Earlier this year I had the fantastic opportunity of reading and reviewing the new young adult novel, Awkward by Marni Bates. In my review I said, “Awkward is a coming of age book that will have you laughing and nodding your head in remembrance of things past.” It was one of those novels that had you walking down memory lane and also being grateful that technology wasn’t quite what it is now back then. I loved it!

So, when I heard rumblings of a movie deal for Marni I couldn’t help but be excited. Yesterday morning those rumblings were confirmed:

Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY – October 23, 2012 – The Gersh Agency in Los Angeles today announced that The Disney Channel has optioned the teen novel Awkward by Marni Bates to be made into a television movie. Awkward is published by Kensington Books’ KTeen imprint in New York.

Awkward is a romantic teen comedy featuring a girl whose embarrassing moment is captured by her high school classmates and goes viral on YouTube. Suddenly dubbed “America’s Most Awkward Girl”, Mackenzie Wellesley soon finds herself dodging both the paparazzi and the popular girls at school, even as America’s hottest boy rock band, ReadySet, transforms her moment of humiliation into a hit music video! But when Mackenzie’s rise in notoriety only pushes her farther away from the guy she’s falling for, she’ll find out just how steep the price of fame can be…

“Marni Bates brings a youthful breath of fresh air to young adult novels with her delightfully humorous, yet authentic portrait of high school life. We know Disney viewers will be as charmed as her legions of readers,” said Alicia Condon, Editorial Director, Kensington Publishing.

Marni Bates recently graduated from Lewis & Clark College and has four YA novels under contract with Kensington Books’ KTeen imprint: Awkward and Decked with Holly are currently available, with Invisible and Notable coming in 2013. She also has penned a nonfiction teen book with HCI called Marni.

Brandy Rivers of The Gersh Agency in Los Angeles who brokered the deal said, “Marni is hands down one the greatest new voices in YA and we are thrilled that this is going to be a fabulous new movie for the Disney Channel!”

I’m thrilled for Marni and her fabulous novel! Congratulations! This is definitely a movie I’ll be looking forward to and will be sharing with the teens and YA fans I know.

Giveaway!

In celebration of this great news I have a giveaway courtesy of Marni’s agent and publisher! Thank you! One lucky There’s A Book reader will win one print copy of Awkward by Marni Bates that you can enjoy reading before the movie makes it’s way to viewers.
This giveaway is open to US/Canadian residents and to enter, be sure to fill out the rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

Find Awkward by Marni Bates at the following spots:
My Review | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s Books | Indiebound | Book Depository | Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway