It’s the Friday Fifteen! Today’s guest is blogger extraordinaire and author Gwendolyn Zepeda. I found out about Gwen’s new kids’ book on her web site, Gwen’s Petty, Judgmental, Evil Thoughts – caution, the site is really not for kids.
Now onto the Fifteen:
1. Where are you now?
I can’t say, because I’m not supposed to be doing this here.
2. What were your favorite books as a kid?
A Wrinkle in Time, the whole Dark is Rising series, Julie of the Wolves, and all the other Newberry Award stuff our teachers gave us. Both Alice in Wonderland books. …read more

It’s the Friday Fifteen! Today is an encore post from June 2007 when I interviewed Troy CLE, the author of The Marvelous Effect. You can read more about Troy here and here.
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Today’s guest is Troy CLE, who wrote the heavily anticipated The Marvelous Effect. I first met Troy when he was kind enough to help me out with a post or two about his book. The post summarizing the release of The Marvelous Effect remains the most popular post on my site to date, garnering more than one million hits in two days – and almost a quarter …read more

It’s the Friday Fifteen! Today’s post is a “repeat” of an interview from May 18, 2007. Enjoy!
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Today’s guest is author Tricia Rayburn. Let’s get to the Fifteen…

1. Where are you now?
Near the beach on the South Fork of Long Island.
2. What were your favorite books as a kid?
Anything with two covers and lots of pages in-between! I especially loved The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and was seriously addicted to the Baby-Sitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High series.
3. What are you reading now?
King Dork by Frank Portman
4. Do you have kids?
Not yet! But I …read more

It’s the Friday Fifteen! As part of my “best of” series, this is a “repeat” of my original July 20 post.  I was inspired by a little drawing that my daughter handed me this week – her rendition of the cover of Bad Dog Marley.  Enjoy – new interviews coming!

It’s the Friday Fifteen! Today’s guest is illustrator Richard Cowdrey. I first noticed Richard when he illustrated Bad Dog Marley – one of my girls’ favorites!
Now, onto the Fifteen!

1. Where are you now?
I’m pacing around my cabin. I’m in a cabin near a pond in the woods. My …read more

It’s the Friday Fifteen!
Tracy Miracle, of Candlewick Press, was nice enough to introduce me to the works of Mal Peet.  I will confess to not having read any of his books before but am now really looking forward to reviewing The Penalty – soccer and mystery!  I mean, c’mon, can it get any better for a kid?
Mal is the author of Tamar, which received Britain’s prestigious Carnegie Medal. Keeper, a companion to The Penalty and his first novel for young adults, was named an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults (and is also on my list to review …read more

It’s the Friday Fifteen! Today’s author is Lisa Yee, author of Millicent Min, Girl Genius and Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time. Onto the Fifteen…
1. Where are you now?
At this very moment I am sitting in my cluttered home office in South Pasadena, California. There’s a glass of ice water to my left, and a pile of Hot Tamales candies on my right. My dog (a labradoodle) is bored so she keeps walking in and out of the room.
2. What were your favorite books as a kid?
Ooooh, tough question. There were so many books that I loved, like …read more

It’s the Friday Fifteen! As part of my “best of” series, this is a “repeat” of my original July 6 post. Enjoy – new interviews coming!
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It’s the Friday Fifteen! Today’s guest is author Cecil Castellucci.

Cecil’s first novel, Boy Proof, debuted in 2005, and won a number of accolades including the ALA (American Library Association) Best Books for Young Adults; ALA Recommended Books for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, Quick Pick; New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age and Book Sense Children’s Picks List Selection.

And now, onto the Fifteen!
1. Where are you now?
In Los Angeles, on …read more

It’s the Friday Fifteen! This is a “repeat” of my original March 2 post. Brian has since published One Beastly Beast (Two Aliens, Three Inventors, Four Fantastic Tales) – enjoy!

Today’s Friday Fifteen guest is illustrator Brian Biggs.
1. Where are you now?
I am in my studio, which is on the third floor of my house in Philadelphia. It is my office, my playground, and my factory.
2. What were your favorite books as a kid?
Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak
Richard Scarry’s Best Storybook Ever!, Richard Scarry
One Day, I’ll Fix Anthony, Judith Viorst, illustrations by Arnold Lobel
Mike Mulligan and …read more

It’s the Friday Fifteen! This is a “repeat” of my original May 25 post – enjoy!

Photo credit: (c) Danielle Levitt, New York magazine
Today’s guest is our first ever cover photographer. Meet Ali Smith, who has photographed covers for a number of teen books – as well as collections for her own books.
On a personal note, the first book cover that I saw that Ali had done was Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars:

Now, onto the Fifteen!
1. Where are you now?
Same place I always seem to be…in front of my computer
2. What were your favorite books as a kid?
I loved …read more

What?  Return?  What?  But I just started.
I did say that I wanted to take two features with me to this blog.  One, my War of Words Wednesday (now Which One Wednesday) and two, my Friday Fifteen.
I’ve thought and thought about how to change the Friday Fifteen.  But I realized that I really like the existing format, I’m proud of it and I want to take it with me.  Under the terms of my old contract, I can do, so I’m gonna.
In the early stages, my plan is to run a few of my favorite “repeat” interviews.  I’m getting together lots …read more