Leigh Talbert Moore's Blog, page 20
August 16, 2012
Awesome client, awesome new book!
Y'all know I'm an editor by trade. For now, that's still the job that pays the bills, and I'm so excited to help promote a book by one of my first clients and our good bloggy friend
Elle Strauss (link)
.
After being agented a while, Elle decided to take the leap into self-publishing, and now she's one of the Indelibles (link) and has a slew of amazing books for readers of all ages.
Her latest book, which I had the pleasure of editing, PERCEPTION is due out in September, and today I'm thrilled to take part in the cover reveal.
PERCEPTION is a young adult science fiction-romance, and I've got to tell you guys, it is awesome. It's one of those books that I had to remind myself I was working on. (I kept wanting to race ahead to see what would happen next. Good stuff!)
Here's the scoop:
Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime waterfront property alongside other equally beautiful people with extended life spans.
Her brother Liam is missing.
Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they've created between those who have and those who don’t. He doesn't like girls like Zoe, and he has good reason not to like her specifically.
Zoe’s carefree life takes a traumatic turn. She’s in trouble and it turns out Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only one who can help her.
PERCEPTION is a (SF/mystery/romance) Young Adult novel that takes place in the not too distant future in a world changed by climate extremes, natural disasters and impending wars, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions—both financially and philosophically. It explores the clash between faith and science and how differences can separate us as enemies or alliance us together. And in some cases, even in the midst of betrayal and personal crisis, there’s room to fall in love. This is the first book in a planned three book series.
You can "like" Lee Strauss on facebook and mark PERCEPTION to read on Goodreads.
Lee Strauss is also known as Elle Strauss (for her lighter YA titles) You can find her at www.ellestraussbooks.com
PERCEPTION will be for sale on Amazon and at other e-retailer stores SEPTEMBER 12!
So keep your eyes out for this one, reader- and writer-friends! And have a great weekend~
After being agented a while, Elle decided to take the leap into self-publishing, and now she's one of the Indelibles (link) and has a slew of amazing books for readers of all ages.
Her latest book, which I had the pleasure of editing, PERCEPTION is due out in September, and today I'm thrilled to take part in the cover reveal.
PERCEPTION is a young adult science fiction-romance, and I've got to tell you guys, it is awesome. It's one of those books that I had to remind myself I was working on. (I kept wanting to race ahead to see what would happen next. Good stuff!)
Here's the scoop:
Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime waterfront property alongside other equally beautiful people with extended life spans. Her brother Liam is missing.
Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they've created between those who have and those who don’t. He doesn't like girls like Zoe, and he has good reason not to like her specifically.
Zoe’s carefree life takes a traumatic turn. She’s in trouble and it turns out Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only one who can help her.
PERCEPTION is a (SF/mystery/romance) Young Adult novel that takes place in the not too distant future in a world changed by climate extremes, natural disasters and impending wars, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions—both financially and philosophically. It explores the clash between faith and science and how differences can separate us as enemies or alliance us together. And in some cases, even in the midst of betrayal and personal crisis, there’s room to fall in love. This is the first book in a planned three book series.
You can "like" Lee Strauss on facebook and mark PERCEPTION to read on Goodreads.
Lee Strauss is also known as Elle Strauss (for her lighter YA titles) You can find her at www.ellestraussbooks.com
PERCEPTION will be for sale on Amazon and at other e-retailer stores SEPTEMBER 12!
So keep your eyes out for this one, reader- and writer-friends! And have a great weekend~
August 15, 2012
Same Bat Channel...
Tune in tomorrow for a special post. In the meantime, I #amediting.
But there's so much happening this week. Be sure and stop by WRiTE CLUB on DL's blog (link)! Get feedback on the first 500 words of any writing sample by going head to head against another writer.
And don't forget the largest, free online Kidlit writing convention is happening right now.
Have your query critiqued, first pages reviewed, get feedback from real ninja agents and participate in online chats... Did I mention it's FREE?
Check out WriteOnCon (link) !
I'm back tomorrow; have a great day, reader- and writer-friends!
But there's so much happening this week. Be sure and stop by WRiTE CLUB on DL's blog (link)! Get feedback on the first 500 words of any writing sample by going head to head against another writer.
And don't forget the largest, free online Kidlit writing convention is happening right now. Have your query critiqued, first pages reviewed, get feedback from real ninja agents and participate in online chats... Did I mention it's FREE?
Check out WriteOnCon (link) !
I'm back tomorrow; have a great day, reader- and writer-friends!
August 8, 2012
TKP: Yoda and Being Available
It's time for another The Kindness Project post!
Lately, I've been thinking about something that I think falls under the heading of "kindness." It's the concept of being Available.
What does that mean? Well, let me tell ya!
I've got two daughters, and they take up a lot of my time. A lot. Both when they're with me and when they're not.
I think about them, analyze how I've handled situations, how I could've handled situations differently. Beat myself up a lot...
I also have this publishing career I'm trying to build. Writer-friends, you know how much mental and emotional investment that requires.
Recently, I was asked, "How do you balance it all?" My answer was, "Not very well." (But I'm trying!)
If I'm going to write, edit, revise, and make deadlines, I've got to be able to spend big chunks of time being unavailable to people--including my family. And that bothers me.
So I've been thinking about those times when I am available. And I've been trying to focus very hard on really being available, 100 percent.
That means not letting my mind drift to my email inbox or to the next scene in my WIP when, for example, my daughter is describing all the different characters and their relationships in Fairy World. (Her make-believe play world.)
Or not letting my brain obsess over whether I should even bother with finding a new agent right now, or whether I should just go with the book deal, see what happens, and then decide... or whether I should self-publish the MS my critters/betas loved but editors didn't buy... or whether I should (insert obsessive publishing conundrum here) when, for example, JRM is describing a legal situation that's on his mind.
In other words, during those times when I'm physically available (or claim to be), I've been trying very hard to stay mentally available as well. To focus on the people I love and to give the book biz a rest.
SourceOnce again, it all circles back around to Yoda and being a good Jedi. A Jedi is not always looking to the future, right? S/he focuses on the here and now.
"Do or do not. There is no try."
(Am I the only one who has this problem?)
Either way, that's my contribution for this month: When we're with our friends or loved ones, do them a kindness and BE with them. Who knows, it might even turn out to be a kindness to ourselves!
Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! Be sure to visit the other TKP posters listed below~
Lately, I've been thinking about something that I think falls under the heading of "kindness." It's the concept of being Available.What does that mean? Well, let me tell ya!
I've got two daughters, and they take up a lot of my time. A lot. Both when they're with me and when they're not.
I think about them, analyze how I've handled situations, how I could've handled situations differently. Beat myself up a lot...
I also have this publishing career I'm trying to build. Writer-friends, you know how much mental and emotional investment that requires.
Recently, I was asked, "How do you balance it all?" My answer was, "Not very well." (But I'm trying!)
If I'm going to write, edit, revise, and make deadlines, I've got to be able to spend big chunks of time being unavailable to people--including my family. And that bothers me.
So I've been thinking about those times when I am available. And I've been trying to focus very hard on really being available, 100 percent.
That means not letting my mind drift to my email inbox or to the next scene in my WIP when, for example, my daughter is describing all the different characters and their relationships in Fairy World. (Her make-believe play world.)
Or not letting my brain obsess over whether I should even bother with finding a new agent right now, or whether I should just go with the book deal, see what happens, and then decide... or whether I should self-publish the MS my critters/betas loved but editors didn't buy... or whether I should (insert obsessive publishing conundrum here) when, for example, JRM is describing a legal situation that's on his mind.
In other words, during those times when I'm physically available (or claim to be), I've been trying very hard to stay mentally available as well. To focus on the people I love and to give the book biz a rest.
SourceOnce again, it all circles back around to Yoda and being a good Jedi. A Jedi is not always looking to the future, right? S/he focuses on the here and now."Do or do not. There is no try."
(Am I the only one who has this problem?)
Either way, that's my contribution for this month: When we're with our friends or loved ones, do them a kindness and BE with them. Who knows, it might even turn out to be a kindness to ourselves!
Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! Be sure to visit the other TKP posters listed below~
August 2, 2012
MSFV Winner: J. Anderson Coats
Hi, guys! Welcome to a special edition blog tour to help spread the word about the Miss Snark's First Victim blog contests.
J. Anderson Coats (link) is another writer who credits MSFV with giving her publishing career a boost. (My story was on David Kazzie's blog yesterday, link.)
Coats's debut novel The Wicked and the Just was published in April 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
The MSFV Secret Agent contests are free and open to all writers (link). We hope you'll visit, participate, and we we wish you much success on your path to publication.
Now for the interview!
CoatsJ. Anderson Coats has dug for crystals, held Lewis and Clark’s original hand-written journal and been a mile underground. She writes historical fiction set in the middle ages that routinely includes too much violence, name-calling and petty vandalism perpetrated by badly behaved young people. Her work is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. The Wicked and the Just (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012) is her first book.
How did participating with MSFV blog get you where you are now?
For the longest time, I admired the Erin Murphy Literary Agency from afar, but since they’re closed to unsolicited queries, I never got the chance to approach them. However, my stalking of MSFV paid off one day when Ammi-Joan Paquette opened submissions just for readers of Authoress’s blog for a two-week window at the end of February 2010. I leaped at the chance and emailed her a query within ten minutes.
What followed was a nine-month courtship of sorts in which I made revisions with the full expectation that it would end in the “thanks but no thanks” email. But that “no” never came, and the ink wasn’t quite dry on my agency contract when W/J sold to Harcourt. It was something like ten days between being unagented and my first sale--quite a whirlwind!
Now I’m part of this rapidly-growing and friendly cohort of other MSFV success stories, and I’m sure glad to have the company as we all move forward in our careers.
Who are your biggest literary influences, and/or what are a couple of your favorite reads?
I love Margaret Atwood’s world-building and Terry Pratchett’s playful, clever voice. I love Toni Morrison’s intense, rhythmic prose and Umberto Eco’s eye for detail. I’m in awe of Laurie Halse Anderson’s ability to tap into the lived experience of young people.
Some awesome things I’ve read lately are AMELIA ANNE IS DEAD AND GONE by Kat Rosenfield, THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY by Adam Rex, and PREGNANT PAUSE by Han Nolan. I read like a buzz saw, and I’ll stick with just about anything that can surprise me.
Your book, The Wicked and the Just, came out Spring 2012. Congratulations! Tell us about it!
The Wicked and the Just takes place in 1293-1294 in north Wales, ten years into English rule. Cecily is an unwilling transplant to the English walled town of Caernarvon, and she’d like nothing better than to go home. Gwenhwyfar, a Welsh servant in Cecily’s new house, would like nothing better than to see all the English go home. The ruling English impose harsh restrictions and taxation on the Welsh, and conditions in the countryside are growing desperate. The rumors of rebellion might be Gwenhwyfar’s only salvation--and the last thing Cecily ever hears.
The book is set in 13th-century Wales. What attracted you to this time and place?
Medieval Wales doesn’t get a lot of attention despite the fact that it was a complicated, dynamic place. The native rulers managed to resist outright conquest by their English neighbors until 1283, but then the victorious English fast-tracked a series of castles and walled towns to maintain control of the area and the people.
What interested me was this question: Even when granted a lot of special privileges--including significant tax breaks--how did English settlers live in a place where they were outnumbered twenty to one by a hostile, recently subjugated population, and how did the Welsh live so close to people who’d done the subjugating, especially given the burdens placed on them by their new masters?
What's next for you? Do you have another book in the works or coming soon?
I’m working on several projects right now. One is a companion novel to The Wicked and the Just, which follows Maredydd ap Madog, whose father is the ringleader of the rebellion of 1294, as he negotiates the future his father wants for him and the future he wants for himself. Then there’s a standalone book that’s set in twelfth-century Wales about a girl con-artist, a warband, an abduction, a badly-timed war, and a charismatic but mercurial king’s son.
I don't know about you guys, but I think the 13th Century has never sounded so cool! Thanks, Jillian! And here's where you can buy The Wicked and the Just:
Powell's ~ Indiebound ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Amazon
Tomorrow, Jillian will interview J.M. Frey, author of The Dark Side of the Glass (which I read and loved), on her blog (link). We hope you'll join us, and catch the whole tour!
David Kazzie @davidkazzie 1-Aug Leigh Talbert Moore @leightmoore 2-Aug J. Anderson Coats @jandersoncoats 3-Aug J. M. Frey @scifrey 4-Aug Elissa Cruz @elissacruz 5-Aug Amanda Sun @Amanda_Sun 6-Aug Kristi Helvig @KristiHelvig 7-Aug Leah Petersen @Leahpetersen 8-Aug Monica Bustamante Wagner @Monica_BW 9-Aug Emily Kokie @emkokie 10-Aug Monica Goulet @MonicaGoulet 11-Aug Peter Salomon @petersalomon 12-Aug Sarah Brand @sarahbbrand 13-Aug Angela Ackerman @angelaackerman & @writerthesaurus 14-Aug Tara Dairman @TaraDairman 15-Aug
Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! <3
J. Anderson Coats (link) is another writer who credits MSFV with giving her publishing career a boost. (My story was on David Kazzie's blog yesterday, link.)
Coats's debut novel The Wicked and the Just was published in April 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
The MSFV Secret Agent contests are free and open to all writers (link). We hope you'll visit, participate, and we we wish you much success on your path to publication.
Now for the interview!
CoatsJ. Anderson Coats has dug for crystals, held Lewis and Clark’s original hand-written journal and been a mile underground. She writes historical fiction set in the middle ages that routinely includes too much violence, name-calling and petty vandalism perpetrated by badly behaved young people. Her work is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. The Wicked and the Just (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012) is her first book.How did participating with MSFV blog get you where you are now?
For the longest time, I admired the Erin Murphy Literary Agency from afar, but since they’re closed to unsolicited queries, I never got the chance to approach them. However, my stalking of MSFV paid off one day when Ammi-Joan Paquette opened submissions just for readers of Authoress’s blog for a two-week window at the end of February 2010. I leaped at the chance and emailed her a query within ten minutes.
What followed was a nine-month courtship of sorts in which I made revisions with the full expectation that it would end in the “thanks but no thanks” email. But that “no” never came, and the ink wasn’t quite dry on my agency contract when W/J sold to Harcourt. It was something like ten days between being unagented and my first sale--quite a whirlwind!
Now I’m part of this rapidly-growing and friendly cohort of other MSFV success stories, and I’m sure glad to have the company as we all move forward in our careers.
Who are your biggest literary influences, and/or what are a couple of your favorite reads?
I love Margaret Atwood’s world-building and Terry Pratchett’s playful, clever voice. I love Toni Morrison’s intense, rhythmic prose and Umberto Eco’s eye for detail. I’m in awe of Laurie Halse Anderson’s ability to tap into the lived experience of young people.
Some awesome things I’ve read lately are AMELIA ANNE IS DEAD AND GONE by Kat Rosenfield, THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY by Adam Rex, and PREGNANT PAUSE by Han Nolan. I read like a buzz saw, and I’ll stick with just about anything that can surprise me.
Your book, The Wicked and the Just, came out Spring 2012. Congratulations! Tell us about it!
The Wicked and the Just takes place in 1293-1294 in north Wales, ten years into English rule. Cecily is an unwilling transplant to the English walled town of Caernarvon, and she’d like nothing better than to go home. Gwenhwyfar, a Welsh servant in Cecily’s new house, would like nothing better than to see all the English go home. The ruling English impose harsh restrictions and taxation on the Welsh, and conditions in the countryside are growing desperate. The rumors of rebellion might be Gwenhwyfar’s only salvation--and the last thing Cecily ever hears.The book is set in 13th-century Wales. What attracted you to this time and place?
Medieval Wales doesn’t get a lot of attention despite the fact that it was a complicated, dynamic place. The native rulers managed to resist outright conquest by their English neighbors until 1283, but then the victorious English fast-tracked a series of castles and walled towns to maintain control of the area and the people.
What interested me was this question: Even when granted a lot of special privileges--including significant tax breaks--how did English settlers live in a place where they were outnumbered twenty to one by a hostile, recently subjugated population, and how did the Welsh live so close to people who’d done the subjugating, especially given the burdens placed on them by their new masters?
What's next for you? Do you have another book in the works or coming soon?
I’m working on several projects right now. One is a companion novel to The Wicked and the Just, which follows Maredydd ap Madog, whose father is the ringleader of the rebellion of 1294, as he negotiates the future his father wants for him and the future he wants for himself. Then there’s a standalone book that’s set in twelfth-century Wales about a girl con-artist, a warband, an abduction, a badly-timed war, and a charismatic but mercurial king’s son.
I don't know about you guys, but I think the 13th Century has never sounded so cool! Thanks, Jillian! And here's where you can buy The Wicked and the Just:
Powell's ~ Indiebound ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Amazon
Tomorrow, Jillian will interview J.M. Frey, author of The Dark Side of the Glass (which I read and loved), on her blog (link). We hope you'll join us, and catch the whole tour!
David Kazzie @davidkazzie 1-Aug Leigh Talbert Moore @leightmoore 2-Aug J. Anderson Coats @jandersoncoats 3-Aug J. M. Frey @scifrey 4-Aug Elissa Cruz @elissacruz 5-Aug Amanda Sun @Amanda_Sun 6-Aug Kristi Helvig @KristiHelvig 7-Aug Leah Petersen @Leahpetersen 8-Aug Monica Bustamante Wagner @Monica_BW 9-Aug Emily Kokie @emkokie 10-Aug Monica Goulet @MonicaGoulet 11-Aug Peter Salomon @petersalomon 12-Aug Sarah Brand @sarahbbrand 13-Aug Angela Ackerman @angelaackerman & @writerthesaurus 14-Aug Tara Dairman @TaraDairman 15-Aug
Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! <3
August 1, 2012
Gratitude, Goodreads, & Interviews
I couldn't think of another G-word...
Anyway, I dropped the bomb and then went out of town/offline for a week! But I'm back now with Three things:
Source#1-HUGE THANKS! And big hugs and squeezes to everyone who said congratulations, tweeted, sent Facebook messages, squee-ed, and otherwise made me feel all warm and fuzzy these last few weeks about my book deal.
It didn't really feel real until...
#2-The awesome and multi-talented Lydia Kang (link) set up a Goodreads page for my first book ROUGE! (link) Then she told me how to make an author page (link), and suddenly I felt officially official. (!)
If you want to, *kicks the dirt* you could maybe add my book to your TBR list. (Yes? Click here. Or in the sidebar -->)
#3-I'm not here today! I'm being interviewed as one of the Miss Snark's First Victim Secret Agent contest winners. So I'm over on fellow winner David Kazzie's blog (link).
David!It's a short interview, I promise. Run over and say Hi! (What's MSFV Secret Agent contest you ask? Here's the link.)
Finally (4?), tomorrow I will be here with a special-edition post!
As part of the MSFV winners' blog tour, I'll be interviewing J. Anderson Coats (link), who writes about 13th century Wales. She's very cool like that.
Be sure to come back and check it out!
Again, I can't thank you all enough. Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! <3
Anyway, I dropped the bomb and then went out of town/offline for a week! But I'm back now with Three things:
Source#1-HUGE THANKS! And big hugs and squeezes to everyone who said congratulations, tweeted, sent Facebook messages, squee-ed, and otherwise made me feel all warm and fuzzy these last few weeks about my book deal.It didn't really feel real until...
#2-The awesome and multi-talented Lydia Kang (link) set up a Goodreads page for my first book ROUGE! (link) Then she told me how to make an author page (link), and suddenly I felt officially official. (!)
If you want to, *kicks the dirt* you could maybe add my book to your TBR list. (Yes? Click here. Or in the sidebar -->)
#3-I'm not here today! I'm being interviewed as one of the Miss Snark's First Victim Secret Agent contest winners. So I'm over on fellow winner David Kazzie's blog (link).
David!It's a short interview, I promise. Run over and say Hi! (What's MSFV Secret Agent contest you ask? Here's the link.)Finally (4?), tomorrow I will be here with a special-edition post!
As part of the MSFV winners' blog tour, I'll be interviewing J. Anderson Coats (link), who writes about 13th century Wales. She's very cool like that.
Be sure to come back and check it out!
Again, I can't thank you all enough. Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! <3
July 18, 2012
So This Thing Happened
I was all ready to tell you this, and now I'm feeling all weird about it.
The first time I told three of my girlfriends in person, sitting at a table in a restaurant, I felt my face get all red. My palms were sweaty, and I was seriously nauseated.
Tooting one's own horn is really funny to say (I'm doing what?), but it's actually awkward to do...
I have a book deal.
I'm getting better at believing it (and saying it out loud), though. And seeing it in Publisher's Marketplace helped. Here's what those guys said:
It's actually a three-book deal, with Simon & Schuster's new Pocket Star imprint. Pocket Star does primarily ebooks. There's an option for print, but it's going to be an ebook first and foremost.
The reason I'm telling you that part is because it means I'm about to be crazy-busy. Here's the timetable we've discussed:
ROUGE (Book #1) is due out Nov/Dec 2012Book #2 is due out Spring 2013Book #3, Nov/Dec 2013
They have an option on a Book #4, but at the moment I'm trying to get my head around A-That I have a book deal (!); and B-That I ... huh? What was A?
Seriously, though, I can't help thinking I'm just so GRATEFUL for you guys. I would not have made it this far without my family and friends.
From my first blogging buddies, who kept me encouraged through the agent search; to my critique partners, who still help me make my books better; to Authoress (link), who ran the "Miss Snark's First Victim" contest that this book won; to all of YOU, who've been excited and encouraging and told me you can't wait to read my books.
That's just the nicest thing you could ever say. ((hugs))
Sometimes it feels like my publishing journey has more downs than ups, so for a moment, I'm enjoying this up. It could only be better if you were here to enjoy it with me. Cheers!
Thank you, reader- and writer-friends! I can't wait to share my books with you~ <3
(Note: I'm out of town 7/25, so there'll be no new post. But I'll be back on Thursday, Aug. 2, with a great author-friend interview, J. Anderson Coates (link), who is also a MSFV winner. See you then!)
The first time I told three of my girlfriends in person, sitting at a table in a restaurant, I felt my face get all red. My palms were sweaty, and I was seriously nauseated.
Tooting one's own horn is really funny to say (I'm doing what?), but it's actually awkward to do...
I have a book deal.
I'm getting better at believing it (and saying it out loud), though. And seeing it in Publisher's Marketplace helped. Here's what those guys said:
It's actually a three-book deal, with Simon & Schuster's new Pocket Star imprint. Pocket Star does primarily ebooks. There's an option for print, but it's going to be an ebook first and foremost.
The reason I'm telling you that part is because it means I'm about to be crazy-busy. Here's the timetable we've discussed:
ROUGE (Book #1) is due out Nov/Dec 2012Book #2 is due out Spring 2013Book #3, Nov/Dec 2013
They have an option on a Book #4, but at the moment I'm trying to get my head around A-That I have a book deal (!); and B-That I ... huh? What was A?
Seriously, though, I can't help thinking I'm just so GRATEFUL for you guys. I would not have made it this far without my family and friends.
From my first blogging buddies, who kept me encouraged through the agent search; to my critique partners, who still help me make my books better; to Authoress (link), who ran the "Miss Snark's First Victim" contest that this book won; to all of YOU, who've been excited and encouraging and told me you can't wait to read my books.
That's just the nicest thing you could ever say. ((hugs))
Sometimes it feels like my publishing journey has more downs than ups, so for a moment, I'm enjoying this up. It could only be better if you were here to enjoy it with me. Cheers!
Thank you, reader- and writer-friends! I can't wait to share my books with you~ <3
(Note: I'm out of town 7/25, so there'll be no new post. But I'll be back on Thursday, Aug. 2, with a great author-friend interview, J. Anderson Coates (link), who is also a MSFV winner. See you then!)
July 11, 2012
TKP - Stronger and Wider
Okay, so I had this great idea for my Kindness Project post this week! All my fellow posters (below) are always so inspirational and moving and great, and I'm usually floundering.
So I was in church Sunday night, and the speaker talked about David and achieving a hard-earned success. (When he became king at last.)
She said when people achieve success, they often change. But the change isn't always good.
(Argh. I should've saved the program because now I'm having a hard time remembering exactly how she put it.)
Basically, she said something like for some, achieving a level of success means becoming more removed or distanced from others because the new role takes more time, or there are more responsibilities...
I felt like I could see how that could happen. Perhaps there's even an element of, "I did it. Now I have to work even harder to stay here." I don't know.
But she admonished us to do like David did. She said once he became king, his embrace grew stronger and his arms opened wider. (Then a few years passed and he kind of got off track, but that's not the point here.)
This is about when good things start happening, when you achieve that level of success, don't forget to keep looking around. Don't change. Keep looking for ways to help others and keep spreading the love.
Very Kindness Project, right?
I'm still working toward my level of success, so I'm still excited to tell folks about great writers I've encountered. (Honestly, I don't ever see that changing.) Below are three great editing clients I've worked with this year who you will LOVE:
#1-Alex Clermont came to me from ... I don't remember where. But he wanted to make a book from a series of blog posts written during his time as a teacher in South Korea.
I have to confess, I wasn't sure if what he was sending would hang together. But the truth is, it does.
Alex's book is soul-bearing, it's painfully honest. He's not afraid to tell the truth, even if you might get mad at him. And it's so good. I smiled, I cried... You will love this book.
Get it here:
-Amazon (link)
-Barnes & Noble (link)
-Website (link)
Mary Pax is one of the most fun science fiction storytellers I know. I'm not kidding. I look forward to getting her manuscripts to edit, despite the creatures who populate them.
I don't like creatures, and I'm always cheering for hers!
M. PaxShe's the self-publishing heir to Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Get your fix here, FREE:
-Amazon (link)
-Barnes & Noble (link)
-Website (link)
Finally, Elle Strauss was my first editorial client. I was so touched that she supported my little editing business right away, and she still sends me clients.
For a contemporary YA romance writer, Elle can write the absolute most amazing war scenes.
(I know, right? And we thought she just did YA romance.) But I'm not kidding. The first book I edited of hers was set during WWII, and it was engrossing.
Anyway, she's got a new (non war) book out, and for now, it's FREE! Here's the blurb:
Elle StraussA teen swim athlete discovers a merfolk world that threatens to keep her out of the ocean forever.
Dori Seward can’t wait to get out of Eastcove, a sleepy fishing village on the border of New Brunswick and Maine. She bides her time by hanging out with friends, attending swim club, and holding her biggest competition, Colby–who wants more than just friendship, at arm’s length.
Then Tor Riley comes to town and he has everything Dori dreams of in a boyfriend–looks, athleticism and mystery.
But Tor also has a tantalizing secret and Dori is determined to find out what it is. The truth is crazier than her wildest imaginations and more dangerous, too.
Dori has new fantastical enemies , and they will do anything to get to her.
Her life, her dreams and her love for Tor are all weighing in the balance. Will Dori risk it all in order to have it all?
Get it here, also FREE:
-Amazon (link)
-Website (link)
Finally, the BONUS, is one of our fellow posters, Megan Spooner (link), has a new book SKYLARK coming out, and she's got a contest going where everybody wins.
No lie. Everybody. Go here for more information (link).
That's it for me, kids. I'm so sorry I've been absentee lately. I'm revising like a mad woman, the girls are home from school, and we've been visiting relatives out of town. All of this equals me having a hard time getting around. But trust me, I miss you more than you miss me.
Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! Please visit the other TKP posters listed below~ <3
Alina Klein Katharine Owens
Andrea Hannah Len Lambert
Barbara Watson Liza Kane
Carolina Valdez Miller Lola Sharp
Christa Desir Lindsay Scott
Claire Hennessy Matthew MacNish (available Jul 16)
Elana Johnson Michele Shaw
Elizabeth Davis Sarah Fine
Elizabeth Poole Sara Larson
Erica Chapman Sara McClung
Jessica Corra Sophia Chang
Leigh Moore Tracey Neithercott
So I was in church Sunday night, and the speaker talked about David and achieving a hard-earned success. (When he became king at last.)She said when people achieve success, they often change. But the change isn't always good.
(Argh. I should've saved the program because now I'm having a hard time remembering exactly how she put it.)
Basically, she said something like for some, achieving a level of success means becoming more removed or distanced from others because the new role takes more time, or there are more responsibilities...
I felt like I could see how that could happen. Perhaps there's even an element of, "I did it. Now I have to work even harder to stay here." I don't know.
But she admonished us to do like David did. She said once he became king, his embrace grew stronger and his arms opened wider. (Then a few years passed and he kind of got off track, but that's not the point here.)
This is about when good things start happening, when you achieve that level of success, don't forget to keep looking around. Don't change. Keep looking for ways to help others and keep spreading the love.
Very Kindness Project, right?
I'm still working toward my level of success, so I'm still excited to tell folks about great writers I've encountered. (Honestly, I don't ever see that changing.) Below are three great editing clients I've worked with this year who you will LOVE:
#1-Alex Clermont came to me from ... I don't remember where. But he wanted to make a book from a series of blog posts written during his time as a teacher in South Korea.
I have to confess, I wasn't sure if what he was sending would hang together. But the truth is, it does.
Alex's book is soul-bearing, it's painfully honest. He's not afraid to tell the truth, even if you might get mad at him. And it's so good. I smiled, I cried... You will love this book.
Get it here:
-Amazon (link)
-Barnes & Noble (link)
-Website (link)
Mary Pax is one of the most fun science fiction storytellers I know. I'm not kidding. I look forward to getting her manuscripts to edit, despite the creatures who populate them.
I don't like creatures, and I'm always cheering for hers!
M. PaxShe's the self-publishing heir to Star Trek: The Next Generation. Get your fix here, FREE:
-Amazon (link)
-Barnes & Noble (link)
-Website (link)
Finally, Elle Strauss was my first editorial client. I was so touched that she supported my little editing business right away, and she still sends me clients.
For a contemporary YA romance writer, Elle can write the absolute most amazing war scenes.
(I know, right? And we thought she just did YA romance.) But I'm not kidding. The first book I edited of hers was set during WWII, and it was engrossing.
Anyway, she's got a new (non war) book out, and for now, it's FREE! Here's the blurb:
Elle StraussA teen swim athlete discovers a merfolk world that threatens to keep her out of the ocean forever.Dori Seward can’t wait to get out of Eastcove, a sleepy fishing village on the border of New Brunswick and Maine. She bides her time by hanging out with friends, attending swim club, and holding her biggest competition, Colby–who wants more than just friendship, at arm’s length.
Then Tor Riley comes to town and he has everything Dori dreams of in a boyfriend–looks, athleticism and mystery.
But Tor also has a tantalizing secret and Dori is determined to find out what it is. The truth is crazier than her wildest imaginations and more dangerous, too.
Dori has new fantastical enemies , and they will do anything to get to her.
Her life, her dreams and her love for Tor are all weighing in the balance. Will Dori risk it all in order to have it all?
Get it here, also FREE:
-Amazon (link)
-Website (link)
Finally, the BONUS, is one of our fellow posters, Megan Spooner (link), has a new book SKYLARK coming out, and she's got a contest going where everybody wins.
No lie. Everybody. Go here for more information (link).
That's it for me, kids. I'm so sorry I've been absentee lately. I'm revising like a mad woman, the girls are home from school, and we've been visiting relatives out of town. All of this equals me having a hard time getting around. But trust me, I miss you more than you miss me.
Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! Please visit the other TKP posters listed below~ <3
Alina Klein Katharine Owens
Andrea Hannah Len Lambert
Barbara Watson Liza Kane
Carolina Valdez Miller Lola Sharp
Christa Desir Lindsay Scott
Claire Hennessy Matthew MacNish (available Jul 16)
Elana Johnson Michele Shaw
Elizabeth Davis Sarah Fine
Elizabeth Poole Sara Larson
Erica Chapman Sara McClung
Jessica Corra Sophia Chang
Leigh Moore Tracey Neithercott
July 3, 2012
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Fourth!I hope my fellow Americans are having a terrific holiday with family and friends. It's a great time to think about history and freedom and what those concepts really mean.Hmm... that sounds terribly serious, and I don't mean it that way. Think about those things in a fun way while enjoying yourself.
I also hope my non-American friends have a wonderful week and weekend.
I'm away at the moment, but I'll be back next week with something deep and meaningful. Or something, at least!
Have a great holiday, reader- and writer-friends~ <3
June 27, 2012
RAPE GIRL - Book Review & Author Interview
On first meeting, Alina Klein (link) seems like any other writer--quiet and observant, not too flashy. She's tall with smooth, well-behaved light-brown hair, and she has a reassuring, calm smile.
Alina KleinBasically, she's the exact opposite of me. So when we started talking about our books, and she told me about her latest RAPE GIRL, I knew it was going to be something powerful. A little earthquake.
She explained SPEAK (by Laurie Halse) is about a girl who's raped and doesn't tell anyone, and everything falls apart.
RAPE GIRL is about a girl who's raped and does report it, and everything still falls apart.
And it's based on personal experience.
First, I'll just put it out there, I rarely know the right thing to say at any given moment, which is why I'm a writer and not a public speaker. So I didn't know what to say. I just read her book.
I'm still trying to decide how to explain this small volume that basically says everything. In brief, perfectly worded passages, Alina makes you feel these things through her fictional character Valerie:
-The awkwardness of throwing your first "parents out of town" party.
-The weird-fun-sickness of being drunk for the first time.
-The guilt of being too hungover the next morning to care for your little sister.
-The numb, helpless, confusion of being raped.
-The horror of a rape exam combined with a first-time pelvic exam.
-The shock of learning that telling your mom, reporting it to the police, means telling the world.
-The betrayal of your best friend believing him.
-The strange mind-trip of group therapy and not feeling "raped enough" to be there.
-The inward-turning, the loss of faith in the system, the self-doubt...
I know this sounds like a downer, depressing story, but it's not. It's very enlightening, and it ends on a note of such hope. It's how I understand Alina can meet me and be what she is--confident, calm, reassuring. And she's a tireless supporter of rape victims. (See her "Empowerment Project," link.)
Sure, I cried several times while reading. Alina's a beautiful writer, and it was almost too much to think she'd suffered a similar experience as Val. I also empathized with Val's poor mother, who blamed herself for going out of town and "letting" this happen.
But I'm so glad I read it. It's out now, so run grab a copy--Stat!
Amazon (link)
Barnes & Noble (link)
Now for the interview:
LTM: Everyone's asking (or will), so here goes: How much of RAPE GIRL is your story, and how much is fiction?
ABK: This is a tough question, actually. I have been asked it before, and I know people are interested. But the "real" parts are so entwined in the fiction, it would be difficult to pick them apart without deconstructing the whole story. It's certainly a novel and not an autobiography. To be honest, that's all it ever could be. My own rape and the trial that followed are a blur. The details are long gone, but the emotions have lingered. So I tried to write from those. My personal story was included most often as kernals of truth that I built upon. Like the one I shared in a blog post about the girl who became Valerie's friend. One scene I did borrow pretty much wholesale from my own life, however, was the one where Valerie is faced down by a group of boys in the school office. Only for me they were at the courthouse.
LTM: Writing this book took guts, I imagine, going back and facing that experience again. What made you decide to do it?
ABK: The need to write RAPE GIRL crystallized after I read SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson. I cried when I reached the end of that book, because unlike Melinda, when I spoke my life exploded. It shouldn't happen that way, but it does, and people need to realize that, or nothing will ever change.
LTM: I loved how you showed Val's inner dialogue when talking with people, then her breakdown. What's the one thing you wished people had said after your experience? (Or the thing someone said that meant the most.)
ABK: I'm sure people said a lot of supportive things to me that I've forgotten. I wish that weren't the case. One thing I think would have meant a lot, and which I'd like to say to every other survivor out there, is from my book: "They say that rape is the only crime in which the victim has to prove her innocence. And I want you to know, I believe in your innocence. You don't have to prove anything to me."
Get it, share itLTM: That rape exam was horrifying. Actually, Val's entire experience with police and authorities left me outraged. At the same time, logical Leigh wonders how else can they get evidence? What do you think having gone through it? What must change? What's sort of inevitable?
ABK: I don't know how, or if, the collection process of the rape kits can change. Probably not for the sake of the few cases that actually make it to court. What isn't inevitable is the treatment of survivors by authority figures. There are amazing advocates who travel the country provide training to doctors and law enforcement officers to help them interact in a more empathetic way with survivors. Still, no matter how gentle they may be, each step in the process is one more trauma to navigate after being raped. The true travesty of rape kits, however, is the fact that hundreds of thousands of them remain untested after survivors underwent the grueling collection process. See endthebacklog.org for more information. Spread the word.
LTM: As a mother of two girls, I related to the mom-character's guilt feelings. At the same time, I wondered, how can something like this be predicted/prevented? Have you thought of this? I feel sure you have. What's your take?
ABK: Rape can't be predicted or prevented by potential victims. That's my take. You can do everything right and it can still happen to you or to your daughters or to someone else you love. This is why the focus should to be shifted toward educating the people most likely to commit rape and not the ones who may suffer it. Preventing rapists is the only thing that will prevent rape.
LTM: Do you have any sort-of hopes for this book? Other than it being a runaway bestseller, of course (*wink*)
ABK: I have very grand hopes that my book will make a difference. That I can remove the stigma from the word "rape" (with my title alone, yes?) and open the topic for discussion. That girls will read it and know that the darkest times in their lives can be a source of strength and not an obstacle to it. That boys will read it and put themselves in Adam's shoes--and think twice whenever a girl seems less than enthusiastic about being touched. Yeah, I pretty much want to change the world.
Thanks, Alina! You rule. You're an awesome, brave person, and a great friend. Now everyone grab a copy and tell your friends.
And have a great week, reader- and writer-friends~ <3
June 20, 2012
TKP, Faith & the Farm
So when bloggy friend Carol Miller (link) invited me to join The Kindness Project, naturally I declined. "I don't post on Wednesdays," I said.
Then I got to thinking about it, and I decided I'm not that old. I can be a little more flexible. And here I am.
I'm a week late because I wanted to see what everybody else did before I posted. But I'm still a little stumped about what to say... Kindness is one of those things I feel like I should do.
The Kindness Project is supposed to be inspirational. It's to remind us that even when we're feeling unkind, still be kind. That alone can make a significant difference in the world both for us and for others.
That's really cool. And really hard.
Last week, members posted about all sorts of things, and they were all good. The most meaningful to me, however, was by our fearless leader. Carol took the day to quote from Mother Teresa. Here's the part I liked best:
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.
Powerful stuff.
It's a good day for me to try TKP. I've had an interesting thing come my way recently, and I can't wait to tell you all about it. I have to wait, but you'll understand soon.
So it's cool, but at the same time, I'm still feeling weighed down and Anxious.
I'm second-guessing my decisions, and I feel like I'm always looking over my shoulder. The old timers tell us not to be suckers. Don't be so eager to get published that you give away the farm.
At the same time, I wonder, "Didn't those old timers have to give away part of the farm to get to the point of being able to say things like 'Don't give away the farm'?" Is it possible to get where you want to be without sacrificing anything?
I've never been very good at leaps of faith. I'm super Type A. I like all my ducks behaving just like I expect them to behave, and if I tell you I'll have something for you tomorrow, well, you'll probably get it today.
I'm rambling, but my point is I do have faith. And I do make thoughtful decisions and not foolish ones, and when I'm at that point where I've done all I can do, I... struggle very hard with letting it go. So I try to remind myself of that faith part again.
SourcePerhaps I've drifted from the kindness, but in the final analysis, it is between you and God.
Are you doing your best? Doing good work? Keeping in touch... (Wait, that's Garrison Keillor--!)
I'm sorry, Carol. I'm screwing this all up. Somebody make a goofy sound effect or talk in a funny voice...
Maybe we can just keep on encouraging each other. I know you do that for me all the time. Thank you~
Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends. I'll do better next time. <3
Then I got to thinking about it, and I decided I'm not that old. I can be a little more flexible. And here I am.I'm a week late because I wanted to see what everybody else did before I posted. But I'm still a little stumped about what to say... Kindness is one of those things I feel like I should do.
The Kindness Project is supposed to be inspirational. It's to remind us that even when we're feeling unkind, still be kind. That alone can make a significant difference in the world both for us and for others.
That's really cool. And really hard.
Last week, members posted about all sorts of things, and they were all good. The most meaningful to me, however, was by our fearless leader. Carol took the day to quote from Mother Teresa. Here's the part I liked best:
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.
Powerful stuff.
It's a good day for me to try TKP. I've had an interesting thing come my way recently, and I can't wait to tell you all about it. I have to wait, but you'll understand soon.
So it's cool, but at the same time, I'm still feeling weighed down and Anxious.
I'm second-guessing my decisions, and I feel like I'm always looking over my shoulder. The old timers tell us not to be suckers. Don't be so eager to get published that you give away the farm.
At the same time, I wonder, "Didn't those old timers have to give away part of the farm to get to the point of being able to say things like 'Don't give away the farm'?" Is it possible to get where you want to be without sacrificing anything?
I've never been very good at leaps of faith. I'm super Type A. I like all my ducks behaving just like I expect them to behave, and if I tell you I'll have something for you tomorrow, well, you'll probably get it today.
I'm rambling, but my point is I do have faith. And I do make thoughtful decisions and not foolish ones, and when I'm at that point where I've done all I can do, I... struggle very hard with letting it go. So I try to remind myself of that faith part again.
SourcePerhaps I've drifted from the kindness, but in the final analysis, it is between you and God.Are you doing your best? Doing good work? Keeping in touch... (Wait, that's Garrison Keillor--!)
I'm sorry, Carol. I'm screwing this all up. Somebody make a goofy sound effect or talk in a funny voice...
Maybe we can just keep on encouraging each other. I know you do that for me all the time. Thank you~
Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends. I'll do better next time. <3
