tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49911928180607835372024-03-14T14:45:14.924-04:00Ramblings of a YA authorBlogging home of Julie Particka ~*~ Author of speculative young adult fiction ~*~ Climbing out of Hell one fight at a timeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-55483159947935121862014-10-01T15:59:00.000-04:002014-10-01T15:59:05.595-04:00No longer blogging weeklyFor those of you who haven't noticed, I've quit blogging here on any sort of regular basis. In fact, I've decided to limit my blogging to guest spots and blog tours.<br />
<br />
I'm sure some of you will be upset by this, but I truly believe it's better for me to focus on the books than on blogging.<br />
<br />
However, I am still available via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & Tumblr, as well as my street team, The Renegades. Hope to see you one of those places!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-62826368651253493392014-05-04T22:21:00.002-04:002014-05-05T11:15:58.244-04:00My Writing What?I was tagged by the lovely <a href="http://tenminutemissive.com/2014/04/28/the-peaks-and-valleys-of-writing/">Kristina L. Martin</a> for this little tour about writing processes.<br />
<br />
I'm going to admit, my post is going to be much more "just the facts, ma'am" than hers. Mainly because I've gotten swallowed up by edits and RT planning, but also because I'm a pretty simple girl who doesn't like to get overly wordy.<br />
<br />
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1399254868710_1283" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">1) What am I working on?</span><br />
This is kind of a weird question because there are two of me and I'm not entirely sure at the moment which me is publishing the book I'm editing. (A decision should be made by the end of the month.) So I'm just going to answer for BOTH of me. Right now I'm editing a novel for Entangled's Brazen line. It's tentatively called <i>My Fiance, the Hero</i> and it's about a divorcee and a movie star. Fun times are had by all (after all, it's a Brazen :P ). In addition, Seleste has <i>Agents of TRAIT 3: Fighting for Keeps</i> in the midst of edits (I believe that one is slated for June). AND Julie is working on an outline for a follow-up to <i>Fall with Me</i>. It's kind of a busy time right now, but busy is good.<br />
<br style="background-color: white;" />
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1399254868710_1271" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?</span><br />
Uh... I hate this question. I'm sexier than some, not as sexy as others. My stuff is snarky as hell, so depending on which of the sub-genres we're talking, that's either different or completely ordinary. I don't write to try to be different than other people, I write to be me. So you get a lot of me in my books, and no one else can give you that.<br />
<br style="background-color: white;" />
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1399254868710_1273" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">3) Why do I write what I do?</span><br />
I write what I do for a lot of reasons. One of the key ones is that I like to stretch different writing muscles. I don't want to just write one thing all the time. I need the shake up offered between contemporary romance and the spy stuff and then I might hop over and see how my vampires are faring. I also tend to fall in love with my characters. They're what drives me to complete a story (or start one for that matter.) So I write for them, to get their stories onto the page to share with others. (Yes, I know they aren't "real," but that's beside the point :P Also, no, I'm not crazy. At least not that kind of crazy.)<br />
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1399254868710_1275" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">4) How does my writing process work?</span><br />
I don't take time off well, so I tend to work on SOMETHING every day for at least a little while. Right now it's editing which is a totally different animal for me than drafting. I actually love editing in general. I love seeing something rough transition into the final product. (I imagine it's a little like cutting and polishing gemstones.) But it's a slower, more tedious process too. Right now I'm on "two chapters a night" as an editing goal. Some nights things go more smoothly than others, so I'll get more done. Other nights...<br />
<br />
When I'm drafting though, I aim for 2500 words a day. That's more than some authors, less than others, but I figure 10 pages is a solid amount of work. I believe the most I ever wrote in a day was something like 12,000 words. My eyes felt like they were bleeding by the time I was done. I really don't recommend that.<br />
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I prefer to work at night in near darkness. Without the extra lights on, I'm less distracted by all the other things around me that need doing. Also, less distracted by my own reality as opposed to the fantasy I'm spinning. I love to have a cocktail when I write, but I don't do that very often anymore--usually I stick to water or tea (spicy rooibos) these days. I'm actually pretty boring in this regard, and I've been known to occasionally make up something outrageous when interviewers ask about weird things I do when drafting since I don't really have anything weird.<br />
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That's it. That's me in four questions or less. Now I need to get back to those edits I was talking about. And from here, I nominate the following <strike>victims</strike>...er authors to give you a peek into their writing worlds next week (please check out their sites and books!):<br />
<a href="http://margobondcollins.com/">Margo Bond Collins</a><br />
<a href="http://jodiegriffin.com/">Jodie Griffin</a><br />
<a href="http://damonstewartpren.wordpress.com/">Damon Stewart Pren</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-25185752418443733622014-04-28T00:01:00.000-04:002014-04-28T14:05:47.038-04:00It's Here!<div style="text-align: center;">
It's midnight, and you know what that means? <i>Fall with Me </i>is out! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*happy dance*</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*muppet flails*</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieDJe9xAshel3csDiQ4kDR5UZkaF-RZJ2Y8QdEiOhrU4g15gNKHpQK616X0rsYSI6DRpiFjFRNUVDIV8dsdae4iLTaD6Belf_OvgO7HpZxt1sF-6VnHOg8L__Lw2uGM_jAnHyj61U90em/s1600/FallwithMe_1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieDJe9xAshel3csDiQ4kDR5UZkaF-RZJ2Y8QdEiOhrU4g15gNKHpQK616X0rsYSI6DRpiFjFRNUVDIV8dsdae4iLTaD6Belf_OvgO7HpZxt1sF-6VnHOg8L__Lw2uGM_jAnHyj61U90em/s1600/FallwithMe_1600.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Since I know you all want to get your copies immediately (especially since the 99 cent price is limited time only), here are a whole bunch of links to help you on your way:<br />
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Amazon US<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fall-With-Me-Entangled-Embrace-ebook/dp/B00JI0KE90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398613975&sr=8-1&keywords=fall+with+me">Amazon UK</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Fall-Entangled-Embrace-Julie-Particka-ebook/dp/B00JI0KE90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398614068&sr=8-1&keywords=fall+with+me">Amazon CA</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.de/Fall-With-Me-Entangled-Embrace-ebook/dp/B00JI0KE90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398614012&sr=8-1&keywords=julie+particka">Amazon DE</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.it/Fall-With-Me-Entangled-Embrace-ebook/dp/B00JI0KE90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398614045&sr=8-1&keywords=julie+particka">Amazon IT</a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fall-with-me-julie-particka/1119127243?ean=9781622665549">Nook US</a><br />
Nook UK<br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/dk/book/fall-with-me/id856962194?mt=11">iBooks</a><br />
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Julie_Particka_Fall_With_Me?id=JGBGAwAAQBAJ">Googleplay</a><br />
<a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/fall-with-me">Kobo</a><br />
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I think that just about covers the main e-railers.<br />
<br />
Also, for those of you who <i>haven't </i>joined my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1436569696586354/">street team</a> yet (and why not?)... I'm holding a special contest this week for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1436569696586354/">Particka Gang</a>, but you have to join to play.<br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;">FIND SUTTON!</span></i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;">Here's the deal. You know my character model for Sutton, and you've (hopefully) read the book. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to find me a real life Sutton and share his picture with the gang. No old year book photos, I want this to be someone you know or randomly find. The shot can be clandestine or posed. (The "best" of the bunch will be chosen--by someone other than me--for a $5 gift card.)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;">There is also a second $5 gift card up for grabs in a random draw--details on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1436569696586354/">street team</a>. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;">I'm also doing another </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 15px;">something</span><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;"> special with the team, but it's only being announced there today. It involves tattoos. :P </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;">Also, don't forget to </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 15px;">attend the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/324122217739166/">Entangled Embrace Spring Break Blast</a> with me, Tessa Bailey, Erin Butler, and Reese Monroe! Yes, you guessed it, even more prizes there. Also shenanigans :) </span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVo2ajpBxhyjwM0Wvxl74WkqMTRIyCU6QxeQIn1GfZ7sdF2nnq7CQ1fwF7XiwzzqzoZUEvex5oqB4yxCvaPjVSjXkGxLWEtQ-fHV9tLs0IaxJMxdHxVq8jV6iJArcjiBtG3y3X2DU0qx95/s1600/spring+break+blast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVo2ajpBxhyjwM0Wvxl74WkqMTRIyCU6QxeQIn1GfZ7sdF2nnq7CQ1fwF7XiwzzqzoZUEvex5oqB4yxCvaPjVSjXkGxLWEtQ-fHV9tLs0IaxJMxdHxVq8jV6iJArcjiBtG3y3X2DU0qx95/s1600/spring+break+blast.jpg" height="146" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;">Finall, in case you missed it, here are the dates/locations for my blog tour the next two weeks (and more prizes!):</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;"><br /></span></span></span>
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<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-spacing: 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #373737; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 1.625em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 584px;"><colgroup><col width="49"></col><col width="18"></col><col width="198"></col><col width="19"></col><col width="76"></col></colgroup><tbody style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Apr 30</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.bookcrastinators.com/">Bookcrastinators</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Apr 30</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://myreadingroom-crystal.blogspot.com/">My Reading Room</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 1</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://thelustyliterate.com/">The Lusty Literate</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 1</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://a-reader-lives-a-thousand-lives.blogspot.co.uk/">Trips Down Imagination Road</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 2</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.lisalovesbooks@wordpress.com/">Lisa Loves Books</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 2</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://booklunaticramblings.blogspot.com/">Ramblings of a Book Lunatic</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 5</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com/">Manga Maniac Cafe</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 5</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://kimberlyfayereads.com/">kimberlyfaye reads</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 6</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.bookangelbooktopia.com/">Book Angel Booktopia</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 6</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://beckymmoe.com/">Becky on Books</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 7</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://talkingbooksblog.net/">Talking Books Blog</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 7</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://yougottaread.com/">You Gotta Read Reviews</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 8</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://sizzlinghotyabooks.com/">Sizzling Hot YA Books</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 8</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://ramblingsofaquirkyslightlymadjournalist.wordpress.com/">Ramblings of a quirky, slightly mad journalist…</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 9</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.bookpurses.blogspot.com/">Book Purses & Reviews</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 9</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://lauries-interviews.blogspot.com/">Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">May 9</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://inthenameofbooks.blogspot.com/">Nerissa Luna</a></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </td></tr>
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</td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px; line-height: 15.833333015441895px;"><br /></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-64330657826224800292014-04-13T18:58:00.002-04:002014-04-14T01:16:13.183-04:00Is This Thing On?*taps mic*<br />
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Apologies. One really shouldn't sell a book and then leave their blog dormant. That's totally bad juju.</div>
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But I am back and for those of you who have been waiting for news (but haven't been following on Twitter or Facebook), I have a book coming out in TWO WEEKS! </div>
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That's right, my first new adult novel, <i>Fall with Me</i>, is releasing with Entangled Publishing's Embrace line. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTjjIC2_qNN7L3BG5jjTB5AinogCdWwptqIaHTWLSWGnoir11bpN-EgnXOWw_HuSIgGpL-vZB_HiKJ7FGHiIcnL7TUpmU71LQrWx5bNP1vp3A6eLs53YRzRpu18t6Nd4Apz_QDitNN373/s1600/FallwithMe_1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTjjIC2_qNN7L3BG5jjTB5AinogCdWwptqIaHTWLSWGnoir11bpN-EgnXOWw_HuSIgGpL-vZB_HiKJ7FGHiIcnL7TUpmU71LQrWx5bNP1vp3A6eLs53YRzRpu18t6Nd4Apz_QDitNN373/s1600/FallwithMe_1600.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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<i><b>In the game of love…</b></i>Dumped by her college boyfriend for her best friend, the last thing Jenna Brandt needs to deal with is working beside her backstabbing-BFF's hotter-than-hot brother. But when he offers her a chance to get some revenge on her ex, she can hardly say no--even if spending more time with Sutton puts her heart in jeopardy all over again.<br />
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Someone's going to get hurt…</b></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sutton Bell has had a thing for Jenna since they were in high school, but after one screwed-up night, she didn’t want anything to do with him. Now, with just the summer before he leaves to begin his new career, Sutton’s determined to convince Jenna he’s not the player he used to be. But saving his sister from making an awful mistake may mean losing Jenna for good.</span></blockquote>
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
NOTE: </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Fall with Me </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">is new adult, not YA. It is much sexier than </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Pretty Souls</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">, so be aware of that if you are one of my younger readers.
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I'm really excited about this book, so I hope you'll check it out:</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21856853-fall-with-me">Goodreads</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fall-With-Me-Entangled-Embrace-ebook/dp/B00JI0KE90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397429637&sr=8-1&keywords=fall+with+me+Embrace">Amazon</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fall-with-me-julie-particka/1119127243?ean=9781622665549">Barnes & Noble</a></div>
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<a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/books/fall-with-me/5Po5dapL3E6lgC-RkW5xPg?MixID=5Po5dapL3E6lgC-RkW5xPg&PageNumber=1">Kobo</a></div>
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/fall-with-me/id856962194?mt=11">iTunes</a></div>
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I've also revamped the <a href="http://julieparticka.com/">website</a> and have created a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1436569696586354/">street team</a> for all things related to my books. Please check out the site and send a request to join the street team if you are so interested. I give advance peeks and ARCs and such there. Plus, we have cupcakes. ;-) </div>
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I'll be updating with blog tour dates as soon as I have them!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-40622390819493798892013-10-02T20:48:00.000-04:002013-10-02T20:48:21.661-04:00I'm BaaaackkkkkI know I've been away for a while. Life had me backed into a corner where I spent a lot of time hugging myself and rocking.<br />
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Okay, it wasn't that bad, but life did get the best of me over the summer. Got a divorce, moved across the state, did my best to get a new house in order that was determined to fall apart on me. Fun times. Now things are finally settling in and I've managed to bust out some work.<br />
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Yes, people, when I said I'm back, I didn't just mean blogging-wise. I submitted a new story today. New adult, so a little different than what you're used to from this me. AND as soon as I have time I'm going to finish the revise and resub on Dragons Don't Dance (which is also shifting to new adult). As for the PRT, as soon as I have news to share, I will. Right now, it's still in a holding pattern.<br />
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So, that's it for now. I am hoping to blog a bit more often now that balls are rolling and I'm juggling both personas again. It's probably going to be pretty intermittent though.<br />
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But yay! I'm back! *happy dances* Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-15737530534409806052013-06-07T13:10:00.002-04:002013-06-07T13:10:27.098-04:00Not HappeningSo, adult-me has a release on Monday, and I'm neck deep in blog tour and writing and revisions. To that end, no real blog this time. Instead, I'll share with you the song that someone asked if they could have video of me singing.<br />
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The answer was no :P<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eVLzBb7B1Z0" width="420"></iframe>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-29062287177075220322013-05-09T00:09:00.000-04:002013-05-09T00:09:00.310-04:00RT FTW!Okay, I <i>might </i>have a bit of an unhealthy love for acronyms. But I'm sure it's not a problem with any of you.<br />
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So...as some of you may know, I was at the Romantic Times Booklovers' Convention last week (RT for short). RT is always an interesting trip because you can never be quite sure who you're going to meet or what opportunities are going to be presented to you.<br />
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One thing I <i>did</i> know going in was that I would meet a bunch of the people from Entangled Publishing since they signed quite a bit of my adult stuff recently. And boy, did I! RT is one of those places where it sucks to have a brain like mine, because I will remember your face <i>forever</i>, but I have a horrible time with names. Anyway, I digress...<br />
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On the last day of RT, I was having lunch with a certain YA author, and this anthology idea came up. We talked about it and tweaked it and apparently we're going to try to make the thing happen. I'm <i>beyond</i> excited, not only for the opportunity to work with her but also for the chance to re-awaken this me. It's been too long since I've actively done anything that wasn't adult. I <i>miss</i> YA like crazy. So, keep your fingers crossed!<br />
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In the meantime, I have adult books to write and a house to sell and all sorts of craziness to participate in. I promise to keep you posted on any and all YA news I have to share though!<br />
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*happy post-con hugs all around*Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-62049348726173726952013-04-11T00:01:00.000-04:002013-04-11T00:01:00.689-04:00Kids and CopingMy kids' lives are in upheaval right now. For starters, we're moving in a few months. They're leaving all their friends and school and everything behind to move to a smaller, older house...closer to cousins, but that's about it as far as they're concerned. They're also dealing with the fact that my father is going through chemotherapy right now, and while my son knows what cancer is, he doesn't really "get it." And there are other things in the mix too. As I was told recently, we're dealing with like three of the top ten stressors a person can go through in their life.<br />
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And my kids are, so far, taking it all in stride. There have been some questions, of course, but I think the answers to the ones they've asked have helped them to understand some of the ones they didn't know how to ask. The best part though? They are <i>excited</i> about the move and new bedrooms and decorating and swimming at their aunt's this summer.<br />
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That right there is something that I often feel is missing from books about kids/teens. Yes, some kids will kick and scream and gnash their teeth at any change, but others...roll with the punches better than anyone could ever expect. And I say that as the mother of an autistic child--you know, the kid who isn't supposed to deal with change...at all.<br />
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The difficult thing is on the odd occasion I see kids like that in books, they aren't consistent. Harry is fine with being a wizard, but is shocked at the moving staircases. Whereas the kids who have always known about Hogwarts oooed and ahhhed the staircases too. One of my editors spoke to me recently about her biggest pet peeve, and it's basically that--when a character does something that goes against all the character building done up to the moment of the scene. Consistency is important to readers because even when people act differently than normal, it's usually still within the realm of their nature.<br />
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As for my kids and how they're dealing? I was happily surprised that it wasn't a moment that when against their character. They've always been the type to look for and find silver linings. I think with all the dark this time, fictional characters had prepared me for mine to lose that ability. I thank my lucky stars that didn't happen.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-83286997524072865572013-03-07T00:41:00.000-05:002013-03-07T00:41:00.400-05:00Age Group JumpingThere are two of me. One writes adult and the other writes YA/NA. There's a simple reason why I write all three. I am an adult (and quite frankly, that stuff sells better digitally) and I loved high school and college. That was a great age for me, so I'm drawn to writing it.<br />
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Much to my children's sorrow, I will not write middle grade or chapter books. It's not anything weird like a lack of respect for the genre. I am HUGELY appreciative of those categories because <i>those are the books that make lifelong readers</i>. Problem is, I didn't come into my own until high school, and I don't look back on the earlier years with any fondness. If someone said to me "Hey, we're going to make you twelve again and you can live your whole life over!" My response would be "No thanks, I'd rather choke on my own panicked vomit and die." Plus, quite honestly, I don't have the right voice for it.<br />
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There are people who can bridge from picture books all the way to adult and do it all well, but they are few and far between. It always makes me shake my head when I see writer friends/acquaintances who seem to jump on whatever the "it" genre is.<br />
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"MG is hot? I'm going to write that!"<br />
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"NA is the new thing. Sign me up."<br />
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Now, anyone who knows me knows I'm all about trying new things and stretching as a writer, but if the reason you're doing it is because it's popular, you're doing it for the <i>wrong reasons</i>. It's like dating the captain of the football team in high school even though he's a misogynistic creep who never bothers to comb his hair or brush his teeth. Hey, he's still football captain. Hello...popular.<br />
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Hello... lame... stupid... ridiculous. (Pick an adjective.)<br />
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So is chasing the "it" genre. By all means, if it calls to your muse and fits your voice, have at it. But if you're just doing it because it's popular...<br />
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Do you know why I write (some) New Adult? Because I love writing YA, and some of my YA has always nudged into the college arena (I was told at the time it was unsellable). I also write adult, but I've been told I have a "youthful" adult voice. (Appropriate since Julie means youthful.) So that sweet spot for me? It's 16-25. Yes, I've written older characters, but that (even with my adult stuff) is where I like to sit. I'm just lucky enough that it crosses three genres. I have very little desire to branch out much further.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-48630705262240075662013-02-07T00:01:00.000-05:002013-02-07T00:01:01.372-05:00Young Adult...New Adult...Why Can't You Just Be an Adult?The last question in the title I won't even bother responding to beyond this. I am an adult. I'm just not a grown-up. The end.<br />
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As for the rest (I'm about to show just how much of an adult I am, by the way)...</div>
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When I was growing up, there was no such thing as young adult. Yep, that long ago. I <i>think</i> the <i>Sweet Valley High</i> books were just coming into popularity (maybe), but by the time you're in high school I'm not sure those really cut it for reading material anymore. The point of this is kids jumped from reading kids' books to reading adult books. Age-appopriate had no meaning because the best a teenage reader could do was sift through the books and hope to find characters somewhere near their age. (Either that or so foreign that age didn't matter--I think this is one reason so many of us gravitated to sic-fi/fantasy early on.) Truly, the only book I can recall reading that would still fall under the YA heading today is <i>The Outsiders</i>. </div>
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I'm sure when someone first suggested YA there was some industry backlash. Where will we shelve them? Teens don't have money for books. All sorts of reasons to fight against it. </div>
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Then somewhere, some brave publisher decided to give it a try. And the books sold. Maybe not like hotcakes, but they sold. Over time this led to <i>Harry Potter</i> madness, <i>Twilight </i>insanity, and a few other huge sellers. YA wasn't some void--it was big money! (I can't find hard numbers, but I believe I've seen where YA as a genre is second only to romance in sales.)</div>
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There's a simple reason for this. YA is about firsts. First kiss, first love, first time, first car (er...firsts not in any particular order). A <i>lot</i> of things happen for the first time during those high school years. (Yes, some happen earlier or later, but on average, it's high school.) There were very few books that addressed those things. Things teenagers generally don't want to talk to their parents about too much. Teens <i>needed</i> YA fiction. </div>
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And the crazy part? </div>
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Adults needed to go back. Adult sales account for a very large portion of the YA market. Yes, part of it is well-written characters and blah blah blah, but the bigger part is wanting to "re-live" that time in our lives. For some of us (I'm probably in the minority) who loved high school, reading YA brings back a lot of good memories about the crazy shit we did. For others (who weren't so fond of the time), reading YA gives them a different (perhaps better) experience than what they lived through. It's very similar to the way a lot of women will return to romance novels after a bad break up. It's a reminder that there's good stuff out there somewhere.</div>
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Now New Adult is going through that same question phase that YA did. Do we need it? Who will it sell to? Is it just erotica for teens? Do we really want that?</div>
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The questions make me want to bash my head through a wall. Remember how I talked about the way teens used to jump from kids' books straight to adult? The advent of YA solved that...but there's still a hole. People (generally) don't go straight from high school graduation to a career or marriage and kids. There's college or first jobs or struggling as you move out of your parents' house. From eighteen to about twenty-five, there's a gaping chasm in fiction. Sure, you can sometimes find protagonists in the age bracket, but they aren't that common <i>and</i> there's no definitive place to look for them <i>and</i> even having characters of the right age doesn't guarantee a book that deals with those issues that plague "new adults."</div>
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Let me say it up front: New Adult is not erotica with teenagers. Period. Full stop. Books that are erotica with teenagers are erotica. Period. Full stop. It would be a very rare plot that is both erotica and deals with those new adult issues. (I can think of one that does, but it's a sub-plot in an adult book, so it doesn't really apply.)</div>
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So what is New Adult?</div>
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Young Adult is about firsts, but New Adult is about leaving. It's about exiting childhood, leaving that safety net as well as the one represented by parents. It's also about self-discovery. Those years after you leave home are when most people start to figure out who <i>they </i>really are without the rules of school or the rules of their family home. It's about responsibility on a level they may never have had to deal with before. In short, they're about becoming an adult in everything except age. </div>
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Does that include sex? Maybe. Probably. So does life though. And it is different than teen sex and different than married (or almost-married) sex. Self-discovery, remember? So yes, New Adult books will likely be sexier than their YA counterparts. That does not, however, make them erotica or even erotic romance. It just means sexier. Sort of like the girls in the 60s movies who go to school in their proper below-the-knee skirts just to roll them up once they get there and show a little leg. Sex in YA is (usually) fade-to-black or minimal details. Sex in New Adult is going to be more open--it's going to show a little more leg as it were.</div>
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Every time New Adult comes up on Twitter, I see people saying "we don't need it." Sure. We didn't <i>need</i> YA either. Generations of readers got by without it. That doesn't mean readers (and publishing) aren't better off for having it. It's taken self-published New Adult hits for publishers to sit up and take notice. People, readers, <i>want</i> new adult. They want to build a bridge over that gaping hole between YA and adult so they don't have to try to catapult across it. </div>
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And here's a crazy thought. Maybe, just maybe reading about the pitfalls of that time in life will help a few people from making the same mistakes the previous generation (or two) did. I know. Books don't <i>ever</i> teach people <i>anything</i>. Right? </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-65441989205283296742013-01-02T23:20:00.001-05:002013-01-02T23:20:18.157-05:00New Year, New AttitudeI've been in a bit of a funk over the state of YA within digital publishing for a while now. Truth is, YA is tough to sell digitally as most teens don't read that way, which means they also don't look for books from the digital presses (even if they're available in print).<br />
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I know, I know, what about Amanda Hocking (and a few others)? Yes, the success stories exist, but they are still the exception, not the norm.<br />
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However, a couple publishers are changing the game and getting their books into stores (which makes a HUGE difference when selling to a teen audience). So, I'm working on finding my way into that niche. I have a couple projects that are definite maybes. In fact, one has received a revise and resubmit from one of those game-changers. That's definitely on the agenda for this year--as soon as I can get to it.<br />
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You have all been incredibly patient with me in waiting for the next PRT book, and I promise it WILL happen. It's written and just waiting for the stars to align. The hope is to have all five books out by the end of 2015. I know it's a long wait (believe me, I know), but I hope you'll stick around for it.<br />
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I also hope if that you'll keep your fingers crossed regarding the other project, and that you'll be willing to follow me to a different world. One filled with supernatural creatures and romance and adventure.<br />
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A number of shark species will drown if they stop swimming. I try to look at writing that way. Even if you don't see my fin cutting through the water, I'm still going. Sometimes the hunt for dinner just takes longer than others. <3Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-69240559276340137242012-12-06T00:07:00.000-05:002012-12-06T00:07:00.586-05:00Guest: J.A. Campbell and Summer Break Blues
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>Please welcome the brilliant and wonderful J.A. Campbell to the blog today. Her new release, <i>Summer Break Blues</i>, just came out and you should definitely pick up a copy ASAP! Read on and check out the vampire-y goodness :) </b></span></div>
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Thank you all for joining me in celebrating the book release
of my second young adult urban fantasy, Summer Break Blues. This is the sequel
to Senior Year Bites and picks up a few months after it left off with Meg’s
graduation from high school.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Vampires are dead… no one is reading them now… people have
moved on. That’s what you hear from the industry “professionals.” HAHAHAHAAH I
say. True Blood anyone? Vampire Diaries? Yep, we’ve moved on… into more
vampires. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQjqpmtr6quHt_8Snb5vI7tT2l8bgOSi41LcsY0SqfHa9MpNkPaQY2-glPgcYSPRUhWzBPPFArXJorQ4wYU9rBRklOTjwEO7yMgNXYROiINAsJnbdfPIpxm4ZoVtUcRSJ79_EnNWXYpCY/s1600/SBB_MD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQjqpmtr6quHt_8Snb5vI7tT2l8bgOSi41LcsY0SqfHa9MpNkPaQY2-glPgcYSPRUhWzBPPFArXJorQ4wYU9rBRklOTjwEO7yMgNXYROiINAsJnbdfPIpxm4ZoVtUcRSJ79_EnNWXYpCY/s320/SBB_MD.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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People have always had a fascination with vampires, from the
myths in the Balkins about vampire pumpkins, to almost every other culture that
has had some sort of blood drinking being. I don’t see that going away just
because a few professionals say so. Humans have been fascinated by the concept
for centuries. A few decades of “lots of vampire books,” certainly aren’t going
to change that. To me it has just added fuel to the interest.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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That being said, these days it seems like writing vampire
fiction as a newbie makes you look like you’re just jumping on the bandwagon.
Yep, that’s me… bandwagon girl… except I started writing vampire fiction back
in, oh… 2000 I think. Way back when the Anita Blake series was one of my
favorite reads and only a few of them were published. LKH and Kelley Armstrong
certainly inspired me in my love of Urban Fantasy, before it was a booming
genre, but I liked vampires before that too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I think, just like any other popular genre, there is room
for many more stories. Everyone has their own spin on things. Three of us at
Decadent just published young adult urban fantasies with vampires, werewolves
and all sorts of other supernatural creatures in them, and they are quite
different. And Decadent obviously thought there was room for all of our
stories. I agree.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What do you think? Are vampires dead? Or Undead as it were.
Do we have room for more stories?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Blurb:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meg managed to survive her senior year of high school as a
vampire, and now she’s looking forward to a relaxing summer with her friends
before trying to tackle college. Unfortunately, some unfinished business from
the previous year rears its ugly head and Meg is forced to deal with the Sidhe
who are distinctly unhappy that she killed one of their kind last winter. Then
Ann’s parents vanish while they are on their annual summer vacation in Maine
and it’s up to Meg and the rest of the gang to come to the rescue. Though she
is still trying to figure out who, and what she has become, Meg and her friends
feel they are up to the challenge. That is until things really start to fall apart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Buy Links: </div>
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<a href="http://bonobookstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&amp;cPath=5_79&amp;products_id=78&amp;zenid=8qansej9ibslabnnsdkal319r6">Bono Books</a>.<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Break-Clanless-Series-ebook/dp/B00A6IJ7CS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1352832280&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=summer+break+blues">Amazon</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Break-Clanless-Series-ebook/dp/B00A6IJ7CS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1352832312&amp;sr=8-2">Amazon UK</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summer-break-blues-ja-campbell/1113784454?ean=2940015859706">Barnes and Noble</a><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/254628">Smashwords</a><br /><a href="https://www.omnilit.com/product-summerbreakblues-997897-234.html">Omnilit</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Author Bio:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Julie writes
fantasy novels. When she’s not out riding her horse, she can usually be found
sitting in front of her computer with a cat on her lap and her dog at her</span></strong><b>
</b><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">side. <a href="http://www.writerjacampbell.com/">www.writerjacampbell.com</a>.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-38081285670128117662012-11-01T00:01:00.000-04:002012-11-01T00:01:00.525-04:00Ranty-pants Time: Adults of the World, You're the Grown UpsI know this is a blog for my young adult books, but I'm fairly certain a lot of parents read it too, so I hope the teens out there will forgive me for addressing the adults today. I think when I'm done, we can all agree it needs to be said, and said loudly.<br />
<br />
Yesterday, while poking around Facebook, I came upon a post from someone that kind of set me off. You see, this guy's birthday (he's in his late 40s) happens to fall on Halloween. Cool, right? It totally is, unless you're his teenage kid and dear old dad decides to throw himself a birthday party <i>on</i> Halloween night. The teenager (who apparently doesn't live with his dad) decided he'd rather spend the night with his own friends and the guy was pissed. After all, it was <i>his</i> birthday and having his new wife and kids at his party was "the only thing he wanted."<br />
<br />
Dude... grow up.<br />
<br />
I'm sorry, but just no. So many, many shades of no. You are an adult and obviously no one has informed you that the world stopped revolving around you sometime about your tenth birthday. You see, when you hit the pre-teen years (sometimes earlier), you are no longer a cute precocious little thing everyone feels the need to pander to. That's about the time when reality strikes and you have to share the world with everyone else who lives in it.<br />
<br />
The worst part is the dozen or so years of limbo in there where your brain says you're still the center of the universe but everyone else just laughs. It takes a while to come to terms with that, but in theory, it's supposed to happen around adulthood.<br />
<br />
So now you're an adult and your birthday falls on a major holiday? Great. Go to the bar and try to get free beer out of the deal. Otherwise, don't expect everyone else to drop their plans to pay homage to you. Now, if you're known for throwing kick-ass parties of epic proportions, you might be able to get your friends to schedule you in because "Hey! Grown-up time!" But if you're looking for your kids (more specifically, your <i>teenage kids</i>) to say "Of course I'd rather spend time at your place with all of your friends on one of the few holidays that aren't more or less required family participation..." Good luck.<br />
<br />
No, seriously. Good luck with that. If you have a fantastic relationship with your kids that you've nurtured since they were young, you might pull it off. Maybe. You have a better chance if you offer to include their friends so they aren't surrounded by "old people." (And don't trust that cousins or your friends' kids are going to be their friends. That's both arrogant and stupid. Get over it.) But your smarter move? That'd be to plan your party for a day other than your actual birthday/holiday. I know, I know, that's <i>your</i> day, but really, you can pretend you turn however old a day or two or even a week earlier or later. People will play along, I promise.<br />
<br />
If you can't do that, you obviously don't remember what it was like to be a kid (other than that whole world-revolves-around-me crap). For kids, and especially teenagers, friends are their life. They have school (that tells them what to do and think), they have home (where parents tell them what to do and think), and maybe a job (where someone tells them what to do and think). The <i>only</i> place they just get to be is with their friends. That's important. That's how people learn and grow as human beings. (More than once, my friends saved my life in high school. Yes, they are <i>that</i> important.) Also, never assume you know what's going on in your teen's life. Odds are, you don't. There might be a break-up on the horizon or a friend contemplating suicide or the possibility of finally getting a chance with the girl/boy who will end up their partner for life.<br />
<br />
There were comments from people saying the kid in question should have shown respect for his father by giving up the time with his friends blah blah blah. Personal opinion, in this instance the respect should have come from the adult and he should have talked to the kid about the fact that he wanted to do this party on a holiday. I'm pretty sure if said kid planned a date or party for say... Christmas or Thanksgiving, it wouldn't go over so well with the parents.<br />
<br />
Adults need to learn to both grow up and get over the I'm-the-center-of-the-universe mentality while at the same time remembering what it was like to be young. You have to be an adult without being so old that you're out of touch. It's a sucky job, but it's what we take on when we become parents. It's kind of funny that for those first ten years or so when a parent allows their kid to be the center of the world, they are helping to build the kind of person the kid will become. Those next dozen or so years? That's when the kid becomes their own person. That's a battle parents fight at their own peril because <i>every</i> choice they make (or force on their kid) has consequences and shapes the landscape of their parent-child relationship when that kid becomes an adult and has children of their own.<br />
<br />
So parents, please <i>help</i> your teen become their own person. Encourage them to make thoughtful choices, but don't condemn them when you disagree. Be the adult. Be the guide. And be wise enough to understand they might not always do what you want and <i>that's okay</i> because they <i>aren't you</i>. Also? If it turns out they were wrong and their choice bites them in the ass, be there to help them pick up the pieces. It might mean that next time they'll listen closer to you. And if they don't... it's still okay.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Note: A message from the person in question said the teen had a voice in when the party happened, so that is an issue within this other stuff. However, the point of the post remains the same with regard to dealing with teenagers as the adult parent. Sometimes being the grown up sucks. Sometimes being the teen sucks. Sometimes they suck together. Life's messed like that.*<br />
Also, to those of you doing NaNoWriMo this month, I wish you words of awesomeness :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-52623432090141672682012-10-10T21:23:00.001-04:002012-10-10T21:23:06.612-04:00First Thursday, Second Thursday... I Miss YAThe new schedule kind of threw me and I missed blogging last week. Not sure if I should just officially make it the second Thursday or what. But I do promise to blog once a month, on a Thursday. Promise-promise. Pinky-swear. All that.<br />
<br />
The other me has been busy. Like crazy-busy. I've been working on book after book after book, but all of them have been for the adult market. And I really miss YA.<br />
<br />
There are still some projects in the works and on submission, but writing of YA has been on hold because of the adult projects. As much as I love writing romance and stuff for an older market, there's this pull to the world of teenagers and first loves and beginnings. I want to write about things that are <i>new</i>, not just to me and the reader, but to the characters. New love, first kisses, new worlds.<br />
<br />
So, I think I'm going to--in my questionable spare time--toy with that YA contemporary suspense I started a while ago. I think I need to. I need to believe in new beginnings again, and that's something I've only ever really felt with YA.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-1860855529996913592012-09-13T00:04:00.000-04:002012-09-13T00:04:00.660-04:00Temporary ChangesI've kind of been hinting at this for a while now, but I'm finally having to implement things. I am temporarily putting the blog on semi-hiatus. (How's that for non-committal?) Basically, things have gotten really busy for me and I can't commit to blogging every week here for the time being.<br />
<br />
However...<br />
<br />
I'm not going to shut up completely. (Like you thought I could do that. Ha!)<br />
<br />
This should have gone up last week but, life being as it is, I was a bit overwhelmed last week and it got pushed back. So... officially, I'm only going to be blogging here the first Thursday of the month. I might do it more often than that, but it'll be hit or miss. Additionally, if I have news, I will be sure to share.<br />
<br />
I don't plan for this to be a permanent change, but for the time being it's a necessary one.<br />
<br />
As for today, I'm off to get my hair done (finally!) and then I have to spend more time being adult-me. And then I have to be mom-me. Hopefully soon I'll get to be YA-me again.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I've been pondering <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> a lot lately and this video always reminds me of a darker version. We'll see if all those thoughts manage to converge into something. Enjoy!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/A63VwWz1ij0" width="480"></iframe>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-45202732485734815892012-08-29T19:49:00.003-04:002012-08-29T19:49:50.575-04:00Meet Me in Chicago!I am on the train to ChiCon (or getting ready to get on the train... or already in Chicago). Either way, it's ChiCon and I'll be there. If you'll be there too, find me...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
Saturday 10:30-noon (in Wrigley): Why I Love My Editor panel</div>
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Saturday 7-7:30 (in Addams): Reading (definitely my adult urban fantasty <i>Kiss of Death</i>, possibly a bit of something else if there's time and dependent on the age of the audience, I might do <i>Pretty Souls</i>)</div>
<div>
Sunday 5-6:30 (in Toronto): Literary Beers with Seleste deLaney (where I'll talk magic, urban fantasy, corsets, steampunk, sex, and romance--and there will be beer--since there's beer, I'm assuming this is a 21 and over event)<br />
<br />
Otherwise, I'll be bopping around like my normal half-awake-half-crazy self. Feel free to stop me to say hi :) </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-8819020395703778412012-08-24T11:22:00.001-04:002012-08-24T11:22:19.991-04:00How Many of Me Do We Really Need?Adult-me is on a blog tour this week and next for a book coming out on Tuesday, so I'm a little frazzled and completely forgot which day it was. Anyway, apologies for the tardiness of my post here.<br />
<br />
Most of my readers are well aware that I write adult fiction (paranormal romance, urban fantasy, etc) under another name. When I first started in the business, I had these plans of keeping the two personae totally separate. That lasted about a day on Twitter before I accidentally tweeted something about my first adult release on my YA account. Then I said "Screw it" and removed the very thin veil of secrecy. My thought was that my names were different enough there wouldn't be any mistaking one for the other, so it was no big deal.<br />
<br />
Considering the PRT books are on hold temporarily and my other YA projects are in various stages of submission, I haven't had a lot to talk about here or on Twitter. And I'm starting to wonder if separating my worlds so much was really my best plan. Don't get me wrong, I like having the two names to keep things very clearly separated, but I'm starting to think two Twitter accounts is... less than useful. I've had similar thoughts about two websites (though I think that is less likely to change in the long run) and two blogs in addition to group blogs (which may just mean I decrease my individual blogs to every other week).<br />
<br />
I think I'm going to spend some time talking to my editors who work with both adult and YA and discuss the possibility of "merging" my accounts. (Essentially putting both author names on the account but a screen name that works for both.) I'm still not sure it's a good idea, but I feel like I'm neglecting people by not talking on the other account. Long story short, it's making me sad. I don't need more sad in my life.<br />
<br />
Like many things I don't think this will be a quickly made decision, so bear with me while I ponder things. And in the meantime, if you wouldn't mind keeping your fingers crossed regarding some of those other projects, I'd be incredibly grateful.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-807440502592520782012-08-16T14:07:00.000-04:002012-08-16T14:07:49.540-04:00YA and Digital PublishingThere have been studies on teens and their book buying habits. A lot of them. And recent ones have shown both that teens are reluctant to get on the ereader train and that digital sales of YA fiction are skyrocketing. They cite sales of <i>Twilight</i> and <i>Hunger Games</i> and the like. The problem is that those books are selling no matter what format they're in.<br />
<br />
Not unlike erotica and erotic romance, a lot of adult women are embarrassed to read YA in public. There is an "I shouldn't read this" attitude that makes reading on digital devices "safer." So, the best sellers are showing an uptick.<br />
<br />
A key difference between the erotica/erotic romance digital sales and the YA digital sales is that the YA sales aren't shifting to digital first/digital only publishers. At least not in the same droves. The problem is YA sales are dependent on actual teen readers. They are the ones who give books the push they need to succeed--they're the ones who make a book popular enough that those adult readers hear the buzz.<br />
<br />
What that means is those YA digital first/digital only publishers have a daunting task ahead of them. They're trying to sell books to people who don't shop in the same way as their adult readers. Teens don't go hunting for new stores to buy books from. Which means unless the publisher puts a <i>lot</i> of money and effort into promotion, they won't reach that target audience.<br />
<br />
What's interesting to note is that there are the occasional self-pubbed YA titles that take off. Whether that's because the author <i>really</i> knows how to target their promotional efforts or they hit with the right book at the right time or they sold their soul... (This is not to say any of those success stories are undeserving, merely to point out that there seems to be a gap in knowledge from those successes to publishers being able to mimic them.)<br />
<br />
So, what's the trick? How does one prod teens to go in search of books that <i>aren't</i> hitting the shelves of their local bookstore? Books that <i>aren't</i> the ones all their friends have already read?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-68548397930845974752012-08-09T14:25:00.001-04:002012-08-09T14:25:31.359-04:00Remembering WhenOne of the things that I think can make or break a YA author is how well they remember and connect with their own teenage years. It's one of the reasons a lot of people right out of college do really well with YA--their teen years aren't that far behind them and a lot of the adult stuff is either new or hasn't happened yet.<br />
<br />
I did a rather angry post yesterday at the Evil League of Evil Writers about life experiences and how they affect authors. One point I made is that everyone's life is different; even when we experience the same things, we likely will change in different ways in the aftermath. "Adult" experiences ("real job," marriage, children, divorce, etc) tend to pull people further and further away from that connection to their youth--unless they actively fight against it.<br />
<br />
The book I was reading last week is by an author I've read for years. Over the last few books, I've really started to question her "YA brain." She had her female characters doing things and behaving in such ways that it made them (for me) stupid and rather unlikeable. Everything from the way a breakup was handled to weight issues to not understanding how someone could be hurt by betrayal.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing... I remember being a teenager pretty well. Everything is <i>bigger</i> then. The highs are higher, the lows lower, and someone's world is going to end pretty much every week. At least this was my high school experience.<br />
<br />
But all of us "got it." There was no "you two broke up three months ago, you should be over it." There might be a nudge toward the cute guy behind door number three, but not "get over it" attitude. When someone (male or female) dumped their girlfriend/boyfriend in a horrible way... people reacted. Sure, <i>their friends</i> might've stood by them. (And even there, sometimes there's irritation and anger. For example, I broke up with a guy--after a couple days--because kissing him felt like kissing a relative. My friends who were friendly with him as well weren't exactly <i>happy</i> with me.) But the jiltee's friends? No. They would want the jilter's head on a platter with a side of fries, thank you very much.<br />
<br />
And, the level of this anger is in direct correlation to how long the couple dated, how long one <i>wanted</i> to date the other. Those things matter, and most teenagers (especially most teenage girls) wouldn't brush them aside.<br />
<br />
Adults do that.<br />
<br />
And the minute teen characters (no matter how responsible they might be) start to act like adults in those instances, they lose credibility for me. And so does the author.<br />
<br />
I know YA fiction is hot right now, and a lot of agents and editors are dying for some quality middle grade novels, but... if an author can't deeply connect with that part of their past, it shows. It's been showing with this particular author for the last three books... maybe even four. The result is that I'm torn with continuing to buy the books. I'm emotionally invested in one character, but I'm not sure my wallet cares enough to find out what happens to him in a world where teenagers seem to have forgotten how to <i>be</i> teenagers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-60112197287267695362012-08-02T22:17:00.002-04:002012-08-02T22:17:41.973-04:00SorryApologies for the lack of blogging. I was away last week, and this week... I'm reading a YA that is making me really angry. I'm trying to give it the benefit of the doubt, but last time I did that with this author, I was horribly disappointed.<br />
<br />At the moment I'm debating a post about the book (without naming the book) to discuss the issue that's plaguing me. Honestly, it's the only thing YA-related that's on my mind at the moment, so there's no post this week either until I get my thoughts in line on the matter.<br />
<br />
Sorry...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-74324062507069992432012-07-19T00:01:00.000-04:002012-07-19T00:01:00.292-04:00On Bullies...In my past life, I was a high school teacher. Prior to that I was... a summa cum laude graduate, marching band member, choir member, statistician for the wrestling team, treasurer of the drama club, mathlete, and science geek. And those were the <i>good</i> years. In my younger years, I was... less cool than that. (Actually, as odd as it sounds, my high school years were awesome. I truly believe it had a lot to do with the school I went to as it encouraged activity cross-overs.)<br />
<br />
The point is between my years of nerdiness and my years teaching, I've seen more than my fair share of bullies. And I've heard about even more.<br />
<br />
Lately there's been a lot of talk on the internet about bullies on review sites--specifically GoodReads. The thing is... I think the people using that word either never dealt with bullies or forgot what it was like.<br />
<br />
When children are in school and being bullied, there are a few things that they tend to have in common...<br />
- Bullies attack outsiders. They rarely target the jocks or the popular kids or the rich kids. They go after those who are different or who don't have a lot of friends.<br />
- The bullies hide what they do from anyone who can do anything about it. They don't throw kids against lockers in front of teachers. They do it when anyone with authority isn't around. They don't taunt their targets aloud in class, they whisper when the teacher is helping another student.<br />
- They can't be avoided. Bullies are in the same school, oftentimes in the same classes, as their targets. Those students can't just walk away or pretend they don't exist because they are <i>always there</i>.<br />
- They follow their targets. Bullies will wait outside practices to torment students after school. They will send them messages online to follow them home. The abuse is doesn't stop when the target leaves school.<br />
- The people who try to stand up to bullies are often targets themselves. Bullies attack where they see weakness. That means that the only hope for targets is strength in numbers--something that rarely happens.<br />
<br />
None of this seems to be true of the instances of "reviewer-bullying." Reviewers are, by definition, critical--it's part of the job. When an author (or publisher or agent or publicist) chooses to send a book out for review, they are aware of the possibility that there will be both good and bad reactions to the work... just like they'll get from readers when the book hits shelves. This is part of the gig.<br />
<br />
Are some people jerks--especially with the anonymity allowed by the internet? Yes. Is GoodReads home to a lot of them? Also yes. There are reasons authors are advised to avoid their reviews. It's because even the "good" ones can sting.<br />
<br />
The bad ones? Those are brutal. The assholes? Even worse. I've seen some of the horrible stuff trolls have said about books by friends of mine. They are vicious and nasty.<br />
<br />
But here's the difference... the author and any of their fans has the ability to walk away from those reviews and foul comments--and never see them again. The "reviewer-bullies" don't seem to be following authors home or sending them death threats. The worst they've done? Gone on Twitter and mentioned their experience with the book and/or author. Contrary to popular belief, Twitter is not high school (or even elementary or middle school)--it's too damn big a crowd for people to just follow. One person tweets a bad experience? Even if it's re-tweeted by a hundred people, it's still only hitting a small corner of the internet. And that assumes there are a hundred people who are going to believe it on face-value.<br />
<br />
That's not bullying. It might not be nice, but it's not bullying.<br />
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Also? There are a shit-ton of fantastic people who review books and blog about them and use good reads. A negative review doesn't mean someone is not a great person. We're supposed to be adults here. We should know the difference.<br />
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On the other side of things, authors need to learn not to feed the potential for negative publicity. I've seen an instance of an author responding in the comments to a negative review by posting all their amazon reviews as evidence the reviewer was "wrong." I've seen where people associated with an author have blasted reviews and reviewers on GoodReads. I've seen authors trying to discredit reviewers (though I'm still a little confused on how you discredit someone's opinion unless you can prove it isn't actually their opinion, but...)<br />
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People can disagree without it being bullying. People can have opinions without it being bullying. People are allowed to dislike each other without it being bullying.<br />
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To put it another way, if I went out with a guy who mis-treated me, you can be sure I would let all my girlfriends know. That doesn't make me a bully to the guy who treated me poorly, it makes me a good friend to those other girls that I've warned away from him. Some of them might choose to go out with him anyway and might end up liking him, but I would never regret telling them about my bad experience.<br />
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Instead of beating up the people whose reviews you don't agree with, either walk away from them or write your own very positive review. Be proactive rather than reactive. And for the love of all that is good, don't choose to become an actual bully in retaliation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-41705584758209753512012-07-11T00:05:00.000-04:002012-07-11T12:26:00.003-04:00Sex in YA... AgainI've talked about sex in YA before. As an author who writes both sexy adult stuff and YA, I see a definite difference in how I personally approach things. I don't believe in shying away from sex in young adult fiction, but I write it differently than I do in my adult work.<br />
<br />
To illustrate this, I have a niece who is thirteen. I let her read any and all of my YA manuscripts, and I know she regularly reads published YA with sex in it. A while back, she asked if she could read one of my adult stories, and I said no. Even without finding out whether or not my sister would throw a fit, I was uncomfortable with her reading a specific scene in that story because I didn't feel my niece had the necessary experience to understand what was going on in the heroine's mind (and it was kind of... violent sex). Anyway, this isn't a slam on my niece. A lot of adult readers hate that scene--in my mind because they don't understand the character. That's okay, but I'm not going to willingly hand it over to an unprepared 13 year old.<br />
<br />
Turns out, my sister would have indeed been upset. My niece and I were talking book recommendations over the weekend and I asked my sister if anything was "off-limits" as far as content. She basically said "sex", at which point I had to clarify that she meant descriptive sex as opposed to "knowing it happened without seeing it." (I think she'd prefer her daughter read only books about virginal heroines who have no intention of ever being anything else, but whatever...)<br />
<br />
The funny thing is, I'm reading a YA right now that is very sexually charged. None of the characters have had sex in it yet, but it's a major topic and a plot driver and very much viewed with <i>want</i>. I'm kind of torn because while it's a very realistic portrayal of how a lot of teens think about sex, it's... a lot. And it got me thinking: where exactly is the line between "okay for YA" and "too much for primetime?"<br />
<br />
And yes, that's pretty much how I view things. If it can be on network TV before 10pm, it's probably okay for YA. After 10 or on cable? Odds are it's too much.<br />
<br />
But the written word is different. You don't see body parts, they're described. The <i>want</i> is described rather than being viewed through the actions of the actors. So, can you get away with more description, where the viewing equivalent would push it to cable? When does written sex push from PG-13 to R?<br />
<br />
I'm really not sure. There's a scene snippet in a manuscript I have on sub right now that I feel is very borderline, and that's with it described through the filter of a character who <i>doesn't</i> want to see it and wants absolutely nothing to do with anything to do with sex. (That virginal heroine? Yeah, her. She's just surrounded by non-virgins.) Another manuscript I have out has a sex scene or two, but they are very fade-to-black in nature.<br />
<br />
I'm sure the line is different for every reader, but I'm curious. Where do you draw yours?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-65076140814938556952012-06-28T01:13:00.000-04:002012-06-28T01:13:12.758-04:00Cancer SucksYesterday I got to spend an hour on the phone with my mom. This doesn't sound like such a bad thing... until I tell you that we spent the hour talking about cancer.<br />
<br />
No. There is no emergency or reason for panic (at least with regard to me or mine--at the moment).<br />
<br />
The thing is, cancer runs in my family pretty hard-core. And today I'm going in for the first step in the process of getting the genetic test done to see if I'm at greater risk for breast or ovarian cancer. That meant I had to fill out paperwork on my family history with regard to the disease.<br />
<br />
Here's the deal. I know, in my heart, that at least one of the two tests will come back positive--likely both. I've known since I was a little girl that odds are, cancer's going to get me. It was never an "if," it's always been a "when."<br />
<br />
But it's different to watch that piece of paper get filled up. It only goes as far out as grandparents and aunts/uncles/cousins. Of my four grandparents... three had cancer (two died from it). One aunt had it (survived). Her daughter died from it--she was the same age I am right now. <span style="background-color: white;">Closer to home, one of my sisters is a cancer survivor. (She </span><span style="background-color: white;">was diagnosed when she was younger than I am now</span><span style="background-color: white;">.) Of the other three, two have had lumps removed that were thankfully benign. My mother did too. Of the two that have been tested--both have the genetic markers. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
It's a vicious, vicious, scary-ass disease.<br />
<br />
Why am I writing this post today? I'm not sure. Maybe because it's a topic that people don't talk about enough until it's already an issue, and then the conversations start with "I'm so sorry..." Maybe because I'm more nervous about the test than I thought I'd be. Or maybe it's just because it's late and this is what's on my mind. Maybe all of the above.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-90691883680129585962012-06-21T00:18:00.000-04:002012-06-21T00:18:00.413-04:00When Life Hands You LemonsSorry about no post last week. No excuse. It just didn't happen.<br />
<br />
There's a saying that says: When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. I saw a picture recently that said: Unless life gives you sugar and water too, your lemonade is going to suck.<br />
<br />
It got me to thinking about a lot of things. As some of you know, there have been... issues (it's a nice, innocent, all-encompassing word) regarding the PRT. The short version is life gave me lemons. Since I don't expect life to hand everything to me, I went off in search of water and sugar. I found some--yay! But the lemonade still sucks.<br />
<br />
Basically, what the story boils down to is this--the PRT is going to be on hold for longer than anticipated. Sadly, I can't afford the vodka necessary to make this lemonade rock.<br />
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On the other hand, I have this other bottle, and if I let it age for a while it'll make a killer party beverage. So, as much as you don't want to wait and I don't want to wait, that's the option at the moment. On a high note (because even when there's no vodka, I'm a look for the silver lining kind of girl), I'm hoping that when the time comes that I can release PRT 2, <i>Perfectly Human</i>, the rest of the series won't be far behind. As long as I can find the time in between other projects to write them, the remaining four books in the series will all be released within about a 12-24 month period of time.<br />
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Will there be other things from me in the meantime? I sure hope so! And I promise if and when I have news, I will let you know.<br />
<br />
To that end though, I may step back a bit from blogging. Not quitting, but not stressing over <i>content</i> every week. So, it might be normal post, or a video, or a movie review, or some sort of character sketch. And I may miss a week here or there while everything else in life tries to settle.<br />
<br />
But rest assured, I am NOT abandoning Elle and Cass. The PRT hasn't disappeared, it's just taking a break and licking its wounds. They will be back.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4991192818060783537.post-52959923978163553812012-06-07T00:01:00.000-04:002012-06-07T00:01:00.941-04:00Writing CliquesPeople gravitate towards others like them. Sometimes it's common interests, similar personalities, socioeconomic status, gender, race... all sorts of reasons for it. In high school, we call them cliques. Funny thing is, that doesn't stop on graduation day. And it is very common in the writerly world.<br />
<br />
In some ways, this is not a bad thing. You want your crit partners, writing group, etc. to really mesh well so that critiques and brain-storming and the like are as productive as possible. But there's a point when an author steps from behind those closed doors and into the public eye that the responsibility shifts a bit.<br />
<br />
There are a <i>lot</i> of examples of this with authors-behaving-badly and spouting off in such ways that it drives away their fans, but what about subtler things? In order to have a unifying base, let's talk Twitter. Many, many authors are on Twitter. Some have huge followings, some don't. Some follow back everyone (or anyone who talks to them) and some don't. I'm not going to make comments based on that since you don't have to follow someone to talk to them.<br />
<br />
However, some authors don't seem to get that Twitter is about <i>interaction</i> (and I'm going to pick--anonymously--on some authors whose books I adore here). If all you're doing is shouting into the ether, you're doing it wrong. Most people who follow you on twitter also follow your blog/facebook/website/newsletter... they're <i>already fans</i>. So shouting is pointless.<br />
<br />
What's more annoying though? When authors throw out questions or statements that invite discussion but only respond to those in their little circle (the writing clique I spoke of earlier). Twitter is not the school cafeteria where your conversation is just you and your little table of friends chatting, or at least it shouldn't be. People are on Twitter to interact, and if an author chooses to ignore their fans (I'll be generous here with the one I'm thinking of) 90% of the time when they say something that invites discussion, <i>it will serve to alienate fans</i>. Yes, I have unfollowed authors because I liked their work, but I was getting really sick of seeing how they ignored their fans. Other people I know have stopped reading their work entirely because of this.<br />
<br />
I've noticed another disturbing trend with big(ger) authors. They will start a Twitter event, whether productivity or character driven, that encompasses more than just their books. They will invite others to join in... and then within that event, they only communicate with those in their clique. Especially when it's a productivity thing (writing sprints, 1k1hr, etc). Those who aren't published and don't get mad words every day are the ones who need the atta'boys far more than some other author with multiple NY contracts under their belt.<br />
<br />
The thing is, Twitter offers authors a really great opportunity to mentor fledgeling writers without the mad time-commitment. It's a type of support that is hard to come by these days and is almost a guaranteed way to make those writers (who are invariably readers as well) become lifelong fans.<br />
<br />
So... I don't get it.<br />
<br />
Sure, I understand the occasional @mention getting lost in the feed, even when asking for responses. And I <i>totally</i> understand not being able to respond to everything all the time (some of those people have thousands and tens of thousands of followers). But to ignore the opportunity to interact with all those people all the time in favor of hanging with just your clique...<br />
<br />
Yeah. Not a fan.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2