Mundie Moms

Monday, January 21, 2013

Just One Day: Author Interview & Giveaway

This past Friday I had the chance to attend Gayle Forman's JUST ONE DAY signing at Book People, here in Austin. Thank you to Penguin Teen and Gayle herself, I also had the chance to sit down with her prior to the signing to talk to her about her book. Before I talk about our interview, can I just say READ THIS BOOK!!! Sophie posted her glowing review here, but I just want to throw in my two cents about Just One Day.



By: Gayle Forman
Published by: Penguin Young Readers Group
Release On: 1/8/2013
Purchase: Amazon Barnes and Noble | IndieBound 

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay.

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.


Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!


My review: This is one of those perfectly written, beautiful reads that will connect with you while you're reading, and leave you thinking about long after you finish it. Whether you're at that stage in life where you're trying to figure out who you are and where you want to go, or whether you're long past that stage (like me). This is a book about finding yourself, and in following Allyson's story it took me back to those moments and years right out of high school where I had the world at my finger tips, and I had to decide what I was going to do with it. Like Allyson, during my adventure of figuring out the world, was the discovering of who I was.

Just One Day is also a story that encompasses love, loss, friendship, venturing out on your own, fear, hope, accomplishment, and empowerment. I'm talking that empowerment that only one's self feels after they achieve something they never thought possible. Gayle's writing is beautiful. It's raw, it's honest, and moving. Gayle's writing extremely realistic and encompasses so many things that real life throws at us. Well in my case Gayle's writing also offers me something I've always wanted to do and haven't yet done, and that's seeing parts of the world I've yet to see. I love feeling like I was traveling right alone Allyson. Feeling her joys, her worries, and understanding what she was dealing with both with her heart, and with her friendships. 

I LOVED this book. This is a book that readers of all ages will/can connect with on some level. It's one I'd highly recommend picking up if you're a teen reader and older. 



InterviewDid you guys know that Gayle Forman is hilarious?! I'm not talking just about joke telling. I'm talking about Gayle being one of those people who when she enters the room, and the moment you start talking with her you not only feel at ease, but she'll have you laughing in a matter of seconds. She's also someone who when you sit and talk with her, the time flies by way too fast! *please not that some of Gayle's answers and my responses are paraphrased, since I wrote down her responses* 

Allyson is a character I feel readers of all ages can relate to. Whether they're at the stage of trying to find themselves, or are looking for an adventure or have already passed that stage. What's something that drew you to Allyson and her story?

Oh God, Allyson. I wanted to smack her (laughs). I wanted to write her. She's a pleaser. She's a buttoned up good girl with insecurities, and I wanted to balance that. I knew travel would change her. Yes there's a romance, but it's the events that change her. She became heroic to me from the moment she threw that book at the skinheads. That's not something most people would do. 

Aside from Allyson, which character would you want to spend Just One Day site seeing with and where would you go?

Dee! I love Dee. We'd go to Dee's mom's house for food. Dee's mom would feed me cobbler and collared greens. There would be lots of food. Then we'd wander around the city together. Go thrift store shopping. 

I love how you are able to bring realism into your books. How do you balance out the love story with the story line's reality?

I like that romance is part of the character's growth. It's like life. Like life it can be complicated. I like that books can portray that to. Stephanie Perkins's Anna and The French Kiss does that. (this was my favorite answer of Gayle's, as it spurred on a few minute conversation between her, myself and Megan about Gayle's books and her writing).

Willem. I'm asking this for Sophie and for those who are dying to know. What was the thought that ran through his mind during the last scene of the book?

(laughs out loud). Nice try! I can't answer that. 

Me: (laughing) I had to try for Sophie.
Gayle: The mystery in book two comes from the events of book one, and I'm not going to spoil anything.
Me: I love that we get the story from Willem's point of view, and that Penguin Teen is not making us wait another year to read it. 

* In talking about Allyson's Mom: Allyson's mom is a character that while there were things she does that were infuriating, we understood some of the things she does, not all the things, but some. We liked that your book has a mother who is present and apart of your character's life. Did you draw inspiration from your own mother to write her?

My parents were so proud of me. They trusted me and supported me in my travels. Back then we didn't have the Internet and it wasn't so easy to stay in touch like it is now. I would call home every two weeks. 

* Gayle's parental themes in her books; Gayle: If I Stay was about making sacrifices for your kids without thinking. Just One Day is about creating boundaries. 


(Magan, Gayle, myself)

THANK YOU to Gayle for the fascinating, and fun interview! This interview was one of the funnest interviews I've done. We sat and talked about so many things that I can't share here. It was a blast. Gayle Forman is such a delight to talk to. I THANK her visiting with me, and thank you to my friend Megan Blasig, for helping me out! It was such a blast to visit with both of you and talk books. 

(Gayle during her Q&A, reading from Just One Day, and talking about her personal experiences from her traveling years and how some of those moments made into Allyson's story).

You can also read part of her signing Q&A via the #JustOneDay hash tag. I tweeted her responses on Friday night via it.

The Giveaway: I've got a copy of Just One Day along with a signed book plate, and an additional signed book plate to give away! 1 winner will receive the book and signed book plate and an international winner will receive the other signed book plate. To enter, please fill out the form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

33 comments:

  1. I want to read Just One Day.
    With "If I Stay" I fall in love, and "Where She Went" is one of my favorite books.
    Gayle is simply wonderful ♥

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  2. Awww, such a great interview! Thanks for asking my silly question about Willem. I had to know!

    I found Allyson's mom way too controlling. She made me so angry because she is the parent who is trying to re-live her own life by controlling her kids' choices. There were a few moments where I just couldn't believe she did what she did.

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  3. With how serious her books are I never would have guessed she was so funny.

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  4. i would of loved to meet her!!! awesome interview and great pics

    melissa portillo

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  5. Very excited to read this. I love her other books. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  6. This book sounds amazing! Thank you so much for the giveaway and interview

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  7. THanks for the giveaway! I love the If I stay series, so I can't wait to read this book!

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  8. So excited to read this. Loved If I Stay and Where She Went

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  9. I loved the If I Stay series and cannot wait to read this one!!

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  10. Sounds like a great event! Can't wait to read this one! Thanks!

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  11. Great interview. That's so great that you got to meet her! One of my favourite authors. :) Thanks for the giveaway!

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  12. I loved If I Stay and Where She Went, so I will definitely be reading Just One Day ASAP! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  13. Soooo lucky. I wish I was there!

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  14. sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing :)

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  15. I love Gayle Forman. She is such an amazing writer.

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  16. Thanks for the giveaway! I really need to read this book during my next college break.

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  17. I love love love Gayle Forman. Her work is beautiful.

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  18. lol, I love the interview segment. I like the part where she stated that romance is part of a character growth for some reasn. I love GAYLE FORMAN. If I stay&Where she went was seriously amazing&beautiful. *Fangirls over Adam again* I really want to read Just one day so thank you for hosting this giveaway :D

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  19. Love the interview! Gayle had some pretty great answers to those questions. :) Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!!

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  20. Just One Day sounds like a perfectly complex coming-of-age novel. I can't wait to read it!

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  21. Thanks for the book review! I am excited to read it! And thanks for the opportunity to enter to win a copy!

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  22. Thanks for hosting a great giveaway! Can't wait to read the book!

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  23. What a fabulous post. JUST ONE DAY looks amazing!!

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  24. Gah, I love Gayle Forman! I'm really excited to read this book. I've heard such great things! Thanks for the chance! (:

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  25. Looking forward to reading this book! Great post!

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  26. I am soooo excited to read this! This was available here in the PH since last week or 2 weeks ago :> If I had fallen for her previous books; I bet it is more than what I had felt at those books! :) Just One Day was pure lovely (as said by my dear ole friends ;>) I can"t wait to say the same for myself! :)

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  27. I'm so bummed I missed this event, since I live in Austin, so thanks so much for sharing some of it! Hopefully I'll get another chance to see Gayle in all her glory soon- fingers crossed that she does another event here for Just One Year! And thanks so much for he giveaway!

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  28. Thank you! I would so love to read this book.

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  29. Looks like the signing was loads of fun. Thank you for sharing :)

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  30. I loved If I Stay and Where She Went! I can't wait to read this one!

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  31. Thank you!! I love her so much, omg. I'd love to read this <3

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