What books should I be reading now?

I have been on a reading frenzy, at least one book a week.

I read:

THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF BERNETTA WALLFLOWER

A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT

PEACHES

A LITTLE FRIENDLY ADVICE

Now what? I want to keep up with my book a week lifestyle because it feels so good to always be reading. But I need some suggestions.

Thanks for your help!
Lisa GW

Los Angeles Times Book Prize Nominees

The Los Angeles Times Book Prize nominees were announced today. Here's the list in the Young Adult Fiction category:

Sherman Alexie

"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" (Little, Brown Young Readers)


Geraldine McCaughrean

"The White Darkness" (HarperTeen)


Walter Dean Myers

"What They Found: Love on 145th Street" (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House)


Kenneth Oppel

"Darkwing" (Eos Books/ HarperCollins)


Philip Reeve

"A Darkling Plain"(The Hungry City Chronicles) (Eos Books/HarperCollins)


The LA Times Book Prize ceremony will be held on Friday, April 25th on the campus of UCLA. Then the Festival of Books begins the following day. This festival is really really a lot of fun. I was so glad (and honored) to get to go last year. (Here's my summary of the whole weekend!)

While I don't remember much about the actual ceremony, I had a lot of fun at the Festival of Books because there were so many famous writers walking around, and sooo many people attended. I was in book-geek heaven!!! (If you live in the area, you must attend this book festival.)

Congratulations to all the nominees! And good luck!

:-)

~Coe~

A totally awesome review for the totally awesome Daphne

Check out this stellar review from real-life teen reader Gela who looooooooved the debut (not-quite-out-yet) novel from our very own Ms. Daphne Grab!

Quote from the review:
"Really, this is an absolute INCREDIBLE book!! Read it!!"

Woot woot! Yay for Daphne! And yay for Gela, for having such excellent taste!!

~lisa graff~

Things I Miss About My Corporate Job

Most writers don't write full time -- they support themselves with a day job. The Longstockings have many different day jobs, from teacher to librarian to nanny to editor, to help pay the bills. When I lived in New York, I worked part time in marketing for a publishing company. But when I moved to DC a few months ago, I had to quit and decided not to look for a new job here since we're expecting a baby this summer.

I thought I had it made. Writing full time had been my dream for years. It seemed like such a luxury, especially knowing that soon I would have a tiny, bald little boss ordering me around again. But as it turns out, there are a few things I miss about my old job.

1. My commute. I thought I wouldn't miss the NYC subway at ALL, but it turns out it was my favorite reading place. My roundtrip commute was about 75 minutes each day, which was a lot of devoted reading time. Sure, I can read whenever I want to now, but I always feel like I could be doing something ELSE, like cleaning or writing or outlining, because I'm at home. On the subway, I was free to just read.

2. The printer. We had a really speedy printer at my job: it could push out an entire manuscript in about 7 minutes. My home printer will often not cooperate long enough to print out mapquest directions, let alone my writing. So I have to beg my husband to print things for me at his office and I'm often stuck editing on my computer which I hate. I like to edit on paper with big thick pen.

3. Office chatter. Even though I didn't love what I did, I worked with a lot of really nice people, and I miss the daily gossip about what was going on with so-and-so, and who had gotten engaged, or gotten a new job, or wanted to go to lunch. Working at home can be LONELY. Even with blogs and email and writing groups.

4. Office supplies. This is a minor point, because I can certainly go to Staples anytime I want to, but my office was always chock full of binder clips and post-its and post-it PENS (my fave). My family gives me these things in my stocking at Christmas every year, but there was something exciting about opening up the supply closet at work and seeing what was new.

My purpose in writing this post is not to bemoan my "rough life" of writing full time, but to remind those who are at their day jobs right this minute that even though they might wish they were somewhere else, there are a lot of cool things about day jobs. Office lunches. Friday morning bagels. Holiday parties. After work drinks. Bonuses. Paid vacation. Paid sick days. 401k plans. Help! I'm talking myself into getting another job!

*caroline hickey

Hooray for Juno!

So I’m writing about the Oscars a day late because I actually didn’t see the last two hours until last night. If I don’t sleep at 10:00 I am a wreck the next day, so despite Oscar love I went to sleep before most of the big awards. But our old VCR worked (it’s finicky so you never know) and I had a blast watching last night. There were disappointments, like Laura Linney not winning best actress (had I seen the winner’s movie I might’ve been more okay with this). But I was very happy to see a pair of New Yorkers get top honors, I thought the story behind the best song winners was sweet, and most of all I was happy JUNO won best original screenplay! I posted of my JUNO love here before and I have to say, it is so satisfying to see something you love get a top award. So often great things pass unacknowledged- so many books and movies I’ve loved have stayed under the radar and that is really frustrating (and I’m sure that much more frustrating for the writers, directors, actors, etc who’ve created them). So today I am going to savor the fact that a story I loved has been honored in a major way!

***
daphne

A writing space of one's own

There was an interesting article in The Times travel section last week. It's definitely cool to visit the writing spaces of authors you admire and respect, dead or alive.

It got me thinking about writing space in general. I live in Manhattan and I'm not rich so I don't have a set aside "writing space." Most of the time I write on my couch with the laptop in my lap. Sometimes I move to the oversized brown chair we have. I do love that chair. I have a desk, but I never write there; I'm not sure why. And it's right next to the window too, so I always feel a little Carrie Bradshaw when I sit there. Other times, I'm at Starbucks.

I often think about my "dream writing space," but I never really nail down a specific image. All I'm sure about is floor to ceiling bookshelves. I love that so much. Also, an oversized chair, and lots of red. Maybe red walls.

I think we've discussed this before on the blog, but I love hearing about other people's "dream writing spaces." So, let's discuss. Tell me about yours!

xoxo
Lisa GW

For those of you who didn't see it, I lifted Jill's question from the comments in the post about advertising and product placement in books.

Jill's question:

Caroline-- Do you feel a book is still fully your own once it is published? What about all the rights you sign away with your publishing contract? --What goes on the cover... who its marketed to and how... edits for language and other sundry issues, all to the publisher's satisfaction-- Isn't publishing itself the biggest writer sponsorship of all?

Caroline's answer:
Jill - That's a very interesting point, but I consider publication more as a production and distribution partner, and not a sponsor.
An author has total control over every word in the manuscript. I don't have to agree to any editorial suggestions or to copyeditor suggestions. While it's true the author rarely has control over the cover or the marketing copy attached to the book, the contents of the book are his or hers alone.

Let's continue the discussion. What do you guys think? I can see both points of view. In a way, when a publisher agrees to publish your work, it is like they are sponsoring you. Kind of like in the olden days, when a wealthy older woman might sponsor a young debutante's coming out-- silk slippers, gowns, invites to balls-- all paid for by the rich dame. But it's still the young deb who has to make a name for herself and become the belle of the ball. She does that on her own. And the author does have control over the final product, but I don't know that I see it as total control. My editor might strongly advise me to make a change-- maybe over language, let's say. She might say that it won't get picked up by book clubs, etc if the word is in the book. And maybe I really want to keep the word, but because of her advice, I'll change it. So I still have control over it, but it's not quite the same as me putting the book out on my own, charting my own course, because I'm listening to other people. I think this can be a very very good thing, having to give up a little control in this way. The book is often the better for it, because let's face it, sometimes they, the powers that be, know better than you. And then, sometimes they don't. At the end of the day, you're the one who has to put your name on it. You have to feel good about what you put out there. People aren't going to say, damn, Harper Collins is a crappy publisher if your book sucks. They're gonna say, you suck. You're the one who has to live with it.

xoxo
Jenny

CASSIE featured in parent/child book club

My first book, CASSIE WAS HERE, was selected this year as a pick for the Mill Pond Parent/Child Book Club. Kelly Williamson, who started the book club, arranged for me to attend its meeting in MA in January to discuss my book. Unfortunately, due to a humungous snowstorm in New England, all flights were canceled and I couldn't make it.

Anyway, a reporter was there for the Telegram and they wrote up a neat article about why parents and kids should keep reading together well beyond the picture-book stage.

They also included a very cool shot of kids in the book club holding up the different books they've been reading, and if you look closely you can see a bunch of CASSIE covers. Yeehaw!


*caroline hickey

Siobhan Vivian is a rockstar!

A Little Friendly Advice has hit bookshelves across the country and people everywhere are falling in love with it.

Check out Little Willow's review of ALFA and a roundtable discussion and an interview with Siobhan!

We love you Siobhan Vivian!


*Lisa GW*

AWESOME ALERT!

Below are two trailers for Neil Gaimen's CORALINE. The film is being directed by Henry Selick of NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS fame. So, you pretty much know it's going to be incredible.

But in case you want proof...Behold, the awesome!

teaser trailer


animation sneak peek

all that AND it's in 3D?! i can hardly wait!

-=siobhan=-

David Levithan, When Do You Sleep?

There's a really lovely article the current Publisher's Weekly magazine featuring my wonderful editor, David Levithan.

Let me just say that David is a writer's dream editor. He is passionate about words, about storytelling. He gives you the freedom to write the books you want to write, and has a knack with editorial where he pulls on a little thread and all comes magically together. He makes you trust yourself. He is inspiring.

But Coe and I have often wondered how the heck DL does what he does. Aside from being the Executive Editorial Director of Scholastic Press and Push, he also writes books galore, organizes a monthly YA reading series at the NYPL, and attends more rock shows than a reporter for Rolling Stone. Oh, and manages to squeeze in a cameo for his upcoming movie.

Other people are equally perplexed. When friends find out that David is my editor they ask things like,

"Is he human?"

"Does he not sleep?"

"Does he possess some kind of magical clock that adds an extra 5 hours to each day?"

I mean, really.

But to DL's credit, he gets all his jobs done, and done with an extraordinary passion that makes you fall in love with books and with writing, even in the toughest of typing times.

That said, I'd better sign off and get to typing. I've got serious work to do on my WIP and I know DL won't look kindly on me being late! I mean, what kind of excuse could I possibly come up with?

-=siobhan=-

Things I Learned from My Copyeditor

I finished reviewing my copyedited draft of ISABELLE'S BOYFRIEND this week, and while going through the copyeditor's notes I learned a thing or two.

1. Dog breeds are not capitalized.
Huh? I'd always assumed that "Golden Retriever" was a proper noun, and therefore required capitals. But noooooo. As I discovered this week, the only part of a dog breed that should be capitalized is its nationality, such as German shepherd, or English springer spaniel. Other than that, it's bichon frise, golden retriever, and poodle. (What makes it extra confusing is that dog breeders ALWAYS capitalize the entire name. Check some websites!)

2. Sibilants.
Raise your hand if you knew what a sibilant was. Probably some of you linguistics majors did, but I sure didn't. I had a note on a line of dialogue that was "hissed" by one of my characters that the line contained no sibilant, and therefore could not be hissed. I deduced the meaning very quickly, but then I decided to look it up and this was the one-liner I found on Wikipedia: A sibilant is a type of fricative or affricate consonant, made by directing a jet of air through a narrow channel in the vocal tract towards the sharp edge of the teeth. Mais oui!

3. Only.
I put the word ONLY consistently in the wrong place. Such as, I only wanted one piece! instead of the correct I wanted only one piece! This one was tricky for me, because the order changes the meaning slightly, at least to my ears.

What have you learned from your copyeditor? Use more commas? (I was short about 700 commas.) Your characters magically change position and clothes in a scene without intending them to? (Um, guilty...)


*caroline hickey

Weblicious

Hi friends!

Just wanted to point you all towards my newly-launched website, siobhanvivian.com. Ain't it so pretty?

Thanks for clicking!

-=siobhan=-

ALAN Book Club -- Tonight!

ALAN is an independent assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), dedicated to the study of Young Adult Literature. Tonight the ALAN Book Club will be discussing TYRELL at 9pm EST. So if you've read the book (or just like a lively online discussion of books), please log in to the ALAN website and jump right into the conversation.

And then next week (on Wednesday, Feb 27th at 9pm EST) the Book Club will chat with me.

The interesting thing about this is that 9pm EST is three o'clock in the morning Swiss time, so when I do the chat next week I predict some hilariously offbeat answers from me. Then the next morning I'll probably read over the transcript and think, "What was I talking about?"

Ha ha.

:-)
~Coe~

Literature or Advertising? Hmmm...

In today's New York Times, there's an interesting article about product placement in books for children and teens. I mean, we all know that the mentioning of particular products is very common in books, and maybe it even adds realism in some way.

But mentioning products and receiving sponsorship money from said companies is a whole 'nother thing, especially when it comes to books for kids. Is it fair to bombard children with advertising in the guise of literature? And is it ethical for authors or publishers to receive money for doing so, especially when the readers aren't always aware of such arrangements?

Check out the article and then come back and let us know what you think!

~Coe~

What takes so long?

Here's an interesting essay about the publication process from The New York Times Sunday Book Review a couple of weeks ago.

Cybils

So I’m a little late to the game but I just discovered that two of my favorite books from 2007 were Cybils winners! A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT was in a lot of ways my ideal book: three dimensional characters with problems that we can all relate to, a strong plot and, best of all, an amazing sense of humor. The book had me laughing out loud (making me look like a lunatic on the subway, but whatever) and the humor was always an organic part of the character and plot, never just in there for a cheap laugh. I think humor can be one of the most powerful ways to express profound emotion in a story, as long as it’s done well. A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT comes pretty close to perfect with it.

I’ve already written about how much I loved Barry Lyga’s BOY TOY so I’ll just say that I am very glad to see it getting a much deserved nod with this award.

And since I love these choices so much, I am now off to read the other Cybils winners!



***
daphne

the final installment of Editorial Anonymous

I'm sad this is the last time I get to post a Teen Wolf picture.
Here is the rest of EA's interview. Enjoy!

We all know not to print our manuscripts in purple ink on pink paper that's been stained with coffee. What's the next step in getting a manuscript ready for the slush? Among the more professional-looking mansucripts, do you see subtle clues that signal to you a manuscript isn't yet quite ready for prime-time? KATHRYNE
Instructions to the illustrator. Major amateur mistake. I do realize it can be an honest mistake, so I won't write a manuscript off entirely for that, but it gives me real pause. I do not want to work with anyone who does not appreciate the creative vision and artistry that the illustrator will bring to the table. Team players only, please.

How do you know if a manuscript is beyond repair? Have you ever seen the same manuscript again and again only to realize that the book won't ever work? What would you tell the author in that situation? LISA GW
Yes, and it's an excruciating situation. But it highlights one of the truths about writing: the real talent of writing is in revision. I've watched a hopeful author flog every last living charm out of a manuscript through successive revisions.
This is due to not knowing what's strong about your own work. Writing is about self-awareness, and you aren't going to get far in the craft without that. Heck, even the guy who wrote Rambo knows what his problem is.


What is the best way for authors to approach their editors when concerned about potentially misdirected marketing campaigns or cover art that may not target the desired audience? How much input should an author expect to get? COE
I am always, always willing to listen to an argument for (or against) a plan of action if it is logically and politely put. If an author reacts in anger or from any purely emotional place--rather than a well-reasoned, we're-all-on-the-same-team-here place, he/she isn't giving me the information I need in order to work on a compromise.
It's important to remember that compromise is one of the tools of editors' jobs. In the same way that carpenters want to hit things with hammers, editors want to help the team help the book. If we have to have a serious discussion with the Design or Marketing Departments, though, we need ammunition. Giving us a well-thought-out and well-intentioned argument gives us that ammunition.

Annnnd that's all she wrote, folks. EA, thanks again for hanging out. We love it when people come hang out with us.
xoxo Jenny

Catching Up With Alaya Dawn Johnson

Alaya Dawn Johnson is the author of Racing the Dawn, her debut teen fantasy novel that has been receiving a lot of excellent reviews! Here's a brief synopsis:

Racing the Dark is set in a land of volcanoes and earthquakes, plagues and typhoons, of island nations bound by fear of the spirits they imprisoned to control their volatile environment. Lana, a teenaged girl on a nameless backwater island, finds an ominous blood-red jewel that marks her as someone with power, setting in motion events that drive her away from her family and into an apprenticeship with a mysterious one-armed witch. Lana begins to learn the spells and incantations, each of which requires some form of sacrifice from the person who employs it. As Lana becomes more powerful, she is deceived into a sacrifice she is unwilling to make — the life of her own mother. When Lana dares to use a dark, ancient spell to save her mother's life, she is set onto a path toward becoming a creature beyond her wildest imaginings. This is an unforgettable coming-of-age story set in a world where wielding the power of magic requires understanding the true meaning of sacrifice.

Sounds good, right?

Well, if you can't wait to get started reading it, you can actually read the first three chapters here. Then you're going to have to buy the book to read the rest!

Alaya is a faithful reader of The Longstockings and one of my writing partners, well, when we're not driving around Yonkers looking for vegetarian restaurants, that is! Alaya is on her first ever book tour and she stopped by for a quick interview.

1) Congratulations on the publication of your first novel! How did you get started writing, and what drew you to the world of teen fantasy?

I attempted my first novel in dictation when I was seven-- it was a mystery starring a young singer (think Britney Spears in the Mickey Mouse Club) who crashes on a desert island with her older sister and has to survive. I was sure it was going to be published in a few months and make me famous, but my dad discovered that I'd been recording this lost masterpiece over his classical music tapes, and the dream was deferred. Which is to say, I decided I wanted to write novels almost as soon as I discovered I liked to read them, and young adult literature has always been my particular favorite. I think my very first YA fantasy was Half Magic by Edgar Eager, which pretty much changed my life, because after that I was always after more mysterious "fantasy stuff". Then I discovered the incomparable Diana Wynne Jones and my life was over. Hexwood, Dogsbody, The Homeward Bounders, The Lives of Christopher Chant...I spent sixth grade in heaven. I never "grew out" of YA fantasy, and when I sat down to write my own novels that type of story seemed to flow naturally. Ultimately, I think that most authors write what they want to read, and I'm no exception. I love strong female characters, tight POVs, epic implications but tight focus, and so that's what I wrote.

2) Who are your literary influences? And who are your current favorites?

Well, I already mentioned Edgar Eager and Diana Wynne Jones as major influences. Some of my other favorites are Philip Pullman, Tanith Lee (Claidi Journals, Unicorn Trilogy, The Silver Metal Lover), Patricia McKillip, Guy Gavriel Kay (not strictly YA, but amazing), Megan Whalen Turner, Sheryl Jordan (Winter of Fire) and a bunch of others. Recently, I've really enjoyed Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey, The Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale and Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle trilogy.


3) It's still not very common to find people of color in fantasy novels, although it's not as rare as it once was. How did you decide on the ethnicity of your main characters and the dominant culture of your island world?

I once tried to write a by-the-numbers "school and war" fantasy novel (think Tamora Pierce's Lioness Quartet, or most of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar novels) when I was thirteen years old. The plot was utterly predictable, but the characters were all black, and at that time I had never read an epic fantasy novel starring people of color.

My concerns had changed by the time I sat down to write Racing the Dark (for one, I'd be happy to never read another "school and war" novel again), but I still wanted to bring people of color into a novel with epic fantasy elements. I started writing it while I was studying abroad in Japan, and I brought elements of that culture into the story (specifically, the famous ama pearl divers) in addition to Polynesian elements.

I always knew that my main characters weren't white. The story wouldn't work in my head unless both the world and the characters fit this particular non-western model. I don't think that having POC characters necessarily makes a fantasy novel any more worthy of consideration than another, but it does fill a gap. It upset me as a teenager that no one could bother writing these types of novels with people who weren't white. There's a certain element of the invisibility of privilege, I suppose. But if nothing else, the more fantasy that's published with non-white characters, the more non-white fans will feel welcome in the genre.

4) The environment and the threat of natural disasters hover in the background of your novel, right up until the surprising ending. Did you do this intentionally?

I didn't begin the novel with the intention of addressing the environment, but I wasn't very far along when I realized the sociological implications of the world I had constructed, and the nature of the dangers that Lana and her family face. I essentially used the religion of the world as a loose allegory of the many complications humans face when we attempt to control our environment by "unnatural" means. In the modern era, this means technology. In Racing the Dark, this means that the civilization has imprisoned the very spirits that they once worshipped. When the spirits, a thousand years later, try to break free natural disasters naturally ensue. If the environment is too harsh, civilization can't survive, but were humans right to try to control it in the first place?

At the beginning of the story, my main character becomes a refugee from her home, which has been virtually destroyed by increasing salinity in the surrounding ocean. Natural disasters, unfortunately, cause refugee crises all the time, but you rarely see these situations in fantasy novels. And as you hint, the problems in the first novel are little hiccups in comparison to the disasters to come. Lana is going to find herself pitted against the environment, and eventually, she'll have to decide which side she'll support.

5) What's the best piece of writing advice you'd like to pass along to our readers?

It's a lot harder to see a story all the way through than it is to start it. If you've finished a novel-- no matter how raw and unpolished-- it's a major accomplishment. And the more you finish, the easier it gets to see a project through (not that it's ever easy, but at least you have the comfort of knowing that you've done it before.) I mean, it's good to read writing advice and join writer's groups and critique and edit. You really can't get published without it. But finish your story first! Don't endlessly rewrite your opening scenes, send your stories to your friends for constant critiques and then get discouraged and stop writing your story. If you have a story that you really think needs to be written, then do it. I know too many talented writers who have never managed to really pursue their dreams because they haven't been able to just sit down, stop procrastinating, and write the story.

If you're having a hard time keeping up the energy to write an original story without any feedback, you might try (cautiously) dabbling in fanfic. It obviously won't help you get published, but it can give you enough self-confidence to keep up the longer slog on original work. Good luck!

6) What's next for you?

Racing the Dark is the first of The Spirit Binders trilogy, and I'm now working on Book Two. Along with a bunch of other projects, actually. I've had so many stories competing for space in my head that I've just decided to compromise and write all of them. Right now on my desktop I have a roaring twenties vampire novel featuring genies and social activists, a YA fantasy novel about a female painter in a world like the Flemish renaissance, and about five or six short stories! Also, I write some book reviews and short short stories in my blog. So it's been pretty busy lately, but always a lot of fun!

***

Alaya's book tour is currently on the West Coast. She'll be reading and signing and answering questions, so definitely come out and see her. Here's where she'll be:

February 15 (today!!!), 5:30. Dark Carnival Bookstore, 3086 Claremont Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705.

February 19, 2008 – 7:00pm. University Book Store, 4326 University Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98105

February 21, 2008 – 7:00pm. In Other Words Bookstore, 8B NE Killingsworth, Portland, OR 97211

Thanks for stopping by, Alaya. And Good Luck on the rest of your tour!

:-)

~Coe~

Going a-bloggin' for Valentine's Day

To celebrate the recent release of my second book, this week I traveled all the way across the blogosphere to visit three of my very favorite bloggers for the Bernetta Wallflower Valentine's Day Blog Tour O'Rama (yeah, okay, it wasn't really named that. I just made that up now...). Anyway, be sure to check out my fun-filled pit stops at Miss Erin, Mother Reader, and Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

And here's your last chance to enter the Bernetta Wallflower Con Artist Giveaway -- the contest closes at midnight tomorrow (and not a second later!). Lots of great stories of debauchery have been shared so far, so keep 'em rolling in, please!!

~lisa graff~

the NEXT installment: EA cont...

So my question was SO sophistocated and fancy it got its own day-- um, riiiiight. The truth is, EA's answer was so sophistocated and fancy and in-depth, it got its own day.
Boo-yah! Here's the middle segment of our interview with Editorial Anonymous.

Who gets what and why? When it comes to marketing and publicity, how do you decide who gets all the good stuff? And what kind of stuff do you think carries the most weight-- a tour versus print advertising, for ex? JENNY

As many authors know, marketing does take into account which titles carry a high advance and/or high print run. Those titles have to sell through. But that's not the only consideration. Marketing is eagerly looking for the titles that started life as ok-potential mid-listers, but which through the magic of great illustration and design and smart editorial guidance suddenly have a great deal more traction in the marketplace.

Want to get the big marketing push--the "carrot"-- without the "stick" of a high advance or print run? Write something with really great hook.
A couple people on the blog were recently talking about whether or not the books that end up featured by the big chains are "the cream of the crop". And the answer is of course they are; and of course they aren't. If you mean the cream of the crop in terms of great writing or art, of course not. In those terms, the featured books are a very mixed bag. But if you mean the cream of the crop in terms of saleability, that's much closer to the mark. But that's not to say that you can't have great writing and illustration and hook--indeed the better the hook, the better my chances of matching your manuscript with a great (and possibly expensive) illustrator.
Some authors seem to feel that "hook" is beneath them, but it isn't beneath anyone. Don't think of it in terms of dollar signs; think of it in terms of the number of kids you'll get to share your creation with.

Regarding the relative effectiveness of tours vs print ads, it depends on the situation. If you think a title has a good chance at a Caldecott, it's a good idea to put an ad in the Horn Book reminding its readership that The Wall (for instance) got six starred reviews. If you've got a grassroots indie hit on your hands and are hoping to take it to the next level, sending bookstores kits for authorless events is smart. And if you've hopelessly overpaid for a NYT bestselling adult author to write a mediocre children's novel, then touring the author and getting as many booksellers drunk as possible is really the only way to go.

Stay tuned, dear readers, for the final, chilling segment of our interview with Editorial Anonymous, aka Teen Wolf.
xoxo Jenny

book stalking 101

how to stalk your just-released debut novel in eight easy-peasy steps

STEP ONE: call bookstore. pretend not to be author, because that's way too goofy. casually ask how many copies of your novel they have on hand. try not to squee when employee mentions that copies are on the table.

STEP TWO: allow excitement and giddyness to float your body over to bookstore.

STEP THREE: approach table with caution, as actual teens are there perusing.

STEP FOUR: resist urge to hug teen when she picks up your book, right in front of you.

STEP FIVE: bury face in scarf when teen looks at author photo on back flap.

STEP SIX: resist urge to cry when she puts book back down.

STEP SEVEN: when teens walk away, stand and admire. snap a picture when no one is looking.

STEP EIGHT: do not bother to pinch yourself, as you already have proof that dreams can come true.

-=siobhan=-

I Hate it When This Happens

I had an amazing time at our retreat and got lots of work done on my newest WIP. I was at the very beginning stages so I spent most of my time in an Adirondack chair on the beach, jotting down ideas and listening to seagulls. Ideas were flowing, I was filling up pages and all was good.

And then I got home, took out my pages of notes and ideas, and started putting them into an outline. And about a page into it I got that feeling, the one that starts low in my gut and balloons, the one that says "why would anyone in the world care about this story? It's small and silly and none of it is going to matter to a single reader." I try to shake it off, thinking, "well, there's this and this and this, wouldn't that be compelling?" But the doubt is already there, seeping into each idea and making it seem like th dumbest idea for a book ever.

And now I can't write a word. Of course it is possible that it is the dumbest idea for a book ever but it's also possible that I'm just getting cold feet at the prospect of starting something new. Anyone have ideas on how to shake this off?

**
daphne

life just got a whole lot better.

It's no secret that us Longstockings like our Starbucks. It's not that we aren't pro indie, because we are, but there's something to be said for always finding a place to park your computer, sans dirty looks. Plus, I bring a sandwich and no one bats an eye. We affectionately refer to our fave Starbucks as The Dungeon. It's dark, it's dank, but you get a whole lotta work done down there. And things may be looking up in The Dungeon, because... Starbucks is offering free wireless this spring in over 7000 stores!

Starbucks Card holders (basically just prepay cards for coffee, tea, etc., purchases), will be entitled to two hours of free WiFi a day, while current AT&T broadband users will have unlimited free access to the WiFi service. AT&T is also allowing current T-Mobile customers to keep using hotspots at no extra cost.

Boom shocka locka!

xoxo
Jenny

Writing Retreat: A Photo Essay

Five of the Longstockings trekked to Cape May, NJ this weekend where we'd rented a house right smack on the beach. (Some of you may recall our last retreat, which proved disastrous thanks to the world's most lunatic B&B owner.) Renting a house meant slightly more work--cooking, cleaning, changing sheets--but total privacy, a fireplace we kept lit 24/7, and views galore!

We took a 3-day weekend to leave time for walks on the beach and long dinners in Cape May, but mostly we worked. We typed, we made notes, we discussed outlines with each other, we fretted over marketing and pub dates and next books, and in general luxuriated in a whole long weekend of obsessing over our favorite thing--writing.

We managed to squeeze in equal parts work time and play time, a few mimosas, and some Pride & Prejudice on Masterpiece theater. But the most important part of any retreat is planning the next one, which will be held at Chez Hickey in DC!



*caroline hickey

EA COMES TO VISIT: We are officially awesome.

So the illustrious, notorious Editorial Anonymous agreed to do an interview with the Longstockings. If you don't know who Editorial Anonymous is, you are kinda dumb. Just kidding! EA is an anonymous editor (duh) who has a very honest, very no-holds-barred kind of blog. The best kind! We have no idea who EA is-- EA could be Teen Wolf for all we know. All we know is EA is cool.

So of course we were thrilled to pieces and we eagerly shot her/him 8 questions, one from each of us. We wanted to talk about the biz, manuscripts, everything. So we asked and boy did we receive! (S)he was totally generous and gave us amazing in-depth answers, so I am gonna tease yall and give you the first half today... and then you're gonna have to come back for the second half! SUCKERS!

Ready set go.

When an aspiring writer meets an editor at a conference, what's one thing to do and one thing to absolutely NOT to do? SIOBHAN

If we're talking about a social setting in which more than one author is present, I do expect authors to keep the topic of conversation in the realm of things that might interest anyone who decides to join the conversation. So general conversations about publishing (as long as they do not get bitter and whining) are fine. But the moment I feel you're asking for information specific to your manuscript's needs or topic ("Which publishers do you think would be interested in a fantasy novel about WWII in which all the characters are griffins?") I'm going to start resenting you.
Do come off as a nice, professional person. You may not have noticed, but there are a number of authors out there who couldn't approximate this with both hands and the lights on.


How many people know your true identity? DAPHNE

Two, both related to me. There's no point in being anonymous if you aren't going to take it seriously.

What is your biggest pet peeve as an editor? LISA G

People who think their brush with the media (whether full-time "I'm a news anchor!" or tangential "that event in the 1970s that the NYT recently referenced? I organized that!") will mean that I will care more about their marketability than their what-do-you-call-it... manuscript, and who call me up to give me the sales pitch. I pretty much hate anyone who isn't an agent and calls me to pitch things. It's an agent's job to pitch things. It's an author's job to read the submission guidelines.

When editing a MG or YA novel, what is the most common challenge you have working with an author? What do you wish more authors did when revising their books? CAROLINE

This varies from book to book, but it's not uncommon to have to talk to authors about developing secondary characters' backstory in the author's own head. That backstory isn't going to come out in the text in more than small hints, but it makes a meaningful difference to the author's attitude toward those characters, and that definitely does come through in the text.


to be continued...
xoxo Jenny

For Your Ears Only

Libba Bray discusses many things, including writing in coffee shops, how journaling sparked her writing career, how she feels about ending the Gemma Doyle trilogy, and she even gives us a hint about her next novel, GOING BOVINE.

Wanna listen? Click here.

:-)

~Coe~

How Did I Miss This One???

INEXCUSABLE by Chris Lynch is the story of Kier Sarafian, a high school senior and football star. His mother died when he was very young and he is being raised by his father, an immature man who drinks way too much. In fact, Kier and his father are more like frat brothers than anything else.

In the beginning of the book, Kier is in a room with a girl named Gigi, and he is trying to convince her (and the reader) that whatever happened between them was not his fault, that he did nothing wrong, that he is not the kind of guy who would ever hurt a girl. Meanwhile, Gigi is crying and screaming at him, telling him she said no.

Throughout the rest of the novel, Kier goes back a few months and describes his life and all the events that led up to that night in the room with Gigi, a girl he claims to be in love with. The reader finds out more about his family life (including his two sisters who have gone away to college and never looked back), his school life (including a terrible football tackle he made that left another student paralyzed), and his internal struggle with emotions he doesn't understand and doesn't know how to handle.

Kier's voice is so completely believable, and his unreliability as a narrator is shocking and almost heartbreaking at times. He wants to explain why he did what he did, he wants to be understood, he wants to believe that he is basically good. It is that voice that carries this story and makes it hard to put down. And hard to forget.

Really, I cannot recommend this book enough. It was a finalist for the 2005 National Book Awards and I can see why! If this one got past you too, you MUST read it. Take my word for it!

:-)

~Coe~

Zoinks! NEW BARNES AND NOBLE RETURN POLICY

Yesterday, I was in my local B&N to pick up a magazine. After I was rung up, the cashier circled something on the back of my receipt in red pen.

"Please take note of our new return policy," she said.

As I walked out, another sales person perched at the front door handed me a flyer. It was also about the new return policy, and had the same stuff printed on it, but in a bigger, bolder and more flyer-y manner.

Here's the scoop...

Starting March 1st, you will only be able to return a book within 14 days of purchase. After 14 days, you will not be allowed to return OR exchange a book! You are totally stuck with it...even if you have a receipt!

This kind of blew my mind! Especially because, just one day earlier, I got a belated birthday present of DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, purchased from B&N with no gift receipt. Since I already own it, I planned on exchanging the book for the sequel. If this happened 30 days from now, I'd be S.O.L.!

I also find it curious that B&N is handing out flyers galore, but hasn't put anything about this change in policy on their website. Hmmm...

On the other side of the coin, it might be a good thing for writers. Less returns mean less of a chance for the store to send back unsold copies of your book. *bites finger* Right?

What do you think?

-=siobhan=-

A 3-hour Brunch... A 3-hour Brunch...

I didn't know brunch could BE three hours, but when you get a group of children's book enthusiasts talking about the winners and honorees of the Caldecott, Newbery and Printz awards you get some OPINIONS.

The DC Kidlit Group (well, the eight of us who could make it), met this past Saturday to discuss awards, writing news, recent good reads, and cappacinos. Because our group is a mix of specialists -- public librarians, school librarians, book buyers, authors, academics, bloggers, and more -- we were really able to dig into the books from different angles. We heard some great stories from our book buyer about being on the phone with her sales reps at the crack of dawn to order the winners as they were being announced at ALA, as well as some anecdotal stories about which prize picks students and kids are really asking for. There was a lot of back and forth about other good books that didn't make the list, and I'm pretty sure every one of us walked away with a list of books to run out and get immediately!!

Next on the DC Kidlit agenda is Susan's DC Kidlit Book Club (early March), and then our next meeting, which will be at the end of March.

Hope to see some of you there!

*caroline hickey

(Pictured from L to R: Susan Kusel, Louise Simone, Caroline Hickey, Gina Montefusco (seated), Pam Coughlan, Anamaria Anderson, Tami Brown (seated), Sara Holmes.)

Liz Gallagher Stops By

My 2k8 classmate Liz Gallagher has been in a whirlwind since her awesome book, THE OPPOSITE OF INVISIBLE, came out a few weeks ago. But she still found the time to stop by and tell us the most embarrassing thing she ever did to get a guy's attention:

OK, soul baring here! My character in The Opposite of Invisible, Alice, feels as if she's invisible.That's how I felt a lot of the time in high school, too. I didn't know how to let what was in my mind show in front of most people. I was what my mom calls "reserved" and I call "shy." Once I warmed up to people, I was a lot of fun (still am!) but I do have a bit of a shell that new friends -- especially guys -- need to want to break through to get to my sweet, nougatey core (so to speak). I never had a boyfriend in high school; I never even had a date to a dance. But that doesn't mean I didn't have crushes! And, oh, yeah, I tried to get noticed. The most embarrassing thing I remember doing (I've blanked a lot of embarrassing things out, I'm sure!) was for a guy at the summer camp where I worked. It was Fudgsicle day. He wasn't around during the treat time, so I went to find him. I told him about the Fudgsicles like it was the best thing ever, so he went to get one and I followed him into the cabin with the cooler because I knew no one would be in there. Then I basically tried to start a conversation with him. I just stood there in the doorway, though, not speaking. Yeah, it didn't work at all. Note to readers: luring boys into cabins is not a great way to get them to want to talk to you. Especially when there are Fudgsicles around, because food is the one thing that can distract boys from girls!

That is so totally the kind of thing I did in high school- the plan that seems so smart in the moment and then is a total flop. I have to say it's a lot funner to write about high school than it was to live through those mistakes!

You can learn more about Liz here, and her beautiful book is in stores everywhere.

***
daphne

Notes from the slush pile: Query letters that stink

Someone just sent me a query letter doused in bad perfume. Now I have a headache and my desk is going to smell for a week. Boooooooo.

On A Bicycle Built For (Book) Two

Writing buddies are a wonderful thing. I believe it's really important to have a friend whose feedback you trust, whose company you enjoy, who motivates you to keep typing.

Jenny and I live around the block from each other, and over the past year and a half, we've had lots of writing dates. In the past, we've been working on different types of projects for different audiences, been in completely different phases in the process. We'd talk some, type some, then order cupcakes from Baked in Red Hook. It was lovely.

But lately, all that has changed.

Through some weird coincidence, Jenny and I have found ourselves in the very same position. Both of us are working on our second books, with the same first draft due date. We're each about half-way through. We're also both a little burnt out. But we know we have to keep going.

Our writing dates have become more frequent and waaay less casual. Now, we usually meet at least three times a week to write, share our latest (and very rough) pages, and give rudimentary feedback. We don't really talk much. It's serious business.

I told her today that it's like we're on a bicycle built for two, and we're peddling up a steeeeeep hill.

I've heard authors complain about the sophmore slump. I am definitely suffering. I'm way too in my own head, completely freaked out about the upcoming release of ALFA, and afraid I'll never be able to write that good again. It is almost paralyzing.

Thank goodness Jenny is right there with me, peddling our tandem bike, pushing me forward with a nice compliment or a great idea for a story beat I'm missing. I know I do the same for her. We keep cheering and peddling and pushing each other to get to the finish line. It makes such a difference, knowing we're both going through it together. And I really mean together...down to the fact we're both on page 127.

So, here's to writing buddies and seeing it through to the end together! And also, here's to booking a buddy package at the spa to celebrate once we get there! We work hard AND we play hard.

-=siobhan=-

The Middle School Play

Last week I went to the Middle School play at the school where I work. They put on Murder by Indecision by Daniel O'Donnell. I wasn't familiar with the play before I went to see it, so I had no idea I would relate to it as much as I did.

Here's a brief summary of the play courtesy of PioneerDrama.com: Age has caught up with Agatha Crispy, the world's best known mystery playwright, as she attempts to crank out her newest and last manuscript. Senility is setting in and the words just don't flow like they used to. Ignoring her pestering agent Ruth Less, Agatha sits down to write, wrestling with her characters and babbling to her imaginary friend Typy, the typewriter. As she struggles through the first few pages of her play, Miss Maple, Inspector Dryfus and all her characters come to life on stage, then crumple with every balled-up page tossed into the trashcan. When she stops typing, her characters take on a life of their own, lamenting how Agatha is ruining their reputation in the literary world with this last flop of a manuscript.

Characters coming to life? Writers block? Talking to your typewriter? Hello?! This is me on an almost daily basis! The students were adorable, and it was so much fun to see this play. It was also pretty refreshing and comforting.

It got me thinking too. What would my characters be like if they came to life? Would they like me? Hate me? It's fun to think about. What do you think your characters would be like if they came to life?

*Lisa GW*

Winter Retreat 2008

So five out of eight Longstockings are about to embark on our first retreat of the year. Since we got burned last time, we've decided to take a break from bed and breakfasts and rent out a beach house instead. This way, we can cook our own food and take dancing breaks and pretty much have the run of the place! The house is in Cape May, and it is LOVELY. It's right on the beach and it even has a karokee machine! I know I for one have really got to buckle down and make some magic happen this retreat-- I am at about the halfway mark on my SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY and I'm hoping to get a good chunk done this weekend! So yeah, I will be working really hard, but we'll also have time in the schedule for breaks! We definitely need time for a teen movie or two-- you know, to inspire us and all. Here's what I'm bringing from my collection, so we have some options:


the ULTiMATE high school movie. Sex. Clothes. Popularity. Whatever.


adrian grenier before Entourage= ADORABLE. Plus, hello, Clarissa knows all!


pilot episode of Freaks & Geeks is pretty much the best ever. high school at its funniest, sweetest, realest.


Anyone have any suggestions??

xoxo Jenny

The BERNETTA WALLFLOWER Con Artist Giveaway: Get Something Good for Being Bad!!

*Awesomeness Alert!* My second book, The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower, just came out this week. Yahoo!!!!!

To celebrate the arrival of the book (which is about a twelve-year-old girl who becomes a con artist for the summer to earn her tuition to private school) I've decided to have a contest. A contest with a really awesome giveaway prize.

All you have to do to enter is tell me a tale about something awful you've done in the past. Something wicked. Something terrible. Or something... well, just kind of hysterically stupid. And what can you win for your dastardly deeds? This spectacular Beginner's Con Artist Kit: 

Inside you will find everything you need to begin your new life as a true-blue con artist:

1. Five bottles of brightly colored nail polish (because a con artist should always have lots of options)

2. A brand new deck of cards (to practice your sleight-of-hand and keep you nimble)

3. A talking piggy bank (so you can keep track of all that hard-earned cash)

4. A bag of Ghirardelli's chocolate squares (because chocolate is always nice to have around)

5. A Deluxe-Edition DVD of The Sting (because where else are you going to learn all the right moves?)

6. And, of course, your very own autographed copy of The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower.

Two runners-up will also receive autographed copies of my book.

For full details, as well as how to enter, visit my blog. The contest ends Friday, February 15, so hurry up and tell me all your horrible secrets already!

~lisa graff~

28 Days of Children's Literature!!!

Today is the official beginning of Black History Month, and over at The Brown Bookshelf they are launching an exciting new campaign called Twenty-Eight Days Later, a Celebration of Children's Literature. This is such a great idea! Each day of the month they will spotlight African American authors and illustrators, both new and established, well-known and brand-spankin' new! And there will be tons of book giveaways, too!!!

The Brown Bookshelf was founded by Paula Chase-Hyman (the author of SO NOT THE DRAMA and DON'T GET IT TWISTED), Varian Johnson (author of A RED POLKA DOT IN A WORLD FULL OF PLAID and MY LIFE AS A RHOMBUS), Don Tate (illustrator of over 25 books, including SURE AS SUNRISE: STORIES OF BRUH RABBIT AND HIS WALKIN' TALKIN' FRIENDS), Kelly Starling Lyons (author of ONE MILLION MEN and NEATE: EDDIE'S ORDEAL), and Carla Sarratt (author of FRESHMAN FOCUS).

I'm very honored to be among the authors they will feature this month. (My interview will be on February 22nd.) And, yes, there will be copies of TYRELL given away!

Today, the brilliant Christopher Paul Curtis is in the spotlight. I love this man's work. I recently had the opportunity to hear him speak at the NCTE Convention and he was just so funny and touching and insightful - - just like his books! So pop over to The Brown Bookshelf today and check it out. And keep checking all month.

I really love this campaign. Please pass the word and let as many people know about this as possible, especially those who work with young people. Let's help make this a big success, and hopefully, an event we can look forward to each year.

:-)
~Coe~