GCC Presents . . .um, Me!!!

Even if you're only a semi-reader of this blog (as opposed to those who eagerly await each and every post--you're out there, right Mom??) then you probably know I've been a member of the awesome group, the Girlfriends Cyber Circuit, for awhile now. You know the one where we interview all sorts of amazing YA authors about their exciting new books, then post those very same interviews on our blogs?

Well, as it happens, this week's featured author is me. Which means I'll be heavily immersed in some serious blog hopping among my fellow GCC sisters.

And with tomorrow being EVERMORE's official release day and all, and since I wanted to come up with some kind of promo worthy type piece for my own blog, I figured I'd take a stab at the very same set of 5 questions I ask all of my GCC sisters to answer!

So here, without further ado, is my own GCC interview of--me! 

Here's the story:

Enter an enchanting new world where true love never dies . . .EVERMORE, the first book in 

Alyson Noël’s extraordinary new series

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s entire life story by touch. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen.

Damen Auguste is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He’s the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head—wielding a magic so intense, it’s as though he can see straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she’s left with more questions than answers. She has no idea just who he really is—or what he is. The only thing she knows to for sure is she’s falling deeply and helplessly in love with him . . .

Here's the trailer:

Here's where you can read an EXCERPT.

Here's where you can read the REVIEWS (or just look to the right and scroll down!)

Here's the same 5 questions I always ask:

1. Every story has a back story--what's the backstory for your book?

Well, a few years ago I lost 3 people I loved in 5 horrible months, and just when it seemed the dust was beginning to settle, my husband was diagnosed with leukemia and it felt like my entire world was crashing down. A year later, when he was in full remission, I wrote SAVING ZOE and CRUEL SUMMER, both of which explore the subject of grief and unavoidable change. But when it came time to write my next book, I realized I had more to say on the subject, though I wanted to do so in a much different way by giving the story a paranormal twist and pushing the boundaries between life and death, and the story of EVERMORE came pouring out of me! 

2. What's your work environment like? Any rituals, totems, or must haves?

I work in a home office that also serves double duty as a work out room. So along with my laptop and desktop, fax, printers, and phone, there's also a treadmill, stationary bike, and green rubber exercise ball, along with an assortment of gadgets promising to build a trimmer, stronger, healthier me--providing it actually gets used of course!  There's a small TV on the wall in case I need to watch Oprah or something, some book shelves overflowing to the point where all titles are now double stacked (with the ones I invariably need shoved deep into the back), and while my desk is by all accounts, made of standard issue stuff, it does sport a tiny photo of my husband and I taken a few years back when I was experimenting with super short hair, a small, red, Oscar Meyer Weiner mobile that he picked up for me when he was visiting our niece and nephew in Oregon, which sort of serves as a symbol for how I managed to find the one person on this entire planet who totally gets me, and a Dwight (from The Office) bobble head doll who's all knowing, all seeing, slightly judgmental, gaze keeps me in line.

3. If you could live inside any book, which would it be?

Okay, now see? This is one of those questions that I felt so cool for asking my fellow GCCers to answer--and yet, now that I'm supposed to answer it myself--I'm totally stumped.  I mean, should I say SCRUPLES the old Judith Krantz novel I read over and over again as a teen, dreaming of a life just like Billy Ikehorn's? Or perhaps, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, because of all that drama and passion and those damp, foggy, moors!!  Or, maybe HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON, because then I could have my own purple crayon and draw whatever I want, or maybe FRANNY AND ZOEY because I've never had such intellectual conversations with my brother, but that's probably because I don't have a brother . . . or maybe--oh-- OH!--I've got it! I can't believe I didn't see it before, it's been staring me in the face all this time-- BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S!!! Totally. No contest. But only if I get to be Holly!!

4. What book rocked your world growing up?

Anything by Judy Blume, with a special shout out to DEENIE, FOREVER, and ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET. 

In fact, Judy Blume still rocks my world! I met her two years ago at the ALA conference in DC and she was even more awesome than I hoped she would be!

5. If you could visit any time, place, or person--what, where, or who would it be?

No hesitation on this one, Renaissance Florence, all the way!  I'd hang out with da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Raphael . . . all of those amazing artists and inventors--but only if i can bring my modern day grooming habits with me! They weren't exactly known for their fresh breath and regular bathing!

Here's Alyson's backstory:

The official stuff:

Alyson Noël is the best selling, award-winning, author of FAKING 19, ART GEEKS AND PROM QUEENS, LAGUNA COVE, FLY ME TO THE MOON, KISS & BLOG, SAVING ZOE, CRUEL SUMMER, FIRST KISS (THEN TELL)- an anthology, and the upcoming IMMORTALS series including: EVERMORE (Feb 09), BLUE MOON (Aug 09), and three more titles for 2010. Among her awards and honors are: the National Reader’s Choice Award, NYLA Book of Winter Award, NYPL Books for the Teenage, TeensReadToo 5 Star Gold Award, TeenReads Best Books of 2007, Reviewer’s Choice 2007 Top Ten, nominated for a CYBIL award, Nominated for a Quill Award, Nominated for YALSA’s Teen’s Top Ten, chosen for the CBS Early Show’s “Give the Gift of Reading” segment, and selected for Seventeen Magazine’s “Hot List” and Beach Book Club Pick. Her titles have been translated into French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Hungarian, and Romanian.

Fast Alyson Facts:

Born and raised in The OC, Alyson's lived on the Greek island of Mykonos, the New York island of Manhattan, and now resides in Laguna Beach.

She is married to a brilliant man who is so good at so many things she sometimes wonders if he's a secret immortal.

Her favorite color used to be turquoise, though it's been recently replaced by purple.

She and her BFF answer to the code name "Sthnark," which is purposely pronounced with a lisp. 

She's hopelessly addicted to: Seven jeans, Dior lip-gloss, Buffy DVD's, and playing Rock Band on the wii.

Even though she loves writing about immortals, she wouldn't actually want to be one herself.

For more interviews, check out my fabulous fellow sisters of the GCC:

Jennifer Banash

Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Lucienne Diver

Linda Gerber

Stacy DeKeyser

Teri Brown

Wendy Toliver

April Henry

Melissa Walker

Megan Kelly Hall

Eileen Cook

Stephanie Kuehnert

Sara Hantz

Carrie Jones

Jennifer Echols

Megan Crane

Karin Gillespie

Shanna Swendson

Amanda Ashby

Laurie Stolarz

Kelly Parra

Jennifer O'Connell