My V.C. Andrews Movement Progress

I am participating in the V.C. Andrews Movement/Reading Challenge hosted by Reviewer X and Taren.



I must read 11 out of 26 books by V.C. Andrews (four of her series and MY SWEET AUDRINA are options).



The only V.C. Andrews book I've read previously is MELODY, the first of the Logan series. My sister bought a discarded copy at the huge Friends of the Houston Library sale at George R. Brown Convention Center. It's been so long that I only remember the incest was with her cousin. I thought his name was Luke but Amazon says Cary. Makes sense since Luke Logan would be an awful name.

My progress:

None.

Interview with Jennifer Banash

Jennifer Banash wrote THE ELITE series. THE ELITE is currently available, IN TOO DEEP releases the sixth (so some stores might have it on shelves now), and SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE will be out in several months. And if IN TOO DEEP sells well enough, the series could be extended. I know I would be happy if that happened!

You can read my review of IN TOO DEEP (and enter the contest), my review of THE ELITE, and an earlier guest blog by Jennifer.



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As you attended high school in the Upper East Side, how much of your own experience did you use to write THE ELITE series?

I put in a fair amount of my own experience--but in ways that wouldn't be obvious to the casual reader. For instance, I felt much like Casey in high school--never really sure if I was doing or saying the right thing, and very much wanting to fit in. Basically, I was an awkward, nervous, hot mess!

IN TOO DEEP focuses some on the characters' relationship with their parents - most of them rocky. What is your relationship with your parents like? How did they react when you first told them you wanted to be a writer?

My relationship with my parents is pretty estranged at the moment. We were never really close to begin with, and our relationship has just gotten more intense and more difficult to negotiate as I've gotten older, unfortunately. My mother was a real perfectionist when I was growing up, and not particularly forgiving of mistakes of any kind. She's actually pretty similar to Phoebe's mom in a many ways . . . When I told my parents that I wanted to be a writer they were horrified. I think my mother's biggest hope for me was that I'd grow up, marry a wealthy man, and basically spend my life as a rich, idle housewife, which wasn't exactly the route I was interested in taking.

How did you decide on the characters' names? I particularly love the ring of Drew Van Allen.

Good question! Drew's name really just came out of nowhere! There was a Van Allen Hall in the town I lived in when I was writing the series, but I wasn't thinking about it when I constructed his character--maybe it seeped in through my subconscious! Madison was named after Darryl Hannah in Splash--I always loved the movie, and the name--I thought Madison was the coolest name when I was growing up, and it has that icy diva-bitch quality I was going for with her character. I wanted Casey to have a name that was a bit unisex--not too girly or feminine--and it just felt right once I wrote it down on paper. Sophie was actually named Jenny when I completed the first draft of THE ELITE, but my editor wanted me to change it because GOSSIP GIRL had just premiered on the CW and was a huge hit, and, of course Jenny is one of the main characters in that series. I didn't think it made a difference--it's not like GG has exclusive rights to the name Jenny or anything--but it was an easy change to Sophie, which I like better now anyway as it doesn't sound as generic. I named Phoebe after Holden Caulfield's little sister in The Catcher in the Rye--one of my favorite books of all time.

Why should people read THE ELITE and IN TOO DEEP? What do you think makes them a good story? (No cheating and using the back blurb!)


I think people should read THE ELITE series because not only is it a glamorous and drama-packed ride that will (hopefully!) keep you up all night turning pages, but because the series also deals with "real" issues that don't get resolved at each chapter's end such as divorce, infidelity, cutting, and peer pressure.

You've been blessed with two eye-catching covers. Which do you like better? (Or should we wait for the cover of SIMPLY IRRESISTABLE to be unveiled?)

Actually, I am currently in LOVE with the cover of the third book in the series SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE! But if I had to choose between the covers of THE ELITE or IN TOO DEEP, I would have to say I prefer the cover for THE ELITE--I'm just sentimental that way since it was my first baby LOL! Most people, however, tell me that they really prefer the cover for IN TOO DEEP--which I absolutely love as well. The cover for THE ELITE also has a special place in my heart because it was such a struggle to get a good design for that book--I was very lucky that I have a great editor who made it a priority, and asked for a complete redesign after I broke down sobbing and threatening to stick my head in the oven after I saw the mock up of the first cover design. It was truly horrific.

In addition to writing THE ELITE series, you're the co-founder and co-publisher of Impetus Press. What's it like to run a small press?

Unfortunately, Impetus Press has closed due to the current financial landscape of publishing-which has become absolutely dire as of late. We were clobbered so hard and fast by returns that there was no way we could recover financially and continue to put out books. We had four amazing years though, and I'm eternally grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such talented authors. It's a very sad situation though, and one that doesn't give me much hope about the book business as a whole at the present time.

What did you do before you got involved with publishing? How do those skills help you now?

Before I was a publisher, I taught Literature at a large university while I was getting my Ph.D in English--I just graduated in September. Teaching definitely has had a huge impact on my career as a writer--basically I read, wrote, and talked about books all day long! What could be better for a writer? Before that, I held a variety of jobs from waitress to bartender, to camera operator for ABC-TV. I even had a job selling gravestones, which was quite possibly the worst job I've ever had the misfortune to acquire. Right now I teach English at a small private school in Palos Verdes, California.

Finally, in your July guest blog, you wrote about your acquisition of both a blue and a white Marc Jacobs Pan-Am bag. If your home were on fire and you could only save one, which would it be?

Neither! I'm about to be horribly unfaithful to Marc, but one of my students bought me a brand new, absolutely GORGEOUS Fendi bag as a Christmas gift, so I'd definitely grab the Fendi! Sorry Marc!

xxoxx JB

The Coming Year

I don't make New Year's resolutions, but I do think the new year is a good time to think about the direction things are going in and where you want them to go next. When I started In Bed With Books I was going to stick to posting reviews, interviews, guest blogs, and giveaways. I stuck to that for most of the year, until I got busy in December.

To make up for it, I posted random, filler-type posts. These seemed to get as good (or better) response as my regular reviews, so I think I may continue these style of posts. Is there anything in specific ya'll would like to see me write about in the space between reviews?

In addition, what would ya'll like to see in the regular programming? Is there something about my reviews that you don't like, or that you really love? Is there someone specific you want me to interview or get to blog here? What kind of giveaways do like best?

I am planning a big event for my birthday month (March). I'm still drafting the e-mail to authors, but that will be sent out soon. Be sure to stop by then even if you don't at other times.

Really, I'm just looking for feedback about the blog. Tell me what you like, don't like, what you want to see on here in 2009. I'm not going to take all suggestions, of course. This is my blog and my playground. I just want to make sure people are having fun on it.

Don't forget to enter the contest - I'll throw in a bonus entry for any feedback. (If you don't want to enter but just want to comment, I'm cool with that too.) I've got some cool reviews coming - LORD OF MISRULE, THE ART INSTINCT, BLONDE ROOTS, NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL, and ETERNAL. Let's hope I can keep this up in 2009!

In Too Deep (+ Contest)

Read all the way to the end for the contest rules!



By Jennifer Banash

IN TOO DEEP picks up not long after where THE ELITE ends. Casey McCloy and Drew Van Allen are an official item, and Madison Macallister is acting friendly(-ish) to her face but preparing to break them up. Sophie and Phoebe try to be friends to both, but they're busy with their own dramas. Even in the glittery world of the exclusive Bram building, they still have to deal with two things that plague every teenager: boys and family. (Well, some teenagers are plagued by girls and family.)

I love how much more grounded THE ELITE series seems than some of the other series of this type I've read. In so many there may be parents present, but they'll have no control over their children. IN TOO DEEP explores many of the characters' relationships with their families as well as the relationship drama.

Madison, like a true queen bee, chafes under the control of her mother. (I'm not saying her mother's the best, but she's far better than Madison makes out.) She feels she's more grown-up than she actually is and it gets her in over her head. She gets scouted for modelling and encounters people who don't care what her last name is. She flirts with a man too old for her without once considering his age.

Phoebe Reynaud also has problems with her mother, but more because she keeps forgetting to pick up her little sister because she's too busy with whoever her boyfriend is. Phoebe cuts her own support lines by getting involved with a boy she can't tell her friends about. He can make her happy when he's physically present, but most of the time he just makes her feel guilty at a time when she needs something to feel positive about.

Sophie St. John loves her mother and father, but she's angry at them for the secret they kept and eager to meet her birth mom. IN TOO DEEP definitely showcases Sophie more than THE ELITE. Her Sweet Sixteen is approaching - and it's going to be on camera, on an MTV-esque show. She finds she can speak to Casey before the cameras start rolling because she can be more objective than the friends who have known her forever. Of course, those friends will eventually find out Casey knew about the adoption first. Sophie sets herself up for all kinds of drama.

On the other hand, Drew adores his father and still gets along with him quite well. He doesn't like his relationship advice about Casey, but he's always felt a strong camadarie with his father since they're rather similar. However, he's about to find out about some of his father's mistakes, which makes him question himself as a person.

This only adds to his relationship drama with Casey. Liking each other isn't enough to sustain a relationship and the two have serious communication problems. Both want to make it work but their actions often convince the other of the opposite. They don't really understand how the other thinks, which makes it hard to know when they've sent the wrong signal. Of course, their problems aren't helped by Madison helping the misunderstandings along.

In the finale Jennifer Banash really ups the ante for SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE. I can't wait to pick up the third book and see how some of the snarls come undone. Banash is fabulous at creating relatable characters in over-the-top situations. Her characters act like real teenagers and really captures that sense of being almost ready to be an adult but not quite and the out of control emotions.

IN TOO DEEP's release date is next Tuesday, January 6th. THE ELITE is currently available. You can read my review of THE ELITE here as well as Banash's Fashion Week guest blog. You can find out more at The Elite site or at Banash's MySpace.

But wait! Do you want a signed copy of IN TOO DEEP for yourself? Just enter my contest by commenting on this post. Earn extra entries too:

+1 for following the blog (+2 if you're already a follower)
+1 for commenting on my interview with Jennifer
+1 for posting about the contest and linking to your post in the comments

The contest will run for two weeks and I will announce the winner of January 16th.

Happy New Year!

To celebrate, here's three mini-reviews of books by YA authors that debuted in 2008. To be balanced, two are girly and one is aimed at boys.

The Debutante



By Kathryn Williams

Annie McRae's family moves to Alabama at the start of her senior year. Not only does she have to make friends all over again, but she probably won't get a field hockey scholarship and be able to attend Brown University. Her grandmother will help out - if she becomes a debutante.

I understood how much the move upset Annie. It's tough at any time, much less in a year when you were just expecting to coast. I was exasperated with her at points. Yes, being a deb is a little silly and way expensive, but there are a ton of girls (including one of her friends) who would really enjoy doing it. She makes it out to be the end of the world when all her grandmother wants her to do is learn manners and attend parties in a pretty dress.

Though my sympathy for Annie varies, it's still a cute, fun book. There's a romance (of course) and any romance is improved by a Southern gentleman.

Bringing the Boy Home



By N. A. Nelson

Tirio was adopted from the Takunami tribe as a young boy, after his mother left him to die due to his disability, a club foot. Adopted by an American anthropologist, he was raised with excellent medical care and love. Now that his thirteenth birthday is coming, he wants to return to the Amazon and become a man of the tribe. In a parallel story, a boy of the tribe is preparing for his own soche sente tente.

N. A. Nelson manages to pull off a clever twist in the story about what you think is happening. I thought I saw the direction the two stories were moving in and completely missed the mark. I do love surprises (even if I could tell the orthodics would be important). Nelson creates an interesting culture, to the point where I wondered if the Takunami were real. (She confirms in her author's note that they're made up.)

BRINGING THE BOY HOME is written for middle grade readers, but some older teens will probably enjoy it. It's a well-paced adventure story, perfect for a boring day. It doesn't hurt that it addresses several identity issues.)

La Petite Four



By Regina Scott

Emily, Priscilla, Ariadne and Daphne know exactly how the ball that will present them to Society will go, and they have a number of plans for the Season. Unfortunately, Lord Robert announces his intention to marry Emily, making him an obstacle to the girls' debut. They set out to prove he's no good.

What follows is a charming, light mystery. The girls do little detecting; most of that is left to James Cooper, Emily's real love interest. And despite the title, this is really Emily's story. The other girls could be fleshed out quite a bit more. The story is fun enough, but it has the potential for more substance. (And I'll just plug the blog Scott co-authors with Marissa Doyle because I like it that much.)