Author Interview: David Macinnis Gill on Soul Enchilada

David Macinnis Gill is the author of the debut novel, Soul Enchilada (Greenwillow). His stories have appeared in several magazines, and his critical biography, Graham Salisbury: Island Boy, was published by Scarecrow Press (2005). He holds a bachelor's degree in English/creative writing and a doctorate in education, both from the University of Tennessee.

David has been a house painter, cafeteria manager, bookstore schlepper, high school teacher, and college professor.

He now lives on the Carolina coast with his family, plus fourteen fish, two rescued dogs, and a nocturnal marsupial.

What were you like as a young reader?

Starved. I learned to read the first day of school and haven't stopped yet. In middle school, I signed up to be a library aide so that I could have free access to the library before school, after school, during lunch, homeroom, and any class when I finished my work.

I read just about everything, especially sports books as a middle reader then science fiction and horror as a teen. At home, I read comic books, and my comics collection was huge. Sadly, I sold it before going to college.

Why do you write for teenagers today?

I think we all get stuck in an age, to some extent. For me, that age was seventeen, and I still feel like I'm that old. Plus, I was a high school teacher, and I wanted to give students books to read, think, and talk about.

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

Like stories about lawyers and sports, stories with young adult heroes have built-in drama.

Who can resist a coming-of-age story? We are a society that appreciates a good butterfly hatching.

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

Stumbles, speed bumps, and traffic circles! My first fiction was published in literary magazines in the early 1990s. An agent read one of those stories and suggested I write novels instead.

I began immediately, and after only seven tries and thirteen years (I guess I'm a slow learner), I figured out how to write a novel and found a story premise that got a lot of buzz.

In June of 2007, I submitted it to my current agent, who signed me on. After two revisions, it sold to Greenwillow Books, a house that I had always admired and never dreamed would pick up Soul Enchilada.

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

I would have majored in something other than creative writing in college. It's more important, I think, to have something to write about than to spend time learning to write a very specific type of fiction.

Instead, I would have gone to workshops by practicing novelists who could have shortened my learning curve.

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

Those seven unpublished novels. There is nothing like finishing a story, then revising it until it's as good as it's going to be.

It's heartbreaking when you realize that the finished product isn't ever going to be good enough, but it gave me the confidence that I could enter any revision, no matter how huge, and still meet the challenge. It also makes it easier recognize and throw away something that just is never going to work.

Also, my critique partners, Julie, Shannon, Jean, Lauren, and Lindsay, who are excellent readers and writers, have saved my sanity a hundred times over.

Congratulations on your debut novel, Soul Enchilada (Greenwillow, April 2009)! What was your initial inspiration for writing the story?

The novel began as a short story in 2005. One of my writers groups was having a Halloween story contest. I was given several story seeds to begin my work, and I had to include the seeds in the story. While I didn't win, my idea was greeted enthusiastically by the group. I entered the story into the WIN short story contest, and it won.

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

Flash forward two years: I was struggling with the umpteenth revision of a ghost story when I decided to do something with the Halloween story. I set the other novel aside and began letting the narrator of the short story tell me more about her life. Her voice swept me up, and the first draft was down within a month. The whole timeline would be:

1. spark: 2005
2. first draft finished: 2007
3. agent signed: 2007
4. contract: late 2007
5. publication: 2009.

What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, and logistical) in bringing the book to life?

I should say, "getting the narrator's voice right," because she is so different from me. But that was the easiest part.

The challenge came from the setting, El Paso. I have never been to West Texas, so I needed a ton of information on places, names, locales, smells, sounds, and attitudes. My critique partners were invaluable, and I used the Internet for the rest.

The other difficult part was weaving all of these disparate elements of folklore, pop culture, sports, race, classism, and the American literary canon into one energetic narrative.

What about the publishing process has surprised you most and why?

The amount of time and energy my publisher will spend to make sure everything is absolutely right. I'm glad that I kept notes on my research, because there were many elements that I had to justify before including them.

Also, I was surprised that my editor likes exclamation marks. I had heard that they were verboten!

Big picture, what is it like, being a debut author?

Thrilling. Terrifying. Intense. Joyous. Lonely. Overwhelming. Flattering. Rumbling. Stumbling. Fumbling. And humbling, when you learn that there are many people that you've never heard of who are cheering for your little book to do well.

In terms of marketing and outreach, how do you connect with your readers?

With both hands and lots of Velcro? I have the requisite websites (personal and book specific), Facebook, MySpace, Goodreads, and Twitter. Readers can contact via any of those sites, as well as the contact page on my website.

How do you balance your life as a writer with the responsibilities (speaking, promotion, etc.) of being an author? Or, more globally, how is that adjustment going?

The way I maintain balance is to run from one side of the scale to the other, hoping that it won't tip. Balance-wise, I think I'm a lost cause. I've always been a hyper-attentive person who daydreams constantly, and I don't multi-task well, so there's a lot of putting out of fires and bouncing from one responsibility to next.

Someday, when I'm a grownup, I'll get organized.

Do you work with a mentor, critique group or partner, or exclusively with your editor? Why does that approach work for you?

Did I already say that I have an amazing critique group? Well, I have an amazing critique group full of (now) published authors. We got started via Verla Kay's blueboard [Children's Writers and Illustrators Message Board] and created an electronic meeting space. They are all smart readers and supportive of one another. It was their confidence in Soul Enchilada that made me realize that I had a unique idea.

Since my first sale, that has morphed somewhat, with my editor taking the lead in shaping my work. But I always want their feedback before I send work to my editor.

What advice do you have for beginning writers?

Read with an eye for craft. The usual advice is read, read, read and write, write, write.

I support that advice, although I think starting writers should read widely in the genre of their choice and then chose a handful of accomplished writers whose work they admire. Read the books again with a critical eye, trying to recognize the structural elements that make the novel work.

And when you write, be reflective of both your process and your product. Can you write a scene more dramatically? Can you tweak your process so that you work more efficiently and create polished copy?

Be willing to walk away from a story that isn't working so that you can find a story that will.

You wear more than one hat in the field of YA literature! Could you fill us in on your other activities in the field?

I'm the past-president of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents, the largest professional group devoted to the study of young adult literature. I served on the ALAN Board of Directors for almost ten years.

In addition, I wrote an interview column for Teacher Librarian magazine and was a book reviewer. I've published books and article of literary criticism about the YA field.

How do the various "Davids" in YA literature inform one another? Do they always get along?

The author David is informed more by the scholar David than vice-versa. Publishing is a business, and working as ALAN president has given me great insight on how marketing, sales, and promotion work.

Because I was aware of how marketing-and-publicity departments choose authors and books to promote, along with where they are promoted and why, I was very informed about what happened after Soul Enchilada left my hands for the final time. I feel like I have a broader view of the field of young adult literature and how I how as a writer I fit into it.

Other than your own, so far what are your favorite YA novels of 2009 and why?

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon (Greenwillow, May 2009) is a beautifully-written novel set in feudal China with a female protagonist who will win you over immediately.

I read an early ARC of Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (Viking, March 2009) and still haven't been able to shake loose of its haunting narrative.

What can your fans look forward to next?

That's a great question. I wish I knew the answer!

Right now, I'm trying to find a knock-out idea for my second book. I'm a genre writer and reader, so it will be some fusion of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and comedy. But it will be YA.

Several librarians have asked about a sequel for Soul Enchilada. I have ideas, but only time will tell if there will be a second helping of Enchilada. In the meantime, read Soul Enchilada again. It will be a different book the second time through.

What do you do outside the world of books?

There's a world outside of books? Who knew? My official job is Associate Professor of English Education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, but because I have two middle school daughters, I'm really a chauffeur. Preferably, a silent and invisible chauffeur, if my girls had their way.

Is there anything you'd like to add?

Add? No, I’ve never been very good at math. Please visit me at www.davidmacinnsgill.com or www.soulenchilada.com to read my blog, get for more info about Soul Enchilada and the audiobook from Brilliance Audio, send me email, find examples of essays exploring themes in Laurie Halse Anderson's Twisted (Viking, 2007). You know, the usual stuff.

[Watch both of these trailers, the "Bug" version and the "Beals" version. They're both entertaining and a sort of great study in perspective/point of view.]





Cynsational Notes

David Macinnis Gill
Soul Enchilada (Greenwillow/HarperTeen, April 9).
Audiobook (Brilliance Audio, April 9)(excerpt).

An "action-packed, power-punch of a debut" --Kirkus (starred)

"Delightfully wacky" --Horn Book

"Gill knows what will make teens laugh" --Publishers Weekly

"Bug is a refreshingly gutsy female protagonist...that will win over readers." --Booklist

"A powerful voice of young adult literature" --Chris Crutcher

"Wonderful and unexpectedly touching..." --Melissa Marr

"Tasty" --Teri Lesesne

"Warm, funny, and full of grace.... Highly recommended." --Greg Leitich Smith

Spooky News, Giveaways & Texas Library Association Conference Report

Enter to Win an Eternal T-shirt this month at TeensReadToo.com! Check out the available styles. Read a Cynsations interview with logo designer Gene Brenek. See the five-star review of Eternal from TeensReadToo. Peek: "This novel is definitely a page-turner. It is filled with danger, deception, humor, love, sadness, and hope."

More News
A Revision Medley by Lisa Schroeder. Peek: "What do authors go through when writing or revising a book? This gives you a peek into one author's revision process, featuring a medley of songs to tell the story." Read a Cynsations interview with Lisa.



Interview - Ellen Jensen Abbott from the Enchanted Inkpot. Peek: "Westtown is a Quaker school, and while I am not Quaker, I have learned a lot about Quakerism. Some of the themes of Watersmeet have been influenced by this. I couldn't write about war in Watersmeet without thinking hard about the Quaker peace testimony. What is worth fighting for?"

Writing Through the Storms from Kristi Holl at Writers First Aid. Peek: "Sounds contradictory, but it's not. Do schedule writing time, as usual. Strive to keep that appointment, no matter what else is going on in your life."

Writing after Major Losses from Kristi Holl at Writers First Aid. Peek: "Always having 'everything tightly under control' leaves a writer too rigid to produce a decent rough draft."

Curtis Brown Ltd.: new official agency website. Peek: "Founded in 1914, Curtis Brown, Ltd. is among the most venerable and prominent literary agencies in the world..." See submissions information. Note: I'm honored to say that I have been happily represented by Ginger Knowlton at Curtis Brown for the entirety of my career.

Blue Slip Media: new publicity-and-marketing agency, specializing in youth literature. Peek: "In a business climate where publicity and marketing resources at major publishing houses are stretched thin, we offer expertise in crafting effective press releases, targeted mailing lists, niche and local market outreach, and event planning to create comprehensive campaigns for print and online media." See testimonials.

Self-Publishing and Self-Editing from Editorial Anonymous. Peek: "You're building a name for yourself, remember-- and you want the qualities associated with that name to be consistent, whether it's 'fun / character-driven', '"literary / romantic', 'suspenseful / humorous', etc. You don't want to confuse people with 'fun / ugly', 'literary / boring', or 'suspenseful / like a bad acid trip'."

Workshop Proposals by Robin (R.L.) LaFevers at Shrinking Violet Promotions. Peek: "Think of the workshop proposal as a query letter for your workshop. You want to put your best, most professional foot forward, as well as hook your audience, in this case the conference organizers." Read a Cynsations interview with R.L. LaFevers.

More Personally

Thank you so much to Jennifer Yoon of Candlewick Press editorial and both Sharon Hancock and Jenny Choy of Candlewick Press marketing for your support, enthusiasm, and hospitality at the Texas Library Association conference in Houston.

Thanks also to everyone who was kind enough to come to my signing at the booth and to Dr. Teri Lesesne AKA The Goddess of YA Literature for including Eternal (Candlewick, 2009) among her Best New YA Books of 2009. What an honor, and talk about great company!

Let's take a tour of the exhibitor floor!

Here's Brian Anderson, author of the Zack Proton series (Aladdin, 2006). Read a Cynsations interview with Brian.

Greg poses with Writers' League of Texas director (and fellow Jayhawk) Cyndi Hughes. For more details on our trip, see Greg's report.

Rising star Varian Johnson smiles for the camera. Get the scoop on TLA from Varian. Read a Cynsations interview with Varian.

Elaine Scott signs Mars and The Search for Life (Clarion, 2008). Read a Cynsations interview with Elaine.

Melanie Chrismer shows off Phoebe Clappsaddle and the Tumbleweed Gang, illustrated by Virginia Marsh Roeder (Pelican, 2004). Read a Cynsations interview with Melanie.

Here's Mary Dodson Wade with her latest release, Sam Houston: Standing Firm, illustrated by Joy Fisher Hein (Bright Sky, 2009).

What a treat it was to see author-librarian Debbie Leland! Read a Cynsations interview with Debbie.

Wendy Litchman's Do the Math #2: The Writing on the Wall (Greenwillow) was one of my Cynsational Books of 2008.

Chris Barton's T-shirt is an introduction to his upcoming debut picture book, The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors, illustrated by Tony Persiani (Charlesbridge, 2009). See Chris's TLA report.

Illustrator Don Tate displays Ron's Big Mission (Dutton, 2009). See Don's report (part two). Note: the star is from Kirkus Reviews. Read a Cynsations interview with Don.

Here's a winning smile from YA author Jennifer Ziegler. See her TLA report. Read a Cynsations interview with Jennifer.

YA author Margo Rabb poses at the Random House booth. Her latest book is Cures for Heartbreak (Delacorte, 2007), which received too many stars to count. Read a Cynsations interview with Margo. Note: next to her is a lovely and gracious RH publicist.

Next up is author Jessica Lee Anderson. Jessica's next book is Border Crossing (Milkweed, fall 2009). Read a Cynsations interview with Jessica.

Say howdy to debut author Joy Preble and Texas author Janet S. Fox. Joy's Dreaming Anastasia is forthcoming from Sourcebooks in fall 2009. Read a Cynsations interview with Janet.

Check out the Horn Book booth. Read a Cynsations interview with Horn Book editor Roger Sutton.

Author sightings also included Justina Chen Headley, Lorie Ann Grover, Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, Toni Buzzeo, Jan Peck, and David Davis. Note: SCBWI members who were manning the booth (or at least one of you) are encouraged to contact me so that I can confirm your names and include your photo in my next round-up. Note: sorry, I forgot!

On a related note, huge thanks to Rebecca and everyone at the Barbara Bush Branch Library/Harris County Public Library in Spring, Texas for your hospitality on Friday afternoon!


Finally, I was just delighted by this fangtastic homemade thank-you card from one of my former VCFA students, Rebecca Van Slyke!

Author Interview: Catherine Gilbert Murdock on Princess Ben

Catherine Gilbert Murdock graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1988 and went on to earn a doctorate from Penn.

Her first novel, Dairy Queen (Houghton Mifflin, 2006), won the Borders Original Voices Award, the Midwest Booksellers Award, the Great Lakes Booksellers Award, numerous Readers' Choice awards, and is currently in production for a television series. Her other books include The Off Season (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) and Princess Ben (Houghton Mifflin, 2008).

What first inspired you to write for young readers?

Um, I didn't really set out to write for "young readers," really, but for myself. I came up with the idea of a girl playing football and couldn't stop until I'd written the book, because I was dying to read it.

But I've always adored YA fiction, and so I think on some level I was simply writing to my passion. Also, I have the mentality of a 13-year-old, so that part wasn't hard at all.

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

I didn't write Dairy Queen for publication, really--I'd been a screenwriter for almost a decade when I first set out and so was intimately familiar with rejection and quite accepting of it. The book was more of an intellectual exercise, a practice novel so I'd have a better sense of what to do when I actually wrote one.

Then my sister, who's a published author, read it and said, "You need to submit this." She recommended an agent, who read it and agreed to represent me, but the book needed tweaking. So I tweaked it for her, because again, I'd spent a decade interminably revising screenplays and was very comfortable with that process.

Then she called to say she'd sold it, and I thought, "Well, isn't that nice." Without ever realizing, at any point in this process, that what I'd just done was rare and extremely difficult. It's not even a Cinderella story because Cinderella, you know, suffers a lot before she wins the prince.

I didn't suffer, or at least I didn't view it as suffering. I enjoy revising. It's only now, looking back, that it's slowly dawned on me that most writers, well, suffer. Now I feel really dumb.

Looking back on your writing apprenticeship, what helped you most in terms of developing your craft?

Screenwriting, screenwriting, screenwriting. If you want to write fiction, don't write short stories: write screenplays. Because the structure is so precise, and the demands so rigorous, that you can't fudge anything. You have to learn to create great dialog and sympathetic characters, and rising drama and a gripping conclusion because, well, that's what a screenplay is.

And then you move from that experience to fiction, and everyone thinks you're a genius because you can write tight dialog. Tight dialog doesn't require genius, but it does require discipline. Screenwriting's where you get that discipline.

Congratulations on the success of Princess Ben (Houghton Mifflin, 2008)! What first inspired you to write this story?

I had a dream about a girl jumping out the window with a broom. It was so dramatic, one of those dreams where you wake up gasping. And it just glommed onto my consciousness, so much that I had to keep going with it or I would have...well, I would have had to write the sequel to Dairy Queen, which was overdue and very stressful. So instead I pounded the first draft of Princess Ben in something like 16 days.

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

See above for the first spark. Then I sent it to my agent and editor, who both said, tactfully, "Fantasy is kind of oversold right now."

I hadn't thought of Princess Ben as fantasy--the term hadn't even entered my consciousness until my agent uttered the word. I thought of it as a fairy tale.

But I responded with something like, "pooh pooh," though now I know that fantasy is, well, pretty thick on the ground these days.

Plus, neither of them thought the manuscript was that stellar, which at that point it wasn't. So I ground my way through The Off Season, and then went back and gutted the manuscript. Then gutted it again. That broomstick dream occurred in November 2005, and the book was released Spring 2008, so the process took a while.

What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, and logistical) in writing this novel?

Not much research! I love that about fantasy. I'd written my dissertation on drinking customs in late 19th and early 20th century America, so I had this wealth of slowly rusting facts related to dining etiquette and food preparation--can't tell you what a blast it was to weave all that data in.

I did need a spot of research on military-dress terminology and forms of address for royalty and nobility; not that anyone will ever notice, but Princess Ben very precise about that sort of thing.

And since I imagined the kingdom of Montagne as a sort of southern European bastion, I needed to make sure that all the foods were Old World--I had a bit of panic, for example, about nectarines. But they're as old as apples, whew.

It drives me absolutely bonkers when authors get that sort of detail wrong. I read a kids' book last year that on the first page described a heifer who'd lost a calf. Well, a heifer by definition is a cow who hasn't calved yet. You have a calf, you're not a heifer. Period. Don't use words you can't even define.

Back to Princess Ben...psychologically, the story began with Queen Sophia as a classic fairy tale villainess, but the more I wrote, the more I kept returning to her--what made her tick? Plus I'd also done a fair amount of work on architectural history in my day, so tying that in and relating it to her, was just a joy. Now she's my favorite character.

Logistically I've found that, unless I'm under painful deadline, I simply cannot write if my children are in the house. Don't even speak to me about snow days. Alone, though, I just sit there and churn away until something good comes out. Or I play solitaire.

How do you balance your writing against the responsibilities of being an author (business, promotion, etc.)?

Badly! I did a lot of touring last fall, most of it with a hellacious head cold, and that was the tipping point. Don't know how much more touring I'll manage going forward.

I love meeting students, and I'll confess I love staying all by myself in nicer hotels (i.e., the windows need to open), but it's the traveling that takes it out of me.

Also, no more bookstore events. Ever. Unless one is Stephenie Meyer, there is simply not enough turnout.

It makes me very jealous of picture book writers, who have the most enthusiastic fans who show up in droves while we YA writers sit in a sea of empty chairs...

I may have to write a picture book one of these days just to feel that love.

Who are your first manuscript readers and why?

My children. I read draft #3 or 4 aloud to them; when they start to squirm, it means the writing's bad, and should probably be deleted. Took me many years to learn, but boy, is this method foolproof. Then a couple drafts later, I send it to my agent, who has an eye like a jeweler.

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

I wouldn't tell her how hard it is, that's for sure! Sometimes ignorance is truly bliss. I don't think I'd tell her anything, really; though I wouldn't mind my 2011 self giving me some tips on how to get through this dry patch.

As a reader, so far what is your favorite children's/YA book of 2009 and why?

I just read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins, 2008) last weekend and loved it. This means something, because I'm instinctually suspicious of award winners--I read with a jealous and critical eye. But it was truly wonderful.

My 13-year-old son is reading it now, and I can't tell you how sweet it is to discuss it with him. We had a great chat last night about Miss Lupescu versus Lupin in Harry Potter.

What do you do outside the world of books?

Cook, garden, procrastinate -- I cleaned out the medicine cabinet on Monday! Oh, it's tidy now. Lots of child schlepping. Some teaching of creative writing, but it's not really my calling. Hard to critique others when I'm too busy criticizing myself.

What can your fans look forward to next?

My lips are sealed. But it will not be set in Wisconsin.

Spooky News & Keturah and Lord Death Giveaway

Last call: enter to win an autographed hardcover of National Book Award Finalist Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt (Front Street, 2006) from Cynsations. To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Keturah and Lord Death" in the subject line. Deadline: March 30! All Cynsational readers are eligible! Note: there is a slight uneveness to the cut of the back of the cover and a couple of slightly bent page corners, but it's otherwise in great shape.

More News

Congratulations to the finalists for the Texas Institute of Letters Award for Best Young Adult Book: Varian Johnson for My Life as a Rhombus (Flux), Anne Estevis for Chicken Foot Farm (Arte Publico/Pinata), and Jo Harper for Birth of the Fifth Sun (Texas Tech Press). The TIL winners in all categories will be announced at the organization's annual meeting in April.

Marvelous Marketer: Harold Underdown (Author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books) from Shelli at Market My Words: Marketing Advice for Authors/Illustrators from a Marketing Consultant & Aspiring Children's Book Author. Peek: "Some books can be effectively and efficiently promoted by their authors, while others can't. Some authors aren't good promoters. There are times when writing is a better use of your time, and writers shouldn't feel guilty about that."

Check out NYPL's Stuff for the Teen Age 2009. Categories include The Undead, Girl Drama, For Real, Urban Stories, It Hurts, For Guys, LOL, Sci Fi/Fantasy, and RIP.



Attention Young Readers: vote in the Children's Choice Book Awards. Note: teachers/librarians may also want to highlight this link to their students/patrons.

Writing and School-Age Kids by Kristi Holl from Writers First Aid. Peek: "You may also work full- or part-time. More demands are made on your evenings and weekends. At this stage, the key is to be flexible and disciplined."

A Rotten Resolution from Stephanie Green at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "The ending is where you tie up loose ends. The resolution is the moment when your main character realizes the circumstance she has created and accepts the consequences of her actions and acts accordingly."

Fairy Tale Contest from Cyn Balog, author of Fairy Tale (Delacorte, 2009), at the B-log Blog. Peek: "Grand Prize: A signed copy of Fairy Tale (hot off the presses, before you can buy it in stores!) AND A hand-crafted, silver fortune cookie necklace with a special message, Believe. This is just like the one that Morgan wears in Fairy Tale!"

Parent Ex Machina from Editorial Anonymous. Peek: "Parents swoop in to solve kids' problems, give them things they couldn't have gotten by themselves, and save them from danger. That's real life. But it's not real storytelling.

A Chart & A Checklist from Helen Hemphill at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "So let's randomly say that a novel is 200 pages. If it's longer or shorter, you can figure out the percentages on your own. Here's a story sequence chart that I made up from my notes..." Note: tons of insight into pacing a novel! Read a Cynsations interview with Helen.

Skype an Author Into Your Library or Classroom from library media specialist Sarah Chauncey and author Mona Kerby. Peek: "This Wiki provides a page for each author who joins the network. A template has been designed to ensure consistency of content among authors and to keep things simple for authors, teachers, and librarians. The author pages provide procedural and contact information." Source: Elizabeth O. Dulemba.

Erik Kuntz-One Bad Mouse from Lindsey Lane at This and That. Peek: "I blog about my art, I create tutorial blogs for computer graphics and web issues, and I sometimes write about pop culture. I also post a regular webcomic, which is sort of a blog."

Online Social Networking for the Busy Writer: How to Blog, Tweet, and Friend (and Still Have Time to Write): an online class from author Susan Taylor Brown. Note: " May 4th – May 7th That’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday." Cost is $60.

Library-lovin' challenge from Jennifer R. Hubbard. Peek: "Why not open up a blog post in which I promise to donate 25 cents per comment (per unique commenter, that is--no getting 100 comments from the same person!) to my local libraries?" Also: "I'm going to do this starting the evening of March 26 and ending around noon on March 28." Note: Bloggers, let her know if you'd like to host a challenge, too. Source: Jama Rattigan.

Getting All Blogged Down by David Lubar. Peek: "A great trailer or a killer essay might get attention. But even then, I'm not sure it translates into increased book sales or even return blog readers. I'm pretty sure it is much better to have a blogger with tons of readers mention your book." Learn more about The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies (Starscape, March 2009). Read a Cynsations interview with David.

Maggie Stiefvater: the newly designed official author site. Read a Cynsations interview with Maggie.

Writing the Query Letter: a Q & A with Wendy Burt-Thomas, author of The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters (2009), from The Stiletto Gang. Peek: "I remember telling someone about a really high-paying writing gig I got and he said, 'Wow. You have the best luck!' I thought, Luck has nothing to do with it! I've worked hard to get where I am." Source: Susan McBride's Blog.

The Writer Mama Two-Year Anniversary Blog Tour Giveaway: each day in March, Christina Katz, author of Writer Mama: How To Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids (Writers Digest) is blogging and offering a giveaway copy at a new location. See schedule. From Zook Book Nook: "So, whom will you lean on while you write your book? Pick a few people so you don’t wear any one person out. And don't include your agent, your editor, or any of the others on your professional team on your list."

New Voices Award: "Lee & Low, award-winning publisher of children's books, is pleased to announce the tenth annual New Voices Award. The Award will be given for a children's picture book manuscript by a writer of color. The Award winner receives a cash grant of $1000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash grant of $500." Note: "Manuscripts will be accepted from May 1, 2009, through September 31, 2009, and must be postmarked within that period." See eligibility, submissions, and announcement information. Source: The Brown Bookshelf.

Encouragement For Writer Wannabes a video interview from Mitali Perkins. Peek: "Each rejection means you can learn. Each rejection means you can pick yourself up and try again." Read a Cynsations interview with Mitali.

First Color eBook Reader is Here! from Tracy Marchini at Curtis Brown. Peek: "...does mean that perhaps we'll see beautiful e-picture books? Or maybe, depending on the resolution, beautiful books on the arts that can reproduce an image as well as the print edition?"

The Uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jones: a recommendation by Greg Leitich Smith of GregLSBLog. Peek: "...a richly atmospheric story of stalking, suspense, lies, and family ties."
For Children's Authors: Need a teacher's guide for your book? Ideas for school visits? from Natalie Dias Lorenzi. Peek: "I'll show you how to present your book as an essential link to learning, not merely an 'extra.'" See sample guides, highlighting A Sock is a Pocket for Your Toes by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser (HarperCollins, 2004) and My Father The Dog by Elizabeth Bluemle, illustrated by Randy Cecil (Candlewick, 2006), both PDF files. Source: Liz Garton Scanlon. Peek: "eachers are given less and less discretionary time to devote to these sorts of non-standards-based enrichment activities. And PTAs, librarians and districts are likely to see less and less discretionary funding made available for the same. I'm lucky in that I actually love doing school visits. They exhaust but inspire me and remind me of exactly what it is I'm doing and why."

Mark McVeigh has announced the formation of The McVeigh Agency. Mark has a long career in publishing as an editor and was most recently at Simon & Schuster/Aladdin. Mark may be contacted at: mark@themcveighagency.com Note: Mark was the editor for Santa Knows (Dutton, 2006)(available from Scholastic Book Club).

Cynsational Tip: if you are running a giveaway contest, please include the deadline. Note: at least for me, when I'm trying to decide whether or not to feature the link, it helps to know whether the online promotion is still ongoing.

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Walker U.K. has tentatively slated Eternal for a fall 2009 release. It will also be published in hardcover by Walker Books Australia and New Zealand in May 2009. See more information.

At Writers Read, Kathi Appelt says of Eternal: "Romance, sorrow, longing ... lots of longing ... all lead up to a story of redemption in the darkest place imaginable, the soul."

Thanks so much to everyone at the Tuscson Festival of Books for their hospitality, especially my escort, Aimee! Thanks also to author pals Janni Lee Simner and Jennifer J. Stewart for making me feel extra welcome!


Highlights of this week included R. L. LaFevers signing at BookPeople. See R.L.'s and P.J. Hoover's reports.

Spooky News & Keturah and Lord Death Giveaway

Reminder: enter to win an autographed hardcover of National Book Award Finalist Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt (Front Street, 2006) from Cynsations. To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Keturah and Lord Death" in the subject line. Deadline: March 30! All Cynsational readers are eligible! Note: there is a slight uneveness to the cut of the back of the cover and a couple of slightly bent page corners, but it's otherwise in great shape.

More News

Here's the book trailer to Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr (HarperCollins, 2009). See also the newly launched micro site. Read a Cynsations interview with Melissa.



Getting a Spine by Tiffany Trent from Eudaimonium. Peek: "I've always hated it when people tell me the two basic things about fiction: a character must want and a character must change. Because the rebel in me always says: Why?" Read a Cynsations interview with Tiffany.

Barry Goldblatt Literary has added two new agents: Joe Monti and Beth Fleisher. Source: Jo Knowles via Publishers Weekly. Read a Cynsations interview with Barry.

Combine Babies and Bylines by Kristi Holl from Writers First Aid. Peek: "The (survival) skills you need to both write and parent change with each stage of your children's lives. (Sometimes your biggest need is time or energy. Other times your biggest need is keeping your sanity!) So over the next few days, I thought I'd blog about practical ways to combine writing and parenting throughout these stages."

On Conflict from Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent. Peek: "A character at peace with their surroundings and the characters they're interacting with is, well, completely boring."

"Take a right turn. Or a left." from Helen Hemphill at Through the Tollbooth. Peek: "So, as you are working the middle of your novel, you probably are thinking about the conflict and moving your story forward. You probably aren't thinking that your story should just change directions. But it should—that’s what will keep readers turning the page." Read a Cynsations interview with Helen.

The Silence of the Bunnies: the revelation of Horn Book editor Roger Sutton's Kryptonite from Read Roger. Peek: "We've been entrusted with the care of Ruby for a couple of weeks. She may look like a rabbit but behaves more like a Sphinx, her silent inscrutability causing me to project all manner of implacable menace into her unblinking gaze." Note: raises the question of whether Roger is a vengeance demon, but to be sure, this is my Geektastic link description of the day. Read a Cynsations interview with Roger.

In celebration of the upcoming release of Stargazer (HarperCollins, March 24, 2009), author Claudia Gray is giving ten winners their choice of Evernight Academy T-shirts and other nifty stuff. Learn more here. Note: peek at the Stargazer prologue and chapter one.

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Thank you to my website designer, Lisa Firke of Hit Those Keys, for my beautiful new page to showcase my book trailers. Read a Cynsations interview with Lisa.

Thanks to author Helen Hemphill for reporting a sighting of Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) in Cape Town (South Africa). Wow, I can hardly believe a story made it all there way there from that first draft tapped out on the daybed in my sun room. Read a Cynsations interview with Helen.

Author Interview: Cynthia Leitich Smith from {Insert Book Title Here}. Peek: "I'm pretty happy as a human being. But if I had to pick, I'd rather be an angel. Among other things, I'd get better hair with the deal. Are shape shifters an option? It would be fun to be a werecat!"

Author Interview: Laurie Faria Stolarz on Deadly Little Secret

You last visited Cynsations in December 2007 to discuss the release of Project 17 (Hyperion, 2007). Do you have any more recent news to share on that novel or your other books?

Project 17 will be coming out in paperback in June. For its release, I'll be launching a very exciting contest (more details will be available this spring). Also, I was very happy to hear that Project 17 made the ALA Quick Pick List for 2009.

Congratulations on the success of Deadly Little Secret (Hyperion, 2008)! Could you tell us about the novel?

Up 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, her 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 him, and to his touch.

But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she' in danger, and that he can help, but she's not so sure she can trust him. She knows he's hiding something, and he's not the only one with a secret.

What was the inspiration for writing it?

I wanted to write a story where the main character has to struggle with the idea of falling in love with someone who could potentially be dangerous. I tinkered with this concept in the first three books of my Blue is for Nightmares Series [(Blue is for Nightmares (Llewellyn, 2003), White is for Magic (Llewellyn, 2004), and Silver is for Secrets (Llewellyn, 2005) as well as in Bleed (Hyperion, 2006)].

In Bleed, in particular, there's a young male character who was convicted for the murder of his girlfriend. His next relationship consists of pen pal letters he exchanges with a young girl while he's in prison. Without giving too much away, the relationship is briefly pursued once he is released, but I wanted to bring this concept to another level.

Additionally, I wanted to continue experimenting with the supernatural (which I also use in my Blue is for Nightmares Series as well as in Project 17), showing how we all have our own inner senses and intuition and how, with work, we can tap into those senses and make them stronger.

I started researching different types of supernatural powers and discovered the power of psychometry (the ability to sense things through touch). The concept fascinated me, and so I wanted to bring it out in a character, showing how sometimes even the most extraordinary powers can also be a curse.

Lastly, I wanted this book to be part of another series because I love the idea of growing a main character over the course of several books. Deadly Little Lies, the second book in the Touch Series, will be released this fall.

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

I sold the book based on a detailed synopsis. It came out about a year and a half later. I keep a strict ten-pages-per-week deadline for myself while I'm working on a project. This keeps me right on target, time-wise.

Do you have a vision for your career as an author or take it book-to-book or both? How does that come together in your mind?

I definitely do like to take things book-by-book. I'd like to be able to continue this career for many years to come. I'm having fun with it, I have a generous and devoted fan base, and I'm learning a lot. I'm very lucky and very grateful. For now, that works for me.

Of the ways you reach out to your readers, which do you think are most effective and why?

I'm really enjoying Facebook right now. It's very user-friendly, which is definitely a big plus for me. I like being able to update it so easily, and I've been able to connect with a lot of my readers by using it. I also send out an e-newsletter every couple of months, informing readers about signings, events, new books, and contests.

Do you have a mentor (or did you earlier on)?

Yes, my English professor during my undergraduate time at Merrimack College, Dr. MaryKay Mahoney. I was a business major in college with huge dreams of becoming a writer. It just never occurred to me that I could actually pursue that dream.

I came from a very practical family with not a lot of money, and the idea of becoming a writer was about the equivalent of going to Hollywood and becoming the next Julia Roberts. It just wasn't within the realm of possibility for me.

But MaryKay told me that I owed it to myself to pursue my writing, that I was very talented, and that she knew if I tried I could do it. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. Not so coincidentally, I dedicated Deadly Little Secret to her and to my mother.

Do you work with a critique group, a partner, or exclusively with your editor? Why does that work for you?

For years, I worked in a writers group that I really loved, but then people started doing other things and taking breaks, and so I went back to working on my own.

For Deadly Little Lies, I swapped first draft pages with Stacy DeKeyser, author of Jump the Tracks (Flux, 2008). I really like getting feedback on my work. I think it's important to get that perspective. I get so close to my work and I like having someone there to ask just the right questions along the way.

How has publishing changed since you first entered the field?

It feels as though the young adult market has quadrupled since I first started. It's exciting. There are so many more options for teens to read than when I was a young adult, which makes more opportunities for writers.

I never imagined having the opportunity to write graphic novel, being able to return to my love of screenwriting (I wrote the draft in screenplay format), and having the opportunity to work with an illustrator. But I was able to do just that with Black is for Beginnings, the fifth book in my Blue is for Nightmares Series (Flux, 2009).

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

I think she managed pretty well on her own, though I would tell her to have a bit more confidence. Looking back there are indeed some things I would have changed, but I've learned a lot since then, and I think I'm better for the process.

Cynsational Notes

Listen to Laurie read from the first chapter of Deadly Little Secret.

Spooky News & Keturah and Lord Death Giveaway

Enter to win an autographed hardcover of National Book Award Finalist Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt (Front Street, 2006) from Cynsations. From the promotional copy:

"Keturah follows a legendary hart into the king's forest, where she becomes hopelessly lost. Her strength diminishes until, finally, she realizes that death is near. Little does she know that he is a young, handsome lord, melancholy and stern.

"Renowned for her storytelling, Keturah is able to charm Lord Death with a story and thereby gain a reprieve--but only for twenty-four hours She must find her one true love within that time, or all is lost.

"Keturah searches desperately while the village prepares for an unexpected visit from the king and Keturah is thrust into a prominent role as mysterious happenings alarm her friends and neighbors. Lord Death's presence hovers over this all until Keturah confronts him one last time in the harrowing climax."

To enter, email me (scroll and click envelope) with your name and snail/street mail address and type "Keturah and Lord Death" in the subject line. Deadline: March 30! All Cynsational readers are eligible! Note: there is a slight uneveness to the cut of the back of the cover and a couple of slightly bent page corners, but it's otherwise in great shape.

Congratulations to Martha in Wisconsin, the winner of paperback copy of Never Trust a Dead Man by Vivian Vande Velde (Magic Carpet Books/Harcourt, 2008)!

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Interview: Cyn Balog - Author of the upcoming Fairy Tale (Delacorte, June 23, 2009) from Want My YA. Peek: "Fairy Tale is about a teenage girl who learns her boyfriend is a fairy, and that he's due to leave her and return to Otherworld on his 16th birthday. She decides to fool the fairies and fight to keep him with her." Learn more about Fairy Tale.

Fillers and Drainers by Kristi Holl at Writers First Aid. Peek: "After you attend your next writing event (large or small) ask yourself: 'Was I filler or a drainer today?' Did you make encouraging comments as well as ask for help? Did you give as well as take?"

Audiobooks with Mary Burkey of Audiobooker from Elizabeth O. Dulemba. Peek: "No, I don't feel that listening to audiobooks is reading - but it isn't cheating either! In today's world, we often overlook the listening component of Language Arts. By integrating audiobooks into a literacy program, students increase vocabulary, gain fluency, hear how phrasing and intonation results from punctuation, and experience authentic accents and dialects."

Author R.L. LaFevers of Shrinking Violet Promotions fame will be appearing at 11 a.m. March 22 at BookPeople in Austin. Read a Cynsations interview with R.L.

Join author Michelle Knudsen to celebrate the release of The Dragon of Trelian (Candlewick, 2009) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 14 at Books of Wonder (18 W. 18th Street) in New York City! Peek: "A middle-grade fantasy adventure involving a princess, a mage's apprentice, a dragon, a hundred-year war, several secrets, old grudges, new enemies, lots of danger, a little romance, and an evil plot against the kingdom of Trelian that must be stopped at all costs!" Read a sample chapter (PDF file). Read a Cynsations interview with Michelle.

Kids book author accumulating accolades for first novel by Kayla Slimp from The Eagle of Bryan-College Station, Texas. Peek: "Kathi Appelt said she still feels like she's shaking the glitter out of her hair."

Maggie Gets Violent: My Thoughts on Bloodshed in Books by Maggie Stiefvater at Words on Words. Peek: "While I think there's a time and a place for physical pain in a novel (anyone who has read any of my novels will see that I live by these words), I never think that physical pain will have the same affect on the reader that emotional pain does." Read a Cynsations interview with Maggie.

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Attention MySpace readers: you may want to check out the fan-generated Eternally Tantalizing Role Playing Game and new character page for Sabine on MySpace. In addition, there are now over 400 members of Tantalize Fans Unite! (Thanks, Britmett Bear!).

Attention Facebook readers: you may want to check out my featured author interview at The Ultimate YA Reading Group.

Publishers Weekly says of Eternal: "The confessional style, alternating between Miranda and Zachary's points of view, is intriguing as a diary—readers should be hooked by this fully formed world, up through the action-packed finale."

Gwenda Bond of Shaken & Stirred says of Eternal: "the best kind of sequel--the kind that's even better than the first book... If you never thought guardian angels could be awesome, we have something in common: We were wrong. Dark, witty, fabulous. Read this now."

{Insert Book Title Here} YA Book Blog chimes in: "The whole vampire/guardian angel concept was interesting... I loved how she left us with a glimmer of hope at the end that left me begging. I want the third novel now! I can't wait to see what this author will come out with next."

Thanks to Kim Winter at Kat's Eye for re-reading Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007)!

Thanks to Donna Bowman Bratton for her report on author Lila Guzman's Austin SCBWI presentation (with photos!).