Scott Tracey's Blog, page 23

New Blog Layout and Ideas Vlog

So I went ahead and switched up the layout of my blog. It was just one of those "I need a change" moments, and I'd already gotten a haircut, so the next obvious choice was to overhaul the blog. Which I…started to do. I rewrote the WITCH EYES summary on the "About My Books" tab up above, and its a little closer to something I like. I'll be so happy when the book has cover copy, so I can just use that instead.

Also, this week on the YA Rebels we talked ideas, and where the inspiration for ...

Building Buzz

The #yalitchat topic on Twitter this week was all about buzz – how is it created, how do you build on it, etc etc etc.  Now, I'm normally totally distracted at night so I always miss out on these chats, but the stars seemed to align this week, and I got to take part, and its really had me thinking.

Buzz, for those who may not know, is kind of a pulse for what people are hyped up to read.  It's "interest" and "fascination" and "demand" all in one.  And there's generally two agreed-upon ways to ...

Books That Haunt Me

This past week on the YA Rebels, we talked about books that haunted us in some way, or stayed with us even after we finished.  So I picked one of each – a recent book that made me cringe, and a book that hit a little close to home.  I always forget to link these vlogs on my blog – its just too much log, I think.

Check it out!

Bullying, Twitter, and the In Between

Like others today, I've been watching actions and reactions about something that happened last night when an author sent a thoroughly inappropriate series of emails to an agent.  The agent posted these emails, with name included, and it became something of a joke. At the author's expense.

I first want to direct you to two other fantastic posts that are probably better written than this.  I think Myra McEntire's came first, and then Kirsten Hubbard's.

And I just want to say that while I don't...

Edit Letter!

I got my first official edit letter for WITCH EYES yesterday.  Everyone please make note of the enthusiasm and optimism so that in a month you can all point and laugh and say "remember when you thought everything was perfect?"  Its really interesting to actually SEE someone break down my book into all its little pieces, and point out a few things that even I hadn't noticed before (or if I noticed them, then I forgot it later on).

The best thing was that there was a comment in the marked up...

Guest Vlogger Week and a Writing Update

So this week on the YA Rebels we changed it up on you a little bit.  Instead of having to listen to US you got a lot of fun advice from a variety of young adult authors.  Click the links to go to their videos (but trust me, they are ALL worth watching).  While you're there, consider leaving them a comment letting them know what an awesome job they did!

Lisa and Laura Roecker (with a hilarious pee-your-pants cameo by Libba Bray)(no…literally) Kami Garcia Hannah Moskowitz Carrie Ryan (who got...

Magical Mondays

Whew.  Moonset is done (well, for the time being).  I sent a copy to my agent tonight, which is always a little…intimidating.  But at least its in that Done For Now stage, which makes me smile.  I updated the link in the side that has a list of my novels and projects to include Moonset, so you can check that out here.

I also posted a blog about villains the other day, so be sure to check that out and weigh in on what you think makes a good villain.

And here's my YA Rebels video from last...

How to Create a Villain

Villains are some of the most fascinating, and (in my opinion) easiest to fumble.  A great villain makes a book better, an adequate villain doesn't really do anything either way. This post is with urban fantasy villains in mind – since that's what I write its also what I think in terms of.

Right from the start, its important to remember one of my favorite pieces of advice:  The Villain is the hero of his own story. Great villains – whether they're great because of the dialogue they get to...

Contracts, Finished WIPs and More!

This week has been a week of….events.

We found out Saturday morning that our family dog had a very serious tumor, and if it was worse than they imagined then they were going to have to put her to sleep.  Which they ended up doing, because the cancer was just too severe, and she would have only been in pain.  Having had this dog since I was a teenager, it was a blow to say the least.  (Note – the super happy rest of this post was written earlier in the week, so don't think I'm being completely ...

Victoria Schwab is a Flatterer!

So Victoria Schwab (you may have heard of her, she's Wednesday on the YA Rebels as well as the author of the amazing NEAR WITCH) and I talk on the instant messenger every so often, and its come to my attention that the girl is just…the best flatterer I know.  With her permission, I've posted a few of our conversations below.  The really funny bits are in bold.

From sometime in February:

me: *Where I say something jokingly mean that I won't repeat in this blog post.)

Victoria: GASP HORROR ***...