Friday Five -- Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Lynda Mullaly Hunt is another Class of 2k12 sibling, and one that I'm absolutely delighted to have on the blog today.  Her middle grade novel, ONE FOR THE MURPHYS hit stores yesterday.  I was very lucky to get an advanced reading copy from Penguin (what, me? beg?) and spent an entire day crying while I read Carley's story.  


THE FIVE:

1.  If you could go back in time, where/when would you go?  

I’d go back to when my mum was alive and healthy. We’d have tea with milk and talk and laugh and I’d assure her that the Red Sox actually *are* going to win the World Series in 2004. And she’d tell me that I’ve always had a wonderful imagination.

2.  What keeps you awake at night?

Ha! These days, nothing keeps me awake for long!

3.  What is your most treasured possession?

I’d have to say pictures and videos of my kids growing up. Also, an afghan that my grandmother made me as a wedding gift—but gave to me six years before I got married. And my wedding band. And, I have to admit, my ARC of One for the Murphys is pretty cool. Oh, I was supposed to pick one???

4.  What one word do you think describes you best?

Indescribable. :)

5.  Who are your real-life heroes?

Well, I’d have to say that my brother, Rick, and his wife, Jill, are my heroes. There are few people in the world with hearts like theirs. They’ve shown that again and again for as long as I’ve had a memory.

ABOUT ONE FOR THE MURPHYS:


In the wake of heart-breaking betrayal, Carley Connors is thrust into foster care and left on the steps of the Murphys, a happy, bustling family. 


Carley has thick walls and isn’t rattled easily, but this is a world she just doesn’t understand. A world that frightens her. So, she resists this side of life she’d believed did not exist with dinners around a table and a “zip your jacket, here’s your lunch” kind of mom. 


However, with the help of her Broadway-obsessed and unpredictable friend, Toni, the Murphys do the impossible in showing Carley what it feels like to belong somewhere. But, when her mother wants her back, will she lose the only family that she has ever known? (From Lynda's website)

Order One for the Murphys here.

ABOUT LYNDA:

You can find Lynda on her website.
On Twitter.

GILT playlist -- Kitty

Because Kitty is the narrator of GILT, songs for and about her featured heavily on my playlist while I was writing it.  Some of the songs were contradictory.  Some were descriptive.  One or two songs illustrated Kitty as she became - long after the action of the novel passed.  (I write with the long view in mind, one of the perks of writing historical fiction!)

Avril Lavigne's COMPLIC8TED didn't make it onto my iPod.  I didn't listen to it while I took my long walks to get through plot points.  I never heard it at the gym while I was working off writerly excitement or frustration.  But I kept coming back to it on YouTube.

Because Kitty needed to hear it.



But then, we learn through life, don't we?  Some things can't be learned through lecture.  Sometimes, only experience can teach us the hardest lessons.

Come Join the Party!

Because I've been hearing from so many of you who can't come to the GILT launch party at the Avid Reader, I've decided to open it up to everyone!

All next week will be a GILT party.  I will give away one launch party door prize (see my TWO WEEKS! post) to an online winner, which will include a signed copy of GILT.  There will be other prizes as well, so watch this space!

Lastly, the Avid Reader has kindly agreed to ship signed copies after the launch party to anyone who calls in advance (you must pay for postage).  Please call 530-758-4040 for prices and details.

Friday Five -- Kimberly Sabatini

My guest today is Kimberly Sabatini, author of TOUCHING THE SURFACE, which will be published by Simon Pulse on October 30.  Kim is a fearless cheerleader for books and authors, a treasured Class of 2k12 sibling and an all-around good person.  I'm very happy to be able to introduce her to you.

THE FIVE:

1.  What would your super power be?

My super power, without a doubt, would be to fly. If you’ve ever had a flying dream, it’s about as big of a tease as you can get—it feels so real. When I was a kid I was convinced that if I just concentrated hard enough I’d be able to lift off the ground. I’d spend hours practicing my take offs. And if that wasn’t enough--I’m fascinated with birds—so this is the perfect super power for me!

2.  What is your most unappealing habit?

Hmmm most unappealing habit? I talk fast and have the horrible tendency of trying to finish other people’s sentences. I work hard to be a good listener, but sometimes that mouth gets a’ flappin and I just can’t help myself. * head thunk *

3.  What is the worst job you’ve done? 

When I was a cashier at a local grocery store in high school, they sent me into the back to hand sort a ROOM full of dirty recycled cans and bottles. It was pretty darn nasty. There were things in that pile that I didn’t know existed. * shudders *

Second runner up…I’ve delivered a lot of Denny’s Grand Slams. A lot.

4.  What keeps you awake at night?

Quite a lot of things IF I don’t read in bed. If I just try to lie down and doze off by myself, my mind goes in a thousand different directions. But, if I read a book, I forget my own “stuff” and focus on someone else’s. This frees me up so nod off as I’m reading. Every once in awhile this backfires and I’m up till 2am—unable to put down a crazy good book. But it’s a risk I’m happy to take.

5.  What living person do you most admire and why?

I admire the quiet givers, the small town folks who change and save the lives of their friends and neighbors without anyone really knowing what they do and how much it means. They have good hearts and I admire them more than anyone.

ABOUT TOUCHING THE SURFACE:


Life-altering mistakes are meant to alter lives.

At seventeen, Elliot Turner feels like she’s a failure in life and in the afterlife. She’s died for the third time and until she can remember her past and figure out the growth plan for her soul, she’s stuck at the Obmil Center for Progression. Elliot’s not surprised that her third stay in limbo guarantees her a rocky road to enlightenment, but she never expected her best friend, Julia to be mad at her. Things get even worse when Elliot meets Oliver and Trevor. One guy is as radiant as the sun and the other is dark and snarky and hates her for no reason at all. It doesn’t take long for Elliot to realize that the deeper she delves into her past, the more complicated it gets--she’s only touched the surface.

You can pre-order TOUCHING THE SURFACE here.

ABOUT KIMBERLY:

You can find Kimberly at her website.

On Twitter.

On Facebook.

And on Goodreads.

TWO WEEKS!

It's officially May, and only two weeks until GILT hits the stores.  I can't even begin to talk about the emotions that stirs up.  But what I can do is show is this:

A big box of finished copies that arrived on my doorstep.  There may have been tears.  And a little dancing.

I can also talk about the launch party, which will be held at the Avid Reader in Davis, CA on Saturday May 19 at 5:00 p.m.

There will be books.
There will be cupcakes.

There will be door prizes!  Penguin ARCs of awesome!

and

 All wrapped up in custom-made GILT canvas bags.  Plus Avid Reader gift cards.

There will be me thanking a hundred thousand people who contributed to GILT in some meaningful way.  There will be a reading.  There will probably be tears.  And maybe dancing.

So come prepared.  I can't wait to meet you!

Friday Five -- Donna Cooner

I'm absolutely thrilled to bring author Donna Cooner to the blog today.  I met Donna at a workshop where she shared a brilliant piece of writing that included getting into the creepy mind of a killer.  The little critique table eventually became the YA Muses, and Donna turned her writing mind to something different - and even more spectacular.  SKINNY, which will be published by Scholastic on October 1.



THE FIVE:

1.  What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Naps.   Maybe it's from teaching kindergarten a long time ago, but I still love nap time.  I'm talking the "open up the windows, let the breeze blow back the curtains, climb into bed, pull up the comforter, two hour in the middle of the afternoon" kind of nap.  No falling asleep on the couch wimpy kind of nap for me.

2.  What is your most treasured possession?

I don't think of pets as possessions, but I have three I truly treasure.  My twelve year old chocolate lab, Cassidy, is almost completely blind now with cataracts, but she is still the sweetest dog that ever lived.  Of course when I tried to get another one like her, I was blessed with the Goat Dog, Roxanne.  She's a two year old chocolate lab and is getting better, but is still definitely a puppy (By the way, Roxanne has a supporting role in SKINNY).  Finally, there's Stu, my kitty adopted from the shelter about five years ago.  Now if you're talking an actual possession, then I'd have to say I definitely treasure my red beetle convertible.  Nothing lifts my spirits like putting the top down and heading up the canyon toward the mountains on a hot, summer Colorado day.  It's an instant mood changer.

3.  What one word do you think describes you best?

Thoughtful.

4.  Who are your writing heroes?

That is a hard question to answer.  I like such a diverse group of writers and for so many different reasons.  Hummm... let's see.  I love Judy Blume, Barbara Park, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Bronte, Janet Evanovich, CS Lewis, Pat Conroy, Victoria Holt and I can go on and on--jumping genres and timeframes.

5.  Who are your real-life heroes?

My real life heroes are my mom and dad.  They built their lives around family and faith, working hard on limited resources to give my sister and I the best foundation we could possibly have.  My mom was funny, opinionated, brave, and kind.  She lost her long battle with cancer about three years ago and I still miss her every day.

ABOUT SKINNY:

From the YA Muses blog: Ever – named, somewhat ironically, after Cinderella’s ‘happily ever after’ – started putting on weight when her mom died. Now she is fifteen years old, weighs 302 pounds, and hears voices.  The voice that whispers in Ever’s ear is the voice of self-doubt, and it has a name—Skinny.  Skinny’s nasty little whispers tell Ever constantly that she’s ugly, a loser, friendless, and undeserving of love.  Especially the love of Jackson Barnett, who once kissed her in the snow all those years ago and whom she’s adored ever since.

But Ever hears another voice too – her own amazing singing voice that no one knows about even though she’s memorized the lyrics of every musical ever written.  If Ever is willing to take the chance to radically change her body, maybe she might also find the courage to share that voice with the rest of the world.  Embarking on the risky, terrifying journey of weight loss culminating in gastric bypass surgery, Ever’s body gradually changes on the outside - but she soon finds that changing the fat girl within will prove much harder.

Pre-order SKINNY here.

ABOUT DONNA:

You can find Donna at the YA Muses blog.

On Twitter.

And on Goodreads.  

Revision

This past Saturday, I went to my local SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) conference with the YA Muses and spoke about revision.  As I spoke, and as I listened to amazing authors Donna Cooner, Talia Vance and Veronica Rossi speak, I learned some things.

1.  Revision is not a formula.  It is different for every writer, for every book, even for every revision.

2. Revision is not easy or fast.  We were asked how long it took to write our books, and our answers almost invariably indicated that revision takes longer.  Revision is where the real work goes in.  Fortunately, it is also where much of the fun and beauty happens.

3.  There is always something to be learned.  I took notes.  We've all discussed our revision techniques before.  We've shared our tools and our methods.  But I learned something new.  Or relearned something that I'd love to apply.  There's always something to make your book better.  And that's why I love revision.

If you want to know more about revision, check out the YA Muses blog posts this week.  We'll be recapping the revision tools we discussed, and hopefully getting tips and feedback from other writers, too.  Because there's always something to be learned!