Interview with Janice Hardy

Yesterday, I reviewed Janice Hardy's excellent MG debut, THE SHIFTER. Janice graciously agreed to do an interview, and here it is! Thanks so much, Janice!

YOU

We can all read about your bio from the back of your book or your FAQ online. So, what's a completely random fact about you that most people don't know?

I have pointed ears. Not full-on elf pointed, but enough that I think there might be an elf in my family tree somewhere.

As a child, what was your favorite book? Have your tastes changed since growing up?

My favorite book was THE SECRET GARDEN, and still remains one of my all time faves. My tastes have changed, but I still love science fiction and fantasy just as much as always. I find myself being drawn more to great characters with great problems as I get older.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer actually (grin), but I also really wanted to be an archaeologist.

YOUR BOOK

How much of you is in your book? Is there a character like you? Is a situation in the book derived from real life?

I think a lot of me is in the book on some level, since everything comes from my imagination and my life experiences. But there's nothing specifically me or anything in my life in there. No, "Oh, that character was based on Uncle Bob" or anything. I draw from everywhere to create my stories, and the weirdest things can inspire me in the strangest ways. I think all the characters have bits of me in them, even if it's exaggerated for the story. Nya has my impulsiveness, and my ability (or fault?) to dive in without thinking, but thankfully I'm not as bad as she is. Aylin has my go with the flow attitude. Tali has my idealism. Danello my pessimism when I'm having a bad day. And, the bad guys always tap into my evil dark side.

What was your timeline for the book? How long did it take to write, revise, submit, and finally, get published? How did you feel at these stages?

I got the original idea about six years ago, and I wrote a terrible outline and then stuck it in a drawer. Totally forgot about it. Then a few years ago I went to a conference (Surrey International Writers Conference) where they stressed original ideas. That was the end of October 2006. I came home, dug through my old ideas to see if I had anything fresh, and found the old outline. It was still terrible, but the core idea of pain shifting stuck with me. I started planning and world building, and began the novel in January, and finished it around June. Then revised a bunch of times. I started submitting it to agents in mid-September, and signed with my agent on Halloween. (I pitched her at the next Surrey, actually). We did a few months of edits and tweaks, and she started submitting it to editors the end of May. We sold it the end of June. So that's what? A year to write and get an agent, eight months to revise and sell. And then fifteen months until it hit the shelves (which is actually pretty fast). Wow, almost three years from when I started writing to when it released.

The Shifter was an astonishingly easy book to write. If I hadn't had three other novels rotting in a drawer I'd have thought this whole writing thing was easy. I knew after a few chapters that I had something special, which felt great, and a little nerve wracking. I had always done third person before, but Nya just spoke to me in first. First person had always scared me a little, because it can be a hard POV to write in, but I found out it's where my strengths lie. I was hyper nervous when I started submitting, because I knew this was the best book I'd ever done. Rejections were going to be extra hard since I felt so good about it. And if I couldn't sell this one, how could I ever do better? Luckily, even my rejections were positive, and I got multiple requests, which really helped my confidence. I knew even if it got rejected, I'd taken an important step forward as a writer. I was at least writing on a professional level, even if they ended up hating the story.

Getting my agent was thrilling and wonderful and scary. Having an agent like your work is such a validation that you really can do this. And she brought great ideas to make the book even better, so I learned a lot working with her. Same with my editor. Selling my novel was amazing, and fulfilling. No matter what else happened, I'd sold a real novel! I'd proven to myself I could do it. It's surreal to have a professional gush about your work and telling you all the things she loved about your book. Every writer should have this experience once in their lives, LOL.And then there's seeing your book on the shelves. There's no comparison. It's a spectacular feeling. Every time I go into a bookstore I have to take a picture. I have a whole collection now, and even my friends send them to me.

It's an emotional roller coaster for sure. Huge highs and lows. Even after I sold my book, I still had the doubts I had before. Was I a one-book wonder? Could I do this again? What if no one liked my book and it failed? Then there's the good stuff, like getting great reviews and having readers email you to say they just finished the book and loved it. Those make it all worth it.

If your reader could only take away one emotion, theme, or idea from the book, what would you want that to be?

My whole goal in writing is to tell great stories, so I don't need readers to take anything more than "what a great story" away from it. But I'd love for them to have a sense of wonder, or that rush you get when you read something that jazzes you up. As for a theme, hmmm...maybe that everyone has reasons for doing things we don't know about, so give the benefit of the doubt when you can (grin).

YOUR WRITING

What are your goals as an author? Where do you want to see yourself as a writer in 5, 10, 15 years?

I hope to keep writing and selling books. I'd love to be able to write full time in five years, maybe have a bestseller (or two) in ten, and be well known in fifteen. I don't think I want to be super famous, (that would be scary) but it would be really awesome if people knew my books and characters, even if they didn't read the genre or know my name.

What's the most surprising thing you've learned since becoming a writer?

I assume you mean published writer? I think how much of a team effort getting a book to the shelves is. Everything is so interconnected, from the writer, to the agent, the editors, the sales and marketing team, the booksellers. There's the notion that you sell your book to "a publisher" and you're done, but so much more happens, and so many people work so hard to get that book out. It can be a little intimidating, because it's your baby and you want control, but it's also comforting to know folks are working hard to make your dream come true. Sure, maybe they're just doing their jobs, but those jobs are often their dreams, and they're just as excited as you are.

Beyond the typical—never give up, believe in yourself—what would be the single best advice you'd like to give to an aspiring author?

Read a lot, write a lot. It's the only way to improve.

What do you consider to be your strongest talent in writing? Your weakest?

Plotting. I'm rarely at a loss for what to do next, even if it's not my story (I brainstorm with writing buddies a lot). Granted, that "next" isn't always great, but it's easy to toss that aside and try something new. Weakest... a friend of mine would say description since I usually skimp on that until forced to add more, but characterization is something I've struggled with. My best friend has really helped me with that over the years, (she's awesome at it) and has pushed me to get into my characters' heads and get to know them. It doesn't come naturally to me, and something I know I have to go back and work at after I'm done with a scene.

What's a writing pet peeve that you have?

Words used incorrectly. Like "peruse," which means to study in detail, or with great care, is often used to mean "skim." There are a handful of words like that I see all the time and it always drives me nuts. It probably shouldn't since I'm sure I made the same mistakes until I learned they were wrong, but I can't help it. (grin).

Today, in Class... Of Love and Crackheads

Today, in class, the kids were *supposed* to be studying for their massive final exam, which is tomorrow. They were studying in small groups reading over their study guides.

Kid 1: Man, I don't remember this stuff. Heian period Japan? What was that?

Kid 2: I dunno, but I think that has something to do with courtly love.

Kid 3: She's messed up! Doing all those drugs. She looks like she's on crack. She's just crazy.

Kid 1 and Kid 2: *blink*blink*

Kid 2: COURTLY love, not COURTNEY Love.

Kid 3: She's a crackhead.

Kid 1: *blink*blink*

Kid 3: I mean Courtney Love's a crackhead, not you!

Writer's Book Review: Janice Hardy's THE SHIFTER

Why I bought this book:  I first heard of Janice Hardy's THE SHIFTER from reading her agent's blog, Kristin Nelson's PubRants. Kristin first posted Janice's query, which instantly grabbed my attention (although there are some other posts on the production of the book here).

I thought the concept behind this book was intriguing, and I planned to buy it from first hearing about it from Kristin's blog. When I was in my local bookstore just before Christmas, though, I saw THE SHIFTER on sale...with a big "autographed copy" sticker on it. My bookstore owner had gone to a conference where Janice was and picked up signed copies for the store. Moral of the story: SHOP LOCAL INDIE BOOKSTORES, PEOPLE! :)

But I digress. THE SHIFTER was one of the best MG novels I'd read in 2009. I put it on the shelf next to Sarah Prineas's work, which you all know is a high compliment. This had a thoroughly engaging plot, brilliantly drawn characters, and a ton of excitement.

Elsewhere on the web: Janice's webpage is a well-done example of what an author's webpage should be, and she has both a blog about her book and one about writing.

Five Sentence Summary: Nya isn't a healer--her sister is. And although that means her sister has a warm bed and assured meals (and Nya doesn't), it's not entirely a safe position. Their land, recently defeated and now occupied, isn't a safe place to be. When healers start to go missing, Nya's worried...and when her sister winds up among the missing, she becomes determined to save her. And she can, because she also has a secret: although Nya can't heal pain like her sister can, she can transfer it--which is a pretty powerful weapon.

So what can we, as writers, learn from this book? Highlight for spoilers!

1. Realistic Worldbuilding: When I say Nya's world is vividly painted, I mean it. This is one of the most complete worlds I've read in a long time. But it's not like Janice hits you over the head with it. It's just there. For example, Nya calls her grandmother "Grannyma" and periodically tells the reader of saying her grandmother used to tell her. They're like common maxims we know, but twisted to fit their world. It's the little details like these that really work and make the world whole.

But it's also important to note that Janice doesn't dumb things down for the reader. If you read closely, you'll pick up on subtle racial issues (the idea that the losing side of the past war, the Gevegs, are lesser is a common idea among the other citizens). There's even hints at a darker world that Nya sees--her friend works outside a dance hall, insisting that the outside is safer. It's not spelled out, but the reason why its safer on the outside is hinted at.

2. Smart Characters: I hate it when a character isn't as smart as they should be. I recently read a book (that I won't be discussing here) where the entire plot would have dissolved if the main character asked one simple, obvious question. The character never asked that question--until the last chapter. Nya and her friends don't do this. And I appreciate it.

Sure, Nya's impulsive. And she does do some stupid things sometimes. But they're logical for her character. When Nya confers with her friends for suggestions, she listens. When her best friend offers help, she accepts. She's not just a brainless engine for the author to pull along the plot, and the book is all the more interesting because of that.

3. Unique Magic: There is a clear, solid foundation to magic in Nya's world. I suppose I should group this in with worldbuilding, but it's distinct enough to deserve it's own bullet here. Janice created a truly unique magic system, where pain can be taken from the body and transferred to a large mineral, pynvium. There's decent explanations as to why Nya's different (she can transfer pain from person to person, but not to pynvium), and plenty of hints about her powers differences that I hope can be explained in future books.

Quibbles: Actually...none. I really liked this one. I devoured it in a few days, and loved every second of reading it.

The Bottom Line: This is a brilliant work, I loved it! Go buy it!

And make sure you check out tomorrow's post for a special interview with Janice Hardy on her latest book!

Fearsome

Yat-Yee posted a quote found originally by Nandini, which is the dedication in Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie.

Z emble, Zenda, Xanadu:
A ll our dream-worlds may come true.
F airy lands are fearsome too.
A s I wander far from view
R ead, and bring me home to you.

The full story of this unique dedication can be found here, but the thing that really struck me was that third line: "Fairy lands are fearsome too."

That one line, I think, is the key to modern fairy tales. It's the key to the really old ones, too--the ones that were used to frighten children into submission with squirrel shoes and missing eyes.

My point is: good fairy tales scare us. There's no point to the fluffy-bunny-happy-ending. By nature, fairy tales involve a certain level of magic--and that magic generally provides a certain level of comfort. Everything will be OK because magic can save us.

But the really good fairy tales balance that out with danger.

This is true of all speculative fiction--and all fiction in general, if it's good. The good, the safe, the comforting must be counter-balanced by the fearful, the dangerous, and the spiteful. JK Rowling expressed this several times throughout the Harry Potter series--

Stephen Fry:
People often say in the real world: "I haven't got a magic wand to cure all the worlds ills," but what you show is that people with a magic wand still can't cure all the ills.
JK Rowling:
No, that's because it's about human nature and all the people with less pure motives have magic wands too, so you spend a lot of time trying to legislate for them.

So, whatever you're writing, remember: fairy lands are fearsome too. Raise the stakes, make the safe dangerous, and make the reader fear.

A Book, too, can be a Star

A book, too, can be a star, “explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly,” a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.
--Madeleine L'Engle

I first saw this quote on Lu's blog, Regular Ruminations (a great blog, btw, that you should totally read), and it intrigued me. So much so that I sought out the source of the quote in order to read the context.

The quote is from Madeleine L'Engle's Newberry Award Acceptance Speech in August, 1963, entitled "The Expanding Universe" and is available in full here.

It is absolutely worth reading in its entirety, but I found this bit here to be particularly brilliant.

...I took a course in college on Chaucer, one of the most explosive, imaginative, and far-reaching in influence of all writers. And I’ll never forget going to the final exam and being asked why Chaucer used certain verbal devices, certain adjectives, why he had certain characters behave in certain ways. And I wrote in a white heat of fury, “I don’t think Chaucer had any idea why he did any of these thing. That isn’t the way people write.”

I believe this as strongly now as I did then. Most of what is best in writing isn’t done deliberately.

... I heard a famous author say once that the hardest part of writing a book was making yourself sit down at the typewriter. I know what he meant. Unless a writer works constantly to improve and refine the tools of his trade they will be useless instruments if and when the moment of inspiration, of revelation, does come. This is the moment when a writer is spoken through, the moment that a writer must accept with gratitude and humility, and then attempt, as best he can, to communicate to others.

...Very few children have any problem with the world of the imagination; it’s their own world, the world of their daily life, and it’s our loss that so many of us grow out of it....

Music Monday: Across the Universe

This is a big day for me. And this is a good song for that day. "Across the Universe" is my favorite Beatles song, and NASA agrees with me.

On February 4, 2008, NASA beamed a transmission of "Across the Universe" into space. From the NASA website:

The transmission was aimed at the North Star, Polaris, which is located 431 light years away from Earth. The song will travel across the universe at a speed of 186,000 miles per second. Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney expressed excitement that the tune, which was principally written by fellow Beatle John Lennon, was being beamed into the cosmos.

"Amazing! Well done, NASA!" McCartney said in a message to the space agency. "Send my love to the aliens. All the best, Paul."

Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, characterized the song's transmission as a significant event.

"I see that this is the beginning of the new age in which we will communicate with billions of planets across the universe," she said.

PS: Newsletter

I sent out a copy of the newsletter to everyone on the mailing list today. It's got what the next contest prize will be. If you didn't get a copy, but you wanted one, then sign up in the box on the left, or email me!

Celebration Contest Winners

WOW! This was, by far, my largest contest. We didn't quite get enough followers for the super special surprise prize, BUT once I *do* get 300 followers, I'll hold another contest and randomly give one of the 300 the prize. (I've already got the prize here, and it's spiffy. So spiffy that I bought myself one, too.)

For those of you interested, the most popular prize (by far) was Megan Whalen Turner's THE THIEF--over half of you wanted a copy of that book! I don't blame you--it's quite good!

OK, OK, on to the winners...

According to random.org, the winners of the Celebration Contest are....

#275: Lena, you won a copy of Megan Whalen Turner's THE THIEF

#394: Christina, you also won a copy of THE THIEF

#657: Ello, you won a $10 gift certificate to Amazon

Congratulations, winners! Emails are zinging your way right now!

Contest Closed!

The celebration contest that opened on December 15th is now closed! Thanks for playing everyone--I'll be tallying results and posting winners soon.

The Best of the Next Decade

In the next decade, I hope I get...

1. ...a book deal.
2. ...a lot more book deals.
3. ...a baby, or maybe two.
4. ...a chance to be a full time writer.
5. ...ten (twenty, thirty, a hundred) more happy years with my husband.
   
6. ...everyone I love, happy together as much as we all want.
   
7. ...a chance to travel somewhere entirely new.
   
8. ...an adventure grander than I can imagine.
   
9. ...all the joy that I can wish.
   
10. ...and world peace!
    

Once in a Blue Moon

It only happens once in a blue moon...

It seems like a lot of impossible things have been happening lately. And the new year seems to hold even more whispers of impossibilities about to come true. So, the fact that this new year will be rung in with a blue moon seems extra fitting.

According to CNN:

It happens only once in a blue moon -- and scientists say a blue moon is exactly what we'll see in the skies this New Year's Eve.

Don't expect an azure glow over our lunar satellite, however. The term "blue moon" simply refers to the second full moon in a calendar month, something that hasn't happened on a New Year's Eve for nearly 20 years, NASA says.

So, after the big ball in NY drops, make sure to take a peek outside and check out that rare blue moon!

The Best of the Last Decade

In the last decade, I got...

1. ...a high school diploma.
   
2. ...a B.A. in English Education.
3. ...a Masters degree in English Literature.
   
4. ...a career as a teacher.
   
5. ...a house.
6. ...a dog.
7. ...a husband.
8. ...a lot of travels around the world.
   
9. ...a book written. And then ten more.
   
10. ...a literary agent!
    

Why I Live Blog

The husband was bored yesterday.

Which is why I do my live-blogging when he's otherwise occupied, such as on the guy's poker night.

"Whatcha doing?" he asked around 7.

"Revising," I said. "Go away."

He came back in an hour.

"Whatcha doing now?" he asked.

"Revising," I said. "Go away some more."

"That's not revising. That's blogging."

"I'm live-blogging my revisions."

"Looks like you're wasting time."

And I can see how he thinks that--I actually do spend a bit of time setting up the live-blog post, and going back to update it.

BUT.

I actually get more done in revisions when I live-blog this way.

It's because my greatest distraction when working on a manuscript--especially when working on a part of the manuscript that I despise, like revisions--is the internet. It's right there, on the same computer I'm working on. Perhaps because I'm of the Google Generation, or perhaps just because I have the attention span of a flea, I'm used to working with 5 or 10 tabs in Firefox open. I check my email, and in between emails refresh Twitter, and while I'm waiting for an @ reply on Twitter, I open up Google Reader and start checking on blogs I follow, and while I wait for comment boxes on the blogs I follow to open, I hop over to Etsy and browse the soap stores.

Likewise, unless I'm really focused on writing, I'll write a few pages, then skim over to iTunes, then click to my notes folder, and, eventually, I end up on the internet and before I know it, I've wasted a ton of time.

I started live-blogging on a whim, but I've really found it helpful because it reminds me that I shouldn't be on the internet (ironically enough) and that I should be accountable. Recording how much time I work and how much time I goof off reminds me not to goof off every time I write that time stamp in.

And it's fun! Your comments keep me going! :)

So, how do you avoid distractions and stay on track?

Live-Blogging Revisions, Round 1

I know this will take more than one round. I'm actually planning on it. I just hope that I can fit my revisions into two rounds!

These revisions are somewhat different from any other revisions I've ever done before, namely because these are revisions suggested by an agent...my agent. So, as opposed to suggestions from beta readers or critique groups, these revisions are very specific (which I'm hoping means they are easier).

Here are my goals:

1. DONE Revise the pitches I wrote last live-blogging sessions, as well as fix a few grammatical errors in the shortened (and much improved) synopses
   
2. DONE  Develop my setting more: specifically, give clearer descriptions of the size of the space ship and the number of people on board
3. DONE  Change some details with the main characters' parents' background to coincide with plans for sequels
4. DONE...or, actually, I decided it would be best to leave her a bit ambiguous. But I did add one clue with her. Develop a minor character a tiny bit more, as she'll play a more important role in sequels
5. DONE Add a few details and clues in a scene that will be layered in for the sake of the sequels
6. DONE Change a bit about the ending, making it a tad more open ended (for the sake of a sequel...do you see a pattern here?)
7. DONE  Add a clue about a sequel in an early scene
8. DONE Alter the ages of a few characters to make them closer in age to the main character (which sounds easy, but will actually pose a bit of a continuity challenge that I'll have to keep tabs on)

That's it. Eight specific things to change, with a clear idea of how to change each one. I'm pretty interested in seeing how long it takes me to do all this, so I'm live blogging again!

Start: 6:51pm...

6:56: Realize that if I'm actually going to do this thing, I'm going to need to turn off Prince Caspian. *sigh*

7:13:

1. Revise the pitches I wrote last live-blogging sessions, as well as fix a few grammatical errors in the shortened (and much improved) synopses

 That didn't take long...but all I had to do was put the paper corrections I'd already made into the computer. But all the files are saved and logged away, ready to be emailed to my agent. OMG IT IS STILL REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT, MY AGENT.

7:18: I keep checking Gmail, Twitter, and RallyStorm, hoping to find an excuse for a distraction. Not good. Bad author, bad!

7:20: OMG an email! *trots away to read it* (and it's not spam!)

7:24: My other bad distracting habit: hand lotion. I use it *constantly* to avoid doing real work.

7:50: The email was (ironically) about revisions. Also, I started a Google chat about revisions. So, technically, I'm still on topic, yes?

8:01: I have the document loaded on my computer, that counts right?

8:08: I'm tweaking the formatting, surely that counts, right?

8:41: Completely deleted all the formatting. On purpose. Because I did it wrong. Then I redid it. Back to the way it was originally. Also, I changed one sentence. That counts, right?

8:57: Done with chatting, done with emailing, done with interwebs. Time to buckle down properly. *checks list above* OK, I did this:
          7. Add a clue about a sequel in an early scene

Current goal:  3. Change some details with the main characters' parents' background to coincide with plans for sequels

9:22: 3. Change some details with the main characters' parents' background to coincide with plans for sequels

9:30: Added a few sentences throughout mentioning the number of people on board the ship (352).

10:12: Still working on making sure the character age changes flow continuously. I knew there'd be some continuity problems with that one.

10:20: Taking a break...

11:02: In reading over my goal of changing the ages and making sure the continuity problems were fixed...I'm calling that one done. I think I've got it covered. But I plan on waiting for tonight and working on all the rest of the edits, then printing it out and doing one last check for that. I think it is done and ready, but this one has so many little details in the ages that I'm going to have to read through the whole manuscript to make sure I've correctly fixed it.

11:03: Back into the fray...

11:44: I...whoa. I've finished everything but changing the end. Of course, I may need to go back and do more, but I'll wait until I print to make sure the check list is truly done. But, actually, it does seem mostly done. I guess all I need to do now is tackle that end...

11:50: Wow. I really don't want to touch that end. I've just gone through the whole lit of email, twitter, facebook, rallystorm *again*...but fortunately (or not) no one's talking to me now. Guess that means I really do need to go back and look at that end.

11:51: (this will make so much more sense when the book is published and you have a chance to read it, but I just want to put this out there: I love Chapter 53.)

12:01: Must look up pictures of embryos and fetuses. Yes it's relevant. Leave me alone :P

12:03: EW EW EW EW!!! Anti-abortion pics are gross!!!!!

12:04: OK, got my info. Back to work on the end.

12:20: Ummmmm....I think I might be done. Maybe. There was a lot of back and forth and reading and re-reading, but in the end, I added a paragraph. One. And I think that fixed it. Hmm. I'll finish for now, and re-read it later just to make sure.

The End!

YOU ARE WELCOME

Live-Blogging Christmas Style

I got the husband a zombie board game. This one. And although he wanted to have a guy's night in on Christmas day, I made him wait until December 26th before doing one.

Now he's in the kitchen with his friends, and they're all massacreing little plastic zombies or some such, and I'm locked away in my office/bedroom in order to write.

Unlike other live-blogging writing experiences, this one is different. First, I'm awake and hopped up on the energy drinks (I had no idea that the husband gave me drinks with espresso in them. I thought they were regular hot chocolates, not super-hot choc.) Second: I don't have a clear goal.

Or, rather, I have several goals.

1. Revise manuscript to fit ideas for sequels
2. Shorten and tighten synopses for sequels
3. Write taglines for all three books in trilogy

(PS: Did I tell you that my little book is now a trilogy. Cause it is. HOW COOL IS THAT?!)

I think I'm going to tackle my last goal first. Taglines. That's something I usually struggle with, but fortunately, I've just finished reading a wonderful post by Janice Hardy, author of THE SHIFTER (which is, btw, the best MG fantasy I've read in a looooong time).  The whole article is a wealth of information on preparing to market a book (really worth your time), but here's what Janice says about taglines:

Taglines are a great thing to have, as they capture attention and can pique interest. We all know we have to be able to talk about our books in one sentence, but also look for ways that you can promote the book the same way movies do.

So, my goal is to create simple, short sentences about each of my three books that really grab the attention of the reader. This will be the taglines I display on my website, the ones I can use to market the books in other media, such as bookmarks or business cards, etc.

So no pressure. *snort*

It's 9:31PM. Let the live-blogging begin.

10:39PM: Taglines done! Holy crap, it took me over an hour to write three super-short phrases. *whew!* But...at least I have something to show for it.

Book 1: No hope. No one to trust. And no way out. Amy and Elder are supposed to be among the first people to visit a new planet, but with a murderer on board their ship, they may never make it.

Book 2: A new planet. A new chance. But Amy and Elder can only get there if they make their enemy their friend, and find out which friend is their enemy.

Book 3: The ship's landed. The colony's settled. But Amy and Elder discover the real danger wasn't in getting to the new planet. It's surviving it.

My goal with these taglines was to create something short and punchy that showed, primarily, the conflict of the story. The entire time, I had Janice Hardy's post on taglines showing in another window of my screen. Really--she's brilliant.

OK: on to Goal 2--shortening and tightening my synopses. Can you tell which goal I am most reluctant to tackle?

(OK, actually, I'm going to Twitter a bit. Why lie?) 

10:46: Tweeting done. 

PS: PLEASE feel free to critique my taglines. They seem a bit off here, all in a row. I've worked on them too long for now...I'm going to work on the synopses first, and then come back to them.


10:48: The new plan: Pair each tagline with a pitch paragraph and a shortened synopsis. Cut each synopsis (currently around 8 pages) to no more than five pages. And...go!


11:07: I have successfully copied and pasted the original query into a new document. Not much of an accomplishment. Then I got distracted. MUST FOCUS.


11:24: Wrote second pitch. Not sure how much I like it... will attempt third pitch before working on the second one more.


11:45: I decided I couldn't work without cleaning my room. Cleaned room. Still can't work.


11:46: So, yanno how there was all these post-Christmas sales? We bought a pack of sea-salted dark chocolate...and OMG IT IS SO GOOD NOM NOM NOM.



11:52: *dies of sugary-salty awesome*


12:15: Oh, lordy, I don't think I can let myself be distracted any more. *sigh* OK, back to work.


12:19: I wrote a paragraph. Surely that merits a visit to Regretsy.


12:23: Ok, ok, OK. I will just get back to work.


12:29: I just realized. I've finished the short pitches, and the log lines. And, uh. That means I have to do the work I *really* don't wanna do! WAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


12:42: How did it get to be 12:42 and all I've done is open the documents?


12:58: I am fading fast. Need a kick in the pants...or need to give up and go to sleep...


1:13: How can two super-large energy drinks fail me so quickly? UGH!


1:46: Successfully revamped original book 1 synopsis to fit new plot ideas. Also cut down Book 2 synopsis to four pages. This means all the synopses are four pages...except Book 3--which is achingly still at 8ish. Cut cut cut cut cut.


1:54: I DON'T WANNA CUT!!!!!!!!!!!


2:35: omg this one is going to kill me tell my family i loved them don't wait for me just save yourselves.


2:47: Have cut 8ish pages down to 6ish. 


3:00 AM: Have cut it down to 5ish pages...and must give up here. All in all, though, I count tonight as a success! 


3:16: Just kidding! I couldn't quit...and was able to cut down that last synop to 4 pages. YAY!!!!!!!

Best. Christmas. EVAR.

This has, truly, been my best Christmas ever. It tops the Christmas when my parents gave me bunny rabbits for presents (really. They bite and pee and poo way too much). It even tops the Christmas the year we went to Disney World when I was three (especially as I was three and don't remember it that well).

This has, hands down, been the best Christmas. And it's all because of that awesome piece of paper with my name on it and an agent's signature on the bottom.

But Christmas isn't Christmas when it's just one person. The best Christmases are the Christmases shared--and it has been simply wonderful sharing Christmas with you all.

YOU have been the big shiny bow on my Christmas.

Thank you.

My First Agented Interview!

My interview with Query Tracker on how I landed my agent is online now! Click here if you'd like to see the query I sent to Merrilee Heifetz, know my timeline on writing and querying, and see how many queries I sent out.

Christmas Linkspam!

Most of you are off enjoying the holidays--but I'm still working :( Today's the last day of school, though!

Before the new year begins, I thought I'd leave you with a few good posts I've been reserving for awhile now, waiting to build up a proper linkspam. I, er, had more links than I'd originally thought I had, but this is going to be my last post until after the holidays, so you'll have plenty of time to peruse and clickity click.

Merry Christmas!

On Writing: Before the Sale/Agent

• Aprilynne Pike on writing a new novel when one doesn't sell.
• Cynsations gave us writers--before and after publication--some food for thought on website design. Angela's doing the Seven Deadly Sins of writing. Here's sin one.
• Mandy, author of Prada and Prejudice, gave details on her amazing publication story. Moral: don't give up!
• Revisions. I hate them. But I find it fascinating to see how others revise--PJ Hoover did a great article at the Spectacle about revising her trilogy. (and while you're at it, check out the interview PJ did with the Enchanted Inkpot.)
• About to start querying? Jill Corcoran listed some great links. Also: the QT blog has seven things you need to do to get published. And while we're at it, Upstart Crow shared a link of the characteristics Little Brown looked for before accepting a work in publishing. Also: Holt's uncensored top ten tips for writers.
• Writing a synopsis? This was a pretty cool tip.
  

On Writing: After the Sale/Agent

•  Kim Pauley did a post on how much money writers really make, and Genreality had a more detailed post on the subject dealing with one NY Times bestselling author's paycheck. 
• Janice Hardy is giving a lot of details about what to do after the agent, which I'm finding fascinating. Also: details on writing sequels. 
• If you missed it, Laura and Lisa hosted agent appreciation day! (And speaking of, Shannon had one of the best stories of signing with her agent. Also: Bria recently signed with her agent, and I have loved her "After the Yes" posts. Also, also: an interview about being agented that's quite well done here.)
• Kate Schaffer Testerman on what to expect of your agent. (Moonrat did it first.) Speaking of, Becky Levine's How I Got My Agent story.

On Editors and Publishers

•  Top Ten Reasons the Editor Doesn't Like what The Critique Group Loves
• I found this post at Carolrhoda fascinating: why it's so difficult to make good YA covers.
• Those of you writing YA: be aware of the rising new genre, New Adult.
• One publisher's acquisition process. Quite an impressive flow chart is involved. Speaking of: how a book is made. 
  

On Other

• Query Tracker is now offering easier to use writing networks--if you're not a member yet, this is just one more reason to join (for free).
• All you multi-cultural writers out there: Into the Wardrobe recently launched Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind, a blog dedicated to Asian literature.

Fun Stuff!

• DGLM provided a great link to a NY Times article on the weird locations and habits of writers. It's a fun read!
• This story makes me wish I had a recipe for my own book to share.
• I concur.
• Elana on why she started writing. I may want to shamelessly steal flatteringly imitate this post in the future...
• Re-imaged covers to Madeline L'Engle's Time Quartet. *sigh* I love this man's art.
• This is a fun read. And this is a fun looksy. And so is this.

Self Publishing and How (not) to Do It

• Agent Rachelle Gardner gives what I think is the best reasoning on why self publishing does NOT work for fiction writers. If you're a fiction writer who's ever considered self publishing, be sure to check this out first. 
• If you STILL don't believe me, then read this article, too, about the self-publishing statistics (statistics on cold hard cash, y'all). 
• And then if your STILL STILL not convinced, then read this, too.
  
• And, although I'm adamantly against self publishing fiction works, I'm still open to e-books, and this article was quite informative.

On Controversy

• Censorship sucks. Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth) explains why.
• I wanted to feature this in more detail (and I still might, but lord knows when). Anyway, Steph posted a FANTASTIC article on whether or not modern YA belongs in classrooms. (For the record: my opinion is YES.)
• It is my goal in life to get a book review like this. But hopefully never one like this.
  

 

Books I Want to Read:

• Powerless
•  (online movie) Alma
• How it Ends
• Magic Under Glass (also: here)
• The Dresskeeper
• (game) a Nintendo DS game that lets you draw kanji!
• Gentlemen
• Brightly Woven 
• Ghost in the Machine
• Tomorrow, When the War Began 
• The Hunchback Assignments
• Because I am Furniture
  
• The Magicians
  

...and finally, two Merry Christmas links! (Both courtesy of Jay Asher, author of Thirteen Reasons Why.

• Charles Dickens on revising A Christmas Carol
• Fun with Christmas Decorations You MUST read this one!!! It's hilarious!

HAPPY   HOLIDAYS!!

Music Monday My Thank You Speech

Do you know how hard it is to find a music video by a band that existed before music videos? Darn hard, that's how. Still, when I started writing my Music Monday Thank You post, I knew the perfect song to go with the post. So, here's your music video thing.

I get by with a little help from my friends...

• Thank you, Robyn, for helping me develop the story as I wrote it. I know I had an easier time of revisions because I wrote the first draft with your comments and critiques to guide me.
• Thank you, Tricia, for being one of the very first people to read this blog, and for always, without fail, saying the things that gave me confidence as well as pushed me to be better.
• Thank you, Heather, for offering to be my crit buddy, giving me the chance to read your work, and for giving me meticulous, spot-on critiques that made me want to bang my head into the wall because you were always right (and I mean that in a good way).
• Thank you, Christy, for being willing to drop everything to help a friend, for reading my work even though I was always slower with yours and I always seemed to dump it on you at the most inconvenient times!
• Thank you, Chris, for helping me to cut my excessive words and focus on the story. I cannot see the forest for the trees without you!
• Thank you, Erin, for never letting me think negatively, and for being brutally honest. I enjoy being a masochist in your presence.
• Thank you, Elana, for letting me spill my crazy on you all last week!
• Thank you, Mom and Poppa, even though you probably won't read this because you think blogs are weird and have no idea why I would ever write anything personal on the web we didn't raise you like that you be careful now are you still eating all your vegetables it wouldn't kill you to wash those dishes with hotter water i don't think that car is safe you better go pump some more air in those tires and put on a sweater it's cold, oh, and we love you. I love you, too.
• Thank you, husband, for buying me flowers when the writing goes bad, and buying me more when I sign with an agent.
• ...and thank you, dear blog readers, for making me smile every time I see your comments. A writer just wants her words read, after all.
  

Writing is a solitary act. It has to be. But that doesn't mean the writer is solitary, and I know I, personally, am better when I get by with a little (a lot of) help from my friends.


So, who would you like to thank for all the support? Go show 'em you care--either here, or on your own blog! Bet you make someone smile.

Celebration Contest

Do you hear that? That really high pitched constant tone that is reverberating throughout your neighborhood since last night? Listen hard.

Yeah. That's me, still squeeing since yesterday. I'm getting a little hoarse!

First: Thank you all so much for the nice compliments you gave me! Next time I ever feel any shade of blue, I am opening up that post and reading all your wonderful congratulations. I read each and every single one of them, and I treasure them all. Truly. Y'all are awesome and make this whole adventure so much more fun.

OK, let's give away stuff!

Those of you who have been hanging around this blog for a bit know that I'm fascinated by inspiration. I love hearing about how writers come up with new ideas for stories.

In my own writing, I've been inspired by dreams, artwork, childhood memories, and life experiences. And stories. Other stories inspire me--either by making me wonder new "what-if" scenarios, or challenging me to write better than I did before.

With this most recent work of mine, I was inspired by several works of literature and one spectacular movie. The full story is on my website, but here's a quick run-down. (And for those of you with short attention spans: there will be a test later. A multiple choice test, along the lines of "which of these works do you want me to send you for being awesome?")

See, I never set out to write a science fiction/mystery/romance. Never. But I listen to inspiration...

First, I read THE THIEF by Megan Whalen Turner. I won't ruin the story for you, but the unreliable narrator in that story is really a starting point for my own. I love how Turner tricked the reader, and I wanted to do something twisty like that. So, the voice of my main characters evolved from that idea.

Later, I found Mary Pearson's THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX. What I loved about this novel was the way the story focused more on the characters than on the science behind the plot. This was the first time I seriously considered writing a science fiction--her plot was so smooth without going into depth on the science side of it that I couldn't help but start to consider the possibility of using science in my own work, too.

When I read Jeanne du Prau's THE CITY OF EMBER, though, I really started to think of a plot to surround my twisty characters in a scientific setting. The idea of a contained mystery has always intrigued me since my early Agatha Christie days, and somehow the combination of these three books really sparked the idea that became central to my book: a twisty, unreliable narrator; a science fiction light on science; and a contained mystery.

Of course, a writer needs more than an idea. I credit Robin McKinley's THE HERO AND THE CROWN for teaching me what good writing was when I was a wee little thing. That one scene, just at the end of the first part, when Tor and her father find Aerin...that, to me, is the greatest writing of any fictional scene ever written, and the emotional impact of that scene is the one I strive for every time I write.

And while I think the books I mentioned above gave me a firm setting in the plot, protagonists, voice, and twist, I have to give credit to the Joss Whedon movie SERENITY for giving me the idea of the ideal antagonist. I knew I didn't want another Voldemort, another unspeakable evil. I find evil you can almost sympathize with so much more intriguing, don't you?

Finally, I have to give a shout-out to Orson Scott Card's ENDER'S GAME. I read it once, as a kid, and it's one of those books that stick with me. So, while I always told myself I couldn't write a science fiction for kids, there was always a little voice inside me that said "What about Ender?"


So there you have it. While not everything I write has such a direct path back to the books and movies I've read, I can safely link my YA science fiction directly back to these works. Not that I mimicked them, but that I learned from them, or developed new ideas based on what I read. That, to me, is the purpose of reading as a writer.

Now that I have an agent, I want to honor these works that taught me so very much. In order to do that, I'd like to share them with you all! Below is an entry form for a contest I'm going to be holding from now until the New Year. You can select any of the books (or movie) listed above--or, if you don't share my tastes, you can just get a $10 Amazon (or IndieBound or Borders or WalMart or whatever) giftcard and buy whatever it is that you want most or didn't get for the holidays.

Entry is easy! Just tell me in the form (not the comments section here) which book you want. There are lots of ways to get extra entries, too--I really want to spread the word. And if you'd like to join my mailing list, I promise not to spam you, and you'll be my bff.

I am selecting 3 winners for this contest. But, if I get more than 300 followers on this blog, then I'll give one very special surprise not listed here to one of the 300 followers. For every 25 additional followers, I'll give away another prize--so if I get 325 followers, I'm giving away 5 prizes, with 350, I'm giving away six, and so on.

A (not so) Modest Announcment

A few weeks ago, I was talking to a writing buddy. The topic of agents came up. She asked if I had any interested agents yet (she knew I was querying), and I mentioned that a few agents were reading.

"You have to let me know if anything happens," she said.

"If I get an offer, you'll hear me screaming from here," I said.

Well, apparently I don't scream loud enough.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (deep breath)

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HAVE AN AGENT!!!!!!!!!!!

I am pleased (thrilled, amazed, overjoyed) to announce that I am being represented by none other than Merrilee Heifetz of Writers House.

Yes: WRITERS HOUSE!

MERRILEE HEIFETZ!!!!

HOLY FREAKING COW!!!

<---That's the agency that has MY work!!! MINE! (And it's flipping awesome, too. Have you read about the history of the house?)

*happy sigh of total joy*

Those of you who know me, know I've been trying for awhile to snag an agent. This past week has been one of total AWESOME as I not only got my dream agent, but found out that my dream agent actually likes these little stories I keep writing.



This was, as you can tell, a momentous day. I came prepared.

This is my grandmother's table that I inherited after she died.

I think she'd think it was cool that I signed my agent contract on it.

So, I set the table. First, my black portfolio that I keep my writing stuff in (including my lucky Chinese fortune cookie fortunes). My phone--which has been called from NEW YORK. The flowers my husband bought me cause he's cool like that. Oh, and see that box of pens?

Yeah. I totally bought some pens just for the contract signing.

And then...

OH MY PRECIOUS GOD I AM SIGNING AN AGENT CONTRACT.

Hey, did you see that blue striped box on the table? Yeah, the husband bought me a present. Cause he's totally cool like that.

A new keyboard and mouse so I can write my next agented works in style.

I told you he was cool like that.

 ...and that's it. I have an agent. OH MY GOD I HAVE AN AGENT OH MY DEAR LORD THIS IS FLIPPING MADE OF WIN.

Stay tuned! I express my squee-inducing joy in the form of contests, and will be holding a pretty awesome one starting tomorrow!!

And hey: faithful blog readers--thanks for the support, love, and reader community you've provided me over the years. You all mean a lot, and it's the best feeling in the world to know that I've got people to share my joy with. You ROCK. Yes, YOU.

Soon, my precious, soon.

I don't mean to be a tease.

(OK, a little, I do.)

But I'm not ready to announce the huge amazing wonderful stupendous news...

...yet.

Soon. VERY soon.

But I've got to get things signed before I can announce anything... 


(PS: news comes with a contest! For books! And movies! And a special surprise! So if you're not a follower yet, it would behoove you to be one before the news announcement....)

It's Almost Over...

but not yet! If you haven't, go donate to Tu Publishing! They're SO CLOSE!!


Update: They made it! Tu Publishing is officially funded and will be accepting author submissions in January!

I Will Placate You With Cuteness and Kittens

Yeah, I'm totally a tease. There's some BIG HUGE MAJOR AMAZING AWESOME news coming soon--Monday (but quite probably very late Monday)...and I've been teasing you for a week.

In order to placate you, I give you: the cutest kitten EVAR.

We Meet Again, Fortune Cookie

Can you tell that I've not had much time to cook supper lately? The fall-to meal has been Chinese. And while I have some serious decisions to be making in the very near future, I think I'm starting to narrow down my choices nicely. I felt a little like the universe agreed with me when I got this in my cookie tonight:




Of course, my husband had the exact same fortune in his cookie, so I can only assume that either 1) We're both about to succeed, 2) the universe really REALLY wants me to get the message, or 3) the fortune cookie people are just laughing at us.

Today in Class: Not Available

Okay, so this actually happened yesterday, and it wasn't for a class but for a club instead. So, basically, the title is mostly lies.

As some of you know, I not only teach World Lit in high school, but I also advise the Creative Writing Club--a group of teens who want to become writers or poets in the future that meets weekly to discuss their own and others' works. One thing I've started doing recently is coordinating Skype visits with published authors so the kids can have a chance to see what it's like for the real professionals.

This week, the wonderfully amazing PJ Hoover (author of THE EMERALD TABLET, THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, and the not-soon-enough to be released NECROPOLIS) came to speak to the kids, which was very nice of her considering how some of the kids are such obsessive fans of her work that they treat THE EMERALD TABLET like Edward treats Bella.

So anyway, just before the meeting I was talking to one of the kids (who happened to be extremely excited, but also extremely nervous to meet her hero).

Kid: What am I going to say?

Me: Just ask her all those questions you have about writing. We talked about it last meeting.

Kid: I know...but I don't want to look stupid.

Me: Don't worry about it.

Kid: What other authors are coming?

Me: [starts listing, but Kid interrupts]

Kid: Hey! I know who you should invite next!!!

Me: [amused at her excitement] Who?

Kid: Remember when we read that book about Hell in class?

Me: THE INFERNO, yes.

Kid: You should totally get that Dante guy who wrote it to talk to our club!

Me: ...

Kid: [looks of eager anticipation]

Me: Uh...

Kid: ...Wait. He's dead isn't he?

Me: Since the 1300s, yeah.

Kid: See? I told you I'd say something stupid.


PS: Have you seen my post about the fortune cookie of fortune yet? Cause it's quite....fortuitous. I'm just sayin'. Big announcements coming soon, and I tend to celebrate announcements by giving away stuff, so, yanno, you might want to stick around for the show next week. Oh, and if you haven't become a member of the blog (click on the Google Follow to the right!), then you might want to before, say...Monday. 

Trust the Fortune Cookie

Music Monday: Boom-de-yada

I know it's a commercial.

I know.

But I still love it.

To me, this song epitomizes joy and happiness. I watch it and think, Hey. I love the whole world, too. And since I'm feeling particularly joyful today, I thought I'd share this little bit of sunshine.



Now, you know I have to link everything back to writing, right? Well, one thing that I noticed when I was trying to analyze this and link it back to writing was this: this was not necessarily a matter of everyone loving everything--it was a lot of little loves linking up to equal loving the whole world.

We're all like that. We all have little loves that we filter our love of the whole world through. It's our own personal "thing" that we love that helps us to translate a love of the whole world.

That applies to characters in writing, too. What makes your characters love the world? For some, it may be another person (think Twilight.)) For others, perhaps that love is for an intangible thing, like knowledge (Encyclopedia Brown...c'mon, I hope I'm not the only one that remembers him). Or how about a love for a goal--and the achievement (or at least effort of striving towards) that goal is the filter that enables the world to be loved for that character (Harry Potter, anyone?).

When we write, we have to remember that for everyone, there's one thing--be it a person, idea, or goal--that we all love, and that enables us to see the world differently. Defining that one thing for our characters will make us better writers by making our characters more real, more human, and more likable. Even for characters who want unlikable things (Hannibal Lector, Dexter from the recent books and TV show on Showtime), the fact that they have something they like is the key to our liking the character.

OK, if I'm going to mention Hannibal Lector and Dexter, I better end on a positive note. The first vid I've got up there is about a year old, but the Discovery Channel recently released another version. Here's a little more pep for your morning!




So, what make YOUR character love the world? Or, what makes YOU love the world?
For me, it's (honestly) writing. Writing makes me think of the world in a different way, a way I love. You?

Sorry

But I'm going to have to enable word verification on post comments.

I hate word verification. But I'm getting at least 4-5 spams a week (I've been deleting them as soon as I can), and that's silly. I am hoping that if I leave word verification on for a bit, it might make the spammers quit. If not, I'm afraid it must stay on.

Sorry!!

Friday Fun!

Ah. Twilight. How I love/hate thee!

But while I could not bring myself to either read the second book or see the movie, at least I have...


THIS

also:

THIS.

Ah. Life is good.

(both via Bookshelves of Doooooooom.)

Waiting on Wednesday...

So, I don't usually go for memes, but the book blogger world has one that I do tend to read a lot, the "Waiting on Wednesday" meme, where they list the books they are most excited about reading in the future. I have found many new books for my TBR pile by reading book blogger's WoW memes.

Recently, however, I found one that I am *very* excited about. I don't know why, but lately I've been hard pressed to find a book I was dying to read--perhaps it's because Suzanne Collins' CATCHING FIRE was so good that I was having trouble getting worked up about a book when I compared it to hers.

But when I saw Rachel Ward's NUMBERS described on Steph Su's blog, it went instantly to my wish-list. Here's the description:

Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today's number. Today's date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem's world is about to explode!

Wow! I can't wait for this one!!!

So, what books are you excited about? Which ones are on your Christmas wish-list?

Tu Publishing: Support A Good Publishing Cause

So.

Tu Publishing.

Publishing multi-cultural fantasy and science fiction.

It's important. Here's why:



I've been a fan of Stacy Whitman (founder of Tu Publishing) for awhile now, but although I knew she was working on establishing the publishing line, I didn't realize she needed help with fundraising. WriterGirl brought that to my attention. Really, you should go read her post here--she says it all much better than I would.

My favorite lines from her post:

I believe this idea is as important if not more so than the LIAR cover controversy. Bloggers moved mountains with that campaign and this publishing house aims to bring more books like that to us. They need our help. And I want to do everything I can to help make this a reality.

There are 14 days left on the fund-raising project and there is a lot of ground to cover. And the cool thing is, if you donate, you get stuff back. Please, spread the word. Donate. Contact others who might be interested. There is a fabulous auction going on. There is so much we can do, and not a lot of time left to do it. Please, I want to move another mountain.

WriterGirl is right: let's move this mountain.