Three (Writing) Reads and a Giveaway

Revisiting a post from last week, the giveaway is over but the learning more about character is still there! :

Crafting Character Likeability -- Plus a Giveaway

A good and insightfilled look at reviion! Love seeing the journey of her book.

Pen And Ink: Revision

And a way cool way to add tension to your manuscript!

Seeing Creative: Toss Those Papers, Babe

The Giveaway!

First Page and GIVEAWAY: A & L Do Summer « First Page Panda

Three (writing) Reads and a Giveaway

A great character exercise!

Fiction Friday – Working with RAGE | CHRISTINE FONSECA, AUTHOR

Mixes tenses, it can work (and I happen to love books that do this)

Writer Musings: Mixing Past and Present Tense

Sometimes it’s nice just to sit back and listen. I really like this series from The Plot Whisperer

YouTube - marthaalderson's Channel

And a contest...mine!

Just Deb: Interview and Book Giveaway-Hélène Boudreau

Interview with Ruth McNally Barshaw and Two Giveaways | From the Mixed-Up Files...

I loved loved this interview and the inspiration it gave me. Plus, it has a fantastic exercise for character (writing illustrating-you don't have to be an illustrator, btw). I LOVE it, check it out :Interview with Ruth McNally Barshaw and Two Giveaways | From the Mixed-Up Files...

Just found this blog thanks to R.J. Anderson’s tweet. Love the seven steps to great characters! A good all around read that reinforces everything I’ve been learning and adds in some new bits. And just check out that side bar of his--it is a treasure trove of reading and learning I tell you!

Cockeyed Caravan

If your ready and querying, or writing that query, this is a good contest (now done) to read through, see the winners and learn from them and the honourable mentions.

Market My Words: Winners of Agent Pitch - Onto the next round

And for the writer who is also social networking!

Author Michelle McLean: Being a Social Networking Writer


A giveaway (for a book I will be buying either way!)

First Page and GIVEAWAY: Rival « First Page Panda

Winner of Eileen Cook's Book...

The number 8 comment is the winner--I used the random number generator thing (which I can't for the life of me figure out how to get cut and pasted or linked to in here) and skipped Denise's comment as she wasn't entering...

Congrats Janet Gurtler!

And thank you so much to everyone continuing to drop by and read the interviews to learn a little more about some o' my favorite authors (and enter to win their books!).

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Interview and Book Giveaway-Hélène Boudreau

Hélène Boudreau is is here today! Here is a little bit about her from her website:

Hélène Boudreau grew up on an island surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean but now writes fiction and non-fiction for kids from her land-locked home in Ontario, Canada.

She has never time-travelled or saved an endangered bird, nor has she ever spotted a mermaid in the wild, but she believes mermaids are just as plausible as sea horses, flying fish, or electric eels.

Her debut middle grade novel, Acadian Star, was nominated for the 2009-2010 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award.

You can learn more at Hélène Boudreau. Check out her blog, too.

The book I'm giving away is her latest, REAL MERMAIDS DON'T WEAR TOE RINGS.

From Good Reads:

Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning...

If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail?

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?

Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke?

This summer is about to get a lot more interesting...

The Book Trailer

AND---there is going to be a SEA-quel, something that has my book club kids excited-as it is making it around the group, Book One is getting 5 out of 5 Donuts (their fave book club snack-donuts, hence the rating)

And now, on to the interview!

You write in a variety of genres, middle grade, chapter books, non-fiction. Do you switch up your work day with these or do you work on one at a time?



My work as an author is very similar to lots of other jobs. I work on different projects at the same time and have deadlines when things need to get done. This week, for instance, I finished a revision of a picture book (out in 2013) because the final text needs to be sent to the illustrator to begin illustrations. Then, I went over copy-edits for an upcoming chapter book (out in April) to get the final version ready for printing so it can be on track to be published this spring.

Meanwhile, I started researching an 18th century poem, which I’m adapting for a young reader book. I worked on that through the weekend while preparing for an author presentation, which I’m doing today. I manage my time depending on when I have deadlines but I also try to sneak parts of other projects, or smaller projects, in between to keep things going. Once I get back home from my author presentation, I’ll try to finish my ‘poem project’ outline by Friday so I can get started on my next novel, which is due by the end of the summer.

People with regular office jobs do the same thing; juggling projects depending on when they need to get things done, or doing projects in stages to break them down into manageable portions.

I just get to do it in my PJs. (I know on the PJs! It’s great. Sounds like some great, great projects you’re working on-and what a wonderful job you have.)



Do you have any advice for a first time author going in to do a school or library visit?

I’m actually writing this during a break at an elementary school visit. One of the best questions I was asked this morning was:

“What is the mark of a great novel?”

This question stumped me at first because taste can be so subjective, but my answer was that whenever I start a new project, I try to imagine who my reader will be. How old is s/he? What kind of book would they like to read? What is their reading level? How can I tell my story in the best possible way to hook that particular reader and keep them engaged? So, to me, a good novel respects its reader in this way. A book cannot be all things to all people but if my story can engage and entertain its target audience in a way that the reader can get lost in its pages and feel like they are part of the story, then I’ve done my job.

I try to keep the same thing in mind when doing school visits. Today, I’m presenting to kindergartners up to Grade 5 at different times throughout the day. My presentation to kindergartners will be shorter and fast paced with lots of visual elements to keep them engaged. My presentation to the older kids will involve more of the ‘business’ side of writing and techniques which they can use in their own creative writing. Leaving lots of time for questions is important as well. Again, respecting your audience and delivering an entertaining, engaging show is what I hope to do. It’s not the “Hélène Show”; it’s all about them and their needs. (Oh my, yes on your last sentence. Great advice, thanks Helene!)



Besides being keen readers, my book club kids are keen writers. They range in age from 8 to 13. When did you start writing and do you have any advice for them?

I’ve always written stories from the time I was really young and did a lot of cartooning in elementary school. The first (unpublished) book I ever wrote and illustrated was when I was about ten.

My advice for aspiring authors is this—anything is possible! This is true in a book and in real life. In writing, don’t be afraid to take risks! Make your characters squirm, put them in impossible situations, go down the road less travelled. The same goes for your writing life. Take risks, be brave and don’t be afraid to fail. You can always go back and revise.

Conceive it, believe it and achieve it. (Thank you! Can’t wait to share this with them.)

Speaking of my book club kids. Anything you'd like to recommend they read or we get for our library? Something that is a recent read, or a book you loved when you were a kid?

For readers who would like something similar to REAL MERMAIDS DON’T WEAR TOE RINGS, I’d suggest DONUT DAYS by Lara Zielen or MODELS DON’T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES by Erin Dionne. I also really enjoyed GODDESS BOOTCAMP by Tera Lynn Childs (first book OH. MY. GODS.) and PLAIN KATE by Erin Bow.

Meg Cabot has lots of great books from ALLIE FINKLE to PRINCESS DIARIES. I love her because you can grow from one book to another and she even has adult titles. I’ve also fallen in love with the HUNGER GAMES trilogy by Suzanne Collins but I wouldn’t recommend them to readers who don’t like violence because there’s a lot of that in those books.

There are just SO many great books out there; it’s hard to choose my favourites! (Oh boy, I hear you on this one! Thanks so much for all these great recommendations—and how cool on, DONUT DAYS, given it’s my book club kids favorite snack, lol.)

And finally...

What is your favourite part of living where you do? Do you have another part of Canada that you love to visit or that you've always wanted to, but haven't yet?

I live just north of Toronto, Ontario and I love being only 30 minutes from the city, which is weird since I’m from a really rural area. I grew up on an island off of Nova Scotia, which is my favourite place to visit now as an adult. Since I can write from anywhere, I’m really lucky to be able to spend up to 6 weeks every year there with my daughters. We get to do a lot of biking and hiking and I’ve even tried surfing a couple of times but three years later, I STILL haven’t been able to stand up on the board! (6 weeks in Nova Scotia sounds wonderful—lol on the surf board, I think I’d be afraid to stand up!)



Thanks so much for doing this, Hélène and thanks to those who've stopped by! To enter the giveaway, all you need to do is comment (feel free to add to the book recommends for "my kids", if you'd like!). If you have a moment, check out OH (MG & YA) Canada, for more great Canadian Authors to read. Giveaway is open Internationally, ends March 7, 2011). One final note, there is still time (ends February 16, midnight, MST) to enter the give away Eileen Cook's book, The Education of Hailey Kendrick.

My three writing reads today (and one included a giveaway).

Some great advice in this one, and it’s something I do do to help with the patience :

Patience « Let The Words Flow

I like it :

Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors: The 3 Integral Components of a Story’s Beginning

Looking forward to doing the character exercise they link to in the following post (and certainly hope I don’t have a Mary Sue!) :

Crafting Character Likeability -- Plus a Giveaway

The giveaway (including a link to mine, it close midnight tomorrow, next up? REAL MERMAIDS DON’T WEAR TOE RINGS by Helene Bourdreau)

TerryLynnJohnson: Insanely Mega Elevensies Debut Giveaway

Three (Writing) Reads and a Giveaway

This is a tip from last week on Literary Rambles. It’s a gooder. I too have to find the name before the story really (really) flows.

Tip Tuesday #75 | Literary Rambles

This was a good read to start the morning. I do struggle with this sometimes, especially with the courage to keep on putting the work “out there”.

The Bookshelf Muse: The Fine Art of Conquering Impatience

And another tip for Monday. Thanks, Rose!

Rose Cooper: Simple Writing Tip

The giveaway is for THE GIRL WHO COULD FLY, a great middle grade read-check it out!

Shannon Whitney Messenger: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday--The Girl Who Could Fly (and a Giveaway!)

Three (Writing) Reads and a Giveaway

Funny how a week can sneak by and something can fall way behind, that being my blog reading! Back on track now.

Marietta Zacker is high on my list of agents-check out this interview where you can get to know her a little better.

Middle Grade Ninja: 7 Questions For: Literary Agent Marietta Zacker

Thanks to Jennifer R. Hubbard: Tasty assortment I followed a link to Laurel's Leaves: Giving life to peripheral stories-how great is that post? Pretty great.

Most of you may already be following along, but just in case(s) here is part two!

Shannon Whitney Messenger: Revision--Shannon Style (Part Two: Personal Revisions)


The giveaway, not one, but two books! And what a fabulous series this looks like, if you don’t win, get it anyway.

WORD for Teens: Giveaway: The Devil's Kiss & Dark Goddess

And just a quick note, you can check my giveaway of Eileen Cook's latest book right here.

Winner of LOSING FAITH by Denise Jaden

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:5Powered by RANDOM.ORG

And....the winner is- Kimberly S.

Congratulations Kimberly, just waiting on your snail mail and I will send you the book this weekend.

Thanks to everyone who entered and have a great rest of the week!

Book Giveaway and Interview-Eileen Cook

Today I welcome Eileen Cook to my blog and Oh (MG&YA) Canada!  From her website:

Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in six different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer.  

Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

This week's  giveaway is for Eileen's recent release, THE EDUCATION OF HAILEY KENDRICK. (details at the end of the interview)

From Good Reads:

Hailey Kendrick always does exactly what's expected of her. She has the right friends, dates the perfect boy, gets good grades, and follows all the rules. But one night, Hailey risks everything by breaking a very big rule in a very public way...and with a very unexpected partner in crime. Hailey gets caught, but her accomplice does not, and Hailey takes the fall for both of them. 

Suddenly, Hailey's perfect life--and her reputation--are blowing up in her face. Her friends are all avoiding her. Her teachers don't trust her. Her boyfriend won't even speak to her for long enough to tell her that she's been dumped.

They say honesty is the best policy--but some secrets are worth keeping, no matter the cost. Or are they?

More from Eileen’s website:

".. enormously appealing and great company throughout this breezy read.....the highest quality—like a gourmet truffle. Cook has whipped up a real treat." - Kirkus Starred Review

"Cook coaxes considerable empathy for the otherwise privileged Hailey as she abandons the achievement treadmill to explore her independence." - Publishers Weekly

I totally agree with the above reviews. Especially what Publishers Weekly says about empathy for Hailey. I had that empathy one-hundred percent and felt for her as the father pulled further and further away from Hailey following the mother's death. Hailey is rich girl with everything she wants, but not the one thing she desperately needs.

Now! On with the interview. (the italics  is me, after the fact)

Thanks for taking the time to do this, Eileen! The book we’re giving away is  THE EDUCATION OF HAILEY KENDRICK. What was your inspiration for writing this particular book?

I was talking to some friends about how we tend to decide how we feel about ourselves based on what other people think of us. If you are the girlfriend of someone popular then somehow you are worth more than if you were dating someone who wasn’t as well liked.  If other people think we’re pretty or smart or funny, then somehow it is okay for us to think of ourselves that way. The downside of course is that if people tell you that you’re nothing, it’s too easy to start believing them. I wanted to write about someone who thought she knew EXACTLY who she was and how she fit into the world and then take all of that away from her. (And it so, so worked with this book. She had to rebuild herself and in doing so found her strength. I especially love how doing that also _gave_ her the strength to speak up and get exactly what she needed. Just a great read---and well worth re-reading!)

In the book, Hailey does something that is completely out of character when she is pushed to the limits by her dad. Is there anything you’ve ever done that you thought you’d _never_ be able to do? Er, that doesn’t involve destruction of school property, lol?

Well, some things I will never admit to because I never told my parents about it and they would still be mad if they knew. lol

When I was in university I decided to do a semester in Europe. It freaked me out because I had never gone someplace so far away without family or friends.  Traveling alone gave me the confidence that I could take care of myself and deal with things when they came up, without having to rely on someone else. Plus, I learned that I really liked my own company.  Now when I worry about something (and I tend to be a big worrier) I remind myself that if I can figure out foreign airports and ordering food off a menu in a language I can’t speak, I can probably figure out whatever situation I’m in.

We have some 2011 debut authors taking part in OH MG & YA Canada. Do you have any advice for them on going in to do that first school or library visit?  Or do you have a great debut moment you would like to share with us? (or--both?)

My advice for debut authors is to relax and enjoy the process. There will always be one more thing you should be doing, more time you could spend preparing for a talk, more interviews to do, but in the end there are only so many hours in the day. You can’t do everything, you have to choose what you feel you can do and what you enjoy.

I do have a great debut moment.  Not long after my first book came out I was on a ferry and saw someone reading my book. I had dreamed of this moment my whole life. A random stranger had bought my book and was reading it! I debated playing it cool- but I’ve never been able to pull that off.  I went over to the woman and told her that I was the author of the book she was reading. She gushed about how much she liked it. She asked me if I would autograph it for her. When she passed me the book I realized that even though the covers looked the same from across the ferry- this wasn’t my book. She was reading someone else’s book. I was too humiliated to tell her that I was mistaken and it wasn’t my book, so I simply signed the other author’s name and scurried away. (Oh. My. Oh. My, lol!!...Eileen. What a story-thank you for sharing it!)

In my book club I have some keen readers (of course!), but also some keen writers. They range in age from 8 to 13. When did you start writing and do you have any advice for my book clubbers?

I was always a huge reader and writer. My parents saved a homework assignment I did in second grade. We were supposed to write sentences to practice our handwriting, but I had linked mine all together so they made a story. The teacher wrote on the bottom “I’m sure someday you’ll be an author.”

My advice for writers is to read a lot. Books are the best teachers. If you like a book try and figure out how the author did it. Who is the main character? How would the story have been different if the story had been told from someone else’s point of view. For example- try and imagine the Harry Potter books told from Hermione’s point of view instead of Harry’s.

My second piece of advice is don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be a writer. There are unfortunately many people in the world who spend all their time and energy on trying to tear down other people’s dreams versus coming up with their own. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and cheer you on. (Thanks for this, I will be sure to pass this along at this Thursday's meeting. Thinking we need to set up a Young Writer's Club at the library...)

Speaking of my book club kids. Anything you’d like to recommend they read or we get for our library? Something that is a recent read, or a book you loved when you were a kid?

So many good books!  Some of my more recent favorite reads have been:  Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony,  Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly and The Declaration by Gemma Mailey. (Yes, yes on Restoring Harmony, I am giving that one to one of my book clubbers this Thursday.  Revolution is one of my co-workers favourite reads of all time. Will be sure to check out The Declaration! BTW, Joelle will be here for an interview and giveaway in April!)

And finally...

What is your favourite part of living where you do? Do you have another part of Canada that you love to visit or that you’ve always wanted to but haven’t yet?


I love Vancouver.  My favourite part is that it is such a great mix of everything, there are the mountains, the ocean, great funky shops, the hockey team, restaurants for every kind of food you can imagine, and always something to do. Sometimes when I get tired of all the bustle of the city I enjoy visiting the Sunshine Coast or Salt Spring Island.  I haven’t been to Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland, but those are both on my list for places I’d like to visit.

Okay. One more...

Anything I didn’t ask that you were hoping I would ask?

I’m so excited about my next YA book (it won’t be out until next January), so I’d love to tell you a bit about it.  The book will be called  Unraveling Isobel.  It is a gothic story complete with a giant old home on a remote island, a handsome and dangerous love interest, a centuries old family mystery, and a possible ghost. (Oh WOW, this sounds fantastic. Cannot wait!)

Lastly, I love hearing from readers. They can reach me at eileen@eileencook.com

Thanks for being here, Eileen!

Eileen's Website and Blog. 


All about OH (MG & YA) Canada.


To enter to win a copy of Eileen's book all you have to do is comment! Contest is open until February  16, 2011and is for U.S, and Canada.


And now, just for fun, Popularity Tips from Lauren Wood (Lauren is the MC of Eileen's Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood).  

Three (Writing) Reads and a Giveaway

A good before read on things to check for in your wip :

Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors: The 4 Most Common Mistakes Fiction Editors See

Especially excited to check out the link on Memories (yeah, have to head off to work soon, so this is a read that has to wait ’til I return!)

Seeing Creative: Cool Links Friday

And speaking of having to head out to work, another saved read through is (natch!)

Best Articles This Week for Writers 2/4/11

The giveaway is a link to my own. You have until this Monday (when Eileen Cook’s interview and giveaway goes up!) :

Just Deb: Interview and Giveaway-Denise Jaden


Happy Friday!

Three (Writing) Reads and a Giveaway

Okay. I loved this one. Why? Because the writer went the story and created a unique and compelling--vampire story. For me, it shows that ultimately you must not worry on there being hundreds of books just like yours out there--“just like yours” didn’t happen in this case. And if the author would have said “nah” to the story, “nah, there’s too many vampire books out there”, we wouldn’t this story to read. I guess it’s just my reminder to not through the vampire out with the bathwater-or the werewolf, or the Harry--

YA Outside the Lines: Interviewing myself

Now that you have the unique compelling idea-but it is a vampire/werewolf/angel, well you get the picture, the next is writing the query. Convincing the editor or agent that you really do have something new. This post from Adventures in Children’s Publishing has some good, good advice. First, you need to find, follow, research the whoever might be a good fit, then you have to write the query :

WOW Weds: Michelle Leigh Brown on Writing in the Cracks


A great random read I came across while browsing through friends of friends blogs. It’s on writing the alternate or parallel universe. Sets your imagination to humming-of course, if you are currently working on or finishing up a project, set the hum to low so it doesn’t interfere with the current wip. Seems I have to do that quite a bit...

Paperback Writer: Multiversing

Entered this giveaway, you should check it out, too. Knights, Templars-fighting, fantasy. Yep, my kind of read!

Mundie Moms: Author Interview & Giveaway with Sarwat Chadda

And the Winner of Pluto's Ghost by Sheree Fitch is...

Kat of Kat in Books!

Congrats, Kat. When I have your address I send out the book!

For those interested in what it was all about, here's the link to the giveaway and information about the book :

Pluto's Ghost by Sheree Fitch

And here's the link to the current giveaway for Denise Jaden's Losing Faith :

Interview and Giveaway-Denise Jaden

Happy Reading All!

Cindy's Love Of Books: (Author Interview) Jan Markley

Cindy's Love Of Books: (Author Interview) Jan Markley

Three (Writing) Reads and a Giveaway (Contest)

Not quite a read, more a watch, but I always love the tips that Tina gathers. This one? About research.

Tracy Barrett - Research Tip of the Day - Tales from the Rushmore Kid

Great post on unsticking that which is stuck--and conversation in the comments to keep the ideas flowing!

Words On Paper: It's Like a Movie

Follow along with The League of Extraordinary Writers this week! They are sharing how they revise. Here’s Julia Karr’s post :

The League of Extraordinary Writers: Writing/Revising - Same coin/2 sides

This is more of a contest--and it’s a gooder if you are on an agent hunt and one of those agents that has made your short list is Alyssa Eisner Henkin of Trident Media! Contest ends this Friday and is for MG and YA manuscripts (more about what Alyssa is looking for on the Trident site, plus in various interviews you’ll find when you google her name, or check her out on Query Tracker...huh, am I still talking?...okay. Here’s the link :

Market My Words: Need an agent? Pay It Forward Contest starts today!