Teen First Page Critique

Our TEEN FIRST PAGE CRITIQUE is a monthly feature here at YA Confidential that lets you get feedback on your manuscript from your target audience: real teen readers. This month's brave volunteer is Elodie Nowodazkij, and here is the first page from her YA fiction GUILTY.

The first girl my father killed was sixteen—the same age I am today. My phone beeps with yet another news alert and my heart bubbles in my throat. “Death row inmate claims he´s innocent.” My eyes scan the article, stop on Pa´s face for a split second. He´s changed a lot. Physically, at least. But I´d bet a thousand spirit sticks he´d kill again if he could.

People laugh on the other side of the curtains and the girls from my squad not participating in the pageant chant our victory song. I should be with them and not stress-eating to fill a hole bigger than the Grand Canyon in my stomach. Shit. Delicious raspberry jam leaves a trail on my skin. I wipe it away as fast as possible and take another bite of my PB&J sandwich.

My gaze drifts to the other side of our make-up area. Malik´s interviewing a sophomore. His dimple shows and my stomach sinks.

Where the hell is Kelsey?

"Omigod, omigod. Super late."

Kelsey waves her arms and blows kisses to the dozens of other girls standing around, fidgeting in their fancy dresses. This pageant always has fierce competition. The boys wanted us in bikinis this year but they always want to see more skin. Mrs. Potter—our gym teacher—put her foot down. It was “evening gowns” or no money for the basketball team this year.

Kelsey shrugs off her coat. “Tadaaaaaa, What do you think?” A mini-dress way shorter than what the students´ handbook allows shows off her curves.

Here's what our teens had to say…

RANDI: Wow. Definitely did not expect to go from murder to pageantry. Darkly comic, and admittedly very interesting, even though I'm not into the fluffy stuff. I definitely would read more, and it definitely grabbed my attention. As far as authenticity, I'd need to see more to get a better idea, but it looks pretty good from here.

LEXIE: Well, it's definitely an attention-grabber.  I can say I would definitely read on, not only because the whole murderer-father is a pretty huge hook, but also because I find the writing very smooth and enjoyable.  It's an intriguing first page, and does a good job of setting up a good conflict in such a short period of time.  However, my one issue is that at several points it feels rather...disjointed.  For example, the first line is a shocker, but then it doesn't really transition smoothly into the rest of the paragraph.  Similarly, the introduction of Kelsey came off as a rather abrupt switch from the whole high-anxiety-murderous-father-stress-eating of the paragraphs before.  I'd just recommend going over the page and trying to smooth those transitions--otherwise, a very solid start.
 

LISSA: I don’t really understand what this story is about. The murdering of a teenage girl is a heavy topic, yet I don’t really follow why the tone of the first page is happy-go-lucky and relaxed. Would this girl really have friends, being the daughter of a killer? Would she really be shopping for dresses and joking around with her friends when her father is on trial for murder? My biggest issue is with the tone of the story, but otherwise, I like the metaphors - the “fill a hole bigger than the Grand Canyon” line made me smile. Still, I’d stay clear from “omigods” and “tadaaas” just because I think cutesy language like that can bother a reader really quickly, no matter how true to life that type of language is for teens today. All in all, I’d keep reading, even if just until the end of the chapter, to see where the story goes. I think there needs to be some reworking done with the tone, but otherwise, I believe the rest of the story will be cool :)

LYNSAY:  I like the contrast of the pageant with the death row inmate and killing thing. I assume that this girl is a cheerleader, you may want to make that a little clearer because when I read spirit sticks the first thing I thought was Native Americans. I know I know, that's just me, but I missed it at first. Maybe you could say something like, a thousand of my squad's most coveted spirit sticks or something like that. I think that reference needs a little more. It's really intriguing though. In the first page, I'm intrigued about the pageant and about the death row inmate father. One important question that was raised for me is, does everyone know that killer is her father? Does anyone know? I would love to read more.

Hope this helps! And I hope this feedback is insightful for our readers as well! HUGE thank yous to our SPIES and ANALYSTS and to Elodie! I know how scary it can be to put your work out there. Thank you for sharing this with all of us!
 

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Judging A Book By Its Cover

On Monday we talked about book covers and the ones that we found especially eye-catching. It should come as no big surprise that our picks were (for the most part) completely different from each other. As the saying goes, "chacun à son goût", that is to say, "to each his own". I don't know about you, so I can only speak for myself and what jumps off the shelf and grabs my attention, but there's no one style I can say is my favorite. A few things factor into whether or not a cover works for me:

1)  Keep It Simple, Stupid...Sometimes
Sometimes simpler is better and sometimes simpler is just...blah. When I pick up a book off the shelf, I'd like some sense of what it's about. The cover is a great way to give clues as to what the reader will find inside. Fantasy often has a look to it, as do sci-fi and contemporary. Nobody is going to pick up a book with rippling muscles and heaving bosoms and not know what it's about, am I right? But if the cover is too simple, too bland then I'm that much less likely to pick it up. Sometimes it's the more ornate covers that catch my eye, or the ones with more detail and more going on.

2)  Fonts FTW!
I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'm a font fanatic, but fonts definitely matter to me. If the chosen font for a book cover looks like someone went a couple rounds with Photoshop and called it a day, it's a little off-putting. (And if you use Comic Sans, I will cut you.) That's not to say that fonts can't be fun. Just look at Jennifer E. Smith's books, The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight and This Is What Happy Looks Like. Both have totally fun fonts (the latter has the word 'happy' in the shape of a smile), but they don't look sloppy or amateur. The font should suit the work.

3)  Your Cover's Blown
Otherwise known as: When stock photography goes way wrong. I'm going to call a book out here only because I really enjoyed it and feel like it can stand on its own, ill-suited cover notwithstanding. The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols was a great book, but it suffers from mismatched cover syndrome. I'd kinda like cute, Japanese-American Max on the front, but instead I get some Cory Monteith doppelgänger who is just SO wrong for the book. There are whole conversations we could have about this—white-washing on YA covers, authorial say in cover content—but I think we can agree it's frustrating when a cover doesn't match what's inside.

4)  Content With Content
As someone well past my young adult years, I'm a proud YA reader. That said, there are certain book covers that I'm less likely to prance around in public with. You know the ones I mean: a couple caught two seconds away from being in flagrante. Basically, the YA version of heaving bosoms and greasy pecs. Ugh. If I'm going to read a bodice ripper, you better believe that sucker's going on my Kindle or not leaving the house. I'd rather not have to explain the couple making out on my book.

5)  Color Me Bold
I don't know about you, but I love me some color on my covers. There are a few books out this year that have gorgeous, vibrant covers that grabbed my attention the moment I saw them: Taken by Erin Bowman, Transparent by Natalie Whipple, and Splintered by A. G. Howard, among others. But sometimes that whole black and white effect with a single hit of color can be just as appealing. Take Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Tucholke, for instance. It's lack of color underscores the creepy and gothic nature of the book, and is therefore perfect.

6)  Changing Horses Midstream
It seriously chaps my hind quarters when midway through a series publishers decide to up and change the look of the covers. To the symmetry-obsessed and people who can't handle mismatch this is just crazy-making. Uneven book sizes, hardback versus paperback, completely different theme or scheme... It makes me want to do one of two things: 1) Go out, start over, and buy the whole series in the new covers, or 2) Not buy the rest of the series, but borrow it instead. Now #2 is kind of silly because it punishes the author for something that isn't his/her fault, and also, it causes a whole new problem→unfinished series. O_O At the end of the day, I get why they do this (to provide broader appeal, etc.), but it still irks the heck out of me.

There are other discussions to be had about YA covers—the frou frou dresses, the close face shots, gender* and race issues—but I think I've babbled on long enough.

What hooks you or irks you when it comes to covers?

* See Maureen Johnson's Coverflip series and the issue of gendered book covers.

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From the Vault :: Cover Love

Every Monday, we post a reading/writing-related question for our followers, and at the end of the month, one lucky commenter is selected to choose a title from our Vault! Whatever we have available: ARCs, signed books, awesome books... OR the monthly winner may select any one book to be ordered for them from the Book Depository! 

(To enter, please follow YA Confidential and make sure that your email address is linked to your comment in some way. We'll need to get in touch with you if you win.)

Today's question: We love us some awesome book covers. What’s the latest YA cover to catch your eye?

Sara - I'm a fan of DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT by Laini Taylor. Maybe I'm biased because I was DESPERATE to get my hands on the book and I love everything about this series (including the cover of book 1, too!) But I think it's evocative and I'd reach for it in a bookstore even if I'd never heard of it. (Yes, I know, it came out at the end of 2012, but it's still the first one to come to mind!) 

Matt - FAULT LINE, by Christa Desir. The release date isn't until this fall, but this book, and its cover, are going to shock the world.

Jaime - Hands down, Erin Bowman’s TAKEN. I love the rainbow colour palette, particularly the large amount of aqua/turquoise. I also love the tree branch and its reflection, the way the ground just drops off, and the ‘K’ that’s slowing being taken from the title. It’s just gorgeous from beginning to end.

 

Jessica - I LOVE the cover of ALIENATED by Melissa Landers! The colors totally pop, and I love how the human/alien worlds are shown through the picture. This is one I would grab from a shelf in a heartbeat. 

Copil - I love me some sexy androids so I'm really digging the MILA 2.0 cover and its visual metaphors. Cool stuff.

Leigh - Oooo... so many good YA covers! I do like Christa's! That is a cool cover. And being super girly, I lurv Kiera Cass's covers (ELITE/THE SELECTION). Being not-girly, Marie Lu's LEGEND covers are awesome. And of course, I love all my covers b/c I have the greatest cover designers in the world (Jolene Perry & Allie B)! ;o) 

Katy - I love the cover of CANARY by Rachele Alpine. It's so simple and unique. The vintage style and bright colors totally catch my eye. The stark font, the yellow canary, the iconic basketball -- they all come together so elegantly. Plus, I've heard that this story is told in a format similar to Jandy Nelson's THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE, which makes it automatically intriguing. 

Erica - I just love the cover for Erin Bowman's TAKEN. Since I've seen it, I haven't found one to top it as my favorite YA Cover! 

CZ - The cover of STARTERS by Lissa Price looks cool. It also ties into an in-story image.

 

Your turn! What’s the latest YA cover to catch your eye?

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Roundtable :: On News and Social Media

Copil: Wazzup, ninjas?! So we're discussing social media. Specifically, how it's used today, for good and evil.
Copil: Boston was a good example of both, I think.
Matt: Definitely. 20:03
Copil: More good than bad? Or vice versa?
Matt: I would say more good. Since the subreddit helped the FBI identify the suspects, did it not?
Chihuahua Zero: I have an example of "bad" ready to present, along with an example of "good".
Copil: Jump in, CZ!
Chihuahua Zero: Let's stick with Boston first.
Chihuahua Zero: Or rather, the marathon bombing.
Copil: Go ahead, CZ, let's talk Boston.
Chihuahua Zero: I think Boston won't get stuck with the bombing association, like Steubenville's incident. But Twitter was indeed interesting in the hours after the bombings. Here's a relevant article: https://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/201...
Matt: I agree CZ, Beantown has way too much history to be defined by the bombings.
Jaime: I think in many ways the information on Twitter and other forms of social media were more reliable and less frustrating than what the news outlets were putting out there.
Katy: I agree, Jaime.
Copil: I agree too, Jaime. I felt like, even if the info was wrong, updates only seemed to come when there was something new.
Copil: As opposed to the MSM, where there were a lot of talking heads saying they had nothing new.
Matt: Totally agree.
Jaime: Also, we weren't being bombarded with the same awful images over and over again. Just the news without all the shock value.
Copil: And the wrong stuff got edited when new info contradicted it.
Chihuahua Zero: Although social media is pretty self-correcting, it still has moments where misinformation spreads.
Matt: When they finally found suspect 2, I was switching back and forth between Fox and CNN, just out of curiosity, and it was very strange to see the stark differences.
LEIGH: I was following the police scanner on Twitter. It was INTENSE.
Copil: Same here, Leigh! Interesting thing about that... The police, at times, had just as inaccurate information as the rest of us did. Like the identity of the suspect - for a while, the police ALSO thought it was the missing Brown student.
LEIGH: I couldn't get NEWS on the networks, which was frustrating. Just a lot of fluff and speculation.
Katy: I rarely watch the popular news networks for that reason, Leigh
Chihuahua Zero: In the end, I think sometimes a more stable force makes a good balance for a spontaneous source like Twitter. For example, Snopes.
Copil: One question about the MSM, and the way they handled it. Do you think they were "boring" or "slow" because they were doing what they were supposed to be doing? IE, confirming before reporting?
Jaime: That's possible, Copil. One would hope that's the case, anyway.
LEIGH: I used to work at a TV station. Reporters can only do so much--they're not in the station listening to the scanners.
LEIGH: Twitter made it INSTANT
Matt: There is very little hard news on MSM anymore. I get all my news from NPR.
Chihuahua Zero: Although even though news has a little more reliability due to slowness, it allows misinformation to linger longer. Every new sources has pros and cons.
LEIGH: My first day working at the station, a shooting occurred at a MLKJr parade. It blew UP, and I was answering calls from NYC and London. EVERY reporter was called to the station and sent out in the field w/a camera man, but the SCANNERS were back with us at the station so there was a delay between what we were hearing and what they were getting--even with what the cops were getting.
Copil: Crazy, Leigh!
Matt: Fascinating.
LEIGH: Is it GOOD for the public to have this access to info? Maybe. Maybe not.
Chihuahua Zero: Even with Twitter, there's always delay.
Copil: Leigh, I think it's good. But I think we have to remember that just because it comes from the raw source, it's not necessarily better.
Matt: I think in the long run, truth, and facts, will always benefit society, but it's a matter of learning how to process things when they're coming at you so damn fast. The world is changing at a hyperbolic speed.
Chihuahua Zero: I think with the chase, there was a request at one point for people to stop sharing information from the scanner, just in case the suspect was watching social media.
Copil: Still plenty of misinformation. The police are human, too. So they spread rumor as truth sometimes without intending to.
LEIGH: Working at the station taught me to trust local stations more -- they know their market/community. National networks call the affiliates in cases like this--even Boston.
Chihuahua Zero: @Matt: Yes it is. It's scary in a way.
Karen: It's the Hive Mind effect taking over.
Chihuahua Zero: I feel like that at one point, the technological train will accelerate at lightning speed, leave most of us in the dust -- and then crash.
Copil: Crash how, CZ?
LEIGH: Possibly, CZ, but I think for the most part, people want to help.
Chihuahua Zero: Technological change is speeding up exponentially, but it will stop eventually. There's a limit. Or at least, it will reach a plateau.
Matt: Interesting. There are some things that seem to point to that. Moore's Law was one.
LEIGH: CZ -- we could compare it to the early 20th century when communication was evolving. Telegraph to radio to TV all coming after print.
Copil: Not if you read Ray Kurzweil. At that point, we hit the singularity, and everything is recreated by a computer. Imma live forever, yo!!!
Matt: LOL @ Copil
Chihuahua Zero: And technological discovery will slow down until we hit the next milestone and speed up again.
LEIGH: Right! I agree. I think it'll plateau, we'll refine how we use it, then something new will blow up. Star Trek. I just hope that singularity will hit in my lifetime, if it's positive.
Matt: What's that Einstein quote about technology vs. humanity?
Jaime: Is that the one about a generation of idiots?
Chihuahua Zero: "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity."
Copil: I do like the instant info and the people who collect it. I'm a little less fond of the vigilantes (although I was happy with Anon's efforts in Steubenville).
LEIGH: How would you guys say Social Media was used for EVIL in Boston?
Copil: Reddit outed several wrong suspects in the early hours after the bombing.
LEIGH: RIGHT! the guys who were fingered on CNN, you mean?
LEIGH: And in the NY Post? Radicalized a few otherwise peaceful peeps.
Copil: True, Leigh, you're right that the MSM can get it just as wrong.
Jaime: This is where that Hive Mind Karen mentioned kind of freaks me out. I worry about vigilantism when they point the finger at the wrong people so publicly.
Karen: Yes, Hive Mind can be great for sharing CORRECT info but if it's wrong it can cause big problems.
Chihuahua Zero: Also, there was that one incident when Kim Kardashian's Twitter sent out some self-promotion and people got angry… I've been wondering about that.
Matt: The Kardashian promo tweet was a hard lesson for them, I'm sure. Even though it was probably scheduled, it still was bad.
Katy: Does anyone ever feel like some newscaster (especially on the popular networks) revel in crisis and bad news? Like, I'm sure they're sad about what's going on, but at the same time they're pumped about a big story? This is mostly why I stick to social media (or magazines) for my news.
Jaime: I think so, Katy. Sad, but true.
Matt: Definitely, Katy.
LEIGH: Katy--that's a weird situation. Looking back at what happened with us, there's an adrenaline that kicks in b/c everything is happening so fast, but nobody's HAPPY about this news. Nobody wants to report that three little girls were shot, but when everything blows up, phones ringing off the hook... I think it's more moving fast than anything else.
Copil: Right, Leigh. I have a good friend who worked TV news for a long time. She hated some of the stories, but the bigger ones were a challenge they all enjoyed.
LEIGH: The public demands justice, they demand to know what's going on, everybody wants to know WHY.
Chihuahua Zero: @Leigh: Yep, that's the feeling.
LEIGH: …and they're looking at US to give them these answers. Copil--yep, it's hard. There's sort of a built in expectation that you can turn on the TV and find out what's happening when something like this goes down. That's a burden everyone in the newsroom feels. Especially when EVERYONE'S calling--including the networks.
Chihuahua Zero: I had plans that day to do stuff off the computer, but I just wanted to stay tuned for more and more development.
Chihuahua Zero: Another issue I want to bring up: “Twitchforks.”
LEIGH: What are Twitchforks...?
Jaime: Ooo, good term!
Matt: I'm fine with moving on. It's related. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.ph...
Chihuahua Zero: Twitchforks: Basically pitchforks for mobs, but with social media as the medium.
Chihuahua Zero: Here's the article. http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2013/05/g...
LEIGH: Give me an example... nothing's coming to mind. Scott Peterson was pre-Twitter...
Copil: Excellent term. Maybe the way things turned on Kony2012 is an example.
Chihuahua Zero: There are cases where people overreact to a real or false injustice, and they lash out at the "perpetrator", doing stuff from leaving negative comments to posting personal information.
LEIGH: I can see there's real potential for this happening---has it happened? I kind of missed the Kony stuff... wasn't that proven false?
Chihuahua Zero: Really, it's scary when someone goes into a self-righteous rage by posting the address of someone or photos of their children.
LEIGH: Holy... has that happened???
Chihuahua Zero: Check out the article I linked. It has.
Copil: It's called doxing and it is part of the vigilante side of things.
Chihuahua Zero: It's really gets into the motivations of social media mobs.
Katy: I read that article yesterday, CZ... Scary, scary stuff.
Chihuahua Zero: The thing is, mobs have existed throughout history, but social media allows a faster way for them to channel their cause.
LEIGH: This really isn't anything new. I guess I worked in communications a long time.
Karen: I think part of the problem is so many people have fallen into the habit of instantly replying on social media sites. Sometimes an instant reply is not the best reply. People lash out, or comment when they are reactive emotionally, or just don't think before they type.
LEIGH: Karen--good point. Instant reply sux.
Jaime: @CZ Faster and more widespread, I'd say.
Karen: I want to say "Take a few deep breaths and step away from the technologicla device!"
Jaime: @Karen: That's totally true. Sometimes the best reaction is none at all. Just walk away.
LEIGH: Jaime--good point. I didn't keep up, but does what happened to Hugh Howey qualify?
Karen: Leigh, are we talking about the "Suck it, bitch" incident?
LEIGH: YES
Karen: I think he was trying to be funny. And just like many things in life, funny is very subjective.
LEIGH: Karen—yeppers.
Copil: Can the lion be tamed? Meaning, can we learn to handle the power of the hive mind?
LEIGH: Copil--I say no.
Copil: I feel we're already starting to, with people reminding each other to hold off posting info until details are confirmed.
Chihuahua Zero: @Copil: I think so. Not completely, but maybe if we get social media into our education more...
LEIGH: Using electronic communication is a learned skill -- learning to couch statements, requests.
Matt: The thing that sucked about Hugh Howey is that he had a totally valid point about Con behavior and SP bias, but it was totally lost when he started slinging slurs.
Chihuahua Zero: In school, we're taught about cyberbullying and how anything put onto the Internet can be on there forever, but not really on some of the less obvious stuff.
LEIGH: Matt -- you're so right; CZ -- I couldn't agree more.
Copil: I feel like the younger gen looks at these issues in a different light. They've used this stuff almost from birth so they're a little more used to the speed and instability of the medium.
Chihuahua Zero: I think in general, the Internet MIGHT mellow out over time as another generation turns over.
Copil: CZ, I agree, I think newer generations will have whatever disruption comes in their time and will kinda laugh at our handwringing.
LEIGH: I had a boss who taught me to start all email requests with, "If you would, please..." and end with "Thank you." I wonder if that applies to young users.
Chihuahua Zero: @Leigh: That "If you would, please" trick sounds like a good reminder to keep it cool.
Chihuahua Zero: Once both parent and child have grown up with social media and Internet communication, it'll be easier for Internet users to learn and have hammered in etiquette.
LEIGH: great point, CZ!
Copil: Anyone reading any YA that addresses these issues?
Chihuahua Zero: @Copil: Hmm...not recently, I don't think so. Has anyone read YA that have addressed social media, cyberbullying, or anything else that can occur on the Internet?
Copil: I wonder if we're still a few years away from seeing this stuff in print or if it's at the printers as we speak.
Matt: Empty, by KM Walton, includes some Facebook bullying.
Chihuahua Zero: One book I read that incorporates Twitter into the story, but as a supplement, is FanGirl by Angel Lawson.
Matt: More at the printers too, I'm sure, Copil.
Katy: Some Girls Are has some cyber bullying.
Jaime: I just bought SOME GIRLS ARE and can't wait to read it!
LEIGH: I think this concept is very sexy as a writer--I can imagine all sorts of scary setups. As a mom, it scares the pants off me.
Chihuahua Zero: The problem is the issue that the book might not age well. But is it possible to avoid that issue through writing a book like a period piece?
Matt: So true, CZ. Imagine a book that incorporated Myspace, or Friendster. This is why I set all my books in the 90s, so they'll never age poorly.
Jaime: @Matt: The 90s were epic.
Matt: Best decade ever.
Jaime: Class of '96 here.
Matt: 95!
Copil: LOL, Matt! I agree, Leigh. The cyberbullying is less interesting to me (mainly because it just makes me crazy mad) but the whole vigilante, hive mind thing I think is fertile ground.
LEIGH: My 10 yr old just said, “The good thing is you can keep up with friends far away.” (We moved recently). “The bad thing is you don't know who's going to see the message.”
Copil: Or for how long, it's permanent.
LEIGH: great point, Copil.
Chihuahua Zero: Speaking of Friendster, I'm currently using a music-centered social media called Turntable.fm. @Leigh: And those are good points.
Chihuahua Zero: Oh! I'm currently reading THE FUTURE OF US! It's about teens in the 90's seeing Facebook from the future. 20:43
Katy: That is a cool book, CZ, especially for us old people who remember the times of dial-up.
Chihuahua Zero: It highlights the differences between today and back then.
Jaime: I can still hear that dial up screech in my head. Haunts me...
Chihuahua Zero: It helps me understand what the 90's are like.
Copil: Do any of you get your breaking news PRIMARILY from Twitter or Reddit?
Jaime: I wouldn't say primarily, Copil.
Matt: I heard about Boston on Facebook. I'm on it all day at the office, but I can't keep up with Twitter. I think I follow too many people.
Jaime: I'm Canadian, so I rely a lot on CBC (a national station here) for national and international news.
Copil: The great thing about Twitter and Reddit is that there's usually one or two people who take it upon themselves to consolidate all the breaking info from all feeds: radio, TV, scanners, tweets.
Matt: That's like me. I don't get breaking news from NPR, but I listen to Morning Edition every day on my commute.
Jaime: I have my Twitter trends set to United States because the news is more interesting. Sad, but true. That being said, Twitter is usually the quickest way to find out about stuff. You know, as it happens.
Chihuahua Zero: I use Twitter.
Copil: I feel like there's a model waiting to bust through, a way of making that a thing that happens with a few people sort of rising as the stars of the new medium.
Chihuahua Zero: By the way, do you know that Demi Lovato recently used Twitter in a neat marketing campaign for her upcoming album?
Copil: No, what'd she do?
Chihuahua Zero: She did a countdown for releasing streams for her new songs, and you can speed up the release by tweeting certain hashtags. http://mashable.com/2013/05/06/demi-lova...
Chihuahua Zero: Of course, her fans managed to get all the tracks released in one day, while getting the hashtags trending worldwide.
Copil: Brilliant. I love that people are still finding new ways to use the medium.
Matt: I find that to be a bit pretentious, but then I'm probably just old. Actually, I find Twitter in general to be a bit pretentious. I used to be so cool. Sigh.
Jaime: I was never cool.
Matt: You're hanging with the cool kids now, Jaime.
Chihuahua Zero: I'll probably consider buying at least one of Demi's songs now, a sign that her campaign worked.
Jaime: Cool things can happen when a bunch of people get behind something.
Just look at Kickstarter campaigns.
Copil: I wish there were a new sort of news channel, where you click on the link and it's basically a catalog of all the aggregators putting together updates on breaking stories. I guess that's sort of what Reddit is. But there should be the CNN of that stuff.
Jaime: I’ve never checked out Reddit.
Copil: Jaime, it's one of my favorites. There's also a teen subreddit which is interesting to read for YA material, language, themes, etc.
Matt: I was going to mention the Front Page of the Internet, Copil. There should be a Front Page of Twitter.
Jaime: Copil, that sounds really handy! Will have to check it out.
Chihuahua Zero: @Copil: I'll check it out too!
Copil: It's how I learned there's a weird, kind of aggressive trend to outdo one another in outlandishness while asking your prom date to prom. Kinda ugly, really.
Chihuahua Zero: Now, can I bring up Turntable.fm?
Matt: Yes, go CZ.
Chihuahua Zero: So, Turntable.fm is a chatroom service where you can be a DJ and play music for everyone else. Here's an example of a chatroom I'm DJing at: http://turntable.fm/the_final_frontier
Chihuahua Zero: It's an interesting alternative to Pandora.
Jaime: @CZ: That sounds like a great way to find out about new music.
Copil: CZ, you are my jam. "Now that the shoes on the other foooooooooooot!"
Jaime: So I just clicked on Turntable.fm and got the "U.S. only" message. Love the heck out of that. We have this governing body in Canada called the CRTC and they block out a lot of non-Canadian content. It's kind of like living in a dystopian world.
Matt: Wait. You're a DJ, CZ?
Chihuahua Zero: @Matt: Not really. Just at Turntable.fm. You just get on the table, play a song, get thumbs up or thumbs down.
Matt: Oh, so it's not like actually mixing tracks?
Chihuahua Zero: @Matt: Not really, but you can upload your own music. @Jaime: That's the sucky thing about music. Copyright is so restrictive when it comes to it.
Jaime: Well, CZ, it's very cool that you're doing that, and I would have loved to check it out.
Chihuahua Zero: Now, is there anything to discuss more? We have gone from Boston to Twitchforks to YA to Demi to Reddit to Turntable.
Matt: I was hoping to dip into the edit war at Wikipedia over the "American Authors" list, but I think we can save it for next time.
Jaime: That one feels like a conversation of its own. Great topic for next time.
Chihuahua Zero: Yeah, let's discuss the Wikipedia issue next time. It might resolve by then, but yet again, the bombings have some closure already.
Matt: Agreed.
Jaime: Well, I guess I'll say goodbye for now. Talk to you guys later!

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FML, by Shaun David Hutchinson

From Goodreads:

Tonight’s the night: Simon’s big chance to finally get with Cassie. Cassie, who he’s loved for ages. Cassie, who is newly boyfriend-free. Cassie, who just happens to be throwing the biggest party of the year. Simon’s plan is simple: he’ll go to the party, she’ll fall in love with him, they’ll make out like crazy, and the night will be a complete success.

But things don’t ever go as planned.

In two alternating plotlines, Simon goes after the girl of his dreams and stumbles toward his destiny. It’s one night, one party, and a thousand ways for things to go wrong . . . but a million ways for them to go right.

I just finished this book the other day. It was a nice, refreshing break, because I'd been reading some really heavy (really great, but also really heavy) issue books, and FML is nothing like that. Consisting of two separate realities, FML follows the greatest (or at least most important) night of Simon Cross's life. Filled with hijinks, hilarity, and clever Joss Whedon and Doctor Who references, FML is a really funny and entertaining book. But it isn't only those things. It's also a poignant tail about friendship, loyalty, honesty, and knowledge of self, in which Simon discovers that he is who he is and who he is deserves to be happy.

FML contains an incredible cast of characters. First and foremost are Coop and Ben (or Ben and Coop, depending on who you ask), Simon's best friends since elementary school, who also happen to be one of the most adorable gay couples I've ever read, and also most excellently play the angel and demon on Simon's shoulders. Then you have a myriad of girls, most of whom Simon, as a teenage boy, has no idea how to relate to, but tries anyway, and a nice supporting cast of male enemies for Simon to defeat. On the surface they all seem like simple bullies, but there is not one of them who does not have a more human side that is at least partially explored.

A cross between a classic John Hughes coming of age film, and something a little more magical, like Sliding Doors, FML weaves a tale that will leave you in stitches, but also nodding your head in understanding as you remember, that's exactly what it was like to be young, and full of wonder.

Shaun David Hutchinson is also the author of The Deathday Letter, and he can be found:

At his website.

On his blog.

On Twitter.

At Simon and Shuster.

On Goodreads.

On Amazon.

If you're interested (and you don't win the ARC here) you can pre-order FML:

On Amazon.

At Barnes & Noble.

At Indiebound.

Full disclosure: I read the ARC, which was provided to me by the author, but in even better news, I'll be giving that ARC away today. In the comments, list your favorite John Hughes movie (or favorite high school party movie) and tell me why you think you would enjoy FML. I'm not going to do a rafflecopter, or have any strict rules, because this is the kind of book you need to not take too seriously.

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From the Vault

Every Monday, we post a reading/writing-related question for our followers, and at the end of the month, one lucky commenter is selected to choose a title from our Vault! Whatever we have available: ARCs, signed books, awesome books... OR the monthly winner may select any one book to be ordered for them from the Book Depository! 

(To enter, please follow YA Confidential and make sure that your email address is linked to your comment in some way. We'll need to get in touch with you if you win!)

Today's question: Mother’s Day is this Sunday. Who is your favorite fictional mama?

Our answers...

Sara -  I love Vane's mom in Shannon Messenger's LET THE SKY FALL! She's loving and tough and doesn't turn a blind eye to any of the strange things going on like so many other parents in YAs.

Jessica - Oh, it's all about Molly Weasley. Is there a better mom than her in the history of the written word? I don't think so. Caring, loyal, and willing to do anything for her kids, she's everything a mom should be. 

Jaime - First, I should point out that after staring at my shelves trying to come up with an answer, I noticed an alarming pattern with YA moms—dead, deadbeat, or just mostly non-existent. (I know I’m not the only one to spot this.) Maybe I’m reading the wrong books… In the end, I have to agree with Jessica: Molly Weasley is arguably the coolest mama of all time, fictional or otherwise.

Matt - I'll have to third the notion that Molly Weasley is the kindest, most loving mom in all of kidlit, if not all of literature. When she says Harry's as good as family in OOTP, my eyes leak this strange salty liquid, every. Single. Time.

Copil - Molly Weasley. She's such a force to be reckoned with, from her early howlers to the Battle of Hogwarts. God help anyone who stands in her way. Love. Her!

Alison - Yet another vote for the amazing Molly Weasley!

Leigh - Hard question! Jamie is absolutely right--the moms are often absent/dead in the YA I read. That being said, I loved the mom in Deb Caletti's HONEY, BABY, SWEETHEART... LOVED her part in that story. It made me cry. *sniff*

Katy - I completely agree with many of my fellow operatives: Molly Weasley rocks. As far as contemporary YA, I recently read Sara Zarr's HOW TO SAVE A LIFE and absolutely adored Jill's mom. She's present and loving, but also dealing with her own complex issues. She is a full, well-rounded character, which is pretty rare as far as YA parents go. 

Erica - Aunt Millie from THE GLEE CLUB series by Joelle Charbonneau - While she isn't officially Paige's mother, she asks as a stand in and is always up to something. I love her wacky banter and all the relationships she has with the different people in town. Most of all, she cares about Paige and is willing to help her out whenever she needs it. 

CZ - Can I go with non-biological guardian? If so, I'll nominate Aunt Nelly from THE CHRONICLES OF VLADIMIR TOD, for being with Vlad for all five books of the series. It takes effort to be a human and take care of your half-vampire "nephew" when vampire society is after him, and Nelly deserves some cred for that. Biological mother? Umm...

Your turn!

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