I try to always be reading a middle grade or young adult book (since these are the two age groups for which I write). Reading widely in your chosen age group and genre is essential for anyone who wants to be a published author. This way, you can see how successful (published) writers tackle subjects and get examples of writing that resonates with the target audience.
As I mentioned in my last post, though, my family just completed a cross-country move. During the weeks of disruption, I really needed some comfort reading—something I didn't have to think about or analyze—so I turned to several of my favorite dog-eared women's fiction novels.
It was surprisingly enlightening. Even though these books were obviously written for adults, with plenty of bad language, violence, and even a sex scene or two, they shared many elements with my kidlit favorites. The writing is spare, without any unnecessary words or overly flowery descriptions. Witty asides are just as funny for kids as for adults. And my favorite characters were fully developed, with believable motivations and understandable reactions.
I'm going back to my writing with a renewed sense of what's important. Although I'm going to be switching back to MG/YA for a while, I'll try to read outside my usual age groups more often. Good writing is good writing, no matter where it's shelved in the bookstore.
Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts
Monday, May 1, 2017
Monday, April 10, 2017
Interview with Don't Kiss the Messenger author Katie Ray + Giveaway!
I'm excited to bring you another successful author chat, this time with Katie Ray who's here to chat writing and her newest release Don't Kiss the Messenger. Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win a copy!
Thanks so much for coming to Thinking to Inking! We're so excited to have you! Tell us a little bit about Don't Kiss the Messenger.
Thanks so much for having me on your blog today! I appreciate you’re hosting me. Don’t Kiss the Messenger is a YA modern day retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac. I actually followed the movie version more closely (a 1987 romantic comedy called Roxanne). Except in my case, I made Cyrano’s character a girl. I thought it would be a fun twist.
Ooh I love retellings and I absolutely love the movie Roxanne! Don't Kiss the Messenger just jumped to the top of my to-read pile. :-) Which character do you relate most to?
I was really insecure in high school, and I spent most of my time feeling like an outsider, like I wasn’t “all in.” For that reason, I can relate to CeCe.
Was your writing process for Don't Kiss the Messenger different from your previously released books? If so how? Anything that surprised you along the way?
Yes, this book was a very different approach. Since it’s a retelling, the book was basically already outlined for me. I thought that having a blue print would make the writing process easier, but it was actually more challenging. I felt tied down to the story sometimes, which made it harder for me to sidetrack and go my own way. Eventually, I figured out my own story and pacing.
The cover design for Don't Kiss the Messenger is really fun! How much input did you get in the design of your cover and what was that process like?
I really didn’t give a lot of input. I only told the designers what I DID NOT want (like a glistening abdomen or an ‘almost kiss’ kind of cover). I’m a sucker for hearts on covers (three of my other books have hearts on the cover) so this one fit my style. I really like it.
Are you a write-one-thing-at-a-time author, or do you typically juggle multiple projects at once? How do you stay focused?
I’m a one-book-at-a-time kind of person. I feel like I’m in a relationship with my characters, so when I’m writing a book I’m committed to them 100 percent.
What advice would you give writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?
Practice, practice, practice. Write every day, even if it’s only for ten minutes. If you back away from your story for too long, it’s really hard to get back into it.
What are you reading now?
I just read Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson. I LOVED IT. I’m totally author crushing her right now.
If you could have one super power, what would it be?
Teleportation.
Congrats on the launch of Don't Kiss the Messenger. I can't wait to get my hands on it! And thanks so much for stopping by Thinking to Inking!
Thanks so much for having me! I hope you enjoy my book. If you like music, and a slow-burn, old school romance, you will love it. :-)
Publication Date: April 10, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen Crush
For most of her teenage life, CeCe Edmonds has been dealing with the stares and the not-so-polite whispers that follow her around Edgelake High. So she has a large scar on her face—Harry Potter had one on his forehead and people still liked him.
CeCe never cared about her looks—until Emmett Brady, transfer student and football darling, becomes her literature critique partner. The only problem? Emmett is blindsided by Bryn DeNeuville, CeCe’s gorgeous and suddenly shy volleyball teammate.
Bryn asks CeCe to help her compose messages that’ll charm Emmett. CeCe isn’t sure there’s anything in his head worth charming but agrees anyway—she’s a sucker for a good romance. Unfortunately, the more messages she sends and the more they run into each other, the more she realizes there’s plenty in his head, from food to literature. Too bad Emmett seems to be falling for the wrong girl…
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book involves one fiercely scarred girl who wants the new guy in town, the new guy who thinks he wants the new girl, and the new girl who really isn’t sure what she wants, and the misunderstanding that brings them all together. You’ll laugh, you’ll swoon, you’ll fall in love.
Katie Ray (also known by her previous author name,
Katie Kacvinsky) writes teen and new adult fiction novels. Her books have been
nominated for YALSA awards, and First Comes Love was a finalist for the Oregon
Book Award. Her screenplay, A High Note, was a semifinalist in the Austin
Screenplay Competition in 2015. She currently lives in Ashland, Wisconsin with
her husband, two children, and a slightly insane dog.
Thanks so much for having me on your blog today! I appreciate you’re hosting me. Don’t Kiss the Messenger is a YA modern day retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac. I actually followed the movie version more closely (a 1987 romantic comedy called Roxanne). Except in my case, I made Cyrano’s character a girl. I thought it would be a fun twist.
Ooh I love retellings and I absolutely love the movie Roxanne! Don't Kiss the Messenger just jumped to the top of my to-read pile. :-) Which character do you relate most to?
I was really insecure in high school, and I spent most of my time feeling like an outsider, like I wasn’t “all in.” For that reason, I can relate to CeCe.
Was your writing process for Don't Kiss the Messenger different from your previously released books? If so how? Anything that surprised you along the way?
Yes, this book was a very different approach. Since it’s a retelling, the book was basically already outlined for me. I thought that having a blue print would make the writing process easier, but it was actually more challenging. I felt tied down to the story sometimes, which made it harder for me to sidetrack and go my own way. Eventually, I figured out my own story and pacing.
The cover design for Don't Kiss the Messenger is really fun! How much input did you get in the design of your cover and what was that process like?
I really didn’t give a lot of input. I only told the designers what I DID NOT want (like a glistening abdomen or an ‘almost kiss’ kind of cover). I’m a sucker for hearts on covers (three of my other books have hearts on the cover) so this one fit my style. I really like it.
Are you a write-one-thing-at-a-time author, or do you typically juggle multiple projects at once? How do you stay focused?
I’m a one-book-at-a-time kind of person. I feel like I’m in a relationship with my characters, so when I’m writing a book I’m committed to them 100 percent.
What advice would you give writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?
Practice, practice, practice. Write every day, even if it’s only for ten minutes. If you back away from your story for too long, it’s really hard to get back into it.
What are you reading now?
I just read Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson. I LOVED IT. I’m totally author crushing her right now.
If you could have one super power, what would it be?
Teleportation.
Congrats on the launch of Don't Kiss the Messenger. I can't wait to get my hands on it! And thanks so much for stopping by Thinking to Inking!
Thanks so much for having me! I hope you enjoy my book. If you like music, and a slow-burn, old school romance, you will love it. :-)
About Don't Kiss the Messenger (Edge Lake High School, #1)
by Katie Ray Publication Date: April 10, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen Crush
For most of her teenage life, CeCe Edmonds has been dealing with the stares and the not-so-polite whispers that follow her around Edgelake High. So she has a large scar on her face—Harry Potter had one on his forehead and people still liked him.
CeCe never cared about her looks—until Emmett Brady, transfer student and football darling, becomes her literature critique partner. The only problem? Emmett is blindsided by Bryn DeNeuville, CeCe’s gorgeous and suddenly shy volleyball teammate.
Bryn asks CeCe to help her compose messages that’ll charm Emmett. CeCe isn’t sure there’s anything in his head worth charming but agrees anyway—she’s a sucker for a good romance. Unfortunately, the more messages she sends and the more they run into each other, the more she realizes there’s plenty in his head, from food to literature. Too bad Emmett seems to be falling for the wrong girl…
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book involves one fiercely scarred girl who wants the new guy in town, the new guy who thinks he wants the new girl, and the new girl who really isn’t sure what she wants, and the misunderstanding that brings them all together. You’ll laugh, you’ll swoon, you’ll fall in love.
Goodreads | Amazon |Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca | Entangled Publishing
About Katie Ray
Katie Ray (also known by her previous author name,
Katie Kacvinsky) writes teen and new adult fiction novels. Her books have been
nominated for YALSA awards, and First Comes Love was a finalist for the Oregon
Book Award. Her screenplay, A High Note, was a semifinalist in the Austin
Screenplay Competition in 2015. She currently lives in Ashland, Wisconsin with
her husband, two children, and a slightly insane dog.Thursday, October 20, 2016
Interview with ALL LACED UP author Erin Fletcher, plus a chance to win a signed copy and $10 Amazon giftcard!
Hi everyone! Please join me in welcoming author Erin Fletcher to Thinking to Inking. She's here to talk writing advice, current reads and of course her latest release, ALL LACED UP. Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for a chance to win a signed copy of All Laced Up and a $10 Amazon giftcard!
Hi Erin! Thanks so much for coming to Thinking to Inking. We're so excited to have you here! Tell us a little bit about ALL LACED UP.
Thank you so much for having me! I appreciate it! ALL LACED UP is a contemporary YA romance novel about talented figure skater Lia Bailey and hockey superstar Pierce Miller. There are plenty of ice skating scenes, an online secret identity, and lots of romance.
How did your writing process for ALL LACED UP differ from other books you've written?
My writing process didn’t differ very much for this one. I have a good system worked out where I plot all of the major events, put them into Scrivener, and then fill in the scenes and chapters as I progress through those events. It works for me!
How do the ideas for your stories come to you? How did you come up with the idea for ALL LACED UP?
It depends on the book. Sometimes my ideas are random, like when I walked into my parents’ garage, sneezed, and that gave me the idea for my first book, WHERE YOU’LL FIND ME. For ALL LACED UP, I’ve always wanted to write a hockey player/figure skater romance. I was a figure skater most of my life, and therefore was around a ton of hockey players, too. It’s a natural match!
What (if anything) surprised you most about the publishing process for this book vs. your first book?
It happened really super quickly! My first book took more than three years to write, revise, submit, edit, and publish. This one took less than a year from the day I started working on it until the day it was released!
What advice would you give writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?
Don’t quit. My first published novel was the fourth manuscript I’d written. ALL LACED UP is my third published novel, but the eighth manuscript I’d written. Be willing to face rejection and keep going!
What are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading THE BAD BOY BARGAIN by Kendra C. Highley. I am loving Faith and Kyle’s story about a bad boy who might not be so bad after all! I’m also reading THE THOUSANDTH FLOOR by Katharine McGee. I don’t read a lot of sci fi, but the premise of this one sucked me in!
Who's your favorite character from All Laced Up?
My favorite character from ALL LACED UP is Pierce Miller’s younger brother, Carson. I’m slightly biased, but he’s an adorable little brother. He struggles with sensory processing disorder, and I love how good Pierce is with him.
If you could be one character from any book or movie, who would it be?
I would be A from David Levithan’s EVERY DAY. Jumping from one person’s life to the next every day would be so fascinating! I imagine you would learn a lot about the world and about yourself.
Congrats on the launch of your latest and greatest, and thanks so much for stopping by!
Great questions! Thank you for having me!
About All Laced Up by Erin Fletcher
Everyone loves hockey superstar Pierce Miller. Everyone except Lia Bailey.
When the two are forced to teach a skating class to save the rink, Lia’s not sure she’ll survive the pressure of Nationals and Pierce’s ego. Not only can’t he remember her name, he signed her bottle of water like she was one of his groupies. Ugh.
But if there’s one thing Lia knows better than figure skating, it’s hockey. Hoping to take his ego down a notch—or seven—she logs into his team website under an anonymous name to give him pointers on his less-than-stellar playing.
Turns out, Pierce isn’t arrogant at all. And they have a lot in common. Too bad he’s falling for the anonymous girl online. No matter how much fun they’re starting to have in real life, she’s afraid he’s going to choose fake-Lia over the real one…
Disclaimer: This book contains a swoony hockey player (and his equally swoony friends!), one-too-many social media accounts, kisses that’ll melt ice, and a secret identity that might not be so secret after all…
Erin is a young adult author from North Carolina. She is a morning person who does most of her writing before sunrise, while drinking excessive quantities of coffee. She believes flip-flops qualify as year-round footwear, and would spend every day at the beach if she could. She has a bachelor's degree in mathematics, which is almost never useful when writing books.
Publication Date:
October 10, 2016
Publisher:
Entangled Teen Crush
Everyone loves hockey superstar Pierce Miller. Everyone except Lia Bailey.
When the two are forced to teach a skating class to save the rink, Lia’s not sure she’ll survive the pressure of Nationals and Pierce’s ego. Not only can’t he remember her name, he signed her bottle of water like she was one of his groupies. Ugh.
But if there’s one thing Lia knows better than figure skating, it’s hockey. Hoping to take his ego down a notch—or seven—she logs into his team website under an anonymous name to give him pointers on his less-than-stellar playing.
Turns out, Pierce isn’t arrogant at all. And they have a lot in common. Too bad he’s falling for the anonymous girl online. No matter how much fun they’re starting to have in real life, she’s afraid he’s going to choose fake-Lia over the real one…
Disclaimer: This book contains a swoony hockey player (and his equally swoony friends!), one-too-many social media accounts, kisses that’ll melt ice, and a secret identity that might not be so secret after all…
About Erin Fletcher
Erin is a young adult author from North Carolina. She is a morning person who does most of her writing before sunrise, while drinking excessive quantities of coffee. She believes flip-flops qualify as year-round footwear, and would spend every day at the beach if she could. She has a bachelor's degree in mathematics, which is almost never useful when writing books.
Friday, August 19, 2016
Interview with Author Rita Branches + a Chance to Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
I'm super excited to have author Rita Branches join us today. Rita is here to chat writing, publishing and her latest release, UNDER A MILLION STARS. Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!
Also, quick PSA: Make sure to swing by on Monday when we will be hosting New York Times Bestselling author Jay Asher as he talks about his hit novel 13 Reasons Why and its road to Netflix series. (Yes, THE Jay Asher. You don't wanna miss it!)
GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Without further ado, please join me in giving Rita a huge Thinking to Inking welcome!
Hi Rita! Thanks so much for joining us to chat your latest release, Under a Million Stars. The cover is beautiful! Can you tell us a little but about your writing process for Under a Million Stars and how it differed from your debut, Painting Sky?
I actually wrote most of Under a Million Stars before Painting Sky, then I took a break because it’s a heavy book and it was difficult to write, even if I never went through anything like Charlie’s going through, it’s easy to enter the character’s head and feel like her. After finishing Painting Sky - which is much more easy going - I picked up Charlie’s and Jacob’s story and was able to give them a proper ending.
How do the ideas for your stories come to you? How did you come up with the idea for Under a Million Stars?
Honestly? I have no idea! They just come to me. It starts with just a tiny idea and then the characters come to life in my head, way before I put them on paper (or screen). The rest of their stories grow while I’m writing them.
What surprised you most about writing and publishing the second book vs. the first?
Like I said, I wrote most of Under a Million Stars before Painting Sky, but I must say that the ending came much more quickly than Painting Sky, the story unfolded in front of my eyes and I think I managed the perfect ending for their story, I also had Painting Sky’s reviews in mind while finishing this book. Readers’ opinions are very important - good, or not so good - to improve a writer’s way of working.
What advice would you give writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?
Do it! Yes, that’s my advice. Take a chance. I spent years writing and thinking about publishing and, even though I think I’m much more mature in my writing now, I wish I had taken a chance long ago.
What are you reading now?
I try to read so many books at the same time, it’s difficult to say, now I don’t have that much time to do it, but the paperback that I’m reading (and enjoying!) is ‘The Problem with Forever’ by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Who's your favorite character from Under a Million Stars?
Oh, that’s difficult! I loved almost all of them. Charlie and Jacob hold a sweet place in my heart, for obvious reasons. But I enjoyed Jacob’s parents and Kylie - their friend.
And, even though we don’t actually meet Jamie, I feel like I lost him too. Writing one chapter about him (you’ll have to read to know which) was the only time I ever cried while writing and editing that chapter broke my heart every time.
If you could be one character from any book or movie, who would it be?
We like to read about exciting stories and exciting characters with amazing lives but, in most books, there are problems that I wouldn’t want to face, so it’s difficult to say. In my favorite books the characters go through horrible obstacles, so, I choose to be just me ;)
I actually wrote most of Under a Million Stars before Painting Sky, then I took a break because it’s a heavy book and it was difficult to write, even if I never went through anything like Charlie’s going through, it’s easy to enter the character’s head and feel like her. After finishing Painting Sky - which is much more easy going - I picked up Charlie’s and Jacob’s story and was able to give them a proper ending.
How do the ideas for your stories come to you? How did you come up with the idea for Under a Million Stars?
Honestly? I have no idea! They just come to me. It starts with just a tiny idea and then the characters come to life in my head, way before I put them on paper (or screen). The rest of their stories grow while I’m writing them.
What surprised you most about writing and publishing the second book vs. the first?
Like I said, I wrote most of Under a Million Stars before Painting Sky, but I must say that the ending came much more quickly than Painting Sky, the story unfolded in front of my eyes and I think I managed the perfect ending for their story, I also had Painting Sky’s reviews in mind while finishing this book. Readers’ opinions are very important - good, or not so good - to improve a writer’s way of working.
What advice would you give writers still working to make their publishing dreams a reality?
Do it! Yes, that’s my advice. Take a chance. I spent years writing and thinking about publishing and, even though I think I’m much more mature in my writing now, I wish I had taken a chance long ago.
What are you reading now?
I try to read so many books at the same time, it’s difficult to say, now I don’t have that much time to do it, but the paperback that I’m reading (and enjoying!) is ‘The Problem with Forever’ by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Who's your favorite character from Under a Million Stars?
Oh, that’s difficult! I loved almost all of them. Charlie and Jacob hold a sweet place in my heart, for obvious reasons. But I enjoyed Jacob’s parents and Kylie - their friend.
And, even though we don’t actually meet Jamie, I feel like I lost him too. Writing one chapter about him (you’ll have to read to know which) was the only time I ever cried while writing and editing that chapter broke my heart every time.
If you could be one character from any book or movie, who would it be?
We like to read about exciting stories and exciting characters with amazing lives but, in most books, there are problems that I wouldn’t want to face, so it’s difficult to say. In my favorite books the characters go through horrible obstacles, so, I choose to be just me ;)
Thanks so much for stopping by, and congrats on the release of Under a Million Stars!
More about Under a Million Stars:
Hi! I'm Rita Branches. I was born and raised in in Portugal and I'm going to independently publish my debut novel in the Spring of 2016, Painting Sky. I am so happy that you decided to take a look at my work. Little bit about myself: along with being a writer, I am also a landscape architect. I started writing to bring 'to life' the stories that my mind created.
I LOVE to read. It was and always will be my passion.
Under a Million Stars
by Rita Branches
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 8th 2016
Can a beating heart bleed from the shattered pieces?
Her heart cracked when her best friend walked away; it completely shattered when she lost her family in a tragic accident.
Now orphaned at seventeen, Charlotte Peterson is forced to live with her former best friend, Jacob Parker. Charlie, a talented pianist, desperately wants their loving friendship back, but something is holding Jake back. The more she spirals into the darkness of depression, the more she needs him.
Jacob vowed to stay away from her—no matter how much he still loved her. Armed with secrets that would have destroyed both of their families, he chose to end their friendship and walk away, which nearly killed him. As he watches the girl he once knew begin to fade away, however, he realizes that their relationship is more important than the truth he's hiding.
Now it's up to Jacob to put the pieces of Charlie's broken heart back together—even if it means revealing the secrets he so desperately wants to protect her from.
Will Jacob find a way to bring back the carefree, talented girl he once knew, or is it too late for both of them?
by Rita Branches
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 8th 2016
Can a beating heart bleed from the shattered pieces?
Her heart cracked when her best friend walked away; it completely shattered when she lost her family in a tragic accident.
Now orphaned at seventeen, Charlotte Peterson is forced to live with her former best friend, Jacob Parker. Charlie, a talented pianist, desperately wants their loving friendship back, but something is holding Jake back. The more she spirals into the darkness of depression, the more she needs him.
Jacob vowed to stay away from her—no matter how much he still loved her. Armed with secrets that would have destroyed both of their families, he chose to end their friendship and walk away, which nearly killed him. As he watches the girl he once knew begin to fade away, however, he realizes that their relationship is more important than the truth he's hiding.
Now it's up to Jacob to put the pieces of Charlie's broken heart back together—even if it means revealing the secrets he so desperately wants to protect her from.
Will Jacob find a way to bring back the carefree, talented girl he once knew, or is it too late for both of them?
About the Author
Hi! I'm Rita Branches. I was born and raised in in Portugal and I'm going to independently publish my debut novel in the Spring of 2016, Painting Sky. I am so happy that you decided to take a look at my work. Little bit about myself: along with being a writer, I am also a landscape architect. I started writing to bring 'to life' the stories that my mind created.
I LOVE to read. It was and always will be my passion.
Author Links:
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
YA Series That Make Great Holiday Gifts
Piggybacking off Lauren's Book Lovers' Holiday Shopping List post, here's a holiday ideas list with a narrower focus: young adult series. For a young (or not so young) bibliophile, there's nothing better than having a complete series to devour, book after book. Best of all, each of the series on this list comes in a handy box set, perfect for easy gifting.
3. John Green
1. The Hunger Games
It's a perfect time to give Suzanne Collins's trilogy to new readers, since the last movie in the series just came out and those who haven't read the book yet are probably wondering what all the buzz is about.
2. Legend
I gushed about Legend in the first ever YA Book Pick here on this blog, and the rest of the series definitely held up. If your giftee likes dystopian, high-stakes books, this is an excellent choice.
3. John Green
Okay, this one is cheating, because they aren't technically a series, but most teen readers would love to get a set of books from the master of the YA contemporary genre.
4. A Wrinkle in Time
Do you have someone on your list who's into sci-fi and fantasy? Introduce them to one of the most influential and groundbreaking series ever with this quintet of books. It's also a perfect trip down memory lane for adults who grew up reading the adventures of Meg Murry and her family over and over again.
5. Percy Jackson and the Olympians
For a reluctant upper MG/young YA reader, it doesn't get much better than Percy Jackson. These books are quick reads, and Percy is relatable and funny. Your giftee will get through all five books before he or she knows it.
6. Harry Potter
Last, but certainly not least, it would be an unthinkable omission if I didn't mention possibly the most giftable series ever. Depending on your budget and the versions the person owns already, you can choose from a hard or softcover set and different covers. (There are even fully illustrated editions coming out, although only the first one is released to date, so you'll have to wait a while for a box set of those...)
Do you have any young adult series on your wishlist this year?
Thursday, May 28, 2015
VESSEL Blog hop, guest post and giveaway!
I'm super excited to have Lisa T. Cresswell here today, sharing her writing process for her new release VESSEL. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post to read more about the fantastic story and to enter to win your own copy!
Guest post by Author Lisa T. Cresswell
To write Vessel, I followed a very basic format.
1) Get idea.
2) Plan outline by chapter.
3) Write first draft.
4) Edits and rewrite.
I didn’t always write this way. I used to pretty much skip 1 and 2 and head directly to 3, which was very frustrating for me. I would always reach a point in the story where I didn’t know what was going to happen next and stop. Sometimes I would start to edit what I’d already written, which was also very frustrating. Now I know this is a recipe for disaster. If you start editing before you know the ending, you’re wasting time switching things around that may not do you any good. I’ve learned the hard way, it’s much better to get the WHOLE thing out on paper first before you ever cut a word. And it’s better to get the WHOLE PLOT OUTLINED before you even start writing. I know there are many writers out there who claim to be pantsers, but I suspect they have an entire plot from beginning to end in their head before they start. It just isn’t written down.
I started writing Vessel for NaNoWriMo in 2011. I’m not a fast writer and I didn’t have any notions of finishing the book in one month, but I love the idea of writing every day on a project. If you write a page a day, in a year, you’ll have a 365 page book, right? Anyway, I started Vessel in late 2011 and worked on it off and on for most of the following year. In 2013, I started querying. I had seen Month 9 Books on Twitter and Facebook and was intrigued. Their focus on speculative fiction and the paranormal seemed right up my alley. I was delighted when publisher Georgia McBride requested the full manuscript based on a twitter pitch! I sent the manuscript to her and tried to forget about it for awhile. Waiting is really hard!!
In July 2013, on the last day of a writing workshop I was attending in Oregon, I got an e-mail from Georgia offering me a deal. Talk about make my day! It’s been a lot of work since then, but it’s a labor of love, that’s for sure. In the long waits between editing assignments, I’ve written three new novels. Now that Vessel is going out into the world, I’ll be starting the whole process over again! Whew!
Guest post by Author Lisa T. Cresswell
To write Vessel, I followed a very basic format.
1) Get idea.
2) Plan outline by chapter.
3) Write first draft.
4) Edits and rewrite.
I didn’t always write this way. I used to pretty much skip 1 and 2 and head directly to 3, which was very frustrating for me. I would always reach a point in the story where I didn’t know what was going to happen next and stop. Sometimes I would start to edit what I’d already written, which was also very frustrating. Now I know this is a recipe for disaster. If you start editing before you know the ending, you’re wasting time switching things around that may not do you any good. I’ve learned the hard way, it’s much better to get the WHOLE thing out on paper first before you ever cut a word. And it’s better to get the WHOLE PLOT OUTLINED before you even start writing. I know there are many writers out there who claim to be pantsers, but I suspect they have an entire plot from beginning to end in their head before they start. It just isn’t written down.
I started writing Vessel for NaNoWriMo in 2011. I’m not a fast writer and I didn’t have any notions of finishing the book in one month, but I love the idea of writing every day on a project. If you write a page a day, in a year, you’ll have a 365 page book, right? Anyway, I started Vessel in late 2011 and worked on it off and on for most of the following year. In 2013, I started querying. I had seen Month 9 Books on Twitter and Facebook and was intrigued. Their focus on speculative fiction and the paranormal seemed right up my alley. I was delighted when publisher Georgia McBride requested the full manuscript based on a twitter pitch! I sent the manuscript to her and tried to forget about it for awhile. Waiting is really hard!!
In July 2013, on the last day of a writing workshop I was attending in Oregon, I got an e-mail from Georgia offering me a deal. Talk about make my day! It’s been a lot of work since then, but it’s a labor of love, that’s for sure. In the long waits between editing assignments, I’ve written three new novels. Now that Vessel is going out into the world, I’ll be starting the whole process over again! Whew!
Thanks Lisa, for stopping by to share your experience!
ABOUT VESSEL:
The sun exploded on April 18, 2112. It exploded in a Class X solar storm the likes of which humankind had never seen.
They had nineteen minutes.
Nineteen minutes until the geomagnetic wave washed over the Earth, frying every electrical device created by humans, blacking out entire continents, every satellite in their sky.
Nineteen minutes to say goodbye to the world they knew, forever, and to prepare for a new Earth, a new Sun.
Generations after solar storms have destroyed nearly all human technology on Earth and humans have reverted to a middle ages like existence, all knowledge of the remaining technology is kept hidden by a privileged few called the Reticents and books are burned as heresy.
Alana, a disfigured slave girl, and Recks, a traveling minstrel and sometimes-thief, join forces to bring knowledge and books back to the human race. But when Alana is chosen against her will to be the Vessel, the living repository for all human knowledge, she must find the strength to be what the world needs.
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks
ABOUT LISA T. CRESSWELL:
They had nineteen minutes.
Nineteen minutes until the geomagnetic wave washed over the Earth, frying every electrical device created by humans, blacking out entire continents, every satellite in their sky.
Nineteen minutes to say goodbye to the world they knew, forever, and to prepare for a new Earth, a new Sun.
Generations after solar storms have destroyed nearly all human technology on Earth and humans have reverted to a middle ages like existence, all knowledge of the remaining technology is kept hidden by a privileged few called the Reticents and books are burned as heresy.
Alana, a disfigured slave girl, and Recks, a traveling minstrel and sometimes-thief, join forces to bring knowledge and books back to the human race. But when Alana is chosen against her will to be the Vessel, the living repository for all human knowledge, she must find the strength to be what the world needs.
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks
Lisa, like most writers, began scribbling silly notes, stories, and poems at a very young age. Born in North Carolina, the South proved fertile ground to her imagination with its beautiful white sand beaches and red earth. In fifth grade, she wrote, directed and starred in a play “The Queen of the Nile” at school, despite the fact that she is decidedly un-Egyptian looking. Perhaps that’s why she went on to become a real life archaeologist?
Unexpectedly transplanted to Idaho as a teenager, Lisa learned to love the desert and the wide open skies out West. This is where her interest in cultures, both ancient and living, really took root, and she became a Great Basin archaeologist. However, the itch to write never did leave for long. Her first books became the middle grade fantasy trilogy, The Storyteller Series. Her first traditionally published work, Hush Puppy, is now available from Featherweight Press.
Lisa still lives in Idaho with her family and a menagerie of furry critters that includes way too many llamas!
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Unexpectedly transplanted to Idaho as a teenager, Lisa learned to love the desert and the wide open skies out West. This is where her interest in cultures, both ancient and living, really took root, and she became a Great Basin archaeologist. However, the itch to write never did leave for long. Her first books became the middle grade fantasy trilogy, The Storyteller Series. Her first traditionally published work, Hush Puppy, is now available from Featherweight Press.
Lisa still lives in Idaho with her family and a menagerie of furry critters that includes way too many llamas!
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Giveaway Information: Winner will be drawn June 26, 2015
· Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Vessel by Lisa T. Cresswell (INT)
Friday, May 8, 2015
Author Spotlight + Giveaway: Lisa T. Cresswell with Giveaway #M9BFridayReveals
Hi everyone! I'm excited to introduce you to another great YA author and giveaway.
This week, we are featuring
Lisa T. Cresswell, author of Vessel
Lisa will be joining us later this month with a guest post as part of her upcoming book release.
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
Meet Lisa T.
Cresswell!
Twitter or Facebook? Twitter by far!
Favorite Superhero? Hulk
Favorite TV show? Um, I don't watch tv anymore.
Sweet or Salty? Sweet
Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi before I gave it up; now its coffee :)
Any Phobias? Heights/fear of falling
Song you can’t get enough of right now? They play it way too much, but
I still like Uptown Funk.
I still like Uptown Funk.
Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend? That's tough. I'm sure Peta's up
there. I'll get back to you on that one ;)
there. I'll get back to you on that one ;)
What are you reading right now or what's on your TBR? I want to read
the latest Neil Gaiman book. Always!
the latest Neil Gaiman book. Always!
Fall Movie you’re most looking forward to? It's really next winter,
but it's STAR WARS!!
but it's STAR WARS!!
Lisa, like most writers, began scribbling silly notes, stories, and poems at a very young age. Born in North Carolina, the South proved fertile ground to her imagination with its beautiful white sand beaches and red earth. In fifth grade, she wrote, directed and starred in a play “The Queen of the Nile” at school, despite the fact that she is decidedly un-Egyptian looking. Perhaps that’s why she went on to become a real life archaeologist?Unexpectedly transplanted to Idaho as a teenager, Lisa learned to love the desert and the wide open skies out West. This is where her interest in cultures, both ancient and living, really took root, and she became a Great Basin archaeologist. However, the itch to write never did leave for long. Her first books became the middle grade fantasy trilogy, The Storyteller Series. Her first traditionally published work, Hush Puppy, is now available from Featherweight Press.
Lisa still lives in Idaho with her family and a menagerie of furry critters that includes way too many llamas!
The sun exploded on On April 18, 2112 in a Class X solar storm the likes of which humankind had never seen.They had exactly nineteen minutes to decide what to do next.They had nineteen minutes until a geomagnetic wave washed over the Earth, frying every electrical device created by humans, blacking out entire continents, and every satellite in their sky.Nineteen minutes to say goodbye to the world they knew, forever, and to prepare for a new Earth, a new Sun.
Generations after solar storms destroyed nearly all human technology on Earth, humans reverted to a middle ages-like existence, books are burned as heresy, and all knowledge of the remaining technology is kept hidden by a privileged few called the Reticents.Alana, a disfigured slave girl, and Recks, a traveling minstrel and sometimes- thief, join forces to bring knowledge and books back to the human race. But when Alana is chosen against her will to be the Vessel, the living repository for all human knowledge, she must find the strength to be what the world needs even if it’s the last thing she wants.
Title: VesselPublication date: May 2014
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Lisa T. Cresswell
Complete the Rafflecopter below for
a chance to win!
The book will be sent upon the titles
release.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Are You Really Writing YA, or Is It Actually MG?
Brenda Drake's annual Pitch Madness contest is going on right now (you can check out the details here, but be aware that the submission window has closed!). The readers going through the entries and deciding what entries will move on to the agent round have been tweeting general tips on the hashtag #PitchMadness based on what they're seeing. There are some really good tips on query pitfalls to avoid, so it's worth taking a look.
I noticed that one in particular keeps coming up: people calling their manuscript young adult when they're really writing material that's more suited for a middle grade novel. It's more common than you might think. So what makes a YA novel YA and not MG?
1. Targeted Age of Reader
This one's a bit obvious, but let's start here. A middle grade novel is intended to be read by kids who are roughly ages 8-12. Young adult novels are targeted toward 12-18 year olds (although, as we all know, they are often read by people much older than that!).
2. Age of Main Character(s)
As a general rule, middle grade main characters tend to be preteen or below, and young adult characters tend to be fourteen or above. (There's an odd gray area with thirteen-year-old characters that sometimes makes them a hard sell.)
That said, there are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books are all considered middle grade because the main character started out as twelve years old, even though he's sixteen when the series ends.
3. Word Count
You'll find many different opinions about what constitutes proper word count for each age range, but the general consensus seems to be about 30,000-60,000 words for MG and 50,000-80,000 for YA. Sci-fi and fantasy books in either can have a high range that's ten or fifteen thousand words above this.
4. Primary Focus
Readers of middle grade fiction are focused on their immediate environment--friends, school, family--and the books targeted to this age range tend to reflect this. A MG protagonist often discovers something about themselves by the end of the book.
In contrast, YA protagonists are figuring out things about the outside world and how they fit into it. They're influenced by the world outside their small sphere and often have to deal with adult problems.
5. Content
Elements like swearing, drug use, graphic violence, and sex tend to be very light or nonexistent in middle grade novels, but they're all fair game in YA. This doesn't mean MG novels can't be dark or scary, but writers will do well to consider that most of the books for this age group are purchased by parents or teachers and they will often take exception to edgier content.
Knowing the correct age category for your manuscript will make it easier to target the right agents and editors, and it will also help you market your book correctly. For further reading on this subject, check out this post on the YA Highway blog or this one from Writer's Digest.
I noticed that one in particular keeps coming up: people calling their manuscript young adult when they're really writing material that's more suited for a middle grade novel. It's more common than you might think. So what makes a YA novel YA and not MG?
1. Targeted Age of Reader
This one's a bit obvious, but let's start here. A middle grade novel is intended to be read by kids who are roughly ages 8-12. Young adult novels are targeted toward 12-18 year olds (although, as we all know, they are often read by people much older than that!).
As a general rule, middle grade main characters tend to be preteen or below, and young adult characters tend to be fourteen or above. (There's an odd gray area with thirteen-year-old characters that sometimes makes them a hard sell.)
That said, there are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books are all considered middle grade because the main character started out as twelve years old, even though he's sixteen when the series ends.
3. Word Count
You'll find many different opinions about what constitutes proper word count for each age range, but the general consensus seems to be about 30,000-60,000 words for MG and 50,000-80,000 for YA. Sci-fi and fantasy books in either can have a high range that's ten or fifteen thousand words above this.
4. Primary Focus
Readers of middle grade fiction are focused on their immediate environment--friends, school, family--and the books targeted to this age range tend to reflect this. A MG protagonist often discovers something about themselves by the end of the book.
In contrast, YA protagonists are figuring out things about the outside world and how they fit into it. They're influenced by the world outside their small sphere and often have to deal with adult problems.
5. Content
Elements like swearing, drug use, graphic violence, and sex tend to be very light or nonexistent in middle grade novels, but they're all fair game in YA. This doesn't mean MG novels can't be dark or scary, but writers will do well to consider that most of the books for this age group are purchased by parents or teachers and they will often take exception to edgier content.
Knowing the correct age category for your manuscript will make it easier to target the right agents and editors, and it will also help you market your book correctly. For further reading on this subject, check out this post on the YA Highway blog or this one from Writer's Digest.
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