Win-It Wednesday: FADE by Lisa McMann

I'm totally going to recycle that "what made you happy today" question, because every day I heard more and more about what was making people happy and that made me happy. It was a smilefest. Anyway, the winner of What Would Emma Do?, as chosen at random, is... Dragon's Pizza! She has a cool Pretty Little Liars skin on her myspace page (still need to read those books!) and is playing Taylor Swift's Love Story. A girl after my own heart! Send me your address, DP. Now, this week I'm giving away an ARC of the much-anticipated FADE, by the Lisa McMann, whom I'm kind of friends with. I mean, we've hung out a few times and I adore her. So in my mind, that makes us friends. Anyway. The book is just as good as it's predecessor, NY Times Bestselling WAKE, and I actually think it's even a little better because the action is so intense in this one! You'll love it. So, Valentine's Day is coming up, and on I Heart Daily, we did a feature where the amazing Ben Kweller (Do you guys listen to Ben? You should so listen to Ben) picked out his favorite love songs. Go check it out because: 1. It rules. It's an amazing mix of songs; 2. Ben is a truly romantic soul. And when it's true, it doesn't come off as cheesy, so that's a bonus. Listen and love. That was a long interlude, but it's all coming together here: To enter to win the copy of FADE, comment below and tell me what your #1 favorite love song is, right now. I mean, it might change tomorrow, but what's the first one that pops into your mind? For me, in this very moment, it's Resurrection Fern by Iron & Wine (if you click through it's the last song on that list). Worth a listen. I promise. PS-Don't forget that Lisa is running this Fund Your Dream Contest (the prize is $1000!) until early March, so enter if you're between 14-18. I mean, why not?! PPS-Tonight at 9pm EST: Carolina-Duke. Go Heels! UPDATE: Carolina 101, Those Other People 87. WOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!

Wendy Toliver is Pretty... In the Dark

Today I have three questions for Wendy Toliver, author of the just-released Miss Match! The story is about Sasha Finnegan, who has a knack for setting people up. At 16, she turns her talent into a business, molding high school crushes into true love--until it turns out her crush wants to be set up with her sister!I love romantic comedy novels, and Miss Match sounds like a lot of fun. I also noticed way back when that Little Willow pointed out that the cover showed a girl in a normal size (albeit a cartoon girl) and that struck me too! So I asked Wendy some questions about image, and she told me that she's very pretty... in the dark. Read on. You chose to make a not-stick-thin narrator (and that shows on the cover, which is really cool), and you say she's not drop-dead gorgeous either. Why that conscious choice? "I was a teenager once (hold the laughter) and I know how important image is at that age. I wanted to tell a story where the heroine is not model-thin-and-beautiful, but has so many other things about her that are admirable and lovable. I wanted to create a character who doesn't get by on looks alone, but learns to find her inner beauty." How did you feel about your appearance and weight when you were a teenager? Did your perception change as you got older? "My weight has always been pretty low, for my 5'9" height, but I had issues with other things, like my color (VERY white) and my skin (acne-prone). In fact, one of my most painful memories was sitting in a friend's basement watching movies with a group of kids, and a guy said, 'You're pretty in the dark.' Of course, now that I'm an adult, my husband loves to say that just to be funny. But at the time, it really hurt. (And by the way, back then, Oxy and Clearasil were the only acne meds, and I had a bad reaction to Benzol Peroxide.) Now, I'm 35 and I started working out 4 days a week (in addition to chasing my 3 sons around the house) and though I weigh 5-10 pounds more than I did before I had kids, I like the way I feel and I am lucky to have a husband and family that makes me feel good about myself. I try to pass that on to my kids, so they have a healthy self-image." If you had to cast an actress today as your narrator, could you? "I think Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly) has the perfect face for Sasha Finnegan, but she'd have to gain some weight because she's so thin. America Ferrera comes to mind as a 'real girl,' and though she's too old to portray Sasha, here's a cute story. My father-in-law was watching the Golden Globes or some sort of awards ceremony where America was on the red carpet looking amazing. 'Is that Ugly Betty' he asked. We said yes. 'Hmm. She's pretty!' :)" Yes! I love this photo of America and Betty that shows how much Hollywood makeup and hair and styling can do--and also how much America (and every girl who stays true to who she is) shines from within. Thanks, Wendy!

Cover Stories: The Sisters 8 by Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Greg Logsted and Jackie Logstead

Lauren Baratz-Logsted has written a lot for adults and teens, but now she's writing for a younger audience--and her co-authors are husband Greg Logsted and daughter Jackie. My eight-year-old niece has devoured the first books in The Sisters 8 series, and is anxiously awaiting the next titles. As for me? I love the illustrations by Lisa K. Weber. So here's Lauren telling her Cover Story:

"I had no idea about a cover! This was the first time I'd done something for such a young audience.

"The publisher did ask our preference on a couple of ways to present THE SISTERS EIGHT, finally settling on the font they have now with it written THE SISTERS 8. They also sent us links to some of the artists they were considering, but the final decision to go with Lisa K. Weber was theirs. Since they were the ones paying the illustrator--not just for the cover but also for about 20 interior illustrations for the books--we had no problem with them having the final say. Besides, they know what they're doing.

"When I first saw the cover, I was in love! And this was a huge relief. Truthfully, before seeing it, I'd been very nervous. I've had a lot of books published before, and have had a lot of different covers, but this was different. How the cover of ANNIE'S ADVENTURES came out would define the life of the nine-book series just as much as our writing would. Short answer: We were thrilled. Longer answer: Lisa K. Weber's illustrations surpassed our hopes and dreams. All three of us are in love with our covers."

A short and sweet story that hinges on a very quirky/cool illustrator--yay! What do you guys think of these covers? Of these four, I like the first one best, maybe because of the snowy background and the gorgeously cold blue.

I'd love to hear what anyone thinks of illustrated covers vs. photographic covers. I'm a fan of both--either can be done well (or badly) so it just depends on the execution, I think. You guys?

Two things: ALA and a Twitter Interview

First the ALA has just named Violet on the Runway a 2009 Popular Paperback for Young Adults! I'm so excited, and in great company--check out all the picks here.Second, I've been interviewed by the very cool Erin of Books in 140, who conducts interviews via twitter in 140-character increments. So much fun! Come say hi. Are you guys on twitter? Follow her at @booksin140 and follow me at @melissacwalker. Happy Saturday!

Photo Friday: Beauty Treatments

Okay, so I'm being a guinea pig for a magazine where I have to try out a bunch of treatments around NYC, and last week I had two: 1) Eyelash extensions, 2) Spray tan. I can't give away all my thoughts on these--that's for the magazine--but I will tell you that I felt very "not me" for a while. Here's a pic that my friend Katie took over the weekend: I wasn't wearing a stitch of makeup, and I was darker than nature intended. (I know it's not very tan; I'm pale as a ghost normally). Happy weekend! PS-For some reason the picture isn't very clear unless you click to enlarge--then it comes into focus and you can see the eyelashes more. PPS-Found out about Deborah Reber's new venture: Editing teen memoirs. Wanna get yours published? More info on readergirlz. UPDATE: Adding another lash photo upon request. The closed-eye shot. Sorry it's blueish--Photo Booth on my Mac is often that way.

Bonus Cover Story: EVERMORE by Alyson Noel

I keep seeing EVERMORE, the first book in Alyson Noel's Immortals series, everywhere! I hear that though it's only been on shelves a week or two, it's already in a second printing. This is definitely on my to-read list. And, Alyson is a member of the GCC, so she's here to share her Cover Story. Here's Alyson: "I did use some visuals while I wrote. I have this image of a blond girl--this is how I imagined Ever to be. Except Ever has bangs, which are pretty significant in the story. But still, I was drawn to her wistful sadness with a hint of inner strength--that rang very 'Ever' to me!

"And I used this catalogue to decorate the house for a very significant Halloween party in EVERMORE--it was so much fun, I wish I could've done it for real!

"However, I had absolutely no visions for the cover! None. Nada. Zilch. Couldn't even imagine what it might look like. I work this way with all of my books! When my editor (the awesome Rose Hilliard) called one day to ask for my input, I didn't want her to know I hadn't given it the slightest thought, so I quickly mentioned some recent covers I liked, talked about colors (Purple! I love purple!), and mentioned that the tulips are hugely symbolic so we might want to add a few of those too. Then she took our ideas to the Art Department--et voila--a few weeks later, the EVERMORE cover appeared in my e-mail box and it was love at first sight!

"They used a photo-shopped stock photo. I learned this via one of my favorite YA bloggers who noticed they used the same photo on EVERMORE as they did in that gorgeous NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL cover. But they used the photo in such different ways it didn't really bother me at all. Just like it doesn't really bother me when someone is wearing the same dress as me--there's room for us all!

"When I first saw EVERMORE's cover, I thought: WOW! And then I called my husband into the room and we both stared at the computer screen and said a simultaneous: WOW! Like a chorus. Like we'd been practicing our 'wows' or something. I seriously fell in love with it, and I e-mailed my editor right away to tell her so!

"My editor is awesome to work with, and so far we've collaborated on both the EVERMORE and BLUE MOON covers. I'll be revealing BLUE MOON soon--I'm very excited about it! I did see an original for BLUE MOON, and it changed quite a bit--for the better!

"This brunette is the inspiration for two characters (identical twins) who show up in BLUE MOON. Her choppy bangs, her defiant oddness, her playfulness, really summed it up for me!

"The Art Department takes all suggestions to heart! Every single one of them! And I think they did such a tremendous job with both covers, I can't wait to see what they do with UNTITLED BOOK #3!

"I never saw an original version for EVERMORE, only the end result. Here's how I feel about the cover: I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!"

I think it's gorgeous too, and I love the purple and red combo--it really stands out. What do you guys think?

Win-It Wednesday: What Would Emma Do? By Eileen Cook

So glad so many of you wanted to win Revolutionary Road! And the winner, who is obligated to tell me what she thinks of the book (because I am obsessed) is... Cecilia! Send me your address, and you'll get the movie version of the book mailed out to you shortly! On to this week's contest: I did a Cover Story interview with Eileen Cook last month, and then I devoured her latest book, What Would Emma Do? So now, I'm passing it on to you! Emma is a great narrator, and this book is a blast. You'll enjoy it.

So, to enter the contest, just tell me one thing that's made you happy today (whatever day you're reading this). Don't think too hard, just let the happy thing pop into your mind and then write it in the comments. I'll choose a winner next Wednesday.

For me, it made me happy that my new Hunter Festival boots came in the mail; they are seriously tough and perfect for the snow I have to face tonight when I go into the city. They're called "Festival" boots because they're made in Scotland, where big music festivals can get really muddy and you need these "wellies" to save your feet. Aren't they cute?

Happy Wednesday!

The Violet Books on Sale!

This is the quickest post ever to say that, yes, I do amazon-stalk my books, and I just saw that they're offering Violet on the Runway and Violet by Design for just $2.99 each for a limited time! Bargain alert! Just in case you've been holding off buying them, I had to let you know that here's your shot. Click the books to go straight to the $2.99 version. And, no, Violet in Private isn't on sale, but you can get ALL THREE for $15.97 right now. Pennies, people, pennies! xo, MW

Cover Stories: Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King

The amazing A.S. King is here today to talk about her brand new debut, which has been touted on this blog before. Dust of 100 Dogs sounds like a wholly original novel, and I cannot wait to read it! Here's the cover story:

"I never thought about my cover art. Even though I am a very visual person, and I pay attention to cover art quite a bit, I don't think about book covers while I'm writing the books.

"My editor asked me for input, and he suggested I search through images online for anything that might grab me. I did that and made a document with all of the images I liked, explaining what I liked about them. I also explained what I liked, generally, in books covers -- that I like black or dark colors, high contrast graphics, and simplicity. I believe I said that if I was to make the cover for the book, I would have an all black cover with a tiny skull & crossbones in the center and no title. (I'm obscure like that.)

"When I saw my cover for the first time, it was April Fool's Day and I was having email problems. I wrote to my editor about something completely unrelated and he wrote back and asked me what I thought of the cover art. I said, 'Huh?' because I hadn't got the email he sent. (In my mind, the cover wasn't due for months, as they'd only had the meeting like a week or two before.) So, then he called me and while we were talking on the phone, he sent the cover art again. He said, 'Now sit down and open that file. I want to hear your reaction.' It was a bit--oh no... what if I hate it? Then I opened it and my eyeballs popped out of my head. I think I kept saying, 'Wow.' He was feeling the same way about it. From what I could gather, this cover came out of the blue and knocked us all over! I was just gobsmacked. I still am. It's an AMAZING cover and I feel very fortunate. More than its visual effect, it has an additional pull for readers of the book though the placement of the subjects (the skull, the girl and the boat) and how they relate to the story. It's just incredible. Maximum respect to Gavin Duffy.

"I believe the cover was made up of several pieces of stock artwork, compiled to make the final image.

"Considering the front cover is so awesome, we didn't have to revise it. We did talk later about back covers, though, which was a great conversation, because Flux does some really amazing back covers for paperback originals. I love how they think out of the box like that, but I'd hoped for a mix for D100D--something arty but also some copy, because as a reader, I rely heavily on back cover copy when I'm buying a book.

"Keep in mind I came into this as a hard-to-please art school grad with a decent eye and a love of beautiful book covers. This cover couldn't be more spot on. I mean, down to the boat and girl sitting in an eye socket of a skull. I can't imagine a better cover for the story inside the cover. You'll know what I mean when you read it!

"Also, I have had, since 25 years ago, a weakness for red boots. Especially seriously cool red boots. (Like the big chunky ones with buckles and zippers and big metal-y bits.) Thing is--no one knew this. (Of course. It's not the kind of thing that comes up when talking to your editor, you know?) And here came this cover with Saffron in a pair of killer red boots. It was one of the first things I noticed."

Very cool! Here's a photo of A.S.'s favorite red boots:

Alea the Pop Culture Junkie did a Lookalikes post about this cover last fall, and The Book Nymph has another version of the cover story with different details (and a shark attack tale), so check those out.

AND, I'm participating in a D100D contest on Reviewer X's blog that You Don't Wanna Miss.

I just love this cover, and I can't wait to see how it represents the story! What do you guys think?

PS-So many people ask about the boots that I got an update from A.S. She says, "I bought them in 2004 in Ireland. They were made in Spain--a company called Destroy. The model number was 05128, but I can't find it anywhere online..." Good luck, boot seekers!

Photo Friday: My Real Housewives Moment

This week, my friend Sarah Grace and I got to attend a party at fancy "supper club" Bruno Jamais for Simon & Alex of Real Housewives of New York fame. They're writing a parenting book, of course (People magazine was there too). L to R: Me, Sarah Grace, Simon and Alex The new season starts in February on Bravo--it's an amazing train wreck to watch and these two are the fabulous stars of it all! Have you guys seen the show? I'm addicted. I loved Atlanta, but you know my favorites are the NYC ladies. Happy weekend!