My special guest today is New Zealander, Sara Hantz. According to Sara’s bio she didn’t like school because it was boring and she liked to disrupt lessons. Just a little snippet to entice you to visit her website and learn more. 
She’s always been a reader, and luckily for us she’s turned into a writer. Her first book THE SECOND VIRGINITY OF SUZY GREEN is a wonderful read.
Today Sara is giving away a copy of THE SECOND VIRGINITY OF SUZY GREEN. Details of how to enter the contest are at the end of the post.
I was very excited when Shelley asked me to be her guest blogger. That lasted for about one minute, then I suddenly thought help this is a grown up blog and she’ll be expecting some sort of grown up post. Then I thought, I know, I’ll post about how I found myself writing for teens and why I love doing it.
Before writing for teens I wrote chick lit. I noticed many authors I admired starting to write fiction for young adults, and after attempting to persuade all of my critique partners to try it, I finally decided I would try instead. And it turned out to be a perfect fit. I love reading young adult fiction, and many of my favorite movies are for teens, such as: Ice Princess (my new fav), Clueless, Mean Girls, Freaky Friday…. Also, I’ve spent many years around teens, from when I was lecturing, and do have a couple myself (my son especially has given me many ideas, thanks to his exploits). In fact, looking back, I’m surprised I didn’t start sooner.
Added into the mix is that despite my age (and we’re not going there) I don’t feel a lot different from when I was a teen. Maybe a little wiser… but I still find myself getting excited by the same things I did when I was younger… like vacations, going out, fav TV programs, going to San Fran to the RWA conference (okay, I didn’t really go to the RWA conference when I was younger, I just wanted to mention it because it’s featuring large, as in HUGE, on my radar at the moment. In fact I can think of nothing else… mainly which clothes to wear – more important than which workshops to attend??? Hmmmmm it’s close).
Anyway, thanks so much Shelley for inviting me. It’s been fun.
Finally, in my book The Second Virginity of Suzy Green, Suzy lies about being a virgin (actually, strictly speaking she doesn’t lie because no one asks her outright, they just assume she is). So, a copy of my book is up for grabs for the person who, in the comments, tells me their funniest lie story.
Related posts:
July 9th, 2008 at 12:51 am · Link
Sara I don’t feel much different now than I did when I was a teen either!!! I still lie about the same thing too – basically my age. I used to add a few years back then so I could get into the X rated movies (Saturday Night Fever!!!) and now I knock a few off because – well, just because! (oh and I also knock a few years off my kids ages too since they’re getting far too old now!)
July 9th, 2008 at 3:16 am · Link
I’ll tell you my most recent lie story ;)
I was staying with a friend and they left me their car while they were at work. The car was very dirty so I offered to wash it for them and when they left for work, they also left out a bucket and sponge.
Being no fool, I took the car to the car wash while I was out running a few errands.
My friends were very impressed when they got back and were going on and on about what a great job I did. I went along with it at first – though I couldn’t believe they didn’t notice that neither the driveway or the bucket was wet! I finally told them the truth and we all got a big laugh out of it.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:07 am · Link
Hi Sara, your book sounds wonderful! I too, try to keep feeling young whatever way I can, whether it be play wrestling with my husband and son who like to gang up on the only girl, or going to the drive thru with my husband once a month to make out in the back seat. And I love reading YA books, just like I did when I was younger!
Oh, I LOVE lying about my age, mostly because it works. I can usually pass for at least eighteen, and that makes me feel good!
Thanks for visiting!
July 9th, 2008 at 8:24 am · Link
Funniest lie… The most recent one I can remember is what I told my parents I was doing when they called. I said the reason I didn’t pick up was because I was upstairs doing a diaper change — when in reality, my hubby & I were taking advantage of the fact that our son had gone to bed early… (*ahem*)
~Lindy
July 9th, 2008 at 12:15 pm · Link
Christina, I remember when young paying half fare on the bus (children’s) and then blagging my way into an X rated movie!!!
Jenyfer….. I’m impressed by your ingenuity!
J K Coi…. wrestling???? OMG!
Lindy… you have take advantage of those quiet times when you can!
July 9th, 2008 at 1:56 pm · Link
Hi Sara,
Welcome! Lies. It’s funny – ever since I posted this for you I’ve been trying to think of something I’ve done. I think most people do the white lie thing or what Suzy did and lie by omission. Basically I’m an honest person. I’m off for a coffee and to do some editing away from distractions. I’ll try and think of something and come back.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:16 pm · Link
Hi Sara,
Lol.I’d have RWA on the brain too if I were going :D
You had me reminicing about my teen years. I had a friend sleeping over one night and she forgot something at her house.My parents were pretty cool and let me drive with only a permit.So we leave the house in our PJs and on our way to her house we run out of gas. A policeman comes to help us,asks for my License(which I don’t have one and didn’t even have my permit since we let the house in PJs and no purses) I tell him I left it at home. He turns out to be a cool cop and tows us to the gas station,has us call my parents to bring us gas money. It was embarassing , but me and my girlfriend still laugh at the experience.
Hugs, Danette
July 9th, 2008 at 3:16 pm · Link
Great blog, Sara and Shelley. Sounds like a fun read. Wishing you many sales, Sara.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:34 pm · Link
This wasn’t really a funny lie other than I’m sure my face looked real funny afterwards. It did teach me a lesson, however. There was a corner store just up the road from us that my dad used to buy his cigarettes. Since we were regular customers, the storekeeper knew us and occasionally my parents would send one of us kids up with money to get him a pack of cigarettes. The store owner handed them over no questions asked. When I was about 13 or 14, my friends and I had the bright idea to pool our money & send me up to get a pack (lying by pretending they were for my dad) so we could try smoking. After a few puffs on the first one, I have truly never desired to smoke again. If you want to discourage your kids from smoking, make sure when they experiment that the brand they try is Lucky Strikes. Uggh. Nasty.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:20 pm · Link
Danette…. you were really lucky!!!
Thanks, Sandra,
Cheryl S….. I’ll remember the name!
July 10th, 2008 at 3:52 am · Link
Cheryl – I’m staying far away from those Lucky Strikes!
I still haven’t thought of a good lie, but I’m very naughty about eating all the chocolate and blaming it on someone else.
July 10th, 2008 at 2:18 pm · Link
I’m a day late as it is and still can’t think of a good lie. Especially from when I was younger. The only ones I can think of now are the little white ones to my daughter (she’s 3) like the ice cream store isn’t open yet, she’d eat it for every meal if she could, but so wouldn’t we all? Or the time we thought she was asleep and walked in on mommy and daddy “wrestling”. Wishing you many sales Cheryl!
July 11th, 2008 at 1:18 pm · Link
WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
The winner is Jenyfer Matthews with her car washing lie.
Congratulations, Jenyfer. I’ll email you very soon.
And everyone else – come back next Wednesday to meet another guest and enter in another giveaway.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:01 pm · Link
Congrats Jenyfer!
Hugs, Danette
July 15th, 2008 at 12:27 pm · Link
July 15th, 2008 at 3:05 pm · Link
Lori – that was quick thinking! I would have stuttered and stammered and gone terribly red in the face.