Sisters in Scribe

Query Critiques for All

2012-01-24T07:25:00.002-05:00

Week #3 Celebration: Let the festivities continue! To celebrate signing with my awesome agent, I've held a YA book giveaway and hosted a Q & A with Jessica (aka 'my awesome agent'). This week, I would like to pay it forward and help aspiring writers out there. I'm a query letter nerd--I used to love writing them and still love reading them (I know I'm weird), so I'm going to give a query critique to any and all who want one. Spread the word because I will only take queries through midnight tonight (12am ET). The turnaround time will depend on how many queries I receive, but I'm hoping to get back to everyone within a week.

Details for submitting the queries are on my brand new author blog here. I'll still be here at SIS, but will post writerly type stuff there as well. Thanks, and I can't wait to read your queries!

Contest Monday

2012-01-23T08:05:00.002-05:00

Happy Monday! Here are a few contests I've found around the blogosphere--feel free to add any I missed in the comments.

Cynthia Leitich Smith at Cynsations is giving away copies of Love? Maybe. and The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler. Included in the prize are those awesomely yummy conversation hearts (seriously, the pink and white ones rock). Enter by Jan. 31st.

Kai and Tin over at Amaterasu Reads are giving away an ARC of the YA dystopian The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda. Contest ends in 6 days.

Also, don't forget to check back here tomorrow for details on how to get your free query critique!

ENTHRALLED Giveaway Winner

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Research Randomizer has spoken! The winner of the signed copy of ENTHRALLED is:

TheGirlOnFire

Congrats! Be on the lookout for an email from me soon!

Q & A with agent Jessica Regel

2012-01-17T08:02:00.000-05:00

Week #2 Celebration: yeah, I'm still celebrating the fact that I signed with my awesome agent. To help me celebrate, my lovely agent, Jessica Regel with the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency has agreed to do a Q & A for our readers here at Sisters in Scribe. She will also answer any questions you have in the comments section until 3pm ET today.

Q & A with Jessica Regel:

1) Hi Jessica--thanks so much for visiting our blog today! Let's jump right into the questions. How did you first get into agenting?

I always knew that I wanted to work with books, but I didn’t want to be a writer or an English teacher. In the back of my mind I saw myself opening up my own bookstore someday, but, in the meantime I was getting my undergrad in English Lit and working at my local library. One day, I shelved “The Guide to Literary Agents”. I had no idea what a literary agent was. After doing some research, it sounded like a dream job to me. I sent my resume out to a number of New York agencies and was offered a summer internship at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, which later turned into a full time job. I’ve been at JVNLA ever since and it really is my dream job!

2) I think many writers believe it helps to have a connection in the industry. As someone who was picked from your slush pile, can you share what catches your eye in a query and makes you request pages?

Connections don’t hurt—I always love getting referrals from friends, family, colleagues, because you never know where you’re going to find talented writers. However, that said, about 90% of my authors I found through the slush pile. Authors can go to our website at www.jvnla.com to find out how to submit a query to me. I do personally read all queries emailed to me.

There are three things I ask myself when I read a query:

1) Is it a genre that I represent? At the moment, I’m actively looking for more young adult and middle grade books, so anything that is pitched to me in those genres I’ll pay special attention too. However, I also represent women’s fiction and a select list of non-fiction. You can go to www.jvnla.com to read more about the genres I represent.

2) Is this story/concept/character unique?

3) Do I like the writing style?

If the answer is yes to all those questions I will request materials. The final thing that can garb my attention, but isn’t necessary if I answered yes to all of the above, is the author’s bio. If the author has a really fantastic bio (MFA, awards, publishing history, etc.) then I’ll generally request more materials.

3) What are you seeing too much of right now? Is there anything on your wish list that you’d like to come across?

I still see a lot of stories about vampires, zombies, demons and angels… a lot of general paranormal that sounds too similar to books that have already been published.

I’d love to see more magical realism, more gothic, more creepiness, more suspense. For example, I loved Miss Peregine’s Home for Peculiar Children. I’d love to find the YA Sarah Waters. I’m also interested in taking on more contemporary stories with unique takes, such as something like 13 Reasons Why or The Hate List. Finally, I’m also on the hunt for good tear-jerkers and modern love stories.

4) Can you tell us about something coming out from one of your clients that you’re really excited about?

These are my babies, so I can never chose just one!

One book that comes out this February that I’m really excited about is Kate Kae Myers’ Vanishing Games. When I mentioned about, that I’d love to see more “Creepiness”, Kate hits this on the money. The Vanishing Games is a suspense that reminds me a lot of Lois Duncan.

Another book which comes out in February is The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth, which is a beautifully written coming-of-age. This book has already gotten some great blurbs from Curtis Sittenfeld and Sarah Waters—and three starred reviews so far!

Finally, two books that came out just recently is an early chapter book series by Cecilia Galante called Little Wings: Willa Bean’s Cloud Dreams and Be Brave, Willa Bean. I don’t typically represent this young of an age group (my middle grade list is generally grades 4-6), but Cecilia’s series was too sweet to pass up. It’s about a little cupid angel with a ton of freckles, big curly hair, and an adorable personality.

5) What is your personal agenting style?

I would say that my personal style is hands on. I don’t like drama, so I always try to make things go as smoothly as possible from day one. That said, I like my authors (and the editors that I work with) to feel really comfortable with me, so that when problems arise (as they tend to do), they can come to me and we can figure out the best approach to fix the problem. I’m an optimist. I also like to keep things moving—there’s no time to waste!—so I work hard to get things done as quickly as possible. I’m not a big phone-chatter (though my authors are always welcome to call me). I’m a workaholic, so I’m constantly online and my smart phone is always with me. A lot of my authors text me throughout the day, which I’m absolutely fine with. Typically I like to do a round of edits a on manuscript before submitting out to editors, just to make sure that the manuscript is in tip-top shape. And then, I keep my author’s in the loop as things progress.

At JVNLA we really consider our authors part of our “team.” It’s a partnership and every agent at JVNLA is collaborative, meaning that we all work together to promote our authors in every way that we possibly can.

6) And finally, tell us something random about you.

I have three sisters that I am really close to, so I’m always interested in books that deal with the relationship between sisters. If you also like sister stories you should check out my author Jillian Cantor’s book, The September Sisters. It’s a real tear-jerker!

Thanks, Jessica!

Have a question for Jessica? Leave it in the comments before 3pm ET today. See you next week for the Week #3 celebration!

YA Giveaway Winner

2012-01-16T08:05:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the Week #1 Celebration YA giveaway! The Research Randomizer selected the lucky winning comment, and the winner is....EMMA CORMACK. Congratulations, Emma! I'll email you today so think about which YA book you'd like to read next.

Be sure to check back tomorrow when my amazing agent, Jessica Regel, will do a Q & A on the blog and will answer questions LIVE in the comments!

Happy Monday!

Friday Book Recommendation: BEAUTIFUL by Amy Reed

2012-01-13T08:05:00.002-05:00

Before I get to the weekly book recommendation, just a reminder that this is the last day to enter for your chance to win the YA book of your choice. Just leave a comment here if you want to be included in the contest. My blog Sister, Valerie, is also doing an awesome giveaway and you have until the 17th for that one.

My book pick for this week is BEAUTIFUL by Amy Reed:

Summary from Goodreads:

When Cassie moves from the tiny town where she has always lived to a suburb of Seattle, she is determined to leave her boring, good-girl existence behind. This is Cassie’s chance to stop being invisible and become the kind of girl who’s worth noticing.

Stepping into her new identity turns out to be easier than Cassie could have ever imagined…one moment, one choice, changes everything.

Cassie’s new existence both thrills and terrifies her. Swept into a world of illicit parties and social landmines, she sheds her virginity, embraces the numbness she feels from the drugs, and floats through it all, knowing that she is now called beautiful. She ignores the dangers of her fast-paced life…but she can’t sidestep the secrets and the cruelty.

Cassie is trapped in a swift downward spiral tinged with violence and abuse, and no one—not even the one person she thought she could trust—can help her now.

Kristi's take: I usually go for the books involving strange worlds and sparkly space monkeys, so I was a little hesitant to pick this one up. Once I did, this book did not let me go until I finished. It's gritty, real, disturbing and not an easy read due to the subject matter, but I loved every sentence. Cassie reminded me of many of the girls I worked with in juvenile detention who were smart, strong, and broken all at once. This book won't be for everyone because the issues are not glossed over or sugarcoated in any way--meaning some will find it offensive. However, I found this book to be incredibly powerful and wish I could go back and give a copy of it to all the "delinquent" girls I worked with in the past. If you love contemporary YA, or just want a break from space monkeys, definitely check this one out.

ENTHRALLED - signed YA Anthology International Giveaway!

2012-01-11T08:21:00.001-05:00

Kristi and I are on the same wavelength this week! As you know, last week I announced that I will have a short story in the HarperTeen anthology DEFY THE DARK edited by Saundra Mitchell coming out in summer 2013. (squee!) And so, I thought, what better way to celebrate than to give away a signed copy of THIS year's HarperTeen anthology, ENTHRALLED edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong?

If you remember this post, I was fortunate to be able to attend the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour this past October and get a paperback copy of ENTHRALLED signed by all the participating authors! Like Carrie Ryan, and Melissa Marr!

And here's the best part, I will send this book anywhere in the world! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address (spelled out like this: yourname(at)gmail(dot)com to avoid spam.) and tell me which book you're most looking forward to in 2012!

Contest ends 1/17 at 11:59pm ET. I will announce the winner in my post next week on the 18th. For another chance to win, check out my blog, where I'm giving away a second signed copy!

Celebration Week #1 with YA Book Giveaway

2012-01-10T08:05:00.001-05:00

In my post last week--you know the one where I shouted from the rooftops about my amazing agent--I said I wanted to pay it forward. There are so many amazing and supportive people in the book community, and I'd like to give back. To kick off the festivities, I'm doing a YA Book Giveaway...and you get to pick the book! If you live anywhere the Book Depository ships, you're eligible to enter. You can pick any YA book of your choice and I'll have it sent to you. A few suggestions:

ONCE EVERY NEVER by my agency sister, Lesley Livingston (yes, it's a shameless plug but Lesley is awesome!)

BLOODROSE by Andrea Cremer (Nightshade #3). I haven't read this one yet, but LOVED the first book.

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs. I had to throw in a scary one, plus I plain loved this book.

The rules are simple. Just leave a comment below and tell everyone about a YA book you've read recently that you would recommend. That's it. A random number generator will pick the winning comment. Leave your comment by this Friday, Jan. 13. Also, make sure to include your email, but use (at) and (com), so the spam bots don't hunt you down and start offering you performance enhancing drugs (don't ask.)

For those writers out there, get those queries polished, because a free query critique day is coming soon! :)

Contest Monday featuring: editor pitch contest

2012-01-09T08:05:00.001-05:00

If you are participating in the 2012 debut author challenge (DAC), then you are eligible to participate in a contest over at The Story Siren. Kristi is giving away a signed copy of CRACKED by K.M. Walton to one lucky winner.

YAUtopia is hosting an awesome pitch contest, featuring SIX editors (they added two more) from Entangled Publishing. Check out the post for details on what each editor is looking for. For tips on creating a great pitch, see our post here. The pitches will occur in the comments on Jan. 25th, so get ready.

If you have a contest that you'd like to promote, feel free to enter it in the comments below.

Happy Monday!

Exciting News!

2012-01-04T14:48:00.001-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

In an effort to avoid double posting, today I'm sharing my exciting news, (think HarperTeen!) on my blog.

Please check it out here:
New Year, New News!

How I Got My Agent

2012-01-03T08:05:00.001-05:00

Happy 2012!! I hope everyone had a wonderful, fun and relaxing holiday. We were fortunate enough to have a white Christmas here near Denver, complete with ice-skating, sledding, and snowman building. The only downside to the last two weeks was eating my weight in cookies and chocolate fudge, but I've got a whole year to lose the weight before the holidays return!

While I'm not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, I do love setting new goals for the year. In reviewing my writing goals for 2011 (see last year's post), I had a variety of objectives I wanted to achieve. One of those goals was written exactly like this: SIGN WITH THE PERFECT AGENT FOR ME. (Apparently, the key to goal attainment is stating them in bold, all-cap lettering.) I'm going to try that with my 2012 goal of: HAVING THE PERFECT PUBLISHER BUY MY BOOK.

I signed with my awesome agent in mid-December, and she had her entire edit letter to me THE NEXT MORNING. Seriously. You can't get more perfect for me than that. I've also spent several weeks trying to say "my agent" without breaking into a ridiculous grin, but have failed so far. I feel so fortunate, lucky, and thrilled to say that I am officially represented by Jessica Regel from the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. This is Jessica:

This is me with my signed agency agreement:

As far as details go, I was pulled straight from the slushpile. I knew immediately after speaking with Jessica that she was a great fit, but I had other fulls out there and felt I should notify those agents out of professional courtesy. Jessica was very understanding, and when I received another offer of representation the next day, she said she wasn't surprised because my "book rocks." I'll admit that hearing that from an agent was one of the coolest writing highlights of my year. I loved Jessica's enthusiasm, confidence, and game plan for my book. Speaking with one of Jessica's current clients validated everything my gut told me--they raved about her dedication, competence, determination, and overall awesomeness.

One huge reason I'm convinced I obtained representation when I did is because of something I did not do from my goal list in the link above. I had originally planned to attend a writing conference that I'd gone to in the past, but then had my arm twisted to go to a week-long writing retreat instead. I said at the time that it was the best writing-related thing I'd done in in my life, and it's true. The feedback from editors was priceless, and I am forever indebted to one editor in particular for the confidence they gave me. After coming back from that retreat in October, I had renewed determination and tore my book apart (again), put it back together in November, and decided I would send it out into the world until somebody said 'yes.' I also started working on a new ms in order to preserve my sanity during the wait.

I have a bunch of query posts planned about the whole process, but I also want to pay it forward and give back to the wonderful community of writers and readers out there. I'll be doing a query critique day for writers, a book giveaway for readers, and my awesomesauce agent, Jessica, will be doing a Q & A on the blog.

What are your goals for 2012? Feel free to use bold, all-caps like I did--it can't hurt!

All It Takes Is One Yes

2011-12-20T08:05:00.001-05:00

As writers, we've heard this saying many times--at least I have. Those words kept me going, especially during the times that I wanted to hurl my manuscript at the wall, or chuck it entirely, in order to finally start that epic vampire space monkey series. Luckily, we unpublished writers tend to be a persistent bunch. We keep going and persevere despite the brutal work hours, non-existent pay, and lack of a 401(k). Our love of writing and the amazing support from fellow writers power us through the ups and downs of this crazy business.

"All it takes is one yes," is true, and sometimes that yes turns into more than one yes, and your world turns upside down in the span of twenty-four hours, and it feels like it's all happening so fast, when in reality, it wasn't fast at all. It was years--years of blood, sweat, tears, and words. Drafted words. Edited words. Revised words. Deleted words. So remind yourself of this phrase as often as necessary. Keep working, keep writing, and keep revising, and most importantly, "Never give up!" You'll never get that "yes" if you quit.

I will kick off 2012 with my official "How I Got My Agent" story, and my awesome agent will be doing a Q & A on the blog as well. My blog Sisters have some exciting things brewing as well, and I can't wait for them to share with you. We here at Sisters in Scribe will be taking a brief holiday break from now until after the New Year. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season, and an amazing 2012! :)

Contest Monday featuring an agent-judged contest and book giveaways

2011-12-19T08:05:00.001-05:00

Krista V. over at Mother. Write. Repeat. is hosting An Agent's Inbox Contest TODAY (12/19)!. You submit your query and first 250 words which will be evaluated by an agent. That agent will pick the winners (and prizes) the following week. Your manuscript must be complete and polished in order to enter. Accepted genres are listed in the rules, but YA is one of them. Good luck!

The PageTurners Blog is giving away prizes to 9, yes 9, winners. The prizes feature the "best I've read in 2011" and include City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare and Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, to name just a few. Click here for the details, and enter by Dec. 23.

Happy Monday!!

Friday Book Recommendation: THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab

2011-12-16T11:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! Our book recommendation this week is THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

Kristi's take: I love a good, creepy ghost story all on its own, but this one also involves witches. Ghosts and witches together? Um, yes please. I personally don't think you could have a more perfect combo, so I was hooked on the premise alone but the author's writing is what brought it all home--it's lyrical, haunting, and gorgeous. This was reminiscent of the stories we used to tell each other in my neighborhood when I was a child (often when trying to out-scare each other). The setting in this book was so richly imagined that it felt like a character in itself, and don't get me started on the wind--let's just say I'll never hear wind the same way again. If you haven't read this one yet, I highly recommend it!

NaNoFailMo

2011-12-13T08:05:00.000-05:00

I had the best of intentions, I really did. I started out strong and racked up 17K words in a week. Yeah, it pretty much ended there. However, despite the fact that NaNo was a bust, I'm not considering the month a failure because a) thanks to the magic of Scrivener (yes, I devoted a whole post to this wonder program) I have the entire book outlined and b) I worked really hard the rest of the month on a different ms. I'd say the detour worked out okay in the end, as December was officially the best writing-related month of my life so far. Details are forthcoming, but suffice it to say that I'm still pinching myself.

So for those of you who finished NaNo this year, you rock! 50K in a month is a huge commitment. And for those who tried, but feel bad because you 'only' got 20K or 30K written, you rock too! That's 20,000 more words than you had in October. Goals are fun, but make sure you're having fun in the process.

How many of you did NaNo and finished this year? How many tried but didn't quite hit 50K? How many of you decided that no way in hell would you attempt such craziness?

Friday Book Rec - THE SPACE BETWEEN by Brenna Yovanoff

2011-12-09T15:49:00.000-05:00

This week I'm recommending THE SPACE BETWEEN by Brenna Yovanoff. Look at this gorgeous cover. It's reason enough to rec it but what makes this book so awesome is that it's just as gorgeous on the inside as it is out.

The Blurb:
Everything is made of steel, even the flowers. How can you love anything in a place like this?

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped - and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.

This second novel by rising star Brenna Yovanoff is a story of identity, discovery, and a troubled love between two people struggling to find their place both in our world and theirs.

Why you should read this book: This book is gorgeous. Every part of it. From the cover, to the prose, to the world it's set in. (Seriously, as odd as it sounds, this book made me want to visit hell, well, Pandemonium, maybe not the rest.) Brenna has a way of making the fantastical so real that after reading the book you're sure you've been there and seen those things for yourself.

Daphne and the world she comes from are fascinating. Both she and Truman (the boy in the blurb) are relatable, and realistic despite all the ways they maybe shouldn't be. This is a story about love and hope and loss and finding yourself and so many other things.

Even if you're not into paranormal I think you will still love this book. It's one of those that will stick with me for a long time. Add it to your Christmas list while there's still time!

The Nonfiction in Fiction

2011-12-06T09:30:00.001-05:00

Most of the time, though not always, people tend to write either non-fiction or fiction. Every week in my local paper, there are "top ten" lists separating books by these two categories. However, I'm always amazed at how much research goes into writing fiction. Have you ever read a really great historical fiction novel and been in awe of how much they had to learn about the time period before they wrote the book? I've read author interviews where they spent years--years--researching before the actual writing part took place.

As a total research and science nerd who geeks out over NatGeo and the Discovery channel, I loved doing research for my book. I had some great conversations with professors at a respected astrophysics department and learned a ton. One of them told me I inspired him to write a new question on his graduate student exam. The great part about using non-fiction in fiction is that you can get creative in how you implement it. You have more leeway than you do with non-fiction, plus the obvious--you can't have vampire space monkeys in non-fiction and they're plain fun.

What about you? Did you enjoy the research part of your book? Anyone who has written non-fiction and fiction?

Friday Book Recommendation: WITHER by Lauren DeStefano

2011-12-02T08:05:00.000-05:00

I've been lucky to read some great books lately. I'm currently in the midst of another great read that I'll recommend shortly, but my recommendation for this week is: WITHER by Lauren DeStefano. It's the first in the Chemical Garden trilogy and I can't wait to read the next one.

From Goodreads:
Obviously, something went terribly wrong. Genetic mutations have festered, reducing human longevity to twenty-five, even less for most women. To prevent extinction, young girls are kidnapped, mated in polygamous marriages with men eager to procreate. Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery, a recent victim of this breeding farm mentality, has vowed to break loose from its fetters; but finding allies and a safe way out is a challenge she can only hope she will survive.

Kristi's take: If you love dystopian and strong female MC's as much as I do, you'll love this book. I don't want to give anything else away, but seriously--it's a must read.

Building Secondary Characters

2011-12-01T10:04:00.000-05:00

Valerie had a great post yesterday about people and their many layers. It got me thinking (see how awesome it is to have great crit partners?) about my secondary characters. Do they really have all those layers? In my head, sure, but am I showing that on paper? **See Kristi's post on Being a Visual Writer**

My protagonist and her love interest, even her parents have all these layers. They see themselves one way, but are perceived differently by others, they have different mannerism, great motivation for their actions, even though the reader doesn't fully see it right away. But what about the best friend? The boy who wants the girl, but surely won't get her? Why does the cop do what he does? I mean, what's in it for him?

Every character is important. If they aren't, they probably shouldn't be in your story. Even if your reader never reads about why this minor character finally decided to come forward and admit that he's a cyborg, they need to feel that motivation. See it in his actions, even if your protag doesn't. Truck loads of backstory don't belong in your manuscript, but you should know every detail. Some authors even suggest that you sit down and interview every character. Ask them questions both big and small and see what they say. It'll give you a better understanding of who they are, why they do what they do, and that will reflect in your writing. If you don't know these people, they'll feel like paper to your readers. But you already knew that because you're awesome. ;)

Now. Back to adding those layers.

**************
On a side note, I want to wish my agency sister Miranda Kenneally a very happy book birthday! Her debut novel CATCHING JORDAN hits shelves today! *confetti*

People Have Layers

2011-11-30T08:16:00.000-05:00

For the last few holiday seasons I've worked at a book store. One of the things we do every year is a book drive for area children. Our goal is massive, around 400 books. In order to meet this goal, the store has a simple, but effective strategy. Ask EVERYONE. Even if they're frowning, even if they only bought a .50 newspaper, even if they're in a rush, even if they've said "no" to everything else you've asked them.

As a somewhat why person, this took some getting used to, but once I did, I noticed something fascinating. You never know who's going to say yes. Mr. Crankypants might just stop in the middle of his rant about rising costs, blink at you a few times and say "Sure." The sweet grandmother with the kind eyes might scowl at you and act offended you had the nerve to ask.

This is something I keep in mind when developing my characters, and writing my scenes. People have layers. There are all sorts of tiny things that affect them from moment to moment. What they show on their face or their body language might not be a true indicator of who they are or what they're thinking. They might be frowning because they can't remember a lyric to their favorite song, with no idea that they look angry. They might've just found out their kid got arrested while shopping for his expensive present.

So I try to make sure I have little moments like this in my book. Scenes where a character is thinking one thing but showing another, scenes where a character is completely misjudged or misinterpreted, because that's real, and I think it's always interesting to see the difference between the way a person is perceived, and the way they perceive themselves.

What about you, do you have any little tricks or reminders like this when you write?

The Problem of Being a Visual Writer

2011-11-29T08:03:00.000-05:00

I literally dream my book ideas. They play out like movies in my head while I sleep--vivid, engaging movies that makes me say "Whoa, cool," when I awake (because I can't speak more than two words until I've had coffee). The problem comes when I try to translate said dreams onto paper (er, laptop).

I tend to write more like a screenwriter. I hear the sounds happening around the scene and see the exact spot where the light filters through the trees, just like in the dream. I have the picture so clear in my head that I don't always feel the need to translate it, as though my reader should be psychic. A beta reader will make a comment about something they didn't understand, and I'm like "Well, clearly the intergalactic space station is perpendicular to the planet, which is why the three suns rise in the formation of a isosceles triangle." Okay, it's not that bad but you get the point.

Then, I came across this great article by Patricia Wrede. She talks about how writing a scene is different than filming it, and though you can never make it read the way it would be filmed, you can have an enormous impact by how you write it. It's something I'm still working on, and I found this article really helpful.

Has anyone read this article? Anyone else out there a visual writer?

Contest Cyber Monday

2011-11-28T10:25:00.001-05:00

We hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving break! Can you believe it's almost December already?

UNTREACABLE by Shelli Johannes-Wells releases at midnight tonight!!!! YAY, Shelli! If you're not familiar with Shelli, her blog Market My Words is an excellent resource for writers. I recommend you check it out. To celebrate the release of her book, Shelli is hosting a "Launch with Love" celebration at her blog. She's giving away a slew of different prizes, including books and a critique session! Ends Tuesday Nov. 29th at 11:59pm.

Casey and Natalie at Literary Rambles has a great interview with Scott Tracey, and a copy of his book WITCH EYES to give away! Ends Midnight Dec. 10th. They have a lot of interviews and giveaways coming up on the Literary Rambles blog, so keep checking!

As always, if you have a contest to share, please link us in the comments! Also, great Cyber Monday deals on books and bookish things are also appreciated. ;)

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

2011-11-21T15:03:00.000-05:00

In honor of Thanksgiving, the Sisters in Scribe are taking the week off to enjoy time with family and friends. We hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing holiday weekend! See you next week. :)

Awesome NaNo Poem by Jacqui Robbins

2011-11-15T08:05:00.001-05:00

Those of you who are my Facebook friends know I've dealt with a plague upon my household this week. High fevers, aching body parts, and severe croup have afflicted us, and as of tonight, no one in my family was left untouched. Needless to say, I have not met my NaNo weekly word count quota--but I have met my lifetime quota of 3am steam showers with the kiddos. I shuddered when I hopped on Twitter and saw the flurry of #1Kin1hr hashtags. If someone had started a #1Win1hr, I might have succeeded. Maybe.

But I'm back in the swing of things today, and am once again plugging away at my ms. I came across the best NaNo poem today while reading Jill Corcoran's blog. The poem is titled Working is in Progress by Jacqui Robbins from her blog, Jacqui's Room. It only takes a minute to read, so you can get inspired and then get back to your novel. I'm going to type quickly (maybe even #1Kin1hr), because I probably don't have much time before the next steam shower.

Happy NaNo'ing!

Contest Monday featuring Regal Literary

2011-11-14T08:05:00.002-05:00

Literary Rambles pointed me to a fabulous Winter Book Giveaway by Regal Literary. They are giving away some great books, including Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger which I've been dying to read. Enter through the end of November.

Anna Staniszewski is hosting an August/September debut giveaway. Enter to win one of several incredible books by 2011 debut authors. A few of these, which are already on my TBR list, include The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, and The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson. Check out the link for other great titles and enter by Nov. 28th.

Good luck, and happy Monday!

It's Dark In Here

2011-11-10T07:34:00.000-05:00

I am deep in the bellows of my revision cave. Really, I'm sitting at the kitchen table staring at the breakfast dishes and willing them to wash themselves. But you know what I mean.

Because my brain is spent, today I am just going to pass along a blog post by Anita Nolan, on revising your manuscript, that my dear friend Rebecca Sutton shared with me. Enjoy.

http://www.anitanolan.com/theend.html

NaNoWriMo Incentive and Inspiration

2011-11-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

As we move into the second week of NaNoWriMo I thought I'd share a couple of great posts I've read recently that talk about persevering far better than I can.

The first comes from Chuck Wendig and his Terrible Minds blog. I like to think of it as incentive. You know, yes I can so finish my book!(Please note there is a fair bit of swearing in the post, so if that's not your thing, you've been warned.)

25 Reasons You Won't Finish That Story

Number 18 is one that is usually true for me.
18. Haven’t Answered Any Of The Critical Questions

Ask yourself: what is this about? Why am I writing this? Why will anyone care? Asking yourself some fundamental questions before you write — plus several others while you write — can help keep your nose to the grindstone and allow you to feel settled in both direction and purpose.

Also check out his list of those questions. He's got some really great ones.

The second is totally inspirational. It's about sticking with it when you've got that horrible feeling that you have completely failed at writing the book you wanted to write. It's a great guest post by Sara Zarr on Nova Ren Suma's blog:

What Inspires Sara Zarr

I bet you can't guess what it is. Failure. Yep. Go read why. If you've been feeling stuck, you'll be inspired to keep going, I swear.

How is the NaNo'ing Going?

2011-11-08T08:25:00.005-05:00

It's less than a week into NaNo, and I'm already realizing what a LONG month November is going to be. I'm just shy of 14,000 words, so the word count is going well, but two thousand words per day is a big commitment. Also, did the people who thought up NaNoWriMo realize that Thanksgiving is sort of a major holiday? I'm trying to get ahead because I know how crazy my Thanksgiving week will be, not to mention the baby shower I'm hosting for a truckload of ladies next week. How do other people plan their NaNo writing around life events? Any tips that don't involve getting up at 4am, or ingesting large quantities of methamphetamines would be greatly appreciated.

On the plus side, this is the first time I've used Scrivener to plan out and write a novel, and that has helped a ton. Things seem to be flowing better than in previous novels, and having a beat sheet has kept me on track with where I want to go next. Being a former pantster, I thought outlining would stifle my creativity but I'm actually having a blast with this book. I've also had time to shower this week--several times--and even cook a few meals, so my family is on board with my holding a laptop at all other times of the day.

How about other NaNo'ers out there? How's it going? How are you staying motivated? Anyone else scouring their kids' Halloween baskets for writing fuel?

Friday Book Recommendation: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

2011-11-04T11:21:00.002-04:00

I recommended this one a while back, but I haven't had much time for reading anything new, so I thought I'd give a favorite a bump.
***
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Viking Juvenile (March 19, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 067001110X
ISBN-13: 978-0670011100
Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1.4 inches
Get it on Amazon here
Buy Indie

"Dead girl walking," the boys say in the halls.
"Tell us your secret," the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend's restless spirit.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

*******

“We held hands when we walked down the gingerbread path into the forest, blood dripping from our fingers. We danced with witches and kissed monsters. We turned us in to wintergirls, and when she tried to leave, I pulled her back into the snow because I was afraid to be alone.” WINTERGIRLS, page 99

WINTERGIRLS beautiful, inside and out. The hardcover is gorgeous (and I do recommend you get it in hardcover, it's one of those). The metaphors that Anderson uses are so vivid and strong, you can't help but read passages like the above over and over. I highly recommend this book to any and everyone. It's one of those that should not be missed.

It's NaNoWriMo Time

2011-11-01T08:10:00.002-04:00

Today, November 1st, is the official start day of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). If you're in need of some great tips and free downloads of things like blank beat sheets, check out the NaNoWriMo posts over at Storyfix.com. Even if you think you know what you're doing, the story-planning advice there is well worth going over. I laid out my entire novel for the month ahead of time, and used many of those posts for guidance.

For those of you NaNo'ing along with me, I wish you the best of luck--it's an exhausting, yet satisfying endeavor. My goal for this year is to make my first draft tighter than in previous years, so that I'm not spending another six months in revisions. It's good to have goals, right? Try to have fun with it, and use a NaNo buddy to keep yourself accountable. Now stop reading and get to writing!

How many others are NaNo'ing this year? If you've done it before, are you approaching it differently this time?

Contest Monday! Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T10:40:00.003-04:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I assume most of you aren't in a sugar coma yet, so here are a few Halloween(ish) giveaways I found around the blogosphere.

Our sister Valerie is having TWO giveaways this week! Check out her blog (click the links) to see enter to win the fun middle grade novel THE WHITE ASSASSIN by Hilary Wagner AND the latest House of Night book DESTINED by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast! Both contests end Thursday, November 3rd.

To celebrate all she's thankful for, Beth Revis is giving away 19 signed books to one lucky winner! Details.

Young Adult Books blog is giving away 5 copies of the YA paranormal, THE MEPHISTO COVENANT. Ends Nov. 11th. Details.

Bells has a great interview with author Shona Husk, and she is giving away 2 copies of Shona's adult book THE GOBLIN KING. Ends Nov. 7th. Details.

Today is the last day to enter to win this awesome "witchy-boo" charm bracelet at On The Broomstick.

Play this fun Halloween quiz and be entered to win a signed copy of MONSTERS in the MOVIES.

Hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween! And if you have any contests or giveaway, seasonal or not, please share them in the comments!

Friday Book Rec: THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-10-28T08:33:00.004-04:00

From Goodreads:
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

Why you should read this book: Well, first of all, it's written by Maggie Stiefvater, and if you've read anything by her, you know this book will be amazing. I had the opportunity to read this book several months ago, and I still can't get it out of my brain. It's gorgeous, moving, exciting, and not like anything else out there right now. Really. THE SCORPIO RACES belongs in a category all to itself. It's just a fabulous read. Just read it. You won't be disappointed!

My NaNoWriMo Necessities

2011-10-26T12:39:00.001-04:00

It's almost that time again, can you believe it? NaNoWriMo starts November first. And after taking last year off, I've decided I have a goal I want to meet, and NaNo is going to help me do it. I'm just getting started with my prepping (well, sort of), so I thought I'd share my process.

Here's what I personally need in order to have a successful NaNoWriMo experience:

- A Notebook (I like Mead 5-star college ruled, because I'm particular like that.)
- SCRIVENER (They have a 30 day free trial! Perfect for NaNo.)
- Write Or Die (I have the desktop edition, but you can also use it for free online.)
- A set block of writing time each day.

And of course, none of this is even remotely helpful without an idea. Which I have.

So, how do I use these things? I've found that NaNo only works for me when I know exactly what I'm writing. (And by "exactly" I mean, I know what my story is about, the basic plot, and usually the beginning and end - all of which may change once I actually start writing.)

I am not an outliner, but what I do is in the months leading up to NaNo, I fill a notebook with plot ideas, scene ideas, and character info. It's a lot of rambling, but it is SO helpful. And I find that handwriting this, rather than typing it, helps in a couple of ways. One, it feels very free. I'm just playing around. I'm not officially attempting to write a book, which is of course, scary, and difficult. Two, I find that when hand writing, I remember things better, and I tend to sort of ask and answer questions, which helps to flesh out my idea.

Once I've done that, if there's still space in that notebook, I write down a brief description of every scene I know is going to go into the book. If there's not room, I start with a brand new one, because brand new notebooks make me happy. I use this list as my jumping off point for NaNo. I find that if I have a chunk of things that I know I'm going to write, it feels much less scary getting started. Usually these scenes skip over many events I haven't figured out yet and sitting down to write them helps me figure out the rest. (Once I'm on a roll though, I try to save any pre-planned scenes for those days when I feel like I can't possibly write at all.) Also, I find it satisfying to open up that notebook each day and see whch scenes I've already written, and how far I've come. When I get new scene ideas I will also jot them down in the notebook just so that I have them and can cross them off when they're written.

And that means that yes, I'm one of those crazy people that sometimes writes out of order. This is where Scrivener comes in! With Scrivener I can organize as I go. I make each scene I write a separate file in Scrivener which makes dragging them around in index card mode (or just regular binder view) very simple. I also make notes on each scene in the "Documents Notes" section that let me know what information I haven't figured out yet, or what effect this scene has on what I've already written.

So how do I get those scenes written? I like Write Or Die. (Write Or Die is a writing app that you type in. It counts your words and prompts you with flashing colors and awful sounds, and even deleting your text if you're brave enough to use kamikaze, whenever you stop typing and start staring into space.) I usually set it at 40 minutes and 1000 words on "Normal". I find if I have a general idea of the scene I'm writing, I can keep writing all the way through, and often I will go over the 1k, or I will write more than one scene to reach that 1k with time to spare. When I'm less certain about what I'm writing, I'll do 500 words and 20-25 minutes. The prompting from Write Or Die is usually enough to kick me back into writing. I find that I can get more done by not stopping and trying to find the absolute perfect word. And a lot of times I discover that by having to write something, I end up figuring things out I would've spent hours pondering.

And that brings me to my final necessity. Time. I have to set up a specific time each day where I do this writing. I like first thing in the morning. I will sit down at the computer with my coffee, and my ideas fresh from sleep and just type those 1666 words until I'm done. I don't go over what I wrote the day before first, although usually I'll wake up with thoughts on what to do next fresh on my mind. And I find if I address those first, I'm more focused than if I've checked my email, and read blogs, and seen what's going on on twitter. I'm not normally this disciplined, but it's something about the idea that it's just for one month, that allows me to do this.

And that's my approach to NaNoWriMo. How do you NaNo? Do you find it easier to focus during that month than other times of the year?

Retreat Rehash

2011-10-25T08:16:00.001-04:00

I think I've finally recovered from my exhausting, amazing, and inspiring week in Breckenridge at the Writing Away Retreat hosted by this fab lady: CICILY JANUS

(NOTE: All photos in this post were taken by the lovely and talented Maureen Benes, a fellow writer at the retreat who knows her way around a camera way better than I do). Here's the link to more of her beautiful photography.

Cicily and Sue Ellen cooked their way through the whole week, and I haven't eaten that well in a really long time. After having amazing meals prepared for 5 1/2 days, it was really hard to get my butt back in the kitchen when I got home.

This was the view from our front porch, and it was even better when we went hiking in the mountains:

And this was the last of the beverages on the final day of the retreat....

The wine, vodka, rum, etc. were long gone at this point. CONFESSION: my roommate and I alone finished a case of Diet Pepsi--cuz we're wild and crazy like that.

The writing time was incredible. Those of you with jobs, kids, etc. can understand the joy of uninterrupted writing time. Aside from the occasional (okay, frequent) Diet Pepsi run, I wrote all day long. The 1:1's with staff were more helpful than any conference I've ever attended. Seriously. It was more than worth the money just to have those critique sessions. Plus, they were a captive audience as we all shared the same house. They were always happy to answer questions about the publishing industry or just talk about life, kids, etc. I couldn't have picked more amazing editors to spend my week with than Abby Ranger, Kevin Doughten, and Katie Gilligan. Also, don't tell anyone, but Kevin can sing (and dance).

I have so many great memories: karaoke night, Maritess' magic show, Folio agent Scott Hoffman's rendition of Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive", Lee Ann's Southern-tinged stories, laughing with my roommate until 5am when we finally fell asleep, and Chris' amazing take on "Kiss" by Prince. Also, did I mention the hot tub? My first night there, the moon was full and we watched the snow-capped mountain peaks glow from the hot tub. The hot tub was a relaxing way to end the day, and my roommate and partner-in-crime, Sue, spent a lot of time there with me...I'm still waiting for that meteor shower.

Overall, bonding with other writers was the highlight of my week. It was a truly magical experience, and I'm already saving up for next time. If you've ever considered a retreat, I can't recommend this one highly enough.

Friday Book Recommendation--BLISS by Lauren Myracle

2011-10-21T08:16:00.002-04:00

I'd already planned on recommending this one by Lauren Myracle in October because it makes for a good creepy, Halloween read:

As I was basically was under a rock for the past week (e.g. no internet), I didn't hear all the kerfluffle over her book SHINE until yesterday. The fact that she handled the incident with such grace and professionalism makes me want to recommend any book of hers even more. I plan on reading SHINE ASAP, and hope you enjoy BLISS as much as I did.

From Goodreads:
Lauren Myracle brings her keen understanding of teen dynamics to a hypnotic horror story of twisted friendship:
When Bliss’s hippie parents leave the commune and dump her at the home of her aloof grandmother in a tony Atlanta neighborhood, it’s like being set down on an alien planet. The only guide naïve Bliss has to her new environment is what she’s seen on The Andy Griffith Show. But Mayberry is poor preparation for Crestview Academy, an elite school where the tensions of the present and the dark secrets of the past threaten to simmer into violence. Openhearted, naïve Bliss is happy to be friends with anyone. That’s not the way it has ever worked at Crestview, and soon Bliss is at the center of a struggle for power between three girls—two living and one long dead.

I Heart School.

2011-10-20T10:32:00.000-04:00

My Tiny Human started school in September this year. She and I went from being together 24/7 for all four years of her life, to being apart for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. Now. This is where I could tell you that I cried the day I dropped her off and I've missed her and she had terrible separation anxiety. But I'd be lying.

It is GREAT! She loves school, her teacher is fantastic, and I have 6 hours to exercise, write, read, whatever I need to do. I told myself that my revisions would be done so fast and my house would never be cleaner, but yeah, that hasn't really happened. Still, this extra quiet time has done wonders for my mental health (and physical health, since I've had time to exercise).

But the downside to having school aged children, is remembering all the special dates. Good golly. And I volunteer for things, so I need to remember those dates, times and places as well. Oy!

I've been asked to come in and do a school visit next week with her class and talk about writing, so I will definitely let you know how that goes!

Anybody else with Tiny Humans that started school this year? how are you spending that time? Writing, I hope!

Staying Focused?

2011-10-19T12:07:00.000-04:00

So I've been going through some house drama. My bathroom essentially fell apart while I was in Amsterdam and since then I've had it ripped apart, my house filled with potentially hazardous dust, and have not been able to stay there. FOR THE LAST MONTH. It is extremely frustrating. Especially since where I've been staying doesn't have wi-fi and my macbook won't connect to the modem using the wire. Which means I have to go to my house, and attempt to accomplish things online while workers are stomping through my house, making all kinds of noise and I'm choking on dust. It is... not fun.

Top it off with the fact that I had a pretty important deadline looming, and my nights were filled with anxiety dreams of floods and toxic mold. It's been difficult, and I know my writing has suffered from it. I've been trying all kinds of things to help me focus, such as focus brainwave audio, which is basically the sound of waves crashing on the shore while underneath it tones that stimulates gamma or alpha waves play. I have to say that I was surprised that they sort of seemed to work. I don't know if it was just the fact that it was white noise, or if the brainwave thing was actually happening, but I did find myself able to focus more despite what was going on around me.

What kinds of things do you do to stay focused? I am sort of desperate for more tips. I tried the library, but they don't really have any "quiet" spaces there (plus they're doing construction, hello!) and I'm not so good in coffee shops where there's so much going on. Is there anything special that works for you?

Retreat Fatigue

2011-10-18T10:45:00.000-04:00

Next week, I'll be posting all the details (and hopefully pics) of the best writing-related thing I've done in my life. Due to averaging 4 hours of sleep for the past 5 nights, then being snowed in at the retreat yesterday and getting home later than expected, I'm way too tired to write coherently at the moment. I can say that the other writers and editors/agents I spent 6 days with are some of the coolest people in the universe. If you ever get the chance to go to a retreat, I highly recommend this one, hosted by Cicily Janus. Okay, off to drink more coffee and/or try to talk my kids into playing Sleeping Beauty--I can sleep while they try to wake "the princess." Think it will work?

Second Draft = First Draft - 10%

2011-10-13T09:30:00.000-04:00

This is a formula learned by Stephen King back in his early years of multiple (multiple!) rejection slips. Like Mr. King, I find my writing style to be the opposite. I write a fast paced, skimpy first draft, and then add the meat later. But I'm just now figuring out what that really means.

I'd worry about themes, and character arcs and motivations, all of the things a good writer should be worried about. But I'm realizing now that I think I worried about them at the wrong time. I don't outline. I don't plot my first draft. I can't. I've tried, and it kills my creativity. Just...*bang*. Dead. I start with something--a situation, a character, a first line--and I go with the flow from there. Granted, I would probably save myself some revision time if I thought ahead, but that's just not how I work. I'm noticing now as I'm on draft # (I care not to mention the number) that I DO have themes! Or at least, snipits of things that I can make resonate, things I can flesh out and bring to the foreground and make thematic! OMG! And I have symbolism! What!? For real. It's all there. And I didn't even try.

I wish I'd come to this revelation sooner, and had I finished this amazing book called On Writing a little sooner, I probably would have. But I'm not one to dwell on shoulda, coulda, woulda.

I'm not saying every story needs themes or symbolism nestled in there. I don't think they all do, but if you find it, go with it. Why not, right?

Another question we tend to stress over is the "what's it all about?". What was my book all about? What was I trying to say with it? Why did I spend so many hours hunched over my keyboard, forgetting to eat, or shower, or wear suitable clothing? This is another question best saved for draft #2, not the first draft. At least, in my case. I can't speak for the rest of you.

During the first draft stage, you might keep this one tucked away in the back of your mind, I try to. But I personally can't decide what I want to say until it's done. You don't want to sit down before you write and think to yourself, "Well, I'm just going to teach these kids that doing drugs is a bad idea." Because then your manuscript of going to reek of morality. And if you want to write an honest work of fiction, you don't want to do that. I mean, unless that the sort of book you want to write. I don't want to step on any toes or anything.

So that's basically it. Often bringing these things to light in what you've already written takes a great deal of cutting (killing those pretty little darlings) and moving, shaping, rewriting. But when you sit back and read what you've written, and it actually resembles a real story, it's so worth it.

Does anyone here follow this formula? Start of with a whopper and file it down to the good stuff? Please share!

Smart Chicks Kick It Tour Recap

2011-10-12T10:37:00.001-04:00

Last week I went to the the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour at Schuler's Books in Lansing, Michigan. It was awesome. This was the biggest signing I've ever been to. There were 7 YA authors!

Kelley Armstrong
Melissa Marr
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Rachel Caine
Melissa De La Cruz
Simone Elkeles
Carrie Ryan

It was so much fun. They gave away tons of goodies, one lucky winner even won an ARC of Jennifer Lyn Barnes' new book Every Other Day! (I was SO jealous, that book looks awesome.)

They answered a ton of questions, some serious, about writing, and some fun, like which character of theirs would they have had a crush on in high school. (Okay, that was my question.)

We also learned lots of info that we're not supposed to share online, such as release dates of upcoming books, and new projects. (Wait til you see the cover of Jennifer Lynn Barnes' next Raised By Wolves book, Taken By Storm!)

One of the coolest things was seeing so many people (there were over 100 there) with massive bags of books to be signed. I could barely carry mine! (And yes, I got some signed for a very special giveaway I'll be doing soon!)

I love seeing YA authors and hearing them talk about their work and their books, but what I love even more about signings is seeing old friends and making new ones. Writing is so solitary, even with the internet, it's always great to see people in the flesh who are doing what you're doing, and understand what it is to love YA. I was especially excited to see Carrie Ryan, who I had not seen since we were snowed in in Branson back in February (and who is made of awesome). I also had a great time getting to know Kristi (The Story Siren).

Below are some pics from the event. I didn't get a picture this time, but I wanted to give a shout out to the very awesome DJ DeSmyter whose first book HUNTED was published by Pendrell Press this summer, and who is still in high school!

Me and the Smart Chicks Authors
(Simone Elkeles, Kelly Armstrong, Me, Carrie Ryan, Melissa De La Cruz, Rachel Caine, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Melissa Marr)

Signing stock.

Me and Carrie Ryan

Me and Kristi aka The Story Siren

Unfortunately (for you, not me) Michigan was the very last stop on the Smart Chicks tour this year. But they're considering possibly doing another one next year.

Internal versus External Motivation

2011-10-11T08:35:00.000-04:00

No, I'm not talking about character arcs, which is an entire post in itself. I'm talking about your own motivations as a writer, be they external (e.g. editor deadlines) or internal (e.g. desire to hit the NYT Bestseller list). I've always responded really well to deadlines, whether self-imposed or other-imposed. I knew I needed to finish revising (okay, re-writing) the second half of my book for a writing retreat I'm attending this week. I finished yesterday with two days to spare, but as excited as I am about the retreat (my external deadline), that wasn't the only motivation behind my late nights this week.

Last week, I mentioned my obsession with Shiny New Idea. I was so motivated to start it, but wouldn't let myself until I finished my "old" manuscript. Last night, I literally hit the "compile" button in Scrivener (coolest program EVER) for my old document, then opened up a new one and wrote the first chapter of SNI. The internal motivation to get my new idea on paper is what helped push me through the torture of a bazillionth revision (only a slight exaggeration) of my last ms. I get so geeked out over first drafts that I'm going to enjoy this time while it lasts...after all, I know that first revision is just around the corner.

What about you? Are you motivated more by external or internal factors?

Contest Monday: The Lazy Holiday Edition

2011-10-10T07:57:00.002-04:00

Our Scribe Sister, Valerie, is giving away a copy of My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody at her blog! Ends Oct. 13th.

The early info for October's Secret Agent contest is up at the Authoress blog! This is not the call for submissions, that opens next Monday, October 17th. This is just the info, so get that manuscript ready!

And because today is a holiday (whether or not it really should be a holiday is totally debatable, but it is) I really don't have much else in the way of contests for you. Hopefully most of you are still snuggled up in your beds. I would be if my Tiny Human wasn't such an early riser.

Enjoy your day off! But not too much. You have work to do.

Living In The Now

2011-10-06T09:17:00.001-04:00

I'm in one of those moods this morning--the sun is shining, the air is crisp, there's a crow out my window--where everything feels a bit euphoric, I suppose. And I've been thinking.

Don't be scared.

I've been thinking about life and creativity and spontaneity. In my last post, I mentioned I'd hit a wall and I asked you all for advice on how to jump over it, or smash through it. You offered great suggestions! But for some reason they weren't working for me this time. This time, I was allowing non-creative thoughts to consume my mind, especially when I sat down in the quiet to write.

I'll skip the long story on how I came to this realization, and get right to it. Most people replay the same thoughts over and over in our minds (total "bag-lady moment", as Dean Winchester might say). Rarely do we stop thinking and just enjoy what we're doing in that moment. Think about something you really like to do, like read a book, watch a movie, or listen to music, or for most of us, write. When you're doing that thing, you're immersed in it. You're not thinking about anything but that thing you're doing, right now.

Unfortunately, when we're down to draft #25 or so, really enjoying writing can be difficult.

I'm finding that creativity comes easier when I stop thinking those obsessive thoughts over and over, and just live in the moment no matter what that moment is. For example, I'm drinking a cup of coffee. I am enjoying that coffee and I'm not thinking about getting an oil change, or washing the dishes, or buying laundry soap. I'm just drinking coffee. I go for a walk, I listen to the birds and look at the trees and again, push those nagging thoughts and concerns aside.

Of course, we can't do that ALL the time. We'd all be a bunch of care-free vagrants (which is great, if you want to be that). But I think it's healthy to just let go and live in the now.

And now that I sound like a hippie, I'm going to go write.

Fight Your Way Through

2011-10-05T10:38:00.000-04:00

I love what Ira Glass has to say in this video about that feeling of disappointment we can sometimes get when the vision we have for our work is not what we manage to create, and how the only way to make it what we want is to fight our way through that disappointment, and keep on writing.

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

This backs up something I truly believe, even as I struggle with it. And that's that if you can dream it, you can do it. If you can imagine a book, full of amazing plot twists, and gut-wrenching emotion, and all the things you love in a book, YOU CAN WRITE THAT BOOK. It might feel like you can't. It might feel scary, and hard, and impossible, but trust me. That book is already inside you. It's already written. You just have to sit down and spit it out.

When to Ignore Your Muse

2011-10-04T08:05:00.001-04:00

You'd think it would be great to have a Shiny New Idea (SNI) fall into your lap, but it's not always a good thing. Don't get me wrong--I'm super excited about SNI and the hubby thinks it's a really cool premise. But...I haven't finished revising my current manuscript. The same ms I'm bringing to a writing retreat next week in order get feedback on it from editors/agents/etc. Yet the lure of this pretty, new thing is so tempting. I'm one of those writers who loves first drafts, and er, intensely dislikes tenth drafts. First drafts are fun for me, and all the drafts after it are more like work. I know some writers love the revision part of the process, and while I do love watching my book evolve and become better, I've discovered I have a slight problem with impatience.

I'm solving this problem by jotting down notes on SNI...and occasionally obsessing about it in the shower. But for now it's back to work on revision number gazillion of my current ms. I guess there's something to be said for having motivation to finish it, so I can move on to the next thing.

Anyone else struggle with this issue, or does everyone love revisions more than I do?

Contest Monday

2011-10-03T11:49:00.000-04:00

Agent Mary Kole is giving away Writing and Selling the YA Novel by K.L. Going on her blog today. Contest ends Wednesday, October 5th, so hurry over and enter!

Also, Miss Snark's First Victim is taking entrants for this year's BAKER'S DOZEN AGENT AUCTION, she just posted the list of participating agents today, and it's VERY impressive! There are still two more chances to enter, the first is tomorrow, October 4th and the final is next Tuesday, October 11. Get all the details about the BAKER'S DOZEN AGENT AUCTION on her blog. Good luck to those of you entering! Last year was a great success and ended with, I believe, three signings!

Friday Book Recommendation--Craft Edition SAVE THE CAT

2011-09-30T08:35:00.002-04:00

As I'm in the midst of two YA's that I'm sure I'll be recommending to you, I thought I'd post a recent read on craft that I loved. SAVE THE CAT, written by screenwriter Blake Snyder, is about screenwriting but can easily be applied to books. As a former pantster, it even inspired me (along with Scrivener) to do some outlining before starting my new manuscript. He has tips on everything from loglines to scene breakdowns. It's an incredible book and I highly recommend it to all writers out there.

One of Hollywood's most successful spec screenwriters tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. "Save the Cat" is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying - and saleable. This ultimate insider's guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a show biz veteran who's proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat.

Anyone else read this? What did you think?

The No-Writing Funk

2011-09-29T08:34:00.000-04:00

Lately I have had no motivation for writing. There. I admitted it. For the first time since I started writing, I feel like I have nothing to say. Nothing to create. Just...nothing.

This is a very bad feeling.

So today I ask you, how do you get yourself out of the no-writing funk? Does reading help? Do you force the words out of you? I've tried that and it just ends up with more cutting. I have a lot of things I'd like to blame for this lack of motivation/creative energy, but blaming things doesn't fix it! So what does?

Please have a magical answer for me.

Smart Chicks Kick It In Michigan!

2011-09-28T11:25:00.000-04:00

Michigan people! Have you heard? Next Tuesday, October 4th, the Smart Chicks Kick It tour is coming to Schuler's Books in Lansing (Towne Center)!

There will be an amazing lineup including Kelley Armstrong, author of the Darkest Powers and Darkness Rising trilogies, Melissa Marr, author of the bestselling Wicked Lovely series; Jennifer Lynn Barnes, author of seven young adult novels including Raised by Wolves; Rachel Caine, internationally bestselling author of over 30 books, including the Morganville Vampire series; Melissa De La Cruz, author of the bestselling Blue Bloods series; Simone Elkeles, author of the NYT-bestselling Perfect Chemistry series; and Carrie Ryan, author of the bestselling Forest of Hands and Teeth series.

Including signing their own books, they will also be celebrating the release of the new HarperTeen anthology Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong, which features short stories by several of the authors on the tour. (And many more, like Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Ally Condie, and Jeri Smith-Ready.)

The event starts at 6 pm, but you can get (FREE) tickets in advance over the phone or at the store to reserve your spot in the signing line. Get all the details HERE.

I'm going to be there, are you?

Why Book Banning is Wrong

2011-09-27T08:05:00.003-04:00

From classics like A Wrinkle in Time and Catcher in the Rye, to modern day works like Harry Potter and Twilight, there have been attempts to remove books that are considered inappropriate by some people. People who have decided the "not right for me" should really mean "not right for everyone."

I fully support someone's right to buy or not buy a certain book based on their preferences, but when people push their values onto others by saying certain books shouldn't be allowed on the shelves at all, it usually speaks to fear, ignorance, or a combination of the two. Just look at how many books with LGBT themes or characters end up on challenged/banned lists. I've heard statements like, "Well, it could lead young people to believe that [being gay] is an acceptable lifestyle." Seriously? All that demonstrates is a complete lack of understanding of human sexuality.

As a parent, do I have the right to temporarily "ban" a certain book for my 7-yo if I feel he's not old enough for it yet? Absolutely. I'm his mom. I also "ban" him from R and most PG-13 movies, despite the fact that most of his friends are allowed to see them (I tell him they'd be called PG-7 movies if they were meant for his age). But I allow him as much freedom as possible to choose his own books, because at some point, he'll be able to read whatever he wants. My job will be to keep the communication lines open when he has questions, and I realize that at some point his questions will involve deeper issues than how a fake tail was attached to a dolphin.

But all kids are different. What's right for my kid might be wrong for someone else's, and vice versa. Trying to control what all kids read based on my personal perspective would be extremely ego-centric on my part. Unfortunately, there are a lot of ego-centric folks out there, who cloak their book banning attempts under the guise of "trying to protect our children." I'd rather empower my children and give them all the knowledge they need to make their own informed decisions.

It's interesting that most of the books that have had the biggest impact me, books that made me think about them long after I read them, have been on these sort of lists at one time or another. Why is it that books that make you question things--or heaven forbid, make you think--are the dangerous ones?

What about you? What is your favorite banned/challenged book of all-time? Mine is probably a tie between The Giver, and Go Ask Alice (which I read at a very young age BTW, and it had a tremendous positive influence on me. It was part of what motivated me to become a psychologist.)

Contest Monday featuring Banned Books

2011-09-26T08:05:00.000-04:00

There are some great giveaways going on in honor of Banned Books Week.

Lady Reader's Bookstuff is giving away several hardcover copies of The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith.

Jen at I Read Banned Books is giving away several banned books, including And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, Crank by Ellen Hopkins, and David Inside Out by Lee Bantle.

Kathy at I am a Reader, Not a Writer is giving away the option of 1) a $10 Amazon gift card in order to purchase a banned/challenged book, 2) $10 for a banned or challenged book from the Book Depository or 3) a box of 20 books, some of which have been banned/challenged. Some of the Option 3 books include The Mockingbirds, Twenty Boy Summer, Compulsion, and The Hunger Games.

All contests end Oct. 1st.

Friday Book Recommendation: Divergent by Veronica Roth

2011-09-23T11:36:00.000-04:00

Today's awesome book rec is DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth:

From Goodreads:
Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

Kristi's take: This is one of those "unputdownable" books. I loved Tris' vulnerability and strength, and her relationship with Four was complex and fascinating. The plot is fast-paced and exciting, so much so that I easily read this in one sitting. Elements of this book reminded me of Ender's Game, Uglies, and even Harry Potter, but they were combined in a unique and totally fresh way. I'll definitely be reading the next one in this series.

Character Arcs

2011-09-21T12:17:00.000-04:00

If you're not following Dear Editor you really should be. She takes all sorts of writing questions and answers them on her blog. Today she's got a great post on Character Arcs. I won't post everything she said, because you should check out her site yourself, but this really stuck out to me. About your MC:

"When he reaches The End, extract him from that last scene and drop him back onto Page 1. He should handle himself so well that you wouldn’t even have a story if this were the guy to really start it."

I thought this was a really great way of putting it. I'd never thought of it quite that way. But I can see this is an easy quick check to see if you've created growth in your character. Not the be-all end-all by any means, because of course every story is different and some characters might change in a way that still doesn't allow them to easily handle the problem, but you can still determine whether or not they would handle the situation differently. Because your character needs to have picked up some new skill, or way of thinking, or understanding that would allow them to take a different approach to the same problem.

I'm going to use this line of thought from now on when plotting. What about you, what do you do to ensure your character is growing an changing? Do you have a trick? Do you plot or outline or whatever you do with the character arc in mind?

An author's self-publishing journey featuring Rick Daley

2011-09-20T08:05:00.001-04:00

I pride myself on being somewhat knowledgeable about many aspects of the publishing world, but confess to knowing almost zilch about self-publishing. I've noticed recently that several writers I know through blogs/etc. have chosen the self-publishing route and I was curious about their decision. I thought I'd pick the brain of one such person so they could share their thoughts about self-publishing. He has also graciously agreed to answer any reader questions in the comments, so ask away!

I first "met" Rick Daley through Nathan Bransford's blog, and those of you who know him already know how funny he is. When Rick contacted me to let me know about his book The Man in the Cinder Clouds, I was very excited for him and wanted to know more about his journey. His blog (link below) details his journey more comprehensively, so be sure to check that out and follow him after you read this. You can get Rick's book through Amazon here. This is the book:

this is Rick:

...and here is the interview:

1) Hi Rick. Thanks so much for talking to us today. Tell us what your book is about and the target audience/etc.

The Man in the Cinder Clouds is a must-read for anyone who has ever believed in Santa Claus. Boys and girls ages 9-12 will relate to the characters especially well. At 35,000 words—the story is just over 160 pages in print—it’s a quick read for an adult…something you can easily polish off in a night or two during the busy holiday season. It’s also a great book to read with your kids. Here’s a short summary:

The freezing temperature is the only thing cool about Jason’s trip to the North Pole, but things heat up when his father discovers a book buried deep in the ice. This is no ordinary book, mind you. For starters, it was written by an Elf. And if that’s not enough, the book proves the existence of Kris Kringle—you know, Santa Claus. It’s a story you have to read to believe, and once you do Christmas will never be the same.

Young Kris Kringle, orphaned as an infant, sets out on a quest to find his real family by bringing gifts to the children of Oldenton on Christmas. There he finds two orphans who are about to lose everything they have to a greedy uncle. With only days before Christmas, Kris must try to help the kids, deliver his presents, find his family, and prove that human virtue does exist…even in the most unexpected of human hearts.

2) What made you decide to self-publish your book?

Many things. This was not a decision to take lightly. Here were the key factors:

- Speed to Market. A traditional publisher would not be able to get my book on a shelf this year…in e-book or print. I’d be very lucky if was available next year if I had gone the traditional route…more likely it would be 2013 before people could read it. Now I have it in both formats, ready for Christmas 2011.

The Market Environment. The traditional publishing industry is in a transitional period, and no one knows how long it will last or what will come next. I don’t think it is dying, but it’s at a crossroads between old ways of doing things and new markets, and it’s deciding which way to go. While the traditional publishing industry considers its options, writers also have their own choices to evaluate. Writers used to be at the mercy of the publisher, but self-publishing gives full control to the writer. Not to mention higher revenue per book sold. Now the trick is selling a lot of copies, something publishers have excelled at due to their large, coordinated sales forces. But the times, they are a-changin…A few self-published authors (e.g. John Locke, Amanda Hocking) have generated envious sales volumes without the corporate sales and marketing machine. With the rise of social networking, word-of-mouth is showing its true power in marketing.

While the self-publishing market does still carry a general stigma of low-quality vanity projects, many readers are starting to realize that a good story can come from anywhere. Self-publishing is better respected than it was two years ago, and will continue to evolve into a competitive vehicle for writers to consider for publishing.

- My book. I believe it’s a great book, and the story is very special to me. I’ve been through extensive edits, critiques, and revisions and I think the story is as high a caliber as one you would find traditionally published. It’s getting great reviews from adults and kids, and I am glad that people have the opportunity to enjoy the story this year for Christmas.

3) For those readers who have no idea about the process of self-publishing (like, ahem, me), what resources did you find most helpful for "learning the ropes."

I learned most by watching my peers who self-published before me. I followed their blogs and read posts about the different stages in the process. I bought copies of their books in print and Kindle to see the quality of the writing and the formatting / design of the finished book.

I chose CreateSpace on a friend’s recommendation and I’m happy with their quality and service so far. I’d love to test their high-load capacity ;-)

Consider your goals. If you hope to sell a ton of books and you want to self-publish, it’s possible, but you must be prepared to take on the role of publisher and promoter, not just writer. You are the sales and marketing department, the administration and finance department…basically the CEO of a start-up company. You will need to set aside a budget for cover art, promotional copies, and marketing. It will take time and money. If you try to self-publish just because it’s fast and cheap the end result will reflect that.

If you just want to see your book in print and make it available for your family and friends, please take the time to make it a quality product. The worst book I’ve ever read was a self-published eBook (I read it several months back. I won’t reveal the title, but it was an adult murder-mystery that was so bad it was almost, but not really, funny). There is a stigma about self-published books being slushpile vanity projects, but the tides are turning, and there is opportunity for those who are willing to take it seriously and put the time and money into it.

4) What was the trickiest/most difficult part of the process for you, and how long did it take you to have a complete book?

I guess completing the book is the trickiest part. Knowing when it’s done, and when changes aren’t making things better…just different. The book took years to write, and you can read more about the story-behind-the-story here: http://mydaleyrant.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-path-to-publication-part-one.html

5) Is there anything you learned along the way that you'll do differently next time?

I am impatient. I will always struggle to learn to take my time and not rush things.

6) What are you working on next, and do you plan to self-publish again?

I am currently outlining a sequel to The Man in the Cinder Clouds, and preparing to have illustrations made for my book Rudy Toot-Toot, a story about a little boy who was born on a bean farm and has a special power, almost like a super-hero: he can fart. But after a monstrous emission scares all the customers away from the family bean market, Rudy must learn to use his…talent…in a special way to lure the customers back, otherwise the bank will take away his home.

I plan to self-publish Rudy Toot-Toot, and the sequel to The Man in the Cinder Clouds, but after that, who knows? I’m not opposed to traditional publishing. I just think self-publishing is right for me and for these specific books. Future books may have a different fate.

7) Do you think the trend towards electronic publishing helps those who want to self-publish?

Absolutely. There are fewer headaches in e-books, particularly in delivery. Create the file once, then people can download it instantly and begin reading. It makes an author’s works more accessible, not to mention lower priced (without sacrificing any $$ in royalties).

The biggest thing writers need to be aware of is the quality of their final product. If we are going to truly pass the hump of dis-approval for all books self-published, we the publishers need to police ourselves and ensure our work is competitive to the other books available on the market.

8) Random fun question: What's something about you that not many people know?

I kick butt at Sudoku. It’s due to the way I make notes in the cells, it allows me to see patterns and set up a bunch of answers that fill in like dominoes once one number is found. Maybe I should write a book about it!

Thanks, Rick!!! Please enter any questions for Rick in the comments.

Contest Monday With A Thank You Note

2011-09-19T08:54:00.002-04:00

My Scribe Sisters and I would just like to say thank you to those of you who spread the word or bid on our crit auction at Read For Relief! You guys are seriously awesome, and to our super awesome auction winner, we can't wait to dive into your manuscript!

Thank you all!

Now, here's what's going on around the web:

Our very own Valerie is giving away a copy of DREAMLAND by Alyson Noel at her blog! Ends Sept 22nd.

The info is up for the September Secret Agent contest! This is such a fun contest and a great way to get honest feedback on your work (and really awesome things might happen if you win!). Definitely worth entering! Contest opens for entries TODAY Sept. 19th

Novel Novice is hosting a fab book giveaway! Two winners will each receive the LEVIATHAN trilogy by Scott Westerfeld! Ends today, Sept 19th, so get over there and enter!

And there you have it. If you've got any giveaways or contest to share, Mr. Linky wants your love.

Win A Crit From Us!

2011-09-15T10:07:00.001-04:00

Once again, the writing community has come together to raise funds for the American Red Cross, this time to provide relief for Hurricane Irene victims. And Kristi, Valerie, and myself are happy to be a part of it!

Read for Relief opened the bidding for a 30 page crit from EACH of us! That's three 30 page crits on your YA or MG manuscript! Come check out the auction website and browse the other items up for grabs, along with ours! Happy bidding and good luck!

Bidding closes at 10:00PM EST, Saturday.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

2011-09-14T11:08:00.001-04:00

This summer, I wanted to do something exciting. Something I'd never done before. So I decided, rather on the spur of the moment, to go to Amsterdam (The Netherlands) for a month. Alone. To explore and to write, and to see if I could.

And I'm so glad I did! I rented an apartment a bit outside the city center with a gorgeous rooftop terrace that, once it stopped raining, I sat outside on and wrote longhand. I had forgotten how much actually writing helps me think through things.

I also met up with the awesome Corinne Duyvis, YA writer and Amsterdam inhabitant. She showed me the city and we even got a chance to do some writing in a coffee shop (the kind that actually serves coffee). The coffee shop had this cute little cubby upstairs where you could sit, but you couldn't stand.

Corinne

When I wasn't writing, I spent time just wandering around, and taking in the city. I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at the canals.

I had an amazing time. I didn't write the Great American Novel, but I did figure a lot of things out, explored ideas, and worked out a solid outline for a story I'm really excited to tell. I want to say thanks so much to my Sisters in Scribe for their patience while I was out of the country and not blogging. How about you? How did you spend your summer vacation?

Also, my short story THE LAST BEST DAY is up this week at Tangled Fiction!

Scrivener Heaven

2011-09-13T08:05:00.002-04:00

I finally bought it for my Mac! I'll admit I'm not even halfway through the tutorial and have a lot o' learning to do before I'll feel comfortable with it, but it's SO cool. You can create a separate "file" for each chapter so that you can move sections of your manuscript around, which should make revisions/edits much easier (hey, a girl can dream, can't she?). The virtual corkboard is also something I can't wait to try out, even though I'm more pantster than plotter. You can test drive Scrivener here for 30 days free.

As my blog Sisters know, I'm not the most technology-proficient person in the word (e.g. I still don't know how to do much on my smartphone, aside from, um, calling people). But this program seems so intuitive and fun that I might actually get the hang of it sooner rather than later.

Anyone else out there use it? What's your favorite feature? Any tips for a newbie?

Friday Book Recommendation: The Near Witch

2011-09-09T12:52:00.000-04:00

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab.

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (August 2, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1423137876

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

***************************
Seriously, go buy this book. It's so rich and timeless. Beautiful storytelling, with a setting as vivid as the characters. I could say a zillion wonderful things about it, but really, after reading that description, how could you not already want to read it?

Summer Is Officially Over.

2011-09-08T11:57:00.000-04:00

My Tiny Human started pre-k today!!!! Granted, it was only one hour, orientation for parents and students, but it was amazing. She was right at home, and because her school is around the corner from our home, I feel okay too.

So. Summer is over, and the publishing world is in high gear! My agency sister, Miranda Kenneally just announced her knew TWO BOOK deal! On top of the Dear Teen Me anthology! How awesome is that? So if you want, you know, go congratulate her. She rocks.

As for my scribe sisters and I, we are in full-on write mode! Kristi and I have now sent our tiny humans off to school and Valerie returned home from Amsterdam safe and sound. Unfortunately, I don't think she brought us pictures of pretty Dutch men. *sigh*

Hope y'all are having a productive week!

Contest Monday on Tuesday

2011-09-06T14:06:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday weekend. We just got back from the mountains and I have a truckload of laundry and work to do, but I found a great contest that I had to pass along. Kody Keplinger, author of THE DUFF (fabulous book if you haven't read it), has a new book and a new contest. Her new book is SHUT OUT and you can check out the trailer here. To enter, just leave a comment on her post--that's it. One winner will have a character named after them in her fourth book. How cool is that? I'm just wondering how she'll pull it off if the winner's name is Humperdink or something equally bizarre (no offense intended if your name is Humperdink--I'm sure your parents didn't mean it). Deadline: Fri. Sept. 9th. Good luck!

Also, our sister Valerie is giving away a copy of HADES by Alexandra Adornetto - the sequel to last year's Halo - on her blog. All you have to do is comment to be entered.
Contest ends Friday, September 9th. GO HERE to enter!

Oh, and I'll have another fabulous book recommendation for you on Friday! Happy Tuesday!

Friday Book Recommendation--Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

2011-09-02T08:15:00.002-04:00

This week concludes the summer edition of Friday Book Recommendations--school is back in full swing here and my time for pleasure reading has already decreased. *sighs* However, I'm ending with a book that I loved, loved, and then loved some more. Yes, it's creepy and yes, the cover is made of awesome. Check it out:

Summary from Goodreads:
A mysterious island.
An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

Kristi's take: Though it's hard to top the levitating girl on the cover, the vintage photographs woven throughout the book are eerie, strange, and haunting. I loved how the photos tied in with the story, and the setting in rain-soaked Wales was perfect. I couldn't even begin to explain the world-building, with its time loops and shape shifting, but luckily, the author does a great job of it--and makes it seem believable. My only quibble is with the psychiatrist character. NOTE: This isn't a spoiler because it's rare to find a psychologist or psychiatrist in ANY book or movie that isn't a) incompetent b) nuts c) a psychopath/murderer d) sleeping with their clients or e) some combination of the former. Most of us are actually ethical, competent, and hard-working. *steps off soapbox* Aside from that, I couldn't put this book down and will definitely be reading the sequel. FINAL NOTE: If you dislike clowns as much as I do, one picture in the book is downright freaky.

Gettin' Back In The Groove!

2011-09-01T10:52:00.000-04:00

Summer is winding down. My big kid is back in school (2nd grade!!!) and my Tiny Human starts pre-k next week, so I am back in writing mode! Of course, writing mode never truly stops, but my blog hiatus has been long enough. I've missed you all.

You'd think after taking about a month off that I'd have something awesome to blog about, but alas, I do not. I could ramble on about my mandatory evacuation, thanks to Hurricane Irene, that turned into a party with my folks out in the sticks, but you don't want to hear about that.

*whispers* Husband is no longer a tattoo virgin.

But I want to hear about you! How was your summer? Did you get a lot of writing done, or are you a total summer slacker? Did you attend Write On Con? My super awesome agent, Sara Megibow, was a guest during one or more of the chats! What have I missed in the blogosphere?!

Friday Book Recommendation--THE REPLACEMENT by Brenna Yovanoff

2011-08-26T08:02:00.001-04:00

It's time for Week #3 of Friday Book Recommendations: Summer Edition. My pick this week is THE REPLACEMENT by Brenna Yovanoff. I've made no secret that I tend to pick books based on the cover alone, and this book was every bit as amazing as the cover. Seriously, how could you see this cover and not pick up the book? In fact, the only book I've seen with a cover that matches the creepiness factor of this one is the book I'm recommending next week!

Description from Goodreads:
Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

Kristi's take: This is the first book I've read in awhile with a male MC, and I LOVED it. Brenna's writing style is haunting and beautiful, and the relationship between the MC and his sister brought me to tears more than once. I'm calling this a 'summer vacation read' because you won't be able to put it down. The tension is high throughout the book, the setting and characters are eerie (hello, living dead girls), and I couldn't stop reading until I finished it. You might not want to read this one too close to bedtime though. ;)

How Do You Feel About Google+?

2011-08-23T07:45:00.001-04:00

As far as social media goes, I've mentioned before that I'm somewhat of a late bloomer. I was the last of my friends to join Facebook, and only caved to the Twitter thing about a year ago. I've strangely been enjoying both, but just as my technology-challenged self started feeling a little comfortable, someone threw Google+ into the mix. I signed up, started sorting various people into circles, and then sort of forgot about it.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE the "circle" idea and how you can create different categories for writers, editors, etc. It makes it easy for someone like me, who never quite figured out how to do that on FB. Note to my FB writer friends out there: now you understand why you've been subjected to updates about my 4-year-old's singing habits. *sorry* Anyhoo, my issue is the time factor. Between blogging, tweeting, FB, and, you know, actual writing, my time is stretched enough as it is. If everyone were on Google+ instead of FB, I'm sure I'd be on there more, but FB is still going pretty strong.

How do other peeps out there feel about Google+? Do you spend as much time there as FB? What do you see as the pros/cons of Google+ vs. FB? I really want to know what you think before my brain has a social media explosion.

Friday Book Recommendation--Summer Edition BEAUTY QUEENS by Libba Bray

2011-08-19T07:45:00.003-04:00

Fun Summer Pick #2: As I said last week, I thought I'd give a run down of my favorite reads from this summer. What makes this week's pick a perfect beach read is that the majority of the book takes place on a beach--not the kind of beach I'd want to inhabit, but a beach nonetheless. I give you my second summer pick: BEAUTY QUEENS by the uber-talented Libba Bray.

The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program--or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan--or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?

Kristi's take: This was my first book by Libba Bray, although her others are all on my TBR list. I'll admit that I picked this book up and put it down again several times before deciding to go with it. The premise seemed so over-the-top and wacky that I wasn't sure it was for me. I'm SO glad I gave this book a shot. The characters, plot, and setting are completely over the top, but that's sort of the point of satire. I laughed out loud throughout the entire book, and especially loved her footnotes and contestant profiles inserted in the chapters. Issues such as consumerism, commercialism, feminism, terrorism and some other "isms" I probably missed are addressed, but with a witty and hilarious vibe. If you like your sarcasm sharp and your humor intelligent, this book is for you. I loved it and will be moving her other books to the top of my list.

Bad Taste in Boys Contest Winners

2011-08-16T07:45:00.001-04:00

That's right...winners. We couldn't pick just one, so two honorable mentions will each receive an awesome Bad Taste in Boys bookmark by Carrie Harris. No, my 7-yo didn't change his mind. He refused to part with his bookmark so these two are offered up by Lacey. Thanks to everyone who entered—we loved reading all your ideas and feel better prepared in case of a zombie apocalypse.

Honorable Mention #1: TORE! If there was a zombie infestation in my school,I would grab some supplies and lock my self in the basement with a boy. We thought this was a great answer—and we hope the boy is hot.

Honorable Mention #2: LORI M. LEE! I'm the most uncoordinated, clumsy person I know so I would TRY to arm myself but, in all honesty, I'd probably end up tripping on a board and falling on a rusty nail before the zombies ever got to me. Um, a couple of us Sisters might have related to this one...I know I'd definitely injure myself way better than anyone/anyzombie could.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: TRICIA J. O'BRIEN! I'd have directed them to my Latin teacher. She could've scared the Undead into being really dead. This made us LOL--I think everyone has had a teacher like this. Great job being creative, humorous, and succinct. You win a signed copy of BAD TASTE IN BOYS!

Congrats to the winners! We will email you with further instructions. :)

Zombie Contest is Closed

2011-08-14T23:59:00.000-04:00

Thank you for all your zombie-licious entries in our Bad Taste in Boys contest. We will pick the winner today and announce it tomorrow (Tues. 8/16) on the blog. Good luck and happy Monday! :)

Friday Book Recommendation--Summer Edition

2011-08-12T07:45:00.001-04:00

For the next few weeks, I'm going to highlight some of my favorite summer reads from the last two months. The first one up won't come as a huge shocker, being that we've centered an entire contest around it and all. Speaking of which, you only have a few days to enter for a chance at your own signed copy of this:

Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.

My take: Pure fun. This is the perfect summer read--I read it in an afternoon and enjoyed it thoroughly. I loved Kate as the nerdy, brainiac, epileptic MC, and not to give away spoilers, but I loved how the epilepsy was integral to the plot rather than just an added affliction. Also: that cover. Yeah, I know I've already gushed over the cover in the past, but it's so awesome that when my 7-yo saw the bookmark on the counter, he took it for himself and said I couldn't give it away with the book. To sum up, I can't wait for the next Kate Grable installment.

Borders Book Carnage

2011-08-09T07:45:00.003-04:00

I've heard all the reasons why Borders went out of business and why many bid them good riddance, from horrible customer service to poor business strategies and failure to jump on the ebook wagon. Truth be told, my favorite book store is our local Tattered Cover but...Borders was by far the closest book store to my house and the staff there were always awesome to me. My hubby and I would go there almost every date night after dinner to browse. I've taken my kids there numerous times, and loved watching their excited faces as they explored the kids' section and got to pick out a book. I did most of my holiday shopping there last year and spent so much money I was sure I'd keep them afloat. That's why even though I wasn't surprised, I was still sad to see Borders go.

So last weekend, my hubby and I paid our final respects and went there after an amazing dinner. I expected to stroll through the aisles one last time, lingering in the YA section and giving a nod here and there to my favorite writers. What I didn't expect was book carnage. It looked something like this, only much worse:

Gone were the neatly shelved books in alphabetical order. Instead, Lauren Myracle was tossed onto Libba Bray, while Carrie Jones bumped up against Holly Black. It was mayhem and madness, and made me kind of sad. I fought the urge to straighten them all and put them back in their respective places. I know electronic publishing is the wave of the future, and books will still sell in various formats, but there is one old-school book lover here who will miss my trips to Borders. Farewell, Borders!

I know there a lot of Borders haters out there, but anyone else who will miss them? Or at least feel sad about the demise of a bookstore?

Contest Monday with signed book by Carrie Harris

2011-08-08T07:45:00.002-04:00

My vacation month flew by in a blur, and I can't believe my son is back in school already. It doesn't seem fair that the neighborhood pool and school should be open simultaneously...what happened to the "after Labor Day" start of school? Anyhoo, Valerie is still soaking up the culture in Amsterdam, and Lacey and I really hope she doesn't decide to stay there. But we didn't come back to the blog empty handed--we have a giveaway for you!

The zombie-riffic Carrie Harris signed a copy of Bad Taste in Boys for us. The inscription is even cooler, because she wrote "Sisters in Scribe rocks." Yeah, we know, but it's still nice to hear. Carrie was gracious enough to let me interview her back in November, and you can check that out here. I've read the book and it's awesome, so we're giving it away to one of our amazing followers.

The rules are simple--mainly because it's my first week back to the blog and the idea of doing a spreadsheet makes my head hurt. Leave a comment telling us how you would handle a zombie infestation in your high school (or how you would have handled it, if you're, um, older). We'll pick the most creative and/or funniest comment as the winner. You have to be a follower to enter, but that's it. Spreading the word is appreciated, but not required. Good luck!

Contest ends: Sun. 8/14 at 10pm EST. You must be a follower of this blog to enter.

Contest Monday!

2011-07-25T11:54:00.001-04:00

It is Monday again already. How did this happen?! So you may have noticed I haven't blogged at all since last Monday, and I swear I have a good reason! We've had a major heat wave here in NY and because of this extreme heat, our power was down for nearly three days. No Internet. No TV. No lights or air conditioning. It was brutal. But I survived! And so did my family and my pets. There were no casualties, save for one fish that is unaccounted for. But I am blaming his disappearance on the monster belly of my growing catfish. *sigh*

And unfortunately I have no idea what is going on in the way of contests this week. Except this one:

Lisa and Laura Roecker have a fantastic contest going on in participation with Write On Con and The Reading Room. They're giving away $1,000 to one lucky winner, as well as your own author page on TheReadingRoom.com and the chance to have your work considered by a literary agent! So don't miss that. End Aug. 17th 2011. Details here.

Also, be sure to come back here in the next week or so. My Scribe Sisters and I have an extra special surprise for you guys! :D

Mr. Linky loves your contest links! Share them!

Contest Monday!

2011-07-18T09:50:00.002-04:00

Good morning! I haven't completely disappeared, I'm here! Kristi is enjoying the last few weeks of summer vacation with her kids, Valerie is planning her amazing trip to Amsterdam, and I am up to my eyeballs in revisions, and trying to balance it with my family time. Eep!

I am still celebrating my big agent news with a giveaway over at my blog! Closing to entries on Wednesday, July 20th at 11:59pm EST. You can win a book from one of my agency sisters! Either an ARC of Marie Lu's dystopian, LEGEND, or a signed pre-order of Miranda Kenneally's CATCHING JORDAN!

YA author Carrie Harris (BAD TASTE IN BOYS) is still hosting her benefit auction, Night of the Giving Dead! Lot's of fantastic items up for grabs, but if you don't want to bid you can donate too. And all participants are eligible to win one of two grand prizes: a new kindle with a BTIB e-book, or a 6 month writing mentorship with Carrie! The auction is to benefit the Giving Library at the University of Michigan C.S Mott Children's Hospital.

**Updating to let you know about this!***
Over at Lisa and Laura's blog, you can enter to win $1,000, your own author page at TheReadingRoom.com, and a chance to have your work considered for representation by lit agent Catherine Dreyton! Starts today, so go go go!

Hope you're enjoying Summer!
And as always, if you've found a book giveaway or a writing related contest around the web, let us know!

News! And The First Post In Which I Use The Words “My” and “Agent!”

2011-07-07T10:03:00.000-04:00

Sooo my title probably ruins the surprise a little bit, huh? This is the news I have been promising you on twitter and facebook! I’ve signed with an agent!

Me!

A real, live agent! Not to be confused with a not-live one. Like a plastic one. Or rubber.

My story is a short, fast-paced, crazy-lucky one. The condensed version: I received offers! And I accepted one from Sara Megibow of the Nelson Literary Agency!!!!

(I am also REALLY bad at photoshop)

You all probably remember when Sara was a guest judge here on the Sisters in Scribe blog, yes? If not, that post is here. Sara is fantastic! She’s professional, assertive, super nice, and about a zillion other gushy things. And now she's my agent!

*confetti*

And to celebrate, I’m giving away books from Nelson Agency authors, over at my blog! For full giveaway details, and the slightly longer story of how Sara and I came together, check out this post.

(Very) Happy Thursday!

Summer Hiatus

2011-07-05T09:57:00.000-04:00

We hope everyone had a fabulous 4th filled with fun, friends, and fireworks. I think I ate an entire plate of my friend's baked zucchini last night, so I've already exceeded my caloric intake for the week and it's only Tuesday. Anyway, we will be taking some brief breaks for the remainder of the summer, but will stagger them so the blog isn't empty...because we're cool like that.

Since my kiddos have less than a month before the school year starts, I'll be taking a break from now through the beginning of August, but I'll still post book recommendations (I'm reading an awesome one right now). Valerie is taking a break for a much cooler reason...she's going overseas for an entire month! She'll be out for the month of August, and will have some cool pics to post when she gets back. Lacey is still figuring out her schedule and will let you know about her break.

We'll all be back before you know it, and we hope you all have an amazing rest of your summer!

Contest Monday

2011-07-04T14:20:00.004-04:00

Happy 4th of July, America!!

(I took this, *grin*)

I know you're all probably outside right now, lounging in plastic chairs, sipping sweet tea, or chowing on a greasy burger, but in case you happen to stop by the intre-webz today, check out this post by Miranda Kenneally (CATCHING JORDAN, Dec. 2011). She's got ARCS! And she's celebrating with a contest. (Pssst! You can win a crit from lit agent, Sara Megibow!) Ends July 10th.

And as always, if you've got a contest link to share, Mr. Linky wants your love.

Also, unrelated but still cool, a friend of mine made this awesome t-shirt design, and because I think it's awesome and I'm proud of him, I'm sharing it with you. You can "like" it, if you want, or just take a peek and marvel at the awesome. :D

Do You Have a Day Job?

2011-06-28T07:45:00.001-04:00

I read a post the other day where a published author (I forget who) discussed how they chose to keep working part-time in addition to writing. They gave a list of reasons as to why they chose this (feel free to give the link if you saw it too), and it got me thinking. I think the fantasy of chucking everything to be a "full time writer" is pretty common.

I'll admit that as a mom to two young kiddos who also works part-time, carving out time to write can be a challenge. But knowing I only have an hour or two to write after the kids go down makes me that much more focused. Also, the people I interact with as a psychologist in my private practice remind me that truth will always be stranger than fiction--I seriously couldn't make up some of the bizarre things I come across each week. My creativity stays in high gear due to the variety of situations I encounter, and as much as the idea of writing alone in a cabin sounds a little like heaven (okay, a lot, depending on the day), I like to think that my chaotic daily life enriches my writing.

What about you? Do you have a day job, or are you a full-time writer? What do you see as the advantages/disadvantages? Do you dream of writing full-time one day?

Contest Monday with Agent-Judged First Page Contest

2011-06-27T07:50:00.002-04:00

Today is Shelley Watters birthday *insert happy birthday to Shelley song here* and Shelley is celebrating with a contest of awesome. It features your first page and literary agent, Victoria Marini. Get the deets on Shelley's Birthday Blowout First Page Contest and enter by 11:59p June 27th (that's tonight, so hurry).

Got a contest you'd like to promote? Enter it in Mr. Linky below:

Elvis Lives

2011-06-23T10:52:00.001-04:00

It is summer! Finally! The warm weather is here, the kids are home until September, and I am in full mom mode. Which, unfortunately, leaves very little time for blogging, reading, and writing. If I skip a Thursday post here and there, please forgive me. I've got the summer fun bug.

As you may know, and if you didn't you do now, I am a big Elvis Presley fan. I think he's the most beautiful man that ever lived, and his voice belongs to some supernatural being of awesomeness. Sooo naturally, when I hear that an Elvis impersonator is doing a free concert at the beach fair, I HAD to go. Even though it was Father's Day and I'm pretty sure my husband was a teensy bit jealous. Seriously, babe, the real thing is long gone and nobody compares to you. Mwah. So we took the kids to the beach for the day and then parked on the grass for the concert. I saw "Elvis" when they were setting up the stage and had to run up there and say hello. He was super nice and took a picture with me. I warn you, he looks nothing like The King, but still, he was awesome.

I give you Elvis, the Italian version from Jersey.

He told me if I came back up after his concert, he'd take another photo wearing his costume, but we left an hour into the show. Kids needed to go to bed, although my oldest did not want to leave. She stood by the stage the whole time we were there. "Elvis", by day known as Anthony Liguori Jr., waved at me from the stage while he was singing and then brought me a scarf, which my girl confiscated and wore all night.

This is the very short (battery died) video I took where he waved at me. :) It's a small wave, and then my camera got all shaky because...well because he waved at me.

As you can hear from that short clip, he was awesome! Sounded VERY much like Elvis, and he was a great performer. If he's ever in your area, check him out!

I hope you're all enjoying your summer!

Reading Day

2011-06-22T11:58:00.003-04:00

It's a cloudy, muggy day, and I haven't spent an afternoon just laying around and reading in months, so I'm declaring today a reading day. I have SO MANY awesome books I've been dying to read just waiting for me to pick them up. The hard part will be deciding which one. Here's just a few that are calling me:

What about you? What are you reading - or wishing you could take the time to read - today?

Contest "Monday"

2011-06-21T12:59:00.000-04:00

Lots of great writer prizes and book giveaways this week! (Let's all just pretend this is Monday and I didn't forget to post yesterday!)

I'm giving away a copy of the awesome new middle grade fantasy The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente on my blog. Contest ends 6/27.

Kari at A Good Addiction is celebrating the release of A NEED SO BEAUFITUL by Suzanne Young with some amazing random acts of kindness that include awesome things like Query Letter Critiques, First Chapter Crits, Signed Books and more! Contest ends 6/28

Tahereh Mafi is giving away an ARC of her debut SHATTER ME. Check out her blog for the details. Contest ends 6/26

Spot Open for October Breckenridge Writing Retreat

2011-06-21T08:05:00.002-04:00

As many of you know, because I've been singing it from the rooftops (not really, but only because my singing would kill the birds nesting in our chimney), I'm going to a 5-day writing retreat this Oct. in Breckenridge. The mountains and trees that time of year are ah-mazing, and I can't believe the awesome people I'll get to meet up there. Anyway, I was chatting via email today with the lovely Cicily Janus, who besides being a published author of this book:

...and former intern to uber-agent, Scott Hoffman, is also the host of this fabulous writer-ly getaway. She told me that one of the writers backed out because they found out they are a finalist for a Fulbright (must be nice to have those kind of conflicts in your schedule), and will have to postpone their retreat until 2012. That means there's a spot open for this year--and because I know that all our blog followers are super cool, and I really want someone super cool to spend the week with, I'll share the details one more time:

You can spend 5 heavenly days here:

"Here" is Breckenridge, Colorado where you can write and talk shop with Cicily, 3 awesome editors, an amazing agent, an Edgar-nominated author, and 12 other fabulous writers. Attendees get critiques by all staff on the first 10,000 words of their ms, and have scheduled meetings with the staff during the week BONUS: Cicily is a gourmet cook (I'm listing sample menu items below), AND there's a hot tub.My awesome hubby, who may or may not be trying to redeem himself from his shocking betrayal (can you tell I'm still not over it?) encouraged me to go for it.

Important Info is below, but check out the Writing Retreats website for more info and how to contact Cicily.

DATES: Oct. 13-17, 2011 It's an easy trip for me since I live here, but Cicily has had attendees from all over the world, including Australia and England. You'll get to meet some interesting people...ya know, aside from me. :)

2011 Staff of Awesome:
Literary Agent: Scott Hoffman
A refugee from the world of politics, Scott Hoffman is one of the founding partners of Folio Literary Management, LLC. Prior to starting Folio, Scott was at PMA Literary & Film Management, Inc.
My current list is about half fiction and half nonfiction. My fiction is about half literary, and half commercial (chick lit? Sure - if it's smart and fresh, and has a strong voice.) Nonfiction is spread out among
serious journalistic or academic nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, and quirkier pop-culture books. If your project doesn't fit one of the "established" categories, I'm probably your guy - I love projects that
can't be easily classified.

Editor: Anica Rissi
Anica Mrose Rissi is the Executive Editor at Simon Pulse, a YA imprint of Simon & Schuster. She looks for edgy, voice-driven fiction; unexpected or dark humor; smart writing; and characters that she can’t get out of her head. Anica especially enjoys launching and building the careers of debut novelists. Her list includes New York Times bestselling authors Jessica Verday and Orson Scott Card, two-time RITA finalist
Lauren Strasnick, and Eileen Cook, Terra Elan McVoy, Amy Reed, Albert Borris, Nina Malkin, Elana Johnson, Leila Sales, Carolee Dean, and Hannah Moskowitz.

Editor: Kevin Doughten
Kevin Doughten is an editor at Viking Penguin specializing in nonfiction. He has worked with a range of authors, including Barack Obama campaign manager David Plouffe, Malcolm X biographer
Manning Marable, and bestselling authors Jimmy Breslin, Robert Lacey and Rafe Esquith. He enjoys working with writers of all stripes including memoirists, essayists, jounalists, and has a particular interest
in 20th-century history, the arts, and outsider stories.

Editor: Katie Gilligan St. Martin's Press

After four years at Thomas Dunne Books, I’ve acquired nearly every type of fiction—and while I seek primarily women’s lit, I am always on the hunt for genuine narrators, or quirky plots, or cry-into-a-glass-of-wine tearjerkers. I’ve had the privilege of working with McSweeney’s alum, Diane Vadino (Smart Girls Like Me), Giller Prize Finalist, Alissa York (Effigy), and have recently acquired the next two ballad novels by New York Times bestselling author, Sharyn McCrumb.

My women’s fiction acquisitions range from the commercial to the literary, and all points in between—including crossovers into mystery and romance genres. I’ve recently acquired non-fiction titles ranging from the memoir of an organic blueberry farmer, to a savory travel-cookbook set in Umbria. In short, I’m eagerly seeking voices that have me at page one and can keep my attention while running on the treadmill or inspire me to test out a new recipe.

Author: David Corbett

David Corbett is a recovering Catholic/ex-PI/former bar-band gypsy and—lest we forget—a novelist, poet and screenwriter. Nominated for virtually every major prize in crime-writing, he would hate to ruin
things by actually winning one, though having a New York Times Notable Book and a story in Best American Mystery Stories is kinda sweet. He has four novels under his belt (which frees up room on his
bookshelf)—the most recent being 2010's Do They Know I'm Running? ("a hard-hitting epic"—Publishers Weekly)—and routinely gets compared to Graham Greene, Robert Stone, Dashiell Hammett
and Telly Savalas. Feel daring? Go to: www.davidcorbett.com

Sample Menu Items: (Cicily accommodates all food allergies)
• Panini Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly
• Asparagus and Feta Risotto served with Lamb Roast and Spinach Salad
• Golden Carrot and Ginger soup with Saffron
• Southern Style Grits with fried Ham Steaks
• Black and Blue Bison Burgers
• Roast Beef Open Faced Flat Bread Melts with Grilled peppers and sweet
Horseradish sauce
• Spinach and Leek Bisque
• Chunky beet and sweet potato salad with honey goat cheese and Almonds
• Tomato Basil Fettucini with Fresh Vodka Fire Sauce
• Oat Bran Pancakes with Fresh, Warm, Fruit Compote

NOTE: All beverages, including wine, coffee, tea, and water are also included.

I'm so excited and am already counting down the days. Come write in Breckenridge with me!

No Love For The Present?

2011-06-15T10:05:00.000-04:00

Since I made the switch from screenwriting to novels, I've discovered that some people don't care for present tense. In fact some people have violent hate for present tense prose. I find this curious. I rarely notice tense when I'm reading and the times I do, it's usually because a book written in past tense has suddenly confused me as to when something is happening/has happened. (That whole, "I'm saying it in the past tense but it's really happening right now" thing hurts my brain.)

I tend to naturally write in present tense. I used to think this was because of screenwriting - scripts are written in present tense. But then one day I was flipping through my old journals and I discovered I've always written in present tense. And that made me think about the way people tell stories. I think in our daily lives, we use present tense much more often than you might think.

I'm sure you've had a conversation that went something like this:

"You won't believe what happened to me today!"

"What?"

"So, I'm in the store and this guy comes up and is like, did it hurt? And I go, um, what? And he gives me this big cheesy grin and says, when you fell out of heaven? And I was like seriously??"

(Okay, hopefully you don't have conversations like this, but you get the point.) The story was told naturally in present tense because she's sort of reliving it. It makes the moment more immediate. So with this in mind, I am really curious what it is that those of you that hate present tense find so awful about it. I've read terms like "jarring" and "annoying" and I wonder what about it gives you those feelings.

Getting Naked

2011-06-14T08:19:00.001-04:00

This post was prompted after seeing a one-line description of a man who stripped naked on a flight in front of fellow passengers, and refused to put his clothes back on. Though one can assume he a) drank one too many cocktails at the airport lounge b) is suffering from mental illness or c) was playing an extreme version of "truth or dare," I have to admit I also thought, "Wow, he got naked in front of a LOT of people...and he didn't even care!" Yes, I'm getting to how this relates to writing.

As a writer, part of me feels exposed, like I'm baring it all when I send my work out there to crit partners, etc. Side Note: This is where I planned to insert an accompanying picture of someone feeling naked, but when I started Googling, I only found the naked part--and holy cow, they were NOT what I had in mind for this article.

Anyway, when I first began writing several years ago, I read that it was a good idea to join a critique group so I joined SCBWI and found a group I wanted to join. The problem was that it involved sending a sample of my work to the moderator, as they only had one opening. Up until this point, no one aside from family had seen my writing and I freaked out a little. Sure, you write things because you want other people to read them, but it was my first time, and I felt vulnerable and exposed. Like I was baring a part of me no one had seen before...I felt naked. Thank goodness they took me in (the fabulous Critiquers) because I've learned so much from this talented group of women, but at the time it was a difficult step to take.

Since then, it's gotten way easier, and I get naked all the time--in the writing kind of way. I still have that twinge when I send a new ms to my blog Sisters, or a new chapter to the Critiquers, but it's way easier now than it was that first time. Part of me wonders if that feeling will ever go away, and part of me doesn't want it to--it means I care about what I've created and want others to connect to it the way I did while writing it.

What about you? Anyone else feel naked when they send their stuff out into the world? Or you used to feel that way but you've gotten over it? NOTE: If you've ever stripped down on an airplane--um, wow--but you don't need to share!

Contest Monday with a 5K Critique

2011-06-13T08:02:00.001-04:00

I love reporting success stories! The lovely and fabulous Natalie Parker, who is part of Tangled Fiction with my blog Sisters, has some amazing news to share. She signed with the amazing Sarah Davies of Greenhouse Literary. *throws confetti* *drinks champagne*

In celebration of her awesome agent-finding news, she's giving away critiques to EVERYONE who wants one. Yeah, that's right: EVERYONE! She totally rocks...and she might be a little crazy. Send her the first 5K words of your ms and she'll critique it for you. She's accepting entries through June 17th on a first come, first served basis, so get yours in ASAP. I chatted with her via email yesterday and it sounds like she has a TON already, so get movin'.

Friday Book Recommendation: DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

2011-06-10T08:39:00.000-04:00

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (May 3, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062024027
ISBN-13: 978-0062024022

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

***************

Amazeballs. Seriously. I LOVED this book! I devoured the first 2/3rds of it and then slowed down because I really didn't want it to end. It's a gripping, heartbreaking, must-read debut.

Visit Veronica Roth at her blog, or follow her on twitter.

"...The Most Unlearned and Uninformed Female That Ever Dared To Be An Authoress." --Jane Austen.

2011-06-09T10:02:00.006-04:00

The above is a piece of a Jane Austen quote (one I found online some years ago, so take that for what it's worth) that has always stuck with me. Jane Austen, the woman who created the mysterious Mr. Rochester, and made us love him despite his many faults, was uneducated.

***And if you stopped right there and thought, wow, she's an idiot, please keep reading. Or don't. Up to you.***

It takes some guts to admit this, believe me, but this is something that has bothered me from the day I sat down with a blank Word doc. I don't have a BA in English lit. I don't have a MFA. Shoot, I didn't even finish college.

I can't write a novel.

I've never been to Europe. I've never been to Vegas. I've never even been off the East Coast of the USA.

I can't write a novel.

But Jane had never gone to college. And Jane had probably never seen Vegas either (snarf). And Jane has been in our hearts and minds for centuries. We were forced to read her impossibly long books in junior high (and most of us, self included, hated them), and then we fell in love with her again (or in my case for the first time) as young adults.

I don't aspire to write like Jane--I know I am my own writer and I can only write like me. But I do hope that someday (soon) someone is going to love what I've created as much as I do. I want a protagonist that readers connect with. A character they can stand by, no matter her faults. I want a male lead that makes the reader's heart pound right along with the protagonist, despite what he keeps in his attic.

So many great authors have said it before: you can't teach someone to be a great writer. Charlaine Harris (a huge inspiration to me) said recently that writing is nature over nurture. You can learn the craft, but a writer is not made in a classroom.

A writer is born.

***The goof is intended, folks. I assure you.Good catch!***

Writing more than one book at a time

2011-06-07T07:45:00.001-04:00

Until now, my writing process has been fairly straight forward:

Step 1. Get story idea.
Step 2. Write it and revise ad nauseum.

End of story (pun intended). I never worked on more than one thing at a time, because I became obsessed with that one manuscript. This time around has been a little different. I've gotten excited about several different projects and couldn't pick just one. I know last week I confessed to a little summer slacking, but I've started working on three different projects. (Side note: as I tend to be an over-achiever by nature, my definition of slacking might differ from others.) They're pretty different in scope (boy-centric MG, YA ghost story, and YA horror).

I thought if I started on all of them, one would sort of "take over" and I'd finish that one first, but so far, I'm still drawn to all three. Granted, I haven't gotten that far yet but I wondered how that has worked for others. On the plus side, it gives me the opportunity to go back to something with fresh eyes pretty quickly if I've worked on a chapter for a different ms. One big negative is that if I keep working on all of them at once, it will take me that much longer to finish something.

Has anyone out there worked on more than one ms at a time? What did you see as the positives and negatives? Did one eventually take over? Am I crazy? NOTE: my lovely blog sisters are prohibited from answering that last one. :)

Contest Monday

2011-06-06T09:53:00.000-04:00

Good morning, lovelies!

Vampire Book Club blog has recently passed their one year birthday, and to celebrate they're giving away ten books! Most of them are adult paranormal, but I did see HEREAFTER by Tara Hudson and STARCROSSED by Josephine Angelini on the list. Closes Thurs. June 30th 11:59pm. Check that out here.

Good Choice Reading is hosting an after BEA giveaway. Up for grabs is a copy of FOREVER and THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater. Ends Wed. June 22nd at 11:59pm. To enter, go here.

"Geek Girl" has a birthday coming up! And to celebrate, she's giving one lucky reader a book from her birthday wish list. Stop by her blog to wish her a happy birthday and to enter her contest. Ends June 12th, on her b-day.

Book bloggers, we *heart* you.

As always, if you know of any contest (book or writing related) feel free to share them below! You can put the prize you're offering in the "name" box instead of your name.

Summertime!

2011-06-02T09:50:00.003-04:00

Like Kristi, I've been slacking a little lately. Or distancing myself from my WIP, rather. Yes. That.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Weekend! Mine was a success. With my grilling skills, yes, but I mean with my summer-spot hunting. New York is a very crowded place. I don't think a spot exists within the city limits that is not cluttered with people.

Except this one.

And I like you, I really do. But I'm not telling you where this is because it is MINE! Precious.

It is a part of the beach near my house. (I live on an island. Sounds exotic. It's not.) Apparently, not a lot of folks like to hang out on the beach that has more shells than sand and smells like dead sea creatures because the tide comes in and drops them off in shallow pools for the birds to eat. But I like it just fine. Because it is EMPTY! Seriously, I felt like I spent the afternoon in a Dystopian novel. Or like I'd turn a corner and see Mary chopping the head off of a water-logged Mudo.

There were a few inhabitants.

But they're really very quiet. I do believe I've found my new writing spot. Have you a favorite hideaway?

Hiatus

2011-06-01T09:50:00.001-04:00

Valerie is on vacation! And she may or may not be posting while she's gone. We thought we'd let you all know so you don't think we ate her.

We didn't.

Why Summer Slacking Isn't All Bad

2011-05-31T07:45:00.002-04:00

I officially switched into summer mode last week during a family beach vacation in North Carolina. Here's the view from our balcony (photo taken by my hubby with his iPad2--which I have to admit is pretty cool):

I didn't write a single word the entire week, but I didn't feel guilty about it either. In fact, after falling asleep one night to the sound of crashing waves, I dreamed a cool new story idea that I'm really excited about. For me, down time fuels my creativity and re-energizes me. It also gives me more time to read, which hopefully makes me a better writer.

As this is my son's last week of school, I know I'll soon be spending more time at the pool than at the computer, and I'm okay with that. I tend to do my biggest spurts of writing in the fall and winter, while I spend most of my summer outdoors. Come September though, when my kids are back in school, I'm ready to crank out pages again. I know some writers write almost every day of the year, no exceptions. Some are published authors with contracts and deadlines, and others are driven by different motives. I love writing and will always do it, but for now, I'm fine with finishing one book per year. And spending summers with my kids? Priceless.

What about you? Any other cyclical/seasonal writers out there? Any die-hard writers who think I'm a total slacker?

In Memorium

2011-05-30T07:45:00.001-04:00

The Sisters in Scribe hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day. If you get the chance, take a minute to remember all of our fallen military who gave their lives for our collective freedom. We wouldn't be grilling burgers, drinking beer, and hanging out with friends today if it weren't for them. The picture below is from Arlington Cemetery:

Friday Book Recommendation: The Graveyard Book

2011-05-27T11:36:00.000-04:00

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st ed edition (September 30, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780060530921
ISBN-13: 978-0060530921

From NeilGaiman.com

Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place-he's the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts, werewolves, and other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians' time as well as their timely ghostly teachings-like the ability to Fade. Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead? And then there are things like ghouls that aren't really one thing or the other. This chilling tale is Neil Gaiman's first full-length novel for middle-grade readers since the internationally bestselling and universally acclaimed Coraline. Like Coraline, this book is sure to enchant and surprise young readers as well as Neil Gaiman's legion of adult fans.

*************

This was the first Gaiman book I've read and it was awesome! Charming with just the right amount of creepy, and fantastic illustrations to go along with it. I've had it for a few years and was a little hesitant to pick it up--I don't read a lot of MG and it is written in third person (I much prefer first). I'm kicking myself for not reading it sooner. It's one of those books that is so well-written you don't recognize the tense it's written in, and like Harry Potter (I am not comparing it to HP) it's one of those stories that both teens and adults will love. It is definitely a must-have book.

Visit Neil's website, find him on facebook, or follow him on twitter.

Treasure Hunt, Self-Edit Style!

2011-05-26T11:09:00.003-04:00

While I’m waiting for notes on my WIP from my Scribe Sisters, I’ve been doing some research on things, including agents, revisions, candle making, how to properly skin an animal (don’t ask), and I’ve come across some gems.

Mostly on the revision thing.

Cheryl Klein, an editor at Scholastic, has this fantastic recap of a talk she did for an SCBWI conference on revising and self-editing. The full speech is also there for your reading pleasure.
http://www.cherylklein.com/id21.html

Literary agent Natalie Fischer (Bradford Lit) recently posted a great recap of her talk at an SCBWI event on the revision process.
http://adventuresinagentland.blogspot.com/2011/05/ponder-polish-perfect-how-to.html

YA author Holly Cupala (Tell Me a Secret) has compiled a huge list of posts from various authors, illustrators and industry pros on revision!
http://www.hollycupala.com/2009/08/revision-tips-galore.html

Hopefully you find these links as useful as I have. Happy revising!

*****
In other news, if you haven't seen the amazing book trailer for Carrie Harris's debut BAD TASTE IN BOYS, go do that immediately! Our own Valerie Kemp created it!

On Trends

2011-05-24T09:44:00.000-04:00

Since I'm soaking up some sun and beach time this week, I'm going to point you to an awesome article on trends by uber-agent Mandy Hubbard. No, trends aren't something you want to chase trends, but it's always helpful to know what they are. Enjoy, and I'll be back next week.

Contest Monday

2011-05-23T09:43:00.000-04:00

Author Cynthia Leitich Smith has fascinating interview and crit oppourtunity with Egmont USA Publisher Elizabeth Law up on her blog. Which, if you're not following her blog yet, get over there NOW and do it, it's an amazing resource for writers!

Read the interview and enter to win a 30 page manuscript critique from Elizabeth Law HERE. Ends 5/31

Adventures in Children's Publishing is celebrating new releases this week by giving away two of them! Win AWAKEN by Katie Kacvinsky and THE A CIRCUIT by Georgina Bloomberg and Catherine Hapka. And while you're there be sure to check out their interview with several of the authors releasing this week including debut authors Tessa Gratton and Brian Farrey (also editor at Flux), and Elizabeth Scott! ENTER HERE (And check back there tomorrow for even more giveaways!) Ends 5/26

Know of a good contest? If so, fill in the info below:

Friday Book Recommendation: SHADE by Jeri Smith-Ready

2011-05-20T10:00:00.005-04:00

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse (May 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781416994060

Love ties them together.
Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

****

This book is fantastic! And the sequel SHIFT was just released, so when you finish SHADE, you don't have to wait long for more. And you'll want more. I found nothing cliche about the story, and the world it's set in is entirely original. No stagnant paranormal romance here. If you like paranormal, you should definitely give this book a try.

If you'd like a signed copy, Order from Constellation Books

Picture of Jeri signing my copy at Books of Wonder in NYC!

You can find more about Jeri Smith-Ready at her website, or follow her on Twitter.

Visual Inspiration

2011-05-19T09:00:00.003-04:00

When I get stumped in a project, or just need to get back in touch with my characters, I turn to music, something that fits the characters or the mood of the scene I'm writing, and www.weheartit.com.

If you haven't ~~wasted~~ spent some time browsing the collection of images there, you totally should! I've found so many that are PERFECT representation for my wip. Like this one, for example:

That is so completely Jack and Charlie! It could only be more perfect if her dress was green. Really, this post was an excuse for me to share that picture with you. The downside is that I have no idea who the owner is. Is it yours?

What's your favorite ~~procrastination~~ inspiration exercise?

Failure Isn't Everything

2011-05-18T11:07:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite quotes ever (and unfortunately I can't remember where I heard it, a movie I think) is:

"If you're going to fail, fail spectacularly."

And no, that doesn't mean do a crap job. It means go for it. Don't hold back, or play it safe, in the hopes that you won't make a huge fool of yourself if you get it wrong.

If you shoot for the middle, all you'll get is mediocre. That and the knowledge that you could've tried harder but you didn't.

So the next time you sit down to write, or work out a plot, or anything else in life, ask yourself. Am I doing everything I can to make this great? Am I trying to make my story fit in with what everyone else is doing?

Is there a crazy idea you have for a story that in your gut, you know it could work, but you're afraid to try it? Are you shoving it aside to write something more mainstream/"now"/generic? Ask yourself it that's really what you want to do, and if it's not, go for it. And even if you fail, it will be the kind of glorious failure that shows your heart, and what's wrong with that?

Sisters in Scribe

Query Critiques for All

Contest Monday

ENTHRALLED Giveaway Winner

Q & A with agent Jessica Regel

YA Giveaway Winner

Friday Book Recommendation: BEAUTIFUL by Amy Reed

ENTHRALLED - signed YA Anthology International Giveaway!

Celebration Week #1 with YA Book Giveaway

Contest Monday featuring: editor pitch contest

Exciting News!

How I Got My Agent

All It Takes Is One Yes

Contest Monday featuring an agent-judged contest and book giveaways

Friday Book Recommendation: THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab

NaNoFailMo

Friday Book Rec - THE SPACE BETWEEN by Brenna Yovanoff

The Nonfiction in Fiction

Friday Book Recommendation: WITHER by Lauren DeStefano

Building Secondary Characters

People Have Layers

The Problem of Being a Visual Writer

Contest Cyber Monday

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

Awesome NaNo Poem by Jacqui Robbins

Contest Monday featuring Regal Literary

It's Dark In Here

NaNoWriMo Incentive and Inspiration

How is the NaNo'ing Going?

Friday Book Recommendation: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

It's NaNoWriMo Time

Contest Monday! Happy Halloween!

Friday Book Rec: THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater

My NaNoWriMo Necessities

Retreat Rehash

Friday Book Recommendation--BLISS by Lauren Myracle

I *Heart* School.

Staying Focused?

Retreat Fatigue

Second Draft = First Draft - 10%

Smart Chicks Kick It Tour Recap

Internal versus External Motivation

Contest Monday: The Lazy Holiday Edition

Living In The Now

Fight Your Way Through

When to Ignore Your Muse

Contest Monday

Friday Book Recommendation--Craft Edition SAVE THE CAT

The No-Writing Funk

Smart Chicks Kick It In Michigan!

Why Book Banning is Wrong

Contest Monday featuring Banned Books

Friday Book Recommendation: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Character Arcs

An author's self-publishing journey featuring Rick Daley

Contest Monday With A Thank You Note

Win A Crit From Us!

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Scrivener Heaven

Friday Book Recommendation: The Near Witch

Summer Is Officially Over.

Contest Monday on Tuesday

Friday Book Recommendation--Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Gettin' Back In The Groove!

Friday Book Recommendation--THE REPLACEMENT by Brenna Yovanoff

How Do You Feel About Google+?

Friday Book Recommendation--Summer Edition BEAUTY QUEENS by Libba Bray

Bad Taste in Boys Contest Winners

Zombie Contest is Closed

Friday Book Recommendation--Summer Edition

Borders Book Carnage

Contest Monday with signed book by Carrie Harris

Contest Monday!

Contest Monday!

News! And The First Post In Which I Use The Words “My” and “Agent!”

Summer Hiatus

Contest Monday

Do You Have a Day Job?

Contest Monday with Agent-Judged First Page Contest

Elvis Lives

I Heart School.