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.
I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica Kassees on Book Blogs. Jessica and I hit it off right away and that’s how the idea of a Baby Book Blogger interview was born. Baby? Born? You’re feeling the humor, right?
First can you tell us a little bit about your blog? What do you like to review and who is your target readership?
Be prepared…Welcome to the Strange Mind of Jessica. 😉
Go for it-we don’t scare easily. Remember who your talking to here. LOL!
On my blog,
The Simple Pleasure of Reading, the main genre that I review is Young Adult (YA) Fiction. I am planning on jumping onto the SteamPunk wagon, but have not had a chance to yet. I really enjoy most fiction books, as long as they have an element of romance…I know…I am SO demanding! I really like "adult" books as well…I promise! When I was in 8th grade my mom could not keep me out of her stash of Jude Deveraux any more, so I started reading those. Then that grew into me reading any and everything I could get my hands on. But I digress…
My blog is entertaining–I think– and I try to be informative on different topics that everyone wants to know about, like how to find advanced reader copies. My target readership is anyone that enjoys reading what I say…I am a bit weird and crazy, so I know not everyone can handle that. 😉
Then of course my second question would have to be…how did you get started as a book blogger and how long have you been doing it?
I am still considered a "baby blogger" since I JUST past my one month blogoversary. I started my blog so that I would have a place to ramble, because you see, I like to do that. Really my older sister encouraged me to start blogging because I really enjoy reading and talking non-stop. Then she showed me her blog and how fun it was and I kind of went on a rampage….as you can tell. I can’t believe that I have made so many friends in just over a month. This has truly been a great month doing two things that I totally love (reading and babbling).
I’m laughing because I can remember all those Jude Deveraux books too! I loved them. I think it is adorable that you’re a baby blogger. I remember what it feels like to be a "baby writer" and lets face it…I still have a lot of growing to do LOL! Hopefully this interview helps more people find you on line. I should also mention that Jessica’s sister, Holly Dodson, my guest for my last Freaky Friday Interview.
Of course I need to ask what you’re all time top 5 favorite books are. We must know that.
PARANORMALCY is my favorite because of
Kiersten White’s writing style. I love how the entire book has a funny overtone with a deep and dark undercurrent. It is so hard to find a book with so many layers that still makes sense.
I’ve got to interject-I love PARANORMALCY too! *jumps up and down clapping hands*
Ok, so my other 4 faves are definitely a trip down memory lane…
2) THE MORE I SEE YOU by Lynn Kurland
3) The TWILIGHT Saga by Stephenie Meyer
4) THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold
5) ANGEL OF MERCY by Lurlene McDaniel
I’m a big fan of THE LOVELY BONES also. It really helped me to learn to think out of the box with my own writing. My next question would have to be–how do you handle reviewing a book that you really didn’t like and have you had that challenge yet?
I have already had to handle the not enjoying a book, I really am hard to please when it comes to my reading selection. Handling reviewing a book that I wasn’t so fond of is challenging to say the least. It puts a lot of pressure on me when I receive an advanced copy or a copy from the author. I always try to find the good and couple that with what I did not like, so that people still see that there were still good parts to the book. I also try to never give to much away in my reviews, I think spoilers are cheating the author out of their plot twist surprise. So even if I don’t like their twist, I won’t call them out on it explicitly…it just isn’t fair.
I think it has to be really hard to give an unfavorable review, but I also think in order for reviews to have meaning, you do have to have that kind of honesty with the people who are looking to you for advice. As an writer on Goodreads-I do not rate books. Everybody I read gets 5 stars and I think if something really turned me off, I just wouldn’t list it. But I’m coming from a very different place than you. So we each have our jobs to do. Speaking of jobs, is it hard to get advanced copies of books and author interviews as a "Baby Blogger"?
As a baby blogger is has not been too terribly difficult to get interviews and ARC’s. I just decided to read people’s books no matter what, self published, not published yet or whatever form they have them in, which has made it a lot easier to get advanced or free copies of books.
Sounds like you are well on your way.
Yes, the first month reader response has been fantastic! I have a great following and have been very happy with what I have accomplished so far.
Thank you so much. It has been really fun to welcome a Baby Book Blogger into the world. If you get a chance, stop by Jessica’s blog THE SIMPLE PLEASURE OF READING.
Do you have any burning questions or suggestions for brand new YA Book Bloggers?
Tags: Kimberly Sabatini, Kimmiepoppins
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I’ll admit it…it was tough getting up on Sunday morning. I stayed up until about 2:30 am talking with my roommate Jodi Moore. She’s just launched her web site and her very first picture book, WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN, will be out May 1st. We had plenty to talk about. *squee*
After dragging our luggage to the lobby to be checked, we headed to the ballroom-wanting to make sure we had great seats for the morning’s first keynote speaker, Sara Zarr.
But before she came out, we got to see the award winning art of our amazing illustrators. Everyone’s work was spectacular and make sure you check out Showcase Winner, Leeza Hernandez’s web site.
We also gave a nod to the wonderful SCBWI Team Blog. If you want to know anything at all about what happened at the conference stop by
The Official SCBWI Conference Blog. You’ll feel as if you were right there. Equally as hard-working and fantastic is the staff at SCBWI…
*insert applause*
All right, now we can get back to Sara Zarr. I promise-you don’t want to miss this. It was special…
This is a hard speech to write about. I’ve refrained from reading any post on the topic because I thought it would be best if I captured my feelings from my perspective. When I critique a MS, I always jot down whatever comes to mind along the way. I want to give the writer, the experience of how I reacted as a reader-I think that’s valuable. The same is true with my response to the keynote. Sara’s words, without a doubt, affected everyone in the room who listened. I can’t tell you what they discovered, but I can tell you what they meant to me…
Standing at the podium was a very emotional experience for Sara. One of those full circle moments when you find yourself standing at the end of something and the beginning of something else. After 5 years of writing, Sara came to the NY SCBWI Conference as an attendee. She came angry and frustrated. She was hoping to figure out the system, network, find the answers.
What she found out was that 5 years of writing just wasn’t enough, her agent wasn’t the right agent and she found herself back at square one. She returned home and did all those things that she thought would finally make her enough. She returned to the NY SCBWI Conference in 2005. I was one of the worst experiences she’s ever had. She left her purse hanging on the back of her chair and lost it. She wondered if being kicked when you’re was down is a sign.
We’ve all been there. My baby is called TOUCHING THE SURFACE and it goes something like this…
Life-altering mistakes are meant to alter lives.
At seventeen, Elliot Turner feels like she’s a failure in life and in the afterlife. She’s died for the third time and until she can remember her past and figure out the growth plan for her soul, she’s stuck at the Obmil Center for Progression…
At a NY Conference a couple years ago I waited in line for two hours to pitch my book to a very wonderful agent who was volunteering his time. He looked at me and said…"Dead girls are out, I’d put that in a drawer for at least a decade and forget about it. What else have you got?"
I had nothing. Damn.
I’m not sure what made Sara, once again back at square one, keep going but I’m glad she did. Just the way I’m glad that I’ve kept going. For me, it’s always been the speeches, made by someone who used to be standing where I am. Other people’s journeys and wisdom keep me going when I find myself back at that lonely little square. I’m addicted to the feeling that the people in the room genuinely care, whether they’re in the seat next to me or on the stage.
Sara, after getting misty eyed with awe at where she was standing and what it took to get her there, announced the following…
She was going to give the speech she needed to hear when she was the one sitting in the audience.
I believe that giving that speech was an amazing act of courage. I want to share it with you, but I can’t duplicate her humor, or effectively illustrate her ability to look within and portray herself honestly. What I can tell you, was that sitting and listening to her made me feel less alone. My neurosis had company.
So I will share with you the many things she said that resonated with me, but understand that bullets, no matter how witty or insightful, can not take the place of the things that sat between the words. It was an honor to have been there.
*The time between when you’re a beginner, but before you are a professional is one of the hardest in your life.
*If you’re blessed with mental health…lucky you! LOL!
*Creative people do it for life-there is no end game.
*We need other people.
*Only other creative people get it when it comes to the joys and struggles of your work.
*It takes a tremendous amount of faith to live a creative life. We have faith that all the good stories haven’t been used up by other artists.
*We have unsustainable habits: It’s not practical to be typing with one hand in a bowl of M&M’s. *giggle*
*Is understanding the business side of writing important? Hell yes-but you need to know the value of that on your life.
*Do things that take your mind off yourself-writing is a solitary business.
*You can start to believe in your rejections more than you believe in your capacity to learn and grow.
*At the end of the day-what do you want to create? Relationships.
I know I feel as if I made a friend…thank you Sara.
No act stood a chance of following the standing ovation that Sara received…except this one. Now it was time to laugh.
Look Who’s Laughing: How to Do Funny for Young Readers and Why.
*Mo Willems
*Lenore Look
*Marvin Terban
Moderator-Leonard Marcus
I wish I could share all the wit and wisdom but I took bad notes. I didn’t want to interrupt the laughing. I was having too much fun. Near the end, Mo said…The fundamental difference between kids and adults is that the kids are shorter. I have to agree…we know they both love to laugh.
I’ve had the good fortune of hearing Linda Sue Park speak at my local Eastern NY SCBWI Conference. She was amazing. I knew what I was getting ahead of time and I still wanted to run up and hug her after she was done speaking. She talked about CONFIDENCE…
*Where things get stressful is in between-the area where you want something, but don’t know if you have the goods.
*Don’t believe in yourself, believe in the work.
*If you read a lot, you begin to build a mental standard in your head-it gives you a vast store house of stuff to compare to.
*How long does anyone spend to be a professional/master at anything? You have to invest a whole lot of time to get good at anything. The training for writing is reading.
*The thing about NOT believing in yourself…is that there are so many opportunities.
*If you’re NOT afraid of a challenge-that is NOT courage-it’s a malfunction in your brain chemistry. Courage is what happens when you’re afraid.
*You never love a book the way you do when you’re a child.
*(After a young boy told Linda Sue that he had read her book 62 times) I try to make every sentence I write worth reading 62 times. *heart squish*
Yes, my friends-she too got a standing ovation and it was well deserved. I swear I could have floated out of that room when everything was over. I was so pumped I didn’t even mind the line for the autograph party…
I needed to get all the way down to that far door before I could get in the "real" line. Who cares-I had plenty to think about on line.
Elephant and Piggy…opps…I mean Mo and Me LOL!
Linda Sue Park…focused on the work. Awesome!
Sara and Me…new friend and inspiration.
Conference over. Well almost…
There is something to be said about daydreaming while having a really good egg, ham and cheese sandwich as you’re sitting on the floor of Grand Central Station. It’s as good a place as any to realize that someday is the very best place for your train to be heading…
So tell me…who inspires you?
Tags: Kimberly Sabatini, Kimmiepoppins, Linda Sue Park, Mo Willems, ny11scbwi, Sara Zarr, WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN by Jodi Moore
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It wouldn’t be a SCBWI Conference if we didn’t start off with this…
The lovely, talented and very funny Lin Oliver. Lin remarked that there were 35 people at the very first LA conference. We’ve come a long way baby! When asked how many people in attendance were first time conference goers-there was a sea of hands raised. I think that’s soooo wonderful. Welcome to the SCBWI tribe everyone!!!!
*drum roll please*
IT’S LOIS LOWRY!!!!!!!! Author of my favorite book of all time-the Giver. I can not adequately express how excited I was to hear her speak.
Lois used fan letters to show that almost everyone has two burning questions for her…How do you get your ideas and do you have a dog? *grin* Yes, she does have a very cute dog, but I have to admit it had never crossed my mind to ask. On the other hand I’ve always wanted to know where she got her ideas. I’m going to touch on two…
A SUMMER TO DIE (1st Book)
-Lois had a sister that was her best friend, worst enemy, side-kick and the person who taught her how to read.
-Her sister died leaving her own young children behind.
-In order to cope with the grief, Lois would tell her own 5 year-old the stories of her sister. After awhile her child was bored with her grief as all young children should be.
-Lois told the stories to herself instead…
She reminded us to "give sorrow words…"
THE GIVER
-Lois’ father was suffering from dementia. One day while looking through pictures together, they came upon a childhood picture of Lois and her sister. Her father couldn’t remember what her name was and then when reminded, he couldn’t remember what had happened to her. Lois had to remind him that she had died. His grief was such that it was like he’d heard the news for the first time.
-They continued to look through pictures and came across another of the two sisters and once again her father couldn’t remember. Lois told him that her sister had died and once again it was a brand new pain for her father.
-On the way home in the car Lois began to wonder about the idea of removing painful memories from people’s lives.
-She decided she was going to write about a group of people in the future who’d found a way to be happy, comfortable and safe-removed from painful stimuli.
-The book became more complicated as she began to write it, but this is where the story started.
I walked away from Lois Lowry’s keynote speech feeling as if there is no other way to create, than to use writing as a way to explore your own feelings and thoughts. I know that it’s tempting to try to write to market and trend (and it never hurts to know what is going on) but I do believe that the very best writing comes from that place we aren’t sure we should allow other people to see…
Of course there was an additional moral to her presentation…If you want to be a great writer-you need to get a dog! ROTFL!
Creating and Recreating the Picture Book: Three Views
*Jane Yolen (JY) Author
(Awesome tidbit-Jane was the first keynote speaker at the very 1st SCBWI Conference and the 2nd member of the SCBWI. How cool is that?)
*Mark Teague (MT) Author/Illustrator
*Patricia Lee Gauch (PLG) Editor/Writer/Teacher
This was hands down the best Picture Book Panel I’ve ever heard. Here are some of the things that resonated with me…
JY-Things that haven’t changed about Picture Books…
-The amount of work it takes.
-How dedicated writers are.
-How much authors/editors need to know.
JY-Picture books need to have lyricism-a musicality of language.
JY-A PB is about compression-words have to do double or triple the work.
JY-Child centeredness does not mean that you have to have a child in the book.
JY-Pick your words as carefully as a poet.
-Children use big important words too-it just has to be the "right" word.
-Sometimes you can make up the words-but this is a magical ability so take great care.
JY-Make it illustratable-think in pictures.
MT-Think about if your illustrations will serve the story.
PLG-It doesn’t come from your head.
PLG-Don’t squeeze any idea too hard.
Lin Oliver asked if Picture Books would be better if the author and illustrator collaborated more?
PLG-I’ve learned to keep them apart. Writers are verbal and artists are not, so they would have trouble winning an argument. LOL!
MT-It strikes me as a good tradition and cites Lewis Carroll (Alice and Wonderland) being a tyrant to his illustrator.
JY-You have to respect the genius of the illustrator.
Before we leave for our next session, we gave a great big thanks to all the SCBWI RA’s who do so much to make the tribe great.
Of course I yelled really loud for my Eastern NY RA Nancy Castaldo!!!!
Next up was the Pre-Assigned Workshops-What Makes Your Work Publishable: Today’s Market in Children’s Books.
My first Breakout session was with Alessandra Balzer-Co-Publisher of Balzer & Bray (Harper Collins)
My second Breakout session was with Alexandra Cooper-Senior Editor (Simon & Schuster) I know the picture is a little blurry, but she was so enthusiastic and fun, this one captured her personality.
At this point in the day, my stomach is yelling for some of that chicken, hand cooked by Lin Oliver *grin*. Unfortunately, my group of rabble rousers was tardy and we ended up in the farthest possible location from the the podium LOL! The food was still major yummy though.
The upside was that we were in snagging distance of our own pot of coffee LOL! Go Jeff!
Eileen, Gina, Kim and Jodi
Suzannah, Justin, Jill, Jeff and Scott.
Our Luncheon Keynote…all the way over at the podium was none other than kid-scaring, best-selling children’s author R.L. Stein.
See him waaaaayyyyy over there? His speech was on Writing for Fun And Horror but I laughed so much I hardly took any notes. :o) He was so fun to listen to. My favorite part of his speech was when he shared his favorite fan letters. My two favorites are…
"I’m your biggest fan. I’ve read your books so much my parents have to escort me to the bathroom."
"I’ve read 40 of your books-and I think they’re really boring."
He also reminded us that we have to be open to everything as a writer-you don’t know what the twists and turns are going to be. He had planned to write comedy and only wrote horror because he didn’t want to turn down a job.
Lastly, he touched everyone in the room when he got all choked up talking about receiving a compliment from his hero Ray Bradbury. It is nice to know that no matter how big you become, you still can have heros. *heart squish*
Breakout session #3 with Lisa Sandell-Editor (Scholastic) and author.
The last keynote speaker of the day is Jules Feiffer.
This was one of those speeches where you know that you are listening to a legend and every word is important. The speech is a continuous flow and it is almost impossible to pick out a piece of excellence, because the whole experience is amazing.
Here are some of my favorite things…
*At the time Jules was illustrating for his friend, Norton Juster, he was poor and did his illustrations for the Phantom Tollbooth on tracing paper. The originals have not survived and his thoughts on this were…"Norton didn’t tell me he was writing a classic."
*I have a long history of so whats. (meaning wrong turns on the path to success)
*It was spite that got me into children’s books.
*On entertaining the possibility of failure and letting it get him down–I’m going to make failure work for me.
One of Jules favorite illustrations from the Odious Ogre. "At my age, it’s a beautiful thing to be able to play like a kid…"
We agree.
Autograph Party!!!!!!
Jules Feiffer picking on me because my kids names are Irish sounding and I’m Polish and my hubby is Italian. He also wanted to know what the heck a Fishkill Frog was LOL! But he was lovely and signed the book for the elementary school library with a frog illustration just for the kids. Lots of fun!
Me and R.L. Stein…he gave me Goosebumps *grin*
The lovely and talented Jane Yolen.
I can’t even begin to tell you what a spaz I was meeting my idol Lois Lowry. I have no idea what the heck I said, although Nancy Castaldo was at the table and may have things to hang over my head for the rest of my life. All I know is that it was amazing and I’m very very grateful that she doesn’t look too frightened. Going to hang this one on my bulletin board…motivation for excellence.
I know you can’t even imagine Sunday living up to the sheer awesomeness of Saturday’s Conference, but it does. I swear. I’ll prove it to you in my next blog.
Tags: agent, Editor, Kimberly Sabatini, Kimmiepoppins, ny11scbwi, picture books
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