Dear Teen Me Blog Tour

November 02, 2012

I'm excited to be hosting DEAR TEEN ME anthology today!

This collection of essays, by YA authors to their teen selves, was edited by E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally.

My YA Books Central review:

http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/13609-dear-teen-me-authors-write-letters-to-their-teen-selves

A teaser of my review:

Each letter is sure to resonate with readers. Some are hilarious while others make you want to give the author a hug. Each author's courage to share with readers their own teen years might make you want to write your own letters or even reach out to those that did help you on your path.

Dear Teen Me started off as a blog at www.dearteenme.com

Teen me:

A couple of my own letters are on that site as well. One letter talks about how libraries were a savior to me when I was a teen:

http://dearteenme.com/?p=3142

A teaser from that letter:

Once inside the library, you’ll feel a special warmth that will chase away any negativity from the outside world. The gloominess of the Sacramento weather will be replaced with bright sunlight that will radiate through you. You’ll crave this light and will know that the library will never let you down.

In fact, it’ll be your salvation.

Within the stacks, you’ll find such books as FOREVER by Judy Blume. This book doesn’t speak down to you just because you’re a teen but rather the author will show her understanding of your questions of so-called forbidden topics. You’ll devour this book and others by her like chocolate and go back for more.

Richard Peck’s book DON’T LOOK AND IT WON’T HURT will show you that others get the pain that comes from not fitting in.

THE OUTSIDERS by S.E. Hinton is another book that you’ll read a number of times.

You’ll even check out more controversial books that you know are banned in your school library or deeply frowned on. One such book, GO ASK ALICE, deals with a girl and her drug use. Though you don’t use, you can relate with Alice’s pain. Another book you can’t help but sneak a peek at is JAY’S JOURNAL, which deals with a boy’s fascination with witchcraft.

These messages of hope, understanding, and courage will carry you through the bad moments at both school and even home. You’ll hide a flashlight under your pillow so you can read all night. Your grandfather will tease you that you’re a chip off the old block. After all didn’t your one relative write Tarzan?

Reading will also encourage you to do your own writing. Sure, some of your short stories will come off sounding like cheesy After School Special episodes. Yes, you’ll brush your stories off as being bad, but keep writing. This is your way of dealing with your own pain in a constructive way.

You’ll also write lots and lots of poetry. You’ll find that you can write down all your emotions without fear of being judged. Keep this up as later these poems will help you touch others who, believe it or not, are suffering just like you.

Another fun addition in the anthology is a Q and A section. I thought it would be fun to add my own answers to some of the questions.

**Who was your celebrity crush?

David Cassidy. I had a life sized poster by my bed that I kissed both morning and night.

**What Was Your Most Embarrassing Moment?

At my high school graduation, when this one guy I used to think of as just a friend, decided to land a wet kiss right on my mouth. Worse yet? He did it in front of my father! Uh, talk about bad timing.

**What Was Your First Job?

When I was seventeen, I lied about my age(I told the supervisor I was eighteen) and worked as a telemarketer selling coupon booklets.

More info on Dear Teen Me:

Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves. (Zest Books, October 30, 2012, $14.99; ISBN 978-1-9369762-1-8) edited by Miranda Kenneally and E. Kristin Anderson. Zest Books, a leading publisher of nonfiction for young adult readers, is distributed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It is available wherever books are sold!

2) Dear Teen Me blog tour hub URLs, featuring tour schedule links, Dear Teen Me events and more:

Zest Books website: http://zestbooks.net/dear-teen-me-blog-tour/

Dear Teen Me website: http://dearteenme.com/?page_id=4031

Dear Teen Me events page: http://zestbooks.net/events/

Zest Books Dear Teen Me book page: http://zestbooks.net/dear-teen-me/