Hey you guys! This is my first ever time participating in a blog tour, so tell me how I do! And boy do I have some exciting stuff for you! We all get to hear about how amazing The Obvious Game is, and it sure sounds pretty sweet, and a little bit about the author. We also have an interview with Rita Arens herself (and I did come up with the questions, they're not just a hand-out), and a GIVEAWAY! Sounds, great, right? Read on!
“Everyone trusted me
back then. Good old, dependable Diana. Which is why most people didn’t notice
at first.”
"Your shirt is yellow."
"Your eyes are blue."
"You have to stop running away from your problems."
"You're too skinny."
Fifteen-year-old Diana Keller accidentally begins teaching The Obvious Game to new kid Jesse on his sixteenth birthday. As their relationship deepens, Diana avoids Jesse's past with her own secrets -- which she'll protect at any cost.
Praise:
“I couldn’t put down The Obvious Game. Arens perfectly
captures the hunger, pain and uncertainty of adolescence.” -- Ann Napolitano,
author of A GOOD HARD LOOK and WITHIN ARM'S REACH
"THE OBVIOUS GAME is a fearless, honest, and intense
look into the psychology of anorexia. The characters—especially Diana--are so
natural and emotionally authentic that you’ll find yourself yelling at the page
even as you’re compelled to turn it." -- Coert Voorhees, author of LUCKY
FOOLS and THE BROTHERS TORRES
"Let’s be clear about one thing: there’s nothing
obvious about The Obvious Game. Arens has written a moving, sometimes
heart-breaking story about one girl’s attempt to control the uncontrollable.
You can’t help but relate to Diana and her struggles as you delve into this gem
of a novel." -- Risa Green, author of THE SECRET SOCIETY OF THE PINK
CRYSTAL BALL
About Rita Arens:
Rita Arens is the author of The Obvious Game and the editor
of the award-winning parenting anthology Sleep Is for the Weak. She writes the
popular blog Surrender, Dorothy (www.surrenderdorothyblog.com) and lives in
Kansas City with her husband and daughter. The Obvious Game is her first young
adult novel. She is at work on a second.
Rita has been a featured speaker at BlogHer 2012, BEA
Bloggers Conference 2012, BlogHer Writers 2011, BlogHer 2011, Blissdom 2011,
Alt Summit 2010, BlogHer 2010, BlogHer
2008 and BlogHer 2009, the 2008 Kansas City Literary Festival and 2009 Chicks
Who Click and appeared on the Walt Bodine Show in 2008.
She’s been quoted by Bloomberg Businessweek, The Associated
Press, Forbes Woman, the Wall Street Journal, Businessweek and Businessweek
Online and featured in Breathe magazine, Get Your Biz Savvy, The Kansas City
Star (archived material available on request), Today Moms (Today Show blog) and
Ink KC.
Website/blog: http://www.surrenderdorothyblog.com or
http://www.ritaarens.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ritaarens Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rita.arens
BlogHer: http://www.blogher.com/member/rita-arens
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=4048495&trk=tab_pro
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/ritajarens/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002KRLEHE
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1371209.Rita_Arens
Interview with Rita Arens:
What inspiration did you have to write The Obvious Game?
Life …
Why did you decide to write The Obvious Game?
It was a story I felt I had to tell.
Who motivated you to start writing?
I started on my own around fifth grade. Back then, it was poetry. I guess I just never stopped.
When did you decide you were going to be a writer?
1997
I’m sure everyone wants to know, what is The Obvious Game?
It’s a game the characters use to talk to each other about hard subjects.
Where do the main characters come from? Are they totally fictional, or based off of real life people?
Most are composites. There are a few very minor characters who are totally fictional, but they don’t get much dialogue. I might think of one person’s sense of humor and another person’s quirks and mash them all together.
How do you like writing in the young adult genre? Is it more or less challenging then writing other genres?
My first book, SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK, was a parenting anthology taken from blogs, so this was very different. I edited that book and wrote just a few parts of it as opposed to a work that’s entirely mine. Fiction is a lot harder than truth, especially if you want there to be truth in the fiction, if that makes any sense.
Now that you’ve finished The Obvious Game, do you wish you could go back and change any of it?
Nope. I’m going to let it ride.
Is there a certain theme or idea that you want your readers to grasp while reading The Obvious Game?
There is no can’t, only won’t.
What does writing mean to you?
Sanity
Would you say the characters are a part of you, or you of them?
That’s a tough one. I don’t know the answer.
What plans do you have for the future involving your career as a writer?
I’m working on a second stand-alone YA novel right now called THE BIRTHRIGHT OF PARKER CLEAVES. I hope to make a go of this YA thing.
Does the story behind The Obvious Game come from your past or the past of someone you know?
Oh, totally mine.
How do you relate to your characters?
I spend a lot of time with them.
What advice can you give to people looking for a career in writing?
Read like a writer – not just for pleasure, but also to learn.
Book Information:
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Release Date: Feb 7th, 2013ISBN: 978-0-9856562-7-0 (ebook), 978-0-9856562-8-7 (Paperback)
Paperback Price: $13.99
E-book: $4.99
To be available at all major online outlets: Amazon,
B&N, The Book Depository
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Well I hope you all had a wonderful time with this tour, I certainly loved participating in it!
Kacii
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I love comments! So don't hesitate to share your thoughts. Leave your blog/website name and link so I can get back to you. And if you're a new follower, tell me. Note that this is an award-free zone. I loved getting awards and I was pleased you guys thought I was special, but I was nominated so many times and it took a lot of time to do the award posts, time that I don't have. So thanks, but no thanks.
Happy reading!
Kacii