I am so excited today because I get to reveal the trailer for Kimberley Griffiths Little’s WHEN THE BUTTERFLIES CAME, plus I have an interview AND a giveaway! I met Kimberley right here on my blog through Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Her comment on one of my posts inspired me to read CIRCLE OF SECRETS,…
characters
MMGM: PLASTIC POLLY by Jenny Lundquist
It’s only been three weeks since my last MMGM post, and I’m back! Plus I have a few other middle grade books I just picked up, so I should be participating for several weeks. Some of you may recall that Jenny Lundquist’s debut book, SEEING CINDERELLA, was my favorite MG read of 2012. So of…
Without CPs and Betas, I’d Never Get Past the Slushpile
This morning I finished up revisions from my second round of readers and sent my work-in-progress off to a third round. I’m always amazed at the things I miss when I’m editing my own work, and I came to a definite conclusion. If I didn’t use critique partners and beta readers, my manuscripts would never…
Some Stories Never Get Old
Last week I had some down time and decided to check out a phenomenon I’d heard about on Twitter: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I was immediately hooked. What an innovative way to retell this timeless story! I totally neglected my reading the past week, instead watching 10-12 episodes every night after my kids went to…
YA Review and Giveaway: THE ARCHIVED by Victoria Schwab
Remember when I said there was another author at the event with Ally Carter? Well, it was Victoria Schwab, and although I’d heard of her, I’m not sure I would have picked up a copy of THE ARCHIVED anytime soon without the event. So, a note to authors: events work! And I’m so glad. I…
The Challenge of Writing Multiple POVs
Janice Hardy had a great post Monday about handling cliffhanger endings with multiple POVs. She focused on scenes and how to keep up the tension, reader interest, and reader investment as you switch between points of view. My current WIP alternates between two POVs, so I’ve been dealing with this challenge myself. I thought I’d…
SCARLET, A Perfect Follow-Up to CINDER
Those of you who have been following me for a while might recall that my favorite young adult book of 2012 was CINDER by Marissa Meyer. The day after I posted my review of CINDER last fall, I discovered Marissa Meyer was coming to town as part of the Fierce Reads Tour and I got…
Why Pride and Prejudice Stands the Test of Time
I’ve read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen so many times I’ve lost count. I first read it in 9th grade, when my English teacher told us to pick a classic to read for extra credit. I selected it because I’d read numerous historical romance novels where the heroines read this “scandalous” new book. I…
Missouri SCBWI Conference Recap, Part 1
I attended the Missouri SCBWI conference on Saturday. I drafted a single post with my key takeaways, but it was too long, so I’m splitting it into two. You’ll get Part 1 today and Part 2 tomorrow. The first keynote speaker was the very entertaining David Harrison, a prolific author who’s been publishing since the…
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