Category: WIP

WSU and more…

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So, this weekend my husband and I are traveling five hours east to one of my favorite small towns in the country:

PULLMAN, WASHINGTON, home of Washington State University. I spent four of my very best years at WSU, and also met my husband there freshman year. We haven’t been back since we graduated in 2003 (gasp! forever ago, I know!) and we’re so excited visit. We’ll be watching the Apple Cup, which is one of the biggest college football rivalry games in the country.

For the record, I’ll be shamelessly behaving as if I am still in college, and I’m completely okay with that. 🙂

In other news, I’ll be laying off blog posts a bit this month. I’m in the middle of a heavy revision of my WIP, plus the holidays are quickly approaching and I have way too many family commitments to even organize in my head. I’ll still be posting, just not multiple times a week. Looking forward to getting back to my more regular schedule in January.

Teaser Tuesday! Well, sort of…

So, today is a big day in my little writing world:

I typed THE END at the bottom of my WIP, Where Poppies Bloom!

Eighty-five thousand words in just under three months. Whew! I can’t tell you how excited I am to be done with the first draft of this story. It’s become a labor of love, a leap out of my comfort zone, the bane of my existence and also the favorite of  any writing project I’ve ever worked on. All that, and I haven’t even started revisions yet!

The good news is, I’m a revisions kind of girl. The drafting part is SO HARD! Shining a story up, three dimensionalizing characters, tightening arcs, contemplating word choice, deleting bits and adding new ones, rearranging paragraphs, playing with sentence structure… this is the stuff of the writing process I love. (Interestingly, the lovely Mindi Scott wrote an insightful post about writers’ love/hate relationship with writing this week. You should check it out!)

Anyway, in celebration of the completion of WIP’s first draft, I’m teasing you with the last few lines. Don’t worry–they don’t give much away. 🙂

            He pulls me forward, up and out of my chair and into his lap. His arms come around me, enveloping me in warmth and the fresh sunshine scent I’ll forever associate with him. Leaning in close to my ear, he whispers, “Remember when I told you Bell Cove was the shit?”

            I nod, my skin breaking out in shivers.

            “It’s true, right?”

            I look him straight in the eye, a smile teasing my mouth. “Only because you’re here.”

            He laughs and leans in to kiss me again.

            This time, I meet him halfway.

Repetition

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It can be a good thing, definitely, but repetition is also one of my biggest pet peeves when reading. By repetition, I mean using the same word or phrase repeatedly, until it begins to stick out like a blinking light on the page, distracting the reader. Let me give you an example:

Last month I read a YA novel I really enjoyed. It was extremely well plotted, its characters were three dimensional, and the writing was spot on. BUT the author used the word stark (or starkly) like, three billion times. The first time I came across it I thought, Ooh, perfect word choice there. That’s exactly the way I pictured his expression: sort of bleak and barren. Then I encountered it again. And again. And again.  So many times that I was completely pulled out of the novel and ended up wondering why no one (the author, CPs, betas, editors) caught it, instead of focusing on the story itself. 

In another book I recently read, a supporting character asked the protagonist “Are you okay?” or “Are you all right?” in almost every scene. Literally. And again, every time I came across one of those phrases, I kind of rolled my eyes, distracted, and then begrudgingly moved on.  In another contemporary YA I loved, the characters seemed to “shrug happily” a heck of a lot. In yet another, an author used the same sentence structure over and over, a lot like, Typing furiously, she wrote the blog post.

Here’s the thing: I am so guilty of repetition in early drafts. I’ve been reading over bits of my WIP, Where Poppies Bloom, and have found the word gentle more times than I care to admit. I’m leaning on the phrase “His/her voice was…” too. The thing is, I’m aware of the problem and intend to tackle it in revisions. While revising, I’ll probably find dozens more words that need to be changed or cut or improved upon. And I know the fabulous people who will eventually critique my manuscript will do their best to point out any repetition they find too.  

 I know it sounds sort of nit-picky (and I’m nothing if not nit-picky :)), but I think it’s SO important for an author to be invisible. I don’t want to think about his or her writing and editing processes while I’m trying to enjoy the book. I want to lose myself in their world, be completely immersed, not distracted by echoes that travel the pages of the novel. It’s easy to fall back on a few comfortable words or phrases, especially early in the process. I think it’s fine to go with whatever comes while you’re drafting , but I also think it’s important to carefully consider your words later in the game.

So, please tell me I’m not the only person this bugs. Do you notice repetition? Do you have any examples that make you want to pull your hair out?

Sadly, our vacation is over, but here's one last picture of my Cutie Pie and me in Arizona.

Tuesday Tunes – If I Die Young

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The Band Perry is a fairly new group out of East Tennessee. There first big hit, If I Die Young, was written by lead singer Kimberly Perry for their debut album. This song is thought-provoking, haunting, and moving–all the things I want my WIP, Where Poppies Bloom to be.  If I Die Young is a constant on my play list these days. Here’s the video, and below are the lyrics in full.

“If I Die Young”

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a, bed of roses
Sink me in the river, at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

Uh oh, uh oh

Lord make me a rainbow, I’ll shine down on my mother
She’ll know I’m safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh and
Life ain’t always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain’t even grey, but she buries her baby

The sharp knife of a short life, well
I’ve had, just enough time

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a, bed of roses
Sink me in the river, at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

The sharp knife of a short life, well
I’ve had, just enough time

And I’ll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom
I’m as green as the ring on my little, cold finger, I’ve
Never known the lovin’ of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand, there’s a
Boy here in town says he’ll, love my forever
Who would have thought forever could be severed by
The sharp knife of a short life, well
I’ve had, just enough time

So put on your best boys and I’ll wear my pearls
What I never did is done

A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I’ll sell them for a dollar
They’re worth so much more after I’m a goner
And maybe then you’ll hear the words I been singin’
Funny when your dead how people start listenin’

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a, bed of roses
Sink me in the river, at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

Uh oh (uh, oh)
The ballad of a dove Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep ’em in your pocket
Save them for a time when your really gonna need them, oh

The sharp knife of a short life, well
I’ve had, just enough time

So put on your best boys and I’ll wear my pearls

*Written by Kimberly Perry

What about you? Any songs that have been particularly moving or inspirational lately?

And for your viewing pleasure, my cutie pie, Claire, as Dorothy, and me as Hermione Granger on Halloween 🙂

Friday Five – What’s awesome this week?

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It’s a random Friday. I’m knee-deep in WIP, and therefore not reading a lot or watching much TV. But, I have gotten out a little and here are the things that make my awesome list this week. 🙂

1) Okay, movies first. I saw two last weekend and they both rocked (the Munchkin slept over at Mimi and Baba’s and my husband and I pulled a double feature!).

The Social Network – Fast paced, funny, and completely relevant. I was in college when Napster came out (I may or may not have had a few free songs downloaded on my computer. Shhh…) and have had Facebook for a few years now. The Social Network is a story of friendship, money and betrayal, and the impact of technology on masses of people. There’s really no good guy in this movie; at times, I was sympathetic to all of the main characters. The Social Network is proof that good ideas are a dime a dozen. Actually being able to execute them WELL is what’s important.

 

AND It’s Kind of a Funny Story –  Based on a YA novel, It’s Kind of a Funny Story reminded me of Little Miss Sunshine, a movie I adore. It’s a little bit dark, a little bit funny, and a lot heartfelt. The actors are adorable, and the movie focuses on a realistic teen with realistic problems (pressure at school, unrequited love, feelings of isolation). At times, it’s a little heavy-handed on its lesson (things are never as bad as they seem), but I still loved it.

2) I found a local independent new/used bookstore! A Good Book Cafe in Sumner, Washington might just be my new favorite place to buy books. They have a huge selection of all genres and are willing to special order anything they don’t stock. Plus, they took two huge boxes of old books off my hands in exchange for discounts and store credit. Yay! 

3) Vampire Diaries – I know it’s aimed at teens, blah, blah, blah, but I think Vampire Diaries is one of the best shows on TV. It’s steamy, with super sharp dialogue, new twists and turns in every episode, and a freakishly attractive cast. If you’re not watching, start with Season One. Too much goes on in each and every scene to jump in mid-Season Two. But do watch–definitely!

4) I found the perfect actor to play the romantic interest in the movie of my WIP, Where Poppies Bloom (hey, a girl can dream!). Meet Alex Pettyfer. Yeah. I know.

5) Last but not least, I have found my new favorite non-writing/non-publishing blog ever – www.whatclaudiawore.com. I have to admit, I was intensely fanatical about The Baby-Sitters Club when I was a kid. Not only did I read every. Single. Book, but, I owned most of the too. Silly as they seem now, I was an uberfan. My favorite character was Claudia Kishi, the Asian American girl with the almond-shaped eyes. So what if she sucked at school and had an insane candy addiction? She was arty and unique and she wore–seriously–the coolest clothes ever.  Somehow I’ve managed to stumble across a blog written by a twenty-something who shares in my previously dormant  Claudia obsession. Her posts are snarky and fun, featuring the way-too detailed descriptions of Claud’s outfits straight from the books’ text, with her witty commentary laced it. Lately, she’s been doing her take on the book covers too, which are nothing short of hilarious. Yep. Check it out! 🙂  

(Kristy pic from http://incredulouskristy.tumblr.com/, also worth checking out!)

RTW – The Feel Good Decade

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Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing or reading related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This Week’s Topic: If you could travel back to any historical era for research purposes, which would you choose?

This one’s easy for me! I’ve been researching the 1970s for the last few weeks for my WIP, Where Poppies Bloom, which features a ghost who’s been dead since 1977. Not sure the ’70s qualify as a “historical era” (I think historical is technically anything before the 1900s, right?) but I’m chosing The Feel Good Decade anyway, because it’s just so groovy. 🙂  The Vietnam War was over and the draft was done . Civil Rights was the law. Protesting was coming to an end. People just wanted to be happy! Why else would they have worn bell bottom pants and disco-ed till they dropped?

Just check out this awesomeness!




Thanks for another fun topic, YA Highway! Looking forward to next week!

What’s New?

I recently realized that I haven’t done an update post in a while, and thought this might be a good time. But, before we begin, if you haven’t had a chance to take a look at the improvements I’ve made to this little corner of the internet, please do. Above, I’ve added ABOUT ME, LOVING MAX HOLDEN, and WHERE POPPIES BLOOM tabs. Check ’em out!

First, I’m stilling querying and waiting on replies for my YA romance, Loving Max Holden. I’ve had some good responses and have gotten several requests for pages. I’m currently waiting to hear back about two full submissions (both requested from partials) and two partial submissions. My absolute dream agent is currently reading my full. I can’t fully express how much this both terrifies and thrills me. I also have four recent queries still out and am hoping for more requests. Fingers crossed!

Second, I’m beginning a mentorship program through Savvy Authors with romance writer Lori Wilde. During the six month program, my classmates and I will: Learn the nuts and bolts of creating a novel from start to finish, emerge from the class with a completed, revised novel, learn the ins and outs of marketing our fiction, and have fun while developing new writing skills.  I’ll be working on my new paranormal YA romance, Where Poppies Bloom, and I’m so excited to begin. I’m absolutely thrilled about getting feedback from an author with so much experience and success. If you’re interested in learning more, click HERE.  

Finally, I just got home from a mini-vacation with my husband and daughter. We drove about four hours southwest to the Oregon coast where we enjoyed fun in the sun, sandcastle building, kite flying, yummy food, and great shopping. This trip was two-fold. First, we packed in some lovely family time, and second, I saw first hand the small, touristy coastal towns I’ve based the setting of my next book on. Astoria, Seaside, and Cannon Beach were all on my radar when I started building fictional Bell Cove for Where Poppies Bloom. Now that I’ve spent time in each of these cities and absorbed their ambience, I’m certain I’m on the right track. We detoured to Portland on the way home, specifically to visit Powell’s Bookstore, an enormous independent new and used bookstore. One word: AMAZING. Now that I’ve been, I’ll be tempted to drive south for all of my book buying. Anyway, here are some inspirational photos from our trip:

 



And because I can't resist... Me, my fabulous husband and my cutie pie daughter.

So, that’s what’s new with me. Still on the agent hunt, ready to begin a new project, fresh from a wonderful family trip. What have you been up to?

Pitching…

So, I’ve had some interesting experiences with pitching in these last few weeks, and I wanted to take a moment to share them here. First, let me say that I’ve never pitched in person to an agent or editor, and I’ve only pitched live online a few times, so I’m by no means an expert. For some great pitching advice, look here (scroll all the way down!), or here,  or here (for a LOT of pitch info).

That being said, here’s what I’ve leanred.

As a member of the amazing writing community Savvy Authors, I’ve had the opportunity to pitch my work to some well-respected and highly successful literary agents in a private chatroom at the Savvy site. Sounds easy, right? Comfort of home, slippers on, no nerve-wracking face-to-face encounter to stress about. 

No. It’s not easy. Easier then pitching in person? Probably. But still, very much an anxiety inducing experience. Here’s how it works at Savvy: 

1) Show up in the chatroom on time.
2) You (and the other selected pitchers) are assigned the order in which you will pitch by a moderator.
3) Upon your turn, you enter the private Pitching Chatroom where the agent will be waiting. 
4) Very briefly introduce yourself (because time’s a tickin’! You’ve only got ten minutes!).
5) Copy and paste your title, genre, word count and 3-line pitch.
6) Wait (without biting your nails or tapping your foot or freaking out in any way whatsoever) while the agent reads and reviews your pitch.
7) Answer any questions the agent might have about your manuscript or yourself (they always have questions!).
8 ) Hope and pray that the agent will request to see more of your work.
9) Politely hank the agent for her time, no matter what the outcome of the pitch.
10) Return to the general chatroom and report to your fellow pitchers and moderators how things went.
11) Listen and respond while fellow pitchers and moderator either congratulate you (!) or sympathize with you.


 Here’s my pitching history so far.

Effort #1 – I’ll be the first to admit, my pitch was untested and a little iffy. The agent I spoke to was pleasant, though not much interested in my genre and not interested at all in my manuscript. Boo! But the great part is, she was forthcoming and more than willing to offer advice on how to make my pitch sparkle. Slightly disappointed about not getting a request, I went back to work on my pitch, taking her advice to heart.

Effort #2 – I had a new and improved pitch. This agent was incredibly kind. She doesn’t tweet or blog, though, so I didn’t feel like I had a great handle on who she was or what she was seeking. Luckily, she was interested in my pitch and had tons of questions. I mean TONS. That’s good though. She wasn’t bored. I answered them as quickly and directly as possible. And… she requested a partial! Awesome!

Effort #3 – Intimidating. This pitch was with well-known agent in the Kidlit scene. Popular on Twitter, popular blog. It’s weird how you feel like you sort of know a person just from their online presence. Again, she was very nice, as I imagined she would be. She had questions too, most notable, Can you compare your book in voice, subject matter, etc… to that of another author. Why, yes, I can! Again, she was interested and happens to be seeking books that fall into the genre I write. And… another partial request!

Now, I just have to wait. The hard part. 🙂

Here’s the greatest thing about these online pitches (other than getting to wear slippers while you do them!): Pitching online (or at a conference, for that matter) cuts out a lot of waiting time. For example, one of the agents I follow on Twitter recently commented that her query inbox was at over seven-hundred queries. Seriously?! I imagine it will take weeks to get through all those, and I can also imagine that it will be difficult to give each and every one close and personal attention. Pitching takes that portion of wait time out of the game. It also makes your name just a tiny bit more memorable in a sea of hundreds (thousands?) because hey, she spent ten minutes discussing your book with you. That, in my opinions, is so much better than being one letter in a sea of many, many more.

Moral of the story? If the opportunity to pitch arises, run with it!

Genre Jumping

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I’ve always considered myself a contemporary romance kind of girl. Though I read widely, when it comes to writing, realistic contemporary has consistently been the genre I’ve chosen. I’ve always been fascinated by the way people (teenagers, specifically) deal with tough situations and how they lean on those who they’re closest to. This, very simply, is the bread and butter of what my first two books were about: teens coping with a difficult real-life situation and the toll those challenges put on their relationships.  

Now, though, I think I’m ready to branch out. I’m seriously considering the idea of taking a stab at the paranormal world. Not vamps or witches or mermaids, but the kind of paranormal I’ve always been quite curious about. The kind of paranormal we can’t confidently discount from reality.

The paranormal aspect in this book I’m still fleshing out will compel my main character to take a serious look at her life, the world-rocking mistakes she’s made, and the relationships she’s all but ruined. Though I plan to shroud the story in romance and a bit of mystery, my main character will face a literal life-and-death decision, one that wouldn’t be nearly as effective if written in the contemporary genre.

The thing is, paranormal might not be for me. I might get fifty words into this puppy and discover that it’s not working at all. But I’m okay with that. I’m giving myself permission to step out of my comfort zone, to take a chance with something new, to explore a genre that’s new and fascinating to me.

So, I’ve plotted loosely, written a little, done some extensive characterizing on who will hopefully becoming my three main characters, and invented the perfect little coastal town for my story to take place. Now, I have to get it on paper and see how it all pieces together, but I’m excited to explore this new genre where I can make the rules and the possibilities are endless.  

WIP will take place in a town sort of like this.

 

In a house sort of like this.

Friday Five: Visual Inspiration

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I’m a visual girl; therefore I often troll the internet in search of actual pictures of the images and ideas I write about. So, for today’s midsummer Friday Five, I’m posting five of my favorite WIP visuals. I’m posting the pictures without comment, first, so as not give anything in WIP away, and second, because I don’t wish to influence your perception. The images below might become something completely different to you than what they are to me. Without further ado:

Ooh, and a bonus. Lucky you! This is competely unrelated to WIP, but here I am with my little family on Independence Day… isn’t my Munchkin a cutie pie?!