Friday, January 30, 2009

The Bradford Blog Bash Presents an Interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith and a Tantalize Giveaway

Today I'm honored to be featured in an interview in conjunction with the Bradford Blog Bash in celebration of the release of GoldenGirl by Micol Ostow (Simon Pulse, Jan. 27, 2009).

Peek (on my favorite thing about blogging): "Being able to offer a most-days hearty dose of information and inspiration."

Plus, you are invited to comment to the post by midnight Thursday (Feb. 5), and you'll be entered in the random drawing to win a copy of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2008). Winner to be announced a week from today.

Spooky News & Giveaways

Reminder: enter to win one of four autographed advanced reader copies of Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, Feb. 10, 2009)!

There are two ways to enter...

(a) email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address;

(b) message me at MySpace or Facebook, but don't send in your contact information on MySpace or Facebook (I'll contact you for it if you win);

and in either case, type "Eternal" in the subject line and, in the body of the message, include your answers to at least three of the following questions about the excerpt of Eternal available from Candlewick Press:

(1) Can you guess who a couple of Miranda's favorite fantasy authors are?

(2) What furniture item in her room does she think may be possessed?

(3) When was Zachary created?

(4) What do people say about the old cemetery near the high school?

Deadline Feb. 5! All Cynsational readers are eligible to win! Note: there also will be a giveaway in conjunction with the release of the novel on Feb. 10!

More News & Giveaways

Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan: now available online for a limited time from Penguin Young Readers Group. Peek: "Find out how the adventure begins - but hurry! Read book one of the New York Times best-selling Ranger's Apprentice series FREE for a limited time (1/15-2/15)!" From the promotional copy: "They have always scared him in the past--the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied...." Learn more about Ranger's Apprentice.

Marvelous Marketer - Lisa Schroeder from Shelli at Market My Words. Peek: "I find it harder on Facebook to connect with people I don't know and get the word out about my books. On MySpace, I had no problems sending friend requests to teens I found on other author's pages and suggesting we be friends because we seem to like the same kind of books. But Facebook is more personal, and I think why people like it more, so I don't seek out people like I did on MySpace." Read a Cynsations interview with Lisa.

Scholarship Available for SCBWI Summer Conference: fAiRy gOdSisTeRs, iNk (FGI) announces its 2nd Annual SCBWI Summer Conference Scholarship! FGI is offering a $1500 scholarship for a SCBWI member to attend the August 2009 conference in Los Angeles. FGI awarded the 2008 scholarship to Linda Lodding of the Netherlands. To apply for the 2009 scholarship, submit a 250-word, double-spaced essay describing what you hope to accomplish by attending this year's summer conference. Send your essay to: fairygodsistersink@yahoo.com. The application deadline is April 15. The winner will be notified May 15. fAiRy gOdSiStErS, iNk. is a small, benevolent squadron of Santa Barbara children's book authors who believe in the magic of passing forward lucky breaks, bounty and beneficence, as so many have done for them.

Marvelous Marketers - Children's Book Editor Martha Mihalick (Greenwillow Books) from Shelli at Market My Words. Peek: "...blogging or being active on Facebook or Twitter puts you in the public eye. Anyone can see what you write, so don’t forget that as you post—be aware that you are presenting yourself to potential readers, critics, editors, agents, and fellow writers."

ALAN 2008 San Antonio: Suzanne Crowley offers a debut author's eye on the workshop. Peek: "I felt like I was at the equivalent of a Hollywood party filled with movie stars. When I came home to my hotel, I rode up the elevator with Laurie Halse Anderson, the highlight of my trip according to my middle daughter." Read a Cynsations interview with Suzanne.

Query Critiques from Nathan Bransford -- Literary Agent. Peek: "...while I think there's an interesting idea here, I found the setup confusingly described." Read a Cynsations interview with Nathan.

Enter to win books and more at the Simon Pulse Spring Fling Contest! Deadline: Feb. 14. Source: Elizabeth Scott.

Scholastic Book Fair features a video of Heather Brewer book talking The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod - Ninth Grade Slays. Peek: "In this thrilling sequel to Eighth Grade Bites‚ Vlad must confront secrets from the past and battle forces that once again threaten his life. Can he identify the slayer in time? Or for that matter‚ can you?" Check it out!

Watch the Music Video and See What Austin Public Library Can Do For You from the APL. Note: Seriously, you have to check it out. I love this town!

Agent Interview: Elana Roth of Caren Johnson Literary from Alice Pope at Alice's CWIM Blog. Peek: "...I have a lot of YA right now, so I'd like more middle grade, but I'm not picky about genre when it comes to falling in love."

Check out a video featuring author Danette Haworth discussing Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning from Scholastic Book Fair.

First in Series Contest from Terri Clark: a contest with the first books in some of her favorite YA series. Featured titles: "Marked – House of Night Series – P.C. and Kristin Cast; Prom Dates from Hell – Maggie Quinn Series – Rosemary Clement Moore; Dead is the New Black – Nightshade series - Marlene Perez. Peek: "To enter please leave a comment telling me why you like (or don’t like) series and what your favorite series is." Deadline: Feb. 13. Learn more about Terri Clark.

More Personally

I will be appearing at Book Roast to discuss Eternal (Candlewick, 2009) on Feb. 19. Please plan to stop by, and don't miss my other upcoming events (listed below)!

Speaking of Eternal, I also was delighted to hear that Walmart will be carrying the hardcover release. I know many of my readers--especially those in small towns, many of them without another bookseller--discovered Tantalize (Candlewick, 2008) in paperback at the chain, and I'm glad that they'll have immediate access to the companion novel.

Attention MySpacers, check out this new reader page celebrating my Gothic fantasy books and see the "support" icon immediately below!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Reminders

Enter to Win an ARC of Geektastic, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci (Little, Brown, August 2009). Peek: Miss Cecil says: "It has stories from all our favorite geeks: Kelly Link, M. T. Anderson, Garth Nix, Liz Brazwell, John Green, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Scott Westerfeld, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Lisa Yee, Barry Lyga and Sara Zarr with comics written by [Cecil and Holly] and illustrated by Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley." Talk 'bout geektastic company!" To enter: "Make us a geeky icon that screams geektastic! Or an icon for any one of the authors in the anthology. Or for [Cecil] or Holly." See details from Cecil! See details from Holly! Winner announced Feb. 1.

Enter to Win one of 10 Copies of Immortal: Love Stories with Bite, edited by P. C. Cast (BenBella, 2008) from Teen Libris. Peek: "...we're giving away ten copies to bring some heat to the middle of your winter. (Not body heat, obviously, because-- vampires!)." Immortal features my short story, "Haunted Love." Deadline: Feb. 10.

Events

Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith will be speaking on "First Drafts" at the February monthly meeting of the Writers' League of Texas at 7:30 Feb. 19 at the League office in Austin (611 S. Congress Avenue). Peek: "Sometimes getting that first draft down is the biggest hurdle to bringing a great idea to literary life. Find out how several authors approach the first draft." Note: "Before the program, join us at Doc's Motorworks Bar & Grill, 1123 S. Congress (two blocks south of the WLT office for a 'Mixand Mingle Happy Hour.'"

Due to a technical difficulty, Cynthia's discussion of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008), Eternal (Candlewick, 2009), and related forthcoming books on the teen grid of Teen Second at Second Life has been rescheduled for 3 p.m. Feb. 24. See more information.

Cynthia will be speaking on "Writing and Illustrating Native American Children's Literature" (with S. D. Nelson) and "Monsters and Magic: Writing Gothic Fantasy Novels for Teenagers" on March 15 at the Tucson Festival of Books.

Cynthia will visit the YA book club at the Cedar Park (Texas) Public Library at 11 a.m. May 30.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith: ARC Giveaway

Enter to win one of four autographed advanced reader copies of Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, Feb. 10, 2009)!

At last, Miranda is the life of the party: all she had to do was die. Elevated and adopted by none other than the reigning King of the Mantle of Dracul, Miranda goes from high-school theater wannabe to glamorous royal fiend overnight.

Meanwhile, her reckless and adoring guardian angel, Zachary, demoted to human guise as the princess's personal assistant, has his work cut out for him trying to save his girl’s soul and plan the Master’s fast-approaching Death Day gala.

In alternating points of view, Miranda and Zachary navigate a cut-throat eternal aristocracy as they play out a dangerous and darkly hilarious love story for the ages.

With diabolical wit, the author of Tantalize revisits a deliciously dark world where vampires vie with angels — and girls just want to have fangs.


Read an excerpt from Candlewick Press.

There are two ways to enter...

(a) email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address;

(b) message me at MySpace or Facebook, but don't send in your contact information on MySpace or Facebook (I'll contact you for it if you win);

and in either case, type "Eternal" in the subject line and, in the body of the message, include your answers to at least three of the following questions about the excerpt of Eternal available from Candlewick Press:

(1) Can you guess who a couple of Miranda's favorite fantasy authors are?

(2) What furniture item in her room does she think may be possessed?

(3) When was Zachary created?

(4) What do people say about the old cemetery near the high school?

Deadline Feb. 5! All Cynsational readers are eligible to win! Note: there also will be a giveaway in conjunction with the release of the novel on Feb. 10!

Eternal and Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) are set in the same universe, but feature different main characters. The two casts will crossover in Blessed, which is in progress now. A graphic novel adaptation of Tantalize from Kieren's point of view also is in the works.

Learn more about Eternal, check out the Eternal Readers' Guide (spoiler warning!). For those on MySpace, see my page, Tantalize Fans Unite! (a discussion group), and reader-originated character pages for Tantalize characters Quincie, Kieren, Ruby, and Brad, and the latest reader-originated page Tastefully Tantalizing.


For more widgets please visit www.yourminis.com

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Author Feature: Sarah Mlynowski

Learn more about Sarah Mlynowski.

What were you like as a young reader?

I read everything I could get my hands on. I was particularly obsessed with Judy Blume, Gordon Korman, Christopher Pike and Lois Duncan.

Why do you write for young adults today?

I want to be part of the experience when a teenager first falls in love with reading, the way I did when I first lost myself in novels.

What about young fictional heroes appeals to you as a writer?

I love coming-of-age stories, and no matter what the plot is, most YA stories are essentially coming-of-age stories at heart.

Could you tell us about your path to publication? Any sprints or stumbles along the way?

The first novel I ever wrote was called "Lizzie Forshort." I was nine. My mother typed it up and sent to Bantam Books. That's the story of my first rejection letter.

Then my short stories were rejected from a whole lot of magazines. I knew I wanted to write YA, but I decided I'd write my novel "later" and get a job in publishing.

I started working for Harlequin (in the marketing department—I got to come up with cover ideas for books such as The Virgin Bride Said "Wow!" [by Cathy Gillen Thacker (Harlequin American Romance #870, 2001)]) and heard through the grapevine that they were going to start a new line of books called Red Dress Ink, which would be a chick lit line.

At the same time, I had become obsessed with British chick lit – Helen Fielding, Isabel Wolff, Jenny Colgan, Lisa Jewell.

I decided to go for it. I wrote a proposal and three chapters and brought it to one of the line’s editors. She liked it, gave me advice and told me to keep going.

Trying to write an entire novel was definitely intimidating, but I set small goals so I didn’t get overwhelmed. When I finished the manuscript she bought it, and my first novel was published in December 2001.

After that, I was given a multi-book contract, and even though I loved my marketing job, I loved writing more, so I left to be a full-time novelist.

I decided I would try writing my YA novel. I found an agent (Laura Dail) and sent her my proposal for Bras & Broomsticks (2005). Random House/Delacorte bought it.

I love the fact that Random House now owns Bantam Books—the people who sent me my first rejection letter. It all worked out.

Looking back on your apprenticeship as a writer, is there anything you wish you'd done differently? If so, what and why?

I would tell myself to outline. I did not outline my first book Milkrun (Red Dress Ink, 2001), and it was harder to write because I had no idea where I was going.

I started outlining with my second book and I still outline everything before I start a draft. I'd also tell myself to get an agent right from the start. I only found Laura for my fourth book, and I wish I'd had someone looking out for me from the beginning.

On the flip side, what was most helpful to you in terms of developing your craft?

Reading everything: mysteries, thrillers, classics, romance, chick lit, teen lit…then striving to write the kinds of books I like to read.

In a way, I'm always my target reader. If I can't make myself laugh, I won't be able to make anyone else laugh. I've taken a few creative writing classes and workshops, but I have to say, I've learned a lot more from exchanging manuscripts with a few trusted author friends. I've also been lucky and had fantastic, brilliant editors who've taught me a ton.

Could you please update us on your YA back list?

I'd be happy to. There are the four Magic in Manhattan books: Bras & Broomsticks, Frogs & French Kisses (2006), Spells & Sleeping Bags (2007) and Parties & Potions (2008). And How to Be Bad (HarperCollins, 2008), the novel I co-wrote with Lauren Myracle and E. Lockhart.

I've also contributed short stories and novellas to Sixteen: Stories About that Sweet and Bitter Birthday, edited by Megan McCafferty (Three Rivers, 2004), 21 Proms, edited by David Levithan and Daniel Ehrenhaft (Scholastic, 2007), and Fireworks: Four Summer Stories (Scholastic, 2007).

Congratulations on Parties & Potions (Delacorte, 2008)! Could you tell us a little about the book?

It's the fourth book in the Magic in Manhattan series.

Rachel and her sister Miri are both debuting at a magical party called a Samsorta, which is a debutante ball for witches. And there will be boys at the ball: cute, charming, witch boys.

Of course, Rachel is still madly in love with her boyfriend Raf…but Raf doesn’t know her big, witchy secret. And she can never tell him. Or can she?

Both from a craft and publishing perspective, how did this series evolve? Did you know there would be multiple books going in?

I sold Bras & Broomsticks and Frogs & French Kisses together back in 2004. I had the idea for Spells & Sleeping Bags (I wanted Rachel to get her powers and for them to kick in and be out of control at sleepaway camp).

Spells was supposed to be the last one, but then Random House asked if I would do one more…and I was thrilled to. I missed my witch girls!

What have been the series challenges? What have you loved about it?

Remembering back-story details four years later is definitely a challenge. When you're writing a stand-alone all the particulars are right there in your document. When you're writing the fourth book in a series five years after you've finished the first one, you tend to make mistakes on some of the smaller details…like the dad's name.

On the other hand, I love that the rules of the characters and the world are already created. That gives me the freedom to really focus on the story and the plot—my favorites.

Congratulations on the publication of How To Be Bad, co-authored by E. Lockhart and Lauren Myracle (HarperTeen, 2008)! Could you tell us a little about the story?

Vicks is the wild child whose boyfriend has gone suspiciously quiet since he left for college; Mel is the newcomer desperate to be liked; and Jesse will do anything to avoid revealing a life-altering secret.

Each has her own reason for wanting to get the heck out of their nowheresville town, even just for the weekend. So they climb into Jesse's mom's beat-up station wagon and head south.

Hearts are broken, friendships are tested, and a ridiculously hot stranger changes the course of everything…

What was the initial inspiration for writing this book?

MySpace! Really. I had started a MySpace group for people who loved YA lit. Emily and Lauren were on it. I asked, "What's everybody reading these days?"

Emily responded that she'd just finished reading Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn (Random House, 2006), and Lauren wrote: "That one's in my stack—I'm eager to read it. In fact, I really want to write a collaborative novel one day."

As soon as I saw those posts I knew that I had to be the one to collaborate with her.

And then Emily posted: "Lauren, anytime baby; say the word," and I began screaming, "Me, too! Me, too!" to my computer screen.

I e-mailed Emily and then she e-mailed Lauren, and off we went.

What advice would you give to writers embarking on a joint manuscript?

Take the opportunity to learn from each other. Know that you don't have to be an expert in everything—let yourself be edited.

Lauren is a character and motivation expert, and Emily is the queen of dialogue and language. Letting them edit my chapters was terrifying but eye-opening and incredibly helpful.

I also had to learn not to afraid of jumping in and using the red pen on their chapters when they needed to be edited.

I'm a big fan of the delete button and learned to trust my gut and not be too intimidated to write boring in big letters on one of their paragraphs. Although I usually added a much love afterward.

If you could go back and talk to yourself when you were beginning writer, what advice would you offer?

Write one page a day. Before you know it you'll have a finished book. Read often, and read everything. Then write the kind of book you want to read.

You also write books for grown-ups. What do you see as the differences between writing books for the YA and for the adult market respectively?

Finding the balance between reflecting reality and creating reality is trickier when writing for teens. Take labels for example--I sprinkle them liberally into my adult fiction for realism, but I'm far more careful in my teen books. I feel more pressure in terms of my own responsibility as a writer since a fourteen-year-old is far more impressionable than a twenty-four-year-old.

How do you balance your life as a writer with the responsibilities (speaking, promotion, etc.) of being an author?

I love speaking and promoting. I love writing, but I hate being by myself all day. I love the interaction of touring and meeting readers. I also used to be in marketing so I try to apply what I learned to my own books. I probably spend about sixty-five percent on writing and, um, sixty-five percent on all the rest. (Balance? What's that?)

As a reader, what were your favorite YA books of 2008?

I loved Bliss by Lauren Myracle (Abrams). I loved The Disreputable History of Franky-Landau Banks by E. Lockhart (Hyperion). I loved Before I Die by Jenny Downham (David Fickling, 2007).

What do you do outside the world of books?

There's a world outside of books? When I’m not writing, I'm usually reading.

I do watch a lot of TV. A lot of TV. I really love my TV. Especially "Law & Order."

My husband and I used to travel a lot, but at the moment I'm eight months pregnant and housebound. I'm trying to read books on what to do once Baby arrives.

(I guess that still falls under the world of books, eh?)

What can your fans look forward to next?

Gimme a Call—my new novel about a high school freshman who finds a magical cell phone and calls herself in the future as a senior. It should be coming out summer 2010.

Cynsational Notes

Learn more about Sarah via her ongoing blog tour at Teen Book Review (1/14/09), The Well-Read Child (1/15/09), Shopping Diary (1/16/09); The Page Flipper (1/20/09), E. Lockhart (1/21/09), Bildungsroman (1/22/09), YA Books Central (1/23/09), Ally's Blog (1/26/09), and Random Buzzers (1/28-2/6/09).

Monday, January 26, 2009

Spooky News & Giveaways

Welcome back to Spookycyn!

My winter hiatus has concluded, and it's a great day for children's-YA literature!

Congratulations also to all of the newly announced ALA winners and honorees!

I'll leave the details and dissections to those fine folks who aren't digging out of an email avalanche from spending much of this month teaching and go with the big picture.

Highlights included a few personal favorites (per Greg, per child_lit):

Newbery Honor: The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Small (Atheneum)(author interview);

William C. Morris Award: A Curse Dark as Gold written by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Arthur A. Levine).

More News & Giveaways

Enter to Win an ARC of Geektastic, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci (Little, Brown, August 2009). Peek: Miss Cecil says: "It has stories from all our favorite geeks: Kelly Link, M. T. Anderson, Garth Nix, Liz Brazwell, John Green, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Scott Westerfeld, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Lisa Yee, Barry Lyga and Sara Zarr with comics written by [Cecil and Holly] and illustrated by Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley." Talk 'bout geektastic company!" To enter: "Make us a geeky icon that screams geektastic! Or an icon for any one of the authors in the anthology. Or for [Cecil] or Holly." See details from Cecil! See details from Holly! Winner announced Feb. 1.

Interview with Simon Pulse Editor Michael del Rosario by Lisa Schroeder from Crowe's Nest. Peek: "Not in any particular order, the things that draw me to a manuscript would be: Humor, originality, an authentic voice, quirk, passion, flow, edge, and of course good writing."

I Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do from Editorial Anonymous. Peek: "One of the most surprising discoveries young publishing professionals make upon finding a chair on this side of the desk is how many well-known, well-respected authors are totally incapable of telling when they've written something good and marketable, and when they really, really haven't."

Enter to Win one of 10 Copies of Immortal: Love Stories with Bite, edited by P. C. Cast (BenBella, 2008) from Teen Libris. Peek: "...we're giving away ten copies to bring some heat to the middle of your winter. (Not body heat, obviously, because-- vampires!)." Immortal features my short story, "Haunted Love." Deadline: Feb. 10.

2009 Texas Book Festival Writing Contest: Texas junior high and high school students are invited to submit a piece of original fiction, no more than 2,000 words in length, to be judged by Texas authors, some of whom will appear at the 2009 Texas Book Festival in Austin, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Entries should focus on the theme, 'In My Own Backyard.' Judges will look for excellence in use of dialogue, imagery, character development, setting, plot, conflict and resolution. Submitted entries will be submitted in three divisions—Grades 7-8; Grades 9-10; Grades 11-12. Authors will enter the division for which they were a student during the 2008-09 school year. Schools are limited to three entries per division. There is no entry fee. Entries must be double-spaced and faxed to the Texas Book Festival office at 512.322.0722 no later than July 1. Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place finishers per division. First place winners will be invited to Austin to receive an award and to read their works during the 2009 Texas Book Festival. Their winning entries will also be published on the Texas Book Festival Web site. See entry form.

Subplots: a call for discussion by P. J. Hoover at Roots in Myth. Peek: "I'm sure we can all pull out the old Harry Potter example and say, 'Look at all the masterful subplots J. K. Rowling managed so well in Harry Potter.' But in all seriousness, who cares if the house elves have hats knitted for them (HP5)?" Note: don't miss the comments. Read a Cynsations interview with P. J.

Spicy Reads: Ed Spicer's Teen Book Reviews.

78th Annual Writers Digest Writing Competition
: enter in the children's/young adult division for a chance at the grand prize--$3,000 cash and a trip to New York City to meet with editors or agents. Deadline: May 15. Late entry deadline: June 1 (add $5 to entry fee). See more information.

Working in Children's Books and the Recession of 2008-09 by Harold Underdown at The Purple Crayon. Peek: "What should you do, if you write or illustrate or edit or design or do any of the other jobs that keep our business running?" Read a Cynsations interview with Harold.

A Potter Week and Thoughts on Setting by Greg Leitich Smith from GregLSBlog. Peek: "I'd forgotten just how much Hogwarts is almost a character itself. In the books, Hogwarts is of course more than merely backdrop -- being there over the school year drives some (much?) of the personal dynamic and fleshes out the conflicts with Snape and Malfoy and other students and faculty."

Publicist Interview: Jennifer Taber of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt from Shrinking Violet Promotions. Peek: "Authors can do themselves a great service by educating themselves about the current state of publishing and by communicating with their publicist about plans and goals."

The Justified Line: Copyediting and manuscript evaluation services. Peek: "Welcome to the editorial services website of author Stacy DeKeyser. I have over 12 years of experience writing, critiquing, and copyediting both fiction and nonfiction for adults and children. I've taught workshops on submitting your work to publishers. I've worked with a number of different publishers, and I'm represented by one of the best agencies out there, so I have a pretty good idea of how editors and agents work."

Social Networking Guilt: Get Over It by Mitali Perkins at Mitali's Fire Escape. Peek: "Creative purists who scoff at social networks as a time-waster need to remember that a writer is only half the dialectic in this business. The other half is made up of readers, and these days young adults make calendaring and purchasing decisions via social networks." Read a Cynsations interview with Mitali.

More Personally

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith: a recommendation by Mandy from Nocturnal Reviews. Peek: "Tantalize was just wow... I couldn't stop reading it. I put aside schoolwork, saying I'd stop reading in another hour. But I kept reading and reading. Just like it's name, I was definitely tantalized with every chapter, craving for more. I regret not reading this sooner!" Note: Mandy mentions a strong desire for a sequel, and there is more to come. Eternal, which will be released Feb. 10 in the U.S., is set in the same universe but features different main character. Then the two casts will crossover in a third novel, Blessed, which picks up with Quincie where Tantalize leaves off. There's also a graphic novel adaptation of Tantalize (from Kieren's POV) in the works! Stay tuned to Cynsations for more news!

As an author who's new to seeing her books reach readers overseas, it was a thrill to see this announcement by Janet Tansley in the Liverpool Echo about Tantalize. On a related note, Tantalize will be published in France by Editions Intervista in April 2010.

And as if all that weren't lovely enough, Carrie Jones loves me. Yay! P.S. Laughed out loud at David Lubar's comment. I also thoroughly enjoyed Lisa Yee's How Not to Get an Agent, featuring the irrepressible Peepy and my own fabulous agent, Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown.

Events

YA Author Margo Rabb will be performing at five-minute monologue on Friday at Five Things in Austin. Peek: "The subject is women talking about men and their various grooming/icky habits. I'll be talking about one of the worst jobs I ever had, cleaning men’s bathrooms." Note: this is not a book event, but rather one that features an author. Read a Cynsations interview with Margo.

Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith will be speaking on "First Drafts" at the February monthly meeting of the Writers' League of Texas at 7:30 Feb. 19 at the League office in Austin (611 S. Congress Avenue).

"The Profit, Pleasures and Pitfalls of Author Visits to Schools" with author-illustrator Mark Mitchell will be at 11 a.m. Feb. 21 at BookPeople in Austin. "For published authors of children's books, school visits can make a lot of sense. They're a terrific way to connect with your market and, if done right, a revenue source for an author. The machinery of 'school tours' contains many moving parts: organization, 'market positioning,' salesmanship, public relations, communication, technology, travel, book sales, book-keeping and more. Mark will discuss [how to frame a business model that works] and will help to grow your success as an author. He'll also touch on crafting a performance that speaks to the kids, and connects with them." The event is sponsored by Austin SCBWI.

"Mark's Raising La Belle (Eakin, 2002), about a 312 year old Texas shipwreck won the Spur Award from the Western Writers of America (for best juvenile nonfiction book) and the United States Maritime Literature Award. In 2006, he began touring schools with his Raising La Belle presentation. Since then he has visited 83 schools around the state and received many rave reviews from librarians, teachers, and students."

Due to a technical difficulty, Cynthia's discussion of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008), Eternal (Candlewick, 2009), and related forthcoming books on the teen grid of Teen Second at Second Life has been rescheduled for 3 p.m. Feb. 24. See more information.

Cynthia will be speaking on "Writing and Illustrating Native American Children's Literature" (with S. D. Nelson) and "Monsters and Magic: Writing Gothic Fantasy Novels for Teenagers" on March 15 at the Tucson Festival of Books.

Cynthia will visit the YA book club at the Cedar Park (Texas) Public Library at 11 a.m. May 30.

Note: Cynthia on occasion speaks of herself in the third person. It's a Kansas thing.

Friday, January 09, 2009

Spooky News

Impossible by Nancy Werlin (Dial, 2008): a recommendation from Greg Leitich Smith. Peek: "a thought-provoking read that offers engaging characters and suspense..." Read a Cynsations interview with Nancy.

Revision Questions from Cynthia Lord. Peek: "Can I make this stronger, deeper, more vivid, without sacrificing pacing?" Source: Lisa Schroeder. Read a Cynsations interview with Cynthia.

Congratulations to Gwenda Bond for signing with Jennifer Laughran of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, and congratulations to Jennifer on signing Gwenda. Read a Cynsations interview with Jennifer.

Best Advice for Aspiring Writers... from Ally Carter at Ally's Diary. Peek: "Is this cruel, cruel advice? Yes. But believe me I wouldn't be opening myself up for the onslaught of angry comments that might commence if I didn't think it were true."

Where The Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (Little Brown, June 2009): a recommendation by Greg Leitich Smith. Peek: "graceful and profound." Read a Cynsations interview with Grace.

The Seven Deadly (Publishing) Sins from Waxman Literary Agency. Peek: "These seven no-nos will put your career on ice faster than you can say 'remainder.'" Source: Elizabeth Scott's Blog.

Predicting Success by Robin LaFevers from Shrinking Violet Promotions. Peek: "It turns out that creative success is a very elusive beast, and that it often has less to do with quality and more to do with reaching a certain tipping point in terms of generating buzz and getting talked about." Read a Cynsations interview with Robin.

Writing process...writing practice from Helen Hemphill at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "Practice is about getting better. It's about doing, analyzing, and critiquing. But it's also about reflecting. What am I doing to sabotage my story? How can I write this sentence, this paragraph, this chapter better?" Also features a video interview with Anne Lamont. Read a Cynsations interview with Helen.

The Book Roast: a free promotional site for authors dedicated to celebrating great books. "Our mission is to help publicize books of all genres, printed by publishers of all sizes (excluding self-published and pornography). We serve up a variety of authors and books lightly grilled and seasoned with humor. The interactive and party spirit on our site helps set us apart." Note: The Book Roast returns from hiatus on Jan. 12. Guests marinating include Barrie Summy (Jan. 15) and Curtis Brown literary agent Nathan Bransford (Jan. 22).

Meet Saundra Mitchell! from Sara McLean. Peek: "Screenwriting says if I've spent more than five minutes in a particular scene, I'm boring people. It's easy for me to get in and get out, which I think is hard for some novelists."

Middle Grade Fantasy Books: a bibliography compiled by Stacy Whitman.

Let the Drawing Begin: a contest for kids from K-6 grades to draw the perfect bookmark, sponsored by BookKids at BookPeople in Austin. Peek: "This year our theme is 'Be Independent.' Then, we print up the top entry in each of four age categories and distribute the bookmarks in the store for the rest of the year. Winners also receive a $25 gift certificate to BookPeople." See details.

Tips on Starting a Book Club by Little Willow from SparkNotes. Peek: "Before your first meeting think about what kind of questions can get the conversation going and keep it going."

Blockbuster or Bust: Why struggling publishers will keep placing outrageous bids on new books by Anita Elbers from the Wall Street Journal. Peek: "When a publisher spends an inordinate amount on an acquisition, it will do everything in its power to make that project a market success. Most importantly, this means supporting the book with higher-than-average marketing, advertising and distribution support..." Source: April Henry.

Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009) ARC Giveaway from author Cindy Pon. Peek: "please respond in the comment section with your favorite Chinese dish!" Deadline Jan. 12. See details.

On Getting Published by Justine Larbalestier. Peek: "They seem to not hear the part about spending twenty years trying to get into print. Twenty years, people!" Read a Cynsations interview with Justine.

What Inspires Your Writing? from Little Willow at Slayground. Peek: "I asked authors to name books they recently read and enjoyed as well as their favorite classic and contemporary authors. 'Tell me whose books you devoured as a kid,' I said, 'or whose novels you collect now as an adult.' I also asked each author whose writing career he or she would most like to emulate." Check out answers from Kelly Parra, Linda Joy Singleton, Jo Knowles, Micol Ostow, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and more!

Boys Reading About Girls by Donna Bowman Bratton at Simply Donna. Peek: "I've spent a great deal of time as a library volunteer and substitute librarian at my son's school. Boys love nonfiction. There's no dispute about that. But, I regularly see boys older than E choosing female-centered books like Judy Moody along with a book about NASCAR." Note: Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008) has a female protagonist (and my Gothics are all arguably feminist), but I do get regular reader male from YA boys. The gender difference in the correspondence is generally related to length and directness. Girls tend to write longer, more personal letters. Boys tend to get right to the point. My favorite: "When is the sequel coming out? What is taking you so long? What are you doing with your time?"

Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill (Greenwillow, 2009): a recommendation by Greg Leitich Smith. Peek: "warm, funny, and full of grace."

Reader's Choice Best YAs of 2008: chime in with your favorites at the YA Authors Cafe.

The Children's Book Council 2009 Teen Book Awards from Teenreads.com. Peek: "In association with the Children's Book Council (CBC), Teenreads.com is giving you a very special opportunity to let your voices be heard by telling us your five favorite books of 2008. The five titles that receive the most 'votes' will serve as the finalists for the CBC's 2009 Teen Choice Book Award." Note: there's still time to nominate more of 2008's best books. Source: professornana.

Enter to win the January book giveaways at TeensReadToo.

You are cordially invited to attend...a Royal Tiara Auction to benefit "essential teen programs" at the New York Public Library. Until Jan. 31, tiaras decorated by such celebrities as R. L. Stine, Chris Van Allsburg, Judy Blume, Marc Brown, Meg Cabot, and Sarah Dessen (as well as various famous designers, actors, royals, media outlets, etc.) will be available for bidding in celebration of Meg Cabot's Forever Princess (HarperCollins). Note: definitely check out the tiaras, consider making a bid, and share the link--it's a great cause! Source: Cynthia Lord.

Online Classes

Writing Children's Nonfiction Books for the Educational Market from Laura Purdie Salas. Peek: "...you will learn about the educational market and how it differs from the trade market. You will learn how to put together an introductory packet to send to publishers. We'll work on the various components of that packet so that by the end of the month, you have packets ready to pop in the mail." Class runs from Jan. 26 to March 20. See details.

Matchmaking Your Manuscript: from Laura Purdie Salas and Lisa Bullard. Peek: Do you have a children's book manuscript ready to submit? Are you feeling overwhelmed? The children's book universe can appear impenetrable to unpublished writers. This six-week online course will give you the knowledge and confidence to create a submission plan for your manuscript (and your future manuscripts). Laura and Lisa will guide you step-by-step through the submissions process and show you how to improve your chances of publication. Includes a critique of your cover letter or query letter.

More Personally

Amazing, surprising news! I heard this week from my genius editor that Eternal (Candlewick, Feb. 10, 2009) is going into a second printing. A huge thanks to y'all for your continued support!

It also was an honor to see Eternal included in "My Favorites of 2008" from Karin's Book Nook. If you're a fantasy fan, take a look at her great list!

If you want me to see a post related to Eternal, please email me with the link. (I do not do Google Alerts as I've observed that they lead to insanity). Thank you!

I'm off to the Vermont College of Fine Arts winter residency and don't expect to be back in the saddle, work-wise, in Austin until Jan. 26. I will do my best to check email while I'm in Vermont; however, if you could hold off on non-critical messages until I return, that would be helpful.

Austin Area Events (Cyn and Friends)

Writing For The Mass Markets: My Publishing Boot Camp With Jennifer Ziegler at 11 a.m. Jan. 10 at BookPeople, sponsored by Austin SCBWI. "Discover what you can learn from writing for the mass markets. How does it differ from writing trade novels? Can it help or hurt your career? Will it improve your craft? Will it help you make valuable connections? Most importantly, will your literary friends and associates still want to hang out with you? Jennifer Ziegler, an Austin-based author and former English teacher, has been writing teen novels for twelve years – many of them for mass market YA series. One of them, Alias: Recruited (Bantam, 2002), made the New York Times' Bestseller List for children's chapter books. Her trade novels include How Not to be Popular (Delacorte, 20089)(author interview), and Alpha Dog (Delacorte, 2006)(author interview) which was a finalist for the 2007 Teddy Award." Read a Cynsations interview with Jennifer.

Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith will be speaking on "First Drafts" at the February monthly meeting of the Writers' League of Texas at 7:30 Feb. 19 at the League office in Austin (611 S. Congress Avenue).

Cynthia will visit the YA book club at the Cedar Park (Texas) Public Library at 11 a.m. May 30.

More of Cyn's Events

Due to a technical difficulty, Cynthia's discussion of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008), Eternal (Candlewick, 2009), and related forthcoming books on the teen grid of Teen Second at Second Life has been rescheduled for 3 p.m. Feb. 24. See more information.

Cynthia will be speaking on "Writing and Illustrating Native American Children's Literature" (with S. D. Nelson) and "Monsters and Magic: Writing Gothic Fantasy Novels for Teenagers" on March 15 at the Tucson Festival of Books.

Friday, January 02, 2009

Spooky News & Giveaways

Enter to win a copy of Masterpiece by Elise Broach, illustrated by Kelly Murphy (Holt, 2008). From the promotional copy: "Marvin lives with his family under the kitchen sink in the Pompadays' apartment. He is very much a beetle. James Pompaday lives with his family in New York City. He is very much an eleven-year-old boy.

"After James gets a pen-and-ink set for his birthday, Marvin surprises him by creating an elaborate miniature drawing. James gets all the credit for the picture and before these unlikely friends know it they are caught up in a staged art heist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that could help recover a famous drawing by Albrecht Dürer. But James can't go through with the plan without Marvin's help. And that’s where things get really complicated (and interesting!). This fast-paced mystery will have young readers on the edge of their seats as they root for boy and beetle."

To enter the giveaway, email me (scroll and click on the envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address by 10 p.m. CST Jan. 5! Please also type "Masterpiece" in the subject line.

The winners of ARCs of Dead Is a State of Mind by Marlene Perez (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Jan. 2009)(author interview) were Penny, a YA librarian from Illinois; Lynda, a YA librarian in Texas; Laurie, a YA librarian from Michigan; Meghan, a member of Tantalize Fans Unite! from Maine, and Jamie, a member of Tantalize Fans Unite! from Kentucky. Note: Laurie and Lynda both won in the "Cynsational reader" category, which is open to but not restricted to librarians (there were just a lot of librarian entries for this particular title).

More News

Editor Arthur Levine sharing his handmade copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a gift from J. K. Rowling. Source: Pottercast via Lisa Yee.



Interview with P. J. Hoover from Authors Unleashed. Peek: "Set goals now. Write them down. Really think about what you want to accomplish, and you’ll be worlds ahead of the world!" Read a Cynsations interview with P. J.

From Page to Screen: The Tale of Despereaux movie review by Claire E. Gross from The Horn Book. Peek: "Despereaux-the-film is solid movie-making--and decent storytelling. But without the balance of dark undercurrents, it lacks the staying power of DiCamillo's book." Note: agreed.

HarperTeen.com: "Your World, Your Books:" official publisher site for YA books.

YA and Urban Fantasy-- Crossing generations and genres: a podcast at 5 p.m. Jan. 8 [unsure of time zone] "with NYT Bestselling authors Melissa Marr and Cassandra Clare along with authors Janni Lee Simner, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Carrie Jones, and Sarah Rees Brennan. Discussion moderated by Eos Executive Editor, Diana Gill." Source: Cassandra Clare.

Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simmer (Random House, Jan. 2009) Official Website. From the promotional copy: "The war between humanity and Faerie devastated both sides. Or so fifteen-year-old Liza has been told. Nothing has been seen or heard from Faerie since, and Liza's world bears the scars of its encounter with magic. Corn resists being harvested; dandelions have thorns. Trees move with sinister intention, and the town Liza calls home is surrounded by a forest that threatens to harm all those who wander into it. Still Liza feels safe. Her father is strong and has protected their town by laying down strict rules. Among them: Any trace of magic must be destroyed, no matter where it is found. Then Liza's sister is born with faerie-pale hair, clear as glass, and Liza's father leaves the baby on a hillside to die. When her mother disappears into the forest and Liza herself discovers she has the faerie ability to see --into the past, into the future--she has no choice but to flee. Liza's quest will take her into Faerie and back again, and what she finds along the way may be the key to healing both worlds."

Congratulations to Laurie Faria Stolarz on the release of Deadly Little Secret (Hyperion, 2008)! From the promotional copy: "Until three months ago, everything about sixteen-year-old Camelia's life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at an art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia's life becomes far from ordinary. Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend's accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She's reluctant to believe he's trouble, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. Instead she's inexplicably drawn to Ben...and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help – but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something...but he's not the only one with a secret." Read a Cynsations interview with Laurie.

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass (Little Brown, 2008): a recommendation from Greg Leitich Smith at GregLSBlog. Peek: "...the three grow to appreciate each other, the search for exoplanets, and the wonders of the universe."

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (Houghton Mifflin, 2008): a recommendation from Greg Leitich Smith at GregLSBlog. Peek: "...a fun, lively fantasy, full of personal and political machinations, and a little bit of magic."

Favorites of 2008 from Greg Leitich Smith at GregLSBlog. Middle grades include: The Postcard by Tony Abbott and Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass, both published by Little Brown, 2008.

Mind Blowers: Teen Books for the Precocious Reader by Emily at BookKids Recommends.

Supporting Authors When Your Heart is Bigger than Your Wallet from Lisa Schroeder. Peek: "If you see an interesting interview or a great review about an author you know, put the link in your blog and point people there. Stuff like this is much more interesting when it comes from someone besides the author herself."

Congratulations to the 2008 Cybils Finalists! See the featured books in the following categories: Easy Readers; Fantasy & Science Fiction; Fiction Picture Books; Graphic Novels; Middle Grade Fiction; Non-Fiction Picture Books; Poetry; Young Adult Fiction. Note: Middle Grade/YA Nonfiction is still forthcoming. Highlights include Wake by Lisa McMann (Simon & Schuster) in Fantasy & Science Fiction.

Enter to Win
a Copy of Need by Carrie Jones (Bloomsbury, 2008). Deadline: midnight EST Jan. 8.

Business Notes

I receive many requests from folks to read their fiction (and others just send it without asking). Unfortunately, I am unable to critique these stories. If you are looking for a reader, I offer a list of qualified professionals on my main site.

Please also don't write to pitch a book, to confirm whether I've received a book (or ARC), or to follow up asking whether I'll be featuring a book. See submissions guidelines.

More Personally

Yowza! A sighting of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008) in the same store as Lisa Schroeder's Far From You (Simon Pulse, 2008). Click the link to take a look! Shop Pickled Pixel Toe! Note: photo below is from a different store; see caption under the image.


And here's another one (above) at Borders in the East 30s in Manhattan. Thanks to Melissa Walker for the photo!

After many years of buying more formal presents for the cats, we decided to give them what they wanted most--the leftover tissue paper. Here we have Bashi (gray) and Leo (tawny). This scene is typical of their relationship--Leo plunges in, and Bashi watches on with great interest.

Favorite Birthday Greeting: "Eternal good wishes! Hope your cake is tantalizing, and that you jingle dance the night away on your Indian shoes! P.S. By now, I'm sure Santa knows that Rain is not your Indian name." -- Elizabeth Bluemle, children's author and owner of The Flying Pig

This holiday season brought many joys and one great loss. My great aunt Anne, to whom Jingle Dancer (Morrow, 2000) is dedicated, passed away this month. For a time, I lived with her in Dallas. She was like a grandmother to me. Aunt Anne was just shy of age 89 when she died.

Events

Writing For The Mass Markets: My Publishing Boot Camp With Jennifer Ziegler at 11 a.m. Jan. 10 at BookPeople, sponsored by Austin SCBWI. "Discover what you can learn from writing for the mass markets. How does it differ from writing trade novels? Can it help or hurt your career? Will it improve your craft? Will it help you make valuable connections? Most importantly, will your literary friends and associates still want to hang out with you? Jennifer Ziegler, an Austin-based author and former English teacher, has been writing teen novels for twelve years – many of them for mass market YA series. One of them, Alias: Recruited (Bantam, 2002), made the New York Times' Bestseller List for children's chapter books. Her trade novels include How Not to be Popular (Delacorte, 20089)(author interview), and Alpha Dog (Delacorte, 2006)(author interview) which was a finalist for the 2007 Teddy Award." Read a Cynsations interview with Jennifer.

Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith will be speaking on "First Drafts" at the February monthly meeting of the Writers' League of Texas at 7:30 Feb. 19 at the League office in Austin (611 S. Congress Avenue).

Due to a technical difficulty, Cynthia's discussion of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008), Eternal (Candlewick, 2009), and related forthcoming books on the teen grid of Teen Second at Second Life has been rescheduled for 3 p.m. Feb. 24. See more information.

Cynthia will be speaking on "Writing and Illustrating Native American Children's Literature" (with S. D. Nelson) and "Monsters and Magic: Writing Gothic Fantasy Novels for Teenagers" on March 15 at the Tucson Festival of Books.

Cynthia will visit the YA book club at the Cedar Park (Texas) Public Library at 11 a.m. May 30.