I’ve been getting tons of questions recently—everything from “Should I go to the prom even though prom sucks?” to “Does my liking Taylor Swift make me not a feminist?” to “Can I get a copy of your new book Insatiable to review for my book site?” to “Is it true that blond girl from Life Unexpected is going to star in the Disney Channel movie of Avalon High?”
So here’s an all Question and Answer post to answer everyone at once!
Q: Is it true that blond girl from Life Unexpected is going to star in the Disney Channel movie of Avalon High?
A: Yes, it’s true! You can read about it here.
A few readers have pointed out that Britt is blonde, and that Ellie (in the book) is brunette.
Some of you may remember almost ten years ago the ruckus that was stirred when it was announced that a brunette would be playing the part of Mia (a character who is a blonde in the book version of The Princess Diaries).
Back then I was like, “You know what you guys? It’s not going to be EXACTLY like the book because it’s a movie and no movie can ever be EXACTLY like the book because they have to smush 300 pages of text into 90 pages (that’s one minute of screen time per page). Also, it’s someone else’s imagining of the story, not yours or mine. Let’s see how she can act. Give it a chance!”
And you did! And look how well that turned out (even if I’m still waiting for that Princess Diaries DVD and merchandising money. Oh, well).
So, thanks for looking out for me (and my characters). You guys completely rock my world.
But I think we should remember the message of Avalon High (and Runaway, and Princess Diaries, and uh, all my books, I guess), after all:
Never judge people by their looks. It’s who we are on the inside that matters!
Q: Should I go to Prom? The guy I liked asked someone else. Isn’t it going to suck if I don’t go with someone I like?
A: Yes, you should go to Prom! Prom would suck even if you went with the guy you liked. BECAUSE THE PROM SUCKS!
But it’s that very suckiness that’s going to be so hilarious when you go! It’s going to help you bond with your friends and come to terms with the fact that you’re all moving on with your lives (even if you’re not graduating).
BECAUSE THE PROM BY ITS VERY NATURE IS LAME.
That’s why you have to go. Making fun of the prom while you’re there is what makes it so fun.
Going to the prom with someone with whom you’re romantically involved really only works out in books and movies (in my experience). Because in reality, your date will (most likely) only do something to disappoint you, such as throw up, pass out, or (in my case) announce that he has to go home to paint his dad’s ceiling (do not even ask).
But twenty years later you will still be emailing your friends going, “OMG remember Prom? It was so funny.”
Trust me.
Q: Will there be a sequel to Runaway?
A: A lot of you have been asking this! Right now there’s no new book with those characters planned. I’m already deep into my new YA series, Abandon, the first book of which will be out next spring.
Reading between the lines, I kind of wonder if it isn’t a sequel to Runaway some of you want, since all of the plot lines got resolved at the end, as much as more sexy stuff between some of the characters?
It’s kind of hard to do that in YA.
Which leads me to:
Q: When will there be another Insatiable excerpt released?
A: If you’ve signed up for my Author Tracker, today! There’s some awesome new desktop wallpaper, too. Click here if you didn’t receive it yet.
And check the Insatiable page for a major makeover, coming soon!
Q: What are you watching on TV now?
A: Oh, wow, so much. Nurse Jackie, Justified (so glad it got renewed for another season), Modern Family, 30 Rock, Parks and Rec (I LOVE this show), Jimmy Fallon, Sex and the City re-runs on TBS (can’t wait for the movie. Does Carrie get kidnapped by Aidan in the desert? Because that’s what it looks like judging by the trailer), How I Met Your Mother, 24 (I seriously don’t know why I watch this show. I don’t want to. But it’s like I have to. I wanted Jack Bauer to put that vibrating underwear from The Ugly Truth on Dana Walsh so badly), The Middle, Glee (obviously), Ruby (shut up, I love Ruby), and this show called Jerseylicious on Style that’s become my new ‘Oh, no, she did not’ train wreck show (I’m not alone. The New York Times has declared that America is fascinated with New Jersey).
No, this isn’t Snooki from Jersey Shore! This is Tracy and Olivia, they’re on Jerseylicious! Tracy and Olivia actually work for a living. Well, maybe not Tracy anymore.
I gave up on the New York City Housewives when it became clear Jill and Bethenny were never going to stop fighting. This just makes me too sad. I know it’s a “reality show” so they can’t MAKE these women be friends, but I’m already sad enough as it is about the giant oil slick coming to kill all the sea turtles and dolphins in Key West. I don’t need a reality show adding to my grief.
DO YOU HEAR THAT, YOU HOUSEWIFE BYOTCHES? STOP FIGHTING. THINK ABOUT THE SEA TURTLES!
Q: When will the Mediator books be re-released with those new covers in the US?
A: Sorry, they won’t! The Mediator series isn’t being re-released in the US. This is just a UK thing from my UK publisher.
If you want to grab copies of the Mediator with the new covers across the pond, you can easily do so by jumping over to Amazon UK here!
The US publisher of my 1-800-Where-R-You books is giving those a rebranding, though, and they’ll be available here in the US in September under the new title of Vanished!
Cool, huh?
Q: I like Taylor Swift, but all these websites say I shouldn’t, because she’s anti-feminist. I want to be a feminist, but not if it means I have to stop liking Taylor Swift. What should I do?
A: It’s getting harder and harder to be a feminist these days. Every time you turn around, someone somewhere is saying something you like is “anti-feminist”: Romances! High heels! Lipstick! Shaving! Sex and the City! Boys! Taylor Swift! Tacos!
But don’t worry. Part of being a feminist is doing what you believe in your heart is right (like Lucy Burns, who suffered hunger strikes, imprisonment, and the force feeding of worms just so we girls could have the right to vote).
And sometimes doing what you believe is right means liking something (or someone) and not caring what anyone else has to say about it.
Lucy in her prison cell, where the police hung her for days by her arms so people like you and me and Snooki could dance around in our underwear to Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga after a hard day of being the primary breadwinner (even though we still earn only 78 cents for every dollar a man earns) without being arrested.
Feminists, can we please, for this new decade, focus on what’s important? The definition of the word feminist is someone who believes women should have the same social, economic, and political rights as men.
I fail to see how Taylor Swift is actively working to undermine legislation in these areas.
Q: Where can I get an Advanced Reader Copy of Insatiable to review on my site?
A: If you have a book review site and haven’t yet received a copy of Insatiable but want one, we have a VERY limited quantity left. Email me with your snail mail address and a link to your site, and we’ll try to get back to you.
Now watch this. Then go dance with your friends at Prom to Taylor Swift:
More later.
Much love,
Meg
