JacketFlap connects you to the work of more than 200,000 authors, illustrators, publishers and other creators of books for Children and Young Adults. The site is updated daily with information about every book, author, illustrator, and publisher in the children's / young adult book industry. Members include published authors and illustrators, librarians, agents, editors, publicists, booksellers, publishers and fans. Join now (it's free).
Login or Register for free to create your own customized page of blog posts from your favorite blogs. You can also add blogs by clicking the "Add to MyJacketFlap" links next to the blog name in each post.
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: Young Adult Novels, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 25 of 133
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: Young Adult Novels in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
BUT that doesn’t mean that you’re never allowed to wonder who’s going to read your stories, and what those readers will get out of their experiences.
For my graduate lecture, I took a look at how feminist and post-feminist literary theory can help us look at YA literature and decide for ourselves what messages we want to send. Feminism is, at its core, the belief in equal rights for all genders, but of course there are many definitions and variations among those definitions. The question of choice (who gets to choose, and what they should choose) is sometimes a point of contention among critics.
I think that one of the reasons so many critics find fault with Twilight and novels like it is because Bella’s choices may be her own, but they are consistently at odds with the choices we want our girls to make. When we show characters who consistently choose dangerous, controlling partners, our fear is that young adult readers will also choose dangerous, controlling partners.
I don’t think this is an invalid concern, but my intention isn’t to debate or argue it. That’s for another time, another post. My intention is to say, that if you’re a YA writer and this is something you are thinking about, there are ways to develop a good feminist story without making it preachy or propaganda. I’ll share some methods that I found useful and talked about in my lecture.
1. What does your main character want? If it’s just a relationship, consider that in real life, a desire for a relationship is usually a symptom of a deeper desire for something else, like security or acknowledgment. Consider what other forces might be at work, and you’ll avoid creating shallow characters whose problems can be solved by a significant other.
2. Make sure your character stays active. Find places in the story that force her to act, that take away her safety net and test her. This is true of practically any story, but in YA romances, it’s especially important. She doesn’t need to be a hero, but she shouldn’t rely on her love interest too much.
3. Pay attention to your character’s love interest. Speaking of the love interest, don’t forget to pay attention to him! Or her. What does he want? Does he act in a way that harms the main character, and if so, are there negative consequences? If your character has to choose between two love interests (very common these days), is the choice made too easy (by having one character turn out to be a jerk)?
4. Romance novel vs. novel with romantic elements. A romance novel is a little different than a novel with romantic elements. A romance novel’s plot is dependent on the relationship between two characters, so if you want to write a story with feminist undertones, you might choose the other path.
5. Why do your characters get together? Think about the reasons your characters are together. Is it because they find each other so attractive? Or do they share a deep, mutual connection? The more you develop the relationship, and the reasons for it, the more likely you are to connect with readers.
6. The moral of the story. All of these factors combined puts you in a better position to control the final factor: the moral of the story. Once you’ve finished a draft, it might be a good idea to take a look around. What’s happened to the characters? Who’s alive? What have they had to sacrifice? Your character’s rewards and punishments reveal a lot about your story’s message. Is it the message you want?
There are, of course, many more factors than these six that you will need to pay attention to in order to write a great novel. But this is a place to start if your aim is to write a story with romantic elements that will both appeal to teen readers and give them characters and situations they can look up to.
Rachel Lieberman works in higher education and writes YA. Her short fiction has appeared in Opium, Awkward, Emprise Review, and others. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Tampa.
Characters like Bella and Anastasia really upset me. It’s like teens of today don’t understand how women in the 50-80s had to fight for respect and equal job opportunities. They think it’s now their right to choose to not work and want a man take care of them. I know teens will learn the ugly truth about men and love as they get older, but I find myself repulsed by many heroines (and writers) of today’s YA for propagating the fantasy that being dependent on someone else is a good thing.
Melanie Fishbane said, on 3/22/2013 5:07:00 AM
Reblogged this on Wild About Words and commented:
Rachel’s take on post-feminism and writing strong female protagonists is a must read.
L. Marie said, on 3/22/2013 6:25:00 AM
Wow. Excellent post (and I plan to purchase your lecture). I gave serious consideration to this issue as I wrote my WIP. I wanted to include romance, but didn’t want the book to be all about that. I wanted my heroine to yearn to be strong and capable, something I want for my nieces and the other teens in my life. And I want my nieces to read this post!
ingridsundberg said, on 3/22/2013 11:10:00 AM
Rachel’s lecture on this topic was fabulous! I’ve been having a lot of discussions with writer friends about social responsibility and art. This post has aligned nicely with what’s been on my mind!
justincaynon said, on 3/24/2013 1:27:00 AM
I was trying to write a novel that might turn out to be YA with a female protagonist and one of the issues that I was running into was that people seemed to take issue with the fact that there was no love interest or love story. In fact they kept pegging male characters as the emerging love interest. Do you think that in today’s world YA pretty much has to have a love interest?
ingridsundberg said, on 3/24/2013 1:19:00 PM
Justin – I think you need to be true to your character. If your female protagonist isn’t interested in your side characters, she isn’t interested. You can’t force her to have a relationship! It will feel false and your reader will feel that. However, if she happens to take a liking to someone (and maybe she does, you’ve got to listen to her and what she wants), that’s different. Your readers might be picking up on signals that your character is dropping for you. It’s also possible your readers are projecting. Trust your writer instincts! You know your character better than anyone else.
KateBrauning said, on 3/25/2013 6:59:00 AM
Thanks so much for posting this! My thoughts exactly- especially #3!
Cynthia Leitich Smith said, on 3/25/2013 11:19:00 AM
Great topic & tips. Do you think it’s possible to write a feminist YA romance novel?
Peter said, on 3/25/2013 12:35:00 PM
I think so. Why can’t contemporary girls have it all?
rachellieberman said, on 3/25/2013 1:23:00 PM
Hi Cynthia! It’s actually been suggested to me that a romance cannot, by its definition, be a feminist text. But I don’t know that I necessarily agree, because “feminism” itself is such a loaded term, so to say that there is no such thing as a feminist romance is saying that there is a strict definition of feminism that everyone has agreed upon.
I think it’s entirely possible that a YA romance can be feminist, but I also understand why some might disagree, and I think it comes down to the audience, especially for YA. It’s an audience that may be questioning its position in society a lot more, and therefore the values behind the romance might have a more profound impact. So, say Twilight had been written for an older audience with older characters, but other than that it was the same (and no, I’m not talking 50 Shades of Grey). Would it have the same reaction from the public or its readers? I’d argue no. It resonates with teens because it speaks to something they want, and it gets a reaction from us older people because we’re worried about what they want. I think readers tend to see more feminist value in adult romances because they are marketed as an escape for readers, rather than as a potential “promise” that things might turn out a certain way. But I’m not comfortable saying that there is no such thing as a YA feminist romance novel, because I feel like that would be saying I have examined the subject from every possible angle, and since a 45 minute lecture and 600 word blog post can only contain so much theory, I can’t say that I have.
There’s a great quote by Peggy Orenstein from Cinderella Ate My Daughter that I used in my lecture, but not this post, where she talks about the fact that one of the reasons Bella as a character (and characters like her) appeals to so many readers is because she isn’t perfect or gorgeous, but she gets the guy everyone wants. She shows that you don’t have to be a long-legged beauty with flawless complexion to be desirable. In that sense, I’d say that Twilight could actually be a feminist romance novel, but in my lecture I moved it more towards the post-feminist side of things.
I hope that all makes sense!
rachellieberman said, on 3/25/2013 1:32:00 PM
Hi Justin! I would say definitely not. Yes, you’re going to see the vast majority of YA novels today have some sort of romance, but if you’re true to your character, the audience will respond. I will say I’ve met young readers who say, “If it doesn’t have a romance, I don’t want to read it,” but I’m willing to bet that if they read a good, solid YA with a well-developed female protagonist, they would be so absorbed in the story they wouldn’t even care if there was a love interest. Don’t feel that you have to cave to pressure. Your readers will probably react more negatively to a forced love story than they would to no love story at all.
BUUUUUUT, that’s not to say you won’t encounter agents and editors who say the opposite of me, so I don’t want to steer you in this direction of thinking my advice is the only advice. I’ve attempted, in the past, to write YA without romance, and I often find myself adding one. Not because I’m caving to pressure but because the characters you’re writing about are at ages where the hormones are flying, so it’s not crazy to think that some guy or girl might catch their eye.
As you can see, I have come to a not-at-all firm conclusion about this topic.
BUT that doesn’t mean that you’re never allowed to wonder who’s going to read your stories, and what those readers will get out of their experiences.
For my graduate lecture, I took a look at how feminist and post-feminist literary theory can help us look at YA literature and decide for ourselves what messages we want to send. Feminism is, at its core, the belief in equal rights for all genders, but of course there are many definitions and variations among those definitions. The question of choice (who gets to choose, and what they should choose) is sometimes a point of contention among critics.
I think that one of the reasons so many critics find fault with Twilight and novels like it is because Bella’s choices may be her own, but they are consistently at odds with the choices we want our girls to make. When we show characters who consistently choose dangerous, controlling partners, our fear is that young adult readers will also choose dangerous, controlling partners.
I don’t think this is an invalid concern, but my intention isn’t to debate or argue it. That’s for another time, another post. My intention is to say, that if you’re a YA writer and this is something you are thinking about, there are ways to develop a good feminist story without making it preachy or propaganda. I’ll share some methods that I found useful and talked about in my lecture.
1. What does your main character want? If it’s just a relationship, consider that in real life, a desire for a relationship is usually a symptom of a deeper desire for something else, like security or acknowledgment. Consider what other forces might be at work, and you’ll avoid creating shallow characters whose problems can be solved by a significant other.
2. Make sure your character stays active. Find places in the story that force her to act, that take away her safety net and test her. This is true of practically any story, but in YA romances, it’s especially important. She doesn’t need to be a hero, but she shouldn’t rely on her love interest too much.
3. Pay attention to your character’s love interest. Speaking of the love interest, don’t forget to pay attention to him! Or her. What does he want? Does he act in a way that harms the main character, and if so, are there negative consequences? If your character has to choose between two love interests (very common these days), is the choice made too easy (by having one character turn out to be a jerk)?
4. Romance novel vs. novel with romantic elements. A romance novel is a little different than a novel with romantic elements. A romance novel’s plot is dependent on the relationship between two characters, so if you want to write a story with feminist undertones, you might choose the other path.
5. Why do your characters get together? Think about the reasons your characters are together. Is it because they find each other so attractive? Or do they share a deep, mutual connection? The more you develop the relationship, and the reasons for it, the more likely you are to connect with readers.
6. The moral of the story. All of these factors combined puts you in a better position to control the final factor: the moral of the story. Once you’ve finished a draft, it might be a good idea to take a look around. What’s happened to the characters? Who’s alive? What have they had to sacrifice? Your character’s rewards and punishments reveal a lot about your story’s message. Is it the message you want?
There are, of course, many more factors than these six that you will need to pay attention to in order to write a great novel. But this is a place to start if your aim is to write a story with romantic elements that will both appeal to teen readers and give them characters and situations they can look up to.
Rachel Lieberman works in higher education and writes YA. Her short fiction has appeared in Opium, Awkward, Emprise Review, and others. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Tampa.
Hattie Ever After, a sequel to the Newbery-honor winning Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, pubs tomorrow, and I'm thrilled to be hosting Kirby for an exclusive interview. Don't forget the giveaway at the end of the post.
Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson (Delacorte Press, February 12, 2013, for ages 10 and up)
Synopsis (from the publisher): After leaving Uncle Chester's homestead claim, orphan Hattie Brooks throws a lasso around a new dream, even bigger than the Montana sky. She wants to be a big-city reporter. A letter and love token from Uncle Chester's old flame in San Francisco fuels that desire and Hattie jumps at the opportunity to get there by working as a seamstress for a traveling acting troupe. This could be her chance to solve the mystery of her "scoundrel" uncle and, in the process, help her learn more about herself.But Hattie must first tell Charlie that she will not join him in Seattle. Even though her heart approves of Charlie's plan for their marriage, her mind fears that saying yes to him would be saying no to herself.
Why I liked it: This novel is bursting with historical flavor, so if you're a fan of historical fiction, you'll definitely want to read this. I learned a lot about the time period. And even if you're not into historical fiction, read it for Hattie herself. She's wonderful -- a strong female character full of life and sass and gumption.You'll find yourself cheering her on as if she's a real person.
You could read this without reading Hattie Big Sky, but it definitely helps to be familiar with the first book.And although it's considered YA and it's all about careers and marriage, there is absolutely nothing too mature about the book. I suspect it's the kind of novel I would have cherished when I was 11 or 12.
Hi Kirby! Welcome to My Brain on Books!In your author note you state that when you wrote Hattie Big Sky, you had no intention of continuing her story. I'm so glad you changed your mind. Can you tell us about the seeds that grew into Hattie Ever After and how much influence your reader fans had on the decision?
I am a firstborn and am very much into following the rules and keeping other people happy. So, even though I thought I had completed Hattie's story, when I kept hearing from readers, I felt compelled to pay attention. And, honestly, who wouldn't like spending a little more time with such a spunky and stubborn orphan? But I knew that if I were to take on a sequel, I couldn't simply do another version of the homestead story. I would need to find something completely different. I was sure Hattie was going to go on a road trip, but she had other ideas. After fighting with her for some time, I finally got the picture: she wanted to be a writer. I certainly knew about that dream! Once that fell into place, so many other things did, too. I think when we completely give ourselves over to a book -- a terrifying experience!-- we will be given what we need to tell the story. At least, that is how it seems to happen for me.
I love it when a character takes over!Please tell us a little about your journey to publication. Was Hattie Big Sky the first novel you ever wrote? How long did it take you to find an agent? And how much time passed before you signed your first publishing contract?
[chuckling] First novel? Um, HBS was perhaps my fifth. But, it was my first effort at historical fiction. My first published book, a chapter book, came out in 1994; then I had four more books published, including two ghost written series books. Beginning in 1997, I contracted submission pox -- everything I submitted for the next seven years was rejected. I was ready to pitch it all in and go to work as a Starbucks' barista. Or maybe a Walmart greeter. Then, through a sad and wonderful set of circumstances, I was led to my great-grandmother's story of homesteading in eastern Montana as a young woman and spent four years researching and writing Hattie Big Sky. When the manuscript was ready to submit, I sent it to half a dozen editors--one of whom called me ten days after receiving it to say she wanted to publish it. Though I had had agents (two) earlier in my career, HBS was unsolicited/agentless. After the book won the Newbery Honor, I was introduced to Jennifer Holm's agent, Jill Grinberg, and the rest, as they say, was history.
That's quite a journey. How amazing that Hattie Big Sky was agentless! You used to teach writing classes. What advice can you give us on revising a rough draft?
First, celebrate the fact that you have completed a first draft. Most people never make it that far! Have you adequately celebrated? Really? Was there chocolate involved? Okay. Now you can move on. I'd say the first thing to do is find a trusted reader. Mine is my picture book co-author, Mary Nethery, who has earned several jewels in her heavenly crown for nudging me to actually include a plot in my novels. Respond to the concerns of that trusted reader (e.g. in my case, add a plot). Then, scout the manuscript for narrative chunks: such chunks probably indicate telling, rather than scene-building. Convert those sections to scenes and you're most of the way there! Don't forget to take a look at motivation: yes, you need John and Jenny to have a spat in Chapter Four. But why are they having that spat? And does the spat grow organically out of the preceding action? Finally, read EVERY SINGLE WORD aloud. That will save you from all kinds of clunkers and faux pas.
Ah, yes, I did celebrate with chocolate when I finished my first draft, thank you! And thank you for the rest of this great advice too. Do you listen to music while you write? Do you have a theme song that best fits Hattie Ever After?
Good lord, no. I have to have it very quiet while I write. Theme song? I think Etta James' version of At Last fits almost any situation!
Other than music, what's your writing process like? Are you an early morning writer or an evening writer? Do you write in your PJ's? Drink gallons of coffee? Do you chain yourself to a writing desk or take your laptop and spread out on the couch?
I'm an all-day writer because this is my job. In fact, both my husband and I office at home, so are a trifle workaholic. We have resolved for 2013 to quit work earlier a couple of times a week and have some non-writing or acounting kind of fun. Two nights ago we went to the Seattle Opera. The week before that, it was a date to see Silver Linings Playbook. Next week, it's a tour of the newly relocated Seattle Museum of History and Industry.
As the result of an unfortunate event that occurred when our son was in elementary band, I do not write in my PJs (long story). I get up around 6:30 or 7 and have a cup of coffee and do the NY Times crossword puzzle (on Mondays, I feel like the smartest person in the world!). Then I walk Winston the Wonder Dog and we come back and have breakfast (he eats a bit of kibble with a home-cooked patty of turkey and veggies; I often eat a poached egg and toast). Then we are in my office by no later than 9. I write all day (breaking for lunch and that very important afternoon constitutional for Winston). I now use a Mac mini hooked up to a big monitor so I am pretty much chained to my office. But I do have an iPad so sometimes go to my local coffee shop to play around. I especially like to print out my manuscripts and take those to a coffee shop to work on revisions.
You're so good at writing historical fiction (the Hattie novels, The Friendship Doll and even a Dear America book!). Will your next book also be that genre? Or will you go back to nonfiction picture books like Nubsor The Two Bobbies? Which is your favorite to write: picture books or novels?
[Thank you for that lovely compliment; I do work very hard on my historical fiction.] Mary and I are dying to find a third narrative non-fiction book together, along the lines of Two Bobbies and Nubs. So I am hoping a book like that is in the not-too-distant future. As for my individual work: I am totally and passionately in love with historical fiction. My next three books will be in that genre, for sure. After that -- who knows? As far as which is my favorite genre: such a thing doesn't exist. It's the story, not the genre, that counts.
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. And congratulations on tomorrow's release of Hattie Ever After!
Thank you so much for taking the time to come up with such thoughtful questions! I really appreciate your support and encouragement of my work.
* * * * *
Readers, to celebrate Kirby Larson's book launch tomorrow, I'm giving away my ARC of Hattie Ever After, along with a paperback of Hattie Big Sky (in case you haven't read it). To enter, simply be a follower and leave a comment on this post. This giveaway is open internationally and will end at 10 pm EST on Saturday February 23, 2013. Winner to be announced on Monday, February 25. Good luck!
31 Comments on Exclusive interview with Kirby Larson, author of HATTIE EVER AFTER -- and a giveaway!, last added: 2/25/2013
I love this post! I love historical fiction, both of my MG manuscripts take place in a different time period.I would love to have an office and be able to devote my entire day to writing. I also love the second question, it gives us all hope. Thanks for the great interview. I would love to win the ARC.
I've heard the hubbub about this one, and since I haven't read the first (I can't believe I haven't...I love historical fiction and try to read as many Newberys as I can), so thanks for the chance for BOTH of these!
Kirby, chocolate is absolutely necessary for any celebration! And I love that you mention reading your work aloud. It's such a marvel for catching what doesn't work/fit.
I can't believe I haven't gotten around to reading Hattie Big Sky yet! And now the next one is out. My daughter is 11, so she's the perfect age for us to share these. Thanks for the interview and giveaway!
I love this interview : ) Thank you so much for sharing it. I follow your blog in my google reader each day but I realized I wasn't an official follower! So now we are official...weeee!
I love these covers! They are so beautiful. I am a fan of HF and these sound like books I could really get into. I can't wait to read them! The interview with the author was excellent. It was fun to learn more about her. Wishing her much success!
I would love to win a copy. GFC follower: Jessica Haight/DMS ~Jess
Wow 7 years of rejections! I don't know if I could've kept going. So glad she did. My daughter loves historical fiction so I'll have to make sure she knows of these.
What a wonderful interview and giveaway! Kirby's publication journey is inspiring, and her advice to look for "narrative chunks" when revising is spot-on. Thanks too for pointing out that even though the books are considered YA, they aren't too mature for an 11/12 year old - which is my daughter's age!
Drum roll, please! Here is a list of all the books I've read in 2012 (divided up by months and not counting picture books. And please note that most of these were arcs, unless otherwise noted):
January 1. Cinder - Marissa Meyer 2. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green 3. A Diamond in the Dust - Kathryn Fitzmaurice 4. Chomp - Carl Hiaasen 5. Because of Winn Dixie - Kate DiCamillo 6. Looking for Alaska - John Green 7. Gil Marsh - A.C.E. Bauer 8. Never Fall Down - Patricia McCormick 9. Jake & Lily - Jerry Spinelli
February 10. What the Dog Said - Randi Reisfield 11. So Close to You - Rachel Carter 12. Breathing Lessons - Anne Tyler (paperback purchased from indie bookstore) 13. Wonder - R.J. Palacio 14. Curveball: How I Lost My Grip - Jordan Sonnenblick
March 15. Breath of Eyre - Eve Marie Mont 16. critique partner's MG novel 17. Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator - Josh Berk 18. Embrace - Jessica Shirvington 19. Insurgent - Veronica Roth 20. Kaspar the Titanic Cat - Michael Morpurgo 21. Small Damages - Beth Kephart 22. The Year of the Book - Andrea Chang 23. Remarkable - Lizzie K. Foley
April 24. The Wicked and the Just - J. Anderson Coats 25. Summer of the Gypsy Moths - Sara Pennypacker 26. Drowned Cities - Paolo Bacigalupi 27. Starters - Lissa Price 28. The False Prince - Jennifer Nielson 29. Chains - Laurie Halse Anderson 30. My Life Next Door - Huntley Fitzpatrick
May 31. Devine Intervention - Martha Brockenbrough 32. The Patron Saint of Beans (now called If You Find Me) - Emily Murdoch 33. Keeping the Castle - Patrice Kindl 34. Don't Turn Around - Michelle Gagnon 35. Gilt - Katherine Longshore 36. Lucid - Adrienne Stolz and Ron Bass 37. The Mapmaker & the Ghost - Sarvenaz Tash 38. A World Away - Nancy Grossman 39. Keeping Safe the Stars - Sheila O'Connor 40. Gold Medal Summer - Donna Freitas 41. The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy - Nikki Loftin 42. This is Not a Drill - Beck McDowell 43. Tiger Lily - Jodi Lynn Anderson
June 44. Jump Into the Sky - Shelley Pearsall 45. Noah's Compass - Anne Tyler (paperback purchased from indie bookstore) 46. What Came From the Stars - Gary D. Schmidt 47. Forge - Laurie Halse Anderson 48. Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers 49. Son - Lois Lowry 50. Ungifted - Gordon Korman 51. Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein 52. Capture the Flag - Kate Messner 53. Edge of Nowhere - Elizabeth George
July 54. Nerve - Jeanne Ryan 55. Burning Blue - Paul Griffin 56. The Great Unexpected - Sharon Creech 57. Malcolm at Midnight - W. H. Beck 58. Ten - Gretchen McNeil 59. Lindsey Lost - Suzanne Phillips 60. The Diviners - Libba Bray 61. Age of Miracles - Karen Thompson Walker
August 62. What's Left of Me - Kat Zhang 63. critique partner's YA novel 64. Third Grade Angels - Jerry Spinelli 65. Beholding Bee - Kimberly Newton Fusco 66. Space Station Seventh Grade - Jerry Spinelli 67. The Spindlers - Lauren Oliver 68. Every Day - David Levithan
September 69. Empty - K.M. Walton 70. If I Lie - Corrine Jackson 71. True Colors - Natalie Kinsey-Warnock 72. Popular - Alissa Grosso (paperback I purchased at PAYA) 73. Pretty Crooked -- Elisa Ludwig (hardcover I purchased at PAYA) 74. Dying to Know You - Aidan Chambers 75. Seven Tales of Trinket -- Shelley Moore Thomas (hardcover purchased from indie bookstore) 76. Glass Heart -- Amy Garvey 77. Unspoken -- Sarah Rees Brennan 78. Liar & Spy -- Rebecca Stead
October 79. The Voyage of Lucy P. Simmons - Barbara Mariconda 80. Lovely, Dark and Deep -- Amy McNamara (hardcover from S&S) 81. Breathe - Sarah Crossan 82. A Dog Called Homeless -- Sarah Lean 83. Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities -- Mike Jung (hardcover purchased from indie bookstore) 84. Touching the Surface - Kim Sabatini (hardcover from S&S) 85. Ask the Passengers - A.S. King 86. The Secret Underground - Natalie Bahm (paperback purchased to help Baby Jayden) 87. The Brides of Rollrock Island
November 88. Double Vision - F.T. Bradley 89. The Tide-Changers -- Sandy Green (paperback purchased from Amazon) 90. Through to You - Emily Hainsworth 91. The Flight - C.F. Runyan (old paperback I've read before) 92. Circle of Secrets - Kimberley Griffiths Little (hardcover won from Deb Marshall) 93. A Tale of Time City - Diana Wynne Jones (paperback purchased from indie bookstore) 94. A Thunderous Whisper - Christina Diaz Gonzalez (hardcover won from Medeia Sharif) 95. Recipe for Trouble - Sheryl Berk & Carrie Berk (paperback won from Jennifer Rumberger) 96. Hokey Pokey - Jerry Spinelli
December 97. Hattie Ever After - Kirby Larson 98. When We Wake - Karen Healy 99. Dead End in Norvelt - Jack Gantos 100. A String in the Harp - Nancy Bond (paperback lent by a friend) 101. Storm in the Barn - Matt Phelan
So I've read more than 100 books and December isn't over yet. If you have questions about any of these books, feel free to ask! Which one's my favorite? Oh gosh, I couldn't possibly pick ONE favorite. For YA, I'd have to say The Fault in Our Stars, but Small Damages and Devine Intervention both hold a special place in my heart. For MG, I love Wonder, but also What Came From the Stars, and Malcolm at Midnight. Of course, I also loved The One and Only Ivan (but I read it last year!). One of those books had better win a Newbery.
For the next few weeks I'll be taking a blogging break to spend time with my family and to work on my third novel. In January, I hope to be querying my second novel, but I'm also joining Katia Raina's 31-Minute a Day Challenge. If you've never checked out Katia's blog, you should hop right over there. She's a lovely young writer I met at the New Jersey SCBWI conference last year, and her first novel is coming from namelos in 2013! Join the challenge! All it takes is a commitment to work on your project (whatever it is) for 31 minutes a day, every day, throughout the month of January. And there's a prize for a random winner at the end! Sign up on Katia's blog. See you in a few weeks. Enjoy your holidays!
24 Comments on What I've Read So Far -- And a January challenge, last added: 12/23/2012
Can I just be a little jealous of all those ARCs? :) I am DYING to read Hattie Ever After--did you like it? I've read 75 books so far this year...I THINK my favorite was Code Name Verity.
That's still a lot of books, Faith. And I loved Code Name Verity. There's a book that makes you think. Yes, I loved Hattie Ever After! I'm part of the official blog tour, probably early February.
I won't be collecting as many arcs as I used to, now that I'm no longer at the bookstore. But I still have a few sources.
I should probably copy that reading list down for myself too -- too much to catch up on. Thanks for sharing about my challenge. So glad you're doing it! hugs, Katia
What an impressive list! I read some of those based on your MMGMs! You know what a Gary D. Schmidt fan I am. I finished What Came From the Stars a few weeks ago. It's different than his other stuff but so, so wonderful.
It certainly is different, Barbara! But I found it so moving. Glad you liked it. I do worry, sometimes, when I recommend a book, that someone else might not like it at all.
Good for you, Kristen. I'm so glad I do this, or I'd have no idea what I read. I started a notebook in 2002 and I'm now on my second notebook. But you could easily use a Word document.
Wow, what an impressive list! So many are on my to-read list. I wish I had more time to read. I'm going to have to check out the challenge you signed up for. Writing this month has been so hard, I could use a kick in the pants to get moving again.
Wonderful list! I have read many of these, but so many more to read. My favorite YA this year was The Fault in Our Stars and my favorite middle grade was, well, I can't pick one! I'd have to say at the top of my list are A Diamond in the Desert, One for the Murphys, and It Came from the Stars. Thanks for the list. I have work to do!
WOW- always impressive, Joanne. I just read Flying the Dragon with my middle-grade book club. SO SO good. I need to review it on the blog. I cried! I hope you have access to lots of books in the future, because I love your recs. Happy holidays with the fam! Kat
I continually hear wonderful things about The Fault in Our Stars - I need to pick up a copy. I loved, loved, loved Wonder.
Kudos to you for setting goals on your own writing. I love the 31 minutes a day idea. Maybe I will have to think of something similar for myself, sadly I can't do 31 minutes a day with 12 hour shifts at work.
Kaolin, the author of Talking About Race (publisher: Crandall, Dostie & Douglass Books, Inc.), contacted me about her book, and I thought it sounded so interesting that I told her to send it to me. And I’m so glad she did. This post is going to be a little different than my normal posts about books you can use with students (you could probably use this with teens and college-age students)–I am going to share the book with you and tell you how to use it, but I will show you examples straight from the pages of the book. I also want to share with you a little of the author’s story. So, here we go. . .
Kaolin was born Patricia Anne Graham, and she legally changed her name to Kaolin with no surname in 1991. She has had many jobs in her life: a waitress, a singer, a writer, and a teacher. She’s worked in adolescent programs with teens with disabilities and in politics. She has also worked on a tree farm. In 1994, she designed and taught a course titled, “Let’s Talk About Race: Confronting Racism Through Education,” which after many years became this book I’m talking about today.
The book is divided into seven chapters with a “writing interval” at the beginning. It is written for “white people working to achieve racial equality in their lives, and to readers of color who would like insight into psychological and social experiences white people encounter.” Personally, I find this perspective fascinating–as a white woman, I never thought it appropriate or even necessary to address the concerns and topics that Kaolin discusses in her book. But after reading it, I see that it is, and I saw myself and my feelings in the pages of her book–especially when I was younger. I can see youth groups, book clubs, college classes, and more reading and studying this book. It will start conversations that need to be had. I hope that I can discuss these issues with my stepson soon and with my daughter when she is older. And as the cover states, it does not just have to be white people–it can be all races working together.
As Kaolin states in her introduction about why she wrote it: “Because learning how to talk about racism is hard. Most of us ‘react’ to it first. . . The lack of thought that has gone into many white people’s position about racism is amazing to me. . . Talking About Race meets that need.”
She begins with recognizing racism with lists that describe what a racist believes and with a section that even addresses, “How do you know you whether or not you are a racist?” The next chapter is titled “Resisting Racism,” which can actually bring up many uncomfortable feelings–especially when children/teens are faced with racism from parents or other loved ones, and they don’t know how to confront these beliefs or even act around the person. Kaolin gives some ideas for figuring this out. She continues this theme in the “Defenses and Insecurities” chapter.
The book goes on through real-life examples and encouraging prose, as well as pages of thinking questions with room to write answers, to face racism head on and understand how it can affect people in a family and in a community. Kaolin forces people to also look at themselves and how behaviors can either promote or stop racism. It’s not a book intended for people to feel bad about themselves or members of their family. It’s a book written to get people talking and thinking and hopefully changing hurtful behaviors.
I highly recommend using Talking About Race with teens and college-age students. I think it is perfect for a home school group, a church youth group, a community group like Boys and Girls Club, and more. It’s well-done!
Here are a few of the questions from it that get adults and children USING the book:
If you woke up this morning and there had been no racism in your life, how would your life have been different?
Have you ever feared someone because of his or her color? Have you been fearful of anyone because of your color?
With respect to your own color, would you say you were born lucky?
Do you think white people have no problems?
In order to correct a racist situation, I would need. . .
Check it out on Amazon or at Kaolin’s website if you don’t believe me!
Today, I'm honored that for my final Class of 2K12 interview,* I'm talking with Kim Sabatini, a delightful debut author I've actually met in person (at the SCBWI Eastern PA Poconos retreats)! First, let me tell you about her book:
Touching the Surfaceby Kimberly Sabatini (Simon Pulse, October 30, 2012, for ages 14 and up)
Synopsis (from Indiebound): When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she knows she must have messed up, big-time. She doesn’t remember how she landed in the afterlife again, but she knows this is her last chance to get things right. Elliot just wants to move on, but first she will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed. As she pieces together the secrets and mistakes of her past, Elliot must find a way to earn the forgiveness of the person she’s hurt most, and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.
My take: I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of this book, and I can tell you all, it's a ravishing and unique look at the afterlife. The lives of four characters are woven together in an intricate dance after death. As the story unfolds, layer by layer, we grow to love Elliot and her friends and realize the truth of E.M. Forster's famous phrase: "Only connect." Touching the Surface is all about connecting with other lives, and making choices. Even the most minor decision can affect the other people in your life. This is one of those stories you can't stop thinking about long after you've finished the last page. And isn't that cover gorgeous? I'll be giving away my review copy; details at the end of the interview.
Welcome to my blog, Kim! I'm almost as excited as you are that Touching the Surface makes its official debut in four days! (And it's already been selling out in bookstores!)
Did the idea for your book spring from your own childhood or from some other source? And did you start with a character or with an image or phrase or setting?
The idea for my book came mostly from the fact that my father had died recently. I think I chose to write a story that took place in the afterlife so that I could explore my own feelings about my where my dad had gone and why he had to leave. It also came from hearing the story of a local girl who had done something “unforgivable.” I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I realized that if I’m so hard on myself about small things, I didn’t know how someone could survive making a life-altering mistake. It made me want to write something that would make her feel better—and make me feel better too.
Do you outline before you write? If so, does it end up changing before you finish the first draft? What change surprised you the most?
I’m a pantser. A definite fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of a girl when it comes to a written outline, but that doesn’t mean I don’t plan ahead. I’m a mullet girl at heart. I mull over my story, characters and plot in my head for long periods of time before I write it down. Perhaps you could even call it a mental kind of an outline, because when I sit down to write I have very strong ideas about where I’m headed. But having said that, I’m really open to going where the story leads me. This is when it’s advantageous to be a mental outliner—it’s very easy to make corrections to the master plan. I just head in the new direction and start mulling all over again. I swish my imagination all around until the new ideas are real to me.
Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate while writing? And where do you write? Briefly describe your writing space.
HOT CHOCOLATE!!!! Don’t forget the whipped cream. I have a cute little desk area with a nice window view that I’ve put together with a couple of folding tables. But recently I’ve developed some achy spots from running and dancing and I find that sitting at my desk too long makes my legs hurt. So…I’ve kind of moved my office onto my bed. In essence, I’ve become my cat. We get up in the morning, make the bed, do the mom thing, exercise and/or run errands then curl up in a nest on the bed for the afternoon. Of course the cat gets to sleep on a pillow like a princess and I’m working like a crazy person, but I have hot chocolate with whipped cream—so I’m not complaining.
You were the first author I knew to go on Pinterest, when you posted on your blog about your Touching The Surface board. Can you talk about why you're so enthusiastic about Pinterest? How has it helped your writing?
I have always been a visual person. As a writer, I very clearly need to see my characters and setting in order to be able to create a believable story. Pinterest is a quick, easy and portable way to visually support my writing. I've always manually built a bulletin board on the wall at home, but now I can write anywhere and access it from any place. I also think it's cool to be able to share an extra layer with readers. Some people don't want to have their own imagery spoiled, which I completely understand, but like myself, many are fascinated with what the author was thinking about when they were writing. I love checking out these kinds of author boards.
What can we expect from you next? What are you writing now?
Right now I'm revising my second novel, THE OPPOSITE OF GRAVITY. I'm really excited about it and I'm hoping that after the launch of TOUCHING THE SURFACE I'll have a little more time to polish it up. I've also decided to do NaNoWriMo for the first time this November. I know this sounds insane considering it kicks off two days after my book launch, but I feel like I've got book three, CHASING ADAPTATION, knocking on my brain right now. If you see me in a puddle on the side of the road in early December, you'll know that my head exploded. LOL!
Ha ha! Good luck with NaNo! And thanks for joining us today, Kimberly!
Readers, I'm giving away my hardcover copy of Touching the Surface, AND some cool swag from Kim herself! One lucky person gets to win all this, plus the book (and yes, that is an origami crane!):
To enter, you must be a follower and you must comment on this post. International entries welcome! Extra entries for tweeting, mentioning on facebook or your own blog. Please let me know. This giveaway ends at 10:00 pm EST on Wednesday, November 7, 2012. Winner to be chosen by random.org. Good luck!
*Special thanks to Caroline Starr Rose, for asking me to participate in the Class of 2K12 interviews/guest posts. It was an honor.
22 Comments on Class of 2K12 - An Interview with Kimberly Sabatini, author of TOUCHING THE SURFACE -- plus a GIVEAWAY!, last added: 11/8/2012
Nice interview Joanne! It's always nice to know what the author's inspiration was to write a book. I'm also a visual person and I love taking photographs. I don't have a Pinterest account yet but I've been considering making one :) Anyway, congrats on your debut novel Kimberly! Touching the Surface looks and sounds great.
Fascinating review of a fascinating book. Thanks, Joanne and Kim. I love Forster's concept of connecting. And I love the idea of a "mullet" writer. Keep mulling, Kim, and I look forward to The Opposite of Gravity.
Synopsis: Wren is enjoying using her powers to hover a few inches above the floor of the pedestrian tunnel under the train station when two teens notice her. Bay and Fiona are into magic in a big way, and Wren agrees to hang out with them before realizing Bay's powers might be evil. Until now, only her boyfriend Gabriel and her own family knew she could use magic. Even her best friends Jess and Darcia don't know. Over the course of one December, Wren's relationship with Gabriel is complicated by her secret friendship with Bay and Fiona and by Gabriel's insistence that she stop using her powers. Why can't he realize her powers are part of who she is?
Why I liked it: Amy Garvey makes magic utterly believable. It's easy to imagine that Wren would get a rush from using her powers, and for the most part she uses them in beautiful ways, like creating a gentle snowfall. I love all the characters in this book, but especially Wren, who touches me in a way few characters in YA do. She's so real, you begin to feel if you put the book down and walked to the nearest coffee shop, you might run into her.
This is a sequel to Cold Kiss, so if you haven't read that, you definitely need to read it first. (And here's an excellent write-up of both books by Donna Gambale from the First Novels Club.)
What powers would you wish for?
4 Comments on YA Friday: GLASS HEART by Amy Garvey, last added: 9/28/2012
I was lucky enough to meet these two authors at this year's PAYA festival. What's PAYA? Bringing YA to PA is all about raising money for Pennsylvania libraries. It was started by an ambitious high school student in 2008. There were over 30 authors at this year's festival, some of whom had already signed books for me at the bookstore (like A.S. King, Ellen Jensen Abbott, K.M. Walton, and Beth Kephart!).
Alissa Grosso is the author of POPULAR (and the more recent FEROCITY SUMMER, which I need to read next!).
Elisa Ludwig is the author of PRETTY CROOKED and the sequel PRETTY SLY (Coming March 2013 from Katherine Tegen Books/Harpercollins).
I'd met Alissa and Elisa once or twice before, but never got a book signed by either, so this was my opportunity. And I'm thrilled that I did. Both books are about high school cliques, but take vastly different approaches.
Alissa Grosso manages to pull off an amazing feat: juggling five different points of view from the five high school girls who form a tight clique at Fidelity High. Hamilton Best is the queen of the clique, and her followers, Olivia, Nordica, Shelly, and Zelda, are squabbling among themselves and fighting to bring her down. Her boyfriend, Alex, seems moody and distant. Or maybe just confused.
But -- hold everything! -- this isn't just another Gossip Girls or Clique novel. The truth is not always what it seems in this fascinating psychological story. I read this in one day. And I was stunned.
Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig (Katherine Tegen Books/Harper, 2012)
Willa Fox's artist mom has finally sold some paintings and they can settle into a real house for once, with the opportunity for Willa to attend a prestigious private school in Arizona. She quickly makes friends with some of the Glitterati of Valley Prep and finds herself swept up in shopping sprees and parties (and attracted to a hot guy). But when the popular girls prove to be the power behind a mean-spirited website that bullies scholarship students, Willa decides to even the playing field by turning into a modern day version of Robin Hood. Steal from the rich and go shopping for the poor girls: what could be so wrong with that? This is a fun, fast-paced read that isn't afraid to delve into some social issues of class and race differences.
What recent YA books have stolen your heart?
12 Comments on YA Friday - POPULAR by Alissa Grosso and PRETTY CROOKED by Elisa Ludwig, last added: 9/29/2012
I still have to read these. So far, I loved Shine by Jeri SMith-Ready. What a trilogy. I'm falling for Every Day by David Levithan. Those darn writers that are amazing.
Like Barbara, I don't read much YA. But I recently enjoyed Devine Intervention by Martha Brockenbrough. And I love everything Beth Kephart writes. Her Small Damages is on top of my TBR pile.
Interestingly, I read somewhere recently that most YA readers are older adults. It makes me wonder why they would still find something interesting about reading about high school cliques. Protecting their own children?
I read that too, Michael. Might have been PW Children's Bookshelf?? And I got the impression adults are reading YA for their own pleasure. Of course, many of those adults could be in their twenties or thirties, and not necessarily parents.
You'll love SMALL DAMAGES. And YAY for DEVINE INTERVENTION! I thought it was hilarious. Hope they really do make that movie out of it.
I usually read YA books, mostly because I read whatever my kids are reading. I think it gives me an opportunity to have something in common with them and that we can talk about. My daughter is reading a great book right now that I can't wait to get my hands on when she's done. It's called "Through Angel's Eyes" by Steve Theunissen, you can check it out and get it right off the website http://sbpra.com/stevetheunissen/. Thanks for the post and the suggestions, she may like one of the books above!
Yes, I'm participating in Random Acts of Publicity, created by Darcy Pattison. It's a public event on facebook and you can sign up here. For this Random Act, I'm offering teasers about four new YA novels:
Every Day by David Levithan (Knopf, 9780307931887) -- With this beautiful and highly-imaginative novel about A, a being who wakes up in a different body every morning, David Levithan teaches us what it means to be human, and what it means to truly love someone. A has managed to drift through his many lives, never getting involved -- until the day he occupies the body of Justin, boyfriend to Rhiannon. A knows he must see Rhiannon again, even if it means risking being caught by a preacher who warns of the devil taking over bodies.
What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang (Harpercollins, 9780062114877, Coming Sept 18!) -- In an alternate society where two souls exist inside every body, Eva and Addie started out like everyone else. Eva is the recessive one, the one who should have faded away by the time they were seven or eight. In their strict society, it's mandatory that one soul become dominant. But at fifteen, Eva's still there inside of Addie, weak and helpless, yet able to talk to Addie telepathically. Will Eva fade away for good or can she learn how to control their shared body again, despite the dangers? An intriguing storyline and gorgeous writing. I read this in one sitting.
Lindsey Lost by Suzanne Marie Phillips (Viking, 9780670784608, coming Sept 13) -- Lindsey's an Olympic hopeful, a star runner and the town's Golden Girl. When her body is found in the woods, her brother Micah may have been the last person to see her. But he can't remember what happened. Did he witness the murder? Or commit it? There are at least four other possible suspects. A thriller so intense you'll be tearing through the pages to find out what happens.
If I Lie by Corrine Jackson (Simon Pulse, 9781442454132) * -- Quinn is trying to survive her senior year in high school, shunned by everyone and tormented by the mean girl, because they all think Quinn cheated on her boyfriend, the town hero. But the truth isn't always what it seems. In this well-crafted novel, Corrine Jackson paints a stunning portrait of a girl forced to keep a secret for a boy who's now MIA in Afghanistan.
* See my interview with author Corrine Jackson in this post -- and there's still time to enter the giveaway, but hurry!
6 Comments on Compelling YA Reads -- for Random Acts of Publicity, last added: 9/8/2012
I hadn't heard of Everyday or Lindsay Lost -- but really all of these books sound so good. You always make the best recommendations. Can't wait to check these out.
Wow! Today's Class of 2K12 interview is with a debut author who has not one but TWO young adult novels launching this year. Meet Corrine Jackson, author of:
Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.
Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise…
Corrine's also the author of:
TOUCHED (coming November 27 from K-Teen) Seventeen-year-old Remy O’Malley heals people with touch, but her power comes at a steep cost. Every illness or injury she cures becomes her own. The pain she can handle, but she worries a day will come when she won’t recover from healing some terrible disease. Then she meets eighteen-year-old Asher Blackwell. Scarred and dangerous, he knows more about her abilities than she does, and she can’t resist wanting to know everything about him.
Q. Do you outline before you write? If so, does it end up changing before you finish the first draft? What change surprised you the most?
A. I’m an outliner. Usually, the characters come to me and I keep a file with notes that I collect. They’re everything from scene ideas to character traits to bits of dialogue. I write a bit to get a sense of the character’s voice. Once that’s in place, I go back and outline the whole book. My outline is flexible, though. I never feel locked in. If a scene takes me somewhere new, no big deal. I just revise the outline. I’ve been surprised at times by a new character popping up (George in IF I LIE) or an emotional scene I didn’t plan on (in TOUCHED). George was definitely my biggest change. My entire book morphed once he appeared. I love those moments.
Q. Those are cool moments! How long did it take to go from the idea for the book to the draft your editor accepted? Was it months or years? Did you go through endless revisions, beta readers, etc, before starting the submission process? Did you ever want to pull out your hair?
A.Depends on the book. With TOUCHED, I wrote it in 3 ½ months. I went through draft after draft in revisions and lots of beta readers. Once I got an agent, we went through one more revision. That’s the one my editor bought. With IF I LIE, I wrote it over a year, sent it to a few beta readers, did one round of revision, made a few changes at my agent’s suggestion, and that was it. Since I spent more time writing it, I edited it along the way, so my first draft was pretty clean. I also showed pieces to readers as I was working on it.
To be honest, I don’t like editing as much as I do writing. I’d rather do a slower, cleaner first draft, but that’s not always realistic with deadlines. I’m adapting, but I do want to pull my hair out at times.
Q. I hear you! Do you listen to music while writing or at least while thinking about and planning a book? What song or album had the most influence on this novel?
A. I always listen to music. I create playlists for each book. In the book FROM WHERE YOU DREAM, Robert Olen Butler suggests that listening to the same music for a book each time you write, drops you back into that creative space faster. I agree. As soon as I put the music on and read a snip of what I wrote the day before, I’m off and running on new words. When writing TOUCHED, I listened to a lot of Tyrone Wells, Taylor Swift, Tim Easton, Ben Harper, and others. Lots of soulful love songs or longing for love songs. I shifted gears a bit on IF I LIE. That book takes sad to a new level. I listened to a lot of Glen Hansard, The Swell Season, and The Frames. Glen Hansard has this voice that rips at your guts and it fit what was happening to my characters.
Thanks for joining us today, Corrine! Your books are amazing. Congratulations!
* * *
Readers, I have one hardcover copy of IF I LIE to give away! Sorry, this giveaway is only open to residents of the US or Canada. Must be 13 or older to enter. The rules are simple: You must be a follower and you must comment on this post! You have until Saturday September 8 at 11 pm EDT to enter. One extra chance to win if you Tweet about this giveaway. Another extra chance for mentioning on facebook OR on your own blog. Please note your extra entries in the comments. Thanks!
18 Comments on Class of 2K12 -- Corrine Jackson, author of IF I LIE and TOUCHED -- and a Giveaway!, last added: 9/19/2012
Awesome interview Joanne and Corrine. I can't believe Corrine wrote such a clean draft of Touched in 3 months. Let someone else win because I'm hoping to get an ARC of Touched for an interview with Corrine later this year.
Loved the interview!! I've been hearing so much about this book lately. A very heavy read, which I've been craving more and more lately. I couldn't imagine writing a manuscript in 3 months. That is just daunting. tweet: https://twitter.com/deadtossedwaves/status/241645895924461568
Thanks, Jill. Music seems to fill an important need for a lot of writers. And I loved what Corrine mentioned (from Robert Olen Butler's book) about listening to the same music to put you into that creative space faster.
Corrine Jackson is such a great person! I'm following her blog tour for If I Lie right now, and I have to say, while I ahven't read the book yet, I really, really want to! And I love the military theme behind the story. So, for the giveaway! I follow via GFC - Alyssa Susanna
I don't know how many entries I get, so I'm just going to post what I did :D
I tweeted - https://twitter.com/Alyssa_Susanna/status/241966945677754368 (I can tweet only once? Or every day?)
I told someone about this giveaway on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/lily.sooklal/posts/460597780639627
I mentioned on my blog - http://lilleetleet.webs.com/giveaways.htm (it's towards the bottom - I do the link by end date of giveaway)
Today, I welcome my colleague and fellow WOW! team member, Chynna Laird, with her YA paranormal-suspense novel, Dark Water. Chynna has written a creepy, suspenseful book that also touches on some serious issues contemporary children/teens are dealing with such as a parent at war, PTSD, and death of a loved one. Chynna also has a copy to giveaway, so leave a comment for your chance to win! It’s YA, remember–and I know how many of us adults also love YA!
Margo: Welcome, Chynna, to Read These Books and Use Them. I am so thrilled to host you today and your first YA book, Dark Water. Can you tell us a little about your book?
Chynna: Thanks for having me here, Margo. Yes! Dark Water is a young adult suspense/paranormal. It’s about a sixteen-year old girl trying to solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance. The deeper she digs, the bigger the mystery seems to get. Here’s the book cover synopsis:
“Some answers are found far beneath the surface…”
Sixteen-year-old Freesia Worth has a mystery to solve—the disappearance of her mother at their family lake house. Her traumatized sister Sage hasn’t said a word ever since that day.
After almost a year, Detective Barry Cuaco has found nothing but frustrating dead ends. Soon he’ll have to let the case go. But Freesia isn’t making it easy for him. She needs answers. Now.
With the help of her secret crush, Rick, and a mysterious Goth girl named Mizu, Freesia learns about an ancient Native legend and a man known as the Watcher of the Lake.
Will Freesia finally uncover the truth? Or will the lake keep its secrets far beneath the dark water?
Margo: Spooky! I hope that Freesia can uncover the truth. (Winks) I read on your website that this was your NaNoWriMo [National Novel Writing Month in November] project in 2011. Tell us a little about the process of Dark Water going from a NaNoWriMo project to a published book.
Chynna: Just before NaNoWriMo, I had this really creepy dream about an old Native man and a ghost he was trying to help. When I got up, I googled Native water legends, and my story came to me. I was so excited about this project, I actually finished it before NaNo was over! After that, I spent a couple of weeks editing and polishing it, then sent it to a publisher I knew who handles several books in the suspense/paranormal genre (Imajin Books). And then Dark Water was born!
Margo:How cool is that! Just goes to show you why we should listen to our dreams! If you had to compare your book to others on the market right now, where would it fit? How is it similar and different from these?
Chynna: I’d have to say that Dark Water is very similar to the works of Chris Grabenstein, Sharon Sala, and Charlotte Blackwell. They all have a wonderful talent of weaving creepiness and fun into their storylines. Dark Water
is a bit different in that I also mix in the issues I think that need to be talked about more. Of course, authors have to be very careful when doing this because younger readers do NOT like being preached to. When you write about these issues, you need to make sure that it is at their level and non-preachy. So I hope that I accomplished that. I think I did…
Margo: Great, then let me ask: What are some themes you are exploring in this book?
Chynna: There are several issues I touch on in Dark Water. First, the main character, Freesia, is part of a military family. Her father was killed in a mission in Afghanistan. Another theme I touch on is Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Freesia’s younger sister, Sage, lives with it, and I give a sense of what it’s like to live with a sibling who has this disorder. I also touch on mental health issues, specifically Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Before she disappeared, Freesia’s mother was a clinical psychologist who worked with children and families coping with this very difficult disorder. Finally, I touch on how young people deal with the very painful situation of parental loss.
I love to educate and stimulate conversation about these issues by weaving the information within a good story. That’s the best way to digest it, I think.
Margo: I couldn’t agree with you more! That’s the entire reason for my blog. How could teachers or parents use Dark Water? Are there certain discussion points that would naturally occur after reading it?
Chynna: I think there would be several discussion points after reading it. Young people may have questions, for example, about what SPD or PTSD is. Teachers can open the discussion to researching and learning about these disorders, how it affects individuals, and what they can do to help raise awareness. Caregivers can use the book to teach tolerance as well as to connect with their children by encouraging questions or concerns. That’s the first step to understanding. =)
Margo: So true! Are you working on any more YA books? I know you’ve written a variety of books—a memoir, a parenting book, a children’s book, and more.
Chynna: Yes I am, actually. I am working on one project that is a YA contemporary (tentatively called Just Shut Up and Drive), a potential action/immortal series as well as a special surprise. ;D
Margo: That sounds great! Maybe one of these days I’ll find a publisher for my YA, and then we can be YA authors together! Anything else you’d like to add about writing for YA and your book, Dark Water?
Chynna: The only thing I’d like to add is that anyone wanting to write in this genre, or already is, should just do it. Research the genre, talk to young people reading these books, and put out the best you can do.
Margo: Chynna, thank you for your time and encouraging words.
Readers, don’t forget to leave a comment by Sunday September 2 for your chance to win!
INNOCENT DARKNESS: Book 1, The Aether Chronicles (Flux, August 8, 2012, for ages 12 and up)
Wish. Love. Desire. Live.
In a Steampunk version of Victorian Los Angeles sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. Her wish sends her tumbling into the Otherworld. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.
Suzanne Lazear writes Steampunk stories for adults and teens. Her Young Adult Steampunk dark fairytale INNOCENT DARKNESS, book 1 of The Aether Chronicles, will be released from Flux on August 8, 2012. She always plays with swords, is never described as normal, and has been known to run with bustles. Suzanne lives in Southern California with her daughter, the hubby, a hermit crab, and two chickens, where she’s currently attempting to make a raygun to match her ballgown. Visit her blog at http://www.suzannewrites.blogspot.comand her website http://www.suzannelazear.com
Do you outline before you write? If so, does it end up changing before you finish the first draft? What change surprised you the most?
Well, INNOCENT DARKNESS didn’t start out Steampunk. I steampunked it on the fly from a contemporary outline. My main characters—Noli, V, and Kevighn--stayed the same but new characters like Charlotte appeared. The basic story stayed the same, but adding in the Steampunk elements forced me to change a lot of things, and I had to create an entire alternate world as I went along (which required research and strange google searches). From this process a lot of details I didn’t know about emerged, like Noli’s love of botany, Kevighn’s sister, and certain details about V and his past…I personally enjoy learning things about my characters as I write. Not all stories are like this for me. Sometimes I outline, sometimes I don’t, and sometimes I just jot down ideas. It all depends on the story, world, and characters.
Do you revise one novel while writing another? Or do you feel you need to write and revise one novel and get it as polished as possible before moving on to your shiny new idea?
I like to have several projects in different stages going on at once. It makes me feel more productive. I work on the one that’s most pressing (or if not on deadline, with the characters speaking the loudest), but if I get burned out or need a break, I can switch to another project for a day or two and feel like I’m still being productive. Also, I have something to do while a project is off being read by betas. It’s that whole multi-tasking thing. I like multi-tasking. And lists.
Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate while writing? And where do you write? Briefly describe your writing space.
Because I have a full time job and a family I write whenever and wherever I can. I do a lot of writing on my laptop on the couch. I write during lunch at work, I’ve been known to bring my laptop to birthday parties and family functions when on deadline, I’ve even contemplated trying to use Dragon to write while driving since I spend so much time commuting—but I’m not that brave and given my writing style, I’m not sure that would work for me.
Do you listen to music while writing or at least while thinking about and planning a book? What song or album had the most influence on this novel?
I really like to listen to music when I write and often make complicated playlists of “mood music” for each project. For some reason I never made a special list of music to listen to just for the writing of this book – though I do have a soundtrack for it. I wrote a bulk of INNOCENT DARKNESS during NaNoWriMo 2009 – 66k in three weeks—while working a dayjob so that may have had something to do with it. Yeah, I nearly died. I did write large chunks of ID while listening to Emilie Autumn on continuous repeat—especially “Across the Sky,” which I consider to be the book’s theme song, as well as “Shallot” and “Opheliac”. I adore her work, she’s a “Victorian industrial” artist and since I’m writing Steampunk, the vibes meshed really well. I also listened to a playlist of sappy love songs I’d compiled for drafting another project—especially when writing the kissing parts.
Wow! That sounds daunting. I love that your book has a theme song. Tell us what darling you had to kill that you really really wish you could have kept and what was the most fun to write.
More kissing!!! Just kidding. I actually had to cut an entire scene with Kevighn, my anti-hero, that I really liked. It introduces a new character towards the end, so it does work better to save it for book two, but I really liked the relationship between Kevighn and that character. It added a more little background and depth to my naughty huntsman. My favorite scenes involve Noli—Noli and her flying car, Noli and her friend Charlotte, Noli and V… Though I do have to say, Kevighn, being the bad boy, was really fun to write. Probably even more fun to write than V, who’s such a sweet, honorable guy. Inventing all the steampunk gadgets was a ton of fun as I tried to meld the Victorian feel with modern technology to get things like hoverboard and flying cars, yet make them as natural to Noli as a car is to us.
Thank you so much for having me on today!
Thanks for being here, Suzanne! And congrats on the book!
3 Comments on Class of 2K12 -- INNOCENT DARKNESS by Suzanne Lazear, last added: 9/8/2012
Great interview Joanne and Suzanne. I loved hearing about Suzanne's writing process and that she's able to juggle writing, working, and family. That inspires me on to do it too. Can't wait to read Suzanne's book. I've heard great things about it.
I have heard really great things about this book, so it was wonderful to hear from the author. I like that Suzanne writes anywhere- and I think the idea of possibly using Dragon to write while driving is cool! Wishing her much success! ~Jess
Steampunk, L.A., and faery? Whoever would have even thought of putting those together! I'm fascinated. And a great cover, too.
Suzanne is definitely inspiring, with her three full-time jobs (since family and writing are full-time too, right?). In fact, I probably hate her! (You know, in a good way.)
I’m up cleaning the house WE STILL OWN in IL. Ugh! So I’m just putting a link to a post I wrote yesterday for WOW! about a few pet peeves of mine as a writer. Here’s WOW!’s blog address: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com. It was Wednesday’s post. Feel free to leave any pet peeves for any career here. We can support each other through them.
You can also check out Tuesday, July 31 post on this blog for a giveaway: The Divorce Girl.
The Divorce Girl: A Novel of Art and Soul by Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg
Publisher: Ice Cube Press
I’m excited to introduce to you–The Divorce Girl as part of the WOW! Women On Writing blog tour. What a great, great book. I was captivated on page one and couldn’t wait to get to the end of the book. I recommend this book to ANYONE! I have a print copy to give away–from the author. Please leave a question and/or comment about the book by Sunday, August 5 at 8:00 pm CST to be entered to win (US mailing addresses only, please.)
Here’s my review:
From the first page of The Divorce Girl: A Novel of Art and Soul by Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, readers will discover that it’s a well-written novel with a lively, witty, teenage voice narrating the story. Mirriam-Goldberg captivates you on page one and doesn’t let go until the end of the book. She includes unique, well-rounded characters; unusual settings; and plenty of interesting subplots as well as an understanding of how the world and people work, especially during and after a divorce.
Mirriam-Goldberg is the 2009-2012 Poet Laureate of Kansas. Her love of words and ability to string them together to create a masterpiece shines through in this novel. Simply stated: “It’s a good book!” Although divorce is a subject that has been written about thousands of times in YA and women’s fiction, The Divorce Girl will still fascinate readers who will be drawn into the story because of Mirriam-Goldberg’s writing.
It centers on Deborah, a high school student in New Jersey in the 1970s and oldest daughter of Jewish parents, who announce that they are getting divorced with no huge surprise to her. Her parents have been fighting for years, and it became progressively worse after a baby sibling died of SIDS.
At first when the divorce is announced, Deborah’s father takes a special interest in her, leaving the two younger (surviving) children with their mother. Her dad takes her regularly to eat at a diner, where a Greek hostess, Fatima, works. It soon becomes clear that he has an ulterior motive to these dad-daughter dinners. But Deborah doesn’t seem to mind. She likes the attention from her father, who is talking to her as if she is an equal.
Because of the special attention from her father and the tensions that rise with her mother during the divorce proceedings, Deborah winds up choosing to live with her father and Fatima, which causes many problems within the family, including with her grandparents.
Soon, she realizes that her father isn’t quite the man she thought he was or that he presents himself to be in public; but she doesn’t feel like she has anywhere else to go. He works her hard, too—at home, cooking and cleaning, and at a weekend auction, similar to a flea market, selling large-sized clothing.
The good thing is Deborah loves photography and has quite a talent for it, and her father allows her to take a photography course. He also allows her to get involved with a youth group at the local, and somewhat liberal, temple.
These two outlets and the people there basically save her soul from destruction, as she lives with an abusive father and is estranged from her mother.
Although this book is written with a teenage narrator, the author state
So, here it is. My book cover for Finding My Place, which is a historical fiction, middle-grade novel set in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War, specifically the Siege of Vicksburg. You’ll be seeing it everywhere pretty soon, and I put a snippet of it on my Facebook page. But I thought I would reveal it first here on my blog. So. . .
According to the publisher (White Mane Kids), it will be available at the end of August! I can’t wait! Here’s what the back cover says. Click on the link below for a photo (PDF) of the front and back cover together.
Thirteen-year-old Anna Green can hardly remember life before the War Between the States touched her hometown of Vicksburg, Mississippi. For 47 days in May, June, and July in 1863, the Union Army bombs Vicksburg day and night, attempting to overtake the city. Anna longs for the days before Yankee bombs screeched above her, before her family was torn apart, and before they moved to a dark, damp cave to protect themselves from falling shells. During one terrible bombing, a tragedy strikes Anna and her siblings and changes their lives forever. Can Anna find the strength to keep her family together in the midst of the war? Finding My Place recounts the destitute living conditions and the horror of a city under siege, the strength of the citizens who would not surrender, and the courage of an intelligent young girl.
Auracle by Gina Rosati, coming August 7, 2012 from Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan, for ages 12 and up
Trapped outside her body, Anna sees and hears but cannot touch the one she longs to hold. Anna has a secret: she can astrally project out of her body. But when there's an accident and her classmate Taylor gets into Anna's body, what was an exhilarating gift threatens to become a terrifying reality. Anna and her best friend Rei form a plan to set things right, but they don't anticipate the feelings that are beginning to grow between them. Auracle by Gina Rosati is an exciting, sensual novel that explores the relationship between body and soul and the power of a single touch.
Meet Gina Rosati! As soon as she could ride a bicycle, she’d visit her local public library and check out as many books as she could fit in her bike basket. When she was 15, Gina got her first ‘real’ job in the Newton Free Library shelving books. Leaving the library for a job as a supermarket cashier was a huge mistake … not only did she have the misfortune to be working the night three guys showed up with panty hose masks and sawed-off shotguns to rob the store, but Gina became trapped in the food industry. After many years of scooping ice cream, decorating cakes and assorted secretarial drudgery which included fetching coffee for a boss who called her his “Tomato”, she finally escaped. Now Gina happily writes and volunteers at her local middle school library in southern New Hampshire, where she lives with her husband and two teenagers. Auracle is her first novel.
Hi, Gina and welcome to My Brain on Books! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions.
Did the idea for Auracle spring from your own childhood or from some other source? And did you start with a character or with an image or phrase or setting? The idea of a novel using the concept of astral
7 Comments on Class of 2K12 -- Meet Gina Rosati, author of AURACLE!, last added: 7/21/2012
Having just finished Auracle (and totally loving it), I get the part about the tree and appreciate hearing the behind-the-scenes story about it! Great interview!
Wonderful interview, Joanne & Gina, and I think there's still a story somewhere for that talking tree. I, for one, would love to meet him/her. Can't wait for Auracle!!
*Picture book/concept book, realistic for toddlers/preschoolers
*Young boy as main character
*Rating: My 18-month-old daughter is in love with this book, Blue Sky. It’s from a few years back, but we recently checked it out of the library. She wants to read it over and over and over again–and I actually don’t mind.
Short, short summary:
This book has very few words on each page. We start out in the morning with “blue sky.” Then the next scene is of the cute, little boy main character and his parents looking at a “cloud sky.” Then he realizes it’s a “rain sky.” And we continue like this through the day, with different types of skies, until we get to “star sky,” “moon sky,” and “sleep sky.” In the end, the book circles back to the beginning: “new sky, blue sky.”
So what do I do with this book?
1. Besides this just being a lovely and fun book to read with children, you can teach two things through it. The first is weather and how it changes throughout the day. We have a blue sky, then a rain sky, then a rainbow sky. Discuss with children different changes in weather in the book and then draw their attention to it in “real life.”
2. This goes through a day in the life of a small person. He wakes up and sees blue sky. At one point it rains, and then he sees a rainbow. Compare/contrast your children’s day to the day in the book.
3. Allow children to draw their own illustrations of BLUE SKY or RAIN SKY or SUNSET SKY!
Today, I'm thrilled to be interviewing J. Anderson Coats, author of the upcoming YA novel, The Wicked and the Just, 9780547688374, coming April 17, 2012, from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, for ages 12 and up.
Synopsis (from Indiebound): The year is 1293. The setting: Wales.
Cecily’s father has ruined her life. He’s moving them to occupied Wales, where the king needs good strong Englishmen to keep down the vicious Welshmen. At least Cecily will finally be the lady of the house.
Gwenhwyfar knows all about that house. Once she dreamed of being the lady there herself, until the English destroyed the lives of everyone she knows. Now she must wait hand and foot on this bratty English girl.
While Cecily struggles to find her place amongst the snobby English landowners, Gwenhwyfar struggles just to survive. And outside the city walls, tensions are rising ever higher—until finally they must reach the breaking point.
Oh, that sounds intriguing! I'm lucky to have friends who live in Wales and I've visited them there. Welsh history is fascinating.
Jillian, welcome to My Brain on Books! Do you outline before you write?If so, does it end up changing before you finish the first draft? What changesurprised you the most?
For W/J I didn’t outline; I really didn’t have to. I had a skeleton of historical events tofollow and a series of conditions to impose that just required some research todust off and spit-shine. All thatremained was creating some characters and populating the world. All the stuff in W/J – the corruption andunfair laws and extortion – all of it was real, andI just gave it voice.
Tell us a little about gettingyour agent. How many queries did you send out? How long did it take before yougot an offer of representation?
I queried four different books over ten years before I soldW/J. The Erin Murphy Literary Agency wasalways at the top of my list, but they don’t take unsolicited q
4 Comments on Class of 2K12 -- Interview with J. Anderson Coats, author of THE WICKED AND THE JUST, last added: 4/16/2012
Breaking Beautiful, by Jennifer Shaw Wolf (Walker, coming April 24, 2012, for ages 12 and up)
Synopsis (from Indiebound): Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.
When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.
At some point in when I was writing BREAKING BEAUTIFUL, the thought occurred to me, “This is turning into a mystery.” This idea was immediately followed by, “I can’t write a mystery.” Mysteries involved suspense and clues and complex plot structures and I wasn’t sure anything in my background had prepared me to write a book like that. Then I remembered what I’d read as a kid. There were a lot of mysteries. From Homer Price, to Nancy Drew, to Agatha Christie, to old Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock mystery magazines, I loved trying to solve a puzzle.
I think that it started when I was about ten, with a series called THE THREE INVESTIGATORS. One of my first trips to our small public library, when I was old enough to pick out my own books, I stumbled upon THE THREE INVESTIGATORS. They were three boys who solved mysteries and they had the coolest hideout; an old trailer, burie
8 Comments on Class of 2K12 - Guest Post with Jennifer Shaw Wolf, author of BREAKING BEAUTIFUL, last added: 4/23/2012
I also read a lot of mysteries as a child: Agatha Christie, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Maigret. Funny, because I hardly read them at all now.
That is one of the most chilling covers I've seen for a while--because of the red shoes flung apart. You just know from a glance that something very bad has happened...
Thanks for introsucing me to Jennifer Shaw Wolf, Joanne.
Great post Jennifer. I loved mysteries as a kid. Like Michael I read Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Agatha Christie. I'm glad to see more mysteries being published these days. Good luck with your debut.
Great post and even though I don't read much YA, I'm definitely going to check this one out. My favorite mysteries as a kid were Trixie Belden. I LOVED her! I don't remember The Three Investigators.
I don't know The Three Investigators, but they sound awesome! I was a huge Nancy Drew fan, and I still read mysteries all the time. Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie especially right now, but I think most of the books I enjoy (no matter the official genre) have a mystery at their core.
This fall, I will have a middle-grade historical fiction novel coming out from White Mane Kids. I went to a writing conference in St. Louis this weekend, where the agents said that historical fiction for kids is not selling. It is one of the hardest genres to sell, and agents probably won’t take you on if this is what you have–no matter how good your story/writing is. I didn’t have an agent for mine–I sent it to an independent publisher and have worked with them directly. White Mane Kids ONLY publishes historical fiction set in the U.S. though, so my book fit them perfectly.
What do you think? Do you think historical fiction for middle graders (4th to 6th grade) is dying? Do you think teachers and home school parents are still using this genre to teach history?
Just curious. We had a big discussion about it at lunch too, and several of us writers are upset about this trend.
Back to the regularly scheduled program on Thursday, so share your opinion here if you have time!
Griffin's Fire is the second installment in Darby Karchut's Terrae Angeli young adult fantasy series, published by Twilight Times Books. I didn't read the first book in the series and have to say that I was a bit lost at the beginning of the story. Fortunately, not for long. Karchut provides only the essential bits of backstory and I was soon engulfed in Griffin's world. As far as the first book, Griffin Rising goes, suffice to say that Griffin is a supernatural being known as a Terrae Angeli, a being who has the ability to control Fire, Water, Wind and Earth and who, like a guardian warrior, helps humans who are in danger. Book I is all about his apprenticeship, relationship to his mentor, love for a mortal girl and 'fall' into the world of mortals when he's banished from the Terrae Angeli.
0 Comments on Angels, Adventure, and a Dash of Romance: Griffin’s Fire, by Darby Karchut as of 4/27/2012 1:23:00 PM
No, that's not a typo. It really says "DEVINE" Intervention. Just ask Martha Brockenbrough, the queen of grammar. She's the founder of National Grammar Day and SPOGG (The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar) and the author of Things That Make Us (Sic). And now she's making her young adult debut with Devine Intervention, about a girl named Heidi Devine and her guardian angel.
Devine Intervention by Martha Brockenbrough (Arthur A Levine/Scholastic, June 1, 2012, for ages 12 and up)
Source: advanced reading copy from the publisher
Synopsis (from Indiebound): There is a great legend of the guardian angel who traveled across time and space for the human girl he loved, slaying those who would threaten her with a gleaming sword made of heavenly light.
This is not that story.
Jerome Hancock is Heidi Devine's guardian angel. Sort of. He's more of an angel trainee, in heaven's soul-rehabilitation program for wayward teens. And he's just about to get kicked out for having too many absences and for violating too many of the Ten Commandments for the Dead.
Heidi, meanwhile, is a high school junior who dreams of being an artist, but has been drafted onto her basketball team because she's taller than many a grown man. For as long as she can remember, she's heard a voice in her head - one that sings Lynyrd Skynyrd, offers up bad advice, and yet is company during those hours she feels most alone.
When the unthinkable happens, these two lost souls must figure out where they went wrong and whether they can make things right before Heidi's time is up and her soul is lost forever.
Martha Brockenbrough's debut novel is hilarious, heartbreaking, and hopeful, with a sense of humor that's wicked as hell, and writing that's just heavenly.
Why I liked it: One of the funniest and at the same time most touching YA novels I've come across in a long time. Laugh-out-loud moments combined with truly heart-wrenching moments make this one unforgettable experience. Honestly, this is one of those books you wish wouldn't have to end because you're having so much fun reading it. Jerome is just plain goofy and yet endearing and sweet in his own way. And yes, he has an arrow stuck in his head, he doesn't know what "discourse" means, and he's found a way to get around the rule of no swearing in heaven by substituting words like Chevy and flask.
Heidi is serious and shy and isn't ready to die. She's just been through a humiliating experience at the school talent show, and anyone who's ever survived high school knows what that's like. Heidi and Jerome could easily become heaven's odd couple -- but the author surprises you with an unexpected turn of events. Or several.
And since I enjoyed the heck out of this novel, I want to give away my arc, so someone else out there can enjoy it too, before the book pubs in June. To enter, all you have to do is be a follower and comment on this post. United States entries only (sorry!). You must be at least 12 years old to enter. This giveaway ends at 10 pm EDT on Thursday, May 17. Winner to be announced on Friday May 18.
Of course, Children’s Book Week is special to me–I am a children’s author, I blog about children’s books, and I am a parent (as well as former elementary school teacher). I think I love children’s and YA books better than adult books some times! And I know that I am not alone.
But why are children’s books so important? I believe it is not ONLY because they help us to learn to read and comprehend OR because they remind us of a special time in our childhood when our moms read to us or when we went to library programs or even read 100 books over the summer. Children and YA books are meant to be used.
That’s what my blog is all about. I’ve covered using children’s books (and some adult books, too) since August 2008. You can see by my categories in the sidebar that I’ve covered YA, middle-grade, and picture books, and you can see the many authors I’ve read and wrote about, too. One of my favorites for middle-graders is pictured here–the “Al Capone” books–these books help children who are struggling with a special family situation, such as a sister with autism. It’s a great read, too, with a loveable main character, and children won’t even realize they are learning family dynamics or about children with special needs. That’s why I love children’s books–they are so good at disguising the lesson.
You can use children’s books and YA novels to teach history, social studies, science, writing, reading skills–almost any curriculum objective in the classroom or home school can be covered with the right book. I have included three activities to go with most of the books listed here on about 80 percent of the posts in almost 4 years–these activities are easy and ready to use in the classroom or at home.
The best thing, though, is children’s books can be used to talk about things that are hard for children–from potty training with Elmo to dealing with suicide with Jay Asher’s 13 Reasons Why. Children can discuss joys and concerns through characters in books–that is a lot easier than talking about themselves.
So my hope for you is not just to read children’s books this week/summer/year, but to use them with a child or teen, too. You won’t be sorry!
And don’t forget to leave a comment below AND record that you did this in the Rafflecopter box to be entered to win a picture book critique or a bag of books from Guardian Angel Publishing.
PS: If you are interested in writing for children in magazines, picture books, middle-grade novels, or YA novels, check out WOW! Women On Writing’s classroom page. Our classes are economical and the teachers are professionals! Here’s the link: http://www.wow-womenonrwiting.com/WOWclasses.html. All classes are online and run this summer!
GILTby Katherine Longshore (Viking/Penguin May 15, 2012, for ages 12 and up)
Source: advanced reading copy from publisher
Synopsis (from Indiebound):
In the court of King Henry VIII, nothing is free-- and love comes at the highest price of all.
When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men--the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.
Why I liked it: Besides all the fascinating court intrigue, gossip, flirtations, and dangerous secrets? I really liked Kitty. She's a complex, well-rounded character. Only a few chapters into the book, you feel you know her. It's a long book, but well worth reading, and would be especially fun for a rainy weekend. Have some tea and chocolate and settle in for a while!
Katherine Longshore graciously agreed to answer a few questions today.
Ooh, sounds like a good one! I can't explain it, but I-- like a lot of people-- am endlessly fascinated by that era. Can't wait to check out your book, Katherine. Thanks for the interview, Joanne. :0)
You're welcome, Katherine. The pleasure was mine. I love hearing writers' answers to questions like these. Finished reading GILT just this week and I was totally caught up in Kitty's world.
by Rachel Lieberman
I think that one of the reasons so many critics find fault with Twilight and novels like it is because Bella’s choices may be her own, but they are consistently at odds with the choices we want our girls to make. When we show characters who consistently choose dangerous, controlling partners, our fear is that young adult readers will also choose dangerous, controlling partners.
Rachel Lieberman works in higher education and writes YA. Her short fiction has appeared in Opium, Awkward, Emprise Review, and others. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Tampa.
story. Fortunately, not for long. Karchut provides only the essential bits of backstory and I was soon engulfed in Griffin's world. As far as the first book, 
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/912429803
</p>
<div class="post-comments">
10 Comments on <em>DEVINE INTERVENTION -- One hilarious and touching novel and a GIVEAWAY</em>, last added: 5/6/2012</div> <!-- end post-comments -->
<a class = "displaycomment" href="javascript:toggleLayer( "View comments for this post"){kind=small}
Display Comments
Characters like Bella and Anastasia really upset me. It’s like teens of today don’t understand how women in the 50-80s had to fight for respect and equal job opportunities. They think it’s now their right to choose to not work and want a man take care of them. I know teens will learn the ugly truth about men and love as they get older, but I find myself repulsed by many heroines (and writers) of today’s YA for propagating the fantasy that being dependent on someone else is a good thing.
Reblogged this on Wild About Words and commented:
Rachel’s take on post-feminism and writing strong female protagonists is a must read.
Wow. Excellent post (and I plan to purchase your lecture). I gave serious consideration to this issue as I wrote my WIP. I wanted to include romance, but didn’t want the book to be all about that. I wanted my heroine to yearn to be strong and capable, something I want for my nieces and the other teens in my life. And I want my nieces to read this post!
Rachel’s lecture on this topic was fabulous! I’ve been having a lot of discussions with writer friends about social responsibility and art. This post has aligned nicely with what’s been on my mind!
I was trying to write a novel that might turn out to be YA with a female protagonist and one of the issues that I was running into was that people seemed to take issue with the fact that there was no love interest or love story. In fact they kept pegging male characters as the emerging love interest. Do you think that in today’s world YA pretty much has to have a love interest?
Justin – I think you need to be true to your character. If your female protagonist isn’t interested in your side characters, she isn’t interested. You can’t force her to have a relationship! It will feel false and your reader will feel that. However, if she happens to take a liking to someone (and maybe she does, you’ve got to listen to her and what she wants), that’s different. Your readers might be picking up on signals that your character is dropping for you. It’s also possible your readers are projecting. Trust your writer instincts! You know your character better than anyone else.
Thanks so much for posting this! My thoughts exactly- especially #3!
Great topic & tips. Do you think it’s possible to write a feminist YA romance novel?
I think so. Why can’t contemporary girls have it all?
Hi Cynthia! It’s actually been suggested to me that a romance cannot, by its definition, be a feminist text. But I don’t know that I necessarily agree, because “feminism” itself is such a loaded term, so to say that there is no such thing as a feminist romance is saying that there is a strict definition of feminism that everyone has agreed upon.
I think it’s entirely possible that a YA romance can be feminist, but I also understand why some might disagree, and I think it comes down to the audience, especially for YA. It’s an audience that may be questioning its position in society a lot more, and therefore the values behind the romance might have a more profound impact. So, say Twilight had been written for an older audience with older characters, but other than that it was the same (and no, I’m not talking 50 Shades of Grey). Would it have the same reaction from the public or its readers? I’d argue no. It resonates with teens because it speaks to something they want, and it gets a reaction from us older people because we’re worried about what they want. I think readers tend to see more feminist value in adult romances because they are marketed as an escape for readers, rather than as a potential “promise” that things might turn out a certain way. But I’m not comfortable saying that there is no such thing as a YA feminist romance novel, because I feel like that would be saying I have examined the subject from every possible angle, and since a 45 minute lecture and 600 word blog post can only contain so much theory, I can’t say that I have.
There’s a great quote by Peggy Orenstein from Cinderella Ate My Daughter that I used in my lecture, but not this post, where she talks about the fact that one of the reasons Bella as a character (and characters like her) appeals to so many readers is because she isn’t perfect or gorgeous, but she gets the guy everyone wants. She shows that you don’t have to be a long-legged beauty with flawless complexion to be desirable. In that sense, I’d say that Twilight could actually be a feminist romance novel, but in my lecture I moved it more towards the post-feminist side of things.
I hope that all makes sense!
Hi Justin! I would say definitely not. Yes, you’re going to see the vast majority of YA novels today have some sort of romance, but if you’re true to your character, the audience will respond. I will say I’ve met young readers who say, “If it doesn’t have a romance, I don’t want to read it,” but I’m willing to bet that if they read a good, solid YA with a well-developed female protagonist, they would be so absorbed in the story they wouldn’t even care if there was a love interest. Don’t feel that you have to cave to pressure. Your readers will probably react more negatively to a forced love story than they would to no love story at all.
BUUUUUUT, that’s not to say you won’t encounter agents and editors who say the opposite of me, so I don’t want to steer you in this direction of thinking my advice is the only advice. I’ve attempted, in the past, to write YA without romance, and I often find myself adding one. Not because I’m caving to pressure but because the characters you’re writing about are at ages where the hormones are flying, so it’s not crazy to think that some guy or girl might catch their eye.
As you can see, I have come to a not-at-all firm conclusion about this topic.