 My novella Passing Notes was released today!!! I’ve been celebrating the release of this story about a ghost that teaches a teen boy to write a love letter by inviting several authors of YA and NA books to create love letters based on their novels. Gordon Rottman has visited my blog a couple times before. Today he is sharing his love letter based on his adventure novel Tears of the River. Sounds like an exciting read! If you enjoy this letter, scroll back and read the letters from the other visiting authors, and please leave a comment.
A coming of age self-discovery story of frantic survival, the value of diversity, dependence on one another. Fifteen-year-old Karen Herber is exactly where she wants to be—in the Nicaraguan rainforest with a volunteer medical team. What she had not expected was a hurricane collapsing a bridge to wipe out her team and a mudslide burying a village. Only a Nicaraguan six-year-old girl and a forty-four-year-old woman with both arms broken survive the mudslide. Then she finds that Jaydon Bonner survived, a privileged, arrogant seventeen-year-old American tenderfoot. Academic and confidence concerns are already dragging Karen down and she was tagged a “weak leader” in Outward Bound School. Her doctor parents are pushing her into a medical career, of which she’s uncertain. Less than fluent in Spanish, but an experienced backpacker, the reluctant leader is challenged by Nature, animals, desperate men and her fellow survivors’ mistrust and cultural differences. Their only path to salvation is a risky boat trip down a rainforest river, 150 miles to the mysterious Mosquito Coast. Karen soon finds her companions’ experiences, so different from her own, invaluable with each deadly encounter forging a closer bond between them. Jaydon Bonner slowly came to realize that Karen Heber saved his life, many times, along with Tía’s and Lomara’s lives. So, what would a 17-year old boy say to a 15-year old girl with whom a relationship evolved under adverse and even terrifying conditions? Please note that the typos and errors are intentional. Dear Karen Supergirl, Hey, I got back to Houston a few days ago and just herd you’re still in that hospital in Nicaragua. I’ve never herd of dengue fever. Your dad told me on the phone that it’s called break-bone fever. I sure hope your not in a lot of pain. You had your sare of it during those 10 days on the river. I don’t know how you did all that stuff. He called me to tell me what to look out for in case I get that fever. I don’t see how I can’t. I was just as bit up by mosquitos as you. I guess I was kind of a jerk a lot of the time and didn’t help out much. It wasn’t untill you told me that we had to keep going no matter what, that no one knew whereeven to look for us, and the only people getting us out of there was what we did for ourselves. You said, Once you realize you have to do it, that you have no choice, then you can do any thing. Then you made me row just about all night and we did it, we made it. I thought for sure we couldn’t make it be cause we’d had barely any thing to eat and nothing left. The first thing I ate when we got back to Texas was a double-meat, double-cheese, bacon, avocado buger, and all the trimmings with fries and onion rings and two choc shakes. I guess I shouldn’t talk about that LOL, be cause you’re still in Nicaragua. You let me know when you’re back and I’ll by all that for you or what ever else you want. Supergirl, you better get back in shape and come home for me. All I can think about is taking you to Homecoming and I want that more than any thing. I’m hoping you’re still serious about that, be cause you’re the only one I want to take. I keeping thinking about you coming back to free me from those thugs, you being chased by those insane dogs, and getting the boat threw those rapids, and saving Lomara when we fell in. I understand why you went after her instead of me. That’s okay. I managed even if I couldn’t swim. I hope you’re still willing to teach me like you promised. Allways thinking about you and hope your not hurting to much and come home soon. Luv, Jay Karen corrected the typos and grammar in red ink and sent it back to Jaydon. Yeah, sure. I’ll go with you. I hope you got a haircut. Karena xx  My romantic Young Adult novella Passing Notes comes out in just a few more days! Eek! I’m celebrating the release of my story (which is largely about a boy learning to write a love letter) by inviting other YA and NA authors to create love letters based on the characters from their novels. Today’s guest is Alice J. Black, a fellow Fire and Ice author, whose first Young Adult novel The Doors was released just a few months ago. It sounds like a fun, spooky read, and I’m eager to read it. When she is moved halfway down the country during the summer holidays, Amanda finds she's stuck in a place that she not only hates but where it never seems to stop raining. Godfrey Hall, their new home, is a dark, cold place that she can't seem to adjust to. The worst room is the dining room where a set of mosaic doors seems to draw her in despite the fact that she despises it. The first day her parents are both out, Amanda finds out the true secret of the mosaic doors and nothing will stop her opening the shrine made for a man hundreds of years before her. Amanda, From the moment I saw you in that art guild across the chaotic mess that Arthur had created, I knew that there was something there. I couldn't take my eyes off you and if I recall, you couldn't resist looking my way either. The blush you had then was so cute. I just wanted to scoop you up and tell you not to worry. I wanted you right from the start. The moment I realized where you were, I knew I had to come and get you. I had no idea how I was going to do it or if it was even possible, but something deep inside told me I had to save you. I had to do everything I could possibly try. If we hadn't managed to work out where you were, I would have been lost. It may sound stupid, and I may come across as being a cliché, but it's true. I know you felt it too. My life would have been empty even after sharing such a brief moment of time with you. Finding you was one of the most important days of my life and now, I have the chance to make many more with you. You make my life complete. You are my family now, and I'm your past and your future. All my love, Malcolm Curious to know who Malcom is or what’s behind those mosaic doors in the dining room? You can find out by clicking one of these links and getting yourself a copy:
ebook Amazon Amazon UK Smashwords Paperback Amazon Amazon UK Barnes and Noble Learn more about Alice J. Black by following her: www.facebook.com/alice.j.black.doors @alicejblack alicejblack.wordpress.com  To celebrate the upcoming release of my Young Adult romance novella Passing Notes, in which a large part of the plot involves a young man learning how to write a love letter, I’ve invited some authors to get creative and create love letters based on the characters from their books. Today’s guest author is Laura Kennedy. Her novel Double Take is a very unique story involving the glamour of 1950s era movie stars. The concept is very intriguing to me, because I’m such a classic movie nut. When sixteen-year-old Brooke Bentley’s green convertible and cell phone conk out during a tropical rainstorm, she believes it’s just bad luck. But when she darts through the dark to a dilapidated Victorian she thinks is the home of a friend and is invited in by a butler in a faded black tux, Brooke knows it must be karma. Because how often do you meet a reclusive 1950’s movie star who thinks she’s actress Terry Moore? And how often does someone as charming as eighty-year-old Laura de France insist on transforming you into a movie star, too? How can something as simple as a dress control your life? It can if it’s the famous green toga worn by actress Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra and you’ll do anything to wear it. Enjoy this letter, and please feel free to leave a comment about it below. Summer –Coral Cove, Florida Dear Nick, It’s really hard for me to write this letter after what happened yesterday afternoon in The Black Patent Leather Room. I feel totally embarrassed and humiliated. First because I’ve never thrown myself at a guy the way I did. And second, because you turned me down. Don’t get me wrong. It was unbelievably noble of you not to take advantage of a barely seventeen-year-old girl who’s in love with you. Most guys would have jumped at the chance. Just ask my old boyfriend Tyler who’ve I’ve been fighting off for years. Hopefully by the time I’m eighteen, you’ll think I’m mature enough to be more than just a friend. Please don’t let the affair you had with my mother influence you. It had nothing to do with us. I hope you don’t hate me. And please forgive me because I realize now just how incredible you are and that you are worth waiting for. Love forever and ever, Brooke Sound like a fun read? You can get a copy here:
Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository  To celebrate the release of my new novella Passing Notes, which involves a boy learning how to write a love letter, I’ve invited a number of Young Adult and New Adult authors to play with their stories and create love letters from their main guys to their main gals. Brenda Hiatt is my first guest. I’m a big fan of her romantic science fiction novel Starstruck, and I’ve read two of the 4-book series so far. I was thrilled when she agreed to participate in this blog theme. Nerdy astronomy geek Marsha, M to her few friends, has never been anybody special. Orphaned as an infant and reluctantly raised by an overly-strict "aunt," she's not even sure who she is. M's dream of someday escaping tiny Jewel, Indiana and making her mark in the world seems impossibly distant until hot new quarterback Rigel inexplicably befriends her. As Rigel turns his back on fawning cheerleaders to spend time with M, strange things start to happen: her acne clears up, her eyesight improves to the point she can ditch her thick glasses, and when they touch, sparks fly--literally! When M digs for a reason, she discovers deep secrets that will change her formerly mundane life forever . . . and expose her to perils she never dreamed of. Book 1 of the award-winning Starstruck series, where teen romance blends with science fiction to open a whole new world of action, adventure and discovery. There’s a part of the story when Rigel and M have to pretend not to be involved with each other to fool the enemies and keep attention away from her. If Rigel wrote a letter to her then, this is what it might say: Hey, M-- I’m guessing all this staying away from each other – and especially not touching each other – has you feeling nearly as lousy as I do by now. You get why this is necessary, though, right? Just know that no matter how much I act in school like I’m over you, it’s only an act and only to keep you safe! I’ve got to say, sometimes you play your part so well it kind of drives me nuts. Like when you were laughing with Jimmy Franklin the other day. Makes me wonder if it also bothers you to see me flirting with somebody like Trina. Really, it’s just part of the act. No matter how popular she is, she can’t hold a candle to you, M! Anyway, this note is to remind you (remind both of us!) that what we have between us is still real, even if we’re pretending it’s not for right now. I sure hope it’s only for right now, and not from now on! Don’t think I could survive that. In fact, just thinking about staying away from you for good freaks me out. So I thought it might help to look ahead to when these bad guys are gone for good and we can just be like normal girlfriend and boyfriend, you know? Think about it – holding hands between classes anytime we want, sneaking off to our favorite place in the cornfield in the afternoons after school. Especially once football season is over and I don’t have to go to practice. How great will that be? Just you and me together for whole hours at a time. Makes me warm just thinking about it. And a little less queasy. I probably shouldn’t tell you this, especially now, but I dream of you kind of a lot, M. Maybe someday, when this is all over, I’ll tell you about those dreams. Do you ever dream about me? (Don’t tell me if the answer is no.) Sorry, I didn’t mean to get all mushy and make this separation worse for you. If it’s as bad for you as it is for me, it’s pretty awful already. But I want you to know that I miss you a lot, even if I can’t show it when anyone else is around. Looking forward to that wonderful day when we can be together for real. Your Rigel Did that pique your interest? I hope so. I really enjoyed these books, and I think you will too. Here's where to get some copies. At this very moment, the ebook versions seem to be free on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Amazon Book Depository Barnes and Noble  On January 29th, my new book Passing Notes will be released by Fire and Ice Young Adult Novels. A main point of the plot is that my main protagonist, Mark, is learning how to write a love letter to the girl he adores. To celebrate the art of the love letter, I've invited some authors to join me for the next month and have a little fun with their book characters. Each author is going to write a love letter from the main male love interest (the book boyfriend) to the female love interest that would go along with the story of their novel. It's a fun writing challenge for us, and hopefully fun for you to read. I'm starting off the whole thing with a love letter based on the characters from my novel Cry of the Sea. This is a story about a girl named Juniper Sawfeather who discovers mermaids washed ashore during an oil spill and has to try to figure out how to save them from being exploited or killed. She has a number of people against her, but her biggest ally winds up being a 19-year-old intern for a marine biologist. His name is Carter. They are only getting to know each other in this book, but here's something I think he would write to her about mid-way through the story. Dear June, I don’t know you very well, and I’m not sure why I’m even writing this to you. It’s just that, there’s something about you that really grabs me. It has from the very moment I first saw you yesterday morning. You’re different than all the girls I knew from high school or have met so far at college. You’re not just a pretty face. You have something inside you that makes you want to do more and be more than the average girl. You’re not spending all your time taking selfies and talking about clothes. You have a purpose. I have that drive in me too, and you’re the first girl I’ve met that I think could really get me. And you do have a pretty face, by the way. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. Even under all the sand, dirt, oil and scratches. Honestly, I think all that stuff makes you more beautiful. How many other girls could sparkle like you do after a morning of stumbling around a beach covered with oil and dying sea animals? You might think you smell like saltwater and fish, but to me those odors are the perfume of someone determined. Someone I admire. Maybe you get that drive and passion from your parents. Oh, there I said it: the “P” word. I’ve seen how tense you get when I mention them. I don’t know what goes on between you and them, but I hope it settles down soon. They are impressive people who do incredible work for the environment. And you’re an impressive person who will make your own mark in the world one day. (It may be this week, if you find where the mermaids have been taken). Don’t let your parents intimidate you or drive you away. I want to be near you and spend time with you, and I get this sense that you want to be anywhere but here. Am I right? Are you going to run off the moment the last bell rings on the last day of high school? Head off to San Diego and never return? Am I wasting my time to try to get your attention or to attempt to win your affection? I probably won’t ever give this to you. I may never even see you again. Most of the time you are so awesome and mature, and then every now and then you slip into this high school mess that I’m not sure I can handle. I’m going to stay away for now and let you work it out with your friends and your parents. I’ll keep this note in my pocket. If I see you again, maybe I’ll give it to you. Or maybe I won’t. Hopefully you’ll look at me with those big brown eyes, and I’ll be able to tell you that you’re the kind of girl I could really fall for – if you’d just stick around and let me. Carter If you've read Cry of the Sea, I hope you thought that fit the story. If you haven't read it, I hope it intrigues to pick up a copy. I'd love to know your thoughts about this post or the whole Love Letter theme, so please leave a comment.
And just in case you'd like to get a copy of Cry of the Sea to learn how things work out for Carter and June: Fire and Ice Web Site Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository Books a Million Lulu |
D. G. DriverAward-winning author of books for teen and tween readers. Learn more about her and her writing at www.dgdriver.com Archives
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Author D. G. Driver's
Write and Rewrite Blog
“There are no bad stories, just ones that haven’t found their right words yet.”
A blog mostly about the process of revision with occasional guest posts, book reviews, and posts related to my books.
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