What is Your Favorite Part of the New Manuscript?

I'm starting a new book... all I have is that little nugget of an idea and a few notes scratched here and there. It's a very exciting time, beginning a new manuscript, so many creative things to do, so much freedom... it's great!

Which got the rusted gears in my mind turning. What's my favorite part of starting the new novel? Making up my own setting? Researching cool stuff? Looking for the perfect music? Buying that new notebook? Picking out a fancy pen?

How about creating creepy characters from scratch?

 (This guy's mine... don't steal him!!!)

For me, I think, my favorite part is the mapping. Drawing maps is sort of what I do for a living, so I have lots of experience in the area. But it's fun making it up, the names, the features, the contours and vegetation. Of course, none of this mapping is written in stone, I can guarantee lots of surprises will pop up. I guess I just enjoy playing God!

How about you? What's your favorite part about starting a new novel?

A Tuesday Publishing Analogy

For me, writing a really great book takes lots of practice. Practice, practice, practice. Did I mention practice? I did? Several times, you say. And now I'm losing my readers by being redundant. And I'm losing more readers by repeating my redundancy. Fine!!!

Anyway, let's compare writing a really great book to the Olympic Track and Field event... the Long Jump!!!!

To attempt the LONG JUMP:
an athelete must combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far from the take-off point as possible.

To write a REALLY GREAT BOOK:
a writer must combine a mastery of language, an interesting plot and memorable characters to reach the ending point.

Here's an example of someone unprepared, undeciplined and uninformed trying to write that first really great book:

Men, Boys and Books - What is the Truth?

Since I posted last Friday regarding the Publishing House that only accepts 'series for girls', I've found a few other articles and blogs on the topic of Men, Boys and Books.

Here are a few interesting takes on the topic.

Publishers Weekly-Where-The-Boys-Are-Not

Pubrants, Kristin Nelson - Publishing Is Where Boys Are Not

Huffington Post, Jason Pinter - Why-Men-Dont-Read

NPR - Why Women Read More Than Men

So, basically, these all state that... 

1.) There are more women working in publishing than men. Approximately 75% women to 25% men. (I have no issues with this at all.)

But some people are stating that generates more books for women which leads to...

2.). Women read more than men.

In his Huffington Post article, Jason Pinter states: Men read. Tons of them do. But they are not marketed to, not targeted, and often totally dismissed. Later on he says: Publish more books for men and boys. Trust editors who try to buy these books, and work on the marketing campaigns to hit those audiences. The readers are there, waiting, eager just under the surface. And I promise, if publishing makes an effort to tap it, they'll come out in droves.

I bolded that piece of text because that would surely help me in my quest for publication. Yeah... the bottomline is it's all about ME!!!

However, Ian McEwan wrote in The Guardian newspaper: "When women stop reading, the novel will be dead."

And, as a male author who writes YA fiction geared toward boys, this next statistic frightens me: When it comes to fiction, the gender gap is at its widest. Men account for only 20 percent of the fiction market, according to surveys conducted in the U.S., Canada and Britain.

In the NPR article linked to above, there's a theory that men/boys can sit still long enough to read a book. I hope that's not true. Look at movies. I would suspect that just as many men/boys go to the movies as women. And they both can sit still the whole time. But think about this, and it's just my observation, there's an age where movies become gender specific. Look at the movies rated 'G'. Toy Story, Monsters Incorporated, the Disney movies, or movies like Cats and Dogs... these movies are almost unisex. 

Now, look at movies rated PG-13, you have Meangirls and Transformers, or (and these are 'now showing') Easy A and Devil. I'm not saying that women didn't go to Transformers or Devil, but I'm guessing not many men went to Meangirls or Easy A.

Do  today's bookshelves reflect the same choices for both genders?

So all of that to ask the question:

 

What Would It Take To Get More Boys To Read?

More books to choose from
More non-fiction and sports books
More male authors
Books with cars, blood and hot girls
Books with wild/inappropriate characters
More humorous books
Books without the 'Happily Ever After'
Books with non-stop action
Dumb-downed books
Intelligent books that reflect the real life of boys
Other (see my reply)
 

 

Motivational Monday

I always enjoy those funny Motivational Posters. So I thought I’d try to make up a few of my own. Just for gits and shiggles.
The first two go together, sort of a two-fer.


 

DEATH – At least things can’t get any worse

  
ZOMBIES – Never trust a DEATH motivational poster

 
BALLS – It's hard to see without a pair
 
BALLS – They’re attracted to their own kind
 
WAITING – It’s just like… hold on a second, I’ll be right back

The Publishing Industry Made Me Cry

So I find myself at the bookstore a lot. And I'll walk up to myself and say, "Hey! Why aren't you at home?" Then I watch myself run into a bathroom stall and hide.
 
While I wait for myself to come back out, I'm always picking up books, smelling them, snuggling them, kissing them (no tongue). Once the book is satisfied, I'll look at its spine and note the publishing house. Then I'll dive inside for the acknowledgment page searching for an editor's name.

I've actually started a spreadsheet listing editors, including their tastes, their love of eyeballs and the books they've published recently. I don't do this so I can throw out names to Mr. McVeigh, he's the brains of the industry, I do it so when we talk about editors I don't sound like Oscar the Grouch after a finding a half bottle of ripple in his trash can.

With my book on submission (CRUD - A Love Story) being a humorous YA parahomance, I'm always on the look out for something similiar so I can note the publishing house. Maybe they'd like CRUD. It's possible!

I pick up this book the other day, read the cover blurb and think, "Hey! This is a paranormal. This is humorous. This has romance. This is the perfect publishing house for CRUD. The book I'm referring to is


  MONSTER HIGH by Lisi Harrison. Published by POPPY, an imprint of The Hachette Book Group

Excited, I note the information and run out of the store (forgetting all about myself in the bathroom stall). At my computer, I bring up the Internet, search for POPPY... and my heart not only sinks, it's gobbled up by bottom feeders.

LOOK!!!



Poppy publishes paperback original series for teen girls. We have launched several bestselling series, including the national bestselling series Gossip Girl and The It Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar, The Clique by Lisi Harrison, and The A-List by Zoey Dean.

They only publish for teen girls!!!! My reaction?

 No, I'm not wearing pants.

From my research, I don't see any imprints for teen boy books. If you know of one, please tell me.

Thankful Thursday - Random Edition

1.) I'm THANKFUL that they don't make anymore of those Airplane/Naked Gun movies. I mean, I loved those films, but I can pretty much guarantee they'd use this bit if they were making a new one.

A group of important government officials are gathered around a conference table. Something horribly wrong is taking place in world. The President of the United States struts into the room. Everyone stands, waiting to be brought up to speed.

The President says, "Okay, people. Here's the situation." He points to the door and this guy strolls into the room.




2. I'm THANKFUL that a few good friends will take up their valuable free time to read a manuscript that just might suck. So THANK YOU (you know who you are).

3. I'm THANKFUL I was never this stupid.



4. I'm THANKFUL for books that my daughter and I are both totally enjoying.

 PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White

 TWELFTH GRADE KILLS by Heather Brewer

5. I'm THANKFUL that I finally finished filling out the list our Marriage Counselor assigned as homework.

Posted Over at The Mixed-Up Files

Today, my second post is up over at From The Mixed-Up Files

http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/2010/09/the-line-is-blurry/

I'm discussing the blurry line between MG and YA, as well as great MG books like Me and the Pumpkin Queen by Marlane Kennedy.



Plus, if you leave a comment, you could win an signed copy of Dean Lorey’s Nightmare Academy 3: Monster War.

Friday Five Without a Theme

1.) I found out something yesterday that DISGUSTED me!!! But I'm told that plenty of people do this. So let's find out!


2.) I'm fired up for   this year. Starting brand new story. YA SciFi/Horror called THE BROOD. I hope it's the next book I finish, but I'll know more after the first 30 pages. I do have a backup MG idea if this one putters out.

It's funny how we always feel the LOVE for the new idea... but is it the kind of LOVE that can sustain us for a year of writing/revising.

3.) No! No! No! This is NOT a proper use for the wonderful Eyeball!



4. Eveyone has a favorite drink. A drink that just oozes refreshment. For me that drink is FUZE 'Banana Colada'. Put it in the freezer for about an hour, then sip away. Mm, mm.

5. Did I ever tell you guys about my Karate skills? No? Well... I never actually took any classes, but that summer, I think I was about 8 or 9, that my parents decided they wanted to tour the country in a piece of crap RV, I began to practice that ancient martial art. And I took to it like white to a charcoal briquette.

Once I felt confident in my skills, I wanted to showcase them. When the RV broke down for the sixth time that day, I bravely stepped outside and began my first public display.

The Facts Behind Waiting

Believe it or not, Waiting is a large part of the publishing process. Most of us spend more time waiting than writing. A lot more time. And I've been doing a lot of thinking when I'm waiting.

But before we begin our review, let's be thankful we don't live in the country that posts signs like this:



1.) First of all, there are different forms of waiting, some are much harder than others. But it also depends on who you are and what you're waiting for.

One of the easiest forms of waiting, unless you're looking for pain RELIEF, is at the dentist's office.



What makes this form of waiting so unusual is that most of us hope the waiting never ends. We WANT to wait rather than go sit in that stinkin' chair with our mouths open to the point of getting lock-jaw.

2.) Here's a form of waiting that depends heavily on your current circumstances... waiting on the bathroom. Or the tree, as this picture illustrates.



This type of waiting could be a breeze. But if you've had a lot of water and you've been riding the subway all morning, it can take you to the brink, to the point you begin to seek other options; like the sink. Or the opposite sex's bathroom. Or a tree.

3. For writer's, waiting on an email can be the worst.



And, the intensity of the waiting with this one depends on the type of email. A critique from a reader... piece of cake. On a query... pretty tough. On a requested full... that's like being tugged into the arms of insanity.

This brings me to my mathmatical hypothesis, which I submitted to the AAR as well as the Patent and Trademark offices of the USA.

HYPOTHESIS:
The degree of 'internal - ulcerous' pain inflicted by waiting increases per the desire of a positive outcome.

Let's look at it graphically, shall we? We shall!

   
                                                
The left side represents the degree of Internal - Ulcerous pain
       0 = Minor Pain
       3.2 = Unimaginable, Unspeakable

The bottom represents the type of waiting

      0 = Waiting on Death Row
    10 = Waiting on an agent or editor for a 'Yes'

Would You Vote For Him

I grew up in Stark County, Ohio. Your typical Midwest type of community.

There have been some strange goings on with the Stark County Finances this past year. Now there is a need for a new Stark County Treasurer. Phil Davison wanted to fill this position. Here is his speech. You may cry... but it won't be because you're sad.

A Blast from the Past = A Pretty Cool Book

For those of you who have followed my live journal for more than a few years can probably remember  ... now known as  . He used to blog quite a bit and, I hate to say it, was actually funny. His real name is Bryan Reardon and I've read almost all of his fiction. He was writing dystopian books WAY before they hit so big. I swear, if he would have submitted his stuff a year or two later, he'd be all over the bestseller list. Dare I say... Roofjumpers!!!

I remember when Bryan and I were once known as The Hardly Boys. http://brian-ohio.livejournal.com/98113.html The adventures we had with the other LJ members were pretty crazy.

But Bryan hasn't stopped writing. As a matter of fact, he's writing more now than ever before. And doing quite well. A new book he co-wrote with ESPN's Mark Schlereth just hit the shelves. And the idea behind it is really, really cool.

Some all-star athlete's (Cal Ripken Jr., Lou Holtz, Jim Kelly, Laila Ali, Julie Foudy) share their best parenting tips to help families get back on the field, playground or court. If you ask me, this book would make a perfect birthday or Christmas gift for any dad or mom!!!



http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Set-Play-Parents-Children/dp/1600783953/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_2

From Wiffle ball to HORSE to a backyard game of catch, sports have long been an important bonding agent between parents and their children. All moms and dads want to get up and play with their kids, but sometimes that s easier said than done. Often, the roadblock is simply that the daily grind saps our energy and best intentions.

Providing healthy and active lifestyle for our family is more difficult than it s ever been. Parents struggle to get their kids off the computers and away from video games and TV.

In Ready, Set, Play!, some of the biggest names in sports share their philosophies on the challenges and rewards of parenting. The book will motivate all of us to make the commitment to our families to be healthy and happy through sports.

Conference Wrap-Up

The Northern Ohio SCBWI Conference was pretty incredible. So organized and so informative. It honestly was a really, really great weekend.

I arrived at the hotel early, hung out in the lounge. I did this because I knew   was going to be there early and I didn't want her to feel like an outcast. So, she waltzed in and I did my best to stay interested. ;-) Actually, she sat down and we talked non-stop for 2-1/2 hours as though we'd known each other via the Internet for almost 4 years. Which, oddly enough, is true.

Friday Nights dinner was delicious*


 

Mark McVeigh's (The Mcveigh Agency) keynote speech was engaging and funny. The crowd couldn't get enough.**



Afterwards, Dot and I, along with our newest bestest friend Linda Brewer Wilt (@layindalayinda on Twitter) hung out in the lounge for a bit. They both tired of my babble and began to 'fake' yawn. I'm pretty sure, after I left, they met back up in the lounge.

Saturday started with breakfast*
 


Followed by a great opening address by Martha Mihalick (Associate Editor at Greenwillow Books) about why we're so lucky to be in Children's Publishing. It's cool to listen to people who truly love the industry. It's inspiring.

After Martha's speech, I went to the bookstore and picked up MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins and KNIGHTLY ACADEMY by Violet Haberdasher (a.k.a. Robyn Schneider).

Then we dove headfirst into the breakout sessions. Though I knew some of the information being addressed in a few of these sessions, in the end I still learned a few things. As a bonus, I got to bug Dot about her inablity to read a brochure correctly.

After such a great dinner and breakfast. I couldn't wait for lunch. Dot told me we were going to have some fancy French food. I was over the top excited. Until they placed this in front of me*



Oh, well. I still ate everything on my plate.

This was followed by two more breakout sessions. To end the conference, Jennifer Rees, Senior Editor at Scholastic, gave an incredible talk. As she told us about her childhood, growing up in Pittsburg with a single mother and very little money, she wept. She wasn't crying because it was such a sad time, the tears were brought on by Jennifer's fond memories of a mother taking her two daughters to the library each week. How her mother's love of books had been passed on to her. How these stories invigorated something within Jennifer that molded the rest of her life.

All in all, another suberb weekend of writing and books and authors. I love these weekends.

It torments me to say this, but Dot was great, funny and intelligent, a real blast to hang with. I was glad she was there and we spent an awful lot of time together. I'm sure, whenever Dot sees an eyeball, she suffers horrible flashbacks. With some intense therapy (which I'll gladly pay half), she'll be fine.

* All of the food was actually GREAT! We did NOT eat the items pictured. They were posted for humor only.

** No one fell asleep during Mark's speech. He honestly had everyone laughing and interested. A great speaker.

Friday Five

1. See Number 3

2. See Number 5

3. See number 4

4. See number 2

5. I'm heading here! Taking off right now...

2010 Annual Conference

Bringing Home the Gold: Winning Strategies for Children’s Writers and Illustrators
September 10 – 11, 2010
Cleveland Airport Sheraton- Cleveland, Ohio

New York editors, and agent, best selling authors, hands-on workshops…and ME!

One Word Things I'm Thankful for on Thursday

1.) Photoshop



2.) Email



3.) Bargains



4.) Tools



5.) Fishing

Kids Welcome... Screaming Kids, Get'em Out'a Here!

 

A North Carolina restaurant says screaming children are no longer welcome and that has some parents outraged.

The restaurant owner is tired of hearing her customers complain about screaming kids while they're trying to dine. So she put up these signs inside and out. She says, "It has brought us in more customers than it's ever kept away."

But these parents from West Virginia don't think the signs are so nice. One mother says, "I've never seen a restaurant say don't bring your screaming kids in here. You can't help if your kids scream."

It was then that the mother's baby started to cry. In question was whether that would be tolerated in the restaurant. The restaurant owner says, "That's a crying baby. Here's a screaming child. Wah! Wah! Wah!" http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=110256&provider=top


 

Screaming Kids should be...

taken outside till they calm down
asked to leave
tolerated
given Benedryl
screamed back at
 

 

Monday Babble

1. Ladies and Gentleman... please meet my daughters' new role model!!!!!

SPRIGHTLY Isa Blyth will celebrate turning 106 today - and puts her amazing age down to being a VIRGIN.

Isa has never even been KISSED and thinks staying single has made her stay strong.

2. I'm always struggling with faith. I'm constantly on the lookout for something that will solidify my faith for me, but my scientific mind is constantly working against me. The other day, Stephen Hawking made this statement.

Known principles of physics can fully explain the evolution of the universe and our place in it, and these principles do not exist as the result of divine design.

I don't know why, but it always bums me out when someone of such intelligence says something like this. On a local radio show, they were discussing this topic. A caller said something I hadn't thought about before.

The human mind can't fathom God, we lack the intelligence. The same as an earthworm can't fathom the space station, the space station's there... but the earthworm could never comprehend it. Intelligence, no matter what form, has its limits.

3. I read a new picture book to my six year old daughter last night. When I finished she said, "That book was lame, daddy." Hm. Guess I need to move to chapter books.

4. I'm going to watch that new show called THE EVENT, I just hope it doesn't let me down like FLASH FORWARD.

5. My wife, myself, my 13 year old and 6 year old went to see SHREK FOREVER AFTER on Saturday Night. I'd read a lot of bad reviews for the movie, but we LOVED it. When a critic watches a movie like this, they should sit next to a group of young kids... just hearing them laugh and laugh and laugh really makes the movie work.

Favorite line - This is from Donkey talking to a Witch:

"You know what would improve morale around here... Flip-Flop Fridays."

6. I don't mean to sound like my parents, but the music my daughters listen to makes me sick!!! Don't believe me. Look at the lyrics from one of their current favorite songs called YOUR LOVE by Nicki Minaj

Shawty Imma only tell you this once, you the illest (dat for dat dat dude)
And for your lovin' Imma Die Hard like Bruce Willis
(bah ba dah dah oh)
You got spark, you, you got spunk
You, you got something all the girls want
You're like a candy store
And I'm a toddlor.
You got me wantin' more and ma ma more of

My favorite lyric from the song (and my Facebook Status today) is...

When I was a Geisha he was a Samari
Somehow I understood him when he spoke Thai

I laughed my ass off this morning when I heard that line. The worst part about this song is the use of the original song by Annie Lennox called NO MORE I LOVE YOUS which I love. So when I hear the beinning of this song, I get excited thinking it's the Lennox version. Then my heart sinks.

7. I've already started my Christmas list... these babies are on the top!!

 

New Words You May Like To Use (I know I will)

10 New Words added to the Oxford English Dictionary

Catastrophizing: view or present a situation as considerably worse than it actually is.

Overthink: think about (something) too much or for too long.

Matchy-matchy: excessively color coordinated.

LBD: little black dress

Frenemy: a person with whom one is friendly despite a fundamental dislike or rivalry.

Cool hunter: a person whose job it is to make observations or predictions about new styles and trends.

Bromance: a close but nonsexual relationship between two men.

Exit strategy: a preplanned means of extricating oneself from a situation.

Defriend: another term for unfriend (remove someone from a list of friends or contacts on a social networking site).

Soft skills: personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people.

 Other Words added to the Online Webster’s Dictionary

 religitics (noun): politics influenced by religious views

 showmance (noun): romance between two people on a reality TV show

 sexercise (noun): sex as a form of exercise

 cyberchondriac (noun) one who imagines physical ailments afeter reading about them on the Internet

 worddrobe (noun): one’s vocabulary

 robocall (noun): an automated phone call that delivers a prerecorded message

 cashtray (noun) an ashtray full of coins

 BMW (abbreviation): beautiful mature woman

 Bradburian (adjective): relating to the works of Ray Bradbury

 Poeian (noun) relating to the works of Edgar Allen Poe

 carbage (noun) trash left in car

 cyberlaofing (noun) surfing the Internet while at work

 textversation (noun) an exchange of text messages

 krakatoic (adjective): violent, loud or with sudden energy

 autumize (verb) to prepare for or make appropriate for autumn

 spray mail (noun) the dispatch of one email to a large number of recipients at one time

 sucktastic (adjective) fantastically awful or sucky

 drizzmal (adjective) rainy weather that evokes melancholy

 jeggings (noun): leggings that resemble tight-fitting denim jeans

 jenky (adjective): inferior in quality

 hujungous (adjuective): humongous