P.J. Hoover's Blog, page 65

Writing from the Place: TEN THINGS TO LISTEN TO WHILE WRITING

Do you find your mind wandering while writing?
Are you struggling to connect with your story?
Do daily distractions like the heat clicking on or the dryer running clutter your mind?

Well, we here at the place (being K. A. Holt, Jessica Lee Anderson , E. Kristin Anderson, Madeline Smoot, and sometimes members Mari Mancusi and Jenny Ziegler) have the answers you need.

We give you ten things to listen to while writing:

1) What you think your characters would listen to
If you're writing historical, maybe this is music from the era.
If you're writing futuristic stuff, then maybe it's techno trance music.
(Actually techno trance is cool no matter what, but this is just my opinion and not that of the greater group.)

2) Hanson
Okay, I'm throwing E. Kristin Anderson a bone on this one. I couldn't name a single Hanson song, but she loves them so much, she even has this picture. And she wrote this ode of love to herself concerning them.

Go, Emily! Rock Hanson for us!

3) Big Foot vocal recordings
This one's for you, Jessica Lee Anderson.
But in all seriousness, our group seems to love Cryptids, so anything that sounds like a Wookie is going to be just fine.
Aliens antenna recordings work in a pinch, too.


4) Really loud stuff (like Marilyn Manson)
Can you guess which member of the group prefers this? If you guessed our resident head-banger K. A. Holt, then you guessed right.


Don't let her cute little smile fool you.

5) Gregorian Chant
This one is all me. And no matter how many times I mention it, I can't seem to convert anyone to the dark side.
*Last minute update: Jessica Lee Anderson claims to have listened to her CHANT CD so much she wore it out. Welcome to the dark side, Jessica :)


6) Sesame Street
This is especially applicable if you are trying to appease a child

Elmo rules!

7) 80s music from The Place
And it doesn't have to be our place. It can be your own place. And it can even be customized to suit the ambiance of the place where you happen to be. The key thing here is that it has to be copacetic.

8) Ocean /rainstorm or something else to calm you
Yeah, again, I got debated on this one. But I'm not going to argue because cool things like the Battlestar Galactica or Star Wars or even (you knew it was coming) Star Trek soundtrack were thrown out into the mix.

Because space is the final frontier...

9) Screaming children or barking dogs or wailing cats
If you've written with this in the background, then you know it's a great exercise in learning concentration. And anything you practice at, you will get better at. Right?
If you find this doesn't work for you, please keep (6) in mind.

10) Your critique partners telling you how talented you are
There should never be a shortage of this. It's by far the most important sound to hear while writing. Or while procrastinating. Or while basically doing anything. So go tell your critique partner how awesome they are, okay?

DELIRIUM ARC Winner!

What a great contest! I want to give an enormous thank you to Kathy Habel at I am a Reader, Not a Writer for organizing such a wonderful blog event. It's a huge amount of work to collect all the blog posts and make sure they're all put up on time. Thank you, Kathy! You rock!

Okay, so I had a ton of entries, and thankfully I have a random number generator to pick the winner. The winner of


DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver (HarperCollins, February 2011)

is...

Anna Staniszewski at StoryBug!

*****

Congrats and thank you to all!

And don't forget I also have for giveaway

SAPPHIQUE by Catherine Fisher (Dial/Penguin, December 28, 2010)
Click here to enter!

NCTE 2010 from the best place in the World!

I'm pretty sure NCTE couldn't have been held at a better place. The conference area was gorgeous and all, but we're talking Disney World here! Love that place. I did manage to remember to take some pictures while there, and here they are for your enjoyment.

Our Texas Sweethearts panel was a blast. I solved the Rubik's Cube, Jessica Lee Anderson hula hooped Katniss style, and Jo Whittemore ate a cricket. (I think it was bacon flavored or something equally appetizing like that.) And we also talked about writing: our paths to writing, where we get ideas, and some exercises for the classroom. Thank you to everyone who came out to listen!

Aside from our panel, there were tons of fun conference things going on.

We seem to run into David Macinnis Gill at every conference we go to. He's always around. After seeing this photo, David complained about his head looking too flat and shiny. So I modified it. Which do you like better?

Before?

After?

We also ran into Kirby Larson signing right across from our Texas Sweethearts reception. She's such a doll, and it was great to see her!

Me, Kirby, and Jessica

And we saw Sara Lewis Holmes who asked us to take a picture for her current philanthropic endeavor.

Jessica, Jo, and Me

I scored some fabulous ARCS, including these from my Texas Peeps!

*ARC love*

And others like these.

*More ARC love*

So look for some awesome reviews and giveaways in the future!

And finally, we saw fellow Texas Sweetheart Jeanette Larson's upcoming book, Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas, in the wild!

Charlesbridge editor Randi Rivers and Jessica Lee Anderson


Me and Jessica Lee Anderson

Hope you all enjoyed the holidays!

SAPPHIQUE ARC Giveaway!

I read INCARCERON in ARC format over a year ago and loved it so much I ordered the British version of the sequel to read immediately afterward. What I loved most about these books was how they reminded me of adult fantasy with super strong world building and characters faced with hard times and huge consequences. So I'm thrilled to offer up and ARC of the soon-to-be-released

SAPPHIQUE by Catherine Fisher (Dial/Penguin, December 28, 2010)


And check out this awesome book trailer!



Seriously. Both books are in my favorite reads of the last couple years category.


From Amazon:

The only one who escaped . . . And the one who could destroy them all.

Incarceron, the living prison, has lost one of its inmates to the outside world: Finn's escaped, only to find that Outside is not at all what he expected. Used to the technologically advanced, if violently harsh, conditions of the prison, Finn is now forced to obey the rules of Protocol, which require all people to live without technology. To Finn, Outside is just a prison of another kind, especially when Claudia, the daughter of the prison's warden, declares Finn the lost heir to the throne. When another claimant emerges, both Finn's and Claudia's very lives hang on Finn convincing the Court of something that even he doesn't fully believe.

Meanwhile, Finn's oathbrother Keiro and his friend Attia are still trapped inside Incarceron. They are searching for a magical glove, which legend says Sapphique used to escape. To find it, they must battle the prison itself, because Incarceron wants the glove too.

Source of ARC: From publisher at BEA


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

1) Follow this blog
2) Follow The Texas Sweethearts blog
3) 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


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, December 10, 2010!

And don't forget:

Enter to win DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver! Ends Nov. 28

Spot THE NECROPOLIS and win the first two books!

PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White

I'm going to go ahead and call this one of the best books I've read this year. Ever since I saw the cover (which I love) I wanted to read it, but I put it off because I thought it was going to be a lot like other stuff out in the market right now. Not that there's anything wrong with the market. I just thought I needed a break from paranormal. Not so. I thought this book would be an okay read.

It wasn't. It was fabulous.

It was funny and refreshing and didn't take itself too seriously. It's what I'm going to call a must-read for paranormal and fantasy fans out there. I didn't want to put it down. Highly recommended!

PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White (Harper, August 2010)


And while you're at it, check out the awesome book trailer!




From Amazon:

Evie's always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours.

But Evie's about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

*****

A definite must read!

TYGER TYGER ARC Winner!

Huge thanks to everyone who entered to win! This was such an awesome book, I can't wait to share it! The winner of


TYGER TYGER by Kersten Hamilton (Clarion, November 15, 2010)

is...

The Itzel Library!

*****

Congrats and thanks to everyone! And don't forget I'm also giving away


DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver (HarperCollins, February 2011)
Click here to enter.


And for two more weeks only enter to win, Spot THE NECROPOLIS and win the first two books!
Click here for details!

NCTE, here we come!

I'm off to DisneyWorld for NCTE with my fellow Texas Sweethearts, Jessica Lee Anderson and Jo Whittemore! Have a great weekend!

Love!

Kidlit Critterpalooza!

For over a year now, CRITTER, the creation of artist Ian Sands, has been traveling the world, meeting many talented writers and authors and exploring where they live. At each stop he learns more and more about KIDLIT and the importance of literacy and creativity. This journey was the brainchild of Christy Evers, who got her hands on Critter after an interactive art project of Ian's, where 500 Critters were hidden all over her city for people to find.

Critter with his best friend in Austin (who misses him so much)

Critter has visited PJ Hoover (and the Texas Sweethearts!) in Texas, Beth Revis in North Carolina, Christina Farley in Korea, New England with Nandini Bajpai, Illinois with Kelly Polark, MG Higgins in California, Rena Jones in Montana, Cynthia Leitich Smith in Texas, Bish Denham in the Virgin Islands, Jacqui Robbins in Michigan, Tina Ferraro in California, Cynthia Chapman Willis in New Jersey, Jill S. Alexander in Texas, Ellen Oh in Virginia and finally, Alberta Canada with Angela Ackerman.


Critter relaxing with a favorite beverage

Critter has been to college, rock concerts, national landmarks, a palace, attended his first SCBWI conference, walked among giant redwoods, and met the world famous artist, Robert Bateman.


Critter with tortoise pal Nefertorti

Now that his journey is coming to a close, it's CRITTER'S hope that you will help him celebrate over at The Bookshelf Muse. His new hosts, together with old hosts, have teamed up to create the Kidlit-inspired event, Critterpalooza! and you're invited!


[image error]
There are many AMAZING prizes to be won, all in the spirit of helping Critter celebrate the wonderful creativity & support within out KIDLIT community, and to also raise awareness for his charity, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

If you would like to donate a few dollars to Critter's charity, just click on the I Love St. Jude button. Children's lives are saved every day thanks to the support of people like you!


Critter toilet shopping

So what are you waiting for? Head over to The Bookshelf Muse right now to check out all the fun to be had!

GRATITUDE GIVEAWAY—DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver

Last month I loved participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway hosted by Kathy Habel at I am a Reader, Not a Writer and this month, I couldn't be more thrilled to again be part of her mastermind pay it forward giveaway, the Gratitude Giveaway. This one has over 175 blogs participating, so use the linky tool below to visit each and every one. But first, enter for your chance to win an ARC of


DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver (HarperCollins, February 2011)

(note the ARC cover is different than this final cover)

From Amazon:
Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.

Lauren Oliver astonished readers with her stunning debut, Before I Fall. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it "raw, emotional, and, at times, beautiful. An end as brave as it is heartbreaking." Her much-awaited second novel fulfills her promise as an exceptionally talented and versatile writer.

Source of book: From publisher at BEA


For your chance to win this ARC, 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


And make sure you leave me a way to get in contact with you when you win! The contest will run through 11:59 PM on Sunday, November 28, 2010.


And so you want to win more books, too, I bet! Continue on the Gratitude chain. Check out all the blogs participating here!




And don't forget I also have two more contests running:

Enter to win TYGER TYGER by Kersten Hamilton!

Spot THE NECROPOLIS and win the first two books!

In disguise...

I'm just a little freaked out at what face paint did to my sweet angel. Still, it fits her personality perfectly!




Hope you all had a great weekend! Now get writing!