Sydney Salter's Blog, page 12
May 2, 2012
On The Go With Jessi Kirby
Please welcome Jessi Kirby, author of the new book In Honor. Leave a comment & you can win a copy!
You have been given your Dream Vacation. Where are you going & what are you doing?
The Mediterranean, without a doubt. I’ve always wanted to see the white houses on the cliffs overlooking that crazy blue water. Plus I love Mediterranean food, so it’s a win all around.
What if you could travel to a different time period?
Hmm…I might go back to the twenties and be a flapper.
Are you a planner or a seat-of-the pants traveler?
I’m a planner by nature, but I do like to leave room for detours and unexpected adventures.
What's the worst thing that's ever happened to you on vacation?
Food poisoning. Enough said.
About the Book:Honor receives her brother’s last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn's celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.
Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn's last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn's best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn't seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn. . . and ruggedly good looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn’t. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?
About Jessi Kirby:Jessi Kirby is the author of Moonglass , published in May 2011 by Simon and Schuster. She is also a wife, mom, English teacher and former librarian, beach bum, runner, and lover of Contemporary YA, strong coffee, and dark chocolate. Jessi’s second novel, In Honor , will be released in May of 2012. Her webpage: www.jessikirby.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kirbyjessi Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/jessikirby (@jessikirby)
Please leave a copy by Wednesday, May 9th & you could win a copy of In Honor!
April 13, 2012
Can't I Add A Random Dance Number, Please?
Some writers overwrite, typing an abundance of words that later need to be cut and trimmed. I'm more inclined to underwrite, reducing what should be action-packed goodness to a simple sentence. And I usually do it when the scene I'm writing is difficult.
So as this after-spring-break week comes to an end, and I've sworn off stealing more Easter candy from my kids, I find myself eking out word-by-word an action-filled chapter that I didn't write well the week before.
I had snapped my laptop shut with satisfaction, telling myself that Chapter 11 was fine. Just fine. Some stuff happened. My character did some stuff. And my story grew five pages longer. That's good, right?
The following Monday I watched the new episode of SMASH. The one with the entirely gratuitous bowling alley song and dance number. Oh, yeah, I thought, wouldn't that be nice if I could get away with filler like this in my writing? Not to mention the same episode featured a character who existed only to be a plot device. Shudder.
That's when I realized that I had in fact written a song and dance number. Because my characters hadn't done enough stuff in Chapter 11. I hadn't really moved my story forward. Sure my characters moved around on the page, but the chapter didn't contribute to the themes or plot or character development. Chapter 11 was in fact gratuitous.
That's all changing this week, word by painful word.
So as this after-spring-break week comes to an end, and I've sworn off stealing more Easter candy from my kids, I find myself eking out word-by-word an action-filled chapter that I didn't write well the week before.
I had snapped my laptop shut with satisfaction, telling myself that Chapter 11 was fine. Just fine. Some stuff happened. My character did some stuff. And my story grew five pages longer. That's good, right?
The following Monday I watched the new episode of SMASH. The one with the entirely gratuitous bowling alley song and dance number. Oh, yeah, I thought, wouldn't that be nice if I could get away with filler like this in my writing? Not to mention the same episode featured a character who existed only to be a plot device. Shudder.
That's when I realized that I had in fact written a song and dance number. Because my characters hadn't done enough stuff in Chapter 11. I hadn't really moved my story forward. Sure my characters moved around on the page, but the chapter didn't contribute to the themes or plot or character development. Chapter 11 was in fact gratuitous.
That's all changing this week, word by painful word.
April 10, 2012
Blogging Elsewhere
To find out why I asked my daughter to create a bikini for my manuscript, head over to YA Outside The Lines where I'm guest-posting today!
March 23, 2012
I'm Not Sorry I Got You in Trouble.
Yesterday I got a 6th grader busted for edgy, maybe a bit above PG-13, writing. But I don't feel bad.
This month I'm teaching character development workshops to 4th, 5th (ah, such lovely people), and 6th graders at a charter school. I met this smart, err, smart-aleck, kid during recess detention. He's thrilled to be getting a D- in math. When he cheered his low grade, his fellow detention-mates laughed and hooted. Being smart isn't cool in the hormonal mess that comprises springtime 6th grade.
I struggled to get this kid invested in the writing exercise. He popped out of his seat, distracted those around him, and wrote banal descriptions of the magazine photo "character" I'd given him. But then he asked me if his character could be in a coma.
"Comas are boring," I said. "People in comas can't do much, can they?"
"What about a fake coma?"
"Fake comas are good."
Later he asked me if his character could have a drug problem that led to a bit of violence. "Sure," I said.
I live with a 6th grader, and they're not as innocent as we wish they were. I also know that writing gives us the chance to safely explore themes, figure out experiences, or experiment--and who am I to decide what another person needs to write about? I also appreciated the fact that the PG-13 elements in his writing had natural consequences. It wasn't gratuitous.
I also knew that his classmates would titter with the glee of the forbidden when he shared his writing. So I made him read last.
I hadn't been informed about the love affair between the fake coma patient and his nurse. Yet the scene kind of reminded me of A Farewell To Arms. And the nurse got pregnant from the "baby-making" on the hospital bed. Again, natural consequences.
The kid got SO busted by his teacher. But this kid gets scolded ALL DAY LONG.
He doesn't often have the chance to experience how the power of his imagination, his intelligence, his WRITING can affect others. Ooh, the class went wild for his salacious and dramatic story.
That's my job as a visiting author--to show kids that their words have real power. He got busted this time. But maybe he'll also be inspired to become the next Stephen King.
I snuck out of the classroom with a big smile on my face. Mission accomplished!
This month I'm teaching character development workshops to 4th, 5th (ah, such lovely people), and 6th graders at a charter school. I met this smart, err, smart-aleck, kid during recess detention. He's thrilled to be getting a D- in math. When he cheered his low grade, his fellow detention-mates laughed and hooted. Being smart isn't cool in the hormonal mess that comprises springtime 6th grade.
I struggled to get this kid invested in the writing exercise. He popped out of his seat, distracted those around him, and wrote banal descriptions of the magazine photo "character" I'd given him. But then he asked me if his character could be in a coma.
"Comas are boring," I said. "People in comas can't do much, can they?"
"What about a fake coma?"
"Fake comas are good."
Later he asked me if his character could have a drug problem that led to a bit of violence. "Sure," I said.
I live with a 6th grader, and they're not as innocent as we wish they were. I also know that writing gives us the chance to safely explore themes, figure out experiences, or experiment--and who am I to decide what another person needs to write about? I also appreciated the fact that the PG-13 elements in his writing had natural consequences. It wasn't gratuitous.
I also knew that his classmates would titter with the glee of the forbidden when he shared his writing. So I made him read last.
I hadn't been informed about the love affair between the fake coma patient and his nurse. Yet the scene kind of reminded me of A Farewell To Arms. And the nurse got pregnant from the "baby-making" on the hospital bed. Again, natural consequences.
The kid got SO busted by his teacher. But this kid gets scolded ALL DAY LONG.
He doesn't often have the chance to experience how the power of his imagination, his intelligence, his WRITING can affect others. Ooh, the class went wild for his salacious and dramatic story.
That's my job as a visiting author--to show kids that their words have real power. He got busted this time. But maybe he'll also be inspired to become the next Stephen King.
I snuck out of the classroom with a big smile on my face. Mission accomplished!
March 14, 2012
Pi = 3.14
Or a good excuse to bake an apple pie...
Happy Pi Day!
Happy Pi Day!
March 2, 2012
Lessons Learned From Illustrators
Last weekend, as SCBWI Regional Advisor, I attended our illustrator conference. The tips on lighting and body proportions did't really apply to writing, although I suppose if I tried, I could work out a complicated metaphor... But I won't. Here's what struck me:
Midway through her talk, Sherry Meidell said, "Deadlines and time constraints can stifle creativity. Relearn how to play like a child. You have to daydream--take the time to sit and think. Visualize, look at your sketches, and daydream some more." She advised us to go for a walk or a run, letting our stories play through our heads, as we ask if we've approached the illustration from the best angle.
Stories need to be told through the right angles too. Are we putting our characters in the best situations to move the story forward? Could we find a more interesting setting for this scene? Would our characters really do that--or is it merely a quick way to move the story along (and maybe avoid working through a tricky scene)?
As writers, we value butt-in-chair time, often racing through scenes to meet daily word count goals. As a NaNoWriMo fan, I'm guilty of stacking up word count without taking time to pause. Go on that walk. Stare out the window with my cat. Think.
I know that my writing could benefit from taking the time to daydream some more. So move over Minnie, let's hang out on the sofa & think through my plot together... Okay, I know you're only thinking about snacking on birds.
Midway through her talk, Sherry Meidell said, "Deadlines and time constraints can stifle creativity. Relearn how to play like a child. You have to daydream--take the time to sit and think. Visualize, look at your sketches, and daydream some more." She advised us to go for a walk or a run, letting our stories play through our heads, as we ask if we've approached the illustration from the best angle.
Stories need to be told through the right angles too. Are we putting our characters in the best situations to move the story forward? Could we find a more interesting setting for this scene? Would our characters really do that--or is it merely a quick way to move the story along (and maybe avoid working through a tricky scene)?
As writers, we value butt-in-chair time, often racing through scenes to meet daily word count goals. As a NaNoWriMo fan, I'm guilty of stacking up word count without taking time to pause. Go on that walk. Stare out the window with my cat. Think.
I know that my writing could benefit from taking the time to daydream some more. So move over Minnie, let's hang out on the sofa & think through my plot together... Okay, I know you're only thinking about snacking on birds.
February 23, 2012
Diving In...
Diving into my new work-in-progress reminds me of the first time I stood on the high board at swimming lessons. The water seemed so far away. I worried about doing a painful bellyflop. But I tipped off the board anyway.
And there were bellyflops, ear infections, and green-blond hair, but with practice I improved and moved on to trickier dives. That's how writing works too, I guess. Yesterday I bellyflopped my first chapter, attempting something too flashy, trying too hard to impress on the first page. So today I'm starting again. The water seems so far away, but I'm tipping my toes over the edge...
And there were bellyflops, ear infections, and green-blond hair, but with practice I improved and moved on to trickier dives. That's how writing works too, I guess. Yesterday I bellyflopped my first chapter, attempting something too flashy, trying too hard to impress on the first page. So today I'm starting again. The water seems so far away, but I'm tipping my toes over the edge...
February 14, 2012
Send A Paper Valentine
I'm wishing you all a virtual Happy Valentine's Day, but I hope that you'll take the time to send someone you've been thinking about--maybe that friend in high school who could always make you giggle on a bad day--real mail.
Nice notes don't last long enough these days--emails get deleted, tweets fleet every few seconds. But a real, handwritten note is different. We can read it over and over again--even years later.
Give someone a real treat--a friendly note in your own messy handwriting!
Nice notes don't last long enough these days--emails get deleted, tweets fleet every few seconds. But a real, handwritten note is different. We can read it over and over again--even years later.
Give someone a real treat--a friendly note in your own messy handwriting!
February 10, 2012
Blogging Elsewhere--About Love Interests
I'm over at YA Outside The Lines today. Our February theme is how real life love influences our fictional love interests.
My post is up: http://yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com/2012/02/running-into-my-fictional-characters-in.html
Let's just say that I'm always getting myself in trouble by "borrowing" real life guys for fiction.
My post is up: http://yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com/2012/02/running-into-my-fictional-characters-in.html
Let's just say that I'm always getting myself in trouble by "borrowing" real life guys for fiction.
February 9, 2012
Setting Aside a Work-in-Progress
I've decided to do something I've never done in my writing life. I'm setting aside my WIP to start something new. Why?
I scrubbed my refrigerator instead of writing on Tuesday.
Yesterday I spent my writing time filling my notebook with poorly-written poems.
Characters sparked by reading a newspaper article a few weeks ago won't stop chattering at me.
I've been trying too hard to write a book with a BIG GIANT SKY HIGH concept. And it's just not me.
Part of me feels like a quitter, putting aside something that I thoroughly researched & outlined with the fast-paced precision of the 4th sequel in an action movie franchise. I pounded out 50,000 words during NaNoWriMo. But I have to acknowledge that the story is not working. And I'm not working. Even my family is growing suspicious about the cleanliness of the house. Matched up socks? What?!?!?!
Maybe the marketplace wants novels that can be decorated with dark, doom and gloom covers with pessimistic views of the future. Someone else can write those books. I've got to stay true to myself & tell this new story about real people with real problems, not that having vampires in my backyard wouldn't be a problem...
I'm excited!
I scrubbed my refrigerator instead of writing on Tuesday.
Yesterday I spent my writing time filling my notebook with poorly-written poems.
Characters sparked by reading a newspaper article a few weeks ago won't stop chattering at me.
I've been trying too hard to write a book with a BIG GIANT SKY HIGH concept. And it's just not me.
Part of me feels like a quitter, putting aside something that I thoroughly researched & outlined with the fast-paced precision of the 4th sequel in an action movie franchise. I pounded out 50,000 words during NaNoWriMo. But I have to acknowledge that the story is not working. And I'm not working. Even my family is growing suspicious about the cleanliness of the house. Matched up socks? What?!?!?!
Maybe the marketplace wants novels that can be decorated with dark, doom and gloom covers with pessimistic views of the future. Someone else can write those books. I've got to stay true to myself & tell this new story about real people with real problems, not that having vampires in my backyard wouldn't be a problem...
I'm excited!
