Big welcome to Alyson Noel, author of CRUEL SUMMER and a whole lot more! Alyson's another Teen Fiction Cafe sister.
I’m so excited to take part in Linda’s launch for her awesome new book, DEATH BY LATTE!!! And since the theme of this blog party is lying, it got me thinking about my own lying tendencies, which, truth be told is usually reserved for moments like this:
Friend: So what do you think of my new purse?
Me: It’s great! (Insert big smile and nodding head, hoping she won’t look into my eyes and see what I’m really thinking, while I try to change the subject as quickly as possible).
Harmless, right? I mean, obviously my friend likes her purse, which is why she bought it in the first place. So for me to say that I think it’s hideous (or something far less offensive but still far from my white lie of “it’s great!”) seems kind of pointless. If not a little mean. Which is probably why I usually shop alone.
But those are the kind of white lies we’re ALL guilty of (yes, that includes YOU!). While the bigger lies, the more serious, non-white lies are the sort I try to avoid. Mostly because they tend to turn me into a sweaty, eye avoiding, leg shaking, spazzy mess!
But my characters? Well, they’re another story. And while some of them claim to be terrible at lying too, that doesn’t stop them from trying. Though, since I created them, I like to think that they do have their reasons.
Take Alex, in my debut novel FAKING 19. When she meets sexy, older, Brit, Conner, she doesn’t hesitate to lie about her age, telling him that she’s, um, 19 (hence the title), when the truth is she’s only 17. Her reason for lying? She’s afraid of being rejected if he learns the truth.
Or, Colby, in CRUEL SUMMER, who lies to just about everyone, about just about everything. She even lies to herself. But the only reason she does so, is because she’s afraid of the truth.
And then there’s Ever, in my upcoming paranormal series, EVERMORE, who not so much lies as she withholds information. She’s psychic, she hears other people’s thoughts, sees their auras, and can learn their entire life story merely by touch. And knowing it will freak out her friends almost as much as it freaks her, she chooses not to tell them. Preferring for people to think she’s a freak, rather than learn the real truth.
So, for your chance to win a signed copy of FAKING 19 and CRUEL SUMMER, (sorry, EVERMORE won’t be in stores until Feb 3,2009!), just leave me a comment about one of your lies, someone else’s lies, or your thoughts on lying in general!
