Follow Friday -- Historical Fiction Edition

Before I got an agent, before GILT sold, I can't tell you how many times I heard "Historicals don't sell."  Or how many agents and editors I heard at conferences tell the room, "Just don't send me any historical fiction."

It can be a little discouraging, I tell you.

But I had to write what I write.  I love the process.  Digging deep into the history to find as many facts as I can, the puzzle pieces from which I can build a picture.  But it's like the picture is merely a pencil drawing (and often an unfinished one at that) and it's up to me to fill in the color and life.  I love it.

And others do, too.  Apparently there are several agents and editors out there who didn't get the memo about historical fiction.  Or maybe, just maybe, times are changing.

SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen debuted on Valentine's Day.  It's a retelling of the Robin Hood legend, but steeped in the history of the period.  I loved it, and blogged about it over on the YA Muses.

I'm currently reading GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers and wow.  Just wow.  Gorgeous history, fascinating characters, awesome premise.  And a truly kick-butt heroine.  Love.

I'm dying to read THE WICKED AND THE JUST by J. Anderson Coats.  It's set in Medieval Wales and knowing Coats, is full of wicked quips and unfortunate situations.  Plus it's been getting starred reviews.  Do I really have to wait a month?

And later this year, expect to VENOM by Fiona Paul.  Gorgeous gowns, enigmatic masks and a mystery.  Lush and full of visual detail from Renaissance Venice.

Any historical novels you're looking forward to this year?  That you've read already and can't wait to read more?

Follow Friday -- Saundra Mitchell

Today's Follow Friday is a screenwriter, author and blogger who consistently makes my day.  I love the intriguing things she posts on her blog, her sunny disposition on Twitter and the lovely prose of her novels.

Recently, I've been visiting Saundra Mitchell's blog for her posts on marketing and self-promotion.  She offers up specific and digestible chunks of advice and backs it all up with why and how it works.  Every time I go to her blog for information, I feel better as I speed toward the debut of GILT.  Marketing is scary for introverted writers, and Saundra just makes it seem a little more doable.

I also love Saundra for her continuing and enthusiastic support of all things authorly and debut authors in particular.  She knows how hard it is and she extends a helping hand, a kind word and promotion with her 9 Spot Interviews.

Basically, I want to be Saundra Mitchell when I grow up.  And I hope I can be as inspiring as she is.

Find Saundra at her website.
On her blog.
On Twitter.

And in bookstores!  Her novel THE VESPERTINE is in stores now and THE SPRINGSWEET will be available April 17.  I was lucky enough to pick up an ARC at the NCIBA trade show and am only willing to part with it because I can buy a copy in April.

Heartbroken over the tragic death of her fiancé, seventeen-year-old Zora Stewart leavesBaltimore for the frontier town of West Glory, Oklahoma, to help her young widowedaunt keep her homestead going. There she discovers that she possesses the astonishingability to sense water under the parched earth. When her aunt hires her out as a“springsweet” to advise other settlers where to dig their wells, Zora feels the burden ofholding the key to something so essential to survival in this unforgiving land.Even more, she finds herself longing for love the way the prairie thirsts for water.Maybe, in the wildness of the territories, Zora can finally move beyond simply survivingand start living. (from Goodreads)

All you have to do is tweet this:

Want a chance to win an ARC of THE SPRINGSWEET by @SaundraMitchell?  Find out why @KALongshore is following her: http://katherinelongshore.blogspot.com

And/or leave a comment below.

This contest is open internationally and ends at 12 pm EST on Monday, February 20.  I will announce the winner Monday afternoon.

Follow Friday -- The Lucky 13s

Happy Friday, everybody!  With any luck at all, I'll be out in the snow this weekend, but before I go, I want to do two things.

First, thanks again for coming back and participating in the YAmazing Race with MGnificent Prizes last week, that was hosted by and featured more than 50 Apocalypsies writers.  If you participated in the race, you started off at the Apocalypsies website, right?

Well, the good news is that there are more great young adult and middle grade books coming out in 2013, because the world is not really going to end.  And the authors whose first books are coming out next year (the debut authors) have rounded themselves up and created a group called The Lucky 13s.

This is a fun group, with some great books and fabulous authors.  Throughout this year, they will be blogging about their experiences and hosting interviews with Apocalypsies authors and probably doing giveaways as well.  So follow them.  They are the future.

The Lucky 13s blog here.
And are on Twitter.

Follow Friday -- Jackie Pynaert Garlick

Now, this is a writer to follow.  Jackie Pynaert Garlick has a literary style, full of fabulous metaphors and sensory almost-overload.  She writes books that are close to her heart, that make me wonder and cry -- just by listening to her speak about them.

I can't wait for the rest of the world to see them.

Let me amend that, I can't wait to see them myself.  Because I've seen snippets, but never read the full deal (though I'm waiting to beta read her most recent).

I know Jackie through a round-about route -- SCBWI, the Nevada Mentorship Program, Bret Ballou and Veronica Rossi.  We've shared a room at national conferences, shared more than one meal and several confidences.  She sat beside me while I made a fool of myself rocking out to Billie Joe Armstrong during the Broadway stage production of American Idiot.  I feel very lucky to count her as a friend.

Now, not only is Jackie a great friend and a brilliant writer, she's planner and coordinator for one of the most intriguing children's literature conferences in North America.  The Niagara SCBWI conference is small, intimate, and pulls in some of the biggest names in the industry (this year: Tracey Adams and Nancy Conescu).

And she's Canadian, eh?

Best of all, I get to see Jackie tomorrow at Veronica Rossi's book launch.

You can read Jackie's blog.
You can follow her on Twitter.
But it's best to get to know her personally.  I'll introduce you sometime.

Follow Friday -- Santa

'Tis the Season, right?

Several Christmases ago, I heard a story on NPR about how back in the dark ages, before Internet, a Colorado Springs Sears and Roebuck printed an add for kids to call Santa.  Unfortunately, the number was misprinted, and kids were directed to CONAD (the Continental Air Defense Command).  But the confusion gave the commander-in-chief a brilliant idea.  They track airplanes, right?  And other flying objects?  Why not Santa?

So from then on, they have.  And you can, too.  Through the present day North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Check out NORAD tracks Santa
And @noradsanta on Twitter.

Where is Santa right now?  Go find him.  And tell your kids.

Follow Friday -- Beth Hull

Today I'm going to look like a dragon eating its own tail, but even if Beth wasn't posting an interview with me today, I would choose her as my first Follow Friday.

I met Beth at an SCBWI event sometime in the spring, and we got to chatting about books and blogging, about our own projects and about our kids.  Turns out her child was about to start at the preschool where I used to teach (and where my kids are now in the elementary school next door) so I immediately invited her to come to mom days at the park.

And started following her blog.

Beth writes about writing.  She writes about not being able to write.  She writes about being a mom, and how hard that can be to reconcile with being a writer (and a reader).  Beth's blog has shaped up to be what I hope will be a model for my own (including the 3-days-a-week posting).  And on top of all that, she's shaping up to be a good friend.

And she makes devastating peppermint truffle lumps.

So if you want to find out about the life of a writer who is on the verge of something great (she just got a request for a full of her YA manuscript from a top agent), start following Beth Hull.

Beth's blog is called Nebula and can also be found by Googling her name.
Beth is also on Twitter.