For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. With zero friends and nothing close to a boyfriend, April is so unpopular, kids don't know she exists. That is, until Britney notices her. One lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity.
But Britney's friendship comes with a price tag.
How much is April willing to pay?
Which of your characters has surprised you the most? (in terms of development or character growth)
Britney’s character surprised me a lot because I didn’t think I’d have so much fun writing the villain. It was like an actor getting to play the bad guy. However, as far as character development goes, I was probably the most surprised by April. When I first started writing the story, I did not expect her character to evolve to stick up for herself the way she did. I was very happy that her character developed to not only have a backbone, but also learn to take the higher road in the end while acknowledging some of her own faults as well.
What author do you feel has been your greatest source of inspiration?
I’d have to say Shel Silverstein has been my greatest source of inspiration because he is the author who first sparked my love of reading and writing. A LIGHT IN THE ATTIC was one of my favorite books as a child. His funny poetry is what inspired me to start writing my own humorous poetry when I was six years old...and my writing never stopped after that.
Are there other projects you're working on that you can tell us about?
I’m currently working on another humorous contemporary YA novel...but this one has a bit of a paranormal twist. I’ve also been considering a Lipstick Laws sequel. There are several other ideas swimming around my head as well, but I'm not sure what will hit the bookshelves next. On a non-writing front, there are some exciting things in the works with my television rights for THE LIPSTICK LAWS. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for good things to come!
Which debut books would you recommend that we pick up this year? I can’t answer this question without giving a big shout-out to my fellow Class of 2k11 authors. I’ve had the chance to read many of their ARCs, and I truly adore their stories and writing. I think all readers with various reading tastes will find a book (or more) to treasure within the group, and I highly recommend all of the Class of 2k11 titles. For a full list, please visit our website: www.classof2k11.com