2013 Debut Authors Bash: Kara Taylor

Thanks to YA Reads, we are part of the huge event of this year called Debut Authors Bash. What does this mean? A lot of authors and lots of fun stuff and giveaways!

Prep School Confidential (Prep School Confidential #1)
by Kara Taylor

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: July 30th, 2013
Review

In this breathtaking debut that reads like Gossip Girl crossed with Twin Peaks, a Queen Bee at a blue-blooded New England prep school stumbles into a murder mystery.

Anne Dowling practically runs her exclusive academy on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she accidentally burns part of it down and gets sent to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to make it back to New York, Anne couldn't care less about making friends at the preppy Wheatley School. That is, until her roommate Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school. 

When everyone else is oddly silent, Anne becomes determined to uncover the truth no matter how many rules she has to break to do it. With the help of Isabella’s twin brother Anthony, and a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.

Wicked Little Secrets (Prep School Confidential #2)
by Kara Taylor

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: March 4th, 2014

Anne Dowling becomes entangled in a web of secrets involving a missing student and a conspiracy at Wheatley Prep in this fast-paced, juicy follow-up to Prep School Confidential

Anne Dowling—a fresh, original, and funny new YA heroine whose knowing, irreverent voice will remind readers of Pretty Little Liars and Private—is back for her second semester at Wheatley Prep. Although things have settled (somewhat) since her roommate Isabella’s death, Anne's still kind of obsessed with the disappearance of Wheatley student Matthew Weaver thirty years ago, since she found a picture of him and his crewmates with the words “they killed him” scrawled on the back among Isabella’s things.

When Anne learns that her boyfriend Brent’s dad is one of the now-powerful Wheatley alumni who rowed crew with Matthew, and that the crew team continues to induct new members with a creepy-sounding ritual called “The Drop,” she knows further investigation could put her relationship with Brent in danger. Determined to discover the truth, she reaches out to Anthony, Isabella’s townie brother, who helps her delve deeper into the secrets in Wheatley’s past. Secrets someone would kill to keep hidden. As the school’s Spring Formal—and its notorious afterparty—approaches, Anne sees the perfect opportunity to do some off-campus digging into the lives of Wheatley’s VIPs in this thrilling, unputdownable read—but if she’s not careful, she’ll be the next student who never comes back.

Kara Taylor

KARA TAYLOR wrote PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL in her first semester of graduate school, in between pulling all nighters and listening to her dad say writing isn't a real job. Now, she lives on Long Island and writes full time.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Having a major plot epiphany and watching everything fall into place!

Game of Thrones

Almost Famous

Waking up late, taking my dog for a walk, reading a good book, and cooking with my fiancé.

American Girl by Tom Petty

Buffalo wings!

Peeta Mellark

Magic

Contemporary YA

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere.” Martin Luther King Jr.

Yes, you do need that new book!

Hello Kara, is an honor to have you in our blog! We have read Prep School Confidential, and we liked it so much! What was the most difficult thing about writing it? 

Making Anne likeable and easy to relate to was difficult at times! She has a wild streak and kind of does her own thing, and I didn’t want that to grate on people. But at the same time, she’s a typical teenager in that she’s not perfect and she makes a lot of mistakes. 

When Isabella died, it broke our heart. How did you feel when you "killed" Isabella? 

It broke my heart too! I knew from the beginning she had to be “killed off,” but as I started writing her and getting to know her, I really didn’t want to kill her! A lot of people tell me Isabella was their favorite character, even though she’s only in the book for a few chapters. 

We would love to see Prep School Confidential on the big screen, which famous (or not so famous)  actor/actress would you choose to give live to Anne, Anthony and Brent? 

Kaya Scodelario from Skins and Wuthering Heights is my dream Anne. For Brent, I have always pictured Darren Criss from Glee—a boy who is cute and swoonworthy without being a typical “alpha male”. For Anthony, I think Diego Boneta is so perfect. 

We heard Anthony will appear on the sequel of Prep School Confidential (YAY!). Could you tell us if we are going to see some Anthony-Anne love in it? 

That would be a spoiler! ;) But, I will say that if you are “Team Anthony,” you will not be disappointed by some of the things that happen at all. 

Can you tell us a little about the sequel of Prep School Confidential, Wicked Little Secrets? 

In WICKED LITTLE SECRETS, Anne investigates the disappearance of Matt Weaver after finding a crucial clue about what may have happened to him. But when she learns Brent’s father may have been involved, she questions whether or not some ghosts should stay in the past.

Win (1) Prep School Confidential swag pack with signed bookmarks, skull tattoos, etc. (US/CA)

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