GCC Presents . . .Teri Brown!!!

Hey Everyone,

This week I'm thrilled to be hosting fellow YA author and Teen Fiction Cafe blogger, Teri Brown, who's fabulous debut novel, READ MY LIPS, is available now!!

Here's a little about the book:

Popularity is as easy as a good secret.

Serena just wants to fly under the radar at her new school. But Serena is deaf, and she can read lips really well—even across the busy cafeteria. So when the popular girls discover her

 talent, there’s no turning back.

From skater chick to cookie-cutter prep, Serena’s identity has done a 180…almost. She still wants to date Miller, the school rebel, and she’s not ready to trade her hoodies for pink tees just yet. But she is rising through the ranks in the school’s most exclusive clique.

With each new secret she uncovers, Serena feels pressure to find out more. Reading lips has always been her greatest talent, but now Serena just feels like a gigantic snoop….

Here's what people are saying:

Read My Lips is an attention grabbing page turner. Serena is a smart and edgy narrator, who is quite normal desp

ite her condition, and doesn't seek attention because of it. Her desire to fit in is something that we can all empathize with, and the lengths that she goes to do so are relatable. But it's how she fights back and overcomes those that belittle her that makes Read My Lips such a compelling and quick read. Read My Lips is a delightful mix of complex characters, biting wit, and the angst that comes with making new friends." — The Compulsive Reader

"This was a stunning book...completely captivating. The storyline was completely original and was very enjoyable.... The characters were three dimensional and I felt like Serena was my best friend. It was also very easy to relate to Serena. While I have no idea what it's like to be deaf, I do know how it feels trying to fit in and be accepted. What I loved is how Serena was able to stay true to herself and while she deterred a little bit, she always came back to her true self. I...completely look forward to more books by the fabulous Teri Brown, who I may add is a member of the amazing Class of 2k8." — And Another Book Read

Here's the same

 5 questions I always ask:

1. Every has a backstory, what's the backstory for your book?
My niece is profoundly deaf and after she was diagnosed, my mother-in-law became very active in deaf advocacy. She used me as a sounding board for her ideas and the seeds of Read my Lips were planted during that time.

2. What's your work environment like? Any rituals, totems, or must haves?
I live in a small 1969 ranch house in the burbs. In other words, tiny! All our bedrooms are inhabited by a combination of humans and animals and I worked for a long time in the corner of the living-room, which wasn’t working out so well. Since we eat most of our meals in front of the TV, (And what American family doesn’t!)I ditched the dining room table and set up shop there. It kind of sucks during the holidays, but other than that, it works out well. And usually, my desk is pretty cluttered, though not as bad as some I’ve seen!

3. If you could live inside any book-- which would it be?
There’s a book I read when I was a teen called, An Apple Every Day, by Grace Richardson. It was written in 1969, (Way before I was a teen!) and set in a progressive boardingschool. I loved that book. Loved it. I would love to live in that boarding school and hang with those kids.

4. What book rocked your world growing up?
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I loved Judy Blume's book, but nothing caught my imagination like Francie’s world in turn of the century Brooklyn.

5. If you could visit any time, place, or person- what, where, or who would it be?
Dian Fossey at the Karisoke research station. I saw the national geographic article when it first came out and I was enchanted.

Here's the scoop on Teri:

Teri Brown turned to writing in a desperate attempt to keep from having to get a paying job at her local McDonalds. Fortunately, she's been successful, and her debut young adult novel, Read My Lips (Simon Pulse), came out June, 2008. She is also a contributing editor for iParenting Media, and her magazine credits include Writer’s Digest, Women’s Health and Fitness, Dog Fancy, and Oregon Coast Magazine, among others. Teri lives with her husband and children in a dilapidated 1969 ranch style house in Portland, Oregon. To read more about Teri and her books, click HERE.