authors, books, writing

Intrinsic Motivation Running Out

I have to drag myself to the keyboard to finish drafting my new teen novel, Across the Water (a sequel to All Good Children, forthcoming Fall 2011 from Orca Book Publishers). It's not that I can't figure out the ending. It's that I know what horror awaits me in revising my rough draft into something readable, let alone publishable. The return… Continue reading Intrinsic Motivation Running Out

authors, books, picture books

Book Launch Afterword (II)

Success! About a hundred people showed up at my local library yesterday to help me celebrate the release of my first picture book, My Cat Isis, illustrated by Virginie Egger, published by Kids Can Press earlier this month. Yes, that read, "a hundred." Good thing my library had such a nice big room to hold them.… Continue reading Book Launch Afterword (II)

authors, books, writing

Dreaded Edits

"Editing is the same as quarreling with writers -- same thing exactly."  - Harold Ross, founder of The New Yorker magazine I am SO happy because I have finished Round One of edits on both my teen novel, All Good Children, and my middle-grade novel, Title Being Rewritten as Part of the Editing Process. I have… Continue reading Dreaded Edits

authors, books, writing

My First Picture Book

My picture book, My Cat Isis, is due for release in March 2011, but my clever publisher, Kids Can Press, already has it listed on the web. Check out their forthcoming Spring 2011 list. I'm there as official Kids Can Press author. The book exists on Amazon, Chapters, Barnes and Noble - go ahead, look it up - although it's not even bound yet.  Cool,… Continue reading My First Picture Book

authors, books, writing

Where do you get your Ideas?

The new kitten People always ask writers, "Where do you get your ideas?" (Okay, not many people have asked me that yet, but once I have more titles to my credit, they'll start asking.) Really good ideas for a book - the sort of premises Michael Chricton is famous for - don't come along every day. But bad ideas… Continue reading Where do you get your Ideas?