Blog of Authors: Melissa de la Cruz

Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.

Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.

She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.

Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).

She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
Bio from melissa-delacruz.com

Melissa's Work

Blue Bloods

Within New York City’s most elite families, there lurks a secret society of celebrated Americans whose ancestors sailed on the Mayflower. They are the powerful and the wealthy—and in fact, they are not human. They are the Blue Bloods, an ancient group of vampires.

Schuyler Van Alen has never fit in at Duchesne, her prestigious New York City private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapidated mansion. Schuyler is a loner—and happy that way.

But when she turns fifteen, Schuyler’s life changes dramatically. She has a mosaic of blue veins on her arms, and craves raw meat. The death of a popular girl from Duchesne is surrounded by a mystery that haunts her. And strangest off all, Jack Force, the most popular boy in school, is showing a sudden interest in her.

Schuyler wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?

Steeped in vampire lore and set against the glittery backdrop of New York City, Blue Bloods will be devoured by fans of Melissa de la Cruz.

Masquerade

Schuyler Van Alen wants an explanation for the mysterious deaths of young Blue Bloods. Her search brings her to Venice, Italy, in the hopes of finding the one person who can help. Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly underway for the famous Four Hundred Ball, an exclusive gala hosted by the city’s wealthy, powerful, and unhuman—a true Blue Blood affair. But it’s at the after-party masquerade that the true danger lurks. Hidden behind the masks is a revelation that will change the course of a young vampire’s destiny.

Rich with glamour, attitude, and vampire lore, this second installment in the Blue Bloods saga will leave readers thirsty for more.

Revelations

Have you ever wondered what secrets lurk behind the closed doors of New York City’s wealthiest families? They’re powerful, they’re famous… they’re undead.

Schuyler Van Alen’s blood legacy has just been called into question—is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force.

When an ancient place of power is breached by Silver Bloods in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods will need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high; the battle is bloody; and through it all, Schuyler is torn between love and passion, duty and freedom. And in the end, one vampire’s secret identity will be exposed in a revelation that shocks everyone.

The Van Alen Legacy

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss’s true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry; love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Schuyler has made her choice. She has forsaken Jack for Oliver, choosing human over vampire. But old loves die hard...And even coldhearted Mimi seems to suffer from the ties that bind.

Young vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series.

The Ashleys

The Ashleys rule Miss Gamble’s Preparatory School for Girls. They are gorgeous, rich, impeccably fashion forward, and, yes, all named Ashley. Lauren Page has gone to the same school with them her whole life, and the Ashleys, if forced to remember, might recall only a faint memory of shoving mud in the poor girl’s mouth in kindergarten.

But Lauren Page is no longer the mud-eating loser she once was. And though she has completely changed her exterior from bargain-basement cast-offs to off-the-runway couture (props, of course, to her new personal shopper) she is still the same person on the inside. And that person has had enough of the current regime.

Look out, Ashleys. There’s a new name in school.

The Ashleys: Jealous?

They have it all: money, looks, popularity, anything their platinum-encased hearts desire. They also have a new face. After Lauren Page’s unexpectedly brilliant maneuver at the Fall V.I.P. dance, she is in so tight with Ashley Spencer, the number one Ashley, that she might as well be Ashley’s favorite pair of leggings.

But a new website, ashleyrank.com is catching on like the flu in February and for the first time since kindergarten it’s open season in the popularity race. Lauren Page sees a way in, Ashley Li and Ashley Alito see a way up, and Ashley Spencer sees a way to prove there’s only room for one at the top.

The Ashleys: Birthday Vicious

Ashley Spencer considers her birthday to be the most important event next to ... well, okay, it’s just the most important event, period. Hello. So when the invite list is cast and the custom embossed invitations are sent, it’s a who’s-who list of San Francisco’s best tweens.

If people don’t yet know whether they are in or out, this party is sure to draw the lines of coolness in the most permanent of inks. Ashley intends to prove that there’s a reason she’s been at the top of the social food chain her entire life, and she’s not about to be unseated by some lame website ranking.

She’d also like to solve the problem of losing her boyfriend. Will all her birthday wishes come true? Or is it more like it’s her party and she’ll freak if she wants to?

The Ashleys: Lipgloss Jungle

Lauren Page’s plan was simple: get a fabulous makeover, become one of the Ashleys, and once she was securely in their trenches, completely destroy them from the inside.

The only problem is, now that Lauren is seventh-grade royalty she isn’t so sure she wants to follow through — especially because Sadie, her former best friend and current best frenemy, has formed a new plan to bring down the Ashleys in all of her own fabulous makeover glory.

Now Lauren’s plan of action has changed: to save the Ashleys. But with Ashley dating a penniless blue-collar, Lili shunning makeup and fashion, and A.A. questioning Ashley’s loyalty, can it be done? Or will the Ashleys actually go down?

The Au Pairs

Meet Mara Waters, Eliza Thompson, and Jacqui Velasco—new au pairs for one of New York City’s wealthiest families—who will spend their summer in one of the most posh, most exclusive spots for summer summering: the Hamptons.

For good girl Mara, this job is a way out of another go-slow Massachusetts summer. Eliza, New York City’s former It Girl, knows this is the fast lane back to the stylish world she wishes she’d never left. And for Brazilian bombshell Jacqui, it’s a boarding pass back to her American love who told her he’d e-mail as soon as he got home, and didn’t.

After all, how hard can an au pair job be? Slap sunscreen on the kids during the day and party at the coolest hot spots at night, right? Wrong.

While Eliza is desperately trying to hide her baby-sitting job from her superspoiled friends who think she’s still just as rich as she used to be, Mara’s getting awfully cozy with the kids’ extremely attractive older brother, Ryan. And Jacqui is heartbroken when she discovers that the love of her life may have been nothing more than a spring fling.

If the girls can manage au pair duties—all the while mastering the ins and outs of the Hamptons’ social scene—it might just turn out to be the most incredible summer of their lives. But to do it they’ll have to stick together. And that’s where things definitely get sticky.

The Au Pairs: Skinny Dipping

Your favorite bikini-clad au pairs—good-girl-turned-It-Girl Mara, spoiled Eliza, and Brazilian bombshell Jacqui—are back for another season of skinny-dipping in Georgica Pond, tanning on Main Beach, and oh, yeah, babysitting for the Perry kids too. The au pairs think they’re ready for another summer of outrageous fun, but a lot of things have changed since last year....

Mara dumped Ryan, the uber-hot older brother of the kids she’s babysitting, and opted out of spending winter break in Palm Beach with the family. Now she wants him back, but is he hers for the taking?

Eliza and Jeremy agreed to see other people at the end of last summer, but Eliza’s done a lot more than look at other boys...namely Ryan Perry. Can Eliza keep their Palm Beach hookup a secret from Mara?

Jacqui managed to stick to her no-more-boys rule all year, but when she meets the Perry’s newest au pair, Philippe, a gorgeous French guy, she’s not so sure she’ll be able to maintain her resolve. After all, aren’t rules made to be broken?

This summer Mara, Eliza, and Jacqui will manage to find trouble (and a party!) wherever they go. But if they’re not careful, their friendships, their guys, and their perfect summer jobs could fade away faster than last year’s tans.

The Au Pairs: Sun-Kissed

The three hottest au pairs in history are back, and this time they’re ready to rule the Hamptons. Mara has all the VIP’s in the hottest clubs hanging on her every word, Eliza’s family is back from financial ruin; and she’s got the platinum charge cards to prove it. Jacqui is newly single and ready for some steamy summer hook-ups. The girls seems to have it all this summer...but looks, as we know, can be deceiving.

Mara’s living every girl’s dream: playing house with her boyfriend, Ryan Perry, on his parents’ luxury yacht while writing a column about nightlife in the Hamptons. With a press pass to every hot event, Mara’s ready to hit the red carpet and scoop even the most seasoned journalists. If only she could get a pass from Ryan, who just wants her to stay home and cuddle.

Last summer’s “No boys!” mantra is a distant memory for Jacqui. While the new au pair, Shannon, handles the Perry kids, Jacqui searches for some serious fun. And she doesn’t have to look far: Three dot-com boy-millionaires have moved in next door and are more than happy to compete for her affections. Thus Jacqui’s new mantra, “Why have just one when you can have them all?”

Eliza and Jeremy are in total relationship bliss. She’s decided to take the next step with Jeremy and nothing’s going to stop her this time. Unfortunately, what she thought would be a cakewalk internship for a famous fashion designer turns out to be more hours of hard labor than she, or her relationship, are ready for. Too bad Jeremy won’t stop questioning her work ethic long enough for Eliza to get back in the mood.

The Au Pairs: Sun-Kissed, Because it’s sooo much more than just a job.

The Au Pairs: Crazy Hot

It’s been a year since the hottest au pairs ever saw the Hamptons, and they’re certainly older—though not necessarily wiser. Or drama-free.

Eliza, Jacqui, and Mara thought they’d be spending the summer apart, but when Eliza’s new stepmother finds herself in need of some nannying help around the megamansion with the step-monsters, Eliza makes a call...and Jacqui and Mara wind up with two first-class tickets to the Hamptons.

After ruling her first year at Parsons, Eliza, the up-and-coming starlet-turned-designer, is opening her own boutique on super posh Main Street. But it’s not just Eliza’s career that’s on the fast track—her relationship with Jeremy is too. Too bad he’s moving too fast for Eliza to keep up.

Brazilian beauty Jacqui is trying to be a good, responsible au pair. But it’s tough when there’s a hot British photographer following you around, telling you to quit your job and become an international supermodel. All she wants is to make enough money to pay for NYU...so what happens when she gets a much bigger offer?

After getting fired from her travel-writing job and dumped at the airport by her journalist boyfriend, Mara settles for a summer chasing toddlers once again. There’s one benefit to nannying: She’ll have plenty of material for the novel she’s writing about being an au pair—and an It Girl—in the Hamptons. Nothing’s going to distract her from the task at hand...except perhaps her old flame, Ryan Perry.

Can our three favorite Hamptons girls survive the craziest, hottest summer yet?

Girl Stays in the Picture