www.debbierigaud.com

A huge congratulations to GCC author Carrie Jones for making the New York Times Children’s Bestseller List! Her latest, CAPTIVATE is sitting pixie pretty at #9. Yes, y’all. CAPTIVATE debuted on the hardcover bestseller list. And wait—there’s more! NEED, Carrie’s previous book, debuted on the NYT paperback list at the same time. I am in awe. A.W.E.

An unlikely feat for most authors? Carrie prefers not to look at it that way. She offers this pep talk on her blog: “So, any way, the point here is that you have to follow your dreams. You have to fight for them, scratch out people’s eyes for them, but you have to - YOU HAVE TO - go for them, even if it looks impossible. Believe me, I know about impossible and doing everything wrong. I know about crying because you think you suck. I know about feeling like everything you’re doing is pointless. But it isn’t. Not if you want it. Now go get it, because if I can get it you know - YOU KNOW - you can too.”

A little about CAPTIVATE:

In this NYT-Bestselling sequel to NEED, Zara and her friends knew they hadn’t solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king’s needs grow deeper every day he’s stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It’s made him vulnerable. And now there’s a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he’s one of the good guys. Nick isn’t buying it, though Zara isn’t as sure — despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it’s a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It’s her life — and his.

Good thing I got a chance to ask her a few question when I did. Something tells me girlfriend’s schedule is going to be bursting with interviews.

DR:  What’s your favorite stage of your work process: researching, writing or editing?
CJ: Editing. It’s like putting the pieces of the puzzle together. You have something to play with and build on. I love the second and third revision the most. 
DR: How do you get over a major bout of writer’s block?
CJ: I just write. Even if it’s only 500 words, I write and I give myself permission for it to totally stink.
DR:  What bad habit are you desperately trying to break out of?
CJ: I sleep way too much. 
DR: What’s the craziest or coolest thing you’ve done in the name of research?
CJ: I rode around in a police cruiser. I once pretended to be a hooker.
DR: Think back to your sophomore year in high school. What were you like at age 15?
CJ: Goofy and smart and passionately in love with a gay guy who had a Flock of Seagulls kind of hair cut. I had no gaydar.
DR: In PERFECT SHOT, London steps out of her sporty comfort zone to participate in a modeling contest. When was the last time you ventured far out of your comfort zone?
CJ: Even doing these interviews is out of my comfort zone. I’m pretty shy and it just feels weird talking about myself. I’m not terribly comfortable with that. I always feel like I’m babbling or horribly boring.
DR: What’s your favorite spot to cozy up with a book?
CJ: Bed. I think it’s the whole ‘sleep too much’ thing again.
DR: These days, everyone and their pet pooch is a multi-hyphenate. What talents or professional titles would you include your multi-hyphenate profile?
CJ: Author/semi-pro sleeper/police dispatcher/contra-alto singer/strudel lover

Thanks, Carrie!

Now everyone, head over to http://www.needpixies.com and enter for a chance to win a computer! Lucky pixie dust to you all!

Devastation has hit Haiti. And when morning comes, the extent of the damage and the death toll will hit even harder. As a Haitian-American, I am deeply concerned. Haiti needs help. Here are ways you can donate:

-Text “Yele” to 501501 - $5 will be charged to your phone to assist Wyclef Jean’s Yele Foundation in their relief efforts. Donate to Yele online here.

-Fmr President Clinton’s foundation is dedicated to direct relief efforts. Text “haiti” to 20222  to donate $10 toward their efforts. You can also give online via this link.

-Head to the Doctors Without Frontiers site to make an online donation

-Donate to Unicef to help Haiti’s children recover from the quake.

-Mercy & Sharing is an organization we’ve donated to in the past. They work with neglected, ill, and handicapped children. Head to this link to donate. 100% of funds go directly to the children of Haiti.

-Oxfam (UK) provides “clean water, shelter and sanitation” to earthquake victims. Donate online here.

-Two organizations already on the ground and working in Haiti are the American Red Cross and Partners in Health.  Text “haiti” to 90999 to pledge $10 to the Red Cross.

-Fairfax County Fire & Rescue, the awesome team that’s in Haiti pulling people from the rubble is accepting donations. To give, please call them at 703-584-8442.

-In Bermuda, Feed My Lambs Ministry is accepting donations via wire transfers or mail.

For more info, CNN has a comprehensive list of ways you can donate.

Thank you, guys.

As celebrated Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat likes to say, Kembe la.

There’s nothing like kicking off the new decade with a book release celebration for one of my Girlfriends Cyber Circuit sisters. I’m so thrilled to welcome GCC author Eileen Cook to this blog.

Eileen has just released her third book, Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood and I can’t wait to dive into it. In Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood, karma is a 17-year-old named Helen Worthington–and she’s coming for that Lauren. So, maybe one vicious turn doesn’t deserve another—but it makes for some awesome reading!  Here’s how the story goes:

Popularity is the best revenge.

In the final weeks of eighth grade, Lauren Wood made a choice. She betrayed her best friend, Helen, in a manner so publicly humiliating that Helen had to move to a new town just to save face. Ditching Helen was worth it, though, because Lauren started high school as one of the It Girls–and now, at the start of her senior year, she’s the cheerleading captain, the quarterback’s girlfriend, and the undisputed queen bee. Lauren has everything she’s ever wanted, and she has forgotten all about her ex-best friend.

But Helen could never forget Lauren. After three years of obsessing, she’s moving back to her old town. She has a new name and a new look, but she hasn’t dropped her old grudges. She has a detailed plan to bring down her former BFF by taking away everything that’s ever been important to Lauren—starting with her boyfriend.

Eileen certainly got my attention with that wild cover art. And she kept my adult ADD at bay during our recent exchange. Not surprisingly, considering Eileen is known for her witty storytelling. Her debut novel Undercover has already been optioned for the big screen, and Meg Cabot herself praises Eileen’s writing, calling it “sassy and sly and sweet.” Hope you’re also sassed by my interview with her. Enjoy.

DR: What’s your favorite stage of your work process: researching, writing or editing?
EC: I enjoy all of it to some degree. The research is always interesting and gives me such a great chance to learn about all sorts of random things. The writing is my favorite part. I love the creative process and the chance to get it all down on paper. I don’t mind the first round of edits, but by the time I’ve gone through it six or seven times I’m sick of it and ready to start a new story.

DR: How do you get over a major bout of writer’s block?
EC: When I’m stuck I have to get out of the house. It’s like my brain needs the fresh air. I also have to leave my laptop behind and go back to writing by hand.  I’ll go to a coffee shop, down the ocean or the library and write there. Something about being out of my usual space and using a pen and paper seems to shake things free.

DR:What bad habit are you desperately trying to break out of?
EC: Coming up with excuses to avoid the gym.

DR: What’s the craziest or coolest thing you’ve done in the name of research?
EC: For my first book, Unpredictable, I went to something like twelve different psychics. The main character in that book is a fake psychic so I wanted to get a sense of how readings were done.

DR: Think back to your sophomore year in HS. What were you like at age 15?
EC: I was a total dork. It was the late 80’s and I thought I was Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink with lace skirts and combat boots playing OMD on my walkman.  I worried too much about what other people thought- but I already had a sense of what I wanted to do with my life.

DR: In PERFECT SHOT, London steps out of her sporty comfort zone to participate in a modeling contest. When was the last time you ventured far out of your comfort zone?
EC: I like to travel because that tends to get me out of my familiar zone and trying something new. The food we ate when we visited Japan was definitely out of my zone. I think I ate something that had tentacles and eyes.

DR: What’s your favorite spot to cozy up with a book?
EC: I love to sit in my living room in front of the fire with my dogs. We can see the backyard which has a view of the Vancouver mountains. With the Olympics coming I plan to try and spot the ski races from home!

DR: These days, everyone and their pet pooch is a multi-hyphenate. What talents or professional titles would you include your multi-hyphenate profile?
EC: Author/friend/knitter/Martha-Stewart level entertainer/ultimate dog-mom

Congratulations and happy new year to you, Eileen! Continued success.