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I'm thrilled at the opportunity to interview yet another member of the Class of 2k10, as a bonus this week on my blog. I'm especially happy to have met Rhonda (in a virtual sense) because we share a similar film business background and are also neighbors in lovely L.A. I hope we'll be able to meet in person soon as well!  Tell us about your book. THE WITCHY WORRIES OF ABBIE ADAMS comes out on April 1, from Dial Books for Young readers. And hmm...I’d have to say it’s a fun, middle-grade novel (not to get all braggy or anything) about a contemporary, fifth grade witch, who runs into a little trouble balancing the normal world with the magical one.  Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publication? Yikes. It was long and torturous, I’m sorry to report. I finished the book five years ago when my kids were the right age to read it...Then, it took ages to get an agent but hardly any time to sell it once I did. Naturally I thought that my literary career was launched...and it was...except for the fact that Raincoast, the publishing house that bought it, went out of business just as the book was headed for the copy editor. My intrepid agent didn’t gave up though and she sold it again to Harcourt...which soon after started undergoing upheaval related to the economy...and caused a lot of upheaval in my heart. My editor Kathy Dawson left Harcourt, but took me with her to Dial, bless her little heart. Then all I had to endure was the glacial pace of the actual publishing process... which takes us right up to this week. Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? Don’t tell anyone this, but there were kind of a lot of passes before my agent sold the book for the second time...so many in fact that when she called me in person rather than e-mailing me, I felt positive that she was calling to break the news that there was no point in sending it out any more. When I recognized her voice, I instantly plummeted into an abyss of despair. But I popped right out when she told me she’d sold it again. Got all chirpy and everything. What’s the one thing that’s surprised you most on the journey from starting your novel to publication? How everlastingly LONG it all took. Where were you when you got the news that your book had been sold? I was sitting at my desk, glumly slogging away at the second book in my series, even though I was slowly giving up hope that the first one would ever get sold.  aumflowersindiaflorists.com What did you do to celebrate? We went out to dinner where my husband surprised me by having the waiter bring over a bottle of champagne that he said had been sent from JK Rowling because she was such a big fan of mine. Where can we find out more about your book and about you? Why how charming of you to ask. You can find me at my website www.rhondahayter.com, or you can find me with a wonderful group of other debut YA and MG authors at www.classof2k10.com. We’re a-bloggin’ and carrying on all the time over there. Thanks so much for having me. Thank YOU, Rhonda! And I hope everyone noticed that Rhonda's book is already out, as of this posting. You can find information on how to buy her book at her website. Sadly, it’s the final day of the Debut Author Interview Extravaganza. But I'm very happy to close out the week with Angie Smibert, a fellow Elevensie and also a classmate of mine in the Class of 2k11. Once again, there are more new interviews on the blogs listed at the end of the post. (In addition, I have one more interview up my sleeve; details below.)  Tell us about your book. Memento Nora (Marshall Cavendish, Spring 2011) is young adult science fiction. It’s about a teenage girl’s struggle to hold on to her memories—and her identity—in a world that finds it far more lucrative for everyone to forget—and keep on shopping. I pitched it as Feed or Extras meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publication? In October 2008, I went to the SCBWI Mid-Atlantic conference in Arlington, Virginia, which was the best $100 (or however much it was) I’ve ever spent. The four editors on the editors’ panel invited everyone who attended to submit queries and/or chapters directly to them. I sent Memento Nora to three of the four. (The fourth didn’t handle science fiction.) A couple of months passed. I’m thinking it’s time to chalk it up to experience when I get a letter from Marshall Cavendish saying they’d like to see more. Happy holidays, indeed. I sent the editor (now my editor) the whole manuscript. And waited. A few more months pass. Then I heard back that they might be interested if I change the ending a little. So, I rewrote furiously and send it back. Meanwhile, I heard from one of the other panel editors that she wanted to see the whole manuscript—which luckily I’d just rewritten. Long story short: a bidding war did not ensue. The second editor graciously declined, but my rewrite was enough to convince Marshall Cavendish. Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? I’ve been writing fiction off and on (with varying degrees of skill and luck) for many, many years. I did give up on it for long stretches of time, using the excuse that life just got in the way. Finally, a few years ago I decided that I needed to just quit the day job and take a real crack at this writing thing. I don’t recommend that drastic approach for everyone, but it seriously concentrated my focus--plus I think I was finally ready to write the stories I wanted to write. And, here I sit with a few dozen published short stories and a novel set to debut next year. So, ultimately I didn’t give up. Why? I guess I haven’t found anything else that’s as satisfying as writing my own stories. That, and I think I always believed deep down that I could do it. What’s the one thing that’s surprised you most on the journey from starting your novel to publication? The waiting. I don’t know why that surprised me. A writer’s life is full of waiting. You write. You send it out into the world. And you wait. And wait. And wait. I guess the part that surprised me was that after you sign on the dotted line, you wait some more. That was ignorance of the process on my part, though. I didn’t realize how long it takes a book to go from contract to shelf. Where were you when you got the news that your book had been sold? I was at home working. I was so excited I couldn’t remember phone numbers. Thank goodness for speed dial. What did you do to celebrate? I don’t remember. ;) To find out more about Angie and her book, check out the following links: Web site: www.angiesmibert.com (under construction) Blog: www.angiesmibert.com/blog Facebook: www.facebook.com/asmibert Twitter: www.twitter.com/amsmibert Thanks, Angie! I love the premise for your book!
Well, I think we've learned three things this week: successful writing involves waiting, the SCBWI and chocolate. Tune in next week for a bonus interview, to see if 2010 author Rhonda Hayter agrees! Today, visit my fellow blogging interviewers: Elana Johnson Lisa & Laura Roecker Kirsten Hubbard Beth Revis Leah Clifford Carrie Harris Kim Harrington Tiffany Schmidt Susan Adrian Dawn Metcalf Suzette Saxton & Bethany Wiggins Victoria Schwab Gretchen McNeil Amy Holder Day Four the Debut Author Interview Extravaganza! Be sure to visit the blogs listed at the end of the post for additional brand new interviews.  The author in the cute photo to the left is Michele Corriel. Tell us about your book. Fairview Felines: A Newspaper Mystery (Blooming Tree/Tire Swing Press, July 2010) is the first in a series of middle grade mysteries based on the main character, Thomas Weston, who loves everything about newspapers, inky fingers and all. He dreams of having his own newspaper at school, so when all the cats in his town of Fairview start disappearing, he figures he can prove himself and solve the mystery. Oh, yeah, and he thinks in these really funny headlines. Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publication? First of all, it was a long, twisted road with lots of potholes. I’d written this novel a while ago (and have since finished three other novels) but I just couldn’t seem to find a home for it. Finally, after an SCBWI conference I began talking with the publisher of Blooming Tree Press and she asked me to send her the manuscript. It was almost a year later when she called and said Blooming Tree wanted to publish the book. Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? There were plenty of times I felt like giving up. I have a whole room in my house wallpapered with rejection letters (not really, but I have enough of them!). I’ve always been a writer. There was never anything else I ever wanted to do. I knew if I didn’t continue to send my work out it would never get published. So I kept on writing and I kept on submitting and it finally paid off. (I also have a non-fiction picture book coming in the fall from a different publisher – Weird Rocks, published by Mountain Press!) And I now have a great agent who believes in my work, which really helps me to keep the faith. What’s the one thing that’s surprised you most on the journey from starting your novel to publication? How long everything takes … I’m used to writing for newspapers and magazines … books take years to come out! Where were you when you got the news that your book had been sold? I was at home, alone. My cell phone rang and it was Miriam Hees, the publisher for Blooming Tree Press. Everything seemed to rush by and go in slow motion all at the same time.  formosportal.com.br What did you do to celebrate? I jumped around the house for a while with my dog. (She was really happy, too, of course she’s happy when I drop anything on the floor so it doesn’t take much.) And then I called my husband and my writers’ group. My writers’ group has a pact: if anyone gets anything published that person has to buy chocolate for the group. It was best pound of chocolate I ever bought. Where can we find out more about your book and about you? My website is www.michelecorriel.com. From there you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, and you can also read my blog, Playing With Words. I’m also in the Class of 2K10 and you can find me (and 22 other debut mg and ya novelists) on that website as well: www.classof2k10.com. Thanks for the interview and good luck to everyone! Thanks, Michele! I hope readers are noticing the strong role chocolate is playing in all of these interviews. One of the blogs below features the question "M&Ms or Twizzlers?" in their interviews. I think you can guess where I and my authors (I'm assuming) stand in answer to this question. I won't tell you which blogger asks the question -- you'll have to visit them all to find out. Elana Johnson Lisa & Laura Roecker Kirsten Hubbard Beth Revis Leah Clifford Carrie Harris Kim Harrington Tiffany Schmidt Susan Adrian Dawn Metcalf Suzette Saxton & Bethany Wiggins Victoria Schwab Gretchen McNeil Amy Holder  Shari Maurer is the star for Day Three of the Debut Author Interview Extravaganza. Be sure to visit the blogs at the end of the post for more new interviews with up and coming authors. Tell us about your book. Change of Heart will be published by WestSide Books in April 2010. Emmi, a 16-year old champion soccer player, struggles to maintain a normal life, while she waits for a heart transplant, and learns the truth about love, loss and the meaning of true friendship in the process.  Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publication? Change of Heart went through several revisions before it finally find a wonderful advocate in my agent, Marlene Stringer. Marlene sent it out and we got a lot of “Like it, but don’t love it” type rejections. We had heard about WestSide Books, a new imprint focusing on realistic teen fiction and we thought it would be a great fit. Marlene subbed it in September of 2008, but we didn’t hear back from WestSide until May 2009. As you can imagine, there was a lot of fingernail chewing and worrying going on at my house. Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? Yes. Many times. This morning, in fact, as I struggle to move forward in my Work In Progress. Why didn’t I give up? Not sure. But I do know that perseverance is probably the second most important thing in a writer’s career (the ability to write probably being the first, though sometimes I think perseverance might be even more important). What’s the one thing that’s surprised you most on the journey from starting your novel to publication? How much I’m enjoying being a part of the writing community. I have an incredible base of support from the Class of 2k10, a group of 23 young adult and middle grade writers who are also debuting this year. We often check in via e-mail and it’s good to have a place to go when I have a question about the publishing industry/bookmarks/blogs/ARCs—you name it and we’ve been talking about it. I’ve also met some fabulous writers via The Tenners site on Live Journal, Twitter, Facebook and most importantly, Verla Kay’s Blueboards. Where can we find out more about your book and about you? Please visit my website at www.sharimaurer.com. You can learn more about me, Change of Heart and read my blog to get the updates on my path to publication. I’m also on Twitter and Facebook. Come on over and say hi!  On another note, since writing about Emmi’s journey to transplant, I have become involved with the New York Organ Donor Network. We are working together to spread the word on how important organ donation registration is and I am trying to encourage everyone I meet to officially register. You can do it here: http://donatelife.net/. You must be 18 or older, but if you are not, you can recruit your family members to sign up. Thanks Shari! I'm proud to say that I've got the little "organ donor" sticker on my driver's license. :)
After you've checked out Shari's links, follow the links below to find more interviews... Elana Johnson Lisa & Laura Roecker Kirsten Hubbard Beth Revis Leah Clifford Carrie Harris Kim Harrington Tiffany Schmidt Susan Adrian Dawn Metcalf Suzette Saxton & Bethany Wiggins Victoria Schwab Gretchen McNeil Amy Holder It’s Day Two of the Debut Author Interview Extravaganza. Be sure to visit the blogs listed at the end for thirteen additional brand new interviews.  I'm thrilled to have another 2010 author: Janet Fox. Tell us about your book. FAITHFUL, Speak/Penguin Group, May 13, 2010. FAITHFUL is historical young adult fiction. 16-year old Maggie Bennet finds herself, love, and the answer to a mystery in the magnificent landscape of Yellowstone National Park.  Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publication? I had a few publications - magazine articles and stories - and a non-fiction middle grade book for Free Spirit Publishing (Get Organized Without Losing It, 2006.) But my dream was to write fiction for children, and the more I worked the more I realized that my "voice" is geared to middle grade and young adult readers. I found my agent, Alyssa Eisner Henkin, at an SCBWI conference...or rather, she found me through a conference critique, which was a dream come true. Once I signed with her, we edited the novel for about 6 months before she sent it to market. Jen Bonnell of Speak/Penguin picked it up, as part of a 2-book deal. Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? Actually...no. And I think that's important. Persistence is crucial to publication. And I believe in what I'm doing. I believe I can make a difference in someone's life. I believe I can write something that will reach someone who needs help and help them see the world new. I'm a big dreamer. What’s the one thing that’s surprised you most on the journey from starting your novel to publication? How many friends I've made that I've never even met - through the internet. I feel touched by that experience and by those connections. Where were you when you got the news that your book had been sold? I was on my way to my weekly critique meeting! That was so wonderfully ironic and symbolic, that I could immediately share the news with the people who helped me get there. The only downside was that I couldn't scream, because I was in Starbucks, and I didn't think they'd appreciate me jumping up and down and screaming. What did you do to celebrate? My husband took me out to my favorite restaurant. Which is rare, because he's a great cook, and he likes to cook. So it was huge that he took me out. To find out more about Janet and her book, check out the following links: Janet Fox's website Janet Fox's blog Thanks Janet! I agree with the comment on meeting new people via the Internet. After all, now I know Janet, and all the other authors I'm interviewing this week! Follow the links below to other blogs, each with an inspiring interview with a different up and coming author! Elana Johnson Lisa & Laura Roecker Kirsten Hubbard Beth Revis Leah Clifford Carrie Harris Kim Harrington Tiffany Schmidt Susan Adrian Dawn Metcalf Suzette Saxton & Bethany Wiggins Victoria Schwab Gretchen McNeil Amy Holder  I'm thrilled to begin my week of interviews with the talented and also very nice and extremely generous Kristina McBride. Tell us about your book. The Tension of Opposites will be released on May 25th through Egmont USA. It’s the story of sixteen-year-old Tessa McMullen, whose best friend was kidnapped two years ago. The book starts when Tessa finds out that her friend has just been found alive and is coming home. Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publication? Oh dear. It was a long road, that’s for sure. I landed an agent on my third manuscript, and felt so lucky to be working with her, I didn’t even care that she thought my book needed some major revisions. During the next eleven months, I worked very hard on the changes. I believe I went through three titles, turning in at least five drafts before my agent finally said it was ready for submission to editors. She was right (she’s brilliant, I tell you). My book had three offers in three weeks!  Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? I think the hardest time for me was about six months into revisions with my agent. The book just wasn’t working, and I felt like I wasn’t ever going to get it right. But my wonderful husband, and supportive family and friends told me to eat a bunch of chocolate and get back to work. I knew this was probably my only shot at living my dream, so I did what they said. I pretty much started over, deleting all but 5 of 28 chapters. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. Dropping all the stuff that was no longer clicking together gave me the freedom I needed to just start over. That’s the draft that ended up working! What’s the one thing that’s surprised you most on the journey from starting your novel to publication? That I’m actually here! All along the way, from childhood when this dream of becoming published formed, to the first offer from an editor, I never knew for sure if I could do it. I have my answer now – I can! And that’s still CRAZY for me to think! Where were you when you got the news that your book had been sold? The mudroom of my house. I’d been bathing two toddlers and didn’t hear the phone when my agent called with the news of the first offer. She left me a message, which is probably good because she may have gone deaf from my screams of excitement. Offer two came through the answering machine as well. It wasn’t until the third offer that my agent actually got me on the phone. It was a crazy fun whirlwind that lasted for several weeks.  secretrecipe.com.ph What did you do to celebrate? Went to a local ice cream shop with my husband and two young children. I ordered a three dip chocolate sundae – yum! To find out more about Kristina and her book, check out the following links: Kristina McBride's website Kristina McBride's blog The Tension of Opposites at Goodreads For more inspiration follow the links below to other blogs, each with an inspiring interview with a different up and coming author! Elana Johnson Lisa & Laura Roecker Kirsten Hubbard Beth Revis Leah Clifford Carrie Harris Kim Harrington Tiffany Schmidt Susan Adrian Dawn Metcalf Suzette Saxton & Bethany Wiggins Victoria Schwab Gretchen McNeil Amy Holder |
KathyI'm a novelist and screenwriter living in Los Angeles. Find details on this "blog" about my books and appearances. Want to reach me? You can Contact Me here. What I'm working on now:
- A new YA novel - A middle grade novel - An original screenplay for the Disney Channel Writing Book of the Month:
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