Teen Author Tuesday Presents Josh Berk!

Teen Author Tuesday would not be complete without Berk! Josh Berk is a fellow Tenner and his debut novel, THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN, is due out from Knopf/Random House today, February 9th. It is a contemporary YA/Mystery for ages 12 and up.

Welcome, Josh! Can you tell me about your book in seven words or less?

Outsiders, friendship, murder, deafness, sarcasm.

Wow! Sounds great. Other than your main character, who's a favorite character of yours in your debut novel and why?

I wanted to create a hearing person who communicated well with my deaf main character (Will) and I hit upon the idea of a computer-loving classmate who could chat with Will online, text with him, etc. But I didn't want the entire book to be filled with ungrammatical chat lingo so I thought, what if this kid uses perfect grammar online? What kind of high school student would that be? This one detail, combined with my plot needs, made Devon Smiley spring to life. He's very much a dork (proudly so!) who uses perfect grammar, reads the Hardy Boys even though he's far too old for it, and sports an uncool ponytail. He immediately felt very real to me and he has a lot of the funniest lines in the book. He also has a good heart and that ponytail is actually sort of awesome.

He sounds fun! Can you tell my readers a little bit about yourself, Josh?

I live in Allentown Pennsylvania, which is even more beautiful than everyone says. I didn't study writing in college, except for a class on journalism which I hated. After college I ended up working at a library and, oddly enough, freelancing for a newspaper. It was fun newspaper writing though -- not the sort of journalism I hated. It was movie reviews and comedy essays and it helped me develop my voice and confidence. Then I went to library school and took a course in YA that opened my eyes to the genre (and alerted me to the fact that some of my "adult novels in the drawer" would be better fits as YA). So then I started re-writing them, writing some new ones, and about my third attempt of writing a YA novel became HAMBURGER HALPIN, my debut book! I still work at the library. It's not as quiet there as you think.

What's been the most surprising thing about your path to publication so far?

I have been constantly and happily surprised by how supportive and wonderful other authors are! Everyone has been very kind and generous with their advice. It's been wonderful. There's no competitiveness or jealousy. Well, sometimes I get jealous of Rachel Hawkins and then I yell "Haaaaaaawkins!" But besides that, we all cheer for one another as hard as we can.

Oh, I totally agree (about the support, I mean. I don't often yell Haaaawkins!) What's one piece of writing advice you would give to aspiring authors?

Read! I think it's best to read widely in your genre and to read at least one "how to write a novel" book. I don't think you need to go crazy with writing classes and how-to books. Just find one good one to help you with structure and nuts-and-bolts stuff and then go straight to the source and read as many books by as many wildly different authors you can find in your genre. (And if you need suggestions, ask a librarian.) Then just keep writing! Writing is a skill that can be honed, and you need to understand that. But it's not all super-serious business. Have fun with it. I guess that was four pieces of advice! Here's one more! Get a good editor to keep you from being overly wordy :)

Great advice, Josh. Are you swept up with promotion for your debut book right now or can you give us a sentence or two about something new you're working on?

I'm working on my second YA book for Knopf, hopefully to come out in spring 2011. It's not at all a sequel to HAMBURGER HALPIN, but it's similar in that it is a funny book with a high school guy narrator who gets swept up in a mystery at his school.

Cool! What did you write when you were a teen? Did you journal? Write poetry? Write overly literary or emotional stories? Or avoid writing altogether?

I definitely wrote some dramatic and emotional high school poems. I think one was called "Screw You, Happy People of the World." Then I had a great high school English teacher (Hi, Mr. Shosh!) who taught a creative writing class I really enjoyed. He encouraged me to write funny stories if that's what I felt like doing (I wasn't always so angsty as that poem implies) and he also helped me understand a lot of the craft behind writing. And I was in a punk rock band in high school that led to a lot of time writing song lyrics, most of which had titles I shouldn't repeat. I've always been a writer in one way or another I guess!

Oh, I definitely think you should hold onto that "Screw You, Happy People of the World" title. Maybe even post that one on your blog! What's the last book you read that you really loved?

I'm happy to report that it was a book by one of my buds from the Tenners. Emily Horner's A LOVE STORY STARRING MY DEAD BEST FRIEND is everything I want my fiction to be: unique, real, surprising, touching, and more than a little hilarious. I could go on with a million more adjectives. It's a beautiful book that I think will be read for years and years and years.

If readers want to find out more about you and your writing, where should they look?

My website: www.joshberkbooks.com, My Facebook: www.facebook.com/joshberkbooks, My Twitter: http://twitter.com/joshberkbooks, My LiveJournal: www.jberkj.livejournal.com

Thanks so much for stopping by, Josh! And for my readers, if you want to pick up your own copy of THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN, you can find it on Amazon or at your local independent retailer.

 

Friday Four

1. If you're a writer who wants to be inspired to write with excellence, check out this last blog post if you're on Blogger, or this one if you're on LJ to enter to win a Laura Ruby book. Or, if you're really eager to win, feel free to enter both places!

2. My dance troupe has a possible upcoming gig in Sri Lanka next month. I don't know anything about Sri Lanka, other than it's very close to India. I have always wanted to see the world, but wow, that's soon! Anyone have any experience/input to offer?

3. I've read a few books that fall under the "comedy" heading, and I always find them cute, but never actually hilarious. Well, recently I've been reading E. Lockhart's 3rd Ruby Oliver book, THE TREASURE MAP OF BOYS. Actually, I've been listening to the audiobook version of it. I usually listen to audiobooks in the wee hours of the morning when I can't sleep or at the gym, but this one has seriously been making me LOL - Poncho Poncho Poncho - so loudly that I can't do either! Now this is what I'm wondering - with the first two Ruby Oliver books, I read the book version and honestly, didn't find them as funny. Was TREASURE MAP much, much funnier, or is it worth getting the first two in audiobook version?

4. With my new cover for LOSING FAITH out in the wild, I'm thinking a little about swag. I'd love some opinions - what's your favorite swag, as either a fellow author or a reader on the receiving end? I've heard that bookmarks and postcards are a must for distributing to booksellers, librarians, and readers, but I've seen other things too like locker posters, mouse pads, and lip gloss. What would you like to receive? Or if you're an author who has sent out some type of swag, what do you feel has been money well spent?

Sorry for all the questions today, but my inquiring mind wants to know. Have a great weekend, everybody!

The Gap Between Good and Excellent

Here are a few things that come easily for me (that I really wish didn't):

1. Comparing my road to publication with other authors.
2. Deciding that this particular place in my manuscript doesn't really NEED a metaphor.
3. Taking a week off of dance classes to stay home and eat chocolate.

Here are a few things that don't come as easily, but I'm kind of glad they don't. They leave me with a true sense of accomplishment:

1. Giving everything I've got through a grueling four-hour drill of all the most difficult dance steps I know.
2. Walking around my house, crunching carrots, and staring out windows until I come up with an amazing metaphor. Then tweaking it to make it into pure awsomeness.
3. Reading an exceptional book and, rather than closing it and wallowing in self-pity, deciding to let it inspire me.

A couple of things have helped me change my outlook this past week. First, I've been reading a book by Laura Ruby called BAD APPLE. If you haven't had the opportunity to read anything written by Laura Ruby, I highly recommend it (or read on to find out how you can get one of her books - for free).

When I look through my own works in progress, I sometimes see one sentence per chapter that I'm extremely happy with. Once in a while, if I was really "on" with my writing that day, I'll see one per page. Laura Ruby has more "on" sentences--those perfect turns of phrase--than I can even count on each of her pages.

My first reaction was to say, "I could never write this well," which of course shows me that I have learned NOTHING since reading and being inspired by WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson last fall. But...my second thought was that yes, I can write this well. If I can do it for one sentence per chapter or per page, I could do it more. It would just take more time and effort. Probably much more

To seal this wonderful revelation in my brain, I had a dance practice last Sunday. At the end of each month, my dance group gets together for a four-hour drill of all our basics, which we call "Studio Sunday". If our teacher was anyone else, many of us dancers would likely slack off and just do what is required to get through the work with as little sweat as possible. But our teacher is especially gifted in pulling the best out of us and inspiring us to be the very best that we can be. (Thanks, Paul!)

After a full day and about a bucket full of sweat, I came home with a new attitude about my writing. I've decided that no matter how many times I hear other authors putting out their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th books within months of the last one, I will not be in a rush. I'm willing to work hard. Harder than hard. I want to make my books better than just good. I want to make them excellent. (Which is not to say that fast writers cannot be excellent - I just know that I can't).

Soooooo, thanks for listening. And here's what I'd like to do: I'll share a little of my inspiration, if you share a little of yours. I've decided to give away my copy of BAD APPLE by Laura Ruby just because I'd like to see it inspire somebody else. It's actually an advanced reader copy of the book, compliments of my awesome critique partner, Shana Silver. I expect that I will want to read this one again one day, but when that time comes, I'll be happy to purchase another copy.

To enter to win this book, all you have to do is tell me in the comments one person who has inspired you to be a better writer. One name, that's all I ask.

All the regular details apply: You have to be over 13 or older to enter, a Canada or US resident, and in this case, this contest is only open to serious writers (no matter what stage of your career you're in).

Anywhere you spread the word about this contest (blog, facebook, twitter, etc.) will also earn you an extra entry. Contest closes next Thursday, February 11th at midnight, and I'll let you know who I'm going to send it to on Friday (so either leave a way for me to get in touch with you, or check back next Friday).

That's all for today. Now go forth and write something excellent!

Teen Author Tuesday Presents Suzanne Young!

I'm thrilled to welcome another Tenner-author-friend this week, Suzanne Young. Suzanne's debut novel, THE NAUGHTY LIST, is due out February 4th from Razorbill/Penguin. It's YA for ages 14 and up.

I've had the pleasure of reading this one a little early and meeting Suzanne in LA at the SCBWI conference last year. If you ever have a chance to meet Suzanne, I highly recommend it. She's as much fun as her books are. Plus she's from Oregon, so I have high hopes that we'll run into each other again!

Welcome, Suzanne! Can you tell me about your book in seven words or less?

Cheerleaders who investigate cheating boyfriends. With Perk!

Ha. That's perfect! Other than your main character, who's a favorite character of yours in your debut novel and why?

 I really like the character of Leona. She’s smart and sassy and just the sort of friend you’d like to have around who’d always tell it like it is.

Can you tell my readers a little bit about yourself, Suzanne?

I’m a former middle school teacher turned zookeeper (mother). And when I’m not fending off zombie squirrels or narrating my daughter's Barbie soap operas, I can be found camping on the Oregon coast or writing obsessively.

Yes, I'm also a...zookeeper. What's been the most surprising thing about your path to publication so far?

That losing an agent wasn’t the end of the world. I wish I could have read a writing business manual with a troubleshooting section in it. I would have gone there for reference several times.

Yes, maybe the Tenners should get together and write a business manual for writing. There are so many different experiences among us. What's one piece of writing advice you would give to aspiring authors?

 I always say to keep writing. It wasn’t my first book that sold. Or my second. Not my third of fourth. It was my fifth book! So keep writing!

Great advice! Are you swept up with promotion for your debut book right now or can you give us a sentence or two about something new you're working on?

 I just finished the third book in The Naughty List series: A Good Boy is Hard to Find. I have another project that’s non-Naughty List that I’m waiting for news on.

Yet another reminder that the waiting never ends, does it? Well all the best with your other project. I can't wait to hear what it's about! What did you write when you were a teen? Did you journal? Write poetry? Write overly literary or emotional stories? Or avoid writing altogether?

Hah! I wrote crime novels starring my friends. Murder mysteries that always ended in a surprising twist. The Pillsbury Dough Boy did it? Who would’ve guessed?

That's great! What's the last book you read that you really loved?

I just finished Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. It made me feel all squishy inside.

If readers want to find out more about you and your writing, where should they look?

My blog is www.suzanne-young.blogspot.com And the girls of The Naughty List also have a blog at www.thecheaterreport.blogspot.com

Awesome! Thanks for stopping by, Suzanne. And for my readers...you can pick up a copy of THE NAUGHTY LIST on Amazon or at your local independent retailer. 

The Cover!!!

Here is my long awaited cover for LOSING FAITH. (I've added a tiny border just so it doesn't blend with the white of the page, but that is not part of the actual artwork for the cover).

And here is the new text copy (for the upcoming Simon & Schuster catalog) to go with it...

A sister's sudden death is shrouded in mystery in this lyrical,emotionally intense debut.

 When Brie's sister, Faith, dies in a fall from a cliff, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood, Brie must also contend with increasingly distant parents, her boyfriend's betrayal, and her sudden outcast status at school. And once she's over the initial shock of Faith's death, Brie is encountering more questions than closure. Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. She soon uncovers Faith's role in a dark and twisted religious cult...a cult that now wants Brie as a member.

And as if that's not enough, you can check out my newly-filled-in page on Simon & Schuster's website.

You can click around and see my book cover, new author photo, some fun Q&A...
 

And I've also been making a few changes to my own website to reflect my new cover. It's not done, but I'm working on it and would love some input on what you like/don't like.

I think the art department at Simon Pulse (in collaboration with my awesome editor) did an amazing job of capturing the essence of my book. One of their concerns, because of the title, was that it didn't get mistaken for a non-fiction book. With this beautiful impression, I don't think there will be any confusion there. I love the hopeful image of the butterflies and how the flowers draw your eye right to the title. 

I'm also really thrilled with the catalog text - it sets it up as a slow-build mystery, but still gives enough detail to hopefully draw readers in.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of these - please don't be shy - I really want to hear!