Don't Touch by Rachel M. Wilson Publisher: HarperTeen on September 2, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 432
Source: Blog Tour
Purchase: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads
A powerful story of a girl who is afraid to touch another person’s skin, until the boy auditioning for Hamlet opposite her Ophelia gives her a reason to overcome her fears.
Step on a crack, break your mother’s back. Touch another person’s skin, and Dad’s gone for good.
Caddie can’t stop thinking that if she keeps from touching another person’s skin, her parents might get back together... which is why she wears full-length gloves to school and covers every inch of her skin.
It seems harmless at first, but Caddie’s obsession soon threatens her ambitions as an actress. She desperately wants to play Ophelia in her school’s production of Hamlet. But that would mean touching Peter, who’s auditioning for the title role—and kissing him. Part of Caddie would love nothing more than to kiss Peter—but the other part isn't sure she's brave enough to let herself fall.
Perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson, this debut novel from Rachel M. Wilson is a moving story of a talented girl who's fighting an increasingly severe anxiety disorder, and the friends and family who stand by her.
Guest Post
When I’m Not Writing
by Rachel M. Wilson
I find my own non-writing life hilarious, so maybe you will too. When I’m not writing, I occupy myself with a hodgepodge of other spiritual callings and odd jobs.
I won’t go into the time I played a deranged French chef in the haunted house at Navy Pier or my several-season stint as a Christmas elf.
[Yes, we’re all about to cry, and yes, I have an eye infection from shared elf makeup.]
I won’t tell you about dressing up as an astronaut at the planetarium, or assisting a senior VP at a giant talent agency in LA, or trying to write lesson plans in an education company’s office/warehouse full of Capoeira dancers and squawking parrots. All that is in the past.
At the moment, though, I have several non-writing pursuits.
Since college, I’ve belonged to a theater company called Barrel of Monkeys. We teach writing workshops in Chicago Public Schools and adapt students’ writing for the stage. Over the years, I’ve been a teacher in classrooms all over Chicago, and I spent the past three years as coordinator of our after-school program. As an actor with the company, I’ve gotten to play a wild array of characters. One of my favorites is Princess Victoria, who makes besties with a Nacho Monster and a Berry Monster and enlists their help cooking and eating the knight who’s obnoxiously trying to rescue her; another classic fave is a Yamessa, who joins the Kung-Fu nation to avenge her lover’s death.
[Here I am as a seductive banana. The apples never forgave me.]
We often adapt the kids’ writing into songs—one of my fave Monkey songs is “Bad Car”, penned by Freddie B. and adapted by Jonathan Mastro.
I also spend a lot of time working as a standardized patient. I pretend to have a particular health complaint or to be the friend or loved one of a patient. I might be an impatient trophy wife in an ER or the mom of a robot baby. Sometimes, I get to be the voice of a simulation mannequin and make it react, or I might pretend to be a surgeon or nurse.
[My coworker had a rough day.]
Since I love learning, it’s a great opportunity to spend time with brazilliant people who chose a completely different life path from mine.
And I do some tutoring in a writing center and some voice over work as well. I play a lot of Euro-style board games. I play with my friends and my dog.
When I’m not doing any of those things, I’m usually collapsed on my couch watching Netflix.
I’m a firm believer in being and doing more than one thing, but that sometimes makes it challenging to keep a consistent writing schedule.
About Rachel M. Wilson
Rachel M. Wilson is the author of the contemporary YA, DON'T TOUCH, forthcoming from HarperTeen, Sep. 2, 2014.
She graduated from Northwestern University and holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Rachel grew up in Birmingham, AL, and she currently writes, acts, and teaches in Chicago, IL.
Giveaway
This is a Tour Wide Giveaway
Melliane
Oh some really fun pictures! I love them! I didn’t know about the book but the cover is really nive. thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Bielman
I hope to read the book soon. I am weird about touching so it calls to me.
Braine Talk Supe
What a funny post. The apples hate you because they never stood a chance!
Jennifer Bielman
LOL! I thought the author was pretty great in this post too.
Jaclyn Canada
This is fantastic! We have a theater company here that adapts children’s writing into plays and my son has always been interested in trying to write something for them. I think acting is more is calling though and he’s loving Theater this year. I love all these pictures! Thanks so much for sharing 😀 Jaclyn @ JC’s Book Haven.
Jennifer Bielman
That is so awesome. He should write something for them. I love the idea.
Christy
Well it certainly sounds like you have an entertaining life. This sounds like a really interesting book.
Jennifer Bielman
hehe, she seems like she has a great ol’ time all the time.
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