Delightful Debutantes #6: Lorraine Zago Rosenthal & Other Words for Love.

Delightful Debutantes is back today after a short Christmas break, and I'm very pleased to have a delightful Q&A with Lorraine Zago Rosenthal, author of the upcoming Other Words for Love. I love the sound of this one.  Read on to find out more about Lorraine, and her delightful debut!

Other Words for Love sounds like a great coming of age read. Can you describe the book for my readers in just one sentence?

Brooklyn teen Ari Mitchell becomes quickly and deeply involved in a serious relationship with wealthy college student Blake Ellis, and struggles to deal with the fallout when things don't go as she'd planned.

Being a soon to be published author must be very exciting! Can you tell me how your life changed since the book sold, and also how you celebrated when you heard you were going to be published? 

Being a debut author is definitely exciting. I'm so happy and very grateful that I've been given the opportunity to share this story with readers. The change in my life since the book sold is that writing is now a career instead of just a hobby--and that's a wonderful thing! When I heard that I was going to be published, I celebrated with my husband over dinner at a fantastic restaurant (after jumping for joy). 

The Young Adult sector is very popular these days! What do you like most about writing for teens?

I love getting inside the psyche of young adult characters and helping them navigate through the angst, confusion, excitement, frustration--and most importantly, hope--that come during the teen years. I always have the urge to tell them that they shouldn't worry so much and be so self-critical, because things won't be this hard forever. But just as in real life, they have to figure it out by themselves. 

I like the cover art for Other Words for Love a lot. What does the cover image represent to you?

Thank you! The cover was designed by Angela Carlino at Random House, and I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. Here's what the design means to me: Ari lives in Brooklyn, and the photo of the bridge and the NYC skyline indicates the gap between the middle-class background she's accustomed to and the glamour of Manhattan she experiences when she becomes involved with her boyfriend. I like that the NYC photo isn't glittery, because not everything that happens as a result of Ari's relationship with Blake is glamorous. The image of the mouth represents Ari, and the emotion and intimacy of the story she's telling. It's as if she's whispering her secrets and innermost thoughts.

Can you name three other books that you think readers of your book might enjoy?

FOREVER and SUMMER SISTERS by Judy Blume, and PREP by Curtis Sittenfeld. 

Can you recommend a great book that you think everybody should read and also let me know what you're reading at the moment? 

I'm currently reading and enjoying BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS by Anna Godbersen. I think everyone should read THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger. Holden Caulfield's voice is so real, honest, and engaging.

What are you working on next?

Right now I'm working on another YA novel that is also set in NYC. The story is different from my debut novel but it also deals with family, friendship, romance, and love.

Thanks to Lorraine for the delightful interview! Other Words for Love is released by Delacorte Books for Young Readers on January 11th 2011.

You can also:
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This post is part of the Other Words for Love blog tour. Make sure you stop by the other participating blogs and check them out. Lorraine will be posting tour updates on twitter, so follow her there to find out more!