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SCBWI Florida’s Mid Year Workshop

Jul 23, 2011 | | 7 Comments

First of all, it’s time to announce the winner of Danyelle Leafty’s serialized novel, THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA. Congratulations to Melissa Higgins!!!!!! Please email your address to me at: farleyย dot christinaL at gmail dot com.

Not too long ago I attended SCBWI Florida’s Mid Year Workshop with my local crit buds Larissa and Jess. While there, I soaked in the brilliance of Michele Burke, editorย at Knopf, and authors Kathleen Duey and Marjetta Geerling.

My critique session was with Kristin Daly Rens, editor for Balzer and Bray,ย who edited a fantastic book called Rampant. Kristen was amazing and had some great ideasย of how to make my latest WIP evenย better.

(okay so that’s an awful picture of me and I promise I wasn’t sleeping through the conference but Kathleen, Larissa, and Jess look gorgeous so that’s all that matters)

Here are some gems that I picked up along the way form these amazing ladies:

  • There is a difference between writing for children and writing about children
  • Show! Show! Show! (don’t tell)ย ย 
  • Marjetta Geerling’s POV Test- if you can replaceย any I with she/he and it doesn’t change the story, you are actually writing in 3rd person.
  • Experience the moments! Don’t just tell about them. Smells, sounds, visuals (Duey)
  • In YA, voice is everything so get inside your character’s head. Kathleen suggested to interview our characters.
  • Write everything through your character’s lens. (Geerling)
  • The impact of revision. Always keep in mind the heart of the story and what propels the characters. (Duey)
  • Don’t fall into the trap of being vague and mysterious (especially fantasy) because you will loose your reader to confusion. (Burke)
As you can see, I could share notes all day. These ladies were fantastic and if you ever have a chance to hear them speak–GO!

Danyelle Leaflyโ€™s THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA

Jul 18, 2011 | | 11 Comments

I am thrilled to be a part of the blog tour announcing the release of Danyelle Leaflyโ€™s THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA! Iโ€™ve had the honor of reading the first three chapters and I can promise you, the story is full of action, memorable characters, giggles, and magic.

And I love how Danyelle is releasing her book as a serial novel. Itโ€™s like opening a little package every week when the installments are released!

Not only is Danyelle a collector of dragons, talking frogs, and fairy godmothers, she also helps run the Query Tracker blog and Myth-takes blog. You can find her on the web here:



To celebrate Danyelleโ€™s book release, she has kindly offered to stop by and chat with us.
Here’s aย quick synopsis of THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA:

Sixteen-year-old Breena doesnโ€™t want to leave the faerie queenโ€™s court, and she doesnโ€™t want a fairy godmother. But if she has to choose between the two, sheโ€™d leave the Faerie Realm over getting bossed about by a faerie with a pointed stick any day. Unfortunately, her attempt to evade her fairy godmother gives her growing pains in the form of fur, whiskers, and a tail.
Turning into a cat is the least of her worries, though, because the potion wasnโ€™t meant to bring out her inner feline, it was meant to put her to sleep. Forever. If Breena wants to make it to her Happily Ever After, sheโ€™ll have to accept that sometimes having a fairy godmother makes all the difference in the world.



The telling of THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA alternates between four characters. What were your biggest challenges in writing through the eyes of so many characters?

My biggest challenge has been getting them to talk when they were supposed to, and getting them to be quiet otherwise. Two of them have a hard time taking orders, and itโ€™s a bit unnerving to feel them boring holes of disapproval into my brain while I write.

What inspired you to try out this innovative means of publishing your novel?
I had considered doing something along these lines for a while now, but wasnโ€™t sure how to do it. I was also a little worried about identity theftโ€”my charactersโ€™, not mineโ€”so I knew that I needed a platform that would make the story available to readers without having it too open.


I ran into Tracy Hickman at Caped CONduit earlier this year, and learned that he had just finished up with his first serial novel (he and his wife co-authored it) and was starting on the second book. I was intrigued when I learned a little more about how heโ€™d set it up, and excited when I found out that he had an online course that detailed how his method worked and how to get everything set up.


His scope reached far beyond what I had been considering, and Iโ€™m definitely glad I went with it.
ย Tell us a little about how and when the chapters and Nerissaโ€™s journal entries are released:

Generally speaking, Nerissaโ€™s journal entries (Fairy Notes) are released on the blog portion of my website every Wednesday. Or, if you subscribe to the email list, theyโ€™re delivered to your inbox instead.


Once THE FAIRY GODMOTHERโ€™S DILEMMA is finished, edited, and formatted, Iโ€™m planning on including the Compendium and Fairy Notes as extras at the end of the ebook.
ย I love how your website is interactive with your readers. You have an Are You My Fairy Godmother board, extras such as the Compendium of Fairy Godmothering Terms, and Fairy Notes.


Thanks! My idea for thisโ€”branching off of Tracyโ€™s methodโ€”was to make my website as interactive as possible. The extras are a lot of fun to do, and I think they work to bridge the time in between chapter releases.

I also liked the idea of being able to chat and get to know my readers better through the comments as well as the forums. Some of the forums are hidden, but are fully accessible once you register. One of the forums deals with the story (so if that squid showing up in chapter twenty, for example, makes you wonder if my work space is ventilated well enough, you can say something :p). Another forum deals with general writing (anyone can get feedback on their own pieces), and the last deals with books (this is the place where you can share what youโ€™re reading or spread the word about awesome books youโ€™re reading).

Now that Iโ€™ve read your first three chapters, Iโ€™m hooked! But I also canโ€™t wait for the ebook and hardcover. When will those be released?

Thanks, Christina! ๐Ÿ™‚ There will be about a month in between the end of the novel and when itโ€™s released as an ebook. Iโ€™m planning on releasing the ebook near the end of November. The hardcovers will be mailed out as soon as I receive them from the printer. Iโ€™m hoping to have them mailed out by mid-December. (Iโ€™ll have a more definite date in a couple of months.)

And here are some quickies:

1. Favorite type of chocolate: Sordid confession: I donโ€™t eat chocolate. But if I did, it would be the kind that was drowned in caramel. (Everythingโ€™s better with caramel!)
2. #1 country youโ€™d like to visit: Embarrassing confession: Iโ€™d *love* to visit Scotland just so I could listen to people talk. Also, I hear itโ€™s a beautiful country. O:) Iโ€™d also like to visit Japan one day.

3. Favorite mode of transportation: Pumpkin coach and a good book.
4. Preferred writing method: Definitely computer!

Thank you so much Danyelle for chatting with us!Now that you’ve heard from Danyelle, you can see what an amazingly creative author she is. In celebration of THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA, I am giving out a subscription! Just post a comment to enter.



The Key to Success

Jul 18, 2011 | | 8 Comments

Recently I read a thread on a message board where authors were sharing some of their frustrations on their book sales and being able to meet their publisher’s expectations.

What do you think helps an author find success besides writing a really great book? Is it their amazing blog? Book tours? Awards? Marketing?

And what would success look like to you as a writer? Would it be publishing a book?ย  Publishing multiple books? Movie deals?

I’ve actually thought a lot about this. I suppose for me it’s to know that I have an impact on my readers. That somehow I can bring the joy of reading and discovery while somehow touching their lives in a way that I couldn’t as a teacher.

The picture above is an antique Korean lock and key. Pretty cool huh?ย 

The Fairy Godmother Dilemma Blog Tour Coming Soon

Jul 10, 2011 | | 10 Comments

In two days Danyelle Leafty is kicking off her blog tour celebrating the release of her book, THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA. The fun all starts on Monday with Christine Fonseca. Don’t miss out!


Here’s a little about Danyelle:

Danyelle Leafty writes MG and YA fantasy. In her spare time, she collects dragons, talking frogs, and fairy godmothers. She can be found discussing the art of turning one’s characters into various animals, painting with words, and the best ways to avoid getting eaten by dragons on her blog. Her serial novel THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA can be found here. You can contact her here.

THE FAIRY GODMOTHER DILEMMA

Sixteen-year-old Breena doesnโ€™t want to leave the faerie queenโ€™s court, and she doesnโ€™t want a fairy godmother. But if she has to choose between the two, sheโ€™d leave the Faerie Realm over getting bossed about by a faerie with a pointed stick any day. Unfortunately, her attempt to evade her fairy godmother gives her growing pains in the form of fur, whiskers, and a tail.

Turning into a cat is the least of her worries, though, because the potion wasnโ€™t meant to bring out her inner feline, it was meant to put her to sleep. Forever. If Breena wants to make it to her Happily Ever After, sheโ€™ll have to accept that sometimes having a fairy godmother makes all the difference in the world.

Finding the Right Idea

Jul 7, 2011 | | 14 Comments

Iย have been trying out something new when it comes to deciding on a new book idea. I type up a synopsis and then write up the first three chapters of the book. Then I have my CP’s take a look at it. If you’re like me, you have a million book ideas and they all could be really cool.


But the question is whether there are already a hundred books recently published just like my idea. Or is this really something new and innovative? Or would it be something that my CPs are like: WOW! I HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE THING! WHERE’S THE NEXT CHAPTER?


It also feels good to get some of those ideas out on paper. To see how the story might unfold (although itย always changes as you start writing it, doesn’t it?). Is this the story I want to be spending the next year of my life on?


There is the negative in this. I could be super excited about an idea and then if I get bad feedback on it, I might not be as motivated to complete the next project. I have a lot of writing friends who don’t like to share any part of the novel until they’ve got that first draft finished.


But right now I’m lucky. Since I don’t have looming deadlines, I still have the freedom to write what I want and take as long as I want. So I might as well have fun and enjoy it.


Have any of you done anything like this before? I’m curious to see how it worked out for you.

Angelina C. Hansen- She’s Got Fiction Addiction

Jul 5, 2011 | | 5 Comments

I’d love to introduce to you a fellow blogger friend, Angelina C.ย Hansen. She is a YA Novelist repped and theย 2009 SCBWI WIP Grant Recipient. Impressive stats, if I might say.

And you can check out here blog here.
ย 
What got you started into writing?
A combination of things: a lifelong fiction addiction, extreme envy of my work-from-home husband, and an acute desire for a teenage daughter. So basically I started writing so I could stay home, read books for โ€œworkโ€, and create my very own virtual teenagers.

What book did you last read that had an impact on your writing?
Amy Efawโ€™s AFTERโ€”a perfect example of deep POV with a fabulous voice and page-turning suspense. I aspire to someday reach this level of skill in my own writing.

What are some of the biggest issues you face as a writer and how do you deal with them?
Finding balance so that my writing life doesnโ€™t consume the rest of my life. Iโ€™ve had to set limits on how much time I spend writing and all the other stuff that comes with trying to get a book published.

What has helped?
One day a week is designated โ€œinternet, computer, and electronic deviceโ€ free. One morning each week is for hiking in the woods. And an alarm goes off at 8:30 every morning reminding me to close the laptop and move on to other things.

Tell us a little bit about your current project?
1942, Occupied Paris, brave young women, provocative young men. Loyalty. Betrayal. And one nasty Gestapo agent.

What has been the most difficult part of writing it?
Finding just the right words to suit both the voice and epoch.

What are some of your favorite books?
How about some of my favorite YA authors: Laurie Halse Anderson, Ally Carter, Sonya Sones, Jenny Han, Jo Knowles, Megan Whalen Turner, Sarah Dessen, and many others I canโ€™t remember off the top of my head. If I tried to pick favorite books Iโ€™d implode.

And here are some quickies:

1. Favorite type of chocolate: All. But sadly, Iโ€™m sugar sensitive and canโ€™t eat any

2. #1 country youโ€™d like to visit: Italy, again. But Iโ€™m afraid Iโ€™d never come homeโ€ฆ

3. Favorite mode of transportation: My feet

4. Preferred writing method:ย My laptop, Bertie.

(Can I just say I love that you named your laptop!)

Thank you Angelina! I loved hearing these snippets about your writing life.

Tips for Setting Your Novel Internationally

Jun 30, 2011 | , | 20 Comments

Having lived overseas for 10 years and traveled as well, I love reading books set in other countries. Lately, I’m seeing more of these types of books and I think that’s due to the fact that the US is becoming more aware of the world outside of its borders.

There definitely has been a boom of multicultural fiction in the last decade, which was so needed. But now I truly believe itsย time for the market to allow books set in other countries where the focus isn’t only on Americans but on a world-view.

Some books that I’ve really enjoyed that deal with an international focus and have accurateย settings are Sea by Heidi R. Kling, Heist Society by Ally Carterย and Die for Me by Amy Plum.


Sea is set on the island Java, Indonesia where I lived for two years so I was curious to see how accurate Kling would be. As I read, I was transported back to those days I lived there. I remembered the first time I’d entered a local bathroom, found out about the left hand thing, and the onslaught of the rains in the rainy season. If you want a story depicting life in Indonesia, I’d highly recommend Sea.

Heist Society by Ally Carter really pulls in an international view because it’s set in multiple European countries.ย I love not only the intrigue, the brilliant plot of this novel and the witty, engaging characters but I love how these characters are not restricted to one country. The world becomes their playground.

Die for Me is set in Paris. Now I’m not an expert to Paris since I’ve only been there once as a tourist, but as an expatriate, I can always tell when an author knows their setting. And Plum obviously does. She has the details so perfectly captured from the cafe’s, the locals market, the words used and nuances of the culture that a tourist would never notice. But my biggest quibble which she passed (being that I’ve taught and visited many international schools) is she had the American School right too! Any American living in Paris would be going to that school and she presented it accurately as well. Kudos!


I also would recommend the review of Die for Me given on the blog hobbitsies. Excellent and I completely agree.

Things to consider when writing a book set in another country:

1. Do go visit your setting and bring along a journal. My journal was divided in categories:

  • my daily experiences
  • vignettes of people and places that I saw (I liked sitting in cafes and just observing a person. I’d sketch out their profile and then image a story up for them in this setting
  • smells
  • visuals
  • particular details I enjoyed- or didn’t!
  • foods and their tastes
  • think about the religion, their holidays and how the society interacts through those
  • notes of unusual things that a tourist wouldn’t pay attention

2. I recommend seeingย your setting through your character’s eyes. What would your character notice that would be unique to them? For instance, if your character is an artist, they would focus on the art of theย place or if your character lovesย shopping, it would be the shops and merchandise.

3. Does your character or any of the characters go to an international school there? Nearly every major city has an international school or two!ย If you want to change the name of the school that’s fine, but I’d be wary of making up everything about the location, because you are missing a pivotal part of the culture. And if you get a reader who went to an international school, it takes out the accuracy of your novel.

Instead, I’d recommend emailing the school and requesting to interviewย a student or teacher from that school to find out what life isย like there. You’ll be amazed at the things you learn from the culture.

But traveling is expensive and buying a plane ticket and jetting off to an exotic location isn’t always feasible. If you can’t travel, then you will have to work hard to recreate what you can’t experience. Ways to do this are: interviews, maps, movies, blogs of other’s experiences and books from that country.

More links:

  • I did an interview with Kirsten onย her blogย A Romantic Meets the World- Soaking in your setting: Christina Farley
  • Nathan Bransfordย shares what a great setting is here
  • Beth Revis talks about the setting in aย dystopian novel hereย butย really, it’sย full of great tips for all writersย 

What are someย of your favorite books set in other countries. Please share any tips that you may have too!

Summer is in Full Swing

Jun 29, 2011 | | 7 Comments

Yes! It’s summertime. That means no school, no classes, and lots of fun. It’s been so nice to have lots of time with my boys. We’ve been to Disney, swimming, movies, library, and doing our own version of school here at home (poor boys having both their parents as teachers!).

I’ve also gotten a chance to do a lot of reading and writing. My WIP is coming along nicely and I’m excited about it. Are you on Goodreads?ย  I am here. Come friend me! I love to see what my blogger friends are reading.

One of my favorite reads so far this summer was Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins. I liked the first book in the series but this one really pulled me into the story. I was so impressed with Hawkins storytelling. It’s true, I’m a very picky reader, but this book was not only hard to put down with its engaging plot, but her writing was so smooth and effortless that I forgot I was reading a book. So often in books I find myself being reminded by the narration that I’m actually reading a book rather than just ‘living’ out the story.

What is your favorite book so far this summer?

The Brilliant Ones

Jun 1, 2011 | | 12 Comments

Hey guys! There is always so much going on in the blogging world, but I wanted to share some great things happening with The Brilliant Ones (the name I coined for my crit buds). These girls are the coolest chicks on the web so head over to their blogs and check out what they’re up to!

I can’t even begin to express how much they mean to me. I can’t deny I think I’m the luckiest girl on the planet to be a part of their lives. I know for a fact I wouldn’t be still writing today if it wasn’t for them.

And on a personal note, Angelina C. Hansen interviewed me here: Partner on the Path, Christina Farley. Please clickย and say hi!

Casey McCormick runs the famous blog, Literary Rambles, where her Agent Spotlight helps make the agent search less daunting.

Beth Revis has all the ins and outs listed on where to get autographed books from fantastic Indie Bookstores here.

Andrea Mack is a guru when it comes to middle grade fiction. She’s got fantastic tips and if you’re looking for a starting point on books to read, she’s the one to check out.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi is not only a fantastic writer, but she creates cartoons that brighten up my day like Will Write for Chocolate (Hello? Could there ever be a better name?) You can even order cool writer gear from her site here.

Over at Author 2 Author, Kate Fallย chats about Internet Time.

And Carmella Van Vleet shares great insights with the MiGs about her latest book here.

Oh and one more for you! I found the most awesomeness recipe, Chocolate Crumb Bars. Bake them and everyone will think you were sent from heaven. Try it!

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