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Monday, October 31, 2011

Liesl & Po Writing Challenge Submissions!

First, I want to thank those of you that participated in this month's Liesl & Po Birthday Writing Challenge. In honor of the release of Liesl & Po, I challenged you to come up with a short story in which magic falls into the wrong hands. The responses were great, and I love how you all conceived magic in incredibly varied and unique ways. Check out a sampling of the fab submissions below...

From Lexie Botzum

She falls on her knees before the simple gray stone, hands groping the soil as though she can tear it away and there he will be: smiling, laughing, leaning from his grave to kiss her cheek and tell her it’ll all be okay.

It’s nighttime, but it’s not a gentle nighttime. It’s the sort of nighttime that creeps upon you slowly, slowly, and then it pounces. And you’re caught, because you are alone, in a graveyard, sobbing feet above your boyfriend’s coffin.
“Please,” she whispers. “Please.” She rocks back and forth. She claws at her hair, claws at the soil. Lets her fingers skim the carved words, tracing the dips. That’s all that’s left of him, carved words and stone memories.
“Please,” she repeats again. “Let him go. Just let him go.” Rock back and forth, back and forth. If he were there, he’d press her arms against her sides and hold her tight. But no. He’s not there. He’s not.

“I’ll do anything,” she says. Her hands are fists, nails biting palms, tears biting cheeks, her whole body just one more sobbing broken wreck in a field of broken corpses. “Anything if you’ll let him go.”

She tilts her head back. Sorrow-stained cheeks meet star-stained sky. “I promise,” she says, and her voice is so soft, so dead, that one might think she herself is dying if not for the very live pain in her eyes.

And then something tears.

Something shakes.

Something groans.

Something bursts from the soil beneath her knees.

A hand.

An arm.

A torso, pale collarbone, bruised neck.

And his face.

His face, unravaged, insentient, unseeing.

She reaches out a hand. It shakes. Slowly, as though he might disintegrate beneath her fingers, she strokes one sallow cheek.

“I’d do anything,” she whispers. And she collapses.



From Kiki Hatzopoulou


Of Doom and Mondays


Malory Stone is a conflicted individual.


On the one hand, she is the mistress of Catastrophe, the all-consuming force of Destruction, the ancient goddess of Doom, the creator of Chaos, a hard-working black hole, if you will.


And on the other hand, she is caring, lovable and devoted, easy to please and hard to annoy, kitten-loving, puppy-loving, flower-loving, a sweetheart really, in every sense of the word.


Which only makes her job as undying power of disaster all the more difficult.


So Malory has devised a simple, bedlam-facilitating plan. She allows herself to care and love for something, as love as the ultimate fate of the object of her affection is ruination. A love-you-to-death kind of approach.


She has spent millennia trying to subvert all that seems nice and wonderful about this little greenish planet called Earth, starting with all the things that have to do with humans. A black dot to her otherwise spotless résumé, humans satisfy her greedy requirements; they are both capable of immense accomplishments and quite easy to obliterate. The fact that she allowed for them to be generated in the first place is beside the point; it was a moment of amorous weakness for the maker of all things good, otherwise known as Johnny D. It is a choice she has come to regret each and every day of her life, usually right before bedtime. (One could even go as far as to claim the reason behind her desire to destroy is jealousy that Johnny D was the creator of admittedly the most fantastic creation of all times, but Malory likes to think that she isn’t that petty and besides, she’s had some pretty good moments, too.)


But anyways, Malory, queen of Malice, recognizes a small perk to the birth of man; without him, the absolutely perfect candidate to test all her vicious demolition plans on, life would be so much duller.


First she tried the sinking of whole islands; that went exceptionally well. She has always been an avid fan of all things watery and Atlantis was simply an amazing construction of both man and nature, too amazing to survive her admiration and wrath.


Then, there was the spectacular stint in Africa. The sandy continent was a particular favorite of hers: the obsolete landscapes, the colors at night, the witty zebras and the studious lions. It was, and still is despite all her efforts, a beautiful piece of land. Unfortunately, it is also the place where the first humans lived and prospered and that was just the final drop; Africa had to go. Malory conjured up droughts and famine, tsunamis and tornados, but none of them seemed to seal the deal. And then it came to her, surprising her with the brilliance of its obviousness: on the fight of nature against man, man would always come on top. All Malory had to do was put man against man; that would be a battle to remember. So she caused a random earthquake and buried a whole forest underground, creating man’s ultimate demise, the almighty oil.


And yet, there is one of her creations that will always be close to her heart, despite the fact that most of her fellow deities, not to mention man, would not turn to look at it twice. Malory had been the mastermind behind uranium and infidelity―for humans were too lovely to just have one―and she had started the global wrecks that are known as World War II and the final season of Lost, but there is nothing she’s more proud of than the idea to create Monday mornings.


From Alexis


Karen glanced down and inspected the book in her hands. It was hefty and battered, like it had survived a hundred storms. The stories relating to the book ranged from bad to worse, and the main characters in the tale usually ended up dead or maimed. That fact hadn’t stopped her though.
As she opened up the first page, the magic almost immediately flooded through her veins like water from a spout. Karen could read the seemingly random markings on the page because she was a witch. A white witch as a matter of fact. She had always been forbidden from the dark arts, and now she had the biggest book of dark magic known in the world.
“Who goes there?” shouted a voice from behind her. She had left the library at around nine, so the alley-way she was walking down was almost pitch-black. Karen put the thick tome in her arms and ran at a dead sprint. She couldn’t, she wouldn’t, be caught with the book.
No matter what the cost.
Karen rounded the corner of the block, and after looking behind her to see if she was being followed, she stopped with a huff, opening the book again.
This time the magical feeling she got was less foreign and more natural.
“Here we go,” Karen muttered to herself.
She pulled out her wand from where she had put it in her boot and glanced once more around to make sure no one was watching.
“Take me somewhere safe, take me to my mother’s arms,” Karen chanted. Suddenly, the book opened up like a mouth and pulled her in, like a vortex to a world unknown.


***FYI*** Don't forget to enter the Halloween Contest/Giveaway! Today is the last day! Good luck...

Monday, October 24, 2011

Hey Philly and Chi-Town!

COME PLAY WITH ME! I'm back from Europe and headed your way this week, to round out my epic month-long tour of insanity. Holla! (Can you tell I'm hopped up on caffeine?)

This is the time for you to listen to me read from my latest, Liesl & Po, and to ask me all of the probing questions you're dying to have answered, such as: "When did you start writing?" and "Which brand of ketchup do you prefer?"* So check me out at one of the dates/locations below, and spread the word!


Tuesday, October 25th, Haverford, PA:

7:00 PM Children’s Book World

Reading/ Q&A/ Signing

17 Haverford Station Road

Haverford, PA 19041


Wednesday, October 26th, Naperville, IL:


7:00 PM Anderson’s Bookshop

Reading/ Q&A/ Signining

123 West Jefferson

Naperville, IL 60540


*Trick question...there is NO brand of ketchup besides Heinz!!




Thursday, October 20, 2011

Rock the Vote!

Guys, you have to check out this book trailer for Delirium, which is up for School Library Journal's Book Trailer awards! It was created by a librarian named Sherry Thompson from Flower Mound, Texas. I love the music she used and the photographs, she nailed the tone of delirium and created a ton of suspense! Let's support Sherry, and Delirium, by checking out the trailer and voting! Please take a look, then scroll down (the poll is way at the bottom) and vote!

xoL

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Liesl & Po Writing Challenge Re-Post!


Peeps, get your submissions in! In case you missed the details of the writing challenge, I posted it again below!...

After months of waiting, my baby's finally here! Liesl & Po, my first middle grade novel, is in stores today! So run, skip, bike, hitch a ride, or teleport yourself out there and get yourself a copy! Here's the Goodreads summary:

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable.

Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous and magnificent novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places.

So, in honor of Liesl & Po's release, here's your writing challenge assignment: submit a 250-300 word submission featuring magic that falls into the wrong hands. Questions to ask yourself: what kind of magic is it? How was it lost/switched/stolen? What drama will ensue as a result?

Send your pieces to me at laurenoliverbooks@gmail.com and I'll post a few of your wonderful submissions right here!!!


Tuesday, October 18, 2011

I'm on the LIST!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I come to you this morning to humbly report that Before I Fall is on the YALSA's 2011 Teens' Top Ten! In case you're wondering, YALSA stands for Young Adult Library Services Association. It's the YA division of the American Library Association. I'm so excited about this, and I'm super grateful to all my readers, especially those who voted for Before I Fall! My fans make me so happy, I could cry! :-D

Check out the winner's video... it's so cute!

xoL

Monday, October 17, 2011

Scaaaary Halloween Contest + Giveaway!!





Halloween will be here in a few weeks so it's time to get your costume on! Eventually, we all get too old for trick-or-treating (well not me, but maybe you do!), but you are never too old to bust out that princess tiara and get all gussied up! Luckily, the laws of fashion go out the window and for one night you can literally wear whatever you want and get away with it... as long as you aren't wearing any of these.
So this giveaway will consist of a contest (costumes are optional, but heavily rewarded). It'll go like this:
Comment with your email address = 1 point
Tweet about this contest = 2 points
Facebook message about this contest = 2 points
Mention contest on your own blog = 3 points
Post a picture of you in one of your wondrous Halloween costumes past = 6 points!!!
Now, for the super scary prize... the winner will receive a Halloween-themed trio of fear-inducing novels. FURY by Elizabeth Miles, CARRIE by Stephen King, and a third book TBD. And who knows what other spooky stuff may be lurking around in this giveaway... you'll have to enter to find out!
xoL

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Top 10 Things About Germany!



Greetings from the Frankfurt Book Fair that's held in Germany every year. It's the largest trade book fair in the world, and dates back all the way to the 15th century! The first book fair was held not long after Gutenberg invented the printing press. I'll be among 7500 exhibitors from over 110 countries buying and selling rights to thousands of books, but I also get to tour the rest of the country immerse myself in the richness of German culture for a few days! So, without further ado, here is my top ten list of fabulous things about Germany...

10-- German sausage. It's not necessarily my thing, but with over 1500 varieties, they must have something for everyone!

9-- The bread... Hello, pumpernickel! Good day, rye!

8-- Liesl (of Liesl & Po) is from there, or at least her name is!

7-- Cars... Karl Benz built the first car there in 1885 and Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, Volkswagen and Porsche are all manufactured there.

6-- Oktoberfest! Too bad I already missed it. (It's actually in September.)

5-- Berlin! After that pesky wall came down two decades ago, Berlin became one of the coolest cities in the world with it's bustling art scene.

4-- Geniuses: Einstein, Bach, Beethoven, Nietzsche, Kant, Marx, just to name a few.

3-- The Black Forest. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but it's also the birthplace of black forest ham and black forest cake! Yum!

2-- German beer! From the Bavarian brews to Beck's and the Munich-bred Dunkels, there's no reason to drink anything else!

1-- I'm here, duh! Lauren Oliver in the house!!! :) Plus my girl Lenore of the fabulous blog Presenting Lenore will be throwing down with me! Hollaaaaa.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

L&P, Internationally




Hi all--

Greetings from 30,000 feet! I'm currently on my way back to NYC after Leg #1 of my tour. I'll get a luxurious four hours at home to do laundry and smooch my fiance, and then it's off to Germany tomorrow. (Stay tuned for my Top Ten List tomorrow--I'll let you know all the things I'm super psyched about in the land of spaetzle and beer!).

I've had a few FAB events in Minneapolis and Milwaukee. Midwest does it best! Check out some cutie pie pics from my time at Wild Rumpus, where I discovered my innate love for ferrets (so floppy!) and was interrupted by a vocally insistent cockatoo during my reading.

One more cool thing. I happened upon this awesome Spanish rendition of the L & P cover online. It's VERY different from the US cover (if you haven't seen it yet, what are you waiting for??), but I kinda dig it. What do you think?

Monday, October 10, 2011

Conquer the Silence!


As you may know, I contributed to an anthology called Dear Bully, which was released last month. I was grateful for the opportunity to share my experiences with teen bullying and take part in such an amazing project, along with about 70 other YA authors. If you haven't already picked up your copy, well, you know what to do. Get your butt down to the nearest bookstore and get it already! (No, I'm not bullying you, just politely reminding you that Dear Bully is in stores. :-)

I have received mail from many fans who were touched by Dear Bully, but I can truly see the powerful impact of this book in the response of Sarah McManus! She is a young blogger that was inspired to create a website called Conquer the Silence (http://www.conquerthesilence.blogspot.com/). On Sarah's blog, contributors are free to communicate their stories in any written form they wish, and can even post anonymously. I'm proud of Sarah McManus for taking a stand against bullying, and I'm proud of all of my young followers who sincerely want to make a difference in this world.

Let's support this step in the right direction and speak out against bullying by posting to and spreading the word about this new blog page! Conquer the silence, people!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

California Love

Greetings from the Liesl & Po tour, Days 1-3!

So far this week, I have learned several invaluable life lessons:

1--Children are adorable. Also, children in California are better-mannered than children in New York!

2--Ackee is a delicious kind of Jamaican vegetable that grows in a pod, and very much resembles scrambled eggs in looks and texture, although not in taste.

3--The Hotel Palomar in Los Angeles makes delicious homemade pickles.

4--I am not a morning person.

Okay, so, one of these things I already knew, and two of them are food related, but DON'T JUDGE ME! So far, I'm having a great time on tour: at the B & N in Huntington Beach, CA, I got to see the west coast side of my family, which was very special; plus, I got to leave a note for my best friend Elizabeth Miles, who was visiting the store the following day with Becca Fitzpatrick and Moira Young!
In NoCal, I visited a school literally nestled in the midst of a magical, mystical redwood forest. It made me a) want to return to being a child just so I could attend and b) aspire to write an elvish fantasy set in just such a place. Kind of. More the former than the latter, actually.

Anyway, check out these assorted pics and keep on following my adventures on the road...




Monday, October 3, 2011

Liesl & Po Birthday + Writing Challenge!!!


After months of waiting, my baby's finally here! Liesl & Po, my first middle grade novel, is in stores today! So run, skip, bike, hitch a ride, or teleport yourself out there and get yourself a copy! Here's the Goodreads summary:

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable.

Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous and magnificent novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places.

So, in honor of Liesl & Po's release, here's your writing challenge assignment: submit a 250-300 word submission featuring magic that falls into the wrong hands. Questions to ask yourself: what kind of magic is it? How was it lost/switched/stolen? What drama will ensue as a result?

Send your pieces to me at laurenoliverbooks@gmail.com and I'll post a few of your wonderful submissions right here!!!





 

Content by Lauren Oliver - Copyright 2011. Blog designed by Ella Press Studio - 2011.

Author Photo by Jonathan Alpeyrie - Copyright 2010. Original Font Idea by Erin Fitzsimmons - 2010.