20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

20 Boy Summer

Sarah Ockler

OVERVIEW

Frankie and Ann have been best friends since they can remember. They are practically sisters, joined at the hip. Frankie has done all there is to do with boys. Anna has zero experience, hence, 20 boy summer. Vacationing in California, what’s there not to love? Beach, Boys, Summer and just plain ole fun in the sun. These girls are headed towards the Absolutely Best Summer Ever. Anna might even finally find that summer romance Frankie is dying for her to have.

From The Back Cover:

“Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores wh at it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.”

REVIEW

I don’t even know where to start. The paragraph on the back says it all, no joke. I would have never guessed that this was Sarah’s debut.

20 Boy Summer is a heartbreaking, tear jerking, mouth laughing, gush of awesomeness that told the true meaning of friendships and relations. I soo totally recommend it to all readers!

I had no problems at all getting into this book, or feeling empathy for the characters. Sarah touches on such an intense subject, death, and getting over a loved one. But she’s wound it to where you actually find yourself enjoying reading about it. I don’t know if that means I have a twisted mind but I hope not. Sarah did such a wonderful job with 20 Boy Summer, I have no trouble knowing that she has a great career ahead of her.

The plot was a great one. I don’t know if I’ve read a book with the same premise as this one before. It was definitely one of a kind. Death is not a happy topic at all, but there’s more to it than crying and grieving. 20 Boy Summer not only touched on that part, but also on the ‘getting over it’ part. How do you really know when you’re over the death of a brother, a friend, ore more specifically, a secret “boyfriend”?

Anna was such an awesome character to read about. She was very well developed and I never felt left in the dark with her. Her story of first love was very sweet, one of those we all wish to have. You know, when you know it’s the real deal. Frankie definitely grew though out the book. After that destructive car ride, she completely forgot who she was. Luckily, she has a friend like Anna to remind her of the real Frankie underneath that powered face of hers. Sam was a sweet kid. He and Anna developed a true friendship, even though it only lasted a few weeks, everyone moment they had together was real and meant a lot to them.

After finishing the book, I heart, heart, heart, this cover, even more than I did before. And it makes a lot more sense now. The heart is truly much more significant than you think. The pieces of glass represent more than you know. And you’ll just have to read the book to understand it all.

On My Door Step XII

I totally "borrowed" this from The Story Siren. On My Door Step is just another name for In my mailbox, a topic where you share with everyone, on Sunday, what books you got during the week. It can be a book you borrowed, bought, or one you found on your door step. I thought I'd join in on the fun,when I can.



Wherever Nina Lies
Lynn Weingarten

Thanks to a contest I won via Jill of Reading Is Bliss!

Undone Winner!!

For those of you who don't know the drill, I'll do a quick run through as to how the winner was chosen. What I do is I write down all the names of the entrants, including extra entries. Then I go to Random.Org and get a randomized list. Afterward, I put in the number of entries and have Random.Org pick a number.

All together, there were 111entries!! YAY! And this was the winning number:

ONE HUNDRED TEN

I think it's soo cool that this person won. It's pretty funny actually cause she didn't really enter the contest. But because she spread the word about it, she got some entries in. But congrats to number 110. Since this is a special case, I will email her about what happened and see what she thinks about it. If she passes up on the prize, then another winner will be chosen.

Thanks to EVERYONE for participating in this giveaway. I had way more entries and entrants than any other contest! Don't forget to enter for A nose warmer and book template via Sarah Quigley and spread the word!! LINK

And Just to put it out there, Steph Su had the MOST RECRUITS this time around so CONGRATULATIONS TO HER!!!! Erika Lynn wasn't far being though. Keep it up!

.....and a Thank YOu to Random.org

21 Questions starring... Sarah Quigley

Today we have with us author, Sarah Quigley. Her debut novel, TMI, was just release on the 16, so if you already haven't you need to run into the nearest bookstore and grab a copy. From what I gather, you won't regret it! Also, if you stay tuned, Sarah has been gracious enough to offer up a signed bookplate AND a homemade crocheted nose warmer (her own design) to one lucky commenter. How neat is that?

Are you working on anything after TMI? If so can we get a sneak peak if not can we get a peak at TMI?
I am working on something new although it’s coming together slowly. I blame my daughter (hereafter referred to as the Bean), who just turned one. I’m concentrating on promoting TMI right now, and I hope to get serious about my new book this summer. I don’t want to say what it’s about yet because the final draft will probably bear little resemblance to what I’ve written so far. That was true for TMI.

I like to start out my days with a laugh. Soo… What makes you literally LOL?
My husband’s a funny guy, and he’s good at making me laugh when I need it most. If he’s not around and I need cheering up, I’ll pick up one of David Sedaris’s books or rewatch Napoleon Dynamite.

Has anything AMAZING happened to you as a writer? (Other than getting published?)
The story of how I got published is so amazing that I’m the envy of every writer I meet. I kept a blog for a long time. An editor at Dutton Children’s Books ran across it randomly and contacted me to see if I was interested in writing a young adult novel. We went back and forth with ideas for a few months. Then I got a contract. Normally, the road to getting a book contract is long and paved with rejection letters. I am incredibly lucky.

How about something EMBARRASSING?
A long time ago, I wrote a story on my blog about a boy that I kissed one summer. I foolishly used his real name in the story, and he recently emailed asking me to remove his name from my blog because he’d suffered some personal and professional embarrassment over it. I immediately deleted the post, but I still feel awful about it.

This is just priceless!

What/Who inspired you to become a writer?
1. When I was in first grade, some older kids came to my class and read us books that they’d written and illustrated themselves. I immediately went home and wrote a series of picture books about two best friends named Rocker and Mary.
2. When I was nine, my Aunt Julie gave me a diary. I have been journaling and blogging ever since.
3. My parents, my junior high English teacher, my husband, and Amanda, my best friend from college, all told me that I was a good writer and encouraged me to keep at it.

What would you do/be if you were not an author?
My day job for many years was teaching English as a second language to international college students. I stopped doing that when the Bean was born last year. I enjoyed teaching, and it’s possible I’ll return to it someday. For now, I am happy and grateful to be a full-time mom.

How do you associate with your fans? Are there any who’ve made a strong impression on you that you can’t forget?
Since TMI isn’t available to the masses yet, I don’t have fans outside of my family and friends, who are wonderful and supportive of everything I do. I’m curious about what readers will think of TMI and am looking forward to getting a little fan mail. I plan to respond—I know how exciting it is to contact an author and get a reply!

Who is your best friend? How long have you guys (gals) been friends?
My husband. We met freshman year of college and began dating when we were seniors. That was almost twelve years ago.

What’s a typical day like, when you’re not writing?
Pretty domestic. My husband gets up early with the Bean most mornings so that I can get some extra rest (or do yoga if I’m feeling motivated). After he leaves for work, the Bean and I spend lots of time playing with toys, reading books, going for walks, and hanging around parks. We run errands and go grocery shopping. While she naps, I read, write, or do a little housework. Trying to start dinner can be tricky with her underfoot, so it often has to wait until my husband gets home from work. We eat dinner, bathe the Bean, put her to bed, and relax together for a few hours. When I was younger, I didn’t imagine myself enjoying this type of lifestyle, but I truly adore it.

What's a weakness of yours?
I tend to assume the worst about people. For example, when I walked down the hall at school and passed a group of kids who were laughing, I always guessed that they were laughing at me. Even now, if someone doesn’t call me back or reply to an email, I worry that they’re ignoring me because they secretly can’t stand me.

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your closet right now?
My dusty pink silk cocktail dress. I bought it at Bloomingdale’s when I lived in New York. It cost more than I could really afford at the time, but I loved it so much that I bought it anyway. I’ve only worn it twice: to a friend’s wedding in 2005 and to a fancy restaurant for my birthday a couple of years ago. I would love an excuse to wear it again.

What could you eat all day long and never grow tired of?
Quesadillas made with refried beans, scallions, and cilantro, topped with sour cream and salsa. I eat a lot of those.

That’s pretty much making me hungry right now.

What’s your favorite fairytale? Have you ever thought of re-doing it?
I’ve actually written modern-day versions of “Cinderella” and “Rapunzel,” making the heroines a bit more proactive in improving their situations. Those were short stories, though, not novels.

When you get stuck writing, how do you unglue yourself?
I keep writing and try not to fixate or how well or poorly I’m doing it. Letting go of self-judgment is the key to getting through a writing block.

Which character from TMI do you relate to the most?
Unsurprisingly, I have a lot in common with Becca, the heroine of TMI. She shares my hobbies of knitting and baking. We like the same movies. Oh, and I’ve been known to overshare from time to time, just like her.

If TMI were to become a movie, who’d you like to play the main characters?
What a fun question! Here are my picks:

Becca: Jena Malone (Mary from Saved! and Lydia from Pride and Prejudice)

Katie: Martha MacIsaac (Becca from Superbad)

Jai: Lucas Grabeel (Ryan from High School Musical)

Evan: Paul Dano (Dwayne from Little Miss Sunshine)

Matt: Joe Jonas (of the Jonas Brothers)

In true Hollywood fashion, most of the actors playing teenage characters would not be teenagers in real life. In fact, I looked up the ages of all these celebrities, and everyone was born in 1984 except Joe Jonas (d.o.b. 8/15/89). How weird is that?

That is kinda weird. Maybe it’s some sort of sign. Isn’t George Orwell’s book titled 1984? Not that it really has anything to do with this. lol

Can you relate your book title, TMI, to your life in someway?
Funny you should ask. People have said “TMI” (or similar phrases like “Thanks for sharing”) to me so many times. I always hate hearing it, and I can’t help but feel a bit smacked down. At the same time, I do not always have the best judgment when it comes to personal boundaries, so sometimes I need to be put in my place.

What’s your favorite book?
I have many, but in the young adult genre, I am in awe of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart.

Where’s your favorite place to travel?
I would return to Italy in a heartbeat. The food, the people, the art, the architecture, the landscape…it was incredible.

Which character from TMI do you like the most?
Evan Johnson, Becca’s boyfriend. He’s so sweet and awkward, much more appealing to me than some cookie-cutter hottie that everyone else is crushing on. I’ve always had a thing for geeks, and Evan is most certainly that.

I also had loads of fun writing Nathan, Becca’s little brother. You’ll see why.

Little brothers are always fun.

Anything else you would like to share with us?
I’m looking forward to making the crocheted nose warmer for the lucky winner of this contest. I hope you’ll all drop by my web site, www.sarahquigley.com, for TMI Tuesdays, recipes, deleted scenes, and much more!

Thank you Sarah. We were glad to have you.
For all things Sarah visit her website and friend her on myspace.

CONTEST TIME!!!

Deadline: May 3 11:59pm California Time.
Who: Everyone. It's open WORLDWIDE

+1 Leave a comment answering one of the interview questions
+1 Spread the word about the contest
+1 Tell me where/who you heard about this contest from
+1 If someone heard about this contest from you

If any authors would like to Starr in 21 Questions, feel free to email me at stellargurl93[at]aim[dot]com and I'll tell you all you need to know.

New Blog on Campus

IN NIKKI'S HEAD

This is a blog created by Polo.Pony totally dedicated to Meg Cabot's Being Nikki, the sequel to Airhead. If you are a fan of Airhead, this is a blog you'll want to visit. There's going to be guest posts, reviews, and CONTESTS!!.

Speaking of which, the first contest is already up.
Polo.Pony is giving away a copy of Airhead and an ARC of Being NIkki. This is not one you'd want to miss! LINK

Kiss Me Kill Me AND Kisses and Lies WinnerS!!

Yay. I'm glad I'm soo much quicker to picking the winners this time, and I'm sure you are too. What made it easier and faster was that I already had a method to pick the winner, same as last one. So the hard part was just writing down all the names.

But for those of you who don't know the drill, I'll do a quick run through. What I do is I write down all the names of the entrants, including extra entries. Then I go to Random.Org and get a randomized list. Afterward, I put in the number of entries and have Random.Org pick a number. Since There were five winners this time, After every winner, I took that person's name out and randomized the list again. I figured that would increase everyone's chance of winning.

All together, there were 72entries!! YAY! And these were the lucky Winners!!!
(Click on the number to see if that's your blog. If it is, then You're a winner!!)

THIRTY-FOUR
ELEVEN
TWENTY-NINE
SIXTY-FIVE
FOURTY-ONE

CONGRATS!! So NUMBERS 34, 11, 29, 65, AND 41, you have 3DAYS(since it took me 3DAYs to pick the winners--Mon, Tues, Wed) to get in contact with me. If for some reason you've lost my email address (which is at the top of my page by the way) and don't get to me on time(by Saturday being the last day), a new winner will be chosen.

Thanks to EVERYONE for participating in this giveaway. I had A LOT of entries and entrants! Don't forget to enter for Undone by Brooke Taylor and spread the word!! LINK

And Just to put it out there, Erika Lynn had the MOST RECUITS this time around so CONGRATULATIONS TO HER!!!! Keep it up!

.....and a Thank YOu to Random.org

Teaser Tuesday XVI

I saw this over at Fizzy Thoughts and I thought it was interesting, so I decided to try it.

GRAB your current read OR the closest book to you
LET the book fall open to a random page.
SHARE with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
YOU also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
PLEASE avoid spoilers!


Indiscretion
Jude Morgan

page 60

" 'I mean in mental development -- women being so forward of us in that regard that we men need twelve or thirteen years' head start to put us on an equality.'

'That is very flattering, and surely meant to be.' "

21 Questions starring... Brooke Taylor

Today we have with us author, Brooke Taylor. Her debute, Undone, will celebrate it's one year release this July. If you haven't already gotten it, I say it's about time. BUT, if you stay tuned, Brooke has been gracious enough to offer up a copy of Undone for one lucky commenter AND It could be YOU!

Are you working on anything new right now? If so can we get a sneak peak if not can we get a peak at Undone?

I'm working on two different projects--both are similar in tone and age level to Undone. Can't share anything with you yet. Hopefully soon!

Oh Man! Not even a teeny wittel bit?

I like to start out my days with a laugh. Soo… What makes you literally LOL?
I LOL a lot. So just about everything. Frogs almost always make me LOL, they're just so weird and when they jump—well who wouldn’t LOL at that?

Yea, I laugh at like everything too.

Has anything AMAZING happened to you as a writer? (Other than getting published?)
The fact that someone I don’t know would send me fan mail is truly amazing. I mean unless you're planning to be an actress or musician--who would even think one day they would have a "fan"?

How about something EMBARASSING?
When I ran out of books at a signing and tried to sign a glossy postcard to no avail, that was pretty embarrassing.

What/Who inspired you to become a writer?
My teachers always encouraged me and I had several family members who were all very supportive as well. Without their support, I doubt I'd have ever tried.

What would you do/be if you were not an author?
I am a network administrator (aka computer geek) and I'm a hobby rancher as well--how's that for diversity, LOL.

Totally diverse.

How do you associate with your fans? Are there any who’ve made a strong impression on you that you can’t forget?
I love getting emails from fans and they are all special in their own way. But I think the ones who make the biggest impression on me are the ones who have had trouble getting into books or finishing them and have finished Undone. I think that is so cool!

Who’s your best friend? How long have you guys (gals) been friends?
This sounds corny--but my mom. She's pretty cool and looks like she could be my sister—so no one has to know she’s my mom.

Some guy asked me if I was my mom's sister before. I don't know if he was abusing me, or complimenting my mom. Either way I wasn't pleased.

What’s a typical day like, when you’re not writing?
If I'm not working the day job, I'm playing with my horses or my dogs.

What's a weakness of yours?
Bad boys, white chocolate, and books. Oh--you just asked for one--books.

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your closet right now?
I have a custom t-shirt with anime versions of all my dogs. It's probably my favorite.

What could you eat all day long and never grow tired of?
Ooh, that's tough. I think everything I love I would get tired of--but I drink Diet Coke in insanely unhealthy amounts--so if that counts than Diet Coke. Otherwise, hmm, white chocolate covered strawberries.

What’s your favorite fairytale? Have you ever thought of re-doing it?
I like Cinderella, but it's been done enough.

When you get stuck writing, how do you unglue yourself?
I create music soundtracks for the story and listen to the songs, that always putsme right there in the story.

Which character from Undone do you relate to the most?
There's a little bit of me in all of them, I think. Except maybe Cole--she's just too perfect.

If Undone were to become a movie, who’d you like to play the main characters?
Kristen Stewart as Kori, Ellen Page as Serena, Thomas Dekker as Becks, and Taylor Kitcsh as Shay.

Can you relate your book title, Undone to your life in someway?
I think one’s life is always in some state of "undone"--currently undone in my life-my next book, LOL.

What’s your favorite book?
Dracula by Bram Stoker

Where’s your favorite pace to travel?
Like ever, of all time? Africa. I went when I did Semester at Sea and it was amazing. AMAZING. Would love to go again.

I'm from Africa. I'm glad you liked it there. =)

Which character, from Undone, do you like the most?
I like Shay. Did I mention I have a weakness for bad boys?

Anything else you would like to share with us?
I just put on Cherry Carmex. Just thought I'd share that :-P

so random. I don't go anywhere without my carmex, but I like the original better than the cherry.

Thank you Brooke. We were glad to have you.
For all things Brooke visit her websites, here or here, and friend her on myspace.

CONTEST TIME!!!

Deadline: April 17 11:59pm California Time.
Who: Everyone. It's open WORLDWIDE

+1 Leave a comment answering one of the interview questions
+1 Spread the word about the contest
+1 Tell me where/who you heard about this contest from
+1 If someone heard about this contest from you


If any authors would like to Starr in 21 Questions, feel free to email me at stellargurl93[at]aim[dot]com and I'll tell you all you need to know.

21 Questions starring... Lauren Henderson

**UPDATE. CONTEST WILL END THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 5, INSTEAD!!

Today we have with us author, Lauren Henderson. Her follow up to Kiss Me Kill Me, Kisses and Lies, was release back in January, so go get you a copy; of course you’ll need to get Kiss Me Kill Me first. From what I gather, you won't regret it, and it’s a MUST to read the series in order! Also, if you stay tuned, Lauren has been gracious enough to offer up Kiss Me Kill Me AND Kisses and Lies to not one, not two, but FIVE lucky commenters!

Are you working on anything new right now? If so can we get a sneak peak if not can we get a peak at the Kiss Me Kill Me series?
Yes I am! I just finished a bonkbuster (that’s the UK term for a big,
sex-and-shopping, naughty beach read of a book) for a UK publisher. It’s called DIVAS and it’s written under the name of Rebecca Chance (because publishers hate it when you write all kinds of different books under your own name). It’s about two very different heroines, a spoilt socialite heiress and a pole dancer, who have to come together to battle their enemy, the heiress’s evil stepmother, to get their inheritances back.

I’m also just finishing the third in the Kiss Me Kill Me Series. It’s called Kiss In The Dark and will come out January 2010. Scarlett is cast in the school play and has to learn trapeze, while investigating a mysterious death at school that’s very closely linked to her relationship with Jase Meanwhile, Plum’s being a total bitch (no surprises there).

I really like that word bonkbuster. The description totally fits it.

I like to start out my days with a laugh. Soo what makes you literally LOL?
Oh blimey. Awful reality TV shows, to which I am addicted. I really got into Rock of Love 1 & 2 and laughed a lot at those (while covering my face in horror at how idiotic some of the girls were). Right now I actually like The Big Bang Theory on TV, even though it’s a bit sexist that the guys are all ugly and the lone girl is gorgeous, but I think the nerds on it are really funny.

Has anything AMAZING happened to you as a writer? (Other than getting published?)
Selling the movie rights of my non-fiction book, Jane Austen’s Guide To
Dating, to the girl who wrote Legally Blonde and 10 Things I Hate About You. She’s planning to produce it as a movie, and even if that never happens I made a lot of money (for me) and I’ve got to read a movie script of a book of mine (from a completely made-up story, as the book really is a dating guide). Which was a ton of fun.

How about something EMBARASSING?
Hmm, as a writer? Probably some of the Russian covers for my Sam Jones mystery series. The one for Strawberry Tattoo was, uh, pretty weird.

What/Who inspired you to become a writer?
Well, I love the Modesty Blaise series by Peter O’Donnell, and that really made me realize that you could write an action series with a strong, resourceful heroine that I could really identify with. However, to be honest, when I started writing my Sam Jones mystery series, 13 years ago, I did it because there weren’t any women authors who were writing strong, funny, sexy, tough heroines, and I wanted to create a series that I would want to read! Now things have really changed, thank goodness, and there are tons of women writing books where the heroines aren’t pathetically weak and need a man to save them (I mean, the Twilight series is a lot of fun but I myself prefer a heroine that can save herself. I’d rather have the superpowers myself than have my boyfriend have them!!)

What would you do/be if you were not an author?
I’d definitely be a makeup artist. I LOVE doing makeup on myself and my friends and making them even prettier, or at least sparklier, than they are already! I’ve done three friends for their weddings and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.

How do you associate with your fans? Are there any who’ve made a strong impression on you that you can’t forget?
Well, there was the guy in Manchester with very few teeth who followed me around so much my scary girlfriends had to get rid of him!! But I love to be in touch with my fans. I mean, you write books to find an audience who loves them, so there’s very little I like better than to have fans get in touch with me. Seriously!! My website right now is www.tartcity.com , which will be updated to
www.laurenhenderson.co.uk http://www.laurenhenderson.co.uk soon, and please visit me on those and on myspace under mslaurenhenderson

Who’s your best friend? How long have you guys (gals) been friends?
My sister Lisa. And we haven’t always been friends, as anyone who has a sister will understand!! But she’s the person I ring and talk to and confide in most, so that has to be my best friend. I’m also very close to Stella Duffy, a fantastic writer who I share Tart City with, and her wife Shelley Silas. But my husband Greg is also my best friend (we’ve been together since the day we met, which is five years now). Wow. That’s a hard question. I’m really lucky, I have lots of amazing friends. I didn’t even get to my friend Sophie in Italy, I’ve seen her through a tough divorce and she’s seen me through tons of stuff I value my friends more than almost anything and work really hard at maintaining my friendships.

I totally get your relationship with your sister. I Love mine to death. We’re so crazy when we’re together!

What’s a typical day like, when you’re not writing?
Ugh, I haven’t had a day without writing or planning a book for so long I can barely remember, as I’m doing both the Scarlett Wakefield/KISS series and the bonkbusters under the name of Rebecca Chance! A typical day not writing, I would lie around, watch Judge Judy and an episode of Supernatural, go to the gym, shop, read, cook dinner, watch a movie with my husbands’ lovely relaxing things!

What's a weakness of yours?
EATING. I am GREEDY.

Don’t feel bad. I Heart food too.

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your closet right now?
Good question!!! A blue plaid short-sleeved top I bought from Express last fall with a deep v-neck little frill at the front. It sounds frightful but actually is really lovely and very hip and I’m living in it at the moment.

What could you eat all day long and never grow tired of?
CARBS.

What’s your favorite fairytale? Have you ever thought of re-doing it?
Tam Lin and Bluebeard. And I’ve retold both. One in the Twelve Days of
Christmas anthology, edited by Shelley Silas, and the Bluebeard one in an anthology edited by Mitzi Szereto. I love retelling fairytales. These are very good questions.

Thank you

When you get stuck writing, how do you unglue yourself?
The best way is to go for a run or a long walk and let your brain unglue itself while your body is distracted by physical exercise. Unfortunately I often don’t take my own advice and find myself lying on the sofa watching Dr Phil instead.

Which character from your series do you relate to the most?
Definitely Scarlett. I felt very alone when I was a teenager, though I’m not an orphan, and I really identify with her need to work out who she is and solve her quest for identity.

If the Kiss Me Kill Me series were to become a movie, who’d you like to play the main characters?
!! that’s so hard! There’s a girl called Natalie Dormer who was in The Tudors TV series, playing Anne Boleyn, who a producer suggested to play Sam Jones, my adult mystery heroine, and though she’s a bit old to play Scarlett her looks would be perfect for her. I do really visualize Scarlett with the pale skin, blue eyes and dark hair. Taylor actually, she’s so based on a girl called Meredith I did trapeze classes with for a while that I can only see Meredith’s face when I picture Taylor. Plum well, there are so many pretty bitchy girls who could play her! And Dan and Callum well, it’s very tempting to just say Robert Pattinson for any hot-boy role nowadays, isn’t it?

Can you relate your book title, Kiss Me Kill Me to your life in someway? How about Kisses and Lies?
Kiss Me Kill Me ¬ no, thank goodness I can’t relate it to my life! I’d be a bit worried if I could! Kisses and Lies is a different story, of course. I think we all have had, and given kisses, that we didn’t feel we were being completely honest about. I know I’ve kissed and lied myself My third book in the Scarlett Wakefield series is called Kiss in the Dark, and again, I think we can all relate to that!

It would be pretty awful to be able to relate Kiss Me Kill Me to your life. Unless it’s something like I would have rather died than kiss so and so, but that’s just kinda mean so we’ll not go there. =)

What’s your favorite book?
Ugh! This is SO HARD because I can never just pick one. I love the Modesty Blaise series and Agatha Christie mysteries and pretty much everything Georgette Heyer, PG Wodehouse and Anthony Trollope ever wrote.

Where’s your favorite place to travel?
Definitely Italy, where I used to live. We go back there on holiday a few times a year (it’s a short flight from London) and I also go there by myself to write when I need to really concentrate. We rent a small house there with some friends up a hill in the middle of Tuscany, there’s no internet or TV, just beautiful countryside, so it’s lovely and peaceful and the food is amazing! But I love visiting New York, where I also used to live, and I had a holiday over New Year’s to Sri Lanka with four girlfriends which was one of the best times of my life ¬ sun, beaches, incredible history, and elephants! Fantastic!

Sounds to me like Italy will be my next stop after England.

Which of your characters do you like the most?
Definitely Scarlett and Sam Jones, because they’re my long-running heroines and they’re most like me. But I’m also very fond of Lola and Evie, the heroines of DIVAS, because they have amazing journeys in the book and it’s such a big, sexy story.

Anything else you would like to share with us?
Just that I have fantastic fans and I love when they get in touch with me, so please do contact me on myspace mslaurenhenderson and on my website, www.laurenhenderson.co.uk or www.tartcity.com . I always love to hear readers’ feedback & what they think of my books. And, if you like some of my books, you’ll probably like all of them, so don’t just try one series and stop thereŠ keep going and try my romantic comedy novels as well, and maybe even Jane Austen’s Guide To Dating, if you’re single and looking for love!

Sounds to me like I'll need to take a look at Jane Austen's Guide To Dating. =)

Thank you Lauren. We were glad to have you.
For all things Lauren visit her websites, here or here, and friend her on myspace.

CONTEST TIME!!!

Deadline: March 29 11:59pm California Time.
Who: Everyone. It's open WORLDWIDE

+1 Leave a comment answering one of the interview questions
+1 Spread the word about the contest
+1 Tell me where/who you heard about this contest from
+1 If someone heard about this contest from you


If any authors would like to Starr in 21 Questions, feel free to email me at stellargurl93[at]aim[dot]com and I'll tell you all you need to know.