Since someone (completely unrelated to me) very kindly decided to describe The Fine Art of Truth of Dare as “Anna and the French Kiss Meets Pretty in Pink“, I’ve been seeing lots of comments about what a good thing that would be. Well, there are certainly some similarities to both. Ella, like Anna, is definitely a stranger in a strange land…and the land is definitely somewhat strange. Alex Bainbridge, like Etienne St. Clair, is a very cute, really decent, slightly clueless guy. They speak French.

Like Andie in Pretty in Pink, other-side-of-the-tracks Ella doesn’t quite fit in and, if given the choice, would rather not have to pay attention to all of the rubbish that comes with trying to survive high school: mean girls, the right shoes, well-meaning (read: inept) adults, heartbreak. Like Andie, Ella has the very best best friend ever. And (even if just in my head) a really good soundtrack.

I remember seeing Pretty in Pink for the first time. While The Breakfast Club remains my truly beloved John Hughes fave, I have a big soft spot in my heart for PiP. I’m a huge sucker for any good Cinderella story. As long as Cinderella has some serious goals along with getting the prince. Like a Nobel prize. Or a showing at MoMA.

Anyway. Thinking about PiP got me thinking about some of the teen-oriented movies that I’ve loved through the years.

(Yes, I do store these things up for Tuesdays.)

Read More »

Thanksgiving in the Fine Art of Truth or Dare

From: fmarino@thewillingschool.org

To: abainbr@thewillingschool.org

Date: November 23, 1:11 p.m.

Subject: Re: TG

Alex-

I will be having my turkey (there will be one, but it will be somewhat lost among the pumpkin fettuccine, sausage stuffed artichokes, garlic with green beans, and at least four lasagnas, not to mention the sweet potato cannoli and chocolate ricotta pie) with at least forty members of my close family, most of whom will spend the entire meal screaming at each other. Some will actually be fighting, probably over football.

I am hoping to be seated with the adults. It’s not a sure thing.

-Ella

@meljens says:

I’ve decided I really quite like Twitter. Okay, really like Twitter. While I frequently learn things about people through their tweets that I’m not sure I wanna know, I can’t help myself. I keep going back for more. Like, there’s a fingerprint smudge on my iPhone screen above the little birdie icon that I worry is permanent.

There aren’t nearly enough hours in the day for me to be a frequent tweeter, but I am becoming an excellent voyeur. I mean, from a certain point of view, it’s all kinda Rear Window, peepy stalkerish, right? Even the lingo. I “follow” John Green, Sherman Alexie, Libba Bray, and Lord Voldemort from a not-quite-respectable distance. And they have no idea that I’m doing it.

Anyway.

I keep trying to think of interesting things to say–in 140 characters or less. Some things are only interesting in 160 characters or more. Occasionally I come up with something I think needs to be said. Or I come up with a list. Love lists. More than I love Twitter.

Caught on yet?

Yes, absolutely. My Top Ten Twitterers:
Read More »

This one comes from a question I got recently from a reader. “Do you ever fall in love,” she asked, “with the boys you write about?”

Well, they’re a little young for me.

Seriously, of course I adore these boys. I couldn’t write about them– I certainly couldn’t hook ‘em up with my girls– if I didn’t. But what this question really got me thinking about was other writers’ wonderful guys, the ones I really did fall in love with a little. So there’s a Top Ten for you.

Top Ten Fictional Guys I Really Kinda Sorta, Well, Okay, Totally Wish Were Real

Read More »

So. Here’s the deal. The Fine Art of Truth or Dare will be released on February 16th. You can pre-order the book (unsigned) at Amazon. That would be great. Thank you. But. You can also pre-order the book from my beloved local indie: Head House Books, and if you do that, you get a little something extra. First, you’ll get a signed copy. Second, you’ll get a chance to enter into a drawing to have your name in my next YA novel. Every copy of Truth or Dare ordered from Head House Books between now and April 15th, 2012, will have a card inside. On each card will be a unique code and instructions on how to send that code back to me. On June 1st, there will be a random drawing, and the winner’s name will appear in the designated book.

Of course there is some small print… Anyone ordering from Head House Books will, yes, have to pay for shipping on top of the cover price. Sorry ’bout that, but it’s part of supporting small businesses. Each contest code is only good for one chance at the drawing. One winner will have his/her name featured once in the designated book in a manner of my choosing (like as a movie star, an author, or a friend mentioned in passing…). Also, there will be some editorial discretion over the name itself. If the Editorial Powers That Be believe the name is inappropriate for any reason, an acceptable alternative will be decided upon by the winner and the EPTB.

I will periodically repost this information here, and give updates. I also post snippets and miscellany on Twitter (@meljens). So check back. In the meantime, you can read an excerpt of The Fine Art of Truth or Dare here.

Next Monday the 19th, I’ll post (here) and tweet (there) info on how to read an excerpt from THE FINE ART OR TRUTH OF DARE and how to order a special copy with a bonus inside.

Top Ten Songs playing on my iPod this week.

Okay, it’s not like I think you should care. It’s more that I love lists, am an unabashed music junkie, and always love hearing what other people are listening to (Tell me!). As far as I’m concerned, unrestricted access to another person’s music library is like getting to read a diary. Especially when you can see what they listen to most.

Which probably means I should take a good long look at my weekly most-listened-tos before making them public…

Read More »

Love lists. Love them. Hence, I might find myself blogging regularly for the first time ever in my bloggy life. On Tuesdays.

We’re having a kinda haphazard Harry Potter marathon here. Meaning, not in completely the right order, and it’s taking a really really long time. Which describes much of my life, actually. But, on topic, the series got me thinking about movies made from beloved books. So often, it isn’t…well…right (don’t even get me started on Judy Garland’s Dorothy Gale), but sometimes…well…

–cue up some John Williams music–

Read More »

Soapbox time. FYI, I have very clean feet.

I really really wanna write about music. I usually wanna write about music. Now, I’ve been playing this new song over and over again all week… See? Can’t help myself. I wanted to request end-of-summer songlists. (I really want to request mix-tapes…). Instead, I thought I would ask for an answer to a question that plagues me.

Read More »

I’m writing a ghost story. It’s set in contemporary coastal Maine and revolves around a po’d Philadelphia girl, a snarky Penobscot Indian boy, and a long-ago movie star. Somebody’s dead, although whether that body belongs to one of the above will have to remain a secret for the moment.

But this isn’t really about that work-in-progress. It’s more about the fact that instead of working, I’m staring out the window at the backyard of the house-around-the-corner. Which, so the story goes, is haunted. Really.
Read More »