Kristine Carlson Asselin

Ashfall by Mike Mullin

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:52:00 +0000

I reviewed Ashfall by Mike Mullin over at Afterglow Book Reviews...check it out here.

2012 NESCBWI Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

If you're going to be in the New England area in April, you should definitely consider registering for the New England SCBWI Conference from April 20-22.

I attended my first regional conference in April 2007. I was an extreme newbie. Nervous. I was sure I was a poser, and that everyone else knew more than me. Keep in mind, at the time I had been a director of a department at a major American university, had supervised professional level staff, had coordinated a regional conference (for a different organization). In short, I was a grown up. I knew stuff.

But the writing thing was new.

The people of NESCBWI are awesome. No one ever made me feel "less than." I immediately felt part of something. Something cool.

Flash forward five years. I've been a volunteer since 2008. Getting involved as a volunteer is a great way to feel a part of something, network, and make friends. This year, I'm organizing the Special Interest Groups and the Submissions Strategy Consultations.

And for the first time, this year, I'm faculty. I have the extreme honor to be on an Author/Agent panel with my agent Vickie Motter, as well as Kate Messner and her agent Jennifer Laughran, and Christine Brodien-Jones and her agent Stephen Fraser. If I squee a little, you'll know why. ::pinch me::

It's going to be an awesome conference. Registration opens on Monday, January 23. Hope to see you there!

Multitasking

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:30:00 +0000

And I don't mean doing the laundry while you're checking email.

As a writer, I've always focused on one project at a time. Write something, finish it, move on to something else.

The further I get into my career as a writer, the more I realize that I need to multitask. Multiple projects need attention--at the same time. ::gasp::

Fiction that I'd like to get published before the next millennium and non fiction work-for-hire projects that have real deadlines--need to get equal billing. Couple those with real life, and volunteer positions with NESCBWI and Girl Scouts. Add the day job, and stir. There's a lot going on. No wonder my house looks like a mess. I think my child and husband might be in there somewhere, I saw them both a minute ago.

The real question is how. How can I change the way I've always done things and shift. Make lists? Set deadlines? Get up at 3 a.m.? (yeah, um, no.) It all needs to get done, and everything is important.

I don't have the answer--just asking the question. Do you multitask? And if you do, how do you do multitask?

Guest Post: Laura Pauling of the Indelibles

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

I'm so proud to introduce you to my critique partner and friend, Laura Pauling. Laura and I have known each other almost three years--and I've learned so much about writing and the industry from her and with her. We've been on a journey together. And I'm thrilled to be able to share her with you today as she talks about the newest leg of her journey as a writer.

I'm particularly grateful to her for writing a guest post, because I've got deadlines and life taking up my schedule this week.

I give you Laura Pauling:

***

I could give you the spiel about the Indelibles. Our mission. Our purpose. I could make it all official like that. But I'm going to fast forward through all that and cut to the chase.

Ooo a fancy website.

Ahh a cool banner.

Hot diggety a bunch of authors.

Woo hoo a fancy schmancy contest to win a Kindle Fire and 25 books.

But strip all that down...

and you have authors supporting authors.

Struggling.

Persevering.

Writing.

Finding their way in this awesome and scary world of indie and self publishing.

It's part cross promotion.

It's part marketing.

It's sharing resources and knowledge.

"Have you guys used Stumble Upon?"

"Guess what? I'm an instructor at my SCBWI conference for self publishing."

"Man, I've got a wicked headache today."

"Which fonts on my cover do you guys like better?"

"What's coding? HTML anyone?"

"Help!"

It's being a friend.

That's what the Indelibles are all about.

If you haven't heard about the contest, start at the Indelibles blog. Follow the blog hop and piece together the sentence to enter for a Kindle Fire and 25 ebooks from the authors. Most authors are also giving away separate prizes. Pretty simple.

It ends at midnight tonight - Wednesday. And good luck!

On February 14th, we're releasing an anthology of short stories/excerpts told from the point of view of the main hotties in our books. What a great way to sample the authors that participated.

Thanks Kris for inviting me to guest post! It's a privilege.

You are so welcome, Laura! Good luck and I can't wait to read A SPY LIKE ME, for real. (full disclosure, I've seen this story grow for the last year, and I'm so excited to see it come out for all of you to read.)

Follow Laura here:

Blog: http://www.laurapauling.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/laurapauling

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13372106-a-spy-like-me

Laura Pauling writes YA and MG fiction. She lives the cover of suburban mom/author perfectly, from the minivan to the home-baked snickerdoodles, while hiding her secret missions and covert operations. But shh. Don't tell anyone. A Spy Like Me, her YA debut novel, will be released in the spring of 2012. To catch a sneak peek, her short story, The Almost Assassin, will appear in the In His Eyes Anthology on sale February 14th, 2012.

Looking For Rejection?

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Last week, my agent tweeted that her blog had been found 64 times by people using the search word "rejection."

Now her blog is an incredible find. It's full of useful information for writers and readers. But, what I want to know is who on Earth is SEARCHING FOR REJECTION? My flip response to her tweet was, "Anyone looking for rejection will probably find it."

And it got me thinking. How many of us look for rejection? How many of us embrace rejection when we get it? How many of us walk away from our dream after one, two, three, twenty rejections? Rejection is a part of life. But so is acceptance, perseverance, and determination.

I once wrote a guest post on Literary Rambles about throwing in the towel, or rather not doing that. It's sort of the same thing, right? If I had given up a year ago, embraced the rejections I'd received, I wouldn't have queried Vickie--who signed me on March 1, 2011. If I give up now, I won't ever publish my fiction.

If you look for rejection, find it, and embrace it--you'll never realize your dream. I watched a special on the Smithsonian Channel on Saturday morning about L. Frank Baum. He went through many incarnations of his dream before hitting gold with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He faced rejection many times--but he pushed past it. And over 100 years later, his books still stand up.

Understand that sometimes you need to use your rejections to tweak your writing, but also tweak that dream. Maybe you're writing in the wrong genre, give something different a try. Maybe you're steadfastly pursuing traditional publishing when self-publishing should be your format (L. Frank Baum, by the way, self-published his first book at a time when it wasn't as easy as it is today.) Maybe you're holding out for a "dream" agent who's list is full when you should be querying newer agents hungry for promising talent.

Don't go looking for rejection, but if you find it--use it. Use it to improve your craft and make yourself stronger.

So, are you searching for rejection?

Freelance and Work for Hire

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:18:00 +0000

I've blogged about this topic before, but in celebration of my three new books coming out this week (see blog post here) I thought I'd talk a bit about my experiences.

In the summer of 2007, I had decided that my picture book writing wasn't going anywhere. I'd tried my hand at a short narrative about Deval Patrick, the first African American governor of Massachusetts. I loved the idea of nonfiction that came across as a high-interest piece. I sent it off to a few publisher's acquiring nonfiction, but didn't get any bites.

It was then that I came across the submission guidelines for Capstone Press. I didn't have anything to lose, so I send off my resume, my coverletter, and my writing samples. It took while to hear back from them, but eventually I got my first writing assignment. I remember signing the contract and feeling like, "Wow, my first writing contract." Honestly, it was more like "WOWOWOWOWOW."

Actually, here's my post announcing my first contract. I had forgotten, I actually journaled about the process a bit.

Anyway, the first one sort of kicked my butt. The deadlines are tight. The research can be overwhelming. And it's different than writing fiction. But, when deadlines are tight, things get done faster. When you're overwhelmed by research, you know you're on the right track. And different can be good. I always say, "it's good to be able to write to spec." Writing what you're asked to write. Working with an industry editor. Getting a pay check.

Did you hear that last piece? Getting a pay check.

There's a great list of Work-for-Hire FAQs that Vijaya posted on the Verla Kay Blue Board.

I'm currently working on my ninth freelance book, and the first one not for Capstone Press. It's been a very positive experience for me, a great stretch of my writing chops. I still want my fiction to be successful, but work-for-hire has been part of my writing career that I would not change for anything.

My New Books!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:59:00 +0000

It's always so exciting to see my name on the cover of a book! I've got three new nonfiction titles out as of today! Aren't they gorgeous??? All new titles from Capstone Press. And believe me when I say, if anyone is struggling out there with the children's fiction market--freelance work-for-hire is amazing for making you feel like a real, legitimate writer. I would recommend it to anyone.

Click on my "My Books" tab across the top for links and to read more about each book. I haven't got my author copies yet, but I'm hoping maybe...in today's mail?

Happy New Year and 2011 in review

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:50:00 +0000

This is my 399th post, according to blogger. That feels like a big number. It demonstrates how long I've been at this. ::Fist Bump:: Do I look weird when I do that?

Anyway.

2011 was a great year for me. I signed with a fabulous agent (Vickie Motter of Andrea Hurst Literary Management). I finished two work-for-hire projects with Capstone Press (about ancient Egypt, they'll be out this month, stay tuned). I wrote 20K words in a new (read: NEW) MG fiction project. And my YA novel went out on submission for the first time.

2011 was also a good learning year for me. I learned that signing with an agent and being on submission doesn't necessarily mean a book deal. It IS one more step up the ladder toward publication, but you still have to work hard and bust your butt. At least now I've got a partner in the industry invested in my work. For anyone keeping track, the novel is heading back to the drawing board. I'm working on figuring out a way to make the plot stronger and working on the umpteeth revision. Shannon Messenger's recent blog post gave me great inspiration as I contemplate revisions. Again.

Total side note: For anyone interested in querying Vickie. DO IT! She's amazing--her comments are spot on, and she has undying enthusiasm. Make sure you follow her guidelines, though, and query what she's looking for.

I'm looking forward to 2012. I'm most excited about finishing my middle grade, getting back in the saddle with the YA. AND, the 2012 NESCBWI conference in April. Guess what? I'm meeting my agent this year--We are appearing on a panel together with superstars Kate Messner and her agent Jennifer Laughran; and Christine Brodien Jones and her agent Stephen Fraser. I'm also the Special Interest Group coordinator (and local readers, I'm still looking for a handful of moderators for SIGs--basically roundtable discussions) AND I'm the Submission Strategy Consultations Coordinator being facilitated by Harold Underdown and Lionel Bender, link here to read more.

Cheers to 2012!

Breaking for the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:47:00 +0000

Between the holidays, a new freelance project, revisions on the novel, and my to-be-read pile, it seems like the blog has been suffering. So I'm owning it and taking an official break.

I apologize to all of you who are diligent about reading and commenting! I promise I do read all of your lovely comments. I also promise I'll get back on the blog wagon in a more productive way in January.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy New Year.

THE CASTING, a middle grade novel by Joyce Shor Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Joyce Shor Johnson joined me a few weeks ago to talk about the kick off for her new small press, Pugalicious Press. Link here. As one of the first projects, Pugalicious Press will be publishing Joyce’s middle grade novel, THE CASTING. I invited Joyce to come back to talk about her book.

Synopsis for THE CASTING:

In The Casting meet Robyn, a twelve-year–old girl living in 350 A.D. Ireland, who must choose her future path before her coming-of-age ceremony at Samhaim.

In her time, most girls chose the more traditional roles of healing, midwifery or farming. Others less frequently chose to be warriors or go into Brehon law, but none of these choices appeal to her. Instead, Robyn yearns for red-hot crucibles full of molten bronze and the roaring fires of her father's foundry. She seeks the acceptance of the bronze casters, and the traditions of her father.

Unknown to Robyn, making the choice to be a bronze caster is the easy part—becoming a bronze caster will be the greatest challenge of her life. The biggest obstacle is Gilhey, her sister Lianna’s betrothed and her father’s top student. Gilhey convinces Lianna to turn away from Robyn, causing a rift between the sisters. Without the support of her sister, Robyn struggles to find her place among the other apprentices.

Robyn’s life changes forever the day she accidentally sets fire to the foundry, nearly burning it to the ground and causing great injury to her father. Unable to face the consequences, Robyn decides she must leave the community. Before Robyn has the chance to run though, Gilhey has her kidnapped by wandering Roman soldiers.

When Finn, an unexpected ally, comes to Robyn’s aid, she finds it within herself to face the challenges ahead and survive the fight for her life. At the end of her journey, Robyn learns to accept herself for who and what she is: a bronze caster at heart, a girl learning her trade, a life just beginning.

K: I’m so excited for Joyce’s book, it’s a middle grade historical novel set in a time we don’t usually see for middle grade. You’ve recently decided to publish your Middle Grade novel THE CASTING as one of the first projects for the new small press, Pugalicious Press. Tell us a bit about THE CASTING’s journey to publication.

J: THE CASTING started with a conversation about the Bronze Age with some friends about 10 years ago. Then it became my MFA thesis. I sold it once, but that fell through and now I’m publishing it through Pugalicious Press.

K: I only recently found out about Kickstarter.com—I love the idea of giving people the opportunity to preorder your book while, at the same time, helping you get the project off the ground. Why did you decide to use this venue?

J: Unfortunately, I’m not independently wealthy, so being creative when it came to raising capital to print my book was critical. By offering copies of the book to those who pledge to the project, to me, is really just them preordering a copy. If you research a little, other publishers have done the same thing. Even TU books, now an imprint of Lee and Low began using Kickstarter.

So if anyone would like to pledge $15 to preorder a softcover copy of The Casting you can do so at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joycejohnson/the-casting-an-ancient-adventure

K: When people support you through Kickstarter, they are also supporting the kick-off of a small business and many other great middle grade books to come. Can you tell us a bit about what else Pugalicious has in store?

J: Well we just signed Kell Andrews and her debut middle grade novel Deadwood. I’m very excited about this deal.

K: Congratulations to Kell and to you! How exciting. What made you start to write seriously?

J: I wasn’t any good at stand up comedy!

K: I beg to differ, I think you're very funny. But where do you find your inspiration?

J: They’re everywhere. You just have to be receptive, listen to the whispers, and trust yourself. Liking research helps.

K: Are you a full-time writer? What is your non-writing life like?

J: I’ve been a full-time writer, a part-time write, a sometimes writer, and an oh-my-gosh-I-have-to-find-the-time-to-write writer. I hope that in the next few years, I’ll be full-time four hour a day writer. My non-writing life is mother, wife, Learning Skills teacher, and publisher.

K: I can totally relate to that! There are so many distractions and "life" challenges that get in the way of our writing. What is your biggest challenge with your writing?

J: Time, there is just never enough.

K: What are your favorite books?

J: I’d like to rewrite this question, it should be – what is your favorite book of the moment? I just finished Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, loved it!

K: And lastly, just for fun, do you have a favorite “guilty pleasure” you want to share?

J: A two-hour massage. To die for!

K: What did I miss? Anything else you’d like to share?

J: I just wanted to thank you for supporting me with your pledge for THE CASTING and for this interview. Come on everyone, kick me! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joycejohnson/the-casting-an-ancient-adventure

You're welcome, Joyce! Good luck to you and Pugalicious Press!

Happy Harry Potter Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:38:00 +0000

I love my Brownie Troop. I love making silly and creative things with them. This is a holiday tree the girls designed. Yes, we made tiny snitches and broomsticks. Parents donated other supplies and decorations. The tree is on display at the Reuben Hoar Library in Littleton, Massachusetts until Friday. If you're in the area, you can bid in a silent auction for this and other trees, all to benefit the library building fund.

Middle Grade Author Anita Laydon Miller

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

I’m welcoming self-published middle grade author Anita Laydon Miller to the blog today. She is the Colorado Springs GAZETTE book columnist, the mom of four and an author of kids' ebooks (EARTHLING HERO's a sci-fi and A SCARY GOOD BOOK's a mystery).

You can visit her at her at http://www.anitalaydonmiller.com/

K: Thanks, Anita, for being here today. You’ve recently e-published two MG novels, EARTHLING HERO and A SCARY GOOD BOOK. I’m fascinated about the decision that goes into self publishing. How did you come to that decision?

A: I had a well-respected agent and I liked her (still do), but I thought the whole publishing experience was so humiliating…jumping through the hoops of the agent querying process, and then listening to the subjective opinions of editors (some thought my books were too scary, some thought they weren’t scary enough). And the worst part about it, the thing that made me feel like dirt, was that I had no other viable option. If I couldn’t find a publisher, the stories—and I thought they were good stories—would end up under my bed forever. With only dust bunnies as readers.

And then epublishing came along, started to get big. I thought, “Heck. I’ll give that a shot.” And I did. Politely parted with my agent, figured out the formatting stuff and took those babies live. I’ve enjoyed myself. Had a lot of fun. Have sold several hundred books, and just keep selling them. It’s cool.

If I ever go the traditional route again, I don’t think it will feel humiliating to me, since I now have options. I’m currently revising a YA and am at the decision stage of whether to query agents or prepare the book for epubbing. I’m still on the fence…I’ll keep you posted.

K: Good luck as you make that decision--I love YA and can't wait to hear about that project. What made you start to write seriously?

A. About 20 years ago, I started writing greeting card and catalog copy for a greeting card company. Then I got freelance work writing for regional publications. I’d always been a big reader, so after I’d gotten some freelance writing under my belt, it was a natural progression to try writing fiction.

K: You mentioned your current work-in-progress, a YA? Can you tell us about it?

A. My YA is about hope, forgiveness, love. My main character, Olivia, is 15-years-old. She moves to Colorado with her mom. They move into the home of Olivia’s recently-deceased grandfather, which is located next to a cliff. Over the years, people have come to the cliff to commit suicide. Olivia’s grandfather talked many of the jumpers off the edge, but some of them jumped, including the brother of a guy Olivia falls in love with.

There are lots of twists and turns in the story. It’s heartfelt, but there’s humor there, too. It’s written in first person, present tense, which is interesting.

K: I love the sound of that--sounds so haunting and beautiful. Have you been surprised at all by anything that’s happened since you decided to self-publish?

A. I’m actually surprised by how many strangers have bought the book. I thought blog followers and friends would be the ones to purchase it, but, frankly, I’ve only recently gotten family members to get the books (that’s been like pulling teeth, and then they’ve called me afterward and told me how they love the books, like they’re surprised I can write J) and only a couple handful of blog followers have purchased the books. So, mostly, it’s been strangers who’ve purchased. I think they find the books on Amazon. Maybe they search by price, lowest to highest?

K: It must be such a lovely feeling to know that you're reaching your readers. I know I plan on buying both of your books as soon as I get my e-reader--in another week or two. Are you a full-time writer? What is your non-writing life like?

A. I’m the mom of four kids. I also volunteer a lot. And I write a weekly book column for the COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE. Readership is around 100,000. I should really tap that market better.

K: And lastly, just for fun, do you have a favorite “guilty pleasure” you want to share?

A. I love long hikes and bike rides. But I don’t feel guilty about them at all.

Thanks so much for being here today! Good luck as you finish your YA. Have a lovely holiday season! Buy Anita's books here.

Reminder--Children's Lit Meet Up

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:11:00 +0000

Reminder about the NESCBWI Meet Up on Tuesday, December 6!

When: Tuesday, December 6, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Aprile's European Restaurant in North Chelmsford, MA

Who: Anyone interested in Children's Books--authors, illustrators, librarians, booksellers, Agents, Editors, Readers...you get the idea. All are welcome!

We'll be in the bar area--order from the bar, eat dinner, apps or dessert, or just come and chat. No formal program.

Please help spread the word to anyone who might be interested. Hope to see you there!

Heather, Lynda, and Jean from Meet Up last Spring

How to Be a Tacky Tourist

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Tacky Tourist Photos, you’re missing one of the funniest websites out there. We’ve all taken them (see mine here). (Don’t lie, I know you’ve taken them, too.)
Even the president poses for tacky tourist photos...

Darren Garnick is the curator of these silly travel photos from all over the world. On Wednesday, December 7, a month-long gallery exhibition of some of the best photos from the site kicks off at the Tewksbury, MA Public Library. As a side note, Darren has been making people laugh for a long time. I've known him for over 25 years--he made American History our junior year bearable and much funnier than it should have been.

In honor of Darren’s presentation and the Tacky Tourist gallery opening on Wednesday, he has graciously offered to answer a few questions for the blog.

K: First of all, thanks for being here, Darren. I love the idea of Tacky Tourist Photos. It's laugh-out-loud funny and clever. How did the idea for the website come about?

D: Ever since I was a kid, I've always loved offbeat roadside attractions like obscure museums and the World's Largest Ball of Twine. I also love to see how different communities strive to market themselves and can't resist at least browsing at every souvenir stand. The rising popularity of "photo of the day" websites, some of which we credit in our "Cyber-Inspiration" sidebar, convinced me to get together with my friends Ilya Mirman and Peter Koziell and create a tribute to "tourists not ashamed of being tourists." There's also an anti-snobbery aspect in play here. So many people who like to travel treat the word "tourist" like it is an insult. The reality is that no matter how much you try to blend in for an "authentic experience," you're still an outside observer. May as well have fun doing it.

K: Words to live by! What’s your favorite picture or theme on the site?

D: My favorite TTP submission of all time is called "Military Make-Believe," and I still cannot believe that special operations soldiers in Ecuador would just hand over their weapons to pretty American college students for a photo-op!

K: I guess a picture really is worth 1000 words! As a writer, I guess I can sort of relate to that--and now that I think of it, there must be a story there...Do you take tacky tourist photos everywhere you go?

D: Absolutely. You don't need to be on vacation to take a Tacky Tourist Photo. There are so many quirky places and things in our own communities that are worth documenting. Cell phone cameras mean that there are no more missed opportunities.

K: I know I take way more pictures now that I have a camera on my phone. I'll have to start looking for more Tacky opportunities! What tips do you have for anyone looking to start taking their own tacky tourist photos?

D: The most important thing to keep in mind when taking a Tacky Tourist Photo is that people like to look at pictures of people more than things. So if you see a funny road sign or crazy souvenir, it's better to photograph it twice. Once by itself and once with you reacting to it. The best photos on our Website come when there is someone interacting with the tourist environment -- so then we can vicariously experience the oddball moment with you!

One thing I'd like to add is that most people already have a treasure trove of Tacky Tourist Photos sitting in shoeboxes or the family vacation albums from the pre-digital era. We love it when TTP fans raid their childhood archives and give these memories a new life. Please check out our submission guidelines.

***

Thanks again Darren! As the website indicates, visitors on Wednesday (December 7, 2012) are encouraged to bring contributions from their childhood vacation albums and their latest creative cell phone pics for group discussion and possible inclusion in an offbeat coffee table book.

And also, bring your cameras for bonus “Tacky Tourist” photo-ops throughout the evening. Can’t make it? No worries: Check out our Submission Guidelines and be there in spirit!

This event is held in the Meeting Room at the Tewksbury Public Library. Doors open at 6:15pm. Talks begin at 6:30pm. The room is handicap accessible. Light refreshments will be provided. A door prize will be awarded. Pre-registration is strongly recommended. Register by stopping by the Reference Desk; calling 978-640-4490 ext. 205; or by clicking “register” below. Talk is FREE thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library.

Feeling like a Writer

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:30:00 +0000

What makes you feel like a writer?

I watched this episode of The Simpsons yesterday on Hulu--not sure if the link will work, but if not it's called THE BOOK JOB. https://apps.facebook.com/huluapp/watch/302535?c=0%3A0

Homer and a brain trust of friends decide to write a tween novel. Lisa thinks she can do a better job. But she proceeds to get distracted by computer games, reorganizing her CD collection, cleaning her room. There are lots of great parts to the show (Neil Gaiman, anyone?) but my favorite part is when Lisa is in a coffee shop and has to set up her wifi ("in case she needs to research") but then needs to buy coffee because she's using their resources. Sound familiar. Yup.

The fact that I can totally relate to the cliches of writing as represented on a cartoon had the odd effect of making me feel like a real writer. Do I write everyday? Nope, wish I did. Do I spend a lot of time thinking about writing. Yup. Did I spend two hours last night working on an outline, only to add 17 words to my WIP. Um, yeah. That and getting distracted by twitter.

What makes you feel like a real writer?

Reading Electronically

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:10:00 +0000

So I'm finally thinking about jumping on the ship that pretty much has already sailed. I sort of feel like I'm jumping from the dock with arms outstretched, hoping to grab the rail as the ship passes...

I'm getting an e-reader.

Yes, you heard me correctly. I'm fairly sure that I've convinced Santa that I've been a good girl this year.

So now the question is what to get. Kindle? Nook? Touch? Color? Earth, Wind or Fire? I think I've settled on Nook, because of the epub library functionality. And the fact that it's compatible with my Android. But my husband is trying to convince me to go color. I'm resisting a bit, though, because I don't want or need a redundant device. I really just want to read. Although Angry Birds in a larger format would be nice...

No. No, I really just want to read.

What are you guys getting for Christmas? Anything I should know about an E-reader? I really want to be able to read manuscripts, and all my friends' who are e-publishing. I can't wait!

Just call me Professor

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:12:00 +0000

In spring 2012, I've been asked to deliver a three hour workshop for beginner writers at Mt. Wachusett Community College called "Intro to Writing for Children."

Here's the description: In this three-hour workshop, participants will learn the basic framework for starting a writing career in children’s literature from one author’s perspective. Participants will leave with a comprehensive reading list, a hand-out of recommended websites and writers’ blogs, and an action plan for how to get started in the writing industry. Intended audience: beginners.

We're running it twice, once in February and then repeating it in April.

Call 978-630-9525 to register
Thurs Feb 16 6 – 9 PM
CRN 11346 $39 Devens Campus
Thurs Apr 26 6 – 9 PM
CRN 11348 $39 Devens Campus

I'm just starting to develop the workshop. If anyone is interested in taking it, please let me know if there are any specific points you'd like addressed. I don't see it as a writing class per se--though I may introduce some writing exercises. It's mostly going to be an introduction to the business side of writing. Platform building, self v. traditional publishing, twitter v. facebook, etc.

LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:16:00 +0000

Yes, this is a repeat of my review for Afterglow Book Reviews.

The blurb, from Goodreads:

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

***

I know, I know, I just reviewed a book on Friday, but I had the wonderful good fortune to read AFTERGLOW books back-to-back.

I loved LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR. I finished it at 12:30 last night after reading it in one sitting. I think I might have even loved it a little bit more than it's companion book ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS (which I also loved). Here's my review of that from June.

So, what did I love about Lola? Well, I'm a child of the 80's and she reminded me forcibly of Molly Ringwald's character in PRETTY IN PINK. And this time, the character ends up with her best friend, not the wildly inappropriate guy. Which I love! Not that the storyline is at all the same, but the characters share some characteristics. Lola makes her own clothes, and she has a very eclectic style. Cricket (the boy next door) is quirky, nerdy, hot, and brilliant, all at the same time.

I loved her gay parents. I loved Anna and St. Clair from the other book are a part of this book. I loved her friend Lindsay. Oh, and I want to be Stephanie Perkins.

If you love contemporary YA (or even if you don't) read this book. It's perfect.

Central Mass Kid Lit Meet Up

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:19:00 +0000

Never underestimate the value of networking, socializing, getting to know others. It CAN help your writing to get out of the house, up off the couch, and meet others who share your passion.

Last spring, I envied another region's writers because they were having a Meet Up in Atlanta. So much so, that I decided to host my own, in my own region. And as Kevin Costner says (or was is Ray Liotta?), if you build it, they will come. Anyway, someone said that once. And it's true.

We now have a core group of about 15-20 folks from Eastern Mass, Southern New Hampshire, and a few who drive further to join us. We'd love to see you on Tuesday, December 6!

When: Tuesday, December 6, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Aprile's European Restaurant
Who: Anyone interested in Children's Books--authors, illustrators, librarians, booksellers, Agents, Editors, Readers...you get the idea. All are welcome!

We'll be in the bar area--order from the bar, eat dinner, apps or dessert, or just come and chat. No formal program.

Please help spread the word to anyone who might be interested. Hope to see you there!

Alicia Gregoire, Ansha Kotyk, and Julia Bourque from a Meet Up in 2011

Golf Tip Tuesday: Attitude

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:19:00 +0000

I've always been a glass half-full kind of gal. But hitting a crappy shot into the water on a short hole is enough to bring out the worst in the best tempered person. Let alone anyone with a short fuse. I've seen guys bash the ground, throw their clubs, and generally get pissed off.

photo credit: http://iquestgolf.com/blog

But here's the thing. It. Doesn't. Help.

It doesn't help to get mad at yourself, or jealous of the other guy's shot, or talk about quitting the game. You just have to move onto the next shot. Practice. Practice. Practice. Take a lesson if you have to from a Pro. Practice some more.

Think you can transfer this advice to other things? Writing maybe?

It's about having a positive attitude. Finding (or making) the time to practice your craft. Take a class. Write some more. Read.

I know it's sometimes hard not to get pissed off. And we all slip. I've slammed the club on the ground too, and cursed myself, my ability to focus, my swing. (My dedication to my writing, my inability to string two words together sometimes, etc...) But you've got to get back out there and practice.

Now, off to hit some balls. Or, um, revise my manuscript.

Who Does YOUR Hair?

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

This is just a fun post today, not related to writing. Enjoy. :)

***
“Who does your hair?”

It’s a question every woman has been asked, whether on the playground or on the way to a board meeting. People usually ask because they are not happy with their current hair style and are looking for a change. I’ve been asked this question many times in my life—is it too weird that I’ve never asked it?

When someone asks me where I get my hair done, it always makes me pause. Not because I don’t love my hairdresser. Au Contraire! It just always takes a few minutes to explain. And it’s a little unusual. You see, the same person has been cutting and/or styling my hair my whole life. Since I was eight.

And he’s not a relative.

When Tony Rosetti was a young stylist, my mother discovered his shop. He did a great job with her thick curly hair. Even though his shop was in Reading, MA, it wasn’t a stretch for her to make the drive from a few towns away.

Some of my earliest memories are of sweeping the shop floor for Tony when my mother had her hair done. At eight, my long hair had enough split ends to start a punk rock band. It was time for Tony to cut it (<= 4th grade picture over there). Call me a creature of habit. Call me unadventurous. But over the years, I continued to make the 40 minute drive to Reading with my mother and sisters for haircuts. Because Tony was our hairdresser, that’s why!

He styled my hair for my high school prom. Gave me perms against his better judgment in college. Cut it for my wedding. Colored the gray when it started to sprout in my thirties. And now he cuts my daughter’s hair. Seriously, I can count on one hand the number of people who have cut my hair in my lifetime.

I make the drive every month or so from my home along the Route 2 corridor all the way to Reading. Not that it’s hundreds of miles. But it’s never a spontaneous decision.

Why? Because Tony is my hairdresser, that’s why.

How many people can say they have a lifelong relationship with their hairdresser?

Love you Tony!

The little one's first haircut a few years ago.

My Interview with Joyce Shor Johnson of Pugalicious Press

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Pugalicious Press is one of the newest small presses to come onto the children's literature scene. They make their home in New Hampshire, where there is a rich history of iconic literary voices. Both Joyce Shor Johnson and Jennifer Carson are Acquiring Editors. Together they make up Pugalicious Press.

K: I’m honored to welcome Joyce Shor Johnson to my blog today. Hi Joyce! You've already announced your first book, HAPENNY MAGIC by New Hampshire author, Jennifer Carson, available March 21, 2012. (Note: Jen's one of my crit partners, and I've read HM--it's wonderful! For an interview with Jen today, visit Laura Pauling's blog.)

K: Can you tell my readers how and why you decided to start your own press?

J: We wanted great books! There are so many wonderful manuscripts that are not being published because they may not fit into the catalogs of the typical big publishing houses. These are the books that we want to make available, the books that large publishers won't take risks on. We started Pugalicious Press in order to reach out to readers: kids, parents, teachers, and librarians, and give them stories full of well-developed characters, adventure, fun and heart. With world turmoil and hard economic times still ahead, we believe that children need to be able to enjoy positive themes that have a positive impact on the world we live in. Not just focusing on death and zombies. Don't get me wrong, I love zombies, my heart bleeds for their inability to be human.

K: What a great philosophy--I think I'm going to love your books. What has your response been like so far? Any surprises?

J: The most terrifying moment was actually opening up for submissions and dreading that no one would submit to us. Then seeing the time stamp on the first query being 12:02 AM was our oh yeah, this is real moment. So far, we have requested a dozen full manuscripts and have two authors we are extending contracts to just as soon as I hit the send key. As for surprises, initially we received an enormous number of submissions from Australia. I guess they love the pug down under! Ahh... that sounds kind of dirty-minded but I think you know what I mean!

K: LOL--love it! How long did it take to get the press off the ground?

J: Once we made the decision to do this and had the complete backing of our families, it seemed to all fall into place rather quickly. Both Jen and I had been seriously researching and considering launching small presses on our own. When I heard from a mutual writer friend that Jen was thinking about launching a press as well, I called her to see if would be interested in combining our talents. We've been in the dog house together ever since.

K: I think you both made a great decision--knowing you both, I think you're going to do great work together. By the way, where does the name come from?

J: We are both dog lovers. She has big yellow dogs and I have a goofy looking pug. We chose the goofy one because it is fun and everyone remembers the name. It has recognition and that is half the marketing battle.

K: As a MG/YA writer, I love that you're dedicated to MG and YA--are you looking for anything in particular in those genres? Anything you're expressly NOT looking for?

J: Our main focus is on fantasy, high adventure, historical fiction, and (a very small number of) dystopian (but only if it has a fantastical element). We are not accepting picture books, chapter books, poetry or non-fiction submissions.

K: Sounds like a lot of my readers will like your variety! Can you give us a little preview of what's coming up next for Pugalicious?

J: Next up is THE CASTING, A middle grade historical adventure about a girl in 350 AD Ireland who wants to be a bronze caster. We are also planning a historical themed anthology of short stories for young adults. We will be putting out a call for submissions just after the new year. So keep checking the blog for the announcement.

K: We'll be on the lookout! Thanks for the heads up! Anything I've missed that you want to share?

J: We hope that writers continue to submit to us. One of our goals is to give feedback with all correspondence, particularly rejections. Just because we reject a manuscript doesn't mean that it won't someday warrant merit. It might just not be ready and we want the writer to keep working at their craft. With our various levels of involvement with SCBWI, we repeatedly hear writers voice the frustration of not getting feedback on why something was rejected. As writers ourselves we understand this need and hope to be able to give some modest feedback on big issues we may find. There may come a point where we can no longer do this as the volume of submissions increase.

Please understand that we are truly a publishing company, but a small one. So if you are looking for big $$$ upfront, we can't offer you that. What we can offer a solid contract and a truly unique publishing experience where you can be an active participant in the creative process of bringing your book to market.

K: Thanks Joyce! I love that you're so diligent about wanting to give writers feedback. Good luck with everything you're working on--I know you're super busy! And thanks for taking the time to join me today!

If Pugalicious Press sounds like the kind of publisher you want to work with see their submission guidelines at www.pugaliciouspress.com. You can also visit Joyce at her own blog.

Golf Tip Tuesday: Keep Your Head Down

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

This sort of goes along with Keep Your Eye on the Ball, but Keep Your Head Down is almost as important.

When you're playing golf, if you're worried about the other stuff around you, it's MUCH harder to play well. Don't look at the guy next to you, don't look at the bird that just flew by, don't look at the pretty lights.

Keep Your Head Down. And hit the ball.

And if you're a writer, you need to do the same. Don't get distracted by twitter, don't get bogged down by the market or changes in the industry, don't look at the pretty lights. Keep Your Head Down. And write the book.

Book Launch for Anna Staniszewski's MY VERY UNFAIRYTALE LIFE

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:59:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to attend Anna Staniszewski's book launch last night for her middle grade novel MY VERY UNFAIRYTALE LIFE. I haven't been to many book launches, so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. All I knew was that Laura Pauling was driving down to my house (two hours) and we were driving into Boston together--I wasn't going to miss it.

Like a very smart parent, I arranged for my child to bring a friend--warring DSi's in the back seat meant that Laura and I could talk uninterrupted about writing, agents, plot lines, etc.

We met Heather Kelly for an early dinner--and as fate would have it--the kids all got along beautifully. I have no idea what they talked about. But we grown ups talked about writing in the digital age, and agents, and NESCBWI conferences, and writing.
Anna's book signing was at the Children's Book Shop in Brookline--absolutely the most adorable book store I've ever been in. Here's a picture of Anna in front of the display of her books. And yes, she glowed with that same beautiful smile the whole time!!

Anna reading from her book.

Signing a young fan's copy.

Me, Heather Kelly, Anna Staniszewski, Kip Rechea, Laura Pauling

Of course we ended up running into other writers. Kip Rechea stopped by. Anna's fabulous agent Joan Paquette was also in attendance--she actually took the picture (thanks Joan!).

Anna had little origami frogs, mini-golf (yes!), a nice array of themed cookies. Kids and adults loved it. So wonderful to see such a nice turnout.

I was fortunate to have had the chance to read this ARC back over the summer--Read my review here--so it was even more exciting to be at the launch. Congratulations to Anna!

Things we take for granted...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristine Asselin) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 02:14:00 +0000

I'm pretty sure this is the first time in over a year that I've gone more than a week without posting. But I have a good excuse! From Saturday night until Tuesday morning, we didn't have power at the house. While the generator kept the furnace and fridge running, we didn't have power to run luxuries like the laptop or the TV, much to the chagrin of my daughter.

It's a good lesson in the things we take for granted. Like hot coffee and hot showers. Warm house. Cold milk and frozen popsicles. Turning on the TV to watch the news.

With my smart phone, I was able to keep tabs on my neighbors through facebook and track who had power and who didn't. We arranged to shower at a friend's house. But three days passed without working on the revisions, without turning the tube on, without sleeping particularly well. And the worst thing? Halloween was canceled. Well, postponed. For Friday, November 4. Which isn't Halloween. Weird.

We learned the third grader can kick our butts in Monopoly. We learned that as long as we're warm and have hot coffee, we can survive almost anything. We learned that we have exceptional neighbors.

I feel like I've missed a week of my life. But I'm thankful for my community, my family, and the power of a hot cup of coffee.

View from my front door. Did I mention we got a foot of snow?