Author Interview: Kendare Blake of Anna Dressed in Blood

 

Author Kendare Blake

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: KENDARE BLAKE

Romance, ghosts, and gore...what more could a YA reader ask for? Meet Anna, the murderous main (ghost) character in Anna Dressed in Blood. Author Kendare Blake creates a terrifyingly cruel, yet strangely intriguing, dead girl—a victim whose revenge on the living will leave you forever fearful attics. Luckily, there's Cas, a ghost-hunting teen who just might save us all from Anna's fury...unless he falls in love with her first.

Watch for the sequel, Girl of Nightmares, due out Aug. 7. Meanwhile, meet Kendare Blake:

 
We are dying to know how you came up with the idea of Anna, this blood-soaked and grotesquely murderous yet sympathetic character?

Anna came entirely from her name. Anna Dressed in Blood. And I thought, who's that? Oh. She's a dead girl. And she kills people. Well, that's not good. Someone will have to kill her.

You Review (In Haiku)

Hey again, readers!

We at CCPL Teen Underground like to introduce a new series of posts called "You Review." You may be thinking, What could that be? I don't get it. Or you may be thinking, Ah, I've been waiting for my chance to share what I thought about the latest YA book I read, and this is my space to do it! Well, the latter thinker is correct--this is YOUR space to tell us (and the People of the Internet) what you think about books you've read.

Our first edition will be poetry-themed in honor of National Poetry Month. Some of our favorite teen readers have submitted a few of their own Haiku Reviews (click here to see staffer Sarah's attempts...). Click on the title to go straight to that book in our online catalog.

Feel free to leave comments, including your own Haiku Reviews (after all, this is YOU Review)!

Sarah's Picks: It's Time for Haiku Reviews!

Hey readers! My name is Sarah, and I work in the Young Adult department at the Charleston County Public Library. Some of my favorite things are: the first day in spring when it's warmer outside than inside, my dogs, Wallace and Izzy, and (naturally) a good book.

This month, I thought I’d do a quick-and-dirty series of reviews. Inspired in part by the book There is No Long Distance Now: Very Short Stories by poet Naomi Shihab Nye (on my reading list), National Poetry Month, and the popularity of novels in verse, I am going to limit myself to the 17 syllables of haiku…Oh, and don't forget to click on any of the titles to reserve a copy of the book through our online catalog!

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

This book with pictures

Tells a deeply sad story--

Keep tissues handy.

Novels in Verse: Drugs, Sex, Death, and Heaven

NOVELS IN VERSE

It's National Poetry Month! Time to study sonnets written by men in white wigs, right? Not necessarily. Edgy teen books written in verse is a hot area of publishing today, one that drags stanzas and meter into the realms of drugs, sex, war, murder, pregnancy, and suicide. You won't be bored! (Click on the titles to place holds, or go to our eBooks.) 

Tricks
By Ellen Hopkins

Five troubled teenagers fall into prostitution as they search for freedom, safety, community, family, and love. Other novels by Ellen Hopkins, queen of edgy books in verse, include Perfect, Glass, Fallout, Identical, Impulse, Burned, and Crank.

Author Interview: Jenny Hubbard of PAPER COVERS ROCK

(Updated with new pics at the bottom!)

Jenny Hubbard

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

JENNY HUBBARD

We loved meeting Jenny Hubbard when she visited the Main library—almost as we enjoyed Paper Covers Rock, her beautiful debut novel that has won numberous national awards and an endorsement from mega-author Pat Conroy. Luckily, she answer a few questions for those who didn't get to meet her:



Paper Covers Rock is your first novel. How did you come up with the idea for it?

If you want to get technical about it, it’s my third novel. The first two are in a drawer in a folder marked, “Burn in the event of my death.” But, yes, it is my first published novel. The germ of Paper Covers Rock began with a terrible true story I heard while I was teaching at a boys’ boarding school, one that had nothing to do with boys or schools. That terrible true story is no longer a part of the novel. Funny how that happens. I taught at the boys’ school for 10 years, and when I started there, I was the only single female teacher. I taught poetry, and I read the sometimes great and terrifying work of my students day in and day out. Although my story is not at all Miss Dovecott’s, I can relate to and empathize with her plight.

Jen's Picks: The Fault in Our Stars

Greetings! I'm Jennifer Hawes, and I work with young adult books at the Charleston County Public Library. Welcome to my random thoughts about books for teens. If a book grabs you, click on the title to reserve a copy, or search CCPL's ebooks. Happy reading!

The Fault in Our Stars

By John Green

This week, I fell in love.

I fell in love with a guy named Augustus Waters. I also became quite fond of his girlfriend, Hazel Lancaster. But mostly I fell into awe of John Green, author of my new favorite teen book of all time, The Fault in Our Stars. Anyone who uses words like “cancertastic” and who actually made me want to read a book about teens facing death by cancer surely warrants so much admiration.

Honestly, I’m not big on reading depressing books just for fun. But I am a sucker for smart sarcasm, and the book (TFiOS as fans call it) opens with Hazel at a cancer support group held in a church basement that she’s dubbed the Literal Heart of Jesus. Every week, the group leader reminds them that he's alive despite losing both testicles to cancer, which leaves Hazel musing, "AND YOU TOO MIGHT BE SO LUCKY!"

Teen Tech Week @ CCPL!

Hey there, techie teens! Looking to upgrade your gear? Enter our contest and you could WIN $50 to Best Buy or Amazon.com.

For this year’s Teen Tech Week, we’ve come up with a heap of challenges that will take you to the outer edges of the internet and back. As you complete the challenges, record your completion of each task on this online form.

For every four challenges you complete, you will be entered once to win our grand prize (a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com or Best Buy—your choice). Complete ALL the challenges, and you’ll get three chances to win the grand prize!

South Carolina Junior Book Awards

Awesome Books for Middle Schoolers!!

The 2012-2013 South Carolina Junior Book Award nominees are in! Check out the results. They include dangerous underwater worlds, kids forced to work in sweatshops, and a talking origami Yoda. Yes, there is a book (or two or three) for all tastes. Click on any title to reserve a copy!

Start off with:



The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
By Tom Angleberger

When Dwight, the class weirdo, shows up with a talking origami Yoda, kids tease him. But Yoda seems to know things—and his advice is oddly wise. Is the Force really with him, or has Dwight fallen off the deep end?

Sequel: Darth Paper Strikes Back

S.C. Young Adult Book Award Nominees

Great Books for S.C. High Schoolers!!

The South Carolina YA Book Award Nominees are in for 2012-2013!

Our state's students, librarians, teachers, parents, and others chose these books as the very best for high schoolers. (Heads up: Teachers like to pick summer reading requirements from these lists...so get a head start!)

Click on any title to reserve a copy:



Pathfinder
By Orson Scott Card

Rigg has a secret ability to see the paths of others' pasts. However, revelations after his father's death set him on a dangerous quest that brings new threats from those who would either control his destiny or kill him.

Hunger Games Tribute Training Camp

Your name was drawn at the reaping...

We hereby summon you to Tribute Training Camp to be held under cover of darkness after the Main library closes at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 9. Ages 10 to 18 shall attend. Arrive in comfortable attire or costume.

You will demonstrate: Nerf sharpshooting, costume preparation, game strategy, knot tying, Tracker Jacker evasion, and specific knowledge of The Games.

You will attempt to win prizes (including movie tickets, posters, and books) by gaining the favor of our elite Gamemakers.

You will eat free pizza and snacks.

You will depart at 8 p.m.

For more info, call 843-805-6845 or email teenunderground@ccpl.org.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

(BTW, if you loved The Hunger Games, click here for our list of other creepy dystopias that will likewise give you nightmares and question the future of our wonderful world.)

Happy training!