The Reader's Antidote: Ontario Teen Book Festival Author Spotlight + Giveaway: Jessica Brody!

It's hard to believe that 2 years ago, Jessica Brody was my featured author for this same festival! The OTBF has always been a staple in my reading life, and I'm so excited to feature Jessica again this year.

But first, a little bit about the event:

When: Saturday March 9th , 9 am to 5 pm
Where: Colony High School 3850 E. Riverside Drive, Ontario, CA 91761
The Ontario Teen Book Fest Website: http://www.ontariotbf.org/
THIS IS A FREE AND UNTICKETED EVENT! There is also a FREE lunch provided by Panera Bread!
The event is sponsored by Once Upon A Time. They will have books available for purchase at the event. There will also be t-shirts and posters available for purchase as well.
Their website: http://www.shoponceuponatime.com/

And here's the rest of the tour stops, put together by the wonder Sara Elizabeth Santana:

February 26th

Spotlight on Abdi Nazemian - What A Nerd Girl Says

February 27th

Spotlight on Cindy Pon - Bookchelle

Spotlight on Suzanne Young - Movies Shows N Books

February 28th

Spotlight on Isabel Quintero - Read Now Sleep Later

March 1st

Spotlight on Amy Spalding - Nite Lite Book Reviews

Spotlight on Julie Buxbaum - My Fangirl Chronicles

March 2nd

Spotlight on Demetra Brodsky - Adventures of a Book Junkie

Spotlight on Kayla Cagan - Movies Shows N Books

March 3rd

Spotlight on Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka - BookCrushin'

March 4th

Spotlight on Jeff Sweat - Movies Shows n Books

Spotlight on Robin Reul - What A Nerd Girl Says

March 5th

Spotlight on Jessica Brody - The Readers Antidote

March 6th

Spotlight on Stephanie Garber - Adventures of a Book Junkie

March 7th

Spotlight on Jennifer Brody - Bookschief Managed

Spotlight on Carrie Arcos - Read Now Sleep Later

March 8th

Spotlight on Nicole Maggi - Bookchelle

Spotlight on Mary Weber - BookCrushin'

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT ON JESSICA BRODY

About Jessica:

Jessica Brody knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. She started self “publishing” her own books when she was seven years old, binding the pages together with cardboard, wallpaper samples, and electrical tape.

After graduating from Smith College in 2001 where she double majored in Economics and French and minored in Japanese, Jessica later went on to work for MGM Studios as a Manager of Acquisitions and Business Development. In May of 2005, Jessica quit her job to follow her dream of becoming a published author.

Jessica Brody is the author of more than 15 books for teens, tweens, and adults including Addie Bell’s Shortcut to Growing Up, A Week of Mondays, Boys of Summer, 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, and the three books in the sci-fi Unremembered trilogy. She’s also the author of the Descendants: School of Secrets series, based on the hit Disney Channel original movie, Descendants. Her books have been translated and published in over 23 countries and Unremembered and 52 Reasons to Hate My Father are currently in development as major motion pictures. She lives with her husband and four dogs and splits her time between California and Colorado.

Jessica’s books are published and translated in over twenty foreign countries. She currently splits her time between California and Colorado.

Visit her online at JessicaBrody.com. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram @JessicaBrody

Jessica's most recent work:

Nonfiction: Save the Cat!® Writes a Novel

Contemporary YA: The Geography of Lost Things

Sci-Fi YA: Sky Without Stars (coming soon!)

INTERVIEW!

Tell us about working with another writer on your upcoming novel, and what the best and worst parts have been with sharing a manuscript.

I’m honestly not sure I would write a novel with anyone else! Joanne Rendell happens to be one of my closest friends and we work very well together. We mostly just giggle a lot. The best part is always having someone else to commiserate with when the book isn’t going well. Someone who knows the story and characters as well as you do! The worst part? I’m not sure there is a worst part. It’s been so much fun. I will say one of the challenges has been the distance between us. Joanne and I live on opposite sides of the country so we’re only able to get together in person every other month. The rest of the time we use Skype and Slack to communicate but it’s always more fun and productive to work together in the same room!

Twisting classics are always so much fun! What inspired you and your co-author, Joanne Rendell, to do a re-imagining of Les Miserables for Sky Without Stars?

Back in 2014, I was on tour with a group of authors and during the tour, two of them taught a retellings class to a bunch of writers. They handed us each a worksheet. On one side they told us to write down any and every classic story we’ve ever loved. Among many, I wrote “Les Misérables”. Then on the other side, they told us to write down a list of interesting settings. Among many, I wrote, “space.” (See picture below.) I literally drew a line between the two and a shiver ran through me. Les Mis, set in space? Could it be done? Not by me, was the immediate answer that came back. I wasn't versed enough in the classics, I didn’t know the story well enough. I wasn't a good enough writer to tackle what felt like such an epic and daunting undertaking.

Then, two years later, I was having dinner with Joanne (one of my BFFs!) and the topic randomly came around to the French Revolution (as it does!) and naturally from there, Les Misérables. Joanne, who happens to have a PhD in literature, said that Les Misérables was one of her favorite novels. A second later, without warning, out of my mouth flew the words, “Do you want to write a retelling of it with me set in space!?” And a second after that without warning, out of her mouth flew the words, “I would love to!”

We started brainstorming immediately that night. And about 6 months later we had a two-book deal from Simon and Schuster! It’s been a super exciting and wild ride! I can’t believe the book is finally here!

Being a writing teacher (and author of the book Save the Cat! Writes a Novel), what advice do you have for writers that are aspiring authors?

Don’t be afraid to write badly. All writers have awful first drafts. That’s why they’re called first drafts. Sometimes you have to just get through the story before you can make it pretty. I think a lot of new authors quit halfway through the book because they’re afraid that it’s not good. The first draft won’t be good. Accept that and keep going! Just finish it and fix it later. The hardest part about writing a book is getting to that last page. Or, like I always say, “Don't be afraid to write crap because crap makes great fertilizer.”

What are you working on right now?

Joanne and I are about to dive into the revisions of book 2 in the trilogy, BETWEEN BURNING WORLDS. That book caused us a LOT of agony and stress (as sequels often do) but in the end, I’m happy with where it is now and can’t wait for everyone to find out what happens next on planet Laterre. Yes, as the title suggests, it’s pretty explosive!

What TV show are you currently binge-watching?

THE AMERICANS!!!! GAHHHH! My husband and I are in Season 5 (nearly to the end). Yes, we’re super late to the game but dang, that’s a good show. I get so angry sometimes at what the characters do, I throw pillows at the screen.

If you could live in the world of a classic novel, which novel would it be?

Any Jane Austen novel for SURE! Joanne and I are both super fans of Austen! In fact, we’ve even visited her house in Alton, England together. Here are some pictures of us there. Um, can you say SUPER NERDS?!