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I'm honored to be part of the blog tour for Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom, the MG debut novel of storyteller David Neilsen (August 9, 2016, Crown Books for Young Readers, 240 pages, for ages 8 to 12).  Dr. Fell moves into town and builds an elaborate playground in his yard that attracts every kid for miles around. But as more and more kids are injured--and then quickly cured by the doctor--Jerry, Gail, and Nancy are the only ones who realize something's not right. Perfect for readers who like creepy tales that are a little scary but not too scary. I enjoyed the way the three main characters had to learn to work together to try to defeat Dr. Fell. Bonus: This would be an amazing read-aloud!


David is taking over my blog for the day to tell us about his writing journey and give us some (possibly tongue-in-cheek) advice. Take it away, David!

David Neilsen from his website

Another awesome photo of David from his website

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Super thrilled to have author Diane Rinella with us today, who has a ton of experience with audiobooks and has put together some great information for anyone looking to take the leap. Audiobooks are a completely different animal than ebooks or print, and this post can save your a lot of time, heartache, and money.

Plunging Into Audiobooks

I love audiobooks. Many find the convenience of listening to them nearly anytime and anywhere a virtue. But for me, the appeal is how I get to listen to another person’s dream.

For years, hearing your book come to life was a fantasy reserved for top-selling authors. But we live in an amazing age where technology makes yesterday’s imaginings today’s reality. Not unlike how Amazon helped drive the Indie ebook revolution with Kindle Direct Publishing, they are at it again with Audio Creation Exchange. However, much like the trials of ebook publishing, sharing your book with listeners is not as simple as reading it aloud. Thus before hiring a producer, or biting the bullet and self-producing, a few things are worth considering.

Before moving forward, let’s define a few roles:

Producer – The person who records and masters the material. This may be the same person as the narrator/voice actor.

Narrator – The general term for the person performing your book.

Voice Actor – May also be referred to as narrator. However, this person can also bring multiple voices to life and expresses emotion.

FIRST, DON’T RUSH INTO THINGS

Take a deep breath, because there are a few things to consider before you look for a producer. Remember everything you did (such as editing and formatting) to give consumers the best reading experience? Now you need to determine how to give them the best listening experience.

Pay Per Finished Hour or Royalty Split

Just like any other project, what you can afford will guide your decisions. ACX offers a great program called Royalty Share. The author provides the book, the producer records it, the author approves it—both split the proceeds. However, some producers will only accept projects paid by the finished hour. (If the producer spends forty hours on a project that comes in at eight hours long, you pay for eight hours.) All sales proceeds go to you. However, a finished hour can range between $50 and $200. Most novels are eight to ten hours long. Will your budget cover $400 to $1600? If not, you might consider a royalty share or self-production. (We will return to that can of worms later.)

Narration versus Acting

Would your book benefit most from narration, or should a voice actor bring the characters to life? Are you dead set about how the narrator, or any of the characters, should sound? These questions led me to a dilemma. Scary Modsters … and Creepy Freaks, was written in three, first person POVs, two of which are male and one of those is from East London.

I wanted multiple actors, not to mention a proper accent.  However, I quickly found my dream scenario required hiring four people and heavy editing. Since the price tag would be at least a hefty $400 per finished hour, the only cost-effective option was to go with one, very talented producer. Fortunately, Hollie Jackson came to the rescue. Hollie is a partner worth her weight in gold. Partners can make or break a project. (More on partnerships later.)

Books Are Meant To Be Read, Not Heard

Writers often give visual clues that do not translate into audiobooks. Are you willing to consider changes that improve the experience, or must the audio version match the original text without fail? Some things can enhance the listening experience, either by adding or removing them. One of those is dialog tags.

The visual characteristics of a quoted sentence ending and a new paragraph beginning with another quoted line is an accepted cue a new person is speaking. If the conversation is two-sided, a dialog tag may not have been deemed necessary. If an actor uses vocal changes to represent new characters, a dialog tag may still be unnecessary. However, in the case of straight narration, where all voices sound alike, adding one would eliminate confusion.

Conversely, when a character’s speech spans multiple paragraphs, writers often add the clue, “he continued.” However, when a character is read with a distinct voice, not only do these clues become unnecessary, they become pace-breaking distractions.

Italics are often used to stress a word or to reflect deep thought. Stressing these items is part of a narrator’s job. However, quoted italics can reflect hearing a person’s thoughts, such as during telepathy. If you did not use dialog tags such as, “he thought”, translating the idea of telepathy into audio may be difficult, and changes should be considered.

Consider making listening-enhancing revisions before submitting your manuscript.

Ready? Let’s Dive In!

Let’s get to the fun stuff! There are many ways to create an audiobook. To keep this simple, I will focus on two methods; using ACX to hire a producer, and the self-production method—both of which I have experienced.

ACX: MAKING HIRING & PARTNERSHIP DECISIONS

Whether you seek a royalty split or to hire someone per finished hour, here are some things to keep in mind when pursuing talent and when listening to auditions:

Reputation – Simply stated, never jump into a partnership without ensuring it will be a strong one, and never hire a person you don’t want to work with. I turned down numerous offers for many reasons—some of which were less than stellar reputations for delivering the basics. Do not be afraid to ask your friends for recommendations or producers for references.

Voice and Characterization – Does the narrator have an appealing tone? Does she “feel right” for the part? Is the accent appropriate yet understandable? Determining voices and narration style before signing a contract is key. While the writer must be comfortable with the presentation, nitpicking over a performance is best saved for the actor. Both need to set realistic expectations. My partner, Hollie Jackson, summed the characterization process beautifully. “I truly think the absolute biggest thing is to trust your narrator, particularly in regards to characterization. If an author can provide notes to give us a direction to point our voices, it takes a huge load off of us trying to figure out how a particular character sounds. But by that same token, sometimes a character will strike a particular reference chord, and things might sound a little different compared to the voice in the writer’s head. Being able to work with that is a huge part of the process.”

Quality/Mastering (hiss, pops, clicks, timing) – Inadequate mastering can ruin a brilliant performance. While ACX has strict submission requirements regarding noise floor (the level at which hiss is heard) and level variation (a whisper and a yell need to be close in volume), there are no stated requirements regarding pops and clicks. Listen for these, along with timing. Timing is not only the pace at which a book is read, but also how lines are delivered. For comedy, the outstanding timing of Robin Williams and George Burns had us rolling in the aisles. Dramatic timing is just as important. The demo’s timing should fit the book’s genre.

Eliminate Surprises – If part of the audition seems unfitting, yet you still suspect the voice actor could be a match, express your concerns and request a new audition. Re-reads are not unreasonable and may save both the writer and producer many headaches.

Building A Partnership – I cannot stress the importance of this enough, especially if you wish to do multiple projects with the same person. I tell Hollie all the important things up front and then let her work magic. As a fellow actress, I completely agreed when she said, “Micromanagement is the hugest creative buzzkill around.” However, she also respects my concerns and will quickly make changes when things go awry. The bottom line is, if you are concerned that a producer will not give you the end results you desire, either find someone else or self-produce.

DIY: SELF-PRODUCTION

I will preface this by saying I have decades of acting experience—stage, screen, and voice. Since my husband is an Indie film director/producer, resources are at my disposal. Still, it took quite a bit of working with sound engineers before I could produce a solid audiobook.

The absolute basics to home recording include: a room with a low noise floor (I lined the quietest room in my house with moving blankets.), proper equipment (A good microphone, a pop filter, a pre-amp, a Mudguard, and a stand will cost several hundred dollars.), and editing software (I pay $20 a month to use Adobe Audition.).

In a nutshell, recording two takes without outside sounds (birds, pets, kids, cars, planes) generally gets you what you need. Edit these into one good take before removing pops, clicks, and rustling. In my case, I also have to remove background hiss. Top all of this off with balancing the levels. (By the way, you might want to consider that it takes Hollie about two hours to record and master one finished hour while it takes me three or four. Be prepared to invest some time.)

Have I scared you out of the self-production method yet? Learning the recording and mastering process is a hurdle, yet producing audiobooks is simple compared to other types of sound engineering. While I highly recommend ACX’s video series on recording, the installment on mastering falls short of providing usable information. Thus, you might want to consider hiring someone to master your files. However, if you really want to give it a go, ACX does have an Audio Masters class.

HYBRID: SELF-PRODUCTION & HIRING A PRODUCER 

ACX does not offer the option to hire a producer, only to master files. Thus, you will need to pay someone outside of their system. Professional sound services can be expensive and offer more than you need for an audiobook. I strongly suggest contacting local filmmaker groups (Here in San Francisco, we have Scary Cow.) or colleges to seek emerging talent at a reasonable rate. Though there are also services that will perform this task for you, I’ve yet to find an author who has done this, thus I cannot make a recommendation.

 This is a lot to digest, but once you get your head around the process, it’s actually a lot of fun. I have to say that having done this with a partner and now producing myself, I prefer the partner route. Then again, I struck gold with Hollie. With a little determination to find the right person, you can too. Either way, bringing your book to life is a rush akin to the time you held your first novel in your hands!

The benefits to partnering with an experienced producer are no learning curve, a faster turn around, often better talent than an inexperienced performer can provide, and a built-in audience, as many often have their own fanbase. The con is you may not get the creative control you desire.

The benefit to self-production is full creative control. The cons may include steep learning curves in voice acting, recording, and mastering.

Diane Rinella

Enjoying San Francisco as a backdrop, the ghosts in USA Today Bestselling Author Diane Rinella‘s one hundred and fifty-year old Victorian home augment the chorus in her head. With insomnia as their catalyst, these voices have become multifarious characters that haunt her well into the sun’s crowning hours, refusing to let go until they have manipulated her into succumbing to their whims. Her experiences as an actress, business owner, artisan cake designer, software project manager, Internet radio disc jockey, vintage rock ‘n’ roll journalist/fan girl, and lover of dark and quirky personalities influence her idiosyncratic writing. Hang out with her on Twitter, Facebook & Goodreads and find more audiobook projects here.

Hollie Jackson

Taking her own love of storytelling, not just for her own work, but that of others, Hollie (aka Narratrix) found her true calling in the vocal booth. From the innocent to the risqué, the snarky to the serious, Hollie’s voice brings characters of all types to vibrant, compelling life, letting you sit back and allow the words to wrap around you and work their resonant magic. With over 300 audiobooks narrated and produced to date, Hollie enjoys an eclectic range of genres and has worked with authors/publishers who are both Indie and NYT/USA Today Bestselling.

Want to check out Scary Modsters yourself? here’s a soundbite:

Rosalyn possesses a sunny personality that is laced with quirks. Although she seeks acceptance in a world where she lives out of time, what she gets is ridiculed for her eclectic wardrobe and unconventional music collection.

One fateful night, Rosalyn bewitches Niles, a stylish man whose offbeat character perfectly complements her own. Unfortunately, he possesses a critical flaw that means relationship suicide for him and pretty much anyone.

While under the influence of insomnia-impaired judgment, Rosalyn summons Rock ‘n Roll deity Peter Lane back from the dead. Not only does he spin her hormones into a frenzy, Peter is also the precarious puzzle piece that brings sense into her world. When Niles learns that he can overcome his life-long challenge by helping Peter avenge his death, how far will he go to secure Rosalyn’s heart?

Have an Audiobook Production question for Diane? Her brain is stuffed with knowledge and experience, so let us know in the comments.

 

 

 

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The post Taking the Audiobook Plunge? Read This First appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

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We’re writers. We work long, hard hours, put our hearts and souls into our manuscripts. For many, writing comes after other jobs and definitely after other responsibilities. Most likely, there is no guarantee of publication. As writers, how do we define success?

• Is it finishing our first draft?**
• Editing until the manuscript shines? **
• Writing and sending out query letters?**
• Getting an agent?
• A book deal?
• A six-figure advance?
• Being published by one of the Big Five?
• A starred review in Publishers Weekly or School Library Journal or Kirkus or Booklist?
• An endorsement from a bestselling author? Or 2 or 3 or 4?
• Perhaps it’s the number of congratulations you receive to an announcement of a book deal?
• Arranging book events? **
• Putting together a publicity campaign? **
• Or better yet, having your publisher create an incredible publicity campaign, including signings at Book Expo America, ALA, and a national or international book tour?
• Writing blog tour posts? Or posts for wonderful writing/publishing sites like this one? **
• Giving talks at bookstores, libraries, schools? **
• Making YouTube videos to promote your work or share your passion for writing? **
• Is it hitting the New York Times Best Seller’s list? Or USA Today Best Seller’s List?
• For how many weeks? 1? Or 10? Or 52?
• Is it receiving invitations to speak at prestigious book festivals?
• Or selling 10,000 books? 50,000? 100,000? 1,000,000?
• Perhaps success is having your book made into a movie?
• Maybe it’s a high ranking on Amazon? Top 100? 1000? 5000?
• Or having over 100 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads? Or is it 1000? 5000? 50,000?
• Is it seeing your book in Barnes & Noble or an Indie or airport bookstore?
• Making 10 Top Ten Favorite lists posted by bloggers and vloggers? 20? 30? 50?
• Maybe it’s having your book in school libraries?
• Or maybe success is the number of retweets or likes on a post on Instagram or Facebook about your novel?
• Or the number of followers you have on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter? How many is a lot? 5000? 10,000? 100,000?
• Perhaps it’s seeing your book #1 in a category on Amazon?
• Or is success an email from a teen telling you your novel saved his life?
• Could it be someone telling you how much your book impacted her?
• Or how she recommended it to all her friends?
• Or a large crowd at a book signing? How many is that? 50? 200? 1000?
• Perhaps it’s winning book awards? Like the Newbery? Or National Book Award?

Every single one of these things is FANTASTIC! Every one of these things is worthy of a CELEBRATION or major CONGRATULATIONS! But if NONE of these things have happened or only some of these things have happened, does it mean we’re a failure? I sure hope not!

BECAUSE… as amazing as these moments are, other than the ones with the **stars**, not one of them is within an author’s control. NOT ONE. Do we want to place our self-worth in the hands of others? Do we want to value what we do based on things we have very little influence over? Ranking numbers change hourly on Amazon. We’re not a number. Your first manuscript might not sell. (Mine didn’t.) Or your second. (Not this one either.) Or third. (This one did. YAY! And no, it hasn’t hit the NYTBS list—yet, here’s to optimism—and my advance was very small.)

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• Everything listed above would (most likely) be a dream come true. But if we define ourselves based on these things, things we can’t control, then we’re turning over our personal power to others, people we don’t even know! It could be so easy to fall into a pit of author despair. (Most likely rocking in a corner, clutching our book!)
• Be awesome.
• Write the book that speaks to you.
• Be proud of your accomplishments.
• Ask yourself: Did I work hard? Did I do the best I could? Am I kind and gracious to other authors? To readers? To reviewers?

Dictionary.com defines success as: the accomplishment of one’s goals. The word “one’s” makes it clear that the goals are the ones you set for yourself. I’ve learned to set my goals based on what I personally can do. I’ve learned to define my success by knowing I’ve persevered. I’ve work hard. I strive to be my best. I celebrate fellow writers’ milestones and do whatever I can to be supportive. Because I really believe this universe is INFINITE and there’s room for everyone to have lots of moments in the sun! Finally, don’t give up. DON’T give up. DON’T GIVE UP! Write your novel. Persevere!

I look forward to celebrating your bookish milestones with you.

Happy writing!

---

LIZA WIEMER married the guy who literally swept her off her feet at a Spyro Gyra concert. Their love story can be found on her “About” page. Besides being a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan, she is a readaholic, a romantic, and a lover of nature, crazy socks, and rooftops.

Hello? is her debut YA novel. It was named a Goodreads YA Best Book of the Month, November 2015, and Paste Magazine called it “one of the most original YA novels of the year.” She also has had two adult non-fiction books published, as well as stories and articles in various publications. As an award-winning educator, Liza has conducted over 75 interactive seminars during the 2015/2016 school year, fueling her passion for working with young adults. A graduate of UW-Madison with a degree in Education, Liza is also the mother of two young adult sons.

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A long time ago, two enthusiastic yet green writers met on an online critiquing site called The Critique Circle. They wrote stories riddled with hollow characters and cliched plots, but that didn’t stop them from becoming fast friends. Through practice, critiquing literally thousands of submissions, and spending untold hours reading and responding to forum conversations on writing, these two eventually learned a thing or three about the craft. Eventually, they even penned a few books with the word “thesaurus” in the title. Who knows, maybe you’ve seen one hanging out on a writer’s desk somewhere.

Here’s one of the BIG lessons these two scruff-and-tumble writers learned: having a critique partner can really shorten your learning curve. The eyes, knowledge and experience of another writerly human being can give the insight and distance an author lacks. Of course, it’s all about finding the right critique partners who are a perfect fit, and understanding how to best work together. Becca and I still are going strong well over 10 years after we first met, and there’s no one I’d rather hand my work over to than her. So please help me welcome author Dee Romito who has a few “rules” to make sure our critique partner relationships stay healthy and function as they should.

Six Rules that Keep Critique Partnerships Golden

Good critique partners (affectionately known as CPs) are invaluable on your publishing journey.  They will be your go-to sources for questions, support along the way, and much-needed feedback.

I checked in with a few of my most trusted writing friends to get their thoughts on what makes a great critique partner. Here are six things you can do to be a helpful critiquer and what you might be looking for in a critique partner.

1. Offer suggestions. Blunt comments are not the same thing as constructive feedback.

There’s a line between being honest and being helpful. Try to explain why you think a change should be made or make a suggestion as to how to improve it.

“Something I make sure I don’t do (or at least try not to) is to simply say I don’t like something. That is never helpful information. If there is something that I think is off, I try to explain why I think that. For example, ‘This sentence felt repetitive because you gave the same information above.’” – Janet Sumner Johnson, author of THE LAST GREAT ADVENTURE OF THE PB&J SOCIETY

“I once had a reader who crossed out whole pages of my manuscript and rewrote sections and, knowing how that made me feel, I will never change anything in anyone else’s document. I won’t even add a comma or correct spelling in the ms itself- I drop a note in the ‘insert comments’ instead.” – Jen Malone, author of MG and YA novels, including THE SLEEPOVER and YOU’RE INVITED

2. Ask questions

If there’s something you don’t understand or you feel like something’s missing or unclear, ask about it. Writers are sometimes too close to their own work to see it.

“I really love receiving critiques where the CP has asked questions instead of making comments (example: ‘Do you think she’d be feeling this right here?’ instead of ‘I don’t like the way she’s feeling sad here- she should be mad!’)” – Jen Malone

“I like critique partners who ask a lot of questions. This always helps me think about different paths I can take a manuscript.” – Jen Maschari, author of THE REMARKABLE JOURNEY OF CHARLIE PRICE

3. Point out what works, as well as what doesn’t work

This might sound like a no-brainer, but you need to make a conscious effort to point out both the weaknesses and the strengths of a piece.

 “My go-to critique partners aren’t afraid to tell me what I need to fix . . . even when they know I won’t be happy to hear it, but at the same time, they are nice. They point out the things they liked, too, and somehow this makes the hard stuff much, much, much easier to swallow.” – Janet

“I always try to point out things I love or that made me laugh, in addition to the things I didn’t connect with quite as much- I have one CP who highlights lines or sections she loves in green highlighter. For me, it definitely keeps my spirits up amid digesting all the things I need to address in revisions.” – Jen Malone

“Many times, writing can feel like pushing a boulder up a hill, so those hearts or ‘I love this’ comments or even a smiley face can go a long way to cheering me on as I tackle the bigger stuff.” – Jen Maschari

4. Know what the author is looking for. Overall, line edits, voice, consistency, something specific.

At various points in the process, writers need different kinds of critiques. Know what the goal is.

“I make sure I know what the person is looking for. Did they want a big picture critique? Did they want me to fix grammar mistakes? That can make a big difference in how I read.” – Janet

“I always make sure I get a sense of what my critique partner wants first. What big questions do they have? Do they want me to look at the larger picture or do they want a sentence level look?” – Jen Maschari

5. Offer to clarify, answer more questions, talk it through, brainstorm.

A CP is meant to be a sounding board and someone who can help you work through the sticking points.

“Now that I’ve worked on some co-writing projects and realized how much more quickly a plot/outline comes together with joint brainstorming sessions, I’ve recently begun asking my CPs if they would be up for helping at the earliest stages of something new.” – Jen Malone

“Sometimes I’ll send a few scenes out to get a first reaction or a sense of what’s working and what’s not early on.” – Jen Maschari

6. CPs will go to you for your strengths. Know what they are.

Okay, so you might not know them yet. But you will. Do you notice every punctuation mistake? Do you find inconsistencies in manuscripts? Are you a plotting wizard?

 “I definitely choose my beta readers based on what type of critique I’m looking for. For example, when I send a second draft out (I never send a 1^st draft, just fyi), I look for someone who is good at plotting and seeing holes and how to improve that. When I’m further in the process and need someone who is good at making smooth prose or catching detail errors, I choose someone who is good at that. I have found that they each have their strengths. And it always makes sense to play to someone’s strengths.” – Janet

“I have a CP whose strengths are my weaknesses- I tend to focus on dialogue and plot more than the interior character arc and she’s always making notes that say “But what is she feeeeeeeling here?”– I really need that push!” – Jen Malone

Final Thoughts

These ladies have definitely helped me along the way and were essential in fine-tuning my middle grade debut, THE BFF BUCKET LIST. I trust their feedback and value their opinions. Without a doubt, having critique partners has been one of the most important pieces in my path to becoming a published author.

Whether you’re just starting out and are in the midst of searching for critique partners or you’re a seasoned veteran, these simple reminders help make critique partner relationships ones that will last through many manuscripts, all the ups and downs, and hopefully, lots of publishing deals.

Dee has a new book out, a terrific middle grade called the BFF Bucket List, and a killer blurb:

Two best friends. Twelve challenges.

Can the BFF Bucket List save their friendship or will that get crossed off too?

(Love it? I do!)

If you like, follow this link for a closer look, or add it to your Goodreads list!

And do hook up with Dee online–visit her blog or website, hang out on Facebook or throw tweets her way on Twitter. She’s super friendly, is always around chatting it up, and would love to hear from you.

Do you have a great critique partner? What rules would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments!

The post Six Rules that Keep Critique Partnerships Golden appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS™.

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Rachel Hawkins is a long-time favorite of mine. Her books feel so funny and fresh, and her current Rebel Belle series features a girl who suddenly discovers supernatural powers that allow her to be a kickass guardian–but who was also raised to be a genteel southern belle. To complicate things further, the person she’s supposed to protect is her cute nemesis-turned-boyfriend David, who’s gone on the run and won’t let her protect him. What’s a girl to do? And will the aunts pack enough cookies for her road trip to find him? To celebrate the release of the last book of the series, we’re pleased to welcome Rachel Hawkins to blog today as part of the Lady Renegades tour! She’s here to talk about humor in young adult books, which came about in a roundabout way from a tweet from Rachel that sparked a conversation about why funny YA can... Read more »

The post Lady Renegades Blog Tour: Rachel Hawkins on Funny YA appeared first on The Midnight Garden.

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First, according to randomizer, the winner of last week's giveaway of a new paperback of THE ANCIENT ONE by T.A. Barron is:

Congratulations, Faith! And look for an email from me asking for your mailing address.

Now onto today's feature!


The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox (March 15, 2016, Viking Books for Young Readers, 400 pages, for ages 10 and up)

Synopsis (from the arc): Twelve-year-old Katherine Bateson believes in a logical explanation for everything. But even she can't make sense of the strange goings-on at Rookskill Castle, the drafty old Scottish castle-turned-school where she and her siblings have been sent to escape the London Blitz. What's making those mechanical shrieks at night? Why do the castle's walls seem to have a mind of their own? And who are the silent children who seem to haunt Rookskill's grounds?

Kat believes Lady Eleanor, who rules the castle, is harboring a Nazi spy. But when her classmates begin to vanish, one by one, Kat must face the truth about what the castle actually harbors--and what Lady Eleanor is--before it's too late.

Why I recommend it: You can just tell from that dark, atmospheric cover that this will be a fantastic and chilling read! Yet it's not too scary (for example, the children find sympathetic adults to help them). The Scottish setting is superb, the writing masterful. I had trouble tearing myself away from the book to cook dinner or even sleep. Kat is a strong and resourceful protagonist, and you'll be with her every step of the way as she puzzles out the mysteries of the castle, Lady Eleanor, and the Lady's mysterious chatelaine with one charm for each child.

I'm honored to be the first stop on Janet Fox's blog tour! And now, for a special treat, a guest post from the author herself.

Janet Fox from her website

In short, I tend to follow my instincts, and I've found that once I become interested in a certain aspect of what I'm writing, references pop up everywhere. It's as if the universe is affirming what I'm doing. Writing really is like magic - backed up by science (solid facts) - with an energy all its own.

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The Morrigan's Curse: The Eighth Day Book 3 by Dianne K. Salerni (January 26, 2016, HarperCollins, 400 pages, for ages 9 to 13)

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I’m thrilled to introduce author Shannon Parker as our special guest today. February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and Shannon is here to talk about her upcoming YA debut, The Girl Who Fell, about a high school senior who is swept off her feet—and into an intense and volatile relationship—by the new boy in school.

Shannon M Parker shares the inspiration for The Girl Who Fell.

But

It is such a small word. Three tiny letters. A conjunction. Nothing you particularly focus on when reading or chatting.

Until it balances something ugly, justifies something hard.

Like abuse.

Like manipulation.

When a girl tells you she knows it’s wrong the way her boyfriend treats her, but she loves him—that is when you notice this word. I did.

In my work with struggling teens, I have heard this justifying ‘but’ pass the lips of the fourteen-year-old-girl who is staying with the boy who beat the twins from inside her belly because the boy has promised her forever. Her eyes light when she tells me about the engagement ring that will come. How they’ll be married. How his father will give them the trailer at the back of the property. She tells me this and I wonder if she notices how her hands can’t help but rub back-and-forth over the band of her stomach, flat now.

Her boy didn’t mean it.

He loves her.

He will never hurt her again.

I know the college-bound student. Smart and driven. I see her long-sleeved shirts in summer, the way she hasn’t met my eyes since she met her boy. She whispers this ‘but’—she whispers now—when she tells me she’s not leaving her rural town for college. She remembers being the girl who wanted to get out, get away. But she stays behind for the boy who is attracted to her light—the bright beacon of possibilities I see fading into shadows.

Her boy loves her so much.

He can’t let her go.

So he keeps her too close.

I’ve listened to the ‘but’ on the phone when the girl who was one credit away from completing her alternative high school credential calls again to say she won’t make it in.

Her boy can’t give her a ride.

He didn’t finish school so she doesn’t need to either.

He doesn’t need her having options.

These girls were never stupid or weak. They were in love and they could not see past that love. They could not see the worth that bubbled in them like a geyser waiting to jettison into the world. My debut is not their story. It is a work of fiction, though my inspiration for the book grew out of my time with these girls and so many others. Listening to their stories made one rise in me. And I hope my debut helps end a culture of blaming the girl—writing her off as damaged—just because she falls for the boy who wants to control her.

The Girl Who Fell is about a strong, powerful, beautiful girl who falls in love. Falls deeply. Physically. Mentally. Falls so hard that the line between Before Love and After Love starts to blur. Her priorities change. Her focus shifts. And why wouldn’t it? Who doesn’t want to feel love and feel loved?

The Girl Who Fell has swooning (and much of it).

There is love.

There is kindness and tenderness and trust.

Until there isn’t.

I want to thank Shannon for being our guest and sharing her inspiration for The Girl Who Fell! By way of introduction to our readers, here’s Shannon’s bio:

SHANNON PARKER lives on the Atlantic coast in a house full of boys. She’s traveled to over three dozen countries and has a few dozen more to go. She works in education and can usually be found rescuing dogs, chickens, old houses and wooden boats. Shannon has a weakness for chocolate chip cookies and ridiculous laughter—ideally, at the same time. The Girl Who Fell is her first novel.

If you’re like me, this post raises questions in your mind. Fortunately, Shannon is here for a Q&A:

Julie: I loved The Girl Who Fell! Knowing what moved you to tell Zephyr’s story made it even more compelling, but it also made me curious! First, when did you realize you wanted to write? Did you always plan to write novels, or did your work with at-risk youth create that desire in you?

Shannon: Thank you so much for having me here, Julie! I’m thrilled that you loved The Girl Who Fell! I’ve been writing most of my life, for work and pleasure. I started writing novels about six years ago, mostly quiet middle grade novels that were honestly pretty boring. I really found my literary voice when I set out to write Zephyr’s story.

Julie: It must have been exciting when Zephyr’s story started to come together. Did you know right away that this story was “the one?” Could you tell as you wrote that this book was different from your earlier attempts? When did you first realize this was the book that would be your debut?

Shannon: Setting Zephyr’s story to paper was exhilarating and petrifying all at once. I wasn’t sure the story would sell. In fact, even after I sold the book I was totally prepared for Simon & Schuster to call and say, “Um…, yeah. We meant to send that contract to SHARON M. Parker.” Ha! Kidding, but not. My debut is edgier than anything I’d written previously, which made the entire writing experience different. But if felt authentic and that’s what kept me going. All along I was acutely aware that IF the manuscript ever sold, it would need to find a home with an editor that was willing to take risks. I’m forever grateful The Girl Who Fell found that editor in Nicole Ellul.

Julie: Thanks for that honest answer! I can’t help but also wonder what thoughts you had about reactions. I know Zephyr wasn’t inspired by any one girl, but did you ever imagine some of the girls you’ve worked with reading the book, and did you worry how they might react? Did thoughts about reactions from anyone else—family and friends, for instance–ever threaten your process?

Shannon: Oh, sure! I’m pretty much crippled with worry about my book. I was worried when my mom read it–no joke! It’s edgy. The main character experiences her sexual awakening and I’ve always feared the backlash for acknowledging a teenage girl’s sexuality on the page. I wanted Zephyr to own her sexuality and her experimentation and I knew that would cross a line for many people. This never hindered my writing process, though because the sexuality—the total intoxication of first love—had to read authentically. The reader has to believe that a strong, driven young woman could fall prey to a manipulator. So, it’s intense.

The greatest shock has come from feedback from early adult readers. Almost every woman who has read my book has told me about their story, their daughter’s story, their best friend’s story. All hauntingly similar to Zephyr’s story. So many women have lived a similar story. Survived it. The sheer numbers of woman who can relate has been a real eye-opener.

I want to thank Shannon for being our guest! Here’s more about The Girl Who Fell, which releases from Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse on March 1, 2016.

His obsession.

Her fall.

Zephyr is focused. Focused on leading her team to the field hockey state championship and leaving her small town for her dream school, Boston College.

But love has a way of changing things.

Enter the new boy in school: the hockey team’s starting goaltender, Alec. He’s cute, charming, and most important, Alec doesn’t judge Zephyr. He understands her fears and insecurities—he even shares them. Soon, their relationship becomes something bigger than Zephyr, something she can’t control, something she doesn’t want to control.

Zephyr swears it must be love. Because love is powerful, and overwhelming, and…terrifying?

But love shouldn’t make you abandon your dreams, or push your friends away. And love shouldn’t make you feel guilty—or worse, ashamed.

So when Zephyr finally begins to see Alec for who he really is, she knows it’s time to take back control of her life.

If she waits any longer, it may be too late.

Doesn’t that sound amazing? I was lucky enough to read an ARC of The Girl Who Fell, and I can tell you that it is a powerful read.

And now I want to invite our readers into the conversation. What are your thoughts on books that deal with difficult issues? Do you have any questions or comments for Shannon? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

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We’re going to throw something different into the mix today: a post about screenwriting mistakes. This is an important post for all writers to read, including novelists, because the same advice can easily be translated to your fiction stories as you set out on the query trail.

For those who know us well and have read our books, especially The Positive Trait and Negative Trait Thesaurus books, you know we are huge supporters of writers learning from screenwriters and screenwriting structure techniques. One of our favorite instructors is Michael Hauge in fact, so much so that we’re bringing on a Story Structure tool that incorporates the 6-Stage structure model over at One Stop For Writers. (You can find out more about that incredible bit of news [and sneak-a-peek at what it looks like] HERE.)

All right, time to hand things over to our guest today, Norman Arvidsson. Please read on!

 “The Play’s the Thing” – Unless You are Committing These 10 Errors

90% of the scripts registered with the WGA are never completely read by script readers. They are rejected early on by readers who are overworked and pretty intolerant of basic errors that would-be screenwriters make. If you want to be in the 10% that get fully read and receive that call for further discussion, then don’t make these 10 fatal errors.

1. Poor Development of the Main Character(s)

There are several potential goofs in the area of character development.

• First, don’t write physical descriptions of your main character(s). You may have a picture in your mind of a character, but first readers don’t want that picture. They want to develop their own physical picture as they read the script. It can be irritating to a reader to have a physical description forced on them in the beginning.
• Second, the character must face at least one issue that is big enough, even in comedies. If s/he does not, then there is no way the script can ever be translated into a full length play or movie.
• Third, the character has to stay in character. Yes, events may change his/her mind about something, but the basic personality has to stay.

The way to avoid problems with consistency of character is to have your entire plot at least outlined before you begin to write page one. If you develop your plot as you go along, then you are trying to make your characters “fit” into a plot you are continually developing. It never works.

2. Poor Structure

If you are writing a script, it is assumed that you understand the components. You have to include each of those components in sequential order, and the readers has to be able to locate them as the script is reviewed. Of course, you know that you have to have an initial incident or conflict, followed by that initial turning point, the mid-point, a second turning point and then the climax and resolution. If you cannot identify these elements in your own script, something is wrong. The best way to avoid this is to have a storyboard before you begin to write. You are then able to label each plot section, know that your sequencing is correct, and see that each component is actually there.

3. Too Long/Too Short

One of the first things a script reader will look at is the length. These people know what you should know too. A script has to be between 90 – 140 pages. If it is too short, you have either left out important plot elements or truncated some of the scenes. If it’s too long, you have irrelevant content and scenes are too long. When scripts are not a reasonable length, the issue is usually poor structure. Return to your storyboard, take each section, read through that section of script and determine its “tightness.” If your script is too long, are you be-laboring dialogue by repeating a characters thoughts? If it is too short, do you need to develop an element further through more dialogue? The other possible problem, of course, is that the issue/conflict is not complex enough for a full-length script. Then you are back at square one.

4. Giving the Reader too Much Character and Scene Description

Script readers are very good with “filling in the blanks.” And they want to read something that lets them get their own mental pictures. So dump the long descriptions of the settings and characters. Descriptions should be minimal – just a couple of phrases. If you want excellent examples of this, pick up a copy of a Shakespearian play and read the descriptions at the beginning of the scenes.

5. Bad Writing (avoid writing mistakes)

Script readers are pretty much well-schooled in grammar, word usage, spelling and punctuation. They are happy to forgive a few typos, and of course there are grammatical and agreement errors in the dialogue of characters who are supposed to have them. But beyond that you really need to avoid writing mistakes. Script readers are easily irritated by these types of errors, and that irritation will carry over to their overall feeling about your work. If you struggle with grammar and composition, find someone who is more expert to edit your script.

6. Unoriginal Plot and/or Characters (Derivatives)

Of course you have your favorite authors and playwrights. We all do. But your love for a particular character or story line cannot carryover to your writing. Find inspiration for characters elsewhere – life is full of them. Use combinations of people you know or have known, unless, of course, your work is based upon some prominent real person. Script readers are looking for originality and they can pick up derivatives pretty quickly (so can an audience).

7. Tired Dialogue

What no one wants to read or hear is dialogue that is filled with tired and overworked phrases or clichés. It’s not fresh and original, and you work will be in the 90% rejection pile. As you write, flag those parts of dialogue that seem “tired” or worn and move on so you don’t disrupt your flow. You have time to think about fresh ways to say something later on. Go back to those flagged pieces when you are finished, get some ideas from other creatives you know, and freshen up those spots.

8. Characters Who “Tell”

The whole point of a screen play is to tell a story through the actions and dialogue of the characters. When a character says, “I am really angry with you” to another character, you are boring an audience. When characters say, “I love you” too much to each other, you are boring an audience. These things need to be shown not told. If you have a character who is angry, in love, in crisis, etc., go back and study movies or plays in which characters had these emotions and issues. Get some ideas about how to show them through dialogue and nonverbal behaviors.

9. Not Resolving Every Conflict/Issue

This is known as “fudging” and it does not work. If you have not resolved everything by the end of your script, do not submit it. You cannot just gloss over stuff and hope it is not detected. It will be detected, your story will not be complete, and your submission will be rejected. You have to wrap everything up and “tie a bow” on it. Go back to your storyboard. Find every conflict and issue. Then mark on that storyboard where it has been resolved. Resolution of all means you have a “tight” plot, and this is what script readers must see.

10. Format Issues

Don’t have your script rejected because you failed to follow proper format. If you don’t understand format for submissions, then get thee to a website that explains it or check with someone who is “in the know.” This is the easiest error of all to correct.

There are lots of reasons why scripts are rejected. Don’t count on a script reader to provide the details for why yours has been. S/he doesn’t know you personally and does not have the time to give feedback unless there is interest. Screenwriting is a creative art to be sure, but there is also a “science” involved. These 10 errors are part of that “science,” and they are critical.

Norman Arvidsson is a freelance web developer with more than two years of experience behind him and also a contributing blogger.

He is interested in web-design, web development, motivation, online education and personal growth. You can contact him through his Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn.

Have any questions about these 10 error to avoid? What would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments!

 

The post Why Scripts Are Rejected: 10 Screenwriting Errors To Avoid appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS™.

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I remember going to the Kindling Words conference in Vermont and seeing early sketches and story ideas for Sarah Dillard's MOUSE SCOUTS, so I am thrilled to have her on today to talk about these adorable books which are finally in print!

MOUSE SCOUTS
by Sarah Dillard
      Mouse Scouts took a long time to write. It started as a picture book, spent some time as a graphic novel and finally found its place as a chapter book.
      In the beginning they weren't even scouts. There was just Violet and Tigerlily, two mice who were best of friends but very opposite. I loved the characters and wrote many different versions of their story, but something just wasn’t working. One day I was talking about it with my agent, the fabulous Lori Nowicki. She said that they really needed something to do; just being best friends who were opposite really wasn't quite enough to sustain a story. We bounced some ideas off of each other, and then one of us, I can't even remember if it was me or Lori, said MOUSE SCOUTS! From that point on, that was what they were.      I was never much of a Girl Scout myself. My older sisters were both scouts and I was fascinated by their Girl Scout Handbooks and their badges. I couldn’t wait to be a Girl Scout myself. I was so proud when I was finally a Brownie, and I remember how magical my Flying Up ceremony felt. But Girl Scouts itself was a disappointment for me. At meetings we talked about hygiene and made macaroni necklaces.   There was a miserable sleep over at Camp Green Eyrie, our local Girl Scout Camp. It was cold, damp and smelled like Pine Sol. We slept in musty sleeping bags, in cabins with dirt floors. For breakfast there was gluey oatmeal with cold hard raisins. I never earned many badges, but I remember taking some off of my sisters’ badge sashes and sewing them on to mine. I was not a very good Girl Scout and it wasn’t long before I drifted away from it.
      So before writing Mouse Scouts I felt that I really had to do some research about what scouting was all about. I got a hold of the current Girl Scout Handbook and Badge book and read it cover to cover. On a visit to my husband's parents, we found his old Webolos and Wolf Scout handbooks. I felt like I was starting to get a grasp of scouting but something was missing. Then one day we were at a flea market and I found the exact same Girl Scout manual of my sisters that I had loved. All of my early memories of dreaming of being a Girl Scout came back.       Originally, Violet and Tigerlily lived in a world of mice. They had computers, bicycles and all of the accoutrements of their human contemporaries. Other than their appearance, there really wasn’t anything mouse-like about them. I started to wonder what it would be like if they were mice living in a human world. It was a hard decision at first. There were many things that I liked about their mouse world that I would lose if I put them in a human world. It was like reaching a fork in the road, and I struggled for a while deciding which direction to go in. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that mice living in a human world would be much more interesting. It would emphasize the mouse like aspects of Mouse Scouting and serve to differentiate them from Girl Scouts. I drew on my memories of books like the Borrowers, The Rescuers and Stuart Little.
      The art for Mouse Scouts is black and white, except for the covers. This was something new for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed working on it. I started with pencil drawings, using water soluble graphite pencils. I love how you can go into the drawing with a damp brush and get wonderful gray tones. Then I put the drawings into photoshop to clean them up a little and make them richer. It has been fun playing with working digitally and it turned out to be a godsend for me. Soon after I started on the art for the first book, my mother became ill. I found myself dividing my time between my home in Vermont and Massachusetts caring for my mother. Working digitally meant that I could just pick up and go at any time and set up shop where ever I happened to be.      Spending so much time in the house where I grew up gave me a window to my childhood self. While going through things in the attic I came across some mouse dolls that I treasured as a child. They now sit next to me while I work. They are a great reference for scale. One day I was looking at them, remembering how I used to play with them in the woods, taking them on camping trips and other adventures. I realized then that in many ways my life hasn’t changed very much since I was eight.

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Please give a warm welcome to Susanna Carr!  She’s here to discuss a forbidden romance – the stepbrother hero! 

When my readers hear that the hero in Illicit Night with the Greek is the heroine’s stepbrother, the response is mixed. Some adore the story set-up while others avoiding books featuring the stepbrother hero.

Although I have read the occasional stepbrother hero over the years, it’s not a romance story I actively seek out. However, I’ve read more than a few in the past year just by chance because the stepbrother hero is becoming more popular these days in romance fiction. Some think it’s because the stepbrother is one of the last taboos. I’m not so sure. I think many writers prefer telling a story about a couple who already have an established relationship. Why not write about a hero who is part of the family? The conflict, risk factor and emotional angst are already built in!

It’s not unlike the brother’s best friend, another type of hero that has enjoyed a surge of popularity in romances for the past few years. The hero and heroine know each other for years. The brother’s best friend may have stood in as a big brother or saw the heroine as a little sister. And suddenly the relationship changes.

But there is one big difference between the two types of heroes. There’s no “like family” in this equation. They are family. The stepbrother is familiar and yet forbidden. This relationship changes everything and can rock the foundation of the family structure. There is also a risk of censure. It doesn’t matter if the couple is comprised of consenting adults and not related by blood—society still expects that their relationship remains platonic.

What do you think about the stepbrother hero? Do you seek out the stories or do you avoid them?

 

Publisher: Harlequin Presents
Publication Date: February 1
Romance sub-genre: contemporary romance
Book length: 192 pages
Goodreads link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25897411-illicit-night-with-the-greek

Order links:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Illicit-Night-Greek-One-Consequences-ebook/dp/B0111OWG5U/
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/illicit-night-with-the-greek-susanna-carr/1122252493?ean=9781488000621
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Susanna_Carr_Illicit_Night_with_the_Greek?id=YNkaCgAAQBAJ
iBooks:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/illicit-night-with-the-greek/id1016372376?mt=11
Kobo:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/illicit-night-with-the-greek
Author links
Website: http://www.susannacarr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.SusannaCarr
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusannaCarr
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22371

Bio:

Readers throughout the world find Susanna Carr’s award-winning contemporary romances a delightful escape that has often helped them through difficult times. Reviewers describe her award-winning stories as “fun”, “sexy” and “a must read”. When she isn’t writing or spending time with her family in the Pacific Northwest, Susanna enjoys reading romance and connecting with readers online.

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How I wrote Blue Penguin
by Petr Horacek
     “Blue Penguin” is my latest book and was published exactly two years after I had the idea of writing a book about a penguin.
     I travel every autumn to the Czech Republic, the country where I was born. I love autumn and I love the Czech countryside.      My good friend lets me stay in his cottage. The house is on a hill, it has a small apple orchard and woods surround it.
     It’s one of the most beautiful places I know. I stay there on my own. I walk and paint in the woods and I think about new ideas for my picture books.      Every year I come home with some ideas. Not all of them are good of course, but I always have some material to work with.
     Two years ago I was in this cottage and I was raking leaves in the orchard. I thought about one of my friends who was always himself and because of it, he didn’t make his life exactly easy. People don’t like it if somebody is different. My friend Richard was a bit different and I liked being his friend.
     The idea of writing a book about a penguin that was different came from here I think. I enjoyed making up the story about a blue penguin, his loneliness, his dreaming up a whale who will rescue him one day and take him far away from his loneliness. He will finally meet a friend who understands him and appreciates his talent. These two will become friends.      In the very first version the blue penguin would finally separate from his new friend and he would leave with the white whale, but the story was a bit too sad.      My editor and I worked on the text for a very long time. I’m very lucky to be published by Walker Books and work with such a great team of people and editors who won’t let go until the book is just right.      I wrote many versions and it was quite frustrating since I was desperate to start on the artwork. I knew exactly how I would like to paint the pictures and I was looking forward to it.      Here are some of the sketches for the book. I think I must have at least fifteen versions of Blue Penguin.      Finally, after many months on and off rewriting the text, I was allowed to get on with the artwork.      Painting the picture was fun. I like to get messy and I use collage, print and scratch in to the picture. I like texture and colours and this book needed it.      I don’t know how long it took me to finish the illustrations, but I remember feeling a bit sad when it was all over. Somehow I wished the book had twice as many pages. Quite unusually even when the book was finished and ready to be printed, we decided to make a few more changes. That wasn’t easy, because I had to get rid of this picture.      It wasn’t easy, but it was a good decision. The book was finally finished.
     I enjoyed writing and illustrating Blue Penguin and I hope you will enjoy reading it.

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(PS: We always want the blog to talk about things our readers are interested in knowing! Please tell us if there are other aspects of publishing you’d like us to touch on here at the blog.)

Book Packagers are one of the most interesting components of the publishing industry. At least we think so, because we’re one of them! (Hello, we’re Paper Lantern Lit.) But there are also lots of questions about book packagers, such as:

1. What are they, exactly? What do they DO?
2. Why would a writer choose to work with a packager over the ‘traditional’ publishing model?
3. How does the editorial process differ from working directly with a publishing house?

At Paper Lantern Lit—which was co-founded over five years ago by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver and author/editor Lexa Hillyer— we want to unveil the mystery behind literary development and share why we think it’s the most exciting part of publishing for us, and for writers. That’s why we’ll be hosting a series of three columns on Publishing Crawl to share a bit about what we do, and hopefully answer the questions above in the process.

Traditionally, here’s how the game goes: you write a book. (Yay!) You revise, and revise, and revise said book. (Ugh.) Then you get an agent, and possibly revise it even more. Then that agent tries to sell the book to a publisher, and if that happens, everyone celebrates.

But a packager, or literary development company, is not a publisher. We are more like a highly-trained, business and plot-savvy publishing partner. We work with writers, and together, we sell a book to a publishing house.

Let’s make like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music, and start at the very beginning.

The Spark: How we get ideas and how we work on them

At PLL, we are the ones who come up with the story ideas! That’s what we call a ‘spark.’ How do we come up with these ideas? Collaboratively. While working in solitude can be productive for a lot of writers, we have found that stories are strongest when we collaborate on them together, and later, with our authors and publishing partners. We have brainstorms multiple times per year, and we build the blueprints of the spark from there.

After a major brainstorm where we figure out the basic elements of the story (character, wants and needs, etc) the concept gets shaped and molded into a Three-Act or Outline. At the same time, we seek out the most promising writers to work with, and try to match our best ideas with the best voice.

 

The Blueprints: why work with Paper Lantern Lit?

Say you’re a writer who loves to write but hasn’t been able to finish a book. (Raise your hand if you’ve been there; you’re not alone.) Maybe you struggle with keeping a schedule, your ideas lose steam by the middle of Act 2, or you’re having trouble finding an idea in the first place. By working with PLL, you know exactly where your characters and the plot are going, and where they’ll end up.

There are plenty of other reasons to work with a company like PLL: you want to transition from your current genre to writing children’s or teen books, the manuscript you worked on hasn’t sold, you just finished writing a book and want to keep writing while you wait for a new idea to strike you…PLL is a great place for writers of all walks of life and experiences who want to refine their craft in a safe space, with people who teach you with patience, challenge you to reach new heights, and work with you long after the manuscript is sold to grow your brand.

 

The Architecture: Building the best story, as a team.

We find writers in a variety of ways: Sometimes by holding auditions, sometimes by partnering with a writer earlier on and tailoring the project to him or her. We often ask for samples and revisions before making a match.

So, once we’ve found our writer, they get to work on the initial chapters, with our guidance and input. Using some of the story material we’ve generated, plus an agreed-upon chunk of written chapters, we then set out to find the perfect publishing home for the project and the author.

Here’s where a lot of writers have questions: what happens after PLL sells the project? (Answer: we celebrate.) Does PLL just forget about it and leave it up to the publisher to do the rest? (Answer: no way.) Does the author get sidelined, because they did their job? (Answer: Double no way!)

PLL works with the author to figure out how to address any revisions and concerns the publisher may have. We’re there to explain the ins and outs of what’s going on, to help fix problems with the book itself, and to prepare for the actual experience of being published. We help keep the author on schedule, and of course, when it comes to marketing books and social media (a scary topic for a lot of authors) we have in-house marketing support dedicated to helping writers reach their goals. (Check back in January for our post on marketing from the packager perspective!)

So the answer to question #3 above is that the process isn’t very different. The only difference is that there is even MORE support for the author: between their PLL editor, publishing house editor, and both marketing teams, the goal is for them to never feel alone in the process. In the sometimes confusing world of book publishing, having that extra person (or five) to answer a question, send an email with an encouraging word, or advocate on your behalf is always a good thing.

The Unveiling: The final word on book packagers

One could argue that writing a book is as hard as constructing a building. (Bear with this metaphor.) You need a clear vision and a team with dedicated support and the proper skills to take raw materials and construct them into something beautiful. But when you work with Paper Lantern Lit, or any packager for that matter, the goal is to make the process a little simpler, by taking it one brick (or word) at a time.

There’s so much more we could say about literary development and Paper Lantern Lit, so if you have any questions, please post them in the comments! Our blog in February will answer them one by one. And next month: our post on marketing from the packager’s perspective.

Until then, you can find us online at www.PaperLanternLit.com or email us at [email protected]

—

Tara Sonin is the Marketing Manager for Paper Lantern Lit. She received her B.A. in Theater and English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Barnard College, Columbia University. She got her start in publishing as an Intern with Foundry Literary and Media. When not dreaming up catchy marketing campaigns and reading all the books she can get her hands on, Tara is usually found in Zumba classes or singing an eclectic repertoire of show tunes.

—

Paper lantern Lit (PLL) is a boutique team of editors and tastemakers who create story content across multiple forms. Founders Lexa Hillyer and New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver call themselves the “story architects” because they develop fabulous concepts from the ground-up and nurture up and coming writers, building a platform for success. They are represented by Stephen Barbara of Inkwell Management, and can be found online at paperlanternlit.com.

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Hey, Everyone! It’s Samantha Chase and I am super excited to be here today with all of you at the Manga Maniac Café and talking about the newest book in the Montgomery Brothers series, “I’ll Be There”. This is book six in the series and we are looking at the crankiest member of the family – Zach Montgomery. He has a good reason to be that way, but he’s making life crazy for everyone around him. You see…well, I’ll let him tell you about it.

Hey, ladies! Zach Montgomery here. I don’t know about you, but I am a total adrenaline junkie. Or…at least I used to be. I’m not jumping out of planes any time in the near future but man oh man did I have some great trips doing that sort of thing and more! I have some amazing memories from each and every one of my trips but I’ll give you some highlights – you know, just in case you’re looking for your own adrenaline rush!

1. Great Barrier Reef dive – I’m normally more of a land – or sky – adventurer, but when I’m in Australia, the water calls! There is so much to see beside the reef itself – scorpion fish, parrot fish, fusiliers, sea snakes, crabs, shrimp, starfish and octopus…just amazing!

2. Whitewater Rafting in Zambia – No two white water rafting trips are the same and I’ll try it wherever I travel to. A great day excursion while visiting Victoria Falls is an amazing way to view the scenery and also have a thrilling adventure.

3. CN Tower EdgeWalk – I have to admit, I wasn’t so sure about this one but I’m glad I did it. The world’s highest full-circle, hands-free walk lets you stroll the top edge of the Lookout Level pod, more than 1,150 feet above the streets, held by nothing but a safety harness. Just don’t look down!

4. Bungee Jump Stockhorn: Bernese Oberland Mountains Plunge – There is never too many bungee jumping options! And bungee jumping in the Alps is an incredible experience. Dive more than 400 feet from a gondola in the Swiss Alps on one of the world’s most amazing bungee jumps. Plummet towards a lake during the free fall with the Bernese Oberland Mountains as your backdrop before you’re lowered into a waiting boat.

5. Zapcat powerboating – When I heard inflatable, I didn’t think they’d be exciting. Boy was I wrong! These inflatable catamaran hulls decked out with powerful racing engines are built purely for speed, and therefore thrills. The Gs can be brutal, and the jumps will make you wonder whether you’re sailing or flying, but there are few things on water that beat these bad boys for bragging rights!

Book #6 in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Samantha Chase’s popular Montgomery series

This Montgomery Has a Head for Business
Working for Zach Montgomery is challenging on many levels-coming from a wealthy and powerful family, he lives by his own rules and doesn’t answer to anyone. But Gabriella Martine has no intention of backing down. She’s used to handling stubborn men, and it doesn’t hurt that Zach is smart, charismatic…and gorgeous.
And a Heart for Adventure
Zach’s perfect world is turned upside down when a climbing accident leaves him broken, angry, and maddeningly dependent. In his slow quest for recovery, Gabriella is always there to help…but as Zach comes to see his beautiful assistant in a new light, he is forced to re-evaluate what it really means to be a man worthy of Gabriella’s love.

Montgomery Brothers Series:
Wait for Me (Book 1)
Trust in Me (Book 2)
Stay with Me (Book 3)
Return to You (Book 4)
Meant for You (Book 5)
I’ll Be There (Book 6)

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Guest Post
by Dana Simpson
      Sometimes a unicorn turns up and changes your life. It happened to me.
      Some background: I wrote and drew a web comic called “Ozy and Millie” for ten years. I never meant it to be a web comic. I had visions of newspaper syndication in my head. I still have a stack of rejection letters from that time, in a drawer.
      I had nearly given up on that dream after a decade, though. I ended the strip and began assembling my portfolio to maybe pursue some other ways of making money from my art. It turned out that my 20-year-old self, who thought getting syndicated might happen quickly, was being a touch unrealistic. And then a friend told me that Universal Uclick was holding a talent search competition, one of the prizes of which was a development contract for a potential syndicated strip. And I thought “I’m as qualified to win this contest as anybody on the planet.”
      So I scraped together a 14-strip sample of a proposed new strip. I settled quickly on a protagonist: a dark-haired, freckle-faced little girl, who may bear at least a passing resemblance to a young me. I didn’t give her a name; I just called her “Girl.” Which was also the title of the strip. The concept was, she spent all her time hanging out in the forest with various talking animal friends, all of whom were called “Bird” or “Rabbit” or “Dragon.” They didn’t go by actual names, so neither did she. I still think that’s funny.
      I recycled some Ozy and Millie scripts, to get to 14 strips. It wasn’t a fully formed strip concept. It was a seed.
      And I won the contest, so I had to make the seed grow into something.
      Once again, my expectations were unrealistic. (I had just beaten a whole bunch of people in a contest; possibly it went to my head.) I thought “I’ll just flesh out this 14-strip sample, and it’ll get launched in papers, and that will be that.” It wasn’t that easy.
      I had to send in 30 strip roughs per month. So I started doing it. And the notes I got back, at first, were…less than encouraging.
      Among other criticisms, I kept hearing some version of “I don’t know who your main character is.” Which was fair. I didn’t know who she was either. Like all my characters, “Girl” was basically me, and I wasn’t even sure who I was at the time.      I was in the final phase of settling into a new gender. I had spent the previous few years moving myself from male to female, in the process resolving a lifetime of tension with myself.
      And when you do that, you have to reinvent yourself. Who are you on the other side of that divide? It’s a particularly salient question for a writer. And it was one I discovered I had no answer for yet. I quite simply didn’t know what I wanted to say, anymore. Or how, or about what.
      And so I flailed my way through a year of development, trying various ideas. My protagonist acquired the name “Phoebe,” after I was advised that a strip called “Girl” would be impossible to google.
      But I was told that the work I was doing was not good enough to syndicate. And I had to concede that was right. I got scared I was going to blow the opportunity I’d been trying to get for so very long. And then one day, a unicorn showed up.      At first, she was meant to be part of a one-off strip. The gag was that Phoebe is contemplating aloud whether an expectation is realistic…pan out, and we see she’s discussing this with a unicorn. Ha ha. But then the unicorn wouldn’t leave.
      I didn’t want her to leave, either. I saw immediately that the unicorn was exactly what the strip was missing. So I wrote her into some more strips. I named her Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, a name I got by typing my own name into an online unicorn name generator.      I knew quickly all the things she was. Vain, cheerfully arrogant, sometimes wise in a hoof-gazing sort of way. And when I made her Phoebe’s best friend, I understood who Phoebe was, too. Their relationship clicked, the strip launched, and now it’s in a lot of newspapers, and the two book collections have been successful. And that’s how I made “Phoebe and Her Unicorn.”
      But Marigold didn’t just show me who Phoebe was. Marigold and Phoebe together helped me find who I was, as a writer and as a woman.
      I’m the lady who makes the unicorns. And I have the best job in the entire world.
Dana's workspace.

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Guest Post: 5 Things a Lady Trickster Never Leaves Home Without by Alissa Johnson

I’m delighted to introduce A Talent for Trickery, the first book in my new Victorian-set “Thief-takers” series. Our hero, Private Investigator Owen Renderwell, is on the hunt for a thief and murderer. And he knows just how to catch his man. All he needs is a little help from our heroine, Miss Charlotte Walker-Bales. The daughter of an infamous confidence man, Lottie is in a unique position to offer insight into the mind and motives of a hardened criminal. There’s just one flaw in Owen’s otherwise excellent plan. Lottie hasn’t spoken to him in eight years. She has no interest in working alongside a man of the law, and certainly not the one who betrayed her trust, endangered her family, and broke her heart.

To celebrate Lottie’s unusual background, I’ve compiled a list of five things Lottie would never leave home without.

1. Lock Picks. Two of the earliest lessons Lottie learned from her father were how to open a locked door, and how to free herself from a set of manacles. Good lock picks are an essential tool in every thief’s bag of tricks. Hair pins, however, will do in a pinch.

2. Hidden pockets. These days, Lottie is focused more on keeping her family safe than she is on fleecing an unsuspecting population, but there was a time when she would have had hidden pockets sewn into all her gowns. Those filched goodies had to go somewhere.

3. If going a long distance – A carriage. There are a lot of things Lottie does well, but riding a horse is not one of them. If she has reason to go further than her legs can take her, she goes by horse-drawn carriage or railway.

4. Her accomplice. Lottie never worked alone.

5. A cover story. Few people know that Lottie, Esther and Peter Bales are, in reality, the Walker family—children of the late, but still reviled confidence man, William Walker. They have an entirely fabricated family history, and Lottie needs to remember every detail of it. All the time. One slip-up, and the entire house of cards she built to protect her siblings could come crashing down.

Book Information

Title: A Talent For Trickery

Author: Alissa Johnson

Release Date: November 3, 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Historical Romance

Series: The Thief-takers, Book 1

Summary

The Lady is a Thief

Years ago, Owen Renderwell earned acclaim-and a title-for the dashing rescue of a kidnapped duchess. But only a select few knew that Scotland Yard’s most famous detective was working alongside London’s most infamous thief…and his criminally brilliant daughter, Charlotte Walker.

Lottie was like no other woman in Victorian England. She challenged him. She dazzled him. She questioned everything he believed and everything he was, and he has never wanted anyone more. And then he lost her.

Now a private detective on the trail of a murderer, Owen has stormed back into Lottie’s life. She knows that no matter what they may pretend, he will always be a man of the law and she a criminal. Yet whenever he’s near, Owen has a way of making things complicated…and long for a future that can never be theirs.

Buy Links

Amazon: http://bit.ly/AmazonTalentTrickery

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/BNTalentTrickery

Sourcebooks: http://www.sourcebooks.com/store/talent-for-trickery.html

Author Biography

Alissa Johnson is a RITA-nominated author of historical romance. She grew up on Air Force bases and attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota. She currently resides in the Arkansan Ozarks where she spends her free time keeping her Aussie dog busy, visiting with family, and dabbling in archery.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://www.alissajohnson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alissa.johnson.313

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alissajohnson2

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1983627.Alissa_Johnson

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Becca and I see certain questions pop up in our email boxes over and over, and one that always comes up during NaNoWriMo season is the question of how many POVs a novel should have.

Like so many questions, this isn’t a cut-and-dry answer; so much depends on the type of story being told, what the author needs to achieve through multiple POVs, and to a lesser degree, the experience of the writer themselves. So I’m happy author Marcy Kennedy is here with some excellent metrics to consider when planning a novel and choosing how many POV characters to include.

One of the most common challenges for us as writers is deciding how many point-of-view characters we should use, and yet a lot of the advice we hear can be too generic. Use the right number for your genre. Don’t use more than three.

While those tips are good general advice, they’re often not specific enough to actually answer our question. Our story might seem to need more than the standard advice would recommend. Or there might not even be a “standard” for our genre. How do we decide how many point-of-view characters to include?

One technique we can use for figuring out what’s best for our individual story is to write down all the potential point-of-view characters we might want to use, and then ask ourselves the following questions.

Who is the protagonist?

Our protagonist is the person whose goal drives the story. Most of the time, we need our protagonist to also be a point-of-view character (and to receive the majority of our scenes). Identify them first, and then you don’t have to consider them in the rest of the questions.

Would it improve the story to include scenes from the antagonist’s viewpoint?

In some stories, we don’t want to delve into the mind of our antagonist, either because the antagonist is an especially twisted villain or because revealing the identity or plans of the antagonist would ruin the tension. In other stories, knowing the antagonist and his or her plans increases the tension as readers worry about whether our heroes will spot the trap in time.

What’s the scope of our story?

An epic fantasy spanning five planets where the fate of the galaxy is at stake might require more point-of-view characters than the coming-of-age story of a young woman in feudal Japan. Generally speaking, the smaller the scope, the fewer point-of-view characters we need. The larger the scope, the more we can reasonably use, but that doesn’t mean we must or should—which is where the other questions come in.

Does every potential point-of-view character influence the plot in a significant way?

This is a good question for checking that each potential point-of-view character is essential. If a character could be cut without having to change the plot in any significant way, or if another character could easily step in and take their place, they probably aren’t a good choice for a point-of-view character because they’re expendable.

Does including this point-of-view character’s perspective enhance the theme?

Theme is always a tricky area for writers. We don’t want readers to feel like we’re beating them over the head with our message. Theme should develop through our main character’s growth arc and the challenging decisions they face, but another way to enhance our theme is to have characters approach it from varying angles and to take different sides on the issue. Those other characters don’t necessarily need to be point-of-view characters, though. So what we want to look at is whether we need to be inside a character to truly understand their opinion and stance on the issue.

Say we’re writing a mystery and we have a detective and her partner. The detective is our protagonist. She’s the one driving our story. So do we also need scenes from the viewpoint of her partner? Maybe, maybe not.

If he’s only there to be her sounding board, then we probably never need to go into his head. But, instead, if they’re investigating a crime involving a local church and her partner is a devout Christian, then his perspective on the events and on the people involved would add new layers we couldn’t develop if all we had was the viewpoint of our atheist detective.

Which characters play a key role at the climax of the novel?

Our whole story builds up to the climax or the “final battle” where our characters fight the antagonist. The characters who are instrumental during this climax are the ones who are most important in the story. These are also good characters to consider for roles as point-of-view characters. If a character isn’t involved in the climax of the story, that’s a clue they might not be important enough to be a point-of-view character.

How many scenes might I give this character in their point of view?

If we’re only considering giving them one or two scenes, it usually means we want to make this person a point-of-view character to shoehorn in information or to show a part of the story that doesn’t need to be shown. Those aren’t good reasons to make someone a point-of-view character.

Each point-of-view character we include needs to have goals, motivations, and stakes within the story and to give a valuable, necessary perspective on the situation.

POINT OF VIEW IN FICTION:

Point of view is the foundation upon which all other elements of the writing craft stand—or fall.

It’s the opinions and judgments that color everything the reader believes about the world and the story. It’s the voice of the character that becomes as familiar to the reader as their own. It’s what makes the story real, believable, and honest.

Yet, despite its importance, point-of-view errors are the most common problem for fiction writers.

In Point of View in Fiction: A Busy Writer’s Guide, you’ll learn

• the strengths and weaknesses of the four different points of view you can choose for your story (first person, second person, limited third person, and omniscient),
• how to select the right point of view for your story,
• how to maintain a consistent point of view throughout your story,
• practical techniques for identifying and fixing head-hopping and other point-of-view errors,
• the criteria to consider when choosing the viewpoint character for each individual scene or chapter,
• and much more!

Amazon | iTunes | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Marcy Kennedy is the author of the bestselling Busy Writer’s Guides series, which focuses on giving authors deep teaching while still respecting their time. You can find her blogging about writing and about the place where real life meets science fiction, fantasy, and myth on her website.

Have a POV question for Marcy? This is an excellent opportunity to pick her brain on all things Point-of-view!

 

The post How to Decide How Many POV Characters Our Book Needs appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS™.

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Today, we’re kicking off a mini tour for Sarah Fine’s upcoming book The Impostor Queen! Sarah is one of our favorite authors here at The Midnight Garden, and we’re all pretty excited about her new series. About the Book: Publication Date: January 5th, 2015 The elders chose Elli to be queen, but they chose wrong in this beautifully crafted novel in the tradition of Kristin Cashore and Victoria Aveyard. Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule. But when the queen dies defending the kingdom... Read more »

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Hi everyone–I hope you had a terrific weekend and are in the mood to learn. Today I’m handing over the blog keys to Rachel Starr Thomson, one of editors who have jointly written 5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing. I’m excited about this venture of Rachel’s as the book  features more than sixty detailed Before and After examples of flawed and corrected passages to help authors learn to spot flaws in their writing. Seeing real examples is a great way to elevate your writing.

The Fatal Flaw of Underwriting

Fundamentally, when we write a story, we want to connect with readers’ emotions. Engage emotion. Elicit it. Give readers a story they don’t just learn but one they feel and will never forget.

Yet emotion is one of the story elements most commonly underwritten—and underwriting in general tends to harm emotional connection the most.

Underwriting is just what it sounds like: it’s the failure to put things on the page that need to be there. When somebody picks up a gun and fires it off, and we didn’t know there was a gun on stage, that’s underwriting. When someone makes a decision completely out of the blue, leaving us not so much surprised as confused, that’s underwriting. When a story just plain doesn’t make sense, it’s probably underwritten.

And when no matter how hard you try, you just can’t give a damn about the characters? Most likely underwriting is at fault.

Why We Underwrite

The dirty little secret, though? Underwriting is sometimes (often) a direct result of following editorial advice like “show, don’t tell,” and “make sure your scenes are active and full of conflict” and “don’t info dump or fill your scenes with backstory.”

As an editor who also writes stuff (a lot of stuff), allow me to eat humble pie and tell you that sometimes we push you to strip so much out of your story that it ends up gasping for breath, struggling to hang on to a shred of character or conflict that anyone cares about.

I’ve been there. I once misinterpreted “show don’t tell” so horrendously that I thought it meant everything had to be conveyed through action and dialogue alone, and I was never allowed to include thoughts or backstory. Talk about gutting a book!

Connecting

Underwriting hurts emotional connection so badly because it turns everything 2D. We lose contact with really essential parts of our stories, settings, and characters when we fail to include what needs to be there.

In particular, these three often-underwritten areas can make or break connection:

Process. When your character goes from decision point A (“I will not go to the ball”) to decision point B (“I will go to the ball”), and we didn’t see any of the decision process, it’s impossible to feel invested in the question. The Rule of Three is helpful here: in a decision of midlevel importance (meaning it’s more important than “I think I’ll brush my teeth” and less important than “I think I’ll marry the hero after all”), show three stages of the decision-making progress.

I will not go to the ball.

1. But then I just learned my best friend is going.
2. If my best friend goes, she will exceed my popularity.
3. If she exceeds my popularity, I will lose the interest of the prince.

I will go to the ball after all.

Reaction. In my clients’ manuscripts, it’s amazing how often something will happen that ought to get a reaction from the POV character … and it doesn’t. I mean, somebody’s mother might have just died, and we get crickets. When you’re in POV you always always always have to react. Even if you don’t react, it has to be because you’re being so darn deliberate about not reacting. If the temperature drops, shiver. If someone dies, cry. If someone says something provocative, have an opinion about it.

Many times, I’ve had a client return a manuscript after revision, and simply by adding reaction—usually in the form of a thought, shown through deep POV—they had absolutely transformed the story. A character who responds to things is alive, and through that character, the story can be experienced at far greater depth.

The Thoughts Behind Emotion. This is a biggie, and it’s where “show don’t tell” can be so incredibly damaging when misunderstood. We know not to write “She was angry.” So instead, many writers revert to writing “body emotions”: “She ground her teeth.” “She turned red.” This makes for a lot of odd and sometimes unclear images, but it doesn’t connect us to the character’s emotion at all. We see her feeling something; we don’t feel it. The best way to convey emotion, it turns out, is to write thoughts. We feel in response to things we’re thinking. So do our characters. If you can show what they are thinking, nine times out of ten you can make an emotional connection with your readers.

Words are the stuff of our worlds. Without words to translate into vivid images, actions, thought processes, emotions, settings, and more, none of those things can exist. So underwriting is actually as great a danger to a novelist as overwriting—perhaps even a greater one.

Thankfully, underwriting not irreparable. In fact, when we go and fill in the gaps, we might just discover the missing heart of our own stories.

Rachel Starr Thomson is the author of eighteen novels. As an editor and writing coach, she has helped writers achieve their best work for over a decade—so she’s thrilled to contribute to The Writer’s Toolbox series, which gives fiction writers everything they need to know to create compelling, solid stories, with 5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing.

You can check out all Rachel’s books at her website.

Which of these three areas of underwriting do you struggle with? Let us know in the comments!

 

The post The Fatal Flaw of Underwriting appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS™.

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A Conversation with Mary Ann McCabe Riehle and Mary Reaves Uhles, creators of The Little Kids' Table
      THE LITTLE KIDS' TABLE, published in September from Sleeping Bear Press, follows a group of cousins visiting their grandmother's house for a family dinner. From peas in the milk to a Labradoodle in the middle of the table, chaos reigns and manners are nowhere to be found. Without a doubt, THE LITTLE KIDS' TABLE is where all the fun happens.

      MU: THE LITTLE KIDS' TABLE feels like it comes from some real life inspiration... what's your own best little kid's table memory? And was there a real life Daisy?

     MAR: Well, there was not a real life Daisy, but there is a real life Uncle Fred! His character in the book and willingness to sit with the little kids’ or interact with them and perhaps even encourage some of the antics is based in real life. That’s the original inspiration for the book. Oh, and there is not a real life Aunt Nancy, at least in our family, but it does rhyme with “fancy” so she’s in!
     Now back to your question about the dog...The dog, Daisy, is sort of a combination of Fred’s dog, Gracie, and our dog, Bisbee. Both real dogs were rescues and mixed breeds or “mutts” as some might call them but I purposely decided to make Daisy a Labradoodle because I thought the reader would find it a fun word to say. I thought Daisy would be a dog likely to be loved even after causing all of the upset at the dinner tables...just like Gracie who was very energetic as a young pup and often ran in and under the table...so fast that it could startle you and cause you to spill your food or drink. Bisbee just loved people and wanted to be wherever they gathered.
     As far as other real life inspiration, as my dedication mentions, my daughters, nieces and nephews were the best resources. One of the things they shared with me is the part in the book about never wanting to leave your seat at the little kids’ table because you never knew what might happen to your plate of food. Nothing ever got totally out of hand but there was a lot of silly stuff going on at their table! Even today, though many of them are young adults, they still enjoy sitting together.
      Did you have people you know in mind when you illustrated the characters? Did you give the characters in the book names?
      MU: I love that story about Uncle Fred, it seems like I had the exact same vision of Uncle Fred without even knowing it... I just knew he would put a spoon on his nose. What a great question about whether I gave them names... I did, sort of. I named them like my kids name their stuffed animals (Cat, Pink Dog): The boy who is the narrator throughout I thought of as MC, as in Main Character. His brother was Little Brother and the twins became Glasses and Ponytail. About 3 months into my process the boy cousin was added. Because I had created items to “accompany” each kid throughout the book – the robot, the ketchup bottle - this new kid had to have something too. So I gave him the monkey bear and his name became Monkeybear. As for people I had in mind.... I don't know that I had actual people in mind but I did create backstories for all of them that I sent to the art director with my initial sketches. I wanted them each to have individual personalities that I could refer to when making choices about expression. For example if Aunt Nancy is more straight-laced than Grandma Mable then she's going to be justifiably more outraged with the antics from the kids. And I wanted to hint at Uncle Fred's “real self” with his own obvious dismay at the broccoli casserole. Now what's interesting is that my in-laws DO have a poodle named Daisy. She's not a big dog like Daisy in the book but she does have a wild tail that is capable of knocking over stuff if it were attached to a bigger dog. That Daisy is white so I always imagined literary Daisy as a white dog. Some readers may know that in publishing the story is written and edited a long time (sometimes years) before the illustrator takes over. Seems like the first copy I saw of the manuscript had a 2013 date on it!
     Can you tell us a little about your writing journey for THE LITTLE KIDS' TABLE?
      MAR: It has been such a long journey some of those little kids that inspired the book are now grown-ups! The first line of the book was in my mind for many years but I just never took the time to put it on paper and take it to the next line or step in the process. Let that be a lesson to those hoping to get published someday...you have to write it down in order to have it become a book! When I finally did turn in a manuscript it took several months before I heard that Sleeping Bear Press wanted to publish it and then about six months before I saw the first sketches. Even as an author, I find it difficult to put into words how excited I was to see your sketches. I was so impressed and that’s when the possibility of the book began to seem real to me. That was in September of 2014 and our book was officially released September of 2015. What a difference a year makes!!!

      MU: Very true about what a difference a year makes! As is usual in publishing, we had no contact while I was working on the illustrations. Any contact would have been through our editors and art directors at Sleeping Bear. Did you see sketches or illos in progress? When did you get to see the full finished thing?

      MAR: The lack of contact between us on this project may surprise some folks. I am still in awe of how you were able to capture in pictures what I had pictured in my mind when writing. As an author I would never tell an illustrator what to draw or expect them to tell me what to write. I think that’s a sign of mutual respect. I trust your talents. The editors are able to work with us on specific word choices or sketch ideas for illustration. I’ll gladly leave that to them. I was happy with how you were able to illustrate some of the written work that had to be edited for word count. My original manuscript was about three times longer than the final draft. For example, I had written descriptions of the table settings but it was all made obvious in the illustrations. A verse about one of the cousins helping Daisy escape by unlocking the doggie gate was cut from an original draft but still remains part of the plot through illustration. I saw the final, ready for bookshelf copy of THE LITTLE KIDS' TABLE when it was delivered to my front door at the end of August. The UPS man must have wondered what he’d just dropped off since I reacted with such unbridled glee when I realized what it was.
      MU: I have to say hearing that makes me so happy.... while I was proud of the characters, and to me they were “my family” for a year, in the back of my mind... usually late at night ... I would worry “I sure hope the writer likes these guys.” For the readers' info, I first saw the manuscript on March 20, 2014 and my deadline was March 1st of 2015 so I lived with the family for a 345 days. I worked on bringing them to life almost every day during that time. I actually sent the final files to Sleeping Bear on February 28th and I remember being sad that I wouldn't have them on my drawing table anymore.Do you have a favorite spread from the finished book?

      MAR: I really do love them all but I suppose if I had to pick one it would be the last page. That’s where the antics are at full tilt but kids and grown-ups are all in it together. Then again, I love the very first page where all is calm. The love shown from Grandpa’s smile and greeting at the door to the hugs from Grandma are just priceless. That’s what it’s really all about, from page one to the end of the book...it may get a bit chaotic when family gathers together but it’s the being together that matters most.Was there anything that got "edited" or changed from your illustrations that you found difficult to leave out of the book?

      MU: Nothing huge but initially Grandpa had a Hawaiian shirt! My first instructions from the art director were to not make this an obvious holiday, like Christmas. So I went waaay overboard on not being Christmas and made it a summer party. You should have seen my first sketches returned - every page had the red editor's pen on it! But that was because they actually did want the family to be in winter attire since the book was coming out during the fall season. I went back and gave them a wardrobe change but that meant losing Grandpa's shirt which I was a little sad about. Maybe this family needs a new book where they go on a summer vacation so I can still do that shirt!

      MAR: I love the variations on the teddy bear's expressions...I still see new things in the illustrations each time I look at the book. Are there any other subtle or 'hidden" things we can look for?

      MU: oooh that's a great question and I have a story that goes with the earlier question about things being left out: Like I said all the kids have a toy or item that follows them through the story, I referred to it as their 'talisman'. Little Brother has one too but his may not be as obvious. His was Daisy herself. Like you mentioned, an earlier draft had a child letting Daisy loose. Before the addition of the boy cousin I'd planned for that child to be Little Brother... he let Daisy loose to “get back at” his twin cousins for ganging up on him! Some earlier sketches had Little Brother in the background looking for Daisy and it was clearly him opening the gate. When that changed, I left Little Brother being Daisy's biggest fan but it's more subtle.... he has a dog on his sweater and they are always next to each other in every spread, usually with Little Brother slipping Daisy some casserole.
     What’s next on your writing calendar? Any other exciting projects you can share with us?       MAR: Nothing specific right now... but I do have a few ideas for potential children’s books floating around in my head... remind me that unless I write them down, that’s where they will remain. The motivation is there though, due in large part to the great working and creative experience I had with you and the team at Sleeping Bear Press with THE LITTLE KIDS’ TABLE. Besides illustrating books, how else do you use your artistic talents?

      MU: Aww thanks, it has been a great team... and I'm honored to be part of it! Hmmm other artistic endeavors... illustrating fills up most of my creative cup but lately I've been trying my hand at writing. Actually I used to want to be a writer in junior high before I ever considered being an illustrator. But I never wrote anything down, I just drew pictures of the characters. So 20 years later I'm scribbling out a few ideas. I agree with what you said above - it can't ever be a book unless you write it down. This has been such a fun conversation! But since it's a book in which food is a pretty central character, we can't sign off without talking about it. Can you share your favorite recipe to serve at your little kids' table?

      MAR: It’s a very simple one called “Ants on a Log”. Just take celery that’s been rinsed and dried, cut it into 3-4 inch lengths, fill with peanut butter or cream cheese and add raisins on top. Though I haven’t figured out how to make broccoli casserole appeal to young diners, I find that foods presented creatively will sometimes appeal to even the pickiest eaters. A smiley face made out of blueberries served on pancakes or toast is always more fun. Sandwiches cut in half diagonally then turned point to point make a beautiful butterfly shape. And I really enjoy serving mini versions of foods like slider sized sandwiches, pizza bites, mini muffins or cupcakes. Wow, that answer just made me very hungry!
      What's your favorite meal? Is there anything you didn't like to eat as a child that you like to eat now?

      MU: Oh my goodness, I'm coming to your house to eat... that answer made me hungry too;) I was definitely more cautious as a kid than I am now with food. I remember my mom used to make her own bread and butter pickles that my dad raved about but I never could stomach trying one. Bread.... butter... and a pickle? That's just wrong. But now I LOVE them, especially on my husband's grilled hamburgers, which is one of my favorite meals these days. I'm also a big fan of fried chicken, mac and cheese and mashed potatoes...all of which showed up on my illustrated kids' plates.... but I never have learned to love broccoli casserole.

About the creators:

      As an educator Mary Ann McCabe Riehle has encouraged young students and adults to follow their dreams and tell their stories. In both classroom and conference settings she has shared her experiences as an author and enjoys helping writers of all ages. Her other books include A IS FOR AIRPLANE: AN AVIATION ALPHABET; M IS FOR MOM: A CHILD’S ALPHABET; B IS FOR BLUEGRASS: A KENTUCKY ALPHABET and M IS FOR MOUNTAIN STATE: A WEST VIRGINIA ALPHABET.

      Mary Reaves Uhles has also illustrated KOOKY CRUMBS by J. Patrick Lewis (Kane Miller 2016); and BEYOND THE GRAVE by Dottie Enderle (ABDO Magic Wagon Press 2013). Mary has twice been awarded the Grand Prize for Illustration from the SCBWI Midsouth Conference and her piece, EAT was a finalist in the 2014 SCBWI Bologna Book Fair Gallery. Mary lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee.

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