adventures in space

The Manuscript That Ate My Soul and Drove Me Bonkers

2012-02-09T12:57:00.003-05:00

Months upon months ago, I had a spark for a new book. An A-Ha moment, in Oprah-speak. And so, I opened up my little netbook and started a new document in Word and I let the words rush out of my fingertips. I think I wrote about two-thousand words that first night.

It was a YA alternate history novel. I called it, "Revolutionary."

And I loved it.

I loved how easily the story came to me. It flowed out of me each time I sat down to write, unlike my other books which required chainsaws and wrenches to yank out of my brain. Gruesome, huh? But not Revolutionary. The voice sang to me on that very first page, along with the characters and the plot. Each day I cranked out one or two thousand words, easy peasy, which was crazy since I'm usually a very slow, very sloth-like drafter. I was utterly convinced that I'd finish the draft in a couple of months, polish it up a little, and send it along to Agent Jim.

Alas.

First, I finished the book. That part was awesome. But then...brilliant Agent Jim helped me realize that I needed to switch the POV from first present to third past. The voice just wasn't working. Yeah, all of that easy-peasyness? Not so easy peasy anymore. My book needed a major rehaul.

Cue this:

And this:

And some of this:

Life lesson for Caroline: Beware of easy peasy! Oftentimes, this means that you're being overly confident!

So yeah. That was a hard pill to swallow. And I can't say that switching the POV fixed everything in the book. Because, ahem, I'm currently working on "Revolutionary Version 6." Yes, SIX! My easy-peasy manuscript has turned out to be rather difficult. The voice had to change, the romance needed help, the character arcs needed fleshing out, and a lot of other things in between. Now, it's sort of funny to read my very first draft and laugh at myself for thinking I was *thisclose* to being done with it. 'Cause it was a hot mess!

Humility. I haz it now.

As I near the finish-line for this revision---just one more round of beta readers before I send this thing to Jim!---it has been helpful for me to look back on these months upon months of drafting and revising, and to figure out what I've learned.

1. A good agent is worth his weight in gold.

I'm really, really grateful for Jim. Some agents may have taken a look at Revolutionary Version 1 and told me to work on something else. Or cut me off altogether. But he never did such a thing. He gave me insightful comments and he gave me some tough love. 'Cause I'm sure it isn't easy to tell a writer to change the entire POV of a novel, but I needed to hear that. In the end, the book is so much stronger for it. And that's because of Jim's sharp editorial eye.

2. Get feedback sooner rather than later.

I have a perfectionist tendency to make my manuscript just right before I can send it to beta readers. In other words, I procrastinate. I tweak some words here, switch some paragraphs there, pretty much crippling myself because I'm striving for perfection but I can't achieve it. And so, with my next manuscript, I know I have to let go earlier on, to send my book to my readers so I can get a jump-start on the big structural changes.

3. But don't get feedback TOO soon!

Haha. Let me explain. On one hand, I definitely need to let go of my precious baby---er, manuscript---but I've also found that if I send out a few chapters to my critique group early on, I just end up fiddling with those chapters instead of finishing the draft. And so, I think my critique-process will change with my next book. Instead of sending out my book in little pieces, I'll send it out in greater chunks (maybe 50 pages?) or perhaps just send out the whole darn thing.

Anyway, back to the revision cave I go! But what about you? What are some lessons you've learned with your drafting/revising process?

Wednesday Wants

2012-02-01T00:05:00.001-05:00

want one

{From Paper Source}

I'm usually not a fan of heart-shaped things, but these measuring cups from Paper Source are too sweet to pass up! Just looking at them makes me want to throw on an apron, whip up some cookie dough, and spend the afternoon making sugar cookies. Who wants to come over?

want two

{From Catbird NYC}

Speaking of sweet things, I really love this teeny tiny ruby ring from Catbird NYC. I'm not much of a jewelry girl---I don't own any bracelets or earrings, and I usually like to keep my fingers naked---but this ring is calling out to me. I love the super-skinny band and the barely-there stone. Simplicity!

want three

{From Jason Wu for Target}

Oh, la la! Love, love, love. On February 5th, be sure to mark your calendars because the Jason Wu collection debuts at Target. Wu is a posh Taiwanese-American designer who has dressed the likes of Michelle Obama and Blake Lively, and he has teamed up with Target to offer a fun-and-springy line of skirts, dresses, and blouses. I'm seriously drooling over this dress.

Although, admittedly, I'm a tad nervous about wearing white. It brings back memories of a certain white skirt that I once wore to my internship at the good ol' Air and Space Museum. I thought I was being all stylish and cute---hey, I was 22!---but then I proceeded to drop my Ben & Jerry's chocolate ice cream cone all over myself. Chocolate! On white cotton! Oh dear. That was very embarrassing....

want four

{From Amazon}

And lastly, in book wants, I'm definitely intrigued over The Snow Child. I was strolling through the New Literary Fiction section at Barnes & Noble last night and my eyes immediately fastened onto this lovely cover. (The power of eye-catching artwork!) The prose inside was equally lovely: sparse, vivid, and just a tad haunting. The author, Eowyn Ivey, has a knack for simple-yet-beautiful prose and, yes, she was named after the character in Lord of the Rings. :)

Also, be sure to check out the book trailer for The Snow Child. It's one of the best book trailers I've seen!

So what about you? What are you drooling over this fine Wednesday morning?

Reading Nooks and Book Reviews

2012-01-28T14:45:00.004-05:00

I'm curled up in bed on this lazy Saturday afternoon, reading and revising and staring off into space. As much as I love my bed (any bed, really!) and my warm comforter, I'd love to carve out a little reading nook to call my own. Like these!

Or this lovely outside nook:

Maybe one day I'll win the lottery and move into a seaside cottage with lots of land with old fruit trees (and a mini horse! and a koala!) and I'll make myself a cool reading nook.

'Cause that can totally happen.

On a book-related note, I thought I'd give a quick rundown of what I've been reading the past month. Between long plane rides and rainy Seattle afternoons, I've been able to consume quite a few novels and science-y books. A few them include:

CINDER by Marissa Meyer

While Justin and I were in Washington state, I was lucky enough to attend Marissa Meyer's book launch in Tacoma. (Justin was very kind to tag along. And he waited in the 90-minute line with me! A true husband.) Marissa is simply lovely and I proceeded to gobble her debut novel the next day, in about five hours.

My favorite part? The world-building. I have never encountered a setting like this before, a futuristic Beijing populated with robots and palaces, with cybernetic girls and imperial princes. I simply loved getting lost in Cinder's world.

The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukheejee

Sometimes I get in a mood where I only want to read science books. Which is a litte perplexing since I despised my chemistry and physics classes in high school. (I don't care about velocity! Or the structure of atoms!) The weird ironies of life, huh?

The Emperor of All Maladies caught my eye because it received all sorts of praise from book reviewers. It also won the Pulitzer. In essence, it is a "biography" of cancer: how mankind has dealt with this awful disease, how we've defined it, and how we've battled to cure it. Admittedly, the book got pretty darn technical in some chapters but I just skipped those parts because this book really is good.

It amazed me to learn how cancer has been treated in the past. Gruesome, really. In the 1800s, doctors used to "cure" breast cancer by chopping off a woman's breast along with the muscles that extended to the collarbone, effectively causing the woman to droop over for the rest of her life. But, despite the gruesome details, this book truly honors the hundreds of doctors who devoted their lives to curing cancer and the thousands of patients who volunteered for these radical---and sometimes deadly---new treatments. A must-read. (But, yeah, skip those dry chapters.)

Starters by Lissa Price

I was lucky enough to snag an e-galley of this much-buzzed novel, which debuts in March 2012. (Thanks, NetGalley!) The premise itself is ready for a big Hollywood movie:

In a world ravaged by war and genocide, becoming someone else is now possible. Sixteen-year-old Callie discovers the Body Bank where teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again.

In a single word, this book is fast-paced. Holy mother! I couldn't stop flipping the pages on this one. The plot had me guessing at every chapter. The good guys? Not always so good. The bad guys? Not necessarily all bad. And there were some really fantastic twists at the end of the book, one of which made me go Whoa, I never saw that coming.

Okay then, back to work! I need to finish my latest revision on my YA alternate history so I can send it to another round of beta readers. Then, onto Agent Jim! But what have you been reading lately? Any good recommendations?

Sunday Six

2012-01-22T19:45:00.002-05:00

One

After five weeks in Seattle, Justin and I finally arrived in DC yesterday morning. It's so good to be home. It's so very nice to sleep in our own bed, to curl up on our couch, to be surrounded by my much-missed books.

But it's also bittersweet. Only five weeks ago, we were packing our bags, getting ready for our trip to the Keys, chatting about the beach and the sun. And now, well, everything has changed. Everything feels a bit strange. A bit off. I wish we didn't have to adjust to this new sense of normal but it's something we have to do.

Two

On a lighter note, I'm so grateful that I could spend time with my niece, Rowan. She's three right now and being three comes with so much wonderful-ness: the little girl giggles, the pouty stubborn lips, and especially the sheer joy over the small things. Like stickers. Or candy. Or snow. Good Lord, she'd open her eyes so wide whenever she talked about snow! It was like twenty-dollar bills were falling from the sky.

Gosh, I want to be three again!

Three

Once Rowan discovered that I had a camera on my laptop, all was lost. She especially liked making funny faces. A few of our masterpieces:

Four
On another lighter note, Justin got me a Kindle Fire as a belated Christmas present! Aside from a few kinks, I'm loving it so far, which surprises me because I was very much anti-ereader for years. (Paper books forever!) So I suppose I have ventured to the dark side... (Full review to come.)

Five
So. Some bad news. Justin is leaving for Afghanistan again, this time for six months. *Insert super sad face* But some good news? We'll get to do some traveling for his R&Rs! Right now, I'm a little enamored with Croatia, mostly because I want to visit this place:

Courtesy of Jack Brauer

Six
Well, I feel completely out of the loop in terms of blogging! What's going on with you guys? What's new? What are your reading? How's life?

Happy 2012?

2012-01-14T15:29:00.001-05:00

Justin keeps telling me that I should post something new on my blog but I've been hemming and hawing. Truth be told, I'm not sure what to post about. More stories of Aimee? Or my little niece Rowan? Or, perhaps, delve back into the reading and writing realm?

I don't know. I guess that's why I've been avoiding my little blog for the past week. I'm not quite sure what to say, what's right to say.

But, lately, I have been thinking a lot about 2012 and what I'd like to hope for and strive for this year. I noticed that a few of my friends have chosen specific words as their New Year's goals, which I think is a fantastic idea. Of course, when it came to choosing my own word, it took me a really long time since I'm the most indecisive person in the word but I've finally settled on one.

Peace.

Peaceful emotionally. Peaceful mentally. Peaceful professionally.

2011 wasn't a very peaceful year for me and Justin. It was a year bookended by tragedy--in January we attended his father's funeral and in December we attended his sister's. And in between, there were two trips to Afghanistan for him and some major writing woes for me.

That isn't to say we were miserable, of course! Because we've laughed and we've traveled and we've loved spending time together, whether it's on the couch or at the movies or gawking at giant sea turtles in Oahu.

But...it was a trying year. And it was made even more trying because I didn't let myself feel peace. Whenever I got angry with my writing, I let those feelings stew. Whenever I got frustrated with my mom, I let that eat away at me. When I felt disappointment, I let it takeover. Overall, I'm a rather happy and positive and upbeat person but 2011 tested that.

So, yes. Peace. I need that this year. Very much so. This will be tough for me since I'm the kind of person who's ruled by her emotions. (Did any of you ever take the color personality test? Yep, I'm a blue through and through.) But I really need a sense of peace to anchor me this year, so I can get through the hard times and keep a level-head during the good ones. Whatever comes my way in 2012, I hope I can face it with grace, with humility, and with peace.

Here's to a wonderful new year. I'm really looking forward to it.

Sometimes, Life Isn't Very Fair

2012-01-05T01:08:00.005-05:00

Sometimes, life isn't very fair.

I feel that sentiment now, in my bones, in my heart. I feel it every day, every hour even. I feel it every time I look at my niece, Rowan.

Today, I watched after Rowan while her father, Pat, was at work. We had a tea party with grandma and with Uncle Justin, and then we settled down for some cartoons. (Dora, her favorite.) At one point, Rowie climbed over to me, curling her little body next to mine, and she stared at me with her great blue eyes.

She said, "I love you, Caroline!"

And I melted. And I hugged her close. And I thought...

Life isn't fair. Aimee should be here. She should watch her little girl grow. She should wake up next to her husband. She should be here, instead of there. Here, with us. Here, with Rowan.

Can I tell you guys a little story about Aimee? I'm babbling now but it's a nice story and it shows what a kind and loving and generous person she was.

When Justin and I started talking about marriage, I told him I didn't need a fancy engagement ring. He was a soldier in the Army; I was a lowly curatorial assistant. I rationalized that it would be more practical to spend that money on furniture or bills or simply save it. Justin asked me if I was sure. I told him I was sure.

But...I'm a bit of a girly girl and engagement rings are rather pretty and it would have been nice if... Well, my practical side won out anyway.

When Justin told Aimee about our plans though, she told him she had an idea. Aimee had a diamond ring, one that meant a great deal to her. And she offered to give the diamond to her brother so, in turn, he could give it to me.

I had only met Aimee once at that point. Yet, here she was, offering up such a lovely gift. I was incredibly touched but, as I got to know Aimee more, I came to see that this was how she always was. Ready to give. Ready to smile. Ready to love.

I've worn my engagement ring every day for the past five years. It's pretty, it's lovely, just as Aimee was. And, now, every time I look at it, I think of her too.

______________

Thank you, everyone, for your wonderful and supportive comments, emails, and texts. I can't tell you how grateful I am for your friendship and outreach. I know I haven't been able to respond to everyone individually (I'm workin' on it!) but I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your support. It means the world to me. It really, really does.

A Tragedy

2011-12-21T12:42:00.000-05:00

I'm stunned, shocked, and I don't know how to say this.

My wonderful sister-in-law, Aimee Rhoads, died on Sunday in a terrible boating accident. We were in the Florida Keys, vacationing as a family to celebrate Christmas and to commemorate the passing of my father-in-law who passed away last year on December 19th.

And now, we have to mourn Aimee's death as well.

On Sunday afternoon, Aimee and I went scuba diving together off the coast of Key Largo. My husband and I have been diving for over a year, and Aimee told us how she has always wanted to try it. And so, she signed up for a discovery scuba course and I tagged along with her to keep her company.

After our first dive, we returned to the boat to change our tanks and take a short break. But before we could start our second dive, our boat started filling with water and we capsized quickly thereafter. Six of us managed to get out, but Aimee was trapped inside and the crew was unable to rescue her in time.

Justin's family is reeling. Aimee leaves behind her husband, Pat Rhoads, and her three-year-old daughter, Rowan. We are all currently in Seattle, where Aimee resided, to make funeral arrangements and to grieve together as a family.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers this holiday season. And please hold your own family close. Love them. Hug them. Spend time with them. Life can be so tragically short and we are heartbroken that we have lost Aimee. She was the best of all of us.

________________

If you are interested, Aimee's husband has started a blog to commemorate her life. You can access it here.

Friday Five

2011-12-09T10:22:00.001-05:00

One
A thousand apologies for being such a horrible blogger this past month! Between Justin coming home from Afghanistan, a Thanksgiving trip to Shenandoah, and now a quick trip to North Carolina, I've barely had time to breathe!

Two
Right now, we're in the very military town of Fayetteville, NC where Justin is giving a presentation at Fort Bragg. We lived here for three years while Justin was in the Army and I, um, was very grateful when we moved away. Hahaha. What can I say? I'm just not that into pawn shops and gun stores!

Three
Traveling has made me a terrible blogger but it has given me some time to catch up on reading! A few books I've read in the past few weeks:

All great reads! The writing in Magic Under Glass was simply lovely. There were so many passages that made me sigh and wish I could write as beautifully as Jaclyn Dolamore. The Art of Racing in the Rain had a terrific voice---the book is told from the POV of a dog!---and it could have been gimmicky but it wasn't. I also enjoyed The Future of Us (I sped through it in one afternoon) and all of the references to the 90s was a great blast from the past.

Also, it made me feel old... Discmans? Caller ID? American Online? Um yeah, those were my teen years!

Four
Speaking of traveling (ha!), Justin and I are leaving on Monday for the Florida Keys! We're celebrating Christmas early with his family and I've already stocked up on a few books from the library to keep me company.

I've already started Blood Red Road (isn't that cover awesome?) and, while it takes a bit of time to get used to that slang, it's a fantastically written novel so far.

Five
Lastly, it's my birthday tomorrow! Egads, I'm becoming an old woman and I'm not exactly looking forward to turning a year older. But! I was able to treat myself to a few things from Anthropologie, thanks to Justin and an Anthro b-day coupon. Yay, coupons and nice husbands! Boo, getting older!

On the left, I bought myself a cute blouse since I'm a sucker for lace. And on the right, I also got an owl candle that was 30% off! Whenever I get myself my own desk, he's going to keep me company. What should I name him?

So what are all of your plans for this weekend? Anything fun? Staying warm?

The Question Is...Are You Tough Enough?

2011-12-01T08:42:00.001-05:00

This post has been percolating in my brain for a few weeks so I apologize if it's a bit disjointed and overly long.

_ _ _ _ _

I've always wanted to be a writer--I've known it in my bones since I was a wee little thing writing stories on wide-ruled paper--but my sensibilities told me I should choose Something Practical. And so, in college, I decided to become a history professor because I loved history and I adored my classes and I was getting pretty darn good at cranking out research papers.

One day, I was talking to my favorite professor, Professor Murdock, about graduate school and especially about my anxieties concerning it. Were my grades up to par? Was I smart enough? Good enough? Ready enough?

Professor Murdock, who was very wise and very honest, sat back in his chair and said to me, "You know, when I was getting my Ph.D, I noticed something interesting. My incoming class had a good number of students but over half of them dropped out before they finished the program."

"Oh," I said, feeling a little queasy.

"And you know what?" Professor Murdock continued. "A lot of the people who dropped out were some of the brightest students in our class. So, at the end of the day, getting a Ph.D isn't about being the smartest. It isn't about being the best. It's about being the toughest."

_ _ _ _ _

A couple of weeks ago, I was flipping through an issue of Entertainment Weekly and I read an article about actor Jeremy Renner. This portion of the article really stuck out to me:

Back in 2001, things couldn't get any worse for Jeremy Renner. The out-of-work actor had just turned 30 and was living with his French bulldog, Simon, in a tiny Hollywood apartment with no power.

"I ate on $5 a week," says Renner, now 40. "Top Ramen, McDonald's, and YumYum doughnuts, which had 14 doughnut holes for 99 cents." During the worst of it, Renner recalls looking at Simon and saying, "We're gonna look back on this one day, and it'll be awesome!"

Of course, things turned out pretty awesomely for Renner. In 2009, he won an Oscar for Best Actor in the film, The Hurt Locker; and he will soon star in the latest Mission: Impossible movie, Ghost Protocol.

_ _ _ _ _

YA author Robin Mellom wrote six manuscripts before landing a book deal for Ditched.

YA author S.J. Kincaid wrote seven manuscripts before she found a publisher for Insignia.

YA author Beth Revis wrote for ten years before selling her book, Across the Universe.

_ _ _ _ _

Admittedly, I have been besieged by the Doubt Monsters of late. Editing my WIP has been a struggle, a constant battering of doubt-filled questions. Is this book any good? Can it sell? Will my agent hate it? It's a strange thing to look at a manuscript that I once loved, that I used to get simply giddy over, and to have so many concerns about it now.

Sometimes I want to delete the whole mess and start a new project. And sometimes, admittedly, I've thought about giving up this whole writing thing entirely. It's hard. It's draining. It's damned heart-shattering at times.

But it's my dream, it's my passion, so what do you do?

_ _ _ _ _

Just a few closing thoughts in bulleted form:

1.) Writing is hard. Acting is hard. Pursuing a creative life is very, very hard. The rejection. The heart-hurt. The constant doubting. There's no shame in giving it your all and then deciding that you want to pursue something else. There's nothing wrong with that; there's nothing wrong with changing your mind.

2.) It's okay, too, if you dream shifts. Maybe you started out this whole writing journey with the dream of landing a deal with a Big Six publisher and seeing your book at Barnes & Noble. But maybe now you've decided to go with an independent publisher or you decide to try an e-publisher or maybe you want to give self-publishing a shot. Dreams shift. And that's okay.

3.) Like Professor Murdock said, it's not about being the best or the brightest or the smartest. It's about being the toughest. So shield your heart. Grow an armor of thick skin. Bat those rejections away and keep on trying.

It's not about whether or not you're good enough. It's about how tough you are.

I hope I can be that tough.

It's Christmas Time!

2011-11-28T10:46:00.000-05:00

I don't know what it is but I am SO EXCITED about Christmas this year! Every time I stop by Target or the shopping mall, I can't stop oh-ing and ah-ing about the holiday wreaths, the adorable ornaments, and the pretty twinkly lights.

Bring it on, Christmas!

Here are a few things that have caught my eye in the past few weeks:

Left: Penguin Ornaments from C&B; Joy Apron from C&B

I love this idea of hanging stars and snowflakes from the ceiling! It adds such a visual punch to the room, and it's awfully pretty.

Oh, Martha Stewart strikes again! I really love using Christmas cards as a to spice up party decorations. Clever and cheap! (Also, mmmm punch. I want some of that punch!)

Snowflake marshmallows! You know what would be a perfect day? I'd grab my writer friends, take them to a lovely mountain cabin, make a batch of hot chocolate + marshmallows, and spend the whole day chatting about books and writing and laughing, laughing, laughing.

Pure magic! I wish I could be a kid again and wake up to this starry display on Christmas morning. Le sigh. Perfection!

Let's Breakdown the Hunger Games Trailer!

2011-11-15T13:17:00.001-05:00

So The Hunger Games trailer is now out! If you missed it (or if you want to watch it again), here it is in all its glory:

Um, yeah. I may have watched that trailer a dozen times yesterday. Maybe more. I'm kind of obsessed with the books, okay? Stop looking at me like that!

I know you're probably shaking your head and thinking, "Caroline, get help! Please!" but I think my obsession with the Hunger Games is totally awesome. Indeed, I'm such a super fan that I'm going to break down the trailer! Ready?

Our first look at the Seam! When I read the books, I imagined a grittier setting--dirty skies, houses squeezed together, layers of coal dust on the road--but the movie version has taken a frontier-like tone. I like it though!

Can I tell you guys a secret? I was totally Team Gale when I read the HG trilogy the first time through. It wasn't until I reread The Hunger Games that my heart softened toward Peeta. (You're not a weakling, Peeta! You're just so nice!) But I still have a soft spot for Gale.

I really loved the juxtaposition in this scene. All of the citizens in District 12 wear solemn blues, blacks, and creams while Effie sticks out in a bright magenta suit. Visually, this offers a stark comparison between the bourgeois Capitol and the poor rundown Districts. PS, I loved finally hearing the Capitol accent!

Who cried during the Reaping scene in the trailer? Be honest! *Raises hand* I literally had tears running down my cheeks. Bravo, Gary Ross, for casting Jennifer Lawrence in this role. Her reaction, her scream ("I volunteer!") was heart-wrenching.

The Capitol! Entertainment Weekly described the city as having a "Blade Runner" look and I have to agree. Very dark and sleek. I was expecting more of a circus-like setting from the way Suzanne Collins had described the city but I like the darker tone for the movie.

Rue!!! Do you hear that sound? It's my heart tearing in half.

Our first glimpse of Caesar Flickerman, the interviewer for the Hunger Games! Admittedly, I was a little disappointed with Caesar's toned-down digs. I love how Katniss described him in the book (powdered white face, blue eyeshadow and lips, a suit with "a thousand tiny electric bulbs") but it seems like the movie has pared down the garishness. That's okay though! I'm just glad Stanley Tucci got the role.

President Snow. Boo! Hiss! This might sound awful but when I first heard that Donald Sutherland got cast in this role I thought, "I hope he doesn't die before they finish filming the trilogy!" Eep, sorry, Donald! But another great casting choice by Gary Ross. And I'm sure Donald is in the best of health. :)

I'm not exactly sold on this Renaissance 'do and I still kind of wish that this role had gone to Hugh Laurie but Woody Harrelson is a fantastic actor. Zombieland, anyone? I have faith that he'll rock Haymitch. Don't disappoint me, Woody!

The Hunger Games begin! I'm glad we had this tiny glimpse of Thresh. He doesn't play a huge part in the book but he had such a commanding presence in every scene he was in.

YARGH!

Must I wait until March to watch this movie?!

So what did you guys think of the trailer? Have you watched it a gazillion times like I have? What are you most excited about? Did anything disappoint you?

And, finally, do I need to sign up for Hunger Games Addiction Anonymous? I think I might have to...

You FAIL, Caroline!

2011-11-14T14:40:00.001-05:00

Lately, I've been feeling a bit woe-is-me.

*Cue dramatic sigh*

I stare at my manuscript---my once exciting, I-can't-wait-to-work-on-this manuscript---and I can only sigh. This quote from Sara Zarr rings especially true to me:

Right now I’ve got a first draft of a new book in front of me, and it feels like a massive pile of FAIL. (I should note: this is my book.)

Yes, exactly!

My manuscript is a massive pile of FAIL. The pacing is off. The world-building isn't full enough. The romance is lackluster. It needs so much work that, sometimes, I'm tempted to delete the whole thing and start over. Or, at least, work on something new.

But, of course, I'm not deleting this book. I'm going to keep plowing ahead, fixing the pacing and fleshing out the world-building and trying to make the romance believable even though I don't know how to do that quite yet.

I'm not giving up!

And yet...the Doubt Monsters nibble away at me.

Are these problems fixable?
Am I capable of fixing them?
Will my agent like it?
What if *gulps* he hates it?

Dear heavens, I do hate those Doubt Monsters!

But it does bring me comfort that most, if not all, authors feel this way about their manuscripts. Again, from Sara Zarr:

The creative process, and the creative life, is mostly full of moments between the idea and the being done, the spark and the blazing fire, the shimmering magic and the finished piece. We’re always living in the gap between our vision of what could be and what might be, and what is.

I love that.

It helps me to see that I'm in the middle of a long road and that I can't stop walking now. If I want my book to be good, then I have to keep on trucking, keep on sweating, keep on pulling pebbles from my shoe. My book will get better with every step I take, even though some of those steps will rub blisters on my feet. Blisters make me stronger, right?

And I also take great comfort in knowing that every writer is on this journey with me. Some walk ahead of me, some walk behind me, but we're all on this bumpy road together. Cheesy, eh? But I like cheese.

So yeah. My manuscript. It really is a pile of FAIL right now but that's okay. It'll get better.

Gotta keep on trucking!

Book Giveaway Winner!

2011-11-10T18:07:00.001-05:00

Thanks so much to everyone who entered my 150 Followers contest! I wrote down everyone's entries onto Post-Its and swirled them around in a Tupperware bowl. The winner is...

ERIN BOWMAN!

Yay! Congrats, Erin! I believe you wanted THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX and THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY but I'll email you to confirm!

Sunday Six

2011-11-06T15:01:00.000-05:00

One
My weekend thus far has gone something like this...

Wake up!
Reeeeeevise.
Eat crackers + salami + fontina cheese.
Reeeeeevise.
Watch Animal Planet.
Reeeeeevise.
Flail.
Check email, wondering if Agent Jim has replied to me.
Zzzzzzz.
Huh? Wha? Check email again.

Jealous, aren't you? My life is so awesome!

Two
Today, I am forcing myself to get out of house and take a damn walk! Ideally, I'd love to stroll around the C&O Canal, but parking is usually abysmal on the weekends so I'll settle for my neighborhood. (Pretty trees though!) Whilst I walk, I plan on listening to the latest podcast from Freakonomics radio 'cause I'm addicted to it.

What do you guys listen to when you're walking or running? Music? Podcasts? If so, which podcasts? Pray tell me! I need to expand my podcast horizons.

Three
To prove that I'm not a total homebody, I went shopping on Friday and bought myself these black trousers from Express. (Go coupons!) The best part about these pants? They're stretchy! Bahaha! I may look all professional on the outside but I'm secretly rocking pants that I could fall sleep in.

Four
I'd love to get some blouses to go with my new pants. In particular these:

I'm partial to the green one on the left but Anthropologie wants me to shell out $178 for it. What ho, sir! That is far too much for a blouse.

Five
On the writing front, I'm nearly done with the fifth revision of my YA alternate history, REVOLUTIONARY! Wahoo, it is almost ready to send out to my beta readers!

But, uh, parts of it are still kind of awful. Clunky writing and not-so-good dialogue and maybe a few plot lines that aren't heavy in the sense-making. Still. My beta readers shall help me whip this manuscript into shape!

*Cue the biting of fingernails.*

Six
Since my life has been overtaken by revisions, I have imposed a reading hiatus for myself. No books until I get this revision finished!

*Fidgets*

However, I did finish The Night Circus last night because I had started reading it before my hiatus. Final verdict? Hmm. Such a lovely world and imaginative setting but I didn't get pulled in by the characters. Still, I'd totally watch the movie if a film adaptation is made. And especially if Tim Burton directed it.

So what are you up to this fine autumnal Sunday?

150 Followers Giveaway!

2011-11-02T12:40:00.000-04:00

After five and a half years of blogging, my little blog has reached 150 followers!

Wahoo! *Throws confetti*

To celebrate this awesomeness, I'm giving away TWO of my favorite Young Adult novels! I've chosen six books that I completely love, and the winner can choose any two he or she wants!

Behold, the choices:

From upper left to right: Lola and the Boy Next Door, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Plain Kate
From lower left to right: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, The Adoration of Jenna Fox, Before I Fall

And now for how to enter!

Leave a comment with your email address. +1 Entry
Follow my blog. +1 Entry
Follow me on Twitter. +1 Entry
Tweet about the contest. +1 Entry

The contest will close next Wednesday at 11:59:59PM. Unfortunately, it is only open for U.S. residents due to those darn shipping fees abroad. My apologies!

Yay, thanks so much for reading and best of luck!

After The Call: The Big Scary Thing Called Marketing

2011-10-27T12:02:00.002-04:00

To be perfectly frank, the thought of marketing terrifies me. I don't even have a book deal but my knees get wobbly when I hear words like self-promotion, networking, and building an audience. Eep!

Luckily, I attended an SCBWI conference this past weekend and a few of the sessions focused on---ta da!---marketing! The sessions were really enlightening and it helped me feel more comfortable about promoting any books I may (hopefully) publish in the future.

Onto what I learned!

1.) Be creative. Be very, very, creative.

Author/Illustrator Brian Lies spent an entire hour on how he marketed his NYT Bestselling picture book, Bats at the Beach. Now, I'm not a picture book writer but Brian's suggestions can be applied across genres: be the best advocate for your book, reach out to local publications, etc. One particular piece of advice really stuck out to me...

Be creative! Even if you think it's crazy, you should entertain the idea at least.

Case in point, Brian's wife came up with the idea of decking out their car with images from his books. Brian thought she was craaaaazy but you know what? Their "bat car" totally brought in foot traffic for Brian's book signings!

2.) Start marketing now.

At the conference authors' panel, all four of the authors mentioned how important it is to market your book before it gets published. We're talking three, four, five months prior. Their explanation? You want to help build buzz around your book to generate excitement.

And so, all authors should have some sort of web presence, whether it's a static website or a blog/Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr combo. We need to make it very easy for readers and reviewers to find us.

Speaking of blogs, one of the authors mentioned that she felt blogs are "on the out," mostly because there are so many of them now. Still, as a blogger myself, I'd encourage writers to delve into blogging if it's something they're interested in and willing to invest in. After all, I've met some fantastic friends through blogging and I expect them to buy 30 copies of my book, thus propelling me onto the NYT Bestsellers List.

Kidding, kidding! All joking aside, blogging may not be a surefire tool to garner a ton of book sales, but it can be a great way to meet your peers and for general word of mouth.

3.) Reach out to unconventional sources.

When I hear the word marketing, my mind drifts to stuff like book signings, blog tours, and promotional materials like bookmarks that I can give to my mom. But the authors' panel helped to show me how important it is to think outside of the box when it comes to finding your audience.

For example, YA author Amy White reached out to local arboretums because her novel Forget-Her-Nots focuses heavily on flowers. On that same note, my friend Jessica Spotswood has promoted her book Born Wicked through her alma mater by participating in an alumni panel and getting featured in the school's magazine. (Jess didn't attend the conference. I'm just using her as one of my examples!)

I know it's a cliched phrase but I'll say it again: think outside of the box when it comes to marketing your book. Not only should we reach out to local schools and publications, we should also try to find niches to broaden our audience, whether it's through alumni networks or the Rotary Club or the local Trekkies group. (Hey, I write sci-fi. Trekkies would like my books, right? Maybe?)

Anyway, I'm still a total newbie when it comes to marketing but I'm really glad that there are a lot of different ways to promote a book---and not all of them are scary!

Although you won't find me trying to peddle my book door-to-door... I'd rather have my teeth pulled.

The Death of the Black Sitcom?

2011-10-24T20:00:00.002-04:00

Today was a fantastic day in my book, mostly because I got the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly. I seriously love this magazine. In high school, my brother and I would regularly fight for it whenever it came in the mail. (I won a lot!)

This week's issue was particularly awesome because it featured a bunch of cast reunions. Princess Bride! Home Improvement! Growing Pains! 227!

OK, I actually didn't watch a whole lot of 227 when I was a kid (I think I was too young for it) but one of the interview questions really stuck out to me:

EW: Do you feel like the major networks have all but given up on shows centered on African-Americans?

Jackee Harry: I think the title of your article should be "What Happened to the Black Sitcom?" We've disappeared. We have been banished. I'm not happy about it. I can tell you that.

Huh. This made me think. Growing up, some of my favorite shows featured all Black casts. Family Matters? Loved. Fresh Prince of Bel Air? Adored. And The Cosby Show? Holy cow, one of my favorite shows ever. Do you guys remember the episode where the Huxtables teach Theo what it's like to live in the "real world"? So they make him rent his own room? Oh my, soooo funny.

So yeah. With the popularity of such shows in the 80s and 90s, I have to echo Jackee Harry's question: what happened to all of the Black sitcoms? I watch a fair amount of TV but I can't think of an all-Black comedy on one of the major networks today. Of course, a few shows exist on Cable (channels like BET and TBS come to mind) but these networks don't have the audience of NBC or CBS.

Which disappoints me. Majorly. In the YA blogging community, we often discuss the importance of publishing books that feature characters of color. We want children to be exposed to all sorts of peoples, to all sorts of cultures and voices. And you know what? This exact same argument applies to television.

I'll be honest. I didn't have a lot of African-American friends growing up. The schools I attended had a fair number of Asians and Indians but not many black students. And so, shows like Family Matters and Fresh Prince were formative for me. They showed me, Hey! These families aren't that different from mine! Even though these families were make-believe, they felt real to me. They were real to me.

It's my hope, then, that the major networks will breathe new life into the Black sitcom. And the Asian-American sitcom. The Latino sitcom. The Arab-American sitcom. We need this diversity.

We desperately need it.

Wednesday Wants

2011-10-19T10:46:00.000-04:00

One
My first 'want' this fine autumnal Wednesday? To get my bloody manuscript revised! On Monday, I finished my third draft (wahoo!) and I'm now tackling the fourth (ughhhhh). I imagine I need to do one more revision after this one before I can send it to my betas. As much as I love this book, I believe it is trying to kill me slowly.

Two
This coat from Kate Spade is absolute perfection! I adore its bright color, even though I'm not usually a fan of pink, and I adore its flattering silhouette. But I certainly don't adore it's price tag. Egads! $800! Do you know how many books I could buy for that amount of money?

Random aside: I used to own a coat with a similar silhouette. It was midnight black. It was from Zara. I bought it in a little consignment shop in Paris during my study abroad for a whopping 20 euros. I loved that coat.

But it was stolen.

Le sigh. I still think about it sometimes.

Three
These mugs! With the fall in full swing, I'm craving hot apple cider, mint hot chocolate, and lots of pumpkin spice lattes. Aren't these mugs sort of perfect for snuggling up on your couch and reading a fantastic book? Add in a blanket and an oversized warm sweater and you have yourself a perfect afternoon.

Four

Speaking of books, I want every novel I read to be like DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE: vivid settings, oh-so-real characters, and a plot that made my heart twitter. It. Is. So. Damn. Good.

I finished it a week and a half ago but I still can't get it out of my mind. Right now, I'm reading it for the second time, savoring each word and falling in love with Karou all over again. It's energizing to read such lush and beautiful prose---it pumps me up for my own writing. Even though I'll never be able to write like Laini Taylor, her work inspires me. It pushes me to become a better writer.

Seriousyl! Go read it right now! Right now!

What are you craving this Wednesday?

The Internet Can Be Very Small

2011-10-13T11:32:00.001-04:00

I'm a lurker.

I read a good amount of blogs and forum threads every morning but I don't often leave comments. This is mostly because I'm sort of shy. It took me over a year to post on a popular writing forum, even though I spent over an hour perusing its threads each day. And when I finally did leave a comment, I got nervous. What if someone disagreed with me? What if someone picked a fight?

See? This is why I lurk. I'm loco in the cabeza. (<-- Aren't you amazed by my Spanish?!)

Anyway, last night, I was reading a thread---one of my favorites actually---and I noticed a few of the people were trash-talking another writer. Who are they talking about? I was curious so I backtracked through the thread, figuring they were discussing an idiot writer who had done something incredibly offensive.

Well, I was surprised. Really surprised. They were talking about one of my favorite bloggers! A blogger who I admire and respect. I couldn't help but think about this blogger stumbling onto this thread---a very open, very public thread---and getting terribly hurt by the comments.

The internet can be a very small place.

I've heard this warning over and over again as I've gotten more involved online. But it didn't really hit home until last night.

A few thoughts:

1. Be careful what you post online. Especially in public forums. You really don't know who's reading it.
2. Post anonymously or use an alias if you plan on posting stuff that may come across as controversial. If you're going to trash-talk, do it anonymously!
3. Sometimes, we need to get something off our chest. We may even need to trash-talk. That's fine. Why not do that in an email?
4. Before you post anything, stop for a second. Ask yourself: will I regret this later? And: will I be embarrassed if the person I'm talking about reads my comment?

Of course, there have been things I've posted online that I've come to regret later. (ie, photos of me in a bathing suit) I'm certainly no saint! But it's safe to say that I'll be super careful when I post comments online in the future.

Or maybe I'll just lurk.

Random Thoughts on a Rainy Day

2011-10-12T16:43:00.000-04:00

For the past few weeks, Justin and I have been thinking about buying some land (cheap-ish land) and building a house on it. And so, I've been poking around the Great Internets, looking at different builders and whatnot.

Good Lord! Building a house on your own property can be a mega headache. From hooking up utilities to choosing a home site to digging a well if needs be.

I'll say it again. GOOD LORD!

But then I stumbled upon this house:

So cute, right?

It was designed by New World Home and was featured as Country Living's House of the Year in 2010. It also happens to be super green.

And...here's the clincher...

It's a modular house!

Crazy, eh?

So, basically, this house is constructed in the New World Home's factory and then delivered to your site in separate "modules" where workers will seam it together. (Apparently, modular homes are not the same as trailer homes. They have to be built to county and/or state standards.)

I did a little more digging and found more green modular homes that look, well, pretty darn amazing.

I definitely have to tip my hat to these architects! The term "modular home" has such a stigma---a stigma I held for a long time---but these houses totally blow my mind.

Anyway, Justin and I are still a little ways off from buying any property but I may have to keep these houses in mind once we take the plunge.

Friday Five

2011-10-07T08:48:00.001-04:00

One
Justin and I are back from North Carolina! It was a quick three-day trip and we arrived home late Wednesday evening.

Two
And now we're in the airport! We're heading to Cincinnati for the weekend for a wedding and our flight has been delayed for an hour and a half. Justin is a bit frustrated but I view delays as: MOAR WRITING TIME!

Three
I'm wearing one of my favorite dresses to the wedding, a dress that I'd wear everyday if I could because it's super comfy and it's super polka-dotted. (And hey, it's on sale! Go buy it so we can be twinners!)

Don't I look fabulous in this pic? Yep, that's totally me. Snerk.

Four

I don't know too much about Cincinnati aside from...

* It's named after the Roman farmer-turned-soldier, Cincinnatus. (Hey, I learned something from my Roman History class!)

* It's the hometown of American president James Garfield.

* It has a zoo! I love zoos. I'm totally going to the zoo. (Although I grew up by the National Zoo, which is free, and so I believe that all zoos should be free. Guess I'll be sneaking in!)

Five

I inhaled Lola and The Boy Next Door yesterday. Seriously, yo. I started reading around 6AM and I was finished five hours later. It. Is. Awesomeness. Dare I say that it's even better than Anna and the French Kiss? Which is almost blasphemy to me since I loved ANNA and I absolutely adore Paris, but LOLA features both Anna and Etienne and it has a dog named Heavens to Betsy. Five out of five stars!

So what are you guys up to this Columbus Day Weekend?

Need a Thursday pick-me-up?

2011-10-06T11:46:00.001-04:00

I promise a real post will be coming soon but I just had to share these hilarious photos I found online, via the Huffington Post.

In a nutshell, photograph Rion Sabean decided to snap pictures of "manly men" in traditional pin-up poses. You've seen the poses: buxom ladies sticking out their behinds, sticking out their perky chests, one finger dangling over lipsticked lips. The results are hilarious!

Don't these pictures just make you snort? And make you realize how silly pin-up poses are?! What's your favorite? Mine has to be the upper left photo---sexy lumberjack! Check out his gams!

If you want to keep snorting with me, be sure to find more pictures here. Happy Thursday!

Writing on the Road

2011-10-03T08:13:00.002-04:00

Hey guys!

I'm spending a few days in North Carolina this week, tagging along with Justin while he's on a business trip. I have my trusty laptop, my drug of choice (Dr. Pepper), and my ever-comfy writing outfit to keep me company. Sweatshirt + Leggings = Awesomeness!

No make up, yo! Oh, my sweatshirt says "Maryland." Go Terps!

My writing plans for this trip include:

1. Re-writing the last ten pages of my manuscript. (They still need to be switched over from first person to third.)
2. Tackling my ever-expanding novel to-do list (fleshing out scenes, adding some back-story, etc.).
3. Try not to drink too much Dr. Pepper/hot chocolate/bottle of vodka to get through this revision.

Once my fingertips revolt from too much typing, I shall tackle my reading plans for this trip:

Yep! I bought a copy right before we left. I'm seriously excited to read this novel (so much hype!), but I must be good and finish my revisions first.

*Flips open The Night Circus instead*

Damn it.

Hope you guys had a fabulous weekend! Justin and I watched 50/50, which was really fantastic. It made me laugh out loud and cry twice. Highly, highly recommended!

I'm in a Decorating Mood

2011-09-29T11:07:00.001-04:00

Lately, I've been spending far too much time on design blogs and staring at Etsy. I'm in such a decorating mood! Ever get that way?

Maybe just me?

It all started earlier this week when I had the sudden urge to make a terrarium. I know, I know. Isn't that so random? But I think I've been craving some greenery inside my house. Like this:

Isn't she a beaut? I'd love to have this perched on my coffee table or sitting on my nightstand. Trouble is, this adorable terrarium is only sold in San Francisco. Alas!

Well, maybe I won't have any greenery in my house soon but I can settle for some paper flowers instead. Like these:

The best part is... I can make these myself! Since Justin will be out-of-town on Saturday, I"m thinking about heading to Michael's or Paper Source, stocking up on supplies, and snipping flowers all afternoon. Who wants to join me?

And finally, I've been staring at nurseries as of late. Nope, not pregnant! But I'm getting to the point in my life where I think it'd be pretty awesome to decorate a nursery and fill it with adorable things, like tiny socks and little hats and books like Goodnight, Moon. And, you know, a baby. :)

I'm really loving these unexpected colors for a baby girl's room, sea-foam green and dove gray. Actually, I'm really digging gray as a paint color for our living area---neutral yet pretty. Plus, you can add all sorts of splashes for color.

What are you craving today?

Teaser Tuesday?

2011-09-27T12:41:00.000-04:00

I really should blog today. And, since it's Tuesday, I thought it'd be fun to share a little snippet from my YA alternate history. Thus, the whole "Teaser Tuesday" thing. (I love alliteration almost as much as J.K. Rowling!)

But...

I'm seriously terrified of people reading my work. Seriously. Terrified. It usually takes me a few weeks to gather the courage to show anything to Justin, and he's my husband! I mean, come on. He has seen me throw-up! He has heard me fart! (No, that's not true. I've never farted. Ever.) And yet, I still get the jitters when he reads my work.

Granted, I should give myself a little credit. I've managed to conquer my anxieties somewhat. I have a great critique group, for instance, and I've lined up some fantastic beta readers for this manuscript.

But...

It still scares me silly. I often have to re-read my excerpts 3 or 4 times before I dare press the "Send" button. And that's just with the excerpts. I have yet to have anyone outside of my immediate family (and Agent Jim) read an entire book of mine.

Which makes no sense to me. I'm too scared to share my manuscript with my writing friends — people who are so nice and helpful! — and yet I was perfectly fine querying my first novel without anyone reading it?

Friends = Too scary
Agents = Press send now!

I don't understand my logic. Maybe I need to send my brain to the Brain Repair Factory? If so, I'd like to exchange it with Laini Taylor's please. ('Cause who wouldn't want to write like Laini?)

Whatever. I'm tired of you, Anxious Caroline.

Here's a freaking snippet from my WIP:

(In which my protagonist, Zara, walks to school in Nazi-occupied America)

She walked past a slew of shops — the grocer, the butcher, the chocolatier selling truffles only the Nazis could afford — but her pace dropped as she approached the bakery. The scent of hot buttery bread proved too tempting, beckoning her with the promise of a plump-full stomach.
Peering inside, Zara’s tongue watered at the sight of the golden loaves and at a tray of sticky buns still steaming on the counter. Sticky buns. She adored their cinnamon-y layers, and these had just been plucked out of the oven. Her fingers searched through her bag, hoping to rustle a few spare coins, but then the baker caught her staring and shooed her through the window.
"Geh! Geh!" he yelled, waving her off with his floured hands. "Nur zalende kunden!"
Paying customers only.
Zara’s appetite dried like a prune.

Hey now! That wasn't so bad, right?

*Chews fingernails*

After The Call: The "My First Book Didn't Sell" Club

2011-09-22T10:21:00.000-04:00

Ah, writing. So full of highs and lows!

When you first finish your book, you dance a little jig. Then you get that puppy ready for querying, so you break into a moonwalk. And then—and then!—you get an offer of representation, which calls for something like this:

But once your manuscript goes on submission, your dancing might be put on hold. If your book sells, you can keep on rocking out a la Jeff Bridges. On the other hand, there's always a chance that your book may not sell, at which point you might do this:

Crying + Eating = Medicine for the Heart

In all seriousness, it's okay to cry (or cry and eat) if your book doesn't sell. We pour our hearts and sweat into our novels—so why wouldn't we tear up a little? If you do find yourself in this situation though, here are a few thoughts I've cobbled together that may (hopefully) dig you out of the Pit of Despair:

1. You are not alone.

Kiersten White? Natalie Whipple? Brodi Ashton? Pretty big names in the YA blogging community. Perhaps you frequent their blogs, like I do.

Yep, all three of them had to shelve their first books on submission—but went on to sell their second novels on sub. So yeah. You're in pretty darn good company! And like them, you have to keep your chin up and work on your next book. 'Cause the next one might sell and it might sell really big!

Just ask my friend, Jessica Spotswood, who wrote about her first-book-not-selling over on this blog post. Don't you love her honesty? Fortunately, her story comes with an oh-so-happy ending: this past February, Jess sold her second book on sub, BORN WICKED, in a major deal to Penguin!

And so, if your first book doesn't sell, it's okay to cry and eat cheeseburgers and sit on a swing. Just don't feel like a failure, okay? Because you're not.

2. This is an unfortunate part of the business.

An editor at a Big 6 publisher may receive hundreds of agented submissions a year...but can only acquire 5 to 10 novels, depending on the size and budget of her house. Basically, this translates into a lot of books not selling. There's simply not enough room for them, even if you have a stellar agent.

I'm not saying this to make you depressed—because a lot of first books on submission do happen to sell!—but to underscore a reality of the publishing world. You won't be able to sell every book you write. Your agent won't be able to sell every book he signs. This is a very, very competitive business and we won't always get the outcome we hope for. Which sucks. Majorly. And yet, it's something we have to (grudgingly, frustratingly, mournfully) accept.

Sometimes, it's a matter of trends and tastes:
"Sci-fi isn't doing well right now so we're going to have to pass."
"We just acquired a book like this one, which means we unfortunately have to decline."
"To be frank, the market is a tad too saturated with dystopians."

And, sometimes, maybe your book needs some more work. Characterization. Plot. Pacing. Maybe there's something missing. Which leads to...

3. You can do better.
Right now, you're probably staring at your manuscript, thinking about the hours and months and maybe years you poured into it. And what do I have to show for all of that? you think to yourself.

Well, a lot actually. This is the book that landed you an agent. It might have gotten you multiple offers of rep. This is the book that taught you how to plot and how to make your characters not just characters but real people. This is the book that taught you how to revise—really revise—and how to keep going when you got rejections left and right.

So don't sell yourself short. Don't sell your book short. Tangibly, you may not see how far you've come as a writer but, believe me, you have. Now, you have to take everything you learned from this book and pour it into the next one. I know, I know. It's such cliche advice. "Keep writing! Work on that next project!" But it's important. If you want to see your book at Barnes & Noble, to feel it in your hands, then you gotta keep writing. Give your book a funeral, mourn for it properly, and then move on. 'Cause you have a lot of stories to tell and you have to start cranking them out.

- - - - - - - -

Wow, I didn't meant to go all inspirational speaker on you guys! But I hope that this post may help some of you experiencing the pain of not selling your first book on submission. It sucks. And worse, you feel like you can't say anything about it because you should feel grateful that you have an agent in the first place.

Still, you should know that you aren't alone. A lot of writers have gone through what you're going through. You're not a failure. You're a writer facing a setback. *Major hugs* Drink some tea and draw the shades and, when you're ready, start on the next book.

The 500th Post!

2011-09-20T09:14:00.000-04:00

Today is a milestone for my little blog. This is my 500th post!

Whoa! I'm not sure if I should pat myself on the back: What ho, fine chap! 500 posts is rather smashing!

Or to shake my head: So much time wasted! You should have been writing or exercising or saving the ocean or breeding Persian cats to make extra cash!

Anyway, I'm in a reflective mood today. I can't help but think about what I was doing when I wrote my very first post. Where I was living. What was I feeling. What was I doing. Back in January 2006 (when I started this blog) I was quite a different creature!

So here we are, a blog retrospective:

In January 2006...

Bridesmaid at my friend Alexis' wedding

I was 23 and a recent college graduate. I was terrified of the Real World.
I'd just started working at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. It was the first Real Job I'd ever had, complete with my own cubicle!
Sometimes I got bored at work so I started a blog. I titled it, "Adventures In Space."
I was nursing a broken heart. I had been dating a guy who was all sorts of wrong for me. I cried a lot.
I thought about my career a lot too. For awhile, I thought I wanted to become a museum curator or a college professor. So I applied to graduate programs in London. 'Cause this Real World thing? Nah, I'd rather live in London!
But, secretly, I wanted to become writer. It was what I had dreamed about since I was a little girl.
At night, I wrote personal essays. I even sent a few of them off to places like Newsweek and the Washington Post. I aimed high.
I got rejected.

Fast forward five and a half years. In September 2011...

Bridesmaid at my friend Amanda's wedding.

I'm 28. I shall stay this age forever. I will never turn thirty.
I work as a writer. It's difficult and draining and sometimes it feels like someone has scooped out my brains and filled my skull with flesh-eating lemurs. But I love it. Lemurs and all.
I've been lucky enough to have my articles published in newspapers and magazines. But still no Newsweek or the Washington Post.
One day though! *Raises fist*
Remember that guy I bawled over back in 2006? Well, a few months after that, I met a certain boy named Justin. We've been together now for five years, and I couldn't ask for a more supportive, loving, hilarity-making husband. If writing is the calling of my mind, then he is the calling of my heart.
I think that should be a Hallmark card. Maybe tweaked. "Dear Husband: I love you. If knitting little hats for cats is the calling of my mind, then marrying you is the calling of my feline-obsessed heart."

So whoa. Five years has blown by so quickly! I kind of wish I could take Caroline circa 2006 and give her a few words of advice. Like, stop crying over that stupid boy! And, hone your writing before you submit to the freaking WaPo! But, I figure I had to figure things out on my own, huh?

Either way, happy 500 posts, Little Blog! Thanks for letting me share lots of random thoughts and pictures with you.

Apologies!

2011-09-16T20:32:00.002-04:00

Sorry about being MIA this week! Between basement floodings and husband homecomings and all around crazy-makings, I've been running around like a French revolutionary.

(I don't even know what that means. But it sounds kind of cool, eh? Oui!)

(Oui = My limited French vocabulary. Also, bonjour! Patisserie! Coco Chanel!)

But, I hope to post more next week, including an After The Call post that has been bouncing around in my head.

So how are you doing? What are your plans for the weekend? Justin came home today (mega yay!) but he left this evening to attend a bachelor party in Charleston (come back!). So I'll just be moving furniture---our basement has been fixed from the flood!---and working on my book. And having high tea with some friends!

Yum! Tea!

Until next week, enjoy this picture that I found on the vast interwebs. I love it!

I had such high hopes for this week...

2011-09-12T22:15:00.001-04:00

Justin comes home on Friday from Kabul (yay! squee! yipee!) and I had high hopes for the days leading up to his arrival.

Finish my revision
Read the scrumptious books I got from the library
Have dinner with some writerly friends
Maybe splurge a little and buy a sweater (on sale!) from Anthro

Alas. Our basement flooded. Between Hurricane Irene and the massive rainstorms in DC, our carpet became a big soggy mess. I tried to use beach towels and a wet/dry vacuum but it was a lost cause. I realized I'd have to move all of the furniture and buy new flooring.

Which, all in all, isn't such a bad thing. There were people who lost their homes in the hurricane and even their lives. A flooded basement? That's nothing!

But my stress level inevitably rose between Justin's homecoming and my neverending revision and doing all of the little things that pile up like dust bunnies and make you sneeze. Yep! I plopped down on my staircase, tucked my chin onto my knee, and let myself have a little pity party.

(Feel bad for me? Please donate to my Paypal cupcake account!)

The pity party lasted well into this evening, while I grunted and shoved and pushed my furniture this way and that. (Oh dear. Remind me to check under the sofa more often. The things you find under there!) Then, I had to clear off my bookshelves so I could move them too. So I grabbed armfuls of books and trucked them into the bedroom and...

I stopped. I looked down.
My books.
Matilda. From the Mixed-Up Files. Maniac Magee. I'd had them since I was a little girl, back when I had pigtails and wobbly teeth and dreams of becoming a writer.

They were all dry. Perfectly so. The storm hadn't touched them.

When I went back to collect more books, I let my fingers run over their bone-dry covers. Persepolis. The Things They Carried. Plain Kate. And then I found the most prized books of all, the ones I bought during my study abroad in London. Despite their weight, I had hauled them in my suitcase and flew them over the Atlantic because I knew they would be a forever memento of my trip.

They were dry too. They were safe.

So, um, yeah. Perspective! It's still a nuisance to have soggy carpets and a house smelling of mildew, but I'm lucky. For my books. For my house. For a husband coming home from Afghanistan. For all that and so many more wonderful things in my very blessed, sometimes crazy life.

You know, maybe this week won't be so bad, after all.

Friday Five

2011-09-09T12:36:00.000-04:00

One
I'm getting so excited about the Read for Relief auction! We've gotten such an awesome response from the authors, agents, and editors we've approached. Frankly, I'm a bit verklempt at how willing people want to help! Hugs to all!

Two
The auction opens on Monday and we have some really neat items that I'm tempted to bid on! You can win stuff like:

A signed galley of LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins
A group critique from the lovely gals at YA Highway
A critique from HarperTeen editor Erica Sussman
And tons more stuff from authors like Suzanne Young and Saundra Mitchell, as well as agents like Joanna Volpe and Sara Crowe!

Be sure to check out our website come Monday!

Three
On the editing front, I'm almost finished with my revision! Huzzah! And after this revision...I get to tackle another revision before sending it to my readers! Joy!

After slogging through the dreaded middle of my manuscript, I'm finally feeling excited about my book again. With this revision, I've been trying to think Big Picture things, and one idea I really want to focus on is the logistics of war. Specifically, are there rules when you instigate a revolution? Or will you do anything to see that your revolution succeeds? Even if it means killing women and children?

As you can tell, I like to write about very light and funny topics!

Four
On the reading front, I hope to tackle these books that I got from the library. (Aliens on Vacation on the left, and The Sky is Everywhere on the right.) I haven't read any middle grade novels for awhile so I'm pretty psyched to delve into Aliens on Vacation!

Five
On the traveling front, I am unfortunately not traveling anywhere but my little sister Kristy is! She's in Nanjing, China right now for her study abroad and I. Am. Jealous. Here are a couple pictures she sent me that make me tingle with the travel bug.

The countryside!

The crazy mountains!

Huh?

But I must say that Kristy's description of Nanjing is not exactly endearing me to the city:

Getting settled in China. It smells like trash most of the time. My friend and I watched a child poop on the ground outside of the restaurant we were eating at. Then his dad came and scooped up the poop with playing cards. Still finished my fried rice. It's been cool here.

Mmmm, lovely!

So what are your big plans for the weekend? I'm just hoping this rain lets up a bit so I can finally see the sun again!

Want to Win Books, ARCs, and Critiques? Please Read!

2011-09-07T09:20:00.003-04:00

Last week, I received an email from my friend Erin Bowman about what we could do to help with Hurricane Irene relief. See, Erin lives in New England where the storm had hit hard, causing flash floods and landslides. Although Erin is safe and doing well (thank goodness!) many other Americans weren't so lucky. Hurricane Irene may have been a Category 1 storm but she wrecked havoc across the U.S. East Coast.

A woman walks on the remains of Highway 12, the route that connected Cape Hatteras National Seashore to the North Carolina mainland. (Image courtesy of Buzzfeed.com)

A week after the hurricane, homes still sat submerged in Bloomingdale, New Jersey. (Image courtesy of AP Photo/Mel Evans)

A before and after of Bartsonville, Vermont's historic covered bridge, which was lost to raging waters (Image courtesy of Buzzfeed.com)

And so, Erin and I, along with Tracey Neithercott and Sarah Enni, have created an online auction, called Read for Relief, that will raise funds for the Red Cross. The auction items will include:

Query critiques, including a critique from my agent, Jim McCarthy!
Manuscript critiques, including partial critiques from Elana Johnson and Natalie Whipple!
Books, including ARCs of SHATTER ME and BORN WICKED!
Book-related swag, including cool stuff, yo!

For more information, check out our website and our Twitter account as well. The auction will start on Monday, September 12th, and we'd love for you guys to spread the word--you can grab a badge from the Read for Relief homepage--and please feel free to participate in the bidding if you see anything you fancy. Also, we're still accepting donations for the auction so you're more than welcome to fill out our form if you'd like to contribute something!

For updates, be sure to follow us on Twitter, which is the best way to find out what items are up for bidding and when an auction opens and closes.

Thanks so much for reading and I hope to see you over on the Read for Relief site! Let's raise some funds for a good cause!

Books to Drool For

2011-09-06T10:21:00.000-04:00

I rarely pre-order books---I love the feeling of going into the bookstore and staking my claim on a new release---but I've been drooling over a few novels that come out in a few weeks and I had an Amazon gift card to burn. So I ended up buying...

I couldn't resist! See, I fell in love with Laini Taylor's prose when I read her short story collection, Lips Touch Three Times, and now I simply can't wait to get my hands on Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It has been getting all sorts of glowing reviews (including hard-to-please Kirkus Book Reviews) and so I think this may be a rare novel that will meet, and perhaps exceed, its hype.

Oh, and Lola! I had to buy that too. I adored Anna and French Kiss (Paris! British boys! Kisses!) and I've heard Lola and the Boy Next Door is even better. Now, I must resist the urge to wait in for the mailman by my door each day, chanting "Gimme gimme gimme!"

To make my TBR pile even bigger, I'm also drooling over a few books I've noticed on Publishers Marketplace lately. I probably won't get my hands on these books until 2012 or 2013, which means I must be very, very patient.

*Scowls*

I hate being patient.

Anyway, here are three that have caught my eye:

#1
August 31, 2011



		Children's: Young Adult		Jaclyn Dolamore's DARK METROPOLIS, about a city in which corruption and vice are rampant and disappearances warrant a shrug from the authorities: when a girl vanishes, her best friend must search the city's underground, only to find that here, people who die don't necessarily stay dead, to Catherine Onder atDisney-Hyperion, at auction, in a six-figure deal, in a two-book deal, by Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (World English). Translation Rights: Taryn Fagerness Agency

August 26, 2011


	Children's: Young Adult	THE LAKE OF DEAD LANGUAGES author Carol Goodman's trilogy, set between 1912-1920 in a world that blends history and fantasy, about a girl at a boarding school that trains young women with unique abilities to defend the world from dark forces, to Kendra Levin at Viking Children's, in a good deal, by Robin Rue atWriters House (World).

June 3, 2011


	Children's: Young Adult	Gen Albin's CREWEL, the first in a trilogy that is equal parts science fiction, adventure, and romance, this debut novel takes place in a world where women known as "spinsters" are able to "weave" the very fabric of existence, to Janine O'Malley at Farrar, Straus Children's, in a major deal, in a three-book deal, byMollie Glick at Foundry Literary + Media (North America).

So how about you? What books have you been drooling over lately?

Giving Up the Dream

2011-09-02T10:42:00.004-04:00

Three years ago, when I started my first book, I had a dream.

At night, lying in bed, I'd stare at the ceiling unable to sleep because my brain wouldn't stop humming, like a little engine going and going and going. I'd plot out my novel. I'd create new characters. I'd drum up ways to make my little book more exciting, more action-filled, more everything.

I daydreamed in those wee hours of the morning. About agent offers and publishing deals. About print runs and book tours. Even though my little book was far, far from perfect, I dreamt and I wished and I really, really hoped. In the morning, after I brushed my teeth, I'd stare at books like Percy Jackson and Gregor the Overlander and I'd tell myself:

One day. One day my book will be in stores and kids will love them and I'll meet them because I'll go on book tours and other nice author-y things. Maybe, probably, I'll be a bestseller. Maybe, probably, I'll live off of my writing. And I'll be happy, happy, happy because this dream of mine will have come true.

Ah, the naivete! I wish I coud pinch my cheeks.

There were no bumps in the road when it came to my dreaming. No hiccups. I'd get an agent, easy peasy, and a handsome book deal. Then, perhaps a year later, my novel would come out in bookstores and it would sell well. Kids would love the novel, and I'd write sequels that they would love too.

It was a lovely, lovely dream.
It still hovers in my mind actually, humming its familiar sound.
But the humming has grown fainter as of late. Its wings don't beat as fast as they used to.

And I'm okay with that.

In the past year, as I've experienced the roller coaster of submissions, I've had to let go of my dream a bit. Bestsellers list? Book tours? Yeah, those are hard to get! Hell, it's tough enough just to break into traditional publishing, much less land on the NYT Bestsellers' list. I've come to learn that becoming one of those authors---with book tours and those other author-y things---requires a bit of luck. It's not only about writing a good book, it's about selling the book to the right publisher at the right time. It's about marketing too. And being fresh in a crowded market. It takes, well, it takes a lot.

And in this past year, as I've gotten to know other writers, I've also come to see that publishing isn't always the smoothly paved road I once hoped it to be. Sometimes a book series gets canceled. Or it doesn't get picked up by Barnes & Noble. Sometimes a publishing offer doesn't go through. Or an established author can't get another deal. This road gets bumpy and it makes sharp turns and, sometimes, it breaks hearts.

It's a business, after all.
So we have to put on our business faces.
It's an odd road to walk---with our dreams on one side and the realities of business on the other. And there we are, bouncing between the two.

This is why my post is called "Giving Up the Dream." I"m not giving up on writing---nope, my brain won't let me---but I'm letting go of the part of me that thinks about book tours and bestsellers' lists and big advances. Sure, all of those things would be awesomely nice, but I can't really control any of it. All I can do is write and edit and edit some more. So I'll work on that. Maybe those nice author-y things will come my way, but maybe they won't. It's okay either way. As long as...

#1 I'm happy with my writing.
#2 I get to hold my books in my hands.
#3 Somewhere out there, I can make a kid smile 'cause of my stories.

And #4 I can buy a yacht with my book earnings.
(Kidding, kidding!)

But yeah, #3. That makes my heart squeeze.

That's why I started writing in the first place, and it's a dream I'll always have.

It's a dream I'll never give up on.

After The Call: Interview with YA Authors Lindsay Currie and Trisha Leaver

2011-08-31T11:08:00.000-04:00

It has been awhile since I've tackled an "After The Call" post and so I'm excited to bring you guys an interview with the lovely Lindsay Currie and Trisha Leaver! A few months back, Lindsay and Trisha (who are writing partners) received an amazing six offers of representation for their YA speculative novel, SILO. They are now repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, and I'm hoping for a quick sale 'cause I'd love to read this book!

1.) Hey guys! *Waves* Can you tell us a little about the book that landed you with your awesome agent Ginger Clark? What's the genre? What's it about?

Sure! Our book is a YA Speculative Fiction piece titled SILO. It’s written from a male POV and follows three boys living in a defunct missile silo after a massive solar storm wipes out communication systems around the globe. Grounded in reality and set in a contemporary environment, SILO walks that fine line between complete fiction and oh crap, that could really happen. To me. Tommorrow!

2.) Creepy! These sort of books scare me the most because, like you said, they can really happen. Eep! So what was your querying process like for this novel? How long were you and Trisha querying before your first offer?

We did a ton of research. Literary Rambles is awesome as well as sites like QueryTracker. And never underestimate the value of Twitter! Following agents you are interested in to watch for their personal tastes, wish-lists, and turnoffs is a great way to get to know who might be a good fit for your manuscript. We plotted our queries pretty carefully and queried about 30 agents total. I’d say from the time the first query was sent to the time of our offer, roughly 4 weeks elapsed.

3.) Now that you guys are all done with the query-go-round, do you have any advice concerning process?

Ah, good question. We created our query letter together, which naturally gave us an advantage in that two sets of eyes are better than one. It also helped that we both believe in minimalist queries. That is, provide enough information for the agent to know what you are pitching them, but not so much that you’re outlining your book. Queries and synopsis are two very different things and a query is really your shot at getting their attention. Short, concise and engaging. . . that’s what we were going for!

Be sure to do your homework. Agents receive hundreds of queries a week so it is important to do your homework, make sure the MS/ genre you are querying them with is one they actually have interest in representing. Also, don’t be afraid to query your top-five dream agents; you just may be surprised. We were!

4.) Oh, I especially liked your last piece of advice! It's best to go big, right?

So you guys get your first offer...what did you do? Scream in elation? Jump for joy? Faint? :)

Would it make us sound completely crazy if we told you that between the two of us, we probably did all of the above? Seriously, we were thrilled. The first agent who offered on SILO actually emailed us the moment she finished it – in the middle of the night! Her email offered representation and I can’t tell you how thrilled we were to hear an agent tell us they couldn’t put our book down. After all, we were in love with it, but it’s another hurdle entirely to find an agent who is as well.

5.) You eventually received a whopping five offers of rep! How did the agents offer rep? Via email? Or a cold call? How did you and Trisha handle the phone calls as writing partners?

Actually at the end of the day, it was six offers of rep. We gave the asked the initial offering agent for ten days to let the other agents respond. We then quickly emailed those agents who had full/ partials of our manuscripts as well as those we had queried informing them that we had a formal offer of rep.

Because there are two of us, it wasn’t very realistic for any agent to cold-call us (thank goodness). We had plenty of time to line up our questions for the various agents and simply used conference calls so we could both be on at the same time. Everything we’ve done since day one has been as a team, and we needed speaking with the agents to be the same.

6.) What sort of questions did you and Trisha ask them? What questions did you guys find to be the most helpful in making a final decision?

So we know you are supposed to pre-plan your questions, and have a general idea of what answers you are looking for. We did, but I can tell you, once you are actually on that call, the best-laid plans go to hell! That’s where it helped to have a partner. When one of us lost our train of thought, the other was right there to jump in!

For the most part, we asked the agents what their vision for SILO was, what types of revisions they would like us to do if we signed with them and what kind of submission plan they had in mind for the novel. We made it a point to ask about their previous sales history and what their preferred style of communications was. We also spoke about our solo projects, and whether or not these would be a good fit for the agent.

7.) Haha, I know the feeling of getting utterly tongue-tied during those calls! It's like your brain stops working. Eventually, how did you and Trisha end up choosing only one agent? Sales record? Client referrals? Phone conversation?

I think that when it came down to it, Ginger’s confidence and complete understanding of SILO was what drew us to her (not to mention her kick-butt sales record and reputation. . . those sure don’t hurt!). She was very honest about her vision for the book, about what tweaks she wanted to see us make and we both loved her straightforward communication style. Overall, she blew us away. We’ve been fortunate to not only have very similar writing styles, but to have similar taste as well so making the decision was shockingly easy.

8.) Looking back now, what sort of advice do you have for writers who find themselves with multiple offers? What should they do? What shouldn't they do?

First: don’t panic! It’s easy to get really stressed out if/when you get multiple offers. We all fantasize about what it would be like to see several agents interested in your book, but when it really happens, it can be much more nerve-wracking than you ever imagined. When you’re making a decision that large, it is to TAKE YOUR TIME! There’s nothing wrong with asking for a week or two to evaluate your options. If you get an offer, notify the agents holding a partial or full of your book immediately. Give them a timeframe in which you’ve promised to answer offering agent A and ask them politely if they could give you a response on your book by then.

Also, if there are agents that you would love to have representing you who are holding only your query, there’s no reason not to let them know as well. In fact, Ginger had not yet reached our query in her massive slush pile when we notified her of the offer. She responded to our update immediately and told us she’d get back to us by our deadline. When she emailed us to ask for a phone call, it was simultaneously exciting and terrifying! Fortunately, the conversation went well and she offered us representation. . . a dream come true for the both of us.

Thank you so much for this interview, Lindsay and Trisha! It's so cool to hear how you chose your agent and to see how things roll when you're working with a writing partner. Congrats!

I Believe I Have the Most Fabulous Husband in the World

2011-08-26T11:39:00.001-04:00

In the past six months, my little netbook has transformed into a snarling, hissing device.

It freezes a lot.

Its power cord poops out.

It erases my revisions like it's eating candy.

What has my netbook become?!

I've made do so far because 1.) I'm cheap and 2.) I figured I'd reward myself with a new laptop if I got a book deal. And so, I've made sure to save my documents and back up my files and take things in stride when my computer locks up multiple times a day.

But last night, ARGH! Around one in the morning, I had finally finished revising a frustration-inducing chapter that had gobbled up most of my evening. I was feeling pretty good but then...but then...the netbook crashed! It ate my precious revisions! Noooooo!

Since Justin was online at the time, I peppered him with a slew of frustrated/angry/cry-faced messages, along the lines of: "My stupid netbook! *Grumble* *Grumble* I haaaaates it!" Being the supportive husband that he is, Justin shook his head and told me he was sorry. Fifteen minutes later, he asked me if I like surprises because he had bought me...

*Cue freaking out*

*Cue clappy hands*

*Cue Ron and Draco dancing*

Thanks so much, honey! I totally don't deserve this (like at all) but I'm so excited! And I feel so lucky to have the most thoughtful husband in the world!

Scary Earthquakes and Other Random Things

2011-08-24T11:29:00.001-04:00

Holy Toledo, there was an earthquake in DC yesterday!

My friend Lynn and I were at the mall when it happened. We were standing outside of Panera, chattering away about books and writing, and then the walls started trembling. The ceiling too. Everybody froze.

It was over in about ten seconds, but Lynn and I just stood there, mouths gaping open. Was that an earthquake? Then, all hell broke loose. A huge swarm of people---about a hundred or so---sprinted down the wide hallway and out the front doors. It was like a scene out of a disaster movie. The words "Don't panic!" had been tossed aside from everyone's vocabulary.

Well, whaddaya expect? We're a bunch of East Coasters who have no freaking clue about what to do in an earthquake! I mean, we handle tornadoes and hurricanes every year but we turn into panicky lemurs at the rumble of a quake. We haven't been prepared for these situations! Do we stand underneath a doorway? Hide in the bathtub? Curl up into a ball and cry for mommy?

I think that latter option sounds best, don't you? :)

- - - - - - - - - -

In other news, I have Revision Brain, which is a condition where my brain volleys between extreme excitement over my edits and extreme despair over my abilities as a writer. I'm an emotional yo-yo!

Whenever I hit a down peak, I busy myself with learning how to use a Photoshop-like program called Pixlr. (It's free!) Yesterday, I thought it'd be fun to take some of my favorite writing quotes and make them into art pieces that I could use in my future office. Which probably won't be for a long while. *Sigh* But it's fun to dream!

Right now, I'm totally feeling Nathaniel Hawthorne's quote. "Easy reading is damn hard writing." How true! Hopefully, after I finish these revisions, my book will be easy to read. I can only hope!

Summer Lovin' Books

2011-08-23T10:56:00.000-04:00

I can't believe the summer has almost come to an end! *Insert crying* Yesterday, the weather was positively autumn-ish. Not that there's anything wrong with autumn-ish weather---it's divine, really!---but man, I'm going to miss summer. The hot days, the lounging about, the watermelon-eating, and the roller coaster-riding. Don't leave us just yet, summer!

As I reminisce about the last few months (lemonade! dresses! So You Think You Can Dance!), I have to say I was lucky enough to read some really great books. A few of my faves:

Legend by Marie Lu

I started Legend with a bit of apprehension. See, I looooove dystopian fiction but I've been disappointed by a few of the Big Dystopian Novels that have come out in the last couple years. My brain has witnessed too many shadowy government figures and bad boy love interests who are secretly as cuddly as kittens once you get to know them. (We need more Peeta's, I tell you! Nice boys!)

But Legend was refreshing. The characterization was spot-on---especially the whip-smart heroine, June---and the plot was fast-paced yet satisfying. I also enjoyed the worldbuilding, which was subtle but made sense. Sometimes, dystopian worldbuilding makes me scratch my head ("Why don't these people escape to Russia?! They don't have to be bred to become organ donors!" Extra points if you know what book I'm talking about!) but Legend didn't suffer from this problem.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Okay, I think I might be the last person on Earth to read this novel but better late than never, right?

Man, I seriously inhaled this book! Jay Asher mentioned in an interview that he intended Thirteen Reasons Why to be a thriller---and boy is that true. I couldn't stop turning the pages, even though I knew what the outcome would be.

Interestingly enough, my little sister read this book when I finished and she gave it a "meh" rating of a B-. Her complaint? She thought Clay, the narrator, was too perfect. She wanted him to have a flaw of some sort, which I found interesting. If you've read this novel, do you think the book would have been stronger if Clay was more flawed?

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

Oh dear, this book has stirred a lot of controversy. Basically, it's a memoir written by a Yale Law professor who raised her children the Chinese way. In other words, her two daughters were groomed to become music prodigies/math geniuses who weren't allowed to have play-dates and sleepovers.

You know what though? I loved it! I know, that's sort of weird, right? Amy Chua has a self-deprecating sense of humor---she's not afraid to make fun of her craziness---and, at the end of the day, this book is about how she learned to chill out as a Tiger Mother and let her daughters explore their own interests.

And I could relate so much to this book since I'm a child of Chinese parents: the forced piano lessons, the forced evening math classes, the forced Chinese school attendance. Ah, memories! Both my sister and I were giggling at some of the anecdotes shared, although to be fair we were allowed to have sleepovers and to participate in activities beyond playing instruments and learning math.

So what have been your favorite summer reads?

Sunday Potpourri

2011-08-21T00:38:00.002-04:00

One
Last night, Justin sent me a link to this HI-LA-RIOUS ad on Craigslist. Basically, it's a guy moving to San Francisco who's looking for a roommate. I sort of want to adopt him. (Fair warning: the ad itself has a lot of swearing. It's funny swearing though!)

Here's a part of the ad that made me laugh out loud:

I own almost nothing! I'm driving my car from Alabama to California in which I'll be transporting two duffelbags of clothes, one laptop computer, one guitar, one cell-phone with charger, 8 pairs of shoes, one picture frame, probably some condoms and a sh*tload of beef jerky and Pringles for the trip. Though, you can expect the jerky to be gone upon my arrival. Unless you'd like me to pick up some on my way into the city. See?! I'm the most considerate person you've ever met. I'm offering to buy you sh*t already!

Two
As I flipped through the channels today, I found the scariest/grossest/most disgusting show ever on my TV guide. It was called...

"Bedbug Apocalypse"

*Shudders*

Three
You know, sometimes life beats you down. Sometimes a lot of bad things happen and you sort of question your faith in humanity. But then, something occurs that makes you believe in your fellow man again--something that makes you go, "People ain't so bad!"

This is one of those stories.

A few weeks ago, I was flying back to DC after a week-long trip to Seattle. My flight arrived around 1AM and, by the time I got my bags, it was already 2. Now, I know that airport parking lots are pretty safe but I was still paranoid. There I was, carrying two bulky bags and heading to the Long Term Parking Lot in the wee hours of the morning.

By myself.
Without pepper spray.
Lacking any knowledge of karate.

Suffice to say, I was worried because 1.) I'm a worrier and 2.) I couldn't stop thinking about burglars jumping out of the shadows and stealing my laptop or my suitcase of antique shotguns. (Justin's family heirlooms.)

On the way to the parking lot---while I thought about besting the aforementioned burglars---I struck up a conversation with my shuttle driver. I was the only passenger on the van and I guess he felt a bad for me. He asked me about my trip and then we talked about traveling--he regaled me with stories of Egypt--and then he told me how he was looking forward to his long weekend, which would start right after he dropped me off.

When we reached Long-Term Parking Lot B, the driver took me straight to my car even though he didn't have to. Then, he proceeded to wait for me while I loaded my car and started my engine. He could have left sooner to start his long-awaited weekend, but he didn't. He made sure I was safe before he drove on.

Now that was kindness. Thank you, Shuttle Driver Man!

Four
My newest favorite website (ie, TOTAL TIMESUCK) is Zooborns. Pictures of cute baby animals! Seriously, so addicting.

A baby sloth eating green beans! Aw!

A baby puffin sitting in a bucket! Aw!

A baby cheetah sitting in a bucket! Aw!

Honestly, what is it about baby animals getting weighed in buckets? It's just too adorable!

Happy Sunday!

After The Call: Even Award-Winning Authors Get the Blues

2011-08-17T14:05:00.000-04:00

Have you guys heard about the controversy surrounding Rick Yancey and his Monstrumologist series?

If you haven't, here's a quick recap:

Rick Yancey is an author who has published nine books---four for adults and five for teens. A few years ago, Rick signed a three-book deal with Simon & Schuster to publish his YA horror series, The Monstrumologist. The first novel earned a Printz Honor and the second was a finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize. The third novel will be published later this year, and Yancey had hoped to extend the series by another three books.

But, recently, Simon & Schuster decided not to purchase Yancey's next three novels, citing low sales figures. Disappointed, Yancey posted the news on his Facebook Fan Page, which caused a mini firestorm in the YA blogging community. A campaign has been started to petition Simon & Schuster to buy the rest of the series, although it appears unlikely that this will happen.

Phew!

I've read The Monstrumologist--on my belated honeymoon in St. Lucia of all places--and I loved it. The voice. The characters. The goosebump-inducing horror. It was a fantastic novel and I'm pretty bummed that this series won't be extended.

Other fans are disappointed too. Numerous librarians and bloggers have asked their readers to please buy a copy of these books to boost sales. Or to send letters to S&S. On the writing forums I frequent, a few authors have shared their alarm over this decision, worried that their own series may be cancelled if their sales don't improve.

Ah, publishing! It sure seems scary sometimes. But, through this whole ordeal, I think I've gained a few insights that help me as I tread on this (hopeful) path to publication.

1. Sometimes books or series get cancelled (or, in this case, not extended). It's a part of the business.

In an interview with Bookshelves Of Doom, Yancey mentioned that he has been writing professionally for eight years and has had another series cancelled as well. This made me blink. Wow. Another series? This was incredibly sobering--and it made me think about the other series I've fallen in love with that have been cancelled or not extended. From the top of my head, I can think of three.

At the end of the day, publishing houses are businesses that need to turn out a profit. And to make this profit, sometimes hard choices have to be made. Like canceling a series. Or not extending a contract. I'm sure this was a very tough decision for all parties involved.

2. If you find yourself in this position, don't let this discourage you. Cry a little. Or a lot. But then dust yourself off and focus on a new project.

In thinking about this whole situation, I'm trying to frame it in television terms. Every fall, the four major channels roll out their new shiny shows for the season. Some of these shows become big superstars (think Glee or Modern Family) while others are cancelled even if they find a small devoted audience (think Jericho and Arrested Development). It's not often fair--have you seen Arrested Development?!--but it's a stark reality of the business.

The important thing, however, is to brush yourself off and to keep going, despite the heartache and the agony. I thought Rick said it best in his interview with Bookshelves Of Doom:

I've been writing professionally for eight years now and have had two series cancelled, and I moved on. You have to. You gotta be able to shrug it off. Oh, well, it didn't fly, something wasn't right, fix that and make the next one better, etc., etc. That's what a pro is supposed to do. Because if you don't, you're dead. The bloated corpse of your dead story will drag you into the grave with it.

I think he hit it dead-on with that last sentence. The bloated corpse of your dead story will drag you into the grave with it. We can't let this happen to ourselves.

3. The series doesn't have to die.

With self-publishing on the rise, this means a series can still have a shelf life even if it has been canceled. Perhaps this isn't the most glamorous of options but it is a viable way to finish a series and to satisfy a built-in audience. And, perhaps, the series can gain new life if it catches on in the e-publishing world.

Plus, higher royalties, right?

Fortunately, Yancey is intent on finishing out the series, even if it may take some time. "I will do everything within my power to publish the conclusion to The Monstrumologist," he said in the previously mentioned interview. "The last three folios will be released. At this point, I don't know when (I gotta make a living!) or know if that will be through another publisher, self-published, or posted somewhere on the internet."

Huzzah!

So yeah. This is a sobering story, isn't it? But I hope that it doesn't get people down or discouraged. If anything, I'm grateful to learn about this sort of thing now so I can feel a bit more ready---a bit more prepared---as I try to navigate the world of publishing.

And lastly, you should definitely read The Monstrumologist. Just sayin'. :)

Friday Five

2011-08-12T11:42:00.000-04:00

One
In just three weeks, my best friend is getting married! We met in our seventh grade science class and bonded over soap operas--both of our grandmothers watched them daily and we couldn't help but get sucked in. And now *sniff* Amanda is getting hitched! I'm getting all verklempt.

The bridesmaids will be wearing this strapless number from J. Crew, although in a lighter lavender shade. Pretty, no? (Although I have such unshapely arms! Argh, I must get myself to the gym, stat!)

Two
Amanda, the bride, has asked us bridesmaids to choose our own nude shoes, which I will do gladly since I think nude shoes are all sorts of pretty. But...what do I pick?!

I think these heels from Aldo are gorgeous--and are on sale for $27!--but I have mega reservations. First, do you see those heels? Sexy, yes, but over 4 inches high! Ouch! And second, I'm already having nightmares about walking down the aisle and tripping in these shoes. Hmm, I think this is a pass...

At the end of the day, I'll probably opt for something more practical, like these. Still cute but with a much more manageable heel. Plus, I won't be hobbling around like a woman with bound feet by the end of the night!

Three

Speaking of good friends, my college roommate (and fellow London study abroad adventurer) Alexis Middleton has started a fantastic design/craft blog, Persia Lou. Look at her awesome office! She made the fabric board on the wall (it's magnetic!). Makes you want to take a seat and crank out a few manuscripts, doesn't it?

Four

I found out this week that a Cafe Rio has opened thirty minutes from my house! If you've ever been to this fantastic Mexican restaurant, then you will understand my squeeing. SQUEE!

I know it sounds weird, but Cafe Rio's pork barbacoa salad is just about the most delicious things I've ever eaten. Seriously so good. *Drooling just thinking about it* So if you live in the DC area and would like to have lunch with me (come on, you definitely want to have lunch with me!), guess where we're going to go? Yep! Cafe Rio!

Five

This weekend, my sister and I might head to the County Fair since we love strolling through the animal stalls. Last year, we encountered a beast of a bunny named "Muffin." Muffin looked exactly like this, but a bit more shaggy:

Yes, this is indeed a rabbit.

Aieee! Bunnicula!

So what are your plans for the weekend? Revision cave? Slogging at your draft? Running away from Muffin?

My Manuscript Wants to Eat My Brains

2011-08-11T12:31:00.001-04:00

There was a time, not so very long ago, when I had a wild love affair with my manuscript. I spent hours working on it every day, enthralled with its concept and infatuated with the characters. As I wrote, I couldn't help but think, "This is the best book I have ever written! This is the one!"

*Snuggles with book*

But then, as it often happens, the love started to fade. It started when I tackled a massive rewrite of said manuscript, switching the POV from first person present to third person past. Both the book and I were exhausted. We fought. We made-up. We fought again. The book tried to eat my brains.

Ah love.

Perhaps you too know of this feeling? When your beloved book turns into a zombie that plagues you at every turn? That's the way I feel right now. I have given birth to a zombie novel! A novel that eats at my brain! It wants to devour my creative process and digest my prose!

It wants to killlllllll meeeeeeeeee!

Okay, okay, let's tone down the melodrama, Caroline. But eep! I really do feel that my book has turned into a beast that I don't quite know how to tame. And yet, I still love it. I still want to snuggle with it...sometimes. It's kind of like a cute zombie. Like this:

See? My book is still lovable! Definitely very hug-able. But it still kind of wants to eat my brains. The main issues eating away at me right now:

1. A lot of successful YA novels focus heavily on the romance. Mine doesn't. Is that bad? Will editors be turned off?

2. Is the genre (YA alternate history with fantasy elements) too "out there"?

3. Will this revision never end?

4. Will I die of consumption before I finish this book?

5. Is this novel any good? Yes? No? Maybe? A little bit hazy? Ask again later?

6. I think my beta readers will tell me to re-write the entire middle of the novel. I have serious doubts about it.

7. In this rewrite, I have made my protagonist too generic? Have I lost her voice?

8. Should I explore a career in penguin ranching? I hear it's the next big thing.

So yeah. My brain = a little zombified. But that's okay! All part of the process, right?

"RIGHT!" says the zombie manuscript.

Wednesday Wants

2011-08-10T00:09:00.001-04:00

Ah, I love window shopping, don't you? Except I guess I can't really call it "window shopping" since I'm just clicking on various links through my little netbook. Still, the name fits!

Since Justin and I are saving up for a house (Wahoo!), I've been doing more window shopping as of late. Here are a few things that have caught my eye recently:

I really, really love this orange dress from Anthropologie. The cinched waist, the full skirt, the pretty autumn-y color. Le sigh. Too bad it's $358. Yipes! If it wasn't that much, I think it'd be the perfect dress to wear to my best friend's rehearsal dinner in September.

Speaking of which, who wants to lend me $358?

In college, I had a love affair with high heels but high heels most certainly did NOT love me back. Ow, blisters! Fortunately, I've had a better relationship with ballet flats and I totally love this pretty blue pair from Anthro. (Forever Anthro!)

Okay, one last Anthro pick! Isn't this sweater really cool? I love its colorful pattern and I think it'd be super comfy with jeggings and knee-high boots. Preferably some chestnut-colored riding boots.

I know, I know. I have a feeling a few of you are shaking your heads at the word "jeggings." But don't hate 'til you've tried them, yo! Jeggings are a gift from God---the look of jeans with the comfort of lazy sweatpants. Gift. From. God.

I walked past an Arhaus furniture store today and I almost pressed my face against the window when I saw this chair. OMG, the pretty! I don't think it'd be terribly comfortable but isn't the fabric so lovely? Now, it's Justin's turn to shake his head at this post. See, he likes to make fun of me for liking uncomfortable furniure. But, hey, it's CUTE!

I want to read this book so badly. So badly! My friend Jessica Spotswood recently read it and so I've come up with a plan: sneak into Jess' house, feed her cat to keep him quiet, find Daughter, and tiptoe out. Good plan, no?

So what are you craving this Wednesday? More importantly, who wants to help me sneak into Jess' house? And even more importantly, who wants to lend me $358?

And I'm back!

2011-08-08T12:13:00.000-04:00

Oh, poor neglected blog! How I have missed you!

Well, I'm back from Seattle and I'm finally over the awful cold that my niece gave me. I was pretty much a zombie over the weekend, chewing Advil with my bare teeth and drinking Robitussin like it was apple juice. Oh, and sleeping! I did a lot of that. But now, I feel quite chipper and I'm ready to conquer the world!

Or, you know, just write a new blog post. :)

Onto the recap!

1. So what is it about little kids with colds? I swear they must have Super Contagious Germs. Not only did my niece give her cold to me, she also gave it to both of her parents and who knows who else. (Katy, I hope we didn't spread germs your way! I didn't know Rowan was sick!) But I can't be mad at my little niece. She's adorable! She can give me a cold any day and I'll forgive her. Look at the cuteness!

2. So the trip to Seattle went well. My mother-in-law is rebounding fast after her surgery and getting stronger by the day. Even better, I didn't kill her! But I think she may have tried to kill ME toward the end of our trip.

After five days of chauffering her around, I let her drive the day before I went home---and I nearly had a heart attack. There were a number of times where I clutched onto my seat, knuckles as white as Death, and shouted, "Red light! Red light!"

When we reached our destination, I turned to her and said, "You feeling okay? You were, um, kind of driving in two lanes. On the highway."

She just laughed. "Oh, I feel fine! And that's the way I usually drive. Don't worry! The car's fine."

3. Dear Jesus, Thank you for letting me survive my car ride with my mother-in-law at the wheel. I owe you one. Sincerely, Caroline

4. Definitely one of the highlights of my trip was having dinner with the Katy Upperman and her daughter! We met at an Italian restaurant and I brought along my niece so the kids could talk princesses while the adults talked books and writing. It was a blast and Katy is simply lovely (and really beautiful!)! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that her husband gets stationed in DC next. Bwahaha, more YA writers must live closer to meeee!

5. Probably the worst part of my trip was the flight. On the way there, I had to sit in the dreaded middle seat. Dun, dun, dun! I probably should have upgraded to Economy Plus but I was too stingy to pay the $49 fee. I mean, come on! Fifty bucks for a measly extra five inches of leg room? But man, it would have been worth it. I'm not six-foot-two and I don't have the shoulders of a linebacker, but I'm five-eight so I was still feeling quite cramped.

On the bright side, I can use that unspent $49 on books! Border's closing sale, here I come!

Speaking of Border's, insert sad face. My big Border's closed a couple months ago and now my Border's Express is closing too. Caroline = In Mourning.

It's glad to be back and promise more blog posts this week!

Friday Five

2011-07-29T12:14:00.001-04:00

One
Justin's birthday was on Wednesday! Since he is in Afghanistan, we decided to celebrate his big day when he got home. And so, I've been planning a little trip for us to the Shenandoah Valley and I also bought him this shirt, which I hope he likes since he's SUCH a big fan of The Hangover. Gotta love Zach Galifianakis!

Two

While I was browsing around for the right shirt, I also came across this one, which brought me back to my elementary school days. Damn you, Oregon Trail!

Justin downloaded the game onto his iPhone awhile ago--and has promptly beaten it on all levels--but I can't bring myself to play it again. I have many, many wonderful memories of sitting in my school's computer lab and playing Oregon Trail (I always chose to be a banker so I'd have more money) but I have been traumatized by fording across rivers. So many good oxen have been lost! Woe is me!

Three
I was lucky enough to borrow my friend Ellen's copy of LEGEND! (Thanks, Ellen!) Here's the UK/Australian cover. Isn't it cool?

I really enjoyed LEGEND! It was fast-paced, rich in detail, and the heroine was superbly kick ass. I also enjoyed the world-building---it was fleshed-out and felt very full. With a lot of dystopians these days, I kind of feel like the world-building is given short thrift. I'm always left with a ton of questions: why is the world this way? What happened to make this setting possible? Hmm, why doesn't this world make any sense?! But I didn't feel that way with LEGEND. Props to Marie Lu for that!

Four
WIP Update... I'm nearly done with my re-write of Revolutionary! (It's my YA alternate history.) I have about 20 single-spaced pages left to re-write and then I'll tackle two more rounds of revision before sending it off to my beta readers. I'm so close to the finish line yet I still feel so far! The ending of my book is mostly a jumble of scenes, and so I have a lot of fleshing out to do. Le sigh. Still...progress has been made!

Five
I'm afraid I might be MIA from the blog next week. Due to a family emergency, I'll be in Seattle until next Thursday, helping to take care of my mother-in-law who just had surgery. Good news is: I get to spend time with my three-year-old niece Rowan who I haven't seen in over six months! Even better news: Rowan is now potty-trained! So no more diaper-changing for Auntie Caroline. (Although it was kind of cute whenever Rowan would ask me to change her diaper. I felt honored in a strange way!)

So what are y'all up to this weekend? Escaping the heat? Writing? Hunkering down in your revision cave?

After The Call: Editorial Rejections -- To Read or Not To Read?

2011-07-27T11:28:00.002-04:00

So today, I thought I'd talk about one of the more "technical" aspects of going on submission. It is a subject of much debate: Should you or shouldn't you read your editorial rejections?

Okay, a bit of background information first...

Before you go on submission, your agent will probably email or call you to give you a rundown of the publishers he plans to send your book to. Your agent might also ask if you'd like him to forward any editorial rejections to you. This is something you'll need to think about--do want to be kept in the loop or do you prefer to live in blissful ignorance? (Ignorance! Ignorance!) You have a few options to choose from:

Option A: You must know everything!

Some writers want to read all of the editorial feedback they receive, the good, the bad, and the ugly. In many ways, this is a good strategy. It keeps you abreast of what's going on and it gives you the opportunity to see why editors aren't connecting with your work.

Before I went on submission, I thought I wanted to be one of these writers. After all, I had steely skin and an iron stomach! I could take any rejection thrown my way! But I was wrong. I am a delicate flower, apparently, and I wilt at the sight of rejection. (Ah, ignorance. So snuggly.)

BUT! Not all writers are delicate flowers like me. And so, if you want to read all of your rejections, then make sure to discuss it with your agent. Some agents don't pass on rejections unless you specifically ask them for it.

Option B: You must know some things!

Perhaps you have some delicate flower tendencies and don't want to read all of your rejections. At the same time, you'd like to know what the editors are saying, especially if they have any constructive criticism.

If this sounds like you, then ask your agent to pass on any rejections with helpful feedback. This way, you get the best of both worlds: you don't have to wade through all of those sad rejections to get to the good bits.

Option C: You must know only good things!

Ah, this is also known as the Blissful Ignorance option. I like this option. Delicate flower thy name is Caroline!

The perks about Option C: you only hear good news! You don't get sweaty palms whenever you receive an email from your agent---you know that she won't be contacting you unless something good has happened.

The downsides of Option C: well, you're kind of out of the loop. You have no idea how many editors have passed on your work and why they are passing. Still, that's kind of the point of this option, right? BLISSFUL IGNORANCE!

So, this is just food for thought before you go on submission. And, to be honest, you might change your mind once your book finally goes out into the exciting/terrified world of publishing. Maybe you're like me and you think you want to know everything but then you decide you don't. Or maybe you think Blissful Ignorance sounds rather nice but then you decide it's not nice at all and you're developing weird tics because you have no idea what's going on. And so, give yourself the freedom to change your mind!

Questions? Comments? Advice? Please leave them in the comments and I'll respond as soon as I can!

The Growing Number of YA Major Deals

2011-07-25T12:42:00.001-04:00

As a creature of habit, I tend to check the same websites in the morning. I start out with the HuffPo, meander over to EW.com (I need my entertainment fix!), read some writing blogs, and then check out the latest publishing deals on Publisher's Marketplace.

In the past few months, I've noticed an interesting trend in YA deals. First, there are a lot more of them--lots and lots of YA novels are getting bought left and right. And second, there has been a big spike in the number of YA major deals. ("Major deal" = $500,000 and up.) It seems like every other week, I see another YA major deal crop up on Publisher's Marketplace. Which made me wonder...

How many YA major deals have sold in previous years? So I did a quick search on PM, counted up the deals, and then made a nifty graph on ChartGo.com. Here are the results:

Fascinating, right?*

Aside from a dip in 2009, the number of YA major deals has steadily increased since 2004. We're only midway through 2011 and there have already been fifteen major deals! We are well on our way to shattering last year's total of twenty-two deals.

This uptick in big deals has gotten me thinking. Why the spike in numbers? Why the interest in YA? A few random thoughts:

#1
The YA market is growing at a fast rate. More readers. More books. More interest. Not only are teens gobbling down these books, adults are too. And so, it makes sense for publishers to want to find the next big thing. The next big Twilight. The next big Hunger Games.

#2
Building on the last point, I've read on a few blogs (forgive me, I can't remember where) that the children's publishing market is one of the few genres making money these days. Thus, I can understand why publishers are pouring more money into the YA market. If YA books are bringing you money, then you have money to spend on more YA books.

So what do you think about this trend in "big" YA novels? Do you see it lasting into the future? Or pittering out? And why do you think we're seeing such a spike in these major deals?

*Not all deals are announced on Publisher's Marketplace, which means my numbers are not wholly representative of all YA major deals.

After The Call: Don't Ignore Your Gut

2011-07-22T13:09:00.003-04:00

About a month ago, a literary agent—who represented numerous YA writers—left the business quite abruptly. Indeed, she left so quickly that she didn't alert her clients about her exit. Some of them had to learn about her departure via a status change on Facebook.

As the story unraveled, things got worse. Clients discovered that their books had never gone on submission, despite assurances that they had. One client even had interest from a publisher she had queried on her own, but the agent never sent the manuscript.

Scary, huh?

After the dust settled, a few of the clients stepped forward to shed further light on the situation. (You can read them here, here, and here.) Turns out, there had been a few red flags that had led to the agent's sudden departure: phone calls left unanswered, emails that received no reply. The agent would disappear for weeks or months at a time, only to call out of the blue.

As I read these clients' stories, my heart ached for them and I noticed a pattern in their posts:

"I had a few concerns about her at first."
"This agent gave me that strange feeling and I ignored it."
"My gut told me to wait, but I didn't."

My heart ached some more. Because I know this feeling very well.

Before my agent offered me representation, I was lucky enough to receive two other offers of rep. For a few days, I went back and forth between Agent #1 and Agent #2, reading over old interviews and replaying our phone calls in my head. I had a few reservations about Agent #2 due to a few things I had seen online, but our conversation went well so I decided to ignore the alarm bells in my gut.

But those alarm bells kept ringing. Agent #2 promised to refer me to a couple of her clients, but the referrals never came. I emailed her a few times, only to be met with silence. I figured she was busy—I know that agents are often swamped with manuscripts and contracts—but my gut kept nagging at me. What if this lack of communication was a sign of things to come?

In the end, I lucked out. Agent Jim offered me representation on the last day of my week-long decision process, and I knew right away that he was the right agent for me. When I finished speaking with him on the phone, both my gut and my heart told me the same thing, "SIGN WITH HIM RIGHT NOW!" My feelings were only cemented when he sent me a follow-up email shortly after our call, referring me to a couple of his clients even though I hadn't asked for a referral. (I was too excited that I had forgot to ask!)

And so, I'm a strong believer of following your gut in this roller-coaster world of writing. Whether you're signing with an agent or choosing a beta reader, don't underestimate what your gut is telling you. If it's nagging at you, then listen to it. Ask yourself why your gut is trying to get your attention. Re-evaluate what's going on. Then, make your decision.

You know, I have no idea what my "gut" really is. Intuition, maybe? A sixth sense? A weird pit in the middle of my stomach? Whatever it is, I'm really grateful for it. It really has been invaluable as I've navigated this thing called publishing.

So what about you? Have you had any gut feelings on your own writing path? How has it helped you as you move toward getting published?

SCBWI Conference Wrap-Up

2011-07-20T11:29:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, I went to the SCBWI MD/DE/WV Summer Conference with a bunch of awesome writerly friends! Erin Bowman flew down from New Hampshire while Kathleen Foucart drove up from central Virginia. Along the way, I picked up DC residents Jessica Spotswood and Robin Talley, and we headed to the lovely town of Buckeystown, Maryland. (We saw so many cows on the drive there!)

Erin Bowman, Me, Kathleen Foucart, Jessica Spotswood

Robin Talley, Me, Kathleen Foucart, Jessica Spotswood

I attended the Spring Conference in March, but the organizers decided to mix things up for the summer event. Instead of a generalized conference where everyone sat in the same room and listened to the same lectures, the attendees at this event divided into 25-person workshops based on their chosen genre (YA, MG, PB, non-fiction). All five of us signed up for the YA track, which was led by YA author Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen and Children's Editor Liz Szabla (Feiwel & Friends).

Our track was an interesting mix of craft workshops, Q&A sessions, and general information lectures concerning the author/editor relationship. On Day 2 of the conference, there was also a "First Pages" session where attendees could read their first pages and get feedback from Stephanie and Liz. Since I couldn't attend all of the sessions due to some family stuff, I asked the other participants to offer what they took away from the conference:

Kathleen: I think my "conference-going" advice would be for people not to be afraid to participate in things like the critiques or first page readings-- only 20 people did the first page but there were about 25 people there that day. It was nice having the wiggle-room time-wise, but I think those people missed out on a good opportunity.

Robin: Order business cards well in advance of the conference and remember to bring them with you! Twice now I have forgotten to do this and both times I super regretted it. It is distressing to meet someone you want to keep talking to and to not have an easy way of doing so.

Jessica: I think new writers get too caught up in dos and don'ts: word count differences between YA and MG, age of your characters, can we use curse words, how far is too far with regard to sex scenes, can vampire stories or dystopian still sell, etc. It's tempting to want hard-and-fast rules in this business where so much is up in the air--but the thing is, there aren't any. Write the story you need to tell. Make sure your choices serve that story. We heard that again and again from the editor and authors this weekend, and I thought it as great advice.

Erin: I completely agree with Jess. I think that was the main take-away. We heard the same types of questions in Stephanie's original talk, the Q&A with her and Liz, and then even the giant open Q&A in the afternoon. And the answer was always the same: it depends. If it's right for YOUR story, then it's right. Period.

And a few thoughts from me...

1. Getting published is hard---which is why you have to push yourself even harder.

During Stephanie's first talk, she told us how tough it was to get her first YA novel, The Compound, published. (She uses the pen name S.A. Bodeen.) Before she wrote The Compound, she had sent four YA manuscripts to her agent...and he had turned down each one.

This was very discouraging, of course! Stephanie admitted that she stopped writing for a couple months after hearing her agent's feedback. But then she decided to participate in NaNoWriMo, which led to the first draft of a book that would end up being The Compound. Pretty cool, huh?

2. During one of the Q&A sessions, a woman raised her hand and asked a question about whether or not she needed an agent and where she could go about looking for one. She also admitted that she was just starting out as a writer and didn't have a rough draft completed yet.

My first reaction: Good for her for thinking ahead! It's never too early to learn the ropes of the business.

My second reaction: Don't be afraid to take your time! Right now, the most important thing for this writer to do is to hone her craft and to read, read, read. Of course, she should also educate herself on stuff like agents and queries but that sort of thing will come later.

All in all, I thought this was a fun conference and I had a great time with a fabulous group of writers!

Friday Five

2011-07-15T09:40:00.000-04:00

One

I'm kind of kicking myself for forgetting my camera when Justin and I visited Winchester, VA earlier this week. During our trip, I headed to the Handley Library to do some writing and---HOLY TOLEDO!---I was utterly and wholly blown away. The building was simply gorgeous, and the YA section was full of comfy chairs and lovely period details, like a spiral staircase that doubled as a bookshelf and the old mahogany floorboards that would creak in certain places. Basically, I could have moved in and felt right at home.

The Library's exterior

The Library's atrium

Photo courtesy of taberandrew via Flickr

Two

My sister and I went peach-picking yesterday and I discovered this crazy-looking peach with an odd growth on it...a growth that looked kind like a nose! And so, obviously, I decided to name the fruit "Sherman" and I drew him a proper face when we got him. Hmm, he looks like more of a Luigi, huh?

"Eh, Mario, let's make a pizza pie!"

Three

Since we now have an abundance of peaches in the house, I decided to whip up a quick salad for last night's dinner: Tomato & Peach Salad! Yeah, it sounds kind of weird but it was surprisingly yummy! Light, savory, and very, very summery. Approve!

Four

My friend Erin Bowman is coming to DC this weekend! HUZZAH! We've been planning her trip for months and I just can't wait to pick her up from the airport tonight!

Five
Wow, can you guys seriously believe that is is Friday already?! This week has flown by so quickly and I'm lamenting the fact that Justin has to fly back to Kabul on Monday. *Sigh* I'm really grateful that we've been able to spend the last week and a half together but parting is such sweet sorrow! *Insert sad face* As cheesy as it sounds, he is my best friend and my heart feels hollow every time he leaves. At least he'll only be gone for two months--that's nothin' compared to the deployment he had in the Army. Gotta look on the bright side!

Writing Update: Still plugging away on my WIP! I'm a little over halfway done and I hope to finish this revision by the end of the month. Fingers crossed!

So what are you guys up to this weekend? Watching the HP movie? If so, what did you think? I'm going to watch it on Monday!

Dreaming of the Beach

2011-07-12T09:51:00.004-04:00

Ughhhh...

That's the sound I make every time I go outside. Justin and I are in Winchester, Virginia for a few days (he has work-related training) and the temperatures have soared into the upper 90s. Once you tack in the humidity, it starts to feel like I'm swimming in a huge bowl of sweaty soup. Kind of gross, eh?

I really should do some sightseeing today since Winchester is pretty darn cute (as seen in the picture below) but, due to the heat, I'm tempted to stay cocooned in my hotel room where air conditioning is a plenty.

If I had a transporter though, I would totally transport myself to the beach today, preferably this beach in Bora Bora. Ahhhhhh! Doesn't it look sublime?

Last night, Justin and I were talking about going to Bora Bora when he gets back from Kabul in September. A sort of "Let's Celebrate Your Return From a War Zone!" trip. And so, I decided to do a little research this morning about hotel prices in French Polynesia...

...and my eyeballs fell out of their sockets. I had to catch them in my bare hands and pop them back in.

A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER NIGHT! Holy crap! That's more than some people pay for their mortgage per month!

But, I suppose, that sort of money would be worth it if you were 1.) a Trust Fund Kid, or 2.) a Saudi Prince, or 3.) Mark Zuckerberg. I mean, look at these awesome bungalows! They're built right over the water and some of them have "windows" on the floors so you can watch manta rays swim by or wave to your creepy neighbor who's peeking into your bedroom.

Pretty cool, right? And only for a thousand bucks (or more) a night! Quite a steal, quite a steal.

Until I find myself a transporter, however, I'll just be sitting in my hotel, working on my book, fanning myself with a piece of paper, and dreaming about the beach.

Friday Five

2011-07-08T11:29:00.001-04:00

One
So...the last film in the Harry Potter franchise opens next week. I always thought that I'd be depressed when this moment rolled around but I'm not. You know why?

BECAUSE I AM IN DENIAL.

Yep, my brain has convinced me that, surely, this won't be the last film! Surely, there will be more! Surely, J.K. Rowling has a few more HP books up her sleeve!

Surely, surely, surely.

Yep, in denial.

Two
Holy cow, have you guys seen the evolution of Neville Longbottom?! When the Harry Potter movies first started out, he looked like this:

But now he looks like this!

Isn't he dashing? And that suit! Gotta love that suit. Tailored to perfection.

Three
I'm still working on my YA alternate history, switching the 1st person voice to 3rd person past. It has been kind of tedious but I'm really liking the result so far! I feel the 3rd person voice allows me to delve a bit deeper into the world and to get a little more imaginative with the descriptions. A snippet from Chapter Two:

Zara nodded. For the past ten years, the Fuhrer had delivered a monthly speech on Channel Seven—mostly boasting about his conquests in South America or condemning the Soviets who dared oppose Nazi rule—but the broadcasts had stopped abruptly after Christmas. Zara secretly hoped that he had suffered a debilitating accident or caught an awful disease. Preferably of the flesh-eating variety.

Four
A couple weeks ago, I booked a rental house for Justin, me, and his family. I can't wait to go to the Florida Keys for vacation!

But...uh...we're not going until December. Haha. At least I have something to look forward to, right?

Five
Hope you guys all have a fabulous weekend! Anything fun planned?

It's 3AM! Why am I awake?! Oh, have you read this article?

2011-07-06T03:56:00.001-04:00

Good Lord!

It's 3:30 in the morning . Usually, I'm curled up in bed and dreaming about literary greatness but right now I'm awake. (And curled up in my bed with my laptop!)

Good news is: Justin has returned home for two weeks from Afghanistan!
Bad news is: He has jet lag! Which means I tend to wake up when he does!

Haha. That isn't exactly funny but it's 3AM. Everything seems pretty hilarious to me this early in the morning.

Anyway, have you guys read this piece in the Huffington Post about "The 15 Most Overrated American Contemporary Writers"? Good Lord! My jaw seriously dropped open when I read it. In the article, a literary fiction author blasts American writers who he finds utterly and wholly undeserving of their acclaim. Yep, such writers include:

Jhumpa Lahiri (What?! She completely deserves her Pulitzer!)
Junot Diaz (And he has a Pulitzer too!)
Billy Collins (One of my most beloved poets!)

And the kicker:

Amy Tan (Chinese-American author of "The Joy Luck Club")

Blasphemy!

Amy Tan writes to my soul. I really mean that. I read "The Joy Luck Club" in high school and it was the very first book that made me go, "Now, this, THIS, I can relate to." As much as I loved Scout Finch and Tess Durbeyfield and other literary heroines, I could only admire their stories at arms-length. But with Tan's book? Man. She got me. She nailed my life as a Chinese-American girl raised by Chinese-Chinese parents. Even now, nearly 15 years later, this book still speaks to me in ways that no others can.

So yeah. Me not happy with the author of the HuffPo article. I mean, literary criticism is one thing. It's quite an important thing too. But what this guy is doing isn't literary criticism. He's basically ripping apart his fellow authors, saying that they are "shtick peddlers" and have "no clue about the rhythm of language." At one point, I kid you not, he even calls out one writer as "perhaps our greatest example of mediocrity ascending to the very top."

Whoa, dude! Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Look, he passed the line between criticism and shit-throwing. As an author, it's okay to review books. (Although it may not be the best idea professionally. Burning bridges and all that.) But it is decidedly not okay to label another author as a "shtick peddler" or "dull craftswoman" or "court jester." That's unprofessional. It's rude. And it's kind of douche-y.

I'm interested to see how this all plays out. Will this writer receive any fallback from publishers over this article? Or is all PR good PR?

Either way, I think we can learn an important lesson here: Don't be a douche bag, yo!

And with that, I'm going back to sleep.

On My Bookshelf

2011-06-30T10:52:00.000-04:00

Have you guys heard the story how I'm switching my WIP from 1st person present to 3rd person past?

No? Well, it is so fun!

Haha.

A couple weeks ago, I decided to switch the POV in my YA alternate history. Yipes! Yeah, it's a lot of work. And kind of headache inducing. But it's making my story stronger so it must be done! Much like taking vitamins or eating my vegetables. (Boo! Hiss! Burgers FTW!)

The thing is...I've never written a YA novel in 3rd person before. Which has caused me to flail a little. What am I to dooooo?!

So I went to the library a few days ago and gathered up as many YA novels I could find that were written in 3rd person past. I thought this was going to be kind of difficult--doesn't everyone write in 1st person present these days?--but I've been pleasantly surprised. Here's my pile so far:

Mistwood by Leah Cypess

I read this novel last week and I liked how it had a Graceling vibe. (High fantasy, interesting world, kick ass heroine.) I especially loved the writing--lovely and rich and full of interesting twists of phrases. Fingers tightly crossed, I'm hoping I can infuse my WIP with a similar literary quality that I found in Mistwood.

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

This book is about goblins. Interesting, right? I'm usually not a big fan of paranormal novels (sorry, Edward Cullen!) but I liked the premise of this book and I especially liked how the heroine, Teagan, has dreams about becoming a veterinarian. It's refreshing to read a YA protagonist who has such strong convictions about her future and I'd love to instill this ambition in my WIP's main character Zara.

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

When I asked people on Twitter for recommendations on YA novels written in 3rd person, I received a slew of comments saying, "Demon's Lexicon! Demon's Lexicon!" And fortunately for me, I found a copy at my library! Yay, libraries! I've read a couple chapters so far and I'm liking the ominous tone of the book. That's something I really want my own novel to have. Since my book features Nazis. And Nazis are rather ominous, don't you think?

Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

Ah, Devil's Kiss! This is kind of my Bible right now. It has everything I'm striving for in my re-write: an accessible 3rd person voice, a strong heroine who's more vulnerable than she thinks, and crazy-good world-building that I want to steal. I bought this book in 2009 on my husband's Kindle and now I"m kicking myself for not buying it in physical form. 'Cause Justin is in Kabul right now and he has his Kindle with him. Damn it! But guess what? B&N just sent me a 15% Off coupon! Woot!

So there you have it! These are the books in my TBR pile right now. How about you? What are you reading? And do you have any YA novels written in 3rd person that you would recommend for me?

I'm quitting writing! But...now what do I do?

2011-06-27T11:31:00.000-04:00

Forgive the inflammatory blog post title! No, I'm not quitting writing. (I can't do it! I just can't!) But two weeks ago, during my jaunt to the Pit of Despair, I had a moment where I seriously wanted to give it all up. Here's a peek into my thought process...

Me: *Sobs* I hate writing! It's too hard! I can't do this anymore!
Brain: You need to slap yourself. Stop crying, for the love of God.
Me: *Sobs*
Brain: Ugh, fine. Whatever. If you're going to quit writing, then what're you going to do next?
Me: Um...?
Brain: Careers? Professions? What's the plan?
Me: *Thinks for a long time* I don't love anything more than writing.
Brain: Good. Now, stop crying. Pick up your laptop and get back to work.
Me: Yes, Brain. Thank you, Brain. Sometimes, I kind of hate you, Brain.

I'm sure all of you can totally relate! I mean, don't we all have pretend conversations with our brains? Why, just yesterday my Brain and I were taking a walk and discussing who should win So You Think You Can Dance this season...

But I digress.

So yeah. There are moments when I seriously want to give up writing. But then I think about how empty my life would be if I didn't type another word, if I didn't write another story. And that's not the kind of life I want. BUT! If the following three jobs happened to exist, I might be tempted to put novel-writing on the back burner, at least for a few years or so.

1. JEDI KNIGHT!

Seriously, folks. How freaking awesome would it be to become a Jedi Knight?! Cool light saber, awesome robes, meetings with Yoda! I could zip around the galaxy in my uber-cool spaceship and zap Sith Lords with my uber-neat saber skills. And I'd have the Force! I could move things with my mind and find the remote control with the swish of my hand.

In one word: bad-assery.

(Yeah, that's definitely not a real word.)

2. PANDA RANCHER!

I totally made up this job but you know what? I don't care! 'Cause what would be more awesome than a panda rancher? I'd spend my days cuddling with cute baby pandas, cultivating my bamboo crops for them to eat, and then cuddling with more pandas at night!

Pandas don't kill people, right? Hmm, I should do more research on this...

3. HOGWARTS ART TEACHER!

When it comes to employment opportunities at Hogwarts, I'm not terribly qualified for any of them.

Herbology? I'm awful with plants.
Quidditch Instructor? I'm bad at sports, even magical ones.
Gameskeeper? Love animals. Hate shoveling poop.

But Hogwarts is in desperate need of an art teacher, don't you think? Dumbledore should definitely hire me! I mean, I'm pretty good with paints and watercolors. (OK, not really.) I can draw. (Kind of.) And I can make ceramics! (Maybe.) I'm super qualified! Plus, I think Hogwarts could use a few more talking portraits, right? And who better to tackle such a job than a Muggle like myself? Equal employment opportunity, yo!

There you have it! Those are the 3 jobs I would gladly take in case I ever give up writing. (I'd also be more than happy to captain the Starship Enterprise. Make it so!) Anyone hear of any job openings?

So what sort of fantastical jobs would you guys want to tackle? Come one! I know you have one!

Random Thoughts on this Muggy Thursday

2011-06-23T13:43:00.001-04:00

Hola, mi amigos!

Hmm, that's the extent of my seven years of Spanish class... Senora Porto Carreiro would be so ashamed!

Anyhoo, just wanted to share a few things that have been on my mind lately!

1. My funny and fabulous friend Ellen Oh invited me to write a guest post on her blog, which was posted yesterday. She has a great new series called "What's the Best Advice You'd Give Your Younger Self?" and she was kind enough to let me join in on the fun! Sometimes, I really wish I could give advice to Caroline circa 2007. Such as, find more balance in your life! And, be nicer to Justin! And, lay off those cookies!

2. My agent sister (and fantastically fashionable friend) Jessica Spotswood recently revealed the cover of her YA novel, BORN WICKED! I've been lucky enough to read this novel and IT. IS. AMAZING. The characters are vibrant, the plot is heart-wrenchingly fast-paced, and the prose is simply like buttah. Fluid, smooth, poetic, and lovely. And the cover is awesome, don't you think?

3. Okay...how this ever happened to you guys before? I went to B&N last week to buy the newest book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants story, and I was excited to read the novel that I found a chair and started flipping through the pages. I figured I'd read a chapter or two and head to the check-out line but...I couldn't stop reading. Two hours later, I had finished the book! Eep! And now I feel so bad that I didn't buy the book that I think I have to go back and purchase it. I mean, I was kind of stealing, right? Maybe? I have no idea.

4. Oh, I watched this video yesterday and I thought it was hilarious! Hope it gives you guys a laugh.

How to Dig Out of the Pit of Despair

2011-06-20T13:34:00.000-04:00

Guys! I'm so sorry that I went MIA on the blog last week. I had a couple posts lined up in my head but then the Doubt Monsters set in and I flopped head-first into the Pit of Despair.

I'm sure a lot of you have visited the Pit before. It's not a very pleasant place to be, full of doubt and angst and frustration and the overwhelming feeling of inadequacy. I think most writers, if not all, have entered the Pit at some stage of their careers. And I think most of us, if not all, have made this journey more than once.

The silver lining in this situation? The more I do this writing gig, the more I realize that the Pit is all part of the process. We all experience feelings of doubt and despair, but these emotions do pass. Eventually. Yes, it may take a few days or a few weeks or even a few months, but they do go away. Eventually.

But when you're in the Pit of Despair---when you're right in the thick of it---it's really hard to think about feeling gung-ho about your writing again. And so, I've come up with a few tips on how to dig yourself out of this awful Pit of gloom.

Tip #1
Realize that this is only a phase. You know how artists are often called "tortured" and "self-loathing"? Well, there's a reason for that---the artistic process can be heartbreaking and infinitely heart-wrenching. Of course, there are many highs that come with the lows but this creative life can be a frustrating one.

The same goes with writing. Writing, after all, is an art form. It's a creative process. And boy, it is NOT easy to birth something from your mind and translate it into a physical medium. This writing thing is hard. Extremely hard. And so, it's perfectly logical to feel doubt and frustration and, yes, even despair.

Tip #2
Get drunk.

(Kidding! Kind of...)

Tip #3
Commiserate with writing friends. When you're knee-deep in the Pit of Despair, you have to lean on your friends for much-needed support. Not just any friends, your writing friends. 'Cause they've been there before, honey. They know what you're going through.

So throw a pity party! Go out for drinks or grab a yummy lunch and don't feel bad about feeling bad. Your friends are there to support you and, later on, you'll be there to return the favor.

Tip #4
Exercise. I know, I know. I can't believe I'm saying this! I'm such a couch potato! But physical activity will do you some good. Last week when I was mired in the Pit, for instance, my dad asked me to help him with some yard work. I grudgingly agreed. An hour later, I had eight mosquito bites and a weird crick in my neck but you know what? I felt great. The sun on my back. The clean smell of the air. The ability to step back and admire the work that I had done. It was awesome---and it totally lifted me out of my haze of doubts.

So get off your butt! Go take a walk or play a round of tennis! Trust me, you need those endorphins right now.

Tip #5
Take a break. This writing thing sure can be hard, eh? So give yourself some time off. No writing. No blogging. No frantic email checking. Unplug! Maybe you only need a day off from technology or maybe you need a week or more. Whatever works.

At the end of the day, you need to keep your mental health in check because this is a crazy roller-coaster of a business. The highs are mega-highs but the lows tend to be mega-lows. (Hence, the Pit of Despair.) We have to take care ourselves because that's the most important thing: our well-being. Our health. Our freakin' sanity!

So there you have it. My five tips for digging yourself out of the Pit of Despair. Hopefully, my next trip to the Pit won't be any time soon. I've seen enough of that place for now!

After The Call: Interview with YA Writer Katy Upperman

2011-06-13T18:29:00.000-04:00

Today, I'm very excited to interview Katy Upperman for my "After The Call" series! I met Katy on Twitter a few months ago and I can't say enough good things about her: she's super friendly, she runs a great blog, and she's such a talented writer to boot. (I've lurked on a few contests where she posted the opening of her book and I love her voice!) Recently, Katy received multiple offers of representation for her YA novel and she was kind enough to answer a few questions about her decision process.

1. Welcome to my blog, Katy, and congratulations on signing with your agent Vickie Motter! Can you tell us a little about the book that landed you with Vickie?

First, thanks so much for having me, Caroline! I’ve been reading your After the Call series since it began and I’ve found it so helpful and enlightening. The book that landed me my agent, Vickie Motter of Andrea Hurst Literary Management, is called Where Poppies Bloom.

It’s a young adult ghost story about a seventeen-year-old girl named Callie, who’s drowning in guilt stemming from her sister’s death. She travels to the Oregon coast to spend the summer with her aunt and meets cheerful Tucker, who she’s immediately drawn to. But she also finds unlikely companionship in Nathan, the ghost mysteriously bound to her aunt’s Victorian house. When Callie discovers a chilling, decades-old connection between Tucker and Nathan, she’s forced to choose between life with the boy who dulls her pain, and eternal escape with the ghost who’s not exactly selfless.

2. Oh, such a cool love triangle! Can I read this book now, please? Please?! So what was your querying process like for this novel? For instance, how many queries did you send out in total? How did you choose the agents?

Where Poppies Bloom is the third novel I’ve queried, so I was pretty familiar with the process. Over the last year, I compiled a list of agents I was interested in working with. I found them through agent-focused blogs (Literary Rambles is my favorite), Twitter, acknowledgement pages in novels I’ve enjoyed, and already-agented writer friends.

With Poppies, I sent out a few batches of queries and received several full requests. None of them panned out, but many of the agents offered great notes (my characters needed flaws, the manuscript needed more tension, etc…) so I paused my querying to revise according to their feedback. Once I’d revised, I sent out a few more batches of queries, got a few more requests, and eventually two offers of representation.

Overall, I sent out around 50 queries (many more than I sent while querying the first two manuscripts I wrote). My first queries went out on January 3rd, my first offer of representation came on April 29th, and I signed a contract with Andrea Hurst Literary Management on May 10th, so the whole process took just over four months.

3. Now that you've signed with Vickie, do you have any advice about the whole querying process?

Oh, I’ve been around the block with querying, so I have all kinds of advice… I got into the habit of writing a query letter before I started writing the manuscript itself. Then, as I drafted and revised, I could tweak the query until it was exactly what I wanted. I also got lots of feedback on my query letter before I ever sent it to an agent. I turned to my critique partners (who are awesome!) and to query-focused blogfests for unbiased criticism, then edited as I saw fit.

I also think it’s extremely important to follow guidelines and to personalize query letters. Let the agent know you’re querying her for a reason. Mention something specific you liked on her blog or a relative tidbit from her Twitter feed. Also, stay organized. Know who you’ve queried and when, and when you receive a rejection, balance it out by sending out a new query. Finally, pay attention to responses. Don’t hesitate to modify your query letter if you’re seeing tons of form rejections, and consider revising your manuscript if agents are routinely passing on your partial/full.

4. Such awesome advice! I love the idea of writing a query before you even start the manuscript---it sounds like a great way to frame a novel. What did you do first when you got your offer of representation? Scream in elation? Jump for joy? Faint?

Um, I was in a public library when I got my first offer of representation, so I had to tone down my excitement just a bit. :) I was actually on vacation with my husband, daughter, and in-laws, so the first thing I did was tell all of them, then I called my parents to share the news with them. Later, we went out to a celebratory dinner that included beer and lots of pie. That night I emailed the agents who were reading either partials or fulls of Poppies, plus a few agents who I’d recently queried to let them know about my offer. I gave them a total of nine days (two full weekends) to read, and asked them to get back to me before that deadline. Then I had to wait, and it was torture!

5. Holy cow, I can't believe you received your first offer in a library! It would have been hilarious if you jumped up and down and the librarians had to escort you out! So how did the agents offer rep? Via email? Or a cold call?

The first agent emailed me to schedule a call. She was pretty vague in the email, so I tried hard not to get my hopes up about speaking to her. We had a great chat, she had some fantastic ideas for my manuscript, and it was a pleasant surprise when she offered. Vickie emailed me the day before my nine day deadline (on Mother’s Day!) to tell me she wanted to offer representation. We spoke on the phone the following morning, and she was incredibly enthusiastic. She was really easy to talk to, and she also had some awesome revisions ideas for my story.

6. What sort of questions did you ask during the phone calls? Did you find any to be particularly helpful?

I had a list of about 25 questions all set to ask, but when it came down to the actual calls, I only asked a few of them. Most helpful for me in making my decision were: How close is my manuscript to “ready” and what are your revision ideas for it? What are your submission plans for my manuscript as far as editors/houses, comp titles, timelines, and communicating feedback? How long have you been an agent and do you see yourself agenting into the foreseeable future? How many clients do you have now and what sales have you made for them?

7. When everything was said and done, what made you choose Vickie?

I chose to work with Vickie based on our phone conversation, her enthusiasm for my project, and her revision thoughts, which turned out to be ideas that made me consistently ask Why didn’t I think of that?! Though the other agent who offered was lovely and we got along great, I could picture myself second-guessing my decision to work with her. That wasn’t the case with Vickie. It’s hard to explain, but I just had a gut feeling that she was the right agent for me.

8. Looking back now, what sort of advice do you have for writers who find themselves with an offer representation? What should they do? What shouldn't they do?

Definitely take your time; do not rush into a decision. Contact anyone reading your work, consider all the angles, and talk to people in the know. I was lucky enough to be able to turn to my already-agented critique partners and writing friends who gave me advice that turned out to be invaluable. I also discussed pros and cons with my husband, who has an excellent business sense and was able to offer lots of non-emotional guidance. In the end though, I went on instinct and haven’t looked back. :)

Thanks so much for doing this interview, Katy! I'll keep my fingers crossed for a quick sale!

After The Call: You Should Really Read This Link

2011-06-10T13:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks to a suggestion by Tracey Neithercott, I recently read a fantastic blog post by YA author Kirsten Hubbard. In the post, Kirsten talks about being a mid-list author and how excruciatingly hard it can be. It's so honest. And beautifully written. Go read it now if you have the time!

(If you haven't heard of Kirsten, she's the founder of the YA Highway blog and the author of the YA contemporary novel, Like Mandarin, which was published in March.)

So...did you read Kirsten's post yet? No? Why not?! Go ahead. I'll wait. :)

*Tries to wait patiently* *Gets a little twitchy* *I haz short attention span*

Okay. Wasn't that such a good post? I love when authors open up---I feel that it gives me a peek into what published life is like---and I very much appreciate Kirsten's candor concerning her fears. This paragraph was especially eye-opening for me:

A couple months ago, I wrote a really honest blog post about how hard (excruciating) (devastating) it's been to debut as a midlist author -- not by choice, it's never by choice, but because it's where the Big Guys decided the book should be placed. Never mind how big my deal was, my solid early reviews, my blurb from a Printz-winner -- or what matters most, how good the book is. It's a numbers game, and miles outside my limited reach, in that faraway place where the power lies, it was decided my beloved book would not be given much of a push, and would not be stocked at Barnes & Noble bookstores. Among other things.

Wow. It's scary to realize how much of our career is out of our control. We hear so often that we must write a good book, revise it until it shines like aluminum foil, and then find a great agent and editor...but we rarely hear how this might not be enough to achieve the sort of success we dream about.

'Cause let's face it. We all want our books to get a fighting chance. We all want our publishers to promote and market our work. We all want to earn out our advance, not necessarily because we want to make more money (although that's great!) but so we can sell another manuscript more readily.

We all want to get published but, even more, we want to get published well.

But the sad truth is...not every book will get the chance that it deserves. I realize that this is "all part of the business" and that "this is a very competitive industry," but it still sucks, you know?

And yet, we can't let this get us down. No, we shan't! We have to keep forging ahead, even if publishing seems kinda scary and even if so many factors hover out of our control. Here are a few thoughts I have about this matter:

1. Sometimes it takes time.
Some books seem to skyrocket right out of the gate, climbing up the bestsellers' lists in a matter of weeks upon their debut. But other books need time to build a readership. For instance, Agent Kristin Nelson once blogged about how certain novels are a "slow build." In other words, some books require months or perhaps years to garner a following. Which I find very heartening. The audience for your book is out there...but it may take a little while to find them.

2. Surround yourself with love and support.
This writing gig is pretty damn tough, ain't it? I used to think that the hardest part was querying. Then I decided that the hardest part was being on submission. And now, I realize that there is no hardest part. It's all hard! Querying, subbing, editing, promoting. There will always be bumps--and sometimes giant pot holes--on this road called publishing. Which is why it's so important to reach out to other writers, whether it's in-person or online or via pony express.

In the past year, I've been incredibly lucky to have connected with some fabulous writers both online and in the DC area. They have been my lifeline when the going has gotten tough. They've listened to my gripes. They've comforted me with cupcakes. They've given me a swift kick in the pants whenever I entered my I-will-sulk-forever phase. And I know they'll be there for me if/when I get a book deal and I won't be able to share as much on my blog.

Writing is hard enough on its own--don't let it be lonely too! Honestly, if you haven't found anyone to commiserate with yet, commiserate with me! (Email me! Tweet me! Send me a letter!) You bring the tissues and I'll bring the dessert. Deal?

3. Try to forget about what you can't control.
Oh man. The more time I spend in the writing world, the more I realize just how much lies out of my autonomy. Editorial boards. Publishing trends. Editors' tastes. Deal amounts. Book covers. Release dates. Print runs. Distribution. Lead titles versus mid-list.

Yipes. It's quite overwhelming.

But you know what? This stuff isn't going to change. You'll never be able to set your release date or increase your first print run or negotiate yourself a million-dollar advance. These issues lie in your publishers' hands. They don't lie in yours. (Wouldn't it be great though to negotiate a million-dollar deal? Ah, I could finally pursue my dream of opening a sloth orphanage!)

On one hand, it can be a bit terrifying to think about all of the things we don't have any control over. But on the other hand, this realization can make us focus on the things that we can change. Which leads to...

4. What can you control?
For one thing, self-promotion. You can visit local schools or organize a blog tour or give out bookmarks to market your work. Self-promotion may not launch you onto a bestsellers' list or win you an award, but it can help you widen your audience and reach out to a greater readership.

More importantly though, you control your writing. You control your craft. At the end of the day, we are writers. Not publishers. Not agents. We write. We create worlds. That's our job.

And so, whether you become a bestselling author or a mid-list one, whether you sell your book or you have to shelve it, it's always important to focus on the next project. Out of all the numerous things out of our control, this is the one thing that only we can do.

In closing, I just wanted to thank Kirsten for her incredibly insightful post. Seriously. THANK YOU! Kirsten probably has no idea who I am, but I've truly enjoyed getting to know her through her blog and through YA Highway for the past year or so. She has always been so helpful and so honest. And after reading the first few pages of Like Mandarin online, I've come to see that she's so talented as well. I can't wait to read your book, Kirsten!

After The Call: It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

2011-06-07T15:00:00.007-04:00

"After the Call" is a regular feature on my blog! It chronicles what happens after an agent offers you representation: how to choose the right agent, how to communicate with your new agent, what the revision process is like, etc. For previous posts in this series, please see the "After The Call" sidebar to the right.

Like most writers, I have some hefty aspirations floating around in my head when it comes to my career.

Book tours!
Bestsellers lists!
Movie deals!
Living on a yacht in the Caribbean!

What can I say? When I dream, I like to dream big, damn it!

Okay, okay. I'm totally kidding. I don't really believe that I'll get a movie deal or a fancy book tour or a big pimpin' yacht that comes with a British butler named Mr. Belvedere. Realistically, my career goals take on a much simpler trajectory:

1.) Write and revise a book. (Check!)
2.) Get a respected agent. (Check!)
3.) Sell book to a respected publisher.
5.) Sell more books to a respected publisher.
5.) Rinse and repeat until I die from old age on my 100-foot yacht.

I'm not asking for million-dollar advances or worldwide book tours. (Although I'll gladly take am awesome yacht.) I merely want to make a career out of writing books. And once I get that first Elusive Book Deal, everything will get easier, right? It'll be easier to sell another book. It'll be easier to land a bigger advance. It'll be easier to get royalties. Indeed, my writing life will get a whole lot better.

Right?

But a few weeks ago, I came across a thread on the Blueboards that sobered me completely. It was like a bucket of cold water had been doused over my melon-like head. (It's true. I have a gigantic head. My husband can attest to this. But I'm getting off track...)

Basically, the thread was kicked off by a writer who wondered if her career was over. I've paraphrased her post below:

When my first book came out, it was widely anticipated and received a lot of promotion. But every book I've published since then has garnered less and less attention. My advances have gone down, as well as traffic to my website. Even my agent and editor have gone silent. So...is my writing career over? I don't know if I should get a pseudonym or apply for a job at my local Starbuck's. Or is this simply something that most authors go through?

Yipes, this is terrifying! I mean, publishing should get easier after we land our first book deal! Right? Right?!

As the thread continued, I felt like another bucket of water was thrown over my giant noggin. Numerous authors came out of the woodwork to say that they were in the very same boat as the original poster. Many of them had published multiple books, but they had all found it harder and harder to get a new book deal. One writer even said that she had been publishing books for over twenty-five years and had won several awards, but now she has found it more and more difficult to get her foot in the door.

Twenty-five years! Holy moly!

I stared at my computer screen for a good five minutes with my head spinning. Egads, publishing gets harder after your first book deal! It doesn't matter if you've written novels for three decades! Your sales numbers have to be good...or else!

Yes, this thread was quite sobering for my naive eyes to read.

But you know what? It was also very encouraging. Because it was honest. Because it was eye-opening. Because it was so real. Over a dozen writers chimed in on this post, offering their empathy and their sympathy and their advice. And man, there was some fantastic advice! Below, I've written a quick list of what I took away from this thread.

1.) Perseverance is key, even after you've published multiple books.
Success stories like J.K. Rowling's and Stephenie Meyers' are one in a billion, despite what your extended family tells you. ("You're gonna write the next Harry Potter!") Most writers will continue to face rejections--perhaps many rejections--after they get published. In the aforementioned thread, a picture book writer explained how she had hit a ten-year dry spell after selling her first two books. Wow. Ten years. But she didn't give up. She continued writing and querying until she sold another book, even if it took her over a decade. Now that's perseverance!

2.) Every writer has a different path.
Whenever I interview a newly agented writer for my "After The Call" series, it amazes me to see how their journeys differ. For instance, Writer A may snag an agent in only a couple weeks but Writer B takes over a year to find representation. The same thing goes for the rest of their careers. Writer A's first book might not sell while Writer B's novel sells at auction. Five years down the road, Writer A finally gets her first book contract while Writer B frets about low sales figures.

See? Mileage varies. And it can vary wildly. Which leads us to lesson three...

3.) Writing is a lot like life. There are a lot of ups and downs and in-betweens.
When I first started writing seriously in 2007, I often read the blog of an MG author who had recently published her first novel. Now, this author had a lot going for her. She wrote her very first book, she landed a great agent in a few weeks, and then she sold her novel for a handsome sum of money. Every writer's dream, right?

But then the author hit a brick wall. Although her novel had garnered some success, her publishing house turned down the option to buy more books in her series. The author was crushed but she refused to stop writing. She worked on a new book...but it didn't sell. She worked on another book...but it didn't sell either. But finally--finally!--she wrote a new manuscript that sold to a fantastic publisher. Huzzah!

And so, the moral of the story is this: writing is full of highs and lows and curve-balls. Some writers may start off with a bang but they hit a few snags down the road. Some writers may take a few years until they publish their "break out" novel. And some writers may spend their entire careers in the mid-list realm. There are so many things that we can't control in this crazy world of publishing. Just like in our personal lives. Thus, the question we have to ask ourselves is...what do you make out of the success that you do receive?

4.) Your career doesn't have to be over.
In the original post on the Blueboards, the author wondered if her career was over. After all, her books weren't selling well and she feared she wouldn't be able to get another publishing deal. A lot of writers offered their advice on this matter. Some encouraged her to use a pen name. Others told her to switch genres. And others said she should take a break to rejuvenate. This is all good and sound advice but I think my friend Ellen Oh said it best in the thread:

I don't believe that a career is ever over - you might switch gears, switch paths, change your name, etc, but it isn't over til YOU say it's over.

Can I get an "Amen"? Because Ellen's words are simply spot on. Publishing is a business that writers have little control over. We can't control publishing boards. We can't control trends. We can't control what a reader wants to buy.

But you can control when you decide to call it quits.

You're the only one who can do that. Not your readers. Or your editor. Or your agent. Only you.

Sure, you may decide to use a pen name or pursue self-publishing but these channels are merely different paths in your writing career. At the end of the day, only YOU decide when your career is over. And that may be scary, but it's pretty empowering too.

Whew! What a long post. It has been simmering in my head for a few weeks, which is probably why I got so long-winded. Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter! Would you be willing to use a pen name? Or pursue self-publishing? If you are published, what sort of lessons can you teach those of us in the querying or submission trenches?

Apologies for being MIA!

2011-06-01T23:26:00.000-04:00

Hey guys!

I'm so sorry that I've been MIA this past week! Forgive? Please? But I have a good excuse! My husband is leaving for Afghanistan on Monday so I've kind of unplugged myself from the internet. It has been nice to spend some quality time with J before he heads off to Very Dangerous Country and, to be honest, it has been nice to not check my email every five minutes! Sometimes it's really easy to become engrossed with all things internet, you know? Especially with Twitter! SO ADDICTING.

But I do have some fun "After The Call" posts planned in the next week or so! So be sure to check in. (And Lindsay and Katy---I need to interview you gals!)

Until then, look at this beautiful strawberry cake that I plan on making before Justin departs. Mmm! My friend Ellen served me a slice last week and it was ridiculously delicious. I can't stop thinking about it!

courtesy of smittenkitchen.com

A Breakdown of My WIP

2011-05-25T12:52:00.000-04:00

A few days ago, author Kiersten White blogged about her newly-drafted manuscript, which is tentatively titled FLOOD AND STONE. I had such fun reading Kiersten's post that I decided to steal the idea from her. (Bwahaha! Stealing is fun!) So without further adieu, I bring you a breakdown of my work-in-progress!

Title
REVOLUTIONARY

Genre
YA Alternate History with Fantasy Elements

Pages
148 currently. (I wrote the book single-spaced in 11-point Calibri font.)

Chapters
Erm...I have no idea. I stopped writing the chapter numbers because my book kept on shifting.

Word Count
When I first finished the draft, I was around 71K. Now I'm at 75K and I expect the book to grow to 80K by the time I'm done with this revision.

Draft Time
Early February to early May for the rough draft. That's about three months, which is very fast for me. My middle grade sci-novel took me over a year to write. And my YA dystopian...well, let's just say that I started writing that in January 2010 and I'm still not finished. *Shame*

Concept Time
The spark for this novel came to me in January. I had just finished reading The Aquariums of PyongYang, a memoir about a North Korean refugee who spent his teenage years living in a work camp. That's when a Shiny New Idea hit me: "What if I write a story about a teenager living in North Korea? What if this teen is trained by her uncle to assassinate Kim Jung Il?" The storyline has changed a ton since then (the novel is now set in an alternate history America) but I owe a thanks to my husband for recommending that memoir to me.

Random Details From The Book:
* My protagonist, Zara, is named after one of my favorite clothing stores. This is kind of ironic because Zara is a total tomboy whose beauty routine consists of brushing her hair in the morning.
* Zara is half-Japanese. I always try to incorporate an Asian character into my novels...because I'm Chinese if you haven't noticed. :)
* The love interest in the book, Bastian, is modeled after actor Hunter Parrish. I wanted Bastian to have a boyish handsomeness and a charming smile that girls simply swoon for.

* I seriously love Bastian as a character. He's quiet, shy, and soft-spoken. And he has a really big heart despite being raised by his super evil dad.
* I wrote my first ever kissing scene for this novel! That was a ton of fun. Especially since it was Zara's very first kiss. Aw.
* The book takes place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. I wanted a rural setting that was lush and green and beautiful.

Anyway, I really love Revolutionary and, despite a few headaches, it has been a lot of fun to write. This is the first book I've written where the protagonist's voice has come through to me loud and clear. Sometimes I even feel like Zara is living in my head, telling me how she would say a certain phrase or chiding me when I don't get her dialogue just right. (Is that weird? Yes, probably.)

As of now, I'm working on Round 2 of revisions and I hope to complete another round before I send the whole thing to my beta readers. Honestly, I'm kind of petrified of sending my book into the great unknown. Confession: I've never had someone beta read my novel before, outside of my husband or little sister. I mean, I've used my critique groups to offer feedback on the first few chapters of my MG space opera but I've never asked a non-family member to read an entire book of mine. *Cue biting of fingernails*

Ah well. I'll get over my fears, right? RIGHT?

Right!

*Bites nails more*

Sunday Six

2011-05-22T19:01:00.001-04:00

1.) I went shopping yesterday for the first time in about a month. Sometimes I get that sudden urge to buy skirts or dresses, you know? Especially now that the weather is getting warmer. (Although it's still kind of overcast outside. Damn you, clouds!) I ended up buying a black accordion skirt from Zara, which surprised me since I usually stay away from black. But I love how flouncy it is! *Flounces*

2.) Since Justin is gone on a business trip, my little sis and I have been spending a lot of time together. Little sisters are awesome! Today, we went to a local garden to walk around and to scare off the Canadian geese. (I hate how they poop everywhere. Damn geese!) Here I am in my flouncy black skirt! You can't really see how flouncy, it is. I should've been skipping...

3.) And here's Kristy looking over the great wilds of the garden. We've decided that we're going to move here some day and build a house overlooking the pond and gazebo. You're all invited! You can stay in our guesthouse. We'll have three of those.

4.) The best part of the garden was the roses! *Dies* They were so, so, so pretty. Especially this pink one with a yellow center. It looked like a sunrise.

5.) Speaking of sisters, I made a mock-up this weekend for Kristy's new blog. She's going to China this fall for study abroad and she wants a blog to share pictures with friends and family since the Chinese government has banned Facebook. Ah, the Chinese government! I'm so glad my grandparents fled from you.

By the way, I'm seriously loving this blog design thing. So. Much. Fun. And so much easier than writing a book!

6.) And finally, THANK YOU for all of your encouragement! I sent an excerpt of my WIP to Jim on Thursday and now I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of me. Fingers crossed he'll like it!

How are you guys doing? What did you do this weekend?

Who Wants a New Blog Header?

2011-05-19T16:36:00.000-04:00

Does anyone want this Blogger header that I made? Totally free!

(Don't worry, I'll customize it for you so people don't call you Zara St. James. That's the name of my protagonist!)

If you're interested, I'll customize the header for you by:

1. Adding your name.

2. Adding your choice of two titles. Like "ya author" or "writer" or "kickass juggler."

3. Changing the colors of the fonts to your liking.

Shoot me an email if you're interested! (carolinetrichmond AT gmail DOT com)

It Doesn't Have To Be Perfect

2011-05-18T14:11:00.001-04:00

Guys! I'm sort of freaking out right now.

I plan on sending the first few chapters of my new novel to Agent Jim but I'm nervous. Actually, I'm pretty scared. What if he doesn't like it? What if he really doesn't like it? In short, my stomach hurts.

For the past few days, I've been editing and re-editing the first three chapters of my manuscript, adding new details and then deleting them and then adding them again. Yesterday, I spent ten whole minutes fretting if I should use "for" or "from" in a certain sentence. Damn it, I just want everything to be PERFECT!

But then I realized something...

I have become a crazy woman.

Seriously, Caroline? "For" or "From"? Who the hell cares?! And so, I gave myself a time out and then I created a new mantra:

Eh? Eh? Catchy, right?

I really like this new motto of mine but it's still hard for me to let go of my perfectionist tendencies. (Case in point: it bugs me that I didn't properly center the "but do check your grammar" portion in the image above.) But I've come to the realization that it's okay for my book to be imperfect. In fact, I should stop trying to aim for such an impossible goal!

(Ha! I'm sure you're thinking: "Well, duh, Caroline. Thank you, Captain Obvious. Now I'm going to go read Jessica Spotswood's blog because she's so much less neurotic than you are. Plus, she talks about cupcakes.")

Anyway, you know what has helped me come to this realization? Remembering how imperfect my first novel was when I sent it to Jim. Granted, I thought my manuscript was pretty kick-ass at the time but then I received my revision notes and I was like, "Oh...." I couldn't believe all of the things I had missed! Like a rounded-out character arc. Like inner dialogue. Like important world-building details.

My little book was terribly imperfect--even after I implemented Jim's advice--but you know what? That's okay. Books don't have to be perfect before you send it to your agent or editor or crit partner. They're not meant to. That's why these people give you revision notes!

So. I'm going to take the plunge and send my excerpt to Jim this week. Yes, that's what I'm going to do!

But, wait. Maybe I'll do it next week instead... Hey, BEA is coming up! I don't want to bombard him!

Excuses, excuses. Someone please slap me.

A Showcase of Writers' Blogs!

2011-05-16T21:34:00.000-04:00

To prepare for my big blog revamp over the weekend, I poked around a few writers' websites so I could steal some of their ideas.

Ahem, that came out wrong. I wanted to find inspiration. (And maybe "borrow" a couple ideas. *Cough*)

Luckily for me, I found inspiration in spades--there are so many cool/beautiful/kick ass blogs out there! Writers may not be graphic designers but a lot of you have some really neat blogs. Here are a few of my favorites:

1.) First, we have Stephanie Perkins, who wrote the extraordinarily romantic YA novel Anna and the French Kiss. I absolutely adore Stephanie's header (I want that typewriter!) and I love the cool black-and-white color combination with splashes of pink. In short, simply lovely!

2.) Next up, this is Ebony Joy Wilkins' blog, the YA author of Sell-Out. I really love the playfulness of this design (another typewriter! yay!) and the bright colors add a nice pop.

3.) Oh, sweet Jesus. How I love Erin Bowman's blog! The swirly design in the corner is just beautiful. Don't you think it would make a really cool wallpaper? You're so pretty, little blog! Much prettier than I am!

4.) I think Carrie Harris' blog can be summed up in two words: zombie fun! This design screams with personality, from the cool color scheme to the hilarious zombie avatar in the header. Oh, you guys have to check out Carrie's favicon too! (The favicon is the small icon located next to a website's name on the browser tab.) It's an eyeball!

5.) Finally, I love how Kate Hart's blog combines simplicity with a punch of personality. (More typewriters!) The font she used for the blog title is bold and graphic while the body itself is clean and easy to read. Also, I love how the horizontal sidebar spreads across the entire web page--it offers a nice division between the header and the rest of the blog. Simplicity is awesome!

So what are some of your favorite blog designs?

P.S. I've kind of gotten addicted to designing blogs. It. Is. So. Fun! I even convinced my little sister to let me create a blog for her when she heads on study abroad in the fall. Bwahaha!

A New Look!

2011-05-15T04:24:00.002-04:00

So my little blog has a new look!

Since I was kind of tired of my old template, I spent the better part of Saturday looking for interesting layouts and drooling over custom designs that I don't have the cash to pay for. When I couldn't find anything free that I liked, I decided to try my hand at revamping my blog...

Cue hours of trial and error! And lots of tea!

But I finally came up with this design. Voila! I ended up having way too much fun making my own blog header and sidebar buttons. I also spent an inordinate amount of time on DaFont.com, which has seriously the coolest fonts ever. It even has entire fonts dedicated to Charlie Brown and The Simpsons!

Hope you guys like the new look! I think it's more readable and I sure do love those buttons!

Who Really Says "Making Love?"

2011-05-14T15:05:00.000-04:00

Right before I went to bed last night, I read a few chapters from the YA contemporary novel that's currently sitting on my nightstand. I was flipping through the pages, enjoying the story, but then my eyes stopped cold when I hit a specific phrase.

"Making love."

To be more precise, the male protagonist mentioned how he wanted to "make love" to the girl he's chasing in the novel.

I started giggling. I couldn't help it. First of all, have you ever heard a teenage guy say the words "make love" in a very serious tone? And secondly, can anyone really say this phrase without cracking a smile? Anyone? Anyone?

I mean, really. Really! Let's say your spouse/significant other/alien lover walked up to you and caressed your face and murmured in a sultry voice, "Baby, I want to make love to you right now. Oh yeah. Make love." Wouldn't you start giggling? Wouldn't your face turn a little red? Wouldn't you think something odd has happened to your spouse/significant other/alien lover?

So...yeah. Maybe I'm immature. I'll admit that. Maybe I laugh at things that I shouldn't laugh at. Like "making love." But COME ON! It's funny!

At least, I think it's funny. :)

Question time: So what do you think of the phrase "making love"? Funny? Romantic? Gross? Awesome? Should it be used in YA novels or does it sound too dated?

After The Call: Lessons Learned From One Year Later, Part II

2011-05-10T13:01:00.005-04:00

"After the Call" is a new feature on my blog! It chronicles what happens after an agent offers you representation: how to choose the right agent, how to communicate with your new agent, what the revision process is like, etc. For previous posts in this series, please see the "After The Call" sidebar to the right.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the lessons I've learned during my first year as an agented writer. Since I tend to be kind of rambly, I thought I'd follow up with another list. And so, I bring you PART II!

1.) On one hand, life does get a bit easier once you find an agent. More than anything, there's a huge sense of relief. Relief that you can stop querying. Relief that a publishing professional believes in you. Relief that your book might actually get published. Finally, you have someone to help shoulder your burden!

2.) But on the other hand, getting an agent brings on a new set of complications and worries and frustrations. After the initial glow of "I've got an agent!" recedes, the Doubt Monsters creep back in. What if my book doesn't sell? What if my agent loses interest in me? What if my agent doesn't like my second book? And so on and so forth.

Don't get me wrong--I'm so grateful to have Jim on my side! But I've learned that getting an agent doesn't make those Doubt Monsters go away. ('Cause those Monsters are a crafty bunch!) Writing books is a tough, tough business, which means writers will face doubts on all facets of their journey--whether they're querying or submitting or working on their twentieth book.

3.) I've often heard people say, "Don't compare yourself to other writers!" I often try to take this advice, but I fail miserably.

Look, you're going to compare yourself to others. Don't feel bad; it happens! There's always going to be someone who gets more offers than you do, who sells their book faster than you do, who gets a bigger deal than you do. When this happens, you'll probably flail your arms. Gnash your teeth. Flail some more. It's okay! We're human!

Just don't let it eat away at you. It's natural to feel a little envious of others but once you start getting heart-wrenchingly jealous then you need to put yourself in a time-out. Take a break! Enjoy life! Don't let the Jealousy Monsters turn you into something ugly.

5.) Finally, don't be afraid to talk to your agent. When I first signed with Jim, I was a little apprehensive about asking him questions. I mean, he was a bona fide literary agent! He worked in a fancy office in New York City! He repped bestselling authors like Carrie Ryan! Surely, he didn't have time for silly questions from little ol' me.

You know what though? Agents are super nice! And patient! So if you have a question or two, open that mouth of yours! Or, you know, open a new email. You know what I mean...

Questions? Rebuttals? Leave them in the comments and I'll get back to you shortly!

Sunday Six: Picture Edition!

2011-05-08T13:52:00.001-04:00

Greetings Friends, Romans, and Countrymen!

Justin and I flew back from Colorado last night and, boy, are our arms tired! *Ba Dum Ching!* All in all, we had a lot of fun exploring the Denver/Boulder area and we think it could be a great place for us to settle down one day and raise a flock of half-breed children.

Without further adieu, here are a few pictures that I found on my camera this morning--some from our trip to Colorado, some from our trip to Gettysburg, and some from our trip to Indiana. Wow, I really need to clean out more camera more often, eh?

1.) This past Thursday, Justin and I drove up from Boulder to Rocky Mountain National Park. In one word: STUNNING. We also saw a lot of deer and elk, which made me clap my hands with glee and which made Justin smack his lips together and say, "Delicious!"

2.) A couple weeks ago, I flew to Indianapolis to spend Easter weekend with Justin, who was in town for a business trip. After much hemming and hawing, I basically forced him to take me to the Benjamin Harrison Historical Home because a.) I am a history nerd, and b.) I am a history nerd. I love historic houses!

3.) Wanna hear my favorite story about Benjamin Harrison? No? Not at all? Oh, I'll tell it to you anyway! Here we go:

Although Harrison was educated as a lawyer, he joined the Union Army and led a troop of soldiers from Indiana. By day, Harrison would train his troops; and by night, he would study military history to teach himself how to lead men into battle. I love this imagery of a future president reading military strategy by candlelight. It's kind of romantic, I think!

4.) Back in early April, Justin and I spent a long Sunday at Gettysburg, driving around and checking the various battle sites. This was my favorite memorial that we saw. Pretty, no?

5.) Ha! I look really ridiculous in this picture, but I wanted to have a picture of Justin and me together at Gettysburg.

6.) Lastly, there was a SCREAMING toddler on our flight last night. And I mean screaming--we're talking 3 hours of loud crying. I felt really bad for the kid because it was obviously his bedtime and he was really tired but he was confused and disoriented. So I have a question to you parents out there...what do you do when you're on a long flight and your child is crying and crying? I'm really curious! Plus, I want to glean some parenting pointers before I find myself with a screaming baby one day.

I'll be back soon, Little Blog!

2011-05-02T22:24:00.000-04:00

I had grand plans today to write another "After The Call" post about what I've learned since I've signed with my agent a year ago but alas...real life got in the way. Also, I'm heading to Boulder, CO tomorrow with Justin for a few days and so I'm not sure when I'll be able to write, much less blog.

But fear not! I shall write more posts next week! Topics may include: double rainbows, Donald Trump's hair, American Idol vs. The Voice, and "After The Call: What to do when you become a bestselling author and your life is full of awesomeness."

:)

So what's new with you?

And the winner of Plain Kate is...

2011-04-28T11:12:00.001-04:00

Katy!

Yay! I'll be emailing you soon, Katy, to get your address. Congrats!