A to Z Challenge: Day E

US Version ~ August 1 ~ Capstone/Switch Press

E is for Erin. Erin Johnson. One of my pen names. People often ask why I have so many pseudonyms, and I have to say it’s because I have so many different personalities. Writers can get away with having a multiple personality disorder by claiming they’re using pseudonyms. They can talk to people who don’t exist and say they’re developing their characters. Non-writers get help for these problems; writers welcome them.

So as part of the A to Z Challenge, which is offering 30 prizes, I’m giving away a copy of the UK version of Grace and the Guiltless, part of the WANTED series…

Have you heard about the A to Z challenge?

Here’s a link to 26 posts about 26 awesome books by 24 terrific YA authors, AND there will be prizes. Yep, most days there are book and/or swag (mostly books) giveaways. There are about 30 prizes to be won in April.

For the fantastic lineup, see the previous post or go here.

 

And here’s the UK version of Grace and the Guiltless that you can win:

WANTED: Book 1

A to Z Challenge (30 free YA books)

Have you heard about the A to Z challenge?
Here’s a link to 26 posts about 26 awesome books by 24 terrific YA authors, AND there will be prizes. Yep, most days there are book and/or swag (mostly books) giveaways. There are about 30 prizes to be won in April.

Here’s the fantastic lineup:

A is for Aimee Gilchrist	Aimee Gilchrist	1-Apr
B is for Breed of Innocence	Lanie Jordan	2-Apr
C is for Cry of the Sea	Donna Driver	3-Apr
D is for Don’t You Wish	Roxanne St. Claire	4-Apr
E is for Erin Johnson (Yes, that’s me**)	Erin Johnson	5-Apr
F is for A Flight of Thieves	David Bridger	7-Apr
G is for Goodbye, Rebel Blue	Shelley Coriell	8-Apr
H is for Heiress PI	Amanda Mahan	9-Apr
I is for I Spy Dead People	Jennifer Fischetto	10-Apr
J is for Jennifer McGowan	Jennifer McGowan	11-Apr
K is for Kelbian Noel	Kelbian Noel	12-Apr
L is for Legendary	L.H. Nicole	14-Apr
M is for Maureen McGowan	Maureen McGowan	15-Apr
N is for Nail Polish & Feathers	Jo Ramsey	16-Apr
O is for Of Sea & Stone	Kate Avery Ellison	17-Apr
P is for Rebekah L. Purdy	Rebekah L. Purdy	18-Apr
Q is for Bria Quinlan	Bria Quinlan	19-Apr
R is for Roots	Kelbian Noel	21-Feb
S is for Stained	Cheryl Rainfield	22-Apr
T is for The Twin’s Daughter	Lauren Baratz-Logsted	23-Apr
U is for Undercover with the Hottie	Juli Alexander	24-Apr
V is for C.A. Verstraete	Christine A. Verstraete	25-Apr
W is for We Are the Weirdos	Jennifer Fischetto	26-Apr
X is for The Avery Shaw Experiement	Kelly Oram	28-Apr
Y is for Confessions of A 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips	Cindy M Hogan	29-Apr
Z is for Zera and the Green Man	Sandra Krauf	30-Apr

** Watch for my blog post on April 5, which will explain how you can win a copy of Grace and the Guiltless, part of the WANTED series that I’m writing as Erin Johnson.

Spells & Spies

I love it when I see authors using creativity to hook readers. Had to smile at Patrice Lyle’s preparations for her Skype visit with a school.

With her Spells & Spies sign in the background and crystal ball in hand, she was ready to discuss her tween mystery in the Poison Ivy series, The Case of the Invisible Witch. Other props included items from her paranormal collection (the figure she used to inspire the series) and surprise visits from two of her three cats.

She also gave the schools a pdf with discussion questions (authored by Mary Helen Sheriff, along with some great Common Core activities)and writing prompts as well as tidbits of interesting information about herself, such as the fact that her father was a detective and she used to snoop in his files. That’s how she learned so much about solving mysteries.

And just to clarify, the pink room is her writing room, not her daughter’s bedroom, as one student guessed.

Interested in a Skype visit with Patrice? You can contact her through her website. Learn more about her at her Leap Books author page or Twitter (@Patrice_Lyle).

Poison Ivy Cover

ABOUT THE BOOK

Thirteen-year-old Tulip Bonnaire, Witch PI, runs Spells & Spies out of her dorm room at Poison Ivy Charm School, a school for polite witches and warlocks. She has only 72 hours to figure out her latest case, or her classmate, Missy, will never be seen again. Literally.

When Missy shows up in Tulip’s dorm room around midnight, she’s invisible. As in not even x-ray vision could spot her. The mean triplets who call themselves The Belles have cast an invisibility spell on poor Missy. But if Tulip can’t break the spell in 72 hours, Missy will remain invisible forever.

It’s a case Tulip can’t resist — between her mom’s annoying new boyfriend and her own secret crush at school, Tulip understands how much it stinks to feel invisible. Luckily for Tulip, her two best friends and her cute, techy guy friend help dig up clues on a case that turns out to be her freakiest one ever.

Crime Doesn’t Pay, Or Does It?

So as I head off to Killer Nashville, where a horde of potential killers and criminals gather–or should I say writers who write about such things (let’s hope it’s all done vicariously)–I’m looking forward to meeting like-minded individuals.

I wonder if those of us who read and write mysteries do so to get rid of, or to fuel, our aggressive and antisocial tendencies. Where else can you find a better, law-abiding way to torture your enemies or an irritating spouse than in the pages of a book? Ah, the imagination runs wild.

Your boss fires you? You’ll make him pay. He’ll become a victim in your next crime novel. Wife driving you crazy? You can plot lots of great ways to do away with her. Lots of possibilities there to work out your negative feelings and revenge is sweet. It’s even sweeter if you make a profit on it. And this is one time that crime definitely DOES PAY.

Killer Nashville

Well, I’ll soon be off to Killer Nashville, the great crime writing conference. Looking for tips on how to bump off pesky characters, pull off a heist, or escape a jail sentence? You’ve come to the right place. Where else could you sit down to dinner with tablemates who are all interested in discussing the best way to poison people so it’s undectable. Sort of makes me a bit paranoid. I find myself curling my arm around my plate to protect my food, but who knows if that would help. One of these would-be writers might have experimented with their poisons in the kitchen.

So what turns people crazy enough to write about sneaky ways to kill other human beings, or to read these books by the dozens? Not sure I want to delve into the psychology behind it, but I once heard that crime writers are often perfectionists who love to solve puzzles. Perfectionists do tend to get themselves all worked up over small details & threaten to kill people who mess up their orderly lives. So I’d suggest you steer clear of perfectionists when you’re choosing a spouse or a friend. You never know when they might knife you in the back.

Here’s a schedule if you’re interested in attending. Keynote speaker is Jeffery Deaver; find out more about him on his website. Agent and editor pitch sessions are included in the registration price. Conference runs from Thursday evening, August 19, to Sunday afternoon, August 22, 2010. Hope to see you there.

Savvy Authors

Does everyone know about SavvyAuthors? SavvyAuthors is a one-stop resource for all your writing needs regardless of your stage in your career. They offer everything from workshops to promotion and marketing help.

They have lots of great classes for a low price. It costs $30 to join, which gives you access to free classes and a reduced rate on class prices. Or you can take classes without joining. With classes costing $10-25, most people can easily afford it. And they have some terrific teachers.

Here’s a sampling for the next two months:

May 2010 Events
2	Fairies and Other Magic Folk		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sharron Gunn. Walt Disney would have you believe that fairies are sweet little creatures with wings and wands. Helpful entities like Tinkerbell and the Tooth Fairy. Walt was wrong. In Celtic lands people believe it’s not wise to go about your business in…
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Genre	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
3	Steamed Up: The Anatomy of Writing Steampunk		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Beth Daniels aka Nied Darnell. Toss another shovel full of coal on the fire, it’s time to get steamed up with steam punk, one of the newest “societies” around. What qualifies it as a society? Let’s see, there are graphic novels, jewelry, apparel, home accessories, mu…
	Duration: 28 days	Genre	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
3	Who ARE All These People? The Role of Secondary Characters in Romance		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jen Safrey. You have your hero. You are in love with him, and you’re sure your readers will be too. He’s sexy, smart, rugged, shy, daring, protective, whatever. You have your heroine. You have put a little of yourself into her, and you’re sure your rea…
	Duration: 28 days	Craft	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
10	Todd Stone Presents – Character(s) and Conflict–More is More and More is Better		(Workshop)
	Six lessons, four weeks Presenter: Todd Stone, the Novelist’s Boot Camp guy Ever hear an editor say “Sorry, your story has too much conflict?” Didn’t think so. And you probably won’t, either. In this workshop we’ll provide you wit…
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
10	Edge of your Seat: How to add Suspense to your Writing		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Fleur Bradley. Do you ever wonder what makes that book such a page-turner? Wish you could keep a reader at the edge of your seat with your writing? This workshop teaches you how to write riveting fiction, and how to write chapters that keep your …
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
10	Inside the Criminal Mind		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Lucinda Schroeder. Inside the Criminal Mind gives writers the information they’ll need to characterize their deviate story people. This course covers criminal motivation, mind-set, self-talk and why deviants expect their crimes to go undetected. Devi…
	Duration: 27 days	Genre	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
16	Creating Your Own Book Trailer **FULL**		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kris Tualla. Book Trailers are 60-to-90-second presentations that describe your book in the same way a movie trailer describes a movie. They are teasers, meant to make people want to read your books. Book trailer companies charge fees beginning around $…
	Duration: 11 days	Promo, Technology	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
17	The Four Point Critique: Making your critiques positive, constructive, specific and honest. **FULL**		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Teresa Bodwell. The Four Point Critique: Making your critiques positive, constructive, specific and honest. The workshops will help you refine your critiquing skills through lecture, discussion and hands on critiquing. Topics include: Tips for great fee…
	Duration: 20 days	Craft	Members: $25
31	Creating an Effective Book Business Plan		(Workshop)
	Presented by Deborah Magnus. One of the most productive things an author can do is write a Book Business Plan. It’s a required exercise for non-fiction book proposals and easily as important as actually writing the book, whether non-fiction or fiction. Why? 1) Writ…
	Duration: 4 days	Publishing, Promo, Industry	Members: $10 Non-Members: $15
31	The Power of the Right Question		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Susan Meier. Ever wonder why some authors books seem to be head and shoulders above the rest? In The Power of the Right Question, Susan Meier discusses Story Question, Chapter Question and development of Questions for Lists of Twenty and shows you how t…
	Duration: 28 days	Craft	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
June 2010 Events
3	Ignite Your Fiction		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sally Walker. Learn how to examine and WRITE succinct, vivid examples of Exposition, Description, Narration/Summary, and Action-Dialogue. Experienced writers will learn to “think” in revision and New writers will work on the habit of purpose from the ver…
	Duration: 25 days	Craft	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
7	Make a Scene		(Workshop)
	Instructor: June Diehl. Make a Scene explores the elements that go into structuring a scene, how to decide how to begin and end a scene, and the types of scenes and when to use them. We will also touch on setting, point of view, and character and plot development …
	Duration: 14 days	Craft	Members: $10 Non-Members: $15
7	Weapons, Violence and Reality		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Rory Miller. Conflict is the essence of story-telling. Violence is the rawest and most visceral form of conflict. Rory Miller, former Corrections Officer, Tactical Team leader and Contractor/Advisor in Iraq will help you get the details right. The cla…
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
7	Completing Your Mystery		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jacqueline Corcoran. Like many writers, you may have a library of books on writing craft, but have you used them? Learn my step-by-step method for applying exercises to develop your craft and complete your mystery. In this hands-on class with lots of “homewo…
	Duration: 14 days	Genre	Members: $15 Non-Members: $20
13	Creating Your Own Book Trailer **FULL**		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kris Tualla. Book Trailers are 60-to-90-second presentations that describe your book in the same way a movie trailer describes a movie. They are teasers, meant to make people want to read your books. Book trailer companies charge fees beginning around $…
	Duration: 11 days	Promo, Technology	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
14	Show Don’t Tell		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Flo Fitzpatrick. Are your characters spending too much time explaining, telling, thinking, feeling, musing, wondering or debating? Let’s turn those “tell” sentences into “showstoppers!” Join Flo Fitzpatrick for a fun workshop that will rev up your writin…
	Duration: 19 days	Craft	Members: $15 Non-Members: $20
15	Romantic Suspense 19 SPOTS LEFT		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Dee Lloyd. To keep the reader eagerly turning pages from the first word to the last, a Romantic Suspense novel needs engaging characters, a believable and complicated plot and fast-moving pace. This workshop will give you some of the tools necessar…
	Duration: 20 days	Craft, Genre	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
20	Flash Fiction: What is it? How do I write it? Why should I bother? 19 SPOTS LEFT		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Jim Harrington. This workshop is aimed at writers who are new to flash fiction. The topics covered include: Session 1 – 6/21 – What is flash fiction? Session 2 – 6/23 – Choosing a story to write Session 3 – 6/25 – That’s a story? Session 4 – 6/28 – T…
	Duration: 13 days	Craft, Genre	Members: $15 Non-Members: $20
20	Everyone Needs a Name, a guide to character naming		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Kathy Frost. Finding the perfect name for your main character can be difficult enough, but most stories need a supporting cast. You’ll need names for all your characters, from the lead and their love interest to the neighborhood grocer. For many write…
	Duration: 6 days	Craft	Members: FREE Non-Members: $5
20	The Dirty Little Secrets of Character Development		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Keena Kincaid. Do you know the secret to character development? We all keep secrets from each other—and sometimes from ourselves. Three-dimensional characters are no different, and it’s the author’s job to reveal those deep, dark secrets and desires t…
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	Members: $10 Non-Members: $20
21	Silencing Your Inner Saboteur		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Sherry Peters. In this workshop, writers will identify the voice of your saboteur, recognize the tricks it uses to keep you from achieving your goals, and how to win the battle against it. The lessons will cover: Introduction of the class and the In…
	Duration: 20 days	Craft	Members: $15 Non-Members: $20
28	The Heroine’s Journey: Adapting Four-Act Structure to the Character-Driven Story		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Wendy Lyn Watson. Christopher Vogler’s Hero’s Journey is a basic “four act” mythic story structure that can be used to describe everything from the legend of King Arthur to Alien. There’s something about this narrative structure that resonates with us on an…
	Duration: 27 days	Craft	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
28	Using Writer’s Block As A Building Block For Ideas		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Raquel Rodriguez. Using Writer’s Block As A Building Block For Ideas Want to just write? Stop fighting your Muse! Dry spells can indicate the dreaded writer’s block, a rough wall to hurtle. Teacher and writer, Raquel Rodriguez, can help you understand t…
	Duration: 27 days	Craft, Writing Life	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25
28	The ‘W’ Plot…Or the Other White Meat for Plotters		(Workshop)
	Instructor: Karen Docter. One of the staples of any writers group conversations is the plot. It’s integral to every novel, holds everything together. It’s the vehicle that carries readers from page one to “The End”. It’s one of the scariest things an author faces …
	Duration: 25 days	Craft	Members: $15 Non-Members: $25

Check them out. You’ll be glad you did.
savvyauthors.com – Writers Helping Writers

http://www.savvyauthors.com/workshops.cfm

Masked Man…or Not?

Well, sort of… Not sure what you call it when a plastic figure dresses up for Halloween, but I thought this post from Bonnie Blogs Green was humorous. Bonnie, a Leap Books author whose eco-mystery Island Sting is coming out in January, surrounds herself with Green Teens. And two of them combined their artistic talents to make an environmentally friendly costume for a plastic figure Bonnie rescued after a storm.

Mr. Pumpkin Head

You’ll have to look closely to see who’s hidden under that Pumpkin Head, but I guarantee it’ll be a familiar face.Want to know if you guessed correctly?? Stop by Bonnie Blogs Green, where she unmasks this mysterious stranger.

And while you’re there, check out her other eco-friendly posts.