When I last left off in Part 2, I was jumping up and down (in my head) because A Work of Art was chosen as the next selection for the parent YA book club at my son’s school. I was riding high, and then, something even better happened… Ten days before release date: A writer…
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A Debut Author’s Countdown to Publication, Part 2
When I last left off (click here to read Part 1), I had received my first book review for A Work of Art—a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. I was riding high, and then… Two months before pub date: Other reviews trickled in. I got a really good one from Booklist but a scathing one…
I’m Having a Book Launch Party!
Yay! I’m having a book launch party! I wasn’t sure I was going to because throwing a book-launch party feels kind of like throwing a party for myself. But as my publicist told me, “Think of it as throwing a party for your book.” So, yay! I’m throwing a party for my book! And you’re…
A Debut Author’s Countdown to Publication, Part 1
With less than three weeks before the release date of my debut YA novel (A Work of Art, Merit Press), I thought I’d start blogging about what the journey from contract signing to release date has been like so far. This first installment will be a recap from the time I signed the contract up…
Self-Editing: My Writing Affliction
Some people see writing as an outpouring of words. The Muse visits, and words appear on the page. Not for me. My writing is more of an extraction—and a painful one at that. More times than not, I feel like I’m pulling out every word by force. The truth is, I’m a chronic self-editor—maybe because…
Media Resources
Feel free to download any of the following items for media use. If you need further assistance, please contact me via the contact form page. Cover Art Headshot Author Profile Author Q&A Press Release Praise Sheet Chapter One Excerpt from A WORK OF ART
Book Trailer for A WORK OF ART
The Elusive Kirkus Star
As a debut author, getting your book reviewed is a big deal, so in the weeks after my advanced reader copies (ARCs) went out to reviewers, I’ve been nervously waiting, telling myself that if my book gets slammed, it’s just one person’s opinion, right? Well, I just got word that A WORK OF ART received…
Writing for Young Adults: 3 Things I Learned the Hard Way
When I began seriously pursuing writing as a career, I didn’t intend to write for young adults. My upcoming book, A WORK OF ART, was originally aimed toward an older audience, but my critique group convinced me (and rightly so) that it was suited for young adults. After all, its protagonist was a teenage girl,…
Realistic Dialogue: 2 Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
There’s a lot to say about writing dialogue—more than anyone wants to read in a single blog post. But here are two lessons I learned the hard way. (That is to say, I learned these lessons through lots of study, trial-and-error, and getting ripped apart by sharp-clawed critiquers.) Lesson 1: Realistic dialogue does not imitate…