Monday, May 17, 2010

High School Flashback - Author Jen Nadol

High School Flashback Tour is a fun week-long feature, with peeks at Young Adult authors as actual young adults! There will be four authors featured, each providing goodies for a great giveaway that five of you lucky ducks will win. Just leave a comment below and you'll be entered. (And be sure to visit all five blogs for more chances to win.)

Today I'm featuring Jen Nadol, author of The Mark (Bloomsbury). This was one of those "great idea" bookswhile reading it I just kept saying, "Why didn't I think of this? What a genius plot!" Seriously, people, this is a book you'll want! Total page-turner.

Now, shall we dig up some high school memories?

-- So, Jen, let's learn a bit about your high school years. What clique(s) were you part of in high school?  Cliques weren’t a big thing at my school.  It was really small and people didn’t divide up in the usual ways.  I hung out with cheerleaders, jocks, kids in College Bowl and on the bowling team, smokers and non-, people who wore pink, people who wore black…it was pretty random.

-- Please describe one outfit you absolutely LOVED but now that you look back on you cringe. Junior year I was really into wearing nylons with shorts in the winter.  Not sure where I picked that up, but it really didn’t look that good.

--If you could give your teen self one piece of advice, what would it be? Step a-waaayy from the hair salon.

Exhibit A:


Killer hair! I totally remember that hair do. I actually wanted it really badly but I had phorehead phobia and this particular style did not work with my Wall of Bangs. There's another great shot of Jen in High School here. I wish I could say I was shocked about the whole shorts over nylons in winter thing, but I am no stranger to that combo! We did that too, and I believe with all my heart that shorts over coffee colored nylons will never be cool again. Ever.

Obviously all that time in perm rollers did no lasting damage to Jen. Here's her great book:


When sixteen-year-old Cassie Renfield realizes the glow she’s always seen around certain people means death is imminent, she struggles to understand her “gift”.  How does the mark work?  Why is she the only one who sees it?  Most importantly, if you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them? Here's the Amazon link to read more.



Jen Nadol grew up in Reading, PA and has lived in Washington DC, Boston, NYC and now, in a 150 year-old farmhouse in Westchester County, NY with her husband and three young sons.

Check back tomorrow for a trip back to high school with Kay Cassidy. (Two words: Chevette Scooter.) For a choice 1984 photo of me, you can check out Christina's blog. Can you spot the macrame?

21 comments:

Jennie Englund said...

SO funny!

A field trip back to high school is exactly the way to start the week!

Precious said...

Lol. Fun post! Step away from the hair salon. :) MY higschool classmates did that a lot. But I never went with them. I liked my hair the way it is. Long and straight.

Hardygirl said...

What a cool book cover!!

And, wow! That was quite a perm. I would have KILLED for that hair.

sf

Liyana said...

Okay, I have to tell the truth. I LOVE your hair.

Unknown said...

SO awesome that you included a pic!!! I...I wouldn't dare include one from my high school years....

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

jen this is hilarious - thanks for sharing your HS secrets :)

christy - im loving this topic....

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

oh great my verifying word was....




dingl


i swear to god! (*covers face in shame*)

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

not DING


DINGL!!!

Shannon Messenger said...

First of all--New Follower! *waves*

I really don't know HOW I've missed your blog all this time, but I'm so glad I've found you now. And this interview was HILARIOUS. You guys are seriously cracking me up. Hopping over to the next interview! :)

JenNadol said...

Shelli - everytime I look at this picture, I FEEL like a dingl

I am DYING that you like this hair, Liyana (I caught the "would have", Hardygirl)!!! I think I'm personally responsible for any holes in the ozone layer with the amount of hairspray it took :-)

Thanks to all for checking out the flashback tour & commenting!

donnas said...

Fun post. I still see people with hair like that. Plus while playing any sort of sport, you can not take any hair like look as ideal.

Mariah said...

I love her hair! So different from today!

Kimberly Derting said...

OMG, I love that pic, Jen, the hair is classic!!!

Kelly said...

A trip down memory lane....I don't think I am ready to go there quite yet...
kghobbs(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Clique's weren't that big at my school either. I mean we had them but everyone intermingled pretty well despite them.

Kate at Read This Book! said...

Thanks for sharing about your HS life! :) Don't be ashamed of your hair, think TAYLOR SWIFT!

Nikki (Wicked Awesome Books) said...

It's nice to hear that cliques weren't a big deal at your school. It seems like a lot of teens can get caught up in which clique they belong to, but with a smaller school it's probably easier.

Thanks for sharing Jen! And for giving the hair salon advice.

Brodie said...

LOL. Oh my Jen, killer hair ;) Haha I love looking back on people's high school photo's, so funny. Not in any offense way!

And I love the cover of The Mark! I'm so getting my hands on a copy soon!

Unknown said...

Love the hair!

Rin said...

Lol. Killer hair. And 'step away from the hair salon'. But actually I like your hair, honest. So classic, but there are still people with that hairdo. :)

Llehn said...

I just got The Mark from the library! AM super excited!

lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot)com