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.

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.

YALLFest Read-Alikes

Y'all Loved YALLFest!

Judging by the crowds and lines of book-wielding fans, YALLFest was a huge success. Now that you've met the authors you love, try these read-alikes -- and don't forget to click on the titles to reserve them!

If you like this YALLFest book:                                                                                                  Then try:

Every You, Every Me
By David Levithan

Evan is haunted by the loss of his best friend, so when mysterious photos appear, he begins to fall apart.


As Simple As Snow
By Gregory Galloway

The narrator is left with unanswered questions after goth girl Anastasia disappears.

Author Interview: Melissa de la Cruz!

Author Interview: Melissa de la Cruz

Melissa de la Cruz writes the bestselling teen vampire series, the Blue Bloods, as well as The Ashleys and The Au Pairs series. On top of all that, she has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has appeared on TV shows as a trend expert. Whew! She even writes great adult fiction, including the Witches of East End.

Melissa grew up in Manila, capital of the Phillipines, and moved to San Francisco, where she graduated salutatorian of The Convent of the Sacred Heart. Then, she majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and says she minored in nightclubs and shopping!).

Read our interview with her below and then come meet her at YALLFest:

New Books, Get Them First

We're Bursting With New Teen Titles!


Here at CCPL, we've just received a slew of fantastic new teen books from bestselling authors, including Elizabeth Scott and Susan Beth Pfeffer, along with some great debut writers. Click on titles to get your hands on them first!


As I Wake
By Elizabeth Scott

Ava wakes up in a house she doesn't know, into a life she doesn't recognize. Recently released from the hospital, she's welcomed home by family and friends. But Ava can't remember any of them -- and she can't shake the strange feeling that she's not who they say she is.

Author Interview: Sarah Rees Brennan

Author Interview: Sarah Rees Brennan

Sarah Rees Brennan grew up in Ireland by the sea where her teachers valiantly tried to make her fluent in Irish. She chose to read books under her desk instead -- mostly Jane Austen, Margaret Mahy, Anthony Trollope, Robin McKinley and Diana Wynne Jones. (She still loves them all!).

Sarah began work on The Demon’s Lexicon while doing a creative writing master's and library work in England. She has returned to Ireland to write but is traveling all the way to Charleston for YALLFest! Read our interview with this hilarious writer:


We’re all excited that you're coming to Charleston for YALLFest! What made you decide to come?

I'm excited too! I love to travel, and I've never been to Charleston before...so I was like, 'Cool, people who like books? Rhett Butler's hometown (I know, I know, such a book nerd)? I'M IN!' I was honored to be invited.

Meet Author Kimberly Derting!

Author Interview: Kimberly Derting

Kimberly Derting lives in the Pacific Northwest, an ideal place to be writing anything dark or creepy—just what you'll find aplenty in her books (hint: morbid abilities, dead people, haunting interpersonal connections, etc.).

Her writing gig started when she chose journalism as a 7th-grade elective. It was supposed to be an easy A. Instead, she fell in love with writing. The rest is...well, you know.

Get to know Kimberly through our interview with her below. Then, check out her books before meeting her at YALLFest on Nov. 11 and 12! (Click on any book title to place a library hold on it.)


We’re all excited that you’ll be at YALLFest! What made you decide to come?

I'm SO excited to be coming to YALLFest, it’s such an amazing opportunity to connect with readers! And to be perfectly honest, I may or may not have highlighted a few of my own favorite authors to stalk while I'm there. If you’re curious as to who they are, just be on the lookout for the authors giving me very awkward half-hugs. :)

Author Interview: Saundra Mitchell

Author Interview: Saundra Mitchell

This Carolina neighbor writes haunting books and short stories. But did you know she's also a longtime screenwriter? For all you aspiring writers, Saundra is especially passionate about helping teens tap their own creative writing talents.

Check out her books: Shadowed Summer, The Vespertine, and The Springsweet (due out in 2012). Then, come meet Saundra at YALLFest in November! We have a sneak introduction because she kindly agreed to answer a few questions for us:


We’re all excited that you’ll be at YALLFest! What made you decide to come?

A book festival in an incredibly historic U.S. city, packed to the gills with my favorite YA writers and pie? When Kami and Margie (authors of Beautiful Creatures) invited me, I couldn't say no. And if they hadn't invited me, I can't say that I wouldn't have crashed the party. It's just too much awesome in one place!

YALLFest brings top YA authors to town

Updated with YALLFest schedule and YA Smackdown info! 

YA Superstars Descend on Charleston

Here at the library, our hearts are beating super fast. Why? We've learned which bestselling YA authors are coming to Charleston in November for YALLFest 2011! Thanks to Beautiful Creatures authors Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, the list includes such megastars as Ellen Hopkins, David Levithan, Heather Brewer, and Melissa de la Cruz.

Major thanks to Jonathan Sanchez of Blue Bicycle Books, who is hosting the event!

CCPL is thrilled to be a partner...check out the FULL SCHEDULE HERE!

The Spoken Word

New Teen Books on CD

We've just received a TON of new teen books on CD. So, if you'd rather listen to words, or if you're facing a long car trip, check out these titles. (Click on titles to reserve them. We'll ship the CDs to the CCPL branch closest to you!)

Mockingjay [compact disc]
By Suzanne Collins

Katniss Everdeen has survived the fight-to-the-death Hunger Games. But now she faces her toughest challenge yet. With the Capitol and President Snow blaming her for the uprising in District 12, will she sacrifice herself to protect her loved ones?

Sequel to: The Hunger Games and Catching Fire






Fallen [compact disc]
By Lauren Kate

Suspected in the death of her boyfriend, 17-year-old Luce is sent to reform school in Savannah where she meets two intriguing boys -- and learns the truth about the frightening shadows that haunt her.

Sequel: Torment

Book-O-Scope: Your Summer Reading Forecast

Wondering what to read next?

Find answers in the stars!

Gemini
May 21 -- June 21

You’ve been feeling confused lately. Yet, the answers are all there for you to find -- if you look. Read Beatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams, and find out if John decides to stay with his girlfriend, Cilla, or to take a chance with Destiny.

S.C. Young Adult Book Award

FALL FOR GREAT BOOKS!

From bloody wars and school violence to bullies and cults, there's something for every teen among the South Carolina Young Adult Book Award nominees for 2011-2012. (If you've read any of the books, leave your opinions in the comments section below!) Then, check out some new titles:


Before I Fall
By Lauren Oliver

Samantha Kingston has worked her way up the popularity ladder. Now a senior, she and her friends rule their school. But after she dies in a car crash, Samantha finds herself reliving the day of her death over and over and over again. 





Angry Management
By Chris Crutcher

Chris Crutcher fanatics rejoice! Your favorite characters are back. Mr. Nak from Ironman is holding Angry Management classes with other characters from the Crutcher archives. After a brief intro, each of the three stand-alone stories is preceded by Mr. Nak's file notes on the teen subjects.

Books Fell on Charleston





#1:  Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Where Am I? 

In celebration of Teen Lit Day, Reading Underground dropped awesome books for teens in random places around downtown Charleston.

It was part of the Rock the Drop movement, and it gave us a great excuse to visit some of the interesting, historic and beautiful places around town that we sometimes forget to notice.

Do you recognize the locations where we left these books? Do you want to win a WHOLE BOX of FREE BOOKS (Advance Reading Copies of YA books that will be published later this spring/summer) AND a retro-tastic vintage summer reading t-shirt?!

If so, send an email to teenunderground@ccpl.org or leave a comment below telling us where you think these pictures were taken. First person to correctly identify all the locations wins! If no one gets them all, the prize goes to whoever gets the most right, so why not go ahead and guess?

Contest ends:  May 1, 2011.

The rest of the photos are after the jump...

The Undead Walk Among Us...Again

Zombie Plague Returns

New release alert! Book three in Carrie Ryan's zombie series comes out this week. The Dark and Hollow Places picks up after The Forest of Hands and Teeth (also available as a downloadable audiobook) and The Dead-Tossed Waves.

Years after a zombie plague destroyed society, small holdouts of humanity struggle to survive in the face of their undead enemies. Annah lives in the Dark City alone after losing her twin sister and their best friend, Elias. She's near despair when she meets a new boy, Catcher, and begins to hope again. 

But Catcher has his own dark secrets connected to Annah’s past. Brimming with suspense, romantic turmoil, and threats of death by zombie, don't miss the series!   

Want more zombie books for your braaaaaaaaaains? Click on "Read More":

Teens Vote "Wings" Next Twilight Series

Wings

By Aprilynne Pike

Not that we'd ever dump Edward or Jacob. But with so many supernatural romances seducing us, which one will be the next Twilight? Teens voting on JSYK narrowly chose Wings by Aprilynne Pike as the series most likely to fill the blood-thirsty shoes. (Stephenie Meyer endorsed the book, too.)

In Wings, you'll meet home-schooled Laurel who must start public high school when her parents move to L.A. Long story short: Laurel grows a flower with foot-long petals on her back. Throw in a sweet love triangle and an ending that promises lots of sequels...and maybe Laurel will be the next Bella.

However, the race was tight -- down to the last Tweets. Out of 27,000 votes cast, Wings pulled out just 49 more votes than second-place Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, a gothic fantasy romance set right outside our awesome home city of Charleston. In this book, Ethan discovers the new girl in his small town is part of a family of Casters.

Check out its sequel, Beautiful Darkness, to see which books you like best.

These other fantasy favs were in the running, too:

Contest: Win an ARC of Demonglass

Demonglass, the sequel to Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, won't be released until March 1, 2011. 

But if you just can't wait to find out what happens next with Sophie, Archer and the rest of the Prodigium, here's your chance to win an Advance Reading Copy.

Just leave a comment on this blog post, telling us either:

a) your favorite book of all time 
(or)
b) the best book you've read recently.

Contest ends Sunday, Feb 13 2011, 11:59pm EST

A winner will be selected at random, and notified on Monday, Feb 7. 

And if you haven't read Hex Hall yet....what are you waiting for?  It's about a girl who gets sent to a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (a.k.a. witches, shapeshifters and fairies) and discovers ancient secrets about herself, her family, and the true nature of her powers.

Nightshade: A Dark, Sexy Werewolf Saga

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer brings fantasy lovers a new take on the werewolf myth...one that's dark, gripping, and ultra sexy. Meet Calla, the alpha of her pack. She's supremely tough, incredibly gorgeous -- and already assigned to marry Ren, the alpha male of another pack. This doesn't thrill Calla, who's way too proud to bow down to any guy. Sure, Ren is gorgeous and all the girls want him. But when Calla saves a cute human boy, she's drawn to him and to the lies he's uncovering about the werewolves and the masters they serve. The first in a trilogy, Nightshade is filled with lust and adventure. Sequel: Wolfsbane

(click on the title to reserve a copy to pick up at a CCPL branch near you!)

Read on...