MARY KOLE INTERVIEW AND GIVEAWAY OF WRITING IRRISISTABLE KIDLIT: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CRAFTING FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULT AND MIDDLE GRADE READERS

Today I’m excited to interview agent Mary Kole about her newly released book, WRITING IRRISISTABLE KIDLIT: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CRAFTING FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULT AND MIDDLE GRADE READERS. This is a great book on writing middle grade and YA stories, covering everything from plot, character development, and theme. Using all new material, Mary shares her advice on the craft of writing and utilizes passages from published books to exemplify her points. And publishers and published authors also share tidbits of advice on many of the topics she discusses.

Here’s a description of Mary’s book from Amazon:

Captivate the hearts and minds of young adult readers!

Writing for young adult (YA) and middle grade (MG) audiences isn't just "kid's stuff" anymore--it's kidlit! The YA and MG book markets are healthier and more robust than ever, and that means the competition is fiercer, too. In Writing Irresistible Kidlit, literary agent Mary Kole shares her expertise on writing novels for young adult and middle grade readers and teaches you how to:

• Recognize the differences between middle grade and young adult audiences and how it impacts your writing.
• Tailor your manuscript's tone, length, and content to your readership.
• Avoid common mistakes and cliches that are prevalent in YA and MG fiction, in respect to characters, story ideas, plot structure and more.
• Develop themes and ideas in your novel that will strike emotional chords.

Hi Mary. Thanks so much for joining us.

1.  Can you tell us a little about yourself and your book?

I became a literary agent in 2009 after reading at several agencies, writing for years, and while earning my MFA. The same year, I started my blog, Kidlit.com, all about children's books so that I could demystify the publishing business and talk craft with aspiring children's writers.

2.  I didn't realize you started your blog the same year. What made you decide to write your book and how is it different from some of the other craft of writing books out there?

I wanted to challenge myself to say something about the writing craft and children's book market in a way that was more permanent and "big picture" than the blog. I took the Donald Maass' WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL approach and excerpted from thirty-four published children's novels to help illustrate my teaching points. I also include commentary from bestselling authors and children's book editors to round the guide out, so it's not just me on my little soapbox.

3.  Those were all great ideas that add to your book. How long did it take you write? When did you find time with your demanding job as an agent?

It took me about six months to write, but I'd submitted a hefty proposal that had some of the groundwork already covered. When you really want something, you make the time. A lot of writers have day jobs, even after they're published, so I did what everybody else does and carved out a moment whenever I could, sometimes early in the morning, sometimes at the airport on the way to a conference.

4.  You say at the beginning of the book that you’ll be focusing on theme throughout all the chapters. Why do you believe the theme is so critical in creating a good story?

Every good book needs a big idea that drives it and a larger question that the writer is struggling with about being alive. It's the secret sauce that lifts a story up and makes it universal, resonant, and larger-than-life, but a lot of people don't take the time to articulate and really explore what theme they're playing with.

5.  I love how you describe it as the secret sauce. What’s some of the most important things that you hope authors will learn from your book?

That it takes a lot of thought and exploration to craft a book that's going to not only be published but published well. The market is very demanding and, contrary to some popular belief out there, advanced fiction craft is really important in children's books.

6.  So true that the craft of writing is critical to a good story. Your book is being published by Writers Digest. Share about your road to publication. Was your road to publication easier because you’re a well known agent and have a relationship with Writers Digest already?

Of course, but I still had to submit and proposal and go to acquisitions like everybody else. My platform (the blog) and the Writer's Digest audience's response to my webinars and conference appearances were both key to getting me through the door, but they never would've bought it if they didn't like the idea or didn't think I could sell it.

7.  What was it like being on the author side of the table instead of being the editor like you do with your clients before submitting their work?

I came to the business because I love writing--otherwise the blog would be torture. So it was liberating and a dream come true, actually. And I got to send early drafts to trusted readers and go through the peer critique process like a lot of authors do, too. Not to mention work on the book with my editor. It was fun!

8.  Awesome that you enjoy writing as well as being an agent. How are you planning to market your book? What advice do you have for aspiring middle grade and YA authors about marketing?

I'm lucky in that I have a platform in place already, but marketing any book, no matter who you are, is an exercise in starting from square one in a lot of ways. Of course I want my blog readers to buy and love the book, but there are tons of marketing avenues that may not be part of my network already. I've been researching other people who write about children's books and reaching out to them. It's a lot of work. For fiction, it's even more work because your target audience isn't nearly as specific. I don't envy my fiction writer clients when it comes time to market their debuts!

9.  I think it's true that even if we have a platform with our blog, we have to expand out when thinking of marketing our book. I want to spend a little time discussing your role as agent. You’re an agent at Movable Type Management. Tell us what you’re looking for in submissions and what you aren’t interested in.

I'm very open-minded when it comes to genre, though I am not actively looking for paranormal or dystopian. Overall, I'm seeking MG and YA that has literary spark and commercial appeal--so a high-concept premise but a premium quality of writing.

10.  What are some common mistakes you find in queries and how do you recommend avoiding them?

More on this in the book, but I'd avoid writing the query as your main character or other such gimmicks. Also, if you personalize the query, make sure it's truly personal and specific, not just "I am querying you because you love books." An agent, of all people, can tell when something is a form letter.

Thanks Mary for all your advice. Good luck with your book. You can find Mary at her blog and her editorial and consulting website.

Mary has generously offered a copy of WRITING IRRISISTABLE KIDLIT: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CRAFTING FICTION FOR YOUNG ADULT AND MIDDLE GRADE READERS for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment by midnight on December 8th. I’ll announce the winner on December 10th. If your e-mail is not on Blogger, please list it in your comment. 


If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry.This contest is open to US residents only. Please mention if you're not a US resident in your comments if you don't think I know that.

And don't forget to enter my giveaway contests for THE SPINDLERS, CONJURE, ROOTLESS, and RENEGADE. The links are at the top of the blog.


Here's what's coming up:

Next Monday I'm interviewing Victoria Strauss and giving away a copy of her new YA book, PASSION BLUE. I decided to interview her when I saw her author blurbs from Robin McKinley, Jane Yolan, and Megan Whaeln Turner. Victoria is also the co-founder of Writer Beware, a publishing industry watchdog group that watches and reports on literary fraud and scams. We'll discuss Writer Beware as well.

The following Monday, I'm interviewing Corrine Jackson and giving away a copy of her new book, TOUCHED. And she just had her debut book, BEFORE I LIE, release in September. So it should be an interesting interview.

And don't forget our Tuesday Tips and Casey's Thursday agent spotlights.

Hope to see you next Monday!

J.A. SOUDERS INTERVIEW AND RENEGADE GIVEAWAY

Hi Everyone! For those of you doing NaNo, I hope your writing is going well. With my daughter's high school swim schedule, it doesn't work for me. We were at the pool all day last Friday and Saturday for the championship meets. Can I brag a bit? She's on the high school State team for a relay! She had a great meet last weekend but didn't get her state cut for backstroke. She needed to swim 100 yards in 101.49 minutes and made it at 101.66 minutes. We didn't even think she might make it until the meet the week before when she cut more time. She handled the disappointment really well. She was sad for about an hour, but then got over it and realized how much she accomplished this swim season. I was so proud of her. Then the next day her coach called her to be on the State team. So we'll be going to the State championships this weekend.

It reminds me of when we come so close to getting an agent or a publishing contract, but it doesn't work out. We need to pick ourselves up and appreciate all we've accomplished and move on to the next good thing in our writing life.

So before I get to our interview,, I have some winners to announce.

The winner of THE CRIMSON CROWN is Tricia C!

The winner of EASTER ANN PETERS' OPERATION COOL is Old Kitty!

The winner of NEVERLOVE is Jody Lamb!

The winner of GIVIN UP THE GHOST is Donna Weaver!

Congrats! E-mail me your address so I can send you your book. If I haven't heard from you by the end of Wednesday I'll have to pick a new winner.

Today I’m excited to help debut author J.A. Souders celebrate the release of her book RENEGADE, which releases in the United States tomorrow. I’ve been so excited to read her book that I checked NetGalley daily to see if it was up there yet. Because of NetGalley upgrades and Hurricane Sandy, I haven't gotten it yet, but Jessica is going to send me an ARC. So I'll be checking my mail daily.

Here’s a blurb about RENEGADE from Goodreads: 

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.

Her memories have been altered.

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.

And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

See why I'm dying to read this?

Hi Jessica. Thanks so much for joining us.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became a writer.

I don’t think I became a writer, I think I always was one. ; )  It’s just something I’ve always enjoyed doing.

I lived in Wisconsin for the first 13 years of my life and I loved it, but when I moved to Florida, I knew I was “home.” I met my husband in high school and I joined the Navy when I was 18.  A few years later, I was medically discharged and I came back home to work in the nursing field in Oncology. A few years later, I had my daughter and stayed home with her. Eventually, I realized I was missing writing and I got back into it with a vengeance.  Now it’s like air. I’m not sure how I lived without it before. ;)

2. I can so relate to feeling you have to write. How did you come up with the idea for your story and how did your experiences as a marine biologist and living on a ship while in the Navy help you, if at all?

 I was half watching my son play the video game BIOSHOCK and half watching a documentary on the world’s fascination with perfection.  It all meshed in my head and the story was born.  The Navy and living on a ship for a while was a HUGE help while writing RENEGADE.  It gave me a huge font of information and personal experiences to draw from, including how large certain things would have to be for the amount of people I had living in Elysium, how they’d get food, what kind of sea life is out there, etc.

3. I love hearing how authors get the inspiration for their stories. Many like you get their ideas from something in their everyday life. Share a bit about the Daughter of the People and the utopian world of Elysium.

Evelyn, or the Daughter of the People, is a little different than most people. She’s been raised to believe she’s the perfect person and she’s being groomed to take over for Mother the Governess Of Elysium, so she doesn’t really have a whole lot of friends. The only friends she has is a childhood friend she doesn’t get to see very much and a slew of suitors, Mother keeps throwing at her. Like all the Citizens, she’s actually quite content with her life—even if she knows there’s something wrong with her--and believes she’s on the fast track to having the perfect life. 

Elysium is a beautiful underwater city that’s split into different “Sectors.” Each Sector has it’s own purpose—like Medical, Engineering, the Palace, etc--and is set apart from other sectors in case of an emergency.  It’s sprawled across the bottom and sides of the trench like a giant octopus. 

4. Ooh, I love your world building. What were some of the challenges you faced in creating Evie as a character, especially since she discovers that everything she knows is a lie, and how did you overcome them?

Evie’s character was extremely challenging, I think mostly because she’s unreliable as a narrator. Not to mention, I had to show all her facets and she’s so different at times, it was like writing two different characters. It was extremely hard to show how she sees things and how perfect she thinks she is without making her an unlikeable character. And how perfect and beautiful she sees her world, when in fact, it’s not.  Plus I wanted to show how strong she is, even when she’s not that strong and it was hard striking that balance.  Plus, because of certain things in her past, she’s fairly emotionless. Not on the inside. Inside she’s bursting with so many emotions it was hard to get through them to her core, but outside she always had to appear calm and cool. Collected. And it’s hard to show her emotions, when you can’t use simple body language to convey it.

5. It sounds like you had a lot to balance in creating Evie. Natalie Lakosil is your agent. She’s one of the agents that I’d love to be represented by. Share about your road to obtaining an agent and a publisher.

I LOVE Natalie! She’s an awesome agent. Anyone (including me) would be extremely lucky to be repped by her.  My road was fairly simple and fast, and I’m so grateful for it, but it still seems like it’s all a dream. Basically, I wrote a book ( a really crappy book) and queried it just knowing it was the next best-seller. Not surprisingly it was rejected. A lot. So I wrote another. This is when I found my first crit partner. She helped me make it shine and taught me so much about writing.  I queried it, got a few bites, then decided it just wasn’t what I wanted to debut with. Then I wrote yet another story. Shined it to perfection and queried it. I found Natalie through Absolute Write and got a little buzz, so I sent her a query. About a month later, she asked for a full, and after a short “beauty contest” she became my agent. Unfortunately, that book hasn’t found a home yet, but Natalie didn’t give up on me and I kept writing. I wrote a second book, but the market was too glutted with angel stories for it to sell. Finally, my third book sold to Mel Frain at Tor Teen after about 5 weeks on sub.

6. That's great how you and Natalie kept at it until you wrote a book she was able to sell. We all hope to have an agent like that. RENEGADE already debuted in Germany on August 20, 2012 and I’ve seen a number of reviews on Goodreads in German (which I can’t read). How did your book release in Germany first and what’s it been like debuting in a different country? How are you reaching out to your readers there?

Well, the situation for getting a foreign deal is the same as getting a domestic one, so I won’t bore you with the details, but basically Piper had an empty slot in their fall releases and the editor, Beatrice, loved Renegade. They asked me if it was all right that Renegade released first there and I said yes.  It was strange debuting in a different county, because…well, it’s hard to read the reviews! LOL. I was extremely worried about the release, because I just didn’t know how it was going to be taken, but Piper—especially Beatrice—and the readers over there have just been fantastic and I’m so glad I debuted over there first because it gave me a taste of how my launch would do here without all the stress. LOL.

I haven’t really been able to reach out to readers there as much as I’d like, but I’ve offered them a free short story and Piper is doing a fantastic job without me. ; )

7. That's awesome that Piper did such a great job promoting your book in Germany. What are your plans for marketing RENEGADE in the United States? What advice on marketing as a debut author do you have for us aspiring authors?

I love reaching out to readers, so I plan on doing a lot of signings and talks, going to schools and conferences. That kind of thing. I also have a street team (The Elysium Underground) set up that’s similar to Gretchen McNeil’s Army of Ten. Mostly I’m just going to play it by ear and see where it goes. I love social media, so twittering and Facebooking is a huge part of my marketing plan. I think the best piece of advice for any writer is to only do what you’re comfortable with. There’s no sense in stressing yourself out about marketing your book when you should be writing your next book.

8. I love the advice not to stress out. What are you working on now?

I’m working on a SEKRIT project that I’m really excited about and also book 3 in the Elysium Chronicles.  

Thanks Jessica for sharing all your advice. You can find Jessica a:

Blog: www.jasouders.com/blog

Website: www.jasouders.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jasouders

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jasouders

Jessica has generously offered an ARC for a giveaway.  To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment by midnight on December 8th. I’ll announce the winner on December 10th. If your e-mail is not on Blogger, please list it in your comment. 

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. International entries are welcome.

And don't forget to enter my giveaway contests for THE SPINDLERS, CONJURE, and ROOTLESS. The links are at the top of the blog.

Here's what's coming up:

On Wednesday I'm interviewing agent Mary Kole and giving away a copy of her new book, WRITING IRRESISTIBLE KIDLIT: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Reader. We'll also be talking about what she's looking for in submissions so be sure to stop by.

Next Monday I'm interviewing Victoria Strauss and giving away a copy of her new YA book, PASSION BLUE. I decided to interview her when I saw her author blurbs from Robin McKinley, Jane Yolan, and Megan Whaeln Turner. Victoria is also the co-founder of Writer Beware, a publishing industry watchdog group that watches and reports on literary fraud and scams. We'll discuss Writer Beware as well.

The following Monday, I'm interviewing Corrine Jackson and giving away a copy of her new book, TOUCHED. And she just had her debut book, BEFORE I LIE, release in September. So it should be an interesting interview.

And don't forget our Tuesday Tips and Casey's Thursday agent spotlights.

Hope to see you Wednesday!

THE MOVIE HOUSE MYSTERY Winner!

The winner of THE MOVIE HOUSE MYSTERY by Will Overby is...

Jennifer Rumberger

 

Congrats, Jennifer! Sending you an e-mail right now.

ROOTLESS BLOG TOUR AND GIVEAWAY OF ROOTLESS

Today I'm excited to be a part of the ROOTLESS blog tour. Because of Hurricane Sandy, you'll see that we had to switch the guest post today. I'm sure you'll all understand.

ROOTLESS is a dystopian novel by debut author Chris Howard about a world where there are no trees. Doesn't it sound fascinating?

So here's Chris.

A ROOTLESS RECIPE

Today we'd scheduled a Q&A with Phil Falco, the talented designer at Scholastic who created the awesome cover art for ROOTLESS. However, because of Superstorm Sandy, we weren't able to get the Q&A finished in time… so it'll be posted later on, and I'm sure you'll join me in wishing Phil and everyone else who's trying to bounce back from the storm a speedy recovery. Not wanting to leave a blogger hanging, I decided the ROOTLESS BLOG TOUR could use one more exclusive!!

We've talked about inspirations, science, music, characters, writing, editing, audiobook narrating… but what about food? Yep, in Banyan's world the only thing that can grow is the genetically engineered corn owned by GenTech Corporation. This means people eat corn for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Banyan survives on the microwave popcorn that GenTech calls Superfood. But the Soljahs up north in Waterfall City prefer to eat cornmeal porridge. This is a nod to a very special song - do you know it?! Anyway, cornmeal porridge is a delicious dish, and while the Soljahs wouldn't be able to make this version (they lack crucial ingredients), it's my favorite recipe "of which I'll share with you" (to quote the song!)

Ingredients:

1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 cups water
1/2 tbsp salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
(nutmeg - optional)

Process:
In a saucepan, bring the water and salt to boil. In a bowl, combine the cornmeal and coconut milk into a smooth paste. Turn the heat to medium and stir the paste into the boiling water. Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes. Then cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and lowering the heat if the porridge begins to stick. Stir in the vanilla, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes more. Ladle into bowls and serve.

A friend of mine passed on this recipe, having got it from the cook at the Whispering Bamboo Hotel in Jamaica. It's a gluten-free and vegan dish, and I hope you enjoy it!

---

ABOUT THE BOOK

17-year-old Banyan is a tree builder. Using salvaged scrap metal, he creates forests for rich patrons who seek a reprieve from the desolate landscape. Although Banyan's never seen a real tree--they were destroyed more than a century ago--his missing father used to tell him stories about the Old World.

Everything changes when Banyan meets a mysterious woman with a strange tattoo, a map to the last living trees on earth, and he sets off across a wasteland from which few return. Those who make it past the pirates and poachers can't escape the locusts . . . the locusts that now feed on human flesh.

But Banyan isn't the only one looking for the trees, and he's running out of time. Unsure of whom to trust, he's forced to make an alliance with Alpha, an alluring, dangerous pirate with an agenda of her own. As they race towards a promised land that might only be a myth, Banyan makes shocking discoveries about his family, his past, and how far people will go to bring back the trees.

ABOUT CHRIS

Before he wrote stories, Chris Howard wrote songs, studied natural resources management, and led wilderness adventure trips for teenagers. He currently lives in Denver, CO, and ROOTLESS is his first novel. Join him at http://www.chrishowardbooks.com/

LINKS:

http://www.chrishowardbooks.com/

http://www.facebook.com/ChrisHowardBooks

https://twitter.com/chrish0ward

http://chrishowardbooks.tumblr.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/author/ChrisHoward

Chris is offering an awesome package of goodies for one lucky winner. Here's a picture of what you can win:

 

To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment by midnight on November 247th. I’ll announce the winner on November 26th. Please let me know what color t-shirt you want and the size in the comments. If your e-mail is not on Blogger, please list it in your comment. 

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. International entries are welcome.

To follow the rest of the tour and get more chances to win ROOTLESS swag, check outhttp://yabookscentral.com/blog/rootless-blog-tour 

 

Have a great weekend! Hope to see you on Monday when I'm interviewing debut author J.A. Souders and giving away a copy of RENEGADE.