Barbara Vitelli is a book reviewer and bloggerat Book Club Momhere on WordPress. She also shares author interviews, indie author profiles and blogging advice.
In addition to all of that, Barbara is a book-clubber, an avid reviewer on GoodReads, and she has over five thousand followers on Twitter.
I chose the following post from her lovely blog, not because it is her most recent, but because I appreciate that she reviews the well-loved classics by famous authors as well as newer selections by current and lesser-known authors.
This gorgeous convertible is the vintage car 18-year-old Ben Swift drives in my YA novel, Calmer Girls. It belongs to his dad but he gets to borrow it often.
Interesting trivia: Out of 69,176 T-Birds built in 1966, 5049 were convertibles. This generation of the Thunderbird played a starring role in the TV series Highlander and was also in the 1991 movie Thelma and Louise.
By the way…good news! Calmer Girls is now available in paperback, as well as e-book, on Amazon.
What does a true-blue introvert do when her debut novel is coming out the next day?
Why, she flees the country, of course!
Yep. On Wednesday, hubs and I will fly away to a warmer, sunnier clime for a little rest and recreation. Truth is, this long-overdue vacation with family has been planned since early last fall, when I didn’t know the Calmer Girls release date yet.
Murphy’s Law took over then, making sure that out of the fifty-two weeks in a year, the release had to take place during the same week I’m missing in action, on the day after I get there!
Oh well, there isn’t a thing to do about it, only keep abreast of the event via the “interwebs” and if necessary, emails and phone calls. Smart phones are wonderful things, aren’t they? I won’t be able to take a complete holiday from technology like I usually do when I go down south, but I suppose that’s the trade-off (and a cool and understandable one at that) when one has a novel published.
There will be plenty of time to work on marketing when we return. At that time I’ll look into hosting a giveaway, and as the weather improves, there will be a book-signing to plan. It’s all good.
On another note, I’m sharing a childhood picture today.
Already a hardcore bookworm at 11 yrs. old
Yes, I know it’s only a Charlie Brown Peanuts book but (besides the fact that I consider Charles M. Schulz brilliant) it was still a book to bury my nose in so I wouldn’t have to socialize at an extended family gathering. So shy and introverted, I couldn’t even bring myself to look at my aunt, the photographer. Not much has changed; I still prefer to be on the other side of the camera. 🙂
If you knew my granddaughter, you would not believe the resemblance.
~ Hey! I just realized what my long-lost natural hair colour was! ~
See you all again when I get back. In the meantime, please check out my new Author home page, and if you are so inclined, like me on my new Author Facebook page.
Quicker than I had anticipated, Calmer Girls has been prelisted and is now available to pre-order on Amazon.
After moving to the city of St. John’s, sixteen-year-old Samantha Cross meets a boy with beautiful brown eyes—eyes that focus on her sister, Veronica. As Samantha falls in love with her sister’s boyfriend, one thing becomes clear: One of the Cross sisters is in for a broken heart.
Please note: At this time, the book is available for pre-order in e-book form only. When the book is officially released on March 24th, the paperback will then become available.
Some of you have expressed an interest in the origins of the cover art.
Award-winning Fiona Jayde Media did the beautiful artwork for Calmer Girls. I couldn’t be more pleased with my publisher for acquiring the artist, along with everything they’ve done and are still doing in working with me to bring my book to light.
And of course, many thanks again to all who gave me the moral support through this blog to continue on my writing journey. Before the book’s release, I’ll return to this topic to provide a bit more background to the setting of Calmer Girls.
Things are a little hectic here for me at the moment and I will be away from my blog for a few days, so I have closed comments for this post. And next time? There are a few new photos I’m looking forward to sharing with you. 🙂
The release date has been set for March 24th. I’m not sure exactly when, but a few weeks before that date, it will be pre-listed on Amazon. I will post an update when that happens for anyone who would like to pre-order a copy.
I love the cover art. Excited and a tad emotional! 🙂
Recently, I discovered and started following Write with Kelly – “writing and publishing advice you can really use.”
Kelly Abell is an author, blogger, and graphic artist whose blog is a wealth of tips for those of us aiming to improve our writing craft. In her own words:
My aim for you is to utilize this blog to help you improve your writing skills, and to educate you on the publishing business. If you need help with writing, want to self-publish a book and need advice, or just want to kick a story idea around to see what works best, that’s what I’m here for. As I gain knowledge from editors and publishers, I will share that knowledge with you.”
Check out this post where Kelly features a fellow author’s knowledgeable views on a genre near and dear to my heart:
Author Dylan Hearn at Suffolk Scribblings has written two books and is working on his third.
In his own words:
My name is Dylan Hearn and I am an author. It has taken me a while to admit this. I started this blog because I wanted to write, so I wrote about many different things, but over time the blog has become focused on the act of writing and self-publishing....I limit myself to spending only one hour on each post, plus a bit of extra time for editing, because I prefer to concentrate on writing my fiction. However, this does mean you may find the odd typo or grammatical error. I blame my fingers.”
The post I have chosen delivers great insight into the experience of writing a second novel.
My Young Adult novel is working through the various steps to reach the Release Date finish line.
The main edits are completed. The cover art is done and approved. My manuscript is now in the hands of Managing Editorial for copy-editing, layout, and proofing. After that it will head to typesetting. So much goes into the creation of a book!
In between the days I watch and wait for these steps and the days I work on edits to my second book of the series, I’ve been racking my brain, trying to come up with a title for the second book.
No, Calmer Girls Two does not appeal. Either does Calmer Girls – the Sequel. I like a book title that has a double meaning – like Calmer Girls – or a title that borrows a phrase or a line from another work. That could even include inspiration from a line in a song, a poem, or a nursery rhyme. Think: Along Came a Spider, or Norwegian Wood. I also like titles that are taken from a line or quote inside the book, as many authors have done. Think: To Kill A Mockingbird, or The Silence of the Lambs.
There is advice out there now that suggests you should name your book while keeping in mind keywords, SEO, categories and literary genres, all a part of improving its visibility in the digital marketplace.
As much as I still prefer reading Print books as opposed to eBooks, I know I am writing for a largely younger group of readers who love their eReaders and almost exclusively read all their books that way. Keeping that in mind will be beneficial for the upcoming marketing stage as well.
In my research surfing, I happened upon a wonderful post by author Anne R. Allen that may help me find a title. If you’re a writer, you may find it helpful as well. Check it out below:
In the middle of the afternoon yesterday, I received a welcome and gratifying email. My editor sent me – minus a few finishing touches – the cover art for my upcoming YA novel, Calmer Girls.
I. LOVE. IT. Since then, to say I am getting more excited about my book’s upcoming release is an understatement. As one of the teenagers in my book might say: “this sh*t just got real!”
In keeping with what is now on my mind 24/7, I’m sharing one of the writer blogs I follow. Jane Friedman is a writing coach with a wealth of useful tips and advice on building an author platform and getting published. In the post below, she interviews Hannah Goodman, a proud advocate and author of the Young Adult genre.
I used to think I was a bit of a dork for liking Young Adult literature, even though my years as a young adult are long gone.
Not so anymore. Although some may be too shy to admit to it or call it a guilty pleasure, YA fiction has a huge fan base among grownups; in fact, a recent study states that 55% of its readers are actually adults. And while I also choose from a variety of other genres and often crave the more literary and classic offerings as well, I particularly enjoy writing Young Adult fiction, as two of my upcoming novels will attest.
Why do I and so many others love reading YA novels? I don’t believe it implies immaturity, but rather suggests a more “young at heart” sensibility of the reader. And I am careful about not lumping all of them together; as in every genre there is great writing and not-so-great writing. With that in mind, here is what I find appealing about most of the YA and coming-of-age literature I have read:
It draws you in and hooks you on the first page.
It is usually light on the exposition and heavy on the action and dialogue.
The drama isn’t contrived. The teenage years, with all of its growing pains, can be filled with turmoil. Ordinary situations often feel emotional, and even catastrophic.
Teens are well-known to be impetuous and curious, therefore their actions are often unexpected. This opens up all sorts of drama which may include acting on violence, sexuality, and other previously uncharacteristic behaviours.
We’ve all been there, so we can identify with many of the common conflicts that arise. Other times, we might enjoy reading YA as an escape into wish-fulfillment: a way of righting the wrongs in our own experience.
Still not convinced to give Young Adult a try? Peruse these quotes taken from bestselling YA fiction:
What do you think of the Young Adult genre?
Do you have any favourite YA quotes to share?
Jennifer's Journal 