Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies

Ta Ta For Now!

2010-08-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

Alas, I'm so new to the Ro Com family and already it's time to say goodbye. Well, it's been good while it lasted. And I'm still thrilled to be in the company of such amazingly funny, talented writers! My Ro Com isn't even out yet... Language of Love will be out this December as part of the "Love, Love, Love" title. It's my first stab at fiction, and I read many of the books by the wonderful authors here like Jenn Echols, Wendy Toliver, Niki Burham, and more, to learn about what makes a romantic comedy work. So I thank you all for setting the stage, teaching me through your writing, and welcoming me into the Ro Com family!

Even though I won't be blogging here anymore, please come by and visit my blog for teens, Smart Girls Know. I post there a few times a week about everything from writing contests and opportunities for teens to stuff going on in the world that is relevant to young women. You can also keep up with my other writing projects on my author website, friend me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter (@DeborahReber).

Thanks for all of your support for this blog and the Romantic Comedies books, and I look forward to staying in touch!

XOXO Deborah Reber

It's Been A Thrill

2010-08-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

One of the thrills of my life was when my agent called to let me know that Simon & Schuster were interested in buying Royally Jacked, my first book for teens, and that--double thrill!--they wanted to make it one of the two launch titles for an all-new line of romantic comedies. Thanks to all the great authors Simon Pulse discovered for the line--most of whom are right here on this blog--it ended up being a more successful venture than I ever could have imagined. And we have you, the readers who loved the books enough to write to us, to recommend them to your friends, and to talk up the books online, to thank for all of it.

It's been a wonderful adventure writing my four books for the romantic comedy line, and though the blog is ending, the adventure continues. You can follow the other authors at the links they've provided in their posts. If you'd like to find out about what I have in the works, you can visit my official Niki Burnham website and bulletin board (which I check regularly), as well as my personal blog, The Go-Ahead. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to post your thoughts or ask questions anytime!

Again, thanks so much for making this blog--and the romantic comedies--such a success. It's been a thrill!

Thanks For The Memories

2010-08-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

What a ride this has been. From the moment I was graciously invited to join this blog in advance of PERFECT SHOT’s release, I’ve felt welcomed by the Pulse Ro-Com community. Having a forum where I can introduce myself as an author while connecting with other authors and readers was beyond awesome.

As a Jersey girl living abroad, being a part of this blog family has helped to soothe some isolation blues. There was always a spirit of fun and support here. This was no doubt a reflection of blogstress Jenn Echols who set the tone when she got this this party started years back. Merci mucho much for everything, Jenn! And while I’m making shout-outs… Thanks to everyone who made this blog a regular stop on your daily web browsing. Thanks also to those who have left comments and linked us to other sites. We so appreciate your enthusiasm for the Pulse Ro-Com series.

The good news is that the connections we’ve all made here will continue. Let’s meet up again at our various sites, blogs and social network hubs. You can find me on my blog, website, facebook and the S&S site. Let’s all pick up right where we left off, shall we?

Until Next Time...

2010-08-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

Shhh …. don’t tell my editor but I’m sneaking away from the deadline I’m on for a couple seconds so I can say goodbye to this amazing Ro Com Community that the incomparable Ms. Echols created. Well, maybe it's not so much a “goodbye” as a “see you around” since we’re not dropping off the face of the earth or anything. The Ro Com writers are all over the internet, putting me to shame with my relative lack of participation in social media.

This blog was one of the first that I ever knew about that brought together a writing community with the readers. I've enjoyed every minute being part of the team and sharing stories and the writing experience with all the wonderful readers and aspiring writers out there. I've gained so many new friends here. Friends that call me P.J., which makes me feel even closer to you even if you don't know what I look like ... or that I'm a guy. (Not like this was hard to figure out. Clicking on the link to my website pretty much blew that "secret." Also my last name. There aren't too many Ruditises out there writing for teens.) Don't worry though. I don't think we've seen the last of P.J. At least, I hope we haven't.

Beyond this blog, I don’t have much of a web presence. My website is hopelessly out of date, but I am tweeting away on Twitter. At least, not when I’m on deadline. (I added that last part for my editor.)

TTFN!

Simon Pulse Ro-Coms Rock!

2010-08-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

As you might have heard, we are saying goodbye to the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies blog. First, I want to thank the 11 amazing authors who've been contributing, from those who've been there from its inception (like the amazing Jennifer Echols, the blog's creater and web mistress) to some of our newest authors. It's been a blast getting to know you and read your books!

Personally, I received my invitation to join this talented, witty, and fun-loving group in 2007, right before my first ro-com (and first novel ever!), The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren, came out in December 26, 2007. It's hard to believe it's been that long! Then, about a year later, in Feb. 2009, Miss Match came along. Sinice then, I've been working on different projects, but my ro-coms will always have a special place in my heart, and that's thanks to all the fabulous Pulse Ro-Com readers out there! So thank YOU!

I know I speak for everyone when I say we hope you still stay in touch with us on our various web-sites and other blogs. Here are some good places to find me on the web: My web-site, Facebook, Twitter, Teen Fict ion Cafe blog, Books Boys Buzz blog, and my official Simon and Schuster author page.

Goodbye, blog! sniffle

2010-08-19T03:51:00.000-07:00

Almost four years ago in October 2006, just a few months after Major Crush, my first novel, had been published, I finally got the okay from Simon Pulse to start this blog. We've had hundreds of posts and countless visitors over the years, but I never thought that after four years, we'd still have eleven Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies authors participating.

However, we have decided to close the blog and concentrate on other projects. Over the next week you'll find other authors posting here to say goodbye and tell you where else you can find them online.

You know where to find me: my web site, my guest book, my personal blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

But I've really appreciated your support of this blog over the years. As a thank you, I'm giving away all four of my romantic copies: a copy of Major Crush, a copy of The Ex Games, and The Boys Next Door and Endless Summer together in one volume. I will draw one winner at random. To enter, you should be at least 13, and if you're a youngling you should have your significant adult's permission. You must enter before midnight Central Daylight Time on Wednesday, August 25. U.S. addresses only, please. It costs eighteen dollars to send Endless Summer alone to Vietnam. I found this out the hard way.

For a chance to win, just e-mail me at echolsjenn (at) yahoo (dot) com AND post a comment here about your favorite romantic comedy. It could be a Simon Pulse Romantic Comedy, another book, or a movie. Just don't say in your post, "You are my favorite author, Jennifer Echols, besides Catherine Clark," because I get enough of that already.

Thank you, blogosphere, for being so kind over the years. The day in July 2005 when I sold my first novel, and the day in October 2006 when I got this baby up and running, I never could have predicted how involved I would get with the reading and writing communities online, or how rewarding it would be.

Jenn ♥

When you were a teen, did you love or hate going back to school?

2010-08-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

Hated it with a passion! I still get butterflies in my stomach when I walk through Target and discover that back to school supplies have replaced summer beach towels, and sunscreen. It wasn't that I struggled in school. I had plenty of friends and except for math and P.E. I did okay in class. I just didn't like school -- for a number of reasons. Summer was paradise mostly because of the freedom that came with it. Free to read books all day long, free to hang out at the beach, free to sleep in, free to watch the Price Is Right, free to do whatever the heck I wanted. No, I wasn't dying to return to tests, speeches, detention and stinky locker rooms. Furthermore, I'm a night owl. The summer nights of staying up late and then sleeping in were absolute heaven. I used to fantasize about throwing my alarm clock off a cliff. High school just seemed like this really slippery stepping stone I had to maneuver my way over before I could get to a much better place, college.

Comic Book Writing 101

2010-07-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

I mentioned a few months back that I’m working on a new comic book series based on the TV show Charmed and a few of my Ro Com Compatriots asked what it was like to write for comics. Now that Issue 1 is out and I have a bit more experience under my belt under the tutelage of my co-writer, Raven Gregory, I thought it might be fun to share some of the things I’ve learned so far. As with any writing, the learning process is forever ongoing. These are just some general lessons and there are exceptions to every rule.

1. A comic book script is the most concise form of writing I have ever attempted. The average comic book is about 20-some pages of content. Sometimes the story will continue over an arc of several comics, but each individual issue (as any story) should have some kind of beginning, middle, and end to it. For me, outlining is absolutely necessary in this process.

The first thing I do when approaching a new issue is I create a table in Word that is two columns wide and twelve rows long. Then I break it out as if it were the layout of the comic book. The top row is the inside cover and page one. Second row is pages two and three, and so on and so on. Then I fill each box in the grid with the basic action that will take place on that page. This allows me to move things around, control the pacing of the story, and generally get a visual on where the big reveals will be. All reveals happen on even numbered pages so that when you turn the page--BOOM--something interesting should be happening on the left page, as here in the U.S. we read from left to right. (Mind you, you can’t just make every even page “exciting” because a story has a natural flow.)

2. The obvious rule: Every panel can only hold one action. You can’t just have someone go to the refrigerator, open it, take out some string cheese, shut the door, open the packaging, peel off a tasty string of cheese and eat it in one drawing. That’s seven panels. (It’s also a very boring comic book.) You have to find a way to link the panels by highlighting the important action. Panel 1: The person reaches into the refrigerator for the string cheese. Panel 2: Eating of the string cheese ensues.

3. A comic book page is only so large. You can only fit so many panels on one page. You can only fit so much information into one panel. You have to envision the page as you want the artist to draw it, balancing out the number of panels with the amount of information each panel reveals. Then you have to link the panels into a story.

This is where you get to have fun. Some pages can be packed with panels. Some might only have two or three panels. In rare cases, you can have one panel equal a whole page. And in really special cases, you might have one panel stretch out over a two-page spread for a really big reveal. This is where the pacing comes in. Sometimes you set the pacing and other times the pacing sets you depending on how much information you need to share. A big two-page spread might be fun to have the artist create, but if you need to reveal a bunch of information over those two pages, it might be best to use multiple panels to do it.

4. The artist is not a mind reader. You have to be very careful how you describe the art that is going to be drawn. That’s a risk with novels as well. When I’m describing something to a reader in a novel, I can’t get into that reader’s mind and tell her what to think. There’s always a chance the reader will imagine something differently than I intended. With comic books, if the artist draws something that does not match your intention the reader will only see what appears on the page.

5. You have to be able to let go. Comic books are a collaboration. No matter how in sync you are with the artist, some things will not be translated the way you pictured them. If you’re lucky enough to see the art before it goes to print (which is not always the case) you can’t nitpick every little thing. You have to focus on the big stuff. The things that affect the story. Because if you do start getting all nitpicky you should be warned that the artist may want to kill you. But sometimes the changes may be worth placing your life in jeopardy.

The Big "R"

2010-07-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

Today I had the honor of visiting a gifted writing class for junior high and high school students at the University of Utah. They made this cool chair for me to sit in! Sorry, I just thought that was really cool. But back to topic, we're talking about rejection here at the Pulse Ro-Com blog, and how I dealt with rejection was one of the many wonderful questions I was asked today. Because I'm sure at least some of this group of enthusiastic students will become authors someday, I was sure to answer honestly and not sugar-coat the reality that I dont' know a single writer who has breezed into publication without his or her fair share--and sometimes more than their fair share--of rejections.

One of my favorite authors (and she's a really cool and beautiful person to boot) is Shannon Hale, and though I haven't actually seen this presentation of hers, she apparently has a whole collection of rejection letters that she has attached end-to-end and rolls out for everybody to see. As rumor has it, it goes on forever and ever. One of the students I hung out with today mentioned that an author she knows wallpapered her office with rejection letters, and I know of a couple of authors who've held on to each rejection and stored them in a special--and very fat--folder.

While I don't have a visual showcasing every rejection I've accumulated throughout my 6-year writing-to-become published career, I can say I've had to grow a thick skin. And with each rejection, I have to remind myself that this is an extremely subjective industry. How many times have you read something (or watched a show on TV or a movie) and thought it was amazing, yet your best friend thought it was a waste of time? Right. Same goes with all the editors (the people at publishing houses that read your book and decide whether or not it's "right" for them) and literary agents out there. Some books speak to them, move them, make them jump for joy, while others ... don't. That doesn't mean your book is bad (per se); it just means it's too similar to something they have, needs more work, or any number of legitimate reasons.

So, what I'm trying to say (I'm still trying to catch up on sleep after my overnight flight two days ago so I can only hope I'm making some sense) is that if you sit or want to sit in the "Author's Chair," you shouldn't take it personally when you get a rejection.

How Do I Deal with Rejection?

2010-07-18T05:01:00.000-07:00

This is a great question for anyone to ask of herself. In fact, Caitlin (the protagonist of Getting to Third Date) is trying to fast track the relationship rejection process by finding a reason to reject all her potential boyfriends by the second date. Ultimately, she learns this doesn't actually help ease the sting of rejection.

By the time you turn 18, you've probably had friends (boyfriends, girlfriends, friendish folks) who suddenly don't return calls because they've moved on to the next new and shiny set of friends (lets call them drifters). You probably also have a few keepers -- the friends who stick with you when you move, cut your hair, get a boyfriend, lose a boyfriend, etc. It still stings when a friend you thought was a keeper turns into a drifter.

Take that feeling, and picture spending months and years on a book you love, then sending it off to agents and editors -- some of whom don't reply at all, some who say a polite and vague "not for me" and some who are quite rude ("your baby is ugly...and so are you"). Why would anyone subject herself and her work to that?

Well...for writers that's an easy question to answer -- because that process of rejection is the only path to published novelist (unless you self-publish, which is an entirely different post). When I was a new writer, I did my research and I understood that rejection was a fact of the business. So I was not horrified by my first rejection letter (for a short story that was all tell, with a character thinking about her job as a prison security guard presiding over frozen criminals she called corpsicles). As it happened, it was a lovely rejection as such things go -- instead of a generic "no thanks" I got feedback telling me that my story was all tell and no story.

Since that first rejection letter I've had success and more rejection--from the "I wish I could buy it" to the "I wish I could burn it and wash out my mind." Rejection doesn't bother me...wait.... Wrong. Rejection annoys me for three reasons: I sent the manuscript to someone who doesn't get it; I failed in my goal with said manuscript; and (worst of all) I have to go back and figure out whether to revise or simply resubmit until I find someone who gets it.

So, generally, to boost my spirits during the process, I just remember those friends who drifted away -- and the keepers who remain strong forever and enrich my life. If I had let the drifters convince me to stop trying to make friends, I wouldn't have the keepers who encourage and support me.

Kelly
(apologies for being AWOL lately -- starting a new company is very time-consuming!)

How Do I Deal With Rejection?

2010-07-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

Usually by falling face down on my bed and wondering why, why, WHY I chose to be in this insanely competitive, rip-your-heart-out-and-stomp-it-into-the-ground industry. Then I read the rejection letter or rejection email a thousand times, wincing as each negative comment is permanently branded onto my ego. Or, if it was a rejection phone call, I'll recount every word of said phone call to my husband until he's ready to plaster my mouth with duct tape.

Only then will I sit down at my computer and bring up the rejected sample chapters, or manuscript, or outline, and calculate how many hundreds of hours of work I put into it. And mull over the fact that it will most likely never see the light of day. Instead, it will sit on the hard drive of my computer. . .and there it will remain. . .and remain. . .and remain.

After that, I head straight to my bookshelves and my kitchen, in that order, and proceed to drown myself in Jane Eyre and pepperjack cheese. Or, if it was a particularly painful rejection, House of Mirth and Fudgicles. Have you ever tried Fudgicles? They really work.

Happy writing!

(Note to all the aspiring writers out there: This post is not meant to dissuade you from the rewarding field of fiction writing. But if you can't handle rejection, you should seek an easier career. Like lumberjack. Or maybe ironworker.)

How Do I Deal With Rejection?

2010-07-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

If you're a writer, rejection is part of the job--it happens to all writers, no matter how talented. When--not if, but when--it happens, there are several ways to react. Some writers I know get down for a day or two, then forget about it. Others brush off a rejection as nothing. Still others will mull it over for weeks at a time, picking apart each word from the editor or agent who rejected the project, trying to figure out what went wrong. Some writers head straight for the pint of Ben & Jerry's.

I don't fall into any of these camps.

I admit, I've gone for ice cream after a rejection letter appeared in my in-box, but I will use any excuse for ice cream (selling a book, seeing the cover for the first time, getting good news or bad from an editor, the Red Sox winning a big game, you name it.) When I get a rejection letter, rather than bemoan it, I view it as one person's opinion that a particular project isn't right for the market at this time. When viewed that way, it doesn't bother me. It's nothing more than a simple business decision. I haven't been fired; I've essentially been told to try to come up with something more marketable. So in the end, my internal response to rejection is, "Okay. Thanks for the analysis."

When I first started writing, it was tough to do that. No writer wants to think that the time and energy consumed by that rejected project was wasted. But over the years, I've learned that markets change, editors change, and readers' tastes change. As long as I keep working hard to become a better writer, improving my craft with each project, by the time the market is ready for that particular idea, I can resubmit, possibly in an improved version. Even if it doesn't sell, I can always pull a character, a story thread, or some other component of that project and use it in the future. In the meantime, I don't stand still. I keep writing. By the time I receive a rejection, chances are that I have another project--maybe even two or three--in the works, and a new focus for my energy.

How Do I Deal With Rejection?

2010-07-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

Happy SUMMER everyone!

There's a common knowledge in Seattle that summer doesn't actually start until the day after 4th of July. It's strange really, how every year I'll be watching fireworks in fleece and a few days later wishing to God someone would just install central air in my home already. And that's my state of mind at this very moment...covered with sweat in my upstairs office, blinds pulled down to keep out the oppressive sun as the mercury hits the mid-nineties. As a born and bred East Coaster, one would think I'd be used to sweltering hot Julys, but it appears that after 10 years on the West Coast, I've gone soft. Anyway...I hope everyone is staying cool and having a great summer.

And now, onto the question of how I deal with rejection. The answer? Not very well. Well, that's not exactly true. I actually handle it much better than I used to. I used to take it all so personally, flabbergasted that the pitched-to editors couldn't see the obvious - that my book idea was pure gold...Oprah Book Club material...the stuff that NY Times bestsellers are made of. But now, about ten years into my career as a writer, I have a more zen approach. Yes, I still get disappointed, especially when said rejection comes from a publisher who initially showed interest in my idea. And I let myself be disappointed too, for about 2 days. Then I stop sulking and remember that one of my core beliefs is that everything happens for a reason, and therefore if so and so doesn't like my idea, that just means it hasn't connected with the right editor yet. And when it does, it will all have been worth it. And that usually works.

So what does that really mean? It means that I have a file cabinet full of unsold book proposals and manuscripts. Well, at the very least a few overstuffed hanging folders. But I'll hold onto them, because who knows...?

Before I go, check out the new cover for Language of Love! While I LOVED the original illustrated cover by Amy Saidens, I must say that if we're going to a photographic look, I kinda dig how my book turned out. If you haven't heard, Language of Love is going to be paired with RoCom Cupidity, by Caroline Goode. It's slated to come out this December...I can't wait!

What's in a Name?

2010-06-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

Naming characters is sometimes the easiest part of a book and sometimes the hardest. Some characters name themselves. A name just pops into my head that would be perfect for the person I’m writing about. Other times, nothing feels right. Or when I do finally come up with a name, it’s too close to the name of another character in the book and I can’t use it.

One of the things you have to keep in mind about naming characters is not just what the name sounds like or what it may mean. It’s also important to see how the name looks written out on the page. Try writing about characters named Bryan and Byron in a book and see how fast your editor breaks out the red pen. (Of course, there’s always an exception to any rule. Check out: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. No, seriously. Check it out. Loved it.)

For Love, Hollywood Style, I had pretty much the easiest time ever naming my characters because I did something I’ve never done before and will probably never do again. Since the book is a romantic comedy set at a movie studio, I named all my main characters after the characters in one of my favorite movies of all time: The Philadelphia Story.

Tracy = Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn)

Dex = C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant)

Connor = Macauley Connor (Jimmy Stewart)

Liz = Elizabeth Imbrie (Ruth Hussey)

Even though there are no real parallels between the two stories, it was my way of paying homage to a true classic romantic comedy. If you like witty dialogue and snappy comebacks, I highly recommend The Philadelphia Story. It is one of the most sharply written movies ever.

How do you decide on character names?

2010-06-16T06:14:00.000-07:00

People actually ask me this question all the time and it's something I've often wondered about my own favorite writers. I just finished a huge long book with (what seemed to me) a thousand characters. I actually had to make a list of all the first and last names and post it near my computer so I wouldn't repeat any. Still, I made mistakes like calling the dad "Don" in one chapter and "Dave" in another (there's always a Dave in my books.)
I actually don't love choosing names--I'm always anxious the name will sound silly or too trendy or just weird. I usually try to play it safe: first names are those that are appropriate for the age of the characters--for instance, no mom is going to be called "Taylor" but a twelve year-old girl might. "Mildred" is better for the grandma than for the five year-old little sister. I usually choose first names that are short, one or two syllables, and not overly distracting. No "Siobhan," for instance. (No offense to all the Siobhans out there.)
Last names are harder--usually I'm also looking for a short, non-distracting name. But it also has to sound "real"--as in not overly bland. So I often use last names of people I know--friends, neighbors, former math teachers, etc. It's also a nice way of paying tribute to my favorite people--there's been a "Kohli" in my last two books, which is my best friend's last name.

Team Sweet Valley

2010-06-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

On this blog, we talk about the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies (I know-- big duh, right?). Modern, contemporary romances are one of my favorite genres to read -- and to write!

But as a writer, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to one of the original young adult romance series, Sweet Valley High. It’s not an overstatement to say that my love of Sweet Valley is in large part responsible for my decision to forge a career in young adult publishing. Imagine my thrill, then, to be invited to join a small circle of diehard Sweet Valley fan bloggers to meet with Big Fancy Publishing People to talk about the release of the upcoming sequel: Sweet Valley Confidential!

For anyone who’s ever had a love-hate relationship with the Wakefield twins (and with series for readers of all ages in print, who hasn’t?), this splashy, soapy follow-up (Elizabeth and Jessica are 27!) lets us catch up with the whole crew.

Over lunch (including yummy tiny cupcakes!), we readers talked about what exactly we loved about the series, and how we thought we might be able to build buzz for the book before its release next March. We filled pages and pages of notebooks with ideas, many of which will be rolled out very very soon. You’ll have the chance to read early chapters from Sweet Valley Confidential, to win swag like that pictured above (a teaser chapter from the book, a “Team Jessica” tee shirt, and a sparkly Wakefield compact mirror!), and much, much more!

I’ll be blogging about the first chapter of SV Confidential soon, but in the meantime, whether you’re new to the series or a long-standing groupie, now’s the time to get reading! It’s pretty sweet stuff!

Oh -- and let me know: Team Jessica, or Team Elizabeth? If you're like me, you're probably a little bit of both!

How do you decide on character names?

2010-06-10T19:13:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to announce that after only a couple of weeks in stores, Endless Summer has gone into its second printing! That means YOU bought a copy at the bookstores and told a friend about my book, and I appreciate you.

So of course I'm answering the question of the month with Endless Summer on my mind. Here's how I came up with the characters' names:

LORI: I really just used this name as a filler until I could go back and change it. I meant to do a search-and-replace in Word with a name I liked better. Unfortunately the cover was designed before I finished writing The Boys Next Door, and Lori's name was on it.

ADAM: I give my heroes names that I love but that don't really remind me of anybody: Adam, Nick, Drew, and currently, Hunter.

SEAN: He is named after Sean Penn. Remember in Truth or Dare, I think, when Madonna says Sean is the love of her life? You could really see in her face that she pined after him, and that's how Lori feels about my Sean.

CAMERON: He is named after the adorable but unfortunate best friend in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I'm showing my age here.

MCGILLICUDDY: Lori's older brother is named Bill, but everyone calls him by his ridiculously long last name. The power of naming is very strong. I get to do it as the author, because I'm inventing this world. Parents get to do it for their children. And if a kid gets to name his friends with nicknames that actually stick...well, that's a very powerful kid. I gave that power to Sean to show you how he glows with an aura of popularity, and therefore why Lori would fall for him, and why all of this would drive his little brother Adam completely insane with jealousy and outrage.

So...I thought it would be funny for Sean to call Bill by his excruciatingly long last name until it caught on. I literally went through the phone book and picked the longest name I could find that seemed to fit.

I'm really pleased with all my choices. Except for Lori. Too late now...

Did anyone in your life inspire you to become a writer...?

2010-05-28T05:47:00.000-07:00

A few key events, rather than specific people inspired me to pursue a career in writing. In elementary school, I wrote plays and cast my little cousins in the roles. My good-sport-of-a-dad filmed our homemade productions. I also kept a poetry book—a marble notepad filled with catchy, rhyming stanzas capped off with inspired titles, like “The Fab Four” (read: what a group of us girlfriends named ourselves). And I can’t even begin to count the number of diaries I’d filled by the 9^th grade. Writing was always a part of my personality. So much so, I didn’t give it much significance. I didn’t even give it much weight when I began winning essay contests that I entered to earn college money. And then early senior year, my guidance counselor got a call from the admissions office of my dream school, New York University. They called to ask her questions about little ole me! Huh? Apparently, they were really taken with my college application essay and wanted to know more about me. Of course, this caught me completely off guard, but it was extremely encouraging. I thought to myself, writing is viable. (p.s. I got accepted, but couldn’t financially afford to attend.)

Soon after, on the strength of another contest essay, The Star-Ledger, the local newspaper, awarded me scholarship money (through journalist Jerry Izenberg's Project Pride program, which awards college-bound city kids). Having my writing recognized by professionals in the field was a turning point for me. At the time, I was looking at comfortably settling into an undecided, undeclared underclassman existence, and my immigrant parents were pushing me to be more career-minded (“Pick a major! Your choice--pre-med or pre-law.”). So this recognition gave me the direction I needed. One look at the Star-Ledger plaque—which was titled “For Excellence in Journalism”—and something clicked for me. A few years later, I decided that my personality was best suited for magazine journalism, rather than newspaper or TV. My first magazine internship put me on a direct road to awesome magazine staff positions which, in turn, led me to an exciting introduction to the book publishing world.

Release Day for Jenn Echols' ENDLESS SUMMER!

2010-05-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

Starting today you can get your very own copy of Jennifer Echols's ENDLESS SUMMER (the sequel to THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, which is in the same volume!). I don't know about you, but I'm so excited! Congrat's to Jennifer, who not only does a great job writing romantic comedies; she's the lady behind this awesome blog. Thanks for all your hard work, Jennifer, and best wishes with your newest book(s)!!!

Who Inspired Me to Become a Writer?

2010-05-20T06:49:00.000-07:00

Unlike a lot of authors I know, I only decided to try my hand at writing books later in life. Like, way later (30?). I always enjoyed writing and did well on writing assignments throughout my school years. Several of my elementary, junior high and high school teachers helped build my confidence, but they were general "you can do anything" types of messages.

Then I went to college and realized I should probably start trying to narrow this "what do I want to be when I grow up" thing down, at least a little. I did take one creative writing class, but it was kind of a neutral experience. I got good grades but my prof never really jumped up and down about anything I turned in. I found that neutral was a lot more pleasant than negative, though.

My honors philosophy professor (who the entire liberal arts building was named after) told me I could not write. He even brought me into his office to tell me this so it could have its full, devastating effect on me. Not only did he give me a bad grade on a paper I felt I'd done a great job on, it ended up making my GPA fall just enough to lose my honors scholorship. My heart wasn't set on being a writer at that point, but I'd only ever had positive encouragement from teachers and parents. I'd never been told I could not do something, ever! (I actually include this story in my school presentations nowadays.)

Thankfully I bounced back, and it was only a little while longer before the dean of my college called me up to her desk, handed me an A-plus paper and told me, "You can do anything you set your mind to, but if it doesn't involve writing, you'll be doing this world a great disservice." And guess what? She surprised me and one guy in the class with scholarships!

Of course its' a happy ending because after trying out a variety of jobs, I finally discovered that writing makes me the happiest and I've been able to work towards becoming a published author. In fact, my third YA, LIFTED, comes out in just a few days! So it's all good. Very, very good. :)

Support, or lack thereof

2010-05-17T10:00:00.001-07:00

"Who or what inspired you to become a writer?" is a pretty standard question for an author, but truthfully, the answer, for me, is kind of a big old blank.

I honestly can't remember when I knew that I wanted to create stories, professional or otherwise. My mother has always been an avid reader, and she read to me as early as I can recall. Likewise, I have memories of lying in bed at night, making up stories in my head long before I knew how to hold a pencil (or even a crayon, for that matter). The only inspiration that I can come up with, in this context, are the books I fell in love with as a child.

My favorites were many of the usual suspects: ELOISE, MADELINE, FRANCES (and her baby sister, eventually), but my true first love had to be Laura Ingalls Wilder. My obsession with the "Little House" books was such that I recruited my mother in sewing me a pioneer-style bonnet and spent afternoons recreating favorite scenes with my best friends. Yes, I watched the tv series faithfully, but I'm sure I re-read those books much more frequently than I ever tuned in.

Authors are sometimes asked whether they write with a particular "ideal reader" in mind, and the answer is that I personally do not. I think envisioning my audience so specifically would bring on an acute spell of writerly stage fright. And I'd never deign to suggest that I write with the intention of someday having the impact on a reader that Laura Ingalls Wilder had on me. Such presumption would almost feel like heresy to such a devout follower as me!

And meanwhile, my family and friends have always been phenomenally supportive of my writing.

But at the end of the day, it's all about having fallen in love with books. If I'd never read books that took me out of my own life and into a new character, an exotic location, or a unique situation, I don't know that I'd have gone on to indulge my own imagination daily quite the way I do when I'm writing.

Support Is Key...

2010-05-12T10:39:00.001-07:00

This month's question got me thinking: Has there been any one person who urged me to write? Anyone who tried to dissuade me? Most writers I know can come up with a name in an instant, either pro or con.

My case is different. No one could dissuade me because I kept my writing on the down low. On the other hand, keeping my writing dreams quiet meant that none of my family or friends could cheer for me, either. Only my husband knew that I wanted to try to write and sell a book, and he was extremely supportive.

That's not to say that support isn't important. Early on, I discovered the Romance Writers of America and joined the organization so that I could take their workshops and improve my craft. Along the way--without even trying--I made a number of friends, all of whom were pursuing the same dream. It made a world of difference in my career. I had whatever constructive criticism I wanted as I tried to improve, but no one to tell me, "You shouldn't." And the friends I've made through our shared goals are some of my closest.

In retrospect, finding others who shared my goal was the smartest thing I could do. Now, whenever I have a new goal, I find someone like-minded, and we work toward our goals together. It's a strategy I believe can be applied to non-writing areas of life, too!

SUMMER is just around the corner!

2010-05-11T04:07:00.000-07:00

ENDLESS SUMMER comes out in two weeks. I AM SO EXCITED! I have posted the first chapter if you want a little taste in the meantime. And did you know I have a countdown clock?

Did you know that I can totally stare at the countdown clock for several hours at one sitting, willing the time to pass faster?

Well, time IS passing. I know this because the book has ACTUALLY BEEN PRINTED and my editor sent me a copy. This volume contains the novel ENDLESS SUMMER, which is the sequel to THE BOYS NEXT DOOR. But it also contains THE BOYS NEXT DOOR itself, resulting in a Big Honking Book. How big is it? It weighs 1 pound and 2.4 ounces.

For comparison, an apple weighs 10 ounces.

A strange ceramic object that my small child made me for Mother's Day weighs 3 ounces.

My cat weighs 186 pounds.

Of course, I am really glad to have the book, but it has required some lifestyle changes on my part. I had to buy a new vehicle.

Look for this book in the teen section of bookstores on Tuesday, May 25, okay? If they don't have it, ask them to order it. If they do have it, you probably won't be able to miss it. Take your forklift.

Did anyone in your life inspire you to become a writer or warn you against that goal?

2010-05-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Since I never set out to be a writer, this question requires a little pondering. I never walked around announcing to my family, "I'm going to be a writer someday!" (insert little baby voice). In fact, until well after my first year of college, I told everyone I was going to go into that other profession that strikes fear in parental hearts: acting. Right, acting. I might as well have said I was going to make my living creating gerbil homes of out of shoelaces. But however worried my parents were, they never, ever let on. All they did was nod and smile and wave me cheerfully off to college, knowing that about two seconds after entering my first intro to acting class, I'd realize that 90 % of the people there were better actors than I was. And that's exactly what happened. But when I did eventually get around to telling them I was going to write full time (this was about seven years ago, when I was twenty-five), they also did not say one negative thing.

I'm not answering this question very clearly, I realize, but what I'm trying to say is that I think I could have been easily convinced NOT to be a writer, but because my parents (and my husband) never, ever tried to talk me out if, not even once, I just went ahead and did it. And it's worked out okay.

What I've Been Reading

2010-04-30T21:41:00.001-07:00

Last month I rearranged my living room and finally set up the reading corner that I’ve always wanted. Actually, I consider it a “starter” corner. I’m hoping to get a nice comfy chair someday so I can really do it up fancy. Until then, I’ll make due with the IKEA special.

I try to read a few chapters of a book every night before bed. It’s the best way to take my mind off my own writing and lose myself in someone else’s world before I go to sleep. Otherwise, I'll keep working on my story idea in my head and spend all night tossing and turning.

The only problem with reading before bed is when I’m reading something really good I find it hard to stop and get out of the chair. Which is not necessarily a good thing on the nights I have to get up in the morning. Conveniently, since I work at home, I don’t always have to get up in the morning.

Here’s a list of the books I’ve read in my new reading corner. (Yes, I’ve read them all in the past six weeks. I read rather quickly.) I can honestly say that I recommend them all.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

The Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr (Just started book 3)

Non-required reading!

2010-04-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

Hiya, Ro Com readers and writers! Long time, no post!

I could make a billion excuses, most having to do with deadlines writerly and decidedly-non, but suffice it to say:

it's been a big year for the Ostow-Harlans!

In addition to gettin' hitched, the hubs and I were lucky enough to be able to take an extended honeymoon: five weeks in Australia, Fiji, and Hawaii.

As you can imagine, I did plenty of reading while we traveled.

The pic is a shot of N flashing a triumphant thumbs-up as our plane taxies to the Sydney runway after a marathon flight. Those seats were actually comfy enough that I did manage to get some sleep, but you may note in the foreground that I was able to make some headway into a totally gripping book, too.

The title on my tray table is IN THE WOODS by Tana French, a thriller that's kind of like the best "Law & Order" episode, ever (that happens to also be set in the UK). I started the book on the flight at a friend's recommendation and finished it four days later in Sydney.

Yeah, if you're into that kind of stuff -- it's that good.

French's THE LIKENESS just arrived from Amazon and I'm actually holding off on starting it because I know once I do, it's pretty much ALL I'll do until I've torn my way from cover to cover.

While I was away, I made it a point to read "grown-up books" for a change, but since I've been home, I've been back in a YA groove-thang again. Most recently, I finished Lauren Oliver's BEFORE I FALL. People have described it as "Mean Girls" meets "Groundhog Day," but neither of those comparisons adequately convey the emotional resonance and authenticity of Oliver's voice.

Highly recommended.

So, what about you -- what sort of books do YOU save for your vacation reading?

What am I reading?

2010-04-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

This topic came up at a good time because I have been reading more than usual lately. Right now, I'm reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett, which was recommended to me by my mom. I've read 6 chapters and am eager to read the rest but life (usually in the form of a 36, 10, 7, or 3 year-old boy) keeps interrupting my reading time. I brought The Help (even though it's huge) with me on my vacation to Hawaii last week, as well as Sweethearts by Sara Zarr. If you want to see a photo of it on a Maui beach and the brief review I posted this morning, click HERE. Right before these 2, I read Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey. It was cute, and I loved the concept of how an American farm girl (think could really be a Romanian vampire princess.

I'm also in the process of writing a proposal for a new book, so I'm reading my own writing (over and over again). I even worked on it a little in Hawaii, as you can see in the photo. :)

So ... have you read any good books lately???

What are you reading?

2010-04-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

Right now, I'm devouring, for the sixth or seventh time, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. I've been noticing how many similarities there are to her short-story collection, Interpreter of Maladies. It reminds me of how often writers will use short stories as kind of a warm-up for a novel--exploring different characters and themes that are built on later. I also just finished (also for the sixth or seventh time--noticing a theme here?) Cat's Eye, a novel by one of my very favorite writers, Margaret Atwood. All of this sounds great, but the truth is that many weeks, all I manage to read is the New York Times Magazine. Maybe a few of Somerset Maugham's short stories. That's about it. I'll blame it on my toddler son for now. Sure, the kid goes to bed at 8:00, but by the time I myself climb between the sheets, I can usually only keep my eyes open for about twenty minutes. The long-ago days when I read Anna Karenina and The Brothers Karamazov are gone forever--or at least until I'm not toting a 25 pound toddler on my hip all day.

What are you reading?

2010-04-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am so thrilled that my novel Going Too Far is a finalist in a Fancy Award, the RITA. The contest is judged by other writers, so it's a huge honor to be a finalist. And if I were to be lucky enough to win, I would join another RITA-winning Simon Pulse Ro-Com author, Niki Burnham. Remember this pic Niki posted a while ago of her Extremely Neat Office?

Yes, the RITA statue looks like an Oscar statue, except Rita is a chick and she is writing. There is even a Fancy Oscar-like Awards Ceremony to which everyone wears an evening gown, or perhaps Bedazzled sweatpants with a cape, because we are writers and you are likely to see just about anything at one of our conventions.

But before the ceremony, there's a huge (and free) book signing that you can attend if you like. This year the "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing will be held in Nashville on Wednesday, July 28, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, and it is one of the coolest things I've ever been a part of as a writer. Publishers donate their books, and about 500 authors are on hand to sign them. You buy the books, and all of the proceeds are given to literacy charities. The complete list of authors will be posted later at the link above, but some of the usual suspects are big names like Nora Roberts, Jennifer Crusie, and Sherrilyn Kenyon. I cannot begin to describe to you how huge this event is. Here's a pic I took last year that captures about a fourth of the room.

Now, if you are a RITA finalist, the super-cool thing about the book signing is that you get a huge flag on your table that says RITA FINALIST--in other words, CHECK OUT THIS CHICK SHE IS AWESOME. That is, you are SUPPOSED to get a flag. Last year there were no flags. I asked my RITA finalist friends Tina Ferraro and Rosemary Clement-Moore WHERE ARE YOUR FLAGS and they said WE DON'T KNOW!!! so I made them both flags out of pens and post-it notes.

I am going to try to make sure I have a proper flag. I am contacting the flag police as we speak.

Anyway...what I'm reading is the other books that are finalists in the YA category of the RITA:

Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick

The ABC's of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro, who is a finalist for the second year in a row because she is THAT AWESOME.

See you in Nashville!

The No Bully Zone

2010-04-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of discussion about bullying in the blogosphere lately. And two concerned YA writers, Carrie Jones and Megan Kelley Hall, decided to do more than blog, so they started a Facebook page called Young Adult Authors Against Bullying.

I started to think about bullying, which is a topic I've thought about quite a bit throughout my life. It seems to me that one of the things that YA books deal with -- maybe not as an "issue" but as a part of life -- is bullying.

I certainly have. In my RoCom, Kaitlyn is bullied by readers who do not like her column. And, in some ways, her column is a way for her to bully the very people who write in to her for help. Sure, maybe their dilemmas seem silly to her, but that doesn't mean they really are silly.

Name calling. Labeling. Can anyone get through school without having experienced bullying of some sort? If you want to know what you can do to make the world a little more bully-free, stop by the Facebook page and read some of the great suggestions for how to cope. Offer some of your own.

Even though YA authors might have fewer easy conflicts if we really did manage to create a bully-free world, we'd cope (there are always unreasonable parents and high-stakes tests...and romance is never conflict-free).

Kelly

What I'm Reading

2010-04-07T16:29:00.000-07:00

Hi all...I'm writing this on a very cold and and even rainier spring day in Seattle while apparently my friends and family back on the East Coast are in the middle of a heat wave. What I wouldn't do for sunny and 85 right about now.

So to answer this month's question, I'm actually reading three books right now. The first is a book of short stories by this guy named Wells Tower, called Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned. I heard him read a piece on my favorite radio show This American Life and I was blown away by his writing and storytelling. I figured if I read more of his work, I could absorb some literary brilliance by osmosis. So far, it's not working, but I'm enjoying the read.

I also just picked up The Lightning Thief a few nights ago. I saw it on the library shelf while picking out chapter books for my avid reader son and I thought I should check it out and see what all the hubbub is about. It's feeling very Harry Potter-esque to me so far, but am curious to see where it goes.

Lastly, I'm reading an adult nonfiction book by Gretchen Rubin called The Happiness Project that is all about finding ways to bring more joy and happiness into everyday life. I'm all for that. I've picked up a few tidbits here and there, but haven't had an earth-shattering a ha moment yet. I'll let you know if I do!

XOXO Deborah

What are you reading?

2010-04-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I felt a pang of longing or maybe even nostalgia when I read this question. At one point in time I was a voracious reader. In my pre-babies life I used to average two books a week. These days, the stacks of books ordered and neglected are growing by the week. However, when I'm not writing and editing my own books, I still do manage to squeeze in a good read. Thank God for long waits at the car wash, dentist and doctor when I am by myself. One of the last great books I read was Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I couldn't put it down. I read it in about 2 days. So amazing and so relevant in today's world. Far From You by Lisa Schroeder was another wonderful and recent read. Couldn't put that one down either. I am halfway through When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris (not a YA book). He is one of my all time favorite authors. I don't think I've read many authors with the exception of Laurie Notaro who can match his humor. I alternate reading David Sedaris with my rose books. I know that books on growing roses would be a total snoozer to most but it's my new hobby. My other guilty pleasure -- People magazine. The subscription my in-laws sent me for Christmas is the perfect escape. I live for the short, juicy articles. Looking forward to seeing what everyone else is reading. Who doesn't love a good book recommendation?

Where have you set your books and why?

2010-03-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

I had a hard time deciding where to set my Ro Com, Love, Hollywood Style. At first, I figured—sure—it made sense to set it in Hollywood since it does take place at a Hollywood movie studio. But so many movies and TV shows are being filmed in other parts of the world these days because they get tax breaks that make it cheaper. There’s even a term for it: “runaway production.” Losing all this production is actually a serious problem in Los Angeles, because entertainment is a big part of the economy out here. But it was tempting to consider writing a book about Hollywood and setting it somewhere else.

Initially, I thought Vancouver would make for a nice setting. So much production is being done in Vancouver these days, like the TV shows Psych, Smallville, Life Unexpected, and Supernatural. But then I realized they were going to have the Olympics, and really Vancouver had enough going for it already. They didn’t need me to set my book there. So, I stuck with Hollywood. You know, for realism.

As I’ve mentioned before, I used to be a tour guide at a Paramount Pictures. The Hollywood studio in my book, Sovereign Studios, is modeled after my old workplace, though I changed it around considerably to make it fit into the needs of my story. But still, no matter how much I pictured Sovereign Studios while I was writing, memories of Paramount kept pushing into my mind. For instance…

The scene in the cafeteria reminds me of the Paramount cafeteria, which used to be the old RKO Studios rehearsal hall, where Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers came up with all their dance routines for the RKO movies.

The infirmary reminds me of the one on the Paramount lot that is in what we used to call “Star Trek Alley” because that’s where most of the Star Trek TV shows were filmed.

And the soundstage where I set the big finish will, in my mind, always be Paramount’s Stage 5, which is where they filmed The Brady Bunch in the seventies and Angel more recently. (Wouldn’t you have loved it if Angel could have gone back in time and staked cousin Oliver?)

Right now, I’m working on a couple projects that are set in San Francisco. As the other Ro Com authors have noted, it’s useful to have firsthand knowledge of a place you’re setting your stories. I’ve been to San Francisco twice since moving to California. Unfortunately, my visits don’t come in too handy for one of the projects because it’s set over two hundred years in the future. The challenge then becomes for me to decide what’s still there and what is brand new to the city.

The other project set in San Francisco does take place in the current century, and it’s the project that I’ve been teasing in this blog for months. I’m co-writing a new line of comic books based on the TV show Charmed. It’s my first time ever writing comic books, and I’m very excited about it. Though I am considering moving The Charmed Ones to Hollywood, just so I have a shorter commute to work. Driving to San Francisco every time I want to write a scene is murder.

Where Have You Set Your Books and Why?

2010-03-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

I set my first YA, Getting to Third Date, in an anywhere college town, mainly because I wanted it to be universal. Ever since I went to college at 17, I have lived in a college town. First University of Delaware, and then -- when my husband got his Ph.D. and a "real" job -- the University of Maine. I've taken classes on both campuses, but only earned a degree at University of Delaware. My first job, before I even began classes, was working at the University bookstore during textbook rush. Since then I've worked at both universities in many capacities (one day I'll write my memoirs, which will include my interesting stints working in various University offices at two big state universities).

I set my Salem Witch series (The Salem Witch Tryouts, Competition's a Witch, and She's a Witch Girl) in Salem. Duh. That was incredibly easy to decide, because the first thing I had for that book was the title. Of course, I had read about the Salem Witch Trials, and we'd read The Crucible aloud in high school English, but that was all I knew of Salem. So I had to do research and find out about the modern Salem. Which is awesome, of course. I recommend visiting in the fall -- they really do it up for the tourists. Just be prepared to be touched and a little shocked at how the witch burning craze touched so many innocent lives back in the day.

Must Love Black, my most recent release, is set in coastal Maine. I love coastal Maine, though I don't live there. One day, on a sailboat excursion with DH, I saw a house on a cliff and said, "That's where Philippa goes." There are many beautiful places, but the coast calls to me. The ocean that breaks against the jagged slabs of granite makes me feel like I've come home.

The manuscript I finished recently (title still in flux, though I think I may have hit upon the right one two days ago -- at last!) is also set in Maine. There's something about magic and New England that just go well together.

Of course, I may just hop across the sea to England for the book I'm in the process of drafting. But don't tell anyone I told you so. It's still a secret.

Where have you set your books and why?

2010-03-22T21:28:00.000-07:00

Ask me why I don’t have a Jersey Girl accent. Really—you’d be the first! *smirk* But please don’t expect me to do the “fist pump” on the dance floor. That’s not gonna happen.

While I may disappoint some expectations, I really am a bona fide Jersey girl. (I even graduated from Rutgers University.) We are some dynamic, colorful people. And from the woodsy Bear country counties to the more NYC-borough-esque region, our geographically diverse state makes for an awesome setting for a story (or two).

Perfect Shot is set in a fictional town that sits in the shadow of that towering Manhattan island where I was born. A trendy shop like Chic Boutique (the modeling contest’s headquarters in PS) would easily fit into the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the real Bergen County towns that inspired me. And ambitious young ladies like London Abrams and her bff Pam are found in abundance all throughout the garden state.

London’s town is the type of neighborhood I moved to as an adult. But I was raised in East Orange, NJ, the city I wrote about in Hallways Diaries. Here I am with my godmother (great aunt/soulmate) “Dada” outside of our East Orange home.

Ever see that “30 Rock” episode when we learned that Ken the Page sees the world as one big puppet show? Well, my hubby likes to tease that Ken and I are kindred spirits. (Of course, you know that’s an exaggeration--in my mind, the world is more like a Broadway musical.) But so what my POV is a little rose-colored? I know a lot of folks consider New Jersey to be more of a punchline than a home state. That doesn’t bother me. I can’t deny the great memories of growing up there. Like with everyone else, sure there were some off moments, but they certainly don’t come close to outweighing the bad. And at this point in my career, I find myself wanting to write more stories about colorful characters in this colorful region of the country.

But just don’t expect any of my characters to bust out with the “fist pump” dance, either. Not gonna happen.

Where have you set your books and why?

2010-03-19T07:25:00.001-07:00

I love this question because I think where a story takes place is very important. You want the story to feel real, and one of the ways to do that is to describe the place authentically. Of course, you can make up a place and as long as you stay consistent, that works too. But with my published novels, I chose places I knew well. Then, I build upon those settings and use fake high school names, street names, etc., to build the perfect setting.

The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren takes place in the Denver suburbs, where I moved in the second grade and lived until college (but I went to Colorado State, which is only an hour and a half north). I enjoyed writing about a place I know inside and out, putting in little shout-outs to the Broncos, the Rocky Mountains, etc.

My second Ro-Com, Miss Match, is set in Salt Lake City. There don't seem to be very many books set in Utah, and I wanted to shed light on the amazing place I live in now. Right after college, I got married to a Utah native and now we live in a beautiful town about an hour north of SLC. We're surrounded by 3 ski resorts, a lake, and a river. I put some local tidbits in my story, and it's been fun getting feedback from the people who live here. (The photo to the left shows some of the scenery I enjoy every day.)

As for my third novel (not a Ro-Com, but still with Simon Pulse), I needed a setting that was steeped in religion--the Bible Belt. I was born in Houston (where I lived until 2nd grade) but I wanted a smaller town setting, somewhere where everybody knew everybody's business. So I decided to set it in East Texas, where my parents are from and where my dad and other relatives still live. I was there a couple of years ago so to make sure my settting details rang true, I ran them by my relatives. The main character, Poppy, and her mom move from Boulder, Colorado to Pleasant Acres, Texas (I made up the town name, but it looks a lot like this photo from a real East Texas town) to start a new life, and I think (I hope) it works well. You'll have to let me know! Lifted comes out June 8! (Click HERE to learn more about this book.)

Basically, I choose settings that work best for the story I'm telling and that I can write about with a sense of authenticity.

As a reader, I think it's fun to read a book that is set somewhere familiar to me, such as Nicole Burnham's Scary Beautiful (Colorado), but it's also fun to read a book that takes place somewhere I've never been or somewhere that doesn't really exist. What about you?

We've got the scoop!

2010-03-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

Look for these new Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies in 2010! ♥

***COMING APRIL 6***

At First Sight
By Catherine Hapka

Sometimes The One is right before your eyes. . .

Lauren and Riley first meet under the stars, and instantly know they are destined to be together. Okay, so maybe it was on a lame school trip to the planetarium, and maybe they didn't get each others' names, or even a good look at each other. But for the brief moment they are together, the sparks are undeniable.

So when Lauren finds a post on Facebook that a guy named Riley is searching for this amazing girl he met at the planetarium, she feels like the stars have finally aligned in her favor. That is, until Lauren sees that Riley is being pursued by hordes of Planetarium Girl imposters! Will Lauren and Riley be able to find each other again, or will these star crossed lovers remain in the dark?

***COMING MAY 25***

Endless Summer
By Jennifer Echols

Includes The Boys Next Door

Two irresistible boys. One unforgettable summer.

Lori can't wait for her summer at the lake. She loves wakeboarding and hanging with her friends--including the two hotties next door. With the Vader brothers, she's always been just one of the guys. Now that she's turning sixteen, she wants to be seen as one of the girls, especially in the eyes of Sean, the older brother. But that's not going to happen--not if the younger brother, Adam, can help it.

Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with Adam. Adam has plans of his own for Lori. As the air heats up, so does this love triangle. Will Lori's romantic summer melt into one hot mess?

***COMING DECEMBER 21***

Love, Love, Love
By Deborah Reber and Caroline Goode

Two sweet stories about finding your one true love.

In Language of Love, by Deborah Reber, Janna is quickly adapting to life in Seattle as a high school exchange student from Hungary. Or at least Julian, the cute boy she met in a coffee shop, thinks she is. The truth is, he overheard Janna using a phony accent, and now she’s stuck playing the part….Will Julian want to be with the real Janna? Or will she discover that lies don’t always translate to love?

In Cupidity by Caroline Goode, high school is the single worst place to find a boyfriend. And Laura Sweeney is no exception. She hasn't had a date since...well, ever. So Laura needs guidance. A proven "get the guy" strategy. Luckily she knows exactly the expert to call. He's a matchmaking mastermind who actually has the bow and arrow to prove it. Let's just call him...Cupid.

Where have you set your books and why?

2010-03-16T11:44:00.000-07:00

I'm a little more limited than most with regards to this question: the setting for most of my fiction books has been decided by my editors. This has resulted in some interesting scenarios: for instance, having to write about California, when I've never been to California. I had to set an entire book in a vineyard in Napa Valley. Not only have I never been to Napa, or a vineyard, I didn't even know what grapes looked like when they were growing. Thank you, Google Images. I also got around this particular problem by renting old Rick Steves Travel DVDs of Napa and looking through big coffeetable books about life on a vineyard.

Then there was the book that was supposed to be set in Palm Springs, CA. Fine, no problem, I told the editor. I've got it under control. Off I go, writing the manuscript. I was used to writing about California by now, and my characters always spent a lot of time at the beach. So I wrote in several key beach scenes, as usual. Oops. I later was informed that Palm Springs is like miles and miles from the beach. It's in the middle of the desert. If this isn't a testament to the value of research, I don't know what is. I had to rewrite every d**n one of those scenes.

That's a big reason why setting Hard to Get in the Midwest was such a relief. At last, I could write about a terrain I was familiar with: daffodils in spring, changing oak trees in fall, cornfields, soybeans. The book I'm working on now is set somewhere in upper Michigan. My best friend's family once owned a vacation house there that had been in their family for generations. I only visited the place once but I've never been able to get it out of my mind. Something about the loons. . .

Where have you set your books and why?

2010-03-13T07:24:00.000-08:00

Have you ever watched a movie set in a place you love, only to think, "That's not right!" For the next five minutes, all you can think about is how the filmmakers had the traffic going the wrong direction on your town's main street, past a governor's mansion that's actually located fifty miles away.

As an author, I never wanted to fall into that trap. A perfectly good story with riveting characters, one that has readers flipping pages as fast as possible, can come to a grinding halt when the reader finds an obvious error. To avoid that, I'm very careful when choosing the setting for each of my stories.

In Sticky Fingers, I created a fictional high school in a real town (Framingham, MA), that's not far from where I live. Before the book went to print, I double-checked every fact in the story, driving past each of the locations to ensure that the traffic flowed a certain way, that the views from inside stores matched up with what I wrote, and that the spelling of each street was correct.

I went one step further in both Scary Beautiful and Goddess Games. Because I needed weather, stores, and streets that suited each story, I made up the towns of Vista Verde and Juniper. However, I set them in my home state of Colorado, because I knew it'd be easy for me to describe everything from local plants and wildlife to the real towns located near my fictional settings with accuracy. Anyone from Colorado would recognize the "feel" of the two towns, even if they don't exist.

Finally, in the Royally Jacked series of books, I created an entire fictional country. You'd think a fake country would give a writer unlimited freedom; however, as with my fictional Colorado towns, I spent a lot of time ensuring that the "feel" of the country would resonate with readers. I set the country in Europe, where I lived for six years. Buildings, public transportation, and even the names of secondary characters all came directly from things I experienced while living in southern Germany. Best of all, I was able to incorporate the food! (Strudel, anyone? Gelato?)

Where have you set your books and why?

2010-03-11T03:44:00.001-08:00

Endless Summer, the sequel to The Boys Next Door, will be published on May 25--and The Boys Next Door will be reprinted in the same volume. I'm so excited about the perfect pub date because it's just a few days shy of the start of the action in The Boys Next Door, around Memorial Day. And that is a beautiful time of year on Lake Martin, Alabama, where I grew up.

It was not my choice to set a book here. I think Lake Martin is paradise, but it's not for everyone. For instance, country singer Alan Jackson played a concert there for Aquapalooza last August. You could only see it by boat. If I had been 16, all of my friends and I would have been there, believe me. However, before I wrote this book, I assumed New York editors would turn up their noses at a setting like this.

Here's what happened. I wrote a proposal for a book about a girl torn between two adorable brothers who live next door. I wrote another proposal for a book with a suspenseful treasure-hunting plot set on a lake. My editor did not like either proposal, but she told me to take the love triangle plot and set it on the lake.

So I did. But I took out any references to the fact that the lake was in Alabama. It was Lake in a Nameless State so it would have the broadest appeal to the most readers. But in the edits, my editor kept asking me weird questions: Why are you calling their lake cabins houses, as if they live there all year? Why aren't the girls cold at night in their Slinky Cleavage-Revealing Tops? It became apparent to me that when I said "lake," New York heard "Lake Placid." So I revised the book to make it clear that this lake is in Alabama. It is hot as hell in Alabama in the summer, even at night, even in a Slinky Cleavage-Revealing Top, and if we have a house on the lake, we tend to live there all year because there are no blizzards to close the roads in the winter or anything like that going on.

For your enjoyment, here is a beautiful pic my dad took of Lake Martin for a photography class recently. And here is a pic of me waterskiing on the lake when I was 18, because I never get tired of proudly telling people that I did not fall after that shot.

Favorite Couples

2010-02-28T18:59:00.000-08:00

Because I like to be different, I’m going to tweak this month’s question and tell you about some of my favorite couples that have graced the small screen over the years. Starting with Buffy and Angel. OR Buffy and Spike. Yes, I’m one of those rare Buffy, The Vampire Slayer fans that could have gone either way on her love life. There is nothing better than an “opposites attract” love story and you can’t get more opposite than a slayer in love with the vampires she’s supposed to slay. Their relationship(s) had heavenly highs and demonic lows and one of the best uses of a cookie as an analogy for being ready to fall in love that I've ever heard.
Opposites Attract Hall of Fame: Sam and Diane from Cheers, Maddie and David from Moonlighting, Vicky and Ryan from Another World, Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.

I was also a big Joey and Pacey shipper in Dawson’s Creek. What I loved most about this couple was that the writers let the characters (and the chemistry between the actors) dictate this relationship. Clearly, when the Creek began, we were supposed to want Joey and Dawson to get together. He was her first love. The boy she pined after for years. Too bad the audience didn’t buy it. Thankfully, the writers actually watched their show and said, “Hey, why don’t we try this instead?” And it worked. Because no matter how much we all love a good “first love” story, the reality is those couplings don’t always last.
First Love Hall of Fame: Kevin and Winnie from The Wonder Years, Pebbles and Bam-Bam from The Flintstones.

As for married couples, no characters currently on television come close to the bond shared between Eric and Tami Taylor from Friday Night Lights. They are most realistic married couple ever on TV in my opinion. They have a genuine marriage with real problems and a true love for one another. I cannot wait for the new season to begin airing. It kills me that I don’t have direct TV and I’m behind. (Shhh. No spoilers!)
Married Couple Hall of Fame: Cliff and Claire Huxtable from The Cosby Show, Steve and Elyse Keaton from Family Ties, B.J. and Peg Honeycutt from M*A*S*H (bonus points for B.J. and Peg since we never actually saw them together onscreen and yet their love was undeniable).

Obviously, I left a bunch of favorites off the list, so feel free to add your own.

While on the subject of TV, a few weeks back I very cruelly teased you all by saying absolutely nothing about the projects I’m working on for 2010. Well, I’m still not allowed to say anything, but I’ll give you a teeny, tiny little clue about one of them. It has me writing for another one of my favorite TV couples. A couple that does not appear on this list.

Okay, I know I’m horrible. And I’m sure when all is revealed it will be terribly anti-climactic. But I don’t want to take up this space anymore by being a tease stringing you along forever. For those of you who still care, you can follow me on Twitter @paulruditis where I hopefully will reveal the mystery project before we all die of old age.

In honor of Valentine's Day, who are some of your favorite book or movie couples?

2010-02-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day may be behind us, but love is definitely still in the air. Is there ever really a bad time to watch When Harry Met Sally or to gush about your fave romantic comedy leads? FYI, Mark Ruffalo is one of my favorites. I like that he’s not your typical leading man. He was so adorable opposite Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30 and I loved him with Reese Witherspoon in Just Like Heaven. Mark’s character didn’t even have a romantic storyline in You Can Count on Me and yet he still had me blushing.

On the romantic fantasy level, of course I was rooting for Aragorn and Arwen in The Lord of the Rings. And yes, Katsa and Po in Kristin Cashore’s awesome book, Graceling had my heart racing.

And if you haven’t seen it yet, you have to check out the movie Love and Basketball (2000) starring Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps as Monica and Quincy. Such a swoon-worthy couple! The film follows Monica and Quincy from their first meeting at age 11—when Quincy and his parents moved in next door to Monica—through high school and college. Both kids are wild about basketball with dreams of going pro. Their shared passion for the sport brings them closer, but also makes them deliciously competitive.

I’ll stop now so as not to give anything away. Happy viewing!

Odds n' ends

2010-02-19T07:22:00.000-08:00

Hello! A lot has happened since my last post and there are so many things that are making me happy.

1. Writing. I'm working on a new book idea and it's coming along swimmingly. It's still early days and I haven't even shown it to my agent, but as writers out there are sure to know, it feels great to have an exciting new project going.

2. Good health. I've been sick as have my kids and husband, so I'm just now getting back into working out. I love doing yoga and spin class and the combination does wonders for my body and mind.

3. School Visits. The latest two schools were elementary schools, a little younger than I'm used to, so I put together a new presentation called "Imagine the Possibilities!" where I show funny pictures of myself and how many times my dream has changed. It's fun for me to talk about this because it relates to everyone, young and old, and it reminds me just how far I've come as a writer and as a person.

4. Coaching boys' basketball. I've coached soccer and it was such a wonderful experience, and since I actually played basketball once upon a time, I was really looking forward to trying my hand at coaching it. The boys keep me on my toes and it's so amazing how far they've already come.

5. Skiing and snowboarding. Here in Utah, we've had lots of snow which means great days on the ski hill. My youngest is loving the sport so far!

6. Hot air balloons. This is really random, because while we have hot air balloons floating around quite often in the warmer months, it's not every winter day we get to see one.

What has you in a good mood today?

Hard to Get and Favorite Movie Couples

2010-02-16T15:50:00.000-08:00

First of all, Hard to Get will be out on Feb. 23rd! I have already seen a few advance copies and it looks marvelous. But I haven't had the nerve to actually read it. Something cringe-inducing about reading my own words in print. Like those actors you hear about who've never watched any of their own movies. Just ogling the cover is enough--and fielding my family's comments. ("Were you thinking about Aunt Mildred when you wrote that scene?")

Second question: favorite movie or book couples. I have so many, including Alvy and Annie from Annie Hall, which has already been written about, but probably my number one favorite couple is Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester from Charlotte Bronte's novel, Jane Eyre. I know, I know, I'm a huge nerd. I can't help it. When I was in junior high, I used to dream about having a boyfriend just like Mr. Rochester. (I can't believe I'm writing this in a public forum.) Okay, yes, the language in the book is hopelessly old-fashioned, yes, the book takes forever to read, yes, Jane can come across as a pious little priss and Mr. Rochester as a weird creep, but it's so romantic! (Have I sold anyone yet?)

In honor of Valentine's Day, who are some of your favorite book or movie couples?

2010-02-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

I'm thrilled that The Hurt Locker has been nominated for so many Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, because director Kathryn Bigelow's 1991 film Point Break is one of my favorite movies ever. It's a surfing bank robber movie.

I KNOW.

But see, it stars Keanu Reeves.

I KNOW!!

A gorgeous Lori Petty rivals Watts in Some Kind of Wonderful as Best Tough Wounded Heroine. Plus there's the late great Patrick Swayze in fine form as the villain.

I KNOW!!!

There's even Gary Bussey as Keanu Reeves' crusty sidekick, and the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers thrown in there for good measure as a surfing drug dealer. Add heart-pounding chase scenes, gorgeous cinematography, a screenplay with twists and turns that will actually fool you, and then put Lori Petty in grave danger and have Keanu Reeves JUMP OUT OF AN AIRPLANE WITHOUT A PARACHUTE TO SAVE HER I KNOW!!! Oh, just rent it.

My love for my favorite couple in a book is more subtle but just as strong. Start reading The Beginning Place by the master of soft science fiction, Ursula K. Le Guin, and you will understand immediately that the writing is gorgeous, but you will ask me if I am sure this guy is one of my favorite heroes from a book. For heaven's sake do NOT look it up online--the Wikipedia description makes it sound like high-falutin' crap. Just keep reading. The fabulous thing about this couple is how they grow and fall in love with each other simultaneously over the course of the story.

Be warned if you are a youngling: The Beginning Place contains a sex scene. When I was a student teacher, I found the book in the high school library and was SO THRILLED that I immediately handed it to a ninth grader and told her she just had to read it because it was one of my favorite books ever. Belatedly I thought OMG THERE'S A SEX SCENE IN THAT BOOK and snatched it back from her, which probably did a lot more harm to her psychologically than reading the sex scene would have.

FAVE Movie Couples

2010-02-08T16:20:00.000-08:00

I love this question, since I sometimes still see my own life as a collection of scenes from my favorite movies. I LOVE Watts and Keith from the fabu Some Kind of Wonderful. I still remember that dark night back in 1997 when I told a boyfriend I couldn't see him anymore if he was still conflicted about his ex and I dramatically walked away from him down the street while rain softly drizzled. I could hear the music swelling in the background as I embodied Watts and prayed for the similar happy ending. (I got one a few weeks later when he realized he wanted to be with me).

When I actually fell in love in NYC (and what a great city to fall in love in!), I often saw my boyfriend and me as Sally and Harry from When Harry Met Sally or Annie and Alvy from Annie Hall, although admittedly, we were slightly less neurotic. Like those movies, the city is as much a character in the relationship as anything else.

Perhaps my most favorite movie couple was never actually a couple couple, but they were great together as best friends: Jane and Aaron from Broadcast News. They knew each other's little quirks and eccentricities so well that they could practically read each other's minds. It is something Aaron says to Jane in this movie that has become one of my favorite all-time movie quotes: "I'll meet you at the place near the thing where we went that time." And of course Jane knows exactly what he's talking about.

Hmmm...now I want to go re-watch that movie. And Annie Hall. And When Harry Met Sally. And Some Kind of Wonderful. Sounds like the perfect Valentine's Day movie marathon to me...I wonder if my husband will agree?

In Which I Don't Really Tell You Anything...

2010-02-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

I’m a little late to the party on last month’s question “What are you working on in 2010?” but I was waiting to see if I could let you all in on a few secret projects I’ve been tinkering on in the lab.

As it turns out … I can’t. Not yet, anyway.

It’s not that I don’t want to say what I’m working on, because I really, really do. And it’s not that I don’t trust all of you with the information, because, well … now that I think of it, some of you are kind of shifty looking. I’ve seen pictures. It’s just that there are certain things that can’t be said until someone says you can say them. Because if you say them too soon, they might go away. So, keeping in mind that some things are better left unsaid, I will say that I’m working on several fun projects right now that may or may not be published in the next year or so, once all is said and done.

First off, there’s the manuscript that I spent a lot of last year working on. That’s a personal project that is part comedy, part action/adventure and all kinds of wacky, zany fun. At least it was for me. No one has actually told me that I can’t tell you what it is, but since I haven’t started sending it out to editors yet, I don’t want to jinx it by saying anything too soon.

As some of you know, in addition to writing my own stuff, I write stuff for other people as well. Books based on TV shows and movies. And I’m especially not allowed to talk about those until they are official. But I can maybe give some incredibly vague hints.

On the media-tie-in side of my writing, there’s a project that I think you are all going to love. Well, maybe some of you will hate it. Who’s to say? This is the one project I’ve been excited about for going on two years now. The best part of it is that I will be teaming with one of my most favorite editors … an editor that some of the other Ro Com writers here may be familiar with.

And then there’s a project I really, REALLY can’t talk about.

Which brings me to the one I was hoping to announce right here, right now. I still haven’t gotten the word that I can say anything yet. So I have to put that news on hold. (I'm actually hoping that by posting this now, someone will tell me tomorrow it's okay to release the news.) It’s an exciting project that’s teaming me up with another awesome writer and letting me play in a format I’ve never written in before, while working with a world… you know what … I almost said too much. But maybe I’ll be able to say more soon.

Until then … Here’s to a hoppin’ 2010 for all of us!

In honor of Valentine's Day, who are some of your favorite book or movie couples?

2010-02-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

My favorite couples in books in movies are characters from all my favorite love stories. In my opinion, the couples with the best love stories are as follows:
1. Some Kind of Wonderful. This movie was just on TV again the other day, and I never get sick of it. I'm always cheering for Watts the entire movie.
2. The Notebook. What girl wouldn't love Noah? It's such a simple story, but so good. It's also a great reminder of how important it is to follow our hearts.
3. The Princess and the Frog. I just saw this one with my three-year-old daughter, and was so pleased to see that it had great messages about true love. I don't want to give anything away about Tiana and Naveen so I'll just leave it at that.
4. Gone With the Wind. Scarlett and Rhett's story is filled with tragedy, mostly because Scarlett acts like an idiot. However, I've loved this movie and book since I was a kid.
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

We've got the scoop!

2010-02-02T07:20:00.000-08:00

Look for these new Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies in 2010! ♥

***COMING FEBRUARY 23***

Hard to Get
By Emma Carlson Berne

Val Rushford has it all: The boyfriend, the looks, the grades, the friends--she's perfect. But when she dumps her cheating boyfriend, Dave, she's bombarded with all types of advances from boys all over school! Totally overwhelmed, Val decides to swear off boys until the end of the year. She buries herself in her school work and spends all her time on a class project that has her paired up with the artsy and intellectual Adam--the unlikliest candidate to ever win Val's heart...or so she thinks.

Val soon finds a connection in Adam she has never experienced before, but she's so dedicated to her promise and so unsure of her feelings that she keeps him at an awkward distance. If Val can't figure out what she truly wants, she may just lose her one chance at real love!

***COMING APRIL 6***

At First Sight
By Catherine Hapka

Sometimes The One is right before your eyes. . .

***COMING MAY 25***

Endless Summer
By Jennifer Echols

Includes The Boys Next Door

Lori should have known better than to date a pirate.

After finally getting together and going out on their first real date, only Lori and Adam could manage to fall asleep—and wake up seven hours past Lori’s curfew. Their parents forbid them to see each other. So Lori takes it upon herself to date boys scarier than Adam until her dad gives in.

But Adam won’t play along. He’s afraid Lori might fall for these scary boys. And when she goes out with the scariest boy of all—Adam’s own brother and her ex-crush—even the threat of being sent away to military school can’t keep Adam from swashbuckling his way back into Lori’s heart.

Can this forbidden love stay afloat, or will it sink in the watery deep?

Be Afraid...Very Afraid...But Do It Anyway!

2010-01-22T05:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, so Brad is hot even when he's playing Death. But...

I love the blog question for this month -- what will I be writing in 2010?

First, I will be writing the last polish on the book I spent writing all last year.

Second, I will be finishing the draft of a second book that has taken me to a time and place in history that I loved, but never expected to write in.

Third...I will be writing (and rewriting) a business plan for the new business I am starting up (which will require writing and creation in whole new area for me).

The themes of all three works have one thing in common: they all scare me crazy. My still-in-revision-after-a-year book scares me because it is big and ambitious and more than I've ever tried before. My only-a-few-chapters-in new book scares me because it is in a time period that many people know well, and I'm trying (again!) to do something a little different there, while still being scrupulously historically accurate. The business plan (so left brain of me) scares me because it is the embodiment of all my dreams about a product that I've wanted to see/create since I was in college (in the dark ages, for those who wonder). To take a twist on Goldilocks, I may be too late, I maybe be too early, or I may be just right.

Whatever.

My motto, since the first time I decided to try to make a crazy idea real (back in elementary school, when I wrote, directed, and produced a play with my sisters for my parents): Be afraid. Be very afraid. But do it anyway!

I'll be talking about the new business (and the old, of course), on my website. I'm also on Twitter now, as kellymcclymer, and would love to be followed, or to follow others. Just be aware...I'm Twitter-deficient. I'm determined to learn. But...beware.

Kelly

What Will You Be Writing in 2010?

2010-01-21T20:39:00.000-08:00

We’re still in January, so it’s not too late to jump back on the horse, right? I vowed to write at least an hour a day this year. I even joined the 32-Day Writing Challenge facebook group page, hoping for that extra boost. But now that the month is almost over, I haven’t clocked as many words as I would’ve liked to. But the eternal optimist in me says there’s still time. And how's this for encouragement? The Brown Bookshelf has just selected me as a "28 Days Later" 2010 author!

I definitely feel excited about the stories I’m working on. One is a YA romantic comedy inspired by life on a tropical island. The other ro-com is inspired by own teen years—which were spent under the rule of well-meaning but overprotective parents. And I’ve begun outlining a paranormal story that I think it’s pretty cool. I can’t wait to see how these three manuscripts develop.

Right now I’m trying to strike a balance between my writing and the fundraising and planning I’ve been doing for Haiti disaster relief. The earthquake’s devastation has personally impacted me and my family. As a Haitian-American, it’s tough watching the news--and it’s almost as difficult stepping away from it. Sometimes it makes you wonder: How does a writer write when times like these leave one at a loss for words?

What I'm Writing This Year

2010-01-19T08:16:00.000-08:00

2010 is going to be an exciting year for me because my third novel, LIFTED, comes out in June. When you have a book coming out, you find yourself writing all sorts of things, from media releases to interviews for bloggers to email responses to fans. It's also important to keep your web-site and blogs updated.

Last night, I wrote a new presentation because while I've been doing school visits for middle and high schools, now I'm being asked to present at elementary schools. I'm also working on a workshop I'll be presenting at Utah Valley University March 15-16. (Web-site with more info to come.) I really love finding new and creative ways to inspire and educate, and presenting at schools and conferences is one of my favorite parts of being an author. It not only allows me to pull from my education (I majored in Speech Communication); it gives me the chance to connect face-to-face with readers, potential readers, and writers of all levels.

As far as books, I have a sweet friendship-based middle grade idea, kind of like the Ro-Coms but for younger readers, and I'm hoping it will be a go. Also, I'm working on a paranormal idea. Right now, I'm researching like crazy and learning all sorts of fun things. I'm a firm believer that you need to learn the rules before you break them and give them your own unique flavor. My goal is to have at least one and hopefully two books published every year, so I have a lot of work to do this year to keep that happening!

I hope you're having a wonderful 2010!

What I'll Be Writing in 2010

2010-01-16T18:53:00.000-08:00

So, in 2010 I'm going to be veering away from the sunny world of romantic comedies and into the netherworld of teen thrillers. I just yesterday returned from New York, where I had a meeting with my new editors to discuss the plot of the book, which I'll write under a pen name. I'm so excited about this new manuscript (aside from the strong feeling of nausea which always comes with staring 55,000 words in the eye), because I was practically weaned on Stephen King and Dean Koontz and their ilk. Dead girls, psycho doctors, people who aren't what they seem - give it to me. I love love this new material, but at the same time. . .it's scary as heck starting a new book. Don't let anyone tell you writing is all roses. It's actually agony and usually, I hate every minute of writing the rough draft. I drag myself through the process like I need a harness and a plow behind me. But at the end. . .that is the sweetest sensation to type that last sentence and look at back at the 250 pages you just pulled out word by word. That gorgeous light feeling lasts usually about two weeks-- that's when you get the revisions back from your editor, and the agony starts all over again.

What I'm Writing in 2010

2010-01-15T12:54:00.000-08:00

Right now, I'm working on four books at once. I don't normally do this; once I've worked my way through the initial chapters of a book and am plowing toward my deadline, I'm focused on nothing but that manuscript (ask my husband, who often must forage for his dinner.) But when I'm in the plotting/early drafting stages, it's actually easier for me to work on multiple stories. As I brainstorm ideas for one book, I often get a flash of brilliance on a point that's stymied me on another story. I fill pages with notes--character traits, plot twists, possible scenes, even descriptions--as I go, flipping back and forth between my stories.

One thing I love doing at this stage of writing is scouring the neighborhoods where I want to set my book, looking at online photos, newspaper articles, and real estate listings. It gives me a sense of the types of homes my characters might inhabit, how far students might have to travel for school, and what their economic situation might be. Every so often, I come across a photo that triggers an idea for a scene, or that helps me focus on a particular character trait.

For instance, doesn't THIS photo, which I found on a real estate site, generate a zillion story questions?

Yep, that's a big bathroom. It's also extremely pink. While the color caught my attention--there are any number of jokes you can put in a manuscript about a pink marble bathroom--it what's above the tub made me say, "Oh, yeah! Story time!"

What kind of person collects porcelain heads? What kind of person puts them in the bathroom? Would YOU want to sit in a bathtub with a bunch of porcelain heads staring down at you?

I'm not sure how, but in 2010, this bathroom will be written into a book.

What will you be writing in 2010?

2010-01-11T08:31:00.000-08:00

For starters, it's only January 11 and I'm about to finish writing a 110,000-word novel this year! Woo-hoo! I am full of awesome and win!

Ahem. Note that I did not say “started and finished writing a 110,000-word novel.” I wrote the first 50,000 words of this novel during NaNoWriMo back in 2008 and blogged about the experience almost every day, which you can read here. My account is pretty funny, especially in retrospect, now that I'm not having nightmares about scrambling eggs for everyone in my high school marching band.

Note that I also did not say “finished writing and then sold a 110,000-word novel.” The selling part is sometimes (often? almost always?) a sticking point for me. That’s how I roll. Cross your fingers for me.

What’s next? Well, any day now I expect the copyedit for Forget You, my YA romantic drama coming out on July 20, to appear on my doorstep. (They really do just appear like that with no warning, with or without a green pencil.) The copyedit for Endless Summer, my YA romantic comedy (and sequel to The Boys Next Door!) coming out on August 3, will be hot on its heels. In fact, if 2010 is anything like 2009, both of these copyedits will be due on the same date, and I will finish them just in time and get in the car to take them to the last FedEx pickup of the day and discover that the garage door is stuck closed. That is also how I roll.

Then I’ll be writing my next YA romantic drama, which will be out in July 2011. I know, the only people who think that far ahead are the publishing industry and the Olympic Committee. This novel is called [SUPER-SECRET TITLE DELETED] and if you enjoyed my novel Going Too Far, you’ll like it because it’s about a [TOO SOON TO REVEAL DELIGHTFUL HEROINE AND TO-DIE-FOR HERO AND SUPER-SECRET PLOT]. It’s due in April.

And then what? Well, by my calculations, that’s eight months left in the year, which is a really long time for me to have nothing to write, read books about writing, whine to my critique partner, and obsessively redesign my web site. I guess I will have to write something else.

My First Post! Oh, and also, What I Will Be Writing in 2010!

2010-01-07T15:04:00.000-08:00

Hello! I'm so thrilled to be joining the Romantic Comedies family at Simon Pulse! My first book for the series, Language of Love, comes out this June, and it's doubly exciting for me because even though I've written a few nonfiction books for Simon Pulse before, like Chill: Stress-Reducing Techniques for a More Peaceful, Balanced You and In Their Shoes: Extraordinary Women Describe Their Amazing Careers, this is my first novel. And for me, writing a novel was one of those things I've always dreamed of doing, but wasn't sure I actually could do or would be any good at it.

So, now that I've finished writing my first novel, I've already got a kabillion ideas for new characters and stories I want to write about. So, my plan for writing in 2010 definitely includes completing at least one more romantic comedy, and maybe starting a second. I'm also working on another nonfiction book idea for teen girls that has a working title of What Smart Girls Know, which is loosely based on my blog for girls, Smart Girls Know. But we'll see about that one...my agent has to sell the idea first (visualized fingers crossed here).

Beyond that? Well, I guess we'll see. I'm doing all that beginning of the year regrouping, brainstorming, and reflecting that I tend to do in the dark, rainy Seattle winters. Hopefully, some brilliant ideas will come out of that!

What will I be writing in 2010?

2010-01-05T09:35:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! So, what will I be writing this year? I'm currently polishing up a proposal and sample chapters for a book that is vastly different from the seven other books I have published. All I can say is that I am super excited about it, and it's YA. I'll always love writing romantic comedies, and hopefully -- publishers willing -- I'll be able to wear both hats. Like many of the other ro com authors I have small children. Writing time is precious, so a good dose of inspiration has to be running through my veins to commit myself to an entire manuscript. I'm definitely feeling inspired!

"Funky" Is A Good Thing, Right?

2010-01-04T05:30:00.000-08:00

Apparently, I am a funky writer. Who knew?

Later this week, I'll be the guest of honor on The Funky Writer radio show. (I assume, since the radio show is called "Funky Writer", that being hailed as a funky writer is a positive.)

To check out the show's blog and get a sense of what's in store, go right here. There's a contact e-mail for the show's host, Rob Batista, listed on the right side of the blog. If there's a question you're dying to have answered, send it along to him.

The interview airs live on January 7, at 8:30PM ET. If you'd like to listen to the show (or download it to iTunes for free), click on this link to access The Funky Writer Radio Show.

What will I be writing in 2010?

2010-01-03T19:23:00.000-08:00

I remember a few years ago, sometime right after Prom Crashers came out, a reader asked me what I would be writing next. I laughed. Ha! I thought. I don't have time to write! (I was secretly pregnant with twins at that very moment, and had a one-year-old in tow). I seriously thought I was done writing, that I couldn't possibly squeeze it into my life. As much as I love writing, I was certain I wouldn't be able to do it with three kids under two, a full-time job, and a husband who likes to see me from time to time.

Well, I was really wrong! I have published two more books since then (Drive Me Crazy and Juicy Gossip - a Scholastic book for younger readers) and just finished looking at the last pass of my 2010 novel, Kiss It. Kiss It is a coming-of-age romp that is very different from my romantic comedies that will be out in June 2010. It's still funny, but it's much edgier and things go beyond a sweet first kiss. That's all I'm saying!

So what am I doing now? I'm already halfway done with my next book! I am working on a project that I'm calling "romantic comedy with a paranormal twist" (no, not vampires or werewolves or angels...I swear!). It's a major departure from my Romantic Comedies, but holds tight to humor--something that's really important to me. My life is way to insane to write dark, depressing stuff. I've tried, and it comes off as sappy and lame. Every time.

In terms of juggling it all and answering that question - What will I be writing in 2010? - well... the kids have all been born and life hasn't gotten any easier, but what I'm finding is that writing is this amazing ME time that I can always find time for. So once this book is done and deep in revisions, I'll be on to something new. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, eh?

Later,
E.

Hard Cover Christmas

2009-12-21T14:20:00.000-08:00

My home state is now under a blanket of snow, and I have to admit--I'm a little jealous of their winter wonderland. Sometimes I long for the comforts of familiarity. Living on a semi-tropical island over the past two years, there are a few things I’m slowly getting used to. Like last year, we spent part of Christmas Day on the beach. One ex-pat tradition is to hit the shores in celebration of the season.

And it was kinda strange (but very cool) getting so close to royalty during Queen Elizabeth’s visit last month. Security is totally not what it would be if I were home in the States or visiting the UK. I joined the crowd of school children and office workers lining the streets for a glimpse of the queen’s motorcade.

Speaking of uncommon sightings, on book shelves here American books are integrated with those published in the UK. Yes, American books sit side by side with British ro-coms that go on and on about “snogging” (read: kissing). And sometimes there are US/UK hybrids resulting in something very cool. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled across a Simon Pulse Ro-Com in hard cover! Check out this US-produced, UK-published gem:

Here’s to a joyous holiday season with uncommon and common delights wherever on the map you are! :-)

We've got the scoop!

2009-12-18T03:28:00.001-08:00

Look for these new Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies in 2010! ♥

***COMING IN FEBRUARY***

Hard to Get
By Emma Carlson Berne

***COMING IN JUNE***

Language of Love
By Deborah Reber

***COMING IN AUGUST***

Endless Summer
By Jennifer Echols

The sequel to The Boys Next Door

Lori should have known better than to date a pirate.

Merry Book Event & Places I Write

2009-12-17T16:17:00.000-08:00

On December 12, one of my favorite indie bookstores, Wisebird Bookery of Ogden, Utah,

hosted a holiday event featuring the book Christmas Miracles by Marley Gibson and Cecil Murphy. Drienie Hattingh, a local writer and one of my favorite people (pictured in purple, right in front of the tree), came to sign her miraculous story that's inlcuded in the book.

Santa and his elves were there, and with hot cocoa, old-fashioned peppermint sticks, a warm fire, and good friends, it was a wonderful way to get out of the cold and shopping frenzy and get excited about the upcoming holidays. My oldest and youngest son came along, and as you can see, enjoyed themselves. And, as luck would have it, someone bought a copy of my ro-com, Miss Match while I was there, and I got to sign it for her. (That happened about a week ago at Hastings, and I swear my son thinks I'm famous or something! LOL.)

Okay, so on to the question of the month: what kind of setting do I need to be in to write? I would love to write in a quaint little bookstore like Wisebird. However, since I come with kids attatched to my legs, I usually just write at home. I have a laptop so I can move freely from room to room if need be, but when I'm really serious about writing, I go into my home office. I guess I've learned to adapt and can write anywhere, from quiet hotel rooms and libraries to noisy places like McDonald's. I also write at all times: early morning, middle of the night, and all throughout the day. Just whenever I can fit it in!

Thanks for reading, and warm wishes for a happy holiday season and new year!

xoxo

Greetings

2009-12-16T07:37:00.000-08:00

This is my first blog post as a Simon Pulse Ro-Com writer and my first blog post. . .ever. Actually, this is my first time writing anything significant online, ever. It's even my first time using a computer. (Just kidding on that last one.) But since my first Ro-Com, Hard to Get, is coming out on February 23rd, it's time I stop being such a Luddite and officially enter the blogosphere.

So, the statistics. I'm thirty years old, married, have a baby son and a hairy black dog. Before I wrote romance novels, I wrote biographies and also educational books on health topics. So if you ever want to know some facts about Christopher Columbus or methamphetamine, I'm your woman. And before I was a writer, I taught horseback riding. So if you ever need to know how to get that horse to pick up its right lead, I'm also your woman.

I wrote Hard to Get right after I had my first baby. (I was actually talking to my agent about the deal as I lay in my hospital bed.) The juxtaposition of the two worlds was exactly what I needed during that particularly stressful time in my life. Here I had just given up my most of my independence and all of my free time, and for two hours a day, I could go into my study, shut the door (ah! blissful silence!), and dive into the world of high school, where there are no sodden diapers. If someone had a problem in that world, they could just say what it was, using actual words, unlike the newest member of my family.

I worked on the novel for nine months--all through the fall, winter, spring and into the middle of summer. By the time I wrote the last sentence, my son had transformed from a blob wrapped in a blanket to an actual crawling, laughing, babbling human being. Val and Adam, the main characters in the book, had also grown up to a certain extent. I think they ended the story as stronger people--at least that was my intention. And I ended that nine months having grown up a little too. Poop explosions no longer made me cry. I could easily function on four hours of sleep per night. And I was ridiculously proud of having raised up two babies in just one year--my son and my novel.

The question authors are asked most often at booksignings

2009-12-10T08:23:00.001-08:00

For my next trick, I will speak on a panel of authors at the Southern Magic meeting in Birmingham in February. Looking way ahead, I'll be signing my novels at the enormous "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing in Nashville on July 28. And you should definitely make plans to meet me in person, because I am the epitome of scholarship and professionalism. Here, bask in my glory. My friend Carla filmed this at a booksigning last Saturday. That's bestselling author Christy Reece telling me that I have chocolate on my teeth.

After this, I asked Carla to stop filming me while I had chocolate in my mouth and to take at least one picture of me where I look like a Serious Author. That's superauthor Debra Webb looking at me and thinking, "I cannot believe I am signing books next to this person."

Morals of this story:

1. Do not invite good friends to your booksignings.

2. Do not allow them to bring cameras.

3. Do not place a big bowl of chocolate on your table in front of your books to entice readers, because you will eat it.

4. Do place a large sign on your table that says BATHROOM: THAT WAY, with an arrow.

How Many Days Until Christmas?

2009-12-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

I know not everyone celebrates Christmas, but I suspect most people enjoy certain aspects of the festivities, if only as a distraction from the waning daylight and snow (we're due to get 6-10 inches today). Except the Australians, who are in full summer. [Let me pause a moment to get over my intense jealousy.]

My family does the whole thing -- tree, gifts, big meal, big gathering. I even write cards (which still need to be done, tick tock tick tock). The only thing we don't do are outside lights. However, that does not stop us from enjoying other people's outside lights.

But my real favorite thing is my advent calendar. My everyday habit is to cross off the day on my monthly calendar as it happens (or a whole week's worth when I unbury my calendar from a pile of work after a crunch time). My advent calendar is like crossing off the days on crack ...without being illegal.

I gave up on the chocolate calendars, because they only last one year (and the chocolate is not so good). Three years ago, at Sams, I found the perfect permanent advent calendar. It's wooden, and the base holds Holiday cards. Each numbered square is a door, and inside is a cute little ornament. A trumpet, a star, an angel, and so on. For 25 days.

After that, just six more days until 2010. And the days will be getting longer instead of shorter.

Enjoy the festivities in whatever way suits you. Because anything that gets you through the shortening days is good (unless you live in Australia...in which case, please don't talk to me for at least 15 more days).

Kelly

PERFECT SHOT is out today!!

2009-12-01T07:05:00.001-08:00

Today is the release day for Perfect Shot!

I can’t believe the day is here. I’m officially a Simon Pulse Ro-Com author now. Yet thanks to the warm welcome I’ve received here, it feels like I’ve been part of the Simon Pulse Ro-Com blog family for a long while. So thanks for all the love, Ro-Com authors and readers!

Tuesday has always been my favorite day of the week. The look and sound of the word just feels friendly. And it turns out I was born on a Tuesday. So, I’m hoping Good Vibes Tuesday brings just as warm a welcome to Perfect Shot.

Check out the book trailer my 15-year-old niece Ana whipped up for me. The trailer is a total family affair. It also features the song “Butterfly” which is performed by Ana and written by both Ana and my cousin 13-year-old cousin Maeva. Also look out for my goddaughter Amanda, who makes a cameo as the beret-wearing “model.” And playing the role of the heartthrob is my cutie cousin Junior. Isn’t he a cutie?
Enjoy!

Two, Two, Two Questions in One

2009-11-30T12:29:00.000-08:00

Since I’m kind of straddling November and December here, I figured I’d answer both months’ questions, starting with my favorite books as a teen…

I couldn’t watch horror movies when I was younger. Even Ghostbusters gave me nightmares. But there was something about reading teen “horror” stories that I couldn’t get enough of. It all started with a book called Eyes of the Tarot by Bruce Coville. It was the ninth book of a series of fifteen books released by Bantam called the “Dark Forces” series. In a way, it was the horror equivalent of what we’re all doing with the Ro Coms in that it was a group of unrelated books written by different authors all under a single theme.

Eyes of the Tarot was the first book that I can remember being totally unable to put down. It was one of those “have to read it in one sitting” books. I still remember lying on my grandparents couch on a sunny afternoon devouring the book. I don’t know why I picked it up in the first place. The only horror title I’d ever read previously was Bunnicula. But the book had me in its clutches and would not let go. With each new allowance, I immediately went to the bookstore to buy every other book in the series, in much the same way that my friends were tearing through Sweet Valley High. I'm pretty sure I've blocked out the tragic sadness of the day I finished book number fifteen only to realize that there weren’t going to be any more.

I still have all the Dark Forces books on a shelf in my office. I know that I’ll never read them again, because they will never stand up to my childhood memory of them. But I will also never let them go. It was those (let’s face it) totally cheesy light-horror tales that inspired me to write for teens.

Now, switching subjects…

As for the setting I need to be in to write, that’s actually changed for me recently. Used to be that I needed absolute silence to write. No music. No people. No nothing. Just me holed up in my office ignoring the rest of the world. Then they opened a small Starbucks literally down the street from me and it quickly became my writing destination. Yes. I’m one of those people hunched over a laptop, sipping my latte that always looks so pretentious. But when I’m there, I don’t mind the music. Or the people. It’s become my office. A necessary office because when I’m in the throes of a deadline, it’s almost impossible to get me to leave the house. This way, I do get out and breathe the coffee-laden air for a welcome change of pace.

Just a reminder...

2009-11-30T03:28:00.000-08:00

Next Saturday, December 5, I'll be signing books in the Birmingham area along with authors of adult romance Christy Reece, Debra Webb, and Peggy Webb, so these would be terrific events to drag your mom to. We'll be at the Books-A-Million in Fultondale from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Books-A-Million at Brookwood Mall in Mountain Brook/Homewood from 3 to 5 p.m. I realized belatedly that the latter signing is during the #2 Alabama vs. #1 Florida SEC Championship slugfest. If you're not a football fan, come out and see us. If you are a football fan, come see us during halftime and tell us the score.

New Moon

2009-11-20T07:04:00.000-08:00

Had I not been given the opportunity to go to an early showing (6:30 PM on Nov. 19) as a fundraiser for charity, I probably would have waited a little while to see New Moon. But as luck would have it, I was on the list. So my husband, who'd come straight from a trip to Maryland to the theater, friends, and I all stood in line with our tickets in our stamped hands, surrounded by chants of "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob." Some people wore shirts with Twilight-inspired themes emblazened on them, others wore whatever they had on for work or school, and one person wore a long back cape. I didn't see any fangs or bushy tails, though.

What I loved about going to this movie with this particular crowd was the excitement and anticipation before, the enthusiasm during, and the varied opinions after. If you'd like to know my opinion of the movie, read on. I won't give any spoilers.

There is no denying that Jacob (the gorgeous Taylor Lautner) is my favorite character, followed closely by Jessica Stanley (Bella's funny friend). I thought Jacob was sweet and engaging and had some very memorable moments. And some of Jessica's comments had even my husband laughing out loud. As did Jasper Hale's (Jackson Rathbone) face during a particulary intense moment, the ghostly appearances of Edward whenever Bella does something reckless, and the computer-generated wolves (though unintentially funny on all counts, I'm sure). I remember when I first read New Moon feeling like Bella should go for Jacob (in lieu of Edward) because it seems like she has more fun when she's with him--like she can let loose a little and be a (recently turned) 18 year-old girl. And again, the movie left me feeling this way. Only this time, not only is Jacob more endearing and warm (literally) than Edward, he's freakin' hot. (Yes, I know I'm old enough to be his .... WAY older sister, but still. You kind of get caught up in it when you're surrounded by squealing girls.) Oh, and that reminds me. When Jacob first appears shirtless, the girls shouted "Rewind!" and when the camera pauses on his muscle-ripped chest, they shouted "Pause!" So cute!

So ... you're probably wanting me to get to the point already. Okay. Here it is. I found that the movie did a good job portraying the book. It was entertaining. Jacob was fun to watch, as were other characters like Alice and Victoria (though I wished there were more of Victoria.) The vampires in Italy (including Dakota Fanning who makes an adorable vampire in her red contacts and white tights) were kind of weird and that part of the story seemed rushed. (Whereas I'd just gotten used to the slower pace of the majority of the preceeding scenes.) A lot of my opinion is based on things that are spoilers, so I'll just skip over them and say I give it 3 stars out of 5.

Have any of you seen New Moon, and if so, what did you think? (And please warn us if you're going to include spoilers so those who haven't read or watched it can choose not to read your comment.) Thanks!

Halloween Candy Overload

2009-11-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

I was not on top of things enough to post a favorite Halloween story (no surprise there). However, I can relate a post-Halloween story. It is a sad tale of sugar excess and costume-less moments. In short, it is a story of a mom who no longer has trick-or-treaters in the house.

I loved to trick-or-treat when I was a kid. All that free candy? Yum. Even if my mom did confiscate it and only dole it out in reasonable amounts. As an older sister, I went out past the traditional age, little sisters in tow. Of course I wore a costume, usually one of my father's moth eaten flannel shirts and a pair of old jeans (as a bum, the perennial favorite costume of lazy trick-or-treaters everywhere).

And then my daughter came along, and I stopped worrying about my costume and started putting all my energy into her costumes. One year I was very proud of, she was three or four, I turned a pair of pink footie pajamas and a pair of bunny ears into a pink bunny costume by the simple application of a cute little bunny tail (it was cold that year, and she didn't even have to put a coat over her costume). We drew on whiskers, naturally (those dollar store masks aren't a good idea when you're navigating uneven sidewalks at dusk).

Through the years I've been spottily inspired. There was the year I made a princess costume, complete with pointed cap with veil (which fell off every time my daughter turned her head). And then there were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle years for my sons. And, of course, Harry Potter (my youngest looked just like him, including the scar, when he was 11). I was very proud of that golden snitch we put in a cage and carried on the hilt of the broom.

But those years are gone. And this year no one came to trick or treat at our house (the cycle of growth is such that there are no small children in our immediate neighborhood, and we live out of the way of regular traffic -- one of dh's colleagues had over a hundred trick-or-treaters, so it isn't that the tradition is dying by any means). Which meant...I got to keep all the candy I bought just in case we did have visitors.

All the candy you want sounds great when you're a kid. But for me? I'm thinking next year I'm going to have to advertise to get kids to the house. Or maybe move to a more popular trick-or-treating neighborhood. Or buy less candy?...nah. It wouldn't be Halloween without the candy.

Kelly
(1/3 of the candy stash down, 2/3 to go)

New cover!

2009-11-10T03:17:00.000-08:00

I know all the authors here sang our artist Amy Saidens' praises a few months ago when we talked about how we loved our covers. However, I'd like to beat a dead horse for a moment by saying: YAY LOOK AT MY NEW COVER! Endless Summer is the sequel to The Boys Next Door, and it's coming out on August 3.

I love getting a new cover. Like the Christmas decorations installed in the mall on November 1 start my countdown to the holiday, getting a new cover starts the countdown to a new book. After the cover, the book gets its little baby ISBN-13 number (978-1442406599, isn't it cute?), and then you can pre-order it on Amazon.

That's the part you the reader can see. Behind the scenes, the countdown continues. I get a revision letter from my lovely editor, Emilia (check). I easily revise the novel and turn it in (uhhhh...). I receive the copyedited manuscript and die twice because the copyeditor has incorrectly corrected my already correct prose (I am a copyeditor myself). I have a little battle with this copyeditor, which to me feels like the fiercest fighting you would ever see on X-Men, but in reality probably looks like a chick with furrowed brow sitting at a desk, scribbling and erasing, and muttering, "Oh no you di'nt!"

If you'd like to join my countdown, feel free! Click "share" to get the code for the countdown clock below.

What were some of your favorite books when you were a teen?

2009-11-06T15:46:00.000-08:00

I had so many. My mom always enjoys telling people at all my book signings that I used to love to read O'Henry. It's true. I loved the twists many of his stories took, similar to a Hitchcock movie.
In middle school I collected and read every single Nancy Drew novel ever created. Some of the novels were handed down from relatives and were old and valuable. Sadly, I lost the entire collection when my parents house burned down in the Witch Fires in 2007. I also loved Sunfire historical romance novels. That collection perished as well. Loved Mark Twain, and Jack London. To this day Call of the Wild is one of all time favorite novels.
It's so nice to see that the young adult genre has grown so much, especially with the Simon Pulse ro com series. The books for young adults now address such relevant issues and are easily relatable. We didn't have as many options for high school aged teens when I was growing up. In high school, I read a lot of the same things my parents and grandparents where reading. Stephen King, Pet Sematary and The Shining probably being my favorite. I also loved Dean Koontz. I was addicted to horror movies and novels, thus explaining my fear of the dark and need for a night light in my thirties. I also used to read these steamy, scandalous Sidney Sheldon novels that my grandmother of all people gave me.
I usually never read a book twice but it would be kind of fun to revisit some of my old favorites. I wonder if I would still like them.

Nerves

2009-11-02T09:20:00.000-08:00

Erin Downing here, coming to you with a post that seems appropriate given that we're in Day 2 of NaNoWriMo and many people will be thinking about this sort of thing with their fabulously fleshed-out and revised NaNoWriMo novels in the next year or so....

An overactive imagination and a tendency to worry are bad traits to have as an author - you face a lot of rejection, a lot of bad reviews, and a lot of self-doubt every single day. Of course, overactive imagination is what makes an author thrive and a tendency to worry helps when it's time to write those tense scenes that make for a good piece of plotting...but these two qualities also lead someone like me down slippery slopes of despair, doom, and dread when I'm at a certain stage in the writing process:

THE PROPOSAL.

And, even more daunting:

SUBMISSION.

I've been working on a big, new YA project proposal for almost six months now. It has taken me a little longer than it usually would to put a package together, since I've been conducting an agent hunt as part of the process, but I've put so much energy and time and ME into this project that it's taken over a big, fat chunk of my brain during every waking moment. I finally - FINALLY - am *this close* to finishing the proposal and a bunch of chapters, and - fingers crossed - my shiny new agent (who is suffering through my nerves and psychoses in a very noble fashion) is going to send it out this week.

I am literally crippled with nerves and what-ifs.

Partly because this is how I get at this stage, but mostly because this project is something really new for me and it all feels like crawling into a creepy cave without knowing what's inside. I know it's a good proposal, and I am feeling great about it - so why so scared? This is the first time I've had an agent to represent me (which is great, but just different), this is the first time I've written anything like this that I feel SO sure of before the book is even done, and this is the first time I've been THIS worked up about a book I'm writing.

I know I'm not unique in feeling this way - so why does it all feel so lonely?

That: is the life of an author.

(PS: I also added this post to my own blog, because both this blog and my own have been a little neglected as of late, and I only have the mental capacity to write one thing...nerves are SERIOUSLY attacking.)

Later,
E.

A Truly Scary Halloween Story

2009-10-27T16:48:00.001-07:00

Growing up, I loved to come up with creative, homemade costumes for Halloween. Mainly because most store bought costumes were junky, paper-thin jumpsuits with molded plastic facemasks held on by a rubber band. They were nothing compared to the full-on outfits you can buy at Target these days. But I also wanted to be unique. Not one of the mass-produced looks that was strolling the streets. I wanted to stand out.

One of my favorite costume ideas turned out to be my worst costume disasters. It was the year I decided to go for some international intrigue and be a spy. Not one of those black leather and spandex-clad spies you see in the movies and on TV these days. This was the 80s after all. I was going old school with the overcoat and the fedora. I even wore my sunglasses at night. My intention was for something like the art for Love Undercover.

But without the flowing blond hair.

I borrowed my mom’s raincoat, popped on an old hat, added sunglasses, and an eyebrow-penciled mustache and voila!

I was a spy! And see what a good spy I was? Smart enough to hide behind Superman. Because he’s bullet proof. The scarecrow and the bunny wouldn’t have protected me from enemies remotely as well as Superman.

I loved my spy outfit. I thought it was original and cool. I grabbed my pillowcase (none of those tiny, plastic jack-o-lantern buckets for me) and hit the streets. I was the baddest spy to ever walk my neighborhood.

Except that I got the same question at every door I knocked on: “Are you a flasher?”

Yep. People thought I was an eleven-year-old FLASHER!

Eek!

Now, allow me to turn my story of a failed costume into a useful piece of writing advice. Because NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) starts the day after Halloween, you know.

One of the things I’ve learned from having a few books published is that not everything you write will come across the way you intend it. I once wrote a playfully innocent line of dialogue that was meant to be cute and sweet. Maybe even bring a smile to the readers’ faces. What I didn’t realize was that the sweet little line of dialogue could easily be misinterpreted as something very, very rude.

I never noticed it. My editor never questioned it. The copyeditor didn’t raise a flag. But the readers? Oh, yeah. They picked up on it. One person even said that she wanted to throw the book across the room upon reading that line. (I’ve always thought that was a wonderfully descriptive criticism and have used it several times myself when talking about other things.)

In hindsight, I can understand why people misunderstood the line. Although I think it speaks more to their messed up minds than to mine. But still it’s something you’ve got to be aware of. Readers grow up in different parts of the country. In different parts of the world. Places where soda is known as pop or cola or coke. Their experiences will be very different from yours.

Certainly, writers can’t go into the minds of every single person that will read our books and guess what they are thinking. But keep in mind that there is an audience out there that might not always get the joke. They may misinterpret your innocent line. There’s really little you can do to avoid it because people are going to think what they think. But as you’re editing your work, remember that many words have dual meanings. Which is why it’s helpful to have critique partners read your writing and catch something that you might have missed.

If only to minimize the amount of people who will later want to fling your book against a wall.

"Which character in your book most reminds you of yourself, and which character can you least relate to?"

2009-10-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

I’m not sure if this is human nature, or if I’m just a narcissist, but London Abrams first came to mind as a representative of girls like me. I bonded with London over the things we have in common—particularly, our awkwardly long, lanky limbs. My original intention was to create a world in which gangly girls dream big. Call it pay back for all of those times people called me “no bigger than a minute” or obnoxiously asked me if I’m anorexic. Whatever the motivation, a character was born. But, in the writing process, London became her own person.

In all her volleyball glory, she’s a lot braver than I am. I shy away from conflict. (Okay, more like cower in the face of conflict, but that’s neither here nor there.) For London, conflict is just another word for competition, and she’s one lovingly competitive chica.

As it turns out, London is most like me when she is least like herself—impulsive. A creature of habit, London strays from her script when she falls for Brent St. James. As suddenly as Cupid’s arrow strikes the poor girl, London finds herself doing wacky, uncharacteristic things in the name of a crush—namely, signing up for a local modeling contest. Crush-attack is the new temporary insanity and London’s plays the part big time, just as I would (and have!).

I can most relate to London’s best friend Pam. Pam has a bit of flair for the dramatic like my Haitian family. (Dramatic quote of the summer: “I feel like…throwing myself on the floor.” —my sister Judy, upon first seeing the detested new haircut worn by the weatherman on her TV set.) My husband likes to joke about all the “oh no!” moments my sisters and I have…in one afternoon! Put too much salt in the rice you’re cooking? "Oh NO!" Missed the bus? “Oh NO!” Grab the cell phone and whine about it to whichever sister is available. Be sure to add in how tired and achy your feet are as you stand at the bus stop. And, oh, the extra morsels of misfortune you can sprinkle into your story if it’s starts to rain. Hoo—don’t get me started!

Relating to My Characters

2009-10-20T08:40:00.001-07:00

With which of my ro-com characters do I best relate? That's a good question. None of my characters are the real me disguised as a fictional character. That would be much too boring for a whole book. However, Sasha Finnegan's greatest talent is match-making and I have to say that I, too, love fixing people up and watching the sparks fly. Both Sasha and I like to shoot hoops. Also, I have a really close relationship with my sister, even though we are very different, much like Sasha and Maddie in Miss Match.

Which of my ro-com characters is a far cry from me? Well, that would have to be Roxy Zimmerman from The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren. Sure, there are some characteristics we share, such as having reddish hair (mine was strawberry blonde in high school), an engineer for a dad (though mine drove a van when I was in high school--not a Porsche!), playing the flute, and living in the Denver 'burbs. However, I have not and do not have ANY power whatsoever over men. Hang on.

Nope. I tried to get my 9 year-old son to clean his room and he's not budging. So it's true: I don't have siren powers, dang it.

In other news, one way I do get male heads to turn is by cooking, and one of my all-time favorite (and easy!) recipes is on Readergirlz diva/YA author Holly Cupula's blog today if you want to check it out. Click HERE.

Casting Call...Who Would You Choose?

2009-10-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

Getting letters from readers is one of the best parts of being a writer. I'll admit, I love the actual writing part the best, but I've had thirteen books and two novellas published, and I still never fail to have a "squee!" moment when I open a letter or e-mail from a reader. It's validation that doesn't come with a lot of other jobs. (For instance, I never got a single letter from a client telling me I was "awesome!" when I was a lawyer.)

Lately, however, a huge percentage of my mail has contained various forms of the same question: Will there be a movie or tv show based on the Royally Jacked romantic comedies?

The answer is: I don't know. While I have an agent who handles those things, seeing any book make it to the screen is a long shot. Still, it's awfully fun to think about. I know a lot of writers--including some on this blog--who have mentally "cast" their own books. And readers definitely have ideas for casting!

Judging from your e-mails, the number one pick for Valerie is Miley Cyrus. I can see that--she has that clean cut, yet edgy vibe you get with Val. And, of course, there's the whole relationship with her dad (which is a huge part of the Royally Jacked series.) So that gives Billy Ray a role, too.

Miley's not the only name to hit my in-box, however. Here, some of the suggestions that have been made recently:

Valerie Winslow: Ashley Tisdale, Taylor Swift, Shailene Woodley, and Jennette McCurdy (quite a range there!)

Prince Georg: Joe Jonas (LOTS of e-mails for Joe), Daniel Radcliffe, Daren Kagasoff

David Anderson: Chace Crawford (the top suggestion), Jesse McCartney, Jason Earles

Christie Toleski: Taylor Swift (nearly as many e-mails for Taylor to play Christie as for Miley to play Val!), Emily Osment, Dakota Fanning

Jules Jackson: Kristin Stewart, Selena Gomez, Taylor Momsen

Natalie Monschroeder: Demi Lovato, Emma Roberts, Vanessa Hudgens, Miranda Cosgrove

Ulrike: Abigail Breslin, Dakota Fanning

Steffi: Minka Kelly, Nikki Reed

Fun, huh? But the one that made me call my husband to the computer with a "Watch this!" was a YouTube video trailer. Apparently, it's been posted to YouTube for several months, but I only heard about it recently:

(If that's not working, check it out right here.)

So what do you think? Who would you cast? And what about other romantic comedy books--any you're dying to see on-screen? I've mentally cast Hayley Erin (who currently plays Abby Carlton on The Young & The Restless) as Jo O' Connor in Cameron Dokey's HOW NOT TO SPEND YOUR SENIOR YEAR. And Erin Downing's Olivia from DANCING QUEEN is definitely Olesya Rulin (at least in my head!)

Which character in your book most reminds you of yourself, and which character can you least relate to?

2009-10-13T03:10:00.000-07:00

The last half of this question confuses me. I just don't think about characters this way. The easy answer would be that it's hard for me to relate to the villains in my stories: the Evil Twins in Major Crush, Sean in The Boys Next Door, and Gavin in The Ex Games. But the truth is that my villains aren't all that villainous--they've just set things in motion to make life difficult for my heroines. The Evil Twins have a right to be angry, even though their anger at Virginia is misplaced. Sean is just...Sean, and Gavin is just being Gavin. In another situation, Sean and Gavin would be the heroes of their stories instead of the villains.

Which brings me to my point: in order to write a villain, I have to understand the villain, embrace the villain, BE the villain. I have to know what the villain would do and why, so that I can write a story that makes sense to readers. This is true of all my characters. I go out of my way to relate to them. And if there's a character I can least relate to, I have some work to do.

Which character reminds me of myself? That's easy: Lori from The Boys Next Door. As I've said before, when I sent that book to my critique partners for review, Vicki texted me: "OMG you've written yourself!!!" Not that Lori and I are exactly alike. I'm not that pretty, that athletic, or that selfless. But a lot of things about us are exactly the same. The general cluelessness: check. The faulty sense of fashion coupled with an inability to care: check. The tomboyish interests as a result of idolizing an older brother: check. The tendency to blurt out inappropriate comments, just because they are funny (to us, anyway): check check.

Lori is on my mind this morning because yesterday I finished writing the sequel to The Boys Next Door, called Endless Summer. Today and tomorrow I'm re-reading both books back-to-back to make sure they're bulletproof. I have a lot of fear regarding this novel. Readers have been asking me for this sequel for a long time, and I can't let them down. The sequel needs to be as good or better than the first. I have tried my best to write the book I want to read (my rule, always) AND to give you what you want (just wait until you get to the tree house scene!), but you can decide for yourself when book comes out next June!

I am a reader.

2009-10-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

The title of this post may seem a little weird. I mean, I clearly love books so much that I choose to write them, so of course I read, right? Um...not always. Here's the thing: When I'm deep in the clutches of writing a book, I usually CAN'T read - because I tend to get so engrossed in the stories I'm reading that I can't shake them out of my head when I'm writing my own novel later that night or the next day.

But things changed while I was writing the book I just finished (it's called KISS IT and will be published by Simon Pulse next summer, but not as part of the Romantic Comedy line): I became a reader again. And an obsessive reader, at that. I found that the more I read, the more I wrote, and it became downright impossible to extract me from either the worlds of the books I was reading or the one I was writing. I was like a character for a few months, living in fictional scenes that had nothing to do with my real life.

To put the obsession in very boring list form, here's what just the last month looked like for me - and keep in mind I have a full-time day job, kids, and am working on writing a new novel. Sleep time is suffering, obviously. I finally read Looking for Alaska (John Green), dug into The Graveyard Book (Neil Gaiman), just finished the incredible Dani Noir (Nova Ren Suma), have gotten myself sucked into the world of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod (Heather Brewer), devoured the latest Jennifer Weiner novel (Best Friends Forever), sped through a manuscript-copy of a hilarious novel called Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood (Eileen Cook), and am now in the middle of Wake (Lisa McMann), Need (Carrie Jones), Twenty Boy Summer (Sarah Ockler), and a novel by my friend Kirstin Cronn-Mills entitled The Sky Always Hears Me (and the Hills Don't Mind). I'm also snacking on Rampant (Diana Peterfreund), can't wait to start Once Was Lost (Sara Zarr), and have been eagerly-anticipating The Ex Games (Jennifer Echols)!

I told you it was an obsession. What else?! What else should I read?!

Later,

Erin.

New question of the month! "Which character in your book most reminds you of yourself, and which character can you least relate to?"

2009-10-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

As a writer I can relate to many characters in my books. My main characters are always the easiest for me to relate to. I spend so much time with them I have to find things in common with them, and I have to like them a lot. Believe it or not sometimes I even understand the bad ones a little bit too. None of us are perfect and we all learn from our mistakes. I like to see my characters evolve. So it's fun to throw in some bad ones that readers might end up liking in the end. That's what makes life interesting.
If I had to pick just one character I would say I most relate to my heroine, Natalie, in LOVE OFF-LIMITS. I'm not saying I can relate to her dilemma of being in love with her boyfriend's best friend. Happily married here. But I think Natalie and I definitely share a few characteristics.
1. She is a night owl, and so not a morning person. I have always loved to stay up late and sleep in. I miss those days!
2. Her passion for writing. I've never been a person who minds solitude, so I can understand burrowing up in my little space when I'm stressed and writing.
3. She can keep a secret. I'm a pretty private person, and a good friend to confide in as well.
On the flip side, who can I least relate to? Probably Dakota London in PARTY GAMES. The biggest diva of all time. Dakota is the spoiled girl who has everything yet is never happy.
1. Dakota loves to be the center of attention. One of her biggest desires is to make this stunning grand entrance on a pair of dolphins at her super sweet sixteen party. Maybe it's because I'm a middle child, but I hate being in the spotlight. I do everything I can to avoid it. I'm much more comfortable safely tucked behind my computer.
2. Dakota is just downright mean. Among many mean things she does, she invites the main character Sara to a party and then ignores her all night just so she can have a shot with the guy Sara likes. I could never do something like that.
3. She's really high maintenance. She's obsessed with all the petty details of her party, and wants everything to be a certain way. I think everyone believes they're easygoing, but I think my mom can testify that I was really laid back when we planned my wedding. I didn't care about the small things, or even most of the big things for that matter! I just wanted to have fun that day.

What I love about my Simon Pulse Ro Com Cover

2009-09-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

What I like most about the cover of Love, Hollywood Style is what I love about all the covers: Walk into a bookstore, any bookstore, and you instantly recognize the books from the series. This is especially important since many different authors, with many different last names, write these books so they are shelved all over the young adult section.

The deceptively simple, classic designs from Amy Saidens and the Simon Pulse production team stand out against a sea of covers that, in many cases, are simply trying too hard. The Ro Com covers may seem modest in design, but as the other authors have already pointed out, they are filled with brilliant little touches from the stories. Don’t underestimate the value of a book cover that actually reflects the story inside. That doesn’t always happen in the publishing world (as seen recently with Justine Larbalestier’s Liar cover, where they initially used a model that looked very different from the narrator … to put it mildly.)

The colors pop off the shelf, but not because they are flashy. No angry streaks of red across a black background. No shiny, reflective foil embossing. All the covers are warm, inviting, and just a shade brighter than you might expect from the color choices. The covers work with the editorial tone of the Ro Com line perfectly. They’re fun and youthful and make for just the kind of book you want to curl up with in a comfy chair like in the cover of Aimee Friedman’s A Novel Idea.

In short, what I like about my Ro Com cover is pretty much everything.

What I love about my Simon Pulse Ro-Com Cover

2009-09-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

Yay! I like this month’s go-around question. It’s the perfect opportunity to give a shout out to Amy Saidens and to thank her for her awesome work.

The cover of Perfect Shot is, well—perfect. When I first saw it, I was super excited. How very cool to come face to face with the characters in my mind’s eye. It’s also a thrill to see a cover that highlights African-American teens! Amy portrays my main character London in all her volleyball-worshiping glory—rocking a VB jersey with a sporty insignia at the hip. And London's photography intern crush Brent is working that unassuming-cute-boy charm.

There’s definitely some excitement building over the cover. The feedback I’m getting from everyone is positive. Of course, there’s also a bit of confusion. My niece and nephew took one look at the cover and said, “It’s Aunt Debbie!” Funny enough, that’s the same issue that I had with the cover of my anthology Hallway Diaries, which brought on the “Is that you?” questions. (If only they knew that my image was actually once featured on the cover of a novel. Long story.)

Yup. It’s great to know that when it comes to generating Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies buzz, our gurl Amy’s got it covered.

what I love about my Simon Pulse Ro-Com covers

2009-09-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of the Simon Pulse Ro-Coms, you've undoubtedly noticed the cute covers. Artist Amy Saidens and the Simon Pulse team put a lot of thought into the artwork, capturing the essence of each individual book.

I absolutely love the cover of The Secret Life of A Teenage Siren, my first Ro-Com. First of all, it's purple. Second of all, Amy truly captured the appearance of the main character, Roxy Zimmerman, from her bright green siren eyes to her luxurious, long, reddish hair. It also gives a hint of what the story is about, with the flute and the hot guys in the background, drooling over Roxy. I've had so many compliments from teens and adults about this cover, and I'll always have a special place in my heart for it because it was my first YA novel ever.My second Ro-Com, Miss Match, also has a great cover. Sasha Finnegan is not a fashionista, nor is she super skinny or drop-dead gorgeous. In other words, she's an everyday girl who happens to get herself into some pretty crazy situations. Now, as you can probably tell from the title, she's a matchmaker and she loves getting teens together with their crushes. I think all of these elements are captured nicely in the cover, from her appearance to her talent and love of making matches.

What are some of your favorite Simon Pulse Ro-Com covers?

Favorite Writers

2009-09-14T10:52:00.001-07:00

I'm often asked about my favorite writers. I've always put Larry Gelbart near the top of the list, so I was sad to see that he passed away this weekend.

Even if you haven't heard of Larry, you've no doubt seen his work performed on screen or stage. M*A*S*H. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Oh, God! City of Angels. Tootsie. The man possessed an immeasurable wit.

If you want to learn about writing, watch a few episodes of M*A*S*H. Study how Gelbart develops his characters, making you love them, flaws and all. Learn from his brevity. Every word moves his stories forward; nothing is extraneous. I still watch M*A*S*H with an eye to learning the craft from the best in the business.

Thank you, Larry. You'll be missed.

"What do you love about your Simon Pulse Ro-Com covers?"

2009-09-10T03:27:00.000-07:00

Like Whitney, I’ve felt so gratified that Amy included my characters’ signature jewelry on my covers. First there was Virginia’s diamond nose stud on the cover of Major Crush. This was my first book, and my editor made it feel even more special by calling me and giggling to say she had a surprise for me--look really closely at the cover! I mean, really, really closely! You'll have to go squint at a copy, because it's so small that I can't make it show up on the computer.

On the cover, Drew and Virginia are doing the dance move for their drum major salute that they are forced into and that causes them so much trouble. Oooh, check out how he’s looking at her! Imho this cover could not be more perfect.

As Analyn pointed out in the comments on Whitney’s post, Amy also included Adam’s skull-and-crossbones necklace on the cover of The Boys Next Door so you can tell him apart from Sean, since they look alike (which causes Lori all sorts of trouble). The inclusion of a little detail like this made me feel that my editor loved Adam as much as I did. Plus, the lake looks exactly like the lake where I grew up, and Lori looks as un-self-consciously pretty as I’d pictured her in my head (and less windblown, and cleaner). Imho this cover could not be more perfect.

Now, if the cover of The Ex Games were to follow this pattern, Hayden would be showing her lucky four-leaf-clover earring. However, I respect the decision not to put this on the cover. Nothing says “hilarious teen romance novel” like a HUGE EAR! LOOK AT MY EAR! Instead, it was Editor Mike’s idea to have Hayden and Nick standing back-to-back before their snowboarding competition against each other. Nick is so handsome--I expect him to flick his hair out of his eyes with his pinkie any second--and Hayden’s outfit is as cute as anything sold by Roxy. They look excited and happy, and thrilled to be on the slopes together. Imho this cover could not be more perfect.

jennifer-echols.com

“What do you love about your Simon Pulse Ro-Com covers?”

2009-09-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

I heard that this is the question of the month for the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies blog, which sounds great to me. The only other thing I can think about right now would be the obnoxious heatwave we're having in San Diego. 102 today, and I live 15 min from the beach!! Anyway, what do I love most about my covers? There are lots of things. I think my favorite part about every single one of my book covers is seeing them for the first time. I love to see what the artists come up with and it's almost always consistent with my vision. I have a bunch of covers framed in my office, and I love seeing the foreign titles for some of my adult books. My agent, Elise Capron, always tells me I look like Natalie on the Love Off-Limits cover. I wish. If I had Natalie's figure I would give away my elliptical machine tomorrow. I love the colors Amy Saidens came up with for Love Off-Limits also. There is something about fall colors that are so alluring and comforting. The cover of Party Games captures so many elements from the book. Sara's blue necklace is small but significant in the story and I was so pleased to see the necklace included on the cover. Not to mention that Ian looks pretty cute and is someone I would've had a crush on. So I can't wait to see what is in store for the next book! I'll let everyone know as soon as I find out.

Where do ideas come from?

2009-09-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

This is one of the questions I get a lot - from readers, my coworkers, even my mom - and it's one of my favorite questions to answer. The answer: I get my ideas from really weird places. Take the proposal I'm working on now...I was driving one day, and heard a crazy cool story on NPR's Science Friday that got me thinking about things and BAM! that night I had a concept in mind. Of course, it's morphed a lot since then and is not even polished yet, but NPR was my muse.

Other places where I get stories:

1) Eavesdropping (a lot...especially listening to people gossip in dressing rooms or bar restrooms or other creepy/lurky places like that where I shouldn't admit to snooping on people).

2) The library - browsing around among the books and, yes, okay, snooping on people. As you may imagine, I've read Harriet the Spy many times.

3) Other peoples' book covers that make me think about something totally different than the book they're covering.

4) Ideas that I've stolen from my husband - I'm not ashamed to admit it.

5) Memories and imagined memories of old (especially rotten) boyfriends and crushes.

Idea-gathering is my favorite part of being a writer. Since I started writing books, I've noticed that I'm always sponging up everything around me, stealing little snippets and dialogue and character traits from everyone around me. (So LOOK OUT people who hang out with me!)

What inspires you?
Later,
E.

FREE BOOK TIME

2009-08-27T03:34:00.000-07:00

The Ex Games isn’t due out until September 8, but Barnes and Noble.com says it’s ready to ship in 2 to 3 days. You know what that means. Barnes and Noble.com heard a rumor that their shipment is in the stockroom somewhere. So it’s time for us to start looking for the book in stores, too! Either that or there has been some horrible mistake and Barnes and Noble.com will take the “usually ships in 2 to 3 days” phrase off their web site in a few hours! Either one.

Well, whatever. I’m so excited, I’m starting this contest anyway, to get us in the winter spirit. It’s

FREE BOOK TIME!

1. If you are a youngling, first get permission for this from your Responsible Old Person.

2. Find a copy of The Ex Games. Library copies are fine. Take a photo of the book in snow or ice. No, it doesn’t have to be snow on the ground that fell from the sky. That would not be fair to my fellow Alabamians. We will not get snow until March, if then. Be creative. Take a picture of it in your sno-cone machine, or the freezer. Prop it up against your little brother’s Star Wars Ice Planet Hoth play set. I probably won’t know the difference.

OR

Take a photo or draw a picture of a Winter Scene of Teen Love. (No book required.)

3. E-mail me the photo or picture at echolsjenn at yahoo dot com. To make this fair, I won't count any entries I receive before 8 p.m. Central on September 8, and I'll count them in the order I find them in my inbox.

4. The first seven entries before September 30 win a free signed copy of The Boys Next Door, Major Crush, or Going Too Far—your choice! (BTW, if you haven’t read The Boys Next Door, you need to do that before the sequel comes out next June. I’m just sayin.’)

5. Void where prohibited. Only residents of U.S. states may enter.

Update Sept 31: I just read a new article that says book giveaways requiring a purchase may be illegal in some places. I just want to give away some books IS THAT SO WRONG? *sniffle* Anyhoo, I have tweaked the contest rules a bit: a purchase is not required, and only residents of U.S. states may enter. I’m sorry, Finland.

Here, Kitty Kitty!

2009-08-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

I've always been a cat person. When my husband and I bought our first house, it didn't take long for us to get a kitten. She was very sickly and tiny at first, but she grew into the most beautiful, spunky, crazy cat I've ever had. That's Moxie, prowling behind me in the photo. Now she's very old and after several visits to the vet, it's evident she won't live much longer. But don't get sad; something great has happened!

You see, last week, my family was on a walk and as we passed a bush by the highway, I heard a kitten mew. The tiniest ball of gray fur came bounding out and instantly cozied up to us. After playing with her for a little while, my youngest son looked up at his dad with those big blue eyes and said, "Can I have the kitty for my birthday?" (Yes, it was the day before his third birthday. Smart kid, eh?) So we knocked on doors but no one had any info on the kitten. We took her home and introduced her to Moxie and fed her and played with her. The next morning, she'd left a dead mouse on our doorstep. (I'd rather a box of chocolate or a flower or something, but maybe she's trainable.)

I could go on and on about how fun little Zoey is, and how she's the friendliest cat I've ever known. But back to Moxie, our geriatric kitty. Bringing home the new kitten has breathed new life into her. She's out and about more, kind of showing the kitten the lay of the land. They eat together, sleep together, go on strolls together. It's really something! So I'm confident that if Moxie passes away sometime soon, her last days will have been improved because of the little kitten who chose to live with us.

You either love the thrift store, or you don't.

2009-08-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

My husband loves the thrift store. I am not sure whether this is because he grew up without a lot of money, or because he now works as a salesman and loves the idea of making an advantageous trade. All I know is that he haunts the thrift store. He has ascertained that they put out new merchandise on Tuesday, and Thursday is two for one day. Several times he has almost bought pants there, then realized that they were his own pants that he gave away to the thrift store last year.

Lucky for him, we live not far from Unclaimed Baggage, which is even better than the thrift store (if you are into this sort of thing). This store buys lost luggage from the airlines and sells the suitcases and everything in them. It is a gold mine for the thrift store lover, and you are much less likely to buy your own pants. Many a time my husband has called me from Unclaimed Baggage to ask my advice on buying a table, or a bomber jacket, or clothes for our child. I always say

NO!!!!!!!!!

because I do not love the thrift store. The economy is bad and we need to tighten our belts like everybody else, but I am just sorry. I draw the line at the thrift store. You have no idea what the previous owner has done in, to, or with that stuff. It could be sprinkled with anthrax. It could be laced with marijuana residue, and the drug dogs will hunt you down. You know what you will say to the police? "But these are not my pants! There was a previous owner of these pants!" And you will sound like every other criminal on COPS.

I think a lot of my fear stems from a Nancy Drew book--not part of the newfangled series, but the original series that remains in your library only because the librarian is nostalgic about these books since she read them when she was a tween herself, back in 1805 or so. You know, the series in which Nancy has titian hair (whatever that is) and drives a sedan and wears smart outfits, and her father Carson Drew wears trousers, and her friend George (a girl with a boy's name--edgy!!!) has cropped hair and a boyish figure, and her friend Bess is pleasingly plump.

I want to say the book in question is The Spider Sapphire Mystery. Nancy and her boyfriend Ned (and probably George, Bess, Burt, and Dave, maybe even the motherly housekeeper Hannah--I don't know) take an overseas flight. They leave their suitcases unattended for a moment (DON'T DO IT NANCY AND NED YOU FOOLS) and when they pick the suitcases up again, their hands itch and burn! Is it psoriasis? Is it anthrax? NO IT'S ACID! While they had their backs turned, THE VILLAIN PAINTED THEIR SUITCASE HANDLES WITH ACID!!!!!!!!

You can see why a have a particular problem with Unclaimed Baggage.

In light of all this, imagine my dismay when I came home yesterday and found the following:

Me: Oh God, you've been to the thrift store again.

Husband: Who, me?

Me: How much did you pay for this?

Husband: Thirty dollars.

(I can tell he is lying. His trips to the thrift store are a veritable web of deceit.)

Me: It's ripped.

Husband: It's supposed to be that way, because it's a recliner.

Me: Recliners are not supposed to be ripped.

Husband: Okay, maybe I ripped it trying to get it up the stairs. It wasn't ripped when I bought it.

Me: Was it white originally?

Husband: No, it's supposed to be brown.

Me: Then why is it lighter brown on the top than it is on the bottom?

Husband: It isn't. I cleaned it.

Me: It smells.

Husband: That's the cleaner.

Me: (A) What I smell does not smell like cleaner and (B) YOU SHOULD NEVER BUY FURNITURE THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED!!!

Husband: Help me get it upstairs.

Me: No!

If I am lucky, this chair will soon be for sale again at our local thrift store. If I am unlucky, it will find a home in our den, where it will grace the atmosphere with its peculiar odor. Who needs Glade? And if I am very unlucky, my whole family is about to be hospitalized for anthrax. Or acid.

Nine Pounds

2009-08-12T16:22:00.001-07:00

Most writers I know reward themselves after finishing a book, mailing out a proposal, or working through a particularly tricky part of their work-in-progress. It's a great incentive to keep going when the writing isn't easy.

Some writers buy themselves a gift (jewelry, shoes, and handbags seem to be popular amongst my friends.) Others go get a manicure or a massage. Some take a day (or a week) away from the computer to get fresh air and/or travel before diving into the next project. I think rewarding yourself for a job well done is always a good idea, whether you're a writer or not.

Since I wrapped up a new proposal last week, I went to Holliston, Massachusetts (one of the towns featured in Sticky Fingers) to go blueberry picking.

Ever wonder what nine pounds of blueberries looks like? Me, too. Mostly because I picked nine, but only seven and a half made it to the counter for this photo by the end of the day. I was eating them like one might nosh on a bowl of popcorn.

So...seven and a half pounds of blueberries:

Think this isn't a great writing reward? Three words for you: Homemade blueberry cobbler.

Hotel Wi-Fi is as Flaky as I Feel!

2009-08-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

One of the things I both fear and dread is summer travel. For various reasons, we have done very little this actual summer (did quite a bit in the spring). Seeing family is fun, but stressful, and going South means hot weather. I'm a little melt-y in hot weather, given that I've lived in Maine for 21 years (!?!). We knew we'd have to take at least one trip (part business for DH and part family), and we'd planned it in our minds for mid-August.

One week ago yesterday, DH told me our timetable had changed and we'd be going to Ohio...on Saturday. And then on to Delaware. So I frantically tried to catch up on everything I had to do (and the four unexpected things that dropped into my lap last week...sheesh!). I almost succeeded. I was pretty pleased. Everything I had left to do could be done in a hotel room with Wi-Fi. Or so I thought (cue ominous music).

What I can do: write; listen to my i-Pod; exercise in the fitness room; swim in the pool; check e-mail sporadically; send e-mail -- if there are no attachments (hence no pictures of Horseshoe Falls at Niagara Falls -- gorgeous!). Now, some of the work I needed to do requires me to send files, so this is actually a big problem. I've attempted sending the e-mail with files at various times of the day (and night). No luck.

All I can say is thank goodness for Starbucks. I know there is one in Delaware with nice, reliable Wi-Fi. I should be able to send out my files on Friday.

I'm trying to take lessons from the annoying obstacles in my life. From this one, I'm taking the lesson that I should enjoy the pool and fitness room when I can, and forgive the hotel its flaky Wi-Fi. After all, life is short, and there is a maid to clean my room!

P.S. I have updated my website after a long hiatus (ds1, aka my webmaster, was busy, but he finally figured out how to take my high maintenance DreamWeaver site and turn it into a low-maintenance Wordpress site). No fancy bells and whistles yet, but one day soon (when I am back with my lovely high speed internet access at home).

Kelly

(going to stretch out, turn on my i-Pod and write guilt free for the rest of the no-housework day)

Love Off Limits hits shelves!

2009-08-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

I think the last time I posted on the Simon Pulse ro com blog was when I had just finished writing Love Off Limits, and now it's available to purchase! Yes, time has totally escaped me. You're probably wondering why I've been a ghost around here. Well, I had another baby girl late last year. When you have two children under the age of three time moves differently. It flies. And two little ones are plenty enough to keep anyone away from their favorite blog let alone a hair salon, the grocery store -- even my own front yard most days. It has been a whirlwind and I can hardly believe that Love Off Limits is in bookstores!
I'm really proud of this book. It's full of irony and a little scandal too -- juicy. Natalie Dean, the heroine of my story, is leading a double life. By day, she is a secret columnist for the romance section of her school newspaper, dishing out sound advice for the romantically wounded and conflicted on campus. By night, she seeks help for her own love life on a popular love advice website. Why is she seeking advice? Because she has a whopper of a crush on her boyfriend's best friend, and doesn't know how to handle this impossible situation. I don't want to give away too much more, but I hope you all enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Okay, I should really go help my husband. I think he might be using the dust buster to remove food from my child's hair.

Models wanted

2009-07-31T15:01:00.000-07:00

It seems like only yesterday that my father-in-law found an adorable kitten abandoned under his house.

I took Kitty in, because he needed me, and because I thought I could exploit him to publicize my books.

However, it was NOT only yesterday. It was more than a year and countless cans of Friskies Meaty Bits ago. Now Kitty is wearing his Meaty Bits on his hips, but he continues to live in the fast lane as if he were still three months old.

The saddest part is, he genuinely does not seem to realize his career as a model is over.

Like so many child stars who don’t age well, he is no longer an effective spokescat for my books. We here at Jennifer Echols LLC try to portray an upbeat image to the teens, and we feel that Kitty would be more comfortable hawking another product, such as denture cream or protective undergarments.

This means I am in the market for a new spokesperson for The Ex Games, due in stores on September 8. If you know any talking babies or Chihuahuas, please send them my way.

New Book Trailer & FREE book giveawy!

2009-07-22T19:38:00.001-07:00

Hello! It's always so exciting to see which Ro-Coms are coming out. Congrat's to those authors who have summer releases.

I'm way behind on my blogging because I'm busy traveling and getting a new book whipped into shape. But I have some pretty exciting news to share. Check out the book trailer for Miss Match

I hope you enjoy it! To celebrate, I'm giving away a FREE signed copy of Miss Match. Just contact me via my website and write "enter me" in your message to be entered into a random drawing on Monday, Aug. 3.

xoxo

Your Half-Year's Resolution

2009-07-21T11:57:00.001-07:00

I usually give myself two fresh starts a year—one on New Year’s Day and the other on my birthday. I was born in March, the month when most people (especially moi) are loosening their grip on their New Year’s resolutions. So by the time March 19th rolls around, I quietly rededicate myself to those personal promises I made back in January. But in 2009, I’m giving myself a third opportunity to stay on course.

July 1st marked the start of the year’s second half. Sounds like a good time as any to throw out what hasn’t worked and pick up better habits. So, call me Cap’n, because I’m setting sail and charting a new and improved course.

Yep, that’s me and our house guest (my groom’s best man) on a hobikat (read: a raft with a sail attached). Nevermind that seconds after this photo was taken, the sail whipped around and knocked that brand new cap right off my head and into the water (never to be seen again). And so what we had to be rescued two hours later after difficulty navigating back to shore? Living close to the ocean has inspired me. It’s all about staying afloat, navigating through rough waves, letting the wind catch your sail…and any other maritime-born cliché you can think of.

My half-year checkup showed that I’ve been feeling easily overwhelmed (editing and writing deadlines, traveling, hosting a parade of house guests, etc.). Time to pick up the slack and get back on board. My half-year’s resolution is to read and write more hours in the day, stay disciplined, and dedicate myself to regular exercise and better eating habits (I recently purchased my first yoga mat!).

This calls for a little inspiration.

Here I am standing tall next to the tall ships visiting from all over the world.

Anyone with me? What’s your half-year’s resolution?

Chicks ahoy! :-)

Great news!

2009-07-09T05:00:00.001-07:00

...at least, if you're ready for a ro-com set in a winter wonderland! The publication date of The Ex Games has been moved up to September 8. You can see the description here, or listen to the soundtrack and read the first chapter here. Then leave a comment in my guestbook and tell me what you think!

However, as it is 90 degrees here in Alabama (and we think that's nice and cool for July), I am having a little difficulty getting into the winter spirit. I just spent a terrific 4th of July down at the 44,000-acre lake where I grew up, which is also the basis for the setting of Major Crush and The Boys Next Door. There was a boat parade in the morning--here's an example with somebody dressed up like a hot dog, and in the background you can see one of the bridges that inspired Lori and Adam's bridge in The Boys Next Door.

That night we watched the fireworks over the lake. After using the "fireworks" setting on my camera, I am no longer impressed by this feature, but at the bottom right you can see the lights of hundreds of boats that watch the show from the lake (I have done that too, when I was a teenager, and it was awesome). Under the fireworks you can see the smoke from burning bushes. It is not a party in Alabama until something catches fire.

The 4th is over, but next week I'm going on the trip I look forward to every summer: the Romance Writers of America National Convention, where I see all my writer friends. If you live in the Washington D.C. area, you should definitely come to the charity booksigning next Wednesday night. I'll be signing Going Too Far, and you can meet other YA authors including Rosemary Clement-Moore, Melissa Marr, and our own Niki Burnham. Bring your mom, because Nora Roberts, Jennifer Crusie, Linda Howard, Allison Brennan, and my critique partner Victoria Dahl are always there, along with hundreds of others. If you miss me Wednesday night, you can come to the Pocket signing from 9:45 to 11:15 Friday morning (Going Too Far is published by MTV Books, which is a division of Pocket Books, which is a division of Simon & Schuster = the publishing industry is hopelessly complicated). And if D.C. is a world away from you, keep in mind that next July the convention will be held in Nashville.

After the convention, I have one more beach trip to go, and then my son goes back to school on August 10. So I guess the summer really is drawing to a close for me. How about your summer? What have you been up to? Do you feel like your glass of summery goodness is half-full or half-empty?

Non-required reading

2009-07-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

Question: When is a Ro Com author not a Ro Com author?

Answer:

Nah, it's not really a riddle!

Survey says: when she's authoring her own fancy new hardcover novel, which, in the case of Aimee Friedman, is the upcoming Sea Change from Scholastic Point!

Aimee's book is the story of a girl who finds a magical kind of love at the beach over the course of one mysterious summer--the perfect book to toss in your tote on your way to your own fun-in-the-sun afternoon. This past Wednesday, Aimee hosted a book party at the beautiful Boat Basin Cafe . The weather co-operated, and it was the ideal balmy night to fete a book that celebrates the steamy, sexy atmosphere of a summer romance. That's Aimee on the left up there--isn't she purty?--next to me, and authors Lynn Weingarten and Claudia Gabel. Fun was had by all, and we talked books in between fruity cocktails and stories about boys. All in all, a perfect book party!

Summer is a great time to catch up on our easy, breezy, escapist reading (hence my copy of LA Candy sitting beside me on the desk AS WE SPEAK). OBVS, the Simon Pulse Ro Coms make for great beach reads, but what you might not know is that your fave Ro Com authors also write original stories that are one hundred percent vacation-tested, Micol-approved.

Some suggestions (keep in mind that this list is in no way exhaustive):

1. Goddess Games by Niki Burnham: One summer at a spa that changes everything. Personally, I don't even care about the dramz--summer at a SPA? I'm there!

2. The Drama series by Paul Ruditis: because you know you need your HSM fix.

3. Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols: edgy + hot = sign me up!

Oh--and of course, don't forget Sea Change!

So, what are YOU reading this summer?

*and PS: not to be too self-serving, but I'd probably be remiss if I didn't mention a certain other project out just in time for summer...

Ready. Set. Read!

2009-06-28T23:36:00.000-07:00

“Call me Ishmael.”

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

“It was a drag queen’s worst nightmare.”

A good opening line doesn’t always mean that you’re in for an entertaining read, but it’s an auspicious start. It sets the tone. It pulls you into a story. It should give the reader an idea of what kind of book is in store. And it’s often the hardest part of a book to write.

Of the three lines above, two are classics and one is mine. Can you guess which one?

No. I did not write A Tale of Two Cities. But thank you for thinking I'm that old.

“It was a drag queen’s worst nightmare” is the opening line to DRAMA! The Four Dorothys. It’s my favorite first line that I’ve ever written. And I didn’t even write it. I "borrowed" it from a friend (with her permission) who responded with that quote when I told her the plot of the story. But how could I not use it? That line totally encapsulated the tone of the entire book series in just seven words. That’s a lot to ask from a sentence.

Which leads me to wonder if any of you have a favorite opening line? Either from books you’ve read or books you’ve written? Enquiring minds want to know.

Ye Olde Mailbag

2009-06-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about being a writer? The letters. I've received letters and e-mails from all over the world with questions and comments about my books. Some questions show up in many of the letters I receive, so I'm betting other authors get them, too. For today's blog, a few answers:

1) Are You Your Characters? Or Are They People You Know?

No. Characters--at least in fiction--are figments of the author's imagination (see your Merriam-Webster for the definition of "fiction.") Speaking for myself, there may be facets of people I've met in the characters I've created, or there may be snippets of conversations I've overheard worked into a character's personality, but that's the extent of it. If an author wants a career--that is, they want to write multiple books, year after year--then they need to create a variety of characters with a range of personality traits. It'd get boring writing (or reading!) about the same characters forever. Plus, wouldn't it be awful if authors WERE their characters? Think about some of Agatha Christie's murderers. Or Stephen King's demented villains.

2) Do You Design The Covers Of Your Books?

Nope. Folks with backgrounds in graphic design, art, and photography do that. The wonderful Amy Saidens does the covers for the romantic comedy line. She has talents most authors don't!

3) Why Did (Such and Such Character) Do Something So Stupid?

There are several answers to this question, so take your pick: a) Because perfect characters are boring; b) Because normal people make mistakes; c) Because it made the story more interesting; d) Because if the character hadn't made that mistake, they wouldn't have discovered XYZ.

4) Can You Name A Character _________ ? And Give Her A Boyfriend Named ____________ ?

If I do, it's coincidence. But thanks for the suggestion. (And hey, if you have characters and a story in mind, maybe YOU can write it! Why not?!?)

Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies

Ta Ta For Now!

It's Been A Thrill

Thanks For The Memories

Until Next Time...

Simon Pulse Ro-Coms Rock!

Goodbye, blog! *sniffle*

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How Do I Deal With Rejection?

How Do I Deal With Rejection?

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How do you decide on character names?

Team Sweet Valley

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Where have you set your books and why?

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In Which I Don't Really Tell You Anything...

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We've got the scoop!

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Which character in your book most reminds you of yourself, and which character can you least relate to?

I am a reader.

Goodbye, blog! sniffle