In A Word

I like to think I’m pretty good at writing description, even though I use it sparingly in my books. I don’t like reading a lot of it, so I don’t write a lot of it. I put in just enough to spark an image in the reader's mind. Some people prefer reading a mile-long paragraph describing a character’s dress. Not me.

But I do want to see the characters –their mannerisms, expressions, actions, reactions – the overall package. A couple of cleverly written sentences usually does the trick. And once in a while, one word can do it too. I’m talking about that one word that shows us body language, facial expression and emotion. 

If you remember from a few controversial blog posts ago, I collect dialogue tags. Sadly, that well has dried up. So I’ve started collecting one-word descriptions. Here’s what I’ve got so far:

He balked

He blanked.

He blustered.

He bristled.

He chilled.

He collapsed.

He cratered.

He crumbled.

He drooped.

He eased.

He exploded.

He festered.

He flared.

He fumed.

He loosened.

He melted.

He raged.

He recovered.

He sagged.
He scoffed.

He seethed.

He shrank.

He slumped.

He snapped.

He soured.

He strained.

He stirred.
He sulked.

He surrendered.

He thundered.

He twitched.

He weakened.

He withered.

He withdrew.

And I'm confident that these are just the beginning.

Remember, one-word descriptions should only be used occasionally, otherwise your novel will read like Dick and Jane (and never get into an editor's hands).

Ah...it's so nice to have a hobby. Do you guys have any to add?

    

AIM FOR THE MOON

I’ve been a moongazer all my life. Yes, even when I thought it was made of green cheese. That’s what led me to write my 2008 novel, Man in the Moon. That book was so much fun to write, especially my choice of breaking the chapters into phases of the moon. It makes me sad that Delacorte didn’t indicate the paranormal aspects in their rather blasé jacket blurb. When is the moon not magical? 

OK, why am I telling you all this? Because I was doing a bit of cleaning up and found an unopened box filled with copies. And since books are meant to be shared, I’m offering 3 free autographed copies to my faithful followers. Just tell me in the comment section your thoughts, experiences, romances, etc., that somehow involved the moon. I’ll send copies to the 3 I think really shine. And be sure to leave a contact email address so I can notify you.

Oh the Horror!

 

It’s no secret that I’m a horror-loving maniac. I grew up with the Universal Monsters. Stood in a mile-long line for The Exorcist. And Stephen King is my homeboy.

 

So again this year, I’m serving on the jury for the YA category of the Bram Stoker Awards. The proof is right here.

I love being on this committee. Especially now that horror has made a comeback in the YA world. 2011 was great. 2012 will be even better.

If you’re a YA author with a horror or dark paranormal coming out in 2012, contact me for info on how to get your book considered.

Spotlight on Flashlight

This is not an ad...it's a shout out.

I’ve published with a lot of great houses, each one offering a different experience. But one of those publishers stands out as unique. Flashlight Press – the smallest house I’ve worked with. In 2007 they published Grandpa for Sale, a collaborative work between my good friend, Vicki Sansum and myself. (Writing it together is another blog post for another day.)

Unique? If you’ve ever worked with Flashlight’s founder and editor, Shari Dash Greenspan, you’d understand. Shari saw more in our little PB than Vicki and I ever envisioned – word choices…plotting…illustrations. And it didn’t stop there. Because of her dedication “Grandpa” went on to win three awards, became a nominee of both the Arizona and Indiana State Reading lists, and was named a Borders Original Voices selection.

There were numerous reviews, interviews and articles connected to it. And it was even featured on the Dr. Laura show. That’s more accolades than all of my other books combined. (I wish I had someone like Shari behind those too!)

And “Grandpa” is not alone. All of Flashlight’s books have won numerous honors. Check out I Need MyMonster by Amanda Noll, illustrated by Howard McWilliam. 

 

There’s barely room on their webpage for all the kudos that fabulous PB has raked in…deservedly so. 

  

What’s Flashlight’s secret? Quality over quantity. Two to four books a year allows for a lot of nurturing. That’s something Shari and her crew do well.

If you’d like to submit to Flashlight, PLEASE read their guidelines first. And if you get an acceptance, you’ll have a whole lot to shout about.

  

Now What?

On January 4^th, I told you I’d done something I hadn’t done in 12 years. Submit to an agent. Today I had a first. A rejection from an agent.

I didn’t submit to her with a sense of euphoria. I’m not upset, depressed or feeling worthless. No bubble was burst. But since receiving the “I didn’t love it” reject, I’m pondering the ever frustrating question:

Now what?

I could query another agent, but what if the manuscript really isn’t all that lovable? I certainly don’t want to burn bridges with anyone I might want to rep me in the future.

I could pay hundreds of dollars to a freelance editor to help me whip it into shape. But that’s a risky step. All that money for one editor’s opinion?

Then there’s the option that has crossed my mind a gazillion times. Design some cool covers, hire a copyeditor and throw it all up on Amazon. That would be the easy route. And I could man the helm – a major perk for a control freak like me. But then again, I’m no more a Joe Konrath or Amanda Hocking than I am a Stephen King or Janet Evanovich. To be successful on Kindle, you have to be consistent, a quick writer, and offer 2 or more books a year. Quick and consistent, I'm not.

And then there’s the practical choice. Put it in a drawer and go to the next project. Distance has always been my friend. But that drawer is already overstuffed.

So help me out here, guys. What would you do?