I sold my book, Wanted:  Dead or In Love to Merit Press Books back in April. WOO-HOO! I received the first pass editorial letter in July. WOO-huh? Not so fast, sister ( Read more... )

If you're anything like me, whenever there's a "situation" in life, I'm always evaluating whether I should say something to the person or if I should just stay quiet.

Examples:

• You overhear daughter's boyfriend say something rude to her - ignore or comment privately to daughter?
• Someone you don't know well has lipstick on her teeth - say something ( Read more... )

When a writer announces a book deal, everyone always asks, "So how'd you do it ( Read more... )

So, there I was, sitting in my small, "pre-published" rowboat in the center of No Sales Pond, desperately paddling from island to island trying to find a chief to invite me to shore to fix my boat. It seems my boat, which I spent years building, has developed a few leaks, has lost its seat cushions, and has a rusty anchor . But it's still pretty ( Read more... )

So I was super lucky at the LA-SCBWI conference because my manuscript sample was given to an editor to critique! A sweet, enthusiastic, very smart editor who, it turned out, was born and raised a few suburbs away from where I live now, and whom shares my same heritage. What are the chances of that???

And even more super-luckier (shut up, I know it's ( Read more... )

I finished my novel and am subbing it around, which means I'm in the dreaming/planning stage of the next. I'm rereading one of my favorite advice guides: Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass, romping through my idea file, and toying with several teaser ideas to see which, if any, might have wings.


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I just got back from the SCBWI conference in Los Angeles  and I've got the scoop on the hottest info around--EDITOR PREFERENCES!

Gretchen Hirsch / Harper Collins - Spunky, pretty, and cool, Gretchen is a girlie-girl with tattoos--one which reads, "Daddy's Girl." How awesome is that? Gretchen loves YA paranormal stories and smart, sexy chick lit.  ( Read more... )