Read this book: WAITING TO SCORE

Here in the metro DC area, we're shocked, resentful and gleeful (depending on who you ask) to be looking out our windows at about 6 inches of snow. We had a roaring fire last night and my son was thrilled to don snowpants this morning. So I'm feeling very northern and totally in the mood for a HOCKEY tale!

Today I'm welcoming debut author J.E. MacLeod to my blog, in celebration of the release of her Young Adult tale, WAITING TO SCORE.Grab a cup of hot cocoa and curl up to learn more--then scoop up a copy for yourself!

About WAITING TO SCORE:
Zack Chase, new in town, gets a crash course in the dangerous, fast-paced lives of local teen athletes. A good-looking, book-loving hockey star, Zack’s also expected to be a womanizing, alcohol-abusing party animal, but it’s not who he is. As jealous, obnoxious team captain Mac hounds him, Zack falls for Goth-girl Jane and befriends her teammate brother, both with their own secrets. Tragedy strikes and affects them all in this true-to-life debut novel, giving readers an insight into the lives of high school students and athletes. J.E.'s path to becoming an author was a windy one. After college, she wrote advertising copy for radio and then television and eventually moved on to work in sales and marketing for too many years.

J.E. kindly answered a few questions for me:

I think teen books can, and should, be read by grown-ups. Tell my grandma Grace why she should read your book.Hi Grandma Grace. You should read Waiting To Score, because it will show you what teens today have to contend with and how brave and noble they can be. It's not easy being a teen, but sometimes they get a bum rap when they don't deserve it.

What would your 16-year-old self say if she read your book? Holy crap. I write a book that gets published when I'm older?? That is the coolest thing ever.

I am fascinated by writers' inspirations. Tell me about a real-life setting that founds its way into your book. Oh man. So much of real life creeps into my stories. Hockey rinks though. Yup. I spent a lot of time in them babies when I was young. A lot of times I was like Jane, Zack's crush, reading a book in the stands, freezing my butt off wishing the game would end. (Not always though. I did like watching sometimes, especially play off games)

And finally, here's some info about J.E.:

After having a son, J.E. followed her dreams and wrote her  first book. Once she started writing YA, she felt like she’d found her home and has been writing it ever since. J.E. lives near the Canadian Rockies with her husband and son and a new puppy named Meeko.  She does not live in an Igloo or play hockey, but she does love maple syrup and says “eh” a lot.