Please Welcome Meredith Zeitlin!
Meredith was kind enough to stop by today to dish about cute snarky guys and the best school play scene ever, among other very important topics.
Q: Which one of your characters would you most want to kiss?
A: Oh, definitely Ben. He's so snarky and sure of himself... and he has those twinkly dark eyes...
Q: Which one of your characters do you most want to slap or give a verbal tongue lashing to?
A: There are a few contenders, but I think Julie Nelson is the winner. She's always nasty for no good reason and could use a major takedown. (I'd also wax her scary eyebrows while I was at it – which would be both very nice of me and satisfying at the same time.)
Q: If you were transported into your book, which scene would you most want to reenact?
A: I'd have to pick the final performance of the school play, but I'd want to be an audience member so I could watch and enjoy (insert evil laughter here). I certainly wouldn't want to be one of the actors!
Q: Which one of your character’s brains would you want to pick the most?
A: These are hard questions! I think... Lexi's. She's the kind of girl I desperately wanted to be when I was fourteen (and still do, sometimes) and never was. It'd be interesting to see what really goes on in her head - what it feels like to be perfect (or have everyone think you are, anyway).
Q: Which scene do you think will surprise readers the most?
A: Hmmm... maybe the Halloween party? Or the Foreign Scarves concert... Kelsey ends up getting some big surprises in those scenes, and hopefully readers will be imagining themselves in her shoes.
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give your main character?
A: Not to take things so seriously, because it's all gonna work out okay. Well... sort of.
Readers should add FRESHMAN YEAR & OTHER UNNATURAL DISASTERS to their To Be Read list if they like...
Books about:
Embarrassing families, high school hijinks, soccer seasons, theatre geekdom, first kisses, prom nightmares, changing friendships, evil upperclassmen, NYC, funny misadventures
Books/movies like:
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, Pretty In Pink, The Princess Diaries, anything Judy Blume
Main characters like:
Angela Chase (My So-Called Life), Georgia Nicholson, Margaret Simon, Clary Fray, Samantha Baker (16 Candles)
Romantic leads like:
Patrick Verona (10 Things I Hate About You), Jace Wayland
Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.
Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.
Kelsey’s hilarious commentary throughout her disastrous freshman year will have you laughing out loud—while being thankful that you’re not in her shoes, of course…
Author bio:
Meredith Zeitlin is a writer and voiceover artist who lives in Brooklyn with two adorable feline roommates. She also writes a column for Ladygunn Magazine, changes her hair color every few months, and has many fancy pairs of spectacles.
In case you're wondering whether any of Kelsey's experiences are based on Meredith's own, the answer is NO WAY. When she was fourteen, Meredith looked and behaved perfectly at all times, was never in a single embarrassing situation, and always rode to school on her very own unicorn.
Thank you so much for stopping by, Meredith!
Meredith is so spot on with the Patrick Verona (10 Things I Hate About You) and Jace Wayland comparisons!
As for all of Meredith's other responses, it's like she's reading my mind! I totally want to pick Lexi's brain (I love her!), wax Julie's eyebrows (ugh, hate her!), and kiss Ben (so swoony!). And that school play? Funniest. Scene. EVER. I had to put my book down for a minute just so I could sit an laugh at the mental image Meredith created.
Have you read Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters?
How would you answer these questions?
(Remember, no spoilers please!)
How would you answer these questions?
(Remember, no spoilers please!)
Wonderful interview! XD And my answers would be the same at all the questions except on who i will want to slap, which for me would be Cass :p I wanted to strangle her..maybe because i had the same behavior from a friend once?XD
ReplyDeleteI loved the book ^^ Reviewed it myself just yesterday! And Meredith said is planning one more book so yay!
uuuurrgh totally forgot about Cass--yes! I wanted to slap her so much!
DeleteYay for another book! I can't wait to read more of her humor. I'm so hopping over to check out your review :)
Simply lovely interview! I've read another interview with Meredith recently, and isn't she just brilliant?! Because I'm in the UK I'm having to import this book and so the waiting game starts to read it....
ReplyDeleteShe is! I just read a guest post she wrote and it was hilarious.
DeleteYou know, I never thought about waxing eyebrows as a punishment, but now, it seems quite fitting, doesn't it? *LOL* And if the romantic lead is reminiscent of Patrick FRIGGIN Verona, then sign me up IMMEDIATELY!
ReplyDelete— Asher
hehehe totally fitting :P Painful AND a public service.
DeleteIt doesn't get much better than Patrick Verona *swoon* I have to say, even without the romantic singing, Freshman Year's guy is pretty darn close to the Patrick Verona mark. :)
I got this book from the publisher and I can't wait to read it. I'm really craving for a funny book so hopefully that will satisfy it. Meredith listed some of my favorite movies, tv shows, and books so that's an awesome sign. Great interview, Smalls!
ReplyDeleteI hope you like it! I was snickering and laughing throughout the whole book. Kelsey's "voice" is hilarious.
DeleteGreat interview! I'm really excited to read this book. It sounds so sweet.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll like it! It's a very sweet, funny contemporary.
DeleteYou had me at Patrick Verona!LOL
ReplyDeleteActually, I'm reading this soon, at least I hope!
Thanks for the interview :D
I think you'll like it! I can't wait to read your review and compare notes :)
DeleteThanks to everyone for stopping by! I'm hoping the book will get released in the UK - sorry you have to wait. Hmmm... should I go rewatch "10 Things..." now? :)
ReplyDeleteI think this interview is the perfect excuse to rewatch 10 Things :D Thank you again!
DeleteI would answer exactly like Meredith did! I so wanted to wax those eyebrows!! I kept seeing them every time Julie's name came up! Seriously everyone, this is the funniest book ever! That play scene, to die for. I had to go splash water on my eyes I was crying so hard from laughing. I loved this book!
ReplyDeleteHeather
I loved My So-Called Life! Anyway, I'd probably read this book just because there's a Halloween party in it. I like the cover. It's super cute :)
ReplyDeletePerfect answers! Loved the questions too! I loved this book so much that it was the first one I recommended when a mother at the bookstore wanted recs for her daughter who's a freshman. This is one I'll read over and over again!
ReplyDelete