Thursday 28 January 2016

#LoveOzYAbookclub – January 2016 Book Discussion Post: Green Valentine (Lili Wilkinson)



So here we are – we’ve reached the moment of truth!  What did you think of Green Valentine?  I admit to being a little biased with this book, cos I launched it when it was released…but then I admitted to bias with our last book too, so I think I should just give up and admit that I have a general case of bias where books are involved.  But It was a very special launch, where all the participants went home with little seedlings for their gardens, and I got to mix a lot of metaphors involving 'growing' and 'sprouting' and 'putting down roots' into my launch speech, and a good time was had by all!

Green Valentine is the sweetest little book – this review by Trisha Buckley on the CBCA Reading Time website says it well:

“[Lili Wilkinson’s] books challenge expectations, and ask teenagers to look at their choices, and be sure they are making them for the best reasons… [Green Valentine] incorporates social justice concerns without sounding preachy or teachy… Astrid’s personal growth happens organically (see what I did there?) and in parallel to the guerrilla garden she and Hiro create. The issues are relevant to the target audience, and add in the romance, the humour and the diverse range of characters, and what we have here is a winner.” 

You can read the whole of Trisha’s review here.

What did you think of our Dec/Jan title?  Add your comments to the discussion thread on the FB page, where you can join in the conversation, or feel free to leave your opinion in the comments below.

Next week, be ready for the announcement of our #LoveOzYAbookclub title for February – see you then!


xxEllie

Monday 25 January 2016

#LoveOzYAbookclub – Author Q&A - Lili Wilkinson (Green Valentine)


Hi all, welcome to a brand new year with #LoveOzYAbookclub :)  To kick things off for 2016, our author for Dec/Jan’s title, Lili Wilkinson, has graciously agreed to answer some slightly ridiculous questions about herself, her writing, and Green Valentine.

The discussion thread for Green Valentine will be going up shortly (ie. when I pull my finger out, ieie. in the next few days)  Meanwhile, thanks for getting your sillies on with me and Lili, and happy reading!

* Something important about your writing process you’d like to share:
I don’t write chronologically. I like to put together a detailed chapter outline before I start writing, and then every day I write the bit of the story I’m most excited about. It works really well, and I never get stuck… until I get to the last 20% of the draft which is all the tricky bits I’ve been avoiding.

* Your book makes No#1 with a bullet on the NYT Bestseller List, and a famous bartender at the Ritz-Carlton makes a cocktail in its honour.  What’s in the cocktail and what is it called:
Green Valentine seems like a pretty good name for a cocktail. It’s basically a gin and tonic, but served with muddled mint, kaffir lime and cucumber, garnished with a home-grown strawberry.

* If your book was a ride at SeaWorld, it would be…:
DEFINITELY NOT ONE THAT GOES UPSIDE DOWN BECAUSE WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT WHAT IF IT GOT STUCK AND YOU HAD TO HANG UPSIDE DOWN FOR HOURS UNTIL THEY RESCUED YOU DON’T LAUGH IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.

* We’re at a dance party right now, and the DJ wants to know which song gets you out on the floor for major boogies and you say…:
Pat Benatar’s Love is a Battlefield.

* The zombie apocalypse strikes, but it’s okay, cos you have your choice of weapons, and you choose…:
My iPhone, so I can google what to do in a zombie apocalypse.


Thank you Lili!  And now I totally want a cocktail with G&T and muddled mint, kaffir lime...er, maybe hold the cucumber.  I'm looking forward to seeing what Lili chooses for next month’s bookclub pick, and I'll be updating again VERY soon (I promise).

xxEllie