Contemporary Authors

• Nice Try, Jane Sinner ( novel) Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2018

1. Nice try, Jane Sinner LCCN 2016035569 Type of material Book Personal name Oelke, Lianne, author. Main title Nice try, Jane Sinner / Lianne Oelke. Published/Produced Boston ; New York : Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, [2018] Description 420 pages ; 22 cm ISBN 9780544867857 (hardcover) CALL NUMBER PZ7.1.O35 Ni 2018 Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms

• Amazon -

  Lianne Oelke holds a degree in philosophy and works in the film industry. She resides in Vancouver, and Nice Try, Jane Sinner is her first book. Visit her online at lianneoelke.com and on Twitter @lianneoelke.

• Judi Lauren - http://judilauren.com/wednesday-writer-interview-with-lianne-oelke/

  Wednesday Writer Interview with Lianne Oelke
  February 10, 2016 By Judi Lauren Leave a Comment
  Every other Wednesday, I’ll be showcasing authors who got an agent in the last couple of years. If you’d like to be a part of this, let me know in the comments or contact me via Twitter @judi__Lauren
  Today Lianne Oelke joins the Wednesday interview, and her book, House of Orange, just sold to Clarion Books! Congratulations, Lianne! Check out her announcement in Publisher’s Weekly. I loved Lianne’s answers–she has a quick wit and it only made me want to read her debut even more!
  What was the hardest part about writing your book?
  Finishing it! For the longest time I didn’t take my book seriously, or myself seriously as a writer. I had to tell myself over and over that I could do this. It took several years for that to sink in.
  How did you meet your agent?
  Kind of a long story, so grab some popcorn. I originally queried my agent Brooks back in 2014. He requested the full MS, which was amazing, but after months of waiting and no response, I assumed it wasn’t right for him. It was mildly devastating to get a full request from my dream agent and then not hear back(!), but I kept on querying. I had almost given up altogether when I participated in #PitMad in early 2015. An editor at an independent publishing house favorited my tweet, and a month or two later, called me to discuss a potential offer of publication! I also had a full MS with another agent at the time, so I was slightly overwhelmed.
  It was funny how after a year and a half of querying, everything happened all at once. I talked to my insanely encouraging friend and critique partner Becky Albertalli (yes, that Becky Albertalli!) for advice. Becky also happens to be represented by Brooks. She mentioned my situation to him, and Brooks immediately remembered me. He gave me a call and apologized for not getting back to me sooner about my MS. His main concern with the MS was that it straddled the line between NA and YA, and he thought he’d have a hard time selling it as is. I received similar feedback from other agents, and the independent publishing house wanted me to increase the romance to push it more firmly into the NA category. Brooks offered some very helpful suggestions on how to skew it more YA, which was more in line with my vision. Ultimately he offered representation, and it seemed like a great fit! It wasn’t easy turning down a potential offer of publication (especially considering how long and difficult the query process had been), but I knew I was making the right choice. Since then, Brooks has more than made up for his delayed response, and I know my MS is in the best possible hands!
  We all want a quick and easy query success story, but I think we should keep in mind that an overnight response to a query (or MS) isn’t the only way to get an agent. It’s a slow slow business, and learning patience sooner rather than later never hurts. It’s also good to remember that agents are only human 😉 –YES!
  Do you have a rough number of how many queries you sent out before being offered representation?
  I’d say 40, over a year and a half. During that time, I had one partial and three full requests.
  What inspires you to write?
  That’s a tricky question; I don’t exactly believe in inspiration. I started writing before I wanted to be a writer. I suffered from depression in university, and I kept a journal during that time. Looking back on what I wrote, I realized I was really uncomfortable with the person I had been. I wanted to change that, somehow. So I played around with some journal entries, adding things here, deleting things there, until I turned a story I didn’t like into something new. And so Jane Sinner (and House of Orange) was born!
  Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process? Where do you get your ideas and characters?
  Jane’s voice is what carried House of Orange to completion. Her voice is as clear as my own inside my head- sometimes clearer. I had the basic premise for the book, and the rest was just using Jane to fill in the blanks. It took me over three years to write HOO, so ideas and characters had plenty of time to develop.
  Many people have jobs along with writing. How do you balance that schedule?
  It’s not easy, especially when you’re working twelve hour days in the film industry. Luckily for me, HOO is formatted similar to a script, so having it open while I’m at my desk doesn’t look suspicious. Also, I rearranged my monitors to face away from everyone else, so I can write while looking busy. Whatever it takes, right?!
  I’m still trying to figure out this whole writing schedule thing, but having a job and daily structure actually helps boost my productivity. Without a full-time job, I’d be a full-time Netflix watcher.
  SAME! Is there a fictional character or book you wish you had created? Why?
  Not really. My books will always be very personal and intimate creations, so I can’t imagine someone else’s characters as my own. It would be like trying to give birth to a koala.
  That’s the most unique answer I’ve gotten to that question! What do you enjoy most about writing?
  With HOO, it was definitely the freedom to take what I wrote when I was in a bad place and turn it into something I love. With my current WIP, it’s the freedom to write something that could never possibly (or probably never possibly) take place. Also, as an introvert and someone who doesn’t talk very much (I’m sure gazillions of writers can relate), writing gives me the voice I don’t normally have in public.
  I couldn’t have said that better myself. Can you describe your MC(s) in three words each?
  Jane Sinner: Guarded, cunning, definitely-not-sarcastic-at-all.
  I love her already! Before you leave, would you share the first sentence of your query that got you an agent?
  The only thing eighteen-year-old Jane Sinner hates more than failure is pity.
  Thanks so much for stopping by, Lianne! I can’t wait until your books is available for purchase!

  SONY DSC

  Lianne Oelke lives in Vancouver, BC. When she’s not running around in the woods pretending computers don’t exist, Lianne works in the film industry. Her disillusionment with made-for-TV movies featuring the mild antics of generically attractive white people has inspired her to write some pretty substandard stories of her own.
  HOUSE OF ORANGE, her first YA novel, explores the shenanigans of a witty misanthrope caught up in the mediocre world of community college, reality TV, and really shitty roommates. Lianne is repped by Brooks Sherman at the Bent Agency. You can connect with her on Twitter and Tumblr.

• Dana Mele - https://danamele.com/new-blog/2017/7/28/author-i-never-an-interview-with-lianne-oelke

  Lianne Oelke
  author of Nice Try, Jane Sinner
  Author, I Never is a new segment in which I interview fellow authors about the writing process, breaking into the industry, and breaking rules. I ask some hopefully novel questions along with some of the old standards, and finish it up with a round of I Never to find out what cardinal writing rules we've broken.

  Question the first: Lianne, when did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
  When I wrote a book, I guess. It started out as something I mostly did for fun. The real motivation to finish (and sell) it came from the crushing pressure of student debt. Yay, real life. It took years to write and sell NICE TRY, JANE SINNER, but by the end, I finally let myself think 'yeah, I could do this again maybe'.

  Question the second: What has been your proudest or most exciting moment as an author so far?

  My parents were just about to fall asleep when I called them with some exciting news, which they immediately assumed meant I was engaged. Sorry, mom. Instead I told them that I had written a book. And that I had been offered representation by an outstanding literary agent. And that I had received an offer of publication from an outstanding publisher. And that my book would be in hardcover, available to purchase in major bookstores across North America. Surprise! It was a lot for them to process at bedtime, but I had promised myself I wouldn't tell them (or anyone, really) that I wanted to be an author until I had a book deal, just in case it didn't pan out.

  That's amazing. I don't think I could have held it in all that time. Question the third: At what point did you think to yourself "I've made it" or at what point do you think you'll feel that way?
  Landing an agent was a big one for me. I'd been trying for nearly two years and was about to give up before it happened. As a closet writer, it meant the world to have a respected industry professional say 'hey, I believe in your book!'

  Question the fourth: Did any experienced authors or industry people mentor or give you helpful guidance on your journey to publication?
  Ohhhh yes. Back when I was looking for beta readers on AbsoluteWrite, Becky Albertalli (yes, that Becky Albertalli!) saw my first chapter posted and asked to read more. This was around the time she queried her agent (who is also now my agent, too) with SIMON VS. Becky was one of the first people in the world to read anything I wrote. Her unabashed enthusiasm, feedback, and support for my book is honestly what kept me from giving up on it.

  That's so great. I love hearing these mentoring stories. Question the fifth: Have you ever had a time when you've felt like giving up?
  Uhm... yes. Every day until I found my agent, really. JANE SINNER was originally set in Jane's first year of university, making it too old for YA, but it didn't have enough romance to sell as NA. Most agents didn't know what to do with this, so I got rejection after rejection. Since none of my friends of family know I had written anything, I knew it would be easy to simply give up and never speak of it again. Thankfully, that didn't happen.

  Question the sixth: What was the most inconvenient time or place you were struck by inspiration?

  Usually at work. I had a pad of post-it notes I'd scribble ideas on (so it looked like I was working), then tucked them into my already messy purse. Half of them I either forgot about or lost. In retrospect, I could have handled things better.

  Question the seventh: Can you give us a hint to help us find an "easter egg" or hidden item to look for in one of your books? Maybe an obscure clue if there's a mystery thread, or a reference you threw in to a favorite book or song?
  I've got a couple cheeky pop culture references to The Hunger Games, The Hobbit, Eminem, and more ;)

  I will look for them! Time for the...

  I Never Round

  The basic rules of I Never, the kid friendly version- I state a generally established writing rule (or at least a norm). If you've broken that rule, state your guilt for the record.

  I never made up a word in my manuscript, and stood by it during copyediting.
  I refer to all the crew members of the reality show HOUSE OF ORANGE as HOOCaps, because they all wear baseball caps with the letters HOO on them. Turns out I'd been spelling my made up word wrong all along, because the copyeditor suggested it should be 'HOOcap' instead, and she was right.

  Ha! I never had an amazing idea right before bed, and decided sleep was more important.
  TBH I almost always choose sleep over ideas. I'm usually more creative in the mornings, anyway.

  I never started a story with a character waking up, looking in the mirror, or in a bathtub.
  Ha, nope!

  I never worked on two manuscripts at once.
  Does working on edits for one and the first draft of your WIP count? In terms of WIPs at once-ain't nobody got time for that.

  I never went several days or even weeks without writing.
  I am so bad with this. I just did 6 weeks of vacation without writing. Not because I needed the break, but because I am the worst.

  I never wrote "for a long moment."
  Not sure what this means, but I'm probably more of a 'write in short bursts' person.

  "She gazed at him for a long moment." Etc. I never cheated during NaNoWriMo.
  Nope. I'd rather treat myself than cheat myself.

  Thank you so much for appearing in Author, I Never! When and where can we look for, preorder, or buy your next or most recent book, and where can we follow you on social media?

  NICE TRY, JANE SINNER is available for pre-order from Amazon:
  https://www.amazon.com/Nice-Jane-Sinner-Lianne-Oelke/dp/0544867858
  Add it to Goodreads here:
  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33413915-nice-try-jane-sinner
  I'm on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lianneoelke
  And Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lianneoelke/
  Bonus question: If Nice Try, Jane Sinner had a theme song, what would it be?
  Hit Me Baby One More Time by Britney Spears, but totally in an only partially ironic sort of way.
  DJ Spotify, can you handle partial irony?

• Happy Ever After - http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2018/01/18/lianne-oelke-nice-try-jane-sinner-becky-albertalli/

  Lianne Oelke and Becky Albertalli discuss Lianne's new YA, ‘Nice Try, Jane Sinner’

  By: Special for USA TODAY | January 18, 2018 12:02 am
  Nice Try, Jane Sinner author Lianne Oelke and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda author Becky Albertalli give the full scoop on writing weird, honest, digitally relevant stories. There will be fangirling. And get your one-click fingers ready, because Jane Sinner is the cynical softie you’ve been waiting for.

  Becky: I’ve been the biggest fan of your debut, Nice Try, Jane Sinner, since day one. The voice is THAT special. So, my first question for you is about Jane’s voice! What was that process like for you? Was developing her voice something that happened organically? Were there specific conscious choices you made?
  Lianne: You were actually one of the first people to have ever read NTJS, so my fragile ego needed all the encouragement I could get. I can never thank you enough! As for Jane — tbh she has always been a concentrated version of myself. NTJS started as a reinterpretation of my own journal entries, which I typed up to take out things I didn’t like and add things that made me laugh. Jane was able to say (or at least think) all the things I wasn’t bold enough to. So I guess her voice happened organically!
  Becky: Jane is so HONEST. A lot of the book — the whole book, really — is filtered through her very close first-person perspective. She’s recounting the things that happen to her in her journal. It’s such an intimate reading experience. I felt like Jane and her friends and family (and the characters who maybe weren’t her friends exactly) were real people. I guess this isn’t a question. This is me fangirling. Sorry. Back to business …
  As an author who tends to write about technology and social media (or at least writes stories with tech and social media components), I’ve found that the common criticism you get for this is that you’ll date your story too quickly. I know some people feel like technology and social media shift so quickly that it can be challenging to capture something that feels timeless. Is this something you’ve heard from early readers? What made you want to lean into something that many authors shy away from? (In case it isn’t clear, I’m so glad you leaned into it.)
  Lianne: I get why some authors choose to avoid naming Facebook, or create their own version of it, but it personally pulls me out of the story. I wrote about social media the same way I use it in day-to-day life, which is exactly what Jane would do. And yeah, it dates the story, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. NTJS takes place in a very specific moment that deserves very specific details. Besides, I don’t think FB, Twitter or YouTube are going away anytime soon. 😉
  Becky: So well said. OMG. That … is my soapbox. I think one of the exciting things about writing for teens is that teen life shifts really dramatically in short periods of time (both on an individual basis and culturally — like, being a teen in 1999 is different than being a teen in 2003 is different than being a teen in 2010 and so on and so forth). I really love the idea that I can open a book like NTJS in 2025 and be immersed in that moment Jane was living in.
  Lianne: YES, exactly! Jane (and Simon and Molly from Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and The Upside of Unrequited) aren’t meant to be stand-ins for a general teen experience that anyone from any time instantly gets. They’re grounded in a specific reality, and that honesty is what makes them relatable.
  Becky: Yes, yes, yes! Another totally unrelated question! Well, maybe it’s related? I think one of the ways NTJS goes against the grain of YA publishing is that it takes place at a college. There are so few YA books in college, because publishing (as an industry) is very resistant to college stories being considered YA. But readers are begging for them. What’s so special about that transition from high school to college that made you take that chance with this narrative?
  Lianne: Oooooh, boy. This is my soapbox. When I wrote NTJS, I was in my last year or so of university, and of course I still read YA. I was on the hunt for books about teens like me (because let’s be honest, no one stops being a teen the moment they leave high school). Most of what I found, though, was romance heavy, which was not at all my jam. In university, I dealt with a lot of the same things Jane deals with (depression, losing my faith, distancing myself from my family, feeling isolated and uncertain and desperately awkward). I wrote the book I needed at the time. I get that publishing categorizes YA as everything before college and NA as everything after, but college or uni students looking to see themselves in novels don’t care about those labels. When I originally queried NTJS, it took place in Jane’s first year of university. I think that’s partly why I had such a hard time finding an agent — no one knew how to sell it. Agents and publishers were all like, “Give me something fresh I haven’t seen before!” and I was all, “Coolcoolcool, look at this! I haven’t seen this before!” And they’re like, “Oooooh, we don’t think we can sell that because no one is buying it,” and I’m all, “No one can buy it because no one is publishing it.” Anyway. Our wonderful agent Brooks had the brilliant idea to make Jane complete her high school diploma in community college, keeping the best of both YA and NA. I really hope NTJS helps open the door for other books set in college that deal with topics other than romance. (Deep breaths.)

  Becky: NTJS is a book that covers a lot of territory, including some serious stuff (especially related to mental health and negotiating your relationship to faith). But. It’s still such a breathtakingly romantic book in a way that really took me by surprise. I think part of what makes the love story in this book work so beautifully is how much you root for Jane, because she is such a little cynic. She’s sort of the anti-Molly Peskin-Suso, but I love the idea that Jane and Molly both have this core insecurity about relationships that plays out in different ways. What was it like writing a love story from the perspective of a character who is totally not a soft peanut looking for love?
  Lianne: It was easy at first, because Jane is so good at ignoring things she didn’t want to deal with (meaning I could ignore them, too). But as the story progressed, I could see how much Jane ached to share herself with someone who just got her. I mean, she just broke up with her family (more or less), as well as her entire high school (minus one or two keepers). And on top of all that, she’s finding out that she’s not at all the person she’s pretended to be for most of her life. So she’s in a very lonely place. Then along comes this very intriguing boy (a college boy. Not that it matters to Jane. It totally doesn’t matter to Jane), who’s guarded and careful, just like her. And who appreciates this new, cynical, competitive person Jane is growing into. Jane is so very cautious when it comes to this new potential for a relationship, but she’s still able to make herself vulnerable, which was fascinating to write. I think the romance is relatively subtle, and it has to take a backseat to Jane’s personal growth.
  On a side note: Jane and Molly (from Upside of Unrequited, your second book!) are total opposites. At least at first glance. Molly is so earnest and genuine and heartfelt, and I think all of that would totally freak Jane out. BUT Jane is always one to appreciate good food, so I’d like to think that after a few jars of cookie dough, she’d start to open up to Molly and realize they have a lot more in common than they think. Their friendship would be a slow burn, but stronger for it. If anyone wants to write this jolly fanfic, I’m ALL FOR IT.
  Becky: I am super ALL FOR IT. And I totally agree — they’d actually be the best friends in the entire world. OK. Season two of House of Orange, starring any YA characters in any published books. Who would be in the house, who would get eliminated first, who would melt down on camera, and who would win the car?
  Lianne: OMG. YES. OK … we need six characters.
  Becky: I’m totally trying to come up with a set of my own, too!
  Lianne: I think Simon and/ or Molly need to participate.
  Becky: Definitely. Probably Simon? He’d probably get eliminated first, though.
  Lianne: But he’d totally be a fan favourite!
  Becky: No question. Also he would never steal anyone’s food from the communal fridge. Just. He would never.
  Lianne: … this is why he wouldn’t win.
  Becky: This is so true.
  Hmm … what about Starr from The Hate U Give? To me, she’s a contender for winning the whole thing.
  Lianne: Definitely. She has what it takes for the long haul.
  Becky: Adam Silvera’s characters would be good contenders, too, but they’d probably die at some point. That makes it hard to win.
  Lianne: Yeah, that would get them disqualified.
  Becky: I feel like the Six of Crows gang could make some waves.
  Lianne: Totally! They’d know how to play the game.
  Becky: Side note: Please someone draw me fanart of the House of Orange participants dressed like the Six of Crows characters.
  Lianne: YESSSSS. OK, how about the meltdown?
  Becky: Hmmm. I think it would be someone unlikely. Like Edward Cullen.
  Lianne: HA. Jane would totally rig the game to make Edward lose his s***.
  Becky: I would watch the hell out of this. And maybe we should end here, after one quick reminder that you guys should read the hell out of this book. Nice Try, Jane Sinner. Saving 2018.
  Lianne: Becky, you are actually the best. Thanks so much for this Q&A. I had a blast! I suppose I should put on some pants and go to work now …
  Becky: No pants. I love you. So happy for you and so happy for everyone who gets to read this ridiculously wonderful book.
  About Nice Try, Jane Sinner:
  The only thing 17-year-old Jane Sinner hates more than failure is pity. After a personal crisis and her subsequent expulsion from high school, she’s going nowhere fast. Jane’s well-meaning parents push her to attend a high school completion program at the nearby Elbow River Community College, and she agrees, on one condition: she gets to move out.
  About Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda:
  Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.
  Incredibly funny and poignant, this twenty-first-century coming-of-age, coming out story—wrapped in a geek romance—is a knockout of a debut novel by Becky Albertalli.
  MORE ON HEA: See what Michelle Monkou said about Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

• Lianne Oelke Website - http://www.lianneoelke.com/

  Lianne lives in Vancouver, BC. A mere three years of working in the film industry has left her far more jaded, bitter, and misanthropic than she could have dreamed possible. Having worked on one too many made-for-TV movies featuring the mild romantic antics of generically attractive white people, she’s taken it upon herself to push back with some pretty substandard stories of her own.
  Besides books, her three great passions in life are cats, craft beer, and camping. When she’s not working, Lianne likes to take off, eh in her ‘83 camper van. She maintains a steady hate/ love relationship with hiking, but is always up for exploring British Columbia- whatever it takes to find a nice spot to set up her hammock. Her hammock is her favourite place in the world.

  FAQs
  How do you say your last name?
  Ol(d) key. Rhymes with okie dokie (but if you say that to my face I’ll cut you).
  What’s your educational background?
  I have a BA in Philosophy. I know, mom, I can’t get a job with that. That’s why I went to film school.
  Why write YA?
  I like stories that challenge the way I see the world. YA is so important for anyone still learning who they are. I can't be the only one who doesn't have it all figured out yet. Right?
  Do you have a writing process?
  I'm highly undisciplined. I know it's a problem. I'm working on it.
  If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
  A lakeside cabin filled with rescue animals desperate for my love.
  You know that Bilbo quote is from the movie, not the books, right?
  Yes and I will defend those movies to the death!
  Has anyone ever asked one of these so called ‘frequently asked questions’?
  No.
  Wow Lianne you’re just the coolest.
  I know.

Nice Try, Jane Sinner

Publishers Weekly. 264.45 (Nov. 6, 2017): p83.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Nice Try, Jane Sinner
Lianne Oelke. Clarion, $17.99 (432p)
ISBN 978-0-544-86785-7
After being expelled from high school, 17-year-old Jane Sinner is taking courses at Elbow River Community College in order to complete her graduation requirements. Jane, who has never met an idiom she doesn't want to change ("You're meowing up the wrong tree"), also hopes that Elbow River can provide some needed anonymity. Eager to move out of her family home--where her parents believe that prayer, youth group, and Pastor Ron can fix everything--she signs up to participate in an online reality show at school. Jane enlists the help of castmate and potential love interest Robbie to devise a plan to win, but not before learning a few things about herself. Debut novelist Oelke has created a complex and entertaining heroine in Jane, who narrates in sharp-edged, caustically funny journal entries. Oelke sidesteps writing about the more difficult aspects of mental illness and recovery--Jane has little interest in addressing past actions readers gradually learn about, and her therapist exists only in her mind--instead keeping this a lighter, snarkier comeback story. Ages 14-up. Agent: Brooks Sherman, Janklow & Nesbit. (Jan.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Nice Try, Jane Sinner." Publishers Weekly, 6 Nov. 2017, p. 83. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A514056683/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5f9d4b51. Accessed 19 Feb. 2018.

Gale Document Number: GALE|A514056683

Nice Try, Jane Sinner

Maggie Reagan
Booklist. 114.5 (Nov. 1, 2017): p65.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
* Nice Try, Jane Sinner.
By Lianne Oelke.
Jan. 2018.432p. Clarion, $ 17.99 (9780544867857); e-book, $17.99 (9781328828842). Gr. 9-12.

When she's expelled from high school five months before graduation, Canadian teenager Jane Sinner finds herself temporarily set adrift. Eventually, armed with apathy and driven by parental expectations, she enrolls at Elbow River Community College to get the last few credits she needs to graduate. It's there that she sees fliers for the student-run reality show House of Orange, where six students try to outlast one another through a series of challenges. The winner gets a (used) car, but for Jane, it's a chance to start over and to surround herself with a group of people who don't know about the thing that got her kicked out of school. Plus, what better opportunity for a budding psychology major to observe her fellow humans? Dry, witty, and compulsively readable, this debut, told through Jane's journal entries, is by turns funny and truly emotional. Tough-shelled Jane is both a caustic, prank-playing delight and a deeply wounded person, and the emotional journey she undergoes rings wonderfully, painfully true. A rich cast of secondary characters and a fun peek behind the curtain of reality TV--or at least a reality web series--adds plenty of interest for aspiring filmmakers and psychologists alike, but this is an entertaining read for any teen. --Maggie Reagan
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Reagan, Maggie. "Nice Try, Jane Sinner." Booklist, 1 Nov. 2017, p. 65. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A515383102/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d033a3e7. Accessed 19 Feb. 2018.

Gale Document Number: GALE|A515383102

Oelke, Lianne: NICE TRY, JANE SINNER

Kirkus Reviews. (Oct. 15, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Oelke, Lianne NICE TRY, JANE SINNER Clarion (Children's Fiction) $17.99 1, 9 ISBN: 978-0-544-86785-7
A young Canadian woman joins the cast of a campus-produced reality TV show after she bombs out of her senior year of high school and decides to get her diploma at a local community college.
The opportunity to participate in The House of Orange, a reality show that offers as a prize the car owned by the show's Korean-Canadian producer, comes at a good time for white Jane, who'd like to gain some space from her school and from her caring but unhelpful and earnestly Christian parents, who struggle to understand her. Resplendent with sardonic wit ("I'm afraid of oil spills, fascist governments and balloons that pop unexpectedly," Jane deadpans at one point in her mind during a conversation with her imaginary psychiatrist, Dr. Freudenschade), this debut novel is at turns wickedly funny and thought-provoking. Jane's remove from those around her, following a gradually revealed life-altering traumatic event, at first holds readers at a bit of a distance even though her narrative is partly told through confessional journal entries. However, the ridiculous, occasionally lewd, and sometimes alcohol-assisted antics of Jane and her competitors, including Punjabi-Canadian Robbie, for whom she develops serious feelings, are reliably entertaining and will keep readers engaged while Jane's back story slowly renders her more fully dimensional.
Character-driven, humorous, and deceptively profound. (Fiction. 14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Oelke, Lianne: NICE TRY, JANE SINNER." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A509244057/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=eb2f4eb2. Accessed 19 Feb. 2018.

Gale Document Number: GALE|A509244057

Oelke, Lianne. Nice Try, Jane Sinner

Susannah Goldstein
School Library Journal. 63.10 (Oct. 2017): p101+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
OELKE, Lianne. Nice Try, Jane Sinner. 432p. HMH. Jan. 2018. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780544867857.

Gr 7 Up--After dropping out of high school in her senior year during her lowest emotional point, Jane Sinner is forced by her religious parents to enroll in community college to finish her credits. Armed with an acerbic wit and a desire to avoid living at home, Jane fudges a few details to compete in a Big Brother-style reality show at her community college. Along the way, she stirs up trouble for the camera, tries to figure out whom she can trust, and finds her true talents. This work is witty with a fresh narrative voice. It is rare to find a YA book that discusses faith and religion, but Oelke handles Jane's religious questioning in an authentic way. The protagonist is well developed; readers will enjoy rooting for her on House of Orange and in life. The narrative is mainly told through journal entries and script-style dialogue, and is sharp for a majority of the novel. However, Oelke's overreliance on these techniques at the expense of brevity makes the book long and repetitive by the end. VERDICT Purchase for teen libraries where realistic fiction is in high demand.--Susannah Goldstein, Bronx School for Law, Government, and justice, NY
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Goldstein, Susannah. "Oelke, Lianne. Nice Try, Jane Sinner." School Library Journal, Oct. 2017, p. 101+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A507950797/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=452c30fe. Accessed 19 Feb. 2018.

Gale Document Number: GALE|A507950797

"Nice Try, Jane Sinner." Publishers Weekly, 6 Nov. 2017, p. 83. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A514056683/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5f9d4b51. Accessed 19 Feb. 2018. Reagan, Maggie. "Nice Try, Jane Sinner." Booklist, 1 Nov. 2017, p. 65. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A515383102/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d033a3e7. Accessed 19 Feb. 2018. "Oelke, Lianne: NICE TRY, JANE SINNER." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A509244057/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=eb2f4eb2. Accessed 19 Feb. 2018. Goldstein, Susannah. "Oelke, Lianne. Nice Try, Jane Sinner." School Library Journal, Oct. 2017, p. 101+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A507950797/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=452c30fe. Accessed 19 Feb. 2018.

• Globe and Mail
  https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/review-lianne-oelkes-nice-try-jane-sinner-karen-riverss-all-that-was-and-james-l-swansons-chasing-kings-killer/article37814487/
  Word count: 203

  Review: Lianne Oelke’s Nice Try, Jane Sinner, Karen Rivers’s All That Was and James L. Swanson’s Chasing King’s Killer

  SHANNON OZIRNY
  Special to The Globe and Mail
  Published February 1, 2018
  Updated February 1, 2018
  Nice Try, Jane Sinner
  By Lianne Oelke, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 432 pages, $24.99
  Debut Vancouver author Lianne Oelke proves that the first year out of high school can be full of personal growth and reflection – even while starring in a low-budget reality show at a community college in Elbow River, Alta. Seventeen-year-old Jane Sinner (her real name) agrees to star in a student-produced reality show called House of Orange in exchange for cheap rent. It all starts out pretty light, with Jane in full-on snark mode as she analyzes her motley group of cast mates and ultra-religious parents. Sharp-tongued, pessimistic protagonists are a dime a dozen, but Jane's story soon turns more profound and addicting. Profound because she wrestles with deep, relatable feelings around her faith and self-worth, and addicting because of the escalating momentum and suspense of the reality show. Jane's story is for those who like their books brainy and their television trashy. A binge-read with hidden depths.

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