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1. Christmas Crackberry and other goodies


Wow! This month has been a whirlwind of crazy-making fun. My children are now 14 and 11. (Impossible!)  And Christmas was blessed and boisterous. Here's my fave gifts:



My hubby bought me a crackberry! You practically need a degree to operate it, but now that I'm getting the hang of it I LOVE IT! A lot.


Betsey Johnson Cha Cha Cheetah tote. I bought it with money from my dad and G'ma. I'm not so sure what G'ma would think, but I say it's purrrty.



My mom got these for me and I'm crazy about them. I blame [info]brookesbooks  for my Ed Hardy adoration. She introduced me to him in San Fran.



Okay, okay. Technically this is my son's xmas present, but I've learned that I'm pretty good on the drums! Anyone else rockin' out? What were your favorite gifts?

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2. Undone by Brooke Taylor


undone1Now this is one of the reasons I love being a Cybils panelist. If Undone hadn’t been nominated, I’m almost positive I wouldn’t have read it. Which definitely would have been a shame. Because the flap copy and Library of Congress description make the book seem so much drier, so much less than the book really is. Not to mention that they also make the book seem a lot more sentimental and much tamer than it really is. (Translation: drinking, drugs, smoking, and references to sex included.) They are accurate, broadly speaking, but they just don’t convey the, I don’t know, power? rawness? altogether awesomeness? of what actually comprises Brooke Taylor’s Undone.

Much like Nancy Crocker’s Billie Standish Was Here (one of last years would-have-bypassed-it-but-was-a-Cybils-nominee-so-I-read-it-and-OMG-freaking-loved-it books), this is a book I’m hesitant to describe in detail, plot-wise. First, because I don’t want to give anything away. Second, because I don’t think I’d do it justice. Because as with Billie Standish, what I liked about Undone was not so much the plot. It was the characters. The relationships. The emotions. The voice. Anthony Beck. Plus, the visceral sense of chemistry between Serena and Becks.

So here’s my one-sentence plot teaser for Undone: Serena doesn’t know why Kori Kitzler, newly transformed into the school bad girl, befriended her two years ago, but her life hasn’t been the same since.

I don’t love Undone anywhere near as much as I love Billie Standish. For one thing, I think it was a bit too long and would have been more powerful if it was a little shorter and some of the subplots cut. Also, ** spoiler! spoiler! highlight if you want to read ** I don’t understand why it was so important that we know about Serena’s computer hacking skills, since it added nothing to the plot and actually made no sense in the context of the story. I mean, if Serena’s got such mad hacking skillz, why couldn’t she do some hacking to discover who shaym was? or find out where Kori was the summer before 8th grade? Okay, the latter would be a huge invasion of privacy, but after Kori was dead? Easily something a friend could be driven to do. ** end spoilers ** Flaws aside, though, Undone was so much more than I was expecting, and I can’t wait to see what Brooke Taylor’s next book will be like. In the meantime, if you’re a fan of Jay Asher or a fan of Melissa Marr and don’t mind if there are no faeries, you need to give this one a try.

This book is a Cybils YA Fiction nominee and has been reviewed by Leila (whose review made me ignore the flap copy and just start reading the book. So, thanks!)

      

5 Comments on Undone by Brooke Taylor, last added: 12/16/2008
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3. Bounty of Books Contest


I have so much to be grateful for this year. One of the things I'm most thankful for is the wonderful letters I've gotten from readers and reviewers. You've been the greatest gift to me this year. To thank you I'm holding this contest and all you have to do is tell me what you'd like to see me write next. :)

It doesn't matter if it's a project you've heard me talk about before, or if it's just something as a reader you'd like to see more of, I just thought it would be fun to hear your ideas. So tell me what you'd like to see next in the comments section and if you link this post somewhere and let me know I'll put you in for a second entry. The winner will be chosen on Black Friday (Nov. 28) and will receive: 

1 Hardcover of Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

1 Hardcover of Pretty, Little Liars by Sara Shepard 

1 Hardcover of Braless in Wonderland by Debbie Reed Fischer

1 Hardcover of Undone by Brooke Taylor

1 Autographed paperback of Sleepless

1 Autographed paperback of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

1 tote bag from my very own library district

and, finally, 1 woven dream catcher bracelet.

So, what are you waiting for? What would you like to see me publish next?

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4. Rave & Reviews

I'm the "Awesome Author" at And Another Book Read. In addition to an interview with me Tasha posted a review of SLEEPLESS where she said, "the author made Trinity’s fear drip off the pages and into the reader...I recommend this book for all fans of Lisa McMann’s WAKE and readers looking for a great book." Click here for the full review. 

Not only did Tirzah at the Compulsive Reader put SLEEPLESS in the same sentence as Meg Cabot's MEDIATOR series (OMG!), she made me blush with pleasure when she said, "Clark handles her plot like a pro, and her fun and modern voice, along with many well placed pop culture references, entice and encourage readers into the story. The characters are those that readers can't get enough of—amusing, intelligent, savvy, but yet a bit fallible as well." Please check her blog out here.
I feel very blessed that early reactions are good. One thing I've heard repeatedly is that people are surprised by the gritty story. The cover and copy don't really capture the book itself. And one friend said she couldn't believe someone as sweet as me had something like that in my head. ;)

Now for my rave...I finished reading Brooke Taylor's UNDONE and it's incredible. I seriously could not get enough of Serena and Kori's story. I loved Brooke's characterizations, the visceral way she wrote about pain and loss, her theme of secrets, the philosophical Doc, who'd I'd love to spend hours talking with and the raw beauty of edgy, imperfect people who want nothing more than to be accepted and loved for who they are, despite what they have or haven't done. You've gotta get this book! To further hook your interest I'm posting her book trailer:

 

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5. She Said- She Said RWA National Conference

What happens when two 2K8ers who've only met online, get together and become roomies for the 2008 RWA (Romance Writers of America) National Conference? Answer: Cute clothes, lots of networking, and really great workshops. And, oh yeah, don't forget the margaritas! Authors Teri Brown and Brooke Taylor ask and answer questions about their conference experience:


Q: What’s it like sharing a room with someone you’ve only “met” online? Were you nervous you wouldn’t get along?

Teri: Oddly enough, I wasn’t that nervous. Brooke and I have known one another for two or three years and I knew I could be a good roomie. It’s all about being courteous. Turns out we got along fabulously. We were both social and independent, so we did things together and apart. Brooke has a wicked sense of humor and we laughed a lot.

Brooke: I’ve exchanged emails with Teri for a long time now, we critted each other’s work, and acknowledged each other in our books, so rooming with her wasn’t scary at all. It turned out to be a lot of fun, and we had a whole “kismet” moment when I unpacked my Magic Bullet blender and she unpacked two margarita glasses.

Q. How do you keep it real as a YA author at a non-YA centric conference?

Teri: There were so many YA people there it wasn’t that hard. I met lots of YA writers that I’d only previously met online. I took workshops aimed at YA writers and then a couple of workshops that were more about the writing life. You know, creative energy type workshops. If I went to a publisher’s spotlight, I made sure they had a YA line so I wouldn’t be wasting time. Also, I was very upfront about my genre… see the t-shirt I wore for the book signing!



Brooke: YA has been growing in RWA by leaps and bounds. We’re even starting a YA chapter. There are more workshops—two years ago there was only one, this year there were 3 or 4. Last year Meg Cabot was even the keynote speaker! Still, I find I must keep my YA identity—I too did it with clothes, check out the sparkly skull-n-crossbones under my signing suit:





Q. How much networking can you really do at a conference? Any tips for introverted writers?

Teri: I did a TON of networking at the conference! It seems like every time I turned around I was meeting an important person. You just have to learn to bring up conversations whenever you meet someone. I once asked someone the type of writing they did, only to learn that it was the senior acquisitions editor for an important publisher.

For introverted writers, it can be quite challenging. Nothing is louder than a group of mostly women writers. I suggest taking breaks, I took myself out to a fancy restaurant for one of my evening meals. I really needed that alone time to recharge.

Brooke: Teri’s not kidding. Almost every time we’d reconnect, she tell me about some one she’d met. I’m not quite that good at meeting new people. For me it is much easier when I’ve met someone online. That gives me some things to talk about. So I try to be part of YA loops and keep up with YA bloggers. That and I bring a blender so if all else fails I can always invite them up to my room for drinks!

Q: What was more valuable for you—the workshops or meeting people?


Brooke: Both. When I first started going to the RWA conference, every day was packed with workshops. I had my schedule and highlighter and used them well. Now, I’m more into catching up with my writer friends and having that all important face time with my agent. It is so much easier to talk face to face about works in progress and career directions. I’m looking into conferences where I can do the same but with my editor.

Teri: Absolutely meeting people. Not only was my networking fabulous, but I made some great long term friends. Don't get me wrong, the workshops were great too, but I loved meeting all the people. I think because writers work on their own so much, the social aspect is very appealing...at least for awhile!

Q: Was there someone you met That you had always wanted to meet?

Brooke: This year I was excited about meeting fellow YA author Alyson Noel. She’s always so supportive and encouraging on the Yahoo teenlit loop and we’ve commented back and forth a few times on each other’s blogs. Plus I’m a total fan girl—love her books!! Anyway, I’d coordinated the National Reader’s Choice Award YA category and knew she had won. I wanted to be sure she was at the conference, because we have a wonderful award ceremony, but I couldn’t tell her she’d won. So I kept asking, so you’re going to be there aren’t you? It was touch and go, but she did come and I’m soooo glad she did. It was wicked cool getting to meet her!! And I was dying to meet Teri Brown, of course!

Teri: There were so many! I've been wanting to meet Rachel Vincent for a long time and we actually got together several times. It was awesome. Also, I have been a fan of Lynda Sandoval's work for ages and she just seems so nice online. We not only met, but hung out awhile with fellow 2K8er's Terri Clark and Brooke Taylor. Lynda is so funny. Just love her.

Q: What tips would you give other writers to get the most out of a conference?


Brooke: Pace yourself. Take breaks, like Teri said. I always take one night off for room service and to rest my feet (they don’t do well in conference shoes!). If you’re a workshop junkie—buy the CD’s—well worth it. I’ve listened to workshops from each year. I pull out my CD’s whenever I have a writing issue to work through and it is just like being there. So don’t kill yourself to get to them all. Make sure you get out and meet people. Take advantage of your local chapter, online friends, and any other networking group you are involved in, find an outgoing person and ask them to introduce you around. Talk to the person sitting next you—I’m still friends with a lady I met at my first conference, at the very first workshop—we were both new and hung out from that point on.

Teri: Don't pack your schedule too full. Leave room for serendipity. At one conference I started talking to a woman who turned out to be Julia Quinn. She invited me to sit with her friends, Jayne Ann Krentz, Catherine Coulter, and Stella Cameron. I had a workshop I was going to take, but figured I could learn more where I was!

Stay tuned all week for more conference advice and gossip from both RWA and SCBWI!

1 Comments on She Said- She Said RWA National Conference, last added: 8/11/2008
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6. Day 5: Brooke Would Like to Thank...

the academy? One of the best parts about being a debut author is getting to write your dedication and the acknowledgements--you know the place where the author thanks everyone including the mailman and sometimes makes little inside jokes or refers to friends with nicknames? And most of us enjoy reading them because they give us a little glimpse into the author's world, and sometimes even into the research for the book.


So who did I thank in my acknowledgements? Pretty much everyone! When it is your first book, you try not to forget anyone because who knows if you'll ever get the chance to again. I imagine by my third book I'll be thanking the inventor of shoelaces or my cat, but for this book it was all about my friends and family and those who've supported me for day 1. And, not only that, but I wanted to include fun little details that were personal and special to me--like my Aunt's bookshelves which were the first place I ran to in her house. And my Granny's map of the world that was filled with colorful pushpins. And then there were my writing friends who helped me with things like the craft of writing or how to prepare a query letter and were there for me through all of the stress, sometimes with Dark Chocolate (aka Edgy Chocolate). And of course, you always want to thank your agent, editor, and the wonderful folks working behind the scenes to make your book an actual book.

Probably the best and hardest part of the acknowledgements was writing the dedication. There was really no question about who to dedicate Undone to. Not only did my father, who supported me 150%, pass away before I even landed an agent, but he was someone who made sure to never leave anything in his life undone. The way he led his life was inspiring, and I know that his influence was what made writing and getting Undone published possible. Yes, it is bittersweet that he can't be here to enjoy this with me, but I know he will always be cheering me on.





Awesome! And we'd love to thank you for spending the week getting to know Brooke and helping celebrate her launch! Be sure to come back next week when we talk with authors, agents, editors, and other publishing professionals as we go through the entire process of taking a story from idea to hardbound book!

0 Comments on Day 5: Brooke Would Like to Thank... as of 7/25/2008 7:46:00 PM
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7. Day 4: Brooke'sTop 10 Favorite Books!


Here they are in no particular order.... My Top Ten Favorite Books!

Dracula by Bram Stoker

It's been more years than I will admit since I last read this one, but I can still close my eyes and be right there in Dracula's castle!

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume

This one resonated with me--I had a friend just like Caitlin. In the book, a girl says that everyone says that, but it's true.

Joy School by Elizabeth Berg

The epitome of an older boy crush. What girl couldn't identify?

The Black Stallion by Walter Farley

Horse + shipwreck + island= amazing!

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

My imagination <3>

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Team Edward. 'Nuff said.

The Outsiders by SE Hinton

Groundbreaking, raw and lyrical. Plus gorgeous boys.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Boarding school books are always a fave, but this one is special.

Sarah Dessen-Can’t pick just one

They're all so good, so clever in such a real and simple way. She has a gift for being every girl in every town.

It’s Happy Bunny-Jim Benton-Can’t Pick Just one

Sarcasm at its most perfect.

~Brooke

8 Comments on Day 4: Brooke'sTop 10 Favorite Books!, last added: 7/27/2008
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8. In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: Reviewer X

She's a new kid on the block with only 25 books--but for only being in the book reviewing biz for 3 months, she's on a roll! X marks the spot in our Hot Seat! Also hot is Brooke Taylor's debut novel Undone! All you need to do to be entered to win is post a comment by June 29th, winner will be announced June 30th!

Okay, Reviewer X, let's review the facts:

What's your handle? Reviewer X—but my real name's Steph. :)
What kind of books do you review? Anything. (But I have a soft spot for YA books because, wouldn't you know it, I am a young adult.) I have no inhibitions in my reading habits. ;)
Approx # of books reviewed?25 or so? I've only been around for three months, so I'm working on it!
Where can we find your reviews? On my blog, http://reviewerx.blogspot.com/. I also post them on Amazon and Good Reads for good measure.
Reading turn-ons: Dude. Great characters and great prose. Biggest example is Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, my favorite book of all times. Not much of a plot there, but Curtis Sittenfeld's prose is flawless and her character, Lee Fiora, is very relatable. <3>
Reading turn-offs: You would think this doesn't happen a lot, but of the books I've read recently, about half have this undying tendency of ending abruptly. I'm not too sure why—is it a word count limit authors are pushing? Or are they getting bored with their own books? Please, don't end your book right where the real story begins! The only things worse than this are weak writing and horrible characters.
Class of 2K8 books reviewed: I've read both Undone by Brooke Taylor and Braless in Wonderland by Debbie Reed Fischer, but neither of those reviews are posted yet because I'm working with Debbie in branching off an event based on fashion books for my blog and I'm in the process of interviewing Brooke. Oh, and Nancy Viau offered me an ARC of her novel this morning!

Awesome! Okay, so as you know, we love the crazy handles book reviewers come up with—tell us how you came up with yours!

The original name of my blog was X-Rated Reviews. I created the name Reviewer X to give my blog's name some ambiguity. (I love ambiguity.) See, it could be just another meaninglessly chosen name—X-Rated Reviews; but it also could mean reviews rated by someone named X. I ultimately changed the name because I hated it, so now my blog is just the self-titled Reviewer X entity.


LOL. And maybe people might think you reviewed something other than YA books, eh? So how did you get into the book review biz?

I wanted to talk to authors. I wanted to interview them. So I created a blog, emailed Lauren Baratz-Logsted (lovely lady, by the way) and she got back to me within hours agreeing to do an interview. I sent off the questions, she sent them back the next day, and bam, blog was finally started. From there on out I have started several other features, like Young Adult Weekly, Reviewer Profiles, and Author Weeks. All of it brings me a wider crowd and what can I say, it's a blast talking to you beautiful author people!

Aw, thanks, we love doing interviews and talking to book lovers! What we don't like is not knowing if 4 stars is a great accomplishment or means we need to take up tennis. Describe your grading system and how that translates to the reader?

I've been back and forth on my grading system, from a 5 star scale to a 1-10 grade and now I'm at letter grades, which I love and have decided to stick to. The official key reads something like this:


A: Dude, this is incredible.
B: Great read.
C: Meh...
D: Tanks, but doesn't fully suck.
F: Are you kidding me?

You can also translate this into a star system—A is five stars, B is four stars, and so on.

The letter grades are very appropriate for YA and MG novels, just like being back at school! Okay, so how do you pick the books you review? Or are they picked for you? Do you ever read books that wouldn't normally interest you—and if so have you ever been surprised by what you've read?

As a reviewer, I receive quite a few books from authors and publishers, so that puts the whole "picking what books you read" thing into perspective. I love the variety of books I've been receiving, though, and it's probably good that I don't choose all books I get. This way, receiving a lot of books I probably wouldn't have picked up if they hadn't been sent to me, my knowledge of the YA field grows exponentially. Whoever complained about an expanded horizon?

What are the best ways to find new books? Any advice for authors about getting their book noticed by reviewers?


Whoa, hold up—you guys worry about attracting our attention? Really? It seems to me it's the other way around. Honestly, a simple email to the reviewer will do—we love receiving free stuff! 'Cause if piquing our interest is what you're worried about, you've got no problems—email, email, email!

Now, my question to you guys is: Does it bother you when reviewers email you asking for ARCs or review copies?

(Would this be the place to add in here that I am dying to read so many of the Class of 2k8's books and if anyone wants to send an ARC or something to me, I'd jump on you and scream in delight?)


LOL. Hold on while I hop up into the hot seat... Yowzer--it really is hot up here! Okay, forgive the politically correct answer--but it just depends. As the letterhead states, we're a diverse group of debut authors so the answer varies depending on the author and more importantly the book's publisher. But I don't think any of us like to say no, especially when a reviewer is dying to read our books and would jump and scream in delight. :-)

Okay, back in the hot seat X. If you really aren't feeling a book—will you make the ultimate sacrifice and finish it for the sake of the review?

If it won't cause me any internal bleeding then sure, why not. However, my health comes first and if a book is radioactive waste, it gets tossed aside and reviewed from a partial read because number one rule of writing is not damaging your readers' insides.

If you really love a book, will you read it again? If so—what are some of the books you just had to read more than once?

Hell yes I will! I love revisiting books, whether I hated them or not. (It's funny to see if my opinion changes given time.) As for what books I've loved and reread, well, the list is quite long, but here's an abridged version:

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (Best. Book. Ever.)
A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty
Looking for Alibrandi (On The Jellicoe Road, which I just finished, will probably be reread many a time—and I also have Saving Francesca up next to read, which I expect will be fantastic) by Melina Marchetta
The Year of My Miraculous Reappearance by Catherine Ryan Hyde
However, the book that I've reread the most is:
The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols. Love its everything.

Quite a diverse collection of greatness! I bet it is easy to review books you love and would re-read. Do you have a basic philosophy on what should be included in a review—or does it depend on the book itself?

My basic philosophy for reviewing is: The author wrote a book, right? That took a lot of work. (Queries, agents, editors, copy editors, booksellers, professional reviewers, the readership—all of it is tons of stress, work and pressure.) The least I could do is try to give as thoughtful and detailed a review as possible, whether positive or negative. What I mention in each review (aside from the characters, which I always touch on) depends on each book, but I really do try to give a full account of all my thoughts and reactions to each book I read. This often results in long-winded reviews that probably bore people to tears, but to hell with it. If I get a book to review, I do go through that entire process.

That said, some books do, from time to time, provoke me in such a manner that they cause me to lose the control to my snarky side. Hence a category on my blog called Reviewer X Goes All X. I can get pretty sardonic. (But always with substantiated evidence!)

No need to Go All X! Let's talk about the good times, when was the last time your jaw dropped open, you laughed, or you cried while reading a book?


This wasn't the last book I read, but I thought it might interest you, Class of 2k8 authors, to know that I cried while reading Undone by Brooke Taylor. I remember it distinctly: I was having one of my usual insomnia episodes and grabbed Undone from my TBR pile to read. At 1:30AM or so, I got to a really sad passage and began crying. I got up and went to my laptop to email Brooke about it, actually—at 1:30AM, folks. It was that compelling. (And I proceeded to sleep at 3AM or so, for those interested!)

Last book I read was On The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (and I do love me some Marchetta books)—it was great. I got all of those reactions mentioned above from it and more.

Is there any character in a book that you wish would come to life? Or any place you wish existed?

I really want to meet Jessica Darling from Megan McCafferty's books. I think we'd have a lot to talk about because she and I are much the same.


You and Not So, eh? That Marcus wouldn't be bad to meet either. So what books do you find yourself recommending over and over and why?

I always recommend any books by Curtis Sittenfeld, Libba Bray, Megan McCafferty, Melina Marchetta, and Jodi Picoult. (Though, for Jodi Picoult, I'd stay away from any books before The Pact.) Why? Great voice, great characters, great writing, great plots, great messages, great authors, and great books.

Okay Reviewer X, we can't avoid it any longer, it is time for the Extra Scandalous Question—


I love scandalous ordeals!

Then here we go... really bad reviews—do you ever fear giving them? Ever had an author get upset with you? (It's okay—you can tell us, just don't name names!) And what advice do you have for authors who get a bad review?

No fear. I've given my share of negative reviews so far, and the turnout has been great—people take your opinion more seriously when you offer a balanced perspective. (Or so the people who have emailed have said!) Also, no hate mail thus far, though I am curious! Feel free to tell me what I can do with my blog if I give your book a bad review ;)

As for advice on how to take a negative review, first thing to remember is, it's only an opinion. Yeah, it sucks that you didn't conquer all who read your novel with its brilliancy, but remember, someone's always bound to all-out love it and, like all things in life, someone else is bound to think the exact opposite. Take comfort in that because reviews (especially blog reviews, as much as it pains me to say so) are not know-all-and-end-all. Also, if you're a glass-half-full kind of person, you might to extract something from that negative review to help you strengthen your writing. (And this is considering the review is actually well written and founded—some negative reviews suck, and if that's the case, it's not your problem but the reviewer's. Ignore.)

Good point! Thanks for all the great answers! One last question: if they aren't scared off by all that bad review talks and an author would like you to review her book, what should she do?

I'll start by saying that the review isn't the first thing you should be scared about; my response to your offering your book is. You might be met with an abundance of exclamation points and capital letters; it's only my usual acute psychosis, really, but it's still frightening. (If you don't believe me, ask Christina Meldrum how I replied to her when she offered up Madapple.) If you can handle my enthused hairball response, and the possibility of a negative (and possibly snarkastic) review, then shoot off an email to reviewerx (at) gmail.com


Okay, readers are you like Reviewer X and love to get offered free books? Simply leave a comment and you'll be entered to win an ARC of Undone. Reviewer X hasn't written her review yet, but here's what another reviewer is saying about Brooke Taylor's debut novel:


"(Undone) totally grabbed me in and wouldn’t release its grasp until the very last page. The story took twists and turns that I never suspected in the least. I think that half the time I was reading my mouth was hanging open in shock of what had just happened. My only complaint is the book ended!" And Another Book Read

(Click here for more great Hot Seat interviews)

25 Comments on In the Book Reviewer Hot Seat: Reviewer X, last added: 6/28/2008
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9. Shameless Saturday


Reviews:

N.A. Nelson’s BRINGING THE BOY HOME found to be “refreshing, well put-together, and completely original” at teensreadtoo!

Brooke Taylor’s UNDONE “completely spell binding” at And Another Book Read… AND "seriously amazing!" at Midnight Twillight's Book Blog (be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win an ARC of Undone!)
The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman garnered a couple of local newspaper reviews far away from her hometown ... from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Book Reviews: These puzzlers are treats for tweens and from the Miami Herald Breezing through summer with books that are fun - 06/07/2008 - MiamiHerald.com

Interviews:

Susan Van Hecke interviewed M.P. Barker for Authorlink.com. You can read it out HERE and then go check out the trailer for A DIFFICULT BOY and more on Susan’s blog "Adventures in Authorhood"

Busy Busy:

Teri Brown takes time from her Read My Lips Simon Pulse Launch Gala for a guest blog at And Another Book Read…

Daphne Grab has been very busy the launch of ALIVE AND WELL IN PRAGUE:

Check out her guest blog on Teen Book Review, her interviews with Sea Heidi and Jessica Burkhart, and a review from School Library Journal- here's Daphne’s favorite line:

"The story provides a safe and positive alternative to teens who are hoping for happy endings in their own lives."
Going Live:

The microsite for Sarah Prineas' The Magic Thief is live at http://www.magicthief.com/. It includes games, exclusive content, wallpaper, podcast, etc. so be sure to check it all out!

Check out Terri Clark's funny and fierce book trailer on Youtube for her short story, DON’T MIND ME, in the YA anthology BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO with Ellen Hopkins, Lynda Sandoval and Niki Burnham. Sometimes...breaking up is for the best.

Summer Events:

Look for Zu Vincent at these Upcoming Events:

ALA Book Signings: Front Street will host two signings for Zu Vincent's young adult novel The Lucky Place at the American Library Association's Annual Conference on June 28th & 29th in Anaheim, California.

Zu will present on the panel “Managing Your On-line Career” at Vermont College Masters Program Alumni Weekend on July 13th.

Zu joins other 2K8ers for a panel presentation "Turning Old Writing Tricks into New Reading Tricks for Today's Young Audience " at the 110th California Library Association's Annual Conference & Exhibition in San Jose, California, November 14-17.

Zu's radio interview about writing her novel The Lucky Place first aired on "Nancy's Bookshelf," KCHO 91.7 FM, Saturday, May 24, 2008, at 3 P.M. Pacific Standard Time.
And don't forget Terri Clark, Teri Brown, Brooke Taylor, and Regina Scott will be signing at Readers for Life Literacy Event in San Francisco July 30th.

1 Comments on Shameless Saturday, last added: 6/14/2008
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10. Romance is What Summer is All About!



Attending the Romance Writers of America's National Convention in San Francisco (July 30-August 2nd) will be Terri Clark, Teri Brown, Brooke Taylor, and Regina Scott! All will be participating in the annual “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing, where over 450 romance-fiction authors will be signing romance books donated by publishers. The signing is open to the public an proceeds of the sales go to literacy charities, so make sure you come by and meet the all the authors!


Regina Scott provides some insight into the Romance Writers of America National Conference held every July:


One of my must-go conferences is the national conference for Romance Writers of America. I’ll be there this year in San Francisco with several other members of the class, including Teri Brown, Terri Clark, and Brooke Taylor. The literacy signing Wednesday afternoon is amazing: over 400 authors packed cheek-to-cheek in a ballroom, madly schmoozing with fans and autographing our books for charity. But my favorite part of the conference is a little-known event called the Beau Monde Soiree. The Beau Monde is the chapter of RWA focused on writing about the Regency period. Wednesday evening after the literacy signing, we gather for period dancing, period card games (and gambling with chocolate coins), exceptional food, and excellent conversation. Many members come in costume. Because it’s a bit difficult to get into the dance moves when everyone dancing is generally female, I decided to come in costume as the “girl dressed like a guy” made famous in romance and historical novels. Thus, Sir Reginald Scott was born. The only problem is that he’s more popular than I am! Now everyone who sees me on Wednesday asks, “So, is Sir Reginald coming tonight?” But at least I get my pick of dance partners, including cool gals like Avon romance author Shirley Karr and Kensington romance author Nonnie St. George.
Isn't Sir Reginald Scott handsome!

1 Comments on Romance is What Summer is All About!, last added: 6/14/2008
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11. Shameless Saturday

Give us a week and SHAZAM good news bursts forth. It's literary lava and we are HOT!


RAVE REVIEWS

Nina Nelson’s Bringing the Boy Home received a glowing review from Kirkus. “"Told in two distinctive voices, this imaginative and beautifully realized novel, set in the Amazon, tells the story of two boys from the fictional Takunami tribe…their stories connect in a surprising yet totally believable way, giving psychological depth to this richly hued novel about the winding turns of destiny and the bonds between father and son, tribe and family.”

The Story Siren said Regina Scott’s “La Petite Four has a little bit of everything; mystery, suspense, romance and of course really beautiful dresses! The plot is interesting and captivating.” They also refer to Regina as an “awesome writer.”

BIZ BUZZ

M.P. Barker got an excellent write up in The Republican and was a featured author on Red Room.

Jennifer Bradbury’s Shift will be published in Dutch!

Teri Brown’s book trailer for Read My Lips is featured on CBS’s You Tube.

Laura Bowers is known for her amusing author interviews. Check out her latest 1-on-1 in which Daphne Grab confesses to singing to her cat.

Not only has Marissa Doyle been a featured author on the Fantasy Debut blogspot, her Bewitching Season was named in the editor's ten best summer reads for older readers in Scholastic’s Instructor, a magazine for teachers.

Sarah Prineas talks about killing your darlings aka revising as a guest blogger on Darcy Patterson’s Revision Notes. Even better, Czech and Slovak rights to The Magic Thief trilogy were sold to publisher Fortuna. That's a total of 12 languages, plus the UK/Australia!

Who knew Lisa Schroeder was an expert juggler?!? But she says as much in this great interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith. And I Heart You, You Haunt Me is going to be published in Polish. It’s official…2k8 is international!

Pittsburgh’s Lux did an awesome interview with Brooke Taylor (her first!). Check it out!

Sarah Beth Durst (Into the Wild) recently interviewed our Zu Vincent about her essay in the Teen Libris anthology, Through the Wardrobe: Your Favorite Authors on C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia.

Annie Wedekind’s new website is a must see in addition to her post about the love affair between girls and horses on the Feiwel and Friends blog.

1 Comments on Shameless Saturday, last added: 6/5/2008
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12. TIPS, TIPS, TIPS...



Raising hand. Waving hand. Frantically. We have some Totally Important Posts!






Brooke Taylor's Undone and Lisa Schroeder's I Heart You, You Haunt Me have been nominated for ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers. Double congratulations!


What Shelf Elf has to say about Elizabeth C. Bunce's A Curse Dark as Gold: "Highly recommended." And, Shelf Elf, thanks for posting the video too!

Others adoring fans (in alpha order) of A Curse Dark as Gold: Bookshelves of Doom, Bookwyrm Chrysalis, Miss Erin, Sarah Miller,


And Jennifer Bradbury's Shift is a Richie's pick.


Wow! Go Class of 2k8!

1 Comments on TIPS, TIPS, TIPS..., last added: 4/21/2008
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13. Web sites! The List You Can't Miss

Class of 2k8 members love Web sites!

Here's few more thoughts on the subject:

Web sites provide author bios.
My favorite part of any author’s site is the Bio page. What can I say? I love checking out the wizard behind the curtain! After checking out the author, I always click over to the frequently asked questions. Not only are they usually very interesting and informative, but because I’m a debut author I need to prepare myself for what kind of questions I may one day be frequently asked.

And since no one has ever frequently asked me anything—except maybe if they could have my book for free—I decided to *steal* some FAQ’s from some of my favorite authors and answer them as best I could on my own site.

~Brooke Taylor, Author of Undone,
http://http://www.brooketaylorbooks.com/


A Web site is a fantastic marketing tool.
People will tell you it's an essential marketing tool these days, but I think its most important role is giving readers a more personal glimpse of the writer, a sense of the personality behind the book… and that can deepen and enrich your understanding of her work, as well as forge a feeling of connectedness between author and reader—and connecting with readers is what writing is all about.
~ Elizabeth C. Bunce, Author of A Curse Dark As Gold,
http://www.elizabethcbunce.com


A Web site adds professionalism.
I have a Web site because I love the idea of having a Web site. But more than that, it makes me feel the part of being a writer. For the past fifteen years, I've designed chips (the kind that go in computers, not in your mouth), so when I started writing, there was a certain part of me which felt like a poser. Like I was pretending to be something I wasn't. And even now, with my first book coming out later this year, it's still kind of hard to identify myself as a writer.

So what does my site do for me? It makes me feel professional. It gives me the opportunity to present myself in a positive way. And it makes others view me as a positive and professional author. Writing is fun; I love it and want to do it forever. It is more than a hobby, and I want anyone who visits my site to see that and understand.
P.J. Hoover, Author of The Forgotten Worlds Book 1: The Emerald Tablet,
http://www.pjhoover.com/


A Web site can be jam-packed with activities.
A Web site is a really good way for me to showcase my books, introduce readers to me, and to pass information on to school librarians about what happens when I come to a school to visit. I also use the site to put up teacher packs, i.e. information, games, coloring pages, mazes, extra websites, writing assignments, that teachers can use with my books either before or after I come, helping to build upon the information I present when I am there.
~Stacy Nyikos, Author of Dragon Wishes,
http://www.stacyanyikos.com


Web sites satisfy curiosity.
I think a Web site gives readers a place to get to know you, learn more about your books and your plans, and maybe try something new.
~Regina Scott, Author of La Petite Four,

http://lapetitefour.com


A Web site is the place to be.
To a writer, a Web site is very important. The Internet is where we all go now...and having a pleasant, interesting presence there can help a writer attract and keep readers.
~Marissa Doyle, Author of Bewitching Season,
http://www.marissadoyle.com/



3 Comments on Web sites! The List You Can't Miss, last added: 3/12/2008
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14. Crafts "room" reveal

I finally finished my crafts corner! It's not much, I don't have a whole room to work with, but I love it because it means that all my sewing things are now organized in one corner. I used the blue crafts room inspiration page in my last post, but didn't end up changing the wall colour. But I did manage to get lots of blue into the corner.

The picture above is my favourite new accessory, a little ruffled ceramic dish that I found while thrifting. It's perfect for holding my pincushion and loose pins and thread while I'm sewing. Even if it wasn't useful I have to admit I'd still love it because it's so pretty.

Here's a picture of the whole corner. All my smaller crafts books are in the middle shelf of the small white bookshelf, and the large ones are in the birch IKEA bookshelf on the right.
I used wooden shelf kits from Home Depot, they're only $6 each and the wood has a nice border, and it's all ready for priming and painting. The white metal brackets I used are the same kind I saw in the Blueprint room, and I recommend them over the large wooden brackets that came in the kit because they take up less space. This was a tip from the magazine and I'm glad they mentioned it because otherwise the boxes on the bottom wouldn't have fit. I recommend planning out what will go on the shelves so you can make sure there's space.

These baskets, boxes and tins hold lots of sewing supplies, but the one on the top left is empty because it's getting so fragile. But it's the first sewing basket I had when I was little, which belonged to my great aunt and it's very special to me. I adored it and used it all the time. The lining is pink silk.
I gathered up some other blue accessories, pleased to find that my tea cup and Dorcas pin tin fit in with the colour scheme perfectly. The little blue case is a cheap party toy with the tiny balls that you have to try to fit into the punched circles. It had a clown picture, but I used another Martha Stewart magazine tip and opened it up and replaced the inside with pretty Japanese paper.
The chair slipcover is my pride and joy - my first slipcover ever and a perfect fit for the wooden chair. I also love the fabric - a new pattern from Fabricland that has a Japanese look to me. The flowers in the pattern are made up of tiny dots. I made a template with cheap fabric first, and while it is more trouble, it is worth it in the end.
I made a scalloped mat for the sewing machine from two pieces of wool, and cut a scalloped edge by hand. The secret to cutting scalloped edges is to clip the fabric with "v"s first, then round out the v's to make the scallops.
These metal boxes hold all my threads and other notions. I painted them both white to match. I covered the drawers of the IKEA box on the bottom with patterned paper, inspired by the lovely Blair at Wise Craft.
And finally, I found a plain wooden wastepaper bin at Goodwill, and painted it white and then added a blue bird on a branch with the leftover paint from the desk. I like the scalloped edge.
So that's it! The only thing that wouldn't fit in this corner is my fabric stash...someday I'll figure out what to do with that!

43 Comments on Crafts "room" reveal, last added: 5/26/2007
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