Archive for November, 2009
November 28th, 2009
I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend! And for those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope it was wonderful and your leftovers are still scrumptious. 
If you’ve been reading the blog or chatting with me on Twitter (@KayCassidy), you know that the second book in the Cinderella Society series is due to my editor next week. As I’m nearing the home stretch on book 2, I’ve been pausing to wonder what makes someone pick up a book in the first place. Is it the cover, the title, the genre, the blurb, the topics or issues it covers, the recommendations of others, a book trailer or ad, what you know of the author… or other things entirely?
For me, it’s a combination of those things. And it differs from book to book. I thought it would be interesting to do a giveaway for The Cinderella Society related to the mystery of what makes us want to read the books we’re eyeing.
So for all you out there who want to read The Cinderella Society:
What is it about The Cinderella Society that makes you want to read it… and, most importantly, why? What is it about that element (or elements) of TCS that gets you excited?
Every comment gets you an entry into the contest. The winner of the ARC will be announced next week. (Be sure to check out the blurb on the TCS page for full details about the book!)
November 26th, 2009
I hope all of you in the U.S. have a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving today. And for those of you abroad, have a delightful Thursday/Friday!
Oh, and if you followed my Living Your Five check-in on Monday, we decided to do the Gratitude Tree as our new Thanksgiving tradition. I can’t wait!
November 24th, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving week to those of you in the U.S. and good luck in your last full week of NaNoWriMo for everyone who’s participating! This week, I’m thankful for three great authors who are full of terrific advice. Thank you Tina, Janet and Kimberly (and Saundra and Ellen too)!
Exclusive TAC Quote of the Week
“The best advice I can pass along to aspiring writers is that which I still fall back on myself: don’t be afraid to be bad. Sometimes, my best stuff has come from my worst drafts or my absolutely terrible attempts at humor. No one has to see what you’ve written until you’re ready, so relax and let yourself go… you’ll be surprised at what you find.”
~ Tina Ferraro
The ABC’s of Kissing Boys
(Delacorte, 1/09)
Teen Author Challenge
This week’s challenge advice comes from fabulous author Janet Lee Carey! What should you do when you’re stuck in the story? Here’s what Janet has to say:
Don’t Talk Out Your Tale – Write Your Way Out
Think about the times you’ve shared a dream with a friend. If you’re anything like me, you left out certain parts of the dream because they seemed too strange or because they didn’t fit into any kind of logical story frame. Or maybe, like me, you were embarrassed about just how weird your dream images can be. But what if the very part you left untold, the strange, exotic vision, is the key to the dream? What if somewhere under the crossed out image, lies buried treasure?
So too, when a young and developing story is spoken aloud, ideas that come to us in the dark, that are harder to understand or explain in the daylight hours, will be left out of the conversation. Instead, certain more logical images take shape and become set in our minds. Plot ideas that seem very good and fitting to the storyline will win out over more mysterious ideas that are harder to explain.
Over time, as we discuss the tale, everything becomes quite reasonable. Our friends have a positive reaction to the story. They add some of their ideas and questions. We convince ourselves that we really understand what the story is about. We can even condense the idea into a few neat sentences! And this will surely come in handy later on when we try to sell the story to editors and agents. So what’s wrong?
In talking out the tale, all the story fire begins to slowly sputter out. Instead of courting a mysterious lover, we are now married to an idea. Suddenly the plot and characters have become quite sensible, and all the writing ahead seems less like an act of love, and more like plain hard work. Because let’s face it, sensible stories are crashingly, boringly, dull, dull, dull. So what’s the remedy?
Go inside the story, listen, and write.
~ Janet Lee Carey
Stealing Death
(Egmont, 9/09)
Buzz Tip of the Week
Three cheers to YA author (and YABC founder) Kimberly Pauley for her illuminating post about children’s book author royalty statements. And more cheers to Saundra Mitchell and Ellen Hopkins for accepting the challenge and sharing theirs too! If you’ve ever wondered how much a debut author makes, this is a great example of the phrase “Your mileage may vary.”
kimberlypauley.com/2009/11/21/a-challenge-for-my-fellow-authors/
Your Weekly Challenge
How did you do on your writing last week? Comment below with your weekly results from last Tuesday through today so we can cheer your progress!
The Teen Author Challenge Contest
Throughout the year-long Teen Author Challenge (TAC ends June 2010!), I’ll be giving away a book of the winner’s choice from my personal writing shelf. Why am I doing this? Because becoming a skilled writer has two important parts: learning about your craft and practicing your craft. That’s why active participation in each weekly challenge is so important!
So what can you win? Books to choose from include:
1. The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
2. The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall
3. The Career Novelist by Donald Maass
4. Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella
5. Creating Characters Kids Will Love by Elaine Marie Alphin
6. Building Believable Characters by Marc McCutcheon
Everyone who participates via the comments on the Teen Author Challenge posts will be entered into this monthly contest.
Go forth and be creative!
November 23rd, 2009
Happy Tuesday!
I’m over at Living Your Five talking about gratitude and Thanksgiving traditions. Come help me decide which new Thanksgiving tradition I should choose for my family!
Also, be sure to check out the new THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY giveaway over on Goodreads! You can register to win an ARC of the book – it’s super simple! (And please friend me while you’re there so I know you’re a Goodreader too!)
And finally, as some of you know from my tweets over the last few weeks, I am STILL sick. So if you’re waiting for a package from me, I apologize! I’m waiting until I’m all better so I don’t send my germs along with your prize.
And if you’re on Twitter, be sure to wave hello! It’s my favorite way to procrastinate. 
Connect with me on Twitter here!
November 22nd, 2009
Did you guess the lies for bookseller guests Becky and Cathy and librarian guest Melissa? Be sure to check them out!
As my way of saying thanks for playing, I’m announcing…
Another Bundle o’ Bookmarks winner!
What is Bundle o’ Bookmarks? It’s a collection of awesome bookmarks from some of your favorite authors! Here’s the current Bundle o’ Bookmarks swag pack:
It includes bookmarks from:
– Alyson Noel (Blue Moon/Evermore)
– Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush, Hush)
– Lindsey Leavitt (Princess for Hire) *signed*
– Bree Despain (The Dark Divine)
– Lindsay Eland (Scones and Sensibility) *signed*
– Stephanie Kuehnert (Ballads of Suburbia)
– Stephanie Kuehnert (I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone)
– Jennifer Hubbard (The Secret Year)
– A.S. King (The Dust of 100 Dogs)
– Julie Kagawa (The Iron King) *signed*
– Taylor Morris (Total Knockout)
– And, of course, me (a bunch of The Cinderella Society and Great Scavenger Hunt Contest stuff!) *signed*
So there you go! A bit of a perk for those of you who take the time to comment on the blog (I appreciate you!). Congratulations go out to:
Allison
(aka Read Into This)
Congrats, Allison! Please contact me here with your mailing address to receive your prize.
And everyone, keep commenting on the blog for your chance to win in the next Bundle o’ Bookmarks giveaway. You never know when it’ll be!
November 20th, 2009
This week, I’m delighted to welcome another lovely librarian to the Librarian Spotlight series. I love getting to know really fab teen librarians (and teachers too!) who are as passionate about YA and middle grades fiction as we are. Today, I’m pleased to welcome…
Melissa Jensen
Platte Valley Youth Service Center Library
As always, Friday guests will be sharing their You 2.0 stories about pursuing their dreams, changing their world, gratitude, and paying it forward. Then they’ll be talking about why they love the YA and middle grades genres and why they love being an author, librarian, or teacher. And good news… Three Truths and a Lie is alive and well on Fridays too!
The Basics
Name:
Melissa Jensen
Library:
Platte Valley Youth Service Center Library
Location:
Greeley, CO
A Bit About the Library:
We are a small on grounds library at a youth detention and commitment facility, serving around 150 residents ages 10-20.
Short Bio:
I’ve been the librarian here for almost two years and have made many changes in that time to change the way that residents think about the library and reading. We have three afterschool meetings every week to give residents a place to talk about what they are reading and writing. These meetings are one of my favorite parts of being a librarian.
(P.S. from Kay: This picture was taken at a local art show where Melissa read several of her students’ poems. Is that awesome or what?)
Questions About You 2.0
The You 2.0 blog is about becoming everything you’re meant to be. It’s about pursuing your dreams, changing your world, showing gratitude, and paying it forward. Here’s a chance for our Spotlight guests to share what You 2.0 means to them.
1. PURSUING YOUR DREAMS: Everyone has the ability to be extraordinary, they just have to embrace what makes them unique and special and pursue their dreams with passion and confidence! Tell us a little about a dream you’ve achieved or are pursuing right now. If you’ve achieved it already, how does it feel to know you’ve made your dream a reality?
Even when I was a little girl, I wanted to go to Peru. I was drawn there, but I didn’t know how to go. I learned Spanish and read a lot of Peruvian literature and history. I worked to save money to go one day. I talked about it with a lot of people. One day, after many years, I got lucky. One of my husband’s relatives heard me talking and told me his sister was going the next year. I was able to connect with her and she told me I could go with her. I had to work even harder to pay for the plane ticket, but we were able to stay with some of her friends in the countryside. While we were there we drove to many places to help the people in the community. It was very wonderful and rewarding. For a while I thought I would move there and work at one of the country schools. I ended up becoming a librarian here in the States instead, but I would love to go back one day.
2. CHANGING YOUR WORLD: Changing the world doesn’t have to mean finding a cure for cancer or creating lasting world peace (though it definitely can!). It just means finding a way that you can make the world a little better off for having lived here, whether it’s making a difference to one person or a million, to the earth, to animals… whatever is important to you. What is one way you would personally like to make the world a better place?
I really think the work I am doing here at the jail is making a big difference. A lot of the young people I work with start out not knowing how to read or just not liking it. I know that one right book can make a big difference, though. By the time they leave, many of the residents have come to love reading, and can’t stop talking about the books they are reading and what they think about them. When they leave here, every resident goes out into their community, and they have the chance to change those worlds too by showing their family and their peers the power of reading.
3. GRATITUDE: Gratitude is a huge part of the You 2.0 life. Taking a moment to count our blessings is the best way to remember what’s truly important (especially when life is hectic and crazy!). What are you grateful for?
I am really grateful for my husband and our English Angora rabbit. They make my home a safe, relaxing place to come home to after a hard day. I am also grateful for homemade ice cream and macaroni and cheese. I am a big fan of food! And I am grateful for my memories: they help me to make better decisions and remind me of how far I’ve come.
4. PAYING IT FORWARD: If everyone took a moment to pay it forward, even just once, the world would be changed in ways we can’t even imagine. What is one thing you’ve done (or plan to do) to “pay it forward” in some way?
I love to share books, leave books in public places, give books away to best friends or complete strangers.
Questions About You, The Librarian
5. Why did you decide to participate in The Great Scavenger Hunt Contest?
I am the librarian at a small juvenile detention and commitment center. We have a small budget but a big reading population. Plus, the Great Scavenger Hunt Contest is a great way to answer the ever present question “Miss, what should I read next?”
6. Do you think you would’ve participated in the contest as a teen/tween?
Probably. I loved reading and I was very lucky as a teen.
7. Tell us about some cool teen programming your library has hosted. We love to hear new ideas!
This past year I created and got grant funding for two big programs at my youth detention facility. The first, Writing for Change, is a poetry and writing group. A lot of our kids are writers, most everyone keeps journals as part of their treatment here, and this is a great place for them to share and revise safely. The other is Reading for Change, which is basically a book club, but is unique because the residents get to keep the books we read together. This element is huge since most of them have very limited personal property while there are here, if they have any at all. The even cooler thing about Reading for Change is that often participants then turn around and share their books with other residents after we have finished. It has been a great program for these kids.
8. Why did you choose a book-related career?
This particular position found me (and I am so happy it did!) but I always wanted to do something with books. Write them, sell them, share them, study them . . .
9. What do you love most (and least) about being a librarian?
I love being able to read while I’m at work (only when it’s not too busy), and I love helping young people discover “the” perfect book that opens up so many things to them. My least favorite part is having to budget for everything that I do. Why can’t I do everything? Sigh.
10. What books influenced you as a teen/tween?
My senior year of high school I read The English Patient for school, and it changed my life. It showed me that I could combine my interests in history and literature, and ultimately led to my studying the effects of colonialism on literature in college.
11. What do you love most about the YA and middle grades genres?
Even as a teen, I rarely read “YA” books until I became a youth librarian. Now I read them all the time. I love the diversity in YA books, and the ways that they take complex issues and say “you don’t have to understand everything about this. Let’s just look at this one piece and really try to learn something about it.”
12. Are you also a writer yourself? If so, what do you like to write?
Like a lot of people who work with books, I also write now and again, mostly short stories and poetry.
13. If you could go back in time and give your teen/tween self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to do the things you want to do. All those people at school whose opinions are so important right now? You won’t even remember their names in five years. Be who you are now, so you don’t lose yourself later.
Will the Real You 2.0 Please Stand Up?
14. I love the game Three Truths and a Lie because there are so many unexpected and interesting things about people that we never get a chance to learn about them. What are three truths and a lie that our blog readers can guess about you?
– In junior high and high school, I spent part of each year in China.
– I got married to my high school sweetheart when I was 20.
– After I graduated from college, I taught English at a school abroad for a year. <--UPDATE: That was the lie!
– When I was a little girl, I wanted more than anything to live out of a suitcase and be a political speechwriter.
(Readers: Your guess gets you an entry into the You 2.0 monthly contest for an ARC of The Cinderella Society or a prize dive in the awesome You 2.0 Prize Basket. Guess correctly and you get a bonus entry. Plus, you never know when the next impromptu Bundle o’ Bookmarks giveaway will be for one recent commenter. Will it be you? I’ll update the post later to spill the big lie, so get guessing and have fun!)
Thanks to Melissa for a terrific interview!
November 18th, 2009
A first in the Booklover of the Week series! This week, I’m delighted to welcome not one but two great indie booksellers from Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, TX! It’s a double decker feature with the fabulous…
Cathy Berner & Becky Lee
When I first mentioned to some author friends that I was going to be doing the Booklover series and including bookseller features in the mix, YA author Tera Lynn Childs immediately emailed me in response.
I would love to nominate the lovely ladies of Blue Willow Bookshop (Valerie, Cathy and Becky). These ladies go above and beyond to make authors (and readers) feel like a part of the Blue Willow family. When my first book came out, Cathy contacted me to see if I would like Blue Willow to host my debut party. Would I?!? Since I’d never been to the store, I popped in for another signing the week before mine, intending to just introduce myself and sit quietly in the back so I wouldn’t intrude. The moment I walked inside I heard someone squeal, “There’s Tera!” Immediately, there were hugs all around and (*blushes*) gushing about my book. I’ve visited Blue Willow many times since that first signing, and I still get the same reaction every time I step through their door.
With a response like that, how could I not convince these ladies to let me feature them! Valerie is the delightful owner, and she decided to let Cathy and Becky have the spotlight all to themselves. Welcome, ladies!
Booklover Basics
Names: Cathy Berner & Becky Lee
Bookstore: Blue Willow Bookshop
Bookstore Location: Houston, TX
Short Bio/Cathy:
Former congressional staffer turned school librarian turned wife and mother/bookseller. Woman who would read while driving if she could (but, of course doesn’t, she adds hastily.) Native Minnesotan who remembers meeting Tomie de Paola when she was about eight years old – it was my first book tour!
Short Bio/Becky:
I’ve been a teacher and now am a school librarian. I work at Blue Willow part-time – evenings/weekends/special events, and have been there for nearly 2 years now. It’s my favorite way to spend time, other than reading!
Questions About You 2.0
The You 2.0 blog is about becoming everything you’re meant to be. It’s about pursuing your dreams, changing your world, showing gratitude, and paying it forward. Here’s a chance for our Booklovers to share what You 2.0 means to them.
1. PURSUING YOUR DREAMS: Everyone has the ability to be extraordinary, they just have to embrace what makes them unique and special and pursue their dreams with passion and confidence! Tell us a little about a dream you’ve achieved or are pursuing right now. If you’ve achieved it already, how does it feel to know you’ve made your dream a reality?
CATHY: My dream is all about books and authors – to meet incredible authors, to read books by both new and established authors, to discover great material and to share that material with customers and friends. It has been almost surreal to meet some of the authors who I studied in graduate school (I was completely tongue tied when I met Walter Dean Myers earlier this year. HOLY COW! I shook Walter Dean Myers’ hand! ) – I never thought I would have that opportunity.
I’ve been very fortunate to have accomplished this dream, so I think this means I need to come up with a new one, but I don’t know what that is yet!
BECKY: I’ve always loved books, and 7 years ago, I decided to leave the classroom (taught 1st and 5th grade), pursue my Master’s Degree, and become a school librarian. I have loved working as a Librarian for the past 5 years. At this point in my life, it’s the biggest dream I’ve achieved! It’s been a wonderful career change and it led me to Blue Willow, which is a wonderful way to spend my spare time and the best part-time job ever!
2. CHANGING YOUR WORLD: Changing the world doesn’t have to mean finding a cure for cancer or creating lasting world peace (though it definitely can!). It just means finding a way that you can make the world a little better off for having lived here, whether it’s making a difference to one person or a million, to the earth, to animals… whatever is important to you. What is one way you would personally like to make the world a better place?
CATHY: I try to make the world a better place by being as kind as possible. I don’t always succeed, but a friend told me that he has never regretted being kind, which has become a mantra for me. I try to keep that phrase in mind as I go through my day.
BECKY: Teaching children to love books and understand the value of reading is, I feel, one of the most vital things we can do for the future of our world. I take very seriously the fact that I am the venue to help students develop a love of reading. Through Blue Willow, I’ve also enjoyed working with older children and adults, too. I am so blessed to be able to positively affect the lives of others through reading and a love of books, even if it’s just here in one tiny corner of west Houston.
3. GRATITUDE: Gratitude is a huge part of the You 2.0 life. Taking a moment to count our blessings is the best way to remember what’s truly important (especially when life is hectic and crazy!). What are you grateful for?
CATHY: I am grateful for a loving family, a husband who understands and supports me (even when my two bookshelves of ARCs are overflowing), and two children who enjoy reading and sharing their ideas with us. I am grateful to work with women (and one brave man!) who are intelligent, opinionated and in love with books. I am grateful to have parents who passed on inquisitive minds and a love for reading. And I’m grateful for siblings and siblings-in-law who love books too!
BECKY: Everything! I am grateful to have a loving family who is unconditionally supportive of me and the choices I make. I am grateful to have 2 wonderful jobs… 1 at a school where I’ve been for 12 years, 1 at a teeny tiny bookstore that is enchanting to everyone who walks in the door. I’m also blessed to have 2 nephews and 2 god-daughters that fill my life with joy and laughter and general silliness and love. I’m blessed to live only 3 miles away from my wonderful parents, have several circles of friends, and to wake up every day with my beautiful home and my kitties and lots of love in my heart.
4. PAYING IT FORWARD: If everyone took a moment to pay it forward, even just once, the world would be changed in ways we can’t even imagine. What is one thing you’ve done (or plan to do) to “pay it forward” in some way?
CATHY: To give when I can, to help even if it’s inconvenient. Again, I hope I will never regret being kind.
BECKY: I am active in the Texas Library Association and love to spend time working on the future of libraries in Texas. I think it’s extremely important to keep our libraries relevant, even as we continue to sell books at Blue Willow Bookshop. Reading makes readers, and I am blessed to work in a library and with the Texas Library Association to advocate for excellence.
Questions About You, The Bookseller & Blogger
5. Why did you choose to work in a bookstore?
CATHY: I’m trained as a librarian and had the very good fortune to meet Valerie (Blue Willow’s girlboss) at a Christopher Paul Curtis signing shortly after my family had moved to Houston. We struck up a conversation and I started out doing a little bit of work from home, evaluating children’s and young adult fiction. Once both my children were in elementary school, the job morphed into the job it is today. I do most work from home and spend one day in the store to keep in tune with what’s going on.
BECKY: As a librarian, it’s the perfect part-time job! Blue Willow is the perfect bookshop. I’ve been coming to this shop for nearly 30 years, as I grew up in the neighborhood where Blue Willow is located and I used to shop in the bookstore under its former name, Musabelle’s.
6. Tell us a little bit about what you do at the store.
CATHY: Children’s/YA specialist, Event Coordinator, webmaster, doer of anything else that needs doing.
BECKY: I sell, I work with the other staff, I read as much as I can, I help plan the details of events, and I’m the resident “t-shirt girl” – I am currently responsible for all of our staff and event t-shirts.
7. What do you love most (and least) about your job as a bookseller?
CATHY: I love discovering a new book or author (like Tera Lynn Childs – what a treat our relationship has been!) and sharing it with staff and customers. I don’t like dusting very much.
BECKY: I love giving book suggestions and talking to people about what they have been reading.
8. What do you think would most surprise people about your job?
CATHY: The number of different things I may do during the day (which is nothing compared to what Valerie, the shop owner has to do) that do not involve reading. Vacuuming, dusting, unpacking boxes, and selling books!
BECKY: There’s no time to read!
9. What do you love most about the YA and middle grades genres?
CATHY: I love the variety of materials available for both age groups, from the comedy of Jon Scieszka’s KNUCKLEHEAD to the heartbreak of Gayle Forman’s IF I STAY. I love the pulse pounding drama of HUNGER GAMES and the delightful characters in the PENDERWICKS.
BECKY: I love that YA books break rules. I love that they are so character-focused and that the reader is so involved in the story. I love that they don’t have a formula or a specific agenda (at least, the ones I love best don’t have these), and I love that they keep kids reading during the time when we typically lose people as readers!
10. What makes you fall in love with a book?
CATHY: A good story and believable characters. I once told an SCBWI meeting that they could write about the dry cleaning business as long as the characters rang true and the plot pulled me in.
BECKY: A great first page and believable characters.
11. Which books inspired you as a teen/tween?
CATHY: Oh, I could go on and on. Top 5 that I can remember:
- I LOVED Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series and still read some of them, in particular CARNEY’S HOUSE PARTY, BETSY’S WEDDING AND EMILY OF DEEP VALLEY.
- My mom kept a series of books by Janet Lambert about the Parrish family and I remember reading those obsessively one summer.
- The Travis McGhee series by John McDonald. The titles fascinated me!
- Mary Stewart’s Merlin Saga.
- Anything by Judy Blume. I had the good fortune to meet her last year and got all teary when I told her that her books defined my childhood. I think she’s used to women of my age having that reaction when we meet her, as she was very kind as I wept. That was a thrill.
BECKY: Depends on what you define as inspired… I read the entire Sweet Valley High series b/c I loved it desperately and I wanted to be one of the Wakefield twins, or maybe their friend Lila. I also fell in love with Jane Austen, as everyone does. As a late teen, the North and South series by John Jakes helped me select a major (history!) because I realized I loved historical fiction so much while I read that series.
12. Are you also a writer yourself? If so, what do you like to write?
CATHY: Nope. Love to read.
BECKY: Not a writer.
Will the Real You 2.0 Please Stand Up?
13. I love the game Three Truths and a Lie because there are so many unexpected and interesting things about people that we never get a chance to learn about them. What are three truths and a lie that our blog readers can guess about you?
CATHY:
– Our family owned a pet snake.
– I drove a convertible when I was a school librarian.
– One family vacation followed a route of the best pie in Montana.
– I have eaten pie in 5 European countries. <--UPDATE: That was the lie!
BECKY:
– I live less than 3 miles from the house I grew up in.
– I am cheerfully obsessed with the Twilight series and have been since way before it became huge and popular!
– I have 4 cats. <--UPDATE: That was the lie!
– I made a life-long friend from the Internet who lives in Atlanta and I still see her at least once a year.
(Readers: Your guess gets you an entry into the You 2.0 monthly contest for an ARC of The Cinderella Society or a prize dive in the awesome You 2.0 Prize Basket. Guess correctly and you get a bonus entry! Plus, you never know when the next impromptu Bundle o’ Bookmarks giveaway will be for one recent commenter. Will it be you? I’ll update the post later to spill the big lie, so get guessing and have fun!)
Thanks to Cathy and Becky for a fabulous dual interview!
November 17th, 2009
We’re halfway through NaNoWriMo month and, if you’re like many NaNo-ers, you may be in need of some inspiration. Happy to oblige.
Exclusive TAC Quote of the Week
“Here’s my favorite quote that I always refer to when I’m feeling like I might believe in writer’s block:
‘“You can’t wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club.’
– Jack London”
~ Josie Bloss
Band Geeked Out
(Flux, 4/09)
Teen Author Challenge
We’ve talked about the power of playing the What if? game to jump start your story (and take it to the next level). Next to What if?, my other favorite thing to ask is So what?
So what? is, in my opinion, one of THE most valuable things you can ask yourself about any scene or plot point or character reaction. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve used it this week alone as I work on TCS book 2. I lay out the next scene I’m going to write and ask myself “So what, Kay? How does this matter in the greater scheme of things in the book?” If I can’t give a rockin’ answer to that question, that scene doesn’t get written until I’ve answered it with a bang.
I also used it last week when I pitched my agent a new book idea. I was writing up my pitch blurb and when I got to the climax, I sat back and asked So what? And I realized there was nothing huge or unique about that climax. So I toyed with it until I came up with a really cool way to twist the climax to make it really matter.
So what? is a great way to make sure the stakes are high enough in your story. Because readers? They ask themselves that question all the time.
– The heroine is faced with a big test that she’s stressing over. So what? That happens to kids all the time. What so big about this one?
– The hero’s girlfriend just broke up with him. That stinks, to be sure, but So what? He’s not the first person to ever go through that. What was so special about this girl and this relationship? What makes this breakup story memorable?
So what? is my friend. It should be your friend too, especially for those moments in the story when you need to pull out all the stops and make your readers go “OMG, no WAY!!!”
If you don’t have a good response to the So what? question, do what agent Donald Maass suggests. Ask yourself, “What could make this matter even more?” You’ll never be sorry you took the time to flesh out bigger, more memorable stakes for your characters. I promise.
Buzz Tip of the Week
Have you ever wondered what happens when an editor likes a book? There are quite a few hoops that an editor must jump through at many big publishers before a contract can be offered. The fabulous Harold Underdown wrote this terrific article about the process to take you behind the scenes. I wish I’d seen it when I was out on submission that first time. My poor agent had to answer a dozen questions from me about how all this works. Smaller presses don’t usually have quite as extensive a process as Harold lays out, but many of the large publishers do.
http://www.underdown.org/acquisition-process.htm
Your Weekly Challenge
How did you do on your writing last week? Comment below with your weekly results from last Tuesday through today so we can cheer your progress!
The Teen Author Challenge Contest
Throughout the year-long Teen Author Challenge (TAC ends June 2010!), I’ll be giving away a book of the winner’s choice from my personal writing shelf. Why am I doing this? Because becoming a skilled writer has two important parts: learning about your craft and practicing your craft. That’s why active participation in each weekly challenge is so important!
So what can you win? Books to choose from include:
1. The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
2. The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall
3. The Career Novelist by Donald Maass
4. Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella
5. Creating Characters Kids Will Love by Elaine Marie Alphin
6. Building Believable Characters by Marc McCutcheon
Everyone who participates via the comments on the Teen Author Challenge posts will be entered into this monthly contest.
Go forth and be creative!
November 16th, 2009
Today I’m hosting another Bundle o’ Bookmarks giveaway! For your chance to win, I want to hear about your favorite author blogs. Comment below and tell me which author blogs you never miss and why. What kinds of features and topics do you like to see?
I’ll announce the winner later this week, so stay tuned to the blog!
And for the uninitiated…
What is Bundle o’ Bookmarks?
It’s a collection of awesome bookmarks from some of your favorite authors! Here’s the first Bundle o’ Bookmarks swag pack:
It includes bookmarks from:
– Alyson Noel (Blue Moon/Evermore)
– Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush, Hush)
– Lindsey Leavitt (Princess for Hire) *signed*
– Bree Despain (The Dark Divine)
– Lindsay Eland (Scones and Sensibility) *signed*
– Stephanie Kuehnert (Ballads of Suburbia)
– Stephanie Kuehnert (I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone)
– Jennifer Hubbard (The Secret Year)
– A.S. King (The Dust of 100 Dogs)
– Julie Kagawa (The Iron King) *signed*
– Taylor Morris (Total Knockout)
– And, of course, me (a bunch of The Cinderella Society and Great Scavenger Hunt Contest stuff!) *signed*
Remember… for your chance to win the Bundle o’ Bookmarks, comment below about your favorite author blogs: which ones are Must Reads and why? Any favorite features that make you tune in? I can’t wait to hear your favorites!
November 15th, 2009
So… as some of you know, I had my first experience with copyedits last month as we began to get The Cinderella Society ready to go to press. Copyediting is an interesting process, to be sure, and one that’s different for every author and for every book an author writes.
My copyeditor was very thorough, but not nearly as thorough as this hilarious mock copyedit of Shakespeare. I laughed so hard I almost fell off my chair! Mostly that was because of the coughing that ensued as a result of said laughing, but still. Priceless.
If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to many authors when they first get a look at that copyedited manuscript, check this out! It’s a must read (and must laugh!) for anyone who’s ever gone through the copyediting process and for aspiring writers who hope to be there soon.
http://www.rightreading.com/editing/copyediting.shakespeare.htm
Enjoy!
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