Guest Blog

'Fire With Fire' Co-Authors On The Perks Of Being Bestie Writing Partners

Posted 11/1/13 3:00 pm EST by MTV News in Guest Blog, Page Turners

Orig:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/hc/2013/11/firewithfirethumb.jpg Fire With Fire Jenny Han ("The Summer I Turned Pretty") and Siobhan Vivian ("The List") are authors in their own right, but the BFFs have combined their literary powers for the "Burn for Burn" series, about a trio of friends out for revenge. As they look forward to concluding the series next year with "Ashes to Ashes," the authors reminisce about what it's been like to write together, cheesesteaks included.

Siobhan Vivian: I remember when we first had the idea to write a book together. It was right before I moved away from New York. I remember feeling so excited, because I knew we’d make a good team, but also nervous, because it would mean that we’d become business partners. Did you have any hesitation taking our writing friendship to the next level?

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Tags Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian

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Authors Gayle Forman, Jo Knowles Dissect Their 'Dualologies'

Posted 10/10/13 12:18 pm EST by MTV News in Crush Exclusive!, Guest Blog, Page Turners

Orig:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/hc/2013/10/dualologies.jpg Gayle Forman and Jo Knowles For Gayle Forman and Jo Knowles, good things come in pairs. The authors have both penned what you might call "dualogies," companion novels in which one is written from the girl's point of view, and the other, from the boy's. Gayle's latest, "Just One Year," hits bookstore shelves this week, and to celebrate, the women sat down to discuss their respective literary double doses.

Jo Knowles: Like many of your readers, I was on the edge of my seat reading "Just One Day," wondering if Allyson would find Willem. So when I got to the end of the book, I was like, "BUT BUT BUT... WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?????" Did you always know there would be a follow up? And if so, did you know what the point of view would be?

Gayle Forman: There was about a week when I thought "Just One Day" would be a standalone (with the same ending, BTW!), but then I was in the shower—do you have breakthroughs in the shower?

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Tags Gayle Forman, Jo Knowles, Jumping Off Swings, Just One Day, Just One Year, Living With Jackie Chan

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'Witches Of East End' From Page To Screen: An Author's Perspective

Posted 10/7/13 8:00 am EST by MTV News in Guest Blog, Page Turners, TV News

Orig:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/hc/2012/12/melissa.jpg Melissa de la Cruz by Melissa de la Cruz

This past Sunday was the premiere episode of Lifetime's "Witches of East End" series, the television show based on my novel of the same name. Ever since the show was announced and publicized, I've been bathing in the warm afterglow of kudos, congratulations and well wishes. It's been a fun ride. And I've told everyone who's asked what I'll tell you now. What's it like to see your book on the screen? For me, the answer is: VERY PLEASANT.

I can't find another word to describe it. It's been a wonderful ride. I've been selling my books to Hollywood for over a decade. Many of my books have been optioned many times. I was tired of being seduced and abandoned by Hollywood. I'd had too many dreams, and too many dreams crushed.

So by the time "Witches of East End" came up for sale, I was old, chickens. I was old and tired and jaded and ready for nothing to come of it. I didn't even think about it much. The head of my management company, 3Arts, the venerable Erwin Stoff, told me he would like to produce it before it was published. I had no idea how BIG this was. I just took it for granted—oh, you too? Many, many people have wanted to produce my books, dear Erwin...get in line. But I said yes. I liked Erwin. I liked the movies and TV shows he'd made.

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Tags Melissa de la Cruz, Witches of East End

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'The Bitter Kingdom' Author Rae Carson Shares Her Fierce Female Inspiration

Posted 9/5/13 9:00 am EST by MTV News in Crush Exclusive!, Guest Blog, Page Turners

Orig:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/hc/2013/09/bitterkingdomcrop.jpg Bitter Kingdom Hey, Hollywood Crush! I'm Rae Carson, author of the "Girl of Fire and Thorns" series. The final book in the series, "The Bitter Kingdom" is out now, and I hope readers like it! But even if you’re new to my work all you need to know is that I write about young women who must do brave things—preferably with magic or spaceships.

Because I'm often asked about the influences for what makes a great fantasy female character, I wanted to share some fabulous fictional females who have inspired me. So in no particular order...

1. Arya Stark from "Game of Thrones"
Don't cross this pint-sized spitfire, lest she stick you with "the pointy end" of her equally pint-sized sword, Needle. This girl is determined to survive, fiercely loyal to her friends and clever as a fox. She can outrun, outfight or outsmart her enemies—and look totally adorable doing it.

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Tags Rae Carson, The Bitter Kingdom

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Listen To Aprilynne Pike's 'Earthbound' Playlist!

Posted 7/30/13 12:18 pm EST by MTV News in Guest Blog, Page Turners

Orig:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/hc/2013/07/earthbound.jpg Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike With the her latest novel out today, author Aprilynne Pike shares her "Earthbound" playlist with Hollywood Crush.

I have a confession. And it’s pretty terrible.

I don’t listen to music while I write.

I know! I shouldn't be saying such things on MTV.com! But it’s true. So playlists are always a little different for me because I make them after the book is finished and just listen to them for fun. But there are some advantages, I think. When I start writing a book, I only vaguely know the characters and the story is still a seed. But by the time I’m done, I know these characters like family and the story is totally set. So in some ways, I think my playlists are even better because I get to really pick the perfect songs. Here’s my playlist for "Earthbound," which I’ve been listening to when I run in the mornings!

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Tags Aprilynne Pike, Earthbound

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'The Elite' Author Kiera Cass' No-Fail Dating Advice

Posted 4/23/13 8:00 am EST by MTV News in Guest Blog, Page Turners

Orig:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/hc/2013/04/theelitecover.jpg The Elite Hey Hollywood Crush Readers!

I'm Kiera Cass, author of "The Selection," "The Prince" novella, and "The Elite" (out today!). "The Selection" series revolves around a fictitious dating game, and lots of people ask if I ever watched "The Bachelor" to get inspired for my books. The truth is, I never watched an episode until after I wrote "The Selection," but since then I’ve learned a lot about televised dating relationships and all the drama that surrounds them.

Personally, I think it’s easier to find a guy the old-fashioned, off-screen way. But... that’s way less entertaining! So, if you decide to participate in one of these ventures, you’ve got to remember that the producers have it down to a science as to what mix of girls make for an interesting show and who would stand a chance at winning a happily ever after. So, you’ve got to quickly establish yourself as one of the following it you want a chance at snagging your ideal man!

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Tags Kiera Cass, The Elite, The Selection

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'Indigo Spell' Author Richelle Mead Reveals Her Unexpected Adrian Inspiration

Posted 2/15/13 3:45 pm EST by MTV News in Guest Blog, Page Turners

Orig:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/hc/2013/02/indigospell.jpg by Richelle Mead

People often ask where I get my inspiration from, and I always say I have no good answer because, well, inspiration comes from everywhere: people, places, memories. There are little gems all around us that can hold glimmers of inspiration. Here’s one of my more unexpected ones.

Louisa May Alcott, most famously known for writing "Little Women," had a much lesser known novel called "Eight Cousins." It’s about a preteen girl who’s orphaned and sent to live in the town her father grew up in, where she discovers she has seven boy cousins and a whole bunch of quirky aunts and uncles. Anyway, the book’s good, but I’m not in love with it. What I’m REALLY in love with is its sequel, "Rose in Bloom." Yeah...did I mention that the girl’s name is Rose? (Rose Hathaway wasn’t named after Alcott’s Rose Campbell, but it’s certainly one of the reasons I feel so strongly toward that name).

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Tags Richelle Mead, The Indigo Spell

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'Unravel Me' Author Tahereh Mafi Shines In 'Shatter Me' Shoes

Posted 2/6/13 3:15 pm EST by MTV News in Fashion & Style, Guest Blog, Page Turners

by Tahereh Mafi

I have two great loves in this world: shoes and books. And with the release of "Unravel Me" on the horizon, I wanted to have some fun combining these two ideas. So I decided to grab a pair of old boots and the book that started it all: "Shatter Me."

"Shatter Me" is a dystopian novel about a girl with a lethal touch, but at its core it's a book about a girl with a fractured heart and mind and how she learns to put the pieces of herself back together. These shoes are about making a point: that not only can you recover from being beaten and broken, but you can take what's left and become something even more beautiful. Something that shines.

Enter: "Shatter Me" Shoes.

Orig:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/hc/2013/02/shatter11.jpg

I created these boots using a pair of dearly loved but worn-to-bits Jeffrey Campbells (Brisbanes—original here), about 50 broken mirrors (purchased from my local craft store), and some really intense adhesive.

See the finished product after the jump!

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Tags Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi, Unravel Me

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Dan Wells: My Favorite YA Novel Of 2012

Posted 12/17/12 11:30 am EST by MTV News in Guest Blog, Page Turners

Orig:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/hc/2012/12/danwells.jpg Dan Wells As part of Hollywood Crush's Best YA Novel of 2012 poll, we've enlisted a handful of our favorite teen lit writers to weigh in on the tomes that touched them this year. Our final essay comes from Dan Wells, author of "Partials" and the forthcoming "Fragments," out February 2013.

My favorite YA book of the year was "Insignia" by S.J. Kincaid, a kind of science fiction Harry Potter about a group of kids training to fight in World War III. The war is fought with drones, manipulated remotely through virtual reality, which essentially means that the war is being fought with video games, and the best warriors are the best gamers. To make the kids even better players the government puts computers in their brains, and that's when the science fiction kicks into overdrive and the virtual world starts blending with the real one. The teens learn how to program their brains, first just playing simple tricks on each other, but soon starting to suspect that other people—gangs, governments and multinational corporations—are secretly altering their thoughts, their personalities and even the way they perceive the world. It's cyberpunk at its best, twisting the world we know and the ways we communicate in exciting and terrifying new directions. I loved every page, and I can't wait for the sequel.

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Tags Dan Wells, Insignia, S.J. Kincaid

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Kiera Cass: My Favorite YA Novel Of 2012

Posted 12/17/12 8:00 am EST by MTV News in Guest Blog, Page Turners

Orig:http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/hc/2012/12/kieracass.jpg Kiera Cass As part of Hollywood Crush's Best YA Novel of 2012 poll, we've enlisted a handful of our favorite teen lit writers to weigh in on the tomes that touched them this year. Next up is Kiera Cass, author of "The Selection" and the forthcoming "The Elite," out April 2013.

I don’t think it’s any secret that there have been some stellar books in YA this year. From chilling to heartbreaking to adorable and full of girls in cute dresses competing for a prince *cough cough*, we’ve seen it all. But I’d like to take a moment to mention some of the quieter books this year, books that maybe you didn’t hear about so much, but you should have. These authors took on storytelling in slightly unexpected ways and were refreshing if only because they were different.

First up is "Chopsticks" by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral. If you’re looking for a book that you can get through in less than an hour or you can stay engaged with for weeks, look no more. Told through a series of photographs, playlists, YouTube URLs and the like, you learn about Glory and Frank’s love story the way you remember your own: through the little moments that make it what it is. It’s creepy and kind of beautiful. Like us, ya know?

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'Fire With Fire' Co-Authors On The Perks Of Being Bestie Writing Partners

Authors Gayle Forman, Jo Knowles Dissect Their 'Dualologies'

'Witches Of East End' From Page To Screen: An Author's Perspective

'The Bitter Kingdom' Author Rae Carson Shares Her Fierce Female Inspiration

Listen To Aprilynne Pike's 'Earthbound' Playlist!

'The Elite' Author Kiera Cass' No-Fail Dating Advice

'Indigo Spell' Author Richelle Mead Reveals Her Unexpected Adrian Inspiration

'Unravel Me' Author Tahereh Mafi Shines In 'Shatter Me' Shoes

Dan Wells: My Favorite YA Novel Of 2012

Kiera Cass: My Favorite YA Novel Of 2012

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