Musings of a Steel Magnolia & Writer

Rembering Who You're Really Writing For: A Teen Perspective of Last Week Kurfaffle

2012-01-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

This actually happened in my classroom on Friday morning at 9:25am in Northwest Georgia...

Picture a class full of 8th graders. Those finished with their Practice Writing Test on why cell phones shouldn't be banned at school are reading(these kids are serious about reading. Library passes far outweigh restroom ones...but I digress).

As I glance up from the ever growing mound of papers to grade, my eyes hone in on a particular book across the room.

And I gasp in horror.

It is a book known by some in the YA community to promote a psychotic...er, negative relationship with an emotionally, if not physically abusive, love interest. The feminist in me fumes at the harmful messages of the book while the writer in me bristles about the non-sensical plot.

At my gasp, heads jerk up and brows furrow questioningly at me. The reader of said book realizes I'm staring at her. "What?" she demands in a tone that teenage girls have perfected.

"You're reading....that book."

"So?"

Now that I have the entire class's attention, not just the reader's, I fumble for the right words. "That book seems to promote a negative image of what relationships should be. You do know, it's not normal for a boy to stalk or want to kill you, right?"

The reader looks at me as if I've just said the dumbest thing on the planet(another look teenagers have perfeted). She rolls her eyes while saying, "Well, duh! Of course I do."

My utter and total surprise makes her laugh. "I'd never let a boy treat me like that. I just think the story is cool."

Other girls lean over and examine the cover. "Ooh, what's it about?" "Can I check it out after you do?" and then finally another honest female matter of factly states, "You do know when we hear a book is bad, we just want to read it even more to see what it's really about?"

Yeah, I kinda do. Cause I've seen negative Goodreads or Amazon reviews that have made me stroke my chin and go, "Hmm, wonder if that's really true?" I stop the chin stroking and pick up the book to see for myself whether I agree or disagree. The ol' "Curiosity killed the cat" at its finest.

So, what does this have to do with anything about what happened last week?

First, I think we YA writers sometimes forget who our true audience is. Teenagers. And those teenagers for the most part DO NOT read Amazon or Goodreads reviews. They do not follow authors on twitter or facebook.

What they do is walk into a library and literally judge a book by its cover. Or they take the time to read the blurb and see if it sounds cool. Or they take actual teen word of mouth like my students do.

When we forget who our true audience is, it often skews our own opinions. My student didn't need to read The Feminine Mystique or know anything about Feminist criticism. Her common sense told her it was wrong, and she was able to form her own opinion why. I hope to God that most young women reading books like that book and others will be blessed with the same common sense. However, not all young women do. I watched two students I taught in 8th & 9th grade break up because "he wasn't an Edward!" Scary stuff!!

I think it can probably be said that us "oldsters" reading YA bring a hella lot of baggage to our YA reads. We're not going to view books the same way because of our wisdom, education, or personal experiences. I often wonder what 12-18 yr old Krista would have thought about some of the Young Adult I read now. At that age, YA was completely out of the equation for me. I was reading VC Andrews(no comments from the peanut gallery!) and Danielle Steel.

And I think all of this ties back clumzily to the multiple Goodreads craziness that happened this week as well as reviews in general. Just like my student's reaction to me "talking down to her", I think most teens would be appalled at what has gone on the past week. I think they would expect us to grow-up and act like the adults we're supposed to be. With that said, something must be learned by authors on how to react to negative reviews. The YA community must try to distance themselves from mob mentality or hopping on a bandwagons--good or bad. Promoting a clique like . Instead of focusing so much on twitter time, reach out to schools. Contact librarians and teachers about talking with their students.

We've got to realize the bigger picture. It shouldn't be about 5 Star Goodreads or Amazon reviews. It should be about people connecting with our stories. Somewhere there's a lot of our target audience who, as my student did, get in trouble for missing dinner because they are so enthralled by a book's plot.

At the end of the day, becoming a writer for me is based on the same theory as why I became a teacher. It's not because of the money...it's because I wanted to tell my story and have someone enjoy and treasure it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2012-01-01T19:53:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012 peeps!! Thanks for all of you for stopping by, sending me words of encouragement, reading my posts, and most of all, for being the best online buds anyone could have!!

I hope it is a happy, healthy, and prosperous one for us all. I wish some of you agent success and others book deal success(me too! me too!) as well as others book launching success if this is your year!

It's no secret that the past two years haven't been the best for me. But the last half of 2011 saw some wonderful and exciting changes in the form of my new teaching job and new agent. So, I'm hoping and praying that things keep getting better and brighter from here!

As for me, I'm just gonna keep on swimming and let the good things wash over me!!!

*check back this week for my best of posts! I'm running a little behind!*

For Papa who influenced my writing

2011-12-13T17:10:00.000-08:00

Today is twenty-four years since I lost my beloved grandfather. It's hard to put into words what he meant to me and what he still means to me all these years later. Since he had an effect on both me as a person and a writer, I'm memorializing him in this blog post. He is one of the reasons I’m the writer I am today.

Although I only had Papa eight and a half short years, he is certainly one I give credit for honing my writing gift. When I was little, he would always put me on his knee and tell me stories from his childhood. The favorite one was of Skippy, his loyal hound dog who warmed his feet on cold winter nights and was the best dog in the world, until a mad dog bit him, and they had to shoot Skippy. Yeah, I begged to hear that one over and over although I cried through it most of the times.

Or we’d go sit in the little swing below the house, and he’d make up stories. They were usually all about a wonderful, sweet, kind, beautiful Princess named Krista. And in the stories, Princess Krista was always doing good and helping others. His favorite story was about an ogre of sorts called a “Whatchmacallit” that was shunned by society, but who Princess Krista(of course!) made friends with and brought it out of its shell. He taught me not only about storytelling, but how I should treat others,especially those less fortunate than me.

Papa was a writer himself. After my father passed away, I found some of Papa's stories among his belongings. They were stories about growing up and were homespun in the vein of Lewis Grizzard and Garrison Keilor. He would have had some amazing stories to tell of his time in the war, his faith, and his family.

He was a WWII veteran. He served in the Navy on the USS Kenyon destroyer in the Pacific. One of his favorite things to do was to kid my grandmother about my father’s birth. Although he was gone for many years, he had leave up in Massachusettes(I believe...up north somewhere!), and she took my aunt and went to visit him. On that trip, my father was conceived, and he was six weeks old when Papa came home. Papa loved to joke he’d been away for over three years and came home to a six week old son!

*Papa was quite a looker, huh ladies? LOL

My favorite story of Papa is one of faith. When my dad was in Vietnam, Papa said he stayed close enough to God that he could reach out and touch him. One evening on the news, he watched as an elderly Vietnamese man was taken from his home and forced to flee from his village. That unknown man an ocean away touched my grandfather, and he fell down on his knees and began praying for that man. Even with my dad in a foreign land, Papa never forgot that Vietnamese man, and he prayed for him every time he prayed. Every time I tell that story, tears come to my eyes, and I hope to have the same faith that he did.

Papa was also a preacher, and he was the pastor of both Turniptown Baptist Church in Ellijah, GA as well as New Hightower. In my church, Riverdale, his sweet, humble presence as a towering man of faith is still remembered to this day.

He was also a stellar athlete. He won a basketball schorlship during the Depression to Snead College in Alabama. However, he had to come home because times were tough. Not only did he play basketball and football at Nelson High School, but he was a very talented baseball player. He had a tryout with the Atlanta Crackers pro Baseball team. Although he had the opportunity to play, he turned it down. He cited the fact he’d been away from his family too long during the war to leave them again.

One of the greatest aspects of his character was his tender-heart. Things touched him, bothered him, and worried him deeper than they did other people. He had a sensitivity that touched people. He couldn’t stand to see people or animals mistreated. When I was little, there was a hound dog up the street that was skin and bones. I named it Big Dog, and everyday we would feed Big Dog and try to fatten it up. I know I’ve inherited my tender-heart from Papa. Sometimes it’s both a blessing and curse.

Papa loved his grandchildren. He even had a tag on the front of his car that read, “Let Me Tell You About My Grandchildren”. My cousins, David and Stephen, were twelve and eight when I was born, so they had a lot of years being spoiled rotten by Papa, but he wasn’t burned out on spoiling by the time I came along. Papa was the type if you wanted to get up at 2 in the morning and play Little People, well then, you just got up and played Little People!

From time to time when the ache from missing him gets so hard I can’t breathe, a feeling will come over me. It’s as if he’s saying, “I’m still here with you, and I love you and I’m proud of you.”

I HAZ AN AGENT!!!!

2011-11-01T11:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, guys and gals, I have a new agent for my Young Adult books!!!!

It is the ever fabulous Leigh Feldman at Writer's House. Leigh represents one of my all time, hands down FAVORITE YA authors, Sarah Dessen. She also helped to bring Charles Frasier's Cold Mountain to bookstores as well as Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha.

Leigh fell in love with my latest book....which is somewhat a YA version of the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich. More like paying homage to my love of Dog the Bounty Hunter along with Savannah, Georgia high society!!

I know I'm going to work so well with Leigh because we've been through a round of revisions already, and I love her vision.

It's been a long 5 months since my agent left the business, and I was forced to start the dreaded querying again. I won't lie that it hasn't been soul crushing, mind numbing, panic inducing, lose your mind kind of ride.

But it's great when you can finally see the purpose of it all. Of course, it throws a wrench into my publishing RTD, but it's all worth it in the end!!

YOWZERS! I'm baaaaack

2011-09-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

Holy smokes, peeps. I just realized my last blog was June 25?!!! How can that be? Oh yeah, life...it happens.

So, I'm excited to say that I did get a fabulous job! After four years in high school, I've gone back to teaching MS or 8th grade specifically. I did five years of 8th grade(and one year of 7th) before moving on up to HS. I love, love my new school. It's only 35 minutes from home. The kids are great, and I love my coworkers. MS kids have a lot more time for reading--Language Arts/English and Reading are two separate classes, and they also participate in Reading Countst through Scholastic. So, I'm looking forward to being able to share my writing, along with the writing of my writer buds and peeps in the YA community, with the kids.

Thanks to everyone who sent me prayers and love and support when my job got cut!! I couldn't have made it without you guys cuz it was some dark, dark times!!

As for the agent front, I'm still waiting. Have come close...working on some R&R's. I feel like at any mintue there will be good news...while other days, it feels like I'll never be agented again!!! You know, the normal agent agnt or submission angst!! It's also weird that we're still waiting for the final nos(okay, or maybe yes's!) from some pubs, so it feels weird to be agent searching and be on sub. PASS ME A DRINK AND SOME CHOCOLATE!!!

I know I've lost a couple of followers for not blogging. Sorry guys, but life just got in the way. I've had illness in the family as well, so that's made it hard to blog and keep up with blog. I even turned my back on Twitter for awhile.

Reading, Writing, Waiting has a new member...ME!

2011-06-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

I am really, really excited to be a part of Annie McElfresh's Reading, Writing, Waiting book review blog. Annie's has worked hard at reviews and has garned a large following.

I'm joining along with another good writer buddy, Stephanie Jenkins. If you haven't read her book, Lure, yet, then you must get yourself to Amazon ASAP!! She's on the Top 100 EBooks list right now!! I was an original beta reader for Lure, and I've loved the evolution of the book. So check it out now!!

So, I look forwarded to reading and reviewing!

When Things Go From Craptastic to Utter & Complete Kaka

2011-05-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't blogged since Easter, and I've been meaning to rectify that one for awhile. However, the events of May have bogged me down to where I just couldn't function, least of all blog.

I guess I should be more specific and say the Week of May 3-8 was one that crippled me emotionally, and I'm still recovering from the aftershocks.

And here's why:

(1). My Agent Has Left the Building

Sorry, I love Elvis, and I had to go there! Anyway, my beloved agent is leaving the publishing business to begin consulting full-time, rather than half-time, with Technicolor Film. She was so sweet and so caring in her call, and she wanted to give me the heads up to begin querying(we're actually still out to a couple houses for my YAUF). No two weeks notice or anything because she wants it to be the smoothest transition for me. How can you not love that?

Business wise, Fonda was one of the best. She was great with communication(most of the time calling, rather than emailing), and she was knowledgeable of the business. But I've had more than just a business relationship with Fonda. She's been a cheerleader, a champion, and a friend. I don't think I could have made it through the "deal that was not meant to be" with Don't Hate the Player if it hadn't been for her guidance, support, and love. She was even there for me in the dark days that followed. And we even came close with The Guardians a month ago, but alas, another "almost but no cigar" type situation.

So after eighteen months being agented, I'm back in the saddle again....fortunately, I've had some agented friends do referrals, and I hope to be back and agented very soon.

(2). The Education Budget Sucks Ass

After getting the depressing news on Sunday night that I would soon be agentless, I was called into my Principals office the following Friday to have a bomb dropped on me. Five positions were being cut from my school, and as the latest hire, I was losing my job. To say I was stunned was an understatement. It's one of those moments where you want to go, "But I've been teaching ten years and I have a Masters degree and I've even won a teaching award and been on the news and I've even taught college English courses! NOOOOOO, you can't do this!!!"

But alas they did. The following Monday my principal(who had 30plus years) was also cut b/c he was making so much money.

So lets recap: I lost my agent and my job in the same week.

That picture pretty much sums up what that week was like as well as what the last few weeks have been like. Job searching and agent searching at the same time is kinda like being in the 7th Ring of Hell. More so on the job front because of the epic hiring freeze.

But you also get to the point where you think, "Damn, I'm already at rock bottom. I can only go up from here!"

So I'm bracing myself for GOOD & WONDERFUL things...

And as a person who their faith is the most important facet of their life, I'm shaken but not broken. I mean, I don't consider myself a steel magnolia for nothin'.

I will persevere....I just might whine a little more before I get there!!

Happy Easter & Good Friday

2011-04-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to take a moment to wish you many blessings on this Good Friday.

And these picture of the crucifixion come from St. Peter's Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois. It is special to me because my great-grandfather, who was a master stone carver, helped to create it. At home in the photo albums, I have a picture of him working on it. Cool, huh?

Waiting on Wednesday: Where She Went

2011-03-30T06:50:00.000-07:00

Jill over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.

This week the book I've been waiting on for a long, long time is Where She Went the highly anticipated sequel to Gayle Forman's If I Stay.

Is that cover not GORGEOUS! Simple but so powerful from the model's expression to the background.

In case you aren't familiar with the first book, here's the blurb about If I Stay from Publishers Weekly

The last normal moment that Mia, a talented cellist, can remember is being in the car with her family. Then she is standing outside her body beside their mangled Buick and her parents' corpses, watching herself and her little brother being tended by paramedics. As she ponders her state (Am I dead? I actually have to ask myself this), Mia is whisked away to a hospital, where, her body in a coma, she reflects on the past and tries to decide whether to fight to live. Via Mia's thoughts and flashbacks, Forman (Sisters in Sanity) expertly explores the teenager's life, her passion for classical music and her strong relationships with her family, friends and boyfriend, Adam. Mia's singular perspective (which will recall Alice Sebold's adult novel, The Lovely Bones) also allows for powerful portraits of her friends and family as they cope: Please don't die. If you die, there's going to be one of those cheesy Princess Diana memorials at school, prays Mia's friend Kim. I know you'd hate that kind of thing. Intensely moving, the novel will force readers to take stock of their lives and the people and things that make them worth living.

And then here's the blurb for Where She Went

It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

If I Stay was AMAZING! I found myself laughing and crying through the story. The way Forman captures the essence of grief and loss and love and romance is phenomenal. The characters were so memorable from Mia and Adam to Mia's grandparents. I also enjoyed that we got to know the parents and brother in reverse through the flashbacks. It made the pain of their deaths all the more evident.

With that said, I can't wait to see what happens in Where She Went....Frankly, I'm gonna pitch a fit if she and Adam don't end up together in the end.

Waiting on Wednesday: Hourglass

2011-03-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

Jill over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.

There are a lot of books I'm waiting on, but there's one that's *cues the Pet Shop Boys and/or Willie Nelson* Always on My Mind. Just kidding.

Here's a summary of Hourglass.

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

If after reading that summary, you're not completely stoked and pumped, then let me give you a few more reasons!!

(1). Kickass Cover....I mean, how does that not just suck you in?

(2). A Southern setting and Allusions to the old South. I'm a life-long Georgia native, and I love the culture of the South--both new and old. Books like Beautiful Creatures & The Magnolia League really rock my socks with the Southern cultures of cultured ladies, sipping sweet tea, and old family skeletons.

(3). The Author....srsly, this should probably be the first reason because Myra is so amazing. When I first started on Twitter, Myra was a very approachable and hilarious author. I had the pleasure of meeting Myra at the Decatur Book Festival. She's just as funny and approachable in person. She's also got a great heart because she was one of the organizers of the Do The Right Thing for Nashville auction to help benefit flood victims.

So, there you have it. The reasons why May 24 can't come fast enough!!

What books are you waiting on this fine Wednesday?

Must Read Reviews: Wither

2011-03-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

*I received this arc through Simon and Schuster....and boy am I grateful!*

Here's a quick plot summary for Wither in case you've been under a rock and not heard about the premise!!!

When scientists engineered genetically perfect children, everyone thought it would ensure the future of the human race. Though the first generation is nearly immortal, a virus causes all successive generations to die early: age 20 for women, 25 for men. Now, girls are kidnapped for brothels or polygamous marriages to breed children. Rhine is taken from her hardscrabble life and sold with two other girls to Linden Ashby. Though they live in a palatial Florida home surrounded by gardens and treated like royalty, the girls are sequestered from the outside world, and Rhine longs to escape. Her growing affection for her sister wives, her pity for Linden, and her fear of Housemaster Vaughn, Linden's manipulative father, keep her uncomfortably docile, until she falls for servant Gabriel.

I'll have to admit when I first started reading Wither, I wasn't sure exactly what to think of it. It hooked me in from the first chapter with a Dystopian edge...the next chapter moved into a more Historical novel feel. Then it yo-yoed between Dystopian, Sci-Fi, and Historical. While I do think there could have been a wee bit more development with the "world" of Wither, it didn't effect my appreciation of the story. In fact, it might have aided it a bit since we're just as clueless as Rhine is. I loved the aspect of "sister-wives" and a love quad, rather than triangle. It's just a different kind of book than I've read in a long time.

DeStefano has a great grasp of character development. Rhine is an easy MC to embrace, to have empathy for, and to want a better future for. I found myself rooting for her each time she got manipulative and devious, lol. There were times when I loathed Linden and others when I found myself very drawn to him. The evolving of Cecily's role as a Sister Wife, as well as Jenna's, was also very well done. I found myself really caring for these characters....there's an OMG moment where I had to fight my tears. There's also lots of roller coaster moments where you'll be sitting on the edge of your seat.

I'm totally stoked for the sequel!!!

Prayers for Japan

2011-03-14T11:15:00.003-07:00

My heart is very heavy with the sad news from Japan. At times, watching the television reports felt like reading the pages of a Post-Apac novel. And after all the horrible things that have transpired from the earthquake, aftershocks, and tsunami, there are all the nuclear threats and fears as well.

So, in my heart, I stand united with the people of Japan.

I send them my thoughts and prayers along with some relief money.

Some Friday Funnies Twilight Style

2011-02-25T11:46:00.000-08:00

So, I realized in the hectic dog eat dog world I've been having lately that I haven't blogged in a bit. I thought it best to search for a really profound topic....and then I failed at that to.

Thus, the reason why I give you Friday Funnies: Twilight Style! Enjoy!! :)

Blogger Lovefest: ClockMonkey

2011-02-13T20:00:00.000-08:00

As I find myself the somewhat eternal single girl on Valentine's Day, you can imagine I like to celebrate this holiday as much as a root canal. However, this year because I'm so much into the karma, Field of Dreamish mode of "If you build it, he will come"(sometimes I substitute "it", ya know, for the book deal and all, lol), that I decide to hop the bandwagon of Taherah, Sarah, Kate, and Kristen's Valentine's blogfest.

So without further adeiu, my Secret Pal Valentine is Clockmonkey

ClockMonkey is a book review site ran by Ella, who is an Argentine college student. Shes been reviewing books since 2009. While she loves reading anything, she is partial to YA, and she will only review YA books. Not only does she review books, but she's also interviewed authors like Becca Fitzpatrick, Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, and Terra Lynn Childs.

I love meeting new book reviewers, and I love reading reviews. I'm pumped to have ClockMonkey/Ella as my Valentine!!! So Happy Valentine's Day, Ella!!!!

The Writing Game: Are We All Just Stepford Wives?

2011-02-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

There's been a lot of negative hoopla in the writing business lately. It all started back with Kidlitchat where it was revealed that an agent wouldn't sign a "would be" client if they'd given a bad review of one of their other clients. It kinda free fell from there into blog entries both for and against the idea as well as conversations on message boards and twitter.

So, now you're not supposed to give anything but 5 Star Reviews or it could come back to haunt you. This is coupled with how you shouldn't talk industry related stuff on your blog(for the love of God don't mention the sub process!) and it's probably not a good idea on Twitter either. There's a mentality that you almost have to constantly watch your back because the "Big Brother's" of the industry are watching you.

After some pondering and grumbling and resignation, this is what came to me the other day. To be a writer--published or unpublished--you kinda have to adopt a Stepford Wives mode of operation. And when I say Stepford Wives, I'm talking about the 2004 version, not the 1975. The 75' version really is a scary, psychological thriller that is not to be taken lightly(If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. The end scene is *shudders* scary!)

For those who haven't seen the movie(s), it's about a woman named Joanna whose family moves from the hustle and bustle of New York City to the quaint and overly idyllic Stepford, CT. At first, things look too good to be true. A vast majority of the women have perfect houses, perfect clothes, and perfect sunny dispositions. Have they deposited Lithium into the water supply? No, the robotic and programmed behavior can be attributed to the fact that the men of Stepford are killing their wives and taking up with identical robots.

Now, hold the phone....I'm not saying that the industry wants to make robots out of us--that's not the analogy I was going for at all. I do think an ideal is perpetuated where you're supposed to slap on a toothy smile and say how wonderful it is in Stepford---er, I mean, the Industry. And you're made to feel there's something epically Debbie Downer aka Un-Stepford about you for wanting to put negative aspects of the querying and/or submissions game on your blog or anonymously complaining about agents and editors in writing forums or finding fault with fellow YA writers books, etc. You're not supposed to notice that some authors get held to a different standard or there's a double standard with agents who maybe blog or tweet about negative things.

But dude. snap out of it! What are you thinking? Writers can't be human online....no wait, they can't always exhibit natural human emotions. You read a book with a million dollar advance that stinks or you get another rejection or you wonder why this agent hasn't gotten back with you--these are human emotions that you're supposed to keep inside. Or, talk to people outside the writing sphere. You know, the ones that have no concept of the game, lol.

Here's the thing....although I've never been rebellious and always wanted to do just what everyone else did, I'm NOT a Stepford wife when it comes to the writing game....I'm way more Joanna and her less than perfect sidekick, Bobbie. They question what's going on in Stepford, they don't like being squelched or having to look and sound like Mary Sunshine's all the time. They just wanna be their own person.

In the end when it all comes down to it, I certainly hope it will be me aka my writing that the publishers look at and not a 3 Star review or maybe a bad day when I blew off some steam. Hopefully, it'll be what the industry was started for and that's for great storytelling.

Another Epic Contest & Contest Recaps

2011-01-29T11:29:00.000-08:00

Seriously, there's sooooo many great contests going on right now....it's like so many books and prizes, so little time.

There's a bloody awesome(I'm feeling a Ron Weasley moment taking me over, lol) over at the Bloody Bookaholic. Check this:

30 Books Up For Grabs....3 winners....maybe even some preorder fabulousness!!!

Don't forget these other contests....

The Lovely Getaway is giving away the fantastic sounding Wither. Head over there to enter the contest to win the ARC!!!

RACHWRITES is running a contest that has the best of both worlds. Here's the blurb:

We're happy, excited, and thrilled to announce our Trilogy Contest. Your chance to win one of a gigantic stack of amazingly awesome prizes.

And here they are*:

3 x query or synopsis (max. 2 pages) critiques (winner's choice)
3 x first 300 words critiques
3 x first 3 pages critiques
AND
3 x first 30 pages critiques

*For the picture book writers, I'll convert any of the above prizes into a picture book critique! And if you win a 30 page critique, I'll critique 3 of your picture book wips instead!!!

Rather have a book? We've thought about that too! If more than 50 people enter the Trilogy Contest, we'll share some of our favorites/dying to reads.

So Marieke will give away a copy of... The Mockingbirds
Tessa will give away a copy of... Unearthly
And I will give away a copy of... Across The Universe

Writing Influences: In Memory of Cooper: How losing my 1st student led to an agent

2011-01-29T05:47:00.000-08:00

I've had many writing influences in my life from family to friends to my spiritual life. However, one of the strangest influences came out of tragedy....in fact, I wrote the story that landed me an agent because of it.

As most of you know, I'm a teacher. If there's anything God called me to be besides a future wife and mother, it's a teacher(and writer too, lol). Sure, I had dreams in high school and into college of being a newsreporter, but that wasn't meant to be.

I taught eight years before I lost a student. When you teach older kids, especially high schoolers, you know that losing one is inevitable. Two years ago on January 29th, 2009, I lost my first. I'll never forget that January morning. I was running a little later than usual, so when I heard my name, along with some other teachers' names, called over the intercom, I thought I was in trouble! I rushed into the principal's office where I found one teacher already crying. That's when I was delivered the news that my student, Cooper, had died.

I'd only found out a few weeks before that Cooper had heart problems and had a pacemaker. Since he was a tall, healthy, strapping kinda kid in ROTC, it came as a surprise. He had missed my class the day before because he was going to get his pacemaker regulated. Although his mom really didn't approve, Cooper loved playing sports, and he was playing in a basketball game when he simply collapsed and died.

As I started back to my classroom, I began crying. I even called my grandmother before school started to ask her to pray for the family, my students, and myself that I might be a comfort to the kids.

I had pulled myself together by the time all the kids got to first period. But I had to step outside when they came over the intercom to make the announcement. That's when long dormant memories of my junior year in high school came flooding back. There was an announcement that morning too telling the HS population that one of its most popular and most hilarious students had been killed in a car accident. His name was Travis Appling....he would have been the next Adam Sandler. He was one of those guys who was nice to everyone and made everyone, including his teachers laugh. Distant cousins, Travis and I were in the same homeroom, and we were often chosen by our homeroom teacher as the errand runners. We also sat together at lunch. At that lunch table was another sweetheart of a guy named David Wheeler. Never during that time of grief could we imagine that six months later, David and his girlfriend, Shelley, would be killed in a car accident.

Two lives lost within 6 months of each other. It was devastating to my class and my friends. And on that January day what happened with Travis and David came flooding back.

When I stepped back inside the classroom, I made the long walk to the podium in absolute silence. This morning there was not the usual noisy banter to quiet down. Staring out into the sea of expectant faces, my voice wavered as I tried to talk to them about what had happened and how we weren't going to do anything that day. And then I lost it....I'd never lost it in front of students before. Even during sad reading selections or movies when they would get teary, I would keep it together to be strong for them.

But this day, I didn't. And for the rest of the day, I became united with them in our grief. We cried, we talked about Cooper, and we even laughed. I feel especially close to that group of kids for what we went through.

Over the course of the next few days and weeks, the way the kids grieved, especially the boys, really hit me. I also thought back to the way my class and friends handled the deaths of Travis and David. Suddenly an idea came to me to explore how teenage guys handled grief. More specifically what would it be like for a guy, who has had the same best friend since kindergarten, to discover his friend really wasn't who he thought he was. Then the characters of Noah, the grieving best friend, and Jake, the dead friend came calling in my head! At first, it was much more a darker comedy with Jake, a manwhore, getting blown up on a tractor. There is still a lot of snark and humor, but at the same time, I tried to capture what becoming in touch with your emotions might do to a guy.

I guess I should go ahead and preface that Cooper and Jake aren't anything alike....Cooper was a good ol' boy who enjoyed hunting, fishing, and playing basketball. It's simply his death became a catalyst of what I explored before imagnation took over with the character of Jake Slater.

So, Don't Hate the Player....Hate the Game was written over the course of June 2009. I began querying it in mid July. It garnered a lot of agent interest, and then in October, three agents offered before I accepted my Agent of Awesome's offer. Although it came nail bitingly close to selling this past July, it didn't. However, I'll always have a spot in my heart for DHtP because of how the idea was conceived. And I'll always be thankful for teaching Cooper and having him touch my lfie.

Got ARCS? Pam and Quita Do!! Another fab contest

2011-01-24T18:04:00.001-08:00

The very lovely and very talented writing duo of Pam & Quita are having themselves a little contest. They wanted to reach 100 followers before they had a contest, and now they're at 157.

So, these "kissing cousins", lol, are offering up ARCS for Across the Universe, Divergent, and Like Mandarin.

So head on over there!!!

http://seepamwrite.blogspot.com/2011/01/contest-100-followers-celebration.html

Someone has a HELLA Awesome Contest: Kindle, Barnes and Noble, and Starbucks!!!

2011-01-24T11:04:00.000-08:00

So, my good writer buddy, STEPHANIE, is feeling a little generous....

How generous you might ask?

Like the EPIC of EPICNESS generous.

She's giving away a KINDLE folks!!!

No, you don't need to adjust your computer screen or check your hearing. I did say KINDLE!!!

She's also got a 2nd prize winner getting Barnes and Noble Gift cards and then a 3rd Place Winner for Starbucks Winner

TOTALLY EPIC, right?!!! Go forth, comment and win big!!!

STEPHANIE'S CONTEST OF EPICNESS

Book Review: Angelfire

2011-01-19T11:21:00.000-08:00

Book: Angelfire
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Genre: YA URBAN FANTASY/ SUSPENSE

Release: February 2011, KATHERINE TEGAN BOOKS/ HARPERCOLLINS

*I received this book for review from NetGalley

Verdict: 4 Thumbs Up

From Good Reads:

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle...

The Good:

(1). Will....he is ultra swoonworthy!!! He's probably one of my favorite YA LI's. I totally love how serious he takes his job as Ellie's guardian. I thought he brought the best out of Ellie, and he pushed her to be not only a better warrior--or the warrior she was meant to be, but also to be a better person. His internal struggle between keeping everything "all business" between them was very noble...and very sexy! :)

(2). The action sequences. I haven't read a whole lotta kick ass fight scenes in YA, and Angelfire seriously delivers. Just when you thought Ellie and Will were down for the count, they were back with a vengeance. I love how varied the settings were for the fights as well.

(3). The Angel/Hebrew/Summarian Mythology....as a history fan, I really enjoyed all the mythology and how it all tied in together.

(4). The "not love at first sight" romance between Ellie and Will. It's nice to see their relationship evolve.

The Bad

(1). Sad to say, but a lot of times Ellie. I just couldn't take her personality....she was a little too immature sometimes The excessive obsessing about clothes and cars didn't endear me to her. Really this was only the beginning of the book....the more she remembered her past life, the better she got, lol.

(2). The Daddy factor....just didn't feel like it enhanced the book and some of the scenes. I'm hoping it will be explained in the 2nd Book.

(3). The "Whoa" moment--I can't say too much about this b/c I don't want to spoil it, but I'm not really sure whether I liked or disliked it...still kinda mulling it over and seeing how it will unfold in the second book.

The Ugly

*The Reapers--most def were some pretty hideous and unfortunate creatures!!

So, go forth and read Angelfire when it debuts next month!

Go forth and win books before the sands in the 2010 Hourglass fade!!!

2010-12-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

Hey guys and gals, my writer buddy and fellow GotYA blogger, Susanne Winnacker has a kickass contest going on. Hie thee hence to her blog(sorry, had to throw in some Shakespeare), and check it out!!!

http://susannewritesfiction.blogspot.com/2010/12/2010-farewell-contest.html

These fab books are up for grabs!!!!

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Matched by Ally Condie

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

2010: My Annus Horribilis but some bright spots!

2010-12-27T09:29:00.000-08:00

To write my end of the year post, I'm making an homage to my nerdom, er, fandom for British Royalty by quoting Queen Elizabeth II. For Queen Elizabeth, 1992 was her Annus Horribilis.....3 of her 4 kids separated, Prince Charles wanted to be a tampon, Fergie got her toes sucked, and then Windsor Castle went up in flames. That would be an off year!

For me, I've had a bit of my own Annus Horribillis.

(1). The Personal: I never quite grasped the meaning when people said, "Well, you have your health" until it was a little too late. In 2009, I began struggling with anemia. But 2010 brought on a full on B12 deficiency, which is way more serious than I ever imagined until I suffered from it. Most people think, "Oh, just take some vitamins", but my doctor prescribed twice a week B12 shots. I went from going 90 miles a minute to being sidelined. Friends, coworkers, and family used to always say to me, "You need to learn to say NO more!" because I was willing to do anything at school, for friends, etc. I also loved walking 4-5 miles every day or every other day. That came to a screeching halt as well.

In mid January and February, I began having to come home from work and go to bed. I couldn't make it through the day I was so exhausted. Even after eight hours of sleeping, I could not get up in the mornings. It just wasn't hitting the snooze button, it was like being physically incapacitated. It also made the depression I often suffered from worse....

The good news is I'm doing much better...I now administer the shots myself, which is a feat in itself since I hate needles! I'm hoping to get back in the walking groove in 2011.

(2). The Professional: Last year was also one of the worst years professionally. So much so, I left teaching to pursue freelance writing full time(or so I thought...more on that in a minute!). Although I loved my students dearly, last year was a tough group. Throw in my health problems, and it made for a volatile mix. I had never actually dreaded going to work before....usually I was pumped about what I was teaching or introducing a new topic. But last year, I grew to literally hate teaching.

I also didn't receive the support at my school that I would have hoped....Sometimes when you do everything you can, people do not look kindly when you no longer do it. It's kinda funny how the tide can turn so quickly. One year you're given a Class Act Teaching Award by a local news station and featured on their morning program, and then the next year you can't do anything right. That fact coupled with everything else led me to leave teaching for my mental and physical health.

Although I'd gotten my answer from God early in the summer about what I should do, my leave from teaching lasted all of a week and two days! LOL Staying home and freelancing all day wasn't quite what I thought it would be, and I missed the kids. I got a call from Walker County about a 12th grade British Lit job...major drawback was the job was an hour and ten minutes away....old teaching job was 25. But I fell in love with the school and fellow teachers the moment I interviewed. I accepted the job the same day I interviewed. God seriously meant for me to be in the classroom because I got two more teaching job calls that week. I'm very thankful for my new job and new environment.

(3). Submission Angst: 2010 was the year I came so close to my dreams of publication that I could reach out and touch them....only to have them brush past me like a stranger in a crowd(yes, that's a Field of Dreams quote allusion!) People told me I'd get book news when I least expected it....that couldn't have been more true. I was a on a tour bus in Washington DC when my phone rang. Since the driver/guide had been like, "DO NOT ANSWER YOUR PHONES", I had to die a little when I saw it was my agent. I knew she wouldn't be calling if it wasn't something. When we got off at the Wall aka the Vietnam War Memorial, I hid under a tree and called her back.

An editor at a Big 6 Pub loved Don't Hate the Player....this editor might even be at ALA, the conference I was in DC for, so I should go scope her out. Things were looking good! I could have peed myself with excitement. And then came the waiting game/roller coaster ride that stretched an agonizing two and a half weeks before DHtP went to an Acquisitions meeting. In between this time, I had a conference call with the editor and my agent...she was a former teacher....we clicked....I loved her revisions ideas for DHtP....it was awesome.

And then it all took a hellish turn like in I Dreamed a Dream, from Les Miserables. Acquisitions wouldn't support pubbing it. I'll never forget that day either. I was getting my house ready to have the minister and about 30 other people from church for lunch the next day. I was so upset by the afternoon call, that I couldn't go to church that night. My faith had been tested. But once again, I pulled myself up my the bootstraps and went on.

There's been a lot of faith testing in 2010....but miraculously each time I was tested, God spoke directly to me. He showed me he'd been guiding me and keeping me in the palm of his hand. That's one of the greatest things of 2010....even in the darkest moments, he's always with me.

One of the bright spots was acquiring Duke aka Little Man. Sure, he was supposed to be my grandmother's dog until his crackdog energy antics made her unable to keep him. And he's eaten more of my shoes than I care to say, but he's also one of the sweetest tempered dogs I've ever seen. He's also so very loving, and he brightened many dark, dark days with his crazy antics.

I mean, how can you not love that face?

Here he is "degutting" a pillow when I turned my back to change the sheets.

One of the greatest bright spots for me is my grandmother....I plan on doing a separate post for her later on, but she is srsly what gets me through. She is the sole beacon of light in a sometimes dark world. After losing my mom eight years ago, my grandmother, Big Mama, or Grammy as she is known in the writing world, has meant the world to me. She lost her only children, my mom and my aunt, within a month of each other in 2002, but throughout those dark and desperate days, her faith never wavered, and she persevered. I'm so thankful she only lives five minutes from me...it's nice having a Rock of Gibraltar so close!!

Besides God, dogs, and my grandmother, bright spots have been the funny things my students say, old students who keep in touch with me, my writer buddies who keep me sane, my regular old friends who make me laugh.

When it all comes down to it, I'm very, very blessed.

And so, that has been my 2010....I'm hoping 2011 is going to be "sent straight from Heaven",and that many of the things I've been hoping and praying for will materialize.

I wish all my family, friends, writer buddies a safe, happy, and prosperous 2011.

Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver=5 Thumbs UP!

2010-12-06T11:05:00.000-08:00

TITLE: DELIRIUM
AUTHOR: Lauren Oliver
Release Date: February 1st, 2011
Genre: Romance, Dystopia, Sci-fi
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 440

VERDICT: 5 out of 5 Thumbs Up

SYNOPSIS:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that one love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

My Thoughts:

The Good:

(1). The MC, Lena, is kick ass, but not in the typical kick ass of beating people up. She has strength of emotional character. What she has endured and then what she continues to endure throughout the course of the book is really epic. I thought she showed great courage under fire. I also enjoyed how her character evolves throughout the book.

(2). Alex was totally swoon-worthy. The way he is introduced at the beginning gives us a total James Dean Rebel Without a Cause mentality. It is both sexy and endearing as the novel progresses. He isn't just dangerous and forbidden, but he's dangerous and forbidden with a purpose. He really epitomizes the Snow Patrol song Open Your Eyes in the way his relationship evolves with Lena. And the scenes when they are together are WHITE HOT SMEXINESS!! I mean, you might want to prepare to turn the heat down, turn on a fan or smoke a cigarette b/c it is HOTT!!!

(3). Great BFF in the form of Hana....I loved how wild and free she was, and how she got Lena to question things.

(4). The prose is phenomenal! I mean, I'm blown away and made to feel completely inadequate with my own writing. Ms. Oliver's turn phrase is really impressive. The pictures she painted with her words really enhanced my appreciation of the book.

(5). The aspect of "love" being forbidden isn't just restricted to physical love between two people....it is the love between mother and child, family, friends, etc. The scenes where Lena flashbacked to her mom were heartbreaking--especially since I've lost my own mom and could totally connect with her pain.

The Bad:

(1). While there's not a whole lot of bad, I saw a lot of similarities between this book and Matched, and since I know Ms. Oliver works for a development company, that kinda concerned me. BUT, for me, I liked Delirium a whole lot more. I feel it had far more depth of story, character, etc. and she should have gotten the seven figures advanced, lol. :) It was hard for me to stop reading, even late into the night.

(2). Some aspects of the whole "love being banned" didn't necessarily ring true of why a government would want to necessarily do that.....besides the Big Brother aspect there wasn't a whole lot of government motivation and all.

The Ugly:

(1). Honestly, the ending really isn't ugly it just blew me away....and not necessarily in a good way. I won't divulge too much more, but you should just be prepared. It's also agony thinking of waiting for the next book to come out.

I would totally recommend Delirium, and it is probably going to be my favorite Dystopian next to the Hunger Games!!! :)

HELL YEAH, IT'S HARRY POTTER TIME!!!

2010-11-18T07:09:00.000-08:00

Where will I be at Midnight tonight?

AT THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PREMIERE!!!

I'm so stoked, can you tell?!!

I'm not sure exactly how I'll feel this time tomorrow after getting around 3 hours sleep. I do plan to go home this evening and disco nap a bit.

Here's to all of you who might be seeing it tonight, or tomorrow, or this weekend!!!!!

When You're Having a Jessie Spano Meltdown....

2010-11-08T10:44:00.000-08:00

I'm stressed....I'm going to go right ahead and say it. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done. I'm at the Jessie Spano/Saved By the Bell "I'm so excited, I'm so excited...I'm scared!" meltdown moment. :)

Here's some reasons why....

(1). Love, love my new teaching job. Don't love how I'm making CONSIDERABLY less than I did at my previous teaching job. So, this means I have to supplement my monthly income by doing freelance articles. Sure, they're not that hard....Sure, I feel very lucky to have this side job...BUT, it's also tough after a day of teaching to go home and focus on writing articles OR to have to pick them up on the weekends, BLECH!

(2). I'm trying to participate in NaNO. Really, Krista? You might be asking. Didn't you just complete 35 to 40K of a novel LAST month? Why yes, I did. However, it is a Dystopian, and Dystopians are becoming a dime a dozen with the market being flooded. Yes, I have a book on sub, but it's YAUF, which is also saturated, and holy hell, it's got angels in it! EESH! So, I'm hoping to finish a quirky little YAUF that I had 5K in when I abandoned it as well as a Contemp that I love, love, love, which had 20K in it for NaNO. Finding time to write between school and articles is HARD!

(3). Life....in general. Yeah, I just lost one of my favorite uncles to cancer. He really stepped in after my parents died to be there for me whenever I needed him. Plus, he was just plain and simple hilarious and was always doing something to make me laugh. I'm really, really going to miss him, and I know this holiday season is going to be really, really hard.

So yeah, that's why I'm at my Jesse Spano meltdown moment. I'm seriously considering taking up mediating to try to counteract with all this stress.

Back on Sub with a CRAZY Idea!

2010-10-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

So, I officially went on sub today for The Guardians. Being on sub for the second time is a strange feeling. There's excitement, fear, giddiness, anticipation--all of what I felt the first time I went on sub with DHtP, but it feels magnified times a million! So much so that my Grammy, and resident therapist, was already pep talking me last night about "putting it out of my mind', not getting down and out with rejections, etc.

That's is soooooooo much easier said than done. Especially for me who is highly neurotic and a big time worrier.

Going back on sub is tough for another reason. I didn't talk on my blog about what happened in June/July with DHtP and the submission process. I've talked about it lots on AW, but I'll go for it her. Basically, an editor fell in love with DHtP, and I fell in love with the editor when we talked on the phone--yes, I even got to conference call with this editor, and then the most horrible thing happened. It died in acquisitions. It was very, very devastating.

Since mid July, I haven't been on sub. I was officially on sub with DHtP from late November to July. I've been fine tuning The Guardians, which was the first YA I ever wrote. It's a labor of love to keep with something for so long because you believe in the story and characters.

Anyway, long post short, here's what I'm planning to do if & when I sell......

I seem to favor red heads lately for the MC's in my novels. Cassie, my songbird angel, is redhead, and then so is Cadence, my spitfire in Testament. So, when and if TG sells, I'm going to DYE MY HAIR RED!!!

Yep, that's right. I'm going red! I already have some "cinnamon" lowlites in my hair during the winter months, but if I sell, I'm going full on red!!!

It's about the craziest thing I can think of right now to do when/if I sell.

Whatcha think? Cool or lame idea? Think of something else crazy I can do?

PS. I've also thought of buying an angel costume since TG deals with angels!!! :)

Sunday Slobber: My Mini-NaNo Experience aka Finishing My Dystopian

2010-10-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another segment of Sunday Slobber....yes, I really had a segment called that, but it's just been a long time since I did one! lol

This is pupster, Duke, sacked out with exhaustion beside me on the couch. This is what I feel like today. Why? Well, because I just finished my YA Dystopian. *cue the Journey Don't Stop Believin'* Yes, I never saw myself writing a Dystopian...and when the idea for Testament came, I wrote about 6K of it and sent a synops to my agent. Even though she loved the concept, I never saw myself actually finishing it. But hey, guess what? I did!

In a way, I had my own mini-NaNO experience since I basically wrote 40K of the 60K this month. At times, I thought I would pull my hair out...others I marveled in the characters and world I was building. You know, that spark--that brief and always fleeting moment when you actually self-love, rather than self-loathe, your work? Yeah, I had it big time! And then it came time to write the end. As a total pantser, I don't use an outline or synops, and I never write it order. Well, this time I had a synops(which continously changed!), and I wrote it order. But truthfully, I think the ending was just because I was afriad of where and how to cut it off. That's never really happened to me before. Thankfully, my writer buddies and angels, Jamie and Hannah, helped me get through it and talked me down from the ledge.

So, since I really haven't talked about it on the blog, I thought I'd do a little quickie. Testament came to me last May/June. While trying to think of a way to hop on the Dystopian bandwagon(Hey, I'm being honest here!), an idea hit me with a mixture of the biblical stories of Esther and Joseph. I may post more of a summary later, but for right now, here's a little snip of the characters.

For my MC, Cadence O'Bryant, I see her as both of these versions of the lovely, Evan Rachel Wood. Why? Well, because during the course of the book she undergoes a transformation at the "pageant". She's typical teen, or typical Dystopian teen, lol, and then she's made to be something else. At her core, she is a fiery red-head. In fact, I had flashes of Maureen O'Hara in the Quiet Man when I was writing her. She loses control of her mouth on many, many occasions. There's a deeper and darker side to her since she's been through a lot of heartache and had to be strong.

If I had to have a favorite character besides my MC, it would be Malacky Greene. He's one of those characters who was never supposed to have a big story. He was simply Cadence's brother's best friend in one of the introductory scenes--and he kinda had some funny banter with her. And then suddenly, he was much, much more! He harboured a crush on Cadence and would do anything to keep her safe and happy. He's also a bit of a goofball, and he tries to hide behind his humor a lot. I seriously fell in love with him when I was writing! LOL Fortunately, he's 19 in the story, so it wasn't some pervy, underage thing! LOL

And then my cocky, but misunderstood, Cullen, which I'm sure I'll get grief for the name, but srsly, I didn't go for a Twilight knock-off. Most of the characters have names with Gaelic origins, and Cullen means "handsome" in Gaelic. I never really wanted to write a love triangle, and when Malacky wrote himself, so did the love triangle. Cullen's the rich son of the CEO who now rules the former America. While he's used to having his way, he also has a softer side, and one beta reader totally fell in love with him! LOL

And so Testament now goes off to agent reading land to see how it fares with her. *fingers crossed*

Friday 5 Dreams

2010-10-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

So the very awesome Karla N is having a contest for Wade, Fade, and Gone . Creatively since the stories are about dream, writing about your dreams is part of the contest. So, here are 5 of my dreams.

(1). Get Married: Yes, I've been waiting for this dream to materialize since I was a little girl. Even though the divorce rate is 50%, I still want to take one trip down the aisle. And even though I'm not seeing anyone at the moment, I know that Mr. Right could appear at any moment!

(2). Have a Baby: My dream to have a child is probably stronger than my desire to get married. I've just always been maternal, wanted children, etc. If you had talked to "10 yrs ago Krista", she would have already believe this dream would've come true. But alas, it hasn't. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and saying prayers that both #1 and #2 happen SOON!!!

(3). Publish a book, or two, or 5: I think this is probably the dream of every writer. To be published. I've wanted to be a published author since I was a little girl. I got close this summer, and I'm hoping to finally achieve this dream soon!

(4). See Ireland & Scotland: Although my family has been here in America since the 1700's in some cases, I have an affinity deep in my bones for the "homeland", so to speak, of Ireland and Scotland. This is where family on both sides of my family came from along with England(but I've been there before). I really, really want to see these places. Hmm, maybe when I get a book deal!

(5). Be able to teach 1/2 time: I guess this dream goes along wtih the publishing dream b/c I'd love to just have to work part time. Well, it could also go along with #1 too, lol. I'd love to have more time to devote to writing and volunteering.

So there you have it. My 5 Dreams. What are yours? Be sure to stop by Karla's contest!

Wednesday What's Up

2010-09-29T06:14:00.000-07:00

So Blogesphere, what's up this Wednesday? Here's what's up with me!

(1). I'm really excited about this weekend. I'm going to the Hilton Head, but more importantly, I'm going to finally meet my writer buddy & GotYA gal, Annie, and we're meeting up with other writer buddy and GotYA gal, Jennifer. Since Jennifer lives close, I've gotten to meet up with her twice, but this will be a first with Annie. I'm really, really excited because these gals mean so much to me and my writing.

(2). I've read the best books lately. Hex Hall, by the lovely, hilarious, and talented Rachel Hawkins, was the BOMB! So very funny and such an brilliant spin on witches and other supernatural creatures. Her MC, Sophie, is hilarious, and I totally connected with her being a teenage witch screw up, lol. Because of Banned Books week and the craziness with Speak, I bought The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. OMG, I was BLOWN away. Junior's voice is brilliant and hilarious and tragic all at the same time. I laughed and cried and became angered at the injustice and all. I couldn't recommend two books that are more different or are more AWESOME!

(3). Writing wise I'm trucking along on Testament, my YA Post Apac/Dystopian. I NEVER saw myself writing Dystop since I've never read it that much, but when the idea came to me, I thought, "Hey, that's kinda cool. I might could enjoy that!" Then when I sent the summary to my agent, she really, really liked it and wanted me to focus on it. So, I'm at almost 30K....I'm hoping to knock out a big chunk next week on my school's break. We'll see!!!

So, now it's your turn. What's up with you?

Stuck in a Moment & Memories of My Mom

2010-09-27T10:07:00.000-07:00

I've been in a funk lately. You know what I mean? Those epic quicksands of emotion that leave you drowning. Yeah, I've been there for awhile. I mean, I'm thankful for my new job and all, and professionally things worked out after the epic black hole or horror this summer, lol. At the same time, there are a lot of other question marks right now that are making life difficult. Will I finally meet Prince Charming before my expiration date....I iz 31, ya know? When will I have the longed for baby so that accidentally going down the baby aisle at Walmart doesn't send a stabbing pain of longing reverberating through my chest? When will my book be published? AUGHHHHH! Too many questions!!!

For the most part, September is notoriously a hard month for me. It reaps a harvest of painful memories and takes me back to the last stretch of my mother's life. She was diagnosed with glioblastoma--one of the most severe and most aggressive brain tumors on August 26th, 2002. At first, the doctors were very positive. She would have the tumor removed, have some radiation at best, and all would be good. However, that was before they did the actual surgery and realized the type and severity of the tumor. The mortality rate for Glioblastomas are 24 months at best. My mom only got four weeks. She passed away on the 28th of September, 2002.

Losing my mom shattered me, and honestly, a part of me died with her. Or at least, who I once was died with her. She was my best friend, my rock of faith, my never ending cheerleader. As an only child and one she tried for many years to have, she called me the Sunshine in her Life. And in the same token, she was the sunshine in mine. I couldn't imagine a life without her in it. I get angry sometimes when people say to me, "Oh, I couldn't bear losing my mother." Even though I know they mean well, I have to fight the urge to scream at them, "Well, do you think I signed up for this, because I sure as hell didn't? I'm dying here!" I didn't think I could bear it. I thought I would die from the grief--sometimes I wanted to. I still lived at home at the time my mother passed away, and she was my entire world.

Time does heal wounds, but you're never fully healed. And months like September seem to pour salt on those wounds. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss my mother--that I don't wish to be comforted by her again, to hear her laugh, to feel her arms around me. Then there are days when it shifts to a painful ache--one that leaves me emotionally crippled. But somehow you get through--somehow you survive, and you find the strength to go on in the love that you shared.

Goodbye's the Saddest Word: Celine Dion

Mama, you gave life to me.
Turned a baby into a lady.
And mama, all you had to offer was a promise of a lifetime of love.

Now I know.

There is no other love like a mother's love for her child .
And I know love so complete someday must leave.
Must say goodbye.

Goodbye's the saddest word I'll ever hear.
Goodbye's the last time I will hold you near.
Someday you'll say that word and I will cry.
It'll break my heart to hear you say goodbye.

SPEAKING LOUDLY in Defense of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak

2010-09-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

It's very ironic to experience a wonderful church service and "dinner on the grounds" as we say in the South, and then come home to find what I did about some religious fanatic trying to ban Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. I want to SPEAKLOUDLY today for Laurie Halse Anderson, for being against book banning, and for being a Christian who is not a "hater" or a "zealot"

If you follow me on twitter or go to message boards I'm on, you might be going, "Um, really Krista, you're a strong Christian? Hmm..." I'll be the first to admit I cuss like a sailor, crack sexual inuendo jokes, probably diss/gossip about people way more than I should, etc. Dude, those are my major vices and sins, lol, and I repent with the best of them! But when it comes down to it, I'm as Christian/spiritual/faith based as they come.

At the core of my being and in all facets of my life, I am a person of faith. Church was what I was brought up with--my grandfather was a Baptist minister, my mother and father's families all went to the same small, Baptist church. I've lost friends and boyfriends because of my moral choices, but hey, it's what I believed. As for my church, it is like a second home to me. The people that belong there have stood by me during the darkest times of my life.

You can't have experienced what I have in life and survive practically unscathed(aka not an alcoholic or drug abuser) if you're not a person of faith. I lost my dad to cancer just two weeks before I graduated high school. Five years later, my mom passed away also from cancer. They were 51 and 52 respectively. A month after my mom passed away, her sister who was like a 2nd mom to me, also died. As an only child and unmarried, I felt all alone in the world. But the truth is I was far from alone. Not only did I have my grandmother, my extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins, and my church family, but I had much more--I had a personal relationship with God who brought me from extreme darkness to light.

Since speaking up is important, I want to speak up about the depression I experienced bc if my story can help anyone, then it all won't be in vain. I've been to the bottom most reaches of despair--so much so I contemplated taking my own life on two occasions. One of the occasions found me in the garage with the car running, praying for God to give me the strength to take my life. But he never did. Instead, he held me in his arms and saw me through the darkest moments. There are still low times in my life--I'm waiting for things I've been praying for and are waiting for them to come to fruition. But I know that God and my faith will see me through.

I felt the need to talk about my faith since the very talented and fabulous Myra McEntire also did in her post. I wanted to preface that I was a Christian, but I cannot imagine trying to ban books. While there are certainly books out there I wouldn't want my future kids reading, that's MY choice to tell them not to read it; it shouldn't be the choice of one parent or a school board to say what is right or wrong. I've always been horrified by Christians who hop on the book burning bandwagon like with harmless books like Harry Potter. Sheesh. It's like my mom used to say when some Christians wanted to make a big deal about dressing as witches or goblins. She was like, "Well, those people do not have very much religion or faith if that is what they have to worry about!" I think this goes along with book banning as well.

I'm also labeled as many things because I'm a Christian. Intolerance seems to be the biggest issue among Christians today. Unfortunately, the most intolerant of us are the most vocal. There's a large silent majority who live by the Bible's teachings, which is to leave judgement to God. I find it most appalling that a minister would advocate the burning of the Quran, or that Christians would go protest a fallen soldier's funeral or a homosexual's. Those are not principles of the Bible and certainly not WWJD aka What Would Jesus Do!

I taught Speak a year ago, and it was one of the best experiences I've had with a novel. Both my Freshman girls and boys loved it. We had great, thought provoking discussions. I'm not teaching 9th this year, but if I was, I would TOTALLY teach Speak again. I am planning on saying something with my Seniors tomorrow about Speak, about book burning etc, even though it is not on the curriculum.

At ALA in June, I got to meet Laurie, and she signed copies of Forge and Chains. I was able t0 tell her how much teaching Speak meant to me and how much I loved her work. She is one of the kindest, most giving authors I've ever met. With all her success, there are no airs about her. She seems as down to earth as anyone I know. But most of all, I know she's taken on tough issues so that teenagers can have a voice and perspective in the world. I admire her for that, and she and always will be a literary hero of mine.

So, I'm about to order several copies of Speak on Amazon. I suggest you do the same. Let's stand up for the rights of young women. I know I've had and do have students who have been victims of sexual abuse. I want them to have a voice. I want everyone who has been abused to have a voice. And I want people of faith to get on their knees and pray for guidance rather than spewing hate and intolerance.

Sunday Slobber: My Trip to the Decatur Book Festival!

2010-09-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

*Disclaimer: The reason this post goes under "Sunday Slobber" is it was supposed to happen yesterday, but blogger was being a $%#&*, so I had to wait to post until this morning.

So, I actually dehermitized yesterday, got out of the ol' writing chair for something besides teaching, to head down to the Decatur Book Festival. For those of you unfamiliar with DBF, which until this year included myself, lol, it is the largest independent book festival in the nation. It's a hodge-podge of genres and authors getting together to talk about writing. Best part: it's FREE! I had all good intentions of attending both days. However, the migraine from hades attacked me at 6am this morning, so I didn't quite make it.

I was so thrilled to get to do something again with Regan. We had an awesome time last January at our Writer's Weekend in Gatlinburg. Saturday dawned a gorgeous pre-fall day. It was a cloudless sky with a slight breeze--a thankful respite from the usual heinous Georgia humidity and heat. I met Regan for lunch at Mary Mac's Team Room--I'd never been before, and it was AWESOME! I'd highly recommend it for great Southern food, plus it is quite the celebrity hotspot. Then we headed on to the festival. Decatur is just over the Fulton County/Atlanta border.

Here's some quick facts I learned! (Props to Myra McEntire and Heather Tresse since my phone died partway through, and I'm borrowing some of their tweets! Was sooo excited to me the awesomely lovely and funny Myra McEntire! You need to mark Hourglass to read come this May! It will be teh bomb! Bummed that Heather and I were in the same room, yet we didn't manage to say hello. Argh!

Here's Alyxandra Harvey and Carrie Ryan during the Vampire Vs. Zombie smackdown!

The Method Behind the Magic panel with Saundra Mitchell, Jessica Verday, Cinda Williams Chima and Kathleen Duey.

*Colored streaks seem to be the hip thing with YA Writer's. Blue, pink, purple, green--very cool. I will have to contemplate this fact if and when I get a deal. It would be purple since purple is my favorite color. I don't suppose the cinnamon low lites I get during the winter months actually count...hmm....

*Alyxandra Harvey and I could be twins. She doesn't outline, and she doesn't like to listen to music with lyrics while writing. That's SO me.

Here's Rachel Hawkins and Nancy Werlin during the panel.

*The guy who lead the Zombie vs. Vampire smackdown with Carrie Ryan and Alyxandra Harvey was HILARIOUS! I love how he had us answer prozombie or provampire with either zombie groans or vampire hisses! LOL

*I ducked out at the start of the Hawkins/Werlin panel to run down to Decatur High where my cousin, former Georgia Poet Laureate, David Bottoms, was on a panel of poets. I got to hear him for a bit and then run down to the end of the stage to say a quick hello since I needed to get back to the YA panel instead of his signing. *I have several of his books of poetry and his novel signed anyway, lol*

*Nancy Werlin, author of Impossible and Extraordinary, suggests that a book cover doesn't have to have anything to do with your book. It just has to make people pick it up. She showed us the two different covers for Impossible, and we automatically gravitated towards the one with more color and a mysterious girl on the cover rather than a white washed one.

*Carrie Ryan was a Debutante back in the day, and she also worked at the Coroner's Office. So, she's got real life experience describe Zombie bones poking out and all, lol. She also wrote Forest of Hands and Teeth for NaNo month.

*I made somewhat of a goof when meeting the very funny, awesome, and approachable Rachel Hawkins of Hex Hall. I thought she was the person that Myra had been looking for in the room(we were tweeting to each other), and I made a "And you are?" loser faux paus. She was very nice about it tho. :)

*Per Rachel Hawkins: Covers matter--especially when they put a cat on yours, and there's no cat in the book. She has since revisited her cat stance, and there is a cat being introduced into book three since so many people have written to her about the cat! We all had a laugh imagining people writing fan fiction about the cat.

*Jessica Verday suggests building a book bible when coming up with your fantasy world. It helps to keep yourself in check and remember what you need to about your world.

*Kathleen Duey's advice on writing fantasy is to STRETCH!

*Saundra Mitchell says with fantasy that she makes it up as she goes along, but she does stop and check in with reality as she goes along! lOL

Anyway, it was so awesome, and I wish I had gotten to see Cassie Clare, Michelle Zink, and Jackson Pearce on Sunday. Bummer!

Post on Beta Readers with a Lord of the Rings Twist! *And shamless Double Dipping with GotYA!

2010-08-30T16:32:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that "betas" seem to be a hot topic lately in the blogasphere. Actually, it's not beta fish people are talking about. Although I did have one when I was in middle school. It's name was Mr. Dude....but that's a story for another day.

Critique Partners are an invaluable part of your writing career. I'm forever in debt to the people who have bravely gone where no man has gone before and read my manuscripts.

One of the first beta readers I ever had on my YAUF is someone you may have heard of. She has a book officially coming out in September, although it has been spotted in the wild! (subliminal message: Go buy the Duff!) Yep, Kody Keplinger was one of my original betas. And guess what? I got to do the same for her on The Duff. She was gracious and awesome enough to include me and some of the other beta readers in the acknowledgements!! :)

Anyway, I digress. Writing is often an isolating hobby. We hunker down in strange locations, clutching our laptops or notebooks as we escape into the uncharted realms of our imagination. In a way, we become Gollum from Lord of the Rings with our own “preshus”. If you've ever had a word count deadline or been in revision hell, you know how feasible it is to actually begin to resemble Gollum physically. And when this happens, you should seriously step away from the computer for a period of time.

So, stay with me here as I continue to use the Lord of the Rings analogy for critique partners. After you've taken that first brave step and had someone, or several people, read your work, it's only natural that you become comfortable with a select few. The bond you form with these people is very much like that of the Fellowship of the Ring. You're out for a common good: making that manuscript the best it can be either for querying, for an agent, or for an editor. The best critique partners are the ones who give a mixture of tough, constructive criticism as well as comments that can talk you down from the ledge or stop you from torching your laptop in rage.

But the greatest gift I've found with my critique partners is the friendship. These are people who will pick me up when the publishing game has left me bloodied and battered on the floor. They are the wind beneath my wings, and the reason I get up, brush myself off, and try to fly once again. Some people say it takes a village to raise a child. I think this is true in the publishing world as well. I know I couldn't have made it this far without my critique partners....my manuscripts most CERTAINLY could not have made this far!

So, if you've got your own group of Sam's, Merry's and Pippin's, then hold tight to them. They're what make the journey--the quest up to Mt. Doom feasible.

My Critique Partner thanks goes to Jamie Blair, Annie McElfresh, Becca Rogers, Stephanie Jenkins, and Hannah Wydey. GOLDEN GIRLS BOOK TOUR 2054!!!!!

Flashback Friday and GotYA

2010-08-13T08:02:00.001-07:00

Hey guys!

Yes, it's me the sucktastic blogger actually blogging. Whoo hoo, right? Well, don't get too excited. I'm not actually blogging....I'm actually giving you some linkie love of today's post and last Friday's post on GotYA. Yes, I'm terrible and sacrifice my own blog for the sake of the group.

This week's Flashback Friday gives you some inspirational quotes to think about as well as the opportunity to enter and win Personal Demons.

Last week's Flashback Friday deals with awesome 90's show My So Called Life--a must see for any Contemporary YA writer.

So, check them out!!! :)

"Krista, you got some splanin' to do!": A Post on Why I'm Taking a Break from Teaching

2010-08-01T15:57:00.001-07:00

This is a timely post in some ways, and in others, it's way over due. It's to address why I'm not teaching this year. And I thought I'd borrow a little from one of my favorite shows, I Love Lucy, to explain what exactly was going on.

There's been two kind of reactions when I told people I would not be going back to teaching next year.

#1

and #2

BUT WHY?
I think people are shocked for a number of reasons. The first being I've taught for nine years. Yep, nine years. I like to flatter myself I was just a mere child myself when I started teaching....actually, it's more like I was barely 22 when I got my first job. I taught six years in middle school, three years in high school, and I also taught one year of adjunct college classes. Besides the experience, most people know I spent time and energy on teaching. In other words, I got my Masters degree and my Gifted Certification. I also won a Class Act Teaching Award and got featured on a local news station. And most know that I love teaching. They've heard me tell stories about teaching, talk about my students--even request prayer at church for them. So I guess that's why they've been baffled.

And really, I'm taking a break this year. I don't intend to turn my back on teaching forever. I'd miss the kids too much to do that.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?
I'm not leaving teaching to do nothing but sit around the house. I DO HAVE another job--I would not have left without making sure I had another income. I will be freelance writing for Demand Studios. I know the word "freelance" makes it sound like fly by night or not steady work. But it is! I can make as much as I did teaching....frankly, I can make more than I made teaching. It just depends on the hours I want to devote to it. I write on what I want to, when I want to, and I get paid twice a week. Not bad, huh? And I get to work from the comfort of home....in my pajamas. *yes, I'm smiling right now*

So what do I write? I get to write on anything and everything. Demand gives you set titles. You research about them and then write them. I've written on everything from the Top Buckhead Condos, to how to get cat urine how of carpet, to goals for student teachers, to RV campgrounds in Idaho. That's the beauty of it. You write on so many different things that it's hard to get bored.

Here's what my new work schedule will look like:

7:00: Get up and go walk(I want to build back to the 5miles I once did)
8:00-8:30: Breakfast & Shower
8:30-12:00: Work
12:00-2:00: Lunch and Afternoon Break(Probably cooking some for my grammy to make sure she's eating better)
2:00-4:00: Work

ONCE AGAIN....WHY?
But here's the truth and real reason I left: I needed a change. I was mentally and physically broken down. Some people might not think that Anemia coupled with B12 deficiency is really an issue. Trust me, it is. When you come in from work and have to sleep two hours just to get through the evening, it's a problem. I went from walking five miles a day to barely having the
energy to get through the day, least of all walk. I'm on two self given B12 shots a week now--not fun for the gal who hates needles. Once upon a time, I could get a B12 and then run laps around my house. Nope, that's sadly not the case anymore. They're more for energy surival than energy boosts now. I'm hoping that this year off will help me recharge and get back to where I once was. Then I'll go back to teaching, or if something else has come along then, I'll do that.

What it boils down to is this is a God thing. He's calling the shots. He gave me the answers I needed to know what I was doing was the right thing. It's terribly hard trust him and not doing what feels comfortable to you. But in the end, I know it's for the best.

So, that's the skinny on why I'm not teaching this year.

Sunday Slobber: My DC Trip Recap

2010-07-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

*DISCLAIMER: I HAVE BEEN MESSING WITH THE MARGINS, SPACING, PICTURES, etc FOR THIS POST FOR OVER AN HOUR!!! I GIVE UP! I HATE, HATE, HATE BLOGGER!!!

Anyway, carry on!!!

Wow, I'm blogging twice in one week. Shocking, huh? I know you think what pupster Duke is doing is all I've been doing this summer, but I promise it's not.....life has been EPICALLY complicated, lol.

While I blogged over at GotYA about my ALA experience( here is the LINK if you wanna check it out), I wanted to do a little recap of my DC trip. I'd never been to our nation's capital before, so I left two days before the conference started to do a little sight seeing.

First stop was the Smithsonian--can't believe how huge and how many of them there are. Once I figured to head over to the Museum of American History(no offense, I wasn't much on the Natural History--although seeing the Hope Diamond was way cool! As a history nerd, I really wanted to see the First Ladies dresses. And as an even bigger Kennedy fan, I was stoked to see Jackie Kennedy's innaugural gown.

And here's Michelle Obama's

Also in the museum of American History are the Ruby Red slippers worn by Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz. I played Auntie Em in an elementary school version back in the day! LOL

And then as a big fan of the Carol Burnette Show, I loved that they had the gown she wore in the Gone with the Wind parody sketch with the "curtain" dress

After the Smithsonian, I headed over to the National Archives where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution are housed. And don't let the movie National Treasure fool you. They keep the room very dim to protect the documents, and the average wait time to see them is forty-five minutes. The actual Declaration is hard to read in parts because the writing has faded over time. Very cool to see it up close and personal.

While walking around I saw the Hoover FBI building and the Bobby Kennedy Justice Building. Then I took a Trolley tour of the city, and I got to see the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, Jefferson Memorial, Capital, Union Station, White House South lawn, etc . On Thursday afternoon, I had also planned to see Ford's Theater where Lincoln was shot, but I found out after the fact you had to get your tickets a day in advance, so I only got to see the outside of the building. BUMMER! I packed a lot into Thursday from 12:00 on, so I headed back to the hotel with burning feet and took it easy for the rest of the evening, lol.

On Friday morning, I headed out with a group tour to George Washington's home, Mt. Vernon. The former plantation grounds are immense and very beautiful. The Washington's loved to entertain, and they almost always had guests at their house. We even saw the bedroom where George died. I also met a lot of great people on the tour, which was also very nice.

The back porch looks out over the river, and it's BEAUTIFUL!!!

Next up on the tour was Christ Church where both George Washington and Robert E Lee attended.

Then we headed over to Arlington National Cemetery to watch the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns, which is really amazing, humbling, emotional, etc to watch.

Then we stopped at the Kennedy graves. As I said before, I've always been a big fan as well as reader of history on the Kennedy family--their service to America, their courage and faith under extreme circumstances--so I was especially thankful to get to see where John and Jackie were buried along with Bobby and Teddy. Their graves are on the hillside below the Custus Lee mansion, which is also very beautiful.

I deeply admire Bobby Kennedy for his work on the Civil Rights Movement, the less fortunate, and wanting to get us out of Vietnam. It was very surreal to stand before his grave, especially after just teaching about him in May.

After Arlington, we stopped at the WWII Navy monument, which is also known as the Iwa Jima memorial. My grandfather served in the Navy during WWII, so this was especially poignant for me.

Our last stop was at the Vietnam, Korean, and Lincoln Memorials. The Vietnam Memorial is especially important to me since my dad served in Vietnam and passed away in 1997 from Agent Orange Related cancer from his service. He visited the wall in the 80's, and I have pictures of him standing before it and the statue of soliders. As a child, I saw the Moving Wall several times at the Vietnam Veteran campouts we would go to over Memorial Day. But seeing the actual one was very important.

The Presidents I admire most are Lincoln, Roosevelt, and JFK. So, the Lincoln Memorial was on my list of places I HAD to see for many reasons. The first being it was about the man I greatly admired and felt a great affinity with. Lincoln struggled for most of his life with depression over the loss of family members, especially his mother, but his depression was the kind that fueled his greatness. I certainly feel a connection with him on that matter. Secondly, my great-grandfather, a master stone carver, actually worked on the Lincoln monument back in the 20's. So, visiting there was an appreciation of his work as well. Finally, another man I great admire, Martin Luther King Jr, gave his famous I Have a Dream speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It was amazing to think of how much history has been there.

It is such an imposing sight when you step inside to see Lincoln. And of course, his gaze is still watching over Washington DC, just like the Jefferson Memorial has Jefferson keeping an eye on the Capital.

A view from the bottom of the monument.

View from the steps...much of what MLK would've seen as he delivered his speech.

Once again, by 7pm, I was exhausted! I was supposed to go on a DC by Dark tour Friday night, but I knew if I wanted to have any energy for walking around the exhibit hall at ALA, I had better rest up. So I headed back to the hotel for Chinese food and Moonstruck on tv. Couldn't ask for more.

Saturday at the Washington Convention Center for ALA with Rebecca, Miranda, and Sumayyah was AWESOME!!! Then I left on a 11am flight on Sunday. So, it was a pretty whirlwind trip, but I'm so glad I went, and I got to see as much as I did.

WTF Wednesday: Query Pyramid Schemes

2010-06-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm still in shock about this one. I've gotten the bogus emails from Nigeria before--you know the ones asking you to give them your bank account, so they can make a deposit of oh, 50oK or so, and then you'll magically get 10% of it for simply allowing them to transfer money through them. Actually, I got that one many years ago in snail mail as well.

So this morning through my post haze 3:30 am bedtime after Eclipse's Midnight Showing, I peer down at my iPhone to see the following email:

*I did decide to block out the agents names, this person's email, and phone number*

From: BLANK

To: BLANK
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:18:58 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: Query from India

Hi there,

Greetings from India.

A recap, since that is needed, please.

In December, I landed myself three agents from the UK and US for my Indian reincarnation historical novel set in strife-torn, anarchic British Calcutta during 1885-1905.

They were BLANK of the Maggie McKernan Literary Agency in the UK, and Blank of the US.

I chose BLANK as she was absolutely fascinated by the book.

After several revisions, I suddenly got a mail from her day before yesterday saying she was opting out for personal reasons.

I am devastated since we had planned to begin submissions in July.

Over the phone, she told me that she was taking leave from agenting for an indefinite period because of some personal crisis.

She has, however, been kind enough to refer me to some of her colleagues but frankly, that does not excite me.

The novel, which was meant to hit NY next month and is at 98k words after revision, is thus now up again for rep.

Would you care to have a look, please?

BLANK says she has not submitted the MS anywhere.

I am willing, of course, to share all correspondence that I have had with Patty.

Thanks

BLANK

Deputy Editor

New Delhi, India

Ph: and ( Pl feel free to call anytime)*I blocked out their number.

--

WTF?

I mean, I'm not an agent.....I don't even play one on TV, so I'm not sure why this person is emailing me asking for representation. Not to mention, it's not actually SENT to me. WHAT?Plus, I love the line about how they're not too thrilled by being recommended to the agent's other colleagues. Um, why wouldn't you want to do that rather than having to start all over? It reeks of ick as well when showing all correspondance from the other agent. Um, does she know that? If she is an actual agent....I'm still half asleep people so I haven't done all the leg work!

Sighs....so, after getting this, I'm thinking there's enough wtf's to make it a weekly segment. And that is fairly frightening!!

Where the Hell Have I been & How GotYA got me!!!!

2010-06-19T20:47:00.001-07:00

Howdy peeps,

Yeah, I just realized that it had been almost a month since I posted. So, where the hell have I been? Was I lost in the desert somewhere like the Grizzwalds on their hellish crusade aka vacation to Wally World?

Um, no.

I wish I had that good of an excuse, but sadly, I don't. To go this long without blogging is...scary and shocking and slothful and a whole bunch of other "s" words. I promise you that the big L has gotten in the way....yep, life. Things have been rough, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Changes are coming my way. I can't really say for certain what they are yet, but this time next week I should be able to.

While my personal blog has suffered, I have been blogging over at my group blog GotYA. Here's some of my posts:

Flashback Fridays: 80's and 90's Toys...I even vlogged for this one....it's scary!

Flashback Fridays: 80's and 90's Fashion

Flashback Fridays: Memorial Day Salute to Veterans

Flashback Fridays: Summer Vacation Memories

Flashback Fridays: Summer Vacation Reads

Besides LIFE being scary and sucky, I spent a few days at Hilton Head. Love, love, love Hilton Head and the beach, but this time I had a little snafoo when I tried to come in around noon from the beach. Never worn flip flops on the beach before when I was there....didn't have them on thsi time, and what happen? 2nd degree burns on the bottom of my feet! Yes, I know, CRAZY! I ended up not getting to go back to the beach on Thursday, and thankfully, I made it back on Friday. My left foot is STILL healing. Yeah, not good.

Then this coming Thursday, I leave for Washington DC to attend the ALA conference!!!! I've never been to DC before, so I'm going up a few days before the conference, so I can see the sights. I'm also so pumped about meeting the authors at the conference along with some writing buddies too!

Tomorrow I promise to post blog awards since people have been kind enough to bestow them on me even when I suck at bogging lately!

I Haz a Teaser Tuesday!!! It's from "Hello Again, Gaby Briggs"

2010-05-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

So, this is really different than any YA I've written. It's from Hello Again, Gaby Briggs, a crazy, kooky, and just plain fun to write. I've got almost 6K into it, and fortunately, the agent really likes it. So, here's a scene that kinda went a little longer than I wanted, since it's supposed to be snippets, but I hazn't teased in so long it got the best of me!

My eyelids fluttered as I strained to wake up. When I stretched, searing pain radiated through my body. “Ow!” My usual lumpy mattress felt hard as marble.

“Gaby!”

Zoey’s incredulous voice broke through what felt like a drug induced coma. “Yeah, yeah, I’m awake. Give me a minute or two, kay?” I grumbled, as I turned over in bed to come face first with a wad of grass. “What the…” My eyelids snapped open.

It wasn’t the usual comfort of my bedroom. Inky black darkness enveloped me except for the faint amber glow of a circle of flickering candles. Squinting my eyes, I tried to make out the things around me. Flowers, maybe a tent in the distance, and then I gasped.

Headstones.

I bolted to my feet. Zoey stood in front of me, white as a sheet. Well, even whiter than her usual gothlike persona. “Z-Zoey, w-where the hell am I?”

“McKinley Memorial Park.”

“And why am I here?”

An odd smile curved on Zoey’s lips. “Because you died,” she said, in a hushed whisper.

I fought the urge to say, “Why are we whispering? Are we afraid to wake the dead or something?” Instead, I cocked my head at her, “Well, isn’t that fabulous. And here I thought I’d been dragged along with you to some weird Vernal Equinox celebration or something.”

Zoey didn’t respond. Instead, she lurched forward like a baby taking its first tentative steps. A shaky hand reached out to touch my shoulder. As soon as she touched me, she jumped back like she’d been bitten by a snake or something. “Holy shit!” Her head full of dark hair shook wildly at me as she started weaving in and out of the circle of candles. “I did it. I really fucking did it! Oh shit!”

Since I was used to her kookiness, I chose to brush off the grass and weeds stuck to my dress. Wait, I was wearing a dress? And a fancy one at that. I brought my hand to my forehead. This was all so confusing. “Um, Zoey?” I questioned, as she continued her erratic weaving and mumbling. “Can you tell me why I’m at McKinley Memorial Park wearing my best dress in the middle of the night?”

She snapped back like a rubber band. Her wild eyes met mine. “I just told you.”

“Yeah, uh, you told me that I’d died, which is, you know, interesting and all. But I’m thinking I might have been dead drunk at best, but literally flat-lined dead, nope, don’t think so.” But when I stopped to think about it, I didn’t remember drinking. I cupped my hand over my mouth and puffed in a few breaths. It was a little stale smelling maybe, but it didn’t reek of alcohol.

“You’re not drunk, Gabs,” Zoey said.

“Look, we’ve been friends too long for you to be punking me like this. What’s next, Ashton Kutcher’s gonna come rising up outta a grave like in the Thriller video all decomposing and stuff?”

Zoey brought her hands to her hips and narrowed her eyes. “I’m not punking you. You died, Gabs. You know, deceased, expired, bought the farm, took a dirt nap, etc.”

I drew in a deep breath. “Okay, look, I get it. You’re still epically ticked at me for the way I’ve been hanging out with Samantha and dressing like, as you call it, “a coked out Gossip Girl reject”. So here it is. The big apology you’re obviously so desperate to get that you’re willing to drag me out here to the cemetery in the middle of the night and try to freak me out with some story of my death. I.am.SORRY!”

We stared each other down in the shadowy glow cast by the candles. Finally, Zoey motioned her head towards something behind me. Slowly, I swiveled my head. Squinting, I surveyed the headstone I’d been leaning up against. My blood ran cold. “Gabrielle Elizabeth Briggs. Beloved daughter and sister,” I read in a shaky voice.

It was a surreal moment—like the world skidded to a halt and jolted every molecule in my body. The muscles in my legs melted like wax, failing to support me. The next thing I knew, I pitched face forward to the ground and literally ate dirt.

Flashback Friday: 80's and 90's Fashion and Fads

2010-05-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

This week over at GotYA we're talking about the Fads and Fashion of the 80's or 90's, depending on when you grew up. I'm kind of a child of both the 80's and 90's. Since I was born in 1979, I spent most of my childhood in the 80's, and then most of my adolescence and teens in the 90's.

So, I took a little stroll thru the family albums, and here's a few things I came up with and/or what I was able to scan in, lol. This pic is at my kindergarten graduation with my mom and grandmother. What I like it is captures both the fashion of childhood and adults. There's polka dots and bows on my mom and big beads on my grammy. Then whenever I got dressed up in my childhood, it was in the big dresses with crinolins, patent leather Mary Jane's, etc.

I totally had a purple Members Only jacket when I was little, and last night, I could not find the picture where I was I sporting it! My grandaddy bought it for me, and my cousin and I had matching purple ones. He, on the other hand, had one in almost every color! It was epic.

Ah, Swatch Watches....I loved these growing up! I probably had a couple.

I found this pic and totally snorted out loud at the fashion...er, maybe lack thereof. I'm sporting a Mickey Mouse hat, which was huge in the early 90's where I'm from, along with the epic "ghetto fabulous" Bugs Bunny and Taz t-shirt. Gotta love the length of the shorts too!

You probably didn't get out of the early to mid 90's without doing Glamour Shots at a local mall. Extreme hair and makeup along with four costume choices and voila, you could be on the cover of Vogue....or not, lol.

These are some of mine, and they HILARIOUS! You gotta remember I was 14 at the time....I look 30 if I'm a day!!!

So what were some of your favorite trends?

Sunday Slobber...a day late and a dollar short!

2010-05-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm the epic of blogging suckiness lately. I'm totally feeling the summertime crunch. I have 15 days left of school, 10 real days of teaching. Our last week is finals, and we have half days for the teachers and kids. But here's the thing: I just wanna be out. I don't wanna grade. I don't wanna teach. I don't really wanna do anything, lol. But I must!

(1). REVISIONS....I HAZ THEM!

So, I'm on Part Deux of The Guardians Agent Revisons. The good news is I had a real breakthrough on what my agent wanted to me to do, so once I have more time(or once I can make myself focus for long periods of time!), I think I can tear through it!! Even though it's frustrating, I am really proud of how far TG has come since it's original revision on January 09'. It really goes to show the power

Here's just how far TG has come....it was like Chance when he was a little puppy, and then it's grown to a big, gallumping, dog! LOL It's hard to imagine he was ever that small!

(2). Household Projects: This is Chance being a couch potato on the couch in my Office...well, it used to be the Office. I'm doing some remodeling/reworking, and I've moved the couch into the bonus room where's there's another love seat. I'm also hoping to paint the office as soon is school out. I'm really excited. I'm thinking of deep red, and then I wanna paint the bonus room as well. I, uh, have never much painted, so we'll see what kinda craziness occurs!

Flashback Friday: The Songs that Stayed With Me

2010-05-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today's Flashback Friday is on the Songs that Stayed With Us. You know, those songs that when you hear them, you're instantly transported back to another place in time? The good times, the bad times, the crazy, fun, insane times? Well, here's a look back at some of mine! Not only do I mention some of the songs, but I'm also flashing back with some props from back in the day!

When I think of the first "tapes" I owned and my first "ghetto blaster", I think of two songs True Blue and Born in the USA. They were the first tapes I had to play on it, and I probably wore them out. Songs by Madonna take me back to my early childhood, jamming out to Material Girl, Papa Don't Preach, and True Blue. Whenever I hear Born in the USA, I think of my dad who was a HUGE Springsteen fan along with the fact that it references a Vietnam Veteran's issues readjusting to life after the war. My dad proudly served in Vietnam.

Hearing Tiffany's I Think We're Alone Now reminds me of elementary school and all the great times I had playing dolls and Barbie's with my cousin, Andrea, or my good friends. I have a lot of Tiffany on my iPod, and when I hear this song or anything by her, I'm instantly transported back to those times.

Here's a bag o' Barbie's, lol. I kept most of the ones I had from when I was little. Was I tempted to brush their hair and straighten their clothes when I took the pic? HELL YES! LOL

Here's my puppy, Duke, checking out some of my Barbie's....he srsly wanted to chew their heads off!

Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch's Good Vibrations takes me back to 7-9th grade Tap and Jazz classes at The Academy of Dance Arts. We always stretched and warmed up to thumping songs, and this was one of them. I can hear the opening chords, and I'm back with Ms. Terry, my teacher, learning dances...and also considerably thinner!! LOL

Here's some of my old dance costumes....yes, I do keep EVERYTHING! LOL

It's kinda a strange music for a cheerleading dance, but for some reason, we danced to the a remix of the opening of AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long when I was Varsity Cheerleader. Whenever I hear the opening of that song, I seriously start to count off in my head, and I can still remember the opening 16 counts and dance moves to that! LOL

Here's one of my old uniforms along with my letter jacket.

Deana Carter's Strawberry Wine is the essence of my Senior Year. I can remember rolling down the windows on my fire engine red Eclipse and cranking the cd player to insane decibels. Then my best friends, Kim and Tiffany, and I would sing at the top of my lungs. It's a song about going back to a particular time in my life, and I know that I can never go back to that special, carefree time in high school.

What about you? What are some of your "songs that stayed with you?"

Steph Su Reads EPIC, and I do mean EPIC, Contest for ARCS!

2010-05-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

This contest comes from Steph Su. http://stephsureads.blogspot.com/2010/04/big-spring-giveaway.html

"One extra cool and lucky winner can receive the following Arcs: The Gardener by S.A. BodeenShe's So Dead to Us by Kieran ScottStolen by Lucy ChristopherShadow Hills by Anastasia HopcusShade by Jeri Smith-ReadySigned books:Inside Out by Maria V. SnyderThe Heart Is Not a Size by Beth KephartAnd yes, the books are signed!"

Then 1st Runner Up gets the following goody pile from authors. Basically, lots and lots of stuff that authors have given me to distribute, etc.The first runner-up winner will get the following pile of swag:

And the second runner-up will get the following:

The giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY and ends Friday, May 7, 2010. Less than a week people, but you can do it!!!

Sunday Slobber aka My Week in Review

2010-04-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

Here's my weekly, er sometimes bi-weekly, segment where I allow my dogs and sometimes my cats to recap the week for me.

So, why is Chance grinning you might ask? Well, he's excited b/c there's only 25 days left of school. WHOO HOO and YEE HAW! Sorry, I had to do that. Sure, I have to do the two post-planning days, but those are kid free days where most of our work is done(I enlist some kids to help pack up my room. They love candy bribes), and we get to go out to lunch and hang together. It's not that I don't love my students or love teaching. It's just it's been a really stressful year, and I'm so ready for a break. Plus, I love summer because it's a reading and writing free for all! Yeah, I'm a nerd that way. But I do have a beach trip planned for the first week in June that I'm really excited about. And who knows where the rest of the summer will take me.

So why is Little Man aka Duke hiding behind the couch and love seat at Grammy aka Big Mama's? Well, he's totally capturing how I felt Tuesday when I sent my agent the outline(well, chunky ramblings of an outline) of Book 2 of The Guardians. We're hoping to go out with TG soon, and often pitching a UF as a series helps along the way, thus you need that outline! Can we say Krista doesn't do outlines? Sure, when I first got the idea for TG back in November of 08, I saw where I wanted to story to go in Books 2 and 3. But that was before the epic revising, revising, and

REVISING I did. When you up the stakes in one book, you kind of figure you're going to have to do that in the next. And I totally added a lot of fantasy elements to TG that I'll need to keep up in the second. I also sent her the revised synops of my YA Contemporary, Nets and Lies, along with the chunky outline of my Dystopian Disaster. Thus, why I'm still cowering in fear of what she might think when she reads abut the Dystopian, lol.

And then finally, this is exactly how I will feel until school is out. That's right. I'll be a hyperactive puppy shredding a pillow when my owner turned her back to change the sheets! Okay, well, maybe not....especially on the hyperactive part(see below on that reason, lol). It's just the frustration bit I guess. The last six weeks after Spring Break are an exhausting time. We have End of Course Tests that kids have to take, thus we have to prepare for. Of course, their attention span doesn't make for a great testing environment, lol. They're ready to be out, we're ready to be out.

It's also how I feel because I'm so ready for my health to be back where it once was. Fortunately, my doctor prescribed the 2x's a week B12 shots I must take for me to give myself. It was such a pain to try to get to the doctor's office each week and get them. On Thursday, I successfully gave myself a shot, and I'm due for another today. FUN TIMES! LOL

Anyway, I hope you all have a lovely and productive next week!

Flashback Fridays: Movies That Defined a Generation

2010-04-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

Over at GotYA, the group blog I belong to, we're starting a weekly segment called, "Flashback Fridays" where we stroll through the past along with making connections to the future. This week's topic is Movies that Shaped a Generation. Over there I mentioned Harry Potter, Twilight, Mean Girls, etc. So, it's a little hard finding some for here as well, lol. In truth, it's more of a generational gap that finds me stuck in the middle of movies that defined a generation.

Here's why. All the great 80's movies that I touched on over at GotYA like Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and Ferris Bueller were of my young years since I was a child in the 80's. Don't get me wrong, my friends and I totally wore out the VHS tapes to these movies, but it wasn't like I was experiencing them in the moment of my actual "young adult" phase.

When I think of my "young adult" years/tweens, comedy instantly comes to mind. The early to mid 90's saw the spike in SNL alumns like Mike Meyers, Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, and David Spade. We flocked to see Tommy Boy, Wayne's World, and Billy Madison.

Here's some great lines from Billy Madison

Principal: Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Billy Madison: Okay, a simple "wrong" would've done just fine.

Billy Madison: I swear to God I'm sick. I can't go to school.

Juanita: If you're gonna stay home today, you can help me shave my armpits.

Billy Madison: Oh my God. I'll go to school.

Veronica Vaughn: So what's it like, being back in school?

Billy Madison: I don't know. I kinda feel like an idiot sometimes. Although I am an idiot, so it kinda works out.

And when I look back once more to high school, Jim Carrey movies like Ace Ventura and the Mask totally defined us because they brought words into our lexicon like "alrighty then","smokin'", "Looo-hooo-zuh-her!""Holy Testicle Tuesday", "Yes, Satan?", "Like a glove!"

Some of my favorite scenes from Ace Ventura:

(This scene is especially for my BFF Tiffany from HS, lol)

Ace Ventura: [with a German accent] How can I be getting zis vork done wit all de shouting? Control de shouting?

Reporter: Who's That?

Ace Ventura: Heinz Getwellvet. I am trainer of dolphins. You want to talk to de dolphin, you talk to me.

Reporter: What happened to the other trainer?

Ace Ventura: Vat happened to him? Vat happened to me? Seven years I am wit Siegfried. [he holds up only four fingers] Ve are making de dolphins disappear, und den Roy is coming wit de vite tiger und ze shtuffing in de pants und den I'm gone.

Reporter: [skeptically] Where is Snowflake?

Ace Ventura: Why do you care about Snowflake? Do you know him? Does he call you at home? [shouts]

Ace Ventura: Do you have a dorsal fin? To train ze dolphin you must zink like ze dolphin! You must be getting inside ze dolphin's head. I am saying to Snowflake, "Akay!... Akay Akay Akay?" und he is saying "AKay Akay!" und he is up on ze tail "Eeeeeeeeee!" und you can quote him! [Ace spits]

Roger Podacter: Alright, it's almost time for Coach Shula's press confrence, uh, lets let Heinz do his work?

Ace Ventura: [shooing reporters] Go to de conference, go to it.

Ace Ventura: I'm ready to go in, coach, just give me a chance. I know there's a lot of riding on it, but it's all psychological. Just gotta stay in a positive frame of mind. [Hops up] I'm gonna execute a button-hook pattern, super slo-mo. [Gestures and makes sounds of a slow-motion picture and stops] Let's see that in an instant replay. [Does a reverse playback sound and gesture]
[Melissa is pretending to be Ace's sister to check him into a mental hospital]

Doctor: Has he always had a history of mental illness?

Melissa: [truthfully] For as long as I've known him.

Then I was in college when the deluge of new teen movies surfaced like Cruel Intentions, American Pie, Not Another Teen Movie, She's All That, etc. Therefore, it's hard for me to find the exact movies of my generation, but no matter what, I'll always love feeling young at heart!!!!!

Flashback Friday #1: Like Sands Through the Hourglass, These Are the Books of My Youth!

2010-04-15T18:05:00.000-07:00

Over at GotYA, we're beginning a weekly blog segment called Flashback Fridays. We'll be talking about everything from books to movies to first loves to favorite vacations as well as relating them to the YA literature scene. We'll be "flashbacking" on our own blogs, but most of all, we want YOUR participation as well. So, mark Fridays as your blog days to gaze into the past and smile! The first ever Flashback Friday is on the books we grew up with. The ones that have stuck with us after all these years for both good and bad reasons. Think of the books that have meant something to you over the years.

So without further adieu, here's my favorite books from back in the day.

Betty Ren Wright and Mary Downing Hahn: OMG! These women had the ability to scare the pants off of me. With Wright’s books like Christina’s Ghost, The Dollhouse Murders, Ghosts Beneath Our Feet and Hahn’s Wait Til’ Helen Comes and The Doll in the Garden, they reigned supreme in the ghost and spine tingling chills genre. Wait Til' Helen Comes is still one of my all time favorite ghost story books from my childhood. I bought another copy when I was in highschool since I loved it so much.

Creepy Back in the Day Cover and now the new creepy cover!

And no collection would be complete with Are You There God, It's Me Margaret. I read my copy so many times that it eventually fell apart. I went years without being with Margaret, and it was tough. So a few months ago, I bought a Judy Blume boxed set. I so experienced everything that Margaret did from first loves to wanting my first period, etc. It's one of the greatest books of my life.

The Babysitters Club Books: I don't know where my childhood would have been without these books. When I say I was fond of them, that's a mild understatement. I had the books, the videos(ooh, did you not know about the series? It was tight!), the board game(what would you do if Jackie Rodwosky caught himself on fire?)--yep, I had it all. I even dressed up as Mary Anne in a "Dress Like a Book Character" Contest. My BFF went as Claudia. I have a huge loft left of books that were mine and then I got some of my cousins when she was selling them at a yard sale. However, there were some Super Specials that I really missed....so, once again, Ebay came to the rescue. I got 10 BSC Superspecials for $10, yes, $10 bucks! SOOOO exciting!

The Sleepover Friends: I plucked my first Sleepover Friends off the bookshelf in Mrs. Lemeska 5^th grade class. You could say it was love at first read! I immediately started devouring the rest of the books in the series—it's a pretty ease feat since they’re light on the wordage. I loved the antics and adventures of Lauren, Kate, Stephanie, and Patty. After so many years, I didn't have but a few random ones left. I’ve been wanting to reread the books for a long time, so I went on Ebay and found a lot of 16 books. I can’t wait to get to return back to Riverhurst!

Introducing GotYA...the blog formerly known as Old People Writing for Teens!

2010-04-15T09:53:00.001-07:00

Remember the Old People Writing for Teens blog aka OPWFT, right? Well, we were in need of a little work--you know botox, a nip here, a tuck there! Plus, Blogger is the bomb and totally puts Wordpress to shame. We're still offering the same great stuff like agent and author interviews, contests, 5 Minute Book Club, and we're also doing some cool new stuff like Flashback Fridays.

The following is what I borrowed from my bud and fellow blogger Annie's blog:

Now, you guys can follow all of our nutty antics, because guess what...Blogger lets you have followers (Click here to visit GotYA)! Yippeeeee!! So we all figured, since we are movng blogging sites anyway, lets spruce up a bit and show you a little more about our personalitites.
Warning!!! The following promo video showcasing the crazy skills of the wacky girls of GotYA may cause uncontrolled laughter, so please don't watch it where you'll get busted, because we may not have enough bail money to go around.

Sunday Slobber: Weekly Recap, Becca's Blog Contest, etc

2010-04-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

If you follow my twitter or know me from AbsoluteWrite or Facebook, you know I'm a HUGE pet and animal lover. So what better way to do weekly updates than to use a pet analogy for a post title along with pics of my pets! :)

Puppy Duke aka Little Man's Sad Panda face that Spring Break is over!

(1). Today is a day of great sadness or epic emoness. Why? Because my Spring Break is over, and tomorrow I have to go back to school. Sure, there's only six weeks left, but they're difficult weeks...kids have tasted the flavor of being off not to mention their springtime attention span and hormones are going crazy. I've done absolutely NOTHING this week, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration because I did do some serious spring cleaning. I also wrote a lot....5K each on my two new WIPS...I'm hoping to have 7K or 8K by this afternoon

on the latest of the late WIPS...more on it later!

(2). My writer buddy Becca is having a cool Art-themed contest over at her blog: Confessions of a YA Writer. Check it out. And if you're not following her, you totally should!

Chance says the contest sounds really cool and wishes he could enter to hone his artistic skills!

(3). Yes, I've started a new WIP. It's a YA Contemporary, and I really like it. It's kooky, silly, fun, and lighthearted, and I think its going to be a quick finish. I'm not going to delve too much into it right now, but I've been posting some snips in FNW, and I'll probably do some for my Teaser Tuesday.

(4). I've put the Dystopian on the back burner for the moment. Why? Well, after my esteemed writer buddies, Becca and Jamie, took a look, they helped me to realize I needed a bit more world building, which is one reason I'm not good at UF! So, I figure I'll keep thinking about it, and then finish it up when summer rolls around...if it's still rolling with me.

(5). I think I have a new writing nook. The weather this week has been beautiful, so I ventured outside. Lots of WIP wordage got written in my chaise lounge. I also embarked on spring cleaning the patio by scrubbing off the patio table and chairs, the grill, sweeping etc. Of course, this time of year in Georgia, the pollen is horrendous and tries to coat everything as soon as you clean it!

Duke helping me enjoy my new writing place!

Teaser Tuesday: Feather Circles from Grad School

2010-04-06T09:17:00.001-07:00

So, I decided instead of teasing from one of the multiple WIPS I have(sighs) that I would post a piece from a graduate school writing class. It's from the summer of 2007, and this class meant the world to me and my writing because after a long hiatus of not writing anything after my mother's death, my creative juices began flowing again. The class was twelve or thirteen other members of my English cohort, and we sat around in what was called a Feather Circle. When you had the "talking stick", you read your piece aloud in front of the class. It was a truly freeing experience. After you read your piece, everyone was expected to write thank-you notes citing particular things about the piece they liked. Whenever I got discouraged about my writing during the querying process, I would take out these thank-you notes and read them. They'd once again give me the encouragement I needed to go on.

Without further adieu, here's the first ever piece I wrote. We were to choose a symbol to represent us. I, of course, chose a Steel Magnolia...go figure!

Someone would think to call oneself a Steel Magnolia is a paradox. I suppose that at the crux of my being I am a paradox. I am a liberal and a conservative; I am a saint, and I am a sinner; I am at times made of unbuckling steel, and at others, I’m as genteel as a soft, southern Magnolia.

I am like the steel buildings that have risen from the ashes of the antebellum landscape of the south. I am ever changing. As the magnolia stretches its roots deep into the red Georgia clay, so are my roots inextricably bound to the culture of the south, of Georgia, and of Cherokee County.

I am a true child of the old south. I was reared on raucous family reunions with plates teeming with golden fried chicken, garden fresh corn, okra, and green beans, homemade pound cake, and sugary sweet tea out of a mason jar. I am from that Old Time Religion of fire and brimstone preaching, sweltering summer revivals, walking down into the watery grave of baptism and being reborn in the blood of the Lamb. I am from an oral tradition spun by the adults of my family around the dining room table on Sundays as well as from the cocooned safety of grandmother’s lap. All of this has been both the “miracle grow” and “the welding” of my soul.

It has taken a steely character, an unflinching faith, and a tremendous resolve to see me through the darkest times of my life. Cancer came with fiendish delight devouring my innocence with its ravenous appetite.

If someone is not made of steel then how is it possible for them watch as their father wastes away to resemble someone who has wandered out of a concentration camp? To watch a heartless and unfeeling disease degrade him from a fiercely independent man to a diapered and helpless shell of his former self. Seventeen years old, two weeks away from high school graduation and I sat before my father’s casket on a bleak, rainy Sunday. Taps, a 21 gun salute, and then a kneeling soldier presented me with a folded flag, “On behalf of a grateful nation..” Only one month after being diagnosed, Soft Tissue Sarcoma, an Agent Orange related cancer, cut my father's life short at fifty-one.

Five years later, Cancer came calling again. This time it was for my best friend, my rock of support, my hero: my mama. My mama, another Steel Magnolia, a history teacher, a loyal friend, and a faithful daughter of Christ, was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, a spider-like brain tumor. Its tendrils had embedded deep into her brain robbing her of her memory, her ability to speak, and ultimately the hope of survival. Only a month after her diagnosis, she passed away peacefully in the home that she grew up in, surrounded by her family and friends. Her death shattered me into a thousand jagged pieces from which I’ll never be whole again.

To be orphaned at twenty-three would devastate anyone. Ordinarily, you would buckle under the pressure and snap. There have been many times when I felt myself dying from the inside. Death, despair, and disillusionment had broken me. I willed myself to succumb to the hardening winter that crushed my spirit. But then a spring time would enter my soul, and I would be rejuvenated with faith and a hardened determination to go on.

After each tragedy and each heartache, I am only stronger. I have seen that nothing can tear down the steely resolve of my character and no disease can truly kill my roots.

Movie Mondays: The Lunacy of Leslie Nielson

2010-04-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

While trying to spice up the blog and add a little flavor, I decided to add a weekly segment called Movie Mondays where I stroll through favorite movies, quotes, and clips. So, in honor of April Fools day, I'm doing my first month of Movie Mondays on spoof and parody movies. First up, is my love for Leslie Nielson movies. It's hard to imagine in his younger day he was an A list actor starring with the likes of Debbie Reynolds in Tammy. He's probably most well known now for his goofy roles in the Naked Gun movies, Wrongfully Accused, Dracula: Dead and Loving It, and the Scary Movie spinoffs.

First up is one of my favorite Leslie Nielson spoofs, and it's probably the one that got him his start in parody movies.

It's the movie Airplane. If you've never seen it, check out the trailer cuz it's hilarious! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaXvFT_UyI8

Leslie Nielson doesn't come in for a wee bit in this movie that sp

oofs the great airline disaster movies of the 70's. But when he does, it's HILARIOUS! He plays Dr. Rumack, and here's some of my favorite lines of his:

Rumack: Can you fly this plane, and land it?
Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious.
Rumack: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.

[an epidemic of food poisoning is sweeping the plane]
Captain Oveur: What is it, Doctor? What's going on?
Rumack: I'm not sure. I haven't seen anything like this since the Anita Bryant concert.

Rumack: What was it we had for dinner tonight?
Elaine Dickinson: Well, we had a choice of steak or fish.
Rumack: Yes, yes, I remember, I had lasagna.

Srsly, my favorite character in this movie is Johnny, one of the guys in the flight control because is a such a smart ass and a goober! My favorite part is when they're coming in for a landing, and all the sudden the lights on the runaway go dark for Stryker and Elaine then it pans to the picture of Johnny unplugging the cord to the lights and going, "Just kidding!"

Here's some of my favorite lines from him:

Striped controller: Bad news. The fog's getting thicker.
Johnny: [jumps to an

overweight controller

] And Leon is getting laaaaarrrrrger.

Reporter: What kind of plane is it?
Johnny: Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big Tylenol

[reading newspaper headlines]

Rex Kramer: Passengers certain to die!
Steve McCroskey: Airline negligent.
Johnny: There's a sale at Penney's!

Steve McCroskey: I need the best man on this. Someone who knows that plane inside and out and won't crack under pressure.
Johnny: How about Mister Rogers?

You gotta love Lloyd Bridges character who takes the news on the ground pretty hard, and with each turn of bad news

comes the following lines!

Steve McCroskey: Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking & Steve McCroskey: Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking &

Steve McCroskey

: Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue AND Steve McCroskey: Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines.

And of course, who can forget the pedofile pilot, Captain Oveur with lines like these:

Captain Oveur: You ever been in a cockpit before?
Joey: No sir, I've never been up in a plane before.
Captain Oveur: You ever seen a grown man naked?

and a little later: Captain Oveur: Joey, have you ever been in a... in a Turkish prison? And a little later Captain Oveur: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?

Next of my Leslie Nielson favorites is Wrongfully Accused. It's a parody of The Fugitive, Titanic, Braveheart, The Usual Suspects, and even Lord of the

Dance!

Favorite lines:

Ryan Harrison: We can go away right now. I pack light. Everything we need is right here in my pants.

Ryan: How dare you, sir!
Guard: How dare YOU!
Ryan: No, how dare you!
Guard: No, no, how dare you!
Ryan: How dare you "no no" my how dare you!
Guard: You dare to dare me?
Ryan: How dare you how dare me when I how dare you, you big pee-pee head!
Guard: You are the Pee-pee head!
Ryan: Mr. Booger lips, ca-ca mouth!

Judge: Ryan Harrison, a jury of your peers have found you guilty of murder. On August 12th at Stillwater Federal Prison you shall have your sentence carried out. You shall be executed buffet style: lethally injected, electrocuted, and placed before a firing squad. May God have mercy on your soul, you bastard you.

Lt. Fergus Falls: There are two things that frost my butt: It's a snow cone about that high, and the other one is Ryan Harrison.

Ryan Harrison: [to Cass] When you shot me at point blank range, I knew you loved me.

Hilarious Scenes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVr5AJz2xNo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH8_i5S1Oqw

Up next week is the Mayhem and Majesty of....

Mel Brooks movies!!

Up, Up, and Away! My Blackhawk Helicopter ride with the ROTC!

2010-03-31T09:44:00.000-07:00

Today I got to take a ride in a Blackhawk helicopter through the ROTC at my school. One of the cadet's family lost their house to a fire, so they decided to do a fundraiser raffle to raise money for them. Here's where the plot thickens. I didn't actually win the raffle. Since I have no luck but crappy luck, I was one ticket close to winning. Then one of our sweet custodians, Mary, decided that she didn't want to go since her daughter was having surgery. She knew how much I wanted to go so she gave it to me. SQUEE! LUCK CHANGED! We had a great day to fly and here's some of the pictures!

The two choppers coming in after circling the school.

Landing and preparing to hear the pep talk, rules and regulations, etc.

My Buddy Paige and me

Strapped in and ready for take-off

Some of the views from the air

What my school looks like from the air

And this is me with my hair pulled back with the crazy wind inside the chopper!

The Soundtrack to the Submission Process Part One

2010-03-25T20:19:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has been querying or on submission knows it's not an easy process. While lamenting how I was firmly set in the 7th Ring of Hell the other night, I got to thinking about how we have playlists for our books. We sometimes even have the playlists of our lives--you know those songs that meant something to us during special times and places. Well, that got me thinking of if someone were to put together a compilation cd of all the songs that relate to the agonizing process. Here's Part One of the Cd!

(1). Highway to Hell: Yeah, this might seem excessive, but seriously, it would be numero uno on my list of the Soundtrack to Submission. I spent nine months on the query train a chug, chug, chuggin’ along. I seriously couldn’t imagine anything could possibly be worse, but alas, it is. Maybe it’s what querying nine months did to me in the fact that submission feels like one more hellish crusade.

(2). Under Pressure: There’s a lot of pressure in the submission process. First, there’s a race to prove yourself. Gotta sell, gotta sell, gotta sell! The sooner the better---you wanna be that person on submission a week or less before having a preempt deal or going to auction. There’s also the pressure to prove yourself to your agent. They chose you out of hundreds—maybe even thousands—of eager beaver applicants. You wanna make them proud and make them realize they were visionaries when choosing you. So besides proving it to yourself and to your agent, you also want to prove yourself to all your family, friends, critique partners etc—all those people who have supported you, loved you, allowed you to go on acidic, demon possessed rants and still talked to you, etc. It’s a heck of a lot of pressure pressing down on you!

(3). Survivor & (4). I Will Survive: You need some songs to remind you that no matter how hard and how emotionally and physically crippling the submission process might be YOU WILL SURVIVE. Sometimes I just have to put on the headphones and let Beyonce remind me that I’m not going to give up because I’m a survivor!

(5). Eye of the Tiger & (6). Gonna Fly Now: It’s hard not to feel like a pumped up conquerer when you hear these two songs from the Rocky movies. Just hearing those trumpets in Gonna Fly Now gives you the image of Rocky Balboa working his ass off to get in shape for the big fight. I totally feel revived when I hear it, and somehow I do my own mental run up those stairs and end in a fist pump…well, not a Jersey Shore fist pump or anything like that, lol.

(7). Don’t Give Up, Never Give Up: I really love this Eagle Eye Cherry song. I first heard it in the Holes movie. It’s not just the jazzy beat of the song that I love; it’s also the lyrics. “All our dreams are gone with a loss of faith. We're still hanging on for another day. It's so hard to see that it's going to get better, and when will that be it's hard to say…..Don’t give up, never give up. We won’t stop giving all we’ve got.”

(8). Sitting in Limbo: I think this song just about sums up the most agonizing part of the submission process….the wait. When you’re querying, it’s like you hold the cards. You research the agents, you query them, and then you wait for their response. When going on submission, it’s completely taken out of your hands. Not only do you have to wait, but you have to wait on many other people to let you know what’s going on with your book. The whole song is great, but I especially love these lines:“Sitting here in Limbo waiting for the dice to roll. Yeah, now, sitting here in Limbo. Still got some time to search my soul. Meanwhile, they're putting up a resistance, but I know that my faith will lead me on."

(9). When the Going Gets Tough….the Tough Gets Going: Yes, the awesome 80’s beat from Billy Ocean. And it’s such a true one. To survive the submission process, you gotta be tough, and when things get really hard and you don’t think you can go on, you gotta just keep persevering.

(10). The Climb: I actually blogged about this song when I was querying. It meant a lot to me then, and it still does now. I like the idea that all the hardship of the querying and submission process will mean something in the long run. It's about keeping a dream alive even when you think it's impossible. As long as there's that little flame flickering within you, the dream can stay alive until it comes to fruition.

Awesome Sauce Awards!!!

2010-03-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

I was given this award by the lovely, talented, Jamie Blair, and I wanted to pass it on to more deserving peeps. So, here's the rules If You Get Sauced:

Basically, define awesome, and then name 8 people you think fit that definition:
Awesomesauce: the quality of being awesome with ease, ie: just as spaghetti sauce flows easily from the jar, so does the awesome flow easily from them. Awesome: Awesome, in this case, means one of two things (or both):
A. They make me choke on whatever I'm eating on a regular basis because they're so freaking funny
B. They generally exude an air of cleverness, wackiness, or badassry."I'm sticking with Kaitlin's definition of Awesome and how Jamie stuck with it, because it's...uh...well...it's awesome and they're awesome.

Kaitlin is awesome because she's a bridge builder. On AW, blogs, and Twitter, she reaches out to everyone to talk. She's awesome because she shares my appreciation of Snuggie's. And she's awesome because she balances writing and blogging with a young son, and that's no easy undertaking.

Kristen is awesome in her 20's now! Not only is she an awesome writer, but she's an awesome person. I connect with Kristen on a spirtual level b/c I know she's someone of faith like myself. She never ceases to make me feel appreciated as a writer and a person.

Amanda is awsesome because she's a fellow GA gal and a teacher. Our meetup back in January fell through, but I'm sure we're going to meet up sometime soon. Amanda is an awesome photograph as well as writer, and she plays double duty being a wife and mom.

Sushi/Sumayyah because I think novels about other cultures that feature a diverse cast are awesome. She's also awesome b/c she kinda dropped off the face of the world there for awhile, but she totally came back, and I'm stoked!

Leah is awesome b/c like Sumyyah or Sushi she fell off the AW and writing side of the world for awhile, but thankfully she's come back as well. She's awesome b/c we can have some hilarious conversations on Twitter that often leads to us saying to much or others getting in trouble!

Sarah is awesome because she takes her writing so seriously that she's even entering the MAPW program. She's also awesome to join in with hilarity on Twitter, and I know that I can count on her to make our group blog a success.

Regan is awesome because I got to meet her in person and spend the weekend getting to know her and her writing. She's also awesome because she runs great contests on her blog, and she always shows me #FollowFriday love on Twitter!

And my Golden Girls Book Tour Girls(Becca, Jamie, Steph, and Annie!) Hey, it wouldn't be spicy awesome without a little cheating from 8 to 11, lol)

So long, farewell!! Well, for just a week!

2010-03-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist a title that makes an allusion to one of my favorite movie's of all time, The Sound of Music. Anyway, I digress. The point of this blog is to explain why I’m officially taking an internet hiatus. I think it’s in the best interest of my creative mojo/Muse if I spend my time off Absolute Write and Twitter. I’m at almost 10K post on AW and 3K tweets on Twitter. That’s intense!! It also equals a lot of valuable writing and reading time I’ve wasted. Well, I hate to say wasted because I don’t know what I would do without my writing peeps. They’re the wind beneath my wings! If you’re a Facebook friend, you’ll still see me on there a little bit because I have a lot of family and friends on there that I want to keep up with.

I really want to finish editing, The Road to Damascus. I had planned to have it locally published this winter, but it's looking better for late Spring or early Summer. Also, I want to finish edits on Nets and Lies. My agent hasn't read it yet, and I'd love to have it as shiny as possible to send to her. I've also taken a reading challenge this year to read 110 books in 2010, so time off the internet means more reading time as well.

So How long will I do it? My goal is to make it a week. I’m getting a little twitchy about that—like Tyrone Biggums twitchy, lol.

I've also had some health issues going on, so I really feel like this will help to recharge and reboot for a bit. Who knows, I might decide to make it even longer....or not!!!

Most of all, I'm usually a writing machine, and it's been hardly lately to even make myself open up a document. Me no likey that, and me wants to change that! Here's hoping!

I'll miss you all, and be back to play in a week!

YOU DID WHAT? Querying Faux Paus Gone Bad!

2010-03-05T06:41:00.000-08:00

So, faux paus…we’ve all made them. I’ve been known to maybe wear white flip-flops after Labor Day, oh, er, wait we’re talking about QUERYING faux paus, not fashion faux paus. DUH!

Yeah, that’s an ENTIRELY different ball game. Lemme just say that I’ve made quite a few blunders in the ol’ querying game. And today, I’m putting on my big girl panties and fessing up to them. First, lemme break down some stats for you.

Months spent in Hell aka Querying: 9. I began one frosty, late January morn of 2009 and received my first offer on October 17, which happened to come on the same day as my late mom’s 60th bday.
Novels Queried: 4
Genres Queried: 3….1 YA Urban Fantasy, 2 YA Contemps, 1 Adult Southern Literary/Christian Fiction

First, I’m breaking out the big guns, and I’m telling you about my most shudder worthy query mistake. Are you ready? Can you handle the truth?

Here it is:

I queried an unfinished novel.

Actually, I'm a repeat offender cuz I queried two!

When Don’t Hate the Player was within 2K of being finished, I sent out some test queries. The positive reception fueled me to finish.

But here’s the “querying unfinished novels to end all querying unfinished novels” story. In my defense, I blame roasting in querying Hell on what I did. The steam got to me and warped my mind.

So, DHtP was getting back to back rejections because of the dreaded boy book factor along with a revise and resubmit offer, TG was still hanging in there(picture a novel on life support with the blipping line going across the screen) and The Road to Damascus was flatlining because of what I call the Goldilocks factor: It was too secular for Christian pubs and too Christian for Secular pubs. I WANTED AN AGENT! Get the picture?

What happened next came out of desperation. A moment of pure insanity. I’d written around 20K of a YA Contemp called Nets and Lies. I thought it was pretty cool—some real edgy territory. So, I did the unthinkable. I wrote a query with the help of Kody Keplinger, Stephanie Jenkins, and Hannah Wylie. And I did it. I sent it to an agent who ALWAYS…ALWAYS requests partials.

You can imagine what happened. She requested a full. I probably stared at the email for ten or fifteen minutes. My first every query to request without rejection….and it was for a FULL.

So did I panic? Did I soil myself? Well, almost, but what I did do was write like a maniac and churn out 36K words in six days. Yep, I was sweat pouring, mania like Jennifer Beale in Flashdance.

And although I should caution you, although I should say, NEVER, EVER DO THAT...I won't. Here's why. Number one, I hate preachy posts by authors and writers who try to be all upturned nose and condescend to you. Yeah, some are published and agented, so they try to act all higher intelligence, but that's not what it's about. It's about being there for each other and learning from each other's mistakes.

Wanna know a little secret?

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken in the writing game.Trust me, that's a hard statement for a girl often labeled a "goody two shoes rule follower!"

Here's the truth. Yeah, it was a mistake to query, but what came out of that week of writing 36K was some great, deep stuff! I'm not lying or bragging, I promise, you can ask my beta readers what they think of Nets and Lies.

So, turns out my mania was nothing. I submitted the full around September 28...my first offer for DHtP came in on October 17th. Then I had to email all the agents with TG, RTD, DHtP, and NaL. It was epic! Then came two more offers for DHtP. AND I FINALLY HAD MY AGENT!

Long faux paus short, I'm the first to admit I made mistakes. I wouldn't advise you to make the same. Some people might think querying four novels was a mistake, some might think accidentaly quering an agent in the same agency is a mistake when they've said not to(yep, did that and got a request after a rejection).

In the end, I guess I could say what I heard people say before, "Do as I say, not as I do", but that's probaby not good either! LOL

I'm Baaaack! With goodies from the Brits! LOL A Book Trailer and Blog Award!

2010-02-22T20:38:00.000-08:00

Hey kids! Yeah, I've not fallen under a rock or anything. Life has been CRAZY! I never thought edits on the Guardians would take this long. I just finished up tonight at close to five weeks. Sure, that may not seem long to you, but for me, it was epically long because I'm usually a machine, lol.

Speaking of The Guardians, the ever talented and most awesome, Amna, made me a trailer for TG. I huggles it, and it's awesomess!!

Second, my "twin" across the pond, Laura/Common on AW, bestowed on me a blog award...the Sunshine award! Laura and I swear we're twins b/c we're so similar and think alike! I owe her GIANT props for helping me with some TG scenes and beta reading a huge chunk for me. She was awesome, but I treasure her friendship more. So, without further adieu, I'm passing on my sunshine award to:

Amna for her awesome trailer for TG and for her always upbeat and sunny dispositon! Totally loved beta reading for her.

Jamie for being my crit partner and my partner in crime! LOL She also writes some great books!

Rachele for always having an upbeat attitude on her blog and in real life, even as she begins the submisson process!

And I hope to be up and blogging better soon!

My Gatlingburg Writers Retreat!

2010-02-04T12:47:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to my post over at OPWFT about this past weekend when I went to the mountains, met up with two AW'ers, and had a great time in the snow writing and revising. I'm too lazy to repost, so I'm linking! LOL

http://oldpeoplewritingforteens.wordpress.com/2010/02/03/my-writing-retreat-opwftrs-unite/

No Teaser, but I haz won a blog award!! And u can too!

2010-01-26T06:04:00.000-08:00

When I started following Delphin, the Romantic Query Letter and Happily Ever After, I was amazed at all the great artwork she pulled into her blog. So, how honored am I that she has bestowed a Creative Scibbler Award on me. I myself am to pass it on to five peeps, and since I'm a writing rebel, I just have to pass it on to seven! LOL

First, here's the rules:

*Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends

*Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.

*Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.

*Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!

* Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

Becca at Confessions of a YA Writer

Jamie Blair

Stephanie Jenkins at Stephanie Writes

Annie McElfresh at Reading, Writing, Waiting

Hannah Wydey at Bitten Everywhere

Amna Mohdin at Amna Writes

Emilia Joyce Platter at PunkWriterKid

Thanks again, and here's to all the winners!

Reasons for Not Blogging: Revisions and EpicPuppyFail!

2010-01-24T19:17:00.000-08:00

This Duke, aka Epic Puppy Fail!

So, I have been quite remiss in the blogging--I didn't even do a Teaser Tuesday this week. FOR SHAME! Yes, I have unfortunately had bigger fish to fry. First being my grammy got a new puppy. The woman is eighty and hasn't had a dog since the 60's, but when the lawn man said he couldn't keep the puppy, she offered to take him. Please keep in mind the last dog she had in the 60's was a Daschund and this puppy is clearly a hound/Boxer mix. It's got some huge paws, which pretty much indicate it's gonna be a biggie. Somewhere down the road I have a feeling I'm going to be getting another dog. But he is a cutie, and I can't help but want to spend a lot of time with him. So, yes, since Monday, it has been puppyfail.

But there's something else looming over my head. REVISIONS! Yep, the dirty R word. Normally, I don't mind revisions. It's just we're talking about revisions on The Guardians. Please remember that I began writing TG in November of 08 and finished in January 09. Then began the epic journey of querying TG that resulted in practically continuous revisions from January until September, one offer from a less than reputable agent, two almost offers/lead me ons, a revise and resubmit from a small pub, etc. before I got my offer on DHtP.

My agent loves TG--the story, the characters, etc, but she feels there some things we could tighten, tweak, etc, to make it as marketable as possible since it's a fantasy novel. So, cue the Whitesnake music cuz, "Here I Go Again On My Own!" LOL

I'm really hoping to wrap up it up by this coming Friday. That's when I'm leaving for my writer's retreat weekend in Tennessee. I'm so excited!!

So, here's hoping for more bloggin' in the future!

The "HUH?" Factor in the Writing Game

2010-01-16T09:34:00.000-08:00

I’ve been amazed lately at the sheer volume of “gray” material in business that is supposed to be so black and white. Writers have it engrained in their minds that you do A correctly and without blemish to get to B, and should you dare to break the rules, you’re going downtown to Chinatown! But after time, most people realize how contradictory the rules, the advice, the path, etc. really are.

Some writer's blogs are filled with nothing but do’s and don’ts. They are kinda the publishing world’s code of ethics enforcers. And sometimes that can be good and sometimes it can be bad. So, you read a blog about how your online persona must be squeaky clean. Don’t dis other authors, don’t rant about the negatives of a book you disliked, and if you do, woe be unto you and your book! So, you vow then and there to never say a negative again. Then not five minutes later you get on twitter where pubbed authors are dissing genres of books, themes that have been overdone, etc. Part of you wants to put on your best sing-song voice and say, “Somebody’s in trouble!” But then the rational side goes, “Well, if they’re doing it without fear or persecution, who’s to say I can’t?

Please don’t infer from this that I’m saying to go put on your “______author Sux!” t-shirt and burn a book or something. I’m just trying to grasp what is right and what is wrong. You have to understand that in my personal life, I’ve always been a rule follower. I mean, we’re talking a serious Goody-Two shoes! Part of it was how I was raised and the other came from the fact I am a strong person of faith. So, it’s a big step for me to even be sitting here questioning “authority” so to speak. But here’s some other things that have come up lately.

How many times in YA Literature especially do we hear word count harped on? There seems to be a Goldilocks mentality of not too short and most certainly not too long. You have to find a “just right”. But then lately YA’s over 100K(a heinous no no!) have received a multi-book pub deal and become agented. So what gives? Is there a word count manifesto or not? What would have happened to these two authors had they constantly listened to the finger wagers of the world? Who’s to say?

When I was first querying my YAUF, I read an agent’s blog that gave critiques. One query she praised and even requested was written IN FIRST PERSON AS THE CHARCTER(insert shriek of horror) Yes, the ultimate cardinal sin of querying had not only been committed, but it had been SUCCESSFUL! So, are there query rules or not?

Some agents don’t want you posting teasers on your blog; some do.

Some agents don’t want you to post chapter snips on blogs or websites; some don’t mind if you have them.

One blog tells you not to trash talk authors; another blog has a quite humorous comic of writers.

In one breath several people will share their pub rejections somewhat anonymously while two posts down people will voice the negatives and potential career suicide for doing this.

Some agents caution their clients not to mention the sub process at all in blogs or online forums. However, some agents don’t mention it or caution against it.

I guess this blog is to serve as a cautionary tale. Sure, read up on advice on blogs and forums, but never take it as the 100% gospel truth because it isn’t. Author A might tell you this while Author B might say something completely different. Both of them got to where they are today, so somewhere along the way BOTH methods work.

So, at the end of the day, I, myself, will be following a quote from the movie Elizabeth I, “I promise to act as my conscience dictates”, which is really all any of us can do.

Teaser Tuesday from The Guardians

2010-01-11T21:38:00.000-08:00

So, I talked to my wonderful agent today about where we'll be going with The Guardians. I've got some lovely revisions ahead, but I also had some great ideas today of ways to achieve some of the suggestions. Because of that, I decided to tease from TG, well, actually give you the opening. Here's to it giving me the momentum I need!

We are the watchers—the keepers of things both seen and unseen. The unexplainable and inexplicable like the prickly sensation that runs up your spine, causing the hairs on your neck to rise. We are the feeling of comfort that wraps itself around you in times of grief and trouble. We are the guiders and protectors of the Host—the Guardians.

While we were tracking close on their heels, the mother and daughter hadn’t noticed us. Our shoes sloshed through the dingy puddles leftover from the morning’s rain. Striding across the deserted parking lot, the mother and daughter were engrossed in conversation. They knew nothing of us, but we know their names. The mother, who was edging towards forty, was Victoria; the fourteen-year-old daughter, and baby of the family, was Hannah. With their blonde hair and crystal blue eyes, they were mirror images of each other.

While on the outskirts of their conversation, we felt its light banter. Words like “crush” and “cutest boy in school” floated back to us. Then Victoria teased Hannah about something, causing Hannah’s to flush the color of her red shirt. At her daughter’s visible embarrassment, Victoria nudged Hannah playfully. It brought a smile to my face.

Then fear pierced us.

We felt the gang members’ pain long before they shuffled around the corner. Searing and dark, it hung around us like a cloak blocking out the May sun. Their eyes glowed amber, the hue of souls polluted by drugs and alcohol. Multicolored artwork and track marks tattooed their arms. In their animalistic state, they didn’t see the mother and daughter as people. To these animals, they were the next fix, the next trip. Their last high fading, the thugs’ bodies twitched for relief from their suffering. Gold wedding bands and glittering diamonds meant quick cash.

A desperate sob rose in my throat. I fought the urge to scream at the mother and the daughter. Why had they parked in such a place? Why weren’t they running to their car instead of ambling along, joking about who was the cutest Jonas brother and what were they going to have for dinner? I wanted to rail at them for being so naïve, so trusting. For all the little inconsequential details that altered the fate of our lives. But I couldn’t. The line between guiding and interfering was clearly drawn, and I couldn’t cross it.

As if to reiterate that fact, Gabriel, our leader, touched my arm. I glanced into his dark eyes, and he shook his head. “It isn’t our fight, Elijah.”

I bowed my head as the cold truth washed over me. I could only watch helplessly as it spiraled towards confrontation.

At the sound of the gang’s hurried footsteps, Victoria glanced over her shoulder. I saw the fear in her eyes and so did the gang.

“Mom?” Hannah questioned.

“Keep walking, Hannah!”

Victoria fumbled in her purse for the keys. One of the gang members cut in front of her before they could reach the car.

“Gimme your purse, Senora!” an angry teenager demanded. His clothes were ragged and dirty, and his tan skin pulled tautly over the bones in his face, illustrating how he only fed his hunger for drugs.

Victoria hesitated, noticing the silver gleam of a gun.

“I ain’t kidding, Senora! Give us the damn purse!” She thrust the bag into his waiting hands. “And the ring!”

Torment replaced the fear. “Please, don’t take it! It’s my wedding ring!”

“I don’t give a shit!”

“But it--

A single bullet tore through Victoria’s chest. As she collapsed, a crimson river flowed out onto the pavement.

“Mama!” Hannah screamed. She fell to the ground, burying her face in her mother’s lap.

A skinny guy with a greasy ponytail stared in astonishment. “Dude, what did you do?”

“Let’s go!” another cried.

As two of them turned, one spoke up. “But she’s seen us.”

“What?”

“Waste her,” the leader murmured.

At his words, Hannah snapped her head up. “Please don’t hurt me!”

The leader ignored her cries. As he raised his gun, Hannah shielded her face with her arms. Saving Victoria’s life had always been out of our hands. The reason we even stood here watching the scene unfold was understanding this moment would be vital for our mission’s success. This one tragic moment would be like a rock thrown into a pond, its ripples would be felt throughout the entire Thomas family.

It was then that Sophie broke away from us. Time crawled to a standstill as she stepped in front of the waiting bullet. Any other person would have cringed or trembled. But not Sophie. With a steely determination, she stared into the eyes of the killer.

The gun clicked.

Over and over, he pulled the trigger. With each misfire, Hannah jerked violently. Finally, the leader dropped his gun.