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Call for Manuscripts and Latest Contests

Apr 19, 2009 | | 9 Comments

Andrew Karre at Carolrhonda Books put out a today for MG and YA manuscripts. Here’s a quote from his blog.

“Young adult novels, particularly first-person, voice-driven YA. I’m not really interested in high fantasy, but urban and dark fantasy are in bounds. Serious realistic YA is lovely, as long as it has character. Debuts enthusiastically welcomed.”

He’s also looking for stand alone MG.

And check out here for a contest: http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2009/04/hunger-mountain-presents-katherine.html

Also, check out Blooming Tree’s latest contest.

Here are the rules:
We will be setting up a literary award named “The Bloom Award” to celebrate the life of Mildred Bloom, Matriarch of Blooming Tree Press. This award will be for unpublished authors only. Each year’s award will consist of a different genre, age group and imprint. This award WILL result in a publishing contract for one lucky winner. (Disclaimer: if all parties can come to an agreement.) “The Bloom Award” (the first) will be consist of the following:

1. Age Group: Middle Grade
2. Genre: Mystery Who-Done-It.
3. “Tire Swing” Imprint.

We are still working on the rules and details and time for submission.

Yum! Lemonade!

Apr 19, 2009 | | 13 Comments

Rena, CJ, Brenda and Stacy have given me the Lemonade Stand Award – totally cool!

I like pink and strawberry lemonade the best. If you could choose your favorite flavor, what would it be?

The Lemonade Stand Award is awarded for great Gratitude and /or Attitude…And all I have to do is follow a few simple rules:

1. Post the logo on my blog.

2. Nominate 10 blogs with great gratitude/attitude.

3. List and link my nominees. (I hate just choosing 10!)

4. Alert them of their nomination on their blog.

I know many of you already have received this award but here’s toast to all the fantastic blogs that pop by here. Cheers!

Color Me Beautiful

Apr 13, 2009 | | 12 Comments

An artist friend, Sally, and I took a shopping trip to Hongdae (an area nearby). We stopped by Starbucks for lattes and scones and then wandered down a tiny narrow street where one of the largest art stores around hides.

I was in search of some art supplies for my budding artist, Caleb, and Sally was just the person to point me in the right direction.

After securing water color pencils, pastels, and a nice drawing pen, I found myself stuck in the marker section. In fact, Sally had to nearly drag me out the door as I was writing words on the back of a receipt. It was the colors that drew me in at first—all those bright, lovely colors spread out so pleasingly to the eye. But then I realized all those colors had names.

And the names! Words like sea green, willow, lime, milky white, walnut, baby skin, Prussian blue, peacock, cool grey and well I could go on and on.

If you are a writer, you can see how much fun this can become. Such vivid pictures cross my mind as each word is written. I mean, when I say Tahitian blue, aren’t you dreaming of a hot sandy beach with that sexy someone? And think of the smells connected with words like burnt sand. And the tastes mixed in with mint blue.

Check out this website for more colors. And if you are in need even more inspiration, take a trip to your local art supply store. I’m sure you’ll find ideas to color your manuscript beautiful.

Here are some more fun sites:

http://oreilly.com/catalog/wdnut/excerpt/color_names.html

http://phrontistery.info/colours.html

http://www.w3schools.com/HTML/html_colornames.asp

A Bad Haircut?

Apr 8, 2009 | | 16 Comments

Right now I’m tearing my first draft into about a million shreds. I think it looks like someone with a really bad haircut. You know, chopped here, too long there, and maybe some mismatched dies scattered around that really need to be blended.

But…. I’m excited! I love what it’s shaping into. The bad news is I have to write a totally different ending. A much better ending, of course.

I think I’m going to write it next week when my husband is off to China for his soccer tournament (Which by the way, we all should start hoping he wins. You know that sulking, bad mood and all stuff when he comes back without that trophy). I’ve been bouncing some really horrible stuff for my MC to go through–poor thing– and a cool setting that I’m excited about.

So maybe this isn’t really a bad haircut, but one in the making.

Anyone else need a haircut? I’ll do yours for free.

Visiting Illustrator- Korky Paul

Apr 2, 2009 | | 7 Comments


My son, Caleb, decided he wanted to be an artist last summer when we were at the SCBWI LA conference. He was facinated with the illustrations at the conference exhibit and ever since then, he’s had a passion to draw.

So…. when Korky Paul came to speak at our school, we HAD to go see him. Korky Paul is an illustrator for numerous popular books in the UK. Our art teacher, Sally, hooked us up with some one on one time with Korky including autographs, drawings, and tidbits on how to draw.


Caleb didn’t talk much (due to awe struckness) but he was soaking up every minute and carefully watching how Korky drew.

Here are some tricks and ideas that Korky, who is an instructor for Oxford University in England, passed on to us.

  1. Draw everyday
  2. Add blue to your blacks to bring out the light in the picture.
  3. When you draw, think about the how and that will bring the magic into your drawings.
  4. Imagination is everything
  5. Watercolors bring life to your drawings. He liked to draw with a black pen and fill in with watercolor. The watercolors are easy to use, adds shadow, versatile, reproduce well, and captures life and movement in your painting.

  6. If your left handed (as is Caleb), start on the right of the paper and move across.

  7. If your right handed do the opposite.

Though we were sad to say, we came away with some real treasures.

Spring Break Fun

Mar 30, 2009 | | 12 Comments

Last week was Spring Break for us. Lots of good times like playrooms, donuts, Starbucks, writing, hanging out with friends, reading, and eating yummy food.

One of the places we went to was Lotte World. It’s a Korean version of Disney World even down to the blue castle, which we got a kick out of.

But it was fun and a really different experience. Half of the park is inside, which was nice because the weather was anything but springlike. It’s an enormous building that’s like 30 stories high but a theme park is inside with floating balloon rides and even a monorail.

I think the boys’ favorite ride was the pirate ship. They wanted to know if it would take them to Bora Bora.

I wish!

MiG Writers is Blogging!

Mar 27, 2009 | | 8 Comments

My fabulous critique group, MiG Writers, has started up our blog. Our goal is to chat about writing and everything important to a writer.

I’ve written a post on Creating Unforgettable Characters. Check it out here. Hope you’ll stop by from time to time.

Another Fabulous Contest!

Mar 26, 2009 | | 3 Comments

Wow. This is the time for contests. Check out Martha Flynn’s latest contest here. You can win a copy of Prophesy of the Sisters and a gift card. Check it out!

Book Giveaway- Penguin Prize Pack

Mar 24, 2009 | | 4 Comments

Check out Presenting Lenore’s awesome contest here. You’ll have the chance to win 11 YA books such as If I Stay, Reluctant Heiress, and Prada and Prejudice! Don’t miss the party because it all ends on Apr. 5th.

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