Query Confusion
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Query Confusion

by China on May 1, 2012 • 1 Comment
As most aspiring novelists know, one of the biggest components (hurdles?) to getting published is the query letter. After all, most of us don’t have connections inside the publishing industry, so the only way to make an agent sit up and take notice of our work is to write a compelling query. Simply put, a...
Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Praise

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

by China on Apr 15, 2012 • 1 Comment
Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone came out last fall, but thanks to the vagaries of moving halfway across the country and getting settled into a new life, I just finally got around to reading it this weekend. And now that I have, I can’t believe I waited this long. After all, who could...
A Game of Seven
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A Game of Seven

by China on Mar 29, 2012 • No Comments
Crit buddy extraordinaire Laura tagged me in this little game of sevens, so I’m playing and passing it on. Check out my accountibilibuddy Liza’s as well! The Rules: Go to page 77 of your current MS. Go to line 7. Copy down the next seven lines or sentences and paste them as they’re written. Tag...
Wanderlove
Praise

Wanderlove

by China on Mar 29, 2012 • No Comments
Have you ever read a book that perfectly encapsulates your feelings about a particular topic? For me, the novel Wanderlove exactly captures how I feel about traveling. I travel quite a bit, and many of my journeys have been international. And as much as I do it, I still haven’t quite mastered the art of...
When the Show is Better Than the Book
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When the Show is Better Than the Book

by China on Mar 26, 2012 • 1 Comment
Reality shows notwithstanding (ugh), there’s a lot of quality programming on TV these days. In fact, five nights out of seven, it’s guaranteed that there’s something on that I want to watch. Interestingly enough, a handful of my favorite shows were actually spawned from books. And in a rather unusual twist, it turns out that...
Compelling Characters
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Compelling Characters

by China on Mar 23, 2012 • No Comments
Stephanie Perkins is a master at characterization. Daphne du Maurier wrote an entire novel without giving her MC a first name (in a novel named after a character who was dead!). And some characters are so memorable that their legend travels well beyond the written page — Dracula comes to mind. So what makes these...
Latest entries
Lunch With Jordan Dane
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Lunch With Jordan Dane

Feb 28, 2012 • 2 Comments Keep Reading
This past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with author Jordan Dane over lunch. Luckily for me, we just happen to live relatively close to each other, and she was willing to take time out of her busy...
Hitting the Books
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Hitting the Books

Feb 23, 2012 • 1 Comment Keep Reading
One of the things that I've discovered as a writing professional is that you never stop learning (although, really, doesn't this apply to every profession?). No matter how long you've been at it, there are always new things to figure out, which...
Brainstorming Magic
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Brainstorming Magic

Feb 15, 2012 • 2 Comments Keep Reading
This morning, my crit partner Laura and I were chatting about the merits of knowing your genre. This came about because of my own confusion about genre and marketability. As it stands, my WIP is written like a Young Adult novel, but...
The Writing Environment
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The Writing Environment

Feb 13, 2012 • 1 Comment Keep Reading
I think almost everyone who dreams of becoming a successful writer romanticizes the notion, at least a little. Didn't you, at some point or another, envision yourself ensconced in beautiful home office, with loads of natural light, and maybe a crackling fireplace?...
Divergent
Praise

Divergent

Jan 7, 2012 • No Comments Keep Reading
You know how I mentioned that I'm into dystopian YA fiction these days? Well, one of my current faves in that genre is Divergent, by Veronica Roth. First, some quick background on the author. Roth is 23, already has one book...
Finding My Voice
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Finding My Voice

Jan 7, 2012 • 1 Comment Keep Reading
It seems as though my entire writing life has been on hiatus lately. With the exception of my paid blogging, I haven't put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) in months. This lapse isn't due to lack of interest or inspiration;...
Practice

Champagne

Oct 27, 2011 • 1 Comment Keep Reading
Writing Exercise: The Metaphor Game The idea is to write a poem about someone you know using a selection of the exercises provided.   Sarah: Champagne She bubbles and fizzes, frothy with delight. The picture of elegance: Miss Popularity, welcome at every party. Her dry style is beloved, and she's celebrated when she's pink and sparkly. She knows how to stand on...
Lola and the Boy Next Door
Praise

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Oct 10, 2011 • 1 Comment Keep Reading
Let me start off by saying: I'm a huge fan of Stephanie Perkins. Not only her books, but Stephanie herself. From her blue-streaked hair to her vintage style to her fascinating twitter feed, I just like her as a person. She seems...
Prose

A Snippet of WIP (A WIPpet?)

Oct 10, 2011 • 1 Comment Keep Reading
Here's another teaser from my WIP: It only lasted a few seconds, and then my body rematerialized as suddenly as it had disappeared. The library was mostly empty, so I don’t think anyone noticed. Thank goodness. How would I explain that? I want to tell Dad about it, but I’m scared....

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