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Where I Write: A Peek inside Author Lauren Clark’s Office! | Giveaway too!

* 5/24: This giveaway is now closed! Thanks :) *

 

Friend and member of Ladies Who Critique, (disclaimer: she’s also one of my PR clients ;-) ) Lauren Clark is celebrating the release of her fabulous second novel, Dancing Naked in Dixie TODAY and she is sharing the space where her writing magic happens below!

I shared the cover of her new book on the LWC facebook page recently, but it’s so wonderful I want to show you again! THIS my friends is a book cover that will grab a readers attention (male and female no doubt!)

Dixie is set in New York and small town Alabama, and like many great books have done in the past, after finishing the last page I desperately wanted to get on the next plane and discover Alabama for myself. Lauren lives in the State of sweet tea and sweeter Southern folk and does a fantastic job at painting the environment for her readers. It’s the perfect summer beach read.

Ok enough of me. I’m turning things over to Lauren! Enjoy!

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Guest post by Lauren Clark:

With Dancing Naked in Dixie being released this week, I’ve spent (what feels like) the last month inside the four walls of my office. Luckily, I like it here–it’s filled with many of my favorite things!

 

While I prefer to ‘write’ at the local college library in a study room, everything else–email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.–gets done in this room. We have a 108-year old home in a historic district; every room has wood floors and tall ceilings. The office, just off of our enclosed second-story porch, gets lots of light and I can see the treetops through the glassed-in French doors past the bookcases. The birds are chirping outside the window right now!

 

My office necessities include photos of my children (aren’t they cute?), my Macbook (flanked by my hand-written calendar on the left and never-ending to-do list on the right), and my ten year-old desk and chair from Pier One. I often have a can of La Croix sparkling water nearby, which I’ve grown to really like since I gave up Diet Dr. Pepper about a year ago.  This in no way implies that I’ve stopped drinking coffee–that is a daily staple!

 

Above the desk is a lovely handmade card from my publicist, Laura Pepper Wu, my Pure Barre schedule, new Dancing Naked in Dixie swag, my phone, and Kindle (w/pink case)!

Lauren Clark's Writing Space 

My trusty bookcase on the right hasn’t buckled yet under the weight of books from my favorite authors–including Emily Giffin, Sophie Kinsella, Jennifer Weiner, Jodi Picoult, Stieg Larsson, and Alice Hoffman. The bottom shelf is filled with writing and reference books.

 

My go-to purse is hanging on the chair. It’s a backpack designed by flight attendants (Bagallini) and I take it everywhere, along with a notepad to jot down ideas for stories!

 

Oh, I almost forgot to mention one item I keep in my office at all times…my pink princess crown! My boys bought it for me when we visited Legoland in March. I thought it was so adorable that I picked up a matching one for my neighbor, who is one of my closest friends. When we got home from the trip, Yvonne and I sat out on my front porch (wearing the crowns) while our boys played with their new Lego Ninjago toys in the front yard. It’s just a reminder that being silly once in a while is good for the soul!!

 

If you’re setting up your own writing space, in my opinion, it doesn’t have to be large, have an oak roll-top desk, or expensive framed prints to decorate the walls. Your “office”– whether it’s a closet, or a corner in the laundry room, or a space you share with your spouse–should reflect what you love and what makes you feel comfortable. Happy Writing!

 

I’d love to hear about your writing space and what makes it special. Or, if you prefer, ask me about my latest book, Dancing Naked in Dixie. If you’re one of the first five to comment, you’ll receive an ebook copy of Dixie.    xx, Lauren

Smart, Sassy Fiction with a Southern Twist

 Dancing Naked in Dixie for Kindle

Dancing Naked in Paperback

Dancing Naked for Nook

Lauren Clark Books Website

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May 21, 2012   Category: Giveaways & Contests, Guest Posts, main   5 Comments comments

GIVEAWAY & 7 Quick Fire Questions, 3 Expert Tips with Kathleen Shoop, Author of ‘After the Fog’

UPDATE 5/17: Winner has been chosen. Congrats, Melissa!

 

I’m delighted to introduce award-winning author Kathleen Shoop to the Ladies Who Critique blog!

 

Kathleen is the author of THE LAST LETTER, which sat on the Kindle bestseller list last summer selling more than 50,000 copies and winning 8 awards. Her latest historical fiction novel, AFTER THE FOG is set in the steel mill town of Donora, Pennsylvania, site of the infamous 1948 “killing smog.” It’s out now to purchase, or you could win a copy simply by leaving a comment below!* If you are chosen as the winner, I’ll send the book right out to you and you can curl up with it next weekend.

*This comp is open to US residents only. Sorry folks outside of the US! I try not to make a habit of doing US only contests but shipping costs sometimes dictate that. 

 

About AFTER THE FOG:

Rose Pavlesic is a straight-talking, gifted nurse who is also controlling and demanding. She has to be to ensure her life is mistake-free and to create a life for her children that reflects everything she missed as an orphaned child. Rose has managed to keep her painful secrets buried in her past, away from her loving husband—who she discovers has secrets of his own—their dutiful children and their large extended, complicated family.

 But, as a stagnant weather cycle works to trap poisonous gasses from the three mills in town, Rose’s nursing career thrusts her into a conflict of interest she never could have fathomed—putting the lives of her loved ones at risk. As the fog thickens, Rose’s neighbors are dying; thousands of people in the community are becoming increasingly ill. Rose is faced with decisions that can destroy her carefully constructed House of Pavlesic and reveal its true character.


 

7 Quick Fire Questions:

1. City Gal or Country Bumpkin? –City Gal who’d love to be a Country Bumpkin! I love magazines like Mary Jane’s Farm. I’m fascinated with people who have gardens and vegetables and live, even partially, off their own earth. I’m as far away from being that woman as a person can be!

2. Fave food? Pasta—seafood and pasta—put them together and I’m a happy lady.

3. Favorite place on earth? Kiawah Island—when my car circles onto the main drag and we head toward the gates, I lose every ounce of stress I have!

4. Combination of men to create your dream man?  Leonardo DiCaprio, Randy Pausch (alive, of course), Mike Greenberg 

5. If I gave you a superpower, what would it be? To turn back time

6. Would You Rather… Give up your computer or your car? Car, definitely! I often think if I shrunk my existence down to places I could walk, things would get real simple real fast…then I realize that’s another fantasy for me, right up there with being a farm girl. Living in the suburbs is no place to be car-less!

7. What would you buy with an extra $100 right now? New shoes

 

3 Expert Tips! Three Tips for Writers

 

 

1. Never forget the joy you get out of writing. Bring that sensation to the keyboard and it will help you forget about all the people judging the work later.

2. Immerse yourself in the backstory. I don’t mean to tell everything in the characters’ backstory, but surround yourself with the things the characters might find beautiful, utilitarian, awful. Just having one item my characters might have used helps me find the core of who they are.

3. Fall in love with revision and critique. The trick is finding people who can read your work and understand what you’re trying to do scene by scene. Then they can tell you what’s working and what isn’t. Having readers wrench the book into a vision you don’t have is not helpful. I want my book to be as strong as possible, but I want it to be mine! When you have that relationship with a reader you know when they say “this works,” that it does and when they say, “this is not doing what you think it is,” that you need to go back into the text.  

 

You’ve got to be in it to win it! Leave a comment :)

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May 14, 2012   Category: 7 Questions. 3 Tips, Author Interviews, Books, Giveaways & Contests, main   3 Comments comments

The Busy Mom’s Guide to Writing, a Guest Post by Suzannah (Write it Sideways) & GIVEWAY!

 UPDATE: 5/10 – This giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats to Angela Hunter who won a copy!

 

Thanks to Suzannah of Write it Sideways for this hilarious anecdote of balancing writing and motherhood. Leave a comment below about the book or your own writing challenges to win a copy of Suzannah’s fabulous new guide, The Busy Mom’s Guide to Writing.

 

- Laura

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I’m a mom, and I’m a writer.

Like all other moms who write, I’m busy. Actually, as a mom of one school-aged child, one toddler, and a set of 7-week-old twins, busy is an understatement. These days, I wear a lot of ‘comfort fashions’ and dream of having a shower the way a child dreams of being accidentally locked in a candy shop overnight. I recently learned about an enticing short story contest, the deadline of which was rapidly approaching. I’d already started a story which was perfect for the competition, but could I possibly complete it, let it marinate, edit and proofread it in just five days?

My kids’ mid-morning nap times were ideal for writing, but what would I do when, at 5:30 am, three-quarters of my offspring were screaming just as I was struck with the creativity and stamina to compete such a challenge? Here’s what: I made my 2-year-old’s breakfast and sat him in his highchair. I plunked myself on the couch with a nursing pillow strapped to my waist (it sort of looks like one of those big trays hotdog salesmen wear at baseball games) in order to feed the twins. I then proceeded to write on my laptop, which was stacked on top of a craft table, several books and a Lego box to bring the computer to the right height.

Awkward. Very awkward.

But, after several mornings spent this way, I finished the story and entered the contest. I may not win or even make the shortlist, but I’m happy I gave it my best. Plus, if I don’t win, I still have a story I can submit to literary magazines.

While I wouldn’t recommend regularly putting yourself in such a position, remember there are always solutions (or at least partial solutions) for your time predicaments. When you’re a busy mom with a passion for writing, you’ll find ways to get your words on the page, even if it means a little indignity and a whole lot of juggling. Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll see me featured in an article like Weird Writing Habits of Famous Authors. Until then, you can bet I’ll be practising awkward writing poses for my press shot.

 

Suzannah Windsor Freeman is the creator and editor of Write It Sideways, and author of The Busy Mom’s Guide to Writing. Her short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Grist, Sou’wester, SawPalm, The Sand Hill Review, and The Best of the Sand Hill Review anthology. Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/writeitsideways Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/writeitsideways Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/writeitsideways/

 

 

 To be in with a chance of winning, just leave a comment!

 

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May 7, 2012   Category: Giveaways & Contests, Guest Posts, main, Writing Skills   15 Comments comments

Interview with Sheryl Steine, Author of The Day of First Sun

Today we have an interview with Sheryl Steines, author of the urban fantasy novel, The Day of First Sun. Read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour (from NovelPublicity.com), including $450 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.

 

If you could travel in a time machine, would you go back to the past or into the future? 

I would go to the past, meet famous people, see history as it happened.  I’d be afraid to go to the future.  I’m not sure I really want to know when I die.

If you could jump into a book, and live in that world, which would it be? 

This might be to expected, but I would love to live at Hogwarts, stroll through Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, play with all the magical stuff, and visit the Weasleys at their house.  I saw the Harry Potter exhibit at the museum a few years ago, and it just seemed so fun.

If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why? 

Sandra Bullock.  Since she became a movie star, people all over the place tell me I look like her.  She’s also funny.  I can only imagine how much more interesting and funny my life would be if she were the lead.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

I always knew I wanted to be a writer.  There were times that I thought I wanted to be an interior decorator, but in the end, I was always much happier writing and creating.

Who are your favorite authors of all time?

I have two.  The first would be Stephen King.  I was always amazed by the detail and imagination he used in his books, especially the earliest books.  I watched him on an interview many years ago and he was talking about the things he was afraid of, one of which was sleeping with his feet outside the covers at night.  He would always cover his feet so that the monsters under the bed wouldn’t get him.  I laughed so hard because I do the same thing.  J.K. Rowling is also a favorite.  Her life story and Harry Potter reminded me that I wanted to be a writer when I was seven.  She reminded me of the genre that I loved.  It got me thinking about what stories intrigued me.  I watched her interview on Oprah and cried through the entire thing.  It got me thinking of ways to take my personal experiences and hide them in the fantasy world. (more…)

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March 19, 2012   Category: Author Interviews, Books, Giveaways & Contests, main   3 Comments comments

Can You Describe Your Novel in 6 Words?

 

How would you describe your novel in 6 words?

Leave a comment below!

I’m feeling generous so if I choose your answer as the best one, I’ll send on a $10 Amazon giftcard.

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January 13, 2012   Category: Giveaways & Contests, main, Writing Skills   21 Comments comments

Just How Glamorous is Being a TV Anchor or Reporter? A Guest Post by Lauren Clark of Stay Tuned

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Stay Tuned eBook edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week.

What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including lots of Amazon gift cards (up to $100 in amount) and 5 autographed copies of the book. Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, December 2nd, so you don’t miss out.

 

To Win the Prizes:

1. Purchase your copy of Stay Tuned for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble (You’ll need it for the big contest on Friday)

2. Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes

3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!

 

…And I can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.

 

The Featured Events include:

Monday, Radio Interview with Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We interviewed Lauren on our radio show Sunday night and have embedded the full podcast and blogged about its highlights. Give it a listen and then leave a comment on the blog post. This is a great chance to get to know more about this fun and bubbly author. One commenter will win an autographed copy of Stay Tuned. Don’t forget to enter for the other contest prizes while you’re over there!

Tuesday, Twitter sharing contest! A tweet is tiny, only 140 characters. But on Tuesday, it could win you $50. Send the following tweet across the twittersphere, and you just may win a $50 Amazon gift card. An autographed copy of Stay Tuned is also up for grabs. The winners will be announced Wednesday morning. Here’s the tweet:  Take a break from the holiday frenzy, and read Stay Tuned. It’s fast, fun, and reduced to just 99 cents! http://ow.ly/7zA1e #whirlwind

Wednesday, Google+ sharing contest! Yup, there’s yet another awesome opportunity to win a $50 Amazon gift card, and this time it just takes a single click! Visit Google+ and share Emlyn Chand’s most recent post (you’ll see the Stay Tuned book cover included with it). On Thursday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of Stay Tuned is also up for grabs. Two chances to win with just one click! How about that?

Thursday, Facebook sharing contest! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and share their latest post (you’ll see the Stay Tuned book cover included with it). It’s ridiculously easy to win! On Friday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of Stay Tuned is also up for grabs.

Friday, special contest on the author’s site! Are you ready for some more fun? Take a picture of yourself with your copy of Stay Tuned either in paperback or on an eReading device, tag Lauren Clark’s Facebook page, and you can enter to win one of three Amazon gift cards! A $100 prize will go to the most creative photo, $50 to the best BFF photo, and $50 to the photo with the most people in it. An autographed copy of Stay Tuned is also up for grabs. If you need help learning how to tag a photo, you can visit Lauren’s Facebook page for detailed instructions.

 

Remember, it’s all about the books!

About Stay Tuned: What happens when a #1 news team becomes the top story instead of reporting it? For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee disputes to her high-maintenance boss, there’s not much she hasn’t seen or can’t handle. But no one—including Melissa—expects a fistfight during the ten o’clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor’s face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She’s determined that WSGA’s reputation won’t be destroyed on her watch. Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in—but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life starts fraying at the edges. Melissa’s husband is away more than he’s home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother’s antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker decides Melissa is her next target. What happens next? Stay Tuned to find out… Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the Author: Lauren Clark has been a voracious reader since the age of four and would rather be stranded at the library than on a desert island. In her former life, she worked as an anchor and producer for CBS affiliates in Upstate New York and Alabama. Lauren adores her family, yoga, her new Electra bike, and flavored coffee. She lives near the Florida Gulf Coast. Visit her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

 

Now please enjoy this guest post from the author….

 

Nine Myths and a Truth: The Real Story Behind the Scenes at a Local Television Station**

10. Reporters are paid tons of money!  FALSE—Reporters at small television stations are paid a little more than minimum wage. They are required to have a college degree and many just-out-of-school jobs are classified as a “One Man Band, ” which means that the reporter carries the camera, shoots the footage, does the interviews, then writes and edits the story.

9. Reporters get to meet famous people! SOMETIMES—I was fortunate enough to meet Vice Presidential Candidate Geraldine Ferraro and many local senators and congress members. However, I did interview Eliott Spitzer while he was New York State’s attorney general. Now that’s just creepy!

8. Reporters and anchors get lots of perks! SOMETIMES—Reporters do often get sideline tickets and backstage passes to events. However, it’s often a reporter attends only AFTER her or she covers the actual event, which means working for at least the first part of the concert, fundraiser, or dinner.

7. It’s always glamorous! NOT REALLY—Often, reporting took me to crime scenes, car crashes, bad neighborhoods, dairy farms, voting polls, and raging fires. My most unique assignments included reporting on a lost Emu and covering cattle judging at a local fair. In Alabama—try to stay cool and look pretty in 105-degree heat! In Upstate New York, this meant trudging through the deep snow to get a story.

6. If you’re an anchor, people do your makeup and choose your clothes! FALSE—In smaller markets, you do your own makeup (MAC is the best!) and bring your own clothes. Sometimes, the television station might give you a small clothing allowance, but a few hundred dollars doesn’t go far when you work 5 days a week.

5. Viewers call in and tell anchors how wonderful they are! SOMETIMES—I admit, I did get some fan mail and it was pretty fabulous. However, most often, people called in to complain about (1) an outfit someone was wearing (which a viewer didn’t like it), (2) a story reported on (which a viewer didn’t like it), or (3) a story that didn’t get coverage. There was one particular viewer who didn’t like the way I said “Iraq.”  (It’s not Eye-rack. It’s Ir-aq)

4. The hardest part of the job is interviewing people!  FALSE—I loved that part! I thought it was so amazing to talk to people from all walks of life and find out why they were a farmer, a policeman, or a teacher. I liked asking questions that made people think. Some of the most rewarding stories were health-related (recovery from an illness) or the features about children. The hardest part for me was the shift I worked:  2 am – 10 am. (This meant getting up at 1:15 am every morning!!)

3. You always have to dress up! FALSE—On the weekends, in smaller markets, it’s pretty common for anchors and reporters to wear a formal suit or top, but have jeans underneath and casual shoes (hidden under the desk).  I’ve known some sports guys to wear tennis shoes or flip-flops on set!

2. The camera adds ten pounds! FALSE—It’s actually more like fifteen or twenty! People often commented on how short I was or how much thinner I was in person. (Sigh!)

1. I’ve heard that anchors use Preparation H under their eyes to reduce puffiness!? TRUE—I’ve done it, anyway. When you’re working 2 am – 10 am, there’s only so much coffee and sugar can do!

Overall, it was an amazing opportunity to work as an anchor, producer, and reporter at two CBS affiliates. I made some wonderful friends, worked with many talented people, and really enjoyed the experience.

**These comments are solely the views of the author and do not represent the actual experiences of every anchor or reporter who currently works in or has previously worked in television news.

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November 30, 2011   Category: Author Interviews, Giveaways & Contests, Guest Posts, main   3 Comments comments

What Supernatural Birthday Power Would You Wish For? | Farsighted by Emlyn Chand

Today I am absolutely delighted to bring you news of debut author Emlyn Chand’s new paranormal YA, Farsighted. As well as being a completely original and awesome debut novel, what makes things even cooler is that yesterday (the release of the print version) was also Emlyn’s 27th Birthday.

Courtesy of: http://www.birthday-anniversary.net

This got me thinking about how we can celebrate both Emlyn’s birthday AND the release of her debut novel..

& I’d love for you to join in!

Farsighted‘s main character is Alex Kosmitoras, who might be blind, but he can “see” things that others can’t. In other words, he has visions of the future…

**If you could grant Emlyn one birthday wish for a supernatural power that comes to life only on her birthday each year, what would it be and why?**

 

The coolest thing about granting this power is that it automatically comes true for yourself on your birthday too.

Neat huh?

Here is what I wish for Emlyn (& myself!!)

“Happy Birthday Emlyn! For your birthday I grant you the power to “THINK EMAIL” What does this entail? Well no more typing out emails, or even opening up your computer. Simply think up an email in your mind, think about pressing the send button, et voila! (I know you’ll love this one!)

 

 

 

 

Now it’s your turn…

**What superpower wish would you grant Emlyn for her birthday (and by default yourself) each year? Leave a comment below and you’ll automatically be entered into the raffle to win a $100 Amazon gift card!**

＃＃＃

THE BOOK:  Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t.  When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Get your copy today by visiting Amazon.com’s Kindle store or the eBook retailer of your choice.

THE CASH PRIZES:  Guess what? You could win a $100 Amazon gift card as part of this special blog tour. That’s right! Just leave a comment below saying something about the post you just read, and you’ll be entered into the raffle. (I could win $100 too! Please help by voting for Ladies Who Critique in the traffic-breaker poll. To cast your vote, visit the official Farsighted blog tour page and scroll all the way to the bottom. Thank you for your help with that.)

THE GIVEAWAYS:  Win 1 of 10 autographed copies of Farsighted before its paperback release by entering the giveaway on GoodReads. Perhaps you’d like an autographed postcard from the author; you can request one on her site.

 

THE AUTHOR:  Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky!

 

 

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November 25, 2011   Category: Giveaways & Contests, main   5 Comments comments

Spread the Word About LWC, Help Us to Reach 500 Members, Win a Great Prize!

[Please note: This is the same announcement taken from our newsletter, sent out to newsletter subscribers on November 15th.]

 

Dear Lady Who Critiques!

I started Ladies Who Critique in August 2011 because I had had such difficulty finding a critique partner myself and wanted to make it easier for other writers to find good, reliable critique partners to improve their writing (and confidence in writing!). For a site that receives no funding and is run only by little old me, I’m delighted that 3 months after launching we are at 400+ members! As we approach our first big milestone of 500 members, we want to share some love with a giveaway, and an incentive to share the word about Ladies Who Critique with your writing friends and networks that might benefit from the site.

 

The prizes up for grabs are:

Careful or You’ll Wind Up in My Novel Necklace from Etsy Seller Erin, of Bookish Charm (Blog: TheWanderingReader.com)



1 of 3 Customized writing folder & pad from Faerie Kat of FaerieKat’s Trinkets & Treasures: Critique Me, It’s Time to Write, I Write Therefore I Am. (Made especially for Ladies Who Critique!)

Kat used the Zentangle® art form/method and Sakura Pigma Micron pens to create the folder cover design.  Each  5.5″X8″ folder is made of Bristol vellum and is decorated with a coordinating, hand-tied bow permanently affixed with hot glue.  A writing pad by Second Nature containing 50 sheets of recycled 5″X8″ paper is included.

 

 
 
Plus a $25 Amazon Giftcard is Up For Grabs!

For a chance to win, here’s all you have to do:

Remember that you have to be in it to win it! Winners will be chosen by the end of the month and announced on December 2nd 2011. Get your entries in now!

 

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November 15, 2011   Category: Giveaways & Contests, main   2 Comments comments

Writing a Main Character Who Isn’t Nice vs. Keeping A Character Realistic | YA BOOK GIVEAWAY!!

This is a guest post from Young Adult author Stephanie Campbell. Read on for your chance to win a copy of her latest book, Grounding Quinn.

 

When Laura first asked me to write a guest post, and told me that I could pick the topic, I of course, immediately thought of happy things that I could share. Like how thrilling it is every time I get a good review. Or about the many amazing people I’ve met on my journey and how they helped me shape my manuscript into the book it eventually became. But the more thought I gave it, the more I wanted to write about something that I struggled with in hopes that it might help someone who is having the same trouble with their own manuscript, or even help give readers a different perspective when it comes to reading YA fiction.

 

 

You know that girl you sat next to in Bio II, who always had a scowl on her face and never had a nice thing to say to anyone? She had a story. That popular guy who on the outside, appeared to have it all- inside, he was struggling with something bigger than you could imagine. Young Adults today have it rough, that’s reality. Bullying is out of hand. Teens are tormented for their sexual orientation. The rate of teens experiencing abuse in relationships is staggering. And they aren’t always going to have a smile on their face, or a cheerful greeting while they deal with their reality.

 

Far too often I read a novel dealing with a very serious topic, and the main character is still the cookie-cutter, overachieving, “good girl.” I wanted to steer clear of that type of character while writing Grounding Quinn, and make Quinn as realistic and true to herself as I possibly could, even if it wasn’t the popular route. By far, the biggest hurdle I faced when writing Grounding Quinn was getting readers to understand her and not be turned off by her brashness.

 

For some reason, there is a big market for realistic, darker YA fiction, but it appears that readers are a lot less accepting when the main character happens to be in need of a major attitude adjustment as a result of his/her troubled home life, eating disorder, or other crisis they are going through. In addition, readers seem to be much more tolerant of an overly snarky sidekick, than they are of the mean character having an abundance of sass.

 

The general consensus from my early beta readers was that I needed to make Quinn much, much nicer. I received feedback that it wasn’t realistic that Quinn had such an enormous chip on her shoulder at such a young age.

I disagreed.

 

And while ultimately, I did make some changes to her character and smoothed out a few edges (for instance, I gave Quinn the hobby of baking and giving baked goods to people that she cared about), I pretty much stuck to my guns. This was the Quinn that I wanted portrayed, love her or hate her.

 

Since the book came out in June, I have received several emails from teen readers thanking me for writing a realistic main character. Nothing makes me happier than hearing that she is relatable to a teen.  

 

I’m not saying every main character going through any type of  personal drama needs to be a mouthy jerk, but I do think that we need to be honest with ourselves as writers AND readers and really acknowledge that not every person on this planet is NICE, at least not all of the time. And that’s okay. If your main character isn’t a permanent ray of sunshine, that doesn’t make your story bad. There are a few things you can do to help readers relate to them, even if they are the furthest thing away from someone we’d like to spend time with.

 

1)    Your character needs to have some sort of redeeming quality, without making it feel forced or fake. Even the biggest villains have something in them that is a little bit good, even if it isn’t visible to everyone. Find that trait in your character. Reveal it in spurts. Don’t over do it. It’ll make them more real, it will give them depth, and it will make us hate them less. ;)

2)    There has to be a reason for their anger/snark/overall jerkiness. Don’t just write a flat, one-dimensional character that is mad at the world and all of its occupants just for the heck of it. There has to be something that sparks that anger in them. Find it. Explain it. Make it believable.

And finally, and most importantly:

3)    Write your characters truth, even if it isn’t pretty or ideal.  Even if you make your character believable and justify their actions, there are still going to be people that don’t “get her.” That’s okay. If you’ve written her truthfully, even when it was ugly and you cringed while you typed the words, but had to write them because they were honest; you’ve done your job. Not everyone will understand. Some people will hate your main character. Some people won’t tolerate dysfunction well. And that’s okay. Because someone out there will be able to relate to her, and that means you’ve done your character justice, and as a writer, you’ve done your job.

 

Stephanie is a YA author who calls Southwest Louisiana home. She is a happily married mother to three evil geniuses. She blogs at http://stephcampbell.blogspot.com/ and is a member of a group blog devoted to Contemporary Young Adult Lit at http://fortheloveofcontemporary.blogspot.com/

When she isn’t reading, writing or wiping someone’s nose, you can usually find her baking something.

 

Stephanie is giving away a copy of her book, Grounding Quinn, to one lucky reader who leaves a comment below. The winner can choose between a print copy and eBook version.

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October 12, 2011   Category: Giveaways & Contests, main, Writing Skills   9 Comments comments

Character Development | How Author Meredith Schorr Hit the Nail on the Head with her Female Protagonist

Meredith Schorr, who wrote Just Friends With Benefits, has received some fantastic reviews on both Goodreads & Amazon, and the one thing that caught my eye was that the reviewers state the same thing over and over: that Stephanie is a great character whom every woman can identify with.

Stephanie is a great character, surrounded by great friends. Schorr created a cast of characters who could be plucked out of any of our lives.  – Kelly, Crib Notes

My absolute favorite part of this book though had to be the group of friends. Made up of different characters, guys and girls, couples and singles with a variety of different jobs, they reminded me exactly of my friends. – Samantha, Chick Lit Plus

“I saw a lot of myself in Stephanie and I think a lot of women can identify with her.” – Scorpio Girl

 

 Character development is tricky, but for her readers Meredith seems to have hit the nail on the head. I stopped to chat with Meredith about how she did it.

“What parts of Stephanie make her so likable? How did you develop her character so that she was one the reader could identify and fall in love with?”

I am beyond thrilled that readers have related so well to Stephanie. That was my intention. 

There are a lot of likable characters in chick-lit. I love Becky Bloomwood from the Shopaholic books. She was adorable, quirky and big hearted and I’ve read every book in the series. But I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone in your circle of friends remotely similar to her. 

 

Same thing with Carrie Bradshaw from SATC. I loved watching her on television, but don’t actually know anyone who has her designer wardrobe, celebrity friends and is invited to the hottest restaurant openings, all while living in a studio apartment and barely paying her rent.  The characters of Becky and Carrie are both brilliantly created, but they are not based on real women.

 

By contrast, Stephanie Cohen has a non-glamorous, but perfectly acceptable career as a paralegal and her social life consists mostly of hanging out in the homes of her non-famous friends or at bars and restaurants that do not require a reservation two months in advance. She isn’t the “it” girl, but she is not fatally flawed, suffering from crazy obsessions or a girl to be pitied either.  She is pretty and thin and attracts men, but not every man who sees her.   At times, she is comfortable in her own skin and content and at other times, she’s an emotional wreck. She does not engage in casual sex on a regular basis, but she has her weaknesses and gives into them from time to time. She’s not a femme fatale and can be pretty awkward when she feels insecure or lacking confidence but she knows how to seduce a man with whom she feels secure and sexy.  She’s not so poor that her credit card is maxed out and she works hard for her money, but she also splurges on the occasional vacation and fancy night out.  In other words, she’s basically a regular chick.  

 

I wanted to write a book that defied the old stereotypes of “chick lit”. I wanted to write a fun, entertaining read, but not one about the girl who dated 100 frogs before meeting her prince or the girl who was obsessed with getting married.  And not one about the girl who feared her evil boss or spent her free time buying designer shoes, sipping martinis, lamenting her weight and jet setting around the world.  I chose to focus my story on the common mistakes women make when dating and their tendency to sabotage their own relationships, rather than portray Stephanie as a “victim” of someone else’s behavior. 

 

Basically, I wanted to write a story that could actually happen in real life, about a girl who makes mistakes lots of women tend to make, while surrounded by friends and family members readers might recognize from their own worlds.  And I think that is the reason readers liked and related so well to Stephanie.  

For the record, Stephanie did like to dress well and she drank her share of martinis.  But she also downed a few beers and sported sneakers at the gym – thankfully not at the same time.  (Although that would be funny and I might have to use it in a subsequent book.)  

 

Readers… it’s over to you. How are you developing/ did you develop your lead character to make he/she likable and easy to identify with?

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Just Friends With Benefits in the format of your choice (digital or paperback). Find out more about Meredith and her book here.
Contest Closes 11.59 PST Wednesday October 5th, 2011

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September 28, 2011   Tags:
Category: Author Interviews, Giveaways & Contests, main, Writing Skills   6 Comments comments

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