Jen K. Blom's Blog, page 5
May 29, 2011
It's a giveaway!
Hey guys!
To celebrate the *dies* arrival of Possum Summer on bookshelves and in happy reader's hands everywhere, I'm hosting a giveaway over on Goodreads!
If you want, go and enter it! :-D
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Possum Summer
by Jen K. Blom
Enter to win !!!!
To celebrate the *dies* arrival of Possum Summer on bookshelves and in happy reader's hands everywhere, I'm hosting a giveaway over on Goodreads!
If you want, go and enter it! :-D
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Possum Summer
by Jen K. Blom
Giveaway ends June 05, 2011.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter to win !!!!
May 27, 2011
Updated book trailer!
My husband is a man full of patience, kindness, wonderfulness and awesomeness, all combined in one personable package! And can you imagine that he also is tremendously talented in book trailers?
He's updated mine - to show THE FACT THAT IT HAS BEEN SEEN IN THE WILD. Yep. The excitement, it can't be contained.
He is, quite simply, brilliant.
He's updated mine - to show THE FACT THAT IT HAS BEEN SEEN IN THE WILD. Yep. The excitement, it can't be contained.
He is, quite simply, brilliant.
Possum Summer (Jen K Blom) from Jen K Blom on Vimeo.
May 26, 2011
POSSUM SUMMER IS IN STOCK!
SO.
You have to excuse me.
BECAUSE I AM SO EXCITED.
SO SO SO EXCITED.
Possum Summer IS IN STOCK! It is leaving the warehouses for AWESOME local indies and Amazon! And it will then go to new happy owners!
Have you ordered it?
Yes? <<< YOU ARE SO AWESOMENo! <<< Why not? GET ON IT!
WHOHOOOOOOOOO!
(Thanks to Hil for pointing this out!)
You have to excuse me.
BECAUSE I AM SO EXCITED.
SO SO SO EXCITED.
Possum Summer IS IN STOCK! It is leaving the warehouses for AWESOME local indies and Amazon! And it will then go to new happy owners!
Have you ordered it?
Yes? <<< YOU ARE SO AWESOMENo! <<< Why not? GET ON IT!
WHOHOOOOOOOOO!
(Thanks to Hil for pointing this out!)
May 20, 2011
Birthday books!!
Hello everybody!!
Happy Friday!!
And happy birthday to me!!
:-)
This naturally segues (for me anyway!) into a discussion of book character birthdays. Whivh do you remember-what were particularly memorable ones?
I remember Ramona's. And a birthday where a kid got a pony. (as a horse mad young girl I was in love with this book, heh). But why are all others escaping me?
When I was a kid, it seemed like I could begin again on my birthday. With my new cool (insert present here) I would save the world.
Have all those books gone? Is there a particular character's birthday that you remember?
Happy Friday!!
And happy birthday to me!!
:-)
This naturally segues (for me anyway!) into a discussion of book character birthdays. Whivh do you remember-what were particularly memorable ones?
I remember Ramona's. And a birthday where a kid got a pony. (as a horse mad young girl I was in love with this book, heh). But why are all others escaping me?
When I was a kid, it seemed like I could begin again on my birthday. With my new cool (insert present here) I would save the world.
Have all those books gone? Is there a particular character's birthday that you remember?
May 16, 2011
Reviews. OH MY COMMA.
So reviews start to come in for POSSUM SUMMER!
This is the part I was pretty worked up about. it's rather stressful, to think that they are being reviewed by people that do this, you know, for a living. Everyone says not to worry about reviews, and then they say with the next breath to not buy into them too much, as if they're good you'll get a big head and if they're bad you'll want to kill yourself.
I can say that the above is all true, as I have lived through it these last couple weeks myself. And the highs and lows! MAN!
First, BOOKLIST:
Pretty cool. :-D
Both PW and Kirkus agree that P is a strong character. Which is nice.
P is a feisty, honest country gal.
- Kirkus
and
First-time author Blom effectively evokes her novel's contemporary rural Oklahoma setting and creates a credibly feisty protagonist in narrator P.
- PW
Now I just have to wait a couple more weeks until it's released.
I can't believe we're this close. The countdown is ON!
This is the part I was pretty worked up about. it's rather stressful, to think that they are being reviewed by people that do this, you know, for a living. Everyone says not to worry about reviews, and then they say with the next breath to not buy into them too much, as if they're good you'll get a big head and if they're bad you'll want to kill yourself.
I can say that the above is all true, as I have lived through it these last couple weeks myself. And the highs and lows! MAN!
First, BOOKLIST:
Princess, or "P," lives on a rural Oklahoma farm and is desperate for a pet. Defying her father's belief that
all farm animals are simply workers that must earn their keep, she tries to befriend both the cattle dog and
a donkey. Then, in a defining moment, she impulsively rescues a baby possum, planning to release him
once he is older. Her family is too distracted to notice P's subterfuge: her mom works long hours, her dad
is stationed in Iraq, and her asthmatic sister stays indoors. Then a rabies epidemic sweeps across the
county, threatening the well-being of both animals and free-roaming P and foreshadowing dangers to
come. Writing in P's believable voice, Blom captures the feel of rural America, with lush descriptions of
scenery and daily farm work, in an authentic exploration of friendship, a family under stress, and a child
learning to cope with consequences. The ending provides hope but no clear resolution. Hand this to animal
lovers, children of soldiers, and readers who enjoy the rich details of rural life.
— Suzanne Harold
Pretty cool. :-D
Both PW and Kirkus agree that P is a strong character. Which is nice.
P is a feisty, honest country gal.
- Kirkus
and
First-time author Blom effectively evokes her novel's contemporary rural Oklahoma setting and creates a credibly feisty protagonist in narrator P.
- PW
Now I just have to wait a couple more weeks until it's released.
I can't believe we're this close. The countdown is ON!
May 2, 2011
*staggers in*
Newest MS is finished. Needs an edit but I've got those under controll-ah.
Now I'll edit THE SPOTTED PONY. And in the meantime, the new idea is making itself known. Just the title cracks me up:
TOOT WUNDER
I'm going to TRY and hold off on starting it for awhile, though. I think I've broke my brain with two books in two months. It's just two much.
(geddit? GEDDIT HUH DO YOU GEDDIT?)
Ok. I'm out.
*twitch*
Now I'll edit THE SPOTTED PONY. And in the meantime, the new idea is making itself known. Just the title cracks me up:
TOOT WUNDER
I'm going to TRY and hold off on starting it for awhile, though. I think I've broke my brain with two books in two months. It's just two much.
(geddit? GEDDIT HUH DO YOU GEDDIT?)
Ok. I'm out.
*twitch*
April 27, 2011
Best picture I've seen in awhile
Remember that not everyone will love you. Or what you write. Some will pan, some will be mean. Some will gush. Some will go nuuuutso for your story. Do they matter?
What's important (and what dear friends have reminded me of lately) is that we do this for one main reason. To write the stories we see in our heads.
And so, I say to you:
What's important (and what dear friends have reminded me of lately) is that we do this for one main reason. To write the stories we see in our heads.
And so, I say to you:
April 20, 2011
How's that two books at once working?
Pretty good, actually.
I've done a little maths today, and if I keep up this pace, I'll have Outrider done next Saturday.
I started writing this book on the 24h of March.
I was also writing and finishing THE SPOTTED PONY draft for my publisher during this time. (Tho it took a little longer.) Also getting Loki used to her new daycare, but that was mostly fun.
That means this:
If I finish this draft when I think I will (30 April) I will have written an entire Middle grade novel, one I consider to be my best yet, in
36 days.
This would be a new personal best. POSSUM SUMMER's the closest with 45 days. This is? Totally cool. And I think once both these are done and off, I'ma gonna take me a big break.
I've done a little maths today, and if I keep up this pace, I'll have Outrider done next Saturday.
I started writing this book on the 24h of March.
I was also writing and finishing THE SPOTTED PONY draft for my publisher during this time. (Tho it took a little longer.) Also getting Loki used to her new daycare, but that was mostly fun.
That means this:
If I finish this draft when I think I will (30 April) I will have written an entire Middle grade novel, one I consider to be my best yet, in
36 days.
This would be a new personal best. POSSUM SUMMER's the closest with 45 days. This is? Totally cool. And I think once both these are done and off, I'ma gonna take me a big break.
April 12, 2011
Satisfaction
Satisfaction is in the small things that you do in this writing journey. It's not really something I can put a finger on, but the actual sales of the books (while cool) isn't the most satisfying thing I experience in this writing life of mine. (after the first sale, heh heh)
What is?
Finishing a first draft.
That is where I get the most satisfaction. I look at the 55 or so thousand words I've worked on and written out over the course of months of dealing with Loki learning to eat (MY EYES MY EYES), getting her ready for her daycare, getting ready to go back to work, dealing with all the work related stuff, dealing with my debut (HOLY MOLY) coming out in a month and a half, the Showdown, etc, and at that point I look at the finished first draft and I think Holy cow, I can actually do this.
With all the crap set in front of me to deal with, I finished this first draft. And nobody can take that away from me.
Not all people will like or love my books (Silly people!) But for this little book that I just finished, I can sit back and daydream for its possibilities.
I love you, little MS.
I just finished the first draft of THE SPOTTED PONY!
\o/
Now, I'm off to daydream.
What is?
Finishing a first draft.
That is where I get the most satisfaction. I look at the 55 or so thousand words I've worked on and written out over the course of months of dealing with Loki learning to eat (MY EYES MY EYES), getting her ready for her daycare, getting ready to go back to work, dealing with all the work related stuff, dealing with my debut (HOLY MOLY) coming out in a month and a half, the Showdown, etc, and at that point I look at the finished first draft and I think Holy cow, I can actually do this.
With all the crap set in front of me to deal with, I finished this first draft. And nobody can take that away from me.
Not all people will like or love my books (Silly people!) But for this little book that I just finished, I can sit back and daydream for its possibilities.
I love you, little MS.
I just finished the first draft of THE SPOTTED PONY!
\o/
Now, I'm off to daydream.
April 1, 2011
The Great Oklahoma Showdown!
This is another blog post I've been dying to write.
It's taken me over a year to get this thing approved and all worked out, but here it is. My mini-masterwork.
The Great Oklahoma Showdown
What it is, in essence, is a literary creative competition for students in the 4th, 5th and 6th grades throughout Oklahoma. (Note: I've had some questions from teachers outside Oklahoma as to whether they can take part. My answer is 'yeah sure, just know you'll be official Okies for the duration of the competition!')
My publisher Holiday House has been awesome through this entire planning process, and all the various press releases and letters and everything. *This* is what I was referring to when I mentioned envelopes on twitter. *This* is what has been giving me hives for a long while, because I was afraid nobody would want to do it.
But I'm doing it. And I'll be coming to America in November to give out the prizes. It'll be awesome. Spread the word! I'd love to see a class you know take part!
Follow the Oklahoma Showdown on Twitter.LIKE the Oklahoma Showdown Facebook page.
It's taken me over a year to get this thing approved and all worked out, but here it is. My mini-masterwork.
The Great Oklahoma Showdown
What it is, in essence, is a literary creative competition for students in the 4th, 5th and 6th grades throughout Oklahoma. (Note: I've had some questions from teachers outside Oklahoma as to whether they can take part. My answer is 'yeah sure, just know you'll be official Okies for the duration of the competition!')
My publisher Holiday House has been awesome through this entire planning process, and all the various press releases and letters and everything. *This* is what I was referring to when I mentioned envelopes on twitter. *This* is what has been giving me hives for a long while, because I was afraid nobody would want to do it.
But I'm doing it. And I'll be coming to America in November to give out the prizes. It'll be awesome. Spread the word! I'd love to see a class you know take part!
Follow the Oklahoma Showdown on Twitter.LIKE the Oklahoma Showdown Facebook page.
