Now that Christmas is behind us (and I hope we all have warm memories of it) I feel like looking ahead to some books being released in 2013 that I'm itching to get my fingers on.
The first one, thanks to an excerpt in GoodHousekeeping: The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin. The excerpt was enticing and I was pleased to see Melanie Benjamin as the author. I really enjoyed her book The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb. I'm currently in a historical fiction mood. (reading The Age of Desire by Jennie Fields right now...a fictionalized tale of Edith Wharton and her midlife affair. Enjoyable and interesting thus far). The Aviator's Wife is about Charles Lindburgh and Anne Morrow. The book comes out the day after my birthday...in case anyone needed that little tidbit. Looks good. Must read.
Next is Shades of Earth by Beth Revis, which comes out the same day as The Aviator's Wife. This is the conclusion of the Across the Universe trilogy which I've been loving. It's YA sci-fi with a dash of romance and some thriller in there as well. Beautifully written, the first two books have been so good they make me jealous. Makes me grow as a writer to read them. Since the 2nd book was every bit as gripping as the first, I can't wait to see what will happen in the third.
Also, A Touch of Scarlet by Eve Marie Mont is coming out in March. She wrote the fabulous A Breath of Eyre and will be doing A Phantom Enchantment next...which is the one I'm really really dying for. But, A Touch of Scarlet will motivate me to finally read The Scarlet Letter, which I managed to get through school without ever having to read. I wanted to. I like Hawthorne. But I guess the time was never right. Now must be the time. So this one will be a treat for a number of reasons.
Finally, I'm excited for the release of my third picture book with MeeGenius. The text is final. The illustrations were completed last week (and they look simply stunning!!!). I'll be sure to shout from the rooftops when that becomes available for you. Speaking of such things, my incredible Pajama Girl illustrator has a new App available for Christmas, but it's never too late for a good story and great artwork. Please check out his Nativity Story.
I know this isn't a very big list. I'm going to need a lot of books for next year. What books are you looking forward to in the new year? Please leave a comment and let me know!
Looking forward to 2013, I feel like good things are coming.
Dream Girl Banner
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Merry Christmas GIVEAWAY!
The end of the year is upon us and holiday time is in full swing. I read several really great books this year so I thought I'd feature a few of them here should anyone care about the opinions of a librarian by day, writer by night.
In no particular order, my favorite reads of 2012.
A Million Suns by Beth Revis. (young adult) The second book in the Across the Universe series. It's my kind of sci-fi.The first book blew me away. The opening chapter was unlike anything I'd ever read and the rest of the book didn't let up. Book two didn't disappoint and the conclusion is due in January, one day after my birthday I might add. Definitely a trilogy worth reading.
Jiggy McCue: Murder and Chips by Michael Lawrence (middle grade) In full disclosure, this book was dedicated to me, which makes it the single greatest book ever written. But aside from that, it is a really fun murder mystery. Don't be fooled by the 'middle grade' designation. There is plenty of adult wit to hold the interest of any adult reader. Clever and fun, it'll keep you guessing. It's also the final book of the popular Jiggy McCue series. A fitting send off for the long suffering character, Jiggy McCue.
Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt. (adult/young adult crossover) "Wow." That pretty much sums up this beautiful book. Narrated by June, a 14 year old girl who is picking up the pieces after her beloved uncle, Finn, dies of AIDS. Finn was a free spirited artistic genius who also happened to be homosexual. A fact that was known in his family, but largely unacknowledged. This book is written so beautifully and the emotions are so raw and real that I didn't want to put it down. This falls into the category of books that I think everyone should read at some point. Very moving, you'll feel like you're watching something fantastic unfold while you read it. Definitely pay attention to this book and author.
Easter Ann Peters: Operation Cool by Jody Lamb (middle grade) In full disclosure, this book was written by a dear friend of mine and I'm in the acknowledgements section, which also makes this one of the greatest books ever written. But really, this book is striking in a similar way to Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. In this book, lively, unique and sweet Easter is trying to stop being a dork and make her 7th grade year shine. She makes a plan, Operation Cool, to help her achieve her goals. But as she starts making progress at school, her home life is falling apart due to her mother's battle with depression and alcohol addiction. The book skillfully balances Easter's hope and enthusiasm with her sadness, confusion and embarrassment. I compare it to Thirteen Reasons Why because it highlights the fact that people don't wear everything on their sleeves and you never know what other people are hiding. A positive message, powerfully written. It made me laugh and cry. Also a book that everyone should read.
Blind Spot by Laura Ellen. (young adult) How to classify this one? Powerful and unique, for sure. It's told by Roz, a young lady who's been diagnosed with macular degeneration. She wants desperately to just be normal, but as she fights against the accommodations she needs to make for herself, she finds herself in the middle of a murder case. What I really liked this about this book was the richness of the characters. Most of the main characters are troubled kids but this book makes them into real people. You get to see dimensions to them and view them as people coping with their disabilities or problems. And they don't all make good choices. Really great book. I would also recommend that people read this, if for no other reason than to get an idea for what it's really like to live with a disability. Very well done.
In no particular order, my favorite reads of 2012.
A Million Suns by Beth Revis. (young adult) The second book in the Across the Universe series. It's my kind of sci-fi.The first book blew me away. The opening chapter was unlike anything I'd ever read and the rest of the book didn't let up. Book two didn't disappoint and the conclusion is due in January, one day after my birthday I might add. Definitely a trilogy worth reading.
Jiggy McCue: Murder and Chips by Michael Lawrence (middle grade) In full disclosure, this book was dedicated to me, which makes it the single greatest book ever written. But aside from that, it is a really fun murder mystery. Don't be fooled by the 'middle grade' designation. There is plenty of adult wit to hold the interest of any adult reader. Clever and fun, it'll keep you guessing. It's also the final book of the popular Jiggy McCue series. A fitting send off for the long suffering character, Jiggy McCue.
Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt. (adult/young adult crossover) "Wow." That pretty much sums up this beautiful book. Narrated by June, a 14 year old girl who is picking up the pieces after her beloved uncle, Finn, dies of AIDS. Finn was a free spirited artistic genius who also happened to be homosexual. A fact that was known in his family, but largely unacknowledged. This book is written so beautifully and the emotions are so raw and real that I didn't want to put it down. This falls into the category of books that I think everyone should read at some point. Very moving, you'll feel like you're watching something fantastic unfold while you read it. Definitely pay attention to this book and author.
Easter Ann Peters: Operation Cool by Jody Lamb (middle grade) In full disclosure, this book was written by a dear friend of mine and I'm in the acknowledgements section, which also makes this one of the greatest books ever written. But really, this book is striking in a similar way to Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. In this book, lively, unique and sweet Easter is trying to stop being a dork and make her 7th grade year shine. She makes a plan, Operation Cool, to help her achieve her goals. But as she starts making progress at school, her home life is falling apart due to her mother's battle with depression and alcohol addiction. The book skillfully balances Easter's hope and enthusiasm with her sadness, confusion and embarrassment. I compare it to Thirteen Reasons Why because it highlights the fact that people don't wear everything on their sleeves and you never know what other people are hiding. A positive message, powerfully written. It made me laugh and cry. Also a book that everyone should read.
Blind Spot by Laura Ellen. (young adult) How to classify this one? Powerful and unique, for sure. It's told by Roz, a young lady who's been diagnosed with macular degeneration. She wants desperately to just be normal, but as she fights against the accommodations she needs to make for herself, she finds herself in the middle of a murder case. What I really liked this about this book was the richness of the characters. Most of the main characters are troubled kids but this book makes them into real people. You get to see dimensions to them and view them as people coping with their disabilities or problems. And they don't all make good choices. Really great book. I would also recommend that people read this, if for no other reason than to get an idea for what it's really like to live with a disability. Very well done.
GIVEAWAY!
Since it's the gift giving time of year, I thought I'd give away an autographed copy of Easter Ann Peters: Operation Cool by Jody Lamb. All you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post with your email address and I'll pick a winner next Tues. and get the book shipped out to you. How do you like that? Merry Christmas!
Monday, November 12, 2012
The Next Big Thing Blog Hop
‘The Next Big Thing’ Blog Hop is a chance for authors to
tell what they’re working on. An author answers 10 questions about her next
book, then tags other authors to help spread the word!
1. What is the working title of your book?
Lillian's Creative Cottage
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
A friend of mine was out of touch for awhile thanks to moving and needing to get the internet set up at the new place. It was estimated to take 10 days. 10 days without *mystery friend*, I thought. Then a scene appeared in my mind of a young woman huddled at her table on a cold rainy day. She was missing a friend she hadn't seen or heard from in a long time. I started writing the scene immediately and started asking who was this woman? Why hadn't she seen her friend for so long? What kind of relationship did they have? The story was born.
3. What genre does your book fall under?
Contemporary realistic for adults...possibly the emerging 'new adult' genre.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Emmy Rossum might not make a bad Lillian. Colin Firth as Michael Marley and Rupert Grint as Paul Blisston would be great. Emma Thompson as Glenna Briggs with Scarlett Johansson as her daughter, Moidra. Katherine Heigl as Stacey. (ooh, this is more fun than I thought!)
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Lillian befriends her literary idol, thus embarking on a relationship that launches her own creative career and causes her to reevaluate her other relationships.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Time will tell.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Still working on that.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
At this point, I'm not entirely sure, although I sure hope I can write it as well as Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt.
9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?
See question 2.
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
This book links perfectly with my lifelong dream of writing my own version of Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera. (now go back and look at those actor choices and you might see what's going on.) I'm so excited!
Next Week You'll be able to see what these awesome authors are working on:
1. Jody Lamb
2. Ray Veen
Rules of The Next Big Thing
Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:
Message for the tagged authors and interested others:
Rules of The Next Big Thing
***Use this format for your post
***Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (Work In
Progress)
***Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we
can hop over and meet them.
Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:
What is the working title of your book?
Where did the idea come from for the book?
What genre does your book fall under?
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a
movie rendition?
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Will your book be self-published or represented by an
agency?
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your
manuscript?
What other books would you compare this story to within your
genre?
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for
the people you have tagged.
Piece of advice: Line up your five people in advance.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
S. Willett Interview
Today, I'm interviewing S. Willett, author of Country and the Rock published by MuseItUp
Publishing.
I've been interested in aliens since I was a little girl. I blame ET for this. Although that movie makes me cry every time. Who's with me on that? Anyway, S. Willett has added a new and fun entry into the alien genre. Check it out and see what she has to say!
Twelve-year-old Sean West, also known
as Country, sees an explosion of light and finds clues that lead him to
Clicker, a young alien, who wants to know what it’s like to be a boy
from Earth.
Country and his friends show Clicker all kinds of Earth-boy fun and Clicker teaches them about planet, Sory, in the Whirlpool Galaxy.
They discover keeping Clicker a secret from others isn’t so easy. Not only are the boys thwarted by Country’s sister but by the local sheriff, the FBI, and some thieves from another planet, Venatici.
Restless Writer (RW): How long have you been writing for children?
S. Willett (SW): I’ve only been writing for five years, but wish I’d begun earlier. The journey writing lends me is more than I could have ever hoped for.
RW: How did you hear about MuseItUp Publishing?
SW: My good friend and mentor, Susan Davis, is an editor at MuseItUp. I met Sue at an SCBWI conference in 2007.
RW: What inspired you to write Country and the Rock?
SW: I had a dream and knew it had to be written, but quickly learned it’s not easy to write a book. Everything about children’s writing pointed to SCBWI, so I joined and went to my first conference. Susan Davis suggested I take a two-year course with The Institute of Children’s Literature.
RW: As far as movie/television aliens, which do you think seem the most realistic?
SW: I think we all relate to what is most like us. Star Trek and Star Wars have many strange looking characters but also those much like Earthlings. I have made my main aliens human-looking but with a twist. Of course, there had to be scary looking creatures too.
RW: If you met an alien (and it wasn't pointing a death ray at your head) would you be more scared or more excited?
SW: Funny you ask because I’ve had this conversation with my husband. He would gladly meet with an alien while I’m content to write about them.
RW: If you and 3 other children's authors were going to colonize another planet, who would you take with you and why?
SW: Neil Gaiman, Suzanne Collins, and Philip Reeve all have great imaginations and could figure out how to make it work.
RW: What are you writing currently?
SW: Country and The Rock is the first book in a planned trilogy. I’m working on the second book COUNTRY CAPTURED. Yes, Country gets captured by the bad aliens and taken to his buddy’s planet, Sory, in hopes of a trade. Some strange experiences are to be had on the ship and in the Whirlpool Galaxy.
RW: What is the last book you read that you really loved?
SW: OKAY FOR NOW by Gary D. Schmidt deeply touched me. This is a great story about a tween boy trying to fit, not only in a new town, but in his own family. We are also given wonderful lessons on drawing and art with an insight into John James Audubon and the depth of an artist’s thinking.
Thanks so much S! Good luck writing book 2. Sequels can be trickier than you'd think.
Publishing.
I've been interested in aliens since I was a little girl. I blame ET for this. Although that movie makes me cry every time. Who's with me on that? Anyway, S. Willett has added a new and fun entry into the alien genre. Check it out and see what she has to say!
Country and his friends show Clicker all kinds of Earth-boy fun and Clicker teaches them about planet, Sory, in the Whirlpool Galaxy.
They discover keeping Clicker a secret from others isn’t so easy. Not only are the boys thwarted by Country’s sister but by the local sheriff, the FBI, and some thieves from another planet, Venatici.
Restless Writer (RW): How long have you been writing for children?
S. Willett (SW): I’ve only been writing for five years, but wish I’d begun earlier. The journey writing lends me is more than I could have ever hoped for.
RW: How did you hear about MuseItUp Publishing?
SW: My good friend and mentor, Susan Davis, is an editor at MuseItUp. I met Sue at an SCBWI conference in 2007.
RW: What inspired you to write Country and the Rock?
SW: I had a dream and knew it had to be written, but quickly learned it’s not easy to write a book. Everything about children’s writing pointed to SCBWI, so I joined and went to my first conference. Susan Davis suggested I take a two-year course with The Institute of Children’s Literature.
RW: As far as movie/television aliens, which do you think seem the most realistic?
SW: I think we all relate to what is most like us. Star Trek and Star Wars have many strange looking characters but also those much like Earthlings. I have made my main aliens human-looking but with a twist. Of course, there had to be scary looking creatures too.
RW: If you met an alien (and it wasn't pointing a death ray at your head) would you be more scared or more excited?
SW: Funny you ask because I’ve had this conversation with my husband. He would gladly meet with an alien while I’m content to write about them.
RW: If you and 3 other children's authors were going to colonize another planet, who would you take with you and why?
SW: Neil Gaiman, Suzanne Collins, and Philip Reeve all have great imaginations and could figure out how to make it work.
RW: What are you writing currently?
SW: Country and The Rock is the first book in a planned trilogy. I’m working on the second book COUNTRY CAPTURED. Yes, Country gets captured by the bad aliens and taken to his buddy’s planet, Sory, in hopes of a trade. Some strange experiences are to be had on the ship and in the Whirlpool Galaxy.
RW: What is the last book you read that you really loved?
SW: OKAY FOR NOW by Gary D. Schmidt deeply touched me. This is a great story about a tween boy trying to fit, not only in a new town, but in his own family. We are also given wonderful lessons on drawing and art with an insight into John James Audubon and the depth of an artist’s thinking.
Thanks so much S! Good luck writing book 2. Sequels can be trickier than you'd think.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Pajama Girl Meets Blanket Boy virtual launch party
It's here!
Pajama Girl Meets Blanket Boy is now available here.
As part of the virtual launch party (all day today) I'm going to give away several of these awesome Pajama Girl bottlecap necklace and barrette sets, made by my friend, Laura Lorraine. I have the only existing sets so these should be a highly coveted rare item. Not only do they feature the plucky heroine, Pajama Girl (as rendered by the truly amazing Ingvard the Terrible) but they are super cute in general. Laura makes plenty of adorable and affordable stuff like this, and, obviously, she can do custom pieces. Take a gander at her site.
Pajama Girl Meets Blanket Boy is now available here.
As part of the virtual launch party (all day today) I'm going to give away several of these awesome Pajama Girl bottlecap necklace and barrette sets, made by my friend, Laura Lorraine. I have the only existing sets so these should be a highly coveted rare item. Not only do they feature the plucky heroine, Pajama Girl (as rendered by the truly amazing Ingvard the Terrible) but they are super cute in general. Laura makes plenty of adorable and affordable stuff like this, and, obviously, she can do custom pieces. Take a gander at her site.
As part of the festivities, I'm going to start with a trivia question about Pajama Girl. After all, there would be no sequel without the original.
Are you ready for this?
TRIVIA QUESTION!
Pajama Girl was published by MeeGenius on May 8, 2011. What year did I originally write the story?
The question will remain all day. The first person to answer correctly will win one of those lovely necklace sets. I'll announce winners for all of today's giveaways sometime this evening. (never know when the kids will get to sleep.)
Stay tuned for more questions, giveaways and fun!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Pajama Girl Meets Blanket Boy
The time is upon us! My second digital picture book with MeeGenius: Pajama Girls Meets Blanket Boy, will be released this Fri. Sept. 14! (which happens to be the birthday of a dear friend)
To celebrate, I'm going to host a virtual release party all day Sept. 14. I will have events going in a Facebook group page. (Timeline makes it too difficult to have conversations between non-admin people so the group should flow better.)
If you're not into Facebook, I will also host some giveaways right here on my blog so no one will miss out on the fun.
I hope you will be able to stop by to help me celebrate my two favorite superheros.
Thank you!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Gearing Up to Get an Agent Meet & Greet
Our first event is a meet & greet so here's the lowdown on me.
I am an SCBWI member and the author of Pajama Girl, a digital picture book published by MeeGenius. The sequel, Pajama Girl Meets Blanket Boy will be released Sept. 14, 2012. An alphabet book is tentatively scheduled to release by the end of the year.
But I write more than picture books. I'm currently submitting my YA novel, Dream Girl, and hoping to land an agent or editor for that.
In my non-writing life, I am a wife, mother of two young children and I work outside the home part time as a Social Media Librarian. I also do freelance publicity for things that truly inspire me and I believe in. Among them, Spoken Word Greetings from England
and the debut MG novel Easter Ann Peters: Operation Cool. I'm very excited about both of those ventures so I hope you'll check them out too.
Our lovely blogfest host, Deana Barnhart has started us out with some get to know you questions so I'll get to those now.
Where do you write?
My life has been insanely busy lately and I find that I'm in the car a lot, between my half hour commute to work and the 20 minute commute to take my daughter to school, I consider the car as my thinking space. I try to think about my characters and stories while I'm driving so when I do get the time to sit down and write, I know exactly where I'm going and what I want to say.
When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?
I need music. Music helps me to access the specific mood and emotion I'm looking for in my work. I compile a playlist for my WIPs and listen to them in the car to help me get into the right mindset.
What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?
My YA novel started its life when I had a bizarre dream in 2003. I jotted down the most interesting parts of the dream knowing they'd be great for a novel someday. 'Someday' came in 2005 when I read a novel by Michael Lawrence. I closed the book and thought, "Oh my gosh, that dream of mine, it needs to be a YA novel!" Until that point, I figured I'd write for adults. Everything snapped into place once I realized the book should be YA. Now I just need someone to publish it.
And that's all I'll bore you with for now. If you're here from GUTGAA, please leave a comment with your blog link so I can be sure to stop over and meet you too. This is going to be fun! (And if you're not from GUTGAA, I'm glad you're here too!)
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