Blog Tour Interview: Summer Days & Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories by Stephanie Perkins

Today I'm participating in the blog tour for Stephanie Perkins latest anthology Summer Days and Summer Nights!  We are all HUGE fans of Ms. Perkins and it is an absolute honor to have her on the blog today!

1. In the first anthology, I thought the overarching theme was hope. How does Summer Days and Summer Nights compare?
That’s a wonderful interpretation, and it’s apt for these stories, too. I wanted the two anthologies to feel connected, and the easiest way to do that—when you have so many different authors and genres—is through theme. So we have love, and we have hope.
Several characters in both anthologies are actually going through some pretty dark times, which surprises some of our readers, but I think hope often shines the brightest out of darkness. It’s important to show both sides of it.

2. On your blog you say that there’s a little bit of you in each of your characters. Does this typically help or hinder the editing/revision process?
This is such an interesting question! I don’t have a satisfying answer—it’s probably both, with a slight edge to helping. Putting more of myself into the characters usually (though not always) leads to more honesty in my writing, which is the ultimate goal: to tell the truest version of each story that I can.

3. How do you come up with the names for your characters?
North and Marigold both have purposeful, plot-related names. North’s parents are the proud owners of a Christmas tree farm, so he and his siblings were all cursed with Christmas-themed names—Nicholas, Noelle, and North (as in North Pole). And Marigold Moon Ling was raised alone by her very independent, Chinese-American, hippie mother. So she has a hippie name to match.

4. What can we expect to see from you next? Are there any plans of releasing a new full-length novel soon?
My next novel is a teen slasher, which hopefully (if I finish it on time!) will be published next year. I’m having such a blast writing in the horror genre. And it’s honestly not as big of a departure as it seems. There’s still an attractive boy, an intriguing setting, and quippy friends. It just also contains a lot of murder.


Summer Days & Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories by Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: May 17th, 2016
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin's
Purchase: Amazon

Maybe it's the long, lazy days, or maybe it's the heat making everyone a little bit crazy. Whatever the reason, summer is the perfect time for love to bloom. Summer Days & Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories, written by twelve bestselling young adult writers and edited by the international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins, will have you dreaming of sunset strolls by the lake. So set out your beach chair and grab your sunglasses. You have twelve reasons this summer to soak up the sun and fall in love.

Featuring stories by Leigh Bardugo, Francesca Lia Block, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Brandy Colbert, Tim Federle, Lev Grossman, Nina LaCour, Stephanie Perkins, Veronica Roth, Jon Skovron, and Jennifer E. Smith.

About the Editor

 

Stephanie Perkins has always worked with books—first as a bookseller, then as a librarian, and now as a novelist. She's the author of the international bestsellers Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door, as well as Isla and the Happily Ever After. My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories is her first anthology. Stephanie and her husband live in the mountains of North Carolina.

“This title is a sizzling must-have that will be too hot to keep on shelves.”

-STARRED School Library Journal

“An intelligent beach read with heart, soul, and sizzle.”

-STARRED Kirkus Review

“Offering a sampling of many different genres, bright and distinct narrative voices, and a generous portion of tender moments, this book has something for everyone who has loved or longs for it.”

-STARRED Publishers Weekly

“These stories are perfect for a lazy day at the beach or a hot summer night.”

-Romantic Times Reviews

“Yep, this one’s a beach read, so throw it in in the bag in its well-earned spot between the sunblock and the sandals.”

- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Holiday Spotlight!

Every holiday season I try and read at least one Christmas story, this year I am having a bit of trouble finding just the right story since my romance meter is at full capacity.  I have been searching and searching for days, but then something magical happened!  The wonderful people at St. Martins sent me a copy of My True Love Gave to Me by Stephanie Perkins!  My knew my search was over after opening this amazing package!  I have always been a fan of Ms. Perkins and I know if anybody can pull me out of my romance funk it is her!  This book though not only showcases the talented Perkins it also includes stories by Gayle Forman, Laini Taylor, and Kiersten White and so many more!  If you haven't checked this book out then you really need to!  This looks like the perfect holiday read and I will definitely cozy up to my warm fire...well okay I'm in Texas so I'll cozy up to my air conditioner with a light blanket and settle in for some holiday true love stories!

My True Love Gave to Me by Stephanie Perkins, Holly Black, Ally Carter, Matt de la Pena, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link , Myra McEntire, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor, Kiersten White
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: October 14th, 2014
Purchase: Amazon

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or New Year's there's something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love.

 

Teaser Tuesday #79, My True Love Gave To Me

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME
Twelve Holiday Stories Edited by Stephanie Perkins

Published: October 14, 2014 by St. Martin's Press



Blurb:
If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.

Teaser #1 from ebook page 9/260

"I kept your tie safe," she said, and held out a red silk necktie. He'd been dancing on the coffee table when he threw it at her. 
"Thank you," he said, taking it and slinging it around his neck. "That was a good catch--but I was actually trying to lure you out onto the dance floor."
"That was a coffee table, Noel."
"There was room for two, Margaret."

Teaser #2 from page 13/260

"It's our last chance to dance together!" he said. "It's our senior year!"
"We have months left to dance," Mags said, stopping at the food table to get a mini quiche.
Noel walked down the couch, stepped onto the coffee table, then stretched one long leg out as far as he could to make it onto the love seat next to Mags. 
"They're playing our song," he said.
"They're playing 'Baby Got Back,'" Mags said.
Noel grinned.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks! 

Review: Isla and The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins

Published August 14, 2014

Publisher: Dutton

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

My Thoughts

LOVE.LOVE.LOVE!! 

Worth every second of the wait! Yes, I have been pining for Isla and The Happily Ever After for close to three long years, but as Stephanie Perkins proves… perfection shouldn’t be rushed. It was absolute bliss re-living what reading a Perkins book does to me… I had the goofiest smile on my face for most of the book… I giggled like a little girl… I gasped liked a love struck teenager… and I just about broke down in tears during certain moments of heartbreak. I.FELT.IT.ALL!!

Thank you Stephanie Perkins for going through hell and high water to deliver this book to your fans. I understand the road to publishing Isla and The Happily Ever After was not easy, but to feel the effort and heart you put into this book made the reading experience even more meaningful. Again... Thank you.

In this latest Perkins novel, we get the pleasure of traveling back to Paris to experience Isla Martin (pronounced eye-LA) and Josh Wasserstein’s senior years at SOAP, School of America in Paris. Isla has had a huge crush on Josh for three years, and a chance meeting in Manhattan prior to the school year starting puts these two characters on each other’s radar. When they begin to explore a relationship, several obstacles fall in their paths, and a happily ever after becomes more and more unlikely.

One of the things I enjoy most about Perkins’s writing is her ability to transport her readers into the time and place of her characters. Having never been to Paris, Perkins makes the journey seamless. I can literally picture the streets of Paris, the scenery of Spain, the cafes, parks, architecture and balconies that were in the novel. It was amazing!

In addition, Isla and Josh were an absolute perfect pair! I loved their features, flaws and faux paus… That’s the beauty of Perkins’s writing. She creates her characters with a meticulous blend of flawless and imperfect, which makes them both relatable and appealing. You get to see that in all of her characters because each one brings a characteristic that is unique and immediately likable. What's even more exciting is that we get to re-visit with some of our previous faves including Etienne, Anna, Lola and Cricket. Having them in this novel was a fun surprise!

The drama in the book was steady and peaked at precise moments, which makes the reader feel completely connected to the characters. I enjoyoed how steadily we were able to fall in love with Isla and Josh before we experienced their heartbreak. Most of all, I loved the feeling of accomplishment and self-discovery each of them realized throughout the novel.

Overall, I have to say that Isla and The Happily Ever Afterwill probably land as my favorite YA Contemporary novel for 2014. But no surprise… Stephanie Perkins has always been able to put a smile on my face when I need it most. Gorgeous book that filled with heart!

5 Snowflakes

Teaser Tuesday, #73 Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...


Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss, #3) by Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton
Publication date: August 14, 2014

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.


Quotes taken from ebook:

I wish he would look at me the way that he looks at his subjects. Because he'd see there's more to me than shy, just like I see there's more to him than slacker.

Josh smiles. He unbuttons my coat, places his fingers against my collarbone, and fishes out my necklace from below my dress.
It's incredibly sexy.
He holds up the compass. "Then we'll find the Right Way."

 PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks! 

Upcoming Release: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories (Anthology)

How did I not know this book would be coming out?? It has some of my favorite authors!! Well be sure to add this to your TBR so you don't miss out on what I'm sure will be some Holiday fun!!

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

Authors:  Stephanie Perkins (editor), Holly Black, Ally Carter, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Matt de la Pena, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor, Kiersten White
Expected Publication: October 14, 2014

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Preorder: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.

Teaser Tuesday, #39

 

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...
 

 

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Publication Date: December 2, 2010

Publisher: Dutton

 

Quotes from pages 142 & 255

"I like you," he says.
My body goes rigid.
"And I don't mean as a friend."

Etienne. My feet trip in three syllables. E-ti-enne, E-ti-enne, E-ti-enne. his name coats my tongue like melting chocolate. He is so beautiful, so perfect.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

Waiting on Wednesday, #33

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on.

Here's my selection for this week... 

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
Publisher: Dutton

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

I've been a fan of Perkins since her first book Anna and the French Kiss came out. My love for her writing because even more fierce after reading Lola and the Boy Next Door. So it's no surprise that I'm pining for Isla and the Happily Every After pretty badly. I can't wait for this book to hit the stands! Love.love.love her books!

Sooo, what book are you waiting on???

Review & Giveaway: Anna and the French Kiss & Lola and the Boy Next by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Published: December 2, 2010

Publisher: Dutton Books

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss??

My Thoughts

Anna and the French Kiss was an absolute hit. It immediately took top rank in my fave YA romance, chicky-type lit reads and there was absolutely no doubt I’ll be reading this book every year over and over again. The blokes and blokettes were loveable, the storyline was perfect, and the light romance was a thing of shear beauty. I could go on an on about how much this book made me feel light hearted and happy… just plain ole happy, but you’re just going to have to experience it for yourself.

In this book, Anna is shipped off to SOAP, School of America in Paris by her Nicholas Sparky-type author dad; and she’s absoltuely homesick, lost and insecure as she doesn’t speak a lick of French. Along comes the best crew of characters and not only befriend Anna, but drag her out of her dorm to experience the city of Paris and all of its wonders. As the book progresses, Anna and St. Clair develop a lovey type friendship that they eventually must acknowledge, but not without some messy sitches along the way.

My favorite scenes in the book: Anna and St. Clair’s tour of the city, their Turkey dinner in Paris, yelling down the halls and stairwell during the holiday, sleepovers, multiple trips to the cinema, the flight home, the emails back and forth, the New Year’s telephone call, Whyareyougivingawaythecookies?, the banana bead, Pablo Neruda poetry book... I love Neruda! Gah! I could go on and on, so let’s just say I loved it all.

St. Clair was absolute perfection, yummier than a fluffy croissant. Anna was adorably awesome and flawed, the type of girl that you’d love to pinch her cheeks and run like hell. Together, their story was full of enjoyable moments that reminded me how sporadically awesome it was to be a teenager. Loved it!!! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Do I recommend it?? Ummm bloody hell yeah!

5 Snowflakes

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Published: September 29, 2011

Publisher: Dutton Books

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.
When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

My Thoughts

♥ ♥ ♥ ABSOLUTELY CRUSH-WORTHY♥ ♥ ♥

HOLY CRICKET!! I absolutely fell in love with Lola and the Boy Next Door! I’m not denying it, I have a HUGE crush on this book. Stephanie Perkins, without a doubt did it again.

In this story, Lola, a budding designer with a quirky sense of style, has her world turned upside down when her old neighbors, the Bells, move back into their San Francisco Victorian home. It's been two years since she's seen the Bell twins; and her last encounter with Cricket was a hard lesson that crushes hurt like hell. Well this time around Lola is determined not to fall for him again. Why should she? She's older, more confident, has a sexy rocker boyfriend, it's all good... right? WRONG!

Lola and Cricket had me smiling like an absolute dork the entire time. There was no way I could have read this book in public because I swear I was making some laugh-at-me faces. I just adore Perkins' style of delivering a slow building romance that blends perfectly with the flow of the entire story. As a reader, you can't help but fall into the storyline and ultimately resist the coming of the final chapters. It's the type of book you want to continue for endless chapters.

There were parts of the story that reminded me of Pretty in Pink with Lola's quirky style and hand-made costumes. Cricket was pretty amazing too in the fashion department. These two made a perfect pair. Also, it was such a pleasure to have Anna and Etienne be a part of this novel. If you fell for Etienne in Anna and the French Kiss...watch out! You’ll swoon for him even harder in this book.

As always, the writing was sharp, the characters were flawed to perfection, and the storyline was one that will have you smiling and sighing with love.

5 Snowflakes

And now for a giveaway!! WinterHaven Books is offering one lucky follower a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Anna and the French Kiss! Simply fill out the rafflecopter and share a thoughtful comment about the books, author or reviews. Good luck!

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