Guest Post & Giveaway: LUISA PLAJA

I'm an avid reader, especially of contemporary and humorous teen fiction, but until recently it didn't occur to me to collect quotes from my favourite books, in the wonderful way that many people do on Goodreads and other reading sites.

I only began to do this after listening to audiobooks a lot. Suddenly, I found myself stopping the recording to scribble bits down. Maybe I did this because of the difference between print and audio stories. I can re-read an amazing sentence again and again for as long as I want, but when I listen, the words float past and are gone quickly - too quickly – so I feel the need to capture them. Or maybe I'm just discovering the joy of quotes.

Unfortunately, at the moment, my note-taking method is far from foolproof. Some of my notes make sense, and others... don't. For example, here are some of my most recent scribblings:

"Maybe girls need an island to find themselves. Maybe they need a place where no one's watching them, so they can be who they really are." - Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

"Why is it always easier..." 4:32 - listen again! - Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

As you can see, I don't always manage to transcribe quotes, probably because I'm too distracted by my need to get back to the story. And my recent notes from print books aren't that much better:

"I didn't care who kissed you first as long as I kissed you last." If We Kiss by Rachel Vail (Check!**)

"He smiled. God, I hate his smile, I love it so much." You, Maybe by Rachel Vail (Check!**)

 (**I have since checked the quotes above, and they're accurate!)

When I was a student, I spent some time at a university in Central Italy, in a town called Perugia which is famous for its chocolate "Baci" (kisses). Inside the wrapping of each one is a love-related quote translated into various languages. When I first wrote the story which is now called Cool Cats and Melted Kisses (and which can be found in the Truth & Dare anthology edited by Liz Miles), I made up a small collection of quotes for chocolates and I settled on a pivotal one for the story. It sounds so "quote-like" that I'm now not entirely convinced it didn’t already exist, but I've searched high and low and as yet I haven’t found it anywhere else. Maybe I should eat vast quantities of chocolate to make sure...

Do you have a favourite quote from a book (or a chocolate)? I'd love to know.

In the meantime, if you'd like to win a copy of Truth & Dare, please leave a comment below and The Book Slooth will draw a winner. (Giveaway open internationally.)

Thank you very much for having me here, Isme!

Luisa Plaja
http://www.luisaplaja.co.uk

  

Truth & Dare edited by Liz Miles contributors:  Jennifer Boylan, Sarah Rees Brennan, Cecil Castellucci, Emma Donoghue, Courtney Gillette, A.M. Homes, Jennifer Hubbard, Heidi R. Kling, Jennifer Knight, Michael Lowenthal, Liz Miles, Saundra Mitchell, Luisa Plaja, Matthue Roth, Sherry Shahan, Gary Soto, James St James, Shelley Stoehr, Sara Wilkinson, Ellen Wittlinger, and Jill Wolfson

Baci photo: Some rights reserved by Jerine http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerine/

COMPETITION INFORMATION:

OPEN INTERNATIONALLY

To enter, simply comment on this post, a winner will be drawn at random!

COMPETITION CLOSES: Thursday, Nov 10, 2011.

If you would like to spread the word, feel free to use the button (left) or the poster (above).

Good Luck everybody, and a huge thank you to Luisa!

If you would like to learn more about Luisa Plaja, Truth & Dare or Chicklish, you might find these links useful:

Truth and Dare @ Luisa Plaja.co.uk

Luisa Plaja.co.uk

Chicklish

 

Interview with Luisa Plaja

Meet fabulous author Luisa Plaja, author of The Kiss Series; Split By a Kiss, Swapped By a Kiss & A Stand Alone Novel - Extreme Kissing and she also has a new novel coming out this year: Kiss, Date, Love, Hate...

Read the review for The Kiss Series here

Read the INTERVIEW BELOW

1. Where did you get the idea for The Kiss series; Have you always wanted to write a novel about people switching bodies, or did you see something that inspired you?

I didn't set out to 'split' the character of Jo when I first started writing Split by a Kiss - it happened while I was writing. When I reached Jo and Jake's cupboard scene, I couldn't decide whether or not Jo's new experiences had changed her, and I decided to follow both possibilities in parallel stories. Initially, I was just figuring things out, but I soon noticed that both versions of Jo had a voice and a story to tell, so I stuck with them. After that, the body swap idea for the sequel came naturally. Rachel was always jealous of Jo and uncomfortable in her own skin, and Jo mentioned the various versions of Freaky Friday in Split by a Kiss, so swapping the friends seemed like a perfect way to tell Rachel's story. As for what inspired me to write a body-swap story... Well, I'm not sure, but I can tell you that the novel Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers was one of my favourite books when I was growing up. I re-read it recently and loved it just as much. I highly recommend it!

2. Are any of your characters based on real people?

No, they're all made up! Sometimes I might base parts of characters on my impressions of people, though not necessarily on anyone I've ever met.

3. Do you have any favourite books or authors?

Yes, lots, and I add to my list all the time! I love books that explore relationships, especially those that do so with a light and humorous touch. I have too many favourite authors to list but I do name some of them and review their books on Chicklish (a book blog - http://www.chicklish.co.uk ).

4. Do you have a favourite character or a moment in one of your books?

This is a hard one to answer. I spend such a long time with characters when I write a novel that I can't help forming a relationship with each one, and it feels wrong to pick favourites! I think I'm particularly fond of Rachel, though - I loved getting into her head and writing from her intense, troubled but well-meaning viewpoint. Lex is another character I have a massive soft spot for - you'll meet her in Kiss, Date, Love, Hate!
I do get fond of certain scenes as I'm writing, too, though I often change my mind about this over time. Right now I'd choose: the ice rink scenes in Split by a Kiss, Bets and Zac at the arcade in Extreme Kissing, the finale of Swapped by a Kiss... and the film-making scenes in Kiss, Date, Love, Hate.

5. When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

I don't remember a time when I didn't want to be a writer! I think it must have happened around the time that I first learnt to read and I fell in love with books. As I got older, though, I became convinced that writing novels for publication was an impossible dream. I'm so glad I was wrong!

6. Have you ever written any other works under a pseudonym if not, what would you want your pseudonym to be?

Yes, I have written a series of novels for teenagers under a pseudonym. I'll now insert a secretive smiley of mystery: :-x

7. Do you have a designated writing time or routine, or is it just spontaneous?

I write whenever I can, and when I'm in the full flow of a novel, I'll even try to write when I can't! My best writing time is usually late evening and into the night. I'm a real night person. If only that didn't make mornings such a struggle...

8. Was there a book or an event that inspired you to be a writer?

Hmm, I've probably been inspired to some extent by everything I've ever read! There are a few lovely friends who inspire me to keep writing, and to write the kinds of books I do, and their help and support is invaluable to me. You'll see the names of some of them on the acknowledgment pages of my books!

9. Which character in your books are you most like?

I'm probably most like Jo from Split by a Kiss, in that I have nerdish tendencies, a love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and hair with a mind of its own.

10. If you were to write another novel, what do you think it would be about? 

It would almost certainly have something to do with friendships and relationships in teenage years - there are so many fascinating issues I still want to explore!

11. If YOU could switch bodies with anybody, who would it be?

Well, I get to do this every day, really, and call it 'writing'! I'm not sure whether I'd want to switch places with anyone in real life, though. (If you'd asked me this when I was a teenager, I think my answer might have been different...)

Thank you very much for interviewing me Isme!

Day before Valentines Day - Read-a-Palooza

Leading up to Valentines day, I will review or remind you of one book each day that you can read to get in the mood for Valentines Day.

Today, there are many reads for you to enjoy for the day before the Big Day!

Kisses for Lula by Samantha Mckintosh
Can Lula defeat the curse and finally get her first kiss?
 
Matched by Ally Condie
In a time where everything is decided for you, can Cassia overcome the dictatorship of her society and fall in love?

The Serious Kiss by Mary Hogan
Libby Madrigal and her best friend promised that they would each get one serious kiss before they turn fifteen; when Libby is just starting to make progress, her parents move the whole family. To a retirement home no less! Can Libby survive the madcap drama and still get her serious kiss?

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Keenan, the king of the Summer faeries needs a queen. Aislinn isn't to let the faeries know that she sees them. But Keenan is trying to save summer before it ends, but can he persuade Aislinn in time?

The Kiss series by Luisa Plaja
When nerd Jo moves to the US, she automatically feels unaccepted; isolated from her friends, with no one to talk to. When the door to popularity opens, will she follow it, even though she might not want to? The choice is hers, To Kiss or Not To Kiss.

Have fun reading; your fellow book nerd,

Isme
The Book Slooth

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend By Emily Horner

Not just a unique and catchy title, but a compelling novel that surprises with twists and turns down the  long road of discovery.

After the death of her best friend Julia, Cass goes on the road trip that she and Julia were planning. As Cass travels across the states, she discovers herself, meets individual people and has entertaining and experiences along the way.

I loved this book. As soon as I saw it, I was drawn in by the distinct title, the simple but funky cover and the overwhelming need to know what the book was about.
I loved the characters, I felt that they were real and well-developed, making them entertaining and believable. 
Written int the style of Now, being the present -after the road trip, and Then, during the road trip; written in a sort-of chapter format.

A love story starring my dead best friend was original, thought provoking. As Cass was cycling across the states, she undergoes a journey, physical and emotional, with you along for the ride.

I highly recommend this book for girls aged 13 - 16. Fans of Luisa Plaja (The Kiss series) will love this quirky new novel.