Book Diva

Yup, I’m a book diva! My “to be read” stack has grown and multiplied to where it is now three stacks, and yet, I keep on buying books as though they were shoes! Recently, I bought a gift set of Harry Potter, and they look so nice sitting on my shelf in their illustrated, cardboard home, that I’ve yet to read a single page—but I plan to, really!

And so, it’s only appropriate that I did a quick, fun interview with the real Book Diva, which you can read by clicking HERE.

Also, TWIST magazine deems KISS & BLOG a "So-Rad Read!" See what else they say by clicking HERE.

Happy Friday everyone!

Everyday is Like Sunday

Summer is always a super busy time around here, and so far, this one does not disappoint. In June I flew to Washington DC for the ALA annual convention, where I took part in a panel called, Teens Read! Where I actually got to sit next to Gossip Girls author Cecily Von Ziegesar who’s even cooler than you might imagine, the amazingly funny Sherman Alexie, author of Flight, and the completely awesome Laurie Halse Anderson who’s novel Speak took my breath away. And then on Sunday, I met my longtime hero Judy Blume and now I can die happy! Seriously, she’s funny, humble, and brilliant, and gave one of the best speeches I’ve ever heard. I think I lover her even more now!

The following week brought the arrival of my niece and nephew for their annual two weeks of surf camp. Only this year we brought them out for an extra week, because two weeks with those awesome kids just isn’t enough.

And even though it seems like KISS & BLOG was just released (actually it was May), I'm already getting excited about my September release SAVING ZOE, which recently received the 5 STARS GOLD AWARD from TeensReadToo, with owner, Jennifer Wardrip aka- The Genius saying:

“Although Alyson Noel is best known for her lighter, contemporary stories, she has taken a serious, heartbreaking plot line and turned it into a winner that you’ll never forget. I found myself as immersed into Zoë’s life as Echo did, and found it hard to put the book down the entire time I was reading. Ms. Noel has done an awesome job with this weightier subject matter, and I hope to read more stories in this vein from her in the future.”

You can read the entire review by clicking HERE.


And here’s an early peek at the back cover blurb:

It's been one year since the brutal murder of her older sister Zoë, and fifteen-year old Echo is still reeling from the aftermath. Her parent's are numb, her friends are moving on, and the awkward start to her freshman year proves she'll never live up to her sister's memory. Until Zoë’s former boyfriend Marc shows up with her diary.

At first Echo’s not interested, doubting there’s anything in there she doesn’t already know. But when curiosity prevails, she starts reading, becoming so immersed in her sister’s secret world their lives begin to blur, forcing Echo to uncover the truth behind Zoë’s life, so that she can start to rebuild her own.

Now available for preorder on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com!

Happy July everyone!
Alyson

Summertime!

Outside my window, it's definitely summer. But I'm staying inside, working on my next book.

I've been a little swamped lately, which has turned into a case of major blog neglect, and since it doesn't promise to let up anytime soon- I thought I'd leave you with some links of interviews and stuff I've been doing.

Here's a fun, meme type interview I did over at YA Books Central. They also had some very kind things to say about KISS & BLOG!

Want a free copy of KISS & BLOG and other teen books? Click HERE for your chance to win-- and then scroll down to read a nice review of KISS & BLOG!

Here's a great review of FLY ME TO THE MOON from the Watermark Bookstore/Cafe

Here's an interview I did over at EI Johnson's blog.


Have a good day everyone!



*****************************

Last Call

Hey Everyone-

This is the last time I'll post this- I promise!

Tomorrow, Sunday, May 20, at 3:00 P.M. I will be signing copies of my books and partaking in a "How to Write for the Teen Market" discussion along with author Debby Garfinkle at-

Latitude 33
311 Ocean Avenue
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949.494.5403

And I hope to see you there!

Also, I did this fun interview in the local Laguna Beach paper, The Coastline Pilot. Click HERE to read all about it!

Enjoy the weekend!

Pretty Persuasion

I have this friend, she’s a mother of two adorable girls. And every night before they go to bed they play this game where they name a part of themselves that they like, and then explain why it’s perfect. I love this. When my friend told me about it, I actually cried. Of course, I pretended it was just steam rising up from the Jacuzzi, but the truth was, I was touched.

I didn’t grow up loving much of anything about myself. I felt awkward and obtrusive and wondered why I got stuck with wavy hair when my friend’s all had straight hair (okay, I still battle with this). But the thing is, nobody ever sat me down and made me write an ode to my baby toe. And I can’t help but wonder if it would’ve made a difference. My friend’s daughters are wonderful, and confident, and charging through life, and if they’re any indication, I’m thinking it would've.

Growing up in California, a place where Christmas can find you wearing shorts and heading for the beach, you can’t help but be a little body conscious. There’s no hiding under big winter coats and bulky sweaters when it’s short sleeve weather for most of the year. But even if you don’t live in a warm weather place, there’s still that pervasive celebrity culture we’re constantly bombarded with. And the ironic thing is, that most of the stars we’re all trying to emulate don’t exactly look like that either. As a former flight attendant who flew the LA to NYC route more times than I care to remember, I had my share of celebrity sightings and I know this to be true. (With the exception of Natalie Portman and Beyonce who are even more beautiful in person—but I digress.)

The last two years I’ve spent a lot of time in cancer wards as several people I love and care about were diagnosed with the disease. And it gave me a whole new perspective on what makes someone beautiful. When people complimented my sister in law on her weight loss, she’d laugh and say it was the cancer diet. And suddenly being healthy grew way more important than being thin. Having a good hair day is always nice, but the courage and strength I saw when my brother in law lost his, was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that in a world that’s all too willing to point out your flaws, I think my friend’s solution is the perfect antidote. So the next time you’re looking in the mirror and hating on something, why not try to turn it around and pick one thing, anything, and remind yourself why it’s perfect.

Which part are you willing to love today?