Eleven Up: Interview with Helen Landalf, author of FLYAWAY

Today we're joined by the lovely Helen Landalf, author of FLYAWAY, which comes out tomorrow (December 20).

Here's a little bit about the story:

Stevie Calhoun knows how to take care of herself. It’s not like her mom hasn’t disappeared before. So why is Aunt Mindy making such a big deal of it now? It’s not like Mom’s really doing meth. Stevie makes sure of that.Whatever. She’ll go home with Aunt Mindy if it will keep her from calling Child Protective Services—but it doesn’t mean she’ll stay. Mom will come back. Mom always comes back. And Stevie will be there when she does.

But when Stevie meets Alan—frustrating and fascinating and so-different-from-everyone-she-knows Alan—and she starts helping out at the bird rehab center, things begin to look different. Even the tutoring and the ridiculous outfits Aunt Mindy’s forcing her into might not be so bad. Not that Stevie would say it out loud. She can’t. Because how can anything be good if it doesn’t include Mom?

Sounds awesome, right? I recently got to chat with Helen about FLYAWAY, her journey toward publication and, of course, some apocalyptic-type matters.

Hi, Helen! Tell us a little about your journey toward publication.

I actually started writing about 20 years ago. I've published two picture books and seven nonfiction books for teachers, but my dream was to publish a YA novel. I worked toward that dream for 10 years before it became a reality. It took me two "practice" novels and countless rejections before I finally landed an agent and sold FLYAWAY.

In FLYAWAY, your main character, Stevie, works with birds. Did you have to do any special research for that, or have you had any experiences working with birds?

I had no experience with birds before I started FLYAWAY, so I had to do tons of research. In order to make my bird rescue scenes authentic, I volunteered at PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, in their bird nursery. I also visited a home-based wildlife rehab center where teens volunteer for court-ordered community service. It was amazing to see how dedicated and caring they were with the birds and other animals, and that center became my model for On the Wing, the bird rehab clinic in my book.

That sounds like an amazing experience. FLYAWAY also deals with family relationships – the relationship between Stevie and her aunt, and most importantly, Stevie and her mom. How did you make those relationships realistic and honest?

To make those relationships honest, I just dug into my own heart. I'm a daughter, a sister, a stepmom, and a wife, and although my relationships aren't terribly similar to the ones Stevie experiences in the book, I still know how it feels to love unconditionally, to be abandoned and rejected, and to learn to accept another person for who they are instead for how I wish they would be. And of course I also drew from observing the relationships between people around me.

Great advice for writing authentic relationships! What is your favorite part of the writing process? Least favorite part?

I'll answer the last part of your question first: I hate writing first drafts. I have this nagging inner critic who sits on my shoulder the whole time and tells me what a boring, useless book I'm writing and what a sorry excuse for a writer I am. It's a wonder I can complete my first drafts at all. (Sarah's note: AMEN to all of this!)

But revisions are a different story. I adore revising, especially with the guidance of my critique group, my agent, and my editor. I love digging through the muck of that first draft to find the gold nuggets that are the heart of the story and then polishing those nuggets till they shine!

It’s been over a year from book sale to book debut. What has been the most surprising part of the journey?

First of all, I've been surprised at how long everything takes! There's so much waiting involved in getting published: waiting for the contract, waiting for the advance, waiting for the revision letter, and so on. I was also surprised at how much revising goes on after the sale. I had rewritten my novel at least eight times before submitting it to my agent, then it went through two more major revisions with him. I thought for sure it would just breeze on through the editing process, but of course I revised it yet again for my editor. The attention to detail required, especially in the line edits and copyedits, is simply amazing.

Can you tell us something about your next project?

Well, I can't tell you too much at this point, so I'll just say that my next book is another contemporary realistic novel starring an urban girl. But no birds this time.

Ooh, sounds intriguing. Can't wait till you can share more about Book 2. Quick: it’s the apocalypse! Which five literary characters do you want by your side and why?

1.Katniss, from The Hunger Games, to remind me that I'm strong and powerful.

2. Harry Potter, to help me fight the forces of evil.

3. Alice in Wonderland, so I can see the absurdity of it all.

4. Emily Dickinson, who will keep me aware of the startling beauty in each moment.

5. Winnie the Pooh, to remind me that even the apocalypse will go down better with a bit of honey.

Excellent choices! Thanks so much for stopping by, Helen. To find out more about Helen and FLYAWAY, check out her website.

Eleven Up: Interview with Anna Staniszewski, author of My Very UnFairy Tale Life

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky: TODAY!

I talked with the delightful Anna Staniszewski, whose middle grade debut, My Very UnFairy Tale Life launches today.  Okay, so the first thing you need to know about this book is that it's immediately engaging.  You can read the first chapter and see what I mean.  After I read that chapter, I just had to ask the following question:

Maybe you could start by giving us a sort of public service announcement.  What is the best thing to do when one is being chased by a herd of unicorns?

This Message Brought to You by the Author:

If you find yourself chased by unicorns, the best thing to do is to run really really fast. And if you have the misfortune of being cornered by unicorns, don't bother trying to reason with them. They only know the word "nay" which doesn't exactly make them great negotiators.

Is your magical kingdom falling apart? Twelve-year-old Jenny is on the case, whether she likes it or not. Saving the world might sound exciting, but for Jenny it’s starting to get old — even staying in the real world long enough to take a math test would be a dream come true! And when you throw in bloodthirsty unicorns, psychotic clowns, and the most useless gnome sidekick ever, Jenny decides that enough is enough. She’s leaving the adventuring business and not looking back. Or…is she?

I love it that Jenny is a strong girl main character, a plucky adventurer.  I also love the concept of a girl whose life is very magical and eventful longing for the life of a regular girl, complete with math tests and well, sleep.  Which of Jenny’s adventures (or misadventures) was your favorite to write?

In the story's main mission, Jenny is asked to travel to a land filled with magical animals and defeat an evil clown. Populating a land with magical animals was so much fun, especially since I was doing my best to annoy Jenny. I kept throwing pretty obnoxious characters at her to see how she would react. I'm not sure she's quite forgiven me yet.

When you were Jenny’s age, who were some of your favorite adventurers, in books or in real life?  What are some of your favorites now?

When I was Jenny's age, I was shy and a total nerd, so my adventures usually happened through books. I loved stories that transported me to other places, magical or otherwise, including Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.

Writing funny stuff is hard—do you have any tips for getting a laugh, or for how you manage to tap into the sense of humor of your audience?   

I'm a total goofball in real life and am always trying to make people laugh (not that I always succeed). When I was writing UnFairy Tale Life, it was a welcome break from other, darker projects. My goal was to make myself laugh. Then I used my husband as a joke-o-meter to tell me if what I had was actually funny. Usually, when something makes him laugh then I know I've done a good job.

Jenny as a character is instantly engaging—she has a snappy voice that keeps the pace quick and the tone light.  How did you go about developing Jenny’s character and voice?  Was there anything surprising about her that came out as you were writing? 

Developing Jenny's voice was a bit of a process. For a long time, the story was written in 3rd person with a snarkier, more mature narrator. But as I went through several revisions with my agent, she pointed out that the voice didn't seem to be working. I finally tried writing the story in 1st person and everything clicked into place. I could almost imagine Jenny saying: "Finally, you're letting me tell my own story! What on earth took you so long?" 

Your website says you’re interested in doing Skype visits with classes.  What kinds of topics might you talk about with a group of students, and how could they prepare for their visit?

I'm happy to do all kinds of visits, from a general Q&A to a more detailed discussion of the writing and publishing process for UnFairy Tale Life. In addition to the book's fairy tale themes, I also think of it as a satirical spin on a traditional quest fantasy. I'd love to see how students feel about the fairy tale and fantasy threads in the story, and how those relate to other books they've read.

I’m super excited about the release of My Very UnFairy Tale Life, but I’ve seen on your blog that you participated in the Camp NaNo project and started working on a picture book, too.  How do you as a writer balance the load of preparing for a release, first-drafting, and working on revising other projects?  Do you stick with one until it’s done or hop between them?  How is it different working on new writing since your debut sold?

Balance? What's that? *twitches* I actually like to work on a few different projects at once since it allows me to keep writing even if I get stuck on one story. I find, though, that juggling different projects works best if they're all at different stages: drafting one, revising another, etc. Otherwise, my brain starts to get too crowded and I have a hard time focusing on anything. As for working on new projects after selling my debut, I do feel like I put a bit more pressure on myself to write something sell-able. I try to hush the business part of my brain and let the creative part have its fun, but I don't always succeed.

And this is, after all the Apocalypsies, so let’s talk about the end of it all.  If the Apocalypse is now, what are your top three reasons why you do NOT want a gnome named Anthony as your sidekick?

This is a very important question. First, Anthony is obsessed with candy to the point where he needs to be munching on it every second. I'm not sure surviving the apocalypse and feeding Anthony's sugar habit are manageable. Second, Anthony rarely takes anything seriously, especially injuries. So if a flesh-eating zombie rips off your arm (in what I assume will be a zombie apocalypse), Anthony would probably just shrug and declare that it's just a scratch. And finally, remember how I said I put characters into the story who would annoy Jenny? Yeah, Anthony is definitely at the top of that list (though he does mean well most of the time). If he annoys Jenny, I have a feeling he'd annoy just about anybody. I'd say it's probably better to brave the apocalypse without a wise-cracking sugar addict by your side.

Thank you so much to Anna Staniszewski, and congratulations on your debut! 

Q & A with A.S. King

A.S. King, is a YA author who is known for her generous spirit and willingness to give back to the writing community. It's in this spirit that she agreed to do a Q & A for us about her writing process and life as a writer. First, the official bio:

A.S. King's first published work was an article about patios and several poems that a lot of people didn't understand. Her short fiction for adults has been widely published and was nominated for Best New American Voices 2010. Her most recent YA novel, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, an Edgar Award Nominee, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book for Teens 2010, a Junior Library Guild selection, an Indie Next List Pick for Teens and a YALSA Best Book for Young Adults. Her first YA novel, The Dust of 100 Dogs, was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, an Indie Next pick and a Cybil award finalist. Next up: Everybody Sees the Ants from Little, Brown in 2011.

Amy now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and children and is a huge fan of Kurt Vonnegut, corn on the cob, nice weather, and fleece socks.

Q & A

Let me start by saying: These were awesome questions. I wouldn’t usually go into such detail about writing, and I’ve had a turbulent few years with many of the issues you raise, so I used this interview as a weird sort of self-centering exercise and I thank you for that. I keep this kind stuff to myself these days, but considering you’re the Apocalypsies and the world could end, I figured I’d use every last minute I’ve got to ensure my place in literary history.

1. I fell in love with Amy's writing back when Dust of 100 Dogs came out ... her books are gutsy and innovative. In the age old debate of outline versus organic writing, do you go into a story with a full outline or do you start with just a character, theme or plot idea and let the story unfold?

First, thank you for the compliment! I’m so stoked to hear that you dug The Dust of 100 Dogs. That book has been an interesting ride!

Confession: I am a full-fledged organic pantser. I usually start with a character—a few paragraphs of the character’s voice and a glimpse of what the struggle is, if there is one. After I have that, I think on it awhile to figure out the plot. Themes usually bubble up midway through writing a first draft. In between all this, weird things happen. Pagodas talk. Flow charts get drawn. Ants do what ants do. I save those parts until I can figure out why those things are happening. Then, they tend to find their way into the book.

I did try to outline a few times. All those books died partway through because I was forcing them down a path they didn’t seem to want to go down. Or, in the case of ASK THE PASSENGERS, my 2012 title which I outlined vaguely and sold on a partial, the outline for the final part was scrapped once the book got rolling past page 100 because it was all wrong. So, it seems pantsing is the way for me even if I try to envision the outcome beforehand.

2. I'm always curious about how full-time writers structure their days. Do you have a regular word count goal when you’re drafting? What other business/promo/etc is part of your regular routine?

I’m not really a full-time writer. I have two little kids and I run another business so I have very little structure at the moment. Frankly, I can’t wait until I can have some sort of structure. For now, when I write a first draft, I try to carve out a month to six weeks to write every day until I’m done. Maybe 2k a day or so, but really, until whenever I finish. I usually check my email first thing and answer anything pressing, and then I turn off the internet for large chunks of the day and write. Then, most promo stuff (designing promo materials, blogging, answering mail, etc.) is done at night between community board meetings and kid stuff.

I think the answer to this question is changing for me, too. This year, I was on the road for most of April, May and June and will be again in October and November. From the looks of my autumn, I will be writing on airplanes and in hotel rooms a lot. I have no idea how that’s going to work out, but my plan is 1k a day at least, which will be 1k more than if I didn’t write at all. Cross your fingers for me.

3. I would like to know your views on author "branding." You write one stand-alone after another, and they're all rather different; I think of you as a writer with tremendous range and creative freedom. I'd like to know how you view your "brand" or that concept. And do you pitch new book ideas to your agent before writing? Thanks!

Fact: I had to Google “author branding” to make sure I knew how to answer this question. So, when it comes to any previous views on it, I have none. I’m sorry for the lame answer, but if I had to Google it, I couldn’t really lie and say I had thoughts on it, right? But now that I read a bit about it, I guess the way you put it is perfect. I write stand-alones that are all rather different. Also, I agree with the way those people who signed my yearbooks put it. They always said, “To a weird girl I met in. . .” So, I guess in my case, their brand works: A.S. King writes kinda weird books. How do I view that brand? I think it’s probably accurate, but I’d never aim to write more weird books just so it could fit the brand. I’d rather just write what comes out and see what happens. I know that’s probably not a very good answer, but I also think that when I write what comes out, it’s usually weird and fits the brand, if that is the brand.

Can you tell I’m uncomfortable with the word brand? I think your question has just made me realize something about myself, so I thank you for asking it. It’s been difficult being a former self-sufficient weirdo and present anti-consumerist weirdo alongside being an author who has to sell books in order to eat. I guess I could say that brands freak me out. Any brands. It’s safe to say that I mute all commercials if I ever turn on my TV. So considering myself a brand in any way is kinda uncomfortable. Not because I think my books poop Hagen Das and are some sort of brandless anomaly, but just because I’m weird about stuff like that on a normal day. When I’m writing, I try to keep things simple like it was back on the farm when I wrote 6 books over a decade and didn’t really care if they ever got read. I know that might not fit a lot of people’s way of doing stuff, but as much as a businesswoman as I am, I’m a writer first, and for a long time, I only talked to chickens and dogs. And a few cats. And vegetables. A lot of vegetables.

To your second question: I don’t so much pitch my YA ideas to my agent. I give him snippets of what I’m working on. I’m usually a few books ahead. So, the 2013 book I have to write in the next few months, for instance, I mentioned to him first last winter while we were selling ASK THE PASSENGERS. He hasn’t read any of it and he won’t until I have a proposal together. Two nights ago, I wrote the basic overview for the 2014 book. I won’t mention that to him for a while because I have no idea if I can actually pull it off. It may end up the 2015 book. (As I wrote this, I just realized that this is totally possible. I think I have the 2014 in my head already.)

I do pitch other ideas to him like for younger readers or other genres. At the moment, though, with my limited time schedule, I’d rather concentrate on YA and continuing to deliver what my readers expect. (Which is a brand, Amy. Deal with it you hippy freako.)

4. How do you prepare for your book launches? You'll be up to #3 in October. Does it get easier/harder in terms of preparation, nerves, etc.?

I do basic stuff to prepare. I design bookmarks and launch invites. I get tour dates in line and plan my annual trip to Arizona because Phoenix people have always treated me so well. I plan a small blog tour with my favorite bloggers.

The entire process of launching and having books out in the world changed dramatically when I stopped looking at Goodreads, Amazon, etc. or most reviews. My Google alerts go to my husband who screens. Every week or so, I’ll see him checking sites from across the room and I’ll ask, “Everything good?” Usually he answers, “Golden.” Sometimes he says, “You got a one star from someone who thinks you’re the devil.” At that moment, I have zero interest in reading that review or seeking it out at a later date.

This has been the single most impactful thing I’ve done as a working writer. It helps my mood, my focus, my time and everything I do to promote. I am not thin-skinned by any means. This has nothing to do with skin. And I’m a curious person by nature, so it did take a little getting used to after the reading-a-lot-of-reviews first book launch period.

So, that was a long way to say I’m not nervous anymore, for the most part. At the moment, I’m working two or three books ahead, so my mind isn’t really on the launch two months down the road.

5. I’ve heard you have a special method of editing whereby you color-code your drafts. Can you elaborate a bit on that?

I color code a lot of stuff. I write a first draft on white paper and get it into shape to call it a real “first draft.” Then, I print it on blue paper and I let it sit for about a week and go through my 40+ pages of notes looking for bits to cross out and bits to highlight and then I do a huge digital revision based on that read. Then it goes to yellow, more digital drafts, then it goes to pink. Then my first reader reads pink and then it goes back to white after a few last revisions. Then to my agent. Then to my editor.

Those digital revisions all have an additional color coding. I print tables of contents, staple them together, and highlight each thread in a different color. I make about 20 or more of these for each book. This isn’t something I always did, but after a lot of books, it’s become my habit. And it really helps me with timing and plot.

Thanks again so much for having me! Rock on all of you with your upcoming releases! I can’t wait to cheer you from my windowless cave!

Thanks for this amazing insight into your process and a little peek into what life is like for A.S. King, the author! We're so looking forward to your fall release of Everybody Sees the Ants! And for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, check out the new paperback cover for Please Ignore Vera Dietz, which will be out next spring.

LIVING VIOLET Cover Revealed!!

Hey guys!

Good news! The wait is over! Well, some of it anyway. I recently received the sample book jacket for LIVING VIOLET. My book now has an actual cover! A COVER, y’all!! On top of that, it’s available for pre-order. Yay!

I’m super excited to see all the work and effort come to fruition. It’s surreal—kinda like an outer body, this-isn’t-really-happening-to-me, thing. This high is going to get worse as the release date draws closer.

I do have mixed feelings about the cover art. I’ve never been a fan of covers with human faces on it. There are WAY too many in YA and it takes away from the reader’s imagination. The characters’ appearance really shouldn’t matter that much and the key focus should be the overall premise and plot. I mean yeah, the guy can be hot, but is he interesting, or does his abs do all the talking?

With that said…

The main character and narrator of the story is Samara (Sam) a biracial teen who works at a bookstore. This feisty chick is a force to be reckoned with and for some reason she’s placed in the background.

Caleb is a lovable flirt with a deadly secret and a weird eating habit. Though a major character in the book, he’s not the narrator, yet he is placed in the foreground like a Boss!  He’s described in the story as having messy brown hair that reaches his jaw. He also has (bluish-purple) eyes that cast a very interesting light. He looks a bit hard core and kinda reminds me of Eminem. Just sayin’. He’s still a cutie though.

It’s a provocative cover, no doubt, but I’m worried if it portrays my characters accurately. I’m on the fence about it because no matter how stoked I am about releasing a book, I want to do my characters justice. Or, it could be just me being picky.

On a more awesome note, the printed version of the cover has a reflective disk over Caleb’s eye so it almost looks like it’s glowing. I found myself staring at it for almost an hour, fascinated at how the light bounces off of it. His eyes suck you in just as it does in the story. Super creepy. Hella cool!!

I would love to get your take on it. Let me know what you think.

Cheers!!

Jaime Reed

Living Violet: The Cambion Chronicles

Dafina Books (Kinsington)  January 2012

Cover reveal! DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul by Leanna Renee Hieber

Hello friends! COVER REVEAL! I'm so thrilled! Releasing 11/11 from Sourcebooks Fire:
DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul by Leanna Renee Hieber


























DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul by Leanna Renee Hieber

(Gothic Historical Paranormal, Setting: 1880 New York City)

FROM THE BACK COVER:

“A lush Gothic tale that begs for reading… I couldn’t put it down.” – New York Times Bestselling Author Sarah Maclean

“The brightest new star in literature.” - True-Blood.Net

“I was obsessed.

It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I’d ever seen. Everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable. So lifelike.

There’s a reason for that. Because despite what everyone says, Denbury never did commit suicide. He’s alive. Trapped.

I’ve crossed over into his world within the painting and I’ve seen what dark dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked. And whatever demons may be out on the gas-lit cobblestone streets of Manhattan, we have no choice but to face them together…”

---
BOOK REVIEWERS AND ENTHUSIASTS!

DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul was listed as a "Big Children's/YA Book of Book Expo America" by Publishers Weekly!

I'll be handing out ARC copies of DARKER STILL at Book Expo America - Tuesday 2:30pm at the SOURCEBOOKS booth # 4356!

(Author Leanna Renee Hieber, photo by Tara Leigh)
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Pre-Order DARKER STILL
(11/11)

Cheers!

Kat Zhang: WHAT'S LEFT OF ME

Kat Zhang spent most of her childhood traipsing through a world weaved from her favorite stories and games. When she and her best friend weren’t riding magic horses or talking to trees, they were writing adaptations of plays for their stuffed animals (what would The Wizard of Oz have been like if the Cowardly Lion were replaced by a Loquacious Lamb?). This may or may not explain many of Kat’s quirks today.

Now, Kat attends university, interns for a literary agent, performs as a Spoken Word poet, and contributes to Let The Words Flow, a site for aspiring writers to learn about storytelling craft and the publishing process...all in addition to writing novels, of course!

When she is not exploring the world of her characters, she is exploring her own. To date, she’s had the pleasure of visiting five countries, including more than half the United States. She blogs here and tweets here.

Book: WHAT'S LEFT OF ME (Book #1 of The Hybrid Trilogy)

HarperTeen Fall 2012

A fifteen-year-old girl must fight for her right to survive in a world where two souls are born into each body and one is doomed to disappear. Pitched as THE GOLDEN COMPASS meets GIRL, INTERRUPTED. 

Five Useful Animals to Have on Your Side During the Apocalypse:

1. a horse (what? you know those cars are going to break down. they always do)

2. a german shepherd (big, lovely guard/attack dog)

3. messenger pigeon (i actually don't know how useful they'll be in sending information, but a girl can dream)

4. a grizzly bear (...i did say 'on your side' right?)

5. a t-rex (because i've run clean out of ideas and could you just imagine the awesomeness?)