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Mar 8, 2011 Writing Teen Romance

Meeting Simone Elkeles

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Simone Elkeles, and NY Times bestselling author of Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction and… well I could list all her titles, but why don’t you just go check out her awesome website. Isn’t the animation cool? Anywhooo, late last year, Ms. Elkeles did a school visit at CHS, the school where my brother-in-law teaches. Is it okay if I call her Simone? For some reason I feel weird doing so. She did autograph my book and give me a hug. She even commented

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Mar 4, 2011 Uncategorized

Friday Morning Rambling

Friday is one of my favorite days of the week. There’s a circular reference with the name… Fri-day – as in French Fries, my favorite food. French - the language spoken in my favorite city – Paris. Paris – also called The City of Lights. Lights – as in Christmas. Christmas – my favorite holiday. Holiday – a time off from work to spend with family and friends. Time off from work – the weekend. Weekend – starts on Friday evening… Happy Friday to one and all.

Feb 28, 2011 Writing Teen Romance

Back from Hiatus

Sometime in November, my kids charged into my office while I was plucking away on my keyboard. “You’re always working on your computer,” said my seven year old. “Or your book,” the nine year old chimed in. “You never play with us.” What I didn’t hear, but could see in their eyes and hear in their tone – you love your book and your computer more than me. Of course they exaggerate slightly. I’m not always working on the book. But it does consume a large amount of my already limited free time. With

Dec 1, 2010 Uncategorized

A Little Something New

How about an update on the WIP? I’ve re-visioned during the editing phase, which is taking a lot of work. My brain is overloaded with my characters and plotting and trying to spoil their perfectly happy lives. Feedback from some CPs have indicated that I need more conflict, which has resulted in new scenes and a lot of reordering of events. I want to say I’m close to being finished. But alas, I’ve said that before. Plotting and scheming for book two… And I am tossing around some other ideas for

Nov 13, 2010 Writing Teen Romance

A Note on Writing Male POV

First a word of caution. There is a long preface to the point of my post, so please stick with me. I promise; my rambling is worth it. So…my seven year old son is playing 6-7 year old football in the local youth league. The kids are assigned to teams based on which high school they’d attend based on where we live. Early in the HS team’s season, the “little” Wolverines got to go on the field, under the Friday night lights and get introduced. Then we stayed for the game to cheer on the varsity

Nov 2, 2010 Things I Love

Book Review: PERFECT CHEMISTRY by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles will make you fall in love with contemporary YA. The story, told in alternating POV of Alex, a Latino member of a gang in the suburbs of Chicago and Brittany, the All-American girl who appears to have it all. For the first few chapters, I didn’t like Alex. He was arrogant and spiteful and don’t get me started on “the bet.” I liked how Brittany dished it right back to Alex and was compelled to keep reading to find out how everything would turn out. The book is

Oct 23, 2010 Things I Love

Book Review: THE DEATHDAY LETTER by Shaun David Hutchinson

Imagine a world where impending death was announced by a Deathday Letter. When it was your time to go, you’d receive a letter telling you that within twenty-four hours, you’d be dead. What would you do with that time? This book is about fifteen year old Ollie Travers and what he does with his last day. It’s morbidly hilarious with wonderful insight into an adolescent male mind. Which by the way is why it was on my To Read Pile. Remember how I need to work on “manning up” my male characters?

Oct 19, 2010 Uncategorized

The Delinquency Continues

Sorry. The blog has to take a backseat to fulfilling my job as a wife, mom, the day job and my volunteering. It also has to take a backseat to editing my novel and other writerly tasks – like reading a superbly awesome book called Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. And another great book called Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. And trying to hone my craft by reading Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass and Description and Setting by Ron Rozelle. I really need to write reviews for the

Sep 29, 2010 Uncategorized

Short and sweet

I’ve been delinquent. More than delinquent. Downright neglectful. But it’s not only the blog. Anything that doesn’t need doing isn’t getting done. I’m heads down editing. Trying to write some new scenes so I can finally get a full MS to my beta readers. I can see the finish line. Just need it to be right before I pass it on. I still owe a review on The Deathday Letter. I’ll get to it. But just know – I really liked it. Off to edit…