YAedge Feature Author: Joy Preble

On this fine Valentine's Day we're fortunate to have young adult author, Joy Preble, hanging with us and chatting about bookish stuff.

Cause we all LOVE books. ;)

Her novel, Dreaming Anastasia, is a magical read - full of folklore, history, and a budding romance. As Class of 2k10 authors, Kitty Keswick and I (aka Judith Graves) were matched up with Joy, a Class of 2k9 author, as our mentor. It's wonderful to have Joy as a resource on marketing, how to survive your debut year...as well as a champion in our ring.

She's been an amazing support for us. Thanks, Joy!

Here's the blurb for DA:

Sixteen year old Anne thinks her life is pretty ordinary – until she smacks into handsome, mysterious, and okay, annoying Ethan on her way to chemistry class.

Now Anne has powers she doesn’t understand, a history altering mission she may not want, and a growing attraction to this blue-eyed stranger. And Ethan- who at eighteen made some choices he’s starting to regret – realizes that Anne is the girl for whom he’s been searching – for a very, very long time. Stir in doomed Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia – who is definitely not quite as dead as the history books say – and Baba Yaga, the legendary witch from Russian folklore, and you’ve got DREAMING ANASTASIA, a contemporary YA fantasy that alternates between the voices of Anne, Ethan, and Anastasia as Anne and Ethan join forces to battle the bad guys and save Anastasia.

Only problem is – no one’s quite sure who’s really bad and who’s good. And everyone has some secrets.

And the questions we asked Joy:

As well as a writer, you’re a high school English teacher. Ah…the ultimate career for a YA author. You get to immerse yourself in trenches of teen angst. What is your all-time favourite title to cover with classes?

You know before I answer that last part, let me say that I am not totally sure that teaching English is the perfect YA author career. Both professions take immense amounts of energy and creativity and I so sometimes find that when I’m on a deadline or my own stories are swirling in my brain, it’s hard to work up sufficient interest in, say, grading Antigone essay tests.  But back to what you asked, I really do have lots of favorites. If I had to pick only one, I’d say The Great Gatsby, which I honestly believe is the best American novel ever. I actually haven’t taught it in a long while and I miss it! But you’re right about the angst. I’ve got a front row seat every day. Sometimes it gets a tad crazy…

To promote your debut novel, you took the blogging world by storm, doing a whirlwind 70 blog tour. How did you manage to keep your answers fresh and interesting?

Well, that’s the thing about 70 stops – even if the answers aren’t fresh, you kind of forget by the time you get to the end! Joking aside, it was tough sometimes, but bloggers began to be fond of my guest posts, so that gave me some freedom to mix things up a bit. I’d answer questions for some; talk about the debut author journey for others; discuss the genre blending aspects of the novel with others. It really was kind of a mixture and that helped. But I definitely ‘owned’ the internet for a while back in September! Publicist Paul and I just really clicked and once we got going planning, the whole thing kind of snowballed. It was work, but it was really a lot of fun!

What character from Dreaming Anastasia do you identify with the most?

I identify with different pieces of many of them, actually. I definitely relate to Ethan’s need for a second chance at his life. (can’t say too much here without getting too spoilery) Being a debut author after having spent some years in the classroom is like a second act for me, so I definitely feel that aspect of his character. I like Anne because she is as brave as I would like to be. And I definitely enjoy Tess’s lack of filter; I can honestly say she’s the part of me that likes to call it like I see it. (Tess is always fun to write because the girl has no filter. She just says what she thinks and lets the chips fall where they may. I can’t always do that in real life, but I wish I could!)

Was it difficult to keep the legendary Rasputin as an incidental character in Dreaming Anastasia? And have you listened to the Boney M song yet? (Joy recently informed me she wasn’t familiar with the tune – how was this possible?!)

Wow, Judith (aka Tracy)! 70 blog tour stops and no one asked me that question! At least not that I remember… The answer is no, it wasn’t really difficult. He just never seemed to emerge in my imagination as a major piece of the plot, even though he is mentioned here an there, particularly in Anastasia’s diaries. This was always Anne and Ethan and Anastasia’s story and I associate Rasputin (fascinating fellow that he was!) more with Nicholas and Alexandra. Plus, honestly, he’s been used so much that I wanted to do a different take on things. Although now that the Boney M song is stuck in my head…

We learn what really happened to Anastasia through a series of letters that appear throughout the book. How much research did you do in order to write them with such a realistic voice for Anastasia?

A lot, actually, and thanks for enjoying her voice. I tried very hard to create a voice for Anastasia that reflected not only her personality but also the time and place in which she lived. I read a number of biographies and on line sources, and tried to use small details – such as how she and her sisters referred to themselves as OTMA – to create a realistic character. Let me also remind you that while that part of the novel can be categorized as historical fiction, I have – at some crucial points – also created an alternate history within the fantasy elements. So not everything that happens in the novel is absolutely as it happened historically nor is it meant to be. Occasionally people have questioned those aspects – I think in part because the Romanov story just inspires such strong emotions in people - which has been curious to me since no one ever says, hey, Anastasia didn’t really get carried away by a witch named Baba Yaga. But most of my readers seem aware that I’ve taken some literary license.

What’s next on the writing front? Anything you like to share?

I’ve been working on a lot of projects since I first sold Dreaming Anastasia back in the end of 2007. Right now I’m thrilled to say that I am finishing up the second book in the Dreaming Anastasia series, and that it’s currently set for release in 2011! Dreaming Anastasia is actually in its third printing since September and I’m hoping that readers will be just as enthusiastic with book 2. The Anne and Ethan romance is definitely about to heat up. Plus there’s a malevolent Russian mermaid called a rusalka. And Tess will be back. Also Baba Yaga. And… well, you’ll just have to wait and see!

For more information on Joy and updates on Haunted (can't wait to get a sneak peek at the cover!), check out her website. And for fun, here's Boney M's Rasputin for ya. ;)

Class of 2k10 set to launch!

I can't believe it's almost that time, but December 1st doth approach and the Class of 2k10 has some awesome stuff planned. Our beautiful website is live and waiting for you to discover 23 debut YA and MG authors with amazing stories to dig into for 2010.

Check out the author bios, book blurbs, covers, reader guides and trailers. The site is packed with literary goodness. I'll also be featuring 2k10 authors here on YAedge...I promise, you'll get insider information on this new crop of must read titles. ;)

2k10 will be hosting a month long Grad Party for the Class of 2k9 authors - watch for book giveaways and swag contests!

The class is planning to do some high profile author panels during Book Expo America in New York (May 2010) - if you're in the area, we'd love to have you hang with us. Watch out 2010, here we come!

Class of 2K10: Book Your Getaway

Take a break from NaNo, just a teeny one, and check out this update on the progress of the Class of 2K10.

In less than a month, the Class of 2K10 website and plan for world domination will unfold! The site has a fun passport theme with vintage images/tones – I just know you’re gonna likes it. ;) If you want to get ahead of the launch, we have a blog, Facebook page and Twitter profile - come and hang with us. You won’t want to miss our December long “Grad Party” sending the Class of 2K9 off in style.

We have several titles to launch in January, so we’re coming out of our corner swinging. In the meantime, here’s the promo trailer that the fabulous, amazing, stellar Madison at M2 Productions created for us. Enjoy the sneak peek at 23 must reads debuting in 2010!

YAedge Featured Author: Cheryl Renee Herbsman

Today we have the pleasure of chatting with Cheryl about her debut release, Breathing, published by Viking.

Here’s the blurb:

What if the guy who took your breath away was the only one who could help you breathe?

Savannah would be happy to spend the summer in her coastal Carolina town lying in a hammock reading her beloved romance novels and working at the library. But then she meets Jackson. Once they lock eyes, she’s convinced he’s the one—her true love, her soul mate, a boy different from all the rest. And at first it looks like Savannah is right. Jackson abides by her mama’s strict rules, and stays by her side during a hospitalization for severe asthma, which Savannah becomes convinced is only improving because Jackson is there. But when he’s called away to help his family—and seems uncertain about returning—Savannah has to learn to breathe on her own, both literally and figuratively.

This debut novel has it all—an endearing, funny, hopelessly romantic main character, lots of down-home Southern charm, and a sunny, salty beach setting that will transport you to the Carolina coast.

A brief excerpt:

Oh Lord, I got a prickling on the back of my neck. Either somebody
walked over my grave or else I’m being watched.
I turn to look and there he is staring right at me from up by the snack
shack. Some kind of crazy zingy feeling goes shooting right on up my
chest. I should have brung my inhaler, all the sudden my breathing is
clunky. Hell ‘n high water, he’s headed this way. And he’s got that big
ol’ smile plastered on his face like I’m his long lost best friend. And
I haven’t a clue what his long lost best friend would say. I drop my
bike down in the sand beside me.
“Hey,” he says, just like last time.
Ah, hell. “Hey,” I reply, promising myself that no matter what happens
I will not run off like a baby.
“We met behind the libary,” he says.
“I remember you,” I say, all shy-like. “I’m Savannah, you know, as in
Georgia.” Hells bells, I should have kept my mouth shut. But he smiles
at me with those sparkly sea-green eyes. “Jackson,” he says, “as in
Mississippi.”

Now for the questions!

1. Here’s a scary stat pulled from: http://www.asthma.ca/corp/newsroom/pdf/asthmastats.pdf

Between 100 and 150 million people around the globe suffer from asthma and this number is rising. World-wide, deaths from this condition have reached over 180,000 annually. In the United States, the number of asthmatics has leapt by over 60% since the early 1980s and deaths have doubled to 5,000 a year.

In light of these statistics, I’m sure you’ll have many readers who can relate to Savannah’s plight. What drew you to telling this story?

Great question. I came to the asthma in a round about way. Initially, I was using it as an explanation for Savannah’s visions or special feelings. I thought they would be more believable if they came when Savannah was in an altered state of oxygen-loss. As my process went on, that connection was dropped and the visions were scaled back. But by then, the asthma had become part of who Savannah is.

My husband and daughter both have mild asthma. So I have some experience seeing its role in people’s lives. I also worked in a pediatric unit in a hospital in college. There were kids and teens who I got to know there with asthma and other respiratory issues. My husband is a pediatrician, so medical issues are around here a lot. And I got to thinking that not that many stories include a child with a medical challenge without that being the main focus of the book. I wanted Savannah’s asthma to be something she has to deal with, but not the point of the story.


2. In your bio, you mention that like Savannah and Jackson, you and your husband met as teenagers and endured the trials of a long-distance relationship. Congrats on your twentieth anniversary! Did you make things easier or harder on your characters compared to your experience with long-distance love?

I made things much easier on Savannah and Jackson than they were on us. I don’t want to give away any details about the story, but our long-distance experience included a much greater distance and a much longer separation.

3. When I first read the excerpt for Breathing, I had to go back and re-read it a few times to get the rhythm of the language to flow in my head…if that makes sense…lol. Your bio says you grew up in Northern Carolina, so you must be very familiar with the dialect you’ve chosen for Breathing. Savannah’s voice is fabulous – but did you worry readers might have trouble with the style?

This is also a great question. When I wrote the first draft, I put the words down exactly the way I heard them in my head. Then, through many rounds of revisions, we chose very carefully when to leave the dialect in and when to take it out to make it easier for the reader. I’ve had a lot of readers tell me that it only seems challenging in the first few pages and that once they get the feel for it, they really enjoy what it adds to the story. I wanted the reader to know Savannah completely and I didn’t feel like that would be possible without including the way she talks and thinks.

4. Your website is impressive – who’s gonna fold all that laundry?! http://www.cherylreneeherbsman.com/ I especially enjoyed the Bonus Materials with your character sketches (interviews with your characters). Did you use these interviews when developing your characters?

Yes. Usually I start writing without doing character sketches. Then, once I know the character to some degree, I’ll have a little written chat with them to get to know them better. Then I go back to the story and weave in what I’ve learned and also use it in the remainder of the novel.

5. What’s your writing day like?

It varies so much. Life gets busy. But ideally, after I take my kids to school, I spend half an hour or so dealing with emails and Facebook and myspace and all that. I usually do that kind of work on my desktop computer. Then I leave the busy world behind and go into my bedroom. I light candles and sometimes incense. Some days I write with pen and paper, other days on my laptop, always on my bed, a blanket wrapped around my shoulders. I love when I have a three or four hour block of time to write. But that doesn’t happen as often as I’d like. I usually have other things I need to take care of. And before I know it, it’s time to pick the kids up from school.


6. Any announcements or promo ops you’d like to mention? Plug away!

I have a number of events coming up, which I’m really excited about. Many of them are in the San Francisco Bay Area, but I’ll also be in North Carolina. Starting in June, I’m going to be teaching a bunch of creative writing classes for teenagers. All the info can be found on my website http://www.cherylreneeherbsman.com


Thanks for hanging with us, Cheryl. We wish you many readers!

YAedge Featured Author: Sydney Salter (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Graphia)

Welcome to Sydney Salter, member of the awesome Class of 2k9! Sydney has kindly agreed to answer a few questions about the life of a debut YA novelist.

I see that you are actually debuting TWO novels this year! Wow, double congrats! Could you tell us about them?

My first novel (4th manuscript) is a humorous YA called My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters. It’s about a 17-year-old girl who thinks she can solve all her problems (and hopefully snag a boyfriend) by getting a nose job. That’s the big nose part. The disaster part comes from various mishaps including a horrible day at work, inspired by one of my worst days in high school (wrecked van, destroyed wedding cake, fired after only four days on the job).


My second novel (1st much-revised manuscript) is a middle-grade called Jungle Crossing. It’s the intertwining coming-of-age stories of two girls, one who reluctantly travels to Mexico with her family over summer vacation, the other an ancient Mayan royal stolen from her town and forced to make the treacherous journey back home.

If you’re comfortable sharing – what’s the story behind your fabulous first sale(s)?

I recognized that my fourth manuscript was my most commercial so I only submitted it to agents. I got some lovely rejection letters. One agent didn’t want to represent me, but recommended I try Firebrand Literary. And they signed me! After a few rounds of revision with my agent, he submitted the novel and Harcourt offered me a contract. I accepted the offer while waiting in the airport to fly to the summer SCBWI conference in LA. I loved celebrating with my writing friends!

I had sent my other manuscripts to my agent and he really liked Jungle Crossing. Again, we did a few round of revisions and my Harcourt editor bought the manuscript just before Thanksgiving. Yay!

(This is the short version; the long version includes lots and lots of rejection!)

What personal experiences did you draw upon when developing your characters, plot?

I kept a daily diary in high school so I went back and reread several volumes to capture all that angst (about boys, my nose, family and friends). I also wanted to include many of the places I loved while growing up in Reno so the setting guided the plot—and then there was that wrecked van...

I just love the cover for My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters! Did you have input?

Oh, thank you! I love it too. The amazing and talented Carol Chu at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt designed the cover. I didn’t have any input, and given my messy, undecorated house, that’s probably a good thing.

You have a full family life with your husband, two daughters, two cats and two huge dogs. Whoa, girl – you’re busy! How do you work in time for your writing?

I will refer you back to my messy house (see above). I’m lucky to have an incredibly supportive family. My daughters are both in school now so I make the most of those hours. During the summer I resort to bribery—here are two cookies, now go to the children’s section and don’t talk to me for an hour. I’ve also learned to write in a variety of locations utilizing small chunks of time.

Jungle Crossing is set in Mexico and builds upon an “original Mayan legend”. How much research / travel went into the book?

To celebrate our 10th anniversary and our mother’s 60th birthdays, my husband and I planned a family trip to Mexico. I originally thought I’d do a little research and write a little something about Mayan culture for my daughters. Well, I got carried away and ended up reading everything I could find about Mayan history, culture, archeology, mythology…. My “little something” had transformed into an idea for a novel. By the time we took the trip, I knew several places I wanted to see, plus I wanted to spend time in Mayan villages. We had a memorable trip and I came home and wrote my first novel (which my daughters weren’t quite old enough to read).

For fun - imagine you are in a random bookstore. You see a teen pick up your book, walk to the counter and buy it - you would....

Ooh! Great question. I did see a teen pick up my book and not buy it (I resisted saying something). Let’s see, if I were alone, I’d simply relish the moment. If my friends or family were with me that book wouldn’t leave the store unsigned!

What’s your most hard-earned writing tip? (AKA – the one that took you the longest to learn, but it was the one that had the most impact on your work.)

Learn to love revision. I will probably always prefer that scary, exhilarating feeling of penning a first draft—anything is possible! My new characters are amazing! What is going to happen next? Yay for 10,000 words! But in reality I spend many more days revising already-written manuscripts with known flaws. How am I going to fix that? I’m really grateful for the way my editor and agent push me to make my stories better and better.

Any website promos or announcements?

Yes! I’m giving away a copy of My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters on The Class of 2k9 blog (http://community.livejournal.com/classof2k9/11932.html). Just make a comment between now and April 30th and you’ll be entered to win.

Thanks for hanging with us! Hope to see you around the YAedge Book Club.

Thank you!

YAedge Featured Author: Sydney Salter

YA author, Sydney Salter, will be joining us for a chat on Monday, April 27th! Published with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Sydney has two novels debuting in 2009: My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters and Jungle Crossing.

Drop by on MONDAY and meet one of the emerging talents from the Class of 2k9!

Fresh YA Fiction: Class of 2k9

The life of a debut YA novelist is never dull. There are edits, more edits, galleys to proof, cover art to squeal about, release dates that get changed, and on top of it all….the overwhelming task of marketing.

Authors, whether published with a large house or a small press, are responsible for creating their own buzz. This means hours devoted to developing online followings through social networking sites like Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, IndieBound, etc – not to mention the live/face-to-face events – book signings, author talks, etc.

Whew – how does a first timer do it?

Well, there are easier ways to break ground than going it alone – I’m talking about author collectives. In particular, the highly successful "Class of 2k..." program. (Class of 2k7, Class of 2k8 ).

The program was created in 2006 by author Greg Fishbone. It has been featured in Publishers Weekly, the School Library Journal and networked extensively to booksellers, librarians and the YA audience. Each year a new class is born and another 20-40 authors untie to promote each other’s work.

Previous Class grads include big hitters such as: Rosemary Clement-Moore, Cassandra Clare, Tiffany Trent, Regina Scott, Ellen Booraem, and a host of other fabulous authors.

Support this wonderful resource and get exposed to fresh new fiction. Check out the current Class of 2k9!