Friday Fives: You're So Cliched...

Writing Song of the Day: "Same Song and Dance" by Eminem

It's Friday so we know what that means--it's time to once again join the Paper Hangover gang for the Friday Fives. This week they want to know:

What are your five favorite cliches?

Um...gulp. Let's see what we can come up with...

1. The Love Triangle. Come on, what girl doesn't want two hot guys fighting over her? However, Quita and I just had a conversation about this, and we both agreed that we'd love to see more spins of this where 2 girls go after the same guy. Guys deserve love, too. Speaking of which...

2. The Bad Boy. Yes, this is coming from the girl who rolls her eyes whenever someone swoons over Damon from The Vampire Diaries or Eric from True Blood. Granted, I've never read the book versions of these TV shows--so maybe I'd like them more on paper. But, when done right--such as Jordan Catalano from My So-Called Life or Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights--I can't help but empathize with the "bad boy." I love when we get a chance to see why their guards are up.

3. The Meek Girl Becomes a BAMF. There are so many times when we see the female protagonist break out of her cocoon and start kicking some serious ass. Do we get tired of it? Umm, NO! I think it's because we're both very introverted, so we get to live out our fantasies through the likes of Clary from The Mortal Instrument series and Tris from Divergent.

4. You Are the Chosen One. Call it the Harry Potter Syndrome. You take your normal, everyday Joe or Jill Schmoe and--voila--they find out they're destined for greatness. We're still waiting for our calling. Yep, still waiting...

5. But Wait...There's More! Yeah, this may not count, but we're both becoming HUGE fans of trilogies. And by the YA deals on Publishers Marketplace, it seems like we're not alone. We love to see what kind of conflicts and character arcs can build over the course of three novels. Quita can't wait to read Forever by Maggie Stiefvater (the final installment in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series), and I can't wait to see what Beth Revis has in store next after Across the Universe.

Yay--we did it! Now you tell us--what's your FAVE cliche??

*Oh, and don't forget to enter our giveaway to win a copy of How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend. Contest ends July 5th! :)

Debut Author Challenge # 8: How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend...And a Giveaway!!!

Reading Song of the Day: "Girlfriend (Remix)" by Nsync ft. Nelly


We told ya we'd have more Debut Author Challenge to share with you guys :) This time, we're going to introduce you to a fun, light (hmmm, that's slightly debatable b/c there are some high stakes in this book) YA (possibly older MG) novel called How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislan.


The title is pretty self explanatory but just in case you want more, here is what Goodreads has to say:


David Gershwin's summer is about to take a turn for the weird. When his dad's new patient Zelda tells him she s from outer space and on a quest to take Johnny Depp back to her planet, he knows he should run away screaming. But with one look from her mean, green eyes, David's hooked, and soon he's leaping across rooftops, running from police, and stealing cars just to stay by her side. He might not be a typical hero, but David's going to get the girl even if it takes him to the ends of the earth or beyond.

Yep, it's as fun as it sounds. Just in case you need more convincing, here are:

The Top Four Things You need to Know about How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend:

1. The MC has Crazy Voice!: David is the son of a psychiatrist who witnesses crazy teens on an almost daily basis. He's clumsy, nerdy, and he makes lists to spell out the zany situations he gets caught up in. He is also a typical fourteen year old boy who loses words at the sight of boobs--I loved the authenticity of this character even while being wrapped up in alien politics.

2. The Love Story: When the book begins, Zelda is introduced as a sixteen year old lunatic who thinks she is from another planet. David finds himself enamored by Zelda almost right away and the story blossoms between the two from there. It's really sweet how it starts as a cute (although abusive--Zelda is fierce!) friendship.

3. Realistic Family Dynamic: Mom and Dad are separated, Mom is evil with a rich lifestyle and a new boyfriend, and David's older "stepsister" is a Bohemian drifter who hates her dad and David's mom. All of the characters come to life and again I liked how much reality was in the background of all of the alien craziness.

4. What's at Stake: What's more timeless than a story about someone looking for love? Of course, this book takes it to a whole new level when the person looking for love is an alien searching for a celebrity like Johnny Depp. Also, I like how Ghislan doesn't hold back on the explosions, butt kicking, and alien powers as David and Zelda travel in search for Captain Jack.

If You Like...

Books: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore, Roswell High Series by Melinda Metz, and Girl Parts by John M. Cusick...then you'll like How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend.

Movies: Earth Girls Are Easy, Disturbing Behavior, and The Faculty ...then you'll like How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend.

But, wait! That's not it... just as we did with Crystal Allen's How Lamar's bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy, we are going to give this gem of a book away!!!! That way you can enjoy the alien antics as well :) All you have to do to win is leave a comment on this post by Midnight on July 5th, 2011 and be a follower of this blog. So easy :)

BTW- have you read any good debut author books lately? If so, share--even though our To Be Read Piles will hate you.

RTW: Best Book in June

Reading Song of the Day: "You Are the Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne

Due to popular demand, the ladies at YA Highway have brought back "The Best Book of the Month" Road Trip Wednesday topic! We couldn't be more excited :)

I'll keep this short and sweet b/c we have another book review in store for tomorrow and we know book reviews can sometimes be daunting. This month I read two books for the Debut Author Challenge and finished one that I started a while back. Since the other two already get their moments in the spotlight, I'm gonna name I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore the best book I read in June!

Interested? Check out what Goodreads.com has to say about it:

Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.
Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.
But they know.
They caught Number One in Malaysia.Number Two in England.And Number Three in Kenya.They killed them all.
I am Number Four.
I am next.

This book is full of action and has an EPIC plot & premise. The writing is the not the best in the world and it won't win any Newberrys or Caldecotts...but if you are looking for a good, exciting, and fun read (and a cover that features the YUMMY Alex Pettyfer), then this is your book! Oh, and the movie was awesome, too :)

What was the best book you read this month?

WIP Snapshot: Project J

Writing Song of the Day: "Fake It" by Seether

Okay, so we blatantly stole this idea from the lovely Caroline Tung Richmond (who, by the way, you should SO follow--her blog is incredible!), who has admitted that she stole this idea from super author Kiersten White. Basically, they both gave details on their current works-in-progress. I'll tackle mine this week--but stay tuned for Quita's breakdown next Monday. And now...let's do this!


Title: Some of you may remember me mentioning Project J on the blog. Well, I had to quickly give it a title for an SCBWI novel retreat, and I settled on Faking It. Don't worry, it's only temporary.


Genre: Hopefully humorous, contemporary YA


Pages: 283. This is double-spaced with 12-point Times New Roman font.


Chapters: 28--maybe I'll lose one or two of them during the revision process (which I'm devoting the whole month of July for).


Word Count: A little over 70K. Yeah, I definitely have to ditch a few chapters.


Draft Time: Well, I technically started Project J last summer, but then I hit a roadblock so I went back to my Wants revisions. I had to ask Quita when I started writing it again, and she said she thinks either February or March. I'll take her word on that. I just know that I FINALLY finished my first draft near the end of April.


Origin: I was inspired by the 80s classic, Can't Buy Me Love. I knew that I wanted to write something a bit lighter since Wants was so dark (though it does have its light moments, too). I also still wanted to tackle "heavy" issues and underrepresented populations. I haven't read many stories with gay/lesbian parents, so I found a way to combine the ideas together.


Random Facts:

• My protagonist's name is Jonah. I recently went through another revision of Wants and noticed I had a minor character named Jonah. Wants Jonah is a douche--which is the complete opposite of my new protag.


• Jonah's mom's name is Beverly--which I also realized is the name of one of my character's moms in Wants. I really need to visit one of those baby names websites more often, huh?


• I've written three YA manuscripts so far, and basketball is featured in every one of them. I have no clue why since...well, I have NO CLUE about basketball. Which sucks because Jonah was trying out for the basketball team. Let's just say I utilized Google and my dad a lot.


• My story is set in a small city in Virginia, which is pretty much where all of my stories are set. Can you guess where I'm from?


• Jonah doesn't use a lot of profanity, which makes this one of the "cleanest" stories I've ever written. Hmm, I wonder if that's why it took me forever to complete the first draft...


• When Jonah was younger, he was in a school production of A Christmas Carol. His only line was: "Merry Christmas, Mr. Scrooge." I so stole that memory from my dad.

There you have it--this is what I'll be working on over the summer. I'm hoping to send it out to betas soon so that I can really dig into the heart of this story. What about you all? How's your writing going? We'd love to read about your WIPs. :)

Friday Fives: Go With the Flow

Brainstorming Song of the Day: "Go With the Flow" by Queens of the Stone Age

After a week off, we're hopping back in the saddle with the Paper Hangover gang for the Friday Fives. Today they want to know the:

FIVE things that get your creativity juices flowing

Hmm, this is a tricky one, but let's give it a shot:

1. Music. I think this may be a popular one for many writers. Quita and I differ on this, though. While I LOVE listening to music while I write, if it's a song I know too well, I'm going to be singing it from the rooftops instead of getting the words down. Quita can sit down and write through a rock concert, though. So, YES, I love music--but I prefer to listen to lesser known artists while I'm first drafting.

2. Other books. We've heard it all before--in order to be a great writer, you need to read, read, READ. I especially like to keep my eye open for techniques that I need more help in, like setting. Quita likes to look for pacing. Reading work from well-respected authors (and not even just in YA) helps us up our game.

3. Movies. Every Friday night, you can find us at the movie theater. In fact, I got the ideas from the last 2 WIPs I wrote from movies that I loved as a kid. It's not necessarily stealing--it's taking what you love so much about those movies and applying it to your own world.

4. People watching. So, we're no longer teens, but we love writing about them. How do we make our writing authentic? Well, by watching teens of course--and we mean that in the not creepy way. We love eavesdropping in on conversations, or just watching interactions in public areas to make sure we're nailing that teen voice.

5. Attending conferences. We LOVE going to writing conferences! Just mingling with other writers, and hearing words of wisdom from publishing insiders makes it money well spent. Every time we leave a conference or some other writing-related event, we're so motivated to pound the keys on our laptops.

What about you all? What gets your creative juices flowing?

Debut Author Challenge # 7: Possession by Elana Johnson...AND a WINNER!

***Ummm...yes, we did schedule a post without adding in our winner...EPIC FAIL. But we have fixed that mistake. Sorry, guys :(***

Reading Song of the Day: "I Will Posses Your Heart" by Death Cab for Cutie

It's been awhile, but we're still at the Debut Author Challenge game...and we're doing pretty well! We're already on # 7 (out of the 12 required) and there will be two more to come in the upcoming months. This time we present to you another much awaited YA novel: Possession by Elana Johnson. Doesn't the title alone just pull you in???



Well, if the title isn't enough, we shall give you what Goodreads has to say...

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

AND, now we will convince you even more with:

The Top Four Things You Need to Know about Possession:

1. Holy Tech Overload: If you've read the book, then you get that line. Point being, this book is full of so many awesome and engaging technologies that it kinda boggles the mind at first. It's so cool, though...I mean, the characters can actually teleport! This book offers a scary but realistic view of where technology may take us.

2. Vi: The MC has such a strong and engaging voice from page one that I didn't want to stop reading. I had to get to know this girl. I had to get why she wanted to be bad. As I read on, I realized how refreshing it was to be reading a book from the POV of someone so headstrong. Vi is definitely NOT a damsel in distress.

3. Action: One of the things we struggle with the most is writing action scenes that are engaging and well-written. Elana Johnson obviously does not suffer from this writer's kryptonite. The action in Possession starts on page four and did not let down from there.

4. Jag's Jaggy-ness: OMIGOD, Jag's one of the sexiest, dreamiest, hottest (did I say sexiest?) love interests created in YA. From his tanned skin, to the cocky smile, to the muscles, the shrug, the way he says "Nice"...*sigh* It's sad, I know, but that is one dreamy mofo! And even though he was supposed to be the "bad" boy, I didn't view him as all that bad. And I think that's crucial to creating the relationship that he and Vi form.

If you like...

Books: Matched by Ally Condie, Divergent by Veronica Roth, or Delirium by Lauren Oliver...then you'll like Possession.

Movies: Terminator, Never Let Me Go, and Aeon Flux...then you'll like Possession.

Have you read Possession, yet? If so, what'd ya think? If not, what are you waiting for???

Oh, yeah! We also are announcing the winner of the awesome-tastic book from editor extraordinaire Cheryl Klein! So, without further ado the winner of Second Sight: An Editor’s Talks on Writing, Revising, and Publishing Books for Children and Young Adults is....

JESSICA LOVE!!!!

Check your e-mail soon :)

RTW: The Roof, the Roof, the Roof is on Fi-ya (and a winner)!

Saving Song of the Day: "Light My Fire" by The Doors

It's been a minute, but we're joining the lovely ladies of YA Highway for another Road Trip Wednesday. This week they want to know:

Your house is on fire and you can only grab 5 things. What are they?

This question is so unfair! But we still had fun compiling this list:

1. Our laptops. Are you kidding us? Our laptops have EVERYTHING: vacation photos, our iTunes playlists, and most important--OUR WRITING! These definitely will be the first things we look for in the midst of all that smoke.

2. Photo albums. Yeah, our laptops have a few photos, but the memories from our childhood are in the actual albums. Where else can you find Pam posing with her dad in Bart and Homer Simpson T-shirts...or Quita crying at her preschool graduation. (Side note: I SO wanted to post that, but Quita has threatened my life)

3. Tote bag of books. Okay, we cheated a little with this one. We couldn't just choose ONE book, so we decided that we'd each have our own bag of our faves. For Pam, she'd have to have something from Ellen Hopkins, Courtney Summers, John Green, and Stephen King. For Quita, she'd grab books from Joyce Carol Oates, Blake Nelson, Laurie Halse Anderson, and Maggie Stiefvater.

4. Jewelry. Our class rings are completely irreplaceable--and so are our rings from Quita's beloved dad, Duke.

5. Car keys. To get the hell away from the fire--duh!!

Whew, hard stuff, but what would YOU grab?

Oh wait! We have to announce our winner of the signed Brendan Halpin book, Notes From the Blender, as well as Fill in the Blank Plotting. And the winner is....

Vivien!!!!!

Congrats, Vivien! Expect an email from us shortly. :)