True Blood: June 13th Can't Get Here Fast Enough

Tami has her Dr. Who fixation - I have mine.

No surprise - it's True Blood - a vamp/shifter/paranorm bevy of goodies. If you're not a fan of the show, back away from this blog post. My hubbie gave me Season 2 as a welcome home gift, along with a nifty "Merlotte's" keychain, and his amazing smile. He's probably regretting the gift about now, especially after my binge viewing this weekend.

Alas, Season 2 seemed like so long ago, it was all a blur. I just had to plow through the disks before Season 3 starts up on June 13th (not a Friday - but still, a cool date to start a paranormal show). I finished the last episode yesterday. All I recalled was the closure of the Maryann arc - how could I have blocked out that killer ending?

To get through the next few days, I'll be re-watching the Season 3 preview minisodes available on the HBO site. Here's the full list. However, being a wolfy chick at heart, I love this peek at Alcide, a werewolf character yet to be introduced (you'll get my enthusiasm if you've read the books by Charlaine Harris).

Ah, June 13....bring it!

BEA and Class of 2k10 NYC Tour

Wow. Can't believe I'm back at home, walking the dogs, freezing in the sleet and rain. NYC already feels like a schweaty dream (oh the humidity!). Besides my adjustment to the weather, BEA and the Class of 2k10 NYC Tour was fantastically cool.

As a member of the Mystery/Fantasy panel at Teen Author Carnival, I got to meet a bevy of amazing YA authors. Highlights were Tonya Hurley, Linda Gerber, Jeri Smith-Ready (also with the Class of 2k10). The boys on the panel were also a blast, Eliot Schrefer and Michael Northrop. Unfortunately, I didn't get to play fangirl as much as I would have liked and didn't have much time to mingle with authors from the two other panels. Meeting with bloggers, readers, librarians, etc, however, was a fantastic experience. Here's me and Kitty Keswick with Tonya Hurley:

Our signings at both Books of Wonder and the Voracious Reader went smooth like butta and we well attended. Most nights I stayed up wayyyy past my bedtime (9:07pm), living on the energy we'd built during our events. My sister, Brenda, was kind enough to join me for the trip and document everything with her handy-dandy still/video camera. Here are the links to the vlogs Kitty Keswick and I created for our Wolfy Chicks blog: Teen Author Carnival and BEA, Books of Wonder and Central Park

Brenda was thrilled to see a teen crush, Rick Springfield, at BEA. To be honest, I didn't think we'd get her away from the booth...lol... Kitty and I agreed that he has a real paranorm appeal going on and we've designated him an honorary vamp/were hottie.

We missed Babs and the Duchess as we had other events happening during the keynotes, but it was cool to know we were at the same venue. Bloggers were everywhere and it was great to put faces to their coolio names. We met a ton of authors, passing them by in their publisher's booths, or meeting on the morning shuttle to the Javits Center.

Yes, NYC was a dream I'd happily repeat (and hopefully will next year). But OMG it was wonderful to see my husband's smile, my pups and their full-body wags....and to sleep in my own bed.

Thanks to all the Class of 2k10 authors - so amazing to finally meet you! Thanks to the bloggers and bookstores! Thanks NYC!

Books Getting Buzz at BEA

I'm green with envy over all of the talk about BEA 2010. I thought it would be fun to list the books that I've been hearing a lot of buzz for on Twitter and other blogs. It always seems like this time of year, due to BEA, I always hear about the books that everyone is excited to nab an ARC or can't wait to read.

Here are a few that I'm excited about! Do you have any upcoming books on your wish list? Let us hear about them in the comments section!


The Replacements by Brenna Yovanoff- release date September 21, 2010:
(from http://www.brennayovanoff.com/) Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, Mackie comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement—left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is slowly dying in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with an oddly intriguing girl named Tate. But when Tate’s baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

Matched by Ally Condie- release date November 30, 2010:
(from goodreads.com) In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die. Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion. Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic.



Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl- release date October 12, 2010:
(from Amazon.com) Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen. Sometimes life-ending. Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.



Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund- release date September 28, 2010
(from goodreads.com) Now a fully trained unicorn hunter, Astrid Llewelyn is learning that she can’t solve all her problems with a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend has left Rome, the Cloisters is in dire financial straits, her best friend’s powers are mysteriously disintegrating, and her hope of becoming a scientist seems to be nothing but an impossible dream. So when she’s given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and use her skills as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she wants—or can she? At Gordian headquarters deep in France, Astrid begins to question everything she had believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and—most of all—her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns or saving unicorns from the world?



The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger- release date September 7, 2010
(From amazon.com) Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face. But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley. Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

The Power of Creative Hobbies

We've talked about creativity a lot on this blog and ways to break a writing block by using other forms to spark ideas for your story. But what is creativity and why do some of us feel a huge pull to be creative every day where others don't seem to have a creative bone in their body?

I looked up the definition of creativity today to see if it gives any insight. This is the definition from Dictionary.com for creativity:

The ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination: the need for creativity in modern industry; creativity in the performing arts.

The definition isn't very helpful, but I think there is one key word in it: imagination. Kids are raised in different environments across the world, some lending more to creative ideas and imagination. Although my family isn't very creative or artistic, I was always encouraged to find games to play or things to invent when I was bored.

As far back as I remember, my free time was spent drawing, coloring and making things out of virtually nothing. I would take pieces of notebook paper and glue, tape and staple them together to make clothes like vests, shoes and hats so that I could dress up like a character I had invented. I would build tents and forts out of household items and despite my mom not being all too thrilled that I would sometimes use her good sheets and towels, instead of making me stop, she would give me old items she had that I could keep using.

Books fueled that creativity later into paintings and drawings leading me to an art degree in college. Many parents would not approve of their child going to college to earn an art degree, but my mom was the one that suggested it when I didn't know what to major in during the application process. I would have never thought it was even an option, because honestly, what do you do with an art degree? Now at 30, I have made, as well as my husband, a decent living out of my art degree.

Even today, I still feel that pull to be creative. Sometimes it's my downfall, leading me to too many hobbies and activities that I don't have time for. My creative hobbies give me an escape that I need to stay sane in this crazy world. Unfortunately I don't draw or paint anymore, but I turned the time I would have spent now writing. I use words to paint my pictures instead of oil and acrylic paint. That's not to say that I will feel the will to pick up a paint brush once again at some point, but right now I don't feel the need.

I recently felt the need to start another creative hobby, even though it doesn't seem like I have the time to. One day back in December, I woke up and realized that I wanted to learn how to crochet. My mom tried to teach me a few years back, but just couldn't understand. I'm left-handed, she right-handed and her tutorial just ended in frustration on both our parts. I searched on Youtube and found amazing videos for left-handed crochet, went to my local craft store and purchased yarn and hooks. I haven't stopped since. I now spend any free time I have when I'm not writing, at work or reading making little amigurumi. I have a blast doing it, and it keeps my hands busy when watching tv or movies at home. It has scratched the itch I had been feeling to be more creative, and even helps my mind relax and solve issues with my writing that don't seem plausible. I know that this won't be the last creative hobby I pick up, but right now it makes me happy. I'm even starting a blog to show off my new hobby, but it's not ready to share yet! When it is, I'll be sure to post the link for anyone that is interested.

I want to know, what are some of your creative hobbies that keep you happy? Do you feel the creative itch when your other hobbies aren't filling a void?

Vlogging the NYC Tour

Well, kids, only four more sleeps until I jump on the plane bound for NYC! Wowza, this has been almost a year in the making and I can’t believe it’s finally this close, this real. I’ve packed and repacked. Even loaded up stuff I still need to survive – hello – you can’t pack your CHI a week before your trip…duh….

Kitty and I will be rooming together and taking NYC by storm. Along with the most awesome, Tami, we've been critique partners for over two years, but this will the first time we meet in person. While Tami won't be joining us, we're working on a writers retreat in the future and hopefully the YAedge crit crew can meet as well.

Since my hubbie has to work, my sister – and wonderful champion in all that I do – has agreed to join us on this adventure. Thanks, Brynn!! She’s our honorary Wolfy Chick and has agreed to help us document our BEA/NYC experiences by manning the video camera.

At the end of each day, we’ll compile our video / still pictures and create vlogs of the amazing, odd or fantastical moments. You’ll get an insider view of what it’s like for newbie authors as we do our Class of 2k10 events - book signings / panel discussions.

I'll be posting the vlogs to both the Wolfy Chicks blog and YAedge since I think YAedgers will get something out of the BEA footage. Look for our first vlog on Saturday, May 22nd!

Story Zombies- Learning from your Undead Stories

It’s hard to look in your drawers and see stories you poured your heart into just sitting with no future. Like every writer who has been working on the writing craft for many years, some stories just never see the light of day again. I have quite a few of them. I’m sure we all do.

If you’re like me, you feel a pull to try and do something with them.It's as if they've come to life and are calling your name. I call them Story Zombies. The work that just won't die. As the years pass and the dust builds, you think to yourself "Maybe if I just rewrote a few parts" or "If I wrote it in a different tense or for a different audience." I had that very thought just last week. I'm one of those people who tend to remember their stories way better, or more complete than they actually are. That's when I pick it up and start reading. It's good to read them. Rewrite them? I'm here to advise you, don't do it!

Story are like a puzzle, each scene making up a piece. As hard as it is to write a 1st draft, it's that much harder to take an old story and make it into something that it's not. You can fit a corner piece into the center of the puzzle and expect the picture to make sense. In my opinion, it's always easier to take your initial idea, the part that may work for your new story and write it from page one.

There are always exceptions to the rule. I'm sure quite a few books came about from an author re-vamping an old story that sat under their bed for years. I'd love to hear of a few if anyone knows of any offhand.

So, despite my old stories awakening, hoping to be Frankensteined to life once more, I will take what I learned from writing them and apply it to a new fresh set of characters. The lesson was learned. Those stories exist so that I can go back when I'm having a bad day and remember just how far my writing as come.

Virtual Author Visits

As both a library technician (working in a school library) and a young adult author, I've been promoting the benefits of Skype, or virtual, author visits. For libraries, the immediate benefit is financial - authors usually provide a 20-30 minute Skype visit for free or a very small fee. For authors, you may not make as much money as with a live, in-school visit, however, less of your personal time is required - no lengthy travels, driving in crazy weather or flight delays. But you still reach new audiences, get your name and book out there - and you can make your virtual visit as memorable/exciting/unique as your imagination allows.

Through the Writers Guild of Alberta, I've been lucky enough to be paired with another media savy Alberta author, Joan Marie Galat. Joan writes travel books, as well as the very cool Dot to Dot in the Sky series, blending ancient myths relating to the stars, planets, and Moon - a fitting mix with my shapeshifters. ;) Together we are working on a few presentations outlining the dos and don'ts of Skype visits. Hopefully I'll wrangle Joan into my session for the Canadian Library Association's annual conference in Edmonton this June. (hint, hint).

Here is a sneak peek from our D&D list so far:

For Authors

Do:

- as with any author visit, prepare your presentation ahead - practice and time yourself

- look directly at your laptop or desktop camera. Joan made an awesome suggestion, put a "look here" stickie note beside the camera as a reminder. I struggle with this one a ton because it feels natural to "look" at your audience (which in a Skype visit, is displayed under the camera and to the viewers, you're always looking down).

- hold your book up to show the crowd - but hold it, Vanna White style, beside your face - not in front of it.

Don't:

- slouch - it's common to start off your visit sitting nice and tall, but as you talk, or answer questions, you might get "comfortable" and let your posture slide - DON'T - this will lower your image in the camera and detract from your presentation.

- move around too much - as you become animated (because, hey, we're talking about stuff we love - books and writing!) you might begin to use your arms, hands, shift in your seat, lean into the camera, etc. Try to keep your movements as small as possible - even with high quality live feed cameras there will be a certain amount of blur.

As I work the bugs out of my own Skype skills, I find myself watching newscasters on TV - marvelling at how they can remain still, yet be expressive as they stare into the soulless teleprompter. I think I should track down some broadcasting sites for tips. ;)

Speaking of tips, I'm keen to collect feedback on these visits - from authors and schools/libraries alike - please email me (well, my pen name) if you'd like to share your experiences thus far: judithgraves @ ymail dot com