Yafiction.org

Interview with Contest Winner Denise Jaden

2008-12-11T08:28:01-08:00

Author Denise Jaden only discovered her knack for writing four years ago, but has already experienced measured success. Not only is Denise represented by one of the top literary agencies, Sterling Lord Literistic, she is a two-time finalist in RWA's Launching a Star Contest, and winner of the infamous Miss Snark's First Secret Agent constest. She is also the winner of YAfiction's First Three Chapters contest with her entry from Losing Faith:

Sixteen-year-old Brie Jenkins thinks sneaking out with an older boy and setting her own rules makes her mature. But when her older sister Faith dies in a mysterious cliff accident, Brie grows up for real, and in a hurry. The police rule the death suicide, which Brie can’t believe of her levelheaded and religious sister. Then Brie hears rumors dispelling Faith’s steadfast youth group attendance. She wonders if she ever really knew her sister and sets on a course to find out.

Brie tracks and befriends the lonely and confused brother of Faith’s youth group leader. Together, the two discover that the youth group is actually a cult in disguise and may include death rituals. One question remains for Brie: was her sister a victim or a follower of the secret group? To find out, Brie must risk her life and join the cult.

You've only been writing for 4 years - what was the process of beginning to write like for you? Did you spontaneously conjure up an idea for a novel, or was it more of a determined effort?

Not only was I never a writer growing up, I was never even really a reader. I'd grown up thinking of reading as a chore, a part of school. But one day about four years ago, an idea sprouted in my head, kind of an off-shoot of something that was happening in my own life. Even though, I'd never been a journaler either, I sat down at my computer and started to "journal" a story. As it progressed, it departed from anything related to my life and took on a life of it's own. I followed it through, and eventually it became a novel! From there, I tried writing (and reading) young adult fiction and found something that really felt like it fit me, since I never really grew up :). Now I read a couple of books a week and love it!

Where did you get your idea(s) for Losing Faith?

Pretty much all of my story ideas come in the early hours of the morning, a time I allow myself to just lie in bed and think for a few minutes before getting on with hectic life. I'm drawn to stories with characters searching for some sort of higher truth and I tend to get ideas that somehow revolve around that.

What kind of writer are you - do you impose a schedule upon yourself, or do you work on your writing when the mood strikes?

I'm a scheduled writer. I write (or revise) almost every day while my son is napping. By the grace of God, he's still napping at five years old, and I'm still writing!

Can you describe your experience pitching your own work at conferences? What did you learn about it, and when/why did you start to feel confident?

I've had a lot of success at conferences. I think of them as learning experiences, since it doesn't matter how much an editor or agent "likes" me... I know my book won't get published unless the writing is good. I'm pretty personable, since I've been on stage since an early age, but I still get nervous with the one on one pitch sessions. I try to get as many pitch appointments as possible though, because I do get better with repetition.

Can you tell me a little about yourself? You have an interesting background! From Polynesian dancer to mushroom farmer to future published author...there must be even more in between!

I don't work outside the home, but I do homeschool my son, and dance with a professional Polynesian troupe, which keeps me busy. I love trying new things. I love being involved in creative endeavors. As much as Polynesian dance and culture will always be a part of me, I felt like I needed another creative outlet for the days coming when I won't be as young and performance-ready as I am today. I'm glad I found writing and feel like it's something I will never tire of.

Thank you Denise! To read an excerpt from Losing Faith, please click here.

Honorable Mentions

2008-12-02T18:55:01-08:00

With so many wonderful entries in our "First Three Chapters" contest, I must post a few honorable mentions! Special thanks to guest judges C. Lee McKenzie and Sara Langridge (winner of our first "First Three Chapters" contest)!

Congratulations to Lisa Scott (School of Charm), Shari Green (Following Chelsea) and Sacha Whalen (Lexie Hamm, Entrepreneur).

1) In Lisa Scott's School of Charm, 12-year-old tomboy Brenda Anderson and her family move south to live with her Grandma after her father dies, and she struggles to fit in with the house full of beauty queens. She was Daddy’s girl; now she doesn’t know whose girl she is. Hoping to fit in, she joins a charm school to train for the 1977 Junior Miss Dogwood pageant. But the lessons she learns at the unusual school aren’t what she expected; neither are the secrets she discovers about her family.

C. Lee Mackenzie writes, "School of Charm stood out among the others because I immediately knew and cared about the characters. The author let me see the people and feel how they related to each other.

    “She smiled hard with her mouth but not her eyes, just like in her Miss North Carolina first runner-up picture.”
    “Mama said if nagging was an Olympic sport, I’d win a gold medal.”
    “. . . madder than a bee in a pop can.”

On page one I knew the setting before the characters even arrived. Mt. Airy as Mayberry was a picture in my mind. Before “southern belle” was even mentioned I knew we were on a journey in the south.

I loved the tone of the piece, the nostalgia of the time all shown through subtle references that created the fabric of the story: “gear shift” “station wagon” “The Andy Griffith Show,” even Chip. Is anybody named Chip anymore?

By the time the family pulled into Grandma’s driveway, I couldn’t wait to meet this woman.

2) Sara Langridge commented on Shari Green's Following Chelsea: "The opening was gripping, and the story moves very well."

"I loved the tough girl characterization," said C. Lee Mckenzie. "I thought the author handled Anna very well, gave us a good insight into the family dynamics, and the background to Anna's 'knife' obsession."

3) In Sacha Whalen's Lexie Hamm, Entrepreneur (a quirky MG), Lexie Hamm needs cash fast and hatches a scheme to become a secretary for overwhelmed online daters (including her own mother). C. Lee said, "I laughed with this one. Lexie’s teen voice was great and I liked the first person POV."

Thanks again to all who entered, and be sure to check back for an interview with this year's winner, Denise Jaden.

The Winner is...

2008-12-01T08:47:49-08:00

Congratulations to Denise Jaden, winner of YAfiction.org's First Three Chapters Contest!

Please stay tuned for more about Denise's entry, Losing Faith, and a few well-deserved Honorable Mentions.

Thanks to all who entered!

Contest Winner will be announced

2008-11-26T17:49:31-08:00

The contest winner for YAfiction.org's "First Three" contest will be announced on December 1st by noon. Be sure to check back!

Author Kim Baccellia to be Published!

2008-11-23T23:20:50-08:00

Congratulations to Kim Baccellia, whose paranormal YA novel, CROSSED OUT, will be published by Lachesis Publishing! (Tentative release date is summer of '09).

CROSSED OUT is a YA paranormal where a girl with a major attitude problem has to get over herself or the world as she knows it will go to hell. Literally.

Stephanie Stewart didn't ask for her gift of guiding the deceased to the other side but she's stuck with it. Why can't dead people just follow that bright light and leave her alone? When Mr. Undead wants to use her special talent for his own evil purposes, her little gift becomes a major liability.

Kim was interviewed by authors Judith Graves and Kitty Keswick from Wolfy Chicks. You can read about Kim's journey to publication by clicking here.

Contest Results Coming Soon!

2008-11-06T16:20:00-08:00

YAfiction's "First Three" contest has officially come to a close, and we are currently sorting through the entries. Thanks to all 47 writers who participated!!

New Author Interview: Kerry Cohen Hoffman

2008-10-14T18:53:33-07:00

Rebecca Grabill interviews Kerry Cohen Hoffman, author of Easy. Please click here to read!

New Book Reviews!

2008-10-04T18:55:22-07:00

Thank you to Rebecca Grabill for providing a bunch of great new reviews!

Please click here to read Rebecca's reviews on:

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, by MT Anderson
Tyrell, by Coe Booth
Penny from Heaven, by Jennifer Holm
Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen
The Foreshadowing, by Marcus Sedgwick

Author C. Lee Mckenzie Slated for Publication

2008-10-02T09:44:41-07:00

Author C. Lee Mckenzie's book is scheduled for publication in the spring of 2009! Her YA novel, Sliding on the Edge, will be published by WestSide Books. Mckenzie's short stories have previously been published in Crow Toes Quarterly and in Stories for Children. Two others are coming this fall.

"It’s not a heart-grabbing noise like when somebody jiggles the doorknob to see if it’s locked. It’s not a bitter smell like the electrical short we had last month, when all the breakers popped. No. It’s something in the air, something like a ghost making its way through the room. And it can’t be Monster, not after last night.

Shawna Stone is sixteen going on twenty-five. Already deeply scarred, she has learned to survive with a tough attitude and a thin blade. Her journey is destined to be short. Sliding on the Edge enters the world of a desperate teen and her disillusioned grandmother, each with secrets that stir mutual distrust. As these two unlikely companions struggle to co-exist we are reminded that the human spirit has the capacity to overcome even the deepest suffering."

Read more about C. Lee Mckenzie and her writing at:

www.cleemckenziebooks.com

Welcome Back!

2008-09-28T22:58:33-07:00

Welcome to YAfiction.org (formerly YAfiction.com)!

After a few months' hiatus (and a web page change) we are back, and looking forward to picking up where we left off! Thanks to everyone who stuck with YAfiction.org through all of the changes. Members, please make sure to visit the message board to check in and say hello! If you are unable to log in or have forgotten your username and password, please write to editor@yafiction.org for assistance.

To kick off the (re)-launching of YAficiton.org, we will be launching a new contest, to begin on October 1st. Please click here to read more about it.

Welcome back everyone!