Fairy Tale, Starstruck & More

Thank to all of you who commented on my Fairy Tale entry! I'm waiting for Emily to post the top 5 and from there I'll let you all know if you need to vote for me or vote for another entrant since I did not make it! We shall see!!!

To keep in the fairy tale spirit Cyn Balog stopped by my blog today and she is fantastic!!!


Happy Tuesday! As you know last week was Featured Writers Week and since I've recently come across such great Writers and Authors I decided to extend it three more days!!!!

Featured Writer: Cyn Balog

Author of Fairy Tale, Sleepless and Starstruck

Fairy Tale - Morgan Sparks and Cam Browne are a match made in heaven. They’ve been best friends since birth, they tell each other everything, and oh yeah- they’re totally hot for each other.

But a week before their joint Sweet Sixteen bash, everything changes. Cam’s awkward cousin Pip comes to stay, and Morgan is stunned when her formerly perfect boyfriend seems to be drifting away.

When Morgan demands answers, she’s shocked to discover the source of Cam’s distance isn’t another girl- it’s another world. Pip claims that Cam is a fairy. No, seriously. A fairy. And now his people want Cam to return to their world and take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Determined to keep Cam with her, Morgan plots to fool the fairies. But as Cam continues to change, she has to decide once and for all if he really is her destiny, and if their “perfect” love can weather an uncertain future.

To read the others click here!

1. How do you come up with your characters names? Do they just come to you or is there research required? I love with Starstruck that you have nicknames Dough & Wish.

I come up with them in all sorts of ways. Like in SLEEPLESS, I just liked the name Julia, but for Eron and Chimere, I used babynames.com (Eron means “peace” and Chimere means “dream”, which is fitting since they are both sandpeople). “Dough”, hmmm, I have no idea how I came up with that, but I really thought it would be great to have a main character who works in a bakery named Dough, which is short for Gwendolyn. And there was a guy where I used to work with the nickname of Wish (a shortened form of his last name) and I just loved it, so I stole it!

2. Growing up did you dream of being in a fairytale? Were you quiet and shy in school or loud and wild? What character would you have most liked to be?

I think I wanted to be in Cinderella. I was incredibly shy and didn’t utter more than 10 words my whole high school career, so I just had this idea that life would be much simpler if I could just go to a ball and have that love-at-first-sight thing. Also if I could have some mice sew clothes for me and a fairy godmother, too.

3. Is writing your day job or is there something else fabulous you do in your life?? A Ninja fighting crime maybe?

I used to work full-time in addition to writing, but now I write full-time. I also have two little kids, so most of my time is spent with them. Writing is something I do like, an hour a day, after they go to bed!

4. What is your favorite part about writing? First draft? Revisions?

AGHHHH I hate revisions! I can not do them without having a massive brain-freeze. Hmmm, I really don’t like writing first drafts, either. Actually, my favorite part of writing is the first draft, but only like, right after the first paragraph, to maybe chapter 5. And then the last chapter. And then writing THE END. And also coming up with a title. The rest of it makes me want to throw up. It used to be a lot more amusing when I wasn’t on deadline. Before it was fun, like eating ice cream. Now it is like eating ice cream but with someone sitting on your back whipping you and going, “EAT!”

5. Ever had a horror story at a book signing?

Oh yes, I’ve had a bunch of little horrors. I have had people come up to me and ask me to sign books that were not mine, because “I just know you will be famous one day but I don’t want to shell out money to buy your lousy book right now.” And I get a lot of cards from people who want to collaborate. A man came by and showed me about 4000 (bad) illustrations he’d done for about two hours, and a lot of people stop by to just chew your ear off. It’s like they know you’re trapped and can’t go anywhere.

Fun & Random Questions

Pizza Place: Skinny Vinnie’s at Rutgers
Cloud Princess or Water Princess: Cloud!
Fairy or Gypsy: Fairy, of course
Beverage: Iced Tea
Writing Snack: Twix bars
Favorite Book Series: Hunger Games
Favorite Book: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Writing Spot: The porch overlooking the beach
Favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing: Be with my kids

There you have it, the lovely Cyn Balog!!! She has some amazing books that you should definitely check out!!! For more about her check out her website!

Cuckoo for Canary

Rachele Alpine over at Freckle Head was sweet enough to answer a few questions on her life as a writer and her book that is currently in submissions!! She's also hosting a contest today over at her blog so check it out!!!

1. So Rachele you are a YA author who has a novel currently on submission titled Canary, could you tell all of us what it is about?

Ugh! For some reason I have the worst elevator pitch for my book ever. I try to sum it up and it just sounds nuts. Nonwriters will ask me what my book is about and I’m like, “Well, there’s this girl, whose dad is coach at a new school and she goes to the school and she’s able to be accepted pretty easy but her brother isn’t and he’s bullied by the school and blah blah blah…” and it just sounds like I’m rambling!

I’ll give you the summary I include in my query, which is the plot in one paragraph!
Kate Franklin’s dad is good at coaching basketball; what he isn’t good at is communicating with Kate and her brother Brett. When her mother dies, he shuts down, throwing himself into basketball as a way to cope with his grief, leaving Kate alone in silence. When he lands a job at Beacon, Kate finds it easy to fit in when she starts dating a player on the team, while her brother, shy and weak, is rejected by the school. Kate quickly learns to overlook the perks given to the athletes who openly disgrace her brother for not being one of them. However, the players take their power too far one night at a party and Kate is raped. Kate doesn’t stay silent about the rape, but her accusations aren’t accepted by the Beacon community. The school rallies with the team and lashes out at her. Ugly rumors are created to destroy Kate and her credibility. She’s not praised for her decision to be truthful, but instead, it brings terrible consequences. The final blow comes when her dad tries to silence her in order to protect the team. The world that Kate believed was safe is now her worst enemy, and Kate must decide whether to stay silent or expose the corruption, destroying her father’s career and bringing down a town’s heroes.

2. How long did it take you to write Canary? Revise? Query?

I started CANARY in the summer of 2007. I mainly wrote it in the summers of 2007 and 2008, although it’s evolved so much from the story it was then. I got serious about querying in the fall of 2008, spent the time doing some hard core editing and started to query in January of 2009.


3. How did you celebrate finding an agent? Sing, dance, hop around with a kangaroo?

Oh, there was a total dance party…I love to dance and there was much dancing, jumping and squealing involved. The night I made my decision to sign with Lina, my boyfriend and I shook up a bottle of champagne, all over the kitchen. When I settled down a bit, I did some things I was waiting to do… I got myself some totally awesome business cards, started my blog and bought a Macbook.

4. I saw that you taught High School, what grade and subject?

I do teach high school and am loving my job right now because it’s summer break! I teach 10th grade Language Arts and Creative Writing. I love both classes, the tenth grade subject area is American Literature and I’m working hard with the librarian to incorporate a lot of YA into the curriculum.

5. Do you have any other stories currently in the works?

I do, I do! I actually have two, which is crazy for me because it seems like the two are warring against each other inside my head. I never know what one I’ll sit down and work on, because they both are fighting to get out. This past week I’ve been working on one more than another, but that could change. It’s so strange to have two different ideas, but I feel so passionate about both that I don’t think I can push one aside. Well, the truth is that they won’t let me!

The first is one I’ve been thinking about for over a year. It’s a contemporary YA about a small farm town in Indiana. It involves two sisters, a tragedy and how people deal with things after. I’m intrigued about how our nation came together after 911 and we all held onto each other (even complete strangers), glued together from tragedy. There’s an image from the event of a crowd of people with a little girl looking up towards the heavens and holding a flag that I keep near me when I’m writing this new book. It evokes so much emotion from me every time I look at it. I’m
exploring the idea of what we hold onto when there is nothing left to hold on to and how people often cling to false hope. I write by hand first and I have three notebooks full of scenes, dialogue and ideas for the book. I just started typing everything up and it’s going to be a task in and among itself!

The second book is a risk. It’s a tough story (I call it my Living Dead Girl book because the subject isn’t easy) with dual narrators. One of the narrators may be unreliable and you may feel empathy towards things that you might later be angry with me for making you feel that way. I know this is vague, but this story came as a surprise and I’m still trying to figure out what to make of it. Every time I try to push it aside, the characters keep coming back.

6. Was Canary the first novel you finished or do you have several others currently collecting dust?

It was my first novel and it felt training for a marathon. The second book (or books) are coming along a bit easier, because I’ve learned from some of my mistakes with CANARY, but it still seems like such a daunting task. I can’t imagine having books that I wrote and then trunked. That would be too hard for me (so let’s hope CANARY sells!).

Fun & Random Questions
Favorite pizza spot: My backyard barbeque! My boyfriend and I have perfected pizzas on the grill, and I’m not sure I can go back to anything else after making them outside. It took a lot of attempts to get it right, but it was worth it…they’re so good. I pile mine up with vegetables so it’s a mountain of goodness!
Chocolate or gummy bears: Gummy all the way…I love gummy candy. I’m actually not much of a sweets person, but I’ll do just about anything for gummy peaches with the candy store near me called Malley’s Chocolates. Lucky for me, my boyfriend’s mom works for the company!
Favorite writing snack: Gummy peaches, Diet Mountain Dew, edamamae
Favorite season: Fall…even though summer ends and it’s back to school, I love the chill in the air, football games (I grew up near the high school in my city and used to fall asleep to the sound of the band playing and people cheering), the smell of fires and leaves, hot cider and sweaters without winter jackets.

So there is the lovely miss Rachele Alpine, isn't she a doll?!!! I love her so be sure to check her out and follow her if you have yet to do so! Remember she is also running a contest so make sure you check it out!!!

Caught red-handed and Kidnapped

To keep up with all things interview related I've asked the lovely and talented Tamara Heiner to join us in all the fun!!!! Below is the interview I hope you enjoy!!!

1.Your book Perilous is due to release in fall 2010, could you tell us a little bit about it?

Let’s see, Perilous! In brief, it follows the story of four teenage girls who witness a crime, and in a desperate gamble to silence them (and make a little money), the criminal kidnaps them, dragging them thousands of miles from home across the Canadian border. However, they manage to escape, and spend the majority of the book trying to get back to their families, all with the kidnapper hot on their trail. It doesn’t end with the first book either! There is some resolution, but the kidnapper isn’t caught. That remains for the second book. And in true YA-style, there is, of course, romance (sigh), complete with a love triangle. (I did have to really tone down the love triangle, though, and keep the novel more of a thriller. Sad!)

2. Do you have a critique group, online, in your neighborhood?

Yes. Online only, I’m afraid. I’d love to have a neighborhood one, but we seem remarkably short on local authors.

3. How did you decide what agencies to query through?

I knew I wasn’t going to query agents with this novel. I felt it was a starter novel, kind of like a starter home, and therefore I decided only to query small presses. At the time I thought it was going to be a Christian, religious novel (which it is not now—everything’s been edited out until the novel is mainstream, for the sake of a larger audience), so I limited my queries to small Christian presses. Did you use certain websites to help decide who was best? In particular I found the LDS Storymakers publishing website very helpful. I didn’t realize how many small presses there were! (So many!)

4. How many queries did you send out? How long before you heard from a publisher?

I sent out 8 queries, I think. It took two months to get my first rejection. I actually only got one rejection. I might have gotten others if they had had the chance to reject me (one had my query for 8 months and still hadn’t made a decision), but I was offered a contract by one of the companies before they could. It was a very fun feeling to reject them!

8 . Do you have any other works in progress? Of course! Care to give a few details?

Oh, sure, I love to talk about my books! I have the sequel to Perilous (working
title: Altercation) in second draft form. I’ll finish it after Perilous goes to press, that way I know there are no more changes I need to make. I have a completely
revised novel that I’m currently querying, called White as Snow. It’s a fairy-tale retelling, the story of Snow White, with equal parts historical and fantasy woven in. I’ve started the ‘sequel’ to that one, currently untitled, but it’s a fairy-tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast. At the moment I’m working on a stand alone YA novel called Inevitable. It’s about a teenage girl who is psychic, but only around certain people. She spends her whole life avoiding these people because she only sees negative things. And then she meets a boy that she knows (psychically) will break her heart. Yet nothing she does can keep them apart.

Fun and Random Questions
Favorite restaurant: Tucanos
Favorite book: A Rustle in the Grass
Favorite writing spot: The corner of the couch, propped up by pillows.
Chocolate or Gummy Bears: Depends on my mood. Usually gummy bears.
Favorite writing snack: I don’t really eat while I write…
Favorite book series: Harry Potter
Favorite movie: Lord of the Rings

Isn't she awesome!!!! Be sure to check out her blog and support her in her writing dream!!!

Tamara Heiner at Chasing Dreams

Mermaid Kisses

Interview with Tera Lynn Childs!!!

Tera Lynn Childs is no fish out of water, she has several other books out and several on the way!!! To find out more about her check out her website here, where you can also find access to her blog!!

1. Are you sure you aren’t a mermaid in some distant land?

If I were, I’m sure I couldn’t tell you. *winks*

2. When did you realize you wanted to be a young adult writer? Have you
ever dabbled in writing books for adults?

Actually, I started off writing adult books. First, historical romance, and then chick lit. But then I got this idea that could only be a YA book, and I haven’t been able to look back since. That was the summer of 2005.

3. How many books do you currently have published?

I have three books out. Oh. My. Gods., Goddess Boot Camp, and Forgive My Fins.

4. Do you have any other books currently in the works?

Yes, four. First up is the sequel to Forgive My Fins, called Fins Are Forever. Then, next Fall, I’m starting a new (untitled) trilogy about triplet descendants of Medusa.

5. Any advice for aspiring writers?

Read as much as you can, write as much as you can, and become a keen observer of life. Also, finish the %$&# book and find a good agent.

6. Were you ever discouraged through the writing process? What did you do
to work through it?

Always. This career is such a rollercoaster. I was on the phone with my mom, bawling because I was afraid I would never become a published author, just two weeks before I sold Oh. My. Gods. I think you have to let those moments go through your
system, go see a movie or go shopping while they work their way out. Then, you take a deep breath and say, “Okay, this is what I want to do. And I am going to keep working as hard as I can to achieve it.”

7. How about when you heard your story would be published?

I was in Florida for the summer, and I was going to see a movie (see previous question for why). I was on the phone with my mom, whining about my non-career, when a New York number buzzed in. When my agent told me about the offer, I said, “Hold on, I’ll pull over.” She said, “You’re driving? Don’t be driving!”

Silly questions –
Favorite spot to write. Starbucks
Favorite song right now. Paris (Ooh La La) by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Favorite ice cream flavor. I’m vegan now, so no more ice cream. But if Ben & Jerry’s ever brought back White Russian I would totally make an exception.
Dinosaurs or dragons. Dragons, because they’re magical and because
my critique partner has a dragon book coming out this fall (Firelight by Sophie Jordan)
Chocolate or Gummy Bears. Chocolate, but only certain types
Favorite drink. Pineapple Fanta
Rain or snow? Both, but if I could only have one, then rain
Computer or notepad? Alphasmart (but, given the choices, notepad)
Chick flick or horror? Chick flick (but I prefer action/adventure)
Bicycle or rollerblades? Bicycle, maybe (I’m about to buy one)
Book you are currently reading (if any?) The Making of a Duchess by
Shana Galen (historical romance)
Favorite Author. Jaclyn Moriarty.
Favorite Book Series. The Hunger Games (gah, where is Mockingjay?!?)

Isn't she the best!!! If you haven't checked out her novel Forgive My Fins you must! It was the cutest story and one for the shelves!!! Sophie Jordan's novel Firelight coming out in Sept 2010 is another wonderful read (I know you've seen my review!!)

HoLlYwOoD and Hearing the Dead

I've made it!!! I'm officially awesome!!!

Would you like to know why??

Well besides the obvious intellegence, beauty, and of course kindness, I've gotten another InTeRvIeW!!! So please visit Pitch Slapped where my awesomeness will continue to BLOW YOUR MIND!!!

Hey even Mikey likes it!!!!

BEFORE YOU GO!!!! I have an awesome writer/author who has graciously accepted my invitation to be interviewed! Dianne Salerni wrote Hear the Dead, so without further ado here she is!!!


Could you give us a run-down of what your storyWe Hear the Deadis all about?

We Hear the Dead is a historical fiction novel based on the real life spirit medium, Maggie Fox. In 1848, Maggie and her younger sister Kate convince their family, and then their neighbors, and then the whole nation that they have the ability to pass messages to and from the dead. It starts out as a prank, which Maggie admits in the opening pages of the book. But Maggie’s older sister, Leah, sees the money-making potential in the trick and turns it into a profitable business, raising the entire family out of poverty. Spiritualism catches on so fast, it becomes a religion, but Maggie is forced into a crisis of conscience when she falls in love with a famous Arctic explorer, Elisha Kane. In the typical fashion of a 19th Century man, Kane forces Maggie to choose between respectability and lies – and between him and her family.

1. Now your book is based on true events and all about spirits and talking to those who have passed, are you the one who has experienced these true events? If not do you believe in spirits and the ability to talk to those who have passed?

No, these true events are all historical. Almost all the events and characters in We Hear the Dead are real. You can Google any of the main characters: Maggie and Kate Fox and Elisha Kane, the ambitious sister Leah Fish Brown Underhill (she was married 3 times), as well as some of their most famous believers, feminist Amy Post, newspaper man Horace Greeley, and First Lady Jane Appleton Pierce. Events in the novel are taken from the historical record and published writings of the time, and I even used lines from Maggie’s and Elisha’s real love letters to write some of the dialogue between them.

Do I believe in spirits and the ability to communicate with them? I would like to believe. Like Elisha Kane in the book, I might attend a séance looking for answers or comfort, but in the end I would be as skeptical as he was.

2. Does this book stand on its own or will it have a sequel? Are you currently working on any other novels at the moment?

This book stands alone. It tells a real story, and when it concludes, there is not much more to tell. I hope I’m not finished writing about spiritualism, however. I have another completed manuscript under consideration which addresses spiritualism (as investigated by scientists in the 1880’s). It is loosely based on real events, but contains a lot more fiction than We Hear the Dead. I also have a work in progress that is a historical mystery surrounding some strange graves in Catawissa, PA. This story may have some paranormal elements, but it’s still very much a work-
in-progress.

I am also involved in writing a screenplay for We Hear the Dead as part of a film option deal. I recently sent off the seventh (!) draft of the screenplay to my collaborator, an independent producer in Hollywood, and I’m waiting for feedback. We are hoping to get the screenplay finished this summer and ready for shopping around to financial backers.

3. Does being an elementary school teacher give you an edge on other books you’re working on?

I teach 5th grade, which is younger than the age I write for. However, my students are very interested in my writing, and I often bounce ideas off them or share a chapter with them.

My students have been my biggest fan club. In March, they watched me leave the classroom mid-day when I headed up to New York City for the Sourcebooks Fire Launch Party. They knew I was nervous as heck, and they applauded me as I turned over the class to the sub and walked out. They reduced me to tears!

They are also mini-promoters. When the novel hit the bookstore shelves in May, they not only went out to buy it – almost every one of them came back with a business card from the store manager! (ie: They bragged that their teacher wrote the book and asked if I could have a signing in the store!)

4. Any advice to aspiring writers?

Write constantly – blogs, reviews, short stories, poems, novels. Every bit of writing that you do improves your skill. Do not ever give up! There is more to one path to a published novel, as I certainly proved, and your path may not start where you think it should or head in the direction you expect.


Fun & Random Facts (We are going to be different here, I want you to put down the first thing that comes to your mind… No.Matter.What)

Author: Kimberly Derting
Book: The Body Finder (my current read)
Movie: Sense and Sensibility (watched it last night)
Ice Cream: Cookie Dough
Pizza: With feta cheese and spinach and black olives
Hot or Cold: Cold (thinking of having a martini)
Black Bear or Panda Bear: Black Bear (can’t explain)
Barbie’s or Polly Pockets: Barbie (I used to have the old kind with holes in their feet for stands, but my sister bit off all their feet, so by the time they were worth something … they were worth nothing.)

Thank you for having me as a guest, Jen! Great questions!

Okay isn't she awesome??? Aren't her students like the cutest!!!! Also I think it's hilarious that her sister bit the holes off of the Barbies feet, very random (Which is why I love Dianne!!) So how do you find out more about this wonderful woman???

FIND HER HERE (Please check her out you won't regret it!!)
WEBSITE
BLOG
BUY BOOK

A Love that Makes Life Drunk

The first interview of FEATURED WRITER'S WEEK BRINGS YOU KAREN!!!!

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions Karen! I’m so happy to have you here on my blog!

Hi Jen, Thanks so much having me over here! It’s a pleasure.

1. So for those who are not aware you already have a book published (2008), the title A Love That Makes Life Drunk, could you tell us a little bit about it?

Jefferson and Lily fall in love despite Lily being in a relationship with Jefferson’s brother. It’s a raw and honest journey through the passion and desire they share.

2. How long have you known you wanted to be a writer?

I “wrote” my first story when I was 11. I’d always loved writing stories at school, but I thought it was something most kids did. In my early teens I realised it wasn’t as I began spending more time in isolation with a notebook and pencil, and later an old typewriter my parents bought me. Writing is in my veins – being a writer is a by-product of that.

3. How long did it take you to finish your first draft?

I write first drafts within days if I have the time. I get myself into a real fever when characters make themselves known to me and I just can’t get their story down quick enough. A Love That Makes Life Drunk took about 2 weeks – but 2 years to revise!

4. Are you a panster or an outliner?

Both. With A Love That Makes Life Drunk I was really organised and mapped out every detail, but with my new novel I completely winged it, and I have to say it was liberating!

5. Is this the first book you’ve ever written?
To date I think I’ve written about 30 novels. Thankfully most will never see daylight, but I think of them as a learning curve!

6. Do you have any other projects currently in the works?

My 2nd novel ‘Hope & Jump’ is due for release at the end of 2010.

7. When you first heard that your book would be published what did you do? Sing, shout, dance in the rain?

I was in total disbelief for ages! Then I think I did a real Karen Roderick thing and celebrated with a glass of Champagne!

8. What does a day in the life of Karen look like?

Busy! It starts at 6.20am and involves all sorts of manic things like getting the boys up for nursery, breakfast, dressing, dropping kids off, picking up a coffee on the way back and finally turning on the laptop after chucking in a load of washing.

At 5pm it descends into meltdown again as the boys arrive home! It finishes at about 11pm crashed out on the sofa with a glass of wine!

Fun & Random Questions
Favorite pizza joint – I’m not going to try and be cosmo here - Dominoes
Snack while writing – tea and toast
Favorite school subject - English
Sweet or Salty – sweet – jellybeans yum!
Favorite book series - does it make me bad to say I’ve never read one??
Last song you listened to – ‘Why Do Lovers?’ by Richard Ashcroft
Last book you read, or book you’re reading now – currently reading ‘Daphne’ by Justine Picardie
Favorite author - Anais Nin and Daphne Du Maurier
Chick flick or Horror – chick flick
Snow or rain - snow
Best time of year to write - autumn

Isn't she a doll?! I love her, even if she's never read a series!!! NOT EVEN HARRY POTTER?? Okay so I know from first hand that her book A Love That Makes Life Drunk is a wonderful read, you would do well to purchase it!!! So be sure to hop over to Karen's blog for a visit! You will not be disappointed! GO NOW!

Fall in love with Fading

Thank you so much Stephanie Boman for taking the time to answer a few questions here at Unedited!

Thank you so much for contacting me. I’m thrilled!

I love meeting fellow writers like yourself and hearing that your novel Fading is in submissions is really exciting. Could you tell us what the novel is about?

Of course! Here’s the blurb:
Sixteen-year-old Lovey doesn't know why Celeste has come back as a spirit after being hit and killed by a car, she's just happy to have her BFF again, in whatever form. But a door has been left open to the spirit world, allowing evil wraiths to enter and torment the living. Adding to her turmoil, new guy Troy Armstrong seems to be interested in Lovey, but the closer she gets to him, the more Celeste begins to fade.

Lovey, whose OCD has gotten worse since the accident, has to make a choice, but it will take a strength she's never known before to overcome her guilt and insecurity. Can Lovey sacrifice the one thing that's ever given her a feeling of self-worth in order to set things right?

I love the premise of your story, did you come with this novel because of someone you loved? Having to let go of another person you loved?

I wrote an embarrassingly awful story about first love when I was a sophomore in high school based on a personal experience. Something good came from that immature writing: the new-guy-falling-for-you premise became the seeds of Fading. I tried to infuse the story with the electric feelings of puppy love I remember having. The rest of the story was pure imagination. While I’ve lost loved ones, I’ve never lost a close friend my age, or had to let them go when I didn’t want to.

Did you know from the beginning you’d want to be a YA author or did you kind of fall into it?

In college I wrote an essay for a creative writing class. When it was critiqued someone asked, “is this a children’s story?” I had not meant to write a children’s story and needless to say, my writing ego took a hit. Years later, when I considered writing my first novel, I pulled that story out and thought, “what’s wrong with being a writer for younger people?” YA books are my favorite books to read, and my voice seems to lean naturally toward that audience.

Is Fading the only book you’ve written or are there others? Do you have any other prospects in the works?

My first novel, the fruits of my failed college creative writing attempt, became Ada, Maid-in-Waiting, a historical novel set in Arthurian days. As many first novels end up, it’s on the back burner on a very low simmer. My second novel was Fading. My third novel is The Book of Esther, A Fairie’s Tale. It’s a modern urban fantasy based on the biblical story, but the persecuted race in this version is Fae.

How long did it take you to snag yourself an agent? How did it feel when you got the email?

It took me about three years from when I first started querying with Ada. I was so thrilled to receive the email that I didn’t know what to do with all the emotion inside me. It was morning, so I had my normal work out, then alternately sobbed and laughed with relief and happiness in the shower.

Fun & Random Questions:
Favorite pizza joint: Tantardino’s on the Lake Almanor Peninsula in Northern California. THE best cheese and crust!
Any snacks while writing: I popped a Jelly Belly here and there.
Favorite writing spot: Our cabin at Lake Almanor.
Favorite Author: Oof, that’s a toughie. I’d have to say, overall, Truman Capote.
Favorite Book: Again with the hard questions! Um, To Kill a Mockingbird? Sense
and Sensibility? I don’t know. How about the dictionary? I absolutely LOVE fat old dictionaries.
Favorite Book Series: I was never much of a series reader. . .unless you count Choose Your Own Adventure books. I read ALL of those! I’ve enjoyed Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely books, I believe that would count as a series.
Dragon or Dinosaur: Dragon. . .dinosaurs always kind of scared me.

Be sure to follow her!
Webiste
Blog

I for one am very excited to read Fading and look forward to hearing the great news and the release date of when we will get our hands on this book! BTW I'm with you too Dragons are so much better!! Oh and Choose your own adventure books ROCK!!!!

Liar Society Love

We all know these fabulous sisters and they were sweet enough to accept an interview here on my blog!!! So sit back and relax as we take a wild ride with the lovely Lisa & Laura!

1. So for those who currently live under rocks and are unaware of what your book Liar Society (due in 2011) is all about will you give us the rundown?

LIAR SOCIETY features Kate Lowry whose best friend Grace died the year before. On the
anniversary of Grace’s death, Kate receives the following email from her:

Kate,
I'm here…
sort of.
Find Cameron.
He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell.
They'll hurt you.

Kate has no choice but to play detective and prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. The emails continue and Kate is forced to confront the school's resident druggie, a sketchy administrator and even her own demons.

As she moves closer and closer to the truth, she teams up with a couple of knights-in-(not so)shining armor--the dangerously attractive, bad boy, Liam and her love-struck neighbor, Seth.

The three uncover an ancient secret lurking in the halls of their elite private school with the power to destroy them all.

But the truth doesn’t always set you free. Sometimes it’s only the beginning.

2. I hear that you are working on Liar Society 2... And are very close to being finished, care to give us a few secrets??

We have just completed our first (very rough) draft of book 2. We’ve got amnesia, love triangles, sketchy new girls and one missing Queen Bee. It’s probably a hot mess right now, but we promise it will be in tip-top shape sometime soon!

3. Are there any ideas for after you are finished with Liar Society 2?

We have an idea for a new series that we’re itching to get started on. We also have an entire Idea Whore file devoted to all things Kate.

4. Are you terrified for THE END? What will you do when the series is complete? Cry, scream, ask a hobo for help?

We go back and forth. When we first began Book 2, we wanted to pull our collective hair out. No one told us sequels were so hard! But once we got in the rhythm, elements began to fall into place. Now I think we have the confidence to pull off an entire series. There may be a few tears once this is all over! But hopefully we’ll be working on our other series idea, so there will be no hard feelings.

5. How do you both deal with one another while writing? I have two sisters and we would never be able to write with one another… is there a secret power that you two have to handle it all?

It’s funny because while we’re writing, we’re distracted and busy. We don’t have time to fight. If we ever disagree about the direction of a chapter, we just change it. Usually, whatever the other one comes up with is better anyways. But watching a book come together before your eyes is so much more fun than arguing about it. When we’re not writing? All bets are off.

6. Are you a pansters or outliners?

Definitely outliners, although our final product looks nothing like the initial outline. We appreciate having direction as we write—it makes Lisa feel more in control of the process—control freak that she is.

7. Do you find the revision process a total nightmare or are you a fan?

Lisa HATES revising—probably because she’s the one who always takes first stab at the
document as Laura follows behind. Revising mysteries is really confusing because you lose track of where you’re supposed to drop clues, when you did and what they were. Not to mention who the reader should be suspecting and when! It all gets very complicated as we’re trying to revise.

8. What’s your favorite part of the writing process?

The first draft. This is the time when we get to be both readers and writers. It’s so much fun to get a shiny new chapter in your inbox.

9. How did you go about deciding who to query? How many queries did you send out? About how long did it take to get the call? Do you remember what you were both doing when you got the call/email/facebook message?

For our first (doomed) manuscript, we sent out a query to every young adult agent in the industry. We’re not kidding. While we received some encouraging feedback about our voice, the book was beyond repair. That’s when we decided to write another. When we were ready to query LIAR SOCIETY, we identified 15 dream agents, figuring we’d start at the top. We ended up with three offers for representation a week later. Lisa intercepted the call from Catherine while Laura was in Baltimore—there was a whole lot of screaming involved—from both her kids and us.

10. Do you have a critique group or beta readers that you adore?

We have a few very trusted beta readers who help us whip our work into shape. We
appreciate ruthlessness. Plus, Catherine applies what she calls the “mean agent treatment” to the manuscript, which helps too.

11. Are you currently living the dream of being full-time writers are do you have other less exciting day jobs?

Since Lisa was laid off last year, we are both full-time writers (and moms). Balancing the two is very interesting. We do the bulk of our writing at night (or I guess I should say, in the wee hours of the morning). Yeah, we don’t sleep.

12. What does the day in the life of Lisa & Laura look like?

Daytime is full of kid-wrangling. But we’ve learned how to sneak in a few words during the day—thank you Nick Jr., gym childcare and naptime. At night we try to catch up on blogs, write our own posts and complete at least a chapter a day while we’re writing. When we’re really motivated to complete a manuscript, we commit to a strict two chapter a day schedule. It’s insane.

13. Any advice for aspiring writers?

This business is SO subjective, ridiculously so. Books that we love, others hate. NEVER give up. Writers say it all the time, but it’s so true: It only takes one. This goes for agents and editors. The best part about writing is that there is always another manuscript to be written, another agent to be queried, another editor to send work to. The only thing you have to lose is time.

14. If you could live anywhere in the world where would you be? Curve ball - you only get to bring two things with you… what would they be… and why?

Laura would live on Daydream Island in the Great Barrier Reef. The sand seriously feels like you’re stepping on a cloud.

Lisa would live in Cleveland. [Editorial Note: When I asked Lisa this question, she asked a million in return. Can I bring my family? What about extended? She was very concerned at having to leave everyone. Then she said Cleveland and I said
that had to be her final answer.] We’re assuming we could bring our husbands and children, right? Right. In that case, our two items would be our laptops, which are really just an extension of our arms, and our Kindles.

Fun & Random Questions
Favorite restaurant – Lemongrass in Coventry
Favorite book series – Hunger Games Trilogy
Favorite tv series - Glee
Favorite reality show (I know you both have one!) – Anything on Bravo
Current read – INCARCERON by Catherine Fisher
Snow or rain - Rain
Chick flick or horror – Chick flick
Sweet or salty - Sweet
Lion or Kangaroo - Kangaroo
Favorite writing spot - Couch
Favorite writing snack - Twizzlers

Thank you so much to these awesome chicks!!! If you have to follow them you must do it now! They are one seriously does of awesomeness not to be missed!!! Go check them out now! :)

On Cloud 9

So last week the wonderful Jessica Bell over at The Alliterative Allomorph asked to interview me... in which I said HELL YES SIGN ME UP!!!

You see I've been interviewing quite a few authors over the past few months (several more to come, tune in tomorrow for Lisa & Laura... you won't want to miss out on all the fun!!) The thing is I have never been interviewed myself, I saw Creepy Query Girl getting a fabulous interview and thought hmmm, am I not interesting enough??

Turns out I was wrong, some of us just never thought to ask an unpublished author interview questions, well Jessica took the plunge and I'm glad she did so be sure to check out my interview over at her blog today!!! She's too awesome to miss! So just know if you don't think your interesting enough one of these days I'll be knocking on your unpublished door seeking an interview, and in return if you've ever wanted to ask me a question or interview me, know now that I'll say YES grinning from ear to ear :)

Wonderful contest update!!!

Erica Mitchell Spickard is still hard at work trying to climb to 78 followers for what is sure to be a wonderful twist... if you want to know what it is get over there and follow her to help celebrate her husbands return home! Also an awesome tote and books are up for grabs (which I'm dying to have) so if you jump over there make sure to tell her I sent you, and also give her a little love!

What are you still doing here??? Go check out the InTeRvIeW!!!

Blogger isn't posting comments on my blog however they are going to my email at least, so it may appear I have 0 comments but I have received yours!

Interview - Elle Strauss!!

I am so excited to have the wonderful Elle Strauss on my blog today for an interview! She's a wonderful writer, blogger and friend, so lets not waste time!!!

Elle Strauss Interview - Elle Strauss I'm the author of CLOCKWISE, a YA chicklit about a teenage time traveler who accidentally takes the cutest boy in the school back in time, and of PLAYING WITH MATCHES, a YA historical about a boy who grows up in Hitler Youth. I am represented by the fabulous Natalie Fischer of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. Find me on Facebook, Twitter and on my blog.

1. What made you think of the idea of Clockwise? Playing with Matches?

I started Playing with Matches in 2005 after a friend of mine brought his father over for supper. He started telling us his story about having to walk 200km from one city to another after the war—no money, no transport, no food and only sixteen. The muse started talking. Clockwise came out of the need for a break from such a serious subject. Writing a book based on history and a very well known even at that, takes loads of research. I just needed a break from the war. I had written a time travel story many years ago and decided I like to do a better job of that, and started a new one.

2. Are these currently out on submissions are is there a publishing date in sight?

I’m fortunate to have both of these books out on submission. Clockwise went first, then Playing with Matches. Interestingly enough, it was Clockwise, my take a break book, that got me my agent.

3. How did it feel when an agent emailed/called you to let you know they were interested? Laugh, scream, cry, dance with a bear?

Actually, the first thing I felt was relief. After spending years looking and enduring a ton of rejections, I was just relieved to finally have climbed over that hurdle. That was quickly followed by joy and a happy dance.

4. How does you writing process work? Are you a panster or an outliner? Does the first draft or the revisions take longer? How long did it take you to write both YA novels?

I’m a blend. I usually have a general idea where I want to go, a beginning, middle, end, but then all bets are off and usually all those point turn out completely different than what I first imagined. The first draft takes longer, but revisions can happen over and over again, and ultimately take more time. Playing with Matches took five years to get agent ready and Clockwise took a year and a half.

5. How long have you wanted to be a writer? Do you work as a writer or do you have another profession on the side?

I’m a late bloomer and didn’t discover my passion to write until I was in my early thirties. Right now I’m working in administration part-time, but my plan is to write full-time in the future. (Hoping!)

6. What was it like during the querying process? How did you properly decide who to send your queries too? How many did you send out?

Anyone who has entered the query process knows it’s agonizing. I researched all the agents I submitted to, making sure they were looking for the type of book I was pitching to them, and followed their submission guidelines. I don’t have my records, they died with my laptop, but I would say thirty plus agent submission for each of them is not far off.

7. Do you have a critique group you are a part of?

I have a couple on-line crit partners and a couple writer friends who read for me.

8. What does a day in the life of Elle look like?

This is a really hard question to answer. Every day is different.

9. Do you have any other projects currently in the works?

I just completed another chik-lit project called SEAWEED about a teen swim athlete who falls for a merboy, only to find out they have more in common and more to fear, than they thought.

Fun and Random Questions
Favorite burger joint? I don’t eat fast food, but if pressed I’d say A & W (teen burger).
Favorite bookshop? We only have two in our city and I like them both.
Favorite book? Pride and Prejudice
Favorite author? Too many great ones to choose.
Favorite series? They’re only two books and more companion than series, but I liked Ballad and Lament by Maggie Stiefvater.
Rain or snow? Rain
Bear or Lion? Bear
Writing snack of choice? I don’t eat an write but afterwards I’m all about dark chocolate
Sweet or Salty? Sweet
Book you are currently reading? Just finished Not Suitable for Family Viewing by Vicki Grant — loved it.

Thank you so much Elle for stopping by my blog!! Be sure to check out her blog and join her on the journey to publication! I wish her the best of luck and know that with these books we will be seeing her in stores soon enough!!!

Interview - Mandy Hubbard

500 follower contest will be announced next week!!! Mandy Hubbards book Prada & Prejudice will just be one of the books given away!!!

This week I bring you the lovely Mandy Hubbard! I am honored that she took the time out of her very busy schedule to answer a few questions for us!!! So there are more than a few, but I can never seem to help myself!



Thanks again for visiting my blog and answering a few questions for us!

1. So for those who are unaware of what Prada and Prejudice is, could we have the run-down?

The elevator pitch: It’s about a 15 year old girl who buys a pair of heels to impress the popular girls, but she ends up tripping, hitting her head, and waking up in 1815.

2. Who was your favorite character to write in the story?

Probably Alex. I love hot British aristocrats.


3. Who was the most difficult to write?

Callie. She completely changed in terms of character/personality through the 9 drafts it took to sell this book. I had such a hard time figure out who she was and what she wanted and how she would change throughout the novel.

4. Do you remember what you were doing when the idea first popped into your head?

Not really—I had always wanted to write a time travel to regency England.

5. At any point in time were you discouraged? Did you want to give up?

Yes and yes! As I said above, it took 9 drafts to create a story worthy of a book deal. I wanted to pitch it out the window a few times!

6. How long did it take you to write your first draft?

2-3 months, partly because I had to stop in the middle in order to revise a different project for my agent.

7. Are you a panster or an outliner?

Naturally, a pantster, but I’ve learned to outline so that I can sell books on proposal.
8. Do the ideas just flow or is there a place you like to go to get centered and wait for the ideas to visit?

I’m pretty methodical about it—I’m on a 2 book per year schedule so I don’t have time for them to just… come to me. I go after them by actively brainstorming.

9. Do your main characters talk to you?

No, although we just talked about this in a writer’s group I’m in and apparently I’m the odd one out. *shrug*.

10. Did you have a critique group? Do you have a critique group?

No, I’ve always just done “critique partners” where I send the full manuscript to an author friend or two when its ready for a fresh set of eyes. I’m not a fan of the group set up because I’m more concerned with larger issues that require reading the full manuscript all at once, rather than chapter-by-chapter like most groups do.

11. How was the querying process for you? Scary, nerve-wrecking?

I loved it. Certainly, its nerve-wracking, but I have this weird obsession about pitch letters and matchmaking projects with agents/editors. That’s why I became an agent.
12. Any advice to aspiring writers?

Read, Read, read. And spend a lot of time learning what makes a good book and be okay with ripping apart your work so that you can put it back together again.

13. What did you do when you received your first rejection letter?

Ate some ice cream and sent out some more queries.

14. What did you do when you received a letter of someone wanting your story?

The news came via an email from my agent. I actually struggled to breathe for a second there! It was amazing and exciting.

15. I know you are about to release You Wish coming out August 5th, so could you tell everyone what it’s about?! I know I’m excited for it!

It’s about a teen girl who gets every one of her childhood birthday wishes, one every day, for 2 weeks. She’s desperate to stop them because last year she wished that Ben, the hottie she’s been in love with for years, would kiss her. Just one problem: now he’s her best friend’s boyfriend.

16. Are there any other books in the works?

Yep! A full list is at mandyhubbard.com In a nutshell: a dark book about an abusive relationship, and a paranormal fantasy about a teen who is normal all day, and a siren at night, and she accidently killed the only boy she’s ever loved.

17. Do you have a favorite book series?

I’m super excited about the last HUNGER GAMES book! It comes out in August.

18. Do you watch television? If so what are some of your favorite shows?

Glee, The Deadliest Catch, and House are my favorites.


19. What is a day in the life of Mandy Hubbard like?

I get up pretty early—about 6, and I spend most of my day reading, writing, answering emails, editing client manuscripts, etc.

20. What’s your favorite treat while writing?

Gummy bears, if I’m not being good. And Diet Coke.


21. Where’s your favorite place to write?

In my home office. I blew up the cover of Prada & Prejudice and had it framed. I love the space!

22. What is your favorite book?

There is NO WAY I could choose! I love Hate List, The Chosen One, The Season, True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Hunger Games… I could go on and on.

23. What are you reading right now?

DIRTY LITTLE SECRET, a YA about hoarding.

And for more quick random questions:

Rollerblades or bicycles: bikes

Dragons or Dinosaurs: dinosaurs

Chocolate or Gummy bears: ha! See above. Defintely gummy bears.

Chick flick or horror: Chick flick. Can’t stand horror—unless it’s a book.

Favorite author: I plead the fifth. Too many favorites!

Snow or rain: Snow!

Favorite song: The Change by Garth Brooks.

So there you have it for the wonderful Mandy Hubbard! The books in the works sound amazing so I am looking forward to all of her new releases!!!

Interview - Elana Johnson

I'm so excited to have Elana Johnson on my blog!!! She's super awesome and I feel honored to be interviewing her today! She's super famous in the blogging world and if you don't follow her you should start! She's fantastic!

So as well all know by now Control Issues is due out in Summer 2011, could you give us a little insight on what the book is about?

CI is about a girl who wants to make her own choices, living in a society where that simply isn’t done. Oh, and a hawt guy. There’s always a cute guy, right? I mean, it is YA.

I love a great story with a hot guy, don't you?!

Which character did you have the most fun writing?

CI is written in first person, so I only wrote one character—Vi—and she’s frawesome. At least I think so, but it’s not like I’m biased or anything. No…

Anyone who can have a cool nickname like Vi would be super awesome... or frawesome!

What were you doing when you first came up with the idea… if you remember; Were you washing dishes, eating dinner, modeling?

Yes, modeling. ROTFL! Since I do that in my spare time. I’m not entirely sure I remember where I was, but I do know I’d been thinking a lot about choices and what life would be like if my ability to make my own decisions was taken away.

What a thought! I am excited to see how you imagined the world would turn out!

Are you a panster or an outliner?

Pantser in the extreme.

Just like myself!

How long did it take you to finish your first draft?

17 days.

Holy Toledo Batman! Here I thought 5 weeks was good, but 17 days that's insane! You really are a panster! I think you've earned yourself a badge!

How many sets of revisions did you go through?

So many I want to cry (and I have no idea, because I’ve lost count). That’s the life of a pantser – at least one like me. I wrote 90K in 17 days, and proceeded to spend the next 17 MONTHS trying to get it right. Sometimes I really really wish I could outline. It would make cleaning up the word vomit so much easier. Good thing there’s a process for each of us!

At least I know I'm not alone in the crazy world of revisions!

What were the emotions you felt after finishing that first draft? Or any draft that you’ve ever finished? Cry, Laugh, Scream, Hug a rhino?

There’s always a huge high when you finish a draft. For me, it’s short-lived, because I know I have to go all rhino and go back in there to salvage the book.

I think we have all experienced this feeling!

Are you part of a critique group? Online or in your area?

Both. I have a live group I’ve been in for over 2 years, and I have an online group that operates on and off based on when we have material to crit. I have betas who read for me on whims, so that’s nice too.

Definitely have a team to back you up! That's fantastic!

Do you have any other published pieces, or any other pieces you are currently working on?

Nothing else published, and multiple things I’m working on. I’ve sent in my second book to my agent and am currently writing another novel. I wish I knew what it was about, so stay tuned for that!

I know we'll be excited to hear about your second book!

How was the querying process for an expert like yourself? Did you send out several?

Several? *rolls with laughter* Several? *laughter turns maniacal*

Ahem, yeah. I sent out “several.” Over the course of 8 months. So let’s face it, I sent out more than several. About 180 more than several.

The querying process was the longest, horriblest (yes, it’s a word), most ledge-worthy activity I’ve ever done in my life. Basically, it was hell.

But I survived. (That seventh rung down there is d-i-r-t-y.) And you will too.

So basically you're saying it's going to be tough. Got it.

Were you ever discouraged at any point in the writing process?

Um, yeah. See above. I feel like quitting on a near-daily basis, even now.

How did you decide what agencies to send your work to?

Interviews, agent blogs, websites, agent query profiles, information on Publisher’s Marketplace, etc. I researched my brains out on each and every agent.

I sent my query to anyone I thought would be a good match. After I had about 20 submissions out there, I did sort of go crazy and query the planet… Yeah, sometimes desperation took me over.

Desperation and craziness paid off it seems!!

What does a day in the life of Elana look like?

Depends on the day/season. It’s summer right now, so I pretty much do whatever I want all the time. But really, I get up, go to work, take care of my family, watch copious amounts of reality TV and then end my day with writing. Blogs all get written on the weekend. Books read from 3 – 4 PM or in bed from 11 – midnight.

Oh, and soda. There is always soda.

A girl after my own heart! Reality TV, Blog post written on weekends... and soda, always soda!

What is your favorite weather to write in? Sunshine, snow falling, raining?

Rain. I absolutely hate the feel of rain on my skin, but I love the way it smells and hears. And it’s a sad sound, and I sort of have to be in that frame of mind to write in a brainwashing setting. So I love writing in the rain.

Rain and writing is the best mix to a wonderful day!

Do you have a favorite book, or favorites?

Every book I read becomes my new favorite. Just ask my husband. I do the same thing with foods and songs.

I suppose you'd be every authors favorite customer!

Who is your all time favorite character in what I’m sure is a substantial amount of reading you do?

Harry Potter. (Cop-out? Whatev.)

Harry Potter rocks! Cop-out? I think not.

Any advice to aspiring writers?

Work Hard.

Don’t Give Up.

Finish Strong.

Pay It Forward.

Best advice a writer/author could give!

Now for random questions... Ready... Set... Go!
Favorite song: (right now) Whattya Want From Me by Adam Lambert
Favorite writing spot: In my blue chair
computer or notepad: Both – paper when the words won’t flow, computer when they will
sweet or salty: Both – at the same time. Can you say, “Pretzel M&M’s?”
snow or rain: Rain. My car slides off the road in snow.
bicycle or rollerblades: Bicycle. I am balance-challenged.
chick flick or horror: Chick flicks. I cannot stomach horror – I have nightmares. True that.
favorite ice cream: Anything with peanut-butter cups and caramel
What book are you currently reading: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

What's your favorite treat while writing?

It varies (see the whole favorite thing up there *grins*). Sometimes it’s Red Vines – the superior Twizzler. Sometimes Sour Patch Kids. Right now, it’s Pretzel M&M’s, but I’ve been known to chow down those French fried onion things that are supposed to be a garnish…but you know.

Yum I love your list and garnish or not those rock!

What's your favorite writing book?

Uh…I don’t really read non-fiction or anything with real substance. Yeah, I’m that shallow. I’ve tried reading writing books before, but I just don’t find them that interesting. *ducks* The one that helped me the most, and I only read a couple of chapters, is “Stein on Writing” by Sol Stein, so let’s go with that one.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that hasn't found them interesting. I think I'll give Stein on Writing a chance though!

Do you have a favorite series?

Okay, I’m not a huge series fan. (Don’t throw Coke cans!) I’m usually burnt out after two books, but I will finish a trilogy if I’m really into it. But I have read and will read again, the Harry Potter books.

Woohoo!!! 10+ for Harry Potter!

Do you have another job outside writing?

Yes, I teach elementary school computers (K-6). I’m basically a glorified typing instructor – but it gives me a lot of time to check email and read blogs!

So there you have it! Isn't she great?! So again if you are not following her you must! She is great and always has the best posts!! Have a wonderful Wednesday!!