As promised last month, YAtopia puts middle grade author Angela Sunde under the Guestopia spotlight.

Welcome Angela, we're so pleased you could be with us today.

On your marks, get set, GO!



Is this your first published book?
This is my second book. My first, Pond Magic, was published by Penguin Australia in their popular Aussie Chomps series. I am also the illustrator and co-author of The Coral Sea Monster – winner of the Write-a-Book-in-a-Day award, 2011.

What’s it called?
Snap Magic is the name of my latest release.

Which genre?
It’s a mid-grade urban fantasy.

Which age Group?
8-12 years

Is it a series or standalone?
It’s the sister book to Pond Magic featuring the same character, Lily Padd. In Snap Magic – a bewitchingly funny coming-of-age story about secrets, bullies and pumpkin soup – Lily once again finds herself in an embarrassing situation needing magical intervention to set straight.

Are you an agented author?
No, I am not.

Which publisher snapped up your book?
Snap Magic is published by Red Pedal Press, a small indie publisher.

How involved have you been in the whole publishing process of your book?
100% involved; I am the publisher. Snap Magic went through an intensive editing and design process with a high-level, professional editor (former senior editor at Penguin Australia), and the highly experienced book design team at Book Cover Cafe.

Do you have another job?
No, I work full-time as an author/illustrator, writing judge, speaker and teacher.

Did you receive many, if any, rejections prior?
Though my editor at Penguin loved it, Snap Magic was not accepted, as they had just closed the Aussie Chomps series. Then, because of its Aussie Chomps length, Snap Magic didn’t fit other publishers’ lists.

What created/what were you doing or watching when the first idea for this book sneaked up on you?
Snap Magic began life as a short story based on an embarrassing experience I had at school as a tween. The short story was then short-listed in the Charlotte Duncan Award. The idea to use Snap as the springboard for a light-hearted children's novel resulted in Snap Magic 's longlisting in the Greenhouse Funny Prize 2013 for unpublished manuscripts.

How long did you plot/plan until you started writing it?
Not that long, perhaps a week. Having the short story as a base kick started a wealth of ideas for the plotline.

Once you started, did the story flow naturally or did you have to step in and wrestle it into submission?
It flowed very quickly as I followed my outline, and I was already familiar with the main characters, so it was a lot of fun to write.

How many drafts did you write before you let someone read it? Who was that someone?
My husband and daughter read the first draft as I wrote it. I was laughing so hard when I finished each chapter that I just had to share it with someone immediately.

Did you employ an editor/proofreader or did you have a critique partner/beta readers before you started querying?
I have two critique partners who offered feedback. When the manuscript was ready for submission, I received a Regional Arts Development Fund grant, and then employed my senior editor from
Penguin Australia to edit the manuscript and a professional copyeditor to triple check.

Roughly how many drafts did it take before you sent the manuscript off into the real world?
About 3-5.

How many drafts until it was published?
At least another three with the editor, and multiple more with the typesetter.

Has the book changed dramatically since the first draft?
No, very little.

Are there any parts you’d like to change even now?
None whatsoever.

What part of writing do you find the easiest?
The easiest part of writing for me is when I am in ‘the zone’. I visualise scenes with ease. I also love editing language – all parts of the narrative.


What part do you find hardest?
Right now it’s the structural edit of my work in progress.

Do you push through writing barriers or walk away?
I push through. There’s no other choice.

How many projects do you have on the go at the same time?
Usually three: a picture book/ illustrations; a novel; and an idea I am thinking about or researching. Sometimes that makes for a rather scattered and unproductive day of creating, so I have to remain disciplined and focused.

Do you think you’re born with the talent to write or do you think it can be learned?
Writing is a craft that requires a strong dose of creativity. Creativity can be nurtured and craft can be taught.

How many future novels do you have planned?
Besides the one I am writing, I have two others in mind; one is set here on the Gold Coast where I live, and the other is a historical novel set in New Zealand.

Do you write other things, such as short stories, articles, blogs, etc?
Yes, I blog – angelasunde.blogspot.com.au – and I occasionally write short stories and poetry as the whim takes me. I recently had three poems exhibited at Bond University as part of the Bleach Festival, and one of my YA short stories has been published in an anthology.

What’s the highlight of being published so far?
It is most definitely the other creatives I have met and become friends with. My life is so much happier and fulfilled.

Give me five writing tips that work for you.
1. Give your main character a problem they must overcome.
2. Know your characters’ weaknesses and then exploit them.
3. Jump right into the drama and action.
4. Keep writing even when it sucks.
5. Don’t share your story with critique partners too early.

And one that doesn't.
Trying to reach a daily word count – writing can also be about thinking what you’re going to write. It’s not always about the number of words.

Can you give us a clue or secret about the next book?
It’s based on a fairytale involving a red cape.

What question have you always wanted to be asked but never have? What would the answer be?
Q. Why are my stories based on fairytales?
I majored in German literature and language at uni and one of my favourite papers was the study of the Grimm Brothers’ Fairytales – I still have my yellowed, aging copy in pride of place on my bookshelf. I believe the tradition of oral storytelling is a human trait that supports our need for understanding the world we inhabit. We still tell each other stories from our lives; nowadays it’s called reality TV.

Snap Magic really is a super story, perfect for a child to read alone, or even better to share with an adult. Thank you so much for joining us today, Angela. It's been a pleasure finding out more about you.

If you'd like to know more about Angela and her books, here are the all important links!

Author Website
Red Pedal Press
Amazon
Book Depository


Please join me next month when I interrogate the fabulous Fleur Ferris!

Wanna Win a Giant Box of Buzzed-About Books?

Oh. Holy. Yikes! My book releases in less than a month and today I'm super-excited to share the trailer for it. Of course, I figured I'd make it just as much fun for you as it is for me, by sweetening things with a giant giveaway. I'm giving away two big boxes of buzzed-about books--some are ARCs, some are published, some are even signed--enough to stock a classroom library. 

First things first: a little about my book:

A love letter to NYC full of insider dish, At Your Service tells the story of thirteen-year-old Chloe Turner, who lives at the uber-fancy St. Michele Hotel alongside her concierge father. Desperate to follow in Dad’s footsteps, Chloe earns the role of Junior Concierge, helping to ensure the hotel’s youngest guests have memorable trips to her favorite city. Her life is backstage passes and cupcake parties until the day Chloe loses a princess in the middle of New York City! Racing from tourist site to tourist site, can Chloe find the young royal before her mistake becomes international news?

And HERE'S the trailer:

So who wants to win a copy of At Your Service (PLUS the rest of these middle grade books, including the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid School Planner and a signed Big Nate) for the teacher/librarian/school classroom of your choice? Or perhaps a big box of YA books like Scott Westerfeld's Afterworlds and Meg Wolitzer's Belzhar is more your speed. Here are the two prize packages up for grabs:

Middle Grade Prize includes ALL these titles:

YA Prize Package includes ALL of these titles:

Enter using the Rafflecopter below to win either or both. A winner will be announced on August 8^th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Update: this raffle has ended. Congratulations to Matt Little who won't the MG titles and to Deborah Udovic, who won the young adult titles. Two schools are very happy! If you participated, thank you!

Critiquing Pet Peeves: Are You Committing Any of These Faux Pas?

I’ve been blogging about critique partners for the past few months. In January I discussed where to find critique partners, in February I covered what types of critique partners to look for and last month I blogged about how to give good critiques. This month, I’m going to address the opposite and discuss some common critiquing pet peeves; otherwise knows as: how to make sure I’ll never ask you to read for me again.

Let me preface this by saying my critique partners do not do any of these thing, which is why they are wonderful and amazing and will earn acknowledgments in all of my books.

That said, I have had a lot of people read for me and there are definite things that always pushed my buttons, despite the fact that I was grateful for the time and energy they put into reading for me.If you are planning to critique for anyone in the future, you make want to take care to avoid:

Only pointing out the bad.

Yes, I asked for a critical eye on my work and I desperately want to know what isn’t working, so I can fix it. But toss a girl a bone! It’s also incredibly helpful for me to know what is working so I don’t accidentally cut it. Help me make my manuscript better—versus worse—by pointing out the things you like, whether it be a character name that fits the traits of the person well, a line that made you laugh, or a subplot that left you breathless. 

Not giving me any notes.

As much as it thrills me to know that you loved every word of my messy first draft, I’m going to have a hard time believing it. I’m relying on you to be fresh eyes for me on something I’m too involved with to see objectively. I appreciate that you took the time to read, but you’ve somewhat wasted mine in not offering any thoughts for improvement because I now have to track down another reader to point me in the right direction.

And this last one really makes me grind my teeth:

Rewriting my manuscript.

I once had someone read for me who made giant x’s on full pages of my manuscript and took it upon herself to delete a whole chapter in track changes. She also rewrote a ton of paragraphs, including the entire opening. I’m perfectly fine with a suggestion to “think about improving pacing by cutting this chapter” or “Show us this in a scene versus telling us in backstory” but it really grated my nerves that she went in and did it for me. In fact it bothered me so much that I now refuse to delete a single word from a CPs manuscript unless it’s a typo. I mark it in comments instead. Good CPs will say, “Here are my thoughts. Take any that resonate with you and ignore the rest!” and let the author decide for herself whether the suggestion is in line with her vision for the book or not. You might have clear ideas for how you could make this book sooo much better, but in the end you’ll be more valuable as a CP by recognizing that it’s only your opinion to offer and not your story to write.

What about you? Share your horror stories here or tell us what really pushes your buttons on the receiving end of a critique.

Editopia: Annie Berger, Associate Editor at Harper Collins

Our Editopia series continues and today I'm very excited to welcome Annie Berger, as associate editor at HarperCollins. I can say from firsthand experience that Annie is an incredible editor who wears her enthusiasm for publishing on her sleeve, which makes her also an incredible person.

Annie Berger graduated from Northwestern University where she majored in history and minored in religion. She attended the Columbia Publishing Course in the summer of 2009. After several internships at Dunham Literary, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, and Egmont USA she started as an editorial assistant at Simon & Schuster’s Aladdin imprint. There she worked with authors Brandon Mull, Rachel Renée Russell and Lauren Barnholdt. Annie was involved in many successful repackages including a Felix Salten line, new Anne of Green Gables books and the re-launch of Fablehaven. She was the editor for both the middle-grade and chapter book Nancy Drew and the middle-grade Hardy Boys series. Annie also signed up debut authors Jen Malone’s At Your Service and Gail Nall’s Breaking the Ice, which publish in August 2014 and March 2015 respectively. Now at HarperCollins Annie is delighted to be looking for both middle-grade and teen and works with authors such as Kristen Kittscher (The Tiara on the Terrace), Jo Whittemore (Confidentially Yours series) and Diane Zahler. Annie also assists with Gail Carson Levine, Lauren Oliver, and Rita Williams-Garcia.


Hi Annie! Let's cover a little basic background stuff first. How did you get your start in the industry? Did you always want to be in publishing?

I had no idea that I wanted to get into publishing until my senior year of college. Right about that time I was panicking about what to do next. I thought long and hard, talked to some people and decided that publishing might be it (book lover for life.) I attended the Columbia Publishing Course right after graduation and then went onto a series of internships. When I finally got my job at Simon & Schuster I was so happy that I danced around my living room blasting Dog Days Are Over by Florence and the Machine. I had three wonderful years there and now I’m excited about my new adventure at HarperCollins!

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

So many manuscripts, so little time. Just kidding, it’s actually amazing that I have a job where my take home work is reading great children’s books. I definitely always have a stack to read, but I love it! I also like to read at least 50 pages of something before deciding it’s not right for me. There are usually some pending ones hanging out there too, that I’ve read and really enjoyed but am still debating over whether or not I think it works for my list. I don’t like to keep agents hanging so I try to respond in a fairly timely fashion, but those pending ones are the trickiest!

I think I speak for authors (and agents) everywhere in saying, "Thank you for timely responses!" 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?

I think we are totally done (for now) with paranormal (I’m looking at you vampires) and relatively over dystopian. I’m seeing A LOT more realistic fiction, and that’s been working really well for us. I would love to see more fantasy. I love fantasy that’s seamlessly woven into the plot. I keep talking about this everywhere, but Maggie Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races is a perfect example of this. Her book actually had me on Wikipedia double-checking that there were no such things as flesh-eating water horses. I’d also love to see more strange and off-putting stuff, bring on the books about cults!

I totally agree with you on those water horses. I was sooo intrigued by them. Cults, huh? Very cool. Okay, so without implicating anyone, can you tell us one of or some of the weirder submissions you’ve received?

Oh gosh, I’ve gotten a lot of strange ones. One was a very interesting (unsolicited) picture book submission about a love affair between a snail and a tape dispenser. Which is actually quite funny if you think about it, but definitely wasn’t right for me!

Um. I don't even... okay, I'm just going to leave that one alone. Now 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.

Well, I’m biased, but I am in love with the covers for the Anne of Green Gables repackages at Simon & Schuster. (note: see next question for that beauty!) I remember loving the covers for the Fallen books by Lauren Kate, I thought Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Vivian Siobhan was amazing, The Beautiful Creatures books were beautiful and I love the cover for 33 Minutes by Todd Hasak-Lowy. I also love those Penguin classics. Oh! I can’t believe I almost forgot this one…Nightsong by Ari Berk and illustrated by Loren Long is one of my favorites of all time, it’s my background screen on my work computer.

 

 

33 Minutes is on my bookshelf and even the spine is attention-grabbing! Is there a particular book that sparked your love of reading or a book that you re-read time and again?

There are so so many! But one of my absolute favorites of all time is Anne of Green Gables. I remember reading it for the first time while I was on vacation and just not being able to put it down. I’ve probably read the books in that series about six or seven times. And the best part of the story is that while at Simon & Schuster I worked on a repackage of them. That was probably one of the most rewarding parts of my career so far, writing the copy for one of my favorite books of all time.

That cover!! So, soo beautiful!! Okay, just a couple more. I love to swim but have a total fear of drowning, so I find it really hard to read books where that is a plot point. What about you? Anything you hate to read about? On the other hand, are there subjects you’re drawn to?

You know, I’m not a huge fan of “illness” books. I don’t think I’ve ever picked up a book about a child dying of cancer and said, “Yes, can’t wait to read!” The only exception to that is The Fault in Our Stars (just because I was such a big John Green fan before it came out.) But in general I’m not going to pick up a book that’s going to make me weep the entire time. On the flip side, I am a HUGE animal lover, so if there’s some kind of adorable something in there I am hooked. I also was obsessed with the Animorphs series growing up so I love the whole idea of transforming into animals.

All animal books except those about snails, I guess:) Ever since stumbling upon a Pinterest page that rounds up page shots of all the books that have a variation of the line “S/he released a breath s/he didn’t know s/he’d been holding” I spot it left and right in books and now it makes me giggle! What about you? Any writer’s tics or cliché pet peeves that jump out at you?

I am so glad you asked this. I am done with girls who are unaware that they are strikingly beautiful. I actually think this trend has definitely died down, but for a while every heroine thought she was a plain jane until its “revealed” to her that she is actually the most beautiful person who has ever lived. I’m not saying every main character should be horribly vain, but this kind of description never rang true to me.

Ha! I agree. Finally, here’s your chance to plug a few books on your list you’re excited about…

Well, let’s see. I have to say, this isn’t on my list anymore (tear) but I am so excited for At Your Service to come out this August! (note: Me too!!!) I also am in love with Kristen Kittscher and thrilled to be working on her next book, The Tiara on the Terrace, a sequel to the fantastic mystery The Wig in the Window. I know Jo Whittemore from my days at Aladdin, so I am very excited to get to work on her super fun, tween Confidentially Yours series. And I just took on a very cool Sci-Fi series that I think is going to be amazing. So lots of fun stuff in the pipeline!

I think you said it best above: so many books, so little time! But much better than the reverse, of course. Giant hugs and heartfelt thanks for being here today, Annie!!

How To Be A Good Critique Partner

The last few months I’ve been talking about critique partners, who, to me, are a non-negotiable must-have for anyone serious about writing. In January I talked about where to find critique partners and in February I covered what kinds of critique partners you might want to have in your stable. This month, I’m going to focus on how to give good critique (stay tuned for next month when I discuss what NOT to do in a critique).

Most of us would not invest our time and energy into reading purely for the sport of tearing down a fellow writer. But we could all probably stand a reminder on how to deliver tough news in sensitive ways. Yes, your CP is looking to you to help her identify problem areas in her manuscript. Basically, she is asking you to find fault. Which makes you a bit damned. Most writers describe the first draft as falling in love. We love our words, our concept, our characters. We have fallen asleep plotting their actions and woken up thinking of their worlds. When your critique of that beloved manuscript lands in a writer’s inbox, it’s akin to that writer discovering her dream date lives with his mother. Probably not a deal-breaker, but the bloom is off the rose. And you’re the one who plucked the petals.

There’s no way around that, but there are ways to deliver a thoughtful critique that will likely include some bad with the good. First of all, remember the compliment sandwich. Your CP doesn’t want you blowing smoke up his butt, but he would probably greatly appreciate if your notes started out with some things that are working well in the manuscript. This lets the writer know that the problems you’ll be mentioning next may exist, but overall the work has merit and potential. It’s also always nice to end with a brief note thanking the writer for sharing his words with you and reiterating your confidence in his ability to make the story even better!

Frame your critique constructively. Make comments designed not to tear down, but to build up the work. Phrases like “Have you considered…”, “It might be interesting to see what would happen if…”, and “I think you could solve this by…” are all helpful and kind ways to point out issues.

Admit your own subjectivity. Every reader brings his or her personal tastes and experiences to a story and sometimes it’s as simple as saying, “This could just be me, but…” For instance: if your best friend in high school had an eating disorder, which also happens to be the topic of the manuscript you’re critiquing, that is helpful for the writer to know because you may be both more attuned to the realities of the disorder and whether the author captured them realistically and also more sensitive to some of the content explored.  When CPs prefaces a comment by saying something like, “I’ll admit I’m kind of an overprotective mom, but this scene made me cringe because…” that’s actually helpful. By quantifying, you’re raising a flag that lets the writer know she should get some further feedback on this concern before making any decisions on a change.

Ask questions. “Would she be wearing that tank top if your manuscript is set in January?”, “If one of his hands is in her hair and another at her back, how is he texting his friend right now?” “Would she really do this/say this/think this here?” are all far better ways to point something out that “Uh, hello, it’s WINTER”, “Is he a three-armed freak or something?”, “The voice is wayyyy off here”. Often we’re so ensconced in the story that we dash off a quick note so we can get back to reading, and don’t take the time to think about how that note could be interpreted. If that’s something you do, take a quick scroll through your comments before sending back to the writer.

Remember to point out the good. It is every bit as useful for a writer to know what scenes, sentences, and word choices are working as it is to know the ones that aren’t. My CPs and I have all adopted the method of one, who uses a green highlighter to quickly mark sentences or scenes she loves to death. I get so happy when I encounter green in my manuscript, even if it’s in the middle of lots of comment boxes of issues that need addressing. I’ve found personal or funny notes can have the same effect. A quick “Oh man, that’s so embarrassing for the MC. Reminds me of the time I spilled milk on the Pope” or “Great, now I’m crying!” or “I wanted to go to sleep at the end of this chapter but, curse you, because now I have to know what happens!” is a welcome break from more critical notes and reminds the writer that you do indeed like her story!

How about you? What do you love to see in critiques you’ve gotten back? How do you frame your own comments to others?

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?