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Thursday, June 17, 2010

Playing Favorites with Sydney Salter

It has been said that playing favorites isn't nice, but sometimes it's impossible not to! Join me weekly at The Hiding Spot as I share a favorite author... and the author shares a few favorite things of their own.
SYDNEY SALTER

Genre: Contemporary YA
Books:

Sydney Salter writes YA novels that masquarade as light beach reads, but are actually amazing coming-of-age stories that both entertain and inspire.

MY FAVORITES

Novel: Swoon at Your Own Risk
I loved this novel for two main reasons: the boys and the message. I was boy crazy through most of high school - okay, so maybe I still am - so Polly's fear of being boyfriendless and unliked was extremely easy to relate to. I appreciated that Salter could write a novel where the girl gets the guy and figures out who she is (without a boy). It's the best of both worlds.

Character: Polly
You know how sometimes you meet someone and you don't really click, but then later they become one of your best friends or favorite people? That basically describes my experience with Polly. She was standoffish at the beginning of the novel, but she quickly grew on me!


Quote: "'He's so into you,' Sonnet said. 'Do you see the way he stares? And he's always writing stuff in that little notebook. Probably odes to his Fair Polly.'

'I'm sure it's just a grocery list or something. I think he uses a lot of hair product.'"

There are so many great quotes in SWOON, but I think they have a more powerful impact when read in the context of the rest of the novel. This quote, however, is both funny and demonstrates Polly's use of sarcasm and humor to hide from truths she doesn't want to acknowledge. It says a lot about the main character, plus her comebacks are generally hilarious!

THE FAVORITE FAVORS


Food: Hamburger.
I’ve eaten my share of gourmet meals, but it’s always the hamburgers I remember most. Ah, the rosemary aioli on the Five Napkin Burger in New York, that tasty bacon burger at The Galley on Lopez Island, Washington… Nothing beats a great burger.


Quote: “A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.” –Anthony Trollope.

Trollope’s words remind me to keep working diligently toward my goals—even if I only manage to write a hundred words, I’m still that much closer to finishing. This quote also reminds me to take the long view of things, and not expect too much of myself too soon.

Animal: Turtles.
Okay, so I’m sensing a theme here. I like turtles because they remind me that slow and steady wins the race. But they also remind me to have a hard shell when it comes to criticism and all the failure that comes along with creative work. (I collect small turtle and tortoise figurines—and have two pet Russian tortoises.)

Holiday: Halloween.
Confession: I trick-or-treated until I was twenty-two, technically for charity (we sang spooky carols)—but I never turned down a Reese’s Cup. Now I host an annual Witches Luncheon; we go all out with our costumes and descend upon a local restaurant. At night, I delight in handing out excessive amounts of chocolate to the neighborhood kids—and teens know to come late when I’m extra generous with my fistfuls of candy!

Number: 17.
I loved being seventeen, I love seventeen year olds, and I especially love writing about seventeen year olds.


For more information about Sydney and her novels
check out the links below:

34 comments:

  1. Who could ever turn down a Reese's cup?!?!?!

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  2. I adored Sydney's first book. Why haven't I picked this one up yet? *makes mental note*

    Also that Witches Luncheon sounds like the BEST EVER. I love people who are into Halloween. :D

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  3. I met Syndey @ an SCBWI conference earlier this year. She brought her binder of rejection letters, 200+ deep. My jaw dropped to the ground.

    I loved her candor, energy, straight talk. She's awesomesauce.

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  4. I love Halloween, too!! I still have not read Sydney's first book and I can't wait to get my hands on this!

    Sydney sounds like a wonderful person!

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  5. I have only read about Reece cups neverhad them! I have not read Sydney's first book either but would love to be able to read this one.

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  6. I love Halloween too! it's a shame it's not so popular in my country.
    Loved the Swoon quote! Sounds like a fun read :D

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  7. What's a Reese's cup?

    We don't have Halloween here, but I'm sure it's a really fun holiday. I wish I could have gone trick-or-treating when I was younger.

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  8. I loved reading this!! It was so much fun. I can't wait to read her books, she is a new to me author. I look forward to reading her books.

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

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  9. YAY! Turtles are my fav animal too! Love this post

    -Lauren G. (bookaholic117)

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  10. I'm with you about the hamburgers, yummy,and I have a friend that collect small turtle figurines too XD

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  11. Ah, she likes Reese’s Cup, but I hate them! I liked her reasoning for liking the turtle!

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  12. Haha her favorite number is close to mine - 16!

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  13. Reese's Cups are the one thing I ask friends to bring me from the US and I can even remember which friend introduced me to this delight.

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  14. I love hamburgers. Don't think I could live without them...:P. And I've never tried a Reece's Cup. I feel like I've missed out on an experience!

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  15. People who don't like Reese's cups are insane o.o

    Reese's cups are part of your LIFE EXPIERENCE!

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  16. I would love to read that book. It sounds like fun!
    I love hamburgers too...I could practically live on them

    mishamary@gmail.com

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  17. I adore turtles too. Had them as pets when I was a kid thus developing a fondness for them.

    And I would so love to attend a Witches Luncheon one day!

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  18. I haven't ever read one book of Syden Salter, in Spain (it's where I live) I haven'r seen any book of her, so I have to buy it through the internet...
    The quotes are great! and the turtles are nice! But I prefer dogs :)

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  19. Hum... Sydney is a new author to me lol I havent read her first book but I'd luv to read this one, it looks like its going to be funny and interesting.

    Turtles are really cute, my aunt owns like five of them, I love to see them swim

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  20. That quote is so encouraging and inspirational.
    She likes turtles? That is so sweet!

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  21. Book sounds good !

    If you love turtles, I hope you return home to your birthplace to breed as well ?

    LOL

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

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  22. This sounds like a fun book to read. Thanks for the review.

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

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  23. I really loved the first part under novel: " I appreciated that Salter could write a novel where the girl gets the guy and figures out who she is (without a boy). It's the best of both worlds." I sure hope that happens to me someday!!

    angela z

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  24. Yum! Reese cups are delicious!! I've never heard of Swoon at Your Own Risk before but I think I'll pick it up soon. It seems really good!

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  25. Aiish! I always wanted to celebrate Halloween, 'cause I always seen it in the films... ^^

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  26. Polly sounds like an amazing character.

    I liked the comparison to the turtle-that's very true.

    Nice!

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  27. Burgers are bomb! And I love Halloween! Loads of fun! :)

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  28. Man, now I want a hamburger.

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  29. Loved this! Uh-oh she'd probably be out to get me though since I've never even eaten a hamburger ever before. :P

    And I liked your quote, it was funny!

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  30. What an inspiring read! ^^ I love the analogy on the turtles about being slow and steady winning the race and having a hard shell when it comes to criticism. It's a great life lesson we could relate to and apply in our daily lives. Kudos to you! c:

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  31. What a great new feature! :-D)

    Mmm.. that hamburger sounded so delicious, my mouth watered just reading about it :-D

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  32. This sounds a fun book! One that I would enjoy!! Thanks for the great review!

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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  33. First, you made me hungry! And second, 17 is also my fave number. lol

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