NESCBWI 2013 Conference

Posted in Conferences, Inspiration, Travel, Writing by

I’ve been meaning to write a recap of the New England SCBWI (NESCBWI) conference all week, but time has gotten away from me. Here it is at last!

This was my first time attending a conference alone–I usually go to conferences/writing events with at least one friend. The introvert in me was initially nervous about this solo adventure, but that worry was totally unnecessary. The kid lit writing community is so warm and welcoming. Seriously, everyone–from the women I met on the short walk from the train station to the hotel, to the volunteers and faculty members, to the attendees–they were all so nice. I ended up sharing a hotel room with MarcyKate Connolly, who I hadn’t met before but followed on Twitter. We hit it off right away and I was glad to have her to hang out with all weekend. Not only is she super sweet, but she’s talented, too. Her debut middle-grade novel, Monstrous (<–click to add to Goodreads!),  is coming out next year from Harper Collins. The premise sounds amazing and I can’t wait to read it!

photo1Roomies! MarcyKate and me. :)

The two of us also hung out with other writers–some I knew from Twitter and was excited to meet in person, and others I met for the first time. We all had a blast, and I can say that getting to know these ladies was one of the biggest highlights of the conference.

5f2ccb28b52d11e2940422000aa80010_7Clockwise from top left: Jennifer M., MarcyKate, Jennifer E., Monica R., Dee, Taryn, Kip, Me, and Ronni.
I also met a few other writers not pictured, including Monica T., Annie., and Alicia.
Click the links to follow everyone on Twitter!

What were some of the other highlights?

*Hearing keynote speeches by author Sharon Creech and author/illustrator Grace Lin–they both spoke so eloquently and were very inspiring.

photoSharon Creech

*The quality of the breakout sessions–I enjoyed each of the ones I attended, but my favorites were Kate Messner‘s session on revision, Erin Dionne‘s session on crafting realistic dialog, Natalie Dias Lorenzi‘s session on writing multicultural stories (no matter what culture you’re from), and the Q&A with the hilarious and wicked smart agent Jennifer Laughran.

*Tagging along with 20 other writers to a Verla Kay blue boards-organized dinner at a local Italian restaurant.

*Late-night hotel room shenanigans, which included lots of laughing, a champagne toast, and bed jumping. (Here’s proof!)

photo3Cheers to friends and fun times!

*Getting 17 and Gone signed by Nova Ren Suma, an author I admire. (She has a fantastic blog!) I’d also signed up for her Sunday workshop–about place as character–but unfortunately she came down with laryngitis. There was mention of a rescheduled webinar once she’s better so fingers crossed…

By the time I got back on the train to return home to CT, I was so happy I’d broken out of my comfort zone to attend a conference without knowing anyone beforehand. Because by the end, I’d gained a handful of new friends, some inspiration to get me through my revision, and a bunch of happy memories. Win, win, and WIN. I can’t wait until NESCBWI 2014!

For more about NESCBWI 2013, check out Dee’s, Annie’s, Kip’s, and Taryn’s recaps.

What’s Up Wednesday

Posted in Books, Celebration, What's Up Wednesday by

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This week I’m participating in What’s Up Wednesday, a new meme that was started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk. (For more details and to join in, click here.)  Here’s what’s up with me this week!

What I’m Reading

I just finished reading Taken by Erin Bowman (check out my spoiler-free review from yesterday!) and beta-reading a manuscript for a friend, so now I need to pick my next book. I think I’ll read I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga next, which is the May pick for the new Instagram YA Book Club, created/hosted by YA author Julie Murphy on Instagram. I love this idea! If you have Instagram, you should join in! Details are below…

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What I’m Writing

I’m still making some changes to The Right Exposure based on an R&R (revise & resubmit) I received from an agent. I’ve finished the bigger edits, like changing my opening, and now I’m working on the smaller ones–fleshing out certain scenes and secondary characters. I feel really good about the state of my manuscript right now. I’m excited to finish up these revisions and start sending it out again! Then I can go back to first-drafting my new WIP.

What Else I’ve Been Up To

This past weekend, my husband and I were at a wedding in Texas, and this weekend I’m heading up to Massachusetts for the SCBWI New England conference. So, lot’s of traveling! It finally feels like spring here in the Northeast so I’ve also been spending as much time outside as possible.

63adc840a07a11e29cee22000aa803c7_7Springtime in NYC…

d7d3d734a52811e2854522000a1f9e45_7Springtime in CT…

281b9056b12211e2ac5022000a9f18b3_7Texas sunset…

What Inspires Me Right Now

Good news from writer friends *always* inspires me! This week, tiara-wearing rock star Dahlia Adler announced a three-book deal with Spencer Hill Contemporary!!! Congratulations, Dahl! I’m SO excited for you!!!

bts-in-pmClick image to zoom and read her Publisher’s Weekly announcement!

I first connected with Dahlia when I entered the Pitch Wars contest at the end of last year. When she chose me as her mentee, I was thrilled and SO lucky. Not only did she help me get my manuscript ready for the contest and querying in general, but she’s also continued to act as a mentor after the contest, by offering me querying advice and encouragement. And since we both work in Manhattan, we’ve gotten the chance to meet in person a few times and become real-life friends. :) She’s one of the nicest people and is known for going out of her way to help other writers with their publishing journeys. Just check out her blog, which is packed full of publishing advice, and you’ll see!

Her book Behind the Scenes (<—click to add to Goodreads!) sounds awesome and I can’t wait to read it, along with its sequels. Head over to her blog and Twitter page to say congrats!

What’s up with you this week?

I’m taken with Taken!

Posted in 2013 Debut Author Challenge, Books, YA Lit by

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Last week, I was super-excited to buy my copy of Taken, Erin Bowman‘s debut novel. (If you haven’t read it yet, don’t worry–this post is spoiler-free!)

Here’s the blurb from Goodreads:

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

First of all, can we talk about that gorgeous cover? The colors are just so pretty and it really fits the story. It looks even more stunning in person. As for the story itself, it’s just as satisfying. I read it while on a plane this weekend (I’m not the only one!) and it helped keep this nervous flyer distracted and entertained. (Thanks, Erin!) Here’s what I loved most about Taken:

*Gray Weathersby: I don’t read many books with male main characters, so I was excited to read a story from Gray’s point of view. I thought he came across as very “real,” with his own set of flaws. He’s impulsive, which gets him into trouble, but he speaks his mind and is passionate. He also has a soft side–I loved how he cares about the people in his circle and puts his life at risk to protect them.

*Plot Twists & Turns: Taken‘s premise is really intriguing, and it only gets more interesting as the story progresses. Without giving anything away, I’ll just say that the story goes in an unexpected direction. Nothing is as it seems and by the time I reached the end of the story, I was eager to find out what happens next. Thank goodness there’s a sequel!

*The ladies: This story starts out being very much about boys and what happens to them after the Heist, but it features strong female characters as well. One girl, Bree, was particularly kick-ass. She wasn’t afraid of dangerous situations. Gray also ends up in a love triangle, and the romantic moments help break up the more serious ones. Early on, Gray and one of these girls have a really sweet conversation about whether they’d want to be with just one person their whole lives. The fact that Gray believes in true love made me swoon over him a little more. :)

I’m happy to be able to say that not only is Erin super sweet (if you’re not following her on her blog or twitter, get to it!) but she’s also a talented writer. I’m looking forward to book #2!

Have you read, or will you read, Taken?

This post is part of the YA Book Club, hosted by Tracy Neithercott, and the 2013 Debut Author Challenge.

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2013 DAC: Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

Posted in 2013 Debut Author Challenge, Books, Kid Lit by

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I’ve fallen a bit behind on posting for the 2013 Debut Author Challenge, but I’m slowly catching up. I recently read Tim Federle‘s middle-grade debut, Better Nate Than Ever 1 and LOVED it! Here’s the description from Goodreads:

Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he’s wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he’d settle for *seeing* a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he’s stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby’s help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There’s an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom.

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When I first heard of this book sometime last year, I *knew* I had to read it. Why? Because I love anything to do with Broadway. 2 Something you probably don’t know about me is that I used to perform in musicals in high school and college. And, having grown up in the suburbs of Manhattan, I’ve gone to Broadway shows since I was a little girl. So a book about a boy going to New York City to audition for a musical sounded awesome.

I also knew this book would be funny because I follow Tim Federle on Twitter. The man is hilarious! I mean, take a look at a few of his tweets from the last week:

*chuckles* Funny, right? If you’re not following him on Twitter yet, you should!

Anyway, back to his book. It did not disappoint. Not only was it just as hilarious as I imagined it’d be–I laughed out loud many times on the train during my commute while reading–but it also offered a unique prospective of Broadway: that of the audition process. Tim knows his stuff. He has performed in several Broadway musicals as a dancer, and was also on the choreographic team of the Broadway musical Billy Elliot, where he worked with the child actors playing the lead role. His book’s main character, Nate, is a newbie to the Broadway world, and I enjoyed seeing the audition from his perspective.

Which brings me to Nate’s voice. Tim nailed it. One of the funniest and most charming parts of the book was Nate’s reactions to the audition process, and to New York City in general. He was just so clueless! It was adorable. I read the book right after participating in Robin Mellom’s humor workshop, and I recognized many of the humor techniques Robin shared.

Another aspect of the story that I enjoyed was how it innocently discussed sexual orientation and positively portrayed gay characters. At one point, Nate admitted he wasn’t yet sure if he liked boys or girls. This wasn’t a major part of the plot. It was just one tiny piece of his characterization, but I think many young readers will connect with that feeling of not knowing. I’ve read a bunch of middle-grade stories geared toward girls that discuss puberty and sexuality (hello, Judy Blume!), but this was the first “boy” story I’ve read that touched on the subject in this way.

I’m so excited that there will be at least one sequel for this book. Five, Six, Seven, Nate! releases early next year. In the meantime, if you haven’t read Better Nate Than Ever, I highly recommend it. And, Tim just released a cookbook (for adults) called Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist. I can’t wait to check it out!

Have you read Better Nate Than Ever? What did you think? 

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1 Full disclosure: I work for the company that published this book, but all opinions are my own.↩
2 It’s also why I love the TV show Smash even though it’s probably being canceled. I love the behind-the-scenes look at how a musical is made!↩

S-C-B-W-I <3 U (And Why I Attend Writing Conferences)

Posted in Conferences, SCBWI, Travel, Writing by

If you’ve read my blog for a while, you already know how much I love SCBWI. Being a member of this awesome organization led me to meeting my critique group along with many of my writer friends. I’ve also learned so much from the various SCBWI events and conferences I’ve attended.

I’m about to learn even more because I’m attending two SCBWI conferences this spring and summer: the New England SCBWI conference in early May…

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…and the SCBWI annual summer conference in Los Angeles in August!

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Attending the SCBWI LA conference is on my Thirty Before 30 list so I’m super excited to check this off my list. :)

Which brings me to…why do I attend conferences? The lovely Dahlia had a great post last week on her blog called “To Spend or Not to Spend,” where she talked about the various expenses writers can incur, and whether they are worthwhile or even necessary. Conferences were part of her her list. I absolutely agree that writing conferences aren’t necessary to become a successful writer, and due to the potentially high cost, they fall into the “luxury” category. But I also think they have a ton of benefits if you can afford them. I wrote about this a while back but thought I’d share an update on why I still attend writing conferences.

*Networking: The #1 reason I go to conferences is to meet and interact with other writers. Writing can be such a solitary activity and it’s amazing to be able to mingle with other writers who just get what you’re doing. Sure, you can make these connections online but it’s so much nicer to chat face-to-face. I’m particularly excited to attend the New England SCBWI conference because I recently moved to the area and want to meet local writers.

Conferences are also a great way to meet agents and editors, and get a feel of whether you’d like to work with them if given the chance. When putting together my agent list before querying The Right Exposure, I included several agents I met or heard speak at conferences, because I liked what they had to say and could tell that I’d like working with them.

*Inspiration and Knowledge: Another big reason I go to conferences is because they inspire me. Writing is hard and takes a lot of work. Sometimes I get discouraged. Attending these kinds of events keeps me going. They remind me why I write and what I love about it. I’ve gotten the chance to see authors I admire speak at conferences: Sara Zarr, Kate DiCamillo, R.L. Stine, and Libba Bray, to name a few. Having these inspirational boosts once or twice a year is really helpful and I’m always excited to get back to writing after a conference.

I’ve also learned a lot from the breakout sessions and panels. I thought the offerings at the New Jersey SCBWI and Writer’s Digest conferences were especially strong, and I learned about the craft of writing, how to market yourself once you are published, and how to pitch agents. All this information is available online and in books, but I like the interactive classroom setting. It’s part of why I got an MFA! I also think the consultations with agents and editors are worthwhile. At the New Jersey conference, an editor critiqued the first fifteen pages and synopsis of The Right Exposure and her feedback helped me immensely.

*They’re fun! When it comes down to it, I keep going to conferences because they’re fun. Dahlia compared them to vacations, and I think that analogy makes a lot of sense. I’ll be attending the LA conference with a bunch of my Write Night ladies, and I think we’re going to have a blast together!

Each of the above reasons are why I’ll keep attending conferences as long as I can afford them. If you find the cost is just too high, don’t fret…the WriteOnCon online conference during the summer offers many of these benefits, and the best part is that it’s free!

What do you think of writing conferences? If you’ll be at either the New England SCBWI conference or the SCBWI LA conference, let me know! I’d love to meet you. To read recaps of past conferences I’ve attended, click here.

REMINDER! Today is the last day to enter my giveaway of Ditched by Robin Mellom! Check out my last post and enter! I’ll announce the winner tomorrow. :)

Tips on Writing Humor {{GIVEAWAY}}

Posted in Books, Contests, Craft, Kid Lit, Writing, YA Lit by

First and foremost, my thoughts are with Boston and those who were affected by Monday’s events. Boston will always hold a special place in my heart–it’s where I went to college, where I met my husband, and where he grew up. Thankfully, everyone I know there is okay. I <3 you, Bostonians!

Last week, I participated in an online workshop with author Robin Mellom on writing YA and MG humor. It was part of literary agent Jill Corcoran’s A Path to Publishing program. The workshop was held using video chat software that allowed us students to see Robin and for her to see us, as if we were in a real classroom. It was a great workshop!

Since my manuscript The Right Exposure incorporates humor, I was excited to learn how to make it funnier. I read Robin Mellom’s hilarious debut Ditched last year (read my review here) so I knew Robin knew her stuff. She shared a lot of passages with us (from her own books and others) to explain certain techniques. Rather than repeat her presentation here, I’ll share some general tips she passed on:

  • Her #1 tip was: great humor is not written; it is RE-written. Don’t worry about perfecting the funny moments (or even the main character’s voice)  in your first draft. You can go back and layer humor in during revisions.
  • Robin immerses herself in funny shows to get herself in the mood. Modern Family is one of her favorites. (I love that one, too!) She studies the format of sitcoms to help format her own stories–Modern Family, for example, is funny all the way through, but 22 minutes in, there’s usually a short, heartfelt moment before something funny happens again.
  • Names with hard consonants (B, D, P, K, Z, G, T) are automatically funnier than other names.
  • Think of clever similes and metaphors when describing things. Be specific! Saying a woman’s hair looks like a labradoodle is funnier than saying it looks like a dog.
  • Things are funny because they are unexpected.
  • Read your sentences out loud to determine if they’re funny enough.
  • Make your characters do the work for you. If you establish a character well, your reader will be able to imagine how they’ll react in a situation, which can be funny. For example, in Modern Family, you know how the character Claire will react to something because we know her personality well. Be careful not to make your characters stereotypical.

The best way to learn how to be funny is to read funny books and watch funny movies and television shows. They all use similar techniques. Besides Robin’s own books, below are titles Robin recommended:

Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey
Dear Dumb Diary by Jim Benton
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney
Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle (I just read this and it was HILARIOUS. Review to come!)
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
The Lightning Thief series by Rick Riordan
Any of David Barry‘s books

As part of the workshop, I received copies of Robin’s books Ditched and The Classroom. Since I already own a copy of Ditched, I’m giving this second copy away! If you haven’t read it, trust me–you want to!

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Click the below link to enter. Apologies to my International readers, but this giveaway is US only. The giveaway will end on April 23 at 11:59 PM EST and I will pick a winner the next day. Good luck!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN DITCHED BY ROBIN MELLOM!

UPDATE: the giveaway winner is Jess Silverstein! Congratulations!

New Digs + Happy News!

Posted in Blogging, Celebration by

Welcome to my new digs! (If you’re reading this in a reader, click through to check it out!) If you missed my announcement earlier this week, long story short: I decided to no longer self-host my blog, so I had to switch to WordPress’ free blogging platform. The only change you’ll notice is the new blog design. I loved the old one (and might have that template transferred at some point) but I’m also happy with this new template.

If you aren’t already subscribed to my feed, here’s the link. Thanks for bearing with me through this transition! I have a bunch of new posts planned so I will be back to posting regularly next week. :)

Now onto the happy news! My good friend Kathryn Holmes just announced that she signed with agent Alyssa Eisner Henkin at Trident Media Group!!! I’m SO happy for her!

jimmyelmoKat is also a dancer so this calls for a dance par-tay!

Kat and I were in the same MFA program at The New School, and she’s an amazing writer. I’ve read both of her manuscripts, including the one Alyssa signed, and I know it’s only a matter of time before her books are in stores! Head over to her blog or twitter page and congratulate her!

Happy Friday, everyone!