Hi, ya’ll! Today I’m a guest on Krystal Wade’s blog . . . she’s not only a fellow Curiosity Quills author, she’s also the YA Acquisitions Editor who offered me my contract, so please don’t make me look bad in front of her! Hop on over and leave a comment. In this post, I’ve hijacked Doc Brown’s Delorean to deliver a letter to myself the first week of high school:-) For those of you too young to know what I’m talking about *shakes head* . . . . watch this video first.
Godspeed . . . .
The brilliant and awesome Jenny Ford passed on the Mrs. Sparkly award. Look–
*Pausing for OOhs & AAhs*
To accept the award, I have to answer seven questions about me and nominate 15 other bloggers. I hate to leave people out and many times I pass on these awards to people who’ve already received them so here’s the deal . . . .if you are one of the first 15 to comment and have a blog but don’t have this award, take it! All you guys sparkle and deserve it:):) Also, the knowledgable and gracious Robin Weeks has offered to give away a query critique to a commenter on my blog after I correctly answered a question on her blog last week! Winner can pick whether Robin tears the query apart in private or on her blog, to be seen by tens of people–who just might comment and help you even more. So if you’d like to be considered for that, please make note of it in the comments below. Thanks, Robin!!!
Ok, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.
Describe yourself in 7 words: weird, ambitious, fun, anal, fast (not in running *I wish* but I tend to jump into things), talkative, daydreamer
*What keeps you up at night? Writing my novels and reading!!
*Whom would you like to be? Wellllll, God made me “me” for a reason, so nobody (Ok, but it wouldn’t totally suck to be J.K. Rowling)
*What am I wearing right now? HP shirt (yep, nERd alert), Navy cotton shorts from Ann Taylor Loft . . . and I’m not describing my undergarments to you (pervs! HA! J/K)
*What scares you? Needles & anything to do w/ the Dr. in general. Still don’t know how I made it through two pregnancies, but I’m soooo glad I did b/c my daughters rock!
*What are the best and worst things about blogging? Connecting with people from all around the wORld is for sURe the best THiNG evER!!! The worst . . . it’s a major time suck and even though I love, LOVE, lOvE it, I always feel guilty b/c there are other things I should be doing (but I choose to ignore THAT voice in my head & let the others take over. Heehee)
*If I could change one thing about myself, what would it be? I drink too much coffee, CoFfEe, C*O*F*F*E*E!!! I’m addicted. Hmm, maybe you can tell that about me w/out stating it? 4 cups of Santa’s White Christmas with 2 spoonfuls of sugar, Caramel Macchiato creamer, whipped cream every day is a necessity (like food, shelter, & love in a mug!)
*Slankets, yes or no? OK, I guess I’m not cool b/c I actually had to google what Slankets are, lol. But I AM a Slankets girl, we just refer to them as snuggies in my house. I have a HP one that looks like a Hogwarts robe.
*Tell us something about the person who nominated you. Jenny Ford (known as J. Keller Ford to many of you) is a YA author inspired by fantasy and magic. I love her blog . . . she always has lotsa good stuff on there & is like, a real person. I feel like I know her even though we’ve never met. I got to know her story when she participated in the first page critique hop on my blog this past February.
Thank you, Jenny, and thanks to everyone who follows my blog and offered their congrats last week–YOU SPARKLE!!!
As you can tell from my photo- I’m sooooo excited!!! I like that I’m wearing my Cheshire Cat shirt since my grin is identical to his:) I feel like I’m in Wonderland holding an actual publishing contract! But at the same time, I know there are plenty of people out there wanting to give up b/c they’ve been trying to achieve their dreams for what seems like forever & it’s not happening (yet). Believe me, I know. I’ve been trying to get published for 3 years. Please allow me to share my story with you . . . (click on the link for inspirational music while you read. Come on, you know you want to!)
In the summer of 2009 hubby started snoring & keeping me awake. I dug up this children’s chapter book I’d started in 2005 in the wee hours of the night with the idea of finishing it, but it just didn’t call to me anymore. So I started writing the novel of my heart, yanno, that first manuscript that never sees the light of day? In 2 months time I managed to write 95,000 words, and I still wasn’t finished ya’ll! When I paused to do some research, I discovered I’d written a contemporary young adult love story (who knew?!?) and I’d gone waaaaaaaaaaayyyy over the acceptable word count. So I started querying for that novel and writing the sequel. I chose 15 publishers that were open to submissions and was rejected by all of them. I was crushed.The start of 2010 meant researching the publishing biz and studying the craft of writing. I attended RWA Nationals in the summer and learned more stuff.
NY Times Bestselling Author Kelley Armstrong with yours truly at RWA Nationals
That’s when I figured out I needed to stop writing my sequel I was already 53,000 words into. The first novel I’d written was all about a 16-yr-old girl in turmoil, cutting herself, ect . . . and in the sequel she was emotionally healed but her best friend was diagnosed with leukemia and she came up with the idea of a bucket list to help him through it. There was no reason for these two stories to be related. I shelved the first novel after I’d edited it as much as I thought I could and still received 3 rejections from agents after they requested the full at RWA Nationals. So I finished the second one and went through revisions. I didn’t have money to attend RWA nationals again. I connected with bloggers online instead. That’s when I participated in Deana Barnhart’s Gearin’ Up to Get An Agent blogfest last summer.
From the comments I gained (thanks everyone, especially Deana), I gathered I needed to get away from the cancer thing. Cancer and bucket lists had been done. So I changed it up a bit and queried 15 agents again. Got 3 requests for the full, but ultimately rejected. Then my local chapter for RWA, SWFRW, hosted an awesome conference this past February. I had appointments with editors from TOR, Harlequin Teen and Sourcebooks. I was pumped. Then a month before the conference, I got this comment from Leah Hultenschmidt during the discussion for Pitch-Slam Weekend on YALITCHAT.ORG:
“The idea of completing a set amount of tasks is all over the genre right now (Little Blue Envelopes, Instructions for a Broken Heart, 13 Reasons Why to some degree), so you’ll need something extra special to make this really stand out. Maybe give more detail at what’s unexpected so that can be as much of the hook as the instructions.”
Craaaaaaaaaaaaapppp! That’s who I was pitching to for Sourcebooks! I decided then to put a paranormal twist on it since all my other story ideas were paranormal and I knew I’d need to write in the same genre for a while to build up my audience. The only problem? Many agents/editors were saying they’re done with YA paranormal love stories. *whines, why didn’t I think of this story back in 2009 when it was hot?* Still, everyone always says to not write for trends so I stuck with it. Guess what? They all requested my manuscript:) I was still revising so it took me 2 months to send it to them *oops!*
Then blogger buddy Sharon Bayliss hosted a contest during my first week of summer break. The contest was a call to submit our query + first 500 words to YA acquisitions editor Krystal Wade of Curiosity Quills, whom Sharon had just signed a contract with. I thought, what the heck? I’ll start my summer off right with a contest and hopefully gather some valuable feedback. Everyone rocked with their comments and I got a request for the first 3 chapters from Krystal. I was excited but also kinda disappointed I didn’t get a full request. *She later told me she wasn’t going to request it at all but liked the changes I’d made based on the comments. So yep, these contests really do help!* I sent Krystal the manuscript on a Saturday morning and when I checked my email on Monday, I had a message from her requesting my full manuscript!! I got one of those really good feelings but remained only cautiously optimistic until another 2 days later, I received an offer for a publishing contract for 18 Things!
Curiosity Quills super kewl logo
Of course I had to let the other editors know, so I emailed them and waited. But the whole time I knew in my gut this story was meant for Curiosity Quills. Krystal was so easy to talk to during this whole process and I was really encouraged I finally found an editor that was as excited as I was about my manuscript.
The greatest thing for me is my daughters coming away from this experience knowing that hard work and perseverance really can make dreams come true. I’d like to thank them for giving up some mommy time to help me achieve my goals. I’d also like to show hubby some love for snoring (heehee) and for sticking by my side even when I was super grumpy from staying up all night writing my little heart out. The offer you made me fourteen years ago to marry you is still & always will be the best offer I ever accepted. Crazy thank yous to Sharon and Krystal for the contest . . . can’t wait to work with both A*M*A*Z*I*N*G gals as part of the Curiosity Quills team!! Gratitude for my pals at SWFRW, especially Marisa, Tina, Nicole, Linnea, Heather, Joyce, Michael, Jean, and anyone else who looked at my work (Mom, Amy, Dawn, Misty, Jennifer, Lorie, ect) and instead of telling me I sucked (and at the beginning, believe me when I assure you that I did!), encouraged me and helped show me the light. Muchos Gracias for my literal Sisterhood of the Traveling Necklace (we couldn’t all magically fit into a pair of pants, but we tried!) for covering me in prayer. Words can’t express what your Godly example, influence and friendship has meant to me through the years.
So the moral of the story? Never give up! Trust your gut! And believe every rejection in life just means God has something better planned for you down the road:)
How about you? What are some dreams you’ve never given up on? Are you letting past rejections stop you from moving forward? Well then, I Dare You To Move.
Today I’m kicking off summer right by interviewing another gal who goes by my name, USA Today Bestseller Jaime Rush. She’s got a new release today, so let’s get this party started and give her a warm welcome . . . (while I pause for the virtual claps I want to say please stay tuned afterwards to hear how you can win a synopsis or query critique from Jaime, and her new book!)
JA: This is your 24th book. Have you always known this was the route you wanted to take?
JR: Ever since I was a kid, I loved creating stories. I did go to community college for a while to be “practical,” but I sat in class daydreaming about my current book! So I gave myself a year off to see if I had what it took to write (I also worked full-time), and I did. I threw myself into learning everything I could about writing and the business, and hard to believe, but here I am, 18 years after selling my first novel!
JA: Ah, I daydream alllllllll the time about quitting my job and pursuing my writing full-time–keeping my fingers crossed it’ll happen sooner than later. Now, Darkness Becomes Her, the 6th installment in your Offspring series, was released TODAY!! Can you tell us a bit about the book and how you came up with the idea for the series?
JR: Here’s the blurb for the book:
A man beyond redemption. A woman beyond hope. And a battle that will either kill them…or bring them back from the edge.
Lachlan McLeod has a mission: find the beast who put his brother into a coma. He’ll start with Jessie Bellandre, his brother’s girlfriend, who’s harboring a dark, dangerous secret that could get them all killed. But as they plumb the depths of Darkness, and the light he didn’t know existed in the shadows of his heart, not falling in love with her will be as hard as staying alive.
The series came from my love of television shows like Roswell and X-Files, long gone. I really liked the dynamics of people thrown together in a dangerous situation, which always tests your true character. And especially when those people already have “issues,” namely that they each deal with having some extraordinary psychic ability. Throw in that some shadowy government faction is hunting them down, that their abilities stem from a mysterious experiment each had a parent in, and that those parents are all now dead, and you’ve got the overall arc of the first four books. I didn’t even know all the facts, or how all the characters played in, which made it fun for me.
Now that I’ve completed the arc, it’s fun to spin independent stories while still weaving in the original cast. So new readers can pretty much jump into DARKNESS BECOMES HER without worrying about catching up on a lot of backstory.
JA: Very cool! I’m a huge fan of the series:) I have to ask . . . do you believe in psychic abilities?
JR: Absolutely, and I think we all have the ability to tap into our sixth sense. We’ve all had “gut feelings,” right? Everyone has a story about hearing a voice telling them to maybe get off the road or change lanes right before something happens that would have injured or killed them. I also know there are a lot of fakes out to take advantage of human nature’s need to know the future or understand the past.
JA: Amen, sista! I personally don’t want to know what the future holds, what fun would that be? What’s next for you now?
JR: Unfortunately the publisher is holding off on going forward with more Offspring books. I have another Offspring novella coming out in September (TURN TO DARKNESS), with an unrelated group. And I do intend to write Magnus’s story, because I need to know what’s going on with him now that he’s … well, don’t want to give too much away!
But, being a writer, I can’t not write, so I’ve got a new series in development that I’m super excited about: The Hidden.
Miami. A melting pot of cultures: American, Cuban, Haitian … Dragons, Angels, and sorcerers. Magick hides behind the glitter and sunshine, where humans imbued with the essence of deities keep the balance between angry and forgotten gods, demons, and those of their kind who cannot fight the seductive lure of their magick.
I’ve thrown myself fully into the paranormal and am just loving it! I’ve already written two novellas and the first book. The series will debut from Grand Central Publishing sometime next year.
JA: Wow, you are one busy lady! With all the writing that you do, does it come easy for you? What’s your typical day like?
JR: Sometimes it comes very easy. It’s magic when it flows. Other times, like now, it’s more like pulling teeth. Life can distract, plus the many other aspects of this business. I just work through it, because it’s a job as much as my passion.
That being said, I treat it like a job, getting to work in the morning, not letting myself get drawn into Facebook chats or games or trolling the internet. I work a lot, usually seven days a week, though family time is important. And husband time <grin>.
JA: Thank you soooooooo very much for your interview, Jaime. Do you have any parting words of wisdom for us inspiring writers?
JR: If you want it bad enough, whatever your dream, it matters not the odds of making it, how hard it is, or fitting it into your busy life, especially when you’ve got a full-time job and family. As you squeak in twenty minutes here and there, you are making progress. As you get those rejection letters/emails, you’re making progress. Every step takes you closer to your dream, and if you really, really want it bad enough, I believe you’re meant to make it happen. So never give up!
Want more Jaime Rush? She wrote 14 books under the name Tina Wainscott, most paranormal romantic suspense (but not Offspring). You can check them out at Tina Wainscott titles. She also participated her first anthology novella in 2010, Bitten By Cupid, and it hit #13 on the NY Times List. Be sure to check that one out, too!
Friend Jaime on Facebook or Myspace or Twitter or visit her website.
Jaime has graciously agreed to help me celebrate 400 followers by offering a synopsis or query critique–your choice:) But please limit it to 2 pages. Also, her publisher is offering her book for a giveaway! To enter for either, just leave a comment below and then stop by here next Wednesday to see if you’re the winner & claim your prize:) Until then, Jaime will be stopping by so feel free to leave a question for her!
I didn’t plan on posting until my usual Wednesday blog, but then I heard abou this & thought I’d kick the start of my summer off right . . . by entering an awesome contest of course:) Stop by Sharon Bayliss’s blog to sign up! Here are the dets according to her page:
Seventeen-year-old Olga Gay Worontzoff is dead, she just doesn’t know it yet. She thinks her biggest problems are an awful name (after her grandmothers of course) and not going to prom with Conner, her best friend and crush since kindergarten. But while out sailing together, Conner is struck by lightning, and Olga feels responsible for his death.
Now the sarcastic, nerdy girl who never missed a day of school is lost, unwilling to get out of bed. To help battle depression, her therapist suggests a plan: compile a list of eighteen things to complete the year of her eighteenth birthday.
But the therapist has a big secret. She’s really a spirit guide and the eighteen things aren’t what Olga thinks, it’s really her after-death purification process. A week after Conner’s killed, the choice to take twenty pain pills ended up costing Olga her life. So while her friends help her fire-walk, try out for the cheerleading squad, break a world record and sail again, the only one it’s reality for is Olga, and Nate, the new hottie in town who brings a fun factor to her list while he unknowingly travels through the purification process with Olga. Then he complicates things by asking her out on her first date. She wants to put into practice what her ‘life,’ . . . er, death lessons have taught her, but of all the quests, opening up her heart to love again is the hardest of all. Time is running out and the journey to finding themselves again must be completed, or they risk losing their souls forever.
18 THINGS, a contemporary YA with a paranormal twist, is complete at 70,000 words. A younger version of The Bucket List meets The Sixth Sense, it is stand-alone but has series potential.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
*First 500 Words*
OTTAWA COUNTY LIGHTNING STRIKE:
TEEN KILLED, GIRL SURVIVES
[FROM THE GRAND HAVEN TRIBUNE,
APRIL 2, 2013, REPORTER MELISSA TRACY]
A 17-year-old boy struck by lightning on Lake Michigan has died, authorities said late Tuesday night. A girl who was also on the sailboat when the lightning struck survived.
Ottawa County Coroner, Michael Wallen, told the Grand Haven Tribune that Conner Anderson died at the North Ottawa Community Hospital from heart failure following injuries from the lightning strike.
Paramedic John Croley told GHT that the teens rented a sailboat around 3pm yesterday afternoon and Anderson was struck by lightning around 8pm. The strike caused him to fly off the boat into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan. Since the teens weren’t wearing life jackets, the 17-year-old girl, Olga Worontzoff, had to jump into the water to retrieve Anderson. After swimming back to the boat, with Anderson’s body draped over a lifebuoy nearby, she managed to dial 9-1-1 on Anderson’s cell phone. That’s when she apparently noticed Anderson wasn’t breathing and administered CPR before being rendered unconscious after a gust of wind knocked the sailboat boom into the back of her head.
Anderson was in cardiac arrest when the Coast Guard arrived and was pronounced dead at the hospital an hour later. Worontzoff regained consciousness while being loaded into the ambulance on shore, Croley said, and was treated for a Grade 3 concussion and moderate hypothermia at the hospital before being released.
*
Once I smashed my hand in the car door. The thought of returning to school today feels worse than that. I shove my book bag into the backseat of Nicole’s idling silver Honda Civic.
“How are you holding up?” she asks, hunched over her steering wheel. As her best friend, I can tell when her smile is a fake, plus there are dark circles under her eyes that no amount of cucumber slices could cure.
I take two puffs from my asthma inhaler. “Just drive.”
She snaps her fingers. “I know just what you need. Some Espresso To Go.”
What I need is Conner.
His funeral was yesterday. I’m so not ready for this but Mom is making me, thinks she knows best. I know Mom isn’t trying to be cruel, although at times I wouldn’t put it past her. She’s just the kind of person who thinks in practicalities. To her, going back to school seems like the logical next step to moving on because if she lets me stay home, then it’s making Conner’s death even bigger since as the probable valedictorian, I never miss school. She and Dad are back to work today too, always setting the ‘good’ example, even though they knew Conner well and are grieving with me. I guess it’s their way of coping with things. Usually I’d agree with being practical, but I’m beyond that now. There’s no way to make Conner’s death bigger since I’m the one responsible for not saving him and that’s the biggest truth that’ll ever affect my life. Nothing will ever be important to me again.
Last week the awesome ladies over at The Bookshelf Muse celebrated Random Acts of Kindness in the writing community. Even though their giveaways are over, I never had time to participate. But there is a dear friend of mine hosting a contest on her blog that I feel is a random act of kindness so I thought I’d devote this week’s post to her (better to show up late to a party rather than never, right? rIGHt? lol . . . )
So hop on over to Marisa Cleveland’s page to participate in her one page agent critique contest going on until June 1st . . . gOOd luCK & don’t forget to check out The Bookshelf Muse as well if you haven’t before. Until next week (which, not to rub it in, but I’ll be off for summer vacation for 2 months by then. Yeah, I’m a brat)–CHEERs!!!
P.S. My daughter won a Kindle Fire at middle school yesterday. I just had to share (hey, it falls under the random acts of kindness theme.) I thought it was pretty cOOl b/c on the way to school I was praying for her to have a good dAY at sCHool & she snORted during my prayer, snortED! I told her to have fAITH & she said ok . . . then that happened & it meant her horrible year ended on a totally gOOd note. I guarantee you there’s not a kid who will get more use out of it!
OK, now I’m really done ya’ll:) So stop by next week to hear about another contest hosted by yours truly!
So I totally apologize for going AWOL these past few weeks. Had to take care of some unexpected family biz, as in my middle school daughter having major anxiety attacks (no worries, got her permission to say this). She’s struggled with anxiety for a long time and usually keeps it under wraps pretty well but it decided to rear its ugly head as of late . . . it’s partly hormonal & partly b/c of the FCAT (our standardized testing in FL). Luckily, she’s getting better with counseling, lotsa prayers, deep breaths, a healthier diet and some remedies we found at our local natural foods market. I asked her if she had any advice for those reading who may be suffering anxiety attacks themselves and she said, “Start a God box!” This was her counselor’s idea. The idea is to take an empty shoebox and decorate it, leaving a tiny slot in the top. Then whatever you are worrying about, write it on a slip of paper and place it inside the box . . . a concrete symbol of giving it over to God.
Anyways, to my Kind, Artistic, Yammering, Loveable, Enthusiastic, Earnest daughter ( and yessssss, I did just spell out an acrostic poem of your name with adjectives b/c I’m cOOl like that), I dedicate this song to you . . . I hope you dance.
Now the other thing keeping me busy as of late is Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instrument series. I’ve read the first four, and can’t wait for book 5 due out in May.
City of Lost Souls
While I’m waiting I picked up the prequel, Clockwork Angel. Just finished that one tonight and ran out to Target to buy Clockwork Prince, the sequel to the prequel, lol. I’ve loved all of them and here’s why: it has everything I think a YA book should have in it:
Soooooooooo how about you? Have you read The Mortal Instruments series? If not, what are you waiting for? It’s not too late to read all of them before book 5 comes out (btw, 6 are planned for the series). Rumor on IMDb says they’ve already cast Clary and Jace for the movie!
On St. Patrick’s Day I loaded up the fam to attend the annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival. This is an event I look forward to every year. It’s at Centennial Park on the Caloosahatchee River and the beautiful weather/scenery always attracts A-list authors. This year I got to hear Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie,
Obert Skye,
Lauren Oliver,
and Anna Godbersen (sorry, no pic b/c my camera died) under the Teen Tent. I always love, love, love watching the authors up on the stage and imagining myself being invited to speak one of these days. Some of the other YA authors we’ve seen there in the past were Jeff Kinney, Lois Lowry, R.L. Stine, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Ridley Pearson, Chris Claremont, and Lauren Myracle.
Almost every author has the same format . . . read a bit from their latest manuscript and then hold a Q & A session. There’s always about a thirty-second awkward pause before the first question and I cringe in my seat, but I’m never brave enough to ask the first one either, lol. You can definitely tell there are plenty of wanna-be-authors like me in the audience by their Q’s about publishing. Pretty much all the authors said it took them 5 yrs to break into publishing and many say a Creative Writing degree is a frivolous pursuit (but I still want one, if only I had some time and $).
Anyways, even though I may be an unpub’d nobody, I still have gained over 300 blog followers this year and I think that’s something to celebrate so I stood in the loooooooong line for autographs at the festival in preparation for my Easter Basket Full of Books give away:):) See the pictures below for the goodies:
*Note: Peace, Love & Baby Ducks isn’t autographed since Ms. Myracle was there last year and it’s the only ‘used’ book in the bunch, but I thought it was a good read and couldn’t resist throwing something with baby ducks on the cover in the Easter basket!
Short synopsis of each book:
Delirium: Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until 95 days before her 18th bday and her treatment, when she falls in love.
Luxe: In Manhattan in 1899, 5 teens of different social classes lead dangerously scandalous lives, despite the strict rules of society and the best-laid plans of parents and others.
The Gateway to Foo: When fate brings 14-yr-old Leven and 13-yr-old Winter together, they discover that for mankind to continue dreaming, the gateway between reality and dreams needs to be found & demolished.
Peace, Love & Baby Ducks: 15-yr-old Carly’s summer volunteer experience makes her feel more real than her life of privilege in Atlanta ever did, but her younger sister starts high school pretending to be what she’s not, and both find their relationship suffering.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Anthology of 3 stories based on the hit TV series.
All you need to do to enter is subscribe to this blog and leave a comment below. If you’re already a follower (thanks)– just leave a comment. I’d really love a follow or shout out on Twitter, too: jamiemayres
That’s it! Pretty simple, right? The winner will be chosen randomly and I’ll announce the lucky duck on my blog next Wednesday when I post for Alex Cavanaugh’s IWSG. Seriously ya’ll, thanks so much for coming back each Wednesday to visit little ole’ me!!
So have you thought of your reading festival plan for when you’re a big New York Times Bestseller? Standard read a page followed by Q & A? More interactive like building a story with your audience improv style? Slideshow anyone? I remember when I heard Ally Carter speak at the 2010 RWA Nationals her advice for these things was to always be yourself, but preferably yourself after 2 drinks, lol. Anyways, would love to hear your ideas:):):)
~Until next week, Happy Reading & Happy Writing!
*UPDATE: Thank u, THank yOU, thANk YOu–I’m now over 300 followers! I promised some sort of prize for every time I gained another 100 followers this year and I’m staying true to my word. Soooo b4 today’s interview, I just wanted to say . . . be sure you check in next Wednesday to find out how you can win a YA Easter Basket {full of books, of course} ~Big Hugs to all my cyber buddies:):):)
Today’s guest author is PJ Sharon, a very busy gal with the release of her latest YA novel, Savage Cinderella. Take a dive into the extraordinary life of PJ:
PJ Sharon is the author of several independently published, contemporary young adult novels, including HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES. Her stories have garnered several contest finals, including two awards for ON THIN ICE, and a place in the prestigious Valley Forge Romance Writers and the Florida Romance Writers Golden Palm contest for SAVAGE CINDERELLA.Writing romantic fiction for the past six years, and following her destiny to write Extraordinary stories of an average teenage life, PJ is a member of RWA, CTRWA, and YARWA. She is mother to two grown sons and lives with her husband and her dog in the Berkshire Hills of Western MA.
JA: Thanks for joining us today, PJ! Tell us how your book came about.
PJ: Thanks for having me here today, Jamie. The story came about one day when I was walking with my dog in the woods and started wondering what it would have been like to grow up in the wild raised by wolves or bears. I immediately “saw” my main character, Brinn, running through the woods, dark hair flying, and a bear running alongside her. I’ve answered this question a few times and it probably sounds strange to anyone who isn’t a writer. Once I had the image in my mind, I couldn’t let go of it and the story questions started flowing. Why would she stay in the wild? Maybe she’s afraid of someone. Well who could that be? Maybe she was kidnapped….ooohh…chills. I started writing when I got home and didn’t stop for three weeks. At that point I had 60,000 words written. That was in 2009.
I entered some contests and placed in both the Sheila and the Golden Palm. I tried to sell this story to traditional publishers but got a lot of rejections based on the fact that Brinn is eighteen and Justin is twenty-three. They wanted me to age them down to keep it to the traditional model of YA, but I just couldn’t cave in. The characters needed to be the ages they were to make the story work for several reasons. I got comments about some POV problems, an issue I eventually resolved after learning more about the craft of writing. There were also some issues of believability. Several industry professionals said that the idea of a girl surviving in the wild without anyone finding out about her and reporting her was extremely unlikely. Ironically, shortly after I finished the book, Jaycee Dugard was found, having lived for eighteen years in the back yard of a known sex-offender. Now THAT is beyond belief!
JA: Absolutely! I remember watching Jaycee’s interview last summer with Diane Sawyer . . . beyond belief and heartbreaking. What effect do you hope your book will have on your readers?
PJ: My main goal is always to tell a great story that will entertain and inspire readers. Beyond that, I want to share the message of hope with teens that no matter how difficult life is, it can always get better. I love writing stories that blend grim, real life tragedies with powerful, life affirming triumphs. If it takes a sweet romance to make that happen, I’m all for it!
JA: I’m with you . . . I like a strong heroine but romance makes the world a better place:)
Tell us about your writing process–Are you a plotter or a pantser?
PJ: I like to think I’m a recovering pantser. I love the creative process of just free writing, but I found out after several first draft manuscripts that it makes for a bear revising. Now I do a character grid and establish the goal, motivation, and central conflict of the story. I usually write a chapter or two off the top of my head so I know what the general feel of the story will be and where it’s going. Then I make a time line that plots the three or four major turning points and the black moment. I write in spurts, sometimes getting three chapters done in a day, then I have to stop, read back and tweak it to add details and clarify that I’m heading in the right direction. I do research as I go, and sometimes get stuck for a few weeks trying to find just the right information to bring the story to life. I like having input from critique partners once I’ve got the first fifty pages or so, but that’s getting more difficult lately since all of my critique partners are becoming very busy published authors, LOL.
JA: I’m a pantser, but I hope to be a retired one like you!
What’s your favorite book on the craft of writing and your favorite novel? What do you love about these books?
PJ: Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maass had endless great advice on how to craft a story, create well drawn characters, and put together a winning novel. The workbook was really helpful in putting together all of the information I’d been learning at workshops and conferences.
My favorite novel is OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon. That woman can spin a powerful yarn! I love her descriptions, the fabulously accurate and detailed research that goes into one of her novels, and most of all I love her characters. They jump off the page in bold relief, dragging me into their lives, and making me wish I was part of their adventures. The love scenes between Jamie and Claire are the sweetest, most authentic love scenes I’ve ever read.
JA: I’ll need to check out Outlander for sure! I just read The Breakout Novel this past summer, sounds like I need to ask for the workbook for my birthday:)
Tell us something fun about yourself, related or unrelated to writing.
PJ: Let’s see…fun…hmmm…well, I sing opera, have a black belt in karate, and I can still do a sit spin with the best of them, although I don’t get to ice skate very often anymore.
JA: You really are extraordinary! Thanks for being here, PJ, and gOOd luCK on your blog tour!
Here’s the dets on PJ’s book:
Eighteen year-old Brinn Hathaway has survived on her own in the Northwest High Country of Georgia since she was left for dead in a shallow grave by the man who kidnapped her as a child. When a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer, catches the wild girl on film and the two form a tentative friendship, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope—and the danger—that may await her.
For those of you interested in purchasing the book, follow the link:
Also, PJ is worth a follow! Check her out:
On her Website: http://www.pjsharon.com
Twitter: @pjsharon
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pjsharonbooks
Until next week, Happy Reading & Writing ya’ll!!!
I’ve been tagged by Nancy S. Thompson for The Lucky 7 Meme!
Here are the rules:
My 7 lines are from my novel, 18 THINGS, & the MC has just snuck out with her friends for the first time, all part of a life list compiled of 18 things she’s doing to help her live life to the fullest after a traumatic experience. Nate is a new hottie in town, whom she met at her therapist’s office. He brings a dose of fun to her list, but also complicates things by stirring up feelings she swore she’d never have again. Soooooooooo here is goes (wow, that took almost 7 lines to explain my 7 lines, lol. Sorry–I tend to babble) . . .
I point at Nicole. “Don’t even open that Pandora’s box.”
Nate looks offended, which is so not what I was going for. I wonder what Conner would think of all this. Whenever I picture him now, he’s buttoning up his Kurt Cobain grunge style flannel, holding up three fingers in the Scout Sign, reminding me to always be prepared. But you can’t prepare for falling in love, which is why I don’t want to. Give me my place on the school math team over having a boyfriend any day. Algebra, geometry, calculus, that’s something I can fall in love with. Something precise, a formula I can figure out that always works and never disappoints, never hurts.
“What took you guys so long?” I ask Nicole, trying to avoid Nate’s frown as he fidgets with his iPod Touch.
So that’s it–what’d ya think? Here are my 7 taggers:
3. Shell Flower
5. Kirsten
Check out these 7–they’re worth a visit and a follow:) Until next Wednesday . . . hope your week is lucky!
Jamie Ayres 