I'm happy to announce the winners of last week's contest....Kimberly and Anne (Anne replied off list). Congratulations, ladies!
Next week at this time, I will be in midtown Manhattan at the Backspace Writers' Conference. So I'm going to keep the blog dark until at least the beginning of June so I can work on writerly things.
Have a great rest of May, everyone!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
THE LUCY VARIATIONS by Sara Zarr
If you're into realistic YA, Sara Zarr's new book, THE LUCY VARIATIONS, is a must. Sara is a National Book Award Finalist, and her other books include STORY OF A GIRL, HOW TO SAVE A LIFE, and SWEETHEARTS. When I was fortunate enough to attend a workshop with her last year, I not only learned ways to improve my craft, but I also found out what being a writer really means.
Sara provides excellent insight into her characters--and fleshes them out brilliantly. The protagonist in THE LUCY VARIATIONS is also near to my heart; I played piano for many years, and while I enjoyed it at times, it always felt like something that was chosen for me, like eating broccoli.
Not only does the book release today, you'll have a chance to win your own copy by leaving a comment (don't forget to include contact information, so we have a way to get a hold of you if you win).
Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain.
That was all before she turned fourteen.
Now, at sixteen, it's over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. That leaves her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of piano -- on her own terms. But when you're used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?
National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr takes readers inside the exclusive world of privileged San Francisco families, top junior music competitions, and intense mentorships. The Lucy Variations is a story of one girl's struggle to reclaim her love of music and herself. It's about finding joy again, even when things don't go according to plan. Because life isn't a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.
Here are Sara's answers to some of my questions:
I love the premise of THE LUCY VARIATIONS. Where did the idea come from and what do you want readers to take away from the story when they're finished?
The idea has been stewing for a long time. As far back as the late 90s (well before any of my books were published), I had this girl in my mind who eventually became Lucy. In one version, she was an athlete in a family of musicians and spending Christmas on her uncle's farm, suffering from insomnia, and befriending a cranky boy with a broken leg. Now, I know it's difficult to see how this relates in any way to the eventual outcome! But trust me when I say they're related. That's the mystery of writing. Sometimes our stories take long and winding roads; sometimes they present themselves almost whole cloth. So there was that, then thirteen or fourteen years later here I am having a kind of creative crisis and midlife crisis and wanting to explore that, as well as the idea of mentorship, and I'd found the right story for this girl. As for what readers take away: I always say that my primary hope is that readers have a great reading experience. Beyond that, I think there's some good stuff in this book about the importance of occupying your life and paying attention and giving yourself to what you love.
Such a good lesson; characters and stories will come out when they're meant to--and sometimes those answers won't come until the proper time. As a Bay Area native, I was excited to learn the book takes place in San Francisco. Does the setting impact the characters and/or the plot? If so, how?
Setting is always important. In this particular story, Lucy is from a wealthy family with recent European roots. I knew she should live in a city that has a thriving culture, where she could fully live her life as a professional musician and child of privilege. Since I grew up in San Francisco, it made sense to me to put her there. My own experience of SF was much less glamorous, but I knew some people who lived in that world and the amount of money floating around always boggled me. Most of my stories have been about characters not from privilege, so it was a new interesting challenge to write from a different worldview. Lucy feels quite a bit more entitled than most of my previous characters, but I still wanted to feel sympathetic to her particular challenges and make sure the reader does, too.
Always a challenge in shaping characters: making them flawed, but also heroic. On your blog, you conduct a regular podcast, "This Creative Life," in which you interview authors. What have you learned and/or enjoyed in these sessions?
Those conversations with other creative people are always so encouraging to me. Other people's experiences remind me that I'm not alone, I'm not nuts, and give me a chance to focus on the non-business aspects of this vocation and career. I also hope, with the podcast, to give those same reminders to whoever needs to hear them.
It's great when something that encourages you also helps others! There will be a book tour for THE LUCY VARIATIONS from May 8-17. What tips, if any, do you have regarding the balance and organization of travel and promotion efforts?
It's hard! I always feel like I should be doing more, promotionally, and I also always think I should be writing more. I do notice that I'm better off making sure I get in at least 90 minutes of creative/writing time just for me, especially when it gets busy. Otherwise I start to feel sad and restless and disconnected from myself. At the same time, you always want to do everything in your power to help your book find readers. When I'm actually on tour and doing the traveling, I don't even attempt the 90 minutes of writing. I try to make good sleep and good eating and stress management the "big rocks" during that time, and just obey my schedule the rest of the time. When my first book came out, I did notice I was getting really stressed and over-preparing for speaking and whatnot. I finally realized: I'm an expert on me and my books. I don't need to get all stressed about this way in advance and make index cards or anything. Now I basically make a deal with myself that unless it's some big conference talk, I'm not allowed to even think about it until the day before.
It's wonderful you were able to find a process that works for you--and it sounds like you've found a good rhythm! I also saw that you will be at this year's ALA (American Library Association) conference in June. What role do you envision librarians having in the future of books and publishing?
Well, without libraries and the people who work in them, we're screwed. That's really how I feel. The public library system is one the major things that makes possible the tenets our country was founded on. As more and more channels of information are commercialized and sponsored and corporatized and monetized, and as the gap between the rich and the poor increases, free and open access to information and literature will be more important than ever.
I couldn't agree more! Thanks, Sara, for an excellent interview!
To snag one of Sara's books, click the links below. To enter to win a free copy of THE LUCY VARIATIONS, leave a comment below!
Any and all comments will have a chance to win!
Sara provides excellent insight into her characters--and fleshes them out brilliantly. The protagonist in THE LUCY VARIATIONS is also near to my heart; I played piano for many years, and while I enjoyed it at times, it always felt like something that was chosen for me, like eating broccoli.
Not only does the book release today, you'll have a chance to win your own copy by leaving a comment (don't forget to include contact information, so we have a way to get a hold of you if you win).
Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain.That was all before she turned fourteen.
Now, at sixteen, it's over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. That leaves her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of piano -- on her own terms. But when you're used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?
National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr takes readers inside the exclusive world of privileged San Francisco families, top junior music competitions, and intense mentorships. The Lucy Variations is a story of one girl's struggle to reclaim her love of music and herself. It's about finding joy again, even when things don't go according to plan. Because life isn't a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.
Here are Sara's answers to some of my questions:
I love the premise of THE LUCY VARIATIONS. Where did the idea come from and what do you want readers to take away from the story when they're finished?
The idea has been stewing for a long time. As far back as the late 90s (well before any of my books were published), I had this girl in my mind who eventually became Lucy. In one version, she was an athlete in a family of musicians and spending Christmas on her uncle's farm, suffering from insomnia, and befriending a cranky boy with a broken leg. Now, I know it's difficult to see how this relates in any way to the eventual outcome! But trust me when I say they're related. That's the mystery of writing. Sometimes our stories take long and winding roads; sometimes they present themselves almost whole cloth. So there was that, then thirteen or fourteen years later here I am having a kind of creative crisis and midlife crisis and wanting to explore that, as well as the idea of mentorship, and I'd found the right story for this girl. As for what readers take away: I always say that my primary hope is that readers have a great reading experience. Beyond that, I think there's some good stuff in this book about the importance of occupying your life and paying attention and giving yourself to what you love.
Such a good lesson; characters and stories will come out when they're meant to--and sometimes those answers won't come until the proper time. As a Bay Area native, I was excited to learn the book takes place in San Francisco. Does the setting impact the characters and/or the plot? If so, how?
Setting is always important. In this particular story, Lucy is from a wealthy family with recent European roots. I knew she should live in a city that has a thriving culture, where she could fully live her life as a professional musician and child of privilege. Since I grew up in San Francisco, it made sense to me to put her there. My own experience of SF was much less glamorous, but I knew some people who lived in that world and the amount of money floating around always boggled me. Most of my stories have been about characters not from privilege, so it was a new interesting challenge to write from a different worldview. Lucy feels quite a bit more entitled than most of my previous characters, but I still wanted to feel sympathetic to her particular challenges and make sure the reader does, too.
Always a challenge in shaping characters: making them flawed, but also heroic. On your blog, you conduct a regular podcast, "This Creative Life," in which you interview authors. What have you learned and/or enjoyed in these sessions?
Those conversations with other creative people are always so encouraging to me. Other people's experiences remind me that I'm not alone, I'm not nuts, and give me a chance to focus on the non-business aspects of this vocation and career. I also hope, with the podcast, to give those same reminders to whoever needs to hear them.
It's great when something that encourages you also helps others! There will be a book tour for THE LUCY VARIATIONS from May 8-17. What tips, if any, do you have regarding the balance and organization of travel and promotion efforts?
It's hard! I always feel like I should be doing more, promotionally, and I also always think I should be writing more. I do notice that I'm better off making sure I get in at least 90 minutes of creative/writing time just for me, especially when it gets busy. Otherwise I start to feel sad and restless and disconnected from myself. At the same time, you always want to do everything in your power to help your book find readers. When I'm actually on tour and doing the traveling, I don't even attempt the 90 minutes of writing. I try to make good sleep and good eating and stress management the "big rocks" during that time, and just obey my schedule the rest of the time. When my first book came out, I did notice I was getting really stressed and over-preparing for speaking and whatnot. I finally realized: I'm an expert on me and my books. I don't need to get all stressed about this way in advance and make index cards or anything. Now I basically make a deal with myself that unless it's some big conference talk, I'm not allowed to even think about it until the day before.
It's wonderful you were able to find a process that works for you--and it sounds like you've found a good rhythm! I also saw that you will be at this year's ALA (American Library Association) conference in June. What role do you envision librarians having in the future of books and publishing?
Well, without libraries and the people who work in them, we're screwed. That's really how I feel. The public library system is one the major things that makes possible the tenets our country was founded on. As more and more channels of information are commercialized and sponsored and corporatized and monetized, and as the gap between the rich and the poor increases, free and open access to information and literature will be more important than ever.
I couldn't agree more! Thanks, Sara, for an excellent interview!
To snag one of Sara's books, click the links below. To enter to win a free copy of THE LUCY VARIATIONS, leave a comment below!
Any and all comments will have a chance to win!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
THE END GAMES by T. Michael Martin--plus interview!
THE END GAMES by T. Michael Martin debuts next week on May 7! Hooray! I've pre-ordered it, and can't wait for a copy. I'm also in the final revisions of a paranormal that has shaped itself into a horror, and I want to study good examples in that genre.
It happened on Halloween.
The world ended.
And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.
Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.
In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.
But The Game is changing.
The Bellows are evolving.
The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.
And the brothers will never be the same.
Here are some questions I asked Mike:
You got your BFA in Filmmaking. How did this lead to writing novels, and can you tell us more about what you learned on the way to publication?
Film is my first love, and I'm totally a child of blockbusters: Movies like E.T., Back to the Future, Jaws, Ghostbusters, and T2 shaped my imagination as much as any novel, and I fell in love with the way those films tell huge stories in a way that still feels emotionally intimate.
I was a Religious Studies major for a year before transferring to film school, and I went to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with the intention of becoming a director. About halfway through my first year, though, I realized that I didn't yet have the kind of social confidence a director needs in order to lead an entire crew through a film production's gauntlet.
I switched to screenwriting, and it was right around that time that John Green's and Sara Zarr's first books were coming out. I was floored and inspired by their work -- I'd never realized what YA could do -- and I started working on a (blessedly unpublished!) first novel. Fitting my novel work in alongside my class work was hard, but I had incredible and supportive mentors who encouraged me along the way.
I know it sounds strange, but: I don't think I ever would have become a novelist if I hadn't gone to film school. I learned 90% of what I know about story structure in screenwriting classes, and the simple act of watching hundreds of films helped me pick up so much about storytelling. I learned from my mentors to be a merciless editor of my own work, too, because you're really pushed to cut out every unnecessary word in screenplays.
(Also: I can't tell you how thrilled I've been so many early readers have called THE END GAMES "cinematic.")
It sounds like you gleaned a lot of valuable lessons along your journey! On your website, it says THE END GAMES was inspired by your brother Patrick and your love of zombie movies. What do you like most about the book, and what do you want readers to take away when they're finished reading it?
Definitely my favorite thing about the book is the relationship between the main characters, two brothers named (wait for it...) Michael and Patrick. Michael is seventeen and Patrick is five, which was a kind of relationship I'd never quite seen in YA, and I really began the book as a kind of love letter to my own younger brother.
I named the characters after us, because even though the fictional "Michael and Patrick" wound up being very different from me and my brother, I wanted to examine the particular kind of protective love I'd always felt for Patrick. The book has received some wonderful early notices (including a starred review from Booklist), but the thing I'm proudest of is that early readers have said that they found Michael and Patrick's relationship to be convincing and powerful. For all its spooky action and mystery, THE END GAMES is fundamentally the story of a love between siblings at the end of the world, and more than anything, I hope readers will come away from the book feeling a connection to those two young brothers.
It's so important to capture realistic relationships and ramped up tensions among characters--especially when writing stories with supernatural elements. You've done that very well!
You do a great vlog series on YouTube. What are the benefits you've found from this medium, and do you have any recommendations to writers wanting to start a vlog?
Thank you! By far the biggest benefit is the wonderful sense of community I've found on YouTube, not just with my fellow vloggers (who are amazing and generous) but also with my viewers. 85% of my audience is made up of teenagers, and it's been a lovely and unexpected blessing to be able to interact with them on a daily basis. (It's also fantastic to be able to make a video and share it with the Internet after just a few hours, 'cause it takes me, like, 2-4 years to write a book.)
The best advice I can give is to get involved as much as you can with the YouTube community, especially with people who make work you genuinely admire. Making videos is a blast, but it's also a lot of work, and you really have to love online video in order to stick with it. It's worth noting that it almost always takes time to build an audience. (Even John Green had to make 100 videos before he reached 300 subscribers.)
But if you enjoy the process and get involved with your fellow creators, doing a vlog can be an amazingly rewarding journey.
Excellent advice! One of the challenges writers face is how to manage their time. What are some techniques you've found helpful?
No exaggeration: David Allen's book, GETTING THINGS DONE (http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364831492&sr=8-1&keywords=getting+things+done). My only advice: READ IT :]
I'm currently reading it on my Kindle--and you're right, it's definitely a must! What are some of your current projects? Will THE END GAMES have a sequel?
Right now, I'm working on my next book for Balzer + Bray, due out in Autumn 2014. It's another YA thriller, and I am so excited about it. (I can't go into any details -- we're keeping the plot a secret at the moment -- but I will say that it's not a sequel to THE END GAMES and won't have any zombie-ish creatures in it.)
I'm also excited to be working on a new screenplay with a filmmaker whose work I really love, and I'm looking forward to growing my YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/tmikemartin).
As for an END GAMES sequel: I won't say "never," but at least right now, I can't imagine doing another END GAMES book. Which doesn't mean I don't love it when people ask for one... :]
Thanks so much for having me, Karen, and for all the awesome questions! And thank you, Mike, for such great answers!
THE END GAMES releases on May 7. You can pre-order it by clicking the button below!
To find out more, go to Mike's website or vlog.
The world ended.
And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.
Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.
In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.
But The Game is changing.
The Bellows are evolving.
The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.
And the brothers will never be the same.
Here are some questions I asked Mike:
You got your BFA in Filmmaking. How did this lead to writing novels, and can you tell us more about what you learned on the way to publication?
Film is my first love, and I'm totally a child of blockbusters: Movies like E.T., Back to the Future, Jaws, Ghostbusters, and T2 shaped my imagination as much as any novel, and I fell in love with the way those films tell huge stories in a way that still feels emotionally intimate.
I was a Religious Studies major for a year before transferring to film school, and I went to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with the intention of becoming a director. About halfway through my first year, though, I realized that I didn't yet have the kind of social confidence a director needs in order to lead an entire crew through a film production's gauntlet.
I switched to screenwriting, and it was right around that time that John Green's and Sara Zarr's first books were coming out. I was floored and inspired by their work -- I'd never realized what YA could do -- and I started working on a (blessedly unpublished!) first novel. Fitting my novel work in alongside my class work was hard, but I had incredible and supportive mentors who encouraged me along the way.
I know it sounds strange, but: I don't think I ever would have become a novelist if I hadn't gone to film school. I learned 90% of what I know about story structure in screenwriting classes, and the simple act of watching hundreds of films helped me pick up so much about storytelling. I learned from my mentors to be a merciless editor of my own work, too, because you're really pushed to cut out every unnecessary word in screenplays.
(Also: I can't tell you how thrilled I've been so many early readers have called THE END GAMES "cinematic.")
It sounds like you gleaned a lot of valuable lessons along your journey! On your website, it says THE END GAMES was inspired by your brother Patrick and your love of zombie movies. What do you like most about the book, and what do you want readers to take away when they're finished reading it?
Definitely my favorite thing about the book is the relationship between the main characters, two brothers named (wait for it...) Michael and Patrick. Michael is seventeen and Patrick is five, which was a kind of relationship I'd never quite seen in YA, and I really began the book as a kind of love letter to my own younger brother.
I named the characters after us, because even though the fictional "Michael and Patrick" wound up being very different from me and my brother, I wanted to examine the particular kind of protective love I'd always felt for Patrick. The book has received some wonderful early notices (including a starred review from Booklist), but the thing I'm proudest of is that early readers have said that they found Michael and Patrick's relationship to be convincing and powerful. For all its spooky action and mystery, THE END GAMES is fundamentally the story of a love between siblings at the end of the world, and more than anything, I hope readers will come away from the book feeling a connection to those two young brothers.
It's so important to capture realistic relationships and ramped up tensions among characters--especially when writing stories with supernatural elements. You've done that very well!
You do a great vlog series on YouTube. What are the benefits you've found from this medium, and do you have any recommendations to writers wanting to start a vlog?
Thank you! By far the biggest benefit is the wonderful sense of community I've found on YouTube, not just with my fellow vloggers (who are amazing and generous) but also with my viewers. 85% of my audience is made up of teenagers, and it's been a lovely and unexpected blessing to be able to interact with them on a daily basis. (It's also fantastic to be able to make a video and share it with the Internet after just a few hours, 'cause it takes me, like, 2-4 years to write a book.)
The best advice I can give is to get involved as much as you can with the YouTube community, especially with people who make work you genuinely admire. Making videos is a blast, but it's also a lot of work, and you really have to love online video in order to stick with it. It's worth noting that it almost always takes time to build an audience. (Even John Green had to make 100 videos before he reached 300 subscribers.)
But if you enjoy the process and get involved with your fellow creators, doing a vlog can be an amazingly rewarding journey.
Excellent advice! One of the challenges writers face is how to manage their time. What are some techniques you've found helpful?
No exaggeration: David Allen's book, GETTING THINGS DONE (http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364831492&sr=8-1&keywords=getting+things+done). My only advice: READ IT :]
I'm currently reading it on my Kindle--and you're right, it's definitely a must! What are some of your current projects? Will THE END GAMES have a sequel?
Right now, I'm working on my next book for Balzer + Bray, due out in Autumn 2014. It's another YA thriller, and I am so excited about it. (I can't go into any details -- we're keeping the plot a secret at the moment -- but I will say that it's not a sequel to THE END GAMES and won't have any zombie-ish creatures in it.)
I'm also excited to be working on a new screenplay with a filmmaker whose work I really love, and I'm looking forward to growing my YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/tmikemartin).
As for an END GAMES sequel: I won't say "never," but at least right now, I can't imagine doing another END GAMES book. Which doesn't mean I don't love it when people ask for one... :]
Thanks so much for having me, Karen, and for all the awesome questions! And thank you, Mike, for such great answers!
THE END GAMES releases on May 7. You can pre-order it by clicking the button below!
To find out more, go to Mike's website or vlog.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
UNBREAKABLE by Elizabeth Norris
Last year, I featured UNRAVELING--an awesome YA science fiction thriller by Elizabeth Norris. I'm excited to announce that the sequel, UNBREAKABLE, just came out! I was lucky enough to get an ARC, and from what I've read so far, Liz does a great job of giving just enough detail about the first book to entice readers while moving the story forward. (Very difficult to do.) I can't wait to read the rest!
Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.
And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?
I would love to take my iPad if the desert island had wireless, but if that isn't possible, I'd definitely bring Pride & Prejudice, Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, and The Great Gatsby because they're books that I can always read over and over again. I'd also need a few blank journals and a pen!
Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?
Liz was kind enough to answer some questions about writing a sequel, as well as some other stuff:
I love the premise of UNBREAKABLE! Did the idea for the book come before or after UNRAVELING?
When I first began writing Unraveling, I was focused on the first story. I envisioned it as a stand alone. My editor read it, though, and thought there had to be another book. (And she was right, I had a lot of readers who agreed). Luckily, despite the fact that I envisioned it as just one novel, I did have a vague sense of where I imagined Janelle and Ben's story going. I knew I wanted Janelle to get wrapped up in a case that would expand her world and bring her closer to the Interverse Agency. I also knew that I wanted it to tie into one of her father's old cases that's mentioned briefly in Unraveling. From there, it was just a matter of fleshing out the details.
What have been some challenges in writing the second book in a series? Is it difficult to maintain a balance between new and returning readers? Was there anything that surprised you?
Writing the second book definitely presented interesting challenges. Just being so much more immersed in the business aspect of books with Unraveling's journey to publication while also trying to write a new book could be challenging. I had never written to deadlines, which meant I couldn't just write when I was feeling inspired. Sometimes when I sat down to write, I worried that I was just forcing the words to come rather than feeling like I had to get them out. At the same time, I was going back and forth between drafting Unbreakable and editing or doing publicity on Unraveling. Plus, early reviews were coming out, and every rave review was wonderful and also terrifying, because what if my second book was a disappointment? I put a lot of pressure on myself because I really wanted to raise the stakes in Unbreakable and make it even better.
You've definitely done a great job, and I love the book so far. What is it like to keep track of story threads that span over multiple books? Does this affect your editing process in any way?
It definitely has the potential to be tough. I do a lot of brainstorming and outlining, and I take a lot of notes and I referred back to Unraveling or my notes a lot during writing and editing Unbreakable. I'm also indebted to the team at HarperCollins who thankfully caught a few of the inconsistencies that slipped past me. In terms of editing, I really like to do a read through of the novel, out loud, once we've gotten to the last round of edits or even at the copyedit stage. I catch a lot more when I have to read through and say each word out loud.
Definitely a great method! In our last interview, you mentioned the possibility of a YA mystery project. Is that still in development, or are you working on something new?
That's definitely still in development and it's a project I'm definitely excited about. It's not going to be my third book though. In the beginning of this year, I was grabbed by a new idea. I don't want to say too much about it, because I'm not finished, but I brainstormed and outlined, and then wrote about 60k words. I still have more to go, but it's definitely the book of my heart right now.
That's definitely still in development and it's a project I'm definitely excited about. It's not going to be my third book though. In the beginning of this year, I was grabbed by a new idea. I don't want to say too much about it, because I'm not finished, but I brainstormed and outlined, and then wrote about 60k words. I still have more to go, but it's definitely the book of my heart right now.
Sounds awesome! If you were stuck on a desert island, which books would you take with you and why?
I would love to take my iPad if the desert island had wireless, but if that isn't possible, I'd definitely bring Pride & Prejudice, Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, and The Great Gatsby because they're books that I can always read over and over again. I'd also need a few blank journals and a pen!
To purchase a copy of UNRAVELING or UNBREAKABLE, click on one of the links below. Liz is also doing a really fun contest to celebrate the release of UNBREAKABLE. Be sure to check it out!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
HOLLYWEIRD by Terri Clark
I found Terri Clark on Twitter, and her books were so compelling that I immediately contacted her for an interview. You can keep up with Terri by following her on Facebook (facebook.com/terriclarkbooks), Twitter (twitter.com/terriclarkbooks) and her website, terriclarkbooks.com. Her latest release is HOLLYWEIRD.
My best friend, Des, and I totally freaked when we won the contest to meet THE Dakota Danvers in Hollywood. But now we're finding out he's SO not the angel everyone believes him to be. In fact, Dakota is the son of Satan, wreaking havoc on Hollywood and creating an evil army hellbent on world domination. Lucky for us, Dakota's super-cute personal assistant, Jameson, is a fallen angel trying to get his wings back, and he's working undercover to squash his demon boss's plan. If Jameson hadn't taken me under his wing I'd be in serious trouble, because I'm a total newb when it comes to conquering evil. But, truth be told, that sexy angel's got me all aflutter and may be one temptation I can't resist.
Here are Terri's answers to some of my questions:
Your website bio states that you have an extensive interest in not only the supernatural, but in writing characters that are different and quirky. How do you develop your characters, and which have been your favorite to write?
Because I write magical realism and paranormals my primary character's power is usually the first thing I create and then the person develops around that newly acquired skill. Inevitably, my heroine feels like a misfit, something I think most everyone can relate to. I also like to imbue my characters with humor, peculiarities and a strength they didn't fully realize was always there. In reality we all have little superstitions, habits, colloquialisms and eccentricities that make us unique. I take great pleasure in noticing those in others and using them in my writing because I think those fine details are what makes a character memorable and stand-out. To date, my favorite character to write is Des from Hollyweird. She's fearless, fun, energetic and I had a hoot making up her Desisms (word smashes she made up).
What a great way to make your characters unique as well as relatable! You also have a B.A. in Psychology. Has this influenced your writing in any way, and can you tell us more about your journey toward becoming a writer?
I absolutely think my degree has influenced my writing. I believe I come from a place of psychological intent when I create my characters and I better understand the mental reasoning behind their choices. Probably the strongest example I can give is Rafe from SLEEPLESS. Psychology absolutely informed my writing that villain.
As for how I became I writer...I had written my entire life, but never once thought of doing it as a job. I don't know why. Writing was just what I did, who I was. Only after college, when I became a stay-at-home mom and found an online writing community did I think "hey, maybe I should do this seriously." From then on I started writing. It actually took me 12 years to sell my first book. But it was worth the wait.
Definitely goes to show how important writing communities and persistence can be. I love the premise for HOLLYWEIRD. Where did the idea first blossom, and what do you want readers to take away when they're finished with it?
Thank you! I'm a huge fangirl of the TV show Supernatural. Several other authors and I wrote for a blog called Supernatural Sisters. At one time we were trying to arrange a set visit. I was SO excited about the idea of possibly touring the set and meeting Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki that my imagination ran away with me. I'd blush to tell you some of the fantasies I had. Unfortunately we weren't able to get clearance and I was crushed, but a story idea was born. What if two teen girls won a trip to meet their favorite TV star and when they got to the set they learned that things were just as scary and paranormal in real life as it was on the show?
I hope that readers walk away from Hollyweird with a smile on their face. I want them to laugh more than anything, but I always hope my stories inspire readers to have a little more faith and confidence in themselves.
I love that your premise came from a real-life experience! As a Teen Patron Services Specialist, is it a challenge to allocate time for writing along with day-job demands? What time management tips have you found useful to maintain this balance?
Oh yes! In addition to my day job, I'm also a mom to two teens so it's definitely a challenge to balance things. I don't know that I have any tips to share other than make time for yourself. There are times I forget to do that and then my writing suffers and I feel a part of myself is missing. I may only have a small window of time on some days, but I try to do something every day even if it's only for a little while. The bits and pieces add up and then I'm not so grumpy from being writing deprived. LOL
Self-time is so important. What are some of your current projects?
I'm currently working on a new series called VOLTAGE. It mixes comedy and mystery, much like SLEEPLESS did. I don't have a contract for it yet. I'm currently sending it to agents, so please cross your fingers and toes for me.
To purchase a copy of HOLLYWEIRD for yourself, click on the link below:
My best friend, Des, and I totally freaked when we won the contest to meet THE Dakota Danvers in Hollywood. But now we're finding out he's SO not the angel everyone believes him to be. In fact, Dakota is the son of Satan, wreaking havoc on Hollywood and creating an evil army hellbent on world domination. Lucky for us, Dakota's super-cute personal assistant, Jameson, is a fallen angel trying to get his wings back, and he's working undercover to squash his demon boss's plan. If Jameson hadn't taken me under his wing I'd be in serious trouble, because I'm a total newb when it comes to conquering evil. But, truth be told, that sexy angel's got me all aflutter and may be one temptation I can't resist.
Here are Terri's answers to some of my questions:
Your website bio states that you have an extensive interest in not only the supernatural, but in writing characters that are different and quirky. How do you develop your characters, and which have been your favorite to write?
Because I write magical realism and paranormals my primary character's power is usually the first thing I create and then the person develops around that newly acquired skill. Inevitably, my heroine feels like a misfit, something I think most everyone can relate to. I also like to imbue my characters with humor, peculiarities and a strength they didn't fully realize was always there. In reality we all have little superstitions, habits, colloquialisms and eccentricities that make us unique. I take great pleasure in noticing those in others and using them in my writing because I think those fine details are what makes a character memorable and stand-out. To date, my favorite character to write is Des from Hollyweird. She's fearless, fun, energetic and I had a hoot making up her Desisms (word smashes she made up).
What a great way to make your characters unique as well as relatable! You also have a B.A. in Psychology. Has this influenced your writing in any way, and can you tell us more about your journey toward becoming a writer?
I absolutely think my degree has influenced my writing. I believe I come from a place of psychological intent when I create my characters and I better understand the mental reasoning behind their choices. Probably the strongest example I can give is Rafe from SLEEPLESS. Psychology absolutely informed my writing that villain.
As for how I became I writer...I had written my entire life, but never once thought of doing it as a job. I don't know why. Writing was just what I did, who I was. Only after college, when I became a stay-at-home mom and found an online writing community did I think "hey, maybe I should do this seriously." From then on I started writing. It actually took me 12 years to sell my first book. But it was worth the wait.
Definitely goes to show how important writing communities and persistence can be. I love the premise for HOLLYWEIRD. Where did the idea first blossom, and what do you want readers to take away when they're finished with it?
Thank you! I'm a huge fangirl of the TV show Supernatural. Several other authors and I wrote for a blog called Supernatural Sisters. At one time we were trying to arrange a set visit. I was SO excited about the idea of possibly touring the set and meeting Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki that my imagination ran away with me. I'd blush to tell you some of the fantasies I had. Unfortunately we weren't able to get clearance and I was crushed, but a story idea was born. What if two teen girls won a trip to meet their favorite TV star and when they got to the set they learned that things were just as scary and paranormal in real life as it was on the show?
I hope that readers walk away from Hollyweird with a smile on their face. I want them to laugh more than anything, but I always hope my stories inspire readers to have a little more faith and confidence in themselves.
I love that your premise came from a real-life experience! As a Teen Patron Services Specialist, is it a challenge to allocate time for writing along with day-job demands? What time management tips have you found useful to maintain this balance?
Oh yes! In addition to my day job, I'm also a mom to two teens so it's definitely a challenge to balance things. I don't know that I have any tips to share other than make time for yourself. There are times I forget to do that and then my writing suffers and I feel a part of myself is missing. I may only have a small window of time on some days, but I try to do something every day even if it's only for a little while. The bits and pieces add up and then I'm not so grumpy from being writing deprived. LOL
Self-time is so important. What are some of your current projects?
I'm currently working on a new series called VOLTAGE. It mixes comedy and mystery, much like SLEEPLESS did. I don't have a contract for it yet. I'm currently sending it to agents, so please cross your fingers and toes for me.
To purchase a copy of HOLLYWEIRD for yourself, click on the link below:
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
THE END GAMES by T. Michael Martin
This is a really exiting debut--and a very unique take on zombies. I was met Mike at a conference last year--not only is he a great writer, but also a great person.
It happened on Halloween.
The world ended.
And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.
Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.
In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.
But The Game is changing.
The Bellows are evolving.
The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.
And the brothers will never be the same.
THE END GAMES releases on May 7, but you can pre-order it starting today by clicking the button below.
To find out more, go to Mike's website or vlog.
The world ended.
And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.
Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.
In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.
But The Game is changing.
The Bellows are evolving.
The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.
And the brothers will never be the same.
THE END GAMES releases on May 7, but you can pre-order it starting today by clicking the button below.
To find out more, go to Mike's website or vlog.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
ASK AGAIN LATER, by Francesca Zappia
I stumbled upon Francesca Zappia on Twitter, and the premise of her upcoming book, ASK AGAIN LATER, immediately drew me in.
From Goodreads:
Francesca Zappia's debut ASK AGAIN LATER is about the ultimate unreliable narrator, a schizophrenic teenage girl unable to tell the difference between reality and delusion who discovers -- thanks to her Magic 8-Ball, her little sister, and a boy she thought was imaginary -- that sometimes there really is someone out to get you.
Expected publication: 2014
What would you like everyone to know about you and your journey toward becoming a writer?
It was never really a journey toward becoming a writer, because I've always been a writer. It was more a journey toward becoming a published author, and I think the most important thing about it was that it wasn't any harder or easier than anyone else's. I think when people look at a certain author's agent or book deal announcement story, they think, "Wow, why did they have it so easy? What did they have that I didn't?" I know I used to think that. But then I realized that sure, that person might have had a smooth path to getting an agent, but an extremely bumpy one to getting a book deal. Or vice versa. Or maybe they got an agent and a book deal easily, but then they run out of ideas, or can't deal with the stress of deadlines and edits. Everyone's journey is different. Mine was different than anyone else I know. But I'm perfectly happy with it.
Excellent answer. It's true--everyone's journey is different--and each author I've interviewed has a different story. Thanks for sharing yours!
I love the premise of ASK AGAIN LATER! Where did the idea come from, and how has it changed from when you first started writing it?
Thank you! To be honest, I've been working on it for so long, I'm not sure anymore. I wrote the original story back when I was in fifth or sixth grade. Before, it was about paranoid schizophrenia. Since then, it kind of mutated with each draft. Some parts of it stuck, other parts fell away. Schizophrenia became the driving force behind it. I saw someone say that they read the summary and thought it sounded like a plotting nightmare, which made me laugh--of all my stories, I never felt like I was really plotting while I wrote it. It came together from scenes from different drafts, from pieces of ideas about the characters and the places. I never sat down and made a concrete plot. It has a concrete plot, but not by design.
If I had to guess where the story originated from, it would be my need to write about the two central characters, Alex and Miles. Not necessarily as a schizophrenic and a genius, but as people. In my head, they've always existed independently of ASK AGAIN LATER, but this story was a way to show them to the world.
What a great example of how characters can drive plot--and I'm glad it wasn't a plotting nightmare after all!
The design on your website is fantastic! What recommendations might you have for authors building a website or online presence?
Thanks! But all credit for that has to go to Hafsah over at IceyDesigns. Advice? Talk to people. I mean, trust me, I am the biggest shut-in you will ever meet. If I'm not at work, I am embarrassingly socially awkward. But the best way to build an online presence is to talk to people. Get to know them. Make connections. Leave comments on blog posts, retweet giveaways and interviews, congratulate others on their good news. They'll reciprocate, I promise. (Also, the writing community is a lot more fun when you have other people to interact with.)
As for building a website, make it easy on the eyes. You don't have to hire a website designer--Blogger and Wordpress both have great templates you can use--but seriously. No neon text on a black background. No weird extra graphics all over the place. And for the love of everything holy, no Comic Sans.
Great tips! My husband is a graphic designer, and he loathes the Papyrus font (I'll have to ask him how he feels about Comic Sans!).
Is it a challenge to divide time between your artwork and writing? Has your writing been influenced by your artwork, or vice versa?
I've never seen it as a challenge, mostly because making art has always kind of been a extra facet of my writing. It's like, you have this big machine called Story Creation: the writing is the main engine driving it, but drawing is the outer covering, what makes it look pretty. My artwork has been influenced by my writing in that I rarely, if ever, draw anything that isn't in my stories. Occasionally I'll draw something that makes its way into the story. For example, in ASK AGAIN LATER, Alex has a tendency to notice Miles's freckles. He didn't have freckles until I added them in on a drawing one day.
The only time I have to divide my time is when I've been commissioned. I occasionally do artwork for other people, usually writer friends, and for that I have to force myself to sit down and just do it. I did a set of six comics for Leigh Ann Kopans's ONE, coming out this June, and I set aside a few hours every weeknight and every Saturday for a few weeks to work on them.
Great analogy with the machine! What are some of your current projects?
It's kind of funny, because I'm in one of those in-between spots where I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to be doing next, so I'm working on a little bit of every idea I've ever had. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to give details on any of them, though. I will say that none of them are contemporary. I think people will think it's weird, but ASK AGAIN LATER is the only contemporary book I've ever written (and ever plan to write). Normally I'm a sci-fi/fantasy kind of person.
Though I am working on a story that's kind of a sci-fi/contemporary hybrid, and I think it'll appeal to contemporary fans. (Or at least I hope so!)
Thanks Francesca, for the awesome interview!
From Goodreads:
Francesca Zappia's debut ASK AGAIN LATER is about the ultimate unreliable narrator, a schizophrenic teenage girl unable to tell the difference between reality and delusion who discovers -- thanks to her Magic 8-Ball, her little sister, and a boy she thought was imaginary -- that sometimes there really is someone out to get you.
Expected publication: 2014
What would you like everyone to know about you and your journey toward becoming a writer?
It was never really a journey toward becoming a writer, because I've always been a writer. It was more a journey toward becoming a published author, and I think the most important thing about it was that it wasn't any harder or easier than anyone else's. I think when people look at a certain author's agent or book deal announcement story, they think, "Wow, why did they have it so easy? What did they have that I didn't?" I know I used to think that. But then I realized that sure, that person might have had a smooth path to getting an agent, but an extremely bumpy one to getting a book deal. Or vice versa. Or maybe they got an agent and a book deal easily, but then they run out of ideas, or can't deal with the stress of deadlines and edits. Everyone's journey is different. Mine was different than anyone else I know. But I'm perfectly happy with it.
Excellent answer. It's true--everyone's journey is different--and each author I've interviewed has a different story. Thanks for sharing yours!
I love the premise of ASK AGAIN LATER! Where did the idea come from, and how has it changed from when you first started writing it?
Thank you! To be honest, I've been working on it for so long, I'm not sure anymore. I wrote the original story back when I was in fifth or sixth grade. Before, it was about paranoid schizophrenia. Since then, it kind of mutated with each draft. Some parts of it stuck, other parts fell away. Schizophrenia became the driving force behind it. I saw someone say that they read the summary and thought it sounded like a plotting nightmare, which made me laugh--of all my stories, I never felt like I was really plotting while I wrote it. It came together from scenes from different drafts, from pieces of ideas about the characters and the places. I never sat down and made a concrete plot. It has a concrete plot, but not by design.
If I had to guess where the story originated from, it would be my need to write about the two central characters, Alex and Miles. Not necessarily as a schizophrenic and a genius, but as people. In my head, they've always existed independently of ASK AGAIN LATER, but this story was a way to show them to the world.
What a great example of how characters can drive plot--and I'm glad it wasn't a plotting nightmare after all!
The design on your website is fantastic! What recommendations might you have for authors building a website or online presence?
Thanks! But all credit for that has to go to Hafsah over at IceyDesigns. Advice? Talk to people. I mean, trust me, I am the biggest shut-in you will ever meet. If I'm not at work, I am embarrassingly socially awkward. But the best way to build an online presence is to talk to people. Get to know them. Make connections. Leave comments on blog posts, retweet giveaways and interviews, congratulate others on their good news. They'll reciprocate, I promise. (Also, the writing community is a lot more fun when you have other people to interact with.)
As for building a website, make it easy on the eyes. You don't have to hire a website designer--Blogger and Wordpress both have great templates you can use--but seriously. No neon text on a black background. No weird extra graphics all over the place. And for the love of everything holy, no Comic Sans.
Great tips! My husband is a graphic designer, and he loathes the Papyrus font (I'll have to ask him how he feels about Comic Sans!).
Is it a challenge to divide time between your artwork and writing? Has your writing been influenced by your artwork, or vice versa?
I've never seen it as a challenge, mostly because making art has always kind of been a extra facet of my writing. It's like, you have this big machine called Story Creation: the writing is the main engine driving it, but drawing is the outer covering, what makes it look pretty. My artwork has been influenced by my writing in that I rarely, if ever, draw anything that isn't in my stories. Occasionally I'll draw something that makes its way into the story. For example, in ASK AGAIN LATER, Alex has a tendency to notice Miles's freckles. He didn't have freckles until I added them in on a drawing one day.
The only time I have to divide my time is when I've been commissioned. I occasionally do artwork for other people, usually writer friends, and for that I have to force myself to sit down and just do it. I did a set of six comics for Leigh Ann Kopans's ONE, coming out this June, and I set aside a few hours every weeknight and every Saturday for a few weeks to work on them.
Great analogy with the machine! What are some of your current projects?
It's kind of funny, because I'm in one of those in-between spots where I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to be doing next, so I'm working on a little bit of every idea I've ever had. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to give details on any of them, though. I will say that none of them are contemporary. I think people will think it's weird, but ASK AGAIN LATER is the only contemporary book I've ever written (and ever plan to write). Normally I'm a sci-fi/fantasy kind of person.
Though I am working on a story that's kind of a sci-fi/contemporary hybrid, and I think it'll appeal to contemporary fans. (Or at least I hope so!)
Thanks Francesca, for the awesome interview!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)