Crowe's Nest

The Conversation Hearts We Really Want

2012-02-14T04:55:00.001-08:00

Ahh, Valentine's Day. The holiday cool enough to breed candy hearts capable of carrying on an entire conversation. I don't know about you, but when I was a kid, valentines always came in those little white envelopes. Which was pretty handy, because you could tell darn near instantly if they contained conversation hearts (which, let's face it, made you about 100 times more likely to care about the

Mary: The In Between Time

2012-02-07T05:41:00.000-08:00

Great! You registered for a writer’s conference. It might be your first, or your twenty-seventh. Maybe it’s a regional SCBWI event, like the one I’m helping to put together in Seattle next month, which explains why I’ve chosen to blog about conferences. My brain is filled to the brim with conference. I’m so distracted thinking about conference tasks, I just splashed my own

Dianne: Adventures in Adaptation

2011-03-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

When I was asked to write a screenplay adaptation for my novel, We Hear the Dead, I tried to get out of it. I’d never written a screenplay, knew nothing about them, and frankly doubted I could do it. However, I did want to please the producer who’d just made an offer on a film option for my book, and she did have a point: I was the expert on Maggie Fox and Elisha Kane and Spiritualism. Anybody

Veera: Fact or Fiction?

2011-03-08T07:01:00.000-08:00

Often friends and family ask me the question that many fiction writers get asked. “How much of the story is true?” I usually manage a vague reply that doesn’t really answer anything. The real answer is complicated and personal and would take a long time to explain, but I’m finally going to give it a go. Because I do think it’s important, for me at least, to answer. In writing workshops everywhere

Karen: Returning to the Dream: On writing sequels

2011-03-01T10:04:00.000-08:00

I very much love what John Gardner said in his On Becoming a Novelist: good fiction is “a vivid and continuous dream.” Now that I’m writing sequels to my debut novel, this quote has sparked a question: What happens when you wake from this dream, only to return to it in a later book? As a reader, I devour the first book in a series, drool over the not-yet-published sequel, then plunge in and cross

Jeff: Inspiration: Exit Through the Gift Shop

2011-02-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

Hi all, thought I'd take this chance to share a recent inspiration. Have you guys seen Banksy's Oscar-nominated documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop? If not, I highly recommend it. As soon as it was over there was nothing I wanted to do more than grab my laptop and get back to my revision. Gotta love a piece of art that can do that.For those who haven't heard about it, Exit Through the Gift

Interview With Erica Sussman

2011-02-17T21:07:00.000-08:00

As promised last week, here is the interview with Erica Sussman, Senior Editor at HarperTeen. Erica is all kinds of awesome, and has been fantastic to work with throughout all aspects of the publishing process, and I was really excited have her on the blog. So, without further ado:Rob: We probably ought to start with the standard "how did you become an editor?" question.Erica: It was kind of

Jonathan: Love Among the Ruins

2011-02-14T05:44:00.000-08:00

Boys do like romance in their novels, but they would rather be staked down over an anthill rather than admit it. I mean, even in movies that are absolutely sacred to my brothers in the Church of Testosterone, we do want John McClane to hook back up with his wife at the end of DIE HARD. We want Indiana Jones to get the gal. We want Superman to wind up with Lois Lane.What we don’t want to hear (

Coming soon!

2011-02-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

I'm on the calendar to blog today, but it has been postponed for a couple days. I'm interviewing the awesome Erica Sussman, Senior Editor at HarperTeen, and her schedule has required that we bump the post back a couple of days.Sorry for the delay! Check back in a few...

Brian Y: Where do your ideas come from?

2011-02-01T04:58:00.000-08:00

Where do your ideas come from?When asked this question, I sometimes like to appropriate and regionalize a line from Kurt Vonnegut and say I get them in a little store out in West Texas near Marfa.I wish.So where do they come from?Don’t have a clue, but I do know every writer has many, many ideas. They come when you’re in the shower, walking the dog, on the drive to work. They fall out of the sky

Michael: 3... 2... 1...

2011-01-24T15:50:00.000-08:00

In the movies, launches are serious business. They often involve two people who must, after exchanging a somber nod or shouted threats, turn their keys simultaneously to release a dread projectile. Launches are serious business in publishing, too. They involve at least as many people acting in unison, and at least as much dread. I mention this, of course, because my second YA novel officially

Erik: Writing a Young Narrator

2011-01-18T06:41:00.000-08:00

I often get asked by people who have read my novel, “how did you make the main character sound so much like a twelve-year old?” One, I listened to the twelve and thirteen year olds that I was teaching in New York City. And two, I studied several novels where the main character was not only a teen, but also the narrator (I’ll explain more of that later).Samuel Francis Gerard, the main character in

Kristen: My Next Project

2011-01-12T22:02:00.000-08:00

My Next ProjectYesterday, my new middle-grade novel, The Reinvention of Bessica Lefter, was released. In it, eleven-year-old Bessica Lefter tries to reinvent herself as she begins the most brutal and psycho-bully-infested period of her life: middle school. Some people do something special to celebrate their book release day. I was busy packing up my belongings that were scattered throughout my

Marianna: A New Year's Resolution for Everyone

2011-01-05T18:24:00.000-08:00

Seeing as it’s already January 5th, most of you have probably made all the resolutions you plan on making. (Unless the resolution you need to make is to not procrastinate, and you haven’t made it yet.) You’re also probably sick of blog posts about resolutions. But stay with me a minute. I need you, dear reader.First, some important background info:1. My debut YA novel, FROST, is coming out in

Sara: 2010!

2010-12-31T14:22:00.000-08:00

Goodbye 2010, you have been great! My daughter started walking and talking and then running and yelling. I got to go to ALA in DC and BEA here and to SCBWI in Seattle and Houston. I got to attend the Vermont College of Fine Arts mini-res. I met many of my authors for the first time, and signed and sold some new authors.2010 had lots of good news to recap:SHADOWED SUMMER by Saundra Mitchell and

Elizabeth F.: What to Expect When You're...On Submission

2010-12-13T20:31:00.001-08:00

merci a www.sebastienlaban-photographe.com So I’ve been thinking about running lately. In part I’ve been thinking about running because when I'm not impersonating a writer I work at a running store called Route 16. It's my day job but it is also one of my passions. I love turning non-runners into runners and it’s something that I’m good at, largely because I know without a shadow of a doubt that if I can run, ANYONE

Lisa: What's love got to do with it?

2010-11-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

I recently read through a thread on a writer's message board started by a woman (I'll call her Jane) who felt really discouraged by a rejection she had received from an agent. This particular rejection used the phrase "not loving it." She said she can usually brush off rejections and move on, but this one for some reason really hit her hard. Her husband told her, "I don't know why she'd have to

Christine: Authenticity in Characters' $*&%$ Dialogue

2010-10-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

Today sucks.Okay, a couple of disclaimers:1. No, it doesn’t.2. Even if it did, I would never say that.But some of the characters I’ve created for my novels would. Lots of teenagers populate my novels, and teens aren’t necessarily known for the most nuanced of vocabularies.I’ve had several conversations recently with people who think literature is among the arts contributing to the coarsening of

Kristen: My Comfort Zone Update (it’s actually getting bigger)

2010-10-19T00:40:00.000-07:00

Last we left it, I was a freakishly private person who adored my cat and avoided the Internet and wrote books for teens, tweens, and people who are younger than that. I am still all of those things. Mostly. But I also Twitter. I did not create a wit-busting handle. You can find me at http://twitter.com/kristen_tracy I mostly discuss my bus adventures in San Francisco and also offer quirky (

Rob: Things Never Work Out As Planned

2010-10-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

And sometimes that can be a good thing.My dad read The Hobbit to me when I was in elementary school, and it got me fascinated with fantasy and quests and epics. So, when my fourth and fifth grade teachers asked me to write stories, I'd always start writing an enormous quest, describing the characters and their cool swords, all the wacky stuff they had in their backpacks, and how they were going

Troy: Cover Story

2010-10-07T02:31:00.000-07:00

When I pulled up the chair to my drawing table, to illustrate the cover for my middle grade novel, there I sat competing with myself, having an artist-writer stare-down.Problem is, I find it easier to depict a scene or a subject with words than with paint.I wrote The Dragon of Cripple Creek (Abrams/Amulet, April 2011) with no intention of illustrating it, and hardly knew what I'd do for the cover

Varian: And the moral of this story is...

2010-09-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

(Note: Originally posted at Teenreads.com)In my latest novel, SAVING MADDIE, preacher’s son Joshua Wynn struggles with himself, his parents and his religion during his quest to “save” his one-time best friend, “bad girl” Madeline Smith. Because of the various themes of the novel, I always try to prepare myself for a wide variety of questions before a book event. But out of all the strange,

Brian M: WHAT’S IN A FICTIONAL NAME?

2010-09-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

Giving your characters names can be:A cause for writer’s blockAn opportunity to say something about themA chance to make a box of verbal bonbonsAn opening in the fabric to weave in a mysteryAll of the aboveA: A CAUSE FOR WRITER’S BLOCKNaming characters is no different than naming a pet, or a car. It’s a matter of trial and error until you finally come up with the one that fits. There’s no point

Sara: On requested manuscripts

2010-09-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I attempted to truly catch up on my requested manuscripts. This was actually my August goal, but, happily, I had many deliveries from my clients, and reading requested manuscripts just did not happen. (It did not quite happen on a large scale this weekend, either--- but I am at least caught up to July). As I respond to the manuscripts that did not speak to me, I have

Megan: Back to School

2010-09-07T05:46:00.000-07:00

As I write this, we have just completed opening day at the school where I work. The first day was just for freshmen, and I watched them wander the halls wide-eyed – or with a swagger that belies self-doubt. I've been back at school for weeks now getting the library ready for students and staff. Like most people involved in education, I like the beginning of the school year. I like to see the

Brian Y:IS YOUR STORY REAL &ARE YOU YOUR CHARACTERS?

2010-08-10T05:24:00.000-07:00

My answerI have a book coming out in about two months, ALIEN INVASION & OTHER INCONVENIENCES. My first two novels were somewhat realistic and I got the usual questions about whether I was my character and if my story was real. I gave the usual answer. Some of the story and characters, in a very changed form, have elements of autobiography but most is made up. In this new novel, aliens invade the

Nina: On Getting Out of the House

2010-08-06T15:11:00.000-07:00

Before I published my first novel, Hold Still, in October of last year, I used to look at novels on bookstore shelves and think that it must be easier for published writers to write than it was for me. I thought that writing might be like making my mother’s (delicious!) buttermilk pancakes. The first try would be disastrous (somehow both burnt and undercooked); the second try, a little better (

Lisa: On learning how to write

2010-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've been writing seriously for almost ten years, and during that time, I've often wished I could pursue a formal education in creative writing. But it's not something I've been able to do for a lot of different reasons.So, I've had to learn the old fashioned way.That is, by writing a lot. And reading a lot.Oh, and there have been some conferences thrown in to the mix too, and I always make a

Michael: A Wide Net, Full of Snakes and Caterpillars

2010-07-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

As a debut author, you’re expected to do whatever you can to help promote your book. That means, when you’re not updating your Facebook status or tweeting, you should probably be blogging. The posts should be interesting, original, and farm fresh, all of which raises some big questions.What on Earth Am I Going to Blog About?The conventional wisdom is basically this: The more you blog, the better.

Carolee: Interview with Simon Pulse Executive Editor - Anica Rissi

2010-07-07T03:37:00.000-07:00

Carolee: What got you interested in the field of publishing?Anica: I stumbled into my first editorial assistant job (working for David Levithan at Scholastic) through pure dumb luck, but I have always been a reader, a storyteller, and obsessed with words. I started out editing mostly middle-grade novels and series, including Candy Apple Books and The Princess School (a series I’m still proud of!)

Sara: a sad sort of ALA post, lacking photos.

2010-07-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

When I assigned myself this blog date, I should have had the foresight to take photos at ALA, so that I could do an ALA wrap up post showing you, for instance, the unbelievably yummy gelato I had first with John Ford and then again with Kristen Tracy and Nina LaCour, and then again by myself on my way to the train station. I thought about adding drawings, but I am not an artist.ALA

Jackie: Teaching YA Fiction in the Writing Workshop

2010-06-22T07:50:00.000-07:00

I thought I would sit down and spend a leisurely few hours working on this post, but my three-year-old daughter painted herself—head to toe—with plum lipstick, in the process painting the bedding and her baby doll. It would be fun to adapt the age here to sixteen, and imagine a situation in which a teenage girl or boy does the same, but that would be food for another post…Instead, I’m going to

Mary: Memorable Characters in Middle Grade Fiction

2010-06-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

Memorable Characters in Middle Grade Fiction: What Makes a Character Unforgettable? The memorable characters of middle grade fiction have their own voice, they struggle desperately to get what they want, and they are often filled with contradictions. Such characters leap off the page through their actions, dialogue, and internal emotions. How do authors create memorable

Training wheels

2010-06-08T02:00:00.000-07:00

This happens to me and friends of mine who write for children quite a lot. Someone praises one of our books, then -- in an encouraging, coaxing tone -- says something like,"Why don't you write an adult book? I'm sure you could do it."This is meant as a compliment, I know, but I find the idea that children's books are training wheels preparing the author for the real two-wheeler insulting! I

Kristen: What I Talk About When I Talk About My Books

2010-06-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

Today, my third teen novel, A Field Guide for Heartbreakers, was released by Disney-Hyperion. When you are a writer, and you tell people that this is your job, they usually ask the same sorts of questions. Here’s a popular one: What are your books about? You’d think by now that I would be prepared to field this question. I am a very prepared person. I never run out of cat food, apples, or

Sara: I love Middle grade

2010-05-28T08:09:00.000-07:00

A while back I promised to talk about what middle grade novels appeal to me and what I look for in middle grade. I do work with less middle grade than YA, but not because I have any less love for it.What I want to find when I begin a middle grade submission is not so different at all from what I want in a YA submission. I still want to find good prose, voice, plot, emotion, authenticity. In

Holly: The Highs and Lows of Publication

2010-05-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

My debut novel, The Snowball Effect, was published nearly two months ago. I knew there would be highs and lows but it was still nothing like I imagined. Some moments fell drastically short of my most modest expectations, while other moments far exceeded anything I could have hoped for. Some days I feel like a rockstar writer, some days I feel like a total failure, and other days I'm so busy

John: Ending with a Bang

2010-05-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

Every morning at 6:00 a.m., my alarm clock wakes me to the sounds of a sports talk-radio show in DC. The show is (and I say this charitably) pretty terrible. I seriously should start listening NPR or something. But I never do, and the reason for that illustrates an important lesson about storytelling.Whenever a particularly painful segment of the show compels me to switch the station, something

Jeff: The End of the World as I Know It

2010-05-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

Look at any list of upcoming YA novels and what jumps out at you? More than likely it is some combination of the words post-apocalyptic or dystopian. I mean, they're everywhere; right? I should know, my book, The Long Walk Home, is one of them.Now, assuming all us writers aren't just trend followers (Honestly, it's not really possible. It just takes way to long to write edit and get a book

Rachel: Reasons I write.

2010-04-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

I’ve heard other writers say that when they get a rejection letter, they post it on the wall of their office. A well-known poet I know says his walls are just plastered in them. I have never understood this; it’s one of those things that fly over my head and I’m too ashamed to admit I don’t get it. My own office has hand-painted cards from people I love, art books and poetry books open and

Dan: Nothing Beats a Bookseller

2010-04-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago, I was in between projects and found myself wanting to write another middle grade novel. When I say "another," understand I had written a couple, years ago, that eventually became drawer novels. I now call them my schooling! My most cherished memories of books and reading are from that time when I was 8-12 years old. Even today, as much as I love young

SEA ARC Giveaway Contest! (Heidi)

2010-03-04T13:02:00.000-08:00

To celebrate reaching 1,000 followers on Twitter, I'm giving away TWO signed and personalized ARCs of my upcoming novel Sea (June, Putnam).Enter here!Cheers!-Heidi

Megan: Why We Need LGBTQ Books

2010-03-02T14:30:00.000-08:00

Back in January I found out that Secrets of Truth & Beauty had been named to the Rainbow List. I'd like to say that this was a pleasant surprise, but really I'd known that it had been nominated, and I'd been aching and hoping for it to be included. The more I work with teens as a librarian, the more I realize that the books on lists like the Rainbow List and the Lambda Literary Awards are vital

Libby: What does it take to succeed as a novelist?

2010-02-23T04:48:00.000-08:00

Over at Blue Rose Girls there was a post about the role talent plays in getting published. That got me thinking about what it takes to have a successful career as a writer -- specifically, a writer of novels. Meghan was talking about it from an artist's point of view -- but I think that's different. For one thing, it's easier to get editors to look at picture books!What do you think it takes to

More Good News for THE MORGUE AND ME!

2010-02-18T18:39:00.000-08:00

THE MORGUE AND ME by John Ford has been nominated for a 2009 Agatha Award for Best Children's/Young Adult Novel Congratulations, John!

Erik: The Age of Enlightenment

2010-02-15T07:12:00.000-08:00

Like many writers living abroad, I often peruse the internet to educate myself on what people in the U.S. are thinking about my novel, The Book of Samuel. One fourteen-year old reviewer said my novel was “…a nice short story…” another said that the writing was “eloquent,” but at the same time, “the words were complicated.” So I decided to search through LibraryThing and and Goodreads to see what

Robison: Knowing Your Audience: A Business Perspective

2010-02-09T07:51:00.001-08:00

One of the most interesting lessons I learned about writing came from business school. I have my MBA in marketing, and while business doesn't often interact much with art, there is a pair of artists who often get discussed by marketers.In 1994 two artists, Vitaly Komar and Alex Melamid, hired a market research firm to survey Americans and determine exactly what kind of art they love. Following

Holly: A Blessing and a Curse

2010-02-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit of a hypochondriac, especially when it comes to mental or personality disorders. After I took an abnormal psychology course in college, I diagnosed myself with half of the disorders in the DSM-IV and then immediately signed up for counseling. But there's one disorder I definitely had, without a doubt, even though no one actually diagnosed it when I was a child: Selective mutism.To sum

Carolee: For Reading Out Loud!

2010-01-26T22:06:00.000-08:00

Last night my seventeen-year-old son read the last chapter of THE GREAT GATSBY out loud to me as we sat together on the living room sofa. The night before, we watched the movie, and the night before that, I read a chapter to him. We’ve been going back and forth like that with F. Scott Fitzgerald for the past two weeks.Before GATSBY we tackled IN COLD BLOOD, THE THREE MUSKETEERS, and THE PORTRAIT