Posted by nisha on May 27, 2009 in
Blog
Today we have author Terri Clark with us! Let’s take a look at what Terri says about the writing process.
What is your brainstorming process for a new book?
I tend to follow a loose plot outline that’s based on a worksheet from Carolyn Greene’s Plot Dr. notebook. I use this skeleton to make sure I keep the tension up throughout the book and I like having this road map because it hits all the highlights. I really dislike writing lengthy synopses first, because it tends to feel like I’ve already told the story and that kills some of the excitement for me.
I also do a lot of brainstorming with my husband. If I get stuck on a scene I’ll run things by him. He tends to throw ideas out, some of them laughable, but talking out loud with him always gets the creative juices flowing and between the two of us we can take what starts out as the outrageous and make it workable. He’s a great sounding board and always helps me work through the sticky spots.
Can you explain your typical work week day?
I really don’t have a typical schedule. I work part-time as a teen librarian, so I write around my day job. A couple hours here, a couple there. Tuesdays are my one consistent day off and I live for those days. Usually, I check email in the mornings and get caught up on correspondence, then I re-read the previous scene, do a little tweaking, and then bust forward as fast as I can. If I get stuck, I’ll back-up and edit for a little while before pressing forward again. I tend to spend a lot of time on the first three chapters. Once those are to my liking, I’ll finish the rest of the story in a down and dirty draft. Getting the story down is always the hardest part, once that’s done I love playing with the manuscript, perfecting it, polishing it.
Tell us about when you made the decision to write.
I’ve always written, I just never thought of it as a job. It’s just what I did, who I was. Instead, I went to college and got my BA in Psychology. It wasn’t until I decided to be a stay-at-home mom to my son and found an online writing community that I started to think maybe I could take my writing seriously. I joined a local writers group, found some critique partners and finished my first book, a romance novel. I’ve been writing ever since.
What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?
Well, there’s the obvious: Read, read, read. Write, write, write. And then I’d say find someone you trust to give you constructive, honest feedback on your work, develop a thick skin and patience, keep learning and above all…never give up.
Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.
I just turned in Hollyweird, a paranormal comedy with a little bit of romance. It’s about two girls who won a trip to meet their favorite star only to learn he’s actually the son of Satan and the only person who can save them from harm is a fallen angel working undercover as the actor’s personal assistant. It’s a really fun, tongue-in-cheek poke at Hollywood that was inspired by my daydreaming about what it would be like to visit the set of my favorite show, Supernatural. SPN fans will definitely get some inside jokes, but mostly it’s a classic good vs. evil story and I had a blast torturing my heroines with the seven deadly sins. Hollyweird will be published in June 2010 under the name Tess Clark. Please keep an eye on my website: Terriclarkbooks.com and my blog: myspace.com/terristake for up-to-date news.
Thanks so much for joining us, Terri! It was great to hear about your advice and your experience as a writer! Next week, we’ll have Erin Downing with us so stop by for more Writer’s on Writing!
Terri Clark is a young adult author and teen librarian. Her first book, SLEEPLESS came out September ’08 with HarperTeen. SLEEPLESS is about a teen psychic who’s stalked in her sleep by a killer. If she dies in her dreams, she dies for real. Terri is also part of the anthology BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO with Ellen Hopkins, Lynda Sandoval and Niki Burnham. Terri is also part of the anthology FLIRTIN’ WITH THE MONSTER, a collection of non-fiction pieces exploring the facination with Ellen Hopkins’ books CRANK and GLASS. Look for Terri’s book HOLLYWIERD in June 2010
Tags: Terri Clark, Writers on Writing
Posted by nisha on May 26, 2009 in
Blog
So I went to visit my cousins in Canada this weekend. I love going to Toronto. It’s so…nice. I don’t know how else to describe it. Every time we go, we have fun there. I get my Indian-ness on, I laugh with my family, and I do some killer Bollywood movie shopping.
On the way there, my mom drove halfway and my dad sat in the back with me. Here’s my dad sporting my mom’s sunglasses. It’s hysterical. 
He’s hysterical. Then there is the awesome coffee that you get at Tim Horton’s. It’s got to be the absolute best coffee place other than Starbucks.
You get the absolute best iced cappuccino’s there. I have to go there every time I head up north.
Then, there is my absolutely adorable cousin who has just started talking. She’s sooooo cute!
Alyssa and I partied it up for most of the visit. We went to this awesome mall where I got tooooonnnnns of DVDs. I was literally in Bollywood movie heaven!
We also had a barbeque in spite of the the whole Memorial Day thing being a US holiday.
That’s Alyssa and her mom outside on the deck.
Overall, it was a really great trip. The best part? I finished the last major set of revisions that my agent asked for. I’m going to do some grammar edits now but that’s about it. Hopefully this is the last round and I can start something new. I’m itching for it because i have a new story idea brewing. I may drop a few hints on what’s it’s about.
Terri Clark will be my guest blogger on Wednesday and we’ll be talking about her writing process. Drop by tomorrow to take a look!
Other than that, peace out homies. I hope all of you had a wonderful long weekend.
<3Nisha
Tags: Canada, memorial day, vacation
Posted by nisha on May 23, 2009 in
Blog
Sorry I’m a bit late with this one! Spent most of the day driving with my folks. I’m in Canada but that’s a story for a different blog post. Today, I totally want to picture the deliciousness of Clive Owen. SWOON. Check it out, ladies (and gents if you have a man crush/float that way).
I hope you enjoyed! Until next week…
<3Nisha
Tags: clive owen, Sexy Saturday
Posted by nisha on May 20, 2009 in
Blog
Today we have Jennifer E. Smith joining us to answer a few questions about her writing experience and her writing process. Let’s see what she has to say!
What is your brainstorming process for a new book?
It’s a lot less organized than you might think. I wish I could say I was one of those writers who sat down and outlined the entire book before starting, but I’m most certainly not. My computer is chock-full of half-baked ideas, first sentences, opening paragraphs, and miscellaneous chapters. It’s a mystery to me why some of them work and others simply don’t. But I will say that most of them are the result of a random spark of an idea, rather than a deliberate brainstorming session. Which makes writing a sort of hit-or-miss endeavor for me…but it also makes it interesting!
Can you explain your typical work week day?
Since I have a day job, my writing time is a little bit scattered. I so admire those writers who wake up at 5am and write for three hours like clockwork, but unfortunately, I’m not one of them. Far from it! I don’t have any sort of set schedule, but I get most of my writing done on the weekends. Because I’m also an editor, I spend so much time and energy on other people’s books during the week, that when I get home from work (usually with a pile of manuscripts in tow!), the last thing I feel like doing is my own writing. So I usually try to get a few hours in every weekend. It’s not ideal, and it’s not enough – but is anything ever enough when it comes to writing?
Tell us about when you made the decision to write.
For better or worse, I don’t think writing is really a decision – it’s more of a compulsion. If you had the choice, would you really choose to join the ranks of so many neurotic, sleepless, underpaid and over-invested people? Would you really resign yourself to all the heartbreak and rejection, the raised hopes and small successes? The waking up in the middle of the night with an idea for a new chapter? Would you really want to be one of those people who think in dialogue tags? A daydreamer, a word junkie, a hopeless optimist? I mean, if it were really a decision, and I had to do it all to do over again, would I have still wanted to become a writer? The answer, of course, is yes. Despite all of the above. Or perhaps because of it. But either way, yes. In a heartbeat.
What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?
Read! Read! Read! The way you learn to be a writer is through reading books that speak to you in some way. It’s how you learn the rhythms of dialogue and the nuances of character. It’s how you figure out, almost subconsciously, the way to structure a book, and it’s how you discover the subtle tricks involved in building an entire world from scratch. I know it sounds almost too easy. That you could learn to be a writer simply by reading. But have you ever met an author who didn’t grow up begging their parents for another fifteen minutes to finish a chapter before bedtime?
Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.
I’m working on a few different things right now, though I’m sorry to say that none of them are terribly far along. But I’ll be sure to let you know what’s coming up next as soon as I know!
Thank you for joining us and answering a few questions, Jennifer!
Jennifer E. Smith grew up outside of Chicago and graduated from Colgate University. She earned her master’s in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and currently lives in New York City, where she roots for the Cubs from afar. The Comeback Season was her first novel. Her second novel, You Are Here was released yesterday and is available in your local bookstore.
Tags: Jennifer E. Smith, Writers on Writing
Posted by nisha on May 18, 2009 in
Blog
So many things have happened in the last few weeks! Hence why, I will now update you via list form.
1. Finals are over. Yeaaaayy!!!!
2. I am the official National Examiner (Columnist) for Young Adult Literature at Examiner.com. I just posted my first article a few days ago! You can check it out here
3. My sister went to India for an Internship thing. She’ll be gone for a month. Sorta yeay? We’re like two polar opposites but we’re tight. Shh! Don’t tell her that.
4. I started my summer classes at the law school. They’re a bit boring but I think I can get through them.
5. My agent and I had a long talk and that resulted in me working on re-writing the last 100 pages of my novel. Yikes. It’s a HUGE change and I’m hedging because it breaks my heart to think that i have to cut some fantastic scenes. I’m trying to be strong though!
6. I watched Star Trek finally. It was amaaaaazing. The men are GORGEOUS. Sigh. The best part? The movie had the Transformers and GI JOE preview. It’s going to be the summer of great movies!
transformers
GI JOE
7. I’m compiling a list of things that I want to do this summer. One of them is going to the teen author Carnival which is on May 28th in NYC. If you guys can make it, it’s going to be a lot of fun!
8. I’m trying to compile a list of things that I want to read over the summer. As you can see from my Goodreads list, my TBR pile is a bit short. Any suggestions?
9. I’m plotting book number 2 even though book number one needs some serious editing. This is feeding my wonderful and glorious obsession with Bollywood movies. Yeay for catching up on movies! 
10. Last but not least, I’m trying to come up with some other stuff to do this summer. I’m visiting relatives in Toronto this Memorial Day weekend. My brother, sister and I plan on going to an amusement park when my sister gets back. My best friend is getting married in August and I’m hosting the bachelorette party (pictures will be posted). I also plan on writing, reading, watching movies, going to the RWA conference, heading to the beach, and hanging out with friends this summer. What about you guys? Any plans?
That’s my update list for now! Check in on Wednesday to see my writers on writing interview with author Jennifer E. Smith and her upcoming release, ‘You Are Here.’ Cheers, All!
<3Nisha
Tags: Examiner.com, GI Joe, Jennifer E. Smith, transformers, update
Posted by nisha on May 16, 2009 in
Blog
I can’t have a sexy Saturday column without having Bollywood actors involved! This guy is so hot that I can’t even describe to you the deliciousness he possesses. Check out John Abraham and his studly vibes.
Hope you enjoyed!
<3Nisha
Posted by nisha on May 13, 2009 in
Blog Today’s Writers on Writing interview is with author Cara Lockwood! Let’s see what pearls of wisdom we can gain from reading about this talented author!
What is your brainstorming process for a new book?
I get ideas from all sorts of places – from dreams, from the news, from other books, from conversations with friends. Sometimes, I’ll just be inspired to write a scene for a book, and that scene will eventually grow into a novel. If I have unlimited time, which is pretty much never, I’ll just let the idea naturally grow and expand. If I have a deadline, which I usually do, I’ll try to flesh out the idea by writing an outline and a few chapters. My novels often don’t follow my outlines, but it’s a place to start.
Can you explain your typical work week day?
I wish I had a typical work day! I’ve got two beautiful little girls (one who is two and one who’s just eight months), so they keep my busy nearly all day. I squeeze in writing time when they nap or after they go to sleep or when I can get a babysitter. I really miss the pre-kid days when I would have an hour or two just to “get in the mood” to write, which for me usually meant procrastinating by reading E online, blogging, or IMing. Now, I usually have an hour or two at most at one time to write so I’ve got to make the most of it. No procrastinating allowed!
Tell us about when you made the decision to write.
For me, it was never really a decision. It was just something I knew I always wanted to do. I loved reading and for as long as I can remember I wanted to grow up to be a writer.
What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?
Read everything you can get your hands on. It may sound simplistic, but reading is how you learn how to write. I think it was Faulkner who said that you can learn something from even bad writing. This is true. Next, I would say that once you start to write, you’ve got to remember that writing is a process. It may sound trite, but the hardest thing for me was coming to understand that there is nothing permanent about the words I put on the page. When I was writing my first novel, I often got really discouraged and would put it down for days or weeks at a time. I didn’t realize that so much can be fixed during the editing process after you finish your first draft. The important thing is to keep writing and finish that first draft so that you have something to edit and improve. It’s also important to remember that while the odds of landing a publishing deal might be daunting, the odds of having an unfinished manuscript published are zero. So, keep writing and don’t give up.
Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.
Right now I’m working on a sequel/spin off to “Every Demon Has His Day.” It’s called “You Can’t Teach An Old Demon New Tricks.” After that, I’m not under contract for any more books, so we’ll have to see. I’ve got a few ideas I’m 
thinking about pursuing, but right now they’re just ideas!
Thank you so much for joining us today, Cara! It’s great to learn about your writing process! Stay tuned for next week where author Jenifer E. Smith will be joining us to answer questions about her writing.
Cara Lockwood is also the author of I Do (But I Don’t), which was made into a Lifetime movie, as well as Pink Slip Party and Dixieland Sushi, all available from Downtown Press. She was born in Dallas, Texas, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked as a journalist in Austin, and is now married and living in Chicago. Her husband is not a rock star, but he does play the guitar — poorly.
Posted by nisha on May 9, 2009 in
Blog
I haven’t gone to see Star Trek yet but I plan on seeing it tomorrow with my Mom. (yeay Mother’s Day!) I know this is a bit late, but I hope you like this! And like the title says, this is for the Trekkies!
Hope you enjoyed!
<3Nisha
Tags: Sexy Saturday, Star Trek
Posted by nisha on May 8, 2009 in
Blog
I love Hungry Girl recipes. I don’t know if any of you guys have heard of HG but she is this self proclaimed food-ologist who got sick and tired of eating fatty foods out or only finding recipes for large families. She has two recipe books that have really easy to make stuff with great nutritional values. They taste great, too! Here is one of my favorites that you can get right off of her website here. Enjoy!
MASH HIT!!
Ingredients:
3 oz. cubed red potatoes (about 1 – 2 small potatoes), not peeled
1 1/2 cups chopped cauliflower
1 1/2 tbsp. fat-free sour cream
1 tbsp. fat-free non-dairy liquid creamer (like Coffee-mate Original Fat Free)
1 slice fat-free American cheese
1 tbsp. real bacon bits (like the kind by Oscar Mayer or Hormel)
1 tsp. chopped chives
dash salt
Optional: black pepper, additional salt, to taste
Directions:
Place potatoes and cauliflower in a medium microwave-safe bowl with 2 tbsp. water. Cover and microwave for 6 minutes, until very tender.
Once the bowl is cool enough to handle, drain any excess water. Transfer potatoes and cauliflower to a large bowl, and set the medium bowl aside for later use.
Add creamer, sour cream, and salt. Using a potato masher or fork, mash until completely blended. If you like, season to taste with pepper and additional salt. Place mixture in the medium microwave-safe bowl.
Lay cheese slice over the potato-cauliflower mixture. Microwave for about 30 seconds, until the cheese has melted.
Top with bacon bits and chives. Enjoy!
MAKES 1 SERVING
Serving Size: entire recipe
Calories: 181
Fat: 2g
Sodium: 758mg
Carbs: 28g
Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 13.5g
Tags: hungry girl, mashed potatos, recipe
