Gal Pal Time!

This is where I was last week:

I love doing book signings, and this one was great because:

*We had a great organizer, Cathy Genna, from the East Brunswick Barnes & Noble who put this signing/educator event together. (Cathy won 'Bookseller of the Year' from the Romance Writers of America!)

*There was a good turnout from teachers and they asked questions.

*It was with fellow authors (we're all members of Kidlit Authors Club, but we do signings with non-members at events) that I like.

We talked to some teens, sold some books. We had fun!

I'll update my schedule so you can say hi!

Char

The Next Big Thing Meme

What's the next big thing you ask? I was tagged by the adorable Cesya McRae Cuono (The Collector, Battle Scars) and the remarkable Shannon Delaney (13 to Life series, Weather Witch series) to join their blog tags for The Next Big Thing Meme. So, here it goes:

What is the working title of your next book?

Blonde Ops, which is co-authored with Natalie Zaman, or Lethal Dose, my solo novel.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Our editors at Thomas Dunne (St Martins) Books, Peter Joseph and Kat Brzozowski, came up with the idea for Blonde Ops (‘Jane’ Bond, Roman Style), and Lethal Dose was my NaNoWriMo project.

What genre does your book fall under?

Blonde Ops is YA hacker adventure humor (is that a new genre?) and Lethal Dose is a sci fi adventure.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Hmmm. For Blonde Ops, I think Bec Jackson, the main character would be great played by Chloe Grace Morelz (500 Days of Summer, Hugo, Dark Shadows). Of course my co-author may disagree… For Lethal Dose, I would like the main character Dalen to be played by Sean Faris (Christmas With Holly, Bonnie& Clyde, Burn).

 What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Blonde Ops –Bec Jackson is a non-conformist teenager who becomes “Jane” Bond, and goes to Italy, taking her hacker skills to save the First Lady. Lethal Dose- Dalen doesn’t poison anyone who doesn’t want it—or deserve it.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Blonde Ops will be published by Thomas Dunne (St Martins) and debuts Spring 2014. Lethal Dose is on my laptop, awaiting the final chapters and mucho polishing before it goes to my agent.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

Blonde Ops took several weeks for the first draft, but that was working from a detailed chapter by chapter synopsis. If you add synop & ms writing time, a little less than six months. Lethal Dose was written as a NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) project, so it took 28 days (I skipped the last two, but I guess I should have finished it.) I’m hoping to finish it by the end of December, so two months!

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I think Blonde Ops could be compared with Ally Carter’s Uncommon Criminals series. Lethal Dose I really have no idea because it involves science fiction elements and a teenaged poisoner. Maybe you know one?

Who or what inspired you to write this book? Our agent, Natalie Lakosil of Bradford Lit, sent our book Sirenz to Kat and Peter. They were looking for someone to write a book based on an idea they had. Our style meshed with their need. As for Lethal Dose, the idea of a teenage poisoner, who helps support his family a little like Katniss in Hunger Games, roaming around different planets because Earth was destroyed by an asteroid fascinated me. I wanted to do something completely different from the Sirenz series and Blonde Ops.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Hmmm. For Blonde Ops, I think Bec Jackson, the main character, would be great played by Chloe Grace Morelz (500 Days of Summer, Hugo, Dark Shadows). Of course my co-author may disagree… For Lethal Dose, I would like the main character Dalen to be played by Sean Faris (Christmas With Holly, Bonnie& Clyde, Burn). 
 

Who or what inspired you to write this book? Our agent, Natalie Lakosil of Bradford Lit, sent our book Sirenz to Kat and Peter. They were looking for someone to write a book based on an idea they had. Our style meshed with their need. As for Lethal Dose, the idea of a teenage poisoner, who helps support his family a little like Katniss in Hunger Games, roaming around different planets because Earth was destroyed by an asteroid fascinated me. I wanted to do something completely different from the Sirenz series and Blonde Ops.

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest? Blonde Ops has fashion, technology, international intrigue, an Italian hunk… And Lethal Dose has a male main character who uses poisons, but with a caveat- he doesn’t poison children, the innocent, or for political/monetary gain.

Now that you've gotten your sneak peek, let me tell you about my co-horts-

I met Cesya at PAYA (Pennsylvania loves YA). Another person with a severe obsession for writing and reading, we chat on FB and she was the first to intvite me to The Next Big Thing Meme blog tag. Look for her book, "The Collector" to debut shortly- she's started the countdown on her blog.

Shannon I met at Unmask the Writer Within, a Halloween event thrown by friends Melissa Marie and Patricia Locatelli and the Mysteries on Main Street Book Store. (Great peeps, all!) We've done a few signings together and keep in touch via FB too. Watch for her new series, The Weather Witch a 'stormpunk' novel which debuts soon too.

So now I pass the torch to my fellow KidLit author and friend, Alissa Grosso (Popular, Ferocity Summer). I met Alissa through Natalie, we had a very nice lunch at a tea house, and we've been doing signings and meeting at the annual SCBWI conference together since then. She has a new book coming out, but I'll let her tell you about it...

And between Cesya, Shannon, Alissa and myself, it looks like there will be plenty of exciting books coming out. Stay tuned!

Char

Well, Duh, That's Obvious--Or Did You Forget?

I was at a book signing in the Neshaminy Mall Barnes & Noble (whoa, HUGE mall!) with fellow Kidlit Authors Club members Alissa Grosso, Elisa Ludwig, Artie Bennett and Cynthia Chapman Willis. After stocking up on a Starbuck's Chai Latte Venti (it's over an hour's ride, I needed to be fortified at 8:30 p.m.), I said goodbye and popped into my car.

It was pretty dark. I'm so busy paying attention to the GPS and (sorry) frenzied PA drivers on the Turnpike, I didn't see the little notice stuck under my windshield wipers. I turned the radio off to better  hear the GPS, and heard something flapping--and that's when I saw this:

A card from the local police and security at the Mall. One was stuck probably in every car. On the back says are a list of safety tips. While you may say, "Duh, obvious," how many times do we dash into a store and leave stuff on the seats or the GPS in the window? (Um, guilty) Have you ever forgotten to lock your car? (Um, guilty) By reminding us to be personally vigilant, we save ourselves from being victims, and cut down on crime. Kudos to Neshaminy Mall security and the Bensalem police for this gentle but timely (Warm weather, everyone's out more) and important reminder. It may seem no big deal, but if you've ever been a victim of crime (Um, me), you realize how much we take our safety for granted. (And yes, I waited until I was safely home to pull it off my windshield, rather than get out of my car on a busy turnpike or a dark road. Points for me.)

So lock your car, hide your valuables and take your keys. And let's stay safe out there....

Char

This And That...

I don't have a clear subject, so I'm just going to write what comes to mind.

Ever heard of WriteGirl? http://www.writegirl.org/publications.html It's a nonprofit organization for high school girls to mentor them with creative writing and self-expression. The anthologies produced have won numerous awards, like winner of the London Book Festival for anthologies, Honorable mention in the New England Book Festival, and Finalist in the USA Best Books Non-Fiction Anthologies-all in 2011, and many more garnered over the years. Check it out.

My seeds are sprouting! I'm looking forward to moving them outside in their new planting bed (which hubby has to help me set up and soon!) I think they say it's safe to move them around May 1st, so I'll keep you updated on my little darlings and my attempt to eat healthy and not have to food shop as much this summer.

On Sunday I was signing books at the NYC Teen Author Festival At Books of Wonder. Those people know how to throw a signing and I met people with whom I've interacted via FB, email and Twitter, but hadn't met until then, like Jennifer Hubbard (The Secret Year, Try Not To Breathe), KM Walton (Cracked), Wendy Mass (The Candymakers, 13 Gifts and over 40 other works). I missed fellow Kidlit author Alissa Grosso (Popular, Ferocity Summer), but caught up with Margie Gelbwasser (Inconvenient, Pieces of Us). Others were there, but I didn't have much time to chat between signings and having lunch with my niece, Lauren, who works in the fashion industry and yes, was a muse for Sirenz (she wants a pair of Christian Loubotin shoes for her wedding that are studded with Swarovski crystals- over $3,000! That is a fashionista more than my character Sharisse!)

The rain cut short our visit, and it being Sunday, people had work on Monday morning, so back at home I was met with an email from our publicist, Kirsten Cappy of Curious City, with renderings from 9 art students on possible covers for Sirenz 3. What creativity these students have! We will be unveiling characters and covers, and some background on the students in the future, so stay tuned!

My kids are on Spring Break and we're hoping to get in two college visits for my middle son. (I just finished this with the older one!). Will have to drag the youngest, but at least I have a few years before that! We'll be looking at NJIT and maybe NYU, and if I can squeeze it in, Rutgers (my alma mater!) Wish my luck and fortitude...

And finally, Nat and I are finishing up our preparations for the Romantic Times convention in Chicago. It's going to be crazy-fun-chaotic-unbelievable, and I'm hoping to get one of my fave authors Anne Rice to sign a book (I have almost the complete collection!) and my fave humor writer, Mary Janice Davidson (Love the Undead series!) to sign something, but it will probably be too mobbed. There will be many other things to see, do, people to meet. Nat & I are hoping to escape one day and see what Chicago has to offer. Will take pics!

So, that's today. Hope you have a great week, with a little of this (good) and not too much of that (bad).

Char