In anticipation of ghostgirl we had debut author, Tonya Hurley, give us a little background on her inspiration for the novel and her editor, Nancy, give us some insight on why ghostgirl is so special to her.

Tonya Hurley in her own words...

Everyone can relate to feeling invisible at some point or another in their lives, especially in high school. At a time when everyone is searching for acceptance from their peers and even themselves, there are few things more painful than being ignored, dismissed or simply overlooked. In ghostgirl, my first novel, I created a character that is literally invisible to explore the lengths that someone will go to achieve their goals, pursue their dreams, and, against all odds and reason, to get noticed. It is a story about ghosts, but not really a ghost story.

Growing up in a small town in western Pennsylvania, without much money or much to do, I had big dreams for as long as I can remember. They were my entertainment, my escape. Not that I didn't love my life. I did. I just couldn't keep myself from fantasizing what life must be like in a huge city like New York where every option, every opportunity was available twenty four hours a day. I would drive myself almost crazy thinking about it. How, though, to turn those dreams into reality? How do I get where I wanted to be and how long would it take? It just seemed impossible, except in my imagination.

My twin sister and I would sit reading a worn and tattered copy of Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are, graciously given to me by our school librarian, in our grandparents farm field. We read it so much that it didn't take long to memorize the story, so I put masking tape over the words and made up my own to go along with the pictures.I still have the book with the tape. I realize now that was my beginning as a writer. I think it was the beginning of ghostgirl as well. I tried to put all the uncertainty and determination I remember feeling into Charlotte Usher, with no idea how it was going to turn out, just like those storytelling sessions I shared with my sis. Just like my life, in fact.

Charlotte keeps going, no matter what anyone says, no matter how ludicrous the notion that a geeky misfit can get to the dance with the guy of her dreams and doesn't let a little obstacle like her own death get in the way. Dreams never die.

Nancy in her own words…


The ghostgirl submission arrived in a black coffin-like box with a pink satin banner that said "Rest-in-Popularity" strewn across it. Inside were about a dozen cut rushes and a proposal surrounded by moss. I thought this was a really unusual, clever presentation, and it certainly caught my attention. Truth be told, regardless of what was inside the box, I knew I couldn't part with the banner. It made me laugh, and as it turns out, so did the project attached to it.

It's very rare for a teen project to have a platform, but at the time of acquisition, ghostgirl.com had over twenty million hits and was cited in CosmoGirl and Elle Girl Magazines. In addition, movie rights had been optioned based solely on the character, concept, and site, and a partnership with AOL RED was in the works. I couldn't help but be impressed! Tonya Hurley had built a mini ghostgirl empire with her creativity, initiative, and natural teen sensibility. What she wanted to do next was tell the ghostgirl story, and I hoped we'd have the opportunity to help her do that in a way that would uphold the ultra-cool ghostgirl aesthetic she had established already.

Tonya has this wonderful way of exploring what teens perceive as life-or-death situations in a way that's humorous but not dismissive of their emotions. At the heart of ghostgirl is the idea that we all want to be seen for who we are, and that's a very real feeling for teens. They feel invisible, as we all do at times, and they want people to not only see them, but to "get" them. And, it was apparent right away that Tonya does. That's what enables her to create such a dead-on social satire, and it's what made me dying to work with her.

The 3rd Annual AJC Decatur Book Festival in Atlanta is happening over Labor Day weekend this year. There will be lots of authors there, including our very own Patrick McDonnell, author of Hugtime and the upcoming South. There will also be an impressive rare book collection as well as a book market street fair.

Are you a fan of trivia and live in the Chicago area? Check out book trivia night at The Book Cellar on August 6th. More info here.

In St. Louis, MO the 30th Annual YMCA Book Fair is happening August 22- August 28. You can donate your books to be sold or just attend and pick up some new reading material. All proceeds go to the YMCA of greater St. Louis. For more info visit http://www.ymcastlouis.org/carondelet/bookfair.

We are looking for a few good galley groups! Do you have a middle-grade reading group? Or would you like to start a middle-grade reading group but just needed an excuse to get going? Here's your chance! For the 2008-2009 school year LBYR is looking for some great middle-grade reviewers from across the country. Send your application to us by October 1, 2008. What's in the application? A letter about you, your institution, and your middle-graders. If selected, your group will receive regular mailings of the latest LBYR titles. We'll look forward to your reviews 4-6 months later.

If you have a community event that you would like Little, Brown School to announce in our newsletter please email littlebrownschool@hbgusa.com with the info.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer has won the 2008 Flume Award from New Hampshire Teen Readers! The nominees are in for next year and Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr has been nominated for the 2009 Flume.

ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley received three starred reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus and Publisher's Weekly this week. Publishers Weekly praises the novel's "dark and polished dead-pan humor," Kirkus raves that it is "goofy, ghastly, intelligent, electrifying" and SLJ continues to applaud this "original, hilarious satire."

The first 25 people that respond to littlebrownschool@hbgusa.com with FREE MIDDLE GRADE GALLEY PACK in the subject line will get a free sample of galleys. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR SHIPPING ADDRESS (no PO Box) in the email.


No purchase or payment of money is necessary to enter or win To enter this sweepstakes, you should send an email to FREE MIDDLE GRADE GALLEY PACK offer. Limit of one entry per person. Sweepstakes is open for TWO DAYS ONLY and begins August 1st, 2008, 11:00 am (ET) and ends on August 5th, 2008, 11:00 am (ET). There will be 25 prizes awarded. No returns or substitutions. Each prize has an approximate retail value of $10.00. Winners will be notified by email on or before August 5, 2008, and may be asked to sign and return a short affidavit to confirm eligibility and agreement to abide by these official rules. The odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received. Available to all United States residents over the age of 18 who are librarians and/or educators. Sponsor, and its affiliates and their employees and families, are not eligible to enter. Applicable taxes are the sole responsibility of the winners. Sponsor reserves the right at any time to cancel or modify this sweepstakes in whole or in part in the event of technical or other difficulties. By participating in this sweepstakes, entrant agrees to be bound by these official rules. Prize will be awarded to alternate winner if prize notification cannot be made or is otherwise undeliverable. Sweepstakes sponsored by Hachette Book Group USA, Inc., 237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Victoria Stapleton, Room 15-164.


There's the bell!! We'll be back next month!