Guest Post and Giveaway with Liz Coley

Liz Coley

Liz Coley's short fiction has appeared in Cosmos magazine and speculative fiction anthologies. This is her first novel for teens. With a background in science, Liz follows her interest in understanding "the way we work" down many interesting roads.

Liz lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, her teenaged daughter, a snoring dog, and a limping old cat. When she's not involved in writing-related activities, she can be found sewing, baking, shooting photos, playing tennis, and singing.

Books

Pretty Girl-13 (2013)

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Scenes from a Life – Breaking Curfew

by Liz Coley

I'll begin by admitting that aside from never picking up my room, doing my own laundry, making my own bed, or helping with yard work, I was basically a good kid. I babysat my younger siblings for ten cents an hour. I got good grades. I didn't test my parent's patience very often. By the time I got to high school, I had never been grounded or had a privilege taken away. There was nothing to rebel against.

In tenth grade, a mixed bunch of us ranging from ninth to eleventh grade created a motley social group that started meeting on weekend nights down at the beach. There were a few unrequited crushes going around, but no one in the group was dating anyone else. No one was sneaking off for sex. No one was drinking, at least not in this gathering. It was an amazingly innocent group of kids who gathered around a fire ring and hung out to talk. Afterwards, we'd go back to one person's house within walking distance and, if we were in a mischievous mood, make prank phone calls involving no obscenities. Remarkably innocent.

I had no official curfew, but on the other hand, I had no driver's license. I usually had to call my parents for pick-up. On one particular evening, we'd lost track of time. It was about midnight when the doorbell rang. "It's for you, Liz," the host boy called out. My blood ran cold when I realized the time. At the front door stood my mom in her blue bathrobe and slippers.

Everyone saw.

"Time to come home," she said patiently. She didn't scold me. She didn't ground me. She didn't need to. Message received. And there was still nothing to rebel against. A brilliant tactic.

Epilogue: Thirty five years later (this past weekend, to be exact), I was at a high school reunion and EVERYONE in the group remembered my mom showing up in her pajamas as vividly as I.

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⚡ LIGHTNING ROUND! ⚡

Your book in five words: "Even her secrets have secrets."

Last book read: Between Silk and Cyanide by Leo Marks.

Three closest things to you: My fireplace, my laptop, my husband.

Favorite chocolate/candy: Rolos (YUM!)

Movie that you think everyone should see: Groundhog Day (definitely one that I have to watch!)

Your dream job when you were younger: Astronaut

Team _____: Peeta (woot!)

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Oh my gosh, yikes! That does sound PRETTY embarrassing :/ Oh well, I've done some pretty embarrassing things myself which I still cringe just thinking about. 
Thank you so much to Liz Coley for the fabulous story for Books That Glow 2013, and for answering the short lightning round questions! You should totally check out her book, Pretty Girl-13. AH-MAH-ZING. Here's a little bit about it:

Reminiscent of the Elizabeth Smart case, Pretty Girl-13 is a disturbing and powerful psychological mystery about a girl who must piece together the story of her kidnapping and captivity.

Angie Chapman was thirteen years old when she ventured into the woods alone on a Girl Scouts camping trip. Now she's returned home…only to find that it's three years later and she's sixteen-or at least that's what everyone tells her.

What happened to the past three years of her life?

Angie doesn't know.

But there are people who do — people who could tell Angie every detail of her forgotten time, if only they weren't locked inside her mind. With a tremendous amount of courage, Angie embarks on a journey to discover the fragments of her personality, otherwise known as her "alters." As she unearths more and more about her past, she discovers a terrifying secret and must decide: When you remember things you wish you could forget, do you destroy the parts of yourself that are responsible?

Liz Coley's alarming and fascinating psychological mystery is a disturbing - and ultimately empowering page-turner about accepting our whole selves, and the healing power of courage, hope, and love.

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Thanks to Liz Coley, you guys can win the ARC that we used to review Pretty Girl-13! And did I mention it's SIGNED?!?!

The Rules:

• Open internationally!
• This giveaway ends on the 19th of April, 2013.
• The winner must reply within 48 hours or another winner shall be picked.
• We are not responsible for any lost/damaged packages.

Enter in the Rafflecopter below:

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