First, check out this awesome new trailer for Holly Cupala's DON'T BREATHE A WORD. Next...don't go away, because Holly has a huge contest going on where you can win some fab prizes. Read on below to find out how!
PRIZES:
Five Grand Prizes: Signed copies of Don’t Breathe a Word, Tell Me a Secret, the TMAS special edition audiobook, bookmarks, stickers, and other swag*
Ten Runner-Up Prizes: Don’t Breathe a Word flyers, bookmarks, stickers, and a TMAS button*
Plus the first forty people who buy the bookat this link between now and Valentine’s Day get DBAW bookmarks, stickers, and undying book love from me!*
*Must include mailing address with entry. (US + up to 20% international winners)
HOW TO ENTER:
1. Click here to go to the DBAW trailer link, then click the Share button to send to your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, MySpace, blog, or other social network. 5 pts each
I'm thrilled to welcome another author-friend of mine who writes for teens, Holly Cupala! I was fortunate enough to meet Holly during BEA earlier this year, and if her name sounds familiar, it's because her debut novel TELL ME A SECRET has been turning a lot of heads in the last few months. TELL ME A SECRET was released in June from HarperTeen, and it's for ages 14 and up.
What a great cover, right?! Welcome Holly! Can you tell me about your book in seven words or less.
Okay, I can't wait for the superhot sci-fi guy! Other than your main character, Miranda, who's a favorite character of yours in TELL ME A SECRET and why?
I think Miranda’s sister, Xanda, who has died in a mysterious and tragic accident before TMAS begins, might be my favorite—maybe because, like Miranda, I find her fascinating! Maybe someday she’ll have her own story.
Oooh, that would be great! Can you tell my readers a little about yourself?
I’m half artsy and thoughtful and introverted, half goofy and brave and outrageous. One or the other of those halves is always getting me into trouble.
What's been the most surprising thing about your path to publication so far?
The readers! It’s been incredibly amazing to me that such a personal story could captivate readers and become meaningful to them on all kinds of levels. They bring as much to the story as I did.
So true! What's one piece of writing advice you would give to aspiring authors?
Write as honestly as you can the first time - you can always refine it, but it's hard to recapture that raw truthfulness in revisions.
Great advice, Holly! Are you swept up with promotion for your debut book right now or can you give us a sentence or two about something new you're working on?
Uh…both?! My second YA, STREET CREED, is slated for Fall 2011 – it’s about a suburban girl who leaves a wake of secrets to live on the streets of Seattle with a band of homeless teens…and a boy called Creed. It’s…sigh. So dreamy, and gritty, and I can’t wait to share it!
Oh, that sounds awesome! What did you write when you were a teen? Did you journal? Write poetry? Write overly literary or emotional stories? Or avoid writing altogether?
I wrote two teen romances in eighth grade, before I ever experienced teen romance. After that, it was all deeply tragic poetry and stories. I got a perfect score on my senior project, the saga of teens on both sides of the Irish conflict, including kissing and corpses, called “When Roses Bleed.” It was…yes, I think “deeply tragic” is probably the best way to put it!
What's the last book you read that you really loved?
I loved Adios, Nirvana, by Conrad Wesselhoeft, which comes out from Houghton Mifflin in October. Intense and hopeful—with a cameo from Eddie Vedder! Exquisite.
I'll have to add that to my list! If readers want to find out more about you and your writing, Holly, where should they look?
