What to Look for in a Critique Partner

Last month I blogged about how to search for new critique partners, and today I'd like to expand on that and talk about what kinds of critique partners will take your writing to another level.  

My CP’s are sweet and wonderful people I trust beyond belief. They could never fit into a perfect box, but for the purpose of this post I’m gonna put nice generic labels on them (even though some overlap into several of these camps). I’ve shared my work with a lot of people and I’ve gotten fantastic and craptastic critiques. I learned something from every one of them. But in general, I think my work is pushed the most when I have this I at least one of each of these in my stable:

A CP who is ahead of me in the process

Authors who are well-published have typically been writing longer and critiquing longer, have gone through the revision process more times, and have the advantage of having worked with a professional editor at a publishing house. All of those things will further their critical eye, which means their critiques are often more extensive and nuanced.

A CP who writes just like I do

Authors who share a similar writing style, tone, or voice “get me” and what I’m trying to accomplish like no other. They’ll also more easily pick out spots where things aren’t working or just feel “off”. Lastly, they tend to have spot-on suggestions for how to fix trouble spots because they can envision what they would do if it were their manuscript. 

A CP who writes very differently.

Some of my CPs write with a much more literary style and about much deeper topics than my light and (hopefully) funny “chick lit for chicklets” stories. While it might seem like we wouldn’t be a good fit, they actually challenge me to get outside my comfort zone with my writing and hopefully I’m able to help them achieve a balance of depth and lightness in theirs. Another CP and I have opposite strengths and weaknesses that make us a really good match. My comments to her typically have to do with losing some of the interior monologues to tighten the pacing and hers back to me usually look something like “But how does this make her feel!” or “What is she thinking here?” and “Need more reaction from her!” I find this unbelievably helpful and I love being pushed like this. 

A CP who is behind me in the process

Hopefully this won’t sound condescending, but when I’m critiquing for someone who is newer to writing, it is far easier for me to spot what isn’t working and often also easier to figure out why it isn’t working or what a fix for the issue would be. Lots of times this problem-solving for someone else helps me to see a similar issue in my own writing or at least illustrates a point to me so that I have a deeper understanding of craft. For instance, “telling versus showing” became much more concrete in my mind when I read examples of it in someone else’s work and recognized how I was responding to it as a reader. Armed with that perspective, I was much more able to spot it in my own writing and much more willing to perform the necessary hatchet job!  

A CP who just plain loves your writing
I will confess, I have one beta reader who is really super positive. I love sending her my manuscript because I know I’m going to get it back with all kinds of rainbows and sunshine on the pages. Does it push me in my writing? Nah. I have other CPs for that. But it does lift me up to scroll through her notes on days I’m feeling particularly stuck on revisions. It reminds me that my early draft wasn’t BAD, it just needs to get better.

There are far more things I can (and will) say on the subject of critique partners, but for now, I’d love to know what balance you strike with your CPs. Do they fit into any of the boxes above?

Advice for Young Writers

I was at the Amelia Island Book Festival this past weekend (picture below - check out my new 'do!) as my alter-ego.

In the afternoon, an adorable girl in her teens came up to me. She was obviously nervous, fidgeting constantly. Without any introduction she said, "What advice do you have for young writers?"

I rambled on for a bit and I'm sure I hit most of the important parts, but I thought about it later. Here's what I wish I could have told her:

1) You're already on the right track. If you're reading this blog post. If you're going to book festivals to meet authors and ask them this question, you are so far ahead of the game that I kind wish I were you right now.

2) Keep going. There is one thing every writing career has in common: at some point, it's going to suck so hard you can't imagine continuing. Does it make it easier that every writer has gone through the same thing at some point? Probably not. But at least you know it's not just you.

3) Every word you write makes you a better writer. None of us come out of the womb with a publishable book. Honestly? Your writing probably isn't good enough yet. (Godiva knows my first book wasn't even close.) But you will be, if you stick with it and are willing to learn.

4) Read. Read everything. Inside your chosen genre, and especially outside of it. Stuff from this century, and every century before it. Male authors, female authors, genderqueer authors. Poetry, non-fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, sci-fi, philosophy, literary. Everything. Once you've read every single book you have access to, read them again. Never, ever stop reading.

5) Remember: publishing is a business. This one is particularly hard to tell an eager teenager. Yes, writing is an art. But publishing is a business. They're closely related, but they're not the same. The earlier you can learn to compartmentalize the two, the more sane you'll be.

Lastly: Good luck.

What advice would you give to young writers?

Writing a Novel 101

Hello, readers! I'm Kate Brauning, an editor with Month9Books and a writer (represented by Carlie Webber). I'm a brand-new member of YAtopia and I'm thrilled to be here. For my first post, I want to tackle something I get a lot of questions about-- starting out writing that novel you've been planning.

Q: Do I have to have a title before I start writing?
Nope. My manuscripts sometimes have a title before they have a first page, and others I'm still struggling with titles for even after they've been drafted and revised. Titles often change during the publication process anyway, so I wouldn't get hung up on finding the perfect title. I'd just start writing, and it may come to you as you go. Lots of authors find their title while writing out those gorgeous lines.

Q: Do I have to have a thorough outline before I start writing?
Nope. Some authors have to have one, and some find it drains the inspiration from the creative process. I'd say you definitely need a firm idea of what the story is about-- what's the main character's problem? Figure that out, develop it, find out what stands in the way of him/her solving that problem. Basically, know the big events that have to happen. If you don't like outlines, that's okay. Just be sure you have a solid concept in place so you aren't writing enormous tangents or piles of words with no goal. That can be discouraging.

If you have a clear conflict in mind for your characters and you know what's keeping them from solving the conflict, that's a great place to start. I use a method that works great for me: I get to know the conflict and the characters, then I start writing, treating my outline like I'm driving in the dark; I only need to see as far ahead as my headlights will show me. Each step shows me a little bit more of what's ahead, and that's enough!

Q: Is it a good idea to let family and friends read my manuscript? 
In the early stages, I say no-- for similar reasons that it's not a good idea to let your friends and family name your children. They won't want what you want for the book, if you don't take their advice, they may be upset, and quite frankly, you love them too much. The opinions of family and friends usually mean so much to us that it can make filtering their feedback difficult, and it also puts you in the awkward position of having disagreements with them over what's best for the story and potentially doing exactly what they said was a terrible idea. On the other hand, well-meaning advice can set us off on the wrong path. I'd look for feedback from people who are writers, too.

Lots of us are plenty strong enough to not let relationships cloud what's best for the book, but even when that's the case, it's hard to deal with. Save yourself the angst, and have them read, if you must, once it's done and you're no longer accepting feedback. Chances are, they'll tell you they love it and it's perfect, anyway. :)

Q: How long should my novel be?
The first thing to know is that writers almost always measure book length in words, not pages. How many words fit on a page can vary so much that it's just not an accurate measure. Most word processors track the word count of your document for you, so check (probably at the bottom) for how many words you have.  How long your book should be depends on the category and genre. Here's a pretty solid breakdown from Writer's Digest. Keep in mind a standard page is about 250-300 words.

Q: What if I screw it up by writing the wrong thing?
You will write the wrong thing. Trust me. Don't be afraid of it! Here's the thing: you're smart, motivated, and creative. Anything you can write, you can un-write. So much of writing is rewriting that I like to think of it as a puzzle. I've got all these pieces, I found the corners, and now I'm shifting them around to see what fits where. That's what drafting is all about. Don't pressure yourself too much to know everything before starting to write pages. Legos is a good comparison, too. They can be taken apart and shifted around to fit a different way if I discover my creation isn't looking like I want it to, or the structure isn't holding up. It may be painful at first, but you'll learn from it, and you know your characters and plot better now than you did before. This one is going to be better because of it. Trust yourself-- if you made something good once, you can do it again, so if you need to rework something, that's okay. You can take it down and make something else good, too. Trust yourself to find a good thing in all those building blocks and make it take shape. Reshape as you go. Jump and and do it. And redo it. Good writing is rewriting!

Q: How much revising should I plan on doing?
Well, I like to compare drafting and revising to raising a child. You put months into planning, developing, and writing that book, and when you finish drafting it, you have a brand new book baby! Congratulations. It's a huge moment. But just like you're not done when you've successfully created a brand new person, you're not done with that book yet. You have to shape that child and spend 18 years teaching him or her how to be a successful, happy adult (who are we kidding? We need our parents well into our thirties), and you have to shape, focus, and polish your manuscript. It's a book now, but it needs a lot more love before it's ready for the world. Now, hopefully, this won't take 18 years, but it usually does take 3-4 thorough rounds of revisions with beta readers and critique partners to really make the book live up to its potential. And that's before agent revisions and editor revisions. However: here's the great part. All this work can be so much fun. Just like parenting, there are parts we hate and parts that make us cry and parts we wish we didn't have to do. But it's worth it.

What questions do you have for me? Ask in the comments, and see them answered in the next Writing a Novel 101 post!




Kate Brauning writes adult and YA suspense, reads everything, and never gets over a great story. She's represented by Carlie Webber of CK Webber Associates, and is an associate editor for Month9Books.  She believes wine is best rich and red, chocolate is best smooth and dark, and books are best bittersweet. She's almost always listening to music, and one of these days, she'll learn to play the guitar.Find Kate on Twitter or on her Website.

Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not

by Stacey Nash

Title: Forget Me Not (Book I in the Collective series)

Author: Stacey Nash

Release Date: February 17, 2014

Publisher: Entranced Publishing, Rush

Genre: YA speculative fiction

Blurb: Since her mother vanished nine years ago, Anamae and her father have shared a quiet life. But when Anamae discovers a brooch identical to her mother's favorite pendant, she unknowingly invites a slew of trouble into their world. When the brooch and the pendant are worn together they're no longer pretty pieces of jewelry -- they're part of a highly developed technology capable of cloaking the human form. Triggering the jewelry's power attracts the attention of a secret society determined to confiscate the device -- and silence everyone who is aware of its existence. Anamae knows too much, and now she's Enemy Number One.

She's forced to leave her father behind when she's taken in by a group determined to keep her safe. Here Anamae searches for answers about this hidden world. With her father kidnapped and her own life on the line, Anamae must decide if saving her dad is worth risking her new friends’ lives. No matter what she does, somebody is going to get hurt.

Goodreads

Amazon

What Others Had to Say:

"I certainly won't be forgetting Nash's debut, FORGET ME NOT! A vividly fast-paced tale with adventure, secrets, and kissing!" -Kimberly P. Chase, Author of THE APOLLO ACADEMY.

"Vivid, fresh, and unforgettable!" - Kimberly P. Chase, Author of THE APOLLO ACADEMY.                                                                

About the Author:
Stacey grew up in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales. It is an area nestled between mountains and vineyards. Full of history and culture, it provides wonderful writing inspiration. After dabbling with poetry during her teen years, Stacey stopped writing until after university when she was married with young children. Now she loves nothing more than spending her days with her children and writing when inspiration strikes.

Social Media Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Excerpts:

Easing the door closed, I climb out of the attic and head to the bathroom to clean my dust-covered hands. Water rushes from the spout and splashes against the sides as the basin fills. A reflection of me stares back from the mirror, my dirty hand clutching my aching chest. Today everything feels so raw, open, and fresh, like it only just happened. Why isn’t she still here?

Rubbing my hands clean, I delve into my pocket for the jewelry. Bringing it to my collar, I pin it into my blouse and the hard edges of the brooch prick my skin. My thumb brushes over the smooth, round sides of the pendant and when I pull it over my head, the chain catches on my hair. After I twist it through the tangle so it finally falls cool against my skin, it nestles in the hollow of my throat. I pick it up between my fingers and with reverent slow strokes, rub my thumb over the shiny yellow center—the pendant Mom never took off.  

A shiver shoots up my spine and out through my limbs like an electric current, zapping every cell, every fiber, every part of my being. Walking on graves, that’s what Mom would have said. Maybe it’s an omen about her.

I plant my palms on either side of the full basin and peer into the still water taking a moment to collect my thoughts. The water reflects only the cream ceiling. That can't be right. I do a double take and look again.

My chest tightens. I hold my hand up, but I can’t see it—not my arm, not my chewed fingernails, not my leather watch on my wrist. Where am I? Mouth gaping, I look into the mirror again, but I see nothing.

Not even my face.

I dip my finger into the warm, reflection-free water. Circles ripple in ever growing rings, but there’s no image. My gaze flits to the mirror, but I see only the open door. I have no reflection.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Editopia: Simon & Schuster/Aladdin editor Amy Cloud

You all know we like our "topia"'s here at YAtopia and we've seen you waving pom-poms for our Guestopia, Agentopia, and Teentopia series. This month we're crazy excited to introduce a new regular series, Editopia, where we bring you interviews with kidlit's top editors!

For our inaugural interview, I'm going directly to the cream
of the crop to introduce you to MY adorable (and oh-so-
smart!) editor, Amy Cloud with Simon and Schuster's 
Aladdin imprint. She's a Brooklynite by way of Michigan, 
who loves 90's movies (further proof of her awesomeness) 
and foisting kale salads on unsuspecting friends (she'll never get me).

Hey, Amy! Giant hugs for being our brave first 
interview subject. Let's start with some basics. How did 
you get your start in the industry? Did you always want 
to be in publishing?

Like so many editors, I’ve always loved to read and thought
it would be ideal if I could somehow get paid to do it. After
a few post-collegiate stints at trade journals in my
native Michigan, I was accepted into the Columbia
Publishing Course, a six-week “crash course” in the New
York publishing industry. There I met Nicholas Callaway, who at the time owned a boutique publishing firm called Callaway Editions. I spent the next eight years of my life working with a tiny and tight-knight team on everything from Madonna’s children’s stories to a New York Times photo book about President Obama. It was a nontraditional publishing experience, but turned out to be the perfect way for me to learn the ins and outs of the business. (It didn’t hurt that I got to meet Madonna my third week on the job.) It was there that I realized my true love was kids’ books.

Ooh, meeting the Material Girl... so glamorous! Speaking of glamorous, most authors are surprised to find out that editors’ days aren’t spent kicking back at their desks with mugs of tea and piles of manuscripts and that, in fact, most work reading happens outside of work. Describe what your “typical” day actually is.

When I’m not in meetings, my mornings are usually spent answering emails, writing copy, answering more emails, approving layouts, writing editorial letters, reviewing contracts, creating P&Ls, putting together publishing plans, and, um, answering ever more emails. Lots of multitasking! I prefer to spend my afternoons doing what I love most: editing. Unfortunately, my mornings tend to run over into my afternoons. If I have any extra time in the day I’ll spend it reading submissions, but these days most of my reading takes place at home.

What does your to-read pile look like? How many manuscripts are in your inbox at any one time?

It depends on the time of year; over the summer and holidays can be slower in terms of submissions. But I’d say there are always at least 8 to 10 manuscripts hovering in my inbox at any given time.

What trends are you seeing in kidlit these days? Are there any subjects or genres you don’t want to see in your inbox? Any you want to see more of?

Lately I’ve definitely seen more Fault in Our Stars-type stories making the middle-grade rounds: realistic, somewhat quiet books with self-aware narrators, often grappling with medical conditions. There have also been a lot of realistic stories about kids travelling through space and inhabiting other planets.

As for what I don’t want to see: I’m really over the whole dystopian thing and I’m not a huge fan of high-level fantasy. I’d love to find more cleverly constructed mysteries and funny, contemporary tween novels with a strong hook.

What are some things that would make a manuscript stand out to you?

I’m all about voice and character. Authenticity rules supreme! I adore quirky, slightly offbeat humor—anything that produces a good belly laugh. A strong hook is a must. And honestly anything that gets me through a commute. If I can’t put down, there’s usually something there. Extra points if I miss my subway stop!

For the right book, ending up at Coney Island would be worth it, wouldn't it? Can you describe what the acquisition process is like at Aladdin? What happens once you’ve found a book you love?

If I’m over the moon about something I’ll pass it on to my Aladdin editorial colleagues for their thoughts. After they read it, we’ll get together and discuss what we like, what needs to change, and how it fits with our larger list. If they agree we should pursue it, we’ll take it to an acquisitions meeting, where our sales, publicity, marketing, and management teams all weigh in with their perspectives. From that point we crunch the numbers and make an offer.

What parts of your job comes most naturally to you? What’s the biggest challenge?

Honestly, I think the actual editorial part—diving into a manuscript and taking it apart to assess what works and what doesn’t—is my favorite aspect of the job. I’ve always had a critical eye.

Since I still identify as a shy kid, I’d say presentations of any sort terrify me.

I have to admit I was very surprised by that answer- you don't seem shy to me at all! So, in your opinion, what makes a good editor?

First and foremost, a true love of reading. There is such an abundance of reading involved in this job that you have to be willing to devote plenty of personal time to it. Being organized and detail-oriented is a big plus; book editors these days do a great deal of juggling, and you have to be able to stay on top of projects at all stages. Being able to trust your instincts is also key, though I think that’s something that comes with age and experience.

I know it’s just plain evil to ask a children’s book editor to name a favorite book… so I won’t. Instead, tell me about your favorite children’s book covers.

Hilary Knight’s Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle covers, I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen, Kay Nielsen’s cover for East of the Sun, West of the Moon, any of the Wildwood books, Winger by Andrew Smith. And I will always love love love the cover of Tina Fey’s Bossypants.

Nothing tops the man hands! I promised no naming favorites, but is there maybe a particular book that sparked your love of reading or a book that you re-read time and again?

When I was a kid I devoured books by Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, and Paula Danzinger. I think I read The Cat Ate My Gym Suit about twenty times before I was twelve! They made me feel connected to a larger experience, like what I was going through at the time wasn’t so weird or uniquely scary. As an adult I realized I wanted to work on books that would help and transform kids in the same way.

As far as adult books go, I usually read Lorrie Moore’s short story collection Self-Help at least once a year. She’s heartbreaking and hilarious in the same breath.

Adding to my towering TBR list! Granted, you're almost always reading, but when you do put the books down, what are your favorite things to do?

I love to cook meals for friends and loved ones, see live dance and music, spend time in the country, and scour second-hand stores for vintage finds.

Editors: they're just like us. Okay, last question. And actually it's not even a question. It's a chance to plug a few books on your list you’re excited about. Whatcha got?

I’m thrilled to be working with Bruce Coville on his much-anticipated funny and fantastical sequel to Goblins in the Castle, to be released in summer 2015.  He’s such an icon and it’s been an absolute honor to work with him.

Don’t Fall Down is a hilarious and touching winter 2015 debut from author Gail Nall about the competitive world of figure skating as well as finding your own voice.

Though it’s not on my list, Jodi Lynn Anderson’s beautiful middle-grade novel Ordinary World is coming from Aladdin in summer 2015. Her writing is simply gorgeous, and I can’t wait for others to fall in love with it.

There's also this wonderful tween concierge story coming up this summer that I'm sort of over the moon about. It's called At Your Service. J

*Blushes* I'm a little excited for that one myself. And as a lucky critique partner of Gail's, I can certainly vouch for the fabulous Don't Fall Down. Watching the Olympic skating this week has me itching to reread it. Amy, thank you so much for letting me ask you alllllll the questions. I hope tons of other lucky authors out there get the opportunity to work with you!

The Good Boys of Fiction

Last month I discussed anti-heroes and why we love them even when we know they're bad. That got me thinking about my many book boyfriends and I started realizing something I hadn't expected. Despite my love for a few bad boys, like Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries and Ronan from The Raven Boys, the majority of my fictional crushes tend towards the good boys!

Good boys in books often get overlooked because they lack the swagger, smart mouth or quick fists of the bad boys. Good boys can't always pull off lopsided grins and snarky one-liners. They rarely wear leather and are even less likely to show off piercings and tattoos, however, these boys are the ones we know would not only be good to us, but good for us too!

Exhibit A: Ghost from Poppy Z Brite's Lost Souls.

Ghost is a gentle, effeminate creature in a cast of fairly amoral blood drinkers. He rides a bicycle complete with rainbow-coloured streamers, he loves and regularly visits his grandmother, he looks for the good in everyone and is devoted to his friends even when they don't fully appreciate his presence. Ghost is the kind of guy my parents would've loved me to date growing up, the kind of guy who'd never forget my birthday and would rub my feet after a long day. I fell in love with Ghost when I first read Lost Souls in high school and whenever someone says 'book boyfriend' he's the first character that pops into my head. No tattoos, no anger management issues, no abs of steel - just attentive, loving goodness.

Exhibit B: Sean Kendrick from Maggie Stiefvater's Scorpio Races.

Is there anything more poignantly beautiful than witnessing the love between a man and an animal? In this case, between Sean Kendrick and the wild water horses of Thisby. Sean is an outsider but instead of becoming a sulky, angst-ridden, anger-fueled loner, he gets on with life the best way he can and devotes his life to savage, flesh-eating horses - savage beasts only he seems to be able to tame and truly befriend. That alone is a major swoon factor. Then he meets Puck, a girl everyone else discounts in the annual horse races because of her gender, but not Sean. Sean stands up for what he believes in and for what's right without resorting to violence - integrity is his middle name. Sean is the type of boy I wish I'd dated when I was 16.

While I do love my leather-jacket-wearing, scowling, smirking, cynical bad boys, they're not the boys I'd actually want to be in a relationship with. Truth is, it's usually the good boys in fiction who steal my heart. 

Who are your 'good boy' book boyfriends?

Happy Valentine's Day and Doctor Who!

I am back after dealing with a very nasty infection in my jaw to talk about something very appropriate for Valentine’s Day; Doctor Who, because of his two hearts. I know I am sort of stretching there. In all seriousness I have wanted to talk about Doctor Who for some time now. November of last year we celebrated 50 years of Doctor Who. It aired the day after Kennedy assassination.  By now you might be asking yourself why am I talking Doctor Who in a YA Literature blog. I do have a very good reason as to why. According to the Guinness World Records Doctor Who has the largest fictional series [of novels] built around one principal character. That still isn’t the full reason why I am talking Doctor Who, but is it is the start of it – book/novel. 

Doctor Who novels began as the TV stories being novelized so people could read them. In England especially at this time, they didn’t show reruns of TV shows. This is one of the factors as to why we have so missing episodes of the first two Doctors. The BCC didn’t see the value of the episodes taking up space in their vaults; especially once overseas sales of the episodes had stopped. So the only way to relive the adventures of the Doctor and for some people the first time was by reading these novelizations. The cool thing was they had a number of the actual writers of the scripts actually write the novelizations. So they could add details, which might not have carry over from the script to screen.

Depending on how long you have been reading YATopia and the crazy things I write or talk about, you may or may not know I am a YA librarian when I am not playing writer or editor or vid/podcaster. There are two areas I take great pride in, in my YA section of the library. The first being my Graphic Novel/TPB/Manga section and the second being my Doctor Who section. I have a small but growing section of Doctor Who in my YA section and thanks to the BBC to actually opening up a press here in the states to print Doctor Who novels I no longer have to buy the imports and pay those prices. I can afford to buy even more Doctor Who for the section.

Now we are getting to my point here - the Teens, Tweenies, and Adults all love reading Doctor Who novels, novelizations, comic books, etc. Every month, when I do the bookmobile outreach to the local High School and Middle School I bring my collection of Doctor Who books. What led me to do this was a Weeping Angel shirt I like to wear to work. I wore this shirt to an outreach and the students went nuts over the shirt as they recognized it and I talked Doctor Who with them. In all honesty I can talk for hour upon hours upon hours about Doctor Who. So I decided to bring the Doctor Who books with me. The students went crazy over them, I brought novelizations, novels, visual dictionaries the gambit of Doctor Who books I had in my section.

 

I can tell you their favorite Doctor is the 11^th Doctor. I have books spanning the range of the Doctors and by far Smith’s Doctor is their favorite. I can’t wait to see what happens with the 12^th Doctor and Capaldi.  Sometimes they are shocked to find out there are even Doctor Who books, because they had no idea they existed. The looks on their faces at this discover is quite magical. And as a librarian it is my job to put books in their hands and since I am a Doctor Who fan why not Doctor Who books if they are a fan of the show. Reading is reading is reading.

Doctor Who is a family program and so is the current range of books. Doctor Who has had the novelizations, the New Adventures, and now what is being done now. The current range featuring NuWHO has really tried to capture the magic and flavor of the show. The BBC has finally realized not only the world wide popularity of the show, but the age wide popularity of the show. You can find books for all ages of readers. Doctor Who is both a girl’s book as well as guy’s book all at the same the time. They both come at the books from different angles and interests.

You can really see this; while during the year leading up to the 50^th anniversary the BCC had 11 British YA authors write stories for each of the Doctors – Eoin Colfer, Michael Scott, Marcus Sedgwick, Phillip Reeve, Richelle Mead, Malorie Blackman, Alex Scarrow, Charlie Higson, Derek Landy, Derek Landy, and Neil Gaiman.  I hope the BBC continues down this path with more YA author writing for the novels. I personally would like to see author A.J. Hartley (Darwin Arkwright) take a shot at writing one of these Doctor Who novels. 

 Doctor Who is just one of those magical properties that can bring so many different people to the table. It is one of those properties like Harry Potter which can bring the whole family together. And I do hope the rumors are true, at some point that J.K. will be writing something for Doctor Who be it a mini-episode to a full episode to a short story to a novel because I think would be absolutely magical and bring even more people to show. It would is hard pressed to imagine more people watching the show since it is the BBC’s most widely watched show they have.

So all I can really say at this point is watch Doctor Who, read Doctor Who, and enjoy Doctor Who!