Once again, the writing community has come together to raise funds for the American Red Cross, this time to provide relief for Hurricane Irene victims. And Kristi, Valerie, and myself are happy to be a part of it!
Read for Relief opened the bidding for a 30 page crit from EACH of us! That's three 30 page crits on your YA or MG manuscript! Come check out the auction website and browse the other items up for grabs, along with ours! Happy bidding and good luck!
Bidding closes at 10:00PM EST, Saturday.
Showing posts with label sisters in scribe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sisters in scribe. Show all posts
Updates! And Apologies.
Have you checked out Sisters in Scribe lately? We have another fab giveaway happening! Up for grabs is an autographed copy of BAD TASTE IN BOYS by our zombie-loving friend, Carrie Harris! We're only selecting one top entry for the book, but I MIGHT have something special for our second and third faves. *wink*
In other news, you remember back in April when Natalie Parker, Valerie Kemp and I (Tangled Fiction) said we were taking a spring hiatus, and we'd be back in May? And then May came and went. And then so did the rest of the summer? Yeah. About that. We feel TERRIBLE for abandoning the blog for so long, but we've had good reason! You already know my news, but Valerie and Natalie have had their own share of excitement this summer! We have an update up on the TF blog, so be sure to check that out! We are STOKED to be back in the saddle. We've missed you guys! Also on blogger.
My agent, Sara Megibow, now has a monthly blog spot at Romance University! Even if you don't write romance, I still recommend giving Sara a read. I'm a little bias, yes, but she is awesome!
As for this blog and all it's patheticness, I'm afraid that'll continue at least until September. I'm super busy with edits (Sara cracks a mighty whip) and summer vacation! And I hope you are too. ;)
In other news, you remember back in April when Natalie Parker, Valerie Kemp and I (Tangled Fiction) said we were taking a spring hiatus, and we'd be back in May? And then May came and went. And then so did the rest of the summer? Yeah. About that. We feel TERRIBLE for abandoning the blog for so long, but we've had good reason! You already know my news, but Valerie and Natalie have had their own share of excitement this summer! We have an update up on the TF blog, so be sure to check that out! We are STOKED to be back in the saddle. We've missed you guys! Also on blogger.
My agent, Sara Megibow, now has a monthly blog spot at Romance University! Even if you don't write romance, I still recommend giving Sara a read. I'm a little bias, yes, but she is awesome!
As for this blog and all it's patheticness, I'm afraid that'll continue at least until September. I'm super busy with edits (Sara cracks a mighty whip) and summer vacation! And I hope you are too. ;)
Self-Editing Tips!
While I’m waiting for notes on my WIP from my Scribe Sisters, I’ve been doing some research on things, including agents, revisions, candle making, how to properly skin an animal (don’t ask), and I’ve come across some gems.
Mostly on the revision thing.
Cheryl Klein, an editor at Scholastic, has this fantastic recap of a talk she did for an SCBWI conference on revising and self-editing. The full speech is also there for your reading pleasure.
Literary agent Natalie Fischer (Bradford Lit) recently posted a great recap of her talk at an SCBWI event on the revision process.
YA author Holly Cupala (Tell Me a Secret) has compiled a huge list of posts from various authors, illustrators and industry pros on revision!
Hopefully you find these links as useful as I have. Happy revising!
*****
In other news, if you haven't seen the amazing book trailer for Carrie Harris's debut BAD TASTE IN BOYS, go do that immediately! My critique partner Valerie Kemp created it!
All Good Things...
The contest at Sisters in Scribe was a huge success! And tons of fun! Sara Megibow is fantastic. We closed entries at 11:59pm on Saturday, and by Tuesday she had picked her top three winners. Stop by the blog to see who won!
This week NYC has seen some fantastic weather! Sunny and 70 degrees. FINALLY! I got my climbing rose bush and my clematis transplanted, I planted a bunch of herbs, including one of my favorite smells--lavender, my lilac trees are in full bloom, and I got a few hours out in the sun with a book. And now it's cold and rainy for the next four days. *sigh*
I've read two awesome books this week: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready. Both are fantastic! I'm trying to get into a contemporary right now and I'm finding I have to force myself on this one. But I've heard so many great reviews, I am willing to give it a chance. You read anything good lately?
So why all this free time, you ask? Shouldn't she be revising?
I should! But I think an important part of revising is distancing yourself from your manuscript. I've busted my hump over rewriting the entire last half of my WIP (again) and now it's time for some space. I've sent him home with Krist and Valerie for the time being. I trust he is in good hands. This is not the first time my crit partners have read this manuscript, but this is the first time I've actually missed it when I'm not working on it. I'm taking this as a very good sign.
This week NYC has seen some fantastic weather! Sunny and 70 degrees. FINALLY! I got my climbing rose bush and my clematis transplanted, I planted a bunch of herbs, including one of my favorite smells--lavender, my lilac trees are in full bloom, and I got a few hours out in the sun with a book. And now it's cold and rainy for the next four days. *sigh*
I've read two awesome books this week: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready. Both are fantastic! I'm trying to get into a contemporary right now and I'm finding I have to force myself on this one. But I've heard so many great reviews, I am willing to give it a chance. You read anything good lately?
So why all this free time, you ask? Shouldn't she be revising?
I should! But I think an important part of revising is distancing yourself from your manuscript. I've busted my hump over rewriting the entire last half of my WIP (again) and now it's time for some space. I've sent him home with Krist and Valerie for the time being. I trust he is in good hands. This is not the first time my crit partners have read this manuscript, but this is the first time I've actually missed it when I'm not working on it. I'm taking this as a very good sign.
Agent Pitch Contest at Sisters in Scribe!
Today is the big day! At Sisters in Scribe, we have opened the entry window for our140 character pitch contest! Entries will be judged by the fabulous Sara Megibow of Nelson Literary. Sara has offered a 30 page manuscript review to the winner!
Stop on by and please read the full contest details before entering!
http://www.sistersinscribe.com/2011/05/contest-of-epic-awesome-with-agent-sara.html
Stop on by and please read the full contest details before entering!
http://www.sistersinscribe.com/2011/05/contest-of-epic-awesome-with-agent-sara.html
Charlaine Harris in NYC
Tuesday night I hopped on the Harley (on the back--I'm not that cool) and rode into Manhattan with my husband for the release and book signing of DEAD RECKONING, book 11 in the Southern Vampire Mysteries (True Blood) by Charlaine Harris. I will admit, I was a little bit starstruck. Most of the pictures that my husband took, I'm making crazy faces, or squealing like the fangirl that I am. So I'll just share these ones with you.
I took my smaller camera, which takes kind of crappy pictures, because I went on the bike and my big camera is...big.
That is me on the right in the tan sweater.
Charlaine Harris was the author who got me back in to reading. The minute I picked up DEAD UNTIL DARK, I was hooked in the world she'd created, and totally in love with her characters. Because of this, I started writing. I even named my protagonist in my current WIP after Charlaine. Her books are for adults, and I write YA, but I didn't chose YA. It chose me, I suppose (in fact this is the ONLY adult series I read, ha!). There are so many great YA authors who have inspired me, but when I look back, Charlaine and Sookie were what made me realize I was a writer. My favorite quote from this signing was from Harris: "Writer's are born, not made." She didn't mean that you're born a great writer, you do have to write and learn how to write well.
Charlaine answered questions for about thirty minutes and then for the next two hours or so she signed books. She is a signing machine. By the time she got to me, about an hour into signing, her signature was still perfect. During the Q & A fans asked the general questions about her writing process, which now consists of a lot of the business side and not as much writing as she'd like to do, how much coffee she drinks (three cups in the morning), and how she feels about the differences Alan Ball made between the books and the show (she thinks he's fantastic, and she wishes she had thought of Jessica).
The thing I found most interesting was that, despite the fact she'd written mysteries for years before she wrote the first Sookie Stackhouse novel, it took two years for her agent to sell it. Mainly because nobody knew where to put it on a shelf. When she wrote the book, she thought it would be fun to have a mystery series that involved the supernatural, melding mystery and urban fantasy together. Then she thought if she threw in a juicy sex scene for Sookie, she could get the romance readers too. And when the question "Where do we shelve this?" came up, Harris said "everywhere". A logical answer, for sure!
It was an amazing opportunity for me to be able to meet her. Her Sookie novels have inspired me in so many ways. I do believe it is important for writers to read and gather inspiration from "the masters" of literature, especially in your chosen genre, and not only the current super hits (Sookie, Twilight, Harry Potter, etc), but the thing that inspires me most about Charlaine Harris's Sookie novels, is just how much I love them. How immersed in that world I become when I sit down to read. That is what I want to do to readers. That is what is so inspiring. And that is how I knew I was a writer.
Have you had the chance to meet some of your favorite authors? Who inspires you?
***
Tomorrow is the big day at www.sistersinscribe.com! We open up for entries into our first ever agent participant contest! So perfect those twitter pitches, and we'll see you there tomorrow!
Get Those Pitches Ready!
To say thanks to all 500+ awesome followers at sistersinscribe.com we've decided to have a contest! This one is for writers! Stop by the blog to get the details. Contest officially opens FRIDAY MAY 6th! so perfect those pitches! We've got a special guest judge who has offered up quite an amazing prize to her favorite entry.
In other news, I'm sure we've all heard about the devastation in the south due to wildfires and tornadoes. The writing community is at it again, taking donations for yet another fabulous benefit auction. If you've got something to donate (books, swag, critiques, etc) stop on by http://helpwritenow.blogspot.com and sign up! And be sure to keep checking back for the auctions.
In other news, I'm sure we've all heard about the devastation in the south due to wildfires and tornadoes. The writing community is at it again, taking donations for yet another fabulous benefit auction. If you've got something to donate (books, swag, critiques, etc) stop on by http://helpwritenow.blogspot.com and sign up! And be sure to keep checking back for the auctions.
Sisters in Scribe
We've changed our web address over at Sisters in Scribe, and can now be found at www.sistersinscribe.com! If you're following us at our old address, don't worry. You don't need to do anything. ;)
And if your not following us, well get to it! We're planning a 500 followers celebration and we're only TWO away from our goal!
And if your not following us, well get to it! We're planning a 500 followers celebration and we're only TWO away from our goal!
Must Have Books of 2011
Like my Sisters in Scribe, Kristi and Valerie, I've set a reading plan/goal for 2011. My goal, is to read the books I already have before purchasing new ones. Except those must-have books that are coming out this year.
There are still a lot I must have from last year, like SLICE OF CHERRY! How I missed that release date is beyond me. But I plan on hitting up the bookstore on Friday night so that's covered. Yeah, outside of the plan BUT that book came out in 2010 and I had planned to buy it before I made the new year plan, so it's okay. Hush.
I honestly haven't paid much attention to a whole lot of the 2011 new releases, not because I don't want to, I've just been that busy. Some that I am aware of and must have are:
THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by Carrie Ryan
FOREVER by Maggie Stiefvater
*Secret Novel* by Maggie Stiefvater
*no cover image*
BLOOD MAGIC by Tessa Gratton
BAD TASTE IN BOYS by Carrie Harris (and you guys should be ready for that one too--we *might* have something special over at SIS when it comes out.)
POSSESSION by Elana Johnson
THE NEAR WITCH by Victoria Schwab
HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire
*no cover image*
CORSETS AND CLOCKWORK by Various (includes a short by Dia Reeves)
And I'm just going to stop there because this list is really long.
What are some of your must-have books for 2011? Share so I can make said list even longer. Mwauahahahaha! (That's an evil laugh.)
Aquarius is the superior star sign
There, I said it.
My birthday is coming up! January is a great month to be born. When you're a kid, your birthday parties are limited to indoor activities and it is often too cold or snowy for your party guests to actually show up. I was always envious of my June-born sister. But not anymore! Because January is a month made of awesome.
Tangled Fiction is back from our holiday break with a brand new story about arse-kicking girls in hoods, wielding axes, knives, and bows. And there's giant, smelly wolves.
Also, I've gotten over my writing funk, mostly, thanks to Natalie C Parker, and my Sisters in Scribe, Valerie Kemp and Kristi Helvig. I am now back on track with awesome ideas for whipping Greyskin into shape!
Any other Aquarians out there?
My birthday is coming up! January is a great month to be born. When you're a kid, your birthday parties are limited to indoor activities and it is often too cold or snowy for your party guests to actually show up. I was always envious of my June-born sister. But not anymore! Because January is a month made of awesome.
Tangled Fiction is back from our holiday break with a brand new story about arse-kicking girls in hoods, wielding axes, knives, and bows. And there's giant, smelly wolves.
Also, I've gotten over my writing funk, mostly, thanks to Natalie C Parker, and my Sisters in Scribe, Valerie Kemp and Kristi Helvig. I am now back on track with awesome ideas for whipping Greyskin into shape!
Any other Aquarians out there?
Snow Days!
Hope everyone that celebrated had a wonderful Christmas! If you're celebrating Kwanza, Happy Kwanza!
NYC got hit with a major blizzard over the weekend and Husband had an extra day home from work. We spent it throwing snowballs at each other and the kids (Big A totally betrayed me and teamed up with Dad, but Little M was loyal and threw a great many powdery puffs at the both of them! Huzzah!), and chucking each other into snow banks. Much fun.
Until we had to be grown-ups and actually shovel the driveway and dig out the car.
I am back to the writing grind today and cleaning up my house in between line edits, so I will probably disappear on you again for a few days. At Sisters in Scribe we are still taking entries for our December Giveaway (international, ends Dec 31st) and over at Tangled Fiction we have our first public round table discussion, so hop over there to see wtf we were thinking when we started our tangles and to chime in with what you thought might have happened!
Happy New Year!
NYC got hit with a major blizzard over the weekend and Husband had an extra day home from work. We spent it throwing snowballs at each other and the kids (Big A totally betrayed me and teamed up with Dad, but Little M was loyal and threw a great many powdery puffs at the both of them! Huzzah!), and chucking each other into snow banks. Much fun.
Until we had to be grown-ups and actually shovel the driveway and dig out the car.
Happy New Year!
Holiday Giveaway and a New Short!
Over at Sisters in Scribe, my scribe sisters and I are giving away 3 autographed YA books to 3 winners, ends Dec. 31st! Hop over there for the details and if you know of any other contests around the web, feel free to post it in our Mr. Linky meme.
In other news! Part 1 of BETHLEHEM, by me, is up on the TF blog! Here's a sneak peek! Hope you enjoy!
The last winter that time recorded started just like today, with a sky so bleak that you couldn’t tell where the earth ended and it began. It was the last winter I spent with my family in this same apartment, staring out this same window watching fat snowflakes fall. The last winter that would ever matter.
But it doesn’t matter today. Today I need food and things to burn. It’s light enough to start looking, but without the sun I can’t even guess the time. The sky is so thick and so gray, the city street so empty and muffled by snow, that it feels like I’m stuck in someplace in between.
In other news! Part 1 of BETHLEHEM, by me, is up on the TF blog! Here's a sneak peek! Hope you enjoy!
The last winter that time recorded started just like today, with a sky so bleak that you couldn’t tell where the earth ended and it began. It was the last winter I spent with my family in this same apartment, staring out this same window watching fat snowflakes fall. The last winter that would ever matter.
But it doesn’t matter today. Today I need food and things to burn. It’s light enough to start looking, but without the sun I can’t even guess the time. The sky is so thick and so gray, the city street so empty and muffled by snow, that it feels like I’m stuck in someplace in between.
Books on Writing
I'm knee deep in revisions, so I thought I'd pick up a couple of books on writing this week, and both of them (so far) are excellent. Here they are.
Stephen King's On Writing
Part memoir, part cheerleader. Not so much a how-to book on writing, but more of an empowering and entertaining read from one of America's most beloved writers.
Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell
This is the first book in this series that I've read. So far I'm really enjoying it. Some of the steps in this book might seem like a no-brainer to you, but some of us need it spelled out. If you're part of the former, it never hurts to have a good reminder.
There are a lot of great examples in here on scene structure, building suspense in dialog, creating a bond with your reader via your main character, character arc, plotting, revising, etc. There are different activities you can try out on your own to see what works and why.
I've been told this is a great series to go with and so far, I'd have to agree.
I'd like to hear your recommendations. Read any great books on writing recently? Have you read either of these two books?
Author Interview with Carrie Harris!
About the book, from Carrie's (awesome) website:
Someone’s been a very bad zombie.
Super-smartie Kate Grable gets to play doctor, helping out her high school football team. Not only will the experience look good on her college apps, she gets to bethis close to her quarterback crush, Aaron. Then something disturbing happens. Kate finds out that the coach has given the team steroids. Except . . . the vials she finds don’t exactly contain steroids. Whatever’s in them is turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless, flesh-eating . . . zombies.
Unless she finds an antidote, no one is safe. Not Aaron, not Kate’s brother, not her best friend . . . not even Kate . . .
It’s scary. It’s twisted. It’s sick. It’s high school.
Please hop on over and check out Carrie's interview. If you aren't familiar with her, you want to be, and if you are, you know you love her.
What's Happening?
Over at Sisters in Scribe (a blog I share with my two fantastic crit partners) we are hosting Andrew Jacobson, co-author of The Familiars, on his Haunted Blog Tour! A copy of the book is up for grabs to one lucky commenter. There is also a clue for the scavenger hunt! Contest ends October 30th and is international. That gives you time to get the book, read it, and play!
There is always something over at Sisters in Scribe. Writing advice, book chats, giveaways. So please, give us a read. You know. If you want. :)
We have a new story up on Tangled Fiction! New stories start the first Tuesday of every month. Each week after a new portion of that same story will be continued by a different author! Part 1 of our current story is written by Valerie Kemp (one of my Sisters in Scribe). Part 2 by the lovely Anne Marie. Part 3, airing next Tuesday will be written by the amazingly talented Natalie C Parker. And the conclusion, Part 4, will be written by myself. Don't miss it! Lots of creepy goodness over there. We're all very twisted. And tangled. Har-har!
Tonight, 9PM EST, Jessica (Confessions of a Bookaholic) and Lisa (A Life Bound By Books), are hosting a Haunted Halloween twitter party! There will be book and swag giveaways, author's stopping by to chat, trivia, etc! Lots of fun so don't miss that! Follow the link for the deets.
Happy Thursday!
Today!
My Sister in Scribe, Valerie, will be doing a guest post at author/lit agent Nathan Bransford's blog! Be sure to check her out!
Insert Witty Title Here
I won't be posting much, slogging through revisions and I've got a new novel begging to be written, sooo don't forget to check out Tangled Fiction tomorrow for a BRAND NEW story! Part I will be written by Valerie (one of my Sisters at Sisters in Scribe).
TF is also mirrored on blogger.
Speaking about rape and a SPEAK Giveaway
Swing over to my crit group blog for a special post and a chance to win SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson and a censorship button. Contest ends Oct 4th.
Heads Up
I know it's only Thursday, but I wanted to give you a heads-up about Tuesday, September 27th.
On my critique group blog, Sisters in Scribe, Kristi will be putting up a very special #SPEAKloudly post. Kristi is a clinical psychologist and has personally worked with both rape victims and rapists. For info on #Speakloudly, visit author Laurie Halse Anderson's blog.
Also, the fourth and final installment of The Importance of a Strawberry Tart will be posted on Tangled Fiction.
Don't miss it!
Brainstorming; How Do You Do it?
I'm sitting here trying to revise (which is nearly impossible since my three-year-old um...became three years-old) and so naturally that means I am procrastinating on the internet. I came across a post by paranormal author Kait Nolan today about writing things down with a pen, instead of on the computer.
I'm sure most of you have already figured out that your brain works differently when you write freehand as opposed to staring at your computer screen. I'm a panster, meaning 90% of my writing is done organically without outlining or planning. After I've got a decent draft, or most of one, I work things out in a notebook. I'll write down what I have, what I want, and possible routes to get there.
One of my writing colleagues at Tangled Fiction asked me what I do to brainstorm (some people like to lay on the floor and listen to music) and I really couldn't think of anything. Aside from working things out in a notebook, I don't think I really have any brainstorming tactics. Sure, ideas pop in my head when they're least expected and I'm forced to scribble on my arm, or leave myself voicemail. But I don't have a routine for it. Riding on the back of my husband's motorcycle helps to open my mind (it's ridiculously relaxing) but because I'm a mom that's not an easy option. Stuffing your kids in a saddlebag is frowned upon.
So what do you all do to get the creative juices flowing?
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