Today we have author Wendy Toliver joining us to discuss her writing life with us. Let’s see what she has to say! 
What is your brainstorming process for a new book?
I guess I don’t really have a “process.” I tend to get my ideas at random times, doing random things, and amongst random people. Once I come up with a story idea I believe is a winner, I tend to obsess about it until the story just flows out of me.
Can you explain your typical work week day?
I have three little boys, so the majority of my schedule is wrapped around their needs. They’ve grown accustomed to me writing, and I try to plan fun activities for them to do, like taking them to the park for a picnic while I type away on my laptop. Sometimes I arrange for a babysitter to come over, at which time I hibernate in my home office and go full speed ahead on my work-in-progress. Otherwise, I just run around like a typical mom, my mind abuzz with ideas to incorporate into my story at my first opportunity.
Tell us about your big break in the writing industry.
A friend of mine (who is now a CP) introduced me to a literary agent seeking YA authors. It was a good fit, and I consider this the first part of my “big break.” Next, after some yays and nays from publishers, she sold my story about a teenage siren to Simon Pulse. I consider this part two of “big break” because they’ll be publishing two more of my novels (and hopefully more!).
What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?
If your goal is to someday be published, I recommend joining at least one writing organization, whether local, national, or even online. People view writing as a solitary endeavor; however, I’ve found that getting to know writers (as well as people who fill other roles in the publishing industry) is invaluable.
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 my third YA novel, Lifted. It’s about a fifteen year-old girl who moves to a small, religious, Texas town and gets inducted into a shoplifting clique. It is scheduled to come out in April of 2010.
Really looking forward to ‘Lifted’, Wendy! Thank you so much for joining us today! For those of you who want to know more about Wendy and her books, you can check out her website here.
