The Education of Hailey Kendrick by Eileen Cook

About the Book:

The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less: When Hailey Kendrick loses it all she has to decide how much to risk to get it back- and if she wants it back at all. (Ooh, intriguing. She doesn't want it all back? I must read this, stat.)

Reviews: "Hailey may be an A student headed to the Ivy League, but when it comes to taking a chance on life, she’s clueless. She’s also enormously appealing and great company throughout this breezy read. Yes, it’s chick lit, but of the highest quality—like a gourmet truffle. Cook has whipped up a real treat.” --Kirkus starred review

"Cook effectively builds both Hailey's (justified) feelings of rebellion and the social dynamics of her ostracism, especially in her growing friendship with a challenging townie, Drew, who supervises her punishment working with the janitorial staff....Cook coaxes considerable empathy for the otherwise privileged Hailey as she abandons the achievement treadmill to explore her independence." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author: Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in six different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?
I’ve wanted to be a writer as long as I can remember. I grew up in a family that loved books and reading. As soon as I understood the concept that someone was responsible for making up the stories in books I knew that was what I wanted to do. Then in college I decided that wanting to be a writer was like wanting to be a princess, a nice idea, but not realistic. Years later I would decide that was stupid and I should go for it.

What made you decide to go that “extra step” and seek publication?
I took a writing course and my instructor encouraged me to send my writing out. When I told her I was worried that I might be rejected she told me “I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you are already not published. The worst thing that is going to happen to you is that you still won’t be published.” (OH MY HECK. I LOVE THIS.) That’s when I decided to stop letting my fears be more important than what I really wanted.

Quick! You’ve been chosen to go on Survivor. What luxury item do you take?
I would never make it on Survivor. I would be that person that no one remembers in the reunion show because I got kicked off or stung by killer bees in the first five minutes. I would bring my iPad so I would have access to a lot of books and could book a flight home on the internet.

And the most important of all: bacon or chocolate?
This is like Sophie’s Choice! I’m going to go with chocolate, but only if it is dark. (Foiled again.)

You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at www.eileencook.com. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

I am so excited to read this one! I loved Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood, and I may or may not be biased toward Simon Pulse novels.

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Carolina Valdez Miller is mesmerized by The Healing Spell
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Man, the Bookanistas are rockin' 2011! So, what did we miss? What have you read lately you want to gush about?