Spooky News & Sideshow Giveaway

Enter to win Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists, and Other Matters Odd and Magical, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2009)! Note: the collection includes my short story, "Cat Calls," which is set in the Tantalize/Eternal universe and features new characters!

School Library Journal raves: "Like The Restless Dead and Gothic!, this is a masterpiece of ten short stories by world-class authors.... Several of the stories pack the same punch as old-fashioned O. Henry or Roald Dahl classics and are the stuff that will fill the English literature textbooks of tomorrow....fantastic."

Enter to win one of three copies! One copy will be reserved for a teacher, librarian and/or university professor of children's-YA literature, and the other two will go to any Cynsations readers!

To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Sideshow" in the subject line (Facebook and MySpace readers are welcome to just message me with the title in the header). Deadline: July 31! Reminder: teachers, librarians, and professors should indicate themselves as such in their entries!

Read a Cynsations interview with Deborah.

Sideshow & Geektastic are Now Available

Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists, and Other Matters Odd and Magical, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2009) and Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci (Little, Brown, 2009) are now available! Note: both anthologies include short stories by me!

The Great Geek Escape: play the online game from the official Geektastic Site. And don't miss About the Authors! Isn't it sweet that my avatar is next to Greg's?

More News

Journal Through Summer (part two) from Kristi Holl at Writer's First Aid. Peek: "Use a summer journal to take snapshots. In addition to using a camera, use your jour­nal." See also Press On to Finish Strong.

Games to Play While Waiting for an Idea from Tim Wynne-Jones. Peek: "When the ideas aren’t flowing you can prime the pump. Here are some games I have discovered along the way." Read a Cynsations interview with Tim.

The Top 7 Things Every Aspiring Author's Website Must Have by Jordan McCollum, a guest blog from Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent. See also Everything You Need to Know About Writing a Novel, in 1000 Words by Victoria Mixon.

Right Now in Speculative Fiction: a news round-up from Parker Peevyhouse from The Spectacle.

When adversity strikes....: the first in a series of posts about challenges in the writer's life from Sarah Aronson at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "It would be nice to learn from the low moments, but as an avid Dear Abby reader, we should at least be able to acknowledge them, smile in solidarity, and move forward." See also More Adversity (when your editor hates your new manuscript), Another Common Problem (another author has published a book similar to your work in progress), Review Angst, and Antidotes for the Low Points. Read a Cynsations interview with Sarah.

Personal and Peculiar from Brian Yansky at Brian's Blog. Peek: "...any advice about writing can only be of use if what’s given fits into your peculiar way of writing." See also Bad Things to Good People. Read a Cynsations interview with Brian.

Check out this video of the Oak Park (IL) Library Warrior Librarians winning the 5th annual Library Book Cart Drill Team Championship at the 2009 annual conference of the American Library Association. For a complete report and videos of the runners-up, see also Book Cart Drill Teams Battle for Supremacy by Sydney Beveridge from Mental Floss: Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix.



Rejection Netiquette from Angela at The Bookshelf Muse. Peek: "Now more than ever, it's easy to connect with others, sharing details and commiserating. A little crying, a little fist-shaking and we can get on with the day. The question is, should we?" Source: Children's Book Biz News.

Book lists: Multicultural SF/F for MG and YA from Stacy Whitman's Grimoire. Note: to clarify, Quincie from Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) is English-Italian-Texan. In that book, Kieren is Mexican-Irish American (Mexican on the human side, Irish on the Wolf side), and he will be the protagonist and POV character in Tantalize: Kieren's Story, a graphic novel adaptation currently in production from Candlewick Press. In addition, Miranda, a co-protagonist from Eternal (set in the same universe, also Candlewick (2009)), is Chinese-Scottish American. Read a Cynsations interview with Stacy.

The Morgue and Me by John C. Ford (Viking, 2009): a recommendation from Greg Leitich Smith. Peek: "Full of suspense and a pile of fascinating and sometimes hilarious characters..."

Marion Dane Bauer on Voice from Zu Vincent at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "Concentrate on knowing your character. Your perceiving character will impact your voice in every story even when you are writing in third person. And concentrate on writing the very best you can." See also Janni Lee Simner Speaks Out on Voice and More from Janni Lee Simner on Voice. Read Cynsations interviews with Zu and Janni.

"Respecting Your Reader" with D.L. Garfield: a chat transcript from the Institute of Children's Literature. Peek: "I was lucky that I'd kept a diary through my teen years and saved it all these years. Looking back at it, I saw I was often exhilarated one day and sobbing the next, and never sure of anything. As an adult, I'm more mellow and confident. So I think the inner life of teens is much more a factor of their individual personalities and their age than the era they're raised in."

What Advice Would You Give to New Or Aspiring Writers? from Deborah Brodie: Freelance Editor, Book Doctor & Teacher of Creative Writing. A selection of tips from various pros! See also great news from Deborah's clients.

Choosing a freelance editor: What you need to know by Alan Rinzler from The Book Deal: An Inside View of Publishing. Peek: "Has the editor worked on books that have been published successfully? Your prospective editor should be able to provide an author list of published titles that you can examine." Source: Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent.

New Agent Alert: Brenda Bowen of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates from Chuck at Guide To Literary Agents Editors Blog. Nuts and bolts for submitting.

Reading: Not Such Hard Work from Editorial Anonymous. Tips for reading like a book professional.

Readers, Writers, and Professors- a contrast in close reading by Tami Lewis Brown at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "I've outlined the novel, made notes in margins, used timelines and performed every kind of analysis known to man- or at least to writer- to understand how Audrey Couloumbis pulls off so much in such a little space, writing a story that is, in my opinion, both perfect for a sensitive child reader and a sophisticated adult."

More Personally

Thank you to everyone who made the summer 2009 residency of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Young Adults such a success, and congratulations to our graduates! Special thanks to outgoing faculty chair Sharon Darrow, incoming faculty chair Margaret Bechard, special day ("Good & Evil") coordinators Julie Larios and Tim Wynne-Jones, program director Kate Gustafson, assistant program director Susannah Noel, the graduate assistants (Katie Mather, Cheryl Coupe, Debbie Gonzales, Stephanie Greene, Sharry Wright, Ann Jacobus Kordahl, and Nancy Bo Flood), and alumni mini-residency organizers Sarah Aronson and Mary Atkinson. And one last cheer to our speakers author Deborah Noyes, author Nancy Werlin, and editor Stephen Roxburgh!


Teens' Top Ten Nominees: Eternal: a review by Tara Olivero, Allen County Public Library Teen Advisory Board from YALSA Blog. Peek: "With a cast of vibrant and contemporary characters, Eternal is a must-read. Smith employs the perfect combination of wit and sincerity, making for an enthralling tale..." Note: "Eternal is one of 25 Teens’ Top Ten nominees chosen by teen advisory groups from around the country. Read all about TTT here."

Update: remember my judging the Ann Arbor District Library 2009 IT'S ALL WRITE! Short Story Contest for middle/high school students? Now, you can read all the winning stories online and order the book. Note: The contest was held in conjunction with the Ann Arbor Book Festival, and awards and publication "were made possible through a grant from the Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library.

The Pizza-A-Day-Diet by Greg Leitich Smith at GregLSBlog. While I was at the VCFA summer residency, my husband and sometimes co-author decided to take advantage of the situation to dive into a pizza-based diet (because I'd never sign off on that, if I were at home). For photos, reviews, and behind-the-scenes insights, see Pizza-A-Day and Other Weird Activities, Mangia Chicago Stuffed Pizza, Conans Pizza, Home Slice Pizza, Austin's Pizza, Rounder's Pizza, Frank and Angie's Pizza, Whole Foods, and Grand Finale: The Ultimate Pizza.

Austin Interest

Photos of the Writers' League of Texas Agents' Conference includes a shot of YA authors Jessica Lee Anderson and Varian Johnson.

Reminder: Austin Public Library Fundraiser Seeks Book Donations: The APLF annual fundraising event and silent auction that will be held on Sept. 12. Authors interested in donating an autographed book(s) or item for the silent auction should contact Diane Hernandez--no later than the second week in August--to arrange for shipping and/or for her to pick up your donated item and form.

Mark Your Calendars

Destination Publication: an annual conference of Austin SCBWI will be held Jan. 30, 2010, and registration will open Sept. 1. Conference faculty will include Newbery Honor author Kriby Larson, Caldecott illustrator David Diaz, Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic editor Cheryl Klein, author/FSG editor Lisa Graff, agent Andrea Cascardi, agent Mark McVeigh, agent Nathan Bransford, and a to-be-announced editor; see bios. Featured authors will include Chris Barton, Shana Burg, P.J. Hoover, Jessica Lee Anderson, Liz Garton Scanlon, Jennifer Ziegler, Philip Yates, and Patrice Barton; see author bios.

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd is Now Available

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci (Little, Brown, 2009) is now available!

From the promotional copy:

"Acclaimed authors Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best-selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.

"With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on."

My short story, "The Wrath of Dawn," co-authored by Greg Leitich Smith, is included in the collection.

Read Cynsations interviews with Holly and Cecil.

Cover of the Week: 'Geektastic' by Judith Rosen from Publishers Weekly. Peek: "'This was assigned to me based on my personality; I love geeky stuff. The book immediately made me think of this group called EbOY, which does avatar designs. Initially we asked them to do fantasy figures [some of which remain on the cover, like Geeky school girl and Superhero]. Those were so cool, we asked them to do the authors. We gave them full-sized photos, and they managed to capture the author’s personalities.'"

Geektastic Giveaway

Geektastic Giveaway from Bookluver-Carol's Reviews. Peek: "So do you want to win 1 in 5 copies? Just leave a comment telling me about your geektastic story. It can be real or made up, but it has to be geektastic. There are no length requirements; it can be as long (or short) as you like." Deadline Aug. 17! Enter to win here, not at Cynsations.

Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists, and Other Matters Odd and Magical is Now Available

Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists, and Other Matters Odd and Magical, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2009) is now available!

The collection includes my short story, "Cat Calls," which is set in the Tantalize/Eternal universe and features new characters!

Here's the whole list of contributors:

• David Almond
• Aimee Bender
• Cecil Castellucci
• Shawn Cheng
• Annette Curtis Klause
• Margo Lanagan
• Danica Novgorodoff
• Matt Phelan
• Cynthia Leitich Smith
• Vivian Vande Velde

Sideshow Giveaway

Enter to win one of three copies from Cynsations! One copy will be reserved for a teacher, librarian and/or university professor of children's-YA literature, and the other two will go to any Cynsations readers! To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Sideshow" in the subject line. Deadline: July 31! Reminder: teachers, librarians, and professors should indicate themselves as such in their entries!

Read a Cynsations interview with Deborah.

Spooky Summer Hiatus & VCFA Summer Residency

Spookycyn will be on hiatus from now until sometime shortly after July 22 while I teach at the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults summer 2009 residency in Montpelier.

I look forward to working with fellow faculty members Kathi Appelt, Marion Dane Bauer, Margaret Bechard, Alan Cumyn, Sharon Darrow, Sarah Ellis, Louise Hawes, Ellen Howard, Uma Krishnaswami, Jane Kurtz, Julie Larios, Martine Leavitt, Leda Schubert, Shelley Tanaka, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Tim Wynne-Jones.

Kathi is leading the picture book program.

The VCFA Symposium on Good & Evil will be July 18. Guests will be Deborah Noyes, Nancy Werlin, and editor Stephen Roxburgh. Nancy will lecture and read from Impossible (Dial, 2008), and Deborah will lecture and read from The Ghosts of Kerfol (Candlewick, 2008). "Other events will include a writing challenge, breakout groups, book signings, and a reception.

"All are welcome to join faculty, students, and alumni for this day-long conference." Interested in attending? See more information.

The Alumni Mini-Residency will be July 17 to July 19. Organizers are Sarah Aronson and Mary Atkinson. About 60 alumni will return to campus for those three days for lectures, workshops, a master class with Patricia McCormick, and meetings with editors and agents.

Our graduate assistants will be Katie Mather, Cheryl Coupe, Debbie Gonzales, Stephanie Greene, Sharry Wright, Ann Jacobus Kordahl, and Nancy Bo Flood.

Fantasy Fix

Check out this book trailer for Fortune's Magic Farm, written by Suzanne Selfors (Little, Brown, 2009).



This past week's new releases of science fiction and fantasy for children and teenagers from Charolotte's Library.

Young Adult Speculative Fiction: Science Fiction and Fantasy from Booklists. Links to bibliographies compiled by librarians across the U.S.

Children's & YA Fantasy Novels highlighted by CynthiaLeitichSmith.com. A selection of recommendations and related resources, including links to author interviews. See also Gothic Fantasy & Suspense for Teens & Tweens. Note: it's really more like Gothic fantasy, suspense, urban fantasy, horror generally, and paranormal romance, but who's counting?

Harry Potter giveaway from Sheila Ruth at Wands and Worlds: Fantasy and science fiction for children and teens. Peek: "Now, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will finally be released in paperback on July 7, and I've been given four copies of a Harry Potter prize pack to give away here!" Deadline: July 6. See more information.

Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.: "SFWA is a non-profit organization of professional writers of science fiction, fantasy, and related genres. Esteemed past and present members include Isaac Asimov, Anne McCaffrey, Ray Bradbury, and Andre Norton."

Why Does Cover Art Change? by Parker Peevyhouse from The Spectacle: Authors talk about writing speculative fiction for teens and pre-teens. Peek: "The original artwork for a book cover, however awesome it may be, is sometimes scrapped before the book hits stores. There are a number of reasons for this."

Take a peek at excerpts of A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn and Hunger by Michael Grant, both 2009 releases at HarperTeen. Read a Cynsations interview with Alex about her new release.

Fantasy and Reality by Laurence Yep from the April 1978 issue of The Horn Book Magazine. Peek: "I don't mean to suggest that having a sense of reality is bad. The error lies in treating our sense of reality as absolute rather than relative. Or in assuming that our imagination is inferior to our sense of reality in dealing with our external world."

Spooky News & Giveaways

You Know You're a Debut Author When... by Joy Prebel at Class of 2K9: Debut Middle Grade and Young Adult Authors: Serving up Fresh Fiction. Peek: "You get so good at the Google-stalking thing that you feel a little frightened." A very cute post from a new voice I'm especially excited about. Joy is originally from Chicago and now makes her home in Texas. Learn more about Joy Prebel. Note: for what it's worth, my recommendation is always to focus on writing your next book. A remarkable amount of "noise" out there doesn't matter.

10 Ways Twitter Can Help Writers by Debbie Ridpath Ohi from MiG Writers. Peek: "One of the reasons I decided to take Twitter seriously was because I kept hearing about various editors and publishers who were Twittering. And they weren’t just posting promo items; they were also reading posts by other Twitterers and sometimes replying to them."

Post-Conference Follow-Up from Kristi Holl at Writer's First Aid. Peek: "How do you make good use of the notes and information gleaned at a writer’s workshop or conference?"

Why Write? by Carrie Jones at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "Yet, I think one of the tools at becoming a better writer is understanding the why of why we write. It's not always a simple reason or easy to discover. It's not a set of reasons that applies to everyone." Note: first post in a week-long series. Read a Cynsations interview with Carrie.

Does Listening to an Audio Book Count as Reading? Vote at Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent. Read a Cynsations interview with Nathan.

Congratulations to Heather Brewer on the launch of Tenth Grade Bleeds (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, Book 3)(Dutton, 2009)! Peek: "High school can be so draining when you're half-human, half-vampire It's another sucky year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. The evil vampire D'Ablo is hunting for the ritual that could steal Vlad's powers. His best friend Henry doesn't want to be his drudge anymore. And as if all that weren't enough, it's getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on the people around him. When months go by with no word from Uncle Otis and D'Ablo shows up demanding Vlad's father's journal, Vlad realizes that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. Vlad needs to act fast, and even his status as the Pravus won't save him this time..."

Projects, Patterns, and Personalities by editor Cheryl Klein at Brooklyn Arden. Peek: "I was looking over the list of my past and upcoming projects, and I realized that a very good chunk of them fit into at least one and sometimes more of these subject categories..." Source: Sara Lewis Holmes at Read, Write, Believe.

Marvelous Marketer: Tracy Marchini (Literary Assistant, Curtis Brown) from Shelli at Market My Words: Rantings and ravings on how authors can better market their books to kids. Peek: "Networking online is the same as networking in person, so whether you're online or offline, it's important to be a gracious host and an appreciative guest." Read a Cynsations interview with Tracy.

Promotional Emails: Do's & Don'ts by Elizabeth Bluemle from Shelftalker: A Children's Bookseller's Blog. Peek: "Do not compare your own book to Harry Potter, The Wind in the Willows, Charlotte's Web, or any other published title, for that matter — especially to claim that it's that book's equal or better."

My Editor and Revision by Brian Yansky at Brian's Blog. Peek: "Even experienced writers, after they have rewritten and rewritten and rewritten a manuscript, will have an editor who makes, often, very good points about how to improve the manuscript. This makes me happy." See also My Fiction Is Stranger Than Truth. Read a Cynsations interview with Brian.

Writing in the Woods: A Retreat for Writers of Children's and Young Adult Literature. Phyllis Root, Marsha Wilson Chall, and Jane Resh Thomas will be teaching a workshop from Oct. 19 to Oct. 25 at Good Earth Village in Spring Valley, Minnesota. Enrollment limited to 10. Application deadline: Aug. 19. See more information. Read a Cynsations interview with Phyllis.

Why New Novelists Are Kinda Old, or, Hey, Publishing is Slow by John Scalzi from Whatever: Someday Your Tears Will Turn to Diamonds. Peek: "Whenever I hear about a 'new' novelist, they turn out to be in their 30s. Why is that? It seems like you hear about new musicians and actors and other creative people in when they are in their 20s." Source: Children's Book Biz News. Note: The article is centered on the adult market but is still of interest. It used to be that children's-YA authors generally debuted in middle age, but younger writers are now regularly breaking in.

The Time Gobbler by Kristi Holl at Writer's First Aid. Peek: "'A good rule of thumb is to spend one hour of Net time for every two hours spent writing. After all, you can't call yourself a writer if you don't write,'" quoting Some Writers Deserve To Starve! by Elaura Niles (Writer's Digest, 2005). See also The Downside of Goal-Setting.

You, Represented By You from Editorial Anonymous. Peek: "...you can submit the work your agent isn't interested in on your own."

What Backstory Can Do for Your Story by Jessica Morrell from Writer's Digest. Peek: "When deciding when and where to use backstory in your work, it can help to think about what you're trying to accomplish within a given scene. To do this, however, you need to understand the many functions of backstory." Source: Children's Book Biz News.

Book Launch: The Gifted Series by Marilyn Kaye from Janet S. Fox at Through the Wardrobe. Peek: "Almost all my characters are based on an aspect of people I've known, and sometimes on aspects of myself. Then, I let them evolve in my imagination--they take on characteristics that just seem to emerge naturally from their personalities and situations." Read a Cynsations interview with Janet.

Writing Links from my main website. An extensive listing of links to interviews, articles, and other information about agents, book design & art direction, editors & publishers, education, illustration, promotion, publishing, and writing.

Highlight of the Week

I've already blogged about last Saturday's Austin SCBWI meeting with BookPeople events coordinators Mandy Brooks (in the BP T-shirt) and Alison Nihlean (in glasses). Here's just another peek at our speakers with RA Tim Crow. Note: you can find books--many autographed--by local Austin authors at the store. Look in the BookKids department, behind and to the side of the information desk. Or you can call toll-free 800.853.9757; autographed copies of my own Gothic fantasies are available.


More Personally

Fellow Austin author Shana Burg highlights Tantalize (Candlewick) at Walmart in Greenville, Mississippi. Check out part one and two of Shana's report on her recent trip to the Mississippi Delta, the setting for A Thousand Never Evers (Delacorte, 2008). Read a Cynsations interview with Shana.

Congratulations to Horn Book editor Roger Sutton on the birth of his grandson, Miles Henkels Asch, and congratulations to Blooming Tree editor and children's author Madeline Smoot on the birth of her son, also named Miles! Read a Cynsations interview with Roger.

Everything I Know I Learned From Dungeons & Dragons by Brent Hartinger from TheTorchOnline.com. Peek: "Dungeons & Dragons isn't a dangerous, evil force in the world, nor is it just harmless fun; it's actually one of the most worthwhile activities ever created, and there is literally nothing better for turning a kid into a thoughtful, creative, passionate, open-minded adult." Note: I've never been a D&D player, but I've spent a lot of quality time in comic book shops with people who are. Read a Cynsations interview with Brent.

Giveaway Updates

Enter to win a bookplate-autographed copy of the new release, Bones of Faerie (Random House, 2009), and traditionally autographed copies of both Secret of the Three Treasures (Holiday House, 2006)(hard copy) and Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2006)(paperback) from Cynsations. Note: Gothic includes Janni's short story "Stone Tower." To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Janni Lee Simner" in the subject line. Deadline: June 30! Read a Cynsations interview with Janni.

Enter to win your choice of an Eternal T-shirt, hat, or mug from Cynsations! Note: various designs and colors are available. See all of the choices!

You may also win an ARC of one of three YA paranormal books: Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz (Hyperion, 2008); Wake by Lisa McMann (Simon Pulse, 2008); or Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston (HarperCollins, 2008)!

Here's how to enter:

(1) visit this link: Eternal Book Trailer by Naomi Bates at YA Books and More. Watch the trailer!

(2) (a) Email me (scroll to click envelope); (b) Type "Eternal trailer giveaway" in the subject line; (c) Offer your cheers about the trailer! What do you love about it? What questions does it raise in your mind? (d) Indicate your preferred T-shirt style, size, and color; (e) Rank the ARCs in the order of preference. Note: if you already have one or more of the books, you can mention that too. You are also encouraged to share your cheers in a comment at this post on Naomi's blog, though this is not required to enter. It's just friendly.

Deadline: midnight central time June 30!

World Horror Convention 2011 in Austin, Texas

Austin – June 15 The World Horror Society has named Austin, Texas as the location for the 2011 World Horror Convention (WHC). The international gathering of horror's brightest talents and their fans will take place from April 28th through May 1st, 2011.

Austin, Texas was chosen for its unique style and rich genre history. The original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was filmed near the city, and the remakes of both "Chainsaw Massacre" and "Friday the 13th" were filmed in town. Austin also serves as home to the largest urban bat colony in North America, and at sunset 1.5 million bats fly over the city, truly marking it as a horror locale. (There’s a reason the city's motto is "Keep Austin Weird.")

"Texas has a long history of strange fiction, serving as home to such luminaries as Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock, and Joe R. Lansdale," says Convention Co-Chair, Nate Southard. "Bringing the World Horror Convention to Austin is a natural. It's a vibrant city with a taste for the eccentric and a love of the arts. Further, its central, southern location makes it convenient for travelers throughout the US, and visitors from abroad will have no trouble reaching us either."

Known as both the Capital of Texas and the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin provides the entertainment and cultural draws of a large city with the intimacy of a small town. This smaller size translates to ease of transportation in and around the city with many opportunities for convention attendees to absorb what Austin has to offer.

Convention Chairs, Southard and Lee Thomas, promise to bring the convention back to the US in style. Focusing on literary horror's newest stars, WHC 2011 has already confirmed author Sarah Langan as its first Guest of Honor.

"We couldn't be more pleased," Lee Thomas, Co-Chair of the event, said. "Sarah was at the top of our list, and her enthusiastic agreement to attend really set the tone for what we hope to achieve with this convention. We'll be inviting additional industry luminaries, and we'll make announcements when those folks are confirmed."

Ms. Langan's first novel, The Keeper (HarperCollins, 2006), was named a New York Times editor's choice. Her second novel, The Missing (HarperCollins, 2007), won the Bram Stoker Award for outstanding novel and earned an American Library Association Award. Her third novel, Audrey's Door, will be released in late 2009 and has already been optioned by the Weinstein Company for film.

Additional Guests of Honor, registration information, and hotel information will be forthcoming. A website featuring convention information is currently in development.

The World Horror Convention is an annual gathering of professionals in the horror industry; publishers, authors, artists, musicians, filmmakers, dealers and, of course, horror fans.

WHC serves as both an industry insider's networking event and a chance for fans of the genre to get together, meet some of the creative talents in the field, and generally spend a weekend celebrating All Things Scary.

Source: Lee Thomas.

Interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith from Writer Musings; Smith & Lockhart Giveaway Reminder

Interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith from Tabitha Olson at Writer Musings: A place to ponder books, as well as how the words get on the page.

Peek: "After a break during college, I returned to reading comics, graphic novels, and children's-YA literature while I was in law school. In an academic field with some weighty (sometimes intentionally convoluted) language, such works came as a welcome relief. Not long after graduation, I made the decision to write full-time."

Giveaway Reminder

Tabitha Olson at has announced her June book giveaway at Writer Musings: A place to ponder books, as well as how the words get on the page. The featured books are: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (Hyperion, 2008); How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle, and Sarah Mlynowski (HarperCollins, 2008); Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2007); and Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2009).

To enter, leave a comment at this post. See also information on extra entries.

Note: Tabitha will "randomly draw four names" June 27.

June Giveaways at Writer Musings: Lockhart's How to Be Bad & Frankie Landau-Banks; Smith's Tantalize & Eternal

Tabitha Olson at has announced her June book giveaway at Writer Musings: A place to ponder books, as well as how the words get on the page. The featured books are:

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (Hyperion, 2008)

How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle, and Sarah Mlynowski (HarperCollins, 2008)

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2007).

Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2009).

Peek: "look for interviews with both Cynthia Leitich Smith and E. Lockhart later in the month!"

To enter, leave a comment at this post.

For one extra entry, post a link to this contest on your website or blog (or some other public forum), then let Tabitha know about it at this post.

For another extra entry, become a follower and then let Tabitha know about it at this post (or let her know you already are a follower).

Note: Tabitha will "randomly draw four names...June 27."

Author Interview: Janni Lee Simner on Bones of Faerie

Janni Lee Simner on Janni Lee Simner: "I was born aboard a pirate ship, but as soon as I came of age booked passage with a caravan bound for the Sahara, and spent the next decade as a seeker of lost cities, hidden tombs, and ancient artifacts before settling down in the Sonoran desert to write...

"Well, okay, maybe that's not how it really happened, but it's kind of how I wish it had happened.

"I was actually born in New York and might have stayed there, if not for a Girl Scout cross-country camping trip the year I was thirteen. I fell in love with the western United States on that trip, and I also caught my first glimpse of the St. Louis Arch there.

"I returned to St. Louis (where Bones of Faerie is set) for college, started writing for publication after graduation, and soon after moved further west and really did settle down in Arizona's Sonoran desert."

What were you like as a young reader?

I was one of those kids who got so lost in books that I wouldn't hear people talking to me, or even calling me in for dinner. You know, that kid who walks down the street with a book in hand, while everyone but her worries that any moment someone will hit her... Actually, I've occasionally been seen doing that as an adult, too.

Why do you write for kids and young adults today?

I never stopped reading kids' and YA books, so I'm writing what I most love to read!

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

I'd been filling notebooks with stories since junior high school, but just out of college I spent the last of my student loan money on a computer (DOS based, 5 1/4" floppy disks, no hard drive, which gives an idea of how long ago that was!) and decided to see if I could make something of this writing thing.

Early on, I sent for guidelines to an anthology edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley. She pointed out that while writing a novel might be frightening, if you write a page a day, you have a book in a year. After that I made myself write something--even if it was only a few lines--every day.

I submitted my first short story to that anthology, and it sold, and for a little while I thought maybe this writing thing wouldn't be so hard after all.

It was only after that sale that I got my first rejection slip--and lots more after that--and settled down to the business of really learning how to write.

Early on, did you have the support of a mentor or critique group?

After I sold that first short story--I was still living in St. Louis at the time--I met up with a group of local writers, the Alternate Historians, who invited me to join their critique group.

I remember wondering if I really needed a critique group, which seems hilarious now. I learned so much the two years I was with the Alternate Historians--as much as any MFA program could have taught me.

After two years I moved to Tucson, where I've been lucky enough to find two more excellent critique groups: a children's and YA group with Carole Adler, Dawn Dixon, Patricia McCord, Jennifer J. Stewart and a more fantasy-focused group with Larry Hammer, Jill Knowles, and Frances Robertson.

I've learned so much from all of them, too. Hopefully I've given as much back in return.

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

Taken myself and my writing a little less seriously, maybe. I wouldn't want to lose the focus and dedication and willingness to make time in my life to write--but as important as writing is, it actually isn't everything, and it's important to make time for other things, too.

Doing so gives you more to write about--and is a way to avoid burnout (which is what I think writer's block often actually is), too.

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

My critique groups, definitely.

Giving myself permission to write badly, and not being afraid to then revise as much as I need to. The way my process works, if I can just get the story down on paper, I can always revise it into something better later, because I'm a better re-writer than writer.

Also, I'm stubborn, and don't give up easily--definitely useful as a writer!

How about as you have progressed in your career?

Learning to trust my instincts and my own (very messy!) writing process. Writers tend to give each other lots of advice. Sometimes that advice is presented as "you must do this to succeed," but even when it's not, we tend to hear it that way.

It took me a while to gain the confidence to say that it doesn't matter how another writer--even a bestselling writer or a writer whose work I adore--writes. If something doesn't work for me, it doesn't work for me, and I should do something else.

Could you fill us in on your back-list titles, highlighting as you see fit?

I've written four middle grade novels: The Phantom Rider trilogy (Scholastic, 1996) is about a girl who discovers a magical ghost horse in her backyard; Secret of the Three Treasures (Holiday House, 2006), is a humorous mystery about a girl who's determined to become a professional adventurer, no matter what.

I've also published more than 30 short stories for kids, teens and adults, including appearances in Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2004), Cricket magazine (October 2006), and Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar (DAW, 2008).

Congratulations on Bones of Faerie (Random House, 2009)! Could you tell us a little about the novel?

Bones of Faerie is a post-apocalyptic YA fantasy set almost 20 years after the War between the human and faerie realms destroyed most of the world. Nothing has been seen or heard from Faerie since, but the world is filled with the deadly magic the War left behind: trees that seek out human blood, glowing stones that burn with cold fire, forests whose shadows can swallow a person whole. The few surviving humans search for magic and cast it out wherever they find it, because they know magic destroyed the world.

The story's protagonist, Liza, pretty much accepts this--until her father sets her infant sister out on a hillside to die for showing signs of magic. Liza's mother disappears soon after, and then Liza discovers signs of magic in herself and flees the town she's known all her life, heading into the deadly forest that surrounds it.

What was your initial inspiration for writing the book?

I wrote the opening scene when I was still living in St. Louis. I loved that opening, but after I wrote it I stopped short, because I had no idea what happened next! It took me ten years--and a lot of learning and growing as a writer--before I was finally ready to finish the book.

What was the timeline between spark and each publication, and what were the major events along the way?

Once I got past that initial scene, it took me about two years to write Bones of Faerie. I spent a year or so marketing the book on my own, then some months querying agents. My agent sold the book to my editor a few months after that.

What were the main challenges in framing the story as a fantasy?

I love to read fantasy, so I frame my stories as fantasy without even thinking about it. Even Secret of the Three Treasures, my one "realistic" story, feels fantasy-sympathetic to me. I think keeping the magic out of my stories would be a bigger challenge than including it.

If you could go back in time and talk to your beginning-writer self, what would you tell her?

That yes, she really can do this! And that one day other people really will read those stories she's writing in her notebooks right now.

What do you do outside the world of books?

I also write freelance science and health articles, as well as doing occasional other business and marketing writing. When not working I like to read (of course!) and go hiking and camping with my husband (and first reader, and fellow writer) Larry Hammer.

Right now I'm also learning how to fence, which has been a lot of fun, even if I'm not very good at it yet. I think most people can learn most things, even the things we think we can't, if we're willing to be really bad at them first!

What can your fans look forward to next?

I'm working on a couple other YA projects right now, and I hope to return to the world of Bones of Faerie as well. In the meantime, I have a short story set in that world online--"Invasive Species" in Coyote Wild's YA issue (Aug. 2008).

After setting Bones of Faerie in the Missouri, I became curious what the war with Faerie looked like in Arizona--where, even without magic, the plants know how to bite. I wrote "Invasive Species" to find out!

Eternal Available in June from Walker Books Australia and New Zealand

Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith is now available in hardcover from Walker Books Australia and New Zealand (June 2009). See more information. See also the reader's guide.

Eternal Trailer

Spooky News

Congratulations to Annette Curtis Klause on the forthcoming release of a new edition (with a new cover) of The Silver Kiss. Includes two bonus short stories about Simon and Zoë, one of which ("The Christmas Cat") has never before been published. Read a Cynsations interview with Annette.

The Infernal Devices: check out the gorgeous new site celebrating the latest from Cassandra Clare. Read a Cynsations interview with Cassandra.

Summer Blog Blast Tour: Rachel Caine from Trisha at The Ya Yas. Peek: "The romantic tension between Shane and Claire is, for me, the sweetest part of the series. I think at a certain point, as a writer, you have to let go and let your characters drive, and they seem to do that pretty well when it comes to having feelings for each other." Read a Cynsations interview with Rachel.

Marvelous Marketer: Alan Gratz from Shelli at Market My Words: Rantings and ravings on how authors can better market their books to kids. Peek: "I wish I would have planned for selling more books from the outset, and designed an initial site that could be easily augmented as new books were added. I have that now, but it could have saved myself a lot of nights at the computer if I had made the original site focus on me, not a single book." Read a Cynsations interview with Alan.

Interview with Jeannine Garsee by Debbi Michiko Florence. Peek: "Only when I start on the first revision do I really get into the souls of the characters." To win a copy of Jeanine's Say the Word (Bloomsbury, 2009), leave a comment here by midnight PST June 7. Read a Cynsations interview with Debbi.

Authors Who Skype with Book Clubs from Kate Messner, Children's Book Author at Kate's Book Blog. Peek: "I am starting a list of authors who offer free 20-minute Skype chats with book clubs." Note: opportunity for traditionally-published authors and book club coordinators. See initial list.

Marianna: Further Thoughts on Dialogue -- Distinct Voices for Similar Characters from Crowe's Nest. Peek: "In looking at YA novels that center on groups of friends, I found that some (definitely not all) writers successfully develop recognizable voices for their characters while still believably portraying close-knit groups with much in common. To do this, the writers key into the defining aspects of the characters’ personalities and create voices that reflect those traits."

The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies by David Lubar (Starscape 2009)(ages 8-up): a recommendation by Greg Leitich Smith at GregLSBlog. Peek: "In his fourth Weenies collection, Lubar delivers another set of often funny, sometimes gross, and occasionally creepy 'Twilight Zone'-ish short stories."

How Ursula K Le Guin led a generation away from realism: The most vital writers of my generation have been weaned from a puritanical distrust of imagination by her influence by Scott Timberg from The Guardian. Source: Miss Rumphius Effect.

YA Paranormal Panel @ RomanceDivas: Christopher Golden, Cassandra Clare, Rachel Caine, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Lucienne Diver, Jeff Mariotte, and Alyson Noel are all talking about writing YA Paranormal fiction at the Romance Divas forum. Ends May 30. Source: Little Willow at Slayground. Read Cynsations interviews with Christopher and Rosemary. See links to interviews with Cassandra and Rachel above.

How Tight is Your Bow? from Kristi Holl at Writers First Aid. Peek: "If we slow down–if we try to live a more balanced life–can we get it all done? Is it really possible?"

Writing from Life Without Boring Yourself by Mary Ann Rodman from Teaching Authors: Six Children's Authors Who Also Teach Writing. Peek: "...unless it makes sense within the context of the story, nobody cares if it 'really happened that way.' This is fiction. Fiction is shaped reality."

Shrinking Violet Promotions has been celebrating independent bookstores!

President Obama and First Lady named Honorary Chairs of the 2009 National Book Festival from Lori Calabrese. Peek: "President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will serve as Honorary Chairs of the 2009 National Book Festival, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress. Now in its ninth year, this popular event celebrating the joys of reading and lifelong literacy will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between 7th and 14th Streets from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (rain or shine). The event is free and open to the public."

Congratulations, Victoria Laurie

Congratulations to Austin author Victoria Laurie, author of Oracles of Delphi Keep (Random House, 2009)! Victoria is shown above (in the multicolored top) with Mandy Books, Kids and Young Adult Events Coordinator from BookPeople. This photo was taken on Tusday night in the small red house at Jeffrey's in conjunction with a Random House dinner party, celebrating the release.

From the promotional copy:

"Ian Wigby is about to find out that he is a very special boy.

"Along the southern coast of England, atop the White Cliffs of Dover, stands a castle. And at that castle’s old keep is an orphanage. Delphi Keep has seen many youngsters come and go through its gates, and Ian Wigby and his sister, Theodosia, are happy to call it home. Life has always been simple at the Keep, and the orphanage safe, until one day, Ian and Theo find a silver treasure box. And within the box, a prophesy. Three thousand years ago a great Greek oracle wrote of a quest. A quest on which the fate of the world depends. A quest that names two children—Ian and Theodosia. Suddenly Delphi Keep is no longer safe. And Ian and Theo, along with a very special group of friends, realize they must unravel the meaning behind the scroll of Dover cavern before darkness falls on the world. And before an unfathomable evil catches up with them."

More Personally

Hooray! I've heard from Listening Library/Random House that Jesse Bernstein and Allyson Ryan will be playing the voices of Zachary and Miranda for the Eternal audio book, which will be available July 14. Jesse's credits include the Percy Jackson series audio books. Allyson's include The Garden of Eve by K.L. Going and the Suddenly Supernatural series by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel audios. Click links to hear their voices! I'll keep you posted as more details arise! Note: news of the cover artist for Tantalize: Kieren's Story (Candlewick, TBA) is coming soon.

Author-illustrator Annette Simon sends this shot of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) and Eternal (Candlewick, 2009) from Target in Columbus, Ohio.

On the Reading Table: Eternal from Lindsey Lane at This and That. Peek: "Fascinating. Leitich Smith is in full command of the world she has created in this book."

Beyond that, my Memorial Day weekend was quiet and productive--with a razor focus on my upcoming deadline. Greg made sushi on Monday afternoon.


Thank you to Michelle Stewart and her students at Mt. San Jacinto College for their hospitality during my conference call visit on Wednesday!

Thank you to Chris Eldin for the book roasts!

Howdy to Jennifer Ziegler's mom! Thanks for reading Cynsations, and good luck with your manuscript! I'm rooting for you! Read a Cynsations interview with Jennifer.

Congratulations, Austin readers! The Austin Public Library will join the community 9 a.m. May 30 to celebrate the grand opening of the newly constructed North Village Branch located at 2505 Steck Avenue near the corner of Burnet Road and Steck Avenue. This newly constructed 11,000 square foot library is replacing the 5,000 square foot storefront lease spaced facility located in the North Star Home Shopping Center at 2139 W. Anderson Lane where it has been located since 1971. Source: Austin Public Library. See more information.

Attention: Aleksie in Indiana: your signed bookplate and bookmark have been returned by the postal service as undeliverable. Please contact me to confirm a new address. Thanks!