Over the weekend, I attended my local SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) conference, once again walking away with more writerly friends, awesome editor contacts, and an almost irrepressible urge to get back to the keyboard. The best part was listening to Janice Del Negro talk about excellence in craft. But since I can’t do justice to her… Read More
Harry Potter: Growing from Middle Grade to Young Teens
Debbie Curan posed an excellent question regarding books for Young Teens: How would you handle a series – like HP – where the MC grows older and the series becomes much darker? Starts off as MG then grows up – HP is in the MG section of the bookstore, but the later books I won’t let my guys near until… Read More
Awesome Art and YAlitchat
Last month, I entered my query in a contest over at YAlitchat to win a query critique (for the top 10 queries by popular vote) or a full submission to Little Brown (for the top query as judged by agents and editors). Thanks to my lovely blog followers and friends, my query for OPEN MINDS made it to the Top… Read More
Young Teens – What Say You?
I recently decided to expand Ink Spells’ charter to include reading/reviewing/talking about books for Young Teens. The first Young Teens book I reviewed was The Dark Deeps, and the recently reviewed Behemoth tread close to the dividing line between Middle Grade (ages 8-12) and Young Teens (12-14). I described books for Young Teens as such: These books generally feature younger… Read More
A 12 year old View of the World
My son Dark Omen (age 12) is writing a novel. He’s been diligently working on it for some time now (since the summer). We discussed it over dinner. Me: What genre is your story? Dark Omen: Well, it’s science fiction and adventure. And mystery, too. But no romance. Me: No romance? Dark Omen: No! Why would I write a scene… Read More
Suggested Reads for Middle Graders
It’s been a long time since I updated my Suggested Reads for Middle Graders list. The updated list includes books I’ve reviewed, as well as suggested reads from my lovely commenters. Feel free to add suggestions in the comments! Details, details: If the books listed below are a series, I’ve indicated that, but only given the first book. The hyperlinked… Read More
Books I’ve Reviewed
I’ve updated the Books Reviewed list (not including Young Teens books, for now). You can zoom-in, download and print, or hyperlink to the review. A reminder about the ratings: RL = Reading Level Ink = Ink Spells recommended age rating Rating = My personal rating Content = My comments var docstoc_docid=”60201759″;var docstoc_title=”reviewed books 11/7/10 p2″;var docstoc_urltitle=”reviewed books 11/7/10 p2″; reviewed… Read More
Ink Spells talks Behemoth
Behemoth, by Scott Westerfeld, is even more brilliant than the first book, Leviathan. There. I said it. I’m an unabashed Westerfeld fan, but I seriously believe the second book in this series outdoes the first, partly because this trilogy is smartly unfolding, and partly because we are already entrenched in Westerfeld’s world of Darwinists vs. Clankers, a rich alternate version… Read More
Ink Spells talks The Dark Deeps
The Dark Deeps, by Arthur Slade, is a great steampunk adventure appropriate for the new category Ink Spells will be reviewing: young teens ages 12-14. The Dark Deeps is the second book in The Hunchback Assignments series, featuring Modo, a hunchback who can shift his features to serve as a spy for the Permanent Association in defense of Victorian Britain,… Read More
Ink Spells gets a new Feature: Young Teens
When I first started Ink Spells a year ago, I drew upon many years of searching for appropriate reads for my advanced-reading sons, ages 6, 8 and 10 at the time. Well, Dark Omen will be turning twelve this week, and while he still enjoys middle grade books, he is quickly gravitating toward (and able to handle) books with darker… Read More
Guest Post: Jon S. Lewis, Author of The Brimstone Key
Today’s guest post comes from Jon S. Lewis, author of The Brimstone Key, as well as three other Grey Griffins books. Jon was kind enough to write a guest post about reluctant boy readers, a topic near and dear to Ink Spells’ heart. Relucant Boy Readers by Jon S. Lewis I am a reluctant reader. Okay, so I might be… Read More
Ink Spells talks The Brimstone Key
The Brimstone Key by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis is the first book of a new Grey Griffins series called The Clockwork Chronicles. This is the second middle grade steampunk book that I’ve read (Leviathan being the first), but The Brimstone Key doesn’t take place in a mythical past, but rather in an altered-present version of Avalon, Minnesota. This small town is… Read More
Steampunk Prize Pack of Awesome Giveaway
Dear Beloved Followers, I am not an expert in steampunk. After all, I’m no Matt Delman. (Which didn’t stop me from dabbling in it, of course.) But I can give you my impression of the genre. You can find definitions on Wikipedia, or Matt’s fabulous site, that describe steampunk as 1) science fiction set in a Victorian era using steam… Read More
Miscellaneous Stuff when I’m not Supposed to be Blogging
I’m a mad editing fool this week and not supposed to be blogging, but what can I say? Just a couple things: The Week of Steampunk coming next week is going to be AWESOME. (Yes, that required caps) Interviews, guest posts, reviews . . . I have so many awesome things, that I’ll have to kick it off early on Sunday with… Read More
Worthwhile Things
Ink Spells Goes Steampunk
Steampunk contraption at Disneyland Clipart for our temporary banner comes from here, here, here, and here. Dear Beloved Followers, It is my pleasure to announce that next week Ink Spells will embark on a steampunk adventure! Ink Spells will review steampunk books, throw a book giveaway, and introduce a new feature to Ink Spells (which mysteriously may or may not be related to steampunk)…. Read More
Writing Flash with the Kids -or- How Life Sometimes Takes a Detour
Today I’m off to teach some excruciatingly bright 3rd/4th and 5th/6th graders about the craft of writing flash fiction. These kids are in the Gifted class, which generally means that they are smarter than me and have a tendency to ask questions that make me stutter. They are also fantastically creative. And we’re going to write stories together! Don’t you… Read More
Specialization is for Insects*
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently,… Read More
Happy Birthday, Lenny!
There’s a special blogger amongst us … and he’s turning 11 today! Thanks for all your hugs, smiles, and comments, Lenny! They always brighten my day. 🙂 In honor of this young man who keeps his spirits up and keeps writing no matter what, I bestow upon him the Manly Sweaty Doll Blogger Award. Previous esteemed recipients of this award… Read More
Attention Deficit Reading
I tend to read a lot of books at once. Not really sure what my problem is, but if you look at my Goodreads “currently reading” list you would think I have six sets of eyes and an unlimited amount of reading time. In fact, I barely have time to read what I need to (for writing), want to (for… Read More
Blogoversary Giveaway!!
For my one-year blogoversary and in celebration of having 200+ followers, I’m holding a giveaway. In honor of the Ink Spells name, I will be giving away a kit to use for your very own ink-spell-making, whether of the fictional or magickal variety. The kit includes a vintage cast-iron inkwell, which will impress your family and friends when artfully displayed… Read More
Please Vote for Me!
I’ve entered a query contest, and I could really use your help! The contest is on YAlitchat (a great gathering place for YA writers), and the Top 10 vote-getting-queries will go to the next round to be judged by agents and editors. The winners will receive critiques, manuscript submissions, and agent consults. Those prizes are like gold for writers, people! But I… Read More
On Becoming a Writer
When people find out I’ve published a book, a surprising number say, Oh, I have this book I’ve always wanted to write. Naturally, they want to know how I got published, mostly because they want to know how to publish their (as yet unwritten) book. This is natural because of the persistent idea that writing and publishing is easy, 1-2-3, off… Read More
Blogoversary and the Importance of Backing Up
Blogoversary I’m coming up on my one year anniversary as a blogger on October 17th. (Here’s my first post. Oh, I was so young and naive!) Back then my boys were 6, 8, and 10, and my fourth child was my Byrne Risk manuscript. Now, a year later, my boys are 7, 9, and 11, and I have a book… Read More
The Lost Hero Webcast!
Rick Riordan’s The Lost Hero goes on sale today! Check out Riordan’s webcast party at 7pm EST today! Also: You can download a free e-book preview. Since Riordan’s book tour isn’t bringing him anywhere near Chicago (darn!) I downloaded the e-book, which thankfully was available and sensibly priced less than the hardback. And it’s e-lendable! I surveyed my two Riordan-fans… Read More
Attack of the Grouch Monster
* I was grouchy today. There was no real reason, just one of those days: I grouched at the cat, probably yelled at the kids (more than they deserved), and generally huffed around in a bad mood. It happens. What I didn’t expect was for it to disable my writing. I literally couldn’t write. Not a single thing. Even this blog… Read More
Words, Power, and Politics
When the Nobel Prize for literature is announced, my usual response is, “Um, who?” After all, I don’t read (much) literary fiction, and to my knowledge no writer of children’s fiction or science fiction has been recognized for being “the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction.” (Nobel’s criteria)… Read More
10 Reasons to NOT Quit
I was going to write a blog post about how to keep going in this (sometimes) punishing game of pursuing publication, but my friend Adam Heine beat me to it, and did a better job with his post 5 Secrets to Keep in the Game. So check his blog first, then read on. Sometimes I get frustrated. Which is truly ridiculous… Read More
Guest Posting on The Alchemy of Writing
The ever gracious Bryan Russell has posted a flash fiction piece I wrote, called “The Dancer,” on his blog, The Alchemy of Writing. I don’t write a lot of flash, focusing mostly on my novels, but every so often, inspiration strikes and a story must be told. This was one of those, and I’m rather partial to it. 🙂 Bryan… Read More
Why Write Children’s Books?
Is it for a chance to entertain? To educate? Is it the pure enjoyment of the creative act? One of my critique partners commented on a recent chapter of my young adult novel, You’re really going to make kids think, aren’t you? Yes, I certainly hope so. If there is a common thread in all my books, and even my blog,… Read More
Book Signings
It. Was. MOBBED. People were threaded through every aisle in the bookstore, waiting for up to two hours, all to have their books stamped by Suzanne Collins. There were over 600 people that got copies of Mockingjay (or Hunger Games) stamped. It would have been many more, but the bookstore only gave out the 600 wristbands, and everyone was limited… Read More
Taking Time for Life
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. – Benjamin Franklin This weekend I was working on the second half of this quote. (First half here.) Marveling at the feel of limestone caves and spatterings of rain . . . Exploring hundred year old lighthouses on tiny islands of isolation . . . In wonder that 240 Watts of technology can… Read More
Crushing on an Author
I have an author crush. I’m not embarrassed to admit that if I could transmutate into Suzanne Collins, author of the wildly popular Hunger Games series, and only had to trade my immortal soul, I might be seriously tempted. Okay, maybe not, but I’m sure to be fan-girling when I meet her on Monday at a signing at our local… Read More
Second Grade Word Pictures
A week ago, I visited three second grade classrooms (including Mighty Mite’s) to talk about being an author and writing with descriptive words. According to the thank-you notes I received, I think they had almost as much fun as I did: I like your mini computer a lot! I think it’s cool you wrote a chapter book! Thank you for… Read More
Writing Takes Work
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. – Benjamin Franklin A friend recently told me, “This creative stuff is hard.” (she was endeavoring to write and was surprised how hard 500 words can be) Writing is hard work. Writing something worth reading is even harder. I was reminded of this yesterday as I slogged through revisions that took far… Read More
Interview with Debbie Topolski – Artist Entrepreneur
Debbie auctioned off this image as a part of the SCBWI Chicago Area Illustrators’ Network show and silent auction to benefit the Art Creation Foundation for Children in Jacmel, Haiti which suffered, like many organizations, as a result of the earthquakes there. I met Debbie Topolski on the way to the airport (SCBWI* conference in LA), where we discovered a… Read More
Raising Boys who Read
An article in the Wall Street Journal made me want to jump up in my kitchen and cheer. But that would be slightly embarrassing and also not very useful, so I’m blogging about it instead. Thomas Spence, father of six boys and founder of Spence Publishing, opined that boys would read more if they were less distracted by video games… Read More
Apple Happiness
Worm Burner and I made this lovely apple pie. He was in charge of the apple picking, ingredient measuring, and crust pinching. I manned (womaned?) the rolling pin and the apple slicer. Together we made quite a team, not to mention dessert. There’s a lot of literacy skills and math that goes into an apple pie. That giant cookbook was… Read More
Deciding What to Write
How do you decide what to write? I’ve decided my next novel will be MG, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. If you’re writing your first novel, you probably haven’t given this much thought – you’re caught up in the love of your story, and that is fine. If you’re a teacher or librarian or parent, you probably think,… Read More
New Tween Blog
You’ve heard me rave about Reading Teen, a blog where some rockin’ moms and their teens read and review YA books, with an eye to providing content descriptions for parents (and kids) who want to know before they read. Well the junior whippersnappers are getting in the act with Reading Tween, where middle grade kids are reading and reviewing books…. Read More
Fall Book Giveaway
I’m taking part in a Fall Book Giveaway that you aren’t going to want to miss. I’m giving away a copy of my book Life, Liberty, and Pursuit, but there are literally hundreds of books being given away on this Hop! So just click through on Mr. Linky and enter! To win a copy of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit just leave… Read More
MG and YA Book Placement on the Shelves
This interesting article from a children’s editor (Ms. Whitman) on SFWA (Science Fiction Writer’s Association) talks about how people are still unclear about the differences between Middle Grade (MG) and Young Adult (YA), but as these genres grow in importance (to publisher and bookseller bottom lines) they are getting more attention. She points out that the difference between MG and YA… Read More
Why E-books Will Win*
I downloaded Mockingjay at 12:23am the day of the release. In my pajamas. If my friend Adam Heine (*title credit belongs to him) had a Nook, I could have lent him my copy, rather than having to wait weeks for it to ship to Thailand And I lent my copy of The Forest of Hands and Teeth to my niece in… Read More
The Power of Imagination
Introducing myself as an author: cool Showing kids my mini-laptop and Nook gadgets: fun Talking about writing and word choice with bunches of second graders: highlight of my month The kids wanted to know how long it took to write my book (6 mos) and I told them how I revised it many times and had three editors to make… Read More
Teaching Writing, the 7 Year Old Way
I’m giving my first writing seminar! Ok, so it’s to a class of second graders – what, you were expecting Harvard? (I’m not even sure if Harvard has a creative writing program.) Later this fall, I’ll be stopping by Worm Burner’s class to talk about writing and publishing a book. Well, Mighty Mite got wind of this, and being the… Read More
Because Sometimes There’s Too Much Seriousness …
Picture credit Picture credit Picture credit Picture credit Picture credit Back tomorrow with the seriousness . . .
Where are the Adult Heroes in Kidlit?
Today’s books for kids have child protagonists the same age as their readers (or a couple years older – kids like to “read up”). It wasn’t ever thus. Fairy tales, the children’s fiction of yore, sometimes featured children, but just as often had adult heroes (and villains). While children’s fiction should by definition be books that appeal to children, today’s… Read More
Ink Spells talks Justin Case: School, Drool and other Daily Disasters
September 14, Tuesday Do you have a child who worries? I do. He’s been worrying since he was two. I worry that his worrying will keep him from having fun, playing with other kids, and trying out for the swim team. I think it’s contagious. I talked before about Rachel Vail’s adorable book Justin Case: School, Drool and other Daily Disasters,… Read More
Gendered Writing
Does my gender affect my writing? I think the answer has to be yes, with the qualifier that all different aspects of who I am influence my writing. I’m a mother, an engineer, and a rabid fan of Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica. Does this impact my writing? Yes. I’m a wife, an elected official, and a sucker for deep… Read More
Is Your World Masculine or Feminine?
And how strange is that question? The World is The World, right? Not exactly. Ever since 7th grade Spanish, I’ve known that some languages associate masculine and feminine with items that in English are not gendered. A chair is just an inanimate object in English, but in Spanish it is la silla (feminine) and in German it is der stuhl (masculine)…. Read More
Cat Solves Printer Problem
From the IT Department of Feline Intelligence: I don’t normally do videos but this one makes me laugh out loud. Every. Single. Time. If you have some cat-funny to share, leave a link in the comments! Also: I’m posting over at the Scribbler’s Cove on Intentional Reading, or how I use reading to improve my writing.
Boy Characters in YA and MG
Are boys stereotyped in YA (young adult) and MG (middle grade) books? There’s been a rash of discussion on the blogosphere about stereotypes of boys in YA lit (The Sweet One, The Bad Boy, The Nerdy Guy) and the subsequent lack of boy readers of YA, as they avoid the aisle of pink-kissy-lip covers like a toxic spill. The amazing boylit… Read More
Head Rush
If you haven’t heard about the new spin-off of the Myth Busters show, Head Rush, well you need to check it out! Kari Byron does an awesome job of talking about the science behind the wildly popular (at least in my house) Myth Busters experiments, where stuff gets blown up, shredded, pressurized, and melted, all in search of busting myths like… Read More
And Thus Begins The Revolution
Me: Hello? My dad: Happy Birthday! I got you a birthday present, but it’s going to be late because it was back-ordered. It’s a book. Me: Books are good. Yanno, you wouldn’t have that problem with an e-book (thus diving into our perpetual e-book discussion). My dad: Yeah, you’re never going to convert me to those. I like my paper… Read More
Ninja Wordle Skills to Improve your Writing
This funky post is dedicated to the BBQ party weekend blog-hop suggested by the fabulous KarenG. So join the party and hop along to visit some new blogger friends. BASIC WORDLE For those who haven’t encountered Wordle yet, it’s an online service that takes your manuscript (or website or blog) and turns it into a graphic representation, where more frequently used… Read More
Ink Spells talks Dark Life
Science fiction has returned to middle grade, but it’s gone undersea. Dark Life is a fantastic tale set in a future where the seas have risen and life is crowded on land, but a new frontier has opened at the bottom of the ocean. Ty, a fifteen year old born on the ocean floor, fights undersea pirates and the onerous… Read More
Byrne Risk takes Flight!
I’m back and blogging! And really couldn’t be happier. I was on blogging withdrawl meds there for a while. But I put my blog-cation to good use: I finished the edits on Byrne Risk (my middle grade science fiction novel) and have flung it out into the querying world. *deep breaths* *deep breaths* This is the Chinese character for Tao,… Read More
Time to Write
Sometimes writing can occur without paper or pencil or keyboard. It happens in your head, voices speaking to you in the shower. It happens on the way to the park, overhearing a quippy phrase that sparks a plot twist. It happens when you steal time to write, write, write while the kids are occupied with an elaborate board game, or… Read More
Guest Post: Roots of Magic
Anne Severn Williamson is an author, blogger, and lover of magic and horses. She has kindly offered to share her knowledge of the history of magic for those who write (or read) fantasy. Roots of Magic, by Anne Severn Williamson Candles and potions, cloaks and daggers, rings and chalices … the trinkets of Hollywood hocus-pocus dazzle the imagination in numerous… Read More
Ink Spells talks The Hunger Games
SPOILER ALERT: There’s not much in the way of spoilers here, but if you want to skip to the end and just leave a comment to enter to win a copy of Hunger Games, please feel free! I don’t review YA books (and Hunger Games is definitely young adult), but I wanted to talk a bit about this amazing book… Read More
Art Appreciation Week – Laura Leifield on Art and Writing
Today we have a guest post from my friend Laura Leifield, who is an artist, a writer, and a member of my online writing group, The Coven of Scribblers. She once challenged our group to write a picture essay from a photo she selected, and I remember having a hard time only writing a thousand words. She’s multitalented, and starting… Read More
Art Appreciation Week – Artistrator/Writer Debbie Ohi
Today we’re talking with the lovely and animated Debbie Ohi, who is a renaissance woman with all the pots she dips her inky fingers into. I was lucky enough to met you at the SCBWI Friday evening meet and greet, with the Illinois members having the good fortune to be thrown in with the international set (you are from Canada,… Read More
Art Appreciation Week – Picture Book Author Lori Degman
Today we’re talking with Lori Degman, author of 1 Zany Zoo, illustrated by Colin Jack and which just came out in July! Thanks for signing 1 Zany Zoo for me at the SCBWI (Society of Book Writers and Illustrators) Conference! And congrats on winning the Cheerios New Author Contest! 1 Zany Zoo reminds me of Seuss’ If I Ran the Zoo, with… Read More
Art Appreciation Week – Writer/Illustrator K. Marie Criddle
Today we have K. Marie Criddle, freelance artist/illustrator, as well as a YA writer repped by the famous Nathan Bransford. She has a ridiculously cute website and a blog where she posts all kinds of cool stuff, when she’s not shopping for cats. I ran across Marie’s work on Matthew Delman’s blog, where she guest posted this impossible-not-to-love comic about steampunk. Marie, you have so… Read More
Art Appreciation Week – Ink Spells talks Amazing Faces
I met Jude Mandell – author, poet, teacher, singer (she’s a woman after my own heart, with the many, many hats that she wears) – peeking from behind her book Amazing Faces at the SCBWI booksale. She had to peek because I think she barely cleared five feet tall, but she had the energy of three excited children bound up… Read More
The Power of Picture
I was amazed at the number of artists I met while attending the SCBWI conference last week. Their business cards carried a bounty of titles: illustrator, art director, graphic designer. My favorite title, however, came from the amazing E.B. Lewis: Artistrator The power of gorgeous illustration is known to every child who opens a picture book. We’ve talked on Ink… Read More
Unexpected Gifts from the Blogosphere
Back in July, I won a prize from The Charis Project’s contest raising funds to help buy a truck to transport kids to school in Thailand. Through the amazing support of the blogosphere and twitterland, they raised enough money (and more!) to buy the truck. I was excited to pick from a selection of prizes like tribal weapons, jewelry, pottery, or… Read More
SCBWI LA 2010 – Day 4 – Discovering Authors and Their Books
By far the best part of this conference has been meeting the people, hearing their stories about writing and publishing, and finding like-hearted souls that quickly became friends. Hearing about the trials and triumphs of fellow writers as they struggle with the writing process, and then struggle some more with publishing drama, is reassuring: I’m far from alone on this… Read More
SCBWI LA 2010 – Day 3 – Is SCBWI forward looking?
There were more great workshops and keynote speeches that made me laugh and brought me to tears, and Linda Sue Park continued to amaze me with her brilliance, but the big hitter speech today came at the end of the day with Rubin Pfeffer’s talk about the future of publishing. Rubin challenged the SCBWI as a whole to not fear… Read More
SCBWI LA 2010 – Day 2 – Middle Grade: Plot and Character
The flashing heart necklace around my neck is pulsing with the rap beat from the Heart and Soul Dance three stories below, punctuated by shouts of hundreds of editors and agents and writers dancing, drinking, and generally making merry. Man, writers can party. Who knew? Day 2 was filled with more awesome, including passionate talks by Artistrator E. B. Lewis and… Read More
SCBWI LA 2010 – Day 1 – Writing Middle Grade
Wow. Just wow. There are so many amazing things that happened today, I can’t possibly blog about all of them. Luckily, I don’t have to. The amazing team at SCBWI is blogging the conference for you! It’s just like being there, minus the scramble for caffeine at the Lobby Starbucks and getting lost at the Century Mall while looking for… Read More
SCBWI Conference!
I’m here in Los Angeles, gazing out my window at the Avenue of the Stars. It’s a bit like returning home, since I attended UCLA and spent about five years roaming the streets of Santa Monica on my bike or riding the bus. I’m a little shocked to be staying at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, as that was… Read More
Guest Post: Tips from A Teen – What Bugs Me In MG/YA
Today’s guest post comes from Angela A, teen blogger and aspiring writer. Did I mention how cool I think it is when teens blog? And WRITE?? Very cool. Even better when they share their unique perspective with writers who are a few years (*cough*) past their teens. Tips From A Teen: What Bugs Me In MG/YA By Angela A. Well, hi… Read More
Science Fiction is Dead! Long Live Science Fiction!
From an awesome Human-Like Robots article I’ve talked before about the dearth of science fiction in kidlit, and the demise of adult science fiction has been long hailed. Is it because the pace of technology has sprinted past our wildest imaginations? That authors fear SF books that will be out-of-date before they go to print? Or are SF books (rightly or… Read More
Do Book Trailers Increase Sales?
What do you think of book trailers? Omnific Publishing has made a trailer for my debut novel Life, Liberty, and Pursuit. Not only is it GORGEOUS (ok, I may be a little biased, you can judge for yourself), but the music is an original work by Don Cannon (from the group Fake Uncle Jack), composed just for my trailer. How awesome… Read More
Coarse Language in Middle Grade Fiction?
Jan Dohner is a Library Media Specialist who blogs about books for her 5th and 6th grade students at Maltby Intermediate School. She posed a fascinating topic for discussion here on Ink Spells and I’m happy to have her guest posting today. Please chime in to the conversation below! Susan asked for guest columns and I volunteered. Actually, I was… Read More
Meet An Author Monday
Today I’m participating in the MEET AN AUTHOR Blog Hop, designed specifically for readers to find and get to know new authors and discover great new reads. A little about me: I write both middle grade and young adult books, drawing on my background as an ex-engineer and scientist, and the generally zaniness of having a house filled with three boys…. Read More
Creating the Breakout Setting
Contest winners, an interview, and an Author Blog Hop can be found at the bottom of this post. But first, a few words about setting. zzzzzzz Yes, that’s what I thought, too. But reading Donald Maass’ Writing the Breakout Novel, Chapter 4 (Time and Place) has completely upended my ideas about writing setting. Now, I already knew that the best… Read More
This isn’t really a post, just a reminder …
… the CONTEST ends at noon EST! I will be back then, with a real post, the winners (!!!) and more cool stuff. Also: The lovely Sherrie Peterson has graciously posted an interview of me on her blog Write About Now. BE BACK SOON …
Call for Guest Posts
Have a fun kidlit related tidbit to share? Recently read a middle grade book that you want to review? Looking for somewhere to chat about writing, summer, or why Dr. Who has more plot holes than swiss cheese? Guest Post on Ink Spells! The SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) 2010 summer conference is coming, and I will… Read More
Linky Madness (aka contests for readers and writers)
There’s lots of AWESOME going on right now, and I wanted to share some of it with you. First, make sure you enter MY CONTEST where you can win critiques or a free book. Contest ends Friday! Second, if you have a book currently for sale, enter KarenG’s awesome contest to support writers: she will buy your book and review… Read More
100+ Follower Contest
100+ followers!! People, you rock! To thank all my erudite and thoughtful followers for helping me reach that lovely 100-follower mark, I’m holding a CONTEST! First (because it’s the most fun): PRIZES Since Ink Spells talks about both reading and writing middle grade books, I’m going to have a READER’S prize and a WRITER’S prize.* *note: I stole this idea from… Read More
Reluctant Boy Readers
Photo from The Art of Manliness Is there something about summer that brings out the reluctant reader? The temptations of the pool and camps and just running around being crazy seem to make curling up with a book even less attractive than normal for my two reluctant readers (Dark Omen continues to drain the new fiction shelf faster than they… Read More
Interview and Contest at The Write Game
The lovely and talented C. Lee has posted an interview of me over at her blog The Write Game! Also, I’m running a contest over there for a free copy of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit, so hop on over to enter! 🙂
On Being Versatile with Substance
Awards! Blogger awards are a lovely way to show appreciation for our blogging friends, but these two awards in particular resonate with me. Dictionary.com: Versatile 1. capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc.: a versatile writer. Being someone who has dabbled in many different fields, versatile is a nice way… Read More
Ink Spells talks The Red Pyramid
Wow, people! Over the holiday weekend, Ink Spells sneaked past 100 followers!! Very cool. I will have to ponder some way to celebrate this. Possibly another book giveaway? Or a true contest this time? Hmm … I’ll get back to you on that. Meanwhile … The Red Pyramid!! This is the first book of a new series by the crazy-popular… Read More
Hometown U.S.A.
Candy flies through the air and skitters along the pavement, chased by little hands. Fireman heroes in shiny trucks blare the lead as sweaty faced teens playing Seventy-Six Trombones follow behind. A swell of applause rises and falls as weathered veterans solemly carry the flag, the severe lines of their faces hiding the pride. Friends smile and wave and cheer the walkers, drivers, and… Read More
Motivation for Writing
Since I can’t decide if the Fourth of July holiday occurs on the 2nd or the 5th, I’m posting on the 1st, just to be sure (<–there’s logic in there somewhere). A series of posts, especially an amazing video about what motivates people, have gotten the clockwork in my head spinning. The video is 10 minutes long – I’ve watched… Read More
Taking Writing Seriously
Now that Life, Liberty, and Pursuit is launched, I feel that vertigo that comes at the end of an all-consuming project (the marketing continues, natch). What now? It’s not that I don’t have plans – I have all kinds of MS in the queue, begging for attention. The question is really: What to work on first? So I made a… Read More
Guest Post: Conservation of Awesomeness
We have another Guest Post from Rebecca Carlson today! She is a MG writer and blogger, a tremendous critique partner, and a fellow advocate for putting more science in kidlit science fiction. Conservation of Awesomeness by Rebecca J. Carlson Anyone seen the movie “Dead Poets Society?” Do you remember that scene of a poetry lesson where they tear a page… Read More
Suggested Reads for Young Adults
Life, Liberty, and Pursuit has a couple reviews up (here and here), which makes me all kinds of happy. But you can’t beat this ROUSING five second review from MY NIECE, Jenny (aka Mikuru): She obviously has inherited her father’s sense of humor. Other humorous videos by Jenny *cough* Mikuru *cough* can be found here. AND I did a very fun… Read More
Adventures in Publishing: Marketing
**************************************CONTEST******************************************* Make sure you enter the contest (free books!) in celebration of the release of my first novel, Life, Liberty, and Pursuit! Contest open until noon EST today! UPDATE: The Kindle version of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit is now available at Amazon.com! ********************************************************************************************* You hear a lot of talk about how authors have to market their own books, whether they have small or large publishers. And even… Read More
Adventures in Publishing: Edits, Covers, and Websites
**************************************CONTEST******************************************* Make sure you enter the contest (free books!) in celebration of the release of my first novel, Life, Liberty, and Pursuit! Contest open until Friday/tomorrow! UPDATE: The print version of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit is now available at Amazon.com! The Kindle version should be up by the end of the week. It was all kinds of awesome to type in my name in that little… Read More
Adventures in Publishing: Choosing a Small Press
**************************************CONTEST******************************************* Make sure you enter the contest (free books!) in celebration of the release of my first novel, Life, Liberty, and Pursuit! Contest open until Friday! ********************************************************************************************* When I first got serious about my writing, I decided to write a middle grade science fiction novel for publication. Sure, I had written a couple novels before, but this time I was… Read More
Ink Spells talks Life, Liberty, and Pursuit … and A CONTEST!
Ink Spells doesn’t normally review young adult (teen) books … … BUT … I wrote this one. 🙂 I am so excited to announce that my first novel, Life, Liberty, and Pursuit, has been released by Omnific Publishing! *jumps around spastically* *hopes the blinds are closed* Life, Liberty, and Pursuit is a teen love story about a college bound girl who falls… Read More
Character Choices
My link yesterday to the Top 10 Dads in Science Fiction and Fantasy got me thinking about the choices characters make in children’s books, both kidlit and young adult. Often parents are removed from a story, through death, kidnapping, or incompetence, leaving room for the child characters to have the epic adventures and magical journeys that provide the meat of… Read More
Hooray for Dads!
Happy Father’s Day to all the great Dads in the world! I’m lucky to have an embarrassment of riches in wonderful Dad-examples in my life: my own father, retired engineer and ex-soccer coach, who took us camping every summer and taught me how to change the oil in my car; my father-in-law, retired math and computer whiz, who attends all my… Read More
Math Nerds Unite!
If you’re still here, you’re a math nerd. And I love you for it. 🙂 Now the above equation isn’t simply some geek-fun. It is math coolness incarnate: the transformation of words into math. In this case, these words: Thanks go to irascignavojo for the tip on this math-nerd-coolness. Go make your own math!
E-books for Kids?
<— That extremely cool decoder ring … … has no relevance to this post. I simply love it and had to share (thanks to Cynthia Reese). I’ve talked before about the impending e-pocalypse, which some publishers and writers seem to think is the end-of-publishing, and have stated my hearty opinion that young people will lead the way with this e-revolution in books…. Read More
Guest Post: Boy Books
Adam Heine writes, draws, blogs, and fosters children in Thailand. AND he speaks Air Pirate. As if that wasn’t enough awesome, he was once a boy who read books. For which we have a special fondness here at Ink Spells. Boy Books by Adam Heine What makes a good boy book? I have no doubt you’ve read articles on this by people more qualified… Read More
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