Wednesday, 22 April 2009

Reader's Snapshot - Jennifer Echols

Jennifer Echols was an author I discovered through the wonders of In My Mailbox. I ordered Boys Next Door first (J.Echols is a rare find on Australian shelves) and I proceeded to madly grab the rest straight after. She's my YA crack.

Jenn's been kind enough (whilst mocking my Australian spelling) to allow me hit her with the PSnark Reader's Snapshot. Take it away....

Which book is memorable from your teen years?
The Beginning Place by Ursula K. Le Guin. I happened upon it in a used bookstore. It’s a YA fantasy allegory, not a genre I would normally enjoy, but the gorgeous writing on the first page hooked me. It’s a great story and sooooo unexpectedly sexy. I think I have gone through three copies.

Describe your high school English teacher in three words...
Calm little firecracker.

She was this tiny woman who somehow had enormous control over even the wildest ninth grade boys in the room. She made us keep creative journals in which we could write diary entries, poems, or short stories. That got me in the habit of writing every day.

Your book of the moment?
I’m reading When It Happens by Susane Colasanti, and Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing by David Morrell, the author of Rambo. I am not kidding. But he gets very upset when you call his novel Rambo. It’s actually called First Blood.

What do you use to mark your page when reading?
I have a collection of bookmarks my son has made me at school. If not one of those, the library receipt. If not that, I am one of those horrible people who fold down pages! I am sorry.

Favourite place to read?
On my screened porch, which is on the second story and surrounded by trees, so it’s like being in a treehouse.

Favourite word?
Ubiquitous.

Favourite book store?
It closed! Oxford Bookstore in Atlanta was one of those stores crammed to the brim with books and art and weird trinkets. You could probably buy any book there--it was just a matter of finding it. It was definitely a store for the browser. My mom would take me there and we’d spend hours there every time we went to Atlanta.

Character you wish you had created?
Poor Quentin from The Sound and the Fury. But if I had created him, he would have lived happily ever after.

Bonus Question - Best Mariah Carey song?
“Touch My Body” from the Going Too Far soundtrack, of course! (You can find the whole soundtrack here: http://jennifer-echols.com/goingtoofarchapter.html.)

My review for Going Too Far can be found here. Jenn will be back tomorrow with an interview that covers getting John After's digits!

4 comments:

Rosemary Clement-Moore said...

I am a HUGE fan of Jenn Echols. "Major Crush" isn't just one of my favorite YA romances. It's one of my favorite romances, period. Great characters, great sexual tension, wonderful story.

Though I can say the same thing about "Boys Next Door" and *definitely* about "Going Too Far." I must come back tomorrow and find out how more about John After. I loves him.

Natalie Hatch said...

Great post Adele, Jenn good to see you here.

susan said...

Great post. Definitely has me hooked to come back tomorrow. I saw post elsewhere about Highway To Hell and was interested in getting my hands on it. I'm sure the interview will keep it on the front burner for me.

H said...

I haven't read the Boys Next Door yet, but I want to after Going Too Far. I loved it!