Upcoming Events!

On Sunday, August 26, I will be speaking with a panel of YA authors (Veronica Rossi, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, Talia Vance, SILVER and Corrine Jackson, IF I LIE)  for the Palo Alto Litquake festival.   We will be talking about genre and writing and answering questions.  Books will be for sale courtesy of Books, Inc. (including early copies of SILVER and IF I LIE!)  Stop by and like the Facebook page for updates of the event.  Our panel is from 4 to 5 pm, but there are a lot of great events, so come early and enjoy!

The four of us will be speaking again on September 29 at 2pm at Bay Books in San Ramon.  This event will be relaxed and intimate - a real chance to get to know us better!

On October 25 and 26, I will be speaking with the YA Muses (Veronica Rossi, Talia Vance, Bret Ballou and Donna Cooner, author of SKINNY) at the Your Best Book workshop in Charlotte, NC.  We hope to do a bookstore event in Charlotte, too, so stay tuned!

On Saturday, November 3, I will be with some of my Class of 2k12 siblings - J. Anderson Coats (THE WICKED AND THE JUST), AC Gaughen (SCARLET), Lynne Kelly (CHAINED) and Jennifer Shaw Wolf (BREAKING BEAUTIFUL) at the YALSA Literature Symposium in St. Paul, talking about The Next Big Thing in Author Visits.  Can't wait to mingle with some of my favorite people - librarians.

On November 15, I will be at Book Passage in Corte Madera, launching the anthology DEAR TEEN ME with authors E. Kristin Anderson, Marke Bieschke, Stacey Jay, Mike Jung, Katherine Longshore, Erika Stalder and Mariko Tamaki.  We will be speaking briefly about our essays and our other books.

Hope to see you soon!

Friday Five -- Heather Anastasiu

This week's Five features my Apocalypsies sibling Heather Anastasiu, author of GLITCH, just published by St. Martin's Press this week.  Heather is funny and honest and a fabulous person to know online - I hope one day to be able to meet her in person!

THE FIVE:

1.  What would your super power be?

Super endurance. As a person with a debilitating chronic illness, I can’t imagine anything better than being indefatigable.

2.  Who would play you in the film of your life?

Kate Winslet. She’s spunky, passionate, and often has fabulous hair.

3.  What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned since becoming a writer?

I think the most surprising thing was that the book deal was only the beginning of the journey as a writer. Before that, I’d always imagined it as the end goal. Even though I’d been writing and facing tons of rejection for years, the actual work of writing became more difficult and intense after the book deal. But it’s also so much more worth it because my writing continues to get better and better.

4.  What other profession would you like to learn?

I’d definitely love to become a professor. I love the academic atmosphere where people are passionate about continuous learning.

5.  What is your favorite writing motto/mantra?

Butt in chair! You’ll never get anywhere as a writer unless you can develop that basic discipline of getting your but in that chair and writing regularly.

ABOUT GLITCH:

Zoe lives in a world free of pain and war. Like all members of the Community, a small implanted chip protects her from the destructive emotions that destroyed the Old World. Until her hardware starts to glitch.

Zoe begins to develop her own thoughts and feelings, but nothing could be more dangerous in a place where malfunctions can get you killed. And she has another secret she must conceal at all costs: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As she struggles to keep her burgeoning powers hidden, she finds other glitchers with abilities like hers, and together they plot to escape. But the more she learns about beauty, joy, and love, the more Zoe has to lose if they fail. With danger lurking around every corner, she’ll have to decide just how much she’s willing to risk to be free.

You can order a copy of GLITCH here!

ABOUT HEATHER:

You can find Heather on her website.

On Twitter.

Radio Silence

Have any of you watched Apollo 13?  Or do you know anything about NASA and the space program?  I have to admit that most of what I know comes from the movie.  Remember when the moon capsule is coming back to earth?  It enters the earth’s atmosphere and starts to heat up pretty quick. And then….silence.  Houston loses contact.

This, apparently, is normal.  Something about the heat or the atmosphere or the rate at which they’re traveling.  And it’s supposed to last for about three minutes.  Three minutes of not knowing where they are or how they are or when – or if – they’re going to land.  Radio silence.

I recently experienced something like this.  Perhaps the modern equivalent.  I’ve been struggling to finish the revisions for Book 2 – in part because I’m a perfectionist and in part because there has been a lot in my life conspiring to take up all my time.  And in part because the modern world offers a huge amount in the way of procrastination.

So I checked out.  Traveled up into the mountains to a little cabin with no phone, no Internet and no cell coverage.  It’s not quite as isolated as it sounds – there are neighbors on either side, close enough to shout.  And a tiny little town 10 miles away where I could get Wifi at The Saloon and cheap wine at the market.

I wrote.  I revised.  I revised again.  I chose the right words and then double-checked that they fit.  I lay down on the floor and thought about my characters.  I went out into the cricket-filled night and watched the stars and listened to the river and let the subtleties of the story come to me in the still night air.

Radio silence.

Sometimes I felt like I was missing something.  I would have loved to send an e-mail to writer friends to hear how their writing lives were going – sometimes this process is so lonely it hurts and you feel you’re the only one in the world lying there on the floor watching the ceiling fan spin.  And it’s nice to hear someone else say, “This first draft is killing me.” Or “I love my revision, but can you just take a look at this scene?”  It’s nice to see what people are talking about on Twitter.  Or to find out if someone tried to message me on Facebook.  Or just to hear my husband’s voice on the other end of the phone.

Honestly, though, I’m glad I didn’t get that.  I’m glad I stayed in the silence.  For three days.  Until Book 2 was done.

What would you do if you encountered radio silence?  Relax?  Go crazy?  Drive down to The Saloon twice a day?  More?  Revise?  Listen to the crickets?

Friday Five -- Martha Brockenbrough

Martha Brockenbrough is a crusader after my own heart - she founded National Grammar Day (March 4!) and the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar.  Always good to know there's someone out there who knows where their prepositions are supposed to be at.  She is also the author of DEVINE INTERVENTION, published by Scholastic in June!


THE FIVE:


1.  What is the worst thing anyone has said to you?


This is a fun question to answer. There are so many ways I could take revenge on … but no. No one has ever said anything worse to me than the things I’ve said myself. As I get older and theoretically wiser, I realize that I’m not doing myself any favors by being hard on myself. One of the characters in my book hears a voice in her head, which I intended as a metaphor of sorts. Here’s hoping any voices we choose to listen to are kind and compassionate ones.

2.  What is your guiltiest pleasure? 


I homeschool my girls, and there are some days we just don’t want to do any book learnin’. We’ve escaped this by going to a beach that’s close to our house, by spending the afternoon drinking tea and eating buttery toast, and a couple of times, by watching movies under the covers together.It’s a great guilty pleasure to get to spend this kind of time with my girls.

3.  What do you consider your greatest achievement?


I don’t give up. When there is something I’d like to do, I keep working at it. For me, it’s not about any sort of accomplishments list I keep, but rather, that I give everything my all. For example, it took me many years to learn how to do a handstand in yoga. It’s not a huge deal. Lots of people can do it. Small children can do it! But I had to keep trying and that day my feet finally went up and stayed up, I was elated.

4.  Who would play you in the film of your life?


Tina Fey or Janeane Garofolo. Think of someone slightly too loud for the library—but likely to be found there anyway, getting Cheeto dust on everything.
 
5.  Who are your real-life heroes?


I have many. Marla Smith-Nilson, who founded Water1st, and works tirelessly to make sure the world’s poor have clean water and sanitation. (Water1st.org) My childhood swim coach, Christy Shake, whose son was born missing parts of his brain and now struggles with epilepsy. She blogs aboutthis journey every day at Calvin’s Story, and it’s a reminder to me of how much courage and grace one woman can summon.  And finally, in my neighborhood, the guys who run St. Cloud’s restaurant. They make meals for the homeless once a month, inviting people to pitch in. It’s a great reminder of the difference you can make doing what you already do.

ABOUT DEVINE INTERVENTION:


Jerome Hancock is Heidi Devine's guardian angel. Sort of. He's more of an angel trainee, in heaven's soul-rehabilitation program for wayward teens. And he's just about to get kicked out for having too many absences and for violating too many of the Ten Commandments for the Dead.


Heidi, meanwhile, is a high school junior who dreams of being an artist, but has been drafted onto her basketball team because she's taller than many a grown man. For as long as she can remember, she's heard a voice in her head - one that sings Lynyrd Skynyrd, offers up bad advice, and yet is company during those hours she feels most alone.


When the unthinkable happens, these two lost souls must figure out where they went wrong and whether they can make things right before Heidi's time is up and her soul is lost forever.


You can order a signed copy of DEVINE INTERVENTION here!

ABOUT MARTHA:

You can find Martha on her website.
On Twitter.
On Facebook.
And find her other books here!

The Important Things

I've been learning a lot of important life lessons these past two weeks.  And I tell you, the big stuff really shows you what the small stuff is.  They aren't lessons that I wanted to learn.  They are, probably, lessons I needed to learn - everyone does - but that doesn't mean the timing is welcome.  But it has really made me review my perspective and my priorities.

What's important?  Family.  Health.  Love.  Courage.  Comfort.  Kindness.

And to me, writing a good book is important, too.  Probably not up there with the stuff I listed above.  But still a huge part of me.  I'm about to finish revisions on Book 2.  And I am about to take myself to place where I can do that without distractions.  This means setting aside some of the really important stuff for a few days - family, especially.  And that's hard.  But I'm lucky to have a family who support that, and who wouldn't want me to stick around and sacrifice a good book for their sake.

That's one of the reasons family is so important.

So think about it.  Think about it hard.  Imagine life is dealing out lessons to you - some of the hardest ones you'll ever learn.

What's important to you?

Friday Five -- Tracy Bilen

Today's interview features Tracy Bilen, author of WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND, published by Simon Pulse in May. She has traveled Europe, studied at the Sorbonne and shares my love of quiet trips through a winter forest (she cross-country skis, I snowshoe!)


THE FIVE:

1.  What single thing would improve the quality of your life?



A transporter. From Star Trek. Because I love to travel but hate getting there. Airplanes make me sick, so just thinking about taking a plane anywhere spoils the fun.

2.  What is your favorite word?


Plethora. Because it’s the first fancy word I ever learned. I don’t ever say it out loud, but I THINK it a lot.

3.  What word do you like the least?


Purchase. O.K., so there’s a lot of other words I don’t like, but this is one that my husband says all the time and to me it just sounds way too formal. I like buy. Not purchase. BUY.

4.  What other profession would you like to learn?


I’ve thought optometry would be cool (I like the part where they ask, “Is it better one or better two?”)
When I was a kid I definitely wanted to be a vet. I had a building design in mind and check-in procedures all set up. But the second I smelled formaldehyde in high school it was all over.
And I’d really LOVE to learn to paint. But I have absolutely no patience for it. ZERO. That and I’m horrible at it.

5.  What profession would you never, ever want to have?


Anything that involves the smell of cleaners or working in a bathroom.

ABOUT WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND:


“Don’t even think of leaving…I will find you,” he whispered. “Guaranteed.”


Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it. 


Each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late… for them both.

See the trailer here.
Order WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND here.



ABOUT TRACY:

You can find Tracy at her website.
And on Twitter.

Weekend Recap!

I grew up in a small town.  After  two years away, I returned to finish my college education in the same small town.  I return on a regular basis to see my family, visit friends and spend hours on the (empty!) beaches listening to the waves.  Even though I haven't lived here for fifteen years, I still consider Humboldt County my home.

So when I discovered that GILT was going to be made into an actual book, I went to my favorite Humboldt bookstore and asked if I could do an event.  

The Booklegger in Eureka is a used bookstore.  Their shelves are full of classics and literary novels, romance, comic books, photo books, garden guides and rare, intriguing titles that scream to be taken home.  The owner, Jennifer McFaden, has amazing taste in literature.  And she remembers me from when I was in college, working at the bakery next door, and coming into the store on my lunch break, poring over exotic guidebooks and the travelogues of Paul Theroux, Colin Thubron and V.S. Naipaul.  Even after five years in England, she remembered me.  That's the sign of a great bookseller.

This past weekend, the Booklegger had a GILT-fest.  Jen, Amy and Nancy spent the morning cutting out Henry VIII paper dolls, clothing them in finery and decorating the front window with them.  In the afternoon, I went next door to pick up a cake I had ordered from Ramone's Bakery (yes, where I worked during college!) and discovered that the decorator had hand-drawn the book's title on the top with such intricate detail it took my breath away.  

The best part of the afternoon was the crowd.  Sure, there weren't a lot of people there.  But those who did come made the entire event a party.  The mother of one of my oldest friends showed up - having already read the book - and asked careful, interesting questions.  My high school prom date was in town just for the weekend for his father's 80th birthday and took an hour to spend with me, asking questions about history and writing.  And the man who taught me how to pull a perfect shot of espresso at the bakery next door, and who filled my college years with music singing with local band Small Fish (and who happened to be in town for his father-in-law's 75th birthday!).  And the booksellers.  And people I didn't even know.  It was intimate, awe-inspiring and so much fun.  I love doing readings and talking about writing and books, and have had some amazing experiences, but this, I think, was my favorite so far.  Memorable and humbling.  

So if you're ever in Eureka, California, stop in at the Booklegger - I can almost guarantee you'll find a book you want to read (I left with seven on Saturday).  And grab a cappuccino at Ramone's next door.