Helpful Links

Discussion Guide for A WORK OF ART http://www.melodymaysonet.com/?p=479 Uncommon YA: Gutsy YA fiction by traditionally published authors who tell it like it is http://uncommonya.com/ 2015 YA and MG Debut Authors https://fearlessfifteeners.wordpress.com/ Resources/Statistics for Victims of Abuse http://www.melodymaysonet.com/resources-for-victims-of-child-sexual-abuse/ Discussion Guide for A WORK OF ART http://www.melodymaysonet.com/?p=479...
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Praise for A WORK OF ART

[Starred Review] “Maysonet’s … prose is unflinching as it illuminates one girl’s traumatic experience with deeply felt compassion and brutal honesty, inviting readers into a very dark place that nonetheless has edges gilded with resilience and hope. An important book about endings, beginnings and the choice to move on.” —Kirkus Reviews (KirkusReviews.com)   “Beautifully drawn, convincingly flawed characters create a world in which Tera’s own childhood slowly moves from remembered happiness to dark understanding. This debut novel skillfully explores the consequences of self-deception, relationships, and the lengths we go to please the people we love.” —Booklist (BookListOnline.com)   “…Maysonet’s novel...
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Resources for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse

To obtain help for a victim of child sexual abuse: Stop It Now Helps protect children from sexual abuse through help services, prevention advocacy and education, and technical assistance and training. StopItNow.org Help Line: 1-888-PREVENT RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) The largest anti-sexual violence organization in the U.S.; created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline Online.Rainn.org 1-800-656-HOPE National Child Abuse Hotline A 24/7 hotline dedicated to the prevention of child abuse 1-800-4-A-CHILD ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: International Domestic Violence Resource Guide Phone numbers and helpful information for victims of domestic abuse in a variety of countries National Children’s Alliance...
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An Interview with Writing Coach and Editor Jamie Morris

I met Jamie back in 2010 when I took an advanced-level workshop she was teaching with fellow writing coach Joyce Sweeney. At the time, I don’t know if I qualified as “advanced,” but I do know that her weekend-long workshop catapulted me to the next level of writing. It also showed me how much more I had to learn, so I eagerly signed up for more Jamie workshops. And in between those workshops, I hired Jamie to critique my work. The first time she read my manuscript, she was full of praise, but she also told me the truth. Sometimes...
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An Interview with Writing Coach Joyce Sweeney

Fifteen years ago, when I was struggling to write a fantasy novel, I stumbled upon a series of fiction-writing classes taught at the local library by Joyce Sweeney. At the time, I didn’t know much about her, only that she had authored a bunch of books for young adults. I quickly learned that Joyce was a fountain of knowledge and that these classes of hers only scratched the surface of what she knew. The details of those long-ago classes are fuzzy now, but I do remember how much she encouraged me. I was so proud when I received back one...
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An Interview with Literary Agent Tina P. Schwartz, of the Purcell Agency

When Agent Tina P. Schwartz read my manuscript and offered to represent me, I hate to admit that I was hesitant at first—but only because her agency was so new. I had poured years of my life into writing and revising A WORK OF ART, and I wanted to be sure it was in the right hands. So I contacted some of her other clients, and here’s what I learned: Tina is a hard-working professional who’s passionate about representing her clients. Though she didn’t officially start the Purcell Agency until 2012, she has been selling manuscripts to traditional publishers since...
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