Adventures in YA and Children's Publishing

This Week for Writers 1/27/12: Our Favorite Articles and Blog Posts

2012-01-27T06:00:00.001-05:00

Clara's Favorites

YES! The tone of your social media should reflect the tone of your work.
Jennifer Represents...: The Fine Art of Zipping It, or XYZ PDQ
Test your grammar skills! How many did YOU get right?
Artzicarol Ramblings: THIS IS A TEST: Polish Your Writing
1st & 3rd person each have challenges and advantages. Which one is right for your ms?
How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book: Pros and Cons of First and Third Person Point of View
Hooray! I love @elizabethscraig's weekly list of writerly links.
Twitterific | Mystery Writing is Murder
6 reasons to write a fast first draft.
.W.I.P. It: Advantages of Writing a Fast First Draft
CINDER author Marissa Meyer shares the query letter that landed her an agent & a sale.
Cinder Author Marissa Meyer: My Query Letter
Another great roundup!@YAHighway's links to all sorts of writerly things.
YA Highway: Field Trip Friday: January 20, 2012
Nice roundup of book marketing tips. Compiled by Author Marketing Experts
Best of the Web Book Marketing Tips for the Week of January 16, 2012 - Author Marketing Experts, Inc.
If you're querying, you'll love this funny & educational collection of agent tweets compiled by @JS_Lawson.
Falling Leaflets: A Query Critique Opportunity & Mid-January Agent Tweets
Coincidences in plot leave the reader feeling cheated. So true!
Coincidence in Fiction | The Editor's Blog

Martina's Favorites

Watch your ms! Where to report if your book is stolen and put on Kindle, plus info about the problem.
Why Amazon’s Plagiarism Problem Is More Than A Public Relations Issue
Apple's new iPad tools opens make pubbing easier but increase the pressure on traditional publishing.
The day the bookshelf shook: Four lessons for news orgs from today’s Apple iBooks announcements
Tuning out the subjective white noise of critiques.
Jennifer K. Hale: Your Story, Their Opinions: Tuning Out Subjective White Noise
Great post! Strengthening story through parallel turning points. Part 1
The Sharp Angle: Connecting Your Opposite Turning Points In Story Structure - Part One
Afraid of querying or pitching? Worried about your writing? Read this post.
10 Ways to Harness Fear and Fuel Your Writing | WritersDigest.com
Six ways to squeeze in more writing time.
Starving Novelist: How I Find Time to Write With a Hectic Schedule
@thecreativepenn offers an updated version of her free ebook for authors in the online world.
Author 2.0 Blueprint Rebooted For 2012 | The Creative Penn - StumbleUpon
Amazing story and a lovely bit of inspiration and encouragement for all writers from @Holly_Schindler.#amwriting
Smack Dab in the Middle: DECEMBER THEME: WRITING GIFTS (Holly Schindler)
Share your love of books on April 23 and be a World Book Night 2012 Giver.
Register to be a WBN 2012 Giver
Brilliant! Get ebooks from your local indie stores at Amazon pricing
IndieBound Reader for Android and iOS | IndieBound
Check out the gorgeous covers nominated for the Paranormal Cover Art Awards. Congrats to all!
All Things Urban Fantasy: Voting is now open! 3rd Annual Paranormal Cover Art Awards
You're a writer when you admit/say you are one. Great post.
The Only Way to Become a Real Writer | Goins, Writer

Book Reviews and Giveaways

@thecreativepenn offers an updated version of her free ebook for authors in the online world.
Author 2.0 Blueprint Rebooted For 2012 | The Creative Penn - StumbleUpon

Craft of Writing

Test your grammar skills! How many did YOU get right?
Artzicarol Ramblings: THIS IS A TEST: Polish Your Writing
Tuning out the subjective white noise of critiques.
Jennifer K. Hale: Your Story, Their Opinions: Tuning Out Subjective White Noise
Great post! Strengthening story through parallel turning points. Part 1
The Sharp Angle: Connecting Your Opposite Turning Points In Story Structure - Part One
Great post on creating dimensional characters and avoiding stereotypes.
Crafting Characters
Ten steps to a smoother, more successful, author visit.
The Other Side of the Story: Guest Author Diana Nadin: 10 Top Tips for a Successful Author Talk
1st & 3rd person each have challenges and advantages. Which one is right for your ms?
How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book: Pros and Cons of First and Third Person Point of View
Hooray! I love @elizabethscraig's weekly list of writerly links.
Twitterific | Mystery Writing is Murder
6 reasons to write a fast first draft.
.W.I.P. It: Advantages of Writing a Fast First Draft
Coincidences in plot leave the reader feeling cheated. So true!
Coincidence in Fiction | The Editor's Blog

Inspiration and Smiles

Afraid of querying or pitching? Worried about your writing? Read this post.
10 Ways to Harness Fear and Fuel Your Writing | WritersDigest.com
Six ways to squeeze in more writing time.
Starving Novelist: How I Find Time to Write With a Hectic Schedule
12 x 12 in 2012 picture book writing challenge. Sign up by 1/29/12.
http://writeupmylife.com/2011/11/30/12-x-12-in-2012-picture-book-writing-challenge/

Issues, News, Trends, and Congratulations

There's a hole in the market! Can you fill it? Sport books for girls, dance books, & books w/ Latino protagonists.
Secrets of a Children’s Bookseller: Hot YA and Holes in the Market
Six great book adaptations get Oscar nods.
More Oscar favorites are inspired by books
Watch your ms! Where to report if your book is stolen and put on Kindle, plus info about the problem.
Why Amazon’s Plagiarism Problem Is More Than A Public Relations Issue
Apple's new iPad tools opens make pubbing easier but increase the pressure on traditional publishing.
The day the bookshelf shook: Four lessons for news orgs from today’s Apple iBooks announcements

Self-Publishing, Book Promotion, and Author Marketing

Six important points about the importance of online reviews and book promotion.
Author, Jody Hedlund: One Important Way for Authors to Get Discovered by Readers
Ten steps to a smoother, more successful, author visit.
The Other Side of the Story: Guest Author Diana Nadin: 10 Top Tips for a Successful Author Talk
Nice roundup of book marketing tips. Compiled by Author Marketing Experts
Best of the Web Book Marketing Tips for the Week of January 16, 2012 - Author Marketing Experts, Inc.

Social Media

YES! The tone of your social media should reflect the tone of your work.
Jennifer Represents...: The Fine Art of Zipping It, or XYZ PDQ
Another great roundup!@YAHighway's links to all sorts of writerly things.
YA Highway: Field Trip Friday: January 20, 2012
Nice roundup of book marketing tips. Compiled by Author Marketing Experts
Best of the Web Book Marketing Tips for the Week of January 16, 2012 - Author Marketing Experts, Inc.

To Market

Wonder why the ms your crit group loved isn't getting anywhere? Read this post from @LynetteLabelle.
Editors Passed on Same Book Critique Group Loved: 6 Reasons Why |
Enter your work for the Literary Awards contest by 2/3/2012.
2012 International Literary Awards Guidelines — Salem College
CINDER author Marissa Meyer shares the query letter that landed her an agent & a sale.
Cinder Author Marissa Meyer: My Query Letter
If you're querying, you'll love this funny & educational collection of agent tweets compiled by @JS_Lawson.
Falling Leaflets: A Query Critique Opportunity & Mid-January Agent Tweets

Other Weekly Round-Ups:

Cynthia Leitich Smith at Cynsationsdoes a Cynsational author, craft, and book news review.
Elizabeth Craig posts a comprehensive weekly list of all her helpful Twitter posts.
Stina Lindenblatt does a fabulous Cool Links Friday post every week.
YA Highway's Friday Road Trip hits the high points of the publishing industry, writing craft, submissions process, and other fun stuff.

Did we miss anything? Anyone? Please leave a comment!

Happy reading and joyous writing,

Clara and Martina

WOW Wednesday: Megan Bostic on Always Working to Improve

2012-01-25T06:00:00.005-05:00

Megan (that’s with a long “e”) Bostic is a mere human trying to find her place in the universe. Despite the rain and gray (she’s truly solar powered) making her extremely angsty, she’s lived in the Pacific Northwest her whole life, and still does, with her two crazy beautiful girls. You can find her Chronicles of an Aspiring Writer on Youtube, or find her on her website, Facebook, blog, or Twitter account.

I started writing novels in 2002, but will fast forward to the particular novel being published, Never Eighteen. I wrote Never Eighteen, then called Mending Fences, during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in 2008. Any book written in 30 days is going to be a real mess. I polished it up a little and entered it in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest (ABNA) for that year. I’d entered the year before and made the semi-finals. That year, um, nope. Got ousted after the first round. I sat down and did some major revisions then sent it to different people to read—from readers to writers to people in the business I’d connected with. I took their suggestions to do yet another draft and another. By the time I felt I was finished, I was at Mending Fences, version 15.0 (that’s how I name all my novels to keep the rewrites straight)

I began querying to agents in March 2009. While many requested partial or full reviews, I got no takers. I kept going religiously for a year, taking breaks only twice to write two more YA novels (which thus far both sit collecting dust). In February of 2010, I’d decided to take the book off the market, and do another set of revisions before sending it out again.

But wait, there’s more.

A friend of mine sent me the name of another agent, Irene Kraas. He said that even though she ended up rejecting him, she gave him some good feedback, which is something agents don’t often do. I thought, what the heck, what’s one more rejection, and sent her a query. She asked to see the first fifteen pages, then the first fifty, then the entire manuscript. Within ten days of sending her the initial query, I had a contract for representation in my hands.

I did a couple more rounds of revisions at Irene’s request, and by the end of March, she was sending the manuscript out to publishers, five of them to be exact. I was in Disneyland at the time, and remember constantly checking email on my phone to keep up with what was going on. April 9, 2010, we received an offer from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It was awesome that I was in Disneyland with my husband and daughters to celebrate.

I think what made the most difference for me in the shift from writer to author was being able to take constructive criticism and using it to make my novel the best it could be. We think of our novels as our “babies”, and having someone tell you your baby is ugly, hurts. I’ve learned to take a step back from criticism for a day or two, absorb it, then take what is useful, and disregard the rest.

I think the worst thing an aspiring writer can do is to give up. You can’t get there if you don’t try. Yes, the critiques are hard, yes rejection is hard, but if you want to achieve your dreams, you have to keep going. I have one more very important bit of advice, and that is, never stop trying to be better. You will never reach perfection, but if you keep practicing and keep learning, you will continue to grow as a writer.

WIP Writing Exercises to Recharge Your Creativity

2012-01-24T11:20:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite writing quotes of all time is from Rudyard Kipling, something about the back kitchen of your consciousness. To my chagrin, I don't remember exactly where it's from and Google, for once, fails me completely. But you get the point. There's a lot of cooking taking place in your subconscious all the time, and complex ideas--the best ideas--can require a lot of simmering.

A friend of mine sent me an email about how she can't get motivated to write--that she has too much to do on her WIP and no inclination to start. Knowing her manuscripts and her recent critique experiences, I wrote her back that I suspected her subconscious was mulling things over, preparing to make some large-scale changes. The moment my fingers typed that, I knew I had hit on something true.

We can force ourselves to write when we aren't feeling inspired. We should force ourselves to write every day or at least most days. But we don't have to write our WIP. We can write something completely different: a short story, a synopsis for another manuscript, a picture book, a writing exercise. Or we can do something that will help us see our manuscript from another point of view. Literally.

I haven't really done writing exercises in a while. I've felt the urge to let loose several times recently, which resulted in two picture book texts and a short story. But time is so precious, I feel like I can't take time to do something "unproductive." It surprised me how much I LOVED the exercises that I did in the Miami breakout sessions. They completely took pressure away and let me experience the joy of creation--but at the same time, taught me a lot about writing in general and my own writing in particular. In creating those small snippets of scene, I had to include hints of plot, character, setting, theme.... My brain did all that subconsciously, on the fly, which was an instant reminder of why I love being a writer. As a bonus, I now have additional book ideas to throw in my drawer, which is actually quite productive. :D

My favorite exercise came from literary agent Jill Corcoran, who was teaching a break-out session on voice. She gave us a prompt, let us write our brief scene, and then told us to turn the exercise around and write the same scene from the point of view of a different character. WOW. Try this and you will find new conflicts, new personality quirks, new deep character insights, new possibilities in your scene. Of course, part of what worked so well with this was that Jill gave us a writing prompt as a starting point. Here's the thing though: you don't need a writing prompt. All you need is your WIP.

It occurred to me that I can combine writing exercises with my WIP to bring things out of my mind's back kitchen. Trying Jill's exercise on a scene in my novel was even more revealing than switching my main character from close third person to first person point of view. Suddenly, I discovered new depths in the social position she holds in relation to those around her, how much power she wields, and how her actions and opinions effect others. How much of this she knows consciously in turn informs how she should act at any given point. I highly recommend this as an eye-opener.

Whether you are stuck in your current WIP, just starting one, or facing a revision, combining writing exercises with your own scenes can give you a major jolt of creative adrenaline. Including the two I've already mentioned, here are some exercises you could try:

Take a scene from your manuscript and change the POV. Switch it from first person to third person, from third person to first, from third close to third distant, etc.
Rewrite a scene from your manuscript from the POV of an observer or one of the supporting characters in the scene.
Change the age of your main character by twenty years, up or down, and then rewrite a scene from your manuscript from her POV.
Write a one paragraph description of each of your main characters in the point of view of every other character.
Write an obituary of each of your main characters.
Write down the earliest childhood memory of each of your main characters.
Write paragraphs or scenes in which each of your character's biggest secrets are discovered by another character.
Write paragraphs or scenes in which each of your characters reveal their biggest secrets to another character.
Rewrite one of your pivotal scenes between two characters to include no dialogue. (Think of the destroyed kitchen post-sex scene in Mr. and Mrs. Smith.)
Rewrite one of your action scenes to include mostly dialogue.
Write an argument between each of the characters in your scene and someone else in the scene revealing baggage from a previous scene or interaction.
Describe the setting of your scene from the POV of each of the different characters in the scene.

And if you are interested in improving or identifying your authorial voice, try these two exercises as well:

Type out a chapter from a book by one of your favorite authors and then rewrite a scene in your book in that author's voice/style. Read the ending chapter of a book by one of your favorite authors and then rewrite it.
Analyze how that chapter is different from the original.

Want more? Here are some additional sources for writing exercises:

We all need a kick in the creative pants once in a while. But more importantly, we all deserve to bask in our own brilliance. We do that by creating shiny new words and ideas, finding deeper connections between things we've already put in place, falling deeper in love with our characters. So exercise your creativity on your own manuscript. It's guilt-free, productive, and wonderfully rewarding.

Happy writing!

Martina

This Week for Writers 1/20/12: Our Favorite Articles and Blog Posts

2012-01-20T12:43:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the Miami conference and a brand, shiny new upper respiratory infection that has kicked me on my a$$, I am late to the show with this week's Round-up. And the fact that it exists at all is 100% thanks to the brilliant, lovely Clara Kensie, who has been keeping us afloat these past weeks. Please give her a big hand, everyone. She rocks. As soon as the antibiotics fully kick in, I'll be back to give her a hand. Meanwhile, here's what we've got for the week. Enjoy!

Call for Help

Donna's Dream House is a holiday home for children and teenagers with life-threatening or terminal illnesses, situated in the heart of Blackpool, UK. Run by volunteers, it has hosted and helped hundreds of families. Until just before Christmas, when arsonists broke into the Dream House, stole essential computer equipment, and started a fire that damaged the building so badly, it may have to be rebuilt completely. More importantly, the fire destroyed many personal items and mementoes.

The Dream House had to cancel Christmas for the families that were set to stay there over the holidays. The Write Dreams blog wants to help give them a flying restart in 2012. They are auctioning off critiques, books (including some rare UK ARCs) and other goodies.

http://writedreams2012.blogspot.com/

New DIYMFA Feature

Gabriela Pereira is offering a new feature on the DIY MFA blog. The idea is to provide writers with all the basic legal information they need to know so they can make smart choices and ask the right questions when seeking legal advice. The series started this week with an intro post and continues Wednesday and Friday (MWF for the following two weeks as well).

Craft of Writing

Description: 6 signs you're doing it wrong.
.W.I.P. It: 6 Signs of Description Misuse
Answer these 3 questions & you'll be able to tell whether your scene works or not.
“Scheherazade” — A Guest Post from Art Holcomb
How to format manuscript so your editor will love you forever & shower you with royalty checks.
Reminders to basic manuscript formatting
@tabithaolson on telling & showing, with wonderful examples.
Writer Musings: Tell Me First, Then Show Me
A bad critique group prevents growth, creates bad writing habits, & deforms your WIP.
Can Critique Groups Do More Harm than Good?
It's ok to have a weak heroine if in the end she finds some strength in herself. It's ok to have a kick ass heroine as long as she has to admit she's vulnerable.
Mindy Ruiz: Who's Your Heroine???

Inspiration

More advice from the brilliant--er, I mean terrible--mind of @chuckwendig
25 Things Writers Should Start Doing
Spouse or parent doesn't like your book? Don’t let negative opinions of loved ones make you quit.
In the Face of Adversity: When Loved Ones Don’t Love Your Book | Fantasy Faction
"Aspiring" authors: A title is not something we earn, it is who we are. If you're committed to your career, you are already an author.
Don’t Eat the Butt–Lies that Can Poison Our Writing Career #1

Issues, News, Trends, and Congratulations

Learn how books are published before you waste months a book that will never sell.
Babbles from Scott Eagan: Know The Business BEFORE You Get Too Far In

Self-Publishing, Book Promotion, and Author Marketing

Excellent guidelines for promoting your book on Twitter, WITHOUT bugging your tweeps.
Help! I Need a Publisher!: How much promotion is too much?

To Market

Does your title say, "Pick me up & buy me!" It will, if it reflects the soul of your story.
Miss Snark's First Victim: On The Fine Art of Titling
Querying? Bookmark this post & refer to it often. Tips for all stages of querying
The Bluestocking Blog: Resource Roundup – Querying Your Masterpiece
Agent Sarah Burnes of The Gernert Company seeks sharp, original voices in literary & commercial fiction, MG & YA.
Literary Rambles: Agent Spotlight: Sarah Burnes
conferences: are you going to one (or seven?). What to expect.
How To Prepare for a Writers Conference | GENREALITY
Why @StephaniHeafner is glad she took the small-press route to publication. Inspiring!
* Roni Loren - Fiction Groupie *: One Author's Reasons For Choosing to Publish with a Small Press + Win a Book
Pitching? Here's a list of things NOT to say or do.
Writing Fiction Right from novelist Gail Gaymer Martin: Editors: What Not To Say and Do

Other Weekly Round-Ups:

Cynthia Leitich Smith at Cynsationsdoes a Cynsational author, craft, and book news review.
Elizabeth Craig posts a comprehensive weekly list of all her helpful Twitter posts.
Stina Lindenblatt does a fabulous Cool Links Friday post every week.
YA Highway's Friday Road Trip hits the high points of the publishing industry, writing craft, submissions process, and other fun stuff.

Did we miss anything? Anyone? Please leave a comment!

Happy reading and joyous writing,

Clara and Martina

WOW Wednesday Posts and New Feature Interviews to Promote Your Work

2012-01-18T00:55:00.001-05:00

I've just now gotten home from Miami. It is 12:50 am,and I still have to decorate for my daughter's birthday--plus tomorrow/today is going to be a whirlwind. So. The longer post I was going to do is just going to have to wait.

For today, what I need to tell you is that our WOW Wednesday posts are filled into November. If you have some writerly good news to share, are a published or agented writer with an AHA moment or great advice to share with other writers, or you have a book coming out and you want to do a post in November or thereafter, our invitation to do a WOW Wednesday stands. Just let me know.

But since we are filled up so far in advance, we want to go ahead and bring back author interviews that run the week a book comes out. If you have a book releasing and would like to schedule an interview and book blurb to appear on Adventures in Young Adult and Children's Publishing, we would love to feature you the week you release. To set it up, just answer the following questions and email the interview to kidlit (at) writeedge dot com at least one week in advance.

Interview Questions to Answer

Book blurb plus your two to three sentence bio.
What inspired you to write this book?
What is your favorite thing about the book/in the book?
How long did you work on it?

Optional Questions
(Answer any, all, or none of these at your discretion.)

How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?
What most made the difference to you in getting from aspiring writer to published author?
What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?
What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?
What are your favorite books on writing craft?
What are your favorite books to read for pleasure?
What new projects are you working on and when can we look to see them on the shelves?

Happy writing!

Martina
(and the ladies of AYACP)

Writerly Inspiration and Aha Moments

2012-01-17T09:24:00.001-05:00

We all know that we can't improve our writing much by simply writing a manuscript. Or even a dozen manuscripts. Not if we write in a vacuum. Big improvements come from:

Writing a variety of things, playing with techniques, and seeing what sounds "true"
Getting feedback on what is working and what isn't working from other writers, hopefully those with more experience and talent than we have ourselves
Getting feedback from others who read (for pleasure) the type of thing that we are writing
Reading voraciously (and with a writerly eye) both within our genre and outside our genre
Reading books on craft written by editors and other writers

The above paths to improvement are nothing new. We all know about them and hear about them all the time. But I'm going to add something to that list, something important: going to writing conferences. And I don't mean just the conferences that have great keynote speakers and opportunities to (hopefully) put your work in front of editors and agents. I mean writing conferences where you get to do all that, but more importantly, where you get to actually sit down in a room with other writers and take in lessons on craft, look at examples of different techniques, and try them out yourself. Conferences that force you--yes, force you--to become a better writer.

I just attended an SCBWI conference in Miami, and Holy Cow. It was amazing. I usually go to the big SCBWI New York conference in January, but this year, I took up an invitation from a writer friend--one of my best friends--who I met at the conference in New York two years ago. She told me that the Miami conference is full of writing intensives and break-out sessions, and she was right. She and I, along with another writing friend met at a conference, attended a day-long novel intensive on Friday, and then listened to great speakers all day on Saturday, had our manuscripts critiqued Saturday afternoon, and then had two more wonderful craft sessions on Sunday. We came away inspired, the same as we would have in New York, but more than that, I think we all came away as dramatically better writers.

It comes down to Aha moments, moments where you hear exactly what you are ready to hear said in just the right way. It can be something you've never heard before, or something you've heard a hundred times but never really understood because you weren't ready for it until that moment. I think I had about six of those in the Friday intensive presented by writer Dorian Cireoni and agent Marietta Zacker. It was an intense intensive, full of great advice. They offered it with energy, passion, and deep knowledge. They showed AMAZING examples of brilliant writing by Sara Zarr, Sarah Ockler, Nova Ren Suma, and others who write for children and young adults. They also gave us exercises designed to help us look at our own work in different ways. They were stellar teachers. And I defy anyone to take a workshop from them and not learn a ton. But I also need to mention who was there. Not just novice writers. There were many published writers in that class and the other classes offered over the weekend. There were also editors and other agents--professionals who have learned that you never stop learning.

If you haven't been to a conference yet, GO! Go as fast as you can. But don't go just in the hope that you will get your work in front of someone or hear about how to get your book published. Go because if you do, you will learn how to become a better writer and how to write a better book. Good books will eventually find an audience. I do firmly believe that. It may not happen overnight--but if you work diligently, read everything, write consistently and with passion, and constantly work on learning and honing your craft, it will happen. Don't let yourself get discouraged. Get inspired instead. Learn, grow, persevere, and go to conferences to meet other writers to take on the journey with you. Chances are, you will meet writers who will change your life--and become your friends for life.

Happy conferencing,

Martina

Places to Find Writing Conferences and Workshops

This Week for Writers 1/13/12: Our Favorite Articles and Blog Posts

2012-01-13T00:32:00.001-05:00

Clara's Favorites

Is it worth a year of your life? How to test if your story idea is worth .
The Question You Should Ask Before You Ask “What if?”
Looking beyond the craft: how to make your good writing great. Love this!
James Killick's Blog: How to make good writing great
Anyone a trilogy will love this interview with @bethrevis at League of Extraordinary .
The League of Extraordinary Writers: Writing a sequel to a Bestseller -- Exclusive Beth Revis interview about A MILLION SUNS
Fantastic post on using hidden elements to communicate your story's purpose.
Words and Such: On Logos, Arrows, and Storytelling
A query letter is a sales letter: show the agent you are perfect for the job.
Babbles from Scott Eagan: Show Editors & Agents How You Meet Their Guidelines
How @elspethwrite knows when she's not in The Zone. (not)
It's a Mystery: 10 Signs You're NOT in The Zone
One of the best posts I've ever read on finding your voice.
25 Things Writers Should Know About Finding Their Voice
A query is probably the most important letter you'll ever compose. How The Beatles got it right.
The Kill Zone: Paperback Writer
Overwhelmed by revisions? Wipe those tears, take a deep breath, then read these excellent tips
Project 2012: Dealing with problems. Big problems.
Your hero's victory over the villain must be hard-won or it doesn't feel like a victory at all. Brilliant.
Seeking the Write Life: Mighty Heroes REQUIRE Mighty Villains
Dozens of links to @elizabethscraig's favorite writerly blog posts this week.
Twitterific | Mystery Writing is Murder
Hooks, loglines, & pitches: don't write yours until you've read this.
Anne R. Allen's Blog: Hooks, Loglines, and Pitches: What Every Writer Need to Know
Congrats to The Indelibles on your new MG & YA Indie group! Your launch party sounds like fun! @IndelibleWriter
The Indelibles: The History of The Indelibles
Severus Snape & Good Will Hunting: Wounded is the latest addition to the Character Trait Thesaurus at Bookshelf Muse.
The Bookshelf Muse: Character Trait Thesaurus Entry: Wounded
Revise with purpose: Use each draft to focus on fixing a weakness. Fantastic checklist!
Write and Rewrite | The Editor's Blog
Your website can be the most powerful selling tool you have. Don't hurt yourself with an outdated, poorly-designed site.
Is Your Website Hurting Your Writing?
Backstory: it gets a bad rap, but you need it to create rich characters. How to make it work.
The Other Side of the Story: We Have a History: Making Backstory Work for You
DITCHED by Robin Mellom "reads like a John Hughes movie." I am so in! 5-star review by @MundieMoms
Mundie Moms: Book Review: Ditched by Robin Mellom
My critique partners LOVE my manuscript! So why are agents/editors rejecting it?
*Lynnette Labelle* @Chatterbox Chitchat: Editors Passed on Same Book Critique Group Loved: 6 Reasons Why
Finding the balance between thought & action: revealing emotion without hurting the pace. A must-read post from @lisagailgreen#writing
Paranormal Point of View: Internal Dialogue
Congrats on the release of UNDER THE NEVER SKY,@V_Rossibooks! Can't wait to read it!
YA Muses: Under the Never Sky Launch Day
@KMWalton1 celebrates the release of CRACKED with a contest & giveaway. Congratulations!
Some Things I Think...: CRACKED is Released!
Tips for emotionally satisfying endings.
Grand finales: Tips for writing great endings
@annerallen relates how she overcame her addiction to querying and found success. Congratulations!
Anne R. Allen's Blog: Confessions of a Former Query Addict
Round-up:@writing_tips' most-visited posts of 2011 (I read every single one of them!)
The Best of Daily Writing Tips in 2011
Finding it hard to write because the kids are home for winter break? 4 tips to find writing time
How Do You Write with Kids in the House? | Fantasy Faction
Congratulations,@MundieMoms, on your 1 million visitors! Awesome giveaway, too!
Mundie Moms: 1,000,000 Visitors Giveaway!!
Chain, convergence, divergence, & thunderbolt: 4 ways your protag can discover hidden truths.
James Killick's Blog: 4 ways your protagonist can learn the truth
Gripping & intense, DON'T BREATHE A WORD by Holly Cupala will keep you guessing.
A Blog about Nothing: Don’t Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
3 books to add to your craft of writing library recommended by @redsofaliterary. I'm buying them all!
How’s your writing reference library looking?
THIS. I want THIS. Best gift for writers
Will Write For Chocolate: Best Gift For A Writer - Inkygirl: Guide For Kidlit/YA Writers & Artists - Inkygirl: An Illustrated Guide For Those Who Write & Draw For Young People
Read it, print it, frame it, live it:@RoniLoren's 10 Commandments of a Successful Author
* Roni Loren - Fiction Groupie *: The 10 Commandments of a Successful Author
Behind the words: making big picture revisions. 6 tips from @JamiGold
How to Force a Story to Evolve: 6 Revision Tips | Jami Gold, Paranormal Author
The rude shock of staying published: What to expect after that 1st contract.
The Writer’s Journey
Denial can work against your character but for your story. Superb post by @NovelEditor
Don't Give Characters What They Want | The Editor's Blog
Simply filling out a character worksheet doesn't develop the character. What's the next step?
edittorrent: The "Why" of Character Worksheets
Make editing your ms easier with these 11 resources, compiled by @Publetariat
Top Posts of 2011: 11 Resources To Make Editing Your Novel Easier | www.publetariat.com
When "strong language" does not mean "dirty words."
QueryTracker.net: Caution: Contains Strong Language
5 fantastic tips on emotion.
The Bookshelf Muse: Stocking Stuffers for Writers: EMOTION
Finding time:@JaneFriedman's 5 tips on how to fit in everything you need to do.
So, How Do I Find The Time To Do All This? | Jane Friedman

Book Reviews and Giveaways

Interesting post on the effect ebooks have on the reader's reading habits and spending.
Positive and Negative Effects of eReading
DITCHED by Robin Mellom "reads like a John Hughes movie." I am so in! 5-star review by @MundieMoms
Mundie Moms: Book Review: Ditched by Robin Mellom
@KMWalton1 celebrates the release of CRACKED with a contest & giveaway. Congratulations!
Some Things I Think...: CRACKED is Released!
A++ review for THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT 1ST SIGHT
Katie's Book Blog: The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Gripping & intense, DON'T BREATHE A WORD by Holly Cupala will keep you guessing.
A Blog about Nothing: Don’t Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
@MundieMoms list their 10 fave YA dystopians of 2011. Is your favorite on this list?
Mundie Moms: 2011 Mundie Moms Favorites: Dystopians
HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand: 5 stars! Moving & emotionally binding. Reviewed by @MundieMoms
Mundie Moms: Book Review: HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand
Corrine Jackson's IF I LIE looks like an excellent read. Coming August 2012.
Cover Reveal: IF I LIE by Corrine Jackson; Also, Watch me Ramble
Share your love of books on April 23 and be a World Book Night 2012 Giver.
Register to be a WBN 2012 Giver

Craft of Writing, Editing, and Critiquing

Looking beyond the craft: how to make your good writing great. Love this!
James Killick's Blog: How to make good writing great
Anyone a trilogy will love this interview with @bethrevis at League of Extraordinary .
The League of Extraordinary Writers: Writing a sequel to a Bestseller -- Exclusive Beth Revis interview about A MILLION SUNS
Fantastic post on using hidden elements to communicate your story's purpose.
Words and Such: On Logos, Arrows, and Storytelling
Write faster and avoid writer's block with these five tips from Ann Aguirre.
Five Productivity Tips
Does your character have enough at stake? Can he/she walk away from the conflict?
Two Surefire Symptoms of a Static Character
One of the best posts I've ever read on finding your voice.
25 Things Writers Should Know About Finding Their Voice
Overwhelmed by revisions? Wipe those tears, take a deep breath, then read these excellent tips
Project 2012: Dealing with problems. Big problems.
Your hero's victory over the villain must be hard-won or it doesn't feel like a victory at all. Brilliant.
Seeking the Write Life: Mighty Heroes REQUIRE Mighty Villains
Severus Snape & Good Will Hunting: Wounded is the latest addition to the Character Trait Thesaurus at Bookshelf Muse.
The Bookshelf Muse: Character Trait Thesaurus Entry: Wounded
Revise with purpose: Use each draft to focus on fixing a weakness. Fantastic checklist!
Write and Rewrite | The Editor's Blog
Backstory: it gets a bad rap, but you need it to create rich characters. How to make it work.
The Other Side of the Story: We Have a History: Making Backstory Work for You
Finding the balance between thought & action: revealing emotion without hurting the pace. A must-read post from @lisagailgreen#writing
Paranormal Point of View: Internal Dialogue
Pack both introspection & world building into phrases to achieve depth (good advice even if you don't write category).
Babbles from Scott Eagan: Writing Category Romance Doesn't Mean Skimping on Depth
Criticized for having boring characters? Make them interesting with these tips from @SuperheroNation
Ideas for How to Make a Boring Character Interesting
Tips for emotionally satisfying endings.
Grand finales: Tips for writing great endings
Chain, convergence, divergence, & thunderbolt: 4 ways your protag can discover hidden truths.
James Killick's Blog: 4 ways your protagonist can learn the truth
Three books to add to your craft of writing library recommended by @redsofaliterary. I'm buying them all!
How’s your writing reference library looking?
Similes & metaphors: Seven guidelines to do them well.
Artzicarol Ramblings: Similes and Metaphors That WORK
Behind the words: making big picture revisions. 6 tips from @JamiGold
How to Force a Story to Evolve: 6 Revision Tips | Jami Gold, Paranormal Author
Denial can work against your character but for your story. Superb post by @NovelEditor
Don't Give Characters What They Want | The Editor's Blog
Simply filling out a character worksheet doesn't develop the character. What's the next step?
edittorrent: The "Why" of Character Worksheets
Make editing your ms easier with these 11 resources, compiled by @Publetariat
Top Posts of 2011: 11 Resources To Make Editing Your Novel Easier | www.publetariat.com
When "strong language" does not mean "dirty words."
QueryTracker.net: Caution: Contains Strong Language
@MundieMoms list their 10 fave YA dystopians of 2011. Is your favorite on this list?
Mundie Moms: 2011 Mundie Moms Favorites: Dystopians
Five fantastic tips on emotion.
The Bookshelf Muse: Stocking Stuffers for Writers: EMOTION
Is it ever okay to use "was?"
The Blood-Red Pencil: To "Was" or Not to "Was"

Inspiration and Smiles

Is it worth a year of your life? How to test if your story idea is worth writing.
The Question You Should Ask Before You Ask “What if?”
Finding it hard to write because the kids are home for winter break? 4 tips to find writing time
How Do You Write with Kids in the House? | Fantasy Faction
Slumps are inevitable. Three tips on pulling yourself out
3 Ways to Get Out of a Writing Slump
Fantastic motivation for those who keep revising, but never finish the ms.
Chip MacGregor .com: The Best Writing Advice: A guest blog from novelist Kaye Dacus
Read it, print it, frame it, live it: @RoniLoren's 10 Commandments of a Successful Author
* Roni Loren - Fiction Groupie *: The 10 Commandments of a Successful Author
Finding time: @JaneFriedman's Five tips on how to fit in everything you need to do.
So, How Do I Find The Time To Do All This? | Jane Friedman
Another reason to do more research before querying: info from online agent databases can be out of date.
A New Year’s Resolution – Public Service Announcement
Get the most out of a conference by knowing your goals. Excellent tips!
Attending a Writers Conference in 2012? Know Your Goals? | GENREALITY
Why pre-ordering a book is the best way to support an author.
From the Write Angle: Not All Sales Are Created Equal—What Your Writer Friends Wish You Knew But Are Too Polite to Tell You
Think your 1st novel will find immediate success? Think again, says @greyhausagency.
Babbles from Scott Eagan: It's Your First Book - Don't Expect Miracles
"If you're going to self-publish, do it deliberately." Excellent interview on the rewards & challenges of self-pubbing
QueryTracker.net: The Challenges and Rewards of Self-Publishing: An Interview
Why finding an agent is an uphill battle.
Babbles from Scott Eagan: The Numbers Behind Finding Agents
A renaissance of storytelling: good news for epubbers from @ravenousromance.#writing
Agent in the Middle: December 2011

Issues, News, Trends, and Congratulations

Congrats to @AngelaAckerman @BeccaPuglisi @JaneFriedman @StoryFix @thecreativepenn and the other Top Ten Blog finalists!
Top 10 Blogs for Writers Contest 2011/12: The Finalists | Write to Done
Congrats to The Indelibles on your new MG & YA Indie group! Your launch party sounds like fun! @IndelibleWriter
The Indelibles: The History of The Indelibles
Happy book birthday to @RoniLoren's CRASH INTO YOU! Congratulations!
* Roni Loren - Fiction Groupie *: Is That the Sound of My Dream Coming True? CRASH INTO YOU is out!!!
Congrats on the release of UNDER THE NEVER SKY,@V_Rossibooks! Can't wait to read it!
YA Muses: Under the Never Sky Launch Day
@KMWalton1 celebrates the release of CRACKED with a contest & giveaway. Congratulations!
Some Things I Think...: CRACKED is Released!
@annerallen relates how she overcame her addiction to querying and found success. Congratulations!
Anne R. Allen's Blog: Confessions of a Former Query Addict
Congratulations,@MundieMoms, on your 1 million visitors! Awesome giveaway, too!
Mundie Moms: 1,000,000 Visitors Giveaway!!
THIS. I want THIS. Best gift for writers
Will Write For Chocolate: Best Gift For A Writer - Inkygirl: Guide For Kidlit/YA Writers & Artists - Inkygirl: An Illustrated Guide For Those Who Write & Draw For Young People
Woot! Congrats on the sale of the next two books in your UNFAIRY TALE LIFE series,@annastanisz!
Anna Staniszewski» Blog Archive » Big News!
Happy blogiversary,@candacemom2two! Thanks for giving us so many excellent posts to tweet!
Candace's Book Blog: Happy Blogoversary To Me!

Social Media

What do impressive social media stats look like?@amandaleudeke on successful platforms by the numbers.
Chip MacGregor .com: Thursdays with Amanda: How Big Should a Writer's Platform Be?
Your website can be the most powerful selling tool you have. Don't hurt yourself with an outdated, poorly-designed site.
Is Your Website Hurting Your Writing?
Blogging & writing: how to find the time to do both.
How I get time to blog as well as write
Is Twitter making us better or worse?
Does Twitter Make Us Better Writers?
Social media before you debut: website/blogging tips & resources
What to do Before Your Book Debuts (Part Two) | Beyond The Margins
Website tips for fiction writers: how to build your audience.
How to Build an Audience for a Fiction Writer’s Website

Self-Publishing, Book Promotion, and Author Marketing

Have a book app? How can you get readers to find it?
Guest Post: Elizabeth O. Dulemba on Promoting a Book App
What do impressive social media stats look like?@amandaleudeke on successful platforms by the numbers.
Chip MacGregor .com: Thursdays with Amanda: How Big Should a Writer's Platform Be?
Your website can be the most powerful selling tool you have. Don't hurt yourself with an outdated, poorly-designed site.
Is Your Website Hurting Your Writing?
Fantastic post on promotion & what you should do NOW, before you sell.
Targeted PR, Cross-Promotion, and Knowing Your Audience

Self-Publishing, Book Promotion, and Author Marketing

The mindset and terminology of the freelance author.
The Business-Minded Writer: When the Hobby Becomes the Job
An optimistic timeline of a book from start to finish.
Remember, Trends Started 3 Years Ago

To Market

A query letter is a sales letter: show the agent you are perfect for the job.
Babbles from Scott Eagan: Show Editors & Agents How You Meet Their Guidelines
A query is probably the most important letter you'll ever compose. How The Beatles got it right.
The Kill Zone: Paperback Writer
Hooks, loglines, & pitches: don't write yours until you've read this.
Anne R. Allen's Blog: Hooks, Loglines, and Pitches: What Every Writer Need to Know
Should you sign with a new publisher?@behlerpublish on how to evaluate & decide.
Just because they offered you a contract doesn’t mean you need to take it
Fantastic!@DaphneUn of kt literary gives specifics on what she wants--and doesn't want--to represent.
kt literary » Blog Archive » What I’d Like To See
Another reason to do more research before querying: info from online agent databases can be out of date.
A New Year’s Resolution – Public Service Announcement
My critique partners LOVE my manuscript! So why are agents/editors rejecting it?
*Lynnette Labelle* @Chatterbox Chitchat: Editors Passed on Same Book Critique Group Loved: 6 Reasons Why
Really cool pitch contest & giveaway
Brenda Drake Writes . . . under the influence of coffee: Can You Hit A Perfect Pitch? Blogfest Contest with agent Ammi-Joan Paquette
Don't just get an agent. Get a GOOD agent. Here's how to evaluate them.
How Do You Know If Your Agent Is Any Good? | Jane Friedman
@JS_Lawson's roundup on what agents want: more YA romance, no more vamps/weres/zombies.
Falling Leaflets: Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest and Agency/Agent News
The rude shock of staying published: What to expect after that 1st contract.
The Writer’s Journey
"Please respond" is just an invitation not to, & other ways to be instantly rejected.
Janet Reid, Literary Agent: A brilliant new way to shoot yourself in the query

Other Weekly Round-Ups:

Cynthia Leitich Smith at Cynsationsdoes a Cynsational author, craft, and book news review.
Elizabeth Craig posts a comprehensive weekly list of all her helpful Twitter posts.
Stina Lindenblatt does a fabulous Cool Links Friday post every week.
YA Highway's Friday Road Trip hits the high points of the publishing industry, writing craft, submissions process, and other fun stuff.

Did we miss anything? Anyone? Please leave a comment! Happy reading and joyous writing,

Clara and Martina

WOW Wednesday: Caroline Starr Rose on Working Hard and Believing

2012-01-11T06:00:00.005-05:00

Caroline Starr Rose spent her childhood in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and New Mexico, camping at the Red Sea in one and eating red chile in the other. As a girl she danced ballet, raced through books, composed poetry on an ancient typewriter, and put on magic shows in a homemade cape. She’s taught both social studies and English in New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana. You can find her on her website, on Facebook, or on her blog.

Working Hard and Believing

by Caroline Starr Rose

I left teaching in May 2009 to pursue writing full-time. Risky? You bet. Leaving a steady job in the hope of securing publication -- it's a long shot. But by October I’d signed with my agent, Michelle Humphrey. Five months later, my novel-in-verse, MAY B., sold at auction. While this all sounds easy, my publication journey has been anything but.

After signing with Michelle, I sat down with a file folder I called In The Mail, a low-tech, messy record of my submission process over the years. Here’s what I found:

11 years of writing (10 years of subbing)
11 manuscripts (four middle-grade novels, seven picture books)
211 rejections from editors (2 fulls and 1 partial requested over the years)*
12 contests/grants entered (1 win)
75 rejections from agents (12 fulls and 2 partials requested, mainly in 2009)

Michelle sent me an email in March 2010 saying, "Good news! Best discussed over the phone." She told me two, possibly three editors were interested in MAY B., something I never expected from my very non-commercial book. It was amazing to talk with three people who loved my work, had shared it with others in their office, had thought through ways to strengthen the storyline, etc. The work editors are willing to put into a book before even knowing its theirs is amazing. In the end, I decided to work with Nicole Geiger at Tricycle Press. After a combined ten rounds of edits, line edits, and copyedits, the book was ready to go.

And then I got another phone call, this time from Nicole. Random House had decided to close Tricycle, she told me. All editors had been laid off, and all books slated for summer and fall 2011 were in jeopardy (MAY B. was originally to debut September 2011). For six weeks my book was without a home. All I could do was wait.

Finally Michelle called with the news that one of the three original editors was still interested in my book, an editor who also happened to work for Random House. MAY became one of five Tricycle titles kept in the Random House family and became a spring 2012 title for imprint Schwartz and Wade.

I’ll admit, it was hard learning my new editor, Emily Seife, didn’t feel the book was done. She asked for three more rounds of edits, two more rounds of line edits, and one of copyedits. Thankfully, she knew what I didn’t, that my book would be stronger, deeper, and richer with this extra work.

Over the years, in the midst of rejection and doubt, in the isolation of the pre-blogging era, two things have kept me going, the ideas that I have something unique to say, and my work can only improve if I keep at it. When I wrote MAY B., I knew it wouldn’t have mass appeal. I also knew it was the story I needed to write. Debuting with a literary verse novel in this slow economy is a reminder that my girl’s quiet story meant enough to several people to foster and develop. This leaves me utterly grateful.

Hard work is and will always be a part of every step of the process. Despite the long journey, every moment has been worth it.

*Most sent before emailed submissions became the norm. I waited over a year to hear back from a number of publishers, many of whom wouldn’t accept simultaneous submissions.

A Writer is a Writer Because....

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

"A writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view, a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway."

~ Junot Diaz

I'm still under the weather, and on top of that, I'm getting ready for both a writer's conference and my daughter's birthday--the one happening the day after I get back from the other. Which is a long-winded way of letting you know that this is going to be a rerun of an old post. But it's a post I need to revisit for myself because the writing (or the lack of it) is getting to me. I can't get to the computer for more than a few minutes at a time, and in those minutes, I wonder if I am spending my time productively.

Have you ever struggled with the decision to rewrite something? I'm excited about a manuscript I've got cooking, but I know I need to finish revisions on something else first. And I don't quite feel like I have a handle on the revision. I thought I had it. On paper I have it. But "it" is a slippery sucker. Every time I get it by the tail, it bucks and leaves me lying on the ground staring up at the stars. Until I figure out what's wrong, all I'm really accomplishing is word-polishing.

Have you been here too? Reading, rereading, fiddling with words? Eating chocolate and polishing again to make yourself feel like you're getting somewhere?

Finding the Courage to Start Over

So here's what I have to remind myself: it isn't the ability to complete a first draft or a revision that defines us as writers and helps us grow. It’s how we pick ourselves up, and start over, revise or rewrite, or start something new in a more logical, thoughtful way.

Creating fiction is a little like baking a cake. There are basic ingredients that can be combined in almost infinite ways with small artistic touches to create something unique and delicious. Of course, there are also hundreds of ways we can sabotage ourselves.

Fiction Has to Be More Logical than Reality

In fiction, we can’t just add elements willy-nilly. Readers expect fiction to make more sense than real life, and the farther we get from contemporary and mundane events, the more everything in the story has to be absolutely logical and believable. Because the second the reader doubts one thing and starts to question, she's gone forever.

There are a million stories out there waiting to be written. We all have drawers and notebooks full of ideas. And there’s nothing, nothing, that says we have to rewrite the first book if it doesn’t sell. But we shouldn’t ever give up on it without first taking the time to break it down.

Examining the Structure

To see what’s wrong with a story, we have to look beneath the words. We have to examine the concept, the shape, the balance of the layers, the way the flavors come together, the texture, and yes—the artistic quality of the frosting. We need to evaluate the key ingredients.

Concept. Can you state it in a sentence? When CHARACTER(S) encounter INCITING INCIDENT, she must OVERCOME CONFLICT to ACHIEVE GOAL.
Originality. Is your story different enough from what’s already out there? Is there some unique twist in the concept that makes it specific and exciting?
Character. Examine your main character. Is she novel-worthy? Is she slightly bigger than life? What holds her back? What flaw keeps her from getting what she wants? What does she want and why does she want it? What does she actually need, without realizing that she needs it? How are those two opposed to create conflict for her? What's her character arc? What does she learn? Who is the antagonist? How does the antagonist keep the protagonist from achieving her goal? Is the antagonist every bit (or more) as smart and determined as the protagonist? Who are your supporting cast? Are they each unique? How do they complicate things for the protagonist? Have you built (at least for yourself) a backstory for each of your characters and used it to add conflict to the choices they must make?
Theme. What does your story mean? How will it touch your readers?
Structure. Do you follow the classic four-part story structure? Do you have a great opening and closing image? Does your rising and falling action make sense when you map it? Is it logical? Do your story milestones fall in the right places and have you set them up well enough? Do you have a solid hook, high stakes, a compelling call to action, and is it your main character who responds and actively makes things happen? Do you have enough sub-plots? Too many? Do they all tie together and do you resolve them all by the end? Is every element tightly woven into the fabric of your work, or have you cheated by using devices the reader will resent? Is there enough conflict overall?
Scene. Is every scene necessary? Is there tension on every page? Does every scene have its own goal, motivation, and conflict? Does every scene have rising action? Does every scene start and end with a hook?
Setting. What are your setting and background? Have you made these as interesting and unique as possible? Is there anything about them that would make things even more difficult for the main character and/or highlight parts of her struggle?
Point of View. Is the point of view you are using giving the reader the best platform for understanding what's going on? Is your story told from the point of view of the person experiencing the greatest conflict? Do you avoid head hopping? Is each point of view unique?
Voice. Does the voice of each character reflect her world view and backstory? Does she take a stand on what she sees, hears, feels, and experiences? Do we understand her from the things she says? Can we connect to her? Can we differentiate her from the voice of every other character?

The above isn’t a complete list by any means, but it’s a start. These past weeks when I haven't been able to sit at the computer, I don't have to stop writing or revising. I'm thinking. I'm assimilating. I've got my cake cooling and getting ready to shape and frost.
The most important thing I am telling myself to remember is that I can't give up. YOU can't give up. Don't get discouraged. If you believe—BELIEVE—in your story with every sleep-deprived, unwashed, and family-estranged fiber of your being, then you CAN take it apart, add to it, delete from it, and make it into something bigger and better. More memorable. And more saleable.

It won’t be easy. It may not happen the first time. Or even the second time. If you're like me, you may be eager to move on to a different manuscript. You may feel overwhelmed by the revisions. But you're a writer. Everything you have learned so far--everything you will learn by doing this revision--will transfer into that new story eventually, and it will be even stronger by the time you get back to it. Sure you can quit and move on now. But if that first story haunts you, dredge up the energy to go back to it. Find the passion. Accept the delay and the brewing that's required. Accept it and rejoice in it.

This is what I'm telling myself.

It isn't writer's block. It isn't a road block. Life isn't getting in your way. It's giving you an opportunity to strengthen the bones of your story.

Don't Give Up

They say it takes ten years to get truly good at something. Well, it takes a whole lot more than that if we give up when the going gets tough.

So if you're facing a tough draft or a hard revision? Don’t. Give. Up.

Never give up. We'll all get there together.

Happy writing,

Martina

No Round-Up Again This Week

2012-01-06T08:28:00.001-05:00

Update: Sorry! I'm afraid this is going to translate through to the 1st Five Pages Workshop this month too. I am afraid to bite off more than I can chew this month. We'll do another Workshop in February, but we'll go dark for January. Thanks for your understanding!

I'm very sorry everyone, but I'm afraid I am still down this week and can't type or look at the computer screen long enough to pull together this week's round-up. My sincere apologies!

Martina

A WOW Wednesday Invitation to Writers

2012-01-04T06:00:00.009-05:00

We would love to start off the new year with an invitation to authors and agented writers. If you have a new agent story, a new book deal, or a new book coming out -- basically if you have any good news at all -- we would love to invite you to do a WOW Wednesday guest post for us and help uplift and inspire other writers while letting us give you a little well-deserved promotion.

WOW Wednesday guest posts are anywhere from 750 to 1100 words, on any topic that will help inspire others or help new writers make the leap from writer to author. Tell us what inspired you, what suprised you, what advice most helped you shape your career or writing.

If you are interested, please contact Martina at kidlit (at) writeedge dot com.

We'd love to hear from you!

Happy writing,

Martina and the ladies of AYACP

A Writer's Pre-Flight Checklist

2012-01-03T09:40:00.001-05:00

In the spirit of the new year, how many of you are starting up new book projects? Or dusting off an old project with more determination than ever to make it breakout novel quality? Either way, it's a great time for all of us to take another peek at what's under the hood of all those beautiful words and look at the engine that is going to drive the reader from the first line to the last. No matter how well-written, the book idea has to be solid.

As I started to pick up my project again after the hiatus of the holiday, I decided to go back to a checklist I put together over the summer to get myself reconnected. Maybe the list can help you, too. Whether you're starting to plot from scratch or starting up a revision, it's a great time to check the soundness of the idea and the different story elements. Ready? Here are forty questions to ask yourself.

Forty Questions to Test Your Manuscript

How can I make the protagonist likeable or at least relatable?
Are both the protagonist and the antagonist extraordinary in some way?
Do they both care passionately about something?
Is what they care about at the heart of their opposition?
Is the antagonist just as strong or even stronger than the protagonist and just as compelling or intriguing?
Do all the main characters have genuine flaws and eccentricities?
Is there opposition between what the protagonist wants, her external goal, and what she needs, her internal goal?
Is the protag going to experience a change of fortune: from good fortune to bad, from bad fortune to good, from good to bad to good, from bad to good to bad?
How can I use the setting and season to make the situation worse for the protag?
How can I make the setting more interesting and challenging?
Are the protag and antag struggling within a situation readers haven't seen before?
How can I elevate the concept?
What extra coolness factor can I add?
What twist can I add to make this unusual?
Are there logical connections between characters, plot, and theme(s)?
Is the theme universal?
Does the protag's struggle exploit a universal fear?
Are there high stakes--terrible consequences--if the protag fails?
Does she have to make an impossible choice or sacrifice that will make her pay personally before she can win against the antag?
How can I provide a test at the beginning of the manuscript to show off the trait the protag needs to change before she can win?
What makes her the way she is, and how can I show that to make her initial failure understandable and relatable?
How can I make the stakes even higher at every turning point while keeping them relatable?
Have I got enough of a coolness or fun factor in the mid section to sell the premise and carry the second act?
How do I keep the protag in conflict between two emotions so she has to fight to resolve her feelings?
How can I exploit the situation and main conflict to force the characters to make active choices?
How can I limit each of the character’s choices to force them to choose between something bad and something worse, force them into bad decisions, or push them into doing what they least want to do?
How can I make characters behave in the most unexpected way that fits within their motivation, personality type, and background?
How do I introduce a new conflict before resolving an existing one?
What danger can I keep threaten, what information can I promise, what expected emotional crisis, confrontation, loss, or decision can I foreshadow to keep the reader eager to read?
How can I push an expected outcome into an unexpected direction?
Before the climax, how do I make it clear why the antagonist is the way he is, and how do I make him sympathetic?
How can I apply lessons the protag has learned and show her character growth in the climax in a way that will echo the test she failed at the beginning?
How do I make it clear enough why she has changed enough to choose differently than she did in the initial test?
Can I make every conflict in a subplot real and hard to overcome?
How do I resolve all the subplots and weave them together more tightly?
How do I show the arcs for each of the main characters?
How do I most smoothly delivere all the missing information before the climax scene?
How can I the climax the toughest challenge in the manuscript?
How can I make the resolution truly satisfying?
How do I make sure I've kept my covenant with the reader?

Lots to think about, right?

What do you think about before and while you write? What tips have most helped you to elevate your concept or structure?

Happy New Year!

Martina

Happy New Year Everyone!

2011-12-30T13:55:00.000-05:00

Due to illness, the regular Friday round-up won't be posted today. We'll do a double line-up next week though, so please check back. In the meantime, Happy New Year. Have a wonderful (and safe!) holiday.

The Ladies of AYACP

WOW Wednesday: Natalie Parker on the Anatomy of a Good Hook

2011-12-28T08:40:00.001-05:00

Today's WOW guest is Natalie C. Parker, a YA writer represented by Sarah Davies of the Greenhouse Literary Agency. Natalie is addicted to her cello and her nail polish collection in equal measure, but isn’t big a fan of jellyfish. She blogs at nataliecparker.com and writes collaborative short fiction with two other YA writers on Tangled Fiction (http://tangledfiction.livejournal.com/).

The Anatomy of a Good Hook

by Natalie C. Parker

If you’re writing a novel (and if you’re reading this, you probably are), there are a few key words and phrases you’re more than a little likely to be familiar with. But there’s one thing we stress over like no other because so much rests on its small and elusive shoulders, one thing that if we don’t get it right, renders the rest of our work irrelevant because it likely won’t get read: the hook.

In June of this year, I signed with my agent. This immediately transformed me from level-headed writer to the sort of crazy that thinks it’s a great idea to celebrate by making a public offer to read and critique the first 5k of any manuscript every written. Within a week, I had 59 submissions and a half dozen people singing, “I told you so.” I spent the next month reading and critiquing work from people I’d, for the most part, never met.

I received all types of writing, and for the purposes of this post, I’ve broken down the numbers by category:

YA, total: 42
- Paranormal/Romance: 15
- Fantasy: 12
- Urban Fantasy: 7
- Dystopia: 4
- Contemporary: 2
- Historical Fantasy: 1
- Science Fiction: 1

MG, total: 8
- Fantasy: 3
- Paranormal: 3
- Contemporary: 2

ADULT, total: 9
- Fantasy: 3
- Urban Fantasy: 3
- Memoir: 2
- Paranormal Romance: 1

(Looking at that still has a dizzying effect on me.)

What I didn’t realize at the time was that this was a very small window into the life of the Literary Agent Extraordinaire, who easily receives this number of submissions in a single day. And even more than that, it was a microstudy on the anatomy of a good hook.

From that collection of 59 very different manuscripts, 7 hooked me so well I did one of two things in my response: offered a critique of the full manuscript or told the author I believed they would soon have an agent (it’s worth noting that at least one of these people recently received representation). If I were an agent, I might have requested fulls and partials from each of these 7. So the question is, what did their hooks have that the other 52 didn’t?

Three things which, taken all together, make up the anatomy of a well-drawn hook: a point, a barb, and an eye.

(If it isn’t already clear, we’ll be using actual hooks as the basis for this metaphor. Any kind will do – fish hooks, grappling hooks, pirate hooks, you name it, they all do what the beginning of your novel should….they hook. … Moving on.)

THE POINT
These manuscripts all had opening lines that made some sort of impression. They weren’t all amazing or heartachingly beautiful or so unique I couldn’t imagine ever reading anything like it again, but they all did something to pique my interest. They were the point of the needle against the skin, the first sensation that there was something there worth paying attention to.

We’ve all heard a lot of “rules” about what should and shouldn’t be found in your first line. I think that nothing is set in stone. Write the opening line that gives us the most intriguing entry into your story.

A first line isn’t necessarily good because it’s mind-blowing in its self-contained awesomeness, but because it’s so sharp the reader didn’t realize they moved past it eagerly.

As an example, I’ll use Beloved by Toni Morrison, which has one of the most plain yet captivating first lines I’ve ever read:

124 was spiteful.

It’s a small statement, full of voice, but it tells me very little about the story to follow. What it does do is raise my curiosity and invite me to ask what exactly is 124? And why is it so spiteful?

THE BARB
You’ve made your opening play and convinced the reader to keep going, but there’s a good chance that your first line has only bought you a short amount of time. This is the point where a reader goes, “Huh, this sounds intriguing, I wonder…” You’ve got to keep convincing them that there’s something worth reading here and your first line wasn’t just a happy accident.

The five or six lines that immediately follow your first are what I’ll call the barb in this metaphor – the small bit of story that gets under your skin, that tugs you forward with just the slightest hints of pressure. They must be tight, intriguing, and they must continue to deliver on the promises made in that first line. The barb is a good place for some hints of exposition, some small reveal of character and voice, some slight gesture of the plot on the horizon, and some sense of what is at stake.

Morrison’s barb is hard to miss. She gives us a sense of the deep meaning behind her opening line, revealing that it isn’t sarcastic or melodramatic, but a reality for the family that lives in the house at 124.

Full of baby’s venom. The women in the house knew it and so did the children. For years each put up with the spite in his own way, but by 1873 Sethe and her daughter Denver were its only victims. The grandmother, Baby Suggs, was dead and the sons, Howard and Buglar, had run away by the time they were thirteen years old – as soon as merely looking in a mirror shattered it (that was the sign for Buglar); as soon as two tiny handprints appeared in the cake (that was it for Howard). Neither boy waited to see more; another kettleful of chickpeas smoking in a heap on the floor; soda crackers crumbled and strewn in a line next to the door-sill.

THE EYE
The last piece of the hook in this, perhaps crude metaphor is the eye, which performs the crucial act of connecting your painstakingly crafted hook to the rest of your story. This can come immediately following the barb or shortly thereafter, but certainly should exist within your first chapter.

In the case of Beloved, we get a little more exposition before the eye of the hook shows up a few paragraphs past the barb. But when it does, it cinches tightly around the work already accomplished by the previous pieces and makes additional promises to the reader of what’s to come – Sethe and Denver will confront the spirit in their home that has already done so much to tear their family apart. The eye is a moment of clarity in the story, your promise to the reader that change is coming.

It’s important to remember that your hook isn’t just the first line of a story, but a concert of parts acting together – the first line that pulls you in soundlessly or with a bang, the follow-up that adds depth and meaning to that first line making it as real as the Velveteen Rabbit, and the moment of clarity that connects the starting point to the rest of the novel.

It’s probably also important to remember that you will never write the perfect hook. Like everything else in writing, there’s no perfect formula and no way to ensure you’ve written one that will attract 100% of readers.

But why not give it a shot?

1st 5 Pages December Workshop - 3rd Round Revisions Up

2011-12-27T10:10:00.001-05:00

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday! Can you believe it is almost the new year already? It feels like it should still be May, right? And have you seen the stores? We went out for some last minute things on Saturday and the stores had Valentine's Day things out on display already. As if time doesn't fly fast enough.

The last round of revisions is up for our December 1st Five Pages Workshop! Please jump in and help polish up these entries.

And don't forget that the next Workshop will begin soon. Our monthly 1st Five Pages Workshops start the first Saturday of every month. We accept the first five middle grade or young adult manuscripts received by email starting at noon. Lisa Gail Green and I will tell you what we see in those first five pages with respect to your voice, plot, characters, setting, pacing and writing in general. If appropriate, we'll try to help you pull your hook forward and strengthen your voice and structure. You'll also get feedback and comments from your peers throughout the month, and have the opportunity to post revisions each week so you'll end up the strongest possible start.

The rules are simple:

1. Manuscripts must be middle grade or young adult.
2. Manuscripts do not need to be completed, but must be your own, original work.
3. Send us the first five pages, with each page approximately 250 words, max 1250 words.
4. Do NOT send any synopsis or summary information.
5. Do include your name and genre at the top as follows:
    Genre
    Your Name
    Revision Number
6. Send the entry in plain text, single spaced, with a double carriage return between paragraphs.
    THIS IS CRITICAL!!!! NO EXCEPTIONS
7. Be prepared to receive honest, constructive feedback.
8. Be prepared to provide honest, constructive feedback to each of your fellow workshop participants in every round in a kind and courteous manner.

You can send your emails at noon (Eastern Time) the first Saturday of the month to kidlit at writeedge dot com. We will accept the first five entries that arrive meeting all the above formatting criteria.

Happy reading and revising!

Martina

1st 5 Pages December Workshop - Jones, Rev 3

2011-12-27T09:58:00.001-05:00

YA Paranormal Romance
Sandi Jones

Rusty trucks and derelict boats languished in front of houses along
the dark Carolina coastal road. Ever since we’d left home that
afternoon, I’d imagined winding up in the country, far from my family
and best friend, enduring months cramped in a shack with my mother’s
new boss, a reclusive writer who probably hoarded junk and never
bathed.

Inspired by the hardcore music on my IPod, I finished my sketch,
shading the overalls of a cotton farmer fighting to pull a boy’s arm
from the churning spindles of old-timey farm machinery. My empty
stomach clenched at the sight of plasmatic splatters across my page.
Too dark to draw anymore, I snapped the sketchpad shut.

Beside me, Mom’s face pinched with disgust. She’d never understood my
art. Neither did I, really. It was my father’s gift.

The unexplainable image of the farmers’ agony would likely stay in my
head while I tried to sleep that night.

Somehow I’d lost track of time. The car slowed as we neared a massive
stone entrance under dim lighting. I removed an earbud.

“Chelsea, take the wheel. I have the code for the gate on my phone.”
Her blonde ponytail fell over her shoulder as she fumbled in her
purse.

I grabbed the steering wheel just as headlights burst from the open
gate, blinding me in a flash of white as a vehicle suddenly flew out,
headed in our direction. I flinched, cutting a hard right. The
oncoming car hit their brakes and veered to miss us, spraying seashell
gravel onto our Toyota like rain. Mom recovered, swerving to stop on
the shoulder of the private driveway as the other vehicle, a shiny
black Vette with lots of chrome and dark windows, gunned the engine.

“Idiot!” Mom smacked the horn.

My heart thudded. I craned in my seat, watching the guy’s thoughtless
retreat. A license plate reading “GEOFF” in reflective blue letters
disappeared into the gloom.

“You okay? I’m sorry.” She sighed, collecting herself.

Rubber squealed in the distance as the other car spun onto the asphalt.

“Barely.” I scowled at the way she always accepted blame whatever the
situation. My instincts told me to hang my head out the window and
call the driver the name he deserved. However, an awful thought
stopped me. “Was that your new boss?”

“I don’t think so.” She bit her lip as she steered our car back onto the road.

The jerk had left the gate open, so we rolled past the entry’s digital
keypad. The bars closed automatically behind us with a metallic clank
as we moved from the lighted gateway for the black woods ahead.

She offered an embarrassed smile. “Poor guy didn’t expect anyone to be
out here at night. He was probably Ben’s—”

“Ohmigod!” I sat up.

The road curved, and a lighted building emerged at the end of the
driveway where ancient oak trees spread twisting lace-shrouded limbs
of gray Spanish moss. Ginormous pillars surrounded the white house.

Mom’s eyes were hopeful when she glanced at me for my reaction and
parked the car by the brick sidewalk. “This must be Antonia. What do
you think?”

I dropped the IPod and tumbled out the door for a better look.

Burning to draw, I walked backward with my head back so I could take
in the mammoth building. The plantation-style house stood three
stories high with balconies. The downstairs rooms glowed with movement
inside, while the upstairs windows were lifeless and dark. Far above
on the top floor, a single gauzy curtain flew outward, up and down,
waving us away.

Leave. Leave. Leave.

I rubbed at the goose bumps on the backs of my arms, dismissing the
thought as too much like one of Dad’s wild notions.

Mom led us past lighted palmettos and flowering shrubs along the
drive—an impressionist’s dream of soft and sharp textures—up the steps
of the wraparound porch to the double doors of what could’ve been the
set of an old Civil War movie. Except the place didn’t seem old with
fresh white paint. I hoped it was new.

Surely she wouldn’t expect me to sleep under the roof of former slave-owners.

My stomach knotted as she rang the brass doorbell, hands still
trembling after our near miss with the reckless driver. But why did I
dread meeting Mr. Ramsey? I’d never heard anything bad about the
British author. Lots of people I knew read his bestsellers. My
grandma, for one. His readers wanted to know more about him, but for
whatever reason, he couldn’t manage to write his story. Too humble. Or
too boring. Mom had spent hours chatting with him on the Internet
before they’d decided to work on his memoir together in person.

The door opened and a man wearing a blue dress shirt and khakis
blinked at us under metal-rimmed glasses. His expression slowly
smoothed from a look of utter disgust to awareness. “Lori!”

“I’m sorry we’re late, Ben. I should’ve called.”

“Not a problem at all.” His graying brown comb-over and wide smile
erased my suspicion that Mom found him attractive. Too nerdy.
“Dinner’s still warm.”

“I want you to meet my daughter, Chelsea.” She nudged me.

Ramsey shook my hand in his cool grip. “I’m so very glad to finally
meet you. I’ll wager you’re both exhausted.”

I lifted a shoulder. “It’s not been bad. Well, except for just now.
Who was driving that Corvette?”

Mom touched my shoulder. “Honey—”

“Do come in,” Mr. Ramsey interrupted, widening the door. “We can talk
over dinner.”

Paranoia prickled me as we moved through the foyer, my worn combat
boots clomping ungracefully across the hardwood floor, but I’d save my
questions for later. Unlike Dad.

Dark-veined marble floors chilled the interior while light fanned
through chandeliers. We washed up in a formal bathroom, where I was
afraid to touch anything for fear someone would smack my hand and say
I wasn’t allowed to handle stuff.

An arrangement of fresh flowers sat in the middle of the dining table
before us. God, I’d love to capture those beauties on paper with
gouache paints. However, the aroma of fried food distracted me from
the subject matter as a serving woman wearing a gray uniform brought
in a covered tray, and then lifted lids off the awaiting platters. I
caught her slight frown as she poured water in my glass, eyeing my
hair and the blue streak I’d put in it this summer. I pushed it off my
shoulder.

“It was getting dark when we arrived but we saw lots of young people
leaving Hilton Head Island. It’s a popular place, isn’t it?” Mom said
cheerily.

Ramsey nodded. “Absolutely. I’ve made an appointment for Chelsea to
meet with the director of admissions at the island prep school
tomorrow.” He lifted a piece of something covered in golden cornmeal
batter. “Fried pickle?”

She held out her plate. “Thank you.”

“Wait. A prep school for me? Why?” Alarm twisted the knot in my
stomach tighter.

“Lori—?” He hesitated.

“It’s on the island. Very prestigious.” Mom smiled, but her eyes pleaded.

My fork clattered on my plate. So that was the drawback to this gig?

I’m no Barbie. Hadn’t he seen how I dressed? Not to mention I’d
probably be the only half-black student there. They’d hate me.

“Thanks, but I’ve always gone to public schools.”

“Nonsense. My son will be attending Prep, too. You’ll ride with him so
your mum won’t have to drive you back and forth through the tourist
traffic. Shrimp and grits?”

1st 5 Pages December Workshop - Ledbetter, Rev 3

2011-12-27T09:57:00.000-05:00

YA Fantasy
Ledbetter

The distance between darkness and light was a nano-moment, my mother once told me. A sliver of space. The breadth of a strand of hair. I hadn’t known what she’d meant until that day. And still wished I hadn’t.

I trudged up the darkened beach, digging my toes in the sand with each step. Visions of pearl-skinned sea nymphs still danced in my head. Their iridescent eyes and seductive charms made me smile.

“C’mon, Zeus,” Anytos called, throwing a stick at my feet.

I held a finger in the air.

"Zeus, seriously!" He clapped his hands once loudly.

"Wait. Hold on." I closed my eyes to enjoy the images of those sea nymphs. Just a splinter of time more.

"Zeus!" His words sliced sideways through my memories. “Sun’s nearly up. We don’t have much time!” Tos stood at the top of a dune calling down.

I sighed. “I’m coming.”

I hated the pre-dawn runs we took every morning. The birds weren’t even up yet. I couldn’t wait to get back to the goats I tended with my mother. Against her wishes, I’d named each one. That’s why she never let me slaughter them for food. Or rather, why I never participated.

There was nothing too terribly stressful about goat herding. They were a self-sufficient lot. Sometimes watching them was like watching the sun crawl across the sky. In those moments, my mind wandered like a stray goat.

I’d always felt like I could do more. Be more. Something inside of me clawed for the extraordinary. Yet I had to face that I’d likely never leave Crete.

I joined Tos at the top of the dune and looked across the dusty Cretan expanse that stretched into low-lying hills. Tos turned to me. "You ready?”

“Let’s do it…”

Before I’d finished, Tos had taken off running, like being shot from a bow. His feet pounded the path as he ran ahead.

I crested a high ridge in pursuit. A burning sensation spider-webbed through my lungs when I saw the sun’s first ray in the east. Pushing onward, I strained to keep pace with Tos, whose legs moved at a pace I simply couldn’t match. Not yet anyway.

“Faster, Zeus,” he yelled over his shoulder.

“We’ve been running non-stop since the southern coast.”

I stopped and clutched my chest. Ragged breaths came in gasps. I placed my sweaty palms on my knees and inhaled deeply. I knew that the daily running would benefit me somehow. But, that didn’t mean I had to like it.

Anytos turned abruptly. “Whose fault is it we’ve been running such a distance, huh? I promised Amalthea I’d keep you safe, Zeus,” he responded.

“You. Here. Not safe. Let’s go!”

"Hmmmph." I stood straight, stretching to one side then the other. I knew he was right. We’d been out way too long. But boy were those nymphs worth it. I took another deep breath as I stared back toward the east.

“I knew I shouldn’t have let you talk me into going to see those sea nymphs again,” Anytos continued. “Shoulda known better than that. The Tribe is gonna be pissed when we get back.”

“Don’t act like you didn’t have a good time.” I managed a half smile despite my fatigue, rustling fingers through my hair.

"That’s way beside the point. The longer we’re away from the cave, the less safe you are."

I totally resented not being safe. I’d watched my mother’s pained expressions over the years. Stress from living in constant fear.

Tos began running again, building another healthy lead. Rocking back on my heels, I resolved to finish. One last push. Come on. Dig Deep.

I lunged forward. Chasing Tos up the next incline, my feet barely touched the ground. I ran so fast, I didn’t even feel the rocks on the tree-lined path. As I reached the next ridge, a ray of sunlight speared my eye through the trees and blinded me momentarily.

I forced my stride farther. Wider. My arms whipped the air at my sides. I grinned as I closed the gap between us.

Ahead, the cave opening beckoned. The Cave. My home. I knew the drill. Get to the cave before someone sees you. Someone like who? I always wondered who’d ever come looking for me?

I saw the dark silhouette of mother sitting on a hillside just above the cave, surrounded by lightly grazing goats. Crouched, her right hand gripped a hooked staff, on which she counterbalanced her weight. Her tunic rustled gently in the thick, salty breeze.

The sun rose faster than usual. Like ridiculously fast. I stopped to look into the sky, marveling at the rapid ascension. Darkness to light. Tos pulled my arm almost from its socket.

“That’s not normal, Zeus. We need to get in the cave!” His face looked like a fig left in the sun too long, wrinkled and severe.

We sprinted the final stretch around my guardian tribe, the Kouretes, who danced in a circle. Their chants filled the air. Fully armored, their tunics flapped around their frames as helmets clanked atop their heads. Shouts echoed across the plain, punctuated by the clashing of spears to shields. They always said that they chanted to ward off evil spirits. To protect me. All I heard was constant noise, really.

As we drew closer to the cave, my mother stood suddenly and turned toward the sun. The sky brightened, and the sun’s brilliance grew more insistent. I shielded my eyes but the heat was searing. Spots dotted my vision. I watched my skin darken by the second. Sweat beaded all over my bronzed skin at once.

My heart began to race wildly. “What’s going on here? Why is the sun falling?"

“Remember we kept telling you somebody might see you if you’re out too long?” Tos asked.

I nodded nervously.

“Hyperion’s descending!” He pushed my shoulder. “Get in the cave!”

“The Sun Deity? Why is…?”

“Don’t ask questions. Just do it. Now!” Tos demanded.

The Kouretes’ noise grew louder. But, I still didn’t understand. All that time I thought I’d been hiding from other people on the island, not Deities.

Tos pushed me. “Hurry!”

I took off running with Tos close behind. We’d just reached the cave when I heard my mother yell. I stopped in my tracks and turned. I held my breath and turned to head back into the brightness and scorching heat. Tos’s fingers dug into my arms to pull me back.

I yelled, "I can’t leave my mother out there!" I jerked my arm from his grasp and grabbed my helmet from inside the cave. After grabbing my shield and spear, I ran into the clearing outside the cave. I heard Tos behind me.

"Mother!" I called.

The fiery orb hovered close to the earth. Flames grabbed at the sky in every direction. My mother scampered down the hill as fast as she could. The goats scattered in front of her. The Kouretes took up battle stances, shields folded across their chests, spears ready to throw. My mother ran behind them and I joined her.

“Get back in the cave,” she growled through clenched teeth. She looked over my shoulder as Tos approached. “I thought I told y…”

A loud explosion erupted in the sky that shook the ground with its force. My mother turned around as a figure emerged from the freakishly large ball of fire. The mountain of a man rode a soot black chariot pulled by four ginormous stallions the color of sunsets. I could only assume he was Hyperion.

1st 5 Pages December Workshop - Haynes, Rev 3

2011-12-27T09:54:00.000-05:00

Amelia Foote Rolls On
Middle Grade
Marilee Haynes

AMELIA FOOTE ROLLS ON

by

Marilee Haynes

Chapter One

Pea Soup and Marshmallows

I hated pea soup more than anything. It smelled like my
brother’s sweaty socks, it looked like baby poop, and I didn’t know
any words bad enough for what it tasted like. But pea soup was how I
felt.

It didn’t matter that I was in my favorite looking at the
world spot – the window seat under the giant picture window in our
living room. And it didn’t matter that I was in my favorite
watching-the-world position – standing on my head with my feet against
the wall for balance. I still felt absolutely, positively rotten.

When my lips started tingling, I lowered myself down and
settled back in with my knees tucked up under my chin. I turned my
head all the way to the left and then all the way to the right.
Upside down or right side up, nothing at all was happening on
Succotash Lane.

I cranked the window open and let the breeze come inside.
It rained last night, so the outside smelled clean and wet. I stuck
my nose up against the screen and breathed in as far as I could,
trying to fill myself up with that clean air.

It didn’t work. My best friend was really and truly gone,
and there wasn’t room for anything but the pea soup feeling that
started in my toes and didn’t end until it got to the top of my head.

Then I heard it. The rattling, banging sound that meant one thing.

I craned my head to the left. Across the street and down
two houses, I could see the tip top of a pile of black hair. It was
Wheeze. His name was Weatherby St. James, but everybody called him
Wheeze. He was sitting on his porch playing Boggle. By himself.
Like he did every single day.

In the middle of me feeling the teeniest bit sorry for
Wheeze for always having to stay on his porch on account of his bad
asthma and always playing by himself because no other nine-year-old
kid – including me – wants to play Boggle all the hours of the day, a
thought jumped right into my head.

It’s not like I hadn’t seen Wheeze playing Boggle by
himself every day that summer. But that was when he was Wheeze and I
was one half of ‘Amelia and Caroline.’ But I wasn’t half of ‘Amelia
and Caroline’ anymore. I was sitting here, by myself, with nothing to
do and no one to do it with.

Just like Wheeze.

Right in the middle of thinking that thought, I made a gasp
so big that it turned into a cough and then a choking fit. The
curtains pulled back and a hand clomped me on the back. I peeked over
my shoulder and saw it was my dad.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded and tried to say, “uh huh,” only nothing but
another choking sound came out. So I just looked down at my feet and
shook my head back and forth.

My dad nudged me over and sat on the window seat next to me.
He didn’t say anything; he just sat there with me and hummed a hum
really soft.

After a couple minutes, I took some extra deep breaths until
I got one to go all the way down and back up without making a hiccupy
noise.

I peered out the window again. I could still see the tip top
of Wheeze’s sticking up hair. And I could hear the rattle clomp of
him starting a new game of Boggle.

“I have a problem.” I said it without turning around.

My dad stood up. “Marshmallows?”

And because he was right and marshmallows were exactly what I
needed, I shuffled along behind him into the kitchen and slumped into
a chair.

My dad rummaged around in the cupboard and pulled out a mostly
full bag of jumbo marshmallows. He tilted his head to the side and
squinted his eyes at me, then pulled four marshmallows out of the bag
and tossed them to me.

Four marshmallows meant a big problem.

After grabbing two bottles of apple-grape juice out of the
fridge, my dad sat down across from me. Then he looked at me with his
whole self and made his eyebrows go up so high they disappeared under
the floppy front part of his hair.

“I don’t have any friends.” After I said it, I stuffed two
marshmallows in my mouth to take away the taste of saying something so
awful.

“Because of Caroline?”

“Kind of.”

My dad’s mouth was full of marshmallows and apple-grape juice,
so he did that sideways wave thing with his hand that meant for me to
keep talking.

“I mean, yes it’s because of Caroline moving away, but it’s not
just that.” I crammed two more marshmallows in and tucked my chin
down so far it touched the top of my t-shirt. “There’s no one else.”

“Amelia?” My dad reached across the table and captured my
hand, the one that was sitting on the table like a dead fish.

“She was my only friend.”

“That’s not true. You have other friends.” My dad’s voice
went up the tiniest bit at the end. I don’t think he meant it to
sound like a question, but it did.

I shook my head and drew figure eights on the table with the
water from the outside of my juice bottle.

“School starts in 13 days.” Starting fourth grade with no best
friend was the worst problem I could think of.

“I know it’s hard when a friend moves away, but I know when you
think about it – really think about it – you’ll see that you have lots
of other friends.”

When I peeked up at my dad through my too long bangs that were
the same dark brown as his hair, he was smiling a smile that looked
like it hurt.

Instead of trying to smile back, I took four more marshmallows
out of the bag, stuffed them down into my side pants pocket, and
shoved my chair back from the table.

“I’m going for a skate.” My brain did its best thinking when I
was skating.

“Good idea.” My dad started cleaning up our mess. I was
almost to the back door when he said, “Do me a favor?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t forget about the marshmallows in your pocket. It’s my
week to do the laundry.”

I turned and grinned my dad a real grin. “Promise.

Chapter Two

Unlucky Number Thirteen

When I stepped into the garage, I saw my skates were
flopped over onto their sides and there were clumps of dirt and grass
stuck to them, especially the pom-poms.

My lamebrain brother Teddy, who I wasn’t supposed to call a
lamebrain but sometimes I couldn’t help it because he was one, had
dumped his soccer cleats on top of my skates. Again.

I dug my special pom-pom fluffing comb out of the side
pocket of my pants that wasn’t full of marshmallows. The grass and
dirt came off the skates with some swiping and a little spit and,
after a thorough combing, the pom-poms looked as good as new. Still,
I stuck my tongue out at my brother’s stupid cleats and then knotted
the laces together so it would take him forever to get them undone the
next time he wanted to play.

Once my skates were on, I shimmied between my mom’s
minivan and my dad’s truck and swooped down the driveway. I swerved
right without slowing down, my skates carrying me faster and faster
down the street.

My favorite feeling was my eight wheels on the sidewalk,
that great ba-bump, ba-bump noise that they made going over every
crack in the sidewalk. And the way skating felt was the best. It made
the bottoms of my feet tickle and, when I kept my teeth sandwiched
together, it made a zinging, singing noise in my head, like music.

As I skated, I thought about the number 13. School
started in 13 days, which meant I had 13 days to make a friend.
Because the only friend I did have moved away. To Santa something,
California. But her moving away wasn’t even the worst part.

The worst part was that she was excited to go. Okay, they
were moving to California and she was going to be able to see the
actual ocean from her new bedroom and go to a special school for kids
who were really good at art, which she was.

But I was going to be here, in boring old Grand Hills,
Michigan which wasn’t very hilly and wasn’t even a little bit grand.
I thought that anywhere your best friend lived was a better place to
live than anywhere else. But I guess my forever and always – at least
until she moved away – best friend, Caroline McPhee didn’t think so.

1st 5 Pages December Workshop - Christina, Rev 3

2011-12-27T09:51:00.000-05:00

Revision #3
Christina B.
YA Urban Fantasy

When night fell, Lily prepared to escape.

Silence suffocated the air as the moon bathed her neighborhood in an eerie glow. There was no life here—no tethered pets, no passing cars, no city lights. Everything was dead or dying. Even the grass in her front yard was a dull yellow.

Of course her mother loved the solitude. Nothing could bother her in the middle of nowhere. Nothing could distract her from the myriad art projects. Nothing except Lily, and she had long learned her lesson.

Her fingers itched for her violin, to play a melody that would pervade the emptiness surrounding her house, but she resisted the impulse. Neither Josh nor Jolie, her two best friends, wanted to drive the many miles to pick Lily up. Instead she had to take the bus which stopped at her neighborhood once per night, and she had just ten minutes to catch it. Otherwise she would be stranded, with only dreams to keep her company.

Looking at her vanity mirror assured her that everything remained in place—no stray hairs, no smudged makeup. Excitement loosened her nerves, replacing the loneliness. She was a star, beautiful and shining, happy to leave home for one night.

Lily closed her bedroom door and trudged past the crooked paintings that decorated the hallway. The smell of fresh paint grew stronger until it reached its crescendo at her mother’s room. Lily stayed at the threshold and watched her mother paint.

Mireille was hunched over, working on the mural that spanned the entire bedroom wall. Her short hair bent around her chin, like the broken strings on a violin, twisted, rough, and abandoned, and her cheeks caved inwards, emphasizing the angular juts of her face. At forty-five years old, she carried a wild beauty which Lily could never have with her carefully applied makeup and polished shoes. She was the artist and Lily the musician. No matter what, their voices would sing to different harmonies.

Lily could tell that Mireille was aware of her presence: her hands shook and her back sagged so much that it was a wonder her head didn’t hit the wall, yet she didn’t acknowledge Lily. After Lily had cleared her throat and fidgeted a few times, her mother returned her gaze.

For a moment, Lily wondered if her mother could see her as she was. Then her mother’s gaze flickered over her—dress, hair, and all—and Lily found her answer. All Mireille would ever see was her own sadness and disappointment. The mistake that took her away from her one true love.

Glancing at the dark crescents beneath her mother’s eyes, Lily vowed to never depend on someone that fully. Unlike her mother, she would not be left behind.

“You look nice, mon ange, but that dress… is it not too low for a respectable young woman?” Her mother’s expression remained neutral—well, except for the slightest raise in her brow, a sign which Lily had trained herself to see. Without it, there’d be nothing.

“Hey, you can’t complain. You chose not to come with me when I bought this. But feel free to join me next time.” The idea of her mother shopping was so ridiculous it brought a smile to Lily’s face. The few times Mireille left the house were to sell paintings for their scant supply of money, and even then, she wore overalls with paints crusted in the denim edges. Lily wondered if Mireille cared about anything besides work.

“You may buy an inappropriate dress but that does not mean you have to wear it.” Her mother’s eyebrow rose with each word.

Lily closed her eyes. The dead grass, the smell of paint, these little comments–she had to leave now. “Well, I’m not going to change. Any other objections?”

Her mother didn’t need to say anything. When she returned to her work without another word, the silence rang with her disapproval. The swish of paint dribbling off the brush beat in Lily’s ears like a drum mirroring each thump of her heart, slow and powerful. She had the sudden urge to bite her nails.

“Nothing? Good.” She tapped her non-existent watch. “Time’s a-wasting, and I’m leaving…” She trailed off, wondering why she had bothered.

Retreating from the room, Lily welcomed the clanking of her heels on the tiled floor of the hallway. Closer and closer she moved towards freedom, to the biting air of a cold and open night made warm by the laughter shared with her friends. She smiled, thinking of all the opportunities stretched ahead.

As she opened the front door, the phone rang.

Lily considered not answering, letting her mother ignore yet another call, but the caller could be Josh, canceling their plans. With a sigh, she picked up the phone.

“Hi?”

“Hello.” An unfamiliar male voice greeted her. “Am I speaking with Lily Napier?”

“Who’s asking?”

He laughed, and the sound grated against Lily’s patience. “How strange,” he said, drawling the words; she considered leaving again. “I would have never expected John’s daughter to be brash.”

Knots strung her stomach as if it were time for a concert. Her father, her father, the mantra reverberated in her bones, blood, everywhere. In her mind’s eye, Mireille whispered, “He left because he didn’t want a child.”

Did he regret that? Could he take her away?

The desire stole through her like she was ten years old again, looking at her mother with hope etched into her soul and finding it crushed within minutes. She shook off the memory but couldn’t control her breathing. Possibilities whirred through her mind, making her pace the length of the room. The man waited on her response, but this silence she couldn’t fix with music and this time she was seven years wiser.

“You know my father?” She tilted her head to the side and waited and waited and waited. She snapped, “Well, do you?”

“He needs you, Lily.”

She clutched the phone tighter, ignoring the clenching in her stomach. Those words—she had dreamed of hearing them so many times that they now seemed unreal. “Yeah, he needed me so much that he left before I was born.”

“Is that what your mother told you?”

“Answer me this and then maybe I’ll tell you.” Her hands, sweaty and cold, slipped on the phone. “Who the hell are you?”

He continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “Mireille left John. He was not aware that he had fathered a child.” His stilted manner of speaking reminded her of someone, though she couldn’t remember who. He didn’t have an identifiable accent. “John was—”

“Stop, just stop.” She collapsed onto a couch. Thinking of the woman splattered in paint a few rooms away. Remembering the haunted look in those eyes as she explained what had happened to Lily’s father. Lily didn’t want to believe the man, but his lies were already working their way into her mind, making her doubt her mother. Her mother. The word promised more than Lily’s memories suggested. She put her head between her knees. “How did you get this number? And if my father needs me so much, why are you the one calling?”

Another pause. “I am truly sorry for the pain this must be causing you—”

“Like hell you are. If you cared, you wouldn’t have called.” Her breaths sounded unnaturally loud. Everything about this screamed hoax, but she wanted it to be real so badly that she could taste the freedom, the life she would have away from this hell-hole. It was not real though. She stood and took a deep breath, yet her voice still shook. “And here’s a tip for you. Don’t call again.”

1st 5 Pages December Workshop - Shelley, Rev 3

2011-12-27T09:49:00.000-05:00

Chapter one-revision 3
Shelley/YA/Mystery/Suspense

I didn’t actually see Lucky get stuffed into the trunk of the cop car.
But Greer did.

“Kenny, get up. Come on.” She tugged on my right hand where the
knuckles were scraped raw from the parking lot pavement. I could see
Greer’s cheeks, shiny with tears, from the streetlight. The smell of
exhaust still hung above us and I could hear light rustling in the
bushes from the field mice collecting their dinner.

“Ow! Ow!” I was pretty sure I had a couple of cracked ribs.

“Will you get up? They took him. I saw them. Did you see them?” She
paced above me her voice a tinny wail in the dark. I rolled over onto
all fours, and accessed new pain points. Then Greer’s voice came low
and soft. “They put him in the trunk.”

She wasn’t making sense. But then she was Greer, and Lucky wasn’t
going out with her for her sense-making.

I pulled myself up using the handle on my brother’s Dodge truck. The
truck the three of us had been “borrowing” all summer. “I wonder why
they took Lucky and not all of us?” I said, still digesting the small
marijuana cigarette I’d swallowed when the police car first pulled into
the empty parking lot.

“It wasn’t like that. Like a real arrest. Something’s wrong.” Greer
was like a frenzied shark in a tank. Back and forth, back and forth.
She was making me dizzy.

The cop who’d made a dent in my kneecap with his boot had asked me,
“What do you know?” And I began to wonder if there was more to that
question.

“Get up. We have to follow them,” Greer stomped her sandaled foot.

“Oh, yes. So they can finish what they started with the rearrangement
of my face.” Luckily I’d left my glasses back at work and wore my
contacts, or I’d be blind and broken. This way I was just broken.

“Kenny!” Greer’s voice bordered on hysteria.

“Listen, if he’s been arrested then we’ll just go down to the police
department and get him. Okay?”

But what Greer said kept echoing in my mind. Something didn’t fit with
her words. Greer’s words. The word: trunk.

Cops arrest people and put them in the back seat, not the trunk. And
cops don’t beat teens up just for hanging out at Strathmen Park on
Labor Day weekend, right?

“Right Kenny?” Greer hadn’t stopped chattering. Or moving.

I spewed saliva on the pavement below me, the unmistaken taste of blood
on my tongue. “Listen, are you okay?” I remembered seeing Greer
shoved up against the door of the Dodge by one of the two cops and
hearing him suggest they needed time “alone.” “I mean really okay?”

She ignored me. “Where’re the car keys?”

“Truck.”

“Huh?”

“It’s a truck, not a car.”

When I finally teetered to a standing position, I grabbed her and held
her close, feeling her body wiggle and squirm. “Look in my eyes. Are
you okay?”

She wasn’t. Greer slumped against me, and if I hadn’t been holding her
she would have fallen to the ground. I hugged her for a long time.
Until she was quiet and stopped moving. Finally she looked up into my
face. “What just happened?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. But you’re right about one thing.
Something is wrong.”

“Maybe they’re not real police?” Greer moved away from me, calmer now,
and leaned against the truck.

“Maybe,” I said. I remembered at the restaurant earlier, where Lucky
and I both worked, that he had said he had something to tell me. I
didn’t think much about it at the time, but now I wondered if I should
have paid closer attention.

“Listen,” I moved toward Greer. “Did that cop, you know, touch you?
Like, should we go to a doctor, or, I don’t know, something?”

The corners of her mouth actually turned up in a tiny smile. “I’m
fine. He was definitely stepping over the line, but, nothing I can’t
handle.” Greer retrieved a cigarette from her shoulder bag, which
she’s never without, lit it and took a deep drag. She shrugged. “We
have to go to the police station and get Lucky.”

“Yeah, but will he be there?”

Frogs bellowed their loud croaks from the small pond inside Strathmen
Park. I’d been coming to this park my whole life and now it looked
totally different. Forever.

“We have to try.” Greer dropped the practically whole cigarette on the
ground and twisted her foot on top of it.

“Yeah, sure. We have to try.” It felt like I might be broken in half,
and a knot on my head ached.

“So, let’s go,” Greer said putting the shoulder bag strap over her head
and across her chest.

“It’s just,” I felt my chest wall throb. “I should take a shower, you
know?”
Greer’s face crumpled and her eyes narrowed. “You should do what?
You’re best friend just got kidnapped, and you want to freshen up?”

I knew she was right. I knew it was lame. “Yeah, it’s, let’s think
about this just a little. Kidnapped is a strong word. And if he did
get kidnapped, he’s probably not at the cop shop, and if he’s not,
where is he? And,” I could feel the momentum of my confusion gathering
inside me. “And if they aren’t cops, who are they? And if they are
cops, even worse for us.”

Her eyes opened wide. “This is just like you, Kenny Panteria. Always
worrying about yourself.”

“Well, excuse me. I just got the crap beat out of me, can we take a
moment to process what just happened?” She adjusted the shoulder strap
about eight hundred times. “I just think we need a plan, that’s all,”
I said.

“Okay. As long as you’re not ditching on your best friend.”

“Me?” Ever since last year when Marty Carter got caught smoking dope
outside the gym, and I didn’t go and defend him, telling Principal Lyon
that Carter was holding it for someone else (like anyone would believe
that!) I’d been tagged a wuss and someone “not to be trusted.” It’s
true; I don’t like to get involved. But this was different. I think.
“Look,” I brushed gravel and twigs from my hair and shirt. “We go
home. I take a shower. And we form a plan. Because if those weren’t
real cops, and Luckys not at the police station, we need to figure out
where he is. Right? And we can’t just go marching into something
without a plan. Right?”

Greer paced. Four steps forward, turn, four back. “Wait, what about
your Mom?”

Greer didn’t ask about my father because the entire town of Walburn
knew he sat in a jail cell for the murder of a policeman in our
restaurant eight years ago.

“Mom’s at the hospital with Ben. House is empty. Of course, if you
don’t trust me alone with you,” I spread my hands. Greer and Lucky had
been going out for about six months. She drove me crazy with her
constant talking and asking questions, and I wasn’t sure Lucky was in
it for love. But Greer was cute. She had long dark, almost black hair
that made her skin look like cream and bright blue eyes. She was more
than cute. But the chatter was definitely a drawback.

“You? What’s not to trust? Besides, I’d tell Lucky if you tried
anything,” and as soon as she said it we became quiet.

“Let’s go,” I said, digging the keys out of my pocket. Greer went
around to the passenger side and pulled the door open.

We drove down the streets of Walburn without talking, which for Greer
was a pretty amazing feat. Tomorrow it was back to school, and I would
face it with a body of bruises, and maybe no Lucky.

“Maybe I should go back to the restaurant and make the night deposit
now?” I said, idling at a stop sign four blocks from home. I’d left
all the money from the weekend in a drawer in dad’s desk.

But when I turned to look at Greer I could see that was not at all a
good idea. She grabbed the door handle and I had to grab her and pull
her back into the cab. “Okay. Okay, I get it.”

Our house was dark when we pulled into the driveway and I began to
worry. Were the cops here waiting for me? Maybe they’d meant to take
me at the park, had to leave quickly, so they came to get me at home.

My head throbbed, and I was tired of working the broken flap of skin at
the corner of my mouth. “You know, you can lay down in my brother’s
room and rest while I take a shower and get cleaned up.”

Greer nodded but her eyes were shiny and I think we both knew she
wouldn’t be able to sleep. “I just can’t get that picture of him being
thrown in the trunk of the car.” She shivered.

I shivered, too. “What do you know?” The cop had asked me before
grazing my cheek with his fist. What do I know?

This Week for Writers 12/23/11: Our Favorite Articles and Blog Posts

2011-12-23T06:00:00.004-05:00

Thanks to everyone who entered our 15 Books for 1500 Followers Giveaway. The winners are posted here.

Check back next Friday for a brand new giveaway. Meanwhile, Happy Christmas. Have a wonderful holiday, everyone. May every moment be filled with friends, family, warmth, love, and laughter!

Clara's Favorites

75 rejection letters and 100+ rejection emails: proof there's good things to come if you don't give up.
Hilary Wagner: My REAL Rejection Letters and Why You Should Never Give Up!
Love, love, love this video of YA authors singing Winter Wonderland!
Mundie Moms: It's a Winter Wonderland
The FPP: The make or break moment of your story and where it must occur.
A Little Holiday Gift for You: Part 1 of a 2-Part Mini-Workshop
Fantastic post on promotion and what you should do NOW, before you sell.
Targeted PR, Cross-Promotion, and Knowing Your Audience
Ran out of enthusiasm for your story? Focus on your Kernel Idea to reignite that spark.
The Kernel Idea | GENREALITY
Don't let genre be your brand. It's not WHAT you write, it's HOW you write. Brilliant. Simply brilliant.
Don’t Get Burned By Branding
Raw emotion: Make readers witness the most personal, vulnerable moments in your characters' lives.
Character Rants | The Editor's Blog
Bookmark this post!@JaneFriedman's best advice of 2011.
My Best Advice for Writers From 2011 | Jane Friedman
Love love love this list of superhero cliches!
A List of 28 Superhero Cliches
Many people are crushed each year by overturned book shelves! and more reasons to abandon the printed book. Laughs
The Kill Zone: It's High Time We Abandon The Printed Book Once and For all.
Indie vs. traditional: We are on the same team! +excellent advice on choosing which way to go from @RoniLoren at @annerallen
Anne R. Allen's Blog: Why One Author Chose Traditional Publishing--And How to Decide if it's Right for You

Martina's Favorites

Thirteen picture book tips. Great post.Picture Books: An Overview
Catalyst, goal, motivation, message: the meat of story. Excellent post.2011 Blog-Reader Favorites: What I Learned From Watching Sucker Punch
Share your love of books on April 23 and be a World Book Night 2012 Giver.
Register to be a WBN 2012 Giver
Brilliant! Get ebooks from your local indie stores at Amazon pricing
IndieBound Reader for Android and iOS | IndieBound
If you don't link to Barnes and Noble, will they stop carrying your book?Do You Only Link to Amazon on Your Site?
You're a writer when you admit/say you are one. Great post.
The Only Way to Become a Real Writer | Goins, Writer
Want to become a pillar in your writing community? Ways to show your support.
Google Reader
Five stellar reads of 2011 that typify the psychological probing and artistic ambitiousness of modern YA lit.
The Teens Are All Right: 2011's Top 5 YA Novels : NPR
Increase your characters goals and motivation to raise the tension in your ms.Raising the Stakes
Four great tips to amp up the excitement in your ms.How NOT to Bore the Reader
Congrats to @JulieMusil for being this week's writing hero over at @thebookshelfmuse. SO well deserved!Writing Heroes: Julie Musil
Five 2011 not-to-be-missed article recommendations for writers. Did you read all these?Top 5 Posts of 2011
Agenting can only be done for the love of books. Plus mistakes learned by agent @SaraMegibow.#amwriting
Sara Megibow Sells Romance – What Newbie Mistakes Have I Made As An Agent? | Romance University
New short story contest for young writers 8-12 from @AnneMazer @EllenPotter.#contests
Spilling Ink: A Young Writer's Handbook - CONTESTS!
In defense of the public library. ACTION NEEDED.
The Public Library Manifesto
Excellent discussion of balance, conflict, conventions, problems and fixes related to dialogue use in your fiction.
Too Much Dialogue---Characters Talk Too Much | The Editor's Blog
Hollowing out a place inside yourself for characters who don't exist yet. BRILLIANT post.
"Pathetic email." - Sean Ferrell
Four detailed posts on the hero's journey--with charts. Excellent resource!
hero's journey

Book Reviews and Giveaways

Corrine Jackson's IF I LIE looks like an excellent read. Coming August 2012.Cover Reveal: IF I LIE by Corrine Jackson; Also, Watch me Ramble
Share your love of books on April 23 and be a World Book Night 2012 Giver.
Register to be a WBN 2012 Giver
Some great new books to put on your list. Including HUNTED by @CherylRainfieldHappy Book Birthday: New Releases in YA and MG
Brilliant! Get ebooks from your local indie stores at Amazon pricing
IndieBound Reader for Android and iOS | IndieBound
Check out the gorgeous covers nominated for the Paranormal Cover Art Awards. Congrats to all!
All Things Urban Fantasy: Voting is now open! 3rd Annual Paranormal Cover Art Awards
Great interview with @JodiMeadows and a lovely book to add to the reading list.Debut December Interview: Jodi Meadows (Incarnate)
Five stellar reads of 2011 that typify the psychological probing and artistic ambitiousness of modern YA lit.
The Teens Are All Right: 2011's Top 5 YA Novels : NPR
RADIANCE giveaway plus a boy reader on what he loves, how he gets books, and what he does online.
Literary Rambles
Increase your characters goals and motivation to raise the tension in your ms.Raising the Stakes
10 great 2011 YA novel recommendations from @MundieMoms.#reading 2011 Mundie Moms Favorites: '11 Debs/Stand-Alones
Best magazine stories of the year from Longreads.
Top 10 Longreads of 2011
I love this book review comic of @plotwhisperer's new book by @inkyelbows.#writing
MY PLOT SUCKS! IT'S CONFUSING. BORING. MEANDERING....
Finally. A web site that may mimic the browseability of a brick and mortar bookstore.
Jellybooks: New Book Discovery Tool Offers Groupon-Style Deals

Craft of Writing, Self-Editing, and Critiquing

Does your denouement prevent your characters from living on for your readers?
Plot to Punctuation: Does your Denoument Murder Your Characters?
The FPP: The make or break moment of your story and where it must occur.
A Little Holiday Gift for You: Part 1 of a 2-Part Mini-Workshop
Honing your mad drafting skills. Great tips from @AngelaAckerman#writing
The Bookshelf Muse: Stocking Stuffers for Writers: DRAFTING
Great post. What are the rythms of your story?
The Undercover Soundtrack – Jennie Coughlin « My Memories of a Future Life
How much liberty with facts is too much for fiction?Guest Post: Carol Fisher Saller on Details from a Diary: Mining a Family Treasure for Fiction
Thirteen picture book tips. Great post.Picture Books: An Overview
Catalyst, goal, motivation, message: the meat of story. Excellent post.2011 Blog-Reader Favorites: What I Learned From Watching Sucker Punch
Ran out of enthusiasm for your story? Focus on your Kernel Idea to reignite that spark.
The Kernel Idea | GENREALITY
Raw emotion: Make readers witness the most personal, vulnerable moments in your characters' lives.
Character Rants | The Editor's Blog
Push it! Dramatize those embarrassing/horrible moments as much as you can for the best reader experience.
Anna Staniszewski» Blog Archive » Go Big or Go Home
Great post! The responsibilities of individual critiquers and how to give an effective critique.
Are You an Ideal Critique Partner?
Giving the reader a question is not the same as withholding interesting information and more great tips.Four ways to kill narrative drive
Audience, chemistry, and conflict: three things to always keep in mind while writing.Guest Author Kody Keplinger: 3 Things to Consider When Writing Teen Romance
The four reasons to use dialogue in a scene, and how to make it stronger.
10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Dialogue | Write to Done
Using character names in a scene. How often and when is appropriate?
Two Notes on Names
How do you keep track of your mc's best-friend's hair color? Create a story bible.Creating a Story Bible by Suzanne Johnson
Four great tips to amp up the excitement in your ms.How NOT to Bore the Reader
Love love love this list of superhero cliches!
A List of 28 Superhero Cliches
Your NaNo novel is done. What should you do now? REVISE.@writeitsideways shows you how.
7 Steps to Taming Your NaNoWriMo Manuscript
Five 2011 not-to-be-missed article recommendations for writers. Did you read all these?Top 5 Posts of 2011
The flawed hero: A case study in Doctor Who.
13 Days of Doctor Who: The Doctor as an Anti-hero | Phoebe North
Don't perpetuate stereotypes in your villains. Give mcs something honest to fight against.
BOOK VIEW CAFE BLOG » Villains: Evil and Otherness
Liven up your scene. Show choices being made on the fly.
Dead Story Walking
Know the difference between that and which?
That which is restrictive
Watch movies to learn to be a better writer. (Among other good tips)Aspiring is for Pansies–Tough Love and Being a Writer
Being spontaneous is good for your writerly soul as well as for your characters.
Don’t Forget to Dance*
Excellent discussion of balance, conflict, conventions, problems and fixes related to dialogue use in your fiction.
Too Much Dialogue---Characters Talk Too Much | The Editor's Blog
Introduce your magic BEFORE the critical moment. Great advice from @HP4Writers and JK Rowling. Deja Vu Blogfest -- A Taste of Magic
Three more great worldbuilding tips from the @YAMuses. Excllent. Slipping Sideways into Your World
The "magical negro" trope does not make your book "multicultural." It makes it cliche.
Stacy Whitman's Grimoire » Writing diversity: avoiding the Magical Negro
Four detailed posts on the hero's journey--with charts. Excellent resource!
hero's journey

Inspiration and Smiles

75 rejection letters and 100+ rejection emails: proof there's good things to come if you don't give up.
Hilary Wagner: My REAL Rejection Letters and Why You Should Never Give Up!
Amazing story and a lovely bit of inspiration and encouragement for all writers from @Holly_Schindler.#amwriting
Smack Dab in the Middle: DECEMBER THEME: WRITING GIFTS (Holly Schindler)
How badly do you want it? Forcing yourself past the 'no's.What’s Your Brick Wall?
Do you love books for Xmas? Love this cartoon.Will Write For Chocolate updated
You're a writer when you admit/say you are one. Great post.
The Only Way to Become a Real Writer | Goins, Writer
Want to become a pillar in your writing community? Ways to show your support.
Google Reader
Congrats to @JulieMusil for being this week's writing hero over at @thebookshelfmuse. SO well deserved!Writing Heroes: Julie Musil
"I don’t have ideas because I’m a writer. I write because I have ideas." Deciding which story to write
Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors: How Do You Which Story You Should Write?
A story to smile about. Scoring the perfect christmas gift and taking credit.
it came upon an unmarked truck - The Daily Blog - Erica Lucke Dean
Why writers need each other.
Irreverent Muse » Blog Archive » Writing Shouldn’t Be a Solitary Activity
Hollowing out a place inside yourself for characters who don't exist yet. BRILLIANT post.
"Pathetic email." - Sean Ferrell
Need to kill off your character? Try the random death generator.
The novel writer with random death

Issues, News, Trends, and Congratulations

On a writer's wish list for Santa? Actual, understandable sales figures.Writer Unboxed: Dear Book Biz Santa
Congrats, Kristi on signing with an agent. WOOT!All It Takes Is One Yes
Do tween books deserve their own place on the e-shelf?@srjohannes is self-pubbing her tween angel series to prove they do!
Market My Words: A tween marketing experiment
Indie vs. traditional: We are on the same team! +excellent advice on choosing which way to go from @RoniLoren at @annerallen
Anne R. Allen's Blog: Why One Author Chose Traditional Publishing--And How to Decide if it's Right for You
Congrats to Laini Taylor! If the movie is half as good as the book, it will be brillliant.Not Just for Kids: 'Daughter of Smoke and Bone' -- the movie
In defense of the public library. ACTION NEEDED.
The Public Library Manifesto
Congrats +on TWO new fiction releases in early 2012. WOOT!Good News Friday!
Will Amazon's price comparison app ultimately change its sales tax status? Is that good news or bad?
amazon-commits-rare-strategic-blunder-using-brilliant-tactic from... - StumbleUpon
Surprising and excellent 2011 best-of-the-best article recommendations from @JaneFriedman. Great list! 12 Must-Read Articles From 2011

Social Media

This post at Publetariat makes me want to give Google+ another try!
Google+ : Do Writers Need It? | www.publetariat.com
Offer to guest post for other bloggers for mutual benefit.
I play well with (blog with) others – how to query another blogger
Another lovely round-up of all the writerly news from @CynLeitichSmith. Some great posts in here! Cynsational News and Giveaways
Publishing and writerly/readerling tweet round-up from @KateHart.#writing Field Trip Friday, Twitter Version: December 16, 2011
Fabulous idea from @BrendaDrake @CreepyQueryGirl-- revist the best blog posts of Christmas past. (And other days.) Deja Vu Blogfest
Don't let genre be your brand. It's not WHAT you write, it's HOW you write. Brilliant. Simply brilliant.
Don’t Get Burned By Branding
If you don't link to Barnes and Noble, will they stop carrying your book?Do You Only Link to Amazon on Your Site?
Do tween books deserve their own place on the e-shelf?@srjohannes is self-pubbing her tween angel series to prove they do!
Market My Words: A tween marketing experiment
Want to sub to the new book club at the Huffington Post?What Writers and Publishers Need to Know about HuffPost Book Club
Important caution about D Publishing's contract for those considering self-pubbing with them!D Publishing: Dymocks' New Self-Pub Service

To Market

Contest! The Book Wish Foundation: Win a critique of your YA manuscript by acclaimed authors and agents.
Reading, Writing and Waiting: Contest for Aspiring YA Writers‏
What @JillCorcoran loves and wants to rep. (Just what I want to read :))
YA ROMANTIC COMEDIES--BRING 'EM ON! READ A SAMPLE OF WHAT I LOVE
Looking for an agent? Here's a profile of Caroline Sheldon. Countdown to Christmas: Agent Caroline Sheldon
Agenting can only be done for the love of books. Plus mistakes learned by agent @SaraMegibow.#amwriting
Sara Megibow Sells Romance – What Newbie Mistakes Have I Made As An Agent? | Romance University
New short story contest for young writers 8-12 from @AnneMazer @EllenPotter.#contests
Spilling Ink: A Young Writer's Handbook - CONTESTS!
Thinking of sending your novel for film consideration? Think twice.What Happens to Your Manuscript in Hollywood? Part Two: Coverage
Great new contest opens 12/16.Gotcha knickers twisted, yo?
Great new pitch contest from @QueryTracker and agent @Natalie_Lakosil opens in January.
QueryTracker.net: Latest Contest
How much is your writing worth?
Want to write full time? Don’t Sell Yourself Short
Sign of the times: Publishers say stories these days have to "blow them away."Question from a Writer - Rejections from publishers

Other Weekly Round-Ups:

Cynthia Leitich Smith at Cynsationsdoes a Cynsational author, craft, and book news review.
Elizabeth Craig posts a comprehensive weekly list of all her helpful Twitter posts.
Stina Lindenblatt does a fabulous Cool Links Friday post every week.
YA Highway's Friday Road Trip hits the high points of the publishing industry, writing craft, submissions process, and other fun stuff.

Did we miss anything? Anyone? Please leave a comment!

Happy reading and joyous writing,

Clara and Martina

1500 Followers 15 Book Giveaway Winners

2011-12-22T23:45:00.004-05:00

We have some winners from our 15-Book 1500 Followers Thank You giveaway. Scroll down, and you'll see the name beside the book.

Thank you all!

Martina

On behalf of the Ladies of AYACP

THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by Carrie Ryan - WINNER NATALIE AGUIRRE

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.

But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?(

THE HUNGER GAMES COMPANION by Lois H. Gresh -- WINNER CAROL RIGGS

With a bio of the author, fascinating facts, and insight into the three-book series and its main themes--from the nature of evil, weaponry, rebellions, and surviving the end of the world--this companion guide will give millions of readers the insider information that they've been waiting for since book one! New York Times bestselling author of the Twilight Companion, Lois Gresh, once again gives readers the opportunity to go beyond their favorite novels and learn the fascinating facts behind the fiction.

EMPIRE OF RUINS by Arthur Slade -- WINNER TRICIA CONWAY

Secret agent Modo's next assignment? Find ancient Egyptian ruins hidden deep in the Australian jungle and the mysterious God Face, rumoured to be a powerful weapon—anyone who looks upon it will be driven mad. And he must find the God Face before the evil Clockwork Guild does!

SCORED by Lauren McLaughlin -- WINNER Jessica Naccari

Set in the future when teenagers are monitored via camera and their recorded actions and confessions plugged into a computer program that determines their ability to succeed. All kids given a "score" that determines their future potential. This score has the ability to get kids into colleges, grant scholarships, or destroy all hope for the above. Scored's reluctant heroine is Imani, a girl whose high score is brought down when her best friend's score plummets. Where do you draw the line between doing what feels morally right and what can mean your future? Friendship, romance, loyalty, family, human connection and human value: all are questioned in this fresh and compelling dystopian novel set in the scarily forseeable future.

MY NAME IS MINA by David Almond -- WINNER Jemi Fraser

There's an empty notebook lying on the table in the moonlight. It's been there for an age. I keep on saying that I'll write a journal. So I'll start right here, right now. I open the book and write the very first words: My name is Mina and I love the night. Then what shall I write? I can't just write that this happened then this happened then this happened to boring infinitum. I'll let my journal grow just like the mind does, just like a tree or a beast does, just like life does. Why should a book tell a tale in a dull straight line?

And so Mina writes and writes in her journal, and through her stories and poems there grows an opus of her life - her lessons, heYr loves, her beliefs, her mum, her dad, her thoughts and her dreams.

In this stunningly designed book, David Almond revisits Mina before she has met Michael, before she has met Skellig, in what is a thought-provoking and extraordinary prequel to his best-selling debut novel, Skellig.

From the winner of the Whitbread Children's Book Award the Carnegie Medal and the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Award comes the extraordinary prequel to the award-winning Skellig

YOU HAVE SEVEN MESSAGES by Stewart Lewis -- WINNER Angela Ackerman

It's been a year since Luna's mother, the fashion-model wife of a successful film director, was hit and killed by a taxi in the East Village. Luna, her father, and her little brother, Tile, are still struggling with grief.

When Luna goes to clean out her mother's old studio, she's stunned to find her mom's cell phone there—charged and holding seven unheard messages. As Luna begins to listen to them, she learns more about her mother's life than she ever wanted to know . . . and she comes to realize that the tidy tale she's been told about her mother's death may not be the whole truth.

EVERY YOU, EVERY ME by David Levithan -- WINNER Sandi Jones

In this high school-set psychological tale, a tormented teen named Evan starts to discover a series of unnerving photographs—some of which feature him. Someone is stalking him . . . messing with him . . . threatening him. Worse, ever since his best friend Ariel has been gone, he's been unable to sleep, spending night after night torturing himself for his role in her absence. And as crazy as it sounds, Evan's starting to believe it's Ariel that's behind all of this, punishing him. But the more Evan starts to unravel the mystery, the more his paranoia and insomnia amplify, and the more he starts to unravel himself. Creatively told with black-and-white photos interspersed between the text so the reader can see the photos that are so unnerving to Evan, Every You, Every Me is a one-of-a-kind departure from a one-of-a-kind author.

UNFORSAKEN by Sophie Littlefield -- WINNER Taffy Lovell

Hailey Tarbell is no typical girl. As one of the Banished who arrived from Ireland generations ago, Hailey has the power to heal—and, as she recently learned, to create zombies if she heals someone too late. But now, Hailey is finally getting a chance at a normal life. After realizing the good and bad sides of her power, Hailey has survived the unimaginable to settle with her aunt, Prairie, and her little brother, Chub, in the suburbs of Milwaukee. Finally Hailey has a loving family, nice clothes, and real friends. But her safe little world is blown apart when she tries to contact her secret boyfriend, Kaz—and alerts the incredibly dangerous man who's looking for her to her true whereabouts.

ALL THE EARTH THROWN TO THE SKY by Joe R. Lansdale -- WINNER Sheri Larsen

Jack Catcher's parents are dead—his mom died of sickness and his dad of a broken heart—and he has to get out of Oklahoma, where dust storms have killed everything green, hopeful, or alive. When former classmate Jane and her little brother Tony show up in his yard with plans to steal a dead neighbor's car and make a break for Texas, Jack doesn't need much convincing. But a run-in with one of the era's most notorious gangsters puts a crimp in Jane's plan, and soon the three kids are hitching the rails among hoboes, gangsters, and con men, racing to warn a carnival wrestler turned bank robber of the danger he faces and, in the process, find a new home for themselves. This road trip adventure from the legendary Joe R. Lansdale is a thrilling and colorful ride through Depression-era America.

PAINTINGS FROM THE CAVE by Gary Paulsen -- WINNER Jude Griffin

Meet Jake who lives in a neighborhood controlled by street violence and fear. He meets a sculptor across the street, and his eyes are opened to another world. Or Jojo,who's closer to her three dogs than to her foster family. When Jojo tries to help another girl who needs a friend, the dogs know what to do. Or Jamie, Erik, and Grandpa, who make up an unusual family.

CATWALK by Deborah Gregory -- WINNER Jen Stayrook

In Catwalk, DEBORAH GREGORY creates a new YA series that takes her famously upbeat urban voice and combines it with the appeal of Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model. Catwalk follows Pashmina, Felinez, Angora, and Aphro, four best friends at Manhattan’s Fashion International High School who are about to enter the contest of their lives. Each year, students split up into Fashion Houses and compete to design, produce, and show fully original fashion lines. The winner gets a scholarship, a professional show, and a real shot at a career in fashion. Bouncy, smart, and nearly irresistible, Catwalk is a fierce introduction to a fashion world where fabulosity trumps waist size, and there truly is room for everyone.

PAST CONTINUOUS by K. Ryer Breese -- WINNER Tiffany Drew

Ade Patience has done what he was told he couldn’t. He’s broken the rules, used his powers to save a life. And no good deed goes unpunished. . . .

Senior year finds Ade and his girlfriend, Vauxhall, deeply in love, indulging themselves with wild dates and exploring their newly strengthened abilities. Only Ade isn’t as happy as he should be. He’s got an itch that he can’t seem to scratch and it has everything to do with his joining the Pandora Crew, a group of radical oracles hell-bent on disturbing the peace, performing Jackass-style stunts, and spreading the mayhem.

When Ade realizes that his involvement with the Pandora Crew is due to his absorbing some of Jimi Ministry’s abusive childhood, he discovers that the only way to rid himself of the infectious memories is to erase his past. And it just so happens that the one guy who can do that lives a few blocks down the street.

The procedure works. The “Jimi cancer” is cleared out. But when Ade returns to his life, he finds that changing the past has changed the present. Vauxhall has no idea who he is and he has to woo her all over again. And it won’t be easy. There are three other people vying for Vauxhall’s attention. Three other guys he has to literally battle to win her back. The worst part: they’re all twisted versions of Ade.

Erasing the past has dramatically altered the present and Ade must join forces with his former rival to defeat . . . himself.

THE HUNT OF THE UNICORN by C.C. Humphreys -- WINNER Jessica Silva

Elayne thinks the old family story that one of her ancestors stepped through a tapestry into a world of mythical beasts makes a great fireside tale. But she lives in the real world. In New York City. And she's outgrown that kind of fantasy.

Until she finds herself in front of a unicorn tapestry at the Cloisters museum and sees her initials woven into the fabric. And hears a unicorn calling to her. And slips and falls—into that other world.

Suddenly the line between fantasy and reality isn't so clear. But the danger is real enough. Almost before she can think, Elayne is attacked by a ferocious beast, rescued by a unicorn, and taken prisoner by a tyrant king. Each of them seems to have an idea about her—that she's a hero, a villain, dinner!

But Elayne has a few ideas of her own. She wants to overthrow the king; she wants to tame the unicorn. She wants to go home! And she's willing to become both hero and villain to do it.

MASTIFF by Tamora Pierce -- WINNER Mary Collier

The Legend of Beka Cooper gives Tamora Pierce's fans exactly what they want—a smart and savvy heroine making a name for herself on the mean streets of Tortall's Lower City—while offering plenty of appeal for new readers as well.

Beka and her friends will face their greatest and most important challenge ever when the young heir to the kingdom vanishes. They will be sent out of Corus on a trail that appears and disappears, following a twisting road throughout Tortall. It will be her greatest Hunt—if she can survive the very powerful people who do not want her to succeed in her goal.

UNDERCURRENT by Tricia Rayburn -- WINNER Marcie Turner

Nothing has been normal since Vanessa Sands learned that her sister was murdered by sirens—femme fatales of the watery depths—and that everything she believed about her family was a lie.

Her boyfriend Simon’s been the only person Vanessa feels she can really trust. But now there are some secrets she can’t tell even him. And when Vanessa finds herself in the sights of Parker, Hawthorne Prep’s resident charmer, she needs someone to confide in more than ever. Doubting her relationship with Simon, unsure of Parker’s intentions—and of her own—and terrified by what she’s learned about herself, Vanessa has never felt so alone.

But personal problems must be put aside, because the Winter Harbor sirens are back for revenge. Now, Vanessa must face her past and accept that she is just like her enemies—every bit as alluring, every bit as dangerous.

The eagerly anticipated second novel of the Siren trilogy, Undercurrent is a seductive paranormal romance that will leave you breathless.

Happy Birthday, Martina!

2011-12-22T06:01:00.003-05:00

You know that girl who has it all? Brains, beauty, style, grace, personality, a kick-butt sense of humor, and a heart that has room for everything and everyone? And did I mention she can effortlessly write in a way that just makes you pause and say, "Um, wow?!?!" Well, Martina is that girl. It's no secret to those lucky enough to be in her life that she's the type of person who makes you want to be better in every facet of life. The ironic part of her birthday is that she is the gift to those of us who have come to know and love her. Happy birthday to the world's most beautiful, sincere, chic, brainy, hilarious, writerly and loving person I know.

Love you, Martina!
Marissa

WOW Wednesday: Suzy McKee Charnas on Why Teens Love Reading Fantasy

2011-12-21T06:00:00.007-05:00

Today's guest, Suzy McKee Charnas, first novel, Walk to the End of the World was a John W. Campbell Award finalist. Her SF and fantasy books and stories have won her the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, the Mythopoeic Society's Award for young adult fantasy, and the James Tiptree Jr. Literary Award—twice. Her four young adult fantasy novels --- the Sorcery Hall Trilogy (comprised of The Bronze King, The Silver Glove and The Golden Thread) and her stand-alone The Kingdom of Kevin Malone --- were recently re-released as e-books, and her classic dark fantasy, The Vampire Tapestry is also available in e-book form. You can find her on her website at http://www.suzymckeecharnas.com.

Why Do Teens Love Fantasy

by Suzy McKee Charnas

Why do modern teens love fantasy so much that the field has burgeoned into an all-engulfing phenomenon and has even produced new formats, like RPG's and sophisticated and massive computer games? Certainly kids have always read fantasy, even if, like me, when they'd put Narnia,"The Vault of Horror", and "Bomba the Jungle Boy" behind them, they had to brave the disapproval of librarians to tackle adult works by the likes of Thorne Smith, David Eddings, and T.H. White to slake their unholy thirst. I don't recall, though, that there was a lot of fantasy literature written specifically for teenagers, who were supposed to be reading healthy historical adventure ("Otto of the Silver Hand", "The Mystery of the Moss-Covered Manse"). Fantasy was, like, fairies and wizards and stuff, and maybe too closely identified, for a young reader's taste, with the fairy tales read to us as little kids -- "East of the Sun and West of the Moon", "The Princess and the Goblin", "The Red/Blue/Yellow Fairy Book").

But that was before the days of a separate, peer-dominated "youth culture", much of which actually formed, I believe, around that first great blast of modern fantasy: Tolkien. It was when I began seeing graffiti written in beautifully formed "elvish" script on the walls of New York subway platforms that I began to get the sense of a semi-secret culture of school and college kids coalescing not within a family (like the Brontes writing in their shared fantasy world) or even the following of a heart-throb movie star or singer, but across a through-cutting plane of feverish imagination on which kids could create, alone and together, entire build-outs of their own more or less original fantasy worlds.

Build-outs that were also redoubts -- places that adults couldn't easily enter or find their way around. Places where kids could try on powerful identities (wizard, knight, caped crusader, space explorer, dragon-rider) that other kids would honor for the sake of the game, the fantasy world, the clandestine magazine of "fan fiction."
Suzy McKee Charnas was born and educated in New York City, attending Barnard College (1961) and, after a two-year stint in Nigeria with the Peace Corps, New York University (MAT, 1965). She taught at the New Lincoln School in New York until Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital hired her away as a curriculum consultant for their high school drug-abuse treatment program. In 1969 she married and moved to New Mexico, where she began writing fiction full-time for both adult audiences and young adult readers. Her first novel, Walk to the End of the World (1974), was a John W. Campbell Award finalist. Her SF and fantasy books and stories published since then have won her the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, the Mythopoeic Society's Award for young adult fantasy, and the James Tiptree Jr. Literary Award—twice.

In 2011 Charnas's four young adult fantasy novels --- the Sorcery Hall Trilogy (comprised of The Bronze King, The Silver Glove and The Golden Thread) and her stand-alone The Kingdom of Kevin Malone --- were re-released as e-books, having originally been published in the 1980s and 1990s. Her nonfiction book about her father, My Father's Ghost, and her classic dark fantasy, The Vampire Tapestry, are available as e-books as well.

Visit Charnas' website at http://www.suzymckeecharnas.com.

But, why?

I can remember being enraged with my parents and their grown-up friends for being defeated by the real world and, frustrated and shamefaced and full of excuses, and handing it on to my generation completely mired in states of recurrent panic, confusion, villainy rewarded, and terrible secrets which could send the whole place up in one gigantic mushroom cloud at any moment.

*They* were old; they were going to die, sometime. *We* would have to handle the mess they'd left. It's no wonder that we no longer looked up the adult world as the one offering opportunity worth having if you just dared to grab for it. We stopped aspiring to be like our parents, and we started looking for something else to aspire to.

We looked to fantasy and science fiction (so despised by most adults at the time) instead; and because we had a bit of money in our pockets, more fantasy and science fiction was produced to sell to us, until at this point vast tracts of the US entertainment industry are filled with stories of ghosts, magical wizards and warriors, inter-galactic empires, and time travel to a world dominated by dinosaurs or run by advanced apes. We looked *past* our parents' horizons, because looking at the shambles they'd allowed to be made of the world, we couldn't stand the view.

Well, here we are again, on a similar brink: I'm one of the old bats who won't be around all that much longer, and who did not manage to stop the war (whichever one), achieve nuclear disarmament, vanquish cancer (or genocide, poverty, death, political corruption), or even seize those moments of decision that could have checked overpopulation and averted the worst of the environmental damage that's beginning to bring home its consequences, even as worse industrial depredations gain momentum and steam-roller our best intentions just as our parents ideals were flattened.

I think young people need their imaginings of worlds of infinite potential more than ever, and find them in movies and stories about super-kids stopping the bad guys or bonding with mighty and protective supernatural creatures, wizards using their powers to win wars and reverse destruction, human-supernatural hybrids saving the mean streets from monsters (or, as in "Avatar", from our own worst elements), and sensitives reconnecting our species with the rest of nature in time to avoid the disappearance of everything but roaches, crows, and rats prowling a paved-over planet; and much else along similar lines.

At the same time, teens can use these fantasy-arenas to try on terrible futures in relative safety, and explore ways that kids might survive, thrive, and even conquer even among the ruins. So we get "The Hunger Games", the dark, post-apocalyptic novels of Garth Nix, and stories about being a crucial player among empires of vampires, witches, werewolves, demons, and all the rest. These are fantasies of becoming the dark in order to tame it, or at least to cease feeling overwhelmed by the panoply of ills advancing on us.

Heck, even a teen-aged zombie might find love! What's not to like?

15 Books for 1500 Followers -- Our Thank You and Happy Holidays Giveaway

2011-12-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

Last Friday, we announced that we would be giving away 15 books as a thank you to our followers for helping us reach a 1500 follower milestone on the blog. I'm going to list the books below so that you can see what we have in the lineup. If you've already entered, there's no need to enter again. If you haven't entered yet, just fill out the form at the bottom of this post.

Before I get to thhe books though, I'd like to take a moment to pass on some love to 15 bloggers who have made a huge difference to us in the time that we've been blogging. You probably already know them. If you don't, now is a good time to stop by their blogs and see what they have to offer!

Clara Kensie, who finds and tweets most of the entries for our Friday This Week for Writers round-ups is an amazing writer in her own right, and a generous supporter for the whole writing community. We can never give her enough credit for all she does, so she has to lead this list.

Lisa Gail Green: Lisa's wonderful Paranormal Point of View Blog always has a ton to offer writers regardless of what genre they write. She has a depth of knowledge on all things creative, and she always offers it from a fresh, creative perspective. Her comments on our monthly 1st Five Pages Workshops are uniformly kind and helpful, ensuring that writers get the full benefit of her expertise.
Natalie Aguirre: Natalie is uniformly cheerful and insightful in all her posts and comments, and she gives of herself constantly. Her Monday interviews at Literary Rambles are always a pleasure, and we are beyond grateful to all her support this past year and a half.
The Bookshelf Muse: Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi offer an incredible service to writers of all genres with their many thesaurus entries. We love the Emotion Thesaurus, Setting Thesaurus, Weather Thesaurus, Character Trait Thesaurus, Color and Texture Thesaurus and so much more! In addition, Angela and Becca are supportive of other writers and unfailingly generous with their time and encouragement.

Cynthia Leitich Smith offers a fantastic Friday round-up of the best giveways, blog posts, and news articles. In general, this NYT bestselling author's Cynsations blog is one of the best out there with publishing information, writer resources and inspiration, bookseller-librarian-teacher appreciation, children's-YA book news and author outreach.

YA Highway is a group blog from a number of young adult authors all over the world. Their persepctives are always thought-provoking and smart. The blog offers interviews, great book reviews, giveaways, news, agent information and tons of insight into the world of young adult literature.

Stina Lindenblatt over at Seeing Creative offers reliably excellent posts, both on her own blog and as a contributor to Querytracker.net. She's also genuinely an unflagging supporter of writers all over the blogosphere, and a constant source of inspiration for her obvious dedication to learning and sharing her knowledge.

Elizabeth Spann Craig is a mystery writer who writes both under her own name and as Riley Adams. Her Mystery Writing is Murder Blog is consistently filled with quality posts, and her weekly tweet roundup of writerly posts is always wonderful. In addition, she offers the Writer's Knowledge Base, a wonderful resource that every writer should get to know.

Georgia McBride is the founder of YALITCHAT.org, an amazingly supportive online venue for writers, readers, editors, and agents who love young adult literature. She also helps an ever-growing list of writers preparing queries and first pages for submission to agents, and screens queries for a number of agents. She runs #yalitchat on Twitter, and if you haven't participated in one of those yet, check in at 9:00 PM EST on Wedsnesdays.

Susan Sipal blogs and tweets about all things writing using Harry Potter as examples over at Harry Potter for Writers. Her insights and knowledge of mythology, fantasy, and craft is truly astounding, and her creativity is bottomless. We love her book on craft, and in addition, she is a fantastic freelance editor, and a lovely friend and supporter to virtually everyone in the writing community.

Kristen Lamb at Warrior Writers is a fantastic source for any writer who wants to learn how to build a platform that will help launch a strong sales campaign. Her #myWANA hashtag on Twitter helps build a community of support for writers who need assurance that We Are Not Alone on our journeys.

JoAnna Penn, aka The Creative Penn, is a writer, blogger, speaker, and business consultant who has self-published a number of books for well-considered reasons. She blogs and tweets about all things writing, but also offers great insight and support to help writers considering the pros and cons of self-publishing or traditional publishing based on their specific circumstances.

Jane Friedman is the former publisher of Writer's Digest Magazine and now associate professor of e-media who continues to educate writers about the changing nature of the publishing industry. Her perspective is generous, honest, incisive, and foreward-looking. Her blog is a must-read for any writer.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi is the brilliant artist behind Inkygirl.com, the illustrated guide for those who write or draw for young people. Her unfailing humor and wide smile come across in everything she writes, tweets, and draws, and her support of others involved in publishing for young readers is boundless.

Tahereh Mafi, the author of the recently released SHATTER ME, blogs about writing and life with humor, compassion, and warmth. She is another writer who continuously brings a smile to everyone who encounters her online.

So that's fifteen, but really there are so many more I could and should name. One of these days, I will. The online writing community is wonderfully supportive, and I can NEVER provide enough credit for all that being a small part of it has given to me. I know I speak for Marissa in this as well.

And now, back to the books:

THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by Carrie Ryan