HipWriterMama

Six Interviews on a Friday

2010-12-10T07:07:00.001-05:00

Here are the final six WBBT interviews. If you haven’t had a chance to read them, please be sure to make some time. There is a wealth of information you can learn on writing craft.

Marilyn Singer at Writing and Ruminating
Jennifer Donnelly at Shelf Elf
Ted Chiang at Shaken & Stirred
Sofia Quintero at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Maria Snyder at Finding Wonderland
Julie Kagawa at HipWriterMama

Go here for highlights and shiny links for more Winter Blog Blast Tour interviews.Enjoy!

WBBT Interview: Chemistry, Persistence and Julie Kagawa

2010-12-10T02:06:00.001-05:00

Julie Kagawa

I’ve posted Julie Kagawa’s WBBT interview over at my new HipWriterMama blog. It seems so selfish not to share it with all of you, so here’s the introduction to Julie’s interview. For more info about Julie’s writing tips and process, go here.

———-

When I heard the buzz about Julie Kagawa’s debut YA novel, THE IRON KING, I had to check it out. Not only did fans rave about how much they enjoyed the book, they were also quite vocal about the two love interests — Team Puck vs. Team Ash. In the spirit of research, I decided to read this series to find out whether the story, and of course the chemistry of the characters, worked. How could I resist?

The good news…yes,these books certainly hold up to the buzz. The bad news? THE IRON QUEEN isn’t out until February 2011 and then there will be a wait for THE IRON KNIGHT, from Ash’s POV…

Julie creates a fascinating world with riveting characters. Talk about a page turner. And Puck and Ash? *sigh* Ash is sizzling hot; Puck is a total keeper. There. I’ve said it.

Are you ready to find out more about the woman behind this fey world? You know the drill. It’s time to go over to my new HipWriterMama blog — www.hipwritermama.com — for the rest of Julie Kagawa’s WBBT interview. You’ll be glad you did. See you there!

WBBT Interview: Finding Time to be Good Enough with Paula Yoo

2010-12-09T09:55:00.001-05:00

I’ve posted Paula Yoo’s WBBT interview over at my new HipWriterMama blog. It seems so selfish not to share it with all of you, so here’s the introduction to Paula’s interview. For more info about Paula’s writing tips and process, go here.

----------

I first heard about Paula Yoo when her book, GOOD ENOUGH, was the featured title for readergirlz in September 2008. I've read a handful of YA books that resonate completely with me, in terms of my own teenage experiences. GOOD ENOUGH is one of them.

Paula is MULTI-TALENTED and keeps herself busy. Not only is she a children's book writer, Paula is also a tv writer (currently Co-Producer for the Eureka series on The SyFy Channel and may I also add, has writing credits to NBC’s The West Wing!!!) and a professional classical and alternative rock violinist. And may I repeat, Paula writes books!

How does she find the time to write books? Well my pretties, read further and you'll discover Paula's secrets. Kick back and hold on. This is good stuff.

You know the drill. It’s time to go over to my new HipWriterMama blog — www.hipwritermama.com — for the rest of Paula Yoo’s WBBT interview. You’ll be glad you did. See you there!

2010 WBBT: Writing, Humor, and the Emotional Truth with Allen Zadoff

2010-12-08T07:13:00.004-05:00

: Allen Zadoff

I’ve posted Allen Zadoff’s WBBT interview over at my new HipWriterMama blog. It seems so selfish not to share it with all of you, so here’s the introduction to Allen’s interview. For more info about Allen’s writing tips and process, go here. Thank you!

------------

I am so pleased to welcome Allen Zadoff to my blog. Allen is the author of FOOD, GIRLS, and OTHER THINGS I CAN'T HAVE, one of my favorite reads this year. This book has special powers--it made me laugh out loud, cry, and then start laughing again. Allen is a master of getting to the core of an emotion and twisting every drop of it to bring out humor. It should be no surprise FOOD, GIRLS, and OTHER THINGS I CAN'T HAVE received the honorable distinction of winning the 2010 SCBWI Sid Fleischman Humor Award.

Of course once Allen agreed to an interview, I had to read his bio on his website. It should be no coincidence this was meant to be... Allen was born in Boston; I live near Boston. He lived in upstate New York; I grew up there. We both graduated from the same college. See what I mean? I know, I know. It's a stretch, but maybe some of Allen's humor will rub off on my writing...

Wait until you read what Allen has to say. He is simply a wonderful soul. You're going to want to grab your favorite beverage and hang out for awhile.

Oh, wait! It's time to go over to my new HipWriterMama blog — www.hipwritermama.com — for the rest of Allen Zadoff’s WBBT interview. You’ll be glad you did. See you there!

WBBT Interview: Opening up Worlds with R.J. Anderson

2010-12-06T09:16:00.015-05:00

I've posted R.J. Anderson's WBBT interview over at my new HipWriterMama blog. It seems so selfish not to share it with all of you, so here's a portion of Rebecca's interview. For more info about Rebecca's writing tips and process, go here. Thank you!

----------
When I first read FAERY REBELS: SPELL HUNTER by Canadian writer R.J. Anderson, I was expecting the typical faery story. Instead, I found a whole new world to explore. What a joy!

R.J. Anderson, known to her friends and family as Rebecca, wrote a wonderful, imaginative series which will engage MG readers. Rebecca takes age-old myths of powerful faeries and makes them work to find their strengths, while the weak are capable of far more than we ever would give them credit for in real life. Doesn't this sound like a story you'd like to read?

Oddly enough, we need to wait for Rebecca's faery books. R.J. Anderson is a bestselling fantasy author in the UK. Rebecca's debut book, KNIFE ( aka FAERY REBELS: SPELL HUNTER in the US), was a nominee for the 2010 Carnegie Medal of Literature. It hardly seems fair we need to wait for these books to make their way to the United States. Currently, FAERY REBELS: SPELL HUNTER (Book 1) and WAYFARER (Book 2) are available in the US. Book 3, ARROW, will be released in the UK January 2011, with no set US release date. Sigh.

Lest you think all Rebecca writes is about faeries, just wait. ULTRAVIOLET, her YA paranormal thriller, will be out next year (Orchard Books UK, Carolrhoda Lab US, Summer/Fall of 2011). This is a far cry from the faery world...

Curious about the author behind these worlds? Time to go over to my HipWriterMama blog — www.hipwritermama.com-- for the rest of R.J. Anderson's WBBT interview. You’ll be glad you did. See you there!

WBBT 2010 Interview Schedule

2010-12-05T13:24:00.007-05:00

Elizabeth Hand at Chasing Ray
Maya Gold at Bildungsroman
L.K. Madigan at Writing & Ruminating
Paolo Bacigalupi at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
R.J. Anderson at HipWriterMama

Tuesday

B.A. Binns at The Happy Nappy Bookseller
Daisy Whitney at Bildungsroman
Adam Gidwitz at Fuse Number 8
Salley Mavor at Seven Impossible Things
Josh Berk at Finding Wonderland

Wednesday

Andrea Seigel at Shaken & Stirred
Adele Griffin at Bildungsroman
Susan Campbell Bartoletti at Chasing Ray
Charles Benoit at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Sarah MacLean at Writing & Ruminating
Allen Zadoff at HipWriterMama

Thursday

Kathi Appelt at Shelf Elf
Heidi Ayarbe at The Happy Nappy Bookseller
Julia DeVillers & Jennifer Roy at Bildungsroman
LeUyen Pham at Finding Wonderland
Paula Yoo at Hip Writer Mama

Friday

Marilyn Singer at Writing and Ruminating
Jennifer Donnelly at Shelf Elf
Ted Chiang at Shaken & Stirred
Sofia Quintero at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Maria Snyder at Finding Wonderland
Julie Kagawa at HipWriterMama

Go here for highlights and shiny links for more Winter Blog Blast Tour interviews. If you haven’t had a chance to read them, please be sure to make some time. There’s a wealth of information you can learn on writing craft. Enjoy!

A NOVEL GIFT: First Book and readergirlz

2010-12-01T08:58:00.001-05:00

BREAKING NEWS! readergirlz and First Book are partnering to give away more than 125,000 brand-new books to low-income teen readers.

They’re great books, too, donated by generous publishers. Among the three dozen choices are P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast’s HOUSE OF NIGHT series and Alyson Noël’s SHADOWLAND.

We need your help getting the word out about the A Novel Gift campaign. Right now! Right now! As in, now!

Let's get organizations serving these teens registered with First Book so they can be matched with inventory during the holidays.

Here’s what we need you to do: Post to Facebook and tweet your beak off about these books using the hashtag #novelgift.

Here’s a tinyurl link to their registration page: http://tinyurl.com/2a5mwpj.

Or you can link to this readergirlz blog post: http://readergirlz.blogspot.com/2010/11/novel-gift-over-125000-free-books-to.html

Then, get in touch with every group you can think of that works with young adults–schools, after-school programs, church youth groups, community centers, etc.—and let them know that these books are available now.

The five-minute online registration these groups can use is here:
http://booksforkids.firstbook.org/register/.

First Book is also eager to answer questions, either by email to help@firstbook.org, or by phone at 866-READ-NOW or 866-732-3669.

If you participate, please drop us a note at readergirlz@gmail.com to be included in our blog roll of thanks to run December 31.

Be a part of A Novel Gift! OK, go!
Thank you,
from First Book and the readergirlz teams.

Book Giveaway: HARMONIC FEEDBACK by Tara Kelly

2010-11-19T15:44:00.004-05:00

Want a chance to win a copy of HARMONIC FEEDBACK by Tara Kelly? NOTE: This is a YA book. Subject matter is appropriate for older teens.

Go over to my writing blog and check out this post. All you have to do is go back to your teen years and tell me about your favorite song. What memory does it bring back for you? Any help you can offer to spread the word (via your blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) is greatly appreciated. Deadline for this giveaway is November 26th, the day after Thanksgiving. Good luck!

readergirlz news

2010-10-18T23:41:00.003-04:00

From the readergirlz blog:

Hey rgz,

As we get ready to celebrate Teen Read Week together, we also wanted to celebrate rgz upcoming new format.

This October is our last feature as you know it. So be sure to share the love with Laini in these remaining weeks.

So what's up? Well, how about the realization that we ALL read way more than one book a month, right? And the postergirlz pick such awesome recommends. How about this:

* the divas choose a theme a month
* you nominate songs for that theme, and Little Willow will build the playlist
* we'll have a community service spotlight for the theme
* the postergirlz'll nominate the very best YA books for the theme, new releases or old
* one book will be featured EVERY Monday

*squeeeeee* Our Author Liaison diva, Micol Ostow, will be outreaching to each weekly feature for a guest blog post and will invite them to hang with us in the comments. If the author is under deadline and can't make it over, we'll still have a post and be able to chat it up, share the love, leave questions, and so on.

The readergirlz website will continue to hang with a final issue, hence that playlist you all helped build. And the fabbity archives will remain available for your book clubs and libraries.

Feel free to spread the news and be ready for quick changing content of the very best in the children's lit industry. Of course we'll still have Cover Stories and Story Secrets and other posts of awesome that the divas bring to the table. The rgz SALON and Street Team will also continue with their posts, along with reports from our rgz HOSTS across the country.

You know we are always looking for great ways to further teen literacy and social service. Watch for this changeover on November 1. So, what do you think?

Enjoy Teen Read Week, and always, always, always: Read, Reflect, and Reach Out!

readergirlz chat with Maureen Johnson tonight! 6pm PST/9pm EST

2010-09-22T11:58:00.004-04:00

Fresh from readergirlz...

Join readergirlz and me for a Twitter chat tonight with Suite Scarlett and Scarlett Fever author Mareen Johnson!

***sounds of cheering***

It all starts at 6pm PST/9pm EST - search for the #rgz discussion and follow @readergirlz and @maureenjohnson.

Don't have a Twitter account? It's fast and easy to set one up!

At http://twitter.com/, just click on the yellow "Give it a try" button to get started. All you will need is your name, a unique user name, and an email address. Add a password, and you're now on Twitter!

Search for readergirlz to begin following us and our tweets.

If you want others to see your posts ("tweets") during the chat, make sure the "Protect my tweets" box is not checked on the Accounts tab. If you want to get fancy, you can add a picture and customize your page in the Design tab.

Protect your privacy! No one can see your email address on twitter, but it's a good idea to choose a user name that doesn't give away your real name or location (especially if you are not an adult).

To join the Maureen Johnson chat:

Click on the "Home" page and enter #rgz in the Search box. Our chat will come up, and you can jump right in! Be sure to include #rgz in your chat posts so that everyone else can see them and respond.

We'll see you there tonight!

BREAKING WAVES ebook: 100% of Proceeds go to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund

2010-09-15T22:38:00.004-04:00

Kelly Fineman, one of my blogging/writing pals, shares some great news:

Guys! Guess what! It's September 15th, and that means that it's the release day for BREAKING WAVES: An Esoteric Collection to Benefit the Gulf Oil Spill Relief Fund, edited by Tiffany Trent and Phyllis Irene Radford, now available from Book View Café. The collection includes 34 stories, essays and poems, opening with "In England in the Fifties", a poem by Ursula K. Le Guin, and closing with "Troubled Water", a poem by Kelly Ramsdell Fineman.

Yes, you read that right. I can assure you that when I first learned that my poem would be the closing bookend to a collection of works that opens with a poem by Ursula Le Guin, I was torn between swooning and an desire to caper about with glee. (Capering eventually won out.)

The collection includes works by fabulous authors including noted scientists and award-winning fantasy authors, including Tiffany Trent, author of the Hallowmere series and forthcoming novels. Also in this book (just before my poem, in fact) is Patrick Samphire, who is married to my long-time LJ friend, Stephanie Burgis, author of A Most Improper Magick (aka Kat, Incorrigible). You can check out the full, fabulous Table of Contents online.

Congrats, Kelly!

BREAKING WAVES sells for $4.99 US from Book View Café. You can purchase the anthology as an epub, pdf, mobi or prc HERE. 100% of the proceeds go to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund.

Book Giveaway on new HipWriterMama blog!!!

2010-08-06T12:45:00.002-04:00

Want a chance to win a copy of Holly Cupala's TELL ME A SECRET? Go over here and leave a comment... Good luck!!

It's Time to Move...

2010-07-31T18:14:00.002-04:00

I've decided to take advantage of a slow summer and move the HipWriterMama blog over to www.hipwritermama.com. I hope you'll join me over there! Everything is transferred over to the new blog, except for my blogroll. Hopefully, that will be up and running pretty soon.

Hope you're all enjoying your summer!

Holly Cupala, TELL ME A SECRET Blog Tour and Prizes!

2010-07-13T06:25:00.023-04:00

I'm so happy to welcome readergirlz diva and debut author Holly Cupala (TELL ME A SECRET) to my blog. I've known Holly for a couple years now, through blogging and readergirlz, but didn't have a chance to meet her until the 2010 Midwinter ALA Tweetup.

Holly is such a bundle of energy, with true joy and enthusiasm. People gathered around her, wanting to find out more about TELL ME A SECRET. And there's good reason...Holly's book is raw emotion. It's haunting and beautiful. It's devastating knowing the place where Holly had to dig to write this novel, yet through it all, we see hope and a reason to go on.

Go and read TELL ME A SECRET. You won't be able to put it down.

-----------------------------------

HWM: When did you realize you wanted to write YA?
HOLLY: Quite possibly the day I began writing my first teen romance, Stolen Love. Of course, that was when I was 13 and had not yet experienced teen romance, but that did not matter. What mattered was the line of girls in my class who waited to read it page by page… But art sort of began imitating life. After I actually experienced teen romance, heartbroken poetry and short stories followed…then hopes of writing the Great American Novel (while secretly writing an epic 1600-word rhyming picture book saga). At some point I realized I was completely off track, finished my M.A. (I was studying world lit), and joined SCBWI. For several years I spent time learning the craft of writing, then a painful event in my life inspired the story.

HWM: You won the SCBWI Work-In-Progress Grant in 2006. How did this change your writing life?
HOLLY: It was a beacon of hope! As writers, we spend so much time trying to get the story out on the page and having no idea where it might lead. The grant helped me keep going, and it was terrific motivation to finish the story because suddenly everyone wanted to see it. I’m very grateful to SCBWI for opening so many doors.

HWM: How long did it take before you signed with your agent and how did you know he was the right one?
HOLLY: I’d sent the manuscript to a select few agents in the summer and fall, but I really began actively seeking an agent in January—something about everyone having clear desks! I ended up with five or six agents looking at the full, and I met my agent, Edward Necarsulmer, Children’s Director at McIntosh and Otis, at an SCBWI event. There was another agent offer on the table as well, but he was just so passionate about the manuscript, and I really felt he would go the extra mile. He’s turned out to be a fantastic agent!

HWM: Do you write full-time or do you have a real world job?
HOLLY: Right now I am full time, but I’ve been a freelance graphic designer and writer and volunteer with readergirlz! My work hours happen to coincide with preschool (and soon kindergarten) hours. :-)

HWM: When did you know you had the right ending for TELL ME A SECRET?

HOLLY: Oooh, good question. The ending was quite possibly the most difficult part to write. I knew the second-to-last chapter would have the final knock-down-drag-out with the primary antagonist, and that there would be some significant secrets revealed that would shed light on the entire story. The first draft, I skipped it! The second, I muddled through and kept peeling back the layers until I felt like I’d hit on something true. My writing group (the wonderful Janet Lee Carey, Justina Chen, Molly Blaisdell, Peggy King Anderson, Katherine Bond, and Judy Bodmer) were also a tremendous source of help

HWM: Which character is most like you?
HOLLY: Every one, at least a little bit! I used to identify the most with Miranda, but then I realized the character most like me, at heart, is probably Nik. At least, I hope.

HWM: Who was the toughest character to write about?
HOLLY: I think maybe Miranda’s mom. I didn’t really understand who she was until I realized she had a secret, too, one that was driving her in ways she doesn’t even realize. Once I understood her, I could see why her behavior could be so caustic, and yet she was dealing with a mountain of internal shame.

HWM: Do you outline or free form?
HOLLY: I have a rough movie trailer in my head, and a big, free-form, crazy document where I record notes for the novel. I write a lot of notes! But I’m far too lazy to outline.

HWM: What is your writing process or ritual?
HOLLY: Procrastinate…tea, Earl Grey, hot…candy…Twitter…ack! Only two hours left! I’m trying to get better. A timer is great for this. I joke that TMAS took four years, the second took four months, and I hope the third takes four weeks….wait, I really do hope that!

HWM: What project(s) are you working on now?
HOLLY: I’m about to start editor revisions on my second YA, STREET CREED (tentative title, slated for Fall 2011), about a suburban girl with secrets who runs away from home to live on the streets of Seattle, in search of a boy called Creed. It’s gritty and romantic, ultimately about what it means to love. And I’m avoiding writing that third novel. (Four weeks? Please, four weeks?)

HWM: Your husband creates awesome videos (check out the "Parent Trap style" video below) and designed your website. What were the challenging aspects of working together (if any) so both of your creative visions shone through?
HOLLY: He does do awesome work! And luckily, we work really well together. He’s totally my secret weapon.

HWM: What has been the biggest surprise of your writing career?
HOLLY: Writing YA. Before, I was writing nice stories to impress people and not reveal too much. It took a major life event to strip all of that away…and suddenly, there was the story. It was tantalizing and terrifying. I’m amazed and grateful at the reader response.

HWM: Are there any genres you'd like to try writing?
HOLLY: I have a couple of other projects on the backburner…a fantasy, and maybe even an end-of-the-world thriller. Who knows, anything could happen!

HWM: What was the best writing advice anyone ever gave you?
HOLLY: Write through the bad stuff, Randy Powell and Kirby Larson. Your first draft can be sixty pages, Karen Cushman. First drafts are like hacking through a jungle with a machete, Laini Taylor. Find the dozen or so emotional anchor scenes in a story and write from there, Nikki Grimes. What can I contribute? Mitali Perkins.

HWM: What makes you laugh?
HOLLY: Heartfelt silliness…as you may have noticed on this blog tour! :-)

Thank you so much, Holly!

-------------------------------

TELL ME A SECRET Tour Contest Entry Rules

• Leave comments at any official tour stop or Holly’s blog (www.hollycupala.com) throughout the tour! Each comment counts as an entry (one comment per post*).
• Tweet about the tour (@hollycupala) and tell us what you think!
• Post about the tour, then leave a comment at my blog with a link.

Each week's prizes will be announced at Holly’s blog the following week - check back to see if you've won and contact Holly at the contact link at www.hollycupala.com (prizes will be held for 2 weeks).

Cleverly Inked will host Holly's blog tour tomorrow!

-------------------------------

Where You Can Find Holly:

Holly's website

Excerpt from TELL ME A SECRET

Holly's Blog Tour Schedule

Holly on Twitter

Holly on facebook

Holly on YouTube

July is All About Courage at readergirlz: The Gallagher Girls Series by Ally Carter

2010-07-02T05:15:00.003-04:00

From the readergirlz blog:

We are thrilled to welcome Ally Carter to readergirlz. Her fantastic Gallagher Girls novels, specifically the newly released fourth, Only the Good Spy Young, is our July pick! Check out our interview with Ally, book party ideas themed around her book, and our Reach Out project idea--as well as the awesome soundtrack Ally has chosen for the book--on readergirlz.com.

Here's a little about Only the Good Spy Young:

When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn't know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. Now the danger follows her everywhere and even Cammie "The Chameleon" can't hide. When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers - or even her own heart.

The Gallagher Girls must hack, spy, steal, and lie their way to the truth as they go searching for answers, recognizing that the key to Cammie's future may lie deep in the past...

And the buzz...

Inclusion on the ALA Teens Top 10
Georgia Peach Book Award
Texas Lone Star Reading List
Amelia Bloomer Book Award
Romance Writers of America Rita Award Finalist

We are super excited to have the amazing Ally Carter with us this month! Join us all month right here on the blog for discussions and mark your calendars a LIVE #rgz twitter chat on Wednesday, July 14th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.

Happy July, readergirlz!

Here's to the Crazy Ones: Think Different

2010-07-01T18:05:00.005-04:00

Thought you'd appreciate this video. Yes, it's a marketing ad. It's simply genius.

Watch it and be inspired.

Sign Up for WriteOnCon!!

2010-07-01T10:23:00.011-04:00

It's July 1st! Start of your month off right and go run...er...stay at your computer, click on a couple links and register for WriteOnCon, the FREE on-line writing conference that's making a splash this summer.

Remember, it's all about PAYING IT FORWARD.

Here are the blogs of the founding members:

Jamie Harrington’s Blog

Elana Johnson’s Blog

Casey McCormick’s Blog

Shannon Messenger’s Blog

Lisa and Laura Roecker’s Blog

Jen Stayrock's Blog

You've got to check out their latest video. Very amusing:

Thank you, WriteOnCon, for paying it forward and making it possible for writers to attend a conference from the comfort of their own home.

And after you register, come and friend me on the WriteOnCon board! I figured I'd use my own name so people wouldn't get confused: vivianleemahoney

See you there!

Author Spotlight with Holly Cupala and TELL ME A SECRET

2010-06-17T04:23:00.008-04:00

I'm so pleased to welcome Holly Cupala, one of the readergirlz, to my blog. Holly's debut novel, TELL ME A SECRET, will be out next Tuesday! TELL ME A SECRET "illuminates the dark struggle of a girl who must let go of her past to find a way into her future."

There's nothing like exploring the darkness within our characters and even ourselves. It can be downright scary and overwhelming. Holly shares a devastating loss to shed some light on how far writers can go when writing about dark topics.

Holly: When I started writing TELL ME A SECRET, I was way out of my depth.

Up to that point, I’d written a stackful of unpublishable picture books, some magazine articles, a Chicken Soup story, and I’d just begun a middle grade novel. Our first daughter would be born any minute, and life seemed good.

Then everything changed in one missed beat of the heart.

After our loss, I couldn’t see the point of writing anymore. There was no meaning in it, no solace. In the dark hours, a story would flutter across my mind, only to be engulfed in grief. Then a friend, Justina Chen, took me out to lunch at a writing conference and asked, “Are you thinking of writing about Ezri?”

Moments later, the story literally landed in my lap—like nothing I had ever imagined before. It would be oh so difficult, so real, so terrifying. And yet, I need to write it.

For months, I only wrote notes, terrified of putting words to the page. I had no idea how to do this, how to write from the heart, how to delve into sadness and difficult relationships and somehow break through to hope and even healing.

And yet, I needed to write it—one word at a time.

At first, I stopped myself at every sentence. Too trite, too cliché, too empty. There weren’t words to dig deeper. I recounted my own stories, trying to get at the truth of my character’s, and beat myself with doubt and unworthiness all along the way.

And somewhere—I’m not quite sure where—it transformed, from my story to her story. Perhaps it was when our second daughter was born, happy and ready for life. The characters came into their own. At the same time, I felt a lightness and a purpose—I’d needed to write the story to get through my own loss, and now I needed to let the characters go where they were supposed to go.

It meant the story taking a different turn than I’d first thought. And that became the road to hope that I’d envisioned from the start.

Looking back, I see the necessity of seeking truth over seeking darkness, of outrunning one’s own writing demons in order to be honest in storytelling. Of living life. There’s the layer of ourselves, and there’s the layer underneath.

Writers, dig deeper to find it.
------

Thank you so much, Holly, for sharing this with us.

Holly's book, TELL ME A SECRET, is out next week. Click here for a sample read from TELL ME A SECRET. You are going to want to read more.

In case you didn't know, Holly organized a virtual book tour celebrating her book. She is giving away lots of prizes, so follow her on the tour! Holly will be back on July 13th (will cross-post on my writing blog).

I'm putting together interview questions for Holly. If you'd like a chance to ask Holly a question, please go HERE and fill out the form at the end of the post.

How will you reach for the truth in your manuscripts?

readergirlz chat TONIGHT! John Green, Paper Towns and Spontaneity

2010-06-16T11:51:00.009-04:00

Tonight. June 16th. 6pm PST/9pm EST.

John Green will be chatting with readergirlz on Twitter!!

If you've never used Twitter before, here's how to do it in three easy steps:

1. First, create a Twitter account if you don’t have one already. It’s easy and free, and all you need is an e-mail address.

2. Log onto Twitter at 6 p.m. Pacific, 9 p.m. Eastern TODAY!!

3. Type @realjohngreen plus your question, followed by #rgz. This asks John your question and funnels it into the readergirlz chat stream.

To follow along the chat, go here (the #rgz Twitter stream).

Going forward, you’ll be able to follow rgz and lots of your favorite authors on Twitter. You can find us and everyone we follow here: @readergirlz

I'll be checking in the chat stream under @vleemahoney.

Please stop by! You know you want to.

See you there!

Come Visit My New Writing Blog

2010-06-08T10:36:00.005-04:00

Well, it's official. I've decided to move my writing related posts over to www.vivianleemahoney.com. Please stop by for writing inspiration and tales of my writing progress.

I'll keep HipWriterMama for book discussions, author interviews and readergirlz related information.

Enjoy your day!

June, readergirlz and Paper Towns by John Green!

2010-06-02T16:47:00.005-04:00

We are thrilled to welcome John Green to readergirlz. His fantastic novel Paper Towns is our June pick! Check out our interview with John, book party ideas themed around his book, and our Reach Out project idea--as well as the awesome soundtrack John has chosen for the book--on readergirlz.com.

Here's a little about Paper Towns:

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life -- dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge -- he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Quentin arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Quentin soon learns that there are clues -- and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Quentin sees of the girl he thought he knew.

And the buzz...

2009 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel
New York Times Bestseller

"Green's prose is astounding -- from hilarious, hyperintellectual trash talk and shtick, to complex philosophizing, to devastating observation and truths. He nails it -- exactly how a thing feels, looks, affects -- page after page." - School Library Journal, starred review

"Deliciously intelligent dialogue and plenty of mind-twisting insights." - VOYA

"[Green is] clever and wonderfully witty... he's a superb stylist, with a voice perfectly matched to his amusing, illuminating material." - Booklist, starred review

We are so excited to have the awesome John Green with us this month! Join us all month at the readergirlz blog for discussions and mark your calendars a LIVE chat on Wednesday, June 16th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.

Happy June, readergirlz!

Writing Confession: It's in the Details

2010-06-02T12:00:00.000-04:00

Details are really important to me.

I've interrupted writing sprees to research the little things, all to construct realistic scenes of places I've never seen, traditions I've never practiced, clothing and accessories I've never worn. Some people may think it's a time waster, but I believe these details will help me create a believable setting for my manuscript. This may seem inconsequential in the big scheme of things, when we need to focus on dialogue, plot and character arc, not to mention writing a unique story that will appeal to agents, publishers and readers.

Oh, the pressure!

But, let us not forget the details. You will add life to your pages, you will set your story apart from the masses, if you remember to capture the details.

June, Writing and Transitions

2010-06-01T11:09:00.004-04:00

Today is June 1st and it's the first day of my new writing program. Thank you, Kaz Mahoney (no relation), for organizing this "writing group". School ends in 17 days. I need to implement structure right now, if I want to survive the summer fun and still get my writing done.

So, if any of you would like to join me, please come over to my new writing blog at www.vivianleemahoney.com. I'll be detailing my daily efforts and supplying inspiration. We can work through our challenges and cheer each other on.

Who is with me?

Writing Past Chaos

2010-05-28T05:28:00.010-04:00

This pretty much sums up my writing these past couple weeks...

JUNK.

But, it's all coming together and I'm finally making progress.

How are you doing?

LEMONADE MOUTH by Mark Peter Hughes: New Disney Channel Movie!

2010-05-26T12:18:00.007-04:00

This is cool. Just found out The Disney Channel will be making a movie based on LEMONADE MOUTH by Mark Peter Hughes. Check out Mark's great video.

If you'd like to find out more about Mark and his books, check out his WBBT interview.

Congratulations, Mark!

SBBT: The Diverse Talents of Brother/Sister Duo Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

2010-05-21T09:00:00.013-04:00

Hope you've all been enjoying the SBBT interviews this week. Remember, to stop by Chasing Ray's Master Schedule for this week's links to author interviews and thoughtful quotes!

I am so pleased to have a couple of surprise guests today...

a brother-sister duo with enormous powers to channel the hearts of girls and create a special graphic novel series...

Here's to BABYMOUSE!!!

My girls LOVE the BABYMOUSE series. The girls in their school love the BABYMOUSE series. It's one the first books that girls try to grab during school library time, and sometimes, the kids try to bargain.

I remember when I first discovered the BABYMOUSE series a few years ago, and noticed one of the creators, Jennifer L. Holm, also wrote historical novels. Not just your plain Jane ordinary books, but distinctive books, books made of honored awards and wonderful reviews. Well-loved books like: Penny from Heaven, Our Only May Amelia, the Boston Jane books.

Talk about talent! To go from historical fiction to graphic novel in a blink of an eye! (Actually folks, you know it really took lots of hard work and many years of convincing publishers, right?)

And then to find out that the other half of the BABYMOUSE team, Matthew Holm, has talents above and beyond...we're talking THIS IS NOT FAIR strengths here, people...professional graphic designer, writer, web developer, former editor of Country Living Magazine. Matt has written about home-building, architecture, and science, not to mention a few books for adults: Beautiful Data: The Stories Behind Elegant Data Solutions, Gray Highway: An American UFO Journey, Suburbageddon. See? This much well-rounded brain power is not fair.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Jenni Holm and Matt Holm to my blog today. I'm sure you will enjoy reading what they have to say.

-----------------------

QUESTIONS FOR JENNI & MATT

HWM: Jenni and Matt - Both of you have had such interesting careers. Why children’s books?
JENNI & MATT: Deep down, we’re really just 12 years old.

HWM: I understand Jenni came up with the idea of Babymouse and contacted Matt. What kinds of things, if any, did you have to “negotiate” to ensure you’d be able to work well together?
JENNI & MATT: We’d actually already worked together on some art for Jenni’s book, MIDDLE SCHOOL IS WORSE THAN MEATLOAF, so we knew how to collaborate. Also, we had shared an apartment in NYC (a studio apartment, no less) for a few months, and if we could survive that, we could survive anything. The biggest hurdle was actually getting a traditional publisher to buy into the idea of a graphic novel for children.

HWM: Babymouse was one of the first graphic novels out there for girls. What changes have you seen in the graphic novel industry? How do you see Babymouse growing for your fans?
JENNI & MATT: When Babymouse first came out, it was shelved next to MAGIC TREE HOUSE and other early reader series. Now there is a whole shelf in bookstores and libraries for graphic novels!

HWM: Do you have plans to write a graphic novel for boys?
JENNI & MATT: YES! Our new graphic novel series, SQUISH, comes out next spring. It’s about an amoeba—yes, an amoeba. And the ink will be GREEN, not pink.

HWM: What tip would you offer to a writer/illustrator interested in creating a graphic novel?
JENNI & MATT: Partner up. It’s an incredibly laborious process—a lot of writing and a lot of art. We’ve found it’s much more manageable because we share the duties. It’s less overwhelming (because it is seriously overwhelming to write and illustrate 96 pages on a regular deadline!)

HWM: Babymouse is in her fifth year! What are you doing to celebrate?
JENNI & MATT: OMG—we didn’t even realize it! This calls for cupcakes!

QUESTIONS FOR JENNI & MATT from Spy Girl & Ninja Girl (with enthusiastic comments from Wonder Girl):

SPY GIRL & NINJA GIRL: Babymouse is pretty in pink. There is one book, Monster Mash, that is orange. Why do you stick to one color?
JENNI & MATT: Many newspaper comic strips are just black and white, and Matt cut his teeth with strip drawing. We wanted some color, but didn’t want to be overwhelmed.

SPY GIRL & NINJA GIRL: How do you come up with the ideas for each book?
JENNI & MATT: We generally mine our childhood traumas.

SPY GIRL & NINJA GIRL: What do you do if you disagree with a story?
JENNI & MATT: Whomever feels the strongest about something wins. It happens pretty rarely, actually.

SPY GIRL & NINJA GIRL: We love Babymouse! How many more books will you write about her?
JENNI & MATT: As many as we can! (and thank-you!)

SPY GIRL & NINJA GIRL: Felicia Furrypaws is mean! We like it when she gets put in her place. Did you know someone like her when you were little?
JENNI & MATT: Oh, we think everyone has known someone like Felicia. But, yes, Jenni did have a Felicia person in her childhood.

SPY GIRL & NINJA GIRL: What is Babymouse’s favorite cupcake?
JENNI & MATT: Hmmm… vanilla cake with pink frosting and sprinkles!

SPY GIRL & NINJA GIRL: Thank you very much Ms. Holm and Mr. Holm!

QUESTIONS FOR JENNI

HWM: Your novels are wonderful. I understand you have a new novel, TURTLE IN PARADISE. What can you tell me about the book?

JENNI: It takes place in 1935 in Key West, Florida. It’s about a girl named Turtle who has a single mom who is a housekeeper. Turtle’s mom gets a live-in housekeeper gig, and the new employer doesn’t like kids, so Turtle is shipped off to Florida to live with family she’s never met before. There’s treasure, rumrunners, scorpions, and rowdy boy cousins who run a babysitting service called the Diaper Gang!

HWM: You’ve written wonderful books based on family history. How did your family react to your books?
JENNI: My family is very much into genealogy. My dad, especially, just loved it so much. He was such a history buff and really got me started on the road to writing.

HWM: It’s been said Lloyd Alexander is one of your favorite childhood authors. Will you ever try writing fantasy?
JENNI: Probably not. Although I am blown away by fantasy writers. World-building is intense!

HWM: What is your writing routine?
JENNI: I usually drop off my son at school, then do the dishes, fold some laundry (pretty glamorous stuff, huh?), hang out with my two-year old, Millie, then drop her off at daycare, come home, procrastinate by going to Facebook, answer some emails, and then get down to writing. I usually stop around four because I do the school/daycare pick-up run. No writing happens at night—I’m way too tired after the dinner/bath/bed routine.

HWM: What was the best writing advice anyone ever gave you?
JENNI: Revise. And revise. And revise some more. Oh, and get used to rejection.

QUESTIONS FOR MATT

HWM: It somehow doesn’t seem fair that you have a stockpile of talents--writer, artist, web developer. I would imagine all of these creative outlets require a large amount of time. How do you balance your time?

MATT: It gets difficult sometimes. There are a lot of projects I want to do. I generally "binge" on one project at a time, working on that to the exclusion of other projects. But I find that's also how I work best. For me, it takes time to wrap my mind around a project, so I usually need a bunch of hours in a row in order to do it. I'm not very good at working on something for only an hour a day (as many writers do)—I end up spending too much time just "getting in the zone," as it were.

HWM: Did you ever imagine BABYMOUSE would become so famous? What was the reaction of your friends and family?
MATT: Not really. But then, of course, there's famous and there's famous. "Famous in libraries and elementary schools," is how I would put BABYMOUSE right now. Fortunately, she doesn't have to worry about showing up on TMZ or anything! I think my friends who have known me since I was young are not surprised that I'm drawing cartoons for a living. As for, say, my Mom, she still wants me to have "something to fall back on after this is all over." (I'm not sure if she means "the Babymouse series," or "publishing," or possibly "Western Civilization.")

HWM: What projects are you working on now?
MATT: I'm cleaning up some last-minute things on SQUISH: SUPER AMOEBA (the first book in our new series), doing final art for BABYMOUSE: MAD SCIENTIST (#14, which comes out at the same time as Squish, Summer 2011), revising the manuscript for the second Squish book, and revising a chapter-book manuscript (and starting pencil sketches for the illustrations) that I've been working on for a few years now with another writing partner.

HWM: What is your writing/illustrating routine?
MATT: It totally depends on what "phase" of each book we're in. For early thumbnail sketching, I can briefly have the sort of writerly lifestyle that everyone dreams about: taking my little sketchbook out to a sidewalk cafe and doodling for several hours each day, while sipping a cool drink. Unfortunately, that doesn't last very long. For the other parts—marker sketches and finals—I pretty much lock myself in my office for 6 to 12 hours a day, trying to crank through as many pages as I can at once.

HWM: What was the best publishing advice anyone ever gave you?
MATT: That it takes a long time. And I don't just mean the process of getting your first book signed (that can take forever)—I mean the actual writing, editing, and production process. Be prepared for years of production time on any one book.

HWM CURIOSITIES

HWM: What is your most memorable fan moment?
JENNI & MATT: Jenni had a whole group of kids show up in Babymouse costumes at a book signing.

HWM: What makes you laugh?
JENNI & MATT: Some of the ideas that kids come up with for what Babymouse should be doing in her next daydream. A recent example: Babymouse as an Animal Musician (i.e., someone who uses live animals—rather than trumpets or violins—as musical instruments), playing a rattlesnake.

HWM: If you were a superhero, what powers would you want and why?
JENNI: the power to fold laundry instantly!
MATT: the ability to clone myself? Then I could work on multiple projects at the same time.

NOTE: BABYMOUSE Cupcake Tycoon is out this fall!

Thank you so much, Jenni and Matt!

Where to find Jenni and Matt:

Babymouse website

Jennifer Holm's website

Jennifer Holm's Twitter

Matthew Holm's website/blog

Matthew Holm's Twitter

Here are the rest of today's SBBT interviews:
Julia Hoban at Chasing Ray
Stacy Kramer at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Nancy Bo Flood at Finding Wonderland
Paolo Bacigalupi at Shaken & Stirred
Sarah Kuhn at Bildungsroman

SBBT: Day 4 and a Surprise Interview Announcement

2010-05-20T14:09:00.004-04:00

Stop by Chasing Ray's Master Schedule for today's links to author interviews and thoughtful quotes! I'll post the linkage later this evening.

Please stop by tomorrow, I have a special surprise interview!

Enjoy your day.

SBBT: Day Three of Author Interviews

2010-05-19T08:53:00.010-04:00

Welcome to Day 3 of the SBBT! Here are your links (Thank you Tanita Davis!) to today's interviews...Enjoy!

Remember to check Chasing Ray's Master Schedule throughout the week, for links and thoughtful quotes!

SBBT: Day Two of Author Interviews

2010-05-18T07:37:00.008-04:00

Welcome to Day 2 of the SBBT! Here are your links (Thank you Tanita Davis!) to today's interviews...Enjoy!

Remember to check Chasing Ray's Master Schedule throughout the week, for links and thoughtful quotes!

SBBT: Day One of Author Interviews

2010-05-17T08:43:00.005-04:00

It's time for the Summer Blog Blast Tour AKA SBBT! I won't be participating this time around, due to a pile of personal stuff, but I will be posting the schedule everyday this week with wonderful linkies, so you'll know where to go. Colleen of Chasing Ray will be hosting the Master Schedule, so stop on by!

Here's today's schedule:

Kate Milford @ Chasing Ray
Mac Barnett @ Fuse #8/ School Library Journal
Hazardous Players @ Finding Wonderland
Malinda Lo @ Shelf Elf
Barbara Dee @ Little Willow

Here is the rest of this week's schedule:

Tuesday, May 18

Mary Jane Beaufrand at The Ya, Ya, Yas
Rita Williams-Garcia at Fuse Number 8
Jennifer Hubbard at Writing & Ruminating
Charise Mericle Harper at Shelf Elf
Holly Schindler at Little Willow

Wednesday, May 19

Michael Trinklein at Chasing Ray
Nick Burd at Fuse Number 8
Sarah Darer Littman at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Tom Siddell at Finding Wonderland
Paolo Bacigalupi at Shaken & Stirred

Thursday, May 20

Matthew Reinhart at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Jenny Boylan at Fuse Number 8
Lisa Mantchev at Writing & Ruminating
Jess Leader at Shaken & Stirred
Donna Freitas at Little Willow

Friday May 21

Julia Hoban at Chasing Ray
Stacy Kramer at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Nancy Bo Flood at Finding Wonderland
Tara Kelly at Shaken & Stirred
Sarah Kuhn at Little Willow

Writing Inspiration: The Best Motivation Video

2010-05-12T00:04:00.004-04:00

If you do anything today, please watch this video (Thank you, DH, for sharing this with me!). It will take a little more than a minute of your time, and may make a huge difference to how you tackle your day.

Get over your failures. Continue to dream. Work hard.

Your time will come. Believe it. Your time WILL come.

readergirlz Welcomes Lisa Yee and ABSOLUTELY MAYBE!!

2010-05-02T10:52:00.006-04:00

We are thrilled to welcome Lisa Yee to readergirlz. Her new-in-paperback novel ABSOLUTELY MAYBE is our May pick! Check out the our interview with Lisa, book party ideas themed around her book, and our Reach Out project idea--as well as the awesome soundtrack Lisa has chosen for the book--on readergirlz.com.

Here's a little about ABSOLUTELY MAYBE:

Meet Maybelline "Maybe" Chestnut - Goth girl and daughter of Chessy Chestnut, owner of the No. 1 (and only) charm school in Kissimmee, Florida. When her mother refuses to protect Maybe from her latest scuzz-ball fiancé, Maybe heads to California to find her biological dad, who doesn't even know she exists.

Accompanied by her friends, budding filmmaker Hollywood, and the irrepressible Ted, Maybe is ready to get on with her life. However, Los Angeles is nothing like she thought it would be. Maybe hadn't counted on being homeless - and finding her father becomes nearly impossible.

And the buzz...

"Readers will absolutely enjoy the ride." - Horn Book

"A breezy read populated with friendly characters and sunny serendipity." - Booklist

"Cleverly conceived and executed . . . tragic, comic and heartwarming by turns." - Kirkus

". . . quirky and likable characters, the humor is topnotch." -Teenreads.com

"A funny, tender coming-of-age story." - Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books

We are so excited to have the lovely Lisa with us this month! Join us all month right here on the blog for discussions and mark your calendars a LIVE chat on Wednesday, May 19th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.

If you'd like a chance to win a copy of ABSOLUTELY MAYBE, go to the readergirlz blog and comment right here by May 5th.

Happy May, readergirlz!

Winner Announced: The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide by Becky Levine

2010-05-01T18:20:00.002-04:00

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and shared their comments on critique groups.

The girls have chosen a winner for a copy of THE WRITING & CRITIQUE GROUP SURVIVAL GUIDE by Becky Levine.

RACHEL!!! You're the winner!!

E-mail your snail mail address to me at hipwritermama at comcast dot net.

Congrats!

Shining the Light on SPILLING INK by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter

2010-04-28T14:00:00.009-04:00

Have you had a chance to read SPILLING INK: A Young Writer's Handbook by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter? If you haven't, you must check it out. It's a great resource for the young writer, a middle school teacher to use in a classroom setting, and I'll admit, even an older person (ahem) like me. Note: Thank you, MacMillan Children's Publishing Group for sending me a copy.

But, have no fear. This is NOT a boring writing manual. How could it be when the creative minds behind OLIVIA KIDNEY and ABBY HAYES are at work? No way. Kids are going to enjoy learning how to write when they read SPILLING INK.

The book cover and illustrations pop (thanks to illustrator Matt Phelan). Add in Anne's and Ellen's catchy titles, entertaining chapters, and I DARE YOU writing exercises, and you've got a great book young writers will want to use, over and over again. Anne and Ellen encourage their readers, offering them easy to understand examples and helpful tips. First drafts, voice, characters, plot, dialogue, writer's block, and even revisions won't seem impossible to handle. And that is HUGE.

Without further ado, I'm so pleased to welcome Anne and Ellen as guest bloggers today. I asked them to write about things to consider when working with someone else on a project and they put together this Q&A in a similar style of the book. Enjoy!

Q & A with Spilling Ink Authors Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter

Questions for Anne Mazer

What made you most nervous about collaborating at the beginning?
Anne: Creative collaborations are my idea of heaven on earth. What could be more fun than brainstorming, thinking up ideas, tossing concepts around with another person? (Well, that’s my idea of fun, anyway.) So I was really pleased about collaborating with Ellen, whose writing I admired. If I was nervous about anything, it was about whether this collaboration would work. I half-expected it to fall apart. Ellen and I barely knew each other. It was quite likely that we’d get on each other’s nerves, or one of us would feel committed and the other wouldn’t, or else we’d have a disagreement and the whole project would collapse. Then, every time I saw one of Ellen’s books in a bookstore, I’d get a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach and would have to leave fast.

I had NO clue that I was embarking on a fabulous, life-changing writing partnership that was, by the way, one of the better experiences of my life.

Do you have any tips for potential collaborators on how to give each other feedback?
Anne: First of all, you need to be honest about what you like and dislike. If you can’t communicate openly, then your collaboration will fail.

Sometimes either Ellen or I saw things that weren’t in the spirit of our project – those were really important to point out. Our discussions about what didn’t work helped us to refine our vision and ultimately enriched the book.

It’s also very important to deliver your critique with respect and kindness. If you have a genuine liking and admiration for your collaborator, giving positive feedback comes naturally. Hint: If you don’t like or respect your collaborator, run for the hills!

One of the advantages of working with a collaborator is that you can help each other become better writers. I learned so much from Ellen – not only from her feedback, but also from working closely with her.

P.S. For specific ways to give feedback, see our “How To Give Fabulous Feedback” mini poster at our Spilling Ink Website http://www.spillinginkthebook.com/teachers-kit/

How did you decide who did which sections?
Anne: There was no master plan, no outline, and no strict division of labor. What Ellen and I did was think up all the questions that a young writer might want answered, and all the tips and wisdom about writing that we wanted to impart. This didn’t happen all at once; we did it throughout the course of the book, so that even when we thought the book was done, we were still adding new sections. To decide who wrote what, we just waved our hand, and said, “I want it!” Very strangely, we never had any conflict. The topics that gave me stomach cramps appealed to Ellen and vice versa.

Both of us had major things to say about plot and character, but I especially liked talking about “Writer’s Brain,” the psychological aspects of writing, while Ellen was brilliant on the nitty-gritty of “Craft.”

How has the collaboration changed your relationship with each other?
Anne: Ellen used to be a person who I admired and liked, but didn’t really know. Now she’s one of my closest friends and one of the most important people in my life. I am so used to communicating with her every day that if I don’t see her name light up my mailbox every morning (I’ve highlighted her emails with a my favorite color of yellow-orange), I feel bereft. It all adds up to a teensy Ellen Potter addiction.

Anne’s web site is http://www.annemazerbooks.com/

Questions for Ellen Potter

What was the most surprising thing to you about collaborating with another writer?
Ellen: The fact that it was possible. I never imagined I could write a book with someone else. I mean, how does one DO that?

Still, when Anne suggested that we write a fun and practical writing book for kids, I didn’t think twice about saying Yes. For one thing, I know a great idea when I hear it. But more importantly, I know a great writing partner when I meet her.

The biggest surprise, though, was that collaborating was immensely enjoyable. When I write solo, the process feels a lot like being in the violent throes of first love. There are hallucinogenic highs and rotten lows. By the time I finish a novel I am emotionally kaput.

When I collaborated with Anne, though, the writing process felt more like a very stable yet dynamic marriage. There was no drama. No angst. We helped each other through the rough patches and cheered each time we successfully finished a chapter. It was without a doubt the most fun I ever had writing a book.

Did collaboration with Anne bring you any new insights about writing?
Ellen: I learned something every time she sent me a new section. In fact, I was writing a novel at the same time we were working on Spilling Ink, and when I was having a problem with some writing issue—like writer’s block or finding ideas—I’d request that she write a section about it. What a luxury!

Also, she pointed out my overuse of the word really. She was right. Really, really right.

How do you and Anne work together? Did you find your way all at once, or did your partnership evolve?
Ellen: I could tell you some hair-raising stories of nasty arguments and bruised egos . . . but they’d all be lies to make this blog post a little splashier. In reality, the collaboration was silky smooth from beginning to end.

Still, I am a pretty stubborn person. At first, when Anne sent back her critiques of my chapters, a little voice in my head would occasionally grumble, “Hmph! I think it’s fine the way it is.” But once I got over myself, I found that Anne was generally right. She is a perceptive yet diplomatic editor. After a while, I changed my baseline: Instead of assuming I knew better, I assumed that she did.

As our partnership evolved, so did our friendship. Even though the book is finished we still talk almost every day. We’re itching to collaborate again, but we’re going to wait until the next perfect idea flags us down.

What qualities do you think are necessary for a successful collaboration?
Ellen: I think it all boils down to the same qualities that are necessary for a successful marriage:
1. You have to trust that the other person is watching your back.
2. You have to be genuinely gobsmacked by each other’s wonderfulness.

Take a peek at the Spilling Ink web site, which features a Creativity Blog, downloads for teachers and kids, and book giveaways http://www.spillinginkthebook.com/

Ellen’s web site is http://www.ellenpotter.com/

Shining the Light on THE WRITING & CRITIQUE GROUP SURVIVAL GUIDE by Becky Levine AND a Giveaway!!

2010-04-26T13:30:00.009-04:00

I am so happy to have Becky Levine here today as my guest hostess. Becky offers great insight on the writing process. Did you know she wrote a book about the critique process? Enter THE WRITING & CRITIQUE GROUP SURVIVAL GUIDE: How to Give and Receive Feedback, Self-Edit, and Make Revisions. If you're looking for a book to help you get your writing to the next level, this is a GREAT choice. (In the interest of self-disclosure, I won Becky's book on the fabulous Shrinking Violet Promotions blog. Thank you to The Shrinking Violets and Becky! I should also mention, Becky is a friend and invaluable critiquer. I'm here to tell you, Becky talks the talk AND she walks the walk. Becky KNOWS critiques.)

THE WRITING & CRITIQUE GROUP SURVIVAL GUIDE is easy to read and filled with good examples. I'm telling you, this book will help you get more out of the critique process so you can improve your writing. This will get you beyond the fear of critiques to structuring and working on your entire manuscript--we're talking about plot, dialogue, pacing, setting, voice, POV--through the details and the big picture. Whether you're thinking of joining a critique group or have experience, you will find something that will get you thinking, developing your internal editor, and finish revisions. And isn't that what we want to do?

Becky was kind enough to offer a copy for a giveaway on my blog. Details below!

I bet you'd like to read Becky's post now, wouldn't you? Please welcome Becky Levine!

-------------------

What You Can Do for Your Critique Partners

When Vivian invited me to guest-blog at HipWriterMama, I knew right away that I wanted to write a post that would fit here. Vivian’s posts are continuously supportive and encouraging, and—since I believe that’s also true of the best critique groups—I decided that’s what I’d focus on today.

Support.

Support in a critique group might seem obvious. Yes, it’s about listening to each other ~~whine~~ discuss the latest problems in our manuscripts. Yes, it’s about leaning on each other when we get rejection letters. Yes, it’s about calling up our local bookstores and libraries and making sure they have our critique partner’s books on the shelves.

It’s about a lot of other things, too, though. And sometimes, we all need a little reminder about what those things are.

You are supporting your critique partner when you:

Take the time and energy to give detailed feedback about their project. Give them a clear explanation, point to examples in their manuscript, and make suggestions about specific changes they might want to make.

Don’t ignore that bland dialog or inconsistent characterization that is bothering you. It’s bothering them, too, believe me. They just don’t know what to do about it yet.

Help them brainstorm through a plot problem or two. Schedule time to bounce ideas back & forth about their hero’s character development.

Read multiple revisions of their manuscript. Who’s going to get it all right the first time through? Or the second?

Say “yes,” when they ask if you can read longer chunks of their book, even the full manuscript. Work out with them and the rest of the group how much time everyone will need, then schedule it out. When you read more pages at a time, you can provide a stronger critique in terms of consistency, plot tension, and character change.

Make your commitment to critiquing their work strong and steady. Put critiquing time on your calendar, put aside dedicated time for reading and thinking, and deliver your critiques on time and with as much clarity as possible.

Does all this sounds like a lot? It is. Take another look at the list, though, and switch around some pronouns. Put your critique partner in the place of the one doing the work, and drop yourself into the recipient’s chair. Look at everything you’re getting back.

This is the strength of a strong, supportive group. Everything you put into the group, every minute of critiquing you do, comes back full circle to help you. Not simply because your critique partners are doing the same for you, but because that commitment and energy build something powerful, something that lets us grow our writing community and our writing craft.

Bio
Becky Levine is the author of The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide: How to Give and Receive Feedback, Self-Edit, and Make Revisions. Becky has participated in her own critique groups for fifteen years and has ten years experience as a freelance manuscript editor. She writes fiction and nonfiction for children and teens, as well as freelance articles and book reviews. Becky’s online class Mastering the Art of Group and Self-Critiquing starts at the new Writer’s Digest University on May 6, 2010. [HWM Note: There's still time to register for this six-week class!]

Giveaway

Becky was kind to offer one copy of her book for a Giveaway! If you'd like to be considered, comment away on what you find discouraging, fun, irritating, thought-provoking, etc. about the critique process. Please let me know if you sign up for Becky's class--I'll give you two entries! Deadline will be Friday, April 30th at 11pm EST. Comment away!

Shining the Light on THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS

2010-04-19T00:30:00.002-04:00

Hope all of you had a nice weekend! It's been busy in my neck of the woods with lots of decluttering, cleaning, and writing. The kids finally have spring vacation and there's little chance I'll be allowed to do anything productive this week. The girls are determined to have interesting adventures to talk about in school--especially since "all" of their friends are jet-setting to Mexico, Aruba, Bermuda and Disney. And, we're not. But, I think they'll be pleased with our activities. *crosses fingers* Spy Girl checks out my blog, so I can't divulge any information...yet.

The one thing I can share today is my guest bloggers! I'm pleased to welcome THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS -- P.J. Hoover (one of my wonderful critique buddies), Jo Whittemore, and Jessica Lee Anderson -- as my guest bloggers today. I asked them for some writing tips and they delivered! Use these tips well, my friends.

Yay for The Texas Sweethearts! Here's a blurb from their website:

We're from the awesome state of Texas—Austin to be exact.
(For you non-Texans, that's the nice, shiny star in the center of the state.)
We're entertaining, engaging, and we want to make a difference.
We love talking to kids, teens, adults, librarians, teachers, and writers. Actually, we love talking to anyone who will listen. There's nothing like seeing the joy in the face of a child discovering a love of reading.
Our books target all ages, and our dreams go beyond the realm of imagination. We'd love to come share our experiences and creativity with your group!

Writing for Kids from the Heart of Texas...

P. J. Hoover:
First off, Vivian, thank you so much for letting The Texas Sweethearts guest post on your blog. Ever since I started blogging a few years back, I was in awe of the amazing HipWriterMama. She (you) was like this famous blogger [HWM: *snort* too kind], yet you made me feel so welcome to the kidlitosphere. And for that I will always be grateful!

So, my name is P. J. Hoover, and I write middle grade and YA fantasy. I have two books of a MG trilogy out so far. The first book, THE EMERALD TABLET, came out in 2008, and the second, THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, came out in 2009. I’m totally looking forward to the third and final book in the series, THE NECROPOLIS, which comes out fall 2010. The books are aimed at the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson crowd and feature a boy named Benjamin Holt who finds out he’s from a continent hidden under the Pacific Ocean and he’s not even human. To top that off, he has to save the world.

If there’s one thing I learned while writing the trilogy, it’s to take as much time between your revisions as you possibly can. I was fortunate in that I wrote the entire trilogy before the first book came out, so I had plenty of time to let the manuscripts sit. For both NAVEL and NECROPOLIS, there was one point when I waited a year between revisions for each. Coming back to a novel after a year gives the most fresh, objective look at it one can possibly imagine. It’s like the things that need to be cut stand out in bold capital letters whether they are characters or plot lines or even the actual starting point of the novel. So, though waiting is painful at times, waiting is also our friend in revisions.

Jo Whittemore:
Hey guys! I’m Jo Whittemore, and my newest book, Front Page Face-Off, just came out March 9. It’s a change from my favorite genre (fantasy), as FPFO is a contemporary middle grade. In the story, twelve-year-old Delilah James goes from being star reporter for the school paper to second best after a rival journalist swoops in and steals her glory (and potential boyfriend). In order for Delilah to get what she wants, hilarious mayhem must ensue, and such silliness is what drove me to write this story in the first place.

Back in the day, I was all set to write another fantasy novel while my agent was shopping a demon story I’d written. The only problem was, I was stuck in a rut:

Me: How about if I write a demon book?
Agent: You just wrote a demon book.
Me: Yes, but in this one, the demon wears a hat!

Okay, so I didn’t REALLY mention a hat, but my agent had a point. She then went on to suggest that I try to write something contemporary, since I had a good sense of humor and grasp of my characters. I scoffed at first (“Fantasy is my life! I won’t betray the unicorns!”) but then I decided to give it a shot.

And you know what? She was right. I had so much fun writing contemporary and letting the jokes fly. Because cracking wise is what I do in real life. When things get tough, I spew one-liners like machine gun bullets. When people feel glum, I’m always there with a poop joke.

So my advice is to play to your strengths and always strive to write just like YOU. Your unique voice is what will win audiences over, not your imitation of someone else’s.

Jessica Lee Anderson:
PJ and Jo, what you both said resonates with me as I can be impatient when it comes to revising, and I strive to find my voice and play on my strengths. Howdy! I’m Jessica Lee Anderson, and my newest novel is Border Crossing, a story about a bi-racial teen named Manz who is on the border physically and mentally. He’s not sure who he can trust including himself as he’s schizophrenic. Border Crossing is a departure from my first novel, Trudy (2005 Milkweed Prize for Children's Literature winner), about a girl who must accept her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. I spent a great deal of time developing and tweaking the characters in Border Crossing (about four years). The biggest challenge was to make sure Manz came across as believable, especially the way he perceives things psychologically. I spent a great deal of time researching schizophrenia so I could better understand him. Given my limited experiences as an Anglo female, I brought several readers on board to make sure he came across as authentic. Also, in the many drafts of this story, I worked on strengthening the secondary characters so they would seem more three-dimensional. Characters need to be as real as possible to the reader as well as to the writer.

Thanks again for letting us stop by!

Rock the Drop with readergirlz!!

2010-04-14T22:31:00.008-04:00

A quick reminder--tomorrow, April 15th, is the day of Operation Teen Book Drop! This is the third year rgz has helped lead the effort. We'll be delivering 10,000 new books to teens on Native reservations and tribal lands. Many thanks to our partners at GuysLitWire, YALSA and If I Can Read I Can Do Anything!

Help us promote reading and Rock the Drop! If you'd like to participate, just leave a book in a public space for some lucky reader to find. It's that easy. Grab an official bookplate and extras here. If you'd like to send photos of your Rock the Drop location, forward them to readergirlz AT gmail DOT com for a post-drop roundup. Here's last year's roundup.

You may also purchase books from the Guys Lit Wire TBD Wish List which will go directly to two reservation school libraries--Ojo Encino Day School and Alchesay High School.

Please join us in the online TBD Post-Op party at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST tomorrow at the readergirlz blog.

Let's Rock the Drop! Thanks, everyone!

The BAMBOO PEOPLE ARC Tour Announcement

2010-04-09T07:27:00.006-04:00

Thank you to all who entered for a chance to go on the BAMBOO PEOPLE ARC Tour! I'm so sorry for the delay in announcing the details--I've been occupied with getting financial records in order for my accountant and haven't pulled an all-nighter since college.

But, I finished!

And, I paid a price. Yesterday, I walked around like a Zombie and it wasn't pretty. My Public Service Announcement for today...Believe it or not April 15th comes around every year, so keep your paperwork organized. Otherwise, you're going to procrastinate and it will only cause pain. One more thing, all-nighters are not recommended when you're my age. That is all.

And now for details on the BAMBOO PEOPLE ARC Tour! I wish I could send all of you on the tour, but only have room for five. But, if this works out, there may be another ARC tour in the future, so please keep checking back.

Here are the names of people I picked out of my fabulous red bowl...
A. Fortis
Doret
Jone
kakumadepew
Christine Marciniak

I'll map out the tour route and mail out the BAMBOO PEOPLE ARC to the first person on the list. Just think of me as Julie the Cruise Director and I'll keep you all on track during the tour.

Each person gets the ARC for 2 weeks.
READ the ARC and POST a review on your blog.
WRITE a message for Mitali in the ARC.
MAIL it to the next person. I'll e-mail you the address. It should cost less than $5.00 to mail to the next person.

This will be fun! Please e-mail your snail mail address to hipwritermama @ comcast dot net. Thank you for participating!

Shining the Light on Borrowed Names by Jeannine Atkins

2010-04-05T10:27:00.008-04:00

It's my pleasure to welcome Jeannine Atkins this morning. If you've spent any time on Jeannine's blog, you'd know how gifted she is as a writer and poet. She's also the essence of kindness and calm. Jeannine's posts are refreshing and heartwarming--perfect antidotes for crazed days.

It's only fitting that Jeannine's new book, BORROWED NAMES: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, Marie Curie and their Daughters, offers strength and power in a love story of mothers and daughters.

As a child, Laura Ingalls Wilder traveled across the prairie in a covered wagon. Her daughter, Rose, thought those stories might make a good book, and the two created the beloved Little House series. Sara Breedlove, the daughter of former slaves, wanted everything to be different for her own daughter, A’Lelia. Together they built a million-dollar beauty empire for women of color. Marie Curie became the first person in history to win two Nobel prizes in science. Inspired by her mother, Irène too became a scientist and Nobel prize winner.

BORROWED NAMES is the story of these extraordinary mothers and daughters.

Can you imagine having the ability to create a story that ties in such seemingly different women? Here are a couple wonderful reviews:

“The images created bring powerful emotions to the surface, felt by the women profiled here and by those who read this gem that belongs in any literary cedar chest, as well as in every collection.” -- School Library Journal, Starred Review

“In vivid scenes written with keen insight and subtle imagery, the poems offer a strong sense of each daughter’s personality as well as the tensions and ties they shared with their notable mothers. Writing with understated drama and quiet power, Atkins enables readers to understand these six women and their mother-daughter relationships in a nuanced and memorable way.”—Booklist, Starred Review

Click here to read an excerpt.

Thank you so much, Jeannine, for co-hosting today!

------------------

JEANNINE: I grew up loving books like Little House in the Big Woods and Little Women, and I’m still drawn to the past. I’ve been writing about history for a pretty long time, sometimes for picture books, such as Mary Anning and the Sea Dragon, or books for older readers, such as Girls Who Looked Under Rocks: The Lives of Six Pioneering Naturalists. While I’d written poems in the privacy of my journals, I didn’t think much about polishing and publishing them because, well, finding homes for stories about overlooked girls and women seemed challenging enough. But after learning that Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, and Marie Curie were all born in 1867, I decided that spare image-based verse would be the best way to show the differences and connections between them. I trimmed narratives and shaved off words through draft after draft of Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, Marie Curie and Their Daughters.

As I researched, I discovered new things about people I admired, and the worlds they lived in, too. I learned facts about radium, most of which didn’t go into the poems. I had to figure out what radioactivity does, then succinctly put it into words that readers without a solid science background (like me) might understand. But beyond technical questions, I also pursued the kind of things I want to know about friends just because I’m nosy or should we say curious? I wanted to know what the people I wrote about liked to eat, and what they liked to wear, and if they had pets and favorite colors. After often wading through abstractions, I tended to take note of any words that evoked one or more of the senses. Sometimes a color or simple object, such as a bread plate, rake, or butterfly net, gave me an opportunity to hint at a pattern.

I feel grateful that my labor of love found a home at Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. I understand that just as writing poetry felt risky to me, it will only be shepherded into the world by a brave editor and a publishing house willing to take a chance. Poetry gave me a way to work with facts and still let myself be surprised. I tried to show common places where readers could find sturdy bridges to lives different from their own. I hope readers will meet people who seem both wonderfully new and vividly familiar. And I hope those of you who are writing poetry won’t ever lose faith in the power of small words and the pauses between them.

------------------

Amherst Books will be celebrating the BORROWED NAMES book launch party on Tuesday, April 27th at 5:00pm. If you live nearby, please admire Jeannine's new book and say hello!

Thinking about Friendships, Cliques and Self-Esteem

2010-04-01T07:40:00.002-04:00

Thank you to the wonderfully brave people who entered for a chance to win a special book gift pack:

POISON IVY by Amy Goldman Koss (courtesy of Square Fish, an imprint of Macmillan Books)
MY FEET AREN'T UGLY (a girl's guide to loving herself from the inside out) by Debra Beck (courtesy of Beaufort Books)
LETTERS TO A BULLIED GIRL: MESSAGES OF HEALING AND HOPE by Olivia Gardner, Emily Buder and Sarah Buder (courtesy of me)

I put all the names into a bowl...and the winner is...Calliope! Please send me your snail mail address to hipwritermama @ comcast dot net. Congratulations!

---------------

In light of the topic of friendships and cliques, I wanted to share a post I wrote on May 25, 2007. There were so many incredible comments and tips from the original post.

I hope this helps open up a discussion of sorts, one you can share with your friends, your children, with your school. Wishing you a day full of hope.

----------------

It's tough being a girl in today's world. Personally, I believe girls deal with so much pressure at a young age. The pressure to be smart. To be strong. To be capable. To be athletic. To be beautiful. To be thin. To be Everything.

Now my husband thinks I'm a bit too outspoken on certain matters, so I don't want everyone jumping down my throat with this post. I'm just interested in a discussion, in an exchange of ideas, because I'm quite curious for the sake of research on what people think.

I'm just worried about today's girls. How are they going to handle the pressure to Be Everything? I'm not sure whether all this pressure to succeed is a result of the women's movement and the fight to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, which incidentally is still not an official part of the U.S. Constitution. Or maybe it's a result of a technologically advanced world and the incredible opportunities just waiting to be embraced. Or maybe, it's just the way of the world and I just need to learn to deal with it.

Some women might remember the famous television commercial of the early 1980's with a beautifully coiffed and dressed woman who does it all -- takes care of baby, has a great job, cleans, cooks and more -- "I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan. And never let you forget you're a man, cause I'm a woman..."

Of course the message of this commercial was quite clear to my college friends and I. While our moms had to make choices of whether they stayed at home with the kids or had an incredibly successful career, my generation would be able to have it all. Oh yes. This commercial promised us we could have it all, quite effortlessly, mind you. All because countless amazing women had paved the way for us to have it all. So we better go for it baby, because women have fought for our rights. And we better do them proud.

Numerous women of my generation have proved that women can accomplish so much and be so much more than any of our mothers have dared to dream. We can survive, with or without a man. We can live our own dreams without waiting for Mr. Right. We don't need to be married to have children. We don't have to get married right out of college. We're not considered hopeless spinsters if we're still single in our 40's. We don't have to have children if we don't want to.

Women run businesses and run for political office. Women can be plumbers or electricians. Astronauts. Professors. Policewomen. Doctors. Surgeons. Principals. Mechanics. There are so many capable women who are intelligent, brave, courageous--simply amazing. We are survivors. We are women. Hear us roar.

Sure there are sacrifices and lots of angst. But the achievements have been extraordinary. And this is the incredible gift my generation gives to the next generation. The ability to know they are capable of and deserve so much more. We paved the way so the next generation of girls could have it easier. Forget the sacrifice. Forget the struggles. We can do anything. We are women. Hear us roar.

But with this special gift comes a price. Some women are so competitive, they put down other women who don't have the same edge. We have the Mommy Wars and the Best Career Wars. Instead of uniting, mentoring and helping each other, we women are so determined to prove we have the better life, so we end up attacking one another. Obviously this isn't true of every woman, but when it is noticed, it is plain disturbing. Sadly, this all rubs off on our daughters.

As a mother of young girls, I worry about my children's generation, who will soon wonder how they can dare compare or how they can achieve everything without losing a part of themselves. Girls are exhibiting unethical behavior, worried about their smarts and their beauty(podcast), and bullying one another. And this is all before the teenage escapism in weight control, plastic surgery, drugs and alcohol.

I worry about my generation and the expectations we have for our children. Because as we all know, there are parents who will take the expectations a bit too far. There are parents who will want their daughters to be friends only with the popular kids in school. Some parents want their girls to always be on the winning team. And there are the parents who constantly put pressure on their talented child because they want her to be the next superstar.

A number of girls in my town (boys too for that matter) are overscheduled with activities, starting in kindergarten or first grade. They are enrolled in sports teams, music and/or dance lessons and special tutoring classes too. Playdates need to arranged a couple weeks in advance. Some parents even keep their child behind a year in kindergarten for the sole purpose of giving them an edge the next school year over the other children in the class. I find this plain disturbing.

Part of me is worried because I'm not exposing my children to all of these wonderful opportunities. Sure my kids are involved in activities, but I limit them to 2 activities rather than the typical 5-6 commitments, so they can have kid time. I want my kids to be kids for as long as possible, and enjoy life. Another part of me is trying to be understanding because most parents only want the best for their children and to give them what they didn't have a children. I am left to wonder whether all this overscheduling is part of what is causing the tantrums, the talking back, the bullying, and even the attitude of some of my childrens' friends. This gives me much sorrow.

I find it interesting how we now expect our girls to be stronger and tougher, while our boys are taught to express their feelings. Isn't it sad our girls are losing their ability to be empathetic and caring? Most girls feel imprisoned by all the expectations and pressure to surpass what women have already accomplished. Is it any wonder they feel the stress and the worry? How do we set them free so they can Be what they want to be? What can we do to ease the burdens of the next generation of exceptional girls, before we end up destroying the hope of our future?

--------------------

Here are some things I'm working on for my children:
1. Children will learn from their parents. Practice what you preach.
2. Involve children in something they love--sports, music, reading, science, etc.--rather than something you want them to do.
3. Allow your child the ability to enjoy a hobby, even if it doesn't involve a competition or a medal.
4. Don't overschedule your children. Allow them to use their imagination and play. And let them have time to just be.
5. Be a good role model and find good role models for your child.
6. Spend some quality One-on-One time with your child. Let your child know it's safe to talk to you...about anything.

Here are some Reading Recommendations on Cliques, Friendships and Self-Esteem and More Books on Cliques, Friendships and Self-Esteem.

In case you'd like to read the incredible Comments and Tips from the original post, here they are.

What Tips can you share?

Shining the Light on Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins and a Spontaneous ARC Road Trip

2010-03-30T03:12:00.005-04:00

Many of you know Mitali Perkins for her wonderful books or her wise advice on how to utilize social media to develop community and promote books. Perhaps you're one of the authors Mitali cheers on with her successful Twitter Book Parties, a virtual "celebration of new books for kids, tweens and teens." Or maybe you've seen Mitali act as an incredible advocate for many who feel voiceless, making us more aware of the need for children's/YA books showing race/ethnicity and sharing her knowledge of multi-cultural books.

Charlesbridge Publishing gave me an ARC of BAMBOO PEOPLE, Mitali's new book, due to be released in July 2010. As with all her books, Mitali writes with heart. BAMBOO PEOPLE is a special book, one I'd like to see children read to learn about other cultures, to understand the devastation of power and conflict, to believe in courage and friendship. Because Mitali does so much to help children's writers, I wanted to do something to help her spread the word about BAMBOO PEOPLE. Inspired by Mary E. Pearson's The Miles Between Road Trip, I give you the BAMBOO PEOPLE ARC Road Trip. You'll find details about the Road Trip at the end of this post.

Interested in learning more about BAMBOO PEOPLE? Please welcome Mitali Perkins!

MITALI: Good novels serve as windows into other worlds as well as mirrors for our own lives. While I wrote BAMBOO PEOPLE to depict the lives of Karenni and Burmese young people, I also want readers to see themselves mirrored in the story by connecting deeply with the characters.

How can the book be a window?

For three years my husband, children, and I lived in Chiang Mai, Thailand and visited the Karenni refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border. I was astounded at how the Karenni kept their hopes up despite incredible loss, still dreaming and talking of the day when they would once again become a free people. I was impressed, too, by how creatively they used bamboo. Homes, bridges, transportation, weapons, food, storage, irrigation—all these and more depended on the resilient, lavish, and ecologically efficient bamboo plant. I began to think about that plant as an excellent symbol for the peoples of that region.

During that time I also began to understand how tough life is for Burmese teenagers. Only about a third are enrolled in school, and most can’t find jobs. According to international human rights organizations, Burma has the largest number of child soldiers in the world, and that number is growing. These young soldiers are taught that the Karenni and other ethnic groups are the cause of the problems in their country and are rewarded with money and food if they burn, destroy, torture, and kill ethnic minorities.

I wrote the book for readers to glimpse—and through the power of imagination, experience—what life is like for young people growing up in modern-day Burma.

How can the book be a mirror?

What would you do if your mother were hungry and your only option to feed her was to fight in the army? What about if you saw soldiers burning your home and farm while you ran for your life? Wouldn’t you be terrified, like Chiko? Wouldn’t you be angry, like Tu Reh?

In my travels far and wide, I’ve learned two things: all people feel powerful negative emotions, but we all face choices when it comes to acting on them. BAMBOO PEOPLE, I hope, illuminates the importance of those universal choices.

I hope you connect with Tu Reh and Chiko as you read BAMBOO PEOPLE. If you want to promote peace and democracy in Burma or help refugees fleeing from that country, please browse http://bamboopeople.org where I provide resources, an educator’s guide, and suggestions for involvement. Thanks, Vivian, for launching this exciting ARC tour. I can't wait to see where the book travels!

-------------
BAMBOO PEOPLE ARC Road Trip!! If you'd like a chance to read BAMBOO PEOPLE and help celebrate Mitali's new book, here are the details:

COMMENT below and let me know what U.S. state you live in--NO addresses please, just your state, ie: Massachusetts
FIVE (5) people will be selected to participate in the BAMBOO PEOPLE ARC Road Trip. I'll map out the route and e-mail each person one address for mailing purposes.
READ the ARC and POST a review on your blog.
WRITE a message for Mitali in the ARC and MAIL it to the next person within 2 weeks. I haven't had a chance to get the book weighed at the post office, but it should cost less than $5.00 at book rate.
THE final reader will send the ARC directly to Mitali!
DEADLINE for commenting is Monday, April 5th at 11pm EST.

Isn't it easy? Let's help Mitali spread the word about BAMBOO PEOPLE! Comment Away!

Shining the Light on THE HEART IS NOT A SIZE by Beth Kephart and a Donation Challenge

2010-03-24T07:00:00.009-04:00

I've been swamped with revisions and thought I'd ask my talented friend, Beth Kephart, to host today's post. Beth kindly agreed and it made me all sorts of happy. I mean, have you visited Beth's blog? Her blog is beautiful prose and color.

And she's here!

Please welcome Beth...
----------------

Dear HipWriterMama (who is indeed a very hip, very fine writer, not to mention a very great mother and dear soul) invited me here for a guest post, and I said yes, of course. It’s really great, for one thing, to hang out in her well-decorated, thoroughly well-organized space. (I’m already feeling calmer.) But it’s also really wonderful to have a chance to talk here about my new book, THE HEART IS NOT A SIZE.

HEART was a long time coming. Written shortly after I journeyed to Juarez with my husband, son, and about two dozen others, it stayed put for awhile—bought by HarperTeen but put onto a back shelf while work on NOTHING BUT GHOSTS proceeded. Sometimes books need to stew, and HEART certainly did, for while I had the landscape down, and while I had captured my love for the gorgeous children that we’d met in a squatters’ village known as Anapra, I did not yet have a sufficiently firm grip on my two protagonists, Georgia and Riley. I knew Georgia, my protagonist, to be a middle child, as I am a middle child. I knew her to be sturdy, responsible, strong-seeming. I knew that she was wrestling with something deep within, but I had not named it yet. Georgia sees a flier, in the story, announcing a goodwill trip to Juarez. She decides that she must go. Something is drawing her to the raw and the unknown, but in my first drafts of the book, it wasn’t entirely clear to me what that was.

Riley, Georgia’s best friend, is a character I discovered one night at a restaurant as I watched a beautiful slip of a girl tell stories to a friend. She was familiar to me; I sensed I knew her inner story. She was Riley; I have no idea where that name came from. I put her down on paper and then I waited to move more knowingly within her world.

I need time away from books to make them right, and I took about a year away from HEART. When I returned to it, I was aching for it. I wanted to be with it, and with nothing else. Jill Santopolo, then at HarperTeen, was asking some interesting and on-point questions. I wanted to answer her, but more than anything: I wanted answers for myself.

HEART matters to me because it is about a real place suffering very real turmoil. It is about that question: What can we really do to make a difference in the world? I have always sought to write books that somehow make a difference, and if I can, with HEART, bring attention to Juarez, if I can help girls who are battling with the secrets with which Georgia and Riley do battle, then I will feel as if the journey that I took with HEART was ultimately the right one.

Guest post by Beth Kephart

Thank you so much, Beth!

If you want to know more about Beth, check out her WBBT interview, her writing tip on bringing emotion to the page, and her interview podcast with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett. Beth's kindness, her talent, her spirit simply shines.

THE HEART IS NOT A SIZE received a starred VOYA review and was named to the Indiebound list for spring. Please join Beth at Barnes and Noble, Devon, PA on Educator's Day, April 13th at 3:30pm or for the book's launch party at Children's Book World, Haverford, PA,

April 20, 7pm.

EDITED TO ADD: In the spirit of Jennifer Hubbard's Library Challenge, I've decided to tweak things and take up Beth's call to action and make a difference for the children in Juarez. I'm currently researching a couple organizations--Missions Ministries and the Juarez Children's Education Program--they help build homes and educate the children in Juarez. Hopefully, I'll be able to nail down the right non-profit fund in the next day or so and will update the information on this post.

In the meantime, every unique comment on a favorite way to give back will earn 25 cents for one of these groups. If you help spread the word about Beth's book, THE HEART IS NOT A SIZE, please let me know in the comments and I'll put in 50 cents toward the fund. I'm sure I'll cap my contribution but let's see how many comments I can get first. Feel free to share your info if you're participating in raising money for a cause.

Thank you for commenting!

Shining the Light on POISON IVY by Amy Goldman Koss and a Book Giveaway

2010-03-22T17:03:00.012-04:00

I've decided to start a new feature on my blog called SHINING THE LIGHT ON..., where authors shed insight into their books. It's my hope you'll find new books to read, authors to admire and much needed writing inspiration. I'd love your feedback, so please feel free to comment!

Since today is the first day of SHINING THE LIGHT ON..., I've decided to host a book giveaway based on the theme of today's featured book and author. But you'll have to wait a bit...

If you follow me on twitter or facebook, you've probably noticed my observations on elementary school cliques. As a mother, I find cliques bothersome, particularly since I hate how it affects my children. I'm selfish that way.

Cliques creep in early, at the tender age of 6 (at least in our public school). By the time children reach 10 or 11, they've got this clique thing down pat. Even though many cliques are harmless, formed mostly of kids with common interests, it's still hard for an "outsider" to get a foot in the door. If a clique happens to be controlled by a mother or two, the chance of getting invited in is wiped out. And what if one of the cliques ends up a little power hungry, dabbling in a little bullying here are there? And what if the adults, who are supposed to protect the young, look the other way or don't see the signs? It's no wonder our kids have difficulty navigating the social scene, whether they're in a clique or not, one of the bullied, a bully, or a bystander.

A couple years ago, I discovered the book POISON IVY by Amy Goldman Koss. Here's a little bit about POISON IVY:

When three popular girls go on trial in Government class for their ruthless bullying of a girl named Ivy, it seems the misfit will finally get her revenge. Eight first-person narrators give different versions of the event: Ivy-this victim doesn't want revenge, she just wants to be left alone; Ann-she's the beautiful, but infamously cruel, leader of the bullies; Marco-he may be the only person involved who has any morals, but he's also the target of Ann's persuasive affections; Daria-Ivy's painfully shy lawyer doesn't stand a chance; Bryce-the goofy court reporter knows all the real dirt, even if he doesn't care; Cameron-he sleeps through the proceedings but wake up just in time to make a difference; Wayne-a true devotee of the legal process, too bad he's on the sidelines; and Faith-as the only witness for the prosecution, it all comes down to her. But where do her loyalties lie?

Amy was kind enough to share some insight into writing about the tween/teen relationships in POISON IVY. She's an expert on her observations on the tween/teen relationships--check out her many books! Without further ado, please welcome Amy!

Amy Goldman Koss: Friendships can be dicey at any age. My ancient aunt Jenny detested her batty roommate in the rest home. Part of that was probably her paranoid dementia, but the rest…?

What percentage of college roommates end up enemies? And how about all those till-death-do-us-part marriages ending in bitter animosity? Workplace conflicts, court cases, family feuds… racial hatreds, Gang wars, and war/wars.

That’s one of the things we humans do best: fight.

And when we’re forced to be together, day after week after month, in stultifying boredom with zero freedom… like in prison, or, say middle school, the nightmarish possibilities for interpersonal torment are limitless.

There’s no escape, no scaling the slippery sides of the cauldron. Prisoners and students are left to seethe and bubble in a crowded stew of hormones, frustration, anger, powerlessness, and human nature. The only difference between the prisoners and the students is that, theoretically the prisoners, brought this fate upon themselves and are being punished.

I’ve been a lot of ages now, and seen all kinds of gore and misery but I do truly believe the hardest and weirdest time of life are those beastly years between fifth and tenth grade. So, those are the people I write to, for and about… people simmering in the stew. I want to help them pass the time as they simmer. I want to make them laugh. I want to remind them that they are not alone.

Some people object to my novel Poison Ivy because it doesn’t have a hopeful, redemptive, optimistic, ending. I even had to change publishers mid-contract because the first one wanted it to end happily. Actually, I would have like to twist the world in such a way that life was fair and justice prevailed, but I’m sure it would have read as a lie.

That story, with those characters had to play out the way it did. No other conclusion would have made sense.

It is not my job to lie to my readers. They get enough of that elsewhere in their lives. And I hope the humor in my books balances the grim parts, just like laughter gets us through the rough patches in real life.

Amy's next book, THE NOT-SO-GREAT DEPRESSION, will be released in May 2010.

-------------
Thank you, Amy, for your wise insight and for creating books that help teens.

If you know anyone who is being bullied, please check out BullyBust, a website dedicated to help students stand up to bullying. Also, here's a link to an old post on books for Cliques, Friendships and Self-Esteem. I hope these resources will be helpful.

-------------
On a brighter note, to celebrate the start of SHINING THE LIGHT ON... and to honor Amy for being my first guest, I'm giving away a special book gift pack that I hope will help someone. This book gift pack will include:

Amy's book, POISON IVY (courtesy of Square Fish, an imprint of Macmillan Books)
MY FEET AREN'T UGLY (a girl's guide to loving herself from the inside out) by Debra Beck (courtesy of Beaufort Books)
LETTERS TO A BULLIED GIRL: MESSAGES OF HEALING AND HOPE by Olivia Gardner, Emily Buder and Sarah Buder (courtesy of me)

If you'd like to be considered for this book gift pack, leave a comment about a childhood experience with cliques or bullies. Deadline will be next Wednesday, March 31st. And I'm really sorry about this...since I'm paying for shipping myself, only U.S. entries will be considered. Thanks for your understanding. I'll announce the winner on April 1st--no joke!

The floor is yours.

readergirlz Chat with Scott Westerfeld (Leviathan) Tomorrow, March 17th, 6pm PST/9pm EST

2010-03-16T08:44:00.004-04:00

Just a reminder to set your calendars for tomorrow, March 17th. The amazing Scott Westerfeld will be joining us at the readergirlz blog at 6pm PST/9pm EST for an hour rgz Chat!! If you want to know more about steampunk, about Scott's writing process, and talk about Scott's books, this is a great opportunity to ask him questions and chat!

See you there!

Day 32: Mapping Out Writing Time: Create a Great Setting and Sunday Winners

2010-03-15T12:31:00.004-04:00

A few people participated in yesterday's spontaneous It's a Sunday, Daylight Savings Time, Rainy Day Organizing and Writing Challenge Kind of Day. Thanks for being my challenge buddies! I used the opportunity to create a nice study area for the kids.

We live in a modest-sized home, built in the 1950's, before family rooms became the norm. I must admit, there are times I've complained to my husband about how we need to move--the house is too small for us--and he laughs. He likes to remind me how I fell in love with our neighborhood the first time I saw it, even insisting we put an offer on our house, sight unseen.

It's true.

I didn't care to see the inside of our home. My husband knew the family who owned the house. He'd been in the house plenty of times, so he knew what the house looked like. It needed a lot of work anyway, and if you knew what my old house looked like before we bought it, you'd know miracles can be rendered with hard work.

The thing is, we've lived in the house five years, and I've yet to make our house into a comfortable home. The bathrooms are original to the house (with colors I can't figure out how to match); the kitchen is still stuck in the 1980's with a 1970's formica wall (remember The Brady Bunch kitchen wall?). Add to this equation a living room that functions as a romper room/tv room, a dining room that functions as an eating area/office/paper catch-all and it's easy to see I'm no Martha Stewart.

Martha would know exactly how to organize and design the inner workings of my house so we could be efficient, neat and elegant. Me...well...not so much.

But, 2010 is a new year and back in January, I decided to stop whining about how the house didn't work for us and focus on creating spaces my family could enjoy. There's not much I can do to change the bathrooms and kitchen until we save more money, but as far as the ambiance, the comfort and utility of our home, that's something I can control.

My house is a work-in-progress. I've been decluttering, organizing, and cursing under my breath these past couple months, but it's definitely worth it. And the homework area! My kids were in shock yesterday and Spy Girl smiled. Not bad for my reluctant learner.

This all reinforced to me how important the setting is to the story. Most of us concentrate on our characters and plot, and think of the setting in an offhand manner. But remember, the setting helps make your story believable. It brings detail so your characters and plot come to life. Create a great setting and your story will thrive.

------------------------
And now to announce the winners from the It's a Sunday, Daylight Savings Time, Rainy Day Organizing and Writing Challenge Kind of Day. Drumroll...

Jeannine and Mike--you won! Send me your snail mail address to me at hipwritermama at comcast dot net and let me know your 1st and 2nd choices. I'll do my best to get you what you'd like.

------------------------
Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: Work on your setting for a scene in your manuscript. What will help bring it to life? Is the weather unusual? The town? The environment? The smells? The geography? Put your setting under a microscope and watch for the little details. If you're writing fantasy, your setting is absolutely critical to your world-building. Be sure to pay extra attention.

How was your weekend?

It's A Sunday, Daylight Savings Time, Rainy Day Organizing and Writing Challenge Kind of Day

2010-03-14T09:01:00.018-04:00

Because it's a dreary day and I really have to force myself for good cheer this morning, I'm throwing the gauntlet for a challenge of sorts. And I'll even dangle a few carrots so you'll feel inspired.

The Sunday Challenge can be accomplished in one of two ways:

1. Do something to bring your story forward.

2. Do something to organize your work area.

I know it's a Sunday and perhaps there will be zero readers today. Maybe you planned on reading a book or watching movies or relaxing today. But, if you do stop by and choose to make this a productive Sunday...

1. Leave a comment on your intended project and

2. Get to work. Spend 15 minutes, 1 hour, or even the whole day tackling your manuscript or work area. It's your choice. Just do something to jump start your day.

3. Return TONIGHT by 11pm EST to let me know the results. Your sense of accomplishment will be proof enough.

Here's a chance to win 3 different prizes (click on item to learn more):

1. LUSH Happy Hippy shower gel (3.3oz size) (courtesy of me)

2. CHILL: Stress-Reducing Techniques for a More Balanced, Peaceful You for Teens by Deborah Reber (courtesy of Simon Pulse Books)

3. La Sirene De Mer (Mermaid Shaped Soap) Gianna Rose Atelier (courtesy of me)

Ready? Set! GO!

Day 31: Mapping Out Writing Time: Finding Inspiration When You Least Expect It

2010-03-12T08:36:00.005-05:00

I recently went to my doctor's office for a routine exam. Even though I love knowing about all things medical, I hate feeling vulnerable, embarrassed and stressed in one fell swoop. There's nothing like being displayed for all the world to see to give one a jolt of adrenalin. Then to top it off, the check-out counter is right outside the examination rooms, to ensure no one skips payment or leaves without making any needed appointments.

As an administrator processed my payment, I noticed a fishbowl on the counter, with a little sign taped on the side: FISH FOR SOME INSPIRATION. A handmade fishing pole decorated the edge of the bowl, and little slips of paper, folded in half, waited at the bottom. You know how I'm a sucker for inspiration, especially when some guy is next to me, practically jumping over the counter to whisper to a customer service person the nature of his appointment. In my quest to tune him out and offer some privacy, I visualized INSPIRATION and reached into the fishbowl.

My catch of the day:

Keep steadily before you the fact that all true success

depends at last upon yourself.

-Theodore T. Hunger

How true. Inspired, I searched for the administrator helping me so I could leave. In the meantime, she decided to multi-task and help someone else. The agitated man still stood at the counter and rather than look at him, I decided to fish again.

A strong imagination begetteth opportunity.

-Michael de Montaigne

Writers need a lot of imagination to create stories, and this quote was perfect for me. I was ready to write and managed to capture the administrator's attention. The stressed-out man edged closer to me. I was still trying to offer the man some privacy by avoiding him, but finally realized the kindness he might need more was INSPIRATION. I looked the elderly man in the eye, smiled, and stepped aside.

I must admit, I reached in the bowl one last time and found this...

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?

-Vincent Van Gogh

Yup. My writing is speaking to me.

--------------
Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: There are times we all find inspiration in the unlikeliest of places--in the doctor's office, at the bus stop, from a stranger, the loser boyfriend, during a math test, while riding a bike, maybe even watching a bug on a flower.

Let your MC do the same. Think of the setting, the seemingly insignificant steps, and then, let the AHA! moment work its magic. Is your MC alone? Or with friends? With family? Perhaps an enemy? What type of conflict is involved? Emotion?

Where was the unlikeliest place you found inspiration?

Writing the Day Away

2010-03-05T12:36:00.005-05:00

I've got my coffee, a new WIP in the works, and a semi-quiet afternoon. Even better, I just found out Cuppa Jolie's cracking the whip, so we can cheer each other on!

Here's to a productive writing day! I need to work on character analysis and plan to write at least 1,000 words.

What are your writing goals? Good luck!

Self-Discovery Month at readergirlz: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

2010-03-02T09:59:00.005-05:00

We are thrilled to welcome Scott Westerfeld to readergirlz. His latest novel, LEVIATHAN, is our March pick! Check out our interview with Scott, book party ideas themed around both books, and our Reach Out project idea--as well as the awesome soundtrack Scott has chosen for the book--on readergirlz.com.

Here's a little about LEVIATHAN:

Prince Aleksander is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn war machine and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman, serving aboard a living airship. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered. With the Great War brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way... taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever.

And the buzz...

"Leviathan is steampunk at its best: an imaginative historical and technological adventure filled with characters of heart and courage. Any one who dreams of following her dreams and discovering her destiny will soar through this book." - Dia Calhoun, readergirlz diva

"This steampunk adventure is sure to become a classic." - School Library Journal

"The request line for the sequel can start forming now." - The Bulletin

Starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and The Bulletin.

"When a book pursues you into your dreams, you can't ignore it." - Sunday Telegraph

Westerfeld was named one of eight YA writers who shaped the decade by Amazon's book blog.

We are excited to have the amazing Scott with us this month! Join us all month at the readergirlz blog for discussions. Also, mark your calendars for a LIVE chat with Scott on Wednesday, March 17th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.

Happy March, readergirlz!

Author Interviews: Let the Nominations Begin

2010-02-28T17:05:00.008-05:00

It's been awhile since I last posted and I fear you've all forgotten about me. The holidays put a damper on any of my creative abilities and my writing was put on hold. But now, ideas abound! I've been making up for lost time and putting the finishing touches on my manuscript. I've even started a new WIP! These projects make me happy, which means I'll be writing more and blogging less (for a short time).

In the hopes you'll forgive me, please know there are author spotlights in the works! I've lined up a few authors and will be contacting more writers to schedule in the calendar.

Let me ask you...do you have a favorite author you'd like to see interviewed? This is your opportunity to nominate someone by March 12th. I'll consider your Picture Book/Middle Grade/Young Adult writer nominations and will read their books before selecting the next group of authors.

NOTE 1: I can't promise every writer nominated will be contacted, nor, can I guarantee that an author will even be interested. But, there may be a prize once I go through all the nominations!

NOTE 2: Please keep in mind, any self-promotion will be deleted.

The floor is yours. Nominate a favorite PB/MG/YA writer by March 12th! Thank you.

Mapping Out Writing Time: Write-a-Scene Writing Prompts

2010-02-12T11:59:00.004-05:00

I thought I'd put this question out there. As of right now, I've put together 30 Write-a-Scene Writing Prompts for your writing pleasure.

Are you interested in seeing more of these or have you had your fill?

Writing Tip: Erin Dealey and The Writer's Rap

2010-02-11T16:29:00.002-05:00

Have you seen this great video by Erin Dealey?

Day 30: Mapping Out Writing Time: How Much Baggage Do You Need To Get Rid Of To Move Forward?

2010-02-05T08:19:00.008-05:00

I've written about this before, and thought this topic would make a good reminder and great Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt.

As we grow older, most of us carry around baggage in one form another. Maybe it's a childhood friend whispering behind our back, "She'ssoweirdlet'sditchher," and believing everyone will believe the same thing. A guilt we have from the way we betrayed someone. An old boyfriend we quite can't forget because of the sweet words he whispered, even though he dumped us for a prettier girl. Wondering whether we will ever be somebody special because in high school we were destined to be the someone people teased. Cringing that we ever thought we were ALL THAT in high school because our lives didn't turn out to be the way we imagined it would be. Or the tears we shed for a loved one, of the treasures we keep because we're not quite ready to say goodbye. Or the public manner where the baggage of the beautiful, rich, famous, smartest, and accomplished are thrown about for the world to see. I'm sure you can think of more scenarios, all good fodder for trips down memory lane or a good writing rampage.

Whatever the cause of the baggage, the only way to move ahead is to get rid of the problem, not bury it away to crop up another time. Throw things away. Clean up your clutter. Write what's holding you back on strips of paper. Create a special ceremony to burn all those negative things away. Shout out from the rooftops how incredible you are. Face the music. Don't hide behind others. Have a heart-to-heart, believe in your goodness and dreams, don't let the naysayers get in your way.

How much baggage do you need to get rid of before you can move forward? Think on this for a bit. Get rid of your character's baggage (and yours!). Move forward. It'll be good for you.

Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: When characters grow or suffer from their experiences, it adds depth and complexity to their personalities--it makes them human. How will they grow and heal? Do they need to get rid of physical objects or change an attitude? Is it through an argument or a heart-to-heart? Or, are they in a position where they can't let go and are forced to live miserably in the past, wondering why this happened to them, dwelling on the what if's?

What kind of baggage is holding your protagonist back?

Write a scene where your MC figures out the Aha! moment so he can move forward in his story. Ramp up the angst, emotion and conflict--you're going to need every bit of sweat and tears you can bring to the story. Add depth and complexity to your MC. This, my friends, will help your readers identify with your characters.

Have fun writing!

readergirlz: February is the Month of Resilience and Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper

2010-02-01T10:02:00.010-05:00

Please welcome Sharon M. Draper, author of COPPER SUN and more, to readergirlz. Check out the buzz on this month's readergirlz issue.

We'll be chatting with Ms. Draper on February 17th at 6 pm PST/9 pm EST over at the readergirlz blog and hope you'll stop by!

Looking for what to read next? Here's what the Postergirlz recommended:

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Day of Tears by Julius Lester
Touching Snow by M Sindy Felin
Chanda's Wars by Allan Stratton
The Bite of Mango by Mariatu Kamara with Susan McClelland

Day 29: Mapping Out Writing Time: Beware the Shifts in Power

2010-01-31T10:53:00.016-05:00

See Beau.

He looks a bit fuzzy in this photo, but don't hold it against him. Isn't he cute?

My sister-in-law asked us to puppysit for five days and four nights. Look at Beau. How could we resist?

The girls were thrilled. They love Beau.

He really is cute.

Except...Beau woke all of us at 3:15 IN THE MORNING the past four nights, barking up a storm, quieting down every once in awhile, and then breaking out into low whimpers. Perhaps you've heard them before. The PAY ATTENTION TO ME, MY MOMMY IS GONE whimpers that make you ignore how tired you are so you will protect said puppy.

The first night, I brought Beau outside, thinking he needed to relieve himself, but all he wanted to do was play. The second night, we tried to ignore him and hoped he'd quiet down. By the third day, all of us, even Beau, were a quivering mess of nerves. Thank goodness, Beau is so sweet and adorable.

Imagine, if you will, the shifts in power over the past week. Beau is so cute, we all want to cater to him. Every bark, every whimper, commands a power so great, at least one of us springs into action to take care of the little puppy, especially since he had a couple accidents in the house. Does he want to play? Go out for a walk? Sit next to us and hang out? He's such a loveable dog, we're captive to his charms.

The three girls argue over who gets the honors of walking Beau. The little guy is overwhelmed. He's not used to the noise of our household--plus multiply the chaos with all the friends who stop by to admire him. I'm on edge because of sleep deprivation and trying to keep too many prying hands from grabbing at Beau. The little guy realizes I'm the power source to food, water and calm from the kids, and constantly follows me around. Spy Girl notices my mood and does everything possible to ensure Beau stays, including taking Beau on long walks and picking up the poop, which makes Beau, Ninja Girl and Wonder Girl think she's a goddess.

Ninja Girl loves Beau so much. It turns out she isn't allergic to him, which makes her want to play with him even more. This makes her feel normal, in a world where she's allergic to practically everything, and it makes my heart melt, until she falls asleep in school because she's so tired from Beau's early wake-up nudges. Husband wonders when his sister will rescue us, so our life will return to normal and he gets more attention than the puppy. Wonder Girl and Ninja Girl specialize in terrorizing Beau, pouncing on him every chance they can, showering him with hugs and love and his absolute favorite--playing in the snow. All they have to do is get the leash out and Beau runs and jumps on them, tail wagging, barking with delight.

In the five days and four nights, Beau became part of our family. Yes, we took care of him and loved him, but Beau also watched over us and loved us. A tiny part of me misses the early morning wake-up calls, but...not too much. The next time Beau stays with us, he'll sleep through the night. Right?

Remember in your writing, even though there is one Alpha Dog, there will be little shifts of power, depending on the situation and the characters. Perhaps it's enough to overthrow the Alpha Dog. Or, it can simply be an interesting study of human behavior. Pay attention and let the scenes unfold with the little power plays. It'll bring interesting conflict to your story, as well as keep your readers on their toes. Not everything will be as it seems, and this, my friends, will make your readers want to read more.

Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: Analyze your characters and bring out their dominant and recessive personalities to the surface with a little power play. Figure out your scene. It can be something as simple as taking care of a dog or as dramatic as running for class president, prom queen, or saving the world. Who are the characters? What does each character bring to the table and how must they be appeased, bribed, praised, etc. to bring your plot along? There should be plenty of conflict and great opportunity to bring in emotion and/or humor. Beware the shifts in power...have fun!

Writing Inspiration: Becoming a Writer by Junot Diaz

2010-01-20T07:15:00.004-05:00

"You see, in my view a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway."
-Junot Diaz, Pulitzer Prize 2008, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Essay for Oprah Magazine, October 13, 2009

"I don't have any sense other than that writing is extremely difficult for me. People are always asking, "Did it take you so long because writing a novel is really hard?" I'm like, dude, it took me seven years to write one story, one twenty page story. Really? I didn't realize that one was harder than the other, they all seem impossible to me. They both have me through the intestines on their horns, so it's that kind of weird thing like getting gut-shot by a pistol or a rifle. And the process, someone's like "Tell me, which one is worse?" And I'm like [screams]! That's the only way to answer it, I'm usually so busy screaming the fine nuances of loss."
-excerpt from Bookslut interview with Junot Diaz, September 2007

------------------------

Sometimes it does the heart good to know how hard writing is for other people--even a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist. These quotes may have very well saved me last night.

Thank you, Mr. Diaz. And now, it's time for me to write.

readergirlz: Chat with E. Lockhart Tonight!

2010-01-20T07:13:00.000-05:00

Psst! Over here! E. Lockart, fab author of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks and other cool books, will chat with readergirlz tonight, 6 pm PST/9 pm EST.

See you over at the readergirlz blog!

Sometimes It's Nice to Win at Plotting Organization

2010-01-20T06:59:00.004-05:00

HWM Happiness Giveaway #2

Thanks for all your wonderful entries! I have some good news. I've managed to find a few extra index card organizers so there will be 4 winners!

Please e-mail me at hipwritermama@comcast.net with your snail mail address, by Monday, January 25th. Let me know if you'd like your organizer cover personalized with WIP title, name, etc. Also, let me know if you'd like to have the quotes inside the cover or to keep blank.

Congratulations!

Happy Dance Friday #2

2010-01-15T22:23:00.004-05:00

There's some great news in the blogosphere...

Today is Becky Levine's book launch day for The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide! If you're a writer, you're going to need this!

Beth Kephart reveals her gorgeous new book cover for DANGEROUS NEIGHBORS. It is absolutely stunning. I can't wait!

R.L. LaFevers has fantastic news about her NATHANIEL FLUDD: BEASTOLOGIST series. Yay! This will make Ninja Girl so happy.

Farida Dowler's short story, The Scullery Boy Remembers, is published in Enchanted Conversation. Very nice twist to a classic fairy tale. Wonderful story.

Robin Brande sold a new book, PARALLELOGRAM. Congrats!

I made progress on PB and perfected my plot organizer. Whee!

Do you have any good news you'd like to share? Comment away!

Day 28: Mapping Out Writing Time: Brilliant Plots Require Easy Organization and Happiness Giveaway #2

2010-01-15T09:46:00.020-05:00

If you wish to be a writer, write.

-Epictetus

And write, I will.

But first, I have to tell you about the portable plotting organizer I put together the other day for my new WIP. It's so simple, I can hardly stand it. It may very well keep me sane during my writing and revision process, and that, my friends, is HUGE in my book.

When I start a new project, I usually write a chapter or two, to see whether my muse is inspired to brainstorm. Next, I write the most basic of outlines and get to know my characters. Then, I plot away.

Plotting is hard work. It requires imagination, the ability to make the impossible believable, and incredible persistence, sometimes fortified with strong coffee or tea. I believe if a writer has a good system to organize plot, it makes writing so much easier. Or, at least it's a productive way to unleash writer's block angst, right? Can't figure out what to write next? Bam! Take it out on the system and hash over your plot. Over the past few years, I've tried post-it notes, wall charts, computerized spreadsheets, and journals. And while they all work, they don't quite click with me for one reason or another.

Then, I discovered the beauty of the index card. This may sound strange, but scenes became much easier for me to visualize and then capture the written word. Color coded 3" X 5" cards are cheap, easy to store and rearrange. I love how easy it is to throw away an index card or two if an idea is pure crap. No more scathing notes to myself (within reason) or huge X's crossing out text...simply toss it out. Need to change a few scenes around? Just move the index cards, no problem. I love how there's no organizational eyesores to clog up my brain with unnecessary noise. There's no need to obsess about how I'm going to clean up my plotting, because I can't read through all my scribbles. This clarity of focus helps me concentrate on writing, which is always a very good thing.

Two years ago, Spy Girl came home from school with math facts written on index cards, fastened by a loose leaf ring. I was smitten. If you love office supplies as much as I do, you'll understand why I had to go to the store.

See the pretty cards all fanned out? These loose leaf rings are a lifesaver. I don't have to worry about losing the sequence of events. Instant peace of mind.

I recently came up with a new idea for a manuscript. It freaked me out since I'm still putting the finishing touches on PB, plus I have a few other manuscripts in the works. But, who am I to say, "No," to my muse? So, I went to the store to pick up some index cards, and found this index card organizer.

It may not look very impressive, but I practically drooled over it. Colored index cards, holes already punched in, 2 loose leaf rings, and 2 tabs. All of a sudden, I had the urge to figure out the best way to use this, and soon discovered the D*I*Y Planner Hipster PDA Edition--free downloadable productivity forms that can be printed on index cards. This takes my plotting system to a whole new level of organization.

Inside the cover, I wrote a couple inspirational quotes by Epictetus:
"First say to yourself what you will be; and then do what you have to do."
"If you wish to be a writer, write."

Then I printed out a few forms to see if my printer would print on index cards. And it did! Check out the Story Idea form:

Are you drooling yet? Here's the Plot Point form:

What about now? And, the Character form:

Even though I've always written out characteristics and plot details on index cards, now my plotting system has the organizational function of a planner, but with the freedom I desperately need. 3"x5" cards are small so the forms keep me in check to keep important information to one card. Sure you can write more information on the 4"x 6" or 5" x 8" cards--but the smaller cards keep me focused to one idea per side.

This system isn't for everyone. If you like using index cards but prefer a different method of keeping them together, there are spiral bound index cards and binders for index cards. I just like loose leaf rings. Another thing, if you go into the store and can't find the same index card holder, have no fear. It's easy to make yourself. All you need are index cards, a hole punch, and 2 loose leaf rings. Easy.

Whew. My inner geek is finally revealed. It's quite liberating.

If you want to know more about how this all works, check out the D*I*Y Planner Hipster PDA Edition free downloadable forms. The folks who put these forms together totally rock. You can customize an organizational system perfect for your needs. They have forms to fit any size planner you have, and even adapt to well-known planning systems.

Now, all you need to do is create and write. Doesn't that sound perfect?

-------
Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: Tighten up your plotting and write a scene after you spend a few minutes organizing your plot. It may seem like work but you will write closer to your story in a shorter period of time. Have fun!

-------

HWM Happiness Giveaway #2

You didn't think I'd wax poetic about my new plotting organizer all this time and not share my bounty, did you? Well, here's the deal. I'm giving away a little package of goodies (see the photo) to one lucky person. This is what's in the prize:

1 red cover index card organizer with:

Personalized cover in black ink (see photo on right for print sample)-- WIP title, name, Secret Project, etc. Or leave blank. You choose.
Inside cover with 2 Epictetus quotes (see above photo #3). Or leave blank. Your choice.
2 loose leaf rings
2 red tabs
2 clear tabs (from clear organizer but you'll understand why once you see how the sections are divided)
white index cards with colored borders
D*I*Y Hipster reference cards so you know where to find forms to personalize for your own system
1 Story Idea card
4 Project cards
5 Combined Action cards
3 Book Note cards - remember books used for research
3 Contact cards - people interviewed or agent info
9 Plot Point cards (3 green, 3 yellow, 3 red)
6 Character cards (2 green, 2 yellow, 2 red)

1 clear covered index card organizer with:

2 loose leaf rings
white index cards

2 2" loose leaf rings:

in case you decide to combine these two organizers or add more index cards

If you'd like to enter for a chance to win this fantastic package, let's play a little Mad Libs in the Comments below: Plotting is like ___________. The only way to _______ is _______________. OR, tell me about your plotting routine. Deadline is Tuesday, January 19th, 11pm EST. Comment away!

Winner for HWM Happiness Giveaway #1 is...

2010-01-15T09:37:00.003-05:00

Thanks to all who entered the HWM Happiness Giveaway #1. I loved all your answers.

Now, the hard part....

Sherrie! You're the winner.

Send me your snail mail address to hipwritermama@comcast.net and I'll mail your package to you.

Day 27: Mapping Out Writing Time: Using the Green-Eyed Monster for the Greater Good and Happiness Giveaway #1

2010-01-11T07:56:00.019-05:00

January. January. January.

I despise how I've allowed these four syllables to throw me into a funk these past few years. It's not supposed to be this way.

January is meant for new beginnings. We say farewell to the old year and herald in the new. We write up our New Year's Resolutions and ~~try to~~ commit to becoming thinner, fitter, smarter, better, happier, and kinder. We shovel the snow and enjoy adrenalin-pumping winter activities like skiing, skating, snowboarding. And let us not forget January is named after the Roman god, Janus, the god of gates and doorways, of beginnings and endings.

I've alway loved planning out my New Year's Resolutions, but lately, it's difficult to muster up the enthusiasm to set them in stone, to be reviewed in the next year. (Yes, I do this sort of thing.) I blame it entirely on being ~~cursed~~ blessed with a January birthday. Think it's hard to write down New Year's Resolutions? Try it with a January birthday. This double whammy ensures twice the pleasure of reflecting on what hasn't been done. And if you're in your forties (gulp), when every new year becomes more precious, the success and failure of each goal becomes a critical analysis. And yes. Sometimes when you see good things, well-deserved things happen to people you like and respect, sometimes it's hard to tell the Green-Eyed Monster to leave you alone.

Even with friends and family.

Some friends invited us over to their house for dinner on Saturday. They bought a new construction home and it is Spectacular, with a capital S--all the latest and greatest of shiny things. Radiant-heated bathroom floors. Stainless steel kitchen appliances. Custom designed kitchen. Beautiful, big windows. Huge flat-screen tv... Shiny. Shiny. Shiny. When I came home, all I could see was my house, stuck in the 1960's, overshadowed with imperfections. Big Time.

The next day, I picked Ninja Girl up from a friend's house. They invited me in to see their stunning kitchen remodel with incredible slider doors to their backyard, overlooking their personal skating rink.

"This should be you." The Green-Eyed Monster gnashed her teeth. "You've been living with old appliances and a run-down kitchen for years. It's not fair!"

"It's not in the budget right now. Soon." I hesitated.

"Ah, but think what you could do if you knocked down some walls in your kitchen." She curled her slimy hands around my shoulder and shone a light around my dumpy kitchen. "Hire an architect, order designer cabinets. Spare no expense! Look what you've put up with. Don't you deserve better?"

I grabbed a tape measure and started drawing out a plan. Man. I deserve a dream kitchen. The Green-Eyed Monster is right. Fuhgeddaboutit. It should be mine. I deserve it just as much as anyone else. Why do they get the nice kitchen? They're younger than I am. I work just as hard as they do. I deserve it. Fuhgeddaboutit. Forget I need to replace Sophie, my eleven-year-old car first. Forget about our plan to wait another year to replace the cabinets. Forget about the budget. Forget about... Gah!

The nice thing about getting older is I'm no longer a prisoner of the Green-Eyed Monster. She can reel me in, but now, ~~I've accepted~~ I'm wise enough to know there is a time for everything. It's easier to let the Green-Eyed Monster know her place. Sometimes, it's enough to know good things do happen to people, the people you are happy for, and that your time will come.

Work hard. Use the Green-Eyed Monster for motivation and inspiration, to nip at your heels and help you work harder. Great things WILL happen to you. Soon enough.

-------------
Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: Let's face it. Most of us succumb to the Green-Eyed Monster at some point. She can drive some of us to evil or put us in uncompromising situations because of all-consuming jealousy. Others, are inspired to harness the Green-Eyed Monster for the greater good. How does your MC react to jealousy? Or, perhaps your villian? Write a scene where your MC or villian is confronted with jealousy. Did someone win a coveted prize? Maybe someone else got the girl or boy. How does your protagonist/villian react? What actions do they take? Drum up the emotion, the intensity and conflict here. Have fun!

------------
Happiness Giveaway because it's my Birthday Month: We celebrate big in my family, celebrating the week before and after the Big Day. Since I'd like to dull the dread of the impending day, I'm going to host a few giveaways in these two weeks.

Today's offering is a pretty LUSH gift pack of Christmas Party. Sure, Christmas is over, but how can you resist the Happy Hippy Shower Gel and Ice Blue soap I purchased at my local LUSH store? Just the thought of these fresh scents makes me happy. Man, I sound like a commercial.

If you'd like to enter, answer the following question in the Comments below: If you had one chance for happiness, what would do you to get it? Deadline is Thursday, January 14th, 11pm EST. U.S. shipping addresses only. Comment away!

Happy Dance Friday #1

2010-01-08T09:54:00.006-05:00

Have you heard?

Our own Tanita Davis is a nominee for a NAACP Image Award, for her wonderful novel, MARE'S WAR. How shout-it-from-the-rooftop is that happy news?

What good news would you like to share?

Go for it.

Day 26: Mapping Out Writing Time: Visualize Your Goal and Work Toward It

2010-01-05T12:40:00.006-05:00

"First say to yourself what you would be;

and then do what you have to do."

-Epictetus

This quote speaks volumes by itself.

Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: Everyone dreams to BE something. Write a scene where your MC comes to terms with what he/she wants to be. Will this be easy to accomplish? What sacrifices will need to be made? Who will stand in the way? Who will cheer your MC on to the end?

~~If you have time~~ Make the time to tell yourself what you would like to be and map out what you will need to do to get there. It will be well worth the effort.

Here's to a wonderful year of beautiful dreams, great adventures, and the courage to believe and plan in the "I can." Happy New Year!

Beth Kephart Chats with readergirlz, Wednesday, January 6th, 6pm PST/9pm EST!!!!

2010-01-05T07:45:00.005-05:00

My friend, the incredible Beth Kephart, will be chatting with readergirlz on January 6th! Tomorrow! 6pm PST/9pm EST.

Please stop by the readergirlz blog to participate. It's easy to do and you will learn so much.

If you want to know more about Beth, check out her WBBT interview, her writing tip on bringing emotion to the page, and her interview podcast with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett. All fantastic stuff.

See you tomorrow!

Welcome E. Lockhart, author of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks to readergirlz!

2010-01-03T08:47:00.008-05:00

We are thrilled to welcome E. Lockhart to readergirlz. Her novel The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is our January pick! Check out the our interview with E., book party ideas themed around both books, and our Reach Out project idea--as well as the awesome soundtrack E.'s chosen for the book--on readergirlz.com.

Here's a little about The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks:

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14: Debate Club. Her father's "bunny rabbit." A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15: A knockout figure. A sharp tongue. A chip on her shoulder. And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.

Frankie is no longer the kind of girl to take "no" for an answer, especially when "no" means she's excluded from Matthew's all-male secret society.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 16: Possibly a criminal mastermind. This is the story of how she got that way.

And the buzz...

National Book Award finalist
Printz Honor
Winner in the Young Adult Fiction category of The Cybils Awards
Starred reviews in Kirkus, PW, Booklist, School Library Journal

We are excited to have the fantastic E. with us this month! Join us all month right here on the blog for discussions and mark your calendars a LIVE chat on Wednesday, January 20th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.

Happy 2010, readergirlz!

Day 25: Mapping Out Writing Time: When the Familiar Becomes Not So

2009-12-23T06:36:00.002-05:00

"Mom, are you sure we're going the right way?"

With this one question, a new Write-a-Scene topic was born. Thank you, Wonder Girl.

We were driving on a narrow road, one of the many quiet streets connecting one town to another. I've driven this way countless times, and yet, Wonder Girl's question made me wonder whether I took the wrong road.

I looked at our surroundings and all I could see was snow. A foot of snow covered everything around us. Gone was the golf course, the small pile of rocks, the dirt path. Fences, bushes, and trees all started to look the same with the snow. And the houses, now cloaked in snow, could have been any house, every house, the exact same house. It took a few minutes to know for certain I knew where I was driving.

This situation made me realize how the familiar can become unfamiliar when something new is added to the mix. All it took was Wonder Girl's question and some snow to make me see differently. What if we added more layers--freezing temperatures, 40-mile winds, blinding snow? Now we've got a blizzard and people can get lost in these conditions, even if they're close to home.

Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: Rock your MC's world and add layers to the familiar to skew the view. This is a good thing to apply to a good portion of our manuscripts.

Write a scene where your protagonist finds the safety and certainty of the familiar changed--whether for good or bad. Use your imagination. Fiddle around with the setting, change the behavior of the best friend/boyfriend/girlfriend, add conflict to the family or ease up the school routine. Remember, writing is all about adding layers. Have a good writing day!

Day 24: Mapping Out Writing Time: Staying the Course, Even When Others Don't Believe

2009-12-22T10:40:00.005-05:00

"Mom, I forgot to mail my letter to Santa!" Spy Girl flew into the kitchen this morning, envelope in hand. "Do you think it's too late?"

For the past few years, I've been waiting to have the talk with Spy Girl about Santa. Her friends have been dropping comments since the second grade, and despite the doubt cast by naysayers, Spy Girl's belief in Santa is much stronger. She'll defend Santa to anyone who tells her otherwise. As far as I know, Spy Girl is the only fifth grader in her school that still believes.

I'm cool with this.

Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: There are times your MC is going to face opposition from people who have different convictions. This may be a matter of right vs. wrong or life vs. death, or it can be something where both sides are right, depending on upbringing, maturity, religious beliefs, race, etc.

Write a scene where your protagonist is faced with an opposing view, but has a different belief. Is this an easy situation, where both sides agree to disagree? Or is there something at stake, where winner takes all? Or perhaps the situation is more complicated and there is no clear winner. Emotion and conflict should factor in big time in this scene(s). Good luck!

Project 4 Awesome: You Are Not Alone by Myles Dyer

2009-12-18T12:50:00.009-05:00

Check out this important video that Myles Dyer put together on his favorite charity for John and Hank Green's Project for Awesome...Thank you, Myles, for letting us all know we are not alone.

Tamora Pierce LIVEchat Over at readergirlz Tonight! 6pm Pacific/ 9pm EST

2009-12-16T12:04:00.004-05:00

It's that time -- Tamora Pierce will be at readergirlz tonight to answer questions about her books, writing process and whatever else comes to mind. This is a great opportunity to learn from an incredible writer. Don't miss this!

Stop by tonight, 6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern, for a great discussion! See you there!

Chance to Win $1,000 Scholarship for Creating a Book Trailer for Susan Taylor Brown's HUGGING THE ROCK

2009-12-12T16:05:00.005-05:00

If you're a teen, ages 13 - 18, hurry and submit a book trailer for the wonderful MG verse novel, Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown.

There's a chance you can win a Freshbrain.org $1,000 scholarship!!!

Deadline is this Tuesday, December 15th. Click here for the rules and submission information. Good luck!

Day 23: Mapping Out Writing Time: The Double-Edged Sword

2009-12-11T12:17:00.007-05:00

Life seems to get in the way of my writing. The flu, three children, a husband, managing office work that piles up faster than I can organize, housework, soccer, too much homework to supervise, holiday pressures, and general doldrums have provided more than plenty of opportunity for numerous excuses and bad creative behavior.

When I do write, my husband and children sometimes get resentful of my time away from them, voicing their disappointment when I'm at my laptop. My writing is usually done on the sly, in tidbits, spread thin.

Right now, writing seems to be my double-edged sword. If I write, chaos erupts and my family is unhappy. If I don't write, the household runs more smoothly, but I'm restless. It's a tough balancing act to maintain peace in my writing world, where sacrifices must be made, and sometimes it's difficult to see how, and if, we can all win.

Gah! I don't mean to sound so dire, for my children are the world to me and I will move mountains for them. Deep down, I know they believe in me and my writing, in a shout-it-from-the-rooftop type of way, but they are young and they still need me. As I do them. And that helps me get through the tough days.

I'm writing about this because sometimes it's just nice to know there are people out there who understand how difficult it is to write when others depend on you, but write anyway, and find a way to make their dreams come true.

~~I want to be that person. I will be that person.~~

I am that person.

And I know you are, too. That is all.

Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: Write a scene (okay, this may take chapters to explore, but start off small) where your protagonist is faced with a double-edged sword--two choices--one favorable, one not so much. What do these choices mean for the protagonist, for the other people in his/her life? Who will suffer the most? Will anyone win? What does your protagonist do? Why? How do others react? Remember to evoke emotion, conflict and consequences.

Now get your butt in the chair and write.

Help Kickstart Tu Publishing and Good Karma Will Follow You

2009-12-11T00:55:00.006-05:00

Have you heard of Tu Publishing? This small, independent multicultural press for children and YA is the brainchild of Stacy Whitman.

Stacy is raising capital through Kickstarter to fund this project--she needs $10,000 and as of right now, is 63% there. She has 3 more days to raise the remainder of the money, which she'll use to acquire, produce, market and distribute the first two books. Check out the type of books Stacy will be looking to acquire in January 2010.

If you're able to donate $1 or more, or, if you can help spread the word, it would do much to help bring much needed books out into the world. Go here to find out more about how to pledge money to Tu Publishing and bring good karma into your life. Thank you!

Day 22: Mapping Out Writing Time: Do the UNEXPECTED

2009-12-10T13:40:00.007-05:00

It's been awhile since my last Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt and I thank all of you for your patience. Though, perhaps, you've all been as crazed as I've been these past few weeks and have welcomed the reprieve. Or maybe, like me, you've hit a creative slump and needed the break. And truly, with the holiday rush, who has time to write?

Let's wait for the New Year, the beginning of a new decade, to start writing again. Sound good?

Gah! This is no time to wimp out. I must admit, I've thought of taking a vacation from writing, but I can't stop. I'm a writer and that's what I do. I create characters and stories and most importantly, I write. So, if you're in it for the long run, like I am, let's keep on writing. Right now. We can cheer each other on.

The publishing world has been changing for some time and there is no time to wallow in doubt. Have you heard the latest? Kirkus is closing. Rather than worry about what will happen next in the world of publishing, let's focus on finishing our manuscripts and writing through the end of this year and into 2010. Wouldn't that be a great way to usher in a new decade of hopes and dreams?

And just for you, I've got a new writing prompt, to inspire a new scene or two for your manuscript.

Ready?

-------------------------------------------

School mornings are hectic in my household. Spy Girl and Wonder Girl are early risers, but Ninja Girl? Let's just say I've tried just about everything to get her to wake up so I can get the girls to school on time. Which is defined quite loosely most mornings.

And since the other two think they have more time, they meander through their morning routine, sometimes taking even longer than Ninja Girl to get ready.

I hate how I have to ~~cajole, yell, scream~~ sing Broadway songs to entice my children to get out the door. It's painful for all of us and really not the best way to start off the day.

Guess what I did today? I remained calm this morning. No arguments with children about their choice of clothing or hairstyle or shoes or warm gloves/hats or breakfast food. Talk about confusing them! But, they all got ready and out the door in record time. What a pleasant and freeing experience! My children made their own decisions and they shouldered the responsibility quite well, for the most part. And I squelched the temptation to interfere and ruin the good cheer.

Write-a-Scene Writing Prompt: Do the UNEXPECTED. We all know we should do this when we're writing, but sometimes, we need a gentle reminder. Shake things up a bit and let your characters do something unpredictable. Maybe your MC is miserly and shows a bit of holiday spirit. Or has trouble making choices and surprises everyone with a split-second decision. Or falls in love with the right person rather than the wrong one. Or decides to run off with a pack of vampires rather than join the family circus. Or is the shy one and tells off the school bully. See all the possibilities?

Are you ready to write the scene? Have fun with this and don't worry, there are no wrong choices. Just be sure to show the consequences, good or bad, and let your characters react to the unexpected situation. Don't wimp out. It'll be good for your story.

Add an interesting dimension to your story and your readers will love you.

Writing Tip: Annie Dillard and the Writing Life by Alexander Chee

2009-12-03T00:11:00.009-05:00

You must read this incredible essay by Alexander Chee.

It will change the way you look at your writing.

Read the essay. Then, start writing.

Time to Announce the Winner: R.L. LaFever's ARC Giveaway...

2009-12-01T19:41:00.010-05:00

Thank you, Everyone, for stopping by, reading R.L. LaFever's interview, and taking the time to comment. Isn't Robin awesome?

We knew it would be hard to choose a winner, but we didn't realize just how hard. You all created such great secret societies, plus, you kept us entertained.

But, there can be only one winner.....

Ello! Send me your snail mail address to hipwritermama @ comcast dot net and Robin will send you an ARC of Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus.

Before you all leave, Robin has a nice surprise. There will be one more winner!

Tricia! Send me your snail mail address to hipwritermama @ comcast dot net and Robin will send you an ARC of Nathaniel Fludd, Book 2.

Be good, All. You never know what else might come up! I'm a little bit in shock--I just got my 100th follower and will need to think of a good way to celebrate!

December readergirlz: Tamora Pierce

2009-12-01T09:36:00.007-05:00

December is all about INDEPENDENCE as Tamora Pierce joins the rgz Circle of Stars with her books, Trickster’s Choice and Trickster’s Queen. Please join readergirlz as we chat about related topics all month at the rgz blog.

rgz LIVE! with Tamora is scheduled for Wednesday, December 16th at 6 pm PST/9 pm EST.

Gather the postergirlz recommended reads to accompany Trickster’s Choice and Trickster’s Queen:

His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman
Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner
The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
Flora Segunda and Flora's Dare by Ysabeau S. Wilce
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede
Teens Cook: How to Cook What You Want to Eat by Meghan Carle and Jill Carle

Happy December!

R.L. LaFever's ARC Giveaway Deadline is November 30th

2009-11-29T01:00:00.010-05:00

If you haven't had a chance to read R.L. LaFever's fabulous interview, go right here. By the way, there's a contest, for a chance to win an ARC of Theodosia - Eyes of Horus, Book 3 of the Theodosia series. Thank you, Robin!

So, pass the word! The deadline to enter for a chance to win is tomorrow, November 30th. All you have to do to enter Robin's THEODOSIA AND THE EYES OF HORUS ARC Giveaway, is answer the following question in the Comments section [CLICK here]:

If you could create your own secret society, what would it be?

Please keep it clean, folks.

Good luck!

Beth Kephart's readergirlz writing contest #4: writing from life

2009-11-28T21:54:00.003-05:00

The fabulous Beth Kephart, author-in-residence for readergirlz, posted the final readergirlz writing contest:

"...a challenge that asks you to look at something familiar and transform it into the unexpected. Check out the video posted here. Send your best work to kephartblogATcomcastDOTnet. The winner will receive an advanced reading copy of The Heart is Not a Size (which is due out in March from HarperTeen). The winning work will be posted on this site. Our deadline is December 30, 2009."

And in case you're wondering, here's the winner for Beth's writing contest #3! Congratulations, Kiera!

Happy Thanksgiving: Celebrate Life With The Gratitude Dance

2009-11-26T00:00:00.006-05:00

I thought I'd share this great video made by The GratiDudes.

Can you imagine jumping up from your seat and breaking out into a Gratitude Dance during Thanksgiving Dinner? How many relatives would get up and dance? Are they the people you expected?

Yup. I've already got a smile on my face.

Don't let the bad stuff get you down. I know. I know. Easy to say. Hard to do at times in the midst of horrific world events, questions about national policies, and uncertain economic times. Add to this equation the daily grind of life, and sometimes, it's plain difficult to see the good that's been there all along.

No matter what difficulties life throws at us, I've got to believe, there is hope and gratitude lighting the way--for ALL of us.

This Thanksgiving, let's celebrate life's moments and let the spirit of gratitude lift us up.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Beth Kephart, readergirlz author-in-residence: Writing Contest Deadline November 25th

2009-11-24T07:48:00.000-05:00

Beth Kephart, our first author-in-residence at readergirlz, has been posting monthly blogs in which she discusses the art (and the joys, and the frustrations) of writing, along with writing prompts and related contests. Here is Beth's third writing prompt:

"In this readergirlz challenge, the premise is simple: Find a photograph of yourself as a young child on the verge of some new knowledge or turning point. Write a paragraph about that photograph/that moment in present tense, as if you are experiencing that moment for the first time. Then write about that photograph/that moment in past tense, with the gift of retrospection. Ask yourself what you gain from working in the present tense, and what is gained by reflection; include your thoughts on this with your submission."

Send your entry to kephartblog AT comcast DOT net by tomorrow, November 25th, 2009. The author of the winning paragraph will receive a signed copy of Beth's beautiful novel Nothing but Ghosts, a novel about a young girl who, in learning to live past her mother's unexpected passing, involves herself in decoding the mystery that envelops the recluse down the road. The past and the present collide in Ghosts.

http://www.readergirlz.com/residence.html
http://www.readergirlz.com/

readergirlz LIVE! chat with Marlene Carvell, Author of Sweetgrass Basket Tonight!!

2009-11-24T06:57:00.007-05:00

Psst! Here's a secret to pass along. SWEETGRASS BASKET author Marlene Carvell will be featured at the readergirlz LIVE! chat tonight at 6pmPacific time/9pm Eastern time. Let's see how quickly we can spread the word. See you at the readergirlz blog!

Monteray Bay Aquarium: Young Women in Science (YWS)

2009-11-24T06:40:00.003-05:00

Thanks to readergirlz and Little Willow, I found out about a program for teen girls over at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The Young Women in Science (YWS) which may be of particular interest to our readergirlz still in middle school:

This week-long, summer day-camp is designed to get young women excited about and involved in science, the ocean and conservation. Through a variety of hands-on field activities, we strive to increase their knowledge and to spark a personal connection with the natural world that will lead them to become future stewards of the ocean. Kids get the opportunity to explore ocean habitats by joining in activities such as surface scuba diving, boogie boarding and kayaking.

We aim to serve young women regardless of primary language or economic background. We offer three camps in the summer that are conducted in both English and Spanish. Young women entering grades 6, 7 or 8, who reside in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties, are eligible to apply.

Send an email to teenprograms@mbayaq.org to find out about the YWS program, as well as other Monterey Bay Aquarium teen programs.

WBBT Schedule Recap: November 16 - 20

2009-11-23T19:30:00.004-05:00

In case you've missed any of the fantastic line-up of writers and illustrators in last week's Winter Blog Blast Tour (WBBT), what are you waiting for? Make the time and read these interviews. They are thought-provoking and full of good stuff.

Here's the schedule:

Monday, November 16th
Jim Ottaviani at Chasing Ray
Courtney Sheinmel at Bildungsroman
Derek Landy at Finding Wonderland
Mary E. Pearson at Miss Erin
Megan Whalen Turner at HipWriterMama
Frances Hardinge at Fuse #8

Tuesday, November 17th
Ann Marie Fleming at Chasing Ray
Laurie Faria Stolarz at Bildungsroman
Patrick Carman at Miss Erin
Jacqueline Kelly at HipWriterMama
Dan Santat at Fuse #8
Nova Ren Suma at Shelf Elf

Wednesday, November 18th
Sy Montgomery (Part 1) at Chasing Ray
Jacqui Robbins at Bildungsroman
Sarwat Chadda at Finding Wonderland
Cynthia Leitich Smith at HipWriterMama
Beth Kephart at Shelf Elf
Annie Barrows at Great Kid Books

Thursday, November 19th
Sy Montgomery (Part 2) at Chasing Ray
Laini Taylor at Shelf Elf
Jim DiBartolo at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Amanda Marrone at Writing & Ruminating
Thomas Randall at Bildungsroman
Michael Hague at Fuse #8

Friday, November 20th
Lisa Schroeder at Writing & Ruminating
Alan DeNiro at Shaken & Stirred
Joan Holub at Bildungsroman
Pam Bachorz at MotherReader
Sheba Karim at Finding Wonderland
R.L. LaFevers at HipWriterMama

A special thank you to Megan Whalen Turner, Jacqueline Kelly, Cynthia Leitich Smith and R. L. LaFevers, for taking the time and sharing their thoughts on their work, life experiences that influenced their writing, and thoughts on writing. It was such an honor to have them here on my blog.

Hope you enjoyed these interviews!

Cynsational WBBT Giveaway by Cynthia Leitich Smith

2009-11-21T22:54:00.005-05:00

Have you been following the fantastic discussion in the Comments section of Cynthia Leitich Smith's WBBT interview? You must check it out.

While you're at it, the deadline for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsational WBBT Giveaway is Sunday, November 22nd. Enter for a chance to win a copy of any of Cynthia Leitich Smith's books.

"I'm offering a signed copy of any of my books (winner's choice) to one of the folks who thoughtfully comments at my WBBT interview and then emails me (cynthia@cynthialeitichsmith.com) to let me know (so I have your contact information)."

Thank you, Cynthia!