Recently, there's been a lot of buzz in the writing industry over the emergence of many more male protagonists in YA literature.  Specifically, the fact that that more and more female readers are actively seeking out books with a male protagonist at their center.  This is interesting to me and not just because one of my WIP's features a male protag, but also because of the commentary involved. 

Women readers are always going to want a character to identify with, another female they can learn through and get swept away in.  From this angle, there's always going to be an abundance of female protagonist driven novels out there.  It's comfort food, right?  But, the other angle is extremely appealing.  Reading about romantic interests or one of the many problems teens are stricken with from a guy's POV is pretty fun.  Liberating really.  A different thought process, a voice that strikes a different chord and a new perspective and life view - this is what a male protag can offer us that a female sometimes can't. 

One of the first books written from the male POV that I fell in love with was The Catcher in the Rye.  Holden Caulfield, flawed but irresistable ensnared me in his grip almost immediately and I've been a fan every since.  With Jay Asher's debut novel,  Thirteen Reason's Why, I again remembered why I love male protags so much.  Clay's mental journey through the events surrounding Hannah's suicide was amazing and really offered an authentic glimpse into the framework of a teenage boy's mind.   

Let's not ignore the target readership as well.  Male protagonists not only draw in that percentage of female readers, but also have huge potential to pull in a larger male readership as well.  A win-win situation.  Do I think we should all jump on the male protagonist bandwagon?  Nope.  It isn't easy writing from the viewpoint of the opposite sex but I completely support those of us who do and am looking forward to this new wave of MC's. 

What about you?  Do you read a variety of YA lit, including male and female POV work and what do you enjoy about both?  Any recommendations for ones I  have to read in 2011??

"Girls. You never know what they're going to think."

Holden Caulfield Chapter 18

Happy New Years Eve everybody!  I'm sure many of you are preparing for the big night, maybe going out with friends or hosting yourselves.  Tonight, John and I are having a mexican buffet with the kids and my brother in law.  Should be fun - if I can make it until midnight, that is! 

I doubt that I'm the only one who does this, but I do make a lot of new years resolutions.  Every year my mind is clogged with things I'd like to change, things I'd like to do better, work on or simply try for the first time.  This year, I have a few and for the sole purpose of making myself accountable, I'm going to post them here.  That way, you guys can keep tabs on me and give me a swift kick in the butt when necessary.

2011 Resolutions:

1.  Be a better wife and mother.  Sound like a tall order, right?  Really, I don't think so.  I think this boils down to me being able to switch off "writer Lindsay" when necessary, put away the laptop even when it's whispering sweet nothings in my ear and always, always, always make sure my family knows how important they are to me, and how lucky I feel to have them.  My husband is the love of my life and has been since I was sixteen.  He's rugged, funny, intelligent and most of all - he gets me.  My kids are fantastic.  Sweet, sensitive and creative. . . all in these tiny little packages.  Well, except for Rob.  His head is at my chin already and he's only eight.  Holy cow.  It's gonna be hard to break up the fistfights when they are twelve I'm guessing.

2.  Achieve in publishing.  Let me explain this one.  No matter how much we try to deny this, writers feed off of validation.  At least, I do.  The publishing industry is competitive and any writer out there will tell you that getting an agent is very difficult.  When you work towards one goal for so long, you learn to filter through all of the feedback you get from beta testers, agents, friends and family to pull out what is helpful.  The one bright spot is always that moment that someone else understands your work - loves it as much as you do.  We all dream about this and though few writers admit it, this moment is the validation that we do not suck.  We are not horrible, crappy, cliche-riddled writers - but authors.  So for me, signing with an agent in 2011 would be one of those rare moments where I feel satisfied with my accomplishments.  Even if that moment was fleeting  :)

3.  Back to the gym.  I think that something like 3/4 of the earth's population lists either getting back in shape or losing weight as one of their resolutions.  I just don't want to mess up the stats. 

What about you guys?  What are your new years resolutions?? 

Christmas in the Currie house was wonderful this year.  As usual, the day was gluttonous.  From the new toys littered throughout the living room to the heaps of amazing food - there was enough to cause a coronary - it was nice.  Santa was kind to everyone this year, including me. 

Actually, I have my family, not Santa,  to thank for this blog post.  I am typing it on my brand new laptop that they bought me for writing.  Just for me, just for my writing.  I no longer need to worry about monopolizing the family laptop when inspiration strikes or when I'm due to write a chunk of whatever WIP is beckoning.  John even researched the laptops that authors rave about and bought one that has a big, beautiful screen that's easier on the eyes when you're working in front of it for hours.

More important than the actual laptop was the message that this gift brought with it.  It was the message of support, of my family cheering me on from the sidelines as I work towards publication in 2011.  It showed me that they believe in me and are invested in this dream right along side me.  With that, I'm going to head into this upcoming week and the new year with renewed determination.  Motivated by their energy, their support and the kindness and limitless talent of my two writing partners. 

What about you all?  Did Santa or your family surprise you with anything special this year?  Happy Holidays everyone, enjoy!

With only days until Christmas, it makes sense that a mother of three would be frantic, harried and all around insane right now.  I am, this is true.  But, it's not for the reasons you would think.  Actually,  (and don't hate me for this), my shopping has been done for weeks.  Now the wrapping, that's another story but one that I already know the ending of.  It involves a wrapping party - a glass of wine and putting on National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, laughing with hubby for a few hours while we cut, tape and label.  So, what is causing my insanity? 

 It's something I fondly refer to as a mental eclipse.  My mind is being overtaken by a barrage of writing ideas - plot lines, character descriptions, setting ideas, etc.  If this sounds unduly frightening, no worries friends.  This is how I like it.   It's invigorating to be wrapping a gift or doing something as simple as pulling on my socks when another new thought hits me - one that sends me scrambling to type it out, shoot it over to a writing partner or scribble it on my own sweaty little palm.   It means I'm enjoying the WIP and that's a wonderful thing.

What about all of you?  When you've got enough ideas floating in and out of your head to make you seem like a loon, does it fuel your writing or cause you to step back?  Do you enjoy the mental eclipse or force yourself to slow down when it begins?

Happy Holidays everyone and have a wonderful week!

Before I jump into my post today, let me first say that I tried to restrain myself.  I considered keeping this exciting news to myself and not blabbing it (in true Lindsay fashion) but, here I am with my little fingers flying across the keyboard like lightening.  Yup, it's that exciting.

You all know I've been writing a YA contemporary series with the uber amazing Julie Loden right?  Our YA series, Songbirds, is moving along wonderfully.  Currently book one (Harmony) is on submission to agents and we're finishing up the second book as we speak (yippee!!!).  Well, take a deep breath because another fantastic opportunity has fallen into my lap.  Seriously, it's so amazing you're going to squee with me! 

I'm at the outset of a new WIP - an fantastically dark, edgy and cool dystopian tentatively titled FATUM.  The best part?  I get to co-author it with none other than Trisha Leaver!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Have you guys passed out with excitement yet???  Trisha has been a trusted critique partner, highly respected beta tester and all around writing buddy of mine for almost a year now.  Besides those things though, she's simply a phenomenal writer.  I'm beyond thrilled to have this opportunity to write alongside her and I'm telling you, the premise of this book is so crazy cool that I drool when thinking about it!!!

Trisha and I are both drawn to darker plot lines and also both enjoy writing from the male POV, which is exactly what FATUM is.  So, as I move foward into this journey of collaborating on two completely different but equally amazing series, wish me luck.  Okay fine, just give me a swift kick in the pants cause the adrenaline is pumping and I'm already on my way!

Happy Holidays everyone!!!!   Hope you get something as cool in your stocking as I did!

We're heading straight into the most frantic time of year.  The time of year when children refuse to go to sleep on time, "finishing" your shopping is nearly impossible, the house is covered with tree needles and your general sense of well-being is slipping slowly through your fingers.  Yes, Christmas is upon us.  Chicago has been in a deep freeze for two days now, with wind chills well below zero and not nearly enough salt to melt the layer of ice off of the side streets.  In other words, it's painful being here.  Add these things to having serious agent interest in our Songbird series and you've got one Nervous Nellie:)

In light of the holiday being right around the corner and all of our nerves being run through a meat grinder, I've composed a short list of Christmas carols, especailly for writers.  Feel free to hum these as you either sludge through either the ever-daunting querying process, editor submissions or hash out revisions:

1.  All I Want for Christmas is a Multi-Book Deal

2.  My Sanity Got Run Over by a Reindeer

3.  Rockin Around the Rejection Pile

4.  I'm Dreaming of a Filled Inbox

5.  O Holy Crap 

6.  Have a Holly, Jolly Rewrite

I've also seen a great deal of posts on Twitter about gift ideas so I thought I'd share some thoughts.  Geek runs in my blood, so for tech folks, I would suggest the Kindle if they are avid readers.  Great library and excellent customer service on Amazon's part makes it a lovely gift.  If the person you are buying for isn't looking for a device simply for reading, I think the iPad is wonderful.  It has a screen that makes me drool and overall, is excellent for everyday internet needs like surfing the web, email or basic document composition.  For heartier things like revising/editing, it really isn't that ideal to be honest and lacks a flash drive so again, you'd have to pinpoint what needs you are trying to satisfy before buying. 

Happy shopping everyone and have a great week! 

As many of you know, I'm making my way like a wobbly little newborn into the world of Twitter.  It's bewildering, but I'm slowly learning that there are some amazing resources for writers available.  For one, the #yalitchat I participated in last night was wonderful and centered around agent/writer blogs that are most helpful to new and experienced authors alike.  As usual, I found the writing community to be warm, friendly and most of all - encouraging. 

Also yesterday, I was amazed to see the hashtag topic #whyiread trend nationwide.  By mid-day, over 16,000 participants had posted on this topic and several thousand more would by evening.  My personal favorite post on the topic, by @Pocket_Books was "because Judy Blume will tell you things your mother won't".  Wonderful.   Just another example of how publishing is alive and well and books are still competing against the multitudes of other meda available. 

I commented that I read because it makes me feel alive.  But really, that's only part of the equation.  I read because I love to immerse myself in other worlds, other characters lives and sometimes, completely foreign situations.  Sometimes I read to identify with the MC, to feel empowered or to simply continue learning life lessons.  I find that #whyiread is delicately intertwined with #whyiwrite.  It's a necessity - like breathing or getting the all-important bedtime hug from my children. 

So, as inspired by Jason Ashlock, founder of Movable Type Literary Group, tell me - why do you read?

I apologize profusely for my absence from blogging regularly.  It's been a crazy month so far and judging from the huge list of Christmas gifts I have yet to track down and buy, it isn't going to get better anytime soon! 

In addition, Julie and I were kicked into overdrive yesterday when we had interest crop up from not just one agent, but TWO agents on the Songbird series.  Though we usually keep our manuscripts hidden away until they are finished and have gone through the gauntlet of trusted beta testers, yesterday chapters from book two, RHAPSODY were requested by agents.  Yipes!  Talk about being under fire.  The book isn't even finished and we found ourselves sweating and exchanging about a million emails as we tried to scrap together a synopsis for the ending of the book.   We are thrilled after hearing "your writing is strong" and "love the voice".  Now we are back in a holding pattern until our material is further evaluated - wish us luck!!!

Last but not least. I am trying to make an effort to create a presence on Twitter.  It's not easy for me folks, I don't really enjoy it but it doesn't change the fact that there is a real value to it as a platform.  If you are on Twitter and wouldn't mind introducing me to your followers, I would be eternally indebted to you.  Right now, I'm sitting on a lonely seventeen followers.  One isn't the loneliest number by the way - seventeen is.  Appreciation in advance for anyone who manages to help drag me into the world of Twitter and hook me up with some of their fabulous writing friends and contacts.  After all, how else do we make it through these stressful times?  I manage by leaning on others - learning from their experiences and sharing my stories. 

Have a great week everyone and look for me on Twitter.  I'm @lindsayncurrie!

Between the rise of ebooks and dwindling traditional book deals, the publishing industry is already a challenge to those of us who are trying to break in.  However, an even larger challenge is often the way it's perceived by family, friends and virtually everyone else around us.  My husband, thank god, has a good grasp on how time consuming, difficult and l-o-n-g this process actually is.  I'm afraid that I can't say that for virtually anyone else.  Here is a snippet from a conversation I had a couple of weeks ago:

Person #1:  "Wow, you're an author?"

Me:  "Well, I'm a writer but I'm not published yet."

Person 2:  "Would I have read anything you've written?"

Me:  *headdesk*  "No, I write primarily young adult literature and none of it is on the shelves yet.  But, my co-author and I are getting close to finishing the second book in our series!"

Person 2:  "Great!  Maybe you can get it published by New Years."

Me:  "Uh, probably not."

Person 1:  "You should have your editor get in touch with one of those reviewers. . . maybe if the book got excellent reviews online you could get it on the shelves sooner!"

Me:  *note of exhasperation* "We don't have an editor, but thanks for the suggestion."

Person 1:  "Well, let me know if I can do anything.  I did a lot of writing back in college!"

Me:  "Oh, hey look there's my kids."  *pointing at random children that are not in fact mine*  Gotta go!" 

Several deep, cleansing breaths follow. 

This conversation was not an anomaly folks.  It's the reality of how most people view the publishing process and as difficult as it is, I strive to keep my blinders on and recognize that Julie and I are close.  Would I like to tell every person that shows complete and utter misunderstanding of the industry that the average agent receives approximately 10,000 queries in a year.  Sure.  Would I like them to know that of those 10,000 hopeful writers, only two will become clients and even fewer will actually achieve publication?  Of course.  But, does it really matter for me?  Nope.  What matters is that I have my own expectations in check and understand how difficult the road is for a debut author, let alone two debut authors who are querying a series. 

So, this holiday season when friends and relatives have a little too much spiked eggnog around the  fireplace and start needling you about your writing career, just insert your virtual earplugs.  They don't understand the long and arduous journey ahead of many of us but , it also doesn't matter.  And if things really get ugly, turn to AW or Querytracker to restore your faith in yourself and what you are attempting to complish. 

Have a great week every

Recently, I came across the coolest idea for a blog post.  So cool that I decided right then and there to snake the idea and use it for today's entry.  For those of us who write specifically young adult literature, it's always a fun excercise to revisit your own teenage years.  Many writers I know actually have diaries still from their angst-fueled high school years and as an adult writer, these are a virtual gold-mine for ideas. 

To get the creative juices flowing today, my excercise is to imagine what my teenage self would have thought about me - adult me, that is.  So - here we go!!

Teenage Lindsay's thoughts on adult Lindsay's fashion sense:  I think that my teenage self would approve of me right now.  I was never a flashy dresser and I really have never been one to take many fashion risks, even in my youth.  Other than the streak in elementary school when I just had to look like Punky Brewster, I've always been pretty comfortable in jeans and sweaters.  Though, my teenage self might have taken issue with the fact that I practically live in either my black converse sneakers or my ugg boots.  Not sure, but I think in high school I would have found both of them pretty ugly.  I wore penny loafers in high school.  No joke.  Stop laughing.  Teen Lindsay's verdict - four of out of five stars on this one.

Teenage Lindsay's thoughts on adult Lindsay's hair/makeup and general hygiene:  this is where I think things would get ugly.  My teenage self was obsessed with showering and washing her hair.  Now, I feel lucky to get a shower every morning before I have to race to school with the kids.  My teenage self also had very, very long hair.  My adult self doesn't hair that's longer than shoulder length and is afraid (given how much time I spend volunteering at my kids school) that longer hair will make me more succeptible to lice anyway.  My daily routine of throwing my hair into a ponytail probably wouldn't have cut it in high school, so I think teenage Lindsay probably would have given me a two out of five stars on this one simply for lack of effort!  Here is a pic of teen Lindsay's hair (image is poor quality, I had to take a picture of a picture to get this on here):

Teenage Lindsay's thoughts on adult Lindsay's lifestyle:  this one really is fun.  I have been with my husband John since I was sixteen years old.  We attended two prom's together, saw countless movies, spent hours talking about our futures and even stayed together all through college.  However, did I ever once envision spending our Friday night's watching kids movies with our three children every weekend as a married couple?  No way.  I looked back at my senior album this morning and my goals at the time I was writing were to "survive Rhetoric, Physics and Graduate".  Though, my "where will I be in five years" did say "still with John" so I guess I had a little foresight:)  I do distinctly remember thinking as a teenager that 30 seemed like a lovely age, simply because by that point, for many of us, the guessing is over.  The wondering who we will become and what we will do "when we grow up" is decided and we are comfortable in life.  I think teen Lindsay would have awarded me a 5 out of 5 stars on this one because I landed a kick-butt family, awesome friends and a great city as an adult.  Here is a pic of John and I going to my Senior Prom.  Just in case I've aged even worse than I thought, I'm the third from the left:)

As fun as this excercise was for me, I also think it was really productive.  I learned that as teens, we are simply not able to see the big picture.  We live in each moment and though I had no idea what won

With the great gobble day right around the corner, it only seems appropriate that I dedicate at least one post to people/places/things I'm thankful for in my life.  Aside from the usual (kick-butt family, rock-star kids, innovative co-author and talented beta testers), I really do feel grateful about 14 hours a day.  The other ten are usually spent sleeping, arguing with the children about messes or chasing the dog out of the living room for farting.  Go figure. 

In no particular order, here are a few of the smaller things in life that I am thankful for (please reserve judgement on my sanity/intelligence/moral compass until the end of the list:

1.  Halloween and all Halloween paraphernalia.  I love fake body parts, costumes, sound effects, cobwebbing, scary movies and everything that falls under the category of "spooky".  Looking forward to the new Scream movie they are filming too - that was one of my faves when the first one came out:)

2.  Technology and shiny new gadgets.  Man oh man do I love me some tech toys.  I love the iPad, but when the folks at Apple wise up and add a flash drive I'll really go bonkers.

3.  Writing.  The glow of the computer screen is alluring, calming and fulfilling all at the same time.  I love working on Songbirds and can't wait to see it in the hands of a brilliant agent.

4.  Fringe.  I love this show.  For an entire hour, my overactive imagination gets to explore conspiracies, alternate universes and yes, a romantic sidebar where quirky Peter Bishop sleeps with the wrong Olivia *gasp*  Only on FOX.

5.  Charlie Sheen.  He's hillarious and let's face it, as long as he's around flipping out and trashing hotel rooms, I don't feel nearly as bad about myself when I yell at someone through a rolled-up window for not giving a courtesy wave.  Chicago drivers are so rude.

Let me know what "small things" you guys are thankful for.  Have a great thanksgiving everybody!!!

Those of you who know me probably know I'm big into signs.  As in, "why have I seen the number ten so many times today?  Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket!" type signs.  I tend to see them everywhere and sometimes I get absolutely swept away in the symbolism of regular, everyday events.  Ella puts her own underwear on and I get teary, thinking about how she's growing up.  :P

Recently, Julie and I surpassed the 100 page mark on Rhapsody.  We're approximately halfway finished and it feels great.  I love this book and get chills when I think about someday sending out into the world of agents.  This morning, as we were hashing out the particulars of the scene we're working on, I had a fantastic moment.  All of our ideas were coming together perfectly and our two visions for the scene melded into one.  When you work with a co-author, sometimes this happens,  but often working out the details of a scene requires more debate and persuasion.  That's the beauty of having two minds on the same work right?  Not today.  I got so excited emailing back and forth with Julie that huge goosebumps rose on my arms and up the back of my neck.  

That was a sign.  A sign that we're on the right track.  A sign that if the scene we were writing was that exhilarating to me, then it would be to someone else as well.  A sign that the Songbirds series is valid and we just need to be patient until the perfect agent comes along. 

Today I'll likely float through my parent-teacher conferences for my kids with a smile plastered on my face.  Not only am I blessed with a fantastic family, but I also have a talented co-author, a lovely support system (lookin at you Trish) and goosebumps on my neck. 

Have a great day everyone!!!

God bless literary agent Mary Kole for addressing this topic recently.  http://kidlit.com/2010/11/12/is-waiting-a-bad-sign/

There is always speculation in the writing community about agent response times but recently the waters have been even muddier than usual.  Agents who normally respond quickly to manuscripts are holding onto them longer and the silence is even more deafening.  Is it the time of year?  Perhaps.  With all of the authors out there clamoring to get their projects submitted prior to the holidays it goes without question that agents are probably getting inundated right now.  But one thing is for sure.  If you are a writer, waiting on the response to a manuscript you've submitted, the odds are good that you will make yourself completely insane by trying to second-guess an agent's motives for not responding fast. 

For me, the most common concerns are usually negative.  Are they just not into it?  Have they read it and are trying to think of a way to reject you nicely?  This is because as an author, I feel more comfortable when looking at the glass as half-full.  I know, I know, that seems negative but for me, it works.  Not expecting an agent to whisk you away to their fancy NYC office and throw rose petals at your feet as you disembark from their private jet makes this whole experience more sane for me.  Not only are most agents lacking in the fancy office and private jet department, but they are also almost always lacking in the time department.  What I'm coming to discover is that the agent in question could have any number of things going on that impact your response time.   Current client needs always come first and at any given time, a hot-ticket agent could have hundreds of queries and/or manuscripts in their inbox waiting.  This tells me that my one manuscript can not and probably is not a priority.  Does that mean they won't read it and give it a fair shake?  Hopefully not, but I'm sure that the amount of consideration given to every individual manuscript varies by agent. 

Julie and I have one manuscript that's been out since July - by far our longest wait.  However, I also know that agent to be very considerate and often read the entire MS before making a decision and if I had my choice, I'd pick the wait over a speedy and perhaps premature rejection.  What about all of you?  What goes through your head as time ticks on and your inbox remains empty?  Are you cautiously optmistic, chilling wine and envisioning "the call" or do you start blaring new queries every which way? 

Have a great week everyone!!

The genre of young adult literature is riddled with controversy.  Debates become very heated discussions and sometimes, if the mood is right, a flat-out argument ensues.  Readers have intense reactions to the work (most recently seen with SPEAK) and authors disagree frequently when it comes to boundaries.  How much sex is too much?  Is the violence gratuitous or too mature?  Personally, this is part of the allure of the genre.  I like my lines blurred.  I enjoy knowing that it's okay to allow all of the insecurities that etched into my brain in the teenage years ooze out onto the computer screen.  I enjoy knowing that the ages depicted in these books are in a suspended state of hormanal imbalance.  As a brilliant writer friend of ours once put it - teens live in "a bubble of hell".  I couldn't have said it better.

One controversy that always sparks my interest is whether or not YA books need to have a happy ending.  On one side, you have the raw and edgy, more mature YA writers that might argue a clear "no".  On the other hand, you have the writers like myself that argue "yes" wholeheartedly.  Now, let's define "happy ending" before I get a bunch of annoyed comments.  I would never maintain that the ending of a young adult book needs to include a "happy ever after".   White horses, fairy godmothers or even lottery winners are not what I am referring to when I say happy ending.  I don't think the ugly, fat or otherwise unappealing girl always need to get the hot guy.  Nor do I think the academically challenged, doobie smoking outsider needs to rise to the top.  However, do I think the ending needs to be hopeful?  Absolutely. 

The teenage years are so frought with confusion, confidence-wavering experiences and humiliation that I am compelled to write books that show a light at the end of the tunnel.  Yup, I remember high school vividly and some of it I hated.  However, some of it was wonderful and transforming.  I met my husband in high school.  However, does that mean I knew we would end up together with three beautiful children then?  Hell no.  I was afraid my breath smelled, my hair wasn't cool enough and my acne was a major turn-off.   But, I also remember the electrifying first kiss and still feel the rush of adrenaline when I manage to get that feeling down on paper.  My goal is to blend those two experiences together to create something realistic but in the end, inspiring as well.   Fortunately, my co-author is an eternal optimist and she agrees with this vision.  Her mind is a fountain of cool ideas, many of them simultaneously gut-wrenching and hopeful.  I love that.

So, what about you?  If you are a YA author, do you feel comfortable ending on

After much behind the scenes feedback, I bring you the revised version of our blurb for Rhapsody. We're currently finishing chapter eight and I have to admit, I'm enjoying every moment of writing it. 

RHAPSODY

Sixteen-year-old Rhapsody O’Day couldn't believe Principal Rosario's newest creative punishment. Sure she got caught vandalizing the choir room with her almost-boyfriend, Derek, but to force her to join show choir? Singing with a bunch of parent-pleasers came just a little too close to a past she'd like to forget. It was punishment enough being stuck in lametown suburbia with a stage mom in denial and a cheating stepfather. Rebelling against everyone, Rhapsody is determined to change her life. She dyes her fiery red hair black, drinks, and disregards her parents' rules; all to create a new identity not even she recognizes.

When she discovers the show choir losers can actually be pretty cool, she's gripped with confusion, especially when she catches the eye of Brendan Meyers. Everything she'd assumed about the singers was false. Now, torn between the affections of intelligent, bad-boy Derek and geeky, warm-hearted Brendan, Rhapsody must choose not only who she wants to be with, but who she wants to be.

Given that Julie and I are currently on chapter seven of our new WIP RHAPSODY, I thought it would be fitting to post our blurb about it for a little feedback.  We've enlisted the help of one of our best beta testers to read each chapter as we write (thanks Trish:)) and are chugging along comfortably.  With each chapter, we seem to fall deeper in love with these characters as well and I'm taking that as a good sign. 

So, take a gander and let me know what you think.  Does it sound like a book you would buy if you were a teen?  What about now?  Let's face it, most of us that write YA also read it so don't hold back!!

RHAPSODY

Sixteen-year-old Rhapsody O’Day never asked to be in the school show choir. In fact, she loathed the idea. But after she’s caught vandalizing the choir room with her new friends, Derek and Jeremy, the principal gets creative. Stuck with a Stepford mother, and a cheating step-father, Rhapsody rebels against everyone, including herself. From dying her fiery red hair black, to sneaking in her bedroom window, she's on a fast track in the wrong direction.

When she discovers the show choir losers can actually be pretty cool, she's gripped with confusion. Torn between the affections of intelligent bad boy, Derek and geeky warm-hearted, Brendan, Rhapsody has to choose not only who she wants to be with, but who she wants to be.

If I had a dime for every time my parents told me to just "buckle down" when I was a child, I'm convinced I would be a rich woman today.  Any time something cropped up that seemed insurmountable in my young life, they encouraged me to face it head on and with confidence.  As an adult, I'm pleased that their approach to life was so direct and that they instilled this in me because there are many instances in which my gut instinct would normally be to run and hide.  Or, crawl under a rock.  Of course, there's always the pretend  I'm someone else routine - "Lindsay who?  Nope, never seen her". 

I'm bringing all of this up because my writing partner Julie and my good friend Trisha have been exchanging ways to conquer fears recently and they've both inspired me to do the same.  What are my fears?  Well, right now it's failure in the writing department.  I haven't discussed this on my blog yet but Julie and I had a very close call with an agent on HARMONY last week and in her rejection, she admitted that she'd been "agonizing" over the decision.  This was, of course difficult to hear.  On one hand we were close.  On the other, it ended in rejection, a hearty slap on the back and well wishes for a series "with great potential".  These types of experiences, though I wish this wasn't true, make me want to backpeddle and the second guessing begins.  Was the manuscript ready?  Is there anything we could have done differently?  Are there any plot holes or undeveloped characters?

In reality, there doesn't need to be a solid reason for a rejection from an agent.  It can and often does boil down to personal taste.  Subjectivity.  Because of this, it's critical that when a "close call" rejection like this comes in, we take it as a cue that we are closing in on the holy grail.  We're getting closer to what we all want - an agent that loves our work as much as we do.  So, in the spirit of conquering fears, we got back on the querying horse after making some revisions and sent out some more today.  We even let our dream-agent know that we'd made revisions and guess what?  She agreed to look at them.  By the end of the day, I felt refreshed, positive and thrilled to already see one full request come in from the day's work. 

What about all of you?  How do you deal with your fears when it comes to writing?  Do you revise until your mind is blank and there's nothing left to tweak?  Do you query everyone and anyone that reps your genre in an attempt to cast a wide net?  Do you query in small batches, looking for feedback before moving on?  I'd love to hear your strategies:)

Have a great week everyone!

Apologies for being quiet on the blog front lately everyone.  As many of you know, I host an annual kids costume party for my children and their friends and this year it reached epic proportions.  The party was last night from 6-8 and we had over 100 guests at our rented space.  After hours spent decorating, setting the spooky sounds, lights, theme music and menu it was an absolute thrill to see all of the kids running around in their costumes and having fun.  And let's not kid ourselves, I had just as much fun as the kids ;)

Halloween has always been my favorite time of year.  From the brisk winds (I love sweater and jeans weather) to the changing leaves fluttering to the ground, it's a season that just makes me feel alive.  And what could be better than a holiday that allows you to be anything you want for a night?  To me, nothing.  A free pass to allow your imagination to run wild is just spectacular. 

So, with Halloween on our doorstep today and a full week ahead of us before the holidays hit, I am bracing myself for the query-go-round.  Julie and I have done substantial revisions to the 1st chapter of Harmony and I'm very excited to get it out there in the world.  Wish us luck everyone and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Chicago News at eight o'clock this morning:  "Hold on to your pets and small children folks.  We will continue to experience wind gusts of up to sixty miles per hour!"

me:  "Oh geez.  Ella, Mommy wants to carry you into school this morning okay?"  *grabs children and holds on tightly as we forage towards the van*

A large hunk of tree has fallen in front of our house, blocking our sidewalk and entrance to the building entirely and I had to pull my ghost in for safety.  Normally, it dangles comfortably about 50 feet off of the ground from our rooftop but once the winds hit, it looked like it was going to cut loose and soar above Lakeview! 

So, the apocalypse has apparently hid Chicago and yet, I'm worried about the response we may or may not get from "Agent B" today.  And no, "B" has nothing to do with preference.  It's simply my attempt to keep things anonymous:) 

Have a great day everyone - I'll update again soon if I don't blow away.

As the querying process kicks into high gear, there's one thing I'm always so thankful for.  My oh-so-wonderful, talented and supportive writer friends.   I know I've blogged about it before, but querying really reminds me of amusement park rides.  One moment I'm squee'ing with excitement and the next,  my head is flat on the desk. 

I have to admit that if there's any silver lining to this holding pattern we're in, it's that I'm learning a ton about my writing community through this process.  Julie and I have a mix of agented and non-agented friends, which leads to a wealth of advice and a spectrum of knowledge.  Let's face it, we could go crazy trying to dissect every piece of communication that agents send our way.  Fortunately for us, we aren't in this alone and it's been just fabulous bonding with so many other writers who are in the same boat (and some who aren't. . .CONGRATS Em!) 

So, as Monday draws nearer and a new week of waiting begins I'm thankful for my writing partner Julie and for the love I'm feeling from so many of you on a daily basis.  You write me to check in on the status of the fulls we have out, you leave me supportive and often amusing comments and you trust me with your manuscripts to beta.  In other words, you rock.  Thanks.

Have a great week everyone. 

When I was five, I wanted the neighbors little red pedal car.  When I was sixteen, I wanted a real car.  When I was twenty-nine, after having two boys, I wanted to have a girl. 

Now that I'm thirty-three, I want a career in writing. 

Like all "wants" throughout the years, this one will not come easy. . . or fast.  On this path,   I've already completed two full young adult novels (one co-authored of course) and am currently working with Julie on the third.  I've beta'd for wonderful writers and learned from fantastic writerly friends.  Julie and I are so close it seems, with fulls out to promising agents.  However, just like it did when I was five, the green-eyed monster comes a creepin every time I see another "how I got my agent" post.  I love reading them, yes.  But, it it strikes me through the heart like a dagger to a werewolf (it's Halloween-time, you gotta cut me some slack:) at the same time. 

Tonight as I was watching my son do his homework, he suddenly had an epiphany (or as close to one as a seven-year-old can have) and looked up at me with a huge grin.  He's been struggling with writing and you know what, it only took one small breakthrough for him to smile and recognize his accomplishment.  In this case, it was writing the word "said" with no help from me on the spelling, and completely inside of the designated lines.  His happiness was infectious and it made me wonder why, as writers we can't approach our journey towards publication this way.  No accomplishment is too small when you are stepping into such a competitive arena. 

So, with each writer I hear of getting "the call" or being offered representation, I will smile.  Because it will remind me that it's possible.  I'm sure it seemed out of reach for all writers at one point but fortunately for those of us still working towards it, that isn't actually true. 

What about all of you?  How long has your journey been and where are you in it?

*   This month is my one-year anniversary in writing  :)

Have you ever felt like the MS you were working on was actually writing itself?  The characters were forming their own identities, histories and relationships?  This is how I feel right now about writing RHAPSODY.  It's like the train has left the station without a designated route, yet everything that happens feels natural and just right. 

Julie and I have never been much for outlining before we write.  Usually, we are much more effective as a team when we simply allow the events to unfold and the characters to lead us.  Sound strange?  Maybe.  When I wrote ARRIVED, I was an outlining maniac.  I pre-planned each chapter to the point where I had nearly written the book in outline form.  However, never in that process did it feel natural and it certainly was a more stressful method of writing. 

So, let me pose this question.  For those of you writing currently or who have written a full-length novel (or several) - do you prefer to outline or are you more of a panster?  Has either method either been successful or a wash when it comes to pacing issues, storyline holes, character arc's?  Leave me a comment and let me know:)

Have a spectacular Saturday everyone!

I've spent a lot of time in recent months beta testing other writers work.  Reading through it for storyline/plot holes, character inconsistencies and overall "gut" instincts to the material.  I have to admit, I'm terrible with grammar/punctuation but I sure do enjoy reading all of these fantastic books and (hopefully) providing the author with some usable feedback. 

I find that when I first start reading a critique partner's book, the one thing that immediately jumps out at me is voice.  Is it strong and believable?  Do I connect with it?  The group of writers I usually test for are all, um - very, very talented so I don't recall many instances where I was less than amazed.  In fact, most of the time the books I read motivate me to write better, cleaner and with a new perspective.  Some of the books take immense risks in their style and/or in their plot and this always encourages me to try new things.  Of course, when I do try something new, even if it's minor, I still hold my breath when I send it to Julie to redline :)

To me, beta testing is therapeutic.  I get to escape to someone else's work, someone else's world for a while.    But it can also be very mental.  As the person who'se work is being tested, you live in constant flux.  Interpreting the comments of almost strangers and doing your best to implement only those that are viable - those that will enhance your work is difficult.  No wonder some of the great authors of their time either went mad, drank themselves into an oblivion or simply shut themselves away from the outside world.  It already takes a tremendous amount of mental energy get what your mind is conjuring down on paper.  The real insanity begins when you try to take the feedback you get from others and decipher what it means. 

There isn't a writer alive who didn't get comments that made them question their writing their characers, or their entire concept.  But that's the key isn't it?  Subjectivity?  Where one paragraph might move a beta tester to tears, another tester might suggest trashing it - calling it corny.  Personally, I'm finding it easier to live in this grey area now.  It used to really freak me out and I second-guessed everything in my manuscript other than the word-count and my home address.  Now, I take these things at face value.  It boils down to how much you trust your testers, how well you know them and how many times you've heard x-statement. 

For those of you who do a load of beta testing - what does it do for you?  Do you find yourself motivated by it or deflated?  I've experienced both, to be honest but with time comes resiliance and I find myself much more comfortable in my own skin than I used to be.  Let me know your thoughts on the great beta debate and have a wonderful week everyone!

As I was looking over a scene in RHAPSODY last night, replaying the characters actions in my mind and visualizing as best possible what was happening, I realized something.  I realized that I feel so connected to these characters because in a way, they are what I feel is missing in so much of today's YA literature.  The characters that Julie and I are creating are particularly vivid to me - and not just because she knows me extremely well and can help me "see" our characters before we even write them.  They are vivid because they are a conglomeration of features that I enjoy in characters and find missing frequently. 

Confused?  Let me break it down this way.  Boys in YA often come across as either damaged, stereotypical assholes or brooding stalkers.  Wow, if I was a teenager again and these were my only  choices, I guess I would take the stalker but that's hardly fair.  It's no wonder Edward Cullen took the lead and ran with it huh?  His competition is, quite franky, meager.  Which brings me to ask: where are all the cowboys?  You know, the tough guys with the heart of gold?  The guys that can be sensitive but don't lose all masculinity doing it?  The guys that don't watch women sleep for fun?  I've read a few books recently that featured guys like this and I have to say, they stuck with me and I enjoyed - no, savored every moment of them.  One of the most memorable ones was from a book I beta tested (nope, can't tell you the name folks cause it's agented now:) and I was absolutely gripped by his scenes.  Now, I'm not saying that our male characters all need to be a raging mess of testosterone (though they kind of are at that age, aren't they?) but geez, a little manliness without the "creep factor" would be refreshing.

And as for the women?  I see a severe dichotemy here as well.  On one hand you have the mean girls a la Samantha Kingston (Before I Fall) and Regina Atwood (Some Girls Are) who climb all over everyone to get to the top and then in some cases, realize their wrongs on the way down.  The sad thing is that I loved these books and appreciated the characters because although they were evil - they were at least strong and had a personality.  By the time I finished Before I Fall, I was rooting for Samantha - regardless of her past.  Why must so many of the strong girls in YA be written as the bitchy, boyfriend-stealing devils? 

Then you've got the loners like Bella Swan.  The ones who can't identify with anyone, moved to a new school, a new city or a new state and simply can't assimilate.  Bella has the personality of a dead moth and yet she somehow earned the unnerving affections of an undead masquerading as a hot (though extremely pale) teenage boy.  In New Moon, Bella isn't complete without Edward and frequently puts herself in danger just for the opportunity to catch a glimpse of him after he's left.  Huh?  Where's the women with a backbone?  A personality?  These characters read like a Taylor Swift song and I have to admit, it leaves me with a feeling like lead in my stomach. 

And let's not forget the parents.  Where are they?  Often both are dead or completely absentee, therefore they have very little impact on the MC's life if any.  In some cases, the absence of one or both parents is critical to the storyline and makes perfect sense.  In others, it reads like a cop-out and allows the author to avoid fleshing out some of the most difficult relationships of all - the ones between parents and their teenage children.  Now, there are tons of books that break this mold - If I Stay is a perfect example.  In my opinion, the characters were spot-on and absolutely none of them fell into the trap of being stereotypical.  Loving, tight-knit family, sensitive yet strong love interest and

A fellow writer, Julie Musil recently blogged (rather fantastically too) about the process of writing an antagonist and what it entails.  Details like motivation and background are key and leaving out anything meaningful regarding your antagonist can lead to a disjointed character and less than satisfying read.  In YA novels, so much of the material is devoted to the story of "transformation" and how your young MC manages to get from point a to point b. . . even after said antagonist presents several stumbling blocks along the way. 

However, what if (let's just get crazy here for a moment) your novel is furiously tumbling out onto your computer screen without an antagonist.  I don't mean that there aren't any complications for your MC, I only mean that there isn't one solid person who poses them.  For instance, perhaps there are several people who add to your character's problems - without malice.  Or, perhaps your character is fighting unusual circumstances or a tricky personal situation and overcoming these will in the end, complete their arc.  Does there need to be a life-wrecking, bloodthirsty antagonist to complete the picture?

Feel free to chime in guys, you've always been more than helpful before.  If you've ever written a novel (YA or otherwise) that did not feature a solid and clear-cut antagonist, let me know how it worked for you and what response you received on it from beta testers, agents, etc. 

Have a great weekend everyone!