Homeroom Diaries by James Patterson, Introducing the Freakshow and a Giveaway

Posted 21 July, 2014 by Danny in Blog, Blog Tour, Danny, Giveaways / 17 Comments

Hey Guys! Happy Monday and I couldn’t be more excited than starting this week with a very special post to kick of the Blog Tour for James Pattersons newest Teen book: Homeroom Diaries.

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I’m thrilled to have James Patterson on the bog today, introducing the characters who play centre stage in this new book, and I can say that it’s the perfect way to get completely intrigued by this story. When I read the world “cuckoo” I immediately had to think of one of my girl friends who loves to say this word, constantly.. 🙂

In addition, the book is accompanied by illustrations, and I have one these below, but for now:

Introducing the Freakshow –

Guest Post from James Patterson

Most people wouldn’t call their friends a Freakshow.

But Cuckoo Clarke, the main character in my new book, Homeroom Diaries, is not most people.

She and her friends, a tightknit group of misfits, wanted to call themselves something worse than what the “haters” at their high school could come up with, hence “Freakshow.” Yeah, that’s their sense of humor. Obviously, they each needed corresponding nicknames too.

First, our narrator, Margaret Clarke, goes by Cuckoo, since she’s been to a mental institution and often acts a little, well, cuckoo. She’s a girl facing problems you don’t always read about in YA books, but that happen to millions of teenagers across the world.

Her best friend is Katie, or Brainzilla. She’s focused her entire life and self worth on doing well in school—her dream is to go to Yale—and to have a life completely different from her parents.

Tebow, real name Peter, is Cuckoo’s friend. Or maybe something more? He’s kind, athletic, and a devout Christian – another group I rarely see depicted with any measure of accuracy in books, YA or adult (and movies too).

Beverly, or Flatso, is warm, kind, strong, and, well, fat – but it’s all muscle. But in high school, people don’t see muscle, they just see someone who looks different.

Hana picked the name Eggroll, or Eggy, because the haters made fun of her for being Asian. She has what you’d call a “Tiger Mom,” but unlike Brainzilla, she cares more about yo-yos and playing the trumpet than getting into the Ivy League.

Paul, AKA Zitsy, is – as you’d imagine – covered in zits. And even grosser, he has to help his plumber father with toilets, sewers, and other places you don’t want to think about.

And now Read an Excerpt

I’m Cuckoo Clarke.

This story mostly takes place in a small town outside Portland called North Plains. There’s a gun shop outside town that has an annual Back-to-School Sale. (I’m anti-gun.) Every August, our town hosts the World’s Largest Elephant Garlic Festival. (I’m pro-garlic.) Most people around here wear Nikes, Portland’s proudest. (I prefer Uggs, but I wouldn’t say I’m

definitely pro- or anti-footwear.)

And now, welcome to the main setting of this show: NorthPlains High School! It looks the way you’re probably picturing it. The hallways are full of the Usual Suspects: Jocks, Nerds,

Twinkies, Otaku, Barbies, Goths, Eurotrash, Jailbait, Stoners, Joiners, Glommers, Delusionals, Haters, Wankstas, Thespians, Teachers, Terror Teachers, Zomboids, Robots, Gleeks, United

Colors of Benettoners, Libertarians, Activists, Juvies, Baristas,Blahs, and—my best friends—the Freakshow.

That’s right. We call ourselves the Freakshow. My best friend, Brainzilla (Katie), had this idea that we should give our little group a nickname that’s far worse than anything any of the diseased minds in our school could dream up.
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HomeroomDiariesAbout Homeroom Diaries

Publication: July 21st 2014 by Little, Brown and Company

In James Patterson’s first highly illustrated “diary fiction” story for teens, the mega-bestselling author’s most endearing and original teen heroine ever proves that everyone can use a helping hand once in a while. Margaret “Cuckoo” Clarke recently had a brief stay in a mental institution following an emotional breakdown, but she’s turning over a new leaf with her “Happiness Project”. She’s determined to beat down the bad vibes of the Haters, the Terror Teachers, and all of the trials and tribulations of high school by writing and drawing in her diary. And when life gets really tough, she works through her own moments of uncertainty through imaginary conversations with her favorite literary characters. Cuckoo’s also got a nearly impossible mission: she, along with her misfit band of self-deprecating friends (who call themselves “the Freakshow”) decide to bridge the gap between warring cliques and “bring the Nations together”. Not everyone is so willing to join hands and get along, but Cuckoo never stops smiling…until one of her closest friends, pushed to desperation by a Hater prank, decides that enough is enough.

ABOUT JAMES PATTERSON JamesPatterson_byDavidBurnett

In January, 2010, The New York Times Magazine featured James Patterson on its cover and hailed him as having “transformed book publishing.” Time magazine named him “The Man Who Can’t Miss,” and he is a two-time Children’s Choice Book Award “Author of the Year” nominee, a designation decided on by more than 15,000 children and teen readers. In the past three years, James Patterson has sold more books than any other author (according to Bookscan), and in total, James’s books have sold an estimated 260 million copies worldwide. Since 2006, one out of every seventeen hardcover fiction books sold was a Patterson title. He is the first author to have #1 new titles simultaneously on The New York Times adult and children’s bestsellers lists and is the only author to have five new hardcover novels debut at #1 on the list in one year—a record-breaking feat he’s accomplished every year since 2005. To date, James Patterson has had nineteen consecutive #1 New York Times bestselling novels, and holds the New York Times record for most Hardcover Fiction bestselling titles by a single author (76 total), which is also a Guinness World Record. From his James Patterson Pageturner Awards (which rewarded groups and individuals for creative and effective ways of spreading the joy of reading) to his website ReadKiddoRead.com (which helps adults find books that kids are sure to love) to his regular donations of thousands of books to troops overseas, Patterson is a lifelong champion of books and reading. His critically acclaimed Maximum Ride series debuted on the New York Times bestsellers list at #1 and remained there for twelve straight weeks. The series has so far made ninety-four cumulative appearances on The New York Times bestsellers lists, proving that kids of all ages love page turners. He captured the attention of boy readers with Daniel X series, and his third series for readers of all ages debuted in December 2009 with Witch & Wizard, which spent five consecutive weeks atop the New York Times bestsellers list. Patterson is the creator of the top-selling new detective series of the past dozen years, featuring Alex Cross and including the Hollywood-adapted “Along Came a Spider” and “Kiss the Girls,” starring Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman. He is also the creator of the #1 new detective series of the past five years, featuring Lindsay Boxer and the Women’s Murder Club, from which the ABC television drama series was adapted. He has authored books behind six films on the Hollywood fast-track, including the upcoming Maximum Ride movie forthcoming from Avi Arad, the producer of X-Men and Spiderman. He is the author of novels — from The Thomas Berryman Number (1976) to Honeymoon (2005) — that have won awards including the Edgar, the BCA Mystery Guild’s Thriller of the Year, the International Thriller of the Year award, and the Reader’s Digest Reader’s Choice Award. And, he has won a Children’s Choice Book Council’s Children’s Choice Awards “Author of the Year” award (2010). One of Forbes magazine’s Celebrity 100, James made a guest appearance on the popular FOX TV show “The Simpsons” in March, 2007.

 

Follow the HOMEROOM DIARIES tour for sneak peeks at the book from author James Patterson!

 

Find James Patterson Online

 

Giveaway

Thanks to Little Brown you have the chance to win one of two copies of Homeroom Diaries. US/Can only and entries until Aug 2nd via the Rafflecopter below!

Now tell me, which of the Freakshop Characters sounds most intriguing? I think I go with Cuckoo, so in love with that name:) 

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Obsessive Reader by Night - Scientist at Day! You can also find me on goodreads. I'd love to get to know you so, don't be shy and say Hello!

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17 Responses to “Homeroom Diaries by James Patterson, Introducing the Freakshow and a Giveaway”

  4. Lori Hopkins

    I think I like Cuckoo (aka Margaret Clarke) the best! I can relate to her, but couldn’t imagine going through mental illness while a young adult, so she has to be tough.

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  8. Evette Torres

    I am a huge JP fan! And I’m super excited for his new series. I like that it’s fun and has relatable topics. Cuckoo, Beverly and Eggy are most intriguing to me. Cuckoo sounds like the character that has a major issue but uses humor to deal with it and she sounds really funny. I like Eggy one for her name and two for the fact that she likes yoyos. And Beverly because she sounds like she is a great friend. 🙂

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  10. Vanessa

    I think all of the characters sound interesting. I kind of wish Flatso was really just chubby and not all muscle since it might resound more…

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  14. Margie aka The Bumble Girl

    Definitely Cuckoo or Eggy – Cuckoo seems to have a very interesting backstory. And Eggy just seems so down to earth, nice to see when so many teens are always struggling with something, or have something to prove.
    Great post, I’m really looking forward to getting into these books soon 🙂
    Margie aka The Bumble Girl recently posted..RUN TO YOU Read-along starts TODAY!!! Let’s chat, quote favorite lines and enter to win!!!My Profile

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