Thursday, March 26, 2009

Cynthia Leitich Smith

Cynthia Leitich Smith's books include Jingle Dancer (Morrow, 2000), Rain Is Not My Indian Name (HarperCollins, 2001), Indian Shoes (HarperCollins, 2002), and two YA gothic fantasy novels, Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008) and Eternal (Candlewick, 2009).

Earlier this week I asked her what she was reading. Her reply:
Ellen Jensen Abbott's debut novel Watersmeet (Marshall Cavendish) is the story of an outcast on the road with a rather cranky dwarf, looking for her lost past and a better future. This is fast-paced journey to the self is gorgeously written, set in a violent and diverse fantasy world, and filled with prejudice and hope.

What girl hasn't hated how she looks? At first glance, you'd never imagine that of Terra Cooper, what with her long legs and lovely blonde hair. But a "flaw" on her face breaks that image of perfection and, worst of all, damages the way she sees herself. Author Justina Chen Headley's books are infused with heart, substance, and, with subtly, social conscience. In this latest, North of Beautiful (Little, Brown), her many starred reviews come as no surprise.

Elizabeth Scott is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers, possessing great range and a willingness to lead readers into even the most heart-wrenching of stories. In Love You, Hate You, Miss You (Harper), Amy blames herself for her best friend Julia's death. To begin healing, she must discover who she is on her own and come to terms with what really happened. This spring, the talented author also offers a lighter love story, Something Maybe (Simon Pulse).
Kathi Appelt on Eternal:
I am so glad that I read this book, told in alternating voices: a teenaged vampiress and her fallen guardian angel. Romance, sorrow, longing ... lots of longing ... all lead up to a story of redemption in the darkest place imaginable, the soul. The writing here is compelling, scary, sexy, making for a read that cannot be put down.
Read an excerpt from Eternal and view the trailer.

Visit Cynthia Leitich Smith's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue