Category Archives: writing life

I took part in several conversations yesterday about crying while reading. Do you do it? I do. I cry every single time I read Persuasion. I weep buckets reading epic fantasy (anything from C.L. Wilson to the Chronicles of Narnia … Continue reading

Posted in bookaholic, SSG, unicorns, writing life 25 Comments

I really don’t know. Perhaps later I’ll be able to parse this experience. Is it: The hours spent on a fainting couch working on my latest project The chance to discuss craft, genre, and industry with talented colleagues at all … Continue reading

Posted in team castle, writing life, YA 4 Comments

So on Friday, Sailor Boy calls me and is like, “Okay, command decision. We’re driving down to Alexandria tonight and trying to get into the Birchmere.” Since it usually takes me about three weeks to ease Sailor Boy into the … Continue reading

Posted in diversions, other writers, SB, trips, words, WOW, writing life Comments Off on My Weekend = So Cool

BookEnds Literary Agency recently did a fascinating series of posts about why an agent might turn down work they think is good and/or saleable. It started when agent Jessica Faust shared a story from the trenches: She requested a partial … Continue reading

Posted in writing advice, writing industry, writing life 7 Comments

A lot of people have been asking me, and the rumors are out on the internet, so though I have not been given the go-ahead by TPTB over at Harper, I have decided to respond, since “I can neither confirm … Continue reading

Posted in Justine, Scott, unicorns, writing life, YA 6 Comments

As this is Valentine’s Day weekend, one might assume I would be posting the new Secret Story, “My Phi Beta Kappa Valentine” today. You would be… well, not right, but close. I’m working on it. I got a little distracted … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized, writing life 1 Comment

I’m in that stage in writing a book where I’m completely obsessed. It’s all I think about. While I’m doing the dishes, I think about how to tweak lines of dialogue. While I’m eating dinner with my husband, I’m planning … Continue reading

Posted in writing industry, writing life 6 Comments

Oh noes! The killer unicorns! They have taken over my website! Thanks to ‘brina for the cornification. In other news, the killer unicorn takeover of the known world continues apace. At the School Library Journal, kidlit blogger Fuse #8 casts … Continue reading

Posted in bookaholic, other writers, Scott, unicorns, writing industry, writing life, YA, zombies 3 Comments

Given that approximately seventy-five people have emailed me about the “Yale” episode of Gossip Girl, I suppose I should not be surprised by the fact that the episode was hot news on the Yale campus — hot enough, indeed, to … Continue reading

Posted in SSG, Uncategorized, writing life 7 Comments

Particularly self-censorship (i.e., we shall not include this book in our library collection for fear of the ruckus) and the topics that often provoke this action. Read now! This article is the topic of much discussion amongst the YA writers … Continue reading

Posted in biz, Blume, industry, NYPL, other writers, SSG, unicorns, writing life, YA 10 Comments