Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Double Duty With C. Lee McKenzie


To celebrate C. Lee McKenzie's Double Negative blog tour, I asked her to tell us about her secret double life. Below is Lee's most captivating cover reveal yet.

I have seen double: after a launch, after too much wine, after editing a manuscript. Those are a few times I can vouch for double vision. And I have played doubles tennis. I used to play that every week before I started writing books. If there's a double scoop of ice cream it will be on a hot fudge sundae. Yum. Never dated twins. Have dated two, er, three boys at a time. Very complicating and too overlapping. Gave that up after one try. I'm just not devious enough to pull that kind of thing off.

I forgot to ask Lee if she ever doubles down at blackjack, but something tells me she would also be an excellent poker player. If anyone asks you didn't hear it from me, because I don't know nothing.


double-negative2
Double Negative, by C. Lee McKenzie.

Hutchison McQueen is a sixteen-year-old smart kid who screws up regularly. He’s a member of Larkston High’s loser clique, the boy who’s on his way to nowhere—unless juvenile hall counts as a destination. He squeaks through classes with his talent for eavesdropping and memorizing what he hears. When that doesn’t work, he goes to Fat Nyla, the one some mean girls are out to get and a person who’s in on his secret—he can barely read.

And then Maggie happens. For twenty-five years she’s saved boys from their own bad choices. But she may not have time to save Hutch. Alzheimer’s disease is steadily stealing her keen mind.

You can find out more at C. Lee McKenzie's websiteblog, or Facebook Fan Page. There's also a giveaway for Double Negative and for Amazon gift cards here.



47 comments:

  1. Hi Julie and Lee - good to see you both here letting us know more about Double Negative .. it does sound an intriguing book with some interesting twists ... a book to learn from .. those I like .. Cheers to you both - Hilary

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    1. Hi Hilary. It has some twists, hopefully interesting ones.

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  2. Will get to C. Lee McKenzie's site to find out all about the Negative blog tour as I have only just returned to blogging. appears to be good.
    Yvonne.

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    1. Would love to have you visit me. Stop by anytime. http://cleemckenziebooks.com

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  3. "Too overlapping" is a very good way of putting it. As a gorilla with a harem, I can confirm that you don't want too many females over your lap. It can give you serious thigh strain. For a woman with the male harem, it must be even worse. Is there a picture of Fat Nyla we can examine?

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  4. Sounds like a story for the young 'uns that has some good messages re literacy, obesity and alzheimers. Something for them to chew on.

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    1. I can't imagine not being able to read, so it was interesting creating a character who could barely make out the meaning of the printed word.

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  5. I was lucky to have one girl to date at a time...

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    1. But you got a great girl for life, right? You've said so.

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  6. Creative use of your own double negative :)

    Looking forward to Lee's book - it's on my Amazon list.

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  7. double trouble and more. Sounds like a clever and serious book.

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    1. It has humor as well. Can't have adolescents without humor.

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  8. Hilary - I agree that there is much to learn from Double Negative! Thanks Hilary!

    Yvonne - Thanks for heading over to Lee's site!

    Gorilla - I'm sure that Fat Nyla would love to be a new addition to your harem!

    Delores - Yes, there are lots of great messages in Double Negative!

    Alex - I'm sure each girl felt the same way about you!

    Keith - Lee really knows how to weave an excellent story!

    Carol - I had the sudden urge to include "birth and babies," but didn't think it would fit in with Lee's book! Glad it's on the top of your list, Carol!

    Joanne - it really touches on so many subjects. Thanks Joanne!

    Julie

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  9. Hi Julie. I loved your idea for this post. Sorry I couldn't come up with a tennis image. Technology fail on my end. Thanks for featuring Double Negative here.

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  10. It sounds interesting. It is difficult to say how much a problem not being able to read gives a person in our society. It is also amazing how children who can't read figure out ways to hide what they don't know. It sounds like a good book.

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    1. I did some research and was surprised at the illiteracy stats in the U.S. Very troubling.

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  11. Yay, Lee! Still stoked for the book, but somehow I missed word of the giveaway...or my brain melted. Either one could be true.

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  12. Thanks for stopping by my blog, Julie, to welcome me back to this supportive blogging community. And now I've been introduced to what looks like a good book. A win-win.

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    1. Hi Ann. Glad you've returned to the community. Welcome back.

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  13. CONGRATS, C. Lee! Great cover. Thanks for sharing about the awesome giveaway.

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  14. Yay! Excited for Lee. And I bet she has some stories about those guys she dated. Ha!

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    1. I should never have reveal that terrible fact about my past. Lesson learned. Mistake never repeated.

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  15. Lee - We'll just have to use our imaginations! Sadly, I'm no stranger to "technology fails." I'm thrilled to help spread the word about Double Trouble. I'm sure it will help teens, and their families openly address these important issues.

    Yvonne - Good points about what teens go through to hide their struggles.

    Crystal - There's a link to the giveaway on the last line. Brain melts sound better than brain freezes, and I've had both!

    Ann - Lee's book is definitely a win, and having you back makes it a double win!

    Susanne - I agree about the cover and the giveaway!

    Natalie - I would also like to hear more about those guys from Lee's past!

    Julie

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    1. Holding this computer together with duct tape until after this book is launched. Wish me luck.

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  16. Sounds like a terrific book, and nobody doesn't like a terrific book, right? Good luck with it, Lee.

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    1. Susan - Your Sara Lee trumps my Sargent Schultz! Thanks for showing your Double Negative spirit!

      Julie

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    2. Thank you, Susan. I hope readers will take some good things away from the story.

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  17. Speaking of doubling down at Blackjack...
    I remember when my brothers, sister, and I visited the Indian casino in Connecticut a few years ago. As we passed the blackjack table, my sister asked if I knew how to play. I said I did. They then gave me a couple hundred dollars total to play.
    Hey, I told her I knew how to play. I didn't tell her I was any good at it.
    Needless to say, we lost a lot of wampum at that Indian casino. Serves us right, white devils.

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    1. Ah yes, the old western indian revenge. We can blame those casinos on Custer.

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    2. I think it's a fair trade. Relatively speaking, they got screwed.
      And, from I read, Custer was an A-Hole.

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  18. Looks like a very cool book.

    I saw double after my hysterectomy. It was intense and frightening, especially when an opthalmologist said it might be permanent. Idiot! But the ER doctor was hot, so I enjoyed seeing two of him. Alas, it didn't last - just a quirky after-effect of the anesthesia.

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    1. Hot doctors can make all the difference in how you see things. Glad your double vision wasn't permanent!

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  19. Hi, Julie,


    What a fun 'TWIST!' Enjoyed your answers, Lee... I thing we've all juggled a person or two at a time in our dating lives.... It is crazy, but it can be lots of fun. LOL.

    ALL THE BEST, LEE with your new book~

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    1. Dating more than one person at a time can be sticky, but as you point out, fun, too. You can only do that when you're young and kind of of crazy, right?

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  20. Robyn - That must've been pretty frightening. Glad it was only temporary, and as always, you were able to find the humor in it. I agree Lee's book is very cool!

    Michael - Now I want to hear some of your "juggling" stories! I hope you'll post them on your blog, or write them in your book.

    Julie

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  21. Sounds like a great story, I wish you lots of luck with it. Alzheimer's is a difficult subject to introduce as well.

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    1. Jo - Lee tackles many interesting subjects in Double Negative, and Alzheimer's is a particularly devastating illness. Thanks Jo!

      Julie

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  22. From two guys who are often considered double trouble, this sounds pretty damn cool. I'm intrigued by the Alzheimer's angle. Now then, back to drinking aka seeing double.

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    1. B & B - You could be the poster boys for "double trouble" in a good way! Seeing double isn't all that it's cracked up to be, so tread lightly.

      Julie

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