Elana Johnson's Blog, page 21

Books to Give This Season: TAKEN by Erin Bowman

Okay, so I loved this book. I don't even think "love" is strong enough a word. I L-O-V-E-D this book! I bought it many months ago when it first came out, but I just read it recently.

The book in question? TAKEN by Erin Bowman. If you haven't read it yet, you need to get it, stat. And then you need to buy a copy for someone you love. Because there's nothing better than books for Christmas.


About TAKEN: Gray Weathersby has grown up expecting to disappear at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. They call it the Heist—and it happens to every boy in Claysoot. His only chance at escape is to climb the Wall that surrounds Claysoot. A climb no one has ever survived . . .

Why this book works for me:
1. Super unique concept. A closed society, with a wall that no one has ever made it over? That's full of mystery and intrigue right there. 

2. A main character to root for. I loved Gray, and his steadiness. I loved that he knew what he wanted -- not only a girl he loved, but a brother to save -- and that he went for it. He wasn't overly emotional, something I think sometimes happens to male narrators, and he had a perfect voice for the story.

3. The twists and turns. There's so much more to this book than what's listed in the description. There's the wall, yes. But that's just the beginning. There are secrets Gray doesn't know (no spoilers here!), and I thought the world-building was spot-on. The information was delivered to the reader at just the right time to keep the pages turning. And the set-up for FROZEN, the second book? Brilliant. 

4. The writing. I'm a fan of good writing, and while I can't really explain it, I know it when I see it. And TAKEN has it. I like smart verbs, and smart characters, and a swift plot. TAKEN delivered.

So if you're looking for a great read, pick up TAKEN.

What's on your holiday wish-list? What books are you giving this holiday season?

Everyone Deserves A Chance to Fly!

Okay, so I've been listening to a lot of WICKED in the car recently. You know how you turn it up really loud and scream-sing along with, pretending you're even half as good as Kristin Chenoweth? Yeah, maybe that's just me.


But anyway, my favorite song of the show is "Defying Gravity." It just seems to fit a lot of what I've been feeling, thinking, and going through lately.

So Glinda has told Elphaba that she "can still be with the Wizard. What you've worked and waited for." (Tell me that doesn't apply to publishing!)

And Elphaba says:
"I know:
But I don't want it -
No - I can't want it
Anymore.

Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes and leap!

It's time to try
Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
And you can't pull me down!"

I love that. You can't pull me down!

Then Glinda says:
"Can't I make you understand?
You're having delusions of grandeur." 

(Also, publishing. Who among us doesn't have delusions of grandeur? I'm totally guilty as charged.)

To which Elphaba replies:
"I'm through accepting limits
'cause someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try, I'll never know!
Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love I guess I've lost
Well, if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost!
I'd sooner buy
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
And you can't pull me down."

See? See how this applies to publishing? "I'm through accepting limits, 'cause someone says they're so." I absolutely love that line. And there are things in publishing that we don't understand until we try them. And things we're afraid of, and things we miss out on because of those fears.

Then Elphaba and Glinda have their little goodbye, and Elphaba sings:
"So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky!
As someone told me lately:
"Everyone deserves the chance to fly!"

And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free
To those who'd ground me
Take a message back from me

Tell them how I am
Defying gravity
I'm flying high
Defying gravity
And soon I'll match them in reknown
And nobody in all of Oz
No Wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down!"

Again, love. Because everybody DOES deserve the chance to fly, even if it's solo.

So today, I am getting on my broom and hoping it'll fly. I'm letting you know that I will be self-publishing a novel of mine on February 18, 2014. It's called ELEVATED, and it's about a girl who gets stuck in an industrial-sized elevator with her ex-boyfriend. It's a YA contemporary novel-in-verse.

That's right. Poetry. Every word.

And my good friend, Erin Summerill is making the cover with some exclusive photography she shot--and she is brilliant!

And in case you haven't heard of WICKED or Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, you really should watch it.

Don't you think everyone deserves a chance to fly?

How Do You Know If You're Good?

Okay, so many of you know I'm querying. And if you didn't, you do now! Of course, I'm getting rejected. It's part of the business. But as the rejections have been coming in, I'm always left with one question: How do you know if you're a good writer?

Is it because people tell you you are? Is it because you have an agent? A lot of sales? A deal?

I'm not sure, because I've read books that win big, major awards and I walk away from them because I don't like them. I've read books that are brilliant that no one else seems to be talking about. I've read books that sold for a lot of money and found them boring.

So how do you know if you're a good writer? What's the measurement?

I hate stuff like this, because I am a concrete person. I want a plan, a method, to know. Like, I can count my calories and know how much I've eaten. I can see the weight coming off the scale (BTW, I'm down 10 pounds now! Just started a couple of weeks ago). I know how to measure the success.

But with publishing, I don't.

I think that might be the most frustrating thing of all. I don't want to publish something bad, something poorly written or imagined, something poorly executed. But I don't know how to tell what's "good" and what's "bad."

So how do you know if you're a good writer?

Pushing Past the Subjectivity

Dude, this business is SO subjective. If you didn't know that yet, I hope I'm not revealing anything too heart-breaking. Because this publishing thing? It has the power to rip your heart out and trample on it.

And it's because of the subjectivity of the art. Writing is art. Books are art. I know intellectually that not everyone will "connect" with the art I produce. But emotionally, this is a much harder fact to internalize. Because, if the writing is good, and the plotting is smart, and the characters are well-developed (all compliments I've gotten), why exactly isn't this book for you?

Subjective tastes.

And that's hard to stomach, because I don't know how to revise to fix that. It's impossible. We can't revise our books for every reader who comes along, be them agents, editors, or fans. Maybe if you're writing a Choose Your Own Adventure (remember those?).

But seriously, the subjectivity of this industry is demoralizing. It makes you question your ability, and allows your mind to wander into Forbidden Territory: Doubt.

At the same time, this subjectivity is what's so great about publishing. There literally is a place for everyone, all stories, all types.

So each time I get a rejection that doesn't resonate with me, or with the reasons I wrote the story I did, or the vision I have for my story, I have to push past the subjectivity of it. Sometimes it's hard -- oh, so many times. But in the end, I have to create the art I love and believe in.

How do you push past the subjectivity?

NaNo Check-In!

Okay, I realize I've abandoned the blog for a little bit. It's because all my time is sucked up in teaching, mothering, and writing. And it's exciting! I haven't written a book since April, and for a few days there, I seriously thought I'd forgotten how.



But isn't that always how it goes? Sure, I've been spending a lot of time on writing-related things. Revisions. Social media. Editing. But the actual drafting a book doesn't happen as often. Not nearly enough.



So this NaNo-ing has been good for me. Very therapeutic. I'm a bit ahead of the curve right now, but I still need to be writing about 1400 words each day to finish on time.



The real problem came yesterday when I wrote during my lunch hour (gotta grab the minutes when you can, you know?). I think I may have written myself into a corner. I usually write again after my kids go to bed, but I just couldn't. I wasn't sure how to get out of what I'd gotten into.



So I'm stewing on that today, and I might have to do one of those fillers. You know, the "stuff happens here" highlighted in yellow so I can keep getting the words on the page.



Are you NaNo-ing? How is it going?

Suck Less

So I was trolling Facebook the other day. It's pretty standard for me these days. I can fly through my lists and like and comment in a few minutes. I like it. Someone had said something about their family motto (for which I instantly felt inferior), and my husband reminded me that we too, have a family motto.



Suck Less.



I decided this is a good motto for a lot of things, writing included. So as I prepare to k-i-l-l my concept for NaNo with lots of words, I'm going to try to make them suck less.



Of course, how one goes about doing that is another matter entirely. I've been reading a lot lately (lucky you, because as usual, I'll be talking about the books I love), and I think instead of giving you a recommendation on why you'll like a book from a reader's standpoint, I think I'll talk about how amazing the books are based on their writing -- and what I learned from it.



This might only last for one or two books (let's be honest here), but I've read some really good ones lately that have struck something in me. Something that sounds a lot like This sucks less. Make yours suck less.



So that's my official goal for NaNo. Do you have a writing goal? In general or for NaNo?

Facing Fears

Okay, so this is always hard, isn't it? Facing down that rabid dog or whatever. But though I am terrified of most dogs, rabid or not, that's not really what I'm talking about. Not a physical fear, but an emotional one.



That's not quite right either. More of a creative one.



See, my agent and I parted ways last month. She is a lovely person and a great agent. I have no hard feelings toward her and our split was amicable.



And here I am. Facing a wide-open world of publishing for the first time in years. Well, that's not really true either, because I already have books out. The only way to truly have a wide-open publishing world is to choose a pen name and start over.



I don't think I'll do that, and now I'm exploring all the options. See, I have five full manuscripts that are finished. Like, finished. Like, I could send them to editors and agents and not be embarrassed.



I'm querying a couple of them, actually. Querying is just as painful and demoralizing as I remember from 2009. Rejections are hard--especially when the feedback is at odds from agent to agent.



I have submitted a couple of my manuscripts to small and midsize publishers that take unsolicited submissions.



I have purchased Indie-publishing guides, and I've emailed with friends, and I've discussed options with my husband.



I really do have a ton of choices. The real problem is facing the fear of choosing one over the other. It seems that every publishing model has it's pros and cons.



And of course, I want it all. *wink* But mostly, it's the fear of trying something I've never tried before that's got a grip on me right now. I almost think it would be easier if someone just told me what to do! Anyone? Ha!



Have you faced a fear? How did you overcome it?

FRIENDS AND TRAITORS by C.J. Hill

Okay, so I'm here today with C.J. Hill to celebrate the release of her second Slayers book: FRIENDS AND TRAITORS! I've met the real C.J. in real life, and she is awesome!



So let's learn a bit about the book first.







About FRIENDS AND TRAITORS: In C.J. Hill's action-packed sequel to Slayers, the group of teens known as Slayers have been betrayed—but they won’t give up without a fight.



Tori’s got a problem. She thought she’d have one more summer to train as a dragon Slayer, but time has run out. When Tori hears the horrifying sound of dragon eggs hatching, she knows the Slayers are in trouble. In less than a year, the dragons will be fully grown and completely lethal. The Slayers are well-prepared, but their group is still not complete, and Tori is determined to track down Ryker—the mysterious missing Slayer.



What Tori doesn’t bargain for, however, is the surprising truth about her powers. She isn’t just a Slayer, she’s part Dragon Lord, too. How can Tori fight to save her friends when half of her is programmed to protect dragons? And with a possible traitor in their midst, the Slayers will be divided in more ways than they ever imagined.



Sounds amazing, right? It is! I've read it, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes good writing, fun characters, and the supernatural in their books.



And now we get to have some insight into C.J. and how she started writing and of course, whether she prefers bacon or chocolate!!



The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less: Slayers are teens with superpowers to fight dragons. Which is a good thing, because dragons are back and they don't want to be our friends.



Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes, although I also wanted to be a ballerina, an astronaut, and an ice-skater. Thank goodness I became a writer since my astro skating ballerina ambitions didn't pay off. (LOL! It's awesome to dream.)



What made you decide to go that “extra step” and seek publication?

I joined a writers group and a lot of the women were actively sending out their stuff. I realized that if I wanted to be published I couldn't just wait around for an editor to show up at my house and ask to see my stuff. I had to send it out into the cruel, harsh world. It's a hard step--but until publishers send out roving editors--a necessary one. (So true!)



Quick! You’ve been chosen to go on Survivor. What luxury item do you take?

A notebook and pen, of course. What else would I be doing in a remote spot besides writing my next novel? (Great question!)



Bacon or chocolate?

It's a hard choice as these are probably my two favorite foods, but I'm going with chocolate. It is my happy place. (Mine too, though it is hard to beat bacon...)



Find C.J. around the Internet:


Facebook
Twitter
Website
Goodreads



Buy FRIENDS AND TRAITORS:




Macmillan (read an excerpt here too!)

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Indiebound









About C.J. Hill: CJ Hill is a pen name for a YA author who is best known for writing romantic comedies. (Slayers will be her 18th published book.) Her writing has shifted away from the romantic comedy genre, so her editor thought a pen name would be a good idea. (New books will include: dangerous dragons, time travel to dystopian worlds, and flesh-eating beetles.) Since the publisher refused to let her have the pseudonym : The Artist Formerly Referred to as Princess, she chose a name to honor her mother. CJ Hill was her mother's pen name, or at least it would have been if her mother had published. Her mother wrote a few children's books and a middle grade novel but was taken by cancer before she had fully learned the craft.



Most writers' first novels aren't publishable. CJ Junior's first novel wasn't, but somehow was published anyway. Now, even though it is out of print, it remains forever available on Amazon, where it taunts her with its badness. This was another good reason to use a pen name.



CJ Hill has five children, three of whom like her on any given day depending on who is in trouble. She has lived in Arizona for the last half of her life, but is still in desert denial and hopes that one day her garden will grow silver bells and cockle shells or maybe just tomatoes.



I hope you pick up SLAYERS if you haven't read it yet. And you can check out all the blog tour stops for FRIENDS AND TRAITORS over at Fire and Ice.

VISION by Lisa Amowitz Cover Reveal!

Okay, so I've known Lisa for years. She read Possession way back when it was a baby, and I'm thrilled for her success. Her next book is titled VISION, and today she's releasing the cover!



A bit about VISION: The light is darker than you think…



When seventeen-year-old Bobby Pendell begins to have blinding migraines followed by frightening hallucinations, he fears there’s something wrong with him. Then murder rocks his sleepy town and the visions that put him on trail of a killer—also make him the prime suspect.















A little bit about Lisa: Lisa Amowitz was born in Queens and raised in the wilds of Long Island, New York where she climbed trees, thought small creatures lived under rocks and studied ant hills. And drew. A lot. She is a professor of Graphic Design at her beloved Bronx Community College where she has been tormenting and cajoling students for nearly seventeen years. She started writing eight years ago because she wanted something to illustrate, but somehow, instead ended up writing YA. Probably because her mind is too dark and twisted for small children.





Find her on:




Twitter

Facebook
Her website
Her blog
Goodreads





And now onto the cover!







Creeptastic, right? I think it fits the description really well, and I can't wait to read it! VISION is coming from Spencer Hill Press on May 13, 2014.



What do you think of the cover?

SKY JUMPERS Giveaway!!

Okay, so I am lucky enough to live only a few minutes away from the Famous Peggy Eddleman, author of the amazing middle grade adventure, SKY JUMPERS. I got to go to her release party a week or so ago, and I bought two copies of the book.



One for my eight-year-old daughter--who was so excited!



And one for one of you!! It's a signed hardcover, and it's the perfect read for anyone who can, well, read!









Enter in the Rafflecopter below. Contest runs all week.



a Rafflecopter giveaway