Belated Blurby Gratitude

For me, one of the hardest, most anxiety-producing steps along the way to publication was getting blurbs. I think the word blurb sounds the way it felt to ask someone I greatly admire, who I knew was incredibly busy, to read my book, my heart, my soul.

Bluuuurrrbbb.

But! I was lucky! Two of my favorite authors, who each weave incredible word magic with depth of heart and soul, agreed to read my story – and were kind enough to share their thoughts – in a public on the back of my book kind of way.

Huge amounts of gratitude. From my heart, so sincerely.

Thank you, thank you, to Karen Foxlee and Jo Knowles.

Each of them is incredibly talented – and brilliantly eclectic – in their writing.

Karen, an Australian author, has written two realistic novels for young adults – and in each of them, strong teen girls are struggling with growing up. THE MIDNIGHT DRESS is unlike any book I’ve ever read – it’s lush and mysterious and dark and hopeful, all at once. The Horn Book’s starred review said, “Though the layers are many, they coalesce into a dreamlike, eerie whole told in mesmerizing, sensuous prose.”

And then there’s her middle grade fantasy, OPHELIA AND THE MARVELOUS BOY, which Kirkus starred and described as, “A well-wrought, poignant and original reworking of Andersen’s “The Snow Queen.”

I say it’s amazing. Gorgeous. Magical.

And then there’s Jo Knowles. 

More than one person has identified Jo as “the nicest person in the universe.” Although I’ve never met her, I suspect it might be true. 

I first became aware of Jo, and her powerful, important books while I was working on my MFA at Vermont College. She was (and still is) a close personal friend of one my classmates – who is now one of my dearest friends. I was new to reading young adult literature and wow. Her first book, LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL blew me away. It resonated with me in a new and unfamiliar to me. I was an instant fan. 

Since then, she has written several more books and I own all of them. Jo tackles tough topics, never shying away from the truth, even when it hurts. But her books also have hope. Forgiveness. Heart and soul. They fill you up. 

I just received her newest book, READ BETWEEN THE LINES. It’s written in several – I think 11 – different points of view. I can’t wait to read it, but I’m not the only one looking forward to it. After all, it’s already received several fabulous reviews, including a starred one from Kirkus, “The book proceeds, each new character entering, with his/her realities, dreams and secrets becoming another masterfully woven thread. With emotional explorations and dialogue so authentic, one might think Knowles isn’t creating but channeling the adolescent mind. A fascinating study of misperceptions, consequences and the teen condition.”

 

And so, a belated but oh-so-sincere THANK YOU to both Karen and Jo. It’s an honor to have your names on my book.

~Sarah

 

 

 

 

 

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MY BEST EVERYTIHNG: An Exclusive Excerpt

Why, yes, it HAS been a long time!

But hey… check out this exclusive excerpt for my upcoming novel, MY BEST EVERYTHING on the website of the incredibly hip and cool and group, FOREVER YOUNG ADULT ~ a site dedicated to the YA readers who are “a little less Y and little more A.”

Yeah, I’m thrilled. 

And don’t be put off by the term “exclusive” ~ everyone’s invited!

This scene takes place after Lulu, Mason, Roni and Bucky have made moonshine for the first time. They haven’t sold any yet – they haven’t even gotten up the nerve to taste it. 

I hope you’ll check it out!

~Sarah

To be released March 3, 2015 from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

 

 

 

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You Might Have Noticed…

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Whatever It Takes: Teen Social Entrepreneurs

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the WIT (Whatever It Takes) Showcase.

A course designed for teens who want to be leaders and agents of social change, this event was an opportunity for the students to present their projects to the community. Pretty exciting stuff!

My understanding is that once teens are accepted into the program, they attend weekly two hour classes where they develop business skills and work to come together as a team. They are then given the opportunity to pitch their ideas in hopes to get backing to enact their dream projects.

Some of the programs presented last night included:

• Project FULL: Since some children receive their most substantial meals while at school, their goal was to provide additional food to children during extended vacations.
• S2S Project: Provides inexpensive art instruction in schools where the arts funding has been cut. 
• Embrace: Promotes positive self-image. They sell and wear bracelets as a way to kick the habit of making body shape and size a topic of conversation and source of judgment. 
• Major Decision: allows high school students–particularly those aspiring to be first-generation college attendees–to be mentored by current college students in order to gain awareness and better understanding of college.

There’s more! Check out their website to learn more and to support them in their endeavors. 

I loved listening to these articulate and enthusiastic teens explain their reasons for the projects they chose. Quite impressive! But another thing that was really great was they shared their failures as well. Some projects never got going. Others faded out due to financial or motivational problems. It was clear that they all learned from the mistakes and frustrations as well as the rewards. They’ve definitely learned the power of social media!

It’s a great motto: Whatever It Takes. 

Sarah Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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The San Diego County Fair…Oh the Places You’ll Go Part IV

As a writer you never know where you may find yourself. In the past I have visited bookstores and schools, leadership luncheons, camps and even a prison. I now have a new location to add to my list-The San Diego County Fair.

 

Last week I was invited by fellow author Cindy Jenson-Elliot to serve as a writing judge in the creative youth tent for this year’s fair. It proved to be a fun and rewarding experience. Because of my background in art and writing, I was paired up with Alonso Nuñez of Little Fish Comic Book Studio to judge the comic book entries.

I must say I was a little humbled by the caliber of talent that was presented by these kids. They will go far.

Alonso and I proved to be such a good team, that we moved on to judge some of the other art categories as well. By the end of the day our dynamic duo had judged five categories.

 

As we went through the process of selecting First or Second Place, Best in Show, and the Coordinators Award, I remembered my own boys and the joy they received from earning a ribbon at the fair. It was exciting to know that I was going to be an anonymous part of someone’s memorable moment as well. I wish them well and know they will do great things in the future.

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

 

 

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Sidewalk Philosophy

When my buddy Sarah and I embarked on this whole crazy blog venture we struggled to find our niche. We knew that we wanted to talk about writing and books, but we didn’t want to limit ourselves to those two items exclusively. Over the years we have added recipes and craft items to our posts as well. Okay I admit it, I’ve been the one to add the recipes and craft items more than Sarah has, but nevertheless they have been included on the blog.

The one theme or philosophy that remains consistent has been the appreciation of creativity. Whether it is books, writing or yes even recipes and crafts, we both find delight in creative endeavors.

Recently a friend posted some pictures on her Facebook page that I thought shared the philosophy of our blog.

Some were simple inspirational words written in chalk on the sidewalk:

Photo courtesy of Conni Allen Mutchler

 

Photo courtesy of Conni Allen Mutchler

Others were beautiful masterpieces:

Photo courtesy of Conni Allen Mutchler

Photo courtesy of Conni Allen Mutchler

Photo courtesy of Conni Allen Mutcher

Conni’s photos were a reminder that whether it’s a few simple words written in chalk on a sidewalk or large masterpiece, inspiration is all around us. A writer must always strive to improve their craft and we need to look beyond the edge of our desks or we simply won’t grow.

Go outside and find the beauty around you.

Happy searching,

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

P.S.  Special thanks to Conni Allen Mutchler, for letting me share your photos.

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A White Girl Needs Diverse Books (Duh)

Some far more eloquent people are discussing the fact that we need diverse books. I hesitate to jump in on the conversation–not because I disagree, but because I am a middle class white girl, through and through.

But, seriously. Duh.

Of course we need diverse books. It makes me sad that this even needs to be said. Who would argue this? It’s like saying we need books. Again, duh.

When I decided to make Lulu, the main character of my debut novel, My Best Everything (March 2015: Little Brown), part Hispanic; it wasn’t out of some need for diversification. I wasn’t making any kind of multi-cultural statement. Living in southern California, it’s simply not unusual. My husband is part Hispanic, so my children are too–even though they don’t “look” it. For me, it was more about the way I imagined Lulu’s appearance. Also, I wanted her father to be clearly not from the small town she wants to escape–to explain part of why she’s so desperate to leave.

For me, the bigger risk was making her Catholic. I know that people have certain ideas of what Catholic looks like. And it’s often not an attractive image. But for me, religion has always been a part of my life. A good part. A rich part.

I know that designation–that stepping out of the mainstream neutral status quo–may alienate some readers. But maybe it will widen someone else’s perspective. Or maybe some Catholic teen will see a bit of herself in Lulu. Or maybe it will be a teen who is Morman. Or Jewish. Buddhist. Muslim. Atheist. Someone for whom religion is part of their world view.

We are all the same, we are all unique.

Duh.

Sarah Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

 

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Let’s Hear it For The Nerds – Words of Advice from Wil Wheaton

I knew from an early age that my boys were not going to follow the typical path. Instead of baseball and soccer they preferred taking things apart and computers. And occasionally, they would even take apart my computer, until I put my foot down. People in our neighborhood soon became aware of my gadget boys and would show up at the door with broken electrical items for them to dismantle and dissect.

 

Once it became abundantly clear that this was their path, I tried to prepare them for a world that seem to give more respect to individuals who could throw or catch a ball rather than reprogram your microwave. To keep the junk to a minimum, I placed large plastic bins under their beds to hold the nuts, bolts, screws, and bits of old equipment that gadget boys tend to gather. I began reading them biographies of people like Edison, Einstein, Jobs, and Gates who didn’t fit the common mold. But it wasn’t always an easy path.

Son #2 discovered robotics during his high school years and that has been a tremendous outlet for him. As a parent, it was wonderful to see my son gathered with hundreds of like-minded kids for competitions.

I ran across this video filmed at the Denver Comic Con of actor Wil Wheaton responding to a question by a young girl on how to deal with being called a nerd. I thought is was very wise and touching and if I had this video when my boys were younger, you can be sure I would have played it for them.

It’s not always easy taking a different path. Today because of men like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates being a nerd isn’t as bad as it was in the past. With the advent of computers and computer technology people are more open to accept those who are more technology oriented.

The gadget boys are grown now. But if you were to ask them, I think they would agree with what Wil Wheaton has to say it does get better as you get older.

Happy Reading  Dismantling

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

 

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Hot Diggity Dog

I am guest blogging over at author Annemarie O’Brien’s blog today! Come say hi and read some of my thoughts on dogs in literature.

Annemarie is the author of LARA’S GIFT. She’s put together quite the resource for books with dogs featured in the story within her dog-specific blog, “Dog Reads.”

As I say in my guest post, I think middle grade fiction is the sweet spot for books featuring dogs in literature. But, there are also some awesome dogs in YA literature as well.

• I AM THE MESSENGER by Markus Zusak
• ROTTEN by Michael Northrop
• STAY WITH ME by Paul Griffin
• THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO by Patrick Ness
• NOTES FROM A LIAR AND HER DOG by Gennifer Choldenko
• STRAY by Stacey Goldblatt

There is just something about loving a pet that immediately makes a character more sympathetic to me. And, truth be told, it makes me nervous. Because whenever a character loves something that deeply, there’s a risk they’re going to lose it. But that’s life, too. And love is worth the risk.

We’ll just see how much I love my little Luna after a rainy weekend in a hotel together.

Sarah Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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School Visit Tips and Tricks from Dave Biedrzycki

We had such a great response from my post about creating great promo materials with Kelly Bennett  that I decided to do a similar post. I consulted author David Biedrzycki on the subject of school visits. We have featured David and several of his books here on the blog and I am pleased that he could share some of his insights with us today. David visits 70-80 schools per year (sometimes two in one day) and I would consider him an expert in his field.  

WOTS: How do you book these events?

DB:

Since I do not get help from my publisher I rely on several things:

• My books being popular and in the school market.
• Word of mouth.
• Presenting at State Library and Reading conferences.
• Networking.
• Always being prepared, on time and just really nice and appreciative to those who bring you into a school. This will help your career.
• Librarians, teachers and PTA members share a lot of information.

It is not cheap or easy bringing an author in for a visit. Funds must be raised or procured. Teachers and administrators must be onboard. Students must be made aware of the authors work.

If you do a good job word spreads fast. Also, if you don’t, word spreads faster.

Develop a unique and fun program. Easier said than done, I know, but eventually, just like writing or art, you will find your voice and your presentation style.

I use Facebook to keep in touch with those who’s schools i have visited. I make them aware of new books, stories and art I’m working on.

I also change and update my presentation all the time. There are something’s that stay the same. Teachers and administrators want to make sure you touch on some of the common core standards and you discuss the process of writing a story.

I try and make my presentation fun and fast moving. I rarely read from a book to a group larger than 30. On average my presentations are usually projected onto a big screen and to groups of 200+. I rely on this to keep the students engaged.

Life comes at kids fast these days and you have to do the same.

It’s amazing how they grasp all of it, but they do.

WOTS: Do they approach you or do you approach them?

DB: They approach me most of the time.

The only time I approach librarians or schools is when I’m going to be in the area and they have gotten in touch with me before about a possible visit. 

WOTS: Can you describe a typical visit?

DB: I’m usually contacted months in advance and a date and fee are set up.

I usually  send out a contract outlining the specifics about my visit and what is expected from both of us as far  as fee and travel expenses if there are any.

As the time approaches we discuss arrival time and schedule. I usually like to arrive an hour beforehand to meet the ones responsible for having me visit, set up and get my game face on.

I usually do from 3 to 4 presentations a day. Sometimes I will meet with two schools in the same district on the same  day doing two presentations at each school.

WOTS: Do you have any special links or connections for our readers?

DB: Sometimes the International Reading Sssociation has information about local and state conferences where you can try to attend.

AASL also has information about their conferences too.

I also suggest starting your speaking career at public libraries. They are always looking to bring authors in. Although they have little or no funds it is a great way to get yourself in front of kids and learn how to present.

Thank you, David for sharing with us today. If you like to know more about David and his work, be sure to visit his website. David’s newest book, BREAKING NEWS: BEAR ALERT will be released in October 2014. You can be sure we will mention it here on the blog.

Happy School Visits,

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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