Books by Tonya Hurley

Charlotte Usher, a.k.a. ghostgirl, discovers that the afterlife isn't quite what she expected when she's forced to intern at a hotline for troubled teens. She may be dead, but the phone lines sure aren't. So, when duty calls, Charlotte has to take the risk of a lifetime--or call it quits for good.

Now I lay me down to sleep,I pray the Lord my soul to keep.And if I should die before I awake,I pray the popular attend my wake.Charlotte Usher feels practically invisible at school, and then one day she really is invisible. Even worse: she's dead. And all because she choked on a gummy bear. But being dead doesn't stop Charlotte from wanting to be popular; it just makes her more creative about achieving her goal. If you thought high school was a matter of life or death, wait till you see just how true that is. In this satirical, yet heartfelt novel, Hurley explores the invisibility we all feel at some times and the lengths we'll go to be seen. Praise for ghostgirl:* Polished dark-and-deadpan humor, it's a natural fit with Gen Y, too."e; --Publishers Weekly (starred review)* "e;[Tonya] beats out witty teen-speak like a punk-band drummer, keeping the narrative fast-paced and fun yet thought-provokingly heartwarming. Goofy, ghastly, intelligent, electrifying."e; --Kirkus (starred review)*"e;Tim Burton and Edgar Allan Poe devotees will die for this fantastic, phantasmal read."e; --School Library Journal (starred review)* "e;Readers with a taste for black humor and satire will feast on Hurley's crisp, wise dialogue. Anticipate a well deserved cult following."e; --VOYA (starred review)"e;Written with deadpan wit...this is a 'Wonderful Life'-like tale."e; -New York Post"e;A sincere (and humorous) exploration of how we all feel invisible at one time or another...perfect read."e; -CosmoGirl