Sia by Josh Grayson
Publication Date: November 20th 2013
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
~Summary~
When seventeen-year-old Sia wakes up on a park bench, she has no idea who or where she is. Yet after a week of being homeless, she’s reunited with her family. At school, she’s powerful and popular. At home, she’s wealthy beyond her dreams. But she quickly realizes her perfect life is a lie. Her family is falling apart and her friends are snobby, cruel and plastic. Worse yet, she discovers she was the cruelest one. Mortified by her past, she embarks on a journey of redemption and falls for Kyle, the “geek” she once tormented. Yet all the time she wonders if, when her memories return, she’ll become the bully she was before…and if she’ll lose Kyle.
~Reviews for SIA~
(1)“A compelling read
full of intrigue, romance, and lots of surprises. I couldn’t wait to see what
happened next!” - Jennifer Read Hawthorne, #1 New York Times bestselling
author
(2)“An original and captivating story with a
beautiful message.” –Lola’s book Reviews
(3)“There
have been very few books that made me think they made to someday become a movie
(i.e. Warm Bodies, The Host). And I guess Sia
can join the club, because this book, I say, is perfect for it. I felt like I
was reading a script for a movie, the plot is fantastic and the characters are
great, there's a little of humor as well as tragic situations.” -Bookish
Randomness
(4)“Sia completely blew me away. Within the
first few pages I was hooked and the book refused to let me go until I reached
the end.” – Obsession is a Book
(5) “Sia
would be an excellent novel for the Disney Company to adapt for film. Hers is a
story of cruelty and kindness, pain and redemption and ultimately of making the
world in which you live a better place. A good example for any teen who might
choose to read this exciting work of fiction.” –Rabid Readers
(6) “Well I finished this book
amazingly fast. This whole book will leave you amused, intrigued, in awe, and
most importantly in love with the whole story line until the very last word.
I'll have to go with 5 stars for this
book.” - Lovely Reads
(7) “Beautifully written…this
one will have you reflecting on your current and past actions. Although a
fiction, Sia inspires.” –A Starry-eyed Heart Review
(8)
I started this book and finished it in one day. It's the type of story that
makes a person feel good inside…a story filled with hope.” –Musings of a Reader Geek
(9) “A
beautiful story about forgetting the past and living in the present to make a
better future. Sia is a heroine we can all relate to and aspire to
become. I really enjoyed it, and I had a smile almost the
whole time reading this. Because if a mean-girl like Sia can change her
ways and overcome her meanness, can't we all? If you've got an afternoon, go read this one.
It'll make you happy.” -Manda-Rae
Reads a Lot
(10) “A heartwarming, sometimes tear jerking story that
reignites one’s faith in humanity. An excellent debut!” – Alexia Purdy, Bestselling author
~About The Author~
Josh Grayson was born in Mexico, raised in Massachusetts, and now lives in Martinsville, Virginia. It was his move to the South that stirred his imagination and gave him the courage to start writing. During his free time, Josh enjoys reading, jogging, swimming, and watching YouTube videos.
Josh currently works as a medical driver, shuttling people all over Virginia and North Carolina. He has also worked as a machinist, film sales rep, administrative assistant, and telemarketer (he apologizes if he called you).
Sia is his debut YA novel.
Social Media Links:
Josh currently works as a medical driver, shuttling people all over Virginia and North Carolina. He has also worked as a machinist, film sales rep, administrative assistant, and telemarketer (he apologizes if he called you).
Sia is his debut YA novel.
Social Media Links:
http://joshgrayson.com/ http://www.goodreads.com/
https://twitter.com/josh_
http://instagram.com/
~Interview~
If you could fly
anywhere in the world to do research on an upcoming book, where would you most
likely want to go?
Italy, simply because
it’s always ranked as having the best food in the world. Its beaches are nice
too. I’ve Googled it.
What is your
favorite genre to read/write?
Young adult (YA),
because those stories carry universal themes we can all relate to, a peek into
the lives of characters who are more intriguing, real, and raw.
What is one silly
fact about you?
I can mimic Enrique
Iglesias’s voice pretty well. I sang “Hero” at a friend’s birthday party once
and received an enthusiastic response. Some applauded, others laughed. Overall,
though, I felt good about my performance.
What got you
started on your writing journey?
My move from
Massachusetts (where I’d lived most of my life) to Virginia. The first year
here was difficult. I was alone, depressed, and in completely new surroundings.
But it was here in the South that I began seeing all these stories in my head,
and that my “writing gene” got activated. So it seems the old saying is true,
everything does happens for a reason.
Why do you choose
to write clean/sweet romance?
I don’t choose, per
se. I just write whatever I see in my head. And so far, all the romantic parts
have been sweet and clean, which is fine with me.
What other things
do you have planned with your writing for the rest of the year 2013?
I’m working on
another YA novel that Sia fans should enjoy as well. If things go
according to plan, I’ll publish that in the summer of 2014.
What is the most
rewarding thing about being a writer?
Being able to partake
in the wildest adventures imaginable, all without ever leaving your house.
Do you have a
favorite comment or question from a reader?
One reviewer said,
“It, without a doubt, inspired me to find ways to help others in need. I’m
looking into charity work.” I loved hearing that, because that’s exactly what I
wanted Sia to do: to motivate others to become their best self, to make
positive changes in the world, wherever they are.
Where do
your ideas come from?
I find muses
everywhere! In books, magazines, poems, movies, YouTube videos, and so much
more. I always try to be receptive. You never know what might trigger your next
story.
What inspired you
to write Sia?
Initially? Oprah.
(laughs). I saw an interview she did on a man with fugue amnesia that impacted
me. Fugue amnesia occurs when someone, usually in response to excessive stress,
takes off on some unexpected travel. And during the travels, that person
assumes either a partial or complete new identity. I found it both fascinating
and frightening to think that stress alone can cause the human brain to demand
a reset like that. I often wonder why I haven’t gotten fugue amnesia yet!
Is it true you
wrote the screenplay adaption as well?
Yes! I wrote it as
soon as the book was finished. I’m about to hire a seasoned Hollywood
screenwriter to polish it. When it is up to industry standards, we’ll submit it
to film companies and cross our fingers. I think Sia would translate
wonderfully to film.
If you could sum
your main character into five words, what would they be?
Determined. Compassionate.
Humble. Kind. Brave.
Use no more
than two sentences. Why should we read your book?
Because
I believe it will leave you touched, encouraged, and—of course—entertained.
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