Well, summer is over and I've finally faced the fact that I need to get back to writing obligations. This is the first time all of my kids are in school and while I miss them terribly, I admit I'm getting a lot done. My agent has me putting the final touches on one book, revising another, and studying a massive text on writing craft all while I need to outline and draft a certain book 3. Back to the grind.
You can find me a few places out in the wild this month. First up, I'll be at Midway, Utah's Swiss Days this weekend. My books will be available for sale in "The Book Shoppe," including a few signed copies, and I will be there in person to sign books on Saturday from 2:30-4:30 pm. So please stop by and say hi! (or guten tag?)
I'll be at the launch party for TRUE HEROES on September 12th at the Provo City Library speaking on a panel and signing books. Not only will most of the authors who contributed to the project be there, but many of the children featured in the stories as well. I can't wait! Consider stopping by if you can. Here are details about the event and here is a bit more about the book itself. You can preorder it here.
Also, I'll be at Salt Lake Comic Con at the end of the month. Besides speaking on panels and signing books, I might secretly stalk Samwise and Captain America. Okay, not so secretly. :) Anyone else planning on getting their nerd on and attending?
How was your summer? Tell me what your plans are this fall.
If we're strong enough to let it in, we're strong enough to let it go.
I've taught at a lot of writing conferences this year. I love interacting with other writers and seeing all my writing friends, but as an introvert, those interactions drain my energy. After a brief hiatus the last month or so to recover, I'm ready to tackle some writing projects and focus on my writing again. And maybe take a break from teaching for a bit. Mostly. We'll see.
In the meantime, here are a few pics from this years' conferences that I haven't shared on the blog yet. I'm terrible at taking pics, so these are all stolen from other people. And there are a couple of conferences I have zero pics from. Oh well. :)
Author signing at Writing for Charity
Writing the Unputdownable Story class at Teen Author Boot Camp
Whitney Awards Gala
Teen Author Boot Camp Crew
The back of my head...signing books at TABC
Whitney Awards with my editor and fellow SM authors
Storymakers
Diversity class at Storymakers
My captive audience :)
Author signing at Storymakers
Storymakers Selfie
Storymakers
Have you been to any writer conferences this year?
I'm so excited to announce that I am one of the authors contributing to this collection of short stories and gorgeous photographs featuring children with cancer and their dreams. TRUE HEROES releases on September 8th from Shadow Mountain Publishing and you can pre-order it here.
I had so much fun writing about Sarah whose dream is to be a space explorer. Here's a little more about the book:
Twenty-one imaginative authors were paired up with twenty-one extraordinary kids. What makes these kids so special? They all have two things in common: They all have very big hopes and dreams, and they all have battled cancer. Photographer Jonathan Diaz asked each of these remarkable children, “If you could be anything, what would you be?” Their answers were the inspiration for this one-of-a-kind book. So turn the page and meet Korbyn the firefighter, Bre the dancer, Braelyn the superhero, William the dragon rider, Tristan the football star, and Rae the princess—and more—who were all photographed in full costume and digitally inserted into a background showing them as the hero of their own story. Then read the original short stories that were based on each child’s specific dream. True Heroes shares the powerful message that children can do hard things. They are dreamers. They are fighters. They are heroes.
“This beautiful volume provides a hopeful antidote that combines fantastical and inspirational pictures with prose designed to engage children’s imaginations and remind them that they are full of power, strength, and hope.” —Richard Paul Evans, #1 New York Times bestselling author
I have some fun news! My publisher sold Turkish rights for REMAKE a while back, and the book released a few weeks ago. How neat is that? The title is simply "9" and it has a new cover and everything. So if you're ever in Istanbul...
Also, I recently did an interview for the WIFYR blog in which I divulge a little fact about my first kiss. And a local paper reviewed REMAKE. The reviewer says, "I would highly recommend this book to be read either on your own or in a book club. Remake is a story that both adults and youth can enjoy and learn from and will spark conversation." I agree, haha.
Remake 2 is done and I'm finishing up another book before diving into book 3. Summer is so busy but I love the warm weather and lots of family time. What have you been up to this summer?
Even though it's not always heaven, we still fly together...
I'm also giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to celebrate the trailer release. Let me know what you thought about the trailer, follow me and Ideas For Hollywood (the producer of the video) online, or share the trailer with friends to enter. Details can be found in the Rafflecopter thingy below.
A great big thanks to everyone helping me spread the word!
My little Nine has been busy. REMAKE is a Foreword Reviews' 2014 INDIEFAB finalist in the Young Adult Fiction category. I am thrilled with this news and love being in such amazing company. Winners will be announced at the ALA conference in June.
REMAKE was also reviewed in the Examiner. I appreciated the mention of Nine's character development as realistic and beautiful, as that was one of my favorite parts about writing the book.
And REMAKE made Kiss The Book's yearly top 50 list for Secondary 2015 which is presented every year at the Utah school librarians's conference, so that's cool.
I did a guest post on the Insecure Writer's Support Group blog along with Dianne Salerni and Stephanie Faris about the author-agent relationship.
The Writing For Charity conference was a big success. I helped to critique attendee's first pages, spoke on a couple of panels (Writing Diverse Books and Dealing With Writer's Block), and donated a couple of items for the silent auction. All the money earned at the conference goes toward the We Need Diverse Books organization and First Book, which gets books into the hands of needy children. I'm already excited for next year!
Writer's Block Panel
Catching up with writer friends
Diversity Panel
In addition to spending time with my family this week for spring break, this Saturday I'll be teaching at Teen Author Boot Camp. And next Thursday, I'm teaching about characters at the Pleasant Grove Library--free! What are your plans this April?
