First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Permanent Record

by Leslie Stella

Permanent Record (release date March 5, 2013, from Amazon Children's Publishing

Leslie Stella

Inspiration for the novel:

      I was inspired by several related concepts when I began to write Permanent Record. The escalating amount of school violence in our country, especially since Columbine, is horrifying. You see the faces of these killers all over the news with little to explain how they got there. I couldn’t stop thinking about it: How did they get to that point? Bullying, mental illness, lack of love, lack of family?  I wanted to explore several themes that don’t fit neatly into talk-show soundbites or the ticker on news programs: 1) Bullying, and the fine line between standing up for yourself and taking revenge, 2) the cyclical effect of bullying and school violence, and how they feed off each other, and 3) the perpetrators themselves, and the idea that someone who fires back at those who have hurt him may not in fact be a monster, but a wounded human being. 

1)  What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?

       Life was easier when I connected with no one. Easier, but empty. Now I’m wildly caught up in other people’s lives and my own feelings, and it’s crazy and intense and it’s scary as hell, too—to be so human, so alive.

2)  What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

      The section break in chapter 20, after the anonymous note is found in the school lockers, threatening violence on Halloween. At this point the three main characters suspect each other and, I hope, the reader begins to distrust the unreliable narrative of Badi.

3)  Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

      Nikki Vrdolyak. She is a strong young woman, but capable of great kindness and empathy. She is true to herself and not swayed by popular opinion in a way that is unusual for most teenagers—for most people, period. She is ignored in her own family, she is called “lesbo” at school simply because she doesn’t buy into traditional gender roles, she stands up for Badi when she sees him being attacked, and she speaks her mind, consequences be damned. I think she is a great role model for girls. Definitely the kind of girl I wish I’d been more like as a teen.

4)  What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

      Badi’s brother Dariush was in a band and wrote a song about his experiences working in a car wash. The lyrics are my favorite passage in the book because they’re funny but also because they express Dariush’s frustration with entering the workforce with a brain and an education and no ambition whatsoever.

      I walk through the valley of the car wash of death

      I’ll punch the clock till my last dying breath

      A dark-skinned stranger with an engineering degree

      Wipes down your car, his diploma is a chamois

      Use the pre-soak to loosen crap from the road

      I aim the foam brush like a gun and reload

      Now get the soap off, rinse and repeat

      Spray wax like bullets till I’m dead on my feet.

5)  What is your favorite line of dialogue?  

      After Badi’s disastrous first morning at his new high school, a classmate lifts his hand to him in the hallway. Badi admits, “I try high-five him, but miss.” Haven’t we all felt like that? It’s so indicative of Badi’s personality: trying, trying, always trying, but always falling short, at least in his own estimation. A small thing, maybe, but the small things add up. 

     

Author Bio

      Leslie Stella is the author of three previous novels of contemporary adult fiction, Unimaginable Zero Summer (Crown, 2005); The Easy Hour (Crown, 2003); and Fat Bald Jeff (Grove/Atlantic, 2001). She was a founding editor of the Chicago-based politics and satire magazine Lumpen, and her work has been published in The Mississippi Review, The Adirondack Review, Bust, Easy Listener, and anthologized in The Book of Zines: Readings from the Fringe (Henry Holt, 1997; compiled by Playboy editor Chip Rowe), a collection of essays and articles from the obsessive, frequently bizarre world of zines. Leslie was nominated for a 2004 Pushcart Prize in short fiction, and Permanent Record is her first novel for young adults.

You can find Leslie at:


Twitter: @leslie_stella

Permanent Record is available in hardcover or for Kindle at:

  

      Permanent Record was published in March 2013 by Amazon Children’s Publishing/Skyscape. My agent had originally sold it in 2011 to Marshall Cavendish Children’s Publishing, but soon after they were acquired by Amazon Children’s, and forthcoming titles like mine as well as the entire backlist went along too. Please visit my website for impending information about my next novel!




Dave Amaditz September 9, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink

First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day

by Dave Amaditz &

Marcy Collier

Permanent Record (release date March 5, 2013, from Amazon Children's Publishing
Welcome to September’s version of – First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author’s writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the author’s answers in a follow-up post.

This month we’re pleased to highlight debut YA novelist, Leslie Stella, and her novel, Permanent Record. There’s so much good to say about this novel. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy the excerpts we’ve chosen below, follow the links we’ve included to read what others are saying, and ultimately, check out the book for yourself.

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?


Dave – In this scene Badi, a.k.a. Bud (you need to read for yourself why the names are different) has given up trying to fit in, trying to be normal. This passage gives you a little insight as to the reason why, but you will need to read the book for yourself to see what is the result of the decision.



The real reason I can’t talk to Nikki is because I’ve moved off the path to sanity and fitting in – even with the misfits – and where I’m headed now, she can’t follow. I love her and that hurts. Even Reggie, the type of guy I’ve always admired – cool-geek, comfortable with himself, smart, antiauthority – I can’t be friends with him anymore because I’m giving up on trying to get better. There are all those people who stand in my way, who haunt me, dog my heels, from Leighton to Magnificat. The shit just never ends. I’m giving in to being who I am now.

Marcy – The main character, Badi (also known as Bud) has never had any real friends. He goes to this new school and faces one disaster after another. But through all of the disasters, he makes a few friends along the way. But then he questions if these people really are his friends. He doesn’t feel he deserves to have friends. This is the point in the story for me that was pivotal. One of his good friends Nikki tells him exactly how she feels, and he finally starts to realize that he does have people who care about him.



 I cross my arms. I knew it would come to this. “You’re against me,” I say.



“Against you? Dude, I am against you back-to-back, surrounded by infidels,” she says. “I am for you. I want you to succeed and be happy, even though being happy seems completely unrealistic for people like you and me. I’m getting concerned here. Scared. I’m afraid something bad is going to happen to you. It’s making me not see things clearly, and I’m sorry.”



The meeting is due to start, so I go in and leave her behind. I hate to do it.


2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

Dave – There were a few chapter endings that I really liked, the end of chapter 1, chapter 15 and 16, as they all really made me think, really brought me closer to the main character, made me want to read more. In the end though, I chose this one. To help you understand the scene, you need to know that King Sargon is his cat and that “Car Wash of Death” is a song his brother made up about wasting away working at a car wash.


King Sargon sits on my desk and looks out my bedroom window. I close the door and play “Car Wash of Death” ten million times on Dariush’s turntable, lying on my bed, staring up at the darkening ceiling and picking at my mole. I don’t fall asleep though I’m beyond tired, and I can’t eat – not that anyone calls me for dinner and I can smell that it’s orange chicken koresh again, my favorite – but my stomach is blocked by a trapdoor that closes whenever the depression hits. And it is hitting hard. The only thing that gets me through is the thought of what I will do to that school on Saturday night.

Marcy – This happens toward the end of the story. I don’t want to spoil the novel so I won’t give specific details. Bud struggles with mental illness. Throughout the story, he tends to bottle up his feelings and thoughts, but toward the end, he finally makes a big transformation and begins to see life differently. He makes a tough decision and a plea for help:


God help me out of this don’t leave me alone abandon me alienate me hate me destroy me – floor rushes up to me – my little brother and sister are crying, everyone’s crying but me. I can’t cry because I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe because everything inside me shuts down.


3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

Dave – Dariush, Badi’s (Bud’s) brother, is my favorite secondary character. He so confident and comfortable with himself, even though he, like Badi (Bud) is a total disappointment in the eyes of his parents. Also, he’s not opposed to telling it like it is. Following, is an example.


He stretches and gets up. “The thing you have to understand about people,” he says, “is that most of them suck, and you don’t want to be like them anyway. Just get through high school. I won’t lie: people suck after high school, too. But you’ll be older then and will have given up, so it won’t be as devastating.”

Marcy –  I was honestly torn between Dariush, Bud’s brother and Nikki. I ended up choosing Nikki, but was happy to see that Dave chose Dariush.


Nikki is one of the few characters that not only accepts Bud for himself, but also accepts others regardless of their problems. She’s not scared off by Bud’s crazy stories or his problems like most people. She is the one person (other than his brother) that he feels comfortable enough to allow inside his world.


Nikki’s bus is coming. She says, “I want to know it all. One day. When you want to tell me everything.”


4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

Dave – I had a list of about fifteen passages to choose from after I read through the book, but in the end decided this passage was my favorite because it showed Badi’s (Bud’s) humanity (and I almost used this section for my favorite character growth) and the fact that he is not, as he says himself, a total monster. I also picked it because the scene is so visual, yet still evokes so much emotion.


I see the douche bag Trevor. He came with this girl from the newspaper staff, and he pulls her chair out for her and then gets her a cup of lemonade, and she takes it without looking at him and sets it on the table, and then takes out her phone and plays around with it. And he sits there with this miserable expression on his face, and he fixes his tie and leans in to say stuff to her every so often, and she is not into him, and it’s the kind of thing that happens a million times a day, but when you see it happening to someone in front of you, even someone as revolting as Trevor, you would have to be an absolute monster not to feel some vestige of sympathy.


Dylan and his buddies and their dates pass by, and with them is Dylan’s little sister, the freshman he pointed out to me on my first day. She has very bad skin and is not pretty – I’m sorry to say it and I’m not judging, but there it is; and she’s apparently dateless and tagging along with them – probably their mother made her go because Dylan is Mr. Popularity – and he has his hand lightly on her shoulder when she says something to him, and her whole face is a study in misery, and he replies and pats her back, like, human, and his sister’s posture, hunched and defeated, embodies the last fourteen months of my life, when things begin to misfire in my brain and the whole universe decided it was out to get me.


(The scene goes on with more astute observations, but I ended it early in an effort not to give away too much of the plot. So please, read for yourself to see what happens).

Marcy – I love the descriptions in this paragraph! I have a crystal clear snapshot of the images that Bud describes – so vivid. And this scene also gives us a look through Bud’s eyes about Nikki.  


Being that I ride public transportation every day, I see my fair share of crazy, and sometimes it’s not pretty. Like the lady who brings the baby carriage on the Western Avenue bus, but it’s holding Duraflame logs and bottles of orange pop, not a baby. And there’s always a guy peeing on himself. Always. It’s like a rule. Homeless people who yell at the bus driver; homeless people who are trying really hard not to seem like homeless people, but they are dragging kids with them and taking suitcases onto the bus and their money is always carried in some complicated contraption tied to their belts. That’s how I know Nikki is a decent human and not just a rich girl who lives in a nice house in the city: she takes crazy in stride. You could just get up and move away from the crazy people, but she stays put.


5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?

Dave – This quote comes from Nikki, Badi’s (Bud’s) friend. She’s supposed to be a misfit, too. I love how this line makes you think, or rethink what, and whom, are normal.



“Look, I told them I was covering the bonfire for the paper, Bud. I didn’t know it was going to be this big thing with you. They like to take the twins out for wholesome family fun on Saturday nights. I think they’re at the shooting range.”

Marcy– Another laugh-out-loud line!



You know your family’s got problems when the hippies with the stoned dog are worried about you.


You can find Leslie at:


Twitter: @leslie_stella

Permanent Record is available in hardcover or for Kindle at:

Dave Amaditz September 6, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink

First Friday-Five Favorite Things: The Flame in the Mist

by Kit Grindstaff


Kit Grindstaff 

This past Friday, August 2, Marcy and I posted our answers to Kit’s debut novel, The Flame in the Mist. Today, you get to read Kit’s favorite’s. It’s always fun to see how different and similar our answers are with that of the authors. Kit has given great answers that will make the reader longing to read more.

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?

Ooh, this is hard to choose without spoilers! One I love relates to Jemma’s change of heart toward Drudge, the decrepit servant at Agromond Castle. Blinded by appearances, Jemma, 13, has always found him revolting. But as she’s about to escape, she discovers he has wonderful qualities and is not as she believed. Mortified by her prejudice, and how rude and careless she’s always been toward him, she has to say goodbye to him only moments later. (Noodle and Pie, for readers who don’t know, are her two magical golden-pelted rat friends.)

Jemma turned and squeezed through the gap, arms first, then head, shoulders, and torso. Noodle and Pie hopped in after her. She took one last look across the tiny dungeon. Drudge waved, then was gone. A fragment of her heart tore off and followed the old man up the dark corridor as he shuffled back to his lonely alcove.

Like Jemma, I hated leaving him at that point. But what I knew, and she didn’t, is that she will in fact see him again…

2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

One that I found really exciting to write is at the end of Chapter 29. Jemma has been through a grueling escape from Nox and Nocturna Agromond, who abducted her as a baby, and a harrowing journey to find her real parents (with plenty of cliffhangers on the way). She’s just met her mother for the first time. Emotions are running high. They’re in the town square, with the townsfolk gathered to cheer her return—and now she’s about to meet her father.

Their cheers dulled in Jemma’s head. The prospect of meeting her father suddenly seized her with the strangest mix of emotions: excitement, curiosity . . . and then a sense of foreboding, creeping up from her toes. She pulled up the hood of her cloak, as if it could hide her. The minutes ticked by: six thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine, and still the cheers droned on, thick and distant, as if through a lake of syrupwater.

Every face, every tree, and every building in the square was still crystal clear. As crystal clear as the electric sense of someone approaching from behind her. Crystal clear as she turned around. And crystal clear as she saw the unmistakable dark hair and determined stride of Nox Agromond, exiting the inn and heading straight toward her.

3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

I’m going to cheat here and say two characters, because it has to be Jemma’s telepathic golden rats, Noodle and Pie, and you can’t have one without the other. They provide light relief, and I love their loyalty to her, their calm levity, and their simple wisdom. But I also love the fact that they’re still rats, and do ratty things like eating dead bugs, squeezing into small spaces, gnawing through ropes, and generally scampering around (including all over Jemma).
4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

En route to finding her real parents, Jemma performs her first healing on a woman, Alyss, who is gravely ill. Jemma realizes Alyss has been cursed. She places two magical crystals in Alyss’s hands, begins her work. In Alyss’s aura, she sees images of a series of tragedies that Alyss has suffered, which are released in the healing process. At the end,

Each image burst like a bubble, scattering fragments that turned into gold light and drifted back into Alyss as though she were transparent, filling the spaces that the darkness had occupied. And all the while, the crystals sparkled with luminous blue, like lightning across two miniature night skies.

5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?

Since there’s a lot of darkness in The Flame in the Mist, I’m going to choose something more lighthearted. While still at Agromond Castle, Jemma and her erstwhile nurse, Marsh, realize they’re being overheard, so slip into a banter they’ve developed to fool the Agromonds into thinking they despise one another. Marsh has just told Jemma, “Be off with you. Or did a harpy eat your legs?” Jemma retorts:

“What makes you think I’d want to stay around you, anyway? You’re fat, and barely bigger than a troll!”

There’s several things I like about it. First, it tells the reader more of Marsh’s appearance; second, the fact that Jemma could say this to Marsh at all demonstrates Marsh’s toughness (Jemma knows it won’t hurt her); and third, it shows the warmth and trust between them. (Later in the same conversation Jemma calls her “Lard-woman”, which I also particularly liked.)

So there are my Five Favorites, Dave! Thanks so much to you and Marcy for hosting me.

We appreciate you sharing your current favorites for The Flame in the Mist and encourage our readers to pick up a copy!

You can find Kit at:

                       

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/kitgrindstaff (@kitgrindstaff)

Dave Amaditz August 5, 2013 1 Comment Permalink

First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day

by Dave Amaditz &

Marcy Collier

The Flame in the Mist
Welcome to August’s version of – First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author’s writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the author’s answers in a follow-up post.


This month we’re pleased to highlight debut novelist, Kit Grindstaff, and her novel, The Flame in the Mist. I had the privilege to meet Kit at 2009 Rutgers One-On-One Plus Conference, where she was busy working on her novel. Fortunately, I ran across her again this past June at the New Jersey SCBWI conference where she was able to share good news of publication, and more importantly, where she agreed to participate in this month’s Five Favorites.

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?

Dave – There were so many to choose from, but in the end, without revealing some of the plots inner secrets, I chose this paragraph because it shows the perils that Jemma, the main character, must face, as well as illustrates one snippet of the fantastic writing found throughout the novel.


Jemma closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The Prophecy. Despite everything, it still burned inside her, driving her. She’d been drawn inexorably to this destiny from the moment she first started having doubts about the Agromonds, and had set it in motion with their first step toward escape. How she would ever bring back the sun, she had no idea, but rescuing the triplets was vital. They couldn’t wait.

Marcy – Jemma has lived her entire life in the castle with the Agromond family. She always knew that she was different – not like them. She finally finds the courage to escape from them with the help of Drudge. In this scene, her brave behavior and change of heart for Drudge is the beginning of how her character greatly changes throughout the novel.

“A big cave. Then another tunnel, which will lead away from the castle, where there’s no alarm. I understand.” Jemma squeezed his hands. “I wish I wasn’t leaving you here! But—”

“Go!” Drudge pulled his hands away. “Mussst, now! G’bye, Jmmmaaah.”

“Goodbye. And please say goodbye to Digby for me, will you? Tell him…tell him I’ll look for him in Hazebury, when I get there.”

Drudge nodded, wiping one eye with the back of his sleeve. “Trussst,” he said again, softly.

2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

Dave – Again, without giving too much away, I picked this chapter ending because I didn’t see it coming and needed to immediately turn the page to find out what came next. To set the scene a little, Jemma is feeling pretty good about herself because she has gotten away from the castle, and the likes of Nox Agromond… only to see… well, you read for yourself.

Every face, every tree, and every building in the square was still crystal clear. As crystal clear as the electric sense of someone approaching from behind her. Crystal clear as she turned around. And crystal clear as she saw the unmistakable dark hair and determined stride of Nox Agromond, exiting the inn and heading straight toward her.

Marcy – This chapter ending gave me chills. In the last 24 hours, Jemma has discovered that her entire life has been a lie. Jemma is reading the back of a newspaper clipping and recognizes the picture of her mother.

She turned the picture over. 

Tiny writing was scrawled with obvious effort across the back.

My darling child. We are waiting.

Jemma felt her destination sharpen in her mind as clearly as etching on glass. For somehow, something in her knew that her mother, at least, was still in Oakstead – and alive.

3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

Dave – Nocturna is my favorite secondary character. She is the epitome of evil, one hundred percent committed to her cause and only willing to waver with feelings or actions that resemble kindness if, and only if, the end result will benefit her. Who else would say the following to their daughter?

“Yes, you will, Mord take you,” Nocturna said, gripping her harder, “if I have to kill you to get it.”

Marcy – My favorite secondary character was hard to choose because there were so many characters I adored. Jemma meets a young girl named Talon during her travels to escape. The reader expects Talon to turn Jemma in to the Chief Inquisitor who is also happens to be Talon’s father. But boy, does Talon surprise Jemma and the reader.

Talon frowned, then broke into a grin. “I know – come to my house! It’s the last place anyone’ll think of lookin’. Pa’s never home, an’ it’d never occur to ‘im you’d be hidin’ under our roof. Don’t worry, Ma can’t stand ‘im any more’n I can. We both felt ‘is fist a bit too often. ‘Sides, she’d be dead chuffed to meet yer. So come on, let’s be off!”

4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

Dave –  This was not easy! So I picked two in order to give you a sense of the fantastic writing as well as of the evil Jemma faces in her quest.

First - Everyone dozed. Only Grandmama Mallentent seemed to be awake, her crazed paint-cracked eyes staring from her portrait as if they saw into Jemma’s duplicity. Jemma fixed her gaze on the fire, and on the family motto glaring at her from the mantelpiece: Mordus Aderit. She tried re-ordering the letters to make pleasant words, but it only yielded ones that seemed to taunt her: Ruse. Dare. Dread. Dread. The word slithered into Jemma’s head, then wormed into her bones, where it curled up and tightened like a noose.

Jemma mopped her mouth with a napkin, her stomach in revolt. The stew had been vile. The silkiness of the pancreas made her retch, and how could she have ever liked the bitter taste of spleen, with its crumbly texture? Even the crunch of the bees-in-syrupwater dessert was disgusting to her now.

Second - What met her eyes was more horrific than she could have imagined. Countless small human skeletons were grouped together in twos and threes, some whose arm bones embraced another; others with finger bones entwined. Several behind the door looked as though they’d been trying to claw their way out.

Marcy – Jemma has never guided a horse before – this is her first time trying to ride Pepper under strained circumstances. I felt like I was right in the scene with the fantastic imagery and action.

“Easy, girl – easy!’ Terrified, Jemma gripped with her legs as she lay over Pepper’s withers, her arms wrapped around the mare’s outstretched neck. The ground rushed by. She could feel her cloak streaming behind her like wings. Wings that had saved her, breaking her fall from Mordwin’s Crag…She began to feel as though she was flying, and melted into Pepper’s thundering gallop, remembering the thrill of speed she’d felt earlier with Digby’s arm around her. All fear vanished. Her mind merged with the mare’s, envisioning where to go: Over there, to the right – Yes! That’s it…

5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?

Dave – Even with all the scary scenes I’ve picked for my favorites, I think this line proves, that in the darkest hours, there can be hope.

“Nobody is evil through and through, Jemma,” said Lumo, “or good, for that matter. Each of us has the capacity for both, and for most of us, one wicked act, or even several, does not make us a wicked person. That depends on how we choose to commit our lives. Yet even good people have the capacity for cruelty, just as evil ones have the capacity for kindness.”

Marcy – Digby made Jemma die her flaming red hair with a muck of berries and mud, then sheared her hair off like a boy’s so people wouldn’t recognize her. Jemma is not happy about this transformation until Digby gives her a compliment – sort of.

“’S’alright, Jem. I understand. Your hair is kind of your crownin’ glory. But you still look pretty good without it.”

Jemma smiled, her stomach flipping.

“Does stink a bit, though,” he added.

You can find Kit at:

                       

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/kitgrindstaff (@kitgrindstaff)

Dave Amaditz August 2, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink

First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day

by Dave Amaditz

and Marcy Collier



Poison by Bridget Zinn


Welcome to July’s version of – First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author’s writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the author’s answers in a follow-up post.

This post is a continuation of Marcy’s Friday, July 5th post where we are highlighting Bridget Zinn’s debut YA novel, Poison.

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?

Dave – Wow! I believe after reading the sample below, you’ll get a true sense of the descriptive nature of Bridget’s writing and the peril and dilemma faced by Main character, Kyra.


Just then, the sky turned black and the rain bloodred. Where it hit the ground, dark pools of coppery blood steadily rose until they filled Kyra’s vision. She coughed, choking on the bloody mist in the air. And then, in moments, the rain disappeared again. Just as all her other flashes of Sight had.

Kyra covered her eyes and slumped against the tree. The bloody scene revealed in her Sight hadn’t taken place yet – and she had to make sure it never did. That’s why she would do anything she had to – even abandoned a new friend, even kill an old friend – to stop her vision from coming true.


2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

Dave – Kyra is being pursued for attempting to murder the Princess. She has met a handsome man, Fred, during her escape and has been unsuccessful at trying to ditch him and his dog, Langley. While she is hiding, this is what she sees and hears. It makes you wonder what is going to happen and makes it impossible to not turn the page.


What was he doing here?


Kyra held her breath. Langley pulled his head out of the bushes, and Kyra heard him shuffling off after Fred.


A few moments later she heard a loud shout, followed by a scream.



3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?


Dave – Nadya, a gypsy, witch and seer, who unfortunately has only a minor role in the novel, is my favorite secondary character.


With lines like… Nadya’s eyes twinkled. “It’s always fun to spend time with young people.” She shook her head. “Always think they know everything. There are more things in this world that you don’t know than you will ever imagine.” and “Of course I can. And so can you.” Nadya picked up another piece of cloth. “Just touch the spark inside of you for a moment, and you’ll know that what I say is true.” 


She proves to be extremely intuitive and empathetic to Kyra’s problems. I think this is what Kyra would have been like as an adult.


4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?


Dave –  I chose this particular passage because it gave me the creeps reading it. I wonder what it was like to write. Read the novel to find out what Kyra, the Main character, felt when she traveled there to meet Arlo.


At the end of the tunnel, a large sulfurous cavern bustled with activity. Hammers clanged, men grunted at their work, and wheelbarrows loaded with metal scrap went to a huge red glowing vat and came away empty. There were trolls lifting giant crates, and goblins sharpening weapons. At the center of it all, shouting at a group of oversized thugs and ratty-looking thieves, was the unmistakable hulking form of Arlo Abbaduto. His gigantic head was completely hairless, leaving nothing to distract from his misshapen nose and freakish protruding eyes.


Great. Yes, she wanted to meet with Arlo, King of Criminals, Master of Thieves, Ruler of Wrongdoers, and so forth – but not this way, not frog-marched in by two evil little munchkins, their tiny fingers clamped down so hard Kyra could feel her arms bruising.



5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?


Dave – This line proves what a true friend can and should be.


Arianna pulled her into a hug. “Kyra, I don’t know anything about witches, but if you’re one, it must be a good thing.”

To read more about Bridget’s debut novel Poison and her journey, please go to:

Dave Amaditz July 8, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink

First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day

by Dave Amaditz

and Marcy Collier

Poison by Bridget Zinn

Welcome to July’s version of – First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author’s writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the author’s answers in a follow-up post.

This month we’re pleased to highlight author Bridget Zinn’s debut novel, Poison. Sadly, Bridget passed away at the age of 33 after battling cancer. She never got to see her book released, but her family, friends, critique group partners, bloggers and others in the writing community have pulled together to celebrate her accomplishment and help get her book to readers like you.

Marcy and I really enjoyed  reading the story and wanted to share it with you. Marcy’s answers will be posted today, and my answers will be posted on Monday.  

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?

Marcy – It was the most ridiculous thing in the entire world; Kyra, would-be assassin and master potioner, had resorted to hunting down her prey – her best friend the princess – with a piglet.


The main character, Kyra, is strong and fearless. She possesses so many admirable qualities. She doesn’t believe that she needs anyone to help her accomplish her mission. Until she is told that the only way to find the princess is by using a pig to sniff her out. This is the first time Kyra realizes she requires help and must agree if she wants to accomplish her mission.


2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

Marcy – At the edge of the forest she couldn’t help but look back one last time at the home of the Master Trio of Potioners It was run-down and seedy, yes, but it had been her home – where she’d made a name for herself, fallen in love with the wrong man, and betrayed everyone she’d ever known.


Back before she’d tried to murder the princess.


Whoa, wait a minute, say what? Talk about cliffhangers of all cliffhangers. I couldn’t wait to swipe the screen and read more and more and more!


3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

Marcy – Oh my, Fred. It’s got to be Fred. He is such a lovable, fun, quirky character. The scenes with Fred are so unbelievably funny and heartwarming. Fred would be the type of person you’d love to hang out with in real life. And in this scene, there’s a bit of a hint that he may be a little smitten with Kyra.


Fred reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white flower. “They were growing next to the carrot bed.” He tossed it into Kyra’s lap.


4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

Marcy – Let me just say, there were way too many to choose from, so I narrowed the list down to my top three favorites.


Rosie and Langley were sleeping together under a tree – the big dog curled around the tiny pig, the pig’s muzzle tucked into the dog’s belly.

(Can you think of a sweeter, more adorable picture?)


If she was going to wish for something, it should be something really important. Like pie.

(Pie – a girl after my own heart!)


How had she come to this? How had she ended up a hungry, friendless fugitive in the middle of a frigid river wearing completely ridiculous lacy underthings? With a pig balanced on top of her head.
(This scene is hilarious. I can’t wait for you to read it!)

5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?


Marcy– I went to college for two years at West Virginia University. Of course this was my favorite line of dialogue – especially because these remarks came from a princess!


Princess Ariana rolled over on one elbow and looked serious. “Have you ever tipped a cow?”

To read more about Bridget’s debut novel Poison and her journey, please go to:

Dave Amaditz July 5, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink

Thank You New Jersey SCBWI – 19 Reasons to Attend the New Jersey SCBWI Annual Conference

 

by

Dave Amaditz

1) An unbelievably friendly and helpful staff – beginning with Leeza Hernandez, regional advisor, as seen here giving the welcoming address on Saturday, June 8, 2013
Leeza Hernandez

 

2) An amazing, kind and welcoming membership that made me feel, as a first-time attendee to their conference, like I’d always been part of the group.

3) The ability to communicate with talented writers who have won numerous awards, such as Ame Dyckman, winner of this year’s crystal kite award.

4) Access to agents, such as my one-on-one critique mentor, Stephen Barbara, from Foundry Literary. Other mentors that I had the privilege to sit with at lunch, Louise Fury of the L. Perkins Agency and Jessica Regel of the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency Inc. All were pleasures to speak with, and all, a wealth of information.

5) Access to editors, such as Connie Hsu, from Little Brown Books. I enjoyed finally being able to meet her in person, after not being able to attend the spring retreat hosted by WPA SCBWI in 2011 because I’d taken ill. Jenn Abramowitz, Senior Editor, Scholastic was also there, as was Melissa Faulner, Editorial Assistant, Abrams, and many others.

6) Fantastic and up-to-date sessions -some of my favorites, listed below.

7) Sitting in on a wonderful session by Kathy Temean. Her tips for how to market yourself before you have sold your book, after you have signed a contract, four months to launch, one month prior and launch date were fantastic. There’s no doubt I’ll use each and every one of them should I be fortunate enough to land a contract.

8) Sitting in on book trailer session by Kim McDougall. Wow! I knew I’d watched some good trailers and some that were awfully bad, but I never knew everything that went into making the really good ones. I’ll use all of her fantastic tips.

9) Blueprinting a novel by Wendy Mass. She gave a super interesting approach to outlining a novel. She made it sound so easy, and although I’ve never had success with outlining before, the whole idea made me think that it might be worth a try.

1 0) Battling your inner censor with Jen Hubbard and Kit Grindstaff. All of us have had scenes we had difficulty writing, some more so than others. We received a few strategies, among them visualization, to help us push through the block.

11) Online registration. It may sound so simple, but the process of registering via computer was made so simple. Paperless. Effortless. Thanks. I hope we soon implement something similar to this with my local chapter.

12) Early registration. I received my initial e-mail on March 10. The preplanning for this conference was fantastic, one of the reasons, I believe, for its success.

13) The ability to select agents you wish to meet. A list of agents willing to give critiques were made available. Applicants were taken on a first-come, first-serve basis, and because I registered early enough, I was able to get the one-on-one critique from my agent of choice.

14) Electronic submissions for all manuscripts needing to be reviewed and a cut-off date for uploading the documents. This gave ample time for the editor or agent to thoroughly review your material. By the way, it was made quite clear, that if you were late uploading the document your timeslot would be lost. Very fair, indeed.

15) Dining arrangements – Editors and agents were seated at various dining tables. All attendees had the option, especially if they registered early enough, to choose the table where they wished to sit. Once again, early registration allowed me to sit with my agents of choice. I learned a heck of a lot about the business while enjoying a couple fantastic meals.

16) Critique groups. Peer critique groups were made available to those who wished to participate. I knew I would’ve run out of energy, so I didn’t sign up for those, but I understand from other attendees that they were fantastic.

17) First page sessions. Editors and agents listened to first pages, which we know are the most important part of the manuscript.

18) Fantastic keynote speakers – Peter Brown, author illustrator – Tara Lazar, (seen here during her keynote speech) picture book author – Lauren Oliver, New York Times best-selling author. All three gave uplifting speeches. My notebook is full of their words of wisdom.
Tara Lazar

 

19) A large chapter with a hometown feel – This is what impressed me the most. The entire process was run with business-like precision, and even though this chapter boasts a large membership, which could lend to the process being impersonalized, I was made to feel as comfortable as if I were in my own hometown. I never felt isolated or out of place even though I traveled nearly 400 miles to attend and had never met any of the members.

The bottom line is: I was promised by two of my Route 19 fellow writers, Marcy Collier and Kitty Griffin, that I would have an amazing experience if I attended the June 7-9, 2013, New Jersey SCBWI conference.

Wow! Promises kept.

Now, just like them, I recommend this conference to anyone looking for a fantastic learning experience with a fantastic group of people. And… I plan to join them again next year.

Dave Amaditz June 17, 2013 3 Comments Permalink

First Friday-Five Favorite Things: The Doodles of Sam Dibble

by Judy Press



This past Friday, June 7, Marcy and I posted our answers to Judy’s debut chapter book, The Doodles of Sam Dibble. Today, you get to read Judy’s favorite’s. It was fun to see that some of mine and Marcy’s favorites were also Judy’s. 


1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?


In the beginning of the book Sam’s teacher asks the third grade class to name a person they admire the most. The student’s answers range from their teacher, a dad who promises a fishing trip, and a pet parakeet who can roll over and play dead. Sam picks Demolition Dan, “The World’s Greatest Wrestler.” But when questioned about choosing someone he doesn’t personally know, Sam lies and tells the class that Demo Dan will be coming to his birthday party. At the end of the book Sam re-considers and picks Grandpa Dibble. “I like the stories Grandpa tells because they’re really funny. And when I get in trouble for doodling, Grandpa says it’s not such a bad thing ‘cause he got in trouble all the time. But the best thing about Grandpa is he is my family, and he’s my best friend.”


2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?


Sam’s classmates are waiting expectantly for Demo Dan to show up at his birthday party. With time running out, the house suddenly fills with smoke and the fire department is called. A firefighter rushes in and discovers the birthday cake Grandpa left in the oven has burnt. When firefighter Dan removes his mask, Sam realizes that it’s Demolition Dan.


3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?


Grandpa Dibble has an offbeat sense of humor and is always there to support Sam, even when he gets into trouble. And when Demo Dan fails to show up at his birthday party, it’s grandpa who puts a bowl on his head, drapes a towel around his shoulders and passes himself off as the “Grampinator,” a WFG (World Famous Grandpa) who won his match against Demo Dan using his secret weapon, “The Grandpa Hug.” 


4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?


When Rachel, the most popular girl in his class, asks Sam about his birthday cake, he answers, “My grandpa is making my cake and it’s a surprise.” Then he goes on to say that one time his grandpa told him about a cake that he baked for a king in Egypt but when the King died they had to bury him inside the cake.


5) What is your favorite line of dialogue? 


As a former art teacher I encourage all kids to express themselves through various forms of art, including doodling. My favorite line in the book is when Sam says, “I think doodling is a lot of fun. It’s like taking your pen for a walk and going places you’ve never been before.”


Book two of the series, Double Trouble – The Doodles of Sam Dibble is also out and the third and fourth book in this series will be coming out soon!

Thanks Judy for sharing your favorites!

You can find Judy at:

You can find the illustrator Michael Kline at:

Dave Amaditz June 10, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink

First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day

Judy Press's Latest Book

by Dave Amaditz and

Marcy Collier

Welcome to June’s version of – First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author’s writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to ourFive Favorite Things, followed by the author’s answers in a follow-up post.


This month we’re pleased to highlight debut chapter book author and Route 19 member Judy Press’ chapter book, The Doodles of Sam Dibble.


Congratulations, Judy, we’re so proud of you!

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character’s development and/or growth?


Dave -With this particular passage, I believe Sam realizes what is really important in life. Warning, this could be a spoiler for some.


The person I admire the most is two people. The number two person is Demo Dan. He’s the world’s greatest wrestler, and when he has a match he climbs up on the ropes and jumps down on top of the other wrestler, but then he goes home and puts out fires and keeps people safe.


The number one person for me, though, is my grandpa. He used to be a kid, but then he got old. Now he is really old, like, maybe a hundred years old. I like the stories Grandpa tells because they’re really funny. And when I get in trouble for doodling, Grandpa says it’s not such a bad thing ’cause he got in trouble all the time. But the best thing about Grandpa is he is my family, and he’s my best friend.


The End

Marcy – I cleared my throat and looked down at the floor. “I invited Demo Dan to my party, that’s all. It’s no big deal. And he hasn’t said he’ll be there, but I know he’s coming.


Sam confesses to his mom at dinner that he invited Demo Dan to his birthday party. Even though his dialogue seems confident, his body language (clearing his throat and looking down at the floor) is not. The reader realizes that Sam is having doubts that the greatest wrestler ever will not show for his birthday party.


2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

Dave – Sam is having a conversation with his best friend Robert and he’s trying to squash Robert’s doubts about Demo Dan, the world’s greatest wrestler not showing up at his birthday party. As Marcy mentions below, I too thought this could’ve been used to show how his main character grows and develops.


“What if he’s got a match that day or his tour bus breaks down or he gets hurt and has to go to the hospital?” Robert asked me.


I shook my head. “Demo Dan won’t miss it for anything because I am his number one fan.”

And if he does, I’ll be in the biggest trouble of my life!

Marcy – I shook my head. “Demo Dan won’t miss it for anything because I’m his number one fan.” And if he does, I’ll be in the biggest trouble of my life.


This chapter ending could have gone either way for favorite cliffhanger or how the main character grows and develops. In the beginning of the story, Sam has no doubt that Demo Dan will come to his birthday party. But now that he’s invited so many people who are looking forward to meeting the star wrestler, he begins to have doubts whether Dan will actually attend.

3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

Dave – Grandpa Dibble is my favorite secondary character. He is so unbelievably quirky and funny, and it’s obvious that Sam has inherited his sense of humor. Even with all those oddities, he’ll stop at nothing to make his grandson’s birthday celebration worthwhile.


The following are a few examples of Grandpa’s personality:


“Lucy is also very bright,” Wax’s dad told my mom. “Her teacher said she could be another Albert Einstein.”


Maybe she could be a dangerous criminal and have her picture on a wanted poster.


“Did you say Al Einstein?” Grandpa said. “We used to pal around together. He was always coming up with crazy ideas.”


Also:


“How’d you do it?” Robert asked. “No one’s ever beaten Demo Dan.”


“I got him with my secret weapon,” Grandpa said. “It’s the ‘Grandpa Hug.’ Those bums can’t take all that loving. They cry like a baby and give up.”

Marcy – Grandpa – my favorite character has to be Grandpa. He’s always there trying to help his Grandson, Sam, even though his plans usually backfire in a hysterically funny sort of way. There were actually scenes from previous pre-publication versions of Grandpa being over-the-top funny, but those scenes were eventually cut. I personally think Judy should do a take-outs version like they do in the movies of the scene cuts of Grandpa.


I opened the front door wide and saw Grandpa! He was standing there with a bowl on his head and a towel knotted around his shoulders.

4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

Dave – I chose this particular passage because it gives insight into Sam’s way of thinking, which as you can tell, matches exactly the way most young boys think. It lets you find humor in his seriousness.


Mrs. H. was in the back of the classroom helping Cookie with his math. Everyone was working on math except me. I had to write my report on the person I admire the most.



I didn’t write it when I was supposed to. It was my birthday, and there should be a rule that says kids don’t have to do homework on the weekend when it’s their birthday parties.

Marcy – Here’s the weird thing about Wax’s dad: He owns a funeral home and he hangs around dead people all day. When Mr. Baxter sees me, he always wants to slap five. But I know he just touched a dead person, so I tell him I just pooped in the toilet and didn’t wash my hands.


This line made me laugh out loud. How appropriate that Wax’s father owns a funeral home and Sam is completely grossed out by this. What’s worse is Sam’s Mom is dating the guy.

5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?

Dave – I think the following line shows perfectly the character of the antagonist Sam has to deal with. Wow! What a character. (And I promise, Marcy and I worked separately and did not share the results until after completing all five answers).


Wax stood back as his dad walked inside. “Happy birthday, Dribble,” Wax said. “I can’t stay long because I have a baseball game, and my dad said that’s more important than your party.”

Marcy– Wax stood back as his dad walked inside. “Happy birthday Dribble,” Wax said. “I can’t stay long because I have a baseball game, and my dad said that’s more important than your party.”


This line is so typical of Wax and his family who are often out for only themselves. And Wax isn’t afraid to repeat his dad’s words to Sam even though they are downright rude.  

You can find Judy at:

You can find the illustrator Michael Kline at:

Dave Amaditz June 7, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink

Amplitude Modulation? What Kind Of Writer Are You?

by


Dave Amaditz

I think it’s important as a writer to be able to classify your writing technique. By that, I mean do you outline? Storyboard? Do you have the entire novel, characters, setting, plot worked out in so much detail that you don’t need to outline or storyboard?

I’ve tried outlining and never made it much further than the first few chapters. On the surface, storyboarding looks great, having ideas and/or images for chapters and characters set up on a board in front of you so you can tell what scene a particular character has been in, what chapter and so on and so on. That didn’t work for me either. It seems I spent more time on the storyboard than writing the novel. Plus, more importantly, when I began to write, my characters didn’t always allow me to go in the direction outlined on the storyboard. Hence, all that work for nothing.

Perhaps none of those strategies work for you, either. Perhaps, you’re like me and you know where the story begins and where it ends. The details, like chapter endings, character flaws, settings and personality traits are worked out while writing.

I let my characters guide me. It may sound crazy, but I can’t do it any other way.

A story that follows a straight line from point A to point B is the ultimate goal when I write my novel. When reached, my plot and characters are consistent. They do not waiver from chapter to chapter, from beginning to end. However, my first drafts often resemble the image you may have seen in one of your elementary science classes about AM (amplitude modulation).

Sometimes my main character takes me on surprising journeys. He (no female protagonists as of yet) leads, and I follow, and because of that we end up a little off course, a little above, or maybe even way above the line. It is through those journeys that I learn so much more about him, the little nuances and idiosyncrasies that make the character more real, more believable. There are times he introduces me to another character and we dip below the line. That character may become part of the novel. They may even get temporarily left aside… for use in another novel, maybe?

My job is to make my story tighter, as close to the line as possible, like the image of the flatline below.
That only comes after many revisions, after learning more about how a character thinks and acts and relates to the others within the story. 

The current novel I recently finished has been through many drafts, six or seven or… more. Who’s counting? (Not me anymore.) The first few drafts strayed far above and below the line. I’ve taken it as close to straight as possible, but welcome the chance to get it straighter with another round of revisions with an agent or an editor.

While waiting for that opportunity, I’ve begun a new novel. I know where I want the story to begin. I know where I want it to end. Although I’m trying to stay straight and true, I know I’ll eventually deviate from the line. I know too, that this will help me to learn more about my characters. My only hope is that I can one day narrow down the amount of revisions it takes to write a straight line from point A to point B.

What kind of writer are you? I’d love to hear about your process.

Dave Amaditz May 29, 2013 Leave A Comment Permalink