You might be wondering what makes Hannibal, Missouri "America's Hometown." Aren't all small towns nestled along the Mississippi River a piece of American history? What makes this place stand out from the rest? American novelist and humorist, Mark Twain, grew up in Hannibal. His boyhood home is only a stones throw from the Big River. My family has made this place our home for the past seven years.
We will explore Hannibal, Mark Twain's stomping grounds, where all of his real-life shenanigan's took place. You will also learn of a feisty female in history who was born just a half-mile from Mark Twain's home. We'll also talk fiction. After all, Mark Twain was one of the greatest fiction writers of all time. His humor and wit inspire me everyday as as I walk in his footsteps. Hope to see you on April 1st for a fun, photographic journey of Twain's town.
Downtown Hannibal, MO
Are you participating in the AtoZ Challenge? Have you ever visited Hannibal? What's your favorite small town? Thanks for stopping by!
PHOTOS: all photos are mine unless otherwise stated.
I crossed the finish line this past month, writing my first ever upper, middle-grade urban fantasy. Now, it rests in the hands of my CP's and beta readers. I'm already receiving an overwhelming amount of positive feedback! This past fall, I stepped out of my comfort zone to try my hand at writing an urban fantasy which is 50% contemporary and 50% fantasy (where magical elements aren't the norm) and it's set in a city, hence the word, urban. For a genre I've never written before, this means the world to me!!
I may only ever write UF fiction for the rest of my life. NO I don't write about vampires and werewolves or zombies, unless you count the zombie-like MC waking up in the middle of the night. It's something new and fresh and derived from my overactive imagination and my love for sci-fi and all things retro. I will be pitching it as Night at the Museum meets The Matrix.
I'm looking forward to the AtoZ Blogging Challenge next month where I will also be a Sidekick for the contest. This time I'm getting ahead of the game by writing my posts in the month of March. As far as my theme, I will leave you with a hint in the form of a question:
What famous author grew up on the Mississippi River?
Have you ever written out of your comfort zone? Do you trust your work to CP's and beta readers? Are you participating in the AtoZ Blogging Challenge next month? Hope to see you there!
Photo: mine (notice my daughter playing in the fountain!)
I hate surprises in life. Probably because most of the time they sound like this: "Mom, the car has a flat tire." "Mom, the car won't start. "Mom, I have the flu." "Mom, I need twenty bucks by tomorrow for (fill in the blank)." The worst one is when coach calls me, "Your son, (pick one) broke his (fill in the blank), or has a concussion, needs stitches."
Surprises in writing, movies and t.v. series are a whole other story. I love to be surprised when it comes to a good book or my fave show. For example, my new found appreciation for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has surprised me more than once. (Spoiler Alert!!) When Agent Grant Ward stands up, ready to shoot his psychopathic SO, John Garret, instead, he aims the gun at Shield's President Victoria Hand and pulls the trigger. I figured he kept hidden loyalties to the man that practically raised him, but I didn't see that coming. Surprise.
With my finished WIP, my characters have continually surprised me, leading me down unexpected paths. I like to keep myself guessing when writing. Will this character turn out good or is he lost forever? Will he get what he wants in the end? Will he sacrifice people and friendships along the way?
I just read a quote recently: (Summarizing it) "If you are not surprised as the writer of your story, you can bet your readers (yawn) won't be either."I purposefully try to do the opposite of the norm. I even ask myself, "What would be totally unexpected in this scene?" Surprise the reader and you will hook them for sure. I hope this month is full of great surprises in your writing pursuits.
How have you added surprise elements in your story? Think of your favorite books and shows. What surprises did they have up their sleeves? P.S. I did get a nice surprise yesterday. My oldest son is now ranked 6th in division 3 (weight class-182 #s) Missouri High School wrestling. Photo: courtesy of free photos.
My blog is stuck in an Adam Brody Groundhog Day movie mode--he just keeps reappearing over and over in my posts. Humor me. He encompasses everything MG writers strive to portray in their characters: nerdy, cute, geeky, funny, vulnerable, still trying to figure out their role in this world.
I gave my work-in-progress an ultimatum.
Remember I started a YA thriller set in Chicago this past summer? I placed
it on the back burner while promoting and working on my MG mystery for the Pitch Wars contest. In the back of my mind, my WIP failed to deliver. So I gave it an ultimatum. Get it together or you'll end up in the shredder. I went back to the beginning and started over. Notice I didn't give up or quit. I did discover some things about myself in the process.
1. I write MG, not YA.Who am I kidding? My silliness won't end even after they've shoved me in a nursing home.
2. I must incorporate humor into my writing or die of serious boredom. I can't keep a straight face for more than a few seconds.
3. I have two sources of endless inspiration right in front of me. My teenage boys keep me loaded with writing ammunition. I must always take advantage of their mishaps and misfortunes.
After the ultimatum was settled upon, I took the middle of my WIP and made it the "hook." Lowered the age of the protagonist. Dropped the YA and made it into my favorite age group--MG. Added way more humor. Kept it in Chicago. Changed it from a thriller to a mystery. I haven't been this excited about something since I got out of jury duty last month.
A quick word about disappointment:
It happens to all of us. Even small
victories can be overshadowed in the light of a huge disappointment.The rejections will roll in, sometimes right on top of each other like a tsunami. You will have to pick yourself up off the bathroom floor or the ocean floor and sit your butt back in your writing chair and write. Write better, harder, smarter. You can do it. You have to do it. Because no one else is going to do it for you. IF you are going to make it in this writing world, you better learn how to overcome disappointments. OVERCOME quickly and get back to work.
"The biggest laughs are based on the biggest disappointments and the biggest fears." Kurt Vonnegut
How have you dealt with disappointment? Have you ever re-worked a WIP? Were you happy with the changes? What are some things about yourself that you have discovered from your writing?
To celebrate the arrival of Gilmore Girls on Netflix, I fired up the coffee maker and slapped on my sarcasm and wit. Yes, I'm binge watching. Don't judge. I must mention the only permanent cast member that cracks me up more than any other character is Kirk--human-Kirk, not cat-Kirk. I watched the show when it debuted back in 2000 and dreamed of living in Stars Hollow.
Every timeless television series features an unforgettable antagonist. After all, what would a story be without the person who opposes one of the main characters? Boring. Well, I did some pondering while watching Gilmore Girls and my little writer's eye spied Lane's mother, Mrs. Kim. She has great hopes and aspirations for Lane to have a Korean boyfriend. Mrs. Kim stands in direct opposition to Lane's eternal happiness: a boy in Lane's rock band and her love interest, Dave Rygalski, played by Adam Brody. Lane (Rory Gilmore's best friend) creatively thwarts her mother's plans to ruin her life. BTW, the "Lane and Dave" story line is the best thing that ever happened to Gilmore Girls.
The story line in a nutshell consists of Lane getting a fake Korean boyfriend to please her mom because Lane is secretly in love with Dave. If her mother found out, she'd be grounded until she was 35. Lane and her fake boyfriend make a plan to have her fake boyfriend who also has a fake Korean girlfriend (not Lane) break up with her. Try to keep up. Her mom will then feel sorry for her and allow her to go to the prom with Dave. Things never go as planned. The fake boyfriend breaks up with his fake girlfriend and begins to fall in love with Lane.
Meanwhile, Dave gets a little jealous of Lane's fake boyfriend and a little tired of keeping their attraction for each other a secret. One night, all goes awry when Lane confesses everything to her mom. The unexpected happens. Lane's mom shows no reaction. Her quiet, somber mood freaks Lane out. My favorite episode is when Dave shows up at Lane's door, confesses his "crush" and asks if he can take Lane to the prom. He faces the antagonist, ready to make a deal with the devil, but is shocked at Mrs. Kim's response.
Watch Dave's famous monologue if you are a fan of Gilmore Girls, Adam Brody or a fan of humor. Villains fight for what they believe in just as much as the protagonist. In this case, Mrs. Kim just wants to shield her daughter from the world (and boys). Did I mention boys? It's a worthy goal for a mother. And remember, folks, Dave flosses.
The final countdown to the Pitch Wars contest agent round has begun. I'm experiencing a root canal on Thursday and Jury Duty next Monday. Just watch the video and you will see a reflection of my disheveled self. "I can't feel my right elbow anymore." (Just watch the video:)
How's your week going? Worse than mine? Have you spotted some well-played villains lately? Have you written antagonists that aren't pure evil and have a heart?
When signing with a small to medium sized publisher (or self-publishing), you will most likely design your own book marks, plan book signings and school appearances. Be prepared to do a lot of work. You must make contacts with other writers, libraries, book clubs, bloggers and organizations to promote your book. There were many things I enjoyed about having a small publisher for my debut novel, but many things I'd do differently. Publishers represent your book (to some degree) while agents represent you, your book and your future books.
For my current, finished novel, I am seeking a literary agent. My experiences have left me feeling like I just won the lottery to losing the State Championship game in sudden death overtime. Let me warn you. You will be forced to play the WAITING game. This game is NOT fun. It freaks you out every second of every minute that you WAIT for them to read your requested full. (And the dozen or so other ones they've requested from other writers.)
Don't settle and don't quit. Put your best work out there. Follow agents and Writer's Digest on Twitter. Don't forget to be professional with agents. Always address them by name. Always include some of the qualities that match your book to their #MSWL (Twitter hashtag for "manuscript wish list") or go to their website. And for the love of all that is holy, follow submission guidelines. If they are closed to submissions, DO NOT QUERY THEM.
BE PATIENT. This is not for the faint of heart. You must be strong--warrior strong, line-backer strong. Paint your game face on and race to the line of scrimmage and WAIT for the big game to start. You CAN do this!
(I tell myself this every morning.)
Tell me about your experience with publishers vs. agents. What do you like/dislike about both? Do you enjoy self promotion? How do you handle the "waiting game"?
FREE RUNNER was awarded Honorable Mention in the 2014 Purple Dragonfly
Children's Book Awards!!!
I should've named my post "Staying Alive." My agenda this summer includes surviving a family vacation with my teenage sons, tearing apart my house and cleaning it from limb to limb, and submitting my middle-grade mystery to agents.
"Clean it up and make it interesting. This involves rewriting until you
feel like you need a bone marrow transplant." -Brian Beker
If you are in need of a sharp editing tool, I encourage you to try Noah Lukeman's book, The First Five Pages. If you are in need of someone to clean your house, please don't call me. With ten people in my house this past week, I'm trying to stay positive. I may need to call Servpro--"like it never happened."
I'm on vacation this week with my hubby, two teenage sons and one little princess. Yes, there will be stories to share. Are you in the process of editing? Are you taking a break and enjoying a vacation this summer? What's your favorite book on writing? Do you agree with the quote by Beker?!
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Surprises in writing, movies and t.v. series are a whole other story. I love to be surprised when it comes to a good book or my fave show. For example, my new found appreciation for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has surprised me more than once. (Spoiler Alert!!) When Agent Grant Ward stands up, ready to shoot his psychopathic SO, John Garret, instead, he aims the gun at Shield's President Victoria Hand and pulls the trigger. I figured he kept hidden loyalties to the man that practically raised him, but I didn't see that coming. Surprise.
Remember I started a YA thriller set in Chicago this past summer? I placed
it on the back burner while promoting and working on my MG mystery for the Pitch Wars contest. In the back of my mind, my WIP failed to deliver. So I gave it an ultimatum. Get it together or you'll end up in the shredder. I went back to the beginning and started over. Notice I didn't give up or quit. I did discover some things about myself in the process. 
