inkpop Fundamentals: June 9, 2011

★ e-book prequel to Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl’s ‘Beautiful Chaos’ available August 2011! Beautiful Chaos, the third installment in Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl’s Caster Chronicles series isn’t slated to hit bookstores until October 18, 2011; but diehard fans won’t have to wait that long for their next Caster Chronicles fix. On August 2, 2011, Garcia and Stohl will release Dream Dark: A Beautiful Creatures Story, an e-book exclusive download said to be a prequel to Beautiful Chaos, which focuses on Link, Ethan’s best friend, as he begins his own transformation into the supernatural. “In addition to the brand-new short story, the e-book download will also include an exclusive sneak peek at the first five chapters of ‘Beautiful Chaos.’” MTV.

★ James Patterson’s ‘Maximum Ride’ series coming to an end Since its debut on April 11, 2005, James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series has struck a chord with teenage readers and adults alike with his cast of quirky, part human/part avian characters thought of as modern-day superheroes, but nothing lasts forever – and neither will this series. Patterson recently announced that the release of the eighth book – Nevermore – set to hit bookstores in February 2012, will be the final installment in the series. “Patterson was confident that the movie will be adapted. In fact, the team behind the ‘Iron Man’ movie series just finished writing a ‘Maximum Ride’ screenplay and Catherine Hardwicke told GalleyCat that she may direct the movie.” GalleyCat.

★ ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn’ Part 1 film trailer released! Though November 18, 2011 is still a good five months away, on Sunday, June 5, 2011, MTV debuted the official trailer for one of the most-anticipated movies of the year – Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. The two-minute trailer, which you can view here, includes footage of the wedding invitation scene, as well as “spoilers about the strange plot of Stephenie Meyer‘s novel.” MediaBistro.

Over to you…are you excited for the release of Beautiful Chaos? Will you be downloading a copy of Dream Dark on August 2, 2011? Will you be sad to see the Maximum Ride series come to an end? What are your thoughts on a Maximum Ride film franchise? What do you think of the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 trailer? Will you be seeing the film when it his theaters on November 18, 2011 – why or why not?

Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Erika (aka inkpoperika)

inkpop Fundamentals: June 7, 2011

★ ‘Mortal Instruments’ author Cassandra Clare gives two thumbs up for the casting of Jamie Campbell Bower as Shadowhunter Jace Wayland! Though many have been up in arms since the official casting announcement of actor Jamie Campbell Bower as Shadowhunter Jace Wayland in the big screen adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series – some cheering and others expressing concern that the actor doesn’t embody Jace the way that Alex Pettyfer (the original name linked with the role in question) does – one individual who is thrilled about the casting is the author herself. Cassandra recently sat down with MTV to discuss the intricacies of casting, why Bower is such a perfect fit for Jace, fan reactions (to which she has stated “When they see him on the cover of a magazine, dressed up as Jace, with the runes, with the hair, with the build, they’re going to be pleasantly shocked and surprised and happy.”), and much more. Check out the full-length interview here. MTV.

★ ‘Sweet Valley High’ spin-off on its way to the ‘net Since the return of Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield – the towheaded twins from Sweet Valley, CA – in Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later, which found itself on multiple bestseller’s lists in April of 2011, many have been unable to quell their desire to read more about the twins that they know and love from childhood – and now they won’t have to. Last week, St. Martin’s Press revealed that they will be releasing a follow-up to the bestseller – though it won’t be available in stores. “The new follow-up, tentatively titled The Sweet Life, will be published as a digital-only serial beginning next spring. It will be released in monthly installments published online, mimicking the original cliff-hanger form of the original series. St. Martin’s expects that the installments, which will run approximately 20,000 words each, will especially be read on mobile phones.” New York Times.

★ ‘The Hunger Games’…four films instead of three? The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay. There are three titles in Suzanne Collins’ bestselling The Hunger Games trilogy; but now that the series is being adapted into a feature film franchise, those three books may be adapted into four films a la the adaptations of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. Though nothing is set in stone yet, as Lionsgate has only signed up to produce one film thus far, chances are that the entire series will be picked up upon release of the first installment, and the additional three will hit theaters soon thereafter. “As for how the trilogy will be turned into four films, it’ll go much the way that ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Twilight Saga’ did. The first two books will be the first two films. The last book will be split in half. The final installment, ‘Mockingjay’, is logistically ambitious and can be scaled up comfortably to cover two films.” Deadline.

Over to you…now that you’ve read author Cassandra Clare’s thoughts on Jamie Campbell Bower playing the role of Shadowhunter Jace Wayland, has your opinion changed? Are you excited to see him take on the role? Are you excited to see a sequel to Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later? What are your thoughts on digital-only serials – yay or nay? Would you read an entire book on your mobile phone – why or why not? Do you like the idea of adapting Mockingjay into two films instead of one, or would you rather see it as a single movie?

Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Erika (aka inkpoperika)

inkpop Fundamentals: June 2, 2011

★ Jamie Campbell Bower is Shadowhunter Jace Wayland! Just last week we asked you who you thought the best person to play Shadowhunter Jace Wayland in the film adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments opposite actress Lily Collins (cast as Clary Fray) was, and now there are no further doubts about the chosen one’s name. This past Tuesday – May 31, 2011 – it was announced that actor Jamie Campbell Bower, of Breaking Dawn and Camelot fame has been officially cast in the role. “The role is a mix of action and romance as Jamie’s character Jace is a…Nephilim (part human, part angel) who fights demons and romances Lily’s Clary Fray.” MTV.

★ Greek is the word! Author Rick Riordan re-introduced the idea of Greek Gods and Mythology to the literary world a few years back with his Percy Jackson series, but old-favorite Meg Cabot and newcomer Josephine Angelini have taken it upon themselves to take it one step further, drawing inspiration from the myths of yesteryear to create teen heroines of modern-day society. In Angelini’s debut Starcrossed, Homer’s Iliad is removed from an ancient era and placed smack dab in the middle of a small town American high school; whereas Cabot’s Abandon retells the tale of Persephone, with a cast of American teenage characters at the helm of it all. Both books are the first in projected trilogies. “America seems to be a good place for Greek gods these days. Chiron, the centaur who taught Hercules and countless demigod heroes of legend, explains the migration of the Greek pantheon like this in the first ‘Percy Jackson’ book: ‘The gods simply moved.… Like it or not — and believe me, plenty of people weren’t very fond of Rome, either — America is now the heart of the flame.’” LA Times.

★ Revealed! ‘The Hobbit’ release dates Though many rumors have been swirling regarding the release dates of both of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films over the past few months, now comes word that the official release dates have finally been announced. According to Variety, the first film – The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – will make its way to theaters on December 14, 2011, and the sequel – The Hobbit: There and Back Again – will hit the big screen one year later – on December 13, 2013. “Jackson began shooting the two films in New Zealand in 3D in mid-March with a cast including Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, Elijah Wood, Hugo Weaving, Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett reprising their roles from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. Bloom joined the cast Friday to portray the elf Legolas.” GalleyCat.

Over to you…what do you think about Jamie Campbell Bower being cast as Shadowhunter Jace Wayland? Will you be seeing The Mortal Instruments when it hits theaters? What do you think of Greek mythology in YA fiction? Would you ever try your hand at retelling Greek mythology and/or using it as a basis for a new project – why or why not? Will you be seeing The Hobbit when it hits theaters in December of 2012?

Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Erika (aka inkpoperika)

inkpop Fundamentals: May 31, 2011

★ ‘The Mortal Instruments’…enough about Jace; who should play Simon? Alex Pettyfer, Ed Speelers, Jamie Campbell Bower, Leebo Freeman…we’ve heard an abundance of names cast into the ring in regards of who will be taking on the role of Shadowhunter Jace Wayland opposite Lily Collins (already cast as Clary Fray) in the big screen adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments, but with nothing official to speak of, many have moved on, and begun to question who will play the other boy in Clary’s life…Simon. Says author Cassandra Clare, “They’ve started looking for people for Simon. But everything kind of rotates around Jace and Clary. Once you cast Jace and Clary, they have to have chemistry with each other. And all of the other characters have to have chemistry with them. So they’re sort of starting to look at Simon in a broad sense, asking me, ‘What are your ideas for Simon? What do you think he should look like? What is the most important characteristic about him?’ Whoever is going to be Simon is going to have to come in and test with Lily [Collins] and whoever is Jace.” MTV

★ ‘Bridget Jones’s’ author Helen Fielding uses Twitter as inspiration! Fifteen-years-ago author Helen Fielding struck gold with Bridget Jones’s Diary, a New York Times Bestseller that went on to be a box office hit starring Renee Zellweger; now, what seems like ages later, the author is hard at work penning the third installment about the wacky Bridget and her crazy cohorts, and she’s using Twitter as one of her main inspirations. “I discovered that through doing Twitter—I was a bit blocked with the book and it just put me back in touch with who the readers are. You can sort of talk to people and see them react to your stuff.” Hollywood Crush.

★ Sneak peek of Rick Riordan’s next ‘Percy Jackson’ book – ‘The Son of Neptune’! Though Rick Riordan’s The Son of Neptune, the second installment in the Heroes of Olympus series isn’t set to hit bookstores until October 4, 2011; the author knows how devoted his fans are, and how eager they are to get their hands on his next book. Thus, he has released a sneak peek at The Son of Neptune, which you can read here. According to reports, “Percy Jackson will definitely be back, along with Tyson the Cyclops, Grover Underwood, three new demigods, and a bulletproof elephant.” Additionally, Riordan has revealed that “there are other reasons besides Percy that the book is called ‘The Son of Neptune’.” GalleyCat.

Over to you…who do you think would make the perfect Simon in The Mortal Instruments film and why? Would you ever turn to Twitter as inspiration for your writing – why or why not? Are you a Percy Jackson fan? What did you think of the sneak peek? Will you be picking up a copy of The Son of Neptune when it hits bookstores in October?

Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Erika (aka inkpoperika)

inkpop Fundamentals: May 26, 2011

★ The search for ‘The Mortal Instruments’ Jace Wayland is on! Actress Lily Collins snagged the role of Clary Fray in the big screen adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments what seems like ages ago; but since then production of the film has been at a virtual standstill due in large part to the fact that the role of Jace Wayland has still yet to be cast. Though rumors swirled that Alex Pettyfer (star of Beastly and I Am Number Four) was in talks to star as Jace, scheduling difficulties have been a deterrent in clinching the deal; and though he is still a frontrunner for the role, a few new names have been cast into the mix, including Breaking Dawn’s Jamie Campbell Bower, Eragon’s Ed Speelers, and new face Leebo Freeman. Says Clare, “The search continues for Jace…They are auditioning like crazy, which I think is good. To me, it’s kind of funny, this sort of old-fashioned search for the right face. So they’re seeing a whole lot of different people.” MTV.

★ Carolyn Mackler and Jay Asher’s ‘The Future Is Us’ sold to Warner Bros. before hitting bookstores Just a few weeks ago we delivered the news that The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things author Carolyn Mackler and Thirteen Reasons Why author Jay Asher would be penning The Future Is Us together – a novel set in 1996 and scheduled for a November 2011 release; now, before the book has so much as hit bookstores, the title has been sold to Warner Bros. to be translated for the big screen. The book is said to be “ a time-traveling drama for the digital age—think ‘Back to the Future’ meets ‘The Social Network’—featuring a teenage girl who logs onto the internet for the first time in 1996, and thanks to a rip in the space-time continuum, stumbles upon the Faceboook profile of her 20-something future self. (What happens next? Dunno! But we can probably assume that hijinks ensue!)” Hollywood Crush.

★ Lenny Kravitz to play Cinna in ‘The Hunger Games’! When it was revealed that singer Lenny Kravitz was in talks to play a pivotal role in The Hunger Games film adaptation, many found themselves baffled with the news, and curious to learn which role he would be taking on – now we know. On Tuesday, May 24, 2011 it was confirmed that Kravitz would be playing the role of fashion stylist Cinna – the very character who bestowed MC Katniss Everdeen with the title ‘The Girl Who Was On Fire’. Says Director Gary Ross of his casting selection, “When I saw Lenny’s work in Precious I was just knocked out. It was quiet and strong and understated and open hearted; all qualities which define this character.” GalleyCat.

Over to you…if the role doesn’t go to Alex Pettyfer, who do you think would be the perfect Jace Wayland and why? What do you think of the concept of The Future Is Us? Will you be reading the book and/or seeing the movie when it is released? Do you think that Lenny Kravitz is a good choice for the role of Cinna – why or why not?

Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Erika (aka inkpoperika)

inkpop Fundamentals: May 24, 2011

★ ‘The Secret Circle’ trailer released! No sooner did we receive confirmation that L.J. Smith’s The Secret Circle book series had been picked up by The CW as part of their fall line-up (and as a companion series to L.J. Smith’s other small screen adaptation The Vampire Diaries), even more exciting news for L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries, and The Secret Circle fans has popped up…a trailer for the series, and two additional clips of episodes-to-come! “While the trailer for the series, which will center around a secret coven of witches, doesn’t give away too much about the plot, it provides some insight into the look and feel of the show. For one, we see a whole lot of fire shots (like A LOT) and some magical (literally) scenes between Britt Robertson and dreamy co-star Thomas Dekker. The trailer also establishes that there will be forces of good and evil and provides quick looks at each of the main players in action.” MTV.

★ ‘The Lost Years of Merlin’ on its way to the big screen Author T.A. Barron’s The Lost Years of Merlin has been at the helm of rumors galore regarding a book to big screen adaptation for the past handful of years; now, after being passed from Paramount to Warner Bros. (the studio who brought us the Harry Potter film franchise), it seems that plans for the film are finally coming to fruition. Ed Whitworth has signed on to pen the script, and Donald De Line will be producing. “The film will trace Merlin’s journey from being a boy washed on the shores of Wales with no memory and no home, to him becoming a young man learning to use his powers and ultimately defender of the natural world and eventual mentor to King Arthur.” Hollywood Reporter.

★ Filming for ‘The Hunger Games’ to begin this week! After months of waiting with bated breath for the official cast list of the big screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ bestselling The Hunger Games series to be released, we finally learned who the main players would be – Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne; now even better news has surfaced…filming is set to begin on the movie this week! “The production known as ‘Artemis’ – the believed working title for ‘The Hunger Games’ – has been setting up shop in North Carolina recently, with area news outlets reporting on the building excitement.” Rumor has it that cast members have already been spotted stunt training on location; and thanks to Entertainment Weekly magazine, fans have had the chance to see Jennifer Lawrence in full Katniss costume – though no one else has been spotted in their Hunger Games garb just yet. Examiner.

Over to you…what do you think of the trailer for The Secret Circle? Will you be watching when the series hits The CW this fall? Have you read T.A. Barron’s The Lost Years of Merlin series? Are you excited to see the series come to the big screen? What do you think of Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss costume? Is it how you envisioned the Katniss described by Suzanne Collins in the book series – why or why not?

Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Erika (aka inkpoperika)

inkpop Fundamentals: May 19, 2011

★ Hilary Duff’s ‘Elixir’ sequel set for October 2011 release In October 2010, actress Hilary Duff followed in the footsteps of reality-star-turned-LA Candy-authoress Lauren Conrad, by adding a new title to her resume…writer. Her debut, Elixir, the first in a projected trilogy, hit bookstores to rave reviews from critics and readers alike; and now comes the news that the sequel, aptly titled Devoted, will make its way to bookshelves exactly one year later, in October 2011. Devoted will pick up where Elixir – “… a supernatural love story following 17-year-old photographer Clea Raymond” left off, with unresolved issues plaguing the tumultuous relationship of Clea and her soul mate / love interest Sage. Says Duff, “This book is a lot more into the, not sci-fi, definitely into the supernatural. And you find out more about how the elixir works.” MTV.

★ ‘The Secret Circle’ TV series gets the green light Back in February 2011 we announced that Kevin Williamson was in the midst of creating a pilot episode of The Vampire Diaries author, L.J. Smith’s, book series The Secret Circle; now, we have confirmation that The CW has picked up the TV series, placing it on the lineup of new shows for the network as a companion to The Vampire Diaries. “‘The Secret Circle’ is the story of a young woman (Britt Robertson) who moves to a new town and discovers that not only is she a witch and part of a secret coven, but she’s also the key that will unlock a centuries-old battle of good versus evil.” Casting has already taken place, listing Britt Robertson, Phoebe Tonkin, Thomas Dekker, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Gale Harold, Natasha Henstridge, Louis Hunter, Shelly Henning, and Ashley Crow as characters. Entertainment Weekly.

★ ‘The Hunger Games’ Haymitch Abernathy has been cast! Aside from the roles of Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, and Gale Hawthorne, one of the most fan-anticipated characters to be cast in Gary Ross’ big screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ bestselling The Hunger Games, has been that of the gruff yet lovable Haymitch Abernathy; and finally the day of reckoning has arrived! Late last week it was announced that Woody Harrelson, an Oscar-nominee twice over and Cheers alumni, had been cast in the role. Says Ross of the role, “Haymitch is such an unforgettable character: funny cranky outrageous, sarcastic, impatient, biting but ultimately kind.” MediaBistro.

Over to you…did you read Elixir when it debuted last year? Will you be picking up a copy of Devoted when it hits bookstores in October? Have you read L.J. Smith’s The Secret Circle series? Are you excited to see The Secret Circle on the small screen? Are you excited to see Woody Harrelson take on the role of Haymitch?

Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Erika (aka inkpoperika)

inkpop Fundamentals: May 17, 2011

★ The end is near for Melissa de la Cruz’s ‘Blue Bloods’ April 26, 2011 marked the five-year anniversary since the release of Melissa de la Cruz’s Blue Bloods, a book that spawned five sequels (Lost in Time – the sixth book in the series – will hit bookstores on October 4, 2011), with over 3 million copies in print worldwide; but come fall of 2012, as per an announcement by Disney Publishing Worldwide, the series will come to an end with the release of the seventh and final book – still untitled. “I am incredibly excited as the ‘Blue Bloods’ story reaches its dramatic conclusion in the long-awaited finale,’ said de la Cruz. ‘I started writing the ‘Blue Bloods’ series seven years ago, and it’s been an amazing ride with my fabulous readers and my fantastic publisher, who have stood behind the books from the very beginning.” Melissa de la Cruz / Disney Publishing Worldwide.

★ Does casting change your opinion of ‘The Hunger Games’? Given the fact that Suzanne Collins’ bestselling, and wildly popular The Hunger Games initially made its debut in bookstores on September 14, 2008, many had read the series in its entirety before word that the trilogy would even be adapted into a feature film franchise; but now that it has, and casting has begun, Entertainment Weekly poses the question…“Will you re-read ‘The Hunger Games’ after casting is complete? Or does the casting have no effect on how you envision(ed) the characters?” Read the complete article here. Entertainment Weekly.

★ The next big trend in YA? Mermaids! In recent years we’ve seen vampires, aliens, and even a little Greek mythology dominate the YA bestseller’s lists; but according to USA Today, a new trend is on the horizon…mermaids. Twilight author Stephenie Meyer has already stated that mermaids are a part of her upcoming writing projects; titles such as Tera Lynn Childs’ Fins Are Forever, Sarah Porter’s Lost Voices, and Tara Altebrando’s Dreamland Social Club are popping up left and right; and August 12, 2011 marks the date of the first ever MerCon – a convention devoted to mermaids. “Publishers and readers are looking for the next big thing in the paranormal genre,’ says Mandy Hubbard, whose young-adult novel Ripple, about a seemingly normal teen who must hide that she’s a mermaid…is out July 21. ‘We’ve already done vampires and werewolves and angels. Mermaids feel a little more fresh and interesting.” USA Today.

Over to you…are you a fan of the Blue Bloods series? What are your thoughts on seeing the series come to a conclusion – happy, sad…? What do you think of The Hunger Games casting – has the choice of actors made you see the book/series in a new light? Will you be re-reading The Hunger Games once casting is complete – why or why not? What do you think of mermaids being the next big trend in YA? Would you ever try your hand at writing a novel about mermaids – why or why not?

Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Erika (aka inkpoperika)

inkpop Fundamentals: May 12, 2011

★ Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston team up to pen new YA trilogy! Author Melissa de la Cruz has tried her hand at every form of fiction – from chick lit-esque a la The Au Pairs, to vampires as seen in the Blue Bloods series, to magic in the upcoming The Witches of East End, but come Spring 2013, she and her husband / co-author Michael Johnston will be going back in time with Frozen, the first book in a projected YA trilogy entitled The Other Land Chronicles. “Set in 111 C.D., one hundred and eleven years after a Catastrophic Disaster has wiped out 99% of humanity and left the earth covered in ice, this new series introduces readers to a ragtag group of friends and the dawning of a new time. The world of reason, of mathematics and science, is ending, and a new civilization is being born from the ice: a world of magic and mayhem, sorcerers and spellcraft.” GalleyCat.

★ Author Sarah Dessen talks movie adaptations Book to film franchise adaptations seem like they’re a dime a dozen, but aside from 2003’s How to Deal starring Mandy Moore, which combined Dessen’s That Summer and Someone Like You, her books have been largely overlooked by Hollywood – a fact that disappoints the author, who released her latest YA effort, What Happened to Goodbye, on May 10, 2011. “I think part of the problem sometimes is that there’s so much happening in my books, to whittle it down into a single script is hard,” Sarah said. “I’ve never envied the person who had to put my books together in one script. They’d say, ‘What do you think about this?’ And I was like, ‘I’m just glad I don’t have to do it,’ because it would be impossible for me. I’m not known for my brevity.” Read more of Dessen’s thoughts on books to movies here. MTV.

★ Stanley Tucci is…Caesar Flickerman! Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada, Julie Powell’s Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones…actor Stanley Tucci has held roles in all three of the aforementioned book to movie adaptations, and now he’ll be adding another title to that list – The Hunger Games! Announced Monday, May 9, 2011 is that Tucci will be taking on the role of Caesar Flickerman in one of the most-anticipated movie releases of (projected) 2012. “Flickerman is utterly familiar to all the citizens of Panem as the l host of the Hunger Games. Known for his outrageous appearance and buoyant personality, his upbeat interviews of the 24 tributes – a boy and a girl from each of the country’s 12 districts – are presented on every television in the nation. He is famous for turning any conversation around to the positive and finding humor in even the most dire circumstances.” MediaBistro.

Over to you…are you a Melissa de la Cruz fan? Will you be picking up a copy of Frozen when it is released in 2013? If you could see any Sarah Dessen book adapted into a movie, which one would it be and why? Are you a Caesar Flickerman fan? Do you think that Stanley Tucci will make a good Caesar Flickerman?

Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Erika (aka inkpoperika)

inkpop Fundamentals: March 10, 2011

★ ‘Lemonade Mouth’ puts author Mark Peter Hughes on the map! Though originally published in 2007 by Random House as the second middle grade novel from Mark Peter Hughes, Lemonade Mouth hit bookstores with an underwhelming debut, prompting Hughes to pack up his family and create a press tour all his own that consisted of stops in 38 states where he spent hours signing and selling copies of the novel at over 60 bookstores to draw attention to his work. Flash-forward four years, and stores are finding it challenging to keep the book on shelves. Toted as the next High School Musical; since its debut on the Disney Channel on April 15, 2011, Lemonade Mouth has been noted as “the most-watched original cable movie of 2011” with the soundtrack to the film hitting # 1 on iTunes – making Hughes and his five lovable, high school misfit characters a household name. “Disney…was drawn to the novel because its characters appeal to both boys and girls and because of its message of empowerment.” Boston Globe.

★ ‘Wither’ author Lauren DeStefano weighs in on the popularity of dystopian Since its release on March 22, 2011, Lauren DeStefano’s Wither, the first title in The Chemical Garden Trilogy, has wowed readers, and joined the ranks of 2011 dystopian YA novel releases – such as Lauren Oliver’s Delirium and Veronica Roth’s Divergent. Now the author is sharing her views on the history of the genre, and why it is so popular right now. Check out her article here. MTV.

★ Authors Carolyn Mackler and Jay Asher team up for ‘The Future Is Us’! She is the author of Tangled, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, Vegan Virgin Valentine, Love and Other Four-Letter Words, and Guyaholic. He is the author of Thirteen Reasons Why. Together, they have signed on to pen The Future is Us, a YA novel “set in 1996, when less than half of all American high school students have ever used the internet. Facebook will not be invented for several more years. Emma just got a computer and an America Online CD-ROM with 100 free hours. When she and her best friend Josh log on to AOL they discover themselves on Facebook … fifteen years in the future. Everybody wonders what life has in store for them. Josh and Emma are about to find out.” The Future is Us is expected to his bookstores in November of 2011. GalleyCat.

Over to you…are you a fan of Lemonade Mouth? Did seeing the film Lemonade Mouth prompt you to read the book? Have you read Lauren DeStefano’s Wither? Why do you think dystopian is such a popular genre right now? Are you a Carolyn Mackler and Jay Asher fan? What do you think of The Future is Us? Will you be picking up a copy when it hits bookstores in November?

Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Erika (aka inkpoperika)