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

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!

GOBLIN SHARK RISING, Fall 2012

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!

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??

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!

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??

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!!

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!!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!!