Alina Sayre's Blog, page 7

A Newsy Month for Books

Lots of exciting updates here! Besides being my birthday month, February has been a big one for the books!

First was the FANTASTIC news that Reader’s Favorite, an independent website, published a 5-star review of The Illuminator’s Gift (and gave it a shiny medal)!! I was so honored and encouraged to receive this kind of praise from a third-party source. You can read the review here. If you haven’t already left your own Amazon review of The Illuminator’s Gift and The Illuminator’s Test, I’d greatly appreciate it!

Next up: I’m pleased to announce that you can now find BOTH my books shelved at Village House of Books (Los Gatos), Spectator Books (Piedmont), and Hicklebee’s (Willow Glen)! I won’t deny that I enjoy the convenience of Amazon, but if you’re looking for my books, consider doing something good for your neighborhood and picking up a copy at one of these local shops (they’re super cute on the inside, too!).

Last but not least: this month I had the opportunity to be the first-ever author guest at the College of Adaptive Arts in San Jose. This innovative program offers adults with disabilities the opportunity to flourish by learning a variety of creative and life skills in a safe and nurturing environment. To be honest, presenting a lecture here was a stretching experience for me. Standard presentation formats all went out the window in the first five minutes. But in exchange, I got to witness the unique perspective and unlimited enthusiasm of these sweet students. They understand, perhaps more than anyone, that writing means seeing the world a little differently, like looking through a kaleidoscope.

More exciting events are in the works, so keep checking back to the News & Events page for updates! To find out how to book me as a speaker at your own school, homeschool group, or event, check out the Speaking page. 

Writer @ the movies

Happy new year!

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I spent a lot of time at the movie theater over the holidays. So many interesting, quirky, or intriguing films came out. I’m no film critic, but as a writer, I pay attention to things like character-building, story arcs, suspense, conclusiveness, and screenwriting. So here’s what I thought of the 5 movies I saw in theaters over the holidays, from a writer’s perspective. Feel free to add your opinions in the comments!

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!

Big Hero 6

I LOVED this movie. Not just liked. LOVED. I already tend to like animated movies, but I know they’re sometimes used an excuse for fluffy endings and one-dimensional characters. Not so with Big Hero 6. This film tackled major issues: grief, adolescence, math/science/engineering, women in the sciences, etc. etc., all without sacrificing fun, humor, storytelling, amazing animation, and some really great lines. This movie proved to me that Disney has assimilated Pixar and is better for it.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

This movie…was the third in a trilogy…that wasn’t supposed to be a trilogy. Okay, so I’m a book person. And Tolkien is one of my literary idols. But I think, even if I hadn’t read The Hobbit, this movie would have felt like a long sequence of impressive but disconnected CG fights. And a moose.

But hey, at least I got some good laughs out of it, right? Even if they weren’t at the parts that were supposed to be funny?

Unbroken

Angelina Jolie’s adaptation of the award-winning book was impressive. Louis Zamperini was a truly amazing person–I had the opportunity to hear him speak when I was fourteen, and his humility, faith, and sense of humor in spite of all his suffering made a lasting impression on me. This movie communicated Zamperini’s hardships and resilience in gritty, heavily charged storytelling that kept me riveted the whole time. The disappointment to me was that I didn’t feel there was enough beginning or ending to this story–it left the excellent middle feeling a bit out of context.

The Theory of Everything

The trailer for this movie was so unusual that I had to go see it. The cinematography was beautiful, and it made me very nostalgic for Cambridge The acting was also superb–Eddie Redmayne plays Stephen Hawking as his body wastes away with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Felicity Jones plays his wife and caregiver, Jane Hawking. The sequences of caregiving were exquisitely portrayed, in all their pain and grit. Still, I have to say I was disappointed in the movie’s message. It seemed to celebrate only the resilience of Hawking’s indomitable spirit, when I saw the real heroine as his strong and courageous wife.

Into the Woods

This is the movie I didn’t expect to like. I love stage musicals, but after seeing Les Miserables translated to the movie screen, my expectations for Into the Woods were low. Happily, they were exceeded. Not only could everyone in the film both act and sing (!) but I’m a big fan of fairy tales, especially when they’re interwoven with each other. Though the ending was sad, I liked the way the story extended past the traditional “happily ever after.” What happened after Cinderella married her prince? What about after Jack’s beanstalk fell? I thought the movie used those questions as a great opportunity to probe the limitations of fairy tales and simplistic happy endings–all without losing hope in the power of storytelling.

Did you see any of these movies over the holidays? Share your opinions in the comments! 

Fresh Out Of Words

Sometimes, when you finish a book, you find you’re just fresh out of words.

Today all my words are inside my newly released sequel: The Illuminator’s Test. Writing and producing it was a madcap marathon of a journey, and the result comes from my heart. I hope it speaks to yours too.

Any of my words that aren’t inside the new book are on other people’s blogs this week. So for a review of The Illuminator’s Test, an interview on how to get kids to love reading, and a guest post on how to beat writer’s block, I direct you to the three most recent stops on my blog tour. There are three more stops coming up next week!

Stop 1: A review of The Illuminator’s Test on The Book Sage book review blog

Stop 2: Author interview on Los Gatos Poet Laureate Erica Goss’s blog

Stop 3: “7 Tips to Beating Writer’s Block” on award-winning author A. R. Silverberry’s blog

You might have more luck weaseling some words out of me if we meet up in person. This month I’ll be at:

-12/7: Recycle Books, Campbell! I’ll be hanging out at the sidewalk table outside of Recycle Books with book reviewer Lloyd Russell between 10:15 and 12:15. Stop by and pick up a signed copy of The Illuminator’s Gift (we’ll see if my print copies of Book 2 arrive by then!) or just chat about books (which is my favorite thing ever).

-12/13: Book launch party at Village House of Books! Want to get your paperback copy of The Illuminator’s Test in time for Christmas, have it signed, and hang out with illustrator Amalia Hillmann and me, all at the same time? Then come to the book launch party being held at Village House of Books in Los Gatos! On Saturday, December 13, the new store on 21 W Main Street will stay open for us after hours and we can party! Treats, face painting, and art activities from 6:30-7:30, then a read-along, Q&A session, and book signing from 7:30-8. Stop by for a few minutes or stay all evening! Hope you can make it!

While we’re at it, I invite you to check out the new and updated pages of my website. The News and Events page has all this information and more, and the Books page has clickable links to both my books and the places they’re being sold. The website’s newest addition is the Speaking page. Once I get my words back, I’ll be gearing up to speak for a variety of schools, homeschool groups, book clubs, and other venues next year. I’d love for yours to be among them! Send me an e-mail if you’re interested in setting up an author talk or workshop.

That was a lot of words for someone who’s fresh out! Maybe I’ll go read a book now and find some more.

3…2…1…

Happy Thanksgiving weekend, everybody!

Just a quick reminder that you can get the e-book of Book 1, The Illuminator’s Gift, on sale this weekend: 99 cents ’til midnight tonight, $1.99 tomorrow, $2.99 Sunday!

And 3 days from now…

Book 2 arrives!!!

Here’s what it’s about:

As Ellie and her friends start new lives on the flying island of Rhynlyr, Ellie hopes she’s finally found a home. At the Academy, she learns to wield her gift of Sight and discovers her role in the war against Draaken. But Draaken also wants to control Ellie’s gift. With the help of a blind mentor, an elite bodyguard, and a hostile singer, Ellie must navigate a storm of danger and deception that threatens to cut her off from her friends and corrupt her very self. When disaster strikes, will she find the courage to fight for her friends and the future of the One Kingdom?

Count down with me to 12/1/14!!!

3…2…1…

Get ready! Get set!

Today is Friday, November 21, 2014.

That means there are just 9 DAYS ‘til the release of Book 2, The Illuminator’s Test, on 12/1/2014!

And I have something special to show you…

The book cover!!! It’s here, thanks to my talented illustrator Amalia Hillmann, who also did the amazing interior illustrations for this book. Here’s a teaser of the inside…!!

Haven’t read Book 1 yet? You’re just in time! The e-book version of the award-winning first novel The Illuminator’s Gift will be on sale on Amazon.com over Thanksgiving weekend! It’ll be 99 cents on Black Friday, $1.99 on Small Business Saturday, and $2.99 on…whatever that Sunday is called. Then Book 2, The Illuminator’s Test, releases on Cyber Monday, 12/1!

To celebrate the book release, here are some fun events coming up! Watch for more news here, on my Facebook page, and on Twitter. Or sign up to get updates ahead of time by subscribing to my e-mail newsletter!

11/24-12/12: The Illuminator’s Test tours the Internet! Watch for advance reader reviews, go behind the scenes of the writing process, and even listen to a radio interview! First stop will be an advance review on The Book Sage book review blog on Monday, 11/24. The rest of the stops are posted on my News & Events page and on my social media pages.

12/7: Sidewalk chat at Recycle Books, Campbell! I’ll be hanging out at the sidewalk table outside of Recycle Books with book reviewer Lloyd Russell between 10:15 and 12:15. Stop by and pick up a copy of The Illuminator’s Test or just chat about books (which is my favorite thing ever).

12/13: Book launch party at Village House of Books! Want to get your paperback copy of The Illuminator’s Test in time for Christmas, have it signed, and hang out with illustrator Amalia Hillmann and me, all at the same time? Then come to the book launch party being held at Village House of Books in Los Gatos! On Saturday, December 13, the new store on 21 W Main Street will stay open for us after hours and we can party! Treats, face painting, and art activities from 6:30-7:30, then a read-along, Q&A session, and book signing from 7:30-8. Stop by for a few minutes or stay all evening! Hope you can make it!

Even more fun events are spinning together for 2015! I’m already making plans to speak for some fantastic schools, homeschool groups, and book clubs to help kids and teens get excited about reading and writing. I’d love to come visit your organization too! To book me as a speaker for 2015, send me an e-mail! 

So very many exciting things happening! Buckle your seatbelts; here we go! 

Research on the Weather Deck

Some people think all writers do is sit in dimly lit rooms in their pajamas and commune with the muse. And that’s some of what we do, some of the time.

But when we’re not working our day jobs, making marketing plans, lifting boxes of books, talking to classrooms of kids, crunching numbers, or creating charming social media profiles…

…we might be out doing research.

Sometimes research looks like a Google search. (Heaven knows I have enough weird sites bookmarked to make the government very suspicious.) Sometimes research looks like interviewing a knowledgeable person.

But sometimes it looks like getting on a boat.

Both The Illuminator’s Gift and its upcoming sequel, The Illuminator’s Test, feature the Legend, a flying ship in the fantasy world of Aletheia. But flying ship though it may be, it still needs to imitate some behaviors of a water ship. Between my history of seasickness and a lack of physical coordination, I had almost no experience with sailing. But when one of my excellent test readers pointed out some major holes in my sailing scenes, I knew it was time to get some.

Enter the Hawaiian Chieftain, Tall Ship and companion to the Lady Washington (better known as the Interceptor from Pirates of the Caribbean). This ship travels up and down the West Coast every year, doing educational tours and teaching landlubbers like me a thing or two about sailing. So my trusty sales manager/photographer/mom and I set out to see the sea (or at least the San Joaquin River).

Captain Eamon was incredibly patient in teaching me the ropes–er, lines. In two jam-packed hours, I learned the difference between a ketch and a schooner, a mainmast and a mizzenmast, a jib and a topsail, and of course, a rope and a line. (A rope is a line without a job.)

More importantly, I learned things the Internet could never have taught me–for example, how much a line weighs. (Answer: a lot.) I got a chance to help trim the sails alongside the crew. Thank you to Bailey and Jamie for giving me a chance to get some rope burns and personal experience.

I also got to watch some crewmembers climb the shrouds to trim the topsails. It looked fun, but also precarious on this windy day. Unfortunately, passengers were not allowed up (liability issues). Even the working crew clipped themselves on with climbing hooks to keep from falling/flying off.

Best of all, I got to steer the boat for about twenty seconds. The Hawaiian Chieftain has very sophisticated navigation equipment (what my characters wouldn’t give for a GPS!) but it still has a beautifully old-fashioned helm.

After a fun and exhausting day of research, I learned two valuable lessons:

1) I would make a terrible sailor.

2) Writing is much improved by hands-on experience.

Keep a weather eye out for the influence of the Hawaiian Chieftain in The Illuminator’s Test, coming December 1st! 

2014 World Literacy Project

Happy Halloween World Literacy Project Day!

For some reason, my family has never really carved jack-o-lanterns. We’ve historically painted our pumpkins–probably because my family members have so much rampant artistic talent.

This is my mother’s pumpkin from 2012. A hobbit hole, complete with smoke in the chimney. No pressure.

But being a writer isn’t much help when it comes to decorating pumpkins. Or at least, not until 2012, when I decided to forget about keeping up with my family and put words on my pumpkin.

Year 1 of the World Literacy Project: The Highwayman

I called it the World Literacy Project: simultaneously embracing writerliness and offering all those cute trick-or-treaters a healthy dose of literary education. Good deal, right?

2013 World Literacy Project: The Raven

Well, something a little bit special happened in my life this year. So I found a gold pen and imitated the style of a designer I admire very much. The 2014 World Literacy Project now features an illuminated pumpkin.

Anybody want to guess where they’ve heard these words before? Add a comment if you think you know!

 

Improving world literacy, one pumpkin at a time!

Inside Creative Minds: Jenn Castro, Children’s Author

Well, I know it’s not summer anymore, but this blog series seemed too good to truncate when I got an interview with Jenn Castro, author of the charming picture book MOM ME. Listen in as she talks about her writing process, urban homesteading, and how to get kids to love reading.

1.     Welcome, Jenn! So tell us–how did you first discover that you loved writing?

When I was 10, I read Marjorie’s New Friend by Carolyn Wells. Reading about her red diary made me want to keep one. That year, I bought a diary. It’s green tweed and has a lock. Since then, I’ve kept many many journals, quote books, and scraps of paper in boxes. When I get an idea, I have to write it down. Eventually the need to write the story is so strong, I have to tell the story.

2.     What are some of your favorite books/authors?

My favorite children’s picture book authors are Margaret Wise Brown (Wait Til The Moon is Full), Leo Leonni (Swimmy), and Marie Hall Ets, (In the Forest). I love these authors because they respect and honor children’s imagination and intelligence. In elementary school, Beverly Cleary was a favorite. As an adult, I enjoy reading her books because she is very skilled at structuring a story. In high school, I liked books about seemingly real teen experiences (i.e., Mr. Pigman, by Paul Zindel). As an adult I am pulled to books about day-to-day life. Barbara Kingsolver’s series including Pigs in Heaven still top my list because of her fresh use of metaphors.

3.     How did you develop the idea for MOM ME?

I can’t say I developed the idea for MOM ME because the story came directly from funny things my kids did, including wiping their noses and mouths on my clothing! Some of the material came from how I played as a child: adults offering their shoulders as diving boards and carrying me across a pool on their backs name two.

4.     What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you started the book publishing process?

Since publishing MOM ME and starting Hippowl Press, I’ve developed huge respect for the publishing industry. The writing, illustrating, front and back matter, printing, marketing, distributing, etc. is a huge endeavor. I think if anyone had told me all the steps, I might never have done it. So perhaps it’s better that I jumped in without knowing all that.

5.     Which came first for your book–the words or the illustrations?

The words came first. When my youngest was learning to sleep through the night, I’d wake to help him. While awake, I’d grab any nearby piece of paper and scribble a memory from the day. Images for illustrations followed quickly. I loved working with my illustrator on the story images because we saw the story so similarly.

6.     What divides your time from writing? How do you balance it all?

Without my kids, family, and community commitments, I’d have nothing competing for my time. Having so little time to write forces me to become very efficient and put any free time I have to writing. The stronger the story, the more compelled I am to sit and finish. My husband is very supportive and encouraging.

7.     What are some of your hobbies?

Coloring with magic markers on vellum paper is relaxing. I also enjoy painting fabric, bike riding with my teenager, playing cards with my youngest, and urban homesteading with my husband.

8.     What’s the best thing about being a published author? The hardest?

The best thing about being a published author is the satisfaction of finishing my first project. The hardest is finishing my next one.

9.     What do you think is the best way to help a child develop a love of reading?

Children learn to love reading when they see adults in their lives who enjoy reading. Kids (and adults) like to talk about books. I frequently ask kids what they’re reading and talk to them about the books. My own kids tell me about the stories they’re reading and I stop and listen to them. Showing I’m interested, shows them that discussing books is important and valuable. When they see that I value reading, it develops their love of reading.

10.    Are you working on another book project now?

Yes, I’m working on a young adult novel. I also keep a regular blog, jenncastro.com, where I write about daily life as a mom, including searching for termites under my house, hiring myself to pull weeds, and many seemingly mundane activities like cooking pancakes for dinner and hanging laundry to dry.

11.    What’s one piece of advice you would give to aspiring writers?

When you have an idea, write it down. Inspiration is fleeting and it’s important to hang on to it so it doesn’t slip away.

Thanks for stopping by, Jenn! 

To find more information about Jenn or MOM ME, check out her website!

Even on Tuesdays, Dreams Do Come True

About 11 years ago, a hopeful teenager bought a red sign that said “Future Award-Winning Author At Work.”

She hung it on the doorknob of her cave during writing sessions. It motivated her, kept her optimistic. (It also warned the family not to disturb her unless the house was burning down.) She wondered if someday she’d be able to cross out the word “Future.” As she prepared to release her first novel about a year ago, she even blogged about that dream.

Well, yesterday it came true.

At about 11 AM, I received The Call, informing me that The Illuminator’s Gift had won a silver medal in the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards! I entered this award back in July and was just coming to the conclusion that nothing was going to come of it (as many of my contest entries have over the years). But some dreams do come true, even on Tuesdays!

Among 1,300 international, independently published entries, The Illuminator’s Gift was second place in the Best First Book (Chapter Book) category! The full listing of contest winners is here (TIG is in category #38)! I’m over the moon (no pun intended) with excitement. Writing books, while full of passion and purpose, can be a long and lonely road,  and validation from the outside is a welcome exhortation not to give up. Especially since there’s a lot left to do on Book #2 before its December release…

After a dizzy day of trying to work in spite of sheer euphoria, texting friends, and celebrating with family, perhaps the sweetest moment was when I took my gold sharpie and did something I’ve dreamed of doing for a very long time. I crossed out a word on my red sign.

I’d like to send this photo back in time to my shy, geeky high school self, the girl with the pimples and the big vocabulary, who wondered so often if her dreams would ever become reality.

Hang in there, girl. Believe in the gift you’ve been given. Someday the future will be the now.

How Do I Revise Thee? Let Me Count The Ways…

Blogging has been (and will probably continue to be) spotty this month, because I am revising the draft of my NEW NOVEL–a sequel to The Illuminator’s Gift!

So, in one of my brief appearances above ground, I’ll give you a quick, behind-the-scenes tour of my revision process.

It starts with my stellar team of test readers, who critique confidential advance copies of the manuscript. These amazing people are kind of like FBI agents, only with better punctuation.

I pore over their comments for hours.

Then, using all 3 cells from the left side of my brain, I consolidate their comments into a spreadsheet. I look for patterns and common themes.

Using the comments, I map out a revision plan, using color-coded post-it notes for different sections of the book. Yet another reason I love office supplies.

Then it’s back to the drawing board–simultaneously the most rewarding and most grueling part of the revision process. Just when I’ve finished writing a whole book, I have to write some more. But on the other hand, I get to write some more (longhand, of course), which is my favorite thing. It’s like having a play date with my characters.

Then it’s time to type up what I’ve written, editing as I go. I go over the entire manuscript, paying attention to skipped words and long sentences as well as overall structure and flow, trying to make every scene fit seamlessly with the others. (Sneaky writer tip: it’s way easier to write a good beginning when you’ve already written the end.)

Sometimes revision seems like a neverending process, gobbling up hours and hours and hours on end. But just when I think I can’t keep going…

 

…ice cream makes all sorts of things happen.

If you’re a teacher or homeschool group coordinator located in the SF Bay Area, I talk about things like the revision process in my classroom visits! If you’re interested in scheduling a visit, send me an e-mail!