Editor Interrogation: Julie Tibbott (Graphia/Harcourt)

Hi guys! Today for Editor Interrogation, I have Graphia editor Julie Tibbott here on TUBL! She's the fun and fabulous editor of Swoon at Your Own Risk, The Reason, The Clearing, Jekel Loves Hyde, etc.! They're all amazing books and you can check some of my reviews for the Graphia titles here!

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What inspired you to make YA literature your career focus?
In that period between childhood and adulthood, teens are often making their first really big decisions, becoming independent, figuring out what they believe in, and having their first romances—and of course, emotions are running really high. All of these elements make YA literature fertile ground for lots of exciting stories. I also work on middle grade novels, but YA lit is what I’m most drawn to.

What kind of reader were you as a teenager?
An insatiable one! I read everything from Nabokov to true crime novels to fanzines. You could give me a copy of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood or a copy of Reader’s Digest, and it would barely make a difference to me—I was just glad to have something to read! I’m sure I read just as much “trash” as quality literature, but I think reading everything I could get my hands on has given me a wide frame of reference and helped to shape my tastes.

How was your road to becoming an editor for Graphia?
I always knew I wanted to work with books. I was an English major in college, and the summer before my senior year I got an internship at a small publisher called Barefoot Books. Starting at such a small house was a good learning experience, because I got to see every aspect of the business, and that helped me decide that I’d like to be an editor. My first job out of school was in Scholastic’s book club division. I was the assistant editor for their Teen Age Book Club (TAB) for about three years before moving on to Harcourt. When Harcourt merged with Houghton Mifflin a few years ago, I began working on the Graphia imprint.

Did you take courses in college that led you to becoming an editor?
None of my college classes addressed editing specifically, but I’m sure almost every class I’ve ever taken has contributed to my editorial sensibility in some way. Being exposed to new ideas, books, works of art, etc. has helped me figure out what I like and cultivate new interests. I think having a broad range of interests helps when you’re an editor. It means that many different kinds of stories appeal to me, and that keeps our list, and my day-to-day work interesting!

What are some challenges you face in your job?
Losing a book I love to another publisher is always rough. But, in the end it’s nice to know that the book you loved will be published anyway, and there’s always something else wonderful coming down the line.

What are some of the benefits of being an editor?
The biggest benefit is that I enjoy coming to work every day! I get to do lots of reading and writing, which I love, and I feel good knowing that I play a part in getting great books in the hands of young readers. Plus, I get to meet and work with so many talented and creative people, which I think is awesome.

What are some Graphia titles that we should be excitedly awaiting?
We have some really exciting paperback original titles on our fall 2010 list. There’s HUNGER by Jackie Morse Kessler, which is about an anorexic teen who becomes one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse—Famine, naturally. IT STARTED WITH A DARE by Lindsey Faith Rech is about a former good girl’s quest to reinvent herself when she starts at a new school, with humorous and disastrous results! And we also have new installments in some favorite series: There’s Marlene Perez’s DEAD IS JUST A RUMOR, and Marley Gibson’s GHOST HUNTRESS BOOK 4: THE COUNSELING.

What usually makes you 'pick' a book for publication? Do you have any set criteria?
There are no real set criteria except that I have to love it and it must be marketable. Usually, I know I want to acquire a manuscript when I can’t stop thinking about it after reading it.

Hope you enjoyed the interview! Thanks to Julie for letting me interview her and find out more about the publishing world!

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Author Uncovered: Sydney Salter (Author Interview)

Hi guys! Today I have Sydney Salter, author of Swoon at Your Own Risk here with me today! You can check out my review here! I loved it and I loved talking to Sydney! Enjoy the interview!

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Who is your favorite character from Swoon at Your Own Risk? (Personally, I LOVED Polly and her gran ;D)
I, too, have a particular fondness for Miss Swoon aka grandma. I’ve used her character to poke a little fun at my own mom, who isn’t an advice columnist, but a psychologist. My mom did once date the refrigerator repairman though. Oh, and the TV salesman, too.

Why did you choose to write about taking a break from boys and an advice-columnist grandma? The whole thing was very fun!
Aw, thanks. Over the years I’ve had far too many friends who go from break-up to new boyfriend without ever taking the time to figure out who they are, what they really want, or even what they really like, so I wanted to write about someone like that.

As for the advice columns, I have to confess that I love reading them! I also wanted to play with the idea that people who are good at giving advice, don’t always take their own advice.

What is the story behind the story of Swoon at Your Own Risk?
I often steal little tidbits from my real life when crafting fiction—here are two that inspired Polly’s story:

One morning I heard a zipper-like sound on the street, and when I peeked out the window there was a cute neighborhood boy skateboarding down the street, gracefully holding a cup of coffee in one hand, while talking on his cell phone. He practically begged to become a fictional love interest.

A recent boating trip with my dad and stepmom turned into a rain-drenched adventure with water sloshing into the boat and lightening flashing across the sky. Something good had to come out of that misery so I threw that into the mix as well.

Even though Swoon at Your Own Risk is a fun book, what was the message that you tried to get across to your readers?
I hope readers will realize that the adults in their lives aren’t perfect, but they’re trying to do their best. I guess that I also want girls to know that it’s important to focus on themselves, not just the boys in their lives (although love certainly has its place).

What would you have done if you were in Polly's place?
Omigod. I spent all of high school infatuated with the wrong boys, so I always try to have my characters make better decisions than I would have—eventually.

How did the title Swoon at Your Own Risk come to be?
I liked the word play of those Swim At Your Own Risk signs at public pools and I combined that with my advice columnist Miss Swoon.

What's the most interesting thing a reader has ever said to you?
I can’t really choose one thing, but I’ve found it incredibly interesting how people bring their own experiences to the books they read. My first novel, My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters, takes place in Reno, Nevada where I went to high school. Several of my classmates have written to tell me how they remember such and such—and I’ll think to myself, but I made that part up completely. I also had a really difficult time convincing a TV news reporter that my characters were not real people, but a combination of traits many people possess. That was weird!

What’s up next for you book-wise?
I’m just about to start a new YA project that I’m super excited about, but not ready to talk about quite yet… So please get back to me on that one!

Book you've faked reading:
I haven’t exactly read Twilight yet. I know, I know…

Book you've bought for the cover:
Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (hardcover). I could NOT resist that gorgeous cow with the beauty queen crown—and I was thrilled when I loved the story as much as the cover.

Book you're an evangelist for:
Crank by Ellen Hopkins. I think it should be mandatory reading for all junior high students; schools could replace expensive just-say-no-to-drugs programs for the price of a paperback.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Thank you for supporting authors! We really appreciate it : )

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Swoon at Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter

Title: Swoon at Your Own Risk
Author: Sydney Salter
Pages: 360
Publisher: Graphia
Publication Date: April 5, 2010

It’s the summer before senior year and Polly Martin has sworn off boys. Who needs the hurt and confusion? Five recent breakups have left her with an unnatural knowledge of NASCAR, the ultimate hiker’s outfit, a student council position, the sixth highest score on the Donkey Kong machine at the mall, and a summer job at Wild Waves with ex #2 Sawyer Holmes.

Success seems a sure thing when Polly’s grandmother, the syndicated advice columnist, Miss Swoon, moves in for the summer. Polly almost doesn’t mind sharing a room with her little sister, Grace. Think of all the great advice she’ll get!

Everything is going according to plan except... Miss Swoon turns out to be a man-crazy septuagenarian! And then there’s Xander Cooper. If only he wouldn’t keep showing up at Wild Waves with his adorable cousins every afternoon — and what is he writing in that little notebook?

No advice column in the world can prepare Polly for the lessons she learns when she goes on a group camping trip (with three too many ex-boyfriends). Polly is forced to see people for who they are — a blend of good and bad qualities that can’t be reduced to a list or a snappy answer in a Miss Swoon column.

With her past endeavors with boys, Polly realizes she needs a break from boys. But throw in grammy Miss Swoon, hot skater dude Xander, and a trip with her exes, what's a girl to do? Only the granddaughter of Miss Swoon can tell! Ready, set, SPLASH!

Swoon at Your Own Risk is a fun, exuberant read full of growth and self-discovery. Although sometimes cliché and obvious, Swoon at Your Own Risk provokes a light, flowing nostalgia of summertime for the readers. Polly's situations are always laugh-out-loud hilarious and entertaining, keeping the novel bright and flowing.

The best main aspect in Swoon at Your Own Risk is Polly. At first, Polly seems unlikeable, selfish, and annoying, but as she deals with her issues and situations, she transforms into a funny, spunky, and fun character. The diverse spectrum of characters surrounding Polly brings Swoon at Your Own Risk to life and each and every character is special in their own way. Xander's part in Polly's life is extremely predictable, but that doesn't take away much from the plot. He's a cute, sensitive, and deep character. Xander is different from other YA love interests because he shows a more creative and different side of guys.

The tone of Swoon at Your Own Risk is established straight away with Polly's narration. In the beginning, readers may become a little frustrated with Polly's first-person narrative, but that's part of how she grows as a person. As the book progresses, readers will see subtle changes in Polly and her way of thinking, and this ultimately makes her a more down-to-earth character. Her previous experiences with boyfriends makes her fear of taking that leap of faith with Xander and later on, she may or may not overcome it.

Cheery, meaningful, and fun, Swoon at Your Own Risk takes you on a relaxing swim of realization, laughs, and of course, boys! It's perfect to remind you of summer and summer romances...but with a twist of Miss Swoon! A =)

The Bottom Line: Fun, fun, fun!

---Field Report---
Originality: 6/10
Ending: 8/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 10/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 9/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Total Score: 93/100 (A)

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Author Uncovered: Heather Davis (Author Interview)

Amy, a sixteen-year-old recovering from an abusive relationship, moves to the country to start a new life with her aunt–all she wants is for everything to be different. In the clearing at the back of Aunt Mae’s property, she makes an amazing discovery—Henry, a boy stuck in the endless summer of 1944. Henry and his world become Amy’s refuge and she begins to learn that some moments are worth savoring. But when the past and present come crashing together, both of them must find the courage to face what is meant to be, even if it means losing each other forever.

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Who is your favorite character from The Clearing?
That’s a hard one to pick, but I loved writing Aunt Mae.

Why did you choose to make The Clearing revolve around Amy and Henry as a boy stuck in 1944?
I’ve always been fascinated with “The Greatest Generation,” those people who lived through WWII.

Amy is a very unique character in The Clearing. Is she based on any real-life person?
Amy is every girl. She’s a character composed of many people, including myself.

Personally, what's your opinion on abusive relationships such as Amy's with her ex-boyfriend?
Often, women and girls feel pressured to stay with emotionally and physically abusive partners. It takes real strength and courage to break away and begin your life again.

What was the message that you tried to get across to your readers with The Clearing?
I think The Clearing’s message is that you can begin anew after your life implodes. That even in the midst of collapse and heartbreak there is hope.

The premise and concept of The Clearing is quite unique. How did the idea bloom? I was inspired to write The Clearing because I moved to a small town in the North Cascades, like Amy did, where nothing was what I expected it to be. It brought me to writing though, and every day as I sat as my desk, I gazed out a sliding glass window toward my neighbor's forty acre field. At the back of the property was a red barn with cows and horses gazing in front. Some days, the mist on that field got so thick the barn would disappear. I would wonder about what was "really" on the other side of that mist, and then one day, Henry came walking out. Amy was a harder character to write, but after suffering a life implosion that brought me back to the city a single girl, older and wiser, I knew what her journey had to be.

The cover is really very well done. Did you have any input in it?
The cover artist did a beautiful job. My editor, agent, and I all had suggestions, but it was the artist’s vision that really brought the cover to life.

What's the most interesting thing a reader has ever said to you?
I get lots of interesting letters from readers. Often they are writing to tell me how they connected to the story, which always interests me.

What’s up next for you book-wise?
My next book is WHEREVER YOU GO, which comes out from Harcourt in Fall 2011. It’s about a girl caring for her grandfather with Alzheimer’s and the ghost that haunts them both.

Book you've faked reading:
Moby Dick – I only read half of it in college, but I did make up for that by re-reading a few years ago.

Book you've bought for the cover:
I buy every book for the cover! (And the first page.)

Book you're an evangelist for:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Thanks for doing the interview, Regie.

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The Clearing by Heather Davis

Title: The Clearing
Author: Heather Davis
Pages: 228
Publisher: Graphia
Publication Date: April 12, 2010

Amy, a sixteen-year-old recovering from an abusive relationship, moves to the country to start a new life with her aunt–all she wants is for everything to be different. In the clearing at the back of Aunt Mae’s property, she makes an amazing discovery—Henry, a boy stuck in the endless summer of 1944. Henry and his world become Amy’s refuge and she begins to learn that some moments are worth savoring. But when the past and present come crashing together, both of them must find the courage to face what is meant to be, even if it means losing each other forever.

Recovering from an abusive relationship, Amy goes to her great aunt Mae's house to run from her problems and start anew. When she discovers Henry's life on the other side of the clearing, she is immediately drawn to his world and the inexplicable connection they share. But their relationship might not last; for Henry's situation may be far too complicated to hold their bond. Their hearts are on the line and their feelings for each other are quickly growing. It may be too late to avoid heartache.

The Clearing is a beautiful, bittersweet book that portrays the hardships and obstacles that people like Amy and Henry have to go through, just for love. It focuses on perfectly capturing the essence of love and showing its different sides. The Clearing shows the ups and downs, and also depicts how people can mistake 'infatuation' or 'like' for love.

The concept of The Clearing is extraordinary yet convincing. The idea of the mist in the clearing separating two different times; present and 1944 stands out well and is solidified with the realistic references in the book. The Clearing has a simplistic backdrop that gives the plot a more intimate and rustic feel to it. Readers will be completely interlocked and captivated with the charming countryside where Amy and Henry reside.

Amy's voice as a narrator is clear and concise with a comfortable tone. Amy has been through a lot, and readers will resonate with her feelings and experiences as Amy strives to get over her abusive relationship. Henry, from a completely different time, is a well-established character from the very beginning and yearns for something different...something only Amy can give. Their relationship coincides with Henry's family's developing revelation of the situation they're in and this further complicates things between their boundaries. They won't get all of what they want, but they do get to experience something very valuable; love. Even if their romance is quite rushed, it's easy to overlook that tainting aspect and focus on the subtle and important messages in The Clearing.

Amy's situation is uncommon but the reader will become in tune with her situation because of the normalities that are present in the novel. Amy deals with school, trying to fit in, friends, and family problems just like many other teens today. Henry and his world serves as an escape from her unhappy reality which ultimately elaborates on the concept of reality and fantasy comparison.

Simple, beautiful, and compassionate, The Clearing is full of depth and simple messages that readers may have forgotten. It's reminiscent of quiet summer nights, the lovely countryside, and the slight paranormal tinge. The Clearing is a magical and thought-provoking read that will make readers truly question their morals and beliefs of love. A+ =)

The Bottom Line: Breathtaking, simple, and balanced.

---Field Report---
Originality: 9/10
Ending: 8/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 10/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 10/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Total Score: 97/100 (A+)

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