Maria’s daughter, Jenna, shows us how to enjoy Inside Out.
Yesterday we launched the official trailer for Inside Out, Maria V. Snyder’s new release from Harlequin Teen. Jayne, our fabulous Community Manager arranged a debut that spanned the book blogger world. Here’s a selection of the blogs involved in the launch:
Editor’s Note: Today we launch the book trailer for Maria V. Snyder’s brand new release from Harlequin Teen, Inside Out. Maria V. Snyder will credit her daughter, Jenna, for keeping her in touch with the teen mind. Happily, though, her characters and Jenna lead very different lives. After all, Jenna doesn’t live in the future, or in a world filled with magic. But she does cast a critical eye on the pages (hot off the printer!) and is willing to give some advice to her mom when it’s needed. We asked them the same questions to see how much they are alike—and exactly where the differ. But before you read their responses, have a look at the spooky new trailer.
If you could live 500 years in the future would you?
M: Yes. I’m curious what technology and society will be like by then. Will they even be recognizable? Or will we cast aside all the technology and our frantic stressful lives and return to living simply? It would be fun to find out.
J: Yes, because it would be really cool to see all the new inventions and improved world.
What would you be if you lived in the lower levels of Inside?
M: I took the scrub quiz that’s up on the Inside Out website, and found out I’m most suited to be a Hydroponics scrub since I enjoy working with my hands, don’t mind dirt under my nails and like watching things grow Probably good qualities for a Care Mother as well.
J: I would be a Care Mother because it would be nice working with little kids and helping them.
Why do you think the need for family is so important even here?
M: People are social creatures. We need others to talk to, to commiserate with, to celebrate with, and to help. In the world of Inside, the Pop Cops and the Trava family know that people are stronger when they’re linked in groups and form bonds. They strive to keep everyone separate and to instill jealousy between the uppers and lowers so they wouldn’t band together.
J: Families are important everywhere. They help and support you. Without a family you would be very alone and everyone should have someone close to them who can help.
Living in crowded conditions leaves no privacy. How would you cope with that?
M: I’d probably be like Trella and hide out in the air ducts whenever I was overwhelmed. I’d probably also be more quiet about my thoughts and feelings – it would be bad enough everyone knew everything I was doing – I wouldn’t need them knowing what I thought or felt over a situation.
J: To cope with the crowded places, I would try to always find a corner to stand in or
live in because I don’t feel as crowded if I’m in a corner.
What qualities of Trella do you see in yourself/your daughter?
M: I think Trella and I are both persistent. As a writer, I receive a ton of rejections for my stories and story ideas. My first book, Poison Study was rejected a bunch of times, yet I didn’t give up. I kept sending out the manuscript until the book found the right editor and publisher I also stick with a project until it’s done – no matter how crazy it gets. Which is the same with Trella. As the stakes get higher, she stays the course and is very determined and stubborn.
Trella and Jenna are similar is a number of ways. They’re both intelligent and both have long brown hair Both would go out of their way for a friend. But while Trella doesn’t bat an eye at breaking a few rules, Jenna wouldn’t. She’ll probably get mad at me for saying this (good thing we answered our questions separately), but Jenna is a by-the-book, law-and-order type. If her teacher tells her to do X, Y and Z – that’s what she does. She’s an excellent student and very easy to coach, because she listens. But ask her to do Y, Z and X and she won’t – or if she does, she’ll get a stomach ache.
J: There isn’t really that many connections. But I see the one same quality in Trella, Opal, and Yelena, they all have the same tone to me. They are all somewhat sarcastic to me. But I don’t see Trella like my mom – she is too nice.
by Sulemaan Ahmed, Olga Kwak, Lori Meyers, Karen Queme, and Michelle Renaud
How do you celebrate sixty years of pure reading pleasure? All year, of course!
And you’d better believe that we did—there were so many ways that we celebrated in 2009 that I had to enlist the help of several people to write this post. Like all good families, we gathered together and put together a celebration of our sixty years in publishing that won’t soon be forgotten. It took blood, sweat and tears, it filled our heads day and night, but ultimately, it was worth it. It’s not every year you get to celebrate such a milestone, after all. It’s hard to see how we’ll top this anniversary off, but I suppose our centennial is coming along…
And I’m sure you’re not entirely surprised. After all, we did mention it (once or twice…). In honour of the end of our celebrations, I’d like to take the time to show and tell you just how much celebrating we did.
By Margie Miller, Creative Director, Single Titles
Women fall in love with them. Men want to be them. Everybody loves a cowboy.
The ultimate strong silent type—fearless, honest and hard working. They’re never afraid to roll up their sleeves and jump in when a crisis hits. They’re tough to pin down, but once you do, you have a friend and partner for life. They are an American icon, the epitome of what it means to be an honorable man, and as Linda Lael Miller puts it. They are “the equivalent of the British Knight”.
Last June, on a ranch outside of Los Angeles, and together with a team that included a photographer and his assistants, a wardrobe stylist, an animal trainer, and other really helpful people from the ranch, we began the task of bringing Tate, Garret and Austin McKettrick to life for the covers of the new, upcoming Linda Lael Miller books. This year, we added film to the mix, in order to provide the readers with an added glimpse into these characters. John Logsdon of Blind Vision Films came on board to join in a really long and exceptionally fun day of shooting.
I hope you enjoy watching and reading about these three cowboys as much as I did bringing them to life!
Visit Take A Cowboy Home for the full-length version of this documentary. For more info on the McKettricks of Texas and the Take A Cowboy Home website and sweepstakes follow the McKettricks blog tour to:
Probably good qualities for a Care Mother as well.
