Guest Post: Sarah Bean Thompson for 2016 Caldecott

Today, it's my pleasure to host a post from a dear friend of mine. Sarah Bean Thompson is an awesome youth services librarian and on the ballot for the 2016 Caldecott. Voting opened last week for the ALA Elections, so make sure your voice is heard!

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When I think about award lists, I always think about which books on the list are my favorite. And having to pick favorites is so tough - each book is special in its own way, you hate to only list a few. But as much as I love so many of the winning books, there are always some that stand out and have a special place in my heart. So to make it easier, I decided to pick three of my favorite Caldecott titles from my childhood:

King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood

Oh I don’t know how many times I read this as a child. This might have been one of my most frequently checked out library books. First, I loved the plot of a silly king would not get out of the bathtub (what child can’t relate to never wanting to get out of a bubble bath?) Then there was the silly cast of characters that try as they might, can’t get the king to leave the tub. But what I loved most were the illustrations. I would read this book and just pour over every page and soak in every detail. I was always amazed at all the little hidden gems I would find. The food the king was eating for lunch, the animals that appeared during his attempt at fishing, the elaborate masquerade costumes. I love the spread of everyone dancing and slipping in the tub, water splashed out over the side. Each time I look at that page, I can feel the water pouring out through the pages-it’s so detailed and realistic! And the hilarious ending-it’s just the icing on the cake. This is one I love to read over and over and each time I do I discover something new to love.

Tuesday by David Wiesner

Frogs that come out flying on a special Tuesday? This is a weird funny book that I loved as a child. I’m not sure what it was exactly that I was drawn to, but the idea of frogs flying secretly on lilypads through the night sky was just the sort of oddball humor that appealed to me. And again, the detailed illustrations drew me in. I guess I just have a thing for elaborate, detailed illustrations! I also loved that this one is wordless, leaving the reader to make up the story.

The Stinky Cheese Man: And Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith

The way this book is laid out is so creative and fits with the story and the humor so perfectly. The way the text falls down, the characters jump from page to page, and the uniqueness of each character make this a great package. The text and illustrations work so well together and the illustrations add to the humor of the story. The story and text wouldn’t be complete without the other. And the humor in this one is one that I laughed over again and again as a child.

What are some of your favorite Caldecott titles from childhood?

Sarah Bean Thompson is a Youth Services Manager and blogs at www.greenbeanteenqueen.com She has served on the 2013 Printz Committee, 2014 Cybils, and is on the ballot for the 2016 Caldecott Committee.

Guest Post: Kelly Jensen for 2016 Printz

Today, I'm handing over the mic to a dear friend of mine, Kelly Jensen. Kelly is one of the fantastic teen librarians behind the blog Stacked, and she also blogs about YA lit at Book Riot. If you've ever stopped by her blog or read her posts, you know that she is a thoughtful and critical reviewer and she is super knowledgeable about YA books. She is running for the 2016 Printz Committee, and I'm happy to say that she's got my vote! (Don't forget to cast your votes in the ALA Election!)

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Hello to the lovely readers of Abby’s blog! My name is Kelly Jensen, and I’m a blogger at Stacked, as well as Book Riot, and I’m running on the ballot for the 2016 Printz Committee. Abby was generous enough to let me talk a little bit about some of my favorite Printz titles in her space today.

But rather than talk about my favorite winners, I thought it’d be fun to talk about some of my favorite honor titles. So here are three awesome Printz honor titles that if you haven’t checked out, you should.

Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

I know a lot of people look down at Rennison’s book as one that didn’t necessarily merit a Printz nod, but I beg to differ. While it’s not what we might consider high literary on the same level as a lot of other titles which have earned the nod over the years, the criteria for the Printz is simple: it’s the best book defined only in terms of literary merit.

You know what makes this book earn an honor? The humor.

Very few novels are able to sustain this level of funny throughout. It’s a much more commercial novel than many Printz titles, meaning only that it’s got a wider potential readership and that it’s got an easier/more sellable hook. That doesn’t mean that it lacks the same literary capacity as other titles do; it simply means that the angling is different.

Georgia Nicholson is that 14 year old, boy-crazy girl you know, and her voice is not only memorable, but it’s consistent throughout this book, as well as the rest of the series (which is not relevant to this book’s earning an honor, but it’s a point worth bringing up). This book skews toward the younger end of the YA readership, but it’s one that is timeless; it earned the honor in 2001 and it still holds up in 2014.

The literary merit here is less in how the words make music or how they create vivid, powerful images for the reader. The merit is through voice, through its consistency, and through the ability to maintain “funny” -- something surprisingly few books can do.

John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth by Elizabeth Partridge

While serving on the Outstanding Books for the College Bound committee in 2013, Partridge’s book was one that I had to read, since it had been on the prior incarnation of the list. I’m not a Beatles fanatic, so I didn’t think it would be a title that resonated as much with me as it did.

It’s interesting that there were more non-fiction titles that earned Printz honors before the development of YALSA’s Non-fiction award, the ENYA, but I think were this title published today, it would still be a top contender for the Printz. Partridge’s book is a photobiography of John Lennon which gives readers an in-depth look not only at his life, but at who he was beyond what it was that he did. The photos work with the text, rather than compete with it, and the insight into Lennon as someone with an ugly side made me appreciate the honest -- yet still respectful -- writing.

Where it could have been easy for this to turn into a biography that upheld Lennon’s status as a hero or a legend because of what he did and who he was as a Beatle, Partridge chooses not to pursue that; she goes deeper.

While appeal is not a factor for the Printz committee, this is a biography that has wide teen appeal, not just because of the topic at hand, but also because of the format. It’s a book that’s put together very well and the construction and consideration given into the presentation is clear.

Nothing by Janne Teller

This is a weird little book.

This is a weird, dark, twisted, confusing, and yet completely compelling little book.

Teller’s novel is an outstanding translation of a work originally written in Danish and it tells the story of Pierre Anthon, whose nihilism causes great concern, tension, and trauma on the part of his classmates. This is a book that’s about not just one student’s beliefs, but it’s about how that one set of beliefs can impact a larger group and how that group chooses to react and respond.

When I first read this book, back in 2010, I didn’t get it. But the longer I’m away from it, the more I’ve come to realize that not only do I “get” it, but it’s a book with tremendous staying power because it is so utterly hopeless. This is a story with no happy ending and it’s in that risky choice of storytelling that Nothing stands out.

Between the excellent writing -- again, a translation -- and the ability to tell a story that captures bleakness, herd mentality, and so much more in a relatively small amount of pages, it’s not a surprise why this earned a Printz honor.

(Not related to the book itself or its literary merit, but that cover is outstanding, isn’t it? It’s not only memorable, but I think I’d call it pretty iconic.)

Kelly Jensen has worked as a teen and youth librarian in Illinois and Wisconsin since 2009, which is when she began blogging about books and reading at stackedbooks.org. She also writes at Book Riot (www.bookriot.com), and she's had her writing featured in VOYA Magazine, The Horn Book Magazine, School Library Journal, BlogHer, as well as The Huffington Post. She has a degree in English, writing, and psychology from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and she earned her masters in information studies at the University of Texas in Austin. Her first book, The Real Deal: A VOYA Guide to Contemporary Fiction for Young Adult Readers will be published this summer by Voya Press.

Thanks so much to Kelly for stopping by and sharing some of her favorite Printz honor books with us. Don't forget to cast you votes in the ALA Elections!!

Beyond the Buzz

Today I have the honor of contributing to author Nova Ren Suma's blog series Beyond the (Latest) Buzz. I'm featuring five awesome books I read this year that didn't get the buzz they deserved. Please click through and check it out! And then check out the rest of this awesome blog series for more titles that might have flown under your radar.

Guest Post: Aaron Karo!

Ladies and gents, I'm so happy to announce that I'm today's stop on the Lexapros and Cons blog tour! This fabulously fresh and funny book hits shelves TODAY, so make sure to hit up your favorite bookstore to pick up a copy... after you read this guest post from author Aaron Karo, of course:

Funny Business
            I wasn’t always professionally funny. Growing up, I was quick to crack jokes and was something of the class cut-up, but I never had any aspirations of doing anything with it. I went to Penn to study business and got a job on Wall Street right after graduation. It wasn’t until 2002, when I was 23 years old, that I tried stand-up for the first time. I fell in love and have been writing and performing ever since.

            For me, it’s hard not to be funny. And I don’t mean to be cocky. I just mean that my default mode is to make light of a situation, no matter how grave it is. I just think I get my point across best with humor. Plus, no girl ever says, “I’m looking for a really serious guy.” They want someone who can make them laugh. That’s just added incentive.

            When I set out to write Lexapros and Cons, I didn’t intentionally try to write a “funny” book. But I did know that Chuck Taylor was going to get himself into some pretty sticky situations, and that it would be fun trying to extricate him from them. Chuck never says the right thing and very rarely even thinks the right thing, and that’s probably because he speaks and talks kinda like me. He’s not trying to be funny. He’s just sort of off. And that’s what ultimately endears him to Amy, which may be some measure of wish fulfillment on my part: that some beautiful girl is going to think I’m hilarious and fall for me. Hey, a guy can dream. 

            A lot of people have told me that many YA books are very dark or paranormal, or dark and paranormal and therefore it’s refreshing to read a more comedic story like Lexapros and Cons. The truth is, I actually think that the trials and tribulations that Chuck goes through in the course of dealing with his OCD are pretty dark. It’s just that Chuck’s reactions (and the reactions of his classmates) are so outrageous that it kind of took the edge away. I chalk that up to happy coincidence. 

            Being a comedian was tremendous training for writing Lexapros. It is much, much easier to make someone laugh when you’re telling them a story in person than it is to get them to laugh from reading something you’ve written. But I think all my experience on stage has translated to the page. The key is misdirection, which is basically making the audience think you’re going to say one thing, and then saying something else instead. In the conversations between Chuck and his best friend Steve in the book, there is a lot of misdirection. They go off on some unexpected and, hopefully, hilarious tangents. That tendency is right out of my stand-up act.

            The beauty of comedy is that it is often universal. I think that teens will enjoy Lexapros not simply because it’s targeted to them, but because it’s just funny in general. Teens have a pretty sophisticated sense of humor, probably more so than they are given credit for, but I imagine their parents will get just as much of kick out of the book as they do. At least I hope so, because I really don’t want to go back to getting paid not to be funny.

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Many thanks to Aaron for stopping by today on his very release day! Be sure and check him out on Twitter @aaronkaro. And thanks, also, to the good folks at Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for offering up a copy of Lexapros and Cons for a giveaway! 

To enter, please fill out the form below. One entry per person, US addresses only. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. Entries will be accepted through Monday, April 16 and I'll draw one winner on Tuesday, April 17. I will share the winner's information with the publisher who will send the book. Otherwise, I promise your information will not be shared with anyone and will be deleted after the contest is over. 

The giveaway is now closed! Thanks to all who entered!

Students & Recent Grads, Get Thyself to ALA!

It was so heartening to me to see so many library students and recent graduates at the recent ALA Annual Conference! It's a great place for networking and to experience the type of learning that you'll do throughout your career for professional development. But don't take my word for it... Today, I have a guest post from Eli Riveire, a library student at the University of Kentucky's School of Library and Information Science and a good friend of mine. She went to this year's Annual Conference and this is what she had to say:

Hi! I'm Eli, and I'm just about to begin my last semester of library school at the University of Kentucky. I've known Abby since we were t(w)eens. Not only is she the best Abby there is, we also share the same birthday, AND she was one of my biggest inspirations for wanting to go into librarianship at all! I was fortunate enough (with a decent tax return and help from my parents) to be able to attend the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans last week, and just had a phenomenal experience. One of the highlights was getting to spend a whole evening with Abby, talking about life and asking her all sorts of n00brarian questions! When she asked me to write a little about my experiences at ALA Annual as a student, I was excited to have the opportunity to reflect and ramble. (There will be rambling. Oh yes.)

Things I'm glad I did (and would recommend to you!):

Just go.

Seriously. If you have the time, and a little bit of money, just go. The experience might not be as expensive as you think. Student registration was only $95! There are add-ons, seminars, preconferences, workshops, etc that you can add on to rack up the bill, but really? The $95 registration option will go incredibly far in terms of what you'll learn and do. As far as other costs go... 

Getting roommates will stretch your lodging costs oh so far. Don't know anyone else coming? If you're comfortable, take advantage of social media to find people. Of course, use your judgement with this, but librarians are nice. Remember that.  

Food costs don't have to be high. Just because you're out of town doesn't mean you have to eat fancy meals all the time. Bring snacks from home, find a convenience store near your hotel for sandwich-making supplies, and research ahead. When in doubt, think "would I eat like this at home?"

Travel is expensive. There's no way around this. But save up, look around for deals, and try to make it work somehow. Remember, this is an investment in your future! The fire you'll feel in your belly for librarianship is more than worth it. 

Explore!

If you're in a new city (especially one as magnificent as New Orleans), take some time to look around! Just because there may be available sessions at every timeslot doesn't mean you always have to fill your plate. The conference can definitely get overwhelming...don't be afraid to take a mental break! I spent one mid-morning ferrying across the Mississippi River to the historic neighborhood Algiers to get brunch at this neighborhood cafe I found online. Not only did I get to feel a little like Huck Finn on this FREE ferry, make friends with local folks over panini and blues, and most importantly (to me) get to wander around beautiful, historic house-lined streets empty of other people, I also spent enough time out in the New Orleans heat and humidity to fully appreciate the extreme convention center air condtioning. 

Twitter.

Seriously. Watching and being vocal on the #ala11 feed made me feel like I knew what was going on, whether or not I had the energy to physically participate (case in point - ALA Dance Party). I also used Twitter to coordinate and investigate vegan dining options in NOLA with my fellow veg*n conference-goers, which made every meal an adventure! Plus, this is pretty much the best icebreaker ever: "Hey.....I think we're friends on Twitter!" 

BRING COMFY SHOES.

This cannot be stressed enough. I brought two pairs of cute flats that I planned on wearing most of the time, but after the first day of probably walking over two miles all around the gigantic convention center, my feet were dying. Though I was self conscious at first about the image it would present, I switched to my (simple, black) flip-flops for the rest of the time. The rest of my wardrobe was based around black suit pants or a black suit skirt with colorful sleeveless tops and simple cardigans (oh yeah, another tip? Bring a sweater. Even to New Orleans in June. Convention Center A/C can be ridiculous), and no one was looking at my feet anyway.

Talk to people!

Talk to people on the shuttle buses, in your sessions, in your hotel elevator, at nearby restaurants, or wherever you are where fellow librarians might be around. You never know who you'll meet and how that connection might help you find a job someday. I learned more about actual job opportunities from the librarians who were waiting in line at FedEx with me to mail books home than I did the rest of the conference! Also, bring business or networking cards to give to these new contacts, and don't be shy about asking for theirs. I'm a stutterer, and approaching new people has always been difficult for me, but it's something I've been working on recently. What helped me keep my cool and courage was to realize that librarians are just generally nice and want to help! I found that once I told people I was still in library school, they were already impressed that I'd taken the initiative to come to the conference on my own. 

Things I wish I had done:

Use the job-seeking services.

ALA provided many free career-building services, like resume reviewing, counseling, and even actual job interviews scheduled at the conference. As I still have a semester left in school, and am not quite sure which area of librarianship I'm most interested in, I decided not to participate... I now realize that this was a mistake since this is about the perfect time to begin my job hunt! Luckily, some of these services are provided online (through ALA's website and mentoring programs), so I'm definitely going to look around and take advantage of what I can remotely.

Shop around for non-conference hotel lodging options.

Abby touched on this in her post, but I agree 100%. Conference hotels are not always the cheapest (or nicest) options, and especially if you have roommates on board, you can get more creative. I heard through the grapevine about a group of librarians who stayed in a rented house in the French Quarter! I would've much rather gone this avenue, as it would've been much easier to actually cook and eat in.

Don't overload on "How to get a job" sessions.

Not tryin' to hate, and reality is a good thing, but these were kind of depressing. There was some good advice for sure, but I feel like I learned more (and in a more encouraging way) from actually talking to people. 

Don't overlook the exhibits!

The Exhibit Hall was overwhelming. I think I went in twice, whirled around, and then got out pretty quickly. I'm sure there's so much cool stuff I missed, as well as missed opportunities to meet authors, win prizes, or network. I did buy some great comics though (shout out to Top Shelf!). 

Make sure your cat/home is being taken care of while you're gone.

My domestic partner was out of town during this time too, and though it's tough to admit, we were a little too lax with leaving our cat behind. HE'S FINE! But he probably just went about a day too long without human interaction and was super mad at me when I got home. Plus, I spent a lot of conference time worrying about him when I could've been having fun! Never again. Check yo cats, yo. 

Overall, my experience was so positive, and it just made my heart for my librarian future swell so much! I can't wait to begin my career in this field. I'm so glad to have had the experience of going to an ALA Annual Conference, especially since I'm just starting out and don't know how soon I'll have the opportunity again. Many thanks and high fives to all the great librarians I met, and especially thanks to Abby for being such a great librarian role model for me! If you're reading this, please feel free to email or add me on Twitter...I like friends!

- Eli Riveire

riveire@gmail.com

@eli_brarian

Guest Post: Sarah Bean Thompson

It is my immense pleasure today to welcome Sarah Bean Thompson, the Green Bean Teen Queen herself!!  Sarah is an extraordinary teen librarian with a great love and knowledge of teen literature.  She is an advocate not only for her teens but for teen services throughout her library, creating seasonal lists of hot and new teen books that her reference staff should know about.  And on top of all of this, she's blogged at GreenBean TeenQueen since 2008.

Sarah is running for the 2013 Printz committee and I would love it if you'd vote for her! 

Here's Sarah!

Hi I’m Sarah, aka GreenBeanTeenQueen, and I’m running for the 2013 Printz Committee.  I asked my fabulous friend Abby to help post about my candidacy and, since she’s awesome like that, she agreed.  Then she turned around and stumped me because she wanted me to post my top five favorite Printz Award books! That’s so hard since there have been so many good ones!  So I made lists, then made more lists, and once again even more lists until I came up with a list of five that I loved.  So here’s my Top Five Favorite Printz Award Books:

5. Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison [2001 Honor book]

Why?:  Well one because it’s hilarious! And sadly, funny books rarely get awards. But Georgia’s random adventures aren’t just about the humor, there's also heart. Georgia grows up throughout the book, but it’s never overdone. Louise Rennison slyly sneaks in Georgia’s growth so we don’t know that she’s doing it all while making us laugh so hard we snort. Love it!

4. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King [2011 Honor book]

Why?: This book was an addicting read. I was amazed at the way A.S. King was able to weave between the past and present and creating a tension between our characters, even though one is no longer living. There’s mystery, but it doesn’t feel like your typical mystery. Throw in the perspectives of Charlie, Vera’s dad, and the town pagoda - this book kept me intrigued. Again, there’s character growth that is fantastically subtle and not in your face and the relationship between Vera and her dad is one of the best parent/child relationships I’ve read in YA. 

3. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang [2007 Medal book]

Why?: OK, I might be a bit biased, but this one was awarded the Printz award when I first started working in libraries, so I have a special connection to it.  But I love it for many reasons. First, it’s a very smart graphic novel and a book I would give to naysayers of graphic novels who say they’re all easy kids books.  I also loved that while there are three storylines that at first appear to be individual stories, they tie together seamlessly.  Brilliant storytelling and artwork!

2. How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff [2005 Medal book]

Why?: WOW - this book blew me away! It was so much more than what I expected.  I knew it was going to be good, but I didn’t expect to be as sucked in as I was.  Yes, this is a story of growing up, romance, and family, but it’s so much more. It’s a story of survival, and being forced to grow up even when you don’t want to or aren’t really ready. And it’s a story of moving on after tragedy.  I could read this one again and again and it would continually amaze me. 

1. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly [2004 Honor book]

Why?: Abby once told me she had a Mattie Gokey scale for historical characters and I have to agree. Mattie Gokey is a fantastic character and her journey is one you can’t soon forget.  She’s faced with various options in life and is at a crossroads. Even though it’s a historical novel, the decisions Mattie has to face about growing up are something that teens of any time period can relate to.  There’s also a bit of mystery that goes along with Mattie’s story. The author takes a real life story and creates a fictional story around it and brings the entire thing to life.  I’ve recommended this book to so many people and it’s one of my favorite YA reads as well as Printz reads!  

Thanks for stopping by, Sarah!  (I promise, I didn't pay Sarah to make A Northern Light her number one favorite Printz book!)

YALSA members, remember that voting's now open for the 2013 Printz Committee.  Sarah Bean Thompson has my vote and I hope she'll have yours, too!!

Guest Post: Deva Fagan

Well, folks, National Novel Writing Month is coming to a close.  I can hear the tappity tapping of each little key as NaNovelers frantically try to meet their deadline!  What better time for another fabulous guest post?

Today I'd like to welcome Deva Fagan, author of Fortune's Folly (Henry Holt & Co., 2009), The Magical Misadventures of Prunella Bogthistle (Henry Holt & Co., 2010), and the upcoming Circus Galacticus (Harcourt, 2011).

Deva presents...

A Tale of Two NaNoWriMos

I first did NaNoWriMo back in 2003, and it was a wonderful experience. I tried it again last year and failed miserably. Don’t worry, though, this isn’t going to be a tale of woe and misery. I still think NaNoWriMo can be a great tool. But as with everything in your writing kit, you have to decide if it’s the right tool for you, and for your current project.

In 2003 I had been grinding away on a long, serious epic fantasy novel for the past year or more, when a friend of mine told me about NaNoWriMo. He said a bunch of other folks I knew were going to give is a shot, and invited me to join them. By that point I was sick of my “serious” book, and also kind of desperate to meet some other writers. So I dusted off a funny little idea about a girl who told fake fortunes, and said yes. The six of us created a Yahoo group to cheer each other onward. And at the end of the month, I had over 50K. A few weeks later, I had a completed draft of Fortune’s Folly. A few years later, that book got me an agent, and then a publishing contract. And now it’s out there in libraries and bookstores. Sure it’s changed some-- I completely rewrote the ending and went through at least five beginnings-- but the heart of the book remains the same as the story I was madly outlining on October 31, 2003.

Fast-forward to last year, when I decided to give NaNoWriMo another try. I’d written a couple other books since 2003, and sold a couple of them. I had an idea for a new book, and I figured NaNoWriMo would be a good way to kick-start it.

I think I wrote about 6K words total that month. And then I didn’t write anything at all in December.

So what was the difference?

First, I had a support group in 2003. Okay, the competition probably helped too. I sure didn’t want to be the ONLY ONE in the group who didn’t finish! (And in fact all of us DID finish, go team!) Last year, while I did know folks who were doing NaNoWriMo, and added dozens of “buddies” to my list, it wasn’t the same. I think it’s fantastic that NaNoWriMo now has such a rich array of forums, but I also think that for folks like me, it can be more helpful to form a smaller, more focused support group.

Second, I picked a project in 2003 that was light and breezy. I do like to think there are some deeper themes and issues in Fortune’s Folly, but it’s also fairly plot-driven. The book I was trying to write last year was darker, more emotional, and more character-driven. So maybe it just wasn’t a good choice for NaNoWriMo: the more I forced the words out, the more I hated what I was writing.

Third, last year I was lazy. I have no excuse for that except that I had recently discovered Project Runway.

So would I do NaNoWriMo again? Definitely. (I may even have signed up for this year...) The best thing about NaNoWriMo, in my opinion, is the kick-in-the-pants it can give us when we’re struggling to get started on something. So if you need it, go out there and grab some of that enthusiasm! But if it’s not working for you, or for this book, give yourself permission to break the rules, and do what is best for YOU and YOUR BOOK, whether that’s writing fast, or slow, or somewhere in between.

Deva Fagan writes fantasy and science fiction for teens and tweens.  She lives in Maine with her husband and her dog. When she's not writing she spends her time reading, doing geometry, and dressing up as imaginary people. She believes stories have the power to change the world. You can read more about Deva and her books at www.devafagan.com.

So, NaNovelers, take heart!  If you're able to finish, fabulous!  If not, there's always next year, or maybe NaNo's just not the right tool for you or for your book.  

Thanks, Deva, for wrapping up our NaNoWriMo guest posts with such a super one!

Guest Post: Author Denise Jaden

My excitement over NaNoWriMo continues and so do the guest posts!  In honor of National Novel Writing Month, I'm hosting several wonderful authors who started or worked on their books as part of NaNoWriMo.

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Denise Jaden, author of the 2010 debut Losing Faith (Simon Pulse).  Denise is a member of the Class of 2k10 and lives in British Columbia, Canada.  I asked her about her experience with NaNoWriMo and this is what she had to say:

Back in 2007 I had heard of NaNoWriMo a few times, but didn’t really understand what it was until my critique partner explained it to me. She pretty much insisted we attempt it together, since she’d had great success with it the year before. I was excited, and at her suggestion, I worked on my first outline in anticipation.


I knew from the start that I didn’t want to get too absorbed in the social aspects of NaNo. I barely thought I had the time to write the book, let alone spend anytime online talking about it. I generally just checked in each day and updated my word count. Sometimes my critique partner and I would email and congratulate each other on big milestones.


I’m an extremely goal-driven person (just ask my husband, who lives in our hurricane of a house each November). The daily word count updates, and that nifty little bar that showed me how far I had gone and how far I had yet to go were the things that kept me going. I needed to complete it. It’s just how I am.

I believe my first draft of my 2007 novel, Losing Faith (Simon & Schuster, 2010), came in at around 48,000 words complete. I could not bear to leave the goal undone, so I went back and fleshed out a few of the bare scenes (there were lots to choose from, as I am an under-writer). I was truly ecstatic when I hit (and surpassed by a couple thousand words) the 50k mark. It felt like such an unbelievable accomplishment, and even though I knew the story had some holes, I felt so incredibly capable. If I could write a draft in thirty days (twenty-one actually) then I felt like I could do anything!


I’d been trying to get published prior to NaNo, so I definitely had hopes of get this novel published, but really, I was amazed at how quickly the process happened. I’d spent several years on each of my first two novels, but with my NaNo novel, I revised it and had an agent representing it within just under a year. And I had an offer after having it out on submission for only about six weeks.


I can’t say that every NaNo project will go this way, and in fact I still have novels from the last couple of years that are nowhere near ready for publishing. But it only took a month of my life to write each one of them! And I know if I spend the time, there is some good stuff there to work with. Which is more than I can say for a blank page.


I LOVE NaNo and encourage all writers to give it a try. People need to find their own system that works for them—some may need a lot of the camaraderie in the forums to keep them going. For me though, all I need is the goal, and it works every time.

Thanks for stopping by, Denise!

Guest Post: Laurel Snyder

As y'all know, I've been hosting some very special authors this month in honor of National Novel Writing Month.  We're halfway through the month (how's your word count?)  Today I have the pleasure of hosting Laurel Snyder, author of several children's books including the recently released Penny Dreadful (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2010).

Here's Laurel!

My involvement with NaNoWriMo actually began when I was asked to send them something, as an author, for the Young Writers' Program. They wanted to me to offer some personal inspiration for writer's block, and I sent this:  http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/node/501138.    I remember being  amazed at the resources they offered to  kids. The experience was great.  I patted myself on the back for participating as a mentor of sorts.


But when, only a year later, I found myself getting ready to start a new novel in October, I was a little scared to  try the NaNoWriMo experience as a participant.  I knew that if I was going to nudge kids into sticking with the system, I should be able to do it myself. Yet  I remember being pretty intimidated.


For me, the hardest part was just learning to write FAST!  I started my writing career as a poet, and I tend to work slowly, word by word. I'd never really measured myself for speed/length before.  Often, on any given day, my WIP actually shrinks. So the idea of measuring in word count was mildly terrifying.  But I kept at it.  And it was a really good lesson for me.  I learned to work in solid stretches. To keep my butt in the chair.

Of course, Penny Dreadful changed dramatically after NaNoWriMo ended.  I rewrote the book several times.  But the great lesson for me was simply that I can do that-- can write fast and sloppy, work like a fiend, and then let go of my mistakes.  It's a hard thing to learn, but well worth it. In a sense, NaNoWriMo taught me that any month can be NaNoWriMo.


Laurel grew up in Baltimore and now lives in Atlanta, GA.  She's a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, a former Michener-Engle Fellow, a commentator for NPR's All Things Considered, and, most importantly, a mom.  


Thanks so much for stopping by, Laurel! 

Guest Post: Dia Reeves

It's that time again!  Time for another jolt of NaNoWriMo inspiration and I'm pleased to welcome Dia Reeves, librarian (!!!) and author of the 2010 YA debut Bleeding Violet (Simon Pulse, 2010) and the upcoming Slice of Cherry (Simon Pulse, 2011).  Dia lives near Dallas, TX.

Without further ado, here's Dia!

I did my first NaNo in 2005 with the first book I ever wrote and finished, which was Bleeding Violet. I won that year and went on to publish that book (but only after two and a half years of revision). In 2008 I did NaNo again with Slice of Cherry, which is about to become my second published book (it comes out in January). I consider NaNo to be a good luck tradition when it comes to me and my books, and that's why I'm entering again this year with book number three.

Writing fifty thousand words in thirty days isn't the easiest thing in the world to do, though. People tend to write their beginnings really easily, but then once that initial excitement wears off, they find themselves at a loss and with no idea what to write next. What I do to combat that mid-novel slump is this: In October, I come up with my master list. I write down thirty scenes that I need in my novel on just one sheet of paper, and each day in November I pick a scene and write. That way, come November 15th, I don't run out of gas and end up staring blankly at the computer.

Even though October is over and NaNo is upon us, I think writing down a list of scenes is still something people can do if they find themselves stuck. It's certainly much more effective than yelling at your computer or throwing pieces of Thanksgiving turkey at it. Trust me on that one, and happy writing!

So, NaNovelers, if you feel yourself starting to run out of steam, take a hint from Dia and spend some time jotting down the scenes you want to write.  The month is still young!  You can do it!

Thanks for stopping by, Dia!

Guest Post: Author Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

It's November!!!  That means it's time for NaNoWriMo!!  And I'm so excited about it that I've coerced several awesome authors into writing guest posts for me about their experiences with writing 50,000 words (give or take) in a month.

Today, it's my pleasure to welcome Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, author of the wonderful upcoming novel Selling Hope, to Abby (the) Librarian.

NaNoWriMo was, to me, always one of those things like running a marathon: “Wow, wouldn’t it be fun to write a novel in 30 days?” Then the doubt would creep in: “You don’t write like that, Kristin.  You’re an outliner, a meticulous planner.  If you were trapped in a paper bag, you’d draw a map to find your way out.”  And on and on and on.

But then in late 2008 my friend Candie Moonshower (The Legend of Zoey, Delacorte 2006) encouraged me to give it a try.  What do you have to lose? she pointed out.  It was true – I wouldn’t collapse from exhaustion or extreme dehydration.  The very worst thing that could happen was I’d end up shy of my goal, with a bunch of crummy words.  The very best thing that could happen?  I could finally finish Selling Hope.

Selling Hope was one of those stories that had been chewing away at my brain for years, and I had tried to write it several ways: YA, then middle grade.  With several siblings, then without them.  With an evil father, then with an understanding father.  I finally developed a very detailed, 20-page outline for the story that I really liked. Now I just had to write the darn thing.

Coincidentally, that was the end of October.  So when Candie approached me with the idea of participating in NaNoWriMo, I was ripe for the pickin’.  I signed up and never looked back.

I suppose it’s considered “cheating” by NaNo standards that I’d already plotted my story.  But Selling Hope is historical fiction, and I’d been researching it for years.  I knew the story I wanted to tell – one of hope in a time of near hopelessness – but I didn’t know the exact path it would take until I finished the book in 30 days in November 2008. 

I typed “The End” before the end of November.  The final manuscript was just over 50,000 words.  After a few rounds of revisions, I submitted it to Adams Literary, and Josh Adams became my agent in February 2009.  He sold the story to Feiwel & Friends in March.  Selling Hope comes out this November 9.  

NaNoWriMo taught me to silence my inner critic and plow forward.  It taught me to write in smaller snippets of time, rather than in the huge chunks I’d always “required” prior.  And having a handful of us going through it together, cheering each other on via a private Yahoo! email group, made it fun, too.  

If you’re considering giving NaNo a try, remember that the worst case scenario for you, too, would be to end up shy of your goal with a bunch of crummy words to show for your efforts.  But the best case scenario is having a book come to life.  

Kristin O’Donnell Tubb is the author of Selling Hope (Feiwel & Friends 2010) and Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different (Delacorte 2008/Yearling 2010). Her website is www.kristintubb.com. She will be polishing a middle grade fantasy, The 13th Sign, during this year’s NaNo, and would love to see you on the NaNo boards!