March Madness Inklings Book Giveaway: Glamour

With all the great writers I know--especially in my own writing group--I'd be "mad" not to share their words with the world.  I can tell you about their books all day long, but I figured, hey, why not give you a book so you can read it? Seeing is believing.

This month I'm giving away an autographed book each week.

Mefirstmefirstmefirst!

How far are you willing to go to look beautiful? Glamour is not your ordinary fairy tale.

To enter to win my young adult novel  Glamour, follow my blog (click the word "follow" at the top of your screen and do whatever else it says) and leave a comment on this entry (so I can keep track).  If you're already a follower, simply comment below.

You can enter until Sunday. I'll announce the winner on Wednesday...and start a new giveaway.

Let's get this party started!

Do you write?

HAWK Publishing is hosting its annual writing workshop June 6-7, 2009. Speakers include published authors (including yours truly) as well as acquiring agents and editors. It's always a cozy weekend in Tulsa with plenty of opportunities to network. Plus, it's not one of those workshops where the speakers talk at you. It's called a workshop for a reason.

Executive Director William Bernhardt is also offering a writing seminar June 8-12 where you can tweak your novel.

So, if you haven't signed up yet, click here. I hope to see you there!

Girl Scouts Rock!

Girl Scouts rock!

When I spoke at HAWK's writing conference this summer, I met a friendly writing group from Arkansas. Later, I received an email from my publisher that Jeannie Stone, one of the fun-loving members, is a Girl Scout leader and wanted to work with Glamour to help the girls achieve their Bronze Award.

I'm thrilled to get to be a part of it. They've scheduled so many fun activities for Glamour's release. The best part is that even if you're not a Girl Scout, you can still attend.

Here's what I know so far.

Friday, November 21 in Fort Smith, Arkansas
I'm not sure of the details on this one.

Saturday, November 22 in Russelville, Arkansas
11-3 Booksigning at Hastings 11-3
5-7 Writing workshop given by yours truly at Pope County Library. We'll focus on journal writing and "Finding your Fairy Voice"
7-midnight Slumber party at Pope County Library. Lots of fun activities are planned that relate to Glamour. During the evening, attendees will receive special patches made just for the event!

Contact Jeannie Stone at 479-747-0210 for more information on the slumber party and writing workshop.

Jeannie's ideas are fabulous, and I can't wait to see her and the girls in action. She's incorporating some of the ideas found on my website as well as coming up with her own. I'm not sure what's been decided, but all of her ideas are based on the novel. I've heard there may be a Native American dancer, an astronomer, a doll maker and much more.

Monday and Tuesday, November 23-24 in Little Rock, Arkansas
I think they're planning more of the same, but I'm not sure of the details.

Contact Meredith Poland at 501-758-1020 or 800-632-6894 ext. 224

If you're in the Arkansas area, I hope you stop by for the booksignings and/or sign up for the slumber parties and writing workshops. It's going to be a blast.

If you have a Girl Scout Troop in another state and would like to incorporate Glamour into your schedule, let me know. I'd love to meet more amazing people and get to be a part of activities.

HAWK Workshop Last Weekend

The workshop went well last weekend. As always, Bill Bernhardt and the HAWK staff created an environment catered to the previous year's requests and critiques. Authors, a tv personality, a lawyer, a marketing director, and more offered workshops for attendees. It was a full two days.

A couple of years have passed since I've had a shot at teaching, so getting back into the groove was fun. I wholeheartedly approached my Indiana Jones theme by taking a bullwhip and throwing snakes (not real!) into the audience. Hey, Indie has a lot to teach writers about revision. Hopefully, the attendees learned something because I certainly had a good time. When my book comes out on November 18, I look forward to the opportunity of teaching/speaking engagements. If you know anyone who is interested, just send me a line.

Here are some worthy comments from the speakers:
"A pile of rejections doesn't spell doom if it's a pile of rejections from the wrong people."--Melissa Flashman, an agent at Trident Media.

This comment should inspire writers to not only research the genres agents like but to also keep trying. When discussing a hook for a query letter or pitch, she said that clever words don't interest her, but genre does.

"Smaller press can make you a priority on a list. A book that sells 10,000 copies will sell that many no matter who publishes it. If that’s the case with your book, consider that because people look at your numbers. It’s often the ones with the big advances that have difficulty selling the next book because the numbers are in the red." Paul Taunton, an editor at Random House

Not only am I thrilled to work with HAWK, a smaller house, but Paul's words reassured me that HAWK was the right house for my book. They really have made me a priority by allowing me to have a say on everything from final edits to book design. Where else can a first time writer get that sort of respect?

Below is a pic of some of my writing friends--old and new--who were at the workshop.

Tulsa News Channel 6

If you're able to watch the news on 6 in Tulsa, OK, this Thursday, tune in! You'll get to witness my first interview. I think we'll discuss HAWK's workshop and Glamour. I'm scheduled for 12:40.

Release date is set!

Glamour is set to be released for November 18, 2008.



HAWK has been very kind and accomodating to work around my "pregnant" schedule. Since my baby boy is due in early September, they've pushed the release date for my book so that I can travel.



I hope to see you at future book events!

HAWK Writing Workshop

3 reasons to go to Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 21-22, 2008.

3. Tornado season is mostly at an end by then.

2. The HAWK Writing Workshop is a good one.
1. I'm speaking at the HAWK Writing Workshop!

I've attended previous workshops and have been thrilled at the different approach taken by HAWK. It's not like any conference I've ever attended. There is a personal touch that makes you feel comfortable and opens you up to learning. This year promises to be even better--and not just because I plan to dazzle my (captive) audience. The model for the weekend changes each session, so just because you've attended one before does not mean you know what to expect. The organizers really seem to pay attention to feedback and give attendees what they want.

One of my favorite aspects of the event is that it's a real workshop. Sure, speakers will talk to you and pull some of the lecture-y stuff you get at conferences around the nation, but here they also give you activities you can use in your writing as well as the opportunity to practice new skills. For example, one year we had a one-on-one pitch practice session. I watched others give their pitches and get critiqued as well as practicing my pitch. The experience was invaluable for pitch sessions as well as query letters. The personal contact with speakers and other attendees makes the learning continue beyond the sessions.

This year, the first day of the workshop will have two tracks: one for fiction and one for non-fiction. The second day will consist of selling your work and all the little details it involves.

Learn more information here. Check out the faculty here. Register here.

My book is on its way!

On the last day of the conference, I received an email regarding the final proofs of Glamour. I reviewed them and made final edits. It's shocking to think of how many people have looked over the manuscript and we're still finding things! I guess it's a testimony to all the English teachers who suggest having someone else read your paper before submitting it for a grade.

I received an email today that said the book will probably go to press this week. Yea!

Nancy Bishop designed the interior of the book as well as the cover. She's a genius. Her work totally blows me away. I'm so thankful that HAWK assigned her as Glamour's artist.

Glamour on the go

Glamour, my first YA novel, has moved out of my hands to the good people at HAWK.

Glamour was a fun book to write. Remembering what it was like to be a teenager wasn't difficult because I feel like I've spent most of my life there--either as a kid or a teacher. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and editing.

The hard part was AFTER I wrote the book. Learning how to pitch it to agents and editors was mind numbing and almost enough to make me think I was content to have it just for myself thankyouverymuch. I'm glad I didn't, though. My writing group and other friends encouraged me and my own little fairy tale came true.

Once the amazing Bill Bernhardt from HAWK expressed his interest in publishing the manuscript, I felt like I was in some sort of surreal world. Maybe not Salvador Dali with all his melting clocks but more like the Willy Wonka's area with the chocolate river, edible daffodil teacups, and the Oompa Loompas. I feared I'd be like one of the naughty children in the story and mess up everything.

And there were things for me to mess up. I had to supply a photo for the book jacket. How do you decide what that should be? People might just look at the pic and think, "No WAY am I reading anything by this chica." Um, not that I've done anything so shallow before.

And then there's a bio. Seriously, I know common sense indicates that I'm the prime person to write about me, but I didn't know what to include. Did I mention that I began writing in the first grade? Did I mention that I grew up in Oklahoma in the Creek Nation Captial and my family was from the Cherokee Capital--both of which influenced the American Indian aspect of my story? Did I mention that unlike most people I loved high school--even though middle school was about as painful as the first few weeks of American Idol? Nope. I mentioned none of these things. Brevity seemed best.

And now I wait semi-patiently as some creative superhero designs the cover of what will be my first published novel. I am so excited to see how someone else interprets my story! I'll share it with you as soon as I can.