I managed to wrangle some questions out of her. About Lauren:
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Since 4th or 5th grade. I wanted to dance, too. But I surrendered that dream at sixteen. *grin*
What made you decide to go that “extra step” and seek publication?
This was pretty much always the plan, but ten years ago, I was only writing short fiction and there wasn’t really a place for short stories in the teen market. So it wasn’t until I completed my first novel, in 2006, that I actively started pursuing publication.
Oh, gosh! I’ve never seen survivor. (What?? The horror!) What can and can’t people bring? Does my kitten count as a luxury item?? (Yeah, sure. More mouths to feed, but whatever.)
And the most important of all: bacon or chocolate?
Chocolate. I was big into bacon as a youngin, but my body quit the-other-white (& red) meat, at eighteen. I remember it fondly, though… (Okay, fine. Chocolate: 2, Bacon: 0. So sad.)
About HER AND ME AND YOU:
The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less:
Broken friendship! Thwarted love! Twincest! (Okay, that's not even fair.)
Her and Me and You
Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster, October 2010
First love, broken friendships, and heartache all play a part in this evocative, voice-driven novel about Alex, a girl whose world is ripped apart when her father’s affair splits her family in two.
Alex moves with her mess of a mother to a new town, where she is befriended by hot, enigmatic Fred–and alternately flirted with and cold-shouldered by Fred’s twin sister, Adina. Others warn Alex to steer clear of the twins, whose sibling relationship is considered abnormal at best, but there’s just something about Fred–and something about Adina–that draws Alex to them and makes her want to be part of their crazy world, no matter the consequences.
What Kirkus Has to Say:
“Strasnick’s slim second offering packs a lot into its short chapters: divorce, broken friendships, crushes, the lines between love and sex and more. Characterization, scenes, dialogue and setting are seamlessly distilled into so few sharp, image-rich phrases that the novel reads almost as if it were written in verse. Less is definitely more here, and readers are plunged into Alex’s physical and emotional world within three to four words. Although the plot moves swiftly, the author’s ability to capture Alex’s inner world in so few words give the novel depth and balance. Complex and thought-provoking.”
Visit Lauren on her website and blog
Order Her and Me and You
And, as if you're not already stoked about this book, get a little excited! Because I'm giving a copy away! That's right--your very own HER AND ME AND YOU! All you have to do is leave a comment.
Oh, and I'm in Denver through the weekend, so I won't be blogging tomorrow. Chill, people. Take a pill or something. I know you'll survive. *wink* Whether I will is debatable, so keep your fingers crossed.