Becca Fitzpatrick signs with Sea Lion Books!!

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Becca Fitzpatrick

INKS GRAPHIC NOVEL DEAL WITH SEA LION BOOKS

Sea Lion Books to publish Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush as a graphic novel.

Sea Lion Books announced today the acquisition of the comic book and graphic novel rights to Becca Fitzpatrick's New York Times bestselling Young Adult novel Hush, Hush. A romance laced with intrigue, it is the story of a young girl torn between desire and suspicion in her love for a fallen angel. A true psychological thriller, Hush, Hush was the first book in a trilogy, with the story continuing in Crescendo and concluding with the forthcoming Silence, which is scheduled for release in October 2011. The series has a worldwide following, with sales of more than 1 million books in 35 countries.

“Becca Fitzpatrick is a huge bestselling author,” said Kuo-Yu Liang VP Sales & Marketing for Diamond Book Distributors. “I think this series is a great addition to Sea Lion Books line up of projects and should be a major hit for them”.

Hush, Hush is the story of Nora Grey, a studious sixteen-year-old girl from Coldwater, Maine. It has been a year since her father's murder and she is not interested in much other than her schoolwork. Then she meets Patch, a bad boy—and fallen angel. Though unwisely attracted to him, Nora finds herself caught in a battle between the fallen and the immortal. Choosing the wrong side could cost Nora her life.

Becca Fitzpatrick is delighted to have her book brought to graphic novel form. "Hush, Hush was my first book, and it's so thrilling that it has been embraced by so many readers. I'm delighted to be working with Sea Lion to tell Patch and Nora's story through graphic novel format!"

Sea Lion Books shares the delight in working alongside the bestselling author on the adaptation, and feels that Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush series is a fantastic addition to its graphic novel line.

Hush, Hush #1 is scheduled to debut in winter 2011. The creative team on the project will be announced at a later date.

I loved Hush, Hush and am excited to see this taking on a new face! Read my review of Hush, Hush HERE.

Happy reading!!

Sue Monk Kidd Returns to Anderson, SC!

A writer should never be too sure of herself.
~ Sue Monk Kidd

I had the privilege of going to hear author Sue Monk Kidd tonight. I fell in love with Kidd when I was a sophomore in college and one of my professors, Mrs. Sarah Sprague, told us about her friend who had written a book called The Secret Life of Bees. She told us that Kidd had taught at Anderson College and her husband was the campus minister. Lo and behold, I am talking to my dad that night and he knew who her husband because he was my dad's mentor and friend. I thought that was cool and it was just as cool to know that she and I had a (distant) connection.

I fell in love with her debut novel and have continued to go find her other writings and anticipate her novels. She has since written two books, The Mermaid Chair and Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story which she co-authored with her daughter Anne Kidd Taylor, which are equally amazing. I thought I would share some of the highlights of her lecture with you.

On writing in general...

Having written a book is all about perspective.

The curse of writing is the constant second
guessing of ones self.

Writing requires a lot of courage.

"No art ever came without risking your neck."
-Eudora Welty from The Eye of the Story

The quintessential questions for a writer are
"Who is this character?" and "What do they want?"
Once you answer those questions,
the story will write itself.

Editor Shannon Ravenel says that there are 5 characteristics to Southern writing:
1. Written in a strong, narrative voice (usually in first person).
2. Themes of race (esp. racial guilt) and human endurance.
3. A deep involvement in place, in family bonds, and in local tradition.
4. A celebration sense of eccentricity.
5. A pervasive sense of humor even in the face of tragedy.

When writing, don't over romanticize the place
you are writing about. The challenge is to tell the
unvarnished truth of what you know.

Fiction creates empathy. If we can write it and
get under the skin of those who are complete opposites
of our characters... we can expand our world!

As writers, we have to make portals to the places
where your characters are. Our subconscious is
full of memories, dreams, feelings and so much
more that we can use when writing. The job of
a writer is to get there and release it... for that
is where our genius is!

When you sit to write- have a block of time to do it.
It is okay to get lost in writing for a bit, but make sure
someone comes to rescue you before you get lost!

On writing The Secret Life of Bees...

I thought I knew the ending and was writing away and then
two-thirds of the way in I realized it was a terrible ending
and scrapped it!

Sometimes we have to work backwards;
know the end and then find the beginning.

Review: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

The Dark and Hollow Places

by Carrie Ryan

Reading Level: Young Adult
# of Pages: 384 pages paperback
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 22, 2011)

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed theDark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.

But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

I have been dying for this one, and it did not disappoint! I was anxious to see where Carrie would take us next with this story and was so glad to see Annah again and to see where she has been. There was allusion to her in the previous novel but to see her come to life and get to know her even better was such an amazing route to go. I bit my nails off as she struggled through the challenges and rooted for her as she found herself through the trials and tribulations.

Being able to see Gabry, Catcher and Elias in a new light was also refreshing. Catcher captured my heart in the last novel and I was glad to see him find himself through Annah. They mirrored each other in many ways and their growth as individuals as well as a pair was essential to this novel. There are always elements within a novel that stand out, but the strength these characters show and the way Ryan has written them continues to astound me.

I fell in love with her writing when I opened The Forest of Hands and Teeth (even though there was quite a bit of hesitation- I didn’t know about these zombies) and am so glad that I listened to Jeremy and Jeffery from Novel Thoughts and Travis from InkedBooks when then told me to read this series.

Visit Carrie's site HERE for more info on her books and other fun stuff!

Read my reviews of Carrie’s other books also...

The Forest of Hands and Teeth review HERE

The Dead Tossed Waves review HERE

Carrie will also be visiting my school and you can see the video promo HERE.