Cici Reno -- Review and Giveaway

Thought for the Day:

“A good novel tells us the truth about its hero, but a bad novel tells us

the truth about its author.”

~ G. K. Chesterton ~

Gifts for My Writer Friends:

Steven Pressfield has a good post HERE on the difference between subject and theme. I wish I had had this when I was still teaching. I had such a hard time convincing my students that Theme could never be expressed in one word but needed to be a statement. Check it out. 

Steven Pressfield continues his discussion of theme in a post called The Hero Embodies the Theme HERE. He gives some great examples. 

John Yeoman from Writer’s Village has a post HERE on how to bring your characters alive. Sure, he tries to sell you something, but the info is good.  

Well, I'm back at last. We lost my sweet husband Dave three weeks ago. It was as good a passing as we could have asked for as he was surrounded by family and didn't seem to be in any pain. I am so grateful for the friends and family who were here for us, helping in so many ways. And thank you for your patience as I took some much needed time. But now it's time to get back to work. 

I was offered a chance to receive a copy of Cici Reno for review quite awhile ago. I meant to get to it sooner, but I got to it as soon as I could. I know a lot of folks have already reviewed it, but I will still put in my two cents. I almost passed this one up because I had my doubts that the idea of Cyrano de Bergerac retold with a middle-school girl as the protagonist would work. I'm happy to say that it works really, really well. 

The modern-day Cyrano -- Cici Reno -- is a good and faithful friend to her BFF, Aggie, even though they both have a crush on the same boy. After all, Aggie had a crush on Drew first. It's only right for Cici, advice giver extraordinaire, to help Aggie get together with Drew. Cici carries on a live chat with Drew, first anonymously, then as Aggie, until the romance is pretty well set. But then the wheels start to come off.

What I love about this book is how real the characters are -- fully conversant in a modern, technical world, in the throes of moving into a pubescent world, and filled with hope and angst. Cici has a normal family and lots of interesting

Kristina Springer

friends. She's bright and funny and completely endearing. The writing is crisp and the voice is dead on for a girl of that age. If you haven't read this clever book yet, I suggest you make time for it. It's just plain fun, and I suspect middle-grade girls will gobble it up. I think Kristina Springer has written a real winner.

I have a gently-read ARC for one of you. To win, all you need do is have a US address, be a subscriber or follower, and tell me that in a comment you leave on this post. If you are reading this in your email, click HERE to go to the blog so you can leave a comment. If you would like extra chances, please spread the word by posting the link on a Tweet, blog post, Facebook, or any other way you like. Let me know what you have done in your comment, and I will put in extra chances for you for each that you do.

Don't forget to check out Shannon Messenger's wonderful blog HERE for many more Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday reviews and giveaways.

Tell Me a Story -- Narration in Today's Writing. Book Reviews and a Give-Away

If you are reading this in your email, don’t forget to click on the headline to go to my blog. If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do. And please leave a comment. If you have trouble leaving a comment, please click on the title of the post and comments should pop up at the bottom. If you don’t have one of the accounts they ask for or don’t want to use that, please use Anonymous, but let me know who you are. Thanks. I love to hear from you.

First of all, for my writer friends, two great links. The first is to remind you why it’s probably a really bad idea to ask for advice on your writing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sifESist1KY

If I posted this before, forgive me. I look at it now and then just ‘cause it makes me laugh out loud.

I know the SCBWI Spring Spirit Conference is coming up very soon her in the Sacramento area, and I'm sure there are spring conferences all over the place, so here is a blog post with some important reminders: http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/conference-dos-and-donts2/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WritingAndIllustrating+%28Writing+and+Illustrating%29

Second order of business is WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER!!  The winner of the drawing for my own ARC of One for the Murphys is SHANNON HITCHCOCK! Yay for Shannon. I am contacting her for a snail mail address and soon she will be reading this wonderful book. We have another give-away today, with TWO winners, so make sure you read to the end.

Today I’d like to talk about the return of narrative. For as long as I have been seriously writing, I have heard and read that we have to show, don’t tell. Dialogue and action reign over all. Narration should be nearly non-existent in our writing. Actually, I think it’s pretty good advice a lot of the time, but great writing sometimes happens when a story is told – narrated – just like stories have been told for thousands of years.

A few months ago, I reviewed a book for the Sacramento Book Review that really stuck with me. I thought about it a lot and was amazed that it was published in the publishing environment that exists today, because it is almost totally narration. That book is An Elephant inthe Garden by Michael Morpurgo. You can see my review by clicking HERE. It is a wonderful story based on a true happening from Europe in World War II. Morpurgo strays far from the original happening, but good historical fiction often does.

What is amazing to me is how Morpurgo structured the story. It begins with a woman who works as a nurse at a home for elderly people. The woman has to bring her young son Karl along one Saturday when she is working because she doesn’t have anyone to leave him with. She pretty much tells us (narration) her part of the story. While there, Karl wanders into the room of Lizzie, one of the patients. Karl protests when his mother drags him out that Lizzie was about to tell him the story of the elephant. His mother tells him there is no elephant, just the imaginings of an old woman. Lizzie asks about Karl and Karl comes to see her again. She begins to tell (narration) the story of an elephant in her garden, many years ago during World War II when she was a child in Germany and how that elephant helped her family escape from both the Nazis and the Russians at the end of the war. It is an incredible adventure and a love story all wrapped up together. Lizzie tells (narration) Karl and his mother this story over a couple of visits and there is narration by the nurse between visits to break Lizzie’s long narration.

I loved the story and the writing. It was a real treat to lose myself in the idea of simple, old-fashioned storytelling. Come on. We all love to have a good story told to us, so why is there so much writing angst about narration? Clearly, Michael Morpurgo isn’t suffering from that angst. He has tons of books published. (No. Seriously. I mean TONS. Look at his website books page by clicking where it says "books page." He has written wonderful, popular books like this one and War Horse, which I haven’t read yet, but I will. Today I read another of his books – Kaspar the Titanic Cat – and, guess what? It is TOTAL narration. I liked it every bit as much as An Elephant in the Garden. What can I say? I just love having a story told to me. I’m a kid at heart. And since Morpurgo writes books for kids, he just might be on to something.

Kaspar the Titanic Cat is a lovely story of an orphan boy who finds himself, true friendship, and a family because of a prince of a cat. It’s fanciful, but totally believable. Johnny Trott works as a bell-boy at the Savoy Hotel. He is befriended by an opera singer, Countess Kandinsky, who comes to stay at the hotel for three months with her cat Kaspar. Johnny is chosen to care for the cat, walking him during his breaks and making sure he is fed and cared for when the Countess is away at practices and performances. When the countess is killed in a traffic accident, Johnny tries to take care of Kaspar, but the cat will not eat and hardly even drinks water. He loses weight and his coat dulls. A wealthy American family, the Stantons, comes to stay at the Savoy for a couple of months prior to their up-coming trip on the wonderful, new ocean liner, the Titanic. The Stanton’s young daughter, Lizziebeth, discovers Kaspar and is able to get him to eat again. They become great friends and Lizziebeth becomes friends with Johnny as well. Johnny ends up saving her life and the Stantons reward him. When it is the time for them to leave, Johnny gives Kaspar to Lizziebeth, and the Stantons take Johnny along to the Titanic to help them settle in on the ship. Johnny decides to stow away and go to America. Remember now – this is the Titanic. This entire book is Johnny Trott telling (narration) his story.

Michael Morpurgo

Narration has its place in writing. Few writers would take on this kind of complete or nearly complete narration these days, but when done well, it works. I think Michael Morpurgo does it very well. I’d like to offer two of you the chance to see what you think. I am going to give away my gently-read copies of An Elephant in the Garden and Kaspar the Titanic Cat. You can win one of them. You will get your name in my blog hat (from which my eminently honest granddaughter Gracie will choose two names) if you leave a comment here on the blog, and tell me what you think about narration angst or anything else on your mind and which of the books you would prefer. Because I am trying to drive more traffic to my site, I will put your name in a second time if you put a link to my blog on your blog or even on Facebook and let me know that. The person whose name is chosen first will receive the book of his or her choice. The second name drawn will receive the other book. That drawing will take place next Wednesday – April 11 – so have your comments in by midnight , Tuesday, April 10. These are both wonderful books and I know you will enjoy either. So, please leave a comment and let the games begin!

Book Giveaway and Author Interview with Debut Author Shannon Wiersbitzky

If you are reading this in your email, don’t forget to click on the headline to go to my blog. If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do. Oh, and I love comments. Spurring me on this week is the following quote:

"Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you're doomed." ~ Ray Bradbury

For my writer friends, here are a couple of great links to check out:

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-flagrant-grammar-mistakes-that-make-you-look-stupid/6075621

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-wording-blunders-that-make-you-look-stupid/194?tag=nl.e064   You might get a chuckle out of these or a groan, and they might just remind you of your Uncle Waldo or neighbor Jimmy Bob.

Now for the real reason for this post. Recently, I reviewed a wonderful book for middle-grade readers called The Summer of Hammers and Angels by Shannon Wiersbitzky. (I’m having trouble linking to Amazon, so clicking on the cover won’t do you any good, but if you click on the title, you will be linked to the Amazon page where you can order the book.) If you missed the review, click HERE and give it a read. It’s a sweet book and you will enjoy it. After I posted the review, I contacted Shannon and asked if she would do an interview with me, and I am ecstatic to say, she agreed. As a writer, I always learn much from these interviews. I hope you will enjoy reading this as much as I did.

Having your first novel published must be an incredible thrill. Can you tell us about the journey to this “overnight” success for you?

(Sound of laughter …) Well, like any journey, it wasn’t “overnight”. I’ve been a writer all my life, but didn’t begin writing for children until 2000. Most of my early manuscripts are awful….let’s just say the words I wrote didn’t always improve the value of the paper. But hey, that’s part of the journey. As I wrote I learned…and I’m still learning. When all is said and done, with the pit stops and wrong turns, Hammers took me somewhere between two and three years to “get right”.

What was your inspiration for the book?

There wasn’t one single event or situation that drove me to write The Summer of Hammers and Angels. The heart of the story is a community coming together. When that happens, when you’re a part of that, it feels like anything is possible in the world…I wanted to try and capture that spirit. We need more of that today.

Shannon Wiersbitzky

How did you discover your fictional characters? Are they based on real people?

None of the characters are exact replicas of actual people. Bits of characters were certainly gleaned from real people though. I used to know an old man who sat on his front porch and greeted everyone passing by. I took my mental picture of that man, made him grumpier and misunderstood, and turned him into Old Red.

I met a woman in New York once too. I was on a church youth trip, repairing a building, and she cooked us dinner. The food was amazing, the kind of southern home cooking that feels more like a hug than a meal. When I thanked her she said, “Honey, all I know how to do is cook fried chicken.” That one comment stuck with me and is the core of Miss Martha.

The voice of Delia is as clear and real as any I’ve ever read. I noticed you’ve lived a lot of different places, including the place I consider my real home, Minnesota. How were you able to make the language so consistently southern for Delia and the other characters?

Thanks so much! I’ve lived many places and travel as much as I can. There really wasn’t any trick to channeling that southern voice. As a child, my summer camp was my grandma’s house in West Virginia. I was her shadow. I can slip into southern mode in a snap. When Delia started telling me her story, I listened, and had sense enough to start writing it down.

Your writing has such a great, natural flow to it. Do you spend a lot of time planning your writing – outlining and such – or is it a much more organic process for you? Maybe you could talk a little about your writing process.

That is a wonderful compliment. It doesn’t always feel flowing and natural when I’m writing. Sometimes it feels like the words are coming out kicking and screaming. One of the best things about writing though is that it doesn’t have to be right the first time…that is why God invented editing! I have never learned or studied the art of writing. I write by instinct. Sometimes I go to conferences or writing workshops and other writers talk all kinds of fancy technique. It can be intimidating! For any writer out there who feels the same, don’t be discouraged! I don’t create detailed outlines. I do keep a simple list of ideas for the story and characters, but it is an evolving list, it certainly isn’t fully baked when I start to write. One bit of actual real-writer-technique I learned this year that I do find useful is storyboarding. When I’m struggling with a chapter, I’ve found that storyboarding can really help. Carolyn Coman describes storyboarding really well in her book, Writing Stories. 

Writing can be a lonely business. Do you work with critique groups or critique partners? If so, in what ways do you find it helpful?

I have a wonderful critique group that I’ve been working with for ten years now. I’ve also been to several of the Highlights workshops. I’m a working mom….writing is what I do in my spare time…so the focused days at Highlights are a gift. There is magic in those cabins! (Or maybe the magic is Marsha’s cooking?!) The writers I’ve met there have been wonderful. Having a week with people who truly value writing and the creative process fills up my battery and keeps me motivated long after I’ve gone. In writing it is easy to doubt that what you’re writing has value…you need to find folks to cheer you on.

You worked with über editor Stephen Roxburgh, just a dream for many of us. How was that experience for you?

First, I think Stephen would love being described as an über editor! He truly is brilliant. He knows what works in a story. Period. He’s worked with so many amazing writers…I’m humbled to be on the list. I’d send Stephen any story. I trust him implicitly. It does get a bit annoying that he is right all the time though…

But I know you want more about the day-to-day experience, so here you go. Stephen isn’t the coddling type. He is tough and to the point and he pushed me to be better….which meant I really had to work. His favorite notation is a big question mark. That’s it….just a question mark. It really meant, “OMG…seriously, this is the best you can do here?” At least that is what I heard him say in each of those damn question marks.

What has been most thrilling for you since your novel debuted?

A young reader posted a review on Amazon that brought tears to my eyes. She wrote: 

For those who give, it is a motivator to do more.

For those in need, it is a message of hope, faith, and courage.

When I read that I knew she had really connected to the heart of the book. If this book inspires any young person to go and help others…what a joy that would be.

What advice would you pass along to those of us who haven’t gotten that first book published?  

I certainly don’t have all the answers but here are a few thoughts…..

Work on a story that inspires you. Persevere. Write regularly. Find people who will give you honest feedback, folks that will write those stupid question marks all over your manuscript. Be open to learning. Be open to criticism. Be open to scrapping words and starting over. Be patient. But whatever you do…keep writing!

Thank you for so generously sharing your time and thoughts.

I have a copy of The Summer of Hammers and Angels to offer to one of you reading this. If you leave a comment sometime before my next post (probably next Tuesday) and you live somewhere in the U.S., I will put your name in a hat from which my completely unbiased six-year-old granddaughter will choose one name, and the winner will receive a copy of this wonderful book. I know some of my blogging friends, more technically adept than I, have magical computer randomizers to draw names, but you will just have to trust my granddaughter and me to do this right.

You Can't Eat a Princess Review and Interview with Author Gillian Rogerson

As I've mentioned before, I write book reviews for the Sacramento Book Review. I only review books for kids -- young adult, middle grade, and picture books. It's great fun and I get to read many books I might not run across otherwise. Recently I reviewed a fabulous picture book called You Can't Eat a Princess. It is now my granddaughter's new favorite book. When the review ran, the author, Gillian Rogerson, left a comment thanking me for the review. I wrote right back and asked if she would be willing to do an email interview for this blog. She agreed! Yay!! So today you can read first my review and then the interview with the wonderful answers Gillian sent in response to my questions. Enjoy!

You Can't Eat a Princess

By Gillian Rogerson with illustration by Sarah McIntyre
Price Stern Sloan, $9.99, 32 pages

Everything was perfect. Princess Spaghetti’s birthday was coming up. There were chocolate sandwiches, chocolate milkshakes, and a wonderful chocolate birthday cake nearly as big as the princess herself. Nothing could possibly make the party anything less than perfect … except, the king’s disappearance! His throne was empty. Princess Spaghetti found a note from aliens from another planet. They had kidnapped the king and taken him to their planet somewhere in space. It’s a good thing the princess has the royal soldiers at her disposal. But when they are all busy or afraid of catching cold, Princess Spaghetti has no choice to but to go into space to save the king. How will she find the right planet? Can she save her father? What secret weapon does a little princess use?

“Said one alien. ‘We love princesses here.’ ‘I like mine with chips,’ said another alien.’”

Sarah McIntyre’s charming illustrations are the perfect completion for Gillian Rogerson’s sweet and funny story. Little girls (and boys and moms and dads) will delight in this extraordinary adventure. One could not ask for anything more than princesses, aliens, and chocolate swirled together in an appealing birthday surprise.

Your latest picture book, You Can’t Eat a Princess, is a delightful romp. How did you come up with the idea for it?

I had an idea of using a princess in a story for a while. I pictured her in different scenarios and I suddenly thought of Space. Then I began to wonder what she was doing in Space and the idea of a rescue mission soon came to me. I thought that the princess just had to meet aliens and the dialogue line of, “I like mine with chips” popped into my head.

Princess Spaghetti is a pretty spunky little girl. Did you model her on someone?

I work with young children, age 4, 5 and 6, and all of the girls could be models for Princess Spaghetti! They don’t take any nonsense from the boys and they love making up their own adventure games.  I’ve even seen some of the boys dressing up in princess clothes because they could see the girls were having so much fun. 

 What kind of response have you had from the book so far? Are you hearing from children? Will Princess Spaghetti have her own Facebook page soon?

The book has had a wonderfully positive response. There have been some brilliant reviews. I particularly like reviews from young children as they are so honest! When I’ve been to schools to read the book, the girls love Princess Spaghetti and how brave she is, and the boys love the part where the aliens want to eat her! Quite a few schools in England have had topics based around the book. One nursery had decorated their entire hall with aliens. Although it was a 2 hour drive away I went to see them. One of the little girls screamed, “It’s Princess Spaghetti! She’s here!”

I had a lovely fan letter from a girl aged 6. She has some good questions for me. I sent her a reply and a signed book.

There has been talk at the publishers for a website devoted just to Princess Spaghetti. We shall have to see what happens. I’m not sure if characters are allowed on Facebook. I read a piece recently about a teddy bear that had tried to join Facebook but he wasn’t allowed in.

 Was Princess Spaghetti invited to the Royal wedding? She’s every bit as cute as those flower girls and she’s a princess!

She was invited but she had to stay at Cupcake Castle to sort out a pirate problem. However, the idea of a Royal wedding could be a good plot for a story…

 Getting a picture book published in the states is really, really difficult. Even finding an agent who will handle picture books is extremely hard. What is it like on your side of the pond?

Very difficult. It took me over 5 years of submitting stories before I got my first offer of publication. I did try an agent in the early days but was told to come back when I had had some publishing success. I was determined to be published and kept submitting stories and learning all I could about writing. My first publication offer was for ‘The Teddy Bear Scare’.  I received a publication offer for my second book, ‘Happy Birthday Santa’ within 2 weeks of sending it to the publishers! So, you never know how long it could take for you to receive an offer.

It was at this stage that I got my lovely agent, Eve. She has been so supportive and is really pleased that Princess Spaghetti is doing so well.

Gillian Rogerson

Was You Can’t Eat a Princess published earlier in England? What was the process like for you to get your book into the hands of an American publisher?

‘You Can’t Eat A Princess!’ was published here in March 2010 and was an immediate success. It wasn’t long after that my publisher told my agent about the sale to America. So, I didn’t have to do anything! Sometimes, luck is on your side. I am so pleased that it is out there. I can see from Google searches that this book is the subject of story time in many stores across America.

I have only been to America once and the thing that really impressed me was the friendly attitude of everyone I met and the thought that ‘anything is possible here’. I think that’s why Princess Spaghetti is doing so well as she doesn’t let anything stop her from achieving her goals.

 Oscar Wilde famously wrote in The Canterville Ghost, “We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language.” Your latest book is published in the States, but the first three in England. What did you have to change about the way you write picture books for the American market?

My agent for this book was American and she edited the book with an American and English market in mind. There was one major change I had to make. King Cupcake was originally called King Pudding. In England, ‘pudding’ means any kind of dessert. When I pictured the king I thought of him like a small round Christmas pudding. But my editor explained that pudding didn’t have the same meaning in the USA. Also, Sarah McIntyre, the illustrator is American so I have all the help I need in making Princess Spaghetti suitable for an American market.

 How was the experience different for you working with an editor here as compared to your British editor?

I didn’t need to work with an editor at all as the American version is exactly the same as the British version.

Your earlier three picture books – The Smallest Hero, Happy Birthday Santa!, and The Teddy Bear Scare! – all have different illustrators and You Can’t Eat a Princess still another. In the U.S. it is quite common for the author and illustrator to never meet or even talk. The decision is made by the publisher. How does that process work in the U.K.? Did you have any say on the illustrator for any of your books?

The publishers have always asked for my opinion on the illustrators. I have been extremely happy with each one. I was a bit worried about seeing a picture of Princess Spaghetti as I had a definite picture in my mind. But when I saw the first illustration I was delighted – she was perfect!

I am great friends with Sarah, the illustrator, and we have met a couple of times. We started out with emails and then a few phone calls. There was a comic convention in the town where I live and Sarah organised for us to have a table. I met her at the station and when we first saw each other we just stared at each other. We both had the same thought, “I can’t believe it’s you!” We got on really well and still keep in touch. We met again at an awards ceremony and when we saw each other this time we screamed and ran towards each other. No dignity at all.

 Sometimes we hear real horror stories about writers having their hearts broken when they see the illustrations for their manuscripts. I’ll bet you were thrilled to see Sarah McIntyre’s whimsical drawings. She’s such an amazing illustrator. Every time I read You Can’t Eat a Princess I found new, funny details in the illustrations. I see she is illustrating You Can’t Scare a Princess which is coming out in September. How much communication have you had with her on these books?

We get on really well and Sarah sends me previews of the illustrations. She is utterly amazing and works so hard. The thing I love most about her work is the small details that she puts in. Sometimes, you don’t spot these until a second or third reading of the book. I have my copy of ‘You Can’t Scare A Princess!’ and the detail is astounding. I’m still finding extra details now. I’ve read the story to the children I work with and their mouths were wide open as I read. Afterwards, I heard some of the girls arguing over who will play Princess Spaghetti at break time.

 Do you have other adventures planned for Princess Spaghetti? I certainly hope so.

I have already sent a batch of further adventures to the publishers. I have many more ideas in mind, some of them my own and some from the children I have visited. I have to make sure that the stories appeal to girls and boys. When I first started writing, one of my dreams was to create a strong character that could have many adventures. I’m so pleased that Princess Spaghetti is proving to be a popular character and that children want to hear more about her.

Do you work with a critique group? If so, is it in person or on line? What is that like for you?

I don’t work with any critique groups. Although I have had a few writers asking me for help – which I am always happy to give. It’s so hard trying to become a published writer. I tell people that their story could be the next best seller that we are all waiting for so they mustn’t ever give up.

 What advice do you have for picture book writers who haven’t yet found success in getting their manuscripts published?

Look at the market. See what is being published but don’t write the same kind of stories. Publishers are always looking for something new and different. Look at author websites as a lot of authors give advice.  For picture books, when I’m writing I split my story into 12 parts as this is how a picture book is usually published – on 12 double page spreads. You need a problem set up by page three/four; it gets worse through to page nine/ten and then have a solution in the last few pages. Don’t worry about describing everything as the illustrations will tell half of the story.

 What was the best advice you ever received on your writing journey?

Every rejection is a step towards success. I used to picture my rejection letters as actual physical steps towards the day when I would become published. Receiving rejection letters/emails means that you truly are a writer. The only time that you fail is when you stop altogether.

Picture your success. Go into book shops and see exactly where your book will go. Google yourself and imagine your name on the front page. Get some business cards printed with ‘author’ on. The more you picture your success, the more committed you are to making it happen.

And, of course, never ever give up.

 Do you have anything you’d like to add?

Have fun with your writing. Write like no one is going to read it, just you. You can worry about editing changes later if you need to. I had a lot of fun writing, ‘You Can’t Eat A Princess’, I thought the story seemed too silly and I wasn’t sure anyone would like it – but they did!

Thanks so much for answering my questions. 

If you would like to read more of my book reviews, please click on this Sacramento Book Review link to see other reviews I have written. Leave a comment if you will. They love to get comments. I do, too. So please leave a comment at the end of this post. And if you are reading this in your email, please click on the title of the blog so it will take you to my blog and you will be counted. Have a great day!