2009 Debutantes

Introducing Holidaze with the Debs

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:05:12 GMT

We are pleased to announce Holidaze With the Debs, a series of author events in the U.S. and Canada this holiday season. At bookstores, libraries and schools in the New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Toronto areas, members of the 2009 Debutantes will talk about their own books and other 2009 favorites. A full list of events is available below.

"Publishers are working with shrinking promotional budgets in this economy," notes Rhonda Stapleton, author of STUPID CUPID (Simon Pulse). "As first-time authors, we know that much of our promotion is going to have to come from us, and over the last year we've also learned how much fun it is to do events together. So we're especially excited to be able to talk to readers directly this holiday season."

2009 DEBUTANTES' HOLIDAZE TOUR

NEW YORK

Dec. 6, 1-3 p.m.
Books of Wonder
18 West 18th St.
New York, NY
Including: Megan Crewe, Sarah Cross, Deva Fagan, Neesha Meminger, Kate Messner, Shani Petroff, Jon Skovron, Michelle Zink

CHICAGO

Dec. 5, 1-3 p.m.
Borders
161 N. Weber Road
Bolingbrook, IL
Including: Cynthea Liu, Saundra Mitchell, Aprilynne Pike, Kristina Springer, Darcy Vance, Lara Zielin

Dec. 5, 7-9 p.m.
The Book Cellar, Inc.
4736-38 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL
Including: Cynthea Liu, Saundra Mitchell, Aprilynne Pike, Kristina Springer, Darcy Vance, Lara Zielin

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

Dec. 5, 3-4 p.m
Borders
588 Francisco Blvd. West
San Rafael, CA
Including: Lauren Bjorkman, Cheryl Renee Herbsman, Malinda Lo, Sarah Quigley

Dec. 8, 7 p.m.
Menlo Park Public Library
800 Alma St.
Menlo Park, CA
Including: Lauren Bjorkman, Cheryl Renee Herbsman, C. Lee McKenzie, Sarah Quigley, J.A. Yang

Dec. 9, 12 p.m.
Petaluma High School*
201 Fair St.
Petaluma, CA
Including: Lauren Bjorkman, Cheryl Renee Herbsman, Malinda Lo, Sarah Quigley, J.A. Yang
* Open to the public, but visitors should check in at the school office when arriving

Dec. 12, 2-4 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
119 Colma Blvd.
Colma, CA
Including: Lauren Bjorkman, Cheryl Renee Herbsman, Malinda Lo, C. Lee McKenzie, Sarah Quigley, J.A. Yang

TORONTO

Jan. 9, 2 p.m.
Indigo
Eaton Centre
220 Yonge St.
Toronto, Ontario
Including: R.J. Anderson, Megan Crewe, Sarah Ockler, Rhonda Stapleton, Lara Zielin

Debut Library Entry: Brighton Memorial Library

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:02:13 GMT

We are absolutely honored to have Laura Ingalls Wilder send in this entry for Brighton Memorial Library in Rochester, New York! We actually have it on good authority that that's YA Librarian Deena Lipomi reading J.E. MacLeod's WAITING TO SCORE, but we'll just play along! She's also flanked by Cyn Balog's FAIRY TALE- we bet next year, she'll enjoy Cyn's follow-up, SLEEPLESS!

Are you a library professional? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Take The Espressologist out for Coffee!

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:56:52 GMT

Hey Deb Viewers!

THE ESPRESSOLOGIST launched a week ago today. Yay! To celebrate I'm running a contest ending on 11/27. All you have to do is take my book out for coffee. Snap a picture of you reading my book in a coffee shop (or doing something else creative with the book in the coffee shop. I'm thinking interesting positioning of the book-- nothing icky please) and e-mail it to me at Kristina@KristinaSpringer.com. Please include your name, photo location (exp: Caribou in Chicago), and the photo. If you e-mail it to me you're saying, "Sure Kristina, you can post this on your blog or Web site." I'll put all the names of the people entering into my giant coffee cup and draw winners. There will be 5 winners in all:

1st place: Signed copy of The Espressologist, a custom made $25 Starbucks gift card (with Jane's (the main character) name and favorite drink on it), some bookmarks, and a big box of my favorite TJ's dark chocolate covered espresso beans. Here's a peek:

2nd-5th place: $5 Starbucks gift card and signed bookmarks.

Fun right? Have a great coffee date with The Espressologist and I can't wait to see pics!!!

Debut Library Entry: Riverdale Collegiate Institute

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:28:57 GMT

Meanwhile, in Toronto, ON - Head of Library at Riverdale Collegiate Institute, Ms. Dempster with student (Doctor C.G.), are going batty for Megan Crewe's GIVE UP THE GHOST. You'd go batty too- this brand new release is a unique take on ghost lore! And bonus points to Ms Dempster- she's our first Debs Alumni librarian to enter!

Are you a library professional? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

STUPID CUPID book launch contest!!

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:33:13 GMT

Hello, Debs viewers! Do you have a talent for writing terrible love poetry? If so, enter my STUPID CUPID book launch contest!

Contest details are here: http://rhondastapleton.blogspot.com/2009/11/stupid-cupid-book-launch-contest-enter.html

Here's what you can win:

--a copy of Stupid Cupid, signed by yours truly
--a $30 bookstore gift card to the store of your choice
--a $30 iTunes gift card
--a $30 Starbucks gift card

So, what do you have to do to enter this incredible contest? Simple--write me a horrible love poem. The more purple-prosed and nauseating, the better. Lay on that sugar, bay-bee! I want to get a massive cavity from your lovingly wretched words.

(ps--thanks to the Debs for such a fun contest idea!! You guys are the best.)

Contest starts TODAY and ends DECEMBER 21, 2009, 11:59 PM EST. So enter fast, and enter often, because there's no limit to how much bad poetry you can write. :D

Debut 2009: Struts & Frets

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:41:07 GMT

About Struts & Frets

More than anything, Sammy wants to play guitar in a famous indie rock band. The problem is that his front man is a jerk who can't sing, his bassist is a burn-out who can't remember the songs, and his drummer is just out to lunch. But Sammy needs this band because it's the only good thing he's got going. His father skipped out before he was born, his mother is an overworked therapist with a drinking problem, his grandfather is slowly losing his mind to Alzheimer's, and the girl of his dreams is dating his jerk lead singer.

Now that jerk lead singer has entered them in a Battle of the Bands contest to win free studio time and guaranteed radio play. Sammy has two weeks to get them to sound like a real band, or face public humiliation in front of the entire local indie music scene.

About Jon Skovron

Jon Skovron is an insatiable music geek who can play eight instruments, but none of them well. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, has lived all over the US, and now resides with his wife and two sons in Washington, DC. His short stories and reviews have appeared in publications like Jim Baen's Universe and Internet Review of Science Fiction. Struts and Frets is his first novel.

Happy Debut 2009, Jon!

Debut Library Entry: Kenmore East High School

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:02:05 GMT

This entry comes from Library Media Specialist Beth Steinbruckner of Kenmore East High School in Tonawanda, New York. She lamented that they didn't have a library cat, but a giant library bulldog totally counts in our book! Featured here is TWENTY BOY SUMMER by Sarah Ockler (look out for her next book, FIXING DELILAH HANNAFORD in fall of 2010,) HATE LIST by Jennifer Brown, and THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU by Heather Duffy-Stone.

Make sure you read the quote on the back wall there- libraries with attitude ftw!

Are you a library professional? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: El Rancho Charter School Library

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:39:27 GMT

Jessi Kirby from El Rancho Charter School in Anaheim Hills, CA sent this picture of a happy reader diving into MODELS DON'T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES by Erin Dionne! She's in for a sweet treat when she gets to the end!

Are you a library professional? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: Bridgton Public Library

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:27:04 GMT

Annika Black, Youth Services Librarian for Bridgton Public Library in Bridgton, ME caught another Debut 2009 author AND her book! Here we have Deb Deva Fagan (R) with a copy of her fantasy adventure FORTUNE'S FOLLY. And if you loved Fortunata, just wait until next year when you get to meet Prunella Bogthistle in Deva's new book,THE MAGICAL MISADVENTURES OF PRUNELLA BOGTHISTLE.

Are you a library professional? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: Cheltenham Township Library System

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:20:52 GMT

President and CEO of Cheltenham Township Library System Carrie Turner, sent this pic from Glenside, PA, of this happy FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH reader. (We suspect that smile will turn to terror when she gets to the village scene!)

Are you a library professional? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: Beckman High School Library

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:34:41 GMT

Library Media Technician Kathie Burns from Beckman High School in Irvine, California has her hands (and everybody else's zombie paws!) all over a copy of Carrie Ryan's THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH. Watch out for zombies- and for the companion novel, THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES, coming next spring!

Are you a library professional? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: St. Tammany Parish Library

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:30:05 GMT

Ahhhhh, we've got a very handsome library cat sent in by Children's Services Coordinator Tanya DiMaggio from the St. Tammany Parish Library in Covington, Louisiana. Bookie is reading a copy of Aprilynne Pike's WINGS, the first in this fantastic fairy series, which continues next spring! But let's hear more about the cat from Tanya:

"Bookie" (aka "Cookie" by her real owners) is a neighborhood cat who works part time at the Technical Services building of the St. Tammany Parish Library. She usually comes in late morning, greets everyone, takes a look at the new books, takes a nap, has a bowl of milk, plays with her toys, knocks over stacks of books that are being cataloged, sleeps some more and then leaves. She loves YA fiction.

Are you a library professional? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:15:34 GMT

This triple-decker entry comes from Louis B. Goodall Memorial Library in Sanford, Maine. Library Director Jackie McDougal caught Deidre Walsh- head of Children and YA Services- with two teen friends and THREE Debs books! PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS by Michelle Zink (L) is just the first installment in this gothic mystery- part two appears on shelves next year! SHADOWED SUMMER by Saundra Mitchell (C) and BREATHING by Cheryl Renée Herbsman (R) are both southern-flavored standalones- enjoy them while they last!

Are you a library professional? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: Zundy Leadership Academy

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:08:40 GMT

Here we have a very studious picture sent by Amanda Galliton of Zundy Leadership Academy Library in Wichita Falls, Texas. She's enjoying Sarah MacLean's THE SEASON, and if you're a fan of adult regency romances, be on the look out for Sarah's debut NINE RULES TO BREAK WHEN ROMANCING A RAKE, coming in spring 2010!

Are you a library professional? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut 2009: The Espressologist

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:24:59 GMT

About The Espressologist

What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

About Kristina Springer

Kristina Springer has a Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Illinois State University and a Master of Arts in Writing from DePaul University. Her first novel, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, was published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux on October 27, 2009. Her second novel, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS, also from FSG, will be published in the fall of 2010. She lives in a suburb of Chicago, IL with her husband Athens and their four small children Teegan, Maya, London, and Gavin.

Happy Debut 2009, Kristina!

Debut Library Entry: San Diego County Library

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:23:45 GMT

Jennifer Lawson, Teen Services Coordinator for the San Diego County Library, sends in this gothtacular entry. Lola the Gock- that's goth sock puppet- is the mascot for their teen library website, made entirely by teens, and sinking her teeth into Cindy Pon's fantastical SILVER PHOENIX. And, if like Lola, you can't get enough of Ai Ling, the adventure continues next year with the sequel (the title of which, I must admit, Cindy has not told us. It's a delicious secret!)

Are you a librarian? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: Stratford Public Library

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:01:19 GMT

Melanie Kindrachuk of Stratford Public Library in Stratford, Ontario is the second wily librarian to capture not just a Debut 2009 book, but also its author! Pictured here are Melanie, R.J. Anderson and her novel FAERY REBELS: SPELL HUNTER- a favorite in the US and Canada, and a bestseller in the UK!

Are you a librarian? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: Eton Academy

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:24:43 GMT

School Library Media Specialist Michelle Levy from Eton Academy in Birmingham, MI has a sweet entry into the Debut Library Prize with a copy of Erin Dionne's MODELS DON'T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES. If you enjoyed Erin's cookies, try her Ham(let)- THE TOTAL TRAGEDY OF A GIRL NAMED HAMLET comes out January 7, 2010!

Are you a librarian? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Topic of the Week: What Makes a Good Story?

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:42:53 GMT

In The Last Tycoon, F. Scott Fitzgerald writes "What people are ashamed of usually makes a good story."

What do you think makes a good story? Can you answer the question in one sentence?

At my library, we're thinking of doing a display with authors and what they think makes a good story, so I will compile a list.

Debut Library Entry: Guilford Free Library

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:07:53 GMT

Next up for the Debut Library Prize is Reference Librarian Katie Fargo at the Guilford Free Library in Guilford, CT. She's showing off a copy of the hilarious MY BIG NOSE AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS. The author, Sydney Salter, is one of our DOUBLE DEBS this year- she also has a brand new MG novel called JUNGLE CROSSING.

Are you a librarian? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: Mount Kisco Public Library

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:01:53 GMT

Deidre Johnson and Maria Ciccone from Mount Kisco Public Library in Mount Kisco, NY sent this entry- and I'm going to let these lovely librarians speak for themselves about this great photo:

We don't have a library cat here at the Mount Kisco Library, but we do have two library newts, named Lazy and Crazy (one of our young patrons named them). To celebrate Teen Read Week, we are sending you a picture of Crazy (I think that's him!) looking with great interest (we hope!) at "The Demon's Lexicon." In real life, he's rather smaller than the book, so we edited the photo just a little. It's called "Nick is in the Swim."

Library newts!! How awesome!!

Are you a librarian? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry: Carleton Washburne Middle School

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:55:58 GMT

Carleton Washburne Middle School of Winnetka, IL has stepped up to win 46 brand new MG & YA books for their collection with this great pic of Julie Halpern-Cordell, Resource Center Director and THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH. Be careful- that book might bite!

Are you a librarian? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut Library Entry : Ramona Junior High, Chino, CA

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:58:12 GMT

Ramona Junior High School in Chino, CA gets extra credit for this Debs Library entry. Not only did they capture patrons with a Debut 2009 book- The Demon's Lexicon- they caught an actual Debut 2009 author, too! Sarah Rees Brennan is rocking it out in Chino, CA! Hey, Deb! :)

Thanks, Ramona Junior High! You're entered to win, and best of luck to you!

Are you a librarian? You can enter to win 46 brand new YA & MG novels for YOUR collection! See this entry for details.

Debut 2009: Flash Burnout

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:27:01 GMT

About Flash Burnout

Fifteen-year-old Blake has a girlfriend and a friend who's a girl. One of them loves him, the other one needs him.

When he snapped a picture of a street person for his photography homework, Blake never dreamed that the woman in the photo was his friend Marissa's long-lost meth addicted mom.

In a tangle of life, death, and love, Blake will emerge with a more sharply defined snapshot of loyalty.

About L.K. Madigan

L.K. Madigan is a writer living in Portland, Oregon, who finds it odd to speak in the third person. Therefore:

Hi. I am married with one son, two big black dogs, hundreds of books, and a couple of beaters, I mean vintage cars.

Happy Debut 2009, L.K.!

Debs Library

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:35:22 GMT

To celebrate Teens Read Week, the YA and MG authors of Debut 2009 are giving away a 46 book set of their debut novels to ONE lucky library, anywhere in the world! From October 18th until December 31st, 2009 we'll be taking entries from librarians only- public and school libraries are eligible.

It's incredibly easy to enter. Take a picture of yourself, your patrons, or your library cat* with ONE Debut 2009 novel**. Send that picture to debslibrary09@gmail.com, from your institutional e-mail address. Please include your name, the name of your library, your library's mailing address, and your photo.

That's all there is to it! We will be posting your photos throughout the rest of the year on our website, www.feastofawesome.com. On January 1st, 2010, we'll pick a winner from all entrants. The authors of Debut 2009 thank you for being the keepers of the books, and wish you good luck!

The Debut 2009 Library Collection Includes

As You Wish - Jackson Pearce
Ash - Malinda Lo
Bedeviled: Daddy's Little Angel - Shani Petroff
The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. - Kate Messner

Breathing - Cheryl Renée Herbsman
Candor - Pam Bachorz
The Demon's Lexicon - Sarah Rees Brennan
Dull Boy - Sarah Cross
The Espressologist - Kristina Springer
Eyes Like Stars - Lisa Mantchev

Exclusively Chloe - J.A. Yang
Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter - R.J. Anderson
Fairy Tale - Cyn Balog
The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan
Flash Burnout - L.K. Madigan
Fortune's Folly - Deva Fagan

The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading - Charity Tahmaseb and
Darcy Vance
Give Up the Ghost - Megan Crewe
The Great Call of China - Cynthea Liu
The Hollow - Jessica Verday
Jungle Crossing - Sydney Salter
Lipstick Apology - Jennifer Jabaley

Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies - Erin Dionne
My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters - Sydney Salter
My Invented Life - Lauren Bjorkman
One Wish - Leigh Brescia
Paris Pan Takes the Dare - Cynthea Liu
Prada and Prejudice - Mandy Hubbard

Prophecy of the Sisters - Michelle Zink
The Season - Sarah MacLean
Secrets of Truth & Beauty - Megan Frazer
Shadowed Summer - Saundra Mitchell
Shine, Coconut Moon - Neesha Meminger
Shrinking Violet - Danielle Joseph

Sliding on the Edge - C. Lee MacKenzie
Struts and Frets - Jon Skovron
Stupid Cupid - Rhonda Stapleton
Hate List - Jennifer Brown
The Silver Phoenix - Cindy Pon
The Sky Always Hears Me (and the Hills Don't Mind) - Kirstin
Cronn-Mills

TMI - Sarah Quigley
Twenty Boy Summer - Sarah Ockler
Waiting to Score - J.E. MacLeod
Wings - Aprilynne Pike
Winnie's War - Jenny Moss
You Are So Undead to Me - Stacey Jay

* Other library pets accepted! Please include their name so we can coo over how cute they are!

** No purchase is required. You may also enter by taking a photo of yourself, a patron, or a library pet with a drawing or photograph of a Debut 2009 novel's cover, as well.