Daisy Whitney's Blog, page 21

Naughty or Nice? Get to know Suzanne Young of "The Naughty List"

Welcome to my first interview for "The Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit," a webring of YA novelists. Check these postings for the latest releases!

Suzanne Young's "The Naughty List" releases Friday, February 4 from Razorbill. It's the first in a series.

Here's a blurb on the book:

As if being a purrfect cheerleader isn't enough responsibility! Tessa Crimson's the sweet and spunky leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a cheer squad–turned–spy society dedicated to bringing dastardly...

I'm in a writing sorority!

I'm super excited to "announce" that all throughout this fabulous, wondrous year of 2010, I get to be part of the "Girlfriend's Cyber Circuit." It's a webring of young adult novelists who support each other and help promote each other's new releases when they come about. There are about 25 authors in the group including the talented Jennifer Echols, who runs the group this year and is the author of many terrific books including "The Ex Games," which I thoroughly enjoyed. Also in the group...

Why we read teen lit

Young adult novel are many things. They are entertaining, romantic, funny, suspenseful, scary, witty, clever and so on. Many are also heartbreaking, wrenching, touching and so on. And within all those different shades and colors, you'll often find teen lit novels that tackle tough topics like rape, abuse, eating disorders, suicide and neglect. In fact, teens often choose novels because the books deal with issues they might be facing in their lives.

The talented and prolific book blogger...

Ooh La La!

Come see my new necklaces from Paris in this necklace fashion show! Watch the video!

When your book gets your back…

Have you ever just so casually, unintentionally worked in an element in an early draft of a novel that lo and behold happened to VITAL later on? I have! And now I have coined a term for such a phenomenon. And it's AFTUBAU. Catchy, I know. Come watch my video to learn all about AFTUBAU.

Daniel Craig and Clive Owen in my head

Do you have a little voice that talks to you when you're writing?

I do. And my little voice always knows best. And sometimes that little voice says, "Uh, I don't think so, girl." Or, "You've got to be kidding me."

Sometimes the voice is subtler and doesn't even speak, but just shakes its head. (Yes the voices in my head have heads and faces too and mostly look like Clive Owen or Daniel Craig, which is why I sometimes get distracted. And that's when I really need to listen to the voice. Or the ...

What are you listening to now?

While I can't share words or quotes or chapters or names or anything like that for the novel I'm writing now (hee hee – that's the joy of writing under a contract for the first time! You gotta keep stuff under wraps), I CAN share the playlist I'm listening to.

I don't listen to music when I am writing at home. That is, unless I need to drown out sounds of the heathens in my home. But I absolutely listen to music when I write in coffee shops and on airplanes because I find conversations...

Friday Fun Video!

Remember Chad Vader? The erstwhile grocery store manager? He's back and now he's Lord Snack too and he has some Super Bowl snack idea!

You know you're a writer if you're not embarrassed to wear these slippers

Check out my new fuzzy slipper boots from Paris! Because all good ideas emanate from feet and because these little puppies keep my tootsies toasty, I am a veritable writing machine thanks to my Parisian fuzzy slipper boots! You know you want a pair…

Video Blogging 101

Last week I began a monthly guest column for Lisa and Laura Roecker, the fantastic bloggers and young adult authors. I'm reposting my column on videoblogging tips here.

If I could impart only one piece of wisdom to writers who are jumping into videoblogging it's this – less is more.

Short and sweet reign on YouTube. So if you're trying out your on-camera skills or even thinking about how to market yourself or your books with video, the best way to start is to take whatever it is you were about ...