News: August 2008 Archives

Another nice review for Suite Scarlett from the blog YA Romance Challenge. A quote:

Suite Scarlett is your quintessential romantic comedy. That's not to say it's cliched or boring or formulaic; quite the contrary. There's just enough suspense and twists and conflict to keep me interested on a non-romantic level. I loved every minute of the ride that Maureen Johnson put me through-- lots of laughs and smiles and swoons, but also curiosity about how it was all going to turn out -- from the initial dedication: "This book is dedicated to anyone who has ever played a dead body on stage or screen. It takes a big actor to lie on the ground and keep quiet. Droop on, my lifeless friends." All the way through to the very last sentence.

Also in the news, new kt literary client Catherine Cheek has a short story in the forthcoming anthology The Living Dead, publishing on September 29th. How about some of those co-contributors? Stephen King, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Laurell K. Hamilton... Catherine's in some GREAT company.

This just in! Our very first review for Ellen Booraem's debut novel The Unnameables, and it's a STAR from Kirkus! It'll be in the September 1st issue, so it's not online yet, but here's an excerpt:

Booraem's debut is an ever-surprising, genre-defying page-turner. Realistic characters deal with philosophical problems in vivid, flowing prose that is evocative and often funny. A sort of combination of witch-trial-era Salem and The Giver, this book offers a treat with nearly every page turn.

There's an enlightening interview with Alyson Noel up at Vale's Corner, with my very favorite quote being:

Did you always want to be an author?
Well, first I wanted to be a mermaid, and then a princess, but after I read my first Judy Blume book, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET, I knew I wanted to try to write like that too.

Alyson also talks about a number of jobs she's held on her way to being a YA author.

So readers, what other professions have you tried on your journey to being an author? Besides literary agenting and general publishing-ness, I've been a waitress at an Irish music pub, a lady in waiting to the Queen at a renaissance faire, the PA to the general manager of a huge concert venue in London, and the info desk girl at my college student center. Your turn!

Good news for those of you who refuse to believe summer is nearly over (Take THAT Toys R Us!) -- Tera Lynn Childs is giving away a copy of Alyson Noel's Cruel Summer in the spirit of the Olympic Games. Not sure what I'm talking about? Read Tara's blog and it will all make sense.

Meanwhile, a nice review from Reading Keeps You Sane for Alyson's Saving Zoe.

Media Bistro's GalleyCat blog, having previously featured a bunch of cats, recently invited its readers to send in pictures of their pups for their annual Dog Days of August photo contest. I'm delighted to have such a strong showing with Jake and Dizzy, the official hounds of kt literary. It's no coincidence they enjoy perusing kt literary titles -- Ellen Booraem's The Unnameables and Josie Bloss' Band Geek Love in particular. Won't you please go vote for them as your favorite pups of the day?

Woot! Just got word of a wonderful review of Cruel Summer by Alyson Noel in the August issue of School Library Journal. An excerpt:

The protagonist's venting and observations are alternately whiny, wistful, strident, and hilarious. Despite typical teen self-obsession, Colby is likable and ultimately well intentioned. As she deals with her feelings, she blunders her way rather charmingly into a new maturity.

Go Colby!

If you haven't heard of NaNoWriMo, it's the nickname for the grassroots movement known as National Novel Writing Month. Traditionally taking place each November, NaNoWriMo challenges its participants to complete a 50,000 word novel within one month. Now, some may scoff at these arbitrary guidelines, but if you're a writer who's an expert at coming up with ideas, and not too great at seeing them through, NaNoWriMo may just give you the push to actually finish something. You have the rest of the year to polish and revise, but at least in one month, you can work on writing something from beginning to end.

Now, in my past free time, I've participated in NaNoWriMo myself, and Rexroth and I may take another stab at it this year, maybe even just for the social interaction. But one of my favorite things about it is hearing the success stories -- the writers that stuck through the month and beyond, and found themselves with book deals. And it just so happens that kt literary client Trish Doller is one of those writers! Her success story is shared on the NaNoWriMo blog.

Have you even done NaNoWriMo? Would you consider it?

I only just heard of this, or I would have let my readers know sooner, but head on over to the boards of Maureen Johnson's hand-picked group of operatives "Scarlett's Eleven" for a live chat with Maureen starting at 7pm Eastern. Enjoy!

Just heard from Alyson Noel at the RWA National Convention that Saving Zoe won the YA category for the National Reader's Choice Awards, sponsored by the Oklahoma Romance Writers of America. Woot! (That link, by the way, goes to a listing of the finalists, as I'm sure the OKRWA's webmonkey is busy enjoying him- or herself at RWA instead of updating the site!)

In other RWA-related news, Maureen Johnson's Girl At Sea is up for a RITA award in YA, and The Fictionistas have posted an interview. The winners will be announced tomorrow.