Cynsations Note:
What scares you? Snakes? Spiders? Bigfoot? It’s different for everyone. Likewise, authors use different approaches for building suspense.
Our Halloween treat for you is a glimpse at techniques from two YA authors for upping the stakes.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Gillian French on Hooking Readers: How to Build Suspense »
If I’d known how long and difficult the path to publication would be for my new young adult novel, Playing by Heart (Vinspire Publishing, 2017), I might never have started down this road. The journey began when I set out to write a picture book biography of a little-known 18th-century female mathematician.
Shenaaz Nanji is the author of Ghost Boys (Mawenzi House Publishers, September 2017). From the promotional copy:
Fifteen-year-old Munna lives with his Ma and sisters in a small town in India.
Determined to end his family’s misfortunes, he is lured into a dream job in the Middle East,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Shenaaz Nanji on Child Slavery & Ghost Boys »
Ismée Williams is the debut author of Water In May (Amulet Books, 2017). From the promotional copy:
Fifteen-year-old Mari Pujols believes that the baby she’s carrying will finally mean she’ll have a family member who will love her deeply and won’t ever leave her—not like her mama,
Continue Reading New Voice: Ismée Williams on Water In May »
Today we welcome author Clete Barrett Smith, discussing his new novel, Mr. 60% (Penguin Random House, 2017).
I heard Clete read the opening chapter several years ago for his graduate reading at Vermont College of Fine Arts. It gave me chills,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Clete Barrett Smith on Writing Challenging Stories & Mr. 60% »
Bonnie Pipkin is the debut author of Aftercare Instructions (Flatiron Books, 2017). From the promotional copy:
“Troubled.” That’s seventeen-year-old Genesis according to her small New Jersey town. She finds refuge and stability in her relationship with her boyfriend, Peter—until he abandons her at a Planned Parenthood clinic during their appointment to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.
Continue Reading New Voice: Bonnie Pipkin on Aftercare Instructions »
Padma writing on the dock
One of the most vital aspects of timeless writing is voice. Every serious reader, every writer has (or must develop), a strong sense of what voice is. Yet, like time, voice eludes definition.
Of course, I’m going to try and define it. To me,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Padma Venkatraman on Voice: Writing Lean, Spare or Lush, Rich »
When I joined SCBWI, my biggest dream was to sell a middle-grade novel. I attended as many workshops as I could and was excited when there were speakers who wrote MG or YA.
But often I had to sit through talks on writing picture books.
By Lindsey Lane
What are you supposed to do when your debut novel releases in paperback?
a) Nothing
b) Heave a sigh of relief
c) Let everyone know
d) All of the above
Ahhh, the conundrums of marketing.
Guess what? There is no prescribed method for marketing our books.
The Absoluteness of Nothing by C.G. Watson (Simon Pulse, May 2017) releases today in paperback. From the promotional copy:
Caleb Tosh has suffered one personal trauma too many, but this last one – the sudden departure of his mom – has pushed him down a dark and disorienting path.
Continue Reading Book Trailer: The Absoluteness of Nothing by C.G. Watson »
