Kyra Davis is on the GCC with me, and she writes fun-city chick lit mysteries. The new one, PASSION, BETRAYAL AND KILLER HIGHLIGHTS, is the sequel to Sex, Murder and a Double Latte.

Here's what you really need to know:
Fashion. Death. Frappucinos.
What more can you ask for in a summer read?
Nothing, I think. But you also get a chic Black/Jewish mystery novelist caffeine addict heroine, a San Francisco setting and a sexy private investigator for romance.

Kyra's blog is here, and it's fun reading because Kyra seems to live a rawther glamorous life.

Anyway, she took the Fly survey -- and reveals a deliciously naughty mind and a penchant for foxy superhero clothing.

The Fly on the Wall Survey
questions by me, answers by Kyra Davis

1) If you could be a fly on the wall somewhere, anywhere – where?
Tough call, it’s a tie between wanting to be a fly on the wall during a confidential briefing in the office of some corrupt politician’s office so I could expose him for being a fraud later on or being a fly on the wall of Brad Pitt’s or Antonio Banderas’ bathroom right when one of them is getting out of the shower. I understand robber flies have better vision than the others. I’d want to be one of those if I was going to do the bathroom thing.

2) If you could have one superpower, what?
I want to have the inhuman ability to eat anything I want and never gain a pound. A super-powered metabolism would be great.

3) What is your superhero name? Why?
There’s a line of low-fat, low-cal dairy desserts called Skinny Cow so I think I’d play off that and be Skinny Pig because I’d eat like a pig but…well you get the idea.

4) Who is your favorite superhero?
Wonder Woman I guess. In primary school I wanted to be her…well, that’s not really true. I wanted to be Linda Carter because she actually got paid to run around wearing cool costumes while kicking ass.

5) Favorite non-super hero?
As in a real person? If so I guess I’d have to say my mom although she defiantly has some super powers (she can elicit guilt with a single look).

6) Recommend us a superhero movie.
Batman Returns. Michelle Pfeiffer rocked as Catwoman.

7) If you could turn in to any animal, what? Why?
I’m going to go with skunk. It’d be cool to be an animal that was both cute and able to inspire fear (nobody messes with a skunk).

8) Do you (or have you ever) read comic books? What? When?
In elementary school I went through a short phase when I was reading Archie comic books. Are they still around? I remember I really liked Veronica and Jughead. I now have a six year old and he’s into the Scooby Doo comics. I’m fairly sure those are cooler than the Archie ones I used to buy.

Drat, you, Literaticat! You force me (not) to take literary quizzes when I should be revising Dramarama!

What have I read?
These are the 25 most popular overall books at What Should I Read Next?

Libraries hit by Hurricaine Katrina have yet to rebuild and restock. You can help out very easily through the Dewey Donation system site, which has wish lists for particular libraries and more.

I sent the Olivia boxed set. Because I really love that pig.

The TeenReads review of Fly on the Wall is really nice. I quote:

E. Lockhart, author of THE BOYFRIEND LIST, proves her talents once again. Her writing style is extremely engaging through the use of the unique and quirky voice of her main character. The scenes where teen Gretchen is exploring her new world as a fly are hilarious. She learns to use her wings and gets a frightening up-close look of herself in the mirror and thinks, "I'll never get a boyfriend looking like this." ...The novel is fast paced, hysterically funny, and a pleasure to read. It's also refreshing to see a female comic book geek in today's teen fiction.

TeenReads is a good site to visit if you're looking for some fun summer reading. Check it out.

Finally up: a preview of The Boy Book, which comes out September 26, 2006.

Sara Rosett is a mystery writer on the GCC with me. She writes the MOM ZONE mysteries, the first of which is Moving is Murder.

I love a cozy mystery. Let me curl up with a dead body, a cup of tea and a heroine descended from Miss Marple and I'm happy as ye olde clam. In Moving is Murder, Air Force wife Ellie Avery is a professional organizer; she plans ahead, packs efficiently, and even color-codes her boxes. But nothing in her bag of tricks could prepare her for the secrets that shadow her new neighborhood.

Anyway, Sara's blog is here -- and it's a good one if you're interested in writing mysteries or in finding a good new one to read. And of course, she took the Fly survey!

The Fly on the Wall Survey
questions by me, answers by Sara Rosett

1) If you could be a fly on the wall somewhere, anywhere – where?
A newsroom because I’m fascinated with how news is gathered and filtered.

2) If you could have one superpower, what?
Transportability, the ability to move from one place to another instantly. It would really come in handy for traveling, too!

3) What is your superhero name? Why?
Super Sara—I love the alliteration!

4) Who is your favorite superhero?
Elastigirl, the mom in The Incredibles. First of all, I love Holly Hunter’s voice and I think the movie perfectly captures how moms (even super hero moms) manage the minutia of everyday life while at the same time taking on huge tasks like building self-esteem in their kids and steering them in the right direction.

5) Favorite non-super hero?
The designer in The Incredibles. She’s a riot!

6) Recommend us a superhero movie.
Sky High.

7) If you could turn in to any animal, what? Why?
I have to tell you, a fly wouldn’t be my first choice! I’d have to say a dog because sleeping most of the day sounds pretty good.

8) Do you (or have you ever) read comic books?
No, I’m more of a text girl, myself.

P.S. (from E.) I had to google Sky High. How could I have missed it? Because it sounds FREAKING AWESOME. Thanks, Sara!
Here's the description from IMDB:

It all begins at a secret school in the clouds like none on earth: Sky High, the first and only high school for kids with super-human powers going through crime-fighting puberty. At Sky High, the student body throw flames with their footballs, study Villainy with their Chemistry and are divided into Heroes and Sidekicks instead of jocks and geeks. It's an out-of-this-world yet completely recognizable place where cool gadgetry, rampant bravery and awe-inspiring magical skills mix it up with parental battles, peer pressure and dating trouble--with explosively fun results.

Take an online YA writing course with Lara Zeises and Laurie Stolarz. I am serious! All the scoop, here. You have to sign up by July 5.

Their books:
LARA: Anyone But You, Contents Under Pressure, Bringing Up the Bones
LAURIE: Blue is for Nightmares, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, Red is for Remembrance and the upcoming Bleed.

Lara's email for registering: zeisgeist @ aol. com

So, the Not Your Mother's Book Club event on June 8 was AWESOME.
(what? you are not a member of Not Your Mother's Book Club? what is up with that? you don't need to live in San Francisco. you just need to read the blog)

(Warning: goofy amounts of name-dropping ahead. sorry. woohoo! both)

That's ME, the rock star that is David Levithan, the head that is Jenn, mistress of NYMBC, and the goddess that is Rachel Cohn.

I am relieved that my boobs look of normal size, those of you who saw those Teen Titan pics in which it appeared that reading about breast cupcakes was doing SOMETHING TO MY RACK of an enlarging nature.

Anyway, I nabbed this photo from Ms. Cohn's excellent blog about her tour, because I have been too lame to attach my digital camera to my computer. If that link doesn't work, go to her Myspace and click on the blog.

There were all kinds of freebies at the event and I scored a Bad Kitty t-shirt which I have been wearing around and feeling like quite the Bad Kitty indeed. Plus I bought Bad Kitty, King Dork, Magic Lessons, Queen of Babble and Thou Shalt Not Dump the Skater Dude.

Frank Portman was there! He was way neato and also cute and intelligent. I am so psyched to read his book. Lynn Hazen was there, too! But sadly she couldn't stay, so we didn't really get to talk.

Richie Partington was there with a posse of teenagers! So was Walter the Giant with another posse!
They were so very, very cool to bring all those kids, and the kids were a fantastic audience with smart questions.

I am sure I am forgetting stuff.
David swore a lot. But all in the name of literature.
David and Rachel bantered like siblings and it was funny. They also gave away a strange clucking chicken in a graduation gown. Plus a free ipod.
They read very powerfully.
I read about those cupcakes and you can read the start of the story here.

So fun! Thank you, Jenn, for having me out there.

--E

A way-cool YA event that I am hoping to get my booty to on Thursday:

LAUNCH PARTY FOR FROGS & FRENCH KISSES
by Sarah Mlynowski
(it's the sequel to Bras & Broomsticks)

Thursday Jun 22, 2006
at 5 PM - 7 PM

Books of Wonder
18 West 18th St
New York City, NY 10011

The event is FREE and all are welcome.

Jen Robinson's list of cool girl characters in children's books.
How many do you know of the top 20?
I know thirteen.