FFBC: Welcome to the club, Unplugged (The Wired #1) by Donna Freitas

Unplugged (The Wired #1)

by Donna Freitas
Publisher: Harper Children's
Release Date: June 21st 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia

Synopsis:

The first book in a provocative new series from acclaimed author Donna Freitas—Feed for a new generation.

Humanity is split into the App World and the Real World—an extravagant virtual world for the wealthy and a dying physical world for the poor. Years ago, Skylar Cruz’s family sent her to the App World for a chance at a better life.

Now Skye is a nobody, a virtual sixteen-year-old girl without any glamorous effects or expensive downloads to make her stand out in the App World. Yet none of that matters to Skye. All she wants is a chance to unplug and see her mother and sister again.

But when the borders between worlds suddenly close, Skye loses that chance. Desperate to reach her family, Skye risks everything to get back to the physical world. Once she arrives, however, she discovers a much larger, darker reality than the one she remembers.

In the tradition of M. T. Anderson’s Feed and Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies, Unplugged kicks off a thrilling and timely sci-fi series for teens from an award-winning writer.

Hello Donna! We are super excited to have you in our FFBC tours.

I’m excited to be here!

BTW: These are hard questions! Actually, they are nearly impossible. I have so many favorites.

Favorite Book?

At the moment: Mary Pearson’s The Remnant Chronicles books. And also at the moment, The Odds of Lightning by Jocelyn Davies. But I have so many other favorite books over the years! 

Favorite TV show?

At the moment: The Good Wife. And, I have to admit: I am a tad obsessed with Outlander. (I am, I am!)

Media Medusa

Favorite movie?

One of them, for sure, is Strictly Ballroom.

QuotesGram

Your Favorite Song?

At the moment: I keep listening to “Ink” by Coldplay.

Favorite Food?

That is truly an impossible question. I don’t even know how to begin. I love eating. Let’s just say my favorite activity might be eating.

Name 3 fictional places you would move to in a heartbeat.

Lyra’s Oxford in His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. 

I’d like to visit Hogwarts. I mean, who wouldn’t?

I’d also like to visit a kingdom where people have Graces, as in the world of Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

Who is your perfect fictional boyfriend?

Eugenides in Megan Whalen Turner’s books. Also, maybe Po from Graceling.

Favorite Quote?

Don’t know. There are so many thinkers that I love! (I was a philosophy major and well, I have a Ph.D. So I feel like I can’t commit to just on quotation.)

What do you find yourself “Fangirling” over?

Lately, Mary Pearson because I love her new series so much. Though I always fangirl over Philip Pullman. And I just fangirled Jocelyn Davies actually, through her website. 

If you could meet one author, dead or alive, who would it be?

I think Julian of Norwich, which may sound weird. But she was a 14th century anchoress, which means she lived in the walls of a church. And I’d love to have a conversation with her! (I’ve already met Philip Pullman, otherwise I’d say him.)

Could you tell our Book Addicts a little bit about Unplugged?

Unplugged takes place in the near future, where the world has split in two: There is the App World, where people plug in their bodies, often from birth, and grow up virtually in a city where you can download apps to your brain and body. Apps can change how you look, your personality, your abilities—all for a price, and only for a short time. Then you revert back to your basic self, until you download again. Then there is the Real World, which has nearly been deserted for the App World, where there live the Keepers, charged with taking care of and maintaining the plugged-in bodies.

My protagonist, Skylar (Skye), grew up plugged in as a Single—which is basically a ward of the state—since she plugged in without her family. Her family could only afford to send one child to the App World and her mother chose her. This means that she hasn’t seen her family for over a decade. She likes the App World, but she longs to unplug and see her mother and sister again. 

So Unplugged is about Skye’s decision to unplug illegally, and all that happens as a result of her choice to do this. The Real World, as she will find, can be a sinister place.

Can you tell us a bit more about the world in Unplugged? If you could choose between the App World and the Real World, which one would you choose and why?

In Unplugged, the world has split in two worlds—one real, one virtual. The Real World is nearly uninhabited in the time of the story, with almost all citizens consolidating into a single city, New Port City (yes, based on Newport in RI, where I’m from), where they are tasked with taking care of all the plugged in bodies. The virtual world—the App World—is a rather magical virtual city, where people live wholly virtually, and Apps (what really drives this world) can be downloaded to the body to change your looks, your personality, your abilities. Most App World citizens plug in at birth at the time of the story, and grow up virtually, so they don’t even know what it’s like to be in their bodies.

As for me? I’d love to try living virtually for a while! And see what it’s like to download Apps to myself—I think it would be so much fun. But I’m a Real World girl all the way. No doubt about it!

Also, can you tell us a bit more about Skye and her personality? 

Skye is an orphan of sorts—called a Single in the book—at least in the App World she is. Her mother plugged her in when she was little, as a way of offering her daughter a promising future, but this also meant allowing her daughter to grow up without her family. Skye knows she should be grateful her mother did this, but she’s always had a bit of a trauma around it too—she wonders if her mother abandoned her. And she longs to go home.

At the beginning of the story, Skye is pretty normal—she follows the rules and keeps her head down—but then she decided to unplug illegally in an effort to reconnect with her family and this is when Skye begins to discover all sorts of interesting things about herself that she never knew, and also about her family. She is a bit of a reluctant heroine, I suppose you could say! But she definitely also likes to have a good time. J

How did you come up with the story? Did you find inspiration in any other story/movie/show and how has this affected your writing?

I came up with the story because I was fantasizing with friends one day about what it would be like to be able to give ourselves “updates” like we do on our laptops and phones—like, what would Donna 4.0 be like? The entire story of Unplugged flowed from that moment!

Tell us your favorite quote from Unplugged.

Gosh. I don’t know. I’m bad at quotes in general, but especially quoting myself!

Is there a specific scene that you had the most fun to write?

I think the scene when Skye is waking up at her Keeper’s house in the Real World, so (nearly) her first time of being in her real body as a 17 year old. She can’t figure out how to talk or sit up or walk or really do anything. She can barely even see. All because her body is no longer accustomed to being used in the Real World, and she has to relearn how to do these most basic things to function.

If you had to pick one song to be the Theme Song for Unplugged – Which one would you pick? 

I think “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay. Yes, because of my protagonist’s name. But I think that song captures the wonder and joy Skylar eventually feels about being in the Real World.

Then I’d pick “Ink” also by Coldplay for the sequel which is called The Body Market, partly because of a new central character, a boy, who has a lot of tattoos. And is quite dreamy, I think!

Imagine that we get to see your book on the big screen (how awesome would that be?). Who would you pick to play your characters?

OMG! That would be the best ever. I don’t even know how I’d begin casting. Skylar is Latina, so I’d want to find a fantastic young Latina actress to play her. And maybe for Lacy, the villainess—I love, love, love Hannah from Pretty Little Liars. I think she could make a great Lacy!

Is there any recommendations you could give your readers to be in the “perfect mood” to read Unplugged (specific music, snacks…)? 

Well, Coldplay obviously, if you like them! And lots of deliciousness in terms of food—eating real food is one of the great joys for Skylar when she gets to the Real World. Strawberries especially. She thinks they’re magical.

What’s next for you? 

Two more books in the series! The Body Market which comes out soon—this winter! And The Mind Virus which will soon follow that, in the fall of 2017. I’ve loved working on this series and I hope you and your readers enjoy it too!

Something to say to our Book Addicts?

Thank you for having me! I hope I can consider myself an honorary Book Addict. I certainly feel like I am addicted to books. And I hope you like my new series!

Thank you so much for everything, Donna!

Thanks for having me. I really appreciate it! xoxo

Follow the Unplugged by Donna Freitas Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

Donna Freitas is an author of fiction, nonfiction, and articles that appear in newspapers, magazines, and on blogs. Born in Rhode Island, Donna now splits her time between New York City and Barcelona.

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FFBC: Welcome to the club, Autofocus by Lauren Gibaldi

Autofocus
by Lauren Gibaldi
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: June 14th 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Adoption, Coming of Age, Family

Synopsis:

Family.

It’s always been a loaded word for Maude. And when she is given a senior photography assignment—to create a portfolio that shows the meaning of family—she doesn’t quite know where to begin. But she knows one thing: without the story of her birth mother, who died when Maude was born, her project will be incomplete.

So Maude decides to visit her best friend, Treena, at college in Tallahassee, Florida, where Maude’s birth mother once lived. But when Maude arrives, she quickly discovers that Treena has changed. With a new boyfriend and a packed social calendar, Treena doesn’t seem to have time for Maude—or helping Maude in her search.

Enter Bennett, a cute guy who lives in Treena’s dorm. He understands Maude’s need to find her mother. And as Bennett helps Maude in her search, she starts to find that her mother’s past doesn’t have to define her own future.

Lauren Gibaldi has crafted a beautiful and timely coming-of-age story that poses the question: Is who we are determined at birth, or can we change as we grow?

Hello Lauren! We are super excited to have you in our FFBC tours.

Could you tell our Book Addicts a little bit about Autofocus?

Sure! AUTOFOCUS follows Maude as she searches for information on her deceased birth mother. She’s never known her, and doesn’t have much information, so she goes to Tallahassee, Florida, to try to track down old friends. While there, she stays with her best friend, Treena, who’s changed a bit since graduating high school, and meets Bennett, a boy who helps her on her quest. 

Can you tell us a bit more about Maude and her personality? And what about Bennett?

Maude is artistic. She’s a photographer and loves seeing things through the lens. She always wants to find the perfect shot, and the perfect view of a person. She’s a bit single-minded, but aren’t we all at one point? And she’s very determined to figure out more about her mother, and how her mother’s life may relate to her own. Bennett is a boy who’s friends with Maude’s best friend Treena. He’s into Star Wars and Doctor Who and wants to be an animator for Pixar. He’s kind of dorky, super understanding, and really just wants to find good in everyone. 

So, as a personal opinion, do you think that we are determined at birth? Why?

Yes and no. I think some things—physical things, of course and some personality traits. I see this every day raising my own daughter. But I think other people around you, that aren’t family, also shape you. I think you become the person you want to be, and only some of it is from birth. (It’s why I like writing YA—it’s that stage where you’re figuring out who you are, and what you want to do with that.) 

How did you come up with the story? Did you find inspiration in any other story/movie/show and how has this affected your writing?

I thought of the place first, actually. I love Tallahassee, and starting thinking about why someone would visit. I wanted the person to be on a quest, be trying to find something, or in this case, someone. And then I thought of a girl trying to find herself and everything kind of fell into place. 

Tell us your favorite quote from Autofocus.

I actually just made a graphic to go with it! “I'm a blur. I'm not clear and crisp like some people; instead I'm messy on the edges and not quite formed. I'm many pieces all put into one, and one day I'll figure them all out.” I think that sums up the book nicely. 

Is there a specific scene that you had the most fun to write?

Two. There’s a scene at Lichgate that was super fun to write. It’s a real place, so it was fun, for me, to revisit it in writing. And it’s a sweet scene. The Pineview scene (which includes a possibly haunted building) was the hardest to write because I’m not good at writing anything scary, apparently. Ha!

If you had to pick one song to be the Theme Song for Autofocus – Which one would you pick? 

I don’t know! I really like “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran, but not for Maude and Bennett, but for Maude and Treena. Strip the romance love out of it, and instead think of it as that strong best friendship love that grows and changes and becomes complicated but always lovely. I think that’s them. 

Imagine that we get to see your book on the big screen (how awesome would that be?). Who would you pick to play your characters?

I’m SO not good at this question. For my last book, bloggers always had better responses to this than me, so I’m going to go with…who do YOU think? 

Is there any recommendations you could give your readers to be in the “perfect mood” to read Autofocus (specific music, snacks…)?

Hmm. I can’t read with music on, so I’d say no music. I think you need a nice cup of tea (for relaxation, of course), or some ice cream (because ice cream means friendship in my opinion). The girls in enjoy both in the book. 

What’s next for you?

I have a third book coming out with HarperTeen / HarperCollins coming out in 2017, titled THIS TINY PERFECT WORLD. It deals with an acting camp, and I’m so excited to share it with everyone!

Thank you so much for everything, Lauren!

Follow the Autofocus by Lauren Gibaldi Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

Public librarian and author of THE NIGHT WE SAID YES, MATT'S STORY (a Night We Said Yes novella), and AUTOFOCUS (out 6/14/16), all with HarperTeen / HarperCollins. Fan of dinosaurs and cheesy jokes. And you.

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FFBC: Welcome to the club, Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne

Absolute Brightness
by James Lecesne
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: May 31st 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, GLBT, Teen, Mystery, Contemporary, Coming of Age

Synopsis:

From Academy Award-winning writer, actor, and activist in the LGBTQ community comes a groundbreaking story about love, prejudice, and being yourself.

Phoebe’s life in Neptune, New Jersey, is somewhat unremarkable. She helps her mom out with her hair salon, she goes to school, and she envies her perfect older sister. But everything changes when Leonard arrives.

Leonard is an orphan, a cousin who Phoebe never knew she had. When he comes to live with Phoebe’s family, he upsets the delicate balance of their lives. He’s gay and confident about who he is. He inspires the people around him. He sees people not as they are, but as they hope to be.

One day, Leonard goes missing. Phoebe, her family, and her community fight to understand what happened, and to make sense of why someone might want to extinguish the beautiful absolute brightness that was Leonard Pelkey.

This novel by the cofounder of The Trevor Project inspired the critically-acclaimed Off-Broadway show The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey.

Hello James! We are super excited to have you in our FFBC tours.

Favorite Book?

TO KILL A MOICKINGBIRD – I know it’s almost a cliché by now to have YA authors cite Mockingbird as an inspiration, but for me as a gay man growing up in a society that didn’t accept LGBT people, that book was evidence to me that justice was worth fighting for even in a largely unjust world. And the dignity of every human life mattered more than social norms. It got me through my youth and guided me as an adult and inspired me as a writer. 

Favorite TV show?

Currently? PLEASE LIKE ME, a charming, funny and quirky half-hour comedy from Australia. I wish I had written it. 

Favorite movie?

OF ALL TIME? Harold & Maude. It was made in the late 1970’s but it still says everything we need to hear about living in the world as an authentic individual. 

Your Favorite Song?

Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes

Favorite Food?

The Avocado – the perfect food

Name 3 fictional places you would move to in a heartbeat.

Grover’s Corner, New Hampshire from OUR TOWN

Maycomb, Alabama from TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

Middlemarch from the novel MIDDLEMARCH

Favorite Quote?

"You are what your deep, driving desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny." - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. 

If you could meet one author, dead or alive, who would it be?

Oscar Wilde – To me he is a hero and a genius, but I bet he’d just be fun to hang out with. And I like to think he and I would have a lot to discuss. 

How did you come up with the story? Did you find inspiration in any other story/movie/show and how has this affected your writing?

I had been working for many years as a writer/performer, creating my own solo shows and traveling around the country. At a certain point I challenged myself to create a really long monologue, to tell a story from the first-person point of view. As I was looking around, I was seeing too many stories about LGBT young people who were either being victimized or hurting themselves because of who they were. I didn’t want to sugarcoat the problem, but rather tell a story about the real dangers and the real beauty that comes when we dare to be our true selves. I turned to some books that were important to me as a young adult, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, A MEMEBR OF THE WEDDING, GREAT EXPECTATIONS and CATCHER IN THE RYE and tried to honor them by writing the best book I could possibly write. 

Tell us your favorite quote from ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS.

“Once Leonard Pelkey disappeared, he was everywhere.” This is an encapsulation of what the book is about – how the inherent goodness of every person somehow escapes us and yet this invisible goodness is, I believe, the very thing holds the world together. 

Is there a specific scene that you had the most fun to write?

There’s a scene towards the beginning of the book in which Phoebe finds Leonard crying in his room, shortly after his arrival in Neptune. I don’t know if it was the most fun to write, but it certainly surprised me, and there’s fun in being surprised by your own writing. Up until then I’d been thinking of Leonard as a pretty happy-go-lucky kid. Despite his misfortunes, he always managed to show the world a bright face and he put a positive spin on everything. But the scene in his room revealed to me the hidden depths of Leonard’s character and showed me how difficult it was for him to always be chipper and up. It took his tears to make him real for me. 

If you had to pick one song to be the Theme Song for ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS – Which one would you pick? 

ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS was adapted into a solo show, which I performed Off Broadway in 2016, and I got to work with singer/songwriter Duncan Sheik. He actually wrote a song called PHOTOGRAPAH, which became the theme song for the show. Could it get any better than that?

Imagine that we get to see your book on the big screen (how awesome would that be?). Who would you pick to play your characters?

Mark Ruffalo as Detective Chuck.

Marisa Tomei as Ellen

Jacob Tremblay (ROOM) as Leonard

Elle Fanning as Phoebe

What would you recommend to read to those readers eager for more stories like yours after finishing ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS?

THE GREAT AMERICAN WHATEVER by Tim Federle

ONE MAN GUY by Michael Barakiva

BROWN GIRL DREAMING by Jacqueline Woodson

IF I WAS YOUR GIRL by Meredith Russo

TWO BOYS KISSING by David Levithan

What’s next for you? 

I’m writing a YA novel, which is due to be published in 2017, published by Feiwell & Friends about a gender-neutral 16-year-old who travels to Florida with their mother to take care of their ailing grandmother. And accidently becomes a mermaid. 

Something to say to our Book Addicts?

Be who you are. There is no substitute for being your true self. And only you know who that is – and the fun is finding out. You will never know the impact your authenticity has on other people. One of the reasons I wrote the novel, ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS was to remind readers that each of us has a particular brightness that cannot be hidden or disguised; that brightness changes the world we live in – if only we will let it shine. 

Thank you so much for everything, James!

Follow the Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

For over 25 years I've been telling stories. Whether I'm writing, acting, producing or trying to create social change, it's usually the story that got me involved. But in the process of getting things done and trying to make the world a better place, I've also been telling the story of my life. This website is my best effort to provide the general gist. But my hope is that you find something here that will inspire you to live your life more fully and continue to tell your story.

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Each participant blog is hosting an individual giveaway just like this one. So if you want to win a copy of James Lecesne's YA novel, don't miss any of the tour stops!

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