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Author Spotlight: Lauren Bjorkman, MY INVENTED LIFE (Giveaway Alert Now – 11/10/09)

Posted on November 3rd, 2009 by Lauren Bjorkman · Email post Email post · Print Print

Laura Bjorkman

Laura Bjorkman

This week, we’re celebrating Lauren Bjorkman’s debut! Lauren Bjorkman grew up on a sailboat, sharing the tiny forecastle with her sister and the sail bags. She likes funny things, chocolate, and playing with words. She lives in Taos, New Mexico, with her husband and two sons.

Here’s a little bit about MY INVENTED LIFE (Henry Holt).

MY INVENTED LIFE is a comedy of errors with ambiguous sexuality, mistaken identities, skate gods and theater geeks, and true love, of course.

MY INVENTED LIFE by Lauren Bjorkman

MY INVENTED LIFE by Lauren Bjorkman

If you had to give your book a movie rating: G through Rated R, which one would you give and why?

PG to PG13 for discussions about sex, sexual orientation, and condoms. On-screen displays of affection are limited to kissing. The swearing is strictly Shakespearean, e.g. She’s an unchin-snouted flirt gill. There is no violence.

What topics, issues, or themes does your book address? What drove you to write about them?

The theme of my book can be summed up by Shakespearean quote, “To thine ownself be true.” This is so important, and yet hard to achieve!

My close and sometimes complicated relationship with my own sister inspired me to write about sisters.

Attending my high school reunion and hearing the stories of my LGBT classmates made me want to write about sexual orientation. Most of them concealed their true selves back then. I’m intrigued by the idea of secrets, and how they affect the people that keep them.

Name three examples of readers who would identify or like your book.

  • Anyone who likes to laugh (unless they hate my sense of humor, gulp).
  • Teens with a competitive sibling.
  • Questioning and bi teens.
  • Theater geeks and wannabes.

List a few statistically improbable phrases or sentences one might find in your book. These are phrases or sentences you might never find anywhere else.

  • A devious mind is a terrible thing to waste.
  • The ouija web page cues me to begin.
  • I could slay the heart of Zeus himself. And Juno’s, too.

How can your book be used in the classroom?

My story parallels Shakespeare’s play As You Like It. My story could be a springboard to talk about how issues of sexual orientation are handled at school. It could be a companion to studying Shakespeare. Or a source of monologues and scenes to be performed in class.

Now tell us about other already-published books that readers of your book might enjoy.

  • DRAMARAMA by E. Lockhart
  • HARD LOVE by Ellen Wittlinger
  • THE EARTH, MY BUTT, AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS by Carolyn Mackler
  • THE GEOGRAPHY CLUB by Brent Hartinger

Now whet our appetites with a teaser.

I raise my mini golf club and try to focus on the clown’s chomping mouth. Other lips are on my mind, though—Bryan’s to be honest. As my eyes wander in his direction, Eva leans in to kiss those lips. Bryan belongs to my sister, a circumstance I’d rather forget. My ball sails over the polka-dotted clown hat and disappears deep into Nowheresville, where the gum wrappers live. Mom bribed us into coming tonight by inviting our boyfriends. Except I don’t have one.

Are you offering authors visits to schools, libraries, or other organizations?

Yes.

Are you willing to speak nationally?

Yes.

List a few example titles of presentations, talks, or workshops you might give for an author visit.

  • From Writer Wannabe to Published Novelist.
  • How to create three-dimensional, prickly, funny, strange, or (insert your favorite adjective here) flesh and blood characters that your readers will care about.
  • Revise, revise, revise (and have fun while you do it).

This concludes our interview with our latest author, LAUREN BJORKMAN. We wish her much success with her debut novel MY INVENTED LIFE. To see what Lauren is up to these days, visit her website at http://www.laurenbjorkman.com http://laurenbjorkman.livejournal.com.

*GIVEAWAY ALERT* Lauren is giving away a signed copy of MY INVENTED LIFE. Tell your friends and leave a comment for the author! Enter by November 10th, 2009 11:59 PM CST.

Your email address will not be displayed publicly and will only be used to contact you if you win! And don’t forget to participate in our other AuthorsNow! giveaways.

Categories: Author Spotlight · Contests

About The Author

Lauren Bjorkman
I grew up on a sailboat, sharing the tiny forecastle with my sister and the sail bags. I enjoy mentoring young writers. I live in Taos, New Mexico with my husband, two sons, and a cat that believes he’s a dog.  Read more about Lauren Bjorkman.

Related posts:

  1. MY INVENTED LIFE by Lauren Bjorkman
  2. CONTEST ALERT: MY INVENTED LIFE GIVE AWAY!
  3. Author Spotlight: Beth Ann Bauman, ROSIE AND SKATE (Giveaway Alert Now – 11/03/09)
  4. Author Spotlight: Michelle Zink, PROPHECY OF THE SISTERS (Giveaway Alert Now – 08/08/09)
  5. Author Spotlight: Cindy Pon, SILVER PHOENIX : BEYOND THE KINGDOM OF XIA (Giveaway Alert: Now – 05/08/09)

Comments

  • 1 Jessica Kennedy // Nov 3, 2009 at 8:42 am

    I’ve seen quite a few great reviews for this book. :) A chance to win it would be awesome!

    bookreviewsbyjess (@) gmail.com

  • 2 bunnyb // Nov 3, 2009 at 9:21 am

    Sounds like a fun read! Count me in please :)
    bunnybx at gmail . com

  • 3 Amy Ward // Nov 3, 2009 at 12:49 pm

    I love books based on Shakespeare! Would love to win this one for my library and teens! Thanks!

  • 4 Ann F // Nov 3, 2009 at 2:49 pm

    I think my nieces would really like this book

  • 5 susan varney // Nov 3, 2009 at 3:12 pm

    i’m an avid reader love to put this one on my list
    mverno@roadrunner.com

  • 6 Lauren Bjorkman // Nov 3, 2009 at 3:26 pm

    I wish every last one of you could win!!!

  • 7 RKCharron // Nov 3, 2009 at 6:50 pm

    Hi :)
    Thanks for having Lauren here today & thanks to Lauren for sharing. I loved learning a little more about Lauren and her writing. A chance to win a SIGNED copy?! *happy dance*
    :)
    All the best,
    RKCharron
    xoxo

  • 8 Erica // Nov 3, 2009 at 7:00 pm

    I would absolutely love to be entered! It sounds like such a great read!

  • 9 Jill // Nov 3, 2009 at 8:00 pm

    Cool interview. I’ve seen this book several times and it looks good. Thanks for the giveaway.

  • 10 \George Ferris // Nov 3, 2009 at 8:22 pm

    I have seen all good reviews for this
    book.

  • 11 desiree kelley // Nov 3, 2009 at 10:08 pm

    I would love to read it

  • 12 Katie S. // Nov 4, 2009 at 12:44 am

    This sounds soooo interesting and refreshing! :)

    Thanks!

  • 13 Carol Thompson // Nov 4, 2009 at 5:45 am

    If the giveaway is open worldwide, please enter me as it sounds like a good read.

    Thanks

    Carol

  • 14 Judith // Nov 4, 2009 at 6:59 am

    I’d also like to enter this giveaway if it is open worldwide. I’m always on the lookout for good books for my daughter.

  • 15 Amber G // Nov 4, 2009 at 7:33 am

    This looks so cool – I love the cover too!

  • 16 Llehn // Nov 4, 2009 at 10:38 pm

    I’d love to play please!

  • 17 Stacie // Nov 5, 2009 at 6:24 pm

    Thanks for the chance!!

  • 18 Stephanie N // Nov 8, 2009 at 11:36 am

    I’ve read some of the reviews for this book and it sounds interesting. Thanks for the giveaway.

  • 19 mindy // Nov 8, 2009 at 12:28 pm

    sounds like a great read thanks

  • 20 christopher h // Nov 8, 2009 at 8:17 pm

    this sounds really good, and it’s a great title

  • 21 Andria // Nov 9, 2009 at 2:09 pm

    My husband is Artistic Director for a theatre. His 16 year old daughter loves theatre, and volunteers to help with every show. I think she would really enjoy this book. Thank you.

  • 22 shawna // Nov 9, 2009 at 2:11 pm

    Would love to read this.

  • 23 Sarah // Nov 9, 2009 at 3:07 pm

    enter me!

  • 24 Ed Nemmers // Nov 9, 2009 at 4:35 pm

    I like the provocative book cover!

  • 25 Wayne A. Conaway // Nov 9, 2009 at 8:15 pm

    Good interview. But “I could slay the heart of Zeus himself.” as a unique sentence? I have that on a tattoo!

  • 26 joseph n // Nov 10, 2009 at 12:23 am

    This is the first time I have heard of this book, but it sounds cool. I am interested in reading this.

  • 27 Hailey M // Nov 10, 2009 at 2:27 am

    This sounds like an absolutely awesome book! Please enter me.

  • 28 Deborah Wellenstein // Nov 10, 2009 at 8:01 am

    This book sounds great-thank you!

  • 29 Leslie // Nov 10, 2009 at 8:16 am

    Sounds like a great book. Would love a chance to win. :)

  • 30 dorothy l // Nov 10, 2009 at 8:58 am

    sounds like a good book

  • 31 Carol Lawrence // Nov 10, 2009 at 3:12 pm

    I’ve read some of the reviews for this book and it sounds interesting.

  • 32 Francine Anchondo // Nov 10, 2009 at 5:55 pm

    Thanks for the giveaway.

  • 33 Sherri B. // Nov 10, 2009 at 7:23 pm

    I love it when an author visits to talk about their book. Makes it so much more interesting! Sounds like a really great read! Thanks for the chance!

    sherri419 at gmail dot com

  • 34 Gloria // Nov 10, 2009 at 8:41 pm

    I’d like to read this book! Looks very interesting!!

  • 35 Kayce C // Nov 10, 2009 at 9:50 pm

    I invented my life once on paper, and it turned out to be my real life and a bad decision, but it was definitely an entertaining story for a while.

  • 36 CB // Nov 10, 2009 at 11:17 pm

    I invented my life once on paper, and it turned out to be my real life and a bad decision, but it was definitely an entertaining story for a while.

  • 37 Jessica // Nov 10, 2009 at 11:18 pm

    This book sounds so great. It will give me some insight on my daughter’s mind when she is a teen. Thanks for the review and giveaway,

  • 38 Veronica Garrett // Nov 10, 2009 at 11:38 pm

    This book sounds very interesting. I would love to read it.

  • 39 Lily Kwan // Nov 10, 2009 at 11:49 pm

    This book sounds very interesting. I’ll definitely check it out!

  • 40 Pothi - Admin Assist - AuthorsNow! // Nov 11, 2009 at 11:04 am

    Congrats George Ferris! You’ve won this Spotlight!

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