Sarah Ockler's Blog, page 13

Jennifer Jabaley's Character Debut Party

Lipstick Apology is a heart-wrenching story that gave me chills — you know, the kind where you just want to hug the one you love before the lump in your throat gives way and the tears spill forth? — from the moment I read the first chapter. Emily's journey takes us through the horrifying and endlessly-publicized deaths of her parents, her intense and inconsolable grief, a mysterious clue left by her mother in the final moments of her life, and the everyday struggles of a teen girl in a new...

fLiP iT fRiDaY: Reader Rabbit 1 & 2 @ Reader Rabbit: A Book Site

Today on fLiP iT fRiDaY, we're chatting with not one, but two Reader Rabbits from Reader Rabbit: A Book Site, @ReaderRabbit on Twitter.

Describe a typical day in your life.

The alarm rings. RR1 slaps "sleep." Another alarm rings, from a few rooms over. RR2 does not turn it off. She remains asleep. And snores. RR1's alarm goes off again. RR1 turns it off. RR2's alarm continues to buzz. RR1 gets up, walks over and turns off RR2's alarm. The two proceed to squabble. Then, in a rush, they compete...

Sydney Salter's Character Debut Party, Part II

Sydney Salter's JUNGLE CROSSING is a story within a story; a rich Mayan legend tucked within a modern (yet reluctantly embarked upon!) Mexican cultural adventure. Thirteen-year-old Kat is so full of attitude that I found myself thrown right back to my own stupid, embarrassing junior high times when I wanted nothing more than to be somewhere else — anywhere else — away from whatever forced family fun my parents had cooked up. I could totally relate to her — the clueless parents. The younger sibli

Creative Mojo: Incense & the Potential for Great Things

When I was sixteen, I had a friend who burned incense in her car. My parents were convinced that she was covering something up, like drugs or alcohol, but honestly, she just liked the smell of it. So did I. To me, its musky smoke hinted at faraway things that were beyond the realm of our understanding. Things like fairies and magick and mysticism and secret messages from the universe. I don't know why it conjured such thoughts and images, but it did and I started burning it in my bedroom at nigh

fLiP iT fRiDaY: Readingjunky

Today on fLiP iT fRiDaY, we're chatting with Readingjunky, an 8th-grade teacher and book blogger. A teacher… hmm… I wonder if we're supposed to call her Mrs. Readingjunky?

Describe a typical day in your life.

Weekdays – Get up at 6:00 am (reluctantly since I've probably been reading much too late the night before). Get ready and head to school by 7:00 am. Teach 8th graders English, Careers, and hopefully to love reading until 3:00 pm. Try to be ambitious enough to call up my neighbor so we ca

Writing Process: Outlines & Index Cards

What's the process of writing a novel? What's your writing process like? Do you follow a process when you write?

Readers and other writers often ask me about my writing process, and my answer never makes any sense. Usually because I invent it on the spot to camouflage the fact that I have no process — it's more like "utter randomness" based on stuff like which planets are rising in the house of whatever and what's playing on iTunes and what kind of incense is burning and whether there's any dark

fLiP iT fRiDaY: Diana Dang @ Stop, Drop, and Read!

Today on fLiP iT fRiDaY, we're chatting with Diana Dang from Stop, Drop, and Read!, @StopDropandRead on Twitter.

Describe a typical day in your life.

That would be a usual weekday then. In the following order, I would: wake up, wash up, go to school, learn and be bored at school, and come home. I would immediately get on the treadmill or go outside to run/walk. After there would be 50 sit-ups and some other exercise moves if I am in the mood for it. I eat dinner, taking my sweet time as I either s

Debsness Goodness: Win Stuff!

Posted in contests

fLiP iT fRiDaY: Devyn @ The Faerie Drink Review

After a brief but *cough* unintentional hiatus, we're back this week for fLiP iT fRiDaY, chatting with Devyn Burton from The Faerie Drink Review, @DevynBurton on Twitter.

Describe a typical day in your life.

I sit it front front of my laptop and Mac all day and tell people that I am writing. This is usually true, HOWEVER, I am usually only writing Twitter updates! Twitter is a really sick addiction and I honestly do need a twelve step program. (Do not let this stop you from following me!)

But in al

Readers: Share Your Thoughts on Twenty Boy Summer!

Readers, I need your help!

I've gotten some wonderful emails and comments from people who've enjoyed Twenty Boy Summer, and I appreciate that so many of you have taken the time to share your thoughts with me. Hearing from readers in person and online has been one of the best, most rewarding aspects of being an author, and it's something I look forward to for the rest of my writing life.

Many readers let me know that they first learned about Twenty Boy Summer not from the bookstore shelves, but f