Favourite Couples

Valentine's Day is almost upon us. Cue the cardboard hearts and fancy chocolates!

Love and romance are part of human culture and obviously show up in many of our books. There have been countless couples throughout history who have captured the hearts of readers. Even young readers.

Some of the earliest couples I remember reading about are:

• Anne Shirley & Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables
• Nancy Drew & Ned Nickerson (had to look up his last name!)
• Amy March & Laurie (never did like that match up though)

There weren't really any YA books around when I was a kid and I moved pretty much from those books to Agatha Christie - not a lot of romance for poor ol' Hercule!

Current MG and YA books are full of couples and love triangles (but that's another post) and some of them are very memorable. One of my recent faves is in Ice Dogs by Terry Lynn Johnson. While it's totally an adventure book the realistic relationship that grows between the characters is fabulous. Shannon Messenger, Medeia Sharif, Elana Johnson, and Shelli Johannes are other authors who create strong relationships between their YA characters. Wish those authors had been around when I was a kid!

Who are your favourite couples from the books you read as a child or teen?

Dear Author I Shall Not Name

A book really surprised me last night, but not in a good way.

I'd picked up a book by a new-to-me author. I liked the premise and the characters sounded fun. I enjoyed the set up of the story, the way I could see what the characters couldn't see coming. It's a romance and I thought the author had some unique twists and turns for her characters to face. The dialogue was great and for the most part their interactions were fun and honest. The story was working at a solid B+ for me.

Then I got to the last page.

I'd spent a few hours with these characters, I'd gotten to know them and I liked them. I wanted them to have their HEA (happy ever after). And I thought they were getting it - I liked the way the author was setting it up, another good twist (or so I thought). Then the last page exploded it all.

To me none of it made sense. The direction the last page took was in exact opposition to the characters & their goals & their feelings.

The author probably intended it as a cliffhanger (there is a book 2), but it didn't work for me at all. Not only would I downgrade the story to a D or worse, I will never read the next book. In fact I doubt I will ever read anything by this author again.

As a romance writer, I tend to prefer HEA or happy-for-now endings, but ambiguous endings can totally rock too (think The Giver or Possession). Above all the ending has to make sense and be true to the rest of the story.

This one didn't and wasn't & I felt cheated out of the hours I'd spent with the book.

Okay, rant over. No, I will not reveal the book or author, nor will I write a review - I only comment on books I've enjoyed enough to share. But I probably will stew over it for a little while longer.

And you can bet I'm going to be looking more closely at the endings for my own stories!

How about you, do you get annoyed by shocker endings? Do you have things that turn you off authors forever too?

Movie Influences on Elana

Dude! I'm so excited today to have Elana Johnson here. Elana's one of my favourite people in the bloggy-verse. Not only do I adore her books (see here and here to hear me gush!), but she's a total sweetie - honest, kind, open, generous - she's an awesome lady! So, here's Elana...

The Influence of Minority Report

A guest post by Elana Johnson

Okay, so I’m a lover of thrillers like The Bourne Identity and Mission Impossible. One of my favorite futuristic movies is Minority Report. I haven’t seen it for a few years, and I recently watched it. I felt like I’d taken a slice of SURRENDER and inserted it into the movie.

Or the other way around. Maybe I’ve taken a slice of Minority Report and inserted it into SURRENDER…

Here’s a couple pieces of the pie you’ll see in both places.

The spiders. In Minority Report, there’re these robotic spiders that can be programmed to find a specific person. They scan retinas to ID people.

Well, SURRENDER has spiders too. Some are used for menial labor, like cleaning smudges off floors and windows. Some are for protection, like guard dogs with eight legs. Some are used for enforcement purposes, like disabling a person until officers can arrive.

I strongly dislike spiders, so I thought they’d be a perfect addition to a futuristic society as a symbol of something for the citizens to dislike or be afraid of—just like we are.

The pre-cogs. In SURRENDER, some of the citizens have paranormal abilities. Some can manipulate tech, some can read minds, some can command the elements. And some can see the future.

True, in Minority Report, the pre-cogs wallow in this weird watery stuff and can’t seem to function in society. That’s not the case in SURRENDER, but as I was watching the movie, I thought “I have people who predict the future too!”

It’s a fascinating concept to me—all of Minority Report is—and I’ve recently written an entire novel about time and knowing too much about the future. I love thinking about things like this, which is why I enjoyed Minority Report and enjoyed writing about people who can see the future in SURRENDER.

That’s about the extent of the similarities between SURRENDER and Minority Report, but I thought it was fun to see them as I watched the movie.

Have you ever written something with slices from something else? Have you read something that reminds you of a particular movie/book?

This week, as part of the SURRENDER blog tour, you can win one of three $15 Barnes & Noble gift cards and become a winner winner, chicken dinner! All you have to do is fill out this rafflecopter widget with what you’ve done. NOTE: One of the options is to blog about a time you didn’t surrender. Go here for full details on this, including how to sign up for your free swag package!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks, Elana! Those spiders are definitely creepy!!  If you'd like to catch up with Elana you can find her here: blog, twitter & Facebook.

Bio: Elana's work including POSSESSION, REGRET, and SURRENDER is available from Simon & Schuster wherever books are sold. She is the author of From the Query to the Call, an ebook that every writer needs to read before they query, which can be downloaded for free on her website. She runs a personal blog on publishing and is a founding author of the QueryTracker blog. She blogs regularly at The League of Extraordinary Writers, co-organizes WriteOnCon, and is a member of SCBWI, ANWA and LDStorymakers.

She wishes she could experience her first kiss again, tell the mean girl where to shove it, and have cool superpowers like reading minds and controlling fire. To fulfill her desires, she writes young adult science fiction and fantasy.

About SURRENDER: Raine has always been a good girl. She lives by the rules in Freedom. After all, they are her father’s rules: He’s the Director. It’s because of him that Raine is willing to use her talent—a power so dangerous, no one else is allowed to know about it. Not even her roommate, Vi.
All of that changes when Raine falls for Gunner. Raine’s got every reason in the world to stay away from Gunn, but she just can’t. Especially when she discovers his connection to Vi’s boyfriend, Zenn.
Raine has never known anyone as heavily brainwashed as Vi. Raine’s father expects her to spy on Vi and report back to him. But Raine is beginning to wonder what Vi knows that her father is so anxious to keep hidden, and what might happen if she helps Vi remember it. She’s even starting to suspect Vi’s secrets might involve Freedom’s newest prisoner, the rebel Jag Barque….

Purchase your copy here: Simon & Schuster (this has links to all major retailers!)

So what slices of books or movies show up in your stories?

Never Surrender!

 

If you haven't dropped by Elana's yet to sign up, there's still time - the blogfest starts today and runs through to Friday June 15th! Click here! :)

As most of you know, I'm a teacher. Over the years I've taught a lot of kids - and I've taught in a variety of setting and in a variety of schools.

One of those kids will always have a special place within my heart. I'm going to borrow the name of Elana's yummy male MC in Surrender and call this boy Gunner.

Gunner came to our school and my class with enough baggage to fill a plane's cargo hold. He not only had ADHD/ADD, but ODD (oppositional defiant disorder), anxiety disorder and several other medical disorders/conditions. (I won't say more for fear of identifying Gunner - I've taught more than 20 kids who have been diagnosed with all 4 disorders listed above, so I'm confident his identity is safe).

Gunner's family life was far from stellar. I won't go into details here for those same reasons. Whatever you're imagining right now, it was probably worse.

As expected, Gunner didn't find it easy to be in school. On top of the medical conditions, he had a learning impairment. Reading & writing were tough - he was 5 years behind his peers academically in those areas. Math was harder. Add in a new school, his nerves about facing new adults, his fear of people thinking he was stupid, his aggression towards the other kids and it wasn't an easy start for him. Or me :)

About 2 weeks in, Gunner stopped beside me at the end of the day and said, "You don't yell at all do you?" He grinned that mischevious grin of his and sauntered out the door with a wave. That's when I let out my first deep breath and figured I really might be able to help him.

Gunner learned to read that year. He found out that 2 + 2 is 4 every time. Every single time. And if he remembered the answer, he didn't have to figure it out every question. He learned he was really good at putting things together and geometry could be a lot of fun. He found out he liked art. He made a friend.

I saw Gunner at a hockey game this winter. He rushed over to give me a hug. Made my day. Heck it made my whole month! I'm glad I didn't give up on Gunner.

Never Surrender.

Surrender Rocks & Never Surrender!

 DUDE! You've got to read this book!!!

I had to borrow Elana Johnson's vocabulary to shout out about her latest book, SURRENDER. I finished it about an hour ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. I'm pretty sure I'll still be thinking about it tomorrow. And the next day. And next week...

(Okay, this post was scheduled - I actually finished it a few weeks back now, but I had to write this down as SOON as I finished it. And, yes, I'm still thinking about it!)

It's one of those books. You know the ones - they stick in your heart and your head for a very, very long time.

Elana creates incredible people - wait! I have to remind myself they're characters... The 2 main characters, Gunn and Raine, wound themselves into my heart in no time. They're vibrant, strong and so passionate about their world!

The world was well developed in Possession, and now, in Surrender, it becomes deeper and darker. The layers of the world make it so real - no one-dimensional setting here!

I also love the way this companion book integrates the characters from Possession. They're blended into the story seamlessly. And they still have the power to break my heart and make it soar - sometimes at the same moment!

Elana - you've created some magic here - great job! :)

ALSO...

To celebrate Surrender's release, Elana's having a great blogfest the week of June 11th - 15th. In her words...

All you have to do is blog about a time you didn't surrender. Trained for a marathon? Queried agents? Had to study for an entrance exam? I'm looking for inspirational stories that you have experienced. Hard things you've accomplished because you didn't give up. I want to be inspired by you!

Anyone who blogs this week for the theme can enter to win one of three $15 B&N gift cards. Everyone who blogs this week will receive a SURRENDER swag package. (You can get the blogfest language and badge here.)

Sounds like fun! I hope you'll join me -- I'm looking forward to all the posts!

What book have you read lately that makes your heart both break and soar?

Ranger's Apprentice

As a writer, my A to Z challenge is going to be about books, characters, TV shows and movies that have impacted me somehow. Enjoy! Be sure to check out Lee’s blog to find more bloggers taking on this challenge!

Ranger’s Apprentice

(source - John Flanagan's site)

I only discovered this series a couple of years ago – thanks to Elana Johnson on twitter during a #yalitchat or a #kidlitchat. I asked for books boys in my class would like and she said this was sure to be a hit. She was right – with the added bonus that my girls love it too. The setting is medieval and the main character, Will, isn’t your typical hero. He’s smaller than average, a little bit awkward – and he doesn’t get his dream come true. And that works out really well for him. It’s a great series - tons of adventure!

Do you like stories with medieval settings? How about unexpected story twists?

Build a World with Elana

The always wonderful Elana Johnson is here. Her AMAZING debut novel Possession is coming out June 7th, and you HAVE to pick it up. It's that good!

Elana Johnson’s debut novel, Possession, will be published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster) on June 7, 2011. Her popular ebook, From the Query to the Call, is also available for free download. School teacher by day, Query Ninja by night, you can find her online at her personal blog or Twitter. She also co-founded the Query Tracker blog and WriteOnCon, and contributes to the League of Extraordinary Writers. Elana is represented by Michelle Andelman of Regal Literary.

Here's a link to the Sampler book club website - very cool idea. You should check it out :)

If you haven't been lucky enough to read Possession yet, check out the first 2 chapters, free, on Elana's website. I know you won't be able to stop there, so here's the link to Amazon where you can buy the book!

Elana's here today to talk about world building. I'm in the middle of creating a world of my own so I can't wait to hear what she says. So, here we go...

***
Play God: Why It’s As Fun As It Sounds


Why, yes, as writers we get to play pretend! Especially if you’re writing in the fantasy or science fiction genres.

Because you get to decide what your world is like. You get to decide where the mountains go. If there are two suns or three. If cool tech gadgets exist, or if people can read each other’s minds.

You, in essence, get to play God.

And I think as writers, we like that. We’re control freaks, really. Ha! (Sad, but true.)

So today, I’m going to talk a little bit about world building, particularly the world building that went into my debut novel, POSSESSION.

The basics:

1. When? I knew I wanted the world of POSSESSION to be a futuristic world, but I did not assign a year to it.

When building a world, ask yourself if you need to assign a year. Or at least ask, “Is this near-future?” (25 – 50 years) or “Is this far-future?” (50+ years.) POSSESSION is far future, in my head. That’s all I needed to know.

2. Where? I also knew where in the US I wanted to set most of it, and I tried to stick to the geography that exists in that area.

When building a world, you need to have a starting place, especially for dystopian. It stands to reason that some landmarks and/or cities will still be standing in a few hundred years. In fantasy, I think you can do whatever your heart desires!

So ask yourself: “What will still be around in 100 years that can be a geographical clue for my readers?” You don’t have to name territories or countries or states. But in *your* head, you should know where your story is taking place.

POSSESSION starts out in what is now Utah, and yeah. From there, when you read the book, you’ll know where everything is. IF you’re a geography buff.

3. How? I knew I needed a “how” for my world. All dystopian does. Readers want to know how our world turned into the one they’re reading about. So in your head, as the author, you should know too.

I don’t think we need to know on page 1, though. Or even page 50. But I think the author should know, and the MC should probably know, and can reference it at crucial times.

In POSSESSION, the “how” is actually something paranormal. I just can’t help myself; I’ve never been able to write a complete novel without something paranormal. So POSSESSION possess dystopian characteristics, science fiction elements, and paranormal qualities.

Overall, when building a world, ask: “How did this world evolve out of the one I live in?” Of course, for fantasy, you might not need to do this. For urban fantasy, though, you need to know how your made-up world fits into the real world as we know it.

I think those are the three basic things that authors need to ask themselves to start building a world. In addition, you need a set of “rules” for your world. Things that always are. Laws. Standards. It’s good to make a list of these (do you really think I made a list? Ha! I did not. But some people might), and refer to them as you’re writing. (I had to make my list after and check for consistency.)

Have you written a novel set in a new world? What questions did you ask yourself to get started?

***

Me again! Thanks so much Elana. I'm really looking forward to playing like a deity now!

Obsession with Possession

Wow!!! Elana Johnson's debut novel Possession is stunning. I adored it. The world is awesome - so well drawn, you know you could pack up and visit it - if you're that brave!

Elana's use of language is beautiful - whether the mood is snarky or scary or steaming! Here's one of my favourite passages ...

Conversations passed between us, things we couldn't say out loud but that patched up all the holes in the silence.

The entire book is full of passages that I had to stop and read again - just to enjoy them all over again. Well done, Elana, well done!

There's another section about The End (and no, it's not at the end, but it's past the middle, so I don't want to quote it!) that is powerful.

And the ending? Wow! Just Wow!!!

If you're not on the Elana rocket, grab your luggage and jump on board - she's heading for the stars.

And before she hits those stars, she's going to drop by here on Monday to talk about world building. I know! I'm excited too. (Can you tell by the ridiculous amount of !!!! in this post?) :)

What's the best book you've read lately? I bet you can guess mine!

The Great Blogging Experiment

Elana, Jen & Alex - the blogging trifecta - came up with the idea for the Great Blogging Experiment. They want to prove that each and every one of us will come up with a unique perspective on one topic. The topic for this challenge is Writing Compelling Characters. So here goes...

For me, reading is about the people I meet inside the covers of the book, so writing had better be the same. I'm a very emotional person - probably not a big revelation there. :) I want... actually I need an emotional connection with a character. Otherwise why bother reading? Why bother writing?

So how to do that?

I like to write in 3rd person and tend to alternate the scenes between the male and female leads. Each gets his/her own scenes from his/her pov. Both characters get to reveal their thoughts and feelings. We get to know them both from within themselves and from the view of the other main character. I think -- okay, I hope this helps the readers to really know and care about the characters.

Of course throwing them into life-threatening perils and twisted plots helps as well :)

And if all that fails, I'll just write about these great Steampunk Disney characters. That's gotta work!

How do you make your characters compelling?

.. and the next thing

This...

Go Elana! If you've somehow missed the fantabulous news, Elana Johnson sold her book Control Issues. Go here to check out her story. And find out about the amazing contest she's holding in celebration!

Elana is one of those folks - you know the kind. She's fun and funny. Kind and honest. Smart with a heart of gold. Her book is going to completely rock! Congrats Elana - we'll all be in line to buy your book when it comes out!

That...

It's a long weekend up here in Canada. Happy Victoria Day to my fellow Canadians :)

Most of my family was out of the house (fishing, camping, golfing...) for most of the weekend, so I got a ton of work done on my Steampunk! I finished a really big revision round. Now I'm going to dive back in and see if I can add some of those little details I keep missing (see last post if you're confused).

And the Next Thing...

I've got more thanking to do!

The lovely Lisa Gibson awarded me the AwesomeSauce award. This is a wonderful award - and came with a really amazing message. Thanks so much Lisa!

Al over at Publish or Perish tagged me. If you want to see my answers, click here. Al has the most amazing photographs from Down Under. You've got to check out his site!

Mari Juniper over at Mari's Randomities awarded me the Creative Liar Award. With a twist. Thanks Mari :)

Here are my 4 spooky lies with my 2 spooky truths mixed in.

1. My school is haunted. When I'm in at work on the weekend - I often hear footsteps coming down the hall. At first I thought it was the boiler. Nope. I've called out assuming it was another teacher. Nope. Footsteps stop. And nothing.

2. I once lived in a haunted house. We only saw her a few times - when we came home late at night. We leave the stove light on when we're out, so we saw her (wearing an old-fashioned bonnet) silhouetted in the kitchen window and on the stairs.

3. I had a premonition once. I dreamt my school bus would be in an accident outside of Burger King and I would lose my leg. Called my friend and told her about it. She laughed and made me feel ridiculous. So I got on the bus. We had an accident. Outside of Burger King. But I only twisted my ankle in the fall. Thankfully no one was really hurt.

4. We had a dog growing up who barked at the chimney, but only during thunderstorms. We thought it was odd, but nothing spooky. Until some of the bricks fell off during one really bad storm. During the repair process, human bones were found. The police never did figure it out, and the cold case is still on file here.

5. A year after my dad died, my mom & sister & I went to scatter his ashes. On the way up to the spot, 6 of his favourite songs played on the radio. Including the one he asked me to sing for him shortly before he died. These are not popular songs that you normally hear on the radio and they are not all the same style (country, easy listening, rock, jazz).

6. My mom grew up next to some woods in Scotland. Gypsies visited on a regular basis. Some of the neighbours weren't always kind to the gypsies. One neighbour tried to have his way with one of the young women and found himself the victim of the evil eye. In the next few months he lost his job, broke his arm and his wife died.

Okay - so I'll never write horror! But it was fun :)

So any of this ... or that to add?