Interview with Adelle Laudan

Adelle Laudan is no stranger to this blog. She generously took part in a chat we hosted between her and a fourth grade class in NY and has been a wonderful supporter of YACWW efforts.

It is so great to have her here today, especially since she has some great news to share about her book, Dee Days. But I'll let you find that our for yourself. Enjoy.

Thank you Patrizia and Sasha for having me here today.

Can you tell us about your journey to become a writer/author?

I think it began in my early teens. I started writing my thoughts down on paper. Writing was my great escape from the harshness of life, a place where being hearing impaired had no relevance. I’d only let one other person read my stories up until five years ago when I met the love of my life. January 2006 is the first time I entered a writing contest, in doing so, gave me the desire to try and publish something. At first I was just going to self publish, but the more my friends pushed as well as the positive feedback I received whenever I posted something online gave me the courage to submit my first book Juliana, a story of my heart, which was very well received.

The rest… is history in the making.

You're making a splash with contemporary/mainstream romantic fiction. What made you turn your hand to tween fiction?

I love both genres and think I can have the best of both worlds. My girls are ages almost 12 and 13, so they were always bugging me to write something they could read. I really enjoy writing Tween fiction. For me, it is fun and I will to continue writing books for Tweens, for as long as they are reading them.

I see a definite motorcycle motif running through your writing and websites. What's the story behind that?

I was sort of bouncing from genre to genre, trying to find my niche. A wise woman told me, to write what I know. Since I’ve lived the lifestyle, most of my adult life, it just made sense to write about it. People have the wrong impression of Bikers in general. The majority of us are working class, family orientated people who just happen to share the common bond of riding. It is my hope to change the image of Bikers, one book at a time.

Tell us about Tween Time. Where did the idea come from? What's the motivation behind it? How is it succeeding?

Tween Time originated from my desire to keep my Tween Fiction separate from my Adult Fiction. I also think that kids in their Tween years tend to get lost in the shuffle. They are not kids anymore and not quite young adults either. I wanted a place that was all about Tweens. How different my life might have been if I’d had support and encouragement with my writing at this age.

Give us a brief description of Dee Days.

Dee Days is a Tween mystery with a tWiSt. It is the story of Deedee and how she coped with having to move, after living in the same neighborhood her whole life. Deedee is a bit of an ‘outsider’ amongst her peers. She is taller than most of the kids her age and her strict father, forbids her to wear jeans like the other kids her age. Exploring her new neighborhood with new friend Anita, they find an old abandoned skating arena at the end of her street. In spite of being forbidden to go near the arena, Deedee and Anita venture inside. What they find will have you sitting on the edge of your seats…

How did the idea behind Dee Days come about?

There was an actual arena like the one in my book at the end of my street at that age. Although I never ventured inside as a child, I often imagined all sorts of things happening behind the boarded up windows. Dee Days offered me a way to explore these daydreams and make them a reality of sorts. I am very excited to see Dee Days coming out in print in June 2007.

What other tween books do you have in the works?

I have just signed a Series Contract, making Dee Days the first book in the Dee Day Mystery series. The second book will be out October 13th and in print November 2007!!

I am also doing research for a Tween Fantasy. I’ve never written one before but am having a ball putting it all together. Hopefully it will be ready to submit later this year.

If you could be any character in a book or movie, who would you be and why?

Hermione Grange from Harry Potter. It would be incredible to play a part in such a fascinating world such as the one JK Rowling created for this series.

What is the toughest part of writing for tweens?

Maybe it’s because my girls are in their tween years, but I don’t have any difficulty writing as a tween. I think the hardest part is getting the word out to tweens about my books. There is a serious lack of venues to do so which is why places like this are greatly appreciated.

What advice can you give to young adults wanting to write?

Learn as much as you can about the craft of writing. Read as much as you can in the genre you’d like to write in. Remain teachable; finding a mentor is always a good thing. Most importantly, write… just do it, and don’t force yourself to write something your heart isn’t in. In other words, don’t worry about the trends in writing. A good book will always be a good book, no matter what the trend is this week.

I wish you all Miles of Smiles J
http://adellelaudan.com
http://mardigraspublishingya.com

Interview with Linda Gerber

When I discovered on a Yahoo YA Writing Loop that a fellow writer lived in Tokyo, I knew we had to meet. In a Roppongi Starbucks we sat down for coffee and talked about writing, balancing it with family, and our goals. Linda is as warm and personable as she comes across in this interview below. --Patrizia

How long have you been writing and how did you discover your true fit lay in the young adult market?

Part one: I’ve been writing forever, but only professionally for a few years.
Part two: I’m still channeling my inner teenager so I naturally gravitate to YA.

Describe your journey to being published. What were some of the high points and low points?

Long, long ago, in a kingdom far away, a wannabe writer set out on a quest. Trusty books at her side and computer at her fingertips, she wrote and wrote and wrote. Queries were sent. Rejections were received. Still she wrote. Then, one bright and sunny morning, she received an email. ‘Would you like to write for S.A.S.S.?’ an editor said. ‘Yes!’ cried the writer. And she wrote and wrote and wrote. The end… no! The beginning!

Tell us about being a part of a publisher-driven series. What limitations
did you have to work with? Did you feel those limitations interfered with
the story?

Writing for a publisher-driven series is like building a house with the frame already in place; you know it’s going to have four bedrooms and two and a half baths - everything else it up to you. Does this place limitations on the house? Yeah, if you want to put in a basement but zoning restrictions prevent it. If you’re a good contractor, though, you can work around that. Finish the attic instead.

Your first book Now and Zen came out in Fall 2006. What’s it about?

Nori Tanaka is thrilled to be studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan, but it isn't exactly what she had imagined. She expected tranquil gardens and swoopy-roofed houses, not concrete and neon. And everyone assumes that, with her traditional Japanese features, she's a native instead of the naïve Japanese-American that she really is. Even Erik, a gorgeous German student, mistakes Nori for Japanese, and treats her like a personal tour guide. Nori is sure that he'll like her for who she is once he gets to know her, so what harm can come of temporarily pretending to be Japanese? It doesn't take long to realize that she has a lot to learn about Japan, and about herself, before she can pass for a native. But after exploring the karaoke clubs in Tokyo, the peaceful temples in Kyoto, and the tranquil heights of Mt. Fuji, Nori knows she has a good chance of finding the hidden Japanese spirit and Zen mindset within herself.

What books do you have scheduled for release this year? Can you give a brief description? And what are you currently working on?

My second book in the S.A.S.S. series, The Finnish Line, will be released in September. It’s the story of a girl from Park City, Utah – a competitive ski jumper - who goes to Finland for her semester abroad and works to become one of the first female jumpers allowed to jump at the Lahti Ski Games.

My new baby is a mystery series for Puffin’s sleuth imprint. I just completed the first book and am diving headfirst into the second.

Any suggestions on how writers can learn about publisher driven series that might be open to new authors?

Keep up on the market. Watch Publishers’ Lunch. Haunt your local bookstore. Check out the new series books coming on the market and pay attention to who the publishers/distributors are.

Join a writer’s organization such as SCBWI and take advantage of their market updates.

Network, network, network. This is how I first heard about the S.A.S.S. series.

How do you stay in touch with your target audience? Aside from a website or My Space page, is there anything else a children's writer should do to stay current with trends?

Hang out with the people you’re writing for. You had better like kids if you want to write for them – they can smell a phony a mile off. Read what they read. Watch what they watch. Let them download their playlists into your iPod. Have fun!

What do you find to be most difficult writing for the YA market? Easiest?

Difficult? The competition. There are some great YA books and authors out there. Easiest? Getting caught up in the stories and characters. I love writing YA!

In your opinion, how important is it to have an agent to break into the YA market? What are some of the considerations a YA writer should think about when searching for an agent?

I have a navigation system in my car. I also have a printed map. I can find my way around Tokyo using either one of them. The navigation system just makes it a whole lot easier.

In shopping for agents, I say go for one who A. represents (and LOVES) the type of book you write and B. has a proven sales record C. his/her clients aren’t ripping said agent apart on their blogs…though some of those should be taken with a whole shaker full of salt…

YA has been hot. Do you see that trend continuing? Do you have any
concerns about the direction of the market?

Pull out your fan, baby, ‘cause YA ain’t cooling down any time soon. I think the market’s moving in so many different directions, you can find whatever you want to find. I’m looking at the good stuff. No concerns there.

What are some of your favorite books? Your favorite authors? In YA and in general.

“Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other is gold…” I’m always adding to my favorites list. The latest additions are Kate Coomb’s Runaway Princess, (which is a whole lot cooler than the title makes it sound,) and Ally Carter’s I’d Tell You I Love You, but Then I’d Have to Kill You, (which, yeah, is just that cool.) My favorite authors list is always growing, too. In YA, I love Meg Cabot, Sarah Dessen, Ioin Colfer, Phillip Pullman, Donna Jo Napoli, Jonathan Stroud, Kate Coombs, Marsha Skrypuch, K.C. Dyer… I could go on and on. My ‘grown up’ favorites include Brad Meltzer, Lee Child, Gayle Lynds and Tess Gerritsen.

Where do you get your ideas from? How much influence has your
international experience had on your writing?

I order my ideas online at www.bestsellers.com. If that doesn’t work, I eavesdrop on people and steal their looks, their mannerisms, their personalities and anything else that isn’t nailed down.

The International thing, of course, provided the opportunity to write the S.A.S.S. books. I also think it’s broadened my perspective. I mean, I now know how to dress like a Harajuku girl. My life and my writing are enriched.

How do you juggle family life and a writing career? Any tips for the writing parent?

I send my progeny out the door at 8:30 and play… er, write until they return at 3:00. (When I’m not scrubbing toilets, shopping, cooking, cleaning the turtle’s tank, doing laundry, volunteering at school, running errands, and all that other annoying mom stuff that takes up my writing time!)

Advice to writing parents? Gather your family together let them know you are going to make writing a top priority. Carve out some time for yourself. They will not understand this. Show them, with love and patience, that you mean business. Don’t back down! If you don’t take your writing time seriously, no one else will.

What advice would you give the unpublished writer trying to break into
the childrens and/or YA market?

Read. Write. Send your stuff out. Don’t stop.


To learn more about Linda Gerber and her books, please visit her website at www.lindagerber.com