christina lee

When Life Brings You Snow...

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

You make SNOWBALLS!

I've talked about Lois Ehlert's books before and what a perfect one to highlight in the middle of winter. My little bean LOVES this book and we read it often.

Ehlert uses collage art to show how natural items can be collected around the house: seeds, toy wheels, dried fruit, mittens and hats, plastic utensils, and bottle caps, to make different kinds of SNOW PEOPLE.

Ehlert makes the science of snow fun and interesting.

The book ALWAYS spurs our creative energy!

********

P.S. I want to say CONGRATULATIONS to my friend, Lindsay Ward, whose picture book WHEN BLUE MET EGG debuts today from Penguin Books! I'll be at her signing this weekend and will showcase her amazing book in an upcoming post!

This Month I Love

2012-01-31T07:08:00.000-05:00

New boots that are happy in the snow.

Pretty scarves (to go with new boots).

Hot cocoa with marshmallows.

Building snowmen with my little bean.

Icicle formations.

and a bright spot of COLOR in all of the grey and white.

So long, JANUARY!

(Nordstrom, Amazon, Filter Fresh, Photography Blogger, Tumblr)

Have a DREAMY Weekend!

2012-01-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Do you know that place between SLEEP and AWAKE?

That place where you can still remember DREAMING?

That's where I'll always LOVE YOU.

THAT'S where I'll be waiting.

(Tinkerbell to Peter Pan)

(source)

The Five Senses of Winter: SOUND

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

My other Five Senses of Winter posts, are here: SIGHT and TOUCH

The crunch of boots on snow:

A shovel scraping across a white layer of fluff:

And if you close your eyes and listen carefully...

...you'll notice an absence of sound. As if the snow has muted it, doused it, placed a blanket over it and sent it to the land of nod.

Unless the wind has taken hold, then you'll hear the woosh and howl!

BRRR!

(image, image, image, image, image, image)

From My Bookshelf

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

I haven't done this in weeks and need to catch this series up! ^_^

I'm only spotlighting books that I haven't mentioned in more recent posts.

Most recent YA Novels I've read and would RECOMMEND:

ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD

SHATTER ME

LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR

THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER

THE NEAR WITCH

POSSESS

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE

What are you reading--any of these? There are so many (too many) in my TBR pile!

This post was part of Sheri's weekly MEME:

This Weekend, Lasso the Moon

2012-01-21T07:34:00.000-05:00

See you soon!

(source) (photo credit)

Crazy Stupid Love

2012-01-19T07:10:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we read and write about characters so immersed in love that in essence, they lose themselves. And that's so easy to do in adolescence because that first time feeling is like, WHOA, euphoric and indescribable and like a rabid animal clawing inside your chest.

For you I undress down to the sheaths of my nerves.

I remove my jewelry and set it on the nightstand.

I unhook my ribs, spread my lungs flat on a chair.

I dissolve like a remedy in water, in wine.

I spill without staining, and leave without stirring the air.

I do it for love. For love, I disappear.

(by Kim Addonizio)

But we also know that being consumed by another human being is not all it's cracked up to be. As adults, we've learned that you have to hold true to yourself or you'll jeopardize things. Relationships, values, pride and self-worth.

But how important is this to point out in a novel? Do we need to show character growth or is it okay to leave it be for the sake of the story?

Many say this is what happened to Bella throughout the Twilight books. She got lost in a boy and turned into a vampire for him. Others see it as a beautiful, eternal love story.(side note: no matter how you view it, it's a crime that this series is scrutinized so viciously. I'd better hope that my first novel isn't ripped to shreds like this one is--it's a damn shame. Move on to the other thousands of novels out there. End of rant.)

Is the author responsible for teaching a lesson or telling a compelling story?

I recently beta read a (soon-to-be-published) book where the story was not happily resolved. It left me raw and bleeding as I held onto hope that there would be some redemption. It was so shocking that it punched me square in the gut and kept me thinking for DAYS.

Isn't that enough? Your thoughts...

(poem credit, image, image)

Elemental

2012-01-17T07:03:00.000-05:00

Caffeine is my shepherd;

I shall not doze.

It maketh me to wake in green pastures

It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses.

IT RESTORETH MY BUZZ.

It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness

for its names's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of addiction,

I will fear no Equal.

For though art with me;

thy cream and they sugar,

they comfort me!

(from THE CITY ROAST coffee company in Cleveland)

Of the few things I need to begin my day in front of the computer, coffee is NUMERO UNO (some may prefer tea or soda). Tied for second are lip balm and my phone.

What's your vice? Or should I call it, motivation? :D

(image, image, image, image,image)

Treasure Your Weekend!

2012-01-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

See you next week! :D

(credit)

The Five Senses of Winter: TOUCH

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

My other Five Senses post for Winter is: HERE

A thick blanket of skin tingling COLD:

Fluffy, powdery, wet:

Frozen, icy, solid:

SHIVER!
(images)

First Words Workshop: Four Seconds

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

To see how the workshop began, read THIS post: An Analysis of First Pages.

  This Month's Anonymous Contemporary Young Adult Excerpt:

  Fourseconds left. I watch from the stands as Tim Seginski passes the basketball toNate Hardman. The clock starts. Nate races down court.

Three seconds. I hear the pound, pound, pound of the basketball.

Two seconds. Nate reaches mid-court.

One second. Nate launches the ball. I hold my breath. The ball arcs toward thehoop.

Time stops.

The ball drops…

THROUGH THE NET!

What a shot! I leap to my feet. Band members hug. Cheerleaders hug. Studentsand parents hug. I wish a certain girl would hug me….

If we'd made thirty more points, we’d have won by one.

My thoughts are in Red:

Fourseconds left. I watch from the stands as Tim Seginski passes the basketball toNate Hardman. The clock starts. Nate races down court.

Three seconds. I hear the pound, pound, pound of the basketball.

Two seconds. Nate reaches mid-court. Nice tension!

One second. Nate launches the ball. I hold my breath. The ball arcs toward thehoop.

Time stops.

The ball drops…

THROUGH THE NET! I enjoyed the action and the tension here. The only thing missing for me is knowing who's talking. Is it a guy or a girl? If one minute detail could be thrown in, like maybe something to identify his sneakers, his clothes, his hair or something to tell me it's male POV.

What a shot! I leap to my feet. Band members hug. Cheerleaders hug. Studentsand parents hug. I wish a certain girl would hug me…. Cute! But where is this girl? Is she in the stands, a cheerleader? Maybe he glances at her somewhere in here to heighten the tension.

If we'd made thirty more points, we’d have won by one. FUNNY! I had to read it three times to "get it", which might be me and needing more coffee. :-) But I felt like a word was missing, like only, or maybe it could be worded differently?

Also, the tension at the beginning made it seem like this was "a big game". Was the game important for some reason? Kind of anti-climatic in a way and it makes me wonder if it's important to start the story there. Unless you tell us right after why this game was important to the MC or the school? That would help. Maybe it's just a matter of having "any" points on the board is a victory for this team--see what I mean?

Stina's thoughts are in Blue:

Fourseconds left. (Great first sentence. I had it feeling it had something to do withsports, but I was compelled enough to keep reading). I watch from thestands as Tim Seginski passes the basketball to Nate Hardman. The clock starts.Nate races down court.

Threeseconds. I hear the pound, pound, pound of the basketball. (Nice use ofthe rhetorical device (pound, pound, pound). My only issue is that I feel distancedfrom the main character because of the word ‘hear’. Just tell me what he hears.Don’t tell me he heard it. Make me feel as if I’m in the moment, in thecharacter’s head.)

Twoseconds. Nate reaches mid-court.

Onesecond. Nate launches the ball. I hold my breath.(What about the audience? Does ahush roll through it, like everyone is suspended in time (but be more originalthan that) or are they screaming? Does everyone gasp at the same time?)The ball arcs toward the hoop.

Timestops.

Theball drops… (This sounds very SF. As if time standstills and the ball is unable tofreeze mid air and drops into the net. It’s not a big deal, and I do like theurgency of your short sentences here.)

THROUGHTHE NET!

Whata shot! I leap to my feet. Band members hug. Cheerleaders hug. Students andparents hug. I wish a certain girl would hug me….

Ifwe'd made thirty more points, we’d have won by one. (I’m intrigued. Why are theycelebrating when they lost by 29 points?)

My only concern is you’ve given me no reasonto care. I don’t care about the character. He’s not even in the game. I wouldhave cared more for him if he was the one throwing the ball. I recently read aYA contemp novel with a similar start, but the main character was the playerand I kept reading because I was involved in the emotion of the game. Her game.I wanted to know if her team won and what would happen next.

You did agreat job showing the urgency of the moment with the short sentences. As youknow, you didn’t have time for fancy imagery and inner thoughts. The game isn’tstopping for that.

POSSIBLE REWRITE BASED ON BOTH SETS OF COMMENTS:

Fourseconds left. In my side view I spot Tara clench her pom poms as I wring the baseball cap in my hands. Tim Seginski passes the basketball toNate Hardman. The clock starts. I watch from the top row of the stands as Nate races down court.

Three seconds. The basketball pounds, pounds, pounds the floor.

Two seconds. Nate reaches mid-court.

One second. Nate launches the ball. I hold my breath as a collective gasp rolls through our side of the stands. The ball arcs toward thehoop.

Time stops.

The ball drops…

THROUGH THE NET!

What a shot! I leap to my feet. Band members hug. Cheerleaders hug. Studentsand parents hug. I wish a certain girl would hug me….

If we'd only made thirty more points, we would have actually won a game! At least it was one point better than last season's shut out.

***********************

Two different viewpoints to take or leave. Thanks for this great entry!

Do you want YOUR first 100 words work-shopped? Email me!

Freeze Frame: Favorite Holiday Gift

2012-01-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

I received lots of nice things, but by far the gifts that surprised me most were from hubby. Because they were unexpected (if that makes sense).

Not only did he buy me a comfortable brown leather office chair (my *other* chair didn't even have arm rests):

But if you look more closely, you'll see he also got me some "Writer's Block" dark chocolate and organic coffee to go with my chair (from a company in Port Townsend, WA):

Now that's what I call "writer support"! Such a sweetie!

Three Reasons To Love CRACKED

2012-01-03T07:10:00.000-05:00

1. Two distinct teen male points of view. How much more awesome (and crafty) can this author get? I mean, the writing is fantastic.

2. One is a bully and the other is his victim. And guess what? I rooted for both! My heart ripped to shreds hearing their stories before and after they ended up as roommates in the same psych ward.

3. K.M. Walton sewed my heart back together, stitch by stitch. She didn't force feed me a life lesson or give too tidy of an ending. What she did was give me realistic HOPE and as a reader that's all I really needed.

First line: I have wished that Bull Mastrick would die almost every single day.

YOU MUST (*must*) READ THIS BOOK!

Add it to Goodreads !
Order it HERE !

HAPPY NEW YEAR! ^_^

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2011-12-21T07:08:00.000-05:00

My blog is going dark so I can enjoy the holidays with my family. I wish the same for you!

My comments are off. See you in 2012!

(image)

The Five Senses of Winter: SIGHT

2011-12-19T07:03:00.000-05:00

It's important to use your senses in writing, but sometimes we forget to show them all. For my winter season posts, I've begun with the most obvious.

There is so much to SEE in December. Most of all, the LIGHTS!

The only month all year long that strands of twinkling lights hang from just about anywhere.

And there's something about those lights that changes the landscape of the world for just a little while.

Making it feel magical and full of possibilities!

and when it's against a backdrop of stark white snow, the image is stunning!

HAPPY MONDAY!

(images,image,image)

In Honor Of The Mistletoe

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

"From the earliest times mistletoe has been one of the most magical, mysterious, and sacred plants of European folklore. It was considered to bestow life and fertility; a protection against poison; and to be used an aphrodisiac."

"A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature, to halt words when speech becomes superfluous."

I mean it 's all so subjective, really.

Some prefer the the tease, the brush of the lips.

Other's prefer the solid grasp, the crush of the mouth.

I like writing both kinds of scenes. But prefer reading (and watching) the intensity of the "build-up".

Like in this scene, from DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver (my favorite scene this year):

"Why?" He's barely whispering. His hands finds my face, his fingertips barely skim my forehead, the tops of my ears, the hollows of my cheeks. Everywhere he touches is fire. My whole body is burning up, the two of us becoming twin points of the same bright white flame. "Why are you afraid?"

"You have to understand. I just want to be happy." I can barely get the words out. My mind is a haze, full of smoke--nothing exists but his fingers dancing and skating over my skin, through my hair.

I wish it would stop. I want it to go on forever.

Leave it to me to do a whole post on what else? KISSING! *wink*

SMOOCH your loved ones this weekend!

(we heart it, The Holiday Spot)

First Words Workshop

2011-12-14T07:10:00.000-05:00

To see how the workshop began, read THIS post: An Analysis of First Pages.

This month's anonymous young adult paranormal excerpt:

Pete paused the football game and grabbed Chris’s arm. “You’re moving to Brooklyn Heights? Damn. The girls are hot.”

“And you can introduce us to the girls,” Neil added, rubbing his hands together.

Excitement was not the reaction Chris was looking for after telling Pete, Vinnie and Neil, about his parents’ stupid plan to move the family all the way across the borough after his junior high school graduation. Hell, Brooklyn Heights was barely Brooklyn at all. It was almost Manhattan, especially with all the rich yuppies. And, according to Pete, hot girls. Chris had to admit, if true, that was some compensation, but not enough for giving up his best friends.

My thoughts are in Red:

Pete paused the football game and grabbed Chris’s arm. “You’re moving to Brooklyn Heights? Damn. The girls are hot.” I wanted the first line to pack more of a punch. Maybe give us more of the setting (which I know you gave in the email, so I may use it in the re-write).

“And you can introduce us to the girls,” Neil added, rubbing his hands together.

Excitement was not the reaction Chris was looking (use "hoping" instead?) for after telling Pete, Vinnie and Neil, about his parents’ stupid plan to move the family all the way across the borough after his junior high school graduation. Hell, Brooklyn Heights was barely Brooklyn at all. Gives a good idea of his voice. But I almost want more of it! It was almost Manhattan, especially with all the rich yuppies. Rich and yuppies go together, right? so I'd say use one or the other. Also, do teens use the word "yuppies"? I'd go for more teen language here. And, according to Pete, hot girls. Chris had to admit, if true, that was some compensation, but not enough for giving up his best friends.

Here's what came after the 100 word cutoff that might be incorporated in the re-write: The four of them had known each other since, well, practically forever. They’d all met back in communion class at St. Bernard’s. Except for Neil who’s Jewish.

It was a rainy and cold Saturday afternoon, 47 degrees despite being the middle of May. And as usual for such crappy weather, they were at Pete’s house playing Madden on the huge flat-screen.

Stina's thoughts are in Blue:

I like this start. It’s intriguing. I’m assuming there’smore to the story than just hot girls and the main character leaving his bestbuds because you are calling it a paranormal!

You can make the first sentence more dramatic and clearer.How did he pause the game? Was he the one with the ball but he didn’t throw it? Stina, interesting you thought they were actually playing football, but now we see in later details that it's a video game. BUT, goes to your point about adding in more details! Spot on! Did he start to throw it, but then it was as if his friend’s comment finally clicked,and he lowered his throwing arm before he could release the ball. I need you tobe more specific so I can visualize the scene.

But good job on not startingwith dialogue as some writers would have been tempted to do.

Love the voice!

Possible rewrite based on both sets of comments:

Pete hit pause and the quarterback's arm froze mid-throw on the flat screen. “Chris, you’re seriously moving to Brooklyn Heights?" They had known each other since, well, forever. "Damn. The girls there are smokin'.”

“Guess who's gonna introduce us to those girls?” Neil added, rubbing his hands together.

Excitement was not the reaction Chris was hoping for after telling Pete, Vinnie and Neil, about his parents’ lame plan to move the family all the way across the borough after his junior high school graduation.

Hell, Brooklyn Heights was barely Brooklyn at all. It was almost Manhattan, especially with all the money there. And, according to Pete, hot girls.

Chris had to admit, if true, that was some compensation, but not enough for giving up his best friends.

They had met in second grade communion class at St. Bernard’s. Except for Neil, who was Jewish.

***********************

Two different viewpoints to take or leave. Thanks for this great entry!

Do you want YOUR first 100 words work-shopped? Email me!

What Inspires You?

2011-12-12T07:15:00.000-05:00

"My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky.

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself."

"And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams."

Whenever I'm feeling particularly lost, bummed or confused, I go to my bookshelf and reach for THE ALCHEMIST by Paulo Coehlo.

In only 176 pages, this fable takes me on a profound journey in a simplistic way and reminds me what my life and dreams are about.

Through Santiago's journey, I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from the book, “And, when you want something *really want something*, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

Do you have a book that does this for you?

(image, image, amazon)

Recipe: Candy Cane Blossoms

2011-12-09T07:15:00.000-05:00

Here's what you'll need:

1 bag of Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses

red and green sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

(Feel lazy or in a hurry? Just buy pre-made sugar cookie dough)

*Preheat over to 350 degrees. Remove wrappers from the candy (30-40)

*Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg in large a bowl until blended.

*Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternatively with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended (or skip these two steps and use your pre-made sugar cookie dough).

*Shape dough into 1 inch balls (the smaller the better). Roll in red or green colored sugar. Arrange on ungreased cookie sheet.

*Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

*Press candy piece into center of each cookie.

*Makes about three dozen.

(herseys.com, recipegirl.com, bakedperfection.com)

Anyone else being domestic this weekend?

ENJOY!

The Hammering in My Heart

2011-12-07T07:10:00.000-05:00

This week I'm a busy little bee doing the other half of what I love.

It's still about creating words (or just letters). But it's other people's word I'm creating, or rather, hammering, into pieces of metal.

I've owned my hand-stamped jewelry business for over three years now and this is my busy season.

And I truly love it!

So, to my tags-n-stones customers, I've put on end date on my website for guaranteed Christmas delivery and that date is a week from today! ^_^

In the meantime, check out what I've been working on for local businesses around here (these are not on my site, yet).

It's a picture frame necklace.

The sample below is one I made for Elana Johnson's book launch. Do you recognize the butterfly from her POSSESSION book cover? The other side shows her name!

Making mementos for other people is the BEST part! And hopefully it makes them smile.

What's happening on your end?

It's The Little Things

2011-12-05T07:10:00.000-05:00

*pets giraffe*

Actually, I'm talking about the details in your manuscript.

When I'm doing a pass-through at the end of a revision I add in more of the "little things" that make a difference. More scenery, imagery, metaphors. They beef up a scene and add dimension to your writing.

Even still, it's important that every word counts. I underwrite. So if you overwrite and have to slash words, make sure to keep what adds depth and helps the plot feel rich.

Here's an example of what I mean using this simple sentence: I gaze at the night sky.

I gaze at the night sky, the stars twinkling like little beads of glass. Or, My gaze travels above the trees to the stars, decked out in their sequenced dresses, shimmering against the blank canvas of the midnight sky.

It's those little words that add extra meaning, show your voice, create the art.

*pets fake babies*

^_^ Happy Monday!

(images: adweek.com, zedge.net)

This Month I Love: Comfy Cozies

2011-12-02T07:10:00.000-05:00

Flannel PJ's (with fuzzy slippers)

Ulta's 3-in-1 bath smoothies in holiday fragrances

Rockabye Baby CD's. It began with the Radiohead version gifted to us when E. was born. This month we ordered the U2 and Queen versions (there are tons of versions on Amazon), so we can hum along while we tuck him into sleepy land. I mean, how cool is it that our child will grow up recognizing our favorite kinds of music?

Special holiday "brews".

Time spent in front of the fire.

Combine all of these things and what do you get? ZZZZ

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

(images: happied.com, old navy, Amazon, Ulta, USA Today)

Super Freaky Glasses

2011-11-30T07:10:00.000-05:00

Hi there! Stefanie Wass, Christina's CP, here. *WAVES* I'm hijacking her blog today to talk about Middle Grade fiction.

I just read SEEING CINDERELLA, by Jenny Lundquist and HAD to tell you about it!

Below are my TopFive Reasons To Read This Book:

1. ThePremise:CalliopeMeadow Anderson (“Callie”) finds out she needs glasses. Her new frames are hideously large—a totalnightmare, except for one cool feature: When Callie wears them, computerscreens appear over everyone’s heads, revealing their innermost thoughts! Suddenly, Callie knows what her best friend,secret crush, and locker partner REALLY think about her. Sometimes, that’s not a good thing.

2. Callie’snew friend Ana:Shedefinitely has something to hide. But even with her super freaky glasses,Callie can’t decipher Ana’s thoughts, since the words on Ana’s computer screenappear in her native tongue: Spanish.

3. TheCinderella Metaphor:Callie auditions for the lead in her school’s production of Cinderella. But when she gets the part, she gives it toher best friend Ellen. It’s easier to be the understudy and avoid thespotlight. Isn’t it?

4. SuperFreaky Chapter Titles: My favorites:

*Super Freaky Glasses Rule #3: Most People Tell Little White Lies. Don’t Be Offended. You Do The Same Thing.

*Super Freaky Glasses Rule #9: It’s Easier To Dislike Someone When You Don’t Have To Read Their Thoughts.

*Super Freaky Glasses Rule #12: People Guard Their Secrets Well. Your Magic Glasses Can’t Change That.

5. TheLesson: (from p.213)“Onething the glasses taught me: No matter how different we looked on the outside,on the inside we worried and wondered about the same things. We all hoped we’dfind someone who would see us for the person we really were, and the person wewanted to be.”

Jenny is represented by Kerry Sparks of Levine Greenberg Agency. Seeing Cinderella will be published by Aladdin M!X in the Spring of 2012. (On-Sale Date: 3/20/2012).

Pre-order Seeing Cinderella on Amazon today!

***Jenny is also doing a giveaway of an ARC andfunky socks on her BLOG this week. All you need to do is leave a number between 1 and 225 in the comments section! The contest ends this Sunday at midnight.

First Words Workshop: MEOW

2011-11-28T07:25:00.000-05:00

To see how the workshop began, read THIS post: An Analysis of First Pages.

This month's (anonymous) Middle Grade fantasy:

We materialize behind the scratchy bush on the side ofTessa’s apartment. As Charlemagne and I walk around to her front door, I hearher dog Vixen barking my name over and over again. Whatever else he's barkingis lost on me. I don't know much Dog, but with a Mother who's fluent in atleast a dozen animal languages, I've picked up a few things.

My cat, however, understands Vixenperfectly. "Not if I get you first," he meows.

I'm way more fluent in Cat.

**********************

My comments are in RED:

We materialize behind the scratchy bush on the side ofTessa’s apartment. Okay, so I already know she is a witch, but had I not, would I understand what you mean by materialize? Maybe so. Let see what the other comments are. As Charlemagne and I walk around to her front door, (since they already know Tessa, I'd use a stronger verb than walk. Were they exited or reluctant to go there?) I hearher dog Vixen barking my name over and over again. I almost want her name right here italicized. Whatever else he's barkingis lost on me. I don't know much Dog, but with a Mother who's fluent in atleast a dozen animal languages (love), I've picked up a few things. So, she is with her cat, but at this point a reader might not know her gender or that this is a human and a cat, so somehow you should identify that. Like have her foot or dress snag on something.

My cat, however, understands Vixenperfectly. "Not if I get you first," he meows. I like that line and think it could stand alone without explanation prior.

I'm way more fluent in Cat. Hmmm... wonder if this line should come before the last one.

My eyes snap to the window, where aflicker of movement appears from behind the open drapes. Tessa answers the doorbefore I have a chance to knock. Charlemagne darts inside after Vixen who yelpsand runs away. I'd change the order of this sentence. I think you have an intriguing beginning on your hands!

*************************

Stina's comments are in BLUE:

Iasked my 11 year old and 9 year old if they would keep reading. The oldest onesaid, “No.” He had no idea what was going on. My younger son grinned and said, “Yes”.He liked the cat. He likes books with talking animals. My older son hates them.So basically you nailed the start according to your target audience.

You need to establish as early as the first sentence that“we” is a human and a cat. I was thrown out of the opening when I discovered inthe second paragraph who the characters are. That meant I had visualized thescene all wrong.

When you say “materialize”, do you mean the two charactersjust pouf out of nowhere? If so, that definitely piques my interest. I want toknow why they are able to do this, why they are at Tessa’s house, and where theycame from.

The ‘m’ in mother would not be capitalized because you havean article with it. If you were saying ‘but with Mother being fluent in atleast a dozen animal languages, I’ve picked up a few things,’ then the ‘m’would be capitalized.

Thelast sentence is a little confusing. It doesn’t sound like Vixen ran inside thehouse. It sounds like he ran away while still outside. Also, the sentencesounds a little off because you’ve got something happening in present tense followingan action that is also written in present tense. By the time the cat dartsinside, Vixen has already yelped and bolted inside. Maybe change it tosomething like: ‘Vixen yelps and bolts inside. Charlemagne darts after him.’This also adds suspense because you have to wait a beat to find out how the catreacts to Vixen bolting inside the house.

************************

Possible rewrite based on both sets of comments:

We materialize outside Tessa’s apartment, the hem of my skirt catching on the scratchy bush near the walkway. I follow Charlemagne as she prances toward the front door, while Tessa's dog Vixen yaps my name over and over again.
Grizzy. Grizzy. Grizzy.

Whatever else he's barkingis lost on me. I don't know much Dog, but with a mother who's fluent in a dozen animal languages, I've picked up a few things.

I'm way more fluent in Cat.

Charlemagne's ears prick up. "Not if I get you first," she meows.

My eyes snap to the window, where aflicker of movement appears from behind the open drapes. Tessa answers the doorbefore I have a chance to knock. Vixen yelps and bolts inside. Charlemagne darts after him.

***********************

Two different viewpoints to take or leave. Thanks for this great entry!

Do you want YOUR first 100 words work-shopped? Email me!

Glitter and Gratitude

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thrown a fist full of glitter in the air?

Looked fear in the face and said I just don't care?

It's only half past the point of no return

The tip of the iceberg, the sun before the burn

The thunder before lightning, the breath before the phrase

Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry?

Invited a stranger to come inside?

It's only half past the point of oblivion

The hourglass on the table, the walk before the run

The breath before the kiss and the fear before the flames

Have you ever wished for an endless night?

Held your breath and asked, will it ever get better than tonight?

Lasso the moon and stars and pull that rope tight!

(Glitter in the Air, by Pink)

Those smaller moments. Those in-betweens. The journey, not the destination.

The birds chirping, my feet standing, the sun rising, my child breathing, and the ticking minutes I get to do what I love. Grateful.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

SEE YOU ON MONDAY!

(images)

Lost and Forgotten

2011-11-21T07:10:00.000-05:00

I'll admit to using all kinds of strange things to mark my page in a book: envelopes, pictures, a popsicle stick.

I featured the blog Forgotten Bookmarks about a year-and-a-half ago and also follow on Twitter.

Michael Popek is a used and rare bookseller who blogs about the personal, funny, heartbreaking and weird things he finds in books.

Some examples:

(Mrs. Eisenhower's Fudge recipe)

(a check from 1940-something)

(A checklist of names, some crossed off with the word BAD next to the name)

I'd say he has one of the coolest jobs EVER!

And now he has a BOOK out called FORGOTTEN BOOKMARKS (another GREAT holiday gift idea!):

What do you use to mark books?

Friday Quotes: Trouble in the Wind

2011-11-18T07:18:00.000-05:00

I don’t suppose I really know you very well - but I do know you smell like the delicious damp grass that grows near old walls and that your hands are beautiful opening out of your sleeves...

...and that the back of your head is a mossy sheltered cave when there is trouble in the wind and that my cheek just fits the depression in your shoulder.

(Zelda Fitzgerald, in a letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald)

Maybe we should all write a love letter this weekend!

ENJOY! :D
(images:tumblr and tumblr)

The Dawn is Breaking

2011-11-16T07:15:00.000-05:00

This is perhaps the first time I'm not totally over-the-moon excited about seeing a Twilight movie premiere.

It might be because the trailer for Breaking Dawn was blown away by the trailer for Hunger Games.
Plus, I don't understand why, by the fourth movie, no one can put the right kind of make-up on the Cullens. Besides, the acting in the television series The Vampire Diaries is way more believable.

Just keeping it real.

Despite all of that, I will always *always* love those books, want to see the movies (after all, the wolves are pretty dang cool), and deeply admire Stephanie Meyer for influencing how I write romantic tension scenes. And hey, maybe I'll feel differently about this one.

In honor of seeing Breaking Dawn tonight, I thought I'd share a hilarious twitter trend started the other night by Rachel Hawkins (of HEX HALL series fame), called:  #Things Edward Googled.

Here are my favorite #things-edward-googled:

How to get the dog smell off your true love ( by @bookgoonie)

Does headboard breaking causes pregnancy?  (by @LadyHawkins)

How long will pregnancy boobs last if immortal? ( by@MyraMcEntire)

Nickelback tickets (@Kate_Hart)

Is sparkling hereditary?  (by @LadyHawkins)

How do I know if she's faking it since I can't read her mind? (by @BookaliciousPam)

Do babbys smell like freesia? (by @LadyHawkins)

Top 10 Vampire Myths: No protection needed (by @breedespain)

If babby shows fondness for jean shirts, should I worry? (by @LadyHawkins)

SPF 1000 (by @stephandrea_ )

Getting girl pregnant when you have no blood flow (by @LadyHawkins)

How do I get abs like Jacobs? (by @ShutUpImReading)

How to deter werewolf pedophiles (by @LadyHawkins)

Will Stephanie ever finish MIDNIGHT SUN? (by @ME)

I'll let you know how the movie was! :D

(images: trailershut.com, newstrailers.info)

The Five Senses of Autumn: TOUCH

2011-11-14T07:10:00.000-05:00

My other five senses posts are here: Sight, Sound, Smell and Taste.

1. The brittle crunch of leaves, falling in droves from treetops and crumbling beneath our feet.

2. Soft knits taut against our neck, to block the crisp kiss of autumn's air and the whisper of winters to come.

3. Smooth and cool to the touch are our fall staples: chestnuts, buckeyes, apples, pumpkins, squash and cranberries.

That will do it for my autumn posts--just in time for snowflakes to fall in their steadier rhythm.

Look for my winter posts to come. Enjoy your Monday!

(images: we heart it)

Author Spotlight

2011-11-11T07:10:00.000-05:00

"Music is the shadow of thought. A muse for grief. An unending moan. A manic pandemonium that roams through rhyme and mimics my soul through mime. It masquerades selfish woes, masks my hollow lifestyle like warm humming cellos. It's a blend of folly and secretive gen, acoustic vignettes--motionless, yet moving." (excerpt, String Bridge)

Jessica's a blog buddy and when she asked me to take part in her debut shout-out, how could I say no? She writes, sings, pens poetry and is just all-around awesome!

Today is THE day to help Jessica Bell's debut, STRING BRIDGE, hitthe bestseller list on Amazon, AND receive the all-original soundtrack, Melody Hill: On the Other Side, written and performed by the author herself, for free!

All you have to do ispurchase the book today (paperback, or eBook), November 11th, andthen email the receipt to: jessica.carmen.bell(at)gmail(dot)com

She willthen email you a link to download the album at no extra cost! (HOW COOL IS THAT?)

To purchase the paperback:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

To purchase the eBook:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

To listen to samples of the soundtrack, visit iTunes.

If you arenot familiar with String Bridge,check out the book trailer:

Rave Reviews for String Bridge:

“Jessica Bell’s STRING BRIDGE strummed the fret of myveins, thrummed my blood into a mad rush, played me taut until the final page,yet with echoes still reverberating. A rhythmic debut with metrical tones ofheavied dark, fleeting prisms of light, and finally, a burst of joy—just aswith any good song, my hopeful heartbeat kept tempo with Bell’s narrative.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Sweetie and Publishing Editor of Rose & Thorn Journal

“Poet andmusician Jessica Bell's debut novel String Bridge is a rich exploration of desire, guilt, and thedifficult balancing act of the modern woman. The writing is lyrical throughout,seamlessly integrating setting, character and plot in a musical structure thatallows the reader to identify with Melody's growing insecurity as her worldbegins to unravel … String Bridge isa powerful debut from a promising writer, full of music, metaphor, and just ahint of magic.” ~ Magdalena Ball, author of RepulsionThrust and Sleep Before Evening

“Jessica Bell is a brilliant writerof great skill and depth. She doesn't pull back from the difficultscenes, from conflict, pain, intensity. She puts it all out there, no holdsbarred, no holding back. She knows how to craft a scene, how to developcharacter, how to create suspense. This is an absolutely brilliant debut novel.I look forward to reading hernext novel, and next and next.” ~ Karen JonesGowen, author of Farm Girl, Uncut Diamonds and House of Diamonds

Connect with Jessica:

String Bridge: http://www.stringbridge.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jessica_bell
Website: http://www.jessicacbell.com/
Blog: http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.jessica.bell
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MsBessieBell
Publisher: http://www.luckypress.com

TWEET and/or FACEBOOK this post using #StringBridge!

******************************

**I'm leaving my comments OFF today so you can just visit, follow, buy or tweet for Jessica!

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND (It's 11-11-11 and Veterans Day, after all)! :-)

Polish and Shine

2011-11-09T07:15:00.000-05:00

Once I've completed a manuscript and revised it to the point where I'm just plain sick of it, I let it rest a bit before coming back for what I call a "polish and shine".

Then I do the following:

1. Using the Find and Replace function in my Word document, I search for all the words used too frequently. Words that have no value and only add to the word count, like: well, so, began, just, that, was. These are my key words (ones I tend to overuse), yours might be different.

2. Scanning each located word, I delete or change it. Sometimes it can be changed to a more active verb or phrase (especially in the case of began and was). If I'm still unsure whether I like the changes I made on a specific page, I highlight the sentence in red and come back to it later.

3. I do the same with my physical descriptors. For my list of weaknesses, I automatically look up heart, breathe, breath and pulse. I use the Bookshelf Muse's fantastic emotions thesauraus to come up with better descriptors to add variety. I also consider using other senses in the scene--instead of sight, how about smell or touch, for example. Or how about some interiority instead?

Do you do anything similar?

(image: kumhum.com)

Clouds come floating into my life...

2011-11-07T07:10:00.000-05:00

No longer to carry rain or usher storm,

But to add color to my sunset sky.
(by Rabindranath Tagore)

Have a rich and vibrant Monday! XO

(The Northern Lights: bgc-albany.org, baltictravelcompany.com, weheartit.com)

"Life Isn't Fair" Motto Isn't Just For Kids

2011-11-04T07:10:00.000-04:00

My former critique group member, Kim Van Sickler, is in the query trenches right now, so I knew she'd have something spot on to say in this guest post (below).

Take it away, KIM:

A friend of mine sent around ane-mail that's supposedly advice Bill Gates gave to a high school class aboutthings he never learned in school. I opened it today. The advice struck a chordwith me but it didn't sound like Gates, so I Snopes-checked it and found out itdidn't come from him. The real author is Charles J. Sykes, who wrote, Fifty Rules Kids Won't Learn in School:Real-World Antidotes to Feel-Good Education

No matter. I really like the firstELEVEN RULES and promptly posted them in the Note section of my Facebook pagewith the proper attribution. (Kim, my favorite rule is #11)

Then I started wondering why I wasso gung ho about these rules. It didn't take me long to figure it out. I mean,yes, I did just have a blow-out argument with my thirteen-year-old daughterlast night over her infuriating habit of ignoring me as I'm trying to rush usout the door, my college-student son is majoring in partying, and both kidsplus all my stepkids think I'm incredibly "unchill." But that wasn'tit.

No. It was because yesterday Ifinally e-mail-queried ten agents about my mermaid novel, Beached. (SIDE NOTE: Kim's writing is the bomb and her book is GOOD) And today I'd already received four e-mails saying theyweren't interested in reading it. And while two of them were polite blanketrejections, and one was a flat out admission that the agency wasn't taking onany mermaid books right now, one was a chillingly blunt refusal. "No,thank you," it read.

At least it said, "thankyou." (SIDE NOTE: I've gotten those before too. *POUTY FACE*)

In an era where our societybombards us with commercials, entertainment, and self-help gurus telling usthat we're "special" and "worth it", how do we deal withthe failure that all of us ultimately encounter?

Do we give up? Wallow in it? Orpick ourselves up and keep going? (GO, KIM, GO)

I got into this writing businesswanting to see my books published. And since I'm looking at traditionalpublishing right now, that means I've got to keep plugging along. Every writerwill tell you it's hard work, and that the only way to succeed is to perseverethrough the rejections.

This list isn't just for ungratefulkids. In some form or another, it's to all of us. (Did you read the eleven rules?)

Thank you, Kim! I am SO rooting for you!

***Kim blogs over at SWAGGER, with seven other writers in various stages of publication. They are just getting up and running, so if you have time, say hi or go follow!

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!

First Words Workshop: The Burning Birthmark

2011-11-02T07:15:00.000-04:00

To see how the workshop began, read THIS post: An Analysis of First Pages.

Here is this week's 100 word (anonymous) Paranormal YA entry:

Iwalked out of the bathroom and froze at the sound of a metal click by mytemple. My legs and knees shook as the robber held his gun to my head. Heyelled something at the cashier but all I could hear was my heartbeat throbbingin my ears. For whatever reason, I glanced at the new guy I just met, Caleb.His messy but perfect hair almost fell into his green eyes. I did too when wefirst met ten minutes ago. Something about him was familiar but I was sure Ididn’t know him. He was from England after-all.

Thebirthmark on my hand had been burning since Caleb said hello. His green eyeslooked like he was planning something, but I had no clue what.

Icould smell the gunman; a mix of sweat and crazy all together. My hearthammered when he looked at me.

**********************

My comments are in red:

I walked out of the bathroom and froze at the sound of a metal click by my temple. Whoa, right into the action! I almost want to change the order of this sentence to have the click come first. My legs and knees shook (just one or the other and let's find a stronger verb) as the robber held his gun to my head. He yelled something at the cashier but all I could hear was my heartbeat throbbing in my ears. For whatever reason, I glanced at the new guy I just met, Caleb. His messy but perfect hair almost fell into his green eyes. I did too when we first met ten minutes ago. Something about him was familiar but I was sure I didn’t know him. He was from England after-all. Not sure if all of these thoughts should come into play here while a gun is to her head. Maybe we should set these two characters up first and then have the robbery happen.

The birthmark on my hand had been burning since Caleb said hello. Intriguing! His green eyes looked like he was planning something, but I had no clue what. What about his green eyes made her think this?

I could smell the gunman; a mix of sweat and crazy all together. NICE! My heart hammered when he looked at me. You already have her heart throbbing above so let's change this up. And since I've been able to read further ahead in this story, there are some details I'll add in, below.

**********************

STINA'S comments are in blue:

An intriguing start. Good jobshowing the main character’s visceral reaction (legs and knees shook) rightafter showing the reader the stimulus (metal click by the temple).

My problem with this opening isthere’s too much going on. Plus, you’re starting with action before the readerbecomes emotionally attached to the protagonist. I don’t care enough about herto worry about the gun being held to her head. And I don’t know about you, butif someone is holding a gun to my head, I’m not going to be thinking about howI fell for the stranger with green eyes ten minutes ago. I’m going to befreaking out. Agents might not like this kind of start. It’s like waking up to find astranger in your room late at night, and immediately thinking how hot he is. You need to make it more believable.

You might not be starting inthe right place. You want suspense, but you’ll create more if you holdoff on the big action until a little later in the chapter. Maybe have the maincharacter notice the “bad” guy when he first enters the store, but paint thepicture in the reader’s mind that he’s up to no good. The reader will keepreading to find out what the guy has planned, and hopefully by the time the guncomes out, the reader is ready to cheer for your main character.

I did like this line: I could smellthe gunman; a mix of sweat and crazy all together. That gave an image I couldcling to.

**********************

Possible Rewrite (based on both sets of comments):

When I stepped out of the convenience store bathroom, the panic I saw in Caleb's face bolted my feet to the floor. I'd just been introduced to him ten minutes earlier by my childhood friend, Ame, but nothing could mistake how his wide green eyes darted all around around my face.

The sound of a click by my temple almost made my heart crash out of my chest. And when the robber jammed the cold metal to my head, my knees nearly buckled beneath me. He yelled something at the cashier but I couldn't hear it above the thundering in my ears.

The birthmark on my hand still throbbed like it did upon meeting Caleb, but it was nothing compared to the burning in my throat. I wanted to yell out to Caleb, but the slight tilt of his head toward the door made me think he was planning something. So I kept my mouth shut.

I could smell the gunman--sweat and crazy all mixed together. And when he looked at me, I wished with all of my being that I hadn't returned to this stinking, good-for-nothing town.

***********************

Two different viewpoints to take or leave. Thanks for this great entry!

Do you want YOUR first 100 words work-shopped? Email me!

Monday Morning Mumblings

2011-10-31T07:13:00.000-04:00

1. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2. Halloween is like an event on our street. Lots of kids, candy, neighbors and "visiting". SO FUN!

3. Makes me wish it fell on a weekend night every year (and especially not on a Monday-ZZZZ)!

ENJOY YOUR DAY!

(images: youareadog.com, tlcpethospital.com, dogcentral.info)

Haunting Literature Quotes

2011-10-28T07:15:00.000-04:00

In honor of HALLOWEEN!

All of these quotes are from 2011 YA books:

"It's reported that his ghost, dubbed County 12 Hiker, has killed at least a dozen people and injured another eight. But I can't really blame him. He never made it home to see his girl, and now he doesn't want anyone else to get home either." From ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD by Kendare Blake

"I reached our building only to find a wide-eyed Southern belle wearing a Civil War-era dress blocking the front door. Sighing, I stuck my hand through her stomach to turn the knob, meeting no resistance. I rolled my eyes as she gasped, fluttered her eyelashes and disappeared in a puff of smoke." From HOURGLASS by Myra McIntyre

"I was about to let go and push back for shore when my fingers felt something strange. My arm was slung over the side of the rowboat, hanging down inside it. And whatever I felt at the bottom of that boat was far cooler than the water I was drifting in, and cooler than the mountain air. It was cold. Dead cold." From IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma

"I catch my breath as the strangers eyes find mine. Eyes as dark as river stones and yet somehow shining, soaking up the moonlight. Eyes that widen a fraction as they meet my own. A single, long, unblinking look. And then in an instant the stranger seems to break apart, a sharp gust of wind tears through, and the shutters slam closed against the glass." From THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab

"The foundation of the house rocked. Bridget lost her balance and staggered a few steps until Monsignor's strong hand gripped her arm, steadying her. Mrs. Long grunted and snarled, then Bridget watched in horror as the old lady's body went rigid--feet flexed, arms plastered to her sides--and began to rise off the bed. From POSSESS by Gretchen McNeil.

HAVE A SPOOKTACULAR WEEKEND!

A Leaf Man Goes Where the Wind Blows

2011-10-26T07:30:00.000-04:00

I'm a HUGE Lois Ehlert fan. If you have a child (or teach children) under the age of ten, you've got to own her books! She's an author/illustrator whose collage technique draws from organic objects ( leaves, seeds, fabric and roots), to help her pages come alive.

When Nana visited this past month, she and my seven-year-old used the THE LEAF MAN again as a guide for their fall project.
How could they not? The images in the book are gorgeous. Ehlert created the scenes using real leaves. The one below is a "stream of fish and turtles":

When I taught second grade, my students collected leaves to re-create some of her images. See the turkeys, below?

So Nana and Evan set to work, gathering up fall.

After they created their leaf images, they used a warm iron to press them between sheets of wax paper.

A perfect fall craft! Can't wait to show off Ehlert's SNOWBALLS book this winter!

The Five Senses of Autumn: SMELL

2011-10-24T07:15:00.000-04:00

My other five senses posts are here: Sight, Sound, and Taste.

I won't mention the obvious, like pumpkins, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and turkey/gravy. Instead, my olfactory senses go here:

Rain. Damp, fresh, new. A cleansing of sorts.

Candy. Chocolaty and sugary, with tricks to go along with them. And maybe a scare.

Piles of leaves. Earthy, organic, and perfect for stomping through.

Enjoy your fall day!

(images: We Heart It )

A Missed Opportunity

2011-10-21T07:15:00.000-04:00

"A message in a bottle, a smoke signal, letters written in the sand, love--lost and found." That's what it says on Sophie Blackall's blog, the artist I crushed on almost two years ago in this post, for her Missed Connections drawings.

She scrawls them based on what she reads in the classifieds section. How COOL is that?

Here are some examples:

"When I put your coat collar up to protect you from the cold...

on the corner of E Houston and Bowery...

and I looked in your eyes...

I was very tempted to kiss you...

but I don't steal women from other men...

still...

I was tempted..."

"You were reading Catch-22 on the subway this morning. I have never seen such a beautiful profile. I wanted to say hi, but then you’d turn towards me and I wouldn’t be able to look at your profile anymore. You were so into your book, I don’t think you noticed me falling in love with you. But I thought I’d ask, just in case."

"i bought you that milkshake

you just didn't realize it."

AWESOME, RIGHT?

So imagine my EXCITEMENT when I saw she had a BOOK based on her drawings! It would make the perfect coffee table book and is SO on my Christmas list (if I don't buy it before then)!

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

Blogging Etiquette (That Matters) 101

2011-10-19T07:14:00.000-04:00

I've been at this a long time (well, long for bloggyland--since 2008), and have been asked lots of blogging questions through email.

I've never written a post about it before, but felt now was the time, for many reasons.

In light of all the recent back and forth advice about what blogger/writers are "supposed" to do to develop our brand/target audience, I thought I'd add my own tips about what makes blogging successful. And I'm not talking about FOLLOWERS. Or number of monthly HITS. There is so much focus on all of that, it puts too much pressure on people. Also, factoring in TIME is a given. Building blogging relationships takes time (and perseverance), plain and simple. I mean, months went by where all I heard were the crickets chirping around here.

I'm talking about building a community of support. Will blogging bring readers to you (I'm talking readers of your future books)? Maybe or maybe not. But I'm not wholly sure that's what matters anymore. It matters to have an on-line presence so a reader can find you if they want to. And it matters that your on-line presence is professional. And it matters a heck of a lot that you WROTE THE BEST BOOK(s) you could.

But most of us blog because it's an outlet (to show who we are). Plus, we like the idea of a community.
And maybe that's all that matters ("if you build it, they will come"?).

With that said, I think the following TEN THINGS are important when you're blogging. They'll make people want to visit you more often and establish a relationship of support (Remember, my opinion ONLY. I'm okay if you respectfully disagree).

1. SHORT POSTS most of the time. For example, this is the longest post I've done in ages. In my opinion, your posts should be no longer than 500 words--250 words is even better, etc. etc.

2. WHITE SPACE. Please, put lots of white space between paragraphs and maybe use pictures that help capture the topic (and be sure to cite where the picture came from).

3. NO MUSIC. Stop forcing your style of music on me when I click on your page-- I CANNOT TAKE IT! :D

4. ONE TOPIC/THEME PER POST. When people jump all over the place, my first thought is always, "Geez, they could make five whole posts out of this one."

5. DIVERSIFY. If I always see the exact same kind of post (i.e. book reviews, author interviews, writing goals or tour dates), it doesn't show me who you are as a person. Unless that one topic is what your blog is touted as (then, carry on).

6. DON'T APOLOGIZE. For being gone or off topic for that specfic day/week and here's why: most of us read tons of blogs and we don't remember your "schedule". REALLY. Announce your leaving if you'll be gone for awhile (especially if someone from your "target audience" wanders across your blog).

7. DONT ASK FOR SUGGESTIONS. Sorry, but this drives me BATTY. It's YOUR blog, write about what you're passionate about (I strongly believe that)--don't ask readers to decide for you, I'm not sure that they really CARE that much. The market is over-saturated with similar information. If you decide to change how or what you blog about (remember, diversity is nice), people will probably come back for a specific topic, but mostly they'll come back for your personality or your relationship!

8. GET OUT OF YOUR BLOGGING HOUSE AND GO VISIT OTHERS. C'mon, if you only respond to comments on your own blog, don't expect people to come back and read your reply. VARY your responses if you're too busy or you have too many daily comments to handle. Respond back in the comments section and/or through email some of the time, but also GET OUT THERE and visit others every now and then. If you expect people to come visit you, but you NEVER go see them--shame on you! It's about building relationships.

9. FOLLOW. Is it going to kill you to follow someone back? Open yourself up to others, you'll be pleasantly surprised. We all know our Google readers are hard to manage. Forget about it-click on what you find interesting and that's that, we can all forgive each other for the rest.

10. MAKE IT EASY for people to visit you. If you constantly ask someone to click over to see you someplace other than your blog, it gets OLD. Make it easy to leave comments by using a pop-up comment box and no word verification. Also, add your email and blog link under your follower widget, under "settings" so the blog owner can comment/visit back.

ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD?

(cartoon network, I can has cheezburger)

First Words Workshop: Edgy YA

2011-10-17T07:15:00.000-04:00

To see how the workshop began, read THIS post: An Analysis of First Pages.

Here is this week's 100 word (anonymous) Edgy YA entry:

Carleigh closed the front door, walked inside her apartment, and stopped mid-stride when she recognized the heavy footsteps. Her body tensed, then began to tremble, and the brassy taste of fear filled her mouth. She slid her backpack around, hugged it protectively against her stomach, and became statue-still.

Appearing to concentrate on the bare floor in front of him, a man with a weathered complexion and muttonchops tramped down the hallway. His right hand clutched a Budweiser, left hand a cigarette.

Dean.

Carleigh sucked in a sharp breath and stepped backward. Beneath her foot, a floorboard creaked.

Dean’s head snapped up.

************************

My comments are in red:

Carleigh closed the front door, walked inside her apartment, and stopped mid-stride when she recognized the heavy footsteps. Her body tensed, then began to tremble, and the brassy taste of fear filled her mouth. She slid her backpack around, hugged it protectively against her stomach, and became statue-still. First, I want to mention how very intriguing this opening is! I can feel her emotions. But I think there are too many things "listed" in a row (closed, walked, stopped etc.) and I want to tighten it up. Also, when you say "her" apartment it makes me stop and wonder if this is a teen or a grown woman. Use of "the" or "their" would make me think she was underage living with her parents (or it just might be my personal taste).

Appearing to concentrate on the bare floor in front of him ( I get why you say "appear" so as to not POV jump, but you could just say eyes focused down), a man with a weathered complexion and muttonchops tramped down the hallway. His right hand clutched a Budweiser, left hand a cigarette.

Dean. AWESOME!

Carleigh sucked in a sharp breath and stepped backward. Beneath her foot, a floorboard creaked.

Dean’s head snapped up. Whoa--who is he (Mom's boyfriend?) and what's gonna happen?

**************************

STINA'S comments are in blue:

This is an intriguing start. Great job showing us Carleigh’s emotions.

There are a number of points that need clearing up so that the reader can visualize the scene. What do you mean by recognized the heavy footsteps? Did she know who they belong to? Or did she hear heavy footsteps? She’s in her apartment, but where are the footsteps coming from? Orientate the reader so she can visualize the scene.

When I read ‘muttonchops’ I thought this is historic, because that’s the only time I’ve heard it described this way. But then he had a Budweiser in his hand, and I realized the story takes place in a region I’m not familiar with, where they normally use the term.

While I like the rest of the beginning, I felt that the first sentence could be stronger. It didn’t hook me enough to keep reading. Plus it sounds like Carleigh would have walked into the door since she just closed it before walking into her apartment. Either have her walk into her apartment and then close the door, or have her close the door then walk farther into the apartment. It’s not a big deal, but it did bug me.

**********************

Possible Rewrite (based on both sets of comments):

Carleigh stepped inside the apartment and paused mid-stride when she heard his heavy footsteps coming from the kitchen. Her body tensed and the brassy taste of fear filled her mouth. She hugged her backpack protectively against her stomach and became statue-still, despite feeling weak in the knees.

Eyes cast down, a man with a weathered complexion and muttonchops tramped down the hallway. His right hand clutched a Budweiser, left hand a cigarette.

Dean.

Carleigh sucked in a sharp breath and stepped backward. Beneath her foot, a floorboard creaked.

Dean’s head snapped up.

**********************

Two different viewpoints to take or leave. Thanks for this great entry!

Do you want YOUR first 100 words work-shopped? Email me!

PAY IT FORWARD

2011-10-14T07:10:00.000-04:00

So MATT and ALEX are holding a blogfest today. The idea is to get to know other bloggers and to link to people you admire.

This was the perfect opportunity to choose the one person I was was hoping to spotlight soon, anyway! My CP and friend, KATE WALTON. She is one of the most humble, positive, kind and giving people I know. Really and truly, the best kind of author to stalk (er, follow). Go see how cool her author website is too! :D

And not only that, her debut contemporary YA novel, CRACKED comes out from Simon Pulse, Simon & Schuster on January 3, 2012. AMAZING! And I can say that, not because I've been able to read this one yet, but because I've read everything else she's written, and people, she is GOOD!

And Holy Toledo, check out the premise (two male MC's)--YES!

Victor hates his life. He has no friends, gets beaten up at school, and his parents are always criticizing him. Tired of feeling miserable, Victor takes a bottle of his mother's sleeping pills—only to wake up in the hospital.

Bull is angry, and takes all of his rage out on Victor. That makes him feel better, at least...

When Victor and Bull end up as roommates in the same psych ward, there's no way to escape each other or their problems. Which means things are going to get worse—much worse—before they get better….

Why not add it to your *to-read* pile on Goodreads (or pre-order it, if you'd like)?

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND!

Quiet Spaces

2011-10-12T07:10:00.000-04:00

They came to sit & dangle their feet off the edge of the world

& after awhile they forgot everything but the good & true things they would do someday.

Happy Writing!

(quote: Story People, image: thehatinthecat.tumblr.com)

Kick A** 2011 Debut Author Spotlight

2011-10-10T07:25:00.002-04:00

What began as a Facebook conversation, led to dozens of emails exchanges and finally, here we are today! I gathered a few awesome writer/bloggers to feature 2011 (mostly) debut authors.

The list of books in the limelight is at the end of my post-go look! I still wish we could have featured more, but I think we did a darn good job.

It's a day of CELEBRATION! Let the wild rumpus BEGIN!

My focus today is on three 2011 debut MALE YA authors:

Ashline and her wild-child sister, Eve, never appeared too remarkable, besides being Polynesian in a white suburban town. That is, until a petty schoolyard quarrel escalates to violence, during which Eve kills a rival of Ashline’s in cold blood. Shocked, Ashline moves across the country to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start doesn’t go as planned.

After a series of dangerous and mysterious occurrences—an attempted kidnapping, the appearance of paranormal beasts in the local forest—Ashline learns that she and four of her classmates are actually demigods who were summoned to this middle-of-nowhere school by an enigmatic blind girl. As a war between the gods looms over the campus, two very powerful organizations—with very different ideas on how the demigods should use their powers—are vying for control. Both groups want Ashline and her newfound abilities on their side…and some are willing to kill for her.

Three reasons to read:
1. KARSTEN does female MC's well and Ashline is a well-drawn character--sarcastic, damaged and unique.
2. His use of metaphors is jealousy-inducing.
3. And c'mon, a Polynesian goddess? How original and refreshing.

******************************

Rene, an obsessive-compulsive fourteen year old, smells his hands and wears a Batman cape when he’s nervous. If he picks up a face-down coin, moves a muscle when the time adds up to thirteen (7:42 is bad luck because 7 + 4 + 2 = 13), or washes his body parts in the wrong order, Rene or someone close to him will break a bone, contract a deadly virus, and/or die a slow and painful death like someone in a scary scene in scary movie. Rene’s new and only friend tutors him in the art of playing it cool, but that’s not as easy as Gio makes it sound.

Three reasons to read:
1. MATT gets you inside of Rene's OCD head and keeps you there--riveted!
2. B'Noodles--need I say more? The lingo in the book is way cool.
3. He describes a high school experience I was familiar with and Matt is probably the coolest teacher in real life.

******************************

Braden's witch eyes give him an enormous power. A mere look causes a kaleidoscopic explosion of emotions, memories, darkness, and magic. But this rare gift is also his biggest curse.

Compelled to learn about his shadowed past and the family he never knew, Braden is drawn to the city of Belle Dam, where he is soon caught between two feuding witch dynasties. Sworn rivals Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe will use anything--lies, manipulation, illusion, and even murder--to seize control of Braden's powers. To stop an ancient evil from destroying the town, Braden must master his gift, even through the shocking discovery that Jason is his father.

While his feelings for an enigmatic boy named Trey grow deeper, Braden realizes a terrible truth: Trey is Catherine Lansing's son . . . and Braden may be destined to kill him.

Three reasons to read:
1.World building. The town of Belle Dam is dark and mysterious, just the way I like it.
2. The love story between Braden and Trey--more of this, please!
3. SCOTT 's writing is lovely and his imagination is awesome--c'mon, witch eyes? So cool!

************************************

***HERE'S WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS CRACK-A-LACKIN':

Rachele raves about IMAGINARY GIRLS
Susan is featuring RIP TIDE
Robyn spotlights ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE
Nicole wants to tell you about POSSESSION
Janet tells why she loves LIAR SOCIETY
Kate talks about MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN
Sheri admires IRON WITCH
Jen would like to tell you about WITHER
Shannon celebrates DARK PARTIES
Jon loves MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFE
Michelle tells you about SHIFTING
Susan admires WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE
Natalie gives a shout out to AUDITION, THE FAERIE RING, and MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFE
Katie loves THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER
Stina gives you a taste of BAD TASTE IN BOYS and many others
Jessie spotlights SPELLBOUND and BIRTHRIGHT
Willow admires DESTINED
Christine raves about POSSESS
Kristin really really likes CLARITY
Anne features READY PLAYER ONE
Meredith wants to shout about DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE
Amy Rose loves THE NEAR WITCH
Theresa talks about DIVERGENT
Kelly focuses in on EARTHLING HERO and A SCARY GOOD BOOK
Christine gears you up for THE LIPSTICK LAWS
Laura is wild about GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS
Patti tells you about HEREAFTER
Portia admires THE SECRET OF SPRUCE KNOLL
Ali has plenty to say about POSSESSION
Kelly has a spark for ANGELFIRE
Lindsay is excited about DEPARTMENT 19
Heather gears you up for TWENTY-EIGHT AND A HALF WISHES
Frankie celebrates UNEARTHLY
Nisa spotlights ENTWINED

Freeze Frame Friday

2011-10-07T07:00:00.002-04:00

It might just be a bitch and wine kind of weekend! :D

HAVE A GOOD ONE!

The Five Senses of Autumn: TASTE

2011-10-05T07:12:00.003-04:00

1. PUMPKIN everything: lattes, beer, custard, cheesecake, pies, seeds, muffins. It's dense, smooth and usually spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon.

2. CRANBERRIES. Of course, paired with a turkey dinner. But also in jello, muffin, sauce and relish form. Tart and refreshing.

3. APPLES. I like Honey Crisp and Granny Smith. Pies, sauce, butter, baked. Sweet, crisp and crunchy.

My favorite recipe for apples is CARAMEL DIP

It only requires 4 ingredients (five if you count the apples for dipping).

All you need is: 1 stick of butter, I cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of white corn syrup, and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk.

Melt the butter over low heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk. Bring it to a low boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 3 more minutes, then cool at room temperature.

Serve warm with apple wedges. Buttery and addicting. Seriously, TO DIE FOR!ANYBODY HUNGRY?!

(armyfamilyok.wordpress.com, thelunacafe.com, kitchenparade.com, thekitchn.com, butteredblasphamy.wordpress.com)

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

2011-10-03T07:25:00.000-04:00

Things you can never recover:

A word...after it is said.

An occasion...after it's missed.

The time...after it's gone.

A person...after they die.

This weekend was my son's first memorial service (his great-grandma), so lots of questions were posed the week leading up to it and afterward.

Questions like, "Will she feel better now?" "How do people turn to ash?" "Will I ever see her again?"

So if I thought the "how are babies are made" question was tough, this definitely trumps that. Because so badly did I want to reassure my child, to take away his fear and pain. To make sure there was no missed opportunity or regret--on either side!

The topic of death is popular in lots of YA (and MG) books. When writing about a child's turmoil surrounding this theme, remember that adults are conditioned to know those answers (or at least an idea of them, based on their beliefs).

As adults, we understand how visceral that sorrow can be in the very hollow of our hearts. The kind that chips away at our souls.

But kids experiences are brand spanking new. They need help understanding the finer points. Only now do they begin to feel things on a larger scale. Every disappointment--every death--represents a chink in their armor. The same armor that once glinted bright as the sun.

So, remember that innocent child's perspective when writing about it.

(images: national geographic, we heart it)

Freeze Frame Friday: Angela and Jordan

2011-09-30T07:04:00.003-04:00

Talk about a show that represented quintessential teen angst. And only nineteen episodes were filmed before My So Called Life was cancelled. :-(

I sometimes picture Angela and Jordan when trying to write "emo" scenes. To capture the tension and longing they conveyed with only their eyes.

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

(P.S. Stina and I still have spots available to critique your first 50-100 words in our workshop. Email me if you want yours included.)

The Five Senses of Autumn: Sound

2011-09-28T07:42:00.000-04:00

My first post on "sight" is HERE.

The smack and grind of helmet versus helmet. A midair slap as ball meets skin.

A high-pitched shriek. The chomp and swallow of teeth on skin. A guttural yowl at the circular moon. The drone and hum of the magical chant. (LOVE my Fall TV!)

Scraping, dragging, and crunching as rake meets leaf.

The precision stab. Rhythmic sawing as victim (er, gourd) is carved.

Moan, rattle, and drag up the tall staircase on All Hallows Eve.

(What, you've never heard a ghost? Yeah, me neither.) O_o

(images: sportsillustrated.com, ptpittsburgh.com, squawkfox.com, aproo.com, city-mankato.us)

Monday Morning Mumblings

2011-09-26T06:49:00.000-04:00

1. In honor of Banned Book Week, I need to order this cool tee from Cafe Press. And of course, I shall revisit a banned book, like SPEAK.

2. My seven-year-old is begging for a kitten to snuggle with and call his own. We currently have a nine-year-old chocolate Labrador Retriever. Maybe it's time...

3. If you look at my sidebar, you'll see something new. Finding an agent again is kind of like a second marriage (thanks for the analogy, Stina). I'm cautiously optimistic that this partnership will make my dreams come true.

But I don't want to wear that big white dress and traipse down the middle aisle this time. I just want to keep moving along, quietly content that this lovely person took a chance on my work and believes in me.

For those traveling down the same road, I only moved around that pothole where the terrain feels less bumpy for now (because we all know there are still no guarantees). But there's a turn up ahead and I hear it has its own sets of craters and boulders. I'll see you there!

(images: cafepress.com, flickr.com, weheartit.com)

My Week In Pictures

2011-09-23T07:33:00.000-04:00

I'll tell you why sometime very soon!

What are YOUR plans this weekend?

(Images: We Heart It)

The Five Senses of Autumn: Sight

2011-09-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

It's important to use your senses in writing, but sometimes we forget to show all of them. For my fall season posts, I've started with the most obvious.

There is so much to see in the fall. Most of all, the COLORS!

Scarlet, Ruby, Crimson:

Gold, Blond, Sunny:

Emerald, Olive, Jade, Lime:

Carrot, Ginger, Tangerine:

Chocolate, Russett, Coffee, Tea:

The Days in Between...

2011-09-19T07:10:00.002-04:00

I've said this before, but this month feels especially apropos. When you're a writer with *dreams* of being (traditionally) published, there are lots of in between days.

And on those days, there's waiting, wondering, teeth-gritting, and dreaming too. Plus, lots of email refreshing.

And your emotions are all over the map.
Because you're always waiting on any number of things (depending on what stage you're in):

*to have your novel beta'd/critiqued

*to hear from agents/pub houses you've queried

*to get revisions notes from you agent

*to hear from editors you've gone on submission with

*and even MORE waiting after you've been published (editor notes, ARCs, reader feedback)

It's hard not to get caught up in other people's news, and feel many things all at once. Happiness, pride, envy, disappointment, and ALWAYS (always) hope--that there's enough room at the publishing table for you!
So whatever stage you're in, remember to send your wish out there and let the wind whisper it to all the right places. And then get busy with other things, no matter how HARD it might be!

What are YOU waiting on?

(images: kateschmate.com, weheartit.com)

Quick Friday Five

2011-09-16T07:40:00.002-04:00

1. We're going to a clambake this weekend which means that fall is officially coming, right?

2. I'm in a couple different places on the interwebz today. I'm over at A Tapestry of Words where it's Psychtember month, and given my background in mental health, Danya asked me to write a blog post. Mine is entitled, "How To Get Parents Off Our Backs (in YA novels)". It goes live today at Noon EST.

3. I also donated my Typewriter Key Necklace over at Read For Relief to help victims of Hurricane Irene.

4. If you visit me at one of those two places above, I would totally give you a virtual hug and cupcake! If you don't have time right now and want to say hello to me here, that's okay too!

5. I hope you guys have a WONDERFUL WEEKEND!

First Words Workshop

2011-09-14T07:15:00.001-04:00

To see how the workshop began, read THIS post: An Analysis of First Pages.

Here is this week's 100 word (anonymous) MIDDLE GRADE entry:

Mr. McMichaels hated me after confiscating a story I wrote during class last week. A story about an evil goblin warlord. Named McMichaels.

I guess I can't blame him, but wouldn't most English teachers love a student who wanted to be an author? Not this one. I was lucky he only threatened me with detention.

I took my time walking to my eighth grade English class, not looking forward to Mr. McMichaels and his evil-eye glare.

The crowded hallway slowly thinned out as sixth, seventh and eighth-graders swapped classrooms. A kid slammed his puke green locker shut, wafting the scent of body odor and days-old sweaty gym clothes toward me.

*****
My thoughts are in red:

Mr. McMichaels hated me after confiscating a story I wrote during class last week. A story about an evil goblin warlord. Named McMichaels (funny!). I like this but somehow I want it to pack more of a punch for a first paragraph, so I might rearrange some things in my example below.

I guess I can't blame him, but wouldn't most English teachers love a student who wanted to be an author? I want this to be said in more of a kid voice, or deleted. Not this one. I was lucky he only threatened me with detention.

I took my time walking to my eighth grade English class, not looking forward to Mr. McMichaels and his evil-eye glare. HA! You've got the makings of a great story, but I want to bring out this voice more by rearranging. I also want to change one of these "evils" to another word.

The crowded hallway slowly thinned out as sixth, seventh and eighth-graders (not sure if this detail is needed) swapped classrooms. A kid slammed his puke green locker shut, wafting the scent of body odor and days-old sweaty gym clothes toward me. Ick, I can so smell that--nice details!

********
My rewrite:

My feet dragged as I walked to eight grade English. Mr. McMichaels hated me. Guess I couldn't blame him and his evil-eye glare. Not after he confiscated a story I wrote about a wicked goblin warlord last week. Named McMichaels.

You'd think an English teacher would appreciate a kid that actually liked writing. Not this one. I was lucky he only threatened me with detention.

The hallway thinned out as students swapped classrooms. One kid slammed his puke green locker shut, wafting the scent of body odor and days-old sweaty gym clothes toward me.

******
Stina's thoughts are in blue:

I liked this opening, but felt the first paragraph could be made stronger by adding more emotional punch to it. So I rearranged it a bit. Also, watch out for changes in your verb tense. “Can’t” is present tense, but your story’s in past tense. Otherwise I thought it was great, and loved the sensory details.

One other thing I changed was the list of grades. We know from her being in eighth grade that she’s in middle school. You don’t need to list the grades.

******
Stina's rewrite:

Mr. McMichaels hated me. I guess I couldn’t blame him. Not after he confiscated a story I wrote during class last week. A story about an evil goblin warlord. Named McMichaels.

But wouldn't most English teachers love a student who wanted to be an author? Not this one. I was lucky he only threatened me with detention.

I took my time walking to my eighth grade English class, not looking forward to Mr. McMichaels and his evil-eye glare.

The crowded hallway slowly thinned out as students swapped classrooms. A kid slammed his puke green locker shut, wafting the scent of body odor and days-old sweaty gym clothes toward me.

****

Two different viewpoints to take or leave. Thanks for this wonderful entry!

*****

IF YOU'D LIKE TO ENTER YOUR FIRST 100 WORDS IN THIS WORKSHOP (anonymously), email me: christinalee04@gmail.com.

ALSO, if you'd like to partake in an upcoming blog hop "of sorts" to spotlight a 2011 debut author, email me with DEBUT AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT in the subject line! :D

Character Attributes

2011-09-12T07:10:00.001-04:00

When I first started writing novels, I made my characters ideal--nice body, perfect hair and eyes that glowed. Because I could. Because it was fun to create what wasn't real. A fantasy.

But I quickly realized that perfect characters could be a big yawn.
What makes a character interesting is the opposite of ideal. Etienne St. Clair in ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS is really short and Bianca in DUFF struggles with her weight.

That's what I like to read about because it's REAL. Real is the new COOL! :D
Besides, what makes a character truly appealing isn't that they look like a god to everyone else--that's very subjective anyway. It's that they appeal to that other character you're writing about in the book. *wink* The way the freckles dance on his nose when he's smiling. Or how her blond eyelashes look translucent in the sun. That's what makes readers turn the page!

(images: quirkyattributes.com, nymag.com, allkindsofsexy.com, weheartit.com)

Friday Quotes: Criticism

2011-09-09T07:00:00.003-04:00

"Be kind and considerate with your criticism. It's just as hard to write a bad book as it is to write a good book.” Malcolm Cowley

Recently I heard a writer criticize another writer's "terrible" manuscript on a public forum. She was beta reading it and complained the whole way through. And I get that--it can be all kinds of frustrating and cringe-worthy to read work by a beginning writer.

But here's the thing: everyone's got to start somewhere.

When I think back to the first manuscript I asked someone to critique...well, my face turns all shades of purple. But I didn't know it would be so embarrassing at the time! How else could I have learned unless someone told me what I was doing wrong?

Kindness goes a long way. And everyone needs (and deserves) a learning curve!

HOPE YOUR WEEKEND IS FILLED WITH "REMEMBERING"!

(image: mobypicture.com)

Reading and Writing Wednesday

2011-09-07T07:06:00.000-04:00

This weekly meme is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

To play along, answer the following three questions:

1. What are you currently reading? That's a loaded question because I read a few books all at once. I'm strange like that. O_o

So right now it's (totally awesome) DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth:

But also, FOREVER (the third book in SHIVER series) and WHERE SHE WENT (sequel to IF I STAY).

2. What did you recently finish reading? IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma and it totally wrecked my brain. The writing was so gorgeous, it made me want to ball up and trash my own work-in-progress. The story ending had me thinking for days. DAYS, I tell you.

3. What do you think you’ll read next? There's so much waiting in my TBR pile, including the new SHUT OUT, POSSESS and BAD TASTE IN BOYS. So many decisions!

HAVE A GOOD WEDNESDAY!

Quick Friday Five

2011-09-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

1. The long Labor Day weekend always signifies an ending, a drifting away.

2. So we'll catch our final fireflies,

3. Gaze up at the moon a few times more,

4. Wonder at the Blue Angels as they blow into town,

5. Before finally tucking summer into bed.

HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND TOO! SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!

(IMAGES:We Heart It )

Good Storytelling Includes...

2011-08-31T07:10:00.002-04:00

Misconceptions and false impressions,

Allowing characters (and readers) to become just frustrated enough before finally helping them understand.

Then they'll laugh themselves silly (before a kick-ass make-out scene, of course)!

Hope I made you smile today :D

BIRTH Your Darlings

2011-08-29T07:10:00.000-04:00

See how I did that-the opposite of Stephen King's "kill your darlings" advice?

It's because every single manuscript I've ever written comes up...short! Yeah, all you over-writers, I'm sticking my tongue out at you.

I think it happens because I need to get my bare bones draft down before I pass out or die or something. It's that painful for me. I enjoy revising so much MORE. SO SO SO much more.

*Helloooooo out there*

Does anyone else shares my "specialness"?

Then, to really beef up my manuscript I take some of my cues from author Alexandra Sokoloff.

1) Sensory details. In each scene, try to describe things using taste, touch, smell, sight and sound. This helps with setting and character descriptions.

2) Suspense. Every manuscript, no matter the genre needs suspense. Am I creating it enough with my pacing and dialogue?

3) Emotions. What is the reader getting out of each scene? What do I need them to feel? Is my character showing enough interior dialogue (and physical descriptions) to meet my objective?

4) Desires. What does my character want in each scene? What is opposing them?

5) Crucial genre elements. What genre are you writing? Is there enough mystery, romance, sci-fi in your story, etc. etc.

HAVE A GOOD DAY!

Freeze Frame Friday: The Window to Somewhere

2011-08-26T07:00:00.006-04:00

"A writer is working when (s)he's staring out the window." -Burton RascoeThe question is: What does (s)he see?

(sources: morfis.wordpress.com)

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

I'll Second That

2011-08-24T07:00:00.001-04:00

YA sequels on my Kindle:

DEMONGLASS (sequel to HEX HALL)

SUPERNATURALLY (sequel to PARANORMALCY)

RED GLOVE (Sequel WHITE CAT)

WHERE SHE WENT (sequel to IF I STAY)

BETRAYAL (sequel to DECEPTION)

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Asking For Trouble

2011-08-22T07:06:00.000-04:00

According to Les Edgerton, who wrote HOOKED:

It's imperative that you understand what stories always have to be about.

One thing and only one thing: TROUBLE.

That's it. Period. There is simply no reason for a story to ever exist unless it's about TROUBLE.

So your story shouldn't begin at any other time than when the trouble really begins. The story doesn't exist before that point.

Hmm...so why do writers continue to struggle with beginnings? Maybe we have to ask ourselves a couple of questions first.
Edgerton says, in your opening scene (the first 1-3 pages), an inciting incident creates trouble in the form of the initial surface problem, which then leads to the deeper story-worthy problems revealed throughout the novel.

The protagonist's world alters profoundly by some event-not material or surface things. Instead, the character's inner psychological world significantly changes for the worst.

That's where your story starts!

Write On Con Roundup: Conference Quotes

2011-08-19T07:10:00.000-04:00

Write on Con is all done and man, was it great. I got my queries and pages critiqued and listened in on some wonderful (and funny) agent and editor chats.

Here's my round-up of agent and editor quotes from this week:

Natalie Fischer: Even if it doesn't sell now doesn't mean it won't later. Things are cyclical in publishing. Just write what YOU write best because that will BE your best work.

Kathleen Ortiz: Many stories have similar ideas...it's about execution and making it your own.

Annette Pollert: I love working on novels with male protagonists (reality based or paranormal). But also want there to be girl-appeal in that POV.

Barbara Poelle: All I know is that when I start to read it, it is like I am sitting in a vat of pudding, eating red velvet cake, drinking a chocolate martini, it is like wayyy too much and yet never enough and then by the end I am standing up, in rage and fury that someone else might get to it before me so I have to throw my chair out of the living room window just to release the anxiety.

Joanna Volpe: if you self-pubbed, JUST to eventually get traditionally pubbed, you risk shooting yourself in the foot

Jim McCarthy: As competitive as the market is, new voices sell literally every day. We just go to bat for what we believe in and make a case for why we think it will sell (often by comparing it to those tried and true authors). My biggest deal ever was for a first time author with no track record. People do take chances. It's hard to be heard above the noise, but it happens!

Jen Rofe: What absolutely catches my eye with first pages is a clear, distinct voice and control over language. As for queries, I'm looking for the standard query format because this informs me that the person querying has attended conferences and/or is invested in learning the industry.

Joanna Volpe: I speak with the author first, correspond with them a bit through email, talk about what else they're working on (and sometimes read some of that, too). It's not just about one project for me. When I offer, I'm thinking long term, and it's important to feel confident that we could work well together...for the long haul.

Holly Root: The last two things I signed are Third, Glorious Third person. It felt like a relief from too much close-perspective reading. Not to say I don't like first--but I think people underestimate how hard it is to really do well. Again, no shortcuts.

Annette Pollert: When it's done well, it's great to read. But I also want there to be a reason why I am reading a manuscript with alternating perspectives. There needs to be a purpose. (Read: no party tricks.)

Barbara Poelle: Remember when you went and saw Honey I Shrunk the Kids and you had a crush on the dude that played the older brother? I want all of my YAs to make me feel like that. Like there is a world where I can have an adventure and kiss the cute boy and yet still wake up safe and sound in my jammies the next morning.

Jen Rofe: Here's what I'll say: I'm surprised at the number of blogs and posts I read about self-pubbing that don't mention the tremendous amount of work done by editors, copy editors, designers, etc. it takes a village to make one book.

Holly Root: My paranormal bar is pretty high, it's getting tough to stand out unless your idea is very very fresh, but that usually means some savvy person is about to go blow the whole thing up and reinvigorate it. If that's you....you know where to find me.

Michelle Andelman:NOT ALL CLICHES SHOULD BE AVOIDED! THEY CAN PROVIDE A RELATABLE SHORTHAND FOR HUMAN EXPERIENCE. CLICHES ARE FAMILIAR AND OH SO COMFORTING FOR A REASON! I guess this is my last word. On cliches. If you can spoonfeed me a cliche and then turn it on its head and subvert all my expectations without me feeling cheated, you're gold.

Annette Pollert: There are lots of kinds of readers, and I think it's important that there are lots of different books for them to read. And I think that teens come to books in a lot of different ways--physical bookshelves/virtual bookshelves (electronic, etc.) We just have to keep everyone reading!

Ammi-Joan Paquette: I think quieter novels are a harder sell, but there is certainly a market for them. Literary novels are often "quiet." The key for me is that you can have quiet elements but still make them memorable and stand-out in their delivery and execution. You can have a "quiet" plot but have characters that leap off the page, an unforgettable voice, and a really sharp, vivid setting.

Michael Bourret: With the changes going on, I don't think publishers are necessarily acquiring less. They're acquiring a bit differently, I think, though it's hard to express exactly how. I want to say they're being more selective, but that would imply less, which again, I don't think is true. The changes with Borders affect print runs and advances much more than the decision whether or not to acquire.

Barbara Poelle: I like a little stank in my YA...edge, content, etc. And THEN, I know that is what I am looking for.

**************

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!!

WORDLESS Wednesdsay: A Field Trip

2011-08-17T07:10:00.001-04:00

(*psst* I'm quiet over here today, because I'm participating in the Write On Con conference over here. Maybe I'll see you there? If not, see you on Friday!) *waves*

(photo: weheartit.com)

Forget Me Not

2011-08-15T07:10:00.001-04:00

I've been working hard on a romantic suspense scene in my newest YA. This is my third book from a male POV (don't ask, I don't know why it comes out that way either). This kind of tension is more subtle on the outside.

I tried to forget
But you grew roots around my ribcage
And sprouted flowers
Just below my collarbones.
All day I pluck their petals
But I have not yet ascertained
Whether you love me
Or not

(source-ap)

But we all want the same on the inside, no?

HAVE A GREAT MONDAY! Tell me what you're working on.

(image, image)

A Summertime Recipe

2011-08-12T07:20:00.000-04:00

Raise your hand if you've grown a garden this summer!

Garden grown vegetables make a light and refreshing side dish when it's just plain HOT and sticky outside.Dice up tomatoes and cucumbers and toss them with salt and pepper. Add just a tablespoon (maybe two) of Ranch or Italian dressing.
Let them marinate for an hour. YUM!

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER WEEKEND!

Letting Go

2011-08-10T07:11:00.000-04:00

The day he first told me he was starting to disappear I didn't believe him & so he stopped & held his hand up to the sun & it was like thin paper in the light & finally I said you seem very calm for a man who is disappearing & he said it was a relief after all those years of trying to keep the pieces of his life in one place.

Later on, I went to see him again & as I was leaving, he put a package in my hand. This is the last piece of my life, he said, take good care of it & then he smiled & was gone & the room filled with the sound of the wind & when I opened the package there was nothing there & I thought there must be some mistake or maybe I dropped it & I got down on my hands & knees & looked until the light began to fade & then slowly I felt the pieces of my life fall away gently & suddenly I understood what he meant & I lay there for a long time crying & laughing at the same time.

(Story People)

***********

I received this poem after a significant death in my life. I've experienced other passings since then, but it was the first one that shook me to my core. I've written about death a lot since then because I find it cathartic.

But at the very heart of this poem is another message- about letting things go.

I need to remind myself of that lesson often.

So this week, I am letting go of my dream to become a published author.

This doesn't mean I'm giving up. It simply means I'm letting the wind cradle my wish in its arms and carry it away. Far far away, to where the universe hears messages like mine and delivers on it some day. I have to believe that. So that I can get back to writing my next novel.

What are you letting go of today?

(images: weheartit.com)

P.S. Stina and I have gotten through our FIRST WORDS WORKSHOP entries. If you'd like to be considered, email me (christinalee04@gmail.com) your first 50-100 word MG or YA entry, so we can continue on! xo

Monday Morning Mumblings

2011-08-08T07:34:00.001-04:00

...or maybe I should say "GRUMBLINGS."

*grumble grumble grumble*

So I witnessed a Twitter "argument" between two writers. And it was nothing new, I'd seen similar ones played out before, lots of times.

I call it: JK versus Stephanie. Or: Exult JK, bash Stephanie.

And I'm sick of it.

These two authors are pitted against one another because they're both mega best-sellers. And probably because their audience overlaps a bit.

Here's what readers know(AKA the general public): Both authors are compelling story tellers who have built up a tremendous following. JK's world-building gets more brilliant with each book. Fans are captivated by the theme of good versus evil. Stephanie knows how to keep her readers in some major romantic suspense. Fans swoon over the concept of forbidden love.

Here's what the writing community "knows" and grumbles about (because it's our craft and we pour over every word): Stephanie uses too many adjective and similar descriptive phrases throughout the TWILIGHT series. Some writers hate that Bella is *waiting on a boy* and can come off sounding whiny. JK's use of adverbs is astronomical in the HARRY POTTER series. Harry is an ordinary wizard who comes through all of his adventures with Voldemort "unscathed" (and wouldn't last without help from Hermione and Ron).

I say, big whoop di whoop, bullocks, get over it, enough already! Can't we all just get along?

Here's what *I* know: They are both to be applauded. GOOD FOR THEM! They made loads of kids and adults READ! Period. End of Story.

Isn't that what we want, as writers--for people to read our books, remember our names (or book titles or story-line) and come back for more?

So please: let's make room for new stories and new authors and stop beating this dead horse already! Okay? Okay.

HAVE A GOOD MONDAY!

Freeze Frame Friday

2011-08-05T07:10:00.002-04:00

All week long I haz written and revised my little heart out. And now, my brain iz pooped.

So all I want is this (only rose petals will do):

And then some of this (preferably from my *hawt* hubby):

And to top it all off, some of this (flown in from John's in NYC. Can that be arranged?):

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND! xo

(leloveimage.blogspot.com, john's pizza, dvn spa)

First Words Workshop

2011-08-03T07:22:00.001-04:00

To see how the workshop began, read THIS post: An Analysis of First Pages.

Here is this week's 50-100 word (anonymous) adult fiction entry:

Ben Novak stared numbly at the unopened bottle of scotch sitting on his table. He wasn't going to buy another bottle. He had promised himself. But his pain was stronger than he was.

He could forget the pain of that night while he was at work, but once he walked into his home, empty and silent, he was haunted and tortured by grief and guilt. His eyes were stinging with tears and the bottle became blurry.He cursed under his breath as he grabbed the scotch in one swift move. He turned on his heel, marched into the living room and flopped down onto the couch. No glass needed.

*****
My thoughts are in red:

Ben Novak stared numbly at the unopened bottle of scotch sitting on his table. This is an intriguing opening! I want to get rid of that no-no adverb (numbly) but I also want to keep it. He wasn't going to buy another bottle. He had promised himself. These two sentences could be combined. But his pain was stronger than he was. I like this line!

He could forget the pain (you use the word pain twice in close proximity so I'd change this one, same with "bottle" in first two sentences) of that night while he was at work, but once he walked into his home, empty and silent, he was haunted and tortured by grief and guilt. This is nice, I 'd just tighten up the sentence. His eyes were stinging with tears and the bottle became blurry. Watch for more passive words, "were" and "became". This sentence would be stronger if you removed them.

He cursed under his breath as he grabbed the scotch in one swift move. He turned on his heel, marched into the living room and flopped down onto the couch. No glass needed. I love this! I'd just remove one of the beginning "he's", you've got a lot of them in here.

*******

My rewrite:

Ben Novak stared numbly at the unopened scotch sitting on his table. He had promised himself he wouldn't buy another bottle. But his pain was stronger than he was.

He could forget the grief of that night while at work, but once he walked into his empty and silent home, he was tormented by the guilt. Ben's eyes stung with tears, the bottle blurring.

Cursing under his breath, Ben grabbed the scotch in one swift move. He marched into the living room and flopped down onto the couch. No glass needed.

******

Stina's thoughts are in blue:

I liked this start because we sense he’s battling grief and guilt (okay, we’re told that), but we have no idea why. I want to keep reading to find out what happened to leave him needing to deal with the pain by getting drunk.

The writer didn’t use many details to describe the setting, but empty and silent spoke volumes to me. A few more can be added here to give us a better idea of where he is (e.g. kitchen table).

I do, though, want some details very soon so we get some insight as to who he lost and the happy world he once lived in. Was the place decorated with a woman’s touch? Are there pictures of the loved one? Is the place now a mess because he can’t be bothered to clean it or doesn’t have the energy to do it?

One thing to watch out for is how many times you started a sentence with the pronoun ‘he’. And watch out for passive verbs.

******

Stina's rewrite:

Ben Novak stared numbly at the unopened bottle of scotch sitting on his kitchen table. He wasn't going to buy another bottle. He had promised himself. But his pain was stronger than he was.

His eyes stung with tears and the bottle became blurry. He could forget the pain of that night while he was at work, but once he walked into his home, empty and silent, he was tortured by grief and guilt.

Cursing under his breath, he grabbed the scotch in one swift move, then marched into the living room and flopped down onto the couch. No glass needed.

****

Two different viewpoints to take or leave. Thanks for this great entry!

The Emotional Color Wheel

2011-08-01T07:10:00.001-04:00

According to Blake Snyder, who wrote SAVE THE CAT, you want your "audience" (i.e. readers) to laugh, to cry, to be frustrated, to be afraid, to feel regret and anger and ultimately, breathtaking TRIUMPH! *fist pump*

"We go to a movie (or read a book) to experience a 'dream state' where life and its attendant emotions are recreated in a safe environment." SPOT ON!

And if you don't believe him, he points to the comedy (yes, a comedy), Something About Mary, that works the audience emotionally. There are scenes of great fear, lust and intense longing in that movie. And it's a COMEDY!
So if you feel like your story is reading flat emotionally, he recommends fleshing out scenes using all the colors in the palette. Make a list of emotions and then think about which ones readers might experience in your book. Ask yourself: In what scene do I have frustration? How about fear, longing, etc. ?

By adding different emotional scenes to your book, your readers will have a much more rewarding experience, no?

***To Mr. Blake's point: one of my CP's said I was like a "therapist" for her characters, because I constantly asked how they were "feeling" in my side notes (hee hee, that cracked me up!).

And now, in my second read through of her book? She has blown me away. I'm much more emotionally invested in her characters because I feel deeply for them!

Metamorphosis

2011-07-29T07:10:00.001-04:00

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.

(Maya Angelou)

In our writing, that's why Betas, CP's, and revisions are so important, no?

YES, YES, YES! :D

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, EVERYONE!

(images: welovebutterflies.com, simplybutterflies.com, true-wildlife.com)