Author News and Book Reports
Adriana Trigiani kisses adult romances good-bye (for now) and embraces YA
To our surprise, the New York Times bestselling author of heartwarming, romantic novels for adults, Adriana Trigiani joined a diverse array of Young Adult (YA) authors on a panel hosted by Scholastic Press Executive Editorial Director David Levithan at BookExpo America 2009. Having published the first in her latest adult bestelling series earlier this year (Very Valentine), Trigiani kissed her adult fiction writing career good-bye for the weekend and joined James Dashner, Laini Taylor, Jill Alexander, Sarwat Chadda, and Danica Novgorodoff in reading from and talking about their fiction for young adults. Writer-artist Danica Novgorodoff read from her second graphic novel, Refresh, Refresh (First Second; September, 2009); Sarwat Chadda offered a taste of his debut gothic thirller, Devil's Kiss (Hyperion; September, 2009); veteran YA author James Dashner read from his new dystopian novel, The Maze Runner (Delacorte Books For Young Readers; October, 2009); Adriana Trigiani read from her debut YA novel, the first in a series, Viola In Reel Life (HarperTeen; September, 2009); Jill Alexander offered a few pages of her debut teen heart throb novel, The Sweetheart Of Prosper County (Feiwel & Friends; September, 2009); and prolific teen author Laini Taylor read from her new supernatural fantasy, Lips Touch (Arthur A. Levine Books; October, 2009) and her husband, artist James Di Bartolo showed his illustrations from the book. In answer to questions from panel host Levithan, Jill Alexander analyzed the themes of her novel; Adriana Trigiani described why she set her novel in South Bend, Indiana; James Dashner revealed his fascination with the strange, pshycho world of his new novel; Sarwat Chadda explained his use of the historic templars in a modern setting; and Danica Novgorodoff talked about adaptating a short story and movie to the graphic novel form. Adriana Trigiani reviewed her crossover from adult to teen; Jill Alexander contemplated the art of storytelling for teens; James Dashner gave a shout out to teen lit; Sarwat Chadda dismissed the idea that teen fiction was substantially different than adult fiction; Danica Novgorodoff explained her love of writing for teens; and Laini Taylor reflected on writing for teen audiences before David Levithan wrapped up the YA Author Buzz Panel at BEA 2009. Meanwhile, in case you were wondering,Trigiani returns to her adult readers with her next installment in her Valentine series, Brava, Valentine, due out in Febraury, 20010.




