It's a great exercise for creating characters that are fully fleshed out though not only dialogue and appearance but action and motivation as well. but it's tough to do. People are so mulitfaceted, finding one story to sum up all the parts is tedious.
Of course this begs the question, what story would you use to characterize yourself? It's not easy, is it?
About Struts & Frets
More than anything, Sammy wants to play guitar in a famous indie rock band. The problem is that his front man is a jerk who can't sing, his bassist is a burn-out who can't remember the songs, and his drummer is just out to lunch. But Sammy needs this band because it's the only good thing he's got going. His father skipped out before he was born, his mother is an overworked therapist with a drinking problem, his grandfather is slowly losing his mind to Alzheimer's, and the girl of his dreams is dating his jerk lead singer.
Now that jerk lead singer has entered them in a Battle of the Bands contest to win free studio time and guaranteed radio play. Sammy has two weeks to get them to sound like a real band, or face public humiliation in front of the entire local indie music scene.
About Jon Skovron
Jon Skovron is an insatiable music geek who can play eight instruments, but none of them well. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, has lived all over the US, and now resides with his wife and two sons in Washington, DC. His short stories and reviews have appeared in publications like Jim Baen's Universe and Internet Review of Science Fiction. Struts and Frets is his first novel.
Me: Hi, Jon. Welcome. Thanks for stopping by to chat! Tell us, what competes for your time and how do you manage to give writing the appropriate amount of time it requires?
Jon I work full time as a technical writer, and I also have a wife and two kids. So i don't have a lot of extra time. I swore of video games, and almost never watch TV. Other than that, I'm just really intense about my time management. Very much a follower of David Allen's Getting Things Done model. Also Merlin Mann.
Me What is your writing routine? Do you outline or write as you go? Do you fully sketch and develop your main character initially, or get to know him/her as you write?
Jon It starts all crazy and off the cuff for about the first half of the book. And I usually have a fair idea of where I want to end up. But then at some point in the middle, I get a little lost and need to sit down and figure things out, make some notecards or outlines and really get my head around what it is I'm trying to accomplish. Sometimes that changes things drastically. Sometimes it's just reassuring me that I'm on the right track.
Me What do you particularly love about the setting you portray in your book?
Jon Columbus, Ohio is where I grew up. It's the kind of place that doesn't have a lot of personality, but in a way that can be a good thing, because it's the kind of place that allows you to decide for yourself what you want it to be. It's surprisingly open minded for a mid-sized Midwestern town.
Me "lets you decide what you want it to be" - love that answer!! What actor or actress do you imagine playing your main character in a movie or T.V. version of your book?
Jon That's funny, because at one point when Sammy is fantasizing about how famous his band will be some day, he asks himself that same question. Eventually he decides that it should be some unknown actor who makes this his breakthrough role. I agree.
Me Agreed! thanks for stopping by, Jon and best of luck with your debut. I personally am really excited for STRUTS & FRETS because I think there's a real need for books for teenage guys and I just now my nephews are going to love this one! (bought for Christmas gifts, sssh! don't tell!)
Additional Details
o Author Web site: http://jonnyskov.com/
o Bookstore links:
http://www.amazon.com/Struts-Frets-J
So instead of a concrete answer I'll give you a little snippet of what my work in progress is about:
It's about a college girl who is living in the shadow of her over-achieving family.
It's about entering that battlefield known as first love and first heartbreak.
It's about waking up one day and realizing, I have no idea what I'm doing with my life. Ever feel that way??
It's about taking a chance on a total redirection.
And of course it's about the wacky and eccentric sidekicks in our lives that make us laugh.
I have a confession. I haven't seen the original Twilight movie. I've read the book, of course, but for some reason I just haven't had the desire to see the movie. The reviews I've heard are all over the spectrum with some friends telling me it was so awful and cheesy while others were so obsessed they were known to sneak into the back room at work just to watch a few scenes (you know who you are!) And some of these squealing fans are grown women - grandmothers!! But that Edward just got under their skin.
So I probably won't see New Moon. But I love what Stephanie Meyers has done - created a huge empire from a book. Anything that promotes reading is a winner with me.
About The Espressologist
What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?
About Kristina Springer
Kristina Springer has a Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Illinois State University and a Master of Arts in Writing from DePaul University. Her first novel, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, was published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux on October 27, 2009. Her second novel, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS, also from FSG, will be published in the fall of 2010. She lives in a suburb of Chicago, IL with her husband Athens and their four small children Teegan, Maya, London, and Gavin.
Me Hi, Welcome! thanks for stopping in to chat with us! What competes for your time and how do you manage to give writing the appropriate amount of time it requires?
Kristina My family. :-) I have four kids ages 1, 3, 5, and 6. And they've got lots of activities. I write in the evenings or on the weekends.
Me Whew, I thought I was busy! What is your writing routine? Do you outline or write as you go? Do you fully sketch and develop your main character initially, or get to know him/her as you write?
Kristina Before I sold I wrote as I went along. But somewhere along the way I switched to writing full outlines. I still like to get to know my characters as I go along though. I tried doing one of those huge character charts once but it took too long and didn't really help me when it came time to write the book.
Me What do you particularly love about the setting you portray in your book?
Kristina I loooooove the coffee shop setting! Coffee shops are a great place for characters to hang out and drama to ensue.
Me Agreed! What actor or actress do you imagine playing your main character in a movie or T.V. version of your book?
Kristina Hmm...maybe Vanessa Hudgens?
Me Great! thanks for stopping in! This really is a cute read, I know it'll do great! Congratulations on your debut!
Additional Details
o Author Web site: http://kristinaspringer.com/
o Bookstore links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Espressologist-Kr
Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/97803743
The past three months have been a whirlwind! I've travelled quite a bit for different book signings or promotional events for LIPSTICK APOLOGY and all of the sudden I've turned around and now it's November. How did that happen? I had my final scheduled event last weekend and just when I thought I'd get a breather, now we're rolling into holiday season. and we're having Thanksgiving at my house this year and Hello I've never cooked a turkey!
One week ago I attended the national conference for school librarians in Charlotte, NC and what made this event most exciting was that I actually got to meet some of The Debs in person. The 2009 Debutantes are an online group of debut authors (these are the books I've been blogging about on my blog tour). It's an amazing group of about forty of us just navigating this crazy publishing world together. It's an amazing support system and I really feel like many of these people are my friends. But we all live scattered across the US and while several of them have met up at events in NY or CA, I've never had an opportunity to meet any of them until now.
We all come from different locations, different backgrounds and careers but there is an unmistakable bond as we've all shared this unique experience of writing a novel, getting published and attempting to promote our books together. Writing can be so rewarding but it can also be a solitary act and I think we all appreciate the outlet to socialize and vent with each other. Here we are holding our books at the conference.
About Flash Burnout
Fifteen-year-old Blake has a girlfriend and a friend who's a girl. One of them loves him, the other one needs him.
When he snapped a picture of a street person for his photography homework, Blake never dreamed that the woman in the photo was his friend Marissa's long-lost meth addicted mom.
In a tangle of life, death, and love, Blake will emerge with a more sharply defined snapshot of loyalty.
About L.K. Madigan
L.K. Madigan is a writer living in Portland, Oregon, who finds it odd to speak in the third person. Therefore:
Hi. I am married with one son, two big black dogs, hundreds of books, and a couple of beaters, I mean vintage cars.
Me: Hi, welcome. Thanks for stopping in to chat with us. Tell me, what competes for your time and how do you manage to give writing the appropriate amount of time it requires?
LK Writing is a solitary and obsessive act, so I think time away from it is always healthy. Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t feel guilty every time I take a break. (See definition of ‘obsessive.’)
The usual banquet of family, friends, housework, yard work, dogs, books, movies, TV, and simple lethargy compete for my writing time. And my day job, of course!
Me What is your writing routine? Do you outline or write as you go? Do you fully sketch and develop your main character initially, or get to know him/her as you write?
LK What is this “routine” you speak of?
Me *laughing*
LK I don’t outline my books, although once I step into the murky middle of a work-in-progress, I create a document that synopsizes each chapter, including first and last lines. (I think it’s called a story ladder?) That helps me see patterns and weak spots. And since I often don’t know where I’m going when I’m trudging through The Middle, consulting this document helps get me back on track.
My main character almost always arrives fully formed, like Athena from the forehead of Zeus, so I just start writing down his or her story. Of course, I love the moment when my character surprises me during the writing process.
Me What do you particularly love about the setting you portray in your book?
LK Setting does not play a big role in FLASH BURNOUT, although technically it takes place in Portland, Oregon, my home town. But it could be set in any medium-sized West Coast city.
My second book, however, has a very evocative setting – a beach town in northern California, with lots of surfers and sand and cold water! I worked hard to make that setting as real and tangible as possible, so that even someone who’s never seen the ocean would get a feel for it.
Me What actor or actress do you imagine playing your main character in a movie or T.V. version of your book?
LK I picture Blake looking like a young James Franco – from the “Freaks and Geeks” era.
Me Oh, great choice. Thanks for stopping by and best of luck with your debut!
Additional Details
o Author Web site: http://www.lkmadigan.com
Bookstore links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Flash-Burnout-L-K-M
Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978054719
About My Invented Life
Roz and Eva are sisters, close friends, and fierce rivals. Roz fantasizes about snagging the lead in the school play and sexy skate god Bryan as her boyfriend. Sadly a few obstacles stand between her and her dreams. For one, Eva is the more talented actress. And Bryan happens to be Eva’s boyfriend. But is Eva having a secret love affair with a girl? Enquiring minds need to know.
Roz prides herself on random acts of insanity. In one such act, she invents a girlfriend of her own to encourage Eva to open up. The plan backfires, and Roz finds herself neck deep in her invented life. When Roz meets a mercurial boy with a big problem, she begins to understand the complex feelings beneath the labels. And she gets a second chance to earn Eva’s trust.
My Invented Life is set in a small California high school during rehearsals for a Shakespeare comedy.
About Lauren Bjorkman
I grew up on a sailboat, sharing the tiny forecastle with my sister and the sail bags. We are still friends. Visiting exotic lands continues to be a big part of my life. I once learned how to make bread in Yemen Bedouin style. I’ve played Hacky Sack with children in Thailand. My passion for travel is second only to my love for books because take me to every world imaginable. I live in Taos, New Mexico with my husband, two sons, a cat that thinks he’s a dog, and another cat that thinks he’s a rabbit.
Me: Hi! Welcome. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. What competes for your time and how do you manage to give writing the appropriate amount of time it requires?
Lauren: My children, my husband, and my friends. I like to spend time with them, and it hurts to shut myself away to write. I never feel guilty about undone dishes and dirty floors, though =D
Me: What is your writing routine? Do you outline or write as you go? Do you fully sketch and develop your main character initially, or get to know him/her as you write?
Lauren: I start with one or two characters and a premise. After I pound the keys for awhile, the plot and the other characters emerge. Outlines don't work for me. I've also tried to write detailed sketches for each character before starting on a novel. Unfortunately, so much changes as I go along, that it's not worth it. So I've switched to writing rough character sketches in advance.
Me: What do you particularly love about the setting you portray in your book?
Lauren: I based the fictional town of Yolo Bluffs on a rural town in Northern California. For me, it's fun to create the details rather than describe an existing place. And I wanted a small town with nasty winter weather because my main character, Roz, is in a fog of her own making for most of the story. I love to use weather as a metaphor.
Me: What actor or actress do you imagine playing your main character in a movie or T.V. version of your book?
Lauren: Ack! I never know how to answer this question. I'd fail as a casting director. How about the singer Pink when she was a teen?
Me: Thanks for stopping in and good luck with your debut!
Additional Details
o Author Web site: http://laurenbjorkman.com/
o Bookstore links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/My-Invented-Life-L
Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978080508
It's funny how many times readers have asked me if that really happened to me. The answer is no, this was a creation of my imagination. I loved the idea of a pyramid of pumpkins - it's so visual and festive - and the idea of candle light sparkling from a pumpkin creates a unique romantic ambiance for a roof top party. But of course when I'm creating scenes in my mind and I want to create drama, I always ask myself what's the worst thing that could happen? And somehow I envisioned this beautiful arrangement of pumpkins exploding everywhere, sticky orange pulp flying and flames of fire erupting. What a way to interrupt a kiss, right?
I think a lot of people assume that authors write scenes from their life, and maybe some do, but maybe my life is just a little dull :) Thank goodness I have an over active imagination.
Halloween was great, even though it rained :(
Here's my dragon and giraffe:
the dragon at preschool:
a view from behind of the all important wings and tails:
cute as a button:
Of course I'm terrible at remembering to take pictures, but I do have a few to share:
Here with great friends and neighbors from my old block, Kim and Christine:
With friends from high school: Jill, me, Lisa and Jen
Me with my best friend and sister, Jackie
Me with good friend, Katy
With awesome friend, Colleen, and her two adorable girls
My dad and Grandmother
And yes, for anyone who noticed, I seem to have a trend going. For all my book signings I've worn pink. It wasn't intentional, I swear, but after the first event everyone kept saying, 'oh, you match your book cover', and I guess I thought that was cool :) They HAVE been different shades, though! And next week in Charlotte, I think I'll bust out some purple, just to spice it up.
Thanks again to everyone for coming out to support me, helping me sell 45 copies! And thanks to the fabulous staff at Borders!
My little guy charmed his way into the "crockpit" and said to the pilot. "Okay, now I want you to show me exactly how to fly this thing."
Tomorrow I leave with my two kids to fly to New Jersey to visit my family and do a book signing. And as if I wasn't stressed enough about flying alone with the kids (my husband is staying home) now Sam is declaring that he's going to go up to the crockpit (not a typo that's what he calls it) and help the pilot fly the plane. Oh, we can wave hello to the pilot! I say enthusiastically, but no, he insists he's going into the crockpit - maybe even to sit on the pilot's lap.
This is paybacks, I'm sure. I wrote a book about a plane crash and now I'm destined to have stressful air travel for the rest of my life.
So wish me luck and if you're in New Jersey - please stop by:
Saturday, October 24th 4pm
Borders
Bridgewater, NJ
(across from the Commons mall)
About Candor
Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he’s found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He’s got them all fooled: Oscar’s the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he’s made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar falls in love. He must choose whether to let Nia be lost to brainwashing—or to sacrifice himself.
About Pam Bachorz
Pam Bachorz grew up in a small town in the Adirondack foothills, where she participated in every possible performance group and assiduously avoided any threat of athletic activity. Pam attended college in Boston and finally decided she was finished after earning four degrees. Her mother is not happy that Pam’s degrees are stored under her bed.
Pam lives just outside Washington, DC with her husband and their son. She likes to read books not aimed at her age group, go to museums and theater performances, and watch far too much television. She even goes jogging. Reluctantly.
As far as she knows, Pam has never been brainwashed. Or maybe that’s just what she’s supposed to say.
Me: Hi Pam, Welcome. Thanks for stopping in to chat. Tell us, what competes for your time and how do you manage to give writing the appropriate amount of time it requires?
Pam:I work another full-time job, and I have a wonderful family--and a 1937 house that always presents delightful little maintenance surprises (but we love it!). I schedule my writing each week and set goals too (such as, I'm going to write 20 pages this week). I post my schedule and my goals on my study door, and do my best to stick to them.
Me: What is your writing routine? Do you outline or write as you go? Do you fully sketch and develop your main character initially, or get to know him/her as you write?
Pam I like to outline before I go, and I always want to know my major plot points before I start. But things definitely change as I draft the story. And then in revision I find the things that really matter.
I get to know my characters as I write--leaving much more room for them to develop than my plot. Sometimes I feel guilty, like I should spend more time on character development up front, but I get stir-crazy when I try to fill out questionnaires and do detailed character studies. I do freewrite about them, though, when I want to think about specific aspects of the character and how it intersects with the plot.
Me: What do you particularly love about the setting you portray in your book?
Pam:The setting was inspired by the 6 years I lived in a planned community in central Florida, so I love reading my book and seeing the places that remind me of my old home and the friends who still live there. Although one of my favorite settings--a little lean-to in the woods--doesn't exist in real life, as far as I know. But I can imagine it out there!
Me: yes, the setting in your book is very intriguing... :) What actor or actress do you imagine playing your main character in a movie or T.V. version of your book?
Pam: I honestly haven't seen an actor who personifies Oscar for me. But I would love to see Neal McDonough, from Desperate Housewives, play my MC's father. He manages to combine creepy, controlling and compelling all at once.
Me: Great. Thanks, Pam and best of luck with CANDOR!
Additional Details
o Author Web site: http://www.pambachorz.com/
o Bookstore links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Candor-Pam-Bachorz/d
IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978160684
Today on the blog tour, I'll be interviewing Megan Crewe, author of GIVE UP THE GHOST.
About Give Up the Ghost
Cass McKenna much prefers the company of ghosts over "breathers." Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody... and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.
But when the vice president of the student council discovers <i>her</i> secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.
As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life, she's surprised to realize he's not so bad--and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it's time to give the living another chance...
About Megan Crewe
Like many fiction authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and two cats (and does on occasion say "eh"), she tutors children and teens with special needs, and she has yet to make friends with a ghost, though she welcomes the opportunity.
Me: Hi! Welcome, thanks for stopping in to chat! First question: what competes for your time and how do you give writing the appropriate amount of time it deserves?
Megan:Things that compete for my time: day job, chores and other household responsibilities, fun stuff like hanging out with my husband, reading, movies, music, internet surfing... Basically, a lot of stuff! I dedicate a couple of hours each morning to working on my current book, and fit in all the other writing-related activities (blogging, answering emails, etc.) whenever I have a few moments. Sometimes that means the dishes don't get done as soon as they should, or I have to grab a meal on the go, but I'm okay with that.
Me: What is your writing routine? Do you outline or write as you go? Do you fully sketch and develop your main character initially, or get to know him/her as you write?
Megan: I outline a book scene-by-scene before I start writing, though I always discover new things about the story and world as I go and make adjustments to my plan. I've usually thought out the major motivations and backstories of the most important characters, but I definitely learn lots more while I'm writing them.
Me: What do you particularly love about the setting of your book?
Megan: I love the beach and the lake that appear in a few important scenes--I find there's a peacefulness to going down by the water, but also a melancholy feeling, and I hope I've captured both.
Me: What actor or actress do you imagine playing your main character in a movie or T.V. version of your book?
Megan:If I'm allowed to wish for impossible things, I think the American Beauty-era Thora Birch would be a great fit for Cass.
Me: Thanks for stopping in, Megan and best of luck with GIVE UP THE GHOST.
Additional Details
o Author Web site: http://megancrewe.com/
o Bookstore links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Give-Up-Ghost-Mega
IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978080508
Enter to win a bag filled with tons of treats and novelties.
This post will be open from 12:01am EST until 11:59pm EST, October 15th, 2009 only! Your next chance to win one of these exclusive bags is a month away, so enter now! The winner will be announced Friday at noon!
Good luck, Happy Debsness, and thanks to all of you for celebrating our debut year with us!
This weekend I made my very first visit to Chuck E Cheese. I know, I know, how can I have a five year old and never have taken him to Chuck E Cheese before? Well, we don't have one super close to where we live and also sometimes I, you know, resist trying things. It's kind of like how I refused to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich until I was thirty years old. But whatever, I finally did try the PB&J and I finally decided to drag my kids to Chuck E. Cheese.
First of all, the place is like a major sensory overload - people swarming everywhere, flashing lights, the noisy rides, the dancing animals - not that it bothered the kids, they loved it - but me, I felt like I could seriously use a small, dark room to escape to for a little silence.
I loved watching my kids play the games and ride the rides but what I always enjoy at these kind of places is the people watching. Seriously, sometimes I think if I need some character direction for my writing I just need to spend some time watching random people for some major inspiration. For example, there was this fighter jet ride that Sam loved. He would try out different games and rides but kept coming back to the airplane ride. One time there was this man, yes MAN - I'd guess about 25 years old - riding on the ride. So we got in line and waited. It was like a video game so I see the appeal, but this man would not get off. He just kept feeding tokens into the machine. Like 15 times. So there we were just waiting and waiting for Sam to take a turn and this man refused to get off. I wanted to say "what is your problem? There is a five year old that is waiting so patiently and you need to play this game another time??" Villain character? I think so.
And what are those dancing animals? I say Chuck E Cheese is a mouse, but no, Sam insisted it was a bear. I know I'm wrong a lot, but honestly on this one, I think I'm correct. It's a mouse, right???
About Hate List
Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saves the life of a classmate, but is implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things they hated. The list her boyfriend used to pick his targets.
Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.
About Jennifer Brown
Jennifer Brown is the author of HATE LIST, a YA novel coming out in September 2009. As a two-time winner of The Erma Bombeck Global Humor award and weekly columnist for The Kansas City Star, as well as Saturday Featured Blogger for Mom2MomKC.com, Jennifer spends a lot of time dressing up her dog for laughs and thinking of new ways to works words such as "Puh-lease" and "Ch-yeah!" into sentences. Jennifer grew up in the Kansas City, Missouri area, where she still lives with her husband, three kids, and whole herd of uncooperative pets.
Me: Welcome, Jennifer. Thanks for stopping in on the blog tour. Tell us, what competes for your time and how do you manage to give writing the appropriate amount of time it requires?
Jennifer: I'm a stay-at-home mom of three, so almost everything imaginable competes for my time! Fortunately, I'm not a big sleeper, and I come naturally equipped with lots of energy and efficiency. So I just get up before they do in the morning and stay awake after they're asleep at night. Those hours are writing time only.
Me: What is your writing routine? Do you outline or write as you go? Do you fully sketch and develop your main character initially, or get to know him/her as you write?
Jennifer: I like to dive in and write. I do some outlining, but I have to be careful, because I run the risk of feeling like I've already told the story and losing steam on actually writing it. I do try to get a good feel for who my characters are before I start writing, though, because they have to be compelling from page one.
Me:What do you particularly love about the setting you portray in your book?
Jennifer: It's real. Even the ugly parts.
Me: What actor or actress do you imagine playing your main character in a movie or T.V. version of your book?
Jennifer: Oh, gosh, I'm so bad at naming actors! Plus, even the thought of HATE LIST being turned into a movie makes me all giddy and I can't concentrate! Suffice it to say I'd be so happy I'd be thrilled with anyone playing the part.
Me: Thanks, Jennifer. THE HATE LIST is getting all kinds of fantastic reviews, so go check it out!
Additional Details
o Author Web site: http://www.jenniferbrownYA.com
o Bookstore links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hate-List-Jennifer-B
Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978031604
I just returned from a four day trip to Memphis for my ten year reunion from Southern College of Optometry. Put those calculators away, I'm not THAT old, it just sounds like a lot of years. I promise everyone I saw there looked just as young and healthy as the day we walked through the doors of the Ivory Tower. No one was using a walker or carrying a cane and there was only one or two comments about a sore hip and sadly, they came from me (it was a result of running, I swear, I'm not arthritic!)
It's so crazy what time does to perspective. As we drove through downtown Memphis I couldn't believe how small the city looked. And walking into the lecture hall where we sat for years, I kept insisting they must have put up a partition or somehow shrunk the room because it looked so tiny. It was like when you return to your elementary school as an adult and marvel at the child size desks. But I was 21 when I first attended SCO, not five! But the halls of the school still held all the memories I hold so dear, after all this is where I met my husband. And the Mighty Mississippi River was still grand and majestic. Mud Island, where I lived for four years, was still as unique and pretty as I remebered. And The Flying Saucer was still the awesome and rowdy pub where we made so many memories.
The greatest thing about the weekend, though, was reconnecting with old friends. There's such a bond with people you spend four very close knit years with. And even though the conversations were no longer about test scores or patients at the clinic but about kids and jobs, still there was such a connection. As the amazing John Mason (OD in Wilmington, NC if anyone needs an eye doc) said to me and my friend Jenny, "It was the three of us sitting alphabetical for all those years - Lovelidge, Maize, Mason - so there's so much comfort sitting here right now with you guys." Well said, John.
So when I got home the two things Sam wanted to know were - did I see the ducks at the Peabody. Yes, I did. And did I get to meet Elvis? Well, not exactly, I answered. Right, Sam nodded. Because he's too busy singing on Daddy's radio all day long. That's right, buddy, that's right.
Today on the blog tour I'll be interviewing Sydney Salter, author of JUNGLE CROSSING.
About Jungle Crossing
Thirteen-year-old Kat can think of dozens of good reasons not to go on a boring family vacation to hot, grungy Mexico. Number one: missing her friend Fiona's minicamp. If she's not there, she'll begin eighth grade as a social reject. And it looks like she's the odd girl out on vacation, too. When Kat's parents arrange for her and her younger sister, Barb, to go on a teen adventure tour, Barb makes more friends than she does. The only person who will talk to Kat is Nando, a young Mayan guide (who happens to be quite a cutie). Each day as they travel to different Mayan ruins, Nando tells Kat and Barb another installment in the original legend of Muluc, a girl who lived in the time of the Ancient Maya. The dangerous, dramatic world in which Muluc lives is as full of rivalry, betrayal, jealousy, and sacrifice as Kat's world at school. And as she makes new friends and discovers new treasures in Mexico, Kat begins to wonder: Is she willing to keep sacrificing her self in exchange for popularity?
About Sydney Salter
Sydney Salter's fascination with Mayan culture started when she was six years old and climbed down a steep, dimly lit stone staircase to the elaborately carved tomb of King Pacal who had once ruled Palenque. Visiting Mayan ruins, walking through fragrant Mexican market places, watching women wash clothes in a river, and chasing lizards in the jungle ignited the spark in Sydney's imagination that led to writing Jungle Crossing. Sydney now lives in Utah with her husband, two daughters, two cats, and two dogs. She loves reading, writing, cooking, and traveling—especially to Mexico where she can explore ancient Mayan ruins and swim in underground rivers.
Me: Welcom, Sydney. Thanks for stopping in and answering a few questions. What competes for your time and how do you manage to give writing the appropriate amount of time it requires?
Sydney: Now that I'm publicizing two books, I'm trying to figure out how to blend marketing with writing (not to mention time with my family). It's a tricky balance--and I sure don't have many answers. Yet.
Me: What is your writing routine? Do you outline or write as you go? Do you fully sketch and develop your main character initially, or get to know him/her as you write?
Sydney:Jungle Crossing was my very first novel. To make it feel less scary, I did create a loose outline using colored markers on my daughter's large drawing pad. Now I usually write from a detailed synopsis. I like to have a bit of a plan, but I still leave plenty of room for my characters to surprise me.
Me: What do you particularly love about the setting you portray in your book?
Sydney: I fell in love with Mexico and Mayan culture when my biologist dad took our family along on a research trip when I was just six years old. Many years later, my husband and I honeymooned in Mexico and spent a week exploring the Yucatan. On our 10th anniversary we took our moms and daughters to Mexico for a truly memorable family vacation. Many of my experiences on that trip found their way into Jungle Crossing.
Me: What actor or actress do you imagine playing your main character in a movie or T.V. version of your book?
Sydney:A spunky girl--like Abigail Breslin.
Me: Thanks, Sydney! Sydney has two books debuting this year - she's a productive woman! Her first book, MY BIG NOSE AND OTHER DISASTERS was really funny and touching so I can't wait to get my hands on JUNGLE CROSSING. Best of luck!
Additional Details
o Author Web site: http://sydneysalter.com/
o Bookstore links:
Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978015206
I remember watching an episode of "Everybody loves Raymond" where one of the kids has to draw a picture of their family for school and all the classmates draw pictures of happy families gathered around a table or frolicking through a meadow but Ray's kid draws a picture of a mom and a dad screaming at each other. It was so hysterical, but it makes you wonder how your kids really view you.
Yesterday Sam and I went down to get the mail and he asked, "why don't I ever get any mail?" So I suggested to him to draw a picture and we'll send a letter to my best friend's daughter who lives in Ohio and ask her to be his pen pal that way he can get some mail. So we sit down and as he draws a picture of dinosaurs he begins to dictate what I should write. Hi, my name is Sam, I am five - that sort of thing. So I suggest he tell a little bit about his family. "My baby sister steals my toys. My daddy plays golf. And my mommy chops things."
My mommy chops things? Um, that's a little creepy, like chops up dead bodies and stores them in the freezer? I gently suggest we say something like, "my mommy is the best. She tells me elaborate stories with different voices for each character and she bakes muffins in the shape of dinosaurs." But no, he insists on the chopping comment. Is it because I chopped up vegetables for dinner? I want some kind of explanation, but he's too busy with his picture. Hmm, I think, he doesn't know how to read....
"Hey mommy, why are you writing so much? That's not what I said, is it?"
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