Author of award-winning, adventurous realistic and historical fiction

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On Pub Day

Feb 4, 2014 | , , , , , , ,

This is a really hard post to write and a really easy one, too. It’s hard because I’ve thought about this day for so long–in terms of when I started writing for publication, five years; and in terms of how long I’ve secretly dreamed of being an author, probably my whole life. It’s easy because the only thing I really want to say is this: Thank You.

Writing isn’t easy, and neither is publishing. There are ups and downs and of course I’ve had plenty of both along the way. But one thing I’ve never lacked is enthusiastic support: from my friends and family, from my agency and publisher, from my delightful and inspiring coworkers, from the other writers and bloggers I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know in the kid-lit community. The only thing that doesn’t feel surreal today is a deep sense of gratitude–that I get to share my words with the world, and that I get to have so many wonderful people cheering me on as I do.

 

Finished copies!

Jan 30, 2014 | , , , , , , , , ,

Last night, I got home to a big box on my doorstep. Sent from Sourcebooks c/o RR Donnelly, so I had an inkling what was inside.IMG_2132

(Photo taken after I’d gone inside and grabbed a camera, and almost locked myself out in my excitement.)

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(Please ignore the other boxes in the background. What? You seem to remember that I moved almost a year ago? Uh . . . let’s move on, shall we?)

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What was inside was pretty freaking exciting.

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And it made for a pretty awesome night.

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What’s Up Wednesday, 1/15

Jan 15, 2014 | , , , , , , , , ,

WUW7

What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme that helps readers and writers touch base with blog friends. You can find the link widget (and cute buttons!) on Jaime’s and Erin’s blog posts.

What I’m Reading 
I finished Hostage Three, which was smart, tense, and moving, and now I’m finally reading Tiger Lily. I’ve always been into the Peter Pan story, and I love this retelling so far. The writing is captivating, miss-your-subway-stop good.

What I’m Writing   
I haven’t gotten as much revising done as I’d hoped this week, mostly because I’ve been working hard on some publicity-related writing, like interviews and guest posts. It’s making me look at my story in different ways, and that’s kind of fun. I think I’m caught up for now, so I hope to get back to revising over the long weekend.

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What Inspires Me Right Now

Last week, the first two books in my friend Michelle’s debut series, I Heart Band, pubbed. It’s so exciting to think about readers discovering her delightful characters! A group of friends met up the night before her pub date for wine and a book-cover cake. It was a great way to kick off a new year of writing.

What Else I’ve Been Up To 
Yeah, about that “lots of yoga” from last week . . . I was a little too much of a weekend warrior this past one, and long story short, I did something very bad to my hip while in class. It’s never good when your body makes Rice Krispie noises (Snap! Crackle! POP!) while you’re moving out of a pose. So I’m heading to the doctor today to figure out exactly what I did. It’s a bummer, but hopefully I’ll be back to bending soon. And in the meantime, I will be eating my first-ever homemade doughnuts. photo-1

Homemade = healthy, right? Right.

So what have you been up to lately?

Bookanista Rec: I HEART BAND

Jan 9, 2014 | , , , , , ,

It’s time for another Bookanista recommendation: Michelle Schusterman’s delightful new MG series, I Heart Band.
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Here’s the Book 1 back cover copy from the publisher:

Band Geeks unite in this fresh new middle-grade series by debut author (and former band director) Michelle Schusterman!

Holly Mead’s first day of seventh grade isn’t going as planned. Her brother ruins her carefully chosen outfit, she’s almost late, and her new band director has some surprisingly strict rules. Worst of all, it seems like her best friend, Julia, has replaced her with Natasha, the pretty, smart, new French horn player! Holly is determined to get first chair, but Natasha is turning out to be some pretty stiff competition—and not just in band. Band might be a competition, but friendship isn’t—and Holly needs to figure it out before she loses Julia for good.

First things first: I ♥ I HEART BAND!

(And now second thing second, which is a disclaimer: I’m about as biased as you can get about this series because not only am I employed by the publisher, but the author is a friend. That said, this post is solely my opinion, and my enthusiasm for these books would be just as strong even if I weren’t professionally/personally involved in their publication.)

imagesI love what this series features: friendship, community, and creativity. Oh, and French horns, which I played in my middle-school band (oh, the memories!) In addition to being hilarious and heartfelt (and containing an ideal amount of pitch-perfect MG crush and friend drama), this series admirably celebrates music education, which is disappearing from far too many schools.

Both Book 1 and Book 2 (Friends, Fugues, and Fortune Cookies) are available today!

See what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:

My Word for 2014

Jan 5, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Last year, my word for 2013 was balance. While I do think that having that word at the forefront of my mind helped me take at least a few steps toward a more balanced life, I still have a lot of work to do with that word. But 2014 is a new year, so I needed a new word.

For 2014, I’m choosing: open.

As I look back over my 2013 posts, I realize that I didn’t blog much about what’s been going on in my writing life. That’s partly because after starting a new job last January, I found I had a lot less time for blogging and social media in general (sad face). But honestly, I think it’s also that as I moved further into the publishing process, the more I found myself retreating a bit, at least online. Working toward publishing When Audrey Met Alice has been a joyful experience, by and large–but like any big life thing, it’s brought some stressors along with the good stuff. I found myself nervous about sharing both the many good things (I guess I have that Midwestern sensibility of not tooting one’s own horn) and the few things that scared me. The thing I’m starting to realize, though, is that writing with a goal of publication means putting yourself out there in the world, and that’s an okay thing. You have to be open to the possibilities. And I truly believe that the best writing comes from an open mind and an open heart, and I want to keep improving my craft this year.

Perhaps because I often felt overwhelmed by juggling day-job work, writing work, a move, and everything else last year, I found myself closing off a little in other ways. Sometimes I met invitations and opportunities with a cringe (Where am I going to find the time for that!) instead of an excited or appreciative smile. Sometimes I just got really anxious, or exhausted-cranky. I’d like to shift that attitude a bit, and show thankfulness for all of the great things in my life by approaching it by being a little more receptive.

I’ve never been super comfortable with sharing too much personal stuff online (hello, introversion), and I don’t think that’s going to change. But I feel such gratitude for all the honest posts I’ve read from writers at various stages of the publishing process the past two weeks. So in addition to trying to approach IRL things with a spirit of openness, I want to approach online life with a bit more of that, too. Like by saying right now that as excited as I am for my book to come out in less than a month(!), I’m pretty nervous, too.

So, hello, 2014. I am taking deep breath and doing a stretchy yoga move, and trying to greet everything that’s in store for me this year with . . . openness.

(What’s your word for this new year?)

Reviews!

Dec 17, 2013 | , , ,

In the December 15th issue, Kirkus reviewed When Audrey Met Alice–and they liked it!

“This charming debut brings Alice Roosevelt to life when 13-year-old ‘first daughter’ Audrey finds Alice’s century-old diary and turns to it for advice . . .  Behrens invents a fictional Alice, as she reveals in her author’s note, and writes the diary entries in credible period prose that’s still accessible to modern readers. Audrey knows that she’s just a normal girl for all that she lives in the White House, making Audrey and the story nicely accessible.

An appealing journey and a fascinating life.”

The full Kirkus review is here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/rebecca-behrens/when-audrey-met-alice/

And Publishers Weekly called When Audrey Met Alice an “entertaining debut” and said, “Alice’s (invented) journal entries appear throughout and offer a window into the life of this fearless historical figure though, as Behrens notes, ‘when it came to good fiction versus factual accuracy, fiction won.’ Details of life in the White House, combined with Audrey’s more ordinary struggles (including the potential for a first boyfriend), will keep readers hooked.” The full PW review is here: http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-4022-8642-1.

It’s pretty surreal to see my book in Kirkus and PW, and I couldn’t be happier with what the reviewers have said. 🙂

What’s Up Wednesday, 12/4

Dec 4, 2013 | , , , , , , , , , ,

WUW Winter Holly 1What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme that helps readers and writers touch base with blog friends. If you’d like to join in, you can find the link widget on Jaime’s and Erin’s blog posts. I love this idea because it gives a structured, easy way for me to keep up with blogging. Also, the buttons are cute (especially this winter scene). Thanks for the idea, Jaime and Erin! 

What I’m Reading 
All the ARCs. Right now, I have copies of Open Road Summer, All Four Stars, What the Moon Said, and Ask Again Later on my desk or en route to me. It’s a smorgasbord of 2014 debuts!

What I’m Writing   
So, November is over. The status of the project I was kinda sorta NaNoing? Done! I definitely limped to the finish line, but as of Friday, November 29 I have a completed first draft. I wound up writing about 42,000 words in November, which I’m really proud of. It was  fun to try to write without a filter and kick out a fast first draft. This WIP is one I wanted to write just for my own enjoyment and creativity–it’s not something I’m going to work actively toward publishing anytime soon. For that reason, I didn’t want to take too much time to write the first draft. I started writing it in early October, making this the fastest I’ve ever completed a draft–70,000 words in a little less than 2 months. And I’m usually a fairly slow writer!

That said, I’ve realized that for me to be happy with my writing and the overall process, I should allow myself a little more time in the future, or at least do a better job of outlining before diving in. (This was also my first largely pantsed project.) I’m glad I did my pseudo NaNo, though, and I’m looking forward to sometime revisiting this WIP in between other projects. I also believe that it’s never a bad thing to try a new way of working–even if it ends up not being your thing, it can teach you a lot about your process and preferences.

What I’m writing now (and for the rest of the month): Nada. It’s time for a break and IRL holiday stuff.

What Inspires Me Right Now

Holiday stuff: I held off until the day after Thanksgiving to get out decorations and fire up my playlists, but from now until the 26th, it’s Christmastime.

I’m also inspired by all the people who shopped at their local indie bookstores on Small Business Saturday. Particularly these shoppers! http://whitehouse.tumblr.com/post/68607360338/president-obama-sasha-and-malia-shop-for-books

What Else I’ve Been Up To 
Listening to my nephew coo and gurgle in the background when I call my sister. He’s pretty adorable; I’m a happy aunt.

And eating pie. Lots and lots of pie.

So what have you been up to lately?

What’s Up Wednesday 10/16

Oct 16, 2013 | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

WUWAutumn

What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme that helps readers and writers touch base with blog friends. If you’d like to join in, you can find the link widget on Jaime’s and Erin’s blog posts. I love this idea because it gives a structured, easy way for me to keep up with blogging. Also, the buttons are cute. Thanks for the idea, Jaime and Erin!

What I’m Reading 
Last week I read Just One Year in just one day. I loved getting to see the other side of the story; I’ll say nothing else because I don’t want to spoil anything. Then I lucked into an ARC of Nikki Loftin’s Nightingale’s Nest. It’s beautiful and unique and haunting, and I’m savoring every word.

What I’m Writing   
Still doing odds and ends for the business side of writing. When I’m not doing that, I am playing around with a new idea. This is a project I’d maybe like to work on for NaNo in some form. I guess for now I’m treating it more like a writing exercise and less like a WIP, if that makes sense. Sometimes you need space to play with words in order to work with them.

What Inspires Me Right Now   
I had the day off on Monday, so I went up to the Bronx Zoo. A lot of little kids were running around in their adorable Halloween costumes.  Dime-store capes and some face paint are all it takes to let them create adventures for themselves.  It’s always fun to see children being imaginative and playful, and I find the creativity surrounding Halloween really inspiring–that’s probably why it’s one of my favorite holidays. (Also the candy. Mmm, candy. I think I might actually get trick-or-treaters this year, so I have an excuse to stock up.)

What Else I’ve Been Up To
Last Friday I went to Alison Cherry’s launch party for her debut, Red! It was at the lovely BookCourt in Brooklyn, and it was a fabulous time.

And in other news, there’s a Goodreads ARC giveaway for When Audrey Met Alice going on right now. You can sign up here!

So what have you been up to lately?

 

Cover Reveal!

Oct 7, 2013 | , , , , , , , , , ,

That’s right, When Audrey Met Alice has a cover!

You can head over to Mundie Kids and check it out. We’re also sharing the ARC cover and details about the process behind creating the perfect cover for Audrey and Alice’s story.

Here’s the link: http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2013/10/when-audrey-met-alice-by-rebecca.html

Elizabeth Connor, the incredibly talented designer, and the whole Sourcebooks team created what I think is the perfect image for this story. It’s an understatement to say that I’m thrilled with it.

Thanks to Katie at Mundie Kids for her help and enthusiasm with my reveal! It’s so fun to get to share this.

Around the Web

Sep 2, 2013 | , , , , ,

Happy Labor Day! I’m back from a trip to the Midwest and taking the day *off* before more revising starts tomorrow.

But in the meantime, I have two posts elsewhere online:

A OneFour Kid Lit interview with YA author (and agentmate) Sara Polsky about her debut, THIS IS HOW I FIND HER. It’s out now!

And Mad for Middle Grade’s September group post, on our favorite elements of writing MG. Mine is friendship.

Back to reading SECOND CHANCE SUMMER for me!

Class of 2K14 Launch!

Jul 1, 2013 | , , , , , ,

I’m so excited to announce that I’m part of the Class of 2K14, and we’re launching our website today!

We’re a group of 20 authors debuting in middle grade and young adult fiction in 2014. We’re diverse, with members across the country (and one in the UK!) and novels ranging from historical to sci-fi. Like the other classes before us (2K7 through 2K13), we’re working together to share our books with booksellers, teachers, librarians, and readers.

It’s already been a wonderful experience to get to know the nineteen other authors in the group, and I’m looking forward to sharing the debut experience with the other authors.

To celebrate our shiny new website, we’re giving away a $100 e-gift certificate to the book retailer of the winner’s choice (including indie booksellers!). To enter, head over to the website:

Class of 2K14 Launch Giveaway

MMGM: Every Day After

Jun 10, 2013 | , , , , , , , ,

One of the many fun things about being part of OneFour KidLit is getting to interview debut 2013 authors about their great new books. Tomorrow, my interview with Laura Golden, author of Every Day After, will be up on the OneFour blog. But I couldn’t wait until then to post about this historical MG gem. Here’s a little about the book, from Goodreads:

Trouble has rained down
on Lizzie Hawkins. Her daddy has deserted the family, her mama is
silent with sadness, and the bank is after their house.
Daddy
always said Lizzie was born to succeed, but right now she can’t even
hold on to her top grades or her best friend, Ben. Bratty newcomer Erin
Sawyer has weaseled both away from Lizzie, but Erin won’t be satisfied
until Lizzie is out of her hair for good, packed off straight to the
nearest orphanage.

Still, Lizzie refuses to lose what’s left of
her family. With the bank deadline fast approaching, Erin causing strife
at every turn, and Mama and Ben slipping away from her, Lizzie finds
comfort writing in her journal and looking at Daddy’s face in the
heirloom locket he left her. She’s keeping her head high and holding
onto hope that Daddy returns on her twelfth birthday. Still, she can’t
help wondering: Why did Daddy have to leave? And can I save us if he
doesn’t come home?

Times may be tough in Bittersweet, Alabama,
but the unsinkable Lizzie Hawkins will inspire readers with her
resilience and determination.

Laura kindly lent an ARC to me so I could read Every Day After in advance of our interview–although I plan to buy a copy once it hits shelves, because this is one of those marvelous MG books that will be an instant classic. The character development is rich, the setting is so real that you start to feel like you have GooGoo Clusters stuck in your teeth (a candy that Lizzie longs for in the book), and the themes and message are timeless. It really struck me, while reading, how relevant a story about a young girl staying strong in the face of economic troubles is today. Lizzie’s determination and strength are a model to anyone, of any age, who is struggling.
But this is also a great MG story about community, friendship, and finding yourself, one with plenty of sweet humor. I highly recommend that tomorrow, you pick up a copy of Every Day After.

To see what other marvelous middle-grade books readers and writers are blogging about today, check out Shannon Whitney Messenger’s blog for the MMGM links!

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