Book info:
Title: My New Crush Gave to Me
Author: Shani Petroff
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: October 31st 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:
This sweet, funny holiday romance from the author of Romeo And What’s Her Name features cute boys, plenty of rom-com mishaps, and a determined heroine readers are certain to fall for.
Charlotte “Charlie” Donovan knows exactly what she wants for Christmas: Teo Ortiz. He’s a star athlete, a National Honor Society member, and the most popular guy in school. Plus he contributes to the school paper, where Charlie is a co-editor. Basically, he’s exactly the type of guy Charlie’s looking for. The only problem is—he barely knows she exists.
But Charlie has a plan: rig the paper’s Secret Santa and win his heart with the perfect gift. The catch? She has no idea what to get him. Enter J.D. Ortiz–Teo’s cousin, and possibly the most annoying person on the planet. He’s easy going, laid back, disorganized, and spontaneous—the exact opposite
of Charlie (and Teo). But he knows what Teo wants, so she’s stuck with him.
Yet, the more time Charlie spends with J.D., the more she starts to wonder: Does she really know what, or rather who, she wants for Christmas?
Shani Petroff’s newest young adult comedy of errors, My New Crush Gave to Me, is the perfect read for those searching for some love and laughter along with their holiday spirit.
Author Interview:
1.
What does your writing process look like? Do you know the whole
story when you start? Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat
of the pants writing)? If you plan it out, how do you do that?
Outline, notecards, post-it-notes, etc.?
It varies depending
on the book! For MY NEW CRUSH GAVE TO ME I had the story pretty flushed out in
my head, so I didn’t have a formal outline (which I tend to use). Instead, I
pulled out a calendar and marked when specific events in the story needed to
take place. There is a lot of gift giving and important dates (ie. Christmas,
the Secret Santa exchange) in the book, and I wanted to make sure everything
happened in the right timeframe.
2.
How do you come up with your ideas for your stories?
Different things
spark me. I knew this one was going to be a Christmas book, and I couldn’t stop
thinking about memories of a Secret Santa exchange I helped put together while
I was on a theater tour years ago. Before I knew it, the book centered around a
Secret Santa drawing. For AIRPORTS, EXES, AND OTHER THINGS I’M OVER, I got
stuck at the airport for what seemed like an eternity (and thought I saw
someone from my past), and I knew I had my next book idea!
3.
How long have you been writing?
I always liked
writing and would dabble a little bit when I was young, but it wasn’t until
after college that I decided to make it a career. I wound up as a news writer
for a local TV news station and then turned my focus to fiction! My first book,
a middle grade novel, BEDEVILED: DADDY’S LITTLE ANGEL, debuted in 2009.
4.
What tips do you have for aspiring writers?
Stick with it! Sometimes
the hardest thing is just sitting down and getting started, but don’t let fear
(or procrastination) stop you. If writing is something you love, make the time
for it, keep at it, and don’t give up.
5.
What are your favorite:
Books/authors/genres: Too many to name! Growing up it was definitely
everything by Judy Blume (and she’s still a favorite). Genre wise, I tend to read
some of everything, but often lean toward romantic comedies, dystopians,
sci-fi, mysteries, and supernatural books.
Movies/TV Shows: TV and movies are my biggest procrastination tools.
Some of my favorite current TV shows are Supernatural, Psych (they have a TV
movie coming out soon), and The Goldbergs. (I’ve also been watching a lot of
superhero type shows like The Flash). For movies, I love a good romantic comedy
or action film.
Music: Changes with my mood! (I’m really bad at picking favorites,
b/c there’s so many that I like – ie. different songs for different
moments/feelings/etc.)
Food/Writing snack: Whatever is in my apartment. When I’m writing, I
find myself getting up to check my fridge constantly. I try to stock it with
healthier items, but more often than not, I wind up snacking on chocolate, ice
cream or whatever junk food I can find.
Author Bio:
Shani Petroff is a writer living in New York City. She’s the author of the “Bedeviled” series, which includes Daddy’s Little Angel, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Dress, Careful What You Wish For, and Love Struck, and is the co-author of the “Destined” series which includes Ash and Ultraviolet. She also writes for television news programs and several other venues. When she’s not locked in her apartment typing away, she spends a whole lot of time on books, boys, TV, daydreaming, and shopping online.
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