A Bittersweet Good-Bye

A lot happened for me in 2013: I got an agent (yay!), I got a book deal for Becoming Jinn and its sequel, Circle of Jinn (double yay!), and I started revisions with an editor for the first time. I also joined the YAtopia community in September of that year. Sharing my journey to publication with the readers and fellow bloggers at YAtopia has been a privilege—and a blast.

With 2015 came even more excellent stuff: Becoming Jinn’s launch (ah!), finishing up Circle of Jinn (woo-hoo!), and a long period of promotion—events, festivals, writing workshops, giveaways, the Read Local campaign, and more. Marketing is a full-time job, as I quickly learned.

The one thing 2015 hasn’t been for me is a very strong writing year. Marketing and writing at the same time became near impossible for me. Switching hats was less the problem than not having enough heads…meaning I just haven’t had a lot of time to dedicate to writing. While I did manage to write and finish a first draft of something I’m very excited about, I haven’t been able to dig into revisions.

Since 2016 also hold’s a book release with Circle of Jinn coming out on May 17, I knew it was time to make a decision, and that was to start finding more time. Unless Hermione was going to let me borrow her time turner, the only way to do that was to start easing things off my plate. It’s with a heavy heart and reluctant fingers on keyboard that I am announcing my decision to step down from the YAtopia blog.

But here’s a hidden truth: I love blogging! Some of my favorite posts have been on this blog. From my series on novel planning to my posts on finding your writing voice, to my favorite marketing campaign to date. I am sure I will miss it.

Thankfully the kind folks at YAtopia have agreed to let me swing by for guest posts. But I’ll also be blogging on my own Web site once in a blue moon, and the best way to see those posts is to sign up for my newsletter, which comes out every one to two months. It has writing advice, book news, event updates, giveaways, and critique opportunities. I’ll be giving away some preorders of Circle of Jinn exclusively for newsletter followers in the new year.

Another good thing about making some changes is that I’m also now able to do more freelance editing. My roots are in copyediting, and I offer both copyediting and manuscript consulting for all genres. I have query/submission packages as well as marketing consultation services. The number of projects I can take on will be limited, so if you are interested, best to hit me up soon to schedule! I have a particular love for query critiques and have given many away over the past couple of years, especially around Pitch Wars, and most of those folks have found great success (triple yay!). As always, if you buy a new copy of Becoming Jinn or preorder a copy of Circle of Jinn and e-mail the receipt to summerofjinn@icloud.com, you get a free query or first page critique!

A huge thank you to the YAtopia community—my fellow bloggers and all of you readers. I’d love to stay connected, so please follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, my newsletter, or in person (though if you follow in person, please don't be creepy about it....)! And you can add Becoming Jinn and Circle of Jinn to Goodreads too!

One last shout-out: My debut group, the Freshman Fifteens, will be doing a special end of year giveaway. Be sure to follow me and the group on Twitter to see what we’re cooking up!

See you next time as a special guest!

Happy Holidays and Happy Writing to all!

Best,
Lori

Lori Goldstein is the author of Becoming Jinn (Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, now available!, sequel, Circle of Jinn, May 17, 2016, available for preorder). With a degree in journalism and more than 10 years of experience, Lori is a freelance copyeditor and manuscript consultant for all genres. She focuses on the nitty-gritty, letting writers focus on the writing.

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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.

New YAtopian: Fiona McLaren

It is with great excitement and happiness that I announce a new addition to our YAtopian family: Fiona McLaren! Fiona will be posting on the 10th of every month. Please give her a warm YAtopian welcome!

Bio


“Odd ball”, “the quirky one” or “black sheep” are all badges author Fiona McLaren wears with pride.  She is always looking for unique perspectives on common knowledge and loves to dig into history, myths, culture and science, or any mixture thereof.  A passionate horse woman, she owns two beautiful horses and a German Shepherd, all of whom are known as her misplaced children.

Throughout her formative years, Fiona could often be found scribbling away in notepads, reading Encyclopedias or inventing things from toilet roll tubes and macaroni.  Needless to say, her creative talents have now progressed into more literary endeavors.

She is a passionate writer, critique partner and animal lover.  She divides her time between the wind-torn hills of her Scottish home, and her love-affair with the sun-filled island of Cyprus.

Fiona is represented for her YA Contemporary and her YA Gothic Horror by Jamie Bodnar Drowley of Inklings Literary Agency.

Twitter * Blog * Facebook

Interview


Sarah: Which book do you wish you had written?  

Fiona: I wish I had written Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma.  It is just so evocative and looks at some tough issues in a touching way.

Sarah: Describe yourself in three words 

Fiona: Committed, stubborn, hard working.

Sarah: What is your biggest pet peeve?

Fiona: Being ignored!

Sarah: Team Edward or Team Jacob 

Fiona: Jacob all the way!  It's all about the heart!

Sarah: If you could be a Disney character, who would you be? 

Fiona: I think I'd be a boy character - most likely Aladdin!

Look out next month for Fiona's first official post as a YAtopian and make sure to welcome her in the comments below! All of us at YAtopia are so excited to have her on board!

Can I have your attention please?

I am thrilled to announce that YAtopian Nyrae Dawn and co-writer (and long-term citizen of YAtopia) Jolene Perry have sold their book Misplaced to Entangled Publishing!!

Check out Nyrae's post for full details.

2011 Wrap-Up, Anniversary, and 2012 Changes

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 6^th.  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 2^nd 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 9^th.

Leigh Fallon’s YA paranormal romance, CARRIER OF THE MARK, was a BEA Buzz Book, and became available October 4^th, 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 2^nd 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 1^st, 2012. I (sorry, it’s weird to talk about myself in 3^rd 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:

Date - Blogger

1^st - Wendy Higgins

4^th - D.J. DeSmyter

8^th - Leigh Fallon

12^th - Kelley York

16^th - Chanelle Gray

20^th - Sharon Johnston

24^th - Sarah Nicolas

28^th - Kelley Vitollo

Please join us on January 25th for a chance to pitch to editors from Entangled Publishing!
Thank you for your support this first year! We love you!

Hugs, Wendy

Today is the release date of Kelley's Hushed!!

One of our awesome Yatopians has a book birthday today. Kelley York, author of Hushed is freaking out right now, and rightly so. Release day is a big dollop of excitement mixed with a side of fear.  But fear not, Kelley, Hushed is fantastic. CHECK IT OUT, GUYS!

You can buy the awesome Hushed at Barnes & Noble and Amazon! Go get your copy now.

Congrats, Kelley!

Congratulations Chanelle!

I interrupt your regularly scheduled blogging to bring you this important update:

Our very own Chanelle Gray has sold her novel, My Heart Be Damned, to be published, tentatively, in the Fall of 2012 by kNight Romance.

 *TOSSES CONFETTI*

Here is the PM announcement:

Chanelle Gray's MY HEART BE DAMNED, about a young woman trapped in a supernatural grudge who must, against her will, hunt Damned souls on earth while keeping her friends, passing math, and fighting a growing attraction to a mysterious boy who may be the only one who can help her… or the only one who can kill her, to Tracey Mitchell at kNight Romance romance, by Victoria Marini at Gelfman Schneider.


Head on over to Chanelle's blog and congratulate her! You can also add her book to your Goodreads shelf!

WINNERS and NEW COVER!

I'm in a great mood today. Why, you ask? Because I have two fun-fun things to share. I know we normally don't have Wednesday posts, but I couldn't wait!

First things first, we have our lovely winners from the pitch contest for Vickie Motter. You will be getting an email with instructions, so please hang tight!


Runners Up:
Mark, Aetherstorm
Esther, Sunkist Sodas and Sexy Underwear
Michelle, The World that does not Bow
MarcyKate, Confessions of a Teenage Cyborg

And (drumroll please), our winner:
Pam, No Longer My World

When 17-year-old Kimmy is kidnapped by rebels, she finds her loyalty for the alien invaders that raised her and her love for the leader’s son tested as she realizes the perfect new world order might not be as it seems. Human girls are dying because of an alien government experiment run by her adopted father and it becomes clear Kimmy is the only one who can solve the problem. But which race will she choose to save: the aliens that rescued the Earth from destruction or what remains of the humans that caused it?

Again, for the runners up and the winner, you'll be getting an email soon.

Thank you to everyone who participated!



Second, something near and dear to my heart...Entangled's darling and talented cover artist has presented me with the most gorgeous cover for HUSHED.

He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her.

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.

Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.

Love it?? I do!

Release day is December 6th, 2011, but you'll have chances to win ARCs well before then. Keep an eye on YAtopia and my personal blog for more info. Until then, you can mosey on over to GoodReads and add it. :)

Oh My Gosh, You Guys! Guess What???

I’m getting published! For real, for real! As of Thursday, I can finally say that. Do you know what it’s like to keep exciting news to yourself for nearly a year? Let me tell you. It’s hard.

Ten months ago I was contacted by an editor at HarperCollins Publishing about my book, Sweet Evil (titled Angel Prophecy at the time). The editor had read my manuscript after making it to the top five on inkpop.com, a website run by HarperCollins, geared toward readers and writers of Young Adult Literature.

When I was contacted, nobody told me not to say anything. My first instinct was to sprint to the inkpop forums and cyber-scream, “OhMyGoshYouGuys!GuessWhat???” but something told me I better not. Possibly the fact that there was no contract offered at that point…and how embarrassing would that have been? I told a couple of very close writer friends who’d beta read my story at several stages, and I knew I could trust them with my secret. When the offer did come, it came with the request to keep quiet until they decided on an opportune time to announce, and I respected that. But in the meantime, something funny happened. I met Leigh Fallon.

I was invited by Kelley Vitollo to start a group blog, our own YAtopia. While brainstorming other possible contributors, we knew Sharon Johnston and Leigh Fallon were active on their own personal blogs, and they both agreed to join. We did the cursory get-to-know you questions, and I noticed Leigh’s statements about her status in the publication process were very vague. We knew she’d had an agent for some time, and she claimed to have “promising prospects,” *wink, wink*, which was exactly what I was telling people. I knew from buzz on inkpop, and an offhand comment from my editor, that there was an inkpop book acquisitioned before mine. So, naturally, I became suspicious and put on my hound dog nose to snoop.

After some back and forth emails, without ever mentioning inkpop or HarperCollins, Leigh Fallon and I totally figured one another out! We were like giddy school girls at that point. Finally, we weren’t alone! We had someone who could truly understand how it felt to be in that silent debut author place. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but agents and editors simply don’t have time to coddle new authors and give us constant updates and reassurances. Leigh came along at the exact time when I really needed a big sister to hold my hand and walk with me. Because, as strange as it might sound, achieving such a far-fetched dream is a scary place to be. And earning publication through a non-traditional means makes it even more frightening.

I had not expected my insecurities as a writer to increase after getting a contract. There are so many things I didn’t anticipate about the publishing world. Maybe someday I’ll expand, but for now I just want to thank Leigh for graciously answering countless questions, making me laugh, and being a strong sounding board these past six months. I would say it was a crazy coincidence that she and I met through this blog while we were both under a gag-order, but after so many “coincidences” in my life, I’ve stopped believing in them. J

(My apologies if I don't respond to your comments until late in the day. I'm traveling from Texas to Virginia today.)

Big news and reviews!

This year is flying by. Seriously? It's already June? That means YAtopia has been up and kicking for six months now.

Today I have three things to share, including a mini-review:

1. Our own DJ DeSmyter has his first ARCs of his book, HUNTED, out and about! I was fortunate enough to land one and able to post a review on my personal blog. To summarize:

Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Lily Atwater has always kept to herself, living a lonely life with her workaholic dad. Not the most thrilling life, but it's quiet and ordinary, two things she's come to expect from living in Victor Hills, Michigan.

When kind and mysterious Alex takes refuge in her home, she is suddenly thrown into his world of were-wolves, a world he wants to keep her safe from. But while the two of them grow closer, a relentless hunter continues his search, stalking the woods with hopes of catching the wolf that got away...

The strength in HUNTED really lies in the characters and their interactions and relationships. Lily was a refreshing female MC. Down to Earth and sweet, but not without her flaws. Alex was the same. It was great to have a good, sweet boy as opposed to the typical bad-boy that has grown pretty common in YA these days. I was rooting for them the whole way, and that's not always something I can do!

For the full review, click here!



2. Speaking of my personal blog, I've relocated from Blogspot over to Livejournal. Anyone using GoogleReader or something similar can simply subscribe to it for continued updates. I hope some of you will drop by and say hello over at my blog's new location. I'll be having a giveaway sometime in the next two weeks, so keep your eyes peeled.



3. I'm exceptionally excited and pleased to announce that my book, HUSHED, has been picked up by Entangled Publishing and will be on shelves this coming winter!





There are no words for how ecstatic (and terrified) I am! Everyone at Entangled has been welcoming and kind, and I look forward to working with them in the coming months.


And, lastly, this week's mini-review!

WARM BODIES by Isaac Marion
R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, noidentity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.

After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and stragely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.

Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead, and the blurry line in between.

I've always loved any books dealing with zombies (hello, THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH?), but WARM BODIES wasn't exactly your typical horror zombie novel. It puts a zombie as not only the main character, but a sympathetic protagonist and the 1st-person narrator. Not to mention, romance? I was really uncertain about this one, but it was the first e-book I purchased on my new Nook and I wasn't about to let it go to waste.

This book? Absolutely. Amazing. Gorgeous writing and not at all the type of book I thought it would be. Yes, some moments were uncomfortable and squicky, but "R" made the most charming narrator. Marion's writing style is fluid and, at times, poetic without being overwhelming and burying the plot. I can honestly think of no complaints with this book in any way and it is not only one of my all-time faves now, but one I'm already wanting to go back and re-read.


Have a great beginning-of-June, everyone!

The Carrier of the Mark

Yes, you've probably heard it already, The Carrier of the Mark is being published by HarperTeen.  This is a super exciting time for me.  I've been keeping this under my hat for nine months and now I'm finally allowed shout it from the roof tops. Woohoo!

Here is is guys, I give you my baby.

I love this cover so much it's hard to express it in words.  But the cover really tells the story, and I can't wait to share that story with you.  It will be on the shelves in fall 2011! Eeek.

I'll be doing a more in depth chat with Wendy tomorrow, giving you the lowdown on my story, so be sure to tune in tomorrow.

And here are a few links for you to have a gander at in the mean time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/books/28arts-WEBBOOKMOVES_BRF.html?src=twr 

http://du103w.dub103.mail.live.com/default.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0

http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/lunch/

http://inkpop.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/harpercollins-publishing-inkpop-book-letter-from-the-author-2/

http://inkpop.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/harpercollins-to-publish-book-found-on-inkpop/

http://iwriteya.blogspot.com/2011/01/awesome-news.html

http://empressawesome.blogspot.com/

http://www.storiesandsweeties.com/2011/01/harperteen-publishes-book-from-inkpop.html

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/press/teen-writing-site-inkpop,1632963.html

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgsfdx_leigh-fallon-author-of-carrier-of-the-mark_shortfilms