Tag: young adult literature

The Secret Life of a YA Writer in a Traditional MFA Program

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This month at Ploughshares, I’m sharing a little of my experience at a traditional MFA program and ending up a YA writer.

I know other YA writers who went through traditional MFA programs and weren’t as happy with their experiences, but I appreciated having the time to focus on craft and technique. And I think it helped that my program was a little more flexible than most–I got to take classes outside of my genre, and also crossed over a lot with the publishing program.

Obviously you don’t need to get an MFA to be a writer or learn/practice craft. There are a million different ways to be a writer and you have to find what works for you.

Click through to read the full post, and enjoy the Lost gif.

YA Readers in Real Life

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A little YA humor for your Thursday:

 

I have to admit, I do totally categorize people by House. (Hufflepuff pride!) I’ve also used the phrase “May the odds be ever in your favor,” in a non-YA-related professional setting.

My Interview with Aisha Saeed at Story and Chai

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Today’s post comes via Story and Chai, a fantastic website about diverse narratives created by Jennifer Zobair. I’m talking with fellow YA author and agent-sister Aisha Saeed about The Chance You Won’t Return, mental health, writing from outside your own experience, and more.

Aisha asked lots of thoughtful questions, and I’m so glad to have the opportunity to talk about The Chance You Won’t Return and what I hope readers get out of it about Alex and her family’s situation.

Click through to see the full interview, and make sure to check out the rest of Story and Chai!

Ten Reasons Why You Should Read…Hexed by Michelle Krys

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I grew up in the era of Buffy and Charmed and stories about paranormal worlds and girls with superpowers, so of course I was excited to read Hexed by Michelle Krys. Needless to say, it’s just as fun and thrilling as I hoped. Here are a few of my reasons you should read Hexed:

1. Banter
Okay, in a book about witches and sorcerers, the banter is at the top of this list? Yeah, that’s right–Michelle’s writing and her character’s voices had me laughing and giving mental high fives the whole way through. Indie’s narration and the dialogue of all the characters gives Hexed such a fun, fresh tone.

2. Magical Factions
Let’s be real–the magical powers side is pretty awesome, too. I love how Michelle sets up the Family vs. the Priory, and how Indie is stuck in the middle of these warring factions because of her family’s Witch Hunter’s Bible. She sets up this world well, and I’m excited to see more of how these sides work and fight–and what they want from Indie.

3. Indie, Unlikely Hero
So often through Hexed I kept thinking of very early Buffy–the Buffy who wanted to be popular and a cheerleader and could the vampires just quit it for one night? But also the Buffy who didn’t put up with crap and was funny and clever and was gonna kick ass. I think readers are going to have a similar connection with Indie, who’s smart and sassy, but maybe not your initial idea of a magical heroine.

4. Paige
Paige was such a delightful addition to the story! She seems like the awkward friend character from TV, but grows into so much more–she’s smart and confident in her own way, and a wonderfully loyal friend to Indie during a totally unstable time. Another example of how Michelle plays with some tropes and makes them into complex, lovable characters.

5. That One Moment That Literally Made Me Jump
No, I’m not going to say what it is. But seriously–jumped in my chair. I had to read the paragraph over again to make sure I got it right because WHAT OH MY LORD HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

6. Stakes–and No, I Don’t Mean Vampires
Yeah, the stakes are pretty high in Hexed. (Like in that one moment above.) Michelle doesn’t pull any punches in her narrative, which I really appreciate. So often I read and think “Oh, this person won’t really get hurt because we’re only about halfway through the book.” Um, no. The Priory and the Family are out for their own interests and they don’t care who’s caught in the crossfire.

7. Twists and Turns
Outside of that one moment, lots of other great twists and turns throughout. It makes for a really fun, dynamic reading experience, and makes me think Michelle should be the head writer for a TV show.

8. Humor
Fortunately, with all these dramatic twists and turns, there are also a lot of hilarious comments and funny moments. It helps keep the novel fresh and light, even when seriously bad things are happening to the characters.

9. Cliffhangers
So I’m really glad that the sequel comes out next year, because Michelle gives readers some major cliffhangers. I need to know what happens next, Krys!!!

10. Michelle Krys, Magically Delightful
I’ve gotten to know Michelle through the OneFours, and she’s lovely and funny and supportive of her fellow writers. I’m really excited to see Michelle’s career know and see readers get to know her for the wonderful person she si.

Hexed is out now, so pick up your copy today!

Friday Fifteen

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Hurray for Friday! And how is it already the last Friday in June? In my mind, it’s still May. Gotta get in these last few June micro-book-reviews while I can.

1. Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
I find myself still thinking about Piddy and her nuanced world. Feels timeless.

2. Meet Felicity: An American Girl (American Girls: Felicity #1) by Valerie Tripp
Felicity Merriman, cross-dressing animal rights activist.

3. Brave Navigator by David Valdes Greenwood
The play I asked to keep after my grad school playwriting class ended.

4.The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
I have a soft spot for retold fairy tales and this one is way fun.

5. A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban
Hilarious and touching and so my heart; my favorite kind of middle grade.

Links Galore

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A few good links for the middle of the week:

Friday Fifteen

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Holy cow, this week got away from me. Let’s settle down with some book reviews in fifteen words or under.

1. Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Wein does it again. Stunningly written, compelling history, all the feels ever.

2. The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events #11) by Lemony Snicket 
Always a fan of undersea adventures, but this added too much mystery before the end.

3. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
One way I can pretend I’m a Hogwarts student with a summer reading list.

4. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
Even as a grown-up, I want to do read-alouds of this book.

5. Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee 
I was more interested in everyone surrounding the main character, which made for a slog.

Friday Fifteen

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Happy Friday, everyone! Let’s kick things off with some good ol’ book reviews in fifteen words or under.

1. This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
Fun (especially the DJing), but I think my expectations were too high for this one.

2. Madeleine L’Engle Herself: Reflections on a Writing Life by Madeleine L’Engle
Mostly quotes, but lots of thoughtfulness from a stellar writer.

3. Alphabet Under Construction by Denise Fleming
Two things kids love combined; which I’d thought of it.

4. Golden Boy by Tara Sullivan
All the feels for Habo. Super lucky to be in Tara’s crit group!

5. Don’t Make Me Stop Now by Michael Parker
Mostly bought for one story as told through community college essay; worth it.

The No-Guilt Approach to Reading YA

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Every so often, people write disparaging articles about YA and the adults who enjoy the category. One such article came out recently, in which the author claimed that adults should feel guilty for reading these books and that they don’t approach literature the way books for adults do. (Not going to link to said post here, because it’s click-bait-y and I don’t want to give them more traffic.)

This month at Ploughshares, I tackle the issue of YA as a literary genre and why readers shouldn’t feel guilty to reading wonderful books, no matter what their target age audience is.

Also I get to make references to both Faulkner and Mean Girls.

I’m sure all of my readers already know this, but no one should make you feel guilty for reading things you enjoy, whether that’s YA and children’s literature or graphic novels or sci-fi or romance or anything. Life’s too short to read books you don’t love.

My Interview with the Fearless Fifteeners

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Today I’m at the Fearless Fifteeners blog, talking with my wonderful agent-sister and 2015 debut author Anna-Marie McLemore about The Chance You Won’t Return, writing, romance, neurological differences, and what I’m not afraid of.

Anna-Marie asked some fantastic questions, and I’m excited to share the interview with you all. We actually had to cut some material because we talked too much. But here is a little of the extra Q&A:

I’ve heard you say that one of your favorite writing tips is not to develop writing rituals. How has this proven good advice for you?
I know I would use rituals as a crutch (“I only write at night!” “I need to have coffee while I write!”) so telling myself that rituals don’t get the work done means that I can potentially sneak in writing time anywhere/anytime. Not that I always do, but at least it’s one less excuse. 😉

Do you have any writing rituals that have crept in anyway? A favorite time of day to draft? A favorite drink or snack while revising?
As much as I love coffee and tea, my favorite writing beverage is lots and lots of water. Woohoo hydration! I also tend to like drafting at night, but that might be because I do the day job thing so most of my writing time is in the evening. My biggest ritual is probably having carefully crafted playlists for each project. I can write without them, but I love having a book soundtrack playing in the background for inspiration.

Make sure to check out the Fearless Fifteeners blog for the full interview, and get to know some awesome 2015 debut authors like Anna-Marie.