Winner!

The contest winner for a copy of My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions by Becca Wilhite is....

Christina/Book Addict!!

Congrats Christina! You have 48 hours to email me back with your mailing address or a new winner will be chosen.

Contest Reminder!!

Just a reminder that the contest for a copy of My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions by Becca Wilhite ends tomorrow (February 25th) at Midnight!!!

Enter here!

Interview + Contest: Becca Wilhite

Today I'd like to welcome Becca Wilhite, author of Bright Blue Miracles and her newest novel, My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions.

Quick! Describe your novel My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions in 7 words or less!

Insecure university freshman stumbles through unexpected romance.

Okay, thank you for humoring me and my spontaneous demands! How about a bit more of a description?
Sarah's a closet Romance reader, and she KNOWS that life isn't like romance novels. That's for the willowy, stunning waifs, not girls with brains and hips. Even with the prodding of her best friend, she can't believe that Ben the Greek God is actually interested in her. Because she's been fooled before, publicly and horribly, and she's never, ever going to open herself up to that sort of humiliation again.

Who is your main character, and what makes them unique?
Sara's paradox is that she's bright enough to "get" college, but she's really dumb about seeing herself. She holds two-sided conversations in her head (in British accents, natch) where she argues her points (you know, with herself). Easily mortified, she regularly has to remove her foot from her mouth.

Where did the inspiration to write this novel come from?
I love to explore the differences between how a person sees herself and how the rest of the world sees her. I also think that even the most confident girls feel under-qualified for "perfect" relationships. Also, I love the voices in Sarah's head. I could hear them loud and clear from the day I wrote the first scene (which of course, is not the first scene in the book).

As far as the actual writing goes, I was planning to attend a writers' conference, and I needed two chapters for a group critique workshop. Two weeks before the conference, my first manuscript (Bright Blue Miracle) was accepted for publication, so I needed something new. I had a scene I loved (dancing at the reception) that wasn't tied to anything, so I wrote the first two chapters for Sarah's story to take that workshop. Some of the feedback I got was brutal. Some helpful. Some generous. And some was unexplainable and mysterious to me. So the most helpful thing I got from that experience was this: I allowed myself to accept some of the suggestions and say "no thanks" to some of the others. I think it's HUGE for a writer to know when to accept and when to reject "helpful advice" from readers and other writers.

Do you have any ridiculous, romantic obsessions?
Lea, I think I have all of them. But mostly I just want a really cool Regency dinner dress. All my other obsessions? Have totally come to be facts of my life and my happy marriage. :)

Thanks for the wonderful interview Becca! And now on to the contest!

For your chance to win your very own copy of My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions, Enter using the form below (OR email me your entries at yabookqueen@yahoo.com). Ends FEBRUARY 25th, at midnight.

US Entrants only.

My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions Review (will open in a new window)

My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions by Becca Wilhite Review

Book: My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions 

Author: Becca Wilhite

Release Date: March 3rd, 2010

Source: Publicist

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sarah Howard's first year at the university is everything and nothing she expected, especially when a very cute boy named Ben in her Art History class starts to show interest in her.

Sarah feels like she's an average, normal, everyday girl. So, when Ben (to whom she secretly refers as Adonis because she thinks he could be a Greek god) begins to take interest in her, Sarah is in denial. For one thing, last year she was deeply crushed and humiliated by Jesse James, a guy who she thought liked her.

She's determined not to get burned again. But in her heart of hearts, what she really wants is a Jane Austen kind of romance. Ridiculous, right? That kind of romance doesn't exist anymore...or does it? Sarah is smart and fun to be around and even pretty, despite her Medusa-like red curls. She even plays the guitar. (So does Ben!) Yes, Sarah is everything Ben has wanted. He's crazy for her, but Sarah is just not getting it. She's playing hard to get, and if she's not careful, she's going to lose a real hot gentleman -- her 21st-century Mr. Darcy.

Review: My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions was cute, fun, and completely charming.

Sarah is smart, sweet, and pretty good at playing the guitar. However, she's also pretty good at playing mind games (unintentionally). After a disasterous experience with a guy, she tends to think that no one is interested in her, when it's quite obvious that they are. So when she meets Ben (sweet, nice, cute Ben), things get a little complicated.

There were so many moments in this book where I was laughing, grinning like a fool, and just enjoying the humor. There were plenty of sweet, laugh out loud, and "Oh, gosh, did she really just say that?!" moments to keep me entertained. Wilhite created a fun, light romance novel for YA readers.

Highlights: I could totally see this plot actually happening, because it just felt real. Especially the awkward, hilarious bits, which I always enjoy (and let's face it, they happen in life).

Lowlights: At times, I found Sarah's constant "He doesn't like like me" attitude a bit annoying, because it was obvious that he did. It got to be a bit frustrating, because I really wanted her to just be honest with herself, and with Ben. I just wanted to shake her! I also felt like some of the other characters (like Chel, Zak) weren't really fleshed out enough, or something, because they just seemed a bit blah.

Rating:   

In My Mailbox 17

IMM is presented weekly by The Story Siren.

For Review:

My Ridculous Romantic Obsessions by Becca Wilhite

O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell

That's it for this week! Hope everyone had a great weekend, and has a great week!

- Lea