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.
Today’s interview is with Lisa Lueddecke. We met online and can’t seem to stop chatting with each other. So in a spurt of genius we decided to interview each other. You can check out my interview with Lisa at the YOUNG ADULT CONNECTION.
Bio: I’m a 20-something who reads and writes young adult novels. I’m a sucker for a good story, and I don’t care what genre. Drinker of coffee. Great Dane mom. Fashionista at heart.
Lisa, could you tell me a little about you and how you came to be a blogger.
Well, as for who I am, I am a 22-year-old who spends way too much time reading, writing, and blogging. I’ve always been a reader and a writer, but more recently, I discovered the wonderful world of blogging. I spent months reading other people’s blogs, following them, and learning about what sort of content people like most. I’ve kept a blog for my writer self for a while, but I decided to start one up for my reading, and thus, The Young Adult Connection was born. People love young adult literature, and I am one of them, so I thought that a blog that connects people with what’s new, or what’s older that they might have missed, could be a useful tool.
I have to agree–YA Books are starting to almost have a cult following in the world of books. It’s a very exciting time to be a reader and a writer. Who has had an influence on you in the blogging community. What have they taught you? Who do you look up to?
One blog I have always followed is The Story Siren, run by Kristi. She is a great blogger with all kinds of great content, and she has so many useful tools for bloggers, as well. Also, Pam at Bookalicious is great. I don’t know either of them personally, though. I read a ton of other blogs as well, but those are the two most prominent ones. And I don’t just read other book blogs. I read writer’s blogs, as well. It’s all useful information, and helps me with writing and blogging. See that? Multitasking. :).
I have to agree, I’ve often turned to both of those blogs for great information. And I love the multitasking. What advice would you give new book bloggers? Is there any big mistakes you’ve made that they should avoid?
I would say that the best thing you shouldn’t do is spam other blogs. No one wants a ton of comments that have nothing to do with their post asking you to follow them and check out their blog. There are other ways of networking. Follow. Read. Have interesting content. Join blogging databases. Participate in memes and challenges, like The Story Siren’s weekly In My Mailbox post. Host giveaways. They are all great tools. It’s okay to promote, just do it the right way. And I don’t know if it counts as a mistake that I’ve made, but I found that there is a difference between just content for the sake of having content, and good content. People want good content.
As a blogger I agree, there is a difference between content and GOOD content. Although, some days I am surprised at what resonates with people. I suggest looking for a common thread in your previous posts that have done well. And cross your fingers and pray–that can’t hurt either, right? What do you want to see from author/blogger relationships and interactions, considering they are always growing and changing?
It’s good to build those kind of friendships, and as a blogger, it is amazing to watch the whole process unfold with individual authors. From the Publisher’s Marketplace announcement, to the cover reveal, to the ARCs, and all the way up to release day! My writer half is fascinated by the whole process, and my blogger half gets to see it happen all the time! As far as what I would want from an author/blogger relationship, it would be exactly what I just said. Being there to see and help promote a book from start to finish.
I can tell you right now, that means the world to authors–particularly debut authors trying to get their novel out there. The only way to really sell a book is word of mouth.I can’t even begin to express my appreciation for all that you do to help promote that process.So…I’m going to give you a chance to word of mouth some of your favorites. Top 5 most loved books that have had an impact on you and why?
Well, even though I am a young adult book blogger, a lot of the books that have impacted me are not in that category. Here is my overall list, in no particular order:
Wuthering Heights – Because it’s dark and suspenseful, and the romance is amazing.
Jane Eyre – The writing is just so fantastic. Incredible story.
A Tale of Two Cities – It’s just one of those stories that sticks with you.
The Hunger Games – Who wasn’t sucked in to that like a tornado? She is a master of pacing, plot and characters.
Ella Enchanted – A younger teen story that is so adorable and beautiful. I’ve read it upwards of five times.
All good choices for sure! Lisa, thank you so much for stopping by for a visit. Don’t forget to pop on over and check out Lisa’s amazing blog THE YOUNG ADULT CONNECTION. You can also find her on TWITTER.
Of course if you have any follow up questions for Lisa, I’m sure we could get her to answer them. Or do you have any stories about what you felt like trying to start a blog? It isn’t easy–for a long time I felt like I was talking to myself. LOL! What challenges do you face? What advice have you got to give to someone who is trying to start blogging?
Tags: Book Bloggers, interview, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Lisa Lueddecke, The Young Adult Connecction
My friend Ida is hating me right now. She’s a heavy duty book lover and a writer. This is the Facebook post I received from her after posting all of the Class of 2k12 and Apocalypsies Tuesday Book Birthdays…
Kim… I don’t know how to say this… but I don’t know if I can be your friend anymore… it’s just… all the books you post about… I can’t take it anymore Kim… my reading list is starting to cause me anxiety attacks… I don’t leave the house… I pretend those kids that keep calling me mommy are just visitors… I’ve started to ignore my personal hygiene…it’s turning into a real problem… sigh
Ida, I love you and I’m very sorry to do this to you…
IF I LIE by Corrine Jackson–Coming August 28, 2012
A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.
Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.
Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.
If I Lie is available for Pre-order here…
*Barnes & Noble
*Amazon
*IndieBound
*Additional Book Sellers
Kimberly Sabatini’s Review of IF I LIE:
When I was in high school, I became fascinated with POW’s from Vietnam. I was haunted by the idea that these guys had never come home. Who were they? Where were they? And what had they left behind? I “adopted” a missing soldier and wore my MIA bracelet until it wore out and broke in half.
When I was in college, I was a girlfriend of a guy who was in the army. Then I married him–making me a military wife. I fell in love with this fierce, dedicated, kind, bigger-than-life community. And sometimes I hated being just another piece in a finely tuned machine–even it it was made up of some very wonderful people. Sometimes I felt a little lost. I didn’t always like who I was supposed to be and what was expected of me. I didn’t know it then, but I was a girl who had things to say–weird, slightly off center things to say–and not speaking them was a bit unhealthy. So, I related to Quinn–having lived that life with my own kind of secrets pushed down inside me.
I’m sharing this information with you because I want you to know, that in my opinion, Corrine Jackson got it right. As I read her words, it took me back…
I’m a huge fan of authors who create people with depth. I like to see the characters have faults AND triumphs. Not only did Jackson do this seamlessly, but she also accomplished this with her presentation of the military. I both loved and hated the institution and it’s affect on those involved in it–just like I did in real life. She didn’t use hero worship and she didn’t demonize either. She simply acknowledged that like all of us, it is made up of the good and the bad.
I was also grateful to see her humorous and touching relationship with an elderly veteran, George. I have always had a soft spot for the older generation. I think they are gifts that we often let pass us by. Jackson brought me to tears with her gentle reminder that it takes only one person to make a difference in someone else’s life.
IF I LIE is a well written, beautifully balanced, heart-wrenching book that is about so much more than a snapshot of people in a small military town. I hope it moves you as much as it did me.
Corrine Jackson (pronounced Cor-een) believes flip flops are appropriate footwear for any occasion, but concedes the need for boots since moving to damp and foggy San Francisco. She loves collecting degrees, including a BA and MA in English, and very soon, an MFA in Creative Writing. Aside from her longing to live in Anthropologie, she claims a seven-year career at a marketing agency and, before that, she graphically designed things. Her YA contemporary book, IF I LIE, will be published by Simon Pulse on August 28, 2012 and her YA paranormal romance, TOUCHED, will be published by KTeen in December 2012.
You can find out more about Corrine Jackson and IF I LIE here…
*Website
*Facebook
*Twitter
*Blog
*Goodreads
*The Bookanistas
*The YA Rebels
*The Class of 2k12
*The Apocalypsies
So, I’m wondering if you know anyone who is on active duty? Do you have a veteran in the family? Any thoughts for those who serve? I’d love to hear.
Tags: Apocalypsies, Book Review, Class of 2k12, Corrine Jackson, If I Lie, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Simon and Schuster, Simon Pulse, The Class of 2k12
Another successful SCBWI Eastern PA Pocono Mt. Retreat! Every time I attend this conference there is something special going on. This year I was thrilled to spend the weekend with Laurie Halse Anderson and to bring a friend to her first writing conference, but more about that later. First off, everyone celebrated the 20 year anniversary of the conference by exchanging memories. I was still in transit, but my buddy Jodi Moore (author of WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN) told the very special story of the Golf Bag Holder. If you haven’t heard this story you can read about it HERE.
Now we have two of our “babies” sitting in the Golf Bag Holder with us. <3
Now that everyone knows the secret of the Golf Bag Holder, everyone wants in on the love. This just makes me smile.
First up was my Workshop Session with Sara Sargent, who talked about Inspiration, World Building and Other Indoor Sports.
My favorite thing she said in this session was that watching a character evolve is fun. Seeing it happen live is exciting, so take your reader on the ride with you instead of giving them so much backstory. I don’t think I can ever be reminded of this too much. Great advice.
The first Keynote speaker of the Conference was New York Times best selling illustrator Amy June Bates…
Here is some of my favorite nuggets from Amy…
*If you wish to be pretty, please be more honest with yourself.”
*One person is a portrait, more is a story.
*Dynamic bodies captured in gestures tell stories.
Later in the evening we had Sweets, Swaps and Shirts. This is where you wear a fun T-shirt (conversation starter), sway books and eat candy. I brought some of my favorite
Simon Pulse books to share. I loved sharing these wonderful authors with my friends.
***WELCOME SATURDAY***
This is the part of the program where the Friday all-night gab-fest mutates into a dire need for coffee AND the heart thumping anticipation of knowing that Laurie Halse Anderson is going to be the morning’s guest speaker. *SQUEE*
Laurie’s keynote was Writing the life of Your Dreams. Crap! How am I going to pick out just a few choice phrases for you to savor when everything she says resonates with me and makes my heart grow by three sizes? I’ll do my best…
*Never Google your name–You only need to know what YOU think of your work.
*Writing time will not magically appear.
*Having a dedicated writing space opens up a dedicated writing space in your brain.
*Give yourself the gift of art, especially if you’re feeling dry. You need new stuff going into the well.
*”I would rather have a root canal and then chew on aluminum foil that write a first draft.” I LOVE THIS WOMAN!
*Ideal ratio of time spent for writers–10 hours writing : 5 hours reading : 1 hour farting on the internet. *head thunk*
Next up I had the pleasure of having a second Workshop session with the lovely Sara Sargent. 
It was a packed house so I pulled up a section of rug, which was actually rather comfortable. This session with Sara was about TENSION and how to take your novel to the next level.
My third Workshop session was outside of my usual box, but I enjoyed it tremendously. YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP: HOW TO USE PRIMARY SOURCES TO CREATE NARRATIVE NON-FICTION by Deborah Heiligman.
As I mentioned, narrative non-fiction is not something I ever plan to write myself. Research makes me break out in hives, but I LOVED hearing about how Deborah created CHARLES AND EMMA and I’m biting at the bit to read it now. Attending this session gave me lots of great take aways that I could translate into my own writing life, but the one thing that really struck a cord was when Deborah said…”It all has to be in service to the love story.” What she meant was that, with an avalanche of facts and interesting information to pick from, the only way to successfully chose what to put in the book came when she reminded herself that her story was a love story and all the information needed to progress that plot line of Darwin’s life. I loved being reminded of that–I know how helpful it is to have that focus in my own writing. So, as a little side note, I highly encourage you to step outside of your box every once in awhile and take a session that you don’t think will be a perfect fit, because you just might find something wonderful in the unexpected.
Now it’s time for Laurie Halse Anderson to get mean about revision in Workshop #4
I’ll share a couple of her secrets with you…
*Everything needs to be on the table to be cut or changed–even the main character.
*It doesn’t matter if it REALLY happened. It’s only good if it informs the story.
*It can always be better.
*The fun of reading is the mystery–don’t weigh down it down with too much back story.
*Make the character’s life hard.
*Kids reach for books to find out how other people deal with situations.
*THE GAP-this magical place between the reader and the story. You want to trust the reader enough to let them fill out some of the places on their own.
At dinner, Taylor and I had our very first knitting lesson. It was so much fun when it stopped being confusing LOL!
This is how I started…
And this is how I ended…
Megan, Carli, Kim, Stephanie and Taylor
After dinner the lovely Kay Winters talked about THE POWER OF PICTURE BOOKS.
BTW–Guess who had an ARC in the Silent Auction?
ME!!!!! I’m very happy that TOUCHING THE SURFACE could help raise funds for next year’s scholarships. And the auction winner was…
My girl and yarn guru, Carli Bandeira. I really hope she loves it. <3
And just when you think that we’d exhausted our sugar rush from the Sweet Inspirations candy bags with writing prompts…
It’s time for a dance party… Twist and Shout!!! Oh, and Mary–we did Jagger LOL!
***YAWN…WELCOME SUNDAY***
Heading back in after checking out of our room and putting our bags in the car, Taylor and I were cruelly reminded (by Megan and Jodi) that we had yet to make it to the table with the morning beverages LOL!
Next I got the chance to hear Deb Heiligman speak some more…
*Writing for children is the most important job in the world.
*When I am writing I recognize myself–I know who I am when I’m writing.
And to finish off the conference there was a FIRST PAGES/FIRST LOOKS Panel that evaluated the first pages of picture book, middle grad and young adult manuscripts in addition to a selection of three illustrations by three of our artists. And of course, because the conference was so wonderful, I can’t help but avoid saying goodbye. Here were some more highlights from the weekend…
Friends sharing their books.
I finally was formally introduced to Carli’s tea duck. He totally quacks me up!
A full circle moment for me–getting to share one of my heroes with someone I love very much. Laurie personally welcomed Taylor into our tribe.
We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us…
Laurie and Taylor. This makes my heart squish.
Laurie signing books for the Fishkill Frogs!
Taylor with knotted yarn barf. ROTFL!
Sara Sargent and I have a very similar chocolate addiction. We bonded. Green & Black’s Organic
Yep, I was totally trying to put Angie in my suitcase. I love this lady.
And speaking of love…
I know it’s a little blurry, but the thing is…I can see it clearly and that is all that matters.
Monday is almost here and I’m more than tired. I stayed up too late talking to my friends all weekend, but very moment was a gift I couldn’t pass up, and speaking of presents…
I’m now the proud owner of my very own Time Turner. It feels good to have it–you never know when you might need it. But for now…
I don’t want to go back and change a thing–it was perfect.
I’m taking questions about the conference or the magic of the Golf Bag Holder. Or you can feel free to chime in about the sheer awesomeness of Laurie Halse Anderson or the SCBWI Eastern PA. Wish you all could have been there.
Tags: #SCBWIPA, Amy June Bates, ARC, Carlu Bandeira, Charles and Emma, Deborah Heiligman, Golf Bag Holder, Jodi Moore, Kay Winters, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Knitting, laurie halse anderson, revision, Sara Sargent, SCBWI, Simon Pulse, Time Turner, Touching the Surface, WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN by Jodi Moore
