Jessica Bayliss's Blog, page 14

Three Worlds Press Sea Mist Anthology: I'm in!

If you're a reader of my blog, you'll know I recently posted about a story I was working on to submit toThree Worlds Pressfor their anthology of summer reads: theSea Mistseries.

Well - happy day! - my story was accepted. Now I'm extra, super-duper glad I gotback to basics. Today, on Twitter, I found a link to thisvideofeaturing author and Leap Books editor,Judith Graves,posted byNatasha Deen. I can't think of a better motto than "just get to the end."

I couldn't be more thrilled to join the Thre...

Thoughts on the Journey

Today, I stumbled upon this blog post by Anne Allen: "Should You "Send Out" that First Novel? 9 Things to Consider First."What a great article!

Reading it now, today, I can see the truth and wisdom in every item. But I will confess, if I'd read it the day I typed "The End" for the first time, I would have hoped this stuff wasn't true or wouldn't be true for me. The excitement that comes with finishing the first big project is just huge. HUGE. Getting to the end is like a double shot of joy af...

Back to Basics

A friend recently told me aboutThree Worlds Press and their Sea Mist Anthology, and I decided to go for it.Submissions are due on 2/15/15, which gave me almost two full weeks to work on my idea. Lucky me, a concept came to mind very quickly along with the basic plot - just enough for a plotster like me (combo of plotter with a little pantser mixed in for fun). I felt raring to go.

So why the heck did I find myself stalling only a quarter of the way through my story? And then again another twe...

Blizzard 2015 ... It's not so bad.

Grit

In a Tumblr post last week, YA author, Maggie Stiefvater, said: "If you fail in writing, you’ve failed once. Get up. Do it again. Wipe your nose if you have to, but for God’s sake. Get up. You’re getting grass stains on everything." What she's really talking about here, is grit.

Psychologists have been studying the roots of human motivation and success for years. Angela Lee Duckworth, Ph.D. is an American Psychologist who's research focuses on a construct she calls "grit."

No matter our goals,...

Book signing at R.J. Julia Booksellers with the incredible Holly Black

R.J. Julia Booksellers, in Madison, CT, is the most beautiful bookstore I've ever visited. It feels like an enchanted space where words go to live.

And what a better guest than the incredibleHolly Black, Young Adult and Middle Grade author of titles like: "Doll Bones," "Coldest Girl in Coldtown," and "The Spiderwick Chronicles." How inspiring to hear Holly Black talk about where her stories come from, her author journey, and a little bit about her approach to critiquing.

Below is the...

Some writerly wisdom

Cover reveal: "Beware the Little White Rabbit"

Here it is! And isn't it pretty!


Leap Books has revealed the official cover of the anthology of YA short stories inspired by the timeless classic "Alice in Wonderland," due out in April. Check back here for more information about the release.