For teens

Honestly, most of us try not to embarrass our kids in public. My kids have been very tolerant of me being a writer and not the recluse every teen hopes their parents are, if not a famous superhero.

I've said many times that there isn't enough money to get me to return to being a teen. Perhaps it is even more complicated now days. Thus, I'm going to remind everyone of another Blog Party writer, Jeannine Garsee. Remember her Y/A books?

Jen does a fabulous job of writing about "today" topics for teens. In Jen's debut with BloomsburyUSA, Before, After, and Somebody in Between, Martha wants to be much more than her white trash beginnings. School is tough, but home life is tougher. Martha has a mouth on her. She doesn't go slumming, she is from the slum ~ with a big dream to be a professional cellist. Is foster care her chance to shine as a musician?

Jen's second book with BloomsburyUSA is Say The Word. Following up on yesterday's blog topic, What if your parent is gay? When I beta read "Say The Word" I fell in love with the story. Shawna is a typical suburban teen, headed for the front row seat at medical school (more what she 'should do' rather than wants to do). Her parents are divorced ~ typical. What isn't typical is her dad. He says absolutely horrible things about her mom and mate (girlfriend). To my delight, Shawna's step-mom helps her... I'm not telling the rest. Oh and to be clear, Jen's straight.

Both books are wonderful stories and I would not want to label them, but the topics are real life issues for teens and perhaps along with the entertainment of the read will come new information and insights. Even so, if you want to read a fantastic writer's works, get Jen's books.

Jen Garsee at the world's most awesome book blog party: http://nadinelaman.blogspot.com/2009/08/party-with-jeannie-garsee.htmlJen's website: http://www.jeanninegarsee.com/
Check out Jen's blogs: http://onegrapeshy.livejournal.com/
and this blog: http://jeanninegarsee.blogspot.com/

There was no compensation for this post.

Party with JEANNINE GARSEE!

Day 5 of the blog party and we are just getting started!

Show me anyone else who gives away a free book ~ autographed by the author ~ every day for 4 weeks!

Gonna warm up the crowd with some teen music! Everyone is a teen today!



Backstreet is B-A-C-k! (see what my web designer taught me to do with YouTube?)




Carrie had so much fun yesterday that she is giving away two autographed copies of Ghost Sniffer and Other Stories. The envelope, please! Yesterday's winners are ... Kate and Susan! Ladies email me for details!

Jeannine Garsee, author of Before, After, and Somebody in Between ~AND~ Say The Word, has another book on the way... Jen writes for Bloomsbury USA. Check that out! She rocks!

Jen is the first author I met on the internet, years ago. Way back then Before/After had a different title, a working title. Then her agent or Bloomsbury's editor, can't remember the details, said the title had to change.

You have to be flexible if you're going to play in the majors. (A USA baseball term meaning the big time.) We started calling her ms (manuscript), "Martha" after the MC (main character). Psssst! I still call it 'Martha'.

Martha has a mouth on her. She doesn't go slumming, she is from the slum ~ with a big dream to be a professional cellist. As with all of us, everything goes perfectly fine and all her dreams come true by page 7 ~ NOT.

It is no small feat to get a publishing deal with a big NYC publishing house, ya know. So when Jen told me she was thinking about writing her second teen book (YA) with a gay theme, I thought, "Wow! That's a big risk for a debut author in teen lit."

When I beta read "Say The Word" I fell in love with the story. Shawna is a typical suburban teen, headed for the front row seat at medical school (more what she 'should do' rather than wants to do). Her parents are divorced ~ typical. What isn't typical is her dad. He says absolutely horrible things about her mom and mate. To my delight, Shawna's step-mom helps her... I'm not telling the rest.

The problem with Say The Word is that Shawna's BFF calls her "Chica" all the time. AND ~you guessed it~ I got that stuck in my head. For a YEAR (no kidding) CHICA was my buzz word.

Party Game: Whatever you post in the comments HAS to include the word *chica* somewhere in the post. Jen has two books to give away. Jump in and start posting!

More music...(I had help from Ella!)



Carrie sent me this one...



Ivy emailed this one to me (good luck on your day, Ivy)



I thought of this one...



From the party comments...




Coming Monday, Erin Collins! You have all weekend to go back and read the whole party. I'll be here...

The comment section is below this line. Click on the word "comments." That's where you can leave a note. eMail me if you have trouble with this...NadineLaman(at)aol.com