
11.09.2009
Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd

11.07.2009
This Week @ Your Library!
Thanksgiving Craft @ West Monroe, 4 pm
Tuesday, November 10:
ACME Anime Club @ Louise Williams, 4:30
Wednesday, November 11:
Y's Choice: A Variety of Activities @ Anna Meyer, 3:30 pm
Thursday, November 12:
Get a Little, Give a Little Bookmark Craft Workshop @ Ouachita Valley, 4 pm
Sand Craft Art @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
10.31.2009
This Week @ Your Library!
Anime Club @ West Ouachita, 5 pm
Tuesday, November 3:
Game Night @ Louise Williams, 4:30 pm
Crochet Club @ Main, 6 pm
Wednesday, November 4:
Y's Choice: A Variety of Activities @ Anna Meyer, 3:30 pm
Spelling Bee @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
Thursday, November 5:
Groovy Movie Time - Paul Blart: Mall Cop - @ Sterlington, 3:30
Buffy the Vampire Slayer @ Ouachita Valley, 4 pm
10.30.2009
New Books - October 2009

- Watersmeet by Ellen Jensen Abbott
- The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill Alexander
- Tales of the Madman Underground by John Barnes
- Doomraga's Revenge by T.A. Barron
- Arch Enemy by Frank Beddor (Click here for the book trailer!)
- Hate List by Jennifer Brown (Click here for the book trailer!)
- The Mitochondrial Curiosities of Marcels 1 to 19 by Jocelyn Brown
- Confessions of a First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway
- Marked: The House of Night by P.C. Cast
- Last Breath by Brandilyn Collins
- The Runaway Dragon by Kate Coombs (Click here for the book trailer!)
- Dull Boy by Sarah Cross (Click here for the book trailer!)
- The Stolen One by Suzanne Carlisle Crowley
- A Little Help From My Friends by Anne Dayton
- The Van Alen Legacy: A Blue Bloods Novel by Melissa De La Cruz
- Girl Stays In The Picture by Melissa De La Cruz
- The Spook's Tale and Other Horrors by Joseph Delaney
- Secret Society by Tom Dolby (Click here for the book trailer!)
- Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd
- Betraying Season by Marissa Doyle (Click here for the book trailer!)

- The Deep by Helen Dunmore
- The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer
- Recipe for Disaster by Maureen Fergus
- The Homeschool Liberation League by Lucy Frank
- Secrets of Truth and Beauty by Megan Frazer
- The Silver Blade by Sally Gardner
- Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Click here for the book trailer!)
- Forest Born by Shannon Hale
- The Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong
- The Everafter by Amy Huntley
- Ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley
- Diary of a Witness by Catherine Ryan Hyde
- Ghost Town by Richard W. Jennings
- Demon Chick by Marilyn Kaye
- Here Today, Gone Tomorrow by Marilyn Kaye
- Hancock Park by Isabel Kaplan
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
- Liar by Justine Larbalestier (Click here for the book trailer!)
- Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick (Click here for the book trailer!)
- Morning in a Different Place by Mary Ann McGuigan
- Shooting Star by Fredrick L. McKissack
- Rapture of the Deep: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Solider, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy by L.A. Meyer
- Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
- Destroy All Cars by Blake Nelson
- The Ask and the Answer: A Novel by Patrick Ness
- No Such Thing As the Real World: Stories About Growing Up and Getting a Life
- The Miles Between by Mary Pearson
- Andromeda Klein by Frank Portman (Click here for the book trailer!)
- My Vicksburg by Ann Rinaldi
- Just Us Girls: The Contemporary African American Young Adult Novel by Wendy Rountree
- Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet by Sherri L. Smith
- Age 14 by Geert Spillebeen
- Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie by Maggie Stiefvater (Click here for book trailer!)
- Night Runner by Max Turner
- Never Slow Dance with a Zombie by Ehrich Van Lowe
- Breathless by Jessica Warman
- Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (Click here for book trailer!)
- The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey (Click here for book trailer!)
10.24.2009
This Week @ Your Library!
Groovy Movie: The Corpse Bride @ West Monroe, 3:30 pm
Y's Choice: A Variety of Activities @ Anna Meyer, 3:30 pm
Thursday, October 29:
Games @ Carver, 3 pm
Fright Night Movie @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
Halloween Cupcake Decorating @ Ouachita Valley, 4 pm
10.20.2009
Harry Potter Star Buys House
10.19.2009
15 of the Most Disgusting Halloween Candies
Celebrate Teen Read Week @ Your Library!
Happy Teen Read Week!!! Teen Read Week 2009 will be celebrated Oct. 18-24! This year's theme is Read Beyond Reality @ your library, which encourages teens to read something out of this world, just for the fun of it.There are tons of programs going on at your library this week to celebrate Teen Read Week. Check out the calendar on the left and see what is going on at your local branch!
Also, for those of you who voted on the 2009 Teens' Top Ten Books, the results are in! Check out any of these books at your library and let us know what you think!
Paper Towns by John Green
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
Identical by Ellen Hopkins
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Wake by Lisa McMann
Untamed by P.C. and Kristin Cast
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
10.17.2009
This Week @ Your Library!
Come vote on your favorite Teen Read Week Book Cover Design Contest @ Ouachita Valley, all day
Tuesday, October 20:
Teen Read Week Movie Night: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (rated PG-13) @ Ouachita Valley, 4 pm
Game Night @ Louise Williams, 4:30 pm
Wednesday, October 21:
Y's Choice: A Variety of Activities @ Anna Meyer, 3:30 pm
Teen Read Week Decoupage Initial Craft @ Ouachita Valley, 4 pm (Please call 327-1470 to register for this program...seating is limited!!!)
Thursday, October 22:
Dictionary Scavenger Hunt @ Carver, 3 pm
Book Review @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
10.10.2009
This Week @ Your Library!
YA's Kitchen Chaos: Creep Cake Cupcakes @ West Monroe, 4 pm
Tuesday, October 13:
ACME Anime Club @ Louise Williams, 4:30 pm
Wednesday, October 14:
Y's Choice: A Variety of Activities @ Anna Meyer, 3:30 pm
YA's present a musical episode from The Wizard of Oz @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
DVD Case Craft @ West Ouachita @ 3:30 pm
Thursday, October 15:
Discussion of Graphic Novels @ Carver, 3 pm
Sand Craft Art @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
10.07.2009
New Books - September 2009
- Tidings of Great Boys by Shelley Adina
- Alphas: A Novel by Lisi Harrison (Click here to watch the book trailer)
10.03.2009
This Week @ Your Library!
Anime Club @ West Ouachita, 5pm
Tuesday, October 6:
Game Night @ Louise Williams, 4:30 pm
Wednesday, October 7:
Y's Choice: A Variety of Activities @ Anna Meyer, 3:30 pm
Thursday, October 8:
Abstract Art and Origami @ Carver, 3 pm
Groovy Movie: Coraline @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
Hot Fudge Sundae Candle Making Workshop @ Ouachita Valley, 4 pm (Call 327-1470 to register for this program...seating is limited!)
9.30.2009
Attention Stephenie Meyer fans!
For those of you who haven't yet read The Host, it's very different from Meyer's Twilight series. Read the summary from the book jacket below and if you like what you read, check it out!
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.
Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.
9.29.2009
Did you know...
- Zachary Gordon will be starring as Greg Heffley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie
- The Nightmare on Elm Street trailer is out, starring Jackie Earle Hailey as Freddy Krueger
- Yahoo has a clip from Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
- Lily Allen is retiring from making music and is trying acting instead
- American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert's CD can now be pre-ordered from Amazon.com
- Listen to Britney Spears' new single "3" here
- Check out how Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are all over each other on the New Moon poster!
9.26.2009
This Week @ Your Library!
Wednesday, September 30:
Y's Choice: A Variety of Activities @ Anna Meyer, 3:30 pm
Do It In Green @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
Thursday, October 1:
Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader @ Carver, 3 pm
Guitar Hero Challenge @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
Before Bella there was Buffy @ Ouachita Valley, 4 pm
9.19.2009
This Week @ Your Library!
Monday, September 21:
WM YA Presents - CSI @ West Monroe, 4 pm
Wednesday, September 23:
Y's Choice: A Variety of Activities @ Anna Meyer, 3:30 pm
Thursday, September 24:
Teen Fashion Sewing @ Carver, 3 pm
Teen Computer Class @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
Game Night - Cranium and PS2 games @ Ouachita Valley, 4 pm
Friday, September 25:
Book Review @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
9.16.2009
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park!!!
"The Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter," a new theme park based on the Harry Potter book and movie series, is set to open in spring 2010 at Universal Studios, the Orlando resort announced Tuesday.
The theme park will feature rides like "Flight of the Hippogriff" and the chance to visit the Three Broomsticks, Hogsmeade's most popular pub, and sip Butterbeer!
Universal Studios has a website dedicated to the new theme park and the pictures are amazing!!!
9.12.2009
This Week @ Your Library!

Monday, September 14:
Groovy Movie - Bedtime Stories (PG) @ West Monroe, 4 pm
Wednesday, September 16:
Teen Talk @ Anna Meyer, 3:30 pm
Read and Feed - Decorating Cupcakes @ West Ouachita, 3:45 pm
Thursday, September 17:Sketching @ Carver, 3 pm
Teen Computer Class @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
Movie Night - X-Men Origins: Wolverine (PG-13) @ Ouachita Valley, 4 pm
9.10.2009
Vampire Diaries on CW
9.09.2009
2009 MTV Video Music Awards
9.08.2009
First Song in New Moon Soundtrack Confirmed!
9.06.2009
This Week @ Your Library!
Wednesday, September 9:
Game Day - Card Games @ Anna Meyer, 3:30 pm
Thursday, September 10:
Blowing in the Wind craft @ Sterlington, 3:30 pm
Soap Making Workshop @ Ouachita Valley, 4 pm
9.05.2009
The Smartest Card @ Your Library

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month and we're ready to get you signed up for your library card! If you're reading this, you probably already have a card, but if not...GET ONE!
After all, this card alone gets you:
- Books
- Magazines
- Movies
- Music
- Computer/Internet Use
- Access to the printer
- Access to online newspapers and magazines
- Access to Tutor.com for FREE homework help
...and did we mention that it is all FREE! No other card you get in your life will get you more free stuff than your library card! So, why not get a card?
Just remember, if you're younger than 17, you need the following when you come in:
- A parent or guardian, NOT your sister's boyfriend's mom's neighbor's uncle...
- Your parent or guardian will need their ID and a piece of mail with a current address
9.04.2009
Neil Gaiman's Library...WOW
8.26.2009
New Books - August 2009
- Fade to Blue: A Novel by Sean Beaudoin
- Zenith by Julie Bertagna
- The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
- After Dark by Nancy A. Collins
- The Siege of Macindaw (Ranger's Apprentice, Book 6) by John Flanagan
- Markus + the Girls by Klaus Hagerup
- Markus + Diana by Klaus Hagerup
- Necropolis by Anthony Horowitz (Watch the book trailer here!)
- Timelock (Caretaker Trilogy, Book 3) by David Klass
- The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, Gideon--And me, Ruby Oliver by E. Lockhart
- The Real Real: A Novel by Emma McLaughlin
- Ruined: A Novel by Paula Morris (Watch the book trailer here!)
- So Punk Rock (and Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother) : A Novel by Micol Ostow (Watch the book trailer here!)
- Chasing the Bear: A Young Spenser Novel by Robert B. Parker
- Dead Girl in Love by Linda Joy Singleton
- Gorgeous by Rachel Vail
- Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters
- Vampire...In My Dreams by Terry Lee Wilde
- The Glass Maker's Daughter by V. Briceland
- Sunset Boulevard: The A-List Hollywood Royalty by Zoey Dean
- Vamped by Lucienne Diver
- Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard (Watch the book trailer here!)
- The Solstice Cup by Rachel Dunstan Muller
- I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder (Watch the book trailer here!)
8.21.2009
8.20.2009
Road Trip!!!
8.10.2009
The Vampire's Assistant movie trailer!
7.27.2009
Did you know...
- Sam Raimi, the guy who directed Spiderman, is going to direct a live-action version of World of Warcraft.
- If Kermit the Frog sees Lady Gaga, he better start hopping!
- And it's a bad day when the Wienermobile crashes into your house ... or is it?
- It's official...Joe Jonas is now a single man!
- The new Batman movie will start filming in 2010
- A movie about ninja guinea pigs made more money than Harry Potter this weekend...
- New Moon clips were leaked at San Diego's Comic-Con this past week.
7.24.2009
New Books - July 2009

- Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby
- Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- Blade: Playing Dead by Tim Bowler
- The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: A Fable by John Boyne (Click here to watch the movie trailer that is based on this book!)
- The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti
- Oh. My. Gods.: Goddess Bootcamp by Tera Lynn Childs
- Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti
- Double Eagle by Sneed B. Collard
- L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad (<--Yep, that's the Lauren Conrad, a.k.a. LC from MTV's The Hills)
- The One: A Chloe Gamble Novel by Ed Decter
- Scum by James C. Dekker
- After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr
- Truancy by Isamu Fukui (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- Truancy Origins by Isamu Fukui
- Death by Denim by Linda C. Gerber
- The Awakening by Marley Gibson
- Sir John Hargrave's Mischief Maker's Manual by John Hargrave
- Boys R Us: A Clique Novel by Lisi Harrison
- Here's How I See It: Here's How It Is by Heather Henson
- City of Secrets by Mary Hoffman
- Ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley (Click here to watch author Tonya Hurley tell more about the books!)
- Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph
- Out of Sight, Out of Mind (Gifted Book #1) by Marilyn Kaye (Click here for the series trailer!)
- Better Late Than Never (Gifted Book #2) by Marilyn Kaye
- Breathless by Lurlene McDaniel
- The Book of Dreams by O.R. Melling
- Blue Moon (The Immortals Book 2) by Alyson Noel (Click here for the book trailer!)
- Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler (Click here for the book trailer!)
- Sprout by Dale Peck
- Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
- Emily the Strange: Lost Days by Rob Reger
- Shut Up! by Marilyn Reynolds
- Five Minutes More by Darlene Ryan
- Vampire Kisses 6: Royal Blood by Ellen Schreiber
- Killer: A Pretty Little Liars Novel by Sara Shepard
- Dead Girl Dancing by Linda Joy Singleton
- Dead Girl Walking by Linda Joy Singleton (Click here for the book trailer!)
- Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Click here for the book trailer!)
- Blue is for Nightmares (Book #1) by Laurie Faria Stolarz (Click here for the book trailer!)
- White is for Magic (Book #2) by Laurie Faria Stolarz
- Silver is for Secrets (Book #3) by Laurie Faria Stolarz
- Red is for Remembrance (Book #4) by Laurie Faria Stolarz
- Chasing Boys by Karen Tayleur
- Paisley Hanover Acts Out by Cameron Tuttle
- The Summer of Cotton Candy (Sweet Seasons Book #1) by Debbie Viguie
- The Fall of Candy Corn (Sweet Seasons Book #2) by Debbie Viguie
- The Winter of Candy Canes (Sweet Seasons Book #3) by Debbie Viguie
- The Spring of Candy Apples (Sweet Seasons Book #4) by Debbie Viguie
- Super Stock Rookie by Will Weaver
- The Uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jones
- Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee
- Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
- Death by Denim by Linda C. Gerber
6.24.2009
New Books - June 2009
- Sofi Medoza's Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico by Malin Alegria
- Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender (Click here to see the book trailer!)
- Jenny Green's Killer Junior Year by Amy Belasen
- The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry
- Fair-Weather Friends by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
- Serendipity Market by Penny Blubaugh
- Hoppergrass by Chris Carlton Brown
- Being Nikki by Meg Cabot
- Swim the Fly by Don Calame (Click here to see the book trailer!)
- The September Sisters by Jillian Cantor
- Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter
- Always Watching by Brandilyn Collins (Click here to see the book trailer!)
- Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford
- Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
- Dragon Flight by Jessica Day George
- King of the Screwups by K.L. Going
- Den of Thieves by Julia Golding
- The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
- Once Dead, Twice Shy: A Novel by Kim Harrison
- The Beef Princess of Pratical County by Michelle Houts
- Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell
- Voss: How I Come to America and Am Hero, Mostly by David Ives
- Warrior Princess by Frewin Jones
- Jet Set by Carrie Karasyov
- Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim
- Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg
- Everything Beautiful in the World by Lisa Levchuk
- The Center of the Universe: Yep, That Would Be Me by Anita Liberty
- The Big Field by Mike Lupica
- Messed Up by Janet Nichols Lynch
- The Soldiers of Halla (Pendragon Bk. 10) by D.J. MacHale
- Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
- Daughter of the Flames by Zoë Marriott
- Torn to Pieces by Margot McDonnell
- Pure by Terra Elan McVoy
- Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli
- Evermore by Alyson Noel (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- Wings by Aprilynne Pike
- Punkzilla by Adam Rapp
- The Parliament of Blood by Justin Richards
- Max Quigley: Technically Not a Bully by James Roy (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- In Mike We Trust by Patrick Ryan
- Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott
- Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott
- Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
- The Guardian by Joyce Sweeney
- Chasing Boys by Karen Tayleur
- Paisley Hanover Acts Out by Cameron Tuttle
- Exposed by Susan Vaught (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian
- Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten
- Distant Waves: A Novel of the Titanic by Suzanne Weyn
- Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- This Full House by Virginia Euwer Wolff
- Cold Hands, Warm Heart by Jill Wolfson
6.08.2009
YA Author Interview with A.E. Cannon!
The summer is here and Summer Reading is well underway at all of our library branches! Make sure that you're signed up and check out all of the programs that we have to offer!!!We have our second author interview for you from author A.E. Cannon, who wrote The Loser's Guide to Life and Love: A Novel! Ann was such a good sport participating in our interview and even typed all her responses with a broken wrist!!! We hope you get to feeling better soon and thanks for your time!!!
What inspired you to begin writing?
Well, I liked to read when I was a kid, although I realize in retrospect that I probably didn’t read as much as some kids. In a way that gives us all hope, doesn’t it? That an average kid CAN grow up to be a writer?
I did love LITTLE WOMEN and thought it would be great to be Jo March. And of course Jo was a writer. So she was a huge inspiration. And then my mother always showed an interest in my stories (which I started to write in the sixth grade) and that helped, too.
What was your biggest inspiration for The Loser’s Guide to Life and Love or was it meant as a modern-day interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream?
I’ve always loved the way Shakespeare employs confusion about identity as a comic device, so naturally I thought of his plays the summer my son worked at a video store and had to wear a nametag that identified him as (you guessed it!) “Sergio.” The amazing thing was that as the summer rolled on, he became more and more Sergio-esque. He slicked his hair back and started to walk like a confident ladies man, which he definitely was not. We were all amused, so naturally the writer in me said, “There’s a novel in this.”
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I have a lot of interests, which is nice on the one hand and frustrating on the other. Never enough time! But I like to garden, read mysteries, travel, go on long walks, hang out with my family and friends, knit, crochet, watch baseball and play with my dogs. One of my dogs (a newfie) weighs 175 pounds.
What book are you reading now?
I just finished a great mystery by a Norwegian writer Karin Fossum called THE INDIAN BRIDE. Very well done and satisfying. I just started reading a YA novel called (I think) SUZY, LED ZEPPELIN AND ME by Martin Millar.
Are you working on anything new?
I sent in a manuscript last week about a fifth-grade girl who finds a magic diary. I hope I can sell it!
If you could be a superhero, who would you be?
I LOVE THIS QUESTION!! No one has ever asked me this before. I would be any superhero as long as that superhero looks like Angelina Jolie.
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Again, thanks to Ann for participating in our YA Author Interview! For more information about Ann or her books, check out her website at http://www.aecannon.com/.
6.02.2009
5.28.2009
Summer Book Club @ West Ouachita
Looking for a group to hang out with and discuss books?? The West Ouachita Branch will begin its Summer Book Club on Thursday, June 4, from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm. For more information, call Kayla at 327-5414!
5.21.2009
Author Interview with YA author Sarah Quigley
The Ouachita Parish Public Library's YA Department is proud to present our very first interview with YA author Sarah Quigley!Sarah is the author of TMI (Too Much Information if you're searching for it in the library catalog) and if you haven't had a chance to read it yet, READ IT NOW! The book is about Becca, who has the tendancy to overshare EVERYTHING about her life with EVERYONE. After she completely humiliates her boyfriend, she vows that she will tell no more...at least out loud...and decides to blog her juicy inner thoughts and gossip. Needless to say, this plan bombs and the entire school finds out about the blog... So, if you wanna know more, click on the cover of the book to check and see if your local branch has a copy or to place it on hold!!! But first, here's our interview with the author herself, Sarah Quigley:
What inspired you to begin writing?
When I was in first grade, some older kids visited my class and read stories that they’d written and illustrated themselves. I thought that was pretty cool, so I went home and wrote my first book about two best friends named Rocker and Mary. There was a sequel and later a spin-off series about Amy, a cookie-baking fiend. My mom has all these books packed away somewhere.
Is TMI based off of any personal experiences?
Like Becca, I have a tendency to overshare. I am also from a small Minnesota town, where I spent much of my youth baking, knitting, and watching eighties movies. I also learned a few tough life lessons about the importance of personal boundaries. It’s probably for the best that blogs didn’t become popular until I was well into my twenties and was a bit (but only a bit) more selective about the information I shared with the world.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I live in an awesome area of San Francisco, near the beach and Golden Gate Park. The weather is almost always perfect here (which I really appreciate after growing up in Minnesota), so I spend a lot of time outside with my daughter and husband. I also love cooking and am always trying out new recipes from my favorite magazine, Cook’s Illustrated. Oh, and I’m a diehard fan of Survivor. I used to write a weekly column about the show on a fan web site.
I think it goes without saying that I read a lot in my free time, too.
What book are you reading now?
I just finished Breathing by Cheryl Renée Herbsman, a new young adult author. Cheryl’s book is as sweet and charming as she is. We had a book signing together last week with C. Lee McKenzie, who wrote Sliding on the Edge. I’m looking forward to reading her book next.
If you could pick an iPod playlist for TMI, what songs would you put on it?
Love this question! I am a huge fan of playlists and have several that I use for writing inspiration. There were several songs that I couldn’t get out of my head while writing TMI.
1. “Blue Orchid” by The White Stripes
I quote this song at the beginning of TMI: “We all need to do something/Try to keep the truth from showing up.” So very true for Becca and many others.
2. “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” by Pearl Jam
This song was popular when I was in high school, and hearing it brings back a lot of old emotions for me. I get chills when Eddie Vedder sings, “I changed by not changing at all/Small town predicts my fate.” This encapsulates Becca’s struggle.
3. “Price I Pay” by Jane’s Addiction
I was obsessed with Jane’s Addiction as a teenager. This song is off the Strays album, which came out when I was older, but it still sends me back in time. It opens with “I always do the wrong thing but for a very good reason,” something Becca can surely relate to.
4. “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from the Grease soundtrack
Becca and her friends are in the school production of Grease, as well as her ex-boyfriend and current crush. This song fittingly describes Becca’s feelings for two boys she can’t have.
5. “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds
Becca and her friends are huge fans of movies from the 1980s. This song is off The Breakfast Club soundtrack, and I can just hear it playing in the last six pages of TMI.
Are you working on anything new?
I’m hard at work! Lots of people want to know if my next book is a sequel to TMI, but it’s something new. When I was in college, I waited tables for two summers at a swanky resort in northern Wisconsin. I’m writing something very loosely based on those experiences. All I can say is that a group of college girls + a whole summer living and working together = drama.
If you could be a superhero, who would you be?
I’m pretty jealous of Elastigirl in The Incredibles. She’s a mom who kicks butt, and she can contort herself into any shape that might come in handy: parachute, life raft, bungee cord. I’d love it if I could reach across the room with my extra-stretchy arm when my daughter puts herself in harm’s way.
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5.20.2009
Free Chocolate Fridays!!!!
The downside...you have to be 13 years of age or older! But I'm sure you can find someone in your family to get that free coupon!
5.18.2009
New Moon sneak preview on May 31!
New Moon will be released in theatres on November 20.
2009 Teens' Top Ten Nominations
So, if you're looking for a list of good books to read this summer during our Summer Reading program, click here and check out these nominees and remember to vote in the Fall!
2009 Summer Reading Program -- Express Yourself
The 2009 Summer Reading Program for Young Adults is just around the corner and there are plenty of activities to keep you busy this summer at our different branches. Drop by your local branch to get a calendar of events to come or click here for a listing of ALL the summer programs at your library! Keep checking the blog for highlights from different branches and programs that you don't want to miss!!!
5.13.2009
New Books - May 2009

- Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah
- It's All About Us: A Novel (Book 1) by Shelley Adina
- The Fruit of My Lipstick: An All About Us Novel (Book 2) by Shelley Adina
- Be Strong & Curvaceous: An All About Us Novel (Book 3) by Shelley Adina
- Who Made You a Princess?: An All About Us Novel (Book 4) by Shelley Adina
- Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez
- The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong (Click here to watch book trailer!)
- Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe
- Science Fair: A Story of Myster, Danger, International Suspense, and a Very Nervous Frog by Dave Barry
- What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
- Forever Princess by Meg Cabot
- New York Debut (Carter House Girls Book 6) by Melody Carlson
- The Explosionist by Jenny Davidson
- Breaking Up is Hard to Do by Anne Dayton
- The Miracle Girls: A Novel by Anne Dayton
- Dirty Laundry by Daniel Ehrenhaft
- Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
- Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
- If I Stay: A Novel by Gayle Forman (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill (Click here to watch the book trailer!)

- Blue Flame by K.M. Grant
- The Lab by Jack Heath
- No More Us For You by David Hernandez
- Scat by Carl Hiaasen
- Isabelle's Boyfriend by Caroline Hickey
- Willow by Julia Hoban (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- The Switch by Anthony Horowitz
- Sister Wife by Shelley Hrdlitschka
- Possession by Chris Humphreys
- The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks
- Need by Carrie Jones (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- Hot Girl by Dream Jordan
- The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- Wondrous Strange: A Novel by Lesley Livingston (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- The Well Between the Worlds by Sam Llewellyn
- Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr
- The Devil's Paintbox by Victoria McKernan
- Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers
- Why I Fight by J. Adams Oaks
- Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins

- Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
- What World Is Left? by Monique Polak
- Swiss Mist by Randy Powell
- Too Much Information by Sarah Quigley
- The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan
- The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
- Wicked: A Pretty Little Liars Novel by Sara Shepard
- The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan by Nancy Springer
- Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
- If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser
- Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson
- Sammy Keyes and the Cold Hard Cash by Wendelin Van Draanen
- Infamous: An It Girl Novel by Cecily Von Ziegesar
- Vidalia in Paris by Sasha Watson
- The Fetch: A Novel by Laura Whitcomb
- What They Always Tell Us by Martin Wilson
4.15.2009
Did you know...
- April is National Grilled Cheese Month? Start celebrating!!!
- They have started casting for musical version of Spider-Man
- Check out the new Simpsons stamps
- My Chemical Romance's frontman Gerard Way's comic The Umbrella Academy is coming to the big screen
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince will be in theatres 2 days early!!!
"'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' now is opening Wednesday, July 15, two days earlier than its previous release date..."
4.09.2009
Top 10 Newest Books of 2009
1. Bonechiller by Graham McNamee
Four high school students face off against a soul-stealing beast that has been making young people disappear their small Ontario, Canada, town for centuries.
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
Middle-schooler Greg Heffley nimbly sidesteps his father's attempts to change Greg's wimpy ways until his father threatens to send him to military school.
3. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
Sixteen-year-old Eon hopes to become an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune and learn to be its main interpreter, but to do so will require much, including keeping secret that she is a girl.
4. Max: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson
When millions of fish start dying off the coast of Hawaii and something is destroying hundreds of ships, the government enlists the Flock--a band of genetically modified children who can fly--to help get to the bottom of the disaster before it is too late.
5. Suck It Up by Brian Meehl
After graduating from the International Vampire League, a scrawny, teenaged vampire named Morning is given the chance to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a superhero when he embarks on a League mission to become the first vampire to reveal his identity to humans and to demonstrate how peacefully-evolved, blood-substitute-drinking vampires can use their powers to help humanity.
6. The Captive Part II and The Power by L.J. Smith
Cassie has joined the most alluring—and deadly—in-crowd imaginable. But power comes with a price, and it's more dangerous than she knows. Torn between the dueling desires of the two leaders of the Secret Grcle, she must ultimately choose between saving all of New Salem, and her own dangerous love for the bewitching Adam, which threatens to tear the circle apart. In the ultimate battle between good and evil, will Cassie's supernatural powers be strong enough to lead the coven out of danger? Or will she foil prey to the dark forces within?
7. Hunted: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast
The good news: Zoey's friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren't Neferet's secrets any longer. The bad news: Ancient evil with the face of an angel has been let loose - that and various other nasties (whose faces aren't so angelic). Grandma Redbird is in trouble. Heath is in trouble. The House of Night is in trouble. Okay, let's face it - Zoey's whole world is in trouble! But when the trouble comes from a being who appears to be beauty personified, will the world believe it? Especially when only a teenager and a group of misfits are the only ones who really understand the danger he brings. Will Zoey have the strength and wisdom to reveal the truth?
8. Paparazzi Princess: A Novel by Jen Calonita
Wanting only to mourn the end of her television series, seventeen-year-old Kaitlin, under pressure to choose her next acting project and study for her SATs, is drawn into the Hollywood nightlife by publicity-loving "It Girls," while her friendship with Liz founders.
9. Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child, sixteen-year-old Erin has spent half of her life in therapy and on drugs, but now must face the possibility of weird things in the real world, including shapeshifting friends and her "alter," a centuries-old vampire.
10. Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner
Fifteen-year-old Liza travels through war-ravaged territory in a struggle to bridge the faerie and human worlds and to bring back her mother while learning of her own powers and that magic can be controlled.
Harry Potter Scene Voted Best Movie Moment
"A scene from the first Harry Potter film has been voted the best moment in movie history. The scene, from 2001's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, shows boy wizard discovering platform nine-and-three-quarters at Kings Cross train station in London before setting off for Hogwarts school for the first time.
The moment beat out competition from Dick Van Dyke's classic rooftop chimney sweep's dance in 1964 musical Mary Poppins, in the poll by the Oreo cookie brand."
New Books - April 2009

- 3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares
- Alcatraz versus the Scrivener's Bones by Brandon Sanderson
- Babylonne by Catherine Jinks
- Beige by Cecil Castellucci
- The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine
- Blue Flame by K.M. Grant
- Bonechiller by Graham McNamee
- Burn: A Novel by Suzanne Phillips
- Cat Among the Pigeons by Julia Golding
- Chanda's Wars by Allan Stratton
- Cheater: A Novel by Michael Laser
- City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
- Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- Deadville by Ron Koertge
- Debbie Harry Sings in French by Meagan Brothers
- Envy: A Luxe Novel by Anna Godbersen
- Every Soul a Star: A Novel by Wendy Mass
- Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
- The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
- The Fortunes of Indigo Sky by Deb Caletti
- Gamer Girl by Marianne Mancusi
- Getting the Girl by Susan Juby

- Hippie Chick by Joseph Monninger
- I Know It's Over by C.K. Kelly Martin (Click here to watch the book trailer!)
- Kendra by Coe Booth
- The Loser's Guide to Life and Love by A.E. Cannon
- Max: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson
- M+O 4evr by Tonya Hegamin
- North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
- Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
- Poison Ink by Christopher Golden
- Suckerpunch by David Hernandez
- Tunnels by Roderick Gordon
- The Unnamables by Ellen Booraem
- Venomous by Christopher Krovatin
- Voss: How I Come to America am Am Hero, Mostly by David Ives
- Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (Click here to watch the book trailer!)

- Girl in the Mirror: Understanding Physical Changes by Ashley Rae Harris
- Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James Swanson
- Playing Safe, Eating Right: Making Healthy Choices by Tamra Orr
- Christo & Jeanne-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond by Jan Greenberg
- Tiny Yarn Animals: Amigurumi Friends to Make and Enjoy by Tamie Snow
- The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle
New YA Graphic Novels

- Aya by Marguerite Abouet
- The Good Neighbors vol. 1
- Cinderella: The Graphic Novel by Beth Bracken
- Beauty and the Beast: The Graphic Novel by Michael Dahl
- Confessions of a Peculiar Boy...and Other Stories by Bret M. Herholz
- Jack and the Beanstalk: The Graphic Novel by B.A. Hoena
- Hansel and Gretel: The Graphic Novel by Donald B. Lemke
- Red Riding Hood: The Graphic Novel by Martin Powell
- Rumpelstiltskin: The Graphic Novel by Martin Powell
- Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives vols. 1-2
- Papillon vols. 1-2
- Return to Labyrinth vols. 1-2














































































































































































