QoW: Let Me Count the Ways

Question of the Week: What are your favorite ways to procrastinate?

I sit down to write with a block of time in front of me, usually about 3 hours while my kids sleep or are at their toddler center. First I open up my WIP, and to reward myself for this quick start, I open several internet explorer pages and visit all my favorite industry web sites.

Then I go back to my WIP and scroll down to the place I left off the day before. To reward myself for this, I begin the sports portion of my day. I’m a huge football fan and that can be a full time job. Between games, pre and post game shows, weekly sports shows, reading of papers, sports blogs and websites, I’d rather not tally up how many hours of my week are spent on sports. Even in the off-season I need to be up on Draft talk, trade rumors and free agency goings on. I’ve decided my next book will be sports related so this time can now be called “research.” I’m pretty excited about this new title.

Next I go back to my WIP and look over what I wrote the day before. Here begins my worry portion of the day. I worry about pretty much everything under the sun, so I need to restrict this time to career worries only: What if my editor reads my latest rewrites and hates them? What if reviewers shred the book to bits? What if the warehouse holding every copy of my book explodes so it never gets to book stores? What if it does get to bookstores and no one buys it? What if I never get another story idea? What if I think I know how to write but actually I suck and everyone around me is too nice to say so? The list goes on and it takes a while to work through every worry.

Because I’m upset from the worry portion of the day, I decide that I need a break from writing (though technically none has taken place.) This is when I do the dishes, fold laundry, clean the toilet, debate exercise but decide against it and play with the cats.

Then, with about twenty minutes left of my time, I sit down and actually type words into my WIP.

Daphne Grab

The winners are announced at last!

If you managed to see the live webcast (there were several of us huddled around a computer here at the office, before the feed died), you'll know that this year's ALA awards announcement in Seattle this morning was quite the show. And there seemed to be quite a few surprises, too. Or I was surprised, in any case.

Here's a round-up of the "biggies":

Newbery Medal
The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron

Newbery Honors
Penny from Heaven, by Jennifer L. Holm
Hattie Big Sky, by Kirby Larson
Rules, by Cynthia Lord




Caldecott Medal
Flotsam, illustrated by David Wiesner

Caldecott Honors
Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet, written and illustrated by David McLimans
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Carole Boston Weatherford



Printz Award
American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang

Printz Honors
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation; v. 1: The Pox Party, by M. T. Anderson
An Abundance of Katherines, by John Green
Surrender, by Sonya Hartnett
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak



Visit the ALA website for a full list of the awards.

I'd read a whopping one of these books (although I'd heard good things about many of them). Lots of new titles to put on my list!

Okay, now that the winners are out, it's time to discuss/debate. What are the books you wish had won, or that you are surprised didn't get a nod? I'll start us out. Here are six books I adore that I wish had won awards (and yes, I realize that I am completely biased):

Alabama Moon, by Watt Key
Adele and Simon, by Barbara McClintock
Shug, by Jenny Han
Sold, by Patricia McCormick
A True and Faithful Narrative, by Katherine Sturtevant
Tyrell, by Coe Booth

What books was everyone else rooting for?

QoW: I'm very good at this

Question of the week: What are your favorite ways to procrastinate?

Okay, no need for modesty here. I'm an excellent procrastinator. To be honest, I'm best at this when it comes to going to the gym, but I'm good at it when it comes to writing too. This is why I usually need to leave my apartment and tear myself away from the internet in order to get any writing done.

1. Blog reading. Here are a few of my favorites:
Stephanie Klein
Sara Zarr
Pub Rants

I also like to read Publishers Marketplace, google people I haven't seen in a long time and search for New York City apartment deals. I don't find many.

2. Talking on the phone. I'm super good at this.

3. Going through my drawers and closet and deciding what I should donate.

4. Staring into space pondering anything and everything.

5. Eavesdropping. This is my favorite, favorite, favorite. I'm usually tempted to join in on other people's conversations, but I stop myself. But there was this one time when a woman was sitting next to me at Starbucks freaking out on the phone to her mother about how she was being evicted, and all I wanted to do was give her the name and number of my landlady. I didn't feel right about it, but now I regret not butting in.

*Lisa GW*

And the Flappie goes to . . .

It was a long and arduous debate, but we Longstockings finally made up our minds. The Flappie Award goes to (drumroll, please . . .)

Absolutely, Positively Not . . . by David LaRochelle.

The cover screams, "Pick me up! You're going to love me!!" And the first page? Utterly funny and winning. But what sold the Longstockings on this book -- what made us want to keep reading -- were the flaps. They rock. Don't believe me? See for yourselves:

Steven doesn't know if he'll pass his driver's test or if he'll ever understand his parents, but there's one thing he knows for sure: He's absolutely, positively NOT gay. How could he be, when he conscientiously collects photos of girls in bikinis and makes a point to sit at the jock table? So what if he takes a golden retriever to the dance because he can't face telling his mom that he doesn't have a date? So what if he thinks Coach Bowman is, well, extremely, unnervingly handsome. Who wouldn't? Right?

David LaRochelle's first novel is a riotously funny look at the life of a regular boy who's finding out what it takes to be a real man.

The flaps were nominated by Jay of Disco Mermaids fame, who has this to say about the book:

The flap copy is hilarious. But more than that, it's not a lie. How many books have I bought because the flap copy promises one thing but the book delivers another? Too many. But not this one.

Well said, Disco Jay. For your killer Flappies nomination, the Longstockings have decided to reward you with this:

A picture of a really cute kitten blowing a kiss. Just what you've always wanted, no?

Congrats are, of course, also due to the anonymous flap copy writer at the ever-awesome Arthur A. Levine Books (if you tell us who you are, we'll find an adorable photo for you too!). And thanks to everyone who put in nominations!

The book, by the way, looks incredibly cool. As if you needed any more incentive to check out this stellar novel, it just won the Sid Fleischman Humor Award. Take a gander at the author's website, as well as his interview on Cynsations.

I think I've found my weekend reading!

Lisa G.

QoW: From Japan to India (well, kinda!)

Question of the Week: Which children’s book character would you want as your best friend?

Like Lisa GW and Jenny, I, too, had a hard time choosing just one best friend. So I came up with two: a current best friend and the best friend I would have loved to have back when I was a teenager!

Okay, I know that technically-speaking, she's just an illustration, but if I could be best friends with anybody right now, I'd have to choose Tohru Honda from the FRUITS BASKET manga series. Tohru is a great friend to have. She's the kind of girl who you can talk to and know she's really listening. She's all heart. And she knows how to keep a secret (especially re: that wacky zodiac curse-thingy!)

And even though she's sweet and friendly, what I like about her is that she really knows how to take care of herself. After all, when her mother died and the rest of her no-good family basically turned their backs on her, she didn't sit around and complain about how messed up her life was. She pitched a tent (literally) and survived. And that's the kind of best friend I'd like to have. Someone who doesn't whine. Someone who remains positive and knows that there's more to life than just the here and now. Someone who's resilient and determined. Someone you can really trust.

Also, there might be just a tad of an added benefit to hanging out with Tohru. She just so happens to live with the adorable and sensitive Yuki and the wild yet troubled Kyo, two very different but equally cute boys. Hee hee. (I can't believe it. I think I have a crush on two CARTOON DRAWINGS! What does this say about me? Hmmm...)

When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with the culture of India. (Okay, I kinda still am!) Back then I would have loved to be best friends with Dimple Lala from BORN CONFUSED. Even though she didn't always appreciate everything about her Indian heritage, I certainly would have! I might even have hijacked her mom every so often so she could teach me how to cook some traditional Indian dishes. And I would have raided her mom's wardrobe of saris and scarves just for some dress-up fun.

Why, I'm sure my enthusiasm would have helped Dimple see the beauty of her culture. But even if it didn't, she and I would still have had a great friendship. Dimple is just so down-to-earth and real. She's smart but not annoyingly so, and I love that she has a passion for photography and the confidence to know she's really good at it. She's the kind of genuine best friend I could imagine having for a lifetime.

And, really, isn't that what best friends are for?

~Coe~

QoW: I have too many BFF heart lockets

Question of the Week: Which children’s book character would you want as your best friend?

I'm greedy. I can't pick just one. So I'll pick a few, for different reasons.


1. Kristy Thomas, aka President of the BSC. Together, Kristy and I could be a power couple. We'd run for SMS co-presidents. Today, SMS and BSC co-pres, tomorrow, Presidents of the US of A. Also, Kristy's step-dad is a millionaire, so I'd help her spend some of that cash-money. First, we'd get rid of the turtlenecks and visors and pick out a few cute but still sporty things. Kristy needs a BFF that is her equal, someone who challenges her (No, Kris, I don't think we should spend our summer vacation putting the kids of Stoneybrook in a parade) not someone she can run ramshod over like mousy Mary Anne Spiers.


2. Jessica Wakefield, aka the Pretty Twin. How cool would it be to live in Sweet Valley, where the sun never stops shining and the mall never closes? Jess and I would cruise around in my convertible and I'd borrow her clothes. I'd be the token Asian girl of the week, but my name wouldn't be as obnoxious as Jade's. Remember poor Jade with the strict parents? No, I'd be cool, like one of the Unicorns of yesteryear, and I'd end up dating big brother Stephen. Jess would be pissed, but she'd get over it.


3. Lyra, aka Eve version 2.0. Wouldn't it be neat to have a daemon of your very own? Mine might be... a sparrow. Yeah, a sparrow! And, just imagine using that knife to cut into worlds. Only I wouldn't cut into that weird world with those strange animals that Mary spends all that time with. Ew. I'd probably just stay in London. And hey, how come nobody told me that DANIEL CRAIG (aka hot hot hotty James Bond) is starring in the movie version as Lord Asriel??? This is crucial news. I should've known about this. Now if only Mrs. Coulter was played by Kate Winslet, or Cate Blanchett even. Oooh or Rachel Weisz! I love her. And she's dark and chocolatey the way Mrs. Coulter should be, not pale and icy like the Snow Queen or some such. Boo to Nicole Kidman.

xoxo jenny

QoW: Ellerby, be mine

Question of the Week: Which children’s book character would you want as your best friend?

Eric Calhoune, narrator of Chris Crutcher's Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, has two best friends. I want to steal one of them.

Steve Ellerby's father is the liberal Episcopalian pastor in a largely fundamentalist small town, and man oh man do I wish I'd known him back when I was growing up the daughter of a liberal United Church of Christ minister in a very similar small town. I took the whole preachers-kid thing as a sacred responsibity, to prove that I could be just as Christian as the fundamentalists even if I did believe in evolution and gay rights and reproductive choice. Ellerby has what I didn't have, and desperately needed, in high school: a sense of humor. For Ellerby, the sacred responsibility of a preacher's kid is to act up.

Ellerby drives a giant vintage car, painted blue with fluffy white clouds, that reads "A Mighty Fortress is our Dog" on one side, "The Wages of Sin is a Buck Fifty" on the other, and blares Mahalia Jackson through speakers on the roof. When a pious teammate prays before swimming practice, Ellerby drops to his knees and begs Jesus to come down and swim his laps for him; when the same teammate loses a challenge in the pool, Ellerby asks why G-d has forsaken him. Ellerby is who he is and he does not let people get to him. Ellerby is my hero.

Ellerby and I would have had a blast, in our twin roles as the preachers'-kids-you-don't-expect, if we'd gone to the same school. We'd have been good for each other, too: he'd lighten me up, and I'd give him ballast. He'd have taught me to pick my battles, and I'd have taught him how to win the ones you pick. We took similar, debate-centered poli sci classes in our conservative small towns; if we'd been in the same one, with me making well-researched, cutting comments and him contributing insightful jokes and plain-spoken sincerity, we could have converted a whole generation to a more progressive view of Christianity. And then November 2004 could have gone a whole different way.

Heck, if Ellerby and I had been best friends, we might have saved the world.

--Kathryne B Alfred

QoW: Caroline and Pippi, sitting in a tree

Question of the Week: Which children’s book character would you want as your best friend?

Look, I know this is kind of a cop out (since I'm a Longstocking and all), but I have to say Pippi. I have to. Because who WOULDN'T want to be best friends with someone who has their own house, no parents/curfews/rules, a chest full of gold coins, a horse, unimaginable strength, cooks terrific pancakes, and has really great ideas about how to have fun???

I've only been on a horse a few times in my life, so I've never learned to ride and I always wanted to. Had Pippi been my friend, I'd probably be a competitive rider by now. A champion. I also always wanted one of those little toy kitchens when I was a kid and never got one. But I'm sure if Pippi and I had been BFF she would have bought me one. Probably one of those cool retro ones that Pottery Barn makes. And I must admit, I was occasionally a bit of an Annika when it came to trying scary new things and being brave. But having Pippi around would have helped me to realize how much fun you can have when you maroon yourself on an island.

Frankly, I'll be amazed if I'm able to suffer any of my ordinary friends now that I've begun to imagine life with Pippi.

Pippi, where are you? Call me, okay?

*caroline hickey

QoW: More than one?

Question of the Week: Which children’s book character would you want as your best friend?

I'm on the fence here. I think it's because I'm the kind of person who has gone through life with a few "best friends." Different friends are best for different reasons. Sometimes you have the best friend who is exactly like you in almost every way. You say to the friend, "Oh my G-d, we're like the same person!" You know that person will understand everything you say, every decision you make. You feel like you're living parallel lives.

So, for that type of best friend, I'd pick Martha from OLIVE'S OCEAN. I think we'd get along really well. Her family calls her an "old soul type" and if I had a nickel for every time someone has called me that, I'd be much richer than I am now. Also, she wants to be a writer, like me. She's very close to her grandma (Godbee) like I am to my grandma (Bubbie.) Plus, let's face it, Olive said Martha was the nicest girl in the class. Of course I want the nicest girl in the class as my best friend!

But let's consider the other type of best friend. The one that's completely different from you in every way. You're quiet and reserved, she's loud and outgoing. You like cozy nights with pints of Ben & Jerry's and DVDs and she drags you out for a crazy night of anything and everything. You're scared to talk to the boy you love, so she does it for you.

In that case, I'd pick a character I very recently met! Amy from ANATOMY OF A BOYFRIEND. She's outgoing and she tells it like it is. She would have been the swift kick in the butt I really needed back in middle school and high school when I was waaayyy too crazy over waaaayyy too many boys. Of course I had friends like Amy and they definitely gave those swift kicks every now and then, so thanks guys! Amy's also really smart, and she gives Dominique such good advice. Plus her mom's a therapist and she gets all sorts of wonderful information from her. Most importantly, Amy's the kind of friend you can call whenever and she'll be there for you. She doesn't sugar coat, but she's comforting and sensitive just the same.

Throughout my life, whenever I'd meet new people, my mom would ask, "Are they best friend material?" The funny thing is, thinking about it now, it sounds like she was talking about fictional characters. But she wasn't! Anyway, Martha and Amy are both "best friend material."

*Lisa GW*

QoW: The Right Friend

Question of the Week: Which children’s book character would you want as your best friend?
Without a doubt, when I was fifteen I needed Vicky Austen from A RING OF ENDLESS LIGHT by Madeleine L’Engle to be my best friend. Vicky was in other books as well
but it’s the RING Vicky I most wanted to hang out with.

Vicky was deep: she thought about life and death and love and God. When I was fifteen I wanted to be deep but I got hung up on smaller things, like whether or not to get a perm (I made the bad call there and got it- if Vicky had been my best friend she’d have known to talk me out of it.) I had all the questions Vicky did and if we’d been best friends, we could have really explored them together (and I wouldn’t have had to go through that school year looked like an electrocuted poodle.)

We could’ve sat on the beach and learned to meditate together. I love her descriptions of what it felt like to let go and be part of the sea, the earth, the sky. To this day I’ve never managed to feel that for even thirty seconds. I could’ve been the friend she giggled with about the gorgeous and haunted Adam Eddington, though to be honest I’d have been pretty jealous since to this day he is still my ideal guy (second of course to my husband.) Though now that I think about it, I could’ve had a crush on her brother John- he was pretty awesome (and since I would’ve made the right call with the perm, he might have even liked me too.) We could’ve had double date lunches at the lab where the guys worked, and gone and swum with the dolphins together.

I feel like if Vicky and I had been tight, a lot of the embarrassing disasters of my teen years might have been averted. If I’d been into meditation and thinking about the deep things, I’d have escaped my endless stream of hopeless crushes (Vicky had three guys after her and they were all the real deal), my eternal quest to become and then to stay cool (Vicky never worried about being cool and people totally wanted to hang out with her anyway), and the vague sense of unease that comes as a result of trying to be what you aren’t (because Vicky would’ve kept me true to myself.)

But I guess while some people come into themselves as teens, like Vicky, some of us just don’t. And the best friends I picked at the time reflected that. It wasn’t until college that I found a best friend as cool as Vicky and even though she now lives in Australia, I’m one lucky duck to have her- she kept me from the bad hair, saw me through the wrong relationships and continues to keep me true. Better late than never, right?
Daphne Grab

QoW: Books and Cleverness

Question of the Week: Which children's book character would you want as your best friend?

I'm going to have to go with Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter books -- mostly because I was just watching Goblet of Fire so I have the HP kids on the brain, but also because I think Hermione and I would make quite the BFFs. We could hang out in the library and discuss random geeky knowledge that no one else cared about. And I'm sure she'd be willing to help me out with my Potions homework if I was ever in a bind. Also, she's a good person to have around if you ever get in a jam that requires a strong working knowledge of Herbology. Even if I turned out to be a permanent muggle and couldn't get an invite to Hogwarts, I think I'd still settle for being Hermione's friend outside the castle. She seems like the kind of gal who'd be good to have around, even when the world as we know it isn't being threatened by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I bet she'd be a lot of fun at a sleep-over.

Lisa G.

One man's trash, another girl's treasure

In high school, my bus used to drop me off at the local library and instead of doing homework, I'd read. And read and read and read. By this time, I had already read most of the Juvenile fiction section and was on to the adult fiction, but sometimes, I liked to reminisce. I liked to pick up the books of my youth. Like, Christopher Pike and LJ Smith and VC Andrews. I remember one time I was reading a Christopher Pike book and my friend's dad saw me and said, "Now, you know you shouldn't be reading that." I was like, comosaywhat?! I was too stunned to do anything but nod meekly. I know Chris Pike ain't a Bronte sister, but I have to say, I do enjoy him. I especially love Witch, and Weekend, and oh yes, the Final Friends series! I loved Remember Me too. I'm convinced that if he had published these books in this day and age (you know, ten years later, during the YA golden age), they'd be on the bestseller list. Some people call it trashy. I call it good fun! And some damn good storytelling too. I love LJ Smith as well-- have you read The Secret Circle Series, or Dark Visions? SOOO good. I wish I could think up stuff like that. I'm not even a big fantasy-dark magic kind of girl, but I really enjoyed them. (OOF, I got so into writing this post that I just burned my scones! Dang.) Are there any kids books that other people might call trashy, but you call treasure? Dish.

xoxo Jenny from the block

Nanny-nanny boo boo

Last night Lisa GW and I attended the Kiddie Lit Blogger Night at Sweet & Vicious. It was tres fun! It was a smaller, more intimate group of women, and a delightful group at that! I got to discuss Harry Potter (my fav) and the Newbery and board games and the editor-author relationship. What could be better?? Although, I'm sad to say my pizza wasn't all that. Coulda been oozier. Nonetheless, I look forward to many more such evenings! Next time, I will eat rice pudding. Although, I have to say, rice pudding kind of skeeves me out. To me, rice is a savory food, an entree kind of food. Not a dessert food. It's like saying, I'll have a steak sundae with chocolate sauce on top. Ew. But I'll give it another chance! Longstockings, y'all missed out! Boo-yah!

XOXO J-Han

QoW: Dweeb Alert!

Question of the Week: What are you reading right now?

Yesterday I started an awesome new volunteer program where I get to go read to a public school youngin' once a week on my lunch hour. Very cool. However, when I tried to explain what my job was to my new reading buddy (possibly the world's cutest third-grader) by saying that I "read kid's books all day," he looked at me like I was bonkers. "Kid's books!" he said. "You must read a hundred a day!"

Well, not quite. But sometimes it sure feels that way. So when I do have a moment of free time, what do I chose to read? That's right. Books about kid's books. (SUCH a dweeb.)

In my defense, Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom is incredibly cool. Ms. Nordstrom was a very influential editor at Harper for a long while, and worked with such children's lit greats as Maurice Sendak and E.B. White. She also wrote very interesting (and often hilarious) letters. Here's a snippet from Amazon Reviews:

In this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at children's book publishing, letters to Shel Silverstein, Maurice Sendak, Laura Ingalls Wilder, John Steptoe, and Kay Thompson reveal a woman on an unorthodox quest to wrench children's literature from the stultifying clutches of sentimental illusion and false piety. Her dedication to creative, honest, original, non-condescending books for children changed the landscape of children's literature forever. As Marcus writes in his introduction, "...her letters have much to tell about the arts of writing, illustrating, and editing; the social history of the twentieth century; and the pivotal role that books, and a love of books, can play in children's lives. To read the letters is to receive a many-faceted education from a teacher of rare insight, good humor, and lively humanity. I am glad that readers will now be able to share in the experience."

And while the fact that I just had to look up the word stultifying makes me perhaps the biggest dweeb on the planet, I think I'm okay with that. Kid's books are fantastic, and there's nothing stultifying about that.

QoW: What Santa Brought

Question of the Week: What are you reading right now?

I'm flipping pages on the books I got for Christmas.

SUMMER BLONDE by Adrian Tomine. This is an awesome mini-collection featuring 4 his Optic Nerve stories and a beautiful book to have on your shelf. Adrian has a knack for rendering faces with perfectly captured emotion and he writes amazing dialog. I am a huuuuge fan of AT and am really enjoying the back issues of his work. But seriously, when the heck will he release Optic Nerve #11? I am DYING to find out what happens to Ben and if he really will move to NYC!

THE BOOK THEIF by Markus Zusak. Wow. I'm only about 70 pages in, but this book is like nothing I've ever read before. I love novels where I am in total awe of the writing and the stylistic choices of the author. Death as a narrator? Heck yes! The sense of impending doom colors the entire story, even in quiet, happier moments. I can't wait to see how the narrative unfolds.

Thanks, Santa!
-Siobhan

QoW: Good for me

Question of the Week: What are you reading right now?

I'm reading Katherine Paterson's latest, BREAD AND ROSES,TOO. I'd heard some good buzz about the book, so I picked it up on my last trip to the library. It has not disappointed.

As I mentioned, it's Katherine Paterson, so of course the writing is terrific. But what's really unique about the book is that it takes the reader back in time to the 1912 Bread and Roses labor strike in Massachusetts. And when I say "takes the reader back," I really mean it. The details of the different immigrant families, the tenements in which they live, and the hope and courage of the mill workers are all painstakingly laid out.

The only cog in the wheel from my point of view is that occasionally with historical fiction I get the feeling I'm reading something "good for me." And that's the feeling I get from this book. In short, it's a well-written, interesting book, and, like taking your Flintstone vitamins, will help your brain grow big and strong.

QoW: Catching up

Question of the Week: What are you reading right now?

Right now I'm reading DAIRY QUEEN and enjoying it very much. I've been meaning to read it for so long now after hearing so many wonderful things, and I am happy to say that it is definitely living up to all of the praise. It has the vibrant feel of a debut novel, and I love that. I love its energy. At this point in my reading, DJ has just come back from taking Curtis to Madison. She has just gotten her haircut, and her mom has found out about her "idea." I'll stop because I don't want to give anything away.

After I'm done with DAIRY QUEEN, I'm going to take a brief break from childrens & teen literature and move into a memoir by Stephanie Klein. We went to the same high school, but not at the same time. Her blog is fabulous and I'm sure her book will be as well.

I love times when I am reading a book a week, and have at least one book waiting for me! It's such a good feeling.

Who, what, where? Website!

It seems like websites are essential these days for a children's author to be able to market themselves. Kids spend so much time on myspace, and when they go online they expect to immediately be able to find their favorite author on myspace or on a site. When I was growing up, authors seemed to me to be distant, untouchable people, and I always assumed they lived somewhere Fabulous and Far Away.

As I start to build my website and plan my layout, design, text, etc., I'm wondering what others think makes a good author website? Obviously, I don't need a lot of bells and whistles, but I do want to have a website that makes both me and my books look compelling and kid-friendly. I know Lisa Graff is also hard at work on her website at the moment, and Coe and Jenny have already launched theirs. So let's dish. What are some people's favorite author sites? Is it the design, the voice, the blog that attracts you? Or something else?

QoW: I Heart E. Lockhart

Question of the Week: What are you reading right now?
I just finished THE BOYFRIEND LIST, E Lockhart’s follow up to THE BOY BOOK. Both
books follow the social fall of Ruby Oliver, girl who once had a great boyfriend and three awesome best friends, but then got dumped by the boyfriend in favor of one of the friends and lost all the other friends too. And then pretty much the whole school turned on her. THE BOYFRIEND LIST gives you that whole story and THE BOY BOOK gives you some much needed follow up on what’s happened for Ruby since. Both of these books have a number of the things that for me make up the perfect book and here they are in no particular order:

- A story that is very personal to the character but touches on something universal for the reader. I’ve never been dumped by a boyfriend and all my friends at the same time (thank goodness!) so if that were all the story was about, I might not have liked it quite so much. But through this story E Lockhart is exploring relationships with friends, with boyfriends, with families and who we become as a result of these relationships. And hey, we all have those issues. So as Ruby comes to realize things, I see some things in my own life in new ways. And for me this is one of the major reasons that I read.

- It’s funny. Ruby has my favorite dry sense of humor and her parents continually crack me up. When stuff sucks for a character you love, it’s good to be able to find moments where you can laugh and E Lockhart delivers in spades. Of course there are books I love that don’t have funny moments but I’m happiest when there’re at least a few things that make me laugh.

- It’s a really good story. She lays it out beautifully and the writing is spot on- it never distracts and always paints the picture you need to be living inside the scene.

-The characters are all unique and real, and I totally like some and am furious with others. Even the evil ones are fully formed and you can see where they’re coming from and why they do what they do (even though you hate them for it.) Two dimensional villains are boring but not a single character, even the minor ones, fall into this trap.

So basically it’s all good except for one thing: even after book 2, I want more of Ruby! My fingers are crossed that E Lockhart knows this and is working away on book 3 so that the world can hang out with Ruby just a little longer.

QoW: ...and a drowsy numbness pains my sense

Question of the Week: What are you reading right now?

I'm on jury duty, so this is going to be fun. My brain and body are slowly reassembling after a very, very long day of sitting on hard benches after very, very little sleep, while nothing at all happens.

The first book I read today lasted me all the way up to the courtroom, and made me very impatient for the judge to stop talking and let us get back to our waiting so I could finish the last chapter already.

I have to admit--I had been avoiding reading Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes. Remember all those posts we have about what we look for in covers and flap copy? Whatever mine is, and I know I've never been able to define it well, this book offered the opposite. The copy was too vague for my tastes, I think, and I'm so over those covers that show a torso of some nubile young female who can't find jeans that cover her hips.

I was shown the error of my ways--shame on me, judging books by those covers--when I saw the author read at Coe's Books of Wonder appearance and thought that, even though it had another unenticing cover, Devilish sounded right up my alley. And then I discovered Maureen's Blog, and decided this woman could re-write a Chinese food menu in novel form, and I'd happily walk through a blizzard for a copy. So I should probably try reading one of the books she had, in fact, written.

I have a rule against buying hardback books by people I don't know well (nothing personal--it's a space issue), so luckily for me Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes is out in paperback. And it is funny and charming and unpredictable. Truly, I felt as though I were on a whirlwind tour of Europe following someone else's instructions: I was excited and frustrated and worried and happy by turns, in all the right places. In this it was no doubt helped by my sleep- and sensory-deprived surroundings, but still. The funny and charming and unpredictable part would have been true even if I had been reading with all my faculties.

Unfortunately, I read really, really fast. Fortunately, I know this about myself, so I packed a back-up book.

Neal Stephenson to the rescue. Ever since I was a little kid, my idea of Heaven was where you got to go hang out with all the geniuses of history, and my favorite wish (in case I ever get three) has been a time machine, so I could go back to an interesting part of history, instead of the frustrating and scary part I live in. Reading The Baroque Cycle, of which The Confusion is Book II, is kind of like that. You hang out with the founders of the Royal Society and the Court of Versailles, with Admirals and Corsairs and Galley Slaves. The made-up characters are as real and fascinating as the historical figures--and vice-versa. It's not just a book, it's an experience. And at 848 pages, it just might be an experience that will take me the rest of the week to finish.

QoW: Heartbreaking & Real

Question of the Week: What are you reading right now?

I had never heard of LITTLE CHICAGO or the author Adam Rapp before this book was recommended to me by Jack Martin, one of the best teen librarians there is! He told me the book is great, but he did warn me about its intensity. I have to say, he wasn't lying!

LITTLE CHICAGO is the story of eleven-year-old Blacky Brown. He lives with his mom, rebellious older sister, and genius little brother, but the family is highly dysfunctional in a complicated, troubling way. This dysfunction is brought to light when, in the very beginning of the book, Blacky is brought to the hospital after being sexually abused by his mother's boyfriend and found wandering naked in the woods. His mother's non-reaction to what has happened to her son is positively maddening! But at the same time, you do get the feeling that she can't do any better, that she is trying. Despite her efforts to show some love to Blacky, he is left to deal with the abuse on his own, with no family support at all. Nobody in his home even talks to him about it.

But what makes this book so heartbreaking is Blacky's inability to really understand what was done to him. He is still a little boy, after all, and doesn't understand it on an emotional level. Instead, he spends his time trying to find someone to talk to at home and find a real friend at school. But as a reader your heart will just go out to this boy who has been through such a terrible ordeal and has no one to comfort him. Nobody to tell him it's not his fault.

I'm about halfway through this novel now. It is beautifully written. Almost poetic in its simplicity. I hope it will end optimistically, but after seeing the reality of Blacky's life so far, I'm afraid it won't.

Only One Week Left!!!

It's that time of year again. The book industry is on edge. Tensions are running high. The competition is fierce. That's right. We're talking about the very prestigious Flappies Award!

Yes, the Flappies!

There's only one week left to get your submissions in. We're looking for the most creative, brilliant use of precious flap jacket space, the copy that made you run, not walk, to the register to buy that book! You can submit your entry as a comment here or e-mail it to us at thelongstockings@yahoo.com.

The last day to submit entries is Monday, January 15th, so don't delay!!!

The winner will have the distinction of having been the first ever winner of the Flappies Award! And, really, what could be a bigger honor than that?!?
;-)

QoW: Getting to the End

Question of the Week: What are your writing goals for 2007?

2006 was an incredible year for me. My first book came out and I had the opportunity to attend two big conventions (ALA and NCTE/ALAN), one book festival, and take part in readings and book signings with some really great teen authors. I read and spoke in public (despite my fear of public speaking) and lived to tell about it!!! As a first-time author, this was way more than I ever expected!

Right now my primary goal for 2007 is to finish my current work-in-progress, KENDRA. I want to just get to the end of this book and take a deep breath.

Ahhh.

It's hard to think of anything else right now.

But since my book is due in two short months, I guess I must choose some goals for the rest of the year. (Although the idea of just chillin' for the remaining ten months has a strange sort of appeal.) Hee hee!

So, since I must work, my goal for the rest of 2007 is to get started on my third book, the sequel to TYRELL. I don't want to wait until the last minute to get into this book because inevitably I will become a stressed-out mess! [Picture me with my braids standing up straight on top of my head! Not a pretty sight!]

I'd also like to go through my notebook o' ideas and see which one might have wings, especially a middle-grade book idea. Like Siobhan posted earlier, I'm also interested in writing middle grade as well as teen books. And I think after three teen books in a row, I'd be ready for a change. Once I find a good idea, I'd just like to hold it in the back of my mind. No writing. Just thinking.

And my last goal (which doesn't sound very much like a writing goal but is totally related!) is to read more. Last year I read fewer books than I have since... well, since I learned how to read! As a result, I have way too many books on my to-read list. Some of them are the books written by my new teen author friends. I feel so embarrassed when I see them at parties and readings and I still haven't read their books. It's even more embarrassing when they've already read TYRELL. Eek! Some of the books I want to read are recommendations from my fellow Longstockings. And Jack Martin from the New York Public Library came to one of my readings and he also recommended some books to me that sound great! But for some reason I just haven't been making time to read lately. And I feel the absence of books from my life. That's got to change in 2007.

Crazy in love

Last night I went to see the movie Dreamgirls (hence the Beyonce song stuck in my head), and I thought that was enough rockin' good times for one evening. But when I came home, I found a giant box on my doorstep. A giant box with this printed on its side:



IT WAS A GIANT BOX OF MY BOOKS!!

Wait, let me repeat that.

A GIANT BOX OF MY BOOKS!!!


I have to say, it's pretty amazing to see all that effort you've put into making something all wrapped up in one lovely little book with a nice shiny cover and an ISBN number and everything. And words! Real words! I can't wait until it hits bookstores. I might just faint on the spot.

QoW: So, what do you do?

Question of the Week: What are your writing goals for 2007?

I thought long and hard about this one. Every morning I would wake up, ready to write my post on the topic, and every morning I would chicken out. It didn't help that all of my fellow Longstockings had such true answers that I just wanted to borrow their goals.

It also didn't help that 2006 was really a big writing year for me. I mean, without "finish a draft of Uncle Jesus" or "quit being a secretary and start teaching"--both of which I managed in 2006--what was left? Starting the next book was a given. Ditto querying agents, which didn't seem so much a goal as a business next-step.

I haven't felt this adrift writing New Year's Resolutions since the year after I actually lost those ten pounds.

I'm left with my secret shame. The fact is, for all that I have an MFA and have taught creative writing, for all that I've been writing short stories ever since I learned to hold a pencil and have been working on one-or-another novel since I was nineteen, I've never been comfortable calling myself a writer.

My very favorite thing about grad school (besides meeting the Longstockings, of course) was being able to go to parties and answer the question "so what do you do?" with a true answer. As soon as I graduated, whatever I said felt like a lie. Sure, I could have just described my day job, but I hated my day job, and was only doing it to have time to work on my book.

And I was never comfortable saying "I'm a writer" because the very next question made me want to go hide: "Oh! What have you written? Anything I'd've read? When's it coming out?"

And when you admit that no, you haven't published yet, you're still working on the first book, you're left having to describe your day job anyway, because for some reason this person really is interested in how you pay your rent.

So, here's my goal for 2007: whether or not I get an agent this year, whether or not I sell anything this year, I will stop being embarrassed by the fact that what I spend all my time and energy on is not what I do "for a living". When asked, I will not make self-deprecating jokes. I will not hide behind teaching, because while I do that, too, and even love it, it's not my career. I will not stammer around, looking for an explanation that will cut off further questions. I will learn to answer honestly, without blushing, the first question and any others that follow:

I'm a writer.

QoW: Adrian!

Question of the Week: What are your writing goals for 2007?

2006 was an awesome year for me as a writer. I sold my first novel, wrote my very first television episode, and quit my full-time editor job to live the dream. 2007 will have to be pretty amazing to measure up to the last 365 days, but hopefully these three goals will help me rise to the challenge!

Write Something Funny – My first book is pretty serious. And very emotional. And super feelings-y. Which is a bit surprising, considering I’m totally a yuk-yuk-yuk kind of girl…always gunning at the official Longstockings Meetings to get a few laughs.
So in 2007, I’d love for my next novel to highlight more of my comedic side as a writer. Not that I want to write a total over-the-top romp with lots of slapstick and ha-ha-ho-ha, but something where emotion and comedy can meet in the middle of the page and shake hands. With a joybuzzer, of course.

Write Something Middle Grade – I’m so in love with Middle Grade these days. In a big way, this is because of Little Miss Lisa Graff. Her books totally rule and I get very inspired reading her stuff in workshop. (Georgie is out January 31st ya’ll!)

I’ve had a Middle Grade idea simmering in the back of my mind for over a year now. I’d love to flesh it out sometime this year and see if it has any legs. So I’m giving myself the goal of 3 chapters and a rough outline by December. Hopefully I can make it happen!

Get Better – This one is pretty obvious, but whatever. Feeling a bit nostalgic last week, I looked back at some of my old submissions during the first year and a half of my MFA program. Umm...they were pretty awful. Gag city, people. Population: ME!

I can’t believe how much I’ve improved. But it’s no miracle. I am forever grateful for the wonderful feedback of my fellow Longstockings, all the amazing books I’ve read, and the inspiration that continues to spark my brain, no matter how tired or depressed or insecure I’m feeling about my writing.

My fingers and toes are crossed that I continue to improve my craft though 2007. I want to learn and absorb all I can from my extremely talented friends. I want to read more and be a better reader. I want to spend more time in front of my computer. I want to have a Rocky moment on the stairs where I throw my hands up and know that I’ve taken it as far as I can, pushed myself as hard as possible.

2007! Adrian!

QoW: Time keeps on slippin', slippin'

Question of the Week: What are your writing goals for 2007?

Lisa Greenwald's superbly tidy list really inspired me. And when inspiration strikes, why reinvent the wheel? So I sat down to write a list and somehow all my ideas petered out immediately. Why? Because I've been pushing myself very hard the last few weeks to finish my new book, while simultaneously holiday shopping, working at my day job, and, well, living. I've been spreading myself too thin. THUS, I have decided my writing goal for 2007 will be to PRIORITIZE.

Now, I realize that sounds simplistic. Everyone needs to prioritize all the time. That's life, people. But when I say this year I will PRIORITIZE, I mean that I will prioritize my writing above my other commitments. I will prioritize it above my day job, because my day job is not my career. I will prioritize it above saying yes to certain social events, because I will feel better having written than partied. And I will prioritize it over web surfing, superfluous television, and Entertainment Weekly magazine, because those things do not fill me up.

You'd think I'd have had this realization before. But it's only hitting me now, this year, because in just three months my first novel will be hitting the shelves. And for some reason, I finally feel like I'm not just dreaming about being a writer. I am one.

P.S. Lest y'all think I'm giving up fun altogether, fear not. I will still make time for Project Runway, plenty of good reading, and my gal Longstockings.

P.P.S. Who knows what song I referenced in my subject line? 2 points!

QoW: Keeping the Faith

Question of the Week: What are your writing goals for 2007?

1. I will have faith in myself and in my writing. I won't doubt every single thing on the page, and freak out after every bit of criticism.

2. I will finish the novel I've just started working on and get it into good shape.

3. I will write at least three pages a day, no matter how bad they seem to me, or how much of a writing funk I am in.

4. I will be able to feel happy about other things in my life even when I'm feeling down about my writing.

5. I will appreciate that I am among a wonderful community of writers. I will appreciate that I have an ideal job that allows me ample time to write. I will appreciate the wonderful writing days and writing moments when I feel like I can actually do it.

I had to write this in list form, I'm not sure why. Happy 2007!

Indies Fight the Good Fight

I was just browsing and found this interesting article about independent bookstores reinventing themselves and their business models to stay competitive. Interesting, and inspiring!

Buy your next book at an indie bookstore and keep these dedicated booksellers alive!

QoW: Goal!

Question of the Week: What are your writing goals for 2007?

My main goal for the new year is to finish a draft of the novel I'm currently working on (*cough* same goal as last year *cough*). I plan on accomplishing this goal with the help of my new plan I came up with on my way to work this morning, which I have decided to call "Breakfast at the 'Bucks." See, last year I did some darn good writing when I used to get up early every morning (*cough* okay, some mornings *cough*) and write for an hour before I left for work. Then that writing strategy died when I moved into a new apartment the size of a handkerchief and had to get rid of my desk, because waking up early and sitting on my couch with my laptop tends to lead to me falling asleep on my laptop. However, thanks to some awesome family members who know that I've taken up semi-permanent residence at my local Starbucks, I received many Starbucks giftcards for Christmas. So my new plan for '07 is to get up early in the morning (some mornings) and do some writing and coffee-drinking before work. Breakfast at the 'Bucks. ("Breakfast with the Stars" was a close second, but I decided to go with alliteration.) This will hopefully last at least until my giftcards run out, by which point I may possibly have the beginnings of a brilliant (*cough* decent *cough*) new novel.

Happy New Year, everyone!!!

QoW: Boys, Boys, Boys

Question of the Week: What are your writing goals for 2007?
Aside from the givens- I want to write more, I want my writing to get better, I want
to get good ideas to write about- I am thinking I’d like to give myself a new kind of writing challenge. I am all about girl writing and girl characters, but this year I’d like to try boy on and see how it fits. I’d like to write a book with a boy protagonist and have it actually sound like a boy’s voice, not a thirty-something woman playing at it.

I have two awesome role models for this: Coe Booth, Lisa Graff and Kathryne Alfred. Never for one second reading their books do I doubt that I am being told a boy’s story in a boy’s voice. Not a single word gives away the fact that these boys have been created by women.

My initial attempts at going for a boy voice have been much less successful. I talk too much about feelings or relationships in ways that only a girl would. You’d think after living with my husband for six years I’d know what boys do and don’t talk about, but somehow when I write, that thirty-something woman just keeps creeping into the scene.

So that is my goal- whether I can actually accomplish it remains to be seen!

Our Very Own Feed!

Good news for all of us who split our time between Blogger and LiveJournal! LJer literaticat has created a feed for The Longstockings!!! This will enable our entries to show up on your LJ friends' page. (BTW, I love the idea of the friends' page because you don't have to remember to check everyone's blog individually, and you don't ever miss anything!)

Also, while you're (hopefully) adding our feed to your friends' page, feel free to add coebooth, jennyhan, and siobhan_says_so, too. We're always up for making new friends!
:-)

Thanks literaticat!

And Happy New Year everybody!!!

Holiday Research

One of the great things about writing is that anything you do, no matter how irrelevant, can be considered "research."

Take Christmas, for example. I've been hard at work on my second novel the past few months, with the goal of finishing my second draft before the new year. Coincidentally, the book takes place during the month of December and the final two chapters are during Christmas. I could write about Christmas all year (and, like Daphne, I have an extensive collection of Christmas carols), but it's so much more fun to write about it now while I'm living it! It's research heaven.

Because my husband and I live in an apartment, our Christmas tree is located conveniently next to my desk. So naturally, instead of turning on my desk lamp, I've been turning on the tree lights in the morning when I get up to write. Talk about mood lighting! Christmas cards have been arriving every few days, we've had holiday parties on the weekends, and we went home to celebrate with our families this past weekend. Nothing puts me in the holiday mood like my stocking, which my great-great aunt knitted for me.

So as I'm putting the final touches on this draft, I'm putting all my holiday "research" to good use, and giving my readers a real taste of Christmas!

Good times

Although I love and prefer independent bookstores, there's something special about the anonymity of Barnes & Noble.

Last week I was at the Union Square Barnes & Noble finishing up some Chanukah shopping. Of course I stopped at the teen section to peruse, and re-shelve books I love that aren't face out. That's one of my favorite things to do at Barnes & Noble. Anyway, so back to last week. Two teenagers were looking around the teen section and the girl said to the guy, "there aren't any good books anymore." It made me laugh because, well, it's obviously not true. And also, what is the 'anymore' they are referring to?

Of course I can't keep my mouth shut, so I go over to them, apologize for over-hearing and butting in. I take them over to the table where TYRELL is sitting, hand both of them copies. They are immediately intrigued. Then I look around to find SHUG. (The girl told me she was fifteen so I figured both TYRELL and SHUG would appeal to her.) When I don't see SHUG, all three of us walk over to the information desk, and the B&N saleswoman tells us they are sold out, but have more on order. I rave to the girl about how awesome SHUG is, and she says she'll look for it at another store. The three of us chat for a few more minutes, and both of them leave with copies of TYRELL.

I don't think I'd do that at a store like Bank Street or Books of Wonder. It's too up close and personal there. Plus the people who work at those stores are very involved in the customers' purchases, anyway.

At Barnes & Noble, I can pretend to be a bookseller. It's fun!

That Holiday Feeling

Cheesy and materialistic though it may be at times, I have to admit that I adore Christmas. I love getting a tree and decorating it, I have so much fun selecting gifts (and I confess to be one of those people who starts Christmas shopping in September) and I have a sick obsession with Christmas carols (my carol CD collection is huge and yes, it drives my family crazy.) And even now in my thirties, I find the day itself absolutely magical. I love the gifts, both getting and giving, the time with my family where we do nothing but hang out and have fun, and the big dinner. And underlying that is also this feeling, this sense of spirit and magic that permeates even the most mundane tasks of the day.

A lot of books do a good job of capturing all this that I love about the holiday, but the one that speaks to me most clearly is a Christmas celebrated by Laura Ingalls and her family in LITTE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE. The family has just settled in the rugged west and their nearest neighbor is their friend Mr. Edwards (don’t think of the guy on the show, this Mr. Edwards is much less bumbling.) Anyway, he was the one who picked up gifts for the kids in the nearest town which is like days away, and he’s supposed to bring the gifts for Christmas but the creek starts to rise and there’s no way anyone can cross it. The kids know this and are sad, but they live in all this hardship and so they put on a good face.

But lo and behold, late that night Mr. Edwards knocks on the door. He’s crossed the creek with his clothes and the gifts tied in a bundle on his head. He tells the kids that he met Santa on the way and that Santa asked him to deliver the gifts. And then they get their stockings stuffed with a cup, a piece of candy, a small cake and a penny. The kids can’t believe how incredible the gifts are. The parents can’t believe that Mr. Edwards was dedicated enough to basically risk his life to get there. And then the family celebrates all that goodness together.

Coming home

Merry Christmas to everyone who is out there reading this and celebrating! I don't celebrate Christmas since I'm Jewish, but I must say I've always had a fascination with the holiday. When I was a little kid, and my family was out at restaurants around Christmas time, the waiter or waitress would always say to me, "Have you been good this year? What do you want Santa to bring you?" And for some reason, I couldn't just answer, "Oh, I'm Jewish. I celebrate Chanukah." Instead, I stared at this nice person completely dumbfounded. Now, I love seeing people buying and selling Christmas trees on the streets of Manhattan. I love seeing everyone rushing around buying gifts. I like the lights and seeing decorated trees through apartment windows. To be honest, I like the whole thing, the season.

I recently read JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen, and I particularly loved the holiday, specifically Christmas scenes in the book. Ms. Dessen paints a beautiful picture when Annabel and her mother go out shopping for the ingredients for the Christmas meal. I felt like I was right there, with them, going into the grocery store. I felt Annabel's annoyance at first, and then her enjoyment.

Most of all, I think Sarah Dessen shows the concept of "coming home" exceptionally well. And that's what I love most about holidays. I love the anticipation, the excitement, either to come home, or for someone else to come home. In JUST LISTEN, it is Annabel's sister Kirsten that is coming home, and there's a great deal of anxiety and anticipation surrounding that. I think that's usually the case, no matter how harmonious the family. There's always that nagging question in the back of our heads, "what will this holiday be like?" "Will everything go as planned?" And usually, it does.

I hope everyone is cozy, smiling, and warm. I hope everyone is happy about coming home, or happy that someone else has come home. I wish it was a white Christmas here in New York. For some reason that's always been a big deal to my mom and to me. I hope it's a white Christmas where you are!