Hilary Wagner

Bookanistas Review and Giveaway, The Death of Yorik Mortwell!

2012-01-26T07:00:00.028-06:00

Okay, so anyone who knows me or my writing knows I'm a huge fan of creepy, so when I was sent a copy of THE DEATH OF YORIK MORTWELL, by Stephen Messer, I was entirely thrilled!

I've always been a fan of the "underdog", and well, you can't get more underdog than poor Yorik, a little servant boy whose life is taken when he's purposefully hit by a rock by a spoiled rich boy who lives in the manor he serves at. Even in death, poor Yorik doesn't have it good. Once again he's a servant to a Princess who wants him to spy on the manor.

I'm not going to give too much away, but this story has many twists and turns, wonderfully fascinating characters, and let's just says our hero, Yorik, learns some important lessons about life (in death), and by the end of the book he realizes he doesn't need to serve anyone anymore.

So you have this beautiful macabre story by Mr. Messer (who is an awesome guy, btw), along with the fantastic illustrations of the one and only Gris Grimly! All combined this makes for a fantastically creepy-rific novel and I'm a little sad to have to give away this lovely signed hardcover, but hopefully it will go to a good home.

Things of note: This book is a quick read, coming in at 175 pages, so if you know any children daunted by huge books, this compact novel won't scare them away. The book takes place in the Victorian age, but never fear, the prose are very attainable to all levels of readers. Readers who like a touch of creepy (think Tim Burton, not Wes Craven) should really enjoy this book.

Here is what the School Library Journal had to say about The Death of Yorik Mortwell:
Gr 5 8—When spoiled Master Thomas of Ravenby Manor throws a rock at orphaned servant Yorik Mortwell, the 12-year-old falls from a tree and dies. Now a ghost, Yorik quickly acquires a new master, the Princess of the Aviary Glade, who demands that he haunt Ravenby—"You're a ghost and you've got to haunt something"—and to spy on it. Upon returning to the estate, Yorik goes in search of his servant sister, Susan. He encounters a pack of demon-hounds, Master Thomas, and the Yglhfm, evil Dark Ones that sit on shoulders whispering and wreaking havoc. Yorik must find how to defeat them. Full-page, macabre illustrations appear throughout. Lemony Snicket, Harry Potter, and Neil Gaiman enthusiasts will appreciate this engaging, eccentric adventure.—Krista Welz, North Bergen Public Library, NJ

To learn more about Stephen Messer and his books, please visit his website and check out the interview Team Member Dawn Lariamore had with Stephen last year, talking about his debut novel WINDBLOWNE, which garnered fantastic reviews!

To enter the The Death of Yorik Mortwell giveaway:
1. Follow this blog, because I will be soooo happy that you did. ;)
2. Leave a comment.
3. Take a midnight stroll around a creepy graveyard (this rule is optional).

Congrats, Stephen! Winner will be announced on Wednesday of next week!

Now check out these other fabtastic Bookanista reviews & giveaways!

Christine Fonseca brings you a special Guestanista review of SPRINKLES AND SECRETS

Shannon Messenger delights in DEAD TO YOU – with giveaway

Beth Revis interviews TEMPEST author Julie Cross – with giveaway

Jessi Kirby takes a shine to the SURRENDER and new POSSESSSION covers

Stasia Ward Kehoe adores IN HONOR

Jen Hayley gushes over THE GIRL WHO LOVED A CITY

Veronica Rossi is crazy for INCARNATE

Nikki Katz marvels at A MILLION SUNS

Gennifer Albin is on fire over CINDER

Tracy Banghart is all about THE OTHER LIFE
Jessica Love wonders at THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

Find a story in ANYTHING!

2012-01-20T10:22:00.002-06:00

"Alright Mr. Demille, I'm ready for my close-up."

Maybe there is not an entire novel in this picture, but there is certainly a picture book of some sort. I do a little exercise from time to time, staring at random objects, pictures, etc, in order to give myself ideas. Look at anything around you right now and come up with an idea! It's pretty amazing that it actually works, but it does. Right now, I'm staring at my Jack Skellington coffee mug and my remote control. Okay, that's a novel right there...robotic underworld creatures who humans control with the click of button! Love it! ;)

Happy Friday!

Hilary

Where and When do you do your BEST writing?

2012-01-13T09:28:00.000-06:00

Where I'm from, many of us complain that there is no snow in December, and then, when it finally hits in January (and oh, does it hit) we complain that there is too much snow--not a happy medium when it comes to Chicago weather! The above picture displays exactly what Chicago looks like right now, and yes, that's a Chicago dog! :)

It got me to thinking about our writing environment. In other words, in what physical setting do we write best? I do love to write when the neighborhood is encased in snow and I'm all warm and cozy in my house, but I'd have to say fall is my favorite season! There is nothing better than writing on a cool fall day, when the sky is overcast, and all the leaves are whipping around the streets, and Halloween is right around the corner! BOO!

What about you? Where and when are you at your writing best?

I'm no Lady Gaga, but I AM a writer!

2012-01-05T10:40:00.001-06:00

Don't worry, I'm lip-syncing in this picture, not serenading my poor family or else (trust me) their ears would be covered. That's my 8 year old son's present I'm holding from our very cool Yule. His very first, real guitar! It's fun to pretend to be something you're not sometimes. Here, I'm pretending I can carry a tune!

Very recently I was asked, what I would do if I won a huge lottery, never having to work again. What would I do? Without hesitation, I explained that I would write, write, write, and then, write some more. The response I received was, "Are you crazy? I'd travel the world and do fun and exciting stuff every day of my life! I wouldn't write for anything!"

I thought the response was just as deranged. I live and breathe writing. If I don't write for a few days I get antsy and annoyed, and I'm just not sure why. It's what pulls me out of bed in the morning (as does my four year old) and what keeps me up late at night. It's what drives my poor husband nuts and what makes me treat my laptop like a member of the family. It has made me a whole person and that's worth more than winning any lottery, though, I certainly wouldn't shun the windfall!

xoxo -- Hilary

My REAL Rejection Letters & Why You Should Never Give Up!

2011-12-21T11:24:00.000-06:00

This is not some random picture I pulled off Google, these are the actual rejection letters I received from literary agencies from 2008-2009. There are about 75 letters in all, not to mention 100+ email rejections. I'm sure you can do the math. I wanted to toss these into the trash as even now they're a bit hard to look at, but my husband forced me to keep them. He said I'd be happy I did later on, and he was right. Since my first book, Nightshade City, was published, it's won the Westchester Fiction Award for 2011, it's been named a CBC Best Book of 2011, and is a Goodreads Choice Award and SCBWI Crystal Kite Finalist for 2010. I'm invited to speak to kids and other writers on a regular basis and they actually are interested in what I have to say, which is pretty darn cool for a girl who four years ago decided to write a random book about rats--of all things. Nightshade City also resulted in my job with National Geographic, as a Nat Geo editor read it and then contacted me to see if I'd be interested in writing for them. I guess what I'm trying to tell you guys is it's darn hard to get published, but my story is one of the many examples that it is entirely possible and there are many good things to come if you can weather the storm.

Around this time of year we all wonder about our goals in life and if we'll ever reach them. I cannot say I didn't get defeated back then, with my ever growing pile of rejection letters, but I can say, I didn't give up...so don't you do it either.

I mean it. Don't give up or I will hunt you down and slap you around a bit!

Me holding my first copy of Book II
of the Nightshade Chronicles,
The White Assassin

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ONE AND ALL!

Hilary

And the Winner is.... :)

2011-12-15T14:53:00.000-06:00

Sheri Larsen!!!

Congrats, Sheri! So happy for you and I hope these books bring you a lot of joy this holiday season! They all look so great! Please email me your address!

HOLIDAY BOOK BLAST GIVEAWAY!!

2011-12-08T11:24:00.001-06:00


Pretty, pretty books!!!

HOLIDAY BOOK BLAST!!

Happy holidays everyone! In honor of these merry days of giving, I'm super excited to give away ten (did she say ten?) brand spanking new books! Most of these are either newly released or soon to be released! Yes, you'll have a stack of beautiful YA & middle-grade books that few have read! Now that's a gift!

Here's what the winner will get!

1. IRISES by Francisco X. Stork - ARC

2. THE BOOK OF BLOOD AND SHADOW by Robin Wasserman - ARC

3. THE INTERNATIONAL KISSING CLUB by Ivy Adams - ARC

4. DANGEROUS WATERS by Gregory Mone - ARC

5. BEFORE YOU GO by James Presser - ARC

6. THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST by Emily M. Danforth - ARC

7. STEAMPUNK! by various bestselling authors - ARC

8. ROCK ON by Denise Vega - ARC

9. THE WHITE ASSASSIN by me - Signed ARC

10. NIGHTSHADE CITY by me - Signed Paperback

To enter:

1. Follow my blog!

2. Share the love! Not necessary, but spreading the word about this giveaway is darn good karma!

3. Leave a comment about your favorite holiday tradition!

4. Contest open until Wednesday, December 14^th. Winner will be announced Thursday the 15^th! Open to US and international entries!

Good luck to everyone and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxo -- Hilary

Writer A-HA Moments!

2011-11-29T10:49:00.001-06:00

What is the finest piece of writing advice you ever received? It can be something exclusively concerning the craft of writing itself, something that motivated you to keep moving forward, or something that changed everything in relation to you as a writer. It can be from a famous author, a critique partner, your spouse, your dog (my dog gives great advice)! What was YOUR "A-HA Moment" and how did it help you improve as a writer?

My A-HA moment: Never buying into trends and sticking to my gut. Before I started writing, I didn't realize how competitive the markets were for certain types of books. I believed we should write what moves us--as that will be our best writing. I got nervous about that for a while, thinking maybe I should think more about the market, but then I realized if I'm not fully invested in what I'm writing, my readers won't be either.

What was you’re A-HA moment??

NCTE/ALAN This Weekend in Chicago!

2011-11-16T08:30:00.013-06:00


Just after my talk at the NCTE last year. You can tell by my daughters face she did NOT approve of my performance!! ;)

Last year I had the pleasure and honor of speaking at the NCTE in Disney World. Great location, huh? This year, it's in Chicago! Woohoo, no travel hassles for me, but much colder! I'm so excited because I will finally get to meet my Holiday House editor, the amazing Julie Amper! I've been working with her on the Nightshade Chronicles and Goblin Shark Rising for over two years now and I finally get to see her in the flesh!

I'll be speaking on a panel Friday morning, discussing with other authors and our editor how we read our personal pasts in order to create possible futures in writing. Should be pretty interesting, as my segment is about how my past has impacted my writing as a fantasy author. I blame Generation X! :)

I was so nervous last year. Andrea Cremer was on my panel and was so sweet. She gives class lectures all the time so she had no fear! If you told me last year how comfortable I'd be speaking in front of a crowd now I'd think someone spiked your spice chai latte. For any of you who feel public speaking is a terrifying proposition you just have to force yourself to do it. You will be amazed at how much easier it gets. I actually enjoy public speaking now and hope to do many more events. That last sentence falls under "Things I Never Thought I'd Say EVER!"

Please let me know if any of you educators and/or writers will be in town for the event. I have some hello's to give after my panel and then I'm free to stalk the booths! Can't wait to see my bookish buddies!

xoxo -- Hilary

LENNY LEE'S SURPRISE FOR ME!

2011-11-10T09:02:00.000-06:00

FOR LENNY LEE!

Have you ever had one of those friends who always makes you smile? Well, I do. I think most of you know him. He just had a birthday. He's got a huge heart and can write like no kid his age I've ever met!

LENNY LEE!

The Nightshade Knight, by Lenny Lee

That's right, our very own Lenny Lee! I know lots of you sent Lenny cards and gifts for his birthday and wished him well on his blog, but did you know Lenny sent a birthday present to me??? You see, it was my birthday a few days after his and Lenny remembered it. Not only did he send me the coolest writer's care package a writer could ever get, but he also sent me a book....and not just any book, a book HE wrote--for ME!!

I was so honored, touched, and surprised by such a thoughtful and priceless gift. It's about a sweet Jamaican rat named Bart who goes in search of Nightshade City. He wants to help rid the Nightshade Rats of Billycan. After a long journey he ends up finding me! I'm in the book! Bart comes to Chicago and ends up getting trapped in my house with my dog growling at him. I rescue him and help get him back home, but also promise Bart, that he may end up in my next book! :) Well, that's not a bad idea!

I was floored by this story. It really captured my interest from page one and not because it was about my book--but because it was just that good! Bart is a character you care about right away and Lenny's descriptions were perfect--not too much, not too little--just right. :)

Click her to read an excerpt from Lenny's book!

Thanks to the lovely Sharon Mayhew and Lenny's
brother, Sebastian, who helped him with the story and editing!

Rats and Reese's from Lenny!

So, after all that book goodness, Lenny ended up sending me a whole box of writer's treats!! He sent me a bag of Lindt chocolate truffles, my absolute favorite chocolate in the whole world, and yes, they're all gone!! He sent me a bag of yummy trail mix and a huge bag of Reese's goodies too. He also sent me an adorable rat mug and matching pin and lots of lovely notes!! :) I haven't got a gift that made me cry in a long time, but Lenny had me all weepy with thanks and surprise!

Of note: Lenny told me his book was going to be a picture book, but ended up turning into a sixty page novel. That's how Nightshade City started too--as a picture book! Must be an October birthday thing! ;) I have NO doubt after reading this that Lenny is going to be a star writer one day. I mean that with all my heart!

Lenny, thank you so very, very much...you are ONE GOOD RAT!

Big Hugs -- Hilary

Zombie Lincoln Stay Away!!!

2011-10-28T09:21:00.000-05:00

Please be aware and beware, that this is real--very real!! Please click on the map and get whatever safeguards, holy water, silver bullets, wooden stakes, poisons, elixirs, etc, for the threat in your area!

Oh, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Why Omar Rayyan is Awesome!

2011-10-12T10:45:00.002-05:00

Click Me

Need I say more??? ;)

The Very First Page of a Novel

2011-09-30T13:26:00.002-05:00


The first page EVER of GOBLIN SHARK RISING

I just found this in one of my many notebooks. It is the very first "page" of Goblin Shark Rising. I wrote this just about a year ago. I thought it would fun to share, if you can read it, that is! I even doodled that little shark at the top, which looks more like an old sock.

Below is the first page of the finished product. My publisher will have the first chapter of the novel on their website soon, which is so exciting! What do your first pages look like? Hopefully, they are MUCH neater than mine!

Have a great weekend, everyone! ;)

Chapter One -- The Federation

Susur cut through the water--seething. Shaking with rage, he tore after the fleeing shark. He was positive it was a Frill. Its snaky tail snapped around a turn as he pursued it. Maybe it was fate that he'd stormed out of the Federation Summit when he did, now he could prove to his father and the Federation once and for all that the Frills were cold blooded murderers. Plunging after it, he even smelled the rotting flesh in the Frill's teeth--shark flesh. He soared around a rock column, dead-set on catching the creature.

Growling furiously, Susur sped through the gloom. Where did it go? Eyes darting, he hurled his body to the right, just seconds before his snout would have smashed into a stone outcropping. He grunted in pain as his gills slapped the rock. A Frill had eluded him once more! It almost felt good--the pain. Lately, all he heard from everyone around him was 'no'. No, you cannot hunt alone. No, you cannot leave Federation borders. And finally, no, you're wrong about the Frills--in fact completely off the mark. At least the stinging pain was something other than a no.

The Frill was nowhere to be seen. Gills throbbing, Susur slowed his pace. He descended deeper into the canyon. Perhaps he could sniff out a trail.

The Goblin Sharks had concealed themselves deep within Tokyo Canyon for centuries. Secreted away for so long, many of his kind had grown lazy, allowing themselves to be captured--a great discovery for the human scientists--the elusive Goblin Shark. 'Living Fossils' of the sea, the humans called them. A prehistoric species touted to be over one hundred million years old. He'd heard from the Great Whites and others what the scientists did to sharks, poking and prodding them--dismembering their bodies--dissecting them.

Then there were the fishermen, to be fair, a far simpler sort than the scientists, but just as deadly, eying the Goblins as a whole new source of revenue--greedy fishmongers. Collectors would pay hundreds of thousands of yen to possess the retractable jaw of a dead Goblin shark dragged up by a fisherman's net. And if a fisherman ever managed to a catch a live Goblin...well...what human wouldn't want to try the fresh flesh of this unknown shark--this ancient, exotic species? Humans seemed to rip hungrily into any sea creature set in front of them, the more out of the ordinary the better.

Susur's concerns with the Frill Sharks started months back. The slippery serpent like creatures, who looked more like eels than sharks, had honed in on Federation territory with grisly intent. At first, he thought they were just another nuisance, scavenger sharks looking for scraps, but soon, the body count rose. Susur knew they were a lethal threat--even if the elders refused to believe him. Several dead Federation sharks had been found around the outskirts of the canyon. He easily recognized the unmistakable bite marks from their endless rows of jagged teeth. His father told him many species could make those marks, but Susur knew better. If slain sharks weren't enough to make his father take action then what was?

How would you stop a demon cat who wants to eat your soul?

2011-09-28T10:49:00.003-05:00

Cute, ain't he?

So, I'm wrapping up my latest novel, GOBLIN SHARK RISING, and it got me to thinking about bad guys and creative ways/solutions authors have "done them in" in children's literature. Sometimes, it's a very complex solution and other times the solution is so simple it doesn't even occur to the reader as an answer until it happens. And then you think, why didn't I think of that?

And yet another baddie falls to his untimely demise!

What are some of the most creative "get rid of the bad guy" solutions you've read? What have you seen far too many times? For me, I've seen the "falling off a cliff to their death scene" far too many times!

Thoughts on Writing a Series

2011-09-13T07:08:00.000-05:00

I'm always up for a good series. I like them, because if I really am fond of a book, I don't want it to end! Since I wrote Book II of the Nightshade Chronicles (which comes out any day now), I've been thinking a lot about series, and what makes one successful against another.

Recently, I read a middle-grade series that started off great. The first and second books were really entertaining, and the third book was good, though I did skim a little with that one. By the fourth book, the writing felt completely different--and not in a good way. The author seemed genuinely bored with the plot, and the writing was rambling and clunky, not to mention the book was 500 pages. The story seemed to be copied from the first two books, just with different characters and settings, even the action sequences reeked of past scenes from earlier books. It was a real disappointment, at least to me, though I'm sure others loved it.

When I had a talk with my editor about Book II, she told me flat out the book has to be super special, perhaps even more so than the first. That was kind of a light bulb moment for me. Readers want what they read in the first book, but they don't just want a continuation; the book needs to be extraordinary on its own. I think if you're going to write a series, each book needs to be standalone great! Characters need to evolve, as does the story...not just continue.

What is your take on writing an amazing sequel or series? What are some series you've read that were in your opinion successful?

Oh, and I really just liked the cat in the above picture. Don't think I'm hinting that I didn't like the Harry Potter series! A. I've never read it. B. I don't want hate mail!! ;)

GOBLIN SHARK RISING, Fall 2012

2011-08-30T08:36:00.001-05:00

Above is a quick video of the goblin shark. In this video, he's just swimming, looking kind of cute. Just wait until you see the video below. Cute is not a word I'd use for that one! :)

So, I finally get to tell everyone the new title for my middle-grade undersea adventure, which releases Fall 2012! GOBLIN SHARK RISING is an undersea adventure that takes place in Tokyo Bay. Not only will this book take you under the sea, exploring the mysterious world of sharks, specifically the goblin shark, who is over one hundred million years old, with a fantastic jaw that lurches out of its head, but it will also take you into Tokyo, Japan, highlighing this amazing city, and exploring two of its most famous demons! I'm so excited! The book is off to my publisher in one month, so, back to writing!

In this video, the goblin shark or Tenguzame as the Japanese call it, is taking a bite! Don't worry, the diver is protected! Wait until you see this guy take a bite in slow motion! They are named after the Japanese Tengu because of their long beak-like snouts and well, goblinish appearance!

Right up my alley! :)

Hilary

The Rhythm of Words or Why I Write Better Than I Dance!

2011-08-25T12:38:00.001-05:00

I've found something out about myself. I'm what you'd call a Rhythmic Writer, which is ironic, because I'm an utterly tragic dancer (think of the zombie dancers from Michael Jackson's Thriller video).

I'm a firm believer in the rhythm of words and how they form our thoughts, eventually becoming sentences in our books. I'll write a sentence over and over, until I finally feel that its right--that it flows effortlessly off the tongue, or through your mind as you read it. I'm not sure if that means I write more with my brain or my gut. It just has to feel right.

How about you?

What's happening, Hot Stuff??

2011-08-19T09:41:00.002-05:00


When do you think they'll churn out a remake of this??

Hello, my pretties! How is everyone?? I've had an entirely crazy month so far, working on my new book that takes place in Tokyo and writing some stories for Nat Geo, and let me tell you, they have the coolest editors EVER!

I'm in a great mood not only because it's Friday, but because THE WHITE ASSASSIN, Book II in the Nightshade Chronicles got a nice review from Kirkus! Until they publish it next month, you can't see it unless you're a subscriber, but I was so shocked (and relieved). Sequels are really tough to write. My editor told me a sequel has to actually be more special than the first book. Wow, was she right! I never put much thought into that until I actually had to write one. I can't wait to dive into Book III, though I fear it might kill me! :)

So, Hot Stuff?? What's happening with you? Anything good going on? Finish or start anything new? For those who attended, how was WriteOnCon???

POSSESS Scavenger Hunt is on!

2011-08-14T21:24:00.002-05:00

ARE YOU POSSESSED?

My writer buddy, Gretchen McNeil's debut YA novel POSSESS releases August 23rd!! Join in on her scavenger hunt trickery and get POSSESS'ed!!! Find out more about Gretchen and POSSESS via the links below and be sure to join in on the scavenger hunt!

Congrats, Gretchen!!! ;)

POSSESS (Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, August 23, 2011)

http://www.gretchenmcneil.com

How Do You Tackle Research??

2011-08-03T12:50:00.001-05:00

Eureka! I have discovered how to turn litter into catnip!

Call me a nerd, but I love doing research. I buy used research books by the cart full, rent and record applicable documentaries, email experts, and do my best to make sure I get things right. Depending on what you're writing, research can be tricky. Even if you're writing fantasy the basics have to be right. I think it goes towards your story's credibility and can only strengthen it.

Currently, I have a new novel due to my publisher in less than two months and I've been doing not stop research on everything from ancient culinary arts to decompression sickness (don't ask)! Luckily, I went to some tough schools, so proper note taking was a must. I never thought it would help me now. I openly apologize to all the teachers I secretly glared at during class who I thought were purposely trying to give me carpal tunnel! THANK YOU!!!! ;)

So, how do you approach research? Any nerdy research secrets you'd like to share? Do you love it or loathe it?

The White Assassin Book Trailer is HERE!!

2011-07-29T08:16:00.001-05:00

Without further ado, here is the official THE WHITE ASSASSIN Book Trailer, courtesy of Steven Spielberg! Okay, that's last part about Steven Spielberg is NOT true, but hey, it was sure fun to say!

xoxo -- Hilary

Facebook Cat is a Known Liar!!

2011-07-21T08:03:00.003-05:00

Now Facebook Cat has to fake his picture on yet
another network. He is not happy....

So, like everyone else (okay, almost everyone else) I was excited about Google+...for about five whole seconds. Is it a cool new tool? Sure. Is it a major pain in the neck to now have THREE different sites to look for your friends and reach out to your network? COMPLETELY!

Last week, I quickly noticed a dramatic decrease of activity on my Facebook feed, though it has gone back up a lot in the last few days, which leads me to believe that others are as sick as I am of having to jump around. I'm sure they'll build a tool wherein you can be on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter all at once, and already there are a few tools that allow you to link your Facebook and Google+ accounts, but the ones I've come across (and yes, they work) have known security issues.

Hopefully, someone will buy out someone soon, and this post will become obsolete! I'm hoping for a hostile takeover! ;) So, I've just decided I'm not going to care anymore and post where I want to post, because in the grand scheme of life social networking is the last thing I want to be annoyed over. After all, isn't this stuff supposed to be fun???

xoxo -- Hilary

MEET TYPO CAT!

2011-07-14T10:04:00.005-05:00

Typo Cat found a split infinitive in his latest novel.
He is noticeably upset.

I LOVE TYPOS! Okay, no, I don't love them at all, but I'm certainly guilty of them. Now that THE WHITE ASSASSIN will soon be making its merry way to the printer, I get very nervous about typos in the printed book.

I had one really obvious typo in the NIGHTSHADE CITY hardcover, wherein "food" was printed in the book when it should have been "foot." Yes, that one made me cringe, (especially when it was not in the galley) and was of course corrected in the paperback.

In all my years of reading books, I'd say over a third of the books I've read have had some sort of typo(s) in them, and it doesn't matter how big or small the publisher is, or if the author is a bestseller or a debut--they're there. I don't mind them at all and I actually like finding them. After all, we're only human and when a book goes from writer to editor, back to writer, back to editor, off to copy editor, back to editor and writer, off to printer, back to copy editor, back to editor, then off to readers, and back to editor, and then, FINALLY, off to printer...mistakes happen! Wow, I'm exhausted!

How do you feel about typos? Do you give a little smile and move on or do they make you annoyed?

Come to think of it, there is probably a typo in this post, but just ignore it--if you can! ;)

Angry Writer Monkey Wants Advice!

2011-07-07T15:45:00.000-05:00

FEED ME YOUR KNOWLEDGE!

Okay, so maybe Angry Writer Monkey was just a ploy, but now that I have your attention, I have a lot going on these days, to the point where it can get overwhelming. It got me to thinking about what my agent told me about this time last year. Nightshade City was coming out in a few months, and of course, as a debut author, I was terrified about reviews, sales, and everything in between, to the point where I was getting a little nutty. To sum it up, she told me (nicely) to shut up about it and keep writing. She said the writing is what matters. If you don't have that...you've got nothing! She didn't actually tell me to shut up, but you get the point. Now with every step, with every new manuscript, hurtle, triumph, or even defeat, I go back to that. And as writers, this rule applies to everyone, no matter what stage of the publishing journey you are at.

So, what's the best writing advice you've gotten? It doesn't have to be something monumental, it can be a small tip that ended up changing the way you write or maybe something that was really encouraging to you. I think sharing advice (good and bad) is important. And with that in mind, feel free to share your words of wisdom! :)

xoxo -- Hilary

Back By Popular Demand...HOPE!

2011-07-05T07:46:00.006-05:00

Like most writers, when I was searching for an agent, I devoured every agency's website, I googled until my fingers yelled at me, and I endlessly scoured the writing boards and forums for the skinny on agents until my head throbbed. Why? Because that's what we have to do in order to land an agent.

I still have subscriptions from the forums, which alert me via email when someone posts on certain agency's threads---the ones that I was waiting for feedback from. A while back, I received an alert from one of those threads, because a new post had come through. The poster, a writer of course, was down and out because she'd received a call from this agency a couple months back. The agent she spoke with was very excited about her writing and told her she'd hear back from her right after Bologna, which sadly she never did, even after sending a few gentle email nudges she's gotten no response. Even though this post has nothing to do with me, my heart sank when I read it, because I've certainly been in her shoes. When you want something so badly, the waiting turns from nagging to all consuming. Even with family, friends, jobs, it's hard to think about little else.

Well...I have hope.

Some of you know, Craig Virden, Nancy Gallt's husband was my original agent. He was a wonderful man and a powerhouse in the publishing industry and it was a great loss to everyone when he passed away last year. Well, Craig was the agent I desperately wanted. You know what I mean...THE agent--the one. He'd had my requested full for what seemed like forever and a day (or about 6 months), I'd sent a couple email nudges hoping for an update, but with no response. Then finally a letter from the Nancy Gallt Agency arrived at my home. I nervously opened it, my heart beating like a rabbit's. What did a find? A rejection from Craig. Mind you, the nicest, most personal, genuine rejection anyone could ever get, but a rejection all the same. So there it was. What did I do? I immediately starting writing. He told me to send him whatever I had "moldering" in my desk that he might like. So I picked up the pace on a manuscript I'd been working on, finishing it about a month after his rejection--right after the 2009 Bologna, where he happened to be.

That's when I got the call. It was Tuesday. Just after returning from Bologna, Craig called me out of the blue. He'd changed his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about NIGHTSHADE CITY and wanted to represent me. He said he didn't care about the market and that my book needed to be published. The rest you know.

So, please, to this writer and to everyone else who's struggling to get published, keep having hope, even if you're down to your last agent or have subbed your third manuscript with no bites--keep having hope. Strange and wonderful things happen every day. Trust in whatever it is that forces you to be a writer. There is a reason why you're here.

xoxo -- Hilary

Debut YA Author Medeia Sharif & BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.

2011-06-24T08:00:00.004-05:00

Do you know one of those people who's pretty much awesome at everything and makes you feel like a total heel? Well, if you don't know her already, here's one more to add to your list! Yes, you guessed it, I'm talking about debut YA Author, Medeia Sharif!

Medeia is not only a gorgeous debut author (ummm...did you see that hair and those eyes), but she holds a master's degree in psychology, she's a teacher, and get this folks, she's a member of Mensa! And yes, I feel even dumber now just writing this post! ;)

In any case, I'm so happy that Medeia's book has finally released. When you read the above, you might think with all her brains, her writing might be kind of stuffy, right--because she's such a smarty-pants? No way! Her debut novel, BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER. is anything but stuffy! What kind of stuffy person uses the word "bestest" and in the title no less?

Here's a little blurb from BRE to show you what I mean:

During Ramadan, we're not allowed to eat from sunrise to sunset, for a whole month. My family does this every year, even though I've been to a mosque exactly twice in my fifteen years. My exercise-obsessed mom—whose hotness skipped a generation, sadly—says I could stand to lose a few. But is torture really an acceptable method? I think not.

Things wouldn't be so bad if I had a boyfriend, but my oppressive parents forbid me to date. This is just cruel and wrong. Especially since Peter, a cute and crushable artist, might be my soul mate. Figures my bestest friend Lisa likes him, too.

To top it off, there's a new Muslim girl in school who struts around in super-short skirts, commanding every boy's attention—including Peter's. How can I get him to notice me? And will I ever feel like a typical American girl?

Doesn't this book sound like a blast? Kirkus and Booklist say so!

"A humorous, hip look at the ups and downs of fasting for Ramadan within the context of intergenerational and cultural challenges."—KIRKUS REVIEWS

"Upbeat and breezy, this novel will be a useful addition to many YA collections seeking diversity with a light tone and a focus on family, friends, and faith."—BOOKLIST

Long story short, I think Medeia is awesome and I'm so thrilled her book is finally out! Please follow her blog if you don't already and of course...BUY HER BOOK, all the links you need are below!!

BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER., Flux, 2011
ISBN: 0738723231 (ISBN13: 9780738723235)
Purchase from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powells, Indiebound, Borders, Books-A-Million, The Book Depository, Flux, Kobo

CONGRATS, MEDEIA!!

It's Here! THE WHITE ASSASSIN ARC!

2011-06-15T11:59:00.002-05:00

Look what I got! See how the blue matches my house?
Omar Rayyan, the illustrator, seriously read my mind!

Did you ever have one of those 'feelings'? That 'I need to go do something right now even though it makes no sense' feelings? Well, I did at 11pm last Saturday. I turned off our alarm (everyone was already asleep), quietly opened our front door, and crept out into the dark and got the mail--something I'd normally never do because I'm far too lazy! So glad I did, because look what was inside! I had no idea it was on its way, so along with a ridiculously high cable bill, what a nice surprise to find in my mailbox!!!

My blog tour is coming up in September/October and thanks to everyone who has offered to participate! I'm so excited for this book. I worked so very hard on it. I think after the third rewrite I finally got it right! ;)

xoxo -- Hilary

MISERERE: An Autumn Tale, by Teresa Frohock out NOW!

2011-06-10T08:08:00.000-05:00

Don't you love this cover! Amazing...

Happy Friday, everyone!

Today, I have the great pleasure of telling you about author, Teresa Frohock's amazing debut fantasy novel, MISERERE: An Autumn Tale. A new release from Night Shade Books, a great independent publisher, who is racking up SF/F awards, and is known for their fantastic taste!

Here is the blurb:
Exiled exorcist Lucian Negru deserted his lover in Hell in exchange for saving his sister Catarina's soul, but Catarina doesn't want salvation. She wants Lucian to help her fulfill her dark covenant with the Fallen Angels by using his power to open the Hell Gates. Catarina intends to lead the Fallen's hordes out of Hell and into the parallel dimension of Woerld, Heaven's frontline of defense between Earth and Hell. When Lucian refuses to help his sister, she imprisons and cripples him, but Lucian learns that Rachael, the lover he betrayed and abandoned in Hell, is dying from a demonic possession. Determined to rescue Rachael from the demon he unleashed on her soul, Lucian flees his sister, but Catarina's wrath isn't so easy to escape!

And look her blurbed her book and loved it:
"Miserere is about redemption, and the triumph of our best impulses over our worst. It's also about swords, monsters, chases, ghosts, magic, [and] court intrigues. It's also really, really good." --Alex Bledsoe, author of Dark Jenny

Yeah, Alex Bledsoe! Pretty awesome!

Teresa has an author photo, but this is my favorite shot of her, so I'm using it! Ha! Teresa is just an all around awesome chick! She's a boot-wearing librarian, who likes her books, well, lets just say a little on the dark side! She's been a great friend to me, and always has a kind word for everyone! If you'd like to know more about Teresa and Miserere, you can follow her blog here! Her agent is the awesome Weronika Janczuk, who of course fell in love with the novel on first read!

My copy of Miserere is arriving on Wednesday and I can't wait to hold that puppy in my hot little hands!

Congrats, T!!!! We are all soooo happy for you!

xoxo -- Hilary

What is a Book's Purpose?

2011-06-08T10:26:00.002-05:00

The dog gets away with it...really?

So, I've been thinking about books lately and their overall purpose. There have been several books I've read in the past few months, where I thought, this part could have been done better or I'd have done it this way (not that I could do it better), but then, I also think, even if I didn't love the book (or even like it), but it brought up emotion in me and made me think about things in some way (even a negative way), did the book do its job? There are certain books I did not love, but I still think about them. To me, so much of our like or dislike for a book is taste, rather than good versus bad writing.

Are there books you've read that maybe you didn't love, but you still think about? Every so often they pop into your head for no reason? Do you think a book's purpose is solely to entertain or to make us think? I suppose, in a perfect world it would be both.

xoxo -- Hilary

LENNY LEE FEST!

2011-06-03T06:21:00.003-05:00


This is Lenny's sunshine from his blog, Lenny's World! This little sun has become quite famous!

I'm spreading Lenny Lee sunshine today! Today is Lenny Lee Fest! Myself and a gang of other writer buddies are spreading the word about this fantastic kid! If you don't know him, I can tell you Lenny is about the sweetest kid you could ever meet AND he's an aspiring young writer! Every since he's read Nightshade City, he's been sending me emails and he and I have become good friends. He always tells me, "Rats Rule!" So, in honor of Lenny and our friendship and of course, LENNY LEE FEST, I have a special post for him today! Below is a scene from THE WHITE ASSASSIN! Book II of the Nightshade Chronicles AND there is a super secret special surprise in Book II only for Lenny, but he'll have to wait to see that!

If you'd like to know more about Lenny and why he's so special, please follow his blog here! There will also be lots of other Lenny Lee posts today, and if you Google "Lenny Lee Fest", you'll find them all, although you probably already know most of these great writers already!

So, here it is kiddo! We love you, Lenny!

The Parchment, scene from THE WHITE ASSASSIN

"There he is," said Suttor, "over there."

By now, all of the young Council members had wandered into breakfast and had been told of Juniper's secret.

They watched in silence as Oberon took his plate of food and strode through Burnstock Hall, proud as a peacock, as if inviting everyone to look upon him.

"He's as garish as that obnoxious red cloak," whispered Clover.

"How did he ever get elected to the Council?" asked Oleander.

"He's exceedingly bright," said Vincent, "that much I'll give him. He's brilliant with numbers and measurements and with Nightshade growing so big, Virden needed help and said Oberon was the rat for the job. The library, the city square, they were architected by Oberon."

"He architected his election as well," added Victor. "By the time he was done gloating to the citizens about all his good works in Nightshade, you'd have thought he single-handedly built the place. Needless to say, he won by a landslide. He's as clever as a country cat."

"Which makes him as dangerous as one," said Carn, "especially when he has everyone's trust."

Picking up the parchment, Clover and Oleander had shown them, Vincent nudged his brother. "C'mon then."

Oberon had chosen the center seat at the center table in Burnstock Hall. Surrounded by family's known throughout Nightshade, families who would re-elect him. He fawned and smooth talked all the while, constantly praising Cole's wife Lali, now Nightshade's head cook, calling her food a national treasure. Given his ever-growing waistline, Vincent was sure that was the only thing Oberon was honest about.

The Nightshade brothers stood behind him for a moment, listening to his shameless flattery. "Oh, I do say, Lali's sausages are as good or better than anything I ever had when I lived in that Topsider's restaurant. I told you about that, didn't I? Why Lali's a master chef," and, "What? You say you've gained weight, Missus Nelson, why you're as fit as a fiddle--still turning heads as great-grandmother!"

Vincent cringed, then leaning down, tapped Oberon on the shoulder with the scroll and grinned broadly.

Looking up from his meal, Oberon gave a greasy smile. "Well, as I live and breathe, the famous Nightshade brothers, fighters for freedom and equality among all rats--the heroes of our time!"

The others smiled admiringly at them. Vincent nodded, but quickly returned to business. "Oberon, there is something my brother and I need to talk you about." He tapped him again on the shoulder, this time making sure he saw the scroll. "A Council matter, if you please."

Seeing the scroll, Oberon's eyes widened. He dropped his fork to his plate, biting his lower lip--clearly panicked. "Oh--I see..." he said uneasily. He noticed all his supporters staring at him. Quickly, his bravado returned. "A Council matter? Of course, I've always got time for that, young Nightshade." Trying not to look nervous, which only succeeded in making him look more nervous, Oberon awkwardly stood up, knocking the table with his belly in the process. "I'll be back momentarily. Duty calls, dear friends."

Glaring at him, Vincent motioned over to the table where the other young Council members were seated. "This way, Councilman." Hesitantly, Oberon obeyed.

COVER REVEAL: THE WHITE ASSASSIN, Book II of the Nightshade Chronicles!

2011-06-02T11:16:00.000-05:00

Here it is!!! Thanks to Omar Rayyan for doing
such a beautiful job once again!

I am in love, love, love with this cover! I don't know how Omar does it! Gee, I wonder which one is the White Assassin? I cannot wait for October!!!

xoxo -- Hilary

How Do People Find Your Blog?

2011-05-25T09:02:00.001-05:00

A Google Rat Muppet, can't believe I found this!

Number one & two Google search term used to find me: "Hilary Wagner" and "Hilary Wagner Author" Okay, good! That's a great sign right?

Number three Google search term used: "Nightshade City" or "Nightshade City sequel". These are relatively equal in terms of usage. Another good sign! People are looking for my book AND Book II! LOVE THIS!

Number four Google search term: "Marietta Zacker"

Makes perfect sense! I rave about my agent and I'm glad people get to know more about her through me.

This is where things get, well, weird...

Number five search term used (and mind you, this term comes up NUMEROUS TIMES A DAY):

"RAT TATTOO"

Ha! Yes! I never knew how popular rat tattoos were, but apparently worldwide they are highly sought after, from NY to the Netherlands, people find my blog everyday searching for rat tattoo designs, primarily because of Omar Rayyan's (NC's illustrator) fan tattoo of one of Nightshade City illustrations. It's incredibly cool to have one of your book's characters on someone permanently! I wonder if the guy below donning that awesome tattoo actually read the book or found the illustration online--super cool either way!

Omar's illustration and the resulting fan tattoo!

You gotta love it! So, any odd search terms used that cause people to pull up your blog time and time again? One time, someone Googled, "spooky dead guys and hair balls" and yes, my blog came up! Don't ask... ;)

xoxo -- Hilary

Nightshade City Paperback out TODAY! :)

2011-05-18T13:55:00.001-05:00

I really don't like what she did
with this scene...utter drivel.

Nightshade City has its paperback debut today! Thanks to everyone who has supported me through this whole insane process! Because you can't predict sales (as much as we'd like to), you never know if a hardcover is going to make it to paperback, so I was really happy when my publisher gave me the news! I haven't seen the paperback yet, so I'm pretty excited to see my book in a new format! Also, to anyone going to the BEA next week, be sure to pick up an ARC of THE WHITE ASSASSIN at the Holiday House booth!!!

Paperback Link:

Nightshade City (Nightshade Chronicles, Book 1) (9780823423873): Hilary Wagner, Omar Rayyan: Books

xoxo -- Hilary

An Inspiring School Visit to Hufford Junior High!

2011-05-16T08:00:00.005-05:00

My inspiring audience!

Just last week, I had the awesome experience of visiting Hufford Junior High to talk about the NIGHTSHADE CHRONICLES and speak to over 900 kids! Can you imagine--NINE HUNDRED?? It was such a fantastic experience and the kids were just inspiring! I even got to meet a few kids who'll be at the Young Authors Conference this weekend where I'll get to speak again!

The greatest display EVER and a very sweaty me!
It was a mere 90 degrees in Chicago the day of my visit!

Karen Eaves, Hufford's wonderful Librarian, was such a great hostess. She even put together a whole NIGHTSHADE CITY display! She included Ramsey's house (complete with the gargoyles), the earthworm tribe, and even Nightshade City and its rats! I was so honored that she made it and I must have snapped a million pictures!

Can you see the rats under the house and the little earthworms?
Karen thought of everything!

I want to give a colossal thank you to Ms. Eaves for inviting me, organizing EVERYTHING, and creating the lovely Nightshade City display. I'd also like to thank Karen Glowicki, for setting up my presentation in the auditorium and doing all that lovely technical stuff, as well as the Principal, Anna White, who was just so gracious. Last but my no means least, thank you to all the students! What a fantastic group of kids! Hooray for Hufford!!!

I'm going to say this is Vincent and Victor mulling things over underground! :)
Love these little guys!

See the gargoyles on the roof? Karen got the house so right!

A most inspiring day!

xoxo -- Hilary

OH NO SHE DIDN'T! Someone already wrote my book!

2011-04-28T12:29:00.001-05:00

YOU WROTE A HORSE BOOK TOO!???

I had a writer email yesterday. It was a very nice email, just reaching out and saying hello. The writer has a manuscript in process that happens to be about rats. The writer admitted they had a bit of a start when someone directed them to my series, THE NIGHTSHADE CHRONICLES, thinking maybe I had beat them to the punch and it would hurt their chances of becoming published, but after looking at my excerpt, etc, the writer soon realized there was no need to worry. Our books were quite different.

Long story short, has this ever happened to you? Have you been in the middle of a manuscript only to discover there is a new book out there--already on the shelves--quite similar to yours?

Well, if it has, don't freak out.
I REPEAT: DON'T FREAK OUT!

It happens, but it's not the end of the world. In fact, it may actually help you. And by and large, if you actually read the book, you'd probably find out it was very, very different from your own. So keep writing your book! Never write for the market or for what you think might sell. Write for you. That's the surest way to get published.

xoxo -- Hilary

What Are Your Writer Pet Peeves???

2011-04-22T12:48:00.001-05:00

These do not inspire my bunny picture book at all.

On Facebook today, I posted how I can't stand justified text. I know that it's used for most print media and I understand why it's used...I just don't like how it looks on a word document--anyway MAJOR pet peeve of mine. I compare it to people who don't like their food touching--you know--peas touching your potatoes and now you refuse to eat either.

So what bugs you in terms of writing? It can be anything! Formatting do's & don'ts, grammar issues, maybe something you discovered about writing or publishing that made you scratch your head and not in a good way. You get the idea. And if you don't have a writing peeve, feel free to rant about anything else. Like the guy at Starbucks who talks purposefully loud on his cell phone so everyone within a mile radius can hear his fantastic weekend plans! Please, shut it already! Ha, ha! ;)

It's dish the dirt Friday, so start dishing! ;)

Writer Cat (and I) say HAPPY EASTER!!!!

xoxo -- Hilary

Winner of the Great Book Giveaway is...

2011-04-19T09:49:00.000-05:00

Sarah Woodard

Hooray for Sarah!

Sarah loves to read as though it is breathing. She is a junior in high school and lives in Washington! Her blog, Sarah's Random Musings, is all about books, both middle-grade and YA! I highly suggest you give her a follow! She is a veteran book reviewer and one of her favorite movies is Sixteen Candles, so how could you not love this girl?!

Thanks to everyone who entered! I love hearing about everyone's favorite books. It's so nice to know books can be life changing! ;)

The Great Book Giveaway!! Win TEN Awesome Books!

2011-04-12T10:06:00.002-05:00

Okay, my private stash of books is overflowing, so I'd thought I'd throw a contest, giving away a bunch of snazzy new books (both middle-grade and YA) to one lucky winner! And yes, I will ship overseas for this!

To enter to win: All you have to do is follow my blog (if you don't already) and leave a comment naming a book--any book--that changed your life!

The winner, randomly chosen, will win ten, yes, TEN AWESOME BOOKS! I'll be sending the winner a signed hardcover of NIGHTSHADE CITY, but if you already have it, please let me know and I can choose another random winner for that!

Contest ends this Sunday, so please be sure to spread the word!

So, here is the list of the winner's TEN book booty:
I KISSED A ZOMBIE AND I LIKED IT, Adam Selzer (Paperback - SIGNED)

NIGHTSHADE CITY, Hilary Wagner (Hardcover - SIGNED)

THE GUARDIAN OF THE GATE, Michelle Zinc (ARC)

THE LIAR SOCIETY, Lisa & Laura Roecker (ARC)

BREAKAWAY, Andrea Montalbano (ARC)

TIME RIDERS, Alex Scarrow (ARC)

MONKEY SEE, MONKEY ZOO, Erin Soderberg (ARC)

STRINGS ATTACHED, Judy Blundell, (ARC)

THE KISSING GAME, Aidan Chambers (ARC)

THE DEADLIES, Kathryn Lasky (ARC)

xoxo -- Hilary

Nancy Gallt Agency Hooray! 2011 CBC List!

2011-04-07T12:35:00.001-05:00

Hooray!

I want to say "HOORAY" to Marietta Zacker and Nancy Gallt for having such an awesome list of 2011 CBC picks! They work tirelessly (not to mention put up with me), so I'm so happy they have such a nice list of best books! Please check out the list of books below if you're interested in some good reads or want to get to know the agency better--they have picks in every age range. And yes, that one about the rats is pretty awesome--you know I had to add that. ;) Click the link below for the complete 2011 picks!

The Children's Book Committee of the Bank Street College of Education announced the 2011 Best Children's Books of the Year

BIG RED LOLLIPOP illustrated by Sophie Blackall
PECAN PIE BABY illustrated by Sophie Blackall
PRINCESS SAYS GOODNIGHT by Naomi Howland
IVY'S EVER AFTER by Dawn Lairamore
NIGHTSHADE CITY by Hilary Wagner
WILDWING by Emily Whitman
THIEF EYES by Janni Lee Simner
EMPTY by Suzanne Weyn

xoxo -- Hilary

Thank You for making the Voices Stop...

2011-03-30T11:31:00.000-05:00


Please...make the voices stop...

See this picture? This is how I felt last week! With an entire book to edit, I was literally losing my grip on reality! Well, it looks like I will be getting my edits for THE WHITE ASSASSIN done on time--turning them into my editor tomorrow! I want to thank everyone who cheered me on last week! It's so nice to have such support. When I wrote NIGHTSHADE CITY, I was completely alone, no writer friends or support networks to speak of and now I have gobs of good writer buddies telling me I CAN do it--not just myself. So, thanks. You are all the best. :)

xoxo -- Hilary

She said WHAT???

2011-03-24T08:50:00.000-05:00

This is how I feel this week, but less hairy--well, a little less

Okay, talked to my editor and I have eight days to finish edits for THE WHITE ASSASSIN or I won't have ARC's in time for BEA. Etch it in stone, you heard it hear first, I WILL get them done! I'm determined, especially when it comes to deadlines. Anyone else have any writing deadlines they need to meet, self-imposed or otherwise? Even if I give the deadline to myself and no one else is holding me accountable, I seem to hit my goals much better. How about you?

xoxo -- Hilary

Nightshade City - Crystal Kite Semifinalist! WoW!!!

2011-03-19T10:56:00.001-05:00

Check out the nominees in your region here!

So, on St. Patrick's Day I woke up to the exciting news that NIGHTSHADE CITY is a Semifinalist for the 2011 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award!! I was so shocked--and this is the truth--I voted for my own book before I even looked at the 4 other nominees, because I was afraid it was a mistake and I better vote fast! My family thinks that's pretty funny! ;)

Click here to see the group of nominees in each region! If you’re an SCBWI member, not to be all MTV-ish on ya, but go rock the vote for your favorite children's book of 2010!

Congrats to the semifinalists and thanks to everyone who voted! SCBWI RULES!

xoxo -- Hilary

THE LIAR SOCIETY BLOG TOUR OF AWESOME - How to write as a team!

2011-03-17T08:12:00.001-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!!! To start off this special day, epic authors Lisa and Laura Roecker are here to talk about their debut YA novel, THE LIAR SOCIETY, and talk about what it's like to write as a team. Gah! I can't imagine! The Liar Society is full of awesome and it would not have been, if these co-authors/sisters couldn't get along! See how they did it here and don't forget to buy your copy of the THE LIAR SOCIETY, in stores NOW!!! Oh, and super awesome contest deets below!

Take it way L&L...

THERE IS NO 'I' IN TEAM

One of the most common writing-related questions we get is "How do you possibly write together and not want to kill each other?" Because we all have nightmares of group writing projects where you're assigned with the kid who can barely spell or the girl who writes nothing but run-ons. Writing is usually a solitary sport, typically works best when done independently. So how is it possible to write an entire book together?

When we first started out, we weren't sure how it would work. We just thought it might be fun. Turns out, it was fun and, shockingly, it seemed to work. But, not right away. Our first manuscript was full of little quirks that tipped agents and editors off that there were indeed two hacks writing--that and pages full of telling, one dimensional characters and head hopping, but that's another post for another day.

Our first order of business (aside from actually learning the difference between showing and telling) was to learn how to create a unified voice for our work. Our biggest tool in developing our voice was our blog. It's amazing how writing one blog post a day about completely random topics forces you to figure out a way to make it work. By the time we completed our second manuscript we had the process down pat. We knew how to edit each other to create that elusive cohesion. The highest praise we've ever received from our agent was, "Holy crap, I had no idea two people wrote this manuscript." Ok, fine, maybe she didn't actually say "holy crap," but something along those lines.

Of course for all of its challenges, writing as a team has some distinct advantages as well. First and foremost, writer's block is practically nonexistent because you always have someone reading over your shoulder with fresh eyes and new ideas. And when you get rejected (and there was A LOT of rejection on our bumpy road to publication) you've got another person who really understands what you're going through. Someone who cries with you and isn't afraid to tell you when it's time to stop crying and start writing. Honestly, we can't imagine ever going it alone. We're having way too much fun as a team.

If you want to enter The Liar Society Blog Tour of Awesome contest, and really, who wouldn't want to enter!?! There's a $100 Amazon gift card up for grabs! Just click here and enter the super secret password, SLAMBOOK, for an entry. Remember you can enter one time for each stop on our blog tour, so be sure to click here and see where else we're visiting this month to maximize your chances of winning.

Audi, Vide, Tace,

L&L

POSSUMS ARE AWESOME blog tour! Meet Jen K Blom and her MC Princess!

2011-03-11T08:00:00.003-06:00

Okay, peeps! It's a very special day here! I have my awesome and dear (and weird) friend here, Jen K Blom (and her book's MC, Princess), talking about her debut middle-grade novel, POSSUM SUMMER, which releases THIS Tuesday, March 15th! Please help us celebrate her big day!

Welcome to the POSSUMS ARE AWESOME blog tour for the middle-grade book, POSSUM SUMMER, coming out IN EIGHT DAYS HOLY COW! (Have you preordered yet?)

"There's a person I know, she's the rattiest one around, everybody hides away when she comes into town..."

Yes, I'll be here all week.

Today I'm (harassing) enjoying my stay here at Hilary's blog. P (Princess) had been forewarned about the Rat Queen...and she didn't disappoint.

First off, a little about the book:

A lonely kid.

an orphaned baby possum.

A dad that says no way.

How do you keep that kind of secret? And what happens when you’re found out?

Here we go or begin strange interview with JKB here:

HW: Jen, can you tell us if you do an outline or you just write from the cuff? It seems to be a hot topic these days!

JKB: Well, I would say before my newest MS** I always wrote without an outline. I like it better because it's more surprising. And I like surprises. Mostly. Unless they come without chocolate. **the new MS is by a synop. Weirdest feeling ever to have the entire story already written out! Good thing I like the idea, or I wouldn't bother.

HW: When do you find you do your best writing? Morning, night, sunny, rainy? Tell!

JKB: I think the best time is when I don't have something tugging on me, wanting something. So the Loki* is asleep, the cats are over on the heater, and the husband is at work. Which never happens, so I just do it when I can. (True story: POSSUM SUMMER was written on a train every morning as I made my way to work.)

*Loki is my kid. She is a trickster.

HW: What is the main lesson you're trying to get across in POSSUM SUMMER?

JKB: I don't know that I have a lesson, per se. I always have a particular word/idea in mind when I write a book and for POSSUM SUMMER the word was :: sacrifice. (Now don't you wanna go read it? Go! GO!!!)

Princess: Lessons are stupid anyways. Nobody ever pays attention.

JKB: Now this should get interesting, as my MC, Princess, talks to Hilary!

P: It's the RAT QUEEN! The Rat Queen, right? I read your book! I loved it! Except there was no princess in it. And no dragons. I love dragons! But I want to know what your favorite food is anyway, even tho there are no dragons in your book!

HW: Hmmm...I'd have to say for the fancy stuff, I love Ahi Tuna with lots of fresh ginger -- the rarer the better! For something casual, I love paper thin pizza with garlic, spinach and pineapple!

P: Is there a difference between Ahi Tuna and that tuna you get in tunafish cans? Because if not, I have some serious concerns about what you're eating. I tried to give Ike somma that tuna in the can and he wouldn't even eat it! And rare? *shudder* what do you like to do, then, Miss Ratty Queen?

HW: Okay, that's a tough one. For me, I love spending time with the family. I love shopping (shocker, I know) and I love just chilling out with my husband and watching some brainless reality TV, the more brainless the better!

P: Family time is good. It almost makes up for what you say you eat. I thought maybe you woulda said you loved reading POSSUM SUMMER as your favorite activity? No? Well, what is something really interesting about you then?

HW: I'd have to say my hands. I'm double jointed, so I can bend back the tips of my fingers at a 90 degree angle, which really freaks people out, because it looks like their broken, especially if I make a breaking sound when I do it! Ha, ha! Uck, I know, but hey, it's fun at parties!

P: I had to look up what you mean by double jointed. I bet rats can do that too, which is why you're the Rat Queen, right? You ought to feel bad, because you just traumatized an 11 year old. Like, forever. So I went ahead and drew you as this:

P: I have to tell you ... JKB wanted me to make you a fangless snake. Or an ugly rat with a hairless skin condition. But here's what I told her (I read it in a book) THE MUSE CANNOT BE DENIED. You are indeed an eastern chipmunk! With pretty stripey stripes on your back! I can't guarantee that their fingers bend back like your freaky ones, but...

**scuffle**

JKB: Hil. Sorry! XD Thanks for having me!

Jen K. Blom writes about animals, the land, and kids, not necessarily in that order. Her debut, POSSUM SUMMER, is available March 2011.

Just the thing to give to a kid to start their summer of reading off right! (Available from your local indie, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, or Book Depository!)

Seen the book trailer yet?

Want more POSSUMS ARE AWESOME blog tour tidbits?

Go here and knock yourself out!

HW: Okay, somehow I think Jen managed to insult me through Princess...hmmm...not cool! ;) Thanks everyone for cheering Jen and Possum Summer on! The book is AWESOME!

xoxo -- Hilary

The White Assassin (Nightshade Chronicles Book II) Pre-order up! wOOt!!

2011-03-09T15:46:00.000-06:00

The Star of THE WHITE ASSASSIN
Billycan
Illustration by Omar Rayyan

How exciting!

Just saw the Pre-order link for THE WHITE ASSASSIN, Nightshade Chronicles Book II

(Oct 2011)

Go Billycan! Can't wait to see the cover!

xoxo -- Hilary

Is Your Book's Hero as Special as this Cat??

2011-03-03T16:59:00.004-06:00

My magic violin will save da world, I tell you, da world!!!!

Okay, so generally when we are writing about children's fantasy middle-grade or YA, we see a lot of the same storyline over again.

By and large, it goes something like this:
Step 1. Our Hero is called to adventure.
Step 2. He/she has a road of trials and tribulations they must face.
Step 3. He/she must complete a mission.
Step 4. He/she must go back where hence they came. (That's in hero language)
Step 5. He/she uses their newly learned skill, power, etc. to save or better the world.

Sure, we could say this is a formula. I'm positive you could all name several books in which you've seen this, but what, in your opinion, makes any of those books break through the above formula and elevate to a truly fantastic book? What did that writer do differently? Was it the hero? The plot? The creativity? The world saving magic violin played by a hairless kitty? What made that book rock out the hero theme?

xoxo -- Hilary

What Would You Spend Your Advance On?

2011-02-24T08:24:00.001-06:00

See this silver beauty of a necklace? Well, it's mine! I'm not the only one in the world that has one, mind you, but it was the one thing I promised I'd get myself if and when I ever got published. I wear it everywhere I go--everywhere. I'm not your typical jewelry girl. I like funky stuff and this little rocket just sang to me. Symbolic, you ask? Maybe, but it just screamed me. I didn't want anything else, not even a fancy dinner.

I told my husband about it when he asked me what I'd want to get with my first advance (the part that wasn't going to pay bills!) and I told him this was all I wanted. I showed him the picture of it on-line, getting onto the website of the store in NZ, because it was no longer available in the states. From what I recall only 2 stores sold it in the whole country to begin with (yes, that's how long I stalked this necklace)! And of course, my husband, being the super cool guy that is, ordered it for me the minute I sold my first book! He must have really been paying attention too, because my husband and the internet don't play nice together. :)

So, I guess I'd like to know, what would you get? Something super extravagant or a nice little keepsake like I got? Would you pay down bills? Start a college fund? Eat lobster and caviar in bed? Go on vacation to Aruba? Blow it in Vegas?

What would be the one thing you'd spoil yourself with?

xoxo -- Hilary

A Nightshade City rat tattoo??? Yes, indeedy!

2011-02-16T11:16:00.001-06:00

This beautiful little rat is an interior illustration by Omar Rayyan from Nightshade City. The tattoo was done by Zoe Thorne!

Omar Ryyan, the illustrator of Nightshade City, who you've all heard me rave about before, was sent a picture of some serious fan art! One of Nightshade City's rats is now a permanent piece of someone! This tattoo is possibly the coolest thing ever! I just had to share.

If you have some time, please check out Omar's site, Studio Rayyan, which features his and his wife's work. They are both amazing!

xoxo -- Hilary

THE BIG SHIFT: Middle-grade VS. YA Covers

2011-02-09T08:52:00.007-06:00

On twitter's kidlitchat last night (every Tuesday, 8-9 CST #kidlitchat) a discussion got started on covers in children's literature. It seems in middle-grade there are a lot of "boy" based covers. Not that that these books are only for boys, but there happens to be scores of covers that have a lot more "boy appeal"--like the Percy Jackson series, the Artemis Fowl series, etc. Then there are more unisex middle-grade covers like the Clockwork Three, A Tale Dark and Grimm, The Invisible Order, etc.

After that, we hit the YA category and everything seems to change--drastically. Covers shift from adventure and mystery that any girl or boy would love, to heaps of covers with an attractive, thin, and let's be honest, alluring girl on the cover. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule (Hunger Games, Twilight, etc) and this is by no means a blanket statement, but what is your take on the typical YA cover? I'm not saying I don't like them, because some of them are pretty darn awesome and these girls look like they could kick some major arse!! I bought these books as a teen because I wanted to be these girls, so is this merely a selling tool by publishers? Do publishers do this because boy YA readership slows down compared to girls or is this why boy readership slows down--because all the covers are so darn--well--girlie?

Even the books with a guy on the cover, it's always a super-buff hot guy. What teen guy out with his buddies would stop at the local mall's B&N and buy that novel? What do you think???

xoxo -- Hilary

NEWS! NEWS! NEWS! GOBLINS LIVE!

2011-02-01T09:37:00.002-06:00

I can finally announce! My middle-grade fantasy novel, CITY OF GOBLINS, will be published!!! WooHoo! Remember when I told you I was working on a super-secret book proposal?? Well, that was it!! Back in April, I had lunch with Mary Cash, the VP and Editor-in-Chief at Holiday House, and told her my idea I had for a new book. She told me to quit blabbing and start writing! So, back in September, that's exactly what I did!

CITY OF GOBLINS is a middle-grade adventure fantasy that takes place in modern-day Tokyo. It combines the legend of the Japanese Tengu, an ancient winged goblin and patron of martial arts, with the mystery of what lies in the murky fathoms of Tokyo Bay. Fulfilling an ancient prophecy, a thirteen-year-old boy, Yuji, must join forces with creatures of the deep in a battle to save Tokyo and the sea itself.

Release proposed for Spring of 2012! So excited! Major thanks to Marietta, my uber agent and of course everyone at Holiday House! Tokyo Disney here I come!

xoxo -- Hilary

Pay It Forward Contest from Shelli Johannes-Wells!!

2011-01-30T09:54:00.002-06:00

Hey all! Wanted to let you know about a great contest hosted by my friend, YA Writer & Marketer Shelli Johannes-Wells! She'll be taking queries staring Monday (tomorrow!!) for her Pay It Forward Contest and the winner gets a referral to her agent! A real live referral!!! How awesome (and super generous) is that?

http://faeriality.blogspot.com/2011/01/pay-it-forward-contest.html

Click on the Pay It Forward pic for deets...
Happy writing & GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!!

xoxo -- Hilary

What Writers Should Worry About...

2011-01-14T10:34:00.003-06:00

Whether or not we're querying or published, agented or un-agented, we've all received some good advice at one time or another on the long and laborious road to publishing, sometimes bad advice too, but let's stick to the good stuff.

I think the most important piece of advice I've received to date is that writing trumps all. It doesn't matter how often you social network, post on your blog, join new forums or market yourself, if the writing is not there, it's simply not there. In other words, stop dwelling on everything else and worry only about the writing. If you are throwing yourself into your work, making it as compelling and captivating as it can be, working out the plot holes, uplifting your characters, the other things have a way of working themselves out. My agent told me this about six months back and she is so right. She says she's seen careers tank because a writer is worrying about everything but their writing. Now, whenever those nasty voices creep in, telling me I'm not doing enough, those significant words she said talk well over them, "Only worry about your writing. The rest will come."

And That's What Little Girls Are Made Of!

2011-01-04T12:37:00.003-06:00

My adorable niece Olivia Wagner & her friend, Maggie

Just last Saturday, I was lucky enough to be invited to speak at the Beverly Arts Center in Chicago! Usually I talk to adults so it was a great treat for me to be speaking to such a bright group of girls, most of which have read or are reading NIGHTSHADE CITY! These girls were a riot and honestly asked some thoughtful and brilliant questions! I'm still getting used to the whole public speaking thing (at least in terms of not making a fool out of myself!) and these little girls made my day easy! What fun! Thanks to Dave, Terrie and Olivia Wagner who hooked me up with Penny Golden, the facilitator of the event. The Wagner family ROCKS!!

How cute is this little girl?? ;)

This is Elizabeth. She's a Chicago writer who follows my blog and came to see me speak!
How cool is that! You can follow her blog here!

Okay, I have no idea why I'm making such a weird face in this shot, but here is my niece again, at least she looks cute! My husband would tell me that's a face made for radio!
But if we can't laugh at ourselves... :)

Speaking of husbands, here is Eric, Nomi, Vincent & me!

This girl is Penny Golden's daughter, Callie, she's super cute, even though you can't see her face! You see my girl in the background? She stole the show...and a book too! ;)

If You're in Chicago this week...

2010-12-27T12:22:00.000-06:00

I will be reading about our favorite bad rat!!

...and are not working this Wednesday the 29th, well then, come see me! Starting at 2pm, I'll be at the Beverly Arts Center in Chicago for an Author Afternoon. Penny Golden will be interviewing me about NIGHTSHADE CITY and I'll be reading an excerpt from the book and signing copies thereafter. It should be a lot of fun and I'm super excited to be at the BAC. I was in several plays there as a child, being a Morgan Park Academy alum (and a drama nerd), so it will be great being on the same stage again! I'll have some copies of the book available and it's also available at Barnes & Noble everywhere, if you'd like to get one beforehand. I have no idea if they'll be 10 people or 100, so it will be interesting to find out! Just decided what excerpt I'm going to read...may or may not involve the bad guy above! ;)

Hope to see you there!!!!

xoxo -- Hilary

2nd Printing of NIGHTSHADE CITY!!!

2010-12-14T08:30:00.002-06:00

Illustration by Omar Rayyan for
Nightshade City

This is a short, but very sweet post! I spoke with my editor from Holiday House today, Julie Amper, and she let me know that NIGHTSHADE CITY is going into its SECOND PRINTING!! I nearly fell over. I'm thrilled and relieved. You just don't know until you know! Long story short, I just had to share it with all of you!

Thanks to all of you for your awesomeness!!!!!

xoxo -- Hilary

What's YOUR Lucky Cat???

2010-12-10T16:30:00.000-06:00

This is Lucky Cat. He sits next to me at all times. Okay, not at all times, but at least while I'm on my laptop writing. It would be a little weird if I always had Lucky Cat sitting next to me, though my 2 year old daughter would think it was awesome! So, it got me to thinking what's your Lucky Cat? A favorite coffee mug? A beloved pen? A lucky snack? (Love a lucky snack...aka Cheetos) Maybe a favorite sweater or T-shirt?

We all have that thing that we need or at least we think we need when we write. What's yours?

xoxo -- Hilary

ILLUSTRATOR SHOUT-OUT! Realm, Niki and Stacey!

2010-12-02T09:26:00.002-06:00

So, when NIGHTSHADE CITY debuted in October, some very sweet writer friends of mine sent me a big bag of goodies which included a hand painted frame of rats (still need to find out who painted it), an adorable mug that reads "Rats Rule!" (which of course they do), a bag of Cheetos (my favorite) and a slew of awesome cards! Of those, three were had drawn by some super fancy illustrators, Realm Lovejoy, Niki Smith and Stacey Vaughan!

Realm Lovejoy's card!

Realm is not only a super amazing illustrator, but a writer as well, represented by Joanna Stampfel-Volpe. Her illustrations are to die for and she has a crazy cool blog, wherein she does her own version of a cover for writers with books on submission! You must follow her!

Niki Smith's Card!

Niki is another brilliant illustrator/writer who recently won a webcomic contest from DC Comics! Her webcomic (illustrated by Niki and written by Michael Jasper), In Maps and Legends, has its first season up now! You must check it out!

Lisa and Laura Roecker's Card, drawn by their sister, Stacey Vaughan!

And I know you all know fab sisters Lisa & Laura Roecker! Well, there is another talented sister attached these women, Stacey Vaughan! Stacey has her own business, Poochie Prints, where she designs stationary, as well as crazy cute prints for your baby's nursery! Ummm...holiday shopping anyone?? She has uber cool stuff ready to buy or you can order custom work if you want to feel even cooler! ;)

Long story short, thanks to you talented ladies for taking the time to do these gorgeous cards for me AND to everyone else who supported and helped me with my book launch!! It's been crazy, scary, awesome and everything in between! I wouldn't want it any other way! Pretty soon I'll be doing a post listing everyone who's had a part in my launch...it will be a very long list! You all have been AMAZING!

xoxo -- Hilary

Killer Cover Monday and the NCTE! Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen

2010-11-29T11:02:00.003-06:00

Okay, just got back from the NCTE/ALAN Workshops at Disney World, which my awesome publisher, Holiday House, was kind enough to send me to! It was a wonderful conference, not to mention a great Thanksgiving vacation for my family! Oh, and when I presented to the 300+ educators on Tuesday they actually laughed at my jokes! Phew! I was so nervous, expecting nothing but tumbleweeds and rotten tomatoes! What a relief!

So, in my many travels through Disney World a book kept catching my eye. The cover was to die for, the Wicked Queen from Snow White. The book is called Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen, a fractured fairytale (very hot genre right now) by Serena Valentino. I just started reading it last night. Long story short, I had to share this uber cool cover with you. On the dust jacket, the evil, yet beautiful Queen. Remove the dust jacket and here's what you get! GAH! Quite a shocker!

BTW: Loving this book so far. Valentino writes it in a very traditional fairytale style, so nothing like WICKED or other fractured fairytale novels I've read, but so far just as enthralling!

Hope you ALL had a fantastic Thanksgiving! I didn't have to cook or clean, so mine was amazing! ;)

xoxo -- Hilary

IN LIVING COVER...what's your favorite cover?

2010-11-12T09:49:00.003-06:00

Whittington, by Alan Armstrong, cover by Kenneth McMillan

Have you ever read a book, loved the book, but also literally fell captivated by the cover? Basically to the point where you can't stop staring at it and every time you look at it you find something new to wonder about?

The cover of the Newbery Honor book, WHITTINGTON by Alan Armstrong, does that to me. This version of the cover was created by Kenneth McMillan and it just draws me in (no pun intended). You start with those eyes--that mesmerizing stare that makes you realize this animal is much more than your average feline. Then you see that sad limp ear--what happened to this cat? Who or what hurt him? Was he born that way? Did he deserve it? He's large and burly, with a scruffy chest and bold confident stripes--who is this cat? McMillan does a fantastic job of making what most people would think is simply a typical housecat into anything but. Every time I look at this cover I see more.

What covers do it for you? Is there something new--a book you're reading now that has a cover that just strikes you or maybe something you read as a child--a cover that you can still picture in your head after all those years and sometimes do?

Social Networking Fail or Save Me from Myself!

2010-11-03T09:52:00.003-05:00

PROJECT MAYHEM: Social Networking Fail or Save Me from Myself!

I'm talking about social networking today on the Project Mayhem Blog. When does it become too much???

Just in Time for Halloween! UNEARTHLY ASYLUM, by PJ Bracegirdle!!!

2010-10-29T09:20:00.001-05:00

LOVE THIS COVER!!!

It's that time again for all things creepy! My favorite time of year! In celebration, I'm reviewing a new middle-grade novel UNEARTHLY ASYLUM, by PJ Bracegirdle (provided by Simon & Schuster).

UNEARTHLY ASYLUM is the 2nd book in THE JOY OF SPOOKING series. But don't despair if you have yet to gobble up Book I, FIENDISH DEEDS. UNEARTHLY ASYLUM can stand on its own two feet! I had no problem digging into this book and Bracegirdle does a quick and seamless job of catching the reader up on what transpired in Book I.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Joy Wells isn't like most other girls - not that she much cares. Obsessed with famous horror writer E. A. Peugeot, Joy spends her time dressing up in a dead woman's tweeds and investigating paranormal activity around her hometown of Spooking. Meanwhile the mayor's assistant Mr. Octavio Phipps has also trained his sinister sights on the mysterious asylum. As Joy already knows, the embittered ex-punk rocker will stop at nothing in his nefarious quest to destroy her beloved town. When her pet frog Fizz becomes trapped behind the walls of a mental asylum, Joy must mount a rescue operation that brings her into conflict with Mr. Phipps again. Along with her brother Byron and their strange playmate Poppy, Joy soon uncovers mind-bending secrets straight from the pages of her favorite author. Can Joy get everyone out alive, or will they be trapped in the unearthly asylum forever?

THINGS I LOVED ABOUT THIS BOOK:
The Writing. Bracegirdle is very literary. No spoon feeding in this book, which I love!

The Spooky Factor. This is perfect for readers who want to read under the covers with a flashlight. It's spooky enough to get kids' minds whirling with the supernatural, but not enough that they won't be able to get to sleep.

The Villain: Those of you who know me, know I love a well rounded villain! Bracegirdle's Mr. Phipps is just that. He has layers. You want to know more about him (for example, Phipps is an ex-punk rocker, which I think is pretty cool). Best of all, you love to hate him.

The Author: PJ is one cool cat! He has pretty much the craziest (creepiest) bio ever! He's worked in a haunted Scottish theatre and pushed laundry carts along dark tunnels under an insane asylum, just to name a few creepy jobs! You can find out more about him on his site at http://www.pjbracegirdle.com/, along with the official JOY OF SPOOKING website, http://www.joyofspooking.com.

Oh, and one last thing: There will be a 3rd book in the Joy of Spooking!! Go PJ!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

xoxo -- Hilary

Book Birthday Shout Out!!! THE BOY WHO HOWLED by Tim Power

2010-10-26T08:33:00.003-05:00

THE BOY WHO HOWLED

Happy Book Birthday to Timothy Power, author of THE BOY WHO HOWLED (Bloomsbury USA Children's)!! My friend and fellow Project Mayhem blogger Tim Power finally gets to scream to the rooftops about his fantastic middle-grade debut!

Here is the scoop on The Boy Who Howled: As far back as Callum can really remember, he's been living in the Wild as the furless mascot of a wolf pack. But when his pack sends him back to live with his own kind—humans—fitting in is quite a challenge. He doesn't remember English very well, so he accidentally says his name is "Clam." He's spent most of his life eating fresh-killed elk, so dining with vegetarians is tricky. And when he tries to impress the Alpha student in the school cafeteria by stealing food, people seem offended!

A mix of wildness and humor, Timothy Power's inventive writing makes him a debut author to watch. And Callum's quest to find his place in a strange world will have readers rooting for him—when they're not howling with laughter.

Author Tim Power
Is he not a handsome devil??

In short...buy his AWESOME book!!!! Also, stop by the Project Mayhem blog and wish him and the Boy Who Howled a very merry birthday!!!

xoxo -- Hilary

Toot Your Horn Friday! What's in a name?

2010-10-15T09:15:00.001-05:00

Killdeer from Nightshade City
Illustration by Omar Rayyan

It seems there are two camps when it comes to naming characters and books. One camp (my camp) loves it! The other camp can't stand making up names or titles.

For me, I think names are extremely important when it comes to my characters. I painstakingly pick each one out, some have a personal meaning (Vincent Nightshade, Vincent is my son's name), while others are purely for effect (if Killdeer doesn't sound evil to you, I don't know what does!). I think names are just as important as the world your characters exist in.

As for titles, I went back and forth briefly on what NIGHTSHADE CITY would be called. At one point, I really liked The Rats of Nightshade City or The Rats of Nightshade. My husband told me no way! He said Nightshade City has a lot more muscle to it and I should go with my first instinct. I think he was right... ;)

So, how about you? Do you think names are important? Do you think Harry Potter would have been as successful if he was Hank Putt? Would the Artemis Fowl series be such a hit if it were entitled Artie Feldstein? Would Redwall have wowed the world if it were called Cute Mice in an Abbey?

xoxo -- Hilary

Guest Post: Author Janice Hardy's Query Quest!

2010-10-12T09:17:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone! Today we have a very special guest, Janice Hardy, YA author of The Shifter and its newly released sequel, Blue Fire! Every author's road to finding an agent is unique and Janice has offered to share hers, which is very inspiring! So, take it away, Janice!

A few years ago, I wrote a book and queried eight agents. I got four manuscript requests and three offers of representation. (I know, you all hate me, but hang with me a little longer). If “The Shifter” had been the only book I’d ever queried, I would have thought this whole publishing thing was easy. But it was the fourth “real” book I’d ever written (written with the intent to try and sell). The other three didn’t go nearly so well. Like thirty form rejections each. Very few page requests. Certainly no fulls.

So what was different about this book?

For one, it was a better book. A lot of attention is placed on writing the perfect query letter, but truth is, the best query in the world can’t sell a book that isn’t working. With my first submission attempt, I never got past the query stage. My second attempt, I got a few page requests, but all were rejected (including the agent I would later sign with). Clearly something was wrong with the book, since the pages weren’t grabbing the reader. I revised and tried again, with the same results. By this time, I had a nice, thick file full of form rejections and a few encouraging words.

Then came “The Shifter.” I knew early on I had something better than I’d ever had before. It just felt different when I was writing it. I started to think I might have an actual shot, and – dare I say it – get a full manuscript request. That was really my goal at this point. I just wanted one more step forward in the process to prove to myself that I was making progress.

I didn’t want to make the same mistakes I’d made on those earlier books. I knew my query had to rock. I knew I had to send it to the right agents who might like my work.

I had no clue how to do any of that.

I figured the best place to start was to make a list of agents to submit to. I used AgentQuery.com and cross-referenced those names against Preditors & Editors. I cut any who had warnings, and wound up with 25 agents. Then I read agent blogs, especially those agents on my list. I Googled them to see what interviews they’d done or any articles they’d written. I checked out their client lists and read the books that seemed similar to mine. I was able to split my list into three parts based on this research. A) Agents who represented what I’d written, had sold a lot of books in my genre, and liked books like mine. B) Agents who represented what I’d written, had sold some books in my genre, and C) Agents who represented what I’d written and sold at least one book in my genre.

Now it was time to write that query.

I read everything I could find on writing successful queries. The most helpful advice came from Miss Snark and her Crap-O-Meter query contests. Seeing hundreds of real queries and reading her comments on what worked and what didn’t was an eye-opening experience. I started to get a feel for what a good query sounded like. Remarkably like cover copy on a book, but with details instead of being vague. So I went online and read cover copy of books in my genre. I analyzed the ones that grabbed me and made notes. I used the “here’s a person with a problem and here’s what they have to do to solve it” template and wrote my query.

And it was so-so.

I know this because at that time, an agent was doing a “post your query and I’ll give you feedback on it” session on her blog. I jumped at the chance and submitted mine. She had all kinds of issues with it. She couldn’t get behind the premise of the story (buying and selling pain) at all.

Hmmm.

So I went back to the drawing board. This time, I focused more on the protagonist and what she needed to do, and less on world building. It felt much more interesting, because it was about a character with a problem, not “this is the book’s plot.”

Right about this time, one of the agents on my list announced she was doing a “Back to School” open query for YA. Writers could bypass the regular submission process if they had a YA book. Well, I had a YA book, I was ready to start submitting, so I sent it in. I figured this was a good time to send in the rest.

Then I saw another post online from another agent who was just starting to take on clients. She was working under a well-known agent on my B-list. I queried her as well, figuring she’d be more open to new writers since she was a new agent. And since she had a great agent mentoring her, I’d get the best of both worlds – experience and the need for new clients.

Both requested pages, then fulls. A third agent also asked for the full shortly thereafter (she was a standard snail mail query). I was ecstatic.

I was also just about to attend the Surrey International Writers Conference. Conveniently, several of my A-list agents were going to be there, so I’d be able to meet them and see what they were like. I got a pitch appointment with the last agent on my A-list and pitched her in person. She also asked for the full.

I was beyond excited at this point, and when I got home from the conference I had an offer of representation in my email. After the screaming and jumping for joy subsided, I contacted the other agents with my fulls and told them I’d gotten an offer. How much time did they need to read my manuscript? Was by X date long enough? They read them and got back to me. Three were interested in representing me, one passed, but wished me luck.

Now I had the tough job of making a choice. All three were fabulous agents, so I really couldn’t have chosen wrong, but I wanted the one that was the best fit for me and my book. I spoke to them, listened to what they thought about the book, and made my decision. (The fabulous Kristin Nelson)

The entire querying to signing process took six weeks. The agent I signed with (the one I pitched) took ten days. This is why they say don’t query until your manuscript is as good as it can be, because you never know how quickly you might need to send it to someone. When it happens, it can happen fast.

The process was easy compared to my earlier submissions, but if I hadn’t gone through that and made my newbie mistakes, I doubt I would have put in the effort or had the skills to write the book and the query that got me my agent. Whenever I’d get rejected, I tried hard not to tell myself I wasn’t good enough. It was, “I’m not good enough yet.” That slight change in thinking made it easier to pick myself up and keep going.

And the only way to get ahead is to keep moving forward. Even if it’s one small step at a time.

About Blue Fire:
Part fugitive, part hero, fifteen-year-old Nya is barely staying ahead of the Duke of Baseer’s trackers. Wanted for a crime she didn’t mean to commit, she risks capture to protect every Taker she can find, determined to prevent the Duke from using them in his fiendish experiments. But resolve isn’t enough to protect any of them, and Nya soon realizes that the only way to keep them all out of the Duke’s clutches is to flee Geveg. Unfortunately, the Duke’s best tracker has other ideas.

Nya finds herself trapped in the last place she ever wanted to be, forced to trust the last people she ever thought she could. More is at stake than just the people of Geveg, and the closer she gets to uncovering the Duke’s plan, the more she discovers how critical she is to his victory. To save Geveg, she just might have to save Baseer—if she doesn’t destroy it first.

Janice Hardy Bio:
A long-time fantasy reader, Janice Hardy always wondered about the darker side of healing. For her fantasy trilogy THE HEALING WARS, she tapped into her own dark side to create a world where healing was dangerous, and those with the best intentions often made the worst choices. Her books include THE SHIFTER, and BLUE FIRE from Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins. She lives in Georgia with her husband, three cats and one very nervous freshwater eel.

Find Janice at:
Website: www.janicehardy.com
The Other Side of the Story Blog: http://storyflip.blogspot.com/

Janice, thanks for sharing your road to finding an agent! We are so excited about your new release!!! I can't wait to get reading!

xoxo -- Hilary

INDIE LIMELIGHT -- Old Towne Books in Oswego, IL!

2010-10-08T06:52:00.001-05:00

I was honored and thrilled when Old Towne Books & Tea in Oswego, IL (western suburb of Chicago) offered to host the Nightshade City book launch party (this Saturday)! My husband and I stopped by a couple weeks back to drop off a few things (like my ginormous Nightshade City poster!) and of course check the place out!

Well, it did NOT disappoint! It's a lovely house converted into a store in the downtown area of Oswego. The two owners we met, Joe and Mary, couldn't have been more gracious. Joe took me around the store and his eyes lit up as soon as he started talking about his love of books and how happy we was to be able to share them with others! He's also a huge fan of Redwall, so it was pretty cool to see all the rodents already lining Old Towne's shelves! ;)

Old Towne Books & Tea

Old Towne has a fantastic kid's section, which I know my daughter could spend hours in! They made the store exceptionally cozy and welcoming. Along with their vast selection of new books, they also have a huge used books section at amazing prices--my husband might have attacked these while we were there!

Old Towne has hosted some amazing authors, among them, Kristen Walker, author of A Match Made in High School, and I know you all know her!

So, if you live in the Chicagoland area, I highly suggest you check out Old Towne Books. Not only do they have a great selection, but they know their stuff! They are bookavores, like the rest of us and absolutely love what they do!

I will be at Old Towne Books & Tea this Saturday, October 9th, from 2-6pm! I will be signing copies of Nightshade City (of course!!) and will also be passing out fun book swag and Halloween treats for the kids! If you live in the area, please come say "hi!" and grab some rice crispy treats and candy corn!!! See how I lure you in with my tasty wares?? ;)

xoxo -- Hilary

Signed Nightshade City winner is JM Need!!!!!!!!!!

2010-10-02T09:48:00.001-05:00

JM, YOU WON!! Please email me your name and address and a signed copy of NIGHTSHADE CITY will be on its way to you next week!!!! w00t!!! Thanks to all who took part in the fun!!!! ;)

xoxo -- Hilary

HAPPY BOOK B-DAY, NIGHTSHADE CITY!!! GIVEAWAY!

2010-10-01T08:38:00.001-05:00

Finally!!! The rats have arrived!!! In honor of their arrival, I'm giving out 2 signed copies of NIGHTSHADE CITY! One here and one on the PROJECT MAYHEM blog! So, you have 2 brilliant chances to win! To enter, follow each blog if you don't already and leave a comment telling me your favorite book of all time!!! That's it!! Contest ends at midnight tonight!
I love you guys and thanks so much for
your support!!! I can finally relax now--NOT!!! ;)

xoxo -- Hilary

Win a hardcover on Market My Words Blog!!! Hilary Wagner and Nightshade City!

2010-09-29T10:02:00.001-05:00

Please visit Shelli's awesome blog, Market My Words, for a chance to win a hardcover of Nightshade City!!

Contest ends at midnight tonight, so go, go, go!!!!!!!

Market My Words: The Rats are Back - Hilary Wagner and Nightshade City!

Also, check back here on Friday!!! The rats and I will be giving away a signed copy for my book birthday!!! HOORAY!!!!!!!

Juniper from Nightshade City

The Bookinistas: NIGHTSHADE CITY by Hilary Wagner (comment and win!)

2010-09-16T10:23:00.000-05:00

Illustration Copyright Omar Rayyan for Nightshade City

Please check out my interview from Lisa and Laura Roecker today! These fabtastic Bookinistas are hilarious and asked me some great questions! Oh, and win a copy of my book too!

YaY fOr fReE kIDs BoOks!!!

The Bookinistas: NIGHTSHADE CITY by Hilary Wagner (comment and win!)

Rat Blackjack Anyone?

2010-09-10T12:14:00.001-05:00

I'm going to Vegas, baby! ;)

Two nights ago I was updating my blog with those fancy new pages you see at the top. I scrolled down to change something and there was my cute little NIGHTSHADE CITY debut countdown widget staring me in the face. It read, 21 days, 21 hours, 21 minutes and 23 seconds! So right quick I hit the 'PrtSc' button and captured the moment!

Hmmm...Blackjack times four for my rats??? I'll take it! ;)

xoxo -- Hilary

NIGHTSHADE CITY -- IN STOCK at Barnes & Noble Nationwide!

2010-09-01T08:16:00.002-05:00

At my local B&N store!
My rats are right next to the Magic Thief!!

There is a day in everyone's life when you just can't help but flush with happiness and say to yourself, "I did it!" Well...today is my day! On Monday, Nightshade City got a fab review from Kirkus AND NIGHTSHADE CITY is now in stock at all Barnes & Noble retail stores nationwide, even Alaska and Hawaii! I needed an excuse to go to Hawaii and I think this qualifies! My book does not officially debut until October 1st, but it's not uncommon for retail stores to sell a first time author's book up to a month in advance! Once it hits their doorstep, it hits the shelves and mine got printed early (specifically for stores like B&N) so there ya go!

A bunch of my favorite Indie stores will carry it too (including my agent's!) and I'm just so amazed that my book is sitting on shelves across the country!

My 2 year old, Nomi, with Nightshade City!
She calls the book Juniper since he's on the cover!
Guess what she'll be for Halloween! ;)

You know, a nice iced Americano sounds good for lunch today...guess where I'll be going! ;)

xoxo -- Hilary

How Do You Handle a Critique? OR Here, Take My Bunny!

2010-08-26T10:17:00.001-05:00

I only want to help! Here, take my bunny!

So, today, on the Adventures in Children's Publishing blog, I'm a Mentoring Author giving my take on five queries. All of these queries are good in their own right. It's so hard for me to give advice! I know my own query wasn't perfect, that's for sure! I want to be helpful, but I always worry what if my advice or critique puts someone on the wrong path?? Gah! I'd feel so bad! I suppose that's the risk you take though and I have mad respect (yes, I wrote "mad respect", sad, I know) for those who do!

I've never been a member of a critique group. I'm hard enough on myself! Errr...what is a Beta anyway? Still don't know, other than it's the second letter in the Greek alphabet. For those of you who are or have been in a critique group how do you handle the critiques? What do you do if someone is really rough on you--shreds your work into itty bitty throbbing pieces of pulp or what if everyone in the group has the same opinion of your MS and you completely don't agree with it? How do you respond?

xoxo -- Hilary

Win a signed copy of Dee Garretson's WILDFIRE RUN!! w00t!

2010-08-23T08:57:00.000-05:00

Win a signed hardcover of Dee's debut!!!

Show a debut author some love today and maybe get a little something for yourself! Hop over to the PROJECT MAYHEM blog and win a signed copy of my friend Dee Garretson's debut middle-grade novel, WILDFIRE RUN (Aug. 31st, HarperCollins)!! Read about her crazy road to middle-grade publishing and see the Wildfire Run trailer!!!! Go Dee!!!!

WILDFIRE RUN GIVEAWAY!!!!

Project Mayhem is coming!! MIDDLE GRADE WRITERS...You have been warned.

2010-08-19T09:27:00.002-05:00

PROJECT MAYHEM

The Manic Minds of Middle Grade Writers

So, a group of us manic middle grade authors have come together to form PROJECT MAYHEM! Think Fight Club with way less blood and little to no swearing! We wanted to create a fun blog where both writers and readers of middle-grade books can gather and maybe learn something or at the very least have a good laugh! We are asking you all to give us a follow or even stalk us, whatever works, so when we have our first official post, we'll be rockin' and a rollin' with a great group of middle-grade enthusiasts!

Project Mayhem Team Members will be talking about writing for middle-graders, reviewing (you guessed it) middle grade books, giving away signed copies of said books, spotlighting some killer indie bookstores and hoping you'll all join us as our books debut one by one! Our blog is all about being positive and helping ALL writers succeed in this nutty publishing world of middle-grade mayhem!

Our first "official" post will go up this Monday and will feature Dee Garretson, whose debut middle-grade novel, WILDFIRE RUN, releases on August 31st!!! She will be talking about the book and her writing AND give away a signed hardcover of her fantastic novel!

TEAM MAYHEM (in order of release):
Dawn Lairamore, IVY'S EVER AFTER, 5.15.2010
Dee Garretson, WILDFIRE RUN, 8.31.2010
Adam Jay Epstein, THE FAMILIARS, 9.7.2010
Andrew Jacobson, THE FAMILIARS, 9.7.2010
Hilary Wagner, NIGHTSHADE CITY, 10.01.2010
Tim Power, THE BOY WHO HOWLED, 10.26.2010
Rose Cooper, GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS’ ROOM, 1.01.11
Jen K Blom, POSSUM SUMMER, 10.2011
Marissa Burt, THE TALE OF UNA FAIRCHILD, 01.2012

Please share this post and the PROJECT MAYHEM link and follow are blog!!! We need your support to get this blog going! ;)

xoxo -- Hilary

Ten Things to Consider AFTER Your First Book Deal...

2010-08-12T08:43:00.001-05:00

1. Don't be scared of working with your editor! You'll do fine!

2. Be prepared to take what you consider the most special parts of your book...OUT!

3. Concerns? TALK TO YOUR AGENT! He/she knows the business and they will tell you if you're concerns are justified or you're freaking out for no reason. (I would fit into the freaking out for no reason category).

4. Don't be afraid to ask your publisher LOTS of questions-- if you don't ask, you won't get.

5. Your publisher may change your release date several times--this is totally normal, especially for a debut.

6. Know that you have NO control over the cover art...but be happy when your publisher does ask for your input and gives your book a fabulous illustrator (Omar Rayyan!) and if they don't, have a nice piece of cake (preferably chocolate) and tell yourself, they know what they're doing.

7. Bear in mind that Barnes & Noble, along with Indie stores, do NOT pick up every book, even from big publishers! There is nothing you can do if they decide not to carry your book in their brick and mortar stores, so don't worry about it--it does not mean your book won't be successful at all, but be joyous when they say, YES, we want this debut author's novel hanging out by our Starbucks counters!!

8. Don't fret if you start on a one book deal (becoming the norm these days), but be merry when they buy the sequel six months later--off a proposal no less! That means they like you, they really, really like you!

9. There are a lot of things out of your control in publishing--in fact--most things. Before giving yourself a facial tick, take a step back, inhale a deep solid breath, and realize no matter what's in store for you, you made it...you did it...you're a first-rate writer--YOU!

10. Now write another book. ;)

Kirkus Fall Supplement! My Rats and others get a Shout-out!

2010-08-03T11:39:00.004-05:00

My rats are fat and happy today!
Illustration copyright Omar Rayyan

So, just when you think it's a hum-drum day, something really nice happens! Today, Kirkus Reviews released their Fall Preview Supplement! Nightshade City was mentioned in the Debut Fiction Kids & YA Section, along with other great books, such as The Duff (Kody Keplinger), MATCHED (Allie Condie), Zora and Me (Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon) and some other fantastic kid's titles, that I'm just dying to read!!!

From the Kirkus Fall Supplement:
Nightshade City, Hilary Wagner
Holiday House / October / 9780823422852 / $17.95
The smell of a rat, who’d have thought it would be so sweet? “Why rats?” says Hilary Wagner of her debut. “Well, I’ve always loved animals, especially the strange and creepy ones. When doing research for Nightshade City, I discovered how misunderstood rats are. They are quite intelligent, able to come when called by their names and even lick their owners like dogs to show they love them. They can laugh in ultrasound when tickled, and they dream, too.” Of course, there are also dastardly rats, depraved and sadistic rats, like Killdeer and Billycan, who stage a bloody coup to gain control of the Catacombs, once a democratic, thriving rat metropolis. But better rats will have their day, a growing band of revolutionaries sharply drawn with rich histories and adventurous, vivid characters, all in a fully imagined fantasy world with some important dangling threads that promise good things to come. (Ages 10-14)

Okay, so what fall debuts titles are you looking forward to?

Badly Written Ode to My Agent, Marietta Zacker, on her Birthday

2010-07-27T06:32:00.000-05:00

Below is why Hallmark Cards has never and will never request my services...

The Birthday Girl

Badly Written Ode to My Agent, Marietta Zacker, on Her Birthday

Oh, dear agent, nice and shiny
You are so sweet, though I'm so whiny
You toil so hard to sell my work
Though your client is quite berserk
You answer my calls, every one
You make me laugh, yes, you're fun!
You read my stories, every letter
And like my words, even flummery and fetter
You tell me news with the greatest elation
And keep me sane--even on your vacation
So, in closing, all I can say
Is thank you, thank you, thank you
Have a ~~nagging-client free~~ wonderful day!

Happy Birthday, MZ!!!
¡feliz cumpleaños!

What's Up with YOU???

2010-07-20T15:00:00.002-05:00

That's me, hiding behind the little blue bunny! I've been crazy swamped...only posting once a week these days, busy finishing Kings of Trillium, Book II of the Nightshade Chronicles, almost there! Then I have a book proposal to work on, something so super secret I've been told not to talk about! I feel all super spy! Not to mention, as we speak a new blog is cooking up with some amazing middle-grade authors which I'm so thrilled to be associated with, just think FIGHT CLUB, only without the swear words and violence! So I've a lot on my plate!

So, what's up with you?? What's keeping you busy? Are you finishing a story, starting one, or are you stuck somewhere in the middle?

xoxo -- Hilary

Rejection, Reviews & Reggae...sort of the same thing.

2010-07-14T11:32:00.000-05:00

For those of you currently on the road to publishing you all know how hard rejection is to take. It really hurts to have agent after agent (form letter or personal) tell you your work is of no interest to them. And many of you know how many times I had to hear that when I was querying (175 times *choke*). Now that I've conquered that trial by fire and my book will soon be hitting the shelves, I have reviews to agonize about.

It's something I rarely if ever thought about when querying, because it just seemed so unattainable. So, all these thoughts keep going through my manic little head. 'What if people hate the book and say mean horrible things about me, my writing, the story? What if they think it's the worst book in the history of books? What if they say my rats are as exciting as old cheese?' You get the picture. With reviews, not only do you get the not so warm and fuzzy feeling of someone not liking your work (go to agent rejections above), but the added bonus of it being a public flogging of your work for one and all to see (change *choke* from paragraph one to *puke*)! So, after some serious soul searching on the matter I've decided I'm going to try and stay positive, even if someone dislikes my baby. I simply have to or I will lose my mind.

Just like in querying, not everyone is going to love what we write. It's like music, some people love big band and hate jazz, loathe reggae, but adore rap. I guess my point is whether you have your first book coming out this fall or your dream agent just rejected you, you're still a talented writer, that agent just preferred disco.

The Strange and Horrible Day...

2010-07-08T10:36:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had one of those days that you can only classify as a total fail? Well, I had one of those days yesterday. Not that anything bad happened, no deaths, no mortal wounds, just a really cruddy day where everything seemed to go wrong and the people I needed to help me where all unavailable, unable to help a desperate (and slightly manic) writer in need...I digress.

I need to give a very special mention to my super awesome (even if she likes possums) friend Jen K Blom. All the way from Germany, this amazing writer chum helped me through my angst and virtually held my clammy hand! xoxo -- Jen!

Anyway, today has been a different story--completely! Yesterday's problem is fixed! My editor called me bright and early and made me feel super special (thanks Julie)! And last but not least, I woke up to two fantastic reviews of Nightshade City! It's amazing how one day can differ from the next SOOOOO much! Frankly, it's kind of scary!

Today was the launch of the Bookanistas book review bloggers! Not one, but two of these lovely reviewers reviewed Nightshade City! I have to say, my coffee tasted soooo good this morning, as compared to yesterday!

Thanks to Bethany Wiggins and Christine Fonseca, the two gorgeous Bookanistas who reviewed Nightshade City!! Please follow these lovely ladies around, both with books of their own coming out soon!

Major hugs and kisses to anyone out there who is having a "fail" day of their own. It can only get better, I promise! :)

xoxo -- Hilary