How to Choose Your Own Ever After...

Cereal Readers is pleased to welcome a new Australian series out this month, called Choose Your Own Ever After. The series has been written for girls aged 10-14 years with a focus on realistic situations relating to friendships, family, school and budding romance. As in every day life, dilemmas arise for the main characters – situations in which they must make decisions and determine their own path. Each of the books is structured so that the reader becomes integrally involved in the direction of the story, making choices for the main character at critical points along the way and there by affecting the outcome of events.

The aim of the series is to engage girls in the sensitive tween age group – sandwiched as they are between childhood and adolescence – enabling them to read contemporary stories and to determine their own happy ending, all without straying into inappropriate topics or material. The series launches this month with two titles, How to Get to Rio by Julie Fison, and A Hot Cold Summer by Nova Weetman.

"...it is a tricky age to be...there are so many issues a girl 

of this age faces as she works out her place in the world." 

Cereal Readers had the pleasure of interviewing Julie Fison and asking her more about the series and her first of three books for the project, How to Get to Rio.

Author Julie Fison

The 10-14 age group for girls – particularly 10-12 years – can be a tricky age to write for! What prompted you to write for this age group?

[Julie] Perhaps it’s a tricky age group to write for, because it is a tricky age to be! But it appeals to me because I enjoy the mix of playful, innocent fun and teen angst in this age group. There are so many issues a girl of this age faces as she works out her place in the world. Girls are so desperate to grow up, but they can still slip back into being young and silly. That’s something I had a lot of fun exploring.

Making decisions at critical times in the book is a unique element of the Choose Your Own Ever After series, allowing for variations of the storyline to develop. How did this idea come about?

[Julie] The publisher, Hardie Grant Egmont, developed the series to explore the idea that a girl’s future is in her own hands.  Situations will turn out differently depending on the choices she makes. In How To Get To Rio, the main character Kitty’s first choice is between going camping with her best friends or going to a beautiful beach resort with a popular girl that she’s just getting to know. Kitty is completely torn and I would be too! Her choice opens up different pathways in the story and then there are more choices to be made along the way. Sometimes the decisions are major, sometimes they seem quite trivial, but they all have an impact on the outcome of the story. How To Get To Rio has seven possible endings – quite a challenge to write, but I think the result is lots of fun for the reader.

The dynamics of friendships between girls in the tween/teen age group can be very complicated and intense: the fierce loyalties; the reluctance to offend; the desire to belong…but then also to break away from well-worn friendships that might not allow for growth or change. How closely did some of Kitty’s experiences (and those of her friends) echo your own from that age?

[Julie] I definitely faced all of those issues. I remember my first year of high school being a very testing one. I went from a lovely little primary school where we all played together, to a great big scary high school. Luckily I arrived with a gang of good friends that I clung to very tightly for quite some time! But the transition from old friends to new friends is something we all go through as we work out who we are, develop our interests and discover other people who share our passions. It’s a tricky path to tread at high school when groups are so clearly defined and our identity is so closely linked with our group. You have to be very brave to break out of one group and move to another. 

"We normally get stronger from stepping... 

...outside our comfort zone."

 
I had to laugh at one of Persephone’s comments in the book, “The advantages of having an older brother are that you get used to disgusting things and you learn to aim straight.”  That sounded like the voice of experience! Did you grow up with brothers?

[Julie] I had a younger brother and now I have two teenage sons. My house is often full of boys. So, yes, I have a lot of experience with disgusting things, noise, risky behaviour and accidents! How To Get To Rio was inspired by a recent family camping trip to Carnarvon Gorge in Queensland’s Central Highlands. It’s an ancient oasis of towering sandstone cliffs, Aboriginal rock art and giant tree ferns. We went with two other families, so that meant ghost stories around the campfire, endless games of capture the flag and some epic slime fights in the creek. The girls were outnumbered by the boys - three to seven, but they gave as good as they got. They definitely aimed straight when they had their brothers in their sights.  

I could really, really feel Kitty’s embarrassment and awkwardness in certain situations. What did you use as inspiration for them, and why do you think it was important to include them in How to Get to Rio?

[Julie] Very cruel of me, I know, putting Kitty through those embarrassing situations. But I think readers will to relate to them. We’ve all been there – making a fool of ourselves in front of peers, and wishing the world would just swallow us up. I know I have! But it’s that fear of doing something embarrassing that often holds us back from trying new things. We normally get stronger from stepping (or stumbling) outside our comfort zone. I wanted to push Kitty into places where she felt awkward. Even though she gets embarrassed, she gets through things. Then as her confidence grows she takes more risks and gets rewarded.  

"There’s a buzz around a popular series that kids 
and teens tune in to and want to be part of."

 
What series books did you enjoy reading when you were growing up?

[Julie] I was a massive fan of The Famous Five, by Enid Blyton. I really wanted to be part of their summer holiday adventures. In fact I had a lot of holiday adventures of my own – mostly exploring rocky coves, fossicking for sea life and looking for treasure around the islands of Moreton Bay in Queensland. You might see the influence of The Famous Five in my adventure series for young readers Hazard River (Ford Street Publishing). The four kids in my books come up against rogue fishermen, dodgy developers and smugglers while holidaying at Hazard River. The books all have an environmental twist, but just like the gang in the The Famous Five, the crew at Hazard River has a way of turning everything into an adventure.   

What, in your opinion, is the appeal of series for children and young adults?

[Julie] I think many children and young adults feel more secure about picking up a book that they know is part of a series. If they commit to reading a book, they like to know, that if they enjoy it, they can find more of the same. It’s much easier to go back to a series that they know they like, than risk a new book that they’re not sure about. I think children and young adults also feel like they are part of something when they read a series. It’s a bit like being in a club, where all the members are reading the same series. There’s a buzz around a popular series that kids and teens tune in to and want to be part of. I also think that children love a collection of any kind, and it’s genuinely exciting for them to add to their collection of books from their favourite series.

How many more books can we look forward to in the Choose Your Own Ever After series, and do you plan to write another book for the series?

[Julie] There are six books planned for the Choose Your Own Ever After series and I am writing another two. My second book in the series - The Call of The Wild is due for release in July. In that story, nature-loving Phoebe has to choose between going to a save-the-orangutan fundraiser or going to a party with her best friends. The story is close to my heart because I encountered orangutans when I was on holidays in Borneo. Sadly orangutans are facing extinction in the wild because their habitat is being destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations and mining.

My third book for the Choose Your Own Ever After series will be out in January [2015]. That book is still in the planning stages, but I can tell you it will be a summer holiday story with lots more tricky choices to make, awkward family moments, girlfriend dramas and boy trouble!

Thank you for having me on Cereal Readers. I look forward to visiting again soon!

Thanks for talking with us, Julie! Congratulations on your new book and best wishes for your upcoming titles in the series.

You can view series information and keep an eye out for new books in the series at Cereal Readers.com - Choose Your Own Ever After.

I and Love and You - Colleen Hoover's 'Slammed' Series

Colleen Hoover blends music and poetry, humour and heartache, in her beguiling and romantic 'Slammed' series. It's the story of Layken and Will, mature beyond their years due to the challenges they've separately faced, but optimistic when they meet that life is finally giving them a break and a much-needed fresh start.

Anxious not to mar their first date with talk of his tragic past, Will instead introduces his new neighbour, Layken, to the 'Would You Rather?' game - a game typical of the quirky humour Hoover ascribes to her characters:

"...would you rather spend the rest of your life with no arms, or would you rather spend the rest of your life with arms you couldn't control?"

"...Well..." I hesitate. "I guess I would rather spend the rest of my life with arms I couldn't control?"

"What? Seriously? But you wouldn't be controlling them!" he says, flapping his arms around in the car. "They could be flailing around and you'd be constantly punching yourself in the face! Or worse, you might grab a knife and stab yourself!"

That same night, Will also introduces Layken to slam poetry, a form of competition poetry where participants read or recite their work, often as a performance of self-expression. Throughout the series, Hoover uses her original, moving and witty slam poetry to help define key characters, and convey strong emotions and pivotal moments.

'...I used to love the ocean,
Everything about her.
The way she would sing me to sleep
as I lay in my bed
then wake me with a force
That I soon came to dread.
Her fables, her lies, her misleading eyes...'

Layken and Will's shared appreciation for slam poetry strengthens their initial connection, but elation is short lived as circumstances conspire to keep them apart and family responsibilities weigh heavily. As the two struggle with their obligations and feelings, slam poetry provides a much-needed outlet. It's an expressive form that marries extraordinarily well with the wide-ranging gamut of teen sentiment and experience.

In addition to her immensely appealing main characters, Hoover gives her story considerable depth and humour with strong secondary characters in the younger brothers, Kel and Caulder, off-beat friends Eddie and Gavin, and Layken's conflicted mother, Julia.

I thoroughly enjoyed Slammed and found it a butterflyingly good read. (You'll need to read the second book in the series, Point of Retreat, for that reference!) I also enjoyed the introduction to slam poetry and her beloved Avett Brothers, who now owe to Colleen Hoover a new legion of fans, myself included.

'But I can tell by watching you
That there's no chance of pushing through
The odds are so against us
You know most young love, it ends like this.'
                 [The Avett Brothers, I Would Be Sad]

Happy Valentine's Day from Cereal Readers,
Marielle Rebbechi

"There is no hook turn at Brunswick Road..."!

Friday night was the Castlemaine book launch party for Ellie Marney’s first young adult novel, Every Breath (Allen and Unwin). The official launch was at Readings in Carlton the week before, but this was an opportunity for Ellie to celebrate with family and friends in the close-knit community and to acknowledge the support they’d given her. It was definitely a party for all ages, with a stream of young children tightly clutching chocolate cake, ducking and weaving between adults...

Ellie is passionate about family, the ties that bind, and writing stories that feature sharp-witted female protagonists. Change, love and growth are recurring themes in her writing - as are country life and people which, ironically, she is able to bring to her new novel, despite its inner-city setting.

Every Breath is a gripping crime thriller set in Melbourne, refreshingly sans the paranormal or the dystopian (that's not to deny my own enjoyment of the dystopian genre, but variety is important). On Friday evening, Ellie read an entertaining exchange between three of the main characters as they bicker over inner-city directions. It's a section that is representative of the book’s authentic dialog, and culminates in Rachel's exasperated shout: "THERE IS NO HOOK TURN AT BRUNSWICK ROAD, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD - "!

I thoroughly enjoyed Every Breath, which is the first in a trilogy series titled, 'Every', and I'm pleased to have a signed copy to give away. Simply email: books@cerealreaders.com. You can read my full review below.

       

Ellie Marney signing a copy of  her YA novel, 'Every Breath'. Email to win!

 REVIEW

Every Breath is a breath of fresh air in the mushrooming realm of young adult fiction. Ellie Marney has written a crime novel rich in romance, flawed characters and realistic dialogue, with an edgy storyline that quickly draws the reader in with its moody narration. 

When we meet Watts and Mycroft they are already good friends, navigating a complex and awkward relationship that resonates with the tension of new sexual awareness. The angular, intense, and somewhat desperate Mycroft pulls at the heart strings of Rachael Watts, a girl feeling displaced and resentful after the loss of her family’s farm and an enforced move to the city of Melbourne.

"Two people united by fate, or random chance, or the law of averages, or destiny, or a freak of nature, or pure dumb luck."

The two are inadvertently drawn into solving the murder of a homeless man they’ve befriended. Already keenly interested in forensics (an elective class they take at school) their inquiries and sleuthing lead them to some dark encounters. Despite admonishment from the police, the teens are compelled to continue their own investigations.

Two adolescents embarking on a murder investigation is a difficult storyline to keep grounded, yet Marney successfully walks that fine line between the believable and the just-plain-unlikely without crossing into farce.

A solid plot and genuine characters with great chemistry, combine to create a refreshing and authentic novel. It’s a thoroughly engaging story that’s hard to put down, and creates a mood that lingers long after. I am poised for books two and three in this crime trilogy, with the next in series, Every Word, due out in June 2014.

Click here to view the Every series on Cereal Readers.

Marielle Rebbechi

A Bright First Chapter for Cereal Readers

Amidst wintery weather just perfect for curling up inside with a book (well,  in the southern hemisphere, at least!) Cereal Readers celebrated its first birthday on August 18.

With this milestone we’re proud to announce our new membership feature, enabling readers to join Cereal Readers! As part of this first stage, members can post reviews and ratings on both books and series, while more extensive features will be unveiled in the months to come.

Given the unrelenting pace of each week and the many (as-yet) unreached aspirations I have for the website, it would’ve been easy to let this marker slip by unacknowledged. An anniversary is, however, a good opportunity to stop and look at just what has been accomplished over the last twelve months, so I took something of a little statistical ‘anniversary tour’. 

The website has certainly grown. We launched with a database of approximately 800 books in 125 series, and now have well over 1800 books in 270 series. If you’re interested in statistics, that’s an average of almost 7 books per series. There are so many great children’s books out there!

The online book world is enormous, just enormous! That being the case, I’ve been realistic—and very patient—waiting for the site to make its mark with search engines. I was understandably thrilled to discover that CerealReaders.com is well on its way to 1000 visitors a month, from a diverse range of countries. Being Australian-based, most of our site visitors are currently from Australia and New Zealand, however, it’s exciting to see that already more than a quarter of our visitors are from countries in North America and Europe. 

More than a year of cyber book-touring also confirms the uniqueness of our site, with all the information presented from the series perspective. Even after 18 months continuing to build our database of books, we have yet to find another website that operates anything like it.  

 "Even after 18 months continuing to build our database of books, we have yet to find another website that operates anything like it."

Kara & I with author, Kate Forsyth, Bendigo Writers' Festival

Acknowledging the achievements of the year would not be complete without recognising the fabulous contributions from Kara and Alex over the year. I am extremely fortunate to have them working with me on Cereal Readers. Kara’s passion for books and her social media flare have generated great exposure for the site, both in Australia and overseas, while Alex’s programming skills have enabled us to add new features, such as the expanded search function, and the new rating and review feature for members. As to our  more advanced member features slated for the coming year, I can’t reveal the nature of them just yet, so you'll have to stay tuned for the next book in this series!

Marielle Rebbechi

Can You Judge a Book by Its Cover?

Those who know me well, are resigned to my evangelical conversion to the e-reader. The convenience, accessibility of books and light-weight nature of the e-reader had me at "e". But that being the case, I still appreciate the beauty of the physical book, which my cherished library can attest to.

Perhaps what I miss most with e-books are the book covers; well, I miss some covers. There have certainly been times when the cover of a book—even a beloved novel—has been so...wrong, it’s quite off-putting. I don’t know I have any in my collection quite this disturbing, but here’s a couple from an article on ‘Flavorwire’ highlighting twenty of the worst covers for classical books. They’re so appallingly inappropriate you can only laugh 'til you cry.

The physical book, and covers in particular, can be problematic when “selling” a book to a child or teen.  Many books—particularly classics that had a dated look—were summarily rejected on that basis by my son, even though he loved to read. A musty or peculiar smell was another factor for rejection. Sometimes I was lucky enough to find an alternative edition of the book and present it at a later date, but usually once the judgement had been made—well, that was it. E-books circumvent this issue, as the cover art is rarely a consideration.

And that’s also the e-book shortfall when it comes to younger readers. The cover art is often that—art—and an engaging image, often a collation of story elements, imbeds itself in the memory along with the enjoyment of a  novel. Over recent years, I’ve given a great deal of thought to the pros and cons of the e-reader verses the physical book from the perspective of children and young adults, a topic I’ll explore another time as it's something of a digression from the topic of book covers.  

  Designing Book Covers

While the laughably inappropriate covers above are certainly poor examples of cover art, there are some beautiful and fanciful covers now decorating bookstore shelves. When creating a design that's engaging and attractive for the young adult market, a raft of considerations come into play. This interview with Tom Forget in the article, 'The Secret Lives of YA Cover Designers' provides some interesting insights.

When discussing this topic recently, Cereal Readers' Kara Smith nominated the book, 'Clockwork Princess' from the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare as one of her recent favourites, while I find the ethereal covers for the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Michelle Paver, both primitive and strangely moving.

Vintage book covers have their own unique appeal, often bundling our childhood memories into their bright illustrations—slipping us back in time as easily as those glossy jackets slide off the treasured hardbacks. A fond exploration of the tactile nature of vintage books and covers was recently the topic of a PaperPi blog. PaperPi pays homage to all things paper, highlighting its remarkable beauty and versatility.

Book covers. What started as a simple musing has become a delta of topics, too multifaceted to explore in just one post. For my colleague, Kara, book covers are a special subject indeed, and now she’s opened my eyes: there's a lot more to talk about! So, expect to see another blog or two on book covers in the not-too-distant future. If you have a particular cover—old or new—that says something special to you, please comment.

Marielle Rebbechi