Jennifer Brown

I'm so excited to see the tour bus rollin' through, because today I'm talking with Sydney Salter, the only Deb whom I've actually met in person (and, for the record, I adore her!), and author of  the YA novel, SWOON AT YOUR OWN RISK.

About SWOON AT YOUR OWN RISK:

You’d think Polly Martin would have all the answers when it comes to love—after all, her grandmother is the famous syndicated advice columnist Miss Swoon. But after a junior year full of dating disasters, Polly has sworn off boys. This summer, she’s going to focus on herself for once. So Polly is happy when she finds out Grandma is moving in—think of all the great advice she’ll get. 

But Miss Swoon turns out to be a man-crazy sexagenarian! How can Polly stop herself from falling for Xander Cooper, the suddenly-hot skateboarder who keeps showing up while she’s working at Wild Waves water park, when Grandma is picking up guys at the bookstore and flirting with the dishwasher repairman? 

No advice column can prepare Polly for what happens when she goes on a group camping trip with three too many ex-boyfriends and the tempting Xander. Polly is forced to face her feelings and figure out if she can be in love—and still be herself.

3 Qs for Sydney Salter:

1) What non-writing activity most inspires you to write?

Traveling. I love the adventure of packing up my suitcase and discovering someplace new. Visiting an unfamiliar city, country, or even a place I've been before gets my creativity going.

2) Do you keep your rejection letters? If so, what do you do with them?

I treasure my rejection letters and store them in my Notebook of Rejection. I show pre-published writers and students how many people said no way before I got published. I also share my meanest rejection letter with the audience.

3) What was the moment where it really sank in that you are officially "an author"?

Seeing my book at the bookstore felt almost too surreal so I'd have to say that doing school visits made me feel like a real author--the way kids look at me with awe. I quickly try to make myself very real to them because I strongly believe that anyone with enough drive can be an author.

Pick up a copy of SWOON AT YOUR OWN RISK here.

About Sydney Salter:

Sydney Salter has never had an ex-boyfriend or worked in a water park, but she did once babysit a bulldog. Sydney now lives in Utah with her first and only boyfriend (now her husband), two daughters, two cats, two dogs, and a pair of tortoises. She loves reading, writing, traveling, and really tall, really twisty water slides. She’s also the author of My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters and Jungle Crossing. www.sydneysalter.com and www.mybignose.blogspot.com

NOTE: For whatever reason, I can't get images and videos to upload today. As soon as I fix the problem, I'll have SWOON's cover image, book trailer, and a photo of the Notebook of Rejection for you. So check back soon!