Welcome to day #3 of our YA LOVE FEST!
Joining us today is romance expert Simone Elkeles, award winning author of LEAVING PARADISE, HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION, HOW TO RUIN MY TEENAGE LIFE, and the newly-released PERFECT CHEMISTRY (which Romantic Times Magazine calls "a gripping tale!") If you don't already know her, let me tell you - Simone is made of awesome and "certainly knows how to write romance," according to Kirkus Reviews.Check out this rap video book trailer for PERFECT CHEMISTRY. I love it!
(You can also see the making-of video on her website. Too fun!)
Today's LOVE FEST giveaways are:
Signed copy of PERFECT CHEMISTRY
Buckeyes Chocolate Heart from Anthony Thomas
(You can also see the making-of video on her website. Too fun!)
Today's LOVE FEST giveaways are:
Signed copy of PERFECT CHEMISTRY
Buckeyes Chocolate Heart from Anthony ThomasThe Q&A:
What do I do? My best friend and I like the same guy! Help!
I actually had this happen when I was in high school. My friend Crissy liked this guy I was friends with - but while I was spending more time with him in an attempt to set him up with Chrissy, I started really liking him more than a friend.
If you and your friend started liking the guy at the same time, I say wait until he sets off some signals to see who he likes. If he likes you, your best friend shouldn't be mad if you start dating him. Break the news gently to her. If he likes her, try and be understanding and happy for her. Just remember, though, that best friends will be there for a long time and guys come-and-go.
If your friend started liking the guy first, then if he likes her you should let her date him and find another guy to crush on. That's just my opinion. I didn't go after Chrissy's crush, and they dated for over a year. I gave him up, and I'm still friends with Chrissy twenty years later...we both don't have any communication with Jon, the guy Chrissy dated and even went to prom with.
So, in my opinion, don't let your crush go just because your best friend has a crush on the same guy unless she liked him first and he really likes her. But at the same time, you don't want to jeopardize your friendship with your best friend. Is there someone else you like as well? Try and find a different guy to like...it will save you and your friend a lot of stress.
Good Luck!
I love my mom, but she can be really nosy. She even friended all my friends on facebook so she can read our walls! I can't go out on a date w/o her trying to arrange all the details. Now there's this guy I like and I think he likes me but I don't want to talk w/ her about it b/c she'll try to take over like always. How do I tell her to let me handle this one?
Oh, this is a tough one! I think they call this a "helicopter mom" or "hovering mom". Remember that your mom loves you and wants to make sure you date the right type of boy and are not doing anything online that would jeopardize your safety. If you want to date this new guy, I think you need to have a heart-to-heart talk with your mom. But don't do it when you're angry or upset - do it in a really mature way.
Tell her that you understand she loves you and wants the best for you (even if you don't believe this right now, just say it because it'll make her feel really good and it is probably true). Tell her that she's taught you to have high morals (no drugs, sex, drinking, etc.) and that she needs to trust you more. Tell her about the new guy (she'll respect you telling her up front) and that you really want to handle the relationship without her interference (although you should make him meet her). Tell her you'll be honest and open with her about the relationship, but you can't be open and honest if she's too involved. Tell her that her hovering is pushing you away instead of bringing you closer together (have tissues here, because a little crying on your part would be good right about now). Remind her that you love her, and always will. And then, when you're dating this new guy, ask your mom for advice so she feels involved in some way.
Good Luck!
The guy I like is really nice to me in private. He texts me every day and IMs on facebook. But when I see him, he ignores me! What's up with that? What do I do about it?
Sometimes guys will act different in private than they do in public. Just keep doing what you're doing - keep having a really fun and happy private relationship because I have a feeling the guy is just shy and needs time to be open about liking you in public. Texting is easy, and shy or relationship-phobic people can suddenly act and communicate how they would in public if they weren’t so shy because it’s not face-to-face. Be patient, because I have a feeling he’ll come around and start a more “public” relationship with you soon.
I know you might want to have the serious “why do you ignore me in public” conversation, but I’d hold off on that. Guys do not like drama or being pushed into something they’re not ready for and that might be the fastest way to get this guy out of your life. As I said, be patient. I know it’s hard to, though, because I’m the kind of girl who has the motto “I want it, and I want it NOW!”
Good Luck!
How do you get over a guy when you see him almost every day at school?
Oh, my heart goes out to you! I have had this happen to me, and it's not fun. Every time you see the guy, it’s totally depressing. Time does heal a little bit - every day that goes by gets easier and easier. Chocolate does help, but then afterward you feel chocolate overload and the good feeling only lasts as long as your chocolate binge. But for me, I have found that crushing on someone else helps more than anything. Is there someone else you might like? Open your eyes to new guys and look for someone else to crush on. Because soon you'll be dating someone else and wondering what you ever saw in guy#1 in the first place!
Good Luck!
And that's it for today! To be entered to win today's freebies, leave a comment below offering your advice for one of the questions above.
What do I do? My best friend and I like the same guy! Help!
I actually had this happen when I was in high school. My friend Crissy liked this guy I was friends with - but while I was spending more time with him in an attempt to set him up with Chrissy, I started really liking him more than a friend.
If you and your friend started liking the guy at the same time, I say wait until he sets off some signals to see who he likes. If he likes you, your best friend shouldn't be mad if you start dating him. Break the news gently to her. If he likes her, try and be understanding and happy for her. Just remember, though, that best friends will be there for a long time and guys come-and-go.
If your friend started liking the guy first, then if he likes her you should let her date him and find another guy to crush on. That's just my opinion. I didn't go after Chrissy's crush, and they dated for over a year. I gave him up, and I'm still friends with Chrissy twenty years later...we both don't have any communication with Jon, the guy Chrissy dated and even went to prom with.
So, in my opinion, don't let your crush go just because your best friend has a crush on the same guy unless she liked him first and he really likes her. But at the same time, you don't want to jeopardize your friendship with your best friend. Is there someone else you like as well? Try and find a different guy to like...it will save you and your friend a lot of stress.
Good Luck!
I love my mom, but she can be really nosy. She even friended all my friends on facebook so she can read our walls! I can't go out on a date w/o her trying to arrange all the details. Now there's this guy I like and I think he likes me but I don't want to talk w/ her about it b/c she'll try to take over like always. How do I tell her to let me handle this one?
Oh, this is a tough one! I think they call this a "helicopter mom" or "hovering mom". Remember that your mom loves you and wants to make sure you date the right type of boy and are not doing anything online that would jeopardize your safety. If you want to date this new guy, I think you need to have a heart-to-heart talk with your mom. But don't do it when you're angry or upset - do it in a really mature way.
Tell her that you understand she loves you and wants the best for you (even if you don't believe this right now, just say it because it'll make her feel really good and it is probably true). Tell her that she's taught you to have high morals (no drugs, sex, drinking, etc.) and that she needs to trust you more. Tell her about the new guy (she'll respect you telling her up front) and that you really want to handle the relationship without her interference (although you should make him meet her). Tell her you'll be honest and open with her about the relationship, but you can't be open and honest if she's too involved. Tell her that her hovering is pushing you away instead of bringing you closer together (have tissues here, because a little crying on your part would be good right about now). Remind her that you love her, and always will. And then, when you're dating this new guy, ask your mom for advice so she feels involved in some way.
Good Luck!
The guy I like is really nice to me in private. He texts me every day and IMs on facebook. But when I see him, he ignores me! What's up with that? What do I do about it?
Sometimes guys will act different in private than they do in public. Just keep doing what you're doing - keep having a really fun and happy private relationship because I have a feeling the guy is just shy and needs time to be open about liking you in public. Texting is easy, and shy or relationship-phobic people can suddenly act and communicate how they would in public if they weren’t so shy because it’s not face-to-face. Be patient, because I have a feeling he’ll come around and start a more “public” relationship with you soon.
I know you might want to have the serious “why do you ignore me in public” conversation, but I’d hold off on that. Guys do not like drama or being pushed into something they’re not ready for and that might be the fastest way to get this guy out of your life. As I said, be patient. I know it’s hard to, though, because I’m the kind of girl who has the motto “I want it, and I want it NOW!”
Good Luck!
How do you get over a guy when you see him almost every day at school?
Oh, my heart goes out to you! I have had this happen to me, and it's not fun. Every time you see the guy, it’s totally depressing. Time does heal a little bit - every day that goes by gets easier and easier. Chocolate does help, but then afterward you feel chocolate overload and the good feeling only lasts as long as your chocolate binge. But for me, I have found that crushing on someone else helps more than anything. Is there someone else you might like? Open your eyes to new guys and look for someone else to crush on. Because soon you'll be dating someone else and wondering what you ever saw in guy#1 in the first place!
Good Luck!
And that's it for today! To be entered to win today's freebies, leave a comment below offering your advice for one of the questions above.
