Daisy Whitney's Blog, page 18

HIGHLY Recommended Reading: "Before I Fall" by Lauren Oliver

I can't stop thinking about Lauren Oliver's novel "Before I Fall." I just finished reading it a few days ago and it's the kind of story that stays with you for a long time. Maybe forever. It's the kind of novel that changes you, maybe for a moment, maybe for a lifetime. Whether the change is small or large, it's the kind of story that makes you want to be a better person, a kinder person, a better wife, a better mom, a better friend. It's the kind of story that makes you want to inhale and...

Wanna hear a secret?

Who doesn't love a good secret? They're the fuel for many friendships, relationships and love affairs, not to mention novels. I asked the author Dianne Dixon to share her thoughts on the power of secrets in a blog post for me. Her novel "The Language of Secrets" releases today. In her words, here is "The Truth About Secerets."

by Dianne Dixon, author of The Language of Secrets

"Want to hear a secret?"

The question is usually asked in a whisper and, often, in proximity so intimate that we can ...

I'm back!

Not that I was missed or anything, but I kinda took the week off last week from blogging because I was "speed writing." My brain was pretty much operating at maximum frazzle all week long as I raced — or rather limped — toward my own personal finish line. I started the month having written 27,181 words in a new project. By March 16, I had finished a very rough first draft that weighed in at 68,887 words. So you don't have to break out your calculators, that's 41,486 words written in 16 days o...

When you're in love with your best friend's boyfriend – get to know Elizabeth Scott!

Elizabeth Scott is one of my most favorite young adult authors EVAH! I am a total fangirl, I adore her books, and I am thrilled to host her as part of the Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit. Her novel "The Unwritten Rule" releases today, March 16, from Simon Pulse and I'll be in line at the book store to buy a copy. Here's a description of the story.

Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don't like you best friend's boyfriend.Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart...

Am I a bad writer mommy?

Sometimes I forget what color eyes I have given a character. Does that make me a bad writer mommy?

My Life as a Shoe Blogger

I wear many hats. And evidently, many pairs of shoes. Sometimes I even play the role of a shoe blogger. Where do I find the time, you are wondering? How do I NOT find the time to write about shoes? They are shoes after all. Shoes! A very lifeforce unto themselves. Glorious, beautiful shoes!

Anyway, as I was saying, I interviewed Arianna Huffington last week and she loved my eco-friendly shoes so much she asked me to blog about them for the Huffington Post. So I did! You can read it here.

1000 True Fans in Teen Lit

I recently wrote a guest column for fellow teen lit authors Lisa and Laura Roecker on 1000 True Fans. I am reposting it here.

There's a theory in marketing that if an artist has 1000 "true fans" she can make a living at her craft.

Lisa, Laura and I wanted to explore this theory in my guest post with an eye toward what it might mean for a teen lit author.

The 1000 True Fans theory was developed by Kevin Kelly, the co-founder of "Wired" magazine and author of the book "What Technology Wants"...

First come, first served! Get a signed copy of Lauren Oliver's "Before I Fall"

UPDATE: CONTEST NOW CLOSED…I RECEIVED THREE ENTRIES

On March 10 I'll be attending debut young adult author Lauren Oliver's book signing for "Before I Fall." If you have a hankering for a personalized, signed copy of her novel (it's getting mucho buzz and I'm reading it now and it's quite good), let me know. I will buy copies for the first three people to respond via email with a note that includes one sentence on why you want the book. I'll buy it, have it signed personally for you and then...

My Frankenstein Novel Lives

In September I left a novel on the operating table. Cut open, guts oozing, parts everywhere. I called it my Frankenstein novel.

Guess what???

Frankstein lives!

I have resurrected the monster! This monster novel that I started in May and shelved in August when it became a gigantic pile of word doody has a beating heart again!

Because the characters kept knocking on my skull. Sure, they were surrounded by heaping piles of word doody. But they had hope for themselves! They believed in their story...

And the winner of "Breathing" is…

Thank you for all the entries in the 5-Word First Love Contest to win a signed copy of Cheryl Renee Herbsman's novel "Breathing." They were all amazing!

And here's the winning entry!

Caitlin @ Roaming Tales:

Kisses in rain like champagne

I love that entry — it's sweet and romantic and poetic because it rhymes! And I can picture it and feel it and taste it! Yay Caitlin!