Thursday, December 31, 2009

Does your manuscript party like it’s 1999?

A few weeks ago, I read a book where pop-culture references were dropped like bodies in a Tarantino flick. I couldn’t help but wonder how necessary most of the references were and how much consideration had gone into including them.

Some things are timeless. When two characters talk about Star Wars, the author can reasonably assume that the reference has a long shelf-life, that it will stay relevant, and that its presence isn’t dating the work.

On the flip side, when two characters throw out a hilarious reference to a top 40 song that’s popular at the time of writing, the author is running a risk. It may be years before the book is published. Will that reference still resonate in five years? How about a decade? Will it tie the work down to a specific time and place and is that desirable? Do you really want to expose future generations to Nickeback?

About a Boy by Nick Hornby (not a YA title but a book with an amazing teen protagonist) takes place in the mid 90’s. Hornby uses music to help ground his novel in its chosen time period—weaving in a subplot about the death of Kurt Cobain which will always peg the novel squarely in 1994.

And that’s fine. Better than fine. Brilliant, in fact.*

Right about now, you’re probably wondering if all of this has a point and which side of the whole pop culture reference debate (calling it a debate makes it sound so much more impressive) I fall on. Or else you’ve stopped reading.

Personally, I love the occasional pop culture reference—provided it makes sense and doesn’t distract from the story. My own WIP, a werewolf urban fantasy, has nods to both An American Werewolf in London and the CCR song “Bad Moon Rising”. Their presence is a bit of a homage and the scenes work even if the reader doesn’t quite pick up on the joke.

So how do you know if your witty nod to an episode of Battlestar Galactica ends up flying high or crashing on takeoff? Fear not, there are some questions you can ask yourself.

  • Can someone follow the scene or action even if they don’t quite get the reference? Is it something the reader can easily skip over if they don’t quite know what you are talking about?
  • How much of a payoff is there for the reference? Does the reader really need to know that your MC is listening to “November Rain” or just walked out of watching Interview with the Vampire? Sometimes the answer will be definitely. Sometimes you’ll find naming a specific title isn’t necessary.
  • Are your references dating the story (like the GnR and the Anne Rice) and are you okay with that?

Those are my pop culture reference thoughts but I’d love to hear yours. Do you love them or do you find them a distraction? Do you include pop culture references in your own work?

* Obscure homage to Doctor Who and the tenth Doctor’s speaking patterns.

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Kathleen. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Monday, December 28, 2009

When life gets in the way

After a great Christmas, a great party, and an inevitable spat with the inlaws, I’m back at the computer, only to realize that I accomplished NOTHING, writing-wise. I didn’t check out Nathan Bransford’s cool charity blog post, or the fabulous Ask Daphne query post until this morning. I felt way behind some of my more motivated OPWFT.

Then I realized, that’s okay. Because at the moment, my general life is a higher priority than my writing. Do I spend hours writing? Yes. Do I do it when it’s not fun? Yes. Do I keep revising and keep working even after a rejection? Yep. But at the moment my book isn’t paying bills, feeding my kids, or sleeping with my husband ;) I reserve the right to put it away now and then.

What about you? Are you writing over the holidays?


Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Holen. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Someone just won a crapton of coffee

I fell in love with Alissa’s post because I wasn’t expecting her inspiration to be a movie as simple as Adventureland, but her logic underlying the inspiration was seamless. Thanks for sharing, Alissa, and email me at epiphany@sti.net!!!

If anyone would like to read her post, you can find it on her website, www.alissagrosso.com, which is also pretty freakin’ awesome, might I add.

Other great inspirations for WIPs were Harry Potter, Twilight, Anne Rice, Judy Blume, and Lord of the Rings.

And don’t forget to enter the Handcuffs contest, an incredible book by Bethany Griffin!!! Happy Holidays to our wonderful followers!


Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Sarah. To view the original post and reader comments, please http://oldpeoplewritingforteens.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/someone-just-won-a-crapton-of-coffee/.

The wrong way to use handcuffs

(Please note that this contest is closed.)

When I was a Senior in high school, I went with my best friend to her boyfriend’s house. His father was a police officer and had a set of handcuffs lying on the table. We were joking around with them, when I thought I would be cute and amusing and closed them on her wrist. Oops. She wasn’t amused and definitely didn’t think I was cute. Her boyfriend informed us that there was no key for them in the house. Double oops. Well, we discussed what to do, she could keep them on till his dad got home, but his dad would be pissed if he found out we were playing with his “cop things” or we could go out and find someone with a key. We decided on the latter, got into his car and went in search of someone with handcuff keys.

We drove to the fair because it was close and knew there would be security there. She tried to hide her hand under a coat. I laughed so hard but she really wasn’t amused. Of course, she was afraid of what people would think of her and was turning red. We found an officer and I casually went up and asked him if he could uncuff my friend. His eyes twinkled just a tiny bit as he unlocked the handcuff. My friend and her boyfriend were mortified. I still laughed and will probably find it funny till the day I die.

Awesome author Bethany Griffin has written a book involving handcuffs. I loved the book and she uses handcuffs the right way – to cause consequences and growth for her MC! Please check out her web-site, www.bethanygriffin.com. Here is the description from Amazon:
PARKER PRESCOTT IS an ice princess. Cold, aloof, a snob. At least, that’s what everyone says on Marion Hennessey’s blog. And everyone reads Marion Hennessey’s blog.

Parker Prescott is a middle child. She’s the good one, the dependable one, the one her parents trust. Well . . . she used to be.

Parker Prescott’s parents want her to break up with her boyfriend. But she already did, two weeks ago. And then she realized it was a mistake. He came over. He had the handcuffs in his pocket. Everything went downhill from there. Sort of.

Parker Prescott’s world is changing and she no longer knows who she is. Does anyone?
For my contest I am offering a hardcover copy of Handcuffs, a cool journal and a bookmark. All you have to do to enter is post a question for me to ask Bethany for my upcoming interview or share a short story (3-5 sentences) about handcuffs – fact or fiction ;) . When I post the interview next week, I’ll announce the winner. Post your comment before midnight EST December 26. This is an International contest – always wanted to say that.


Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Jennifer. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Friday, December 18, 2009

A Mixture of Old and New

(Please note that this contest is closed.)

Yep, that's right. I'm taking you back to the stuff we grew up reading. The stories I couldn't keep my hands off of.

These books are the reason why I write today. I couldn't tell you how many times I read Gallow's Hill in high school. I'm pretty sure my school librarian thought I'd steal it one day.

And Blood and Chocolate? Definitely an inspiration for my werewolf novel now. Ms. Klause knew how to write werewolves. Loved her other books too.

I'm choosing three winners. First place gets Shiver and Blood and Chocolate.



Second place gets Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and Gallow's Hill.



Third place winner will receive R. L. Stine's Collector's Edition of Goodnight Kiss 1 and Goodnight Kiss 2.

So, my friends, my contest to you is a mixture of old and new. I know we all like to be in the know with the latest YA craze in books, but let's not forget the ones that started it all.

To enter: leave a comment about your favorite YA book growing up. Contest ends December 31st.

P.S. - Thanks to all who stopped by my blog to vote for this contest. :)


Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by former OPWFT contributor Becca. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Tell Us Your Inspiration and Win an After-Christmas Survival Pack Worth $40!

We all know that this is the time of the year to be thankful. I am thankful for my imagination, I’ll tell you that. I’m thankful for my characters who help give me insight to the world in ways I had never thought about until I had created them.

And I am thankful for J.R.R. Tolkien.

Why Tolkien, you ask?

Well, I have always loved to write, but The Lord of the Rings movies came out when I was in junior high, giving me beautiful insight to the visual world of fantasy, and so much inspiration to create my own world, ensemble cast, and a way to channel my insight of morality.

So here’s where you come in.

Which books or movies gave you the inspiration for your SNI or WIP? Which authors are you thankful for this holiday season for their inspiring world, characters, or outlook on humanity? Why?

Post a blog about this in your own personal or group blog, link the OPWFT blog page, and then link your post in the comment portion of this page to recieve:

AN AFTER-CHRISTMAS SURVIVAL KIT!

We all need a little extra boost to survive the tedious task of cleaning up after Christmas, or perhaps a little rush to get us started on the after-Christmas writing. Tell us about your inspiration and you can receive:

1 lb of whole bean Starbucks Christmas blend

1 12-pack of VIA Columbia Roast for those days when you don’t have the time or energy to brew coffee.

1 $10 Bone China Coffee Mug

AND

A paperback copy of Tamora Pierce’s Wild Magic, a book that was the inspiration for many YA writers!

A $40 Value!


Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Sarah. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

SOSN Contest 1-- The Underdog

(Please note that this contest is now closed.)

People can’t help loving an underdog. Sure millions of girls wear Team Edward shirts but is it really all that fun cheering on the guy you know will get the girl? Maybe that’s why the romantic underdog is a staple of YA (and other) fiction–we know he probably won’t win but we can’t help cheering him on because, gosh darn it, he’s not so perfect. Whether it’s Miles “Pudge” Harper in Looking for Alaska or Alec and Simon in City of Bones, these poor guys (and sometimes girls) tug at our heart strings.

Want to win the above vintage Hungarian postcard? (In case it’s not clear: pseudo-Jake is on his knees and pseudo-Bella is making faces at him) Tweet the phrase below with your answer to @OPWFT.

My favorite YA underdog is:


Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Don’t Got Shiver? Come Hither! Shiver Agent Laura Rennert’s Five Writing Do’s and a Chance to Win Books and More!

Saying the Andrea Brown Literary Agency plays an important role in young adult literature is like saying chocolate plays an important role in chocolate chip cookies (and, like most writers, you probably know the significance of a daily dose of chocolate). Twice a year, the agency helps host the Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop. For one blissful, glorious, worth-eating-three-months-of-Mr. Noodles-to-get-there weekend, children's writers attend lectures, work on their novels in critique groups, and yes, have cocktails with other writers, editors, and agents.

This year was my first year to go, and I have to say: it was well worth its weight in noodles. With clients like Ellen Hopkins (Crank), Jay Asher (Thirteen Reasons Why) and Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver), Super Agent Laura Rennert has represented some of the most talked about titles in YA. During our workshop, we had the chance to listen to Laura to speak to us about Five Writing Do’s. And without further, ahem, ado, I’ve summed up what she had to say (with my own twist).

1. Craft

Laura says to make sure you have a fresh and compelling voice, and that the voice is authentic to your specific character. Use the POV that works best for your story. To work on your voice, interact with the age group you’re writing about. Or, barring that, eavesdrop on them at the local mall (just try not to look like a stalker).

Also, read your writing out loud to really hone in on what’s working and what’s not in your sentences. After attending the workshop and having to read my writing out loud to strangers—MEEP!—I can tell you this really does make a world of difference in how you hear your own words.

2. Create Memorable and Dynamic Characters

Know your characters. Laura believes in the iceberg analogy: 9/10 of what makes a character tick remains under the surface. And guess what? If you, the writer, only know the top 1/10—like, say, your MC Suzie loves ponies and ice cream sundaes—your can bet your novel will be lacking in depth (yeah, I went for the pun there. Deal with it.)

Also: the more stress you put your characters under, the better. Basically, Laura was too kind to say it, but I’m not---torture your little sweeties until they cry and need a heavy dose of therapy. No, seriously.

3. Coherent and Satisfying Narrative Structure

Capture your reader’s interest from page one, and never let the forward momentum slack. Laura’s example: if your very first scene involves a party, don’t begin your novel when the party starts. Jump to the middle. My elaboration on how not to start:

“Yo, Joe, what’s shaking?”

“Nothing much. You?”

“Aw, nothing much. Hey, did ya catch that Lakers game last night?”

“No, man? You?”

“Uh uh. So, how come you missed it?”

“Oh, well—I was taking a nap.”

Um, guess what? At this point, your reader is probably nodding off, too. Instead of beginning at the, well, beginning, start in the middle of the scene, when the action is already getting underway. Leave your hello's' and nap talk for offscreen. And then, since you’re off to such a great start, don’t back off. Keep the tension mounting from there. You know that old David Bowie and Freddy Mercury song “Under Pressure?” Make it your writing motto. By putting your characters under pressure, you’ll keep the reader reading—always a good thing.

And, according to Laura, another cool thing about upping the stakes? You—and your reader—will get to know your characters better. Laura’s example: If your character tells the truth when nothing is at stake, so what? But if your character’s life or reputation is at stake and they still tell the truth, well—that is truly noteworthy information to have.

A final tip: the main character should change over the course of the novel. Metaphorically speaking. I mean, she or he doesn’t have to morph from human to vamp—although, we’ve heard rumors that maybe that method does work on occasion .

4. Explore the Universal and the Idiosyncratic

According to Laura, this means that within universal themes—such as conflict with friends—give us particular and concrete examples that are specific to your world. Feel free to give us the same old, same old—but with your own unique take or spin.

5. Literary Voice and Commercial Conception

Have a great, strong storyline along with a strong voice. And in case you were wondering if Laura was serious about stakes? She mentions them here again. She says use ordinary experiences but elevate the stakes.

Her example? Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher—a book that looks at teen suicide in an unusual and compelling way.

So, those are the five writing do's that agent Laura talked about.

Good luck, Happy Holidays, and of course—Happy Writing.


Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Debra. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Something Old and Something New

(Please note that this contest is now closed.)

As you may have inferred from our name, most of us remember the days before mass email and Google. The days when you actually had to write letters and put stamps on them.

To celebrate the old (us--though we've been assured that twenty-eight is the new sixteen) embracing the new (Twitter), we're launching a Twitter contest.



The old? Cool vintage postcards. The New? You win them by tweeting.

Here's how it works. Watch the blog for vintage postcards. Each postcard will be accompanied by a question.
Tweet your answer to the question to @OPWFT by 10:00PM AST that evening and you'll be entered to win that postcard.

Only one tweet per twitter user will be eligible. Residents of US and Canada only. You'll also have to be following us so we can send you a direct message if you win.

Follow OPWFT on Twitter


Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Interview with HATE LIST author, Jennifer Brown

From Amazon:



Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.



About the Author:

When not writing about serious subjects, Jennifer Brown, a two-time winner of the Erma Bombeck Global Humor Award, is a columnist for the Kansas City Star. She lives in Missouri with her husband and three children. Hate List is her debut novel.







I tore through Hate List like a woman on a mission! Valerie Leftman broke my heart and made it soar. Jennifer Brown has written one of the most tragic, yet inspiring books about teens and how they relate to their peers and home life.



Hate List has been chosen as one of School Library Journal’s best of 2009.



Jennifer, thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for OPWFT readers. I’d like to start with questions about Hate List – with no spoilers of course!



Q: What inspired you to write a book about a school shooting?



A: Funny that you ask this question — I’ve never really considered HATE LIST to be a story about a school shooting. I’ve always seen it as more of an “emotional journey” story, especially since the shooting has already happened before the story even opens.

That said, I’ve always had questions surrounding school shootings (“Why do they happen?” “Why doesn’t anyone stop the shooter in progress?” “Why do we, the rest of the world, just accept the media’s ‘truth’ about these events?” And, of course, “What happens after?”). Not blaming-type questions, but just… questions — probably in part because I’m a writer and I question a lot of things, but mostly because I’m a mother and school shootings really frighten me.

Also, I dealt with some pretty intense bullying in junior high and high school, and I’ve always kind of carried that around with me. I’ve never quite understood why people are so mean to each other (and not just teens, either. Ever notice how mean grown people can get when they get all anonymous and cocky on an Internet message board? Yipes!). I’ve been carrying around my experience for 20 or 25 years, and I felt like it was beyond time to let it go.

And then — and this is the goofy part, but I can’t leave it out — the Nickelback song, “If Everyone Cared,” got stuck in my head one night while I was sleeping, and I woke up with these two characters in my mind (there’s even a scene in HATE LIST where Nick and Valerie are “lying beneath the stars,” just like in the song) and all those swirling questions and past experiences just sort of collided with one another and the story was just… there.



Q: You take a unique approach by bringing the reader the story through Valerie, who is a victim, a hero, and to some, to blame. How did you come up with your complex story line for Valerie?



A: Well, like I said, I’ve always had these questions in the back of my mind. And I had this notion that what we’re fed (usually that the shooters were evil or were outcasts and horribly bullied and so forth) is perhaps not necessarily the full and only truth. Nothing is black and white like that, but it’s easier to believe that A) the shooter was pure evil, or B) the victims somehow “deserved” it because they tormented him relentlessly, than to try to see that there are all sorts of different “truths” out there, depending on whose perspective you’re adopting. (And, by the way, I don’t think anyone ever could “deserve” to be killed for bullying someone.)

So I knew I wanted a character who sort of represented all of those truths. She stopped the shooting in progress, so she was a hero. But she also created the Hate List, so she was the villain, right? And then there was the whole bullying aspect, where she was really tormented, which kind of made her a victim, too. And if you look at Jessica — one of the bullies — you can see sort of similar conflicting traits. Jessica was a bully, so she was a villain. But she also lost a lot of friends (and almost lost her own life), so she was a victim. And she reaches out to Valerie — the most hated girl in school — after all is said and done in order to make a positive change in her world… which kind of makes her a hero, too. They’re like reverse sides of the same coin.



Q: Valerie’s family dynamic adds further obstacles for her as she heals. Did you research how parents react in situations such as school shootings, or were Mom and Dad from your own muse? They are a very real portrayal of how parents would react – conflicted and unsure how to help their daughter, with the situation compounding the already existing issues in their marriage.



A: The Mom and Dad really were from my own muse. I come from a broken home, so the crumbling marriage thing wasn’t really a stretch for me to come up with, but I also just thought about how a parent might feel if they were in Jenny and Ted Leftman’s shoes. Having never been in this situation, I would never act like I know for sure what they’re going through, but I would imagine that, as a parent, you still love your child, but you’d be pretty horrified by what she’d done; you’d feel some amount of guilt for not having seen it coming; you’d feel like the whole world was watching you and you definitely wouldn’t want your child to do something else to screw up while the whole world was watching. There’d be all kinds of grief involved — grief for the students who died and their families, grief for the loss of your happy family, grief for what your child has gone through — and fear, and self-pity and… probably just about the whole gamut of emotions.

A lot of readers have experienced the parents (especially the dad) as being horribly mean. But I never experienced them that way. I kind of felt sorry for them. Parents aren’t perfect, and we shouldn’t expect them to be.





Q: Was it difficult writing about Nick from essentially two perspectives, as hated school shooter, and loved boyfriend? How did you manage the balance?



A: At first, I didn’t have a good balance. Nick, in my mind, didn’t need to have a soft, vulnerable side that we see because he was already dead before the story begins, and all we needed to know about him was that he was the guy who did this horrible thing. The focus of the story was Valerie, and she didn’t see what the love of her life was planning to do. For whatever reason, she just didn’t see it, possibly because she was so crazy about him and she totally romanticized him.

This is where I have to give my editor (T.S. Ferguson) props, because in re-writes, he forced me to show why Valerie would be so in love with this guy. So the scenes where you see the soft side of Nick… the lovable side… those were brought in during the re-writes. Turns out, T.S. was so right about this. My favorite scene in the whole book is a scene that didn’t even exist in the initial version of HATE LIST, but I love that scene for what it does to bring Nick to life for the reader and to keep Valerie from just being an idiot who fell in love with a bad guy and then was surprised that he turned out to be bad.

So to answer your question… no, it wasn’t very difficult, because I didn’t write the two halves of Nick at the same time. I wrote the “bad” Nick initially, then went back in, months later, and created the “good” Nick.





Q: On a lighter note, who is your favorite character (other than Valerie), and why?



A: Dr. Hieler, hands-down, because he is 100% stolen from a real-life person — my husband, Scott. Scott, a psychologist, played a huge part in helping me understand Valerie’s grief process. I know him better than anyone in the world, and the guy’s just so colorful and wonderful, he makes for a really lovable character. So everything from Dr. Hieler’s body language (slinging a leg over the arm of his chair) to the wooden hot air balloon in his office to playing chess with his clients to catchy sayings like, “Fair is a place where you eat corn dogs and ride the merry-go-round,” are Scott’s. A lot of my readers have fallen in love with Dr. Hieler and, trust me, he’s milking it for everything it’s worth!





For the writers among us:



Q: Do you outline or wing it?



A: I wouldn’t say I “wing it” exactly, but I absolutely do not outline. I spend a lot of time thinking about a story before I sit down to write it, so I have a pretty good idea of the major plot points before I ever set fingers to keyboard. But I do like to allow room for the characters to shape the story themselves a little bit. Occasionally this can land me in trouble, and I can end up with sub-plots that threaten to overthrow the main plot, but that’s pretty easily taken care of in editing.



Q: What was your journey to publication like with your debut, Hate List?



A: I’ve been writing for about 10 years, and up to this point, my focus has always been on humor-writing and lighter romance. In fact, I signed with my agent in 2006 for a light romance I’d written. It still has not sold. So I just kept writing and kept writing. In fact, HATE LIST is my 5th novel — it’s just the first to sell. Because HATE LIST is so far out of my genre, I was kind of afraid to admit that I was writing it. I didn’t really tell my agent what I was working on — I’d just send her these cryptic notes that I was working on something (the poor woman… probably deserves a medal for dealing with me). Finally, when I told her I was about done with the project, she asked if she could see the first three chapters, and I was scared to death! I was scared that she’d see that I’d written out of genre and would hate it and would drop me for wasting most of a year on a non-viable project.

Turned out, she loved it, and started trying to sell it right away! So I sent her the full manuscript and let her have at it. And it all went very, very fast (especially when, as a writer, you’re used to waiting for months for feedback on a submission). It really was just a couple weeks between sending her the manuscript and bids coming in. In the end, we went to auction, with three publishers bidding, which seemed (and still does seem) completely surreal to me. We did a little minor haggling back and forth, and finally accepted Little, Brown’s offer.

It’s probably important to note that I found my agent through a blind submission. Yep. Slush pile. So it does happen!



Q: Do you have critique partners who do the first read?



A: I tend to be pretty close-to-the-vest with my work while I’m working on it. I’m kind of superstitious that way. I don’t even like to tell my parents what a story is going to be about until I’m done writing it. That said, I do have a few writer friends who I completely trust and would go to if I were to find myself in a “stuck” place.



Q: Do you have a point of view and tense preference for your writing?



A: I almost always write in 1st person point of view, because I feel it is the most immersive point of view, for me, as the writer, and also for the reader. And I prefer to write in past tense, but I love the immediacy of a story told in present tense.



Q: Writers sometimes struggle with bad habits, like using too many adverbs, or passive verbs. Do you catch yourself having a writing habit that you try to break?



A: Wild sub-plotting — I have a tendency to, out of the blue, stick a rape scene into a story or some other major thing that doesn’t really work as a random, sudden sub-plot. That said, I tend to go ahead and let myself write those crazy sub-plots, just to get it out of my system, and then delete them later.



Q: Do you edit while writing, or leave editing until after the first draft?



A: I just keep going, and edit after the entire first draft is done. However, every day when I sit down to write, I always re-read the last chapter written the day before, just to get myself back “in voice” and back into the storyline, and if I see something major in that chapter, I’ll fix it then.



Q: What kind of networking do you do, and how do you interact with your readers?



A: I do a lot of online networking (I have a Facebook page, as well as a Facebook Fan Page, I’m on Twitter, I Skype book clubs and classrooms, I blog for a couple websites, including my own, I hang out on Goodreads and check in at LinkedIn every so often, etc.), and I love to interact with readers. I love receiving emails and letters and comments on my blogs, and I always try to respond.

Because I’m in KC and we don’t get a ton of writery events here, I don’t get to do a lot of in-person networking with other writers. But I try to get it in when I can. So I go to whatever conferences and workshops I can get to and try to talk to as many people as possible while I’m there. I also do quite a few speaking gigs for all kinds of different groups — from groups of librarians to mother’s groups, breakfast clubs, schools, churches, book clubs, etc.



Q: Best piece of advice for aspiring authors?



A: Ignore the people who will try to tell you that you should give up. The publishing industry is not dead. You can get noticed through a slush pile. You can make it without “knowing someone.” As long as you believe it’ll happen and you really pursue it… it will happen.





And….just for fun…



Q: Mexican, Italian or other?



A: Italian, of course!



Q: What’s your favorite color?



A: Green



Q: As a humor award winner, what’s your favorite sit com of all time?



A: Hoo-boy, this is tough. Probably Three’s Company (John Ritter was sheer genius), but The Office comes in a veeery close second.


Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GOTYA contributor Jamie Blair. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Got flair? (Kathleen wants to give you some)

(Please note that this contest has closed)

Just before Thanksgiving (Canadian, that is), I was shopping for books in a city a few hours from my own. I found myself waiting in line at the local big box bookstore, holding a copy of Goodnight Nobody—a book (not YA) I had quite liked and wanted to share with a friend.

When I got to the register, the clerk squealed and grabbed my purse. I dropped my book, wondered if she was having some sort of fit, and tried to figure out if the bag would fly back and hit me in the face if I yanked it out of her grasp.

“WHERE did you get THIS?” she asked, running her hands over my small, black “got books?” pin. She was Gollum and it was Precious.

“An independent bookstore back home.” I was scared to tell her how far away home was: she looked like she might snatch the precious off my bag at any provocation.

“What’s the name of it?”

“It’s, like, and hour and a half away,” I hedged.

She turned to the clerk next to her. “Did you see this?” she asked, lifting the purse. “Do you feel like going on a roadtrip?” The other girl grinned.

Yes, these two crazy clerks in their late teens/very early twenties were prepared to drive an hour and a half to get a button that said “got books?” It was glorious, awe inspiring, and a little nutty. And it reaffirms my hope that, with the explosion of the YA genre, reading (for teens) is more acceptable—if not, even, dare I say, cooler—than it was when I was in my teens.

And that little story, my friends is the inspiration behind this particular giveaway.

From now until December 12, you have a chance to win an “I Love Books” gift pack. The rules are simple: just leave a comment on this entry letting me know what book (YA or otherwise) you hope to get this holiday season. Only one comment per reader will be eligible. Since I’m the lone Canadian of OPWFT, this contest will be open to BOTH residents of the United States and Canada. It will close at midnight AST.

Here’s what one lucky comment giver will win:

A set of 3 pins (“got books”, “Books Kick Ass!”, “One person can only do so much”)
A set of 3 magnets (“I READ BANNED BOOKS”, “Orwell as an Optimist”, “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes”)
A William Shakespeare bookmark with info about the bard on the back.
A bookmark of a Will Barnet’s The Caller (otherwise known as the pretty picture of the woman reading)
A pocket calendar you can use to track release dates and library due dates (Don’t anger the librarian! Get those books back on time!)

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Kathleen. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Monday, December 7, 2009

The Lovely Bones Giveaway!!

(Please note that this contest has closed)

This novel has one of the best openings ever. “My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.”

Can you say WOW?? How can someone read that and not want to know more? This novel reeled me in immediately. I wanted to know about this little girl. Why she was murdered? Who did it? And where she is now?

Now I won’t tell you anything about the story, because I’ll leave that for you to read and discover on your own, but I will tell you THE LOVELY BONES is now a major motion picture and premieres Friday, December 11, 2009. How about them apples?

So in celebration of this event, I am giving away a copy of the novel THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold. How do I win it, you ask? Simple. I want to hear from you. All you have to do is post a comment below quoting your favorite book opening ever (Please keep it to just two to three sentences please) and I’ll pick a winner. Then don’t forget to check back in next week to see if you’re the winner! See, told you it was simple. Good luck!

Original post published on Old People Writing For Teens by Annie McElfresh. To view original post and reader comments, please click here.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Book Review/Giveaway! The Shifter

(Please note that this contest has closed)

The Shifter, by Janice Hardy, is a middle grade fantasy dealing with healing magic. The premise is that unlike with many of the magical-hand-over-the-injury examples of magic, Hardy’s healers don’t technically heal. The pain doesn’t dissipate or go away. It needs to be put somewhere – usually into a mineral called pyruvium. With Nya, it’s different. She puts it into people.

Nya and her sister live in a conquered land, in the midst of a war to control pyruvium deposits (remind anyone of current events?). Her sister, Tali, trains as a real healer while Nya hides her own ability, fearing that with her ability to hurt, she’ll be drafted into the war. Meanwhile, the real healers start disappearing. When Tali becomes the latest victim, Nya makes it her mission to save her.

I loved the characters – Tali and Nya were not unlike Katniss and Prim Everdeen from The Hunger Games. They were immensely relatable and easy to cheer for. On top of that, Hardy’s voice was incredibly easy to slip into. So easy, that I had to write this post without the book sitting next to me – my husband stole it for his work trip.

Here’s the deal:

One lucky commenter will win the The Shifter, by Janice Hardy as well as City of Bones by Cassandra Clare and The Uglies by Scott Westerfield. Just tell us what other YA fantasy and science fiction you like. The winner will be announced on Monday.

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Holen Matthews. To view original post and reader comments, please click here.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Give the Gift of YA This Year

December is here and it’s time to do some writing… gift list writing, that is! No matter who’s on your list, chances are there’s a YA title they’ll love. Here’s a few suggestions, for kids from 1 to 92.

(Okay, 11 to 92, anyway.)

For the philosopher:

Looking For Alaska by Jon Green
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You by Peter Cameron

For the thrill-seeker:

Break by Hannan Moskowitz
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

For the people who think their lives are bad:

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Speak or Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
CrackedUp To Be by Courtney Summers
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

For the history nerd:

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

For the literature lover:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Thanks to the YA forum on AW for their suggestions!

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by former OPWFT contributor Kate. To view original post and reader comments, please click here.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

NaNoWriMo failure

It’s December and NaNo is officially over. For those of you who have read this blog the past month, you’ve seen several posts about NaNo. Well, I thought I would share my NaNo failure story. Yep, my first time posting on this blog and I’m going to talk about my failures.

50,000 in one month – doable? Oh yeah! For me? Nope.

I started off great – 10K in one weekend, the most I’ve ever written in such a short span. I thought, Hey this’ll be a breeze, I can write Larch this month and finish Judgement next month and be ready to query again by the end of January.

By day seven I was right where I should be. By day ten I was behind. That little graph laughed at me every time I clicked on it’s tab. Seriously, I heard it snickering and taunting. By day twenty I was up to 20k, still 10k behind and realized there was no way in Hades I would reach 50k by today. I was going to join the ranks of NaNo failures, plus Larch and Stone wouldn’t shut up in my mind, dreams, shower or car.

Of course I have to be faithful to my characters and finish their story. I have fallen in love with them and their world and finishing their story is something I look forward to. Would I have ever tried a dystopian? A book set in the future? A borderline sci-fi? I must give a resounding no but now I have attempted it, have 30K and a fleshed out plot.

So do I consider myself a NaNo failure? Yes and no. Yes, I didn’t get out the 50k. Too much in my life got in the way: family, homeschooling, beta reading and the oh, five or ten novels I read this month. I guess I could’ve skipped schooling the kids but I do want them to go to college. And I could’ve not read those other books but I enjoyed them.

So the conclusion I have come to is: if 50k was that important to me then I would’ve prioritized it over the frivolous things I did – and no, schooling is not considered frivolous, don’t even go there ;) .

I’m very grateful to NaNoWriMo and will definitely participate again next year, plus I met some great writers in Augusta at our NaNo writing meet-ups. I encourage all writers to try it next year. I had a blast!

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Jennifer Wood. Original post and reader comments can be viewed here.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Krista’s Back to School/Bear Facts Survey Part Deux

Yes, the hour is upon me and all of you out there who have school aged children or teens. It’s back to school after the wonderful Thanksgiving Break. Some systems give Wednesday through Friday off. I’m blessed to have had the entire glorious week off. But just as it always does, it went by like a wispy puff of smoke. Sigh. So here’s a few more Q & A from the students of my school or The Bear Facts Survey Part Deux!!

Question #1: How much does the cover of a book influence your decision to read?

“I don’t care about the cover. It’s more about the title that influences me.”

“Not that much. It makes me pick it up and read the back cover to see what the book is about.”

“It influences me a little. A flashy cover does attract, but it’s what it is about that matters.”

“It influences me a lot. I don’t pick it up to see if I like it unless it looks good.

Question #2 What point of view do you like to read the best?

“I like first person better. I like it because I enjoy reading the book from the character’s point of view. “

“I like third person mostly because I like an overview of the matter.”

“I mostly like third person because you get an outside outlook of what’s happening and different views of the plot/problem.

Question #3: Do you read books just because they are “hyped”?

“I read books that are interesting to me, not because of the hype.”

“Whenever I decide to read a book, my decision is more based on the first sentences. If it drives me to read more or if it is a downer.

“Most of the time I read books because I hear that they are good from other people

“I read books that are interesting to me, not because of the hype.”

“Whenever I decide to read a book, my decision is more based on the first sentences. If it drives me to read more or if it is a downer.


Question 4 and one that has stumped parents and educators for generations…Why do you not like to read?

“I can never find a book I can get into. I like books that start off good and there aren’t many books like that. I would be more motivated if I could get something out a book, like a life lesson.”

“I don’t like to read because you are just sitting there and reading. It would be more fun being active.”

“Reading makes me tired and I’d rather be doing something outside and it would be better if there were more outside books.”

I don’t like reading because it’s not usually something I think of when I’m bored, but when I get caught up in a book, I can’t put it down.”

“It’s boring because you have to sit there, and reading gives me a headache.

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Krista Ashe. Original post and reader comments can be viewed here.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Finding Faith

In February, I, Sarah, will be attending my first writers conference.
I should be stoked. I’m putting a lot of faith in this event, hoping that the people I meet during Presidents Day Weekend will change my life and writing forever. I even signed up for Agent Speed Dating, where I will be able to pitch my novel face to face with star agents—and let me please emphasize the star part. I’m talking Nathan Bransford, Andrea Brown, and Laurie McLean. For anyone who has ever queried a young adult novel, you know EXACTLY who I am talking about.

I should be excited, but in truth, I am shaking in my boots, nearly having anxiety attacks every time I even think about pitching my book, or even registering, for crying out loud. I can’t do this—mingling through a crowd of agents, editors, and experienced writers and pretend to have confidence—pretend to know exactly what I am doing.

But I have to. I know way too many people who would kill for this opportunity, and I can’t screw it up just because I am nervous.

My question is this: Has anyone ever thought about what would happen if you were riding an elevator in a hotel, the doors open, and your dream agent steps in? Would you confront them and give them a twenty-five word pitch of your book? Do you even HAVE a twenty-five word pitch? Or would you do what I would do, which is probably chicken out and do nothing more than give them an incredibly nervous smile? Geez, even the thought of running into an agent in a conference elevator makes me break out in hives.

I think one of the main things that we aspiring authors don’t even think about his how important confidence in ourselves and in our work is. We become so star struck in every person that may make our dream career actually happen that we forget to have the utmost confidence in our product: “My concept is original, my plot is flawless, my writing is perfected, and my style is one-of-a-kind.” If we cannot go into a conference truly believing these thoughts, even query without believing this, agents and editors are going to have as much faith in us as we seem to have in ourselves.
So, ladies and gentlemen, this is my focus. I cannot walk into Agent Speed Dating all nervous and star struck. I have to hold my head up, truly believing that these people will benefit from me if they agree to sign me.

So, how is your writing confidence? Do you think of the agents you query as business celebrities, or possible business partners?

How do you find faith in yourself?

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Sarah Harian. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Writer Lingo

A lot of people have no idea what the abbreviations that writers use actually mean. I’ll catch you up to speed with the ones I’m familiar with.

MC = Main Character

WIP = Work in Progress

SNI = Shiny New Idea

Synop = Synopsis

R = Rejection

That’s all that immediately jump out at me. There are a few other abbreviations we use on the AW Boards, such as:

IMO = In My Opinion

JMO = Just My Opinion

HTH = Hope This Helps

FWIW = For What It’s Worth

Add anymore you can think of! My brain is fried lately…

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by former OPWFT contributor Becca. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The Call…a look at how I got my agent!!

October 17, 2009–a seemingly ordinary Saturday night out with the girls. Elation hung heavy in the air since one of my buddies since elementary school had announced she was pregnant. I had just ever so covertly glanced at my Blackberry—the kind of glance you do so you don’t look rude by checking your email every five minutes. There was a reply from an agent with one of my novels. Not expecting anything, I clicked on it. And there it was….”I’m really loving this story. Can we talk sometime next week?”

I squealed…like extremely loud. Then the table broke into celebration once again. It was also a very bittersweet celebration since that day would have been my mother’s 60th birthday. But what I couldn’t imagine is how that was just the beginning. Offer Two came in on Wednesday and then Offer Three came in on Friday. Sigh….decisions, decisions…EEK! It really came down to a second phone call with Agent Two followed by an overwhelming feeling of peace. Those of you who know me, know that I’m a very spiritual person. I’d spent Sunday praying for God to lead me in the right direction. And I firmly believe he has by having me sign with Fonda Snyder of Creative Management.

So, not only was the “call(s)” insane, but the journey to get to this moment has been as well! Okay, I underestimate it. It’s been an INSANE rollercoaster of emotions—and trust me, I don’t do roller coasters because I’m afraid of heights!

Here’s a brief synopsis, oh lord, the “s” word, of my journey to finding an agent. Last November, my idea for my YA UF, The Guardians, hit me like a ton of bricks. I mean, I couldn’t sleep at night because characters were talking to me. I completed it in early January. Then I began querying it at the end of the month. This would be an example of when ignorance is NOT bliss. I had a couple of teacher buddies and one student read it—not exactly the most objective beta readers! What followed was rejection, rejection, rejection, and then reflection, reflection, reflection about my story including have a freelance editor give me feedback. But then the Calvary truly rode in when I hooked up with some awesome beta readers include the fabulous Kody Keplinger and Hannah Wydey. They really helped me whip the Guardians in to shape. In May, I had two close calls, one with a Christian agent and then another when an agent with a track record that wasn’t the best.

But alas, it wasn’t TG that landed me an agent. Nope, it was a very strange little idea that came to me after I lost my first student last year. Cooper wasn’t a player or a manwhore—no, instead he was just a good ol’ country boy whose pacemaker malfunctioned while he was playing in a basketball game, causing him to collapse and die on an old gym floor. Cooper’s death ignited long dormant memories of two high school buddies I loved, Travis, who would have been the next Adam Sandler, and David. And then the idea came to explore how males handled grief.

So, as soon as school was out, I started Don’t Hate the Player…Hate the Game. It was a whole new world considering it was narrated by a seventeen year old male. I say it was a whole new world when in fact, it isn’t my first time of narrating as a guy. In the original Guardians, both Elijah and Rafe narrated. But in truth, there really is nothing like Noah. A true smartass dealing not only with the death of his best friend, Jake, by blowing up on a tractor, but also with his mother’s impending marriage, a new baby sibling, and reconnecting with his absent ball playing father. Oh and falling in love, rather than lust, for the first time in his life.

And that my dear writing friends, is a somewhat long winded version of “my call” and my journey to get here. I thank all of you for your help, support, and encouragement along the way! All you gals of OPWFT, especially Stephanie, Becca, Jamie, and Annie, I couldn’t have done it without you. Hannah and Kody, you rock too, gals!!

*Okay, I’ll say my Oscar worthy acceptance speech of thank you’s for when/if my book sells!!!

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Krista Ashe. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Can the upcoming Hunger Games movie prove Kathleen wrong?

“There’s a way out of this game. Kill yourselves together, here, now. If you can’t do that, then don’t trust anyone… just run.” – Battle Royale

I first saw Battle Royale six years ago. I was sitting on the floor, surrounded by friends, in the middle of a full out anime binge. When we tired of secret identities, high school angst, and boys who tried to order pizza and ended up calling goddess hotlines, my friend Jen held up a plain black case and said we should watch BR.

For the next hour and fifteen minutes we sat back as an ordinary ninth grade Japanese class was stranded on a deserted island, each given a weapon, and told that the only way out was to be the last survivor. Some banded together, others turned on each other within the first five minutes. One of the taglines for Battle Royale is “Would you kill your best friend?” and we watched as character after character faced that choice.

“What did you think?” asked Jen when the credits rolled.

“It will never get US distribution,” I replied. Battle Royale was an interesting and thought provoking movie, but it was violent in the extreme. I couldn’t see American audiences being comfortable watching a movie where teenagers were forced to kill each other with guns, machetes, and switch blades until only one was left standing. Especially not after Columbine.

What a difference six years makes.

In 2008 The Hunger Games hit shelves. The book, in which a group of teenagers are selected to fight to the death in a televised free-for-all, was optioned for film by producer Nina Jacobson in March of 2009. Lionsgate picked up the distribution rights and IMDB lists the release year as 2011.

All of this has me deeply curious. I loved The Hunger Games (and Catching Fire) but I’m not sure how you would adapt it to film. The book is YA, so they’ll likely want a PG or PG-13 rating (Twilight, for comparison purposes, is rated PG-13). While Katniss doesn’t witness most of the deaths, a significant portion of the plot is devoted to teenagers being forced to kill other teenagers.

While The Hunger Games is not nearly as violent as Battle Royale (and has half the body count), it shares a similar premise–a premise that premise may prove problematic for older audiences when it’s taken off the page and put onto the screen.

As someone who enjoyed Battle Royale but never thought it would work this side of the pond, I’ll be watching the reaction and box office takings of The Hunger Games with curiosity.

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Kathleen. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Perception…Something To Think About…

A friend sent me this email the other day:

***

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle-aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100..

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

***

I’ve been working with multiple points of view in my manuscript and this email made me take a step back and look deeper. It’s more than just who would tell the story the best at this point – for this plot element. It’s also HOW they would tell it. Maybe I want my character to be patient and reflect on his surroundings. It’s probably not best to put him in a subway on his way to work. He might just miss a free show by a fabulous musician.

The same is true for writers in general. Where do you write? What mood are you in? We’ve discussed listening to music as we write on OPWFT before. All of these things are factors in not only your perception of your characters and what they would do and say, but also the characters themselves. What are they faced with, and how do outside influences affect their decisions, or their word choice and facial expressions?

It’s not only where they’re going, but what’s going on around them, that makes them true to life.

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Jamie Blair. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

NaNo November…anyone pulling their hair out yet???

Balancing work, family, and my love or writing is proving to be a true test of my sanity this month. For those of you hibernating in a hermit hole and have no clue what I’m talking about, let me fill you in. I’m talking about National Novel Writing Month, a.k.a. NaNo, in which the goal is to spew out a fifty thousand word novel in thirty days. As a novice writer, I must say that task seems nearly impossible. But, I’m amazed to say on day eleven some of my writing buddies are already sitting at twenty thousand words. Can you say WOW?? If it wasn’t for the constant personal need to keep up with the pack, I’d probably still only be at fifteen hundred words on my SNI, but I’m happy to report I’m at just over seven thousand. How I managed to get my brain to produce that much material in less than two week, I have no idea.

Now, I know most of you are probably saying that isn’t that much, but in my defense, like most writers, I have a lot going on. Lately, I’ve averaged a six day work week with my current nursing position, have a hyperactive toddler that demands most of my free time, and of course the never ending household duties that go with being a wife and mother. Ugh. I know some of you feel my pain. So what I’ve ended up doing is setting aside one hour a day for my NaNo project, and so far it seems to be working, whether I’ll meet the fifty thousand word goal is still yet to be seen.

With that being said, I have a question for my fellow writers: Do you have a writing schedule??

Now, back to the grindstone. Good luck to all my fellow NaNo participants.

Happy Writing!

Original post published on Old People Writing for teens by GotYA contributor Annie McElfresh. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

NaNo Buddies and the Importance of Passion

I’m lucky. I have a best friend who loves writing just as much as I do. It’s wonderful to be able to bounce ideas off of one another while listening to music that inspires a scene, character, or relationship.

She really helped when I wrote a novel in a year, and even more so in a month.

A lot of us are participating in NaNoWriMo this month. If you’re like me, you start to panic when you get behind, staring at a blank Microsoft Word page and thinking “What the hell do I type next? I need a thousand more words before I complete my daily quota!”

Writing buddies are a powerful tool. A few nights ago I participated in a very miniature write in with my best friend from 2pm-4am, taking a midnight shopping break to buy goodies that would help us get through the next few hours. We had a word war, and I am proud to say I completed 1000 words in less than a half an hour, which, for poor little short attention span me, is very, VERY good.

Why is it so much easier to buckle down and write when you have another writer there? This applies even in a cyberspace sense, for those of you who have participated in the world wide webfamous Friday Night Writes. Is it the slight or large competitive side of us? Is it the companionship–the idea that a person close by is as crazy as you, trying to complete 10,000 words in a day? Is it the ability to bounce a fresh idea off of someone instead of keeping it bottled up inside?

I don’t know. Does the reason really matter? It’s NaNo time, ladies and gents. Word count is all that matters. Whether it’s a writing partner or five trips to Starbucks, find what gets you typing the fastest in your limited amount of free time this month.

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Sarah Harian. Original post and reader comments can be viewed here.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Interview with author Cindy Pon

Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia, is a lush YA fantasy set in ancient China. Silver Phoenix explores the journey of heroine Ai Ling to escape an arranged marriage and find her missing father in the Palace of Fragrant Dreams. Along the way, Ai Ling encounters some very mysterious creatures, taps into magical abilities she didn’t know she possessed, and meets handsome stranger Chen Yong and his cheeky brother, Li Rong.

The much anticipated sequel to Silver Phoenix is due out in Fall, 2010! Below, author Cindy Pon was kind enough to answer a few questions about her books and writing in general.

1. Your debut novel, Silver Phoenix, has been out since April of this year. Were you surprised at how much critical acclaim it received, including your ALA starred review?

honestly, i was surprised. my personal motto is always expect nothing, be pleasantly surprised. i put out the best novel that i could with the help of my publisher–but you never know how it will be received. so it’s always a blessing to know that some critics enjoyed my debut. it’s even cooler when actual readers let you know how much they loved it as well. reading is such a *personal* experience.

2. Silver Phoenix is what many would call a traditional fantasy, following a hero’s (or in your case, heroine’s) journey. Is this the type of story you enjoy reading? What drew you to write this?

i love fantasy as a genre. and yes, traditional fantasy by authors such as tad williams and terry brooks were always a favorite. honestly, the idea of a straight heroine’s journey came to me as it was for ai ling. it seemed like something i *could* write for the first novel–as it was so familiar to me.

3. I know you’ve been working like crazy to finish up your sequel these past few weeks. Can you give us a sneak peek of what to expect? How is it different from Silver Phoenix?

it will be two storylines following ai ling and chen yong and the relationship between silver phoenix and zhong ye three centuries earlier within the palace of fragrant dreams. it’s definitely a more complicated set up than the straight heroine’s journey. in my mind, the sequel is the aftermath of what ai ling did and had to do in the debut. things don’t happen without consequences. and you get to find out about zhong ye and silver phoenix, it’s the prequel really, to my debut.
it’s different in that i think the story has turned much more *personal* in this second book.

4. I already know the denouement—the curse of many an author—is one of your favorite parts to write. Can you tell me which part of a novel is the hardest for you to write? Was there a specific scene in SP that stumped you for awhile?

oh. The Dreaded Middle for sure. 50k of words is pretty darned daunting. and i don’t do chapter outlines or even chapter when i rough draft. i just go. there weren’t specific scenes that stumped me, but i stopped writing for six months after ai ling goes to visit master tan with
chen yong and what happens to her subsequently. i was forty pages in the novel and then truly scared myself into immobility because i had no idea how to move forward. the idea of writing two hundred more pages
terrified me!

5. What would be your main words of advice to aspiring YA writers?

writers write. you may not sell your first novel, but know that you will improve with each novel that you do write. always challenge yourself with each new project. read widely–beyond the genre you are writing
and beyond your favorites.

6. What can’t you live without when you’re writing?

my laptop. classical music. a drink and good snacks / food! =)

7. Just for fun—because of your luscious descriptions of food, everyone says Silver Phoenix makes them hungry. How much of the food that you wrote about have you actually tasted?

some of the dishes are made up! but i’d say i’ve eaten at least 75% of what i listed. a personal favorite is beef tongue! i don’t eat pig ears, tho!

8. Finally, what’s in store for you next, writing-wise?

i do have a children’s picture book i need to work on with my editor featuring my chinese brush art. but i also have the inkling of a third novel–set also in xia, but not related to ai ling. it’s tickling the back of my mind, and i never acknowledge these puffs of story ideas. but from past experience, they do manifest into full novels in the end. =D

thanks so much for having me! i had a lot of fun with this
interview!

And thank you, Cindy, for taking the time to chat! Visit Cindy on her website, Paint and Prose or her blog. Her book is available online at amazon or at a major bookstore near you.

Original interview published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Debra Driza. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Agent Survey – NaNo Style!

A couple weeks ago, I emailed several agents with the following question:

Do you see an uptick in year-end queries because of people’s participation in NaNoWriMo?

The results?

Eh. It was just about a 50/50 split between yes and no. But, there was a really good discussion post. Basically, querying comes after lots of editing, not after lots of writing.

I also had a few thoughts to leave you with:

1) Sample size is crucial in surveys…and my sample size was pretty small, given the total number of agents out there.
2) One agent speculated that the uptick she saw might be related to people having time off of work, therefore giving them more time to query.
3) My own theory is that an increase in year-end queries could also be attributed to people fulfilling their New Years resolutions. I know I never remember my resolutions until December…

Thanks to the agents who responded, and good luck to those of you who’ll turn into writing machines November 1, 2009

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Holen Matthews. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Chills & Spills: An interview with Katie Alender




Alexis has a lot on her mind. Her family is dysfunctional, her doll-obsessed sister is acting stranger by the day, and she’s crushing on a boy whose preppy-perfect exterior hides a wit and personality that might just be a match for her rebellious reputation. When her creepy heritage house develops a mind of its own and her sister starts playing host to a hundred plus year-old angry spirit, Alexis’s world goes from dysfunctional to dangerous.

Bad Girl’s Don’t Die is the debut novel of Katie Alender. Katie was kind enough to answer a few of Kathleen’s questions about her book and how she’s getting word out about it.


Katie, thanks so much for agreeing to be interviewed. Part of the appeal of Bad Girls Don’t Die was the strength of Alexis’s personality; she didn’t need the cute boy to save the day—in fact, she tried to keep the cute boy out of things for his own good. Did you think about whether or not Alexis would be a role model to teens when writing?


Yes and no–I don’t believe that anything should come before story and character, so I never set out to make Alexis a role model. But yes, because I purposefully developed her to be the kind of girl she is–strong, independent, and not a damsel in distress. Mostly, I wanted her to be true to herself. I don’t think it’s in me as a writer to give readers an irredeemably helpless female character. That’s not what I care to put out in the world.

Bad Girls Don’t Die seemed to be open and shut but there are two more books in the works. Did you originally conceive of it as the first in a series or was that something which evolved during the editing and publication process?

I didn’t imagine the book as the first of a series, which is why the ending is so conclusive. I’m glad I had a real ending, because I prefer those in books (rather than cliffhangers that direct you to a sequel), but it definitely presented challenges when I was conceiving of Book 2. What’s interesting to me, as a writer, is that as I write Book 2, I find that Bad Girls Don’t Die did actually leave me some avenues to explore. In some ways the themes I’m dealing with now are more subtle, which is fitting, because Alexis is older.



The trailer for your book is fantastic! How much did your film and production background help and did you always intend to use YouTube as a way of promoting the book?

It helped quite a bit, as did the fact that production is our family business. Since the time that I became aware of book trailers, I wanted to do a good one for Bad Girls Don’t Die. I think trailers are most effective when they give readers a sense of the mood and tone of a book, rather than just rehashing the plot summary with a bunch of still photographs. So that’s what we set out to do. Having a film school background and a lot of friends willing to do us favors was a definite advantage in that regard!

That being said, you don’t need a film degree and a bunch of industry friends to make an effective trailer. You just need to think about what you want the trailer to convey. The way I see it, I can go to a website and read the summary of the book faster than I can watch a trailer, so a trailer has to offer something more. Setting the summary to music and fading it in and out very slowly isn’t more–it’s just different.

I didn’t plan specifically for Youtube; I just knew we’d want to get the trailer out and about. I do believe that it drives book sales.


Fanvids are massively popular with followers of TV shows and movies and we’re starting to see fanvids emerge for popular YA titles. Do you think this trend that will continue to grow and how do you, as an author, feel about it? (Not sure what fanvids are? Check out gianina17’s fantastic fanvid for Thirteen Reasons Why. After you’ve done that, why not check out OPWFT member Jamie Blair’s interview with author Jay Asher.)

I think it will definitely grow, as video editing software continues to be available. As an author, I like them–who wouldn’t be flattered that someone dedicated so much time and attention to your book?

I would just be on the lookout for a few things–(1) does it promote the book without spoilers? In other words, if someone watches your fanvid and thinks, “Well, now I don’t have to read the book!”, it’s kind of defeating the purpose. And (2), are you giving credit for the creative content you used? Music/photos/video you’ve included?

I’ve had videos pulled from Youtube for the music content, and then I’ve been contacted by people who said, “I’d never heard of the song you used, but I went out and bought it after watching your video.” So I think pulling something off the internet “because it’s MINE!” is pretty dumb, provided the use doesn’t preclude people from actually buying something. But artists have a right to be credited for their work–AND the right to ask that it not be used, if that’s what they prefer.

There’s a huge difference, in my opinion, in making a book trailer and, say, scanning a book and putting the whole thing online so people can download and read it for free.


I love the approach you took with the review section of your website. Not only did you include review snips from the blogosphere but you also posted a response to each snip and linked back to the original blog. Did you always intend to engage bloggers and how big of a role has the blogosphere played in promoting Bad Girls Don’t Die?

I’ve been making friends and connecting with people online for about ten years. Being part of the blogosphere is a natural extension of that. I never set out to engage bloggers as part of a scheme, but as they began to mention my book, the magic of Google Alerts allowed me to find them and say thank you or answer questions or react to reviews, etc. I feel very comfortable meeting and interacting with people that way, so it just kind of happened. It helps that most book bloggers are bright, funny, literate young women, and I have a tremendous appreciation for people like that.

I believe that the sort of grass-roots online push for BGDD played a very big part in its success. I’m quite grateful to the book bloggers for their enthusiastic response.



Katie, thank you for taking the time to talk with us.

Bad Girls Don’t Die is available from Disney-Hyperion. For the latest news about Katie Alender as well as fun downloads and extras (including wallpapers and author commentary) visit her website at www.katiealender.com.

Original interview published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Kathleen. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Stranger Than Fiction?

Most writers agree that the basic tenet of fiction writing is simple: take a lie and make it true for the reader. Of course, controversy arises shortly afterwards. The problem? Not everyone agrees on just how close to fact that fiction must be. As writers, do we have to follow some of the existing framework of real life in our stories? Or can we invent everything from scratch? In essence, I guess I’m talking about creative license, and if there’s such a thing as going “too far.”

We all know that creative license means the alteration of reality or facts for the sake of a story. And while it’s easy to see why some writers take issue with changing past events in a historical novel, the lines get blurred when considering the fantasy genre. Take Stephenie Meyer, for example (yes, I just threw out the SM bomb). Even though her Twilight series is millions of readers own personal brand of heroine, some writers challenge her tweaking of vampire mythology. I mean, how dare her vamps not become human torches in the sun? Nor are they susceptible to garlic or other typical maladies of the dentally-challenged—sacrilege! But hold up, you say. Aren’t vampires themselves fictional creatures—well, at least according to those of us who don’t indulge in hallucinogenic drugs? So why on earth should SM—or any writer—be bound by rules for things that don’t even exist in the first place?

The conundrum of creative license was driven home even more after I read a query letter critique on a writers’ discussion board. I found myself stunned by one of the crits on a Middle Grade fantasy story. Why? Because the critter was questioning if the author accurately portrayed the way curses are transferred. Silly me. And here I thought accurately portraying curses was an oxymoron. Since, you know, curses are imaginary and all. (And if they aren’t, I beg you—don’t curse me for spouting off, pretty please?)

I guess what it boils down to is this: creative license means different things to different people. What conclusions have I personally drawn? Simple. For me anyway, it all goes back to the basic tenet of fiction writing—making your lie feel true. So long as a book sells the fiction as fact, and does it well, then I don’t care what reality or expectations get altered in the process. I just need to believe. And yes, for all you Twilight haters—this includes sparkly vamps.

But enough about me and my unhealthy, albeit drug-free, obsession with all things vampire. Where do you draw the line in terms of creative license in fiction writing?

Original Post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Debra Driza. To view original post and reader comments, please click here.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

College Student? Like to Write? Not an English Major? No Problem!

I’ll be honest with you. I am an English major, but it wasn’t until my sophomore year did I decide on becoming one. For a while I was looking at going into Anthropology, and even Biotechnology at one point. However, I always knew that i loved to write and loved the idea of others acknowledging my work, so one semester I decided to sign up for Beginning Fiction Writing. It was a general education class, and anyone enrolled at the college was allowed to sign up.

If you’ve never taken a workshop class, they are usually structured like this: everyone submits a short piece close to the beginning of the semester, and every class period one to three stories are workshopped. Students will marvel and cheer, give constructive criticism, debate grammar, etc, when going through everyone’s work. It’s like having 15-25 personal beta readers for a day–not to mention the four credits you get for writing and reading stories. Pretty sweet deal, huh?

Well what if you don’t write short stories? What if novels are your thing? My advice to you is to start small. I have learned so much through having my short stories critiqued by other students and incorporated my knowledge into bigger works. What’s even better is that one of the short stories I have had critiqued in a workshop class ended up getting published, which made for a beautiful writing credit on my query letter!

You DON’T have to be enrolled in a university to participate! I know a lot of OPWFT’s followers have jobs and kids. Some of you have graduated already, maybe even ten, twenty, or thirty years ago. But here’s the thing–a lot of community colleges offer creative writing workshops. I know that my city’s community college does. I even know of an adult school that offers classes, and most of them are at night. This way, those of you working a nine to five job can enroll.

Don’t know how to start to even look for a writing class? Hop online and check out the website of your local community college or current university. If registration is nearing for next semester, you can usually find the schedules for classes. If you aren’t enrolled in college and can’t find the information online, try calling the college and setting up an appointment with a counselor.

Nothing is more important to a writer than encouragement and constructive criticism. Take advantage of your local college and find a writing class that can fit into your schedule. You might love the experience, and decide that it is in your best interest to pursue an MFA!

Original Post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Sarah Harian. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Friday, October 16, 2009

KRISTA’S LOOK AT QUERYING THROUGH THE MOVIES!

Ah, the “Q” word—the word that strikes fear and loathing into unagented writers everywhere. The dreaded query. Books are written about how to write the perfect one, agents blog about the right and wrong way, and writers spend hours and shed blood and tears in places like Query Letter Hell over in Share Your Work on Absolutewrite.

Well, this isn’t another “How To Post”….instead it’s a look at querying through some famous movie quotes. So cue the theme to Chariots of Fire as we take a stroll through film.


“May the Force Be With You”—Star Wars


Whatever your own personal beliefs are, you are going to have to cling to something to make it through the query game unscathed. Querying is not for the faint of heart, and it’s trying both emotionally and physically. You need a good support system of family and friends. Writing buddies are extremely helpful because of the old “been there, done that” adage.

“If You Build It, He Will Come”—Field of Dreams

You’ve written your literary masterpiece—toiled long hours, edited, revised, and reworked. And you’re ready to send it out into the world of agents and publishers. It doesn’t matter if you’ve written the next Gone with the Wind or Harry Potter. If your query letter doesn’t shine, your book is never going to see the light of day. So, it is the hope of every query writer that they will build the perfect query letter that will interest a dream agent.

“What We Have Here Is a Failure to Communicate”—Cool Hand Luke

You’ve just fired off ten to twenty of the query to end all queries. Now it’s time to sit back and field the massive requests. But then it happens. Your inbox represents tumbleweeds blowing in the wind.

Yes, it is inevitable that some agents you query will be non-responders. So, no matter how many times you refresh your inbox, potentially giving yourself Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, it won’t matter. They will simply not reply. You must resign yourself to take a couple of deep breaths and step away from the computer.

“As God Is My Witness, I’ll Never Go Hungry Again!”—Gone With the Wind

After several rejections, it’s tempting to throw up your hands and say, “As God Is My Witness, I’ll Never QUERY Again!” However, you can’t do that. You gotta persevere and keep on keeping it on! You’ll never land an agent without querying, and you’ll never land a publishing deal without an agent—unless you call go small publishing route.

“Stay Classy, San Francisco”—Anchorman

Sometimes after receiving a rejection, it’s tempting to fire off a not so “classy” response to the agent. You know a real acid filled rant about why your literary masterpiece SHOULD have been for them. But you gotta take the higher road and listen to Ron Burgundy. Yep, that’s right, STAY CLASSY!

“No Matter What Anyone Tells You, Words and Ideas Can Change the World”—Dead Poets Society

Cue, the music to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”….Yes, you gotta keep believing that the words and ideas that you wove into your story are worthy, and they will mean something to more than just you. It starts when you get those first crits back from Beta readers, and you realize, “Hey, I might just be on to something here!” We all have those books, those movers and shakers, that changed our life.

“We’re Not Worthy!”—Wayne’s World

Yeah, I’ll admit that it’s tempting to get a little star struck when querying. From the uber-famous agents to the not so famous, we seem to forget that agents are people, too. Just remember that you are worthy and your work is worthy to query any agent out there!

So go forth and query!!! And GOOD LUCK!!!

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Krista Ashe. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Top Ten Writing Tips

One of the many things I’ve learned throughout the writing process is that you can never have too many words of encouragement. I want to impose ten tips writers should always remember.

1. Never, ever give up. I know. I know. You’ve heard this one hundred times by now, but it’s the truth. You can’t let rejections or editing get you down. Keep your chin up!

2. Read until your eyes burst into flames. Sounds crazy, but it helps. Not only does reading give you a break, but you can learn so much—how grammar, punctuation and writing styles are used.

3. Observe, and then observe some more. Yeah, that’s right. Take a seat somewhere the next time you’re out in public. Watch people. See how they react when speaking to someone else. What are their mannerisms? Oh, man. I can see those gears rotating in your head already.

4. Don’t edit as you go. Trust me—I know this is hard. Who cares if your first draft is crap? The odds of writing a perfect novel are probably 0.00000000001%. There isn’t a novel out there that’s perfect the first go-around. Wait until you’re finished. Give those fiery eyes a break. After a few days, you can go back and edit.

5. Write as much as your heart wishes. No, I’m not talking about just books. Keep a journal. Grab a pen and paper, step into your backyard and describe what you see. Think of it as practice. The more you practice something, the more experience you gain.

6. Learn from your mistakes. You’ve been pierced through your most vital organ and are bleeding abundantly. It hurts when someone takes the red pen of doom to your baby, doesn’t it? Don’t take it to heart (pun intended). These people are your sidekicks, partner-in-crime, fellow writers. They want to help. Listen to them. Have an open mind. I promise your manuscript will be ten times better than the original draft.

7. Read out loud. You’re probably sitting there going, “Whaaaaaat?!” Yep, I said it. I bet you’re trying to remember the last time you read out loud right now. You can actually catch typos and sentence structures that are out of place better than if you read with your eyes only. Try it sometime.

8. Always keep a pen and paper handy. You never know when that shiny new idea will spring to life inside that head of yours.

9. Pay it forward. If another writer reviews your work, be kind enough to review theirs.

10. Stay true to your characters. They need you. They depend on you. You are the only way they’ll get their story read by hundreds—maybe even thousands/millions—of other people. Remember, they’re one of the reasons you began this journey.

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by former OPWFT contributor Becca. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Interview with HATE LIST author, Jennifer Brown and Book Giveaway!

From Amazon:

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.


About the Author:

When not writing about serious subjects, Jennifer Brown, a two-time winner of the Erma Bombeck Global Humor Award, is a columnist for the Kansas City Star. She lives in Missouri with her husband and three children. Hate List is her debut novel.


I tore through Hate List like a woman on a mission! Valerie Leftman broke my heart and made it soar. Jennifer Brown has written one of the most tragic, yet inspiring books about teens and how they relate to their peers and home life.

Hate List has been chosen as one of School Library Journal’s best of 2009.

Jennifer, thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for OPWFT readers. I’d like to start with questions about Hate List – with no spoilers of course!


Q: What inspired you to write a book about a school shooting?

A: Funny that you ask this question — I’ve never really considered HATE LIST to be a story about a school shooting. I’ve always seen it as more of an “emotional journey” story, especially since the shooting has already happened before the story even opens.

That said, I’ve always had questions surrounding school shootings (“Why do they happen?” “Why doesn’t anyone stop the shooter in progress?” “Why do we, the rest of the world, just accept the media’s ‘truth’ about these events?” And, of course, “What happens after?”). Not blaming-type questions, but just… questions — probably in part because I’m a writer and I question a lot of things, but mostly because I’m a mother and school shootings really frighten me.

Also, I dealt with some pretty intense bullying in junior high and high school, and I’ve always kind of carried that around with me. I’ve never quite understood why people are so mean to each other (and not just teens, either. Ever notice how mean grown people can get when they get all anonymous and cocky on an Internet message board? Yipes!). I’ve been carrying around my experience for 20 or 25 years, and I felt like it was beyond time to let it go.

And then — and this is the goofy part, but I can’t leave it out — the Nickelback song, “If Everyone Cared,” got stuck in my head one night while I was sleeping, and I woke up with these two characters in my mind (there’s even a scene in HATE LIST where Nick and Valerie are “lying beneath the stars,” just like in the song) and all those swirling questions and past experiences just sort of collided with one another and the story was just… there.


Q: You take a unique approach by bringing the reader the story through Valerie, who is a victim, a hero, and to some, to blame. How did you come up with your complex story line for Valerie?

A: Well, like I said, I’ve always had these questions in the back of my mind. And I had this notion that what we’re fed (usually that the shooters were evil or were outcasts and horribly bullied and so forth) is perhaps not necessarily the full and only truth. Nothing is black and white like that, but it’s easier to believe that A) the shooter was pure evil, or B) the victims somehow “deserved” it because they tormented him relentlessly, than to try to see that there are all sorts of different “truths” out there, depending on whose perspective you’re adopting. (And, by the way, I don’t think anyone ever could “deserve” to be killed for bullying someone.)

So I knew I wanted a character who sort of represented all of those truths. She stopped the shooting in progress, so she was a hero. But she also created the Hate List, so she was the villain, right? And then there was the whole bullying aspect, where she was really tormented, which kind of made her a victim, too. And if you look at Jessica — one of the bullies — you can see sort of similar conflicting traits. Jessica was a bully, so she was a villain. But she also lost a lot of friends (and almost lost her own life), so she was a victim. And she reaches out to Valerie — the most hated girl in school — after all is said and done in order to make a positive change in her world… which kind of makes her a hero, too. They’re like reverse sides of the same coin.


Q: Valerie’s family dynamic adds further obstacles for her as she heals. Did you research how parents react in situations such as school shootings, or were Mom and Dad from your own muse? They are a very real portrayal of how parents would react – conflicted and unsure how to help their daughter, with the situation compounding the already existing issues in their marriage.

A: The Mom and Dad really were from my own muse. I come from a broken home, so the crumbling marriage thing wasn’t really a stretch for me to come up with, but I also just thought about how a parent might feel if they were in Jenny and Ted Leftman’s shoes. Having never been in this situation, I would never act like I know for sure what they’re going through, but I would imagine that, as a parent, you still love your child, but you’d be pretty horrified by what she’d done; you’d feel some amount of guilt for not having seen it coming; you’d feel like the whole world was watching you and you definitely wouldn’t want your child to do something else to screw up while the whole world was watching. There’d be all kinds of grief involved — grief for the students who died and their families, grief for the loss of your happy family, grief for what your child has gone through — and fear, and self-pity and… probably just about the whole gamut of emotions.

A lot of readers have experienced the parents (especially the dad) as being horribly mean. But I never experienced them that way. I kind of felt sorry for them. Parents aren’t perfect, and we shouldn’t expect them to be.


Q: Was it difficult writing about Nick from essentially two perspectives, as hated school shooter, and loved boyfriend? How did you manage the balance?

A: At first, I didn’t have a good balance. Nick, in my mind, didn’t need to have a soft, vulnerable side that we see because he was already dead before the story begins, and all we needed to know about him was that he was the guy who did this horrible thing. The focus of the story was Valerie, and she didn’t see what the love of her life was planning to do. For whatever reason, she just didn’t see it, possibly because she was so crazy about him and she totally romanticized him.

This is where I have to give my editor (T.S. Ferguson) props, because in re-writes, he forced me to show why Valerie would be so in love with this guy. So the scenes where you see the soft side of Nick… the lovable side… those were brought in during the re-writes. Turns out, T.S. was so right about this. My favorite scene in the whole book is a scene that didn’t even exist in the initial version of HATE LIST, but I love that scene for what it does to bring Nick to life for the reader and to keep Valerie from just being an idiot who fell in love with a bad guy and then was surprised that he turned out to be bad.

So to answer your question… no, it wasn’t very difficult, because I didn’t write the two halves of Nick at the same time. I wrote the “bad” Nick initially, then went back in, months later, and created the “good” Nick.


Q: On a lighter note, who is your favorite character (other than Valerie), and why?

A: Dr. Hieler, hands-down, because he is 100% stolen from a real-life person — my husband, Scott. Scott, a psychologist, played a huge part in helping me understand Valerie’s grief process. I know him better than anyone in the world, and the guy’s just so colorful and wonderful, he makes for a really lovable character. So everything from Dr. Hieler’s body language (slinging a leg over the arm of his chair) to the wooden hot air balloon in his office to playing chess with his clients to catchy sayings like, “Fair is a place where you eat corn dogs and ride the merry-go-round,” are Scott’s. A lot of my readers have fallen in love with Dr. Hieler and, trust me, he’s milking it for everything it’s worth!

For the writers among us:

Q: Do you outline or wing it?

A: I wouldn’t say I “wing it” exactly, but I absolutely do not outline. I spend a lot of time thinking about a story before I sit down to write it, so I have a pretty good idea of the major plot points before I ever set fingers to keyboard. But I do like to allow room for the characters to shape the story themselves a little bit. Occasionally this can land me in trouble, and I can end up with sub-plots that threaten to overthrow the main plot, but that’s pretty easily taken care of in editing.


Q: What was your journey to publication like with your debut, Hate List?

A: I’ve been writing for about 10 years, and up to this point, my focus has always been on humor-writing and lighter romance. In fact, I signed with my agent in 2006 for a light romance I’d written. It still has not sold. So I just kept writing and kept writing. In fact, HATE LIST is my 5th novel — it’s just the first to sell. Because HATE LIST is so far out of my genre, I was kind of afraid to admit that I was writing it. I didn’t really tell my agent what I was working on — I’d just send her these cryptic notes that I was working on something (the poor woman… probably deserves a medal for dealing with me). Finally, when I told her I was about done with the project, she asked if she could see the first three chapters, and I was scared to death! I was scared that she’d see that I’d written out of genre and would hate it and would drop me for wasting most of a year on a non-viable project.

Turned out, she loved it, and started trying to sell it right away! So I sent her the full manuscript and let her have at it. And it all went very, very fast (especially when, as a writer, you’re used to waiting for months for feedback on a submission). It really was just a couple weeks between sending her the manuscript and bids coming in. In the end, we went to auction, with three publishers bidding, which seemed (and still does seem) completely surreal to me. We did a little minor haggling back and forth, and finally accepted Little, Brown’s offer.

It’s probably important to note that I found my agent through a blind submission. Yep. Slush pile. So it does happen!


Q: Do you have critique partners who do the first read?

A: I tend to be pretty close-to-the-vest with my work while I’m working on it. I’m kind of superstitious that way. I don’t even like to tell my parents what a story is going to be about until I’m done writing it. That said, I do have a few writer friends who I completely trust and would go to if I were to find myself in a “stuck” place.


Q: Do you have a point of view and tense preference for your writing?

A: I almost always write in 1st person point of view, because I feel it is the most immersive point of view, for me, as the writer, and also for the reader. And I prefer to write in past tense, but I love the immediacy of a story told in present tense.


Q: Writers sometimes struggle with bad habits, like using too many adverbs, or passive verbs. Do you catch yourself having a writing habit that you try to break?

A: Wild sub-plotting — I have a tendency to, out of the blue, stick a rape scene into a story or some other major thing that doesn’t really work as a random, sudden sub-plot. That said, I tend to go ahead and let myself write those crazy sub-plots, just to get it out of my system, and then delete them later.


Q: Do you edit while writing, or leave editing until after the first draft?

A: I just keep going, and edit after the entire first draft is done. However, every day when I sit down to write, I always re-read the last chapter written the day before, just to get myself back “in voice” and back into the storyline, and if I see something major in that chapter, I’ll fix it then.

Q: What kind of networking do you do, and how do you interact with your readers?

A: I do a lot of online networking (I have a Facebook page, as well as a Facebook Fan Page, I’m on Twitter, I Skype book clubs and classrooms, I blog for a couple websites, including my own, I hang out on Goodreads and check in at LinkedIn every so often, etc.), and I love to interact with readers. I love receiving emails and letters and comments on my blogs, and I always try to respond.

Because I’m in KC and we don’t get a ton of writery events here, I don’t get to do a lot of in-person networking with other writers. But I try to get it in when I can. So I go to whatever conferences and workshops I can get to and try to talk to as many people as possible while I’m there. I also do quite a few speaking gigs for all kinds of different groups — from groups of librarians to mother’s groups, breakfast clubs, schools, churches, book clubs, etc.


Q: Best piece of advice for aspiring authors?

A: Ignore the people who will try to tell you that you should give up. The publishing industry is not dead. You can get noticed through a slush pile. You can make it without “knowing someone.” As long as you believe it’ll happen and you really pursue it… it will happen.


And….just for fun…

Q: Mexican, Italian or other?

A: Italian, of course!


Q: What’s your favorite color?

A: Green


Q: As a humor award winner, what’s your favorite sit com of all time?

A: Hoo-boy, this is tough. Probably Three’s Company (John Ritter was sheer genius), but The Office comes in a veeery close second.


OPWFT is excited to announce a contest to win HATE LIST with Jennifer Brown as the judge! All you have to do is leave a joke for Jennifer in the comments of this post, and the one that makes her laugh the hardest wins! You have until December 18th to post – good luck!

Don’t forget to visit Jennifer’s blog – http://www.jenniferbrownya.com/

*Winner’s outside of the US will recieve an Amazon gift card to purchase HATE LIST.

(Please note: this contest has closed)

Original interview published on Old People Writing for Teens by Jamie Blair. To view the original interview and comments, please click here.