Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

PERFECT CHEMISTRY

by Simone Elkeles

Contemporary Young Adult
Walker Books
www.SimoneElkeles.net


We're giving away 3 signed copies on January 16, 2009





Synopsis:

Brittany Ellis is a popular girl from the wealthy side of the Chicago suburbs who appears to have the perfect life. Alex Fuentes seems to be your typical bad-boy, from the wrong side of town, involved in a dangerous Latino gang. Like star-crossed lovers in modern times, Brittany and Alex are brought together despite having all of the odds stacked against them—different races, social statuses, friends, lifestyles, families, and neighborhoods—and they come to learn the raw reality that nothing in life is ever as it seems, while falling fast in love. As they fight to break the stereotypes that define them, they face tough challenges: pressure from peers to stick to their own “kind,” disapproval from their parents, and perhaps most dangerously for Alex the entanglement of gang life and his desire to break free from those perilous ties.

Book Trailer:

Simone has produced an amazing Book Trailer/Rap Video for Perfect Chemistry. Take a look!








Check out Free Book Friday's exclusive interview with author Simone Elkeles!

1) Okay, I have to ask about the trailer first because everyone is talking about it. It’s definitely not your average book trailer. It’s a rap video! Where did you get the idea to do that?

In the 90’s I was a big fan of the hit television show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with Will Smith and I loved the rap theme song. It was entertaining, funny, and told the backstory of the character. I’d had book trailers done for two of my books, but they were just still pictures with words and music. For Perfect Chemistry, I wanted to do something to have my book trailer stand out. I didn’t want it to be like any other book trailer out there, and I needed something funny that would grab teens’ attention and hopefully be viral. A rap video was the perfect solution! So I hired Chris LoDuca (a Chicago director), and he helped me hire a cast of actors. The rap was mostly written by Chris, with a little bit of tweaking from me. It’s definitely a parody of my book (Brittany and Alex are portrayed in the rap as stereotypes), but it’s funny and I’ve gotten many emails from teens who love the rap and have even downloaded it to their iPods. You can watch it and download it from my website at www.simoneelkeles.net and I’ve also posted it on YouTube. The “making of” video outtakes are really funny, too.

2) I read on your website that PERFECT CHEMISTRY has been a passion project of yours, working on it off and on between other projects for five years! Why is this story so special for you?

Perfect Chemistry was the first teen novel I ever wrote. A lot of energy and effort and research went into the book. I sold How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, How to Ruin my Teenage Life and Leaving Paradise…but I still had Perfect Chemistry (then titled Zero Tolerance) that I’d been working on for five years on and off. When an author has worked for so long writing a novel, the characters are a part of their life. That’s why it was so important for me to sell it and share it with the world. I knew teens would go crazy for Perfect Chemistry, and from the response so far (within two weeks Barnes & Noble had to double their initial order at my publisher because they’d almost sold out) has been incredible. It’s a beautiful classic romance like West Side Story or Romeo and Juliet…but it’s contemporary and different at the same time.

3) What’s the first thing you do when starting a new book?

I stare at the blank screen and wonder how in the world I’m going to fill up 300 or 350 blank pages with my words. Then I just start writing Chapter 1. I don’t use an outline, I just write. I kind of “meet the characters” as I’m writing their scenes, and sometimes what my characters do surprise me. Yeah, I know that’s strange but all writers are at least a little bit weird.

4) What’s the first think you do when finishing a new book?

Oh, that’s easy. I go out for sushi to celebrate! Then I think about the next book I want to write.

5) Which fictional character do you have a secret crush on?

I guess I have a crush on all of my main male characters I’ve created (I guess it’s only natural because I’ve spent the most time with these “guys” than any other fictional characters). Avi from How to Ruin a Summer Vacation/How to Ruin my Teenage Life because he’s so tough and wants to protect Amy and he loves her despite her being a drama queen and have a bunch of faults. Caleb from Leaving Paradise because he’ll stick up for Maggie in front of the bullies and loves her even though it’s forbidden and she’s not a typical beautiful girl on the outside…in fact she’s quite plain. And Alex in Perfect Chemistry because he’s such a tough guy on the outside but on the inside he’s a guy who will do the right thing for the girl he loves. And he’ll risk his life to be with her, even if it means he might die. I’m a total romantic, so any romantic character (who has to be tough – I only like type A personalities in my fictional male characters) I pretty much fall for and have a crush on. From the fan mail I get, my readers feel the same way and wish my male lead characters were real people. Oh, how I wish I could really bring them to life


About the Author:

Simone Elkeles is an award winning author of teen novels. Critics and fans alike adore her stories for their realistic depiction of teenage angst and drama. Her first three YA novels, How to Ruin a Summer Vacation, How to Ruin my Teenage Life, and Leaving Paradise, earned her a gamut of honorable distinctions including the 2008 RITA finalist, 2007 Book Sense pick, 2008 Illinois Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English, 2007 top ten teen book pick for YALSA, and a 2008 Notable Teen Read by AJL, among many others.

For more information about Simone and her novels please visit: www.SimoneElkeles.net