Best I've Read 2012: Live Through This by Mindi Scott



 Andrea had the opportunity to interview Mindi for the event and we are also offering our readers a chance to snag a copy of Live Through This. Check out the synopsis of Live Through This and the giveaway details at the end of this post. The Larks would like to thank Simon & Schuster for providing the giveaway copy and Mindi Scott for her time.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Does music play a role in your writing? If so, can you share a few songs that inspired Live Through This

Mindi: It isn't always a conscious choice to include music, but yes, it definitely plays a role in my books! In Freefall, the narrator is a bassist. In Live Through This, the narrator likes song-lyrics trivia. In my current manuscript, the narrator is obsessed with a particular band. For Live Through This, I dug up song lyrics for the game that the main character plays with the boy she likes. Some of the songs mentioned are "Creep" by Radiohead, "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie, "Missing" by Everything But the Girl, and "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison. The book's title comes from "Asking for It" by Hole. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Where do you come up with the names of your characters? 

Mindi: All sorts of places! I check out baby name sites for more unusual names. I use the Social Security name listings to learn which names were most common for the years when my characters would have been born. Nicole is my sister's middle name, and growing up, we had a cat named for her that was nicknamed "Coley." Reece happens to be a (boy) name that I love. Ming is my friend's middle name. Alejandra is the name of a girl with whom I went to high school. Xander was a character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Also, I do data entry part-time and occasionally borrow first or last names that I come across. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: I loved the stuffed giraffe in Live Through This. Where did that idea come from? 

Mindi: The stuffed animal idea, in general, was inspired by my boyfriend when I fifteen. He bought me a stuffed teddy bear and a leopard. I bought him a bunny that he named Rochelle (my middle name). The reason I chose giraffes for the story was because I've paid to feed the giraffes at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. I thought it would be a fun thing for Coley and Reece to do. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: You do such a beautiful job handling tough issues in your novels. Why do you feel stories like this need to be told? 

Mindi: Thank you! In part, I think these stories need to be told so that readers can see their own experiences in books--to know that they are not alone in what they're going through. I also think it's important for readers to find these stories unlike their own experiences, to gain better understanding of what goes on in the world. Books are a safe way to do this. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: You're currently working on something with a writing partner. How does this process differ from working alone? 

Mindi: The biggest difference is that I can't write scenes out of order, which is my usual way of doing things. Instead, since we write alternating chapters, I really have to wait to see what happens in Michelle's latest chapter before I can know for sure what has to happen with mine. Another huge difference in writing with someone else is that we make the major decisions together. It's going pretty smoothly so far, but knowing that our choices affect someone else definitely makes communication vital. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: This last one is a Reading Lark tradition. What is your favorite bird? 

Mindi: I love watching the little mallard ducklings at the lake. So cute! 

 This or That? 
- Seattle or Portland? Seattle! (And I lived both places, so I know. ;-)) 
- Movies or Books? Books, but sometimes movies are a close second. 
- Starbucks or Tully's? Starbucks. Mostly, because they are EVERYWHERE and because people like to buy me Starbucks gift cards. (I use them for hot chocolate.) 
- Dr. Pepper or Mountain Dew? Dr. Pepper. 
 - Blue or Green? Blue.

About the Novel

From the outside, Coley Sterling’s life seems pretty normal . . . whatever that means. It’s not perfect—her best friend is seriously mad at her and her dance team captains keep giving her a hard time—but Coley’s adorable, sweet crush Reece helps distract her. Plus, she has a great family to fall back on—with a mom and stepdad who would stop at nothing to keep her siblings and her happy.

But Coley has a lot of secrets. She won’t admit—not even to herself—that her almost-perfect life is her own carefully-crafted façade. That for years she’s been burying the shame and guilt over a relationship that crossed the line. Now that Coley has the chance at her first real boyfriend, a decade’s worth of lies are on the verge of unraveling.

In this unforgettable powerhouse of a novel, Mindi Scott offers an absorbing, layered glimpse into the life of an everygirl living a nightmare that no one would suspect.


Purchase Your Copy

Don't forget to check out all the other great Best I've Read 2012 posts for today!


Want a copy of Live Through This? Simon & Schuster was kind enough to offer up ONE copy to give away to our readers.

To win:
* You must be a Reading Lark follower.
* You must be 13+ years old.
* You must be a US resident. No PO Boxes!
* You must fill out the Rafflecopter form.

The giveaway runs from December 10-21. The winner will be notified via email on December 22.

Comments

  1. I already had this one on my To Read list on GoodReads because it sounds like an intense read. I love books that are more than the norm!

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  2. Mindi's novels are on my why-haven't-I-read-you-yet list, so I am very excited for the chance to win this one, all the details in the interview are great prompters!

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  3. I was a great interview and the book sounds great

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  4. This book has been on my wishlist for months. It sounds like just the read I need. Plus, Mindi is adorable :)

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  5. This looks like a great book! It sounds very realistic. I added it to my to read list and love the cover! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  6. I"d love to win Live Through This because I love issue books and this one tackles a difficult topic. and all the reviews for it rocked:)

    Thank you:)

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  7. Just reading the excerpt I'm very intrigued now and want to read it to find out what's going on. I would love to win this amazing book!!

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  8. I love the musical inspirations! (Though now I have "Big Girls Don't Cry" stuck in my head. Oy.)

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  9. I like contemporaries that focus on the issues teens go through. I think it's important to have the "light" and the "difficult" books out there for people to read. While reading can be escapism it can also be therapy! I'm intrigued by the premise, and excited to get my hands on a copy!

    Thank you for the chance to win!

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