Shadra Strickland and Sally Derby Discuss Their New Book & Diversity in Publishing from Lee & Low. Peek: “I know many people think no one should write outside their own culture. But I think I have the right to write any way I want about anything I want. After I’ve written it, if I didn’t get the voice ‘right,’ people are free to say so and explain what is lacking or wrong.”
Characters Who Surprise by Brian Yansky from Brian’s Blog: Writer Talk. Peek: “Make a Buffy a vampire slayer instead of the heroic warrior or make a detective have some personality trait that seems like it would make it hard for them to do the job but, in fact, also helps them to do it. For example, Monk.”
Seven Jewish Authors Get Personal About Anti-Semitism from We Need Diverse Books. Peek: “Here’s the question I asked these seven authors: How have you seen anti-Semitism expressed, either in the media, on the internet, or in your personal lives? And this is how they answered.”
Three Agents on How Soon Is Too Soon to Query? from Adventures in YA Publishing. Peek: “…most agents and editors are looking to clear desks in time for the New Year rather than take on more. So, it’s to an author’s interests to take the time to revise rather than rush.”
Why Book PR Needs Lead Time & Lots of It by Sharon Bially from Writer Unboxed. Peek: “I know it sounds counterintuitive: at long last a book has hit the market, it’s time to tell the world! But in fact, this is a far cry from how things work on the back end.”
Who Knows More About Story: Writers or the Pentagon? by Lisa Cron from Writer Unboxed. Peek: “Story as a way to maintain dominance over the world? How could a technology that’s as old as our brain do that?”
Cynsational Giveaways
- Signed
ARC of Brooke’s Not-So-Perfect Plan (Confidentially Yours, Book 1) and
Vanessa’s Fashion Face-Off (Confidentially Yours, Book 2)(both
HarperCollins, 2016) by Jo Whittemore. These first two ARCs are combined into one flip-format book. Author sponsored. Eligibility: U.S. only. - Signed copy of Paper Hearts by Meg Wiviott (McElderry, 2015). Author sponsored. Eligibility: one U.S. only, one international.
This Week at Cynsations
- Book Trailer: Uh-Oh! by Shutta Crum, illustrated by Patrice Barton
- Mina Witteman on Talking Books, Ghosts, Writing & Teaching
- Meg Wiviott on Telling the Toughest Stories & Paper Hearts
- Book Trailer: Counting Crows by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by Rob Dunlavey
More Personally
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| My glorious house guest of the week, Kekla Magoon! |
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| I’m celebrating the spooky season, from head to toes! |
Congratulations to Nova Ren Suma on joining the the faculty of the MFA program in Writing for Children & Young Adults at VCFA!
Congratulations to Mitali Perkins on the news that her book, Rickshaw Girl, is being made into a movie!
Reminder! Want to read something spooky? The electronic editions of Diabolical and Feral Curse (both Candlewick), are on sale this month for $1.99!
Another Reminder! I will be featured at the 20th Anniversary Texas Book Festival on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18 in Austin. I look forward to joining Ann Angel and Varian Johnson in discussing the anthology Things I’ll Never Say: Stories About Our Secret Selves (Candlewick, 2015).
Personal Links
Princess Leia’s “Slave Bikini” Sold for $96,000 at Auction
10 New Books by Established Latino Authors (Joy Castro!)