Interview with Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency

Today we are beyond honored to have the incredible Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency here with us about the YA world, writing and Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey.

 

Ammi-Joan Paquette

As an agent, what would you say is the state of YA today? What are you seeing too much of? What aren't you seeing enough of? What would you like to see? 

From my view, YA books remain stronger than ever in contemporary publishing; editors are excited about them, readers are excited about them, and authors are excited about them. I think one of the biggest challenges facing authors today is to find the story, hook, or character that feels completely fresh and new. There’s a wide and wonderful body of work out there, and it’s growing every day, and if there’s anything I am seeing a little too much of it would have to be “the same old thing.”

And on the flipside, what am I looking for? Something that feels utterly new and different. Something that surprises me. Something that knocks my socks off. I’m looking to fall in love—with a character, with an idea, with a storyline. Sweep me off my feet and make me swoon!

What's one the most common errors you see in a new writer's work? Any suggestions on how to overcome that? 

One of the biggest things you can do for your writing is to develop your voice. Really dig deep into the character’s psyche; analyze his or her personality and figure out what makes him or her tick. Then convey that to the readers through tone, mannerism, and way of speaking. Voice is a very individual thing, and every author will approach it differently—and it will also be different for each book. But this is what will give your story the ring of truth and authenticity: finding your way into the heart of that world, seeing those events through your character’s eyes, and living that story in real-time. Something to ponder: How would the story change if it were related by a different main character? Who your character is should affect how the story is told and the layering—and relaying—of the story.

What drew you most to SHATTERED SOULS? Was there a moment in the book (that you can tell us) or something about the story that made you want to work with SS and Mary? 

Goodness, I love so many things about SHATTERED SOULS it’s hard to narrow it down to just one! I think Mary is a perfect storm of an author: she’s smart, she’s prolific, she’s professional, and she really inhabits her characters. I love how every aspect of her book is excruciatingly real—from the dialogue to the characters to the world and everything that comes along with it. You open the cover and it’s a door and you walk through and you’re somewhere completely new. And then you never want to leave.

How would you describe SHATTERED SOULS in six words or less? 

Dark, gripping, swoon-worthy page-turner!


Thank you so much Ammi-Joan for answering our questions. If you want to learn more about Shattered Souls you can check it out on Goodreads and order it at Barnes & Noble or Amazon. It comes out tomorrow!! Also, this is just one stop in the release tour for the book, so you can check out other stops here and learn more from Mary's agent and editor. 

Meet Jodi

If you could be any item on Mexican restaurant menu, what would you be and why?

Chicken Quesadilla – Because it’s my favorite, and it’s important to like yourself.

If you were an item of clothing what would you be and why?

A gorgeous pashmina, because it can make a humdrum outfit sublime – plus it can keep your shoulders warm in a pinch.

When's your birthday?

June 10

What quote inspires you most?

There is nothing to writing, all you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. – Ernest Hemingway

What's a pet peeve you have?

I make a fierce point not to cultivate “pet” peeves (as if being peevish warranted encouragement) for as soon as I pick a particular action to condemn in someone else, it is the nature of the universe that I find myself guilty of the selfsame sin only moments afterward.

Something about you that no one would know just by looking at you?

I was born an old soul, and like Benjamin Button, am intent on aging it in reverse. My children are going to be VERY embarrassed by me; I can't wait. 

Who's your favorite princess and why?

Princess Kate, of course. She’s beautiful, young, and hasn’t had enough time in the public eye to fall down to mere human status yet.

Why do you want to write within the YA genre?

The honesty, the expectation, the quest for experience, the intensity of feeling – what’s not to love?

Which YA book character are you most like? Explain.

Flip from “And Both Were Young” by Madeleine L’Engle. Flip suffers most because of her own insularity. Growing up for her is largely defined by letting other people – flawed as they might be – into her world. I wish I’d had someone to guide me through the maze of young adulthood as she did.

Plotter or Panster?

I really want to be a plotter. I think you wind up with a stronger story that way. But I also believe you should listen to the character. I do NOT believe you can force a story to happen the way you think it should.

What do you like to do when you get stuck while writing to help work through it?

I take a break. Do something mindless and let my subconscious help out. But man…do I love Twitter. I’m gonna need a 12 step program soon.

Was there a specific book you read that inspired you to start writing?

To Kill A Mockingbird. Every wannabe writer in the entire state of Alabama has, at some point, wanted to be Harper Lee.

What is your single most favorite thing (feel free to be as vague as you like) about you're current WIP?

I love, love, love my flawed Main Character. I want things to work out for her!

What book from childhood do you most wish you had written? What book from the past year?

Where the Sidewalk Ends because I really admire poetry with mass appeal.

There are SO many good ones to choose from but probably Lola and the Boy Next door by Stephanie Perkins or Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols.

Two truths and one lie about yourself.

I am a crochet/knitting savant.

I am the baby of my family and have the self-centeredness to prove it.

I re-started my nanowrimobook on Nov. 18 but am going to win by the end of Nov.

Interview with Michelle Hodkin

Today I get to interview one of my favorite people. I met Michelle Hodkin on twitter forever ago. I knew her before I even lived in Boston. But I got to meet her in person at the Teen Author Carnival, and she was completely amazing. We had some fantastic conversations when we ran into each other all week at BEA and her bubbly smile, positive attitude and super awesome hugs made me love her. Plus, she wrote this little book--you may have heard of it--called The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. It releases next month and it's superb. In fact, this little blurb completely captures all the reasons it's so remarkable.

"The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer strikes a rare balance of darkly funny, deliciously creepy and genuinely thoughtful. One minute I was laughing out loud, and the next, I was so scared I wanted to turn on all the lights and hide under the covers. Michelle Hodkin's talent and range are obvious, from her chilling descriptions to romantic scenes that almost crackled on the page. I've never read anything quite like it."--Veronica Roth, New York Times bestselling author of Divergent

It was pretty easy for me to decide who I'd want to interview. You can connect with Michelle on her blog or on twitter! I hope you enjoy this interview of writerly proportions as much as I enjoyed it.

How do you get to know your characters?

This is so hard to answer, because in some ways, I feel like they simply exist. The book began with the characters, so I knew who they were in some cases before I even knew what would happen to them.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Why/how does that approach help/hurt you?

A pantser, but I wish I wasn’t. For THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER, I began with a very vague premise based on the true events that inspired the story, but that was all. And so I found that 3/4 of the way in, the book was going in a very different direction than it needed to, and so I threw out 60,000 words. Several times over. For the sequel, I actually had a vague outline since I had to write a synopsis for the auction, but I’ve deviated from it significantly. I love being surprised by the words that end up on the page, and I think for me that’s part of what keeps me interested.

What's the most surprising thing about writing a book? How does a sequel differ from a debut?

The most surprising thing about writing a book is still the fact that I’ve written a book! Two, counting the sequel, though I’m still revising the second one. But I never in a million years expected to be a writer, so to find out that I am? And that I love it? It’s the most surprising (and most wonderful) thing about this whole experience.

Writing the sequel was a different process than writing THE UNBECOMING. Originally, I had no idea my story was going to be published, so I felt very free to put anything on those blank pages. Not only didn’t I care if it was good or bad, I didn’t even really know the difference. Which made it pretty fun. Then, of course, I fixed the book during revisions. Many revisions. But for the sequel, I’ve been so much more self-conscious about the words I’ve written, even during the rough draft stage, because I know that it’s going to be read by everyone from my agent to my editor to the wonderful people at Simon & Schuster to total strangers, and that’s actually kind of scary in a way. I want every word to be perfect for them, but of course that’s not possible for a rough draft. So I think the biggest challenge for the sequel was simply getting out of my own way.

Which aspect of craft is your weakest and how do you overcome that?

Probably structure. I find structure to be sort of mathematical, and I suck at math. Which is why I go to one of my brothers for his help and advice whenever I’m having a structure issue, and one of the reasons I had many different types of first readers take a look at THE UNBECOMING for me, to help catch my weaknesses and reinforce my strengths.

What's something that keeps you encouraged? (Especially back before you had a book deal and an agent.)

For THE UNBECOMING, it was, simply, the need to write the story. I couldn’t not write it—the idea took me hostage. That’s one of the reasons I think it’s so, so important when you’re writing to write the story you have to write and to tell the story that only you can tell. No matter what publishing trends are, no matter what the market looks like, if your book is a true passion project, finishing won’t be a choice. It will be an obsession.

In MARA you do a great job of building suspense and mystery. How do you maintain that throughout a whole novel? Is it something you plan from the beginning?

Let’s be best friends? :D

I’m honestly not sure I can say that I consciously planned it; the story itself is bursting with tension, so I feel like I wrote it the only way it could be written. Also, I’m a huge fan of Stephen King, Michael Crichton, and John Grisham, authors of incredibly suspenseful novels with pages that beg to be turned, and I believe in the advice that you should write the type of book that you love to read. 

What's the best and worst piece of writing advice you've ever been given?

Best: Finish the book.

Worst: Never spend more than a page on a single scene.

This is a blog for writers but we don't give advice. So I'm not going to ask you to do that either. I will ask: what's something you know now that you didn't know when you began writing?

That not having confidence can be almost as damaging as having too much confidence.

THANK YOU so much for taking some time out of your insane schedule to do this interview. I'm glad to have you as my official first guest here.

And now I'm opening up a contest for you lovelies. 

--ONE grand prize winner will receive a signed (personalized) finished copy of THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER. (available after the release date)

How to enter: 

--YOU MUST leave a comment with your email address & your favorite part of the interview.

For extra entries: Tweet, follow us and fill out this form! 

Interview with Mindi Scott (Author of Freefall)

Mindi Scott was kind enough to allow me to interview her. If you haven't read Freefall (2010), its a YA novel that I highly recommend. Mindi's writing is contemporary fiction that speaks to the tough issues facing teens. Her second novel, Live Through This, will be published by Simon Pulse in 2012. I chose to interview Mindi for the blog because she's awesome and I wanted to get the perspective of someone who writes in a different genre than I do. Learn more about Mindi on her website or follow her on twitter.

Drea: Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

Mindi: I wouldn't say that I wanted to be, but when I was younger, I always thought I would write a book after I got really, really old. Instead, I got started when I was around 26.

Drea: Why did you choose to write YA books?

Mindi: I used to think it was because those were the books that spoke to me as a teen. I recently realized that I read a lot of middle grade when I was younger, and then switched to John Grisham and women's fiction and such. I read very little YA when I was a teen. So, I think my revised answer is that when I was making the decision about what kind of book I wanted to write, I connected with the dozens of YA novels that I read more than any other type of book.

Drea: What do you do when you find yourself telling instead of showing in your writing?

Mindi: I usually open up The Bookshelf Muse and scan through their ideas. That will usually trigger an idea for me of how to show something if it, in fact, needs to be shown.

Drea: Where do you get inspiration for your characters?

Mindi: I honestly don't know! Occasionally, after I've finished a book, I'll reread it and say, "You know, [this character] kind of reminds me of [this person]." Most of the time, though, I have no idea where they came from.

Drea: Do you think you will stick to writing realistic fiction or would you like to try another genre?

Mindi: I don't have story ideas for another genre at this time, but I am interested (perhaps!) in trying realistic Middle Grade.

Drea: Are you an outliner? If not, what do you do to plot your novels.

Mindi: I definitely outline. My outlines consist of a paragraph (or more) summarizing each scene that I anticipate appearing in the novel. It changes as I go, of course, but for better or worse, I always have a detailed map to follow.

Drea: What traits do you believe a writer must have in order to be a successful YA author?

Mindi: Ha, well, success is relative, right? I think to be an effective YA author, one has to strive for authenticity and truth. A path to success is harder for me to define.

Drea: Where and when do you do most of your writing?

Mindi: Sometimes I write scenes in a journal wherever I happen to be, but the majority of the work is done at my computer in my home office. I work a part-time job, and I pretty much write whenever I'm not there!

Drea: Who are your top 3 favorite authors?

Mindi: Courtney Summers, John Green, Carolyn Mackler

Drea: What are you currently reading?

Mindi: I'm reading the draft of Live Through This while I revise it. (Sadly, I've had very little free time so far this year to read.)

Drea: Do you listen to music when you write?

Mindi: Most of the time. My iPod broke several months ago, followed by my CD player. That pretty much leaves Pandora or the regular radio until I replace one or both of those.

Drea: What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your writing career?

Mindi: Managing my time has been a huge, huge challenge for me, especially in 2011. I feel like every day is go, go, go! and I'm always behind no matter what I do.

Drea: What is the hardest thing about being a published writer?

Mindi: Hmm. I saved this question until the end because it was the hardest one for me to answer . There are things I want to say, but I don't know if I really want to say them. And that actually sums up my answer on lots of levels! I've observed many communications that have gone so wrong over the past couple of years that I've become kind of paralyzed online.

Get to know our RPA: Jennifer

Right now you're probably wondering what the hell a RPA is. Well, let me tell you. 

RPA stands for: Resident Published Author

Since all of us here at Tangled are aspiring authors, we figured it would be helpful to have someone around who knew what they were talking about from time to time. You know, someone who had been there and done that. It wasn't difficult to decide on Jennifer as our RPA for several reasons.


First, she has amazing talent. Her debut YA book, Half-Blood, comes out in October. She's already signed on for a second YA book, Cursed, which is set to release next year and if that isn't enough, she's also just signed a deal for three adult books with Entangled Publishing. There will be eight books from in the next couple years---and you don't want to miss her.

Every Sunday here on Tangled, she'll be talking about things she wished she knew before, writing, offering helpful suggestions and holding some special critique contests. She'll also be helping us answer your questions and help connect this awesome web of writers. She's amazing and so, so sweet. We're glad to have her! 

If you could be any item on Mexican restaurant menu, what would you be and why?

Enchilada smothered in cheese. Because who doesn’t like melted, yummy cheese?

When's your birthday?

June 11^th 1980

Why do you want to write within the YA genre?

I think YA novels capture the emotional intensity that as adults we sometimes forget. It’s all about firsts: first kiss, first love, first loss, first fight, first decisions, etc. There is something powerful about ‘firsts’. And there is no audience more passionate about their books than the YA audience.

Which YA book character are you most like? Explain.

Kaylee Cavanaugh from the Soul Screamers Series. Because my scream (and singing) makes people want to cry and cover their ears, too.

Plotter or Panster?

Fly by the seat of my pants

What do you like to do when you get stuck while writing to help work through it?

When I get stuck, I either go to a scene I want to write and leave the scene that’s tripping me up alone for awhile or I push through it.

What is your single most favorite thing (feel free to be as vague as you like) about you're current WIP?

“Sometimes you have to lose everything to gain it all.”

Two truths and one lie about yourself.

I once talked to movie star on the phone, and it took me 15 minutes to realize who it was. Awkward.

I have an obsession with the Civil War.

I want to have a buttload of children. 

 Get to know more about Jennifer and how to connect with her on our About Page.

Get to know our RGP: Ariane

If you haven't perused around the blog yet, then you've probably never heard of a RGP...and you're probably wondering what it is.

RGP stands for: Resident Guest Post-er

There are five people behind Tangled, but really there are seven. We have our RPA (who you will meet tomorrow) and my lovely friend, Ariane. I met her online at Maggie Stiefvater's website back when I was looking for a crit partner. Then, I just so happened to move to Boston (where she lives) and she's one of my closest friends. And she's a dang good writer. 

Why do we have a RGP? Well, everyone is more than a writer. If we weren't, we'd have more to time to spent just on Tangled. Sometimes life happens. Sometimes we have no ideas or time or Ariane has something she wants to share. So, we've recruited her to fill in for us. You'll see her around here a lot--she's totally part of the family--so we wanted to give you a chance to get to know her as well. Because, well, she's pretty spectacular.

If you could be any item on Mexican restaurant menu, what would you be and why?

I'd be plantains... sweet and savory at the same time.

What quote inspires you most?'

"The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - that you'd thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you've never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it's as if a hand has come out, and taken yours." -History Boys

Why do you want to write within the YA genre?

I don't, specifically. I write plots and characters that compel me, and more often than not, the story ends up fitting YA. I'm not sure why that is. I think I like writing characters in flux, and formative years are a prime occasion for that.

Which YA book character are you most like? Explain.

Lyra from His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. We are both stubborn, well spoken, and make friends easily. We both like brown-haired boys. We both have crazy yet awesome parents.

Was there a specific book you read that inspired you to start writing?

Many books have inspired me, but after reading the Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishop, I knew I wanted to try my hand at writing.

Two truths and one lie about yourself.

I write poetry as well as prose.

I used to play chess competitively.

I had a pet rat named Ulysses.

Get to know Christina

If you could be any item on Mexican restaurant menu, what would you be and why?
Flautas, because I just like how the word sounds. It's fun to say.


If you were an item of clothing what would you be and why?
The missing sock. It's a constant game of hide and seek.


When's your birthday?
Feb. 11


What quote inspires you most?
I don't really have any quotes that I can remember that inspire me. But I do often see things that other people write that inspire me--I just can't ever remember them off the top of my head.

What's a pet peeve you have?
Water rings. They're the reason that the whole top surface of my coffee table is made of cork.

Something about you that no one would know just by looking at you?
I'm seriously and irrationally afraid of choking to death on a slug. They're just terrifying and disgusting. Both Slither and Harry Potter back this fear up. Slugs + Mouths = Terrible Things!



Who's your favorite princess and why?
Ariel, because I've always wanted her hair.

Why do you want to write within the YA genre?
I love how everything is new to the characters in YA. It's all about their first love, fights, experiences and so on.

Which YA book character are you most like? Explain.
Um...Ash from Wildefire? Because I'm secretly a volcano goddess. Shhhh...don't tell anyone. But really, umm we both play with fire. Although she's a lot more hot-tempered and spunkier than me. So, I guess it's not much of a similarity.


Plotter or Panster?
I'm mostly a 'panster.' Kind of. Haha. I usually end up plotting half a novel and then not the other half when I write. And it's different for each novel. I've plotted just the first half of a novel before, then for another just the end, and for another I had no plotting done at all. Each work is just different for me.

What do you like to do when you get stuck while writing to help work through it?
I like to go driving and let my mind wander while listening to music.


Was there a specific book you read that inspired you to start writing?
If I had to pick a book I'd have to say that Twilight is what originally got me into the YA world because I didn't start reading or wanting to write until those books, but all the amazing YA books that I continue to read only inspire me more and more. There are so many beautifully written and well thought out books out there.

What is your single most favorite thing (feel free to be as vague as you like) about you're current WIP?
Scary action.


What book from childhood do you most wish you had written? What book from the past year?
The Giver by Lois Lowry from my childhood and recently, Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Two truths and one lie about yourself.
I have a twin.
I have 2 brothers.
I have 6 sisters.

Get to know Danielle

If you could be any item on Mexican restaurant menu, what would you be and why?

An enchilada! Because what you see on the outside is only a cover for the surprise that's inside. 

If you were an item of clothing what would you be and why?

I am not a clothing aficionado. Hmm.....jelly flip flops! Why? Because jelly shoes were desperate to my childhood and flip flops are my current favorite. They are simple, loved by everyone and come in bright, fun designs and colors.

When's your birthday?

April 17

What quote inspires you most? 
 (I have three I picked!)

"Sometimes what looks like failure are beautiful redirections wrapped in unrealized expectations." Dave Barnes

 

"Freedom is not found in options. It's the sense that you are where you're supposed to be and you like it." Stuart Fuller

"Sometimes, our lives can change so fast that the change outpaces our minds and hearts. It's those times when our lives have altered but we still long for the time before everything was altered--that is when we feel the greatest pain. I tell you though, from experience, you grow accustomed to it. You learn to live your new life, and you can't imagine, or even really remember, how things were before." ~Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare (page 308) 

What's a pet peeve you have?

I am a very easy going person but I have some really, really random pet peeves. I'll list some of them.

--Not putting a new roll of toilet paper on the dispenser roll! I mean, really?? It takes two seconds. Be considerate. I don't want to touch the TP after it's been rolling across the floor. Seriously. (I realize I'm exaggerating, but I hate it.) 

--Don't shhhh me--especially if you're going to keep talking! Shhhhh is the rudest thing in the world ! (in my opinion)

--Blue pens. I can't explain my disdain for them. (oddly, I'm okay with them if it's used on yellow paper.)

Something about you that no one would know just by looking at you?

Besides my random pet peeves? I am really, really obsessive over things. Weird things, mostly. Like things that have to be in even numbers. Not being able to stop something until it's finished because I have to know the ending. (It's why I read so quickly and watch five seasons of a show in ten days.) I get really involved in my fictional characters, places and fandoms to the point of obsession. (See my Tumblr)

Who's your favorite princess and why?

I am going Disney here because it is what I know. My answer....BELLE!

I love Belle. She's fierce and independent. She doesn't need a guy, but she'll take one. She sees the truth of people--the good and the bad. She makes things happen instead of waiting around for them to happen. She didn't ask to be a princess; She's a normal girl who became a princess because she had a pure heart. She talks to inadament objects (like me!) and she LOVES TO READ. She's smart. She sings good songs. She's a dreamer. Belle is the best.

(And I have obviously thought A LOT about this.)  

Why do you want to write within the YA genre?

The simple answer: I love YA.

The other answer: My teenage years were not very exciting. It's nice to re-do them without having to really re-do them. It's more fun. Toss in some magic or space ships or time travel and lots of hot boys? My life pales in comparison.  

The complex answer: It has completely changed my life--which is weird to say since I didn't start reading it until I was 22. The community has challenged and grown me. The books have made me laugh, made me cry, made me think, made me experience things I never thought possible. They really re-instilled the love of reading I had as a kid and lost a little along the way because I was reading the wrong things. I love what the authors, what the books, what the genre represents. I want to honor it by giving back and hopefully showing someone else what I learned in between pages.

Which YA book character are you most like? Explain.

Gosh. These questions are hard. I read so many books. I'm such a layered person and I barely know myself some days, so knowing how I compare to someone else--AH! I think I'm a little bit like Emerson from Hourglass. She's a very "Make Things Happen" kind of girl and I like to think I am too. Though not as cute as her or as snarky.

Plotter or Panster?
I am a panster who pretends to be a plotter and then ruins the story. Seriously. I've learned the more I know about a story before I start it, the less I enjoy writing it. I'm usually a pantser until I reach a certain point, then I "plot" out the ending or the remaining chapters or section. 

What do you like to do when you get stuck while writing to help work through it?
I talk through the scene. I usually call someone to discuss why I'm stuck. I've learned that if I'm stuck, it's typically because I'm trying to force something OR I don't want what's happening to happen. I also have learned that I usually already know the answer, I just need some kind of weird affirmation or something. I have two other things I can do.

One: writing prompt. Pick a line somewhere in the story and start writing something else from that line. You'd be surprised what will happen if you act like nothing else exists after that point. (Someone once told me to delete the last two lines I wrote and re-do them. That has proven successful for me, too.)

Two: I wake up in the middle of night and I vlog (or journal. Depending on where I am.) Seriously. I start talking to myself. Sometimes I'm myself. Sometimes I'm a character. Sometimes I'm an omniscient narrator talking about what's happening. It's surprising what is in your unconcious mind just waiting.

Was there a specific book you read that inspired you to start writing?

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

What is your single most favorite thing (feel free to be as vague as you like) about you're current WIP?

This line: If we run far enough, maybe the guilt of everything will get tired of following me.

What book from childhood do you most wish you had written? What book from the past year?

I have no idea. I wish I could write my own book. I really, really loved Shatter Me and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and Lola and the Boy Next Door and Clean. So, I guess any of those from the last year. From childhood? A Goosebumps book all my own!

Two truths and one lie about yourself.

I love dogs. I want to go to Europe. I didn't drive until I was twenty.

I love Merlin. (That's for you Pam.)

Get to know Drea

If you could be any item on Mexican restaurant menu, what would you be and why?

I would be nachos - because who doesn't love nachos???

If you were an item of clothing what would you be and why?

I would be a pair of pj pants - always needed, comforting, and cute most of the time. Plus, I enjoy my sleep - you don't want to mess with me when I am lacking in the snooze department.

When's your birthday?

March 7th

What quote inspires you most?

I am a quotation addict! However, I will control myself and only share one.

"Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself...It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of his divine discontent."
— Harper Lee

What's a pet peeve you have?

Slow drivers

Something about you that no one would know just by looking at you?

I am a Starbucks addict.

Who's your favorite princess and why?

Princess Grace - She was a timeless beauty and had great sense of style - not to mention some serious talent. (I obviously went the real princess route and not the Disney route.)

Why do you want to write within the YA genre?

I haven't quite figured out how to be an adult. I also didn't enjoy all the aspects of my youth so in fiction I can go back and make things happen the right way or at least a more interesting way.

Which YA book character are you most like? Explain.

This is a really hard one. Hmmmm..... I suppose that I am most like Ari from Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton. I am a bit of a tomboy, stubborn, and I don't always do what I am told. I also sometimes allow my curiosity to get me into trouble. I also have a ton of hair, but mine isn't quite as interesting as Ari's.


Plotter or Panster?

I am a total Panster. Plotting requires too much forethought and time. I prefer to live in the moment with my characters. And... I am kind of a procrastinator so plotting would be too involved for my tastes.

What do you like to do when you get stuck while writing to help work through it?

I listen to the playlist for the character I am working with or leave it alone for a bit to read or play a video game.

Was there a specific book you read that inspired you to start writing?

I have always had the notion of being a writer in the back of my mind. I suppose the book that really gave me courage to give it a try would be Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. I just loved that she created a world and characters that I fell in love with and I wanted to be able to do the same someday.

What is your single most favorite thing (feel free to be as vague as you like) about you're current WIP?

My characters - I love spending time with them

What book from childhood do you most wish you had written? What book from the past year?

Childhood: The Sweet Valley High series by Francine Pascal
Past Year: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Two truths and one lie about yourself.

I am related to a former vice president.

I have been to Forks, Washington five times.

My favorite food is sushi.

Get to know Patricia

If you could be any item on Mexican restaurant menu, what would you be and why?

I would be a quesadilla, because anything with cheese as a main ingredient is awesome.

If you were an item of clothing what would you be and why?

I would totally be my chunky black and white high heeled sneakers from when I was in middle school. They were funky and weird and no one but me thought they were the coolest thing ever, but I thought they were so cool that I was actually ok with that.

When's your birthday?

December 1

What quote inspires you most?

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."
-- Louisa May Alcott
 

What's a pet peeve you have?

Cliffhanger endings. I’m ok with books that don’t share every little detail, but I like each book (even in a series) to have its own specific story arc. I am NOT a fan of endings where “someone was just hit by a bus, will they live or die? Find out next book…” Similarly, I have issues with vague endings, my husband tells me it’s so that people can imagine what happened for themselves. But I have to imagine ending for my own stories, I want to know how the author imagines the ending (the more detailed the better!)

Something about you that no one would know just by looking at you?
That I am addicted to buying notebooks. I don’t even write long-hand very often, but if I see a cute notebook I can’t NOT buy it… I have PILES of them. (And I love each and every one of them!) 

Who's your favorite princess and why?

(I’m going to assume we’re talking Disney, since they have the best princesses I know of…) Definitely, Belle. I was beyond excited as a little kid to find a beautiful brunette princess who had an insane love of reading. (Side note: Just bought the DVD and there’s this new scene in it where she’s encouraging the Beast to read to her… it’s adorable.) :)

Why do you want to write within the YA genre?

Because I love it. It seems like a simple answer but it’s true. In YA I have found more books that I ADORE in a year than I found in other genres in years of reading. YA has the capacity to be fun, magical, dark, edgy, and anything and everything in between. It’s also a time of “firsts” which I love to read and reminisce about, though I’m perfectly happy to be done with many of my own!

Which YA book character are you most like? Explain.

I can’t think of anyone that I would compare myself to as an adult, but when remembering myself as a teen I think I was a lot like Belly from Jenny Han’s Summer series. I saw a lot of my own coming-of-age feelings in those books. 

Plotter or Panster?

Plotter. No, pantser. No… I don’t know? I find that if I plot too intensely then I get bored and don’t want to write the story anymore, but if I just wing it with no plotting, I get off track and end up wandering around in words that don’t belong in my story. It changes from project to project, generally I am going to try one until it doesn’t work and then try the other. At the end of the day, I think that in most cases it will be a combination of both. 

What do you like to do when you get stuck while writing to help work through it?

Call or email my writer friends. When I get to a point where I feel like I’ve backed myself in a corner I tend to call one of my friends to lament about the situation and more often than not through talking it out (and their spectacular insights and questions) I end up figuring out where to go from there. Also dance breaks, lots of dance breaks.

Was there a specific book you read that inspired you to start writing? 

I don’t know if there was a specific book, but when reading anything by Sarah Addison Allen (The Peach Keeper) and Tracey Chevalier (The Virgin Blue) I always want to capture the intense feelings and how wrapped up I get in those stories in my own work. Both authors have a specific, though indescribable, magical element in their work that I haven’t found much of in YA, so it inspires me to try to create it within my own projects.

What is your single most favorite thing (feel free to be as vague as you like) about you're current WIP?

The boy(S).

What book from childhood do you most wish you had written? What book from the past year?

From childhood: Eight Cousins/Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott.

From the past year: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

 

Two truths and one lie about yourself. 

I spent at LEAST 3 years of my elementary/secondary education in each: public, private, and homeschooling.

I am the oldest of 6, five girls and one boy.

Earnest Hemmingway’s The Old Man and the Sea is my favorite book.

Get to know Cindy

If you could be any item on Mexican restaurant menu, what would you be and why? 

Nachos! Because everyone loves them.

If you were an item of clothing what would you be and why? 

Yoga pants. They are the most comfortable thing ever.

When's your birthday?

March 2nd

What quote inspires you most? 

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” - Eleanor Roosevelt ... I live by this quote!

What's a pet peeve you have? 

The misspelling of "Congratulations" (CongraDulations - ugh!)

Something about you that no one would know just by looking at you? 

I'm a vegetarian.

Who's your favorite princess and why? 

Ariel because The Little Mermaid is the best fairy tale ever.

Why do you want to write within the YA genre? 

It's the genre I'm most easily relating to right now and it's the genre I love to read the most. 

Which YA book character are you most like? Explain. 

Lena from Delirium by Lauren Oliver because I would do anything for the people I love. Call me crazy but I think that's the way it should be.

Plotter or Panster? 

A little of both but mostly Pantser for sure.

What do you like to do when you get stuck while writing to help work through it? 

Talk it through with a crit partner.

Was there a specific book you read that inspired you to start writing? 

I've always enjoyed writing, so I can't remember one specific book.

What is your single most favorite thing (feel free to be as vague as you like) about you're current WIP?

Eli.

What book from childhood do you most wish you had written? What book from the past year? 

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Two truths and one lie about yourself. 

 I grew up in the south. I once dyed my hair blue. I have four dogs and two guinea pigs.