Books

Recommended Reading: Even Silence Has an End by Ingrid Betancourt

October 19, 2010

If you saw me sprinting through the Texas Book Festival this past weekend, please let me explain. I had to get to the Barnes and Noble book tent to buy Ingrid Betancourt’s book EVEN SILENCE HAS AN END before it sold out. I have a connection to Ingrid Betancourt. I followed her story closely as [...]

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Austin Teen Book Festival

October 3, 2010

I can’t believe how cool the Austin Teen Book Festival was at Westlake High School. We had so many fabulous writers.   Ellen Hopkins (Have you read CRANK?) Nancy Werlin (Have you read IMPOSSIBLE?) Catherine Jinks, (Want to read EVIL GENIUS if it’s ever available in our school library) Pam Bachorz, (CANDOR is on my list of must reads) [...]

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Sonya Sones and verse novels

September 14, 2010

In case you’re venturing into verse novels, I highly recommend trying Sonya Sones. They are short and to the point. They are a fast read. The mother is depressed and watches soap operas. The father is stern and distant. The stories are about teen love, finding love, liking the nerd, fitting in, not fitting in.  Back stabbing. Alliances. Broken alliances. Envy.  Keeping [...]

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Drinks with Robert Draper

September 12, 2009

I am really not bragging that I got to spend an hour today with Robert Draper. I’m just stating a fact, a culmination of years and years of film festivals, book festivals and thousands of dollars in conference badges.   My earliest memory of Robert is a book signing at Book People. He had just published his novel, Hadrian’s Walls.  Although it was 10 [...]

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Carl Deuker’s Gym Candy

September 7, 2009

What did I do for Labor Day? I read Gym Candy. I loved it. It’s a real page turner. I loved the relationships between Dad and son. It reminded me of my father/brother.  I loved how the MC started on protein shakes and supplements and he slowly built up to stronger stuff. I loved how starting steroids [...]

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Why Do I Need An Agent?

August 18, 2009

I am trying to figure out who the agents are. I don’t want to turn my manuscript over to just anyone. My book is not a used car. It is precious, like a child. In my quest to familiarize myself with agents, I ask myself why do I need an agent in the first place?  A [...]

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Musings of a writer about to be school counselor

August 9, 2009

I am going back to school this week after two months off for writing time. I guess I can think of it as an opportunity for more YA copy!  I have set the publishing date for my novel as  my 65th birthday. I am about to turn 40 in September. I think 25 years should give [...]

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Dead Girl Walking-the road to publishing

August 5, 2009

  Here is an interesting story of Linda Singleton’s road to publishing. It shows how tough and long-enduring a process this can be. Congratulations to Linda for hanging in there. DEAD GIRL WALKING: 20 YEARS TO PUBLICATION By Linda Joy Singleton (in celebration of the release of DEAD GIRL IN LOVE)  Would you stick with [...]

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