YA Highway

Welcome to our 23rd Road Trip Wednesday!

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

Road Trip Wednesday #23: In the Money

When my Delacorte editor heard I was working on a book set in Central America, she gave me a copy of Red Glass by fellow Delacorte author Laura Resau. I'm so glad she did.

Red Glass is the story of 16-year-old Sophie, whose family takes in 6-year-old Pablo, the lone survivor of a group of illegal immigrants who died crossing the Arizona desert from Mexico. When they discover Pablo's extended family is still alive, Sophie travels from Tuscon to Mexico and Guatemala with four diverse companions. Adventure, danger, and enlightenment ensue -- and also, love.

Red Glass stole my heart, not only because of its setting, but because of its story, its characters -- especially Dika, Sophie's Bosnian refugee aunt -- its romance (you'll fall in love with Angel, I promise), and most of all, its language. Laura steeps her descriptions of Mexico and Guatemala in sheer beauty, resulting in a book filled with gasps and sighs. You know a book's a winner when it's packed with lyrical language, and yet, pulls you from page to page to page. It also takes a controversial topic -- illegal immigration -- and brings to light its heartbreaking human condition elements by focusing on a simple story. I can't wait to read the rest of Laura's books.

Laura was gracious enough to answer a few questions for us. And yes, she is even more amazing and well-traveled than her books imply :)


After college, you taught in a tiny village in Mexico's Oaxaca region. Your time there inspired several of your books, including Red Glass and What the Moon Saw. Were the stories percolating in your head during your stay? When and how did they come to you?

I was constantly writing in notebooks during my time in Oaxaca, jotting down notes about fascinating people I met, stories they told me, zany experiences I had. I also loved just capturing sensual setting details— wood smoke-filled adobe kitchens, third-class buses blasting cumbia tunes, remote cloud forests where medicinal herbs grow… During my first two years living in Oaxaca, in addition to my journaling, I wrote short creative non-fiction and stories, without focusing on any long projects. This laid the groundwork for What the Moon Saw, which I began writing the following year in grad school in Tucson. Maybe it was my way of staying close to Oaxaca in spirit-- I missed it terribly! When I returned to Oaxaca a year later to do cultural anthropology fieldwork in Mixtec villages, I spent my spare time completing a solid draft of the novel. I wrote my second book, Red Glass, while living in Colorado, but I drew on much of the material I'd written in my notebooks in Oaxaca years earlier.


You carry notebooks with you everywhere. How do they facilitate your writing process?

Writing in my notebooks gets me in the habit of quickly transforming my thoughts and feelings into words on paper. It's so important to master this skill, because once you're in the midst of creating a novel, you're juggling so much more that just the writing part of it. You're working intimately with characters, plots, settings, relationships… and you can only hope that the actual writing comes naturally after so much practice. The notebooks also give me a place to process my day-to-day emotions, record ideas and bits of stories-in-progress, and reflect on how my current manuscript is coming along. And as I mentioned, when you're traveling, notebooks are a great place to jot down impressions and observations and dialogue that you might use in a story someday —maybe even years later.


You're fluent in Spanish, and you've also learned some of Mexico's indigenous Mixtec language. What are a few of your favorite words or sayings?

I really like the expression "We all eat from the same tortilla," which appears in What the Moon Saw. I always love thinking about my friend Doña Epi chasing chickens from her adobe kitchen with a broom, and shouting, shraandaa pendejo! This is a mix of Spanish and Mazateco and means "Damn chickens!"


In Red Glass, you achieve what I thought was a perfect balance between the beauty and the ruthlessness of its impoverished Latin American setting. Was it challenge keeping your descriptions honest?

Thank you! What a great question. In the early stages of writing the book, I didn't even think twice about portraying Latin America with a mix of beauty, poverty, and brutality. This portrayal reflected what I'd witnessed in my time living and traveling in the region. The stories of the immigrants in Red Glass were inspired by my immigrant friends' own stories—the gang violence on the Guatemalan border, the political violence in Mayan regions of Guatemala in the eighties, the scary trial of crossing the Sonoran desert as an undocumented migrant.

Later, during the revision process, my mother (who'd spent time doing Habitat for Humanity in rural Guatemala) pointed out that readers unfamiliar with Guatemala might get the impression that the whole country is a dangerous place. As a result, I included some lines (from Rodrigo) about how more touristy areas like Antigua and the Mayan ruins are beautiful and safe. That got me thinking about my responsibilities as a writer for young people-- responsibilities I didn't give too much thought to before my books were published.

It wasn't until after Red Glass was published that my husband and I decided to adopt a baby from Guatemala. Now our son is three (and has been with us for over two years), and I do sometimes wonder what he'll think of Red Glass when he reads it in a decade. Now I have the new perspective of seeing the book from a mother's point of view, wondering how my Guatemalan-born son will respond to it. During our adoption training workshops, there was an emphasis on educating our children about their cultural roots. I think it's important to show my son the incredible beauty of the country where he was born, while being honest (when he's ready), about the history of violence there.


Is Pablo—Sophie's "Principito"—inspired by anyone in particular?

He's probably one of the only main characters in the story who wasn't initially inspired by a particular person. Although I know children who have illegally crossed the border at Pablo's age, thankfully none of them went through the tragedy of seeing their parents die on the journey. When I was living in Tucson, just an hour's drive from the border, I felt deeply affected whenever I read in the paper about migrants who died crossing the border… it was happening so close to my own back yard. Like Sophie, when I went on hikes in the desert (which can reach 115 degrees!), I thought of the migrants who might be crossing at that moment.

As far as details of Pablo's personality and appearance, I gathered ideas from a number of young Mexican friends whose lives have been impacted by immigration. Many of them haven't seen their fathers (and in some cases, mothers) for years, since they're working in the U.S. Although these children's parents are alive, they still have to deal with the deep sense of loss and sadness that comes with being separated from their parents for years on end.


Your book, The Indigo Notebook, takes place in the Ecuadorean Andes. Its sequel, The Ruby Notebook, takes place in France. How do you tackle researching an international setting, both from home and abroad?

The Notebooks series are my excuse to travel! They're all three set in places that I've felt a strong connection with, having lived or traveled there. For each book, I took one or two additional research trips there to gather ideas and write down setting details. For The Indigo Notebook, I stayed with friends in Ecuador who brought me to places and people of interest (sacred waterfalls, homes of Quichua families, a shaman…)

For The Ruby Notebook (set in Provence, France, where I spent my junior year abroad in a home stay), I stayed in Aix-en-Provence for a month with my son (then 18 months old) and my mom, who watched him while I was hanging out at cafés and wandering the streets doing very important research. ;)

The third book, The Jade Notebook, is set in Mazunte—a beach town in Oaxaca famous for its sea turtles (and my favorite vacation spot over the past 14 years). For this research, I took a solo trip last year, and am planning a second one this summer. (I've noticed that when I travel with Toddler, I'm mostly focused on him, and it's hard for me to get into research/writing mode… thus the solo trips. I'm hoping this will change when he's a couple years older!)

On all my research trips, I take tons of photos and notes, and then, back in my little trailer in my driveway, I peruse this material as I'm doing the rough draft of the manuscript. It's blissful to travel back to those places in my imagination…


Where are you traveling next? What's on your future travel wish list?

I hope to go to Mazunte, Oaxaca this summer to finish up The Jade Notebook research (I really want to witness the sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs at night!) This winter we're planning a family trip to Guatemala—probably to the Lago Atitlan area—a beautiful lake surrounded by Mayan villages. The following year, I want to go to southeast Asia—Bali, Laos, Thailand, Bhutan… I've been dying to go ever since I studied the cultures of these regions in my anthropology classes.


What are you working on right now?

I'm going over page proofs for The Ruby Notebook which comes out in September. I'm also about to go over copy-edits for The Queen of Water, a novel based on a true story, which I co-wrote with my good friend María Virginia Farinango, a Quichua woman from the Ecuadoran Andes who had an amazing and inspiring girlhood (available Spring 2011). I'm trying to find time to write The Jade Notebook… not an easy task!


What are some of your favorite writing tips for aspiring authors?

Let go of self-doubt. Love the process. Set small and large goals for yourself. Join a writers' group (who will hold you to those goals). Don’t be a perfectionist (well, not until the final stages of your manuscript). Make sure you're actually writing every day. Write about your work-in-progress in your journal as you're writing it. Make writing a priority—set aside regular time for it. Disconnect from the Internet during your writing time. Treat writing as a sacred and joyful act!

Thanks for a fantastic interview, Kirsten! It's been lovely!

And thank you, Laura!
Visit Laura's website at www.lauraresau.com.

Interview with Laura Resau, YA Author & World Traveler

As the countdown to the arrival of our eBook Overlords reaches its final days (I'm speaking, of course, of the release of the iPad next Saturday), it's refreshing to see publishers taking a new approach to the massive impending change in how the industry works.

Prepared by the UK branch of Dorling Kindersley Books and produced by Khaki Films, this video was originally intended for a sales conference, but went over so well they decided to share it with the public. Watch it all the way through – there's a twist. Brilliant stuff.

Video: The Future of Publishing

Field Trip Friday is a weekly trip around the field of YA with stops at the most helpful, interesting or otherwise entertaining news.

The Big News This Week?
Bologna Book Fair. In the words of author Melissa Marr, "It's the biggie for international sales in 'kidlit.'" Follow the #bbf10 hashtag to see what's hot. According to agent Ginger Clark, the big things this year appear to be dystopias and angels.



This Week In Writing

• Author Vee Roth has an interesting look at the use of flashbacks in your story.

• Editorial Anonymous on the importance of hook: "Let Them Eat Cake"

• Think you're no good? That might indicate you're awesome, according to Nathan Bransford. 

• Lots of talk about profanity in YA this week-- maybe everyone's reading the same %&^# book? Natalie Whipple has "Constant Cussing," Kirsten White is not a fan of the F-bomb, and Gayle Forman asks, "What the $%*?" 

• Our girl Kristin Jr. reminds us that a kiss is not just a kiss. 

• Janice Hardy has a series of world-building how-to posts with help for real and fantasy worlds. 

• Good starter list of basic editing tips from author Sylvia Rochester (via Dystel & Goderich).

• The Gatekeeper suggests you eat your words, kind of literally: "Count how many "she/he"s and protagonist names there are in your first page," then eat a mini-cupcake for each one and see how you feel about it. 

• What you meant really doesn't matter. Intentions and interpretations, from S. Jae-Jones.

• Author Rachelle Alpine reminds us how books can be a lifeline to confused kids.

Delicious cake pictures courtesy of the multi-talented Kristin D. Miller




This Week In Reading

Download Melissa Marr's exclusive e-book original sequel to INK EXCHANGE and
the book that started the series, WICKED LOVELY.






This Week In Getting Published 

• OPWFT has a hilarious series of "query blunders" with real life examples from agents Suzie Townsend, Kathleen Ortiz, Laura Bradford, Jennifer Laughran and Lauren MacLeod. 

• Author and intern Weronika Janczuk has a dummy-proof post on how to format an e-query and pages. 

• How long is this whole "getting published" thing going to take? Agent Rachelle Gardner says, "It depends." 

• Author Lisa Desrochers explains foreign rights. 

• Author Doyce Testerman, husband of agent Kate Testerman, crunches the numbers on how much reading an agent does. The short answer:
  
  
  

  "Now we’re up to 1200 pages of reading. That’s the full Lord of the Rings trilogy, including the introductions from every published edition since 1954, the Prologue, “a note on Shire reckoning”, Appendices A, B, C, D, and E, the Quenya alphabet and pronunciation guide, and the Index. Every week."

This Week In Contests

In case you haven't noticed, we kind of adore agents Kathleen Ortiz and Suzie Townsend around here.  Run over and enter their current contest, and win an 8 minute Skype chat with them!

This Week In Other Stuff

• Great article at The Globe and Mail: "Quit It With the Teen Trashing." (via author Courtney Summers)

And finally...
Because my job around here is to bring the random:

Did you see our zombie vlog?

 
These all came from cheeseburger.com

Field Trip Friday: March 26

Last weekend, Kristin and I took a little horse and carriage ride down to the University Bookstore in Seattle, where it just so happens Carrie Ryan was signing copies of her latest zombie masterpiece, The Dead-Tossed Waves.

Mayhem may or may not ensue.

*I cannot claim myself witty enough to come up with this title. It was on a Dead-Tossed Waves bookmark.

Eat, Prey, Love*

Welcome to our 22nd Road Trip Wednesday! 

Road Trip Wednesday #22: Whose Career Would You Like To Have?

16-year-old YA Highway contributor Emilia Plater is currently working on revisions for her novel, which features a Scarface. For more about Emilia, visit our Who We Are page or stop by her blog.

The Five Protagonists You Meet in YA

I recently got the opportunity to interview James Dashner, the author of the thrilling YA THE MAZE RUNNER, which I devoured in one sitting despite all the homework due the next day. Thanks for taking the time to talk with me, James!


KB: Describe your newest novel, THE MAZE RUNNER, in twenty words or less.

JD: A dystopian tale about teens in an experiment that has a much bigger scope than they realize.


KB: You are the author of several series for tweens and teens, including The 13TH REALITY and THE MAZE RUNNER series. Is it difficult to juggle so many characters and plots? How do you keep yourself organized when writing on two series at once?

JD: I can't work on both series at once or it gets way too confusing. So it's usually months at a time on one or the other. And I don't really have a method of organization - I just try to keep it straight in my head. I know, scary!


KB: What was it like to transition from the 13TH REALITY series, which is fantasy, and THE MAZE RUNNER, which has more elements of science fiction/ dystopian?

JD: I loved the transition, because it keeps things fresh to have two completely different stories.


KB: World-building plays such a huge role in all your books. What is your process for creating the worlds in which your characters live?

JD: I usually let my brain spend a little time coming up with the base elements, but then I let the world build itself as I write. It's a lot of fun to do that!


KB: I get goosebumps every time I see the book trailer for THE MAZE RUNNER, and the websites for both series are beautiful. You've obviously done a great job with promoting your novels. What advice would you give to authors who are just starting out and want to start marketing their books?

JD: End up with Random House! Haha. I've been very lucky with some of the things they're doing for TMR, but I've also had a lot of experience being with a smaller publisher. My best advice is to do school visits associated with book signings nearby. By far the best way to sell books, and you're hopefully inspiring kids at the same time!



KB: THE MAZE RUNNER, in some ways, reminded me of THE LORD OF THE FLIES. What was the inspiration behind the society that the boys created for themselves in your novel?

JD: Oh, TMR is definitely inspired by Lord of the Flies, as well as Ender's Game. Very much so. I think the most specific thing I did in building the community is that I wanted them to react differently from the kids in LOTF. Instead of degenerating into animals, I wanted them to become more organized, more lawful, more determined, never losing hope. I hope that's really how humans would react.


KB: Can you describe the moment you were told that your first novel had sold?

JD: Such elation that I didn't know how to react. I had to tell my agent later that I really WAS excited, just stunned silent when he told me. The cool thing is that I was with my family and my mom, who had just flown in to visit.


KB: Do you have any rituals when you write (i.e. eating a handful of M&Ms every hour, loud background music)?

JD: My favorite place to write is at a bookstore cafe, and I love to listen to movie soundtracks. Some of my favorites: Lord of the Rings, Braveheart, Dances with Wolves, Last of the Mohicans, Aliens.


KB: In your opinion, what are the three most important ingredients to a dystopian YA novel?

JD: Dark, scary world, people who still seem real, and solid reasons behind any tyranny, agression, or anything else. People are not usually evil just to be evil.


KB: Lastly, what advice would you give to aspiring writers out there?

JD: Writer's conferences. Go to as many as you can. Almost every author I know made some kind of connection at a conference, not to mention all the invaluable things you learn to improve your craft.



Thanks again for chatting with YA Highway, James!

And if you haven't seen the creepy-awesome trailer for THE MAZE RUNNER, check it out now:

Interview with James Dashner

Character description is one of those things that comes easy to some writers. To other writers, it's… awkward, to say the least. If you underdescribe, we have trouble visualizing characters. But if you overdescribe, you're taking away our chance to imagine.

The golden spot is somewhere between. A few details to lay the framework, and the space for us to imagine the rest. But how? Where? And how much do we include?

Let's start with your main character, specifically in first-person. Characters mentally describing themselves is a tough feat to pull off, because it's hard to make it seem natural. We rarely do it in the real world, unless we're looking in the mirror, and that's a device writers should mostly steer clear of because it's so overdone.

But if you think about it, there are other moments when we're physically self-aware. When we're trying on clothes. When our best friend rocks a hairstyle we'd never have the courage to attempt. When we're thinking about how we've changed, or how we want to be, or what we hate about ourselves, or what we love. When we're comparing ourselves to someone else.

Early in my YA novel, Like Mandarin, Grace can't help but compare herself to her pageant-perfect little sister.

As a child, I'd resembled Taffeta, even though we were just half-sisters. But whatever in me had appealed to pageant judges had long since vanished. My childhood softness had become a skinny awkwardness, as if my fourteen-year-old self had been nailed together from colt legs and collarbones. My hair was the yellowy tan of oak furniture. I french-braided it every morning to ward off the wind, but pieces always broke free and whipped my face like Medusa coils.

Grace briefly reflects on her own appearance a few more times in the book, usually in reference to wild girl Mandarin Ramey, whom she idolizes. I tried to embed her descriptions in a way that flowed naturally with her thoughts.

Describing other characters through the point of view of our MC easier, especially when our MC is meeting them for the first time. It's a bit more tricky with people our MC knows. We don't mentally describe our best friend who we see every day, every time we see her. But here's a way to think of it: a first-person narrative is a story. Our narrator is narrating it for a reason. And that's why as readers, we forgive a little extra detail to help introduce us to a story universe, as long as it's interwoven and not overdone – or done in a clunky way.

Sometimes writers try to inject physical details in ways they think are subtle, but actually stand out even more. I adore Judy Blume, but there's a line in Just as Long as We're Together that killed me, even as a kid—in which Rachel leans over Stephanie, and "as she did, her hair, which is reddish-brown and curly, brushed against my arm."* It's an example of the man behind the curtain showing himself, so to speak. Any time we can see what the writer's doing, it jars us out of the universe.

Often, character description feels more acceptable when it's not "hidden". Here's another example from Like Mandarin, when Grace runs into Mandarin at the bathroom sink.

I saw her in fragments, like close-up snapshots. Her kohl-smudged hazel eyes. Her angular cheekbones—everybody said her mother was part Shoshone. Her black hair, streaked with damp ridges and valleys from the comb of her wet fingers. The uneven hem of her white sweater. Jeans worn low on her hips. As she arched forward to shut off the faucet, the dip of her spine in the apricot-colored skin of her back.

Grace knows what Mandarin looks like. But in this instance, she's faced with her unexpectedly, and is accosted by the sudden nearness of her. It's only natural that she takes into account Mandarin's appearance. And as the author, I constructed this scene so it's the first time we see Mandarin ourselves – a vision I wanted to be unforgettable.

On that note, I'm reminded of a show I watched years back, about how films often introduce important characters in memorable ways. The example I remember best is the first time we see Danny Zuko in Grease— he turns around, cigarette** dangling, greased into perfection. He makes an indelible entrance. And our characters can do the same.

Not all of them, however. Not every time. Too many details about too many characters overloads our attention span. We don't need to know everyone's eye color, although hair color or type and physical build is a little more distinguishing. As I said earlier, it's a balancing act. Placing emphasis in the right places. Weaving it in naturally. Underscoring what's important, and allowing what's unimportant to fade.

I especially like to find something unique about my characters. Something quirky. Because everyone has a certain something about them, and that’s often what we notice. Hands that flail like dizzy birds. Heavy-lidded bedroom eyes. Skin so pale you can see threads of blue veins. Sloped shoulders and a ten-o-clock shadow that seems to sprout moments after he shaves. We are all unique people, and your characters should be, too.

Of course, this takes balance as well! If all of your characters are overly quirky, you start flirting with absurdity. Unless that's the kind of book you're writing.

Do you have any favorite lines of character description, either in your own WIPs or in books you've read? Do you have any pet peeves when it comes to describing characters? Share in the comments!

~Kirsten Hubbard

*not an exact quote
** DON'T SMOKE

Character Description: The Art of Just Enough

Thanks to everyone who entered our Thirteen Days to Midnight ARC giveaway! The winner of Carman's debut YA is . . .

Winner: Thirteen Days to Midnight

 
 Field Trip Friday is a weekly trip around the field of YA with stops at the most helpful, interesting or otherwise entertaining news.

Someone asked me the other day why the Field Trip Friday posts show up on Thursday. The answer is time zones. Mine's US Central. What's yours?




This Week In Writing

• How do you know when it's good enough? Author Lilith Saintcrow answers: "I Never Know."
  
  
• The Intern has a list of "The Ten Best Things You Can Do For Your Manuscript."
  
  
• "Action does not automatically equal compelling and interesting." Advice and debate about story openings, from Jane Friedman at There Are No Rules.
  
  
• Author Maggie Stiefvater says "Be a writer. But be something else too."
  
  
• Author Cory Jackson has been hosting a blog series called "How Writers Do It." Eight writers, including yours truly and lovely Leila Austin, address writing-related questions from our own points of view as well as that of a well-known writing guide. It's been fascinating-- we've covered the definition of art, getting in the zone and developing characters so far. Check it out and win the writing guide of your choice!

This Week In Reading

• Captain Underpants is back!

This Week In Getting Published

• Author Tahareh "I am mysterious and have no last name" has an OBSCENELY IMPORTANT MEMO about agents for you.
  
  
• Agent Nathan Bransford (*insert reverential chorus*) has some query advice: Specificity = good. He also has an idiot proof "how to format your query" post.
  
  
• The gatekeeper suggests a strategy for querying to maximize your chances.
  
  
• Rachelle Gardner (*bring back reverential chorus*) is critiquing queries on Wednesdays and sometimes Thursdays for the next few weeks.
  
  
• Elana Roth suggests that authors who receive an offer of representation should notify all agents they've queried, whether they've heard back from them or not. Lots of interesting conversation on Twitter ensued.
  
  
• Should you send a thank you for a rejection? Agent Jessica Faust says maybe.
  
  
• The Rejectionist has "5 Traits to Bag A Boyfriend Agent"-- query advice Cosmo style.
  
  
• Agent Jenny Bent posted a list of rookie mistakes.
  
  

• I don't think a week goes by without me linking Elana Johnson or Suzette Saxton, and this week I'm linking them both: "Write Your Query In *gasp* First Person! (and then change it back.)"
  
  
• An #askagent session went on last night-- you can read it here.

This Week In Contests
The contest is over but this post at The Rejectionist has officially pushed his/her blog to the very top of my favorites list with no chance of ever being toppled, EVER. Excellent! Game on!








This Week in Fabulous Other Stuff

• In an epic fail, I neglected to mention that one of our own, the fabulous Lee Bross, signed with fabulous new agent Mandy Hubbard a few weeks ago!
  
  
• Another one of our own, the fabulous Michelle Schusterman, signed this week with fabulous agent Sarah Davies!
   

• Also newly agented: The fabulous Vee Roth, who signed with the fabulous Joanna Stampfel-Volpe-- who also reps the fabulous Kody Keplinger, who revealed the cover of her ARC this week!
  
  
• Happy birthday to our fabulous Kristin Briana Otts, who officially graduates from "teen contributor" to "contributor"-- which means she gets... um... exactly the same dose of daily YA Highway crazy she's getting now.  :)

And finally...
Via the fabulous Kathleen Ortiz: "How Twilight Should Have Ended"

And in case you haven't seen it, Eclipse trailer < Eclipse sneak peak.

~Kate Hart

Field Trip Friday: March 19

YA Highway teen contributor Kody Keplinger's debut, THE DUFF, will be published by Little, Brown/Poppy in September 2010. For more about Kody, visit our Who We Are page.

Here at YA Highway we are HUGE fans of Miss Kathleen Ortiz, junior agent at Lowenstein Associates. Not only is she fun and young and hip, but she actually agreed to talk to us on video when we did our Pub Tips Vlog. Lucky for you, Kathleen agreed to talk to Kody Keplinger again, as long as no cameras were involved this time. She was kind enough to answer a few questions, and she didn’t hold back at all!

KODY: Thanks for joining us, Kathleen! So, first off, why did you decide to become an agent?

KATHLEEN: In the words of my best friend, “You’re a reading and editing nerd.”

The truth: I love slush. Let me tell you how many jaws drop when I say that, lol. Most editors and scouts sit back and say, “God bless you.” I just really enjoy reading what writers have produced, picking out the ones I fall in love with, and helping them shape and mold it into something that can be great. I enjoy working with my clients, talking them off the ledge when they’re in the middle of revisions or receive a rejection, and cheering them on when we get positive feedback.


KODY: Oh my God, I love slush too! As an aspiring agent myself, I have to know, how did you get into agenting? (School, internships, etc)

KATHLEEN: I was the one who knew exactly what she would do with her life since age four. I was going to be a veterinarian and work with marine mammals. ::strikes superman pose:: I worked at a veterinary clinic for six years (through college), moved up from secretary to assistant nurse to surgery nurse, attended a special high school magnet program for pre-veterinary students, took pre-veterinary courses at the local college while I was a senior in high school and skipped off to college to work toward my pre-veterinary B.S. I even volunteered regularly for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida in their food prep, sea turtle show (I was the girl who stood in the tank giving facts to the audience) and even got to work with an adorable dolphin named Nicholas.

I was convinced that was my track (did I mention since age four?) and did everything to gain experience. Then I had the most amazing composition teacher freshman year of college who flat out told me, “If you don’t go into some field of publishing, it’ll be a waste of talent.” I had always loved reading (I was the kid who always had a book in my purse) and editing (friends put up with a lot of my spelling corrections senior year), so I took some English electives, hated them (that whole poetry/classics thing? Not really for me) and thought she was crazy. She sent me to the journalism building to prove me wrong. I talked to the dean, signed up for some magazine/newspaper publishing electives and poof! I was in love.

Just like with veterinary medicine, I wanted to gain experience in publishing. In four years I worked (simultaneously, for the most part) as an online editor for UWirePr.com’s arts/entertainment section (claim to fame: I interviewed Joss Whedon ::first pump::), an editorial assistant in charge of the teen section of Ballinger Publishing, a tutor (and co-creator of the online portion) for our university’s writing lab, a writer for Get ‘Em Magazine, a resume/cover letter critiquer, and a writer for our university’s paper.

After that I moved back to my hometown, got my own place and started teaching. I knew I wanted to work in publishing, but I really wanted to take a few more classes on interactive media design before I broke into the book publishing industry. I had the most amazing mentors in college who told me flat out “in five years you’re going to be grateful you did this. You won’t have the time if you work now in the business so take a year or two, brush up on your interactive and online skills and then go for it.”

Best. Advice. Ever.

I taught high school for a couple of years (English, Web Design, Yearbook, TV Production, list goes on), LOVED my students, but had to keep true to my goal.

Applied for grad school and 30-some internships. I landed two internships with the amazing Caren Johnson Literary Agency and Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation. Moved to NYC, worked my butt off at the internships and prepared for the new semester. Applied for a lot of jobs and was called in for three interviews. Got the job with Lowenstein Associates and am now Foreign Rights Manager and Associate Agent.

I think the most fascinating part, to me at least, is that every single job I had since high school has helped lead me to where I am today. Even working at a veterinary clinic helped, because I used to be an incredibly shy person and it forced me to interact with a variety of people on a daily basis. Agenting is a lot easier when you’re not shy :)

My parents always told me that if you find something you love to do, you’ll never work a day in your life. While veterinary medicine was something I’d wanted to do since I was four, and even though I loved working with animals (and still do – friends and family still call for medical advice), I just couldn’t see myself doing it forever. It was more of a chore, and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Working in publishing is just amazing for me. I love what I do, and while it has its up’s and down’s like every other job, I can honestly say I can’t see myself working outside of this industry.


KODY: Wow, that is a great story! So, I’m curious, what are you looking for right now as far as manuscripts go?

KATHLEEN: I’m currently building my client list and am looking for chapter books, middle grade, and young adult – both fiction and non-fiction.

I’m open to all types, from dark and ‘edgy’ (sorry Kirsten) to light and funny. What would I love to find? If a well-written romance with the male point of view and a great voice fell into my lap, I think I’d record a YouTube video of my very embarrassing happy dance. I’d also love to find both a creepy YA thriller that makes me not want to sleep when I’m done (then I know you’ve done your job as a writer) and a steampunk with fantastic world building. As far as chapter books/middle grade goes, I’m all about finding the next RAMONA or MANIAC MAGEE.


KODY: I know you also work in foreign rights. Can you talk a little bit about what you do in that field?

KATHLEEN: If I wrote everything involved with foreign rights, it’d be about 10 pages long, lol. I’ll give it in a nutshell, though. I’ll use this fake book title: DA BEST BOOK by Stu Dent

So I sell DA BEST BOOK to Awesome Publisher. Once it’s sold, if the agency has kept the foreign rights (not all do), I draw up a little packet with the book description, author bio, publisher info, anticipated pub season, etc and contact both scouts and our foreign agents (I’ll be doing a post next week on who they are). If it’s non-fiction, I do mad research to see which countries the book will appeal to and throw in a few personalized facts and figures for that country. For example, a book on Civil War history? Most likely no one outside the US is going to care. A book on wars throughout history? Definitely target those countries involved. Then I pass on the electronic manuscript to whoever requests it.

The trick is staying organized and following up on everyone you send the information to. If you don’t hear back, you nudge them; if they want ARCs and promotional pieces before deciding, you make a note to send that once it comes in; if they want to make an offer, you research what former offers were like and counter with a request for a better offer; etc.

It’s an interesting process and definitely requires a LOT of organization on the foreign rights person’s part. But I really enjoy it, because I like seeing what sells in other countries, and I like promoting our agency’s clients.


KODY: Wow! I didn’t know a lot of that! So cool! Now, we can all benefit from the next question. From an agent’s perspective, what is the biggest mistake a writer (agented or unagented) can make?

KATHLEEN: I think there are two things a writer can do as a disservice to themselves, regardless if they are agented or not agented:

1. Like Laura Whitaker said in the YA Highway video, you are your biggest advocate. If you’re not willing to do the research, to do the work (both fun and tedious), or consider constructive criticism, you’re doing yourself a great disservice. I hear of a lot of writers who think once you’re agented, then you’re set to go. Getting an agent is just the first step (ok – second. Completing you manuscript is the first step). You still have revisions and edits and advice and waiting while you’re looking for a publisher. Never stop believing in your manuscript and never stop working to make it the best possible work you can produce.

2. Don’t burn your bridges. Just like agents rant about writers on Twitter and blogs, I totally understand if writers want to do the same. The difference? A) most agents don’t give too many specifics – we gripe about general things we see. B) we do it to both gripe and educate other writers on how not to query. The only education one gets from reading a Tweet or blog post saying “Agent Y is a friggin ass because they had such a short form rejection” is that you are bitter. Agents get rejected too (it sucks when editors reject our clients’ manuscripts), but we don’t throw up Tweets and blogs that say “Editor X can kiss my happy ---.” It’s unprofessional and we don’t want to burn our bridges. Besides, they’re our colleagues and we too learn from their feedback and know that every editor has different tastes.


KODY: Great advice! Okay, so you’re pretty active on social networks like Twitter. What are the advantages of social media?

KATHLEEN: I think, for a writer, social media is a huge advantage. Too many writers focus on “must build my audience!”, which is important but not necessarily the first thing you should go for – especially if you haven’t landed an agent or sold your book, yet. Social media is great for networking with others who are in the same boat you are and also who can become a support system for you. Groups like the Tenners and YA Highway can be excellent gateways into networking with other people who are also pursuing their writing careers.


KODY: Do you have any advice for writers using social media? (Where to draw the line, etc)

KATHLEEN: If you find your normal writing process interrupted by the need to Tweet, blog, or Google random, non-writing related things, then either give your Ethernet cord to someone to hide (if it’s a desktop) or ask someone to lock the wifi function on your laptop. It’s good to network and connect, but if it affects your job (writing), then it’s doing you a disservice. Reading all the blogs and Tweets in the world on how to get published won’t help you if you’re not actually writing something to publish.


KODY: Ugh. I think we all struggle with distractions. Now, backing up a bit, when it comes to queries, what kinds of things are insta-rejections?

KATHLEEN: Three major things:

• You don’t follow submission guidelines: if you e-mail me a query instead of filling out that form we require, you’re getting deleted. I get at least five a day, and it just makes me shake my head because there isn’t a web site out there that says “e-mail me your query!” (and if you find one, let me know).

• You query me with a genre I don’t represent: it really amazes me how many screenplay and picture book queries I get. I don’t represent either of those and I’m not looking for either of them. Do you want an agent to take on your work if they’re not only not passionate about your genre but also completely out of the loop on the world of your genre? If an agent says “middle grade, only,” then it means their connections are in that age range only. They probably don’t have editor contacts or know what the market is for your non-fiction historical proposal. Go for agents who represent what you write – you want them to not only like it but also be up-to-date on what’s going on.

• Calling me “sir.” Last I checked, I’m female. I’m quite VERY certain there’s no question to that. If the fact that “Kathleen” is a female name doesn’t tip you off, at least do your research. Check out my blog, Twitter, Publisher’s Marketplace page or agency’s web site. All pronouns about me are “she.”

Seriously, though, while I know the “Dear Sir” isn’t meant as an insult, it’s a red flag you were too lazy to type in my first or last name. I’m not looking for lazy clients. I want hard-working, I’m-gonna-do-my-research, passionate clients who want to reach their publishing goals. If you’re not willing to start at the query stage, then I’m not the agent for you.


KODY: To follow up that question, what kinds of things really catch your eye?

KATHLEEN: A great hook. Even if the rest of the query isn’t as stellar as it should be, if you have a great hook, I’m requesting pages. I totally get that some people just have issues with queries and that’s ok with me. But you have to grab me somehow.

I’m also a big fan of personalization. A lot of agents don’t care how you say you found them, but I like when writers put a little effort. It cracks me up when they say “I see your web site states that you’ve represented dozens of writers in sci-fi.” ::pauses to check web site:: Um, yea. Doesn’t say we take sci-fi and I’m not really on the web site (yet – stay tuned for my page to be revealed). So while I don’t need a dissertation on how you found me, it’s also nice when it shows you aren’t just making stuff up either. :


KODY: Good to know! Okay, so as an agent, I’m sure you are also an avid reader. Who are some of your favorite YA authors at the moment?

I’m a really big Holly Black, Neil Gaiman and Melissa Marr fan. Their world building and intricate plots are just completely intriguing and make me want to keep reading. I also enjoy Claudia Gray, Justine Larbalestier, Pam Bachorz, Libba Bray, Simone Elkeles, Maureen Johnson, Suzanne Collins, Kody Keplinger (*ahem* I had the pleasure of reading the DUFF and will most certainly purchase a copy – no lie: pre-order yours NOW. You WON’T be sorry), the list goes on and on. Kickin’ it old school? Philip Pullman and L.J. Smith (specifically THE FORBIDDEN GAME trilogy).


KODY: *blushes* Aw, Kathleen! Guys, I swear I did NOT make her say that! Okay, is there any other advice you would like to give to writers at any stage of the game?

KATHLEEN: If this is what you want, don’t stop practicing your craft and gaining experience. Conferences, critique groups, even Twitter chats like #kidtlitchat and #yalitchat can be SO much help when you’re starting out. Use all the tools available to you to help improve your craft.

Thank you so much for joining us, Kathleen! We always love hearing from you!

Everyone, keep an eye on this agent. She is going to rock the publishing world, I assure you. Make sure to subscribe to her helpful agenting blog, Neverending Page Turner.

Interview with Kathleen Ortiz, Literary Agent

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

We'd love for you to participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link in the comments -- or since this week's topic is a short one, you can include your answer in the comments.





(again, we apologize )



Next week's topic: What author's career would you love to emulate?

Road Trip Wednesday #21: Limericks!

If you've never read Patrick Carman, you're missing out. A writer of chapter books and middle grade stories and series (39 Clues, The Land of Elyon Series, the multimedia Skeleton Creeks books, plus others), Carman enters the world of Young Adult with his book, Thirteen Days To Midnight. I've been a fan of Carman's for a few years now, ever since I picked up The Dark Hills Divide (the first book in The Land of Elyon series), and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this newest project. Thirteen Days to Midnight sounded so good and I wasn't disappointed.

From the Back Copy: You are indestructible. These words transfer an astonishing power to Jacob Fielding, changing everything. There's something addictive about testing the limits of fear, experiencing the thrill of walking through fire, or saving your friend from a beating in front of the whole school.

Then Ophelia James, the beautiful and daring new girl in town, suggests they use the power to do good, to save other at risk of death. But with every heroic act, the power grows into the specter of a curse. How to decide who lives and who dies? And why does darkness seem to be chasing them? Jacob has only thirteen days to figure out how to harness a power that even the world's greatest escape artist could not outrun . . . and the answer is chilling: What if he has to kill the one he loves to save her?

In this nail-biting novel of mystery and dark intrigue, Jacob must walk the razor-thin line between right and wrong, good and evil, and life and death. And time is running out.

Just that back copy had me excited about this book, and then, as I was reading, I got this fantastic Spiderman vibe - the superhero unable to save everyone and guilty because of it - and I was hooked. I love books that blend action and fun with a deeper, meaningful look at what it means to have power. And in this case, with Jacob beginning his tale asking you what kind of superpower you'd want, hinting that there are all kinds of superpowers better than his,  you know there's something special - and dark - about his ability.

Jacob's ability . . . it's unique. But there's so much potential for good. His best friend Milo (awesome character - one of my favorite sidekicks in a long time) and new-to-town flame Ophelia help Jacob uncover the secrets and the possibilities behind Jacob's power. Their testing is both humorous and gruesome, but they learn a lot. Unfortunately, it's not enough.

Because Jacob's power, while potentially able to save lives, is also destroying one. And it's the last person Jacob wants to see hurt.

The premise is fascinating; Carman's writing is engaging and full of tension. Add to that a cast of hilarious and thoughful priests at a private Catholic school; a basement full of macabre devices at Coffin Books; a mystery involving a key and a secret, coastal location; a handful of obnoxious bullies; and a stream of dangerous events and you have the makings for a brilliantly successful first YA novel.

If you love action, adventure, superhero anything, romance, mystery and entangling systems of power, you'll love Thirteen Days To Midnight. And even if you don't pick up adventurous tales very often, you're going to like this one.

Visit Patrick Carman's awesome and feature-filled website at http://www.patrickcarman.com/ and definitely visit http://www.13dtm.com/ to learn more about Jacob's story. It's a really great site - you won't be disappointed.

And, if you're a follower of this blog, you might get an advance copy of your own to savor before Thirteen Days to Midnight even hits the shelves in April! I'm giving away my own ARC of Thirteen Days To Midnight to one lucky reader in The Easiest Contest Ever! You don't need to tweet or blog or get a friend to join - nothing like that. How to enter? Simply be (or become) a follower of YA Highway and leave a comment on this post. That's it! One entry for each person, everyone with the same chance to win. So what are you waiting for? You  only have until Friday, March 19th to enter. Leave your comment already!

Patrick Carman's Thirteen Days To Midnight (And the Easiest Contest Ever!)

• Alan Rinzler suggests keeping a "voice journal" for your characters.

• Author Brian Hodge has some serious motivation for you in his "Leave It All On The Page" post.

• The words your characters use say a lot about their personalities. Case in point: "Boobs," by sister writing team Lisa and Laura Roecker. 

• Author Janice Hardy got a lot of love in this week's Road Trip Wednesday, and rightly so: Check out this post about creating a story bible to help you with revisions.  

• Author Stephanie Perkins posted this long but amazing video of author Elizabeth Gilbert discussing genius, muses and the writing process. 

• "YA is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise bleak publishing market," says the L.A. Times.

• Moonrat wants to know how you like your female YA protagonists: "...one with a really positive self-image ...or one with a flawed self-image?" 

• The HuffPo discusses "Tackling Terrorism in Teen Lit" (via @PWKidsBookshelf)
  
  
• This post melts my face off: Author Chérie l'Ecrivain guest posts at The Rejectionist with a metal look at ending your book.

• That color green is so unattractive on you: Writer Carol Grannick has ways to deal with jealousy.
  
  
• Having trouble summarizing your novel for a pitch? Check out the best movie taglines of the past 30 years for inspiration.
  
  
• Last week was "slush week" on the Dystel & Goderich blog: They critiqued real queries in several genres, including YA.
  
  

• Elana Johnson suggests we drop the term "dream agent"-- at least during the query process. 
  
  
• Agent Kathleen Ortiz has a "Query Etiquette" post comparing queries to regular resume cover letters. 
  
  
• Some sobering agency query math at Red Sofa Literary.
  
  
• YA author-focused post about effectively using social media to grow your audience, at wow-women on writing.
  
  

• Hilarious "one act play" combining the query process with the Beatles over at a blog with an awesome name: Debauched Sloth. Seriously, how much more awesome could go in that sentence? (Thanks to @sarahlapolla for the link.)

• My girl Deb is now officially agented! Congrats lovely!
  
  
• An awesome video that's been all over the YA community: The making of the cover for Blameless by Gail Carriger-- "How To Design A Cover In 1 Minute 55 Seconds"
  

Field Trip Friday: March 12