Best. Night. Ever.
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GAIL: I loved having a built-in critique group! And I’m totally the one who was watching people type their chapters in Google docs. Heeheehee.
JEN: Yeah, I learned this about Gail when writing You’re Invited. She’s evil! For me, I really loved going to bed with one chapter written only to wake up and find four more chapters had been added. Oh how I wish my own books wrote themselves while I slept!
Speaking of our own books . . . did anything about writing a story with six other people change your process for writing your solo books?
GAIL: Not necessarily the process, but I’ve definitely been influenced by spending so much time with everyone else’s writing. It’s fun to see (and learn from!) everyone’s strengths. For example, Dee is a whiz at coming up with pranks. Stephanie actually got into the head of a twelve-year-old boy(!). And Ronni’s character is written with so much heart! I’ve learned so much from everyone in this group.
RACHELE: And don’t forget Alison’s amazing talent of coming up with band names!!!
JEN: She actually keeps a file of fictional band names on her phone! I’ve seen it and there lies genius within!
STEPHANIE: I’ve never been a planner, so working in a highly structured situation was very eye-opening to me. It showed me how much better a book flows when the writer has a chapter-by-chapter outline in hand from the start. I may try that with one of my books to see if I can force myself into “planner” mode!
RACHELE: I agree with Stephanie! Usually when I write my books there are tons of drafts and things often don’t go in order or as planned. I always know where I’m heading and how I want the book to end, but I don’t always know how my characters get there. My characters surprise me a lot as I follow their journeys, which can be fun, but also stressful at times! I must say that writing to an outline and having everything plotted out is A LOT easier!
Okay, last question. Let’s see how much we’re willing to humiliate ourselves. Does anyone want to share a favorite memory from a school dance?
GAIL: My mom and my BFF’s mom (who were chaperones) busting some moves to Kris Kross’s “Jump.” So embarrassing then, but hilarious to remember now!
RACHELE: The outfit I wore to my first middle school dance! I really don’t know what I was thinking! I had on black combat boots, black tights, jean shorts, a flannel shirt that I tucked in and a hat. I really hope no one has pictures from that dance. I think the fashion police would have arrested me on the spot!
JEN: I definitely have a similar memory. I went full-on Madonna for a seventh grade dance. A million jelly bracelets up my arm and a belt that had a buckle that said “Boy Toy.” I thought I was sooooo cool!
RONNI: The boy I liked asked me to the winter dance when I was a sophomore in high school. I couldn’t wait to go, but a snowstorm that night canceled the dance. Luckily, it was rescheduled for the following week, and I still clearly remember dancing to “Stairway to Heaven.” I was so happy that that song is something like eight minutes long!
ALISON: I went to a really small school, and since everyone in my class had known each other since we were tiny, we kind of all thought of one another as slightly annoying siblings. At our eighth grade dance, we were so reluctant to dance with each other that the teachers started handing out quarters to bribe us.
JEN: We should have included “bribery to dance” in Best. Night. Ever.! Alison, you held out on us!! In all seriousness, guys, I know we’re talking about school dance memories, but my favorite school dance memory is now, officially, writing about this one at Lynnfield Middle . . . and not just because I got to attend it in hedgehog pj’s instead of death-trap heels and a Boy Toy belt. Just like the best dances (and the best nights) ever, it wouldn’t have been the same without great friends to share it with! Giant, squishy hugs all around. Um, except online ones, because we’re not in the same room.
(Giant, online squishy hugs commence. . . .)
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
RACHELE ALPINE is the author of the middle grade novels Operation Pucker Up and You Throw Like a Girl and the young adult novels A Void the Size of the World and Canary. By day she’s a high school English teacher, by night she’s a wife and mom, and she finds any time in between to write. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio where she writes with the companionship of the world’s cutest dog and a big bag of gummy peaches. She loves hearing from readers, and you can find her at rachelealpine.com.
RONNI ARNO is the author of the middle-grade novels Ruby Reinvented, Dear Poppy, and forthcoming Molly in the Middle. She lives on the coast of Maine with her husband, two daughters, and her dogs, Hazel and Mabel. When she’s not writing, Ronni stalks her kids for story ideas, kayaks, and eats chocolate . . . but not usually at the same time. You can visit Ronni at ronniarno.com.
ALISON CHERRY is the author of the middle grade novels Willows vs. Wolverines and The Classy Crooks Club and the young adult novels Red, For Real, and Look Both Ways. She is a professional photographer and spent many years working as a lighting designer for theater, dance, and opera productions. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her two cats. Visit her online at alisoncherrybooks.com.
STEPHANIE FARIS knew she wanted to be an author from a very young age. In fact, her mother often told her to stop reading so much and go outside and play with the other kids. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University she somehow found herself working in information technology. But she never stopped writing. Her middle-grade novels include 30 Days of No Gossip and 25 Roses, and she’s also the author of the Piper Morgan chapter book series. When she isn’t crafting fiction, Stephanie works as a freelance writer for a wide variety of websites and magazines. She lives in Nashville with her husband. Visit her online at stephaniefaris.com.
JEN MALONE once spent a year traveling the world solo, met her husband on the highway (literally), and went into labor with her identical twins while on a rock star’s tour bus. These days she saves the drama for her books. Jen’s middle-grade novels include The Sleepover, At Your Service and forthcoming The Art of the Swap, as well as the You’re Invited series, co-written with Gail Nall. She has also written the young adult novels Map to the Stars, Wanderlost, and Changes in Latitude. You can learn more about Jen and her books at jenmalonewrites.com.
GAIL NALL lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her family and more cats than necessary. She once drove a Zamboni, has camped in the snow in June, and almost got trampled in Paris. Gail is the author of the middle grade novels Out of Tune, Breaking the Ice, and You’re Invited and You’re Invited Too, written with Jen Malone. She has also written the young adult novel Exit Stage Left. You can find her online at gailnall.com.
DEE ROMITO lives in her hometown of Buffalo, New York. You’re likely to find her on adventures with her husband and two energetic kids, at the local ice cream shop, or curled up in a comfy chair with her cats. She loves to write, travel, and giggle like a teenager with her friends. Dee is the author of the middle-grade novels The BFF Bucket List and forthcoming No Place Like Home. You can visit her online at deeromito.com.
CHECK OUT OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHORS OF BEST. NIGHT. EVER.
Rachele Alpine
Operation Pucker Up
You Throw Like a Girl
Ronni Arno
Ruby Reinvented
Dear Poppy
Coming soon:
Molly in the Middle
Alison Cherry
The Classy Crooks Club
Willows vs. Wolverines
Stephanie Faris
30 Days of No Gossip
25 Roses
Jen Malone
At Your Service
The Sleepover
Coming soon:
The Art of the Swap
Gail Nall
Breaking the Ice
Out of Tune
Jen Malone and Gail Nall
You’re Invited
You’re Invited Too
Dee Romito
The BFF Bucket List
Coming soon:
No Place
Like Home
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ALADDIN
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
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First Aladdin hardcover edition August 2017
Text compliation and “Ashlyn” copyright © 2017 by Jennifer Malone
“Carmen” copyright © 2017 by Rachele Alpine
“Ellie” copyright © 2017 by Ronni Arno
“Genevieve” copyright © 2017 by Alison Cherry
“Ryan” copyright © 2017 by Stephanie Faris
“Tess” copyright © 2017 by Gail Nall
“Jade” copyright © 2017 by Dee Romito
Jacket illustration copyright © 2017 by James Lopez
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Jacket designed by Karin Paprocki
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This book has been cataloged with the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-1-4814-8660-6 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4814-8662-0 (eBook)