Laurisa White Reyes's Blog, page 110
June 1, 2014
May 30, 2014
CONTACT COUNTDOWN #4: THE PROCESS
* CONTACT COUNTDOWN #5 DIVERSITY IN KIDLIT
* BOOK REVIEW: WHITE SPACE by Ilsa J. Bick
* CONTACT COUNTDOWN #7: THE RECORD
First off, don't forget I'm giving away some digital downloads of CONTACT below!
I've had people ask me on occasion what my writing process is. I wish the answer was just straightforward and simple, or at least something I can explain easily. But the truth is writing for me is a constantly evolving experience.
When I wrote my first manuscripts about eight years ago, writing was a huge, drawn out ordeal. I spent months writing detailed outlines an summaries, had sticky notes everywhere, and spent as much as a year writing just the rough draft.
Since then I've honed the process a bit. I still use sticky notes on occasion, but not often. And instead of outlines, I keep a notebook full of my ideas and questions. That's where I develop my plots and character descriptions, etc. Instead of taking a year, I can crank out a rough draft in about four months now, though it isn't any easier than it used to be. Writing can be hard work.
The main challenge of finishing a first draft is, well, finishing it. I generally set a goal of writing 500 words per day and keep track of my progress on an Excel spreadsheet. I write that 500 words no matter what - whether they are simply awful and are sure to be cut later or not. I plow through it the way a race horse pushes itself to its limits to reach that finish line.
Then I put the manuscript away for at least a month, often much longer. I forget about it. Well, not entirely. I let the story stew in my brain while I tackle some other project. I've always got 3 or 4 manuscripts going. Eventually I come back the one on the back burner. Then I read through it, revise it for a few weeks. Read it again. Revise it again. Let someone else read it, and revise it again.
For me, the revision process is like crafting the finer features of a sculpture, while the first draft is like breaking off the large chunks of marble to get the general shape of what is to come. It's as if the image already exists in that marble and the artist is setting it free. Same with stories. Sometimes I feel like the stories are already there, but I have to capture them into actual words.
It is not unusual for me to write up to 12 drafts before I submit it anywhere. I try to make it as perfect as possible, though I never seem to get it exactly perfect. That's what the editors do. They add that final polish and sheen to the finished sculpture.
So there you have it, my writing process. If you're a writer, how do you do it? Of if you have any questions about how I wrote any of my books or what I'm working on now, go ahead. Shoot!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
* BOOK REVIEW: WHITE SPACE by Ilsa J. Bick
* CONTACT COUNTDOWN #7: THE RECORD
First off, don't forget I'm giving away some digital downloads of CONTACT below!
I've had people ask me on occasion what my writing process is. I wish the answer was just straightforward and simple, or at least something I can explain easily. But the truth is writing for me is a constantly evolving experience.
When I wrote my first manuscripts about eight years ago, writing was a huge, drawn out ordeal. I spent months writing detailed outlines an summaries, had sticky notes everywhere, and spent as much as a year writing just the rough draft.
Since then I've honed the process a bit. I still use sticky notes on occasion, but not often. And instead of outlines, I keep a notebook full of my ideas and questions. That's where I develop my plots and character descriptions, etc. Instead of taking a year, I can crank out a rough draft in about four months now, though it isn't any easier than it used to be. Writing can be hard work.
The main challenge of finishing a first draft is, well, finishing it. I generally set a goal of writing 500 words per day and keep track of my progress on an Excel spreadsheet. I write that 500 words no matter what - whether they are simply awful and are sure to be cut later or not. I plow through it the way a race horse pushes itself to its limits to reach that finish line.
Then I put the manuscript away for at least a month, often much longer. I forget about it. Well, not entirely. I let the story stew in my brain while I tackle some other project. I've always got 3 or 4 manuscripts going. Eventually I come back the one on the back burner. Then I read through it, revise it for a few weeks. Read it again. Revise it again. Let someone else read it, and revise it again.
For me, the revision process is like crafting the finer features of a sculpture, while the first draft is like breaking off the large chunks of marble to get the general shape of what is to come. It's as if the image already exists in that marble and the artist is setting it free. Same with stories. Sometimes I feel like the stories are already there, but I have to capture them into actual words.
It is not unusual for me to write up to 12 drafts before I submit it anywhere. I try to make it as perfect as possible, though I never seem to get it exactly perfect. That's what the editors do. They add that final polish and sheen to the finished sculpture.
So there you have it, my writing process. If you're a writer, how do you do it? Of if you have any questions about how I wrote any of my books or what I'm working on now, go ahead. Shoot!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
May 28, 2014
BOOK REVIEW: WHITE SPACE by Ilsa J. Bick
WHITE SPACE: THE DARK PASSAGES, BOOK IIlsa J. Bick
Egmont USA
560 pp.
Ages 14 - 17
In the tradition of Memento and Inception comes a thrilling and scary young adult novel about blurred reality where characters in a story find that a deadly and horrifying world exists in the space between the written lines.
Seventeen-year-old Emma Lindsay has problems: a head full of metal, no parents, a crazy artist for a guardian whom a stroke has turned into a vegetable, and all those times when she blinks away, dropping into other lives so ghostly and surreal it's as if the story of her life bleeds into theirs. But one thing Emma has never doubted is that she's real.
Then she writes "White Space," a story about these kids stranded in a spooky house during a blizzard.Unfortunately, "White Space" turns out to be a dead ringer for part of an unfinished novel by a long-dead writer. The manuscript, which she's never seen, is a loopy Matrix meets Inkheart story in which characters fall out of different books and jump off the page. Thing is, when Emma blinks, she might be doing the same and, before long, she's dropped into the very story she thought she'd written. Trapped in a weird, snow-choked valley, Emma meets other kids with dark secrets and strange abilities: Eric, Casey, Bode, Rima, and a very special little girl, Lizzie. What they discover is that they—and Emma—may be nothing more than characters written into being from an alternative universe for a very specific purpose.
Now what they must uncover is why they've been brought to this place—a world between the lines where parallel realities are created and destroyed and nightmares are written—before someone pens their end.
MY REVIEW:
This is the most challenging review I've ever had to write because I have seriously mixed feelings about WHITE SPACE. I loved Ilsa Bick's first book, ASHES, which was about an EMP turning people into zombies. It was awesome and maddening and--! (I haven't finished reading the other two books in that series yet, though.)
So when I saw that Bick had a new series coming out, I snatched it up lickety split. And the opening chapters did not disappoint. Basically, eight teens from different places and times mysteriously converge in this snowy valley in the middle of who knows where. And there is another story about a little girl whose best-selling author father uses some sort of mystical power to pull characters through a mirror into his stories.
Bick's story-telling is perfection with a capital 'P'. I didn't even care at first that I had no idea what was going on or what all the references to dark passages and the sign of sure and a bunch of other bizarre things were. The first third of the book played out like your worst nightmare, a deliciously creepy, gory, terrifying horror story even Stephen King couldn't dream up.
But then it just kept going...and going...and going...
I think about half way through I started wondering when things would start to make sense, at least a little. I kept on reading in good faith, trusting that I was in good hands and that eventually all the different story threads and bizarre references would fall into place. I didn't expect closure, per se, because Bick is known for cliffhanger endings. She loves to leave things dangling, so I was prepared for that.
What I wasn't prepared for was the 560 page trek leading me, essentially, no where. Now wait! Before you think I'm complaining or that this is a bad review - it is not!!! On the contrary. Okay. I'd be lying if I didn't say I am totally frustrated and confused, but I think this was intentional on the author's part. There is a can't-miss-it parallel to Alice in Wonderland, a very dark gruesome Alice in Wonderland. My son said it's kind of like the video game Alice: Madness where everything is twisted and convoluted and dark and violent.
In WHITE SPACE you are in the head of Emma, or are you? They are characters in a book, or are they really?
I don't think the book needed to be 560 pages long, but it never drags. Not for a moment. The horror scenes are shockingly detailed, incredibly visual and tactal. Reading this is a physical and psychological experience you won't soon forget. I think if you go into it knowing that you are embarking on a story (or stories) that is non-linear, tangled up like a big ball of twine and you are trying to coax out some logic from it all - but you can't - so don't bother, you can just sit back and enjoy the ride. Bask in Bick's unncanny turns of phrase. Savor the suspense, the detail, the horror of it all. And hope maybe Book 2 will shed a little light on what is really going on.
CONTENT RATING:
Profanity: HighViolence: HighSexuality: Milde
May 24, 2014
WIN A COPY OF CONTACT!!!
Last week we had 3 winners for our first CONTACT COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY. Each winner received a free digital download of my new YA novel, CONTACT, which comes out on June 23rd. Congratulations to:
Talysa Sainz
Joni Patterson
Linda Kish
If you'd like a chance at winning a free copy of CONTACT, just fill out the rafflecopter form below. Hurry! Winners will be announced next Friday!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Talysa Sainz
Joni Patterson
Linda Kish
If you'd like a chance at winning a free copy of CONTACT, just fill out the rafflecopter form below. Hurry! Winners will be announced next Friday!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
May 23, 2014
CONTACT COUNTDOWN #5: DIVERSITY IN KIDLIT
If you haven't noticed already, the girl on the cover of CONTACT is Latino. Why? The short answer is because the protagonist, Mira Ortiz, is of Mexican descent. Her romantic interest, David Valdez, is also Latino, an immigrant from Guatemala.
The race of the characters isn't a major factor in the story. It's just who they happen to be. I chose to make the heroes of my story Hispanic because my husband was born and raised in Guatemala, and our children are half Hispanic. Years ago, when I wrote my first novel (unpublished) I wrote about a girl who was half Hispanic because I wanted my children to "see" themselves in my books.
Today diversity in children's literature is an issue of growing concern. In 2013, 3200 children's books were published, yet less than 8% (253) of those featured characters of color (African American, American Indian, Asian & Latino). This doesn't make sense in light of the fact that 46% of kids enrolled in American schools are kids of color.
Part of the problem is that the majority of authors of children's books are Caucasian. [Out of those 3200 books, only 223 were written by authors of color.]
So, getting back to CONTACT...
Kids deserve to see themselves reflected in the stories they read. I'm not exactly sure why there are so few books written for them. Could it be that many kids of color can't afford to purchase books, and publishers generally publish books that can sell? Maybe. Could it be that not enough people of color are going to college to pursue a career in writing? Possibly. I really don't know for sure, though with a little more research I could probably come up with some pretty convincing stats. But I think what we should be focusing on is solutions.
How can we put more books featuring kids of color into readers' hands?
How can we encourage more people of courage to write books?
It's great that authors like me are expanding our minds and writing books for a wider audience of readers. That's a start. But I do hope that in the years to come we will see the numbers change, that it really won't matter what color of skin an author, a character or a reader has at all.
Resources:
CCBC "Children's Books By and About People of Color Published in the United States" http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/...
The race of the characters isn't a major factor in the story. It's just who they happen to be. I chose to make the heroes of my story Hispanic because my husband was born and raised in Guatemala, and our children are half Hispanic. Years ago, when I wrote my first novel (unpublished) I wrote about a girl who was half Hispanic because I wanted my children to "see" themselves in my books.
Today diversity in children's literature is an issue of growing concern. In 2013, 3200 children's books were published, yet less than 8% (253) of those featured characters of color (African American, American Indian, Asian & Latino). This doesn't make sense in light of the fact that 46% of kids enrolled in American schools are kids of color.
Part of the problem is that the majority of authors of children's books are Caucasian. [Out of those 3200 books, only 223 were written by authors of color.]
So, getting back to CONTACT...
Kids deserve to see themselves reflected in the stories they read. I'm not exactly sure why there are so few books written for them. Could it be that many kids of color can't afford to purchase books, and publishers generally publish books that can sell? Maybe. Could it be that not enough people of color are going to college to pursue a career in writing? Possibly. I really don't know for sure, though with a little more research I could probably come up with some pretty convincing stats. But I think what we should be focusing on is solutions.
How can we put more books featuring kids of color into readers' hands?
How can we encourage more people of courage to write books?
It's great that authors like me are expanding our minds and writing books for a wider audience of readers. That's a start. But I do hope that in the years to come we will see the numbers change, that it really won't matter what color of skin an author, a character or a reader has at all.
Resources:
CCBC "Children's Books By and About People of Color Published in the United States" http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/...
May 21, 2014
BOOK REVIEW: DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Lainie Taylor
DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONELainie Taylor
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
448 pp.
Ages 14 - 17
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
MY REVIEW:
Why am I always the last person to discover great books? I don't know. I've known about Taylor's book since it was released in 2011, but I put off reading it because I'm not a huge fan of paranormal romances. When I hear about werewolves or witches or angels, I generally gag. But this...THIS...is one helluva book!!!
Lainie Taylor ranks up there with Rowling and Tolkien as far as storytelling goes. The plot is fairly simple - girl falls in love with an angel - but the language, the rich tapestry of description and emotion is simply beautiful to listen to. And the story does take an interesting turn towards the end, and I found myself really hanging on every word. (I listened to this on my iPod.) Half way through the book I thought, "I like it, but not enough to read book 2." And then I got the very end and was like, "Oh-My-G...! I have got to read the entire series NOW!"
So, do I recommend The Daughter of Smoke and Bone? You bet I do. Move over Peeta and Edward! Akiva rules the love roost now!
CONTENT REVIEW:
Profanity: Moderate
Sexuality: High
Violence: High
May 18, 2014
BOOK REVIEW: THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
THE ONE AND ONLY IVANKatherine Applegate
HarperCollins
305 pp.
Ages 8 -12
Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.
Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he�s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.
Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it�s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.
MY REVIEW:
I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Applegate a few months ago and I kicked myself because I had left my copy of The One and Only Ivan at home. I ended up buying a new copy for her to sign and donated my older copy to my son's school. I will treasure this book always.
Ivan was inspired by a real gorilla named Ivan who spent 27 years of his life in a shopping mall cage. He was eventually taken to a zoo habitat where he lived out the remainder of his days. I believe he just passed away last year, not long after the book was released.
Applegate's story is fictional, told in Ivan's voice, but it really hits home. The spare text and simple sketches capture beautifully the heart of the story--and the hearts of readers. I couldn't help but fall in love with Ivan and his elephant companions Ruby and Stella. It's one of those books you just won't ever forget. It definitely deserved the Newbery Award it received. The One and Only Ivan has found a permanent home in my personal library.
CONTENT RATING:
Profanity: NoneViolence: NoneSexualtiy: None
May 16, 2014
CONTACT COUNTDOWN #6: WIN A DIGITAL DOWNLOAD OF CONTACT
Every Friday until the release of my new book, CONTACT, I am posting tidbits of insider information just for you! Also, starting today, every Friday until the 20th of June, 5 of you will be chosen to receive
A FREE CONTACT BOOK CARD!!!
That's
30
winners!!!
What's a book card?
A book card is the size of a credit card and has an exclusive one-time code imprinted on the back. From your electronic device of choice, just visit www.greenersidesdigital.com, type in the code, and start reading! It's that simple.
To be eligible to win, just fill out the rafflecopter form below.
The giveaway is open to my blog, Facebook & Twitter followers. But hurry! This giveaway ends at midnight tonight! Check back every week for more chances to win!
Now on to today special insider info...
BERGIE'S
Okay. In Contact, Mira and David grab a sandwich at Bergie's. The question is does Bergie's really exist?
The answer is...YES!
Well, the real Bergie's is actually spelled BERGE'S, and is located in La Canada, CA, just a few blocks from where I spend my adolescent years.
Berge's serves the best sandwiches around. It's been open for more than 35 years, and is still one of my favorite spots to grab lunch when I'm in town. What's my favorite sandwich? The Reuben, of course!
Berge's is located at 1044 Foothill Blvd., La Canada CA 91011.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
What's a book card?
A book card is the size of a credit card and has an exclusive one-time code imprinted on the back. From your electronic device of choice, just visit www.greenersidesdigital.com, type in the code, and start reading! It's that simple.
To be eligible to win, just fill out the rafflecopter form below.
The giveaway is open to my blog, Facebook & Twitter followers. But hurry! This giveaway ends at midnight tonight! Check back every week for more chances to win!
Now on to today special insider info...
BERGIE'S
Okay. In Contact, Mira and David grab a sandwich at Bergie's. The question is does Bergie's really exist?
The answer is...YES!
Well, the real Bergie's is actually spelled BERGE'S, and is located in La Canada, CA, just a few blocks from where I spend my adolescent years.
Berge's serves the best sandwiches around. It's been open for more than 35 years, and is still one of my favorite spots to grab lunch when I'm in town. What's my favorite sandwich? The Reuben, of course!
Berge's is located at 1044 Foothill Blvd., La Canada CA 91011.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
May 10, 2014
MIDDLE SHELF MAGAZINE
In case you haven't seen it yet, the May/June issue of MIDDLE SHELF MAGAZINE is out. This issue features interviews with Tyler Whitesides, author of the Janitors series, Dorine White, artist Brandon Dorman, six excerpts, reviews and much more! Check it out!
And please spread the word. Subscribe HERE for free!
Middle Shelf: Cool Reads for Kids May/June 2014
And please spread the word. Subscribe HERE for free!
Middle Shelf: Cool Reads for Kids May/June 2014
May 9, 2014
CONTACT COUNTDOWN - #7: WHAT'S UP WITH THE RECORD?
I mentioned in CONTACT COUNTDOWN #10 that the main character in my novel CONTACT, Mira, is a fan of Broadway musicals. Her favorite happens to be Les Miserables. The record on the cover is a rare vintage LP of a unique edition of the play. She receives this gift from a special someone in the story.
The first time I saw Les Miserable was in 1989 at the Shubert Theater in Los Angeles, CA. The theater has since been torn down, but the experience is forever etched in my memory. My brothers and I sat in the nosebleed seats, so high up I couldn't even make out the actors' faces. But I was mesmerized. After writing a fan letter to the actress who played Fantine, Elinor O'Connell, I bought another ticket and returned a few weeks later alone - and in a seat just a few rows from the stage.(Elinor O'Connell on the Late Show singing "I Dreamed a Dream"
When I returned home that night, I found that Ms. O'Connell had replied to my letter inviting me backstage the next time I came to a show. So I bought a third ticket, and had the magical experience of having a personal backstage tour of the set with Ms. O'Connell. Later, I was also her special guest at a concert she gave at a local university. I was just twenty at the time and quite starstruck. Now, 25 years later, I still have my original playbill signed by Elinor O'Connell. It is a treasure. I have seen the show many times since with many different casts, but none quite compare to that first experience at the Shubert.
If you like Les Miserables as much as Mira (and I) do, or if you've haven't yet heard the music, here are some interesting bits of trivia for you:
* The musical is based on the Victor Hugo novel, Les Miserables, first published in France in 1862.
* It was originally released as a conceptual album in French around 1980.
* The musical was first presented at the Paris Sports Arena in 1980, but closed after only three months.
* Cameron MacIntosh (producer of Cats on Broadway) was given a copy of the conceptual album and reluctantly agreed to adapt it to English. The English production opened in London in 1985.
* The initial London reviews were negative, but fans loved it. The first three months' show sold out, breaking box office records.
* The London show has run continuously from October 1985 through today.
* The Broadway production ran from 1987 through 2003, at total of 6,680 performances making it the 5th longest running Broadway show in history.
* Les Miserables won eight Tony awards.
* Oh, and last but not least, Patti LuPone originated the role of Fantine in the London production.
The first time I saw Les Miserable was in 1989 at the Shubert Theater in Los Angeles, CA. The theater has since been torn down, but the experience is forever etched in my memory. My brothers and I sat in the nosebleed seats, so high up I couldn't even make out the actors' faces. But I was mesmerized. After writing a fan letter to the actress who played Fantine, Elinor O'Connell, I bought another ticket and returned a few weeks later alone - and in a seat just a few rows from the stage.(Elinor O'Connell on the Late Show singing "I Dreamed a Dream"
When I returned home that night, I found that Ms. O'Connell had replied to my letter inviting me backstage the next time I came to a show. So I bought a third ticket, and had the magical experience of having a personal backstage tour of the set with Ms. O'Connell. Later, I was also her special guest at a concert she gave at a local university. I was just twenty at the time and quite starstruck. Now, 25 years later, I still have my original playbill signed by Elinor O'Connell. It is a treasure. I have seen the show many times since with many different casts, but none quite compare to that first experience at the Shubert.
If you like Les Miserables as much as Mira (and I) do, or if you've haven't yet heard the music, here are some interesting bits of trivia for you:
* The musical is based on the Victor Hugo novel, Les Miserables, first published in France in 1862.
* It was originally released as a conceptual album in French around 1980.
* The musical was first presented at the Paris Sports Arena in 1980, but closed after only three months.
* Cameron MacIntosh (producer of Cats on Broadway) was given a copy of the conceptual album and reluctantly agreed to adapt it to English. The English production opened in London in 1985.
* The initial London reviews were negative, but fans loved it. The first three months' show sold out, breaking box office records.
* The London show has run continuously from October 1985 through today.
* The Broadway production ran from 1987 through 2003, at total of 6,680 performances making it the 5th longest running Broadway show in history.
* Les Miserables won eight Tony awards.
* Oh, and last but not least, Patti LuPone originated the role of Fantine in the London production.
