ptbf_bloggerbannertrans3Hi Friends!

Happy Monday! You’re in luck because I was lucky enough to interview Holly Goldberg Sloan!!

Remember, you can meet Holly at the Pasadena Teen Book Festival!!

 

Event date: Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 12pm-4pm
Venue: Pasadena Public Library, 285 E Walnut St, Pasadena, CA 91101
T-Shirt sign-ups at CustomInk
Tue March 25 – Read Now Sleep Later – Spotlight on Catherine Linka
Mon March 31 – The Windy Pages – Spotlight on Gretchen McNeil
and Holly Goldberg Sloan
Wed April 2 – FangirlFeeels – Spotlight on Jesse Andrews
Fri April 4 – What a Nerd Girl Says – Spotlight on Margaret Stohl
Mon April 7 – What a Nerd Girl Says – Spotlight on Andrew Smith
Tue April 8 – Adventures of a Book Junkie – Spotlight on Amy Tintera
Thu April 10 – The Consummate Reader – Bridge to Books Guest Post
Mon April 14 – Nite Lite Book Reviews – Spotlight on Sarah Skilton
Tue April 15 – Nite Lite Book Reviews – Spotlight on Allen Zadoff
Wed April 16 – The Reader’s Antidote – Spotlight on Elizabeth Ross
Fri April 18 – A Bookish Escape – Spotlight on Ann Redisch Stampler
Tue April 22 – The Book Twins – Spotlight on Carrie Arcos
Thu April 24 – Birth of a New Witch – Spotlight on Katherine Ewell

 

 

 

about_holly_lefty

 

 

Writing novels is your second career. You were originally a screenwriter. What challenges do you face when writing novels versus screenplays?

Screenplays have known, recognized structure. Scenes are generally two or three pages. Feature screenplays are for the most part between 110 and 120 pages because a page is thought of as a minute on screen. The generally accepted conventions of the form (once understood) can be comforting. Novels, for me at least, don’t have these same kinds of rules and conventions. They can, for lack of a better way of saying it, go off course. And sometimes that’s the joy of the thing.

Do you ever wish to write a book on a previously developed character you’ve written about?
I have trouble letting go of my characters because they are very real to me. I guess that’s the answer behind why I wrote JUST CALL MY NAME, coming out from Little Brown in August of 2014. It’s a follow-up book to I’LL BE THERE. And yes, everyone is back.

Both of your YA books, while containing humor, are very dramatic and focus on real issues. Being a comedy writer, how do you balance the humor and the dramatic? Have you thought about writing a purely comedic book?
I write contemporary realistic fiction. And the world that I see can be both sad and funny. The two things go hand in hand for me. I have laughed so hard that I’ve cried. And in my own times of personal sorrow, I have found the ability to laugh. I find the release to be the same in so many ways.

Recently, an author has admitted that in retrospect, they maybe should have written a series/character differently. Do you have any characters you feel like you would have written differently now when you look back?
I think I’m too new to the process to have many regrets. Can you ask me that question in 5 years?

Both of your books have very beautiful, striking covers. Do you buy books based on their covers?
I think that covers are very, very, very important. They are the front of the restaurant. The box for the necklace. Covers need to be appealing. Of course the issue is that what appeals to one person is an eyesore to someone else.

How do you take your potato?
I like mustard infused, roasted potatoes and I’m glad you asked. You can find my recipe for these delicious compliment to any meal right HERE (on the website ONE FOR THE TABLE).

What are you working on right now?
I just wrote a Hallmark Hall of Fame Christmas movie, which will air on ABC this December. It’s titled ONE CHRISTMAS EVE, and shooting will begin next month in Canada. I’m currently writing a middle grade book with an animal at the center of the situation. No spoilers!

You guys can find Holly on Twitter @HGoldbergSloan or find her online 

 

 

Giveaways

#1: ARC of A Girl Called Fearless
Winner may request personalization/autograph
Open to US residents only – ends 4/25/2014
Enter with Rafflecopter #1

 

#2: Choose from 1 of the books featured at the Pasadena Teen Book Festival

 

Winner may request personalization/autograph

 

Open to US residents only – ends 4/25/2014

 

Enter with Rafflecopter #2

 


#3: $50 Gift Card to Vroman’s Bookstore
Open to attendees of the Pasadena Book Festival only! – ends 4/21/2014
To enter, suggest a new, unique/clever/fun name for the Pasadena Teen Book Festival. Examples of other cool names for teen book fests include (already taken, unfortunately) Teen Author Carnival, YALLFest, and YABFest. What should we call our event from now on? Email your top 3 best name suggestions to info@pasadenateenbookfest.com OR fill out this form! A panel of judges will choose the best name from all of the submissions. The winner will be announced at the Festival!