Janet Sumner Johnson

Top Writing Blogs

2012-01-26T08:55:00.000-05:00

Right now, ecollegefinder is holding a vote for the top writing blogs. You can go vote for your favorite by clicking on the little badge below.

Online Colleges

You have until Feb. 3, and you can actually vote for multiple blogs and on a daily basis.

Some of my favorite writing blogs are listed (Miss Snark's First Victim and Shallee McArthur), while others I love (Literary Rambles and Janice Hardy's blog) are missing. Someone kindly nominated my blog as well, but no pressure to vote for me.

So my questions to you are:

1) What makes a top writing blog? and

2) If you were nominating your favorite/most helpful writing blog, who would you nominate?

Who Do You Tell?

2012-01-23T06:12:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I saw a license plate I could identify with:

KIDS BKS

Of course, for the full effect, you needed to read the custom license plate frame. Above the plate it read: "I love creating," and then below was a web address. I was driving at the time, so I unfortunately don't remember the address.

In short: I love creating kids books.

Aha! I thought. A kindred spirit right in front of me. But then it made me wonder. Is she/he published? Not published? What kinds of kids stories do they write? And with all these questions, I wondered if I would have the moxy to make that MY license plate?

I remember reading a post by Hilary Wagner, author of Nightshade City, shortly after she got a book deal. She confessed that she didn't tell anyone she wrote until after she had an agent. That post really made me think, because I, like her, didn't want to tell anyone about it until I'd had some tangible success.

At that point, I kept a family blog, but not one to chronicle my writing. Only direct family (and critique partners) knew my secret. I felt comfortable with that. It's better this way, I told myself. Less to explain. But what I found was that I was withholding a significant part of myself from people I really cared about. Standoffish is probably the best word to describe how I felt.

For me, that wasn't okay, so I changed some things.

I remember the first time I told a friend that I was writing a book. I steeled myself for the reaction. You know, that credulous look that says, "you really think you can write a book good enough to be published?"

It never came. Instead, she said, "Actually, that doesn't surprise me." She asked all kinds of questions about what I was writing, my writing process, and what my plans were. And I realized that people who care will always be interested. Always believe you can succeed.

Because that's what friends do.

I still don't tell just anyone, but I don't withhold it from my friends either. So back to the original question: would I choose a license plate like this?

The answer is probably not. At least not yet.

What about you? Who do you tell that you write?

This is SO Not My 850th Post

2012-01-19T06:48:00.001-05:00

Flipping through my Blogger Dashboard yesterday, I happened on Elana Johnson's post, titled: What Does One Blog About for Post #850? (For the record, we're not related. We checked. Still, I fondly think of her as my amazing little cousin.)

So wow. That's a lot of posts. And that's a question (minus the #850 part) that I (and other bloggers, I'm quite sure) ask all the time. So today I give you my list of what to blog on when you've got nothin'.

Share a Personalized License Plate (duh!).
Piggyback off someone else's blog post (clever, that).
Find a picture and make a post out of it. (Joanne at Whole Latte Life is excellent at this).
Share an embarrassing moment from your life.
Share a favorite quote.
Share an inspirational moment from your life.
Do an "Awards" post. You know all those awards floating around, right? Surely you forgot to pass one of them forward. And if you didn't really get one, just pretend. Who's going to know, right? ;)
Make up your own award and give it to someone.
Spotlight your favorite blogger.
Spotlight one of your heros.
Let your readers ask you questions that you promise to answer truthfully (a blogging-world favorite).
Talk about the people-watching you did at the grocery store (or from your front porch if you're in a pinch).
Comment on a bit of news you read/heard.
Close your eyes then open them. Now write an essay on the first physical object that you see. You can talk about how it inspires you. (ex: Toothbrush. How inspiring that a toothbrush works day in an day out and wears itself out just to keep you from getting gingivitis).
Tell a joke.
Comment on a favorite movie (bonus if you relate it to writing).
Tell a cute kid story.
Tell about that time that you lied to your mom about hitting that baseball through the window, then blamed it on your . . . oh wait. Mom, I totally did not do that. Really.
Start a story and ask your readers to each add a sentence.
Post a picture of yourself when you were young. Be sure to include a funny story about yourself.
Share a song that inspires you.
Have a contest/Give something away.
Videotape yourself doing something crazy (why, I do believe that's called a vlog!).

Okay, okay. I'm going to stop there because I can hear that snoring back there. Yeah, I mean you! So what do you do when you've got nothing?

Switching Things Up

2012-01-16T06:21:00.001-05:00

Photo Credit

Last Saturday, my husband and I went bowling with our good friends. We played two games. The first we played normally, and it was fun. We enjoyed it.

But the second . . . the second one we switched things up. We bowled left-handed (we were all right-handed normally). It was hilarious! Infinitely more fun, even though our scores were a lot lower (okay, two of us might have done a little better than expected), but the gaffes were great. The flying-arc ball. The flip-out-of-the-gutter ball (twice!). The directly-into-the-gutter ball. The slow-rolling strike.

Anyway, So while I'm sure you're all wildly interested in our bowling night, I really wanted to compare this to writing (surprise, surprise).

As humans, I think we tend to do things the way we've always done them. And that includes writing. Of course, there's nothing WRONG with that. But sometimes changing things up just a little can have a big impact.

I mean, on Saturday, we didn't change the activity. We still went bowling. We didn't even change any of the rules of the game. We simply changed one thing, and that made all the difference.

So if your writing feels a little stale to you . . . or it's just not as fun as it used to be, why not change something up? Here are some ideas:

Change where you write.
Change your ink color.
Switch to writing by hand (or vice versa if needed)
If you outline, write without one.
If you don't outline, try making one.
Change the setting of your story.
Write with a partner.
Tell the story from a different POV (1st vs. 3rd, or from a minor character's POV).
Work on a different story altogether.
Work on that story you're dying to write . . . but are afraid of.
Try a different form of writing (Picture book, poetry, short story, novel in verse, vignette, flash fiction, SO MANY OPTIONS!)

What small changes have you made that really helped your writing?

IM AWSME

2012-01-12T06:34:00.001-05:00

Over the past week, I've seen this license plate twice:

IM AWSME

I laughed when I first saw it. "Some's not lacking for confidence," I thought. But the more I think about it, the more I love it.

Because why shouldn't we all think that of ourselves? Why shouldn't we have the confidence to know that we are awesome? And that means you!

You are awesome for your individuality (I'm talking polka dots in a sea of white).
You are awesome for that talent of yours everyone admires.
You are awesome for that thing you do when you get nervous.

In short, you are awesomesauce on a platter!

And just to be clear, one person's awesomness has nothing to do with another person's awesomeness. We don't have to compare ourselves to anybody. No two people are the same (not even identical twins!). No two people will travel the same path in this life. And that is GOOD! Who would want to do exactly what someone else has done? Where's the adventure in that?

So remember, YOU ARE AWESOME!

When's the last time you reminded yourself how awesome you are?

Not Quite Twitterpated

2012-01-09T06:09:00.001-05:00

So I did it. I finally took the plunge and signed up for a Twitter account.

For the past month now, I have been peeking in, scrolling through the tweets and trying to figure out what in the world half of them are saying. Perhaps I should have read "Twitter for Dummies" (that's got to exist, right?) before launching in.

I think I got the @ symbols, but the pound signs? Or are they called hashtags (hash tags; hash-tags; hatch tags; has tags; has-been tags; has-anyone-got-a-clue tags)? Twitter groups perhaps?

Not to mention coming into a thread halfway through a conversation. There's got to be a way to read what someone responded/replied to, right?

And lists . . . groups with shared interest? But then what about the hash tages? Plus I'm not sure I get the purpose just yet. Though I'm sure there is one. There's gotta be.

Alas. So much information. So much I don't know.

This is, of course, where you come in. Shoot me your best piece of Twitter advice. Please? Pretty please with a strawberry (much better than a cherry) and fresh-whipped cream on top? And fine, if you insist I'll throw in the chocolate syrup.

Because I need it (I mean your advice, not the chocolate syrup). I need you! Explain this Twitter-verse to me.

And oh yeah. I'm @MsVerbose if you wondered.

This vs. That: The Grinch vs. Ebenezer Scrooge

2012-01-05T06:20:00.001-05:00

First a quick note on the Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies. I read through all your votes and I was going to add them all up . . . but the double votes, and vote changes, and blah, blah, blah, and my head started pounding. Which is why I up and decided to use my dictatorship authority to choose.

SO . . . the new name for Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies is now:

Abomination Cookies

Because that's just funny. But I give a close second to Choc-less Chip Cookies, because how clever is that? I love me a good word-play! (Now I guess you all know that funny trumps clever over here . . .)

Anyway, on to the vote I think this was a record low for the number of votes on one of these, but I completely blame myself as I fell off the map for most of December. Or I could assume that the responsibility of the decision was just too much so no one voted.

Yeah . . .

That's it. ;)

Aaaand on to the results:

Total votes: 15

How the Grinch Stole Christmas: 7 votes; 47%
A Christmas Carol: 8 votes; 53%

I love both of these, but ultimately I went with the Grinch because of the simplicity of it all. Being the simple person that I am . . . this story never fails to hit me deep down. Make me wonder how I'd react if all my stuff were stolen (uh . . . spoiler alert? But seriously, who hasn't read this thing or heard it in some form?). And on Christmas day no less! This book makes me want to be a better person.

Now, on to the next debate:

Resolutions

vs.

No Resolutions

(So, I couldn't come up with a good picture for these, so just bear with me here. Boring to look at, but the debate is still just as real. Right?!)

My 2011 Reading Habit

2012-01-02T06:03:00.001-05:00

Last year, I didn't set a goal for a specific number of books to read, but I did set a goal to keep track of what I read. I think I mostly succeeded. Though I might have missed one or two. Anyway, my total?

84 books read in 2011, and here's the list:

Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot
Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdoch
The Janitor's Boy by Andrew Clements
Song of the Lioness: Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Alexie Sherman
Leaving Fishers by Margaret Petersen Haddix
The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald
Feed by M.T. Anderson
Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman
Ivy's Ever After by Dawn Lairamore
Judy Moody was in a mood by Megan McDonald
Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park
Dogs Don't Tell Jokes by Louis Sachar
The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements
Crash by Jerry Spinelli
Judy Moody Gets Famous! by Megan McDonald
Judy Moody Saves the World by Megan McDonald
Judy Moody Predicts the Future by Megan McDonald
Crispin: The End of Time by Avi
Revenge of the Snob Squad by Jane Anne Peters
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Judy Moody Declares Independence by Megan McDonald
Children of the Lamp: The Five Fakirs of Faizabad by P.B. Kerr
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
The Thirty-nine Clues: Black Book of Buried Secrets by Rick Riordan et al.
Sabotaged by Margaret Petersen Haddix
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney
Judy Moody: Around the World in 8 ½ Days by Megan McDonald
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: The Glitter Girls and the Big Fake Out by Meg Cabot
Junie B. Jones and the Monkey Business by Barbara Park
Charlie Bones and the Red Knight by Jenna Nimmo
The Secret History of Tom Trueheart by Ian Beck
Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones and some Sneaky Peaky Spying by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake by Barbara Park
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Blast from the Past by Meg Cabot
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Stage Fright by Meg Cabot
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Tom Trueheart: The Land of Dark Stories by Ian Beck
In the Hand of the Godess by Tamora Pierce
The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison
Possession by Elana Johnson
Junie B. Jones and that Meanie Jim's Birthday by Barbara Park
The Thirty-nine Clues: Vesper Rising (book 11) by Rick Riordan et al.
Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under her Bed by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal by Barbara Park
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian by Lloyd Alexander
Wings by E.D. Baker
Junie B. Jones Is a Beauty Shop Guy by Barbara Park
You Wish by Mandy Hubbard
Chronicles of the Red King #1: The Secret Kingdom by Jenny Nimmo
The Thirty-nine Clues: Maze of Bones (book 1) by Rick Riordan
Much Ado About Grubstake by Jean Ferris
Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy by Barbara Park
Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard
The Missing, Book 4: Torn by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Morpheus Road: The Black by D.J. MacHale
Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones is (almost) a Flower Girl by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones Has a Peep in her Pocket Warren by Barbara Park
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma
Junie B. Jones is Captain Field Day by Barbara Park
The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce
Junie B. Jones and the Mushy Gushy Valentine by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones is a Graduation Girl by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones, First Grader (at last!) by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones: Boss of Lunch by Barbara Park
Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder by Barbara Park
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Matched by Ali Condie
Crossed by Ali Condie
What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb
Mo Wren, Lost and Found by Tricia Springstubb
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Junie B. Jones: One-man Band by Barbara Park
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

Fyi, I didn't record any of the picture books I read. That would have tripled my list or something, but I DEFINITELY count them as books read.

Also, you might note a large portion of my list is from the Junie B. Jones series. I'd never read it, so I decided to rectify that. For research, of course. ;)

And I didn't record any of the books I started and didn't finish. There were a few of those. Still, this is a pretty good representation of my reading habit. Very MG-centric. Perhaps I should diversify a little more this coming year, no?

So how do our tastes compare? Any books you'd recommend for my 2012 reading habit?

P.S. I hope you all enjoyed the holiday season!

Christmas Is . . .

2011-12-19T06:14:00.002-05:00

Gingery spice

Filling the air.

Spearmint leaves

Stuck to tasty houses

With Dum-dum light posts.

Cinna-minni sweetness

Rolled in butter

And fluffy dough.

Seeping stealthily through the house

Calling soon-to-be sticky fingers to the kitchen.

Joseph and Mary

Sitting in our house.

Careful not to fight

Just this one night.

Gently rocking baby doll Jesus

In His Tupperware manger.

Soft sighs of contentment

As kids snuggle under the covers

In new pajamas.

Cookies and note in place.

Knowing Santa is real.

More important, knowing Love is real.

This is me wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays whatever you may celebrate! I will be taking a break until the New Year, so I will see you then!

In the mean time, what is Christmas to you?

Cough Cough Too Sick For a Real Post

2011-12-15T06:50:00.001-05:00

I have been overwhelmed by (i.e. ROFL at) all your great name suggestions for the Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies. Who knew taking away a bit of chocolate would get such a reaction?!

So I have updated the list of choices (it more than doubled!), and if you want to change your vote, feel free! Here's the >>link<<. And since I have been horribly sick since yesterday, I'm afraid that's all you get. That, and a reminder to vote on the big Christmas debate!

Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies - Renamed

2011-12-12T06:11:00.002-05:00

**UPDATED**

So last week I admitted that my favorite type of chocolate chip cookies are the ones with NO chocolate chips. I invited you all to give your suggestions for a new name, and here's what we have so far:

Abomination Cookies
Fiend Cookies
Oxymoron Cookies
Anti Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brown Sugar Cookies
Chipless Cookies
Choc-less Chip Cookies
Naked Cookies
What the Heck Did You Do With My Chocolate Cookies
Where-the-heck-are-my-chocolate-chip Cookies
Faux Cookies
Naked Cookies
Who Took Ma Chips, Ma? Cookies
Totally Bogus Cookies
Un-Cookies
Abomination and Desolation Cookies

I have my favorite, but I really think we need to vote on this. But if I don't like the results, I may have to play evil dictator. Just sayin'. ;)

What's your vote?

*With so many new options, if you need to change your vote, go for it!

The Perfect Balance

2011-12-08T06:32:00.000-05:00

Over a month has passed since my post about playing a trick on one of my readers. If you missed it, click >>here<<. Some of you wanted to know what the trick was, but rats and phooey, I didn't take a picture. However, I am a writer, right?

So for my trick on Old Kitty, I sent a Halloween toy kitty that poops out jellybeans when you pull the tail. :) Maybe if we all beg, Old Kitty will post a picture for us. I still giggle when I think about it. The perfect trick, I tell you! And why? Because I'm not even a huge jellybean fan! ;)

Another perfect trick is balancing your writing life with everything else. Particularly during the holidays.

So here's my question to you . . . what is your trick for balancing it all? Do you forget about writing for the month? Stay up late? Ask for more time from Santa Claus (or any gift-bearing persona in your belief system)? How do you do it?

This vs. That: Chocolate Chip Cookies vs. Sugar Cookies

2011-12-05T06:23:00.002-05:00

Hello, hello! I'm so happy to be back. Especially because today is a This vs. That post. AND we had a record number of votes. So very awesome.

However, I find the results somewhat disappointing. I mean, really people. Does chocolate truly throw all other considerations out the window? But I digress. On to the results:

Total votes: 35

Sugar Cookies: 10 votes; 29%
Chocolate Chip Cookies: 25 votes; 71%

Of those who voted for chocolate chip:
ONLY if gooey: 2 votes; 8% (of the 25 who voted for ChC)
ONLY if crispy/dunkable: 1 vote; 4%
Coated with a layer of chocolate: 1 vote; 4%

I had to add the subcategories, because I found it fascinating. And just for the record, there were a couple of you who voted chocolate chip, but said you'd change your vote if the Sugar Cookies had a specific frosting or sprinkles.

Hello! Of course the sugar cookies are made exactly to your specifications. You crazies. So your votes went to Sugar cookies. Besides, they could use the help.

And is there really a question about my vote? I went sugar cookies all the way. No question. In fact, when I was little, I used to pick out the chocolate chips or eat around them. If I could. Some cookies were more chocolate than cookie. If I were around when my mom made them, I would request chocolate-less chocolate chip cookies.

So here's a question for you . . . what do you call a chocolate-less chocolate chip cookie? Seriously. I'm taking suggestions.

Okay, okay. On to the next vote. I debated this one. Last year, we did Real vs. Artificial, and I was sorely tempted to do it again just to see how the results compared (last year they tied). But there are so many great Christmas debates, I couldn't resist a new one. Are you ready?

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

by Dr. Seuss

vs.

A Christmas Carol

by Charles Dickens

Blog Critique and Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-21T07:13:00.001-05:00

Today, my blog is being critiqued by Laura Barnes over on her site, Laura B. Writer: Building Author Media Presence. So please, if you don't mind, steer clear of there.

Okay, okay. Please go check it out. Really. :P

And since it's a big holiday this week here in the States, I wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! In honor of the day, here is my short list of silly and serious thanks (my long list would take too long, but I'm sure you all understand it's there, right?):

That I'm not a turkey.
That my husband puts up with me day in and day out (crazy writer and all)
That my kids still love to give me hugs (and that they brag to their friends that I write books)
That my Savior, Jesus Christ, loved me enough to die for me, so I can repent of my multitude of sins.

What are you thankful for?

P.S. I will be back blogging on Monday, Dec. 5

Conference Advice, Part 2

2011-11-17T06:14:00.004-05:00

So it's lunchtime at the writing conference. My friend and I had been at separate sessions just prior so I'm looking everywhere for her in the dining area. When I'm certain she's not there, I find a mostly empty table and ask the women sitting there if they don't mind if I and a friend join them. Of course they graciously let me sit.

I found my friend, sat down and after catching up, turned to our neighbors. It was a woman and her 13-year-old daughter. Very nice. Her name was Bonnie. So here's a bit of the conversation that ensued:

BONNIE: Have you attended many conferences?

ME: [shrug] I've been to a few. How about you? Have you been to many?

BONNIE: [shrug] Yeah, I've presented at quite a few conferences.

ME: [choke on my salad] Oh. Yeah, I guess there's that.

SENIOR EDITOR BONNIE: [graciously ignoring my red cheeks] So what do you write?

Okay, so the point of this little story? STUDY THE LIST OF PRESENTERS BEFORE YOU GO. Cyber stalk them. Find their picture and know who they are. In fact, the conferences usually post these on the website. Then maybe, just maybe, you can avoid embarrassing yourself like I so thoroughly did.

At the Beginning

2011-11-14T06:22:00.001-05:00

I spent this weekend in Gettysburg at the Tri-regional SCBWI conference. I had a great time, refueled my writing bucket, and met so many wonderful people. Okay, that sounds trite, but it's true.

Though we are limited in what we can share because of copyrights, I wanted to share one little nugget with you all:

In a session with Sarah Davies, Agent Extraordinaire of The Greenhouse Literary Agency, she said that about 50% of the submissions she receives start with one of the following opening scenes:

The MC [main character] just waking up
The MC eating breakfast
The MC in the process of moving
The MC at the airport
The MC involved in a major accident

What do they all have in common? They are all literal beginnings. Interesting, no?

She commented that when she sees this, though it sounds harsh, her expectations drop. It's an immediate strike against the manuscript which takes amazing writing to overcome.

Instead, start in an unexpected place, and you'll already be one up from about half the submissions. . . . The middle of a heist. Feeding the pigs. At the top of the school's flag pole. Standing on cloud 9 (literally). In a graveyard digging up a grave. At the scene of a murder.

So many options!

Perhaps we just need to give ourselves permission to go a little crazy. I mean, we are writers, write? (I mean, . . . right?)

Where does your book start?

String Bridge Amazon Rush Day!

2011-11-11T06:23:00.001-05:00

Today is THE day to help Jessica Bell's debut, STRING BRIDGE, hit the bestseller list on Amazon, and receive the all-original soundtrack, Melody Hill: On the Other Side, written and performed by the author herself, for free!

All you have to do is purchase the book today (paperback, or eBook), November 11th, and then email the receipt to:

jessica.carmen.bell(at)gmail(dot)com

She will then email you a link to download the album at no extra cost! And she has an amazing voice. You want this!

To purchase the paperback:

Amazon USA

To purchase the eBook:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

To listen to samples of the soundtrack, visit iTunes.

If you are not familiar with String Bridge,

check out the book trailer:

Rave Reviews for String Bridge:

“Jessica Bell’s STRING BRIDGE strummed the fret of my veins, thrummed my blood into a mad rush, played me taut until the final page, yet with echoes still reverberating. A rhythmic debut with metrical tones of heavied dark, fleeting prisms of light, and finally, a burst of joy—just as with any good song, my hopeful heartbeat kept tempo with Bell’s narrative.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Sweetie and Publishing Editor of Rose & Thorn Journal

“Poet and musician Jessica Bell's debut novel String Bridge is a rich exploration of desire, guilt, and the difficult balancing act of the modern woman. The writing is lyrical throughout, seamlessly integrating setting, character and plot in a musical structure that allows the reader to identify with Melody's growing insecurity as her world begins to unravel … String Bridge is a powerful debut from a promising writer, full of music, metaphor, and just a hint of magic.” ~ Magdalena Ball, author of Repulsion Thrust and Sleep Before Evening

“Jessica Bell is a brilliant writer of great skill and depth. She doesn't pull back from the difficult scenes, from conflict, pain, intensity. She puts it all out there, no holds barred, no holding back. She knows how to craft a scene, how to develop character, how to create suspense. This is an absolutely brilliant debut novel. I look forward to reading her next novel, and next and next.” ~ Karen Jones Gowen, author of Farm Girl, Uncut Diamonds and House of Diamonds

Connect with Jessica:

String Bridge: http://www.stringbridge.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jessica_bell

Website: http://www.jessicacbell.com/

Blog: http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.jessica.bell

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MsBessieBell

Publisher: http://www.luckypress.com

Please TWEET and/or FACEBOOK this post using #StringBridge!

Moments of Joy

2011-11-10T06:45:00.000-05:00

It snowed here the other day.

Unawares, my 2-year-old ran outside and in a case of sheer serendipity, my friend caught the exact moment of discovery.

You can see the joy radiating from her face. Shining through her eyes. Bursting from her whole being. I'm completely in love with this picture (and not just because it's my daughter)!

Do you remember what it's like to feel that way? Do you ever want to burst with joy after writing a particularly good bit of work? After receiving a glowing critique?

What brings you joy like that?

P.S. I deeply apologize for lack of responding to comments! My internet has been spotty at best. Hopefully things will improve next week when we switch providers. *grumble, mumble, asparagus*

Superheros in Real Life

2011-11-07T06:43:00.008-05:00

As an incurable book fanatic, I am at an exciting time in my life as my oldest child is just getting past that initial learning-to-read stage and discovering the freedom that books can bring.

Nightly homework requires 20 minutes of reading, and his teacher strongly recommends that he try reading all genres, including non-fiction. Thus, at the library, I checked out a short book on Christopher Reeve. My son couldn't put it down and read till he had finished (long past the timed 20 minutes). Every mother's dream, no?

I still remember how shocked I felt when I heard about his horse accident. It seemed impossible that such a man--the epitome of physical strength--could find himself in such a situation.

After the accident, Christopher was ready to give up . . . certain that he would only become a burden on the people he loved. But lucky for him (and us), his amazing wife, Dana convinced him otherwise.

As a quadriplegic, Christopher Reeve accomplished more than most people can with the use of all their limbs. He even helped fund the American Paraylsis Foundation that is now aptly named the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. He never stopped working to improve his and others' situation, and he never stopped believing he would one day walk again. (Something that his doctor's claimed impossible for an injury as severe as his. After all, he couldn't even breathe without help!)

And then the miracle happened. He moved his index finger. And little by little, he regained control of some of his muscles. He could move some fingers, and he could walk on the bottom of a swimming pool. And he could even breathe for 90 minutes without the use of his ventilator.¹

Unfortunately, he died shortly after this triumph, but what hope and what inspiration he gave to those who had had none! Those who had been told to accept their lot and go on. This man who once dressed up and pretended to play a superhero for all the world to see went on to become one in real life because he didn't give up. He took a personal tragedy and blessed the lives of countless people with it.

And that is what we must do. There have been times I've wanted to give up (on writing, not life, just to be clear), but then I'd never know what I might have accomplished if only I'd tried--if only I'd forged ahead, even when it was hard.

Don't give up.

Don't stop trying.

Become that superhero you've dreamed of becoming.

References:

1. http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/reeveu.html

SPECIAL EDITION: This vs. That - Trick vs. Treat

2011-11-03T07:00:00.001-04:00

First, I want to thank all you great people who have stopped in and commented . . . and apologize for not responding*. Life has been hectically crazy here. I'm sure most of you know all about craziness. Especially the week of Halloween, which brings me to the REAL purpose of this post: The results!

Trick or Treat?

Total votes: 23

Trick: 3 votes; 13%
Treat: 19 votes; 83%
Depends on who's tricking: 1 vote; 4%

Okay, no real surprises here. Who wouldn't like a treat? However, who said the trick had to be mean? SO . . . I voted for Trick, because I am playing a trick on all of you.

Random.org spit out a number, and the number was Old Kitty's. Just send me your address within 24 hours if you dare, and I will send you something that is NOT a treat (bwa ha ha!).

If you miss the 24-hour mark (aka, 7 AM Nov. 4), Random.org will choose a second someone and so on and so forth. Even if I have your address, you still have to e-mail me! (see that "Contact Me" tab up there? Use it!)

*If you have your email address connected to your account, I reply by email to your comment

If I had all the magic in the world, I'd . . .

2011-10-31T06:08:00.002-04:00

. . . create a time pocket where time doesn't exist.

That way I could get all those tasks on my to-do list knocked off and still have plenty of time to smell the roses. *Dreamy sigh as I imagine the possibilities*

So today I joined in to help Elizabeth Mueller launch her YA romance, Darkspell. What a perfect day to launch a novel with such a title!

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . .until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold.

As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.

Will love prove thicker than magic?

You can purchase a kindle/ebook copy at Amazon >>here<<, but to learn more about Elizabeth, or to purchase your own signed copy, you can visit her blog or website.

Happy launch day, Elizabeth!

SPECIAL EDITION: This vs. That

2011-10-27T06:19:00.003-04:00

Today I am NOT going to conclude the chocolate chip vs. sugar cookies debate, so you can still go vote. But when I had this lightbulb moment, I couldn't resist. So today's debate?

(Yes, the cowgirl is me)

Trick

vs.

Treat

Conference Advice

2011-10-24T06:11:00.004-04:00

This past weekend, I went to my local SCBWI region's annual conference. I had a great time, and my head is swimming with all the great advice and inspiration shared by the speakers.

I was reminded that agents and editors are nice, normal people, too. When you find yourself in the query trenches, it's easy to forget that. And same goes for award-winning authors.

Also, I got to meet Caroline Tung Richmond who blogs at Adventures in Space. This is the first time I've met a fellow blogger in person (and of course, I didn't have a camera), but we had a great time visiting!

Anyway, over the years, I have attended several conferences, and I wanted to impart a bit of advice to anyone considering going to one.

GO. Find a nearby conference, bite the bullet, and pay the enterance fee.
Sign up for a critique. This means you need to sign up early. And it costs extra. Plus it may break your heart. But trust me when I tell you it's worth it. These are the people who know the business. They know what they're talking about. Even the stuff that hurts to hear puts you that much further ahead.
Volunteer. Okay, I can hear the groan. You don't have enough time. Or you doubt you have anything to offer. Or you're nervous because you don't know anyone. . . . I'm telling you to push past that. I have done it both ways. My first few conferences, I didn't dare volunteer. But when I finally got up the courage to do it, I enjoyed the conferences so much more. Not only did I meet a lot more people, I got a special name tag. *pauses while you all turn green with envy*
Take notes. Because that stuff you think you will remember? You won't.

In short, my advice is to participate as fully as possible. There's nothing like a conference to boost your writers morale and get you inspired to finish your WIP. The more you put in, the more you get out. (cliché, I know, but still true).

Have you ever been to a conference? What was your experience?

Follow Your Heart

2011-10-20T06:52:00.003-04:00

I know I'm a bit late to the party, but I ran across this Steve Jobs quote while waiting in a doctor's office. This was from a commencement speech he gave. Anyway, I had to share:

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.

"Almost everything---the external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure---these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important . . . There is no reason not to follow your heart."

Definitely puts it in perspective. There is no reason not to follow your heart, people. Let's do this thing!

P.S. If you haven't heard Shannon Whitney Messenger's amazing news, she had a book deal! A mega, super, awesome book deal. And she's celebrating with a crazy fun contest that you need to check out by Oct. 22nd. Seriously, you don't want to miss >>this.<<

Winner and License Plate Interpretation

2011-10-17T07:51:00.001-04:00

First, a random picture just because.

Second, the winner of The Liar Society is Dawn Simon. Congratulations! If you haven't yet, please email me your address (rjljohnson.janetATgmailDOTcom), and I'll send it post haste. :)

Third, you may have noticed I took my Blog Roll down. Something to do with a virus on one of the referenced blogs. Easiest thing was to chop the whole kit and kaboodle. I'll start rebuilding soon. Just wanted to let you know.

Finally, I know I've kept you all in suspense for a horrible amount of time, so here are the license plate interpretations from >>this<< post (for the "hard" ones):

CRPE DM = Carpe Diem
TRNTLA = Tarantula (Pontiac G5 Spyder)
HAF PINT = Half Pint (Cream-colored convertible Mini Cooper)
YES OCFR = Yes Ociffer (What a drunk person would say to the cop who pulled him over. Odacious, no?)
APRESVU = After you. (How polite!)

P.S. Here is another interesting one: NOT ED'S. It was on a convertible BMW. What's the story this time?

Pay It Forward Blogfest

2011-10-14T06:25:00.002-04:00

I know I don't usually post on Fridays, nor do I often join in the blogfests, but I like the spirit of this one, so I decided to jump in with two feet. Matthew MacNish and Alex J. Cavenaugh are hosting the Pay It Forward Blogfest today. You can click on their names to find the LONG list of blogs participating.

The idea is to share three under-the-radar blogs that I love and then visit all the blogs everyone else mentions. Okay, ALL might be impossible, but there we are.

And before I mention my three, just a quick note to say I would choose you all if I could! *waves and smiles to everyone reading this*

First is my long-time crit partner Victoria Dixon at The Ron Empire Wants You! She focuses on writing with Asian settings, which (even though I don't use them) I think is very interesting. Plus, she's a writer of gorgeous prose. Her work always makes me jealous. ;)

Second is Saumya at Left and Write Brained. She is fun and bubbly and I always leave her blog smiling. You should visit her.

And finally, Abby at Something to Write About. I found her through the Platform-building Campaign and just adore her posts. Personality exudes from her writing, plus I learn stuff. Like how to put polls directly in your post. (Yeah, okay, I'm slow.) Point is, she has a great blog!

So who would you recommend?

P.S. Click >>here<< to enter for a chance to win The Liar Society. You have through 16 September!

10 Random Facts

2011-10-13T06:31:00.002-04:00

Lindsay, over at Adventures in Writing, tagged me last week with a Random Fact post. So it is my privilege to share 10 random things about myself (the trick is to keep you from getting bored).

I bite my lip when I'm thinking. (My bottom lip really takes a beating when I'm writing.)
I have amazingly high arches. Shoe shopping is very difficult.
When I was age 6 or so, I randomly decided I was going to go to Harvard. That lasted until I looked at tuition prices in high school.
I learned to play the guitar because my college roommate took a class and I thought it looked fun. I have a reperatoire of about 10 songs I can play (including "My Grandfather's Clock"). ;)
I once slipped a piece of broccoli down my shirt to avoid eating it. I totally got caught because it fell onto the kitchen floor before I could dispose of it.
My sister named the car I drove in high school "Calico." (Bet you can guess why.)
The horn on Calico didn't work. Except when it did. And then it tried to make up for lost time.
The passenger door on Calico wouldn't stay shut in freezing weather. We had a lot of freezing weather my senior year.
When I was 15, I travelled to Mexico with my family to witness a total solar eclipse. It turned out to be cloudy.
I like coloring in coloring books.

I am tagging:

Kamille Elahi
Bethany Elizabeth
Maeve Frazier

P.S. This is a low-stress tag. Do with it what you will. :)

Rockin' 2011 Debut Author Spotlight: Lisa and Laura Roecker

2011-10-10T07:30:00.001-04:00

When Christina Lee suggested we band together to spotlight some of our favorite 2011 debut authors, I knew right away I wanted to spotlight Lisa and Laura Roecker who debuted in March with The Liar Society.

Fabulous book!

Here's the blurb from their blog:

Best friends don't send emails once they're dead. With her dead best friend's pearls and skirts tiny enough to make Nancy Drew blush, Kate's on the trail to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder...

I revel in brevity, so I give you Three Things I Loved about The Liar Soceity:

The pink hair. This is not just an outward description of Kate (the MC). It's all part of the mystery of what happened and how it affected her. (I believe this is called Depth.)
The mystery. It starts on page 1 and doesn't let up. I wanted to solve the mystery as much as Kate! And the clues? How cool that they show up in her email.
The tension. It is no easy feat to fill every page of a book with just the right balance of tension and believability. Let's just say that I stayed up late to make sure Kate was okay. Laura and Lisa (just wanted to change things up there) rock at writing page turners.

In short, I can hardly wait for book 2!

To share the love, I'll be giving a copy away to one lucky commenter. You have until Sunday, 16 October 2011 EST to enter. So comment away (and please make sure I have a way to contact you in case you win)!

P.S. Feel free to stop by Christina's blog for the list of everyone who's spotlighting an author today.

The Story of a Story

2011-10-06T06:48:00.005-04:00

Today I want to tell you a story:

Once upon a time I wrote a book. It was not my first book, but I loved it like it was. People critiqued it, and I made changes. More people critiqued it, and I made more changes. People started telling my good things about my book. This made me happy.

So I worked on my query letter. People critiqued it, and I made changes. More people critiqued it, and I made more changes. And people told me happy things about my query letter. This made me happy, too.

And I wanted to query.

But one thing bothered me. . . .

. . . the page count.

My book was long. This did not make me happy.

So I started cutting. Little things at first:

"he said."
"she said."
"he turned and walked."
"lightly"
"stupidly"
"blindly"
"quickly"
. . . blah, blah, blah . . . you get the idea.

But it wasn't enough.
So I cut more. Bigger things this time:

"this passage is so funny! but it doesn't move the plot forward."
"this passage tells us so much about this character! but it's already shown in other ways."
"this information is so interesting! but it's all backstory in one big chunk."
. . . blah, blah, blah . . . you get the idea.

But it still wasn't enough. (Yeah, it was LONG.)
So I cut more. Even bigger things this time:

"I really like how this plot line twists right there! but it's a bit long winded, and what if someone asks this question . . . you know, the one that makes all the logic of getting there crumble?"
"what I said before but for a different part of the story."
"I really like what happens here! but a similar thing happens in this other part."
. . . blah, blah, blah . . . you get the idea.

And while this story isn't finished yet, I will tell you this: My beta re-readers between each cut session couldn't tell what I'd cut. None of it was missed. None. And while they did notice the plot changes I'd made . . . they thought it was better.

So if you, too, are struggling with the the dreaded thing called word count, are you sure you've cut all you can?

This vs. That: Pooh vs. Tigger

2011-10-03T06:41:00.001-04:00

I know you've all been dying of anticipation on this one, so without adieu, on to the results:

Total votes: 20

Pooh: 12 votes; 60%
Tigger: 7 votes; 35%
Impossible to choose: 1 vote; 5%

That said, 4 of you who voted would rather have voted for Eeyore (20%); 2 of you mentioned Piglet (10%), and 1 person mentioned Owl (5%). Poor Rabbit didn't even get a pity mention. (Kanga and Roo have each other, so I don't worry as much about them.)

This round, I gave my vote to Pooh. Perhaps like Amy, I'm surrounded by so much Tigger, that the calm of Pooh sounded VERY attractive. Tiddely pom indeed!

On a side-note, I find it fascinating to learn everyone's favorite character. It's so telling! If you care to indulge us, I'd love to hear which one is your favorite and why.

My favorite has always been Roo. He's the combination of the sense of adventure of Tigger, the wonder of Winnie the Pooh, and the common sense of Christopher Robin. (In my humble opinion, of course. And wow, I wasn't even trying for the alliteration!)

Anyhoo, on to the next debate:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

vs.

Sugar Cookies

(Ahem. You may have recently read about my Kryptonite)

(Photo Credit: Free-Extras.com)

What I've Read from the Top 100

2011-09-29T06:45:00.001-04:00

Emily V had this on her blog, and I thought it was interesting to see what others have read, so I’m copying.

A couple of disclaimers before I start:

I don't know who originally made this list, so I don't know who is proclaiming these books to be the "Top YA." It actually excludes some I really love, and includes others I don't even consider to be YA.
This list is NOT a list of my recommendations. Just because I've read it (or own it), doesn't mean I highly recommend it. And just because I haven't read something (and don't own it), doesn't mean I wouldn't like to. It's simply a list of what I've read.

So, with that in mind, here we go:

Bold = I've Read It
Italics = I Own It
Underline = Started, but Didn't Finish It

1. Alex Finn – Beastly
2. Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones
3. Ally Carter – Gallagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)
4. Ally Condie – Matched
5. Alyson Noel – The Immortals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
6. Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills
7. Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
8. Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)
9. Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4)
10. Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
11. Aprilynne Pike – Wings (1, 2, 3)
12. Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush (1, 2)
13. Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
14. Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret
15. Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)
16. Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3)
17. Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3)
18. Christopher Paolini - Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)
19. Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)
20. Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2)
21. Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)
22. Ellen Hopkins – Impulse
23. Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
24. Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply
25. Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)
26. Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere
27. Gail Carson Levine – Fairest
28. Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3)
29. J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
30. James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2)
31. James Patterson – Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
32. Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why
33. Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)
34. Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
35. John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
36. John Green – An Abundance of Katherines
37. John Green – Looking for Alaska
38. John Green – Paper Towns
39. Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)
40. Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Caster Chronicles (1, 2)
41. Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)
42. Kristin Cashore – The Seven Kingdoms (1, 2)
43. Lauren Kate – Fallen (1, 2, 3)
44. Lemony Snicket - Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
45. Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3)
46. Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3)
47. Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
48. M.T. Anderson – Feed
49. Maggie Stiefvater – The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1, 2, 3)
50. Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
51. Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)
52. Markus Zusak - The Book Thief
53. Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger
54. Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
55. Mary Ting – Crossroads
56. Maureen Johnson – Little Blue Envelope (1, 2)
57. Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)
58. Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
59. Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
60. Meg Rosoff – How I live now
61. Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
62. Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)
63. Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road
64. Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
65. Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
66. Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4)
67. Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion
68. Neal Shusterman – Unwind
69. Neil Gaiman – Coraline
70. Neil Gaiman – Stardust
71. Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book
72. P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 )
73. Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)
74. Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
75. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
76. Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
77. Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
78. Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere carnal over 40 winks
79. S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)
80. Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip
81. Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride
82. Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key
83. Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever
84. Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
85. Scott Westerfeld - Leviathan (1, 2)
86. Scott Westerfeld - Uglies (1, 2, 3, 4)
87. Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days
88. Shannon Hale – Princess Academy
89. Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)
90. Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
91. Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry (1, 2, 3)
92. Stephanie Meyer – The Host
93. Stephanie Meyer – Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4)
94. Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees
95. Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)
96. Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games (1, 2, 3)
97. Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
98. Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)
99. Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)
100. Wendelin Van Draanen – Flipped

So what have I missed that is a MUST READ in your book?

And P.S. This is your last weekend to vote on the THIS big debate before I tally the votes.

National Book Festival Gushings

2011-09-26T06:24:00.003-04:00

Shortly after I moved to the DC area 2.5 years ago, I learned about the National Book Festival. I made it a point to go that first year (me and 3 kids, including a newborn), and boy am I glad I did.

Who knew that the Library of Congress threw a huge celebration of books and authors on a yearly basis? And this year they expanded the festival to 2 days to allow for even more awesomeness.

The invited authors (and all the sponsors) converged upon the Mall. Sarah Dessen spoke this year, along with Tomie DePaola (this is the end of the amazingly long line of people hoping to get his signature), . . .

. . . Lisa Yee, Michael Buckley, Cassandra Clare, Toni Morrison, and oh so many others I can't possibly list them all without boring you to tears.

Since I was there with my kids, I participated in the picture book reading of Stagecoach Sal! by Deborah Hopkinson, who then signed copies and gave them to the audience (sponsored by Wells Fargo). We enjoyed the Build Your Own Book craft with Scholastic, the Book Nook provided by Target, and danced to the fun music of Steve Songs in the PBS kids tent. Though we just missed Clifford, and avoided the long line to meet the Cat in the Hat, we did get to meet Martha, from Martha Speaks (though my 2-year-old refused to get anywhere near her).

And after we got home, I tried to explain to my husband why I loved it all so much. Being surrounded by people who love books as much as I do is really something. It's power. It's inspiring.

It reminds me why I write. And why I put myself through the grind that is querying.

And do you know what else? It reminds me why I love being part of the blogosphere. How privileged am I to meet all of you amazing people and to share in your adventures as we make our way down this crazy and otherwise lonely road we call WRITING?

So thank you. Thank you for sharing, and visiting, and commenting, and just being you. Thank you.

What has inspired you lately?

What's Your Kryptonite?

2011-09-22T06:15:00.000-04:00

Every super hero has one. Something that trumps their amazing abilities. Because if they didn't, the story would sure get boring fast.

Imagine if there was no such thing as kryptonite. Lex Luthor would stand no chance. Zero. And where's the fun in that?

So, for Superman it's kryptonite. (Duh.)
For the Green Lantern Corp, it's anything yellow. (Seriously.)
For Ironman, it's magnets. (Build a suit of iron and what do you expect?)
For Captain America, Batman, and all those superheros who have no actual superpowers, you have your kryptonite of choice: guns, swords, grenades, etc.

Anyway, I'm sure there will be people who argue with me on this, but that's okay. Debate is good. My point in all this is to ask you:

What is your kryptonite?

Because mine . . . mine is cookies. As long as there are no nuts or fruit involved, I will fall to the power of a cookie every time. And don't even get me started on a soft sugar cookie with just a smidgen of cream cheese frosting and sprinkles. Mmmm . . .

Everything tastes better with sprinkles.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a battle to lose.

Just Chillin'

2011-09-19T06:39:00.001-04:00

Today, I am just admiring some license plates.

CRPE DM
TRNTLA (Bonus points if you guess the model of the car)
AWSUM 1
HUGGS
NO KNTRL
HAF PINT (This one's funnier when you see the car)
2SLFSH
YES OCFR (My personal favorite)
APRESVU (In FRENCH!)
LIV W1LD

Did you get them all? So which of these plates is on your car today?

Water Is Dangerous

2011-09-15T06:27:00.004-04:00

When news of Hurricane Irena came, I happened to be vacationing in Virginia Beach with my husband's family. The morning before we were scheduled to evacuate, the Port Authority came by and posted this flag next to our waterfront beach house:

Now, I won't go into all the implications for the real-life scenario of this posted warning (rip-tides, being pulled under, etc.).

Rather, I am sending out a warning to all those contemplating entering the waters of writing.

WARNING: Water Is Dangerous

Top 5 Dangers:

Book Brain. All spare brain power (and brain power that isn't so spare) is sucked into the void that is called plotting. Side effects include burned dinners, failure to pick up loved ones at scheduled times, taking wrong exits on the interstate, etc.
Carpal Tunnel. Numbness of hands and mind. All that typing and writing can only lead to one thing. I mean besides a book.
Schizophrenia. Voices whisper in your mind. Worse, they don't listen to you.
E-mail Addiction. Neurotic need to constantly refresh your inbox. Because surely that agent whose had your ms for a day will finally respond NOW (as opposed to twenty seconds ago).
Shattered Ego Syndrome. Certainty that your written work is crap. This includes Works-in-Progress, comments on blogs, and even grocery lists (because seriously, did you misspell ~~Brocolli~~ Broccoli again?)

Now let the records show. You have been warned!

So, what warnings would you add?

Life's Too Short to Dry Tupperware

2011-09-12T06:35:00.003-04:00

Today I'm going to do something I don't often do, which is to write a serious post. This past week has been full of craziness, and I'm feeling kind of somber.

Last week, my really good friend got the call. Not the good kind we author's often dream about. Just the opposite. The worst kind you can get . . . her mother (who had been suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease) was fading fast, and could she come?

Then, completely unrelated, Tropical Storm Lee paid us a visit. And let me tell you, I have never seen rain come down that hard for so long. Truly, it was astounding to watch. So I really can't blame the mother who went outside with her son and daughter to enjoy the amazingness of something I had surely never seen in my lifetime.

My heart still breaks when I think about it. A flash flood---right through their backyard---that swept away her 12-year-old son.

And of course, the week culminated with Sept.11. The tenth anniversary, no less. I sat at my computer last night and I looked through National Geographic's 25 indelible pictures, and I felt the horror of that day once again.

The point of all this is that life is too short to worry about things that don't matter (like drying the tupperware). It's also too short to NOT worry about the things that do. Play with your kids, call your parents or siblings. Tell them you love them, and don't let things that really don't matter get in the way.

And you know how you've been putting off editing that book you wrote? Or writing anything past the first chapter? Or querying the book you just finished? Well Nike knew what they were talking about:

Just Do It.

Don't wait. Because life's too short.

Apples to Apples Winners

2011-09-08T06:30:00.001-04:00

This post is already going to be epic, so I won't bore you with a long prelude. Voila, the winning answers:

Day 1: Darth Vader

Asmatic (because, yeah) by R. Garret Wilson (+3)
Yikes! (because I never want to meet him!) by Lenny (+2)
Legos (because Legos are taking over my life) by Kelly (+1)

And an honorary win goes to Theresa Milstein for Lavendar. Because her link made me smile. Click HERE to see it.

Day 2: Stereotyped

Bose (because I love a good play on words!) by Beth (+3)
Asian mathematician (because its so TRUE!) by Lori M. Lee (+2)
Mary Sue (because I'm a writer) by Amy Sonnichsen (+1)

Day 3: Rubber Gloves

Comet (because I grew up cleaning with Comet) by LTM (+3)
Super-villain (because I'd rather face one of those than the "exams" everyone else mentioned) by Bethany Elizabeth (+2)
Dishes (because it's unfortunately true) by Reb's Photo World (first to mention it) (+1)

Day 4: Charming

Toilet Paper (because that's just funny) by Lenny (+3)
TIE: Chris Philips by Chris Philips (+2)
TIE: Older Brother by MikeS (my real life older brother) (+2)

And the because on those? Yeah, if they have the moxy to put it out there, who am I not to laugh?

Day 5: Phony

Baloney (because who doesn't like to say "Phony Baloney"?) by Lenny (+3)
Reality TV (because that's about as phony as it gets) by Sarah Nicolas (+2)
Folex (because I LOVE making up words) by Amy Sonnichsen (+1)

Day 6: License Plates

Janet Sumner Johnson (because "Booyeah!" I've left my mark!) by R. Garret Wilson (first to mention me) (+3)
Criminals (because I find it hilarious that I'm right in there with the criminals) by Theresa Milstein (+2)
Drive-thru dinner ware (because it made me giggle) by MikeS (+1)

Day 7: Pigs

Miss Piggy (because there's so much back story there I don't have the space to tell you) by Reb's Photo World (+3)
Fly (because they do!) by LTM (+2)
Christmas Ham (because I really wanted to choose BACON! but it was submitted too late) by Robyn Campbell (+1)

Day 8: Squeaky Clean

Sterilized Mice (because I fell off my chair when I read it) by MikeS (+3)
The money I made from organized crime (because LOL) by Chris Philips (+2)
OCD (because I don't know anything about that. Really.) by CarolynV (+1)

Day 9: Absurd

The National Debt (because le sigh) by MikeS (+3)
Albert Camus (because I had to read his stuff for my thesis and he IS!) by Beth (+2)
Turd (because I feel like a little kid saying it and then giggling) by Sangu (+1)*

Day 10: Pond Scum

Delinquent Goldfish (because ROFL!) by Chris Philips (+3)
Pogo Sticks (because it's SO random!) by LTM (+2)
Ex-boyfriend (because I may have had one of those) by Missed Periods (+1)

Thank you to everyone who played along with me! I had a blast reading through all your answers, and can I just mention how HARD it was to choose? I'm thinking I'll have to do this again some time. Okay, so tallying up the scores, here are the winners:

1st Place:

MikeS

2nd Place:

Lenny Lee

3rd Place (TIE):

Chris Philips and LTM

Since there are 4 winners, I'll add Mystery Prize Pack #2. First place gets the prize pack of his choice and then so on with the leftovers. I have e-mailed them all and will have shiny prizes in the mail as soon as the choices are all in. Thanks again for playing!

*Note: The author of this post does not encourage the use of the word Turd. ;)

Apples to Apples Contest: Prizes to Win!

2011-09-01T12:02:00.018-04:00

Perhaps I should have done this in the beginning, but to entice you to play this game with me, here are the prize packages to be won by the top three contestants:

The Possession Prize Package:

Includes:

Hardback copy of Possession by Elana Johnson
$25 Gift Card to Best Buy (you'll be wanting lots of cool tech after reading Possession)
An Idea Book and Pen (because any good writer needs one)

The MG/PB Prize Package:

Includes:

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman
An Idea Book and Pen

The Mystery Prize Package:

Includes:

Ha! I got you . . . as if I'd reveal what's in there.
The tantalizing unknown (because who can resist that?)

For the complete rules, click here, but really, it's basic word association. So go ahead, click on over and add your responses for each contest day.

Apples to Apples Contest Day 1
Apples to Apples Contest Day 2
Apples to Apples Contest Day 3
Apples to Apples Contest Day 4
Apples to Apples Contest Day 5
Apples to Apples Contest Day 6
Apples to Apples Contest Day 7
Apples to Apples Contest Day 8
Apples to Apples Contest Day 9
Apples to Apples Contest Day 10

And remember, the contest closes at Midnight, EDT, 4 September 2011. May the most clever answers win!

P.S. I won't be here Monday, as I'll be out there laboring or something for, you know, Labor Day. And my blogging friend Amy just nabbed an agent, so go congratulate her at The Green Bathtub if you get a chance. So excited for her!

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 10 (Final day!)

2011-08-31T07:00:00.001-04:00

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Pond Scum

And just as a reminder, you have until midnight EDT on Sunday, September 4 to add an entry to any of these 10 posts.

Platform-building Campaign

2011-08-30T17:53:00.000-04:00

Hi all! Just a quick pause from the Apples to Apples Contest for a brief public service announcement . . .

After watching the first two Platform-building Campaigns over at Rachel Harrie's blog, Rach Writes, I've decided to finally join in. They have been amazingly successful under Rach's watchful eye.

You have until August 31st to join, so if you are interested in building your platform and helping others build theirs, head on over to her site to see what it entails. Just click here for the information. :)

And for any other campaigners out there, I look forward to meeting you!

Finally, don't forget, you have until Sunday, 4 September 2011 to enter a response on any of the Apples to Apples Contest days. I'm loving your cleverness!

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 9

2011-08-30T07:00:00.002-04:00

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Absurd

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 8

2011-08-29T07:00:00.002-04:00

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Squeaky Clean

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 7

2011-08-26T07:00:00.005-04:00

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Pigs

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 6

2011-08-25T07:00:00.003-04:00

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

License Plates

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 5

2011-08-24T09:58:00.000-04:00

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Phony

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 4

2011-08-23T07:00:00.003-04:00

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Charming

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 3

2011-08-22T07:00:00.003-04:00

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Rubber Gloves

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 2

2011-08-19T07:00:00.002-04:00

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Stereotyped

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 1

2011-08-18T07:00:00.003-04:00

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Darth Vader

Fun Times Ahead: The Rundown

2011-08-15T06:30:00.005-04:00

As promised, today I unveil my super fun plans!

With WriteOnCon here this week, PLUS I'll be hosting scads of family for a family reunion, I had this brilliant idea (okay, I stole my brother's brilliant idea) for a fun way to still keep up with my blog.

So here's the deal---ever heard of Apples to Apples? This is just like that, only you don't get to draw cards. Here are the rules:

Beginning Thursday, August 19, I will post a word on my blog each weekday.
In the comments, you leave a word associated with my word. It can be funny, serious or whatever. (Just keep in mind that I am the judge, so you want it to be a word you think I would associate with the first word).
At the end of two weeks, I will choose my three favorite entries for each post and award 3 pts, 2 pts. and 1pt. respectively. I will add up the points and choose three overall winners.
You can vote on any of the posts until midnight EDT on Sunday, September 4.
Anyone can play! If you want to follow or spread the word, great. But not required. However, if you don't think I have a way to contact you otherwise, be sure to leave an e-mail address (or something) just in case you win.
I will announce winners sometime that next week. And YES, there will be prizes! Good ones.

To sum up.

-I write a word. Example: Keyboard.

-You write an associated word. Example: Letters; Typing; Music; Piano; Singing; Writing

-I choose my favorites.

-Three someones win a fun prize.

Easy? Easy. But if you have questions, feel free to ask.

During that time, I apologize that I won't be able to visit your blogs (can you say beach house?!!), or respond to your brilliant comments like usual (assuming you have an e-mail address connected to your profile), but thanks for visiting and good luck! I can't wait to read your pithy, hilarious, and overall genius responses!

This vs. That: Beach vs. Mountains

2011-08-11T06:18:00.020-04:00

I have been Slacker on getting to this post in part because I hoped more people would vote, and in part, I was pulling a Donkey and enjoying the waffling with melty butter and hot drippy syrup . . . yummm . *wipes drool of her face and continues typing*

This was a surprisingly hard vote for me! So here are the results:

Total votes: 18

Beach: 10 votes; 56%
Mountains: 8 votes; 44%

While a few of you expressed love for your reject, and one of you did suggest mountains NEXT to the beach (after voting, so I didn't count a 'both' vote), most people were surprisingly sure of themselves.

And of course, I could have decided to split the vote 50/50, because after all, I grew up among the mountains, and I consider them to be my old friends. In fact, I miss them terribly and have considered starting a petition to rename the grossly misnamed Appalachians.

Hills, people. They are definitely HILLS.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand. When I vacation, do I dream of packing up my tent and enduring the hard ground of a mosquito-infested campsite? No, I do not. So of course, my vote had to go to the beach. But I agree with Missed Periods. I'll take the 75 degree weather and crystal clear water, please. :)

Okay, now on to the next debate:

Winnie-the-Pooh

vs.

Tigger

(And don't even try to claim you don't love them both!)!

More Contests!

2011-08-08T06:26:00.016-04:00

1) Rachel McClellan over at Blackbird in my Window is hosting a summer writing contest with Lauren Ruth from the BookEnds Agency as the judge. Check out the contest rules here.

You have until August 11th to submit your first 500 words, so polish your work and go check it out.

2) Also, there is an editor-judged contest over at Gabriela Lessa's blog. There are four different editor-judges from Sourcebooks, each one judging a different category from PB through Adult lit. You can enter through Aug. 9th, so go check it out here.

Best of luck!

P.S. I know this isn't much of a post, but I have something super fun planned for the next couple of weeks! Can't wait to tell you all about it next Monday!

Micro Synopsis Contest at YAtopia with agent John Cusick

2011-08-05T16:53:00.000-04:00

These contests are suddenly popping up all over! Isn't it great?

This one is open to MG and YA and asks for a three sentence synopsis of your plot. Beginning. Middle. End. 1. 2. 3.

For the record, this is not so easy, but you should definitely take the challenge! You have until Aug. 11th. so follow the link to YAtopia and leave your entry in the comments.

Best of luck!

That's Not Me!

2011-08-04T06:49:00.001-04:00

A year ago (or so), I read about Google Alerts on Elana Johnson's blog.

They are pretty cool. You choose something you'd like to google, and once a week (or however often you want to receive them), Google sends you a list of the top-ranked pages for that search term. If you don't know how, you should definitely google it . . .that is, as soon as you're done commenting on my blog. ;)

As a writer and blogger, for example, you can set up an alert for your name just to get an idea of where and how frequently you are mentioned. Does your blog come up when someone searches for your name (ie agents and editors)? Are any other sites referencing you?

I decided to take a leap, and I loved the results. My blog came up consistently. And often, I'd find my name mentioned on other blogs (which was always a fun surprise!).

Anyway, fast-forward several months, and Google (the stinkers!) changed the way they do something, and suddenly, my blog is gone from the lists. Except occasionally. So instead of seeing my posts proudly displayed, I learn about other Janet Johnsons (because there are a lot of us).

Did you know that in July, a one Janet Johnson of Texas gave birth to a sixteen-pound baby! Wow.

And do you know how often I find links to my obituary? At least once a month.

Still, it is amusing, and it's nice to know I do show up somewhere . . . even if it's a few links down.

So do you do Google Alerts? How does your name fare?

Still Harping on Justin Bieber

2011-08-01T06:42:00.002-04:00

"Luck is what happens when Opportunity meets Preparation." -Seneca (Roman dramatist)

I heard this quote today, and it really resonated with me. It's so easy to attribute a person's success to Luck. And perhaps it's true. But that doesn't mean there was no work or effort involved.

Take Stephanie Meyers. I've heard it said that her success is merely luck. And perhaps that's true about the fact that she hit on the next teen craze. But the craze didn't just find her. . . . She spent hours writing a novel and editing it. Then she took the time to write a query and put herself out there. She was prepared when opportunity came knocking.

Another prime example: Justin Bieber. His rise to fame is astounding, and it would be easy to dismiss him as the luckiest kid in the world. But fame didn't just show up on his doorstep one day. He was learning to play the drums when he was two. He was entering contests and putting his performances online for others to view by the time he was ten. Sounds simple, but it takes guts. And work. Opportunity came knocking BECAUSE of his preparation.

So when I heard this quote, my mind translated it into this: "Don't sit around hoping to get published or worry that you'll never be lucky enough. Go out and write. And write. And write. Then don't be afraid to put yourself out there."

Because you never know when Opportunity will come knocking. And if you aren't prepared, it might just pass you by.

What are you doing to be prepared?

A Little Mo[u]rning Humor

2011-07-28T06:49:00.003-04:00

For whatever reason, I have been feeling OLD lately. Definitely an all-caps kind of feeling. Rather than whine about it, I present my method of coping for your viewing pleasure. Yup, it's a list:

Top 10 Hints You Might be Getting Old

You can't ride a roller coaster without taking drammamine first.
You know whether or not it's going to rain by listening to your knee.
When channel surfing, you pause on the Face Cream info-mercial promising to erase those wrinkles; then have to force yourself not to pick up the phone when they say you only have 15 minutes left to get the deal.
30 doesn't seem old anymore.
40 doesn't seem old anymore.
[For women] Going anywhere without make-up is not an option.
[For men] Rogaine doesn't seem so implausible anymore.
The parents of the cute little family next door were born the year you graduated from High School.
Your child asks you how old you were when the dinosaurs went extinct.
The kid working at the local 7-11 calls you ma'am/sir.

Do you have any to add?

Mary Pickford: The Justin Bieber of Her Day?

2011-07-25T06:40:00.005-04:00

After quoting Mary Pickford last week, I had a couple of people ask about her. Of course I didn't know anything, but that is easily rectified in the computer age. So today I present Mary Pickford, a.k.a. Gladys Smith (1892-1979):

Mary Pickford, ca. 1916

This media file is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1923. See this page for further explanation.

It turns out that Mary Pickford was a giant in the film industry. Not only was her fame as a silent actress akin to that of Charlie Chaplin (i.e. THE biggest starlet of her day, and considered at the time to be the most famous woman to have ever lived), but she also helped reshape Hollywood. She is the reason that movies are not simply reproductions of plays on film.

On a funny note, one might also call her the Justin Bieber of her day because she was originally identified by her hair. When she first gained popularity, they didn't put actors' names in the credits, so she was simply known as "The Girl with the Golden Curls" or "Blondilocks." And when she finally did cut it in 1928, it was front page news. Sound familiar?

Anyway, I don't want to bore you with too many details, but I will mention two facts that make me like her (and make me think of writing):

First, she attributes her popularity to the fact that in the beginning she took as many roles as she could, no matter how small. She understood that if she became known, there would be a demand for her work.
Second, once she had made it, she used her fame to benefit many charitable causes and she convinced others to do the same.

Unfortunately, the advent of "talkies" became her undoing. Though a pioneer of the film industry, she, ironically, underestimated the power that sound combined with film would have (that, and she cut her hair). In the end, she retired as an actress in 1933.

So I ask you . . . what would you do if your chosen career suddenly ended for whatever reason? And are e-books today the equivalent of "talkies" back then?

Pitch Contest!

2011-07-25T06:30:00.008-04:00

Chanelle at Beyond Words is having a pitch contest with her agent, Victori Marini. It ends today though, so quick go check it out here.

Best of luck!

UPDATE: The contest has been extended through July 29th. Go hither and enter!

Short and Sweet

2011-07-21T07:32:00.000-04:00

I found this quote and wanted to share:

"What we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down."

-Mary Pickford

Potty Talk

2011-07-18T06:50:00.002-04:00

Though we generally discourage potty talk at our house, today I'm making an exception. On my latest trip to France and Switzerland, my sister and I had endless laugh sessions from the potties that be.

Sure, you can find gross public restrooms in the U.S., and let's not forget the long-drop outhouses at camp sites or the infamous port-a-potties at big events. Still, we just can't compare to Europe.

First, we have the squatters.

From the outside, it looks like a typical roadside rest stop potty,

but open those doors and you're in for a fun surprise.

Oh yes. Not only is this a place to unload your cares, it's an exercise facility as well. Talk about time management.

And don't even think about cheating on those squats by putting a hand on the back wall. The thing automatically flushes down the entire wall to clear your waste. Not a pleasant surprise (fortunately, that was my sister who found out the hard way).

Next we have the pay potties

Slip your euro in the slot, and you're ensured a cool 20 minutes of private reading time. Just don't get caught up in your book, because those doors pop right open when your time's up.

But on the plus side, they come with the guarantee of an automatic washdown between each use. A word of caution: be sure to dry off the seat before getting comfortable.

And finally, my personal favorite: the metal-seated variety in the high Alps.

So, I used this thing in July, and I nearly froze my little tushy off. I can only imagine the fun experience you might have in January. Drying off your seat before using it is more than just good hygiene if you know what I mean (think A Christmas Story and the flag pole incident).

Now what does all this have to do with writing? Well, I'm sure I could say something about style and making it your own. Or perhaps it's about the improvement process over time. Or maybe something about being aware of the pitfalls of writing . . . but really, I just thought it was funny.

What do you take from this?

Hardness is Good

2011-07-14T06:41:00.000-04:00

Sorry I missed Monday, but I underestimated the fatigue factor of jet lag. Definitely still recovering here.

So with a promise for something exciting come Monday, here's a quote from A League of Their Own:

"If it weren't hard, everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes baseball great." - Jimmy Dougan (Tom Hanks)

Of course, you can swap out baseball for whatever hard thing you're working at and the idea still holds true. If you can't guess, I replace it with "writing." If it all came too easily, I don't think I'd appreciate the craft of writing as much as I do. And I certainly wouldn't appreciate any success I may have.

So I'm glad that writing is hard! (Though I can't believe I just put that in writing.)

How about you? What would you swap in for "baseball"?

Your Audience Reluctantly Speaks

2011-07-07T06:46:00.002-04:00

Today, my self-proclaimed 26-year-old nephew (read that as 14-year-old) will share his views on what makes a good book.

It may have been more or less like pulling teeth to get him to write this. But since I said pretty please with sugar on top, he caved. What can I say? I'm the cool aunt. Okay, okay. The almost-as-cool-as-their-other-aunt aunt. Aunt. And one more for good measure, aunt. Sounds totally weird now, doesn't it?

Okay, enough fun. On to the wise words of my nephew, a.k.a. Zeke:

The kind of books I enjoy to read are the kind that have lots of fantasy and action. They need to have some realistic characteristics. One of my favorites is “FABLEHAVEN” by Brandon Mull. His series is very good and enjoyable, they are easy to get into and to continue reading them. Sometimes it is hard to stop reading, and you end up reading two or three more chapters than you wanted to.

And now, a word from your audience . . .

2011-06-30T06:04:00.013-04:00

So I am gone. Yup, gone, as in off to France (Again! I know!). But, my super amazing niece and nephew are here with my in-laws to take care of my family. And as they are the target audience for many of us, I just may have begged a little for them to fill in for me.

So first, here's my 12-year-old niece, a.k.a. Binks, on her favorite book/author and why:

My favorite author is Rick Riordan the author of the Percy Jackson and The Olympians, The Kane series, and The Lost Hero. My favorite part is all the action and the Greek and Roman and Egyptian Gods. I love that he can teach all about the Greek cultures. I didn’t know a lot about any of these cultures but now I know a lot.

My most favorite book is The Lost Hero. It’s really cool because it teaches a lot about both Roman and Greek gods. It has a lot of action too.

P.S. Since Monday is the 4th of July, I won't be posting then, but look for my nephew's commentary on the 7th. Happy 4th!

Agent-Judged Contest!

2011-06-27T06:17:00.004-04:00

Shelley Watters is sponsoring a Birthday Blowout Agent-Judged contest of the first 250 words of our completed manuscripts. The winner gets a full request, and a runner-up will get a partial!

If your MS is finished, head over to her blog to enter. This time the agent judge is Victoria Marini of Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency, who is currently building her client list. Very cool!

For those interested, here are Shelley's rules:

You must be a follower of her blog and/or Twitter.
You must spread the word, via twitter, fb, blog post, whatever.
Your work must be complete.
Your work must fall into one of the following genres: YA, Middle Grade, memoir, pop-culture non-fiction, and women’s commercial fiction.
On June 27th (today!), go to Shelley's blog and post your entry on her dedicated contest entry blog post.

Best of luck to everyone who enters!

This vs. That: Star Wars vs. Star Trek

2011-06-23T06:07:00.005-04:00

I'm a little leary of a backlash by enraged fans after posting the results of this one, but since I'm a risk taker, I'll go for it.

First though, I have to admit, the voting surprised me this time around. And apparently, this is a burning question to many folks out there in cyberspace. It was like a double contest: first in the voting, and second in the searches used to find the post. Did they search using STAR WARS vs. Star Trek, or STAR TREK vs. Star Wars?

Okay, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Here are the results:

Total votes: 21

Star Wars: 9 votes; 43%
Star Trek: 6 votes; 29%
Neither: 3 votes; 14%
Impossible to choose: 2 votes; 9%
Need more info: 1 vote; 5%

And, because I know you're all dying to know, here's the second unofficial contest from the searches:
Star Wars vs. Star Trek: 9
Star Trek vs. Star Wars: 9

Yup, exactly equal as of the writing of this post. Fascinating.

[UPDATE: Star Trek surged into the lead with 12 searches as of this morning!]

Perhaps my fandom totally blinded me on this one, but I really thought Star Wars would be the obvious choice (except, of course for you, Vicki!). So yes, I voted Star Wars. Lets just say that even my two-year old knows who Anakin is, and insists on finding a Star Wars book to check out of the library whenever we go. And she's a girl. (Not that that SHOULD have anything to do with it, but *ahem* there we are).

So, now that I've enraged a bunch of people (I'm sure), on to the next debate:

Beach

vs.

Mountains

IH8SK8S - The Story Behind the Plate

2011-06-20T06:54:00.006-04:00

Thank you to everyone who chimed in with their own backstory to the now infamous license plate "IH8SK8S." I enjoyed reading them. But here's the skinny:

Driver X is haunted by a past filled with tragedy related to skates. And I know most of you thought ice skates, but you're all wrong. They were roller skates.

Incident #1: Christmas, Driver X is 6.

All she wanted for Christmas was a pair of roller skates. She sent several letters to Santa detailing her desires, and even endured sitting on Santa's lap at the mall to be double sure he got the message. She left catalogs open on her parent's bed with the exact make, model and size circled in bright pink marker. She just knew she was going to get those skates.

She didn't. Worse, her older sister got a pair.

Incident #2: Two years later, what has come to be known as "The Incident."

The Elementary School Driver X attended sponsored a skating night at the local skating rink. Unfortunately, because Driver X didn't get that pair of skates for Christmas two years earlier, she was a lousy skater. Halfway around her first circle, she fell and broke her hand. Her right hand. The one she writes with.

Normally, this wouldn't matter, but the next day happened to be when Jeopardy! for Kids was administering a test at her school to qualify participants. Driver X not only missed the test, but her chance for fame.

Incident #3: Eight years later.

A rash of vandalisms had been perpetrated against her High School by a self-proclaimed "Skating Bandit." Desperate to find the culprit, the administrators performed a secret, systematic locker check.

Normally, this wouldn't matter, but guess who brought a certain pair of roller skates owned by her older sister to school that day as part of an assignment to give an oral report on an unhappy childhood memory?

Eight weeks of community service AND an incident report added to her permanent record. We won't mention the trips to the psychologist.

Final Incident: Ten years later.

Driver X had finally lived down her reputation as a dangerous criminal. She had met the man of her dreams and was on a walk with him in Central Park.

She detected a certain square-shaped bulge in his jacket pocket and just knew this was THE day. Right up until that stupid girl on roller skates crashed into her honey, landing smack on top of him.

He never proposed. Ten months later, she saw the announcement in the paper that he and stupid skater-girl were engaged.

Oh yeah. Driver X hates skates. With a passion.

Note: This story is fictional. Any similarities to persons living or dead is completely coincidental. ;)

In Which I Ponder About a License Plate. (Again.)

2011-06-17T06:30:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I saw a license plate that caught my interest:

IH8SK8S

I know, you're probably thinking, "Hmmm . . . she must be in pretty desperate need for some entertainment," but bear with me.

Most license plates I see state something about the driver. Whether it's a name, fan status for a sports team, a reference to something they love (sports, cars, hobbies, hats, whatever). In essence, these personalized 8 letters reveal something that the driver deems to be significant in his or her life. It characterizes him or her.

So why use the opportunity to tell people what you hate? It's what you are not instead of what you are. Really, it's an anti-characterization.

As a writer, my brain went into overdrive to create the backstory for this driver. But before I share MY made-up backstory, I want to hear yours.

WHY does this person hate skates so much???

P.S. And on a blogger business note, starting next week, I'll be cutting down to only two posts a week for the summer. M/H

Confessions of a Soccer Mom

2011-06-15T06:29:00.008-04:00

I love soccer. LOVE it.

And I love my son. Even more than soccer.

So you'd think that watching him play his soccer game would be like eating ice cream AND a brownie. Right?

So here's my confession: It's not. It's actually painful to watch. Painful, I tell you!

Now before you lynch me, it's not my kid. I really do like watching him learn to play the game. Rather, it's the game as played by seven-year-olds that hurts. Perhaps it's because I played competitive soccer. But perhaps it's just painful no matter who you are. And the funny thing is, it reminds me of reading through one of my first drafts. Here's why:

1. The players don't work together. Any given player will take out his own player to get the ball.

In my first draft, my chapters don't work together. The beginning lacks the build-up to the end, and the end just plain ignores what happened in the beginning to go its own direction. I won't even mention the plodding middle.

2. The poor players trip oven their own feet. Often. (It might have something to do with their shoe-tying abilities, but I can't be sure.)

Do I really need to mention the bad (stink-worthy, putrid, horrible, awkward to add a few adjectives) writing? Ack. Painful to read. And I'm supposed to make this seem effortless? Yikes!

3. The players forget which direction they're going. And that's usually the fortuituous moment that their aim is accurate.

Have you ever accidentally changed a character's name midway through a draft? Or suddenly your mc has black hair instead of blond? No? Me neither.

4. Lack of coordination. Sure it's funny to watch Charlie Brown put all his force into kicking that football only to have it pulled away by Lucy, but it's more cringe-worthy when you know the kid. And yes, they really do land on their backs after kicking air. Ouch.

In that first draft, it's like I've forgotten all the rules of writing. Setting comes in chunks that feel like Aunt Bertha's famous stone pudding in your gut. Backstory takes the real story hostage, and adverbs go on a rampage. Dialogue feels like talking heads who portrary stiff characters who all sound like the same person. You get the idea.

5. By the second half, the players are T-I-R-E-D. The ball could be right in front of them, but they're too tired to move their foot. As a spectator, it was hard to restrain myself from running onto the field to kick the ball myself, just to get the thing moving!

And back to the ending. It might be a tad rushed because I was T-I-R-E-D of writing the dang book. But why can't Prince Charming just kill the bad guy with one quick plunge of his sword instead of orchestrating a whole fight scene? Economy of words, right?

Summer Dreaming

2011-06-13T06:37:00.002-04:00

Here in Virginia, we still have one more week to go before Summer break (well---technically---one more week and two days). In reality, I'll have less free time once school lets out. But in my imagination, I see myself high-tailing it to a remote location such as this:

I see myself kicking back, laptop warming my legs while I stare dreamily out across the ocean, plotting my next best seller.

My husband will bring me platefuls of chocolate-dipped strawberries, and skillfully prepare all the meals. My only concern will be writing.

Yeah.

Definitely Summer dreaming.

So where does your Summer dreaming take you?

Agent Interview: Molly Jaffa

2011-06-10T06:45:00.004-04:00

I met Molly Jaffa at the Mid-Atlantic SCBWI October conference last year when she critiqued my first ten pages. She was so nice, and helped me get over the shaking-voice syndrome (you know, the thing you get when you pitch your work to an agent?).

I was impressed by her knowledge and found her super personable, so I was thrilled when she agreed to do an interview with me. First the blurb from her website, then on to the interview:

Molly has been working closely with Folio authors’ projects since 2008, and is now aggressively and selectively building her list of clients. She is thrilled to be part of the recent launch of Folio Jr., a division within the agency dedicated to developing and nurturing the careers of YA and children’s authors. In addition to agenting, Molly utilizes her editorial background, previous work experience in the e-publishing industry, and intimate knowledge of the Folio list in her position as Subsidiary Rights Associate. She actively pursues sales of all unsold subsidiary rights, helping Folio clients’ books reach wide audiences in as many formats as possible. Molly is an avid reader, and when she’s not devouring manuscripts, she can usually be found camped out in the aisles of her local bookstore (until they kick her out at closing time).

For a list of what she is and isn't looking for, please see her agent page at the Folio literary website.

When did you first realize you wanted to be an agent, and why?

Molly: I always knew that I loved books, but until I started interning at Folio several years ago, I didn't know exactly what career path I'd take. In general, there's not a lot of awareness about what a literary agent does outside of the industry; when most people think of publishing jobs, they only think of editors and writers.

While assisting agency partner Jeff Kleinman, I was fortunate enough to work on some really fantastic projects that went on to be very successful, both commercially and artistically. I had the opportunity to really dig in to manuscripts, to help authors transform their work line-by-line, and to make sure it reached the audience it deserved. Playing a part in that process, however small, amazed me. I fell in love with agenting and never looked back.

For me, and agenting is the perfect marriage of business and creativity. So when a full-time position opened up at Folio, I jumped at it, and I've been there ever since.

Recently, you helped launch Folio Jr. What drew you to MG and YA?

Molly: It's such a cliché, but really, books were my childhood. As an only child, book were my best friends, my source of inspiration; my guides to navigating the complicated worlds of child-, tween-, and teenhood. And I know I'm not alone in feeling that way! I'm passionate about getting books into the hands of young readers, because I know what a difference they can make.

I think that when compared to many adult titles, MG and YA novels often seem to have higher stakes and a greater sense of urgency behind them. There's something about a story that's set during a character's coming-of-age period that makes it feel especially vital. There's very little room for a meandering, passive story in MG or YA. The protagonist's age means that everything happening to him or her seems like it could have a profound effect on shaping who he or she is as a human being. Every emotion is amplified; every choice holds extra weight. On a pure storytelling level, that's really gripping.

I've also found a real sense of community in the children's book world. The agents, editors, and writers are all a pleasure to work with.

What are some of the biggest mistakes you see in queries?

Molly: Queries that are too long (if I have to scroll through it, it's too long); queries that are too short (if your query just tells me to read your sample pages, I probably won't); queries with improper or missing salutations (if we're going to start a professional relationship, let's start it off on a professional note); queries that don't follow my guidelines (these are clearly stated on the Folio website, and it's important that authors be able to take direction); queries that throw the kitchen sink at me ("It's going
to appeal to kids AND teens AND their parents and it will sell a million copies!"), because those show me that the author doesn't know the market very well.

On your Folio Agent page, you say you are looking for Edgy YA. What makes a book edgy in your opinion?

Molly: "Edgy" is one of those words that gets tossed around a lot, but can mean different things to different people. It definitely doesn't mean tossing in lots of cursing, sex, or blood and guts just because! Those things can be great, but in moderation, when they feel organic to the characters involved and the world the author's created. I'm looking for projects that are frank, honest, and straightforward.

What types of submissions would you like to see more of? Less of?

Molly: I'm seeing a lot of dead people right now: dead narrators, narrators with dead friends, narrators with dead parents, narrators who really wish they were dead. It's getting a little morbid in my inbox, so I'd like to see less of that! I'd love to see more manuscripts with endings that surprise me (not a twist, necessarily, just something that's not predictable).

On a weird note, I just saw "Bridesmaids" and loved it. It would be great to see some YA with similarly multifaceted, funny female characters that talk about something other than boy issues. If it passes the Bechdel Test (Google it!), I'm interested.

What makes you stop reading a partial or full submission?

Molly: I'll stop reading immediately if the caliber of the partial or full manuscript doesn't match the query. This happens more and more these days, as writers are perfecting their queries at conferences and in on- and offline critique groups, but neglecting to polish their manuscripts. A killer query also needs a killer manuscript.

Beyond that--and this sounds harsh, but bear with me--it's boredom that makes me stop. If something inside me isn't compelling me to scroll down to the next page, then I'll pass. It's a very subjective thing. If I'm not totally captivated by a manuscript, then that author should be free to find an agent who is.

And just for fun: You open a query that looks to have been written on ancient papyri and . . . POOF! . . . out pops a Literary Agent Genie who will grant you three agent-related wishes. What are they?

Molly:

More time in the day! I need more time to read all the fabulous submissions I get.
More fabulous submissions, of course. I know, it's a vicious cycle.
A crystal ball that would allow me to see the future of publishing. If people want to know what it's telling me, they can pay me in Starbucks cards.

On my blog I have a fascination with personalized plates. What would yours be? You have 8 letters.

TEXAS2NY

I'm from Texas, and my whole family's back there, so my heart is in two places.

***You can query Molly at molly@foliolit.com. Please include your query and the first ten pages of your manuscript in the body of the email, and the word “query” in the subject line.

Thanks so much, Molly, for your time and your great responses! I would definitely be purchasing some Starbucks cards for a look in that crystal ball. :D

Best of luck to all you queriers!

Possession Launch: Rule Breaking

2011-06-08T06:27:00.001-04:00

If you've been living in a hole, you may not have heard that Ms. Elana Johnson, woman extraordinaire, is celebrating the release of her debut novel, Possession. I'm so excited for her, that I couldn't resist participating in the launch.

My job is to tell about a time when I broke the rules. And confession, this was not so easy for me. Can you tell I'm one of those people? The kind who always keeps the rules and tows the line? *cough* Yeah.

But I have broken a rule or two in my day.

I think.

Just give me a second to remember when . . .

Okay! I've got it: In sixth grade when I got to help serve lunch (total privilege, btw!), I gave two desserts, count them TWO, to a cute boy. Ha! Take that, cafeteria rules.

And then there was that time or two I pulled a California stop at a stop sign [aka, I only slowed down a little before going through it, rather than coming to a complete stop]. Total rule breaking, right there.

So yeah, I am no Vi (the mc in Possession). Let's just hope I never live to see the world as it exists in Elana's book.

What rules have you broken?

And if you care to check out any other blogs participating in this launch, here's the list:

And P.S. Don't forget to swing by Friday for the interview with Molly Jaffa, Agent at Folio Literary!

A Day Late and a Dollar Short - Lenny Fest

2011-06-06T07:01:00.002-04:00

I totally missed the boat with the Lenny Fest, but my admiration for him overcomes silly things like time, so I am joining the Lenny Fest anyway.

If you haven't met Lenny, you should go meet him. Like now. He is a ray of sunshine. A slushee in melting-hot weather. Rain boots on a puddly day. A letter from a long-lost friend. A gift-wrapped present on a regular, old day. Well, you get the idea.

Since I'm no good at poetry, I'm offering several personalized license plates for Mr. Lenny. Appropriate, don't you agree? I get 8 letters:

LENNYLEE
RAYOFSUN
HUGS
OPTIMISM
HAPPYBOY
BE HAPPY
KINDNESS
MRSMILES
LVRACOON
SHARKBOY
ILVWATER
FISH
LAUGH
LV2SWIM
FRND2ALL

What do you think? Which one should Lenny pick?

Hugs, Lenny! We're all thinking of you. :D

I've Been Tagged!

2011-06-03T06:57:00.003-04:00

Medeia Sharif (whose debut book Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. comes out this Summer) tagged me last week, so here we go!

Do you think you're hot?

When I'm outside in the 105-degree, humidity, I KNOW I'm hot. But being the cold-blooded creature I am, most of the time I'm cold. I'm in sweaters when normal people are turning on the air-conditioning.

Oh wait . . . did I answer the wrong question?

Upload a picture or wall paper you are using at the moment.

It's one of the pictures on the slide-show that came with my computer. I grew up with mountains, and miss them tons.

When was the last time you ate chicken meat?

For lunch. Yummm . . .

The Song(s) you listened to recently?

My Wish by Rascal Flatts

Home by Michael Bublé

When I Get Where I'm Going by Brad Paisley

What were you thinking as you were doing this?

I'm so glad Medeia tagged me because now I don't have to think of something to post about.

Do you have nicknames?

I do, and I am so not going to write them here. :D

Tag eight Blogger friends.

(You are it!)

1. Bethany

2. Melissa

3. Jessie

4. Cynthia

5. Beth

6. Angela

7. Jemi

8. Stina

Who's listed as number one?

Bethany Yeager at Ink-Splattered. I love her fascination with Zelda.

Say something about number 5.

Her baking posts always make me drool. Her travel posts always make me want to see the world.

How did you get to know number 3?

I don't remember exactly, but she was one of my earlier followers and she was so fun I asked her to celebrate getting 101 followers with me since we were at about the same number.

How about number 4?

She found my blog when Medeia tagged me, so I thought it fitting to tag her.

Leave a message for number 6.

I know you were already tagged, but since I love your blog and poetry so much I had to tag you anyway. But you don't have to do it again. And P.S. we still need to meet in person!

Leave a lovey-dovey message for number 2.

Roses are Red.

Violets are Blue.

When I go to New York,

I'm SO calling you.

I am SUCH a poet. :D

Do number 7 and number 8 have any similarities?

Yes, they are both Canadian. I love Canadians! Shall we have buns for dinner? :D

And P.S. I'll be interviewing Molly Jaffa, an agent with Folio Jr., on my blog next Friday! Don't miss it!

Lost in the Louvre

2011-05-27T06:33:00.006-04:00

You simply cannot visit Paris without stopping at the Louvre. That would be a travesty!

So of course we did. And being the world's most famous museum (so say the French) with claims to being the largest there is a lot to see. So much, that it's impossible to do it all in one day.

You can follow the crowds to go see its most famous painting.

Yes, that is the Mona Lisa back there . . . if you look hard enough past the crowds.

You can see crown jewels and fun swords (though the plaques say the jewels aren't real on many of them anymore).

You can see rows upon rows of mummies.

And Sphinxes . . .

But if you aren't careful, you can easily get lost.

Which is what happened to us. And those exit signs? They really weren't very helpful. (I have to wonder if someone wasn't having some fun when they posted them because we walked the same Egyptian circle at least three times. For real.)

Anywho . . . I think that the blogosphere can be a lot like the Louvre. So many great sites out there.

You can follow the crowds and find some very useful and fun ones (Adventures in Children's Publishing, Elana Johnson's, Jen Daiker at Unedited).

If you search a little harder, you can find some real jewels (Lenny's World, Seeing Creative, Whole Latte Life).

Then there are those crazy bloggers that hold our fascination like the mummies (Carrie Harris, Chris Philips, Creepy Query Girl, Rambles and Randomness).

And in the crazy-big world that is the blogosphere, it's easy to get a little lost.

But with a little luck, you'll have made some great bloggy friends along the way. And somehow, getting lost isn't so bad when you've got them for company (NTM, aka Leigh from That's Write, Amy at The Green Bathtub, and so many others I can't list you all. Sorry! Don't hate me.)

So what blog and/or blogger would you want to get lost with? Share your favorites!

P.S. With Memorial Day, I won't be around on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Just a Spoonful of Sugar . . .

2011-05-25T06:53:00.004-04:00

Before going to Paris, we were informed that we absolutely had to stop at Angelina's for the most amazing cup of Hot Chocolate we could ever hope to taste. Expensive, but definitely worth a visit for all you chocolate lovers out there.

So here's the deal. See those white packets behind the hot chocolate? Those are sugar packets. What no one told us was that it comes unsweetened, and that we were supposed to sweeten the hot chocolate to taste.

Uh huh.

Let's just say that first sip was a doozy.

I kindof wish all those people had mentioned that part.

So swinging this around to writing (or whatever activity you love), what extremely helpful advice would you give to a green beginner?

This vs. That: Blue vs. Black Ink

2011-05-23T06:21:00.001-04:00

So I can only assume that ink color isn't really that important to you based on the number of votes. OR, you were all completely distracted by my announcement that I was going to Paris. Which must be the case, because ink color is one of the big questions in my book.

I mean, someone who chooses Blue ink over Black is making a clear statement that they have chosen the road less traveled. And those who choose Green are all about flaunting their non-conformist attitude. Red reveals a Type A personality, and Purple . . . well, they probably saw a little too much of a certain dinosaur who shall remain nameless.

So much at stake. So here we go . . .

Total votes: 14

Black: 9 votes; 65%
Blue: 3 votes; 21%
Purple: 1 vote; 7%
Red: 1 vote; 7%

I confess, I went black.

So what does this say about me? See, black goes with everything, and it's sensible and to the point. Not flashy or showy, but it does its job, day-in, day-out, with only a little complaining when the sun shines too hard. Then it turns purple, and we already know what that means.

My, I'm feeling a bit rambly today. I'd better move on quick!

So the next important question?

Star Wars

vs.

Star Trek

(Photo Credit: Inju)

What I'm Glad I Didn't Know

2011-05-20T06:29:00.005-04:00

We often talk about what we wish we knew way back when. Back before we started writing.

But here are some things I'm glad I didn't know:

That I would rewrite that first chapter seventy or so times.
That after rewriting that first chapter seventy or so times, I still wouldn't like it.
That ~~ years later, I still wouldn't be published.
That rejection letters never stop hurting.
That I'd look back at that first book and blush at how horrible it was.
That when your own mother doesn't like your book, it's a bad sign.
That my writing habit would attempt a coup on my life. ;)
That my siblings wouldn't appreciate being featured in my books.

And finally, at the top of my list . . . I'm glad I didn't know writing was so hard. Because as ignorant as I was, I sure enjoyed writing that first book.

So what are you glad you didn't know when you started?

Time to Let Go

2011-05-18T06:01:00.001-04:00

After months of not playing, I recently sat down at the piano. But when I tried to play, my fingers were rusty and they stumbled over the notes. Determined to get it right, I concentrated on each finger. I focused on where it should be, its every movement---but my playing only seemed to get worse. It was not fun.

Finally, I let go.

I stopped trying to over-think each movement and let my well-practiced fingers take over. And there it was. The music I remembered. The flow of notes, the tricky rhythms, the octave jumps. It all came back.

And it felt good.

Perhaps with writing it's the same. When we get stuck and don't know where to go next, sometimes we try to force the issue. Perhaps we're still in editing mode from revising the last piece. Perhaps we're simply determined to get it right the first time. Perhaps we're worried that we'll never write something as good as Jane Doe who just won a boatload of awards. Whatever it is, it is NOT fun.

That is when it is time to let go. Let your practiced hand and heart take over. Remember why you ever started writing in the first place. Forget about the rules you're supposed to be following. That can be worked out later. Forget about everyone else who would tell you you're doing it wrong. Just let go, and that is when the magic happens. The story unfolds. The characters come alive. And writing becomes fun again.

And man does it feel good.

The Big Reveal

2011-05-16T06:54:00.002-04:00

I've held you in suspense for two weeks now, and I'm sure you're all dying of curiosity to know the make and model of the license plate. Dying.

REDZMZM

I love that so many of you instantly thought of the Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! commercial. My mind never went there, but apparently the car's owner's did. It was indeed a Red Mazda.

I thought surely someone would guess the make, but alas, no one.

So, want to see the picture?

A red Mazda MX5 Convertible. Beautiful piece of work, isn't it?

Stina Lindenblatt from Seeing Creative was the first one to guess Red Mazda, so I hearby proclaim her as our winner! A Lion bar will be on its way post haste. :)

And just for fun, here's my license plate of the day:

1UNDRPAR

Pre-Published Author Classroom Visits?

2011-05-11T06:42:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I read an article on classroom visits and workshops in my SCBWI quarterly magazine. In the back of my mind, I started planning what I would do for mine . . . until my brain stopped me.

But you aren't a published author yet. You're just wasting your time.

I laughed at myself. I've already done a classroom visit, I told my brain. On getting published.

Yes, you read that right. Janet Sumner Johnson, an unpublished author, has done a classroom visit on getting published.

I can hear your questions clammoring through the blogosphere, so I will answer them:

Did you get paid? No.
Did you claim to be an expert? No.
Didn't the students question your authority? No.
And why not? Because I did my homework. I knew what I was talking about, and most importantly I knew more than the students. ;) (And I brought my source reference with me and showed it to them.)
How did you have the gall? Oh yeah, you in the back . . . I heard your question. I was asked, and I have a hard time saying 'no,' so I did it.
But why? Why would they ask you of all people to do a classroom visit? Connections. Yep. It's all about connections. My dad is a teacher and likes to brag about me to all his acquaintances(*blushes at the thought*). When he told the writing teacher that I had just finished writing a book (the first draft, mind you), and was working to get it published (*blushes again at the thought*) she asked if I would present to her class on how to get published.
Weren't you scared out of your mind? *wipes tears of laughter from my eyes* Scared doesn't even begin to describe it. But that made me prepare that much harder, and you know what? I'm really glad that I didn't let a little fear hold me back. It was a fabulous experience, and I learned tons, tons, tons more than any of those students did.
So what is the point of your post? My point, dear friends, is that we sometimes hold ourselves back from doing things because we don't think we know enough. We don't think we're ready. We don't think we have the cred. There are so many excuses, really.

We classify classroom visits as something only the published can do. But why? True, we can't talk about what it's like to be published. We won't have a beautifully bound book to hold up and show the students. But we do have experience and knowledge.

I know many of you could write a query with one arm tied behind your back (as long as it's not the one attached to your writing hand). Some of you can spew grammar rules like you study the Chicago every day. Some of you know the best way to pinpoint agents in your genre. It may sound basic, but it's knowledge hard-earned. Knowledge that others would love to gain.

Okay, I've said my say. But what do you think? Should pre-published authors look for opportunities to do classroom visits? Why or why not?

A Mary Poppins Mother's Day

2011-05-09T06:25:00.001-04:00

So, my Mother's Day didn't go exactly as one might hope. The eve of, I picked up my crying daughter from her crib, only to get covered in diarreah. The morning of, I woke up feeling like a piano was sitting on my chest,with a yucky cold. I hated to miss church because on Mother's Day not only do all the children sing to you, but the men all bring these marvelous treats for the women to eat during the women's meeting. Furthermore, I was supposed to pick someone up, and help with the children's meeting, so it was actually a lot of work not to go.

My husband couldn't help because he'd been working all night and needed to sleep before working all night again. After debating the possibilities, I finally concluded I really couldn't (and shouldn't!) go to church. THANKFULLY I made this decision, because just as we would have been in the car on the way, my 4-year-old threw up. Yes, it truly was quite the day.

So when I got my two sickies down to sleep, I proposed to my 7-year-old that we watch Mary Poppins. I loved this movie as a kid (I even learned how to say Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious backwards - Docious-ali-expi-istic-fragi-cali-rupus, in case you were wondering). My son would never watch it before, but since we don't usually watch movies on Sunday, he jumped at the chance.

This time was the charm. He loved it! And of course I loved it all over again. I even had to watch the "making of" portion in the Bonus Features. That's when my son lost interest.

Still, I found it fascinating. Did you know that Walt Disney spent 20 years trying to get the rights to film this movie? P.L. Travers didn't want to see her work desecrated by Hollywood. But Disney had fallen in love with the book, and he never stopped trying. He just knew that it was something worth pursuing. (Sound familiar?)

And did you know that Julie Andrews only accepted the part of Mary Poppins after she failed to get the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady? If you recall, that part went to the inimitable Audrey Hepburn. But guess who won the Oscar for Best Actress that year? I'll give you a hint: it didn't go to Audrey Hepburn. Ms. Andrews' amazing success in Mary Poppins only came because she was first rejected. (Funny enough, she actually thanked the producer of My Fair Lady in her acceptance speech at the Oscars!)

So I won't slam the morals down your throat, I'm sure you can see how these great stories might apply to us. But I will show you the picture my son drew while I was watching the "making of."

Recognize it? If you don't, go watch it again. If you've never seen it . . . well hurry and rectify that! Mary Poppins is an inspirational film. So simple, yet so complex. And even though my day may not have been all one might hope, I'm okay with that. Somehow, after seeing this movie with my son, I don't feel so gloomy. And that's the best a storyteller can hope for, isn't it?

Reader's Digest-esque Humor

2011-05-06T06:56:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite bathroom reads is the Reader's Digest "humor" sections. I have even submitted one or two in my time (*sigh* not published though). So today, wishing to offer up a good laugh, I present for your reading pleasure my own humorous short:

After asking my boys to clean up their room for the um-teenth time, I told them I'd help if they hurried. Of course, I found myself cleaning up on my own.

Well, I'd had enough! Hands on hips, and stern look on face, I declared, "I am NOT the clean-up fairy!"

My boys weren't even phased. My oldest just glared back. "Then why are we the clean-up boys?"

Perseverence Pays Off

2011-05-04T06:50:00.003-04:00

The Arc de Triomphe is another signature site of Paris.

This monument was commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon to honor his great victories as a general. He had proclaimed himself Emperor in 1804, and he was revered by the people for basically bringing greatness back to France after the horrors of the Revolution.

Construction began in 1809, and before it was finished, Napoleon was forced to abdicate (1814) by the French generals, and was banished from France not once, but twice (first to Elba, then to St. Helena after attempting a comeback).

Now you would think that given the circumstances, the French might have decided not to finish the monument, or at the very least dedicate it to someone else, but no. When construction was completed 19 years (19 years!!!) after Napoleon's death, they had his body exhumed from his grave in St. Helena and paraded under the Arc on the way to its final resting place in the chapel of the Hotel des Invalides.

Turns out that many French people still saw him as a hero, despite his downfall. And in fact, the epitaph on his tombstone simply says "Here lies . . . " because they couldn't agree with the British about what to call him: hero vs. tyrant?

So, if you aren't yet bored to tears over another history lesson, here is my writing analogy . . . so many to choose from with Napoleon.

But I choose to focus on perseverence.The French saw the building of the Arc de Triomphe to the end despite the obstacles they faced. Surely there must have been a moment where they questioned whether or not the monument to a leader fallen from grace was worth the resources it was taking. But they moved forward, and their work is beautiful. It is universally admired.

As writers, we too will face obstacles. We will find numerous reasons to quit and wash our hands of this tyrant that binds us down. But if we quit, we'll never know the works we might have produced. The influence we might have had over countless others. I imagine that other European nations mocked the French for their folly, but not anymore.

So finish those Arcs! Fight the good fight! And never give up! (And I do believe that this was basically Napoleon's philosophy, too.) ;)

Extreme Parallel Parking

2011-05-02T06:34:00.043-04:00

You knew it had to come up . . . but darned if I didn't see even one personalized plate in France. Yeah, I think that's just not done there. Probably because the French spend all their energy learning to park in impossible places:

Why bother thinking up a creative 8-letter (or whatever it is in France) commentary about yourself when no one will be able to see the plate half the time anyway?

Actually, I'm wondering if personalized plates are an exclusively American thing. I'd love it if all of you who live in other countries would confirm or correct my opinion. (Please!)

Anywho . . . since there are more than enough creative plates here in Virginia to make up for it, I've decided on a compromise. Here's how it will work:

I will post a super fun license plate I found here, in the U.S.
You will guess the color, make, and model of the car (like usual).
The first person to get all three right wins a French candy bar. A Lion bar to be exact.

Good, yes? Because I have to say that I'm sacrificing a lot by sharing my limited supply of Lion bars with you. You can't get these in the U.S., and they are SUPER yummy!

So on to the important stuff. I saw this car parked at the grocery story, and I was grinning the whole time I was there. You may laugh, but as a children's writer, I'm trying to take lessons from my audience. We should all let something so simple make us happy.

And, the license plate du jour:

REDZMZM

On your mark. Get set. Guess!

P.S. If you haven't voted in the latest This vs. That, please head on over before I tally the results. :)

The Worth of a Thing

2011-04-29T06:18:00.001-04:00

Our next stop in Paris was St. Chapelle.

Yeah, I didn't get a great picture of it. I'm hoping you'll forgive me.

Anyway, this little chapel was built near Notre Dame in 1246 by Louis IX (the pious Louis). Louis commissioned this chapel to hold some holy relics he'd purchased---namely the crown of thorns worn by Jesus on the cross, as well as a splinter of the cross.

Were they the real deal? Obviously Louis IX thought so, because he paid 135,000 livres for just the crown. Now, I can't tell you how much that is in today's money, but to give you a comparison, he paid a mere 40,000 livres to build the entire chapel.

Once you go inside, you'll find that the pillared walls are merely there to support the endless stained glass windows. When the sun hits just right, the effects are amazing!

My pictures really don't do it justice.

So my writing analogy for the day? Well, maybe this will apply to life-in-general, too.

It would be easy to assume that the worth of St. Chapelle is in the glamorous and showy stained glass windows. But Louix IX never saw it that way. Its value was as a shrine to two holy relics that might easily have been overlooked by most people. Items that were rustic and plain. Items that were simple. But not common. Definitely not common.

As writers, we sometimes want to base the value of our work on outward facts . . . how many requests we get for our manuscript; how many books we sell once we're published; how many fan-pages are dedicated to us; how many people tattoo our mc's name onto their bicep. Well, you get the idea.

But I don't think worth comes from any outside source. I think that worth comes from the sweat and tears we put in. From our hard work. Though the stories we produce may be the most horrid things ever written (hopefully not, of course!), they have value for what we gain from them. For what we become from having written them.

I grew up hearing that it's what's on the inside that counts. And though I groaned every time I heard it as a kid, I embrace it now. I am not the same person I was before I started writing. I see the world differently, and I appreciate things I wouldn't otherwise appreciate. I have gained skill and insight. I have gained respect for others' work . . . no matter what it may be.

Even if I never get published, my time spent writing is not wasted, and neither is yours.

The Best Laid Plans . . .

2011-04-27T06:46:00.018-04:00

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to go to France for two weeks as a tour guide. No, I am not French scholar. And Yes, it was a LOT of work to get ready.

But as a favor to my sister (for whom I would do a lot because she is just that awesome), I went and posed as a confident tour guide. I not only learned all kinds of French history, but all kinds of random tidbits about life. For example, cobblestone may look cool, but it's really not fun to walk or drive on.

Still, I digress . . . now that I'm back, I get to subject you with all kinds of travel log writing analogies. Bwah ha ha ha! (Your ears should be ringing with my evil laugh.)

So, here we go . . . the first thing we visited after dropping off our luggage was the Eiffel Tower.

This iconic building fascinates me. It was built for the Paris Universal Exposition of 1889. It was meant to stand for 2 years before it would be dismantled. Then they upped its life to 20 years, and finally, with the coming of the radio and its usefulness assured, they decided to keep it.

It's hard to imagine, from our current frame of reference, that the French would ever have considered taking the Eiffel Tower apart. But back then it was something of an atrocity to many. Modern art at it's worst, so some people thought.

Now we can look back and breathe a sigh of relief that they revised their plans. Somehow, Paris just wouldn't be Paris without it.

Writing can be a bit like this. We lay out our plans. We set our goals. We write our books and think that's the end.

And then the first critiques come back.

We revise our work and sigh with relief that that's done.

And then the next batch of critiques come back. I'm sure you get the idea.

What's important to remember though, are the breathtaking results from your efforts.

Oh wait! How'd that get in there? I meant to post these . . .

So when you're working on that next draft. Just think of the Eiffel Tower and all the future audiences you will wow.

It will be worth it.

Getting Critiqued!

2011-04-13T07:00:00.002-04:00

In an effort to serve my wife while she is drawing inspiration from foreign places like all writers do (ok, those 1940/50s writers of Classics!), I will try one more time to post for her. Please realize that I don’t claim to be anything but a fan of the written word. My most deep forays into writing involved multiple pens of red ink, salty drops of water on my cheeks, deep passionate discussions (Really, arguments) about content on 100 plus pages of research. I don’t take literary critiques well. And I am not alone in this. It has made me wonder as I have increased a desire to write well is there a right way to take critiques?

Obviously knowing your audience in giving critiques is important as is who is giving the critique. Sometimes two people can say the same exact thing but one of them says it just the right way and it is well received. Psychology has indicated that there are good ways to deliver these critiques and you can even take classes on it. But is there a way to improve how you take a critique? Outside of getting lots of critiques what do you all think?

To Be A Classic or Not To Be A Classic

2011-04-11T07:00:00.001-04:00

In an effort to help my wife with her blog and in an attempt to be literary; Have you ever wondered what makes a classic a classic? If you are like me, you sat through English class (or French, or Spanish, or German or well you get the picture) and some of the books you said," yes, okay! That is a classic." others you wondered what the literary powers were thinking. Some will argue that classics are in the eye of the beholder and that it is all subjective. Those that would disagree often use logical facts to try to prove their points. They may say something like the messages in that book are timeless and thus it’s a classic or it sold so many copies in successive generations, etc. But does that really make a book a classic?

Or is literature more based on how well it appeals to some one? Many books written are never published because they don’t “appeal’ to the agents or editors the book was sent to. Take Harry Potter by JK Rowling. She had tried several agents/editors before being accepted yet we can pretty much all agree that it has gained world-wide popularity. (Now you can disagree with it being a classic or well written but it is an international phenomenon.) Two things can be learned from this:

First, there are several very very very embarrassed agents/editors (actually my real point is that something being good is in the eye of the beholder these people are embarrassed because they DIDN’T see it as good). Second, that popularity may not necessarily make something a classic. So what do you think makes something a classic and do you know a book that should or shouldn’t be a classic and why?

For example, I had to read Brave new World, I hate a Brave New World and I understand its messages. But I don’t think it is a classic and think that the same messages could have been told in other ways. Yet I might argue that in CS Lewis’ books could be classics.

Where Are You Katie Kelly?

2011-04-05T11:00:00.000-04:00

Katie, we haven't heard from you concerning THIS, and we'll have to choose another winner if we haven't heard from you by Monday April 11. We're sure you want it, but we have no way of contacting you!

So if anyone else knows Katie and wants to give her a nudge, I'm sure she'll love you forever. :)

Brawl 'n Haul Winners!

2011-04-04T08:00:00.003-04:00

First, thank you to everyone who stopped in last week and participated. Vicki and I had a great time battling it out and reading all the votes and comments. You guys are a total riot!

So without further ado, here are the brawl results and winners:

Mock Me Monday:

Total votes: 49

Vicki's BAD story : 40 votes; 82%
Janet's eruption: 9 votes; 18%

And Vicki is the winner! Man, I knew I'd lost as soon as I read hers. She's just too good! So head on over to Vicki's blog for Monday's daily winner.

Testing Tuesday:

Total quizzes taken: 27

Vicki's Grade: 36/60; 60%
Janet's Grade: 56/75; 75%

And I'm the winner! Woo hoo! You guys are awesome for pulling this one out for me. :D

And the winner of the day is Lenny Lee! Congratulations, Lenny! Here is the fabulous daily prize he won. I know, you're all jealous. But every good writer needs some snacks to pull through those rough patches. ;)

The answers to Vicki's quiz are:

1. Which of the following celebrities have NOT been mentioned on Vicki's blog?
b. Mark Wahlburg

2. The artist who painted the picture Vicki uses as her icon is :
c. Alfred Gockel

3. Ever the fan of odd writing analogies, which of the following has Vicki NOT used?
c. Writing is like popping a zit

4. Which of the following was NOT a title of a post?
c. Tickling Turtles

5. What is the working title of Vicki's WIP?
b. Porcelain God

The answers to my quiz are:

1. Which This vs. That debate has NOT been featured on Janet's blog?
c. Spring vs. Summer

2. Janet professes to speak another language. Which one?
a. French

3. What obsession (besides writing) does Janet constantly blog about?
b. license plates

4. What celebrity does Janet pose with in her profile picture?
d. Oscar the Grouch

5. Janet did a 4-part series on what topic?
b. Clichés

Wacky Wednesday:

Total votes: 35

Vicki's POLLTREE: 0 votes; 0%
Janet's BITE ME: 35 votes; 100%

Ouch! I think this was a combination punch. Poor Vicki, she never stood a chance. ;)

And the winner of the day is Yat-Yee! Congratulations, Yat-Yee! And here is a sneak preview of what you'll be receiving in the mail. Because every good writer needs a handy-dandy mini notebook to jot down all those fabulous ideas that hit at the oddest moments. And of course pens you can trust to actually write when you need them. (I didn't defend pen and paper for nothing!)

This vs. That Thursday:

Total votes: 46

Vicki's Laptop: 33 votes; 72%
Janet's Pen & Paper: 13 votes; 28%

Yikes, I really thought I stood a better chance, but alas. I guess even I can't stop the steamroller that is technology. But I can admit defeat, so head on over to Vicki's blog for Thursday's daily winner.

Before announcing the Grand Prize winners, I had to show you how I'm feeling after a week of duking it out with Vicki:

Photo courtesy of Reb's Photo World

She's a hard hitter and a worthy opponent. I suppose technically we're at a stalemate, having each won 2/4, but for future reference, I'll think twice before messing with her!

Okay, now on to the part you've all been waiting for. The Grand Prize Winners!

Grand Prize #1: Ten-page Critique by Sarah LaPolla of Curtis Brown!

Katie Kelly!

Grand Prize #2: Gift Basket including a $40 Gift Card to Amazon!

Margo Berendsen!

Congratulations to the winners! Please contact me as soon as possible with my "Contact Me" tab, and I will get you taken care of.

Also, I want to thank Vicki for playing along with me all week, and I want to thank Sarah for so generously offering a ten-page critique! I'm kindof sad this has come to an end. :(

And finally, my big news is that I'm heading off to France tomorrow (squee!) so I won't be around the blogosphere for the next little while. But, darling husband has agreed to peek in from time to time and fill in for me. I have no idea what he'll say. I might be a little worried. Wish me luck!

Brawl 'n Haul Contest: Interview with Sarah LaPolla of Curtis Brown

2011-04-01T06:53:00.001-04:00

Today, Vicki and I divide and conquer. The fabulous Vicki is hosting a Blackjack game where you can win more entries into the Grand Prize drawing of your choice. Some lucky players will also win a prize! If you haven't done this with her, it's super fun! I was giggling all through her first ever Blackjack contest.

Here, I am hosting an interview with Agent Awesome, Sarah LaPolla of Curtis Brown. Vicki and I were thrilled at this opportunity! If you write YA or Adult, you definitely need to read on to see if your work is right for her. She has been wonderful to work with and would make a great agent for anyone lucky enough to get her!

So, first her blurb from the Curtis Brown website, then on to the interview.

Sarah LaPolla began at Curtis Brown in 2008, working with Dave Barbor and Peter Ginsberg. Sarah is interested in literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, science fiction, literary horror, and young adult fiction. She loves complex characters, coming-of-age stories, and strong narrators. Sarah graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Writing and English, and went on to receive her MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. She is always on the lookout for debut authors and welcomes email submissions at sl@cbltd.com.

Please note: Sarah prefers e-mail queries!

Me: How did you decide you wanted to be an agent?

I wish I could have one of those stories where I wanted to be an agent from the time I could read a book and moved to New York in a dramatic fashion to follow my dream. Truthfully, I didn’t know what an agent was until I was about 19 or 20 and even then it wasn’t explained to me very well. So when I moved to New York for my MFA program, I started interning at agencies (the “working in publishing” dream was real!).

Once I started learning what an agent actually did and how excited it could be to help build an unpublished writer’s career, I gave up on any previous romanticized notions I might have had about publishing. (The three martini lunch in the offices of Random House was very appealing until I learned it didn’t exist.) So, I kept applying to agencies and got used to being asked “so, what do you do again?” by my family.

Me: Do your clients have any upcoming releases you want to share?

My fabulous client, K.M. Walton’s debut YA, CRACKED (Simon Pulse) is being released in Spring 2012.

Me: I love that you showcase new writers on your blog, Glass Cases. How did you come up
with that idea?

I started the blog before I became an agent. If anything, it was an effort to hold on to my writerly roots and support the unpublished who either have no interest in traditional publishing or are ready to query. Stories are posted once a week and the rest of the time I like giving writing or query advice or just waxing philosophic on various literary or pop culture-related things.

Once I became an agent, I very much wanted to keep the blog going with my original intent. There is a very strict “no crossover” rule, meaning anyone who sends me a query via the blog gets deleted immediately. Contributors to the blog are welcome to query me as an agent, as long as they do so through the appropriate channels. So far, it’s been a success and the writers have been very understanding about that, so I am grateful.

Vicki: What types of submissions do you wish you saw more of? Less of?

I really want to see more horror, dark mystery, and fairytales (fractured or otherwise) for YA. Dark mysteries for adult would be great too. Also, adult dystopian, as long as it’s original in execution.

On the “less of” side, I am still getting vampire queries, so that makes me cringe. Anything with “creatures of the night” I stay away from. I also steer clear of anything labeled “women’s fiction,” which for some reason I get a lot of. Anything written with the intention of excluding half your audience not only makes little sense, but usually ends up being rife with gender stereotypes.

Vicki: What's the craziest book idea you've come across in the slush pile?

I can’t share anything specific, but a general idea of what I consider “crazy” is when people combine genres for the sake of combining genres. I guess to cover all bases, but it always fails.

For instance:
Timmy is caught in a well…in 1942…and Nazis might kill his parents…and it’s up to a werewolf and an angel to stop them and rescue Timmy…who turns out to be a ghost. For the record, I completely made that example up, but you get the idea.

That said, I do like when people play with genre and incorporate different elements into one novel, but what you decide to use should go together in some way.

Vicki: What's the most outrageous thing you've seen/heard an author do trying to get noticed?

I will never understand why writers include pictures of themselves with their kids or pets with their queries. Or send a large FedEx envelope with one sheet of paper in it. Once I open it and see it’s a query, it will go into the pile with everyone else. It doesn’t matter how you ship it.

Me: What is the best way to catch your eye in a query (in a good way)?

Be succinct and get to the point. Before I even read a query, if I see it is only two or three paragraphs, I am already relieved. And if the first paragraph is a three to five sentence plot overview, even better. All I do is search for that anyway, so you might as well put it up front.

Me: What are some of the biggest mistakes you see in queries?

Like I mentioned above, the biggest mistake I see in queries is when a writer fails to mention what their project is about. There can be long lists of publication credits and how their own lives have prepared them to write their story - and all of those things might be impressive - but without knowing what that story is, why would I request it?

Vicki: For books you read for fun, what influences your choice the most (title, cover art, back description, excerpt, word of mouth, reviews)?

If I’m browsing in a bookstore, a good title will grab my attention. I pay attention to reviews, but not closely. Word of mouth by people I trust (Twitter pals, literary friends, and publishing folk) is usually what influences me most. Also, if I know an author I admire likes a particular author I haven’t read yet, I will check them out.

Vicki: What book title (real or imagined) best reflects your life?

Ooh, good question. Even though it makes me sound like a complete literary snob, I will say Goodbye to All That by Joan Didion (essays count, yes?). Content-wise, it’s not really relevant to my life, but the title suggests consciously starting a new chapter in life while remaining slightly nostalgic, which I think I do a lot.

Me: On my blog, I have a bit of an obsession with personalized license plates. What would yours be? You have 8 spaces.

MsGeek2U

---
Sarah, I love the license plate! Thank you for the wealth of information here.

As we've mentioned, in addition to the interview, Sarah has offered a ten-page critique for one of our lucky contest participants who write YA or Adult (sorry all those MG and PB writers!).

In your comment, be sure to mention that you want to win the critique (Prize #1), otherwise we'll put you in for the alternate Grand Prize (Prize #2 - which is nothing to sneeze at, either). And if you haven't already, let us know if you spread the word in any way shape or form (Twitter, Blog, Sidebar, Facebook, etc.) and we'll give you an additional +5 entries in the drawing.

---
And if you're just joining us, here are the rules for our Brawl 'n Haul contest. For a longer explanation and the posting schedule for the contest, click here.

Rules:

You must be a follower of both blogs
When you comment, let us know if you prefer Grand Prize #1 - 10-page critique by Sarah LaPolla (Note: your ten pages must be for a YA or Adult work) or Grand Prize #2 - A Prize-filled Gift Basket. If you don't mention one or the other, we'll put you in for #2.
You can earn 5 bonus entries for the grand prize by spreading the word in any way shape or form (twitter, blogs, facebook, sidebar, etc.). Just let us know!
This is open internationally! Woo hoo!
Contest Closes Saturday 2 April at midnight EST. All winners will be announced Monday, 4 April 2011.

Brawl 'n Haul Contest: This vs. That Thursday

2011-03-31T06:56:00.003-04:00

For today's contest, Vicki and I will each debate a side on a This vs. That vote. Read my arguments here, then go read Vicki's on her blog, and don't forget to vote on both blogs for whichever side is more convincing!

Debate:

Laptop

vs.

Pen and Paper

I will be defending the archaic Pen and Paper. Now I know we all have to eventually use a computer to type in our pages. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about when you need to sit and write. You need to simply get words down on paper. And I am going to convince you with the TOP TEN REASONS for choosing Pen and Paper, David Letterman style.

Reason #10: No internet to distract you.

Reason #9: No blogs to distract you.

Reason #8: No e-mail to distract you.

Reason #7: Saves electricity.

Reason #6: Pen and Paper is lightweight and travels easily.

Reason #5: You have a hard copy of your work if your computer dies. (!!!)

Reason #4: The smell of paper is a sentient reminder of the goal of being published.

Reason #3: Builds two talents at once: 1) writing and 2) penmanship.

Reason #2: Builds the calluses on your hand which builds your Street Cred as a writer.

And the #1 reason to use Pen and Paper?: When you don't like your work, it's SO much more satisfying to crumple up your paper than to simply hit delete.

Now that you're all convinced, go check out Vicki's side of things, but be sure to vote on both blogs! And don't forget, you have until midnight on April 2 to vote on any of our brawls.

---
And if you're just joining us, here are the rules for our Brawl 'n Haul contest. For a longer explanation and the posting schedule for the contest, click here.

Rules:

You must be a follower of both blogs
When you comment, let us know if you prefer Grand Prize #1 - 10-page critique by Sarah LaPolla (Note: your ten pages must be for a YA or Adult work) or Grand Prize #2 - A Prize-filled Gift Basket
You can earn 5 bonus entries for the grand prize by spreading the word in any way shape or form (twitter, blogs, facebook, sidebar, etc.). Just let us know!
This is open internationally! Woo hoo!
Contest Closes Saturday 2 April at midnight EST. All winners will be announced Monday, 4 April

Brawl 'n Haul Contest: Wacky License Plate Wednesday

2011-03-30T06:53:00.031-04:00

You knew we had to have something associated with license plates, right? So today, Vicki and I are each posting personalized plates for this car:

Vote on which plates you prefer in the comments. Here's mine:

BITE ME

Now, off with you to Vicki's blog to see her plates, just be sure to come back here and vote.

And just for fun, here's another wacky car we liked. Give us your plates!

---
And if you're just joining us, here are the rules for our Brawl 'n Haul contest. For a longer explanation and the posting schedule for the contest, click here.

Rules:

You must be a follower of both blogs
When you comment, let us know if you prefer Grand Prize #1 - 10-page critique by Sarah LaPolla (Note: your ten pages must be for a YA or Adult work) or Grand Prize #2 - A Prize-filled Gift Basket
You can earn 5 bonus entries for the grand prize by spreading the word in any way shape or form (twitter, blogs, facebook, sidebar, etc.)
This is open internationally! Woo hoo!
Contest Closes Saturday 2 April at midnight EST. All winners will be announced Monday, 4 April

Brawl 'n Haul Contest: Testing Tuesday

2011-03-29T06:59:00.004-04:00

For Testing Tuesday, we wanted to see how much our commenters know about us and who is better known between us. And of course, a commenter from the winning blog will be randomly chosen to win a prize.

A little nerve-wracking here because we have no control. It's all up to you, people! So, click over to Vicki's blog to show how much you know about me, and below is a quiz on Vicki. Have at it!

1. Which of the following celebrities have NOT been mentioned on Vicki's blog?
a. Anna Nicole Smith
b. Mark Wahlburg
c. Zac Efron
d. Jennifer Jason Leigh

2. The artist who painted the picture Vicki uses as her icon is:
a. Wassily Kandinsky
b. Henri Matisse
c. Alfred Gockel
d. Pablo Picasso

3. Ever the fan of odd writing analogies, which of the following has Vicki NOT used?
a. Writing is like getting dressed
b. Writing is like the Antiques Roadshow
c. Writing is like popping a zit
d. Writing is like telemarketing

4. Which of the following was NOT a title of a post?
a. The truth about the chicken
b. Kissing the parrot snake
c. Tickling Turtles
d. Appeasing the Voyeur

5. What is the working title of Vicki's WIP?
a. Murphy's Law
b. Porcelain God
c. Creditable
d. Waiting for the Sky to Fall

Now don't forget to head over to Vicki's blog!

---
And if you're just joining us, here are the rules for our Brawl 'n Haul contest. For a longer explanation and the posting schedule for the contest, click here.

Rules:

You must be a follower of both blogs
When you comment, let us know if you prefer Grand Prize #1 - 10-page critique by Sarah LaPolla (Note: your ten pages must be for a YA or Adult work) or Grand Prize #2 - A Prize-filled Gift Basket
You can earn 5 bonus entries for the grand prize by spreading the word in any way shape or form (twitter, blogs, facebook, sidebar, etc.). Just let us know!
This is open internationally! Woo hoo!
Contest Closes Saturday 2 April at midnight EST. All winners will be announced Monday, 4 April

Brawl 'n Haul Contest: Mock Me Monday

2011-03-28T06:59:00.019-04:00

Today is the day! The Brawl begins. If you haven't heard, The FABULOUS Vicki at Rambles and Randomness and I are hosting the Brawl 'n Haul contest this week. We brawl and you haul away the loot!

Vicki and I will duke it out Monday through Thursday in some wacky contests, and you guys decide who wins. That's right, you!

Each day, one lucky commenter on the winning blog will win a prize, and at the end of the week, we have not one, but TWO Grand Prizes to award. And every comment this week (on both blogs) is worth one entry, so comment away!

Grand Prize # 1:
A ten-page critique from the fabulous Sarah LaPolla of Curtis Brown! (Note: Your ten pages must be for a YA or Adult work)

Grand Prize #2:
An exciting themed gift basket including a $40 gift certificate to Amazon!

Every good contest needs some rules, so here are ours:

Rules:

You must be a follower of both blogs
When you comment, let us know if you prefer Grand Prize #1 - 10-page critique by Sarah LaPolla (Note: your ten pages must be for a YA or Adult work) or Grand Prize #2 - A Prize-filled Gift Basket
You can earn 5 bonus entries for the grand prize by spreading the word in any way shape or form (twitter, blogs, facebook, sidebar, etc.)
This is open internationally! Woo hoo!
Contest Closes Saturday 2 April at midnight EST. All winners will be announced Monday, 4 April

Okay, as Jillian Michaels would say, "Enough talking! Let's do this thing!"

---
So Vicki totally has the advantage on Mock Me Monday, since she's been doing this weekly for a year now. To make sure my moment was mock-worthy enough, I tested a few on my husband, and this one finally got a belly laugh. I'm feeling confident!
(Note: No husbands were harmed in the testing of these mock-me moments.)

When I was 12ish, my family had just gotten back from Church and we were all foraging in the kitchen. I had grabbed a glass of milk (yeah, you see where this is going) to go with my toast.

Just as I took a long drink, my brother made some absurd comment. I knew I was in trouble.

The smart thing to do would have been to spit the milk back into my glass. But ewww! That would ruin the rest of the milk, and how wasteful is that?

And I didn't want to just spit because I knew my mom would be M-A-D.

So what did I do?

Wait for it . . .

I looked up.

Yep. Krakatoa II.

Milk exploded upward and came pouring down. All. Over. Me.

On the bright side, I didn't get in trouble because the whole family was too busy rolling on the ground, laughing. And yeah, that would be AT me, not with.

Now, be sure and go read Vicki's Mock-me moment, vote there, then come back and vote here, because a winner will be chosen from the comments on only the winning blog!

This vs. That: Paris vs. Rome Results

2011-03-25T06:54:00.005-04:00

Oh my goodness, the voting on this was close! Paris was ahead by a landslide and then Rome crawled it's way back for a respectable finish. And amazingly enough, while many of you professed indecision, everyone was able to pick a side. Kudos to all of you for getting past the indecision! Here are the results:

Total votes: 18

Paris: 10 votes; 56%
Rome: 8 votes; 44%
Both: 0 votes; 0%

So, hard vote. I was leaning toward Paris because I know and LOVE Paris. Ah, my mouth waters just thinking about the crepes there . . . or the paninis. Yummmm . . . . But then I read Beth's post yesterday on Of Muses and Meringues. She has the touch people. Her pictures alone got me, but then she started talking about the legends. Gah! I never can resist a good legend. My vote went to Rome.

Though I may be on the losing side in the vote, I'm totally on the winning side because I leave for Paris in less than two weeks. TWO WEEKS!!! It won't be Rome. But that's okay, because it's PARIS!

So on to the next vote. And THIS is an important one:

Black Ink

vs.

Blue Ink

***And don't forget! The Brawl 'n Haul Contest starts this Monday (March 28). Vicki and I will duke it out with daily blogging competitions and you vote for the winners. Be sure to stop back in because you don't want to miss it. Daily prizes! Easy entry! Plus the chance to win a 10-page critique from Sarah LaPolla, Agent Fabulous.***

UPDATE: Vicki has the details and schedule up on her blog. Click here to check it out!

Win a Ten-Page Critique with Sarah LaPolla of Curtis Brown!

2011-03-23T06:46:00.030-04:00

Newsflash!

For all of you writers of YA and Adult fiction, Vicki and I will be giving away a 10-page critique by the fabulous Sarah LaPolla of Curtis Brown as part of our upcoming Brawl 'n Haul Contest from March 28 to April 1. And there are plenty of other great prizes for those who aren't into writing. Trust me, you don't want to miss it!

If you aren't yet, be sure you're following both my blog and Vicki's. And though she's on a blogging break until April 6, go check out Sarah's blog where she publishes novel excerpts, short stories, flash fiction, memoirs, and personal essays.
(And if you want to enter but don't have a way to follow, contact me via my handy-dandy "Contact Me" tab. Vicki and I are low stress.)

T-minus 5 days and counting until the fun begins!

Show Me the Voice Blogfest

2011-03-20T06:58:00.003-04:00

The Show Me the Voice Blogfest is hosted by Brenda Drake over at Brenda Drake Writes . . . under the influence of coffee.

The idea is to polish up our first 250 words before entering them in her contest. The prizes include critiques from Natalie Fischer of the Bradford Literary Agency. Totally awesome! You don't have to participate in the blogfest to enter, so go check out Brenda's blog for the details! And be sure to check out the other entries. You can find the list here.

So here are the first 250 words of The Peanut Butter and Jelly Friendship, a middle grade contemporary novel. I'd love to hear your comments!

---

When they'd first started the cemetery, Annie always hoped for rain. She thought it was more dramatic. But common sense won out. Rain turned the holes into mud baths.

Fortunately, today was perfect, clear-sky burial weather. If she had to wait any longer, it would be too late.

Annie eavesdropped from the top of the stairs. Her brother Matt and a friend droned on about healing plants for Boy Scouts. That'd keep him out of her hair.

She tip-toed down the hall and peeked in her mom's room. Busy with bills. And Kate was out of the house. Perfect.

Still, to be safe, she sneaked the phone into the hall closet where her sister's faux fur parka would muffle the sound. She speed-dialed 7 and let it ring once, then hung up and called again. Their secret code. It rang twice before Jason answered.

"It's me." Annie was all business. "I've got a body count."

Jason hedged. "I don't know. My parents are talking to this lady, and . . ."

"Jason, you're ten. Find a way. This is important." Without waiting for a response, she hung up.

Jason wouldn't find a way. Annie knew. She'd just have to go to his house and get him, like usual.

After listening at the door for several seconds, she slipped out of the closet and replaced the phone. In seconds, she extracted the pre-packed bag from under her bed then ran down the stairs.

Pitch Contest at YAtopia!

2011-03-19T18:59:00.000-04:00

I wanted to pass on the info! Here's what they posted at YAtopia:

Super agent Ammi-Joan Paquette has so kindly offered to host a pitch contest on YAtopia. And seeing as she's currently closed to submissions, this is an opportunity you simply CANNOT miss out on.

It's really quite simple what you have to do. Ready?

1) Be a follower of the blog. Nice and easy.

2) Blog about this contest and include a link with your entry. If you don't have a blog, you may tweet or make a facebook status.

3) Create a TWO SENTENCE pitch. And not a massively long run-on sentence either. Two concise sentences that will hook Joan to your book and have her desperate to read more.

4) Include the opening line of your manuscript.

5) Manuscripts that you submit should be completed. I leave it up to you whether you decide to submit a half finished manuscript. You'll have to deal with it SHOULD Joan request you send her the full.

6) This contest will be capped at either 150 entries OR will end midnight on the 24th March.

7) Winners to be announced (along with prizes) on 31st March.

8) Only childrens and young adult categories will be accepted.

Again, if you're at that point, click here to head on over to their site and check it out! Best of luck!

Jillian Michaels' Writing Boot Camp

2011-03-18T08:06:00.000-04:00

Trying to reach those health resolutions I set back in January, I've been exercising a lot. My friend recommended Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred workout video, and let me tell you, it is killer.

Still, it seems to be working, so I've started imagining Ms. Michael's as my personal trainer to help me reach my writing goals. Here's what I'm hearing:

"Come on people! If you want to write for only 20 minutes a day, then you've got to WORK! It can replace hours at the computer, but you can't stop. You have to TYPE! You can't stop typing!"
"I know it's hard. It's hard for me. But when you're done and you see the results . . . it's worth it people!"
"Okay, this is our last speed-writing circuit. When it's through, I want to see your hand CRAMPING!"
"When it hurts the most, that's when you're accomplishing the most! Keep writing! Come on, just give me five more words . . ."
"You're probably thinking I'm a crazy person, it wouldn't be the first time I've been called that, but I get results! And when you see what you can write, and you see what you can accomplish, it will influence every other part of your life!"

I'm inspired, people! I hope you are too. :)

*Note: These are not real quotes but rather parodies stemming from a half-crazed mind in the throes of one of her killer workouts.

**And a heads up for a week of fun and silliness starting March. 28th. Vicki over at Rambles and Randomness and I are planning daily prizes, easy entries and lots of fun to celebrate our 1 year mark together. And we just added an AWESOME prize. Details coming soon!

Janet Sumner Johnson

Top Writing Blogs

Who Do You Tell?

This is SO Not My 850th Post

Switching Things Up

IM AWSME

Not Quite Twitterpated

This vs. That: The Grinch vs. Ebenezer Scrooge

My 2011 Reading Habit

Christmas Is . . .

*Cough* *Cough* Too Sick For a Real Post

Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies - Renamed

The Perfect Balance

This vs. That: Chocolate Chip Cookies vs. Sugar Cookies

Blog Critique and Happy Thanksgiving!

Conference Advice, Part 2

At the Beginning

String Bridge Amazon Rush Day!

Moments of Joy

Superheros in Real Life

SPECIAL EDITION: This vs. That - Trick vs. Treat

If I had all the magic in the world, I'd . . .

SPECIAL EDITION: This vs. That

Conference Advice

Follow Your Heart

Winner and License Plate Interpretation

Pay It Forward Blogfest

10 Random Facts

Rockin' 2011 Debut Author Spotlight: Lisa and Laura Roecker

The Story of a Story

This vs. That: Pooh vs. Tigger

What I've Read from the Top 100

National Book Festival Gushings

What's Your Kryptonite?

Just Chillin'

Water Is Dangerous

Life's Too Short to Dry Tupperware

Apples to Apples Winners

Apples to Apples Contest: Prizes to Win!

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 10 (Final day!)

Platform-building Campaign

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 9

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 8

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 7

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 6

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 5

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 4

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 3

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 2

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 1

Fun Times Ahead: The Rundown

This vs. That: Beach vs. Mountains

More Contests!

Micro Synopsis Contest at YAtopia with agent John Cusick

That's Not Me!

Still Harping on Justin Bieber

A Little Mo[u]rning Humor

Mary Pickford: The Justin Bieber of Her Day?

Pitch Contest!

Short and Sweet

Potty Talk

Hardness is Good

Your Audience Reluctantly Speaks

And now, a word from your audience . . .

Agent-Judged Contest!

This vs. That: Star Wars vs. Star Trek

IH8SK8S - The Story Behind the Plate

In Which I Ponder About a License Plate. (Again.)

Confessions of a Soccer Mom

Summer Dreaming

Agent Interview: Molly Jaffa

Possession Launch: Rule Breaking

A Day Late and a Dollar Short - Lenny Fest

I've Been Tagged!

Lost in the Louvre

Just a Spoonful of Sugar . . .

This vs. That: Blue vs. Black Ink

What I'm Glad I Didn't Know

Time to Let Go

The Big Reveal

Cough Cough Too Sick For a Real Post