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HEART OF ICE and FIRE AND ICE
The Hearts on Fire duo by Elizabeth Ruston

Who is this Elizabeth…

Hi, folks, I'm enjoying a rainy day.  Love it. Writing my heart out over here. Today is going to be short and sweet because I'm busy. I'm jumping into the Harper Voyager submission call.  Knock on wood. Toss some salt. Rub Budai's belly. I hope magic and perseverance mix it up and produce another success. 

Here is an observation I've made, but tons of others have noticed also - we live in a universe of dualities. Writers,  artists, scientists, philosophers (inquisitive folk) really devote serious time to thinking about duality. Who I am and What do I want. Dark and light. Male and Female. Hot and cold. The list goes on and on.

Myth #1: I was published because of luck. I have met this writer. You worked for three weeks and sent out your work and bink! was given a major contract.  Sure. You were just accidentally at the right place at the right time! I don't believe you. You persevered (you suffered), worked hard (doing something), and you have scribbled at least a million words somewhere before this day, for sure, just as sure it was your lucky day.

Myth #2: I was published because of my genius. I have met this writer too. You believe you are just that good.   You worked hard.  You perspired. You burned midnight oil.  Yes, you did. You were also lucky. I absolutely believe no matter how hard you work,  unseen forces are out there. You can make bread but you can't make it multiply. Success is a gift, a miracle and blessing, just as much as a reward for your perseverance.

I think you get it. The myths involve not accepting the the truth of duality. I  hope you work hard this week. I will too. But, also, I wish you luck. Wish me luck, too! See you next week with more inspiration. 

Today's doodle is called. "Yin-Yang Girl"

I just want to make sure you all have seen this, I feel like I'm my own splinter group, spread over social media as I am.
This is the brilliant trailer Hyperion produced for the release of The Crimson Crown, with an original song by Roto.
Hyperion will be showing this in theaters from 11/16 to 12/26 in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago,  Washington DC and OHIO in conjunction with the showings of the movies Twilight:Breaking Dawn Part 2 and The Hobbit.



So watch it here and then look for it on the big screen beginning in november!!

NEWS: Literary agent Erin Harris has moved from the Irene Skolnick Literary Agency to Folio Literary Management, where she will focus on growing their literary fiction list, in addition to representing book club fiction, YA, and select narrative nonfiction titles.

HOW TO SUBMIT: She is actively seeking submissions and can be reached at: eharris [at] folioliterarymanagement.com.

GLA: First off, tell us about this exciting new move.

ES: I am so thrilled to be a part of the team at Folio Literary Management!  Folio is a full-service and forward-thinking agency that’s on the cutting-edge of publishing. To learn even more about us, writers can check out the July issue of Poets & Writers and visit our website: www.foliolit.com. Folio’s roster of novelists is impressive, and this year we are looking to add to it! One of my roles at the agency will be to champion debut literary fiction. Some of Folio’s current fiction authors include New York Times bestselling author Garth Stein (The Art of Racing in the Rain) and New York Times bestselling author and Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize nominee Eowyn Ivey (The Snow Child).

Folio also has a wonderful roster of literary authors who write narrative nonfiction, among them: New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Letts (The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired a Nation) and New York Times bestselling author Quill Award nominee Charles Shields (Mockingbird and And So It Goes).

Joining Folio’s list are some wonderful writers I’ve  worked with in the past: debut novelists Bryan Furuness, author of the forthcoming The Lost Episodes of Review Bryson (Dzanc/Black Lawrence Press) and Jennifer Laam, author of the forthcoming The Secret Daughter of the Tsar (St. Martin’s Press/Griffin); and nonfiction writers Carla Power, author of the forthcoming memoir If The Oceans Were Ink (Henry Holt/Times Books), and Executive Editor of The New Criterion David Yezzi, author of the forthcoming biography Anthony Hecht: Poet and the Age (St. Martin’s Press).

GLA: Does this mean you’ll be accepting different categories? Any changes?

ES: My focus will basically remain the same, but with a few minor changes, namely I WON’T be focusing on YA and middle grade fantasies. Literary fiction is my bailiwick. I also love book club fiction; historical fiction; literary suspense/noir/mystery/thriller; contemporary YA; and narrative nonfiction. But I can get more specific than that…

Regarding FICTION for adults, I’m especially interested in:

• Novels set against the backdrop of another time, place, or culture.  I’m someone who believes fiction has much to teach us about history, psychology, and anthropology. (I’m a huge fan of Zadie Smith, Orhan Pamuk, Nicole Krauss, Chris Cleave, Sue Monk Kidd, Donald Ray Pollock, and Salman Rushdie.)
• Novels that incorporate some kind of surreal or magical element. (I can’t get enough of novels in the vein of Karen Russell’s Swamplandia!, Téa Obrecht’s The Tiger’s Wife, and Karen Thomson Walker’s The Age of Miracles.)
• Novels with mystery and suspense in their DNA, or ones with a noir aesthetic.  (Think: Gillian Flynn, Tana French, and Lawrence Block.)

Regarding YOUNG ADULT, I’m interested in:

• Contemporary, voice-driven novels that approach the universal experience of being a teenager from a surprising or an unlikely perspective (Some favorite authors: John Green, David Levithan, and Peter Cameron).
• Though I enjoy some paranormal romances (Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Josephine Angelini’s Starcrossed, and Lauren Oliver’s Delirium), I’m currently shying away from representing anything involving angels, chimera, Greek gods, and dystopias. I am, however, open to YA books with highly original supernatural concepts or undertones.

Regarding NONFICTION:

• I’m drawn to adventure narratives, particularly those in which physical and spiritual journeys become intertwined (Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, Cheryl Strayed’s Wild).
• I also enjoy memoirs that illuminate another culture or explore cross-cultural conflict (Alexandra Fuller’s Don’t Let’s Go To the Dogs Tonight, Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s Infidel).
• I’m fascinated by “big idea” books that reveal underlying yet unexpected truths about our society (Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed, Susan Cain’s Quiet).

Regardless of genre, I gravitate toward books that have both compelling concepts and impeccable, stop-you-in-your-tracks writing.  Give me a topic or an idea that I can’t wait to tell editors about – and that I can explain clearly and succinctly.  Give me prose that leaps off the page.  I’m a real sucker for sentences that demand to be read aloud. Also, I should mention that I love bad-ass female protagonists across the board.

GLA: Will your move affect how quickly you reply to queries?

ES: Due to the volume of queries I receive, I can only respond to queries in the affirmative.  If I’m interested, I will request more material.  I do read all of my queries, and I consider them carefully.  Your submission should include:

1. A brief description of your project
2. Your author bio: please let me know about any publications, awards, residencies, schooling, professional or personal contacts that may be relevant.
3. The first ten pages of your manuscript or nonfiction proposal

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming writers conferences?

ES: Indeed!  You can find me here:

1.    Hook, Line, and Sinker (October 22-24, 2012)
2.    Backspace (November 1-2, 2012)
3.    Unicorn Writers’ Conference (March 9, 2013)
4.    Wilkes University Low Residency Program  (January 10-12, 2013)
5.    Grub Street’s The Muse and the Marketplace (May 2013)

GLA: Is there anything else you’d like writers to know about you?

ES: I am a hands-on agent, and I often work with my writers in an editorial capacity.  I have an MFA in Creative Writing from the New School, a degree I pursued in order to become a more effective editor and compassionate literary advocate.  I will also help writers with publicity and platform-building.  To that end, I co-curate H.I.P. Reading Series, and I’m a member of Women’s Media Group and PEN American Center.

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent edition online at a discount.

Revising your book is more than just changing a word here and there. 

http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-art-of-complete-rewrite.html

It was packed with SCBWI authors, illustrators and librarians as everyone shared their children’s book news.

Jenny Stubbs the Director of the Story Arts Festival Ipswich, Book Links and Ipswich District Teacher Librarian Network shared  festival information and ideas from Romancing the Stars of children’s books to the brilliant CBCA Readers’ Cup for the kids of Queensland.

 Valerie Khoo Director of the Sydney Writers Centre was inspiring. Her generosity in sharing how writers reach their audiences through social media and creating a successful career was fantastic.

– And we’re all waiting for the mega Christmas party on 6th December with THEATRE SPORTS organised by our mega team of Nathan Luff, Deb Abela and Wendy Blaxland.

Bookings:- [email protected]

Thursday 6th December 2012

6.30 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Buffet with wine at $45 per person

Come ready to party, perform, laugh and share the Christmas spirit.

This one I have to read.

A Hankie A Day!

September brings cooler days…. but it also brings “Quilt A Fair” to the Boulder County Fairgrounds.  I love to attend each year.  I go every year for both inspiration for my job, and… for … HANKIES!!

I just love those brightly colored works of art.  They seem to tell me a story. No, not about the noses they have wiped! haha!  but about the designers who came up with the idea for each hankie.  I thought I would share with you my newest in my collection!

I have a funny story about one of my hankies.  I went on a walk one day and somehow my hankie fell out of my pocket.  I was so sad to lose one of my favorites.  Just a couple of days later I FOUND it on my walk!  Funny how a simple hankie can bring a smile.  I know… I’m weird that way.  haha!

http://www.obooko.com/obooko_teenya/bookpages2/tya0128-free-ebook-back-to-xenitha-emery.php

http://www.obooko.com/obooko_teenya/bookpages2/tya0127-free-ebook-xenitha-emery.php

I have downloaded my first two books on OBOOKO, where you can download them for free, either in PDF, EPUB or MOBI. I haven't had a lot of success in selling many copies of my books, but then I didn't really have my books published to make me rich (although that would have been nice). The reason I had them published was because I had a story to tell and that I wanted to share them with other readers.

Katie's Contemporary Arthurian legend series, 'The Knight Trilogy' was launched in December 2010 with the release of 'The Forest of Adventures' and the subsequent release of 'Immortal Beloved' in 2011. Both books have been in the UK top 10 Amazon charts for Contemporary Fantasy and Fairytales. The final book 'Star Fire' was released this summer.

She is currently working on a stand alone YA novel called 'Beautiful Freaks', a steampunk, Victorian - detective fairytale,  which is due for release in October 2012.

She lives in the London suburbs, is married to a dashingly handsome giant and is mummy to a 3ft Mud-puddle Fairy. Katie likes to write whilst eating Jaffa cakes and listening to her i-Pod.

"A Powerful Reworking of the Arthurian Legends"

Everybody's heard of the fairies at the bottom of the garden, but what if it wasn't just fairies  but a whole magical realm?

When the devastatingly handsome Blake Beldevier arrives at Mina's college, she finds herself unwillingly swept off of her feet and her whole world is turned upside down.

But Blake has a secret ... and  as Mina finds herself drawn further and further into his world she realizes that fairytales aren't for children, and there's certainly no guarantee of a happy ever after.

It’s the last night of Priit Parn screenings at the Spectacle Theater in Williamsburg (124 S. 3rd Street, Brooklyn, NY). Parn is visiting from Estonia and will appear in person at the screenings at 7:30 and 10pm. Seating is limited at the theater (which is actually more a room than a theater), and most screenings so far have been sold out, so get there early if you’re interested.

One of Priit Parn’s classics that didn’t screen in New York this week is Time Out (1984), which you can see below. The short elevates the visual non sequitur into an art form. The film remains fresh nearly thirty years later. A lot of animation today attempts to recreate a similarly surrealistic madcap tone, none as successfully as this film:

It is time for leaves to change color from green to yellow, orange, red and then brown. Then they will litter the ground and some will grumble feeling the need to clean them out of rain gutters and rake them into piles. There are those who will be thrilled to jump in those piles and squeal with delight. Children, bless them, love every season in its time.

We had two pygmy goats at one time. We named them Burt and Ernie. They were just kids when we adopted them and they were the most entertaining pets we have ever owned. We almost split our sides laughing at their antics. I mention them now because one of their favorite things was the fallen leaves from our sweet gum trees. The goats loved to eat them like potato chips. You could hear the crunch as they chewed them up. They never seemed to get enough of them. When the leaves were all gone I felt sorry for Burt and Ernie because their supply of snacks was gone until next year.

My husband starts looking forward to fall sometime in June. LOL! Yes, I guess you can tell he is not a big fan of hot weather. Here in Southern Oregon he is finding it still too hot (90's) for his taste even though it is fall. Of course, he will soon be complaining about the cold, or the rain, or the snow. Take your pick. Each season seems to have something to grouse about, but there are plenty of things to enjoy about each and every season in its own time.

Start thinking pumpkins, apple pies, beef stew and hot chili. Home baked bread and baking powder biscuits will warm our insides on a cool fall morning. Approaching holidays will fill our thoughts as we plan family gatherings and Christmas gifts and give much thought to the true meaning of the holiday.  A cozy fire will warm our outsides in the evening as we read a favorite book or sit around the table playing monopoly with the family. It is all a good time.

Happy Fall everyone!

• The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy
• Whispers in the Wind by Lauraine Snelling
• The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
• Twelve Unlikely Heroes by John MacArthur
• Dodger by Terry Pratchett
• Llama Llama Time To Share by Anna Dewdney
• Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer
• Cinderella: Ninja Warrior by Maureen McGowan
• Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer by Maureen McGowan
• One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
• The Secret Tree by Natalie Standiford
• Snow in Summer: Fairest of Them All by Jane Yolen
• Holes by Louis Sachar
• Same Sun Here by Silas House and Neela Vaswani.
• Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas
• Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

If you're reading this on a site (other than Becky's Book Reviews or Becky's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Nominations for the 2012 Cybils open just after the stroke of midnight (Pacific time) as Sunday turns into Monday. Check your list of favorite new books and get ready, everyone.

But -- Attention, Please! Achtung! And so forth! -- we've had a few changes to our nominations process and timeline, particularly with respect to where publishers and self-published authors come in. So please check below the jump for these changes, or review the FAQ. Thanks in advance for your careful reading.

Updates to the nomination form: This year, we’ve tried to make the form mobile-friendly, so you can use your phone to nominate if you prefer. Authors and publishers may use the public form to nominate books other than their own, but should contact [email protected] for information on submitting their own books.

New information for publishers:

This year, we are providing publishers, authors, and publicists a separate window to submit books after the public nomination period ends. This gives you a chance to see what books have been nominated, and to submit any deserving books that fell through the cracks. You may submit up to 10% of your 2012 children’s/YA list. We ask that you do not submit your own books during the public nomination period.

After Oct. 15, we'll be in touch to let you know what books have been nominated, and give you a chance to submit any additional ones. We do ask that you send review copies, physical or digital, of any books that you submit. Review copies of publicly nominated books will be optional, as always, but it’s often helpful if you can get us a few.  This year we will also be working with NetGalley, so you are free to use that as an option for making copies available. Please don't contact judges directly. We'll be sorting out who needs what to prevent duplication. To make sure you’re on the list to receive information, please send an email to Sheila Ruth at [email protected]. Thanks!

New information for self-published authors: Please see the above information for publishers. To make sure that we have your contact information, drop an email to Sheila Ruth at [email protected]. Please don't contact judges directly. It's much easier to have only one contact person -- for us and for you.

Another picture from my cousin’s photography business. Visit her Facebook page, (http://www.facebook.com/AmberD.DuffPhotography), she has all sorts of cute and fun photos displayed. If you’re in the area, (SW Missouri), look her up!

(I love the baby’s expression – she’s like, “Let’s all pretend you don’t know my daddy is Superman, mmkay?” Complete with wringing her hands. HA!)

Kim has a Masters in Creative Writing for Young People. Since finishing her degree she has worked as a reader for a publisher, been involved with the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction competition and set up Electrik Inc, an author co-operative, with three other children’s writers. She lives with her husband and son (an eight-year-old evil genius) in Bath, England.