It is that time of year...again! Events and places where teens, authors and books meet! For many booknerds and readers alike, we attend many book festivals and author events all over the United States. I am absolutely thrilled to be part of this blog tour for this event! And...I get to host one of the amazing authors that will also be in attendance! You'll find out who I'm hosting soon...after discussing some details about this fun event! And, of course, at the end of sharing all this exciting and fun information, there is an awesome Blog Tour GIVEAWAY...at the end of this post! So... Follow the tour and get to know all the authors before meeting them on March 3rd!
Well, this coming March 2018, the City of Ontario will be holding their 8th Annual Ontario Teen Book Fest featuring various bestselling YA authors. Booknerds and fans of all ages are welcome to attend!
The event will be filled with a series of panels, break-out sessions, and keynote presentations! So, don't miss this fun-filled day of books and authors. Come and hang out with all these awesome authors and fellow booknerds alike!!!
When:
March 3, 2018, Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Where:
Colony High School
3850 E. Riverside Drive
Ontario, California 91761
Did I mention that to attend is absolutely FREE and it is NOT ticketed!
Ontario's Teen Book Fest is completely FREE to attend!
For more information on the Ontario Teen Book Fest, go to:
Sponsored by:
*Books and other stuff will be available for purchase during the event*
FREE lunch will be provided by:
Feel free to share this event on your social media!!! Use hashtag #ontariotbf
Join us as we celebrate teens and books with an amazing lineup of authors! And, of course, there will be signings as well! Yay! To celebrate this upcoming and exciting event, we are having a blog tour spotlighting each of these amazing authors!
Blog Tour Schedule:
February 19th:
Spotlight on Jennifer Brody - What a Nerd Girl Says
Spotlight on Abdi Nazemian - Read Now Sleep Later
February 20th:
Spotlight on Anthony Breznican - Starkiller Reads
Spotlight on Lilliam Rivera - Movies, Shows, & Books
February 21st:
Spotlight on Jessica Cluess - The Readers Antidote
Spotlight on Cindy Pon - My Fangirl Chronicles
February 22nd:
Spotlight on Ellen Hopkins (Keynote Speaker) - Germ Magazine
February 23rd:
Spotlight on Aditi Khorana - Nite Lite Book Reviews
Spotlight on Mary Pearson - Adventures of a Book Junkie
February 24th:
Spotlight on Emily Ziff Griffin - Nite Lite Book Reviews
Spotlight on Brandy Colbert - Read Now Sleep Later
February 25th:
Spotlight on Josephine Angelini (Keynote Speaker) - The Readers Antidote
February 26th:
Spotlight on Isabel Quintero - What a Nerd Girl Says
Spotlight on Amy Spalding - My Fangirl Chronicles
February 27th:
Spotlight on Jonathan Maberry - Seeking Bazinga
Spotlight on Jeff Garvin (Keynote Speaker) - Movies, Shows, & Books
February 28th:
Spotlight on Ava Dellaira - Book Lovers Book Reviews
Spotlight on Kim Turrisi - Starkiller Reads
March 1st:
Spotlight o Jessica Brody - Adventures of a Book Junkie
March 2nd:
Spotlight on Robin Benway - What a Nerd Girl Says
Spotlight on Lindsey Summers - Seeking Bazinga
Today, I have the great pleasure to spotlight this amazing award-winning author, Jeff Garvin! Plus, he is also one of the three Keynote speakers for this year's event! So... Let's find out more about Jeff... shall we!?!
**About the Author**
While studying at Chapman University, Jeff won awards for classical guitar and visual storytelling before graduating with a BFA in Film. As the front man of his rock band, 7k, Garvin released three albums and toured the United States. When the band dissolved in 2011, Jeff, who had always written short stories and lyrics, found his passion in full-length fiction.
His debut novel, Symptoms of Being Human, tells the story of Riley, a 16-year-old gender fluid teen who starts an anonymous blog to deal with hostility from classmates and tension at home. But when the blog goes viral, a storm of media attention threatens Riley's anonymity. The novel is an ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection, a Lambda Literary Award Finalist, and garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly. It is available now from Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins.
Jeff lives in Southern California with his wife, children, dog, cats, and a respectable collection of books and guitars.
source
Stay connected with Jeff Garvin
Jeff's Book:
(cover links to Goodreads)
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Praise for Symptoms of Being Human
"Garvin's novel is one of the first YA books to deal with the complex issue of gender fluidity...Riley's emotional life and personal growth shed welcome light on a hitherto obscure subject." ~ ⭐Booklist (starred review)
"...A smart, funny, sharp-eyed force. The knowledge [Garvin] imparts buoys this rewarding story." ~ ⭐Publishers Weekely (starred review)
"Vibrantly imagined...a welcome mirror for genter-fluid teens." ~ Kirkus Reviews
"Jeff Garvin has written a gorgeously crafted story with a complex, fascinating, and intensely real lead who I know will stay with me for a long time. Riley is a character who's deeply needed in young adult fiction, and this book is a beautiful new addition to the queer YA canon." ~ Robin Talley, New York Times Bestselling author of Lies We Tell Ourselves and What We Left Behind
"A moving portrayal of what it means to be different, yet the same, all at once. Jeff Garvin has written a beautifully thoughtful book." ~ Renée Ahdieh, New York Times Bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn
"With a main character who truly deserves to be called unique, combined with heartbreak and triumphs that are universal, this unforgettable book made me laugh, and also cry. Garvin's powerful new voice rocks!" ~ Lissa Price, international bestselling author of Starters
"Riley Cavanaugh is a sharp, funny, powerful voice for those who haven't quite found theirs yet. Both highly entertaining and highly necessary, Symptoms is the kind of book that makes you a better human for having read it. I loved it." ~ Dahlia Adler, author of Under the Lights and Just Visiting
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Now that we know a bit about Jeff Garvin and his book, let's get to the interview! Let's get to know him more... on a personal level... Shall we!?!
*Interview with Jeff Garvin*
When and/or How did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always worked in the arts, first as an actor, then as a musician. I wrote short stories and lyrics in high school and screenplays in college—but back then, I never thought of myself as a capital W Writer. When I quit touring with my rock band in 2011, it was time to reinvent myself. I found a list of all the things I’d ever wanted to be when I grew up: Singer, Actor, Astronaut, Novelist. I’d done the first two, and the third required more education than I wanted to pursue. So, I checked out a copy of Stephen King’s On Writing from the library and did the exercises he prescribed. I enjoyed the work so much, I wrote some short stories. I loved doing that, so I took on NaNoWriMo. Once I typed “THE END” for the first time, I was hooked. I just kept writing novels. And now, here we are, having this conversation on the internet.
When your book got published, where were you and what were you doing and/or what was your reaction?
I was at my job as the Director of Sales for a guitar company. I stepped outside to take a call from my agent, who was walking down Broadway in Manhattan at the time. When she told me Balzer and Bray had made an offer on the book, we shared a bicoastal celebratory squee! and probably scared the people around us.
Are any (or all) your characters based on any person(s) in your life or even yourself?
All my characters are pieces of me—I’m not sure there’s any other way to write. I relate to Riley’s alienation and anxiety, but I also share to Solo’s joie de vivre and Bec’s sarcasm (and Sierra’s bitterness, for that matter.) I didn’t get along well in high school, and I tapped into that angst while writing Riley’s blog posts. Symptoms contains most of the things I’d like to say to the @#$% who picked on me. Especially the Apostrophe Rant™.
If you could do a writing collaboration with any author (living or dead), who would it be?
I would love to write a song with Danny Elfman, Sting, or Elvis Costello. I would jump at the chance to co-write a screenplay with The Wachowskis or Charlie Kaufman. I’m not ready to collaborate on a novel yet; I’m still figuring out how to write alone.
What writing process works for you?
The more I write, the more I learn that the process is fluid. The only consistent feature is that I sit down every day at the same time and face the blank page.
Books come in various formats (ex. hardcover, paperback, audiobook, ebook, etc.), which format do you prefer when reading? Why?
I buy e-books when I need to save money, or when I’m going to take lots of material on a trip—but there’s just no substitute for a hardcover book. That new book scent. The heft of it. The anticipation as the clump of pages beyond the bookmark grows thinner and thinner. I’m a big audiobook fan, too. I always have one on my phone.
What are you doing when you're not writing?
I co-host a podcast about storytelling called The Hero’s Journey (http://herosjourneypodcast.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Read The War of Art, On Writing, The Writer’s Journey, and do NaNoWriMo at least once.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
Paris is my favorite city in the world; the air itself tastes like art. Delicious, buttery art. New York City is my second home, and I try to visit once a year. Ireland and Scotland are on my bucket list; I want to see where my ancestors lived.
OMG! Wow! There you have it booknerds/fangirls! We found out a little bit more, personal, about this amazing author, Jeff Garvin! Be sure to come out and hear him speak... 9:30AM sharp!
Thank you Jeff for taking time from your busy schedule for this interview!
***The Giveaway***
Note: Not Responsible for Lost & Damaged Prizes in Your Mail Box
Blog Tour Organized by
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