How did you get started on writing?

I wrote my first book, a children's book, when I was 5.  I guess books were always in my blood.  I used to read hundreds of books every year-- I just couldn't get enough!

Have you ever considered giving up? If so, why?

I did give up, for about 10 years during college and afterwards.  I had myself convinced that ( Read more... )

Hi Jessica! Thanks for taking the time to answer these interview questions.
Tell us about your novel, Take the Reins.

Take the Reins (Canterwood Crest #1) follows small-town girl Sasha Silver to a ritzy Connecticut boarding school. Sasha and her horse, Charm, compete with the equestrian elite at Canterwood Crest.

What is your main character's ( Read more... )

Shadowed Summer is a southern gothic ghost story. When the specter of a long-missing teen decides to speak to fourteen year old Iris Rhame, Iris is compelled to spend the summer searching for him. She enlists best friend, Collette- who's gone and turned all boy crazy on her- and Ben, the boy making Collette crazy, to help her in her search. But as ( Read more... )

Well, it's my debut, and it's about first love, homicidal faeries, and suburbia. In it, Dee falls in love with an enigmatic, cute guy, Luke, who turns out to be a soulless faerie assassin. And she's meant to be his next mark.

It's been a kind of wild ride. Since I signed the contract for LAMENT last year, I've gotten three starred reviews for it, ( Read more... )

It's about a girl, Alice, who's mother died years ago from cancer, but Alice still misses her very much, and is having a hard time accepting her stepmother and new half sister. When she gets stuck in a snow storm with them, she starts to see that maybe they aren't as bad as she was making them out to be.

What is your main character's theme song?
( Read more... )

Hi Courtney! Thanks for taking the time to answer my interview questions.
Tell us about your debut YA novel, Cracked Up to Be.

Straight from the summary, because I'm a lazy:  Perfect Parker Fadley isn't so perfect anymore.  She's quit the cheerleading squad, she's dumped her perfect boyfriend, and she's failing school.  Her parents are on constant ( Read more... )

Check out mandywriter 's Pride and Prejudice in the young adult section of your local bookstore in June 2009.

NEXT WEEK:
An interview with Courtney Summers, whose debut YA novel CRACKED UP TO BE is coming out this December.

I got started when I was in grade school, because I liked making up stories.  I kept at it because I still like making up stories.

What is the most rewarding aspect of publishing a book?

The most rewarding aspect of publishing a book is that you get to talk about the characters that have lived inside your head for years and years with ( Read more... )