Jeri Smith-Ready

Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit Tour - Elizabeth Scott

Today's guest on the Girlfriend Cyber Circuit is the ever-awesome Elizabeth Scott. When I first came to Simon Pulse over a year ago, my editor sent me a few books that she loved and thought I would love, too.

One of them was Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott, and it was one of my favorite reads of 2009. The characters were so real and believable, and while there was a lot of humor (always a plus for me), it only added to the depth, which is not always an easy thing for an author to pull off.

Now Elizabeth Scott has a new book out this week, called The Unwritten Rule, which sounds like a phenomenal read:

Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don't like you best friend's boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend. Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful.

Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more...

What others are saying about The Unwritten Rule:

"Sarah and Ryan's relationship, with the visceral thrill of physical attraction, is beautifully captured, but it's the delicate balance between insecure Brianna's need to put Sarah down and Sarah's loyalty to her needy and lonely friend that will stay with the reader. The painfully abrupt ending fits the characters and story, and will leave readers wanting more. Scott's realistic dialogue and empathetic view of symbiotic relationships will have teens thinking she has been eavesdropping on their conversations. Romance readers will pick up this novel and discover fine, accessible writing many notches about the standard love story." -- Booklist

"I read this book in a few hours, all in the same night. It was impossible for me to walk away from, because I wasn't sure what was going to happen to the characters, and I couldn't even decide for myself what I actually wanted to happen. Did I think the best friend should get the guy and lose her best friend? Was the girl currently with the guy being mean? Was I mad at the guy for not going for what he wanted in the first place? I really liked how our main character considered the role of best friends in the media (especially movies). I found what she said to be so very true - best friends in movies are there to be awkward, to listen... not often to have as great a life as the more popular of the best friends. I was very satisfied with the ending, and agreed with the ways things turned out, even though I didn't know that that is what I wanted until it actually happened. Bravo, Elizabeth Scott!" -- Chick Loves Lit

"This is an emotional novel and one that will stick with you. It might sound like it'll be a fluffy chick lit romance, and while there is romance, it's certainly not fluff! If you've read anything by Elizabeth Scott, you know she writes great romances and this one is no exception. It's never an easy or light romance--it's heartwrenching and heartbreaking and real. The Unwritten Rule doesn't take the easy all will be perfect route to this story which I think makes the book even more realistic. This book will have you thinking about your friendships and relationships long after you read the last page." -- Green Bean Teen Queen

And now...my interview with Elizabeth Scott!

1. If you could inhabit the life of any of your characters, enter their world and deal with it as that person, which one would you choose?

No one! I like writing stories, but I don't want to be in them--I'm very happy with my life.

2. On the flip side, which of your characters would you most like to bring to life in our world (as a friend or a little bit more ;-) ?

I have to say I wouldn't like to see this happen--honestly, by the time a book comes out I've seen it and gone over it and rewritten it so many times that I actually can't read it. (That's right--I've never read one of my books!)

3. What's the weirdest tidbit of research you've ever incorporated into a book?

There's a certain country where there are--or were, it's not a country that gets written about a lot because it's very, very closed off--gold statues of a certain person all over the place. HUGE gold statues! (And for those of you wondering, you'll see that in my September 2010 book, Grace)

4. What's your earliest memory?

Looking out the window of my bedroom at the fields.

5. Do you have any phobias?

I'm not super crazy about Friday the 13th. Don't know why, but I just don't like that day!

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Elizabeth Scott grew up in a town so small it didn't even have a post office, though it did boast an impressive cattle population. She's sold hardware and panty hose and had a memorable three-day stint in the dot-com industry, where she learned that she really didn't want a career burning CDs. She lives just outside Washington, DC, with her husband; firmly believes you can never own too many books; and would love it if you visited her website.

Labels: GCC, reading

• posted by Jeri @ 8:48 PM
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