TheWriteGame

Young Adult Teen Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Okay, I know I've pared down my blogging to Mondays only, but this was such a great idea (Sheri Larsen's idea) that I decided to try for one more day each week. When I run out of TeenSteam, I'll beg to be excused, but for now here I am.

One of my life passions happens to be intercultural communication, and I love how connected this passion is to another one of mine--Young Adult literature.

How does a non-western teen from China, for example, understand the stories about Harry Potter? Translation, yes, but some things can't just be simply translated. There are often no cognates that exist between English and Chinese and many English words have multiple translation equivalents in Chinese. That's why some of those "EASY-TO-FOLLOW" assembly instructions leave you scratching your head.

Okay, let's say some translator manages to make the young wizard's trials and tribulations understandable. What about all those allusions, references and underlying cultural assumptions that are embedded in Rawling's books?

Here's how the Chinese "help" their readers understand certain references to Western culture. They added some serious, scholarly footnotes. The problem is while serious and definitely scholarly in appearance, there are a few, er, errors? I've borrowed a few from a more serious and more scholarly source. If you're interested in reading more of these, here the link:Footnotes to the Mainland Chinese Translation of Harry Potter (or all you needed to know about Western culture)

1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Footnote, Chapter 1: Kent is in the south of England. Yorkshire is in the north of England. Dundee is a port in the north of England.

Do the Scots know Dundee has been hauled over near Liverpool?

2. Harry and the Chamber of Secrets

Footnote, Chapter 6: Bandon: A port city in the southwest of Thailand.

My source and I have a hunch that Rowling referred to Bandon in Ireland, not Thailand. This explanation needs some 'splaining.

3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Footnote, Chapter 28: The English word 'bug' (put a listening device in) also has the meaning of 'bedbug'

This explains very clearly, why Ron asked, "Bugged?" Now we see there were fleas involved and the Brit's MI5 may be implicated.

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Footnote, Chapter 15: In English, the first letter in 'Poor' is 'P'; the first letter in 'Dreadful' is 'D', the first letter in 'Outstanding' is 'O', the first letter in 'Exceeds Expectations' (what is normally known as 'Good') is 'E', and the first letter in 'Acceptable' is 'A'.

And there you have the explanation for the West's grading system. I always wanted an E on my report card.

Monday Moods

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

So much going on out there in the blogger world that keeping up is a full time job. I don't know how you guys do it. I even went out and bought a bunch of carrots to dangle in front of my nose, and I can't slog fast enough.

First I won this very charming Versatile Blogger Award from Writing Through College, so I wanted to thank her and follow through on my Award-Etiquette. Here's my instructions:

1. In a post on your, blog, nominate 15 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award.

2. In the same post, Add the Versatile Blogger Award.
3. In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog.
4. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
5. In the same post, include this set of rules.
6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

It's really hard to choose only 15 fellow bloggers, but here goes. Forgive me if you've already received this award, but I have too, so there you have it.

FACTS: (Er, almost, kind of, nearly true?)

1. I write YA books. (Ho-hum!)

2. I'm a pretty good cook. (I get good reviews.)

3. Hikking is a passion. (Anyone who follows me knows this. Nothing new here.)

4. I'm a yogi and have been for a long time. ( My "Oms" sound amazing.)

5. Coffee is among my main food groups.

6. Wine is second only to coffee on my shopping list.

7. I'll take a good comedy over a sad story any day, but I love to write about edgy sadness. (I'm considered strange by my family.)

Alex Cavanaugh has been such a go-getter for so long and his new book is coming out soon, so I wanted to post his cover here just as a thank you for all his energy he puts out there in the blogosphere.

I'm enjoying the heck out of writing some short stories and tweaking my novels--I've "finished" two. It's nice to coast for a while before starting any major book projects. So that's Monday Moods for this week.

Here's one of my favorite quotes about writing: " . . . a writer's speciality [is] to deal with taboos, to speak the unspoken, to reveal, to uncover, to show in the interaction of people the difference between what we profess and how we act." Lionel Trilling

Do you have a favorite quote? Share?

Monday Moods--Friday 13

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Friday 13!!!! Psssst.

Oh my gawd! Friday the thirteenth came and went and I didn't even notice. I usually remain quietly at home, (That's more difficult now that I know home is where most of the accidents happen.) waiting for the toll of midnight that announces the "all clear."

I'm excessively superstitous about thirteen of anything, but Friday the thirteenth is the worst. So, how come I had a normal, possibly dull, day last Friday ? Hmmm.

BEWARE OF ANYTHING LADDERY

I even went back to see if I wrote anything that might be ~~bad~~, ~~terrible~~, really rotten on that day. I didn't. Do you suppose my paraskevidekatriaphobia has gone away? And if that's the case, does it mean I can treat the 13th like any other day? This is a whole new world for me. This inspires me to write poetry. Please don't sigh like that, okay?

Ode to Friday 13

At last your ghastly power wanes

I'm freed from all those yearly pains.

No longer will I duck and hide

when number 13 doth abide.

No longer will I garlic strew

when doors I open onto you.

No longer will I cringe and cry

when feline black comes at my side.

Those ladders, yes, bring them on

I prepare to scale those all anon.

One reservation still I hold.

Submitting stories I am told,

to agents, editors is too bold.

When 13 is the page and day

my better judgement has the sway.

I'll wait for 14 to arrive

then query quickly all my five.

Ah, dear Friday please leave me be

I'm writer-weary as you can see.

There. That wasn't so bad, was it? Please say no or lie.

Monday Moods

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

This is a new year with all kinds of promise, yet as I enter the second week I'm already amazed at how my calendar is filled with the usual boring stuff. You know this kind of thing:

1. Reorganize recycling bins in garage.
2. Check rain gutter for leaks.
3. Return giant stuffed Panda to Toys(backwardR)Us.

At the bottom of January I do have, "Edit That #!@** manuscript," but I can't remember which one I meant at the time.

And here I wanted to start 2012 with balloons and confetti and parades and maybe a touch of glamour. Maybe it's not too late. What do you think? And what kind of glam thing should I choose? Here's what I've thought might put some zip into that list of mine.

1. Buy a plane ticket to ___________(fill in the blank).
2. Sign up for Zumba.
3. Buy a new Jaguar for a road trip across the U.S.
4. Take that scuba gear and explore the Mariana Trench--not too deep, okay?
5. Go to Hollywood and get a job as a movie extra. Maybe I could meet Andy Garcia. That's kind of glam.

Does any of that sound like a good idea. I could still squeeze in tidying up the recycling bins and that other stuff. Not sure about editing, however.

What would you do if you were out to add a bit of sparkle to your new year before it became your old one?

The Insecure Writer, Me

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Courtesy of Michael Scott

Well, here we are at the first Wednesday of the month in our new year. Wednesday is a great day for posting about Writerly Insecurity--a Wildly emotional experience. Woden who was the chief Anglo-Saxon/Teutonic god was kind of a wild guy. A leader of the Wild Hunt, his name comes from wod "violently insane" + -en "headship." And if that's not enough to make this day perfect for this check in, his association with the god Mercury should be. We all know how old Mercury used to speed off hither and yon, an erratic-unstable dude if there ever was one.

Based on my experience in the writer world, a lot of it involves Insanity and Erratic-Unstable behavior: DEADlines (not the most uplifting term and definitely not the most stabilizing for me), the Mercurial process of creating believable, captivating characters and the Insane one of sending these treasured creations off to strangers who are looking for the best way to say NO THANK YOU to them. That's their job, after all, while ours is to keep them from doing so. Talk about speeding hither and yon! My mind is always chasing after the perfect characterization.

So how do we deal with all of this Insanity and still set down captivating prose? I've adopted several strategies, but here's one that always works for me, and it only takes a minute or two.

I call it creating my BALANCE ZONE and when I feel that bit of that Insane-Erratic-Unstable behavior creeping in I put this strategy into play and STOP. (My thanks to yoga and to Lisa Dale Miller for this idea.)

S: Stop. Close your eyes.
T: Take a slow, conscious breath. Make sure it starts in your abdomen, then rises to your chest. It can't be shallow.
O: Observe how that breath enters your body. Pause at the top of that breath, then release it slowly. Pause at the bottom. Repeat until all you're thinking about is that breath.
P: Proceed with your writing.

Here's to balanced, secure writing throughout 2012! And don't forget to pop over to Alex Cavanaugh's INSECURE WRITER's SUPPORT GROUP. We need all the support we can get.

Happy New Year--Goodbye 2011--Welcome to 2012

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

January is the beginning of a new year and the ending of an old one. It's appropriately named after the god of the gates, Janus. Now's when we can look back through this brief portal of time to that year we've just left and consider what we did or didn't do in those 365 days. Then we can look ahead to the year we've entered and be excited about the possibilities of those next days yet to reveal themselves.

I love the idea of a fresh start and I wish I could tidy up the old year so that I there were no loose ends to attend to, but that isn't how life works, is it? Life is a bit sloppy, so as I start out in this first month, when I look back through the gate there are a few unfinished items I'll have to carry forward with me.

Here's what I didn't finish in 2011.

I haven't finished writing that book the way I intended.
I haven't read the twenty-five books I have on my list.
I haven't cleaned the tile grout.
I haven't written to all of my friends to tell them how important they are to me.

I don't make resolutions anymore, so I can't make a list of all that I WILL do in 2012, but here's a wish list.

I wish for health.
I wish for strength.
I wish for the ability to accept, not judge.
I wish for someone to clean that tile grout.

What are you carrying forward into 2012 from 2011? Do you make resolutions? What are they? Or do you have a wish list? Share if you can and if you have any tile grout help, please send that to me.

Not really my grout . . . not yet!

Monday Miscellany-Apres Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Apres Christmas we have Happy Boxing Day. How it began, what it means, who celebrates it? It's not as straightforward as you might imagine. The best explanation came from this TIME article. It's a tad slow to load, but interesting. Here's another shorter, more entertaining piece about Boxing Day.

Kwanzaa starts today. A combination of "fruit harvesting" celebrations, this relatively new holiday had it's beginnings after the dreadful Watts Riots in L.A.

5 Days to 2012. Here's wishing all of you a wonderful end of 2011 and a fantastic beginning in 2012. My New Year writing tips are: Write what you love. Read what you love. Enjoy doing both!

Wrapping Up 2011

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:44:00 +0000

The winners of the giveaway were chosen by my crack crew. Here they are again just to remind you that all entries were carefully considered by serious and conscientious minds.

So congratulations. Here are the winners.

Signed copies of The Princess of Las Pulgas

Beverly Stowe McClure
Jessi E. Elliott
Carrie Butler

These people will be getting signed ARCs of Sliding on the Edge:

Kelly Hashway
Lynn Nerd Kelley
Lisa Gail Green
Margo Kelly
Theresa Milstein

The First Time, an eBook goes to Darby Karchut and Bish Denham

Thanks to everyone who entered. If I could I'd send everyone who stopped by a copy.

Here's to a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, Solistic celebration and a fabulous 2012!

Monday Miscellany

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

I write like

Jane Austen

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!

Yep that's what the analyzer had to offer up from my writing sample. I used the first paragraph from a piece of fiction I'm working on right now. How they came up with Jane, I'll never know. Give the analyzer a shot and tell us who you write like.

More Miscellany: This is December 19 and we only have five days until Christmas. So I'll send my holiday best wishes to all my friends and fellow bloggers and hope that during this holiday season you all share beautiful moments with the ones who mean the most to you.

Don't forget to ask for a present from me. Here's the POST in case you missed it. I have books and ARCs to send off as well as an eBook with short stories, so let me know if you want one.

My favorite quote for today is: "Talent hits a target no one else can hit; genius hits a target no one else can see." Schopenhauer

Here's three things to keep in mind while you're creating those stories. I love them because they're simple, easy to understand and effective.

1. Take your characters to a dark place. ASAP
2. Have your characters make the wrong decision. BAD is GOOD--HORRIBLE is BETTER
3. Give your characters a secret. What do they have under the bed? What don't they want anyone in the world to know? YUMMM. Love those secrets.

Belle

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

There are book and then there are beautiful books. Here is one of those beauties. And the title says so right up front. Please welcome Mary Lee Corlett and Belle to the Write Game.

Belle: The Amazing, Astonishingly Magical Journey of an Artfully Painted Lady

Written by Mary Lee Corlett

Illustrated by Phyllis Saroff

Published by Bunker Hill Publishing, 2011

Also available on Amazon.com

Book trailer

(Just in case this trailer link below fails)

• I have to say that is one beautiful cover and one fabulous book trailer. Now can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I have lived in the Washington DC area for over 20 years, but I was born and raised in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. My mother and three sisters still live there. I earned my M.A. in art history from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and my first museum job was at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where I was a teaching assistant for the Saturday children’s classes offered by their education department. (I taught 4 and 5 year-olds in an activity class called “Mini-Masters!”) Later, I worked in the registrar’s office. After I earned my M.A, my husband and I moved to Washington so that I could pursue curatorial and research work. I joined the staff of the National Gallery of Art in 1989. We’ve lived in the Washington suburb of Falls Church, Virginia, for about 13 years, and we have a 15 year old daughter.

• This is your first children’s book?

Yes! And it is such a thrill to see it in print! I have been interested in writing for children for a couple of decades and I have a file drawer full of manuscripts (and rejection letters ) to prove it. I joined the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) in 2004 and in 2007 I submitted Belle for a manuscript review at my regional conference. The author who reviewed the book was so enthusiastic; she kept me from getting discouraged in my hunt to find the right publisher. The Editor-in-Chief at the National Gallery also loved the book when I showed it to her, but sadly, we don’t have a children’s book publishing program at the National Gallery. Ultimately, though, it was she who put me in touch with Bunker Hill Publishing.

• What or who inspired you to write Belle?

The short answer is – my daughter! I used to bring her down to the National Gallery for the wonderful family programs offered by our education department, but I also wanted her to enjoy a simple walk through the galleries with me. I searched for a book based on the Gallery’s collection with the thought it would help spark her interest in doing that, but I quickly discovered the kind of book I had in mind didn’t exist! I wanted a fun-to-read, fictional story that featured a variety of paintings from the National Gallery’s great collection and focused on the magic of the museum and the ‘art experience.’ So when I couldn’t find that book, I decided I’d better write it!

• You obviously are someone who loves art. Can you tell us how you chose your paintings for Belle?

I have been fortunate to research and write about some pretty terrific artists while on the staff of the National Gallery – Roy Lichtenstein and Romare Bearden, for example – my field is American art. I love writing about art and artists and of course, I love just looking at art. Yet ironically, when you work in a museum, you often don’t carve out the time to just wander through the galleries. So writing Belle was the perfect excuse to do that!

It was on one of those walks through the galleries at the end of the day, with the idea of this book on my mind, that the butterflies in Jan Davidsz de Heem’s canvas [Vase of Flowers] just popped out at me! I think the yellow Brimstone caught my eye first. He was so delicately alighted, there on the edge of that tulip. He just looked to me as if he might flutter away at any moment. But Belle (the Red Admiral) was up there quietly hovering in the corner. It occurred to me that she’d been hovering there for over 300 years, a quiet observer, and I thought – SHE must have some stories to tell! Once I discovered those butterflies, I never looked back! The story began to take shape and soon it had a life of its own.

I wanted to present their journey more or less chronologically through art history. That’s why there are no works from the Middle Ages or the Renaissance in the book. Works from these periods are certainly represented in the Gallery’s collection, but Belle and Brimstone were painted in the seventeenth century, and I felt it was important to have their journey take them steadily forward through time, rather than jumping back and forth through the centuries. And, of course, I needed a villain! I thought there was something comical about having the butterflies’ avian nemesis come from such a tiny little painting [Circle of Jan van Kessel, Concert of Birds]

The worst part of the selection process was discarding favorites! I wanted to select works that would be particularly fun to look at and to imagine blending into. And of course, the colors had to be right. Brimstone chooses the Vermeer with an ivory-colored ribbon [A Lady Writing], while Belle looks to the one with the red hat [Girl with the Red Hat].

• Is there something else you are currently working on?
I would love to make Belle into a series, so I am currently working on a manuscript that takes her on a journey to another museum. Art travels all the time for touring exhibitions – the perfect set up for another adventure!
I am also working on a manuscript that features the art of the National Gallery’s wonderful outdoor sculpture garden. This book would have completely different characters, and I am envisioning it for a younger audience (ages 4 to 8 years).

Well, you've captured my attention Mary Lee. I love the concept and I'm certain your younger readers are going to be captivated by Belle and her adventures in the art world. Congratulations.

Monday Miscellany-Some Favorites & A Giveaway . . . just in time for Christmas.

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:13:00 +0000

The minute I say I'm going to ONLY post on Monday, some of my favorite authors pop up with super books, and I just can't say no. Hope you've enjoyed the visit with Kai Strand author of The Weaver. Jo Ramsey stopped in as well to talk about RUMORS and her two books Cluing In and From the Ashes. Their books are amazing, and I hope you'll read and review them.

I'm trying to get around to reading and reviewing all the authors I host here. I don't have room for all of their covers, but here are a few and maybe before the end of January, I'll put up more. Many I've reviewed, some I still haven't. Where do those days go? Tell me.

Whew! I need to get cranking.

Here's my favorite quote for the day and it's by one of my favorite authors, Margaret Atwood.
"Wanting to meet an author because you like his books is like wanting to meet a duck because you like pate."

Now one of my favorite things to do at holiday time--anytime really--is to give books to people. As some of you might know I have two young adult books out and one short story titled "Premeditated Cat" in the eBook anthology, The First Time. I'm giving some copies of these away starting today ending December 23.

Three copies of Princess of Las Pulgas are up for grabs and five copies (ARCs just recently received from my publisher) of Sliding on the Edge. Sorry to limit these to US only, but the postage is starting to mount! I'll also be giving two copies of The First Time (Kindle Edition). Of course, this is open to anyone no matter where they live. Bless those eBooks.

So favorite people--stop by, say hi and tell me which book you want. One per reader, okay? Got to spread the presents. As always, my crack crew will select the winners. I have no idea what they're looking for in the way of winning comments, so good luck with that! Oh, here they are. Sweet, right? And maybe just a bit wacky.

They are looking at you! Enter and Win. Enter and Win!

The Insecure Writer, Me

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

See these nails? I stopped biting them just in time to save the fingertips and why? Because I'm an INSECURE WRITER; I need those fingers for the keyboard.

This is me when I was an INSECURE ACTRESS, biting my nails. (Ignore the caption. Marilyn was always trying to get the spotlight away from me. I think she might have been more insecure than I was.)

I don't know which is worse, my insecurity on stage or what I'm enduring now. But I no longer look like the picture above. Here's a more recent one.

Writer on the Verge . . . but of what?

Oh, I have me ups and downs. There have been days when I've seen myself with the Nobel prize for literature clutched in my nibbled fingers. I once thought I'd craft a Newberry Award acceptance speech just in case . . . you know the phone rang. But when a call came through on the day the award was decided, it was the vet telling me I could pick up Buffy.

This is my INSECURE WRITERS REJECTION week and I'm celebrating by joining the blog hop of other angst-filled-creative-finger nibblers. At last a support group.

Alex J. Cavanaugh
If you feel like hopping on board just click on the link above and join in the angst and the insecurity. It might be fun.

Interview with Jo Ramsey

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:17:00 +0000

Jo Ramsey has some interesting things to say about RUMORS and her new books. Two of them!

Rumors

Someone once said, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, come sit by me.” Unfortunately, there seem to be a lot of people who don’t have anything nice to say and don’t hesitate to say something cruel instead.

Especially in high school.

If you made it through school without having a rumor spread about you at least once, you’re very lucky. I don’t know anyone who wasn’t the target of a rumor, myself included. When I worked in public schools, every level from elementary to high school, I heard rumors about students being spread by other students. Sometimes even by teachers!

Rumors and gossip are not far off from bullying in many cases. Telling your bestie, “Hey, see that girl? I heard she’s pregnant” is just more subtle than going up to “that girl” and slamming her against a locker, but it isn’t any less hurtful. Sometimes words hurt more than actions, especially when those words spread through an environment as closed as a typical high school. Whether you’re in a school of two hundred or two thousand, somehow those rumors spread, because everyone knows someone else who hasn’t heard yet.

Rumors feature big in my two latest novels, Cluing In and From the Ashes. In Cluing In, Jamey Mandel’s best friend Jebbi Randolph has been dealing for two years with rumors that she tried to steal a senior girl’s boyfriend during her freshman year. The truth is that the boy raped Jebbi, but no one except Jebbi and a few of her friends know that. During the story, Jamey’s ex-girlfriend becomes the target of rumors that she’s pregnant—rumors which are unfortunately true. And even Jamey becomes the subject of gossip when his ex blurts out in the cafeteria that Jamey’s still a virgin.

In From the Ashes, book five in my Reality Shift series, the rumor that’s followed Shanna Bailey since sixth grade takes on new weight when Shanna has her first boyfriend. In sixth grade, Shanna was caught in the woods with two older boys, who had conned her into going with them. The immediate assumption was that Shanna was “doing things” to the boys, and that’s the gossip that’s been going around about her ever since. Shanna has never dared tell anyone except her best friend Jonah Leighton and her foster brother Mark James the truth: one of the boys tried to force her to touch him, but was interrupted before he could follow through. Now Shanna’s afraid that since her new boyfriend—along with everyone at their school—knows the rumor, he’ll expect her to “do things” with him, too.

Our society makes a big deal out of rumors. TV shows and magazines are devoted to gossip about celebrities, and don’t seem too interested in whether it’s true or not. Coworkers gossip about each other during their lunch breaks; families talk about other family members behind their backs at holiday gatherings. It really isn’t any surprise that rumors and gossip are so much a part of most people’s school experiences.

That doesn’t mean it’s right, though. Words do hurt, especially when you’re the target of them.

Jo Ramsey is a former special education teacher turned full-time author. She has been writing since age five, and started writing young adult fiction when she was a young adult herself. Her first YA urban fantasy novel, Connection, book one in the Reality Shift series, was published in January 2010 by Jupiter Gardens Press. Since then, books two through five in that series, and books one and two in her series The Dark Lines, have been published by that company. Her first YA contemporary novel, Cluing In, was published in November 2011 by Featherweight Press. Jo lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, her husband, and two cats.

Get your copie of CLUING IN and FROM THE ASHES now.
From the Ashes is available at http://jupitergardens.com/Reality-Shift-Book-5-From-The-Ashes-by-Jo-Ramsey-Print.html

Kai Strand, Author of The Weaver

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Once in a while it's just wonderful to talk to other authors about who they are and what they write. It's Kai Strand's turn to be here today. Welcome, Kai.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

First and foremost, I’m a wife and mother of four. As a family we love to geocache and hike around Central Oregon at places like Hole in the Ground, Fort Rock and China Hat. Or at Sahalie Falls, Dry Canyon or the River Rim trail. There are so many beautiful places to explore right in our immediate area.

Beyond wife and mother, I’m also a children’s author. I write fiction for middle grade and young adult. I love – love - love fantasy, but contemporary holds it’s own power over me as well.

Can you give us a brief summary of your book, THE WEAVER?

In a town of storytellers, called word weavers, Mary suffers through her third year of Novice Word Weaving. Mary thinks her troubles are over when she meets a gnome-elf who grants her a wish. But instead of weaving a better story, she's weaving strange yarn charms to accompany her still pathetic tales.

The Weaver is a story of persistence. It offers a little magic and a lot of storytelling. It is written for children 9 – 12 years old.

I’m excited to say it is a finalist in the EPIC eBook Awards. It is so thrilling to think that from all of the books the judges read they placed mine as one of three finalists. WOW!

Congratulations. That's very exciting.

What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

Related to the craft itself, I love the initial creation process. I love finding my way through the story the very first time. It is both fun and worrisome to stumble upon a detour you never would have expected when you first thought up the story in your head. Where will the detour lead? Will you find your way back again? Then the ultimate reward is when you discover how to tie the lose story ends back together to bring the story to a satisfying resolution.

Related to the written work, I love visiting classrooms. I love getting out there with the kids that I write for and talking about the craft of writing. It inspires me to want to write more just for them and their fantastic imaginations.

What or who inspired you to write The Weaver?

I belong to an online critique group, called Silver Web. One day I had the critique group’s site up on my computer. We have a very cool spider’s web graphic on the page. When I lived in Southern California, I used to watch in horrified fascination, as our huge garden spiders would spin their enormous webs. The graphic made me remember the beauty of their craft. I thought, “My critters and I weave stories with words like spiders weave webs with silk.” That made me imagine living in a community where people spoke in stories. The next step was to create conflict. Well, that was obvious. What if you lived in a town where everyone was good at word weaving except you?

Do you have a favorite scene from the Weaver? Can you give us a short excerpt?

No one has ever asked me this before. I’m so glad you did! My youngest daughter would laugh if she were with me right now because every time I get to this point in the story I squeal like a little girl and say, “I love this chapter!”

Chapter 14, titled The Third Law, is the moment that Mary discovers the solution to her problem, but it’s through someone else’s error that she discovers it:

A boy named Dicken, who sat near the front of

the room, raised his hand to answer a question Mary

hadn’t heard Mrs. Frickles ask.

“It is the third law of physics,” Dicken said

importantly. “A motion creates an equal and opposite

emotion.”

The class laughed at his error. Mary, who

didn’t like to laugh at anybody, but found his error

entertaining nonetheless, restrained herself to a smile.

She tried to put a look of understanding in her eyes.

After all, she was forever being laughed at over her …

“That’s it!” Mary leaped off of her stool and

slapped her hand down on the slate tabletop. Chantell

jumped so high in surprise that she almost fell off her

own stool. The class immediately forgot Dicken’s error

and swung eager eyes toward Mary to see how she was

going to make a fool of herself this time.

Mary hissed out the excited breath she’d been

holding and slowly sat back down on her stool. “I’m …

um … well.” She looked up at Mrs. Frickles, whose lips

were pursed as she gazed over the top of her glasses at

Mary. “Sorry, Mrs. Frickles. Dicken’s answer was very

inspiring for me. I’m sorry I disrupted the class.”

Mrs. Frickles continued to stare at Mary as if

considering an appropriate punishment or public

embarrassment, but in the end she shifted her attention

back to Dicken. “I think what you mean, son, is for

every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

“Yeah, that’s what I said.” Dicken’s look of

confusion grew as the class tittered and giggled some

more.

Can you tell us if you're working on something else, and if so, give us a little taste?

I’ve recently sold another middle grade novel, Save The Lemmings! to Featherweight Press. Since that is about to go into the editing process, I’ll hold off on sharing an excerpt, but I’m happy to share a blurb:

When Natalie’s Texty-Talky invention makes her an overnight sensation, the media digs until they find a way to smear her goody-goody image. When her best friends start believing what they read, Natalie’s sunny spirit is pushed to its limits. How will Natalie stop the lies and win her friends back? And who will SAVE THE LEMMINGS?

I’m currently working on Polar Opposites, the second book in my young adult series, Super Villain Academy. I’m shopping the first book, King of Bad. Here is the introduction of the main character, Jeff. In the intro, we can see he’s comfortable being the bad boy, he knows he’s different from others, and he uses that to his delinquent advantage:

Jeff admired the growth of the flames as they devoured wads of paper and fast food wrappers in the wire mesh trashcan. He slipped the book of matches into his pocket and sat back on his heels to admire his work. One side of the can merely smoldered so he blew gently to fan the guttering flame. It reminded him of how blowing on Jasmine’s neck the night before had resulted in a lovely arch of her back. He growled a throaty sigh remembering Jasmine’s blissful distraction as he’d nibbled her earlobe.

“Hey!”

Jeff glanced over his shoulder. A man, who looked like he belonged behind a desk in a downtown high rise, jogged toward him.

“Ah, the sweet sounds of discipline.” Jeff stood, stuffed his fists in the front pockets of his jeans and shook the long bangs out of his eyes. He half expected the guy’s slick-soled business shoes to slip as he jogged across visitor parking. This was Jeff’s favorite part. Almost getting caught. When the guy was a baseball’s toss away, Jeff turned. He walked a couple steps then skipped up into a jog.

“Kid, stop!”

Jeff chuckled to himself, “Yeah, sure,” and loped across the soccer field.

“Wait a minute.”

Jeff stole a look over his shoulder. The guy was close even though he didn’t seem to be running very fast. Jeff grinned at him and increased his pace. A seven-foot tall chain link fence ringed in the far side of the field to prevent stray soccer balls from breaking the windows of passing cars on the street below. Jeff leaped onto the fence without slowing down and in two cat-like movements, launched himself over the top. He dropped to the ground, landing on a hill pocked with gopher holes, as easily as if he were jumping around in a bounce house. He smoothly transitioned back into a sprint and dashed across the street, startling a lady driving an SUV.

“Kid, hold up.”

Jeff almost tripped; the guy was half way across the street already. He smirked, finally a decent chase, but not for long. With little effort, Jeff stepped up to a blurring speed. He dashed up a peaceful street that ran perpendicular to the school, where kids rode bikes and ran through sprinklers. Jeff recognized one of the ‘good’ kids from school, washing a ’57 step-side Chevy.

“Sweet ride,” Jeff called out. The kid looked up at him, but then snapped his head to the left. That guy cannot be that close! Jeff looked over his shoulder to find the guy was only a house length behind him. Holy crap, Batman. No one ever keeps up with me!

For the first time in a long time, Jeff worried. But only a little. With a deep, fortifying breath he pumped his thigh muscles harder. He whizzed past houses so fast he doubted anyone would be able to describe him if they were asked to later. Tears streamed sideways from the force of the wind his speed created. He’d only started to breathe a bit more heavily than normal. Jeff was built to run.

What I love about this series is that kids and adults get away with behaving badly, because they’re villains and that in itself creates conflict. By nature they don’t make friends, don’t care about others, don’t have manners, very self-centered people. Jeff thought he was a bad boy, but then he gets recruited to Super Villain Academy. It is a fun series to write and very different from my middle grade work.

Any favorite authors, books you'd like to share with us?

For young adult books, I love everything Maggie Stiefvater has written. I haven’t read Scorpio Races yet, but I think I’m safe to say I’ll like that too. I read Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins last week. I started grinning on the first page and I swear I’m still grinning from that charming story. So far Cassandra Clare hasn’t let me down either. I love both of L.K. Madigan’s books and it breaks my heart that we won’t read more from her.

For middle grade I’m a big fan of Kimberley Griffiths Little. Enjoyed The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, Violet Raines Almost Got Struck By Lightning, Eighth-Grade Superzero, A Wrinkle in Time, the Harry Potter series even after it crossed into young adult, and Just Breeze.

Any helpful hints for writers, maybe something you've learned along the way?

The business of seeking publication can be very discouraging. Find ways of reminding yourself why you love to write and circle back around to that whenever you start to get caught up in frustration and self-deprecation.

Read often. Be sure to steep yourself in the genre and age level you want to write in.

Finally, everyone always says write a lot. But I don’t think writing a lot does much to improve your craft without good feedback on your writing. So find an effective critique group or partners who understand your genre and target age. Listen to their feedback with an open mind and be sure you are critiquing their work too. You learn so much by helping others.

I would love if your readers visit me on my WEBSITE. They can find links to short stories, all my contact and social media information, and more stuff about my writing and me. Thank you, Lee, for inviting me to join you and your readers. It has been so much fun visiting.

Loved the visit, Kai.

Monday Miscellany--Some Questions About Writing

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

One thing about being a writer is that you think about words . . . a lot. You think about what they mean and how they impact you and others. And then there are questions about if the words you choose will convey what you want or if they will have meaning beyond the time you write in.

I loved the post about on Tossing it Out earlier this month. Arlee Bird posed the questions,
"Is your writing mostly in vain? Would you rather make a good living at what you do now and be consigned to the back pages of history? Or would you prefer the status of struggling artist who gains fame after you are dead and gone?"

In my mind, no writing's in vain, even when you write in a journal or a diary with no thought of sharing with anyone. What you set onto a page is unique and, therefore, worthwhile. It's yours and no one else will express the ideas the way you do. Unless you "copy, word for word" from another writer, an idea that's similar will be developed differently. Balzac encouraged others to take his ideas and use them. It was his opinion that if writers used his work and incorporated it into their own, he would have another shot at immortality. Now that's an interesting take on things, and it might bear examination, especially when the accusations of plagiarism come up.

As to the choice of making a living now or being forgotten I don't think we have much to say about that. We can write for popular consumption today, and what we write will remain the same while the culture and the readers will evolved into something we may never imagine.

I wonder if Shakespeare considered the long journey his plays and sonnets would make as he wrote them. I believe he would would be surprised at his current status in the world. Elated, yes. But definitely surprised. But let's face it, he had a way of weaving words together that, even though archaic now and somewhat challenging to understand, pulls at our hearts and makes us flock to those Shakespeare in the Park productions each summer. If we learn anything from his example it is to examine that prose of ours and consider the way it sounds as well as what it conveys. Oh yes, and then there's the matter of all those universal themes that he wrote about that still tug at our hearts.

So write, write, write and enjoy the act. If you're lucky, if you're skilled/talented, if the timing is right you'll sell your book to readers. If your stars really line up, in a few hundred years you could be a best selling author. Only time will tell. (Oops! Cliche alert.)

Now I'm off to write something. Hope you'll jump in and add your ideas about Arlee's questions. Coming this December I'll be joining Alex Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Blog Hop. If you want to come on board, just sign up and post about all your insecurity the first Wednesday of each month. See you there, I hope.

Thanksgiving 2011

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Here it is again.

THANKSGIVING.

The day to eat, of course, but also a day to take a moment for reflecting on all of the things we have to be grateful for, and, as we pull out our chairs to sit with family and friends, to remember those who aren't with us at the table anymore. It's a day to give to others who might need something hot to eat. It's a day to appreciate the history of our country and to encourage our children to know what we are celebrating.

There are any number of children's books about this holiday, but here are a few that my family has read and that are on our bookshelves to read again and again.

If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 by Ann McGovern, Anna DiVito (Illustrator)

In lively question-and-answer style, this fact-filled book answers all sorts of questions about the Pilgrims' journey on the Mayflower and their first year in America. Why did the Pilgrims leave England to live in America? What items did they bring with them on the Mayflower? What were the hardships they endured? What was The Mayflower Compact?

We liked this one because the author shared details about the Pilgrims' everyday life.

Turkeys, Pilgrims, and Indian Corn : The Story of the Thanksgiving Symbols by Edna Barth, Ursula Arndt (Illustrator)

Each of our holidays has its own familiar traditions: Trick-or-treating on Halloween, eating turkey on Thanksgiving, waiting for Santa Claus on Christmas, exchanging cards on Valentine's Day. But where do these customs come from, when did they begin, and why do we continue to observe them?

Edna Barth explores the multicultural origins (something dear to my heart) and evolution of the familiar and not-so-familiar symbols and legends associated with our favorite holiday. This book is full of historical details and little-known stories, that are shared so that kids enjoy learning about that time in our history.

We also like Laurie Halse Anderson's book, "Thank you Sarah:The Woman who Saved Thanksgiving." It's a story about Sarah Hale an editor who recognized this holiday was in danger of being forgotten. She set out to "show" everyone just how mighty that pen could be, and she saved the day we'll be celebrating on Thursday.

Hope you'll share some of your favorite books about Thanksgiving and tell us what you're thankful for. And may you have a most wonderful day, no matter how you spend it. Now where did I last see that turkey?

Monday Miscellany-Anthologies

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Anthologies are hot!

And I think we're going to see a lot more of them, especially in eBook format. What do you think about them? I mean does a collection of short stories, perhaps thematically linked, appeal to you? Would you be likely to plunk out a few dollars ($1.99-$2.99) to download one of these eBooks? Is it more to your liking to have a paperback than an eBook? I'd love to hear your ideas.

I did a bit of hunting for some and here are a couple I found. The retold fairy tales looked good. . . and SPOOKY!

Amazon Paperback

So did the more global one with international stories. It really fascinated me.

Amazon Paperback

I guess I'm interested in this because I've signed on to do some short stories for anthologies. My first one is out now and it's called The First Time. I'm really in good company with Jenny Moss, Stacey Jay, Carrie Ryan, Sydney Salter, Kurtis Scaletta, Jon Skovron, Janet Gurtler, Leigh Brescia, Rhonda Stapleton (Ed.), Jessica Verday (Ed.) and many more. Stay tuned because there's more coming.

Amazon Kindle

Monday Miscellany-Awards

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:39:00 +0000

I love awards. I love to give them and I loveS to get 'em. I recently acquired four. FOUR! How about that? I'm beyond happy and grateful.

Lisa Gail Green, my favorite paranormal writer-blogger-person on planet earth gave me this award a few years ago, so here's another thank you to her.

THEN

Susanne Drazic passed on The Versatile Blogger also. Now my job is to say thank you to her, which I just did, then I have to share seven things about ME and pass these on to 15 recently discovered blogs!

Seven Things About Me

1. Halloween is most favoritest holiday.
2. I can't do NaNoWriMo; it's totally against my nature as a writer.
3. I'm terribly sentimental, but I never tell anyone that.
4. I iron my sheets. I adore smooth, fine cotton to slip into at night.
5. Do not even try to make me think snakes are okay.
6. I change my mind a lot.
7. I love white water rafting.

THERE! That's my seven.

Here are the Newly Discovered Blogs that are about to receive these two awards.

1. Let's Book It http://letsbookit.blogspot.com
2. Jennifer Groepl-Writer http://jennifer-groepl.blogspot.com
3. Out on a Limb http://outonalimbshywritergoessocial.blogspot.com
4. Lynn Kelly: LynNerd's Random Acts of Writing http://lynnkelleyrandomactsofwriting.blogspot.com/
5. Writtled http://writtled.blogspot.com
6. Susan Field http://susanfieldswriter.blogspot.com
7. Ciara Knight http://www.ciaraknight.com
8. Rosewood Pencil Box http://rosewoodpencilbox.blogspot.com
9. Talli Roland http://talliroland.blogspot.com
10. Milissa Sugar http://fictiontoolbox.blogspot.com
11. KCarey http://howmanydaysinayear.blogspot.com
12. Meradeth http://museituppublishing.blogspot.com
13. Jennifer Lee Young http://jennyleeyoung.blogspot.com
14. Dawn M. Hamsher http://thewritesoil.blogspot.com
15. Natalie Zaman http://nataliezaman.blogspot.com

I am now the recipient of two more One Lovely Blog Awards. Very pretty and three of them make it even prettier.

Thank you Rosewood Pencil Box. Thank you Susanne Drazic. Thank you again, Daisy

In The Throes of Thursday--Go Take a Hike

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Go take a hike?

Absolutely. I've been told to do that by a lot of agents and editors, so I took their advice and did it. And what a fantastic hike it was too! It put a lot of things into perspective and when you see the pictures you'll understand what I mean.

Here's Tree Hugger Me. Well, I tried, but the Sequoia just laughed.

Here I are, standing in the center of a Sequoia that's been hollowed out by fire. That made quite an impression. These trees thrive with fire--their bark is highly fire resistant and in the heat, their seeds pop and germinate, starting more of their species.

Think about that, writers, and go into the fire, knowing that you're among the most resilient people on the planet. From the heat you take in rejection and writer self-doubt, ideas are going to pop and grow into wonderful stories.

Okay, that's all the philosophy for this Thursday, but wanted to add that this is going to be my last Throes of Thursday post for a while. I'm going to be posting on Mondays only and trying to get back to working on my next book. I'll hop around to all my followers; I just hope you'll forgive me if I'm slow.

Happy Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

My late, great black cat, Champ and his Jack-O-Lantern
&

My Horrid Halloween Poem

(a small present to my patient readers)

T'was the night of the spirits, when all through the streets

Ran pirates and gremlins with bags for their sweets;

The pumpkins were carved into shapes grim with care,

In hopes that some ghosts soon would be there;

The children were trundled all snug in disguise,

While visions of goblins danced in their eyes;

And Mama in her bat wings and Dad in his fangs,

Had just settled down to greet the small gangs.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

They sprang from their seats to see what was the matter.

Away to the front door they flew like a flash,

Tore open the deadbolt and held out their stash.

The moon on the crest of the newly mowed lawn

Gave lustre of midnight to five devil's spawn.

When what to their wondering eyes should appear,

But a great ghastly demon that struck them with fear.

With a head of a werewolf and hands fully clawed,

They knew in a moment it had to be Maude.

More stealthy than vampires her steps on they came

And growling and gnashing, she called them by name.

"Now Lester! Now, Edith! Don't be alarmed!

I'm here for the candy and not to do harm!"

To the edge of the porch, and into the light

She held out her claws and grinned at their fright.

As dry leaves that before a wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up t'ward the full moon old Maudy did rise,

With her treats and her goodies,

And still in disguise.

And then, in a twinkling, they heard overhead

The prancing and pawing of eight hooves of dread.

As they locked up their door, and prayed this would end

Down the chimney old Maudy came with a friend.

He was covered in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his face was all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of candy he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a zombie ready to snack.

His eyes--how they sizzled! His glare a great menace.

His teeth were like scissors; he needed a dentist.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the treat bowls; then turned with a jerk,

And grasping their arms, he shook them and said,

"Happy H-day to all, a great day of the DEAD!"

Wednesday Special--A Ghost Story. Really

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Bish Denham made me do this. Thanks Bish and thanks for your super RANDOM THOUGHTS GIVEAWAY.

I don’t believe in ghosts. I don’t. Really. But . . .

Our house was built in the 1930’s as a mountain cabin for people from San Francisco who wanted to escape the city and live among the redwoods. We remodeled it when we moved in, adding a couple of rooms and reconfiguring the entrances and exits. I’m telling you this because it’s important to my story.

A few years ago things started appearing on stairs, on counters, and always in the original parts of the house. A red scarf came first and I asked every one of my friends who’d visited in the previous month if it was theirs.

“No.”

I finally gave it away and forgot about it. I wouldn't have remembered it at all, except a few months later, I tripped over a pile of combs and ribbons on the stairs up to my bedroom. These hair ornaments weren't mine, and I’m the only female who lives here. Still I discounted it. There had to be a logical explanation.

Then one day I went to put on my favorite pearl earrings and there was only one in my jewelry box. I searched. I cleaned drawers. I accused my family of playing tricks on me and trying to make me think I was losing it. First things appeared, and then they disappeared!

After three years passed, I decided that earring was gone forever, so I had a jeweler make a matching one for me. I brought the two earrings home, opened my jewelry box to put them safely away, and there in the drawer was my long lost pearl earring.

I don’t know how to explain why I have three pearl earrings, but I do. Nothing else has happened for years, but a friend who spent the night in the old bedroom swears a ghost visited him. He’d never heard my stories. He’s also never spent the night with us again.

Stop by. Say hi.

Monday Miscellany-Drum Roll for the Creepy Cake 'N Bake

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

The Creepy Cake 'N Bake has seen some darned good entries. Here are few to refresh your memory and to give you a chance to click on the caption and visit these super authors. Just don't forget MINE! You know the blogger you LOVE? And don't forget to follow along as the last few entries arrive! What to win and the way to win it is at the bottom of this post. Hope you'll join in the creepiness and have some fun.

Zombaby

Spooky Sugary Spiders

Red Velvet Cardiac Event

Coven of Cupcakes

Sugary Spider

Eyeball Cupcakes

Witchy Cake

The Creepy Cake N Bake-a-Thon is ON! Vote for your favorite entry by commenting below. You can comment on EVERY Cake N Bake post, one entry per post, for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate from Barnes and Noble or an official Creepy Cake N Bake doll! Please include your email in order to be entered to win.

Trophies will be awarded on Halloween for the top creeptastic creations. Winners will be chosen by our special Celebrity Judge, Adam Rex, author of such deliciously creepy creations such as FAT VAMPIRE, FRANKENSTEIN TAKES THE CAKE, FRANKENSTEIN MAKES A SANDWICH, and PSSST!

Since this is Monday Miscellany, I have to also say that the WRITECAMPAIGN is on it's last CHALLENGE! Those entries are amazing. And you should stop by and give your vote to the one you like best. I'm having trouble deciding.

Creepy Cake N Bake RIP WIP

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

You gotta have bats and skeletons and tombstones and ghosts. A bowl helps too.

I have such steep competition that I almost threw up my skeletons and said, "Forget it!" But I can't quit without a try, so here's my Creepy Cake N Bake entry,
R.I.P ✟ W.I.P.

Creepy Step 1: Gather all your gear.

Creepy Step 2: Put on your best witch hat and if you have creepy fingers, put those on too. Then take out Betty. She's perfected the German Chocolate Cake, so why try to outdo perfection, especially when it's late and you needs some cake . . . fast?

Creepy Step 3: Dump the contents into a mixing bowl, add two eggs, 2/3 C. of oil, 1 1/3 C. water and beat the heck out of the batter for a couple of minutes.

Creepy (and most risky) Step 5: Taste, using long green finger. Yum!

Creepy Step 6: Bake with small chunk of brimstone (about 350 hellish degrees) for 45 minutes. When cool, frost with devilishly creamy chocolate. Frosting must include Vampyre bats and Ghostly peeps melted slowly and painfully in cauldron (not pictured here.) And Viola! R.I.P ✝ W.I.P is complete. Want to see the results? BEWARE. It's CREEPY!

Directed by J.M. McKenzie

Photographed by T.A. McKenzie

Lighting & Sound by C.L. McKenzie

The Creepy Cake N Bake-a-Thon is ON! VOTE for your favorite entry by commenting below. You can comment on EVERY Cake N Bake post, one entry per post, for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate from Barnes and Noble or an official Creepy Cake N Bake doll! Please include your email in order to be entered to win.

Trophies will be awarded on Halloween for the top creeptastic creations. Winners will be chosen by our special Celebrity Judge, http://adamrex.com">Adam Rex, author of such deliciously creepy creations such as FAT VAMPIRE, FRANKENSTEIN TAKES THE CAKE, FRANKENSTEIN MAKES A SANDWICH, and PSSST!
HERE ARE THE OTHER CREEPY ENTRIES:
Mon Oct. 3 - Saundra Mitchell
Wed Oct 5 - Stacey Jay
Friday Oct 7 - Erin Dionne
Saturday Oct 8 - Sydney Salter
Mon Oct 10 - Brenna Yovanoff
Wed Oct 12 - Tara Hudson
Friday Oct 14 - Karen Healey
Saturday Oct 15 - Robin Bridges
Mon Oct 17 - Michelle Zink
Friday Oct 21 - Victoria Schwab
Saturday Oct 22 - C.Lee McKenzie [ THIS IS ME! PLEASE COME BACK AND GIVE ME YOUR VOTE. I SO WANT, CRAVE, NEED TO WIN SOMETHING . . . ANYTHING. ]
Sunday Oct 23 - E. Kristin Anderson
Mon Oct 24 - Natalie Zaman
Wed Oct 26 - Stephanie Burgis
Friday Oct 28 - Dawn Metcalf

In The Throes of Thursday--Why Zombies?

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Question: What's scarier than an a Zombie?

Answer: Two Zombies.

Unfortunately, when there's one there's never only two; Zombies come in hoards and you don't have to go looking for them either. They'll find you. (Insert scary scream here.)

And people can't seem to get enough of those ghastly, grim vacant creatures. Why is that?
I guess it's because we love to be scared.

Vampires used to do that job, but then movies like Love at First Bite came out, and then someone wrote a book about a gentle, lovesick vampire that also happened to be hunk. How can anyone be scared by George Hamilton or Robert Pattinson? Vampires might as well be bunnies now--not the Monte Python type bunny.

As a writer, I used to wonder how many Zombie books would make too many, but now I know. There will never be too many. The reason is simple. The stories of flesh eating monsters aren't about the flesh eating monsters at all. They're all about the humans who have to deal with them and how that traumatic experience affects those who are alive.

Will timid Maxwell suddenly find his courage and race to rescue Sarah, the girl who makes fun of him, from certain death?

Will Jasper, the hunky star quarterback, run away terrified, leaving his girl friend as the killer hoard approaches?

Will the school's low-life be the one to devise the plan that saves the auditorium filled with trapped students?

Just look at the tension those questions produce. I guess writing a book with Zombies is a great idea if you want to reveal the true nature of your characters by putting them into tense and testing situations. However, if you'd rather just write about bunnies, there's room for that too. Or think outside of the box and be the first to write a Bunny-Zombie sort of book. Oh wait! It may be too late. One's already been made into a movie.

Monday Miscellany-SemiPantsers

noreply@blogger.com (cleemckenzie) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:27:00 +0000

Last week during #YALitChat Wednesday the forever lasting question about the Pantser v Plotter came up. I wrote: "I'm a SemiPantser." And guess what? Several others on the chat said they were too. So that started me thinking (Oh, no. Not that!). But what makes a SemiPantser? My guess is a lot of different writing approaches that don't involve setting out a plot, character bios, etc. before starting a book.

In my mind, a Pantser jumps right in. They love the excitement of coming up with a new idea, meeting those characters, and then bringing them to life on the page. All of that sends them full steam ahead into the W.I.P. With this approach there's the danger of running out of that steam about half-way through. Maybe the story simply fades or the characters become inconsistent or flat. On the other hand, that impulse to create something new and fresh without "over thinking" it can propel a story through a first draft.

But what if you straddle the P v P writer life? What if you use some of those Plotter devices to support your Pantser instincts?

I guess I wanted to know, so I started a #semipantser group on Twitter and I created a semipantser circle on Google+ in hopes those of us who aren't in either camp 100% would share what they do. If you're one of us, hope your join and add your voice to this middle-of-the-road group.

The Creepy Cake N Bake has taken over this week. Here's Michelle Zinc's entry and it so good. Rats! Double Rats! I wanted so much to win and with each entry my hope fades.

A NOT SO CREEPY, BUT DEFINITELY SWEET SPIDER