Mundie Moms

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Take Me There Blog Tour & Giveaway


This past week I had the privilege of meeting Take Me There author, Carolee Dean. She was on a blog tour meeting various bloggers through out Texas. While in Austin, we had the chance to meet and visit at our local Barnes and Noble. It was so much fun visiting with her about her book, as so much of it takes place in TX. I have say Hook Em Horns, as Carolee even mentions the Longhorn Football team in her book. It was a lot of fun talking to Carolee about Take Me There, the research she did for her book, her Texas ties and what writing has been like in general for her.

Here's a little bit about Take Me There, which was release this past week by Simon and Schuster.

Sometimes sexy, sometimes sad, and always intense, Take Me There is a dark and surprising novel about a boy on the run who's headed nowhere fast.

Dylan has a bad-boy past and a criminal record. He knows that rich, beautiful Jess is way too good for him—but she has always been the one person who sees through his tough exterior and straight to his heart, and he has been hopelessly in love with her from the first time they met. He would change his life for a chance with her.

But trouble follows Dylan wherever he goes, and a deadly mistake soon forces him to hit the road and leave his dreams behind. He’s on the run and in search of answers—answers to questions he wishes he’d never asked.

During our visit, I asked Carolee a few questions about Take Me There. This is an edited version of our Q&A as we visited for awhile and talked in detail about the book and the importance of literacy. Take Me There has a powerful message about literacy. *please note the Carolee's answers were a summary of our discussions, as we talked in detail about each of the questions*

Do you find it's hard to write from the point of view of a teen boy?
It's like acting. It's easier taking on a character who's different than me, as I have to step away from myself, and immerse myself into the character. If forces me to think and do things differently.

What has Dylan taught you?
Being adults, it's easy for us to see what kids should do, what paths they should take. When you're the teenager and you're in the middle of it, it's hard to see which direction to go in. Dylan helped remind me of their limited choices.

What inspired you to add poems to the story? Are Dylan's poems ones you wrote?
Jimmy Santiago Baca is the inspiration behind having Dylan be a poet. Jimmy Santiago is from New Mexico and taught himself to read and write while he was in prison. There he began to compose poetry. Yes, I wrote Dylan's poems.

What is something you learned in your research for Take Me There?
That prisons are built around areas who have a high 3rd grade literacy rate. Many of those in prison have a literacy level no higher than a 3rd grader.

We talked about literacy for awhile and how little is being done to change the fact that there are so many people living within our country who can't read higher than a 3rd grader. One of the many messages in Take Me There is the importance of an education and especially learning to read. Dylan and his father are powerful reminders of the limited options people face when they can't read. Their future isn't as open and privileged compared to those who can.

Each blog stop along the tour will have a Texas trivia question. If you know the answer, than be sure to visit this site here http://tinyurl.com/28mdwz3 for your chance to win some cool prizes like this-
TO ENTER (to win the items pictured above):
Please let us a comment with your email address and we'll pick the winner @ 6 pm CST on August 30th!

On August 30th, Carolee will announce the grand prize winner and their prize pack.

Have you read any books lately that you would recommend to our followers?
I love the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. It's fantasy but it's gritty and realistic. I can't wait for the release of Mockingjay on August 24th. I love that Collins created a mutated form of a mockingbird, especially since To Kill a Mockingbird is getting so much attention these days with its 50th birthday. Mockingbirds are just one of those fascinating and symbolic creatures. No wonder it's the state bird of Texas.

Your Texas Trivia Question:
What is the State Bird?
a) Mockingbird
b) Roadrunner
c) Bluejay
d) Crow

*a hint was provided in Carolee's answer to my question*

Be sure to check out the other blogs Carolee will be visiting through out the rest of this week and into next week here:

You can find out more about Carolee, and where you can buy signed copies of Take Me There at her site here http://caroleedean.livejournal.com

You can find my review for Take Me There here http://tinyurl.com/2g2tpzm

26 comments:

  1. What a great interview! This book sounds amazing. Yet another I'll be adding to my to be read pile!

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  2. Hi Renae- It's a great YA thought provoking book. It had me thinking about it days after I read it.

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  3. Thanks for the contest!
    Email address:
    thebooksophisticate@hotmail.com

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  4. Sounds like a great book! I am adding it to my 'to-read' list.

    seescootread[at]gmail[dot]com

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  5. Awesome interview. Thanks for the contest

    rdnckgrl0506@gmail.com

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  6. Thanks for the contest, great interview. :D

    london.showers@gmail.com

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  7. Thanks for the inteview and contest! Sounds like the type of book I'd like!

    cbbindon{at}shaw{dot}ca

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  8. Great interview. And I love the contest. Thanks for both!

    dancer_girl76(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

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  9. Great interview!

    meredithfl at gmail dot com

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  10. Thanks for the contest! The blog tour makes me want to read this even more!
    atomicxrawr@yahoo.com

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  11. Loved the interview. Thank you for the giveaway!

    lag110@mchsi.com

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  12. Awesome interview!
    lovemybabysquid at yahoo dot com

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  13. Great interview!

    totalbookaholic[at]hotmail[dot]com

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  14. What a fun way to learn about a book, author and a state! Thanks for the tour.

    taffy(dot)lovell@gmail(dot)com

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  15. awsome interview!Please enter me if international.
    Thank you
    misha
    mishamary@gmail.com

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  16. Um, can I just say your blog is practically, my life? LOL :D Great interview!

    thecharmed1@comcast.net

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  17. This book sounds great! Can't wait to read it!

    minas_1989@hotmail.com

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  18. it has to be said. I adore your blog!
    this book sounds awesome too! please enter me!
    lil_miss_mae246@hotmail.com

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  19. I'd just like to syat hat i LOVE this blog so much and that I'm a total Mortal Instruments fan as well. This looks like a great book as well.

    mkudaimi(at)gmail(dot)com

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  20. This was a great interview!
    I'll be so glad if i win!

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  21. OOps forgot to post my email above

    animeluver36(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  22. Awesome interview! The book sounds great!!!
    are.you.thirsty.kirsty@hotmail.com

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  23. Great contest! Sounds like a great read! :)

    lchardesty at yahoo dot com

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  24. Thank you to everyone who entered! This giveaway is now closed!

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