Writer's Interview - Bianca Turetsky (YA Author)

 I am so happy to introduce Bianca Turetsky through my blog. I won her book 'The Time Travelling Fashionista' from my fellow blogger http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.com/ and I have enjoyed it to the core. This is the very first book I read from YA fiction genre.I sam so happy that she found time to give me this interview,despite her busy schedule.

Bianca Turetsky is a YA Author and ' The Time Travelling Fashionista' is her debut novel.

 

(I am an author, explorer, dreamer, and vintage fashion-obsessive.

I grew up in suburban Fairfield CT, in a similar town to where I placed Louise before her adventure- an only child (which according to my friends explains a lot) with wonderful parents and a gray cat named Bernard. So that meant spending a lot of time reading, swimming, making up stories, playing dress up, trying to teach Bernard how to talk (he never quite caught on...) and inadvertently preparing myself for the solitary life of a writer. But all in all, it was an idyllic childhood-- although at the time I was convinced that I was adopted and my real parents lived a fabulously wealthy and exciting life elsewhere. Was I the only one growing up with this Annie fantasy? )

Information collected http://timetravelingfashionista.com/bianca/

 Here is Bianca Turetsky exclusively for you.

Could you tell a few words about yourself?

I am a writer, traveler, explorer, and vintage clothing enthusiast living in Brooklyn NY with my filmmaker boyfriend and precocious cat Cleo.

When did you start writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a little kid. My first published piece was a poem I wrote when I was 7 years old. I’ve since realized that my talent is definitely not in poetry, but it still has a sentimental place in my heart.

Could you tell a few words about 'The Time-Traveling Fashionista '?

The Time-Traveling Fashionista answers the question: What if a beautiful vintage dress could take you back in time?

12 year old Louise Lambert has always dreamed of movie starlets and exquisite gowns and longs for the day when she can fill the closet of her normal suburban home with stylish treasures. But when she receives a mysterious invitation to a vintage fashion sale in the mail, her once painfully average life is magically transformed into a time-travel adventure.

Suddenly onboard a luxurious cruise ship a hundred years ago, Louise relishes the glamorous life of this opulent era and slips into a life of secrets, drama, and decadence. . . .

Could you tell us about the illustrations of beautiful gowns in your book?

Aren’t they amazing? They were drawn by a fashion illustrator from Barcelona named Sandra Suy who none of us have actually ever met. Everything was done over email, she sent us illustrations and we corresponded like that. She totally got the tone and feeling of the book. She’s so mysterious, I feel like she’s a time-traveling fashionista herself!

Why did you choose YA over other genres to write?

Actually I never thought I’d be a YA author. I always wanted to be a writer, but it wasn’t until I had the idea for this story that I even thought about writing for young adults. The story dictated the voice, and I discovered that I LOVE writing for this audience, and it was more natural and easy and honest than anything else I’d written before.

Are you a full time writer?

No, I also work in his studio of the artist/filmmaker Julian Schnabel, organizing art exhibitions and assisting him on his films.

Which genre you prefer to read, apart from YA?

I’m currently on a memoir kick. I love reading about how fascinating and adventurous other people’s lives are.

Apart from reading and writing, what are your other interests?

Swimming, traveling, going to the cinema, and of course, shopping for vintage clothes!

What are your tips for writing?

For me writing is 75% discipline, 25% inspiration. Showing up every day in front of your computer and getting words on the page is to me the most important part. If I waited for the muse to show up, I’d never finish a book!

Any other works in progress?

I am just finishing up book # 2 , The Time-Traveling Fashionista and The Palace of Mirrors, where Louise has a vintage inspired adventure during the French Revolution. It will be out next spring, stay tuned!

Does your book cater to the west as well as the east?

I hope so. I think there are some universal themes in the book that everyone will be able to relate to. One thing we all have in common is that we’ve all been a child once.

Could you please suggest YA books to read for those who are not acquainted with this genre?

I just finished The Hunger Games which I've recommended to a few adult friends and they've all loved it as well. And the classic YA books I grew up with by Judy Blume or Ann M. Martin are always a fun read and a good place to start!

You can find more about Bianca Turetsky fromhttp://timetravelingfashionista.com/bianca/

Writer's Interview - Medeia Sharif ( YA Author)

I am happy to announce that I am publishing my first ' Writer Interview'. When I thought of it, the very first name that crept up in my mind was of Medeia Sharif. A very warm and cordial person, she accepted my request with pleasure. I never felt that I am interacting with a person who is sitting miles away from me. Such was the cordiality expressed by her.

Medeia Sharif is a YA Author whose debut novel BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.would soon hit the markets.

( Information collected from Medeia Sharif's website www.medeiasharif.com)


Medeia Sharif is a Kurdish-American author who was born in New York City. She received her master’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University. Besides being an author, she is also a school teacher. Medeia became a voracious reader in high school and a relentless writer in college.Her persistence paid off in 2008 when she attained agent representation and in 2009 when she got her first book deal.

BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER. is her first novel and it will be published by Flux in 2011.

Here is Medeia Sharif exclusively for you...
Could you tell a few words about yourself?
I’m a high school English teacher and YA author living in Miami Beach.

Could you tell a few words about your debut novel, BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.?
Almira Abdul fasts for Ramadan for the first time, and the holy month proves to be a bumpy one.


When did you realize that writing is your cup of tea?
I wanted to become a novelist when I was in high school. During my senior year I was determined to fulfill this dream. The summer after I graduated I began my first novel and kept writing throughout college and after I started teaching.


How would you choose books for giveaways?
Right now I do giveaways linked to my reading goal. My 2011 reading goal is 150 books. I’m giving away one book from that list when I reach 50, another book when I reach 100, and three books when I reach 150. I enjoy sharing the books I've read with others. I’m also doing a giveaway of my own novel on Goodreads.

Are you a full-time writer?

No, I’m a full-time teacher and part-time writer.


Why did you choose YA over other genres to write?
I finished my first novel when I was eighteen, and from that age to my late twenties all my manuscripts had young characters. But I was writing in an adult style! After becoming a teacher, I immersed myself in middle grade and young adult books. A light bulb clicked in my head. If I have young characters, I should change my style to accommodate younger readers.

Which genre you prefer to read, apart from YA?
I love mysteries and thrillers.

What are your tips for writing?
Write consistently and use feedback. I go to a critique group and I have a few beta readers; my agent and editors also provide guidance. Criticism is needed to revise a manuscript.


What are the technicalities that have to be kept in mind while writing?
One must overcome the many distractions found when working at home.


Do you buy books you need to read or just collect books to read in future?

I read for pleasure, so I collect books to read in the future.

Does your book cater to the West as well as the East?
Yes. The main character is American-born, but a child and grandchild of immigrants. I believe people in both the East and West will find something to connect to.


Do you encourage ebooks as a reader and writer?
Yes. I read both print and e-books, and there are advantages to both. The advantage of ebooks is that it’s convenient to read things outside of home. It’s easier to bring my Kindle on a trip versus a pile of books. I also use my Kindle to read manuscripts. The text-to-speech feature helps me catch mistakes.


How do you name a novel?
It comes from the theme of a manuscript or a phrase from it.


Could you please suggest YA books to read for those who are not acquainted with this genre?
There are so many, but I recommend Elizabeth Scott’s LIVING DEAD GIRL, Paula Yoo’s GOOD ENOUGH, Stephanie Perkins’ ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, and Jandy Nelson’s THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE.


Your 10 favourite books and 10 favourite movies?
Books: Elizabeth Scott’s LIVING DEAD GIRL,
Paula Yoo’s GOOD ENOUGH,
Jandy Nelson’s THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE,
Lauren Oliver’s BEFORE I FALL,
Margaret Atwood’s CAT’S EYE,
Stephen King’s EYES OF THE DRAGON,
Pat Conroy’s THE PRINCE OF TIDES,
Ellen Hopkins’ CRANK,
Sylvia Plath’s THE BELL JAR,
and Kurt Vonnegut’s CAT’S CRADLE.


Movies:
Annie Hall, The Knack and How to Get It, Full Metal Jacket, The Wizard of Oz, Arsenic and Old Lace, Foul Play, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Atonement, Layer Cake, and Edward Scissorhands.


How did you start blogging?
I started my current blog in 2009, but I had two blogs before that. I first started with Yahoo 360, which shut down years ago. The idea of sharing my thoughts with others appealed to me, even though my first two blogs were probably unread and I didn’t know how to garner attention for them at the time.


Please suggest other networking sites to promote readership and writing?
I also use Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.


What do you like the most, reading or writing?
I like both equally, so I can’t decide.
 
You can find more about her in http://www.medeiasharif.com/,

Books I would like to read by June 2011

These are some of the books I would like to complete by June, 2011. Some books I have and some I don't...As I got a job, my reading has been put on hold for sometime. I hope I would soon resume it..


1.The Time Travelling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky


2.Playing with Fire by Susan Moody


3.They came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie


4.The mysterious affair at styles by Agatha Christie


5.Digital Fortress by Dan Brown


6.In the Line of Fire by Pervez Musharaff


7.Anne Frank - The diary of a little girl


8.To Kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee


9.Lost Symbol - Dan Brown


10.Deception Point - Dan Brown


11.Angels and Demons - Dan Brown


12.Where are the children - Mary Higgins Clark


13.The adventures of Huckleburry Finn - Mark Twain


14.The Devil wears Prada - Weisberger Lauren


Is the list too short?
 

I won ' The Time Travelling Fashionista' by Bianca Turetsky

Hi buddies! 

I have got a good news to share. I won an international copy of ' The Time Travelling Fashionista' by Bianca Turetsky- a give away fromhttp://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.com/ for YA lovers. I am so glad that I won it.I got acquainted with this genre of fiction very recently. I have not read any of it. I am really excited about this one. I will give its review very soon in my blog and also in goodreads and amazon.

 Thanks a lot. I have received the copy and I will be reading it soon.

Here is the description from Goodreads.

    "When Louise Lambert receives a mysterious invitation to a traveling vintage fashion sale in the mail, her normal life in suburban Connecticut is magically transformed into a time traveling adventure.

    After a brief encounter with two witchy salesladies and donning an evening gown that once belonged to a beautiful silent film star, Louise suddenly finds herself onboard a luxurious cruise ship in 1912. As Alice Baxter, the silent film star, Louise enjoys her access to an extensive closet of gorgeous vintage gowns and begins to get a feel for the challenges and the glamour of life during this decadent era. Until she realizes that she's not just on any ship-- she's on the Titanic!

    Will Louise be able to save herself and change the course of history, or are she and her film star alter ego, destined to go down with a sinking ship in the most infamous sea disaster of the 20th century?"

I want to interview 'YOU'

It's been a year since I started this blog. Usually a year does not appear too long. But for me, it does. I  learnt a lot in this one year. The experience has been great. When I started this blog, little did I know that I would complete one year and that too with love and support in great deal from this blogging fraternity.I had grown a lot. I did not know how to post, in the begnning. I was too ignorant that I would start a new blog for each post. I went on creating blogs.I had about 15 blogs and I deleted them all. Hey! You learn from mistakes, right?

I did not start this blog as ' Passion Drops.' It was ' Shalet's Creative Impressionzz' before. It used to carry my works as a copy writer. You could see my captions and copies in the 'older post.' When I left my job, I had  nothing to flaunt. I liked that blog and I did not want to delete it. I kept it without any updation until I transformed into a blog for books. It was a wonderful experience. I post small reviews of the books I read. To be honest, I was not too greedy for followers for this blog for I knew it would take time. I was like a child who was enchanted with this book world and I was ready to take my own time. Now I have 14 buddies in my 'followers' widget – a pleasant surprise. Debra, http://shewhoseeks.blogspot.com/kept me motivated with her comments.Kate,http://kateevangelistarandr.blogspot.com/ MedeiaSharif, http://www.medeiasharif.com/...the list is endless...A big thank you to everyone. For the  first time in my life, I learned that my cup of tea is mysteries and thrillers and hope that there are lots to come.

As this is my first blogging anniversary, I would like to venture into something new. I want to interview the writers, aspiring writers and bloggers. Though it sounds  a bit clichéd, it is not so. I do not want to put the same questions to each and every one. I would take my own time to go through the blogs and frame questions according to it. It would be a great experience to be a part of the journey undertaken by my fellow bloggers. When I started this blog , I was an utter illiterate about various genres. Gothic Fictions, YA fictions etc. are not known to me before. Hence, I want these interviews to throw light on various features for all those starters like me, who are completely unaware of the meticulous details of this enchanting book world.

Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie (I plan to read)

Shamsie’s complex fifth novel, spanning the years between August 1945 and September 2001, is a story of two inextricably connected and politically impacted families. Berliner Konrad Weiss and Hiroko Tanaka, his translator, meet in Nagasaki and plan to marry. But after he is incinerated by the bomb and she is left permanently scarred, Hiroko journeys to Delhi, home of Konrad’s half-sister, Elizabeth Burton, and her British husband, James. Hiroko bonds with James’ assistant, Sajjad. With Partition between India and Pakistan looming, the Burtons return to England, where their son Henry is in boarding school. Hiroko and Sajjad marry, but they’re not allowed back into India, since Sajjad is a Muslim who “chose to leave.” Shamsie takes up their story 35 years later in Karachi, where they have one son, Raza, after bomb-related miscarriages. Henry appears, searching for his past, and offers to assist with Raza’s education; by 2001, they’re working together for the CIA in the U.S. Shamsie offers a moving look at the “complicated shared history” of these two families, an increasingly common facet of globalization. --Deborah Donovan(review from amazon.com)

Nmesis by Agatha Christie

 Agatha Christie has always had her own way of creating a plot. This story starts from nothing and then ensues the real sinister incidents. I loved it all the way. She gives a lot of characters that either you end up judging everyone or you rather stands blinking at them for her characters are not that explicit. That's why I really like reading her.

If I am not wrong, ' Nemesis' is the last of her Marple series. 

Marple is surprised when she gets a letter from Mr. Rafiel, who is dead  a few days back. He is talking about something very vaguely which became rather a nerve racking job for her.Besides it, he has kept a handful amount of money for Jane Marple to undertake this task. What is the task? That is the mystery. Mr. Rafiel's letter does not give her much clue. She is quite certain that something sinister has happened and Mr. Rafiel, who is a just man wants the justice to be done, at the earliest The story really gains momentum when she sets on an expedition that has been arranged by the late Mr. Rafiel. The mystery gets unravelled slowly.

 Robert Weaver in the Toronto Daily Star of December 4, 1971 said, "Christie richly deserves the loyalty offered up to her by devotees of the traditional mystery. She is readable and ingenious, and in Nemesis she has going for her the amateur lady sleuth Miss Jane Marple deep in a murder case as she tries to carry out a request that comes in effect from beyond the grave. Beyond 80 Miss Christie remains unflagging."

The Madman's diary by Thom Racina

" Pulse - Pounding suspense...an excitement winner."
                                                               - Harriet Klausner
" Harrowing...a suspense lover's dream."
                                                      - Romantic Times

 My thought

Judy never thought she could be one of the reason for all the killings that was happening around her. When she realized it, it was too late. She thought that the deaths of her close friends were just a coincidence until she learned the death of her mentor and boss, Norman Lempke,, which made not only Judy apprehensive, but also her dear friends Skeet and Anne. The way he was murdered  offered

enough proof that a lunatic was lurking in the darkness. When it should rear its ugly head was not known to anybody. 

Judy was an architect who lives with her room-mate Skeet. The relationship started when they were quite young, but soon it gave way to a relationship beyond that. They ceased being lovers and became soul mates and their balanced atmosphere takes a twist when Judy's boss was murdered brutally. Death has also occurred to her other friends, but she dismissed it as natural deaths. It was her friend Anne, who was a mystery writer got a hunch for the first time that it was nothing but cold blooded murders.

It is a diary that takes the story and gives us the creeps. There was a Shaman, who believed himself as an Indian was killing people. Who was he ?

  Dear Diary:


Dead, the man who desired her for his own. I will grieve for him, for what I have done, for what I had to do. But this is my duty...

The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

 

" Forensic archaeology has become a fashionable sub- section of crime fiction. Elly Griffiths has produced a particularly good variation on this theme....this is a cleverly plotted and extremely interesting first crime novel, highly recommended" Literary Review 

Forensic expert Ruth Galloway is called in to investigate, when a skeleton was unearthed in Norwich. Some builders while demolishing a large house dug out a skeleton underneath its doorway.It was of a child and had no skull. Dr. Ruth Galloway plunged into action. She was a forensic archaeologist.

DCI Harry Nelson had to find out whether it was a cold blooded murder or something that happened many years ago as a part of some ritual as the mansion's history could be traced to the remote past.

The house was once a children's home and while investigating, Harry Nelson found out that there were two children missing who were siblings. The investigation got intense as somebody was also trying to scare Ruth out of her wits. 

My thought

I do not call it a chilling suspense that could send shivers down your spine. But it was a good read and gave a good suspense as I keep on guessing ' Who done it.' I  pinned my hopes on each character that he or she did it. But all my efforts were in vain, which definitely was one feature that made it a good read. The other highlight of the story is the baby of Ruth and Nelson who is yet to be born. It was just an accident and Nelson is a married man and Ruth did not like to be in a relationship. I kept on guessing that a chemistry would soon develop between them. I just kept on guessing and nothing happened. 

This book is the third one in the Ruth Galloway series, the others being ' The Crossing Palace,' 'The house at Seas End.'

I would give 6/4

Chak de INDIA, JAI HIND

 PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN

India beat Srilanka by 6 wickets.

We won the World Cup, 2011.

Three Cheers for India.

Hip, hip......Hurrah,
Hip, hip......Hurrah,
Hip, hip......Hurrah.

India bagged the Cricket World Cup after long 28 years.

'Parippuvada and Tea'

I have read from blogs that, most of the avid readers prefer a coffee cup filled with brewing coffee alongside a wonderful book. I tried to sip coffee while reading. But it was not that easy. I do not mind the big cup but not with brewing coffee, but South Indian tea where we mix milk with the decoction. My day begins with it, so why am I going for a coffee.

This is what I really liked to have while reading books ' Parippuvada' and Chaaya(tea). Though Parippuvada(s) do not look that attractive, it's crispy and it is readily available anywhere in Kerala.

Woman who dared ( edited by Ritu Menon )

 

' Woman who dared' is a book that talks about 21 successful Indian women who had made their mark in their respective fields. It's too late to introduce this book. But I go with the axiom' better late than never'. It's a book, I think every Indian women should read. I can vouch that there are many personalities among these 21 women, whom today's generation is totally unaware of.

The Pleasure Seekers by Tishani Doshi

  I have not read this book.But I have read a lot of reviews and heard many interviews on this book. Since I have not read this book, I cannot give my review. So here is a synopsis from the Flipkart.com

 Book Summary of The Pleasure Seekers from Flipkart.com

It all started in August 1968 when Babo, with curly hair and jhill mill teeth, became the first member of the Patel family to leave Madras and fly on a plane all the way to London to further his education. His father should have known there would be trouble: on the morning of the departure he had his first and only dream, in which strange ghosts threw poison-tipped arrows and all his family was lost...But off Babo went, and now here he is, in a flat off the Finchley Road, untraditionally making love to a cream-skinned girl from Wales, Sian Jones, who he fell head over heels for as soon as he saw the twirl of red ribbon in her hair. Ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom-boom-boom. Theirs is a mixed-up love in a topsy-turvy world, and their two families will never be the same again. Meet the Patel-Joneses: Babo, Sian, Mayuri and Bean, in their little house with orange and black gates next-door to the Punjab Women's Association. As the twentieth century creaks and croaks its way along - somewhere out there Charles and Diana get hitched; Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her own bodyguards; cable TV arrives in India - these four navigate their way through the uncharted territory of a 'hybrid' family: the hustle and bustle of Babo's relatives, the faraway phone-line crackle of Sian's, the eternal wisdom and soft bosom of great-grandmother Ba, the perils of first love, lost innocence and old age, and the big question: what do you do with the space your loved ones leave behind? In this tender, lyrical and uplifting debut, Tishani Doshi, a prizewinning poet, effortlessly captures the quirks and calamities of one unusual clan in a story of identity, family, belonging and all-transcending love.