Interview and Giveaway with Alyssa Sheinmel, Author of The Lucky Kind

Today we’re happy to bring you an interview and giveaway with Author Alyssa Sheinmel! Thanks to The Teen Book Scene for scheduling this interview!  Alyssa’s newest book is called The Lucky Kind, and will hit stores May 10, 2011! 

Alyssa, Describe your book to us in 5 words.

Romantic, Familial, Funny, Sparky, Short (To be honest, the first three of those words are really the words that I hope my book is. And “sparky” refers to the dialogue between Nick and his best friend Stevie – though I suppose that’s open to interpretation.)

What made you decide to tell this story from a guy’s point of view?

It wasn’t actually something that I decided; when I got the idea for this book, it was a just a boy’s voice in my head that I heard narrating the story. I didn’t have much choice in the matter. Click here to read more about Book review: The Enemy by Charlie Higson

If you could be any of your characters, who would you want to be?

I want to be Eden Reiss. Eden is the girl that Nick Brandt, The Lucky Kind’s narrator, longs to date. Eden is the girl I wish I could have been in high school. She’s smart and funny, vulnerable but sure of herself. Her collar stays sharp even when it’s hot outside. She’s much, much cooler than I ever was.

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Do you picture anyone famous when you think of Nick?

No, actually – I don’t usually picture my characters as anyone famous. Except perhaps, come to think of it, for the main character of my first novel, The Beautiful Between. I named her Connelly, after the actress Jennifer Connelly, and I guess somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought that my Connelly looked like her namesake.

When you’re not writing (or watching reruns of The West Wing), what do you like to do
with your time?

Thanks for the West Wing shout-out! I do manage to spend quite a lot of time watching The West Wing reruns – or reruns of any Aaron Sorkin TV show. But I also have a day job, in the marketing department at Random House Children’s Books, which certainly takes up a lot of my time. When I’m procrastinating, I like to create the illusion that I might begin working at any minute, so I’ll stay at my computer. This usually means that I’m browsing one of my favorite shopping websites, like Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, or Shopbop, or reading articles on the Newsweek, The New Yorker, or Huffington Post websites. I love walking around Manhattan when the weather’s nice and trying new restaurants as often as I can. But the number one thing that I like to do more than anything else is to spend time with my dog, Derby. Whenever I’m not with him, I’m just waiting for it to be time to see him again.

What is the best thing that has happened to you since becoming a published author?

Wow, that’s a tough question. I have to admit, my life hasn’t changed that much as a result of publishing my books. However, a few months after Random House bought my first novel, The Beautiful Between, I got married – and that was certainly one of the best things that’s happened to me. (Just don’t tell my husband I said that.)

Thanks so much, Alyssa, for taking the time to answer our questions!!  I love that you’re so in love with your dog!!  Oh, and your husband!  haha!  Look for our review of The Lucky Kind soon!