P.J. Hoover's Blog, page 55

Writing from the Place: TEN WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF A WRITING CONFERENCE

It seems the season of conferences is here and strong! We had our local Austin SCBWI one last month, the Houston one is next month. WLT. TLA. BEA. ALA. And Dallas ComicCon*. It's all a bit overwhelming if you let it be.

*Did I mention I'll be at Dallas ComicCon? Okay, that's a post for another day!


Anyway, with all the conferences and opportunities for learning and networking, we here at THE PLACE (being K. A. Holt, Jessica Lee Anderson, E. Kristin Anderson, Madeline Smoot, Mari Mancusi, Stephanie Pellegrin, and sometimes member Jenny Ziegler) are here to make the overwhelming not seem so overwhelming after all.

We give you...

TEN WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF A WRITING CONFERENCE:


1) Talk to as many people as you can.
Eat lunch with a group from a different town, look at books by people you met five seconds ago, approach your idols and chat about books but also kids and pets and the weather. Building connections is about getting to know people!


2) Say yes!
We work in an industry of no, but a conference is a good time to say YES! Did a new friend ask you to go to dinner after the conference? Say yes! Did a stranger ask you for your email? Say yes! Did Greg Pincus ask you if you're going to join Twitter later? Say yes! Did an agent ask you if you're willing to change something major in your book if it means an offer? You had better freaking say YES!



3) Take advantage of the local authors!
(in a good way, of course)
Sometimes the critiques that fill up fastest are the ones with the editors and agents and out of town authors. But remember, local authors are a great resource, too! They've found success for a reason, learn from them. I totally had a breakthrough in my critique with friend and local author Brian Yansky this weekend! Last year, PJ Hoover gave me info that changed my perspective on writing across gender! (From E. Kristin Anderson)


4) Bring snacks.
Even if the conference food is delicious, your brain will be so fired up that you will need the extra fuel. Chocolate is highly recommended.
Highly recommended.

Depending on how delicious your snacks are, you may want to offer to share.


5) Stay hydrated throughout the day.
But not too much so that you have to run to the bathroom every couple of minutes and miss the part where superstar editor, Elizabeth Law, talks about how an introverted, sore-ridden, closet-living author would still be promotable if his/her book was THAT good.


6) ALWAYS wear comfortable shoes.
You never know where you'll end up parking or how many stairs you'll go up and down a million times.

These shoes are not recommended.


7) Try your best to mingle.
This can be hard. But, you know, talking to people is a good way to actually *meet* people. And people are nice. Especially writing and illustrating and library-ing people.

Here's a nice post from WikiHow for how to mingle with people you don't know.


8) Offer to help.
Look around at how things work. Note what you could do, and next year when the opportunity comes up, offer to help out.
Wait? The opportunity never comes up? Email whoever's in charge and ask how you can help.


9) Prepare your pitch.
Seriously. The week before, write out your two sentence pitch. Not three sentences. Not two long sentences. Two normal sentences. Write them out how you would say them, and then practice them at home until they sound normal when they come out.


10) Leave fear at home.
Do not be the shy person.
Do not be the person who takes a nap on the sofa during lunch.
Do not be the person who sits in the far back all by her/himself.
Be the person who smiles and says hello.
Be the person who is upbeat and happy to be there.
Be yourself, but be the fun, non-shy part of yourself. Because the day will be over before you know it.



For help with overcoming fear, watch this video.

Contest Winners!

Thank you, everyone, for entering to win these awesome books!

The winner of ALIEN INVASION AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Brian Yansky (Candlewick, October 2010)


is...

Tim!

*****

The winner of NUM8ERS: THE CHA0S by Rachel Ward (The Chicken House, March 1, 2011)

is...

BEVERLY at The Wormhole!

*****

The winners of ODD GIRL IN by Jo Whittemore (Aladdin Mix/Simon & Schuster, March 22, 2011)

are...

Nancye!

and

Kelly Polark!

*****

Thank you! And don't forget I'm also giving away:

Five finished copies of WITHER (The Chemical Garden Trilogy) by Lauren DeStefano (Simon & Schuster, March 22, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!



BIG BOUFFANT by Kate Hosford, illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown (Carolrhoda Books, April 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Fonetik Friday!

Writing today and loved this graffiti from THE PLACE!


Hope you all have a great weekend!

Writers' League of Texas YA A to Z Conference!

There's some huge stuff going on here in Texas! For those of you who adore conferences and the amazing networking opportunities and inspirations they provide, then the Writers' League of Texas has the perfect conference for you (and really, I'm not just saying this because I'm on a few panels).

It's just after TLA (Texas Library Association) this April, and the schedule is packed full with authors and agents and editors! I mean, seriously, check out the schedule, because you won't believe all the awesome people coming!

The basic details are:

Writers' League of Texas PresentsYA A to Z Conference
Everything You Need to Know
About Writing for the Young-Adult Market
April 15-16, 2011
Hyatt Regency Austin
208 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704

At the Writers' League of Texas' brand-new YA A to Z Conference, you can focus on the craft of writing for teens and young adults, as well as meet agents and editors and get up to speed on the latest trends in publishing for this hot market.

Why attend?

Study with some of the country's premier YA authorsMeet top YA agents and editors Learn the latest about this booming marketPosition yourself to succeed as a YA author

Registration includes:

Admission to more than 20 panels and lectures on writing and the publishing businessAdmission to the Friday Welcome Reception with agents and editorsAdmission to the Saturday night YA A to Z Party Admission to the exhibit hall featuring vendors specializing in services for writersAccess to top agents and editors throughout the weekendAccess to premier YA authors, publicists, marketing experts, and more
Register Now!Register Now!

For details, visit the registration page.

You can also sign up for extra add-ons :

Keynote Breakfast , with Tim Wynne-Jones on Saturday, April 16 ($35 per ticket Agent/editor consultations ( $50 per 15-minute appointment)
"Ask an Author" consultations with professional authors ($50 per 15-minute appointment) "Building Your Buzz" consultations with marketing/publicity experts ($50 per 15-minute appointment) "Critique Me!," critique of 10 to 15 manuscript pages by an author or an editor ($75 per 30-minute appointment) Saturday Night YA A to Z Party tickets for friends and family
And just for a taste of the faculty...

Agents & Editors:
Agent Regina Brooks of Serendipity Literary Agency Editor Francoise Bui of Random HouseAgent John Cusick of Scott Treimel NY Agent Mary Kole of Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Editor Evelyn Fazio of WestSide Books Agent Laurie McLean of Larsen Pomada Agent Elena Mechlin of Pippin Properties

Authors:
Author (Texas Sweetheart) Jessica Lee Anderson Author Cinda Williams ChimaAuthor Beth Fehlbaum Author Gail Giles Author Bethany Hegedus Author Heather Hepler Author (Texas Sweetheart) K.A. Holt Author (Texas Sweetheart) P.J. Hoover Author Varian Johnson Author Uma Krishnaswami Author Hope Larson Author (Texas Sweetheart) Jeanette Larson
Author Cynthia Leitich Smith Author Greg Leitich Smith Author April Lurie Author Mari Mancusi Author Margo Rabb Author Bettina Restrepo Author Carrie Ryan Author (Texas Sweetheart) Jo Whittemore Author Tim Wynne-Jones Author Brian Yansky

You can get all the details here! See you there!

BIG BOUFFANT — An Awesome Giveaway!

For you loyal readers who remember, I made a book trailer for a darling picture book at the end of last year, and now, in celebration of the release, the super-sweet author has offered up a copy of the finished book for a giveaway!

BIG BOUFFANT by Kate Hosford, illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown (Carolrhoda Books, April 2011)


Trust me when I tell you, this book is beyond cute! It's perfect for those young girls in your life who adore FANCY NANCY, AMERICAN GIRL, or dressing up.

Here's the trailer I was honored to make!




From Amazon:

"Ponytails and braids! Ponytails and braids! I don't see anything but ponytails and braids! This class needs some fashion. This class needs some fun. I'll find a hairdo to impress everyone." Annabelle doesn't want the same boring hairstyle that all the other girls have. When she spies a picture of her grandma, she has the perfect idea: a big bouffant! But how can she make her style stand up? And will her classmates really be impressed with her daring `do?

Source of book: From author

For your chance to win this darling book, all you need to do is:

1) Follow this blog
2) Comment on this blog post


For extra entries:

1) Blog about this contest and leave a comment telling me
2) Tweet about this contest and leave a comment telling me
3) Also, if you've never won one of my contests, please tell me in the comments, and you'll get an extra entry!

And make sure you leave me a way to get in contact with you when you win!

The contest will run through midnight on Friday, March 18, 2011!

*****

Don't forget I'm also giving away:

Five hardcovers of the not-yet-released WITHER (The Chemical Garden Trilogy) by Lauren DeStefano (Simon & Schuster, March 22, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

ODD GIRL IN by Jo Whittemore (Aladdin Mix/Simon & Schuster, March 22, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!


ALIEN INVASION AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Brian Yansky (Candlewick, October 2010)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!


NUM8ERS: THE CHA0S by Rachel Ward (The Chicken House, March 1, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER.

Kate Klimo is our Featured Sweetheart!

Kate Klimo, VP and Publisher at Random House/Golden Books for Young Readers Group is our newest Featured Sweetheart! Head over to the TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS blog to find out what she has to say about the picture book!

WITHER by Lauren DeStefano Review and Giveaway!

When I first heard the premise for this book, I couldn't wait to read it. And now, I plan to put myself first in line to request book 2 in the series (because, yay! there is going to be a book 2).

WITHER (The Chemical Garden Trilogy) by Lauren DeStefano (Simon & Schuster, March 22, 2011)


Simon & Schuster is an amazing publisher, and they've offered up 5 (FIVE!!!!!) finished hardcovers of WITHER for giveaway. Check below for details!


WITHER touches on issues like genetic engineering and DNA testing and polygamous marriage. In a society where females die at age 20 and males at age 25, every second counts. The main character, Rhine, wants to live her life the way she wants to live it in a way that makes us care about how she's going to get out of captivity and back to the world she knows.

There are a few things that really set WITHER apart from other dystopic stories.
First, the world of captivity is drawn perfectly with the words for us to see. I felt like I was living in the nice big house with Rhine. I was eating the same food and going to the same parties. So nicely done!
Second, the relationship between the sister-wives makes us truly see each of their transformations and care about their individual circumstances. They're all different ages and from different backgrounds, and each has to find a way to live in their new surroundings and cope in a way to make their life bearable.
And finally, Rhine, though married to the house governor, has found someone else she'd rather be with. And as her minutes of life tick away, each second she's not with him is painful for us all.

I'd highly recommend this one for fans of paranormal and dystopic teen fiction! Seriously, don't miss out! Of dystopic stories, this one rises to the top.


Here's the author talking about WITHER!



From Amazon:

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can't bring herself to hate him as much as she'd like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband's strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?


Source of books: From publisher


*Please note: This contest is for United States shipping only.*

For your chance to win one of 5 hardcovers of WITHER, all you need to do is:

1) Follow this blog
2) Comment on this blog post

For extra entries:

1) Blog about this contest and leave a comment telling me
2) Tweet about this contest and leave a comment telling me

Book Trailer for I SO DON'T DO FAMOUS by Barrie Summy

Anyone who knows Barrie Summy adores here, and anyone who's read Barrie's I DO DON'T DO MYSTERIES series knows her writing rocks! So I was thrilled when Barrie asked me to make a book trailer for her upcoming release!

I SO DON'T DO FAMOUS by Barrie Summy (Delacorte, May 10, 2011)


We had a blast with it and even put in some special extras at the end!



Hope you guys enjoy! And look for an ARC giveaway as the release date gets closer!

MUMMY vs. BIGFOOT...Take 190 West

Drive one hour north of Austin, add a bunch of authors and illustrators, and this is what you get!

This past Saturday was the TAKE 190 WEST ART FESTIVAL in Killeen, Texas. Aside from being an amazing festival (thank you, Killeen and Pat Anderson, for having me!), this is what some of the other authors and I did*.



As for where the idea came from, author Jessica Lee Anderson and I do a joint school visit presentation about the topic, related to writing of course. Check it out here!


*A note that this is what I love about authors. You can present them with any random subject, ask their opinion, and they will managed to entertain!

Thank you to those who weighed in for this video:

Jessica Lee Anderson
Pat Anderson
Chris Barton
Clare Dunkle
Brian Floca
Jason Henderson
K. A. Holt
Kimberly Willis Holt
P. J. Hoover (me)
Mark Mitchell
Don Tate
Jenny Ziegler

The whole crowd of volunteers and author!

Contest Winners!

Thanks to all who entered to win!

The winner of ENTWINED by Heather Dixon (Greenwillow, March 29, 2011)

is...

KELSEY at KelseyAnne's Book Blog!

*****

The winner of YOU KILLED WESLEY PAYNE by Sean Beaudoin (Little, Brown, February 1, 2011)

is...

SARAH at Sarah Reads Too Much!

*****

I hope you enjoy your books! And don't forget I'm also giving away:

ODD GIRL IN by Jo Whittemore (Aladdin Mix/Simon & Schuster, March 22, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!


ALIEN INVASION AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Brian Yansky (Candlewick, October 2010)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!



NUM8ERS: THE CHA0S by Rachel Ward (The Chicken House, March 1, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER.