Purge by Sarah Darer Littman

Janie Ryman hates throwing up. So why does she binge eat and then stick her fingers down her throat several times a day? That’s what the doctors and psychiatrists at Golden Slopes hope to help her discover.But first Janie must survive everyday conflicts between the Barfers and the Starvers, attempts by the head psychiatrist to fish painful memories out of her emotional waters, and shifting friendships and alliances among the kids in the ward. In order to get better, Janie must talk about things she's admitted to no one - not even herself.


Marlene: What was your inspiration for this story?

Sarah: My mother was scanning old photos from her albums and she sent me this one (below) from a family vacation when I was fourteen or fifteen.

Looking at it as a woman in my forties, I thought, "Wow, I had a nice figure back then." But it made me sad, because I still remembered how I felt at the time - how I was convinced that I was fat and ugly.

I've suffered from body image problems my entire life, and struggled with bulimia for many years as an adult. I wanted to write a book for the girl I was then, and for the girls - and guys - out there who feel the same way today.
















Marlene: Do you remember writing the first words? Are they still the same?

Sarah: I wrote the first words in a writing workshop at Kindling Words, in response to a picture of Ellen Wittlinger's niece in a bridesmaid's dress, taken from the back. From that exercise emerged a character who was unhappy at a wedding, felt uncomfortable with herself and the
clothes she was wearing, and was generally angry at the world. None of those words are in the book, but they got me started, and certain elements of that exercise remain in the finished novel.

Marlene:What kind of research did you have to do for this story?

Sarah: Although I have suffered from bulimia myself, I did a lot of research about eating disorders. I also had an eating disorder professional read the manuscript for accuracy.

Scholastic was terrific about putting a resources section at the back of the book, and we listed the best of the books I read. One book I particularly recommend is The Body Project by Joan Jacobs Brumberg. Brumberg tracks the history of how as a society we've stopped emphasizing the importance of what girls DO and placed more focus on how they LOOK. As the mother of a daughter, this is something I try very hard to fight.

Marlene:What is your favorite line, passage, chapter from this book?

Sarah: I would have to say "The Cucumber Scene". You have to love an emotional breakthrough that revolves around a salad vegetable.


Marlene: Was there any part that you struggled with or avoided writing?

It was hard for me to write any of the scenes that involved the destructive behaviors, such as purging or cutting. Even though I'd been in recovery for five years at the time I was writing the novel, writing about those behaviors brought me back into some very dark and
painful places, and I had to really look after myself during the periods I was writing those scenes.


Marlene:What's on your nightstand right now?

Sarah: Alive and Well in Prague New York by Daphne Grab

Marlene:Besides writing, do you have any other passions?

Sarah: Chocolate! Don't the two always go together? I also love reading, traveling, watching movies, messing around in the garden & cooking. In my "grown up" life I write a political column, which generates lots of interesting hate mail.

Marlene: Have you ever wanted to quit writing? Why?

I wouldn't say I wanted to quit, but I felt extremely discouraged while suffering from an extended period of "second book blues." As idea after idea was turned down for my second book, I wondered if my first book was a fluke and if I would ever be published again. It wasn't until I reconciled myself with the thought that maybe I was just one of those authors who had to write the whole book before she could sell it that I was able to free myself up enough to write the
book I needed to write. Ironically, my agent was then able to sell my third and fourth books on proposal, but in my mind I was convinced that I was an author who might have to write the whole book first.

I can't imagine every wanting to give up writing - it took me so long to finally give myself the permission to do this thing I've wanted to do my whole life, I'm not about to give it up now!

~~~Cafe Note~~ As a regular part of our interviews, featured authors will pop back in for one week after their interview is posted to answer any other questions blog readers may leave for them. So if you have any questions or comments for Sarah, please post them now.

The King's Rose by Alisa Libby

Appointed to the queen’s household at the age of fourteen, Catherine Howard is not long at court before she catches the eye of King Henry VIII. The king is as enchanted with Catherine as he is disappointed with his newest wife — the German princess Anne of Cleves. Less than a year from her arrival at court, Catherine becomes the fifth wife of the overwhelmingly powerful, if aging, King of England.

Caught up in a dazzling whirl of elaborate celebrations, rich gowns and royal jewels, young Catherine is dizzied by the absolute power that the king wields over his subjects. But does becoming the king’s wife make her safe above all others, or put her in more danger? Catherine must navigate the conspiracies, the silent enemies, the king’s unpredictable rages, as well as contend with the ghosts of King Henry’s former wives: the abandoned Catherine of Aragon, the tragic Jane Seymour, and her own cousin, the beheaded Anne Boleyn. The more Catherine learns about court, the more she can see the circles of danger constricting around her, the threats ever more dire.

Melissa W: Tell us about your book, The King's Rose.

Alisa: The King’s Rose tells the story of Catherine Howard, a teenage girl who became the fifth wife of King Henry VIII.

Melissa W: What was your inspiration for this story?

Alisa: When I first read about Catherine Howard I was immediately intrigued. Here was a girl—young and fresh and new to the world of the Tudor court—chosen from a crowd of other ladies in waiting by King Henry himself. Henry showered her with lavish gifts, and they were married before Catherine had been at court for a year. It’s like a Tudor-era Cinderella story. But what does she do, after such a dramatic rise to royal favor? She was condemned for having an affair with a groom in the king’s chamber. So, assuming that she really did it, what in the world was she thinking? King Henry had already executed his second wife, Anne Boleyn, on similar charges – and Anne was Catherine’s own cousin. How could she have taken such a risk? Was she cruel to the king, terribly misguided, overwhelmed by passion, or simply incredibly naïve? I began writing to come up with a reason for her seemingly illogical actions.

Melissa W: I can see why you were so intrigued! Do you remember writing the first words? Are they still the same?

Alisa: I do remember writing the first words: initially the first scene of the book was the scene of Catherine’s execution, and the rest of the story was told in the past tense. By eventually changing the story to the present tense, it gained more immediacy, making the urgency of Catherine’s story more palpable.

Melissa W: What kind of research did you have to do for this story?

Alisa: I read a variety of books about Catherine, Henry, and his other wives:
A Tudor Tragedy, the Life and Times of Catherine Howard by Lacey Baldwin SmithKatherine Howard by Joanna DennyThe Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison WeirThe Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser
I also read about the history of England in that time period, the way of life, culture, customs, clothing, music, food:
Birth, Marriage, and Death: Ritual, Religion and the Life Cycle in Tudor and Stuart England by David CressyAll the King's Cooks: the Tudor Kitchens of King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace by Peter Brears
I pored over portraits of the time period and descriptions of their clothing, which was fascinating—so much detail and so many layers! Absolutely gorgeous, and so telling of the pomp and ceremony in which they lived their daily lives at court—particularly for royalty. I also listened to music composed by King Henry VIII.

My husband and I took a research trip to England, where we visited the different places where Catherine lived, the halls where she danced, the palace where she was arrested, and the Tower where she awaited her execution. We searched for her ghost at Hampton Court, where she supposedly haunts a particular gallery shrieking Henry’s name. I didn’t have any ghostly encounters (this is probably for the best, for both of us) but I did visit her grave at the Tower of London, which was a powerful experience. Anne Boleyn gets many visitors and many flowers; Catherine Howard does not. But we were there for her, and we like to feel that her spirit appreciated our efforts.

Melissa W: What is your favorite line, passage, chapter from this book?

Alisa: There are some scenes with Catherine and her grandmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, that immediately come to mind. The character of the Duchess (how I chose to portray her) is cold, manipulative, frightening. Add to that Catherine and her eagerness to please, her desire for familial connection and affection…it’s a dangerous combination.

Melissa W: Was there any part that you struggled with or avoided writing?

Alisa: I had a lot of difficulty figuring out where this story should begin. My first draft started in Catherine’s childhood and told the story of most of her life. That draft was also very long. It was well over 400 pages. My agent advised me—rightly so—to cut the first 190 pages and have the story begin when Catherine arrives at court. Still, I was stuck for a while: should I start the story when she first arrives at court, or when she suddenly is noticed by King Henry? Or should it start later, when she is already the king’s favorite? I ended up starting the story just before Catherine marries the king, as that is when the excitement truly begins. But it took quite a few false starts before I landed on the opening scene.

Melissa W: What's on your nightstand right now?

Alisa: The Apple that Astonished Paris by Billy Collins.

Melissa W: Besides writing, do you have any other passions?

Alisa: Reading, certainly! I also enjoy music, listening to NPR, and taking walks at pretty state parks—I especially like the paths that go right into the woods. I used to sew little dolls but I haven’t had much time for that lately; most recently my sewing projects include a stuffed pig, a giraffe and an elephant. I love visiting libraries, wandering around the collection, requesting random and obscure titles through interlibrary loan. I love talking with people who love books—I work at Simmons College Graduate School for Library and Information Science, so luckily I’m surrounded by book people.

Melissa W: Have you ever wanted to quit writing? Why?

Alisa: I’ve never wanted to quit writing, but there have been times when I worried that writing had quit me. My muse had thumbed a ride and gone backpacking without me; I couldn’t find her anywhere. It was a scary experience. Writing is so much a part of who I am. If I identify myself as a writer, then what am I when I’m not writing? I feel a bit off when I don’t have some project kicking around in my head.

That said, I’ve wondered (especially in moments of frustration) what it could be like to not have the constant compulsion to write. I wonder if I would be better able to live in the moment and not always be wondering about what project I should be working on. But it turns out that I’m simply not that person; even when the muse deserted me (she needed a vacation, apparently) the compulsion to write remained. And in spite of the frustrations involved in writing, it’s very much worth it.

Melissa W: I'm sure your readers feel much the same way!

~~~Cafe Note~~ As a regular part of our interviews, featured authors will pop back in for one week after their interview is posted to answer any other questions blog readers may leave for them. So if you have any questions or comments for Alisa, post them now! She'd love to hear from you!

Unlucky in Love

A Novel Idea by Aimee Friedman

Required reading has never been so hot.
Once upon a time there was a Brooklyn hipster named Norah. Unlucky in love, and short on extracurriculars for her college apps, Norah decided to start a book group. She knew the perfect locale -- a local indie bookstore with a crush-worthy cutie manning the soy latte counter.
When the first meeting arrives, Norah gets a page-turning surprise. The attendees may be bookish, but there are also a few hotties! Most noteworthy: sweet, literary James. He's like a modern Jane Austen hero.... Only, how to snag him?
Ever the romantic heroine, Norah devises a secret plan. And if it works, Norah may just find her "Happily Ever After" love story. The End.

What other books are unlucky in love?

Love Conquers All

Scribbler of Dreams by Mary Pearson

Seventeen-year-old Kaitlin Malone was born to hate the Crutchfields. The hatred her family has harbored for generations is the one thing she can count on--and the very thing she believes will sustain her now that her father has been imprisoned for murdering Robert Crutchfield. But then Kaitlin stumbles on a rare opportunity to walk in the "enemies' shoes" and what she discovers rocks the foundation of her entire world.

"Fans will be glued to this weepy tale of love and deception.
Irresistible . . . " –Booklist

Love Rocks!

The wait is over for the paperback of this irresistible, fast-paced, hit-worthy debut!

When funny, charming, absolutely-normal Audrey Cuttler dumps her boyfriend Evan, he writes a song about her that becomes a number-one hit-and rockets Audrey to stardom!

Suddenly, tabloid paparazzi are on her tail and Audrey can barely hang with her friends at concerts or the movies without getting mobbed-let alone score a date with James, her adorable coworker at the Scooper Dooper. Her life will never be the same-at least, not until Audrey confronts Evan live on MTV and lets the world know exactly who she is!

“Benway displays a keen ear for dialogue; this fi rst novelist has a knack for showcasing her characters’ wit as well as their sincere concern for one another. Irresistible.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

Okay, rock 'em if you got 'em. Let's hear your suggestions.

Love Games

LOVE IN THE CORNER POCKET

by Marlene Perez

Scholastic/Point (Summer, 2008) ISBN-10: 0545019915ISBN-13: 978-0545019910

All’s fair in love and billiards.

At the pool table, Chloe is an expert. She can see all the angles, sink all her shots. But when it comes to love, she’s more of a novice—unlike her beautiful best friend Bridget, who plays to win.
But when Alex comes to town, he changes everything. Slick and confident, he makes Chloe feel things she’s never felt before, and he even beats her at pool. The trouble is, Bridget also has her sights set on him. Meanwhile, Chloe’s old friend, Theo, seems to want to be more than her pool partner.
When dealing with friendship and love, will Chloe be stuck behind the 8-ball? Or is this a game she can win?

" . . . a sweet novel of first love." --TeensReadToo.com

Let the games begin! Any other suggestions for the "games" love plays?

Love is Loyal

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Little, Brown - February, 2008

When Jenna Vaughn’s childhood sweetheart unexpectedly comes back into her life during her senior year of high school, she is forced to confront her troubled past.

A story about the power of memory, the bond of friendship, and the quiet resilience of our childhood hearts.

Available in hardback, paperback, and as a Kindle E-Book!

Kirkus says: "Haunting and ultimately hopeful....A convincing, fire person narrative voice....Zarr transfixes teen readers with enticing explorations of identity and enduring love."

Any other books that come to mind of enduring and loyal love?