Friday, August 19, 2011

Anna's Corner: A Teen Interviews Leap Books' Teen Author

Anna Sattler
Welcome to Anna's Corner, which will be run by our teen blogger! Stop back next Friday for more teen input on reading, writing, and life in general...

Here's info on Anna:


An avid fan of Victor Hugo, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Calvin and Hobbes, Anna Sattler is continually expanding her reading repertoire. She is up for reading almost any book and loves to swap book recommendations with her friends. While not reading she enjoys playing field hockey, practicing her French horn, and excusing herself from social obligations by hiding behind a camera.

Anna interviewed Sydney Scrogham, age 18, who is the author of Chase, which will come out from Leap Books in 2012.

·         When did you begin your book and how long did it take to finish?

I don't remember exactly when I started, but it was a while ago. I'm pretty sure I was 13, but I know for sure it took me 18 full days to write. I counted.

·         When you began writing it, did you plan to get it published?

Not at the time, no. I had an idea that was going to torture me until I wrote it down, so I did. When I had the chance to send one of my books in to a publisher, I chose Chase because it was one of the few pieces I had that was completed.

·         How long did it take to get your book accepted by Leap Books?

My manuscript traveled through the Wild Rose Press and through their YA area when it was breaking off into Leap. That slowed down the process, but about a year later they contacted me to tell me Chase had been accepted. (First try, I was SO shocked!!!)

·         How long did editing take? Are you done yet?

Longer than I'd hoped, simply because I was juggling high school classes for my senior year at the time. It's challenging to balance it all. I'm still editing, but verrrry close to being done!

·         What has your favorite part of the writing process been?

I've gotten that question a lot from my writing peers, and honestly I love all of it. I love getting to know my characters, writing late into the night, feeling the thrills and chills of a twisted plot. It's like living life--every day has something differently enjoyable.

·         What inspired your book, Chase?

All of the smaller elements came from my imaginary twist on the world around me, but the big picture behind the story is rooted in God's relationship with humanity, and how the church is viewed as His bride. I wanted to put that in a story with the hope that someone else might experience the love behind this relationship. I didn't get to finish all of what I wanted to say in one book. Chase's sequel is in the works.

·         Why did you choose the title Chase? Does it potentially have a double meaning?

I chose it simply because it is the hero's name, but now that I've thought about it, yes, it does have a double meaning.

·         Are you thinking about continuing your writing career during college?

Definitely, yes. I can't imagine not writing. I don't know how I'll manage it all yet, but I will find a way.

·         What will your major be?

Psychology. The human mind fascinates me, and I really want to get into counseling one day, especially if I can involve horses in my patients' therapy.

·         How would you advise teens who want to become published authors?

Don't quit, and write what you love. I see so many of my peers stop because they try to write what someone else wants to read, but if they're writing to satisfy someone else, it drains their passion. We all have a story to tell, and no one can tell us how to write it. If publishers don't like what you write, tough. Find someone else. It's whether you like it, whether it says what you wanted it to say that matters.


Sydney Scrogham

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Sea Turtle Rescues

National Geographic recently posted this video about Gulf turtle nests: Gulf Turtle Nests Abound, But Worries Remain. Our author Bonnie J. Doerr addresses some of the problems sea turtles face from poachers. Read about how young teen Kenzie and her friends capture those responsible for destroying turtle nests in the Florida Keys in Stakeout, Doerr’s latest eco-mystery.


And if you care about sea turtles, here are two more sites with information:




Friday, June 24, 2011

Save Bookstores!

Today's the day!! Head to your local bookstore and buy a book. Agent Kelly Sonnack of Andrea Brown Literary has created a buzz for the event on Facebook.

Go and add your name to the attending list, and hie thee to an Indie store this morning, June 25.  Details are below.


Time
Saturday, June 25 · 10:00am - 1:00pm

Location
Your local brick and mortar bookstore!

Created By

More Info
Who: You
What: Buy a book (or 4)
Where: Your local bookstore (or Powell's ships)
When: June 25th (the first Saturday of Summer!)
Why: Because we need to support our storefronts. No more obituary section in publishing news, please!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Online Writing Classes with Kat O'Shea

Want to learn more about writing? Leap Books Editor-in-chief, Kat O'Shea, will be presenting two online workshops this summer for Savvy Authors. These four-week-long classes are available at a bargain price. Here's information. Click on the links below to register. And if you don't want to wait several weeks, you can find writing advice from Kat now in "First Chapter Mistakes." Best of all, if you been dying to submit to Leap Books, taking one of these classes will allow you to do that. [Please note that except for special calls for submissions, such as for the Spirited anthology, Leap Books only accepts submissions from agents.]

Editing with an Editor

Instructor: Kat O'Shea. One of the fastest ways to get your manuscript rejected is to submit one that needs substantial editing. Grammar and punctuation are important, but they aren’t the only things that give your manuscript a quick trip to the rejection pile. Learn editors’ pet peeves and how to avoid them as well as how to tackle overall manuscript revision and still keep your sanity.

WHEN:   Jun 27 - Jul 24, 2011

COST:   $15 for Premium Members; $25 for Basic Members


Click Here to Register


Story Structure

Instructor: Kat O'Shea. An interesting and exciting beginning will draw readers in, but how do you keep their interest high throughout? A well-plotted story will keep them turning the pages and make them eager to read your next book. Both plotters and pantsers will benefit from knowing how to structure a story that readers can’t put down. Learn about different story structures, such as the 3-Act and the Hero’s Journey, and how introducing change bombs and writing cliffhangers can help you avoid sagging middles.

WHEN:   Aug 1 - Aug 28, 2011

COST:   $15 for Premium Members; $25 for Basic Members

Click Here to Register

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Deadline for Submissions Extended

We're looking for published authors who have astonishing, surprising ghost stories with a great twist. Leap Books only accepts work from agents, but we're having an open call for submissions. This may be your chance to get a foot in the door and help a charity at the same time.

For more information, visit our home page or click
HERE for more information.


All proceeds to benefit charity.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Meet Author Judith Graves

Want to meet the author of the Skinned Series? Judith Graves will be appearing at the following venues. Learn more about writing, technology, and the behind-the-scenes life of an author. Lots of programs to choose from. And best of all many of them are FREE.

 

May 14: Edson Public Library. Edson, AB. Four, 40-min. writing workshops. Behind the scenes with a YA author, Fiction to DIE for, and anything the fine folks in Edson want to chat about. Starting at 10am-2pm. Sign up at the Edson Public Library 780-723-6691.

May 28: Alberta Association of Library Technicians Annual Conference: 2011 Get Connected. Edmonton, AB. Author Visits to Die For. Judith Graves offers an overview of what makes a virtual author visit successful, the technology basics, and how to connect students or library patrons with authors willing to provide this wonderfully interactive (and inexpensive!) service.

May 28: Young Alberta Book Society’s AGM. Red Deer, AB. Imagery to DIE for: Booktrailers, vlogs and more. I will introduce the importance of engaging readers online through the use of enticing booktrailers, informative yet entertaining vlogs, as well as how to create podcast readings that leave them craving more. Beef up your social media presence using these tools and watch your promotions go viral (but not in a zombie apocalypse sorta way).

October (dates TBA): Young Alberta Book Society TALEBLAZERS Lit Fest. Touring schools and libraries across Alberta, discussing my journey from singer/songwriter to Young Adult Paranormal fiction author. I explore what makes fiction to DIE for, how to develop characters that ROCK, and how to REVAMP your work (revision with BITE!). I can’t wait to meet all students, library staff and teachers.

November 18-20th: Pure Speculation Fest (Edmonton). I’ll be connecting with my inner geek and being general fangirl at this amazing sci-fi/fantasy convention. Can’t wait to sit on more panels with the Steampunk Scholar and other wonderful authors. If I get myself in gear (pun intended), there’s a chance I might actually have a steampunk costume to DIE for. ;)

Friday, May 6, 2011

Want a Free Book?

 One of the authors who is contributing to Leap Books forthcoming Spirited anthology, Linda Joy Singleton, has a FREE YA paranormal romance available for the month of May only. You can check out the book trailer HERE. Better yet, just pick up your FREE copy of Dead Girl Walking for the Nook and Kindle at Amazon.


And watch for Spirited this October.