Author Interview + Giveaway: Jennifer E. Smith (author of This Is What Happy Looks Like)

Hi guys! 

Hope you enjoyed Easter and April Fool's :) I know I managed to fool some of you with my Harry Potter joke (see here, scroll to the end of the post).

Today's post is about one of my most anticipated releases this year, THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE. The book and its amazing author, Jennifer E. Smith, have both made several appearances on this blog. HAPPY was on my Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2013 list while Jennifer's previous book, THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT, had a place on my Top Ten Books I've Read in 2012 list (you can see my raving review of it here). And the best thing is that I've even interviewed Jennifer previously, with a lot of rants about true love and hot British boys (read the interview here).

Since Jennifer is no stranger to this blog, let's welcome her back again with a short and sweet Q&A about HAPPY, which released yesterday (2 April 2013)!

You also have a chance to win a copy of the book, thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers ;) Try your luck in the Rafflecopter at the end of the post. Before that, get to know a tad bit more about the book!

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Describe HAPPY to us in a sentence.

It's an unlikely love story between two very different teens who meet after an email goes astray...

Tell the readers, why should we read this book?

I think readers who enjoyed my last book, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, will like this one too.  It's another love story that explores themes of fate and chance. Only this time, the boy is a teen movie star!

Many readers and bloggers have commented that they love how HAPPY sounds like Sleepless in Seattle meet You've Got Mail. What is your opinion on this interpretation? Did these two films inspire you in any way?

I adore those two movies -- especially You've Got Mail -- so I'm thrilled with the comparison.  I think most writers of these types of stories owe a great debt to Nora Ephron. I know I certainly do.

Which movie star did you picture Graham to be like?

I actually didn't have someone specific in mind, though I've already heard from a lot of people who pictured various actors while they were reading, so I'm excited to hear more theories as they roll in!

Anything you want to share about Graham's pet pig? Or why Ellie doesn't want to be in the media's spotlight? 

Graham's pet pig, Wilbur, doesn't actually make an appearance, though he's referenced quite a lot, and he's actually one of my favorite parts of the book.  As for Ellie's secret, you'll have to read to find out!

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Thanks for dropping by, Jennifer! Is it just me or does this book remind you of a Disney Channel movie, Starstruck (but wittier, funnier and deeper)? :) Anywho, I just can't resist pigs called Wilbur *grins*

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds. 

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs? 

GIVEAWAY (US ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


If you are one of the international peeps like me who can't take part in the giveaway, head over to The Book Depository | Amazon | Barnes & Noble to order the book today!

Even if you are not taking part, I still have an interesting question for you:

If you could be pen pals with any superstar/singer/teen heartthrob, who would it be?

xoxo,

Sel