Lindsay Eland - Middle Grade Author

Yes, I am out here. I was on vacation back east to visit my family and while away I completely neglected my poor little blog. But nonetheless, here I am, back in Colorado and settling into the normal life I adore so much. But here’s some things that happened over the past two weeks:

1. My family and I went to Ocean City, NJ–one of the greatest places on earth–with my entire family: my parents, my two sisters and their husbands and kiddos. It was amazing and I miss everyone so much already. While there, I managed to catch some waves on the boogie board rightly named: Legend. Played a little whiffle ball and paddle ball, built sandcastles, collected sea shells and stones, was bit on the toe by a crab, got a muy bad burn on my stomach cause my stomach hadn’t seen the light of day in over a year, celebrated my 10th anniversary with John, was pooped on by a sea gull, and now I can’t seem to bring myself to empty my purse of the collection of sand that still sits at the bottom.

2. Wow, that was a long one, wasn’t it? We’ll take a breath here so that all of that exciting info can sink in…

3. Okay, both Isaac and Ella Jane lost another tooth while at my parents house in PA. Ella Jane’s new tooth is almost all the way in but poor Isaac has been left with one tooth in the front of his mouth in which to eat. Seeing him eat corn-on-the-cob was highly amusing.

4. I succeeded in doing five interviews for numerous publications in my hometown and hopefully didn’t sound like a complete nincompoop…nincompoop…you’re smiling right now, aren’t you? I’m trying to bring it back.

5. Watched my kids eat ice cream cones from The Creamery at Penn State that were literally the size of their heads

6. Became completely obsessed with Food Network, and more specifically fondant. I think it’s so amazing what bakers can do with the moldable icing, but at the same time, their hands are all over the cake…not quite sure how I feel about that.

7.  Got to see my MomMom for almost an entire day! She laughed hard and loud and often, just as much as I remember her doing when I was eight and sat at her kitchen table in Wexford.

8. My parents bought me three new books: Keeper, by Kathi Appelt (which I just finished last night), Word After Word After Word by Patricia Mclaughlan, and Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson.

9. Had a wonderful time at my book signing at Barnes & Noble and talked with some amazing tweens! Hi Ainsley, Grace, Sophie, Maddie, Nora, Lauren, Cameron, Moriah, and McKenzie!!

10. Came home to find a brand spanking new Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer (in silver, mind you) waiting for me on the table with a note from John! I’ve already made two pizza’s and two loaves of pumpkin bread with it and I love, love, love it. Would it be weird to have it as a centre piece?

Well, I think you’re pretty much all caught up now…

So have a great day! I hope that each one of you ate, laughed, hugged, sighed, skipped, kissed, and loved your way through the past two weeks.

Welcome to the final week of Tenner Tuesday! And to end on an extremely high note…kind of like the grand finale fireworks on the 4th of July, I have with me fellow critique partner and amazing writer and just a wonderful person all around, Kate Milford and her book The Boneshaker which is making quite a splash in the world of Children’s Literature!

Here’s a little bit about Kate! She is the author of children’s and adult fiction, several plays and a couple of screenplays, and an assortment of scholarly articles on subjects as diverse as self-aware ironmongery and how to make saltwater taffy in a haunted kitchen. She is also a contributing writer for the Nagspeake Board of Tourism and Culture and a passionate shutterbug.

And here’s a tiny teaser for The Boneshaker: Thirteen-year-old Natalie Minks loves machines, particularly automata—self-operating mechanical devices, usually powered by clockwork. When Jake Limberleg and his traveling medicine show arrive in her small Missouri town with a mysterious vehicle under a tarp and an uncanny ability to make Natalie’s half-built automaton move, she feels in her gut that something about this caravan of healers is a bit off. Her uneasiness leads her to investigate the intricate maze of the medicine show, where she discovers a horrible truth and realizes that only she has the power to set things right. Set in 1914, The Boneshaker is a gripping, richly textured novel about family, community, courage, and looking evil directly in the face in order to conquer it. Set in 1914 and brimming with magical and steampunk elements, “The Boneshaker” is a gripping, richly textured novel about family, community, courage, and looking evil directly in the face in order to conquer it.

And now onto my interview!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

The earliest I can remember (and I only remember this because it’s documented on a poster with construction-paper balloons that my mom still has framed back home) was in first grade when I was writer of the week at my elementary school and I claimed when I was “interviewed” that people had always told me I should be a writer and I was seriously considering it.

How long does it generally take you to write a book from those first words to the very last?

Hard to answer—the first draft of The Boneshaker took two weeks, but that draft was like 150 pages long and had a long way to go. The first draft of the current book I’m working on took two months, but again, I’m having to do a ton of rewriting.

What was the inspiration—that first spark of a story—behind your amazing book?

There wasn’t one single spark that I remember. There was sort of a cluster of things that suddenly made sense together: an article on the Jamaica Ginger epidemic (Jamaica Ginger was a patent medicine that was a popular drink substitute during Prohibition and that turned out to have been made with a potent neurotoxin), some research I’d done into antique medical technologies, a whole collection of cool stuff belonging to my neighbor Ray Rupelli, and my first encounters with Something Wicked This Way Comes and His Dark Materials. I guess that’s how stories come together for me: I start to figure out connections between bits and pieces of things I think are neat and then I start to write.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Well, right now I still have a full-time job, so 40-60 hours a week I’m managing a store. I get my reading time on the subway on the way to and from work, and then I write in the evenings and on lunch breaks. On my days off, my goal is 3000 words if I’m trying to plow through a draft, plus I try to post to my website once a week (and sometimes I manage it and sometimes I don’t).

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk…come on…I know you have one!

I probably do, but I have no idea what it is. Let me ask Nathan if he has any insight on this.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Cooking and baking—particularly when those include messing around with liquor and spices I haven’t used before; photography (I love used cameras and shooting with reversal film), running (I’m not good at it and I’m slow as paint, but I’ve run four races with my sister Stephanie and our friend Alexa. We’re working up to a marathon one of these days), and muay thai (thai boxing—although I haven’t managed to practice that for about six months and I’m missing it a lot right about now).

What do you think makes a good story?

A cast of complex characters in a well-drawn and consistent world, at the center of a conflict with high stakes. The unexpected—I find it really satisfying when something happens that I didn’t foresee.

Without giving us any spoilers, how did you choose the title for your book?

It was originally called Gingerfoot, which was one of the names for the effects of Jamaica Ginger poisoning. The folks at Clarion thought the name wasn’t evocative enough, so we came up with The Boneshaker. The new title refers to Natalie’s bicycle, which behaves a lot like an old velocipede and which Natalie can’t ride (much to her shame, since her dad’s a bicycle mechanic and she basically begged him to fix this particular bicycle up for her).

Are there any tools that are absolute must-haves for writers?

Dropbox! It’s like a remote USB drive, and it saves me from ever having to worry about losing an external drive or not having the most recent draft of a project with me. Also my little netbook; it’s small and light and it starts up and shuts down so fast I can actually write on the subway if I want to.

What kind of research went into writing your book if any?

Oh, lots—on bicycles, all the weird medical stuff, the Wright Brothers and Flyer I, early motorcars, and the tales of Jack. I actually love research, because I’m such a geek for details. My problem is I procrastinate with it. It’s easy to put off writing for research, and a lot of times no matter how much you know about something, you don’t know what you need to know until you get to the actual writing. Does that make sense?

Have you ever had someone try to matchmake for you and if so, how did it go?

Hmm…actually, no, I don’t think I have! I’m too neurotic and socially awkward to think it could possibly have gone well if anyone had, though. That kind of thing terrifies me!

Because I think you should always save room for dessert, as a child, what was your favorite dessert? And what is your favorite dessert now?

Oooh. It was cheesecake for a long time, and then tiramisu. Pumpkin pie is always a hit at my house because it’s Nathan’s favorite and because I make a mean pumpkin pie (I dose it with like five kinds of alcohol, among other things). My favorite thing to make for dessert, though, is to take a homemade pie crust, fresh fruit and fresh nutmeg and whatever other spices and alcohol look good at the time (I mentioned that I like messing around with spices and alcohol, right?), and improvise a pie with spiked whipped cream. Oh, and plum pudding. I make a mean plum pudding, too. Basically I like desserts I can liquor up.

What do you hope to leave your readers with once they’ve finished your book?

That’s a good question. Selfishly, I hope they’ll want to read more about Natalie and Arcane, for one thing. But more seriously, this book wound up being a little bit about the spectrum that falls between absolute good and absolute evil, about death and what comes after, about the importance of family and being brave and making hard choices. I don’t want to leave readers with any specific message, because I don’t always know what I think about any of those things. I just know that I do think about them, and I think it’s good to think about them and question them, even if there aren’t easy answers to be found. Does that answer the question a little?

What question would you like to ask me?

I want to know if you were the matchmaker, or if you were part of the matchmaking attempt. I feel like there has to be a personal story there.

Fortunately, the only matchmaking that I’ve done–and I’ve done a lot–has all been in my head. I’ll pick people for each other and see quite an elaborate love story unfold like a movie in my head complete with first date all the way up to the wedding cake and, fo course, the “thank you so much, Lindsay, for bringing us together.” But then *PooF* I magically wake up and find out that thankfully I really live in a place called reality, and all my potential couples would fail miserable. So I have always kept my mouth shut tightly. And actually, the only time anyone played matchmaker for me was in college for what everyone called “get-your-roommate-a-date.” A friend set me up with a great guy who ended up marrying one of my best friends.

Thanks so much for visiting me, Kate! You can visit Kate Milford on her website at www.clockworkfoundry.com and to order The Boneshaker…which you really MUST, click HERE!

Welcome to another Tenner Tuesday! This week I have with me middle grade author Jacqueline Houtman and her amazing book: The Reinvention of Edison Thomas!

First here, is a little bit about Jacquline: She holds a Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her training as a scientist included hands-on laboratory experience in bacteriology, virology, and immunology.

Wait, she’s not only like genius smart but she’s also creative…

Jacqueline writes about a variety of biomedical topics, including asthma, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and AIDS.  She enjoys writing for many different audiences: Middle school students, medical students, physicians, scientists, and the general public. The best part of her job is convincing people that science doesn’t have to be hard to understand. It just needs to be communicated effectively.

Yeah, she’s impressive. And so is her book.

The Reinvention of Edison Thomas: Eddy Thomas copes with the noise and crowds of Drayton Middle School by reciting the periodic table of elements, memorizing Morse code, and jumping on the trampoline in the gym teacher’s office. His mindstores thousands of facts and the scientific names of animals and plants, but cannot decode the meaning of the expressions on faces or the definition of a friend. When the local school crossing guard is laid off, Eddy can’t stop thinking about the dangerous intersection and the possibility that someone could get hurt there. Marshalling his talents as a scientist and inventor, he builds a traffic – calming device out of his collection of old machines. Could Eddy’s invention help with more than just the safety situation?

And now here is my interview with Jacqueline!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

You mean make a living at it? I had always thought that I would make my living in science and do artistic things for fun. It took a PhD in Medical Microbiology and Immunology for me to decide that the life of a scientist was not for me. That’s when I began working as a freelance science writer, which I’ve been doing for about ten years.

How long does it generally take you to write a book from those first words to the very last?

I’ve only written one novel-length book, so I can’t really say how long it takes “in general.” EDDY took about three years from first spark to “the call” from my editor. I hope the next one doesn’t take as long!

What was the inspiration—that first spark of a story—behind your amazing book?

I read THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME by Mark Haddon (Doubleday 2003) just when I was developing an interest in middle grade fiction. That gave me the idea to tell a story from the point of view of a middle school kid on the autism spectrum.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

It really varies. On a good day, I’m installed at my table at the neighborhood coffee shop from about 9am to 2pm. I often have other stuff I need to do, though, and some days I don’t write at all. I still find it hard to give myself permission to take time during the workday to write fiction and to read in my genre.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk…come on…I know you have one!

I don’t know if it counts as a quirk; it’s more of an obsession. When I edit on paper I *have to* use certain pens.

I have a stockpile, but I don’t know what I’d do if they stop making them.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

My favorite thing to do these days is Zumba. The music is energizing, and the movements work all those muscles that ache from sitting at my computer. I also like to cook, except when I have to, if that makes any sense.

What do you think makes a good story?

Characters you care about doing unexpected things for very good reasons.

Without giving us any spoilers, how did you choose the title for your book?

I have a friend named Doug Kirk and every time he calls, the caller ID says it’s Kirk Douglas on the phone. (If you are too young to remember, Kirk Douglas is a famous actor, and father to Michael Douglas.) That gave me the idea for the name reversal for Edison Thomas (and his dad, Jefferson Thomas). Reinvention came as I was working on the synopsis for submission to the editor who acquired the ms. Eddy invents and reinvents both his devices and himself.

Are there any tools that are absolute must-haves for writers?

Aside from the above pens, and a computer, I would say a notepad and pen next to your bed, so that you can write down ideas before you forget them.

What kind of research went into writing your book if any?

EDDY is chock full of science, so I had to do a lot of searching and fact-checking. Everything Eddy experiences triggers associations with his vast store of scientific facts. I also did quite a lot of academic and observational research on the autistic experience.

Have you ever had someone try to matchmake for you and if so, how did it go?

When I was in graduate school, I was a member of a college rape prevention/sex education group. The faculty advisor took one look at Carl’s application to join the group and immediately thought of me. Carl and I have been married for 20 years.

Because I think you should always save room for dessert, as a child, what was your favorite dessert? And what is your favorite dessert now?

Chocolate and chocolate.

What do you hope to leave your readers with once they’ve finished your book?

I hope they’ll have an appreciation for science and a curiosity to learn more about how things work. More importantly, I hope people on the autism spectrum will feel validated and I hope everyone else will feel some empathy and understanding for people on the spectrum.

What question would you like to ask me?

Can I have your recipe for chocolate éclairs?

But of course, Jacqueline!! Here it is: Chocolate Eclair recipe! It’s the second recipe down…

Thanks so much for joining me, Jacqueline!

To visit Jacqueline on the web go to www.jjhoutman.com! And click HERE to order The Reinvention of Edison Thomas…you won’t be disappointed!

Hi out there! I hope you are all having an amazing July! Today for Tenner Tuesday I have with me Young Adult author, Leah Cypress and her amazing book Mistwood that I read in about 3 hours cause it was so good!

Some stuff about Leah: She wrote her first story in first grade. The narrator was an ice-cream cone in the process of being eaten. In fourth grade, she wrote her first book, about a girl who gets shipwrecked on a desert island with her faithful and heroic dog (a brilliant rip-off of both The Black Stallion and all the Lassie movies). However, she took a few detours along the way to becoming a full-time writer. After selling her first story (Temple of Stone) while in high school, she gave in to my mother’s importuning to be practical and majored in biology at Brooklyn College. Leah then went to Columbia Law School and practiced law for almost two years at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, a large law firm in New York City. She kept writing and submitting in her spare time, and finally, a mere 15 years after her first short story acceptance, she wasa published novelist. Right now, Leah lives in Brookline, Massachusetts (right outside of Boston) with her husband Aaron, a researcher and doctor at the Joslin Diabetes Center, and their two daughters.

A Teaser of Mistwood: The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwood. But when she is needed she always comes. Isabel remembers nothing. Nothing before the prince rode into her forest to take her back to the castle. Nothing about who she is supposed to be, or the powers she is supposed to have. Prince Rokan needs Isabel to be his Shifter. He needs her ability to shift to animal form, towind, to mist. He needs her lethal speed and superhuman strength. And he needs her loyalty—because without it, she may be his greatest threat. Isabel knows that her prince is lying to her, but she can’t help wanting to protect him from the dangers and intrigues of the court . . . until a deadly truth shatters the bond between them. Now Isabel faces a choice that threatens her loyalty, her heart . . . and everything she thought she knew.

Here’s my interview with Leah!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t remember. My parents have a copy of my first short story, which I wrote when I was in first grade. And when I was eight years old, I informed my grandmother that I intended to be an author when I grew up. (My grandmother, an immigrant who worked her way up from poverty, was quite horrified.)

How long does it generally take you to write a book from those first words to the very last?

A loooong time.  I started Mistwood in 2003, and finished it in 2008.  Of course, in between those times I worked as a lawyer, moved, got married, had a kid… and also worked on about a half-dozen other books, since I like switching between projects as a way to stave off writer’s block.

What was the inspiration—that first spark of a story—behind your amazing book?

I had a vision of that first scene – a supernatural creature in a misty woods, being hunted by men on horseback.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

*goes to look up “schedule” in the dictionary*

I try to write for at least 2 hours a day: one hour in the morning while my older kid is in school and my younger one is napping, and another hour at some point later… while at the playground, if they’re both occupied, or during joint naptime, if I can make that happen, or after they go to sleep, if I’m not too exhausted. Okay, sometimes that second hour doesn’t happen. But when I’m gripped by a story, I will write through every two-minute interval that I don’t actually have to be doing something else.  I’ve been known to stop at street corners and pull out a pen and notebook while my kids wonder why the stroller isn’t moving any more.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk…come on…I know you have one.

Probably that business about working on several manuscripts at once.  I find that at least once during every project, I get to a point where I don’t know what happens next, I feel like I know how the book is going to end, and I’m just not interested any more.  When that happens, I go away and work on something else, often for months.  Then one day a new idea for continuing the old book will pop into my head, and I’ll get back to it.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I really like sleeping…   Also reading, hiking, and biking.

What do you think makes a good story?

Most of the stories I love have some sort of mystery at their center… something you want to find out.  Sometimes that mystery can just be how the book is going to end, but I am a big sucker for dark secrets buried in the past.

Without giving us any spoilers, how did you choose the title for your book?

I didn’t. When I originally submitted the book, it was called “Shifter”; but since HarperCollins was publishing The Shifter by Janice Hardy, we needed a new title.  I submitted a list of possibilities to my editor, of which Mistwood was one; and it was the one the marketing department liked best.

Are there any tools that are absolute must-haves for writers?

A paper and pen. Or laptop.

What kind of research went into writing your book if any?

One of the main problems my critique group noticed, after reading an early draft, was that the castle in Mistwood wasn’t adequately described.  I arranged for a stopover in England during another trip, and spent a few days wandering around castles and scribbling descriptions in my notebook.  I also read up a lot on various aspects of life in a medieval/early-modern type world, and watched many youtube videos of swordplay and animal fights.

Have you ever had someone try to matchmake for you and if so, how did it go?

When I was a lawyer, a co-worker at my firm thought I should go out with her stepmother’s friend’s son.  We now have two kids, so I’d say it went great.

Because I think you should always save room for dessert, as a child, what was your favorite dessert? And what is your favorite dessert now?

As a child – cheesecake.  Now – those fancy chocolate cakes that are all gooey in the middle.

What do you hope to leave your readers with once they’ve finished your book?

That happy feeling I get when I close a book I really enjoyed.

What question would you like to ask me?

How on EARTH do you find time to blog in addition to everything else?

Well, most times I’m full of blog-guiltiness because I don’t blog as much as I feel like I should blog. Blog, blog, blog. Anyway, I’m also like a baby that a mom puts on a schedule…if I get off my schedule or my routine I get cranky and weepy and if I had a bottle in my hand well…I’d probably throw it. There, Babywise, it’s the secret of who I am.

You can visit Leah on her blog at www.leahcypress.com and to order Mistwood (which I think you really MUST) click HERE!

Yes, it’s that time again! Today for Tenner Tuesday I have amazing middle grade author Jennifer Cervantes and her oh-so-amazing book: Tortilla Sun!

A bunch about Jennifer: Jennifer lives with her husband, three daughters, two dogs, and two turtles in beautiful New Mexico. Her house is filled (and I mean filled) with books, lots of teen girls, and love. When she gets writer’s block she likes to jump on the trampoline with her youngest daughter, but sometimes they just lie on their backs and watch the clouds inch by; Jennifer love, love, loves Mexican food especially red chile enchiladas. She is inspired by her daughters Alex, Bella, and Jules, their silly friends, amazing stories, and real issues concerning kids who need hope and a place to call home.

Delicious Teaser of Tortilla Sun: When twelve-year-old Izzy discovers a beat-up baseball marked with the words “Because magic” while unpacking in yet another new apartment, she is determined to figure out what it means. What secrets does this old ball have to tell? Her mom certainly isn’t sharing any especially when it comes to Izzy’s father, who died before Izzy was born. But when she spends the summer in her Nana’s remote New Mexico village, Izzy discovers long-buried secrets that come alive in an enchanted landscape of watermelonmountains, whispering winds, and tortilla suns. Infused with the flavor of the southwest and sprinkled with just a pinch of magic, this heartfelt middle grade debut is as rich and satisfying as Nana’s homemade enchiladas.

And now onto my interview with Jennifer!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I wish I had a great epiphany to share, but really it’s been a sequential process. After I jumped each hurdle in my journey, I think I just morphed into the writer I am and I hope I continue to grow as a writer.

How long does it generally take you to write a book from those first words to the very last?

Well, I have to count all the days or weeks or even months I spend thinking about my characters before they ever come to life on the page. And while each book is different, I‘d have to say I spend anywhere from six to twelve months on a manuscript until it is submission ready.

What was the inspiration—that first spark of a story—behind your amazing book?

I think as writers, we often write what we know, so it doesn’t surprise me that my first book is based in New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment. I knew I wanted this magical backdrop for Izzy’s story and I also knew I wanted to include the richness of the Hispanic culture where my own daughters would see themselves reflected in the pages.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Dizzying! I also teach at the university and am a full time mom to three very active daughters, so I have to work hard to schedule certain days for my writing, which right now is Tuesdays and Thursdays. Wow! Six hours can fly by when you have the house to yourself.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk…come on…I know you have one!

I have a quirk that does not ever help me construct a story, but I can read, write, and talk backwards! But who knows? Maybe I’ll work it into one of my books one day.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I LOVE to read, take long walks, hang out with my girls, and eat red chile cheese enchiladas with a fried egg on top!

What do you think makes a good story?

Heart (Well said!)

Without giving us any spoilers, how did you choose the title for your book?

It was actually the first and only title and when I wrote the first scene with Izzy and Nana, I knew it was perfect!

Are there any tools that are absolute must-haves for writers?

The ability to imagine and persevere

What kind of research went into writing your book if any?

Talks with my mom, native New Mexicans to make sure I got the dialect right, and I spent time among the cottonwoods along the Rio Grande to make sure I captured the essence of the place.

Have you ever had someone try to matchmake for you and if so, how did it go?

No, but I have played matchmaker lots and lots of times.

Because I think you should always save room for dessert, as a child, what was your favorite dessert? And what is your favorite dessert now?

I love this question because I adore the saying, “Life is short, eat dessert first.” This tells you how I rank sugar. As a kid I loved jamocha almond fudge (still a fav), but now I love it in a buñuelo (a fried tortilla sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar).

What do you hope to leave your readers with once they’ve finished your book?

A strong sense of family and the possibility of magic in their lives.

What question would you like to ask me?

Monopoly or Scrabble?

Definitely Monopoly! I do love me a game of scrabble every now and then, but I have to say that Monopoly is more my game…besides I love being the hat.

You can visit Jennifer on her website at www.jennifercervantes.com! And to order your own copy of Tortilla Sun–which I recommend you do right now, click HERE!

Here’s a short list of books I plan on getting my hands on and reading this year!

1. Beauty by Robin McKinely

2. The Boneshaker by Kate Milford

3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

4. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

5. The Short Second Life of Bree Turner by Stephanie Meyers

6. Mistwood by Leah Cypress

7. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

8. Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Barnes

9. Clarie de Lune by Christine Johnson

10. White Cat by Holly Black

Happy Reading everyone!

Hi Everyone!! Welcome to another week of Tenner Tuesday! Today I have author Jennifer Hubbard whose Young Adult book, The Secret Year was released just a few months ago with Viking. Here’s a little bit about Jenn and her book!

Jenn’s short-n-sweet bio: I’ve been writing since the age of six, when I used to write and illustrate my own picture books. (Fortunately, none of those early efforts have survived, unless my parents are hiding them for future blackmail plans.) In high school, I considered it fun to come home from school and write novels. My grandfather worked at a printing plant that produced spiral-bound notebooks. Any flaws in the printing or binding process would land the notebooks in the company store at a steep discount, so I always had plenty of notebooks on hand. Now I write on a computer most of the time.

The Secret Year blurb of Sweetness that will make you want to buy her book: Seventeen-year-old Colt has beensneaking out at night to meet Julia, a girl from an upper-class neighborhood unlike his own. They’ve never told anyone else about their relationship: not their family or friends, and especially not Julia’s boyfriend. When Julia dies suddenly, Colt tries to cope with her death while pretending that he never even knew her. He discovers a journal Julia left behind. But Colt is not prepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship, nor to pay the price for the secrets he’s kept.

Now onto my interview with Jennifer!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

When I was little, I made my own picture books and stapled them together. I’ve been writing almost as far back as I can remember.

How long does it generally take you to write a book from those first words to the very last?

I switch back and forth between projects, so it’s difficult to say. On average, probably a year or two.

What was the inspiration—that first spark of a story—behind your amazing book?

(Thank you for “amazing!”) I started with the opening situation: a secret relationship, a death, a notebook left behind. I wrote to find out why it had to be secret and what would happen next.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I write every day; there are probably only about 10-15 days in a given year when I don’t write. On days when I go to my day job, I write after dinner. Other days, I usually write at night, which is my best time, but I’ll sometimes start in the afternoon. Once in a while, especially if things have been piling up and I’ve felt squeezed for writing time, I will write first thing in the day, before I do anything else.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk…come on…I know you have one!

I have a terrible time picking character names. I use placeholder names and change names frequently. “Colt” is my main character’s second name; “Julia” is that character’s third name. I have one work in progress where I’m just using a letter of the alphabet as the placeholder for the character’s name. The main character in my current work in progress is on his third name—so far—and I’ve considered dozens of choices for his last name, even though it only appears once!

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Read, hike, spend time with my husband and friends, go to an occasional concert.

What do you think makes a good story?

Well-chosen language, an intriguing plot, a fascinating voice, and something important to say.

Without giving us any spoilers, how did you choose the title for your book?

My book went through a few different titles–the first suggested by a critique partner, the second by my agent. THE SECRET YEAR came from a list my editor and I had brainstormed together. I was happy with it because secrecy is an important element in the book.

Are there any tools that are absolute must-haves for writers?

Something to write with. Nowadays, that’s usually a computer with a word-processing program; some people need to write longhand first. I also like to have a dictionary, thesaurus, and grammar book on hand, along with a baby-name book (for naming characters), a glass of water, and some music. But those are personal preferences, not absolute requirements.

What kind of research went into writing your book if any?

Several things in THE SECRET YEAR come from “incidental research”—that is, things I have done myself, although I didn’t do them with the plan to write about them. Like my main character, I have worked in a restaurant, shot a target rifle, spent time near rivers, and lived in an area where farms were giving way to subdivisions and forests were losing ground to mansions.

In terms of deliberate research, I did look up several things about car accidents like the one that killed Julia, and found some interesting statistics on seat belts and air bags.

Have you ever had someone try to matchmake for you and if so, how did it go?

Not that I can recall. I think it can be hard enough to buy a gift for someone, to choose something you know they’d like, let alone trying to figure out your friends’ romantic compatibilities.

Because I think you should always save room for dessert, as a child, what was your favorite dessert? And what is your favorite dessert now?

Over the years, I my favorites have included mint-chocolate-chip ice cream, Black Forest cake, cherry cheesecake, Key lime pie, and chocolate mousse. Currently, I’m most likely to order Key lime pie or anything chocolate.

What do you hope to leave your readers with once they’ve finished your book?

Mostly what I hope is that readers recognize something true in the book, and that that recognition makes them feel less alone. I hope it helps them think about people’s motives and motivations.

What question would you like to ask me?

You seem like such a positive person. How do you maintain that attitude?

Well, thank you very much, Jennifer! Ever since I can remember my parents have talked about being thankful–always, always, always being thankful for the wonders, beauties and the gifts of life. It’s hard to be depressed or sad or angry for long when you’re looking at everything you are thankful for.

Thanks so much for joining me Jennifer!

Visit Jennifer on her website at www.jenniferhubbard.com! And to order The Secret Year click right HERE!