Cool, another girlfriend tour! Today, Jennifer Echols is joining us in the beauty shop! Jenn is the author of The Boys Next Door, about a teen who pretends to date the boy next door to catch his older brother, her childhood crush.
Welcome, Jenn! Grab some coffee, get comfy in the beautician’s chair, and let’s get down to the gossip.
When’s the last time you’ve treated yourself to a manicure?
I’ve had one manicure in my life. My husband treated me to a spa day when I was preggers.
Ever had a major hair or salon disaster?
In high school my hair was a much lighter blond, and one summer it turned green in the pool. Getting the green out was a major three-hour undertaking involving chlorine removal plus a reddish wash to counteract the green. I felt pretty.
What kind of hairstyle did you have in high school?
The style at the time was wings, which my hair would not do, and then spider bangs, which my hair would not do either. I’m still waiting for baby-fine flat hair to become the rage. My day is coming, I can feel it.
Time for your “Hypothetical Questions of the Week!”
HQ #1: TV execs are offering you a spot on a new reality show for writers. Do you say yes? If so, how would you be portrayed? (i.e. the boss, whiner, bore, paranoid-wreck, etc.?)
I would be the obsessive-compulsive boss who means well and everyone makes fun of, like Monica on Friends.
HQ #2: Paparazzi are stalking you, looking for shots of odd things authors do while writing. What do they catch you doing, hmm?
They catch me pacing and talking to myself, acting out the difficult parts of the story.
HQ #3: If you followed the career path you chose for yourself in high school, what would you be doing for a living now?
I would be a high school band director, and I would also compose music for marching band. Music education and composition were my double-majors in college before I switched into English. My first book, Major Crush, celebrates my love for the marching band.
The Lightening Round—no more than two words per answer!
Do you . . .
Outline or wing it? Outline.
Talk about works-in-progress, or keep your trap shut? Trap shut.
Sell by proposal or completed draft? Completed draft.
Love to edit or cringe at the thought? Love to edit.
Prefer writing a new book or marketing the old? New book.
Write better at home or in a coffee shop? Coffee shop.
Read your released book or no thanks, I’ve read it enough? No thanks.
And finally, what’s your favorite . . .
Time to write? 4:30 a.m.
Movie? French Kiss.
Book? Pride and Prejudice.
Author? Jane Austen.
Song? “That’s the Way of the World” by Earth, Wind & Fire.
Pair of shoes? Nike Air running shoes.
Guiltiest pleasure? YA romance novels!
Line from a movie? “We are the knights who say….ni!”
Thanks, Jenn, for stopping by, and best of luck with you latest release!
Speaking of which, here’s the full scoop on Jennifer and her novel . . .
THE BOYS NEXT DOOR
Lori has spent every summer on the lake, swimming and wakeboarding with the three boys next door, and working at the boys’ family marina. Lori is close to Adam, the “baby” of the family, who’s her age. But secretly, she’s always had a thing for the middle brother, Sean. And this summer, Sean actually seems to be—dare she think it—flirting with her. She figures he’s only being nice because they’re like family, since he’s not into younger girls. Until he steals Adam’s (even younger) girlfriend.
Lori and Adam team up to get Adam’s girlfriend back, and to get Sean for Lori. But then Lori begins to notice ADAM. He’s grown taller. More mature. And Lori thinks Adam is interested in her, too. And that’s when their ploy finally works. Adam gets his girlfriend back, and Lori gets Sean. The right couples are finally in place, and everything should be smooth sailing. So what’s with all the waves?
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Jennifer Echols is the author of the National Readers Choice Award-winning Major Crush, about a high school pageant queen turned band geek in a small southern town. Boy in Blue, about a rebellious teen who is sentence to accompany a police officer on his night shift patrol—and falls for him, will be published by MTV Books in February 2009. Growing up on beautiful Lake Martin in Alabama, Jennifer learned to water-ski when she was five (wakeboarding wasn’t invented yet). She now lives high and dry with her husband and son in Birmingham. Visit her on the web at www.jennifer-echols.com.
Have a great one!
