The TFC Anniversary party continues . . .

Wow, I can’t believe it’s actually been 3 years since I first started blogging here—it just flew by! And yet after reviewing my old 2007 date book (yep, I actually did that!) I was amazed at just how much was going on back then.

In short:

Fly Me to the Moon, Kiss & Blog, and Saving Zoë were all published that year, and I did book signings, library talks, school visits, gave a keynote speech, took part on a few different panels at various events, and continued to take classes, and learn as much as I could about this ever-changing industry.

I also continued writing Evermore on the side (I started it in 2006), and was heavily involved in researching Ever & Damen’s world—getting hypnotized, taking psychic development classes, reading lots and lots of books about ghosts, spirits, reincarnation, etc. But, since I was actually contracted to write Cruel Summer, and not Evermore, it was a while before I found the time to finish it.

And as good as this writing career has turned out to be, with 10 published novels, 2 anthologies, 2 novels in various stages of production, 9 more under contract—and hitting bestseller lists in a way I never imagined—I don’t want to give the impression that it’s been non-stop tulips and champagne swilling—because it hasn’t.

This business is tough. And the truth is, it’s just as tough to stay published, as it is to get published—maybe tougher! And all the challenges that come along have an uncanny way of feeling really personal, even when they aren't.

Since signing my first book contract back in 2004, I’ve had 3 agents (third one is the absolute charm!), 3 editors, 1 publishing house, and countless meltdowns.

There were days when I cried, threw things, threatened to give up, and thought for sure I was just days away from having no choice but to squeeze back into the fugly, navy blue, polyester dress and bunion-inducing heels of my former light attendant career because I just wasn’t made of the right stuff.

Luckily, my husband was there to talk me off the ledge and convince me to keep on keeping on.

And while I absolutely love what I do, and wouldn’t change it for the world, writing is a very solitary business, which is why being part of this awesome group of writers and readers here at The Café has definitely served as one of the bright spots!

So, as a way to say Thanks to all of you awesome readers, I am giving away a signed copy of Shadowland along with an “eternity” bracelet (pictured at the top) from one of my favorite places to indulge, Dogeared.

All you have to do is leave a comment, and a winner will be chosen at random and announced on March 15th!!

Thanks for 3 awesome years everyone!

:)

Alyson

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Heavy Metal

So, as you’ve probably already gathered from the previous posts, this is embarrassing moments week. And as a person who’s suffered (and continues to suffer) such moments, I was really debating just which personal humiliation I’d be willing to share. I mean, which of the many horrifying events, (the landmarks of my life!), would I not just foist on you, dear reader, but also send out to the blogosphere where it can live on, indefinitely . . .

And it didn’t take long for me to decide that I wasn’t about to spill any of them. I mean, for years now I’ve denied those moments so successfully, there’s no use taking ownership of them now.

But then, right after I thought that, yet another embarrassing moment came to mind—one that I happen to relive on a daily basis. Or at least whenever I attempt to eat a sandwich, bite into a taco, or make headway on a sushi roll—out in the open—where everyone can see. And since this particular dirty little secret is becoming impossible to hide, I figured I might as well come clean with it now.

So here goes:

I, Alyson Noël, have an open bite.

Which means my top front teeth don’t make nice with my bottom front teeth.

Which also means they can’t tear food or successfully aid in the ingestion of any of the above items without the aid of a knife and fork. (Yes, I actually cut my tacos into small manageable pieces like you do with a toddler!). And just in case you don’t think this is embarrassing enough, I ask you when was the last time a tuna sandwich ended up on your chin, shirt, lap, and pretty much everywhere but your digestive track?

If by this point you’re thinking: Big deal! Just avoid these things and you’re golden! Well, you’d be right. But the thing is (oh, I also pronounce the word thing like theen not sure if this is open bite related?) sometimes I forget. Either that or I convince myself that this time will be different. Or I miscalculate the size of the petit four, thinking surely I can fit the entire theen into my mouth, only to find once it’s wedged half in-half out and refusing to go any further, that I can’t.

So after years of dealing with this, after years of talking about getting it fixed, I recently visited an orthodontist who told me I’ll need to wear braces for a year and a half, and possibly have jaw surgery in between that!

Yup, metal, rubber bands, and excruciating discomfort—all so I can eat a piece of pizza without suffering the shame of public humiliation.

Is it worth it? I haven’t decided. There are more consultations to come. But one thing is sure, a year’s worth of braces at my age is bound to bring on a whole new set of humiliating experiences, so at least I’ll have something to write about next time this topic comes around!

What about you? Did you ever wear braces? And if so, did you do it for food?

PS- WARNING!!! Shameless self promotion ahead!!! If this sort of thing sickens you, turn away now before it's too late!! Otherwise, read on . . .

It's Teens Read Week, which means it's time to vote for your favorite YA reads in YALSA's annual Teen's Top Ten Award and I'm happy to say that SAVING ZOE is nominated!!! If you read it and liked it and feel like voting, well, all you have to do is click HERE!

Thanks for indulging me!

Alyson- XOXO

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Promo Week!!

Well, it's promo week here at the cafe and while I don't have anything new to promo after all, CRUEL SUMMER has been out for a full two months!) this, in a nutshell, is what's going on with me:



SAVING ZOE recently won the National Reader's Choice Award-- and I was over the moon excited! And to be honest, I wasn't even sure I'd actually won until my good friend, the adorable and talented, Jessica Brody jumped up and down and screamed "YAY!" and I ran up to the podium to accept the reward and make a speech I barely remember (though I'm sure I used the word "awesome" at least once, maybe twice).




Also, CRUEL SUMMER was recently reviewed by the School Library Journal, and as the first part of the review is the usual plot summary, I'll just cut to the chase and show you the juice:

"The protagonist's venting and observations are alternately whiny, wistful, strident, and hilarious. Despite typical teen self-obsession, Colby is likable and ultimately well intentioned. As she deals with her feelings, she blunders her way rather charmingly into a new maturity."




Oh, and FLY ME TO THE MOON will soon be available for those who habla espanol--and I sure wish I did since I LOVE what they did with the cover!

And I just had a really fun phone interview with Andrew Horan, a writer over at Orange Coast magazine, where I indulged my secret guilty pleasure, so secret it won't be revealed until October when it hits the stands! So I'll come back then and tell you what it is!

Well, that's it for me-- but if any of you are interested in winning a signed copy of CRUEL SUMMER (or a number of books!) then head over to the delightful Tera Lynn Child's blog
where she's doing a really cool Olympic themed giveaway-- but hurry, you have only until August 25th!


And speaking of the Olympics-- are any of you watching?? I've been staying up very late just to see Michael Phelps rack up the golds! Almost makes me want to work out! Almost . . .

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Utter Randomness

So we’re coming up on the end of “anything goes” week here at the café, and after reading all the great posts about summer movies, happy endings (in books!), and reading (darn you Sara for making me chose between writing and reading—I won’t do it, I tell you!)—I kind of drew a blank.

I mean, sure I could talk about the fact that CRUEL SUMMER was released on Tuesday

and received a 5 star review from TeensReadToo, with reviewer Cana Rensberger saying:

" . . .Teen girls will totally love CRUEL SUMMER by Alyson Noël. The story is told using letters home, the journal her mother gave her, “Colby’s Journal For Desperate Times…,” and her new blog. The range of emotions, devastating lows to breathtaking highs, and the intense feeling that everything affects her is so authentic. The reader will relate to her habit of over-thinking every comment, gesture, or word of an email, and the insecurity she feels around Yannis. I loved this book and totally devoured it. For this reason, I give it five stars!"

Or how the French Version of FLY ME TO THE MOON was recently released!

But that’s better saved for promo week.

So then I thought I could write about the awesome Book Talk I did last week at the Lewis Library and Technology Center

and how they even put together a craft table so readers could make their own journals like the one in SAVING ZOE

but then I remembered how I recently blogged about that on my blog.

Then I though, hey, I know, I’ll confess something juicy like:

How I very recently, Netflixed the season 1 DVD of BUFFY (I know, I know, I’m way past late on this one), and am now so incredibly hooked I’ve filled up my entire netflix “queue” with all seven seasons and ANGEL too.

Or, how I was once mistaken for Mariah Carey while shopping at Armstrong Nursery in Newport Beach. Seriously, this woman walked right up to me and asked if I was her. Even when I said no, she said she and her friends recognized me right away. And when I said no again, it was clear she didn't believe me. And, for the record, I was not wearing a tight spandex minidress, a lame bikini, or a slit up to here gown. Though I did have awfully big blonde hair and large dark sunglasses,which I promptly got rid of (yes, both the hair and the sunglasses).

But then I thought, um- nobody cares about that stuff. Maybe you should just make a list of all the upcoming events you’re looking forward to. Stuff like-

BEA (free books!), ALA (more free books!), RWA (get to meet some of my fellow café peeps!), the June 10 release of Jessica Brody’s THE FIDELITY FILES (READ IT! You will not be disappointed!), my niece and nephews annual surf camp visit (can’t wait til July!), long lazy days at the beach, finishing my WIP so I can actually read some of those free books, eating outside, BBQ’s, leaving the windows open to let the ocean breeze in . . .

But then I thought- Aw heck, I really don't know what to write. So I'll just leave you with this:

Have a good weekend everyone!

So tell me, any upcoming events you’re looking forward to?? Anything random you want to share?

Alyson Noel is the author of: FAKING 19, ART GEEKS AND PROM QUEENS, LAGUNA COVE, FLY ME TO THE MOON, KISS & BLOG, SAVING ZOE, FIRST KISS (THEN TELL)-an anthology, CRUEL SUMMER, and EVERMORE (April 2009).

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Promo Week!

Well it's promo week here at the Teen Fiction Cafe, and what better way to kick off the New Year than to win a free book??

This time around, I'm giving away a copy of FIRST KISS (THEN TELL), a compilation of the all too true stories of twenty-some YA authors (including yours truly!) writing about their first kiss experiences.

Now I admit, when I was first approached to do this, the second after I said YES! I panicked.

Seriously panicked.

Thinking—no way can I tell that story!

I mean, I'd successfully banished it from my memory bank, blocked it out for a reason. But, as they say, truth really is stranger than fiction--or in my case more humbling, more desperate, more overall embarrassing!

So if you're up for reading all the cringe worthy details... all you have to do is leave a comment telling me where you were (basement, golf course, Dumbo ride at Disneyland?) when the big moment occurred. . . and one of you will receive your very own autographed copy!

(Small Print= comment deadline is Midnight Jan. 5).

Also, in the spirit of self promotion, my next book, CRUEL SUMMER, will be in stores this May, and I can hardly wait! The cover is awesome, but since there are still a few minor tweaks to be done I'll wait to post it. But I will say that it's the story of OC native, Colby, a high school junior, poised for the best summer of her life, when her parents decide to get divorced and pack her off to live on a tiny Greek island with her aunt. And even though she definitely does not want to go, she ends up experiencing a summer she'll never forget . . .

Also, I'm thrilled to say that SAVING ZOE was awarded the TeensReadToo 5 star/Gold Award, was chosen as one of TeenReads "Best Books of 2007" and was recently mentioned on the CBS "Early Show" as one of three books to buy for teens! As this book was born out of a period of intense grief, I'm over the moon thrilled, and just wanted to thank all of you who supported it!

And sometime over the next few weeks (sorry, I don't have an exact date) my interview with ETAccess will air. You can check it out HERE.

So don't forget to leave me a comment, letting me know exactly where you were the first time you found yourself lip-locked! And for those of you who haven't experienced this yet-- tell me where you wish for this moment to take place!!


Happy New Year everyone!
Alyson

Alyson Noel is the author of: FAKING 19, ART GEEKS AND PROM QUEENS, LAGUNA COVE, FLY ME TO THE MOON, KISS & BLOG, SAVING ZOE, FIRST KISS (THEN TELL), and CRUEL SUMMER. You can visit her at www.alysonnoel.com

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Tell Me 'Bout It

Following in the footsteps of my fellow Teen Fiction Café patron, Amanda Ashby, here’s the thing about me and current events- I’m not really all that up on them. Oh sure I saw a brief clip of Britney lip synching in a black bikini, heard something about OJ getting cuffed, did a little happy dance when Ricky Gervais (genius creator of my fave TV show “The Office”) won an Emmy for the equally brilliant “Extras” (even though I didn’t actually watch the Emmys), but for the most part, well, I’m working. And when I’m working, the only current events are my own.

Like Saturday, when I helped my husband load a refrigerator onto a rented truck, only to sit in traffic forever (welcome to California!), so I could get home, do a quick change, and follow my BFF to four different parties (just another Saturday night for her- totally exhausting for me), making for a bleary eyed Sunday morning when we had to wrangle said fridge out of the truck and into the house.

Oh yeah, and last week I went here---

Donated Saving Zoë to the local library in memory of a dear friend (as I do with all of my books)

And had an overall, amazing time!

But now I hear that Michael Douglas learned how to operate a backhoe and spent time at Costco (a first for him!) while researching his latest movie role- and apparently he is now a big fan of both earth shoveling and big box shopping!

Oh, I can feel the lure of celebrity news pulling me in!

What about you- how do you keep up with current events (or celebrity scandal masquerading as current events!) -?

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