i can’t believe this is my final debs 09
blog tour post!! ringing in the new year
with rhonda and her debut, Stupid Cupid!

About Stupid Cupid

Felicity Walker believes in true love. That’s why
she applies for a gig at the matchmaking company
Cupid’s Hollow. But when Felicity gets the job, she
learns that she isn’t just a matchmaker…she’s a cupid!
(There’s more than one of them, you know.)

Armed with a hot pink, tricked-out PDA infused with
the latest in cupid magic (love arrows shot through email),
Felicity works to meet her quota of successful matches.
But when she bends the rules of cupidity by matching her
best friend Maya with three different boys at once, disaster
strikes. Felicity needs to come up with a plan to set it all right,
pronto, before she gets fired…and before Maya ends up with
her heart split in three.

About Rhonda Stapleton

Rhonda Stapleton started writing a few years ago to
appease the voices in her head. She has a Master’s degree
in English and a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. Rhonda
works as an editor for a legal publishing company and enjoys
offering editing workshops. Rhonda lives in Northeast Ohio with
her lovely, energetic family, who are more than enough to keep
her busy when she’s not writing.

In the twelve minutes of free time she has each day, Rhonda
enjoys reading, photography, writing poetry, singing in the
shower (and in the car, at work, or basically anywhere that
provides oxygen), drinking chai tea, and playing on the Internet.

and the cindy interview!

1. who is your literary character crush?

Oooooh I am totally crushing on Mr. Darcy. I
also have a crush on Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre.
I’m a glutton for snooty men, I guess.

darcy has been quite popular among the debs!
jane austen obviously did something right!

2. who is your author crush? (does not have to
be romantic!)

I have an author crush on the 2009 Debs. I can’t
believe what talent we have in our group. It’s been
incredible debuting with them!!

aww, agreed! it’s been an incredible year with
incredible books to read!! so much fun!

3. what is your favorite pastry?

I have a particular weakness for anything dipped
in chocolate.

haha! chocoholic!

4. what is the favorite scene from your novel?

There are a lot of scenes that I really love. The one
that gets me every friggin’ time I read it is toward the
end when Sammy gets a new guitar.

more about rhonda : rhondastapleton.com

indie book love!

thanks for stopping by and congrats on
your debut release, rhonda!!!

About Struts & Frets

More than anything, Sammy wants to play guitar in
a famous indie rock band. The problem is that his
front man is a jerk who can’t sing, his bassist is a burn-out
who can’t remember the songs, and his drummer is just out
to lunch. But Sammy needs this band because it’s the only
good thing he’s got going. His father skipped out before he
was born, his mother is an overworked therapist with a
drinking problem, his grandfather is slowly losing his mind to
Alzheimer’s, and the girl of his dreams is dating his jerk lead singer.

Now that jerk lead singer has entered them in a Battle of the
Bands contest to win free studio time and guaranteed radio play.
Sammy has two weeks to get them to sound like a real band, or
face public humiliation in front of the entire local indie music scene.

About Jon Skovron

Jon Skovron is an insatiable music geek who can play eight
instruments, but none of them well. He was born in Columbus,
Ohio, has lived all over the US, and now resides with his wife and
two sons in Washington, DC. His short stories and reviews have
appeared in publications like Jim Baen’s Universe and Internet
Review of Science Fiction. Struts and Frets is his first novel.

and the cindy interview!

1. who is your literary character crush?

Probably a tie between Becky Sharp from William
Thackeray’s Vanity Fair and Rosa Saks from Michael
Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.

2. who is your author crush? (does not have to
be romantic!)

Oh, god, I have so many…my current top five are
Michael Chabon, Neil Gaiman, Kelly Link, China Mieville,
and Cory Doctorow.

3. what is your favorite pastry?

Is a bagel a pastry? I don’t like sweets…

*blinks* WHAT?!

4. what is the favorite scene from your novel?

There are a lot of scenes that I really love. The one
that gets me every friggin’ time I read it is toward
the end when Sammy gets a new guitar.

congrats on your debut, jon. i can’t wait to
read it! even if you are nutters and don’t like sweets! =)

to learn more about jon : jonnyskov.com

and indiebound book love!!

About The Espressologist

What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin
spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy.
Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life.
Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut
caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie.
Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory
that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular
coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook
and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea
when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based
on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a
medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte.
But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology,
he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising
customers their perfect matches for the price of their
favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could
ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does
it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the
one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

About Kristina Springer

Kristina Springer has a Bachelor of Arts in English Education
from Illinois State University and a Master of Arts in Writing
from DePaul University. Her first novel, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST,
was published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux on October 27, 2009.
Her second novel, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS,
also from FSG, will be published in the fall of 2010. She lives in
a suburb of Chicago, IL with her husband Athens and their four
small children Teegan, Maya, London, and Gavin.

and onto the cindy interview!

1. who is your literary character crush?

Usually whoever I’m writing about at the time.
For The Espressologist, it was Cam.

2. who is your author crush? (does not have to
be romantic!)

I can’t recall ever having an “author crush” but Meg
Cabot and Lauren Myracle are my all-time fav YA authors!

3. what is your favorite pastry?

Pain au chocolat

mm! one of my favorites too! great
w an americano or latte! =D

4. what is the favorite scene from your novel?

The last one. I loooooooove the ending.

Thanks for having me Cindy!

thanks for stopping by, tina! and congratulations
on your debut!!

to learn more about kristina : kristinaspringer.com

and indiebound book love!

today, deb lauren bjorkman stops by!

About My Invented Life

Roz and Eva are sisters, close friends, and fierce rivals.
Roz fantasizes about snagging the lead in the school play
and sexy skate god Bryan as her boyfriend. Sadly a few
obstacles stand between her and her dreams. For one,
Eva is the more talented actress. And Bryan happens to be
Eva’s boyfriend. But is Eva having a secret love affair with
a girl? Enquiring minds need to know.

Roz prides herself on random acts of insanity. In
one such act, she invents a girlfriend of her own to
encourage Eva to open up. The plan backfires, and Roz
finds herself neck deep in her invented life. When Roz
meets a mercurial boy with a big problem, she begins to
understand the complex feelings beneath the labels. And
she gets a second chance to earn Eva’s trust.

My Invented Life is set in a small California high school
during rehearsals for a Shakespeare comedy.

About Lauren Bjorkman

Lauren Bjorkman grew up on a sailboat, sharing the
forecastle with her sister and the sail bags. Against all
odds, they are still friends. She enjoys making things up,
chocolate in large quantities, and anything that makes her laugh.
She lives in Taos, New Mexico with her husband, two sons, and
a cat that plays fetch.

the cindy interview!

1. who is your literary character crush?

Arg! I can’t make up my mind!!!. When I was little
(six, maybe?) I had a crush on the Beast from Beauty
and the Beast. I don’t know what that says about me.
Nothing good, I’m sure.

haha! beast is very manly, or er beastly, no?

2. who is your author crush? (does not have to
be romantic!)

Shakespeare. That guy can flirt! Even from the grave.

3. what is your favorite pastry?

Croissants. mmmmmm. Especially the ones filled
with sweet almond paste.

that’s also a favorite of mine. tho often, i can
be diverted by chocolate croissants. (and i’m not
a chocolate fiend but the combo is so divine.)
imagine my cross-eyed surprise when i found a
chocolate AND almond paste croissant recently.

4. what is the favorite scene from your novel?

I love the romantic scenes best. But describing
one will spoil the story. I like the part where Roz
works in her high school cafeteria. The cafeteria lady’s
cantankerous behavior makes the experience all the
more demeaning…and funny. (I hope)

Thanks, Cindy!

thanks for stopping by, lauren.
and many congrats on your debut!!!
can’t wait to read it!

to learn more about lauren : laurenbjorkman.com
indiebound love!

today, lk, the author of flash burnout
is stopping by for her debs 09 tour!
i had the pleasure of reading her debut
and i really absolutely loved it. and i usually
am particular about my contemporary YA
novels. but this was one of my top five
favorite reads of the year and will probably
make it on the final list year end. very likely.
blake is a fantastic protagonist and i truly
fell in love with his voice!

About Flash Burnout

Fifteen-year-old Blake has a girlfriend and
a friend who’s a girl. One of them loves him,
the other one needs him.
When he snapped a picture of a street person
for his photography homework, Blake never
dreamed that the woman in the photo was his
friend Marissa’s long-lost meth addicted mom.

In a tangle of life, death, and love, Blake will
emerge with a more sharply defined snapshot of loyalty.

About L.K. Madigan

L.K. Madigan is a writer living in Portland, Oregon,
who finds it odd to speak in the third person. Therefore:

Hi. I am married with one son, two big black dogs,
hundreds of books, and a couple of beaters, I mean vintage cars.

and onto the cindy interview!

1. who is your literary character crush?

I have a big crush on Shrimp, from Rachel Cohn’s
Cyd Charisse books.

2. who is your author crush? (does not have to
be romantic!)

Cynthia Rylant! She can do anything.

3. what is your favorite pastry?

Pie! (Don’t make me choose just one! I love all pie!)
(Except coconut.)

i am the exact same with coconut and baked goodies.
hate it. i love it as a flavor for ice cream and fro yo tho!
i also love macroons, but preferably the almond kind,
which is not as easy to find as coconut.

4. what is the favorite scene from your novel?

Whoa. What a hard question! But I must admit to a
special fondness for the scene when Blake’s dad talks
to him about birth control. Neither one of them wants
to have that conversation. ☺

that one was pretty darned funny. i loved blake’s
dad. but you had some great scenes in you debut,
lk. i’d be hard pressed to choose myself.

congrats on writing such a fantastic book!!
i’m team blake all the way. =D

to learn more about lk madigan : lkmadigan.com

and indiebound love!

today, deb megan crewe is here to
talk about her debut, which i had
found honest and compelling.

About Give Up the Ghost

Cass McKenna much prefers the company of
ghosts over “breathers.” Ghosts are uncomplicated
and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody…
and Cass loves dirt. She’s on a mission to expose the
dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers
her secret, Cass’s whole scheme hangs in the balance.
Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased
mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim’s life, she’s
surprised to realize he’s not so bad–and he needs help more
desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it’s time to give
the living another chance…

About Megan Crewe

Like many fiction authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about
herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite
facts: she lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and two cats
(and does on occasion say “eh”), she tutors children and teens with
special needs, and she has yet to make friends with a ghost, though
she welcomes the opportunity.

and the cindy interview!

1. who is your literary crush?

I have a total crush on Gen/Eugenides from
Megan Whalen Turner’s Attolia books.

most definitely a huge gen crusher myself!
who can help herself?

2. who is your author crush?
(does not have to be romantic.)

I deeply admire Roald Dahl, for writing such funny,
clever stories that still have a ton of emotional resonance.

3. what is your favorite pastry?

Butter tarts–with pecans, not raisins!

i’m not sure i know what butter tarts
are?! *gasps*

4. what is the favorite scene from your novel?

I can’t pick just one! In the interests of not being
spoilery, I’ll say the one where Cass and Tim first talk,
by the beach. It’s the first time in the story she’s really
off balance, and was a lot of fun to write.

definitely a great scene!

to learn more about megan : megancrewe.com

and indiebound love!

congrats on your debut, megan!

About Candor

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In
a town where his father brainwashes everyone,
he’s found a way to secretly fight the subliminal
Messages. He’s got them all fooled: Oscar’s the
top student and the best-behaved teen in town.
Nobody knows he’s made his own Messages to
deprogram his brain. But then Nia Silva moves to
Candor, and Oscar falls in love. He must choose
whether to let Nia be lost to brainwashing—or to
sacrifice himself.

About Pam Bachorz

Pam Bachorz grew up in a small town in
the Adirondack foothills, where she participated
in every possible performance group and assiduously
avoided any threat of athletic activity. Pam attended
college in Boston and finally decided she was finished
after earning four degrees. Her mother is not happy
that Pam’s degrees are stored under her bed.

Pam lives just outside Washington, DC with her
husband and their son. She likes to read books not
aimed at her age group, go to museums and theater
performances, and watch far too much television.
She even goes jogging. Reluctantly.

As far as she knows, Pam has never been brainwashed.
Or maybe that’s just what she’s supposed to say.

and the cindy interview…

1. Who is your literary character crush?

Gilbert Blythe. Oh how you challenge Anne
Shirley. An oh how you love her for her wit
and spark and brains.

2. who is your author crush? (does not have to
be romantic!)

Pete Hautman blows me away, and I am also a
big Scott Westerfeld fan. I also jump on every
Gail Giles and Nancy Werlin release.

3. what is your favorite pastry?

Dunkin’ Donuts FROSTED coffee rolls. Only frosted,
which seems to be something you can only find in
the south shore of Boston. Bummer, since I don’t live
there anymore.

this makes me sad that you don’t have easy
access to your favorite pastry!

4. what is the favorite scene from your novel?

The last chapter. Shock. Pain. Disbelief. Love it.

oooh.

to learn more about pam : http://www.pambachorz.com/

and to buy candor from an indie bookstore!

thanks for stopping by, pam. congrats on your debut!

fall book season is in full swing and
today, jennifer brown stops by to talk about
her debut, HATE LIST!

About Hate List

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend,
Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot
trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saves
the life of a classmate, but is implicated in the
shootings because of the list she helped create.
A list of people and things they hated. The list
her boyfriend used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced
to confront her guilt as she returns to school to
complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory
of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky
relationships with her family, former friends and the
girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with
the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order
to make amends and move on with her life.

About Jennifer Brown

Jennifer Brown is the author of HATE LIST, a YA novel
coming out in September 2009. As a two-time winner
of The Erma Bombeck Global Humor award and weekly
columnist for The Kansas City Star, as well as Saturday
Featured Blogger for Mom2MomKC.com, Jennifer spends
a lot of time dressing up her dog for laughs and thinking
of new ways to works words such as “Puh-lease” and
“Ch-yeah!” into sentences. Jennifer grew up in the Kansas
City, Missouri area, where she still lives with her husband,
three kids, and whole herd of uncooperative pets.

and the cindy interview!

1. who is your literary character crush?

Oh, there are so many! But if I were to choose one
out of a hat today, and thinking crush-crush, not
oh-I-really-admire-that-person crush, but *fans self*
crush… it would be… Ranger, in the Janet Evanovich
Stephanie Plum series. Seriously, he’s way hot!

2. who is your author crush? (does not have to
be romantic!)

Marian Keyes, because I’ve never read something
of hers I didn’t just absolutely love and wish I’d written!

3. what is your favorite pastry?

I’m not big on pastry, really. Got any cake?

4. what is the favorite scene from your novel?

The scenes with Val and her therapist, Dr. Hieler.

congrats on your debut, jennifer!!

to learn more about jennifer : jenniferbrownYA.com

and indiebound love to purchase her debut!

a quickie before i head off to nyc!

About As You Wish

Seven months ago, Viola’s boyfriend told her
he was gay—moments before she was going
to lose her virginity to him. Heartbroken, Viola
has resigned herself to near invisibility, until she
inadvertently summons a young jinn out of his world,
Caliban, and into her own. Here he will remain until
she makes three wishes.

Jinn is anxious to get back to Caliban, but Viola is
terrified of wishing, afraid her wishes will be
manipulated into curses. Jinn knows that should she
wait too long, the Ifrit, guardians of earthbound jinn,
will press her to wish by hurting those around her.As
they spend time together, Jinn can’t deny that he’s slowly
falling in love with Viola, blurring the lines between master
and servant. It’s only after Viola makes her first wish—
for a popular boy to love her—that she realizes the
feelings are mutual.

With every wish Jinn’s time with her diminishes, but
the longer she waits to wish the greater danger she’s
in from the Ifrit. Together, Viola, Jinn, and Viola’s
ex-boyfriend try to outwit the Ifrit while dealing with
their own romantic complexities and the alcohol-laced
high school social scene.

About Jackson Pearce

Jackson Pearce is twenty-four years old and
currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with a slightly
cross-eyed cat and a lot of secondhand furniture.
She recently graduated from the University of Georgia
with a degree in English and a minor in Philosophy and
currently works for a software company even though
she auditioned for the circus (she juggled and twirled
fire batons, but they still didn’t want her). Other jobs
she’s had include obituaries writer, biker bar waitress,
and receptionist.

In addition, Jackson coaches both colorguard
and winterguard at a local high school; she’s
taught over four hundred students since starting
six years ago. Coaching provides the greatest
“research” for writing YA that she could ever ask
for and has introduced her to some of the most
unique characters she’s ever met.

Jackson began writing when she got angry that
the school librarian couldn’t tell her of a book
that contained a smart girl, horses, baby animals,
and magic. Her solution was to write the book
herself when she was twelve. Her parents thought
it was cute at first, but have grown steadily more
concerned for her ever since.

alas, no cindy interview today!

to learn more about jackson : jacksonpearce.com

and indie bookstore love!

today, fellow deb sydney salter is here for
her SECOND book releasing this year. incredible.
her debut was MY BIG NOSE AND OTHER NATURAL
DISASTERS. i had the pleasure of meeting sydney
at the los angeles scbwi conference and she and
her husband (who also came to hang out) are just
the cutest couple. every time i saw them, i smiled! =D

About Jungle Crossing

Thirteen-year-old Kat can think of dozens of
good reasons not to go on a boring family vacation
to hot, grungy Mexico. Number one: missing her
friend Fiona’s minicamp. If she’s not there, she’ll begin
eighth grade as a social reject. And it looks like she’s
the odd girl out on vacation, too. When Kat’s parents
arrange for her and her younger sister, Barb, to go on
a teen adventure tour, Barb makes more friends than
she does. The only person who will talk to Kat is Nando,
a young Mayan guide (who happens to be quite a cutie).
Each day as they travel to different Mayan ruins, Nando
tells Kat and Barb another installment in the original
legend of Muluc, a girl who lived in the time of the
Ancient Maya. The dangerous, dramatic world in which
Muluc lives is as full of rivalry, betrayal, jealousy, and
sacrifice as Kat’s world at school. And as she makes
new friends and discovers new treasures in Mexico,
Kat begins to wonder: Is she willing to keep sacrificing
her self in exchange for popularity?

About Sydney Salter

Sydney Salter’s fascination with Mayan culture started
when she was six years old and climbed down a steep,
dimly lit stone staircase to the elaborately carved tomb
of King Pacal who had once ruled Palenque. Visiting
Mayan ruins, walking through fragrant Mexican market
places, watching women wash clothes in a river, and
chasing lizards in the jungle ignited the spark in
Sydney’s imagination that led to writing Jungle
Crossing. Sydney now lives in Utah with her husband,
two daughters, two cats, and two dogs. She loves reading,
writing, cooking, and traveling—especially to Mexico where
she can explore ancient Mayan ruins and swim in underground rivers.

and the infamous cindy interview!

1. who is your literary character crush?

Atticus Finch. He’s so noble, plus I do kind of
think of Gregory Peck’s movie version, which
makes him pretty dreamy too.

loved that book and the film as well. peck was
wonderful as atticus.

2. who would you like to see play your hero/heroine
of your novel in a film?

Kat would need to be played by a spunky young actress
like Abigail Breslin.

3. what is your favorite treat?

A chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting.
And maybe some sprinkles.

i love sprinkles! good choice!!

4. what is the favorite scene from your novel?

I love the scene in which Kat sneaks through the
barrier ropes and climbs the El Castillo pyramid in
Chichen Itza. And that’s one I had to rewrite because
when I first drafted the novel any tourist could climb
the pyramid, but it’s since been closed to visitors.
I like the new scene SO much better!

i climbed up that pyramid! how sad it’s closed
to tourists now! it was may and SO HOT! but an
incredible sight/site.

congrats on your SECOND book coming out,
sydney. amazing!

to find out more about sydney : sydneysalter.com

buy her book from a local indie!