FOUR AGENCY SISTERS AWAITING UPCOMING RELEASES…

Nobody ever said the road to publication would be a quick, smooth, pothole-less trip, but wow, the last few months and weeks before release are pretty intense! Lucky me, I’ve had the privilege of sharing this journey with three very special ladies—first, Katie McGarry, who I’ve been fortunate to call my friend and critique partner for the past four years. Also, the amazing Elizabeth Langston and Chanel Cleeton who I met and soon came to adore at the RWA conference last summer—introduced by our amazing agent, Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

I recently spoke with each of them to see how they are holding up so close to their release dates and here’s what they had to say…

First up in just two short days—November 19, 2013!

Elizabeth Langston, author of YA Historical Fiction novel, WHISPER FALLS.

 “Waiting for my release day has been scary, distracting, and crazy slow. Sometimes it feels like it will never get here...not all that different from awaiting my first baby.”

While training for a mountain bike race, high-school senior Mark Lewis spots a mysterious girl dressed in odd clothing, standing behind a waterfall in the woods near his North Carolina home. When she comments on the strange machine that he rides, he suspects something isn't right. When Susanna claims to be an indentured servant from 1796, he wonders if she's crazy. Yet he feels compelled to find out more.

Mark enters a "long-distance" relationship with Susanna through the shimmering and temperamental barrier of Whisper Falls. Curious about her world, Mark combs through history to learn about the brutal life she's trapped in. But knowledge can be dangerous. Soon he must choose between the risk of changing history—or dooming the girl he can't stop thinking about to a lifetime of misery.

Next up is my book in exactly 8 days—November 25, 2013:

Colette Ballard, author of YA Romantic Suspense novel, Running On Empty.

“While it’s super cool finally counting down in single-digits days instead of weeks or months, it is nerve-wracking and intense. There’s been lots of random dry-heaving, sleepless nights, and worrying. If I were to be graded on my waiting skills, I would certainly get an F, for failure or freak or fraidy-cat… But for all my shortcomings, maybe I’d get a P for pursuit, perseverance, and oh…published.” J

What does it feel like when you die— in those final moments? Do you feel the physical pain, or just the pain of your regrets? What does it feel like when you realize you can’t answer these questions because you’re not the victim?

     You’re the killer.

River Daniels lives an ordinary life as a high school junior growing up in the confines of rural Texas until her boyfriend’s brutal attack leaves her both a murderer and a fugitive. When River’s closest girlfriends come to her aid, they make a hasty decision to not only help her, but leave their own troubled lives behind and join in her escape. The girls manage to elude police for months, but with every near-miss, River’s life spirals further out of control, until she finally hits rock bottom. Realizing she must stop endangering her friends and find evidence proving she acted in self-defense, the girls decide to make a risky return to Texas. Her return means more than facing her ugly past, she must also face the one person she was protecting the night her world caved in, the guy she has loved for as long as she can remember.       

In only 9 days is—November 26, 2013!

Katie McGarry, author of YA Romance novel, CRASH INTO YOU:

"Gearing for release day brings on a myriad of emotions. I'm excited and nervous and

happy and nervous. It's an absolutely thrilling time!"

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life—that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers…and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker—a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind. 

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks—no matter how angelic she might look. 

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other. 

And last but not least, in less than three months—February 1^st, 2014:

Chanel Cleeton, author of NA Romance novel, I SEE LONDON:

"For me waiting on my release feels a bit like being a kid on the night before Christmas.  You're excited, a little bit anxious, a little impatient.  Plus, you may have a hard time sleeping:) The waiting can be tough, but the best part is knowing you have something you've been dreaming about, just around the corner."

Chanel’s cover is yet to be released so I inserted her lovely picture insteadJ

When a small town girl moves to London to attend an exclusive international university— where college parties are hosted at nightclubs and beer bongs are replaced by bottles of champagne— she is caught between the hot British guy who is everything she always wanted and the Lebanese playboy she can’t resist.

So the point of this post is that in every aspect of this business it’s nice to know you’re not alone. Reach out to each other when things are tough, lean on each other, learn from each other. But equally important, take time to celebrate each other’s accomplishments no matter what stage of the game you’re in!!! J

I’d love to hear anyone’s thoughts on awaiting release dates, revisions, cover reveals, or contest news if that’s where you are!

All our books can be found on Goodreads at: https://www.goodreads.com

Also, it’s not too late to catch the last few days of Katie’s blog tour, and the beginning of mine! For more info:

http://www.katielmcgarry.com/blogs.aspx

http://coletteballard.blogspot.com

Brave Enough to Suck

I met Shari Becker a few years ago at the Highlights Foundation Whole Novel Workshop.  It was a week of inspiration and deep writing, and we've kept in touch ever since even though we live in different states. The writing/publication path is so bumpy, it helps to share the ride with someone who truly understands.  Someone to commiserate with, and someone to kick you into gear.  Shari joins YA Fusion today with a guest post.  Read on, and you'll understand why I admire her and appreciate our friendship.

Are you brave enough to suck?

This year I was fortunate enough to sell my first young adult novel. This process is neither easy nor painless. I shed many tears, had many sleepless nights, and paced hallways trying to push through writer’s block. Six months in, I scrapped my entire first attempt and rewrote the whole manuscript keeping only the core idea.

“Close” rejections stung. “I was totally hooked, but it was too similar to other books on my list.” Or, “Really great writing, but I just didn’t connect with it enough.” But it only takes one editor to love your story, and I was fortunate to find her.

The experience taught me a ton about the publishing industry and the writing process. It’s been a humbling journey. I’d love to share with you some of the lessons I learned over the past two years, writing this debut novel. I’m going to start with the one I think was most impactful --

I simply could not write my best work until I was brave enough to suck. I had to understand that even though I’d spent 10 years working on my writing, even though I had an agent, even though I had two published picture books, and even though I had worked for Nickelodeon and a Disney company, I still had so much to learn.

Two years ago I joined a fabulous critique group with super-talented writers. I came in cocky, I’ll admit. But the talent in my group was exceptional and standards were high. The writers were funny and poetic. Their grammar was better than mine. Their pacing was better than mine. They studied and honed, and they had put in hours of time and effort that I simply had not.

I had a huge wake up call: they were better than me, and I had a lot to learn from each of them.

Now of course this is all relative. I HAVE been writing for a long time. I’m not a novice. My work is certainly good enough to have an agent, but it isn’t always good enough for a slam-dunk sell.

The members of my critique group were intense, intent on publishing in a way that was hungry and pragmatic. There was no room for “good enough.”

Everyone knew that some part of their submission was going to be lousy. It was going to need rewriting. Maybe a lot. It was not good enough for publication … yet. I went to every critique group knowing I was going to get a beating, and the wounds would sting. They pushed and asked tough questions.

Another member of our critique group, who joined at the same time as I did, dropped out after just a few meetings because we critiqued too harshly. We did not stroke her ego. She was positive that her manuscript was perfect just the way it was. It wasn’t. Some parts were great, some needed real work. She was unwilling to accept her sucky-ness while I decided to embrace mine.

Success in this field (in my opinion) means understanding that writing is a process, and none of us are “there” yet. Heck, we may never get “there.” The point is to keep trying to be better. To keep trying to be your personal best. To exceed your own expectations, but to know that if you ever believe you’ve gotten “there,” you’ve probably reached the wrong destination.

To be fair, some part of this crazy business really is luck. It’s finding that one editor who loves your story enough to publish it. You have no shot at being lucky, though, if you aren’t hard on yourself. My critique group was fierce. Fierce about not accepting sub-par work from ourselves or each other. Fierce about being the best we could be. Fiercely honest about understanding the industry: what would sell and what likely wouldn't.

I just started working on a new novel, and I’m already pacing the hallways because I know it’s not nearly good enough yet. I know huge chunks need rewriting. I have to find the bravery – the courage – to accept that it sucks, and the resolve to work my tail off to make it better.

Gratitude

We’ve been focused on crafting useful posts, and the weeks keep flying by, but I’m taking a minute to push the pause button to reflect on where we’ve been.  Katie McGarry started the YA Fusion group blog in the spring of 2011 as a debut author.  Fast forward to today, and Katie’s debut novel, Pushing the Limits, was just selected as a YALSA 2013 Teens' Top Ten, her second novel, Dare You To, has been nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award, and her third novel, Crash Into You, is about to be released!

Congrats, Katie, and thank you for pulling all of us together into this supportive blog team!  

Over the past two years, we’ve grown to a team of 13 and celebrated more book birthdays and good news.  Some members have needed to pull back as they juggle work and family responsibilities, and we’re excited to welcome two new contributors, Shari Becker and Amber Hart.

Shari's YA debut, The Stellow Project, is scheduled for spring 2015 from Skyscape (Amazon's YA imprint).  Amber's YA novel, Before You, will be published by Kensington in spring 2014.  Shari and Amber will start with guest posts and join our regular schedule as they find a balance with all of their author responsibilities. 

Halloween fun is behind us, and I’m looking forward to the winter holidays.  It’s easy to get swept along in the rush of the season, but I’m going to try to slow down and make time to express gratitude.  My yoga teacher ends each class by asking us to think of something we are grateful for.  I love the website www.dailygood.org for their articles such as, The Neuroscience of Why Gratitude Makes Us Healthier.  You can sign up for inspiration and a 21 Day Gratitude challenge here: http://www.kindspring.org/21day/

To express our gratitude to our readers, YA Fusion will have a December giveaway of some of our favorite books and new releases.  Until then, here's a sneak peak:

Have a great week and good luck to everyone participating in NaNoWriMo!

Namaste,
Kristin Lenz

Brownies

For me, the creative process is a mysterious one. Sometimes, even downright spooky.

I read craft books, study the structures and elements of stories that I love, tinker with outlining, think up plot points and muse about character motivations and backstory. I’ll fill out calendars for the timeframe of my story and consider character arcs while also taking the traditional three-act structure into account.

However, as much note-taking and preliminary work as I might delve into, the true magic of storytelling never happens in the realm of “thinking something up.” At least, never for me.

I won’t deny I get some solid ideas when brainstorming. I might even get full outlines that I’m pleased with. I can come up with compelling characters and I might even catch a glimpse of how it all ends. What I can’t seem to manage with preliminary work, though, is creating magic.

Author Robert Lewis Stevenson, who based The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from his dreams, once wrote: “And for the Little People, what shall I say they are but just my Brownies, God bless them! who do one-half my work for me while I am fast asleep, and in all human likelihood, do the rest for me as well, when I am wide awake and fondly suppose I do it for myself. That part which is done while I am sleeping is the Brownies’ part beyond contention; but that which is done when I am up and about is by no means necessarily mine, since all goes to show the Brownies have a hand in it even then.”

In this wonderful quote, I believe that the “Brownies” Mr. Stevenson is referring to might just as easily be called the subconscious.

My subconscious, I have found, is a far better organizer than I am. Even if I’m working with an outline, I don’t ever force myself to adhere to it completely. In fact, if a story begins to take off in a new direction, I usually let it, if only to see what will happen and if it might work. Art, after all, should also be play. And play can be messy. Usually, that is how I find the gold. Or rather, that’s how the gold finds me. And by “gold,” I mean the all the stuff I couldn’t possibly come up with by consciously thinking and mulling it over.

In my current project, for instance, there is a specific item that shows up in every scene that a certain character appears in. At the time of writing those scenes, I was not purposefully making it a point to link that imagery and that character together. However, since it seems to be such a fitting element, during my subsequent drafts, I can now streamline that imagery, amplify it and take conscious note of something cool that I did unconsciously.

Sometimes, even well after a book has been finished, I’ll still think of the things that tied together at the end and wonder how on earth that happened in the way that it did. In the end, I know I owe it to my Brownies, of course. God bless them indeed.

 

DARE TO BE BANNED and an Ellen Hopkins' Book Giveaway

As a writer who likes to push the limits, Banned Books Week -- which this year was at the end of September -- is always one of my favorites. I used to question how far I should go, what would get me in trouble with editors, with agents, with conservative groups, with my mom. But my husband would tell me, “The best thing that can happen to you is to get banned. You get more attention that way, and then you sell more books.”

He’s got a good point. Teens love things their parents say “no” to. But banned books aren’t about just throwing in taboo and gratuitous material. Truth is, YA books are never banned for being poorly written. A YA editor would rather burn their favorite reading chair or be cut off from coffee for an eternity than to throw a mediocre book out into the marketplace. YA books are banned because they are written so well and with so much truth and honesty that they resonate with their readers.

Which is why books like The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, John Green’s Looking for Alaska, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky are on the list of most frequently banned books. While banners of YA literature only see the language, sexual content, or on-the-fringe social issues in these books, teens see real life. And they relate to it. But more importantly, they feel they are not alone.  

Meg Cabot, author of over 45 YA books, said in last week’s awesome CNN article, A brief history of young adult literature, that "The whole reason you're reading is because you want some hope that you're going to get through whatever you're going through. I know how hard it was as a teenager, and I understood how it felt to be an outsider. I want to be able to offer people hope."

CNN’s article also suggests that what young adults relate to has changed drastically from the inception of YA literature, and it will continue to change as taboo subject barriers are broken down and the majority of society accepts that more teens are getting involved with and relating to subjects like sex, drugs, self-mutilation, bingeing, etc. Even ten years ago, editors and agents would read my work and tell me that sex could happen, but you’d have to “close the door on the reader” before teens read it in detail. Now that door stays open while YA writers find the most effective way of packing the emotion into the experience without turning it into 50 Shades of Grey.

Ellen Hopkins, author of emotionally wrenching novels in verse, is frequently banned, even as her books go straight to the New York Times Bestseller list. Hopkins says her intention is never to sensationalize the mistakes and tragedies of teens. Instead, she tries to get as close as she can to the emotional heart of these issues.

"The story lines push the boundaries of what young adult is allowed to be," she says. "I don't see how arming kids with knowledge can ever be a bad thing."*

Agreed.

In honor of 2013 Banned Books Week, YA Fusion is giving away Ellen Hopkins’ new novel, SMOKE. Simply post a comment below about your favorite banned book or what your stance is on banning YA literature. A random drawing will be held and the winner posted on Friday, October 25. Be sure to leave your email so I can contact you in case you win. Drawing open to only U.S. and Canadian residents. 

Good Luck!!

*http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324094704579067531035576264

Sharpening My Tools: A Month of Nonfiction

Sharpening My Tools: A Month of Nonfiction

Are you taking the bold leap and participating in NaNoWriMo in November? I am, and I plan to succeed. To that end, I’m spending the month of October preparing. Yes, I’m doing the expected character GMC’s, outlining plots and pinpointing turning points. But I’m also prying open my mind to the possibility of quality writing by reading some nonfiction.

First on my reading list is Rosaline Wiseman’s MASTERMINDS AND WINGMEN. You may be familiar with Ms. Wiseman’s very popular QUEEN BEES AND WANNABES,  focusing on teenage girl power and the groups they inhabit. MASTERMINDS presents the same information from a male perspective. Whether you’re the mother of sons, or a writer whose books are inhabited by male characters, this book is an invaluable resource. As with QUEEN BEES, Ms. Wiseman identifies the standard groups in Boy World, the positions in those groups, and the power in those positions. My son is 28, but I’m seeing him differently, hopefully more completely, by reading this. I know my characters will gain depth.

But characters aren’t the only means of conveying a story. Setting, if used skillfully, can add a very rich voice. Lucky for me, Mary Buckham’s third installment in her WRITING ACTIVE SETTING series, ANCHORING ACTION AS A CHARACTER AND MORE, has just been released.

I first encountered Mary through an online class she taught. Her classes and books are impressively full of useful information. She backs up each concept presented with loads of easy to recognize examples from popular fiction so that absorbing her teaching is almost osmotic. Revisiting book 2, EMOTION, CONFLICT AND BACK STORY and delving into book 3 are a perfect fit for my Nano goal of Great Quality, Less Editing. (Book 1, CHARACTERIZATION AND SENSORY DETAIL won’t be released to Nookies like myself until November.)

I contacted Mary this week, and whether it’s her bottle of bourbon I’m holding hostage or the fact that she’s just so nice, this crazy busy woman agreed to an interview.

First, thanks, Mary, for joining us. I’m a huge fan (Can you see my Fan Girl hands?) of your books and your teaching. Then there’s that sense of humor . . .

Have you always been a teacher? What motivated you to start teaching writers?

Thank you Lisa for having me here and how cool that I get the fan girl wave. My ego is expanding! I don’t have a background in teaching and still don’t consider myself as a teacher. I started sharing what I’d learned by trial and error about the craft of writing about the time my third fiction book was due to be released. At that time online courses were still relatively rare and I thought sharing what I knew and was learning myself was a win-win option. Others might benefit and I could connect with writers and readers from all over the world.  They say to learn, teach, and boy have I found that true!

I've taken online writer's classes through Writers' Univ. (www.WriterUniv.com) In what capacity are you associated with WU? Founder? Professor? Athletic Director?

LOL! Some days it feels like Athletic Director, especially with the major changes Yahoo Groups have instigated recently. Sort of like wrestling crocodiles when you’re trying to teach a class but spending more of your time making sure participants can participate with all the technical “improvements” creating roadblocks to participation. Actually I’m a co-founder with the amazing Laurie Schnebly Campbell. We wanted to offer a venue that was not one genre specific but offered craft courses for writers of all genres.

 You had great success with your book, BREAK INTO FICTION: 11 STEPS TO BUILDING A STORY THAT SELLS. Now you are focusing on active setting. What was the spark that inspired this series?

The WRITING ACTIVE SETTING series books came out of my teaching around the US and Canada, reading lots and lots of pre-published manuscripts and listening to writers speak about craft elements that they struggled with on a consistent basis.  Too many writers think of Setting as a static element in their stories instead of a powerful dynamic that can really take their writing to a new level. So first I researched how Setting was used effectively by published authors in a wide variety of genres from literary, YA, Fantasy, Historicals and more. Then I taught courses on the subject for several years to see if my concepts, once explained, helped other writers. I was blown away by the changes I saw when writers understood the ways Setting could be used. Creating the books, and making them affordable, was a logical next step.

Will there be a fourth book?

Not at this time. There will be a paper version that will combine all three e-versions and enhanced with additional material. I’m aiming to have that out in early 2014. Then I’m looking to take some of my other teaching material and create books out of them. Right now I’m debating between SEX ON THE PAGE: Understanding and Writing Sexual Tension for all genres (including YA) or PACING. One or the other will be released in 2014.

Hmmm, I’ve taken those classes and loved them both. Do you have to pick just one?

Since I’m focusing so much on my fiction (released 4 novels, two novellas and two more novels coming just this year) it’s a matter of making sure there’s time to do everything. Great news is that I’ll look at releasing whichever non-fiction book I don’t write next year in 2015.

Mary, you also write fiction. You’ve got the INVISIBLE RECRUIT Urban Fantasy series, but aren’t you working on a YA series?

Yes! It’s so much fun, too! TIME TRAP is the first book in the Red Moon Series and was released earlier this year. The second in the series, TIME RETURN will be coming later this year. It’s a cross-genre YA novel with elements of Sci Fi/Fantasy, Adventure and Romance. Best part is I get to work with NYT author Dianna Love in the creation of the series which will be four books all together. Check it out at www.TimeTrap.com

If you are interested in more information, you can find Mary at: The local pub! Oh, you mean online. Here I am:

www.MaryBuckham.com

www.InvisibleRecruits.com (my Urban Fantasy series)

www.TimeTrap.com (the YA series)

Thank you Lisa for inviting me to share. All the best with NaNoWriMo!