Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Anderson's 8th Annual Young Adult Literature Conference Recap
Tip of the Day: Kindle just announced their Kindle Fire tablet, priced at $199. Looks very iPad-ish. Check it out.
The Anderson's YA conference last weekend was absolutely awesome! I had such a great time. First thing I saw when I got there was that they had my new book for sale! Two weeks early. I was so excited to get to start signing it already.
My first panel didn't start until 10 am so following the breakfast I went to see "The Edge" panel. I knew I'd learn a lot since my work is as edgy as a soccer ball.
On the panel were Elizabeth Scott, Sarah Darer Littman, and Jeanine Cummins.
Their books were fascinating and wow, lots of heavy stuff. Kidnapping, murder, rape, internet predators, bulimia...yeah. I kinda wanted to go drink afterward. Just kidding. It really is so different than the light-hearted books I write though. Do you think I'll ever do an edgy book? Hmm. Well, I never
We watched a number of featured speakers. Favorites were Patrick Carmen and the picture of him in one of the priest collared shirts his very catholic mother used to make him (so funny!) and Sharon Draper and her reading the amazing letters she gets from children. I also really enjoyed Lisa McMann (pictured left). Her new book, The Unwanteds looks great!
I had a blast signing books and meeting librarians and teachers. And when it was over I stuck around and stock signed a ton of books (pictured below) for Anderson's. If you're looking for one of my signed books you can go to their web site and order it (or visit if you're local).
The Anderson's YA conference last weekend was absolutely awesome! I had such a great time. First thing I saw when I got there was that they had my new book for sale! Two weeks early. I was so excited to get to start signing it already.
My first panel didn't start until 10 am so following the breakfast I went to see "The Edge" panel. I knew I'd learn a lot since my work is as edgy as a soccer ball.
On the panel were Elizabeth Scott, Sarah Darer Littman, and Jeanine Cummins.
Their books were fascinating and wow, lots of heavy stuff. Kidnapping, murder, rape, internet predators, bulimia...yeah. I kinda wanted to go drink afterward. Just kidding. It really is so different than the light-hearted books I write though. Do you think I'll ever do an edgy book? Hmm. Well, I never
say never.
I also caught the Urban Voices authors talking about their work and reading from their books.
On the panel were Coe Booth, Paul Griffin, Torrey Maldonado, Paul Volponi, and Jacqueline Woodson. Great stuff!
I participated in two panels (sorry, no pics!) with Franny Billingsly and James Kennedy, called Write Down the Street. We represented the local YA authors in the Chicagoland area. They were a lot of fun and the audience asked great questions.
On the panel were Coe Booth, Paul Griffin, Torrey Maldonado, Paul Volponi, and Jacqueline Woodson. Great stuff!
I participated in two panels (sorry, no pics!) with Franny Billingsly and James Kennedy, called Write Down the Street. We represented the local YA authors in the Chicagoland area. They were a lot of fun and the audience asked great questions.
We watched a number of featured speakers. Favorites were Patrick Carmen and the picture of him in one of the priest collared shirts his very catholic mother used to make him (so funny!) and Sharon Draper and her reading the amazing letters she gets from children. I also really enjoyed Lisa McMann (pictured left). Her new book, The Unwanteds looks great!
I had a blast signing books and meeting librarians and teachers. And when it was over I stuck around and stock signed a ton of books (pictured below) for Anderson's. If you're looking for one of my signed books you can go to their web site and order it (or visit if you're local).
It was a wonderful event and I was thrilled to be a part of it!
Kristina, Miss Author in Action
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Livres en francais! (or Riding on the Me-tro-o-o*)
*with apologies to Berlin
Tip of the Day: Give in to the siren song of the e-reader if you plan to take a long vacation that involves multiple train and plane rides. The freedom of not lugging along books in luggage for 15 days was worth it!
On the multiple Metro rides I took while in Paris for four days, I noticed something very cool: billboards advertising novels along the walls of the Metro stations, right along side the billboards for movies, makeup, and theater productions. Many of them! In fact, I was so exposed to one book that when I saw it for sale in a bookstore window, I wanted to buy it. Then I remembered that I'm not fluent in French.
(See the book, LE PASSAGER, in the picture below)
The Metro is the perfect place for book ads since many people waiting for the train are often bored, antsy, or just looking to pass the time. The billboards could make them think, "Of course! I need to bring a book on the Metro!" And if your Metro ride happens to end in a larger train station that sells books, even better.
A new fun image to imagine: my YA novels selling, being translated into French, and posted on the walls of the Metro! Why not?
Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing
Tip of the Day: Give in to the siren song of the e-reader if you plan to take a long vacation that involves multiple train and plane rides. The freedom of not lugging along books in luggage for 15 days was worth it!
On the multiple Metro rides I took while in Paris for four days, I noticed something very cool: billboards advertising novels along the walls of the Metro stations, right along side the billboards for movies, makeup, and theater productions. Many of them! In fact, I was so exposed to one book that when I saw it for sale in a bookstore window, I wanted to buy it. Then I remembered that I'm not fluent in French.
(See the book, LE PASSAGER, in the picture below)
The Metro is the perfect place for book ads since many people waiting for the train are often bored, antsy, or just looking to pass the time. The billboards could make them think, "Of course! I need to bring a book on the Metro!" And if your Metro ride happens to end in a larger train station that sells books, even better.
A new fun image to imagine: my YA novels selling, being translated into French, and posted on the walls of the Metro! Why not?
Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Good news for Kindle lovers!
Tip of the Day: spiced cider. Yum.
So Amazon finally wised up and is playing nice with libraries.
Last week they announced that you can now check out books for your Kindle using the Overdrive service at your library.
Despite not having a Kindle, I think this news is exciting. Our library has been waiting for it for awhile. And now we don't have to tell angry patrons with Kindles that the eBooks won't work on them.
But another part of me also wonders what this will do to eBook sales of independently published books on Amazon. After much decision, I decided to try to self-publish one of my older books in eBook format. For the past month or so I've been doing some re-editing and getting it ready for publication. While at the same time still working on newer books to send to agents to try to get traditionally published.
After doing a bit of research of those self-publishing it appears more indie books are bought on Amazon than any other retailer.
Now with this new development, from a writer's perspective, particularly looking to possibly self-publish on Amazon, I'm not sure this will help. Because if people have the choice between $0.99 and free, I'm guessing they will pick free.
I don't think it will kill all the sales, but I do think there will be a slight drop down.
Only time will tell. We shall see what happens.
Does anyone else have any predictions?
--Emily
So Amazon finally wised up and is playing nice with libraries.
Last week they announced that you can now check out books for your Kindle using the Overdrive service at your library.
Despite not having a Kindle, I think this news is exciting. Our library has been waiting for it for awhile. And now we don't have to tell angry patrons with Kindles that the eBooks won't work on them.
But another part of me also wonders what this will do to eBook sales of independently published books on Amazon. After much decision, I decided to try to self-publish one of my older books in eBook format. For the past month or so I've been doing some re-editing and getting it ready for publication. While at the same time still working on newer books to send to agents to try to get traditionally published.
After doing a bit of research of those self-publishing it appears more indie books are bought on Amazon than any other retailer.
Now with this new development, from a writer's perspective, particularly looking to possibly self-publish on Amazon, I'm not sure this will help. Because if people have the choice between $0.99 and free, I'm guessing they will pick free.
I don't think it will kill all the sales, but I do think there will be a slight drop down.
Only time will tell. We shall see what happens.
Does anyone else have any predictions?
--Emily
Monday, September 26, 2011
Conquering Doubt
Tip of the Day: Did you know about Marvelous Middle Grade Monday? Google that phrase for fantastic book recommendations, interviews, and contests.
I can become overwhelmed with doubt when I'm stuck in the middle of a novel. The beginning is bright and shiny. The end means I get to start something new soon, even if it's just a round of revisions. I prefer revising to writing a first draft, which can be like drawing blood for me. The middle means I have tons more to write and THEN tons of revision work on top of it. I can't do all that work!
So now that I'm stuck in the middle, here are some methods I'm using to counteract doubt:
1. Take advice I give my kids. It's probably good advice or I'd keep my mouth shut, right? Like "Don't say you're too stupid to do that. You're very smart; you're just looking for an excuse not to do it." Or "You're never motivated to do something until you've started doing it." Or my son's favorite: "Soonest begun, soonest done." (By favorite, I mean every time I say it, he rolls his eyes so far back in his head, he almost falls over backwards.)
2. Yoga stretches. When I'm feeling overwhelmed at the keyboard, a few stretches and focused breathing make me feel better.
3. Stop aiming for the perfect first draft. Honestly, that should be in all caps, but I respect your eyes. I write like I shop for groceries: get in everything that's possible so I don't have to go back again any time soon. It doesn't work at the supermarket and it definitely doesn't work for writing. I've been sweating over setting descriptions, and my writing buddies Debbie and Christy said, you can insert them on revision. You know, I totally forgot I'm allowed to do that.
4. Open the Word document. Leave it open. Make it as easy as possible to get going. Trust that someone or something will help me fix whatever mess I put in the file.
I don't think it's that unusual for writers and other creative people to have a list of ways to conquer self-doubt. I'm always looking to add to my list of techniques if you have any tips.
-- Kate, Miss Perfecting the Pages
Friday, September 23, 2011
Fun Friday: Creative Pen Names
Tip of the Day: check out these creative writing comics by Phil Nelson.
If you are still thinking about Kate's discussion of pen names a few weeks ago, you'll definitely like this one...
If you are still thinking about Kate's discussion of pen names a few weeks ago, you'll definitely like this one...
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Baby Pics!!
Tip of the Day: Are you going to Anderson's 8th Annual Young Adult Literature Conference this Saturday? It's my first time (I'm on two panels) and there is a list of amazing authors attending!
Look what I got in the mail this week! It's a finished copy of Just Your Average Princess!
Sometimes I'm totally on board with ebooks and how easy they are to download onto my ipad and how I can store a ton of them on there and they're so convenient. But then I get to hold a new baby and I fall in love.
Sometimes I'm totally on board with ebooks and how easy they are to download onto my ipad and how I can store a ton of them on there and they're so convenient. But then I get to hold a new baby and I fall in love.
Isn't it so cute?! I love the yellow binding with the blue letters and the fun font.
I a million times over love all the vines and stuff all over the back cover and on the inside pages.
I love that they pulled part of the story and put it on the back of the book. And it's a good part too.
And I love the page where I sign. It's so so so cute!
So yeah, I'm awfully proud of my new baby and glad to have her home. Next week I'll post pictures of her first bath, first bottle, and grandma holding her. Ok, no I won't.
Look for Just Your Average Princess in stores on 10/11/11!
kRISTINA, mISS aUTHOR iN aCTION
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