L.J. Singleton's Blog, page 12

What I'm Doing

 I'm waiting:

*     Waiting for final edits on MAGICIAN'S MUSE #6 SEER.
*     Waiting to find out if my editor likes THORN's mystery.
*     Waiting for my agent to sell another book of mine.

Writers wait a lot.

But while I'm waiting, I pulled out a middle-grade mss I love but
never finished. So I'm going through it and polishing words till
they shine. And I plan to finish it this time...while I'm waiting
for something else to happen.

DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS review

DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS by C.J. Omololu
This book sounded so interesting and different than most YA's that I couldn't wait to read it. When it started off in a familiar school & friendship situation, I expected a typical girl-hiding-secret story -- but I was wrong. Something shocking and unexpected happened and the book took a dark, thrilling turn that kept me turning pages.

Check it out! I really enjoyed this exciting YA novel. C.J. Omololu is an author to watch for amazing things!

Left Coast Crime Report

http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#!/note.php?note_id=364107477069&id=641667658&ref=mf

Here's my 2nd day report from Left Coast Crime where I had a great time listening to famous and future-famous authors.

Linda

THREE THINGS ON A THURSDAY

1.  I'm flying to Los Angeles today to enjoy Left Coast Crime; a fan and writer mystery novel conference.

2.  I am NOT writing any book for a few weeks. My brain is on vacation (although not-writing makes me feel empty and guilty)

3.  I will be seeing 2 plays within the next several weeks: HATS and WICKED.

So do you have three things to share today?

THE SAGA OF A YA SERIES....

 THE SAGA OF A SERIES....  

When I finished writing the 4th THE SEER, I was told there wouldn't be a 5th.
I got this call on my cell while taking a walk by a lake, and I still remember
having walked a mile and being out of breath but feeling really good. Then
my phone rang and my hopes soared to the sky. I was sure it was going to
be a call asking me to write the 5th THE SEER. But no...it was a "sorry, no."
And it was strange how my body raced with an exercise high so the disappointment
didn't hit ...

Reporting SCBWI retreat near Monterey LAST DAY

Final report from the Asilomar SCBWI conference near Monterey.

Answers from the Q&A session with all editors, agents and super author speakers:
(Read previous posts for full list of editors, agents and authors)

QUESTION: What concerns you and what gives hopes about the publishing industry today?
* Scary times and exciting times with electronics.
* Copyright and distribution issues mean less control but more readers.
* Unfiltered, unedited content out there.
* Can't always publish amazing voices and ...

Reporting from SCBWI retreat near Monterey (PART 2)

I took notes so I could share with my LJ friends! Feel free to pass them on to your blogs if you enjoy them. (Buying my DEAD GIRL or THE SEER books would be cool too...just saying....)

February 20, 2010 SATURDAY

Up at 6AM and got dressed in purple gathered top, denim jacket and jeans. Beautiful morning; damp from recent rain and gray but clear. Went to lodge and posted on Livejournal.

 

First speaker was Sarah Davies who has an eloquent British accent. She founded the Greenhouse Lit Agency two...

Reporting from SCBWI retreat near Monterey

Hi LJ Friends!

I'm sitting in a lodge (fre wifi!) and outside are gorgeous cypress trees, sand and the ocean.

This Friday-Sunday conference is informative, fascinating and fun. I've been going for 20 years!

 Yesterday I drove down with writer friends Linda Whalen and Danna K. Smith (TWO AT THE ZOO) .
We arrived before 1PM and got right in our room. We loved our spacious, rustic room with 2 double beds in outer room and a small private room also. We unpacked then went down to the beach.

 

3PM...

STRANGE ROMANTIC MEETINGS & DATES WEEK! #4

FROM GUEST BLOGGER TERI FARLEY (#4 story)

STRANGE VALENTINE'S DATE!

My first Valentine's Day date coincided with my first date to San Francisco.VERY special when you're a high-schooler in San Jose, California. We went window shopped in Ghiradelli Square, had dinner at Senor Pico's, and pre-Starbuck's cappuccino at a rooftop cafe as the fog rolled in and heating lamps kept us warm.
Fog horns, breeze-tossed mist and dark alleys through Chinatown imprinted themselves on my brain and I'd later use...

STRANGE ROMANTIC MEETINGS AND DATES (#3)

Enjoy another story of unusual romance in honor of Valentine's Day....

GUEST BLOGGER: CHIS EBOCH

I've enjoyed rock climbing for years, and a friend taught rock climbing at the local college. She brought me on as a co-teacher to lessen the workload. Most of our students were 18 to 22-year-old undergrads, but one semester we had an older guy, who had gone to college, worked a few years, and returned to college for a second degree. He was so sweet, and always helpful with setting up and cleaning...