Posted by nisha on Sep 30, 2009 in
Blog
Today, we have one of my favorite authors answering questions about her writing life, Justina Chen Headley! Let’s check out what Justina has to say.
What is your brainstorming process for a new book?
I collage incessantly when I begin a new project. Something about collecting images and words that represent my character and her arc turns on the spigot of my imagination.
Can you explain your typical work week day?
For my writing days, I typically get up at 5:30 a.m. for a mind-clearing run, and then I’m at my computer for a few hours. The rest of the day is spent on business, email, readergirlz, and my favorite: research!
Tell us about when you made the decision to write.
I don’t think I consciously began writing. It was just what I have always done…since I was in 2nd grade. Even in the years when I resisted writing because a college professor told me I didn’t have any talent, I was writing—and revising—in my head.
What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?
Read as much as you can, and be sure to put your time in writing. Malcolm Gladwell posits that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill. Find those 10,000 hours. Pronto!
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 another contemporary YA novel and my first YA fantasy series. Who knows what will come next! I can’t wait for my imagination to surprise me!!
I love your fun answers, Justina! Thank you for joining us today on Writers on Writing! For those of you who are interested in purchasing a copy of Justina’s books, you can pick up a copy at your local bookstore or here. Stay tuned for next week on Writers on Writing!
You can check out Justina’s website linked above for her longer bio, but here is the short and sweet one taken from her author info page: I always wanted to be a writer–and wrote my first 50-page novella when I was eight. But after graduating from Stanford, I took a minor detour to work at Microsoft, both in Seattle and Sydney, Australia. Afterwards, I returned to my first love: writing young adult fiction. My latest novel, NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL has received starred reviews in Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. My debut novel, Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies), was sold at auction and won the 2007 Asian Pacific American Award for Literature. Girl Overboard was a Junior Library Guild Premier Selection. Feel free to contact me on Facebook or MySpace or my blog.
Posted by nisha on Sep 23, 2009 in
Blog 
Today we have author Jessica Lee Anderson answering some questions about her writing life. Please welcome Jessica!
What is your brainstorming process for a new book?
Once I get the initial idea, I ask several questions:
Who is my protagonist?
What does this character want more than anything?
How will the protagonist struggle and, ultimately, prevail?
Who else is involved?
Where will the story take place?
What is the time frame?
I then write some notes and let these questions simmer for a short while before attacking the first draft.
Can you explain your typical work week day?
My days vary quite a bit, but a typical work week day usually starts with oatmeal, tea, and reading material (book, magazine, etc.). I’ll read for about an hour or so before checking email. I teach part time at the Institute of Children’s Literature, so I’ll respond to my students’ assignments until lunchtime. Then I’ll delve into research, revising, writing, or marketing until it is time for dinner. (Can you tell my day revolves around food? ☺) Often, I’ll work late into the evening on various projects.
Tell us about when you made the decision to write.
I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was a child, but I lost confidence in this decision since I struggled with school writing assignments. That didn’t keep me from writing for pleasure though. After writing my first novel in college, I finally took the decision to be a writer seriously.
What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?
This advice is far from unique, but read. Read. And read some more to learn about the craft and to discover your own voice. Then write. Write. And write some more. I’ve met many aspiring writers who have the want and the need to write, but don’t make it a priority. I’d encourage them to do so and to also consider looking into professional writing organizations (like SCBWI) which provide a wealth of information and support. And lastly, 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.
I’ve been revising a novel, Calli, which is about a girl who learns the meaning of family after the drama of being a foster sister. I’ve got my fingers crossed that this story will soon be acquired in addition to a picture book called Waiting for Potatoes.
Great interview, Jessica! Thank you so much for joining us for ‘Writers on Writing!’
You can get Jessica’s work at your local bookstore or here.
Jessica Lee Anderson is the author of Trudy, which won the 2005 Milkweed Prize for Children’s Literature, as well as Border Crossin
g. She’s published two nonfiction readers, as well as fiction and nonfiction for a variety of magazines including Highlights for Children. While her experiences have ranged from teaching to selling computers to coordinating a vision therapy clinic, her lifelong passion is writing literature for children. She lives near Austin, Texas, with her husband, Michael.
Tags: Writers on Writing
Posted by nisha on Sep 16, 2009 in
Blog
After a little reprieve from my blog break, I’m back with a wonderful author for my Writers on Writing series. Everyone, please welcome Jessica Anya Blau, author of “The Summer of Naked Swim Parties,” a lush YA novel with fabulous writing that you can sink your teeth into and savor. Let’s see what Jessica has to say about her writing process.
What is your brainstorming process for a new book?
Well, I don’t really brainstorm, I have loads of stuff that I want to write and not enough time to write it. I have notes in notebooks and files saved on my computer all with starts, or ideas, or characters, or just images. The files keep getting bigger, I can’t imagine it will ever be depleted.
Can you explain your typical work week day?
During the semester I teach at Johns Hopkins. Usually three days a week, and I’m usually done by one. I go home after class and write for about two hours until my kids get home from school. On days I don’t teach, I try to write two hours at some point, morning or afternoon. Sometimes, between projects, I’ll give myself a few weeks where I only write blogs, or emails, or other things. I’m sort of in that place now as I just handed in my new novel to my agent who’s making notes. I don’t really want to start anything because I might need to make changes on the novel before she sends it out. I should admit, though, that I did start another novel anyway and am going to work on it today, Thursday, but I didn’t work on it on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
Tell us about when you made the decision to write.
I didn’t quite make the decision as I just started doing it. I was living in Canada and my visa prohibited me from working or going to school. I felt a little like I was losing my mind, rotting away, and so I started writing and it made me feel better.
What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?
Quit making excuses and do it. Don’t criticize yourself. Accept that it might be really shitty work, but do it anyway. (I remind myself of this just about every time I sit down to write.) If you do it enough, eventually, something will come out that isn’t shitty.
Tell us about what you’re working on right now and what we can expect from you in the near future.
So, as I said, I’m waiting for notes from my agent on the novel I just finished. It’s about a family through the decades, birth to a death. There’s drug addiction, alcoholism, sex addiction, affairs, marriages, a coming-out, divorce, and even a gun. The novel that I’m starting is about Berkeley, California in the mid nineteen eighties and one girls’ crazy life there. It takes place during spring break when all her friends are out of town and she’s essentially alone in this town with all sorts of strange people she barely knows.
Wow, sounds amazing! Can’t wait to read more, Jessica! Thank you for joining us and sharing your wisdom!
For those of you who would like to read ‘The Summer of Naked Swim Parties, you can pick it up at your local bookstore or here.
Jessica Anya Blau was born in Boston and raised in Southern California. She attended The University of California, Berkeley and lived in the Bay Area for eight years until she moved to Toronto, Canada. It was while she was in Canada that Jessica started writing fiction. THE SUMMER OF NAKED SWIM PARTIES was published in the summer of 2008 by HarperPerennial. It is already in the fourth printing. The book was named a Top Summer Read by The TODAY show, The New York Post and New York Magazine. Cosmopolitan Magazine listed it as a “Sexy Summer Read.”
Posted by nisha on Sep 1, 2009 in
Blog
I recently completed a full four season marathon of the TV show “Bones.” I wasn’t really into it until I started catching an episode or two on my down time in the middle of the day between classes. I ordered season one on Netflix and I couldn’t stop after that.
Now, I’m completely caught up and excited for season five to start on September 17th. So why are my major issues with ‘Bones’ and why do I love it so much?
Issue One: I am totally in love with Dr. Zach Addy and the fact that they let him go was terrible. First of all, they should have just killed him off or something. Not left him alive in some mental institution where he’s actually innocent of a crime, therefore sparking hope in some serious Zach Addy fans. I hope they bring him back.
Second. There was absolutely no reason to break up Angela and Hodgins! I mean, they were fabulous together. I think that they are going to get back together in the fifth season, but Angie sleeps with someone Bones disapproves of first to end her six month celibacy test. I hope it’s Hodgins and not someone who is completely off the rocker, ya know?
I also don’t like how they completely got rid of Dr. Daniel Goodman without saying a word about him. Come on! He was a fabulous character. I definitely like how Cam replaced his position as head of forensics, but Goodman is still part of the Jeffersonian. He’s supposed to hang out in an episode or two.
Okay, now for the good stuff. A fabulous addition to the cast was Dr. Sweets. I totally love him. He’s one of my favorite characters now next to Booth, Bones, Hodgins, Angela and Cam. What fantastic comic relief, ya know?
Aside from the cast additions and subtracts, there is the basic sexual tension between Booth and Bones that totally keeps me hanging on to the edge of my seat. The whole reason why I love romance, why I write romance, is because the sexual tension is so unbelievably addictive, it’s like a drug.
I can’t stop! I know that in season five, Bones and Booth are going to have more scripted kisses, and a higher level of awareness with each other. That’s what I read in the spoilers anyway. Last season, Bones wanted to have a child with Booth but that’s going to be put on the back-burner because of Booth’s surgery. I wish it wasn’t because how AWESOME would it be if Bones was pregnant? Amazing. Anyway, I’ll keep watching and I’ll keep posting. I can’t wait until the season starts now! I’m officially hooked!
Tags: bones
