Astraea, Interview, Paranormal Dads

This Thursday, publisher Stephanie Taylor is Talking Back.

But first, the winner of last's week's copy of THE SILVER LININGS PLAYLIST:

BROOKE!!!

(You're a lucky one this year!)

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Welcome to another edition of Talk Back Thursdays. Today PoC welcomes Stephanie Taylor to the series. (Our first publisher! Yay!)

Hello, Stephanie! Welcome to Points of Clarification. Your publishing company, Astraea Press opened it's e-doors on February 1st. Congratulations! What made you want to start a publishing company?
Thanks for having me, Claire! I decided to start a publishing company mainly because I noticed a gap in the market for clean romance epublishers. My own work falls into a black hole. Not quite inspirational, definitely not erotica, but I have to compete with erotica authors. So Astraea offers a place for writers who don't want to compete with erotica.

So, putting the romance back in romance? Are you only looking for romance novels?
No, we take all genres. Technically, our slogan is "Where Fiction Meets Virtue". I also toyed with the idea of "Putting Heart Back into Fiction." Basically, we just want work that doesn't use language or graphic sex to get a point across.


What services do you offer your clients as a small publisher? Do you offer the full editorial process? What can you offer that a bigger company may not?
Astraea offers the full editorial process by yours truly (and hopefully I'll be hiring some new editors soon). We offer a lot of things bigger companies may not offer. I'm directly involved with all of my authors. You can ask them. I participate in our forum conversation and help them with marketing. My marketing director is working on personalized marketing plans geared toward the specific area my authors live in. These are just the highlights! For a complete list, go to www.astraeapress.com.

What formats will you be employing (e-book, traditional, audio, etc)?
Right now we're focused on ebooks and print on demand. Audio is in the works, but nothing in our immediate future.

Finish this sentence, “Before you send your book to us,…”
research us, edit your manuscript and relax. We don't bite!

Thanks for taking time from your undoubtedly busy schedule to hang out with us, Stephanie!

Today's giveaway is a copy of Rebekah Purdy's MY DAD'S A PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR, the first YA release from Astraea Press.


(Oh, yeah. One thing that doesn't come up in the interview: the AWESOME cover art!)

1. Today's giveaway is (mostly) digital, but if you don't own an e-reader, you can still receive a PDF. (If you absolutely prefer a physical book, you can have a pre-order of that instead.)
2. Today's giveaway is open to anyone, follower or not, wherever you are in the world.
3. You've got until Wednesday 11.59 pm EST to enter by commenting.

And don't forget to swing by Astraea and check out the new and upcoming releases.

Beth Revis- TBT

Hey guys, today we've got Beth Revis, author of Across the Universe, stopping by the PoC.

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Welcome to Points of Claire-ification, Beth. Tell us a little bit about your book.

It's a murder mystery set in space! ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is told from two points of view--one from Amy, a girl from Earth who was cryogenically frozen in order to travel to a new planet, and the other is Elder, a boy born as part of the crew of the ship, destined to be the next leader. When Amy wakes early, she and Elder have to figure out who's unplugging and killing the other frozens before the murderer gets to Amy's parents.

Okay. Let’s see if I got this right. Sci-fi with elements of mystery, dystopian and romance. Wowsers! Where did the idea come from?

Oh, I can't tell you! The entire novel came from one plot twist--one sentence, really. I had the idea for that sentence, and everything else--the setting, the characters, the plot, the tone, everything--came from that one idea.

What are you favourite things about the book?

That my name is on the cover! I've dreamt about publishing a book for so long that seeing that is really and truly a dream come true. As for the physical book, I *LOVE* that the dust jacket is reversible, and that the ship's logo is embossed on the hardback cover.

How did the writing process go? Pantser or plotter?

I am 100% a pantser. I don't know how the book will end until I get there. Beyond the one plot twist, I didn't know anything else until I actually wrote it.

Merrilee Heifetz at the prestigious Writer’s House! How did you find your agent? Why did you choose her?

I got my agent the old-fashioned way--straight out of the slush pile. It was just a regular query sent along with all the rest. As for why I chose her...how could I not? She's my dream agent!

Across the Universe is not your first manuscript. What pearls of inspiration do you have for as-yet unpublished (or unagented or un-havingofanovelofpublishablequality –that’s me!) writers? Any general advice?


Write the next book. I have a few writer friends who've spent a decade or more on a book that hasn't sold. It took me a decade--and ten books--to write a book that would sell. I never spent more than a year on a book. Why spend more than a year on something that doesn't work? And besides, my attitude has always been--you can't expect an artist to sell his first painting. It's just as rare for a first book to be a masterpiece.

And finally, Star Wars or Star Trek?

Old school Star Wars, new school Star Trek.

COP OUT! lol!

Thank you for joining us, Beth.

Thanks for interviewing me!

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You can win a copy of Beth Revis' Across the Universe by commenting on this post by next Wednesday at 11.59 EST. Don't worry if you don't win. The book is out on January 11- 11.1.11 or 1.11.11 depending on where you're from.

This contest is open internationally. You don't need ot be a follower to enter.

Kathleen Ortiz

Welcome to another edition of Talk Back Thursdays. Today PoC welcomes Kathleen Ortiz to the series. Kathleen works as the Foreign Rights Manager and Assoicate Agent over at Lowenstein Associates Inc. (Yay! Our first agent!)

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Hello Kathleen, Sit down, pull up a chair. Welcome to Points of Clarification. Thank you for joining us and thank you for taking up the noble mantle of being an agent. Speaking of which, when did you decide that you wanted to be an agent, and how did you get to where you are now?

I was the one who knew exactly what she would do with her life since age four. I was going to be a veterinarian and work with marine mammals. ::strikes superman pose:: I worked at a veterinary clinic for six years (through college), moved up from secretary to assistant nurse to surgery nurse, attended a special high school magnet program for pre-veterinary students, took pre-veterinary courses at the local college while I was a senior in high school and skipped off to college to work toward my pre-veterinary B.S. I even volunteered regularly for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida in their food prep, sea turtle show (I was the girl who stood in the tank giving facts to the audience) and even got to work with an adorable dolphin named Nicholas.

I was convinced that was my track (did I mention since age four?) and did everything to gain experience. Then I had the most amazing composition teacher freshman year of college who flat out told me, “If you don’t go into some field of publishing, it’ll be a waste of talent.” I had always loved reading (I was the kid who always had a book in my purse) and editing (friends put up with a lot of my spelling corrections senior year), so I took some English electives, hated them (that whole poetry/classics thing? Not really for me) and thought she was crazy. She sent me to the journalism building to prove me wrong. I talked to the dean, signed up for some magazine/newspaper publishing electives and poof! I was in love.

Just like with veterinary medicine, I wanted to gain experience in publishing. In four years I worked (simultaneously, for the most part) as an online editor for UWirePr.com’s arts/entertainment section (claim to fame: I interviewed Joss Whedon ::first pump::), an editorial assistant in charge of the teen section of Ballinger Publishing, a tutor (and co-creator of the online portion) for our university’s writing lab, a writer for Get ‘Em Magazine, a resume/cover letter critiquer, and a writer for our university’s paper.

After that I moved back to my hometown, got my own place and started teaching. I knew I wanted to work in publishing, but I really wanted to take a few more classes on interactive media design before I broke into the book publishing industry. I had the most amazing mentors in college who told me flat out “in five years you’re going to be grateful you did this. You won’t have the time if you work now in the business so take a year or two, brush up on your interactive and online skills and then go for it.”

Best. Advice. Ever.

I taught high school for a couple of years (English, Web Design, Yearbook, TV Production, list goes on), LOVED my students, but had to keep true to my goal.

Applied for grad school and 30-some internships. I landed two internships with the amazing Caren Johnson Literary Agency and Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation. Moved to NYC, worked my butt off at the internships and prepared for the new semester. Applied for a lot of jobs and was called in for three interviews. Got the job with Lowenstein Associates and am now Foreign Rights Manager and Associate Agent.

I think the most fascinating part, to me at least, is that every single job I had since high school has helped lead me to where I am today. Even working at a veterinary clinic helped, because I used to be an incredibly shy person and it forced me to interact with a variety of people on a daily basis. Agenting is a lot easier when you’re not shy :)

My parents always told me that if you find something you love to do, you’ll never work a day in your life. While veterinary medicine was something I’d wanted to do since I was four, and even though I loved working with animals (and still do – friends and family still call for medical advice), I just couldn’t see myself doing it forever. It was more of a chore, and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Working in publishing is just amazing for me. I love what I do, and while it has its up’s and down’s like every other job, I can honestly say I can’t see myself working outside of this industry.

You’re a relatively new agent. What do you think are the benefits of being signed by a newer agent?

There are ups and downs to everything. I’m not going to say you should sign with a new agents just because they’re new. I definitely think you need to consider their experience – have they had sufficient time as an intern / assistant to get a feel for the industry and how it works? Have they dealt with contracts? Have they sold other permissions / subrights?

As Foreign Rights/Audio manager here at Lowenstein Associates, I have that experience with allows me to work with my own clients. I have more than 60 foreign sales, a handful of audio sales and close to a hundred permission sales for our clients here at LA. I know what it’s like to negotiate contracts, pitch projects and work with other publishing professionals. Add that with the fact I’m just starting to build my own list and I think it’s a great combination – experience that will help my clients and time available for me to devote to their work. Clients always come first – they should for every agent.

What do you provide for your clients? All agent sell books, but do you prefer a book as close to perfect as possible or are you willing to edit it to within an inch of its life?

I’m definitely an editorial agent. I’ve never seen something cross my inbox that was perfect as is. It doesn’t mean I’m going to work with someone to rewrite the entire manuscript, either.

Are you cool with your clients calling you at 3 am to tell you about a picture of Oprah Winfrey standing in a bookstore and the book by her elbow is so their debut novel?

I have an open communication policy with my clients – while I would obviously prefer they lump their questions together to send to me on a sporadic basis (rather than my phone ringing off the hook every day when they think of something new), I’m here to answer questions / help out if they need it. I prefer email communication, because it’s easiest, but I’ll definitely have a phone call if the situation deems necessary. They know that I’ll always reply within 24-48 hours though my response time is usually much quicker.

However – if their book is in the bookstore next to Oprah Winfrey’s cutout because she loves it, they better not wait until 3 a.m. to call me. They better take a pic with their phone and MMS that to me asap! :)

What kind of query in your inbox would make you so happy that you’d do the Thriller Dance right in the office? What kind of books are you looking for generally?
Genre-wish? A great YA thriller – something that keeps me up late at night or a YA romance from a male POV – something raw, edgy and real. Authentic teen guy voice.

Finish this sentence. “Writers, before you query me, please …”
…include cupcakes.
I’m kidding – seriously if you send me cupcakes, I’ll throw them out. That’s just creepy. But please PLEASE check submission guidelines. PLEASE.

Lastly, Star Trek or Star Wars?
For the win, is Star Wars.

Thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us here. (You are so on my list, even if you're a Star Wars fan. I’ll be querying in 7.5 years when my MS is ready. It’s the next Harry Potter! )

Looking forward to it! :)
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Also, since I sent this interview, Kathleen sold Jaime Reed's SOUL IMPULSE sold in a 3-book deal. Congrats, Jaime and Kathleen.

Stephanie Perkins on Talk Back Thursday

Stephanie Perkins is the author of ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, slated for release on December 2nd. In her spare time she does exciting things like dye her hair blue and fantasize about HBM’s (Hot British Males)!



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Welcome to Talk Back Thursdays. Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed. Congratulations on the upcoming publication of ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS. Tell us a little bit about it.


Thank you, Claire Dawn! It's an honor to be here. ANNA is about finding true love in the City of Light. (Finding true love with . . . a totally hot boy with a French name and an English accent!) Here's the official description:


Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris — until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all . . . including a serious girlfriend.


But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt.





And Étienne’s accent? Is there a particular HBM you hear when you think of him?


HA! There is, but the information is top secret. I'd much rather have my reader think of their *own* Étienne.



So, you started this book on nano (wrimo)? I’m always thrilled to discover fellow –er- nanners?-um. Tell us a bit about your writing process.


Yes, I did! That's cool that you do it, too! My daily process varies, depending on what stage of a project I'm in (first draft, revising, editing, etc). But I'm a night owl, so I usually begin work at about 10 or 11 pm and work until sunrise. Unless I get distracted by Twitter. Or email. Or a cool video on YouTube. Then I'm doomed for the rest of the night.


My long-term writing process is, well, long! I start with the 50k NaNo draft in November, let it stew for a few months, and then I rewrite the entire thing slowly over a period of several months. This period involves a LOT of research, and my novel usually bulks up to about twice the size. And then I begin my next draft, which is my favorite part of writing—stripping out the unnecessary parts, building up the better parts, making it prettier. After this one, I begin showing it to my critique partners, and then I do a few more drafts. Then my agent sees it. Then I do another draft. Then my editor sees it. MANY more drafts follow that!


I'm a slow writer. And I'm very nitpicky and rarely satisfied. If I didn't have deadlines, I'd never stop editing.



We’ve heard from the “I randomly met my agent in Starbucks “ to “I’ve been hammering away at this industry for 12 years” stories. What was your road to publication like? What’s your relationship with your agent like? And why is your hair blue?


(A) My road to publication was . . . exhausting. Wonderful! But exhausting. Things began happening much faster for me once I took writing seriously as a FULL-TIME JOB, and accepted that a lot of yucky things come with FULL-TIME JOBS (like responsibility, a huge commitment of time, and a loss of leisure activities). A full, detailed breakdown of my specific journey with ANNA is available in the second half of this blog post.


(B) My agent is Kate Schafer Testerman, aka Daphne Unfeasible. http://ktliterary.com I discovered her as most writers do, through her best friend/client, YA writer Maureen Johnson. Kate was my dream agent for years—the ONLY agent, as far as I was concerned!—and it's a joy to be represented by her. She works hard, and she plays hard. I love that in a person.

(C) I don't really know, to be honest. Blue isn't even my favorite color! I'd just always liked the *idea* of blue hair. I've had it for over two years now, and I'll probably have it for about two more. It's become a part of me. I don't even notice it when I look in the mirror!



So, what’s up next for Stephanie Perkins?


Next fall, my publisher (Dutton) will release LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR. It's a companion novel to ANNA which means that it has some character and story overlap, but it's not a direct sequel. It's made to stand alone. It's not set in Paris, but it is another romantic comedy!


Many of us here at Points of Claire-ification dream of some day being where you are. Any advice for aspiring writers?


The first several years of writing are hard for EVERYONE. It takes a long time to be good enough for publication, and the only way you'll get there is by practicing. Write daily. Being published is an achievable goal, but it only comes with hard work. Work isn't easy, and it's not often fun. But the reward? Pretty freaking amazing.


Thank you for visiting with us, Stephanie and good luck with the book.


Thanks again for having me! I always love seeing your name in my blog comments!


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Still swooning from the comment love! But seriously guys, add this to your TBR lists. It looks soooo awesome! I can’t wait. Do the scream of t. Do the scream of t. Also, swing by and help Steph celebrate the recent sale of the third companion novel, Isla and the Happily Ever After.

Oh, and because I loves you so muchy! I'm giving away

A PREORDER OF ANNA!!!!

Just leave a comment to be entered.

Talk Back Thursdays : Christopher Golden

Today we have author Christopher Golden in. You'll remember I reviewed his upcoming book, WHEN ROSE WAKES last week.

Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome Christopher Golden to Points of Clarification. Thank you for agreeing to answer a few things for us, Christopher.


CG: My pleasure, Claire.

You’ve consistently brought us darker work, is WHEN ROSE WAKES in keeping with that vein? Tell us a bit about the book.

CG: I don't want to go into too much detail, but the set-up is fairly straightforward. Rose is a sixteen year old girl who wakes from a coma in a Boston hospital, having lost her memory. She knows that her aunts--who are her guardians--are her aunts, but beyond that, not much. They're peculiar women with old-fashioned ways, and some very strange habits, but they love her and do their best to help her reacclimate to the world. They sign her up for school, take her shopping, comfort her when she has nightmares...But Rose starts to think that perhaps they're not being entirely honest with her about her past. And there's this creepy woman who seems to be stalking her...

Wow, a fairy tale retelling! We’ve seen a million Cinderella’s, but Sleeping Beauty is rare. How did the idea come to you?


CG: I honestly couldn't tell you. Sometimes, when I'm very lucky, ideas just pop up, fully formed, and this was one of those times. It was...what happens when Sleeping Beauty wakes up? What if she woke up NOW?

You are quite the prolific writer with dozens of titles to your name? Tell us, how did it all start?

CG: Hmmm. If you mean when did I first want to write, I suppose I first dabbled all the way back in middle school. I wrote my first short stories in high school, and started my first novel, OF SAINTS AND SHADOWS, as a senior in college. It was actually during my senior year at college that I decided that I wanted to be a novelist. I graduated from college in 1989, had a fantastic job in New York for three years, and then sold my first novel in 1992 and quit the job. I've been a full time writer ever since.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

CG: My standard answer is to read as much as you can, and in different genres, to write as much as you can, to seek out an agent who loves your work, to attend conventions where you can meet other writers, and to educate yourself about the industry. With the current seismic shift in the publishing business, that last part is more important than ever.

Finally, plotter or pantser? (Do you outline your novels or just jump right in?)


CG: There's always some kind of outline. When I write with a collaborator, it's usually much more thoughtfully worked out in advance. But when I'm working solo, I tend to be more improvisational.

Thank you again for joining us, Christopher and good luck with WHEN ROSE WAKES.


CG: Thanks, Claire.

You're welcome!

WHEN ROSE WAKES is out September 28th. And you've got a chance to win a copy right here right now.



Just tell me, who's your favourite fairy tale character?

Today's contest is open ONLY in the US. You must be a follower to enter. Contest closes Monday, September 27th at 11.59 pm. The winner will have until midnight Thursday to contact me or I'll draw a new winner.

Good luck!

Also, don't forget to enter the Banned Books Giveaway.

Talk Back Thursdays: Linda Villarosa

Welcome to Talk Back Thursdays, Linda. Tell us a bit about your book PASSING FOR BLACK.

I've been a journalist for years and years, always writing for someone else, in a voice that wasn't exactly my own. At the New York Times, I sounded like the other writers and editors, largely white men, who work for the paper. At Essence, I wrote serious stories mostly about social issues. People who'd read my stories would meet me in person, and always say something like, "wow, you're really funny, nothing like the serious articles you write!" So I decided to write a novel to be able to sound like me.


PASSING FOR BLACK explores both race and sexuality, two concepts which are the base of many works, but not often examined together. What made you decide to pair these two subjects?

There was a groundbreaking book about black feminist studies that used the phrase "all the women are white, all the blacks are men, But Some of Us Are Brave." To borrow from that, in the popular imagination it feels like "all the gays are white, all the blacks are straight, but some of us are brave." In Passing for Black I wanted to look at the intersection of race and sexuality, a place where so many of us live, often unseen.

Angela takes a non-traditional stance on black sexuality, which is seldom represented in publishing, if at all. What made you want to write this book?

I wasn't necessarily trying to write a lesbian novel or even a coming out story. I was writing about a woman who is trying to figure out who she is, how she wants to live and who she loves. It's a universal story, a novel of self-discovery. It's also about mother-daughter relationships, friendship and the publishing industry.


"You know who's meanest- black people. Somebody's always hatin' on you or saying they're going to kick your black ass into next week...Add in racism, and it's hard growing up black." Angela Wright, the protagonist of the novel, says this to her best friend, Mae. I love how you highlighted the pressure from within a community, in addition to the external pressures.

Thank you!

You present an interesting argument when you talk about passing. People (not just blacks) find themselves dragged into stereotypes. If you don't listen to rap music, you're not black enough. If you're white and you do, then you're trying to be black. Tell us about passing. Have you ever felt like you were forced to "pass" in your life?

I'm very interested in passing. I was a black studies minor in college and loved the books by Nella Larsen and Charles Chesnutt. My grandmother, who was mixed race, passed for white, which caused pain and tension in my own family. I thought about writing a novel about passing, but I didn't want to do historical fiction. So I thought, what does passing look like in the 21st century? Who is passing?

Then I thought of all the LGBT people who pass so they don't lose their families, friends, jobs. Then I thought about black LGBT who don't feel like "real blacks"--or are told they aren't really black--because of their sexuality. That's the big idea behind Passing for Black. But it's also the story of a woman who falls in love and learns to be herself.

One of the lighter topics was the black female preoccupation with hair. Why did you decide to include this theme?

Hey, I worked at Essence for a long time! In any gathering of black women, it's not long before the group starts talking about hair.

How was your path to publication? How much does it help to be a former New York Times editor?

It took me quite a while to get Passing for Black into print. I had to make the uneasy transition from journalist (an observer) to novelist (a participant). My early draft was basically rejected all over town. I pulled it back, got two wonderful readers to give me new insight, then sent it out again. I also changed the title from Together, which was too vague, to Passing for Black. I got two offers and ended up with Kensington, which worked out well for me.

It's not that easy to get a book published with a black main character who also discovers an attraction to a woman. Neither my Essence nor New York Times connections helped me. For me it was about digging deeper, improving my writing and being persistent and single-minded about getting this book published.


Can we expect more novels from Linda Villarosa?

I would like to write another novel down the road. Right now, I'm working on a nonfiction book about HIV/AIDS in the African American community and contributing to a PBS documentary on the same subject. I also teach journalism at City College, have two children and play pick up soccer for fun. So there's plenty going on in my world!

Thank you again for joining us on Talk Back Thursdays. Linda Villarosa is the author of PASSING FOR BLACK and a former editor of The New York Times and executive editor of Essence.

Talk Back Thursdays: Dianne Salerni

Welcome back for the second episode of Talk Back Thursdays. Today we are we are talking to Debut YA author, Dianne Salerni.

Hi Dianne! Welcome to Talk Back Thursdays, and thank you for agreeing to be a part of this month’s spotlight, Authors in April.

Your book, WE HEAR THE DEAD debuts next month. Tell us about the book.

WE HEAR THE DEAD is a historical fiction novel that retells the true story of Maggie Fox, a young girl who, in 1848, accidentally invented “the séance” and founded spiritualism with a high-spirited prank. Maggie and her younger sister Kate pretended they could speak to the dead. When their older sister realized the money-making potential of the prank, she took custody of the two girls and set them up as spirit mediums. Maggie and Kate became America’s first teenage celebrities – but fame came with a price. The girls were living a lie; they faced accusations of witchcraft, and when Maggie met the love of her life – the heroic and dashing explorer Elisha Kane -- her unconventional occupation stood in the way of their future happiness.

I’m no history buff, so historical fiction seems like a tall order for me. What was your research process like? Did it help that you’re a teacher?

No, it didn’t help. As a full time teacher and also a mother, I couldn’t travel to do any research in person. I read biographies of the Fox sisters and Elisha Kane. Most helpful to me were excerpts from Maggie and Elisha’s love letters. I also read Elisha Kane’s own book, Arctic Explorations, to help me understand him better – his voice, his humor, and his personality. The only “research” I did in person was to visit Elisha’s grave in Philadelphia. I wanted to pay my respects, so to speak, but the visit also helped me write the scene in which Elisha takes Maggie to the Kane family vault as part of a romantic outing. Yeah, that was a 19th century guy’s idea of a date! Go figure!

When did the idea for WE HEAR THE DEAD come to you? Was it influenced by the East Coast preoccupation with witches? What was the biggest challenge you faced in converting it from an idea to a novel?

I was less interested in witches than in séances. I was toying with the idea of writing a YA book about séances, having been inspired by reading the adult book Inamorata by Joseph Gangemi back in 2004. However, when I began my research, I stumbled onto Maggie Fox’s story, which was cited in every book as the starting point of spiritualism. Maggie’s tale began with a ghost story and ended with a love story – and it seemed perfect for adaptation to a novel. The biggest challenge I faced was filling in the gaps of history – understanding the motives for people’s recorded actions and making them believable in my novel.

How did you find your agent and what’s your relationship like?

I don’t have an agent at this point. I’m one of those rare, un-agented authors who stumbled into a publishing deal on her own. Sourcebooks has been wonderful to me – supportive and helpful and encouraging. However, I am beginning to search for an agent now because I realize I need a “minder” – someone to keep me on track, point me in the right direction, help me sort out my priorities, even take me by the shoulders and shake me when it’s necessary! So, that’s the kind of relationship I’d like to have. Here’s hoping he/she is out there!

Any fortune cookie jewels of wisdom for aspiring authors?

Opportunities appear in unexpected places and sometimes the path to success heads in unusual directions before ending up just where you wanted to be all along. Keep writing – and it doesn’t matter whether you are writing stories or poems, blog posts or reviews, or participating in conversations online. Be generous to the universe, and hopefully the universe will pay you back tenfold!

Thank you for joining us this week for Talk Back Thursday. Good luck on the book.

WE HEAR THE DEAD is due for release on May 1, 2010. Get thee to your nearest online book store and pre-order it now!

Take a gander at the book trailer!

Talk Back Thursdays: Kiersten White

Welcome to the first edition of Talk Back Thursdays. I've designated this month "Authors in April" so the first few issues will be with authors.

For the first interview, I present Kiersten White. Also stop by and check out her blog.

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Welcome to the first episode of Talk Back Thursdays, and the first edition of Authors in April, Kiersten.Congratulations on your new novel. So you’ve got your first copy of PARANORMALCY in hand. Does it feel real yet?

Every stage feels a little more real than the last! Although I do sometimes forget, and seeing that cover with my name on it is always a happy surprise. It's actually happening! How odd.

Tell us a little about your publishing journey.

I started writing about five years ago, after my first child was born. Initially it was just a hobby, something to pass the time. I didn't get serious about pursuing publication until I started writing YA novels. I wrote the first one of those in June of 2008 and signed with Michelle Wolfson, my agent, that November. I wrote another novel that December, and PARANORMALCY that January. When the first novel didn't sell, I decided Para was the one to pursue and spent several months editing it. Michelle went out with it the end of July, and by mid-August we had a three-book deal with HarperTeen, and my brain exploded with joy.

I don't think my brain has quite recovered yet, in all honesty.

Right now I've turned in the first sequel, am editing a previous project, and drafting an entirely new book that will hopefully turn into something wonderful. I like to keep busy.

From your ravings (and Tawna’s) I deduce that Michelle Wolfson is either a superhero from another planet or an angel. Is it possible to be both? What’s your relationship like?

Michelle is fabulous to work with. She's warm and funny and approachable, but also very aggressive. I never doubt her drive or business savvy, and I know she got me the best possible home for my books. She responds quickly to any and all questions, is always professional, but also delightfully (and occasionally wickedly) funny. I adore her.

You’re a fulltime Mommy and wife. How difficult is it to squeeze in writing? What’s a typical day like in the Kiersten White household?

My days involve feeding kids, dressing kids, feeding kids, re-dressing kids, running errands, feeding kids, and putting kids to bed. And feeding them. So yes, the days are very, very full and it can be hard to get in any writing time. Typically I try to write in the evenings after they go to bed, but anyone who has kids can tell you how frequently bedtime is either challenged or messed up. So, like anyone else, finding the time is always the challenge.



So PARANORMALCY? Interesting name. Tell us about the book.

PARANORMALCY follows Evie, a sixteen-year-old girl working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. In a world surrounded by the paranormal, Evie desperately wants a little normal. But when someone--or something--starts murdering immortal paranormals, she's got to decide which is more important--figuring out how to be normal, or accepting who she is and, you know, saving the paranormal world and stuff.

Evie sounds awesome. Is she a lot like you? What would be Evie’s ideal Saturday night? Does she like mayonnaise on her French Fries? (I mean inquiring minds are dying to know!)

Evie has a similar sense of humor, but that's about it. Evie's ideal Saturday night would be to go on a date with a cute boy and have as normal a teenage experience as possible. So, if she thought putting mayonnaise on french fries was normal no doubt she'd at least try it. But I'm pretty sure that's the strangest thing I've ever heard...

Finally, any advice for those aspiring to get to where you are?

Work. Writing is wonderful and fun and engaging, but if you are determined to get published, you really, truly have to work at it. Hard. A lot. It's gonna take some sacrifices, and a whole lot of drive on your part. So decide whether or not it's what you really, truly want. If it is, full speed ahead!

Thank you Kiersten, for your time. Good luck with the novel.
PARANORMALCY will be out September 21st. Get thee to the store nearest you and pre-order it now!
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Stay tuned next Thursday for the next installment of Talk Back Thursdays. I hope you enjoyed it!

Lies-es and Suprises

Hey my lovelies,

Lots to tell you today, but first check out Tawna's post on how inappropriate jokes cause leather balls. :)

Okay, back to the regularly scheduled madness. Last week, you were supposed to try to pick the truth from a pool of lies. Here, finally are the answers.

I've eaten deer, rabbit, crocodile, snail, horse, ostrich and kangaroo.
FALSE. Last summer, as a part of my VOCK'd up weekend, I had Venison (deer), Ostrich, Crocodile and Kangaroo. I first had rabbit and horse in Colombia in 2005, and I've also had horse here in Japan. As a young impressionable school exchange student (15-ish) in Martinique, I refused to eat snail on principal, but I still ended up eating conch and sparrow.

I narrowly escaped arrest in Colombia.
FALSE. In Colombia, all males have a mandatory military service. I think you can get out of it if you go to university, etc. When you've done your service or been exempted, you get a document to say this. You're supposed to walk with that document at all times or, if you're a tourist, you have to keep your passport on you. One day, 2 of the guys from my group forgot their passports and were taken into custody. 2 girls had to race back to the hotel to get their passports before they got shipped off to fight the cartel or something.

While I was in secondary school I played netball.
FALSE. I despise netball. It's like basketball in stopmotion. EW! When I was in school, I played one of the greatest tomboy sports ever invented- field hockey. GRRR!

I met George W. Bush while training in the US Coast Guard.
FALSE. I met George Bush Sr. He came to the academy to do a lecture (which included a hilarious diatribe about broccoli- lol). I was walking across the campus when I heard a gun salute. I was stuck there, cuz you can't move during the salute. Then a train of SUV's pulled up. A bunch black, one maroon. SS guys hopped out, and he got out of one of the black ones. He nodded at me! Also in my CG days, I met Maya Angelou, Robert Ballard (who found the Titanic), Sugar Ray ( the band not the boxer- on a red eye to Miami) and narrowly avoided meeting Mark Curry in Colorado. Plus various important-y military types.

I have never been to a music festival.
FALSE. I went to Summer Sonic in Osaka last year. 3 days- 300 bucks- Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Keane, Ne-yo, Nine Inch Nails, Elvis Costello, Joan Jett, The Tings Tings, Solange, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, All American Rejects... I was HAPPY :) And I discovered that, I as a black person, CAN sunburn.

I have never broken a bone, but I did sprain my wrist once.
FALSE. No broken bones- no sprains either.

I have been to 15 US states.
TRUE. That's training in the military for you. During my time at the United States Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut, I visited 11 states, and 4 I got to on my own over the years. I've never been on the West Coast of the US though.

Noone guessed correctly. Truth is more boring than fiction sometimes.
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Now for the Surprises!

As I told you guys, I'm all excited for April, so I decided to do some special stuff.

1. I'm going to have my first contest at the end of the month. The prize is going to be a supercool Super Japanese prize, so stay tuned.

2. Also, I'm introducing Talk Back Thursdays- a new interview feature on the blog.

3. I'm declaring April: Authors in April ( you know I love alliteration- although this is technically assonance) and I'm bringing you interviews with some amazing authors. I've currently secured two authors whose debuts come out later this year, and one New York Times Bestselling Author! (I was so psyched about these interviews that I couldn't sleep til 4 am last night:S)

Every week, I'll give you hints about the author to be interviewed, and I'll reveal the name on Wednesday. Remember the interviews go up on Thursdays.

Welcome to the beauty that is April folks. I really hope you enjoy!

Next week's author: female...