Happy Halloween

I'm typing this up ahead of time and wondering what kind of mess Hurricane Sandy is going to leave in its wake. Halloween isn't even on my mind at this point, but this is scheduled to post then so I'll do my best.

Halloween is a time when children's imaginations run wild. They can be anyone they want - at least for a few hours. And on top of that - and most important - they get candy.

But it's so important to spark a child's imagination at all times, not just with candy as the incentive. Because it is active imaginations that create stories.

And that's what we do, as authors. We create stories. We don't dress up and go door to door looking for candy (though, you know, there are some times when that is a tempting idea). But we create something and put it out there and hope that people like it.

So, what it comes down to, is that writers get to have their own version of Halloween every day of the year. Except with maybe not as much candy.

Happy Halloween everyone!

My kids from a few years back when they went Trick-or-Treating as Pippi Longstocking and Harry Potter. A perfect merge of Halloween and books!

Skype School Visits

I'm really excited!  Tomorrow I'm doing my first Skype visit with Immaculate Middle and High School in Los Angeles, Ca!

I asked some author friends for some advice on what to do.  Most say Q&A sessions are the way to go.

My YA paranormal CROSSED OUT was the school's book club pick of this month.

I'm excited to see the girls and hear what they have to say about my book.

How did the school find me?

Fab YA/MG author Kate Messner has a list of authors who give Skype visits.  I'm on that list.

 http://www.katemessner.com/authors-who-skype-with-classes-book-clubs-for-free/


Also the email, asking if I could do a Skype visit, came through the contact through my website.  **Another reason to have and maintain a website.

Doing the Skype visit helps verify that yes, I'm an author!  Very cool, huh?

**Will report back on how it goes!

***Also a couple other librarians found me through my website and in March I'm going to be teaming with another YA author to give a writing bootcamp for teens.

Costumes Galore! Another Fun Reason To Go To Convetions

One of the most fun parts of going to all the different types of conventions and things I go to is to wallow in the awesome creativity of fans!

This past weekend found me at the Dallas Comic Con Fan Days. Figured I'd share some of the awesomeness from there, and Animefest from September.

Gimbly's Father. What's supercool about this costume is that the hat and beard are all one piece and made of yarn! Click on it for a bigger version. Too darn cool. 

I loved this one because not only did it not take a lot to look like the character, but she had her pose and attitude correct which added to the whole ensemble to convince us of who she was. (Psst, Madeline from Burn Notice.)

Is this not the most awesome thing ever?! She looked fantastic! And she even had tail feathers out the back.

This wowed me with the super attention to detail. She looked awesome!

Here's another one. From Assassin's Creed. He looked fabulous!

Wished I'd caught his staff on the pic because it glowed. Great Loki and Hawkeye.

They do so make going to these things worthwhile. Woot!

Adventures in Self-Publishing

Some time last spring, I must have become somewhat insane: the idea of self-publishing my most recent manuscript got hold of me and refused to go away. Why? Conventional wisdom advocates finding an agent, or at least shopping my work around to those publishers that accept non-agented submissions.

But there has just been so much scuttlebutt recently about the whole e-publishing phenomenon that I couldn't help growing curious about it. So I started conversations, some by e-mail, some face-to-face, with several writers who have gone this route and are happy with it. They all had their own lists of do's and don't's, some of which contradicted each other, but what I took away from these conversations was very hopeful: there is plenty of room for all of us. Good books will sell. Marketing is not much different than with a traditional publisher, since my name is not J.K. Rowling or Suzanne Collins. Most of all I found that every writer I contacted was more than willing to answer questions and give suggestions--and best of all, to a person they wished me luck. They couldn't have gotten any more generous short of offering me an actual limb or perhaps a first-born child.

So whether delusional or not, I decided to take the plunge and give self-publishing a try. I am no tech-head so luckily I had one or two writers who were willing to correspond with me almost on a daily basis about formatting. Also luckily, my engineering husband isn't afraid to try something outside his own area of technical expertise. After much trial, effort, and panic on my part, the manuscript uploaded, and Haunted is now available for Kindle with a print edition soon to follow.

I don't know if the book will soar or plummet, but at least it's out there. I have a firm belief that a story never really breathes until it has been released to the world for other folks to read. So now comes the next part of my journey: Adventures in E-Marketing!

(By the way, since taking a nearly full-time job at the end of September I barely have time to sleep so I apologize that I haven't been leaving comments on people's posts lately. I have read all of them, though, and was struck again by how diverse and talented this group really is! I'll try to do better as things settle down.)

A Misconception About Research

Recently I've been meeting with many other authors who write in genres other than YA. One misconception that troubled me was "You write YA fantasy, you're so lucky since you don't have to do research." That troubled me since one needs to research for the story to make sense to the readers. I look at the books on my shelf and shake my head. There are books on herbs since healing plays a great part in my stories and many of my young characters use herbs. There are also cooking in these stories and yes, I do make up some of the herbs and spices used in my stories. Gingar is one that is ginger and garlic put in one plant. But I had to know a bit about both of these plants to create the one I use.

Another area of research I frequently use to create animals in my stories are the books I have about animals and snakes. Maybe the animal I chose to use is one that uses the characteristics of several animals that I've read books about. Many of the animals I choose to create are based on animals found in this world.

The biggest part of my research for my fantasies can be found on the number of books I have about ESP since those kind of talents are found in many of my stories. Also Astrology books since I oten use these to develop characters or even talents. The Affinity stories are based on the four major quadrants of astrology Air, Earth, Fire and Water.

How about you. If you're writing fantasy for YA do you research things found in our world to change them to fit the world you have created?

The Poisoned Pencil – new YA mystery imprint

 

Poisoned Pen Press is launching a new imprint The Poisoned Pencil, which will publish YA mysteries. Jessica Tribble was named publisher last year and said the press aims to publish YA mysteries that are "fast-paced and relevant to today's teens--books that adults will also want to read."

Ellen Larson will serve as editor of The Poisoned Pencil. She said she is "particularly keen" to receive submissions from young adult writers, adding, "Anything goes. As long as the protagonist is between the ages of 12 and 18, it's young adult. I'm excited to begin reviewing submissions, seeing what's out there, and building our list."

Now accepting submissions of YA mysteries between 45,000 and 90,000 words. The protagonist must be between the ages of 12 and 18.

The Poisoned Pencil Submission Guidelines

The Poisoned Pencil uses an online submissions manager to review materials from both authors and agents. Please do not query or submit your MS by email or snail mail. No simultaneous submissions; one submission per author at a time. You will be able to check the status of your MS using the submissions manager. Response time is currently 4-6 weeks.

For more news and updates follow Editor Ellen Larson: @poisonedpencil

Peggy Tibbetts

Now available at Amazon
PFC Liberty Stryker
Letters to Juniper – 2012 Colorado Book Award Finalist

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Manners

"Mind your manners." It's an expression many of us have heard while growing up. But it works for worlds we create as well.

What are the expressions of politeness in the cultures you create? Is it people opening doors for others? Tipping a hat? Taking turns? Is it how they address each other? Do they use formal terms such as Mister, Miss, Mrs., Master, Mistress, Captain, Lord, Lady? Do they use words such as Please and Thank you?

Manners are often considered ways to keep a society functioning. Rules of etiquette may reflect class or status.

And what is the opposite of polite behavior? Swearing? (Which also involves what are the swear words? Are they religious in nature? Reflecting bodily functions?) Are swear words only used in times of great emotion? Or have they become so commonplace, so drained of their power to shock or offend, that every other word a character utters is a swear word? Would a dragon picking his teeth be considered rude, or is it only rude if he doesn't use a toothpick?

What are the taboos? What cannot be named or discussed? Are there food taboos?

Are manners reflective on age or class?

What are the signs of respect in the culture? Do people bow, tug their forelock, or wai (bow over hands pressed palm together)? Is a deep bow more respectful than a mere inclination of the head? Are there gestures associated with the bow? If you have winged beings, are the wings always kept tightly closed against the back? Would open and raised wings signal respect? Or would that (as in many terrestial birds) be a threatening/challenging gesture? If you have a tailed society, is it forbidden to touch another's tail without permission? Is it rude to tap someone with your tail? Are "excuse me" or "pardon me" phrases in common usage? Or are some offenses only cleared by a duel? If different civilizations come into contact, could a gesture considered polite in one culture be considered rude in in the other?

I always enjoyed Georgette Heyer's Regency romances and her depiction of a polite society with the emphasis on manners and rules of civilized behavior. Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden Universe also has a polite space-faring civilization where rude Terrans misbehave at their risk. CJ Cherryh's Foreigner series is another example of a a mannerly culture. There are many fantasy stories about how wise it is to deal politely with the elves and the Seelie Court.

Sometimes the bad guys in a story are the ones with poor manners. The rude louts who try to destroy everything the hero or heroine holds dear. But then there are also those tales where the villain has perfect manners - so much so that it is scary to watch his or her plans for the world. Sometimes that veneer of civilization is stripped away when the evil plans are overturned, other times the villain remains polite even in defeat. Which do you find more disturbing?

"Where are your manners?" is a question I like to think about when world-building. And I prefer the answer to be "Why, yes, they are in this story."

Do you notice how manners are portrayed in stories? What are some of your favorites?

50 Picture Book Authors and Illustrators on Twitter

Alicia Padrón @AliciaPadrón		illus
Alison Ashley Formento @AFormento	author
Amanda Crawford @cryincrawdaddy		illus
Amy Moreno  @illustratr4kids		illus
Anette Heiberg @AnetteHeiberg	author	illus
Boni Ashburn @BoniAshburn	author
Bonnie Adamson @BonnieAdamson	author	illus
Brandi Dougherty @BrandiDougherty	author
Brian P. Cleary @brianclearybook	author
Candace Ryan @CandaceRyan	author
Carin Berger @CarinBerger	author	illus
Carol Gordon Ekster @CEkster	author
Cathy June @CathyJuneArt		illus
Clay Carmichael @ClayCarmichael	author	illus
Corey Rosen Schwartz @coreypbninja	author
Crescent Dragonwagon @cdragonwagon	author
Crystalsenterbrown @gabbysaturday	author
cynthia jabar @cynthiajabar	author	illus
Cynthia Leitich Smith @CynLeitichSmith	author
Damian Harvey @DamianJHarvey	author
Danaye Shiplett @dshiplett.		illus
Dani Jones @danidraws		illus
Daniel Nanavati @Daniel_Nanavati	author
Deborah Blumenthal @DeborahBlu	author
Diana Scimone @DianaScimone	author
Diane Dawson Hearn @DDHearn	author	illus
Dianne de Las Casas @authordiannedlc	author
Dianne Ochiltree @WriterDi	author
Don Tate @Devas_T	author	illus
Ed Shems @edfredned		illus
Elizabeth Dulemba @Dulemba	author	illus
Eric Orchard @Inkybat		illus
Grace Lin @pacylin	author	illus
Gus Gordon @IllustratorGus	author	illus
Heather Ayris Burnell @HeatherAyris	author
Henrietta Krumpett @HKrumpett	author
Holly Thompson @HatBooks	author
Jacqueline Pearce @jacquieink	author	illus
Jacqui Robbins @JacquiRobbins	author	illus
James Burks @JamesBurksArt	author	illus
Jamie Pogue @JamiePogue		illus
Jannie @JannieHo		illus
Jean Fischer @JeanFischer1	author
Jean Reidy @JeanReidy	author
Jeannine Norris @JeannineNorris	author
Jennifer L. Meyer @JenniferLMeyer		illus
Jennifer Swanson @JenSwanbooks	author
Jennifer Therms @JenThermes		illus
Jo Ann @jkairys	author
More PB authors and illustrators on Twitter next month Rebecca Ryals Russell rryalsrussell.com

NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Wednesday, Oct. 10, is Unity Day. At Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, they’re urging people to wear orange in a movement around the country to “Make it Orange and Make it End.” Facebook has PACER activities on its safety, educator, and privacy pages. They’re encouraging students to wear orange and hand out “UNITY” ribbons at school. Here’s a link for more information. https://www.facebook.com/events/314141468640954/

Why do people bully others?

According to the Website “Bullying Statistics” http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-statistics-2010.html

statistics for 2010 show that about one in seven students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade is either a bully or has been a victim of bullying. A child who has been bullied may sometimes become a bully as a way to “get even.” Also, students that shoot others at school may be victims of physical violence or abuse at home or at school. So they retaliate by becoming the abuser. This isn’t always the case, but it sometime is.

There are many reasons why people abuse others.

Cultural causes, institutional causes, social issues are some examples. Whatever the reason a child, teen, or adult uses violence or intimidation or other means to harm someone, organizations around the country are working hard to make life less frightening for those who have experienced abuse, at home, at school, in the workplace.

At http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psychological-solution-bullying Izzy Kalman, author/creator of the website Bullies2Buddies.com and a serious critic of the anti-bully movement tells us what The Wizard of Oz can teach us about bullying. I had never thought of it, but he has a point. Take a look at his article http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psychological-solution-bullying/201111/what-the-wizard-oz-can-teach-us-about-bullying and see if you agree.

I don’t know the answers. I’m not sure anyone knows. In searching different sites for information, I discovered that almost every state has a program of some kind to deal with the problem.

Perhaps one day, we can all live together with respect for one another. That would be a major accomplishment for America and other countries of the world. It is the responsibility of each of us to help end what is a nightmare for too many people.

Other links to check:

http://www.stopbullyingnow.com/overview.htm

http://www.nctsn.org/resources/public-awareness-month

http://www.nea.org/home/NEABullyFreeSchools.html

An afterthought.

Have you ever noticed we even have bullies in the animal world? My calico cat, Patches, bullies my new tabby cat, Tiger. She really has him intimidated. I’m working to teach her to get along, but cats are very independent. I’ll never give up, though.

###

We need Libraries

Yesterday, I got into a bit of a flame war with someone on the internet. Shocking, I know. I am, after all, so shy and retiring.

But this jerk, who was all for getting rid of PBS, by the way, had the nerve to tell me that I, as a librarian, and the library, were obsolete. Why? Because he could "download every book ever written." And so he no longer needed the library.

Huh. Could've fooled me.

First of all, while I work in a library, I am not only a librarian. I am a Media Specialist. Why that name? Because books are only part of my job. I create websites, work with databases, and audio books, and audiovisual material, and a host of other things. I do NOT sit behind a desk and read all day. If you could see the things I've had to do for Graduate School, you would never look at a "Librarian" the same way again. I've made podcasts, and videos, and any number of other things completely unrelated to books.

Yes, I do buy books. And catalog them, and put them into the library. But I take a great deal of care to select books my library needs, and that are beneficial to students and staff. It's called collection development. And it can't be done by any old bozo. But let's leave all that alone and focus on this bonehead's statement. While downloading books is great (I do it myself), his statement assumes that a) he has a device on which to download and read the books and b) he is either paying for the books, getting them from a pirate site, OR downloading them from...THE LIBRARY. So if he's paying, and he has a device, he is then speaking from a place of privilege. And, as we all know, not everyone can afford either a device OR to pay for books.

Hence, the need for the library. But beyond books, whether you get them in dead-tree or eformat from the library, it is a place where INFORMATION can be had FOR ALL, FOR FREE. And since we now live in the INFORMATION age, that's pretty darn cool, huh. If you think Google will find you everything you want to know, well, maybe. But only if you know how to use it properly. I've done comparisons on search engines as part of my coursework. Not to mention that in times of economic downturn, the library is now MORE frequently used.

Why?

Because you can take courses, FOR FREE. On how to write a resume, conduct a job search, take an interview.

You can use computers, FOR FREE. To write and check email, to write and print that resume, to search for a job when you can't afford a computer. Or, if you have one but can't afford internet service... guess what? Most libraries are also a FREE wireless hotspot.

I am not just a librarian, and libraries aren't just for books. They are for children's story hour, and teen book discussion groups and Pokemon clubs and Movie Nights. They are for MEDIA of all forms, and the place where everyone is equally entitled to find information.

So many people of a certain political persuasion are all about what they think the Founding Fathers wanted for our country.

Ben Franklin founded the first public library. Because he believed in access to information for EVERYONE, not just those of privilege.

Falling into Autumn... or What if?

It's Autumn. Time for fresh apple pie and cozy sweatshirts and thinking about NaNoWriMo. If you're not familiar with NaNo, it's National Novel Writing Month, known to most people as November. The idea is that people connect with others while making a goal of writing 50,000 words in a month. It's fun, it helps spur productivity and it's something my daughter and I do together.

Some Mom's go shopping for shoes with their teenager, I compete for word count with mine.

But in gearing up for NaNoWriMo my daughter was trying to think of a short story idea to work on in October.

So, I shared the "What if" technique with her. I told her to take a situation she's familiar with: a classroom, a play rehearsal, the cafeteria and start asking "what if..."

What if a TV crew showed up at lunch and decided to make your school a reality show. How would people react?

What if aliens took over all the teachers?

What if a child star enrolls in your high school and tries out of the school play?

What if...

The possibilities are endless.

What are some what if's you might use to start a story? And what are other story starting ideas you use?

1st 5 pages Workshop

I'm always on the look out for great opportunities in this biz.  That's how I was able to be a part of the Cybils and also reading slush for a couple YA imprints and even an agency.  From each experience I grow as a writer.

I thought I'd share one such opportunity today.

I was lucky enough to be chosen to be part of the First 5 pages September Workshop.  Here's a little about this workshop:

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/p/contests-workshops.html


One of those who went over my pages was a favorite YA author of mine: Nancy Holder.  Nancy is the author of such books as UNLEASHED and also a number of Buffy books and ON FIRE, a Teen Wolf novel.

I thought it would be fun to share the process from start to finish!

Here's my first entry:

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2012/09/1st-5-pages-september-workshop-baccellia.html

Second entry:

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2012/09/1st-5-pages-september-workshop_8125.html


Third entry:

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2012/09/1st-5-pages-september-workshop_8125.html


And final entry:

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2012/09/1st-5-pages-september-workshop_1917.html

What's exciting is the October 1st 5 pages guest author is a friend of mine.  Author P.J. Hoover!  Tricia gives fab suggestions and has been a Beta reader of mine.  She's great!  And her upcoming book SOLSTICE is one of my favorite dystopian novels.  I'm very excited for her!

http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2012/09/1st-5-pages-october-workshop-opens-for.html

So if you're interested and have either a MG or YA ms, here's the info:

The October First Five Pages Workshop will be mentored by the lovely P.J. Hoover, and we'll take the first five 1250-word YA or MG entries that match all of the submission requirements listed here starting at noon on 11/6/2012. Get your manuscripts ready!