YA Muses

My Favorite Scene (From the Drawer)

2012-03-09T04:00:00.014-08:00

This week, I’m also brushing off something from my “in-the-drawer” novel, THE MIRROR MAN, to share with y’all. I picked this scene because my mind is still wrapped around the idea behind the novel, even if my current story is getting all the attention. Someday, I’ll come back and write this book because I love the concept that much, but until then, this teaser will have to do…

THE MIRROR MAN

At the beginning.

Again?

Seriously, back here?

What a difference.

The city of Cape Valor is still around. Everyone is still alive. It’s all here – whole and innocent. I’m really at the beginning. Again.

Kinda makes me want to puke.

I blow out a long, frozen breath into the night. The curved glass on the inside of my mask fogs. Through it, I can see the house in front of me – a house that I remember well. It’s small, clean, and identical to the other houses in this suburb of Cape Valor. A dozen feet away, the kitchen window frames a golden glow. It looks warm in there. The Applegates perform their usual dinner-prep routine: Adam’s mom cooking and his dad reading the newspaper.

They look just like I remember them. I sorta miss this life. Simple. Normal. Everyday stuff. Nice and cozy.

Weird to think that I lived in this house with them less than a year ago. Even weirder to think that I was Adam – Adam Applegate – their thirteen-year-old son – the dork extraordinaire. But I’m not “Adam” anymore, am I?

HA! Not even close.

He’s who I was, but nothing compared to who I am.

I run my fingers over the smooth glass surface on my cheek. A blue lightning bolt jumps from it into the sky. But no one inside the house notices.

Favorite Scene From the Drawer

2012-03-08T04:00:00.004-08:00

This week, we're sharing favorite scenes. I decided to search through archives of past writing for this. Partly because I'm so deep in the world of NEVER SKY that I wanted a wee break, and partly because I remembered writing this short snippet years ago, and really liking it. This comes from a manuscript I was working on before NEVER SKY. It falls squarely into the high-fantasy genre, and it's pretty dark. I guess I like dark. (Maybe some of you know that by now?) Anyway, it's a prologue, which most people will tell you is a no-no but I had fun with it. Hope it doesn't creep you out too much :)

The Cart

Prologue

Sky and earth tilted to the left, a blur of blue and white, as a shrill whinny broke into the air. Padrig Forester had only time to grasp the pommel as his horse lurched further to the side. The mare’s hooves begged for purchase in great dragging scrapes. He held on, rocking and sinking, until at last she found a foothold and righted with a jolt. Padrig made a low sound to soothe her, a sound made strange by his trembling voice.

He searched the ground below. White gashes floated inches above the mountain trail, scored by the mare’s shoes. Black ice again, invisible and deadly. Padrig patted her sweat-matted neck.

“Steady as you go, Ginny,” he murmured. “This will be done with soon.”

The mare startled under his touch, tossing her head in defiance. She was a good horse, had served him well for near a dozen years, but Padrig knew their bond had been broken that morning. She had smelled the blood early and when it came time to tie the cart’s shafts to her harness she had fought, rearing and bucking like he’d never seen. She had even bitten his shoulder, stamped his skin with a purple imprint of horse teeth that still throbbed. But Padrig couldn’t blame her. Animals had a powerful aversion to death.

Padrig turned around. The cart still crunched along over the snow-patched trail behind him. Dark circles stained the woolen blanket he’d draped over the top. The putrid stench overtook him, nausea striking next, raking claws through his stomach, flooding his mouth with warm saliva. Padrig bit down and pressed a prayer through his lips, pleading to Gepsa for forgiveness. When the sickness finally ebbed away, he vowed not to look at the cart again. Not until he had to give it to the boy.

He lifted his gaze to the crest of Mount Aroe. There, within the icy dome, lay the Cobai city where the boy was said to be. It would be immense work to reach that place—the coming trail would only offer steeper grades and more snow—but that was why he had been chosen to deliver the cart. His reputation as an expert tracker had brought him good coin in the past. This time it was he who’d pay if he failed—with his life.

“Take heart, Ginny.” The mare’s long brown ears flicked back. “At least we’ll learn if the blood of the Lion still lives.”

Padrig found solace in his own words. Since autumn, the question had been in every mind. If the boy truly was Erick of Belfort’s son, then Tarthians could have some hope. If he was the Lion’s son, Padrig would pledge his fealty—his life’s service—in a single breath.

But how would the boy react? Would he condemn Padrig for what he was doing? Padrig had no choice but to deliver this vile load—would the boy have the wisdom to understand? Padrig leaned aside and spat at the frozen earth. No one should have to do what he was doing.

No one.

Bad as he felt, Padrig knew the boy, Willem Hawk, would feel far worse when he saw what was in the cart.

My favorite scene- today

2012-03-07T04:00:00.014-08:00

Asking a writer to pick a favorite scene is a lot like asking a mother to pick a favorite child. There's room in my heart for all of them. Okay, some more than others. But honestly, the scenes I love the most as a writer have little to do with the types of things I appreciate as a reader. I tend to love the scenes that sneak up on me when I'm writing. The spontaneous moments when characters do or say something that reveal hidden depths or help me understand them and their story better. Sometimes, I even learn something I didn't know about myself.

One of my favorite scenes in SILVER is a scene that revealed something so shocking (to me) that it required me to rewrite much of the second half of the book. It appears almost 3/4 of the way through the book, and it went a long way to shaping the mythology of the entire world. Unfortunately, I can't tell you what it is without spoiling a major plot point in the book. Reading the scene now, you would never know that the character involved had kept such an important secret from me for so long. But
I know. Without that scene, without that moment, SILVER would have been a very different book.

Since I can't share a scene from SILVER with you, I thought I would share a scene from one of my shiny new projects, one of several partial manuscripts I hope to turn into a novel someday. This scene was a revelation to me. It was one of my first attempts a writing a boy POV, and it is the first scene in which Max appears. The book is affectionately referred to as THE STALKER BOOK, and I think it's going to be a lot darker than my other stories. But I kind of love Max.

***Max***

Nothing’s different. I don’t know why I thought it would be. The world might look different to me since the surgery, but I look the same to everyone else. Same freakshow, different year. Even the emo dudes who spend hours on their hair and make-up trying to look just like me keep their distance.

I lower the brim of my Rivercats hat, keeping to the inside of the halls, away from the sun. The freshmen are easy to spot because they all stare at me. I’m tempted to take off my shades and give them their money’s worth, but I don’t bother.

I grab my lunch from my locker and weigh my options. I could track down Egg to figure out when we’ll start our new sessions, but I’ve got his psych class after lunch so there’s no point. I could disappear into the library, but that’s never really been my style.

I head toward the cafeteria instead.

I spot Paige almost immediately. It’s impossible to miss her with her golden hair and that neon pink tee shirt. She’s at the senior table now, in the center of the room, surrounded by girls who are almost, but not quite as pretty as her. Taylor isn’t there yet, so there’s an empty seat next to Paige.

I don’t stop to think about what I’m doing as I make my way over to her table and slide into the empty seat without saying a word. I open the brown paper bag in front of me. At first there’s no sound but the crinkling of the bag, until one of the girls squeals. Paige doesn’t look at me. She never does.

“This seat’s already taken.” Magda Summers stands up and puts her hands on narrow hips.

“So it is.” I pull out my PB&J and start unwrapping the plastic that entombs it.

“Is he serious?” Kinsey Simpson flips her hair back. “He can’t be serious.”

The thing is, there’s nothing they can do. Like spiders, they’re more afraid of me than I am of them. And it’s not like I can get any lower on the high school food chain. Sure, Taylor and his minions could come over and threaten to kick my ass. They might even do it.

Let them. Let Paige watch. She would know the truth. It’s her fault I’m here.

I grin at Kinsey and her mouth falls open.

“Don’t do this.” Paige barely says the words, but I hear them like she’s shouted them. When was the last time she spoke to me?

“What? Eat peanut butter? Are you allergic now?”

Paige turns her back on me.

Magda leans closer. “You need to leave ghostboy.”

“What’s this?” Taylor Masterson puts a hand on my shoulder. “I didn’t think vampires needed to eat.” He closes his fingers hard enough that I’ll have bruises later. Not that it takes much. My skin is always a patchwork of white and purple.

I take another bite of my sandwich. Bring it on. I’m not as small as I used to be.

“You’re in my seat.” Taylor pushes me in the middle of my back. I nearly choke, but I don’t get up.

Paige is staring at her fingernails. She can’t look at me. What would she see if she did? Would she see the boy she promised to marry in the fourth grade? Would she even remember?

Brent Jamison grabs my other shoulder. “Shouldn’t you be in your coffin until the sun goes down?”

A couple of the girls laugh, more comfortable now that the Calvary has arrived. I wrench my shoulder free from Brent’s grasp. “I was here first.”

“No one wants you here.” Taylor steps closer so I couldn’t get up now if I wanted to. “Don’t make this any more embarrassing than it needs to be.”

We have an audience now. There’s a crowd of people gathered. Bloodthirsty bastards.
I take another bite of my sandwich.

That’s all it takes. Brett and Taylor each grab an arm and pull me backwards. I come out kicking, knocking over the chair. The chair hits Brent in the leg and he lets go of my arm. I plant my feet on the ground and face Taylor.

He has to look up to make eye contact. I can’t resist smiling, my mouth still full of bread and peanut butter. I never thought the day would come when I would be bigger than Taylor Masterson. It’s fun to watch Taylor’s confident expression falter. I’m tempted to take off my sunglasses for a better view.

“What’s the matter?” I push his chest, forcing him back. “Aren’t you going to make me leave?”

Brent tries to grab me again, but I elbow him hard in the side before he can.

He and Taylor both come at me at the same time.

My fist connects with Taylor’s jaw, sending him flying backward with a satisfying crack. Brent lands a punch on my chest that hurts like hell, but you don’t go through life as the school freak without learning to take a few hits.

I spin and make contact with Brent’s nose, sending blood spattering across the senior table. Several girls scream.

The crowd around us is shouting, but all I hear is Paige’s voice as I rush at Taylor, landing another punch on his ear. “Stop! Max! You’re hurting him!”

Not ghostboy.

Max.

I lift Taylor up by his collar, but I don’t hit him again. The moment of hesitation is all Brent needs. I don’t even see the blow that sends me flying toward the concrete. I barely feel it. I just watch as the floor races up to meet my skull and everything goes blissfully black.

My Favorite (Deleted) Scene from GILT

2012-03-06T04:00:00.014-08:00

This week, we’re talking about our favorite scenes from our own books. Like Donna, my favorite scene in GILT is full of spoilers (as much as can be spoiled when most of the story is on Wikipedia), so I’ve decided on another scene. One that can’t be read in the published novel.

This is the Thames today -- from a similar location
to the one from which Kitty would have seen
Anne of Cleves arriving by barge.

I have a soft spot for Henry VIII’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. She arrived in England not knowing the language, full of what I can only imagine was fear and hope and the burden of being an outsider in a closed world. And for whatever reason, Henry decided she was ugly. And though he married her, he soon found a way to divorce her (and marry Catherine Howard instead).

I wanted to put a little of Anne’s story into my novel. To show a day when she was happy and beautiful, despite what Henry said about her later. And also to show the gaudy exhibition that was the Tudor court, from the eyes of a mere spectator.

After much lip-biting and heel-digging, I finally cut this scene because it doesn’t move the story forward. But it is still a favorite because of Anne. She had class.

“They’re coming!” Joan cried, gripping my arm and jumping up and down.

The crowds along the bank roared as the royal procession made its way up the river.

A flotilla of courtiers and ladies followed like a sea of jewels on the surface of the river. Gowns of crimson, doublets of blue. Damask and silk shining and velvet gathering light. Gold, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds glittered and pearls shone smoothly. Goblets of wine were raised over and over again. Musicians played lutes and sackbuts and some of the people crowding the banks improvised a dance.

It was better than Christmas, out there on the banks in the sunlight with everyone cheering and singing and the entire Court in watery procession before us.

The royal barge appeared, painted in scarlet and gold, with detailed filigree and intricate designs. The canopy of cloth of gold was embroidered with the initials of the King and Queen. H and A.

“HA, HA,” I read quietly and giggled.

“Shhh,” Alice hissed. “You could go to prison for that.”

“Oh, Alice, don’t be such a bluenose,” I retorted.

“Honestly, Kitty Tylney,” Alice said. “People were sent to prison for making that exact same joke when the first Queen Anne entered the City.”

I shut up. Sometimes, Alice’s wealth of information could come in handy.

The King and Queen stood on opposite sides of the barge, waving. The King faced us, his clothes and hair and beard a riot of red and gold. He looked like a giant standing there, one foot resting on a cushion as if he had just conquered it.

“He never ages,” Joan whispered. “He’s been King my entire life.”

“Yes, but you’re not that old,” Alice said. “The Duke of Norfolk has outlived five kings.”

“But he’s ancient,” Joan said. “Unnaturally ancient. King Henry never seems to age at all.”

Even at a distance, I could see the stoop to his shoulders. The swell of his chest and belly. He was no longer the lean knight who escorted Queen Jane to London. He was something else. Weighted. Weary.

Without a word or a touch, the royal couple traded places. The Queen’s gown of cloth of gold and abundance of jewelry glowed in the winter light. She wore a fashionable French hood, set back off her forehead, revealing a swatch of hair the color of burnished copper.

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Joan said.

“They say she is marked with the pox,” Alice sniffed. “Not that we can see it from here. Clothes can cover any number of evils.”

The Queen stood straight and tall, and waved regally, but joyfully. She fingered the enormous jewels at her throat and grinned.

“She looks so happy,” I said.

“She’s happy because she knows nothing.”

Favorite Scene by Donna

2012-03-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

This week the Muses share favorite scenes from our own writing.

When I first thought about this week's topic, a scene from SKINNY instantly popped into my mind. I love this particular interaction because it makes me smile and because I think the dialogue reveals the characters in exactly the way I'd hoped. Unfortunately, it comes very close to the end of the book and I'm afraid it might be a bit of a spoiler.

So, I had to go with my second choice.

The first chapter of SKINNY is one of my personal favorite pieces of writing. The whole scene poured out on the paper in a rush of sentences and phrases, completely surprising me with the emotion. I felt like it was waiting there in my head for that exact moment in time to put it down on paper, and that scene has stayed almost exactly the same, word for word, from the first moment I wrote it until the final edits. I remember reading it aloud to Katy and Talia in a hotel room in LA for the very first time. It was a good thing they had the printed words in front of them so they could actually follow along because I could hardly get through the pages, my voice cracking with emotion. I had to stop and gasp for breath every few sentences, hyperventilating, but when I finished reading I knew by their reaction it was something worth continuing.

So here's an excerpt from one of my favorite scenes from SKINNY:

Jackson turns to laugh at something Whitney says about a party last weekend. I push on. Look ahead. Anticipate space available. The back row always fills up first, but I’m usually here early enough to snag a seat. Not today. Scan the room. Is there space for me? Somewhere? One desk left. It’s the kind with the desktop that snaps down over your stomach. Only it won’t snap down over my stomach. I’ll leave the desk up, but then I’ll have to balance my notebook and books in my lap. A lap that really doesn’t exist.

“You’ll drop things. Things you won’t be able to pick up. People will stare and giggle and point. You will be noticed. Do you really want that?”

I look around the room once more. No other choice. I slide into the chair, my bottom falling over both sides of the seat. I put my book bag on the floor beside me and carefully hook the strap over one arm. I can’t let it fall. If it falls then everything will be out of my reach for the rest of class. I pull the strap up until I can manage to reach inside. I rummage around, looking for a pen and notebook. Pulling them out, I try not to make much noise. I don’t want anyone’s attention. I rest the notebook awkwardly on my stomach and try to turn to today’s blank page. Finally, I’m ready. Everything is hard.

The teacher looks toward me.

“Look at the pity in his eyes.”

I guess that’s better than the disdain I see in most of the teachers’ eyes and the outright fear I see from most other kids. Fear that it could happen to them.

“Look. She can’t even fit in the chair.”

Skinny doesn’t have to whisper that in my ear. I can hear it plainly. Kristen Rogers doesn’t even lower her voice. She is wearing a little pink tank top with the glittery word “Juicy” across the boobs. People think being fat somehow affects your hearing.

“I didn’t know pants came in that size,” Kristen says. “Maybe I should go on a diet. I told you my jeans were getting tight.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll never look like that,” her petite best friend Brittney responds. I know she’s right. Neither one of them will ever look like me. I don’t know why, but I know it’s true...

Mr. Blair gets the class back on track, and I try to concentrate on algebra. Skinny is quiet at my ear. Good. If I stay very still, maybe I can stop the whispering.

Chance Lehmann, his rich ebony hair curling wildly out from underneath the New York Yankees baseball cap he has pulled low over his eyes, slides into the chair across from me. He’s ten minutes late. Early for him. I shake my head at him when he meets my eyes, but one side of my mouth creeps up in a half smile. Chance has that effect on people. His mouth twists down in a grimace, his puppy-dog brown eyes fake sad, and then he waves a hand briefly in hello. His skin is a dark honey color. The better to notice the sparkling purple fingernail polish on his hands.

“You like?” He holds his hands out toward me, palms down. “It’s called Jammin’ Jelly.”

I look to see if Mr. Blair is paying attention, but he’s talking to someone in the front row about their homework. “Do your toes match?” I whisper across the aisle.

“Of course. I’m completely in touch with my feminine side.” Chance grins at me, fanning his face with one purple-painted hand. That might be true, but he’s also “completely in touch” with a baseball and can pitch an amazing curveball that will buy his way into any university he wants to attend, painted toenails and all. “You should try it, Ever. A mani/pedi is exactly what you need.”

“You can paint a pig, but it’s still a pig,” Skinny whispers in my ear.

I frown at Chance and turn toward the front of the room again. Mr. Blair calls a couple of students to the board to work on some problems. Panic rises in my chest. Don’tcallonme. Don’tcallonme. The idea of squeezing through the aisle to display my backside to the whole room’s comments makes me start to breathe hard.

“Ever Davies,” the teacher calls out. “Will you tackle problem number seventeen?”

It isn’t a request. I’m trapped. Inside and outside my body. I push my way out of the chair, which clings to me like a big inner tube, and start back up the aisle.

Kristen Rogers rolls her eyes at Whitney.

“Oh my god. Here you come again,” Skinny jeers.

I’m fifteen years old, and I weigh 302 pounds.

Turning Points Are…

2012-03-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

Turning Points are…crossing a point-of-no-return. Whether it’s a transition between Act 1 & Act 2 or the Ordeal or any of those crafty terms, once your characters pass that moment, it is impossible for them to get back to where they were before (physically, emotionally, spiritually, or – preferably – all the above). Up until that instant, there is a chance, however remote, that things could go back to normal. For example, in THE HUNGER GAMES, the Capitol could cancel The Games or Katniss could shimmy down the training tower to safety, but once she enters the arena and that Turning Point door shuts behind her, the story is forever changed, and she can’t just go back to District 12.

Turning Points are…where all the trains crash. Remember those word problems about trains leaving the station at a certain speed and when will they collide? (Don’t worry, I’m a math geek and I hate those too). Well, that’s another way of thinking about Turning Points. They occur when all of the themes and character arcs and plot threads racing through a story, smash into one another. Sometimes they ricochet and head for a bigger explosion later (Act 1 to Act 2 transition) and sometimes it’s the final Ka-Boom of the climax.

Turning Points are…tests for your characters. If in the beginning, a character states they will never, ever kick a dog. Then I fully hope/expect that at least one of the Turning Points revolves around him kicking a dog accidentally or being forced to kick a dog to save his cat or…you get the idea. This is when the characters are tortured to see if they’ve changed or broke or were truly reborn. In the end, Katniss has the ability to win The Games, but is willing to die in order to prevent the Capitol from a true victory.

Turning Points are…touchstones. These moments are when the story returns to the main dramatic fuel. It’s easiest to give a case study for this one. For THE HUNGER GAMES, this driving force is presented in the first Turning Point where Katniss volunteers for Prim. This moment poses the big question of “Will Katniss survive?” and sets up all the other Points: When she enters the arena, we wonder the same with a stronger conviction. And by the end, when she’s grown fond of Peeta and they’re heading back to the Cornucopia, we ask again and have to know the answer.

Turning points are…sneaky. The best Turning Points are the jaw droppers. The ones where you say, “Oh no, she DID-DENT.” Katniss pulling out the poison berries is the perfect example. It’s very hard to predict (for me, at least), but it works brilliantly. Now, I know it’s hard to plan those sorts of moments (oh, boy, do I), but often times those are the ones that sneak up on you while writing, too. You’ll be clacking along, heading for your outlined plot point, when BAM! A character says or does something unexpected and, suddenly, their world has changed irrevocably. Folks, these moments are gems and I hope you see where they take you. Psst, I’m not saying to spend months writing the entire manuscript along those lines, but take a few minutes and work through the path while you stare out the nearest window.

Turning points are…<insert your definition here>

The Act One Turning Point

2012-03-01T09:03:00.007-08:00

We've been talking this week about Turning Points in story structure. Of course, the caveat here is that many stories don't follow a formula, or adhere to the classic three act structure. However that format does help to shape your story.

The end of Act One is one of my favorite points in a story. It's the point where the hero or heroine are thrust out of their ordinary world, and into the meat of their story journey. Often, this is a literal physical journey. The search for a ring. The boarding of a train to a magical school. The prison escape. That's the case in my first novel UNDER THE NEVER SKY. Both of my protagonists are forced from their homes at the end of Act One, and the journey is one of obtaining knowledge, maturity, and ultimately of returning home with it, a new person.

Act One can also be the launch of an emotional journey. Take Lauren Oliver's DELIRIUM. The Act One turning point, in my opinion, is Lena beginning to fall in love--love being forbidden in Oliver's story. It sets up the emotional arc for Lena, which is the heart of the story. A character can make an important choice, or have a circumstance thrust upon them. The point being that at the end of Act One, we know we're not going back. Things will never be the same again. Lena will always know what love is, and that will shape her every decision going forward.

When I write, I try to find both the internal and external launch at the end of Act One. I find it especially satisfying when the physical and emotional journeys enhance one another.

What are your thoughts on the Act One Turning Point?

The Act 1 Turn

2012-02-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

I have heard of writers who map out the specific page number on which they will hit certain story beats before they ever start writing. As in, I will write a 244 page novel, and the turning point between Act 1 and Act 22 will occur on page 61.

I am not one of those people.

But I do try to think about the character’s major turning points as part of my initial story planning. In most books, whether the ending is happy or sad, the character will emerge on the other side of the central conflict changed in some way. When mapping out an initial structure for the book, I try to think about what events will change the character the most, and then when those events should occur in the story for maximum impact.

I start with four “big” things that I know must happen in my story, whether a turning point, a reversal or a revelation. These four points are absolutely vital to the story, both from an internal and external character arc, and they will form the anchors for each of my four acts (Act 1, Act 2 part 1, Act 2 part 2, and Act 3). Then I think of four events that are smaller in scope, but critical to building to the other four. These are the midpoint scenes of each of my four acts. The remaining scenes will be the necessary building blocks to get me from point to point- or turning point to turning point as the case may be.

At the end of Act 1, approximately a quarter of the way through the book (but it could be sooner or later- rules are made to be broken), I look for a turning point that places the main character on the path that will propel them through Acts 2 and 3. This is the point of no return, where both internal and external forces converge to thrust the character into action.

In SPIES AND PREJUDICE, a key plot point is Berry’s decision to investigate the death of her mother eight years earlier. This turning point marks the end of Act 1. Early in the story, she is tempted by the idea of doing so, but fights it, in part because of her fear of what she will find, but more because she doesn't want to face an emotional truth- that she hasn’t gotten over her mother’s death. The romantic plot is important to the story as well, so I played with using her initial distrust of her love interest as a means of propeling her forward in the mystery element. Characters and events converge to bring her to the place where she has no choice but to move forward despite her fears.

The story could have been written where she starts the story determined to find out what happened to her mother, but then I’d miss the conflict and tension (and character development) that comes from her fear and indecision. As Katy said so well yesterday, a turning point is meaningless without some prior build up- a reader needs to be invested in the outcome. By allowing the character to fear what could happen, the stakes are raised for both the character and the reader. By knowing and understanding the consequences of a particular course of action, the reader can empahtize with the character's struggles along the way.

I like to think of the Act 1 turning point as the moment where your character is knocked on or off course. It can be the character’s choice, or external events or characters that push the character in certain direction, but to me, the best turns are where the character veers away from his or her comfort zone.

The Act 1 turning point is a great place to examine your character's internal motivations at the beginning of the novel, and experiment with what it would take to push your character in the direction that will challenge them the most.

Turning Points

2012-02-28T04:01:00.002-08:00

I am not an outline plotter. Structure does not come naturally to me. I am what we call a pantser. My characters run away with me. And they certainly don't always do things according to outline.

So when I think about turning points, I have to think about what's already there – in the novel itself, in the history – and figure out how to determine and accentuate the turning points after the fact.

Yes, I’m a little backwards.

The idea of a turning point is implicit. It is when something happens that changes the direction of the story. Easy, right? A turning point is when Luke Skywalker discovers the death of his aunt and uncle and begins his journey. It is when Rhett tells Scarlett he doesn't give a damn. It is when Wilbur meets Charlotte.

Now, there are many many people out there who have written about turning points much more effectively than I can. Almost everything I've learned about turning points, I learned from Christopher Vogler, James Scott Bell, or Donald Maass. However, I have also learned a few things the hard way. That is, from failure.

When I wrote Book 2, I had turning points in mind. Bell tells us that the major turning points within a novel should be associated with little deaths. Real death, emotional death, metaphorical death. I knew this, and applied it. Ineffectively. My turning points lacked tension and resonance. The prior scenes were episodic and therefore gave no bearing.

This is what I learned when I got my editorial letter. The turning point must be preceded by a buildup of emotion and tension. And any buildup of emotion and tension must lead either to a turning point, a reversal, or a revelation. Again, it seems like a no-brainer, but for me at least, I must learn these lessons again and again with each book, with each revision. Only then can I begin to apply them.

And so I had an epiphany. I reorganized the entire scene structure of Book 2 to reflect this. The scenes leading to each turning point pivoted on the point itself. My protagonist’s motivations, emotions, reactions altered as a result.

I'm not saying I got it all right. I'm not saying that a reader of this draft would be able to pick out my turning points in a lineup. I'm certainly not pretending to know anything more than you do. I guess what I'm saying is that we are all in this together–learning, growing, and helping each other. Perhaps you will learn something from my mistake. Or perhaps you will just laugh at me and learn something from Talia tomorrow. Either way, thank you for reading.

And the winner is...

2012-02-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for the amazing participation in our SKINNY giveaway! I literally put all the entries in a hat, closed my eyes, and pulled one out. Not very high tech, but extremely random.

So... without further fanfare... our winner of the SKINNY bound galley is... BURIED IN BOOKS!! Congratulations! Please send your mailing information to yamuses@aol.com and I will mail you an autographed copy. I hope you enjoy it!

Last week we wrote about turning points in our writing career. This week we turn our attention to writing turning points. Funny, I tend to know the turning point of the story before I know much else. Or at least I think I do. What I often forget is that a turning point often includes both an emotional revelation and a physical one. I tend to have one figured out, but forget about the other one.

Here's the thought process I go through when thinking about the big turning point in my story (I'm going to use "she" throughout to avoid the awkward he/she wording, but it could certainly be a "he"):

What does the main character want?

What does it look like the moment when she gets what she wants? (external)

What does she feel at that moment? (internal)

What does she learn about herself?

Ok. Now even though you already think you know what's going to happen, take a moment and contemplate the opposite.

What does it look like the moment the main character realizes she's never going to get what she wants? (external)

What does she feel at that moment? (internal)

What does she learn about herself?

Now, ask yourself, "What's the better story?"

My Bleeping Birth Story

2012-02-24T04:00:00.002-08:00

First off, don't forget to enter to win an ARC of Donna's SKINNY. It will blow you away! Click here or at the top for detail...you only have a couple more days.

For my first turning point, I’m taking us back a couple of years (812 days, to be exact). I’d been writing “in the drawer” for some time. I was a Hobbyist, though a serious one. I dabbled a few hours a week until I eventually "finished" a “book”. In fact, I had local kids read it and give me feedback. I’d done market research and identified my top agents. All the advice demanded that I attend a conference, which was *terrifying* (seriously, I, The Conference Junkie, was beyond nervous). But I signed up for one because writing was my dream.

That faithful day came. I packed up my stuff, kissed the wife and dogs bye, and made it to the hotel plenty early. And, there it was, sitting in my registration packet: a schedule with a slot – only an hour later – with My Perfect Agent. That was it. The fates had aligned. It was going to be my big break. Yep! The New York Times Best Seller List, here I come. Which vacation home was I going to buy first?

Later that night, as My Perfect Agent read my pages, I prepared for him to bow down to me or for the excitement to rattle his hands when he realized what he held. Except that, instead, his face iced over and at the same moment, the room turned very, very stuffy.

“Honestly,” he passed me my pages as if they were cow pies, “This made me want to shoot myself in the bleeping head.”

Only he didn’t say bleeping.

Nope. He did not.

I never knew that dreams make a noise as they die, but they do. And, for everyone’s information, it sounds a lot like “made me want to shoot myself in the bleeping head.”

Afterward, I wanted to cry myself to sleep or throw my laptop off the roof, maniacally laughing as the transistors scattered on the parking lot below. I wanted to return to the safety of my wife and dogs and warm bed. I wanted to give up. But I didn’t. Instead, I pulled myself together, bought a venti Americano, turned on the computer, and worked all night. I was going to show My Perfect Agent exactly how bleeping good I could be.

And that, Dear Readers, was my first turning point –

The day everything changed –

The disturbance that sent me on my quest, my never-ending quest –

That was my birth as a Writer.

Obviously, My Perfect Agent should’ve been more P.C. since he could crush more fragile souls (actually, it isn’t that I’m tough, it’s that I was too dumb back then to know any better – if My Perfect Agent said the same thing to me today…well, it would not be pretty). But I owe him a lot. I’d been gestating as a Hobbyist for long enough, it was only the pain inflicted upon me by My Perfect Agent that launched me, head-first, out of the womb (yes, yes, you can totally tell I’ve got a baby on the way – sue me).

The next morning, My Perfect Agent read my revision and loved it. Impressed, he encouraged me to continue. And, continue, I did. Since then I haven’t stopped. I’ve grown as a writer like a newborn developing. With every blink I feel so much more mature than a moment before. I eagerly accept critique, savor every drop of information offered, and push myself beyond my perceived capabilities. I prioritize writing just below family. I write for a few hours almost every day and I get up at 5am to do it (even on weekends). Most of all, I try to make sure my writing never, ever makes anyone want to shoot themselves in the bleeping head again.

And, folks, if I can live through something like that...if I thrived from that horrible moment, then I know you can take all those fears or bad reviews or mean comments and spin them into your own gold.

My Turning Point as a Writer

2012-02-23T07:45:00.000-08:00

Almost two years ago, I attended the SCBWI Annual Conference. The truth is that I made myself go. It’s a large conference, and I generally prefer the smaller, more work-shoppy ones. Also, crowds overwhelm me. But off I went because I had so many dear friends going. In particular, the YA Muses would all be there. We’d gotten really close over the course of the previous months. We all clicked in our dedication and hunger to get published. Things were starting to heat up for a few of the Muses, and LA was going to be our celebration. Our pow-wow.

I ended up submitting a selection of pages to the optional critique offered at that conference. Again, I wasn’t going to do this. I have a terrific group of friends who are astute readers. I also work with writing mentors, who I knew would help me get my manuscript in the best shape it could be in before I queried agents. My plan was to start querying two months after the conference, but I signed up for the critique anyway. I had never walked away from one without some kind of takeaway, even if it was just getting to know another person in the writing community.

That critique changed my life. I met an editor who was very excited about my work. An incredible person who set me on my way, not only by indicating interest in seeing the full manuscript, but by nominating me for the Sue Alexander Award.

I left that 8:30 am meeting utterly stunned. I don’t remember how I ended up outside the Century Plaza Hotel, where the huge air-conditioning units churned away. It was just the first place I could find. I don’t remember calling my husband and trying (and failing) to tell him what had happened coherently…. Guys, I want to give you a sense for how unreal this moment was, but it’s so hard to do. I hope you feel it one day if you’re a writer or anyone chasing after a dream. That morning, I’d gotten one solid handhold on that dream and I knew I could wrestle it down.

It was my turning point.

After several years in the writing chase, I’d come to know a good share of people. A good share of great people. The writers I know love to help one another. It’s truly a special community. Word of my critique got out during the rest of the conference. People told me to get querying. That I shouldn’t make another move without an agent. People offered to introduce me to their agents. I’m going to skip forward a bit here. The result is that within the week, I did have an agent. A great one. And, skipping ahead another six weeks, I had a book deal for a trilogy.

Those of you working on manuscripts: this post is for you. Amazing things happen. I’m proof of that. Keep writing. Get to those conferences and share your work.

Your turning point is out there.

Turning Point or Reversal?

2012-02-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

This week we're talking about turning points on the road to publication. I'm going to write about a turning point that came after I got my first book deal.   Actually, it came after my second. At the time, it felt more like a reversal than a turning point. Like a character on the cusp of Act III, I had one of those gut-wrenching defeats where it seemed all was lost. The only thing I could do was dig deep to find the courage I needed to regroup and find another way through the problem.

At the time, I didn't dwell on it all that much. I just did what I had to do to find my way through to the other side. It's only months later, in hindsight, that I can appreciate how I've come through the struggle changed- more confident as a writer.
I sold a book on proposal. I wrote the book. I was given some revision notes and I did a revision. Then I got an email from my agent.

"We need to talk."

My agent is lovely, and I'm sure the email was extremely polite and positive, but I read between the lines. Sure enough, the conversation centered around the fact that my editor did not think the direction of the revision was working, and wanted to see how I felt about a fairly significant rewrite. I assured my agent that I was okay with it.  I was, both because I was starting to have my own doubts about that revision, and because I wanted my publisher to like the book.

But I was terrified.

My editor was enthusiastic and encouraging on our call. She offered to move my publication date, to give me as much time as I needed to do the revision. She helped me understand what wasn't working and brainstorm some new ideas. I told her how grateful I was for the opportunity to make the book better, rather than rush an inferior product to market. And I was grateful.

But I was still terrified.

When I went back to the manuscript to start chopping story elements, I was left with about 20% of the original product, and most of that would have to change. I was going to have to replot the entire book from scratch, reimagine some supporting characters, and basically write a new book.

I felt the pressure to perform in a way I'd never felt before. It truly felt like a make it or break it moment, if not for my writing career, at least for this book.

I embarked on a crash course in plotting. Some of you may remember when I was learning about the four act structure and analyzing sequences and setpieces. The index card method mentioned in the first post was just one of the techniques that helped me get past my fear and get to work.

Once I had the new plot in place, I sat down and wrote. At first, I felt the eyes of my editor over my shoulder, and I started to second guess every page, every line, every word. But it wasn't my editor at all- it was my own fear of failure that hung in the air and kept me from doing my best work. I had to find a way to push it aside. To find my character's voice again. To let her tell her story. The story I wanted to write.

I developed a playlist of songs that evoked the tone, feelings and voice I wanted for the characters.  At the beginning of every writing session I put in my headphones and disappeared into another world. The music became my white noise, drowning out my own voice of self doubt and letting the characters come to the surface. The words started to flow again, and I let myself enjoy spending more time with my characters.

The new draft was better than anything I could've ever done on my own. I was pushed to places I didn't know I could go. I learned so much about plot, story and characterization. It was the scariest, but also the best experience I've had as a writer.

No matter what happened with the book, I had turned a corner on my path as a writer. I discovered new weapons in my arsenal, and a newfound courage.

My editor is happy with the new draft too, which is wonderful. But I'm already certain that the impact of this experience will be more than this one book.

I might be able to do this writing thing after all.

Turning Point -- Guest Blog by Suzanne Lazear, author of INNOCENT DARKNESS

2012-02-21T04:00:00.001-08:00

I'm holed up cramming as much Tudor drama as I can into Book 2, so the lovely Suzanne Lazear, a 2k12 Classmate, has agreed to share a MAJOR turning point in her writing career with us. Thank you, Suzanne! And readers, don't forget to click the button in our header for a chance to win an ARC of Donna's debut, SKINNY.

I’ve wanted to be an author pretty much all my life. Back in the third grade my teacher touted us “publishing” our own books as part of our curriculum. I was heartbroken to discover “publishing” meant my mom using the school binding machine to turn our stories into little books. I wanted my book to be in the bookstore—not displayed on a table in the school library.

I wrote stories instead of essays for assignments whenever I thought I could get away with it. During freshman year of high school whenever we had “free” journaling in English I wrote an ongoing story about Elves. I read books about writing and querying. I still have pages and pages of hand written chapters torn from notebooks in high school and college. I regaled my friends with my crazy story ideas. In graduate school sometimes I’d write stories instead of taking notes, since we all used laptops in class.

In late 2006, about a year before my ten year high school reunion, post grad school, marriage, and baby, I was sitting in front of the computer and I went, wow, ten years. I always thought I’d have a book published by now.

Then I took a moment and thought about why I hadn’t published a book.

It hit me like a sack full of bricks.

In order to be published you have to sit down and write an entire manuscript.

I’d never, in all my years of writing, ever actually written an entire book from start to finish. Short stories, but not a full novel. I’d write chapters and chapters when inspiration struck, then as the ideas ran out another shiny idea would grab my attention and I’d write that one instead of finishing what I was working on.

So, for my 2007 new year’s resolution, my goal was to write an entire book from start to finish. After two false starts, I wrote an entire 118k adult urban fantasy novel in three weeks. (It was awful). In 2007 I wrote four complete different manuscripts. All pretty dreadful.

I never looked back. I still had the occasional false start as I figured out I liked certain genres more than others. It wasn’t until mid-2008 I really starting figuring things out like when you write the end, your story is hardly finished, editing can often take longer than the actual drafting. I also had to learn that books needed plots--they couldn’t just be thirty chapters of dialogue and explosions. I hadn’t even attempted the next big step, querying, or truly or discovered the YA genre. Those are other stories.

But what I learned in 2007 was the most important lesson that I think a writer can learn – write a story until it’s done. I did all this without a community of writers—this was before I’d discovered online writing forums or the Romance Writers of America. I wasn’t on twitter, I didn’t blog. I didn’t read any books on craft. All I did was put my butt in the chair, my hands of the keyboard and write. And write and write and write. When I hit The End I’d do it all again.

INNOCENT DARKNESS, written in 2009, was the manuscript that finally sold. It was completed manuscript number ten, and the fourth manuscript I’d queried. With the three others I’d amassed hundreds of rejections. I’d entered them in contests, pitched them at conferences, and learned the lessons of editing, querying, plotting, and that writing at YA was even more fun than writing for adults.

But the tale of my YA steampunk dark fairytale, too, is a story for another day, one I’d never be able to tell if I hadn’t decided that in 2007 I was going to sit down and write an entire book.

Write on!

~Suzanne Lazear
www.suzannelazear.com
www.facebook.com/suzannelazear
www.twitter.com/suzannelazear

Suzanne Lazear writes for teens because her dancers made her and she never looked back. She’s a regular blogger at the Steampunk group blog Steamed. Suzanne plays with swords, runs with bustles, and is hardly ever described as normal. She lives in Los Angeles with her daughter, the hubby, and a hermit crab, and is currently trying to make a ray gun to match her ball gown. Her

YA Debut INNOCENT DARKNESS, book one of The Aether Chronicles, will be released from Flux August 8, 2012.

INNOCENT DARKNESS

Wish. Love. Desire. Live.

In a Steampunk version of Los Angeles, Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed. If Noli doesn't die, an entire civilization will.

SKINNY Give Away! by Donna

2012-02-19T14:40:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to share our newest giveaway with you today--a personally autographed bound galley of my new book, SKINNY.

Poignant and charming, inspiring and fascinating – this compelling story of a girl who finally decides to take control of her weight and her destiny will have huge appeal for both girls and women

Ever – named, somewhat ironically, after Cinderella’s ‘happily ever after’ – started putting on weight when her mom died. Now she is fifteen years old, weighs 302 pounds, and hears voices.

The voice that whispers in Ever’s ear is the voice of self-doubt and mockery, and it has a name—Skinny. Skinny’s nasty little whispers tell Ever constantly that she’s ugly, a loser, friendless, and undeserving of love. Especially the love of Jackson Barnett, who once kissed her in the snow all those years ago and whom she’s adored ever since.

But Ever hears another voice too – her own amazing singing voice that no one knows about even though she’s memorized the lyrics of every musical ever written. If Ever is willing to take the chance to radically change her body, maybe she might also find the courage to share that voice with the rest of the world.

With the help of her long-suffering science-geek friend Rat, Ever embarks on the risky, terrifying journey of weight loss ulminating in gastric bypass surgery. But while Ever’s body will gradually change on the outside, she soon finds that changing the fat girl on the inside will prove much harder.

Ever dreams of a simple Happy Ever After. But on the long, confusing road to self-reinvention (or self-discovery?), she soon finds that nothing and no one is quite what she thought – least of all herself. Will Ever’s dreams be a case of Never Ever – as she always feared?

From www.greenhouseliterary.com

We have an ARC of SKINNY, to be sent to a randomly-selected reader anywhere in the world. All you have to do is comment and/or tell the world about us and the giveaway. You can enter as many times as you want. The contest is open internationally and runs from right now through Friday, February 24 – winner announced next Monday!

Each of these things will give you one entry into our hat:

◦ Any comment on any blog posting this week
◦ Any tweet or retweet (please include a #skinnynovel hashtag and a link to the blog)
◦ Any Facebook link to the blog (please add a link to your comment, so we can see this!)

Book Blog - THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO by Patrick Ness

2012-02-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know we were SUPPOSED to have read books about love or something, but I have a book that I just couldn’t resist telling everyone about…

A good friend (and loyal YA Muses reader), Ryan Miller, sent me a note last fall suggesting I read THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO by Patrick Ness. Trusting his stellar taste, I put it on my To-Read list along with the staggering number of other titles. Last month, I finally got around to reading it.

Holy...What was I waiting for? Where in the blazes have I been? Why was Ryan the first to mention it to me? And why didn’t he tape a copy in my hands and toothpick my eyes so I would have to read it at that moment?

Here’s the description from Ness’website:

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown.

But Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in a constant, overwhelming, never-ending Noise. There is no privacy. There are no secrets.

Or are there?

Just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd unexpectedly stumbles upon a spot of complete silence.

Which is impossible.

Prentisstown has been lying to him.

And now he's going to have to run...

Normally, I’d spout off about how the jacket copy should be enough to make you want to get the book. Yes, this blurb is wonderful and enticing, but, frankly, it doesn’t do the novel justice. To be fair, though, no description would.

Literally, this book has everything I look for in a novel. The narrator, Todd, tells his story in one of the most unique and most brilliant voices I’ve heard. As a character, Todd himself is deep, complex, and REAL. The supporting cast pops just as much. (Side note: I LOVED Todd’s dog, Manchee, so much that I vow to name a dog after him because Manchee is the ruddy best dog). At times, the plot got so intense that my wife (hi, Lisa) barred me from reading it in bed since I’d get seriously wound up. The world Ness built is alive with the beauty, danger, and grit, reminiscent of an Old Western, but with a subtle, captivating strangeness. I could go on…but I think you get the idea.

This is one of those books where I kick the wall and shout, “I will NEVER be that good.” However, on the other hand, it’s so amazing that it demands that I try because this is the kind of book I want to write.

***And, Dear Readers, you HAVE to come by the blog on Monday. We’ve got a FAT (wink, wink) giveaway that you’ll want to participate in. Seriously.***

What I'm Reading - Book Blog by V

2012-02-16T07:14:00.000-08:00

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been on what feels like a single, continuous sprint as I toured for the launch of NEVER SKY, and as I race to revise the next book in the trilogy. Days are long. Sleep is optional. Friends and family? Love ‘em. Don’t see ‘em much though.

I’m struggling to find time to read, and I love reading. That’s why I became a writer. And as Lenore said in her guest blog last week, along with writing regularly, reading is most important thing writers can do for our craft.

So. Amid the chaos, here are the things I’ve been picking up, and really enjoying:

SKYLARK (Meagan Spooner) –I think the best thing I can call it is Magic-Punk? Dystopian meets magic? The writing is stunning. The world-building is impressive. Beautiful images. Keep your eyes open for this one later this year. It's something special.

SHADOW & BONE (Leigh Bardugo) – This one’s going to make some waves when it comes out in May. This is a rich and fast-paced fantasy, in a Tsarist Russian setting. I grew up reading fantasy novels, and this book has a flavor that I’ve really been missing.

ART & FEAR (Bayles/Orland) – For you writers out there, pick this up. It’s a short book--easy to flip through--and invaluable for those of us on the creative path. I start every day now with a few pages of this little gem.

What about you guys? What are you reading right now?

Book Blog - SEA CHANGE by Aimee Friedman

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

I love living in Colorado.

Really I do.

Really...

(And, yes, that is a VERY current picture of my backyard. Brrrrr, right?)

Even though Colorado is a beautiful place, I have to admit, this time of the year I get a little weary of the cold and slush. It's been three weeks of snowy, blustery days and temps below zero. The ocean is calling for me... deep in my soul...and there is not a wave in sight. That's exactly when I need a great read to take me out of the wintery mix and right out onto the beach. I didn't have to look far to find the perfect one. It was right here on my desk--SEA CHANGE by Aimee Friedman.

In an attempt at full disclosure, I must tell you Aimee Friedman (yes, THAT Aimee Friedman, as in: "Bestselling author Aimee Friedman is back, with her signature combination of warmth and humor. And with this book, she adds a touch of fantasy. . .") is also my editor at Scholastic. How lucky am I to have an editor who understands the process from the writer's perspective, too?

Here's more info from Barnes and Noble about SEA CHANGE:

Sixteen-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science. . .and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.

There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her with facts her logical, scientific mind can't make sense of. She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship. . .and reality.

And from Publishers Weekly:
"An evocative setting, an air of mystery and some intriguing love interests for Miranda, a 16-year-old budding scientist, will make Friedman's (The Year My Sister Got Lucky) novel irresistible to romance fans. It all begins when Miranda's mother inherits a house on the remote Georgia island of Selkie, a place teeming with legends of merfolk and sea beasts."

So, how about it? Need a little escape right about now? How about hot,mysterious boys on the beach? (Ok, now who doesn't need THAT?) Check out SEA CHANGE. You'll be transported to the island of Selkie and be brushing the sand off your sandals in no time!

Book Blog -- SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen

2012-02-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

I am thrilled to be able to tell you all about this book. Full disclosure -- I have met the lovely A.C. personally and she is a 2k12 classmate. But I'm sure I would have been delighted by SCARLET no matter what.

From Goodreads:

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

I have been a fan of this legend since I saw Errol Flynn nocking arrows and buckling his swash in the the epic Adventures of Robin Hood. Who can not fall in love with the man who steals from the rich to give to the poor? The grassroots monkey wrencher of medieval England?

And the fiery Will Scarlet has always been one of my favorite characters (yes, even before Christian Slater played him). Gaughen brings the legend to life in a new and ingenious way, giving us a female lead who is both swashbuckler and infatuated teen.

We're talking about Romance this week, in honor of today (Happy Valentine's Day, everybody!), but I just want to say that I loved the refreshing romantic underplay of SCARLET. Gaughen's character is a belligerent and stubborn fighter. She clings to her own moral code with a fierceness that is inspiring. For Scarlet, the world comes first and love second, which makes her romantic story all the more poignant and believable.

SCARLET debuts today.

SILVER Cover Reveal

2012-02-13T06:41:00.000-08:00

As an aspiring writer, I have long dreamed of the day that one my stories would become a real book. But even after selling a manuscript, I've never been able to imagine the cover art. What would it look like? Would I like it? Would it change the way I saw my story?

When I first saw the cover art for SILVER, I was instantly struck by how perfect it was, both for the story and the character. It compliments the story in the best possible way, perfectly evoking the mood and the character. Brianna is a character that starts the story nearly invisible, fading into the background, only to be thrust into something that is far bigger than her and her desire to be seen. This cover art captures her journey perfectly. Seeing the cover makes it feel like a real book, and it's even better than I ever imagined.

I love it! I hope you will to. The cover is being featured at Dark Faerie Tales, a great blog that features paranormal and fantasy stories. Please join me in thanking Angela and her team at Dark Faerie Tales for helping get the word out about SILVER.

EDITED TO ADD: Sorry for the technical difficulties earlier. It should be up now!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE COVER!

The Best Ideas Get You

2012-02-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

I’m a Writer-Down-of-Things. If it’s not spelled out in words, I’m not sure it makes it in even the one ear. I live by to-do lists, grocery lists, and daily agendas. I never, ever leave home without a notebook (thinking about doing so does funny, mean things to my gut).

So, of course, I’m no different when it comes to my “Seeds of Inspiration.” I have many computer files full of killer concepts and zany characters. Some of those aforementioned notebooks have highlighted sections of brilliant plot points or doodles of fantastical creatures. Scraps of paper with awesome character names. Napkins with great dialog snippets.

But, Dear Reader, here’s a dark, dark secret, (please keep it between you and me): I have never looked at any of them again.

Yep, I frantically captured every single iota of an idea, only to ignore them when I was supposed to need them. In fact, I was avoiding them. It wasn’t intentional. Shoving the notebooks away and filing documents in places where they’d never be opened. I tried and tried to use these self-generated resources, just to fail with every attempt. But why? For an idea-hoarder like me, it made no sense.

Finally, it hit me: I ignored my collection of hooks and characters and turning points because I didn’t need them. In fact, I was better off without them.

Huh? You ask.

Allow me to explain myself: When the time came to dip into the Well’o’Inspiration, the strongest ideas boiled to the surface without aide. Things had burrowed deep into my brain, waiting to peek out like Katherine’s daffodils when the time was right. Sure, I probably made note of them in some file when they first showed, but the real proof was that they stuck with me. They were, literally, unforgettable.

And THAT made sense. After all, if they dug their roots deep enough for this scattered f mind to remember, then they might have some staying power with a reader too.

So my best advice to you other Writers-Down-of-Things: Feel free to write things down. Use those tape recorders and memory apps. Make lists. Doodle. Journal dreams. Try and try and try to pin those ideas into some useable format.

Or don’t.

You see, in the end: You don’t get the best ideas, they get you.

Shhh...

2012-02-09T15:38:00.000-08:00

Don't tell anyone. I'm commandeering the blog for a few minutes to let you know about a not-so-secret cover reveal on Monday February 13, 2012 at the Dark Faerie Tales blog.

I'm only letting you know because I'm kind of excited about it. I'm also a little personally invested. It's the cover for my debut novel SILVER.

Can't wait to share it! See you Monday!

Inspiration - Guest Blog by Lenore Appelhans

2012-02-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm deep in the revision cave this week, so I asked the lovely Lenore Appelhans to come by and talk about what inspires her writing. I'm so glad she agreed to guest blog. Her post has inspired me and I'm sure it will do the same for you. Thank you, Lenore!

A while back, I attended a writer’s workshop with about 15 other writers. Most of them are still seeking publication, so I was happy to share my experiences thus far on my publishing journey. As we discussed specific problems in each writer’s work, I was often able to give examples from novels I thought might be helpful or inspirational in some way.

After about an hour of this, one writer turned to me and said, “Wow – you sure read a lot of books! Where do you find the time? I’m only able to read like two books a year.”

I replied that I didn’t find the time, I made the time. And I mentioned Stephen King as someone who spends half his workday reading and half writing. (Not that I ‘m that evolved, but it’s something to aspire to)

The workshop moved on, but I felt shaken. How could aspiring writers not read? I honestly cannot imagine that my writing could have matured to the point it has without all the hours, weeks, months that I spent reading.

Ok, yes, there are times when I’m under deadline pressure that I don’t manage to read. But this can only ever be a temporary state, because if I don’t fill up my inspiration tank, my creative drive starts to sputter.

Of course reading isn’t the only way I fill up my tank, though as a writer, it is my primary way. Seeing movies, going to concerts, walking around the city, meeting friends, travelling – all those activities help keep me from burning out and allow the ideas to flow.

Reading is not just a great source of inspiration, it’s a necessary one. So yeah. If you’re not finding the time to read, start making the time to read. For me, that’s what made all the difference.

Finding Inspiration

2012-02-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

Ah, inspiration. The Holy Grail for writers. I live for those moments when the muse is strongest, when I can't not write a particular idea. When I know, with a certainty I can feel in my soul, that this, this, is the story I must tell.
Unfortunately, inspiration is a fickle mistress. For me, it hangs around for somewhere between 5,000 and 15,000 words. No wonder it took me nineteen years from when I first decided to write a novel to actually finish one.

There are any number of reasons that even the most intriguing idea or concept can lose its shine long before you finish the story. First, there's the problem of plot. As in the novel must have one. It's not enough to have an amazing concept or a character that you love if you don't have anywhere to go with it.  It helps to have an idea of where the plot is going.

So I've taken a few days to outline and now I have a plot.  Now I just need to plug in the scenes. Not exactly. In order to write something that will sustain you for 300 pages, you need to have characters you love hanging out with. And not just the kind that are great in small doses like the guy who never fails to make you laugh when you're waiting in line for coffee, but who drives you cray-cray if there are more than three people in line ahead of you. Often, if I lose interest in an idea, it's because I haven't figured out the characters yet.
So now I have an amazing concept, great characters and a plot. Good to go? Um, no. Writing a novel is hard. It's impossible to sustain inspiration all the way from the first whisper of an idea to the final page of the final draft. There are bound to be lulls along the way.  But somewhere if I keep slogging through, something magic happens. I find new inspiration, something that takes my original idea to unexpected and awesome places.

Here are some things I've done to find, capture and rediscover inspiration:

1.  Once an idea comes to you, find the part of the idea that is uniquely you. A story that is close to your heart is more likely to stay close to your heart.

2. When inspiration strikes, listen. Then write. I have three ideas that are all vying to be the next project. I've started all three manuscripts and outlined the basic story structure. I don't know if or when I'll get to any of them, but if I don't, it won't be because I've forgotten the idea or the basis for my inspiration.

3.  Work through the lows.  It's impossible to feel inspired everytime you sit down to write, but if you wait to be inspired, you'll never finish.  Open the file.  Feel your way in.  Inspiration can strike when you're least expecting it. And if doesn't? That's what tomorrow's for.

4. Say something important. I'm not talking about being preachy, but your book should be about something bigger than the character or the plot. The best books help us understand what it means to be human through the main character's journey. What does it mean to you? Write that.

5. Make a playlist. I love finding music that speaks exactly to a character's personality, evokes the emotion of a scene, or is tied into a particular theme. I add songs to my playlist as I discover new songs, or new information about my story and characters. Before I sit down to right, I start by listening a song that fits the mood of my story. Once I start writing, I don't 'hear' the music anymore, but it's in the background like a subliminal soundtrack to the scene.

6. Read, read and read. Reading is an endless source of inspiration. Read in your genre and outside of it. Nothing is as inspiring as reading a book that makes your heart sing. The more you read, the more you learn about story structure, plotting and characterization.

7. Challenge yourself. I'm much less likely to lose interest in a project if I push myself to try something I'm not quite comfortable with. It helps if the challenge is just outside of your comfort zone, but not so hard that you'll be tempted to give up. All three of the projects I have waiting in the wings involve some twist on story structure and point of view.

8. Commune with other writers. Call a writing friend or just get on Twitter and chat with other writers. Read some blogs that focus on craft. Support matters.

9. When all else fails, step away from the computer.  Take a walk.  Inspiration strikes when we least expect it.

How do you get inspired?

Daffodils

2012-02-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

I love springtime. I know it's early February and all of Europe is blanketed in snow and really, it should be winter. But here in California, It's been dry and warm (until today) and spring is giving us a sneak peek.

And the daffodils in my yard are beginning to show their lovely heads. Daffodils are my favorite flower. Because they look like little trumpets, heralding the coming of spring. They are just so joyous.

What does all of this have to do with this week's blog theme? Aren't we talking about the "Seeds of Inspiration"? Yes.

And no.

To grow daffodils, you plant bulbs. You plant them in the fall, so they wait in the frozen ground over winter. Hibernating. Ready to herald the spring.

Some ideas are like that. They don't just find fertile soil, sprout once and grow into amazing trees and bear gorgeous fruit. Some ideas sprout and die back. Sprout and die back. They hibernate over winter.

Some ideas stay with you for a long time, raising their lovely heads now and again to remind you that they are there. That they are beautiful. That they will come back. And then they hibernate again until the time is right.

I have an idea for a novel that I've wanted to write for years. The bulb was first planted by a song. It sprang to life and I took notes. Then I wrote something else. It sprang up again and I did research. Then I wrote GILT. The little buds of this idea are coming up again. I wrote a few pages before my edit letter for Book 2 came. I may write a couple more after my deadline. But it will still have to wait. I have other things to write, and I'm just not ready. But I know it will be hibernating. Just like I know the daffodils will return to my garden.

We all have seeds and fertile soil. So many ideas and so many hours of writing. But I'm sure you all have daffodils, too.

Seeds of Inspiration

2012-02-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

Last week I attended the SCBWI winter conference in New York and we were so grateful to have Elle Cosimano fill in for me with a fantastic post on ENDINGS. This week we turn our attention to INSPIRATION.
There is a fine line between inspiration and terror. Maybe it is in overcoming our deepest fear when we are truly inspired? In the recent StoryMaster's conference I attended, Donald Maas said,

"What is it that moves readers hearts? What is it that makes characters more real than we actually know? What does that? Emotions. Feelings connect us to characters. In order to create that effect we need to open an emotional landscape for our characters to walk through. What is the feeling that you are most afraid to put on the page? What is scary for you to express? What have you never said to anyone? What hurts the most?"

When I think of what I consider my best, most honest, writing it is often the pieces that were closes to my deepest fears and heartaches. When readers relate to my writing, it is often when I take the biggest risks to share those deepest hurts. And that's when I'm inspired as well. But that kind of inspiration isn't easy. It's putting those deepest emotions right out into a very public world.

Last week was an experience in inspiration (and fear). My Monday started off at a sound studio in Soho. Just getting there for a small town girl from Texas was a bit nerve wracking, but I arrived on time and was interviewed for a bonus track to be included with the audio book for SKINNY. Next, I was off to lunch with marketing and publicity directors. Finally, the day concluded with my presentation and reading to about thirty of Scholastic's editorial, marketing and publicity folks. It was an absolute dream day, and completely inspiring, but also challenging. At lunch, the vice president of publicity suprised me by asking if anything was "off limits" for discussion, and for the first time I realized how public my private was soon going to become.

Current statistics estimate 14% of adolescents in the United States are overweight. This figure has nearly tripled in the last 20 years. Knowing statistics, however, is not the same as living it. For me, there is a much more personal story to tell. I've struggled with obesity my whole life and know first hand the mental and physical impacts--especially in a culture where the media tells our young women every day their value depends on the way they look. About ten years ago, at my top weight of 302 pounds, I made the decision to have gastric bypass surgery. I lost over a hundred pounds and have kept my weight fairly stable since. However, despite all the spin and yoga classes (and there were five last week alone), I’m still not skinny. But I can take spin classes and yoga classes and I can hike and snowshoe and walk through the streets of NY without gasping for breath. The surgery was a positive experience for me, but it wasn't a magic wand. I will always struggle with weight and body image issues. And now, writing and sharing SKINNY has suddenly put all those deep, closely guarded issues into a brillant, and very public, spotlight.

Hopefully, the story of SKINNY will find its way to inspire others with that battle, too. But I also hope it connects to any reader who wrestles with negative thoughts. Maybe those thoughts are saying "you're too stupid" or "too poor" or "too tall" or "too ugly." I just want to whisper in their ear, "Don't believe it. You are so much more."

Hearing how complete strangers connected with the story of SKINNY during my visit to New York was inspirational as a writer at the deepest level. After all, isn't that what we are all hoping to do? Connect? But those seeds of inspiration for writing, and hopefully what ultimately inspires readers, means risk. We have to challenge ourselves to give our characters our deepest held private emotions and then trust it'll be okay.

And that is inspirational.

My editor, Aimee Friedman, and my agent, Sarah Davies

End “-ines”

2012-02-03T04:00:00.000-08:00

This week, I decided to expand my pursuit of literary DNA since last week proved a major scientific/literary discovery of the Beginning “-ines” (though, I’m still waiting for the Nobel Prize Committee to call – they must’ve lost my number). Using the same methods and materials, I began cutting deep into Endings…boiling down the best of the best until I identified the most basic elements contained within. The End “-ines”, if you will (and, knowing you, dear reader, you will).

The first thing I distilled was abundant and familiar…Care-ine. Stating the obvious here, but proper Endings continue to engage us, the readers. The characters are in a pickle and we’re in it with them. We’re not sure how (or if) they’ll make it out. We want the bad guy to pay for the crime. All the trains scream toward the same spot at the same moment and we’re the unblinking witnesses. By the End, the mysterious nature of Care-ine makes a good book nearly impossible to put down (How will Dorothy escape the Wicked Witch?).

As it was in the Beginning study, Voice-ine was very apparent in Endings. The last words dripped with it as much as the first. Voice-ine is not necessarily the same structure as is was in the first pages, since things evolved over time, but the substance is consistent. It’s the eye color of a story…it may drift with age, but once it’s set, those windows-to-the-soul keep to a general hue. (The narration of Oz starts out charming and ends just as much).

www.joelescalona.com

The subtle Theme-ine was present too. By the finale, those BIG QUESTIONS have been thoroughly scrutinized with many angles being presented from a gaggle of viewpoints. A lot of times, the story presents a final thought or conclusion (Dorothy finds home is where those who love you are), but it doesn’t have to (Does OZ really exist?).

Guess what else I found? Yep-yep, Hook-ine, making every word hum with tension and that reason to “read on.” Presenting itself in different formats in the Ending, Hook-ine largely serves as an answer to the book’s central driving questions (Dorothy found her home). However, I noticed some other interesting traits. Sometimes, there were lingering/unanswered questions within Hook-ine’s structure. Things that made the reader KEEP thinking about the book after the pages themselves ran out (What happened to all those zany munchkins?).

And that was it. The same four “-ines” as the Beginning. No secret chemical making a satisfying Ending, just the same ole’ stuff as a stellar first page. The major scientific discovery here is as simple and as elegant (and DUH worthy) as it sounds: A good book is a good book, cover to cover. It implores all the same building blocks no matter where it’s cracked open.

Great! But HOW do you put all these “-ines” together in the right format? What’s the genetic sequence of a bestseller or award-winner or even the story that will land you an agent?

I’m glad you asked, because I came across something very, very interesting…something that will change the craft of writing forever…something that will make this whole writing thing as easy as pie –

Wait, my phone is ringing. It’s gotta be the committee. We’ll have to continue this conversation later. Sorry to run…Hello? Hello?

Avoiding The End

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

This week, we’re talking about novel endings. Here’s typically how I get there:

Write first chapter

Check out the Spanish Cover for
UNDER THE NEVER SKY!
Isn't it great?

Write Act One

Start Act Two, hit a wall

Stall

Fiddle with Chapter One

Fiddle with the rest of the first act

Force self to finish Act Two

Sail into Act Three

Stall toward the End

Revise first chapter

Stare at the muddle in the middle

Contemplate unwritten final chapters

Stall

Stall some more

Force self to write ending

What’s with all the procrastination of the ending (POTE)? Why is it so, SO difficult to take those last steps, after all the steps beforehand?

For me, it’s fear of completing the work and having to assess:

Did I accomplish what I set out to do?
Is this story ultimately satisfying?

Because, folks, that’s what it’s all about, right? We want to close the last page and say, ahhh…. don't we?

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received about endings, was to juxtapose your first and last chapters. When you compare the two side-by-side, your goal is to see clear growth and a direct relationship between questions raised and questions answered.

If your protagonist is wishy-washy about something in Chapter One, make them believe it, own it, reject it—it doesn’t matter what, as long as their stance has become firm--by Chapter Forty Five.

If they’re seeking knowledge, then they darn well better have it by the end.

If they’re seeking acceptance, or are in need of humility in your opening chapters, then get them there.

Endings allow us to show growth and growth is what makes a novel ending satisfying.

Now go forth, and End Wisely!

IN THE BEGINNING I LEARNED ABOUT ENDINGS

2012-02-01T06:38:00.000-08:00

After years of saying I was goingto do it, I finally got up the courage to finish a book. I gathered up my strength and crawled underthe bed and I slayed that monster. Itwasn’t perfect, but I loved it, and it never occurred to me that I should notquery agents. I mean, I had a book,right?

I wasn’t a complete rookie. I had purchased three separate critiques in an online auction. Two critiques of the first 30 pages and oneof the first 50 pages, from a published author, an agent and an editor,respectively. I took the constructivecriticism to heart. I workshopped thefirst 30 pages at a conference.

I was ready.

At least my first 30 pages were.

Like most querying writers, I had a “dream” agent. Dreamie had built an amazing list ofsuccessful authors and really seemed to know publishing. Dreamie requested my partial. Then my full. I waited anxiously, daring to hope that maybe, just maybe, this wasgoing to happen. It didn’t.

Dreamie read the whole book and considered it seriously, butit just wasn’t ready. I got some greatconstructive feedback, but the thing that sticks out in my mind the most, is the comment (andI’m paraphrasing) that “I had hoped that Austin would play a bigger role in theclimax.”

Austin is a main character in the story. And he was nowherenear the climactic scenes. Oops. My ending didn’t live up to the promise ofthe story. Dreamie did say that otheragents might feel differently, so after nursing my crushed soul for about fiveminutes, I got over it and sent out a new batch of queries, thinking maybe my ending would still be okay. It wasn't.

Fortunately, from that batch came an offer from a fabulousagent who was willing to take on SILVER even though it required a lot of work(read: overhaul). In our initialdiscussion, she said that she really enjoyed the first half of the novel, butthat she thought the entire second half needed to be replotted andrewritten. And she was right.

And so began my education on endings.

Here’s where the back half of my story fell apart:

1. Too many Plot Twists: There were too many revelations, coming rapidfire. They overcomplicated the story andthe world, got confusing, and, most importantly, distracted from the primaryconflict with the main characters.

2. Not Enough Focus on the Main Storyline: This is the other side of problem numberone. The story went off in so manydirections, that the main conflict got lost in the shuffle. The payoff was lost in all the subplots, andthe main character arc was murky at best.

3. It Didn’t Fulfill the Promise of the Hook: The end can’t stray too far from the promiseof t Act I and the build up of Act II. It’s fine to have twists, but it should still feel like the samestory. After investing hours in a story,readers deserve to have the primary conflict confronted and if not resolved, atleast come out of it changed somehow.

4. Major Characters Had No Role in the Climax: Remember Dreamie’s disappointment that a keycharacter had little to no role in the final outcome? Yeah, that was still a problem.

5. Every Character Did Not Need a Full CharacterArc: Too many minor characters withtheir own storylines and character arcs are not only confusing, they steal pagetime from the main stories and themes, and rob the main characters of stronginternal and external arcs.

6. Too Many Questions Answered at the End: Tying up twenty plot threads at once is atall order. It leads to lots of boringexposition and many chapters of resolution. Turns out, I didn’t need 20 plot threads (4were plenty), and I could answer questions as I went along without diluting thetension, by raising new questions along the way.

7. The Ending Should Tie Into the Heart of YourBook: The ending should not only fulfillthe promise of your hook and plot, it should tie into the greater theme of yourstory. The most important lesson Ilearned in going through this process was that as an author you should havesomething to say. Your book should beabout something more than the plot and the characters. It should have some comment on the humancondition, and the ending should tie into that. In SILVER, the main character’s primary conflict centers around whethershe would kill to survive, even if it means killing someone she loves, and herfear that she would. The climax had toconfront that issue head on. (And no, itdidn’t come close in the first version).

8. The Story Can’t End Too Soon or Too Late: Remember all that talk last week aboutstarting your story in the right place? Turns out it has to end there too. My tendency to want to tie up too many plot threads, led to too manychapters of explanation long after the main conflict was resolved (to theextent it was resolved (see above)). Stories can also end too soon. You know that horrible feeling when you’re reading a book and it isgetting absolutely unputdownable and then you notice there are only four pagesleft? I’m not a fan of that. I want the big exciting climax, and then somedown time to catch my breath and gain some understanding about how thecharacters have been changed. But then, Ilike to write ten chapters too many at the end (see above).

Endings, likeany part of writing, are a combination of craft and art. I was able to take what I learned and craft anew ending that I loved even more, but only because I was willing to not only finish a book, I was willing to start over.

Finding a Satisfying End

2012-01-31T04:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, guest blogger Elle Cosimano told us, “…the end lurks like a monster under the bed. It's the scary, dark thing none of us like to talk about. We're not really sure the end exists. And we're too afraid to look, because... well... what if it doesn't?”

Or the fog. Sorry, didn't have a photo
of headlights at night

Isn’t it terrifying? Heading inexorably toward the dark? Who was it who equated writing to driving in the darkness – following the headlights, unable to see the destination, but trusting the road will lead us there? (seriously, someone tell me, because I can’t remember). The end is a dark and scary – and distant – place.

Yes, even for me.

Because I write historically accurate fiction, I have a good idea how my stories are going to end. There’s not a lot you can do with Catherine Howard’s story. You can’t make it a happily ever after. If you’re absolutely historically honest, you can’t make a Romeo and Juliet out of her relationship with Thomas Culpepper (despite the debunked claim that she said, on the scaffold, “I die a queen, but I would rather have died the wife of Culpepper.”). You can’t change the order of Henry’s wives, and the child’s device of remembering their ends: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.

But that doesn’t make the end any easier to write.

Because, as Lola Sharp said in the comments yesterday, “…endings are as crucial as beginnings...and perhaps more difficult to do well.” Even a writer of historical fiction can’t just lay down the facts and think that suffices as a satisfying end. Because history doesn’t always offer satisfaction.

So what makes a satisfying ending? Victory in battle? The voyager returning home? The final kiss? Can we include the more tragic endings here? Dying for love? Losing the girl but gaining the self? The death of every major character, quietly and heroically eulogized by Horatio and Fortinbras?

I think what makes a great ending is one that comes from the characters themselves. They have to be the ones running the show. If you have a brilliant idea for an ending, and it doesn't come from the character’s motivations, it will not be satisfying. If Scarlett had run off with Rhett, leaving Tara behind, would we have been Happy? Maybe for a little while. Our hearts run romantically, and we want them to be together. But our intuition tells us that they won’t be happy. They will continue to make each other miserable. And Scarlett will fade, wallow, and die without the land of her birth. Mitchell ended Gone with the Wind the only way the characters would allow. Listen to your characters as carefully as she did.

If you know the end before you get there you have to sculpt the characters toward that end. Creating a character who will ultimately lose her head/betray her friends/get the girl/climb the mountain/win the war means building the character using preprogrammed parts. This runs contrary to my natural tendency to pants a first draft. I feel like I’m wrestling my characters into submission. And this makes endings very, very difficult for me to write. I have no desire to send my characters to their destruction. But history must be satisfied as thoroughly as readers.

So I wrestle. And I listen. And somehow I find the balance.

And so will you. I have no doubt. Because you are here. Because you are writing. Because you will face tomorrow and the next day and the next curve in the road, seen only through your headlights.

The End by Guest Blogger, Elle Cosimano

2012-01-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

Note from Donna:
This weekend, I am attending the SCBWI winter conference. My amazing editor, Aimee Friedman, AND my fantastic agent, Sarah Davies, are both speaking at the conference. However, that isn't the only exciting thing going on in New York. Today, I have the opportunity to tour the Scholastic building for the first time and meet with the publicity and marketing people helping bring SKINNY to the world. So I'm going to introduce you to our guest blogger today, Elle Cosimano. Elle, Talia and I are all represented by Greenhouse Literacy Agency and Elle just sold her debut novel in a preempt to Dial.

WELCOME, ELLE!

"Fortunate people often have very favorable beginnings and very tragic endings. What matters isn't being applauded when you arrive - for that is common - but being missed when you leave." -- Baltasar Gracian

Oh, the pressure!

As writers, we're obsessed with the significance of an unforgettable first line, a powerful hook, and perfect opening pages. We lose months of sleep over the precise moment when our story should begin.

The importance of the right beginning is drilled into us early on.

At cocktail parties, we say, "I'm writing a book." Rarely do we say, "I've finished one."

And even after we've written 80,000 words, it's the first ten pages the agent requests. Never the last. As if our credibility as a writer is rooted somewhere in the beginning of a book.

Meanwhile, the end lurks like a monster under the bed. It's the scary, dark thing none of us like to talk about. We're not really sure the end exists. And we're too afraid to look, because... well... what if it doesn't? Maybe that's scarier than all the other shadowy, undefined monsters we've imagined while staring at the ceiling. All we can be sure of is our fear of it.

After we throw back the covers and look under the bed -- after we stare down the monster and wrangle it to submission -- who are we then?

Are we still aspiring? There's so much hope in that title, isn't there? It's the nightlight. The security blanket. The woobie!

Or are we what we fear most? Finished. Done. Writer of an unsold book.

Why are so many of us afraid to say,"I've written a book," as if that implies some degree of failure? Or maybe just opens the door to the possibility of it?

I've met so many writers who've been working on their books for years, writing only beginnings and revising them over and over, as if the secret to banishing the monster is hidden somewhere in the opening chapters. When they don't find what they're looking for, they move on and begin another story. These writers are the same ones who ask, "How did you do it so fast?"

My answer?

I finished it. That's it. No iron-clad secrets. No catchy hook.

It's easier to build sweet dreams out of aspirations than to build a career out of the reality of rejection, and maybe even failure. But the only way to conquer the monster is to face it. The confidence we seek isn't hidden in beginnings. Anyone can write a beginning. Only the fearless will make it to

The End.

________________
Elle Cosimano
DEAD BLUE (Dial/Penguin, Fall 2013)
@ElleCosimano
www.ElleCosimano.com

The DNA of a Beginning

2012-01-27T04:00:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, my secret identity is an engineer. And, justly, I use an analytical approach to many problems I tackle. So, in preparation for this post on Beginnings, I let my inner scientist run wild: Dissecting good books at hand, carefully slicing apart their chapter ones, first pages, and opening lines. All the while, thinking, thinking, thinking.

(Ok, maybe I didn’t do all of this for this post, but I’ve done it in the past…and I did think a lot about what to tell y’all on the matter of Beginnings).

Guess what? Even though my sample set of books contained wildly different genres and characters and plots and voices, all from different eras, I noticed a trend.

A strong trend that reminded me of DNA.

DNA, you say? (If you actually didn’t say, do so now. Thanks).

Yep, DNA. The long strands of molecules which uniquely define a living being from the moment of conception. Whether it was a Classic or the latest National Book Award winner, all these books seem to have the same something in common, though I couldn’t pinpoint it.

Hot on a trail, I dug deeper.

DNA is made up of four distinct molecules (all ending in “-ine”) that when paired, sequenced, and linked, create a near infinitely possible code that sticks with a person (or frog or bacterium) from womb to tomb. Could there be some sort of “molecular” structure for the first chapter? What are the “–ines” of a good beginning?

And, EUREKA! After many long, sleepless nights, I found the building blocks of a good story. The DNA of a Beginning.

Hook-ine

Responsible for making sure there’s a reason to read onward to the next word or next page. Often, Hook-ine appears as the questions/problems driving the plot and characters.
In initial pages, Hook-ine may appear almost insignificant (“What is this Reaping Day Katniss speaks of?”), however, it quickly evolves in scale (“Will Katniss survive The Hunger Games?”).
Additionally, Hook-ine has been identified in the inward problems of characters (“Peeta or Gale?”).

Theme-ine

Facilitates the general body shape of the story.
Theme-ine expresses the core genre. For example, a fantasy will show fantastical stuff from the first pages. A Western will probably involve a train, horse, or shootout.
It is also responsible for posing the BIG QUESTIONS that the story may or may not answer, but will certainly tackle (“How far would a person go to save themselves? How far would a society go?”).

Voice-ine

Generates the cosmetic way a book presents itself. (Katniss’ voice is stark vs. Lemony Snicket’s zany narrator). Little is understood about Voice-ine, but it definitely creates mood and tone.
It also significantly contributes to the pace of a story (having Katniss in the present tense means the reader does not know if she’ll live or not).
For a fully functional story, Voice-ine saturates every word, starting with first.

Care-ine

· Care-ine’s major function is to provide a reason for a reader to dive into the book.

· Care-ine is a critical component to main characters, but also to villains (the reader wants Cato to die almost as bad as he/she want Katniss to live).

· The most mysterious of the building blocks, Care-ine transcends the written word and touches the reader in a primal and personal manner.

So, all we have to do is mix these “-ines” together and presto – a novel is alive, kicking, and on it’s way to becoming a bestseller/award winner?

Not so fast.

DNA in the wrong environment is just a glob of useless snot (actually, it has similar color and consistency). The same goes with the DNA of a Beginning. Without a delicate balance of setting, fully-formed worlds, and complex characters…you won’t be able to do a thing with the world’s supply of Hook-ine, Theme-ine, Voice-ine, and Care-ine.

Brilliant study, huh?

I’m just waiting for the Nobel Prize committee to call. Wonder what’s taking them so long. I bet it’s that they’re fighting to determine if I should win in Literature or Chemistry. That’s it. Gotta be.

INCARNATE--A Bookanista Review

2012-01-26T07:44:00.000-08:00

Book Description:

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

It's fitting that music plays a large part in Jodi Meadows debut novel. INCARNATE, has lyrical, flowing prose that was one of my favorite aspects of this creative fantasy. Anna, the only Newsoul in the city of Heart where everyone else is reincarnated, must search for the truth of her identity. She befriends musician and composer Sam, and their budding romance has some truly touching moments. The world-building is imaginative; Heart is alternately nostalgic (dragons, giants, and masquerade balls and street fairs that felt very Renaissance) and unexpectedly modern (laser pistols and communication devices that resembled cel-phones.) Recommended for those who like romance, fantasy and stories that veer off the beaten path... And who doesn't love all of that?

INCARNATE is available January 31rd.

Check out what the rest of the Bookanistas are reading this week:

Christine Fonseca  brings you a special Guestanista review of SPRINKLES AND SECRETS
Shannon Messenger delights in DEAD TO YOU – with giveaway
Beth Revis interviews TEMPEST author Julie Cross – with giveaway
Jessi Kirby takes a shine to the SURRENDER and new POSSESSSION covers
Stasia Ward Kehoe adores IN HONOR
Jen Hayley gushes over THE GIRL WHO LOVED A CITY
Nikki Katz marvels at A MILLION SUNS
Gennifer Albin   is on fire over CINDER
Tracy Banghart  is all about THE OTHER LIFE
Jessica Love wonders at THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
Hilary Wagner mourns over THE DEATH OF YORIK MORTWELL

Begin Again

2012-01-25T04:00:00.000-08:00

Every aspiring author knows how important the beginning to your novel is. Agents and editors, and later, consumers might not judge a book by its cover, but they will definitely judge it by its first few pages. No pressure, right? Your beginning has to a lot of work to do. It has to set the stage, introduce the main character, hook your reader, fulfill the promise of your story, and propel the story forward. It's a tall order for a few opening pages.

I love writing beginnings. The first twenty pages of a novel are my favorite. In fact, I could start a hundred novels before I finish one. Writing a beginning is a bit like reading one. The book holds so many infinite possibilities. Characters and scenes yet to be discovered. Here are some things I've noticed about great beginnings.

A great beginning starts with a change. At SCBWI in LA this summer, Judy Blume said that novels should begin on the first day that something different happens in your character's life. It's natural to want to pepper your beginning with backstory, as a means of introducing the characters, and helping us understand their life before we shake it up. We, as writers, need this information to help us understand how the character's life is going to be changed by the inciting incident. But our readers? Not so much. Readers don't want to see characters going about a normal day, they want something interesting to happen. And change is interesting. Part of the fun of reading a novel is discovering the characters as we go. Tension can be built by withholding backstory and revealing it in small pieces throughout the novel. In THE HUNGER GAMES, although we start out seeing Katniss going through the motions of a normal day, hunting with Gale, we know immediately that this day is different. It's the day of the lottery, and there is tension underlying everything Katniss does. The first chapter culminates in the lottery, with Katniss's sister being selected for the games. Katniss volunteers to go in her place, and we know her life will never be the same. You didn't really want to read a whole novel about Katniss and Gale hunting for game and bartering with the townspeople, did you? After all, the hook of the novel is a televised game show where the contestants are children who must battle to the death. Which is nice segue to point number two.

A great beginning fulfills the promise of your story. Have you ever read the back cover copy of a novel and thought, wow, I must read this book. And then read the first 100 pages and wondered when, if ever, you were going to get to the story advertised? I hope not, and you certainly don't want your readers to feel cheated. If your book is the story about a girl who sees ghosts, we don't want to wait one hundred pages before she sees a ghost. We want ghosts! Even if your character doesn't realize what she's seeing, there should she be some hint that things are not right. Your first chapter should tie into your hook somehow. In the first HARRY POTTER, we start out seeing Harry in his every day world, but we quickly learn that today is different, because Harry speaks to a snake during a trip to the zoo, than magically sets the snake free. The opening fulfills the promise of the story about a boy wizard while providing a nice introduction to Harry and his world.

A great beginning makes us care about what happens to the main character.   A great beginning invests us in the main character's problems and journey. We have to be able to relate to the character on some level before we'll commit to the next 299 pages of story. It helps if the character is likeable, but it's okay if they're not, if they're interesting enough that we want to find out what makes them the way they are. A great voice can sometimes be enough to make us interested in the character. Think about Holden Caulfield from CATCHER IN THE RYE. He is not the most likeable character, but the immediacy of his voice draws you right in. It helps if the character is placed in a situation that we can relate to. The opening should give us a reason to root for the character in some way. In THE HUNGER GAMES, Katniss spends her days hunting to ensure her mother and sister have enough to eat. When her little sister is selected for the Games, Katniss volunteers to go in her place, even though it means her certain death. It's hard not to care for a character who cares so much about her family and is willing to literally trade her own life for her sister.

A great beginning propels the story forward.   Have you ever read a beginning that's full of action and suspense only to end on a cliffhanger and have the next chapter start six months earlier? It's an artifice that drives me a little crazy. I'm not saying it can't be done well, because it most definitely can, but it's not really a beginning, is it? Many times, it's a disguise for the boring backstory or slow beginning that follows. A good beginning should get the reader wondering what happens next? A good beginning introduces questions or at least goals. Questions propel the characters into action and the reader into the next page and the next. Big questions may take the entire novel to answer, others can be answered along the way- only to present new and more complicated questions that need to be solved. The questions can be character driven (i.e. questions the characters want answered) or they could be questions raised in the reader's mind by hints that things are not quite right. If a character has a clear goal, the reader should be invested in whether or not the character achieves that goal. This can be accomplished by raising the stakes. Why is this particular goal so important to this particular character? What the the rewards if successful? The consequences if not? If the stakes are life or death for the character (metaphorically or otherwise) the reader is more likely to be invested in the outcome and keep reading. No one is likely to care about your first chapter about a character who gets a B on a science test when she wanted an A. (Yawn). But what if a B is the difference between being sent to an institution of higher learning that will lead to a high level job in a dystopian society or being forced to work in a manual labor job that few survive? What if she knows that her father will beat her if he finds about she got a B on the test?

A great beginning avoids cliches. I had no idea that there was such a thing as a cliche beginning, but after attending a few conferences, I learned that agents and editors see so many manuscripts, and so many beginnings, that there are a few that make them numb. And let's face it, when you want your book to stand out among the mountain of slush or piles of books at the bookstore, it's probably not a good idea to use an opening that your reader has seen a hundred times before. Remember how Snoopy used to try to write a novel, and he always started the same way? "It was a dark and stormy night..." Apparently, it used to be cliche to start your novel with the weather. Who knew? In young adult novels, a lot of novels start with a character waking up in the morning and thinking about the coming day. Starting with a dream or a vision is another one that comes up frequently. Lots of books start on the first day of school or the day a character arrives in a new town or at a new house. None of these are "wrong," they're just natural starting points for change. That makes them easy, and common. Strive for uncommon. Maybe your character has been at her new school for weeks before anyone talks to her. Start there. Maybe your character has a recurring dream that she can relay later in the story, during an actual scene when she sees something eerily familiar. Your beginning matters too much to take the easy way out. What's the most interesting thing about your book? I bet it isn't your character's bedroom. Find a way to work the most interesting part of your hook into your opening. Hint at what's coming. Make us care.

The great thing about openings is there is no one way to do them. Oftentimes the opening that comes to you the first time you sit down to write is not anywhere close to the opening you have when the book is done.

Try this writing exercise: Take your first chapter and rewrite it from scratch. Change the setting and situation to reflect the strongest aspects of your novel. Make sure that your new first chapter has high stakes that are related to the hook of your novel. Surprised at the results? I hope so. We like surprises.

The End is Where We Start From

2012-01-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” -- T. S. Eliot

As Donna said yesterday, beginnings are hard. In life and in writing. And as intelligent as Eliot sounds in that quote, it's not really that helpful when you have a blank page in front of you. it sounds more like you're walking up a spiral staircase created by M.C. Escher.

I know people (*ahem* not naming names) who claim that they write the first chapter of a novel first, and then write from that. The first chapter stays – revised, yes, but its essence stays the same.

I am from the opposite side of the spectrum. I write many, many first chapters. I write a first chapter and then cut it, making the second chapter the first chapter. Then I cut that. Then I add something new. Then I write a new second chapter, which becomes the first chapter. And so on. And so on.

The trouble is, that although Donna’s advice is accurate and absolutely essential, it’s awfully hard for me to apply. There are too many places for a story to begin. At the beginning. In medias res. Somewhere in between.

And sometimes, I fear I will never find the right combination.

My local critique group, which meets once a month and only reads two works at each meeting (meaning my stuff only comes up every three months) must have seen six different first chapters for GILT. And they didn’t see all of them.

I actually started with a prologue (I know, quelle horreur). And then I began the story in the midst of Catherine Howard’s first affair (which would have happened when she was around twelve). When I realized that added an extra 50 to 100 pages to an already bulky manuscript, I cut three years from my timeline (and a character from Catherine’s life, making the end of the book – and the historical accuracy – a bit tricky).

Then I took a workshop on “The Hook” and how to apply it to the first line, the first page, the third page, etc. And played around with dramatic (perhaps melodramatic) first lines such as “Words kill,” which eventually found their way to the cutting room floor.

What does all of this mean? Why am I telling you long and convoluted anecdotes? Because I want to illustrate not only that all of us (well, most of us) have trouble with the first chapter. And also to give a hint at how to find your way to one eventually.

Write the book.

Revise the book.

Repeat. And repeat. And repeat.

From my experience, I’ve learned that I can’t write a first chapter until I know how the novel ends. But I also need to know how the characters get to the end. I need to know them well, I need to know their motivations, and I need to know their ultimate decisions (however much it kills me to write them – historical fiction can be so hard when your characters end up facing the ax.)

Only then can I find the beginning. And sometimes I have to find the beginning more than once.

So my advice to you is this: don’t spend hours upon hours and days upon agonizing weeks writing your first chapter (or your first five pages, your first fifteen or thirty or fifty pages). Write the novel.

Eventually – one way or another – the first chapter will come. You can only perfect it when you know how it ends.

(Please remind me of this when I restart Book 3, and agonize over the first draft of my first chapter!)

Beginnings by Donna

2012-01-22T18:07:00.000-08:00

This week the Muses turn our attention to BEGINNINGS.

Beginnings are hard. In life and in writing. Maybe it's because having a beginning also means there was an ending. Before the beginning, something happened. Maybe the character wanted that something to happen, maybe he/she didn't. But there is a reason for this beginning. Right here. At this moment in time. There is a purpose for that first sentence, for that first word. The best beginnings are when the reader feels the characters have existed before this particular chosen moment in time. We dropped into their life at a crucial spot. It doesn't feel like a beginning, but it feels important.

Beginnings take a lot of energy. Investing in new stories and new people is a commitment - for the writer and the reader. I've attended several conferences where first pages are read aloud and a panel of editors/agents stop the reader at the point where they would quit reading. Unfortunately, most don't even get through the first page before someone on the panel calls out, "Stop." When asked why they would have stopped reading at that point, the response is often, "because I didn't care what happens next." It's such a delicate balance. We need action and suspense and conflict...right up front... but a reader also needs enough information to actually care what happens.

Beginnings are all about balance. Caring about the character is critical, but too much backstory up front kills the momentum. My former novel writing teacher at Rice University had an uncanny knack of pointing out where a story should start. When I stood at the podium nervously reading out loud my first chapter to a crowded class of graduate students, I could see him out of the corner of my eye drawing big red "X"s through my pages. When I finished, he would stand up and loudly declare, waving the pages around in an overdramatic flourish, "THIS is where we shall begin. The rest is backstory. We shall put it in later."

He was always right.

Sometimes it was three paragraphs down on the first page. Sometimes it was on page three. And sometimes, and this was the worst, it wasn't even in the first chapter. Gradually I began to see it, too. Mostly with other people's stories (isn't that the way it always is?). I still wish there was a big red flashing cursor that would light up the text and say, "START HERE." (Maybe someone could develop an App for that? Bret?)

Beginnings take work. Sometimes you have to write (a lot) to discover that beginning. After getting something down on the page, I ask myself could the story start somewhere else? Top of page three? Beginning of chapter two? If I keep coming back to the same point of time in the story, I know I have my beginning. If I don't, no words were wasted. Those chapters needed to be written before I could find a starting point, or sometimes I just needed to know that information in order to start at a new point.

Beginnings are worth it. The topic of beginnings is especially close to my heart right now. Not only do I need to have a knock-out beginning brewing for book two, but guess what I'm receiving today (I'm stalking the UPS man right now)?

ARCs of SKINNY! It's the beginning of my debut novel's trip out into the world. I hope it's met with welcoming hearts.

Cheers to beginnings.

NVR-SLUMP®

2012-01-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

Jeez, I don’t know what all the other Muses are whining about this week. Writing paralysis that makes you bake cookies? Only getting two sentences on the page in a day? Not me. Nope. When I sit down to do the ole’ clickity-clack, the waters are flat’n’glassy.

*Smiles*Teeth twinkle*

I’ll let you in on my little secret and The Muses’ most recent endeavor: NVR-SLUMP®. The all new, all herbal, 100% guaranteed cure to the writing woes.

Every morning, I pop a NVR-SLUMP® with my O.J. and a spoonful of FEAR-B-GONE and I get pleasant harbor for a full 24 hours.

You see, NVR-SLUMP® protects from:

Those bruised clouds of doubt lingering on the horizon.
The puke-inducing freefalls of neuroses such as “Am I ever going to finish?” and/or “Am I really good enough?”
That frequent cringing caused by navigating the rocky seas of (yet another) revision and/or the squalls associated with first drafts.

Sounds perfect, huh? It is.

Though, in full disclosure, below is the list of NVR-SLUMP® side effects (stupid precedent set by those stupid E.D. ads on the stupid TV). Please ignore this and just skip ahead. Seriously, these warnings are not important at all.

Removing paralyzing fear may result in boring stories, flat plots, and ho-hum characters.
Without a steady stream of doubts, you may experience isolation from other writers who no longer have any connection to your placidity.
NVR-SLUMP® may leave you with a feeling of lack of accomplishment.
Studies have shown that NVR-SLUMP® also eliminates any highs experienced in writing.
Do not take NVR-SLUMP® if you wish to continue to enjoy writing. Do not take NVR-SLUMP® if you are proud to be a writer. Do not take NVR-SLUMP® if you love the moments when you finish that draft – or nail that line – or that character really starts to pop – because this wonder drug will take away all of it in a pretty gel cap.
Make sure to consult your critique group before taking NVR-SLUMP®.

Interested? I thought so. Unfortunately, NVR-SLUMP® hasn’t received “FDA Approval” as of yet, so you’ll have to duck over to Tijuana or Cuba or Canada to get your hands on the stuff. But, believe me, it’s TOTALLY worth it.

Bottoms up.

Writer's Block - An Escape Plan

2012-01-18T23:09:00.000-08:00

Poor prose... Weak characters... Slow plot... Tight deadlines... Harsh criticism... Too many risks on the page... Not enough. Any of this strike a chord?

Writer's block boils down to the same core emotion: fear

Yesterday, Talia had a great list of suggestions to jump start the writing, and on Tuesday, Katy talked about riding out the slump by taking some time off. They're both right. Getting out of writer's block is basically a matter of doing anything that will remove, or at least diminish, your writing fears.

What's the answer for you? Is it a walk around the block to help you relax? A phone call with a good friend? A day or two off? For me, it's silence.

Last week, I talked about heading to a secluded location to write. The first time I went there, I was in the throes of writer's block. Really, truly, I was in knots. Whenever I sat down to work, a panicky, anxious feeling settled in my lungs and my shoulders crept up, little by little, until they were right next to my ears. Stress much?

When I feel this way, my answer is to escape. Give me a good, long stretch of time, a change of scenery, and quiet, and it's like the frenzy of the world slows, and slows, and slows and suddenly I feel it again. That mellow buzz of the writing high. I see the places and the characters. I am the characters. They're with me, and we are fearless.

I might have writer's block- I'll let you know as soon as I open this manuscript

2012-01-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

This week we're writing about writer's block. It's the dark side of publishing, those unproductive times when we struggle to get a decent word on the page. And while I have had those days where it takes eight hours to get two sentences on the page, or even those where I end up with a negative word count for the day, those days are in the minority. I think that more often then not my writer's block is something else entirely: procrastination.

Procrastination ranges from an hour spent on Twitter before I ever open WORD, to several weeks where I never even open my manuscript. Occasionally, I tell myself that I'm composting, letting my subconscious rest until inspiration hits. Other times, I'm more honest about the fact that I just don't know what comes next or I'm afraid I can't make sense of things.

The fix is simple: open the manuscript and start typing. The fix is hard: Open the manuscript? But I just found this link to 150 pages of drama on Goodreads (and I have no idea what comes next).

Writing first drafts is especially painful for me. I hate staring at blank pages. All that white is terrifying. But I also love discovering those moments and details I didn't know about until they appeared on the page.So eventually, I suck it up and open the document.

Here are some things that have helped me keep procrastination at bay:

1. Set goals: setting a realistic goal can motivate you to complete it. On weekends, when I write, I usually give myself a goal of 1500 or 2000 words. By the time, I hit that goal, I'm usually in the middle of a scene or chapter and in a rhythm that keeps me writing even more. Realistic is the key. If you set a goal of 10,000 words in a day, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

2. Enlist other writers to cheer you on: Have a #wordwar with other writers online (see who can write the most words in an hour). Talk to your writing friends about how you feel. Commit yourself to sending a new scene to your critique partner at the end of the day.

3. Set deadlines: Deadlines are great motivators. You don't have to wait for a publisher to dictate your writing schedule- set your own. Give yourself rewards when you hit the deadline.

4. Skip ahead: When I am stuck at a particular scene, it sometimes helps for me to jump forward to a scene that comes later. I'm making forward progress, and often times I'll figure out what needs to come before by writing the later scene.

5. Read: Some writers don't like to read while they write a draft, but reading is what got me interested in writing in the first place. A great book inspires me every time.

6. Do some character/writing exercises: On days when writing a scene feels too challenging, I can usually handle a character worksheet or brainstorming session. The discoveries I make through writing exercises usually get me excited to jump back into the manuscript.

7. Give yourself permission to suck: There is freedom in suckage. You can always fix it later.

8. Change locations: take your computer outside, head to a coffee shop, or just move to the other side of the couch. A change of location can change your attitude.

9. Edit yesterday's work. Editing uses a different muscle. If you can't bring yourself to face the blank page, start with one that's already got words on it, and finesse it before moving on to the next scene.

10. When all else fails, take a break. You're a writer. You won't be able to stay away forever. Besides, your family misses you.

"The Horror, The Horror"

2012-01-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

Ugh. Writer’s block. I seem to be facing it now, writing this post. How can a few paragraphs encompass the ugly morass of absolute horror that is a writing slump? And how do I even begin to write my way out of it?

I guess I’ll start with the only way that’s coming to mind at the moment. A story. A little anecdote. A harrowing exposure into my own life and mind.

Several months ago, I wallowed my way into the worst case of writer’s block I’ve ever encountered. This wasn’t just fear of the blank page. Or even the fear of Book 2 that I felt last week. This was like I had been cut off from my writing. Like it had been severed from me – amputated – and I didn’t even feel the phantom limb.

It was like being lost. Not lost as it would be now, carrying my trusty iPhone and its GPS in my pocket. Not even lost like I was once or twice in Europe after I graduated from college. It was like being lost as a child, in a sea of unknown.

And like a child, all I could do was cry.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I face writer’s block a lot. I’m still facing it now, with Book 2. I’m feeling my way through the dark with that one. But at least I have a sense that there is a light somewhere. I know, intuitively, where I need to be. I know, from my editor’s notes, what needs to be done. And I have faith (for the moment) that I’ll find my way.

But back then, I had no intuition. I had no faith. Perhaps if I’d talked to my editor (who is the most remarkably kind and understanding person, and who talked me off a ledge with the beginning to Book 3). But really, how do you phone up a publishing professional and cry at her? I couldn’t even talk to Bret when he called.

I can hear you all cringing out there. Have you been through this? Does the very idea strike terror in your hearts? Do you want the answer?

I know I did.

Unfortunately, I don’t really have one. But I can tell you what happened. I shut down my documents. Every single one. I didn’t even post on the blog that week. I couldn’t face the written word – at least none of the words I had written. So I cleaned. I baked cookies. I took care of my family. I went on long, long walks. I seized every encouraging word and e-mail like a life raft.

I cried.

And the worst didn’t come.

It didn’t last forever.

Our theme this week is “Pulling Out of the Slump”. And I have all sorts of tricks and advice for dragging my own idle carcass out of a little slump. The best for me, right now, is “Just keep writing.” I have a deadline. I’ll feel my way out eventually.

St. George slaying the Dragon

But that. That was…something else. And the best thing I did then was just stop writing. Athletes, when they’re injured, stay off the field. I don’t know what kind of injury I sustained. I don’t know how to prevent it from happening again. But I stayed off the field, and now I’m back in the game.

Let me just say that I hope this never happens to you. But if it does, think of this, and take some time off. It is hard – so hard – to start up again, facing the fear. But the time I spent not writing was worth it.

COVER REVEAL!! SKINNY

2012-01-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this cover. It completely captures the essence of the story with one amazing image. Just look at all those chaotic voices pushing into her ear! And isn't she absolutely stunning?

So what do YOU think?
Donna

More pie?

2012-01-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, full disclosure: I’m currently sailing the high seas on a “Baby-moon”, so this posting was written before I got a chance to read the other Muses’ thoughts on Book 2. Many apologies if you find me repeating their sage-like advice…just view it as reinforcement via repetition.

As the sole Muse representing the “aspiring author,” I could easily write about the couple stories I’ve got under my belt (one WIP and one in the dreaded drawer) or the slutty next novel, but, really, we’ve talked about all that before. So instead, I wanted to share some insights I’ve pieced together from being backstage with the other Muses as they all tackle Book 2 of their contracts.

I’m horribly lucky in that I’ve seen not one…but four of my closest writing friends make it into multiple-book-contract-land. Many of us aspiring authors view this as a magical world similar to Willy Wonka’s Factory, where we’ve finally mastered this writing thing and our biggest concern is if we buy the ski house or private island first. Unfortunately, friends, the lickable wallpaper still has some wrinkles. All this is to say: Even though I’ve never written a Book 2 on contract, I know for darn-sure it’s hard. Very hard.

Whether it’s a sequel or stand alone, publishers want Book 2 to be just the same as the first, without being the first. It’s got to have more fizz-bang, but be cozy in the same market space…after all, you’ve created a brand with #1. You’re no longer a debut author, so *gasp* the writing has to be even better. And, of course, there’s the deadlines…even the most lenient drop-dead-dates change the writing game forever. You and your manuscript now have an entire publishing machine in the bed with you.

I’m not going to be the guy that says Book 2 is harder than breaking into the industry with numero uno. Because I don’t think it is…both are gigantic pains. The difficulties morph like Violet Beauregarde, but they’re still there waiting to trip you up, slow you down, and kill your creativity.

In summary: Writing is hard, no matter what stage you’re at. Or as one of the Muses told me (Veronica, forgive me for paraphrasing):

“The prize for this pie eating contest is more pie.”

I LOVE that! It’s so, so true.

Obviously, I’m not a sucker duped into taking a golden ticket and thinking the everlasting gobstoppers are truly everlasting. I’m a knowing participant heading into my dream knowing the dangers lurking beyond. So, why…WHY…if it never lightens up, do I still do it?

And, for me, the answer is that I have to. It’s not about the money (though it’d be nice) or the fame (ditto). I’m a writer because I’m a writer. Like most authors, it defines a big chunk of my personality.

As masochistic as it sounds, I’m drawn to the pain, because if it were easy, well…everyone would ACTUALLY write that book they always wanted to. If it were simple, there’d be no art and no craft. Without the sweat, there’d be none of them lovely endorphins that come when you nail a character or figure out a plot point.

If it were cake, who’d eat the pie?

The Book Two Battle

2012-01-12T04:01:00.000-08:00

It's fitting that we're shining the spotlight on Book Two (B2) this week. I am currently at an undisclosed, secret location working very hard on Book Two of the Never Sky trilogy. Right now, I can hear seagulls crying, and sea lions barking and the rhythmic note of a foghorn. As far as sitting with my laptop twelve hours a day goes, this is a pretty great place to do it.

Talia really nailed it yesterday. B2s introduce so many new elements to the writing process, it's amazing. I'm going to focus on the loss of focus. More specifically, the many voices that begin to chime in with B2.

Wait a minute. Before I continue, I want to say one thing, because it's important: I recognize that the B2 problem is a very good one to have. If you're on your B1, I feel you. I was there, wishing someone--anyone--would just read the darn thing. So these are fortunate problems... another stretch on the writer's road. We stand on wobbly legs, then we figure out walking, then running, and driving, and on we go, taking a left turn at new problems, then figuring that out and moving on. It's all in the journey, not the destination, as they say.

(Wow! Can you tell I've been spending a lot of time alone? Anyway. Let's continue.)

So back to the many voices... I have an editor, an agent, mentors, and now, the crazy thing--the coolest thing--is that I have readers. (I love you guys! Group hug!) And they have voices, and I love their voices. They have things to say about my writing and my characters and the story. And I want to know what they (you?) think! It's so exciting--I mean epic--to hear someone praise your book, or talk about it. Even the not-so-positive things amaze me, because someone read my writing. Read my writing.

But the thing about many voices is this: the more you listen, the more your own voice can fade, growing quieter and quieter. I admire those for whom that's not true, but for me, it's a struggle. I have a hard time hearing criticism, and then not trying to fix it, or to better it somehow, or, totally unproductively, to just plain stew in the unfixableness of the thing, which is to make other people happy. And guys... we're all grown ups, yes? We know happiness is our own charge. It's a responsibility we have to ourselves. We know this, right?

(OK..... I promise I'll get out soon and, you know, interact with people.... Moving on.)

So. What I'm learning is to protect the writing space fiercely. What I'm learning is that there can be many voices, but that when it's time to write, what I want to hear, what I need to hear is me. Okay, and maybe some seagulls, foghorns and sea lions, too.

Thanks for listening to my voice, and if you're into it, if you'll indulge me, I'd love to hear yours below.

Finally, for no good reason other than that David Gray is playing as I write this, I want to say: let's go where we can shine.

Someday We Will Be Able to Laugh at This

2012-01-11T04:00:00.000-08:00

When we decided to write on the Book 2 freak out many months ago, I don't think we realized that four of us would be right smack in the middle of Book 2 when it came time to write this post. I feel like this is a post that should be written years later, or at least after book 2 is published. When we can look back at our struggles with some perspective. No wonder Donna opted for covering the amazing book launch (which deserved it's own day) and Katy is contemplating cradling her chocolate-stained copy of GILT in her arms.

The bottom line is that Book 2 is hard.

Me Time v. Deadlines

For many writers (for me at least), writing starts as a hobby. No matter how you start, if you're not under contract, the first book can be written on your own timetable, when and where you feel like it. Sure, it might take over a year to get through the first draft, but no one is waiting for the book to be done. Writing for yourself is an indulgence. A pleasure.

Fast forward to Book 2. I was given roughly three months to turn in a draft. Instead of looking for free moments to write, I had to dedicate every spare minute to writing, setting word count goals and sacrificing a lot of social activities. Writing under deadline has its advantages. It's motivating, and it's productive. But as a writer, I love feeling my way into a novel and savoring every moment of discovery. When you write quickly, you lose some of that.

Bottom line: It's critical to find a balance between productivity and pleasure. It's a lot harder to do on a tight timetable, but you have to find your way back to your writing happy place.

And yes, it's hard.

A Blank Slate v. A Brand

In Book 1, you have the luxury of creating a world and characters from scratch. You can make things up as you go along, experimenting with characters and plot points. You can try out different writing styles and find the story's voice. If something doesn't work for the plot, it can be thrown out and reimagined without constraints beyond what the story calls for.

With a sequel, you have to find that voice and rhythm again. The characters' backstory and traits are largely known, and the known facts limit the possibilities going forward. The main character has already gone through a transformation by the end of Book 1, but still needs to grow in Book 2. The story needs to be different, but similar enough to the first book to appeal to the same readers. The stakes need to be higher. The writing needs to be better. And you've already used twenty years worth of your best lines in Book 1.

Bottom line: You have to find a new goal for your character and raise the stakes while staying true to the world and the story.

This is hard.

The Book You Want to Write v. The Book You are Contractually Obligated to Write

When writing on your own, you have complete freedom to write the book that is screaming to get out. You can let your subconscious take charge and write the story that won't let you alone. Book 2 is the book you have to write, whether it speaks to you or not. You have to work to find the inspiration, you can't wait for it to find you. This is one of the reasons Book 2 sometimes feels like trying to force a square peg into a round hole.

Bottom line: you have to push through and find the magic, even when it feels like a job.

And, you guessed it, it's hard.

Writing for Yourself v. Writing for an Editor

When writing on your own, you only have to please yourself. I'm not saying that the first book that you sell is easy by any means. Any author that writes with the goal of publication strives to a) write a book that people want to read; and b) write a book that publishers want to sell. It takes a combination of personal sacrifice and blood-letting all over the page, combined with a fair amount of skill with a pen, luck and market timing. Before that first sale comes a lot of rejection. It's disheartening and gut wrenching, but it's not personal. You wrote that book for yourself first. You created it from scratch and perfected the story until you loved it. If the market isn't ready for Book 1, you can tuck it safely in a drawer and start again. Yes, you can revise, rework or rewrite it, but you don't have to. If it does sell, chances are the editor that buys it will already be the book's biggest fan.

Book 2 is written on demand, and the opinion of one reader has never been so important. Your editor bought this book when it was an idea that held only promise. The pressure to live up to that promise is huge. It can bring out your own inner editor and make you second guess your decisions before you've even made them. Sometimes you can feel that person reading over your shoulder as you type.

Bottom line: you have to put all expectations (readers, your editor's, even your own) aside and let the characters and the story grow organically (while staying true to the story and your world).

Yeah, this is really hard.

First Draft v. Finished Book

After revising Book 1 for your critique group, agent and editor, it is polished so perfectly that you can see your reflection in it. And a year or more has gone by since you've tackled a rough draft. It's hard to look at the rough jumble of words in Book 2 without feeling like you have no idea how to write anymore. The wooden dialogue, lack of conflict and complete absence of setting in the story make you want to flip shut the screen and go for the chocolate.

A novel is a marathon, but it's easy to forget that Book 1 did not appear on the page in the form that was ultimately published on the first try.

Bottom line: you have to recognize that it's okay to write an ugly first draft and remember that it's part of the process. Draft 2 will be better. Draft 17 will be awesome!

Bottom line: hard.

If writing a first book involves baring your soul, writing a second book involves crushing it. Maybe it's not this way for everyone, but based on the four of us, I'd say it's more common than I thought. Luckily, writers are a tough group. We've been prepared by years of rejection.

Someday, sooner than we think, we will look back on this and laugh.

Or at least not cry.

Winners of the #foundtheneversky Giveaway!

2012-01-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you, each and every one, for all of your enthusiasm and excitement for UNDER THE NEVER SKY. I know Veronica is overjoyed, and I think I speak for the rest of us when I say that I am absolutely thrilled to see such an outpouring of love for a book I've loved from the start. It's been wonderful to see it go out into the world.

However, we only had four copies to give away. And with no further ado, here are our winners:

PB Rippey
Tez Miller
Dani Nguyen
Aik (aikchien)

Please e-mai us at yamuses(at)aol(dot)com, give us an address and the name of the person to whom you want your book signed. We'll get those out as soon as we can.

Writing Book 2

2012-01-10T07:10:00.000-08:00

If you look carefully, you'll notice something strange about this post. It's a tiny thing. Minor. But to me, it indicates a lot.

Posting time. Normally, I write my post the night before -- or even the weekend before -- it goes up, and schedule it. For whatever reason, I schedule it for four in the morning -- I think my original plan was to catch east coasters before work. So I start my Tuesdays like any other day -- e-mail, read the blog, Twitter, school run, and then I have a long period of work time. Call me a creature of habit.

Not this week. This week I've been putting off my blog post. I noticed that Donna neatly side-stepped our topic with her brilliant post-party run-down (a much needed addition, so I certainly don't blame her!). Why? Because this week's topic is "Writing Book 2". Not an easy task, either the topic or the work itself.

I'm sure if you ask any published author about the sophomore novel, he will cringe or laugh hysterically or roll his eyes or start to gag and sweat. It doesn't seem to matter if it's a second stand-alone, the second in a trilogy, a companion novel or the second in a five-book series. That Book 2 is like the monster in the closet.

The crazy thing is, Book 2 is not my second book. It's my fourth. I believe Donna and Veronica can say something similar. And Talia? Well, I can't wait to read her post this week.

I suppose there is something about the second book for publication that gets the inner editor working overtime. It certainly gives my inner procrastinator a full-time job (thus the late post this morning). Because there is a large degree of fear that accompanies the sophomore novel.

Fear of failure (Book 1 was a fluke. I'm going to disappoint my agent/editor/readers.)
Fear of deadlines (I'll never make it. If I squeeze all the work in, it will be hackneyed and rushed.)
Fear of self. (I'm procrastinating like crazy!)
Fear for characters (I won't do them justice.)
Fear of the business (What if the first book doesn't do well? What if the series is cancelled? What if I never sell another book and die unloved and alone hugging my single venture to my chest with chocolate-stained hands?)

Fear can be immobilizing. It certainly gives my inner procrastinator a lot of tools to work with. So every day, I have to move to the edge, look over, cross my fingers and start. I can't tell you how it will end. I still don't know. At some point in 2013, when Book 2 is on the shelves, you'll have to come tell me. But until then, I have to give my inner procrastinator a run for its money.

Under the Never Sky Launch Party!

2012-01-09T10:26:00.000-08:00

I'm kind of brain fried today, but in a totally good way. I flew out to California this weekend to surprise Veronica at her book launch on Saturday. I can't believe we were all able to keep the secret and the expression on her face was priceless. So worth the trip! If you weren't able to enjoy the bash, I thought I'd take a break from regularly scheduled programing and let you experience it a bit virtually.

So here are Katy, Talia, Sammy (Talia's daughter) and me at Rakestraw Books. It was packed with people from all over the country!

This picture is quite symbolic for me. The original Muses met in a critique group led by Ellen Hopkins and here Ellen is getting Veronica's autograph on her debut novel.

After all the signing, we went next door to a wonderful wine bar to continue the party. When you read UNDER THE NEVER SKY, you'll fall in love with Roar. Who knew Roar was named after a fabulous California wine? Not me, but I so approve! It was delicious.

It was a fabulous party and a fantastic launch. Veronica, we're so proud of you! Here's to UNDER THE NEVER SKY taking the world by storm.

3...2...1...BLAST OFF into the Never Sky

2012-01-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

The magic of UNDER THE NEVER SKY hooked me long before I ever had the privilege of reading a full draft. It began one sweltering night at the SCBWI – LA conference in the summer of 2010. It was before I was a Muse (yes, I know – prehistoric times, indeed), though Katherine was already a mentor/friend/confidant of mine. I’d seen Veronica at a number of conferences (we were both serious junkies that year), but never spoke more than a few pleasantries. I was walking by the bar alone as she was grabbing a drink. We smiled at each other and she said, “I’ve seen you everywhere. We need to be friends.”

Well, who was I to argue?

And, as writers do, we became fast friends. We sent snippets of our work to each other. We brainstormed ideas. We cheered each other on when the butt-in-chair glue was wearing thin. Then she asked me to help her on the manuscript she had just sold…turns out being an engineer and nerd was going to pay off again (eat that, high school a*holes). I was honored and floored.

We started flushing out some UNDER THE NEVER SKY world-building details in more depth. Immediately, her vivid worlds drew me in. Perry in the “Death Shop” that was almost CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR primitive. Aria in her sterile pod where even sweating was an ancient thing. And, of course, the ever present danger in the sky…the mysterious Aether.

I’d ask questions or pose theories about their world. I’d read her Wikipedia-like responses and tried to tear them apart (tried is the operative word here, she knew them inside and out). She’d send me pictures and scientific articles. It was a blast.

Then, about a year ago, she wanted me to read the whole thing. The magic might’ve started months before with some world building exercises, but reading her prose and characters was spellbinding. Truly amazing. I’m an old fashioned, critique-on-paper kinda guy, so the whole printout became check marks, smiley faces, and exclamation points:

Until, about a third of the way in, it crescendo into:

I feel so lucky and privileged to have been part of giving the world this story, even if only in a small way of doodling in the margins to tell her how spot-on she was.

So if you haven’t already, go out there and get a copy of UNDER THE NEVER SKY and prepare yourself to have its magic blow – your – mind.

(or better yet, click here and find out how you can win a free SIGNED copy).

I’m off to read it again…

Stand back if you prefer to stay clear of the itty-bitty brain bits.

The Magic of UNDER THE NEVER SKY

2012-01-05T07:02:00.000-08:00

I am not a good reader of science fiction and fantasy novels. It's not that I don't like them -- heck, I grew up wanting to inhabit the world of Star Wars, and read those books countless times. It's just that somewhere between then and now, my brain has short circuited. I get all discombobulated in the world-building, and end up obsessing on single elements -- the trains in Hunger Games, the ocean in Feed, Karou's hair in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I get snagged and dragged back by cleverly invented words. I stop and hold them up and twist them in the light, pausing the entire endeavor like a toddler finding a ladybug on the walk to the store.

This doesn't mean I didn't enjoy these novels, or that I couldn't suspend my disbelief. It just means they took more effort, more concentration on my part. It was a different kind of reading.

Why am I telling you all this? During the week we're hosting and celebrating UNDER THE NEVER SKY? Because none of that happened to me while reading Veronica's book.

Veronica's world-building is vibrantly alive. Her invented words seamlessly integrated (I love "rancy" -- and OK, maybe my inner toddler did stop to crow and wonder over this one). But while thinking about this post, I decided that what really did it for me were her characters.

Veronica Rossi has inhabited her world with a host of engaging, multi-dimensional people, each with his or her own agenda and layered personality.

Perry is brave, stalwart, troubled, hurting. Aria is terrified, desperate, lonely, but never, ever weak.

My favorite character is Roar -- from the moment he stepped onto the page. Maybe it was his dashing demeanor or perhaps his effortless charm. Maybe it was his talent with a knife.

Marron is someone I want to know personally. Strength without brutality. But with a carefully hidden edge that I hope reveals itself more fully in the rest of the series.

Cinder -- damaged, extravagant in all his emotions, complex, even -- dare I say -- pitiful. But not in the cruel sense of the word.

And all the rest -- from Talon to Soren, Vale, Rose, Paisley. Even the characters we never really get to meet are fully-formed in the minds of the characters we do.

That for me is the magic of UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

Because, you see, I haven't read it in over a year. My local independent bookstore had an epic fail with the delivery of their shipment. I can't find it in the wild (well, I could drive a half-hour to the nearest B&N, just not in the time that's been allotted me in the past couple of days). And yet I can still visualize these characters, living and breathing in my mind. That is a triumph.

That is the magic.

In Which I Fall in Love with Perry

2012-01-04T04:00:00.000-08:00

I won't tell you how many trips to Barnes & Noble I made over the weekend to see if I could spot UNDER THE NEVER SKY in the wild, but it was more than was probably justified considering the actual release date wasn't until Tuesday, and the nearest bookstore is thirty minutes away. But then, on Sunday, I hit pay dirt!

I bought my shiny new copy and took it home. It was like meeting an old friend by chance. Maybe more like meeting an old friend who has become famous by chance. Perhaps more like meeting an old friend who has become famous by hanging out backstage until they finally come outside.

I remember well the first time I was introduced to this wonderful story, sitting in a critique group at a conference with a group of strangers that would become some of my best friends. At the time, I had been blown away by Veronica's ability to describe a scene so perfectly, with just the right words. I immediately fell in love with her gorgeous but completely accessible prose.

The premise of the story intrigued me, and I already knew I loved the writing, but the moment I fell in love with the story came later, when I had a chance to read the manuscript.

I remember the exact moment in the story well, because every time I read it, it makes my heart smile.

There's a scene in the book that occurs shortly after Aria and Perry reluctantly begin their journey together, and it's written in Perry's point of view. Aria and Perry distrust each other, but Aria needs the information that Perry has about the real world, having spent a lifetime in virtual Realms.

Aria asks question after question, and Perry, a man of few words, has no idea how to deal with them all. (He is such a guy!). Aria is curious about the Aether, the living storms that have destroyed so much:

"Do the clouds ever clear?" she asked.

"Completely? No. Never."

"What about the Aether? Does that ever go away?"

"Never, Mole. The Aether never leaves."

She looked up. "A world of nevers under a never sky."

She fit in well then. A girl who never shut up.

UNDER THE NEVER SKY, pp. 124-25.

I just love that exchange. It reveals so much about Perry, who to this point in the book has been very serious and focused on the much larger problems of his family and tribe. I love this first hint of a lighter side to Perry, and at this moment I started to fall in love with him.

A few pages later, I am gone, gone, gone:

"Why do you avoid looking at me?" she asked. "Because I'm a Dweller? Are we ugly to Outsiders?"

"Which question do you want me to answer first?"

"It doesn't matter. You won't answer anyway. You don't answer questions."

"You don't stop asking them."

"See what I mean? You avoid answering and you avoid looking. You're an avoider."

Perry flung the blanket at her. She hadn't been ready. It hit her on the face. "You're not."

She snatched it away, shooting him a fierce look. Perry could see her perfectly, though she sat beyond the circle of firelight.

In the cover of darkness, he let the corner of his mouth lift.

UNDER THE NEVER SKY, p. 127.

That secret smile in the dark says so much. I melt a little every time I read it. This is the chapter where I fell in love with Perry, and knew that I would follow him and Aria anywhere.

As the story went on, the promise of this scene played out in unexpected ways. The plot wove together masterfully, seamlessly tying together Perry's struggle to save his nephew and lead his tribe with the mystery of the disappearance of Aria's mother. These characters each discover strengths they didn't know they possessed, and possibly could never have without each other. Adventure, mystery and beautiful love story all wrapped into one, UNDER THE NEVER SKY is that rare book that I will go back to again and again.

And I KNOW HER. Seriously. Can you believe it?

Me neither.

Don't forget to post your picture of UNDER THE NEVER SKY in the wild to win one of four signed copies we are giving away!

Under the Never Sky Launch Day

2012-01-03T04:36:00.000-08:00

Today, my debut novel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, hits the bookshelves. I've been imagining this day for more than a year; you would think it would easier for me to believe it’s really happening, but I find myself rather stunned.

Part of me is still the writer in the corner table at the local coffee shop, headphones stuffed in my ears, frantically typing away during the 2.25 hours in which my youngest was in preschool. The writer who stayed awake many, many nights, staring at the ceiling in the wee hours, and wondering, how do you get published? Will it ever happen? What’s the magic to it? Is there a wand somewhere? Sparkle dust? How do you do this?

I can answer those questions now. I don’t think any of you will be surprised to hear that hard work—any tons of revision—is a major part of it. But the part that’s clearer to me everyday is this: people. A book is written by one person who is supported and encouraged by many. Here, friends, are my supporters…. The sparkle dust that made this happen… along with my thanks.

Editor, HarperCollins Crew, Agent, Mentors & Writing Friends: Thank you for your time. Thank you for your thoughtful critiques and words of encouragement. Thank you for your belief in me and UNDER THE NEVER SKY. Thank you for picking me up when I needed it. Thank you for making me look far better than I would have without you. And thank you for sharing this journey with me. When I pick up the book and turn the pages, I see you: Your comments and reactions… All the thousand ways you helped to shape it. Thank you.

Family & Friends: Thank you for supporting me on this impractical, time-consuming, reclusive obsession of mine. Thanks for being patient when I disappear into the writing cave, and for pulling me out of there from time to time. Thank you for putting up with me this year (which has been a little stressful and harried, in spite of all the good fortune I've had.) Most of all, thank you for being the point. I am lucky to do what I do, but my life is about you. What matters are the birthday parties and school plays and impromptu dinners and the football games in the court and walks to Starbucks. You make my life rich, and I'm so grateful for every one of you.

Bloggers & Readers: You. Guys. Are. Awesome. Many of you have read UNDER THE NEVER SKY and loved it. Thank you so much for sharing your enjoyment with me; this so much fun because of you, and so very rewarding. To those who read and didn't love it, I thank you for giving it a try. I did my best, I promise, to entertain you. If you're a potential reader, I do hope you fall in love just a little bit. If you do, I’d love to know about it.

I want to thank the YA Muses in particular for this week’s UNDER THE NEVER SKY celebration. You guys are the wonderful.

In closing—though it’s probably rather clear by now—I want to say that I’m grateful. Really, really grateful for this day, and this accomplishment. Thank you for sharing it with me.

(Originally posted at veronicarossibooks.blogspot.com)

All UNDER THE NEVER SKY - All Week!

2012-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! We're kicking it off this week with an amazing book birthday. Our very own Veronica Rossi is celebrating the release of the hotly anticipated UNDER THE NEVER SKY on Tuesday and we couldn't be prouder. Even though the book is officially released tomorrow, I am an eye witness to the fact you may already be able to find it on shelves.

Here's proof! Look what I found at the Barnes and Noble's in Fort Collins, Colorado --------------->

To join in the festivities, snap your own picture of UNDER THE NEVER SKY in the wild and post to win your very own signed copy. Click on the button above for all the details.

This week the Muses are going to share first memories of UNDER THE NEVER SKY and the point when each of us realized this book was incredibly special.

I first read the opening words to UNDER THE NEVER SKY two years ago when I met Veronica, and the other Muses, in a small critique group led by Ellen Hopkins at the Big Sur Writing Conference. As Veronica began to read aloud her opening chapter, my preconceived notions about the kinds of books I liked and didn't immediately surfaced. I'm not usually drawn to futuristic stories. Even so, I was impressed by the writing skill evident in those first few pages and wanted to hear more. It was six months later when that finally happened and I had the opportunity to read the completed first draft of UNDER THE NEVER SKY before meeting Veronica again in person at the SCBWI annual conference in LA. We met at the airport and shared a cab to the hotel. Neither of us knew that weekend was going to change Veronica's life and lead to the whole world's opportunity to read UNDER THE NEVER SKY, but I remember telling her on the ride to the hotel how much I enjoyed the book and how special it was.

So when did the book's magic happen for me? I can recall the exact moment in the text. It was the scene in the cave when Peregrine and Aria are together for the first time. At that point, the two story lines merge and the chemistry is absolutely magical. No other word for it. Aria walks outside to face a deadly new world and sees Perry sitting with his back to her... and the tattoo on his back looks like it moves...

You'll just have to read it for yourself.

You'll see.

Magic.

Happy New Year! And...what's happening in 2012?

2012-01-01T08:54:00.000-08:00

First of all - THANK YOU for taking this wild ride through 2011 with us! We have loved hearing from you, sharing with you, and have appreciated every thought and moment of support. You guys are the best, and make every blog post worthwhile to us.

Secondly, what does 2012 hold in store for the Muses? Well, come and see.

January:

Veronica's debut novel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, will be released officially this week! January 3. We will be hosting an all-NEVER SKY, all-the-time week here on the blog, and will give away four signed copies. Check back tomorrow for details, but be sure to keep a lookout for the book in the wild. We've already seen a few photos, and we'll be asking for more!

V will also be at the following in-person events:

Book Launch! Saturday, January 7th, 4:00-5:30 PM - Rakestraw Books, Danville, CA

Not Your Mother's Book Club! Thursday, January 12th at 7 PM - Books, Inc. Opera Plaza, San Francisco, CA with Tahereh Mafi, Ellen Schreiber and Anna Carey

April:

Spring Spirit Conference! SCBWI North/Central California's annual event held in Rocklin, California on April 21. The five of us are presenting a panel on revision, to be followed up with five days of revision posts on the blog. Come see us in person if you can! Registration details here.

May:

TNB arrival! Bret and Lisa's baby is due mid-May. Of course, babies no know set schedule, so we can't attach a date to this yet. In the meantime, Bret is in training for the TNB marathon.

GILT launch date! Katherine's book will debut May 15.

October:

SKINNY launch date! Donna's book will debut October 12.

Fall:

SILVER launch! There is no set date for Talia's debut yet, but keep checking back, because we'll know soon...

And of course, you can always find us here and on Twitter. I'm sure we'll have more announcements as the year progresses, and we look forward to sharing it all with you!

Happy New Year's Eve Eve

2011-12-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hope the holidays are wild, fun, relaxing, or whatever you want them to be.

One of my favorite websites is TheOatmeal. They often have writing related comics and I thought it'd be fun to post some of them (well, those that can be shown on a purely PG website such as ours :). Definitely check the full site, but make sure you're at work or in a proper mindset for procrastination.

This isn't from TheOatmeal, but I find it hilarious:

Okay, I'm going to go spend some time with the family...well, I will...just have to look at a couple more of this. But I promise, I'll turn off TheOatmeal in 10 minutes.

Talk to y'all in 2012!

P.S. Next week marks a very special time for us Muses with Veronica's UNDER THE NEVER SKY being made public (OMFG). It's the first of our books to be on the shelves and we couldn't be prouder of Veronica's accomplishment. In honor of the occasion, next week we're hosting another AWESOME CONTEST to win free stuff (gosh, y'all are making out like bandits). Check back next week for details! It's going to be wild...