Reviews for an author — at least for this <\/em>author — can be harrowing. I agonize way in advance. I become utterly convinced that each of my dear baby books is about to be pummeled in public. I pray that the reviews\u00a0come in early, before I’ve had time to worry too much and then I pray that my editor and agent will be merciful if the review is\u00a0mean spirited\u00a0and simply neglect to tell me about it. Those close to me know this agonizing process very well. They say gentle things reminding me that I go through this every time a book is about to hit the shelves\u00a0and I haven’t sunk into the earth in despair even once yet. My molecules have not disintegrated. The fabric of the space-time continuum has held together.<\/p>\n But given this level of pre-publication jitters, you can imagine how wonderful it feels to\u00a0receive a starred review. I have been lucky enough to experience this fabulous surprise with quite a few of my books, and trust me, it is a complete and utter surprise every time it happens. You see, what people don’t realize is just how much like Troy (the main character in Fat Kid Rules the World<\/strong>) I am.\u00a0Except, in books the main character reaches a definitive changing point, whereas in life, we generally muddle along making only incremental changes, experiencing set backs, trying again… life pushes our buttons, and my insecurity buttons are HUGE. They are way bigger than I want anyone else to know.<\/p>\n But sometimes I admit them, and today as I post this starred\u00a0review of my newest teen novel, King of the Screw Ups, I will admit publically that I have whined and moaned and said the words, “everyone is going to hate this one, I just know it” way<\/em> too many times, even though this is the exact phrase I have uttered way too many times before the publication of each and every book with my name on it. I have been shamelessly insecure,\u00a0but now I will shamelessly celebrate the awesomeness of receiving a very cool\u00a0review.<\/p>\n Here it is (Publisher’s Weekly 2\/9\/09):<\/p>\n King of the Screwups K.L. Going. Harcourt, $17 (320p) ISBN Liam Geller’s mother is a retired supermodel, his father a high-powered Reviews for an author — at least for this author — can be harrowing. I agonize way in advance. I become utterly convinced that each of my dear baby books is about to be pummeled in public. I pray that … Continue reading
\n978-0-15-206258-3<\/p>\n
\nCEO. Liam, 17, is a world-class ne’er-do-well. He breaks the camel’s
\nback when he’s caught in flagrante delicto with a girl on his father’s
\noffice desk and gets kicked out of the house. Liam’s softhearted mother
\narranges for him to move in with her husband’s estranged brother, Pete,
\na cross-dressing deejay who lives “in a broken-down trailer park in the
\nmiddle of nowhere,” per Liam’s father. To regain his father’s approval,
\nLiam tries to lose his “Mr. Popularity” rep and reinvent himself as
\nstudious and nerdy (he even joins the audio-visual club), but he can’t
\nhide his charm. Darleen, a hostile classmate Liam tries to befriend,
\nsees right through him. “You’ll do what you do, which, if I’m guessing
\ncorrectly, is to be wildly and naturally popular.” Going’s latest (after
\nThe Garden of Eve) is full of comic moments featuring “Aunt” Pete’s
\nglam-rock band buddies and Liam’s relentless blunders, as well as his
\nuncommon fashion expertise (“You’re like a fashion Einstein,” gushes one
\nof Pete’s friends). Readers-screwups or not-will empathize as Liam,
\nutterly likable despite his faults, learns to be himself. Ages 12-up.
\n(Apr.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"