Contest+Cindy+Caleb+Kate

Happy New Week! First of all, let's have a little contest. No…two…No THREE!

My newsletter goes out this Wednesday. Are you on the list of my favorite people to get it delivered to your Inbox? If not go to THIS PAGE on my website and scroll down for the sign-up. OR just sign up in the handy sidebar on the right. Details for the contest will be revealed in this week's newsletter. And the prize? A shoutout to you in the acknowledgments of my next book, Save the Date. A reader emailed me last week and said, “I know you probably won't have time to email me back, so dedicate a book to me.” Well, here's the closest thing.

Contest Numero Dos is for a copy So Over My Head. If you stop by author Lena Nelson Dooley's blog, you can join Lena and I as we discuss the book and also get your name in the drawing for a free copy of the book. Click HERE for that.

Finally, you're gonna love giveaway number three– Cindy Martinusen Coloma's Caleb+Kate. My students are gonna be so jealous I'm giving it to you guys instead of saving it for them.

Today I'm excited to hang out with fellow YA author Cindy Martinusen Coloma, author of books like her newest release Caleb+Kate.

J: Hey, Cindy! Tell us about Caleb+Kate.

C: It’s a YA contemporary love story with ties to the Romeo and Juliet story. On the surface, Caleb and Kate’s lives are very different (he’s from a different culture and she lives in a very affluent world), and their family rivalries mean that they shouldn’t be together. Caleb has high expectations for love, and Kate doesn’t really believe true love exists. Despite it all, they experience a soulful connection that neither can ignore. Their faith in God makes them wonder about things beyond their own lives as well.

J: And I'm happy to report nobody drinks poison or stabs herself. What’s your favorite thing about the character of Kate?

C: I love that though she lives in an environment filled with materialism and a superficial focus, she’s quick to go deeper and seek larger thoughts and truths. She’s restless in her life at the beginning of the book, trying to find something more, though she doesn’t quite know what that more is. I think the openness to seek beyond one’s own self with honesty is a very good trait.

J:  Teen readers will be all about Caleb. Tell our girls alll about him. (I loved his relationship with his dad, btw)

C: I loved Caleb with his dad too! Caleb is a definitely that rare type of guy that girls love. His mother’s death shaped him in profound way – in many ways, it made him more determined to try to get things right. Though he isn’t perfect, he’s very loyal, caring to his family, and he won’t compromise what he believes or what he expects out of life. He’s not the typical guy, but there are guys in the real world like him.

J: Yes, and some of them are even fang-free! So what is the theme of the book?

C: The theme revolves around love, whether true love is real, and if so, how does it stay strong. We all want it to be true – the fairy tale love, the Romeo and Juliet, Edward and Bella kind of love. But what makes that kind of love exist and how can it remain in real life?

J: Very interesting. I like how in this book true love happens to some teenagers because we all know, as writers, we tend to stay away from that.  Okay, so you’re stranded on a desert island and can only take one fiction book. What is it? (For the record, I wouldn't let her take the easy route and pick her Bible.)

C: Yikes, that’s a toughie! I’m terrible about choosing favorites like that. My favorite book is Voyage of the Dawn Treader (C.S. Lewis), but on a deserted island, I’d want the book to be thick, so I’d have plenty to reread, yet something with survival tips might be helpful. Robinson Crusoe or The Odyssey perhaps? Which means, I have no idea what one fiction book I’d pick. I think my house has more books than clothing.

J: If your iPod was stuck on replay all day long, what song would you pick and why?

C: Again, bad at choosing. So today, I’ll say Dancing Nancies by The Dave Matthews Band, but my playlist usually matches either my mood or what I’m writing. That includes varieties like Owl City, Pearl Jam, Cold Play, Keane classical music, international music, Tom Petty, movie soundtracks, etc.

J: I have yet to get on the Owl City bus, but I love movie soundtracks. So tell us what you like as a teen? Any embarrassing moments you’d like to share?

C: I was pretty unanchored as a teen. I struggled with self-esteem issues and wanting to be like everyone else, but I also wanted to be unique/special and to find my way. It was NOT pretty combination.

J: We call this normal where I'm from. ; )

C: I can think of LOTS of embarrassing moments! But one time, I was running through the rain, wearing a long coat and up a grassy hill. My shoes slipped at the top of the hill, and I flew up, landed on my back and my coat was like a sled sending me down the hill upside down. Thankfully, there weren’t that many people around, and I am pretty good at laughing at myself, but that one was embarrassing!

J: That's awesome! I did the same thing at college once when I encountered some wet leaves and a hill. Bad combo. What do you like about writing YA?

C: The teen and college years are such an intense time as people make the huge transition from being a child to becoming independent people. It’s this heightening of everything in life that hits in dramatic spurts. Love can strike like a lightening bolt and disappear just as quickly, friendships turn on a dime, strength and weakness run on dual cylinders. I love exploring these through my characters, and seeing where the story takes them.

J: You just got a ticket to the Oprah Winfrey show. Who are the guests?

C: I should say Maya Angelou or Nelson Mandela, and I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, being a wise, adult female and all (yeah right), but I’d love to see Stephenie Meyers and the cast of Twilight (Team Rob). Please don’t share that with too many people.

J: I would never tell a soul. If you could have dinner with three famous people, who would they be?

C: Harper Lee (author of To Kill a Mockingbird and she rarely gives interviews), Diane Sawyer (she’d be a wealth of great stories), and probably Clint Eastwood or another film director that I like. (My secret answer — Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp would be there too, but my husband probably wouldn’t want me to go to dinner with them, so….)

J: I LOVE Diane Sawyer. Is there any classier gal? Who is one person from history you’d like to meet?

C: C.S. Lewis – I’d ask him to tell me a story.

J: If you could go back in time and talk to your teen self, what advice would you give? (I would tell myself to back away from the Maybelline blue/pink eye shadow.)

C: First, I’d tell myself that permed, big 80s hair will not be in style forever. Mostly, I’d tell myself to get grounded in my faith and who God made me to be, instead of bouncing around on emotion, crushes or reaction to whatever I felt in the moment. I’d also tell myself to invest my wages from Burger King into Microsoft.

J: Oh, great advice. If we'd only known… So what wise words do you have for those wanting to become a writer like you?

C: It’s great to have natural talent, but I’ve met many talented writers who will never get anywhere. Perseverance and hard work are much more important than talent. If someone has a passion and calling to become a writer, then nothing will stop them, except themselves. Also, every writer should continue to learn and grow, no matter how successful – keep getting better.

J: Least favorite food?

C: Not a fan of processed or fast foods. I love organic, healthy stuff as well as a healthy serving of ice cream and chocolate.

J: Finally, what's your favorite scene in the book?

The sea cave – and I’ll leave it at that!

J: They have to check that scene out, for sure. Thanks so much for stopping by, Cindy. Y'all want to grab up Caleb+Kate before Oprah's people discover it, so you can be cool and ahead of the trend.

C: Thanks for having me!! I hope everyone loves Caleb+Kate as much as I loved writing it. Happy summer reading!

Okay, to win Cindy's book (who can resist that cute cover?), just leave a comment on today's post and answer the following question: If Cindy were stranded on this same desert island with just a DVD player and ONE DVD (and, um, a really long, water-proof extension cord), what movie should she take?  You have until Thursday, July 15th, 8pm cst to leave your answer. Winner will be announced on Monday's blog.

Also don't forget to make sure you're signed up for the newsletter. Said to rival the New York Times*, the newsletter goes out Wednesday with special insider info on So Over My Head and Save the Date that's only for subscribers. (*By my mother. But still…)

See you next Monday!