Spooky News & Giveaways

Winners of the Cynsations Giveway of signed Eternal ARCs are: Olivia in Connecticut; Michelle in New York; Jocelyn in North Carolina; and Jennifer, a YA librarian in Wyoming! Congratulations to all of the winners! Your copies will go out on my next trip to the post office. Note: didn't win? See an opportunity immediately below to win a final copy from Young Adult (& Kids) Book Central and look for my next post (later today) on the Eternal Grand Prize Giveaway from Cynsations!

Enter to Win One of Five Copies of Eternal (Candlewick, 2009) from Young Adult (& Kids) Book Central. Here's the giveaway question: "If you had a guardian angel (and maybe you do!), what would his or her name be, and what would they be like?" Contest begins Feb. 1 and ends Feb. 28. See additional details. Note: Thanks to Candlewick Press and Young Adult (& Kids) Book Central!

February giveaways at Young Adult (& Kids) Book Central also include ten copies of Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey (Harcourt, 2009 ).

Read a Cynsations interview with author Kimberly Pauley of Young Adult & Kids Book Central about her own fang-ful novel, Sucks to Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (Maybe)(Mirrorstone, 2008).

More News & Giveaways

KidLitosphere Central: The Society of Bloggers in Children's and Young Adult Literature. Note: "KidLitosphere Central strives to provide a passage to the wonderful variety of resources available from the society of bloggers in children's and young adult literature." Special thanks to the board: Pamela W. Coughlan, Director, of MotherReader; Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy; Kelly Herold of Big A, little a; Anne Boles Levy of Cybils; Jen Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page.

Something Very Smart Writers Do by Janet Reid, Literary Agent. Peek: One of my favorite editors dropped me a quick email today to ask for more info about the author of a book of mine he's considering. I had a couple lines on file from the query letter, but nothing really zippy and exciting. What to do?"

Celebrating the Debut of Shadowed Summer: enter to win one of three awesome prize packages in celebration of Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell (Delacorte, 2009). Grand prize is the Extremely Haunted Gift Bag! It contains: A signed copy of Shadowed Summer, with a limited edition matte jacket; a vial of Haunted perfume oil from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab!; a leather-bound, hand-stitched journal; a blackpaper spell book & gel pen; a playable Ouija board keychain; an engraved river stone; a Shadowed Summer bookmark; a Shadowed Summer T-shirt; a Fresh Films T-shirt; a Fresh Films DVD; a bottle of Tabasco Red Hots; and Tabasco Spicy Chocolates! Deadline: Feb. 9. See details here. See also an interview with Saundra from Jessica Burkhart's Blog. Peek: "I love the going-away time, when I actually leave my desk and slip into the world I'm writing. It feels like a physical leaving- but it also leads to my least favorite part, which is ending the book."

Writers Together: Where Your Voice Will Be Heard: a new author promotional site from C. L. Freire. Peek: "C. L., an author herself, knows full-well the importance of marketing oneself, and how difficult it can be at times. A strong advocate of "Letting your voice be heard," she wanted to give writers a place to come, meet, discover new authors, and be introduced to the work of authors of different genres." Learn more about the launch. Note: See my author spotlight!

Inkheart the movie by Claire E. Gross from The Horn Book. Peek: "...the movie embraces the book's own pace and tone; and the result feels if not exactly fresh then at least individual."

Author Jennifer Ziegler (part two): by Madeline from BookKids Recommends. Peek: "Today, I'm going to focus on Jennifer’s lesser known works – her teen mass market publications." Don't miss part one. Note: it's so awesome that BookKids celebrates and supports local talent!

self-doubt - see, doubt of self by Sara Zarr at Teen Fiction Cafe. Peek: "Try to show yourself at least the decency and compassion and wisdom that you'd show a friend. This may involve a lot of talking to yourself, but that's okay." Read a Cynsations interview with Sara.

The Necessity of Thinking Time by Justine Larbalestier. Peek: "I’m more and more convinced that many of the people who can’t get started because they only have an idea but no plot or characters, or a plot but no setting or characters etc, are simply not ready to write that particular story yet." Read a Cynsations interview with Justine.

Typealyzer: a quick personality analysis for your blog. Source: Tara Lazar.

Interview with Neil Gaiman: a podcast from Just One Book. Peek: "His book Coraline will be released as a movie on February 6th of this year, and yesterday, he won the 2009 Newbery award for The Graveyard Book. On this edition of Just One More Book!!, author Neil Gaiman talks about blogging, giving his books away for free on the Internet and keeping his fans up to date using Twitter."

Adding Dimension to the Storytelling by John Clark from The New York Times. Peek: "During the title sequence of [the film] 'Coraline,' Henry Selick's latest stop-action animated movie, two hands disembowel a doll and then reassemble it with needle and thread." Note: see movie trailer below.

2008 Nominees: The Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America. Juvenile category nominees include The Postcard by Tony Abbott (Little, Brown) and YA nominees include Paper Towns by John Green (Dutton). Read Cynsations interviews with Tony about his nominated book and with John about his previous title, An Abundance of Katherines (Dutton, 2006).

The Spectacle: authors talk about writing speculative fiction for teens and pre-teens. Members are Parker Peevyhouse, P. J. Hoover, Jo Whittemore, Greg R. Fishbone, and Linda Joy Singleton. Read Cynsations interviews with P. J., Jo, Greg, and Linda Joy.

Welcome back, Buried in the Slushpile! Cheers to you and your young reader (in progress)!

Marvelous Marketer - Jay Asher (Author of Th1rteen R3asons Why) from Shelli at Market My Words: Marketing Advice for Authors/Illustrators from a Marketing Consultant & Aspiring Children's Book Author. Peek: "The book clubs are a great way to get a number of students talking about your book when you can’t travel to their schools."

Can You Query if You're an Unpublished Novelist and Your Novel Isn't Finished? from Nathan Bransford at Curtis Brown. Note: probably the shortest post I've ever highlighted, but it actually makes an important point that seems lost on a lot of folks. Read a Cynsations interview with Nathan.

Contest: Win a role in my latest short story from author Libba Bray. Peek: "I am having a lot of fun writing my little rock-n-roll vampire story. But I have a problem: I can't seem to come up with a name for my main character or any of the characters really. Nothing that's sticking. Nothing that feels right. Quel tragique! So why not offer you guys the chance to be characters in my story?" Deadline: Feb. 7. Read a Cynsations interview with Libba.

Recommended Reading List from Locus Online: great picks for YA speculative fiction fans.

Thanks to Gottawrite Girl for a great run, and good luck with your writing!

Cover Art for The Less-Dead (Delacorte) by April Lurie from April Afloat. Note: take a sneak peek! Read a Cynsations interview with April.

Congratulations to Kathi Appelt, whose Newbery Honor Book, The Underneath (Atheneum, 2008), marked her debut on The New York Times Bestseller List this week, coming in at #9 in the "Chapter Books" category! Read a Cynsations interview with Kathi.

Art for Cats: Top illustrators and New Yorker cartoonists have contributed original art and limited edition prints to save cats and kittens from certain death. Starting bids for most pieces are set at $100 or less — well below their actual value. Featured artists include Cynthia von Buhler, author-illustrator of The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside (Houghton Mifflin, 2008).

The Hollow by Jessica Verdy (Simon Pulse, 2009) is coming soon! Note: I love snail mail.


Cyn-Related News, Reviews & Interviews

YA Wednesday: Eternal from Omnivoracious: Hungry for the next good book. Peek: "Eternal plays skillfully with questions of life and death, fall and redemption, and what it means to save and be saved."

Author Interview: Cynthia Leitich Smith from Kimberly J. Smith at Cool Kids Read. Peek: "Eternal is set in Austin, Dallas and Chicago, as well as a fictional North Shore Suburb of the Windy City."

Author Uma Krishnaswami asks: "What made you go from picture books to culturally grounded middle grade and tween books, to urban vampire fantasy? Just how many Cyns are there in your head?" Read a Cynsations interview with Uma.

Special Edition: The Cynsational Cynthia Leitich Smith from Shelli at Market My Words: Marketing Advice for Authors/Illustrators from a Marketing Consultant & Aspiring Children's Book Author. Peek: "Consistency is more important than an all-out blitz. Sure, you'll probably want to shout it from the rooftops when you finally hold that new novel in your hands. But in the long run, it's more important to look for regular ways to highlight it as long as it's in print."

Author Name Pronunciation Guide: Cynthia Leitich Smith from TeachingBooks.net. Note: in case you want to hear my voice and find out more about my name or other authors' names!

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

Highlights of the week included receiving an ARC for Sideshow: Ten Original Tales of Freaks, Illusionists, and Other Matters Odd and Magical, edited by Deborah Noyes (Candlewick, 2009), which features my short story, "Cat Calls."

It was a treat to see Eternal featured in the February issue of "My Borders Monthly!" It's listed under "dark and thrilling reads" among awesome new releases including pal Lisa McMann's Fade (Simon & Schuster) and pal Janni Lee Simner's Bones of Faerie (Random House). Talk about great company!

Thanks to Betty Jo Tucker's Blog for recognizing Cynsations as a Brilliante Weblog! Thanks also to Kimberly J. Smith at Cool Kids Read for Counting Down the Days Until Eternal and announcing last week's ARC giveaway! Speaking of thanks, cheers also to Gwenda Bond!

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

Here, Kitty Kitty!: my amazing web designer, Lisa Firke of Hit Those Keys, has given my cats an online presence that's actually worthy of them. As these are the two most preferred pages by elementary readers, I'm especially thrilled. Check out the Official Writer Cat Bios, Kit Lit: Cat-Themed Picture Books, and suggest more books for Mercury and Sebastian to review. Read a Cynsations interview with Lisa.

So, do you think I can find anyone who wants to go with me to see this? Note: of course it was a hint!



Cyn's Events

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

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

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

Cynthia will sign Eternal (Candlewick, 2009) and Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008) at 3 p.m. April 2 at Candlewick Booth at the annual conference of the Texas Library Association in Houston.

Cynthia and Greg will visit the Barbara Bush Branch Library in Spring, Texas; at 4 p.m. April 3. Note: Spring is outside of Houston.

Cynthia will visit the YA book club at the Cedar Park (Texas) Public Library at 11 a.m. May 30. Note: Cedar Park is outside of Austin.

Interview: Shayne Leighton on the Eternal Trailer and "The Incubus"

You've heard of rising stars?

Eighteen-year-old actress-director-writer Shayne Leighton is more like a rising constellation!

Today's she's back at Cynsations to discuss her latest book trailers and to tell us about her latest personal project, an upcoming film, "The Incubus."

I had the pleasure of taking a sneak peek at her screenplay, and Shayne's story is a fierce, fascinating mythology twist certain to seduce dark romance fans, both the hopeful and the horrified...

[See a previous Cynsations interview with Shayne]

Welcome back! Thank you for designing new book trailers for my novels Rain Is Not My Indian Name (HarperCollins, 2001) and Eternal (Candlewick, 2009)!

Let's talk about Rain first. What were the challenges in creating that trailer?

The Rain is Not My Indian Name trailer actually was one of the easiest trailers that I have cut. Because the plot was bright (though bitter-sweet), there were not so many twists and turns to portray in this book preview, so in turn, the trailer was just nice and light and a lot of fun to make.

The music helps a lot too, and when the rhythm of what I am editing to is fairly simplistic, the cutting tends to go a lot smoother.

round 5


How did we approach the Eternal trailer--in terms of text, images, etc.?

Well, this trailer is a bit different than the other trailers I have cut for you, in that this book has yet to be released, and so it really has to do the job of capturing the audience even before they see it in the bookstore.

It is vital that the general story be told without giving away too many secrets. So you mailed me a copy of the ARC so I could familiarize myself with the mood and feel to better portray it on screen.

You also gave me a rough list of the textual aspects that you wanted to see in the trailer as well as the royalty-free piece of music, and I went from there.

We both found royalty-free stock images online that fit in with the characters and plot and even used some art elements from the book itself.

How did you try to relate the mood of the book to the trailer?

Eternal is very dark and even sexier, in my opinion, than Tantalize was. It seemed to have a more "grown up" feel overall and had many motifs to make you shiver as you read it.

So for these reasons, the trailer had to be just as titillating, if not more. In this trailer, you'll see a lot of quick cuts, flashing colors and dark, symbolic images because that is kind of what spins through your head as you read this book. I actually even had to add an effect to the bass line in the music because the song was not dramatic enough to begin with!



[Note: Please do feel free to share the trailer with fellow readers. Facebook users can see a higher-resolution version of the trailer here.]

What technological skills/gains were applied to this trailer that weren't available for the last two?

There are a lot of new things happening in this book trailer. I have an updated version of the program that I used and a better sense of a lot of technical things like picture resolution.

All in all, what an audience will see more vibrant colors, cooler transitions, and a better picture quality.

What do you hope prospective readers take away from it?

I hope they get excited by it. Dark, romantic thrillers are my favorite, so I just basically want prospective readers to feel enticed to go out and read this book.

When you last spoke to Cynsations readers in April 2008, you were excited about "Guardian of Eden." What new do you have to tell us about that project?

We took the film to an international film festival and even walked away with an award! I was sixteen at the time, so that was really a cool thing, considering my experience at that time. I took a whole lot away from that project. I met and grew to love a lot of people that I will never forget, and I learned a lot.

What's next up for you in terms of your film career?

I actually have a few exciting things going on. I was accepted into the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, School of Film and Television. There is also an online series being released on YouTube by Aberdeen Soldier Productions that is featuring me.

But the thing that I am most excited about is my plan for a new feature film and television pilot, "The Incubus." I am collaborating with Marcie Gorman (previous owner of a successful Weight Watchers franchise in Florida) who has signed on to be my executive producer as well as many other exciting industry professionals.

I had the honor of reading your script "The Incubus," and you do such a great job with the characters! Could you tell us a little more about it? Where will the project go from here?

I had a lot of fun writing it. The screenplay only took me about a month to write, because once I get an idea, I just sit down at my computer and the words are almost projectile from my brain to the screen. I have lovingly named this phenomenon, "word vomit."

Basically it's a cool story about a girl whose town gets haunted by these ghost-people, or "incubus," and she had to try an exorcise these things before everyone in the town, including herself, has all of their energy sucked from them. It falls under the dark romance category.

We are starting production soon, but my plans for the project are to make it a television show on Showtime or HBO. So if we get a lot of people talking about it and wanting to see it, the chances of airing it would drastically increase! So please support us, and tell your friends.

As for now, I am trying to just stay optimistic and shoot for the stars.

What is the timeline for the film?

We start filming in late February and go all the way to the first week of April. I should have something close to final by the time summer rolls around, but the film-making industry is a bit hairy sometimes, so you never know.

What will be your role(s) in bringing it to life?

Much like my last film, I wear many hats. I wrote, am directing, and starring in this film again. And until we get a publicist signed on...I am doing most of the publicizing as well.

How did you approach the story?

I wanted to stick with what I'm good at, thrillers. But I also wanted to do something no one has touched upon. Movie theaters and bookstores today are filled to bursting with vampires, werewolves, and boogeymen. And I didn't want to go there again, even though I love that kind of thing.

My English teacher, who is also very into mythology, had brought up the topic of succubi in class one day. They're beautiful female spirits that come in the night and derive sexual energy from young men. It had intrigued me, because it sounded like such an interesting parallel to the common ghost or vampire, with a very dark twist.

Upon doing further research, I stumbled across the incubus, which is the male counterpart of the succubus. I was hooked, and my brain starting going a million miles a minute with ways of how to contort this creature into a really cool PG-13 rated story.

I made the title "Incubus" unisex to both genders and basically created my own creature, which is a human spirit that did not, for whatever reason, pass on from its physical body, and continues to walk the Earth, feeding on living human emotion and life energy since it lacks emotion of its own. It needs happiness, sadness, excitement, lust, anger, vengeance, and any other emotion just to survive. What an interesting parallel to the human condition.

What were the challenges?

We have yet to even step foot on set, but we have already overcome a few obstacles. One was finding a DP or director of photography to shoot the film. We found an amazing one, Rochelle Kadkhodear. On one of our audition days, we were even incidentally locked outside of our studio. We had to audition two actors in the studio parking lot before the locksmith even got to the building!

I was struck by your use of the past. Flashbacks can be tricky. What advice do you have for writers in integrating them?

Flashbacks can indeed by tricky, and I don't enjoy when they are overused. Actually, I think that flashbacks are kind of a cheap way of giving information to an audience.

However, when crucial details of your character's back-story needs to be laid out in order for your readers or audience to understand what is happening or will happen, use them with grace and caution. I like to make them fleeting and almost dream-like, as if the character was being haunted by their past...and not just as if I am shoving a chunk of back-story in your face with a corny montage.

What else is new in your life? How goes the planning for college? What are your goals on that front?

I have so many things in my life figured out...except for this topic. I have many career goals, but few higher-learning goals, which needs to change.

I am going to Chicago the last weekend of January to audition for performance schools like Julliard and Boston Conservatory. I'll keep you posted on what happens next.

I'm still praying for someone to call me from LA and offer me a roll in their next major motion picture. Quincie in Tantalize the movie, perhaps?

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

I really thoroughly enjoyed Cassandra Clare's City of Ashes (Margaret K. McElderry, 2008) and greatly look forward to City of Glass (Margaret K. McElderry, 2009).

Book Trailer: Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Coming Feb. 10, 2009; from Candlewick Press...



Eternal trailer produced by Shayne Leighton. Trailer music from Beatsuite.com Music Library, Dracul crest by Gene Brenek (illustrator interview), and images from Shayne, Stock.xchng: The Leading Free Stock Photography Website, and Public Domain Pictures.net.

Cynsational Notes

Enter to win an ARC of Eternal (see details)! Deadline: Today! Feb.5.

Eternal and Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007, 2008) are set in the same universe, but feature different main characters. The two casts will crossover in Blessed, which is in progress now. A graphic novel adaptation of Tantalize from Kieren's point of view also is in the works.

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

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

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

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

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

Spooky News & Giveaways

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

There are two ways to enter...

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

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

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

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

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

(3) When was Zachary created?

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

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

More News & Giveaways

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More Personally

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

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

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



Reminders

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

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

Events

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

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

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

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

Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith: ARC Giveaway

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

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

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

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

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

Read an excerpt from Candlewick Press.

There are two ways to enter...

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

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

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

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

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

(3) When was Zachary created?

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

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

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

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

Author Feature: Sarah Mlynowski

Learn more about Sarah Mlynowski.

What were you like as a young reader?

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

Why do you write for young adults today?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Could you please update us on your YA back list?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What was the initial inspiration for writing this book?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What do you do outside the world of books?

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

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

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

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

What can your fans look forward to next?

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

Cynsational Notes

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

Spooky News & Giveaways

Welcome back to Spookycyn!

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

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

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

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

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

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

More News & Giveaways

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spicy Reads: Ed Spicer's Teen Book Reviews.

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

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

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

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

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

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

More Personally

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

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

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

Events

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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