Saturday, May 16, 2009

Debs Blog Tour: Waiting to Score by J.E. MacLeod

Hey Y'all!  Todays's stop on the blog tour is J.E. MacLeod with her debut novel, Waiting to Score !

About the book:

Zack Chase, new in town, gets a crash course in the dangerous, fast-paced lives of local teen athletes. A good-looking, book-loving hockey star, Zack’s also expected to be a womanizing, alcohol-abusing party animal, but it’s not who he is. As jealous, obnoxious team captain Mac hounds him, Zack falls for Goth-girl Jane and befriends her teammate brother, both with their own secrets. Tragedy strikes and affects them all in this true-to-life debut novel, giving readers an insight into the lives of high school students and athletes.

About the author:

J.E.’s  path to becoming an author was a windy one.  After college, she wrote advertising copy for radio and then television and eventually moved on to work in sales and marketing for too many years.

After having a son, J.E. followed her dreams and wrote her first book.  Once she started writing YA, she felt like she’d found her home and has been writing it ever since. J.E. lives near the Canadian Rockies with her husband and son and a new puppy named Meeko. She does not live in an Igloo or play hockey, but she does love maple syrup and says “eh” a lot.

The Interview:

What's been one of the most exciting moments in your journey to publication?

I like firsts, so first time things have been the best adrenaline rushes for me. It's hard to pick one when there are so many great firsts along the journey (first phone call with a real live editor, first revision notes from my editor, first ARC, first real live book, first review and on and on!) but the phone call with my agent telling me I had an offer on my book that was probably the most exciting step.  I hung up the phone and started singing and dancing around the room. It was a great moment.

Is there anything you can't write without?

Hmm. I don't really require much in the way of physical things. Some caffeine is always good. But, since my books usually go boldly into teen issues-- I can't write without honesty! I try to be as authentic as I can be to my characters if that makes sense. Some things Zack, my main character SAID I cringed about, but I was writing in his voice not mine. I think that's the most important thing to remember. It's writing in a character's voice or world, it's not me.

When stuck on a story which do you choose: write make-out scene or explode something?

Hmm. Neither, really!  I usually just write a note to myself  and highlight it-- like  SOMETHING PROFOUND HAPPENS HERE  and keep going and go back to the part that stuck me later when I've had time to think about it outside writing time.

Can you share a favorite line you've written either in this book or a WIP?

Hmm. I like different lines for different reasons that may sound weird out of context. Let's see. In my book titled Faded Genes at this point in time, a young teen is angry with her Mom's boyfriend. Her Mom is pregnant with her boyfriend's child. My favorite line is a question she asks him..."A condom?"

“Hey, ladies, sorry I’m late.” Simon picked that moment to swoop up to the table. He looked back and forth at us, his big charming smile fading a little. “Did I miss something?”


“A condom?” I said.

Finally: pro fast zombie or anti fast zombies?

Ohh. I like YOUR Zombies, Carrie. Even though they scare me.

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