Open Book with Rektok Ross |

As we enter winter and ski season a perfect book to cozy up by the fire with is Rektok Ross’, Ski Weekend. A chilling winter thriller about a group of teens who are stranded after their SUV crashes in the wilderness with brutal conditions. Sounds like the perfect teen drama to me, let the casting begin! I am so excited to have Rektok on the blog in my latest Open Book. Read below about her admiration for Christopher Pike, I mean reading nostalgia anyone?! and her love for Bravo!

from Amazon ~

*Named a Best Book of Fall by Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly, Yahoo!Life, Brit + Co., SheKnows, BookTrib, Women.com, SheReads, Ms. Career Girl, and more!
*2021 American Fiction Awards Award-Winning Finalist in Young Adult, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards Winner in Young Adult, and Firebird Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction

The Breakfast Club meets Alive in this gripping tale of survival, impossible choices, and the harrowing balance between life and death.

Six teens, one dog, a ski trip gone wrong . . .

Sam is dreading senior ski weekend and having to watch after her brother and his best friend, Gavin, to make sure they don’t do anything stupid. Again. Gavin may be gorgeous, but he and Sam have never gotten along. Now they’re crammed into an SUV with three other classmates and Gavin’s dog, heading on a road trip that can’t go by fast enough.

Then their SUV crashes into a snowbank, and Sam and her friends find themselves stranded in the mountains with cell phone coverage long gone and temperatures dropping. When the group gets sick of waiting for rescue, they venture outside to find help—only to have a wilderness accident leave Sam’s brother with a smashed leg and, soon, a raging fever. While the hours turn to days, Sam’s brother gets sicker and sicker, and their food and supplies dwindle until there isn’t enough for everyone. As the winter elements begin to claim members of the group one by one, Sam vows to keep her brother alive.

No matter what.

Filled with twists, secrets, and life-changing moments, Ski Weekend is a snow-packed survival thriller featuring a diverse cast of teens that will appeal to fans of One of Us is Lying and I Am Still Alive.

What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with?

Christopher Pike, Jason Blum, and Reese Witherspoon.

Current binge series?

I love tv! I really think we are living in a golden age of television right now. I’m catching up and trying to finish Supernatural (yes, I am behind) and working on the latest American Horror Story season. I also just finished watching an older series on MTV called Scream, Outerbanks on Netflix, Never Have I Ever on Netflix, and Siesta Key on MTV (I watch with my stepdaughter). As you can probably tell, if its thriller/horror or teen soapy I am all over it.

Last favorite book?

We just finished A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meisnner in my Facebook book club The Book Nook. I am not a big historical fiction fan so would not have picked it up if the group didn’t vote on it, and I am so glad I gave it a chance. It’s a gorgeous read and I have recommended to many friends since. I also really loved Born A Crime by Trevor Noah (another Book Nook pick). On the thriller/horror front, which is the genre I probably read the most of other than romance, Grady Hendrix’s The Final Girl Support Group was a lot of fun (I adore slashers) and Jessica Goodman’s They Wish They Were Us was also great.

What 3 things to you pack in your bag for your dream vacation? Where is it?

My heating pad (I hurt my back a few years ago and never go anywhere without it). My iPad so I can write, read books, listen to music, and watch tv/movies. And then probably my dogs. My biggest is a golden retriever and probably wouldn’t fit in my bag, but I hate leaving them at home so we would make it work, lol. As far as dream vacation, I’m a big traveler and am very lucky to say I have hit most of my dream locations at this point but a safari in South Africa is still on the list. I am the biggest animal lover and Ithink to see them all in their natural habitat like that would be breathtaking and life-affirming. Otherwise, I would say St. Tropez in the summer. I’ve been to the South of France but never there during season.

Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

Darn that’s a good one. My head says NYT but my heart says US Weekly.

Last person you sent a text message to?

My husband. And then the one just a few seconds before that was to my editor, Amy Tipton, letting her know about a podcast SKI WEEKEND was just featured on to celebrate with her. I’ve been so lucky in that Amy has become such a great friend and support system to me in this journey.

Book you read that you wished you wrote?

Anything by Christopher Pike. He has been my hero (and unofficial mentor because he doesn’t know it) since I was a teen. I also kind of wish I’d written Harry Potter or Twilight because movie or tv deals—especially at that level–is a dream of mine.

Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

Sadly no. Is that sad? Even though I took a lot of creative writing and film classes growing up, I didn’t really get a chance to explore writing as a real thing until my adult life.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

Yes, almost always. I like movie soundtracks from book adaptations and find them inspiring because that is my dream. So I usually have Harry Potter, Twilight, Game of Thrones, things like that, playing in the background.

10.Describe your writing space?

It changes based on my mood. I often write in bed, especially if my back injury is flaring up, but I also have an office I enjoy writing in. I like to play music and light candles, sometimes the scents of the settings where the book takes place to inspire the mood.

Coffee or tea?

Tea for sure. I am a tea addict and have quite the collection.

Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

I don’t but I always like to recommend them. I will say that after I read Night by Elie Wiesel I was so profoundly moved by it that I gifted it to quite a few friends. I also always give books to my family on the holidays but there isn’t one that I give in particular.

Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

I don’t want to say because I hope one day to option it and do it myself. But here is a hint . . . it’s YA and has witches.

IIf you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

Don’t Stop Believing by Journey. I have had so much rejection and ups and downs on this writing journey it is kind of crazy I am still here plugging away, but I am, mostly because I believe in myself and what I’m trying to do.

What/Who inspires you?

Great storytellers that don’t give up. One example I love is Jason Blum’s graduation speech and how he kept going in the film industry even after he had a lot of rejection. I think Slyvester Stallone has a similar story with Rocky. At one point before Rocky happened, he was going to give up on acting altogether and thank goodness he didn’t. Also, I read that no one wanted to make The Queen’s Gambit into a tv show and look what happened. Stories like that make me feel like anything can happen if we put in the work and just keep going.

Bravo reality TV- yes or no?

Absolutely. Andy Cohen is a genius.

Favorite Instagram account?

Besides mine? LOL! There are so many I adore as a Bookstagrammer myself and a part of the community, I don’t know if I can choose just one. I think @BookswithParisa, @oasisgirlmd, @meredithmara, @zibbyowens, @jordys.book.club, @ReesesBookClub, and @itscarlyrae are just a few that have really amazing accounts highlighting books and authors. I’m also really into fashion and my friend @SydneySadick is killing it in the fashion world so I love to watch her interview all the movers and shakers in Manhattan. And @Lewishowes is great for inspiration.

IIf you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be?

SKI WEEKEND and it would be a shimmery, sparkly white with hints of blue. (Can you tell I have given this a lot of thought?)

Current #TBR pile?

I have a few book launch events for SKI WEEKEND coming up with some of my favorite author friends so need to catch up on their latest novels before our panels. I’ve got Small Favors by Erin A. Craig, All These Bodies by Kendare Blake, They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman, and Butterfly Awakens by Meg Nocero to get through in the next few weeks. Wish me luck!