Blog Posts

Teen Tuesday: Contest and Conference

6/4/2014

Humor contest

Entries for The Royal Nonesuch National Humor Writing Contest are due June 30th. There is a youth category for writers under age 18. Submissions should be 10,000 words or less. For the complete rules and contest information, visit the Mark Twain House website.

Conference for teen writers

There is one week left to register for the Chapter One Young Writers Conference which takes place June 14th and June 15th in Arlington Heights, IL. This is a conference for writers ages 12-22. For more information, visit the Chapter One Conference website.

Friday Five: 5 Opportunities for Writers

5/30/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

For this week's Friday roundup, I have an assortment of opportunites.

Natalie Zaman's Book Giveaway

A chance to win new books:

Natalie Zaman (coauthor with Charlotte Bennardo of the newly released YA novel Blonde Ops) is offering a chance to win *six* signed books on her blog.

Contests!

Contests opportunities:

Heather Ayris Burnell has put together a great list of current contests on the Sub It Club blog.

Flash Fiction

A chance to share your flash fiction:

Author Melissa Wray has begun "Flash Fiction Fridays," a place for writers to share work of up to 500 words. See this description for more details.

A chance to meet eleven children's writers in one place:

If you live near Somerville, NJ, I'll be at the street fair this Sunday along with Tori Corn, Alissa Grosso, Lisa Cocca, Lyn Sirota, Cesya Cuono, Charlotte Bennardo, Natalie Zaman, Kit Grindstaff, Maria E. Andreu, and Alison Ashley Formento.

An opportunity to learn:

Check out this quick, fun guide: Pixar's 22 Rules of Storytelling.

Do you know of any upcoming opportunities for writers? Be sure to let me know.

Teen Tuesday: Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

5/28/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

This week's (belated!) Teen Tuesday focuses on resources for teen writers interested in science fiction and fantasy.

To learn more about worldbuilding, check out this article, Seven Deadly Sins of Worldbuilding, and this HUGE list of questions you can consider while creating a fantasy world.

Analog isn't a market for teen writers specifically, but it's a paying market with submission information available online.

If you live in the Washington, DC area, Politics & Prose Bookstore is hosting a fantasy writing workshop for teens August 11th - 15th. For more information, check their website listing.

Science fiction author Jeffrey A. Carver offers advice on his website. (I'm a big believer in his tip about planning your next market and sending out a submission the same day you receive a rejection.)

The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America website has an extensive Information Center for writers.

If you know of other resources for science fiction and fantasy writers, particularly those for teens, please let me know.

Friday Five: A Month of Firsts

5/23/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

May has been an exciting month, filled with 5 new firsts.

Yvonne Ventresca & Nancy Werlin

I attended the NE SCBWI Conference for the first time. I listened to some great sessions on suspense, social media, and school visits, and I gave my own workshop on Twitter for writers. (Thanks to Pam Vaughan for taking photos.)

I signed my very first copies of Pandemic!

Jefferson Market Library, NYC

As part of the Teen Author Nights in NYC (coordinated by David Levithan), I gave my first public reading of a chapter from Pandemic at the Jefferson Market branch of the NY Public Library.

Hillsborough Children's Book Festival

I'm in the way back of this photo, but I'm there! My first book festival was at Hillsborough Library. It was their first festival, too, and over 500 people visited.

I also experienced my first YA author panel, hosted by Wyckoff Library. Pictured: Lynn Maddalena Menna, me, Alison Ashley Formento, Margie Gelbwasser , Shari Maurer.

As a result of some of these firsts, my to-read pile now includes new hard covers from fellow authors: Twigs by Alison Ashley Formento, Piece of My Heart by Lynn Maddalena Menna, Providence by Lisa Colozza Cocca , The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff, Blonde Ops by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman, and Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu.

Have you had any firsts this month? Or any book memories you'd like to share? Let me know!

Teen Tuesday: CICADA Magazine

5/20/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

Origami cicada courtesy of morgueFile.

CICADA is a magazine written for teens ages fourteen and up. A paying market, the magazine publishes fiction, poetry, first-person nonfiction, and alternative comics. The website advises: "Please keep in mind that CICADA's readers are intelligent and sophisticated and can handle complexity with respect to theme, characterization, and plotting." See the submission guidelines for more details about how to get a sample copy (research the market before you submit) and further instructions about how to send in your writing.

Friday Five Guest Post: Blonde Ops Cover

5/16/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

Today's Friday Five features five "secrets" from Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman about the cover of their latest book, Blonde Ops.

Five Secrets about the Blonde Ops Cover by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman

1. That’s NOT the original cover… The first cover was nice… but not as great as this one! We’ve had a lot of feedback from people that they LOVE the cover and it made them want the book.

2. In our draft of the manuscript, Dante’s Vespa was neon green. But when we saw the cover, we changed the novel to reflect the banana yellow color so it would be consistent. (Don’t you find it irritating when the cover contradicts the story?)

3. Purely by coincidence (maybe) our first book, Sirenz, featured two frenemies who fought over a pair of designer red shoes…that look strikingly similar to the red pumps on the cover of Blonde OPS. (Different characters, storyline, and publishers… And we didn’t ask for it.)

4. Girls have said they love the dress, but we don’t know who the designer is. Sorry.

5. Many roads in Rome are cobblestone (it’s an old city!) and very narrow, so Vespas and walking are the best ways to get around.

Get your copy of Blonde Ops at:
Barnes and Noble ♥ IndieBound ♥ Amazon ♥ Powell's Books ♥ Books-a-Million ♥ Walmart EBOOK: Kindle ♥ Nook ♥ Ebooks.com

Always looking for a character to mess with, CHARLOTTE BENNARDO loves to write young, new adult, and middle grade fiction, although she has written poetry and non-fiction articles. With her family, two spoiled cats and a squirrel that sometimes visits, she lives in Central New Jersey. Please visit her at charlotteebennardo.blogspot.com.

Natalie Zaman writes and works her magic from central New Jersey where she lives with her family and several fine looking chickens. Visit her on the web at nataliezaman.blogspot.com

Teen Tuesday: Writing Roundup

5/13/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

This week, Teen Tuesday features tips, science, advice, books, resources -- a writing roundup with something, I hope, for everyone.

Practical tips:

The Scholastic website offers some interesting information for teen writers, including how to build a writing porfolio, how to submit your work for publication, and student writing contests/publishing opportunities.

Some science behind creativity:

Photo courtesy of morgueFile

This is an interesting article about the best time to get creative ideas.

Advice:

Photo courtesy of morgueFile

Author Chuck Wendig offers some advice to young writers. (Warning: includes explicit language.)

Books to read:

Looking for a good book? The Maplewood Library website offers a variety of sites for teen readers to find their next great read.

Resources for writers of all ages:

Children's writer Rachelle Burk has compiled a huge list of helpful resources from her award-winning website.

Do you have a favorite writing-related site? Share the information below.

Friday Five Guest Post: Dark Days Cover

5/9/2014

Today's Friday Five is a guest post from my publishing sister, Kate Ormand, whose debut novel, Dark Days, is officially being released by Sky Pony Press on June 3rd. I'm excited for her debut!

Five Things About the DARK DAYS Cover
by Kate Ormand

ISBN13: 9781628735949

1.     TITLE: The number of days the citizens have left is displayed on a clock tower in the centre of the sector, so the red digital lettering ties in with that. I also love how the letters are a bit battered when you look closely.

2.     BACKGROUND: The moody sky, the fire and destruction in the sector, and the wild lands (The Rough) shown behind the title creates a window to the world within the pages.

3.     NAME: There’s a lot of metal in the book--the wall, the cyborgs--so the metallic effect used on my name fits well with that.

4.     REFLECTION: The reflection of the title feels like it’s shining on the surface of the metal wall surrounding the sector.

5.     TAGLINE: ‘The Clock is Ticking” refers to the clock tower that ticks down the days until the cyborg army penetrates the sector walls. Each chapter within the book is a day, counting down until day zero.

This post was inspired by Yvonne’s own “Five Secrets about the PANDEMIC cover,” which was brilliant. Many thanks Yvonne for inviting me onto the blog to participate in one of her fab “Friday Five” posts. It’s been fun!

Dark Days Official Description:

The future world has been divided into sectors--each the same as the other. Surrounded by thick steel fences, there is no way in and no way out. Yet a cyborg army penetrates each sector, picking off its citizens one by one, until no one is left. Behind the sectors' thick walls, the citizens wait to die. Few will be chosen to survive what's coming; the rest will be left behind to suffer. A new world has been created, and its rulers are incredibly selective on who will become a citizen. They want only those with important roles in society to help create a more perfect future.

Sixteen-year-old Sia lives in one of the sectors as part of a family that is far too ordinary to be picked to live. According to the digital clock that towers high above her sector, she has only fifteen days to live. Sia has seen the reports and knows a horrific death is in store for her, but she is determined to make the most of her final days. Sia refuses to mourn her short life, instead promising herself that she'll stay strong, despite being suffocated by her depressed mother and her frightened best friend. Just when Sia feels more alone than ever, she meets Mace, a mysterious boy. There is something that draws Sia to him, despite his dangerousness, and together, they join a group of rebels and embark on an epic journey to destroy the new world and its machines, and to put an end to the slaughter of innocent people.

KATE ORMAND is a YA writer represented by Isabel Atherton at Creative Authors Ltd. She lives in the UK with her family, her partner, and a cocker spaniel called Freddie. She recently graduated from university with a first class BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art Painting. It was during this course that Kate discovered her love of reading YA books, prompting her to try a new creative angle and experiment with writing. Kate is also a member of an online group of published writers and illustrators called Author Allsorts. And she writes children’s picture books under the name Kate Louise.

DARK DAYS LINKS
The Book Depository
Amazon UK|Amazon US
Barnes & Noble
IndieBound
Wordery
Goodreads

KATE ORMAND LINKS
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Goodreads
Instagram

Teen Tuesday: Markets for Teen Writers

5/6/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

Teen Tuesday is back! Each Tuesday features resources for teenage writers. This week, I'll be sharing some markets I previously profiled -- an index of sorts. Happy Writing!

The Blue Pencil Online

Canvas Literary Journal

the Claremont Review

Pongo Teen Poetry

Stone Crowns Literary Magazine

Teen Ink

VeryLoudYouth

YARN Literary Journal

Friday Five: Reflections on the #AtoZChallenge

5/2/2014

By Yvonne Ventresca

The Friday Five is back. . . kind of!

During April, my blog was based on the theme of writing inspiration from the letters A to Z. Now it's almost time to get back to the regular schedule: Teen Tuesday, with writing resources for teen writers, and the Friday Five, with a weekly writing round-up and some guest posts.

But part of the A-to-Z process is to include a reflection at the end, so for this week's Friday Five, here are 5 things I've learned from blogging 26 posts in 30 days:

I definitely learned to write blog posts faster. Posting almost daily meant no stressing over the perfect word. Better to just get it done.
Taking up a blogging challenge the entire month before my debut YA novel launch (May 6th! Pandemic!) was a stress-inducing experience. Note for next year (even if it's not a book launch month): write the blog posts ahead of time. Really.
I learned how much I really don't know about exotic fruits and other interesting topics while I visited different blogs.
Around the letter D or so, I came up with a good way of tracking blogs using different folders in my favorite places. I made a folder for those that visited me, including a link to the blog and another for my reciprocal post. If I took the initatiative to find a new blog, that went into a separate folder. This way I was able to easily go back to the blogs throughout the challenge.
I posted each of the 26 days, I commented on every comment left on my blog, and I visited every blogger who visited me. But after that it went downhill... I didn't get to visit as many new blogs as I would've liked (see debut launch excuse above!) and although I started strong it was hard to keep up my original momentum. Next year: more organization upfront = more enjoyment during the busy times. I'm looking forward to it!

A to Z Reflections Post

A to Z April Challenge Survivor

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Teen Tuesday: Contest and Conference

Humor contest

Conference for teen writers

Friday Five: 5 Opportunities for Writers

Teen Tuesday: Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

Friday Five: A Month of Firsts

Teen Tuesday: CICADA Magazine

Friday Five Guest Post: Blonde Ops Cover

Five Secrets about the Blonde Ops Cover by Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman

Teen Tuesday: Writing Roundup

Practical tips:

Some science behind creativity:

Advice:

Books to read:

Resources for writers of all ages:

Friday Five Guest Post: Dark Days Cover

Five Things About the DARK DAYS Cover
by Kate Ormand

Teen Tuesday: Markets for Teen Writers

Friday Five: Reflections on the #AtoZChallenge

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Five Things About the DARK DAYS Coverby Kate Ormand

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Five Things About the DARK DAYS Cover
by Kate Ormand