Monday Mentionables: An Interview with Fiona Jayde

Welcome and happy Monday! Today I'm hosting Fiona Jayde, whose book Night Haven releases next week. She's stopping by to visit with readers and tell you a little about herself and her writing...so enjoy!

Fiona, can you tell us a little about your background?

I’m actually from Russia, having learned English by watching "Growing Pains" and reading Nora Roberts. I’m lucky in that I was in an age where I could learn English while retaining my love for Russian books (I re-read Three Musketeers in Russian every year).

When did you first start writing? Any particular experience jumpstart your writing career?

I’ve always wrote but never have finished anything I started. A few years ago, I discovered Angela Knight, who literally jumpstarted my writing career. She is such a terrific lady – and is incredibly supportive of newbie authors. I had read a blog she had written which talked about those of us striving for perfection in those first three chapters and never moving past them to finish a story – which was me to the letter. Following her advice I had finished a story, and had been writing ever since!

Tell us about your latest project/publication.

My latest release is called Night Haven, a kickass paranormal romance coming September 21 from Samhain Publishing. Night Haven is a first glimpse into the world of bloodwolves who were created to protect humans from vampire hunger for blood. In Night Haven, the bloodwolf Dina finds herself dangerously attracted to a vampire – and looses her ability to shift as a result.

What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

I would probably give the same advice that got me over the hump from “wanting to write” to actually “writing”. Stop expecting perfection and write. Keep that butt in the chair and write. Finish something, even if the first draft is complete crap. Its always easier to fix a bad page then a blank page. (I think Nora Roberts said that last part – and its so true!)

What do you find most challenging about writing?

For me, the most challenging aspect is cohesively tying together the plot lines in such a way that builds the story and the characters. I’m fairly dyslexic and I change my mind A LOT – so keeping track of 100 mile per minute ideas can be hard! Luckily I have a number of tools to help me – including a husband with exceptional memory.

Most rewarding?

The most reward aspect is to actually find the “road map” to tie in all the pieces together. I think my Sci Fi novella Cold Victory accomplished that really well – I had a hard time connecting all my ideas together – the biological bond between the Hero and Heroine, the intergalactic war, the politics of ravaged government, the shortage of supplies… And in the end, I wouldn’t have been able to build the story without any of those plot strings.

What is your favorite spot to write?

I usually write somewhere comfy where I can sit cross-legged and slouch and let my fingers fly on the keyboard. I’m finishing up organizing my writing cave actually – complete with a water fountain and miniature Chinese terra-cotta warrior statues. Hopefully they’ll bring me some ideas!

What writing project will you be working on next?

I’m currently working on the next novella in the Bloodwolf series – Night Legacy, which explores deeper the ability of a bloodwolf to shift, and their age-old war with vampires.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Oh man, what DON’T I like to do? I paint (I love Bob Ross videos), I play piano (amateur jazz), I do graphic and web design, and when I get really motivated I go to the local Mixed Martial Arts club to learn from the guys how to really stick it to a punching bag. I also love to read and watch Netflix (currently watching the Tudors), spending time with the hubster and the cats (I have two).

Any favorite movies? Have they inspired your writing in any way?

I LOOOVE Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The sexual tension between Han and Leia is legendary. I also am a big Buffy The Vampire Slayer fanatic – the episode where she lost her strength actually was the inspiration behind Night Haven!

Thanks so much for being here today, Fiona! Readers, mark your calendars and watch for the release of Night Haven, coming next week!

Remembering September 11th

"The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom." ~Rudolph W. Giuliani


Tomorrow it will be 9 years since that terrible day of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In honor of those who lost their lives that day, a moment of silence and respect...

Writers' Wednesday: Revise, Revise and Repeat

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." ~ Ben Franklin

As a new school year begins, I inevitably start my list-of-things-to-mention to my new students about their English essays. I always have a standard list of words to avoid in their writing, which includes "thing" "got" "stuff" and "etc" though I do sometimes add others.

But in prepping for my classes, I do think about my own writing too (one of the definite perks of teaching writing: it makes you self-reflect). And I think of my own words/actions/cliches to avoid. It's funny, but I find myself falling into using the same word/action/phrase/sentence structure often in a work. I'm getting better, but it still happens. In my early writing, it was the word "sigh." All my characters were sighing around: as they spoke, as they fell in love, as they pined over their lost love...well, you get the picture.

In my YA, it seems to be either shrugging or cocking/tilting the head. I don't know why, but as I'm revising, I find that my major characters have this mannerism at one point or another. Odd, right?

Of course, the easiest way to solve this is to use your Find/Replace option in your word processing program. I find it incredibly helpful, and I'm always amazed that even when I think I've found them all and changed enough of them, others pop up that I missed.

Writers, what about you? Do you fall into the trap of using and re-using a certain term or phrase or character trait?

Monday Mentionables

Mentionable #1: Spent the weekend in Washington, D.C. with our Norwegian exchange student (pics to follow!). We were blessed with wonderful weather both days and had a chance to see the major memorials and a couple of the museums. Worth mentioning: the newly established WWII Memorial. It is just gorgeous: a circular memorial with a pool & fountains in the center and quotes engraved around the entire monument.

Mentionable #2: Am currently reading We Need to Talk About Kevin, an award-winning novel about a 15-year old school shooter - told through letters written from his mother to his (estranged) father. Really, it's a study in motherhood, and what happens when a child isn't the burbling, happy, normally-developing child you thought you'd have, and when motherhood isn't the traditionally fulfilling experience you expected. It's very, very good so far. Anyone else read it?

Mentionable #3: It's so hard to find time to write once school starts! I have about 75 pages of my YA to finish revising, and I can see the end in sight, but between grading papers and planning lessons and keeping up with the basics of the household, somehow all my time in every day is just gone! Must figure out a way to work in a little writing before months pass by...

Friday Fun Facts: Lady Jane's Salon!

Have any plans for the long weekend? (That don't involve visits to the East Coast beaches??) We're spending 3 days in Washington D.C. with our exchange student - got a good deal on hotel rooms and figured it was one of those must-do trips for someone visiting from another country. Any suggestions for best things to see and do? We've been once before, but it's been a while...

***

And in totally unrelated news, here's a plug for my fellow writing friend Cat Johnson, who'll be appearing at Lady Jane's Salon in NYC on Monday, September 6th. She'll be reading from her latest release as well as signing and selling books. If you're anywhere nearby, stop by and support her!

Writers' Wednesday: Ruminations on Hosting an Exchange Student

Continued from Monday...reflections on the first week of hosting an exchange student.


First, it's fun. Experiencing a new person from another culture gives you a lot to talk about.


It's also interesting in ways you don't expect. Language barriers (even when your student speaks pretty fluent English) can lead to trouble communicating. Best to speak slowly and using common terms if possible.


It's exhausting. I'm sure this is partly the adrenaline of the whole change/experience of meeting someone new, but for us it's an added exhaustion because we don't have other kids. I'll be honest: having to consider someone else in your house (besides hubby, who can pretty much fend for himself by now) isn't something I'm used to. It's OK, and I'm getting used to it, but it's definitely a psychological change.


It makes you think about things you hadn't thought about before. Your own politics. Your own country and quirks about the culture. How big everything is here. Which qualities and thoughts and values you want to communicate to your student (and which are better left unspoken).


And this is only the beginning. I'm sure there's much more in store (and hey, maybe a story idea or two as well). To sign off, some pictures:

Outside her adopted American high school

Opening a Chinese fortune cookie for the first time!

At a wedding over the weekend

Volunteering at a local pet shelter (each student actually needs 10 hours of community service for the year)

Husking corn for the first time!

Monday Mentionables: Welcoming our Foreign Exchange Student

“To cement a new friendship, especially between foreigners or persons of a different social world, a spark with which both were secretly charged must fly from person to person, and cut across the accidents of place and time.” ~Cornelia Otis Skinner

Just 1 brief thing to mention today, because it's crazy back-to-school day for me today!!:


We welcomed our exchange daughter Hanna from Norway last Friday, and she's settled into our house wonderfully :) I'll have time Wednesday for a full report, so please come on back; until then, a picture from our first day together, at the local exchange program orientation:

Writers' Wednesday: A Word About "BitTorrent" Files

"Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom." ~Thomas Jefferson

Last night I was in a liquor store buying my favorite bottle of local Riesling (side note of trivia: it's made at the oldest winery in the country, which has this title only because it was never shut down during Prohibition because the monks needed wine for services).

I noticed the guy behind the counter (probably in his mid-late 50s) had an eBook reader lying open. I asked him about it - it was a Kindle, and he'd just gotten it for his birthday 2 weeks ago. He didn't ask for it, but he's such a voracious reader that his family chipped in and bought it for him. I asked how he liked it - he loves it! Wonderful. So we're chatting a bit about eBook readers (I haven't yet mentioned I'm an author) and he says with a smile, "Well, you know, you don't really have to pay for an ebook at all. You can download them for free at bittorrent sites."

Red Flag! Red Flag! Alert Alert Alert!

In case you don't know, bittorrent sites are websites where you can download files of information (books, music, movies, etc). Usually they've been uploaded by someone who bought the file legally and is now sharing it with the online community. THESE SITES ARE ILLEGAL IN MANY CASES. They are giving away copyrighted files and depriving authors of their sales and royalties. Sure, millions of people do it, unfortunately. But that doesn't make it right. Every time I find a bittorrent site with my books on it, I try to contact the website owner and tell them to remove the file, which they always do (they have to, legally). But I can't spend all my time policing the web.

So I said to the man, "You know, those sites are illegal. Authors don't get any royalties when their books aren't sold and are just given away online."

He turned a little red and said, "Yes, I know. You're right." I took my wine and left.

So please be aware of these illegal sites, and spread the word about them. Artists work awfully hard to create an original work. They deserve to be rightly and legally financially rewarded for that.

Monday Mentionables: The World According to Marilyn Monroe

Today, for no particular reason, I thought I'd share some famous quotations uttered by Marilyn Monroe. The first has been enjoying populaity on Facebook, but the others are a little lesser-known. Still, pearls of wisdom, I think. Enjoy!


"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."

"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring."

"If you're gonna be two-faced at least make one of them pretty."

"Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world."

"Ever notice how "What the hell?" is always the right answer?"

"We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets."

"It's not true that I had nothing on. I had the radio on."

"Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition."

"I want to grow old without facelifts. I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I have made."

"Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn't that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you."

"I don't want to make money, I just want to be wonderful."

Friday Fun Facts: A Collection of Ramblings Today...

Random facts on this Friday...

1. I finished and submitted my novella for Samhain's Just Romance Springtime Anthology - it's called "La Forma Perfecta" (Spanish for "The Perfect Shape" which, yes, does have significance within the story).

2. I thought this article about a reclusive 104-year old zillionaire heiress was SO interesting. How many stories are wrapped up there?

3. A recap of one agent discussion at RWA (thanks to my writing friend for sending on the link) revealed a yen for more contemporary romance (yay!), less focus on paranormal, and a desire for authors to have some kind of web presence established.

4. My Samhain royalties for July were not nearly as high as for June, but still a nice amount, which means those ebooks are still selling after my One Night in Boston free Kindle push back in May.

5. Speaking of ebooks, I sold my mother-in-law on the Nook. She reads so many books a year, all hard-cover and at $20+ a pop, that the Nook was a natural solution for her :)

6. My goal for the rest of August is to finish another revision of my YA and start querying agents. Because as soon as school starts up again, I'm on the crazy treadmill of super-long days and paper-grading til all hours of the night.

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

Writers' Wednesday: The Agent Search

"The first step in blogging is not writing them but reading them." ~Jeff Jarvis

OK, I'm not really going to talk ALL about the agent search today. If you're currently looking for an agent, though, you should know that the best thing you can do is lots and lots of research. Make sure the agents you're querying for your project actually rep that kind of work; find out who else they rep; do your best to figure out if that person is a good match for you. Do you (and they) like a hands-on relationship with your writing? Or less so?

There are many good agent blogs to read on a regular basis; these folks give you tons of insight to their world, and you really can learn a lot from them. Two I recommend:

Nathan Bransford
Kristin Nelson

And finally, though I don't read her blog on a regular basis, I found this post on Jenny Bent's to be very interesting. It's actually by one of her interns and talks about why so many queries are rejected (it's not why you think!)

And why all this discussion of agents today? Well, I'm in the final revision stages of my YA novel and am taking some time now to put together the list of agents I want to query for it. I'll keep you posted!

Monday Mentionables: Book Signings in Review

Two appearances last week, both different and both a lot of fun.


The first was my 3rd annual appearance at a local book club. They read my book for a select month each summer and then I come in to discuss it. It's mostly retired-age people, and they (and I) always get a kick out of the whole thing. It's really neat to talk about your book - your characters, your plot choices - with readers. I love their questions and their observations too.


The second was a reading/discussion at a local library. While not very well attended (about 6 people), the ones who were there asked good questions and were mostly writers, so they were interested in my process/the publishing industry as well. Even better, the librarian asked if I'd be interested in coming back to run a half-day writing workshop - and how much I charged! I've said it so many times: you never know how networking and making public appearances will affect you later down the road. Do it! Take advantage of people who want to hear about your books and your writing!


A couple of pics:

With the lovely host librarian

Reading from One Night in Napa

Writers' Wednesday: Two Upcoming Appearances

I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date!....

Two, actually:

Tonight I'm the guest author at the Glen Haven Book Club, for the 3rd year in a row. I'll be discussing my third One Night book, One Night in Napa, with a group that reads select books each summer and then has a discussion in a historic local schoolhouse. Really looking forward to it!

And tomorrow, I'm doing a public reading/signing at the Phillips Free Library in Homer, NY, at 7 pm. Think I'll be talking more generally about my publishing experience, and showing off my e-reader!

Pictures to follow on Friday...

Monday Mentionables: A Nook, Some Books, and a Teenager Arriving Soon...

"I have never been in any country where they did not do something better than we do it, think some thoughts better than we think, catch some inspiration from heights above our own." ~Maria Mitchell

Well, I've spent the weekend playing around with my Nook, and I pretty much love it! It's very easy to use and easy to read on. The screen is well-lit and I especially like the fact that I can change the font size if I need to. It seems like that's one great feature, especially for anyone who reads large print books or just doesn't want to squint at smaller print. I also like the fact that it marks where's I've left off reading (a virtual bookmark, say). Mostly, though, it's really convenient. I can definitely picture myself downloading books to take places to read, instead of lugging around an armful (or bagful) of books.

*****

Three weeks left of summer vacation - where did it go? And why do I still have so many things on my To-Do list?? 3 of those things are polish my YA/begin submitting to agents; polish my short-sweet work to submit to Samhain's anthology call; and heavily rework Entwined, with the goal of submitting to Samhain. I've started the last one over the weekend and am doing some major work, to both characters and plotline. Right now it seems to be going OK...but boy oh boy is it a lot of work!

*****

The other thing that's happening in about 3 weeks is that the foreign exchange student we are hosting for the year arrives! Yes, that's right: hubby and I will have a teenager in our house for the next 10 months. She's from Norway, and her name is Hanna. I think (I hope) it will be a great experience for all of us, but YES, there are going to be changes around here!

Will keep you posted...

Friday Fun Facts: Talking About the B&N Nook

"The smallest bookstore still contains more ideas of worth than have been presented in the entire history of television." ~Andrew Ross


Reminder that The Long and the Short of It's 3rd Anniversary Party is going on this whole month, and by participating you can win some great prizes, including a Barnes & Noble Nook eReader!

Speaking of the Nook, I just bought one this week. Very excited! I decided, after 3 years of publishing in the eBook industry, I should really have one so that I could bring it to signings and readings and talk about it.

But which to buy? Of course, there, Amazon's Kindle. There's also the SONY eReader. There's the Nook. And some lesser-well-known ones as well (here's one site that compares them nicely). I made my decision based on a few factors, including reviews, price (the Nook comes in either a $149 Wi-Fi version or a $199 3G Wi-Fi version, which is pretty squarely in the competitive $$ market), and ease of buying/sharing/storing books. If you buy a Kindle, you have to purchase your books from Amazon, in their format. With some of other eReaders, Nook included, you're able to read different formats of eBooks and thus purchase/download from various sites. That, for me, was a big seller. Oh, and the Kindle is "Temporarily Unavailable" until September.

So the Nook it was! I was thrilled because I ordered it around 10 pm on Tuesday night, and it arrived (standard shipping) Thursday around noon. I had it charged, registered with B&N and was playing around with it by that evening.

I'll be back next week with a full user-review!

Writers' Wednesday: Guest Blogging at Samhain Publishing

Hi, everyone! I'm blogging over at Samhain today about the joys of summer and my dream that it might go on forever....

Want to know the details? Please come on over and see me, and maybe leave a comment too!

Monday Mentionables: A New Book Trailer

I'm gearing up for a promo push when Summer's Song releases in print November 1st, and part of that included finally making a trailer for it. I've made trailers for every other book I've written, and a few for fellow authors as well. This time around, though, I found myself going the super-simplistic route, with very few pictures and just straight-forward text. I also included a couple of reviews.

While there's no hard evidence that trailers lead to book sales, it cost me little in materials (less than $20 to download royalty-free music) and only about 2-3 hours in labor. I'll post it on a number of free websites and my author loops, as well as on some low-cost advertising sites I pay for. All in all, if it gets my name in front of a few more people, that's enough for me!

Let me know what you think...

Writers' Wednesday: Win a Nook!

Hey all, The Long and the Short of It Review site is celebrating its 3rd anniversary (which I can't believe, since I remember when Marianne and Judy began it!).

So they're holding a scavenger hunt for the month of August - find the "Nook" graphic on participating authors' sites, and you can win tons of great prizes...a Nook (eBook reader) is the grand prize of all, and they're giving away 3 of them!

Click on the graphic below for more information:

Monday Mentionables: Writing Sweet

I'm off to a remote lake location for a couple of days, which means no Internet, but I'll have my laptop and hope to do some writing. What am I working on now? A "short" work (20K words or so) for submission to Samhain's Just Romance anthology. This is actually the first story of this length that I've written, and it's interesting how it's different from either a true short story at 5K or a full-length novel at 60K+.

Mostly, I like the word count limit. I'm finding that it forces me to stick to a tight storyline and character development, because I have to accomplish a whole story in 1/3 of the space it usually takes me. It's also a challenge, though, getting the characters to fall for each other and have good, honest conflicts as well. Since it's a sweet romance - no sex allowed, which is what I write anyway - there's a whole lot of building up of intimacy and tension.

And speaking of that, I found myself looking up video clips of "The Age of Innocence" - did you ever see that movie? Ah, I loved it. One of the best portrayals of love denied, and the building up of sexual tension is so, so yummy. Here's the trailer:



See you in a couple of days! Fingers crossed that I finish my story in the meantime...

Friday Fun Facts

Fun Fact #1: I finished the second draft of my YA novel this week - up to 60K words, which I'm really pleased with. Still some rough spots, but I'll let it sit for a week or two and then go back and tackle a third revision. Now I'm switching gears and working on a short, sweet-heat submission for Samhain's "Just Romance" anthology.

Fun Fact#2: I just added a reading/Q&A for 7:00 pm on Thursday, August 12th, at the Phillips Free Library in Homer, NY. I'll read from a couple of my books and talk about my experiences getting published. And I'll be selling and signing books, of course!

Fun Fact #3: On this date in 1984, Vanessa Williams resigned as Miss America, after Penthouse said it planned to publish photos of her. Remember that? I do - very controversial. I was somewhat disappointed - not so much in her (she didn't pose while she was reigning as Miss America) but in the fact that she was pressured to step down because of something she'd done in her past.

Have a great weekend!

Writers' Wednesday: Making a Name for Yourself

"Success doesn't come to you; you go to it." Marva Collins

It bears repeating: authors need to market themselves. I don't care whether you're a first-time small press debut author or a NY Times best-seller. You need to spread the word about your books, and you need to interact with the public and reach your readers. Best-selling authors, of course, have a little advantage when it comes to a reliable readership. But even new and small-press authors can reach more people by being VISIBLE.

And why am I talking about this? Last weekend I spent Saturday at a booth at the local craft fair in my childhood hometown. It's my 3rd time participating, and I've always had pretty good sales - yes, because I grew up there and people get a kick out of owning a book by someone they knew when we were both 10. But also because even those who don't know me are fascinated by a hometown-girl-turned-published-author.

This past Saturday, I actually sold out of the books I brought with me - 34 total sales for the day, which is a record for me. Better than that, I got contacts from 3 community members who want me to come to their groups and give readings or talks. Of course I said yes (you should too, even if it makes you nervous!), and I can't wait. Even if you aren't the most outgoing person in the world, if you've published a book, you can get up in front of a group of people and read from it. You can talk about your own experiences getting published

And every time you meet another person, you meet another potential new reader. Many of those new readers become regular readers. You don't ever know...so get out there! Participate in signings, in readings, in craft fairs. You don't have to shout from the rooftops or even peddle your books to every person that walks by. But if you have a chance to set up a booth or a table or appear for a few minutes one night to a local community group, take advantage of it! It's all about growing your name.

Good luck!

Friday Fun Facts

Fun Fact#1: I finally put down Thirteen Reasons Why, a YA novel I was trying so hard to get through. Got halfway and finally gave up. Why? Whiny, unsympathetic main character (and I feel like a schmuck saying that, since she's dead from the start) and unbelievable events that are supposed to make me feel sorry for her. I felt like asking the author, really? You think every teenager doesn't go through all this crap? Talk to some teens or spend time in a high school before writing about what really causes them angst. Sorry. Maybe some of you out there liked it. I just couldn't.

Fun Fact#2: I'm spending tomorrow at the BIG craft fair in my (childhood) hometown, the one where everyone turns out with their extended family and you see people you haven't seen in at least a year, maybe 10 , and you find out all the latest gossip. I love going because I don't live there anymore, so I get to visit with childhood friends. Plus they treat me like a local celebrity, which is kind of nice too.

Fun Fact #3: I opened my royalty statement from Samhain earlier this week to discover that yes indeed, the Kindle Freebie promo that featured my novel One Night in Boston back in May definitely translated into June sales! Very exciting...not only did my sales for that book go up, but for my backlist as well. In fact, I've never seen those kinds of numbers on my royalty statements before, so I did a little jig of glee. I also sent off an email thanking the folks at Samhain for choosing my book as one to feature, since it's not one of the "hot" ones they're known for. One of the marketing staff wrote back and told me my book had the highest number of free downloads of any they featured. So, very cool!

Writers' Wednesday: A Word About Voice

You hear it a lot in the writing world: authors should develop a strong voice. A distinct voice. Their own voice, above all. For some, that's easy. For others, it's a struggle. What is voice, exactly? Simply put, it's a writer's individual style. It how an author uses language to bring to life his/her characters and storyline. While voice can be learned and developed, I also think it's one of those things that is naturally inherent to really brilliant writers.

The voice I'm loving right now is that of YA author John Green. Looking for Alaska is wonderful - if you haven't read it, you should. Paper Towns is also good, though I didn't think the story was as strong. And I'm only partway into Will Grayson, Will Grayson (cowritten with David Levithan). In all 3 books, though, Green's voice is distinct and brilliant enough to make me green with envy. His male first-person protagonists come to life in the very first pages, and he develops all his characters, really, in just a few brush strokes.

A couple of examples:

On the second page of the Prologue of Paper Towns, Quentin describes Margo, his next-door neighbor and earliest crush. Look how at once, we get a sense of who 10-year old Quentin is AND the kind of girl Margo is, as well:

I always got very nervous whenever I heard that Margo was about to show up, on account of how she was the most fantastically gorgeous creature that God had ever created. On the morning in question, she wore white shorts and a pink T-shirt that featured a green dragon breathing a fire of orange glitter. It is difficult to explain how awesome I found this T-shirt at this time.

And from Will Grayson, Will Grayson, on the first page, we get a terrific account of Tiny Cooper, one of the protagonist's closest friends. Again, it takes Green just a paragraph or two to establish who these guys are:

Tiny Cooper is not the world's gayest person, and he is not the world's largest person, but I believe he may be the world's largest person who is really, really gay, and also the world's gayest person who is really, really large. Tiny has been my best friend since fifth grade, except for all last semester, when he was busy discovering the sheer scope of his own gayness, and I was busy having an actual honest-to-God Group of Friends for the first time in my life, who ended up Never Talking to Me Again due to two slight transgressions:

1. After some school-board member got all upset about gays in the locker room, I defended Tiny Cooper's right to be both gigantic (and, therefore, the best member of our shitty football team's offensive line) and gay in a letter to the school newspaper that I, stupidly, signed...

Honestly, any writer, experienced/published or not, would be smart to read and study John Green's style. Great voice. Just great.

Monday

Monday's Mentionables: A Word on Submissions

"Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don't see any." ~Orson Scott Card

Happy Monday! Over the weekend, I had a book signing at my local Borders - a little light, since it's a big travel/grad party weekend, but it did give me a chance to chat with my fellow authors that I rarely see, except 2-3x a year at these events. What did I find out?

Samhain is currently taking submissions for a "Springtime Just Romance" anthology (yes I probably should have known this, since they're my publisher, but I hadn't checked their sub page in a while). Interestingly enough, they want "sweet heat" only for this one. This, of course, is great for me, since that's what I write, but interesting for Samhain, since what they're known for, and what they sell, is hot-hot-hot erotic/menage. I guess maybe they're trying to reach out and appeal to a different/wider audience, but I just wonder how successful that will be.

Anyway, the submission info is here. They're looking for stories in the 20-25K range, with a submission deadline of November 1, 2010. So get working, or pull out those stories and polish them up!

*****

And in other interesting submission news (thanks to Kristin Nelson's blog) Tin House Books is requiring all authors submitting unsolicited ms. to include a receipt for a recent bookstore purchase. How great is that?! Apparently they're concerned that many aspiring writers aren't reading as much as they should be - or at all. You can read more about it here...very interesting!

Friday Fun Facts:

First off, for any of my local friends, I'm having a book signing with a few other Samhain authors tomorrow, Saturday the 10th, at the Borders in the Galleria Mall (Middletown, NY), from 2-4 pm. One Night in Napa will be available in print for the first time, so stop down and say hello if you're in the area!


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And now, some photos from my 4th of July weekend in Newport, Rhode Island (if you've never been, I highly recommend it. No photos of the amazing mansions that sit on the cliffs overlooking the harbor, but only because we've visited them before. If you haven't, that's something you can't miss when you're there).

Standing in front of the oldest library in the country

The Cliff Walk, overlooking one of the harbors

Newport Harbor, from our outdoor dinner table on the 4th

Fireworks over Newport Harbor

Writers' Wednesday: Thoughts on Jellicoe Road

Whew! Heat wave here in the Northeast, for about the 4th straight day. It's been at least 100 the last 2 days, though I think it's finally supposed to be a little lower than that today (you know, like 95 or so). Still, that kind of heat and humidity just saps the energy out of me! Actually, over the weekend we traveled to Newport, RI, for a little getaway - beautiful! And right on the water, which tempered the weather a little. It's funny: as I was walking the streets, I thought, huh, maybe One Night in Newport has some potential as a story...all these old homes, narrow winding roads, water and boats and the mansions at night...

But I don't know if I have any more One Night books in my future. We'll see.

I did read Jellicoe Road over the weekend. I got it a while back and had really been looking forward to it, as so many people recommended it as an outstanding Young Adult novel. And I'll tell you: while it was good, it wasn't as good as I was expecting, and I think this is because IT TOOK SO LONG to get moving. I won't even try to explain the plot here, save to say that it's really two storylines, about two groups of friends, set in the same location about 20 years apart. The main character, Taylor Markham, is an angry, self-absorbed 17 year old girl who is thrust into a leader role of a House at the boarding school where she lives. She has to interact with the other House leaders as well as leaders of the other groups of kids in the town, and it goes from there. The only adult she trusts, a woman named Hannah, disappears at the beginning, and all taylor wants to do is find her...which leads to her discovery about this other group of friends and their relation to the school on Jellicoe Road.

The book is 400 pages long, and while much of the second half is compelling, the first half is so deliberately fragmented, with pieces of a mystery and unnamed characters, that it's difficult to decipher. I know this is supposed to be part of the novel's beauty, the way both storylines unfold and come together, but I just didn't care enough about the characters or the school or the "territory wars" they fight with the Townies, at least at first. By the end, however, I cared madly about them, and Taylor's friendship-romance with Jonah Griggs is beautifully developed, one of the best I've read in YA.

By why oh why does it take Melina Marchetta so long to get there? If I were a teen reader, I doubt I would have made it past page 50. And that's a shame, because as I said, the second half of the book really picks up, and the character and story resolutions are beautiful and made me cry.

Anyone else read Jellicoe Road? Thoughts?

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July weekend to all my U.S. readers! It's supposed to be a hot but gorgeous one here in the Northeast. Hubby and I are going away for the weekend with another couple, and I'm still debating whether or not to bring my laptop. Part of me wants to unplug...part of me wants to work on my YA project!

Do me a favor: when you listen to the national anthem, really pay attention to the lyrics. They still give me goosebumps.

I'll see you back here on Monday with some pictures from our weekend...until then, enjoy!

Monday Mentionables: Summer Vacation Begins!!

“Sometimes it pays to stay in bed in Monday, rather than spending the rest of the week debugging Monday's code” ~Dan Saloman

First off, a big congrats to my cyber-writing comrade, Charity, whose YA novel The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading was a winner in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Contest! And how do I know this? I was flipping through my latest issue of Romance Writers' Report when I saw the full page announcement of all the winners. I love seeing fellow writers recognized nationally!

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Second, dance of elation because today is the FIRST official summer vacation for Yours Truly! (Well, I mean, school ended last Friday, but I don't count the weekend. Today was the first weekday I didn't have to get up with my alarm clock!)

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Third, I'm making decent progress on my YA novel, tentatively now titled All the Girls. I abandoned the idea of making the heroine psychic, even though I really liked the idea and it's requiring a lot of rewriting to get rid of all those bits. But after some serious thinking, I decided I did want to go more mainstream/contemporary, without the paranormal aspect - even though I know paranormal is still hot-hot-hot!

We'll see...my goal is to finish my second revision this week (a lofty goal, but I'm on page 60 of 114, so it's possible) and to then finish a third revision and send out query letters by the end of July. I really want to see what kind of feedback I get from agents and editors, because I really have no sense if what I'm writing is marketable or not...

OK, I'm off to write and revise. Happy Monday :)

Friday Fun Facts: July/August 2010 Writer's Digest

"You have to really love what you're writing about to write a really good book..." ~Charlaine Harris

Sharing the latest news from Writer's Digest ~ this month's issue focuses on memoir writing, which isn't really my thing, but they always have some interesting articles for all writers. Among them:

"Based on a True Story" recounts one writer's chance encounter with James Frey, the infamous author of A Million Little Pieces who was lambasted by Oprah for fabricating large parts of his memoir. Many people called him a fraud, among other things, but the author of this article doesn't feel that way at all. She argues instead that all memoirists fabricate to a certain extent, because they are writers telling a story. (By the way, I don't agree with her. Because Frey couldn't sell his story as a novel, he marketed it as a memoir, which in my mind suggests much more "truth" than a novel does. If all of us seeking the elusive contract simply lied to get it, where's the integrity? But I digress...)

"Emerging as a Writer" talks about the value of MFA creative writing programs. While they require absolute devotion of huge amounts of time and energy (and money too, I'd guess, though the article doesn't mention that), they're also greatly rewarding. They allow you to surround yourself with fellow writers and delve really deeply into your own strengths and weaknesses. Not sure I'd ever go through with getting my MFA, but I wouldn't mind taking a class or two.

"In Her Blood" discusses the tremendous success of author Charlaine Harris, who writes the Sookie Stackhouse series (basis for the TV show "True Blood"). I've read some of her books and really liked them, even though I'm not a big vampire fan. Interesting to find out that she took exactly one creative writing class in her life and also that she spent many years writing "cozy mysteries" before she broke out of her own mold and tackled paranormal. And while she definitely credits the vampire/paranormal trend with boosting her own success, she also says giving herself the freedom to do something different, something she really wanted to try, added to it as well.

There's also an article called "Raising the Stakes" that I haven't looked at yet, about adding tension/stakes to your story. Definitely looking forward to that one!

Thanks again to the editors of Writer's Digest for producing another helpful issue!

Writers' Wednesday: Two Nice Reviews

“Be happy. It's one way of being wise.” ~ Sidonie Gabrielle

I love the casual reviews I get from readers every now and again. The other day on one online forum I frequent, a fellow author wrote "Woo hoo - those "One Night" books are a hoot! I love them - didn't realize they were yours, Allie!" (I'm not exactly sure what she means by a "hoot" since they're love stories, but it sounds like a positive response).

And then last night I received this lovely email from one of the women at the Ladies' Literary Society, where I spoke a couple of weeks ago:

"I finished your latest book last evening and it is THE BEST YET! I really enjoy your writing and spoiler here so I deleted it... The happy ending really gave me a lift after an extremely stressful day. Thank you!"

They both made my day :)

Monday Mentionables: Win a SONY eReader!

Hey all, yesterday was my day as featured author over at Tilly's Greene's blog, and every comment during this ENTIRE month enters you to win a SONY eReader...so hop on over, read, and comment if you'd like! (I have to admit: reading comments from people I don't know, who've read and enjoyed my other books, is still such a thrill :)

*****

I'm pleased to say that we have found homes for all 6 kittens that have been growing up in and around our garage these last few weeks! Can't believe how big they've gotten: check out these pictures!

Stretched out in a flowerbox (apparently the towel-lined boxes weren't good enough. or dirty enough)

Sometimes, flowerpots are even preferable to flower boxes...

And even better with a friend

Of course, exploring the world outside is nice too...

Writers' Wednesday: Working on Galleys, and an Upcoming Signing

So this week, I'm working my way through my galleys for Summer's Song, which releases in print the first week in November. Galleys are the final chance for authors to read through the work before it goes to print for good. Usually when I read galleys, I find quite a few minor errors. But this time (so far), only 2. I'll admit it's tough sometimes, though, to read through a story that (1) you finished writing a while ago and (2) you've probably read a zillion times before. So yes, it's tedious. But once it's done, it'll be ready for release November 2, so mark your calendars!

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And speaking of marking calendars, for any local readers, I have a book signing at the Borders in Middletown (Galleria Mall) on Saturday, July 10th, from 2-4 pm. One Night in Napa will be available in print for the first time! Hope to see some of you there...

Monday Mentionables: What's Selling, Who's Buying...

One basic rule you often hear in the writing world is never to write to a trend. What does this mean? Well, if you're a new writer, don't just jump on the "right now" bandwagon. If vampires are selling in 2010, and you decide you can write a vampire story as good as any out there, the chances that agents and editors will still be buying them in 2011 (if you're a relatively fast writer) are kind of low. Consider that an agent has to pitch your work to a publisher who then will take anywhere from 1-3 years to release it in print. Trends usually fade more quickly than that.

That's why those in the know will tell you to write what you really love, while considering market trends but not following them as gospel. It's also really tough to predict what the next "big thing" might be, which brings us back to the "write what you love" camp.

But here's my latest dilemma: my YA originally was a straight contemporary. Then I looked at the market, thought about how hot paranormal is right now, and decided to give my YA a small (really small) paranormal twist. A few members of my local writers' group really liked the idea. Then I shared the premise with a few online writing friends. Almost 100% of them said they were getting tired of paranormal and didn't think it would still be selling as strongly in the next year or two.

Agent Kristin Nelson reported something similar , that while YA paranormal is definitely still hot, she thinks readers/publishers/agents are getting a little bored by the flooding of that genre.

But then a friend of mine just attended the Long Island Romance Writers' luncheon conference, and she said that every single agent and editor there still wanted paranormal submissions, either in romance or YA.

So what's a girl to do? Looks from these few reports that the jury is still out on what's new, next, and on its way out when it comes to YA.

Sigh.

What do you think??

Friday Fun Facts: I'm Famous! (Well, Sort Of...)

So here's some exciting news, faithful blog readers: a couple of months ago, the publicist for Samhain contacted me with a somewhat strange request: a Brazilian TV station wanted to do an interview with me. Why? Well, this was during the 2-week period when my debut novel One Night in Boston was being offered as a Kindle Freebie, and the producer was doing a piece on the new iPad and wanted to include an ebook author. It didn't hurt that I live outside of NYC, either, which is where their affiliate station is located.

Soo.....a reporter and cameraman came to my house and filmed me! Very cool, and they were both very nice (and spoke English quite well). It was a little bit of a surreal experience, but I guess it turned out OK, because they included about a minute of the interview in their eventual piece on the iPad. Long story short: I finally got the online link for it, and I'm sharing it with you!

Now, it's in Portuguese, so you'll mostly have to just follow the visual (unless you happen to speak the language). And if you want to skip forward to my part, it's around the 3:45 minute mark (but why would you? the whole thing is about 5 minutes long, and it's a kind of cool intro to the iPad craze). Yes, I did get to use one, and it was very cool. If it wasn't so much $$, I might actually consider buying one (since I still don't have an ebook reader). The quality was AMAZING.

As it is, though, for now I'm content to enjoy my little 15 minutes of foreign language fame (although I hate, hate, the way I look in the video...I'm so vain hahaha) Hope you enjoy it too!

Writers' Wednesday: And the Winner Is...

I almost forgot! Thanks to everyone who posted comments over at Eclectic Writer over the weekend, in response to my author interview. I'm giving away a signed copy of my latest release, One Night in Napa, to... Charity!

Charity, email me your mailing address to tboniface@frontiernet.net and I'll get that in the mail to you!

******

And just because they're cute, here are some new kitten pictures, about 5 weeks old. All developing their own personalities now!

Monday Mentionables: Win a SONY E-Reader!

Last week I participated in not one but TWO book signing/speaking events. Wednesday I was in my hometown talking the Ladies' Literary Society (which is celebrating its 130th year!!). Though I did speak for a bit about my background and my books, it was fairly low-key. Most of the women were 60+, with two 90-year old members! It was their end-of-season luncheon, which meant we just ate and chatted. I did sell 14 books, though, so that was nice.

And then over the weekend I was at a Barnes and Noble with 5 other romance authors, mostly from the Southern Tier RWA chapter. Lovely, lovely women! I sold 6 books, which was OK since it was pretty slow overall (nice weather + a local music and food festival drew most people away, I think). It's always nice to chat with fellow authors and also make connections with bookstore managers. I highly recommend it!

Finally, I need to mention fellow Samhain author Tilly Greene's AWESOME June giveaway contest. She's giving away both a SONY e-reader and a box chock-full of goodies from the recent RT Conference, to two lucky people who leave comments on her blog this month. She's featuring one author each day (I'm June 20th - I'll remind you again before then!), and every time you comment, you're entered into the contest.

Click on the button below for more info...and happy Monday!

Friday Fun Facts: Win a Print Copy of One Night in Napa!

OK folks, just for kicks (and to reward my faithful blog readers), I'm giving away a signed print copy of my latest release, One Night in Napa. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on yesterday's guest blog post over at Eclectic Writer. Janet Lane Walters is a fellow member of my local RWA chapter, and she was kind enough to host me, so I'm showing the love by encouraging you all to hop on over and check her (and me) out!

I'll let this contest run through Sunday at midnight, so comment away! The winner will be announced back here on Monday! (US only please, since shipping outside the US gets pricey...sorry...)

Writers' Wednesday: An Invitation to the Ladies' Literary Society

“What is wonderful about great literature is that it transforms the man who reads it towards the condition of the man who wrote.” ~E. M. Forster

Today I'm in for an interesting experience: I'm a guest at the Ladies Literary Society in the town where I grew up. Sounds like I should be wearing gloves and a hat, right? Actually, it's a book club that's been around for 100+ years, so that notion isn't far off. I didn't know much about it until one of the members asked me to attend as her guest. Their theme this year is "Author Author" and each member chooses an author to read and discuss each month. While I think their tastes usually run to the classic literature end of the spectrum, I'm looking forward to sharing some info about the romance genre and what makes it so appealing, so commercially successful, etc. Yes, I brought books and bookmarks and business cards and a lot of stats on recent market sales, famous romance authors they may or may not know, and more :)

So...I'm off to prepare. I'll be back with a full report on Friday - and always remember, fellow authors, what I say about taking the opportunity to get your name out there!

God Bless the U.S.A. by Lee Greenwood

Writers' Wednesday: The Pros and Cons of Writers' Groups

So I've been thinking a lot about writers' groups the last few months. When I first decided to take the plunge and consider writing for publication, about 9 years ago, I looked around online and found a wonderful website where you could both take writing courses and join an online group. I took just one course (the intro one, I think), but I ended up joining 2 groups, and I will be forever grateful for the people I met there who helped shape my writing and my awareness of the writing world. There, I learned to take and give criticism, to do research about publishers, and to share beyond just the writing with a core group of fellow scribblers, some of which I am still in touch with today.

Then, about 3 years ago, I contacted my local RWA writers' group and found another support network, this time filled with local women who were writing in a similar genre - some published, some not. I continued to learn, to share, to socially interact with new faces - these in person instead of in cyber world, which was refreshing.

Now, however, I'm in the position of trying to decide whether I should continue my membership in the local group (my origial online groups disbanded a while back, sadly). While I am still a member of RWA, I attend the local meetings very infrequently (both because of my busy schedule and because I didn't feel I was getting out of them what I needed/wanted to). The membership fee for the local isn't much, so it's not the money. But I rarely attend meetings anymore, so I suppose I should consider why that is, and whether I'd be better served seeking feedback and support elsewhere.

I think part of it is that at the last few meetings I went to, attendance was super-low, and most of the discussion was either (1) gossip in small groups around the table or (2) critique that was decidedly biting. The former I can deal with; the latter, not so much. I am a huge fan of providing and gaining feedback - and indeed, for a while I attended critique group every other week (though it was an hour drive one way). I liked the camraderie, the laughter, and the learning. A couple of our members besides myself are published, and it's wonderful to hear their insight. But somehow over the last few months, it stopped being both fun and beneficial. This is probably more because of where I am in my writing pursuits - thinking about switching genres, published with a well-established small press whereas many of the other members are not published - than anything else. Still, I'm starting to think my needs might be better met somewhere else.

Absolute Write is a wonderful resource, and a place where I've been spending quite a bit of online time. I think what I most appreciate about it is that there is a wide variety of writers hanging out there, from the well established/multi published to those still learning the craft from the bottom up. I find that my questions are better answered, my writing better critiqued.

So what about you? What do you look for in a writers' group? Online support, or in person? Or both? Does it matter what genres people write, or the level of their experience? Or do you prefer to go it alone?? I'm interested - please share!

Monday's Mentionables: More Cute Kitty Pics!

"No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens." - Abraham Lincoln


Woooo - weee! What a week it's been! I've graded 240 student papers in the last 7 days, and my eyes are about ready to fall out of my head! But today was the last day of the semester (for my college students; the high school ones are with me for another month), so no more heavy-duty papers until September!



Obviously, I haven't done any writing of my own lately. But my YA book is simmering, oh yes it is, and I hope to get back to it soon enough. Also this week, though, I want to talk about writers' groups - what they can do for you, and when it's time to think about cutting loose and finding a new one (or going it solo). I'd love to hear your input on that!



Until then, enjoy some new pictures of the kittens living under our porch - they're 3 weeks old and discovering their legs...too cute!

Meet Author Jeffrey Leever!

[Readers, pay attention to the information at the end of this post, for a chance to win an autographed copy of Jeffrey Leever's new book!]

Dark Chocolate & Dark Mystery by Jeffrey Leever

When I see Allie’s heading above with the website’s name and the hearts, for whatever reason the first thing I think of is dark chocolate – and the fact that studies have shown it’s good for the heart. One of the things I like to do at my book signing events is to have some dark chocolate available at my table. Besides the enjoyment I get from occasionally eating the inventory, there is a bit of a tie-in with the title of my first book, Dark Friday. People seem to like it enough that I’ve continued the practice at events for my latest mystery novel, The University.

My palate, of course, has been telling me for many years that dark chocolate is “good.” Researchers at The Journal of the American Medical Association and elsewhere seem to agree. Apparently, small portions of the dark stuff lowers high blood pressure. The antioxidants present in dark chocolate (but not white or milk chocolate, sadly) tend to devour the kinds of destructive molecules that cause high blood pressure like a sumo wrestler at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Only sweeter.

Whenever I give people a square of Ghirardelli’s Dark or a Dark Hershey’s KISS, I always tell them, “A dark mystery novel is good for your heart, too.” I get some surprised looks on occasion. Then I talk about something that I can’t prove with a medical study but nevertheless believe: Dark mysteries that also manage to have a heart are good for the soul. They’re also a great choice (whether authored by yours truly or someone else) to give to a person who thinks they aren’t a reader, or someone who usually struggles to make it through a book.

I believe in fast-moving, heart-pumping, easy-to-get-through stories. I also believe in writing novels that include all the requisite stresses, twists, chills, and thrills of the mystery genre, but that have some real-world meaning beyond just the plots themselves. Books that can move people, occasionally leave them crying (and I don’t mean in fear), or make them want to talk through certain topics with others afterward. My favorite reviews and reader comments are when people notice this aspect and/or are surprised when I “take them there” amid all of the chaos.

My most-recent book, The University, deals with a college student who is trying to figure out why his best friend disappeared. He ends up battling a cult group. And falling in love. Meanwhile, an investigative journalist cracks an unsolved murder case from two years ago and helps a former police officer find redemption in the process.

It’s a story that’s both dark and has a good heart. Give it a try sometime if you have the chance.

* * *
JEFFREY LEEVER (www.jeffreyleever.com) is on virtual tour this week with the Omnimystery family of websites (http://jeffrey-leever.omnimystery.com) and is giving away a free copy of The University. He lives in Blue Springs, Missouri, with his wife and daughter. Like Allie, he loves pets. He owns a turtle (Frodo), a newt (Gingrich), a rabbit (Neo), and a cat who showed up in 2008 and has never left (Sebastian).


About The University

Ah, college life at Tremont University. A place for learning. Partying and dating. And murder.

When investigative journalist Kevin Gibson lets his cousin, a former cop, talk him into looking into a student's disappearance at Tremont University, he gets more than he bargained for. A former student — injured in a brutal attack two years ago and in a coma — may hold a critical piece of information that can solve the mystery. Meanwhile, an attractive coed continues to hide a very dark secret.

Tremont junior Brett Duncan is determined to find out what happened to his best friend, who's gone missing. Along with his girlfriend Ciera Kindle, Brett is drawn into a cunning world few know exist -- a conspiracy involving faculty, students, and some well-connected people in high places.

Beneath the campus’ Hallmark-card exterior lie many secrets, and a pulse-racing mystery with plenty of chills along the way.

*****

Want to win a copy of The University? Just visit Jeffrey Leever's tour page and enter this pin # (unique to Allie's Musings): 4637. Good luck, and thanks for visiting with us here today!

Writer's Wednesday Becomes Thinker's Thursday This Week

Well, I was just trying to be cute and clever with today's blog post title... :)

But really, I'm hosting author Jeffrey Leever right here TOMORROW on his blog tour, so please join me back here for a chance to find out all about his new book, The University, and have a chance to win it!

Monday's Mentionables: A YA Excerpt

I actually had a chance to do a little work on my YA novel over the weekend (amid TONS of papers to be graded, but that's another story). So I thought I'd share an excerpt. This one happens about 1/3 of the way in, when the main character, Annie (who is psychic and can hear dead people inside her head) decides to suggest a way for the girls at her new school to rein in their hard-partying boyfriends. Of course, she's just met Mr. Dreamy, which complicates things more than a little. (If you recall, this story is loosely based on the Greek play Lysistrata, and this is one of the first times it's referenced.)

Hope you enjoy it!

*****

The whole rest of the night, I’m floating. Nothing can bother me. Not the tight knot of tension around the dinner table, not the English paper that’s due tomorrow, nothing. I think of Manuel kissing me, winding his fingers through mine, and my heart squeezes until it feels like it might burst. I haven’t been this happy in a long time. I even offer to do the dishes and haul the garbage to the curb for tomorrow’s early-morning pickup. Outside, the sun is settling into the hills, and it’s turned a little cool. I don’t care. I wrap my arms around myself and breathe in the scent of freshness. Of possibility. The leaves are beginning to turn all these burnt orange and red colors, and they’re so gorgeous they take my breath away. I stand at the end of our driveway for a while and just take it all in.

My good mood lasts until almost eleven, when Heather pops up on You’nverse. “Hey you there?” she types.

“Yeah.” I click the Print button on my computer and wait as three pages of my paper slide out. There. A pink paper clip in the upper left corner, and I’m done. Now I can curl up under the covers and dream about –

“I wanna kill myself.”

The paper falls from my hand. “What?” My fingers slip on the keys.

“Not really.”

“Oh. What’s up?” I know she’s still upset about Bradley-and-the-prank, but it sounds like the guys are getting off pretty easy, with just a week’s suspension. The administration at school might bring in the drug dogs, or try to crack down for a while, but I’m betting everything will go back to normal after too long.

“The college recruiters called Bradley today.”

“And?”

“All of them are pulling their offers.”

I stare at the computer screen. That does suck.

“How is he?” I type after a minute.

“Won’t even talk to me.”

“How’s Tom?”

“Still in the ICU.”

I sink onto my bed and pull the laptop onto my crossed legs. Kenny was right when he said What a total mess. Maybe this is more serious than I thought. I mean, the five guys who got caught during the prank don’t fall into just one social group, as far as I can tell. Bradley and Derrick are starters on the football team, but Les is a brain in the drama club, Philly’s the cool, dangerous guy with the pimped-out car, and Tom’s the stoner who makes everyone laugh. I’m beginning to find out that in a school as small as Parker’s Point, there’s a lot of crossing over.

Which means that this fiasco didn’t just cut the legs out from under one clique. It pretty much cut the legs out of the school.

I still don’t know what to say to Heather, who’s filled the chat box with “????????????”

Then my eyes fall on the stack of books on my desk. At the very top is the copy of “Lysistrata,” the play about the women who stop the war between Athens and Sparta. I read it over the weekend, when I was avoiding Manuel and Mom and pretending to escape to ancient Greece.

Now I’m wondering if those women were onto something.

“Here’s a crazy thought,” I type.

“What?”

“Maybe we can change things.”

“Change what things?”

All the partying, I want to say. And the ridiculous pranks. But I don’t want to come across like a total prude.

“It’ll be like a social experiment.” There. Dad would be proud of that.

Dad… The happiness in my chest from Manuel is replaced by the sting of loss.

“What r u talking about?”

“There’s this story,” I begin to explain. “Well a play actually. About a bunch of women who got their men to stop acting like idiots.”

“How?”

“They refused to sleep with them until they cleaned up their acts.”

The screen stays blank for almost a minute. I wonder if Heather thinks I’m totally insane.

“Forget it,” I finally type. “Stupid idea.”

“No not really. But who’s gonna do it? I mean, every girl in the school?”

She raises a good point. There’s no way two hundred girls are just going to drop their boyfriends – especially if their boyfriends aren’t the ones acting like idiots in the first place. What did Lysistrata do? I pull out the play and begin flipping pages. She just kept talking to the other women until she convinced them to listen to her. I shake my head. I don’t think I have that much power here.

Then my gaze falls on the blue sheet of paper still lying on my desk. Winter Formal. Two months away.

“How about no girl goes to Winter Formal unless the guys stop partying at the Cove?”

“R u kidding? Winter Formal’s amazing.”

“U said most guys spend the night drinking and puking in the bathroom. What’s so amazing about that?”

There’s another long pause. I can almost see Heather thinking it over, her face frowning and her blue eyes filling as she thinks of her super-star boyfriend reduced to a common felon.

“OK I’ll talk to some of the girls.”

“I’ll talk to Charise.” She has connections with the smart crowd, seniors included, ‘cause she’s taking a lot of advanced courses and electives. I cross my fingers. If we’re lucky, some of them might get a kick out of reenacting a centuries-old play. Brainiacs are like that.

“C u tomorrow? Talk more then?”

“Yeah.” I shut down the computer and return to my fantasy of kissing Manuel. This time, though, we’re in my bedroom instead of on the back porch, and his hands go to places they never went this afternoon. I pull a pillow into my arms and pretend it’s him I’m holding. Then I sit straight up. What the hell am I thinking? This brilliant idea to cut off all the guys in school includes him. No more kissing. No more walks home. Definitely no invitation to Winter Formal.

I feel like the biggest fool in town.

Friday Fun Facts: A Litter of Kittens!

"Cats are dangerous companions for writers because cat watching is a near-perfect method of writing avoidance." ~Dan Greenburg

And now for something completely unrelated to anything writing: last Friday, hubby and I discovered a litter of brand new baby kitties underneath our front porch. And yes, we were completely surprised! I had seen a cat hanging around about a month ago, but I thought she just belonged to a neighbor and was wandering. Nope.

Turns out she is a very affectionate, very young mama (that I'm guessing was dumped, because she loves people, so she was probably someone's pet) with a litter of six. She managed to wedge herself through a gap in the boards of our porch, and now she's raising her babies in a warm, dry, safe place.

But what to do with them? I actually mentioned them to my students, a couple of whom might be interested in adopting. I do volunteer at a no-kill shelter, so that might be a possibility. As it is right now, I'm guessing the kittens are around 2 weeks old, so we'll keep them here, feed mama so she doesn't have to spend her time hunting, and take it from there, I guess.

Want to see some pictures? They're so tiny - last week all 6 could've fit in the palms of both my hands!

Writers' Wednesday: Blog Hopping

We're heading into the last couple of days of my blog tour for One Night in Memphis (the audio book) and One Night in Napa (print release celebration)...so please check out the links below and join me! Lots of goodies to be won... ;)

Spotlight Author at The Long and the Short of It

Blogging with Nicole Zoltack

Blogging at The Perils of Pauline

Happy Hump Day!

Monday's Mentionables: Spotlight Author at LASR...All Week Long!

Beginning today, I'm the spotlight author over at The Long and the Short of It - all week long! This is my celebration of One Night in Napa's print release. That means each day you'll find a new post by Yours Truly, as well as a chance to win...well, don't you want to know? Head on over to LASR and find out!

Also, I'm still blog hopping and talking about my One Night in Memphis audio release - today I'm over at Marta's Meanderings. Remember, every time you leave a comment, you're entered to win your choice of my audio books!

And finally, Brenda Novak's online auction is going strong...and my One Night Gift Package is currently at $22.00 - a steal for 3 signed books and a funky beaded bracelet! Don't you want to enter a bid - on this or on one of the many other terrific items there?!

Writers' Wednesday: Still Blog-Hopping to Talk about One Night in Memphis!

Blogging today over at You Gotta Read Reviews - won't you join me?

Oh, and by the way, not sure I mentioned it or not, but one commenter from all the posts/comments left (drawn randomly) during my One Night in Memphis tour will receive a free copy of the audio book!

Hope you're having a wonderful week...

Print Release Day for One Night in Napa!

IT'S HERE!!!

Print release day for One Night in Napa, my third "24-hour romance" novel with Samhain. I love this story (well, I love all my stories), because of the setting - romantic Napa Valley wine country - the heroine - she's a tough-as-nails broad with super-short spiky hair and facial piercings - and the story-within-a-story that provides a little bit of a twist ending.

Today I'm blogging at Liana's Place - hope you'll drop by and leave me a comment!

Monday's Mentionables: A New Print Release!

"Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out." ~James Bryant Conant

It's almost here: release day for One Night in Napa!! Tomorrow, May 4th, is the magic day. In fact, I'll drop by here again and give you all the updated purchase link, as well as let you know where I'm guest blogging (today: The Life [and Lies] of an Inanimate Flying Object).

And just because it's so darn cute, look what we found yesterday afternoon in our back yard, the size of a quarter: