Getting Published: Why Does It Take So Long!

Author Carrie Ryan - THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH and THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES - just posted a great blog, as to why it takes so long to get a book published and onto the book shelves.

Her third book in the series - THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES - has already been written, but it's not set to release until Spring 2011.


So for those of us that are anxiously waiting...and waiting...and waiting...here's a little insight, as to why.  Carrie gives the inside scoop on all that's involved, and why it can take 12 - 18 months, to get a book published.  


Read all about it on Carrie's blog, here:


http://carrie-me.blogspot.com/2010/05/whats-taking-so-long-i-want-your-third.html


I'd just like to say, that I'd like to volunteer myself up to personally test out this timeline.  Anytime.  I'm here waiting.  Just waiting for someone to want to publish my book.  


Yup.  Still waiting.

10 Signs You're a Writer...

There are a few tell tale signs that you are meant to do something specific with your life.  And whether or not you choose to recognize / acknowledge / or just plain ignore them, is entirely up to you.

Here are 10 signs that maybe, just maybe, you were meant to be a writer:

1.  You find yourself in front of your computer, still writing, when you hear your alarm clock going off...to wake you for your day job.

2.  You have absolutely no issues what-so-ever, dropping $20 on small writing journals - which you now keep everywhere (in your handbag, in your back pack, in the car, next to your bed...).

3.  Certain words make you break out in hives, sweat profusely, chew your nails, or worse...all of the above.  Words such as "Query", "Synopsis", and "One Sentence Pitch Lines" - okay, so the last one is 4 words...but they all still have the exact same effect.

4.  Without a second thought, you know exactly what the following logos stand for:

And you're probably an active user of them all, too!

5.  You also know and follow, the following individual, religiously:

And if for some incredibly insane reason you don't follow him - you REALLY, REALLY, need to.  He is the God of all things Literary:  

 http://blog.nathanbransford.com/

6.  You find it difficult to read just about everything and not want to look for grammatical errors...which then makes you wanna reach for your trusty red pen.

7.  You know the difference between affect and effect - and when to properly use them in a sentence.  It's like you've become a walking dictionary, without even knowing it.

8.  You start to pick up on the body language of others - wondering how and when you can incorporate what you see, into your current WIP (and you even know what WIP stands for).  


 For instance, someone else might just see a teen girl noisily talking on her cell phone.  


But you?  


It began with just a few looks in her direction, as she prattled on; mindlessly twisting a strand of her hair around her finger.  Suddenly, a pillow went sailing by, bouncing off her head.  But without skipping a beat in the conversation, she continued to chirp into her phone, only turning briefly to flip off whomever had thrown the pillow.


9.  You anxiously watch your email in-box...hitting refresh every two minutes...stepping away for just a moment....only to run back and hit refresh again...waiting for agents that you've queried...to respond.  


And even if the email you receive is the dreaded form decline (which then you hit refresh yet again, hoping that it will change how they responded), you're still glad that someone out there, acknowledged that you - you are writing a book.

10.  You find yourself dreaming that someday, some amazing literary agent will find your query letter amongst the thousands of others in their slush pile, and believe that YOU are the next J. K. Rowling.  


Hey, we all have to start somewhere - even the best of them did, too.

10 Random Things About Me for the Month of June...

I thought I'd start writing 10 random things about me, for every month that I blog.  Maybe it will give you a little insight, to my crazy antics...maybe?  
Should I let you know that I'm also writing this at 3:30am?  That might explain a few of the below:


1.  There is one word in the English language, that I absolutely detest - hands down.  I can't even bring myself to spell it out - so I'll only say, that it's an adjective usually used to describe warm, chewy and _____ brownies (or cake, or anything that's slightly "soggy", for that matter).  Don't ask why, I just can't stand the word.
2.  However, I have several favorite words:  glockenspiel (just because it's fun to say), abominable (yes, as in the snowman from the classic cartoon Rudolph), quiche (because it looks nothing like it sounds, but tastes oh, so good!), and clandestine (cause I feel sneaky, just saying it), to name a few.
3.  Here's a little math (and no, it's not a trick question!):
  a.  My husband Neal and I have been married for 5 years, this year.
  b.  But we've been together for 11.
  c.  And we've known each other for over 22 - since the 7th grade.  
4.  One of my absolute favorite authors is Roald Dahl.  He is who inspired me when I was a little girl, to become a writer.  The BFG, The Witches, and of course, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are some of my favs.
5.  I for some reason have an issue with putting the caps back on my pens.  I have no idea why...just can't seem to do it - and it drives my husband crazy.
6.  I also tend to leave random lights on, around the house - again, drives my husband batty, and he follows me around, turning them off.  I must be afraid of the dark?
7.  I spent almost 11 years as a Senior Buyer for Eddie Bauer, where I pretty much had every girls dream, of shopping for a living.  But alas, the politics and the constant travel, chewed me up and spit me out.  So for the past 3 years, I've worked in the marketing department for a large cellular company, where everything (and I mean everything!) is magenta.
8.  I now hate pink.
9.  My favorite movie is The Princess Bride.  I know, I know...but it goes way back with my family - and thanks to my brother, my sisters and I can recite almost every line.  No more rhyming I mean it...anybody wanna peanut?  Come on...tell me that's not funny!  Just a little?
10.  I took scuba diving as a class in college - and my Dad called it my underwater basket weaving course.  What can I say, I went to Hawaii Pacific University, lived in Honolulu, couldn't really swim, and was incredibly intimated by the ocean.


So there you have it!  10 random things about me, for the month of June!  Until next month...

The Last Word: Interview With Barbara Poelle

Great interview on C.J. Redwine's Blog, the Last Word, with Barbara Poelle - a literary agent for the Irene Goodman Agency.

The Last Word: Interview With Barbara Poelle

Check it out, plus the great prizes available, for those who enter!

Laura Fitzgerald's YA Blog Giveaway Contest

As posted today on Laura's blog:


http://inkinallforms.blogspot.com/

Some of you may be old readers of my former blog, and hopefully some of you are new from parts unknown.  But to all of you, welcome! 

So how shall we kick things off? How about some free books to start you on your summer reading?  Does that sound good?

Well it better because check out the fabulous prizes I've collected for you:

One lucky winner will receive a dozen YA novels.  The prize pack contains a mix of both hardcovers and ARC's.  There is something for everyone in this prize pack; from paranormal romance to contemporary to dystopian.

Follow the contest rules posted on her page, for all the details!  And good luck!

YA Trends in 2010

Great article on the Publishing Trends website, that I found through YALitChat:


http://www.publishingtrends.com/2010/05/now-in-hardcover-the-series-in-2010/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Some really interesting and useful information, for those in the YA genre.