Y(A)? Cuz We Write!

RTW: Words With Friends

2012-02-15T09:57:00.001-05:00

Writing Song of the Day: "More Than Words" by Frankie J

Wednesday: I used to HATE spelling this word in elementary school. I would never get it right. But now, I'm cool with it. Mainly because it means it's Road Trip Wednesday day with the ladies of YA Highway. And guess what we're talking about this week: WORDS!

The Highway-ers wanna know:

What words do you absolutely hate? Which ones do you adore?

As writers, of course there are several words we adore! As of late these have been our favorites:

Now on to the hate, here are a couple of words that we cannot stand to say/hear:

What about you? What words do you absolutely love and hate?

Changing My Revision to a Re-Vision

2012-02-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Revising Song of the Day: "When Can I See You Again" by Babyface

So last June, Quita and I had the pleasure of attending a novel revision retreat with none other than editor extraordinaire, Cheryl Klein--which we blogged about here. You see, I was there to primarily focus on Wants, but Project J wouldn't stop nagging me. Psst, it kept saying to me, remember how much awesome potential I had?

Remember I did--so now I'm taking a stab at another round of revisions to make it the humorous, yet heartfelt, novel that I know it can be. Not that these revisions are easy (but are ANY revisions?). Sure, I love revisiting the story and characters, but I'm putting WAY too much pressure on myself to make it awesome and shiny and perfect...so much so that I've cried out in despair to both Quita and my lovely agent just like this:

Okay, maybe I wasn't that dramatic, but I was pretty close. So, when we're this overwhelmed with revisions, what can we do to take the proverbial chill pill and just get 'em done? Well, I take to heart something the awesome Cheryl Klein said at the aforementioned retreat:

Try not to think of it as a revision, but a re-vision.

I may not remember the exact wording, but the message still resonates with me. Now I'm asking myself: How else do I see this story? What else can I do to help it reach its full potential?

1. Reread the story (duh). But this time while I was reading, I made notes of the scenes I HAD to keep, and the ones that I could probably do without. The same can be done for characters.

2. Write scenes out of order. I have been a tried and true plotter, starting from Point A to Point B. But for this revision, I'm starting to think of scenes that I would have liked to include in the previous drafts. You know how most DVDs have deleted scenes? And you know how sometimes you're like: why didn't they keep that scene? It kicks ass! Well, that's what I'm doing for Project J--and hopefully these outtakes will find a home in the actual manuscript.

3. Just let the protagonist lead the way. A few weeks ago, I posted about taking personality tests for your characters. After doing so, I "found" Jonah again, and just started letting him speak to me. Sure, that may sound crazy to some, but I'm amongst my brethren here. Hopefully, you all understand what I mean. What he tells me to write may hit the cutting room floor, but get it down on paper first, weed it out later. That's how a re-vision should be.

So, despite the initial panic, I think I'm slowly but surely finding my groove with this revision. I've come to terms that while the overall story may stay the same, the way I get there may be different. And I'm okay with that.

So, do you all have any revision tips you'd be willing to share?

Free Friday: The Movie We WISH We Created

2012-02-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

Viewing Song of the Day: "Movies" by Alien Ant Farm

Another Free Friday post, you guys! That means two things: 1.) The weekend is among us, and 2.) At midnight we can FINALLY get The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 on DVD...

But before I begin my swoon fest over Mr. Pattinson, we want to share with you the movie that has been on our mind ever since we saw it last weekend--that movie would be Chronicle.

Our review? Here it is in a just a few, simple words:

GET OFF YOUR A** AND GO SEE IT!

This movie is amazing. Full of all of the wonderful things that makes a movie work: good story, great characters that the viewer can relate to, a villain that you love and understand, an unlikely hero, visual goodies, action, and heart. I mean, what more can you ask for?

Chronicle had us excited and envious at the same time. Days after watching it we can't stop repeating: Man, we wish we wrote this story!!!

So, for those of you who have not seen this masterpiece, check out a clip below.

Oh, and this weekend we may be seeing The Vow. Why? Two words: Channing. Tatum. 'Nuff said :)

What are your plans this weekend? Hope you have seeing Chronicle high on that list!

B*&%@ Stole My Story!

2012-02-08T07:31:00.003-05:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Stolen" by Dashboard Confessional

Okay, it's Wednesday--one of my favorite days of the week because we get to join the lovely ladies of YA Highway for another Road Trip Wednesday! This week, they want to know:

What SNI were you psyched to work on, but discovered it was too close to something already done?

Those gals sure know how to ask the hard-hitting questions. I may have mentioned once or twice on this blog how I'm just a LITTLE (see the irony?) obsessed with checking out the deals on Publishers Marketplace. There have been a handful of moments where I cringe and say: "Wait a minute, that sounds familiar..." In fact, Quita just purchased a book that slightly reminds me of Project J (*shakes fist at Quita*).

Alas, I'll focus on the story that Quita and I were supposed to write together. About a year and a half ago, Inception blew our minds. So much so, we were inspired to co-author a novel that would blow other people's minds. But then, we started noticing a trend in the marketplace. Almost every book in the YA section was dystopian. Almost every new deal was a dystopian novel. And then in several interviews and panels with agents and editors, they said they were a little tired of seeing a certain type of submission. I think you know where we're going with this one.

So Quita and I have decided to step away from this project...or at least temporarily. We're trying to think of a unique way to allow our baby to stand out in a saturated, yet AWESOME, marketplace. We're trying to think of a way to make it less dystopian-y (like my new adjective?), and more BAD ASS.

What about you all? Ever have your dreams ripped out of your hands? Or something slightly less dramatic?

Eli Manning and Writing

2012-02-06T11:23:00.000-05:00

Winning Song of the Day: "Champion" by B.O.B

If you didn't know, Pam is a HUGE Giants fan, which makes me one by default :) My 49ers almost made it to the Superbowl, but were foiled by the mighty Giants...but I digress.

Anyway, all we wanted to point out in today's post is how Eli Manning and the 4th quarter (and of course we can't forget Mario Manningham) reminded us a lot of writing. Not that Manning and the Giants didn't try during the 1st-3rd quarters, but the 4th quarter was what it all came down to. And that's what we're dealing with as writers. The first few drafts that we write are not perfect, and will not get us book deals, but we're still putting forth an effort. However, when we know it's crunch time and we have to put our forth our best effort, that's usually when the final draft (or at least the almost final draft) emerges. So, here's to Eli and the Giants for giving us yet another metaphor for writing! GO GIANTS!!!!!

Free Friday: No Name Calling Week and CRACKED by KM Walton

2012-02-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Skyscraper" by Demi Lovato

Confession: I feel guilty about two things. First, that I gave this post an incredibly wordy title. And second, that Quita and I failed to mention an important event last week. You see, January 23-27 was No Name-Calling Week, an event aimed at middle schoolers that encourages them to refrain from tossing insults at each other.

It's rare that I collide my day job onto the blog, but I felt this one was worth mentioning. In honor of No Name-Calling Week, my students created their own inspiring poetry that I read over the morning announcements. Also, I asked them all to sign a No Name-Calling Week Pledge. Granted, not every student HAD to sign, so I was pretty impressed by the outcome:

During the week, I also finally read Cracked by KM Walton (which was on my 2012 Debut Author Challenge list), a story told in dual POVs--from the bully and his victim. Yes, KM's my agent-sister (Team LaPolla rules!), but NO, I'm not recommending this book because I'm biased. I'm saying you should read this book:

Because it gives you an uncensored view of bullying and high school

Because it doesn't condescend to the readers and stuff your face with morals

Because it makes you empathize for the victim AND the bully

Because despite all of the heartache, it'll leave you with hope

And in perfect timing, I just won a grant in which I'll be able to buy MORE books for my school that'll take on bullying headfirst. In addition to Cracked, here are some other books that I'm considering:

The Misfits by James Howe (the main inspiration for No Name-Calling Week)

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Story of a Girl Sara Zarr

Everybody Sees the Ants by AS King

Dear Bully edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones

What about you all? Read any powerful books about bullying? Has a book ever helped you out of a bad situation?

What the BLEEP is a Book Proposal???

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Writing Song of the Day: "One Step Closer" by Linkin Park

Hey! You guys remember this post? The one where I was so excited that I got an agent? I was ready to delve into the next step. Getting published! I mean, that's every writer's goal, right? We want someone besides our family and friends to read our words and love them. And believe me, after you write the book, there's so. Much. More. Work. To do.

Hence the title of this post. After I got my lovely agent, Jennie Goloboy of Red Sofa Literary, I was so excited to sit back and wait for her to sell my book. But then I asked, what do we do next? And I got this response: Well, now we get some historians to check the historical validity (okay, that makes perfect sense), and then you need to start working on the book proposal.

My response: HUH? What even GOES in a book proposal? And do I HAVE to write it??? I mean, that's a nonfiction thing, right? RIGHT? Please say, right!

Well, it turns out--no, it is not just a nonfiction thing. And my agency prefers for their fiction writers to pen a book proposal, as well. They feel as if this will persuade the editor to want your book even more.

So, back to the question at hand. What IS a book proposal??? Jennie directed me to the book, Write the Perfect Book Proposal by Jeff Herman and Deborah Levine Herman, to help me figure this out. From flipping through this book and visiting various sites, I found out there are a couple of key elements that need to go into a book proposal.

Elements:

Overview: I pretty much used my query letter--just spruced it up some.
Author Bio: Speaks for itself :D
Competition: Find books that publishers may be able to compare your book to. Then tell why your book would fly off the shelves.
Promotion: How will you promote your novel? Editors like to know that you're going to put in some leg work to sale your novel as well. So, what kind of print media can you use to your advantage? What about online media, giveaways/contests, conferences, and appearances. Think about all of the ways that you can help sale your book.
Synopsis: We all work on these at some point when we're writing our novels, anyway. I used the same one that I worked on for a year and changed a bit of it.

I know, right? After I read that, I looked like this:

Then I figured. What the hell? I'll just go for it and see where it takes me. After I finished the first draft and sent it off to Jennie, I got a revised version from Jennie and Dawn Frederick (owner of Red Sofa Literary Agency). And then I looked like this:

But then I sat down and spent two days working on revisions and I think it's A LOT better. Now I feel like this:

And my draft is in the capable hands of my agent. Now, I wait and see if there's anything else to change.
I have to say, after I finished two drafts of my book proposal, it's not as bad as it sounds. Sure, it's a lot of work, but it's also a good way to show that you know your novel like the back of your hand, and also that you are willing to work on the "business" side of the publishing world as well as the creative. Even if you do not have an agent yet, I'd say it wouldn't hurt to do your own mini version of a book proposal. That way if you choose an agency that has their authors do book proposals-- you're already one step ahead!

Free Friday: Personality Tests for Your Characters!

2012-01-26T21:41:00.010-05:00

Revising Song of the Day: "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour
You know that feeling you get when you bump into an old crush? A part of you is excited to see him--to check him out, see how he's aged, get those butterflies all in your stomach. However, there's also the chance you'll be a bit terrified: Oh my God, why did I EVER check him out? Look how he's aged! I shouldn't have had that omelet for breakfast...
Yeah. That's kind of how I feel about revisions. I'm either going to open up the manuscript and get all giddy like a middle school girl...or I'm going to want to puke all over my keyboard (thankfully, the latter has never happened. Yet.).

As you probably can tell, I'm strapping on the fingerless gloves and diving back into revisions for Project J. I've always struggled with plot--so during my first few rounds of revisions, I focused on climaxes and conflicts and resolutions, oh my!

But then I lost my character.

That's right--I struggled with my main character. I NEVER thought I'd have trouble with character, but when I zoned in on plot, I forgot about letting my protagonist guide the story.

So what did I do? I popped open an issue of Writer's Digest and read a great article by Mike Nappa, "Skill-Builders for Fiction Writers." One of his suggestions was to complete personality tests for your characters. I thought: hey, I'm a writer. I'm a counselor. This should be fun!

And it was. I knocked a couple of those babies out, and soon I remembered what it was that I loved about my main character, Jonah. I remembered who he was and what he wanted and how he thought--and the butterflies were still there! So, I thought I'd share some of my faves:

Personality Type: This quiz only has 4 questions, but it reveals if your character is an introvert or extrovert. A thinker or a feeler. A scheduler or a freestyler. Pretty cool.

The Stress Test: Allow your character to pick 3 pictures. The one he/she does NOT choose reveals what he/she is stressing about. Great way to figure out potential conflict.

Driving in a New City: Your character gets lost with his/her partner. How does he react? This is awesome in seeing how your character interacts with others.

I could go on and on and on with all the cool quizzes that can help figure out your character, but instead I'll direct you here so you can choose more of you own.

So what do you think? Can personality tests help you with revisions?

Say What?

2012-01-25T10:07:00.000-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Say It To Me Now" by Glen Hansard

Wednesday. Middle of the week. Road Trip Wednesday with the ladies of YA Highway. All the best things. Today they want us to:

Write a dialogue between two of your favorite YA characters.

So. Hard.

This would have been fun if we had the energy to come up with this post in more time than one day. We're running on fumes that are not quite creative...so, instead, we're gonna show you what most dialogue in YA novels consists of:

First: Conflict

Second: Conflict solved...people are happy for awhile. Alas, not for long...

Third: More conflict and we're left waiting for the next book OR dreaming up a happy ending. Unless, of course the book is by Stephanie Perkins or John Green AKA Masters of Delicious Dialogue!

So, this is what happens when our brains can't function. We promise to be more creative next time! What do you guys think dialogue in YA novels is like?

Blog Remix

2012-01-23T10:24:00.000-05:00

Blogging Song of the Day: "A Change Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke

This post is a lil' late today b/c we're kinda scrambling for time. You all know how that goes. Anyway...we wanted to let you know that our blog is going to get a re-do. Not the look of the blog, we know that's already pretty badass, instead we're changing our blogging schedule and what we talk about. Mainly because we've noticed a decline in comments/views of our book review posts. Because of that we're gonna blog only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and our topics will fall under the following umbrellas:

Monday: Writing/Reading Tips and Thoughts: In which we share our latest thoughts on writing topics, trends, and tips. We will also discuss books that we're DYING to share with you, let you know how we're doing with our Debut Author Challenge goals, and we'll throw in any publishing news that we may want to share.

Wednesday: YA Highway Road Trip fun: We will participate with the ladies at YA Highway (as we have been) and go road tripping every Wednesday :D

Friday: FREE FRIDAY: It's a free for all, you guys! But not that free...here's an idea of what we might discuss--movies we're planning to see, books we're planning to read, writing ideas we're planning to try, music we're grooving to (we might even share a playlist or two), and anything that's on our minds.

What do you all think? Digging the new schedule? Can't tell the difference? Have something you think we should add to the schedule? We'd love your thoughts and input!

Guest Post: Susan Dennard Gets Messy

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Writing Song of the Day: "A Beautiful Mess" by Jason Mraz

Today we welcome Susan Dennard, author of the 2012 debut, Something Strange & Deadly. This week the WOA girls are all promoting this awesome debut novel. And of course, giving YOU a chance to read the novel before it's release date. So, read on and find out about Susan's writing process!

My writing process is…well…messy.

Initially, I spew out complete and utter drivel, my fingers flying over the keyboard faster than my brain can even process. And then, after about 3-4 weeks of this, I crash. I’m usually halfway or three quarters of the way finished with the first draft when I hit this metldown-point, and I’ve usually just reached the notorious MY-BOOK-IS-TOTAL-CRAP stage.

Next step? Despair. Cue Bridget Jones singing “All By Myself”.

Yep. Sounds silly, but it’s true. I spend the next few days alternating between despair (This book is so, so, so bad needs a complete rewrite. WAAAAAH!) and determination (A rewrite never killed anyone, right? You can do it, Sooz! YOU CAN DO IT.).

Ultimately, determination wins (helped along iby its close frenemy: The Deadline). I print out the whole book, get my writing tools out, and then read the ENTIRE thing in one sitting. Actually, if you want a detailed look at how I revise, you can head here.

This reading/planning stage usually takes a few days. Once I’ve got the Book I Actually Wrote solidly analyzed and thePerfect Book (a.k.a. the Story I Actually Want To Tell) all figured out, I dig into rewriting.

Rewriting is a HUGE part of my process. As I talk about here, I don’t always know the whole story. I know the main plot, but I uncover all those delicious subplots and side threads while I’m writing the first draft (or second…or third…). I know the ending (roughly), but I have NO CLUE how all the subplots and side threads will weave together into a SMASH-BANG ending packed full of resonance.

For example, when I was writing the sequel to Something Strange & Deadly (titled A Darkness Strange & Lovely), I wrote the first two thirds of the book in 3 weeks. I spent the next few weeks revising (and researching in Paris!)...and then I reached the end of my revised two thirds and stopped again. I revised those first two thirds AGAIN...only to peter out and stop AGAIN.

My problem was that I had no idea how to get my character from Point A to Point B. I'd sold the book based on a synopsis, and it was easy enough to say, "Eleanor goes with the Spirit-Hunters into the Parisian catacombs." But actually GETTING her there? Actually giving her a plausible reason to take that as the next step--and more importantly, to have her do so while keeping the tension and excitement high?

Cue Bridget Jones singing "All By Myself".

As I said here, I rewrote the beginning a few times...then revised it...then attempted an ending (that was TERRIBLE)...and then re-wrote said ending two more times.

Finally--FINALLY--I settled on an ending that was The One. It came out in a flurry of words that were mostly usable since I finally KNEW what needed to happen --since I was finally writing the Perfect Book.

I turned in A Darkness Strange & Lovely on December 15--a little less than 5 months after starting. It went through two critique partners and my agent before I handed it over to my editor, and by golly, I'm PROUD of what I wrote!

The moral of the story is that ultimately, my “writing” process involves a heck of a lot of “rewriting” because I'm not a particularly good writer...but boy am I one helluva a good REwriter. ;)

So don't despair when your own writing seems bad--you can always, ALWAYS revise it to perfection. DREAM BIG AND NEVER GIVE UP!

Susan's Bio:

Susan is a reader, writer, lover of animals, and eater of cookies. She used to be a marine biologist, but now she writes novels. And not novels about fish either, but novels about kick-butt heroines and swoon-worthy rogues (she really likes swoon-worthy rogues). She lives in Germany with her French husband and Irish setter, and you can learn more about her crazy thoughts and crippling cookie-addiction on twitter, facebook, or Goodreads. Her debut, Something Strange and Deadly, will be available from HarperCollins in July of 2012, and you will never believe how happy this makes her!

Check out Holly's review.

Here's Erinn's review.

AND here's an interview Kat had with Susan about what happens AFTER you get published.

Tomorrow's your last chance! Be sure to check out Alicia's blog for her post and to enter for your turn with this amazing ARC :D AND of course, don't forget to sign up below!!!

P.S.: If you can't see the sign up thingy, click on Read More and then it pops up :) Thanks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Writer's Guide to A Day Off

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Writing Song of the Day: "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars

Yesterday was MLK day and not only is it a day to celebrate the legacy of a wonderful man, but it was also time that we got to stay home from the day jobs. Which made us think: How SHOULD a writer spend an entire day off from their day job?

Notice the word "SHOULD". We actually spent our day at the dentist, working on stuff for part time jobs, and driving around Virginia Beach/Norfolk, VA. If we had our way though, these are the top five things (in no particular order) that we would've done with our day off:

1.) Sleep: You can never get enough of this. And sometimes, writers get a lot of ideas from their dreams. *coughs* Wants *coughs*

2.) Play on Scrivener/Outline New WIP Ideas: Scrivener is full of amazing. And we're getting a lot of outlining done on new WIPs with this program. All we need is the time to actually use it more.

3.) Revise previous manuscripts: The work doesn't cease after getting an agent. We both have revisions to work on with In Limbo & Project J.

4.) Read: We're pretty sure this doesn't need an explanation.

5.) Watch TV/Listen to Music for Inspiration: Believe it or not, we get a lot of ideas from watching TV shows and movies. Also music helps us get into our characters' heads and allows their voices to come out on the page. It may seem like we're wasting time--but no matter what we're doing, we're always thinking like writers.

What do you think? Is there something else a writer should do when they have time off from the day job??

Psst...hey, you...yes, you. Make sure you stop by our blog Thursday January 19th. Susan Dennard is guest posting and you can enter for another chance to read her ARC of Something Strange and Deadly. Check out Holly's post from yesterday for more details!

2012 Debut Author Challenge: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "A Cinderella Story" by Mudvayne

Will you look at that? I've completed my first book of the New Year! Not only that, but it's the second book I've read for the 2012 Debut Author Challenge. And this is one that I'm sure many of you will enjoy. First, let's see what Goodreads has to say about Marissa Meyer's Cinder:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.

Interested yet? Well, let's see if this will do it for you:

The Top 3 Reasons You Should Read Cinder:

1. Not Your Average Fairy Tale Retelling: Let's be honest. Fairy tale retellings are pretty hot right now. I'm surprised that I've been so into ABC's Once Upon a Time. And the new Snow White and the Huntsman movie? Quita and I will be in theaters opening night (and not just so Quita can drool over Chris Hemsworth). But Cinder is MORE than just a retelling. Meyer creates new characters, new legends...hell, a new story. Sure, I saw traces of Cinderella a few times, but I'm impressed with how much Meyer didn't rely on the tale we all know and love. You better believe there is no fairy godmother to save the day.

2. Cinder is no Disney princess. Nothing against Disney. I mean, I still try to sing like Ariel in the shower. But Cinder isn't some damsel waiting for the prince to notice her. If anything, she has a goal beyond falling in love with the prince. In fact, the prince comes to her for help. How kick ass is that? As Destiny's Child would say: All the woman who are independent...

3. Likewise, there's no Disney ending. Now, I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say that I was relieved that no one was riding off into the sunset. Don't get me wrong, I love a good love story...but only when it fits with the story. Meyer created a layered character with Cinder. Sure, she's charmed by the prince, but there are bigger issues at hand...and I'm curious to see how she'll tackle them in the future.

If you like...

Book: Girl Parts by John M. Cusick, or

Movie: Ever After

then you'll like Cinder!!

Have you read Cinder yet? What kind of fairy tale retellings would you like to see or read?

Note: Ahem, a contest MAY occur at the end of the month...and commenting on this post can increase your chances to win. :)

RTW: What's in a Name?

2012-01-11T08:47:00.005-05:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child

Woo hoo! Once again it's Wednesday, which means once again we get to join the lovely ladies of YA Highway for their Road Trip Wednesday question. This week they want to know:

If you couldn't use your own name, what would your pseudonym or penname be?

Okay, is it weird that I thought of this answer before...like, A LOT? I would love to write in more than one genre, so I assumed that while I establish myself as Pamela Harris, I may want to try something else out under a new name. I have two choices: Nadine Hunter or Nadine Shelton. Nadine because, well, it's my middle name (I know--ugh). I chose Hunter because my mom's maiden name is "Hunt," and I chose Shelton because that's my dad's first name.

Quita used the same formula to pick a penname (sorry, I got too lazy to spell the other word again). She would use either Sherie Hunt or Sherie Levitt. Sherie is her middle name (pronounced like the French word cherie--her mother just tried to get all creative). She chose Hunt because, again, that's her mother's maiden name (our moms are sisters--get it?), and she chose Levitt because of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. She said, and I quote, "Out of all my celebrity boyfriends, his last name sounds the best with my middle name."

Don't worry--me and the rest of the fam are already fitting her for a straitjacket.

What about you all, peeps? Have a name you'd like to use? Which name do you think we should use if given the option?

When Opinion Crosses Into Bee-yatch Territory

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ranting Song of the Day: "Bitch" by Meredith Brooks

We've been hearing a lot around the interwebz about negative book reviews that are going too far. There are several cases on Goodreads.com that fall into this category. So, the question we wanna pose (and answer ourselves) is, how much of your opinion can you give about a book without feeling like you're being a bee-yatch?

So, let's say book X has just been released. You've been waiting and waiting for it to come on shelves. However, when you get it in your grubby lil' palms, you wanna throw it across the room. The characters lack personality, the story has no climax or rise and fall, the setting is barely described, and the entire thing is written in passive voice. You go to Goodreads, because you like to rate every book that you read. But you're stuck! How many stars do you give it??? Should you be honest and give it 1 (more like half a star if you could, and that half would just be because you liked the cover)? Or should you lie and give it 3 stars--just in case you're ever in a position where you become friends with this author and you want them to pimp your book? OR should you cross that line, give the book 0 stars and go on a five paragraph long rant of every. Single. Thing that was wrong with this book?

Our answer: Be honest, but not a bee-yatch. It's that simple.

That's not simple? Why not? Why do your friends on Goodreads have to know every single word of this book that you hated? You can just rate the book low and move on. A professional author should not take offense to low ratings, we all know reading is subjective. Not every person in the world is going to love our writing, and to be a writer, you have to have thick skin and accept this. BUT, a writer CAN take offense when the reader spends an hour of their day writing out details about why they hated the author's book. Why should the author take offense? Because, that reader's opinion may be different from John Doe. But John Doe reads that review and is put off from the book right away. Therefore, John Doe doesn't even have a chance to pick up the book and decide how he feels about it on his own.

And why else should you refrain from being a bee-yatch? Because no one likes a pissy person. Someone who CONSTANTLY writes long, ranty reviews online will never be the first person that a writer goes to when they are looking for book reviewers. And if you're a book blogger, well, you've just screwed yourself. If you're a fellow writer? You seem like a hater, and people will look even more closely at YOUR writing to make sure you're not doing the things you have so passionately dissed online.

Okay, so the moral to this long blog post? You can be honest without bringing out the claws. When you do, it makes you look like an ass and people start to wonder: Don't you have other things in your life that are of a little more concern than author X's book with the awesome cover???

Your turn. We can be way off base here and we'd love to hear your opinion! Do you think bee-yatch-ness is EVER necessary when giving book reviews? How do you feel about giving negative reviews?

Our 2012 Writing Resolutions!!

2012-01-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Writing Song of the Day: "The New Year" by Death Cab for Cutie

Okay, we get it...we're about 5 days late in making New Years Resolutions, but we figure better late than never, right?

This time last year, we created 2011 Writing Resolutions (check those out here). This year, we decided to see if we met those goals while including ones for this year. Make sense? Yeah, not really, but we'll take a stab at it anyway.

Pam's Writing Resolutions:

1. Last Year: Revise the ending of Wants.
This Year: Done and done. Well, for now anyhow. Unless an awesome editor believes it needs more work. ;)

2. Last Year: Complete my 2nd YA manuscript and send to beta readers in the Spring.
This Year: Well, I did complete Project J, but it was a little later than usual. Either way, my lovely beta readers helped me get it all nice and pretty to send to my agent. Woo hoo!

3. Last Year: Revise my supernatural YA WIP (my 2010 NaNo project).
This Year: Yeah...that didn't happen. HOWEVER, I did recently read it and it has way more potential than I initially thought. Since I won the Scrivener program, I think I may play around with this story a little this year and see if I can make it shine.

4. Last Year: Outline my 3rd contemporary YA novel.
This Year: Umm, I KILLED this goal. Not only did I write the first draft of another contemporary novel for NaNo 2011, but I also just started outlining my 4th idea. Boo yeah! This year, I'd like to revise the NaNo novel, and finish the 1st draft of the 4th idea. :)

5. Last Year: Write at least 500 words a day.
This Year: Yeah...that didn't happen. However, this year, I'd like to write at least 3 times a week...even if I'm just jotting down ideas or creating character worksheets. I usually kick writing-butt during my summer vacay, too.

6. Last Year: Read at least 2 YA novels a month.
This Year: Okay, that didn't happen either. This year, I'd like to read all of the books I put on my 2012 Debut Author Challenge list, and a handful of sequels that I'm anticipating (I'm looking at you, Insurgent).

7. Last Year: Read 6 adult fiction novels.
This Year: Nah, I think I failed this one, too. This year, I'd like to read at least 3.

8. Last Year: Get a book deal.
This Year: Well, no announcements yet, but I have a great agent and some awesome beta readers in my corner. I'm WAY more optimistic this year compared to last year, so we'll see. :)

Quita's Writing Resolutions:

1. Last Year: Complete my 1st contemporary YA WIP by February.
This Year: Boo yeah! I annihilated that one. I completed the novel around the spring of 2011--close enough to February, right?? This year I plan to finish the first draft of my new historical.

2. Last Year: Nab an agent with my historical YA, In Limbo.
This Year: Right before the year ended, I did just that!! And now we're gonna work on the book proposal and see if we can get me one of them book deals!

3. Last Year: Revise my supernatural YA novel by April.
This Year: Nope--no such luck. BUT I do plan to revise this (it was my NaNo 2010 novel) by the end of spring this year. After reading through it, it's not that bad actually.

4. Last Year: Complete me and Pam's YA idea inspired by Inception.
This Year: Nope. That didn't happen either. Neither one of us has had the time. BUT I hope we can revisit it at some point this year.

5. Last Year: Read more historical YA.
This Year: Hmmm, I think I read a total of three historical YA novels. Yeah, I need to work on that. Maybe I'll give myself an actual goal this year...I will try and read at least 5 historical YAs before the end of 2012.

6. Last Year: Read more adult fiction.
This Year: Didn't do this one, either. I will try and get more in this year, though--definitely. At least 2 or 3.

7. Last Year: Plot a new WIP by early June so that I can finish a draft over the summer.
This Year: This didn't happen either. I was too busy revising my other novels in order to complete # 2 :) But I'm already outlining a new historical and I plan to revise my contemp NaNo from 2011.

8. Last Year: Write SOMETHING each day.
This Year: Yeah, right. With a full time job and two part time jobs--not gonna happen. But like Pam said, writing something at least 3 times a week will work. Even if it's a quick short story or a scene for a new idea.

9. Last Year: A book deal.
This Year: Uh, no--but see # 2!

Whew, that was a lot! Have you all set any writing goals for this year yet?

RTW: Come Sail Away With Us

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Daydreaming Song of the Day: "Daydreamer" by Adele

It's Wednesday, AKA the best day of the week for daydreaming and completing a Road Trip post from YA Highway. Okay, maybe not the best day for daydreaming, but the topic this week makes us do just that. This week, the ladies are asking us:

Describe your dream writing retreat. Where would you go? Who and what would you bring?

Funny that this question is coming up right when we're considering taking a writing retreat in the summer. If we had things our way and didn't have to worry about money, this is what we'd do.

Where We'd Go:

Beautiful St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands (Close runner up: A quiet area--not desolate--but quiet, somewhere in Italy).

Who We'd Bring:

We'd bring, each other- DUH, also our lil' sis Racquel, our Weekend of Awesome pals, Alicia, Erinn, Kat, and Holly (not pictured), and our buddy Megan (also, not pictured). Hmm, we need some pics with these girls...

Racquel, Pam, Quita

Erinn, Kat, Quita, Pam, Alicia

What We'd Bring:

iPads: 'Cause we're kinda obsessed with them. And also because they will be full of musical inspiration, novels to read (for the times we're stuck on what to write), and hopefully (by that time) the Scrivener App.

Netbooks/Flash Drives: For writing. Nuff said.

Moleskin Notebooks: For those moments that we need to jot down something we might forget later.

Novels: Actual ones that we can hold in our hands--because some novels MUST be held.

A Couple Writing Resource Books: Books like Fill-In-the-Blank Plotting by Linda George, Writing and Selling The Young Adult Novel by K.L. Going, and Cheryl Klein's Second Sight: An Editor's Talks on Writing, Revising, and Publishing Books for Children or Young Adults

Forms of Lubrication (get your minds out of the gutter!): Lotion for Pam & Chapstick for Quita. Also Sun Tan Lotion--'cause ya know, sometimes we'll have to go on the lovely St. Croix beaches to relax before getting more writing done.

Colored Pens: If we're revising a printed draft.

Candy and snacks: To refuel and whatever other excuses we can think of to eat all the bad things.

And,um,some adult beverages: Hopefully these will be provided by the wonderful people at our luxurious Virgin Islands resort...for free.

Oh and we also wouldn't mind bringing a nice, smart (and HOT) island boy back home with us :D

What about you? Where would you go and what would you bring with you??

Omigod...Quita has a FLIPPING Agent!!

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Celebrating Song of the Day: "I Celebrate the Day" by Relient K

WOW--after two years of querying/revising/editing TWO manuscripts, I can FINALLY report that yes, the title of this post is correct. I HAVE AN AGENT!!! Over a year ago, Pam gave you this post on how she got her agent (the awesome Sarah LaPolla of Curtis Brown LTD), so I figured I'd do the same. If you'd like to hear my story...here it go!

I started writing at a young age. I gave you all a sneak peak of my first completed novel (that I wrote at age 15), but then I got practical. I realized if I wanted to make lots of money, I needed to finish high school and go to college. So, I did...and then I got my degree and became a teacher. Yep, I thought I'd be rolling in the dough from that career. As my fellow educators know, no such luck. Anyway, I digress. Back to my writing journey. Me and Pam got serious about our childhood love of writing and applied for MFA programs. As Pam recounted on her post, we got in and she was told from a literary agent that she has a knack for teen voices...so why not write young adult? She told me and was like, "hey, you usually write in teen voices, too." And from there we began our foray into the wonderful (and I mean, WONDERFUL) world of young adult. Then my first novel was born...

December of 2009: I finished writing a novel based on a screenplay that me and Pam wrote together. Said novel was not my best friend. I kept trying to stick to the screenplay. HOWEVER, I did get a full request from a literary agency with this novel. But, lit agency NEVER responded...

Jan/Feb. 2010: While waiting for news about other manuscript, I began to come up with ideas for a new novel. All I had was these few sentences: Syl Huston is a 15 year old living in Philadelphia in 1918.The year that the Great Influenza has hit the United States. His older brother18 year old Ricky Huston has enlisted in the United States Army and is sent tofight in Germany- he sends home letters that open up each chapter.

Begins in September 1918- Syl is in school and is called tothe principal’s office. There he learns that his aunt, who lives with him hasjust been taken to the hospital and is in severe condition.

April 2010: Finished my first draft of In Limbo (title was switched to Hysteria briefly). This draft consisted of just Syl--who gets sick and spends the second half of the novel in his bedroom while people visit him. In one word: LAME. Thanks to my alpha/beta reader, Pam, this was quickly changed.

August 2010: Finished second draft--still a little lame, but I felt it was ready to query. WRONG--nothing but rejections. I got a few partial requests, but NO fulls. Pam read again and suggested that I make the love interest black--something to change things up.

October 2010: New draft! And this time my love interest, SJ, is BLACK. And she and Syl have a goal. I also have another beta reader, Ann, read this draft. She loves it, but gives a few suggestions. I take them.

December 2010: Another new draft--this time Syl has religious issues (don't ask where THAT came from...). I query again. I also began the first draft of my contemporary--convinced that agents do not sign debut authors with historical novels.

January 2011: I get my FIRST full request!!! And it's from an agent who LOVES historical- woo hoo! Alas, she passes...

February 2011: I whine, whine, whine about not getting an agent. I do some work on the contemp and query that. I get a couple requests for the contemp and shelve In Limbo while my betas read and let me know WHY it continues to suck.

June 2011: Me and Pam attend our regional SCBWI Novel Retreat. There we get a moment of clarity--why not make In Limbo a dual POV novel??? That might up the tensions, the stakes etc. Pam also suggests that I have one of the couple really not like the other--after all they are interracial and it is the early 20th century. Sooo...I work hard on both of those ideas and send it off to my betas again.

July-September 2011: Feedback from betas and hardwork to get the manuscript JUST RIGHT.

Late September/Early October 2011: I re-query those agents who had slight interest in In Limbo, and I go to QueryTracker.net (QueryTracker, I HEART you) and search for all agents interested in historical YA novels. There's quite a few...so I weed through them and find the ones who seem like they really, truly love historicals. That's when I see the name...Jennie Goloboy of Red Sofa Literary Agency. Not only does she WRITE historical novels herself, she also has a freakin' PhD in American Civilization from Harvard!! I queried her on September 27th, 2011--she answered a short six days later. She said she is intrigued and wanted to read the first three chapters. YES!

October 2011: I continued to query my contemp. and had a full & partial out for that, too. But Jennie got back to me on October 10th, saying she enjoyed it and wanted to read the full. OMIGOD!

Then on the 18th, Jennie wrote back and said she loved the manuscript overall, but had a few things she wanted me to look at and change. I agreed--so I worked on the revisions right away.

November 2011: On November 20th, 2011 I sent back the revised version of In Limbo. On the 30th, Jennie wrote back and said she really enjoyed the revise and resubmit...then asked if there was a time we could talk!!!

December 2011: WE TALKED! She offered--I wanted to accept right away. Jennie LOVES my novel, she loves history--what more can I ask for? But I had other material out. I had to give those agents a chance to read and decide if they loved my work enough. After all was said and done...I signed with Jennie on December 20th, 2011!

AND NOW? NOW I have an agent!!!

That was A LOT...and I don't blame you if you skipped some parts. I can get a lil' long winded sometimes. Sorry :( Anyway, I hope reading about my "journey" gives you all some insight into the work that it takes. In Limbo didn't get agented until I wrote 10 (YES, TEN--granted some of the drafts had small changes, but still) various drafts of it. It takes work, people...lots of it.

Thanks for reading :D

YA Superlatives Blogfest: Best in Show

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Best For Last" by Adele

Here it is, folks. The LAST day of our YA Superlatives Blogfest. *sheds a tear* Don't know what the Class of 2011: YA Superlatives Blogfest is all about yet? Still?? Okay, go here for more info. Also, please make sure to check out our posts from earlier this week to see our other choices.

Of course, we go out with a bang. We pick the cream of the crop, the big enchiladas, the...okay, we ran out of cheesy analogies. But, we ARE picking the Best in Show...so check out our choices below:

Favorite Cover:

Um, really?

Need we say more?

Cutest Couple:

Tie: Sam and Grace in Forever by Maggie Stiefvater and Lola and Cricket in Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. We almost wish we were characters in these authors' next novels just to have these kind of romances. :)

Most Likely to Succeed (Or, pick a Printz winner!):

Tie: Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff and Recovery Road by Blake Nelson. Both male authors. Both kick major prose ass.

Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime:

Tie: Divergent by Veronica Roth and Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts. We thought about calling into work to finish these books. Seriously.

Best Repeat Performance:

Tie (Hmm, noticing a trend?): Forever by Maggie Stiefvater and City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. As you can see, Quita LOVED the Wolves of Mercy Falls series--and Pam wants to be best friends with Cassandra Clare.

Romance Most Worthy of an Ice Bath:

Tessa Gray and Will/Jem in Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. That's right--homegirl got lucky twice. And the scenes were HAWT!

Pair Most Likely to Stay Best Friends Till They're 80:

Clary and Simon from City of Fallen Angels. Okay, I know we've been showing a TON of love for Ms. Clare, but there's also a TON of love between these two characters.

Breakout Novel (Fave Book by a Debut Author):

Divergent by Veronica Roth and Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts. Both dark, both intense...both we can't stop raving about.

Best Old-Timer (Your fave read of the year, published BEFORE 2011):

Tie: Boy Toy by Barry Lyga and Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. Umm, why didn't people tell us how incredible these books were?

Most Likely to Make a Grown Man Cry:

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young. Because the story IS beautiful...and really makes you not take your life for granted.

Most Pleasant Surprise:

Possession by Elana Johnson. Usually not Quita's reading fare, but now she can't wait for the next one.

Most Creative Use of a Love Triangle:

Tessa, Will, and Jem in Clockwork Prince. Yes, Cassandra Clare again--but usually we can't help but think the girl in the middle of a triangle is a...well, skank. It's so easy to empathize with Tessa.

Sleeper Hit (Book You Wish Had Been Hyped More):

Recovery Road by Blake Nelson. Quita can't stop loving on Mr. Nelson, and she wished more people would do the same.

And now we get to pick our own superlative category...

BOOK WE'RE MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2012:

Insurgent by Veronica Roth. Believe us, there are SO MANY books we want to gobble up next year...but we HAVE to find out where the talented Ms. Roth is taking her story next.

Well, that was fun. It was great to look back at the books we loved this year, and now we can't wait to see what 2012 will have in store. Hopefully, you all know the drill by now. Did we leave any of your faves off our list?

YA Superlatives Contest: Elements of Fiction

2011-12-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Elements" by A Fine Frenzy

Okey dokey, Day Three of the YA Superlative Blogfest is among us! Days one and two were full of awesome, so we hope to continue the fun today. This time we're looking at the elements that make up GREAT fiction.

Great fiction includes settings that make you want to be there with the characters (or sometimes the setting is done so well you DON'T want to be there), characters who are interesting and finales that knock you back on your ass. All of the books we've included here have at least ONE of these elements. Check it out!

Most Envy-Inducing Plot (Or, the plot you wish you’d thought of yourself.):

Divergent by Veronica Roth and XVI by Julia Karr

*Clever, thought provoking, and realistic. We spent HOURS talking about how we wished we created these plots!*

Most Wonderful World-Building:

Divergent by Veronica Roth and Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

*Believable and intriguing worlds that couldn't have been built from anything other than the minds of geniuses.*

Most Formidable World (Or, the setting you most definitely would NOT want to travel to.):

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

*Would YOU want to live in a world where humans are turning into murderous loons? Didn't think so...*

Wanderlust-Inducing (Or, the setting you’d happily travel to.):

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

*Perkins has a true gift for setting--with her sensory details she makes us want to visit every place she ever writes about!*

Loveliest Prose:

Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff

*The book is full of words that move the reader and also move the story along--without being boring.*

Best First Line:

"Lucy hunched over the corpse and felt a tiny bubble of hysterical laughter gurgle up." From Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari.

*In Pam's words--this is just "demented" enough to make us intrigued!*

Most Dynamic Main Character:

Kid in Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff

*You don't know Kid's gender. Can't get more dynamic than that.*

Most Jaw-Dropping Finale:

Three Way! Possession by Elana Johnson, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, and City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare.

*Each one of these endings had us saying: What the BLEEP? We can't wait for more!*

Best Performance in a Supporting Role:

Cole in Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

*As mentioned before in yesterday's post--this dude has may-jah swag. And he played a pivotal role in the end of this trilogy. He also made Quita's heart go pitter-patter.*

Best Use of Theme:

Divergent by Veronica Roth

*How we react to our fears truly define us--and this book drives that point home. Ah-may-zing!*

That's it--those are the 2011 books that we felt embodied these elements of fiction. Did we miss something along the way? Let us know so we can add those books to the To Be Read Pile ASAP!

YA Superlatives Blogfest: Popularity Contest

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Popular" by Lil' Wayne featuring Lil' Twist

It's the SECOND day of the AWESOME YA Superlatives Blogfest! You can still join in the fun! Click here for more info on what needs to be done to participate. Also, if you missed out on Day One, check it out here.

Okay, now that all the logistics are out of the way...let's go ahead and discuss popularity plus high school/teenagers. They kinda go hand in hand, right?? The YA novels in 2011 definitely gave us characters who fit into the standard superlative categories for popularity--and we're gonna prove it!

Alright, enough talking, let's get right into the Popularity Contest!

Class Clown:

David Gershwin in How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain

*Dry and witty--and so likable. We'd sit next to him in every class!*

Most Likely to Become a Rock Star:

Mandarin in Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard

*She goes by her own rules.*

Mostly Likely to Start a Riot:

Puck in The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

*He'd be the most amused by it.*

Biggest Flirt:

Chloe in Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

*And she doesn't even apologize for it!*

Fashion King and/or Queen:

Lola in Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

*She wants to be a fashion designer-duh!*

Girl You’d Most Want For Your BFF:

Tie between Gretchen in Sweetly by Jackson Pearce and Isabelle Lightwood in City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare.

*Gretchen is strong & faithful to friends & family/ Isabelle kicks a** and she'd stick up for Pam in a fight*

Boy You Wish You’d Dated in High School:

Tie between Cole in Forever by Maggie Stiefvater, and Cricket in Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins.

*Cole is the epitome of rock star sexy--he just has swag/Cricket is nerdy & sensitive...and just awesome!*

Most Likely to Become President:

Tie Between Meghan Chase in The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa and Aries in Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts.

*For Meghan--Duh, look at the title of the book!/Aries took control in a dire situation.*

Quirkiest Character:

Lola in Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins.

*How many other girls do you know who want to wear a Marie Antoinette dress to their school dance?*

Villain You Love to Hate:

Nate Gray in Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare.

*Ok, this guy has no redeeming value--he just made a bada** villain.*

Favorite Parental Figure:

Tie between Luke Garroway in City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare and Geoffrey Beck in Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

*Luke loves Clary just like she's his own- awww!/Beck was smooth, intelligent, and did what he had to do for his family.*

Coolest Nerd:

Seth from The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker

*He does whatever he can for Kate to help her solve the mystery (computer nerdery is involved)...and he was so flipping SWEET!*

Popularity Contest done! Did we miss someone--overlook the person that you KNOW deserves to win one of the above categories?? Let us know!

YA Superlatives Blogfest: Head of the Class

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Best of You" by Foo Fighters

Happy Tuesday, lovelies! I hope everyone is well-rested and well-fed from their holiday festivities. We couldn't wait to get to zumba class to shake off all of those Christmas cookies--and we still have New Years Eve to indulge. Gulp.

Anyways, today we get to start the uber-fun, uber-awesome YA Superlatives Blogfest! You may have remembered Quita mentioning it here. The topic today? Head of the Class--or our fave books in each genre. Enough yapping, let's get to the books:

Favorite Dystopian:

Divergent by Veronica Roth. Hands down. We didn't even have to argue over this choice.

Favorite Science Fiction:

Across the Universe by Beth Revis. We admit it--we didn't read much sci fi this year. But we're pretty sure we'd still choose this one.

Favorite Fantasy:

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater. This is considered fantasy, right? Right?

Favorite Contemporary:

Recovery Road by Blake Nelson and Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. Drastically different. Equally awesome.

Favorite Action/Adventure:

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts. A page-turner if we've ever seen one.

Favorite Historical Fiction:

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. The setting, the language...the awesome.

Favorite Comedy:

How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain. Hilarity ensued.

Favorite Mystery:

The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker. Nobody does whodunnit better than these sisters.

Favorite Romance:

Lola and the Boy Next Door. Pam never swooned so much in her life.

Favorite Paranormal Romance:

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare and Forever by Maggie Stiefvater. These ladies almost make you want to fall in love with someone not quite human.

Favorite Family Drama:

Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff--AKA, Pam's new favorite author.

Favorite Genre Bender:

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. We have NO CLUE how to define this book. Other than it kicks ass.

So, there it is. Our first installment for the YA Superlatives Blogfest. Do you see any of your faves in there? Anything we should have chosen instead? :)

Someone's WINNING...And What's to Come

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "All I Do Is Win" by DJ Kahled Ft. T-Pain

We're on the third day of our two week winter break from the day jobs. WOO HOO!!! We're planning to read, write, read some more, write a little more, and then well, read some more. What else are a couple writers gonna do while they have an extended break?

Notice that blogging was not included...yeah, this week we're not gonna blog. BUT next week, we're returning with some fun end of the year type stuff. We're joining Katy Upperman and pals Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller for the CLASS OF 2011: YA SUPERLATIVES BLOGFEST!

If you're interested in joining the Blogfest, here's a little information from Ms. Upperman's blog:

The Class of 2011: YA Superlatives Blogfest is a fun and interactive way to highlight and share your favorite YA novels, covers, characters, and story elements. The Class of 2011: YA Superlatives Blogfest will span four days, beginning Tuesday, December 27th and culminating Friday, December 30th.

The rules for participating are simple:

1. Add your name to the Google form below.
2. Select books/characters that apply to the superlative topics for each day of the blogfest. Feel free to give explanations for your choices. You can go into as much detail as you like!
3. Schedule your posts to go live on the days indicated.
4. Add a link to your post on Jessica’s, Tracey’s, Alison’s, or my blog.
5. Take a few moments to hop around and check out the superlatives of other participants each day.

If you want more info and are interested in signing up, go to either of the blogs mentioned above, or click on the link for the CLASS OF 2011: YA SUPERLATIVES BLOGFEST!

Okay, now to the order of business we need to take care of: The winner of our pre-order for Jaime Reed's debut Living Violet. Without further delay, our winner is:

ATHENA FRANCO!!!

Congratulations!! Send an e-mail to cuzwewrite@gmail.com with your mailing address and we'll order your book ASAP!

Happy Holidays, all! See ya next week!!

Gchat Review: Living Violet by Jaime Reed...AND a CONTEST

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Violet Hill" by Coldplay

So, I was fortunate enough to win an ARC of Jaime Reed's debut paranormal novel: Living Violet (The Cambion Chronicles # 1). EEEK! Me and Pam were so excited to read this novel, and we must say it did not disappoint! We took turns reading the ARC and finished it in about a week and a half. BOTH of us read this ONE copy in no more than TEN days. That's a testament to how engaging the story was.

Here is what Goodreads has to say:

He's persuasive, charming, and way too mysterious. And for Samara Marshall, her co-worker is everything she wants most--and everything she most fears. . .

Samara Marshall is determined to make the summer before her senior year the best ever. Her plan: enjoy downtime with friends and work to save up cash for her dream car. Summer romance is not on her to-do list, but uncovering the truth about her flirtatious co-worker, Caleb Baker, is. From the peculiar glow to his eyes to the unfortunate events that befall the girls who pine after him, Samara is the only one to sense danger behind his smile.

But Caleb's secrets are drawing Samara into a world where the laws of attraction are a means of survival. And as a sinister power closes in on those she loves, Samara must take a risk that will change her life forever. . .or consume it.

Sounds like good stuff, right? We know!

This time around with the DAC we're doing things a little differently. We have two separate lists, which you can check out here. However, some of the books show up on both our lists. For those books, Pam and I are going to "chat" and then share our discussion about the book with you all--because we know you're just DYING to know what we think.

So, without further adieu here was the chat we had about Reed's Living Violet:

Did you read that, right? YEP! We're giving away a copy of Jaime Reed's debut novel Living Violet. What do you have to do to enter? You MUST be a follower of our blog, a US resident, and leave a comment on this post by MIDNIGHT on Tuesday December 20th, 2011. We will choose one winner at random and pre-order a copy of Living Violet for you. Need something to talk about in the comments??? Well, tell us your favorite baked good. That should be fun!

**DISCLAIMER: We did not have this chat in front of the Statue of Liberty. Instead, we used Gchat. We know, not very glamorous :D The picture is from our trip to NY last year.**

12 Days of Revision: A Christmas Carol!

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Carolling Song of the Day: Check out the one below!

We've bought all our Christmas presents, put up our tree, and are about to begin our holiday break from the day jobs. Needless to say, we're feeling a little festive. So we decided to share a little carol that only writers can appreciate:

The 12 Days of Revision!!
(Sung to the melody of...well, you know)

On the twelfth day of revisions, my beta gave to me...

12 packs of Post-Its

11 sugar comas

10 songs for musing

9 friends assuring

8 hours "Scrivening"

7 authors tweeting

6 coffees brewing

5 A-HA MOMENTS!!!

4 colored pens

3 synonyms

2 fingerless gloves

And a port-a-ble PC!!!!!!

So, did I leave anything out fellow writers? Please leave your thoughts below. Oh, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

What Agents Want: To Be Taken to a Galaxy Far, Far Away

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Querying Song of the Day: "So Far Away" by Crossfade

What Agents Want is a series in which we will research what trends/topics agents are looking for right now. We'll give you information on the trend/topic and the agent that is looking for this specific type of project. The better to query with, my dears.

If you're like me, when you hear science fiction you automatically think aliens, space ships, Star Trek, and Star Wars. I need to educate myself, and in the mean time--why not educate the few of you who also aren't aware of the Sci-Fi (or "sf" to true science fiction lovers) genre just like me??

A lot of agents have been adding science fiction to their wish list. So, those of you who have already been wise to the genre and have written that fascinating science fiction novel, you're on the right track! The rest of us??? Read on, you might already be working on a sf novel and not even realize it.

So, what the heck is science fiction?

Science Fiction is not a new genre by any means. However, it is becoming highly sought after in Young Adult fiction. So, what is it?

The S F Site describes it as: "A genre that extrapolates from current scientific trends. The technology of a science fiction story may be either the driving force of the story or merely the setting for a drama, but all science fiction tends to predict or define the future."

In laymen terms, a good science fiction novel should have the following elements:

* Technology

* Futuristic elements OR

* Predictions for what may occur in the future

* Explores What If questions

* Usually a new or exciting reality is the background

There are various subgenres and overlapping genres that lie within the realm of science fiction. These include: speculative fiction, dystopian, utopian, apocalyptic, time travel/warp, alternate and parallel universes, and cyberpunk amongst other things.

To learn more about the genre check out these sites:

The SF Site

Introduction to the Science Fiction Genre

Illiterarty.com/ Science Fiction

What books can I read for research?

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Uglies (Uglies Series) by Scott Westerfield

Girl Parts by John M. Cusick

Finally, tell me about one of the awesome agents in search of this galaxy:

Amy Boggs joined Donald Maas Literary Agency in 2009. She keeps a twitter account where she shares how much she loves science fiction YA. Amy Boggs is looking for novels (not just science fiction--she wants other genres as well) that include diverse characters--not just in terms of race, but religion, gender, sexuality, and disability as well.

If you are thinking of querying Ms. Boggs check out the sites below:

QueryTracker.Net: Amy Boggs

Amy Boggs Twitter

Donald Mass Website

Donald Mass Publishers Marketplace Page

**DISCLAIMER** We are BY NO MEANS telling anyone to follow trends or to try and hurry to write novels based on these features. This is for people who have written, or have been thinking about writing, on the topic presented.

Were you thinking about writing a science fiction novel before reading this post? Or better yet, have you already started a WIP in this genre???

RTW: What Would You Do For a Klon...err, Book Contract

2011-12-07T09:46:00.003-05:00

Desperate Song of the Day: "The Distance" by Cake

It's Wednesday. Two days until the weekend, and another chance to join the lovely ladies of YA Highway for Road Trip Wednesday. This week they ask:

How far would you go to get published?

Ooh, good question! One that actually had us doing this:

You see, we've wanted to be published authors since the very first time we could grip a pencil. We already know how we'd celebrate when we FINALLY see one of our names in the "Deals" section of Publishers Marketplace (and if you know anything about us, you'd know it has something to do with food).

So far, the only thing that we've both done is make revisions based on agents' suggestions. However, we'd never change anything we wouldn't feel comfortable about. For example, if for some reason we were asked to change a character's race or sexuality, our response would be a resounding NO! We've been very lucky that we haven't had to make those decisions thus far.

As far as genre hopping, I'd be lying if I said we haven't *considered* it. I mean, we SEE what sells--and we both have written manuscripts that were outside of our contemporary comfort zone. But I think our writing really shines when we're true to ourselves. If we wrote something just to fit to a trend, the passion wouldn't be there--which means that nobody else would want to read it anyway.

So yeah, I don't think I completely answered this question. Just know that if Quita and I get lucky enough to get published one day, we'd be able to say that we kept our self-respect.

What about you all? Would you do anything "crazy" just to see your name on a book spine?

Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

2011-12-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Revising Song of the Day: "The Space Between" by the Dave Matthews Band

So, something interesting happened this past weekend--

ME: I don't feel like revising my thesis.

QUITA: Me neither.

ME: (thinks) Hey--I never read my NaNo WIP from last year.

QUITA: Hmm, me neither.

ME: Want to do that?

QUITA: (shrugs) Whatever.

And so that's what we did. To read about me and Quita's NaNo 2010 novels, you can click here. Or, if you're lazy like me, I'll save you the extra click--I wrote about fairies, and she wrote about genies. You see, we wanted to write outside of our comfort zones, so we both decided to write supernatural YA stories. And you know what we found out?

They weren't THAT awful.

Of course, they're by no means perfect either. It's just that while we were writing them, we both whined about getting words on that paper. We both declared that they had to be the worst things that we've written. Ever. But as I read through my first draft, I found myself laughing at parts that were meant to be funny. I found myself flipping the page to see what will happen next.

So what does that mean?

Just what pretty much everyone else has confirmed. Time away from your WIPs is absolutely crucial. You need to be able to see your writing with a fresh pair of eyes. My first step in revising is: Read your story for personal enjoyment. Pretend that this is a story that you've chosen from a bookshelf, sit back, and just read it like you're a fan.

Now what? Well, I do what I do before I review any other book. I look at what works and what doesn't work. I think about the characters: do they sound the same? Are they all needed? What are their motivations? I consider the plot and whether or not the story builds to a worthy climax, and if it results in a satisfactory ending.

So yeah, I think Quita and I both plan on revising these babies now. And I can't speak for Quita, but this revision might just be for me. I won't worry about submissions and whether or not there's room in the marketplace for my little fairy story. And sometimes, when you're writing just for fun, the work really shines through.

What about you all? Have you fallen in love with a project again that you haven't read in forever?

One More Time With Feeling: Debut Author Challenge 2012

2011-12-01T08:00:00.032-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "One More Time With Feeling" by Regina Spektor

Soooo, we just rejoiced from finishing the 2011 Debut Author Challenge last week. Yet, we're ready to get back into it again. That's right, The Story Siren is doing it again in 2012, and of course, we're on board. You wanna participate, too? There's only a few rules. Like to hear them? Here they go:

1.) Read and review at least twelve middle grade and young adult novels by January 31st, 2013.

2.) Review the books on your blog or using sites like Goodreads.com or Amazon.

3.) The book you read MUST be the author's FIRST middle grade or young adult debut novel in the year 2012.

For more information on the rules and to sign up, click here. The Story Siren will tell you all about it :D

This time, we're doing things a little differently. We're going to have OUR OWN SEPARATE LISTS *gasp*. Some books we BOTH want to read, so you'll see them twice, but overall--we're branching out and completing the challenge double time!

We'll EACH read at least twelve new books from the peeps who have been dubbed "The Apocolpysies". These are the lucky folks who are debuting as an author next year. And we couldn't be more excited for them!!! We also couldn't be more excited to read some of these outstanding novels. With that being said, here are the lists of books that we plan to read for the 2012 Debut Author Challenge:

Pams's List:

1.) Cinder by Marissa Meyer-- January 3rd, 2012

2.) Living Violet by Jaime Reed-- January 2012

3.) Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom--January 10th, 2012

4.) Black Boy, White School by Brian F. Walker--January 3rd, 2012

5.) Cracked by KM Walton-January 3rd, 2012

6.) Blood Born by Jamie Manning- April 24th, 2012

7.) What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen-- May 1st, 2012

8.) When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle--May 1st, 2012

9.) The Other Life by Susan Winnacker- May 1st, 2012

10.) Something Like Normal by Trish Doller--June 19th, 2012

11.) The Classroom by Robin Mellom--June 19th, 2012

12.) All These Lives by Sarah Wylie--June 5th, 2012

13.) If I Lie by Corrine Jackson-- September 4th, 2012

14.) Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza- Fall 2012

15.) Butter by Erin Lange--Fall 2012

16.) What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang--Fall 2012

17.) Through to You by Emily Hainsworth- November 20th, 2012

Quita's List:

1.) The Edumacation of Jay Baker by Jay Clark--January 31st, 2012

2.) Living Violet by Jaime Reed- January 2012

3.) The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth- February 7th, 2012

4.) The Nightmare Factory by Lucy Jones--Spring 2012

5.) Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould--March 13th, 2012

6.) Storybound by Marissa Burt--April 3rd, 2012

7.) Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves- April 8th, 2012

8.) Blood Born by Jamie Manning- April 24th, 2012

9.) What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen-- May 1st, 2012

10.) Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock- May 8th, 2012

11.) Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard--July 24th, 2012

12.) Between You and Me by Marisa Calin--August 7th, 2011

13.) The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin--August 21st, 2012

14.) Venom by Fiona Paul--October 30th, 2012

15.) What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang--Fall 2012

16.) Breathe by Sarah Crossan--Fall 2012

17.) Pivot Point by Kasie West--December 2012

That's it! We sooooo can't wait to start reading these books!!! We may read more or change our list as the year goes along. We shall see! In the meantime, are YOU going to participate? If so, which books are you really looking forward to reading??

We Did It!!

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Celebrating Song of the Day: "Oops!...I Did it Again..." by Britney Spears

Saturday, November 26, 2011 is a date that will live in infamy...at least in the household of two greedy, sleep-deprived cousins. You see, we managed to collect this:

That's right--Quita and I won our second NaNoWriMo challenge! Can we get a woot woot? How about a little dance?

Thanks.

So yeah, my contemporary YA (with a hint of magical realism), So Now You Are Cursed, clocked in at a lovely 56,441 words. And Quita's contemporary YA, The Captive Soul, ended at an awesome 57,205 words. So, as promised, we treated ourselves to this:

I tell you, victory has never tasted so sweet.

We thought last year's NaNoWriMo was difficult, but this year was a pure juggling act. I had to work on revisions for another novel, while Quita started up a part-time job (in addition to her full-time one of yelling at...I mean, TEACHING high schoolers). Not to mention everyday we pretty much wanted to punch our WIPs in the face. But with will power, and the thought of chowing down on some Five Guys grub, we got through it.

So now what?

Well, we're going to ignore our stories for a while--and by a while, I mean MONTHS. Then we're going to eventually draft ideas for our next WIPs. But most importantly, we're going to READ like it's going out of style.

What about you all? Have you finished NaNo yet (if you participated, of course)? What are you going to do with your WIPs once you're finished? But most importantly, how are you going to REWARD yourselves? :)

Our Thanks, a Winner, and a Turkey!

2011-11-24T12:21:00.010-05:00

**This was supposed to be posted this morning...yeah, Thanksgiving day Fail...sorry, peeps**

Celebrating Song of the Day: "Thank Me Now" by Drake

It's Turkey Day AKA Thanksgiving & we hope that you all are enjoying yourselves :) We just have some quick business to take care of, then we are off to begin our food comas!

Remember that contest we had in celebration of finishing the 2011 Debut Author Challenge? Well, we have us a winner! Congrats to:

MEREDITH!!!!!!!

You have a $15 Amazon e-gift card to be thankful for today. Send us an email to: cuzwewrite@gmail.com from the address that you want your card sent to & we shall get it to you ASAP. The rest of our lovely followers- we are thankful for you. Please enjoy this turkey on our behalf:

Debut Author Challenge # 13: Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts...AND A Giveaway!!!

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "In the Dark" by Flyleaf

Omigod! We've come to the end of our list!!! And it's before December 31st. I didn't think we were going to do it, but we finished each and every book that we said we'd read for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge! *throws confetti* *pops champagne*

And our final book-- holy shiz, you guys, it definitely helped us end this DAC on a high note. I finished Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts in the span of a week. I could not. Put. It. Down.

Here's what Goodreads has to say:

Since mankind began, civilizations have always fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs…Now it’s our turn. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening. An ancient evil has been unleashed, turning everday people into hunters, killers, crazies.

Mason's mother is dying after a terrible car accident. As he endures a last vigil at her hospital bed, his school is bombed and razed to the ground, and everyone he knows is killed. Aries survives an earthquake aftershock on a bus, and thinks the worst is over when a mysterious stranger pulls her out of the wreckage, but she’s about to discover a world changed forever.

Clementine, the only survivor of an emergency town hall meeting that descends into murderous chaos, is on the run from savage strangers who used to be her friends and neighbors. And Michael witnesses a brutal road rage incident that is made much worse by the arrival of the police--who gun down the guilty party and then turn on the bystanding crowd.

Where do you go for justice when even the lawmakers have turned bad? These four teens are on the same road in a world gone mad. Struggling to survive, clinging on to love and meaning wherever it can be found, this is a journey into the heart of darkness – but also a journey to find each other and a place of safety.

Okay, tell me you don't wanna grab that book and read it right NOW. It is so, so, so, so good and if that summary isn't enough to get you interested, then I shall give you...

The Top Four Things You Need to Know About Dark Inside

1. The Four Points of View (POVs) are distinct, interesting, and I felt empathy for them. That is so hard to do with just one character. Imagine how difficult it would be for FOUR! I found myself flipping the pages because I wanted--no needed--to know what was happening with each and every character. And not all of them are saints, yet I saw the good in each one. Bravo, Roberts, bravo.

2. The book is effing scary. The last time I got scared from reading a book was when I read Roald Dahl's The Witches when I was a kid. Dark Inside had so many scenes where I was holding my breath because the author described the tensions and creepiness with such amazing sensory details that I felt like I was there. I was so freaking scared of those crazies!

3. There are love stories and hope among all the chaos. When the world is ending and there are a bunch of crazy people trying to kill you, the last thing you think you'll care about is love and relationships. And that's true for these teenagers, yet amongst their struggle for survival, they still manage to forge relationships. And some of them are truly heart wrenching.

4. It makes you think, but not in a preachy way. There's an obvious message behind Dark Inside. But I didn't feel like I was being "taught" to behave a certain kind of way. I felt like I needed to think about some of the choices I make from now on. AND it also makes me think about humanity. Okay, I know that sounds boring. But I promise you--it's so not! The book just really makes you think: what if...

If you like...

Books: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, and Blood Red Road by Moira Young...then you'll like Dark Inside.

Movies: Quarantine, The Crazies, and Stephen King's Desperation...then you'll like Dark Inside.

Okay, so now to the reason you read this post (JK- we know you love us and THAT'S why you read our posts :D). To celebrate the fact that we made it to the end of the 2011 DAC, we are going to give a $15.00 Amazon e-gift card to one follower that comments on this post as well as our Debut Author Challenge post from last week here. If you comment on both posts your name will be entered TWICE. You have until Wednesday (November 23rd) 12AM EST to enter and we will announce our winner on Turkey DAY!

Debut Author Challenge #12: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer...and a Future Giveaway!

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Coming Undone" by Korn

So, it took me a long time (what with NaNo, revising, and the day job), but I finally, FINALLY got to finish The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by the lovely Michelle Hodkin--the twelfth book in our 2011 Debut Author Challenge. And let me tell you, it was worth the wait. First, here is what Goodreads has to say:

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Ooh, intense. Want to read what I have to say? Well, it's time to give you:

The Top Four Things You Need to Know About Mara Dyer

1. It doesn't fit into just one genre. I didn't really know what to expect when I first opened Mara Dyer. As you can tell from the Goodreads summary, the plot has been rather vague. And that cover? Beautiful, haunting--but I still had NO IDEA what it meant. One of the reasons why I thought Mara Dyer was so great is because she crossed boundaries. The love story was so raw and emotional that at times I was feeling like it was a romance. But then there were all of these shocking moments that made me jump--which had to make it a horror, right? But wait, there's more--Mara also has to unravel a mystery, and the way the pieces all weave together make you think you might be reading a thriller. Again, I don't know what category I'd place this novel. I just wish there was one for: PURE AWESOME.

2. Noah is, um, DROOL-WORTHY. Remember that romance I mentioned earlier? Well, this guy brings the heat. I know, I know--some of us may be a little tired of the whole "bad boy" image. But Noah is more than just the forbidden love interest. He's dark and carefree and caring and sneaky and...just. JUST! As you can tell, he left me a bit tongue-tied.

3. The teens sound like teens. I tell you, Michelle Hodkin has a knack for witty dialogue. Not only did the rapport between Mara and her brothers feel natural, but the exchanges between Mara and Noah were just oozing with chemistry. Their lines meld with each other so well, and was so quickly paced, that I felt like I was reading something by Aaron Sorkin at times (just watch The Social Network then you'll get what I'm talking about).

4. Umm, cliffhanger much? I'm usually not a fan of these, but the way this story ends...well, I don't want to reveal anything, but I'll definitely be purchasing the next volume the day it comes out.

Have I psyched you enough for this novel? If not, then check out these comparisons.

If You Like...

Books: Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane, Uninvited by Justine Musk...then you'll like Mara Dyer

Movies: Heathers, Memento, High Tension...then you'll like Mara Dyer

Have you all read Mara Dyer yet? What did you think? What other "trippy" YA novels would you recommend?

*BTW, followers that comment on this post as well as our LAST Debut Author Challenge post (which may be next Thursday), will be entered to win a $15 Amazon gift card. Just saying.... :)

RTW: Required Reading List

2011-11-16T08:27:00.014-05:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Part of the List" by Ne-Yo

It's Wednesday...and we are counting down the day until the freaking weekend! But, in the mean time, we're going road tripping with our budding from YA Highway.

This week they want us to discuss books! We couldn't be any more excited. The topic is:

In high school, teens are made to read the classics - Shakespeare, Hawthorne, Bronte, Dickens - but there are a lot of books out there never taught in schools. So if you had the power to change school curriculums, which books would you be sure high school students were required to read?

*Squee* We could talk about this alllll day. In fact, we did a post about creating our own YA Master Class and what books we'd have students read here. But, we digress. Back on topic, if we could create our own list of required reading for teens, this is what we'd include:

* Crank by Ellen Hopkins

WHY? Because she merges two great styles of literature: poetry and prose. And she does it BRILLIANTLY. This book can be used to teach units on effective fiction techniques, as well as poetry techniques. Winning!

* Looking for Alaska by John Green

WHY? Because the novel is a great tool for teaching climax and character development. As a matter of fact, all of Green's books are great for teaching these concepts. Can't go wrong with Green!

* Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

WHY? This book is all about the teenage struggle of finding their voice and using it. We think teens can learn a lot of valuable life lessons from this novel.

* The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

WHY? To make students better understand plot and pacing. Collins is PERFECT at these two aspects of writing.

* The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

WHY? There's no better book to use for teaching voice. Seriously.

* Divergent by Veronica Roth

WHY? This novel is probably THE best book to use to teach all of the important elements of literature: plot, character, climax, pacing, etc. BUT at the same time, it's a fun and exciting read. It's guaranteed to have boys just as interested as the girls.

* And we'd keep: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, and All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

WHY? Because some classics are still relatable and they stand the test of time. We feel that modern teens can still gain insight from reading these novels and each one can teach an aspect of studying literature.

DONE! You tell us, what else would you add to a required reading list??

NaNo Check In: Almost to the Prize!!!

2011-11-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Race for the Prize" by The Flaming Lips

Morning, peeps :D

We hope you didn't miss us too much last week. As we stated, we had to take a week-long break from blogging to focus on other matters. One of those matters is getting through NaNo and conquering that pesky challenge for the second year in a row.

We're both writing novels that we were sooooo excited to start (you can read more about them here , here and here), but now? Well, we're ready to throw all 25k (and counting) words out of the window...and let a car roll over them.

We're sure we're not the only ones hating our NaNo novels, right now. And if we are, just indulge us and pretend that you're just as frustrated, 'kay? Anyway, we wanted to let you all know where we stand with our novels and also hear how you're doing with yours.

OH! And we forgot to mention the prize that we've agreed upon if we are

successful with NaNo this year. What is it, you ask?? Drum roll please....

A MEAL FROM FIVE GUYS!!!!

Sound familiar? Yes, it is very similar to the prize we granted ourselves last year. But if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

So, tell us--how are you doing with your NaNo novel and what's your prize waiting for you November 30th??

We'll Be Right Back...

2011-11-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Right Back At Ya" by The Spice Girls

**Due to NaNoing, the start of a new nine weeks at work, and revising other projects, we are going to be MIA for the next week. Don't fret, we'll be back before you know it!**

Happy NaNoing and/or other writing or reading!!!

Friday Fives: You're the Inspiration!

2011-11-04T08:00:00.004-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Hard Wired and Inspired" by The Subtle Way

Hey, peeps! It's been awhile since we've participated in Friday Fives but this week we're joining Paper Hangover. This question was too good to pass up on! The gang wants to know:

Who are the FIVE authors that inspire you?

This is a lil' hard b/c we are fangirly over SOOOO many authors. But if we have to narrow it down to the five that really inspire us, we could't think of a better list than the following. Here are the top five authors (in no particular order) who inspire us to keep the writing dream alive:

1.) Judy Blume AKA The MOTHER OF YA!

WHY? She was the first person that made me (Pam) fall in love with reading AND writing. One of the first stories I ever wrote was pretty much a copy of Superfudge. She just understands children so well, and you can tell how much love she puts in her words. It was so hard not to cry when I saw her in person at the last LA SCBWI conference. Maybe if I'm so lucky again, I'll work up the courage to actually speak to her.

2.) Laurie Halse Anderson

WHY: She writes both contemporary & historical fiction and she does it with ease. Her historicals are more about the story than the backdrop and therefore, they stay relevant. This is what I (Quita) strive to do with my own historical novel. Also, her contemporary novels focus on the "edgy" side of YA and tells the stories that parents wish weren't true.

3.) Courtney Summers:

WHY? No one understands teen angst better than her. I (Pam) get anxiety sometimes when reading her novels because her depiction of high school is so real, I feel like I'm going through all of those emotions again. I can only hope that my writing is half as good as hers.

4.) Blake Nelson:

WHY? Because he freaking nails the teenage voice. Whether he has a male or female protag, Blake makes the MC and all supporting characters relatable and realistic. His novels are genius nuggets of contemporary YA.

5.) Tie between Jodi Picoult and Joyce Carol Oates:

WHY? Pam on Jodi Picoult: She truly is a Jill of All Trades because she understands both the teen and adult voice. After reading a bunch of stories I wasn't quite fond of for literature classes, Jodi Picoult reminded me of what it was I loved about reading. She can take a hot topic in the news and turn it into a heartwrenching story. She inspires me to write about what I see around me--and maybe I'll be able to help others just like she's helped me.

WHY? Quita on Joyce Carol Oates: Because she writes stories that focus on heavy and hard topics. Her prose is magnificent without being too flashy, and it's obvious that she writes the stories that others shy away from. She inspires me to write what I want without fear.

What about you all--who are those authors that inspire you to keep on writing?? Have a great weekend!

What Agents Want: To Be Scared Sh*tless!

2011-11-03T08:00:00.001-04:00

Querying Song of the Day: "Is it Scary?" by Michael Jackson

What Agents Want is a series in which we will research what trends/topics agents are looking for right now. We'll give you information on the trend/topic and the agent that is looking for this specific type of project. The better to query with, my dears.

It's the week of Halloween, and although the day has past, we are still trying to hold on to the spookiness of it all with today's post. If you know me and Pam, you know we love us some scary stuff. At one point we had a goal of watching every scary movie ever created (but we had to draw the line after seeing a trailer for a movie about a killer Thanksgiving turkey). Anyway, we love all the scary things...and so do a lot of agents!

A number of literary agents and editors are searching for a great edge of your seat, scary as sh*t YA horror. And just in case you don't truly know what makes a book fall under the horror category, or what agent is currently searching for said project, we're here to help! SIDEBAR: We're aware that more than one agent is looking for horror works, but we wanted to make this post as short as possible.

So, what the heck makes a novel fall in the horror genre?

The Bing Dictionary will tell you the following are the definitions of a horror story:

1. frightening fictional tale: a story that is intended to frighten people, usually by describing gruesome or supernatural events
2. report of horrifying experience: a true account of something very unpleasant or shocking

So, what does that mean in laymen terms? It means your story has to have something in it that makes people jump, bite their nails, or possibly gasp/scream while reading your work. That means your sensory words have to go into overtime. You have to describe what the villain is doing in vivid details-- that way the reader can really see and hear the torture that your poor victims are enduring.

Also, horror stories either have a supernatural or paranormal element that instills fear (zombies, ghosts, demons etc.) OR a real life type of villain, a story that will make the reader wonder if this could really happen to them, i.e. serial killers.
Go here for some interesting horror writing tips (the site brags that it's only for the "serious horror writer", so it must be good).

What books can I read for research?

Ashes (Ashes Trilogy # 1) by Ilsa J. Bick

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

Envy (Empty Coffin # 1) by Gregg Olsen

Finally, tell me about this awesome agent in need of being scared sh*tless!

The agent we speak of has been very vocal about her longing for a good YA horror novel. Victoria Marini of Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency makes it no secret that she wants to be scared and is looking for an awesome novel that will do just that. Victoria Marini began working as an associate agent with Gelfman Schneider in 2010 and is extremely excited about building her list of authors. She is on the lookout for ALL YA, but she loves dark, edgy, and mysterious novels. Also, she is looking for the "quadruple threat: voice, character, story, world-building". To query Ms. Marini and learn more about what she is interested in, see her page on the Gelfman Schneider website and Querytracker.net through the links below.

For more information on Victoria Marini, check out the links below:

Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency

QueryTracker.net: Victoria Marini

Rapid Progessive: Victoria Marini's Blog

Victoria Marini's Twitter

Were you thinking about writing a horror before reading this post? Or better yet, have you already started a WIP in this genre???

RTW: The Perfect Coach

2011-11-02T09:55:00.004-04:00

Coaching Song of the Day: "I'll Be There For You" by The Backstreet Boys

So, today Quita and I are venturing on Day #2 of the NaNoWriMo madness. Yesterday, we both had a good writing day--we passed our daily goals even. However, today we returned to the day jobs, and our writing goals are looking...well, bleak. That's why YA Highway's Road Trip Wednesday is perfect for us right now. They want to know:

What kind of writing coach do you need? When you have to coach friends, what kind of coach are you?

Hmm, well, we definitely wouldn't want this type of coach:

You know, the type of person that's going to bark orders at you and grill you for not meeting your goals. But we also don't want this type of coach:

All of us probably know this guy. The type that's going to put a Band Aid on everything and never call you out on your crap.

Basically, we just need a sounding board. Someone we can vent to when times seem rough. The kind that will give us both a pat on the back or a reality check when we ask for it.

And that's the type of coaches we are. If you just want to blow off steam, so be it. But when you tell us what kind of help/motivation you need, we'll be there for you like Chandler was there for Joey (okay, nineties sitcom reference. My creativity dwindles during this time of the day).

What about you all? What are your coaching needs?

Countdown to NaNo: Trick or Tweet!

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Story of My Life" by Social Distortion

Ahh, yes--it's a magical time of the year. Sure, it's Halloween--but it's also NaNoWriMo's eve. Gah!

So Quita and I've been planning for NaNo by settling on our story ideas and outlining our plots. And this week it's all about character, baby!

Sure, we'll probably do the usual character worksheets and playlists that we've grown to love. But for our NaNo projects, we wanted to also try a unique spin. We decided to fabricate Twitter profiles for our main characters! Squeezing in a bio for fictional people in a 140 characters or less? Sounds pretty difficult, right? Well, it was.

Pam's Characters:

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, my NaNo novel is a modern YA version of Cain and Abel, so I decided to create a fake profile for my two main characters--Casey and Aiden.

Casey Porter

@caseclosed Williamsburg, VA

17. Senior. Insert interesting bio here. Seriously, who reads this shit?

Aiden Porter

@aidinfull Williamsburg, VA

Lover of life--that includes my fam and my girl! Wrestling for UVA next year. Full ride, baby! Swag.

Quita's Characters:

So my story is all about a boy who struggles with his identity after surviving an abduction. I chose to write his bio, along with the girl he may or may not like.

Derek Harris

@darkderek Washington, D.C.

Lacking a soul, but working hard to get it back. Also working hard to find a movie scarier than my life. So far...no go.

Haylee White

@thehayleeexperience Washington, D.C.

Jr. class president & current valedictorian. Engaged to Haze, my electric guitar. Usually searching for nothing.

thehayleeexperience.wordpress.com

So, that was tough! What about you all? Have you tried these for your main characters? If not, give it a shot in our comments. :)

P.S. Don't forget to leave us your NaNo usernames so that we can be buddies! Pam is pharris81 and Quita is mhockaday.

Countdown to NaNo: It's Plotting Time!

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "The Plot" by White Rabbits

Okay, we are less than a week away from NaNoWriMo and the nerves are kicking in. Two weeks ago, Quita outlined our prep for NaNo, and this week we had to start outlining our plots.

Confession: we're not quite finished. But we're getting there! First, we have these:

That's right--our Michael Jackson notebooks from our abandoned Plot and Paper Projects. Also, we have this:

This nifty book was given to us by the AWESOME Alicia Gregoire. You see, Quita and I wanted to plot a little differently this time. Instead of filling our MJ notebooks with a few sentences that describes every--single--chapter, we've decided to use the Act Formula from this book. What's that, you ask? Here it is in a nutshell:

Act I: Introduce your protagonist, possibly the villain, and some kind of turning point that startles the reader.

Act II: Huge chunk of the story that introduces subplots, such as a love interest. Your protagonist also has a glimmer of hope. Well, until the second turning point creates IMMINENT DOOM!! Dun dun DUN

Act III: This is where you have a climax that rocks your protagonist's world, and then wrap this baby up in a quick pace that'll keep readers turning the pages.

Does that sound like a cool process? Then by all means--by this book! Quita and I would loan you ours but...okay, I can't think of an excuse. We totally need this book so it's not leaving the house.

I know you all have mixed feelings about plotting versus pantsing, so how are you all preparing to get your story moving for NaNo? Oh, and if you haven't done it, yet--leave your usernames so we can be buddies. :)

RTW: We Wish...

2011-10-26T07:10:00.009-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Wish You Were Here" by Incubus

It's Wednesday and we're ready for the companionship of road tripping with the lovely ladies of YA Highway!

This week they wanna know:

What was the best book you've read in October???

*sigh* If only we had the time to read!!!! Yes, we're technically cheating on this RTW post because we have not completed ANY books this month. We know...stop gasping so loud! Anyway, we thought we'd tell you what we wanted to read and hopefully when November rolls around we'll be able to participate in the best book RTW post forrealz.

What Pam wishes she can read:

I've started The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, but with two part time jobs, one full time job, plotting for NaNo, and a demented puppy, I've yet to finish it. I also plan to read The Iron Queen, the third in Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series. Oh yeah, and I'm hoping to Beta read The Blues for the cuz this month, too.

What Quita wishes she can read:

Like Pam, but w/out the two part time jobs, I've got way tooo much to do. SO, I started Kody Keplinger's Shut Out, but can't find the time to finish it :( I am hoping to read Sweetly by Jackson Pearce and also FINALLY take a look at Alica's fantasy manuscript.

We shall see how successful we are in fulfilling these wishes! What about you all--what was the best book you've read this month, or what are you trying to find time to read?

It's All About the Risks

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

Risky Song of the Day: "Risk" by The Deftones

This past weekend me and Pam attended our regional SCBWI conference in Dulles, VA. We drove over four hours (traffic was a mean, cranky bee-yatch) and endured getting lost about three times to hear people like Meg Medina, Jennifer Rofe of Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Quinlan Lee of Adams Literary, and Han Nolan speak. And the torturous ride was definitely worth it.

There were three different panels with agents, authors, and editors. We learned plenty about how to market your book, what agents look for when going through submissions and what YOU should look for in an agent, as well as what editors think about characterization and voice.

But perhaps the most inspiring part of this conference was when Han Nolan gave her keynote address, entitled "Risky Business" and omigod, did this hit home for us.

Right before Han Nolan gave her speech, me and Pam had lunch and we discussed some of the things we'd heard earlier in the conference, as well as other things that we've heard/seen around the web. Two of those things were: the agents don't like "angsty" teen books, they want lighter, more humorous materials, and historicals are hard to sell. And I immediately thought, that's what we write. We write stories that are hard to tell--about murder, drug use, kidnapping--the ugly parts of the real world. And I also write historicals. I told Pam, "I think I should change my NaNo idea. Write something lighter." She told me not to listen to what anyone says, to write what I wanna write...but I still had my doubts.

Then we sat down and Han Nolan spoke. She told us about her first novel, If I Should Die Before I Wake and how it got bad reviews but eventually became a huge success. She told us that despite all of her hardships, despite naysayers, she stuck with writing. With this risky business. Amongst many other things, she told us it's a risk to strive for excellence and excellence only comes through hard work. So, sure I've been working on both my angsty and historical manuscripts for two years, but that's the hard work--that's the risk. And my first drafts are AWFUL--but that goes with another thing Han told us, allow yourself to be terrible and don't stress over failures. When you fail, it makes your successes that much better.

It was very inspiring to say the least. And me and Pam both have vowed not to shy away from the risks. We'll keep writing about the dark and scary sides of YA if we feel the need to tell the story, and if those stories are failures, so be it. At least we know we've taken the risks.

What about you all, are you willing to take the risks involved with the business of writing?

Black Fox Update: What Ya Waiting For?

2011-10-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Writing/Reading Song of the Day: "Watcha Waiting For" by Gwen Stefani

Shameless self promotion time, peeps!

We, along with our sis Racquel, are gearing up for the second issue of our literary magazine, Black Fox. If you want to OWN and hold in your precious hands the debut issue go here (please, go there!)

As well as moving forward and putting out a new issue, we have just debuted a brand spanking new website. Click here to check out the new look of Black Fox :D

Besides promoting our first issue and pimping our new look, we also wanted to make sure that all of you know what we're looking for and what kinds of services/contests we're offering.

Overall we take fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and art from various genres. BUT we started the mag during our MFA program due to our frustration with literary magazines and how they don't showcase every form of writing. Therefore, we search for underrepresented fiction. That includes YOU YA writers that love and follow this blog. We're also desperately seeking romance, mystery, and flash fiction. There are opportunities for artists and poets in our magazine and on our website, too. We are always looking for authors to interview as well. All submission guidelines can be found here. Again, underrepresented fiction writers, we want YOU!

FINALLY, we wanted to make sure you are aware of the contests that Black Fox Literary Magazine offers. We are offering cash prizes for our fiction contest. You can submit to the contest with a low entry fee of $10.00. Your fiction can be in any genre but must not be more than 5,000 words. First place gets published in our Spring 2012 issue and receives $150.00. The deadline to enter is December 1st, 2011. Find out more info about the fiction contest here. ALSO, we are giving our 100 Twitter Follower contest another go. When we started the contest a while back we only had three entries and planned on giving three prizes...we decided to extend the contest to try and get more people to enter. We are open to taking suggestions for the prizes in the comments section of this post. (b/c we assume that's why people didn't enter...) and we'll give more info on the contest regulations and end date in a later post.

Other Opportunities with Black Fox Literary Magazine:

*Blog Posts: We are launching a Black Fox Blog soon and are looking for contributors. Mainly we want nonfiction articles on the craft of writing, and book reviews. More info can be found here.

*Readers: We are also looking for individuals who are willing to read submission for Black Fox Literary Magazine. More information will be given on this at a later date.

*Manuscript Consultations: The editors of Black Fox Literary Magazine will be offering a manuscript consultation service for a low price. Again, more information will be given on this at a later date.

We're open to new ideas/suggestions as well. Do you see anything in other mags that we are not offering? If so, let us know. Also, don't forget to give us some ideas for the Black Fox 100 Twitter Followers contest. And please, please DON'T FORGET to submit!

RTW: Why We Write

2011-10-19T07:39:00.003-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "One" by Creed

It's Wednesday...and we know what that means, right? Yes, we're only two days away from the weekend, but we also get to join the lovely ladies from YA Highway for another Road Trip Wednesday. This week they want to know:

What's your numero-uno reason for writing?

Well, our response can pretty much be summed into this picture:

That's right--FREEDOM.

Freedom to say what we want to say.

Freedom to be who we want to be.

Freedom to push away the stress from the real world just for a few hours.

What about you all? Why do YOU write?

Countdown to NaNo: Choose Your Idea!

2011-10-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Brainstorming Song of the Day: "I Choose" by The Offspring

Happy Monday, lovelies! You may be asking why I'm so stoked at the start of the work week. Well, that's because we're just TWO WEEKS AWAY from NaNoWriMo! Can I get a woot woot?

Last week, Quita outlined what we were going to do to prepare for NaNo. And our job last week was to actually choose our idea. Simple enough, right? Well, not quite. Let's break it down for you:

Pam's Idea: Last year for NaNo, I wanted to get out of my contemporary YA comfort zone. So what did I do? I wrote about fairies. And you know what? I had a blast.

After writing Ins and Outs this year (AKA, the WIP formerly known as Project J), I wanted to return to my darker roots--and I'm not talking about my hair. Ins and Outs was more of a funny ha ha story about a possibly serious topic. I had fun writing it, but I felt like getting a little moody again.

I saw a Twitter conversation that my agent had about Bible retellings, and it hit me--I wanted to write a story featuring a teenaged Cain and Abel! But wait--there's more. Since NaNo's all about getting out of my comfort zone, I knew I just didn't want to write straight up contemporary. So not only am I writing a Cain and Abel retelling, but I'm adding a magical realism twist. And that's all I'm telling you guys about it right now--but just know I'm SO EXCITED to get started!

Quita's Idea:

Like Pam, I tried to get out of my comfort zone last year, as well. I wrote about djinns or genies. And it's the WIP I've hated the most. I don't think fantasy or paranormal is my strong suit. Also, after revising the mess out of my historical, In Limbo, I knew I didn't want to go there again--especially not for NaNo.

Then I read an article in my People magazine about a boy who was abducted and I realized, I haven't read any YA books about boys who get kidnapped and what happens to them. Thus, my idea was born. But of course I want to do more than that, so my story is about a teenaged boy who was once abducted but is now free--only his family can't deal with what happened so he's sent to a boarding school. That's all I'm gonna give for now. You can find out more next Monday when we talk baby plots!

So what about you all? Have you chosen your story ideas for NaNo yet? Please share with us below!

BTW, add us as a buddy when that function works again! Pam is pharris81 and Quita is mhockaday!

The Post in Which We Steal a Stolen Meme

2011-10-13T07:46:00.007-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Beg, Steal, or Borrow" by Ray LaMontagne

Just as the title suggests, we are a stealing a meme that was already stolen numerous times from various blogs. This meme is: The Top 100 YA Books List and we are borrowing (okay, okay--stealing) it from Inspired Kathy at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer. All you do is paste the Top 100 YA books of 2011 in your post and BOLD the books that you have read. This way you can see what you've been missing. Inspired Kathy has no idea where this list originated, therefore we don't either (but it's obvious that the book did not have to be released in 2011 to end up on this list)

Whatever, it's all in fun! So, have fun with us! Here we go...

Top 100 YA Books (2011 version)

1. Alex Finn – Beastly

2. Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones

3. Ally Carter – Gallagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)

4. Ally Condie – Matched *

5. Alyson Noel – The Immortals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

6. Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills

7. Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

8. Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)

9. Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4) *

10. Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

11. Aprilynne Pike – Wings (1, 2, 3)

12. Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush (1, 2)

13. Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

14. Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret

15. Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)

16. Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3)^

17. Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3, 4)*

18. Christopher Paolini – Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)

19. Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)*

20. Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2)*

21. Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)

22. Ellen Hopkins – Impulse *

23. Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

24. Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply

25. Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)

26. Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere *

27. Gail Carson Levine – Fairest

28. Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3) ^

29. J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

30. James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2)^

31. James Patterson – Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

32. Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why

33. Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)

34. Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) *

35. John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

36. John Green – An Abundance of Katherines *

37. John Green – Looking for Alaska

38. John Green – Paper Towns *

39. Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)

40. Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Caster Chronicles (1, 2) *

41. Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)

42. Kristin Cashore – The Seven Kingdoms (1, 2)

43. Lauren Kate – Fallen (1, 2, 3)

44. Lemony Snicket – Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)

45. Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3) *

46. Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3) *

47. Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

48. M.T. Anderson – Feed *

49. Maggie Stiefvater – The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1, 2, 3)

50. Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

51. Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)

52. Markus Zusak – The Book Thief

53. Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger

54. Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time *

55. Mary Ting – Crossroads

56. Maureen Johnson – Little Blue Envelope (1, 2)

57. Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)

58. Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

59. Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

60. Meg Rosoff – How I Live Now

61. Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

62. Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)

63. Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road

64. Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

65. Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

66. Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4) ^

67. Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion

68. Neal Shusterman – Unwind

69. Neil Gaiman – Coraline

70. Neil Gaiman – Stardust

71. Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book

72. P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)^

73. Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)

74. Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

75. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist *

76. Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

77. Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

78. Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere Carnal Over 40 Winks

79. S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)

80. Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip

81. Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride

82. Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key

83. Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever

84. Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

85. Scott Westerfeld – Leviathan (1, 2) *

86. Scott Westerfeld – Uglies (1, 2, 3) *

87. Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days

88. Shannon Hale – Princess Academy

89. Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)

90. Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian *

91. Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry (1, 2, 3)

92. Stephenie Meyer – The Host*

93. Stephenie Meyer – Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4)

94. Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees

95. Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)

96. Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games (1, 2, 3)

97. Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

98. Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)

99. Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)

100. Wendelin Van Draanen – Flipped

All of the bolded and red titles = We've read them

All of the titles with * next to them = We own, but have not yet read

All of the titles with ^ next to them = We want to read!

What have you read on this list? Any books up here you're dying to read?

RTW: Our Writing Journeys...And Boy Are Our Hands Tired!

2011-10-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Tie My Hands" by Lil Wayne ftg Robin Thicke

Can you believe that the ladies at YA Highway have hosted 100, count it, 100 Road Trip Wednesday posts?? Well, they have! And this week, in honor of reaching the 100 Mile Marker, the ladies want to know:

How has your writing journey gone so far?

You mean, we get to shed light on our successful (okay not always successful) writing stories thus far? Don't mind if we do!

Pam's Response:

Wow, where do I begin? I have definitely been on a journey since I participated in my first RTW. First of all, this blog began as a solo venture, but then I joined forces with my annoying/lovable/most-awesome-person-in-the-world cousin, Quita. Second, I've written three, count them, THREE YA novels: one is a hopefully funny contemporary that I'll soon be revising, another is a supernatural modern tale about fairies that I wrote for NaNo 2010. And the third? Well, the third is my baby, Wants. And why is it my baby? Well, because it landed me the incredible Sarah LaPolla, who has just put my shiny new version of said baby back on submission (fingers crossed).

So what lies ahead? Well, I'm trying NaNo again this year, and I'm possibly delving back into my dark, contemporary roots this time around. I have a couple of ideas for future novels scrawled in my journal, so now I just have to find out which one is calling me next. Oh, and even though I graduated with my MFA in creative writing this past summer, I actually have to defend my thesis, gulp, TODAY. Wish me luck!

Quita's Response:

Since I began to take my writing seriously (about two or so years ago now) I've completed three novels, and "graduated" from my MFA program (for which I wrote a collection of short stories). Two of my novels have been through the ringer numerous times. My historical, In Limbo, is completely different from its first draft (which I wrote over a year and a half ago). It's moved from a single POV story about a white boy in love with a white girl, to a two person POV novel--and that white girl is now African American. Two agents have a full of this manuscript at the moment, one of which seems like she's REALLY excited about it--we'll see where that goes.

My other novel, The Blues, a contemporary mystery (I began writing this one a year and ten days ago), came close with three agents and finally one requested a revise and resubmit. I'm still working on the revise part. The final novel was a NaNo project--my foray into the world of paranormal/supernatural and I hated it. I think I'm just not good at telling those kinds of stories--at least not in one month. Maybe if I try and revise it, it might be okay...you never know. Now I'm on my way to taking another shot at NaNo--this time with a quiet story, and I'm gearing up to defend my MFA thesis next week. WHEW! I think that's it.

Now that you know all of me and Pam's bidness, how has your writing journey been so far?

Countdown to NaNo

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Countdown" by Beyonce

As the title states, we are UBER excited for NaNoWriMo this year. We have our notebooks ready, our minds are stewing new WIP ideas, AND we're already thinking up what the prize will be when we complete the novel in one month challenge.

If you're like us and you just can't wait for NaNo to start (in about three weeks...), we have some tips for you. The tips give you something to do each week in order to prepare for NaNoWriMo. Completing this will have you ready to start writing on November 1st, and will shave off some of that anticipation as you wait to begin your new novel. Here's what we think you should do each week to prepare for NaNoWriMo 2011.

Week 3 October 10th-16th: Choose your idea. This may sound simple, but if you have ADHD like we do, it ain't. We always have a bajillion ideas running through our heads and it's hard to narrow that down to one idea. During this week, at least by Sunday, you should be settled on exactly what you want to write about. What genre will it be? Are you going to write YA, MG, or maybe even go for early readers or an adult book? Also, ask yourself why you need to tell this story in particular. Once you think of an answer for that last question, you'll be settled on that one perfect idea.

Week 2 October 17th-23rd: Narrow down the focus and create your layered plot. Now that you have your idea, what is your major plot point? Use books like Fill-In-The-Blank Plotting by Linda George. Me and Pam are definitely planning to crack this one open during the week of the 17th to narrow our plots and create a well rounded story. Make sure you have baby plots, too. Without baby plots, your story won't work and you'll be staring at a blank screen trying to squeeze out those words come November.

Week 1 October 24th-30th: Get to know your characters on a personal level. Now that you have your focus, plots, and baby plots, it's important to delve into those characters more. There are numerous places you can go to gain access to character worksheets (if you don't know of one, e-mail us, we have plenty saved and are willing to share). Some are more in depth than others. The more in depth, the better. This way when you're trying to meet your word count on November 15th but a scene just won't come to you, you can can pull out that character worksheet and use those quirks to add more dialogue or describe a setting in your character's voice.

What else do you think should be added to this countdown to NaNo? We'd love your advice--especially those NaNo veterans. This is only our second year and we could use some of your tricks.

A Read Here, A Read There

2011-10-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Soul to Squeeze" by Red Hot Chili Peppers

If only we could have more than twenty-four hours in a day, right?? Especially for those of us who just want to sit around and keep our noses buried in a book. And yes, me and Pam belong to that nerdy club. If we had our way we'd spend the day (an extended day, of course) reading, writing, watching TV, eating everything that's delicious without gaining a pound, and listening to perfect music. Alas, the world's not perfect, so our lives consist of work, a deranged puppy (seriously, he's possessed), more work, reading minimally, and planning to participate in NaNoWriMo just so we can squeeze some writing into our lives. WHEW!

But as everyone knows, you have to keep learning for any career that you want. So, as a writer, you must read. The issue comes with...yep, you guessed it: TIME!

How do we find the time to read: 1.) The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, and Shut Out by Kody Keplinger 2.) Beta WIPs 3.) The six books we just purchased from Barnes & Noble, PLUS 4.) The twenty or so books that remain on our bookshelves unopened and begging to be read???

Easy. You come up with, drum roll please....

Creative Ways to Squeeze in Reading

*Read at work: During lunch (or for me on lunch duty--hey, I peek up every now and then and make sure the kids aren't killing each other). Read during a lull in time. If the boss catches you, tell him it's research for dealing with your unruly kid at home.

*Read on commercial breaks: If you have cut down your TV watching schedule, but there are still some shows you will NEVER give up (Supernatural, we're talking to you!), then reading while the commercials roll is a smart idea.

*Read on the treadmill, on the exercise bike etc.: Duh, read while you do stationary exercise. It makes the workout go a lot faster, too.

*Read via audio books: We're not huge fans of book on tape, but this is a good way to get some reading in. Especially if you're like us and you drive for close to thirty minutes to and from work.

*Read in the bathroom: Yeah...you know what we mean. In the tub or while you're taking care of other business ;)

Okay, your turn! Did we leave another way to squeeze some reading in off the list?

RTW: Putting the Spotlight on Co-Stars

2011-10-05T07:39:00.012-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Spotlight" by Jennifer Hudson

Wednesday--middle of the week, the slowest day b/c you just can't wait for Friday to get here...but also: Road Trip Wednesday time with the ladies at YA Highway. This week they wanna know:

What supporting character from a YA book would you most like to see star in their own novel?

This is one of the most awesome questions ever! And we knew EXACTLY what two characters we loved enough to read an entire novel based on them. Read on:

*Lindsay from Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall. While reading this amazing book, we got a chance to know Samantha Kingston throughout the novel. We understood her by the end AND we got to see her redeem herself. But what about Lindsay? I mean, we kinda get why she behaves the way she does by novel's end, but me and Pam are DYING to know more about Lindsay's personal life. We want to see what she's truly like behind the bitchy comments and the thick wall she puts up.

*Four from Veronica Roth's Divergent. I mean, really--do we need to say more than that? Four is the epitome of hotness. Rough, elusive, sarcastic, strong, smart. We couldn't get enough of Four while following Tris' adventures. Every time we turned the page, we were hoping Four would show up again. How cool would it be if there was an entire book dedicated to Four's background (which, hello, from the taste of it we get in Divergent is pretty intriguing and dramatic) and his feelings about Tris before he makes them known? We really hope Veronica's reading this post and strongly considers writing a book from Four's POV :D

Okay, we're done rambling now. What co-star in a YA novel would you love to see move to center stage?

7 x 7: In Which We Take a Stroll Down Blogging Lane

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

Reflecting Song of the Day: "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes

Yay! The awesome KO (who just got AN AGENT, btw--go congratulate her!) passed along this lovely award to us:

As part of this award, we have to highlight some of our past posts that fit certain superlatives and then past it along to 7 other lovely bloggers. And so, let's do this:

Most Beautiful: Um, how can you not love this inspirational clip of a little boy just learning to ride his bike? Of course, it has nothing directly to do with writing...and we didn't do much but upload the video on our blog, but still. It was motivational, people!

Most Helpful: Though she's only done three, it seems like you really all like it when Quita does her "What Agents Want" posts. She'll be sure to add newer additions in the near future.

Most Popular: Aside from blogfests and our BAZILLION contests (What can I say? We love to give), our most popular post may have to be this one in which I announced that I was agented (major props to Sarah LaPolla, yo). Thanks SO MUCH for all of your support, lovelies. It means a lot. :)

Most Controversial: It started off as a fun idea. Quita wanted to share an article from the SCBWI Bulletin about YA cliches. I mean, we even got a great number of comments...including one from someone named: "Anonymous." That's right, we got our first virtual spanking from someone who didn't want to be named. Apparently, Quita linking to the original article was not enough for Anonymous--we should've included the author's name. Point taken.

Most Surprisingly Successful: I truly thought our post, "Our Take on Race in YA," would be considered controversial--so we were surprised with how many of you all supported our opinions. Sure, the number of comments won't go down in record books, but it was the quality of the comments that really impressed. We all had a great discussion!

Most Underrated: We had such high hopes for our First Lines Critiques. I mean, when we first announced it, we got such positive feedback and a lot of entries. But then when it was time to actually critique said first lines...crickets. So because of that, Quita and I are a little wary about offering any other critique workshops in the future.

Most Prideworthy: Well, for me, I had a blast comparing opening chapters to appetizers in a restaurant. If you're a fan of this blog, you already know by now how much I LOVE to eat. Quita chose this post in which she loves on fellow blogger, The Tabby Catt--she had so much fun writing her poem of all things Abby. :)

Well, that was awesome. It was nice reflecting on our blogging past since it gives us an idea of where to take this puppy in the future. As far as who we're passing this along to--well, anyone who wants it! We figure this award has been around town more than a loose girl, so if you haven't gotten it and want to join the party, go for it!

Friday Fives: Tasting the Forbidden Fruit

2011-09-30T07:10:00.016-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Forbidden Love" by Madonna

OMIGOD--it's finally FRIDAY--and it's finally the last day of September. This first month of school has dragged by soooooo slowly. But, we hit a highlight, today! Paper Hangover's Friday Fives, baby :D

To honor Banned Books Week, the gang wants to know:

What are you FIVE favorite "banned" books?

Like Pam mentioned yesterday in her post on the Banned Books we are adding to our TBR piles, we are always going to be those people who read/watch those books/movies that people try to get banned. We're just strange like that. So it wasn't surprising to find that we have read a good number of books that are on the 2010 and the classic's banned books lists. With that being said, here are our FIVE favorite books that have been banned in no particular order.

1.) Crank b y Ellen Hopkins: A novel written in poems--and me and Pam loved it. Who would have thunk it? We're both not huge poetry fans, but Hopkins' effortless story telling and beautiful word choices made this one of our favorite books of all time.

2.) Lord of the Flies by William Golding: This was required reading for us in high school but neither of us felt like it was. The story is so unique and believable that we both couldn't stop turning the pages.

3.) Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson: Once we decided we'd be writing YA, we didn't stop hearing about Laurie Halse Anderson and how she is one of the "mothers" of YA. And we weren't disappointed when we picked up Speak. It's real, it's raw, and it's a book that can help many teens deal.

4.) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: This was another required school reading for us. And just like LOTF we fell in love. We loved the plot, the time period the book was written about and how REAL it all felt, and of course, we loved Scout :)

5.) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: We first heard about this during a conference two years ago. Once we heard the premise, we knew it was a must read. Anyone can say what they want about the trilogy, but the overall plot is pure genius.

That's our five, what about you all? What are your favorite banned books?

OH YEAH! We were supposed to announce the winner of The Near Witch yesterday. Alas, life got in the way. So, without further adieu, the winner is....

Jamie Manning

Yay!!!! We'll be sending you an e-mail shortly :)

Tempted by the Book of Another

2011-09-29T07:15:00.006-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Tempted" by Squeeze

First, sorry about the lame title of this post; I lack creativity this early in the morning. Second, as some of you may already know, it's Banned Books Week. My group blog, Paper Hangover, is having coverage on it all this week, and my lovely adopted sis, Racquel, is holding a contest.

So part of the reason why Quita and I love reading and writing YA is because we're eternal teenagers--which is why if someone tells us we can't read anything, we're DEFINITELY going to read it. Tomorrow, Quita and I will join Paper Hangover and share our five favorite banned books--but today, we want to share some of the banned books we haven't read yet, but is in our TBR pile:

And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson. As much as some people disapprove of it, there are kids out there with homosexual parents. Why can't these kids have a picture book that they can relate to? Furthermore, why can't other kids read it to learn about acceptance and differences? Whenever I'm blessed with a child, I know this will be on our bookshelf.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. I first discovered Mr. Alexie when I read one of his short stories in a magazine. Needless to say, his voice hooked me--so I'm a little stunned I never got around to reading his YA novel. This will be mended soon.

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler. Come on, the title alone is catchy. Quita and I saw Ms. Mackler speak at a conference last year and we wanted to become her best friends. Our admiration for her only grew when we found out she wrote about a girl who thought she was fat--something that Quita and I had issues with in high school, as well. Come on--teen girls with body issues (which is pretty much all of them) should be able to read this book.

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones. I first heard about this book from one of my former 8th grade students. She HATED school--even more than that, she HATED English class. But she couldn't stop swooning over this book. She said she read it in two days. If a book can convert one of my struggling students into an enthusiastic reader, I'm sold.

The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. We know, we know. Where have we been? Quita actually had a chance to read the first book, but we both know that we need to eventually read the whole series. We have never met ANYONE who disliked this series. These books helped mold a new generation of readers--we were a little shocked that they are banned in some areas.

Okay, so that is just a mere sampling of "forbidden" books we're tossing into our TBR piles. What about you all? Which naughty book are you dying to read?

RTW: The Best Book of September

2011-09-28T08:16:00.010-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Forever" by Chris Brown

It's WEDNESDAY! Another horrible week is almost over...atleast we got a one day break from our "baby" the puppy from hell early this week. Alas, the ladies of YA Highway are helping us think of happy things with Road Trip Wednesday! This week's topic is:

What was the best book you read in September?

We've done minimal reading with it being the start of the school year, but Pam did manage to beta read a WIP. I FINALLY read and finished the book that I would've chosen even if I read a hundred books this month:

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Okay, so I read Shiver on a whim. The cover was pretty, people were buzzing about it, and I had to see how exactly this author pulled off having a human girl fall in love with a wolf. But, Oh. My. God. When Linger came out, I was hooked. Especially by the introduction of Cole (I LOVE Cole!) and the way that Stiefvater shifted between four POVs with ease. And the third and final book of the trilogy, Forever didn't dissapoint. The story wraps up in a way that the reader is satisfied but is still itching for more. The characters are each given a purpose and the climax is breath stopping. Also, Stiefvater's writing is pure genius!

What was the best book you read this month??

How Fall Premiere TV Is A lot Like First Pages

2011-09-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Idiot Box" by Incubus

Okay, so if you follow our blog you know how much we loves us some TV. Perhaps, too much. And that's why we realized we had to cut down on it in order to spend more time with our first love, writing. We talked a lot about that here, so we won't bore you with the deets again. Although we're limiting the shows we watch, there are still quite a few that are listed on a white piece of paper hanging on the fridge titled: "TV Watching Schedule". We've seen a few of the Fall premiers thus far and have gained some insight on how much premiere TV is like a novel's first few pages:

Make sure you have believable stakes. If your first pages don't set up a scenario where the stakes are high, than the reader is most likely going to ask a million questions. Like: why does she have to take on her sister's persona? Or: Why didn't she just stay in protective custody?

*From watching Ringer on The CW, Tuesdays at 9:00 PM

Introduce your characters with a bang. Each and every important character to your novel should have something about them that will make the reader want to learn more from the very beginning. If you do this, even with a supporting character who doesn't show up until say page 5, then it's quite possible you might hook that reader who was beginning to lose interest in the story.

*From watching Two and Half Men (for the FIRST TIME) on CBS, Mondays at 9:00 PM

Make sure your plot lines don't get tangled. You can start off with an awesome first chapter. Each character is fresh and unique, your story hooks the reader right from the first scene, and the new kid is pushed into a world that is so utterly different from his/her own that the reader feels empathy and can't wait to see what happens next...but if you forget about said new kid's drama and focus more on the overall theme in the next chapter, then the reader's gonna get a little confused. Set up the story a little bit more before throwing every single lead for a new plot in chapter two.

*From watching The Secret Circle on The CW, Thursdays at 9:00 PM

If you have a series keep the story lines fresh, dig deep for new ideas, and turn one of your characters into someone completely different. It's hard to continuously pull in a reader when you're regurgitating the same old plot line. So, if you have a series and it's based on witches, vampires, werewolves, selkies--whatever, look up some old myths and look up other creatures that might have something to do with your supe of choice. Oh, and it never hurts to make a character who was once a goody two shoes a bada** mo fo. That will definitely keep things fresh.

*From watching Supernatural on The CW, Fridays at 9:00 PM, and The Vampire Diaries on The CW, Thursdays at 8:00 PM.

What do you all think? Does watching premiere shows help you with writing your own beginnings?

Friday Fives: Our Writing Nooks

2011-09-23T09:46:00.005-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "In My Place" by Coldplay

Friday is here, and Quita and I could not be more excited! Our week has been...hectic. But we're still taking the time to join Paper Hangover for the Friday Fives. This week they want to know:

And our choices are:

1. Our home office. It is a requirement now for both of us to have some kind of space at home to complete our writing. Of course, some times we're too lazy to make it there so we use our...

2. Living room. Yes, we have imprints of our butts on the couch. We each have our own side, and we sit like zombies in front of laptops--completely quiet, completely focused (well, sometimes...hence why I used the term "zombies").

3. Starbucks. We recently had to go there due to a power outage. I didn't think I would get much work done since I'm EASILY distracted (oh look...an airplane), but I loved the environment. Everyone there was so productive, which really rubbed off on me.

4. Our patio. The sunshine. The birds. The neighbors that provide endless amounts of writing material. Need I say more?

5. A writing retreat. Quita and I were lucky enough to attend two writing retreats--one with our Weekend of Awesome buds, and another organized by SCBWI. The amount of work we got done at both was truly outstanding. There's nothing like going away with the sole purpose of writing--we'll deal with life's drama when we return home.

What about you all? What are some of your fave writing locations?

P.S. Don't forget to enter our The Near Witch book giveaway!

Debut Author Challenge # 11: The Near Witch...And Yep, A Giveaway!!!!

2011-09-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Witchy Woman" by The Eagles

And the countdown commences...we are now TWO books away from being finished with the Debut Author Challenge 2011. It's been so much fun, too--I think we might have to check out 2012 :)

This time, I've read Victoria Schwab's The Near Witch. Here is what Goodreads wants to tell ya:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

If that's not enough to make you wanna read it, then maybe this will help:

The Top Four Things You Need to Know About The Near Witch:

1. Lexi is strong but not too rough: She can hunt and track b/c her father taught her how, she knows if you want to get a tough boy off your back just kick him in the family jewels, and she will do anything to protect her family. But she also is soft enough to open her heart to a stranger. She embodies the perfect balance of a female protag.

2. The town of Near comes alive: Schwab is a BEAUTIFUL writer. There is not one character, one house, one branch that doesn't pop out of the pages. When you're reading this novel you'll find yourself immersed in the moor, the wind, and the entire town of Near.

3. The characters are all distinct: There are no stereotypes in Near. Even witch sisters who might appear to be alike have their distinct ways of speaking and their own mannerisms. The children of Near have their own quirks, too. There is no way that you'll get any of the townspeople confused--not even the three old men who serve on The Council.

4. The plots are twistier than a pretzel: As the Goodreads plot suggests, The Near Witch is part fairy tale. The story of witches and children goes back to Hansel and Gretel, but this book ain't your normal fairy tale. You'll find yourself going "wha...?" or "wait, but I thought this was happening..." Even when you think you know what's coming--you don't.

You wanna win this book, don't cha? Well...keep reading and find out how!

If you like...

Books: Sweetly by Jackson Pearce, Ash by Malinda Lo, or The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare... then you'll like The Near Witch.

Movies: The Brothers Grimm, Beastly, or Red Riding Hood ...then you'll like The Near Witch.

Okay, so you want to win a gently used copy of The Near Witch?? Well, all you have to do is leave a comment with your e-mail address, be a follower of this blog, and live in the U.S. (sorry but we're writers/educators which equals broke!) by Tuesday September 27th, 2011 at midnight EST. We'll announce the winner Thursday September 29th :) Hope you all enter!

Oh...and we have a winner to announce, don't we??? The winner of our last giveaway, Carrie Harris' Bad Taste in Boys , is...

Georgia Summers!!!

YAY!!! Look out for an e-mail from us today :D

RTW: It Starts With a Cover

2011-09-20T20:23:00.018-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Let's Get it Started" by Black Eyed Peas

It's that time again! Half way through the work week and Road Trip Wednesday:) This week the ladies of YA Highway are asking:

What are your all-time favorite book covers?

Book covers are essential. We all know that some people buy books mainly based on the cover. Some of the covers we feature here are ones that we are guilty of buying due to the cover art alone. Without further adieu enjoy some of these fantastic BEST book covers ever!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin: As soon as we saw this cover--we HAD to have this book. It's mysterious and absolutely gorgeous. We can't wait to read it :D

hush, hush by Becca Fitzpatrick:
Who DOESN"T love this cover? It's intense
and enticing and breathtaking :D

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer: Unique and although it has
NOTHING to do with the story--it's lovely!

19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult: It's simple. Lovely, beautiful and it makes you want to know who these people are and why they're holding hands.

Your go! Tell us what book covers are your faves of all time :)

Character Motivation w/ Alexander Skarsgard!

2011-09-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Motivation" by Sum 41

So recently, Quita and I went to go see Straw Dogs. Now, were we expecting Oscar worthy performances and writing? No. But we expected to be more than a little creeped out, especially since the movie trailers promised this would be a story about a loving couple being terrorized by a pack of rednecks. However, our reaction both during and after the movie was more like this:

You see, we spent pretty much the whole time asking: "Why did she do that?" "Why did he do that?" "Why did they do that?" "Why didn't we see Contagion instead?"

Every question (aside from the last one) had something to do with character motivation. Quita and I were clueless about what these characters wanted, and why they reacted the way that they did. On the plus side, it helped us reflect on the characterization in our own writing. This movie proved to us that CHARACTER MOTIVATION is crucial in making your story believable...and if you want yours to shine, here's what you need to do:

1. Ask yourself what does your character want. Well, duh. But this does not always have to happen in your first draft. The first draft is for you to figure out everything--almost like a getting to know you phase with your characters. The revision process is when you really understand your characters. So help us, the readers, understand them through their thoughts, their dialogue, and their actions.

2. What is standing in your character's way? At some point in the movie, something really awful happens to the Kate Bosworth character--and then she makes a decision that completely baffled Quita and me. We didn't understand her obstacle because...well, her character was pretty muddled and lame. So once you've established what your characters want on the page, the obstacle should be just as clear. But it should also make sense. If your character has a terrifying fear of cats, don't make him just enter a room with a bunch of strays to create an obstacle. Why does he need to be in that room?

3. What would your character sacrifice to get what he wants? If you've seen the previews to Straw Dogs, you can safely assume that there is a LOT of sacrificing going on. But Quita and I still didn't get it. Again, this is because we were clueless about ANY of the characters' motivations. So, if tips #1 and #2 were done in a clear, yet creative, way--we're going to understand why your character sacrifices his safety and freedom to run his truck through a farmhouse (this may or may not have happened in Straw Dogs).

Quita and I aren't fans of being spoon fed information in stories, but we have to understand the point in order to enjoy it. Oh, and since I did mention Mr. Skarsgard in the title, I only think it's fair to include a small sample of him in the movie:

I've never been of fan of Eric from True Blood, but I'm telling you that scene had some serious eye candy.

Now where was I?? Oh yes--motivation! What are your thoughts on it, lovelies?

Debut Author Challenge #10: Bad Taste in Boys...and a Giveaway!

2011-09-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "Boys" by Britney Spears

Wow, can you believe that we're almost done with our 2011 Debut Author Challenge? We only have 3 more books to review...and you're in for a treat with this installment. Do you like getting your funny bone tickled while having the bejeezus scared out of you? Then Carrie Harris's Bad Taste in Boys is the book for you.

Here's what Goodreads has to say:

Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.

Doesn't this just sound awesome? Now, I give you...

The Top Four Things You Need to Know about Bad Taste in Boys:

1. The Heroine is a Brain, Not a Beauty. And not to say that Kate Grable isn't cute--it's just that she's MORE than cute. She's lanky, wears glasses and pigtails, and still nabs the hot guy at school. I'm so tired of reading about these insecure girls who aren't aware of how pretty they are. The hot guy falls for her because she's smart and has goals. I would love to see this become a trend in YA fiction. Speaking of which...

2. To Hell with Cliches. Not only is Kate not your stereotypical protagonist, but none of her friends fit into a certain mold, either. Her love interest is a jock, but he sucks at football. One of her closest friends is the prettiest, most popular girls in school--but she's nowhere near a bitch. The author steers away from archetypes, and I say more power to her!

3. It Has Some Funny Ha Ha Moments. Because of George Romero and the popularity of AMC's The Walking Dead, you would think a book about zombies would be a little...well, bleak. But Bad Taste knows how to make fun of itself. You'll find yourself snickering at Kate and her little brother as they try to defeat the zombies. But also...

4. It Has Some "Holy Sh*t!" Moments. Yeah, I had some good laughs...but there were also times I was a little scared to turn the page. Carrie Harris really knows how to amp up the creep factor, and she just may have you wanting to sleep with your light on at night.

Sounds pretty cool, huh? Keep reading and find out how you can win your own copy.

If You Like...

Books: Monster High by Lisi Harrison, The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade, Rash by Pete Hautman...then you'll like Bad Taste in Boys

Movies: Jennifer's Body, Fright Night, Shaun of the Dead...then you'll like Bad Taste in Boys

Want to win a copy of your own? Just leave a comment with your email address by Tuesday, September 20th at midnight, EST. We'll announce the winners on Thursday, September 22nd. Good luck!

RTW: This Seems Familiar

2011-09-14T12:03:00.009-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Deja Vu" by Beyonce

It's Wednesday which means road tripping with the ladies of YA Highway. This week they're asking us:

What themes, settings, motifs, scenes, or other elements do you find recurring in your work?

I was a little lost on this one at first, but then Pam pointed out that we have discussed certain elements that continue to show themselves in ALL of our writing.

Pam's Answer:

Okay, my answer is really strange because:

A.) I'm a daddy's girl.

B.) My dad is pretty much awesome and

C.) Did I say I'm a daddy's girl??

With that being said, the recurring element that pops up in both Wants and Project J is daddy issues. My major characters either have a physical or emotionally MIA pop. Now that I think about it, this could stem from the fact that my dad was in the military for most of my childhood and he was gone for at least a year when he fought in Desert Storm.

Quita's Answer:

The recurring element that surfaces in my writing would be literally killing some of my darlings. For some reason I kill every single one of my character's best friends. Not just the associate they talk to in school sometimes--their best friends. In both In Limbo and The Blues the killing of the best friend serves major purposes, but still--I don't know why this keeps happening. It's not like I want to kill people--it just seems like the right thing to do. Wow. That sounds pretty creepy...

Your turn! Tell us what keeps popping up in your writing??

Writing Through Grief

2011-09-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "Wake Me Up When September Ends" by Greenday

**Disclaimer: You may want to have Kleenex on hand ...**

We were debating whether or not we should do a post directly relating to yesterday's ten year anniversary of September 11th. It took us quite a few hours to decide if we would or if we'd just allow the numerous other blog posts (all very beautiful, thought provoking, and touching) to stand on their own and we'd take another approach. We'd like to discuss how writing can be a form of therapy when dealing with grief.

As writers, we all are guilty of putting ourselves in our material. Whether it be a character who loves cookie dough ice cream or hates football as much as we do. And me and Pam believe that as writers we also use our craft as a form of therapy.

When I was writing short stories to get into the MFA program at Fairleigh Dickinson University, I wrote an entire story based on a young girl who was losing her father to cancer. I wrote this story a little while after my own dad lost his battle with cancer. Writing it helped me to get out the things I couldn't say, like: "I'm sorry for not always being there when you needed me, Dad." All I can hope is that he was reading over my shoulder.

When Pam lost her grandmother she wrote an essay in high school that helped her to express how she felt. She never talked about her grandmother's death and this essay let out all her sadness and the guilt that she kept bottled inside.

The point is: writing is GREAT for getting out pint up emotion, anxiety, and even anger. And when you feel like no one will listen, will care or will understand what you have to say--write it down! OR you can also READ.

Writing takes on a new form of therapy for those who read. Think about Peter Negron. The thirteen year old read the poem "Stars" by children's writer Deborah Chandra two years after his father was killed in the 9/11 attacks. That poem helped the teen to relay how he was feeling after losing his father. It offered a form of release, of understanding that two years earlier, Peter did not possess.

What about you all? Does writing and/or reading serve as a form of therapy for you?

Friday Fives: Best Summer Reads

2011-09-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

Reading Song of the Day: "You're So Last Summer" by Taking Back Sunday

*sigh* The Summer has officially ended and we are wrapping up our first week of school. That means four days down, 176 to go! But we can still relish in the ah-may-zing books we read over the summer...

What? Paper Hangover wants us to do that???

Well, okay then...

This week's Friday Fives from that awesome blog group mentioned above is:

What are the FIVE best books you read this summer?

In no particular order, here are the five books we loved on over the summer:

Boy Toy by Barry Lyga : Pretty much any book about a child or a young student being molested by a teacher seems like it would come off "messagy". But according to Pam, this book doesn't. It helped her to make sense of why children/teens blame themselves and the healing they go through in order to move on.

Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff: Pam gave love to Brezenoff's new masterpiece here (and also loved on him in other spots on our blog). This book made her feel. And she loved, loved, adored the imagery and mysteriousness of the MC and his/her love interest.

Recovery Road by Blake Nelson: I've already loved on this book enough here...but just in case you need to know MORE, know this--Nelson is a master at pacing. The story moves along fast, but not so fast that you're wondering what the *bleep* happened with that plot line or this conflict. MASTER, I say!

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa: Pam discussed before why she loved this book so much here, but she will add that it's one of the rare fantasy books that hooked her from the beginning and never let go.

Looking For Alaska by John Green: I am such a late passenger on the John Green train, but I ain't getting off! This book hooked me from the first page. The MC is likable, believable, and made me feel every single emotion that he was going through. LOVE!

What books did you love all up on this summer?

Tagged! We're It!

2011-09-08T08:00:00.001-04:00

Miscellaneous Song of the Day: "Price Tag" by Jessie J

The lovely, funny, all around cool chica, Amparo Ortiz, tagged us last week, and we FINALLY got a chance to play the game--woo hoo!

Enough with the small talk. Here are 10 Random Facts about Quita and me:

1. We have an obsession with movies. Seriously. Our idea of relaxation is popping in a DVD or running to the cineplex. Some of our mutual faves include Inception, Mysterious Skin, and The Rules of Attraction.

2. To piggy-back off of #1, we quote movie lines in our day-to-day lives. From Interview With the Vampire ("Don't make me do this, I can NOT!), to The Departed ("I can investigate anyone I want!"--Boston accent included), to Juice ("Fat a** Still is stuck in school again, again")--we pretty much find some kind of way to show our love for the moving picture.

3. We both ordered travel information about New Orleans when we were in high school--and we didn't know the other one had done that until recently. Which proves everyone's theory that we're pretty much the same person.

4. Also when we were younger, Quita thought she was Left Eye, I thought I was Chilli, and Quita's older sister thought she was T-Boz. Yeah, we were just a little obsessed with TLC. So much so that we created our own music group, PMS. None of us are very vocally advanced, however.

5. When we sign our names on any present or card to each other, we write Mrs.--and then a string of last names of every possible hot guy, ever. Quita's signature is something like: "Mrs. Gyllenhaal-Mathers-Gordon-Levitt" and mine is usually: "Mrs. DiCaprio-Timberlake-Bloom."

6. We have a thing for hot white guys. (See #5).

7. When either of us try to do a British accent, we always sound Jamaican.

8. When we're anywhere in public and something embarrassing happens (to us or to anyone else), we know better than to look at each other because we'll burst into a fit of giggles. And once we get started, it's pretty hard to stop us.

9. I'm pretty good at picking up the dance moves in music videos (albeit, not very good), and Quita's pretty good at making fun of me for this weird habit.

10. If Crumbs Bakery was a person, we'd totally marry it. Click here to see why.

And that is probably as random as we can get. Now, here are the awesome folks that we're tagging (and our apologies if you've already done this--we promise to get back into the groove of the blogosphere again):

Racquel

Alex Mullarky

Jamie Manning

RTW: To Be Young Again

2011-09-07T10:53:00.007-04:00

Writing Song of the Day: "When You Were Young" by The Killers

So it's the second day of the school year for Quita and me, but we still have time to take a little road trip with the lovely ladies of YA Highway. This week for Road Trip Wednesday they want to know:

What non-YA character would you love to see star in a YA book as themselves?

Ooh, good question! Probably our favorite one so far...but it also completely stumped us.

After much, MUCH thought, Quita came up with Ms. Sookie Stackhouse herself from the Charlaine Harris series. Why? Perhaps because she was Bella Swan before there was even a Bella Swan--not to mention she has some kick ass fairy powers. And pretty much every guy she meets, supernatural or otherwise, falls in love with her. That is one problem we'd LOVE to have.

We actually stole our other choice. I saw that the lovely Katy Upperman mentioned Dexter Morgan, star of one of our favorite TV shows evah. And Dexter would be awesome to see as a teen. We already have a vague idea of his background based on flashback, but to be there in the moment with him while he makes his first kill and discovers his dark passenger? Whoa. Okay, we realize that sounds a little demented, but hey--we're writers. That gives us a crazy pass.

What about you all? Who would you love to see as YA character?