When an author whose work I love branches out into a new genre or age group, I always have two immediate thoughts. Make that three.
Thought #1 – OMG YAY!!!!
Thought #2 – But I love (author’s) books SO much…. What if this new project is different? What if I don’t love it? Gah!
Thought #3 – Still…yay!!!! (and at this point, I start counting down the days to book release)
Lately, I’ve experienced a lot of yay moments with authors-I-love-writing-something-new, so my worries have been for naught.
I loved Justina Ireland’s YA novel DREAD NATION so much that I will admit I worried a little about reading her MG debut, OPHIE’S GHOSTS. What if I didn’t love it as much? Spoiler: I loved it even more. OPHIE’S GHOSTS was every bit as amazing for its age group – a pitch-perfect middle grade ghost story that’s also steeped in history and social justice. Yay!!
And Sara Zarr has long been one of my favorite YA authors, so I had all those same mixed feelings when I learned that her first MG novel was coming out this year. Could A SONG CALLED HOME possibly be as wonderful as SWEETHEARTS and THE LUCY VARIATIONS and ONCE WAS LOST?
Well, yes. A SONG CALLED HOME was just as great. This heartfelt and honest story about a girl finding her way through family changes made me laugh and cry in all the best ways, and I can’t wait to read more middle grade from Sara. Once again…yay!
So that brings me to the next story of an author branching out. You probably know Linda Urban for her pitch-perfect middle grade voice. Like me, you probably laughed along with Zoe in A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT and felt so much empathy for the painfully shy Maddie in HOUND DOG TRUE. Linda’s latest MG novel, ALMOST THERE AND ALMOST NOT, might be my favorite of her middle grade novels. It’s about a girl who’s sent to live with her aunt, only to find that the ghost of another aunt is living there, too – and so is a very cute ghost dog. This tender, funny novel broke my heart and put it back together again. Have Kleenex ready when you read it.
Linda isn’t just an author whose writing I admire. She’s also a beloved friend. So when she told me some time ago that she was trying something new and writing a young adult novel, I said “Yay!!” and told her to go for it. But a tiny part of me worried I might not love it quite as much – because after all, I love Linda’s MG novels a whole lot.
I didn’t have to wait for this book to come out to know there was nothing to worry about. As soon as Linda shared the opening pages of TALK SANTA TO ME, I was hooked, laughing out loud, smitten with the main character, and dying to read more.
Linda wrote and rewrote and revised and revised this book again and again, over several years. Every scene she shared with me made me wonder how someone with a perfect MG voice could have such a perfect YA voice in her pocket, too. Thankfully, you’ll be able to read this new book soon, and I promise – you don’t have to worry. You’ll love it just as much as Linda’s middle grade novels.
TALK SANTA TO ME is out today! Here’s what it’s about:
(from the publisher)
A teen girl gets the perfect second try at a first kiss in this hilarious, romp-filled young adult romantic comedy perfect for fans of Jenna Evans Welch and Hallmark Christmas movies.
Francie was born in a stable. Really. Granted, it was the deluxe model with the light-up star on the roof, one of the many Christmas items for sale at her family’s Hollydale Holiday Shop. Their holiday gift empire also includes the Santa School, which was founded by Francie’s beloved grandpa, who recently passed away.
Francie’s always loved working in the shop, but lately Aunt Carole has been changing everything with her ideas for too-slick, Hollywood-inspired Santas and horrible holiday-themed employee uniforms. Aunt Carole’s vision will ruin all the charm and nostalgia Francie loves about her family’s business…unless she does something about it.
But this winter is about more than preserving the magic of Christmas. Francie is saving up for a car and angling to kiss the cute boy who works at the tree lot next door—hopefully it will be good enough to wipe her fiasco of a first kiss from her memory.
As the weather outside gets more and more frightful, can Francie pull off the holiday of her dreams?
Ever since I read an early draft of this book, I’ve been asking Linda, “How did you DO that?” It’s what I wish I could ask every writer whose book I love. I want all the nitty gritty craft details, and this time, I was lucky enough to sit down with Linda to talk about her writing process. Our interview will be posted tomorrow, so be sure to check back then.
In the mean time, you should probably go pick up your copy of TALK SANTA TO ME from your local independent bookstore. Or you can order a signed copy from Linda’s local store Bear Pond Books. Or request it from your library. Or all of the above! And don’t forget to stop back tomorrow for our interview.