Friday Four or Five

1)    Submissions Update: For those of you who are interested, so far still NOTHING. That’s right, no response from any of the six editors who currently have Clockwise.  I’ve been assured by Agent Awesome that, had any of the editors read it and wanted to pass, they wouldn’t hesitate to tell her, especially after a nudge, so her conclusion is they probably still haven’t read it. This pass of subs went out around Easter—not a super long time, but long enough to lose a few fingernails and a couple nights sleep.  Still, that’s six editors who haven’t had time to read it in two months, or maybe they all lost it in the shuffle? What are the chances of six editors all losing the same manuscript?

I know editors are busy people, but I had to wonder, is this normal? I spoke with another author friend of mine who went out on submission around the same time I did and she’s heard back from several editors since then.

I’m telling you this so you know that, like everything else when it comes to writing, no two experiences are the same.  You never know what you’re going to get, and you have to learn to just go with the flow.

2)    CONTEST:  I’m closing in on 150 Blogger followers! (Thanks everyone who has visited my blog.) Time for a contest in the near future. 

3)    Unplugging:  I’ll be unplugging next week—need the extra time to really get at my wip and I’m hoping for good weather and a chance to get outside more, so, back to #2—I’ll post contest details when I return.

4)    For you ipad buffs, here are some great ideas you can do with your ipad and VELCRO! Check it out.

iPad + Velcro from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

5)    And finally, I’m going to take the liberty to claim bragging rights. Turns out I may not be the only writer in my family.  Here is a blog post from my son who recently left for his European Travel study program with his university.

Reliving Europe

May 24, 2010 – 7:07 am

By Joel S. | Posted in Europe 2010

For me, Europe is a place once experienced as a child, and now, 11 years later, I will relive it as an adult.  Europe to me is a memory, filled with mystique and allure, with the experience of having been fluent in a language with which I could interact with other kids my age in Neunkirchen, Germany (the language itself can only be recollected now in abstract terms).  Back then, my brothers and I used the Deutsche Mark to buy snacks from the local corner store.  We traveled across the continent with our family, and there are pictures in my mind of castles, monuments, gorgeous villas and marketplaces.

In less than a week, I will approach this great place, where can I expect to have both the sense of familiarity and newness, as an adult.  The nostalgia will inevitably be mixed with novelty, and as an adult who has studied Europe in depth through the SSU curriculum, and as an artist who has now studied the history and the progression of art, my experience in Europe will surely be valuable beyond measure.

Chaim Potok’s insight into what it means to be an artist (as lived through the character Asher Lev) has been especially influential in how I will choose to absorb what I see around me.  As Asher chooses to digest ‘new worlds’ and open up his mind so that he can integrate it into his art, the same philosophy will apply to me as an artist as I broaden my worldview, become exposed to dynamic aspects of culture, and view majestic pieces of art that have changed and refined this world.

 Have a great weekend, everyone! See you in a week.

PS: (I may lurk and linger, so don’t be surprise if you see me pop up once in a while.)

What My Greener Thumb Taught Me

I while back I mentioned that I'm going to try to become a gardener because A) I watched Food Inc,  and I wanted to eat fresh, organic vegetables, and B) I believed that the project would speak to me on a deeper level-- you know, getting in touch with the land and your inner self.


Well,  B is true.  This is a pic of my brand new 8 x 8 baby garden.

Four things I learned that apply to my efforts as a writer.

1) There is a lot of LABOUR up front.  Before you can actually plant anything you have to build structure. You have to plan. You have to have all the parts. And a truck.

2) There is a COST.  When I add up the cost of landscape ties, soil, and seeds it comes to over 200.00. I could buy a lot of vegetables for 200.00! But, the savings come later on. Like, next year, when all I have to buy are the seeds.  There is a cost to pursuing our writing dreams. Blood, sweat and tears. Paper, ink, and the occasional course or conference. The pay off comes afterwards.

3) This LOOKS a lot easier than it is. That didn't just happen in an afternoon, that's all I'm saying.  Non-writers think writing is a lot easier than it is. Any one who has written a book--no, let me rephrase that--written a good book-- knows it's a lot harder to do than it looks.

4) There is WAITING involved.  I've built the structure, poured in the soil, planted the seeds, watered it---but still no vegetables. No, I have to wait for that.  Anyone out on query or submissions knows what I'm talking about here. 'Nuff said.


Still there's more. There are WEEDS.

See my older strawberry patch as an example.

Here we have more weeds than strawberries. This is problematic. Much like our first draft in revisions. We need to pick through our manuscript, pulling out weeds--things that clutter, like bad style, plotting, voice-- and make room for the actual story to emerge and develop.


Sometimes a little sweetness--an fresh idea- shows up unexpectedly.

And eventually,  you end up with something like this:

Ah, much better.  Not quite ready to send out. Another few read throughs, a bit more time for the fruit to grow, but closer. Much closer.

How about you? Are you a gardener?  Old hat or new like me?  What have you learned by gardening or any other task that takes you out of your writing room?

Debut Author interview with Elana Johnson!

Okay, Dudes, I got the first interview with ELANA JOHNSON since the news broke of her new book deal! (At least I think I'm the first and even if I'm not, I'm pleading ignorance and going with it anyway...)

ES: Yay! You sold your book CONTROL ISSUES, to Simon Pulse--can you tell us a bit about it?

EJ:Thank you! CI is a dystopian novel about a girl who breaks all the Rules and wants to fight against her brainwashing government.

Interesting...

ES: What inspired you to write this particular story?

EJ: I wondered what it would be like to have someone else make all my choices for me. What I wear. What job I do. Who I marry. And that’s how my Thinkers were born. And I decided I wouldn’t want someone else telling me what to do all the time, and that’s how Vi (my MC) was born and why she fights against the system.

ES:You are a Blogging Sensation—what are the secrets to your success?

EJ: “Sensation.” Wow. I don’t know if that’s true, but for me, I give twice what I get. I think that’s something most people don’t know. But I find that the more I give, the more I get. And I really like making connections in the blogosphere, so I’m really benefiting no matter how you look at it.

ES: Obviously, you think Blogging is important, can you tell us why?

EJ: I want to establish my author brand, and the cheapest and easiest way to do that (right now) is through blogging. It’s basically free—the only investment is my time. And I think it’s time well spent at this stage in the game.

ES: Now for the nitty-gritty questions all aspiring writers want to know: time from query to agent? Agent to sale? Sale to publication?

EJ: I’m going to brag a little. Are you ready?

I sort of feel like I’m the “common man’s” success story. CI wasn’t my first novel I’d queried. I’d failed before.

But I didn’t give up.

I queried CI for 8 months. EIGHT FREAKING MONTHS.

I didn’t give up until someone said yes. And if CI wouldn’t have done it for me, I had a third novel almost ready to query. I’m proof that you can make it even if you’ve shelved a novel (which I’ve done), had to revise before an offer (which I did), or been rejected over 175 times (again, been there, done that).

Once I signed with Michelle, we did a couple of rounds of revisions and endured jury duty and horrible winter sicknesses. After two months, CI went out on submission.

The book sold in February, but we wanted all our ducks in a row and the contract finalized before announcing, which is why it just hit PM. The book is slated for a summer 2011 release.

That's quite the journey, and encouraging for us still in process.

ES: Many people aren’t aware of Publishers Marketplace or Publisher Weekly, can you tell us what this is, and the importance of the book deal announcement?

EJ: Publisher’s Marketplace (PM) for me is like crack. It’s right up there with statcounter. It’s where you can see what’s selling, what’s popular, what the trends are. I check it everyday, just to see what kind of novels will be coming out.

Publisher’s Weekly is more of an interviewy, bloggy, newsy, etc. site. I think… I know “bigger” announcements get blurbs and pages on PW.

The importance of the book deal announcement is that it’s legit. I could’ve blogged about my sale and I’m sure you would’ve all believed me. But seeing it on PM…there’s only one word to describe it: heartstopping.

It means “Hey, it’s really real and ohfreakthat’smyname and everyone in the publishing sphere now knows I have a book coming out. Please love me.”

Well, that’s what it means to me. Ha!

For me, when I got my offer, I wanted it on PM. I told my agent this, and she wanted to wait until everything was sewn up with the big guns at S&S.

So we waited. And she wrote me a wicked-sweet blurb and my contracts are final. But it did take 3 months for that to happen. And that’s excruciating. But hey, I didn’t die – and I didn’t kill anyone – so it’s all good.

I don't think I could hold on to news like that. I'll be the one blabbing about it right away :)

ES: You have a lot of other writerly things on the go besides writing fab YA books, can you tell us about your newsletter and your latest Blogging Adventure?

EJ: The newsletter goes out once a month, on the last Friday. I like it because it forces me to think about what other people might want to read. And I find that I’m better (in many ways) if I’m not so ego-centric all the time.

My latest blogging adventure… not sure what that is. But I will tell you that I’ve surrounded myself with 5 of the smartest women in children’s literature and we’re going to be bringing children’s writers something so epic there isn’t a word for it right now.

ES: And you have a BIG CELEBRATION CONTEST going on, too. Tell us more!

EJ: The book deal giveaway. Everyday this week I’m offering two dystopian prizes packages—with girl scout cookies! You have to follow my YA sci fi/dystopian blog, The League of Extraordinary Writers and leave a comment on my blog to enter.

ES: One last thing, are you working on anything new?

EJ: Yes. Hopefully something as edgy and emotional as CI. Since I don’t outline though, that’s still up in the air.

Thanks for dropping by, Elana!

Tests and Trials and a Laugh

Lately, my posts haven't been feeding to dashboard reader. I might've screwed something up when I messed with Networked Blogs trying to get my blog posts to Facebook. So far, no success. It's been a time wasting stress fest trying to get it all figured out.

Anyway, it looks like my feeder issues are worked out (hopefully).

If you missed my last two posts, I'm a Blog Stalker! and an interview with debut author Caroline Starr Rose--go check them out.

And now a little humor therapy...

Subject: THE BAGPIPER

As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a grave side service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Kentucky back-country.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost; and being a typical man
I didn't stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight.

There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I've never played before for this homeless man. And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low my heart was full.

As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, " never seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Introducing Debut Author Caroline Starr Rose!

Caroline Starr Rose is the debuting author of a middle grade book called MAY B, to be released in September 2011 by Tricycle Press.

ES: Can you tell me a bit about your book?

CSR: MAY B. is a middle-grade historical which takes place in 1870s Kansas. It is also a novel-in-verse, a story told through unrhymed poetry.

Here’s a peek at the storyline:

May wants nothing more than to one day become a teacher. Though she understands everything she reads to herself, she struggles with reading aloud. Against her wishes, her family pulls her from school to help a newly-married couple settle into their Kansas frontier home.

Just weeks after May’s arrival at the Oblingers’, the new bride abruptly leaves. When Mr. Oblinger attempts to find her, May is left to fend for herself, facing her shortcomings head-on in her solitary struggle to survive.

Wow, a middle grade novel-in-verse--that's cool!


ES: What was your querying process like? How long did it take you to find your
agent and how did you go about that?

CSR: For ten plus years, I contacted editors directly and only queried agents on occasion. I figured since it was still possible to sell in the children’s market without an agent, I’d just skip that “extraneous” step.
Not my smartest move.

Still, my writing wasn’t agent-worthy until I finished MAY B. (my fourth novel) a year and a half ago.
I started querying agents in earnest last spring. By October, I had seventy-five rejections (a dozen or so garnered in years past) and one offer.

All you need is one :)

ES: When did you start writing? Did you always want to write?

CSR: I remember sitting in class as a teenager and deciding I had to teach English one day: what could be better than a job where you got to talk about books and writing?

I taught for several years before getting serious about trying the writing thing. It was summer, I had no kids yet and no other commitments. I finished a first draft (a horrible, horrible thing) before school started again. This was twelve years ago.

Yes, the horrible first draft--a necessary evil...


ES: What inspired you to write MAY B?

CSR: I’ve always had an interest in the women of the frontier, stemming from my love for the Little House on the Prairie series. As a girl, I’d talk about Laura as if she were someone I personally knew and spent a lot of time wondering about her world: how she’d never seen a town until she was five, how she didn’t go to school until she was seven, how a penny in her Christmas stocking was such a big deal (and the first time she saw a Christmas tree, she didn’t know what it was).

Once teaching, I thought about learning on the frontier, where the schoolhouse focus on recitation and memorization favored students able to do these things well. There’s a character in the Laura books named Willie Olsen, an ill-mannered school boy who often sat in the corner during lesson time. As a child, I’d labeled him a bad kid; as a teacher, I wondered if there was something more going on. Maybe Willie was a poor student and a goof-off because he had a learning disability. Maybe he couldn’t grasp his school work not because he wasn’t capable but because no one had taught him how.

MAY B. didn’t start as a novel-in-verse. I tried several scenes as prose, never getting to the heart of the character or story. The more first-hand accounts of pioneer women I read, the more I understood why. Journals and letters from this era were terse accounts of the mundane, literal and immediate. The recording of daily events served as a safe, predictable pattern. When something “happened,” and the pattern was broken, stability ended. Once I noticed these things, I knew how to tackle my story.


ES: You have a blog, -- when did you start blogging?

CSR: Any advice for readers thinking about starting their own blog?

I started blogging in September 2009. My blogging advice might not be super popular, but I think it’s worth considering: don’t begin until you’re receiving positive feedback from industry professionals and you have a clear idea about what you’ll add to the blogosphere.


ES: I¹ve read recently that editors are looking for Middle Grade--since YA got
hot, more writers are submitting that, and it¹s leaving a few holes in the
MG line up. Any advice for fellow middle grade writers?

CSR: The best middle grade honors childhood – this sounds small, but it’s everything.


ES: Are you working on anything new?

CSR: I’m constantly revising older pieces (a contemporary mid-grade about a girls’ club, a boy-centric mystery that includes a cookie-baking eye doctor and a stolen snickerdoodle recipe, and various picture books including a runaway emu, St. Nicholas, wetland plants and animals, and all fifty states celebrating Independence Day at the District of Columbia’s place).

I have begun research on a second novel-in-verse, this time about a Gitano (Spanish gypsy) girl.


ES: Do you have a day job? Where do you see yourself in five years?

CSR: I stopped teaching in May, just a few months after beginning my agent hunt. It was a leap of faith, one that might not have made a lot of sense to others but was exactly right for me.

In five years I hope to be established as a children’s author, creating a variety of work that extends dignity to children.

That was great! Thanks for joining us, Caroline!

I'm a Blog Stalker!

Last week I did something I’ve never done before—I read a successful YA author’s blog from her very first post to her last! Yes, it took hours, but it was fascinating.

I’m not going to name the author because A) if she got wind of what I did, it might creep her out. I’m mean really, how would I feel if I found out someone read every single blog post of mine over a four year period? Yeah, a little bit flattered, but maybe more wierded out, and B) there’s always a chance I may meet this author someday, at least in my dream world.

I’ll be giving lots of clues though, so those of you who are following her career could guess who she is.

Okay, so what I learned: Successful Author (hereto after referred to as SA), had years of aspiring author angst, like the rest of us. No free pass here, though she did luck out with a pretty awesome referral that helped her to get read by her eventual agent—but still, it didn’t happen over night, lots of waiting involved.

I loved how SA started her blog, like most of us, as just a way to chronicle our journey, share our dreams and hopefully make some friends. She talked about the agents she had queries out to, and her writing efforts in between, and how hard it was to keep getting rejected. (sound familiar?)

Then, one day, after many, many months of waiting on this particular agent ( and lots of rejections from others), she was offered representation! Yeehaw. Surely, a book sale should be well on it’s way in just a few weeks? Nope. In fact, her first book didn’t sell.

I couldn’t feel bad for her because I know how the story turns out, but at the time, SA had no idea, and it was just a big bummer, yanno?

In the meantime SA got an idea for another book. She didn’t really share much about it on her blog, other than she was writing it,(because, we learn later, she was following a trend, and was afraid she might have jumped on board a little too late) just that she was really excited about it and hoped that her agent would like it. That turned out to be an understatement.

Her agent liked it better than the first book and started shopping it around right away. In a relatively short time (especially in writer years) a pre-empt offer was on the table for a 4 book deal! Just like that.

Struggle, struggle, struggle, bam, career!

It was interesting to see how SA’s blog changed as her career advanced. She even blogged about it once, saying how the sites she obsessed over early on were replaced by other sites once she got her agent, and that she felt her blog was maturing as she did. I think that is a correct assessment, and it encouraged me, because I feel like my blog has changed somewhat since I first started and that’s okay.

In the beginning, it was all about chasing the dream. Now it’s about sharing the dream SA’s in. Instead of posts about queries and agents, it’s about book covers/launches/tours/contests and about other writers that SA met along the way who have also gotten book deals and started careers around the same time. Got that? It didn’t just happen to SA, but a bunch of other writers she met on-line, too.

What do you think? Have you ever blog stalked before? Did you come away discouraged or encouraged by what you read?

Friday Four or Five

1. Woohoo! PLAYING WITH MATCHES is officially out on submission. That means I have TWO books out and that I’m done with revisions (for now)!

2. This means I can get back to my experiment with structure. For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, see here. Part of the experiment was to complete the first draft in a month (like nano) but that plan got derailed for a good reason (see #1). I made it to just past the midpoint reversal, so on Monday I’m clearing my head and my desk and getting back to work. My revised goal is to have the first draft done by end of May—that’s 8 to 10 chapters. If I do the usual chapter per day (with intermittent days I’m unable to write), it’s doable. (And no, it won’t be any good—I’m going to post about writing those bad first drafts one day, soon.)

3. Which means I have the weekend to get my yard work done and my garden planted. A while ago I bought a composter. I had one before that my dad had made, but it was hard to get at, and you know, it looked like this:



My new one is closer and prettier, but lately I’ve noticed it shifting and compost leaking out. I suspect wild critters at work. Racoons or bears are the usual culprits around here. We usually get a couple bear visits per year, so I hope I haven’t asked for trouble with my new composter.



4. You may have noticed I’ve started a new interview series with debut authors on Wednesdays. It will last for however long I have authors to interview, so if you’ve had a book deal recently or have a book launching or just launched, and want me to interview you, email me at ellestraussbooks at gmail dot com.


5. Excellent writerly tips: check out Jody Hedlund’s blog post on the importance of Social Media, and Kristen Lamb's post on how to brand your name.

Also, this is a post script—let me know if you have any questions--about any of my points or anything else you’d like to know, especially if there’s something specific you’d like me to address in my blog. I’d love to hear from you.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Debuting Author Interview - Mindi Scott

I’m starting a new blog series featuring Debuting Authors because I know new authors would like us to get to know them and their new books, but also it goes the other way, too. Aspiring authors and newly agented authors are oh, so curious about THE JOURNEY…how you got from point A to point B and we’ve heard enough to know that everyone’s story is different.

If you have a new book deal or a launch coming up and would like to be interviewed on my blog, email me at ellestraussbooks (at) gmail (dot) com.

My first interviewee is MINDI SCOTT.
http://mindiscott.livejournal.com/
Her book FREEFALL is launching October 5th with Simon Pulse.



ES: Can you tell us a bit about your book, FREEFALL?

MS: I have always been terrible at answering this question!  For the longest time, I'd say something to the effect of, "It's about a teenage boy in a band and his friend died and he then meets this girl in this class and. . . yeah.  But it isn't as boring a depressing as that.  I swear!"

Luckily for me, my agent describes it as "a contemporary young adult about a teenage boy dealing with the death of his best friend, alcoholism and first love."  And my editor describes it as the story of "what comes next after a teen is the last person to see his best friend alive and the first to find him dead." 

They're both right, and so much more to the point!

Sounds very interesting...


ES: What inspired you to write FREEFALL?

MS: One day, while frustrated over the manuscript I was supposed to be working on, I decided that I wanted to write a story about a kind of messed girl.  And for some reason -- even though I'd always told myself that it would be way too hard to pull off writing a male protagonist -- I wanted to do it from the point of view of the boy who would love her.  (Awwww!)  Of course, once I got started, I knew that it had to be his journey and not hers, otherwise it would never work!  So the initial inspiration was kind of odd because the narrator usually is the first character I envision for my stories, not the second.



ES: How long did it take you from book idea to query, from query to agent and from agent to sale? (Inquiring minds want to know!)

MS: Book idea to query  =  about 20 months (July 14, 2006 to March 2, 2008).

Query to agent  = 10 months (March 2, 2008 to January 6, 2009).

Agent to sale  = 4 months (January 6, 2009 to May 18, 2009).

And one more thing!  Sale to publication = 17 months (May 18, 2009 to October 5, 2010)

Thanks for adding that last one. A lot of people don't realize just how long the road to publication is!


ES:How closely do you work with your agent? Your editor? Your publicist? (yes, folks, she has a publicist!)

MS: Right now, I check in with my agent via email probably every couple of weeks just to let him know where I'm at and ask him any questions about FREEFALL stuff that comes up.

My editor and I had a few months of regular contact during revisions, copy edits, and pass pages, but now that we're totally done with edits(!!!), she just checks in with me whenever she needs something and I check in with her whenever I have questions.  (Yeah, I'm always asking questions!)

My publicist and I have exchanged just a couple of emails so far.  I'm definitely hoping that we'll be able to be in touch more as the release date gets closer so I can make sure I'm doing everything I need to do!



ES: You’ve made a book trailer—what was that like? Any tips?

Well, my only book trailer right now was made using a Google/YouTube app called SearchStory.  It's really, REALLY fun!  You just plug in a some search terms, make a few choices for the style and music, and you're good to go! 

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I'd love to have a real, official book trailer made in the next couple of months, though.  The problem is that I'm on a serious budget and the idea trying to learn how to create one by myself is causing me anxiety galore!  Eeeek!



ES: You’re getting close to launch date, what kinds of things are you doing to prepare? Is there a lot of marketing you have to do personally? And advice to those of us who only hope to get there someday?

MS: So far, I've just been getting myself out there online, keeping my website updated ,and making lists of things to do in the coming months (print bookmarks, do school/library mailings, set up book signing events, etc.).  And, of course, I'm freaking out about how I'm going to get everything ready in time!

My advice?  When your first books sells, do get involved in a group of other debut authors if you can.  You'll learn so much from them as you all take this crazy journey together!  I joined the Tenners (an online support/marketing group for debut YA and Middle-grade authors for 2010) the week my book sold and it has been such a relief to have others I can talk to.



ES: Are you working on anything new?

I started a new dark, contemporary YA this year and finished a super-rough first draft during the March Madness Writing Challenge.  It isn't under contract yet -- in fact, my agent doesn't officially know what it's about! -- but I'm really, really loving it and hoping something good will happen with it.

So glad you found March Madness helpful!

ES: Can you give us a glimpse into the day of the life of a writer?

MS: These days on my writing days, I check and respond to emails, fulfill critique obligations, answer interview questions, write blogs and guest blogs, work researching and writing my new manuscript, and find time to cook and eat.  This all usually takes place from around 8am to 6pm, three to five days a week. 

I'd like to switch it around so that working on my new manuscript comes first thing in the day every day, but at this point, FREEFALL promotion is taking precedence more often.   I'm living in backward world right now.  I used to feel guilty for being online when I was supposed to be writing, but now I sometimes feel guilty when I'm writing instead of being online!



ES: Where do you see yourself in five years?

MS: I would absolutely love to have two or three books on the shelves and contracts for more!  And maybe living in Hawaii.  :-)

Me too! :)

Thanks for joining us today, Mindi!

If you have any questions for Mindi Scott or for me, please let us know in the comments.
Have a great day!

File Sharing Site and Book Pirating

I’ve heard from a couple sources that book pirating from file sharing sites is on the rise. I confess to being totally ignorant as to how this works. Naturally, authors being victimized in this way are upset, and rightfully so. They’ve worked hard to write their books and they deserve to be paid for their work, just like anybody else who goes to work everyday and expects to be paid for it.

My books are not yet published, but if/when they do, I’d like to get paid properly. How do I prevent myself from being a victim? How do these pirating sites get their hands on your work? I've heard that once a book is in e-book form (kindle, ipad, etc) it can be copied and downloaded onto these file sharing sites. This sounds too easy to me....

If any of you have insights on this, please let all of us who don’t yet get it, know about it.

BUT PLEASE DO NOT NAME THE FILE SHARING SITES. WE DON’T WANT TO GIVE THEM FREE PUBLICITY.

Friday Four or Five

1. My good friend and author Denise Jaden came to visit and brought a bottle of bubbly to celebrate my getting an agent. Even though getting an agent is a BIG deal, it sort of went off as a non-event around here, so it was so nice to have someone make a big deal out of it, someone who GETS IT. We also celebrated her new ARC of LOSING FAITH coming this September. (Watch for it).

2.I know I'm a little late on this as Earth Day was eons ago--but hey, every day is earth day--I'm going Blog Green. Click here to find out how you can, too.

3. Are you an ipad user? How do you like it? I'm not, but always curious. Apparently, 81% of the top book apps for ipad are for kids. Among the faves are Dr. Seuss titles and the bible for children.

4.I'm still drowning in research and revisions and feeling a bit like this little guy, working hard and overcoming large obstacles. Fortunately, there is a happy ending. For me, the boat represents an eventual book deal. What does it represent for you? A finished first draft? An agent? The day you quit your day job? There is a life raft out there somewhere.

Nashville Needs Us

Nashville's underwater and a group of local authors are organizing an auction to help out. This is a great opportunity for you to either donate or bid for a good cause and if we all do a little, together it can add up to a lot. Victoria Schwab sent out an email with all the details, so I'm just posting it below.



Victoria Schwab's email: 

So Nashville has had a HARD time of it these past few days, and several Nashville authors - Myra McEntire, Amanda K. Morgan and Victoria Schwab - have come together to host an auction.
 
Here's the scoop:
 
On May 1st and 2nd, Nashville, Tennessee received a record amount of rain—nearly 13.5 inches.  By May 3rd, huge portions of our city were under water, including the The Grand Ole Opry, Opryland, The Nashville Symphony Hall, the downtown area, and countless homes.  Families, many of whom did not have flood insurance, have lost everything.  One of the hydro plants is flooded, which means we’re running short on water.  Many lives have been extinguished and more bodies are being recovered each day.
 
And yet, Tennessee continues to be largely ignored by the national media.  A large portion of the local media, including Fox News and CBS, is flooded.  They are doing their best to work without proper equipment.  Nashville is not getting the exposure it needs, which means not receiving the aid that our city so desperately requires.
Our city is drowning.  Will you help us? 
 
Victoria Schwab, Amanda K. Morgan, and Myra McEntire --all Nashville authors-- have come together to host an auction.
 
We're auctioning off critiques, signed books, and more from authors, agents, editors, and other industry professionals. ALL proceeds to: http://www.cfmt.org/floodrelief/
 
If any of you can donate ANYTHING, please please let me know. We've already got some items, a trailer by Vania Stoyanova among critiques and signed books, but we need ANYTHING you can give.
 
Thanks guys. It's always amazing to see the writing community come together, and this has been no exception.

 
The blog where the auction will take place (emails are there too if you have something to donate): http://dothewritethingfornashville.blogspot.com/

Spread The Awesome

Spread the awesome is Elana Johnson's brain child--a brilliant way for authors to brag about other writers and books they admire. Here you'll find over 60 of them!

I've chosen to spotlight Janette Rallison and her book MY FAIR GODMOTHER.



The beginning of My Fair Godmother told from the Fairy’s point of view is super fun. I laughed out loud a few times, thoroughly pulled in right from the start. You can tell that Janette Rallison has a few books under her belt. This book was different from her others in that it was much longer, giving room for more character growth and plot development. And of course, I loved the time travel aspect.

Here's the jacket flap:

When you wish upon a star...

...if you're Savannah Delano, you end up with a gum-chewing, cell phone-carrying, high heel-wearing, teenage fairy godmother named Chrysanthemum (Chrissy) Everstar.

After Savannah's picture-perfect boyfriend, Hunter, dumps her to go out with her older sister, Jane, she idly wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Instead, she gets Chrissy. Only a "fair"godmother (because she's not a very good fairy student), Chrissy attempts to grant Savannah three wishes, which get her sent back to the Middle Ages: once as Cinderella, once as Snow White, and once to save Tristan, the surprisingly cute boy from her school who's also found himself a victim of Chrissy's mistaken wish-granting. From trolls to dragons to the mysterious Black Knight, Savannah and Tristan must beat the odds to make it back to modern times together.

Part lighthearted fantasy and part romantic comedy, My Fair Godmother proves that finding your one true love can be a Grimm experience!

Go check out Victoria Schawb who is profiling The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman