We were so excited about Jessie Rosen’s giveaway in honor of her new book, Dead Ringer, that we wanted to do more. We were lucky enough to have Jessie give us a fun List of Tips & Tricks from main character, Laura.
Hi, book lovers!
In my life outside the dark and twisty world of YA thrillers, I am a dating-and-relationship blogger. I started my blog 20-Nothings more than eight years ago and have written endless posts about love—specifically, how to make it happen in the first place. So the idea of writing about a girl that snags the guy of everyone’s dreams was always exciting to me. In the case of DEAD RINGER, it was also important.
When I started writing, I realized I had the chance to be the voice and actions of a high school character, and I wanted to be sure I represented the dating game the way I really believe it’s best played. Laura Rivers arrives at Englewood High and does exactly what I would advise my sister, best friend, or former self do in order to make quick friends…and a very quick boyfriend. 😉
Here are five very simple tricks—or as I like to call them, “best practices.”
- Be yourself to the fullest!
Yes, Laura has the advantage of being the new girl and from California, so her story and style are already different from the East Coast kids of Englewood. But instead of trying to fit in with expectable clothes, hair, makeup, and even a typical car, she goes for the bold choices: natural hair, bright-pink lipstick, and a vintage convertible. This makes her stand out, yes, but it also makes it clear to Charlie exactly what she is—confident and unique. I always say to people looking for anything from new friends to new love, “How can you find the right person if you’re being the wrong you?”
- Take changes/accept invites
Even though Laura suffers through the world’s most awkward first day of school (if you’ve read DEAD RINGER, then you know why there are so many strange stares, but I won’t give it away just in case), Laura still accepts Charlie’s first-day invite to lunch and goes to the first big Friday night party—alone! I was never that brave, but for her, it pays off. Laura’s confidence impresses Charlie, and her willingness to take risks helps her make friends and learn more about her new school…even if she doesn’t love everything she learns. All too often we hide behind what’s comfortable when stepping outside that zone can both increase our confidence and show someone else that we’re interested.
- Ask questions/show interest
In Laura’s first few interactions with Charlie, she asks lots and lots of questions. Now in all fairness, she’s ultimately writing an article about Charlie Sanders, resident “soccer star” for the school paper, but even then she’s careful to focus on what he wants to talk about and asks questions that show her interest in his life—not just what makes him the golden boy of Englewood High School. That’s why Charlie opens up to Laura about his real goals in life and his feelings about what happened to Sarah Castro-Tanner. She sees him as a person, not a “celebrity,” and she treats him accordingly.
This totally applies to dating today because we exist as social media personalities first and people second. Don’t make assumptions about a person based on everything you’ve read online. Ask questions. Get to know more than the Facebook profile shows you.
- Be vulnerable/show yourself
Laura isn’t afraid to tell Charlie about some of the difficult parts of her past. She shares that her relationship with her parents isn’t the best and reveals that she struggled with perfectionism at her last school in California. Vulnerability is so hard, but that willingness to let someone in really gives the other person—be it a friend or potential boyfriend—the feeling that they can have a real relationship and not just a surface fling. It also lets you know how willing the other person is to listen, which is so important in a potential partner or best friend.
- Do not accept two-faced behavior
*MILD SPOILER ALERT* – Laura and Charlie suffer a bit of a rocky patch early on in their relationship. There are a ton of reasons for that (which I’ll keep to myself in case you haven’t read), but the bottom line is that Charlie is being rude to Laura and Laura does not accept that kind of treatment. He’s one way in school and another when they’re alone—a classic boy move. Sure, there are reasons for Charlie’s behavior, but those reasons are unacceptable if he isn’t willing to offer an explanation and promise that he’ll change.
I think all too often we’re afraid to raise issues in a relationship for fear it will drive the other person away, but the right guy (or girl or friend) would want to know that they’re hurting you and will want to make it better.
Now, if you’ve made it to the end of the book, then you know that there’s much more to the story of Laura and Charlie than meets the early eye, but all this advice works regardless of plot twists and character reveals. I speak from a lot of experience. Once I finally stuck to this philosophy, I snagged a great boyfriend, who became a great husband—so great that I dedicated DEAD RINGER to him!
-Jessie Rosen
Read DEAD RINGER and find out exactly how much more there is to the story! Buy it on Amazon.
***About Jessie Rosen***
Jessie Rosen is a writer, producer, and performer. She grew up in New Jersey, attended Boston College in Massachusetts, and began her writing career in New York. Her live storytelling series Sunday Night Sex Talk has received national attention. She was named one of “The 25 Best Bloggers, 2013 Edition” by TIME magazine for her blog 20-Nothings, which was also named in “The 100 Best Websites for Women” and “The Top 10 Best Websites for Millennial Women” in 2013 by Forbes.
Rosen is the oldest of four girls, which gives her a special window into the minds of teenagers. She now lives in Los Angeles, where she’s working on film and television projects, as well as her next novel.
***About the Book***
Dead Ringer by Jessie Rosen Published by Full Fathom Five Digital on November 11, 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Pages: 291
Goodreads Buy the Book
From the moment Laura Rivers steps foot into Englewood High, she notices the stares—and they aren’t the typical once-overs every pretty new girl endures. The students seem confused and…spooked. Whispers echoing through the halls confirm that something is seriously off. “That new girl looks just like her,” they say.
It turns out Laura has a doppelgänger, and it isn't just anyone—it's Sarah Castro-Tanner, the girl who killed herself by jumping into the Navasink River one year ago.
Laura is determined not to let the gossip ruin her chances of making a fresh start. Thanks to her charming personality and California tan, she catches the eye of Englewood’s undisputed golden boy, Charlie Sanders, and it’s only a matter of time before they make their relationship official.
But something is making Charlie and his friends paranoid—and Laura soon discovers it has to do with Sarah Castro-Tanner.
What really happened to Sarah? Why is Charlie unraveling? And how does Laura Rivers fit into it all?
After all, she’s the dead ringer for a dead girl.
Are you as excited about this book as we are, Pretties?
