Elizabeth Scott will be our author-in-residence for the first 4 months of 2010. She'll dropping by the readergirlz blog and chats throughout her visit. We are honored to have her among us.
Author's Real Residence: Just outside Washington, DC
Favorite Hobbies: Hanging out with my husband, my friends, and my dog, reading, watching TV, going to the movies, and baking.
Favorite YA Books: A short and incomplete list focusing on non-US authors I think everyone should read: Let's Get Lost by Sarra Manning, Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman, Dooley Takes The Fall by Norah McClintock, Game Girls by Judy Waite, Leader of the Pack by Kate Cann, The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd, and Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry.
Favorite Books on Writing: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and On Writing by Stephen King.
Have fun growing more familiar with Elizabeth's esteemed body of work. Check out her book covers and summaries below.
Bloom
Lauren has a good life: decent grades, great friends, and a boyfriend every girl wants. So why is she so unhappy?
It takes the arrival of Evan Kirkland for Lauren to figure out the answer: she's been holding back. She's been denying herself a bunch of things (like sex) because staying with her loyal and gorgeous boyfriend, Dave, is the "right" thing to do. After all, who would give up the perfect guy?
But as Dave starts talking more and more about their life together, planning a future Lauren simply can't see herself in -- and as Lauren's craving for Evan, and moreover, who she is with Evan becomes all the more fierce -- Lauren realizes she needs to make a choice...before one is made for her.
Perfect You
Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast. Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and acts like Kate's invisible.
And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, who Kate pretends she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. And when Will starts acting interested, Kate hates herself for wanting him even though she knows she's just his latest conquest.
Kate figures the only way things will ever stop hurting is if she keeps to herself and stops caring about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not always be perfect, good things can happen -- but only if she lets them.
Stealing Heaven
My name is Danielle. I'm eighteen. I've been stealing things for as long as I can remember.
Dani has been trained as a thief by the best -- her mother. Together, they move from town to town, targeting wealthy homes and making a living by stealing antique silver. They never stay in one place long enough to make real connections, real friends -- a real life.
In the beach town of Heaven, though, everything changes. For the first time, Dani starts to feel at home. She's making friends and has even met a guy. But these people can never know the real Dani -- because of who she is. When it turns out that her new friend lives in the house they've targeted for their next job and the cute guy is a cop, Dani must question where her loyalties lie: with the life she's always known -- or the one she's always wanted.
Living Dead Girl
The thing is, you can get used to anything. You think you can't, you want to die, but you don't. You won't. You just are.
This is Alice.
She was taken by Ray five years ago.
She thought she knew how her story would end.
She was wrong.
Something, Maybe
Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat. Her dad made a fortune showing pretty girls -- and his "party" lifestyle -- all over the Internet, and her mom, who was once one of her dad's girlfriends, is now the star of her own website. After getting the wrong kind of attention for far too long, Hannah has learned how to stay out of sight...and that's how she likes it.
Of course, being unknown isn't helping her get noticed by gorgeous, confident Josh, who Hannah knows is her soul mate. Between trying to figure out a way to get him to notice her, dealing with her parents, and wondering why she can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn, Hannah feels like she's going crazy. She's determined to make things work out the way she wants...only what she wants may not be what she needs.
Love You Hate You Miss You
It's been seventy-five days. Amy's sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her. And she's really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia's gone, and Amy doesn't want to talk about it. No one knew Julia like she did. No one gets what life is without her.
No one understands what it's like to know that it's all your fault.
Amy's shrink thinks she should keep a journal but instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia. And as she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past holds its own secrets -- and that the present deserves a chance.
The Unwritten Rule - to be published April 6th, 2010
Everyone knows the unwritten rule. You don't like your 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...
Upcoming Works: Elizabeth's next novel, Grace, will be published September 2010 by Dutton.
Tune in!Here is the first of Elizabeth's monthly vlog entries about writing, in which she answers readers' requests for info about her workspace, writing rituals, writing process and the best (and worst) reviews she's ever gotten. Plus, Elizabeth gives her thoughts about why the concept of loss figures into so much of her work.
Elizabeth is giving away a signed copy of any one of her currently published books to three readergirlz blog readers (US residents). Just be sure you follow the blog, then comment at the readergirlz blog and tell us about your favorite part of Elizabeth's vlog to be entered! We'll choose three winners at random.
Listen up! Elizabeth says, "I never listen to music when I write, so I honestly can't think of any songs that reflect me and writing! I asked around, though, and here is a list of songs some incredibly awesome people have suggested for my books."
For Bloom: "Fix You" by Coldplay, "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane, and "Consider Me Gone" by Reba McEntire
For Perfect You: "Wonderwall" as covered by Ryan Adams, "Battlefield" and "It Takes More" by Jordin Sparks, "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World, and "Reasons To Love" by Meiko
For Stealing Heaven: "Better Son/Daughter" by Rilo Kiley, "Fearless" by Taylor Swift, "The Way I Feel" by Matt Wertz, and "Dream" by Priscilla Ahn
For Living Dead Girl: "Creature Fear" by Bon Iver, "Ceremony" by New Order, "Accidents" by Drunken Boat, "I Will Dare" by the Replacements, "Pastel Blue" by Sister Vanilla, "Skinny Mean Man" by Say Anything, "Nobody's Home" by Avril Lavigne, and "Haunted" by Evanescence
For Something, Maybe: "Hate That I Love You" by Ne-Yo and Rihana, "Falling Over Me" by Demi Lovato, "Hallelujah" by Paramore, "Fall" by Something Corporate, "Stolen" by Dashboard Confessional, "Shine On" by The Kooks, "Fidelity" by Regina Spektor and "Empty Days" by Augustana.
For Love You Hate You Miss You: "Twice" by Twin Dragon, "Fall Away" by the Fray, "Pale" by Within Temptation, "When You're Gone" by Avril Lavigne, and "The Way I Loved You" by Taylor Swift
For The Unwritten Rule, which will be out on April 6th, 2010: "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift, "Why Can't I" by Liz Phair, ''Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service, "I Know I Know I Know" by Tegan and Sara, '"Wonderwall" by Oasis, "Edge of the Ocean" by Ivy, "The Winner Is" from the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack, "Crazy For This Girl" by Evan and Jaron, "What Sarah Said" by Death Cab For Cutie (mostly just because of the name) and "Blue Eyes" by Cary Brothers
