Why I'm Nice on Goodreads

I admit, blogfrogs, that I really do like Goodreads. I say "admit" because a lot of authors are fed up with the Wild West atmosphere of backbiting and cruel reviews and way-too-personal contact with readers. But I choose to participate mostly as a reader, not a writer, and I like seeing the pretty covers of all the books I'm reading and setting goals to read more.

 

But.

I also must admit that I'm not entirely up front on Goodreads. You'll notice that I don't rate any books below 3 stars. I don't love everything I read, but as a writer, I don't want to trash someone's average rating by throwing a bitter one or two stars their way. If I truly dislike something, I don't rate it, because a rating of 0 won't throw off the average. And I won't trash a book with a cutting review, either. The transparency of the medium makes that seem, well, mean.

So I talk about the books I like--the good reads, if you will.

And this blog isn't really an objective reviewing medium, either. I have a tag called Recommended Reading, and it's just that--books that I recommend. For my own purposes, and to catalog my library, I use LibraryThing, which you might consider checking out for similar uses. I think of it as more of a database than a review site. (It also isn't owned by Amazon. It's nice that something isn't.) I use it to catalogue all my books and to pen scathing reviews of books I hate. But you'll never know, because my shelves are private (sorry). Nothing I say there is going to hurt anyone's feelings.

That said, because I'm going to try to chronicle my 2014 To Read Goal on this blog, I will tell you here if I think a book is worth your time. But I won't get snarky, and I won't apply any ratings.

That's me being nice. Take note.

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November Linklove

All the best stuff I've read around the weboverse in the last month!

WRITING & MARKETING ADVICE

Jonathan Stroud (Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase) offers tips on how to scare the pants off your readers (via Nerdy Book Club)

Author Dee Garretson (Wildfire Run) on filling up your idea box (Project Mayhem)

Kelly Jensen at Book Riot discusses the Myth of Girl Characters in YA Fiction

Writer Angela Ackerman on the difference between conflict and tension (thanks to Cynsations for the link)

Story consultant Lisa Cron talks about 9 Ways to Undermine Your Characters' Best-laid Plans (Writer Unboxed)

Susan Dennard offers Simple Tricks to Unstick Your Story (Pub Crawl)

AGENTS & QUERIES

New agent Maria Vicente of P.S. Literary is looking to build her list (WritersDigest.com)

Literary Rambles shines their spotlight on agent Erica Rand Silverman of Sterling Lord Literistic

Foreword Literary interviews their newest agent, Emily S. Keyes

KIDLIT / PUBLISHING NEWS

Possible theme park based on The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (really? is that a good idea?) (GalleyCat)

PW's year-end lists: Best Children's Fiction 2013 (MG/YA), Best Picture Books 2013, and Best Nonfiction for Children 2013

A gala celebration at--where else?--the Plaza marked the birthday of Kay Thompson's Eloise

Jeff Kinney's latest sales are anything but Wimpy (PW)

Book Riot loves the new film adaptation of Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2)

PW says farewell to legendary kidlit author and editor Charlotte Zolotow

and another sad good-bye to Junie B. Jones creator Barbara Park

INTERVIEWS

The Enchanted Inkpot talks to Matthew J. Kirby (The Lost Kingdom)

Shannon Younger of Chicago Now interviews tween blogger Erik of This Kid Reviews Books

Leah Cypess of the Enchanted Inkpot chats with Erin Bow (Sorrow's Knot)

Pam Witte asks 16 kidlit authors what they're grateful for this year (Ink & Angst)

PW features National Book Award for Young People's Literature winner Cynthia Kadohata (The Thing About Luck)

Pub(lishing) Crawl sits down with YA author Alison Cherry (Red)

BOOK REVIEWS: FABULOUS NOVEMBER RELEASES!

Champion by Marie Lu (finale of the Legends trilogy) (YA sci-fi/dystopia)

The Seventh Pleiade by Andrew J. Peters (YA fantasy)

Extracted by Sherry D. Ficklin & Tyler H. Jolley (YA steampunk/time travel)

BOOK TRAILERS

Picture Day Perfection (picture book by Deborah Diesen, illus. by Dan Santat)

MISCELLANY

Scholastic offers a wonderful video glimpse into what's coming up in spring 2014 (thanks to Watch.Connect.Read for the link)

Brooks Spencer gives you the Top 10 authors for reluctant readers (Nerdy Book Club)

You guys! Get your very own Harry Potter postage stamps! (via Book Riot)

image courtesy of wikimedia commons; available for reuse under this Creative Commons license

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October Linklove

If you've never seen one of my linklove posts, then more's the pity, because this is the time every month when I divert you from this lovely (if malnourished) blog to all the diverse and wonderful info I've read elsewhere. Search for the tag linklove to see all the goodies in previous months.

WRITING & MARKETING ADVICE
Dianne K. Salerni (The Eighth Day) on writing a middle-grade series (Project Mayhem)
... and Angie Smibert (The Meme Plague) weighs in on series as well (Cynsations)
Kevin B. Parsons details The Top Ten Writing Fallacies (Author Culture)
Dan Blank explains how to launch something (you know, like a book, maybe) (Writer Unboxed)
Author Marissa Burt (Storybound) explains what to expect in the letter from your editor

AGENTS & QUERIES
Gemma Cooper of the Bent Agency reveals what she's looking for
Kathleen Nishimoto of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment chats with Cynsations
Literary Rambles shines their agent spotlight on Josh Getzler of Hannigan, Salzy, Getzler

KIDLIT / PUBLISHING NEWS
National Book Award for Young People's Literature finalists announced (PW)
Roth's Allegiant comes racing out of the gate (PW)
S&S Launching New Sci Fi / Fantasy Imprint (PW)

INTERVIEWS
Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown) chats with The Horn Book
Debut author Caroline Carlson (The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates #1: Magic Marks the Spot) sits down with Cynsations
Veronica Roth (Divergent trilogy) on the Today Show with Matt Lauer
Rick Riordan (The Heroes of Olympus series) and Jonathan Stroud (Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase) interview each other on Riordan's blog (thanks to Charlotte's Library for the link)

GREAT NEW MIDDLE-GRADE READS  

Sunny Sweet Is So Not Sorry by Jennifer Ann Mann (contemporary; 1st in new series) (Secrets & Sharing Soda blog)
When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket (mystery; 2nd in series)


Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends by Shannon Hale (fractured fairytale; 1st in new series)

The Winter of the Robots by Kurtis Scaletta (sci-fi)
The 9 Lives of Alexander Baddenfield by Jon Bemelmans Marciano (gothic humor)
My Basmati Bat Mitzvah by Paula J. Freedman (contemporary)








  The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two by Catherynne M. Valente (fantasy; 3rd in series)
House of Hades by Rick Riordan (fantasy/mythology; 4th in series)










COOL BOOK TRAILERS
When the Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little (via Cynsations)
The Templeton Twins Have an Idea by Ellis Weiner (via Watch. Connect. Read.)


MISCELLANY
Maryann Yinn gives a list of book-themed Halloween costumes (GalleyCat)
Real, true ghostly encounters from the authors at The Enchanted Inkpot
Cool bookish jack-o'-lanterns featured on Book Riot


top image courtesy of wikimedia commons; available for reuse under this Creative Commons license

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September and So On Linklove

I know, blogfrogs: I haven't posted a Linklove post in forever. But I'm starting up again, so for those of you who don't know, this is a monthly collection of great links for writers and readers that I've discovered in the last month or so. This one may have a few from months gone by, since I've been so lax. Again. Sorry. FYI: Though usually I list fabulous new releases in the Linklove post, I've decided to separate them out this time. You can find middle-grade and picture books here, and the young adult releases here.

WRITING & MARKETING ADVICE
Rachelle Gardner on reconciling your marketing and writing lives
30 writing prompts for September, via 30 Day Challenge
Barbara O'Neal collates a handful of tips from a variety of writers
Kristen McLean pens a guest post at Writer Unboxed on the 5 phases of book marketing
Writer Dianne K. Salerni (Caged Graves) gives advice for when you get stuck (Project Mayhem)
Julianna Baggott gets you back to the page, even when you're on the verge of giving up (Writer Unboxed)
Author Marissa Burt (Storybound) recounts how she revised her latest ms
Sherman Alexie posits that grammar cops aren't good writers--eeeek!
Writer Justin Swapp offers story/novel templates for Scrivener users
Veteran author Peter Lerangis outlined advice for MG writers at the summer SCBWI con (via GalleyCat)
Figuring out the Common Core requirements via a new column at PW
Dave King talks about process vs product: Are you obsessing about your outline? (via Writers Unboxed)


AGENTS & QUERIES
Rachelle Gardner on how to pitch your project in person
Literary Rambles shines their spotlight on agent Rachel Stout of Dystel & Goderich
Cynsations' Cynthia Leitich Smith interviews the agents at Pippin Properties 
Agent Hannah Bowman of Liza Dawson Associates, via Literary Rambles

KIDLIT / PUBLISHING NEWS 
JK Rowling to write a screenplay based in the world of HP (via GalleyCat)
Alice Hoffman lands deal to write an MG novel (via GalleyCat)
How Pat Zietlow Miller's Sophie's Squash moved out of the slush pile (PW)
PW gives us a sneak preview of what's coming in Spring 2014
Yeah, finally: Barnes & Noble makes nice with Simon & Schuster (PW)
 James Patterson is giving cash away to indie bookstores (via GalleyCat)
Keith Cronin at Writer Unboxed gives advice about query mistakes

INTERVIEWS
Q&A with MG/YA writer Holly Black (PW)
Nerdy Book Club talks to Newbery winner Christopher Paul Curtis
Natalie Aguirre chats with Caroline Carlson, author of Magic Marks the Spot
Video interview with Newbery medalist Patricia MacLachlan (from Mr. Schu's Watch.Connect. Read.)
Illustrator Kazu Kibuishi talks to PW about creating brand-new Harry Potter covers (podcast)
xoJane chats with YA author Rainbow Rowell (Eleanor & Park, Fangirl)
Suzanne Collins (The Year of the Jungle, The Hunger Games) talks about her experiences as the child of a Vietnam War soldier (via USA Today)

COOL BOOK TRAILERS

Journey by Aaron Becker (picture book; Candlewick)

Sky Jumpers by Peggy Eddleman (MG sci fi; Random House, Sept 24)












MISCELLANY
Author P.J. Hoover gives travel tips for writers (via Cynsations)
Alex Bracken explains what happens in a day in the life of a publicist (via PubCrawl)

top image courtesy of wikimedia commons; available for reuse under this Creative Commons license

April Linklove

All the best stuff I've read around the weboverse in the last month!

WRITING & MARKETING ADVICE
Therese Walsh on respecting your writing process (via Writer Unboxed)
Jane Friedman on how to improve your author website
Rachelle Gardner busts several publishing myths
Jason Boog offers several self-publishing video tutorials (via GalleyCat)
Yahong Chi offers advice for the writer who Tweets (via Project Mayhem)
Justine Larbalestier on her ten years as a YA writer
Linda Formichelli explains how freelance writers CAN have it all (Write to Done)
Author-illustrator Bruce Hale on successful school visits (SCBWI blog)
Writer Barbara O'Neal on avoiding writer burnout (Writer Unboxed)

AGENTS & QUERIES
Excellent advice from agent Elisabeth Weed on how to get an agent
Literary Rambles spotlights agent Mollie Glick of Foundry Literary + Media
Middle Grade Ninja asks 7 questions of agent Emily Gref of Lowenstein Associates
Agent Susan Hawk of the Bent Agency reveals what she wants in her in box 
Chasing the Crazies talks to agent Jessica Sinsheimer of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency
... and also to agent Kathleen Rushall of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency

KIDLIT / PUBLISHING NEWS 
Simon & Schuster open Library Ebook Program (via GalleyCat)
E.B. White Read-Aloud Award & Indies Choice Award finalists announced (via ABA)
... and the winners!

The Purple Crayon Blog collects reasons to love kidlit
Chris Colfer of Glee announces the second book in his Land of Stories series (via EW's Shelf Life)
My beloved Little Prince turns 70 (via PW)
Bestselling author Cassandra Clare & film director Harald Zwart dish about the upcoming Mortal Insrument  film(s) (LA Times)


INTERVIEWS
Natalie Aguirre of Literary Rambles chats with Taken  author Erin Bowman
Cynthia Leitich Smith talks with Genie Wishes author Elisabeth Dahl
Smack Dab in the Middle blog continues its fun Middleview interview series, chatting with MG authors Joe Lawlor (Bully.com),  Liesl Shurtliff (Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin), Josanne LaValley (The Vine Basket), and yeah, me too (The Key & the Flame)
Co-authors Chris Columbus & Ned Vizzini on their foray into MG fiction with House of Secrets (LA Times)

BOOK REVIEWS: FABULOUS APRIL RELEASES!
(links go to Kirkus reviews unless otherwise noted)

Middle Grade







Bully.com by Joe Lawlor (Barbara Brauner)
The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff
Genie Wishes by Elisabeth Dahl
Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes
The Key & the Flame by Claire M. Caterer (PW)
Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

This Journal Belongs to Ratchet by Nancy J. Cavanaugh
Thrice Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris

Young Adult








ACID by Emma Pass (Daydreaming Bookworm)
In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters
My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi (Book Passion for Life)
The Symptoms of My Insanity by Mindy Raf
Taken by Erin Bowman (Empire of Books)
That Time I Joined the Circus by J.J. Howard
Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland (Paranormal Reads)


BOOK TRAILERS
Kristen Kittscher chats up some sassy spy girls for The Wig in the Window
Beautiful picture book and equally gorgeous trailer for Steam Train Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker & Tom Lichtenheld
Christopher Healy's The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle
The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen

MISCELLANY

Zareen Jafferey of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers explains an editor's job
Is the Ring that inspired Tolkien hiding out in a British museum? Cool! (via The Guardian)
PW honors the memory of beloved writer E. L. Konigsburg (1930-2013)


image courtesy of wikimedia commons; available for reuse under this Creative Commons license

More Free Books!

I thought of doing a sneaky bait-and-switch by titling this post "Win a New Porsche," but my ethics forbid it. Still, I wanted to let you blogfrogs know that a brand-new giveaway is up today at IceyBooks, which is hosting Day #4 on the blog tour, in which I illustrate the publishing journey from concept to contract--through dialogue, no less.

So go take a look and win a book.

... AND DON'T FORGET ...

There's still time to enter the Wowza Palooza Pub Day Giveaway on this blog! Prizes include

• a personalized signed copy of The Key & the Flame
• a fun bag o' swag, with buttons, stickers, a gorgeous key pendant necklace, and more
• a $20 Amazon gift card to spend however you like

EVENTS AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

In case you missed them, here are some fun posts from this week about The Key & the Flame :

• Janci Patterson, author of Chasing the Skip, interviews me about what kind of bounty hunter I'd make
• Over at Hobbitsies, a look at how the setting for the book was conceived
• Smack Dab in the Middle chats with me about writing for the middle-grade audience
• The Lucky 13s offer a sneak peek at Chapter 1 

Tomorrow, the blog tour heads to I Am a Reader, Not a Writer--and another giveaway!

March Linklove!

All the best stuff I've read around the weboverse in the last month!

WRITING & MARKETING ADVICE
Kristin Lenz offers clarification on the old show-don't-tell tip (via Literary Rambles)
Rachelle Gardner tells us her Single Best Tip for Using Twitter (via Books & Such blog)
Writer Kristen Lamb on 7 Things Confident Writers Don't Do
Is it time for you to stop blogging? Jane Friedman says maybe so
An easy infographic on how to write a scene from John August and Ryan Rivard (via GalleyCat)
Erin MacPherson on why Pinterest isn't social media (and how you can use it) (via Rachelle Gardner)
Carline Brice gives Tips for Writing and Working Full Time (via Writer Unboxed)
Lee Wardlaw on how to get writers' block (via Project Mayhem)
Should you self-publish your MG novel? Chris Eboch lets you know (via Project Mayhem)
What readers want from your website (via Author Media)

AGENTS & QUERIES
Agent Peter Knapp outlines his wish list for YA & MG
YA Stands interviews agent Jennifer Azantian from the Sandra Dijkstra Agency 
Writers Digest talks to agent Brooks Sherman of FinePrint Literary Management
Middle Grade Ninja asks 7 questions of agent Linda Pratt
Agent Joanna Volpe is accepting submissions again, and she loves MG! (via Middle Grade Ninja)


KIDLIT / PUBLISHING NEWS 
This year's Children's Book Fair in Bologna shows strong market for MG (via PW)
PW presents a sneak preview of fall kidlit titles 
Hey, kids! Vote for your favorite kidlit titles in the Children's Choice Book Awards (via GalleyCat)

PW lists the bestselling kidlit of 2012
Books don't have to come from trees (via PW)
Amazon doesn't have enough stuff, so now it's acquiring Goodreads (via GalleyCat)
New Lemony Snicket cover revealed (via GalleyCat)
Late author Bridget Zinn gets publicity push for Poison (via PW)


INTERVIEWS
An amazing panel of Newbery authors presented at the ALA Midwinter Meeting (video--don't miss it!) via Watch.Connect. Read.
PW chats with the always busy, always delightful Lauren Oliver
MG author Tom Angleberger featured in the LA Times
Liz Michalski interviews kidlit & adult author Alice Hoffman (via Writer Unboxed)
Middle Grade Ninja talks to author Jacqueline West (The Books of Elsewhere)


BOOK REVIEWS: MARCH RELEASES THAT LOOK FABULOUS!
(links go to Kirkus reviews unless otherwise noted)

Middle Grade

Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater & Robbin Gourley
Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse by Tamera Will Wissinger
The Inventor's Secret by Chad Morris (Old-Fashioned Motherhood)
White Fur Flying by Patricia MacLachlan

Young Adult

The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar (Hobbitsies)
Being Henry David by Cal Armistead
Brianna on the Brink by Nicole McInnes
Bruised by Sarah Skilton
The Culling by Steven dos Santos (Presenting Lenore)
Dear Life, You Suck by Scott Blagden
Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch 
Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger (Alice Marvels)
The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett (Books, Bones & Buffy)

MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza
Poison by Bridget Zinn (PW)
Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley (Girls in the Stacks)


BOOK TRAILERS
The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff (via IceyBooks)
Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt (via GreenBeanTeenQueen)
Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley


MISCELLANY 
Who really owns your e-books (via Salon)
Author Erin Bowman (Taken) continues her series on the stages of publishing: first-pass pages (via Publishing Crawl)
Lauren Oliver's video series gives you the lowdown on how a book is made, from concept to bound book


image courtesy of wikimedia commons; available for reuse under this Creative Commons license

February Link Love

All the best stuff I've read around the weboverse in the last month!

WRITING & MARKETING ADVICE
Jael McHenry in Writer Unboxed explains who's on your team as a writer
Cynsations compares 2 launch parties: one for a picture book and one for YA
Agent Rachelle Gardner on how to boost sales of other people's books--and your own
Chuck Sambuchino on How to Support a Writer's New Book (via Writer Unboxed)
New service from the Author's Guild lets writers set up virtual book tours/visits (via AppNewser)

Wastepaper Prose interviews several authors on their previous misconceptions about publishing and what they've learned
Why & how to declutter your writing life (Elizabeth Craig, Mystery Writing Is Murder)
Teen Library Toolbox on what teens want from libraries (and books!)

Eden from Project Mayhem on knowing when to let go of the book 
Lisa Cron (Writer Unboxed) on 5 Reasons Readers Love Your Story 
Elizabeth S. Craig of Mystery Writing Is Murder has timesaving tips for writing a series
Joanna Penn on How to Take Your Writing Further (Write to Done)
Kat Zhang of Pub(lishing) Crawl tells us how to write more vivid scenes

AGENTS & QUERIES
Marie Lu from Pub(lishing) Crawl interviews agent Kristin Nelson
Chuck Sambuchino with answers on FAQs about writing query letters (via Writer Unboxed)
Middle Grade Ninja tells you exactly how NOT to get an agent
Literary Rambles spotlights agent Amy Jameson of A+B Works
Middle Grade Ninja asks 7 questions of agent Elena Mechlin (Pippin Properties)
... and of agent Laura Rennert (Andrew Brown)
Agent Pam van Hylckama Vlieg featured on Literary Rambles

KIDLIT / PUBLISHING NEWS 
PW unveils Scholastic's brand-new cover for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (isn't it gorgeous?!) 
PW reveals that Lauren Oliver's Delirium trilogy is being developed for the Fox network
another from PW: Classic American Girl advice book gets an expansion
NPR's Renee Montagne interviews Tony Kushner about Maurice Sendak's final book 
Michael Pietsch, incoming CEO of Hachette, on Why Traditional Publishing Is in a Golden Age via NPR
Jason Boog of Gallycat offers good news on kidlit sales
PW: Kidlit booksellers talk about what books they anticipate most in spring 2013  

INTERVIEWS
PW  talks to Katherine Applegate about winning the 2013 Newbery
School Library Journal: Writing for the Middle Grades: A Roundtable with Birdsall, Stead, & Wilson 
Lindsay Deutsch of USA Today interviews Kate DiCamillo about her upcoming book, Flora & Ulysses (plus a sneak peek!)
Literary Rambles talks to Elsie Chapman, debut author of the YA dystopian Dualed

BOOK REVIEWS: (MOSTLY) FEBRUARY RELEASES THAT LOOK FABULOUS!
(links go to Kirkus reviews unless otherwise noted)

My Brother's Book by Maurice Sendak (picture book)
Night Sky Wheel Ride by Sheree Fitch, illus by Yayo (picture book)
Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle (MG contemporary)
A Dash of Magic by Katherine Littlewood (MG fantasy)
The Secret Room by Antonia Michaelis (a 2012 MG fantasy; review by Project Mayhem)
A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff (MG fantasy)

Blaze, or Love in the Time of Supervillains by Laurie Boyle Crompton (YA contemporary; review by The Busy Bibliophile)
City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster (YA fantasy; review by In Bed With Books)
Dualed by Elsie Chapman (YA dystopian; review by Sparkes and Lightning)
Infinite Sky by C.J. Flood (YA contemporary; review by Fluttering Butterflies)
Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter (YA contemporary; review by The Hiding Spot)
Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys (YA historical)
Pivot Point by Kasie West (YA paranormal)

BOOK TRAILERS
Genie Wishes  by Elisabeth Dahl (MG contemporary; April 2, Amulet Books)
In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters (YA historical ghost story; April 2, Amulet Books)

MISCELLANY
Remember my rant about the New Adult category? Here's another take, by Rachel Siegel of Publishing Crawl
Have time to read one chapter a week? Middle Grade Ninja's new book club does just that, starting with Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire


image courtesy of wikimedia commons; available for reuse under this Creative Commons license

Where Character Names Come From

Happy Frosty February, blogfrogs. Yeah. No exclamation mark--both because I dole them out with grace and restraint and because the word frosty should be applied to milkshakes from Wendy's, not weather. I like to bundle up at Christmastime and watch the snowflakes waft down and all that jazz, but I have cabin fever now and want to be outside. And I'm a weather wimp, so tramping around with three sweaters under my winter coat in the 8-degree wind is not my idea of going outside.

Not that any of this rant applies to the hop-hop-hopping you should do if you'd like to read about the many ways in which the debut kidlit authors of 2013 go about naming their characters. For that, you should hop on over to the Lucky 13s blog. That'd be here.





image courtesy of wikimediacommons.com; copyright Alex Gorzen but reusable under this Creative Commons License.

Best Links of January

Hey, blogfrogs, I'm starting a new recurring post idea here on the blog. On the last Tuesday of the month, I'll post my linklove--that means a list of the best blog posts, articles, tips, whatever that I've read from other people that month. I'm not linking to my own stuff, because, well, duh.

So here we go ... Linklove for January 2013 ...




WRITING & MARKETING ADVICE
Gwen Hernandez on How to Write Faster and Get Organized with Scrivener 
Lee Wardlaw from Project Mayhem: What Every Middle-Grade Writer Should Know About Middle Graders
Kristin on Smack Dab in the Middle: The best marketing advice you'll get
Lee Wind from the SCBWI Blog shares Mitali Perkins' Ten Tips for Writing Race in Novels
from Write to Done: Your Grammar Mistakes Are Killing Your Traffic
Lee Wind on the SCBWI Blog offers a timeline & checklist leading up to your book's release
John Claude Bemis from Smack Dab in the Middle tells where to find & engage with your MG readers
Elana Johnson on the importance of taking time off
Kristin Lenz on Literary Rambles has a great revision/reading tip
Elizabeth Craig from Mystery Writing Is Murder on The Importance of Doing Nothing
and Craig also on finding time to write in small chunks of time
Cynsations on the brilliance of Joss Whedon
C. Hope Clark on surviving writer's envy

AGENTS & QUERIES
Jennifer Represents explains why you need an agent (or don't)
Agent Rachelle Gardner on Why You Should Pitch a Single Book


KIDLIT / PUBLISHING NEWS
Yay! Galleycat reports that 41 New [Indie] Bookstores Opened Last Year. Is there one in your town?
Hooray! PW says that one of my fave authors will soon be back in print: Random House to Reissue Ruth Chew's Fantasy Oeuvre
PW reports on A Very Merry Christmas for Children's  Booksellers
from Galleycat: Dr. Who Short Stories Coming from Famous Children's Authors (maybe Ms. Rowling?? The AQ [Awesome Quotient] would be staggering!)


INTERVIEWS
from Galleycat, a video: How R.L. Stine Discovered Ray Bradbury and changed his life
from Cynsations, an interview with debut author Lenore Appelhans (Level 2)
and another with debut author Erica Lorraine Scheidt (Uses for Boys)
Natalie Aguirre from Literary Rambles talks to debut author Ellen Oh (Prophecy)
PW talks to debut author A.G. Howard (Splintered)


BOOK REVIEWS--JANUARY RELEASES THAT LOOK FABULOUS! 

(links go to reviews from Kirkus unless otherwise noted)

Hokey-Pokey by Jerry Spinelli (upper MG contemporary)
Jinx by Sage Blackwood (MG fantasy)
The Water Castle by Megan Frazer Blackmore (MG mystery)
Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool (MG historical)
The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd (YA historical paranormal/suspense)--from IceyBooks
Hooked by Liz Fichera (YA contemporary)
Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook (YA contemporary; review from PW)

Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans (YA paranormal suspense)
Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt (YA contemporary)
The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell (YA fantasy)
The Wrap-Up List by Steven Arntson (YA supernatural)
Prophecy by Ellen Oh (YA fantasy)

BOOK TRAILERS
via Cynsations: Because Amelia Smiled (David Ezra Stein)
via Cynsations: The Miseducation of Cameron Post (Emily M. Danforth)

MISCELLANY
Agent Jennifer Laughran from Jennfier Represents weighs in on Boy Books & Girl Books

Galleycat video: R.L. Stine Explains the Gersberms Meme
Karen from Teen Librarian's Toolbox on what she wishes library patrons knew



*Note: PW = Publisher's Weekly, the venerated trade mag. I got tired of typing it out.

image courtesy of wikimedia common; resuable under this Creative Commons License.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

Hey, blog lovers, it's Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday around the blogosphere! Over at The Lucky 13s, author Kit Grindstaff (The Flame in the Mist) is handing out tricks and tips from fellow MG writers for jumpstarting your writing year. (Yeah, I'm one of them. That's why I'm telling you.) Go take a peek.

Looking for middle-grade recommendations? Shannon Messenger, who originated MMGM, has loads of links on her blog today to reviews and recs from various middle-grade bloggers.

Blog-Hopping Day

Today you'll find me over at Corsets, Cutlasses & Candlesticks talking about how writers can bridge the gap between 21st-century readers and characters from, say, the 1400s. Can the youth of today possibly relate to people who lived without text messaging and indoor toilets? Go find out. You'll need to click. It won't hurt.

She Knows How I Feel

I'm heading off to New York City tomorrow to attend my very first Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI--yeah--a mouthful of an acronym) conference. So how's it feel? Let's let the always funny Debbie Ridpath Ohi tell it like it is:

 

Thanks, Inkyelbows. You made me laugh today.

For more of Debbie's cartoons and other great stuff, go to her site.

Congrats, Johanna!

A great big CONGRATULATIONS  to Johanna Harness, the recipient of Beyond the Margins' first annual Above and Beyond Award! I have corresponded with Johanna on Twitter, and she is always kind, responsive, and supportive. Follow her yourself here, and visit her #amwriting site here. You'll be glad you did.

It's Not a Word, Thank God

I had a heart-stopping moment today during e-mail perusal, grammar fans. Every day I get loads of messages and updates from that venerable publication, Writer's Digest. They let me know what's going on in WD World in case I was too lazy to check the blogs (I usually am). Today one e-mail had this to say:

We all see the word "alot" used in various places, but our teachers always told us not to use it. Has something changed? Your favorite newsletter editor Brian A. Klems has the scoop. Click to continue.

--> Hail to good e-mail marketers everywhere! They can, occasionally, force me to do something I'd rather not. I know the story behind the word alot (it ain't one). I don't need Newsletter Editor Klems to clarify the matter for me. But the Insecure Grammarian within quailed just a bit upon reading the question

Has something changed?

and the command

 Click to continue.

 I clicked. I had to know.

Scoop update: Alot is still not a word. Ah, the relief of the righteous! Click here to read Brian's reassuring post. Click here to read what is (to my mind) a hilarious send-up of the nonword alot.

Donut probably is a word. *SIGH*