Welcome to STOP
#5 of Carolee Dean’s
FORGET ME NOT
GHOST TOUR!
FORGET ME NOT is a paranormal verse novel about a young
girl, Ally Cassell, who makes a rash and desperate decision after compromising
photos are texted around the school. She finds herself on an abandoned hallway
of Raven Valley High School, writing in her journal, trying to figure out what
went wrong. She’s made a habit of writing letters to Ernest Hemingway. She
has too many secrets to share with anyone else and she knows she can confide in
him, since he’s dead. Besides, he wrote in a Moleskine notebook just like
she does.
I read an Advanced Review Copy of this book and I really enjoyed it. There are lots of twists and turns to the plot and the last 1/3 of the book really took my breath away.
I highly recommend it to teens ages 14 and up, especially if you enjoy verse novels. Carolee is a brilliant writer.
Here’s an excerpt from Ally's journal
followed by an interview with Ernest Hemingway.
I HAVE A MOLESKINE NOTEBOOK
I keep in the back
pocket of my jeans.
It’s just like the one
Hemingway used to write in,
before he blew out his brains.
It’s filled with poems
and letters to Ernest.
I started writing to him
in September,
when everything started
with Davis.
Ernest was dead,
so I knew
he could keep a secret.
Maybe if I tell him what happened,
he’ll help me figure out what to
do.
I don’t even know where to start,
but I open the notebook anyway,
because I don’t have anywhere to go,
and I know, it’s gonna be
a long,
long
day.
(from pg.
25 of FORGET ME NOT by Carolee Dean copyright 2012)
Contact the author (caroleedean@yahoo.com)
for permission to reproduce
INTERVIEW WITH ERNEST HEMINGWAY
LISA: What do you think about the fact that Ally’s been writing to you, even though you’ve been dead since 1961.
ERNEST: I feel sorry for the poor kid. She needs to get a
life. Writing to old dead guys like me isn’t healthy.
LISA: That seems a little harsh. She thinks you’re the only one she can confide in.
ERNEST: You noticed I never wrote her back.
LISA: I don’t think she expected you to.
ERNEST: That’s good. Expectations usually
disappoint you.
LISA: You seem a little testy.
ERNEST: I guess I resent the whole “Nine Circles of Raven Valley High” concept.
LISA: Are you referring to the poem that was on stop number
one of the ghost tour?
ERNEST: Yes. I understand the basic idea. People who died
in and around the school grounds gravitate to one of the nine circles based on
how they met their end, but what about the rest of us?
LISA: Who are you talking about?
ERNEST: Dead poets and authors.
LISA: Are you saying there are dead poets and authors at
Raven Valley High School?
ERNEST: I'm saying there are dead poets and authors at
every high school.
LISA: Where?
ERNEST: In the library. If you want to talk to dead people,
that's where I suggest you start. You don't need special powers or a near death
experience to be able to hear us, just go open a book.
Well, you’ve heard it straight from
Ernest. If you want to hear what dead poets and authors have to say, you know
where to look.
By the way, if you’d like to win this hand painted
journal to write your own thoughts and feelings, a copy
of Forget Me Not or other unique prizes
created especially for the Ghost Tour check out GHOST TOUR CENTRAL where you will also find links to other stops on the
tour. Go to the bottom of that page to enter the contest.
And check out the amazing book trailer at
Thanks Lisa! I'm honored to be here today.
ReplyDeleteLove this post - and the spooky conversation. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlso *LOVE* FORGET ME NOT!
Brilliant interview, Lisa. Hilarious and true.
ReplyDeleteThis is great! And I really need to order this book!
ReplyDelete