Melissa Senate

First up: I will be chatting away, reading and signing my new novel, LOVE YOU TO DEATH, at the Scarborough Public Library in lovely Scarborough, Maine, this Sunday, May 20th at 2pm. If you're in the area, please stop by!

Second, here's another fun read for you from the Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit, a group of very talented female authors who blog about each other's new novels: 

Graffiti Girl

by Kelly Parra

MTV Books | May 15, 2007

ISBN: 141653461X

(For ages 13 and up)

Teen Fiction from MTV Books charts new territory with this debut novel about a high school student and artist tempted by the seductive world of graffiti art.

Graffiti art. It's bold. It's thrilling. And it can get a girl into serious trouble…

Raised by her single mom (who's always dating the wrong kind of man) in a struggling California neighborhood, Angel Rodriguez is a headstrong, independent young woman who channels her hopes and dreams for the future into her painting. But when her entry for a community mural doesn't rate, she's heartbroken.  Even with the winning artist Nathan Ramos–a senior track start and Angel's secret crush–taking a sudden interest in Angel and her art, she's angry and hurt. She's determined to find her own place in the art world, her own way.

That's when Miguel Badalin–from the notorious graffiti crew Reyes del Norte–opens her eyes to an underground world of graf tags and turf wars. She's blown away by this bad boy's fantastic work and finds herself drawn to his dangerous charm. Soon she's running with Miguel's crew, pushing her skills to the limit and beginning to emerge as the artist she always dreamed she could be. But Nathan and Miguel are bitter enemies with a shared past, and choosing between them and their wildly different approaches to life and art means that Angel must decide what matters most before the artist inside her can truly break free.

Praise for Graffiti Girl

"With characters as bold and exciting as the art they love, and an honesty that keeps them raw and real, Graffiti Girl shows us that they only thing better than discovering your talent is finding yourself along the way." ~ Jenny O'Connell, author of Plan B and The Book of Luke

 "Graffiti Girl is a fast-paced story that boldly looks dreams and temptations in the eye. 16 year-old Angel Rodriguez steals your heart as she tries to find her place in the world–artistically, socially, and even inside her own family. Don't miss this one!" ~ Tina Ferraro, author of Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress

 "This book blew me away. Kelly Parra writes with the keen eye of an artist. Graffiti Girl is warm, gutsy, and true-to-life–an unflinching, honest portrayal of young adults.  A seamless and impressive debut." ~ Anne Frasier, USA Today bestselling author of Pale Immortal

About the Author

 Kelly Parra writes young adult fiction for MTV Books. When not at work on her current novel, she spends her free time roaming book stores, surfing the blogosphere, and watching reality TV.  Graffiti Girl is her debut novel. For an excerpt visit, www.kellyparra.com.

Website: www.kellyparra.com

YA Fresh blog: yafresh.blogspot.com