Author of award-winning, adventurous realistic and historical fiction

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October Update

Oct 1, 2014 | , , , , , , , , ,

It’s October! How did that happen? And, more importantly, what am I going to be for Halloween?!

September was a busy month, but I still managed to sneak in a late-season beach day (and I have the Fire Island mosquito bites to prove it).

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I also read seven(!) books and wrote 15,000 words of my new project. Oh, and changed day jobs.

Now I’m still writing, anticipating edits for Summer of Lost & Found, and getting ready for some upcoming When Audrey Met Alice events. On October 20, I’m doing a panel with four fantastic MG authors—Tara Dairman, Lauren Magaziner, Laura Marx Fitzgerald, and Michelle Schusterman—at the Voracious Reader in Larchmont, NY. Later that week, I’m teaching a writing workshop for young readers at the New York Society Library. And I’m working on my school-visit presentations for some upcoming visits, too! (Check out my Events page for the details, if you’d like to know more!)

I’m also following a lot of FiDo-related news, good and not as good: the scary security breaches at the White House (although kudos to the off-duty officer on the First Daughters’ detail for stopping an intruder) and the happy arrival of former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton’ new baby, Charlotte. And, of course, I’m slowly making my way through The Roosevelts, the excellent 14-hour Roosevelt documentary on PBS. (Watching an hour is my reward for getting new words on paper.)

What have you been up to?

Fall Refresh

Sep 9, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , ,

Summer passed in the blink of an eye, right? I’m sad to see the season of outdoor movies, beach days, and ice cream go. But I’m also excited about fall. Even though spring is the season of growth, I feel like fall is when I make a lot of my progress. Maybe it’s the nudge from all those “back to school” ads. But here are some of the things making me feel reinvigorated right now:

–Back to Kid Lit: In August, I didn’t read any kid lit. It was a month for beach reads and grown-up books, and I loved diving into some literary fiction. After reading so many fabulous ARCs and new releases so far in 2014—along with filling some of the gaps in my backlist reading—I needed a chance to read out of the MG/YA categories. Since September started, though, I’ve already read great MG books by two panelmates, K. A. Holt (Brains for Lunch) and Jennifer Ziegler (Revenge of the Flower Girls). I’m loving The Scar Boys by fellow Egmont author Len Vlahos right now. And next on my list: an ARC of Kristin Levine’s historical MG The Paper Cowboy.

–Back to work: Summer hours are over, and while I loved them, it’s a lot easier to fit writing in my weekday schedule now. And get to bed on time-ish!

–Back in the kitchen: Can I use the heat as an excuse for why I barely touched a pot or pan this summer? (Even if it was a pretty mild summer?) There was a lot of pizza . . . and nachos. Anyway, I have a stack of new recipes and a resolution to make my own dinner at least 3 nights a week. Even if it’s a sandwich. Baby steps.

—Back to pumpkin: In truth, I am far less obsessed with pumpkin spice lattes than I used to be–but I remain a huge fan of baking with pumpkins. Or putting them into soup. (Or fermented beverages.) I like that this time of year, you can eat pumpkin-everything.


–Back to writing: I spent a lot of time this summer traveling to talk about When Audrey Met Alice, which was super fun. I wrote two historical short stories that will appear in Scholastic’s classroom magazines Storyworks and Scope, and also Cricket. I also revised Summer of Lost & Found and sent that off to my editor last month. Now, I’m finally writing a new book. I’ve only put 5,000 words on the page so far, and first drafts can be a little scary. But it feels so good to be finding a new story to tell.

 

Not-So-Lazy Days of Summer

Jul 22, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How exactly is it July 22nd already? I swear, I was staring out the window at slushy snow just days ago. And now back-to-school ads are popping up . . .

But even though this has been a busy summer so far, it’s been busy in delightful ways:

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Pre-fireworks in my beautiful hometown, Madison, WI

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Quality time with my adorable nephew

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Sunny days at the beach

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Exploring the Catskills (not pictured: black bear encounter)

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NY’s gorgeous waterfalls

I’ve also read some amazing books lately, like Ann M. Martin’s Rain Reign and the short-story collection This Is Paradise.

From now until I head off to Texas, I’m working very hard on edits for The Summer of Lost and Found. I’m a little nervous about making this the best book it can be, but revising is also my favorite part of the writing process. I’ve had a few lightbulb moments in the past week, and I’m excited.

How’s your summer?

 

ALA Annual in Pictures

Jul 8, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ALA Annual was amazing! It was fun, surreal, and humbling to be around so many wonderful readers, librarians, authors, and publishing professionals.

Here are some of the highlights (at least the ones for which I have photo documentation):

So I learned what “but it’s a dry heat” means.

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AKA, still hot, but pleasantly so. Unless you get kind of lost on the way back to your hotel and have to circle a massive casino a few times to find the entrance . . .

Anyway, shortly after I got to the conference on Saturday, after a very early but thankfully uneventful flight, I got to meet fellow debut author Jessica Love!

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Who is just as lovely in person as I knew she’d be. And I now have a signed copy of Push Girl. 🙂

I also got to meet fellow Sourcebooks author Nancy Cavanaugh! Very serendipitously, as I was getting to the conference just as she was leaving.

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I headed over to the Sourcebooks booth to finally meet (and thank!) the wonderful marketing and S&L team. And I saw my poster in person!

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I stopped by the Egmont booth to say hi and also meet author Len Vlahos, who was about to do the coolest author event, in which he played songs from his book on the PopTop Stage. Then I went back to the hotel with my ALA roommate, Lauren Magaziner, and crashed until it was time for the Class of 2K14 dinner. (Sadly, I didn’t think to take any pictures at that!)

The next morning, we were up bright and early for the MG vs. YA Trivia Showdown, hosted by the charming and talented duo of Jay Asher and Josephine Angelini.

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We had so much fun playing trivia and sharing our first lines. The librarians, no surprise, impressed us all with their knowledge!

Later on Sunday, I signed When Audrey Met Alice in the Sourcebooks booth.

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I had so much fun meeting librarians and talking about my book. And we actually ran out of copies by the end of the line! I was so touched by the enthusiasm of everyone who came by–it was a dream experience. And author Marissa Moss stopped by–I am a huge fan of her work, and I was so excited to meet her!

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I had another fangirl moment when I got to meet Ann M. Martin.

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I have been dying to read Rain Reign, and now I will always treasure this signed ARC. I kind of wish I could travel back in time to tell little Rebecca that someday, she’d be at ALA meeting the authors she loved.

After the conference wrapped up on Sunday, some of the Class of 2K14 members who were still around went out on the town to celebrate.

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We did find the most amazing doughnut soap while wandering around.

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Truth: I went into the store after seeing that in the window and thinking I could eat it.

And then bright and early the next morning, I was on my way back, jet-lagged and happy and grateful. I didn’t win any money, but I did carry home a suitcase bursting with books.

What’s Up Wednesday, 6/18

Jun 18, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , ,

What I’m ReadingWUW7

Last week, I finished The Interestings, which was an absorbing, funny, thoughtful character study. And even at 500+ pages, I didn’t want it to end. Next, I read Kate Scott’s YA debut, Counting to D. It was heartfelt, and it taught me a lot about dyslexia–a learning disability that I only thought I understood until I read this book. Also, there was a scene involving VooDoo Doughnuts. Yes.

Now I’m reading TransAtlantic–I loved Let the Great World Spin, so I have high hopes for this one!

What I’m Writing

I’m not drafting or revising at the moment, but I’m in the middle of a lot of research. Instead of writing page-count goals, I’m giving myself deadlines for working through various resources. I’d love to start writing this WIP next month, but I have a lot of books to get through first.

What Inspires Me Right Now

I’m getting really excited for ALA Annual! I’ve never been a library conference before, and I’ve also never been to Vegas. The Class of 2K14 has a fun trivia event planned, with Jay Asher and Josephine Angelini as our moderators.  And then I’ll be signing in the Sourcebooks booth.

After ALA, I’m heading back to the Midwest to visit some family, and I can’t wait to see my nephew. When I last saw him, he was a newborn–and now he’s almost eight months old!

What Else I’ve Been Up To

Getting back into running, making homemade ice cream (spicy chocolate was my last concoction), and enjoying the warm weather and sun.

So what have you been up to lately?

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.

Research Trip

May 13, 2014 | , , , , , , , , ,

Last week I hopped on a train and in a car to make my way to coastal North Carolina for a research trip. Here’s some of what I saw and did:

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I went belowdecks in a 16th-century ship!

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I hiked in historic woods!

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I wandered a shoreline!

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I stood inside an excavated fort–and got chills!

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I checked out an ancient live oak!

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I visited a charming town–including its awesome indie bookstore!

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And I climbed the tallest lighthouse in the nation! Take THAT, fear of heights.

I didn’t think I could get more excited about working on this story, but I did. There’s nothing quite like writing about a fantastic, historic, mysterious, beautiful setting–and then getting a chance to see it in person.

Oh, and I can’t not mention the most incredible donuts I ate.

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I had one every single day. Because DELICIOUS.

I can’t wait to go back.

What’s Up Wednesday, 4/30

Apr 30, 2014 | , , , , , , , ,

KITERUFFLED2What I’m Reading

I just finished up Louise Galveston’s By the Grace of Todd, a hilariously gross and inventive MG. Thanks to it, I will be deep-cleaning my apartment this weekend. Now I’m reading Jennifer Mathieu’s The Truth About Alice, which is an amazing contemporary YA told from four perspectives. All of the characters feel so very real–the voices in this book are so, so good. I’m having a hard time putting it down.

What I’m Writing

I am finally done (for now) revising that old manuscript. YES! So I’m back to researching/outlining, and I’m having lots of fun with that, asking myself lots of “what if?” questions and imagining what this story could be.

What Inspires Me Right Now

It’s tulip time again!

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What Else I’ve Been Up To

I’m busy getting ready for a see-your-setting-in-person research trip next week. More on that–with pictures–when I’m back.

I also did an interview with Keith Muchowski, who volunteers at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site. (If you’re ever in NYC, you must stop by the site for his tour!) The first part of my interview is here.

 

So what have you been up to lately?

 

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.

Writers on Writing

Apr 28, 2014 | , , , , , , ,

My fellow Sourcebooks author Nancy J. Cavanaugh tagged me in this fun blog-hop tour about the writing process. You can check our her post on writing here! And I’m tagging Jessica Love, whose debut PUSH GIRL releases in June, and the very talented Katy Upperman. Their posts will go up next Monday, May 5.

On with the tour!

What are you currently writing?

I have a few things in the works–all MG projects. One I’m revising (eternally, it sometimes seems) and another for which I’m working on an outline. I’m trying to write a fairly detailed outline, which is not something I have done in the past. Usually, I start drafting with an outline of about 1,500 words–enough to see the overall story, but not individual scenes. This time, I’m trying to figure out the plot a little more before I start. I’m sure the story will change as I write, though–it always does!

What makes your work different?

I am a genre-mixer: I can’t stop combining historical and contemporary fiction. I love exploring the relationship of past and present, and I’m drawn to characters who are the same. In When Audrey Met Alice, contemporary First Daughter Audrey discovers Alice Roosevelt’s wild life through reading a diary, and much like Audrey, I love discovering the complex stories of real historical figures through books. I’m fascinated by famous and historical settings, too–like the White House and the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

I don’t want to generalize too much about historical fiction, but I do think that a lot of books in that genre have a more serious tone. I tend to write slightly humorous voices, which I think is another thing that makes my work unique.

  
Why do you write what you do?

They’re all an answer to the same question, “What book would you have wanted to read ?” Most of my stories start from me thinking about what I was interested in as a middle-grade reader, like First Kids and mysterious disappearances and science and strong, inspiring women.  Especially because I tend to do a lot of research for my books–I better have a healthy interest in what I’m writing about!

What is your writing process?

First, I come up with the concept, which sometimes takes days, weeks, or months of brainstorming and lots of long walks/runs to work out the heart of the story. Then, I write an outline. After I have an outline, I do baseline research–enough that I can work out the plot and characters, but not so much that I get bogged down in details. (Otherwise, I’d never get to drafting–there are too many rabbit holes to fall down!) I write a first draft, slowly. I stop to do more research as needed along the way. Once I have a first draft, I put it away for a while–at least a few weeks. While drafting, I probably realized that I needed to explore certain topics much more in depth–so yes, there is even more research at this point. And then the revising starts–many, many rounds. Whoever said that “writing is editing” was right! The first draft is just a sketch; the shading and color and detail all comes later on, building slowly with each round.

Tell me, what’s your writing process like?

 

Bookanista Rec: The Secret Side of Empty

Apr 24, 2014 | , , , , ,

It’s time for another Bookanista recommendation: Maria E. Andreu’s  The Secret Side of Empty.

18079898Here’s the jacket copy from the publisher:

As a straight-A student with a budding romance and loyal best friend, M.T.’s life seems as apple-pie American as her blondish hair and pale skin. But M.T. hides two facts to the contrary: her full name of Monserrat Thalia and her status as an undocumented immigrant. 

But it’s harder to hide now that M.T.’s a senior. Her school’s National Honor Society wants her to plan their trip abroad, her best friend won’t stop bugging her to get her driver’s license, and all everyone talks about is where they want to go to college. M.T. is pretty sure she can’t go to college, and with high school ending and her family life unraveling, she’s staring down a future that just seems empty. In the end, M.T. will need to trust herself and others to stake a claim in the life that she wants.

Author Maria E. Andreu draws from her personal experience as a (formerly) undocumented immigrant to explore an issue that affects over one million children in the U.S. But while the subject matter is timely, it is M.T.’s sharp, darkly funny voice and longing for a future that makes this story universally poignant.

Protagonist M.T. was one of those rare characters that I felt an immediate connection with–I loved her wry and funny, pitch-perfect teenage voice. I cared about M.T. from the first page, and so reading her story was intense and sometimes painful but ultimately rewarding. This is a powerful story about immigration, abuse, and suicide–but it’s an equally powerful story about hope and resilience. And the romance between M.T. and first boyfriend Nate is so achingly sweet and real. I loved this book, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to read a good contemporary YA–the fact that it’s also an important and honest about about some big social issues makes it even better.

See what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:

What’s Up Wednesday, 4/2

Apr 2, 2014 | , , , , , , ,

RobotWhat I’m Reading

I read a ton of books (or what amounts to a “ton” for me) in March: No Surrender Soldier, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Leading Man, The Secret Hum of a Daisy, The Ninja Librarians, and Push Girl. Now I’m back to Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior, which I reluctantly put aside when I was in the middle of a debut-author ARCapalooza.

What I’m Writing

I’m back to revising an old manuscript and doing some research so I can begin outlining a new one. I’d love to be finished with these revisions in the next week or two so I can focus on outlining. In truth, I am itching to get to the drafting stage of this new project. I’m one of those writers who gets caught up in counting new words–sometimes I need to remind myself that reading/researching, outlining, and daydreaming is part of the writing process–and that time “counts,” too.

What Inspires Me Right Now

I am knocking on wood as I type this, but I think it’s finally warming up! Thanks to longer days, I’m loving going home from work while it’s still light out. Hooray, spring. 🙂

What Else I’ve Been Up To

I finally got back to a yoga class, after a few months off due to an injury. It was kind of a bummer to realize how much I still can’t do, but it feels great to know that I’m making progress.

A quick note on an online event I’m doing this week: Booklist Webinars is hosting me and three other New Leaf Literary debut authors for an hour-long presentation on our books and the the debut experience. It’s free, and should be a fun conversation! You can register here: https://alapublishing.webex.com/alapublishing/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=662413562

So what have you been up to lately?

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.

Friday Five

Mar 21, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , , ,

1. This has been a long winter. (That seems like an understatement.) I got some relief from the snow, cold, and gray last week when I went on a nice warm trip. I read a lot of books; I even hung out in a hammock. It was excellent.

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2. But now it’s back to work! I’ve started research for a brand new book (lips zipped on what it’s about, for now) and I’m doing some revising on a less-brand-new one.

3. This Saturday, I’ll be back at Books of Wonder in NYC for a panel with Laura Marx Fitzgerald (UNDER THE EGG) and Aaron Starmer (THE RIVERMAN). More info here: Great Middle Grade Reads!

4. This past week, I’ve gotten my first pieces of mail from readers. There is nothing quite like the joy of opening a card from a young reader. Thank you to Annabelle and Erin for making my day with their notes!

5. When Audrey Met Alice was featured in the March/April issue of Middle Shelf magazine! Check out the whole issue for great interviews, articles, and reviews.Middle Shelf_Last Words

6. Okay, I lied. It’s not Friday Five. It’s Friday Six.* But because I like alliteration, I’m not changing the title of this post. Anyway–huge congrats to my friend Jessica Love, who sold another book this week! Read all about In Real Life here.

*See my inability to cut content? This is why I have my lovely and talented editor. 🙂

Part II of the WAMA blog tour

Mar 20, 2014 | , , , , , , , ,

The When Audrey Met Alice blog tour is wrapping up. It’s been so great to hop around the Internet with guest posts and interviews! Here’s the second batch of posts, including an ongoing giveaway!

Middle Grade March: Guest Post about one of my middle-grade memories

March MG Madness: Interview, review, and a giveaway (running through 4/6!)

Spirit of Children’s Literature: Interview and Review

Teen Reads: Guest post about my favorite scene to write

Leisure Reads: Character profile for Audrey

The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia: Guest post on historical women I find fascinating, and a giveaway (running through 3/31!)

Diamond & Coal Book Review: Guest post on my interest in First Daughters

Tressa’s Wishful Endings: Guest post on ten things Audrey found out about Alice

Zee Monodee – Author’s Corner: Guest post on First Daughters as celebrities

The Chicago Moms blog: Guest post on more historical women I find fascinating

Literature & Laura: Interview

Caroline Starr Rose’s Classroom Connections

A huge thank-you to the bloggers who have hosted and interviewed me!

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