Guest Post by Kate Hinderer (The Emerald Isle Blog Tour)

I'm pleased to welcome Kate Hinderer, author of The Emerald Isle, to the blog today! She's discussing how the writing processes differed for her contemporary novel Aurora Undefined and her paranormal novel The Emerald Isle.

First, a bit about the book and the author:

"To escape a bad break-up and fighting parents Audyn takes a job as a lifeguard at Fascination Island. The posh five-star resort lives up to its name in every way, including the strange rules the owner has about entering the water at night. Despite declaring it a boy-free summer, it isn’t long before the shy, endearing Levi and the mysterious, tattooed Tristan begin vying for her attention. When Levi tries to push his advantage and Tristan comes to the rescue, Audyn realizes there is more to both these boys and the island they inhabit. Suddenly, she’s forced to acknowledge a reality she’d never considered and to pick a side in the conflict that has been waging for decades." (from Goodreads)

"Kate is a journalist by profession. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications such as The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune special sections, The Milwaukee Business Journal, RelateMag, The SuperMelon, MercatorNet's Tiger Print blog, Sadie Magazine...

She started writing stories and novelettes in 7th grade. Her teachers thought she was copiously taking notes, but really she was penning stories about her classmates. That passion only increased in high school. The stories became longer and the passion for writing was deeply ingrained. As a junior she resurrected her school's student-run newspaper and opted to pursue a journalism career to harness her love for writing into a payable profession. Still the stories never stopped flowing.

Kate also writes a fashion and lifestyle blog called ModlyChic." (taken from the author's website)

And now the guest post:

Hey, I’m author Kate Hinderer and I’m lucky enough to be guest posting for the day as part of the blog book tour for The Emerald Isle. This book is part paranormal part contemporary fiction and it’s all fun.  (The book can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.)

When I wrote my first book, Aurora Undefined, the process was vastly different from that of my second book, The Emerald Isle.

Auora Undefined is a contemporary young adult novel and something that could easily take place today in any high school. A lot of the scenes are things pulled from my own experience and that of my friends and relatives. As a result, there wasn’t much research that needed to take place to write the story. I mapped out the story line and started writing.

The Emerald Isle, on the other hand, mixes contemporary characters with paranormal elements. I wanted Audyn, the main character, to be relatable and realistic while having her fall prey to something out of her realm of experience. I took her out of environments I know myself and put her in the midst of Fascination Island, a luxury resort where anything can happen. The writing took more research and plotting since I needed to feature things I don’t have first-hand experience of: five-star resorts, life guarding and, of course, mermaids.

The notes I took filled sticky notes and word documents. I would sketch random parts to better visualize the scenes and the characters. For more than three months I carried around a color-coordinated map of what Fascination Island looked like in my head, memorizing it to better be able to describe where the characters are going.

I spent way too much time researching mermaid folklore on the internet. I spent a lot of time watching movies and TV shows that feature mermaids… the Australian show H2O, Aquamarine, Fishtales, etc…

Unlike other paranormal characters (vampires, werewolves, etc..) there isn’t a unified front on what mermaids are all about. Oh, sure, they are beautiful and such, but beyond that what exactly is a mermaid or merman? I needed to come up with my own definition of merfolk and what they were really all about. It was an adventure and something I loved fleshing out on my own.

Thanks very much, Kate, for dropping by and sharing a glimpse into your writing process! The full blog tour schedule can be found on Kate's blog here.

And just a heads-up: Kate is also holding a giveaway on her fashion blog, ModlyChic, to celebrate the release of The Emerald Isle, so you might want to head on over there and enter!

Guest Post + Canadian Giveaway: Victoria Hanley (Wild Ink Blog Tour)

Victoria Hanley, author of Wild Ink: Success Secrets to Writing and Publishing in the Young Adult Market, is here today on the blog with a guest post!

My questions:

What's the aspect of writing YA novels that you find the most challenging, and how do you handle it--is it voice? Plotting? World building? Something else? What are your strategies to overcome this hurdle?

And her response:

Everything you mentioned has its challenges, for sure. But I’d say the most challenging part of writing YA is the way it’s necessary for authors to torture our young characters.

Torture? What am I talking about? The prevalent theme in YA novels is coming-of-age. Doesn’t the phrase “coming-of-age” sound sort of appealing?

But real coming-of-age is filled with grueling conflict. Whether a YA novel is contemporary, dystopian, romance, sci-fi, fantasy,  horror, or some other subgenre, the characters will be in a world of hurt. Depending on the author’s style, the characters endure physical, emotional or mental hardships—or all three, as happened in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Sadness, fury, and heartache cannot be avoided. Adults cannot fix things for the YA protagonist; adults cannot rescue or work out an escape.

But we writers tend to fall in love with our characters! We love them so much that we’d like to spare them any suffering and skip right to the ending when the conflict is resolved. However, if we spared them we’d turn the story into a long drawn-out yawn. (Correct me if I’m wrong here. Have you read any page turners—YA or otherwise—where the characters had it easy?)

The fact that YA novels have young protagonists only makes it harder on the author. At the beginning, our characters are so tender and innocent. We’d like to rush in and help. Instead, we’ve got to put those dear young people through extreme pressures. But oh! the temptation to take pity on them is always there.

If the necessity of being mean to our characters wasn’t bad enough, we’ve also got to relive all the angst, pain and troubles of our own youth as we dig into ourselves for authentic teen emotions. Eegh! Not easy.

So what’s my strategy for getting through the struggles when I’m writing YA? I remind myself that like anything else in life, something worth doing is also worth effort. And at least when I’m writing a novel I can see the end in sight—the end when my characters have passed through the crucible of coming-of-age and become a young adult. 

Thanks very much, Victoria, for giving us a glimpse into the author's mind when it comes to the struggles YA characters endure! I think The Hunger Games is a fantastic example of the necessity of making life difficult for your characters. 

And now for the giveaway... 2 copies of Wild Ink are up for grabs, courtesy of Prufrock Press.

The rules:

- Entrants must be 13 years or older.

- Open ONLY to Canadian mailing addresses

- One entry per person

- Following and tweeting are not necessary but always appreciated!

- Ends June 30, at 11:59 pm EST.

- Winner will be selected randomly and contacted by e-mail

To enter, please fill out THIS FORM. Comments are wonderful but do NOT count as entries.

Also, if you'd like to read an excerpt of Wild Ink, here's the link to Chapter Two: http://www.prufrock.com/Assets/ClientPages/pdfs/Wild_Ink_Excerpt.pdf.
 

"New Adult" Niche: Interview with Lauren Hammond (Insanity Blog Tour)

I'm pleased to welcome Lauren Hammond, author of Insanity, to the blog today for an interview about "New Adult" books!

First, a bit about the book:

Released: May 8th

Series: Asylum, book #1

"Sometimes love...can drive you crazy.

Adelaide Carmichael and Damien Allen couldn't be more opposite.

Adelaide's mother abandoned her when she was ten years old, leaving her to be raised by her abusive and alcoholic father.

Damien on the other hand came from a wealthy family, was a local celebrity, and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him.

Despite their differences, Adelaide and Damien were young, wild, and fiercely in love.

And they had a plan.

They were going to run away.

Be together forever.

And their plan was set in motion, until tragedy struck and for some reason, Adelaide wound up in The Oakhill Institution for the insane.

Adelaide has no idea what she did to wind up at Oakhill, but she knows one thing for sure...

She wants out.

And after Damien follows her there to aid her in escaping, Adelaide slowly begins putting together the pieces of her memory that are missing.

And it doesn't take Adelaide long to figure out that sometimes...

That one true love never dies."

And the author:

"It all began with a dinosaur, a T-Rex to be exact. He was the main character in my very first short story. Me and T, well, we went places. He is the reason I won my first essay contest at age ten. And he is probably one of the number one reasons, I pursued a career in writing.

Throughout highschool, I was what you would call a rebel. Someone who had convinced herself that she had life figured out at age sixteen. Still, writing was my only safe-haven during that time. I wrote notebooks full of poetry, even writing fellow classmates papers for them.

Unbeknowest to me, creative writing, seemed to be my one, true calling, my passion in life.

At age twenty, I began writing my first novel. After that, everything seemed to fall into place.

I won Best Poets and Poems of 2007, and The Editor's Choice award for my poem, Summer Days.

Also, during that time I wrote or co-wrote fifteen different screenplays, some which earned me finalist spot in various screenplay competitions.

In 2010, I've come full force, with my novel Love Sucks, that was released by Punkin House Press, in August of 2010. On top of Love Sucks, I have six novels that are slated to be released through the next five years. Also, doing some various marketing work for authors and publishers.

I pride myself in telling fellow writers to always follow their dreams. Who knows where I would be if I would have given up."

And now for the interview questions...

1.)    I understand Insanity fits into the “New Adult” category. Was it always your intention to make your protagonists, Adelaide and Damien, at this stage in their lives? Or did it just naturally end up New Adult as you wrote it?

Actually, it was always my intention to make this a New Adult novel. Mainly because it switches back and forth from the past and present and also because I felt it was going to be to risque, brash, and boundary pushing for the YA market.

2.)    How do you think the story would be different if it was firmly “YA”  or “adult”? Are there some events or experiences in Insanity that are intrinsically New Adult?

Honestly, I’d feel like I’d have to remove some of the profanity and intimate scenes. It goes a little too far in some areas.

3.)    A lot of traditional publishers are skeptical about New Adult books. What would you say to convince them to give the category a chance?

Honestly, this is something I’m not too sure of. New Adult is genre that’s like a middleman. It’s not  YA and it’s not fully adult. So where would it sell? What would publishers be able to classify it as? That’s what I think the major issue would be. Do I think the older teens and adults would read New Adult? Yes. But there is so much more that comes into to play when it comes to publishers giving the category a chance.

       4.)   Some people argue that New Adult books don’t have a “universal experience” the way YA books do. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

        I do disagree here. I think  the universal feel of a book depends on the writer, their writing style, and the story.

 5.)   Are there a few New Adult books you could recommend to my blog readers?

Absolutely! Easy by Tammara Webber & Because of Low by Abbi Glines

Both are great reads!

Thanks so much for having me! If you get a chance check out my New Adult novel, Insanity and the sequel White Walls on June 19^th!

Lauren’s Links:

Website    -    http://laurenhammondnovelist.blogspot.com/

Goodreads    -   http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4115682.Lauren_Hammond

Twitter    -    https://twitter.com/#!/NovelistLauren

Facebook   -   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lauren-Hammond/100755776636370

Purchase links for Insanity:

Amazon ebook    -    http://www.amazon.com/Insanity-The-Asylum-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B008173I62/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337796479&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble ebook  -   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/insanity-lauren-hammond/1110620686?ean=2940014360340

Thanks very much for stopping by the blog and answering my questions, Lauren!

"New Adult" Niche: Interview with Callie Kingston (Undertow Blog Tour)

 

I'm pleased to be able to welcome Callie Kingston, author of Undertow, to the blog today for an interview! Since I'm hosting the "New Adult" Reading Challenge, I focused my questions on that aspect of the book.

First, a bit about Undertow and author Callie Kingston:

"Marissa is nearly eighteen and can't wait to leave behind her traumatic past. With long time boyfriend Drake, she thinks she has her future all figured out--until she discovers his betrayal. She flees to a desolate beach on the wild Oregon coast hoping to escape her pain, where, overcome with emotional and physical exhaustion, she dozes off beside a log. When the first icy waves strike her, it is too late: a rogue wave drags her out to sea.
Somehow she survives, and now each night she dreams of a creature who rescues her. Determined to discover the truth, her obsession deepens until she once again risks her life in the frigid ocean. Will the creature Marissa seeks save her? Will she be lost forever in the eddies of her mind, or will Jim, her new boyfriend, keep her from drowning in the abyss?

UNDERTOW is a contemporary novel in which a young woman finds a terrible choice thrust upon her: overcome the pain in her past and the dangers which lurk in her mind, or succumb to these and be lost forever inside a beautiful dream." (from Goodreads)

Callie's bio:"My home is in the Pacific Northwest, where I live with an assortment of furry creatures (husband included). I have a masters degree in Psychology. When not writing or working, I like to explore the outdoors, especially the forests and beaches along the Oregon coast. I also enjoy a great cup of cappuccino, which happily is easily found in this part of the world."

And now for the questions...



1.) Why did you decide to make Marissa an early high school graduate, thus fitting Undertow into the New Adult category? Did you set out to tell a New Adult story from the beginning?

From the beginning, I knew Marissa was a young woman on the brink of independence. She was also a bit precocious, which masked her vulnerability. While I didn’t intend to write a New Adult story (when I began writing Undertow, I honestly had no idea that college-age protagonists were verboten in YA), I’m glad it falls into that category now.

2.) How do you think Marissa's story would have been different if it had been set during high school instead? Do you feel that setting it during the college period is essential to the storyline?

When I began querying agents and editors, I discovered that Undertow would be a tough sell because the main character and her friends were in college. I considered rewriting the story and let Marissa be in high school, perhaps a senior. It just wouldn’t work. Marissa needed to be on her own, trying out life as an independent young adult, for her story to unfold. Otherwise, her mother would see what was happening and intervene before she reached a critical stage.

3.) Ages of characters aside, how would you say YA and New Adult differ (e.g. thematically, maturity levels, etc.)?

The primary difference, as I see it, is that the crucial challenges of launching into independent adult life present such rich material for an author: first live-in relationships, whether as roommates or boyfriend/girlfriend; supporting oneself financially and emotionally, or negotiating terms of on-going support with parents; facing the great unknown of a wide-open future. It’s such a fragile and critical time in a person’s life. New Adult literature can mine these issues and also assume a higher level of maturity in the reader. While it’s true that many, if not most, readers of YA are actually adults, thanks to cross-over appeal, writers still need to be cognizant of the developmental level of their target audience.

4.) Currently, traditional publishers seem to be leery of New Adult books, preferring to bump the protagonist either down to high school level or up to adult. Why do you think that is? Do you see a place for New Adult books in traditional publishing in the future, or will they stay primarily the domain of indie publishers and self-published authors? 

The truth is, I see publishing shifting toward independent and small presses as we move more deeply into the digital age and niche marketing. The takeover might be gradual or abrupt, depending on what technologies and markets evolve. At the same time, I sense that traditional publishers are operating out of fear of these inevitable shrinkage of their business and taking on fewer risks.

5.) What was the most challenging aspect of writing Undertow? How did you tackle it?

Time. There are still only twenty-four hours in a day, and as a writer, you know how much time you pour into not just drafting a manuscript, but critiquing, revising, editing, polishing, and, if you choose the indie path, formatting, publishing, and promoting. It’s a lot of work, and I have a very demanding job and family as well.

After my mother passed away unexpectedly, I decided my creative life is a priority and have found ways to carve out time.

6.) Could you list a few New Adult books by other authors that you'd recommend?

 I’m always on the lookout, and there are many listed on the Goodreads New Adult Reading Challenge list that I’ve added to my TBR pile. I’m especially excited to read Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire.


Thanks very much, Callie, for sharing your thoughts on the New Adult genre! 


Readers, what do you think about the category of "New Adult" and its place in the publishing world?

Also, Callie is offering up a Kindle copy of Undertow at each stop on the tour! This is open internationally, just leave a comment on this post (if you'd like, you can answer my question above) and your e-mail address. The giveaway ends Mar. 15, at 11:59 pm EST, after which a winner will be selected randomly and contacted by e-mail. Also, everyone who comments on any of the tour stops will be entered into a grand prize giveaway! Here are the rest of the stops on the tour: