What if I wrote
like I mow?
Start with
Straight Lines
but soon…
swerving,
lines gone crazy,
stopping
to smell wildflowers.
They grow at the edges.
Aim for the tallest parts
first
because it’s satisfying…
who cares if it takes longer?
It’s all done
Eventually.
What if I trusted my writing
like I trust
my mowing?
Wander
stop
start
done, in time for lunch.
Would I finish my book
if I wrote
like I mowed?
And what
would it be like?
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I never sit still—or if I do, I’m folding laundry while watching TV and skimming a magazine. Lots of people multitask, but I think overmultitasking (OMT?) is a particular problem for today’s moms. How can we fit in work, mothering, play, eating and sleep without doing more than one thing at a time? Sometimes I fantasize about being a sleepwalker. So long as I washed dishes and did push-ups while I was sleepwalking, that is. None of that walking into walls and through windows stuff. And just imagine the excuses for one’s editor. “Oh, pages 45-75 read like an acid trip? Shoot, those must be sleepingwalking pages. Don’t even remember writing those."
But lately I’ve been slowing down to a mere fast jog, instead of a sprint in three directions at once. I’d like to pretend this is because I’m getting wiser with age, but in truth, I’m just a little tired.
I blame my diet. Yes, it’s making me tired, and not because I’m trying to knock off chocolate as a daily diet supplement. I recently read an article in Oprah Magazine that talked about implementing changes in your life. This change expert—and many apologies to him, because my OTM’ed brain can’t remember his name—said that studies show we can only exert discipline for so long, and in doing so many things. The human brain tires of discipline relatively quickly. So, he said, don’t try a new diet and another behavior change at the same time.
So, um, blasting through a novel draft, doing a new exercise program, going on a diet and staying disciplined with my stay-at-home dayjob…just maybe that’s exerting too much discipline at once. Can’t quit the novel or the dayjob. So maybe I need to go easy on the other stuff.
Am I looking for excuses to eat chocolate? Oh, maybe. It could be that I actually managed to get a little wiser today, though. Certainly the getting older part happened!
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A blog reader recently asked me to write about why I write for teens so... here you go!
The short answer is another author: Lois Duncan.
I read Lois Duncan's books--and re-read them--obsessively, growing up. My personal fave is DOWN A DARK HALL (my poor husband had to sit through my dramatic recounting of the plot, just last week). But there's not a bad one in the entire batch. To this day, I have her books near my writing desk, as both inspiration and plain good company.
I can't name a single book I've read as an adult that I've loved so much. I think I've lost that ability to pour myself into the world of an author, to be completely lost in their words--and to obsessively seek out their other books. But I still remember that feeling. And I can't imagine a better audience to write for than other teens who love to read, just like I did (and do).
Also, my imagination automatically draws me to stories about teens. Whenever a new idea pops into my head, my imagination takes it to a world that teens would inhabit. Usually a dark world. I tried writing picture books, and who knows, maybe I'll try again in the future. But my stories always end up taking a dark turn that's just fine for a YA audience, but might leave a preschooler in tears, hiding under their blankets. I will never forget getting a personal rejection on a particular picture book manuscript that said, "nobody will ever, ever buy this book for their children." (You know you've gone down the wrong path when an editor takes the time to personally explain why your book is so, so wrong for its audience!).
There's one last reason I love writing for teens: I love this industry. It's thick with talented, creative people who love to meet each other, work with each other, read each other's work, and support each other. I never feel alone in my writing journey... and I never feel like someone's got daggers aimed for my back (uh, if they do, just please don't tell me...). And I am continuously amazed by the new work that my fellow YA writers are turning out.
In short--I kind of feel sorry for the people who aren't writing YA. Y'all... you don't know what you're missing!
I've recently come to realize that I am a sprinter--not a marathon runner--when it comes to writing books. When I write, my fingers fly: in a really good session, I can put down 2,000 words in an hour or two. But then I'm wiped out. I can't take a short break, then return to my computer to whip out the next chapter. I need a couple of hours, or even a day or two, to get my writing mojo back.
I actually like running this way, too. If I'm running a road race, I like picking someone ahead, sprinting to catch up, and then walking or slow-jogging until it feels like my lungs won't burst out of my chest. Then I sprint for my next "victim". I have tried the other way--running at a steady pace--but guess what? I achieve the same rate, almost always finishing those 5Ks in around 35 minutes (I never claimed to be a FAST sprinter...), no matter how I try to run it. But my legs are a lot happier if I do the sprint/rest thing.
Until I realized I was a writing "sprinter", I got angry with myself. How could I write a chapter so fast and then "laze around" after that? WHY couldn't I keep the pace up? Why? Why? This was particularly annoying to my librarian side, who enjoys setting little schedules and goals for how many chapters get done in a week or a month. Sprinters do not always cleave to the little schedules, but we always reach the finish line in time!
Now I understand that I write in bursts, and rest in bursts, and that's OK. Some people do it very differently: they put out two or three pages every day, without fail. Either way, I bet we reach the end of our project at about the same time.
Fellow sprinters, you might want to check out fun motivational things like NaNoWriMo (though this requires sustained sprinting over an entire month, so eat your Wheaties), the more gentle JoNoWriMo+1.5, or the take-as-much-punishment-as-you-like Write or Die online tool.
I just got back from a whirlwind 10 days of being an writer, and just a writer. Since I normally balance being a writer with being a mother, wife, employee, and occasional (very occasional) bad plant mother, this was an unusual chance to me to soak in the creating and publishing world that I love so much.
First, I went to BEA, and I also got to visit with readers and authors at the Teen Author Carnival. It was great to meet booksellers, librarians, editors, agents, sales reps, bloggers, reviewers, and last but not least the very nice doorman at my friend Laurie's building who displayed unfounded but entirely appreciated trust and let me in at every hour. I also found out what Kringle is, at my publisher's booth, (a delicious pastry that tastes even better than it looks), and even met a bookseller who lives three blocks from my in-laws (I am surprised she hasn't already found a CANDOR flier pasted to her door! kidding.... although people in St. Louis should not be surprised if my mother-in-law thrusts a CANDOR card in their hands...).
Then I headed off to Kindling Words West, a wonderful 7-day retreat for published childrens' book writers and illustrators. We huddled up at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos, NM, which was not only gorgeous but boasted delicious and bountiful meals, including crisp hot bacon every morning. After Kathi Appelt got us going every morning with instruction and writing exercises, I pounded my way through over 21,000 words, soaked in the wonderful company of my writing colleagues, and also got to explore a bit of New Mexico. I think my favorite Taos experience was the vocal coyotes behind our room (particularly after my roommate assured me that coyotes do not leap ten feet up, over barbed Reservation wire, and through windows to snack on bacon-fed chicks from DC).
I learned a lot from my generous colleagues at KWW. Among the lessons:
Today I am welcoming fellow Debutante Aprilynne Pike to my blog, to celebrate the release of WINGS. You just may have heard of this one already, since it debuted on the NY Times Bestseller list! It also has one of my favorite covers in the 2009 new releases to date. I just got to meet Aprilynne at BEA last week and she's lovely and gracious. Also, tall. But I tend to think many people are tall!
If you love discovering new series, or enjoy a great fantasy yarn, then you'll definitely want to check out WINGS. So read the details below and wing your way to the nearest bookstore or online outlet (groan... I just couldn't help that pun!).
Aprilynne Pike's WINGS is the first of four books about an ordinary girl named Laurel who discovers she is a faerie sent among humans to guard the gateway to Avalon. When Laurel is thrust into the midst of a centuries-old battle between faeries and trolls, she's torn between a human and a faerie love, as well as her loyalties to both worlds.
APRILYNNE, MEET MY FAVE QUESTIONS...
--I think teen books can, and should, be read by grown-ups. Tell my grandma Grace why she should read your book.
If your grandma Grace has read a lot in her life, then she probably would enjoy seeing something very new. I always tell people, you've never seen faeries like my faeries. And that is what I would tell you grandma. This is a story different than any she's ever read before. It's also clean and mostly language free, which--I have found--most grandmas appreciate.;)
--What would your 16-year-old self say if she read your book?
I like to think that she would have really liked it. But considering how much I read, perhaps it's more rational that she would have read it, enjoyed it, checked it off her list, and then moved on to the next book.
--I am fascinated by writers' inspirations. Tell me about a real-life setting that found its way into your book.
My book involves faeries who are members of the plant kingdom. A little known fact about me . . .um . . . I'm really good at killing plants. I like to say I have a black thumb. But because I was writing about plants for most of the summer, it made me think about my own plants and actually remember to water the grass. So because of Wings, my grass was greener that summer than any other summer.:)
ALL ABOUT APRILYNNE
Aprilynne Pike has been spinning faerie stories since she was a child with a hyper-active imagination. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found at the gym; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne currently lives with her husband and three kids in Utah, and dreams of warmer climates.
Secret superpowers. Who DOESN'T dream of that? And who doesn't love reading about them?
Sarah Cross' new YA title DULL BOY lets readers into the world of Avery, who's trying to keep his superpowers on the down-low. I'm welcoming her to my blog today to celebrate her release. Check out the super-secret details below and pick up the book today!
Superpowers are awesome -- unless you actually have them, like Avery does. There's only so much he can pass off as "adrenaline" before people start to get suspicious. Probably it's best to lie low, so guys in white lab coats don't come to carry him away, to find out what makes his freakish body tick. Who wants to be vivisected? But flying under the radar becomes a whole lot harder when you can actually fly. It's dangerous to be different, so for now he'll pretend to be normal, unremarkable Avery -- a dull boy -- anything to keep his secret safe.
What he doesn't expect is the horrifying truth about where his powers came from, who else might have them, and the madness of one villain's plan to turn this superpowered dull boy into something even more powerful and amazing.
SARAH SUBMITTED HERSELF TO QUESTIONING...
--I think teen books can, and should, be read by grown-ups. Tell my grandma Grace why she should read your book.
Grace, you know you want to dress up in spandex and leap from rooftop to rooftop under the cover of darkness while fighting crime. It has always been your dream to be a vigilante. Now, it's true that DULL BOY is light on the spandex, but no one else has to know that! When you get caught, YOU CAN TOTALLY BLAME YOUR SUPERHERO ANTICS ON DULL BOY!
I'll take the fall. I don't mind.
--What would your 16-year-old self say if she read your book?
"#$%^ing finally! I can't believe we didn't get published at 17!"
--I am fascinated by writers' inspirations. Tell me about a real-life setting that found its way into your book.
I don't use real-life settings, but they all feel real to me now. :)
SARAH'S SECRET IDENTITY
Sarah Cross has saved the world, like, five times since fifth grade -- and you didn't even notice. Learn her secrets at www.sarahcross.com.
On Thursday I head to NYC for my first-ever Book Expo America, which bills itself as the largest publishing event in North America. I can't wait to meet all the booksellers, librarians, publishing folk and writers who will be strolling the exhibit halls... and tell them all about CANDOR. :-)
If you'll be there too, you can find me at a couple of spots:
--The NYC Teen Author Carnival (not associated with BEA) on Thursday 5/28 from 4-6
--Coffee & Krinkles, an event at the Egmont USA booth (#4458) on Friday at 3:30
--The Egmont USA reception on Saturday evening (invite only event)
I'll also be attending some of the other big BEA events, so grab me if you see me!
So who hasn't fantasized about being a radio DJ? Well, Danielle Joseph actually did it--and now she's written debut YA title SHRINKING VIOLET, which is all about a girl who becomes a radio DJ.
I remember hearing the first few pages of this book being read out loud during a Florida SCBWI conference (they put on an outstanding conference!) and knowing it would be pubbed. And indeed... it is. Congratulations Danielle! So read the scoopage below and grab your copy of SHRINKING VIOLET today. 
For high school senior Teresa Adams, every day is an ordeal. She’s so painfully shy that she lives in dread of having to speak to anyone in the hallways or answer questions in class. But after school, in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks—doing mock broadcasts for Miami’s hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up, Tere surprises herself by working up the nerve to ask her stepfather to give her a chance—and finds herself The SLAM’s newest intern on one of the station’s most popular shows. Behind the mike she’s Sweet T, her sexy, confident on-air persona. To everyone’s shock—especially her mother’s—Sweet T is a hit. Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ’s awesome taste in music, making Tere wonder if it’s possible to be jealous of yourself. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest—and a prom date with “Sweet T” is the grand prize--Sweet T’s dream could turn into Tere’s worst nightmare. . . .
MY FAVE TRIO OF QUESTIONS...
I think teen books can, and should, be read by grown-ups. Tell my grandma Grace why she should read your book.
This is a book for the everyday girl that struggled with the social politics of high school, that didn't give in and stayed true to herself.
--What would your 16-year-old self say if she read your book?
Wow, i wrote this--lol! She would probably find a lot of solace in the book!
--I am fascinated by writers' inspirations. Tell me about a real-life setting that found its way into your book.
My book is set in Miami so I drew from my everyday settings. The copy editor for my book questioned the peacocks crossing the road but that is the norm where I live:)!
THE STATIC ON DANIELLE
Danielle Joseph was a college DJ for five years on the Gyroscope, a world music show. She also interned at several top Boston radio stations while earning her BFA in Creative Writing and an MA in Marketing Communications and Advertising from Emerson College. She has taught Creative Writing and English to Middle school students.
Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Danielle now lives in Miami, Florida with her husband and two young sons. These days you can find her cruising around with the tunes blaring and her internal DJ hard at work.
Growing up, I always pictured my favorite writers Doing Nothing But Writing. Can you see them too? There's Lois Duncan, bent over a manuscript at a small attic desk, ghostly whispers swirling around her. Or Ellen Emerson White, tucked in a DC rowhouse overlooking the Washington Monument and penning her next story about living in the White House. I have no idea if that's what their lives or writing spaces were, or are, like, really--but that's how I always pictured it. Nothing but words and romance and... fantasy.
Pure fantasy.
I'd like to say I've gotten more realistic, now that I'm a writer. But sometimes I still imagine everyone else is spending oodles of time at their desks, churning out books, while my life is spent juggling, and juggling, and juggling.
But I think my life is actually far more typical of a children's book writer than many realize. Yes, I do spend lots of time writing books for teens. But I also am a mother to a four year-old, and I work full-time for an educational publishing company doing non-writerly things. I have a beautiful old house that is always demanding attention--patch! renovate! paint! mow!--and an ever-supportive husband who barely ever complains about the huge queue of shows to be watched on our DVR.
I know writers who are accountants, teachers, media specialists, public librarians, stay-at-home parents, and attorneys. They all struggle to find the time--and energy--to write.
Don't get me wrong: I am grateful for my writing career and it's always worth the struggle to make time for it. But the next time you picture your favorite writer lavishing six, seven, eight hours per day on their manuscript... odds are, their desk is empty during most of that time. it's amazing what we all DO get done, given that nobody's found a way to fit more hours into their day (and if you have... will you please share?).
Congratulations to Cheryl Renee Herbsman, who's visiting my blog today to celebrate the release of her YA debut BREATHING. This book took me by the hand, settled me in for a sweet-and-difficult romance, and let me soak in a genuine, wish-I-were-there, southern setting.
You can read an excerpt of BREATHING here.
What if the guy who took your breath away was the only one who could help you breathe?
Savannah would be happy to spend the summer in her coastal Carolina town lying in a hammock reading her beloved romance novels and working at the library. But then she meets Jackson. Once they lock eyes, she’s convinced he’s the one—her true love, her soul mate, a boy different from all the rest. And at first it looks like Savannah is right. Jackson abides by her mama’s strict rules, and stays by her side during a hospitalization for severe asthma, which Savannah becomes convinced is only improving because Jackson is there. But when he’s called away to help his family—and seems uncertain about returning—Savannah has to learn to breathe on her own, both literally and figuratively.
This debut novel has it all—an endearing, funny, hopelessly romantic main character, lots of down-home Southern charm, and a sunny, salty beach setting that will transport you to the Carolina coast.
Today I'm welcoming fellow Debutante Deva Fagan to my blog, in celebration of her new release FORTUNE'S FOLLY, available now for purchase. Deva has dreamed up one of the best heroine names I've heard in a long time: Fortunata. You just know this is a girl who's going to wend her way into some fantastic and mystical adventures. 
Ever since her mother died and her father lost his shoemaking skills, Fortunata has survived by telling fake fortunes. But when she's tricked into telling a grand fortune for a prince, she is faced with the impossible task of fulfilling her wild prophecy-or her father will be put to death. Now Fortunata has to help Prince Leonato secure a magic sword, vanquish a wicked witch, discover a long-lost golden shoe, and rescue the princess who fits it. If only she hadn't fallen in love with the prince herself. . . .
Deva likes searching for patterns, which is how she explains both her degree in mathematics and the echoes of old fairy-tales in her stories. She also loves tea, gardening, and playing the fiddle. She lives in Maine with her husband and her dog.
When I first signed on with agent Elana, I asked her whether my last name was going to be a problem. I mean, let's face it, I'm not luck enough to have a short forceful name, ala John Green, or something alliterative, like Gail Giles. I've got a mess of vowels and consonants in my last name that nobody really knows how to deal with. Heck, I even have an uncle who, after a trip to Europe, announced that he was going to pronounce it different from the rest of us, having consulted with the good European people about how it should be pronounced.
But authors like Zusak, Levithan, and Pfeffer give me hope, and I'm sticking with the name I was born into.
The best way I've found to explain the pronouciation is this: It's BAY-shores, plural, like shores of the bay. I explained it that way to my future husband, when I met him at the college paper, and he teased me for months--"hey, Pam Shores-of-the-Bay!". But maybe that was just because I was so skilled with the one-pica tape and he was trying to get my attention.
So, with apologies to the Tink TInks:
They call me 'BACH-oars'
They call me 'Ba-SHORES'
They call me 'BACH-oose'
They call me 'BAY-shore'
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
They call me 'BUH-shores'
But I'm not that
Bach-Buh-Bas
Always the same
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
That's not my name
Sure, NYC is the nerve center of publishing. But DC's got some major kidlit cred. We're crawling with writers and have representation from the editorial and agency side too.
So why shouldn't we have our own Kidlit Drinks night? Why should Manhattan get all the glory and cosmos?
I've seen some evidence via Google at past attempts at DC Kidlit drinks but nothing new... so either it's gone underground or it's time to revive the idea.
If you're in the DC area and would be interested in a happy hour with other members of the kidlit community, drop me an e-mail (pbachorz AT yahoo DOT com) or leave a comment here. In particular I'm wondering whether people prefer 6 PM or 8 PM for start time, and whether we ought to kick it off in DC proper or Silver Spring (seems like most of the kidlit people I know live in MD but maybe that's because I live in MD!).
Prolly we'll start in June.
Today's stop on the blog tour shows the power of critique groups. A few years ago, right after Little Dude was born, I joined my first online critique group. There were, I think, 5 of us in it. And here we are, a few years later, with three of us (Lee, me, and L.K. Madigan) pubbing our first novels within 6 months of each other. Incredible!
When I read the first chapter to SLIDING ON THE EDGE, a few years ago, I was knocked out. I knew Lee would get this pubbed. The voice is compelling and the story rocks along. Lee also has a gift for making the reader feel like they are living in her story's settings. So settle in, learn more about my critique buddy Lee, and buy the book!
Shawna Stone is a heartbeat away from making the worst mistake anyone can. She’s close to taking her own life. Kay Stone is a grandmother Shawna has never known, and at sixty-four Kay feels there is little left in her life to look forward to. When they are thrown together they circle each other in a crucible of secrets and distrust until saving a doomed horse unites them and gives each a reason to live.
Lee answered my 3 favorite questions:
-I think teen books can, and should, be read by grown-ups. Tell my grandma Grace why she should read your book.
Grandma Grace might enjoy my Grandma Kay, a woman with a past who gets a chance to set a few things right. And I agree with you, Pam, there are a lot of great YA books that the more mature reader can enjoy.
--What would your 16-year-old self say if she read your book?
I think my 16-year-old self did read it, after she wrote it. That person felt pretty scared for the MC and really wanted her to pull through.
--I am fascinated by writers' inspirations. Tell me about a real-life setting that found its way into your book.
The town I call Sweet River is loosely based on Auburn, CA. A small frontier town in the Sierra Foothills. Auburn is bigger and more up-scale than Sweet River, but the flavor is the same.
And here are the details about Lee:
A native Californian, C. Lee McKenzie has always been a writer, but to eat and make contributions to children's college funds, she’s also been a university lecturer and administrator. Lee’s written and published non-fiction articles, both in her field of Linguistics and Inter-cultural Communication, and in general readership magazines. For five years Lee wrote, edited, and published a newsletter for U.S. university professors who were managing global classroom issues. Since she turned in her academic hat and began writing for young readers, Lee’s fiction and non-fiction works have been frequently published in the award-winning e-zine, Stories for Children, and Crow Toes Quarterly has published her ghostly tales. Sliding on the Edge is her first young adult novel. Writing for teen readers keeps Lee in touch with the young members of her family, and allows her to re-visit those wonderful years in life when everything is possible. When she isn’t writing, Lee’s hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Los Gatos, California.
Today I am pleased to be welcoming Cindy Pon, authored of the newly released SILVER PHOENIX: BEYOND THE KINGDOM OF XIA. The description of her book has some of my favorite words, as a reader: "marked by immortals", "terrible evil", "stealing souls"... sign me up! And seriously--sadly--when was the last time you read a fantasy with an Asian heroine? If you love fantasy like I do--or if you're just looking for a great story that's different from everything else out there--read on...
On the day of her first betrothal meeting--and rejection--ai ling discovers a power welling deep within her. She can reach into other people's spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams...and that's just the beginning.
ai ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the emperor's palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. She must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. And then she meets chen yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. Here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance--of anything with the making of legend.
Cindy Pon was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and her family immigrated to California in 1980, settling in the suburbs of Los Angeles. She began writing stories before she was officially declared English proficient. She received her bachelor's from the University of California, San Diego, and also earned a master's from New York University. The author is a student of Chinese brush painting, and her love for the art is reflected in her storytelling. Cindy Pon lives with her husband and two small children in San Diego, California.
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Thanks to Betsy Bird for the CANDOR love over at Fuse #8. Lots of great details about the Egmont debut Fall list--not to mention a lovely pic of the Harvard Club's stuffed elephant head (or maybe there's more than one? yikes).
When I was searching for an agent--and even before then, when I was just dreaming about the day I would NEED an agent--I loved checking out agent websites. The info that agents offer online has exploded in the last year or so--not only do many have info-rich sites, but some also tweet , blog and use facebook extensively.
My agent, Elana Roth at Caren Johnson Literary, uses all of the above. And CJLA just launched a new site, complete with a list of who they rep (sometimes NOT the easiest thing to find out about an agency!), bios and pics of their agents, info about repped books, and a hoppin' blog. But of course there are also full submission guidelines. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter, too.
Here's a photo of a few of the pages--scribblemania!
You have to
Believe
in your power.
Stories spin
from your fingertips.
Characters draw breath
from yours.
It is all real.
It is all good.
Falter,
disbelieve,
and it all becomes
cardboard
and paste.
About ONE WISH:
Overweight Wrenn Scott desperately wants to be popular and snag a hot boyfriend. Her amazing voice (for once) overshadows her weight when she lands a lead role in the high school musical. Pushing to get thinner by opening night, Wrenn's waistline shrinks as she learns all the wrong ways to lose weight from a new "it-girl" friend in the show. By opening night, the old Wrenn has almost disappeared. After a crisis reveals her weight-loss tricks, Wrenn realizes there are much more important things than being thin, popular, or even dating a hunk.
Leigh answered some questions for me...
I think teen books can, and should, be read by grown-ups. Tell my grandma Grace why she should read your book.
Why? Because you’re never too old to learn that you should love yourself for who you are . . . no matter what.
What would your 16-year-old self say if she read your book?
I think she would be pretty pissed at me. She’d want to know when I figured “everything” out, and why I didn’t tell her sooner. (I was a fairly moody 16-year-old.)
I am fascinated by writers' inspirations. Tell me about a real-life setting that found its way into your book.
Andy’s Cheesesteaks and Cheeseburgers! It’s a 50’s-themed restaurant chain here in North Carolina. The food is delicious and their orangeades are miraculous! It’s a very cool place, both in real life and in One Wish.
The founder actually went to my alma mater, and the first Andy’s opened in a town 20 minutes away from where we went to school. My husband (then boyfriend) and I used to pick up dinner from there when we were students, and now (seven years later and in a new town) we’re still calling in orders. :)
And finally, a bit about Leigh:
Leigh Brescia grew up in North Carolina, spending most of her days playing in the woods behind her home and imagining she was a princess. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Communication from Mount Olive College and her Master’s degree from Fort Hays State University. She currently teaches online English composition courses for three universities, and an online “Writing Novels for Young Adults” course for UC Irvine.
When she’s not grading papers or writing, she enjoys reading and watching movies. She sings when she’s in a good mood and has killed every plant she’s ever owned. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband and her three-year-old.
I am very pleased to announce that CANDOR will be traveling abroad: my US publisher's sibling Egmont UK has purchased the rights to publish CANDOR in the UK, Australia and New Zealand! It will most likely pub in those areas sometime in 2010.
Just as I'm adjusting to the idea of people in the US actually reading my book, now I am wowed to imagine people in far-away countries reading my book--and not just because they brought it with them on vacation! They will actually be able to head to their local booksellers and get their very own local edition of CANDOR.
Wow! Did I already say that? Wow! (whoops, there it is again...)
In just 5 months exactly, CANDOR will be released in the US. Just 153 days away... but who's counting?
Here's what I'm listening to while I work on WIP tonight, along with some of the lyrics that are inspiring me... heavy on the angsty women tonight!
"Lucky" by Biff Naked: "Never pay the reaper with love only."
"The Story" by Brandi Carlile: "I cross over lines and I broke all the rules... and baby, I broke them all for you."
"Bells for Her" by Tori Amos: "They went years and years like sisters, blanket girls, always there through that and this."
"The Song of Purple Summer" (from Spring Awakening): "And all shall fade, the flowers of spring, the world and all the sorrow."
"Tragedy" by Brandi Carlile: "Sorry I'm only human, you know me... grown up... oh no, guess again..."
"Another Place to Fall" by KT Tunstall: "So find yourself another place to fall... find yourself up against another brick wall... see yourself as a fallen angel..."
Back to the page...
What body part do you hate? And how far would you go to "fix" it? Sydney Salter's new YA, MY BIG NOSE AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS, tells the story of one teenage girl who will do anything to fix the nose she thinks is ruining her life. Kirkus Reviews says this of her book: "Complex, likeable, believable characters, and a fresh, appealing fictional voice pull together this very agreeable summer romance". Wow!
Today I'm so pleased to be welcoming Sydney to my LJ to celebrate her release. After you read the scoop below,
click here to buy her book and support an indie bookstore.
Here's the scoop on Sydney's story:
Seventeen-year-old Jory Michaels wakes up on the first day of summer vacation with her same old big nose, no passion in her life (in the creative sense of the word), and all signs still pointing to her dying a virgin. In spite of her driving record (it was an accident!), Jory gets a job delivering flowers and cakes to Reno's casinos and wedding chapels. She also comes up with a new summer goal: saving for a life-altering nose job. She and her new nose will attract a fabulous boyfriend. Jory survives various summer disasters like doing yoga after sampling Mom's Cabbage Soup Diet, enforced-mother-bonding-with-crazy-nose-obsessed-daughter night, and discovering Tyler's big secret. But will she learn to accept herself and maybe even find her passion, in the creative (AND romantic!) sense of the word?
Sydney answered my three fave questions:
I think teen books can, and should, be read by grown-ups. Tell my grandma Grace why she should read your book.
Dear Grandma Grace, my book will make you laugh out loud. You will also feel relieved that you've left your teen years behind. Best wishes and happy reading, Sydney
What would your 16-year-old self say if she read your book?
She would really love it; I think I wrote it for her. She might be a little miffed that I've stolen some stuff from her life! And she hates all this talking about big noses nonsense. So embarrassing! Will you just shut up about it already?
I am fascinated by writers' inspirations. Tell me about a real-life setting that found its way into your book.
The book is set in Reno, Nevada where I attended high school so almost all of the settings come from real-life: my favorite pizza place, the casinos, Lake Tahoe, the Rodeo Carnival, the frat house I once snuck into...
Sydney Salter held a variety of jobs before becoming a full-time writer, including her brief stint delivering pies and flowers, wrecking vans, and destroying wedding cakes in Reno, Nevada. Sydney now lives in Utah with her husband, two daughters, two cats, and two big Bernese Mountain dogs. She loves reading, writing, traveling, and, of course, baking and decorating cakes (but not driving them anywhere).
So our little dude loves to take baths. Long, long, baths that involve washing his toys, "swimming" with goggles, and playing elaborate restaurant games ("look Mommy, broccoli milkshakes!"). If we let him, he'd stay in the water for an hour every night.
He also insists on "Mommy Baths". "Daddy baths" are rejected at a volume and energy that makes the battle Totally Not Worth It. Besides, if I'm in the bathroom with little dude, then my husband ends up washing all the dishes. Not a bad trade, eh?
So I've got a half hour every night of lifeguarding boy and hapless lego toys that had no idea they were due for such a vigorous scrubbing. For awhile I was catching up on my magazines, but there are only so many diet tips, ghastly news stories and half-hour recipes you can take, night after night.
A couple of days ago I tried something new, and it's working great. I pulled out a fresh composition notebook--the kind with those marbled black-and-white covers that I used for chem labs in high school--and a fresh pen. Then, as LD bathed, I brainstormed about my WIP. One night I played with plot points. Another night I scribbled some character profiles. It's messy and constantly interrupted, ("watch me hold my breath Mommy!") but that works, somehow. I don't have time or focus to worry that This Writing Really Bites. I just play. And by the end of bathtime, I find I'm actually ending up with some really good stuff.
And then there was an unexpected bonus two nights ago. LD asked what I was doing. I said "working on my story". He answered, "tell me your story."
He sat rapt as I recounted my plot, as far as I knew it. And what an interesting test. I knew things were a keeper when his eyes got wide--or when he wrapped his arms around his sides and bit his lips. But when he starting playing again or wrinkled his nose--well, maybe those parts needed some work. Sure, I had to edit some things--it IS a dark YA after all!--but he really seemed to get it. I may have created a monster--last night over dinner he asked me to tell it to him again!
Maybe I need to buy Little Dude some new bathtoys so I have even MORE brainstorming time!
