I have to admit that as much as I love summer, it's my most stressful time of year. "Time" being the key word. I lose all of my time to write in the summer. The days are packed with keeping the kids busy. As a mom, it's exhilarating to make all these special memories. As a homemaker it's exhausting to see the extra amount of housework summer brings. As a writer...forget about it. It's nearly impossible to make time. Throughout the year, nights are when I get most of my writing done, but by the time my sun-soaked kiddos crash, I'm ready to pass out with them!
That is...except for the one week of the summer when we go to the beach. We showed up at the beach house today, and I already sense stirrings inside that warm, soft part of my mind where ideas form and grow. It's a feeling--an energy--and despite how active I am while here, something about the beach makes me want to write with the full passion that the atmosphere begs from me. I flippin' love that feeling. And I love that I can pet my laptop and give my husband puppy dog eyes, and he'll take the kids out to the sand while I have some story time with the sound of the surf right outside my window.
This is where I envisioned my entire trilogy (when it was still a single, stand-alone story under consideration with the publisher). This is where I reconnect with the muse that's forced into hiding during the summer. This is where I recharge my imagination batteries. Thank God for the beach. <3
Nags Head, NC beach house (belongs to a friend, not us, lol)
Do you have a special place you escape to write when things get busy?
Happy June, everyone! I've got a short and sweet post for ya.
I have never been to a writing/blogging/book conference. Have you? I used to attend English teacher conferences back in the day, and I loved those. But now I'm super excited because I'm going to be attending BEA for a day next week (Tuesday - road trip up to NYC, woot!), and I'm also attending SCBWI the first weekend of August in L.A. with some of my beta partners, including YAtopia's Kelley Vitollo/Nyrae Dawn. Yay! I can't wait to meet people!
I'm wondering what to expect. Have you been to a writer's conference? What are the benefits and which conferences would you recommend? Any advice and recommendations would be appreciated!
My normal day to blog is the 1st. Today also happens to be the day that my debut novel, Sweet Evil, goes on sale from HarperTeen. For the past month I've been strangely calm, almost nonchalant, because after two years of waiting for this day to come I've already run through the gamut of emotions so many times. Now the idea of getting published, while still amazing, has become my "norm," so I *thought* I'd be playing it WAY cool for my release.
And then yesterday arrived. The day before publication. And all that blase just flew right the heck out the window.
Have you ever seen the clip of actress Kristen Bell on Ellen? She describes it so perfectly when she's talking about her emotions. I get it, because I'm the same way...a crier. I cry when any strong emotion hits me: joy, sadness, frustration, surprise, you name it. Well, her dream of interacting with a sloth came true, and she had a mega-meltdown. It's really rather adorable and I love her for it. Have a looksee for yourself. :)
I've cried so many tears on this journey to publication. Tears of rejection, disappointment, disbelief when an editor showed interest, that holy-crap-I'm-getting-published moment, then... sadness when readers don't love it, but joy when they do.
Well, between yesterday and today, my eyes have worked overtime because it ALL hit me ALL OVER AGAIN! And I don't want to take a moment of it for granted. Yesterday morning I started getting messages from lifelong friends and family members on facebook, then excited readers on Twitter saying "One more day!" and next thing I knew my whole body was buzzing with a crazy adrenaline rush.
And then just as quickly I was getting weepy and waxing poetic in tweets to friends about releasing my "baby" to fly. I hugged each of my children in turn, holding them tight and telling them how they were both dream-come-trues. This was followed by sending "I love you, man" emails to my editor, as if I'd had one too many celebratory drinks, thanking her for believing in me and my story. I wanted to hug everyone in sight who said anything nice to me. *hugs*
And between it all, I just cried. Overwhelmed. Loved. Humbled. Thank you.
To learn more about my journey, please visit my blog.
Nope, I don’t mean blog comments.:)I’m talking about “real life” comments people make when they find out I’ve written a book.Everyone has been kind and supportive--they really have. So why do I break into a sweat and fight the urge to run anytime someone approaches and says, “I heard you wrote a book!” Aside from a bit of natural shyness, I think it’s because people have four standard responses to hearing my news, and each of them makes me inwardly cringe for different reasons.
1)“Ooh, what’s it about?”
For some reason I feel extremely stupid talking about my book to people outside of the YA world. Here’s how it usually goes: First I tell them it’s a teen novel, a love story, kind of “girly.” They pause and blink, then smile and nod. My sweat mustache prickles to life as they wait for me to continue. So I tell them it’s about angels and demons and the main character is both angel and demon…and that’s when their heads cock to the side and they go, “Ah, wow, that sounds…interesting.” I feel bad for dashing their hopes that I’ve written something scholarly and literary. And then I feel the need to defend my story by blurting out something ridiculous like, “Well, I’ve been told the kissing scenes are well-written.” *cringe*
2) “Don’t forget about us when you’re rich and famous!”
Ah, the misconceptions of being published. Again I must disappoint acquaintances by admitting I sold my book and rights to an impressive publishing house for a handful of beans. For me, the dream has never been the mansion on the hill. My story has brought me joy, and the dream is to share that joy with others. People don’t realize that the chances of an average author striking it rich are slim to none. And if I were to miraculously become “rich and famous,” please find me and punch me in the face if I forget about you.
3) “When will it be made into a movie?”
Whoa there, buddy. I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. I don’t even know if my book will be on sale inside bookstores, yet, much less on the big screen. Let's not get our hopes up. Besides, the thought of someone taking creative liberties with my baby is still a little scary.
4) “You’re going to be the next J.K. Rowling/Stephen King/Stephenie Meyer!”
No. Just, no. I’m not. And I’m not trying to be humble here. I’m a huge dreamer, but they are the elite--publishing royalty--and I am a peasant. A happy peasant.
In all seriousness, I appreciate the love and support I've received, despite the awkwardness I experience when it comes to verbalizing. People's enthusiasm is adorable.
Are there any standard responses you receive when people find out you're a writer/author?
Three years ago I hadn’t read much YA. I’d read a couple about vampires and werewolves, which I enjoyed, but when it came time to brainstorm my own book I tried to venture down a different paranormal path. I thought I was being so original. I mean, nobody sets out to be a copy cat, do they?
I hadn’t read any angel/demon books at that point. Little did I know there were many, many writers who had similar ideas at the same time as me, and before me. After I finished my first draft and thought about querying, I saw the cover for Hush, Hush on Amazon. I can’t believe I’m going to admit this, but…I cried. It was such an incredible freaking cover. And very clearly about fallen angels. Someone had beaten me to it. Since then I’ve lost count of the number of angel books, but I’ve also stopped beating myself up about it. Because while there are similarities in themes and motifs in many of those novels, the premises and outlooks on angels differ.
So, how do we writers make our stories stand out in a market with hundreds of thousands of books? No, seriously, how? I’d love to know. :) What about names? Well, we can make-up names to ensure originality, which often annoys people. I tried to use a standard name (Anna) and have since come across countless books with MCs named Anna. I thought my love interest’s name was unique (Kaidan) until I recently heard that the boy in Cinder is named Kai.
*kicks wall repeatedly*
Let’s face it. It’s hard to be original. Even in my creative writing classes we were taught that there are only so many story types and plots. (You can read more about that here.)
Just like stories, we as people have things in common, as well as ways we are different, but no two people or books are exactly the same. Have you ever met somebody who reminded you so much of someone else you knew? In physcial appearance or mannerisms? But those two people had never even met? We don’t stop liking somebody just because we see a similarity between them and someone else. We’re each individuals with distinct personalities and beliefs and writing styles.We tend to focus on what’s special about each other, and I think it should be the same for books.
All we can do is write the story that’s bursting from our heart. If we think too much about how other writers have done it or what readers will think of it, then it’s no longer “ours.” Glaring similarities can (and should) be tweaked when possible, but at the heart of it we writers must be true to ourselves. I’m willing to forgive similarities between plots of books if I can get lost in the emotion and realness of the characters. It needs to have heart, and that can't be forced. Nobody likes a fake, so don’t try too hard. Justbeyourself.
Greetings, YAtopians!And welcome to our One-Year Anniversary post! It’s hard to believe that a year’s gone by since the eight of us came together (thanks to Kelley Vitollo). At that time we were eight unpublished, mostly unrepresented writers full of hope and aspirations. Leigh Fallon and I both had “secret” contracts with HarperTeen at that point but were sworn to silence. None of us had any idea what 2011 would hold. It turned out to be quite eventful for our lot. Here are some of our contributors’ highlights:
Kelley York’s YA thriller, HUSHED, was picked up by Entangled Publishing and became available December 6th.Reviews for her debut have been amazing!
Kelley Vitollo obtained representation with literary agent Ethan Ellenberg. Her YA contemporary romance is currently on sub, and I have very high hopes for her in 2012. J She also joined a new contemp blog called For the Love of Contemporary. I’ve got to brag on my bestie here for a minute. Kelley completed two YA novels in 2011, along with a collab novel, another novel completely rewritten, and two adult novellas!
Sarah Nicolas became an intern for Entangled Publishing, and she won a spot as a YA Rebel contributor. She’s rocking the cyber world, and I think she’s one to keep an eye on in 2012. I’m expecting huge stuff from this awesome girl!
Sharon Johnston’s short story, GROWTH, was published in THE BASICS OF LIFE. She took 2nd place in the Australian Literary Review’s YA short story competition, and has been invited to write alongside Michael White for THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHESTER LEWIS anthology.
D.J. DeSmyter’s YA paranormal romance, HUNTED, was picked up by Pendrell Publishing and became available August 9th.
Leigh Fallon’s YA paranormal romance, CARRIER OF THE MARK, was a BEA Buzz Book, and became available October 4th, followed by releases in Italy, Poland, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand with deals signed for further releases in Turkey and Brazil in 2012. She signed a contract for the 2nd in the series, which will be available late 2012/early 2013. Leigh joined the Supernatural Underground blog, and signed to be part of a compilation of dark retellings of Mother Goose stories for 2012.
Chanelle Gray accepted representation with literary agent Victoria Marini in January, and sold her novel MY HEART BE DAMNED to Mitchell & Morris Publishers (kNight Romance imprint) in September, to be published October 2012.
Wendy Higgins’s urban fantasy romance, SWEET EVIL, was revealed for publication on May 1st, 2012. I (sorry, it’s weird to talk about myself in 3rd person) also completed two novels this year - the sequel to SWEET EVIL and a separate, stand alone book.
YAtopia has been a lucky charm for the eight of us this year! We can’t wait to see what treasures 2012 holds.We’d love to hear about your 2011 successes and your hopes for the New Year!
2012 Changes/New Posting Schedule:
Due to the craziness of life, but our desire to stay together, we’ve decided to each post once a month instead of twice. There might be contests and special features to look out for between posts, but otherwise here is our new schedule:
Wendy here! :) I am pleased to introduce everyone to Amy Machelle! This is the first stop on her blog tour for her debut novel, Saving Elizabeth, which is being published tomorrow, December 14th! I met Amy on inkpop.com, and she couldn’t be sweeter. While uploaded to inkpop, Saving Elizabeth was a huge hit with readers on the site, so I was not surprised to hear she’d been picked-up for publication. I was stoked to be able to read an advanced copy of her novel for this tour stop!
Blaming God for the death of her father, sixteen year old Elizabeth Bridges denounces her faith and vows never to utter His name again. She tries to distance herself from anything spiritual, but the events that occur after an unwanted move make that difficult.
First, the dreams come – dreams of evil creatures, and rendezvous with the gorgeous stranger she thinks her mind created to escape her miserable life. But her first day at Glacier High proves there’s more to it than that.
Elizabeth meets Riel, the boy from her dreams, and he knows more about her than is humanly possible. He says she possesses a coveted gift that all of Hell is clamoring to seize. The monsters she dreams of are real, and they’re battling for her soul. Soon, Elizabeth is thrust into a spiritual realm where she doesn’t know friend from foe. She battles demons in the storage closets of her high school, with Riel, her only protection.
Will Elizabeth be able to trust Riel and help him save what matters most, or will they both join forces with darkness and turn their backs forever on the only One who can offer them the love and peace they so deeply desire?
Review:
Saving Elizabeth is a fast-paced, quick read told from dual perspectives: Elizabeth and Riel. Both characters are struggling with their own internal issues, and it’s interesting to be inside both their minds since Riel knows about Elizabeth’s struggles, while she is unaware of his.
I love our main character, Elizabeth--my heart goes out to her when her mom starts moving on with life before Elizabeth is ready, and I can feel her pain. Then there’s Riel’s storyline, which captured me even more. His fight against his own desires versus what he knows is right will keep you riveted. My friends know I’m a sucker for literary bad boys. So why, you ask, did I fall so incredibly hard for Riel, the ultimate good boy?Don’t get me wrong - Riel’s no wimp; he can fight. He’s strong and honorable and passionate. *sigh* Riel is simply num-nums. Is it wrong to want to gobble a pure soul to bits? The whole time I was reading I could feel his need so clearly. (I’m trying really hard not to get carried away and give spoilers here. There’s so much I want to say, but I can’t!)
Besides making me swoon over Riel, one of the things Amy Machelle does especially well are the creepy enemy scenes. The dark souls fighting to take Elizabeth are straight-up scary. They have this demonic smoke that oozes from their mouths - eeek! Amy’s writing could take me from laughter to tears to chills in a snap.
Saving Elizabeth is a sweet, soulful, and engaging read. I was flipping pages so fast to see how it would end, and I love that I couldn’t predict it. The overall story is one of love, hope, healing, and faith. If this sounds like it’s for you, I urge you to check it out!
Interview:
Like our YAtopians, Leigh, Kelley V, Sharon, and myself, you were on the HarperCollins YA writers' community inkpop prior to being published. How did you find that experience and how did it help you as a writer?
Oh, wow. I can’t even begin to tell you how helpful inkpop was when Saving Elizabeth first started to take shape. It was truly an amazing experience. I had completed half of the novel, and was prematurely searching for publishing options when I ran across authonomy, inkpop’s sister site. I uploaded a couple of chapters of Saving Elizabeth, but quickly realized the site wasn’t for me. While there, I noticed some of authonomy’s members also had their work posted on inkpop. Since Saving Elizabeth is a YA manuscript, and inkpop is geared toward authors of YA literature, I thought I’d give it a shot. I uploaded what I had written so far, and it was a perfect fit. I couldn’t believe how welcoming the community was. Right from the start, they seemed to genuinely care about my story and its characters as much as I did. They offered words of praise and encouragement, but also pointed out areas that could be better. I received comments that included everything from grammar help, to identification of plot holes and weaknesses in characters. I had never written much of anything before, so you can imagine how helpful this was. Saving Elizabeth definitely wouldn’t be where it is today without wonderful inkies.
Tell us a little about your journey to publication as a first-time author.
After Saving Elizabeth received a gold star on inkpop in March of 2010, I edited my manuscript according to the review and got to work querying agents and publishing companies that accepted unsolicited queries. I’d take a break in querying when the rejection letters got me down, but I never left it for too long. For a year, the rejection letters slowly trickled in. During the summer of 2011, when searching for more agents to query, I ran across Tell-Tale Publishing Group’s website. They were a newly formed small press publishing company building their list of authors, and best of all, they accepted unsolicited queries. It sounded like Saving Elizabeth was the type of manuscript they might be interested in, so I gave them a shot and was thrilled to hear back from Patricia Lazarus shortly after. She is the editor of Tell-Tale’s young adult imprint, and she expressed her interest in Saving Elizabeth. One thing sort of led to another, and as they say, the rest is history.
Is Saving Elizabeth a stand-alone novel or the first in an expected series?
There will definitely be a sequel. Elizabeth isn’t quite finished with her story yet. Even though she’s come such a long way, she’s still got some growing to do.
I found it to be a gutsy and exciting move to have God and Lucifer as "characters" in the novel. What made you decide to write a faith-based YA fantasy?
My husband is a youth pastor, and the Twilight craze hit his youth group pretty hard, so much so that the girls started to bring their copies of Twilight to church. They were seriously reading it during church services. I couldn’t imagine what in the world would have them so captivated, so I bought all of the books and read them for myself. I finished the entire series in two weeks, and decided to search our local Christian bookstores for young adult fiction that would capture them like Twilight, but reinforce much of what my husband was teaching them during youth group. I came up empty handed. There just weren’t any faith based paranormal romances out there. The Christian book stores weren’t offering young adults much in the way of fiction at all. As a matter of fact, their young adult sections were minute in comparison to their adult sections. That’s when I made it my mission to write something that would appeal to the younger generation.
In what format is Saving Elizabeth available for purchase?
December 14th is the e book release. You’ll be able to purchase it from Amazon and Barnes & Noble for Kindles and Nooks. You’ll also be able to purchase it in pdf format from Tell-Tale Publishing Group’s website (<--also check out the site for a sneak peek at the first two chapters!). The print release is yet to be announced.
Rapid Fire Questions:
Pink or Black? Black, but I think the two look fabulous together, especially in polka-dot form. :o)
Coffee or Tea? I’m ashamed to say I’m addicted to both. I seriously need a caffeine intervention.
Heels or Flats? Flats
Electric or Acoustic? Acoustic
Whipped Cream or Cool Whip? Cool Whip
* * * I want to wish Amy the best of luck on Saving Elizabeth and future writing endeavors! Here are a few ways you can support her...
Check out Amy'swebsite.
Follow Amy's blog.
Follow Amy on Twitter.
Friend Amy's author page on Facebook.
Like Saving Elizabeth on Facebook.
Add Saving Elizabeth to yourGoodreads shelf.
I wonder if you're like me. I wonder if you hate any spoiler, no matter how teeny-tiny. Or if you're one of those people who starts by reading the last line of the book. *GASP* The very idea makes me want to scream, "Noooo!"
I don't read back covers/pitches/blurbs/reviews before beginning a book. Nope, nope! They give too much away. Part of the fun of reading a story for me is discovering things as the characters discover them. For example, in Bree Despain's The Dark Divine, I had no idea what, if any, paranormal creature we were dealing with at first. There was a delicious mystery shrouding everything, and I loved that!
Oh, no.
My fellow blogger and bestie, Kelley Vitollo, will often sell me on a story and then send an excited message saying something like, "The guy is a jerk at first, but he's actually really sweet, and --" "Noooo!" LOL - I have to cover my eyes and type, "Don't tell me anymore!" She, on the other hand, will get so into a book I've recommended that she'll send me messages begging for information. "Do they get together? Oh please tell me there's a HEA!" I'm so mean; I won't tell her anything. :)
For those who don't know, it's called a SPOILER ALERT. I've seen so many accidental spoilers online lately. We forget sometimes that many of our conversations are very public, especially on Twitter and Goodreads. I urge you not to talk specifics openly - send each other an email or direct message, or just put a little (*spoiler alert*) message before discussing.
This picture is a spoiler!
My apologies to those who haven't read or seen Marley and Me, but this was too funny.
So, which one are you? Do you love surprises or are you one of those pesky people who enjoys it more if you don't have to worry about the outcome? :-) Happy reading and discussing, everyone!
Yep, you've guessed it. I've hijacked the Tuesday Twaddle this week for a few announcements.
Firstly, did you see the gorgeous cover of Wendy Higgins's, Sweet Evil? I mean... holy hotness. Check this baby out.
Kai has got the smolder down. NOM NOM. Now that you've drooled over the smolder, go check out Wendy's blog for more info on this beauty.
And speaking of covers I got my Hardback Italian edition of Carrier of the Mark yesterday. It's so pretty, it needs some blog time. So here it is.
Carrier of the Mark came out in first edition Trade Paperback in the US. I have to admit, I was happy with that decision. As a debut, you expose yourself to a much larger audience by having your book come out in Trade Paper, as it's more affordable, people will take a chance on the unknown author. But (and you know how I love a good but) seeing Carrier in Hardback, and how gosh darn beautiful it is, makes me a little sad that you guys in the US won't get such prettiness. *sigh* I didn't expect to feel this way about a hardcover...it's hard to explain. It's like a coming of age thing...a realization that your book is out there, forever, on shelves, in different languages, and it feels good.
Anyhow, enough of blubbering. *wipes eyes*
Talk to you in two weeks for an actual Tuesday Twaddle.
Have you ever sort of surprised yourself while writing? I don't mean an unexpected twist in the plot, necessarily, but there are definitely those kinds of surprises along the way. One major surprise for me was the insipriation to write something supernatural/paranormal AT ALL! I was always a contemporary reader and writer. I loved chick lit - stories about real life situations that managed to show the humor in all our downfalls and blunders. My whole life I tended to write funny stories, emotional stories, and dramatic girl stories, but they were always realistic. Until my idea for Sweet Evil came along.
Writing supernatural elements was extremely difficult for me, and it still is. I'll go back during revisions and find all the places where I need to expand on the abilities of my main character. I just forget. It's still surprising to me that I'm in this genre, and while I'm enjoying it far more than expected, I do hope to write a contemp someday.
Is there anything about your writing journey which has come as a surprise to you? Anything you've steered toward or away from unexpectedly?
Is anyone else out there feeling a bit "ick" lately? Have the rejections, reviews, writer's block, insecurities, and eternal waiting gotten you down? Well, you're not alone. Being a writer, contracted or not, has its down times. Too often we doubt ours skills and our stories. It's hard to know when to scrap an idea and start over, or when to stick with it until it works. There's no exact recipe for success. It's a subjective game, and we have to go by what feels right and what doesn't.
To the outside world we appear mental. I definitely feel like they're right at times. That's why it's so important to lean on our writer friends. Only other writers and artists can truly understand the doubt that goes along with the creative mind, and trying to make a living from it.
Man Hug *pat, pat*
One-Sided Hug
So, today, I offer the only thing I can. Words and hugs. Cyber hugs, but hugs all the same. Let's not beat ourselves up. Let's lift one another up. Because we're not alone. Thanks for your support!
Congratulations!!! :) I put all the names in a cup and my five-year-old daughter drew. She thought it was super fun. I'll be in contact soon.
~~~~~
As for our topic about scary books for this haunting season, a couple of you mentioned The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. Oh, my. Kelley Vitollo began it this week, and pretty much cyber-tackled me to make me read it. I just finished it last night, and I'm still reeling from it. Spooky? Yes. Suspenseful? Yes. Sexy? Incredibly. It's been a while since a book gripped my attention so thoroughly. I usually hate when first books leave off on a cliffhanger. It makes me not want to continue onto the sequel. But this ending, even with unanswered questions, left me strangely satisfied and squealing for the second book. If you're searching for something that will make you hear creepy noises during the night, look no further. Read it!!!
This time of year makes me hunger for spooky reading. Something dark and dangerous and mysterious. When it comes to YA literature, I definitely get that feeling from a good dystopian novel.
I don't know how the weather's been where you live, but here on the central east coast it's been dreary. Rain, overcast skies, and darkened rooms, even during the day. It's spooky reading weather at its best, with chilly hints of autumn in the air. I'm in the mood to share this feeling. How about a book giveaway? :)
There are two brand new, hardback, dytopian books up for grabs and I'll choose a winner for each!
Here's what you need to do:
~ Be a follower of this blog
~ In a comment, tell me which book you'd prefer (if you have a preference)
~ Provide an email address where I can contact you (if you're not comfortable putting your email address online, you can send it to me at wendyhigginswrites@gmail.com)
~ Also in your comment, tell us what spooky, dark stories you recommend :)
I'll accept entries for one week. Contest will end at midnight Friday, September 30th. Winner will be chosen at random and announced Sunday, October 2nd.
Each of us readers has something we look for in a book - an element that will make or break it for us. Other elements may not be perfect, but as long as the thing we love best is excellent, we can still warrant five out of five stars. Of course, we all love a well-rounded story, but which of these elements is most important to you?
Plot - The overall story arc. A good plot is well-paced throughout, keeps us flipping pages in anticipation, has an exciting climax (teehee), and a definite conclusion. A poorly written or convoluted plot can leave us bored, confused, and dissatisfied at the end.
Setting - The element which transports us into the story world. A strongly written setting can mold the tone of the book: dark and dreary, light and airy, dry and stark. Lack of setting details can create a drab, easily forgettable story.
Characters- The element which gives us that personal link to the story. Vivid characters will have chemistry and tension between them, making us care about them and their journey. An unrealistic or unlikeable main character can keep readers from relating to the story, as will weak relationships between the MC and secondary characters.
Writing Style - The element of voice in the piece. How an author chooses to convey a story - the style in which they write dialogue, thoughts, narrative wording, etc, can draw us in or push us away. What makes good style is, perhaps, the most arguable of the elements. Style is heavily based on personal preference, taking us back to the old Literary vs. Commercial debate.
I was recently asked how much my book's main character, Anna, is like me. I was embarrassed to realize how many similarities there are between us, especially physically. Being my first book, and having no idea the story would some day be published, I just went with what was comfortable and known. We're not exactly the same, obviously since I have no supernatural parentage (darn!), but we do have a few things in common (straight-blonde hair, shortish stature, small-chest, kind of shy, and emotional with a handful of anxious quirks). I, however, do not share Anna's love for running, or her self-control.
In that same interview I was asked if any of my characters were based on people I know. The answer was an easy "no," although in retrospect, Anna's best friend, Jay, is a lot like my brother. These names mean nothing to you guys who haven't read the book, so I apologize for the name dropping. And speaking of names, I have a little confession to make. When I was brainstorming for secondary character names, I looked to my own loathsome ex-boyfriends to name the jerks in my book. (At least they turned out to be good for something, teeheehee.)
*ahem* Anyhow, moving on now. So...
How much are your main characters like you? And how much are your secondary characters like other people you know? Is it something you consciously do (or don't do)?
Hugs,
Wendy
PS, I tried to find a picture for this post, but it seems like all that kept popping up were naughty pics of mini-me from the Austin Powers movie. Ew.
I hear what you’re saying. You’re not happy. I get it, and I'm sorry. Ever since I obsessively took up writing again, you slipped down the totem pole of priorities. It’s not that I don’t think you’re important. You’re awesome, and I feel horrible about the way things have piled up. But it’s been crazy lately, you know? It seems that my best is not enough, and we’re all lucky if anything gets done at all around here.
While we’re being honest with one another, I should tell you that I know all about how you and my husband sat around having drinks together while I was away, debating which one of you is most neglected by me. Nice. Oh, and I see you invited the neighborhood ants into our kitchen. I thought you were classier than that.
Look, we can’t go on this way. I don’t want any hard feelings, and I miss how we used to enjoy each other’s company. Things have changed—that’s life, and I know you don’t want to hear it, but my writing is here to stay. We’re in a busy season, especially with potty training and summer activities, but once school starts back we can spend a little more time together. I can’t promise it will be like it once was, but I truly believe it will all be worth it. You know those shiny new hardwood floors you’ve been eyeballing? Eh? That’s right. J I’m thinking of you, even if my mind is so preoccupied that I don’t show it much these days.
I appreciate you. Did you know a lot of writers have to leave their homes to concentrate, while I write best when I’m snuggled in your shelter? See, you’re a comfort to me.
I’m glad we had this talk. Let’s just try to relax this summer. Please don’t get your basement in a twist when things are hectic. I have a wonderful feeling that it’ll all work out in the end.
So, what is the difference between Commercial Fiction and Literary Fiction, anyway? And which is better? Feel free to chime in with additional distinctions and your own opinion on the latter question.
Commercial Fiction is what sells in the majority of the fiction market. It’s “popular”—your basic escapism reading. Commercial books are driven by plot and characters, with the purpose of entertainment. They tend to be fast-moving stories in which the reader can relate to the main character and imagine being in their situation. Commercial Fiction often touches the reader’s heart and leaves them with a sense of satisfaction at the end, even happiness.
Literary Fiction is driven by the writing itself, with the purpose of provoking thought. The craft of writing, and beauty of the words are the star. There tend to be more flowery descriptions and elevated language use. Lovers of Literary Fiction appreciate the focus on gritty, hard truths about life. This type of writing delves into the reader, forcing them to question the world around them. The realism of Literary Fiction leaves readers with a sense of depth and exploration.
Which is better? There’s no answer to that. You can snub one or the other, and stick your nose up all you want, but it boils down to personal preference. I urge everyone to try both with an open mind. Because, truly, I think we all need a little of both in our lives. I read and write mostly Commercial stuff, but I’ve been through several Literary book phases, and those stories have stuck with me. I feel intelligent and contemplative when I finish something Literary and realize I “got it”! But I feel sexy, humored, and joyful at a happy ending in a piece of Commercial Fiction.
Friends, I beg you not to shred books online for being one or the other. They are different for a reason. You may think Literary Fiction is a dead bore, or Commercial Fiction is mindless smut, but the world needs both. Life is about diversity and choice, is it not? We have to read and write what’s on our hearts. Don’t feel bad about your preference and please don’t put others down for theirs.
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