brimfulcuriosities.com asked: So many books include praise from various kid lit experts and authors (all adults). While your book is in the ARC stage, do you also try to get a view point from your target audience and use that in your promotions?

2K9 authors answered:

Suzanne Morgan Williams: No, I didn’t try to get kids opinions for promotion of ( Read more... )

Lesley asked: How do you go about tackling research? How much research do you do for a particular project and how do you know when it's time to stop researching and start writing?

2K9 authors answered:

J.T. Dutton: I invented the voice of Scotty Loveletter (from Freaked) based on the Deadheads I had known and one or two experiences I had had at a ( Read more... )

sdabd said: I am interested to learn what authors the 2K9 authors read when they were teenagers and what books they loved as teenagers.

2K9 authors answered:

Donna St. Cyr: I loved Beverly Cleary’s book Fifteen. I must have read it ten times. I also loved The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia.  In junior high, Nancy Drew was a staple for ( Read more... )

ahsitan asked: What books and or classes helped you most in refining your craft?

2K9 authors answered:

J.T. Dutton: Since I was already spending time in smoky back rooms talking art with friends and getting into deep personal arguments about Collette with roommates, deciding to get an MFA in Fiction wasn't a big a stretch. It seemed a good way to dodge ( Read more... )

jeniwrites said: I'd be curious to know how each of you came up with the ideas for your books -- and how close the final version is to the idea you first dreamed of.

2K9 authors answered:

Megan Crewe: Ideas and scenes pop into my head all the time, from some unknown place--just most of them don't end up becoming stories. But about five years ago the image ( Read more... )

heatherkb asked: Where do you work, at home, in a designated office, do you get up and shower like you are going to work or do you work in your jammies? Or a little of it all!

2K9 authors answered:

Rosanne Parry: My work day is organized around my children's school day. I get up with them and get them off to school. I spend a little time each morning ( Read more... )

etewxok asked: When do you find time to answer fan mail?

2K9 authors answered:

S. Terrell French: Non-writing tasks seemed to expand enormously in the months before and after publication (website, school visits, trying to get the word out). But answering fan mail is always a joy! I love hearing from readers, kids or adults, who enjoyed Operation Redwood ( Read more... )

kdhuck asked: Do you have memories of a teacher who made you love reading? Do you have memories of a teacher who almost killed reading for you?

2K9 authors answered:

Edith M. Hemingway: I have specific memories of two teachers who opened up the wonderful world of reading for me! My second grade teacher, Mrs. Daly, started a "50 book" club, into which ( Read more... )

latteya asked: I'm always interested to hear how your book changed from first draft to published novel. Did you lose characters, gain characters, change the premise...?

2K9 authors answered:

Joy Preble: Dreaming Anastasia actually changed in many ways, not the least of which was the title, which when it sold to Sourcebooks was originally Spark. My very ( Read more... )

kissmybook asked: Who is the first person you show something new to?

2K9 authors answered:

Suzanne Morgan Williams: I may talk about an idea with my editor or agent but the first person to actually see something new is one of about three or four trusted professional writer friends. Who exactly it is depends on the idea and who is physically around. Who are ( Read more... )