Debs Pageant: Kimberly Derting

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Megan

So in publishing, nothing is certain. When a book is sold, a release date is set, but that date doesn’t always stick. For reasons big and small, things get published earlier and later. Such was the case with Kimberly Derting’s debut The Body Finder. And so, quite fabulously, I get to host another contestant in the Debs Pageant!

Character name: Violet Ambrose
Age: 17
Biography:
Just your typical teenager…except for my unusual talent (listed below).

What is your talent?
I can find murder victims by the echo they leave behind. To make things worse, that specific echo also attaches to the killer responsible for their death. Other than that, I’m perfectly normal!

What will you wear for the evening dress competition?
Something super-hot. I really want Jay to notice me!

Who is your escort?
Jay Heaton, my best friend since the first-grade.

And now for the interview portion . . . What’s the biggest challenge facing today’s youth?
Technology has created a lot of really great venues for kids to connect, to study, to entertain themselves, but it’s also created a generation of impatience. With everything accessible at their fingertips, attention spans seem to be getting shorter. Sometimes it’s nice to slow down and un-plug!

What color best represents you and why?
Probably yellow, because it’s cheery and fun. (Yes, even I know how lame that sounds!) But it’s true, I try to see the humor in situations whenever possible, it’s way harder to be negative than to laugh!

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
More vacation time! For everyone!!! Don’t we all need a good vacation now and then???

Thank you Violet and Kimberly!

I keep hearing great reviews of The Body Finder so you all should go out and read it. It’s available from Amazon. Or support a local independent bookstore. Kim recommends Third Place Books in Seattle. You could also look for it at your local library.

Debs Pageant: Kristin Walker

Posted on February 26, 2010 by Megan

Can you believe it? One more pageant contestant! It’s Fiona from Kristin Walker’s hilarious debut A Match Made in High School. So, on with the pageant!

Character name: Fiona Sheehan
Age: 17
Biography: My name is Fiona, and I’m a senior in high school. I’m only here because I lost a bet with my best friend, Marcie. My hobbies include listening to music, cracking jokes, and complaining about how lame my parents are.

What is your talent? I can tie my hair up in a bun without using any hair accessories. Sometimes I use a pencil or a clothespin.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition? Some horrid monstrosity I borrowed from Mar.

Who is your escort? What the hell is an escort? Isn’t that another name for a prostitute? What kind of pageant is this, anyway?

And now for the interview portion . . . What’s the biggest challenge facing today’s youth?
How about: trying to get through high school without an unplanned pregnancy, an STD, or a drug addiction. What? What’d I say wrong? Hey, you asked.

Thanks, Megan!

Thank you Fiona and Kristin! I think you are the last contestant!

A Match Made in High School is available now. Pick it up from an Indie book store. Here’s what Kristin has to say about that: “Besides the great indie bookstore, Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville, IL, I’d also like to recommend Read Between the Lynes in Woodstock, IL.

To learn more about Kristen and her work, please visit her website.

Debs Pageant: Rhonda Stapleton

Posted on January 15, 2010 by Megan

Greetings from ALA Midwinter! It seems fitting that my last contestant in the Debs Pageant should coincide with this conference. Full disclosure, I am actually typing this up a couple of days ahead because I am going to be in all day workshop, and then I’m going to the YALSA happy hour. But, when you read this, I will be there.

So, for the last time, in Secrets of Truth & Beauty, Dara is a former child pageant star. So, in order to introduce you to the wonderful authors and characters of the 2009 Debutantes, I am hosting a Debs Pageant on my blog. Our final contestant comes from Rhonda Stapleton’s Stupid Cupid. Let’s get on with the pageant!

Character name: Felicity
Age: 17
Biography: I am a brand-new matchmaker at Cupid’s Hollow. I love helping my fellow students and making a difference in my school by finding true love for them.

What is your talent? Caring about people. Is that a talent? Well, if it is, that’s mine.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition? I’m still in the process of shopping. I’m kind of broke right now, and my mom (aka, the House Nazi) won’t give me money. Tightwad!

Who is your escort? There’s only one escort I want–but I don’t want to say his name out loud and jinx it! *girly sigh*

And now for the interview portion . . . If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? The one thing I would change is loneliness. No one would be alone–there has to be someone special out there for everyone. Even me, right?

Thanks Rhonda and Felicity!

Stupid Cupid is available now. Get it from Amazon, or at your local bookstore. Rhonda recommends Joseph Beth Bookstores–check them out! To find out more about Rhonda, visit her website.

Debs Pageant: L.K. Madigan

Posted on November 11, 2009 by Megan

In Secrets of Truth & Beauty, Dara is a former child pageant star. So, in order to introduce you to the wonderful authors and characters of the 2009 Debutantes, I am hosting a Debs Pageant on my blog. Today we have a boy! I love when boys are in the pageant. His name is Blake, and he’s from L.K. Madigan’s Flash Burnout.

Character name: Blake
Age: 15
Biography: Hi, I’m Blake. I’m in the tenth grade at West Park High. I live with my parents, one shaved-headed jock brother named Garrett, and The Dog Formerly Known as Prince. My best friend is Riley, and my girlfriend is Shannon. She is sweet and funny and hot.

What is your talent?
I am the funniest 15-year-old in Portland, and my wit will be on display tonight!

What will you wear for the evening dress competition?
I know most dudes would go the safe route and wear, you know, slacks and a shirt. But I’m gonna go with a Utili-kilt, which shows off my sexy legs, so I can win this pageant-apalooza!

Who is your escort?
My girl, Shannon.

And now for the interview portion . . . What’s the biggest challenge facing today’s youth?
The biggest challenge facing today’s youth is getting a little private time, you know what I mean? My parents and the horrifying DeWinters (Shannon’s parents) are way too interested in where we’re going, what we’re doing, what time we’re going to be home, etc. Focus on your own lives, olds!

Thank you Blake and L.K.!

If you want to get to know Blake better, get your hands on a copy of Flash Burnout. I recommend indies, and L.K. recommends Annie Bloom’s Books in the other Portland (Oregon, that is). You can, of course, also order it from Amazon. I know you want to know more about L.K. Madigan, so visit her site, too.

And finally, if you want a Utili-kilt like Blake, check out their website. It’s an education.

Debs Pageant: Kristina Springer

Posted on November 1, 2009 by Megan

I hope everyone had a good Halloween! Any fun costumes? At the school where I work the faculty did literary characters and I was Harriet the Spy.

Today it’s back to the Debs Pageant, with Jane from Kristina Springer’s debut The Espressologist. What’s the Debs Pageant? In Secrets of Truth & Beauty, Dara is a former child pageant star. So, in order to introduce you to the wonderful authors and characters of the 2009 Debutantes, I am hosting a Debs Pageant on my blog. So here we go with Jane!

Character name: Jane Turner
Age: 17
Biography: I’m a Chicago girl, senior in high school (when I show up), and a barista at a chain coffee shop. I’m not so great with guys but I’m a really good friend!

What is your talent? I’m an Espressologist! I can hook people up based on their favorite coffee drinks.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition? How about I bedazzle my work smock? Could be cute.

Who is your escort? My number one frat boy regular, Will. He’s so dreamy.

And now for the interview portion . . . If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
If I could change one thing about the world I would make good coffee affordable for all people. No more would citizens have to drink day old coffee from questionable looking gas stations just because it’s 99 cents for the big gulp size. No more would your average caffeine addict need to get a second mortgage just to afford his six extra shots of espresso in his daily Joe. If I had my way, coffee mugs would be bottomless, syrup would flow freely, and whipped cream or no whipped cream on that would never even be a question– there would ALWAYS be whipped cream. We would all live in harmony, with caffeine buzzes from sun up to sun down.

Thank you Jane and Kristina!

To find out more about Kristina and her book, please visit her website.

You can purchase The Espressologist through Amazon, or visit your local bookstore. Kristina recommends Anderson’s in Naperville, IL. Aprilynne Pike also recommended Anderson’s, so it must be an extra super fantastic Indie.

Debs Pageant: Lauren Bjorkman

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Megan

Name: Roz Peterson aka Chub (That’s my sister’s evil nickname for me. Preferred nickname–Pixie.)
Age:17
Biography: I like attention, except the negative kind I keep getting for some reason. I’m so not new age, but sometimes turn to online ouija to answer life’s little questions.

What is your talent? I was born to be on stage. And this time I’m going to get the lead in the school play, even though there are others who might possibly be more talented than I am. But Shakespeare wrote Rosalind for me. For the pageant, I’ll perform a monologue from As You Like It.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition?
A neo-goth black dress. I have a secret “crush” on someone who’s into neo-goth.

Who is your escort? I hate to limit myself to a single person. My people will get back to you on that.

And now for the interview portion . . .

What’s the biggest challenge facing today’s youth?
I believe that it’s figuring out who you are, and daring to be that person, in a world with so many competing expectations (parental, societal, and peer).

What color best represents you and why?
Pink because I’m cheerful, naive, and generally nice to people. But I’m not fond of all things pink-e.g. the frilly frou frou stuff. I never owned a Barbie doll. I wanted a pink tutu to go with my black leotard when I was five, though.

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
In my ideal world, we would accept each other in all our glorious diversity. Oh, can I delete greed and the hunger for power, too? I think this would end war, and let us focus on the important things.

Thank you Roz and Lauren!

If you want to learn more about Lauren and My Invented Life, please visit her website.

You can order My Invented Life from Amazon. You can also get it from a local indie. Here’s a recommendation from Lauren:

My small town of Taos, NM has a wonderful Indie bookstore called Moby Dickens. If you ever come here, be sure to drop by.

Debs Pageant: Sydney Salter

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Megan

In Secrets of Truth & Beauty, Dara is a former child pageant star. So, in order to introduce you to the wonderful authors and characters of the 2009 Debutantes, I am hosting a Debs Pageant on my blog. Today we get to meet up with an author who’s already had a character in the pageant: Sydney Salter. That’s because she has two books out in her debut year! Today we present Kat from Jungle Fever.

Character name: Kat
Age: 13
Biography:
Some people think I might worry too much–but they have no idea what missing Fiona’s mini-camp means. Our family vacation to Mexico is going to make me a social reject when I start 8th grade. But does Mom care? No!

What is your talent?
I can draw pretty well, but I keep those secret in my notebook.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition?
Anything but the stupid watermelon sundress my mom bought at the hotel gift shop! Does she think I’m nine?

Who is your escort?
I’d like to take Nando–he’s so smart, and nice (once you get to know him), plus he is kind of cute.

And now for the interview portion . . . If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
That prejudice would end. No matter what color you are, or what country you live in, we’re all humans! And that makes us a whole lot more alike than different.

Thank you Kat and Sydney!

If you want to find out more about Sydney, Jungle Fever or her YA My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters, please visit her website. You can order Jungle Crossing from Amazon or get it from your local bookstore.

Debs Pageant: Kate Messner

Posted on September 16, 2009 by Megan

It feels like it’s been forever since we’ve had a Deb’s Pageant Contestant.

Character name: Gianna Zales
Age: 12
Biography: I was born in Vermont, and I’m in 7th grade at Ethan Allen Middle School. I run cross country and will be competing in sectionals this year, IF I can get my dumb leaf project done on time.

My parents run a mortuary out of the house, and Nonna lives with the us. She bakes her famous “funeral cookies” for all the calling hours downstairs. My little brother Ian tortures me with riddles. Thank goodness for my best friend Zig, or I’d be lost!

What is your talent?
I’m great at two things — running and art. My philosophy with both is that you can’t do it right without getting dirty.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition?
Evening dress? I don’t want to do that part. Do I have to do that part? If you make me do it, I’ll just wear jeans and one of my Picasso T-shirts…

Who is your escort?
Zig. But he’s not dressing up either.

And now for the interview portion:
What’s the biggest challenge facing today’s youth?
School leaf collection projects. If I’m named Miss America or whatever, I’m going to make sure school leaf collection projects are banned.

What color best represents you and why?
Really, really bright red and orange, all blended together. Because I have a lot of energy and ideas that get smushed together sometimes, too.

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
I told you…I’d get rid of those leaf collection projects. No, wait… anything? I think I’d try to turn back time, or maybe freeze it until Zig could grow up with his genius brain and come up with a cure for what’s wrong with Nonna’s memory. I want the old Nonna back.

If I could change TWO things, the leaf collection ban would for sure be next, though.

Thank you Gianna and Kate!

Gianna seems adorable, don’t you think? Although I get the impression that she might not like that description.

To find out more about Kate and Gianna, please visit Kate’s website. If you want to get a copy, you can order it from the Flying Pig Bookstore, Kate’s favorite local bookstore. They’ll even ship it to you.

Debs Pageant: Jennifer Jabaley

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Megan

It’s been a long time since I’ve head a contestant for the Debs pageant on here. That’s because last month I was the touring Deb. You’ll still find me popping up and answering questions on other Debs’ blogs, but now I am jumping back into the fray and hosting my friends here. Hooray!

For the great return to the Debs Pageant, inspired by the pageants in Secrets of Truth & Beauty, we have Emily Carson from Jennifer Jabaley’s Lipstick Apology. And away we go . . .

Character name: Emily Carson
Age: 16

Biography: After my parents plane crashed I moved to NYC to live with my famous aunt, Jolie. She is a make up artist to the stars. You’d think it’d be fun living with a rich, famous aunt, and maybe it would be if I wasn’t still trying to figure out why my mother left me an apology scrawled in lipstick on a tray table.

What is your talent?
Hmm, if I had a talent, I guess it would be for making things blow up. Like the pumpkin catastrophe at Owen’s party, or the chemistry disaster or even how I blow up my love life into a splattered mess.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition?
Something green to match my eyes and closed toed shoes to hide my crooked toes.

Who is your escort?
I’ll take Owen if I want to wow the audience with his good looks and charm. I’ll take Anthony if I want a friend to calm my nerves. I’ll take Trent if I need someone to help me with a quick witted answer to the questions.

And now for the all important interview portion . . .What color best represents you and why?
If I had to pick a color that best symbolizes me, I’d pick pink. Pink is a softer color of romance and early love. Pink makes me think of friendships and femininity and softness. Pink is a less vibrant red and reflects how I can sometimes be passive and not as gutsy or pro active as I wish I could be.

Thanks, Megan! And do I get a crown??

Thank you Jennifer and Emily — we’ll see about that crown.

Lipstick Apology is available now. You can order it on Amazon, but it’s summer, so why not get outside and take a stroll to your local independent bookstore and get it there? To find out more about Jennifer and her writing, please visit her website.

Debs Pageant: Mandy Hubbard

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Megan

Today’s pageant contestant is Callie from Mandy Hubbard’s Prada & Prejudice. Interesting bit of trivia: Mandy has actually been in a pageant. So, with an expert in our midst, let’s begin today’s pageant!

Character name: Callie Montgomery
Age:15
Biography: I’m a sophomore in high school. I’m super smart (science and math are a total breeze).

What is your talent? I play “Chopsticks” on the piano.

What will you wear for the evening dress competition? A period gown from 1815. It’s emergald green satin.

Who is your escort? Alexander Thornton-Hawke, the Duke of Harksbury. He looks killer in a tux.

And now for the interview portion . . .Callie, you’ve had the chance to live in two worlds — our own and 1815. If you could change one thing about the world of 1815, what would it be? In 1815, girls don’t have a voice– not even when its about who they’ll marry! My friend Emily is being forced to marry a fifty year old Baron. EWW! So now its up to me to show people that she should be able to marry the guy she loves, whether her dad likes him or not.

Thank you Callie and Mandy!

Visit Mandy at her website. You can order Prada & Prejudice on Amazon, or buy it from your local independent bookstore.

Megan Frazer Blakemore

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