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On Sunday, the New York Times had this to say about See You at Harry's:

Acutely aware of the challenges teenagers must face, Jo Knowles has, in the past six years, written several acclaimed young adult novels tackling some of the more grueling hurdles, including teenage pregnancy and abuse. Her new book, “See You at Harry’s,” offers, on the one hand, a deft and delicate handling of commonplace traumas — how to negotiate bullying on the school bus, what it means for everyone in a family when a teenager comes to terms with his sexuality — and, on the other, the enormous and mercifully rare drama of...

Click here to read the whole review, but be aware, it contains a big spoiler..

I read the book last weekend, devouring it in big gulps. At one point my husband came upstairs to find me weeping. He gave me a few sideways glances, but then I could see him deciding it must be the book in my hands, rather than my own life.

But in a way, it was like my own life, because the characters are so real. I especially liked how jbknowles did not neaten up the edges. The family portrayed in See You at Harry's is less than perfect - and all the more real because of that.

One year ago exactly, February 23, 2011, was the worst day of my life (at least so far). First, I got a bad piece of publishing news. And then I got an even worse piece of publishing news. (I don’t feel comfortable sharing what these were, but I guess the takeaway is that even after publishing more than a dozen books, not everything goes your way.) I was so freaked out that I just forwarded the second piece of new to my agent instead of calling her.

A few minutes later, the phone rang. I was so sure it was my agent that I didn’t even check Caller ID.

But it wasn’t Instead, it was LK (Lisa) Madigan’s husband with the news that she had died from the pancreatic cancer that had been diagnosed just eight weeks earlier.

This all happened in the space of a couple of hours.

As the year wore on, I lost two more friends, Bridget Zinn and Craig Warner. Two weeks ago, someone I’m close to was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Over the past 365 days, I’ve also had deadlines that I honestly did not know how I would make. I have worked so hard that I don’t even remember what I used to do on evenings and weekends. I wince when it’s sunny because the sunlight throws into relief just how dirty, dusty, and disorganized things have gotten in the past year.

There have been good things, too, that happened in the last 52 weeks. I’m not denying that.



But I’m still officially declaring today the start of a new year. A new year where I hope to not go to any memorial services. A new year where I read more for pleasure. A new year to live out the single resolution I made for 2012: “Less and more.” I want to go big with my family, my friends, my books, my fitness. I also want to cut out the clutter in my life, chuck all the little things that don’t add anything.

Here’s to a new year!

There's an an ad in Shelf Awareness for The Night She Disappeared. (Pets.)


For the first time in my career, I have a UK edition of a book -in this case, Girl, Stolen.. I've always heard it's hard to sell a mystery or thriller in the UK because they already have so many excellent writers in that genre. Coals to Newcastle kind of deal.

I dreamed that a few years ago I gave birth to a baby, but things didn't work out. It was stunted and never learned to walk. The doctors determined that it hadn't spent enough time inside me. The solution: Push it back up. They did not listen when I protested that the baby was now far too big to go back.

Could this have anything to do with my crazy deadline?

I was huffing and puffing my way through my cardio workout, watching TV but listening to my iPod, when this video came on. I didn't hear the music but the visuals made me grin from ear to ear.



(((((Free Hugs to you all!!)))))

I'm thankful for:

- The three pounds of blueberries my friend Cathy gave me.
- Maxalt, which makes migraines go away, so it's worth paying $12 for one pill (and that's with insurance).
- The support one of my upcoming books will be getting from the publisher.
- The mail. Every day I'm sure something great is going to be in the mail. Ususally I'm wrong, but sometimes I'm not.
- Potatoes. How many ways can they be cooked? And they are all delicious.
- Not having a day job. I dreamed of it for 16 years. The reality is pretty sweet.
- Books. Currently I'm reading the next John LeCarre, as well as The Thin Place, with The Bible Salesman waiting in line.

That's author Felicia Sullivan reading from her new memoir, The Sky Isn't Visible from Here. While that spooky scene sounds perfectly rehearsed, Sullivan obsessed about the reading for days on her blog and in real life. 

Most writers are shy, strange people, and fear of public speaking is built into our DNA. Today, this Columbia University MFA graduate and Pushcart Prize nominee explains how she combats anxiety in her daily life.

Sullivan is our special guest this week, discussing the fine art of memoir in my deceptively simple feature, Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality conversations with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web writing. 

Jason Boog:
You gave a great reading at Barnes and Noble the other night, but you said in your blog that you were deathly nervous. How do you combat anxiety at readings? Generally, how do you control anxiety and fears in your writing life?

Felicia Sullivan:
Years ago a teacher of mine recounted her first Barnes and Noble reading where she ended up fainting on the way to the podium and woke to a sea of panicked faces. I nodded. Of course this would one day happen to me! How could it not?! Continue reading...

Most people are scared to death of talking in public. By the law averages and the fact that lots of shy people to end up writing, most writers are even more scared of reading in public.

A couple weeks ago, I took some lo-fi video of the Happy Ending reading series in New York. The event celebrated the literary journal, A Public Space, featuring an amazing list that included Ian Chillag (a producer at NPR's amazing Fresh Air) and my favorite National Book Award nominee, Jim Shepard.

The event was hosted and founded by novelist Amanda Stern, and I've turned my footage of her engaging reading into a lo-fi primer on how to make a better reading when you are sharing your stories, novels, or journalism.

I try and attend one storytelling event or book reading every week. I love reading my work out loud, and I know that reading your stories out loud in front of a happy audience (or a web video camera) can win you some die-hard fans.

If you're looking for guidance about readings, the MFA Blog has some great ideas about choosing your material. Guest blogger Anna Mendoza asks readers:

"I've found that some of my poems are better read aloud than read on paper, and vice versa. When at an open mike, should I present something that's funny and likely to be crowd-pleasing (even if it's somewhat shallow), or something that's more intellectually substantial but might be hard to get?" Read the responses here.

Some people think readings have grown too unruly, but I have to disagree. There are ten million books out there right now, gathering dust in warehouses. Why not give your book a chance to grab some new readers, and deliver a short, punchy, and dramatic reading that will make people excited about your work? (Thanks, Bookninja)

Finally, putting my money where my mouth is, here's a decidedly lo-fi, swear-word inclusive, 30-second clip of me reading one of my stories out loud... 

A good spreadsheet could save your career.

I bet you never dreamed you'd read that here, but it's true. Half the battle of being a writer is keeping as many irons in the fire as you possibly can without burning the pots. After the MFA just built an amazing spreadsheet to help you keep track of 100 literary markets.

Dig it:

"The least number of times that I have submitted a short story before it was accepted was about 12 times. The most was about 65, so I’m of the opinion that you will have to submit a short story—even a well written one—to many journals before it will find a home."

Ring ring. Your novel is calling. Mobile-phone novels are big in Japan, selling 400,000 copies apiece. You think I'm kidding, but I read it at Literary Saloon so it must be true...

Rachel Kramer Bussel has a few choice words for anybody who complains that nobody reads authors anymore. Start reading for her punchy argument, but keep reading for the smart writing advice like this:

"There are numerous free promotional tools, such as those evil blogs Sacks bemoans (even while writing on one), that authors can use without having to wait for a publicist or anyone else ... When I'm promoting my readings, I send notices to all the local print publications, but also post directly to sites like Craigslist,Upcoming, Eventful, MySpace, Facebook and Booktour."

I live in New York City and I love to tell stories. That means I've attended lots and lots of readings. I go to book parties and storytelling events the way some people go to bowling night.

But last night I stumbled upon the secret to building the best reading possible.

Mix it up. When your reading contains an endless stream of people reading text off a page, you will lose friends and readers by the end of the first hour. If you include musicians and short films, an audience can stick with you for two hours.

It worked beautifully last night at the MDP/Sensei Bazaar. The reading blended writers, short film and music, and the crowd stayed for two and a half hours. My story was lodged in between the hilarious animation of Michael Overbeck (who's "Tongues and Taxis" scene decorates this post) and the multimedia noise rock of Miami Ice Machine.

The lesson is so simple, you can miss it: Don't just read your book/poem/short story next time, share the reading with different kinds of artists. Your audience will thank you.

Thrillers of the world, unite!

Led by the fearless M.J. Rose (a Five Easy Questions graduate), the International Thriller Writers collective (the ThrillerFest organizers) will soon be launching serialized audiobook thrillers for adrenaline-seeking readers. Galleycat has the scoop.

The Book Ninja looks at the "normal" people who don't like books as much as we do. They are a coveted demographic right now--their purchasing power could save the print industry. Check it out:

"Apparently there’s a morlock-like sub-species out there, called “book-likers” — strange tanned creatures who get exercise and callouses on their hands from something called 'work' ... These strange creatures, says the Chicago Tribune, are the wave of the future."

Finally, Pete from PeteLit will be reading in Chicago in July, part of a RAGAD literary zine meeting at MoJoe's HotHouse. While most of the readings I mention are centered in New York, I'm happy to include readings for our Midwestern buddies as well--we need friends wherever we can find them. Check out the details at this link.

Publishing Spotted collects the best of what's around on writing blogs on any given day. Feel free to send tips and suggestions to your fearless editor: jason [at] thepublishingspot.com.

What makes a good reader? 

I attend about four storytelling events a month. Within thirty seconds of hearing somebody can read, I can tell if somebody is a good, great, or terrible out-loud storyteller. It's hard to explain this sixth sense, but those qualities are essential for sharing your writing with others. 

While shuffling through the Small Spiral Notebook blog today, I found a great round-up of New York readings--but this summary very eloquently and simply captures the essential qualities of a good reading. Check out the post, and spend some time listening to these writers. Learn from the best:

"[At] the B&N Chelsea where Mark Doty read from his recently released memoir, Dog Years. I wish all writers lucky enough to read to an audience would take a lesson from Doty. He's concise, clear, and engaged with what he is saying. He likes questions but won't bleat on if a sentence or two will do. He doesn't even stutter. He's a rock."

As long as you are hanging out over at Small Spiral Notebook, check out the new edition--I especially dug "The Boy Detective Fails." Thanks to Jeffrey Yamaguchi for the link.