Writer, teacher, blogger and mom.
It all started, I think, with a snarky article in the Wall Street Journal, bemoaning the bleak and violent content of Young Adult literature. The response was, among other things, a Twitter campaign called “#YA Saves”. Thousands of Tweets, hundreds of blogs, and commenters galore rallied to the support of dark YA books. This Blogfest … More #YA Saves
Something beautiful happened yesterday on Miss Snark’s First Victim. An author entered one of Miss Starks’ contests and wasn’t chosen as a finalist – was rejected, in other words. The writer, going by anonymous, posted this reply: This has proven to me that I should give up on … More Rejection Reaction
So busy with NaNoWriMo right now, and so close to finishing that I have scarce time to commit to Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. However, I am never one to make excuses, so this week I will offer a brief but pithy recommendation for The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Here’s the blurb from Wikipedia, which … More Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays – The Phantom Tollbooth
I stopped in at Chapters yesterday, on my way back from somewhere. I didn’t buy anything. These days I buy most of my books from a small retailer near my daughter’s swimming lesson. They have a limited selection, especially when it comes to middle grade and YA, but I only buy bestsellers if I’m desperate to … More Why Writers Should Visit a Large Bookstore at Least Once a Month
Just wanted to plug a few wonderful people and things. First of all, Kris Rothstein and the Carolyn Swayze Literary Agency. I had a great lunch with Kris today and she doesn’t seem to mind at all that I am completely bonkers. Secondly, a shout out to Carrie Gleason at Lorimer Books, who always answers my emails within … More Shameless Plugs, Agents, Publishers, Verse Novels and One Very Tolerant Husband
Here’s the deal: I love writing queries. I’ve also never written (and sent) a query that didn’t get requests, so I must be doing something right. I often write queries before my manuscript is even finished. Some writers are scandalized by this, accusing me of putting the cart before the horse. But just because I’ve … More Query Hell(p)
This week’s I Love Dark YA Blogfest Challenge was to score and cast the movie version of one of your favorite Dark YA books. I just couldn’t stop at one. Before I start, I just have to quote Tessa over at Ink&Angst: Tessa’s Definition of Dark YA Life sucks, everybody dies, the end. I know … More Dark YA Blog Fest Week 3 – Dark Book, Dark Movie, Dark Music…Cute Cast?
Seriously, are we all completely crazy? Us writers, I mean. Are we totally bonkers? Halfway through the month, I’m well past my halfway point in my manuscript and feeling pretty good. My approach has been slow and steady. I make sure to write at least 1666 words everyday. Most days I exceed this, but I … More NaNoWriMo Day 15 – word count 29,169 and just, in general, 10 points about WORD COUNTS
For this Marvelous Middle Grade Monday I’m doing another classic book; and this time I must go further back. Recently while unpacking my books after moving house, I came across a paperback copy of The Little Prince. My daughter was nearby so I suggested she read a bit of it. She’s seven, but a very … More Marvelous Middle Grade Monday – The Little Prince
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