Cynthia Leitich Smith profile picture

Cynthia Leitich Smith

YA Gothic Fantasy Novelist, Children's Author, Lover of Books

About Me

I'm an author of YA gothic fantasy novels, children's books, and short stories. My latest novel is TANTALIZE (Candlewick, 2007)(Listening Library, 2008)(Walker U.K., 2008), which was featured at the National Book Festival, a Borders Original Voices choice, and a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age 2008. Author Libba Bray says "Tantalize has it all—hot vampires and wolf-boys, a super-cool heroine in cowboy boots, nail-biting suspense, romance, chills 'n' thrills, and Austin, Texas." Author Annette Curtis Klause chimes in: "Full of unexpected, delicious delights that kept me guessing and turning the pages, Tantalize creates a froth of danger, suspense, and wit." BookPage says the book "will appeal to fans--both teens and adults--of Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Note: Tantalize is a Gothic fantasy suspense novel with romantic elements and some humor (not a paranormal romance genre novel, although those are great); more books in the story-universe are forthcoming. This is my OFFICIAL AUTHOR PAGE at MySpace. Learn more about me and the world of books at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com .
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My Interests

cats, reading, writing, graphic novels, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, archery, sushi, theater, museums, travel, architecture

I'd like to meet:

Joss Whedon, Bram Stoker, readers, writers, teachers, librarians, booksellers, gothic fantasy fans, and youth literature enthusiasts of all stripes. Note: although this page is dedicated to YA lit, it may on occasion attract a younger reader. Please consider this in making your friend requests and framing post content. Thanks!

Music:

ABBA, Louis Armstrong, James Darren, Melissa Etheridge, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, The Hudsons, Eartha Kitt, Meatloaf, Willie Nelson, Walela.

Movies:

Best In Show, The Blues Brothers, Chronicles of Narnia, Dracula, My Fair Lady, Fried Green Tomatoes, Fright Night, Galaxy Quest, Grease, Indiana Jones, Jumanji, Meet the Robinsons, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Cousin Vinny, Lost Boys, Love Actually, Men In Black, Misery, The Mummy, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Pillow Talk, Pleasantville, The Princess Bride, Ratatouille, Shakespeare in Love, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Stand By Me, Star Wars (1977-1983), Teen Witch, The Witches of Eastwick, To Wong Fu, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, Xanadu

Television:

Alien Nation, Angel, Bones, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, A Different World, Fraiser, Freaks and Geeks, Heroes, Lois and Clark, Monk, My So Called Life, Northern Exposure, Remington Steele, Six Feet Under, The X Files

Books:

My latest novel is a YA Gothic fantasy, TANTALIZE (Candlewick, 2007, 2008)(Listening Library, 2008)(Walker UK, 2008)(14-up). I'm finishing up ETERNAL, book 2 in the universe, now (Candlewick, 2009). Note that a global storyline is still building. I'm best known for my YA horror, contemporary Native youth fiction, and humorous picture books. See my official site at www.cynthialeitichsmith.com for 270+ pages with more info, reading recs, and author interviews. Authors such as Holly Black, Rachel Caine, Sarah Dessen, Brent Hartinger, Stephenie Meyer, Vivian Vande Velde, Scott Westerfeld, and many more are highlighted.

Heroes:

Nancy Garden, Rosa Parks, Wonder Woman

My Blog

Book & Writer News; Morganville Vampires Giveaway

Feast of Fools: The Morganville Vampires (Book Four) by Rachel Caine (NAL/ Jam, 2008)(sample chapter) goes on sale next week. To enter to win a copy of the book, email me with your name and snail/stre...
Posted by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Fri, 30 May 2008 07:15:00 PST

YA Author Interview: Eric Luper on Big Slick

Eric Luper on Eric Luper: "Aside from being an avid poker player and author, Eric Luper, has had his share of interesting jobs, including: dry-cleaning store manager, medieval castle restorer, bartend...
Posted by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Thu, 29 May 2008 07:17:00 PST

Editor Interview: Abigail Samoun on Tricycle Press

Abigail Samoun on Abigail Samoun: "Abigail Samoun is a project editor with Tricycle Press, the children's book imprint of Ten Speed Press, in Berkeley, California, where she has worked since 2000."Abi...
Posted by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Wed, 28 May 2008 06:34:00 PST

Children’s Author Interview: Michelle Meadows on Pilot Pups

Visit Michelle Meadows! See photos of her recent signing at the National Air and Space Museum.Congratulations on the release of Pilot Pups, illustrated by Dan Andreasen (Simon & Schuster, 2008)! C...
Posted by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Tue, 27 May 2008 07:06:00 PST

Tantalize Fan Trailer by Jaden; Darren Shan Fan Art; Official Soul Enchilada Trailer

Thanks, Jaden! See also the official Tantalize trailer.By the way, new Darren Shan fan art is now online. See demons and vampires and read a Cynsations interview with Darren.On a more offici...
Posted by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Sat, 24 May 2008 06:55:00 PST

Children’s-YA Book & Writer News; Giveaways; Narnia Movie

PaperTigers offers three great new features:-- "Great Expectations: Breaking Down the Wall of Assumptions" by Debbi Michiko Florence; peek: "It's not enough that a main character in a book is Asian-Am...
Posted by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Fri, 23 May 2008 06:36:00 PST

Author Interview: Lisa Schroeder on I Heart You, You Haunt Me

Lisa Schroeder, a native Oregonian, is an expert juggler of all things, including kids, work, writing, cooking, and cleaning. But when her arms get tired, you'll probably find her curled up in a corne...
Posted by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Thu, 22 May 2008 06:50:00 PST

Giveaway of Author Marked-up Copy of Tantalize

Shooting Stars Mag is giving away a Sanguini's T-shirt and a marked-up hardcover copy of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008).Note: Sanguini's is the vampire-themed restaurant featured in the novel.I ma...
Posted by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Wed, 21 May 2008 06:33:00 PST

National Childrens Choice Book Awards Announced; J.K. Rowling Wins Favorite Author

NEW YORK, NY-The Children's Book Council (CBC) in association with the CBC Foundation, announced the winners of the first annual Children's Choice Book Awards  at a gala in New York City, hosted...
Posted by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Wed, 21 May 2008 06:28:00 PST

Editor Interview: Dana Goldberg of Childrens Book Press

Dana Goldberg on Dana Goldberg: "I was born and raised in New York City, and I'm a New Yorker at heart. I moved to the Bay Area in the summer of 1997, after graduating from Brown University with a deg...
Posted by Cynthia Leitich Smith on Tue, 20 May 2008 07:04:00 PST