High Praise for Lobster Press YA Novels!

Posing as Ashley, They Called Me Red, and Tin Angel. Critics agree, these three outstanding novels for teen readers are worthy of praise! Here's the latest buzz...

Posing as Ashley - Kimberly Joy Peters
A positive review of Posing as Ashley will appear in the November issue of School Library Journal. The review hails Peters' realistic depiction of various contemporary issues that many teens face today. It goes on to say, "with the same sincerity as Painting Caitlyn, Peters captures the fragility of the teenage soul and creates an honest character in Ashley. Situations such as her parents' divorce, her mom's illness, and a broken heart will resonate with many teens."

Posing as Ashley was also recently reviewed in CM: Canadian Review of Materials, and asserts that "not unlike her companion novel, Painting Caitlyn, [Peters' latest work] is destined to be a popular pick amongst teen girls and will likely hold great appeal for reluctant readers with its focus on modeling." The main character, Ashley, is seen as "an immediately likable protagonist... [who] will resonate with many readers." For the full review, click here.

They Called Me Red - Christina Kilbourne
The October issue of Quill & Quire includes a rave review of They Called Me Red. Reviewer, Sarah Jessop, notes that the plot "...although fictional, could easily have been plucked from today's headlines. Told with compassion and delicacy, the novel centres on a boy who is changed forever after he's sold into the global sex trade." Regarding the novel's subject matter, Jessop clarifies that "Kilbourne artfully depicts the horrors of forced child prostitution without resorting to disturbing specifics. The plot moves at a heart-pounding pace sure to appeal to young adult readers, and yet Kilbourne manages to imbue her characters with both depth and humanity."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials gave They Called Me Red four out of four stars. The review says that "...the best books deal not just with entertainment, but also education, and this is where Kilbourne stands apart from others... she enlightens her readers on facts of life that, while they could be ignored, are important to deal with in terms of our global community... This is a message of both determination and hope which teens need to hear." For the full review, click here.

Tin Angel - Shannon Cowan
Named one of the "Best Books of the Year" by Quill & Quire in 2007, Tin Angel continues receiving praise! This groundbreaking YA novel has been Shortlisted for the Canadian Children's Book Centre's Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People. This award, established in memory of the respected historian and children's author, Geoffrey Bilson, is given annually to the Canadian author of an outstanding work of historical fiction for young people. The winner will be chosen on November 9, 2008.

Tin Angel's nomination received mentions in the Vancouver Sun, the Montreal Gazette, and the Parksville Qualicum Beach News (one of B.C.'s daily community newspapers).

Please join us in congratulating these incredibly talented YA authors!

Interview: Jeremy Vallerand Climbs Mountain to Combat Human Trafficking

Christina Kilbourne's powerful forthcoming novel They Called me Red* addresses issues of trafficking and the exploitation of children. Working with Christina's book has greatly increased our awareness of this devastating issue, so when we discovered Climb for Captive's innovative efforts to combat human trafficking, we knew we had to tell more people about it. On July 4th, a team of six climbers will set out for the summit of Mt. Rainier with the hope of earning $14,410 to combat human trafficking - a dollar for each vertical foot of the mountain. You can help Climb for Captives reach its goal by donating through their web-site.

We spoke to Jeremy Vallerand, who will make the steep climb up Mt. Rainier, to learn more about what motivated this group of six to celebrate United States' Independence Day on the top of a mountain.

1. What inspired you and your team to climb a mountain to combat human trafficking?

A few months ago I had the opportunity to spend some time in Mumbai/Bombay India with an organization that works in the Red Light District trying to rescue children out of the brothels. I saw first hand how terrible the suffering is for the victims and I realized that the ones who are affected the most by Human Trafficking are children. When I heard that a majority of the girls were kidnapped and forced into prostitution before the age of 13 my heart completely broke and I knew that when I got back home to Seattle, WA, I would have to do something about it.

I started talking to a group of my friends about the issue of human trafficking and we began brainstorming ways that we could make a difference. It seemed natural to do something on July 4th since that is the day our nation celebrates its independence and so Climb for Captives was born. What better way to celebrate our Independence Day, our freedom, than to fight for those who can't fight for themselves.

2. Can you tell us more about the current state of domestic and international human trafficking?

It's pretty overwhelming to look at the numbers related to human trafficking both domestically and abroad. To give you a brief snapshot, UNICEF estimates that there are 2 million children exploited in the commercial sex trade every year. I don't even know how to imagine that number… 2,000,000. I do know that there are only four cities in the US with a population over 2 million and only 2 cities in Canada. That means that every year the number of children that are forced into the sex trade is greater than the entire population of Seattle, or San Francisco, or Ottawa. In fact, you would have to add the total population of those three cities together just to equal 2 million.

The good news domestically is that people are starting to become aware of the issue. In Seattle, where I live, the police department has formed a Human Trafficking Task force to focus specifically on this issue and other cities are following suit. According to most estimates, there are over 100,000 children in the US that are victims of commercial sexual exploitation and 20,000 more are being trafficked in every year. Though the numbers seem overwhelming, I really believe that we can make a difference…in fact, I believe we already are.

3. How long will it take to climb Mt. Rainier?

Mt. Rainier is the most glaciated volcano in the contiguous United States. At 14,410 feet the mountain is full of challenges that force over 50% of all climbers to turn back before the summit. Our group of six is hoping to climb to the summit in two or three days depending on the weather and the snow conditions. Altitude sickness is also a major factor for a lot of climbers so there is no guarantee that we will all make it to the summit.

4. How will Climb for Captives donate the funds it collects?

Climb for Captives is donating 100% of the funds received to the Home Foundation, a non-profit charitable foundation dedicated to the eradication of human trafficking both domestically and abroad, and all of the donations are tax deductible. I recently met singer/songwriter Natalie Grant who started The Home Foundation and was very impressed by the work they are doing and by the way they use their resources. If people are interested in contributing to the Climb for Captives they can do so via our website at www.climbforcaptives.com. They can also email us any questions they have at summit@climbforcaptives.com.




*Christine Kilbourne's They Called Me Red will be released in Fall 2008. Her novel Dear Jo: The story of losing Leah...and searching for hope was shortlisted for the Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Awards in 2007 and has received praiseworthy reviews from School Library Journal, Montreal Review of Books, and more. Read a review of Dear Jo by The Literary Word to learn more.

INTERVIEW with PATRICIA G. PENNY, author of the NOT JUST PROMS & PARTIES series

Patricia G. Penny's NOT JUST PROMS & PARTIES series has received recognition for its appeal to teen readers. Focusing on contemporary themes that go beyond "proms & parties", the books are the perfect package for any teen girl looking for a quick but realistic and intelligent read. What compelled Penny to write stories that resonate with young adults? Keep reading after a synopsis of Penny's latest novel, Emily's Rebellion, to find out!

Emily has a mind of her own, a flair for defying her mother, and can’t resist getting a tattoo or dating Jeremy, a guy with a bad reputation – especially because she is forbidden to do both. When her grandmother asks her to house-sit, Emily jumps at the chance to throw a party, and makes sure to invite her new boyfriend's buddies. By the end of the night, her grandmother's jewelry is missing, and all fingers point to Jeremy.

Determined to clear his name, Emily starts digging to uncover the thief's identity, and in the process learns that her brooding boyfriend has more than his share of problems. Add to this the fact that Emily's parents are in the middle of a difficult separation, and that her brother has a gambling problem, and Emily realizes she needs to stop causing trouble and start helping the people around her.

You have written five books now as part of the ‘Not Just Proms and Parties’ series. What is the significance of this series title for you?

The title reflects the incongruity of being a teen. Teens have valid reason for sometimes feeling as though they are on an emotional roller coaster. First love, first peer pressure, first time away from home – all intense, character building experiences that must be juggled with the demands of school, part-time jobs, and extra-curricular activities. Luckily life as a teen does involve proms and parties but despite the friendships and wonderful times, it also requires some tough decision-making.

The heroines of your previous books in the series have all been different and their problems have been unique – yet they are similar in their struggle to find happiness. How are Emily’s experiences in Emily’s Rebellion different from and similar to your other heroines?

In all of the books there is a common thread of the main character trying to deal with relationships – Chelsea (Chelsea’s Ride) through manipulation, Rica (Rica’s Summer) through trying too hard to fit in, and Belinda (Belinda’s Obsession) through an obsessiveness that interferes with her already challenging love life. Karin (Karins’ Dilemma) is somewhat different in that she is trying to ignore her instincts and maintain a civil relationship with her mother’s new boyfriend, a selfless but ultimately dangerous thing to do.

In Emily’s Rebellion, Emily is facing changes and challenges in all of her relationships. Her parents have split up and now her mother is a pain, her BFF starts dating her older brother Frankie, her brother is becoming someone she hardly knows, and her new boyfriend seems to have more problems than she wants to admit . Her grandmother is her best ally, but Emily puts even that relationship on the line when she betrays her trust. Poor Emily has a lot to deal with!

Emily is much more rebellious than your other heroines. Why did you choose to write about rebellion and what do you think is the significance of rebellion in the lives of teenagers?

Rebellion is a means of stretching, even breaking the limits, and isn’t that a big part of becoming an independent adult? A healthy questioning of authority can be the means to change and progress – after all, we would still believe the world is flat if someone hadn’t said “Oh yeah?” and sailed away to prove otherwise.

The rebellious teen sets out to prove something but may end up learning more than he bargained for. I want the reader to see that rules cannot be broken without a certain level of risk. That said, I don’t know of any teen who hasn’t broken a rule or two on their way to saying “This is me.” It’s how they deal with the aftermath of those experiences that helps them develop character. Emily is an example of that. She’s feisty, daring and, even though she may not always show it, fiercely loyal to her family. I think most girls will relate to her and to the relationship with her mother.

Your stories provide readers a rare glance at the difficulties that teenage girls face – you have covered such topics as spousal abuse for example. What inspired you to write stories about teenagers and especially such difficult subject matter?

Although I didn’t work directly with clients, I did work at the Children’s Aid Society for some years and was aware of the issues that brought children and families into contact with us. I also volunteered as a Big Sister at one time, and have taught young people in college on a part-time basis. Coupled with my own teen experiences and those of friends and their children, I have a wealth of material from which to draw. Just listening to teens at the mall or on the street has given me ideas to incorporate into my books. The subject matter isn’t difficult – it’s simply life.

As far as inspiration, I am constantly inspired by the energy, animation and angst that teens impart in everything they do. Who better to write for and about? I love them!

The 'Not Just Proms & Parties' series is an important resource for teenage girls struggling to understand themselves and their lives. Were there books in high school that helped you do the same?

I think we often read and absorb messages without necessarily recognizing why we connect with a particular character. I always escaped into a book, literally blocking out everything around me. Though lacking in self-confidence as a teen, I most admired strong, independent characters in the books I read – Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, Jo in Little Women – and this perhaps helped to shape the person I am today.

Interview with TONY VARRATO, author of FAKIE

Fakie by Tony Varrato

At first glance, Alex Miller seems like a typical kid – typical hair, typical clothes, typical hobbies. But Alex's life is anything but typical – and fitting in has become a matter of life and death. The unfortunate witness to a crime, Alex can't forget the things he has seen, and neither can the man he helped put in jail. The Witness Relocation Program has changed the identities of Alex and his mother repeatedly, but they still need to keep running to stay one step ahead of his enemies. His latest identity as a skateboarder in Virginia Beach is no easy ride – nosegrabs, ollies, and kickflips are all new to him. Alex has to catch on quickly to blend in – but the biggest trick he'll have to master is staying alive.

Nominated for the 2009 YALSA Quick Picks list, this short novel for reluctant readers has action, intrigue, and relatable teen characters. Author Tony Varrato is a high school English teacher who lives in Georgetown, Delaware. He is also the author of Outrage (High Interest Publishing), and connects with his readers through his website, tonyvarrato.com.

You can read a review of Fakie by Teens Read Too here.

Why did you choose to write a book for teenage boys, who typically don't do a lot of reading for pleasure?

I teach those teenage boys who don’t read for fun. In fact, they will rarely read at gunpoint. When I take them to the library to look for a book, their main requirement is that they want something short. They’ll grab The Stranger or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I know right away that they’ll never read it. The only way to get them to page two is to grab their interest on line one. My goal is to write brief, fast-paced stories that will hold their attention. They probably won’t turn into book worms, but they will learn more if they have some good experiences with books.

Though most of your potential readers will never face situations like Alex’s, it is clear that issues of identity and self-representation are central to being a teenager. In what ways do you feel your readers will relate to this story and see it as relevant to the challenges they confront?

I think most boys would like to walk out of their own identity and be someone else for a while. Unfortunately, there aren’t many opportunities to do that. The way others see a person will affect how they treat that person. In some aspect, all teens are image conscious. Even the kids who purposely defy popularity have given themselves an identity to maintain. As a consequence, they often feel comfortable acting only within that identity. I talk to a lot of people, and I’ve found very few who, on some level, don’t feel like a fake at some point. Understanding who you are involves understanding who you aren’t. In the story, Alex has had more practice than most people at finding out who he isn’t, but he must learn that lesson just as the reader must.

What inspired Alex Miller's story?

When I was teaching middle school, I taught a group of kids who met after school most days and jumped over cans and backpacks in the parking lot. These kids weren’t doing well in school because they didn’t care. But outside of school, our parking lot was a good place to jump off the sidewalk, and science books can make great ramps. I asked my friend Dave, the teacher who ran the student news broadcast, to video these guys and show them on the morning announcements. After the broadcast, those kids felt like stars. Their attitude was better, so they did better in school. So I thought about all the “No Skateboarding” signs posted everywhere. These kids weren’t delinquents; they just wanted to play their sport like football, basketball or any other team sport is allowed to do. In books and movies, those team sports members always had a chance to be stars and heroes. It was time for a skateboarding hero. I couldn’t be a super-powered hero story, or a book about a big skate competition. It needed to be a page-turner about a skateboarder with his life on the line. And most importantly, it couldn’t be too long, because these kids would rather be outside than reading a book.

Though Alex sees his need to continually re-invent himself as a burden, what kinds of advantages or freedoms might also accompany the ability to shed an old identity and start afresh?

I was the class clown in high school. That’s not a metaphor; look me up in my senior yearbook, and there I am, hanging upside down from the auditorium balcony with “Class Clown” under the picture. As a result, few people took me seriously. I remember when Mr. Mahler called my name on the first day of class. “Varrato! Stand up so I can get a look at you. I want to see who everybody’s been talking about.” Once you have a reputation of any sort, it’s hard for people to see you any other way.

When I made the move to college, I took the opportunity to be the person I wanted to be. I figured there were 15,000 people on campus who didn’t know me. I was no longer a prisoner of my reputation. The personality I presented at college was the only one those people would know. I scaled back the clowning a little and had serious talks sometimes. Sometimes. I can’t be too serious for too long. It’s not me. If I hold back my smart comments too long, I could do internal damage. I think it’s important to be yourself. It’s just that finding yourself sometimes takes a little time and experience and a little less trying to be like everyone else.

Where does your knowledge of skateboarding come from? Are you, like Alex’s teacher, Mr. Jackson, suspected of being a secret skate punk, “shredding on the handrails and the front stairs” when no one’s around?

I still have my skinny skateboard from the seventies. It was good for riding in a straight line and going around cones. It’s impossible to Ollie on that thing. There’s no traction. No one had a half-pipe when I was growing up, except one kid, and we weren’t friends. So I just did some street riding.

When I needed details for my story, I asked my students and looked on the internet.

How have your experiences as a high school teacher influenced you as an author?

I spend my time in the classroom getting to know the students. I don’t lecture, I discuss. I talk to the kids. Many come by before or after school just to talk. I learn about their lives. Understanding them helps me both in the classroom and in writing stories. I listen, I watch how they talk and interact. I want my characters to be real. So what better way than to base them on the over 2,000 students I’ve taught? It also doesn’t hurt to remember that I was a teen at one time. It’s hard not to feel like one again when you’re surrounded by them everyday.

Did you read novels outside of the classroom as a teen? If so, who were your favorite authors? And if not, what made you a reluctant reader?

I’ve always been a reader. I started in elementary school reading the Hardy Boys. I know what you’re thinking: “That’s pretty cliché.” But there were no action, boy stories in the seventies. So in like sixth grade I moved on to Alistair MacLean and Robert Ludlum. They had spies, assassins, and cool gadgets like pen guns. I was hooked. And thinking back, The Bourne Identity has always been my favorite book. Maybe that identity theme stuck in my brain and came out in Fakie.