Shelli R. Johannes's Blog
March 6, 2016
My very own Deal News....Finally! :)
Those of you who know me may or may not know that I've been writing for 12 years.
I started in 2004 when my daughter was born and I had 5 months of paid maternity leave. I was immediately hooked and haven't looked back since.
I've had a tough road in publishing. I've written about 9 books over 12 years rejected by agents and editors. I had an amazing agent and then mutually parted ways.
I ended up indie pubbing my Nature of Grace series (before it was cool) and worked hard to sell over 100,000 copies. I also worked hard to rise above the stigma of self-pubbing and turn off all the naysayers and criticism I received from many. TO be honest, I worked through many tears to get where I am. I stopped writing for 6 months and almost gave up at times, but I found my way back to loving writing again.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE indie pubbing and still do. It was the best decision I ever made (besides my husband :) But I always wanted a traditional deal. Whether I felt I needed to be legitimized or that I needed to prove it to myself or whether it was because I wanted to be a hybrid author and do both indie and traditional, I don't know.
But one day I got super lucky and found a new agent (my agent soulmate) and we have worked hard together to make that dream a reality.
So today, after 9 books, 2 agents, 12 years of writing, and months of holding in a secret and avoiding talking to anyone because I can't keep secrets very well...I can finally announce my first traditional deal. :) And I get to see my name in Publisher's Weekly - a dream come true.
And what's even better, it's with my best friend, Kimberly Derting (author of the Body Finder series).
=========
Greenwillow Preempts Pic Book Series
Virginia Duncan at Greenwillow Books preempted world rights, in a two-book deal, to a picture book series called Luna and the Scientific Method! by Kimberly Derting and Shelli Johannes-Wells. The first book is set for fall 2017. Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary represented Derting, and Lara Perkins, also at Andrea Brown, represented Johannes-Wells. Rennert said the series is about a “science-loving, question-asking girl” who discovers that “scientific inquiry... can lead to a lot of fun and adventure.” Derting (the Body Finder series) and Johannes-Wells (who uses the pseudonym S.R. Johannes and is the author of the Nature of Grace series) will be writing the series together; an illustrator for the books has yet to be chosen.
==========
We have no idea who will be illustrating our picture book babies, but what I can say is that Kim and I are crazy-excited to be working with Virginia Duncan, the publisher at Greenwillow, and her amazing team to bring our feisty, science-loving girl, LUNA, and her love science to girls around the world.
To me, this book is more than a traditional deal. More than a book. LUNA is a chance for us to make a difference in the lives of many future scientists to be. :)
Special shout out to our partner's in crime - Laura Rennert, Lara Perkins, and Virgina Duncan/Greenwillow for believing in me and Kim... and LUNA.
Because...Science + Girls = AWESOME-SAUCE
YAY!!!!
Don't give up on your dreams - ever - they can happen.
It just might take some time. :)
Yay!!!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
I started in 2004 when my daughter was born and I had 5 months of paid maternity leave. I was immediately hooked and haven't looked back since.
I've had a tough road in publishing. I've written about 9 books over 12 years rejected by agents and editors. I had an amazing agent and then mutually parted ways.
I ended up indie pubbing my Nature of Grace series (before it was cool) and worked hard to sell over 100,000 copies. I also worked hard to rise above the stigma of self-pubbing and turn off all the naysayers and criticism I received from many. TO be honest, I worked through many tears to get where I am. I stopped writing for 6 months and almost gave up at times, but I found my way back to loving writing again.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE indie pubbing and still do. It was the best decision I ever made (besides my husband :) But I always wanted a traditional deal. Whether I felt I needed to be legitimized or that I needed to prove it to myself or whether it was because I wanted to be a hybrid author and do both indie and traditional, I don't know.
But one day I got super lucky and found a new agent (my agent soulmate) and we have worked hard together to make that dream a reality.
So today, after 9 books, 2 agents, 12 years of writing, and months of holding in a secret and avoiding talking to anyone because I can't keep secrets very well...I can finally announce my first traditional deal. :) And I get to see my name in Publisher's Weekly - a dream come true.
And what's even better, it's with my best friend, Kimberly Derting (author of the Body Finder series).
=========
Greenwillow Preempts Pic Book Series
Virginia Duncan at Greenwillow Books preempted world rights, in a two-book deal, to a picture book series called Luna and the Scientific Method! by Kimberly Derting and Shelli Johannes-Wells. The first book is set for fall 2017. Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary represented Derting, and Lara Perkins, also at Andrea Brown, represented Johannes-Wells. Rennert said the series is about a “science-loving, question-asking girl” who discovers that “scientific inquiry... can lead to a lot of fun and adventure.” Derting (the Body Finder series) and Johannes-Wells (who uses the pseudonym S.R. Johannes and is the author of the Nature of Grace series) will be writing the series together; an illustrator for the books has yet to be chosen.
==========
We have no idea who will be illustrating our picture book babies, but what I can say is that Kim and I are crazy-excited to be working with Virginia Duncan, the publisher at Greenwillow, and her amazing team to bring our feisty, science-loving girl, LUNA, and her love science to girls around the world.
To me, this book is more than a traditional deal. More than a book. LUNA is a chance for us to make a difference in the lives of many future scientists to be. :)
Special shout out to our partner's in crime - Laura Rennert, Lara Perkins, and Virgina Duncan/Greenwillow for believing in me and Kim... and LUNA.
Because...Science + Girls = AWESOME-SAUCE
YAY!!!!
Don't give up on your dreams - ever - they can happen.
It just might take some time. :)
Yay!!!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
February 18, 2016
Ted Talks on Writing
Shonda Rhimes - Saying Yes to Everything
JK Rowling - The fringe benefits of failure
Elizabeth Gilbert
Success Failure and the drive to keep creating
Gilbert on Genius
Andrew Stanton - How to Tell a Story
James Cameron - A Curious Boy
Amy Tan - Where does Creativity come from?
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
July 25, 2015
Top Blogs Every Writer/Author Can Use
I'm always looking for lists that are easily accessible.
Here is a list of lists that every writer can use! Bookmark this page so you can come back for easy access :) Have fun!
Best Writing Blogs
Publishing Industry Blogs
6 Book Marketing Blogs
YA Book Bloggers
Book Blogger List (all genres)
Self-publishing Blogs
Indie Author Tools and Strategies
Indie Book Reviewers
Middle Grade bloggers
Top Mom Bloggers and Mommy Bloggers
Best Book Reviewers on Twitterhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
Here is a list of lists that every writer can use! Bookmark this page so you can come back for easy access :) Have fun!
Best Writing Blogs
Publishing Industry Blogs
6 Book Marketing Blogs
YA Book Bloggers
Book Blogger List (all genres)
Self-publishing Blogs
Indie Author Tools and Strategies
Indie Book Reviewers
Middle Grade bloggers
Top Mom Bloggers and Mommy Bloggers
Best Book Reviewers on Twitterhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
July 1, 2015
GrammoWriMO!
What’s a GrammoWriMo?
Every November, thousands of writers hammer out words in an epic event called National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. Writers “win” by completing a 50,000 word novel draft in just 30 days. Challenging? Yes. Impossible? No. To date, over 250 NaNoWriMo novels have been traditionally published including Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants and Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus.
But not everyone can manage 50,000 words in a month. That’s one reason why Grammarly, the company behind the popular automated proofreader, created GrammoWriMo in 2013. People around the world use Grammarly software to refine their writing, so the company leveraged their status as a global resource to unite hundreds of writers from dozens of countries and cultures to craft a novel together.
In the first ever GrammoWriMo, about 300 writers collaborated on a group novel they submitted as a part of the NaNoWriMo challenge. Not only did they have to weave the voices of hundreds of different writers into one story, but they had just one month to complete the draft. The GrammoWriMo contributors embraced the challenge. The results? A well-written, cohesive novel, The Lonely Wish-Giver, follows the journey of a girl with the unique job of fulfilling wishes. In 2014, 500 new GrammoWriMo participants submitted their contributions. The resulting novel, Frozen by Fire, weaves the perspectives of multiple characters living in the Italian town of Pompeii in 79 C.E. during the time of the disastrous Mount Vesuvius eruption. Both are available as ebooks on Amazon.com, with proceeds benefitting charities.
Putting Grammarly’s Automated Proofreader to the Test
Each year, Grammarly puts their software to the test proofreading the GrammoWriMo draft. In 2014, they analyzed the results, uncovered the most common errors writers made, and summarized them in this infographic.
Grammarly found that writers of all levels tended to misuse commas, which was the number one error. Incorrect capitalization came in a close second, followed by wordiness, and missing determiners such as “a,” “an,” and “the.”
Why do talented wordsmiths make these pesky gaffes? Fiction writers often set grammar rules aside when they’re trying to stay in the creative flow. Add deadlines and you’ve got a writer who may not have time for the meticulous editing a manuscript requires. Grammarly provides writers with a “second set of eyes” to guide them through the proofreading process after all that fast-and-furious drafting is complete.
You’re the Writer
No program can replace a human editor making artistic and stylistic choices. Grammarly shines when helping the writer sort out the finer details—where to place that comma or how to tighten up a wordy sentence, for example. Whenever it detects an error, it provides an explanation card to guide the writer toward a conscious decision about what to edit and what to leave alone. Removing some of the obstacles to good writing frees the writer to move beyond nit-picking errors to focusing on the bigger picture of style and content. Give it a whirl on your next draft and see for yourself!http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
Every November, thousands of writers hammer out words in an epic event called National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. Writers “win” by completing a 50,000 word novel draft in just 30 days. Challenging? Yes. Impossible? No. To date, over 250 NaNoWriMo novels have been traditionally published including Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants and Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus.
But not everyone can manage 50,000 words in a month. That’s one reason why Grammarly, the company behind the popular automated proofreader, created GrammoWriMo in 2013. People around the world use Grammarly software to refine their writing, so the company leveraged their status as a global resource to unite hundreds of writers from dozens of countries and cultures to craft a novel together.
In the first ever GrammoWriMo, about 300 writers collaborated on a group novel they submitted as a part of the NaNoWriMo challenge. Not only did they have to weave the voices of hundreds of different writers into one story, but they had just one month to complete the draft. The GrammoWriMo contributors embraced the challenge. The results? A well-written, cohesive novel, The Lonely Wish-Giver, follows the journey of a girl with the unique job of fulfilling wishes. In 2014, 500 new GrammoWriMo participants submitted their contributions. The resulting novel, Frozen by Fire, weaves the perspectives of multiple characters living in the Italian town of Pompeii in 79 C.E. during the time of the disastrous Mount Vesuvius eruption. Both are available as ebooks on Amazon.com, with proceeds benefitting charities.
Putting Grammarly’s Automated Proofreader to the Test
Each year, Grammarly puts their software to the test proofreading the GrammoWriMo draft. In 2014, they analyzed the results, uncovered the most common errors writers made, and summarized them in this infographic.
Grammarly found that writers of all levels tended to misuse commas, which was the number one error. Incorrect capitalization came in a close second, followed by wordiness, and missing determiners such as “a,” “an,” and “the.”
Why do talented wordsmiths make these pesky gaffes? Fiction writers often set grammar rules aside when they’re trying to stay in the creative flow. Add deadlines and you’ve got a writer who may not have time for the meticulous editing a manuscript requires. Grammarly provides writers with a “second set of eyes” to guide them through the proofreading process after all that fast-and-furious drafting is complete.
You’re the Writer
No program can replace a human editor making artistic and stylistic choices. Grammarly shines when helping the writer sort out the finer details—where to place that comma or how to tighten up a wordy sentence, for example. Whenever it detects an error, it provides an explanation card to guide the writer toward a conscious decision about what to edit and what to leave alone. Removing some of the obstacles to good writing frees the writer to move beyond nit-picking errors to focusing on the bigger picture of style and content. Give it a whirl on your next draft and see for yourself!http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
April 22, 2015
Epic Earth Day Reads! Environmental Themes in Books
Happy Earth Day! Environmental themes in YA can help young readers to feel a better connection to nature and inspire them to get involved with the environment. This is extremely important in today’s world, where nature is always competing for shelf-space with futuristic themes and a constantly updated stream of technology.Nature is a part of everything around us and helps to make us who we are, and having that relationship reflected in YA books is a wonderful way to promote environmental awareness.So what are a few environmental themes that we see in teen books?Find out more at Hypable!
Comment or RT using @srjohannes and be entered in drawing for this Earth day prize ;)http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
March 30, 2015
Secondary Characters and Why They Matter So any a...
Secondary Characters and Why They Matter So any author knows how hard it is to incorporate secondary characters into your plot. It's easy to get lost in your main character's personality and development and completely overlook your "side characters' " depth. But secondary characters are way more than pawns used to move a plot forward- in fact, secondary characters can add to your protagonist and the overall feel of your story as well. Here are a few reasons secondary characters are so important:
1. They can Foil your Protag
If you have a really developed secondary character, he or she can help by being a foil to your protagonist. This is a simple way to move plot forward and keep your reader engaged- a foil (aka: opposite personality) to your lead is something that keeps a story well rounded.
2. They Move Plot Forward
Well developed secondary characters can help move plot forward creatively. If you have a good team of side characters fully integrated into your protagonist's story, the plot will move smoothly to a solid finish.
3. They Add Depth
Of course, secondary characters add a lot of depth to the story. If it was only your protag and a few villains it wouldn't be interesting! Not only that, but with a variety of characters comes a variety of themes and deeply felt emotions.
4. They Mix it Up
Secondary characters help to add variety and fun to your story. If you only have two types of characters it would get very boring very fast! In order to keep your reader engaged and interested, you need a wide range of characters and each one needs to be somewhat relatable/easy to empathize with. This will progress your story and keep your audience on its toes!
So those are a few reasons to really get cracking on your secondary character base! Hope they were helpful! If you have any further tips leave them in the comments below!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
1. They can Foil your Protag
If you have a really developed secondary character, he or she can help by being a foil to your protagonist. This is a simple way to move plot forward and keep your reader engaged- a foil (aka: opposite personality) to your lead is something that keeps a story well rounded.
2. They Move Plot Forward
Well developed secondary characters can help move plot forward creatively. If you have a good team of side characters fully integrated into your protagonist's story, the plot will move smoothly to a solid finish.
3. They Add Depth
Of course, secondary characters add a lot of depth to the story. If it was only your protag and a few villains it wouldn't be interesting! Not only that, but with a variety of characters comes a variety of themes and deeply felt emotions.
4. They Mix it Up
Secondary characters help to add variety and fun to your story. If you only have two types of characters it would get very boring very fast! In order to keep your reader engaged and interested, you need a wide range of characters and each one needs to be somewhat relatable/easy to empathize with. This will progress your story and keep your audience on its toes!
So those are a few reasons to really get cracking on your secondary character base! Hope they were helpful! If you have any further tips leave them in the comments below!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
Secondary Characters and Why They Matter &nb...
Secondary Characters and Why They Matter So any author knows how hard it is to incorporate secondary characters into your plot. It's easy to get lost in your main character's personality and development and completely overlook your "side characters' " depth. But secondary characters are way more than pawns used to move a plot forward- in fact, secondary characters can add to your protagonist and the overall feel of your story as well. Here are a few reasons secondary characters are so important:
1. They can Foil your Protag
If you have a really developed secondary character, he or she can help by being a foil to your protagonist. This is a simple way to move plot forward and keep your reader engaged- a foil (aka: opposite personality) to your lead is something that keeps a story well rounded.
2. They Move Plot Forward
Well developed secondary characters can help move plot forward creatively. If you have a good team of side characters fully integrated into your protagonist's story, the plot will move smoothly to a solid finish.
3. They Add Depth
Of course, secondary characters add a lot of depth to the story. If it was only your protag and a few villains it wouldn't be interesting! Not only that, but with a variety of characters comes a variety of themes and deeply felt emotions.
4. They Mix it Up
Secondary characters help to add variety and fun to your story. If you only have two types of characters it would get very boring very fast! In order to keep your reader engaged and interested, you need a wide range of characters and each one needs to be somewhat relatable/easy to empathize with. This will progress your story and keep your audience on its toes!
So those are a few reasons to really get cracking on your secondary character base! Hope they were helpful! If you have any further tips leave them in the comments below!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
1. They can Foil your Protag
If you have a really developed secondary character, he or she can help by being a foil to your protagonist. This is a simple way to move plot forward and keep your reader engaged- a foil (aka: opposite personality) to your lead is something that keeps a story well rounded.
2. They Move Plot Forward
Well developed secondary characters can help move plot forward creatively. If you have a good team of side characters fully integrated into your protagonist's story, the plot will move smoothly to a solid finish.
3. They Add Depth
Of course, secondary characters add a lot of depth to the story. If it was only your protag and a few villains it wouldn't be interesting! Not only that, but with a variety of characters comes a variety of themes and deeply felt emotions.
4. They Mix it Up
Secondary characters help to add variety and fun to your story. If you only have two types of characters it would get very boring very fast! In order to keep your reader engaged and interested, you need a wide range of characters and each one needs to be somewhat relatable/easy to empathize with. This will progress your story and keep your audience on its toes!
So those are a few reasons to really get cracking on your secondary character base! Hope they were helpful! If you have any further tips leave them in the comments below!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
March 23, 2015
Book Nerd Problems
Book Nerd Problems As book nerds, there are some problems we deal with every day that other people just don't get. For instance, how are we expected to simply walk into a book store and only buy one book? Chance are we'll come ambling out under three armloads of bags and an empty pocket book. So, here is a better look at the problems all book nerds face!
1. We Can't Buy Just One Book
2. If a Character Dies, a Piece of Our Soul Does Too
3. We Get Literally No Sleep
4. No Secondary Character is Safe
I hope some of you book nerds related to these! If you have anymore book nerd problems, post them in the comments below!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
1. We Can't Buy Just One Book
2. If a Character Dies, a Piece of Our Soul Does Too
3. We Get Literally No Sleep
4. No Secondary Character is Safe
I hope some of you book nerds related to these! If you have anymore book nerd problems, post them in the comments below!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
March 2, 2015
Fun Book Clothes!
Fun Book Clothes!This week while I was online, I found quite a few fun things to wear- book nerd style! Here are a few of my favorites that I thought were super creative- enjoy!
The "I like big books and I cannot lie" sweatshirt. Perfect for winter and letting everyone know that the bigger the book the better:
This ridiculously cool "book skirt." I don't know whose idea this was, but I approve:
A print scarf. Um, yes please:
This awesome Divergent shirt. Perfection down to the last faction:
And, finally, this amazing Harry Potter tank that reminds us all where the series started:
I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did! I want to see some of these things on shelves, and certainly in my wardrobe.
Best and happy reading!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
The "I like big books and I cannot lie" sweatshirt. Perfect for winter and letting everyone know that the bigger the book the better:
This ridiculously cool "book skirt." I don't know whose idea this was, but I approve:
A print scarf. Um, yes please:
This awesome Divergent shirt. Perfection down to the last faction:
And, finally, this amazing Harry Potter tank that reminds us all where the series started:
I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did! I want to see some of these things on shelves, and certainly in my wardrobe.
Best and happy reading!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
February 26, 2015
Indie Publishing
Indie Publishing Fun
So I went scrounging around on the internet and found a few articles that answer some FAQs about Indie Publishing. They're awesome and quick reads that shed a little light on the Indie world, and thought that they might make for a good post! Here they are:
1. Self-Publishing FAQ with Sarra Cannon
This is an awesome, technical article that answers some frequently asked Indie questions. Super helpful!
http://sarracannon.com/indie-writer-resources/self-pub-guides/frequently-asked-questions-about-self-publishing/
2. My Self-Publishing Journey: On Becoming an Indie Author
This article from Publisher's Weekly is a really cool story about one author's self-publishing journey.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/61526-my-self-publishing-journey-on-becoming-an-indie-author.html
3. Indie Publishing, Independent Publishing
This article from Abbott Press gives a few good pros of going Indie!
http://www.abbottpress.com/WhyAbbottPress/IndiePublishing.aspx
So there are a few articles about Indie Publishing! There are tons of good resources out there that go into detail about the Indie world, and these are just a few short blurbs about it.
Best and happy reading! http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
So I went scrounging around on the internet and found a few articles that answer some FAQs about Indie Publishing. They're awesome and quick reads that shed a little light on the Indie world, and thought that they might make for a good post! Here they are:
1. Self-Publishing FAQ with Sarra Cannon
This is an awesome, technical article that answers some frequently asked Indie questions. Super helpful!
http://sarracannon.com/indie-writer-resources/self-pub-guides/frequently-asked-questions-about-self-publishing/
2. My Self-Publishing Journey: On Becoming an Indie Author
This article from Publisher's Weekly is a really cool story about one author's self-publishing journey.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/61526-my-self-publishing-journey-on-becoming-an-indie-author.html
3. Indie Publishing, Independent Publishing
This article from Abbott Press gives a few good pros of going Indie!
http://www.abbottpress.com/WhyAbbottPress/IndiePublishing.aspx
So there are a few articles about Indie Publishing! There are tons of good resources out there that go into detail about the Indie world, and these are just a few short blurbs about it.
Best and happy reading! http://feeds.feedburner.com/Faerialit...
