Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Author Interview- Ann Herrick (Life, Love, and Surviving High School)

Guys, today we have with us author Ann Herrick. I really liked her book, The Perfect Guy. Click here for my review of the same. This time, we are featuring Ann's latest Young Adult Contemporary Romance, Life, Love, and Surviving High School, which sounds super interesting and even if I couldn't do it myself because of a tight college schedule, I hope you are looking forward to read the book and can do so soon. Alright then, let's get onto the post we have for you! There's a really great interview we did with the author for you to read along with some basics about the book. 


GOODREADS SUMMARY: 

Becca secretly lusts after Brent, Claire's boyfriend--then Claire makes Becca an offer about Brent that she can't resist.

Becca's in high school, but she hasn't been on the same page as her best friends since just before the start of middle school and she doesn't know exactly how things got so different. Not different in some edgy, gritty, she's-a-rebel way. More of a Yes-she's-a-dork way. Which makes it all the more amazing that while other friendships have crashed and burned all around them the four of girls have managed to stay Best Friends Forever. She doesn't need to share in her friends' spotlight. Becca's happy to follow along in the shadows, as long as she's not totally cast aside.

She's definitely not ready for guys. In fact, she just wants to skip right over high school and jump straight to twenty-two. By then she figures she will have gotten through her first date, first kiss, passed her driver's test, taken the SATs, filled out all those college applications, somehow survived living in a dorm and gotten her college degree without all the anxiety and drama.

Instead, just after silently deciding to not even think about guys and concentrate on school work for the next four years, she is instantly mesmerized by Brent, a seriously great-looking senior who also happens to have a long-time girlfriend, Claire. Not one to be the "other woman," Becca imagines creative ways for Claire to be out of Brent's life. 

Meanwhile, Becca forms a strictly friends-only relationship with Colt, who she first thinks of as "Farmboy." Becca and Colt turn out be good partners when it comes to studying, taking pictures for the school newspaper and working on a term paper together. But when one day Claire makes an offer about Brent that Becca can't resist, that changes everything.

BOOK LINKS: 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Ann Herrick is the award-winning author of several books and short stories for kids and teens. Included in the awards her books have won are the ALA Recommended Book for Reluctant Readers, IRA/CBC Children’s Choice and EPIC Best YA Novel Finalist.
Ann grew up in Connecticut, where she graduated from The Morgan School and Quinnipiac University.  She now lives in Oregon with her husband, who was her high-school sweetheart.  Their wonderful daughter is grown, married and gainfully employed, and has given Ann her only grand-dog, Puff, a bloodhound-rottweiller-beagle mix and six grand-kitties.  While she misses the East Coast, especially houses built before 1900, she enjoys the green valleys, fresh air and low humidity in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  Ann loves cats, walking, the Oregon Ducks and working in her back yard.  In addition to stories and books for children and young adults, Ann also writes copy for humorous and conventional greeting cards. She loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted through her website

AUTHOR LINKS: TWITTER / FACEBOOK 

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: 

Hi, Ann! Welcome to The Readdicts! It’s great to have you on our blog today and we hope you have a nice time answering our questions.

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I grew up in Connecticut, and also lived in New York and New Jersey before moving to Oregon. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a nurse but changed my mind as I got older. I worked as an administrative assisant for a few years before I turned to writing.

2) Tell us about your book, Life, Love, and Surviving High School.

Becca's in high school, but she hasn't been on the same page as her best friends since just before the start of middle school and she doesn't know exactly how things got so different. Not different in some edgy, gritty, she's-a-rebel way. More of a Yes-she's-a-dork way. Which makes it all the more amazing that while other friendships have crashed and burned all around them the four of girls have managed to stay Best Friends Forever. She doesn't need to share in her friends' spotlight. Becca's happy to follow along in the shadows, as long as she's not totally cast aside.

She's definitely not ready for guys. In fact, she just wants to skip right over high school and jump straight to twenty-two. By then she figures she will have gotten through her first date, first kiss, passed her driver's test, taken the SATs, filled out all those college applications, somehow survived living in a dorm and gotten her college degree without all the anxiety and drama.

Instead, just after silently deciding to not even think about guys and concentrate on school work for the next four years, she is instantly mesmerized by Brent, a seriously great-looking senior who also happens to have a long-time girlfriend, Claire. Not one to be the "other woman," Becca imagines creative ways for Claire to be out of Brent's life.

Meanwhile, Becca forms a strictly friends-only relationship with Colt, who she first thinks of as "Farmboy." Becca and Colt turn out be good partners when it comes to studying, taking pictures for the school newspaper and working on a term paper together. But when one day Claire makes an offer about Brent that Becca can't resist, that changes everything.

3) Tell us about the characters in the book. Are any of them inspired by someone you know in real life or they complete works of your imagination?

There are bits and pieces of personalities of people I’ve known in many of the characters, but mainly they are works of my imagination.

4) As you know, I really liked your book, The Perfect Guy. Do you prefer writing contemporaries? What other genre(s) would you like to explore with your writing?

I mostly write contemporary, but one of my books is set in 1959, mainly because of an indirect connection to real events. Otherwise, while I enjoy reading historical ficiton, I wouldn’t want to do all the research necessary to make the story realistic and accurate.

5) If a movie or TV series were to be made out of the book, which actors would you like to see being cast as the main characters?

It’s hard to say, since by the time a movie would be made there would be a whole new crop of actors and actors, but maybe Zac Efron, Robert Patterson, Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence, to name a few.

We have a fun This or That lined up for you. You just get to pick one of the following two choices!

1) Day or night? Day. I love to get up early, I think morning is the best part of the day.

2) Beach or mountain? The beach. I grew up along the shoreline in Connecticut (USA), close to the water. I loved to go to the beach and go swimming.

3) Coke or pepsi? I don’t drink soda too often, but when I do I choose Pepsi.

4) Tea or coffee? Tea. I love green tea and chamomile.

5) Novels or novellas? Both! 

Thank you so much for stopping by the post and I'd like to thank Ann for stopping by the blog today and I wish her lots of love and success. Happy reading! 




                         

23 comments:

  1. Hi Ann,
    What a great interview, nice to find out a little more about you and your wonderful writing.

    Regards

    Margaret

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    1. Thanks, Margaret! And thank you, Sharika, too. It was a lot of fun. :)

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    2. Thanks so much for stopping by, Margaret and you're most welcome, Ann!

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  2. A great interview, Ann. I hope my YA follows in your popular footsteps.

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  3. I love reading interviews as it's a great way to find out about fellow authors. Your book sounds great and I have it on my list of TBR. I'd like to be able to write a YA novel but fear I find the younger generation a complete puzzle.

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    1. Thanks a lot for stopping by, Tricia! Glad you enjoyed the interview.

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  4. Nice interview, Ann! This sounds like a really fun book. I'll download it soon.

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  5. For some reason I'm now having a problem replying individually, so thanks Ginger, Jean, Tricia and Sydell!

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    1. I dunno why that would happen but I'm sure all readers appreciate you replying to them, Ann. That's so very kind of you.

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  6. Congrats on your book's release and a great interview! It sounds like a fun read!

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  7. Forgot to add: Janhvi and Sarika, love the fact that you use owls to rate books! I collect owls.

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  8. I enjoyed your interview, Ann. And your book sounds like a fun read. BTW, you're not missing much of anything here in CT, except the never-ending cold :-)

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    1. Ah, the cold... Thanks for stopping by, Kathy!

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  9. Great interview, Ann, your book sounds like lots of fun, all best, Dot Promiscuo

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  10. Excellent interview, as others have noted. I remember the trials and tribulations of high school. I think your books are spot on.

    And it is really cool to be interviewed by a couple of reading addicts from India! Thanks, Janhvi and Sarika!

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    1. Aw, thank you so much, Lisabet! Best wishes to you from India.

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  11. Fun interview! Your latest book looks great, Ann!

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