Lara Zielin

Author Rhonda Stapleton and I share a brain. We usually think of things at the same time, our iTunes libraries are scarily similar, and we often finish each other’s sentences. But we always finish each other’s novels, because Rhonda is a young adult author too! Her recent book Struck is a bind-up of her three novels: Stupid Cupid, Flirting with Disaster, and Pucker Up.

I’ve asked Rhonda some questions about her new book random stuff that makes me giggle, and if you leave a comment below or Tweet about it (either use my handle, @larazielin or the hashtag #StruckYA) you’ll be entered to win a COPY OF THIS AMAZING BOOK! See, I’m so excited I’m yelling. Especially because Struck isn’t technically out until December 6, so we’re getting it super early! But enough about me. Let’s talk about Rhonda!!

Q: Target is incredible. You can get toilet paper and cute hoodies. Not to mention candles that smell like angels. What do you think life would be like without Target?

Q: Amazeballs is an awesome word. You use lots of superfab words like this. Can you give us one or

Enter to win this three-in-one bindup of Rhonda's novels by commenting below!

two more and explain what it means? (ex: You got Supertramped!)

A: I have a…problem with blending words — and by problem, I mean uncontrollable addiction. Two of my favs: “cramazing” is crazy amazing, and “Chadillac” is my husband Chad’s Cadillac. When I find new word blends, I stick to them like white on…uh, white people, I guess. And the Supertramped thing…what a long and beautiful story. I’ll try to sum up. Do you know the whole “Rickroll” thing, where someone sends you a link, faking like it’s something important or funny, but it turns out to be that Rick Astley video? Well, Chad and I started Supertramping each other. It became an epic war to see who could get the song “Breakfast in America” stuck in the other person’s head by whatever means necessary. One time, Chad changed his ringtone, put his cell in the kitchen while I was washing dishes, then used the home phone to call his cell. My ultimate revenge: I put a dedication to him in STRUCK with the song’s title name in it, telling him he just got Supertramped. mwahahahaaaa

A: I want to get everything out there. lol. Here are some random facts about me: I hate blue food. I have arguments with people in my head. I don’t get basketball at all. My dogs are named Daisy and Duke, in honor of how I would play Dukes of Hazzard with my friends when I was a kid (yeah, I was a dork). My sister and I are on crack. Uh, there ya go.

Picture it. The Bear River Writer’s Conference, 2004. Yours truly pulls up to the place, nervous about being around so many talented writers whose prose surely will smoke mine, when suddenly I spy HER.  She is blond and beautiful. She is tiny. And she’s here because she’s a writer, ergo she’s a better writer than me.

I do not like her. No, I do not.

But, lo! The fates have conspired against me. This girl is not only in my same class at the conference, she is my BUNK MATE.

Dearlordbabyjeebus. This weekend is officially RUINED.

Except … as I get to know this woman, it turns out she’s sort of awesome. She’s sweet and she’s from Wisconsin, like me. She’s says “OH,” like everyone in my hometown does. It’s adorable. And yeah, she’s an awesome writer, but after pulling my head out of my ass I sort of realize that’s not a bad thing. That’s just me being intimidated and insecure.

This girl and I? We become friends. We help each other with our writing, even after the conference ends. We meet in the Northwoods twice every year — or sometimes at the beach — and drink too much wine and eat too much chocolate and pound out our manuscripts.

She gets a book published. Then I do.

And now, our second books are coming out a mere two days apart.

This writer’s name is Ellen Baker. She is amazing. And her new novel is called I Gave My Heart to Know This. And while my heart was a wrinkled prune at our first meeting, it’s now much bigger and I’d give it away a time and time again in exchange for Ellen’s friendship.

To celebrate Ellen’s new book, I am giving away a copy here on the blog. Just leave a comment below and you’ll be eligible to win. Re-Tweet it to put your name in the drawing more than once and increase your chances of winning. I’ll close the contest on August 10.

Congratulations, lovely Ellen! xox