed that there really was something to this. Weird, huh?"

Debbie is a contributor to OPEN MIC: RIFFS ON LIFE BETWEEN CULTURES IN TEN VOICES with her short story "Voila”
The collection, OPEN MIC
Listen in as ten YA authors use their own brand of humor to share their stories about growing up between cultures. Edited by acclaimed author and speaker Mitali Perkins, this collection of fiction and nonfiction embraces a mix of styles as diverse as their authors, from laugh-out-loud funny to wry, ironic, or poignant, in prose, poetry and comic form.
The short story, “Voila”
Thanks to overprotective parenting, Simone’s elderly great aunt Ma Tante has more of a social life than she does. But one afternoon, Ma Tante’s social scene awkwardly intersects with Simone’s in the unlikeliest of places.
The Buzz:
“[Open Mic] will leave readers thinking about the ways that humor can be a survival tool in a world that tends to put people in boxes.” –Publishers Weekly
“Naomi Shihab Nye offers an eloquent poem about her Arab American dad, whose friendliness made him ‘Facebook before it existed.’ David Yoo, Debbie Rigaud, Varian Johnson and Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich also contribute stories to this noteworthy anthology, which robustly proves Perkins’ assertion that ‘funny is powerful.’”
–Horn Book Magazine
“Teachers will find some powerful material here about how the young can become discomfited and find solace in their multifaceted cultural communities.
–School Library Journal

For more about OPEN MIC, like our page www.facebook.com/openmicanthology
Debbie Rigaud (www.debbierigaud.com)
Debbie Rigaud began her writing career covering news and entertainment for popular magazines. Her YA fiction debut, HALLWAY DIARIES/Kimani Tru was followed by the fish-out-of-water romantic comedy PERFECT SHOT/Simon Pulse. Since then, Debbie’s non-fiction essays have been published in anthologies IT’S ALL LOVE/Broadway Books and DEAR BULLY/HarperTeen. Her short story “Voila!” is featured in OPEN MIC/Candlewick Press, and TURFQUAKE, her first YA e-book will be released late 2013.

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: lstolarz; September 16th, 2013

After a brief GCC hiatus, I'm excited to welcome back Diana Rodriguez Wallach, on tour for her short story, Reflecting Emmy, which appears in the anthology MIRROR, MIRROR.
In honor of my Touch series, also known as the "Deadly Little..." series, Diana filled in the following blank: I have a deadly little______.

Here's Diana's response:
"I have a deadly little cat. No, seriously. Ever hear of that show My Cat From Hell? Yeah, well, when it debuted about a dozen people emailed to tell me I should submit my beloved tabby, Lupi. My husband and I adopted her after 9/11. We were living in Lower Manhattan at the time, five blocks from Ground Zero, and rescuing this little kitty from a shelter in Harlem was our way of coping. She had been a stray before we adopted her, probably about six months old, and let’s just say she kept her street smarts. My parents have nicknamed her, “The Hisser.” She doesn’t scratch (though she still has her claws) and she doesn’t bite, but if anyone other than me comes within ten feet of her, she hisses, back arched and everything. Even my husband. Yet, she sits on the couch with me at night a purrs. Still, she has a major redeeming quality. Our first house in Philly was a 200-year old brick townhome near Society Hill that came with a lovely colony of mice that had been residing there since days of our forefathers. My cat killed 24 mice before we moved out of that house, once killing 3 in one day. By our last year living there, we didn’t see a single rodent. No exterminator needed. Lupi took care of business, literally making her A Deadly Little Cat."

REFLECTING EMMY:
Eighteen-year-old Emmy is in the family business-trapping vapid narcissistic souls into her silver compact mirror for all eternity. It’s what the Rhamnusia family has been doing for thousands of years, all under the direction of Great Grandmother. Only Emmy’s latest assignment, Nara, is about to prove more challenging than she ever expected.

Gorgeous and self-absorbed, Nara is unflinchingly cruel to her classmates. Even her boyfriend, Luke, can no longer tolerate her actions–much to Emmy’s relief since she finds Luke a little more than intriguing. But when Emmy tricks Nara into gazing into her mystical mirror, what she finds there is not what she’s expecting.

The Buzz:
"A fun, fresh and thoroughly entertaining modern twist on the Narcissus myth. Readers will love Emmy and her (mis)adventures. Wallach packs a lot of story into a small packing--romance, friendship and the power of one person to make a difference. The only thing missing... is more!" ~ Tera Lynn Childs, award-winning author of Oh. My. Gods., Forgive My Fins, and Sweet Venom.
"Diana Rodriguez Wallach’s Mythology High is too much fun. Emmy collects narcissistic souls for the family business but after making one tiny little mistake she finds her life turned upside down. These three stories are a must for anyone who loves Greek mythology, feisty heroines and second chances. My only complaint is that I didn’t want them to finish." –Amanda Ashby, author of Fairy Bad Day and Demosity

The Author
Diana Rodriguez Wallach is the author of Mirror, Mirror, a short-story collection based on the Narcissus myth, that includes Reflecting Emmy, Nara Gazing, and Shattering GiGi (Buzz Books 2013). She is also the author of three award-winning YA novels: Amor and Summer Secrets, Amigas and School Scandals, and Adios to All The Drama (Kensington Books).
In 2011, she published a highly regarded essay in Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories (HarperCollins), and in 2013, she will be featured in the anthology Latina Authors and Their Muses (Twilight Times Books). In 2010 Diana was named one of the Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch by LatinoStories.com, and she placed second in the International Latino Book Awards. She hold a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University, and currently lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter.

For more about Diana:
Website: www.dianarodriguezwallach.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dianarwallach
Facebook: www.facebook.com/diana.rodriguezwallach
Tumblr: http://dianarwallach.tumblr.com
Pinterist: http://pinterest.com/dianarwallach/boards/

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: lstolarz; February 19th, 2013

Calling all Wattpadders, I just opened an account and need some friends. Come follow me: http://www.wattpad.com/user/lauriestolarz

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: lstolarz; February 7th, 2013

My Barnes & Noble, Peabody, MA signing event scheduled for this Saturday, 2/9, has been postponed until next Saturday, the 16th, at 2PM, due to Storm Nemo. You'll be there, right?

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: lstolarz; February 6th, 2013

Reading Lesson #1 of Deadly Little Lessons at Books of Wonder, NYC, January 2013: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVii_2Wf9-Q&feature=youtu.be

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: lstolarz; February 5th, 2013

WINTER NEWSLETTER II (Is it spring yet?), 2013

Hi, Everyone!

Just a couple event reminders, including one next weekend.

I'm also so excited to announce the winners of the Karma Chameleon contest (see below)!

Lastly, I'd love your suggestions regarding my annual summer creative writing workshops and my new Karma Chameleon merchandise shop.

Thanks so much!

Laurie

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, February 9th, 2-4PM, Barnes &Noble, Peabody, MA - I will be at Barnes & Noble, celebrating the release of DEADLY LITTLE LESSONS. I'll be signing books, answering questions, and greeting readers. Hope to see you there.

Saturday, May 4th, 10AM - 4PM, HUDSON, NY - I will be at the Hudson Children's Book Fest. For more information, go here: http://www.hudsonchildrensbookfestival.com/

Saturday, May 18th, 9AM - 5PM, ROCHESTER, NY - I will be at the Teen Book Fest. For more information, go here: http://www.teenbookfestival.org/

SUMMER CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS

I will be teaching a couple creative writing workshops this summer in Marblehead, MA. Last year I did a novel-writing one. I've also done screenwriting, advanced writing intensives, and beginner & intermediate workshops aimed at plotting, character development, and structure.

I'm currently taking suggestions for this summer's topics as well as your preferences for dates, times, and formats (i.e. do you prefer meeting over several weeks for a shorter period of time? Or for a longer period of time, over just a couple weeks?). E-mail me with your thoughts. I will have dates and course descriptions out by March 1st.

NEW THIS SUMMER - ONLINE CREATIVE WRITING COURSE

I will be offering an online creative writing course this summer! I will provide weekly lessons and exercises and then, as a group, we'll meet online at a designated time and at secure chat site to discuss the week's lesson and all-things writing. More info coming soon.

CAST YOUR VOTE (VOTING IS OPEN UNTIL FEBRUARY 13TH):

DEADLY LITTLE LESSONS has been nominated for the Teen Choice Book of the Year through the Children's Book Council. It's in such good company. Go vote for your favorite titles for 2012 here: http://www.teenreads.com/2013-teen-choice-book-of-the-year-nominees

KARMA CHAMELEON STORE

With the help of Spreadshirt.com, I've opened up a merchandise shop with book-inspired products. It's all very new, so suggestions of any kind are welcome. The most exciting part is that I'm donating my proceeds from the sales of the products to First Book, an organization that strives to provide children, regardless of their economic conditions, access to an ongoing supply of books. Learn more about First Book here: www.firstbook.org. And check out the shop here: http://lauriestolarz.spreadshirt.com/

KARMA CHAMELEON CONTEST RESULTS

Congratulations to Carmelita, Tia, Amber, and Ronette, winners of the Karma Chameleon good-karma contest! See their amazing stories below. Great work!!!

Carmelita's crisis team volunteer project: "I have been working with a family assistance crisis team. We help women, (and sometimes men), who are victims of domestic violence. I recently had one woman who was there before my shift with a broken nose, two black eyes and a few missing teeth. As I helped her fill out the report, she told me that her ex-husband did this in the store parking lot in front of her son. People ask me why I volunteer to help women who will often never leave their situations. I tell them that it often takes seven to eight instances of abuse before the woman will leave her abuser. She often has children with her abuser, which is another reason why she won’t leave. Other factors are financial or religious. I try my best to make a safety plan so women know how to protect themselves and what to do if they ever want to leave the abuser. I remember one night a woman and her son came in asking if they could go to a shelter. As I was making the report, I could hear the little boy's tummy rumble from hunger. The mom apologized for her son. I left the office, got my lunch, and gave it to the mom and her son. Two weeks later, the mom came back and told me that she was thankful for that night. I started crying because I didn’t think much about it. It's so important for people to know that when it comes to domestic violence, they are not alone."

Tia's gift-giving project: "I have a friend who was saying that her grandchildren weren't going to get anything for Christmas because she didn't have the money. I called her and asked what she wanted to get them. She said a new outfit. She gave me their sizes and I bought all six of her grandkids an outfit, a pair of pajamas, and a bath toy. I drove the gifts an hour away to her house, and dropped them off with wrapping paper and tape. I told her to wrap them up and give them to her grandchildren and to say they were from her."

Amber's food drive mission: "I just finished working on a food drive with a public charter high school that my father teaches at. This school is 100% military, located in Anderson Indiana. The town was devastated about ten years ago when the local GM factory closed down. The community crashed and left the people in need of jobs. The community is still not as grand as it used to be, but it is getting better every day. Every student at the school is required to do a minimum of 24 hours of community service each year. I helped the students get some of these hours marked off by holding a fundraiser. The school wanted to have a dance to have some fun without having to be in uniform. This event was a social and a dance and a fundraiser. We decided that instead of having the cadets/students pay to get into the dance that they would pay by bringing in a couple cans of food. After the dance, we wanted to keep getting cans, so we extended the food drive for a while to get more cans. Over about two weeks, the school was able to come up with a little over 1,000 cans of food for the local food banks."

Ronette's "Build the Library Book Club" project (at the 5:43 mark):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88kj834NR7g&list=UUjAo7g5UfHFUK0VEemLlk_w&index=1&feature=plcp

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: lstolarz; January 25th, 2013

For this round of the GCC, I'm thrilled to welcome back Melissa Walker, author of SMALL TOWN SINNERS.

In honor of my Touch series, also known as the "Deadly Little" series, I asked Melissa to fill in the following blank: I have a deadly little...

And here's how she answered: "I have a deadly little... love for Fritos. I know, it's awful. I try to hide them from my 18-month-old daughter, but sometimes she hears the crunch and starts saying "Chip! Chip!" It sounds like a siren to me. Like the bad-parent police are coming because I can't give her Fritos! Might as well fill her sippy cup with Mountain Dew while I'm at it. So I hide them but I can't quit them. I like Honey BBQ best."

The Book:

Does falling in love mean falling out of faith?
“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."

The Buzz:
"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... Near the end, Lacey contemplates a verse from the prophet Isaiah: 'Come now and let us reason together.' It’s a good summation of what Walker asks of her characters and, by extension, of her readers." --The New York Times Book Review

"A non-judgmental, nuanced, fascinating look at the teenage religious right... Walker writes an outstanding contemporary novel with a cast of characters who, far from being portrayed as hateful zealots, are relatable for readers of all faiths. The extremism of Hell House is tempered by the perfectly understandable attitudes and intentions of Lacey Anne, who struggles with what it means to grow up, to question and to think for herself." --Romantic Times

"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." --Publishers Weekly

"This secular story about religious people could easily devolve into camp mockery, but because Walker takes her character’s crisis of faith seriously and sensitively, readers will, too." --Kirkus Reviews

For more information about Melissa and her work, go here: www.melissacwalker.com

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: lstolarz; January 6th, 2013

Welcome back, Lucienne Diver, author of the fangtabulous Vamp series, for this round of the GCC!

In honor of my Touch series, also known as the "Deadly Little..." series, I had fellow young adult author, Lucienne Diver, fill in the following blank: I have a deadly little...

Lucienne's response: "...hobby. It’s true. You know those ads about ID Discovery addicts? Well, I’m one of them. Give me a good forensic show, one about someone doing someone else in, and I’m there. Glued to my seat. My husband calls them my dead people shows. He thinks I’m researching to someday commit the perfect crime. The truth is that I’m trying to unravel the psychology behind what would cause someone else to kill. You see, I’m a passivist myself. I can’t actually imagine doing someone harm, and if I ever did, the grief and guilt would be overwhelming. Yet there are people who decide that murder is a better option than divorce or that killing is fun. I can’t conceive of this. To me, the biggest argument for the existence of a soul is that some people are so clearly born without one…without the ties that bind and the emotional connections that allow them to empathize with others. I read an intriguing book over the holidays, The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout, Ph.D. (I know, I’m weird.) I expected it to terrify me, especially with the knowledge that 1 in 25 people (aka 4% of 100) are sociopaths, devoid of conscience. It isterrifying, but it was also affirming to know that sociopathic pathology doesn’t necessarily make someone a killer…though the flip side is that not all killers are sociopaths. It was affirming to know that 96% of people do have consciences, and while that doesn’t mean that they always do right, neither are they “evil” in the way that we often think of it. Most people are good, decent—flawed, yes, but they feel and take responsibility for those flaws and for mending them. Anyway, for what it’s worth, that’s my dirty little secret. I’m fascinated even while I’m horrified by the psychology of murder or other equally inexplicable behaviors. I think this fascination will play into my next project. I hope you’ll stay tuned!"

The Book:
Gina Covello and her band of federal fugitives are on the run after taking down a secret (and sinister) government facility. Strapped without cash or credit cards—a fate worse than death for Gina—the rebels must find a place to lay low. They roll into Salem, Massachusetts, the most haunted town in America and the only place they have friends flying under the radar. But within a day, Gina and her gang are embroiled in a murder mystery of the supernatural kind.

Someone—or something—is strangling young women, and it's rumored to be the ghost of Sheriff Corwin, late of the Salem Witch trials. Is it the ghostly Sheriff or is someone on this side of the veil using the famous story as a cover up? Gina is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, and she needs to do it before a paranormal reporter on the scene exposes them for what they are...fanged federal fugitives.

The Buzz:

For Fangtabulous: “Another amusing romp in the series, this installment also sees its hardy heroine beginning to mature, adding further dimension to her character.

Reminiscent of Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, Gina never fails to deliver the goods.” —Kirkus Reviews

For the Vamped series: “Readers who appreciate Diver’s light, dry humor will welcome back feisty Gina and her hunky boyfriend, Bobby… a welcome lighthearted departure from gloomy vampire romance.” —Booklist

“Diver spins an action-packed story that is filled with humor. Gina is a sassy heroine who tackles issues and challenges with proper vampire style.” —School Library Journal

“Diver successfully creates a vampire teen who is active and assertive and has no time for angst. Gina has a biting, sarcastic voice that makes the Vamped books quick and entertaining reads.”—VOYA

“There is enough grit and wit in this installment to keep adults engaged, as well as plugged-in co-eds. So take a fabulous spin. And stay tuned for book #4, Fangtabulous” — Comicmix

The Author:

Lucienne Diver writes the humorous, suspenseful Vamped series of young adult vampire novels for Flux Books, including Vamped, Revamped, Fangtastic and the most recent, Fangtabulous. Her short stories have been included in the Strip-Mauled and Fangs for the Mammaries anthologies edited by Esther Friesner (Baen Books), and her essay on abuse is included in the anthology Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories (HarperTeen). She also writes the Latter-Day Olympians urban fantasy series for Samhain (Bad Blood, Crazy in the Blood and the forthcoming Rise of the Blood).

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: lstolarz; December 16th, 2012

For this round of the GCC, I’m thrilled to be touring Eileen Cook with her latest book The Almost Truth.

The Book:

Sadie can’t wait to get away from her backwards small town, her delusional mom, her jailbird dad, and the tiny trailer where she was raised…even though leaving those things behind also means leaving Brendan. Sadie wants a better life, and she has been working steadily toward it, one con at a time.

But when Sadie’s mother wipes out Sadie’s savings, her escape plan is suddenly gone. She needs to come up with a lot of cash—and fast—or she’ll be stuck in this town forever.

With Brendan’s help, she devises a plan—the ultimate con—to get the money. But the more lies Sadie spins, the more she starts falling for her own hoax…and perhaps for the wrong boy. Sadie wanted to change her life, but she wasn’t prepared to have it flipped upside down by her own deception. With her future at stake and her heart on the line, suddenly it seems like she has a lot more than just money to lose….

The Buzz:

“.. enormously appealing and great company throughout this breezy read…..the highest quality—like a gourmet truffle. Cook has whipped up a real treat.” – Kirkus Starred Review

“Thrilling and creepy, super sexy, and so very hilarious.” – Lisa McMann, bestselling author of the Wake trilogy

“Sassy and sly and sweet all at the same time, this book made me laugh out loud.” – Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries and Airhead

The Author:

Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in eight different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. Her latest release, Unraveling Isobel came out in Jan 2012

You can read more about Eileen and her work here: www.eileencook.com.

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: lstolarz; November 4th, 2012

For this round of the GCC:

SOMETHING WICKED: Young Adult Short Stories, featuring fellow young adult author Kelly Parra

I asked Kelly Parra to fill in the following blank: "I have a deadly little...." Here's how she answered.

"I have a deadly little curiosity and fear of the paranormal. I'm a very spiritual person. I believe in ghosts and the afterlife, and I'm very superstitious. I also believe in keeping your inner self health and good karma. The only bad thing is I believe in it enough to scare myself sometimes! So I don’t watch horror movies with the occult, but I do read entertaining and suspenseful paranormal novels. Weird, huh?

The Book:

Sometimes, they aren't costumes.

They’re baaaack.

More nightmares brought to you by the authors of the young adult anthology Prom Dates to Die For...

Beware the Midnight Troll on your late-night stroll by Mari Hestekin. Swim at your own risk Under Loch and Cay by Jenny Peterson. A curse of spiders on campus means Arach War by Lena Brown. Through a Glass Darkly one could lose a soul by Heather Dearly. Supernatural Hunters turn to the sea in Mermania by Kelly Parra. Social media goes to the ghouls in Spectral Media by Aaron Smith.

Don’t miss this paranormal fun for tween, teens and adults!

Kelly Parra’s short story “Mermania” continues Teen Supernatural Hunters Jaz and Blake’s paranormal adventures. The duo debuted in “Darkness Becomes Him” in the young adult anthology PROM DATES TO DIE FOR as they battled a soul hungry dark angel. In SOMETHING WICKED a merman entrances Jaz and it’s up to her and Blake to rush against time before Jaz grows her own tail by the full moon!

Something Wicked facebook: http://www.facebook.com/somethingwickedbook

The Buzz:

"Mesmerizing and eerie. Tales to keep you reading late into the dark night." - Tara Hudson, author of HEREAFTER and ARISE

The Author:

Kelly Parra’s earliest stories were told with paintbrushes, but upon discovering the drama and forbidden love of romance and suspense novels, those paintbrushes were replaced with a keyboard. Now a multi-published author in young adult and romance fiction, she has created memorable characters such as a graffiti artist in Graffiti Girl, a psychic teen in Invisible Touch, and a tough undercover narc in her novel for adults, Criminal Instinct. A two-time RITA finalist, she divides her time between her novels, short fiction, and the adventures of motherhood, where she juggles her home life with two children, a tattooed husband, a sweet poodle, and a rowdy pit bull. Visit her website www.KellyParra.com.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/kparra

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkellyparra

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Parra/e/B001JRXHUI/