Jennifer Caloyeras's Blog, page 22

first book review is in!

After eagerly anticipating readers' responses to my forthcoming young adult novel, Strays, I received a lovely review from Midwest Book Review! It's always nice to read a favorable review and learn what other readers have gleaned from my work. 

Here is an excerpt from the review: 

"Strays tells what happens when two wandering creatures find one another, overcoming their fears to make friends and rise above their dark reputations...Young adults who want a story of more than an animal rescue or a sixteen-year-old's angst will find Strays a compelling saga."

                - D. Donovan, Senior Book Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

You can read the full book review here at Midwest Book Review.

literary tattoos

While I am not inked, I have spent some time imagining what my hypothetical tattoo might look like. It would definitely have a literary slant of some sort. Perhaps a doorframe for Adrienne Rich's poetry collection, "The Fact of a Doorframe", perhaps a simple pair of spectacles for my love of James Joyce, or a tiny Winnie-the-Pooh holding a balloon on the small of my back. 

Here are some fiction fans and their literary tattoos of choice:

"And Still I Rise" Maya Anjelou

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Where the Wild things Are, Maurice Sendak

See the full collection over at bustle.com

What would your literary tattoo look like?

Camp NaNoWriMo

Spring has barely sprung, so it's a little early for summer camp, but it's never to soon to join Camp NanoWriMo. http://campnanowrimo.org

You may be familiar with NanoWriMo (national novel writing month) that takes place online every November. I have been a participant for the last two years. The idea is you write an entire novel-length piece of work over the course of the month of November. It's both grueling and rewarding.

Camp NaNoWriMo is like national novel writing lite. There is no minimum word count. You can set your own writing goals. You can also be placed in a virtual "cabin" with 11 other writers working in a similar genre or get a private cabin and invite your best writing friends.

With the kids on spring break and a looming move ahead, I decided to keep my goal simple and write a short story or two. A handful of friends from my MFA graduate programl at the University of British Columbia asked me to join their writing critique group in January and I think that Camp NaNoWriMo will help me manage my short ficiton output.

Writing is all about daily accoutability, isn't it?

See you at camp!!

My short fiction: Unruly

My short story, Unruly, was published in Storm Cellar's 2013 fall issue. Read it online here http://stormcellarquarterly.com/2013/... (yeah!! More free fiction!) Or buy the print edition here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/stormcellar


How would I describe the story in a few words? locamotives, amphibions, hair gone wild.

Camp NaNoWriMo is here!

Spring has barely sprung, so it's a little early for summer camp, but it's never to soon to join Camp NanoWriMo. 

You may be familiar with NanoWriMo (national novel writing month) that takes place online every November. I have been a participant for the last two years. The idea is you write an entire novel-length piece of work over the course of the month of November. It's both grueling and rewarding. 

Camp NaNoWriMo is like national novel writing lite. There is no minimum word count. You can set your own writing goals. You can also be placed in a virtual "cabin" with 11 other writers working in a similar genre or get a private cabin and invite your best writing friends. 

With the kids on spring break and a looming move ahead, I decided to keep my goal simple and write a short story or two. A handful of friends from my MFA graduate programl at the University of British Columbia asked me to join their writing critique group in January and I think that Camp NaNoWriMo will help me manage my short ficiton output. 

Writing is all about daily accoutability, isn't it? 

See you at camp!!

my short fiction: Unruly

My short story, Unruly, was published in Storm Cellar's 2013 fall issue. Read it online here (yeah!! More free fiction!) Or buy the print edition here. 




How would I describe the story in a few words? locamotives, amphibions,  hair gone wild. 

Everyday Book Marketing

As a writer, you think once the book has gone to print the hard work in done, right? Not even close. Sure, the private work is done (those grueling hours sitting alone behind a desk revising your story) but the public work is about to begin. There's the marketing and publicity, blog tours, bookstore signings and social media engagements. In fact, there is so much that can be done these days to help you promote your book, it can be overwhelming. How do you know what is worth your time? Where do you even begin?

This is where Midge Raymond's Everyday Book Marketing comes in. This book has single-handedly become my book promotional bible for my forthcoming young adult novel, Strays. Midge and her husband, John Yunker, are the publishers behind Ashland Creek Press, where my young adult novel is being published.

In this book, Midge takes you step by step through marketing and promotional ideas.

One of the many great examples from the book that I have employed is a simple sticker approach to promotion. I have these great postcards of my book cover:

And on the back is more information about the book.

Instead of printing up new postcards each time I speak at a new venue, I simply order stickers (in my case, from moo.com) catered to each individual event and affix them to the postcards. And I save on the expense of having to mockup and print new postcards for each event. Brilliant!!!

In the first section of the book, Midge explores discovering the right audience for your book as well as capitalizing on your particular strengths. In the second and third parts of the book, she takes you step by step through what needs to be done to maximize your exposure. I had never set up a Google Alert before, but now that I have, I get an email once a week that culls together each time my name or my book's title appears on the internet, this way I can keep up with reviews and publicity I am getting that I might otherwise have missed. The last section includes great Q & As with a range of authors and industry experts.

I know Everyday Book Marketing will be an invaluable tool in promoting future publications.

Everyday Book Marketing

As a writer, you think once the book has gone to print the hard work in done, right? Not even close. Sure, the private work is done (those grueling hours sitting alone behind a desk revising your story) but the public work is about to begin. There's the marketing and publicity, blog tours, bookstore signings and social media engagements. In fact, there is so much that can be done these days to help you promote your book, it can be overwhelming. How do you know what is worth your time? Where do you even begin?

This is where Midge Raymond's Everyday Book Marketing comes in. This book has single-handedly become my book promotional bible for my forthcoming young adult novel, Strays. Midge and her husband, John Yunker, are the publishers behind Ashland Creek Press, where my young adult novel is being published. 

In this book, Midge takes you step by step through marketing and promotional ideas.  

One of the many great examples from the book that I have employed is a simple sticker approach to promotion. I have these great postcards of my book cover:

And on the back is more information about the book. 

Instead of printing up new postcards each time I speak at a new venue, I simply order stickers (in my case, from moo.com) catered to each individual event and affix them to the postcards. And I save on the expense of having to mockup and print new postcards for each event. Brilliant!!!

In the first section of the book, Midge explores discovering the right audience for your book as well as capitalizing on your particular strengths. In the second and third parts of the book,  she takes you step by step through what needs to be done to maximize your exposure. I had never set up a Google Alert before, but now that I have, I get an email once a week that culls together each time my name or my book's title appears on the internet, this way I can keep up with reviews and publicity I am getting that I might otherwise have missed. The last section includes great Q & As with a range of authors and industry experts.

I know Everyday Book Marketing will be an invaluable tool in promoting future publications. 

stay home and read a book ball

The 27th annual Stay Home and Read a Book Ball is happening right now! And a rainy L.A. afternoon is the perfect backdrop to curling up with a good book.

I'm sipping some green tea and diving in to Nell Zink's The Wallcreeper. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

The ball is sponsered by the Library Foundation of Los Angeles and donations go towards cultural and educational programs of the Los Angeles Library.

Chaired by Junot Diaz.

Read more here: http://www.jennifercaloyeras.com/blog...

stay home and read a book ball

The 27th annual Stay Home and Read a Book Ball is happening right now! And a rainy L.A. afternoon is the perfect backdrop to curling up with a good book. 

I'm sipping some green tea and diving in to Nell Zink's The Wallcreeper. 

The ball is sponsered by the Library Foundation of Los Angeles and donations go towards cultural and educational programs of the Los Angeles Library. 

Chaired by Junot Diaz.