Just a few days after I sold TOUCHING THE SURFACE to Anica Rissi at Simon Pulse, I got a letter home in the 7 year old’s book bag. The second graders were studying communities and were asking parents to come in to do a mini job fair with the kids. I looked at the sign up sheet, bit my lip and took the plunge.
(I can’t lie-I giggled and did a little happy dance when I saw this. Didn’t even care about the name typo.)
Then I put the date on my calendar and forgot about it, until I realized that I should bring stuff with me that was authory. But what should I bring? I don’t actually have a book at this point. I took my best guess and stuffed a bag with authory stuff and headed out. Of course, as I made my way to the school, it was raining like I was in the middle of a biblical plague. There weren’t even any close parking spots. Can you picture me hauling a giant dance bag, a rather large bag of book stuff and a pocket book while balancing an umbrella and herding the 5 year old? Kind of hilarious, but so worth it when I got to do this…
You know I was grinning like a little fool. And of course two of my favorite mom librarians were there and there was extra jumping up and down and looking silly.
So what did I bring and why did I bring it?
I started with a variety of dance shoes, my teacher’s notebook and some pics of me dancing over the years… What was that? Oh, you wanted to know about the author stuff? Just kidding.
I arrived with the tools of the trade! I started with a hard copy of my manuscript that I’d used with a beta reader. The guesses of how long it took me to write that thing ranged from 7 days to 200 years. My response? "That would make me like 227 years old." *grin* My humor totally went over their heads.
I also brought books and magazines that I like to read. Some I read for pleasure and some are about craft and some straddled both. I explained that if you want to be a writer, the single most important thing you could do was be a reader. And own a dictionary. And be proficient at marketing and networking…(Notice I was doing subliminal sales for my fellow wolf-pack member Kiersten White and her YA novel Paranormalcy.)
Lastly, I brought chocolate. I shouldn’t have to explain my love of it by this point in our relationship, but this was no ordinary chocolate. This was editor love chocolate. I sniff it often while admiring the amazing note from my editor AND THEN I wander off to find similar looking chocolate to eat while I’m writing. I can’t part with this one. *I reserve the right to revise that statement in a chocolate emergency.
So was it fun? Being an author/dance instructor, role-model, thing-a-ma-jiggy?
Ummmm…YES! YES! YES!
I even got some love from my own second grader. He picked me first. *phew* with his gaggle of guy friends. They all sat down and with my most serious looking face I said…"I’m pretty sure I know which hat you guys want me to wear for this interview. Today I’m going to teach you all about ballet." *gasp* I never said I was a nice author.
But paybacks can be tough…
(My favorite second grader.)
After I told the boys all about being a WRITER, they tumbled off like a pack of puppies and an adorable little blonde girl wandered over…
Girl: "Are you Ty’s mom?"
Me: "Yes, I am."
Girl: "He’s been telling me a lot about you."
Me: (Beaming) "I hope he’s saying all good things." (Beams some more)
Girl: "Eh, about half and half."
Me: *Head thunk* followed by a *grin.* We all know the truth-any publicity is good publicity, right?
Thursday night, fellow Wolf Pack member Tawna Fenske was contemplating what to do with her hair during her yoga class. Because great minds think alike, uber agent Michelle Wolfson and I suggested a french braid would be the cure all to her yoga woes. I nodded off to sleep that night, content in the knowledge that I had done my grooming duty for the pack. Little did I know what I would wake up to on Friday morning…
From tawnafenske…@WolfsonLiterary hair too slippery to stay in braid. Speaking of hair @kimmiepoppins =Wolf Pack post-sale ritual: http://bit.ly/9wXSIR
Was this clause in my contract? Had I missed it? I was starting to wonder about my agency contract and the fine print that seemed to be getting smaller and smaller…
I could go on but these were the best ones my thesaurus had to offer.
So now what do I do? Tempt fate? Kiersten White is the NYTimes Best Selling author of PARANORMALCY and SUPERNATURALLY (out in August) and is writing the third book in the trilogy. Tawna Fenske has her first book MAKING WAVES out on August 2nd. The colored hair is WORKING!!!! I also would like to point out that even outside the Wolf Pack, there is reason to believe that paranormal hair is directly linked to literary success. Stephanie Perkins, author of ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, is rocking the blue!
I’m in.
And it won’t be a little piece of fake colored hair on a little comb–because honestly, I don’t want some fake little piece of success, hanging on by a hair’s breath. Too risky! Plus, I may have always wanted to do this and never had a good excuse. *grin* And honestly, if I do it…Linda Grimes, Monica Bustamante Wagner and Kasie West (all much more fair haired than I) will have to do it too. *wicked wolf pack grin*
I have a hair appointment with my FABULOUS Sister-in-Law, Christina Sabatini-Pierantozzi, at Soul Therapy on March 11th. So now I need to take a Kim "Pole" and see what you think. What color should I get?
Just like my Freaky Friday Interviews of aspiring authors, I’ve discovered that there’s a whole world of YA bloggers just starting out. I thought it would be fun to highlight some of these newbie bloggers because-lets face it-bloggers are freaky book lovers too and we should all work together in our quest to take over the world one YA book at a time.
Here is the story of how Lucy got started as a Book Blogger…
I have always had a passion for reading, and I write some of my own material, mainly poetry and short stories. Over the past year, I have considered creating my very own book blog which would incorporate reviewing novels and sharing my passion with others who have common interests. I have gained wonderful friendships through the blogging community, and with their support and encouragement, I decided to finally put my desire to create my very own blog into action. My blog: Moonlight Gleam’s Bookshelf was created on November 28, 2010 which makes it nearly three months old. I currently review all genres as well as debut author novels. I try to give my readers quality through my reviews. I believe I still have a lot of work cut out for me to bring my ideas and plans for my blog to life.
Can you tell me a little bit about what it is like to start from scratch as a book reviewer?
Honestly, it was a little difficult at first to get the hang of having a book blog. I often found myself asking friends how I should present reviews, what the outline should look like and how often should I post reviews. I found out that it really depends on each person, everyone is different and reviews are meant to display your own take on a book you’ve read so there isn’t really a specific outline or length of a review that is mandatory. One blog that really helped answer all the beginner questions of blogging is Parajunkee’s View: Blogging 101. Rachel is a fantastic blogger who is very helpful so I highly encourage new bloggers to refer to her blog for commonly asked questions.
What a wonderful resource! (Thanks for sharing, Rachel.) Have you received books from authors/publicists or have you been reviewing books that you’ve wanted to read yourself?
I have received books directly from debut authors for review; others have been won on other blog contests, bought or given to me by friends and family. I have only had the opportunity to post reviews for the books I have received by debut authors for review given that I am a full-time student outside of blogging. I will be posting reviews on books I have read for my own pleasure really soon!
How do you get the word out that you’re a serious blogger?
Ideally, it would be best not to spam any message boards or other blogs with advertisements of your blog. It would be better if you meet others who have common interests as you, get to know them and if you follow their blog they will be more than happy to return the favor. Also, you must put a lot of hard work to show quality in your posts. Remember to be patient, followers will come with time.
I’m so glad I asked that question-great information. OK, I have to ask. Is it hard to write an unfavorable review? Have you had to do it yet? Do you think that it helps or hurts you as a reviewer if you are critical in your evaluation?
Personally, I have never encountered a time where I had to write an unfavorable review. If I do, which I know eventually I will encounter one, I would encourage the author to focus on their strong points presented in their novels and suggest ways to improve the others. I do not believe it will hurt me as a reviewer if I write an unfavorable review; however, it is the way that the review is presented that is important. Focus on the good and help the author improve rather than discredit them all together. Authors put a tremendous amount of hard work in writing their novels and it would be unfair to them if you only speak of the negative. Also keep in mind that if you write a negative review based on the genre not being one that is favorable to you, it would be wise to include that in your review so that others will know that you may not have enjoyed the novel based on the genre.
That’s a great answer, thank you. I know that when I attend writer’s conferences, I’m always a little bit star struck. Do you have any authors that you are dying to interview/review?
There are several authors who I would absolutely love to interview. Some of my favorite authors include Kelley Armstrong, Maria V. Snyder, Cassandra Clare, Sophie Kinsella and Cecelia Ahern. It would be such a pleasure to have the opportunity to interview any one of these authors. They are truly talented and inspiring authors, who have created such brilliant novels with original plots that pull you right in from the very first page.
Reading your blog post this morning and noticed that you do In My Mailbox. Can you tell us a little bit more about these blogger memes?
Of course! I participate in a variety of weekly memes hosted by other bloggers, which have been created to share common interests and they are also a way to network your blog. In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren inspired by Alea. For those of you who are not familiar with In My Mailbox, it is a showcase of the books you have received for review, have purchased, or have picked up at the library during the week. Other weekly memes which I participate in are: Waiting on Wednesday which is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine and Follow Friday which is hosted by Parajunkie at Parajunkie’s View. Waiting on Wednesday is where we highlight an upcoming book release we are eagerly awaiting and Follow Friday is a great opportunity to meet new bloggers mainly, bloggers following each other to help gain more followers.
Do you have a system for rating books?
I have come up with a rating system which mainly consists of ratings on 5. Here is my breakdown for the rating system:
1 out of 5 – Would not recommend
2 out of 5 – Was not my kind of book
2.5 out of 5 – It was an okay read
3 out of 5 – I enjoyed this book
3.5 out of 5 – Worth reading
4 out of 5 – An enjoyable read, well written
4.5 out of 5 – Fabulous read, highly recommended
5 out of 5 – MUST READ!!! LOVED IT!!!
Personally, I have not yet rated a book less than 4/5 on my blog as I have been reading novels that I have been really enjoying. Novels that receive a rating between 1/5 and 2.5/5 are generally novels which are not the kind of genre I enjoy reading. I do not wish to discredit any authors for their hard work; however, I must someway convey what I thought about their novels within my reviews. As I have already mentioned, if I do encounter a novel which I did not enjoy, I would not simply express negativity about the novel. I would also mention the positive points, explain that it was perhaps my type of read and suggest ways of improving.
I’ll leave off asking if there is anything you want to add that might bring a reader over to check out your blog?
I am always delighted to meet others who have a passion for reading as I do. Through my posts, I aim to express all the enthusiasm I have for reading and direct it to my readers. Quality is very important to me as my readers are my number one priority, so I make sure that my posts are filled with beneficial information for them. I will always respond to comments on my posts as I believe in developing great relationships with my readers. Finally, I am always willing to help others with blogging problems as I am still fairly new at this myself, so I can definitely help others where to start.
Thank you so much for having me Kimberly, it has been a pleasure!
Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed. I love making new book-loving friends and you were fantastic. If you would like to check out Lucy’s blog, you can find her at Midnight Gleam’s Bookshelf. She can also be found on Twitter, Goodreads and Book Blogs.
I’m curious, as a reader, what makes you read a review and decided that you MUST read that book?
If you haven’t heard me screaming and jumping up and down with joy–you may be suffering from undiagnosed hearing loss. Why all that hooting and hollering you wonder? It’s because my most amazing agent, Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary Agency sold my Young Adult novel TOUCHING THE SURFACE to the incredible Anica Rissi at Simon Pulse. *jumping, shouting, jumping, shouting*
I wish I had some crazy story to reel you in with, but the truth is…
GET YOURSELF A FANTASTIC AGENT WHO KNOWS EXACTLY WHO WOULD BE THE PERFECT EDITOR FOR YOU.
I know it sounds easier than it is. I’ve been there. It’s worth it. I know that you can do it, so don’t give up. (((hugs)))
Well, that covers the first half of my title, but I know you’re wondering about the second half. It’s simple…I write about my Dad a lot. If you know me or my blog, you know how much he means to me and you’re aware of how much I miss him. But I have a great Mom and she’s been equally as instrumental in helping me to be who I am today. The thing is-it’s easier to write about dead people-they don’t argue with you, get disappointed or make you feel shy about expressing your mushy side. Dead people are extremely accommodating. They handle your neurosis with kid gloves. But sometimes, even if you’re not sure if you’ve used the right words, you have to take a risk and talk to the living people too.
My mom has been lifting me up for as long as I can remember…
She used to write little quotes and notes and tack them to the mirror in my room or put them in my lunch box. I grew up with one on my mirror that started like this…
"Being beautiful isn’t a talent…"
I looked at that every day and always knew two very important things about myself–my mom thought I was beautiful and she also thought that I was more than that beauty.
Back when I was growing up, a full Angelina Jolie mouth wasn’t popular or pretty. I can remember standing in front of that mirror and practicing how to hold my mouth so that no one would tease me. I did it so I wouldn’t hear someone say that my lips were so big that if I licked them, they could stick me to a wall. The mouth exercises never worked, but the quote was a good anchor to hang onto. Intellectually I knew how insignificant little comments like that should be-but it doesn’t work that way. We all know that.
My mother taught me that words have power and that I should use them both carefully and with abandon.
When my Dad passed away, my Mom asked my brother and I if it would be okay if she put our names on their stone. She wanted to write that Richard and Jean were the parents of Kimberly and Terry. She wanted everyone to know that raising us was the greatest accomplishment of their lives. Oh, the power of words…
As you continue to write and search and reach for publication, remember that you write for you and you alone and you do not have to be published to be the greatest accomplishment of someone else’s life. You write to fill your own soul and you love in order to fill the rest of them.
February 11, 2011
Kim,
Congratulations!! Grandma always said you were a dreamer. Lots of people just dream and never do anything about it. Not you. When the time was right you took a huge leap, sprouted wings and landed safely in your dreams. You were blessed with such a wonderful talent and I am so proud of you. I’m sure Daddy is busting his buttons telling everyone how proud he is of his "beautiful baby"!
I would like to preface this blog by saying–I’m the Nit-Wit! This title should in no way lead anyone to believe that they are being called a Nit-Wit–unless–well–you know who you are and that’s a whole other issue. I’ve got my stink-eye pointed at you.
So, as resident Nit-Wit, I’ve been trying to figure out how to be a better blogger. I’d be lying if I said it had nothing to do with the fact that I’ve joined Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary’s "Wolf Pack" ( A secret society of cut-throat, ninja bloggers.) You don’t believe me? Check this out…
*Tawna Fenske-author of MAKING WAVES (hitting shelves August 2, 2011)
*Linda Grimes-ex-actress, former teacher and current writer of pure escapism.
Before I met these lovely ladies and their kick-butt blogs, I had a visual in my head. In my mind, my blog looked like this…
My blog had rhythm and was light on it’s feet. My blog was cool and fluffy with just a touch of glitter. It was a skinny blog too. *bubble bursting* Then I realized my blog was actually more like this…
Now, don’t get me wrong–there is something to be said for this kind of blog, but I’m not allowed to repeat it in public. *grin* While this is my FAVORITE scene in White Christmas, it doesn’t necessarily bode well for my blog. So what am I doing about it?
First off, I’m listening to the people who know more about blogging than me. Luckily for me, there are lots of people with successful blogs and they’re COOL enough to share that information with the Nit-Wits like me.
If you haven’t met Jackson Pearce, she is a kidlit blog/vlog queen. She is funny AND informative. Here is a sample of what she’s bringing to the table…
This is one of my favorites–I love it! Also be sure to catch the rest of her videos at the JacksonAPearce Channel of YouTube.
While her vlogs are eye candy, her blog is just as funny and informative. In this blog post Jackson takes her experiences and writes about The Fine Art of Blogging. I think #7 and #8 are really important to remember. Oh–and as an after thought– Jackson writes books too *grin* Don’t forget to check those out.
Another resource for successful blogging is Nathan Bransford.
Nathan was a Literary Agent with Curtis Brown Ltd. from 2002 until 2010 and he now works in the tech industry and has his first book coming out May 12, 2011!!!!!
Nathan’s blog is a wealth of information for writers. If you want to improve your writing and your odds of getting published, you may want to spend some serious time going through his archives. I found this post about How to Write a Good Blog Comment. Feel free to practice these tips by leaving a comment below. *wink*
I just saw this blog post (on Twitter) about the Good Old-Fashioned Retweet. The Blog is Global Neighbourhoods by Shel Israel and is related to social media. He also has a book called Twitterville: How Business Can Thrive in the New Global Neighborhoods. If you are interested in practicing Shel’s theories on retweeting, please check out the attached button on the blog. This is not for me folks–it’s for you. *grin*
Kristen has a wonderfully informative blog with loads of helpful information about successfully navigating social media. What brought her to my attention was her 9 Part Blogging Series. (Thanks Amy) The link brings you to Part 6 and within that section there are links to Parts 1-5. You can easily find the rest among her recent posts. It is well worth checking out. Kristen also has an entry called Let’s Talk Platform-Why We Need One. There’s a lot to be learned on her site and I have her insights shipped (through Feedburner) to my inbox as soon as she writes them.
I bet you’re wondering what I’m doing to be a better blogger now that I’ve acquired so much good information. It’s a start, but here is my first major goal…
Blog with regularity. This is a priority and everyone stresses it. I’ve always thought that putting my writing first, excused the need to keep a schedule, but that’s not true. It demands that I have a better schedule. I’ve thought about when the best time is to write my blogs and I’m going to attempt to write all or most on the weekend leaving my weekdays for my regular writing. I’m now dedicating myself to three blog posts per week (M-W-F). I think I can manage this and not intrude on my writing life. I’ve also made a mental note that I do not always have to be such a blabber mouth and if I’m truly pressed for time, short and sweet may be refreshing change for everyone LOL!
Let me know if you found any of these resources helpful and if you have any suggestions or amazing links you can share with me it would be greatly appreciated.
