$10 Amazon Giftcard and Waiting on the Sidelines and Interview with Ginger Scott

Waiting on the Sidelines by Ginger Scott

Nolan Lennox had things figured out. Named after a baseball legend, she enjoyed being the Tomboy, her closet filled with her brother's hand-me-downs, cut-off jeans and soccer shorts. But when her first trip to high school results in a broken heart from the first boy to ever make her heart flutter and cruel words from an older girl she once thought a family friend, Nolan starts to question the very person she thought she was and wonders if her humble upbringing can compete with the afforded luxuries of her privileged peers.
Throughout the next four years, Nolan struggles to maintain herself throughout her path of discovery, learning just how cruel teenagers can be through the pressures of underage drinking, sexuality and class. And despite how life seems to continue to work against her, she still manages to listen to her heart, falling deeper and deeper for the guy the entire town adores, even if he only sees her as a friend. Can Nolan strike a compromise between her own integrity and the boy she loves? And can she make him notice her before it's too late?
Reed Johnson came to Coolidge High School with a lot of fanfare. The son of a hometown football legend and the brother of a local football hero, Reed wore all the pressures of carrying a town without hope into the spotlight. Thankfully, he had the talent to back it up. But when he meets a girl who makes him think twice about exactly what being a hero means, he starts to wonder if following in his brother's footsteps might be all wrong.
Nolan Lennox was everything that was opposite of expected. She didn't flirt, she didn't drink and she didn't sleep around. Nothing about her was easy, but something about her made Reed want to try harder. Though she didn't look the part, she seemed to be spending a lot of time in Reed's thoughts, and he wondered if she could be the one who made it all worthwhile. But could Reed handle letting her down? And would breaking her heart break him beyond repair?
Waiting on the Sidelines explores young love to its fullest, exposing how real young heartbreak and passion is and how important it is to discover yourself and hold onto your own identity. The story follows two young characters as they deal with mature situations, including the prevalence of bullying and promiscuity in today's high school setting. Ultimately, Waiting on the Sidelines is a story of hope, honesty and those powerful, first true loves--the ones worth holding onto at any cost.

--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.

Writer of stories that are full of real emotion, real heartbreak, real love and real honesty. Dreamer, fighter and fan of jumping in with both feet.

--How did you get the idea for the story?

I have always wanted to write a coming-of-age love story with roots in here in Arizona, where I was born and raised. The high school culture here, especially in our smaller towns, is unique and filled with a drama all of its own. But as I got deeper into the story, the more I realized that I had an opportunity to really show how hard it is to be a girl, to grow up with peer pressure over how you look, how much money your family has, how easy you are, how drunk you get and who you decide to worship. And I wanted to really show the ugliness of how girls treat one another, how cruel girls can be to each other just for attention. It’s more than bullying, and it’s a culture that stays with us as we become women. Because of that, I think ‘Waiting on the Sidelines’ is a story that resonates with any woman that reads it, no matter what age. We’ve all been there and know what it feels like to be on the bottom.

--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?

I would love to have dinner with Buck, my male lead’s dad. He is kind and warm and always wise—I would kind of like him to help me work through some of my own problems in life.

I’d rather not dine with Tatum (the mean girl). I was never bullied to the extent Nolan, my heroine, is…but I remember what it feels like to have another girl put me down. I survived and come out the other side; I don’t think I want to go back again.

--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?

The sequel to ‘Waiting on the Sidelines’ is set for early October. I would love to share a teaser (posted below):

Reed's perspective:

Nolan and Sarah were waiting on the leather sofa at the main entrance to the athletes’ quarters, their feet folded up in their laps. The girls had grown closer in college and even more so when Sienna moved in with her boyfriend. I was glad that Nolan had someone like Sarah to look after her. She’d told me off a time or two, and I’ll be honest, it made me nervous. I wanted that same toughness at Nolan’s side when I wasn’t around.

“Well, how’d I do?” I asked, kicking at Nolan’s folded legs a little.

She stood up, pulling her shirt down over the top of her shorts, always modest and still so damned unsure of her beauty. Chewing at the inside of her cheek a little, she put her thumb to her lip like she was considering something. “Hmmmm, I don’t know, Johnson. I’d put you at about eighty percent,” she nodded, acting with disappointment.

“Eighty percent, huh?” I said, rushing her a little and swinging her over my shoulder to carry her through the doors. Her giggling started then, the best sound in the whole damn world. “Eighty percent?”

I took off running, leaving Sarah behind. Nolan knew exactly where I was going as she started slapping at my back and threatening me that I’d ‘better not.’ When we got to the main fountain at the center of campus, I pulled her back over my shoulder and held her in my arms as I pulled off my shoes with my feet.

“Reed Johnson, don’t you dare!” she screamed as I stepped over the concrete edge and waded in the water, sliding closer and closer to the main spray. Her screams and giggles only egged me on.

“You want to rethink that B minus, Noles? Eighty percent? You sure about that?” I said, freezing in place, just one more step away from the full effects of the waterfall. I looked her in the eyes and watched as she flinched, just for a minute, and then finally did it.

“OK, maybe I was being a bit unfair. You were really more of an eighty-two,” she said, baiting me.

Our eyes locked, I pushed my lips tight into a disapproving grin and shook my head. “Oh, now you’ve done it,” I said, stepping forward and stopping us underneath the force of the fountain’s shower. Nolan wasn’t mad. Sure, she screamed and smacked at my chest as the freezing water poured over us. But my playfulness never rattled her. If anything, it had the opposite effect, which I was counting on as she reached around my neck and pulled my head to hers for a forceful kiss. Her hands grabbed at my soaked T-shirt, pulling me closer. I let her body slide from my arms so I could wrap my fingers through her hair. It was a good thing Trig and Sarah reminded us we were in public.

“God, you two. It’s bad enough that I don’t have a boyfriend, but do I really have to be the uncomfortable third wheel on our way to the bars, too?” Sarah broke us up.

“Sorry, Sar. I get carried away, what can I say,” I said, grinning.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, reaching for Nolan’s hand to help her climb over the edge of the fountain. But I wasn’t about to let her go. I grabbed her back in my arms and dunked her once more, pushing my forehead to hers as she slid her hair back out of her eyes and blinked the beaded water from her lashes, laughing. I swung her back and forth in my arms as I carried her back to the dry side, the tips of our noses touching and my lips tingling just watching her bite her lower lip. Unable to take it, I had to kiss her once more, the soft and slow kind I did when I forgot others were watching or when I wanted everyone to know she was mine. And she was…she had my whole entire heart.

--What book(s) is your book’s “cousin”? (Similar kind of read, set-up or style)

I was influenced by Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep and would say that the flow and no-punches-pulled style of my book is in the same family. My book has been compared to hers, which is a GREAT honor for me.

--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?

I LOVE to read, and insomnia gives me enough time to squeeze some great reads in between writing. I love everything by Colleen Hoover. Katja Millay’s ‘Sea of Tranquility’ was brilliant, and I eat up anything by Abbi Glines, too. Other favorite authors are J.A. Redmerski, Jamie McGuire and S.C. Stephens. My favorite book is actually a great work of non-fiction, Friday Night Lights. Anyone who loved the show or movie should read it.

--If a fairy godmother told you could be put into the world of your favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?

The Great Gatsby. One, I think I could really rock the flapper look. Two, I think Jay Gatsby can do better. His love for Daisy is so flawed—beautifully so, but flawed none-the-less. They have this great physical love and attraction that never really got to blossom. I’d just like to shake some sense into him, just once. Maybe change his fate.

--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?

Music is a MUST! The Lumineers were definitely the soundtrack for ‘Waiting on the Sidelines.’ The sequel, ‘Going Long,’ was written to a lot of The National, Coldwar Kids and Phosphorescent.

--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

The power to rewind. I don’t want to be stuck, like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, but sometimes it would be nice to get a second shot at something. Better yet, imagine being able to go back to that moment in time prepared with exactly the right words to say or the real zinger to shoot back at someone.

--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?

I’m super competitive and will play just about any sport, but volleyball’s my absolute fav. There’s no greater feeling than smacking a ball with the palm of your hand so hard it bounces off someone’s chest.

--What is one thing you would tell your 15 year old self?

You’re better than you think you are.

--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?

I love my readers, with all my heart, wholly and completely. They are the only reason I get to do what I do, and every time I hear from one of them, I do an actual happy dance in front of my computer.

Lightning round: this or that?

Vanilla or chocolate?

Swirl

Edward or Jacob?

So very much Edward.

Hockey or soccer?

Hockey – Shane Doan, specifically.

Ebook or paper?

Ebook

Salty or sweet?

Salty – but ultimately, a chocolate-covered pretzel.

Beach or mountains?

Beach – it’s a water thing. I’m from the desert, so beaches are fantasies.

Phone call or email?

Email – I like to see words.

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl (AKA insomniac)

Dog or cat?

Dog

Messy or neat?

Organized chaos?

Ninjas or pirates?

Ninjas – Kill Bill style.

-$10 Amazon Giftcard and Waiting on the Sidelines by Ginger Scott (if you can use Amazon.com giftcards)
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Link to book on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Waiting-on-the-Sidelines-ebook/dp/B00CD69PT6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374987915&sr=8-1&keywords=ginger+scott
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