The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Last Sunday, I started and finished reading JK Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard. It was a fun quick-read that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. JK Rowling is a brilliant creative writer! Her book was full of old wizard folklore and fairy tales, similar to what we'd read in the Brother's Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen, and yet all made-up and perfect for her Harry Potter world. Reading it really made me want to go back and re-read the 7th Harry Potter book! It's sad to admit it's my favorite book in the series, and yet I only read it once, the night it came out. I think I've re-read the first three books at least 3 or 4 times since they were the only books out when I first got into Harry Potter in 7th grade. JK Rowling is definitely one writer I wouldn't mind emulating!

Visual Proof

Here are two pictures I took just for fun the night I finished my novel. It was late, I was tired, and the world was in my hands (or at least the camera was). Oh, the things you do at 11 o'clock at night!

Here's the final page of my novel...if you read too hard you might ruin the story.

And here's me pretending to be typing although it's obvious I'm not writing anything...also, I would have you note the time in the bottom right-hand corner of my computer screen if you could actually see it. I technically finished at 11:04, but wasn't crazy enough to take pictures until 12 minutes later. My roommate thought I was nuts.

FINISHED!!!

I just wanted to record this monumental event:

I have officially finished my 260 paged 1st draft of what is currently known as Forbidden Fruit. After about 5 years of coming up with ideas and working on it whenever I had the chance, my story--the current love of my life--was finally finished today, May 20, 2009, at 11:04pm (MST) in my little apartment bedroom at BYU.

I think I'd be a little more emotional right now if I didn't know that I have weeks and weeks of editing and revision ahead of me, not to mention years of working with my novel if it's accepted for publication. But it's like my baby and I am happy to reach this step as a new author, yet sad at the same time.

But holy cow--I did it!

Provo Library Children's Book Festival

I had another amazing opportunity to mingle with children's and YA authors and illustrators at the Provo Library 2nd Annual Children's Book Festival last Saturday (May 16th). I have to admit, being there with dozens of well-known authors was like being surrounded by gifts on Christmas morning! Each writer has honestly given me something through their stories, words, and personalities. I am so happy I had the chance to go, to get books signed, and to hear the authors talk about writing and their books. The more and more I learn about the children's publishing world, the more I realize there is to learn! And hearing the authors' advice and personal habits when it comes to writing only helps me improve my own skills.

First, I went to Rick Walton's writing seminar called, "So You Want to Write for Children." It was fun learning from him again after spending a semester in his Children's Publishing Class at BYU. In fact, he talked about a lot of things I had learned in his class. The most important thing I probably heard said was, "You have to write a lot of bad stuff before you can write a lot of good stuff." It's good to know that everyone--even the New York Time's Best Sellers--wrote terribly at first, but with practise (and with the help of talented editors), they were able to get published and create outstanding books. Some other pieces of advice from Rick Walton and his guest speakers, Guy Francis (illustrator), Wendy Toliver (YA chicklit writer), and Sydney Salter Husseman (YA writer) were:

1. Write a lot of everything
2. Don't get yourself stuck on one idea, one manuscript, or one voice
3. Keep writing!
4. Sell stories in magazines
5. ALWAYS follow publishers' guidelines (posted online) when submitting manuscripts
6. Don't get caught up in the "rules" because there is always an exception
7. Write what you want first, then become more focused during revisions
8. Don't be sensitive about feedback from others: everyone is trying to help make your story the best it can be
9. Go to conferences
10. Join SCBWI (which I will join as soon as I can afford it!)

After this, I had the opportunity of hearing the key-note speaker, Laura Vaccaro Seeger, speak. She writes and illustrates her own picture books and has won many awards. A lot of her books I actually recognized, but never realized she had written them! Hearing her share her books and the stories behind each one was a real treat! The thing she talked about that stuck with me the most was how there are no rules when it comes to your stories. You can start your story wherever you want: beginning, middle, or end. I wish I could've taken a picture with her, but I had nothing for her to sign. Maybe someday in the future we'll meet again.

My favorite part of the festival (of course) was hearing from Dean and Shannon Hale! Their presentation was absolutely hilarious. I don't think I could stop laughing during their "inspirational interpretive dance." I took a few pictures as proof:



After they had stopped (and the laughter eventually died down), they talked about their graphic novel, Rapunzel's Revenge, which I felt honored to know a lot about because of the UVU Conference I attended last March (see earlier blog post). They even acted out a part of the story with Dean as Jack and Shannon as Rapunzel. Here's another picture:

It was a lot of fun being with them and getting my book Princess Academy (which traveled all the way from Oregon to come to the Conference) signed.

I had a great experience being at the Provo Children's Book Festival and can't wait until next year to attend again! It's always inspiring being around so many people who love children's books and writing like I do. The energy in the room was tangible! It was also a great experience being around Utah writers and seeing what a tight group they are. I would love to be a part of their niche someday and participate in conferences and signings as a published author!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the festival and made it a huge success!

A list of the writers/illustrators who attended (* are the ones I got to hear read/talk or have met before):

Alvina Kwong, Ann Dee Ellis*, Ann Edwards, Anne Bowen, Aprilynne Pike, Brad Wilcox*, Brandon Mull*, Brandon Sanderson, Carla Morris, Carol Lynch Williams*,
Emily Wing Smith*, Guy Francis*, J. Scott Savage*, James Dashner*, Jessica Day George*, Julie Olson, Ken Baker, Kristyn Crow, Laura Card, Laura Vaccaro Seeger*, Louise Plummer*, Maryn Roos, Mete Ivie Harrison, Nathan Hale*, Rick Walton*, Shannon (and Dean) Hale*,
Sharlee Glenn, Sherry Meidell, Sydney Salter Husseman*, Wendy Tolvier*, and Will Terry*

The Oregon Coast

Last week I was able to go to the Oregon Coast with my family. I honestly forgot how beautiful Oregon--my home state--is until I returned! There are probably more shades of green in Oregon than in any other state and hundreds of trees wherever you look! I absolutely love it! And I love the rain that helps it stay so green and beautiful.

We spent Thursday through Sunday (May 7-10th) at the Beach. We've rented the same beach house in Lincoln City ever since I can remember: a small, cute little house right off the beach. There's only one bathroom, but enough beds for all seven of us! We used to vacation there every Easter weekend growing up (where I almost saw the Easter Bunny, but that's a different story), but sadly that family tradition ended sometime when I was in middle school. Returning there this past week felt like coming home--and going back in time. From the 50s refrigerator to the creaking floors, everything has aged, yet still feels comfortable.

One of the best things about being able to go to the beach house was returning to where my story really began. About five years ago (Spring of 2004), I came up with the idea for my current novel, but it wasn't until a trip to the Oregon Coast with my family--staying in the same beach house--that I actually planned out the entire plot! I remember shutting the door to the room I was sleeping in, sitting on the bed, and writing out each chapter and major event on 3"x 3" yellow post-it notes! By the time I had finished, they covered my entire bed and filled nine sheets of paper. So it was amazing being able to return to the same house that inspired me in the first place and nearly completing my novel! I wrote for about 2 days straight, and now I only have the epilogue to write before I can officially say my 1st novel is finished.

I think the Oregon Coast is the greatest place to go for inspiration! Walking along the beach and hearing the waves hit against the shore allowed me to really think and come up with even more ideas for future stories. Being there made me more grateful for the beauty that God created for us to enjoy! Here are a few pictures from the trip:

Our beach house (the one in the center)

The breath-taking view from our window (and it really was sunny the entire time I was there!)

Pictures of the bedroom where the plot/overview for my novel was first inspired.


Some of the old furnishings that make this house unique (doorknobs and the old refrigerator--you have to open it by pulling out the door handle).

The sunsets were spectacular!


Me enjoying beach life with some starfish friends.

I can't wait to go back! It was really nice to get away for awhile and relax while doing the one thing I love most: writing. I recommend the same treatment for all blooming writers. =)

The Job Hunt

I just finished the semester (including finals!) last week and now I'm on the hunt to find a job. And how successful have I been? Well, as of right now, I've found...absolutely nothing!!! It's a little depressing, really, when you can't find work and you don't have any money. And then I laugh when I think about what I really want to do with my life: become a writer. I'll be publishing book after book after book (this is the dream) and still have no money! But at least I'll be enjoying myself while in my poverty. =)

Of course, if anyone has any possible job options, don't hesitate to let me know. In the meantime, I'll be writing and dreaming of large numbers in my bank account.

My First Novel

I'm quickly realizing how terrible I am at writing on my blog! I mostly blame it on the fact that I'm a student nearing finals and simply don't have time, but in all honesty, I use every free writing moment to work on my story.

I haven't written about my story--or my first novel--yet, so I decided it was about time. I keep saying that I'm going to be a children's and YA author someday, but without the proof, it's hard to believe. So, for the past 5 years now (that's really a guesstimate...I think I began it in 2004), I've been working on a YA novel whenever I can. Currently, I've written 224 pages and counting. My goal is to finish it by April 23, as I am using it (a FINISHED manuscript) for my final project in my Children's Publishing Class. This has been just what I need--an excuse to work on it without feeling bad! I've been trying to follow Shannon Hale's advise of writing 1,000 words a day, but between school and homework and social life and sleep...sometimes I can't meet that goal. Now, I'm reaching the finish line and I'm pushing myself harder than ever before.

The first question everyone asks me when I tell them that I'm writing a novel is, "What's it about?" And my answer: "It's kind of hard to explain." Yes, it is a YA romance (although I wouldn't quite compare it to Bella and Edward), and yes, it is a fantasy, but only because I completely made up the land where it takes place (sorry--no vampires or witches). It does take place in Medieval time, and there is a prince and a servant girl. In summary, my story is about a servant girl who has to make a great sacrifice in order to save the Princes' life...and hopefully gain the "happily ever after" that she deserves.

The second question I often get asked is, "Are you going to get your novel published?" And my answer is: "YES!!! (well, at least, I hope so.) I do have some plans as to where I will send my novel after I finish writing and editing it (which will probably be 5 or 6 times). Of course, I've learned a lot about the children's publishing world this past semester, so I would really like to find an agent first. Agents are the best way to get your foot in the door.

I might share a few scenes from my novel on my blog someday, keeping in my copyright issues, but not today. My story is really the love of my life right now, and I can get a little over protective. You definitely know you're a writer when you catch yourself thinking about your story and your characters ALL the time, which I do. But I LOVE it. There are very few things I would rather be doing than working on it, which reminds me...I need to get writing!