Blog Posts

Celebrate the Small Things

7/15/2016

By Yvonne Ventresca

I recently joined the "Celebrate the Small Things" Blog Hop, so this is my first celebration post. I usually do a "Friday Five," so to combine them both this week, I'll share five small things I'm celebrating.

My phone pictures don't usually capture the moment like this!

1. Sunsets.
This is one of my favorite photos from the summer. I love the clouds reflected in the water.

2. Informative websites. This one, about book festivals, has a calendar of festival information that both readers and writers can use.

3. Blurbs. In case you're not familiar with blurbs, they are quotes from other authors who have read an advanced copy of a book. Here is a blurb from author April Henry for my upcoming YA novel, Black Flowers, White Lies.

Photo by Scott Liddell at Morguefile.com.

4. Cute animal photos. Enough said.

Photo by deemac1 at Morguefile.com.

5. Blog hops! I'm looking forward to reading other people's small celebrations. What's made *you* happy this week?

Writing Inspiration

7/8/2016

By Yvonne Ventresca

One aspect of writing that people often ask about is inspiration. Since Pandemic was officially released as a paperback this month (hooray!), I'm revisiting that question.

Pandemic's Inspiration

I had many sources of inspiration for Pandemic, including:

The Spanish Flu of 1918
My own fears and worries
An overactive imagination regarding those fears and worries
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
The Swine Flu of 2009
Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Anne Porter
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
A morbid fascination with emerging infectious diseases

An anecdote: At one point during the Swine Flu (H1N1) pandemic in 2009, the vaccine became available in my suburban town. Public health officers organized its free distribution at the local middle school after school hours. They were only vaccinating the children, if I remember correctly, and not the parents. The line extended for blocks. I waited with a mom who had a son the same age as mine. The boys ran off to play nearby while we chatted.

At first, it was a relatively pleasant afternoon. But at some point, they announced that there wasn't enough vaccine for all of the children waiting. Kids with asthma (or other health conditions that would make the flu more dangerous) were to be vaccinated first, and the families at the end of the line were told that they should go home.

Well.

Hell hath no fury like a woman protecting her young. The whole mood of the crowd changed. I had gotten there absurdly early (if you know me, you're not at all surprised by this) and we were within the cutoff to receive the vaccine. I watched as unhappy parents verbally accosted the public health officials who stood outside, trying to keep order. It was definitely chaotic. And--keep in mind--the swine flu, although highly contagious, was not any more deadly than regular seasonal influenza.

Later on, I couldn’t help thinking. What if? What if it was highly contagious and lethal? How would people act then? The fear and the emotion would be that much higher. What struggles would people face to survive?

There are no lines of people waiting for the vaccine in Pandemic; it’s too early in the disease timeline to have one available. But the Swine Flu pandemic was certainly a source of inspiration.

Creative Inspiration for You

In the 2013 A to Z Blogging Challenge, I blogged about writing inspiration with twenty-six posts corresponding to the letters A to Z. All my alphabetic posts are linked together on a Writing Inspiration Pinterest Board, but I’m listing a few here individually in case you’re in need of creative inspiration.

B is for Butt in Chair, J is for Jealousy, K is for King, Q is for Quotations, R is for Routine, X is for Xenocryst, Z is for Zig Ziglar

Writers: What inspires you to write? Is the news a source of story ideas?
Readers: Do you like books that relate to the news or current events?

Why Pintip Dunn Writes Books On Her Cell Phone

7/1/2016

Happy Book Birthday to Pintip Dunn's The Darkest Lie! To celebrate, here's a guest post from Pintip.

Why I Write All My Books On My Cell Phone by Pintip Dunn

My junior year of college, my hands froze. Not good-God-the-library-is-cold froze. Not even I-have-no-idea-what-to-write-next froze. I mean, my hands physically froze, as in the muscles from my neck to my shoulders to my elbows to my forearms locked up, so that I couldn't move them. And they stayed that way for a week. I couldn't brush my hair. I couldn't bring a fork to my mouth. All I could do was lie in bed, terrified that my life was never going to be the same again.

It wasn't. And a part of me couldn't be more grateful.

Oh, I don't mean the physical stuff. I wouldn't wish that on anybody. I was eventually diagnosed with fibromyalgia/RSI. I got through college and law school by hiring a typist and taking my exams -- even the bar exam -- orally. To this day, I can't type on a keyboard or lift heavy things without considerable pain. During flare-ups, the pain is so unbearable, I want to curl into a fetal position and scream.

This disability, however, led me to my true calling. There was enormous pressure on me to have a secure and lucrative career, and I became a litigation attorney at a corporate law firm. I was good at it. I was also miserable, but no matter. I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

And then, I had a flare-up. This one landed me flat on my back for six months. In the midst of this suffering, I had an epiphany. My body wasn’t punishing me. It was talking to me, in a way I couldn't ignore. It was telling me: Get off of this path. This isn’t what you’re supposed to be doing.

I've wanted to be an author since I was six years old -- but I put that dream aside because it was too frivolous, too impractical. I focused on other pursuits because I wasn't going to succeed as a writer, anyway.

I think the voice inside me was sick of being ignored. It had to speak louder and louder, in the only way it knew how, until I finally listened. Until I finally understood that I had no choice but to pursue my dream.

Once I had this realization, I left the legal profession and never looked back.

I still can't type. But I can tap on my cell phone if it's locked in portrait position. I've written my last six books this way, and I hope to write many more.

So, thank you, body, for talking to me. I'm so glad I listened.

ABOUT THE DARKEST LIE:

“The mother I knew would never do those things.
But maybe I never knew her after all.”

Clothes, jokes, coded messages…Cecilia Brooks and her mom shared everything. At least, CeCe thought they did. Six months ago, her mom killed herself after accusations of having sex with a student, and CeCe’s been the subject of whispers and taunts ever since. Now, at the start of her high school senior year, between dealing with her grieving, distracted father, and the social nightmare that has become her life, CeCe just wants to fly under the radar. Instead, she’s volunteering at the school’s crisis hotline--the same place her mother worked.

As she counsels troubled strangers, CeCe’s lingering suspicions about her mom’s death surface. With the help of Sam, a new student and newspaper intern, she starts to piece together fragmented clues that point to a twisted secret at the heart of her community. Soon, finding the truth isn’t just a matter of restoring her mother’s reputation, it’s about saving lives--including CeCe’s own…

THE DARKEST LIE: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Giveaway

There are 2 prizes! One winner will win a signed copy of THE DARKEST LIE (US only), and another winner will receive a $50 gift card to Amazon or Book Depository (international)! Click here for the giveaway.

ABOUT PINTIP DUNN: Pintip Dunn graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. She also published an article in the YALE LAW JOURNAL, entitled, “How Judges Overrule: Speech Act Theory and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis.”

Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. Her debut novel, FORGET TOMORROW, is a finalist in the Best First Book category of RWA’s RITA® contest. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, YARWA, and The Golden Network.

She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. You can learn more about Pintip and her books at www.pintipdunn.com.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Summer Reading and a Giveaway

6/24/2016

By Yvonne Ventresca

I love to use summer to catch up on reading my teetering pile of books. Here are five that I hope to read:

FRAGMENTS by Jeffry W. Johnston
Ever since the accident, Chase feels shattered. He can't remember that night, and everyone's treating him like a broken freak. He just wants things to go back to normal. So when he starts getting flashes of memory, he's relieved. He's sure once he remembers everything, he can put the crash behind him and start over.

But when the flashes reveal another memory, Chase starts to panic. He's desperate to leave his ugly past behind. But if he wants to put the pieces together once and for all, he must face the truth about who he is . . . and what he has done.

SEX & VIOLENCE by Carrie Mesrobian
Sex has always come without consequences for seventeen-year-old Evan. Until he hooks up with the wrong girl and finds himself in the wrong place at very much the wrong time. After an assault that leaves Evan scarred inside and out, he and his father retreat to the family cabin in rural Minnesota--which, ironically, turns out to be the one place where Evan can't escape other people. Including himself. It may also offer him his best shot at making sense of his life again.

STORIES OF MY LIFE by Katherine Paterson
Told with her trademark humor and heart, Paterson’s life stories tell tales from her childhood growing up with missionaries, to living as a single woman in Japan, to raising four children in suburban Maryland with her minister husband. Read about the origins of some of her most beloved characters, go behind the scenes to the moments Katherine found out she won her many awards, and more. Filled with personal photos and letters, this is funny, heartwarming history from a legendary name in the field of children’s books.

STATION ELEVEN by Emily St. John Mandel
Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end.

THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin
A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over--and see everything anew.

There's still time to enter the Pandemic giveaway! Sky Pony Press is giving away 5 paperback copies (which is a convenient number for my Friday Five posts.) Enter on Goodreads here.

What's in your summer to-read pile?

A Black Belt's Guide to Writing

6/17/2016

By Yvonne Ventresca

For this week's Friday Five, please visit my guest post over at Nerdy Chicks Rule, "A Black Belt's Guide to Writing: The Eyes Must See All Sides." It includes 5 ways you can apply this martial arts philosophy to your writing. I'll be responding to comments here and over there as well, so please leave one in either place.

Here's a quote from Bruce Lee for your inspiration -- martial arts, creative, or otherwise. Have a great weekend!

NJ SCBWI Conference 2016

6/10/2016

By Yvonne Ventresca

The NJ SCBWI Conference takes place each year in June. (SCBWI stands for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.) The conference includes opportunities for learning, networking, and even one-on-one critiques from industry professionals. Writing aside, it is one of my favorite events because of the amazing people--old friends and new.

Here are five things I learned at this year’s conference:

1. I had no idea that teacher guides for novels could be so extensive! Pamela Brunskill showed us excellent examples during her workshop on Marketing for Schools.

2. As much potential as Scrivener seems to have, now is probably not the time for me to undertake the learning curve. (Scrivener fans, feel free to convince me otherwise!)

3. It’s always fun to meet your agency siblings!

With Liza Fleissig (center) and the Liza Royce Agency clients who attended NJ SCBWI.

4. Steve Meltzer explained the character arc behind many historical picture books biographies. An interesting anecdote doesn't necessarily translate into a substantial story.

5. As I suspected, crime scenes (and their fictional applications) are fascinating. And forget those chalk body outlines--they’re obsolete. Thanks to Detective Guy T. Olivieri of the Woodbridge NJ Police Department and author Charlotte Bennardo for their workshop, “Scene of the Crime” and for including Pandemic, fake blood splatters and all.

If you are interested in attending in the future and want an overview of this year's event, visit the conference website. I hope to see you there!

B&N Teen Bookfest: Freehold, Woodland Park, Clifton NJ

6/7/2016

By Yvonne Ventresca

Hey NJ Readers!
I'm participating in Barnes and Noble's Teen Book Festival
at the following stores this weekend:

June 11, 2016, Saturday, 1:00-2:00 PM
Teen Bookfest, Barnes and Noble, Freehold, NJ
Panel and signing with authors Charlotte Bennardo and Lisa Colozza Cocca

June 12, 2016, Sunday, 12:00-1:00 PM
Teen Bookfest, Barnes and Noble, Woodland Park, NJ
Panel and signing with authors Maria Andreu and Alison Formento

June 12, 2016, Sunday, 3:00-4:00 PM
Teen Bookfest, Barnes and Noble, Clifton, NJ
Panel and signing with authors Maria Andreu and Alison Formento

If you live nearby, please stop in and say hello!

Pandemic Paperback Giveaway

6/3/2016

By Yvonne Ventresca

New paperback cover

My debut young adult novel, Pandemic, is coming out in paperback! To celebrate, my editor at Sky Pony Press is hosting a Goodreads giveaway of 5 paperback copies. This new version incorporates the Crystal Kite Award seal on the cover, and features bonus content: an educator's guide, some information about my research, and a fun "Pantry Cuisine" recipe.

If you win (or buy) a copy, you can be one of the first to start reading my next YA novel, a psychological thriller called Black Flowers, White Lies, since the opening chapters are included at the end of the paperback. I hope if you're in the the US, you'll enter the Goodreads giveaway.

Stay tuned for other giveaway opportunities in July!

Arrow Teen and Arrow Junior

5/31/2016

By Yvonne Ventresca

Looking for a new place to submit your summer writing? For this week's Teen Tuesday, here are two magazines open to submissions. (These are non-paying markets.)

Arrow Teen Magazine (ages 13-17) "is the voice of the future of the art and literary world. We are looking for short stories, poetry and article submissions. Those interested in a future in journalism welcome to submit. This is a great way to get familiar with the submission and publication process for your writing." Guidelines are available online. All submissions should be sent to [email protected]. The next deadline is August 10th.

For younger writers (ages 12 and below), there is also Arrow Jr Magazine,
which "gives young children the opportunity to submit their creative works to appear alongside interactive content that is sure to get them excited about reading. We have a dedicated content contributor group of teachers, child fiction writers and comics illustrators. We accept poems, essays, short stories and drawings that go with them." All submissions should be sent to [email protected]. The next submission deadline is July 20th.

Happy Writing!

Book Love

5/27/2016

By Yvonne Ventresca

Welcome to my book-themed Friday Five!

Looking for some summer reads? The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators created a giant list of books, grouped by the author's region, and then by reader age level.

What I'm reading now: The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins. Don't spoil the ending for me! (The movie comes out in October, by the way.)

Did you know that you can follow authors on Amazon? When they have a new book coming out, you're notified by email, and you're also entered into giveaways by that author. And it's only one click! You can follow me if you'd like to give it a try. :)

For your enjoyment: Book Lover Memes.

Have you read any good books lately? Have you ever reread those that you loved as a child?

<<Previous

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Celebrate the Small Things

Writing Inspiration

Pandemic's Inspiration

Creative Inspiration for You

Why Pintip Dunn Writes Books On Her Cell Phone

Why I Write All My Books On My Cell Phone by Pintip Dunn

Giveaway

Summer Reading and a Giveaway

A Black Belt's Guide to Writing

NJ SCBWI Conference 2016

Here are five things I learned at this year’s conference:

B&N Teen Bookfest: Freehold, Woodland Park, Clifton NJ

Pandemic Paperback Giveaway

Arrow Teen and Arrow Junior

Book Love

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