tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69775922162259923302024-03-13T13:57:38.867-05:00Playing With WordsBooks, articles and more!Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-85382581490858726082012-06-17T10:34:00.000-05:002012-06-17T10:34:00.102-05:00Chronal EngineI recently read <a href="http://gregleitichsmith.com/books/chronal-engine/" target="_blank"><em>Chronal Engine</em></a> by <a href="http://gregleitichsmith.com/" target="_blank">Greg Leitich Smith</a>. <br />
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From the author's website: <br />
<em>"When Max, Emma, and Kyle are sent to live with their reclusive grandfather for the summer, they’re dismayed to learn he thinks there’s a time machine in the basement.</em><br />
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<em>But when Grandpa Pierson predicts the exact time of his own heart attack, and when Emma is kidnapped by what can only be a time traveler, they realize he was telling the truth about the Chronal Engine. And if they want their sister back, they’ll have to do it themselves.</em><br />
<em>So Max and Kyle, together with their new friend Petra, pack up their grandpa’s VW and follow Emma and the kidnapper back in time, to Late Cretaceous Texas, where the sauropods and tyrannosaurs roam. Can the trio find Emma and survive the hazards of the Age of Dinosaurs, or are they, too, destined to become part of the fossil record?"</em><br />
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This novel has been on my to-read list for quite a while -- since the fall of 2009 to be exact, long before it had ever been contracted by a publisher. You see, the author happens to be married to <a href="http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/" target="_blank">Cynthia Leitich Smith</a> and from July through December 2009, she was my <a href="http://www.vcfa.edu/" target="_blank">Vermont College</a> advisor. During that time, I completed the first draft of a middle grade thriller featuring rival paleontologists while Greg was working on <em>Chronal Engine</em>. Cynthia's letters to me often included recaps of their visits to natural history museums or links to dino resources. <br />
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I didn't meet Greg in person until this spring, at an <a href="http://www.austinscbwi.com/" target="_blank">SCBWI conference in Austin</a>, just before the release of <em>Chronal Engine</em>. Our conversation went something like this: Time travel and dinosaurs? Sounds like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Nova_(TV_series)" target="_blank">Terra Nova</a> (now cancelled Fox tv show). <br />
Greg: No, it's Nothing Like Terra Nova.<br />
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He's absolutely right - Chronal Engine is so much better!<br />
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I was truly inspired by Greg's ability to make an adventure tale literary. His nods to Robinson Crusoe, HG Wells and Jules Verne raise this story from campy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_of_the_Lost_(1974_TV_series)" target="_blank">Land of the Lost</a> to a new level of smart fun.<br />
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Also impressive is the way he handles the scientific explanation of time travel:<br />
<em>"Dr. Einstein's relativity implies space-time pinholes, requiring infinite gravity.</em><br />
<em>But this came to me during the game today: quantum tunneling of pseudogravity particles and modulation of resulting chronal wave with field-resonant material should make instantaneous temporal inversion of massive objects possible."</em><br />
No, I have no idea what that paragraph means either, but that's it - he doesn't slog on for pages to explain this fictional science, he puts it out there and moves on. :-)<br />
The "massive object" turns out to be a classic VW bug - how cool is that?!<br />
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Another huge plus is the author's use of an ensemble cast. Kyle and Emma are about to start their freshman year of high school and Max is in eighth grade. This mix of ages, combined with a healthy dose of full-page illustrations give the book an almost graphic novel feel. These elements combined with a quick pace should appeal to a wide range of readers - including the illusive reluctant boy reader.<br />
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Greg Leitich Smith is represented by <a href="http://www.curtisbrown.com/gknowlton.php" target="_blank">Ginger Knowlton</a> of <a href="http://www.curtisbrown.com/about.php" target="_blank">Curtis Brown</a> and <em>Chronal Engine</em> was edited by Daniel Nayeri of <a href="http://www.hmhbooks.com/hmh/site/hmhbooks/" target="_blank">Clarion</a>, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.<br />
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<br />Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-81231920798964573172011-09-21T12:47:00.001-05:002011-09-21T12:48:16.803-05:00Sales & ReleasesCONGRATULATIONS to <a href="http://www.kellybarson.com/">K.A. (Kelly) Barson</a> - one of my fellow Bat Poets from the <a href="http://www.vermontcollege.edu/">Vermont College</a> Class of January 2011 - Viking will be publishing her book!<br />
Here's the listing from Publishers' Marketplace:<br />
Children's: Young Adult <br />
K.A. Barson's 45 POUNDS, about a girl who doesn't fit -- not into her blended family, and certainly not into Snapz! clothes, and who is certain that if she could lose 45 pounds, her life would be perfectly normal, only to find that there is nothing perfect about normal, to Sharyn November at Viking Children's, by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger (world). <br />
Also, AFTER OBSESSION by the team of Steven E. Wedel and VCFA alum Carrie Jones was released last week. A great ghost story for getting you in the Halloween mood. Here's the book trailer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/DwEn0b-Sy28?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-53786589205510431912011-09-02T11:16:00.000-05:002011-09-02T11:16:23.122-05:00We Have a Winner!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4j4eIECTtSAW4ROFJcVb4WGCcyI0B2pvvmVUQ_V2NTwx_TQcuwJpO78Z5S61mWQTsLDe1VwedOk3rISaob4GxCsi1ovYyU-7Ouvg00WgCnY7FErrpYbsT2OD4bTF8NqFGgYtxh4DKVGv/s1600/after-obsession-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4j4eIECTtSAW4ROFJcVb4WGCcyI0B2pvvmVUQ_V2NTwx_TQcuwJpO78Z5S61mWQTsLDe1VwedOk3rISaob4GxCsi1ovYyU-7Ouvg00WgCnY7FErrpYbsT2OD4bTF8NqFGgYtxh4DKVGv/s320/after-obsession-cover.jpg" width="213" xaa="true" /></a></div>Congratulations to Vivien, winner of the AFTER OBSESSION ARC! Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-59874025559567701002011-08-22T13:24:00.000-05:002011-08-22T13:24:48.427-05:00AFTER OBSESSION - Interview and ARC giveaway (part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6dis4_VhU-miIKG76wlxtRzc-FmvtJzD4-w1cSzhOiJ5mjQeZA1rwrUIFpIvyQBvkbFGxEH8MF839D53jAWFF2jZhUirxbv9_H8HDUmC8sLDIcGJhow3dWXeEKt7mZfTJa2334ZupkbY/s1600/after-obsession-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6dis4_VhU-miIKG76wlxtRzc-FmvtJzD4-w1cSzhOiJ5mjQeZA1rwrUIFpIvyQBvkbFGxEH8MF839D53jAWFF2jZhUirxbv9_H8HDUmC8sLDIcGJhow3dWXeEKt7mZfTJa2334ZupkbY/s320/after-obsession-cover.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is the second half of my interview with co-authors <a href="http://www.carriejonesbooks.com/">Carrie Jones </a>and <a href="http://www.stevenewedel.com/">Steve Wedel</a>. Thanks for all the comments so far - and yes, it is a great cover! Be sure to read to the end of the post to find out how you could win an ARC of AFTER OBSESSION.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gayleen: Carrie, the female protagonist, Aimee is a kayaker. Are you a kayaker too? Have you ever seen scary things down on the river? Do you often incorporate you hobbies into your writing? Are there other similarities between you and Aimee? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carrie: I kayak. I used to live on the river that the river in the book is based on and yes, I did see some scary things on the river. There's a scene in the book where someone dies that is based very much on real events. I was involved in trying to locate the body. Aimee and I both paint. She is much better at it. Um..... Hm...... There may be other similarities but they are secrets really, things I don't talk about. Mostly because I prefer not to be institutionalized.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think some of my hobbies occasionally filter into the characters' lives. It's not always the main characters though. The thing is that I have a pretty short boredom stick so I'll try pretty much anything. This makes for a lot of weird random experiences and hobbies. So, sometimes it's hard to find things for my characters to do or be interested in that I haven't once done or been interested in. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, that includes football. I was once an assistant football coach for a youth team. Scariest experience in my life. The head coach liked to make me be the one the kids tackled. He was evil like that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gayleen: Steve, what about Alan and the football? Did you ever play football or is that one of your unfulfilled fantasy hobbies? </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQyeInfKWQTUVxcfh-ZZQ-6E9woPL3Rcs1dCp8lCbZpdqnLHP6Fq26L9kWfMas-6nRMsHVP7VjAmwUosIavzw8R1AXQC89H0uzsckWpS1oOy02S14Y34yXH2wGYQEC2E5Mla0nFyuX2n0/s1600/ou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQyeInfKWQTUVxcfh-ZZQ-6E9woPL3Rcs1dCp8lCbZpdqnLHP6Fq26L9kWfMas-6nRMsHVP7VjAmwUosIavzw8R1AXQC89H0uzsckWpS1oOy02S14Y34yXH2wGYQEC2E5Mla0nFyuX2n0/s200/ou.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve: I do love me some football! I never played, though. Well, I played in the street and yards, but never on a real team. When I was younger I was a total non-participant in everything. That's something I regret now. Of course, when I was in high school I was pretty scrawny and our team won the state 5A championship that year, so I wouldn't have made the squad, anyway. One of the players, our running back, even went pro for a while.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gayleen: Alan is Navajo, but he hasn't grown up within the tribe. I found this very interesting since I and many other Oklahomans have some Native ancestry, but no formal tribal affiliation. Was there anything special that prompted you to construct a character with this unique background?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve: We wanted an exorcism ritual that wasn't so familiar to our audience. I read a lot of books on possession, mythology, and various religions. I knew the Navajo had an "exorcism" for what they called Ghost Sickness. So, I was thinking of that, and trying to decide what Alan would look like, talk like, etc., and then I thought of one of my former students, an American Indian who played football and who really impressed me by going from a sort of average, don't really care about English sophomore to one of my better senior Advanced Placement students. So, physically, that student provided quite a bit of the look, attitude and voice for Alan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't have any American Indian ancestry, myself, and I was a little nervous writing this character because of that. Also, there's the fact that Oklahoma doesn't have many Navajo, so I had to think of a reason for Alan's mom to have met Alan's father, and that went a long way toward developing her character, which also played a big role in who Alan is. Since his mom didn't know much about his father, it prevented him from being on the rolls, so he had to research his heritage the same way I did, which was a convenient cover.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carrie: I was really nervous about this actually. Steve handled it well though and I think it lends to that bigger issue of trying to find your identity through race or gender roles or class or a million different things. That is a really big issue for so many of us, myself included, but it's not really talked about. What does it mean for someone in the U.S. who finds out they have an ancestry that's not white and Christian? What does it mean when you grow up missing half of your family story? How do you find it? Do you need to? It's a lot of big questions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gayleen: One of the subplots that I really enjoyed was the eBay Cheeto auction. I am guessing that one or both of you may be addicted to Cheetos. Fess up, which one of you has the orange fingers and do you prefer crunchy or puffed, organic or original?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve: That was totally Carrie, and totally brilliant. That's one of those quirky little things I wish I could come up with, but probably never will be able to pull off on my own. And I like the puffs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carrie: I am addicted to Nutella, not Cheetos, and my brain is a weird, quirky thing. It's almost embarrassing how quirky it is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gayleen: The supernatural aspect of this book deals with fighting demons. Either of you ever had any supernatural encounters you would care to comment on?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve: Yes. Honestly, I don't care to go into much detail about them. I've had a couple of instances where ... odd things have happened. There really are things out there people shouldn't mess around with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carrie: Me too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gayleen: Any plans for another book together, or a sequel?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carrie: We are working on a potential project. We have the first draft finished and it's in our agent's hands right this second! I hope Steve will work with me again but I may have terrified him with my quirk. (Carrie and Steve are both represented by Edward Necarsulmer IV with the <a href="http://www.mcintoshandotis.net/agents.html">McIntosh and Otis agency</a>.)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gayleen: Anything else you would like to add?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve: Have I said Carrie is awesome? Really, other than maybe my long-time critique partner and former college newspaper editor, I don't think I could have found a better co-author to work with. Also, so far as I know, Carrie and I will only be doing one physical appearance together to promote After Obsession, and it happens to be about a week after the book is released. We'll be at </span><a href="http://www.fencon.org/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FenCon</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in Dallas. This is a great science fiction/fantasy/horror convention run by some really nice folks. I hope people will come out and see us and all the other authors, artists, singers and dancers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carrie: Have I said Steve is awesome? Or that his long-time critique partner and current cool Vermont College MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults graduate is? They are. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, can't wait until Sept. 13 to get your copy of AFTER OBSESSION? If you sign up to follow my blog, you'll be entered in the contest. If you mention the contest on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, or any other online forum, you'll get a second entry in the drawing (you'll have to email me the links for this part: gayleen [at] rabakukk.com) Commenting on the posts will also enter you into the drawing. Entries will close on August 31 and I will draw the winning entry on September 1 and contact the winner to get their mailing address. Good luck everyone! </span>Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-72391629036817398412011-08-16T11:27:00.000-05:002011-08-16T11:27:36.631-05:00AFTER OBSESSION - Interview and ARC giveaway (part 1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDSwOhyphenhyphenabP727f7J5-WuLQ0s-zQQK9d80rC_HWv5Hlhkx1aqdHLgPUm4NlwtRu6aiS08g_FG9qifrOZ3dWdvaT_AEt9yE7a5Xx5tkqdkq6cKn6OCAJEyS0jS11-7DUbxWAXhAXMhzNIsS/s1600/after-obsession-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDSwOhyphenhyphenabP727f7J5-WuLQ0s-zQQK9d80rC_HWv5Hlhkx1aqdHLgPUm4NlwtRu6aiS08g_FG9qifrOZ3dWdvaT_AEt9yE7a5Xx5tkqdkq6cKn6OCAJEyS0jS11-7DUbxWAXhAXMhzNIsS/s320/after-obsession-cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>In less than one month (Sept. 13 to be exact) my long-time critique partner, <a href="http://www.stevenewedel.com/">Steven E. Wedel</a>, and fellow VCFA grad <a href="http://www.carriejonesbooks.com/">Carrie Jones</a> will have a book birthday when <em>After Obsession</em> is released by <a href="http://www.bloomsbury.com/">Bloomsbury</a>. <br />
Now this isn't the first book that Steve's written (and it certainly isn't the first one I've read.) But it is the first one from a MAJOR publisher which means more copies, more marketing, more exposure. <br />
That includes ARCs or advance reader copies. Steve was kind enough to share one of those with me and I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in the story of two teens trying to save a friend from possession. At the end of this post, you'll learn how this ARC can be yours.<br />
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This release illustrates where hard work and determination can take you. I've watched Steve's relentless dedication to his writing through good times and bad for more years than I'd care to count (we've been exchanging manuscripts for close to a decade now.)<br />
It is also one of those "isn't it a small world" stories. <br />
In 2008, I decided if I was really serious about writing, I needed to go back to school. I looked around at MFA programs, discovered the low-residency option and made a list of places to apply. I wanted to mark <a href="http://www.vermontcollege.edu/">Vermont College of Fine Arts</a> off the list. It gets SERIOUSLY cold there and the two weeks on campus were in January. That alone seemed like enough of a reason to look other places.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCINYogV0CfOJIVaYCvmpYSbADGGrOWIzJxj2Cbw0fpUPNQn6bSyMXkZ7D1JWZKpkhUM9rfXIagIf1yX3lPuBNmRaPrP8-GeMZJlRXHkji3uIXnek8FccmJzpOIii9pozynW7t_vXMRw1U/s1600/vcfa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCINYogV0CfOJIVaYCvmpYSbADGGrOWIzJxj2Cbw0fpUPNQn6bSyMXkZ7D1JWZKpkhUM9rfXIagIf1yX3lPuBNmRaPrP8-GeMZJlRXHkji3uIXnek8FccmJzpOIii9pozynW7t_vXMRw1U/s200/vcfa.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>But, I could not eliminate it from my list. I asked around about grad programs and the name VCFA kept popping up. Award-winning, well published faculty. Successful graduates. And a self-guided program that meant I could continue writing mysteries instead of reading poetry or picture books. Doubting I would be accepted, I mailed the application.<br />
I couldn't believe it when I got a call from Sharon Darrow that I had been accepted. When I arrived on campus in Montpelier, Vermont in January 2009, I was greeted by a talented crew of graduate assistants, including one Carrie Jones. She helped welcome me into the VCFA literary family and made me feel right at home.<br />
Needless to say, I am very excited to have a personal connection to both halves of this collaboration team and even more excited that they agreed to let me interview them here. You'll have to read to the end of the post for the ARC giveaway details.<br />
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Gayleen: I'm very intrigued by this collaboration (and maybe a smidge jealous that my long-time crit partner would go off and write a book with someone else.) Can you tell me more about how it worked? Did you do an outline first? Did either of you know exactly where the story was going? Or how it would end? <br />
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Steve: Oh, not to make me feel guilty, or anything! haha I'll tell ya what, since you're my crit partner and a mutual friend of both Carrie and I, I'll attach the outline we began with for your reference purposes only.<br />
(Gayleen's note: don't feel cheated - this document said, "boy and girl notice friend acting strange, wonder if she could be possessed.")<br />
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Carrie: Wait. We did? We had an outline? <br />
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Steve: As you'll see, it's a bare minimum framework. We did that in late October 2008, then agreed to put the idea aside until December because I was working on something else and Carrie was going to do NaNoWriMo. I cheated and wrote Alan's first chapter sometime during November and sent it to Carrie. She confessed she'd cheated, too, and written Aimee's first chapter. Then it was off to the races! We wrote the whole first draft, which was quite a bit longer than the published book, in less than a month. We were averaging a chapter a day, and couldn't wait to get the new chapter from each other.<br />
As to the ending, we knew there would be an exorcism. But as you'll see from the attachment, in the very beginning we didn't even know what spiritual base it would come from. Most of the plot turns and twists and details just grew organically as we wrote.<br />
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Carrie: It was much more of a discovery process that happened in the first draft, which is probably why the first draft was so long but also so much fun.<br />
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Gayleen: Were there any challenges or benefits to working this way?<br />
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Steve: Umm, working with Carrie.<br />
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Carrie: You are mean! <br />
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Steve: Oh, do I need to qualify that by saying challenge or benefit? haha Writing with Carrie was amazing! Our styles are pretty different, but we share the same goals of caring for and wanting to entertain young people. There was never any argument or ego trips or any of that stuff you sometimes hear about. We were just two people on fire with the power of the word. Can I get an amen?<br />
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Carrie: Amen.<br />
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Steve: Technology, of course, was a huge benefit. I would have gone insane if we'd had to mail chapters back and forth and wait on them to arrive.<br />
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Carrie: It was still really hard for me to wait for chapters to arrive. I'd check my email every five minutes, hoping that Steve had sent something. As for the challenges? Sometimes it was hard having Steve throw me a plot curve ball when I had my mind set on a certain thing happening after my chapter, but those curveballs were also what made it fun and gave it energy. Plus, he writes a really good kissing scene.<br />
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Gayleen: What was the best part about writing <em>After Obsession</em> together? Do you think it is a story you would have written on your own?<br />
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Steve: For me, the best part was not really knowing what would happen next. I never knew what Carrie would do in her chapter, so getting that e-mail attachment was like a Christmas gift every other day. Then we got to where we'd try to leave a big and bigger cliffhanger for the other one.<br />
Eventually, yes, I would have written a possession novel. That's something I'd wanted to do for a long time. It wouldn't have been this one, though. I might have still done a Navajo Ghost Sickness angle, but there's no way I could have written this rich of a story on my own.<br />
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Carrie: Getting new chapters really was like getting something amazing in the email Inbox every other day. So that was the best part - the anticipation and excitement that comes with the collaboration. Every novel is a collaboration already really. You collaborate with your editor, with your readers, but this one was one level deeper. It was a giant adventure. <br />
I probably would have eventually written a possession story in like 800 years. I used to be terrified of possession when I was little. I couldn't look at any horror movie images implying it or read any books. So, yeah.... I have issues with possession. My issues tend to get worked on the page. <br />
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Gayleen: Have you collaborated before? (feel free to share group project horror stories, if you'd like)<br />
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Steve: I sort of did once, a long time ago. Basically, I wrote the whole book and a friend critiqued it and made some suggestions, then said he felt like he did 30 percent of the work and wanted 30 percent of any money it made. The book -- which is a really bad sci-fi novel written during my political awakening -- is tucked away in a drawer. <br />
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Carrie: Nope. Other than really silly oral fan fiction when I was a kid. My best friend, Jackie Shriver, and I had this entire alternative reality world going on in eighth grade where we were magically trapped with Bruce Springsteen and... um.... okay.... Doctor Who (Shh!!! Do NOT laugh) and we'd talk on the phone every night making the story more and more elaborate. I am so ashamed of this. <br />
We really wanted boyfriends.<br />
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You'll have to check back for the rest of the interview later in the week when we'll talk more about the plot of <em>After Obsession.</em><br />
Here are the details on the ARC giveaway. If you sign up to follow my blog, you'll be entered in the contest. If you mention the contest on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, or any other online forum, you'll get a second entry in the drawing (you'll have to email me the links for this part: gayleen [at] rabakukk.com) Commenting on the posts will also enter you into the drawing. Entries will close on August 31 and I will draw the winning entry on September 1 and contact the winner to get their mailing address. Good luck everyone!Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-90824943289136409192011-08-03T19:02:00.000-05:002011-08-03T19:02:11.085-05:00The Hero's JourneyI recently listened to the audio version of Bill Moyers interviews with <a href="http://www.jcf.org/new/index.php">Joseph Campbell</a> discussing the Hero's Journey and the important place myth holds in our lives. It wasn't my first time for exploring the topic. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0rWLSw7j2pQFJNwm8R1FMFg7ItU7NaAz4T5UJ34XiGnFsRhYVgVYkPDWJhArs10y2q_JFZi2rR3kmjC7V5gAvb9-F1WxQ3CVxMRUK_PJ9u6UI0DAzYjvXMf2ri4-TzPJnOPrERdL3QFC/s1600/hero_1000_faces_book_2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0rWLSw7j2pQFJNwm8R1FMFg7ItU7NaAz4T5UJ34XiGnFsRhYVgVYkPDWJhArs10y2q_JFZi2rR3kmjC7V5gAvb9-F1WxQ3CVxMRUK_PJ9u6UI0DAzYjvXMf2ri4-TzPJnOPrERdL3QFC/s200/hero_1000_faces_book_2008.jpg" t$="true" width="130" /></a>Last December, I tried to read Campbell's original Hero With a Thousand Faces for a special lecture <a href="http://mt-anderson.com/">MT Anderson</a> was giving at the <a href="http://www.vermontcollege.edu/low-residency-mfa/writing-children-young-adults">Vermont College</a> residency. Sadly, between creative thesis deadlines and holiday madness, I didn't make it through the whole thing. But, I did enjoy Anderson's talk – he did just what speakers should do: get you excited enough about the topic that you want to go learn more about it yourself.</div><br />
In May, I attended another talk on the Hero's Journey given by <a href="http://www.maxmccoy.com/">Max McCoy</a> at the <a href="http://www.owfi.org/">Oklahoma Writers Federation Conference</a> in Oklahoma City. He talked about how the hero structure shows up in lots of familiar stories: The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars and Indiana Jones.<br />
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Now, I was right on board with McCoy about Dorothy and Luke – I could see the call to action, the journey and the realization that the power lies within themselves. But I wasn't too sure about Indy. I could see how the greed of the Nazis spelled their doom when they opened up the Ark, but how did that translate into Indy finding power within himself? I ended up watching Raiders of the Lost Ark again, keeping that question in mind.<br />
I found this trailer that illustrates just a bit of what I discovered.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GU_s95oq5lU" width="425"></iframe><br />
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Early in the movie, when the suits are meeting with Indy at the University, we see how much he wants to find the Ark. His excitement shines through as he is working on the chalkboard, explaining it to them. Then there's the gleam in his eye when he uses the staff to reveal the Ark's location. His motives may be "pure" compared to the Nazis, but he wants to uncover the secrets of the Ark every bit as much as they do.<br />
So then, when the Ark is opened, Indy finds the power within himself to keep his eyes closed. He has realized that some secrets are best left concealed. He and Marion are spared.<br />
And I found the famous melting Nazi clip that shows what happens when your curiosity gets the better of you.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/X3KV4fLSNoU" width="560"></iframe>Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-77269002371600700532011-07-24T20:57:00.000-05:002011-07-24T20:57:38.730-05:00Peter Pan and EdinburghA few months ago, my husband and I traveled to Scotland and England. In anticipation of this, I decided to revisit a few classics written by English and Scottish authors.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I started with PETER PAN by J.M. Barrie. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7ow7fC3Bqu2NjtMmFB12EjdPeu9gwASRYYdoK5wRLRWq4FHwJIsRrDzZ3zM43hMNQ5INwbOEYvZjGuBFYeOF_Kvo5uGxWDuxtPj11NPDt7WL3-IZDD4wKrKRJGAgk_5TcHE_AEcnntAc/s1600/peter+pan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7ow7fC3Bqu2NjtMmFB12EjdPeu9gwASRYYdoK5wRLRWq4FHwJIsRrDzZ3zM43hMNQ5INwbOEYvZjGuBFYeOF_Kvo5uGxWDuxtPj11NPDt7WL3-IZDD4wKrKRJGAgk_5TcHE_AEcnntAc/s200/peter+pan.jpg" t$="true" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Barrie was born in Scotland and attended the University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh is a delightfully literary city and includes a Writers Museum and a Poets Museum as well as an impressive monument to Sir Walter Scott (IVANHOE). </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FtDKTEgkh_TvUR0dF6CSjv2eEPpNFbltfGxyt38cNTKraTGrZQQp8drEBPMeiEN29gDDQ6WAaibeSSdQbPML4crC_Jumvfav1RFTwSi-AUSudR40c53DiXfSB3OUSwfnIMzqIBpL5Ttq/s1600/DSC00354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FtDKTEgkh_TvUR0dF6CSjv2eEPpNFbltfGxyt38cNTKraTGrZQQp8drEBPMeiEN29gDDQ6WAaibeSSdQbPML4crC_Jumvfav1RFTwSi-AUSudR40c53DiXfSB3OUSwfnIMzqIBpL5Ttq/s200/DSC00354.JPG" t$="true" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sir Walter Scott Monument</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmPq5ctQ0bKMN7squtfXLdGOruXRzR6xBd4PvdlF1rLcgzwJ62bj4hyzBBT8ue2QTjm2qQsJaqHT8w1MZ5mjKoNP-cGI3yaLbf-XzyIkJQHvP8OpW9VVi6FXKYBNbnGIRaEzPu2NOb1Kz/s1600/DSCN2629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmPq5ctQ0bKMN7squtfXLdGOruXRzR6xBd4PvdlF1rLcgzwJ62bj4hyzBBT8ue2QTjm2qQsJaqHT8w1MZ5mjKoNP-cGI3yaLbf-XzyIkJQHvP8OpW9VVi6FXKYBNbnGIRaEzPu2NOb1Kz/s200/DSCN2629.JPG" t$="true" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">University of Edinburgh</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But alas, no monument or marker commemorating the creator of Peter Pan. So, the best I could do was take a picture of the University of Edinburgh. By the way, one of Barrie’s classmates at the university was Arthur Conan Doyle – but I’ll save that for another post.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0T69Z5lEY-Bs1sjUZZ32SjGiDysuNiptxrvRHxIbCSRkURE37exoBN2xJz3MYg21t2jhPtJkX3De16idoULxH8x_YAfL109r2CvTxKbEuvlj2oSJBGFwOyX3rCTiAUR6e3a8dklbkuHC/s1600/peanut+butter.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0T69Z5lEY-Bs1sjUZZ32SjGiDysuNiptxrvRHxIbCSRkURE37exoBN2xJz3MYg21t2jhPtJkX3De16idoULxH8x_YAfL109r2CvTxKbEuvlj2oSJBGFwOyX3rCTiAUR6e3a8dklbkuHC/s200/peanut+butter.bmp" t$="true" width="126" /></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Like most Americans, my familiarity with Peter Pan comes from the image on the peanut butter jar, or the Disney animation, then later influenced by Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman. I also remember attending a Lyric Theater production back in high school. Had I ever actually read the book? <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RZKT60zuVkA?rel=0" width="425"></iframe></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Sadly, I had to answer no. Time to remedy that. <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Though the story itself was quite familiar, one element really surprised me: point of view. From the title, <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I would assume that this is Peter’s story, so it would be told from his point of view. Or maybe Wendy – a girl on the verge of being a teen who encounters a boy refusing to grow up. But no, the story is told entirely by an omniscient narrator who never delves too deeply into the minds of any character. But then, maybe that is part of the magic of the story. Consider this passage:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0T69Z5lEY-Bs1sjUZZ32SjGiDysuNiptxrvRHxIbCSRkURE37exoBN2xJz3MYg21t2jhPtJkX3De16idoULxH8x_YAfL109r2CvTxKbEuvlj2oSJBGFwOyX3rCTiAUR6e3a8dklbkuHC/s1600/peanut+butter.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><em>Mrs. Darling first heard of Peter when she was tidying up her children's minds. It is the nightly custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day. If you could keep awake (but of course you can't) you would see your own mother doing this, and you would find it very interesting to watch her. It is quite like tidying up drawers. You would see her on her knees, I expect, lingering humorously over some of your contents, wondering where on earth you had picked this thing up, making discoveries sweet and not so sweet, pressing this to her cheek as if it were as nice as a kitten, and hurriedly stowing that out of sight. When you wake in the morning, the naughtinesses and evil passions with which you went to bed have been folded up small and placed at the bottom of your mind; and on the top, beautifully aired, are spread out your prettier thoughts, ready for you to put on. </em><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Barrie even uses direct address in the form of second person “you” to speak directly to the reader. It is as if he is assuring us, don’t take this too seriously. The story you are about to hear is all in fun, no need to be worried, but do hold on tight because we are about to embark on a marvelous adventure.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Yes, Peter Pan is a great adventure story and if you haven’t ever taken the time, I urge you to visit Barrie’s original.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-68752316700998139632011-02-27T08:00:00.001-06:002011-02-28T08:54:09.295-06:00Interview with BIG BOUFFANT author Kate Hosford<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLcvMF-NlsNoqGOvnJfSQ4lvNsaLfftQUpDqA60KLZ9BmjhYHtNY6NzA_RnOvt4LfWD5dc5y3dSauzgUH1618QA1JNy9d2sBXoNx1NCSn0cb-PpZDMXHhtH5LOMBgQSDY6ZE5Y8ArM8Lm/s1600/BigBouffant-BookJacket.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLcvMF-NlsNoqGOvnJfSQ4lvNsaLfftQUpDqA60KLZ9BmjhYHtNY6NzA_RnOvt4LfWD5dc5y3dSauzgUH1618QA1JNy9d2sBXoNx1NCSn0cb-PpZDMXHhtH5LOMBgQSDY6ZE5Y8ArM8Lm/s1600/BigBouffant-BookJacket.gif" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">This week, we're talking with debut author and recent Vermont College grad <a href="http://khosford.com/">Kate Hosford</a> about her new book, BIG BOUFFANT, which comes out in March. The book tells the story of Annabelle who dares to try something different with her hair. The delightful story is filled with fun and reinforces the idea that it is okay to be yourself.</div><br />
Q: Big Bouffant is so fresh - yet, it harkens back to something that was popular a long time ago - can you tell us more about the genesis of the idea. Did you come across a picture of your mom with a bouffant?<br />
Is any element of Big Bouffant autobiographical? Have you ever worn a bouffant?<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Kate: Thank you, Gayleen. I guess fashion is cyclical, so it was only a matter of time before the bouffant had its day. I have never worn a bouffant, but I did have big feathered hair in the eighties. My mother went through a stage in the sixties where she wore a bouffanti-ish wig when she went skiing. However, that was not really the inspiration for the story. Basically, my immediate family liked the sound of the word 'bouffant'. We would tell each other that we had bouffants when some family member's hair was looking particularly big. My younger son started saying 'big bouffant' and then I thought up the phrase, "All I really want is a big bouffant." Unfortunately, it took me five years to figure out that the story should be in rhyme, even though the phrase was in rhyme! I wrote many versions in prose, until someone suggested that I write the story like I was singing it. Then it came together pretty quickly. </span><br />
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Q: The underlying message here is that it's okay to be different and have a positive attitude about things - can you tell us if these ideas have personal importance to you?<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Kate: I believe a strong sense of self is one of the most important qualities a child can have. In this story, Annabelle doesn't care when everyone else laughs at her bouffant, and when she believes that she is stylish, soon others do as well. They are really reacting to her strong character more than the hairdo itself. </span><br />
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Q: Will there be more stories with Annabelle?<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Kate: The sequel, BIG BIRTHDAY, will come out in spring 2012 from Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing. Annabelle will get herself into even more outrageous situations in that book. Stay tuned!</span><br />
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Q: A lot of people mistakenly think picture books are easy because fewer words end up on the page - but it seems to me in a lot of ways they are much harder - each word counts for so much. Can you tell us a little about your process? I bet you do a lot of revising. Has your process changed as a result of Vermont College?<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Kate: Yes, picture books present a unique challenge in terms of form. You usually have to make it work in a thirty-two page format. That having been said, I actually find the parameters of the picture book comforting. In novel writing, the writer has to search in a different way for the edges of her story. </span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">I wrote the three stories I am publishing before Vermont College, but I probably worked on about twenty picture books during my time there, and they are in all different stages of revision. The nice thing about picture books is that I don't have to be emotionally invested in only one big project, which I think can be difficult.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">Vermont College showed me that writing is a marathon, and one has to be in it for the long haul. We can hone our craft skills and court our creative muses, but we can't foresee the path that a particular story or novel will take. For instance, it is now obvious to me that BIG BOUFFANT should have been in rhyme all along, but it was not obvious for the first four and a half years. E.L. Doctorow says "Writing is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way." </span><br />
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Q: I noticed your illustrator is English. Have you met her and did you have any input on the look or feel of the book?<br />
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<span style="color: red;">I have not met Holly Clifton-Brown yet, but I hope to meet her at some point. My editor was nice enough to show me Holly's sketches before she started work on the final art. I had some specific comments, but the feel of the book was really up to Holly. I think she did a wonderful job creating illustrations that are filled with interesting patterning, layers, textures, and sense of joyousness. Even now, when I read the book, I notice new things that I haven't seen before. I think that is the sign of a sophisticated illustrator --someone who can seamlessly integrate all sorts of information into a visual image. Then the reader can 'unwrap' the image, like a present.</span> <br />
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Q: You have a background as an illustrator, don't you? Do you think that helps you to visualize your text in terms of illustratable moments?<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Kate: I was an illustrator, but I think I make the same mistakes that all writers make when I write picture books. Even though we all know that the picture book is a visual form, it's easy to write a story that just doesn't have enough illustratable moments.</span> <br />
<span style="color: red;">I've written more than a few 'picture books' that weren't visual enough. Stories that are heavy in dialogue, for instance, usually do not work well, because the illustrator will simply be drawing people who are standing around talking to each other. My teachers at Vermont College really recommended story boarding for all potential picture books. It's important to see if your story has enough illustratable moments. </span><br />
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Q: Do you have any signings or school visits planned?<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">Kate: So far, I've only read the book to four classes, and they all seemed to love it. When I read to a second grade class, I heard some of the children whisper "It's in rhyme!" We talked about how stories have to have problems, otherwise they are pretty boring. The children were then able to list all the problems that Annabelle encounters in the book. One boy suggested that I write a sequel about Annabelle's brother called Mini-Mohawk. I was particularly pleased by the boys' enthusiasm. I don't see this as a book just for girls. I think it's a book for everyone. We followed up with a discussion about what makes Annabelle special, and the students then wrote about qualities that make them special. </span><br />
<span style="color: red;">In a fourth grade class, we talked about the book in terms of writing process. We agreed that stories are like a puzzle, and you just have to keep playing around with it until all the pieces fit. One girl talked about a metaphor that her third grade writing teacher used; 'stories are like a meal, and you can't draw the fork out too quickly, you have to give the reader time to taste the food.' We also talked about how we are influenced by the writers we read. One boy wanted to know whether I was influenced by Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. (Yes, and yes!)</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">I also read to two different kindergarten classes. When I asked the first class if they had any questions about how a book is made, they asked: "How do they make the paper shiny?" "How do they make the binding flat? How do they make the cover hard?" Note to self: kindergartners are concrete. Next time, I will choose my words more carefully for that particular question! </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">The official launch date for the book is March 28th, but the BIG BOUFFANT launch party will be at Books of Wonder in New York CIty on March 4th. So far, over a hundred people have said they are coming! We are going to do crazy hair styles for everyone. It should be a lot of fun. </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">In March I will do some events in San Francisco and the surrounding area. I will list all of this on my website, <a href="http://www.khosford.com/">http://www.khosford.com/</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Big Bouffant is published by <a href="https://www.lernerbooks.com/About-Lerner/Pages/Carolrhoda-Books.aspx">Carolrhoda Books</a>, a division of Lerner Publishing, and was edited by Anna Cavallo. Kate is represented by Tracey Adams of <a href="http://www.adamsliterary.com/">Adams Literary</a>. </span></span><br />
<br />
Enjoy a trailer of <em>Big Bouffant</em> here.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WU5YaiQL27M" title="YouTube video player" width="425"></iframe>Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-54806040241188484942011-02-11T12:08:00.000-06:002011-02-11T12:08:58.980-06:00The Rock and the River<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizyWiOYZS8aNqf_stXgbTUI-1pgAKzXmSgQhSb8F77aSeQfv2bXSrh0SU9_8L9ouoleHRkp-dcHBhFFZSNc49xmoRtb69u_AmhpezLNVt5BBDxbHgnXjRyPnwTU2mjREwR-Yd4t5UZ72fi/s1600/rockandriver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizyWiOYZS8aNqf_stXgbTUI-1pgAKzXmSgQhSb8F77aSeQfv2bXSrh0SU9_8L9ouoleHRkp-dcHBhFFZSNc49xmoRtb69u_AmhpezLNVt5BBDxbHgnXjRyPnwTU2mjREwR-Yd4t5UZ72fi/s320/rockandriver.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>With everything that has happened in Egypt the past few weeks, it seems like a very appropriate time to talk about a fabulous book I read last month, <em>The Rock and the River</em> by <a href="http://www.keklamagoon.com/">Kekla Magoon</a>.<br />
I had a long delay in the Detroit airport, but I hardly noticed because I was so eager to find out what would happen in this story.<br />
<br />
Kekla is a graduate of <a href="http://www.vermontcollege.edu/">Vermont College</a> and was a grad assistant at the January residency. <br />
<br />
<em>The Rock and the River</em> was Kekla's debut novel and it received many honors, including the <a href="http://www.ala.org/template.cfm?template=/CFApps/awards_info/award_detail_home.cfm&FilePublishTitle=Awards,%20Grants%20and%20Scholarships&uid=A3F20048C4DAB6F2">Coretta Scott King</a> award from the <a href="http://www.ala.org/">American Library Association</a>.<br />
<br />
The story is fictional, but the characters are so well drawn and the historical details so authentic, that I was convinced Sam Childs was the son of a 1960s civil rights leader. Not until I reached the author's note at the end did I realize Kekla had invented him. <br />
Sam is torn between taking his father's route of non-violent protest or fighting back against the corrupt system that constantly oppresses those in his neighborhood - based solely on their skin color. The choice moves right into the Childs' home when Sam's older brother joins the Black Panther Party. The story prompts the reader to wonder - what would I do in that situation? What is the right answer? <br />
<br />
Here is an interview with Kekla talking about the book.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a1mmql8SPmU" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
Publisher: <a href="http://imprints.simonandschuster.biz/aladdin">Aladdin: Simon & schuster</a><br />
Editor: Kate Angelella<br />
Agent: Michelle Humphrey of <a href="http://www.icmtalent.com/">International Creative Management</a><br />
<br />
Kekla has a new book out called <em><a href="http://www.whatsakekla.com/id2.html">Camo Girl</a></em>. I look forward to reading it soon.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-74536786813310475872011-02-04T15:31:00.001-06:002011-02-05T18:31:43.718-06:00BlessedWith the recent snow days, I had grand plans of getting lots of things accomplished: writing, cleaning house, organizing files. But I made one critical mistake -<br />
<br />
I picked up <a href="http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/">Cynthia Leitich Smith's</a> new release, <em><a href="http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/cyn_books_forYAs/blessed/blessed.html">Blessed</a></em>. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjp_uXPIqINytALGFhrWDsd0OG87N9z7SswjLVCVE1aKQ5U3bMauN2hq0lxUuDkVt9t-04BykUH4d2C8ocKYaaqrbBYqao75gNjZe87gulF6PWQi0MErbcr6P4_hGDCUwHnuu0XfOnvGtY/s1600/blessed_CP_hardcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjp_uXPIqINytALGFhrWDsd0OG87N9z7SswjLVCVE1aKQ5U3bMauN2hq0lxUuDkVt9t-04BykUH4d2C8ocKYaaqrbBYqao75gNjZe87gulF6PWQi0MErbcr6P4_hGDCUwHnuu0XfOnvGtY/s320/blessed_CP_hardcover.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>Pretty much everything else had to wait until I'd finished reading the whole thing.<br />
<br />
The book is the third set in an alternative universe that includes vampires, angels, werewolves and other shape shifters - including werearmadillos and wereoppossums. The first, <em>Tantalize,</em> focused on Quincie, a teen coping with running an Austin restaurant while being wooed by a charismatic vampire. But what she really wants is to find romance with longtime friend (and half werewolf) Kieren. <br />
<br />
In the second installment, <em>Eternal</em>, Guardian Angel Zachary tries to save the lovely Miranda from losing her soul to the Vampire King - in Chicago. In <em>Blessed</em>, the casts of the two books are united against an even greater evil.<br />
<br />
At this point, you are probably thinking, "just what we need, another teen vampire novel." But these books are about a lot more than just fangs and fondling. <br />
<br />
Smith doesn't pull any punches in tackling gender power issues, religion and the idea of differences uniting or dividing us. She also openly acknowledges Bram Stoker, the original creator of vampires, as well as literary and pop culture references appealing to a diverse group of readers. <br />
<br />
At its core, <em>Blessed</em> is the story of second chances and going on when all seems lost. I found the story inspiring and I bet you will too.<br />
<br />
Here is the trailer for <em>Blessed.</em><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pieAazPg_b0" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Blessed</em> was published by <a href="http://www.candlewick.com/">Candlewick</a>.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Edited by Deborah Wayshak.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Cynthia Leitich Smith is represented by <a href="http://www.curtisbrown.com/gknowlton.php">Ginger Knowlton</a> of <a href="http://www.curtisbrown.com/">Curtis Brown</a>. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-16030528491857373842011-01-15T12:38:00.000-06:002011-01-15T12:38:46.523-06:00Neuroscience and ReadingWhat happens in our brains when we read? I found that question very intriguing and it became the foundation for my graduate lecture from Vermont College of Fine Arts.<br />
I used brief clips from a BBC documentary, Why Reading Matters. I've pasted links to the entire program below and I'd love to continue the conversation about it through blog comments.<br />
<br />
Part 1 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdwFFFBCPzw">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdwFFFBCPzw</a><br />
Part 2 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt4_czM-UuM&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt4_czM-UuM&feature=related</a><br />
Part 3 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFlTV_OPh1I&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFlTV_OPh1I&feature=related</a><br />
Part 4 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0WDLsIZuZg&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0WDLsIZuZg&feature=related</a><br />
Part 5 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuCtHUDW4fw&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuCtHUDW4fw&feature=related</a><br />
Part 6 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owdqz8y98-0&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owdqz8y98-0&feature=related</a><br />
<br />
An excellent book on the topic is <em>Proust and the Squid</em> by Maryanne Wolf.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-36737010141942264902011-01-01T09:41:00.000-06:002011-01-01T09:41:19.949-06:00New Year's Plans and GoalsHappy New Year!<br />
Normally, I don't make New Year's Resolutions - I figure that if whatever it is really needs changing, then I shouldn't wait for January 1.<br />
But, this year things are a little different. <br />
In less than three weeks, I will recive my MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from <a href="http://www.vermontcollege.edu/">Vermont College</a>. I've been working on that for the past two years and in many ways it has become a major focus of my time and attention. As part of the program, I've read 200 books, written two mystery novels and even tried my hand at picture books. I've also gotten to know some incredible writers from across the country and I look forward to deepening and continuing those friendships.<br />
So, on to the resolutions.<br />
First, I plan to post on this blog at least once a week. After all, I have 200 books I could potentially talk about, plus my own writing, plus what my friends and classmates have coming out this year, plus the writing events I'll be attending. Yes, there is plenty to blog about!<br />
Second, I have those two mysteries and a couple of picture books that need to be revised, then sent out to agents and editors. I'm looking forward to applying the skills I've learned at Vermont College to complete the projects I've started.<br />
Third, in conjunction with the last item, I have plans to attend the spring <a href="http://www.scbwiok.org/">SCBWI Oklahoma Conference</a> in Tulsa. I've signed up for a critique and I've got to get the opening of my manuscript in the mail by Feb. 1. That is also the deadline for the <a href="http://www.owfi.org/contest.php">Oklahoma Writers' Federation Contest.</a> Those awards aren't given until the <a href="http://www.owfi.org/conference.php">conference</a> the first weekend in May and I plan to be there too - it is always a great place to network and make contacts.<br />
So, here's hoping to see more of all of you in the coming year!Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-37136110049803252472010-04-29T16:20:00.001-05:002010-04-29T16:24:04.064-05:00The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Vol. I & II<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YOhkqfnbuo8&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YOhkqfnbuo8&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
<br />
Taking a lesson from my former Vermont College advisor and writing hero <a href="http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/">Cynthia Leitich Smith</a> who told me to be brave and talk to other writers, I emailed <a href="http://mt-anderson.com/">MT Anderson</a> to ask if he had any advice for aspiring authors. And whaddya know? He emailed me back! I've pasted his response below.<br />
Gayleen: Is there one piece of advice you might have to share with aspiring writers?<br />
<br />
<em>MT Anderson: Hmmm ... Well, I'd suggest two things, I guess. One is to read as widely</em><br />
<em>as possible and as eccentrically as possible. I mean reading not just what</em><br />
<em>you're trying to write, but also ancient hymns and nineteenth century</em><br />
<em>novels and medieval mystery-plays and Harlequin romances and technical</em><br />
<em>manuals for VHS recorders ... Anything and everything. Denaturalize your</em><br />
<em>sense of language and try to always remind yourself of the thrilling</em><br />
<em>varieties of approach to language and story-telling that people have had</em><br />
<em>around the globe and throughout the ages.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<br />
<em>Then the second thing I'd say -- completely unconnected -- is DON'T BE</em><br />
<em>AFRAID to take time off of a project between drafts! Give yourself a month</em><br />
<em>or two at least, and you'd be surprised what insights you have when you</em><br />
<em>return to the project!</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>And I guess also, keep working and good luck!</em><br />
<br />
Isn't that cool? I'm pretty ecstatic that a National Book Award winner emailed me. <br />
And I have a challenge for all of you - take a step out of your comfort zone. Whether it is commenting on a kidlit blog, emailing an author you admire or writing something different.<br />
<br />
And, I'm off to take my own advice as I attend the Oklahoma Writers Federation Conference. My goal is to meet at least ten new people this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-19948760273534687532010-04-20T13:23:00.000-05:002010-04-20T13:23:58.004-05:00Oklahoma Book AwardsCongratulations to <a href="http://tamarak.livejournal.com/">Tammi Sauer</a>, author of <a href="http://www.elvispoultrybooks.com/">CHICKEN DANCE</a> for winning the <a href="http://www.odl.state.ok.us/ocb/obaward.htm">Oklahoma Book Award</a>!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPBwBHeT3CJMcPBCw2CCxrOsxlb1Ww_SnH9loPK0REfWk7SHQG36INFBUbHp5H8ELYd4f191sy3_tpXJepnEwo5v-EMHOW4lxvqr7NMY3HlCuV2L_Dkqj5SIVeIA7xzthVsLYR3K0Ro6h/s1600/chickendancecoverbig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPBwBHeT3CJMcPBCw2CCxrOsxlb1Ww_SnH9loPK0REfWk7SHQG36INFBUbHp5H8ELYd4f191sy3_tpXJepnEwo5v-EMHOW4lxvqr7NMY3HlCuV2L_Dkqj5SIVeIA7xzthVsLYR3K0Ro6h/s320/chickendancecoverbig.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div>Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-87254431944664415582010-04-10T15:00:00.000-05:002010-04-10T15:00:08.950-05:00Writing NewsI've been itching to share this news for quite a while, but I was specifically asked not to blog, tweet or facebook about it until today. <br />
<br />
The opening chapter of my middle grade mystery BETRAYED won the middle grade/young adult category in the Hook 'em contest at the <a href="http://dfwwritersconference.org/">Dallas/Ft. Worth Writers Conference</a>. My prize - a ten-minute pitch session with agent/contest judge <a href="http://www.agentsavant.com/">Laurie McLean</a> from the <a href="http://www.larsen-pomada.com/lp/index.cfm">Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency</a>. I was pretty excited about this because unlike most pitch sessions where the agent has no idea whether you can write, Ms. McLean had already seen my writing and liked it. She also already knew what the story is about. <br />
This took a lot of pressure off, since I didn't have to give a perfect pitch. It also allowed me to use my ten minutes to find out more about Ms. McLean - that she is an editorial agent who likes to represent clients for their whole career. She asked to see more of my manuscript and said we were "beginning a dialogue." <br />
<br />
My meeting with her was first thing this morning - and an excellent way to celebrate my birthday.<br />
<br />
I also picked up this very cool T-shirt at the conference from Angela Whitehead. Her company is Youniquely Yours.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdMH5u9nz7tZFDPVdnhMLOJL2fQeiKlAR5yttKmwIo-yohJcTj2TzvOp6EvDF7pshc3HwlJnzxLvDotpmNJGgSOJLgICPfqnwFSOr8Mb1kFvcIIwgaob04BA02X45yWO53OPcy1e-gSaFJ/s1600/writers+block.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdMH5u9nz7tZFDPVdnhMLOJL2fQeiKlAR5yttKmwIo-yohJcTj2TzvOp6EvDF7pshc3HwlJnzxLvDotpmNJGgSOJLgICPfqnwFSOr8Mb1kFvcIIwgaob04BA02X45yWO53OPcy1e-gSaFJ/s320/writers+block.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just for clarification, it says "Writer's Block: When your imaginary friends won't talk to you." Pretty cool, huh?</div>Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-57945977653435107892010-04-08T16:04:00.025-05:002010-04-10T14:08:42.765-05:00Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne ParryHere are my thoughts about this compelling middle grade novel.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwHhJTbs4zdlTQjT_YFz-KHKoUL_jKXEyyjG-bFPMSfWY-CA-cJcCBDGazk9rZKrbRP2-nYhTuDhq7PSN2UbFRoWJ7fiwXY7HioELTHuHueTh1UfL1QXGdRC27J8EDgrwgKs1Fjxt48oxl/s1600/heart_of_a_shepherd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwHhJTbs4zdlTQjT_YFz-KHKoUL_jKXEyyjG-bFPMSfWY-CA-cJcCBDGazk9rZKrbRP2-nYhTuDhq7PSN2UbFRoWJ7fiwXY7HioELTHuHueTh1UfL1QXGdRC27J8EDgrwgKs1Fjxt48oxl/s200/heart_of_a_shepherd.jpg" width="135" wt="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
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<br />
The roundup on Heart of a Shepherd.<br />
Learn more about Rosanne Parry at her <a href="http://www.rosanneparry.com/">website </a><br />
She is represented by <a href="http://www.jdlit.com/whoweare.html">Stephen Fraser</a> at Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. <br />
Jim Thomas at Random House edited the book.<br />
<br />
I emailed Rosanne Parry and asked if she had any advice she could share with aspiring writers. Here's her reply:<br />
This is not so much advice as an observation. HEART OF A SHEPHERD is <br />
<br />
the book it is, in part, because I thought I'd never sell it. Brother <br />
is such a quirky character and Malhuer County is so far out of the <br />
mainstream, I just assumed no one would want it. As a consequence I <br />
focused on learning as much as I could about how to structure a book <br />
that takes place over a whole year and how to handle a large family <br />
while keeping to focus tightly on just one character. I ended up with <br />
a story unlike anything I'd read recently and not a good match for any <br />
editor or agent's list of "what they are looking for". Which, as it <br />
turned out, was exactly what my editor and agent liked about it.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-34218006685747868762010-04-05T10:00:00.003-05:002010-04-05T20:39:29.496-05:00Olive's Ocean by Kevin HenkesAnother installment of Book Talk!<br />
<br />
<div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJR-3Bg_-IA3Yd9YfEeDfRde0FrCDm5cimCUAkSUp3B_2_YfTraKrjeUK6f6Mc3LaEb3X5ZicH-mb0r7qitD5rQfZlpQS913x40WZhZqjG-pxOdWxRYOwc2NAOQEgkiuv3NhnEYduUHaJ/s1600/olive's+ocean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJR-3Bg_-IA3Yd9YfEeDfRde0FrCDm5cimCUAkSUp3B_2_YfTraKrjeUK6f6Mc3LaEb3X5ZicH-mb0r7qitD5rQfZlpQS913x40WZhZqjG-pxOdWxRYOwc2NAOQEgkiuv3NhnEYduUHaJ/s200/olive's+ocean.jpg" width="181" /></a></div><br />
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More information about Olive's Ocean, a Newbery Honor winner:<br />
Author <a href="http://www.kevinhenkes.com/">Kevin Henkes</a> is equally famous for his picture books (and is also an illustrator) <br />
He was lucky enough to work with the same editor, Susan Hirschman, for many years and she wrote a wonderful article about him in the <a href="http://www.hbook.com/magazine/articles/2005/jul05_hirschman.asp">Horn Book</a>.<br />
On the author's website, you can read a four-chapter <a href="http://www.kevinhenkes.com/novels/olives_excerpt.asp">excerpt </a><br />
The folks at Greenwillow included pictures of work on his new book on their <a href="http://greenwillowblog.com/?p=1026">blog</a>.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-73622594886091071492010-04-04T15:50:00.000-05:002010-04-04T15:50:59.308-05:00Book Talk - Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah WilesInspired by a number of people, I'm trying something a little different. To add a little more excitement to my blog, I'm testing out short video book recommendations. I plan to post several of these and get some feedback before deciding if it will be permanent feature.<br />
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In gathering the information on the editors and agents for the SCBWI conference, I ran into some difficulty in finding which books they had edited. Though it is becoming more and more common for authors to mention editors and agents on the acknowledgments page, that information is still sometimes scarce on the web. To help alleviate that, I plan to list all relevant information I can about each book along with its recommendation.<br />
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Here's the scoop on Each Little Bird That Sings.<br />
Deborah Wiles has a <a href="http://www.deborahwiles.com/">website</a> and a <a href="http://deborahwiles1.blogspot.com/">blog</a> with a great recent entry on her writing process. <br />
Her agent is Steven Malk at <a href="http://www.writershouse.com/content/about.asp">Writer's House</a> <br />
Liz Van Doren edited the book.<br />
And last, but certainly not least, Deborah Wiles is an alum of the <a href="http://www.vermontcollege.edu/low-residency-mfa/writing-children-young-adults">Writing for Children and Young Adults</a> program at Vermont College.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-44914094310683028952010-03-27T17:49:00.000-05:002010-03-27T17:49:52.857-05:00Library Love SupportOne of my fellow Vermont College students, Mikki Knudsen, is supporting libraries through a blog challenge - she'll donate $1 for every comment on her her <a href="http://michelleknudsen.blogspot.com/2010/03/library-loving-blog-challenge.html?showComment=1269728929858_AIe9_BH5LOaFhFVOvvSuqL7a5EaiGA79xgtJzYgfv1xywXsa5xM_sQGt5v_NJcRupZ7aRvavCiDNoMTiZuf8P8jfoyC_smZCH849vs9fgIerl04EQlX5iZVbpzY3cKB8s3rr0roXCF0ioHEDfiEcOcEbkuauQR-DbTlfQ773qRfiUyhjg_QV74_s5wawwqK4Zy7gw2KQ0qBCdQVqc3AinIp7eps05ee3xe0eD0izRsyfw3VVGcgxbB0GbIRwDrY_gviePSpWiB4V#c7298001586928871242">blog</a>. So stop by and speak up if you love libraries.<br />
Mikki's middle grade novel, The Dragon of Trelian, is published by Candlewick Press.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_0prJdnTshXirLdMD5fVqlEqzH-cahd3Zx2wt1f7YflUOYBYQFJcpYZ_CHJZ0WzQD-en7w-ma1MC-FGWHJpZLuaW2wTJ-XNUPmoBQvb6bH0sQmQHUjnj0UAVzLXlbanZiOG9_Cb88cfY/s1600/dragon.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_0prJdnTshXirLdMD5fVqlEqzH-cahd3Zx2wt1f7YflUOYBYQFJcpYZ_CHJZ0WzQD-en7w-ma1MC-FGWHJpZLuaW2wTJ-XNUPmoBQvb6bH0sQmQHUjnj0UAVzLXlbanZiOG9_Cb88cfY/s320/dragon.bmp" /></a></div><br />
I had a great time at the OKC SCBWI conference and I will post more about that soon.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-91602336975573408862010-03-25T12:26:00.000-05:002010-03-25T12:26:47.278-05:00More Editor InformationOnly a couple days left before the SCBWI OK Spring Conference. <br />
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In anticipation, I've continued my research on the editors who will be in attendance.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Let's start with Kate Fletcher from <a href="http://www.candlewick.com/">Candlewick</a>. Now, Candlewick publishes everything from board books to young adult, but from what I found, it looks like Ms. Fletcher handles mostly picture books. Here is an <a href="http://www.tinanicholscouryblog.com/2009/02/kate-fletcher-candlewick.html">interview</a> with her from Tina Nichols Coury's blog. She is also editing a bilingual picture book from <span id="goog_1491852811"></span><a href="http://www.megmedina.com/index.htm">Meg Medina</a> <span id="goog_1491852812"></span>called TIA ISA WANTS A CAR, in which the narrator helps her aunt buy a car -- a perfect, shiny-green, used car with a bad radio and no air conditioning, but it will get them to the beach just fine.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMO5PuCHNe9HVgXU-iNJSUbc20MXLV04wYC49PFDquJLtnsL8Eo-1D7r9T_4K_f7-nCoGiaDA-X5hbKmpjcggptUphzLHDUsM9PwJukNfkSsZnYyBCKC2kMWK8FEao5cVr1usTTWOy6-N/s1600/Wiggens%2520Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMO5PuCHNe9HVgXU-iNJSUbc20MXLV04wYC49PFDquJLtnsL8Eo-1D7r9T_4K_f7-nCoGiaDA-X5hbKmpjcggptUphzLHDUsM9PwJukNfkSsZnYyBCKC2kMWK8FEao5cVr1usTTWOy6-N/s320/Wiggens%2520Cover.jpg" /></a>A recent release from Candlewick that looks interesting is Wiggens Learns His Manners by author/illustrator <a href="http://www.lesliemcguirk.com/bio.html">Leslie McGuirk</a>.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>It looks like a really fun book and it has a devoted <a href="http://www.wiggenslearnshismanners.com/index.html">website</a> complete with book trailers and lots of other fun things. <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Amy Lennex from <a href="http://www.sleepingbearpress.com/">Sleeping Bear Press</a> will also be speaking at the conference. One of her recent projects was S is for Story written by <a href="http://www.estherhershenhorn.com/write">Esther Hershenhorn</a>. This is a delightful story and a must-read for all writers (it is a "writer's alphabet" after all.) <br />
Zachary Pullen is the illustrator and he talks about his experience working with Amy and the rest of the Sleeping Bear team <a href="http://giftofwork.blogspot.com/2009/09/fall-book-release.html">here</a>. It sounds like an ideal artistic situation.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzodCBsMS13xtw5UQ2j59A6jSGK7NI1qKeVFW5dpzHDf8an1O8OfBW19k9EN76QAFQpdNEHyjxmnhdd66BWiutTCDZwLKorxsZ3usO2jGtT-8yR8MVJ6ChOgNuja3k8P64H0NcG05ZIGR/s1600/Sis4Story.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzodCBsMS13xtw5UQ2j59A6jSGK7NI1qKeVFW5dpzHDf8an1O8OfBW19k9EN76QAFQpdNEHyjxmnhdd66BWiutTCDZwLKorxsZ3usO2jGtT-8yR8MVJ6ChOgNuja3k8P64H0NcG05ZIGR/s320/Sis4Story.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Kerry Martin is the senior designer at <a href="http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/clarion/">Clarion</a>, which is now an imprint of Houghton Mifflin. Now, I have to admit, being a writer, I wasn't completely sure exactly what an art director does. But I certainly did understand illustrator Jerry Bennett's excitement about getting to meet with Kerry at the conference. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I assumed (incorrectly) that a designer would be involved only with picture books. And while it is true that I found a lot of those on Kerry's <a href="http://kerrymartin.com/index.html">website</a>, I also found several middle grade and young adult books. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I particularly liked this cover.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2m92ZTonPyU0J4cL68ed1-PRsoKP7UPMU_yLiQFanzg4qziySFxFKgt1UD_jkFYUF95M6mCrGatc_jwU7NaaCKk1ydrFrOgvULS6kuko-wfNAd7b-ELQG_hCbGfIWu0B38W4ft5qUdbQ/s1600/booford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2m92ZTonPyU0J4cL68ed1-PRsoKP7UPMU_yLiQFanzg4qziySFxFKgt1UD_jkFYUF95M6mCrGatc_jwU7NaaCKk1ydrFrOgvULS6kuko-wfNAd7b-ELQG_hCbGfIWu0B38W4ft5qUdbQ/s320/booford.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>I mean, who could resist that face? Certainly makes me want to buy the book. And I guess that explains an art director's primary job. I'm eager to learn if I'm right about this on Saturday.<br />
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So, that's it - three editors, one agent and an art director. <br />
I submitted the opening pages of my manuscript for a critique, but I don't know whether it ended up with the agent or one of the editors. I will be very excited to see what comments they have about it and maybe I'll even be lucky enough to win one of the coveted face-to-face time slots. <br />
We shall see.<br />
In the meantime, I'll be gearing up to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Hope to see you there.<br />
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</div>Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-59131816890291174222010-03-22T14:22:00.000-05:002010-03-22T14:22:26.515-05:00Conference Countdown ContinuesGreg Ferguson from <a href="http://www.egmontusa.com/">Egmont</a> will be one of the featured speakers at the SCBWI Oklahoma Conference on March 27 in Oklahoma City.<br />
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This is very exciting because when other traditional publishers are downsizing and laying people off, Egmont is expanding their business. Egmont is a long-established European publisher that give a portion of their profits to children's charities. Here's an <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPnPcNmKu4308_GPjKRHqJoR1o1sprh3x6GVlTGFHs_5xbuqblXVFJM5ddWi48StTraEZ9pomwIbKT4z2Z3_TL2PgCZqXS5ONESR9CsHeV9jmvx4MZam-9SNDKtwudgRPfNL6p6DGgfT5/s400/egmont_staff.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2008/12/publisher-interview-elizabeth-law-of.html&usg=__G0W4q7FF4b8tPLZoU0-hzq7Boho=&h=300&w=400&sz=25&hl=en&start=1&sig2=TES2kdmXASlj08yNT1BIOg&um=1&tbnid=uLC8cD8U3WvnvM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgreg%2Bferguson%2Begmont%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=ZBX6SqbLEJWkMOqwmc8K">interview</a> with Egmont publisher Elizabeth Law from the fabulous Cynthia Leitich Smith at Cynsations.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NueyOazMkVBM3as2X_VQbkArQPopYgWiA_t0ZPBu6gNPPHgej0tfxfWXdPq22liYITr2qO18zCA80iRSL6GkoQJBEoGvyts08vln_GuRb-eIyRWJqedZW-UaZrDArzViKwtvWSpePX16/s1600-h/TDDcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NueyOazMkVBM3as2X_VQbkArQPopYgWiA_t0ZPBu6gNPPHgej0tfxfWXdPq22liYITr2qO18zCA80iRSL6GkoQJBEoGvyts08vln_GuRb-eIyRWJqedZW-UaZrDArzViKwtvWSpePX16/s320/TDDcover.jpg" vt="true" width="212" /></a>Here is a <a href="http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/greg-ferguson-editor-at-egmont-usa/">blog post</a> from Kathleen Temean from the NJ chapter of SCBWI about Egmont and Greg Ferguson.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>A recent book he edited at Egmont is The Dark Divine by <a href="http://www.breedespain.com/">Bree Despain</a>. I haven't read this yet. I am on the waiting list to get it from the library, but there are seven other patrons ahead of me. So, I'm probably not going to get it before the conference. :(<br />
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And here is the most exciting bit of news I could find. A couple weeks ago, he acquired a YA dystopian thriller trilogy in a six-figure deal. The author, Ilsa J. Bick, talks about it on her blog, <a href="http://www.ilsajbick.com/?p=300">Paperback Writer</a>. So, yes, publishers are still buying books and making advances and that is encouraging given all the negative things we hear so often.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-11186339027078864922010-03-21T10:46:00.003-05:002010-03-21T10:53:56.065-05:00Conference CountdownIn less than one week, I’ll be attending the <a href="http://www.scbwiok.org/">Oklahoma SCBWI</a> conference in Oklahoma City. <br />
I’m pretty excited about this event. Here is the lineup of speakers: <br />
<ul><li><strong>Amy Lennex, Sleeping Bear</strong></li>
<li><strong>Greg Ferguson, Egmont</strong></li>
<li><strong>Kate Fletcher, Candlewick</strong></li>
<li><strong>Agent: Stephen Fraser</strong></li>
<li><strong>Art Director: Kerry Martin, Senior Designer, Clarion</strong></li>
</ul>I always find that I get the most from a conference when I’ve done a little research on the speakers ahead of time. With author speakers, this means reading their books before the conference. In the case of editors and agents, it’s more a matter of finding out which books they’ve sold or edited.<br />
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With Google and Blogs, finding out this information is so much easier than it used to be. Still, I thought I’d share the results of my detective work with others who might be interested.<br />
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First up, Agent Stephen Fraser with the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency in New York City. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_AC0QK0kXkZI/S6Y_R1mWG0I/AAAAAAAAAL8/9T-kIYtw0v4/s1600-h/stephenfraser%5B2%5D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="stephenfraser" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_AC0QK0kXkZI/S6Y_SWKzwAI/AAAAAAAAAMA/ZUFYNNOCY2o/stephenfraser_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="stephenfraser" width="210" /></a> <br />
Before becoming an agent, he worked as an editor at HaperCollins Children’s. There he worked with Mary Engelbreit, Gregory Maguire, Michael Hague, Ann Rinaldi, Kathryn Lasky, Brent Hartinger, Stephen Mitchell, and Dan Gutman.<br />
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Though the agency lists clients on their website, it doesn’t delineate which authors are represented by Fraser. So, more investigation….<br />
Here’s a recent <a href="http://throwingupwords.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/kyra-interview-with-secret-agent-stephen-fraser-of-the-jennifer-de-chiara-agency/" target="_blank">interview</a> with him from Carol Lynch Williams’ blog, Throwing up Words. The interview is done by Carol’s daughter, Kyra. Carol Lynch Williams is an alum of <a href="http://www.vermontcollege.edu/low-residency-mfa/writing-children-young-adults">Vermont College of Fine Arts</a> and one of Fraser’s clients. <br />
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In the interview, he mentions several books he sold that will be coming out this spring: Drum City by Thea Guidone (a pb from Tricycle Press). two fantasy novels, The Clockwork Three by <a href="http://www.matthewkirby.org/index.htm" target="_blank">Matthew Kirby</a> (September, Scholastic) and The Owl Keeper by <a href="http://www.owlkeeper.com/index.htm" target="_blank">Christine Brodien-Jones</a> (April, Random House), and <a href="http://www.carollynchwilliams.com/" target="_blank">Carol Lynch Williams’</a> novel Glimpse (Paula Wiseman Books/Simon and Schuster).<br />
Here’s another January <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/classof2k9/27870.html" target="_blank">interview</a> with him from Joy Preble at the Class of 2K9: Debut Middle Grade and YA Authors blog. In it, he mentions several of his favorite MG books: <br />
Francesca Lia Block’s Weetzie Bat (in the Dangerous Angels series); Jack Gantos’ Joey Pigza books; Holes by Louis Sachar; Seedfolks and Whirligig, both by Paul Fleischman; Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia Maclachlan and Missing May by Cynthia Rylant.<br />
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And, another <a href="http://www.childrenswritersworkshop.com/pages/profiles/interviews/2009/agent2009.html" target="_blank">interview</a> with him promoting the Pacific Coast Writers Workshop where he talks a little more in depth about what he enjoys in a book.<br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_AC0QK0kXkZI/S6Y_SpSWN4I/AAAAAAAAAME/U6zYN5aKNyA/s1600-h/chosen%20one%5B2%5D.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img align="right" alt="chosen one" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_AC0QK0kXkZI/S6Y_TMDuATI/AAAAAAAAAMI/JnQAuqQBQ8U/chosen%20one_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="chosen one" width="171" /></a>When I found out he repped Carol Lynch Williams, I decided to read her novel, <b>The Chosen One</b>. I was completely blown away by this emotionally-charged story about a polygamist family. I found myself really caring about this teenager born into a society so different from mine, yet so geographically and philosophically nearby. Yet, what moved and inspired me the most was how the author so beautifully wove in how important books can be in a person’s life. Kyra learns of the outside world and finds escape in the pages of the books she treasures. This is an amazing book and a must-read for everyone considering writing. You can find an excerpt from the publisher <a href="http://us.macmillan.com/thechosenone#excerpt" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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Next, up: Greg Ferguson from Egmont.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-41979917628150358982010-03-19T14:27:00.000-05:002010-03-19T14:27:59.663-05:00Spring Break Pact - Achieved my GoalsI'm scheduled to meet shortly with writing buddy Steve Wedel to review the progress we've both made on our novels this week. You'll recall on Monday we both set goals about how much we wanted to get done this week.<br />
I set a very modest goal for myself, aiming for quality rather than quantity. I had hoped to revise 50 pages of Betrayed, my middle grade mystery novel. I was aiming to make my main character be more "emotionally present." <br />
I'm excited to say, I actually ended up 64 pages!<br />
And now, it is time to take a break. I have to slow down and think about what I've written. And ask myself questions: Is this really how this character would behave in this situation? How does she really feel about what's going on? Do the minor events reflect and support the larger events?<br />
I do have an ulterior motive behind all this revision: my ultimate goal for 2010 is to sign with an agent and/or get a book contract. And I intend to put in all the work needed to make that happen.<br />
In the near future, I am attending several conferences where I'll have the opportunity to talk with editors and agents. <br />
The first of these is the Oklahoma SCBWI conference on March 27. <br />
A few months ago, I sent in the opening of Betrayed for a critique from one of the guest speakers. The organizers have arranged for each speaker to have a brief appointment with the two most promising manuscripts from those they critiqued. The competition is fierce - our group has an abundance of talented writers. But if I am lucky enough to get one of those appointments, I want to be able to say that I've made my manuscript the best it can possibly be and the whole thing is worth their time to review.<br />
I'll be blogging more about the SCBWI conference and the other conferences soon. But now, it's time to check in with my pact partner and see how he did this week.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-1175833290429152852010-03-16T14:10:00.000-05:002010-03-16T14:10:00.420-05:00Day Two - Inspiration and PerspirationMy main goal this week is to add emotional depth to my characters. Particularly the protagonist of my middle grade mystery, Maple.<br />
Since this is a mystery, Maple doesn't have to be quite as touchy-feely as say, a coming-of-age protagonist might be, but she does need to have emotions and react to situations. Otherwise, she'd be a perfect, crime-solving computer. (<em>hmmm.....there's a future book idea</em>)<br />
When we exchanged what we have so far, <a href="http://www.stevenewedel.com/">Steve</a> also loaned me a book he thought might help me in the character development arena: <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Guide-Character-Traits-Edelstein/dp/1582973903">The Writer's Guide to Character Traits</a></em> by Linda N. Edelstein, PhD. The book "includes profiles of human behaviors and personality types." The author is a psychologist, so it is fairly detailed and in depth.<br />
But I have to admit, what intrigues me most is the cover. You've got to check this out.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM98fq4FdfcRDVNQtiAvcZ6IPRtaaYNM5dCfFbf4wa9iUp0A5FwXiwWNyBTF3yB_Yr6vRHj9GjIdBF74r3K5XDnUnaLQE3z7vjTvPFS6ksn_4jet1o5M9IhIar03E0BY_REjOinrFHt8Q7/s1600-h/character+traits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM98fq4FdfcRDVNQtiAvcZ6IPRtaaYNM5dCfFbf4wa9iUp0A5FwXiwWNyBTF3yB_Yr6vRHj9GjIdBF74r3K5XDnUnaLQE3z7vjTvPFS6ksn_4jet1o5M9IhIar03E0BY_REjOinrFHt8Q7/s200/character+traits.jpg" vt="true" width="153" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know the resolution isn't too good - maybe I'll resort to taking a picture of the actual book. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Talk about identity crisis! But this can happen when writers try to pack too many quirks into one character - you end up with the Queen of England drinking beer and wearing cowboy boots while holding a meat cleaver and playing the guitar. Okay, so probably any writer would notice before it went that far. (the recent reprint has a calm blue background and puzzle pieces coming together to form a woman's eyes - probably sells better, but not nearly as interesting)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But it is something to keep in mind. We are all more than what we appear to be on the surface. (at least I hope I'm more than the frazzled writer who often forgets to put on her makeup and stumbles in high heels)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On to the inspiration part. Last night I attended the <a href="http://www.scbwiok.org/">OKC SCBWI</a> monthly schmooze. Up and coming illustrator <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Illustrator-Formerly-Known-as-Jerry-Bennett/324878719456">Jerry Bennett</a> shared an illustrator's perspective on picture books and graphic novels. He urged all of us to allow our imaginations to create a sense of atmosphere. He also showed us his portfolio and I was really blown away by his work. I hope I am lucky enough to be paired with someone as talented as Jerry when my book gets published. (even young adult novels have cover illustrations)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, I was excited to learn....(drum roll) there is someone else reading this blog! Fellow writer <a href="http://larrymikegarmon.com/">Larry Mike Garmon</a> from Altus is accepting the challenge to write more during Spring Break. Welcome to the Pact!</div><br />
Okay, enough procrastinating, Maple's got a mystery to solve! I've got to get back to work.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6977592216225992330.post-22412196828538621722010-03-15T17:58:00.000-05:002010-03-15T17:58:55.754-05:00Spring Break Writing PactWhat could be more young adult (or middle grade) than making a pact?<br />
Call it what you like - a dare, a bet, a promise. A challenge, even. I hope to call it motivating.<br />
My longtime friend and writing buddy, <a href="http://www.stevenewedel.com/">Steve Wedel</a> has accepted my invitation to participate in an all-out writing week. We'll be plotting, developing characters and pounding the keyboards all week on the way to meeting our respective goals. <br />
I'm focusing on adding emotional depth to a manuscript that is already complete as far as plot goes. Steve is trudging through that soggy middle that plagues so many writers.<br />
Will we triumph?<br />
Check back later in the week for updates.Gayleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10534661293268349668noreply@blogger.com1