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Bloody Bookaholic's Commandment:

Thou Shall Read Till Thy Eyes Bleed

Monday 15 November 2010

5 Things You Didn't Know About The Ivy by Rina Onur & Lauren Kunze (Giveaway!)

The Ivy is the book about the crazy life of 4 freshmen students at Harvard University. It's highly addicting, and I would totally recommend it to anyone. A teacher? Read the Ivy. The bus man? Read The Ivy. The college freshman? READ THE IVY.

Anyways, in this post I have 5 never before seen bits about The Ivy (provided by Rina Onur and Lauren Kunze) that will leave you with your mouth hanging open, and your hand scratching your head. 


Hehe I think you've waited long enough, here are the Five Things You Didn’t Know About the First Draft of THE IVY:

  1.      The Ivy was originally titled The Ivy Diaries.

  2.       In the first several drafts, The Ivy opened with a lengthy prologue in which Evan Davies (Callie’s evil ex boyfriend from high school) breaks up with Callie at a party on the last day of summer. The party scene featured several characters (including Callie’s high school bff Jessica and Evan’s soccer sidekicks Ted and Jerry) that appear in the yearbook pages which eventually replaced the prologue.

  3.       In the original first chapter, Callie’s Mom accompanies her to Cambridge on move-in day. The first paragraph (after Alexis’ chapter opener, which remained the same throughout) was:

"Callie stared out the window of their rented Zipcar, watching the Boston cityscape fly by. Her mother chatted amiably, failing to notice her daughter’s inattention. “Look, Callie! That’s the Charles River, separating Boston from Cambridge. It connects some of the most famous colleges in the country: Brandeis, Boston University, MIT and” – her mother paused momentarily, swelling with pride – “Harvard University. We’re almost there!”

     4.      The first draft of The Ivy had twenty-one, rather than seventeen, chapters. Deleted chapter titles include:


Chapter 2: Keep in Mind: The Walls are Thin
Chapter 3: The Activities Fair
Chapter 4: Empowering You: Practice Sex Safely
Chapter 5: Nights Out and the Morning After
Chapter 10: Welcome to the Jungle
Chapter 15: Tricks and Treats

     5.     The Ivy was first conceived as a story about four very different female roommates with no particular main character in mind. Callie only emerged as the clear protagonist during the writing process!

When I watch a movie I like going back after the movie has ended and watching the Special Features, and these bits seem like the Special Features of a book. I wish more authors did this! It's interesting to know how different the story could have been; how many different directions it could have taken.

For me, I am grateful that the winning title was The Ivy and not The Ivy Diaries, otherwise in my mind I would have connected The Ivy Diaries with The Vampire Diaries and The Poison Diaries. Now instead of that tragic relation occurring I can think of The Ivy and only think about that title in specific. I also like that Callie is the clear protagonist! But kind of wish they would have left all 21 chapters... More pages for me ;)

For more about The Ivy, visit www.ivybookseries.com, or http://harperteen.com/book/pre-order.aspx?isbn13=9780061960451 to purchase a copy today!
Also (if you have made it this far) I think you should have the opportunity to read The Ivy (it's that good) so here at Bloody Bookaholic I'm hosting a giveaway for a copy of The Ivy which was provided by the authors Rina Onur and Lauren Kunze (thanks girls!).

In order to get invited to the party all you have to do is:
  1. Be a Bloody Follower
  2. Love Books (duh)
  3. Leave a comment with your name and email address, if you don't feel comfortable doing this then just email me your info at bloodybookaholic (at) hotmail (dot) com.
  4. Leave a comment regarding anything about The Ivy, maybe why you want to read it, ot something about this post.

Good Luck!! The giveaway will be open till December 10. US only.

If you wish to have a few more points in your favor, then all you have to do is:

  1. Enter my giveaway for a copy of The Agency by Y. S. Lee (+1)
  2. Or let other people know bout either of those contests (+1 for each way)
Have fun ;)

28 comments:

  1. I also find interesting when the authors give us these little details.

    It always amaze me hoy one character end up being the protagonist when it wasn't planned that way.

    Thanks for the giveaway!!

    magabygc @ gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is really cool, I agree with you about the title, and this was like special features, like I said very cool.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm a follower and I love books. :D
    This was an interesting post, great idea :D I especially liked the titles of the deleted chapters, they all sound so hilarious, thanks for sharing :)

    Thanks for the chance to win a copy of The Ivy, I haven't read it yet, but I've been wanting to :D

    ♪♫ Ambur
    ambiepie_6(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love when authors give us little tidbits about deleted material.
    Thanks for the great giveaway I would love to read this because I'm in college right now and I'm always looking for books that are set in that age grouping.

    apk1princess@live.com
    +1 for entering the Lee giveaway

    ReplyDelete
  5. Why I want to read it: because you made it sound great and I liked the paragraph from The Ivy that you included.

    1. I'm a follower.
    2. Of course I love books...I have a blog devoted to them!
    3. Email: krae991 at yahoo dot com

    I have put a link to this contest on my right sidebar: www.thedoortowonderland.blogspot.com.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Am a follower, love books and I entered the other contest!

    I have seen this book all over the interweb and it is on my Xmas wish list! Please enter me in the contest - I really wish those cut chapters had made it in though ... they sound too good ..


    apereiraorama @ gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I want to read The Ivy because I've been trying to find a good college-aged YA to read for awhile and this one sounds great! I'm a blog follower, and I just entered your The Agency giveaway, too (+1).

    Thanks so much!
    texas_gal45(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  8. The title would have also reminded me of Vampire Diaries. Besides, The Ivy sounds way better. I'd really like to read this, sounds fun :)

    Counte me in fir the giveaway! :)
    Sidebar link: http://blogentrelibros.blogspot.com/
    Tweet: http://twitter.com/Entre_Libros/status/4402906237239297

    Thank you!
    entrelibros_blog at hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Interesting about the changed and left out bits.

    I wonder was that the authors doing or the editors request?

    I would love to enter the giveaway and you don't say US only, so I guess that is OK.

    I am a Follower and don't like books, I LOVE THEM !.

    Can't get the extra entry for the entering th Y.S. Lee giveaway because I am not in the US !

    Bummer.

    Thanks

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love what you did with this post/review. Explaining how the book changed throughout the process is cool. After revising my own first novel six times, I know how this works, but most readers don't have a clue. Cool! http://rryalsrussell.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I forgot to leave my email with my last comment. vigorios7 (at) gmail (dot) com.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love reading extra tidbits about books. I sometimes find myself wanting more after reading a book and I think this is a great way to get it. I've heard such great things about The Ivy, I can't wait to read it.

    Jessy
    findjessyhere at gmail dot com
    (I follow and love books!)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I want to read The Ivy because the MC is closer to my age than in most YA novels. And I've been on a college/boarding school books kick lately...

    whatinabox at gmail dot com

    +1 Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/bookishinabox/status/5425081954082816
    +1 Post: http://bookishinabox.blogspot.com/2010/11/giveaways-week-of-1114.html

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I've been getting into reading YA lately, but all of it was about high school kids. I'd like to read one about college. This sounds like a great book and it's interesting to find out all of the extra information about it. Thanks for the giveaway.

    +1 entered The Agency giveaway

    peacelily_2006(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  15. I want to read The Ivy because it sounds like a fun read. :)

    im a follower

    jessica b
    jecca.0104@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I like this title a lot better than The Ivy Diaries. But regardless I love learning about deleted tidbits of a novel.

    +1 Entered The Agency Giveaway
    +1 Sidebar-ed it! www.limericksbookspot.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oops, forgot the name and email XD

    And thanks for the contest! :D
    Sarah
    two_of_hearts_101 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. i liked how the first drafts were changed up and how she left the first paragraphe the same I agree I like its now title as well


    Im a follower

    +1 i entered ur other contest

    mortalsinn@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks for the giveaway.
    I am a follower and I love books!
    I am glad they dropped "diaries" from the title too. Much better this way.
    +1 Entered The Agency giveaway

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Intriguing deleted chapter titles. :) Thanks for the giveaway! Sounds like a great book.
    chickenherder@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. I've been wanting to read this for a while!! When I was reading the description on the website I saw that it was set in Harvard... And I was kind of like, Oh! That's one of my choices for college... :)

    Cleo
    booklopedia2010@gmail.com
    And I put this on the sidebar of my blog: http://thebooklopedia.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  22. I heard good things about this book and I have been wanting to read it! Phenom Giveaway. Ivy Diaries though? Weird. It would have made me think of Vampire Diaries.

    I'm a follower: Looksie Lovitz
    looksielovitz@gmail.com

    Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. It's neat to see how plans for the book end up changing by the time the final is completed.

    I'm a follower.
    juliecookies(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. This looks like such a good book! It is definitely a unique theme and I can't wait to read it!
    I'm a follower
    lexie.bookbug@gmail.com
    I've entered the other giveaways also.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I've loved this cover ever since I first saw it! Like you, I wouldn't mind the extra chapters if the book is really good! Sometimes it's so hard when you get to the end of a good book that you wish would go on forever! Thanks for the chance to win! I follow via GFC as jewelknits!

    knittingandsundries(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love finding out extra stuff about books, it's really interesting to see how many things are changed before the book is published. I don't think I've read a young adult book yet not set in high school, so I love the sound of this book being set in a university.

    I'm a follower and I love books!

    +1 Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/bdecouverte/status/12678474636460032

    +1 Posted on sidebar: http://belledecouverte.blogspot.com

    Belle Découverte
    bdecouverte@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh, I've been waiting to read this book! Thanks for the contest!

    1. I'm a follower!
    2. Probably pretty obvious, but I love books. : )
    3. My name is Brianna Bruce, my email address is:

    sbhome(at)aol(dot)com
    4. The reason that I was initially intrigued by The Ivy is because I have been looking into an Ivy for my college education, and, as the authors went to an Ivy, I thought that it might give me an inside look at life on campus.

    For bonus points:

    5. I tweeted about this contest under my Twitter alias @MaidenMyth: http://twitter.com/MaidenMyth/status/13081439633416192

    Thanks again, and I hope that I'll win this contest!

    ReplyDelete

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