Interview Week: Marrissa Meyer, author of CINDER

Welcome to Interview Week!

All this week, I'm interviewing awesome authors--and giving away a copy of their book! Come back each day this week for another author and another chance to win an awesome book.

Quick Stats on Today's Author:

• Marissa Meyer is the debut author of CINDER
• Marissa recently posted about her Spanish book cover, which is, frankly, stunning.
• Marissa is, like me, a total Sailor Moon fan! Hurrah!
• Cinder, the eponymous heroine, reminded me of greasemonkey Kaylee from Firefly, which you all know is a epic thing.  

YOU

We can read all about your life from your bio in the jacket flap of your book. So, what's a completely random fact about you that most people don't know?

When I was in 4th grade, my class performed Shakespeare’s Macbeth (I was Hecate, the head witch). This began a period of a few years in which I thought I wanted to be a playwright and would force my cousin to act out skits with me in front of our parents. Good times.     

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

I had plenty of favorites, but I probably read “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” more than any other. I was enchanted with the idea of an entire chocolate paradise. Of course, I’m still enchanted by that idea! I still love Charlie, but these days my reading list typically leans more into young adult, mostly because I’m a big fan of some romance in my reading material.

Your book, CINDER, is a futuristic take on the old classic fairy tale of Cinderella. Is Cinderella your favorite fairy tale? If not—which one is? Why?

Cinderella is definitely one of my favorite tales – largely because it’s a story that everyone, from every time and place and culture, can associate with. The desire to improve our station in life is definitely a universal one. That said, I don’t think it’s possible for me to choose an all-time favorite fairy tale. It seems to change by the hour!

YOUR BOOK

It's the inevitable question: what inspired CINDER? 

I had the idea to write a series of science-fiction fairy tales after entering a writing contest with a futuristic retelling of Puss in Boots. Months later, as I was falling asleep, I had a vision of Cinderella running down the palace steps… but instead of losing a shoe, her whole foot fell off. Cyborg Cinderella! It was too good to ignore.

One of the great things about CINDER is the threat of the Lunars.  This is such a refreshing tale on the “evil queen” of fairy tales, and you did a great job in making her character both realistic and deliciously bad. Can you tell us how you developed the Lunars and where the idea came from?

Thank you! The Lunars developed over many drafts. In the earliest version, they had super crazy powers – like being able to shoot lightning bolts and fireballs out of their hands (no doubt harking back to my obsession with sword-and-sorcery as a teen… or maybe Sailor Moon). After awhile, though, their powers started to change into the more subtle (yet creepier) powers of mind-control and manipulation. Then at one point I thought that maybe I should have some sort of scientific explanation for the Lunar power, so I did some research on military experimentation for crowd control, which is how I stumbled on the idea of bioelectricity and how it could, potentially, be used to manipulate people’s thoughts. And bam! The Lunars were born.

Can you tell us a little bit about the process--particularly the timeline--of writing & publishing CINDER?

I wrote the first draft of CINDER in just two weeks – it was part of a contest, the prize for which was a walk-on role in Star Trek. (I didn’t win.) After that, it took me about two years to rewrite and revise, during which I also wrote the first drafts of Books 2 and 3. Once it came time to start submitting it, though, everything happened really fast. I signed with the first agent I queried. Two weeks later, she submitted the book on a Friday and we had our first offer the following Monday. It was insane. Fourteen months later, the book was published. So it took a little over three years from idea to bookshelves.

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

Anticipation for Book 2!

YOUR WRITING

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

How hard it is to write when it’s your job! When I was working full time, I got very good at using up every spare moment to write, even if it was only recording thoughts at a red light or working feverishly during my lunch breaks. Now that I’m a full-time writer, though, I too often feel like I have all the time in the world! Which means I use that time very poorly. It can be quite detrimental, but I’m happy to say that sixteen months after quitting the day job, I think I’m finally starting to get a hang of this full-time writing gig.

What do you think are your strongest and weakest points in writing?

Stongest: I’m neurotically goal-oriented. If I say I’m going to write 150,000 words in a month, I’m darn well going to do it! I’m nothing if not determined.

Weakest: Balance. Which kind of goes hand-in-hand with that neurotically goal-oriented thing. When I have it in my head to do something, all the rest of my life tends to fall by the wayside. It seems that every time I finish up a project (say, the a draft on the novel), I have to spend a couple weeks just trying to get my life back in order. Trying to balance writing and promotion and socializing and healthy habits and upkeeping the house… I’m not so good at that.

Beyond the typical--never give up, believe in yourself--what would be the single best advice you'd like to give another writer?

I don’t believe in writer’s block, but I do believe that there are some days when our brains require extra goading. For that, I think it’s important to have some sort of mental trick that works for you, every time. For me, it’s bringing my laptop into bed with me, lighting a candle, and enjoying a glass of wine. Yes, it’s akin to mental bribery, but it always makes me relax and enjoy the writing process again. For some, it might be playing a mood-music playlist or putting on a special writing sweater or reading the acknowledgments pages of their favorite books. Whatever inspires you to get back to work is a trick worth having in your arsenal!

 And now for a giveaway! Leave a comment with your email address below to be entered to win a copy of CINDER--and it's SIGNED! One winner will be picked next Monday; sorry, but this needs to be North America only. 

Interview Week: Cole Gibsen, author of KATANA

Welcome to Interview Week!

All this week, I'm interviewing awesome authors--and giving away a copy of their book! Come back each day this week for another author and another chance to win an awesome book.

Quick Stats on Today's Author:

• Cole Gibsen is the debut author of KATANA
• Her blog has the awesome name "Hair Dye and Samurai"
• Cole is also the author of BREATHLESS
• Cole claims to not be a ninja, but I'm not sure I believe that.

YOU

We can read all about your life from your bio in the jacket flap of your book. So, what's a completely random fact about you that most people don't know?

Last year, after Dragoncon, I was sitting in an Applebees in the Atlanta airport when I saw Nicholas Brendan walk by. Much to my brother and husband’s embarrassment, I screamed, “I LOVE YOU, NICHOLAS BRENDAN!” at the top of my lungs. He smiled and waved. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, I grabbed my brother’s girlfriend and—like stealthy ninja—the two of us stalked Nicholas all the way to his gate.  (Okay, maybe not like ninja. He totally saw us and I think was on the verge of calling security.)

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

My favorite book was, without a doubt, Bunnicula by James Howe. Twenty years later, I’m still go fangirl over vegetable-draining vampire bunnies. Seriously. Who doesn’t?

In your book, KATANA, the main character Rileigh finds herself thrown into a world of martial arts and ninjas. Does this draw from any passions in your own life? Are you secretly a ninja?!

Two things to know about me:

1. I absolutely adore martial arts.

2. I suck at martial arts.

Seriously. I’ve taken several different styles (karate, taekwondo, kick boxing, tai chi, etc.) and I’m terrible at them all.

It wasn’t until I received my second black eye and split lip that I decided it would be more fun (not to mention better for my heath) to write about martial arts instead of actually doing martial arts.

YOUR BOOK

It's the inevitable question: what inspired KATANA? 

The above black eye and split lip. After having my ass handed to me in yet another sparring match, I remember looking at a poster of Bruce Lee on the wall and wishing his spirit would possess me so I could kick a little butt for once.

Obviously, that didn’t happen. But it did get me thinking about the possibility of a spirit granting sudden martial arts expertise. That was when the idea for KATANA was born.

 

Can you tell us a little bit about the process--particularly the timeline--of writing & publishing KATANA?

Oh boy. I definitely wasn’t one of those overnight success stories you sometimes read about. It took me two books, two years, and over two hundred rejection letters before I landed my agent. After that it took me another year of revisions and submissions before I had my first offer. It would then take another two years before KATANA would sit on a bookstore shelf.

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

Fun. When was seventeen, I was kicked out of my house and lived out of my car for a short time. During that period, my only source of entertainment came from the books I checked out from the library. It was those books that got me through that difficult time by allowing me to forget about my problems for a short while. If my book can do the same by giving a teenager a couple of laughs or allowing them to temporarily forget about their problems, then I accomplished what I set out to do.

YOUR WRITING

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

Patience. I’ve never been a patient person and I hate going into situations that I can’t control. This does not bode well for a career in publishing.

My agent told me that the slogan for publishing should be, “Hurry up and wait!” and truer words have never been spoken. At first, the whole thing made me a little crazy. Luckily, I’ve since found my inner Zen about the waiting game. And when I do find myself starting to crack, I’ve found that wine helps. A lot.

Beyond the typical--never give up, believe in yourself--what would be the single best advice you'd like to give another writer?

Read books in the genre you plan to write. And then read some more. And after that, read some more. 

What do you think are your strongest and weakest points in writing?

Wow. That’s a really tough question to answer about yourself. I don’t know if it’s my strongest point per say, but one of my favorite things to write is snarky dialogue. I also enjoy writing out a good fight scene.

As far a weak points, when I read books by other authors, some of them have such talent for creating vivid imagery with setting. I’d love to improve in that area.

 And now for a giveaway! Leave a comment with your email address below to be entered to win a copy of KATANA! One winner will be picked next Monday; sorry, but this needs to be North America only. 

On Communication

I've been a bit incommunicado lately, and I totally apologize! First, A MILLION SUNS came out. Then I had to rewrite SHADES OF EARTH. Then I did a series of travel and writing retreats (more on those later) which required a lot of work and not much time for writing blog posts, answering emails, and updating Twitter. The long and the short of it: I'm behind on all forms of communication.

But! All this week! There will be an interview with a different author each day--followed by a giveaway of a (usually signed) book by each author! Hurrah!

I'm still way behind on Twitter and email though :)

Breathless Reads Fall Tour

Penguin Teen is brilliant. Really, it hardly needs to be said: they are brilliant. And they prove it once again by extending the Breathless Reads program. This February, they used Breathless Reads to send me, Andrea Cremer, Jessica Spotswood, and Marie Lu on a national tour of awesome. And they've selected five new authors to induct into the Breathless Reads club--all awesome, all totally cool, and all very much breathless reads.

All this week, Breathless Reads will be announcing a new title for the Fall Breathless Reads. You can find out about each one on the Breathless Reads Facebook page or through the Publisher Weekly emails that are going out this week. One new title each day.

Today's title is ORIGIN by Jessica Khoury. Dude. I loved this book. I loved this book so much that I blurbed it:

"I loved Origin's action, romance, and mystery--and I couldn't stop thinking about the questions it raised."


You guys know I love a book that makes me think. It's probably no surprise that I'm happiest when a book will make me not just think about the plot, but also myself. ORIGIN totally does this. It forces you to question what you know is right and wrong, and the morality it raises is definitely the strength of this novel. It's what sucked me in--and I know when it comes out this fall, you'll feel the same way :)

If you'd like to get started, you can read a sample of ORIGIN for free right now. (Or, if I've embedded it correctly, below):
Breathless Reads Fall 2012 Sampler

Meanwhile, make sure to check out the Breathless Reads page every day this week for more info on the other wonderful titles that are going to be a part of this awesome program.

Guest Post by Saundra Mitchell, Author of Springsweet

Today I have the very great pleasure of introducing you to Saundra Mitchell, author of the historical magical novel THE SPRINGSWEET. She's such a sweet author and a whizz at marketing--if you're not already following her blog and reading her books, get on that! Check out her post below for a chance to win both of her historical novels and a copy of A MILLION SUNS!

----------------

"Do you know what I've missed since coming here? Books. I do miss reading novels, don't you?"

-Zora, The Springsweet

Pretty much every writer started out as a reader; now that we're writers, we can't help but write about people who love books. Sometimes IN the books. It's meta upon meta, but it makes perfect sense to us.

To celebrate books, Saundra Mitchell's blog tour is all about sharing two great things that go great together: books + free.  And in this case, whiplash- one minute, you're enjoying a strange, dark future in A MILLION SUNS, the next, you're whipped back to magic on the prairie in 1891.

Get your whiplash for free. Enter to win a copy of  A MILLION SUNS, and a signed set of Saundra's THE VESPERTINE and THE SPRINGSWEET. All you have to do is comment in this entry, and leave an e-mail address where we can contact you. (US & Canadian residents only, please.)

And tell us about your favorite book, too. Growing a TBR pile is the best gardening there is!

THE SPRINGSWEET
A Companion to The Vespertine
by Saundra Mitchell
Hardcover & E-book

From Harcourt

“A lovely historical romance takes readers back to the 1890 Oklahoma territory. (T)he author conjures a convincing picture of life on the Oklahoma prairie, painting an absorbing portrait of the landscape and of the people there. A high-quality, absorbing drama.”

– Kirkus Reviews, 02/01/12

It’s a long way from Baltimore to Oklahoma Territory. But Zora Stewart will go any distance to put the tragic events of her sixteenth summer behind her. So this city girl heads to the tiny frontier town of West Glory to help her young widowed aunt keep her homestead going.

When another Baltimorean shows up in West Glory, Zora couldn’t be more surprised. Theo de la Croix made the long trip out west hoping to court Zora, whom he has long admired from afar.

But Zora has developed an attraction to a rather less respectable fellow: Emerson Birch, a rough-mannered young “sooner” whose fertile land is coveted.

As Zora begins to suspect that there may be more than luck behind Emerson’s good land, she discovers an extraordinary, astonishing power of her own: the ability to sense water under the parched earth. When her aunt hires her out as a “springsweet” to advise other settlers where to dig their wells, Zora feels the burden of holding the key to something so essential to survival in this unforgiving land.

Even more, she finds herself longing for love the way the prairie thirsts for water. Maybe, in the wildness of the territories, Zora can finally move beyond simply surviving and start living.

THE SPRINGSWEET

is available at Indiebound |Amazon| Barnes & Noble

Saundra Mitchell has been a phone psychic, a car salesperson, a denture-deliverer and a layout waxer. She's dodged trains, endured basic training, and hitchhiked from Montana to California. She teaches herself languages, raises children, and makes paper for fun. She's the author of Shadowed Summer, The Vespertine, The Springsweet, and the forthcoming The Elementals and Mistwalker. She's also the editor of the forthcoming YA anthology Defy the Dark. She always picks truth; dares are too easy.

#BreathlessChat

TODAY at 7pm, EST, the Breathless Reads girls (including me, squee!) will be doing a live online chat--and we'd love for you to participate--make comments, ask questions, demand my secret for the perfect chicken and dumplings, whatever you like!


If you'd like to participate, I *think* I've embedded the chat correctly here, so you can do it right here on the website. In case that doesn't work, though, you are also more than welcome to go to the Spreecast page here.



Remember: The reason why Penguin Teen does this sort of thing is because it wants to give you the things you want! So if you like chats like this, please let Penguin Teen know. I get to keep doing stuff like this with you, because you guys keep telling them you want it. If it helps, here's a tweet button so that you can thank Penguin Teen and also let others know about the chat tonight: Tweet #BreathlessChat

Today! #BreathlessChat

Got yourself an internet connection? Then you can come to the last Breathless Reads event--an online chat with all four authors!

We're using Spreecast to live-chat with everyone. It's super-simple to sign up (you can use Twitter or Facebook to do it), and you can ask questions by text in the COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS button near the bottom of the screen.

The event starts at 7pm EST--hope to see you there! For more information, click here.

Chicago Area Event of WIN

Guys--if you're in the Chicago area, you simply must check out RT. Much of the event is ticketed, but this Saturday is Teen Day--which means you have a chance to meet DOZENS of AWESOME YA writers (including moi) for the low, low price of $25 for workshops and the Teen Party.

I can't even begin to list how cool this all is. So if you can come, make sure to check it out here for full details. 

Hope to see you!

Link Spam

I have more than a dozen tabs open on Chrome right now, which, of course, means it's time for another linkspam:

• A very insightful, intelligent, and interesting (yay for assonance!) article on gender, romance, and teens in YA science fiction by book critic and author Phoebe North, as well as another take by fellow League member, book critic, and author Lenore Appelhans. Be smart and read both and then contribute your thoughts to the discussion.
• The Real Fauxtographer (Margot Wood) did an amazingly lovely photo of one of the most popular scenes in ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and it made me smile. (You should check out all her work--my personal fave is the one for Carrie Ryan's THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH--the braids, yay! And also the non-book-based Superman at 60)
• This made me smile a silly smile: my book, casually mentioned in the NY Times. 
• Writing advice by CS Lewis, who is made of awesome.
• You have until April 17 to enter this giveaway for A MILLION SUNS--and there's a pretty in-depth interview with me there, too :)
• The birth of a book (via the marvelous and gorgeous Molly Quinn)
• I'm working on a post about music, so why not listen to this lovely song:

UK Release of A Million Suns!

I'm happy to say that my friends across the pond can finally snag a copy of A MILLION SUNS there!

And, as you can see, A MILLION SUNS got a shiny new redesign in the UK. It's a lot more sci-fi-y, don't you think? It also definitely gets the feeling of being trapped on a spaceship--I love how much of the ship is actually shown on a close-up level. The nuts and bolts just emphasize it even more.

I hate that everyone in the UK had to wait a bit longer for the release than in the US/Canada, but I hope you find the book worth the wait. And I'd like to take this moment to give a shout-out to my wonderful UK publishers at Puffin/Penguin UK. They are fantastic people to work with, and I believe my book is in the best hands there. I'm so appreciative of all they've done help share the book in the UK!

And speaking of some of the awesome ways they've spread the word about A MILLION SUNS, be sure to check out a copy of BLISS magazine and SHOUT magazine soon, and you'll see a little bit of A MILLION SUNS there :) And BLISS magazine is currently hosting a giveaway so be sure to enter by April 12th for your chance to win a copy!

You can also read the first chapter of A MILLION SUNS online at the Guardian in the UK. Click here to be taken directly to the site and the excerpt. And if you're so inclined, you can also read my guest post on the Guardian about why I love writing dystopian fiction.

I'd also very much like to thank all the bloggers in the UK who've reviewed, chatted about the book, and more. You guys are awesome, and I couldn't be here without you. <3

“All the twists, turns and secrets made A Million Suns so exciting!  I was hooked to every single word.” 5 stars ***** (The Book Addicted Girl blog)

“Revis has an amazing way of heightening tension and anticipation. This is definitely what you'd call a page turner” (Stepping Out of the Page blog)

“I couldn't put the book down” (Reading Between the Lines blog)

News & Events

Holy shizz, guys, I have gotten so far behind. And it's likely I'm going to continue to be a bit behind. I totally don't want to be that irresponsible author who never answers her email, but I'm kinda falling into that. If you've sent me an email that needs an answer, please do NOT feel bad about poking me and reminding me that I'm a loser and need to answer your email.

Meanwhile, here's where I'll be in April & May:

RT Convention, Chicago, IL

April 11-15

Events:

Science Fiction: Popular Tropes & Themes & How to Write SF That Dazzles

With: Ann Aguire, Cindy Holby, Isabo Kelly, Cindy Spencer Pape, Lineea Sinclair, and me

Wednesday, April 11th, 1pm

Young Adult: Post-apocalytic and Near Future YA

With: David McInnis Gill, Carrie Ryan, Margie Stohl, Rosemary Clement-Moore, and me

Thursday, April 12th, 10am

Young Adult: Wasting My Time: Making Sense of the Changing Landscape

With: Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Saundra Mitchell, Deborah Schneider, Margie Stohl, Melissa Marr, and me

Friday, April 13th, 10am

Meet the Authors at the Book Fair

YA Author Alley

Friday, April 13th, 10:45-2:00

From Spark to Fire: Interactive World and Character-Building Workshop

With: Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Nancy Holder, Veronica Roth, Margie Stohl, and me

Friday, April 13th, 2:30-3:30

Teen Day Party

Lower Level: International Ballroom

6:15-7:30pm

You can download a full schedule of the RT Convention here.

Bookstore Events:

Date: April 26, 7pm

With: Alan Gratz, Carrie Ryan, Gwenda Bond, Kristin Tubb, Laurel Snyder, Megan Miranda, Megan Shepherd, Tiffany Trent

A low-key, informal discussion and Q&A about writing and YA literature

Malaprops Bookstore, Asheville, NC

Date: May 1, 7pm

With: Stephanie Perkins, Kiersten White, Megan Miranda

Malaprops Bookstore, Asheville, NC

Date: May 2, 6:30pm

Just me :)

City Lights Bookstore, Sylva, NC

Hacked Fixed!

The problem with my site being hacked should now be fixed--please feel free to explore once again :)

I do apologize if the hack sent you anywhere unsavory. It seems as if the hacker got access through the server, so if you use Dream Host, you might want to check and see if your site has the subtle hack in it, too. And remember: change your passwords regularly, and make them super tricky to solve :)

Website Hacked

Please do NOT go to my main webpage--bethrevis.com--as it appears to have been hacked. It redirects to unsavory sites or has a scam pop-up.

I'm working on this and will let you know as soon as the site itself is fixed.

Edit: This doesn't seem to affect any page but the main one (bethrevis.com)--i.e., not this blog, not the other pages in the website. But if you do have any trouble, please let me know ASAP.

The Top Three Things You've Learned

As many of you know, I'm a member of the debut novelist group The Elevensies. But we're no longer in the year 2011...and we're no longer debuts. Surely we've learned something in that time. I recently asked the group to list out the top three things they've learned in their debut years. If you're currently a debut--or if you want to be a debut one day--I hope these mini-lists of advice help you out!


First, my advice:
1. It's not the kind of swag you get, but how you use it.
2. New goal: never do another event by myself (more authors = more fun & less stress!)
3. Sometimes it's easier to rewrite the book than revise it.


Here's what the rest of the Elevensies had to say:

Julia Karr
TRUTH
1. Don't be stressed, you're doing this because you love to write. 
2. A good editor is worth their weight in gold.
3. Keep writing the stories you want to tell.


Helen Landalf
FLYAWAY
1. The revisions you do before the sale are only the beginning.
2. Promoting is just another phase of the writing process - embrace it!
3. Always write the book that challenges you.



Tessa Gratton
THE BLOOD KEEPER
1. The Internet is not God.
2. I can't control what people say about my book, what marketing it does or doesn't get, or gravity, but I CAN control my reactions to everything.
3. Save all your receipts. ALL OF THEM.

Sara Bennett Wealer
RIVAL
1. Dedicate a BIG chunk of your advance for promo (more than you think you'll need).
2. There will be disappointments--sometimes big ones; have tissues and a shoulder to cry on handy. 
3. Always be working on something new!


Angie Smibert
THE FORGETTING CURVE
1. Invest in a good office chair. You'll be spending a lot of time in it.
2. Don't get caught up in marketing. No one really knows what works.
3. Always be writing.

Tommy Greenwald
CHARLIE JOE JACKSON
1. Editors are slow but wonderful.
2. Try not to obsess over things beyond your control.
3. When you do obsess over things beyond your control, have chocolate handy.

Kiki Hamilton
THE FAERIE RING
1. Write for the love of the story only you can tell.
2. Embrace book bloggers - they are AWESOME.
3. Believe in yourself. Never waver. If you want it bad enough - you can find a way to make it happen.

Terry Lynn Johnson
DOGSLED DREAMS
1. Patience! The waiting. Never. Ends.
2. Write your next book while you're waiting.
3. Did I mention the waiting?

Dawn Metcalf
LUMINOUS
1. Thou shalt not stress about things over which you have no control, be it cover art, marketing, sales numbers, promo, the migration of editors and agents, or other mysteries of the publishing universe.
2. Meet lots of people, online and in-person, and keep in touch! These wonderful human beings are your lifelines to sanity.
3. Write the next book that inspires you.

Kristi Cook
HAVEN
1. A book is never really "done" until the editor pries it from your hot little hands
2. Writing an 80K word book is easier than writing a 5 page synopsis
3. Worrying about all the stuff you *can't* control will drive you nuts. Instead, focus on what you *can* control--writing a really good book!

Lisa Desrochers
LAST RITE
1. There is nothing more valuable than a honest critique partner who gets your writing.
2. Don't stress about the stuff that's out of your control. (Like covers.)
3. Find some awesome writerly friends who will hug you when you need it.

Clete Barrett Smith
ALIENS ON VACATION
1. Librarians, teachers and children's booksellers--in addition to being the best people in the world--are largely responsible for getting your book into the hands of kids. Treat them accordingly.
2. Learn to enjoy the public speaking that goes along with book promotion.
3. Your (possibly lifelong) goal of being a published author has been accomplished. Congrats! Now it's time to set new writing goals.

Elana Johnson
POSSESSION
1. It's never too early to start the next book, series or no series.
2. Spend more time writing than promoting.
3. Learn to say no.

The Art of Words

So I was talking recently with my friend Elana Johnson (her book, btw, is totally on sale now, you should buy it) about how writing can be an art. I say "can be" because I'm not sure it's always an art--although that's a debate for a different day.

But our conversation really got me thinking--about words, about art in general, and about how we are influenced by the things we like. I wonder: does the art that you like influence the way you express your own art?

I happen to be a huge fan of painting--specifically Pre-Raphaelite paintings. (I blogged about this before, but it's been a few years. Still, if you'd like to see my original thoughts on the subject, as well as my favorite piece of art, click here.)

I suppose you could look at artistic movements like genres of written works. My favorite genre is YA, my favorite artistic movement is Pre-Raphaelite. I don't really appreciate adult literary titles, but then again, Dadaism is lost on me. While I can look at a piece of Dadaist art and recognize that (a) it is art and (b) it has value, it has no emotional resonance within me.

That said, I don't think it's really as simple as that. Because even within my own beloved YA genre, there are different styles. And so I think it comes down to this: we are each of us an artist, and our art is reflective of the things we like within art, not necessarily the artistic style.

When I think about why I like Pre-Raphaelite art, I come up with this list:

• Beautiful execution. The paintings are vivid and realistic and beautiful to look at. Some art is meant to disturb; this art is meant to be beautiful (although there is disturbing themes--the painting of Ophelia to the left is supposed to show her at the moment of her death).
• Fantastic subjects. I mean fantastic in the literal sense--the settings and subjects of the paintings are often derived from mythology or Shakespearean lore.
• Attention to detail. In the painting of Ophelia, even the selection of flowers held in her hands hold symbolic meaning. I cannot name a single Pre-Raphaelite painting that doesn't include significant symbolism in the images.

These are also the same things that I love about my favorite YA novels:

• Beautiful execution. I say this all the time, but Carrie Ryan's THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH changed the way I looked at YA books specifically because they were so beautifully written. Yes, they're about zombies. But they're beautiful. 
• Fantastic subjects. I like my books to have fantasy or sci fi in them. I want the impossible to happen. I don't need to hold onto realism--I want magic and stars.
• Attention to detail. One of my very favorite literary devices is foreshadow. I want a complicated story, yes, but I want the end to surprise me. Foreshadow is the key to this. Show me all the clues in the story, and then show me how they solve the plot. Think of JK Rowling--you see polyjuice potion in Book 2, but then the plot of Book 4 hinges on it. That is brilliant. That is the detail that wins the books. 

If a piece of art can be beautiful--yet thought-provoking--dealing with a subject matter that's not mundane while also showing a high level of detail that casts significance on even the smallest part of the painting--then I will love that painting. 

If a book can sling around beautiful words and phrases--and yet have a deeper meaning to the text--while also taking place in a fantasy or sci fi world and using a high level of detail (such as through foreshadowing)--then I will love that book.

This is, perhaps, one of the reasons why I loved Laini Taylor's LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES (the fact that the first story is based on a poem by a Pre-Raphaelite artist notwithstanding). It combines significant beautiful art (by the equally brilliant Jim DiBartolo) with beautiful words to create a complete story that incorporates all the ingredients to a book I love: beauty, fantasy, and depth.

I find this kind of comparison between visual art and literature fascinating. Would someone who prefers Dadaism, for example, also like the same books that I like? And if so--would that person like those books for very different reasons from the reasons why I like them? 

In the end, there is no wrong way to look at art--or books--and there's no wrong reason for liking or disliking any artistic book. The very things I love about Pre-Raphaeliteism are also often a source of criticism. I love the readily apparent symbolism; critics say it is too heavy-handed. I love the beauty; critics say the art does not lie in the beauty. Likewise, some of my favorite books are criticized for the very things I love about them. My favorite childhood book is The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis because they were the first books that I read and realized that there was such a thing as symbolism and that a story could go far deeper than just the words on the page. This is probably the very thing that makes these books reviled by some--too evident symbolism. 

I'd love to know your thoughts on this subject. What art do you like, and does your artistic taste reflect your literary taste? What qualities in art--visual or literary--do you appreciate the most?

A Story is a Story

Audible currently has a sale going on where a lot of popular titles are only about $5. As I scrolled through, I realized that there were several books I wanted, and ended up purchasing four (after spending my credit on READY PLAYER ONE, at Marie Lu and Andrea Cremer's suggestion, and it is AMAZING).

And then I came to THE LITTLE PRINCE. I actually quite love this title--it's a beautiful book, with beautiful illustrations (and readers of A MILLION SUNS will know that I like this book so much that I made it a part of that book, too). But it's not one of the books I bought. Despite the fact that it was $5, I just did not care to own it in audiobook format.

This got me thinking: I actually have some big preferences on how I consume books. This has only happened recently--about a year after owning an ereader and subscribing to audible. I've developed a hierarchy of what format I want books in.

If it's a book with a particularly beautiful cover, a book that I know I will want to read over and over again, a book by a friend, or a book I could get signed, I want the hardback.

If it's a very long book (GAME OF THRONES, I'm looking at you), a book that I consider a "throw-away" read (such as a trashy romance novel), or a book that I already love and know I want to read again easily (i.e. on the road), I will buy an ebook. In some cases, I will buy an ebook of a book I already own, just for the portability. In my house, we have all of George RR Martin's books in both formats--my husband likes the paperbacks, my hand doesn't want to break under the weight and prefers the ebook. I also have signed hardbacks I don't want to damage, so I have the ebook, too.

If it's a book I'm only so-so excited about, but feel I should read anyway, I will get it in audiobook. There are a few titles that it feels as if EVERYONE has read, but I just can't get through--so I get it in audiobook. I listen to audiobooks while on a long road trip or while cleaning the house, which means that I somehow get over the issues that I have trouble with in the print books. These are books that seem to have a slow start, or perhaps a premise that I'm not over the moon about. I've found so many new books this way--audiobooks somehow make me get over my presumption of books that I have trouble with.

I also like audiobooks when there's a great narrator--I read Harry Potter in Jim Dale's voice now, and Wil Wheaton is definitely the voice for READY PLAYER ONE. And sometimes it's just nice to put on a well-loved story and listen away.

In short, my point is this: there's a lot of debate over ebooks or no ebooks, and formatting and everything else. But for me, there's no argument. I like all the formats for different books, and I'm just happy that I get to live in a world where they're all available.

What about you? What formats do you prefer...and why?

We are all of us stardust

This universe, this world, this life: it's all pretty astounding. There is, quite literally, a star within you. Let it shine.

You Don't Want to Miss These...

There are a few things happening online right now (or soon!) and I want to make sure everyone knows about them. Forgive me if this is a repeat from Facebook or Twitter :)

• There's an online campaign to make Kony famous. The video is amazing and is definitely worth a watch.
• And speaking of important things: you should read this post by Ello about beauty, and what it is (and isn't) and how we need to change the face of books (literally).
• THIS THURSDAY: Don't miss a chat online with me hosted by the wonderful Mundie Moms! We'll be talking about A MILLION SUNS, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, writing, and more, so please drop by and chat! Spoilers ahoy!
• Coming in April--the YA Scavenger Hunt! Now with a shiny new website! But we need you help--please vote for how you'd like to see the hunt develop.
• Thanks to Jennifer White for letting me know about this website that allows you to make your own (beautiful) nebula!
• Seriously, have you heard this song yet?! Blown. Away.
• Anthology news! 
• AFTER, an anthology edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, is now up on GoodReads. My story is about the Eldest System, and one Elder's decision to continue it or not. It's a very open-ended story...the Elder could be Orion, or it could be the Eldest you meet in ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.
• DEFY THE DARK, an anthology edited by Saundra Mitchell, has it's own website online here. If you're a writer, you definitely want to keep an eye out on this website--there will soon be a contest for one unpublished writer to win the last spot in the anthology. My story in this anthology is about Kayleigh and Harley, and tells a secret that's only hinted at in A MILLION SUNS. You can read the first few lines here.