What the Oscars Can Teach You About Writing

Yes! I'm back! Blogging!

Sorry I've taken such a long hiatus. Promoting one book and drafting another has managed to suck out all my writing energy. But the Oscars are this Sunday, and how could I not write about them? This year is especially exciting since there's such a tight race for Best Picture. Will it be 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, American Hustle, or another dark horse?

via CBSNews.com

This has been called an exceptionally strong year for movies. The competition is tight. In another year, any of these 9 films could've walked away with Best Picture. For the second year in a row, I've managed to watch all 9 nominees, and I've walked away from each one with unexpected writing wisdom.

Don't be afraid to toy with convention
Movie: 12 Years a Slave
This could be the first movie about slavery since Gone with the Wind to win Best Picture. What's so powerful about 12YAS is that it turns the conventional slave narrative on its head. Epitomized in films like GWTW, slaves were usually depicted as happy to serve their kindly master and speaking in an uneducated "yes sir/no sir" fashion. Think Mammy and Scarlett. In 12YAS, we see slavery from the slaves' POV. They speak intelligently and are fully fleshed out characters with emotionally rich lives. The white characters are shown as cruel, sadistic, but also dealing with their own desperation, forced to live in a world they may not fully agree with. There is even a short scene with a former slave (Alfre Woodard) who went on to marry her master. These are depictions we haven't seen on film, and it makes 12YAS that much more special. As writers, dare to challenge the norm, dare to dig deeper behind classic archetypes.

Never make it easy on your protagonist
Movie: Gravity
To say Sandra Bullock's character has a rough go of it in space is an understatement. She spends 90 minutes barely surviving, scraping by from one set piece to another by the skin of her teeth. Alfonso Cuaron, the director, never makes things easy for his protagonist. She's either running low on oxygen or facing down space debris or narrowly escaping a fire. All by herself! Even until the very end, which I won't spoil, Ryan Stone had to struggle. That made her victories throughout the film all the more powerful. That made me root for her and get invested in the film. Never make it easy for your main character.

Unless you're writing non-fiction, you aren't beholden to the truth
Movie: American Hustle
To be honest, I didn't love this movie. I thought the story was all over the place, confusing, and in the end, I just didn't care about anyone. (How ironic that it's a frontrunner for Best Original Screenplay.) While the film is based on true events, David O. Russell didn't strive to make the movie accurate. He basically created his own story against the backdrop of true events. "Some of this actually happened" pops up on the screen at the very beginning. If you're writing a fact-based book, you're under no obligation to write it exactly as happened. You need to do what's best for the story, to make it as narratively compelling as possible. Even if that means casting a spunky 23-year-old Kentuckian as a 40-something Long Island housewife.

Dare to make your villains 3-dimensional
Movie: Captain Phillips
This could've been a standard thriller. They could've cast Liam Neeson as Captain Phillips and had him kick Somali ass. Taken meets I'm on a boat. What elevated Captain Phillips from genre thriller to Oscar-nominated film was that the writer dared to humanize the "bad guys." In the movie, the Somali pirates weren't cardboard villains out for money. They weren't depicted as angels thrown into this mess either. They did bad things, but they had real motivations. They were fueled by desperation and fear and pride and striving for a better life. You sympathized with them, even though you knew what they were doing was wrong.

Wow 'em with your ending
Movie: The Wolf of Wall Street
The above is paraphrasing from the great movie Adaptation when Robert McKee tells blocked screenwriter Charlie Kaufman that no matter what, you gotta wow 'em with your ending. The Wolf of Wall Street was a 3-hour movie about excess -- lots of excess. It dragged a little in certain parts. But that ending. Wow. That ending elevated the movie from good to great. People complained that the main character never got his comeuppance in the end. That was the point, and that's what made the movie so bold. In the final shot, Martin Scorcese literally turns the camera on us, a rapt audience. We may hate Jordan Belfort, but we all want to be him. It was a powerful ending that has stuck with me. So no matter the twists and turns your story takes, remember how important your ending is. It's your last impression on the reader.

There's no such thing as a stupid concept
Movie: Her
Her could've been a sketch on SNL. A man falls in love with Siri. It's a ridiculous concept. Yet through Spike Jonze's masterful script and direction, that idea became a brilliant, thought-provoking film which examined the nature of love and relationships. Jonze made it believable and relatable. Nobody was snickering after leaving this movie.

Have a healthy balance of plot and character
Movie: Philomena
This was the big surprise for me. What a fantastic movie. I didn't expect to love this movie as much as I did. Philomena is about a woman searching for her son who she was forced to give up for adoption 50 years ago. I thought I knew where this story was going, but I was so wrong. The writers threw in nifty twists to Philomena's search as she got to know her son. (And it's all a true story, which goes to show that sometimes it pays to hew close to the truth.) But at the same time, the movie was a wonderful character study of Philomena and journalist Martin Sixsmith. They clashed over religion and faith and grieving over the past throughout their journey. The movie deftly balanced the "search for son" plot with the character study. I've read too many books where it's either one or the other, but you can mix both to wonderful results.

Comic relief is a wonderful thing
Movie: Nebraska
It's a black-and-white movie about a son taking his senile father back to his bleak hometown to claim a Publisher's Clearing prize he didn't win. Yet despite the depressing premise, Nebraska was surprisingly funny. June Squibb, who played Woody's tart-tongued wife, was hysterical. She kept the movie from being a total drag. She infused the movie with levity at all the right moments. Nobody wants to read a downer of a story. Just as comedies need moments of gravity, most dramas need moments of comedy. (Though not all. 12YAS is laugh-free, save for Brad Pitt's terrible accent.)

Never underestimate telling a simple story
Movie: Dallas Buyers Club
There's nothing groundbreaking in the script for Dallas Buyers Club. It's a premise that's been done before: outspoken, fish-out-of-water person fights injustice and takes on evil, faceless corporations. DBC is basically Erin Brockovich, but with AIDS instead of hexavalent chromium. The script follows all the necessary beats. And that's not a bad thing. You don't always need to turn convention on its head or craft a complex plot. A good story is a good story. DBC knew what it was and did it well, and people have responded.

Honorable mention to two other screenplay nominees:
Before Midnight taught me that sequels don't have to be retreads (like Hangover 2, Home Alone 2). Existing characters can keep growing, keep maturing, keep learning about themselves.
Blue Jasmine taught me how to take familiar stories and make them your own. Woody Allen took A Streetcar Named Desire and updated it for the modern world, much like Emma was turned into Clueless.

Have fun watching the Oscars this Sunday! Let me know what your favorite of the bunch was and who you're rooting for. (I'm hoping Leo pulls out a win.)

Join the #NILTribe

So I had the pleasure of reading Lynne Matson's book NIL, coming out this March. It was wonderful! NIL is part swoony romance, part supernatural mystery, part wilderness survival guide, and completely entertaining. Anyone who loved the classic first season of LOST will love NIL. (yes, I just quoted my Goodreads review, but it's late and I'm tired and leave me alone.)

On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have one year. Exactly 365 days--to escape, or you die.

What a hook! To read the rest of the pitch, check out the book's Goodreads page.

The coolest part about NIL's launch is that Lynne is letting readers and fans in on the excitement. She's starting a street team called #NILtribe where you can win prizes and get any scoops before the public. I'll let Lynne explain:

If you love books, especially thrillers, packed with mysteries, islands, secrets and ALL THE FEELS, then #NILtribe may be for you! All you have to do is tweet . . . or post to Facebook . . . or post on your blog . . . or comment on my blog: “I joined the tribe!” and add the #NILtribe hashtag. And that’s it! You’re in.:)

Over the three months, follow the #NILtribe hashtag on Twitter and Facebook for chances to win galleys of NIL, copies of other YA books I love and sweet NIL swag . . . and to discover NIL sekrits. Each day I’ll tweet using the #NILtribe hashtag. I’ll share cool facts about the characters, island sekrits, author interviews, giveaway links, etc. Each week I'll share new goodies that will be up for grabs by members of the #NILtribe in upcoming giveaways (spoiler: creepy bone cuff bracelet anyone?!) Each month will bring more opportunities to win NIL galleys, NIL swag, and after NIL’s release, signed hardbacks.:) And in the last month before release, all #NILtribe members will get swag-to-be-revealed… just by joining the #NILtribe.:)

And to all those readers-who-love-thrillers-and-islands-and-sekrits-and swoon? Feel free to use the #NILtribe hashtag as often as you like! Post anytime using the hashtag! You can countdown to Nil’s release, repost any of my posts, or post about why you're excited for NIL, Waiting on Wednesdaystyle. Just remember to use the #NILtribe hashtag, and you’re golden. :) Welcome to the tribe.:)

An awesome opportunity for an awesome book! Dig in!

Update: More details are live on Lynne's blog: http://lynnematson.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-niltribe-is-live.html

THE BREAK-UP ARTIST cover reveal extravaganza!

I'm going to keep this short + sweet since my brain is fried. It's one of those Tuesdays that feels like a Thursday except, ya know, it's only Tuesday.

THE BREAK-UP ARTIST! Cover reveal extravaganza! Three parts! 

Part I - The Actual Reveal

In which HarlequinTEEN officially reveals the magnificent cover for THE BREAK-UP ARTIST for all the world to see.

Where: the HarlequinTEEN Facebook page -- https://www.facebook.com/HarlequinTEEN

When: Thursday 10/24 10:30 am

Part II - ICYMI Cover Reveal + ARC Giveaway @ Forever17 Books

In which I show off the cover once for all who missed it. On top of that, I'll reveal the book's official book jacket copy and *some special secret amazing news* that I'm nearly bursting with. Or maybe that's just fiber. But that's not all.

I'm also giving away 2 limited-edition cerlox ARCs of THE BREAK-UP ARTIST and a funpack of some amazing HarlequinTEEN debut contemporaries.

Where: http://forever17books.com/

When: Friday 10/25

Part III - Cover Talk at YA @ YAInterrobang

In which I discuss the cool details behind the cover design. The cover is something that you can keep looking at and find something new, like those Magic Eye paintings from the 90s. 

Where: http://www.yainterrobang.com/

When: Sunday 10/27

I am so far beyond excited -- like I can't even see excited from my house anymore -- to show you the cover for THE BREAK-UP ARTIST, to take one giant leap closer to bringing the book into the world. 

My first signing!

I better practice my John Hancock (Or rather Herbie Hancock)...because I have my first signing!!!

I will be signing advanced copies of THE BREAK-UP ARTIST at the Heartland Fall Forum, a conference for independent bookstores. I can't wait to meet all the amazing booksellers helping to connect readers with the books.

If you're attending, here's where I'll be:
Crown Plaza O'Hare - Chicago, IL
10/5/13
Regional Authors Booth -- 10-11am
Harlequin booth -- 2:30-3:30 p.m. 3:30-4:30 pm
*NEW* Booksellers Banquet -- 7-9 pm

Feel free to stop by and say hi!

What I've Been Up To This Summer

I can't believe summer is almost over! It flies by every year. This summer was particularly strange because here in Chicago, we only had a handful of true summer days. Otherwise, it was like an extended spring (70s, bipolar mix of rain, clouds, and sun). Today feels like a crisp fall day. Which I'm not complaining about, especially because I don't have central air. But still, as much as I hate the dog days of summer, it's weird not having them. It makes me appreciate the cooldown in September/October.

I haven't thought too much about the temperature because I've been so BUSY this summer. So busy I kinda neglected you, dear blog. I know what you're thinking --

via quickmeme

Well, here's a rundown of what's been going with me these past two months, kind of like the less-cool version of this epic montage.

* I finished line edits on THE BREAK-UP ARTIST and am in the middle of writing acknowledgements. It's this close to being a real book!

* I taught my first class - Writing the YA Novel - at Trade School Evanston and was paid in cupcakes.

* I'm speaking on my very first panel this Thursday about writing and publishing. Fingers crossed I'm not a rambling mess.

* I've been feverishly writing my new MS and crossed 50k words. I like writing in summer because the sun shining at 6 a.m. makes it much easier to wake up early. It's a struggle to get out of bed when it's pitch black outside. I should have a rough draft done by Labor Day, which is the fastest that I've ever written a book!

* I outlined a new super-secret WIP which I hope I can tell you about in the future.

* I have done some blogging, just not here. Check out my post at Michelle Krys's blog on query contests, and my summer reading reco at the YA Valentines. I have three more guest posts coming up in the next two months. In other words, see you in October possibly.

* I devoured ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK on Netflix. It has some of the best female characters ever written for TV. And what's most impressive is that despite the sprawling cast, every character is fleshed out and has a moment to shine. It's an incredible balancing act. Now I'm enjoying the final season of BREAKING BAD. (catch up on Netflix! There's still time!)

*I've seen a bunch of movies. WORLD WAR Z was hands-down the best one I saw this summer -- which proves that you should never be afraid of a rewrite. (THE TO-DO LIST is runner-up. Unfortunately, it bombed, but it's destined to be a cult classic.)

How has your summer been?

Interview with a SLOB: Mindy McGinnis

Most of you probably know about Mindy McGinnis through her fun, informative blog Writer Writer Pants on Fire or because her awesome-looking debut NOT A DROP TO DRINK hits bookstores this September. (Enter to win a copy on Goodreads here) But when she's not writing or blogging, she's a school librarian aide. Once I sold THE BREAK-UP ARTIST, I realized that the library world is totally foreign to me, even though I use libraries all the time. I spend time thinking about selling books, but getting your book into libraries is also important. People check out library books and get recommendations from their librarians every day. But what happens before that?

OOOhhh...books (via Wikipedia Commons)

So today, Mindy is taking off her writer hat and putting on her librarian fedora to answer some questions about how libraries buy books. And in the tradition of her SAT, SHIT, and CRAP series, I'll call this interview with a SLOB (School Librarian on Books).

How do libraries buy books? 
That really depends on the individual libraries. My own library is a public school in a rural area, and we've recently had to go through some serious funding cuts. When I first started, we had three full time librarian aides (one in each building) and one district librarian. Right now I'm the only full time librarian aide, and the District Librarian is also a part-time English teacher. So, our method of buying books has changed. We used to have the time to browse through School Library Journal, Horn Book, the YALSA site, read reviews, and hit up major book blogs. With our time so restricted now we use a service through Junior Library Guild where they send you an age appropriate selection every month.

How far in advance do they order them? 
In my own library we typically don't pre-order unless it's an anticipated big-demand sequel or series addition. Most of the time we rely on JLG [Junior Library Guild] to stock our shelves and then we do buy single titles through word of mouth or titles that our own browsing have led us to.

How do you decide what to buy? 
Our budget is restricted, so we buy what we know will circulate. Sequels and series additions are easy choices when we know the first title circulated well. Also we pay attention to the trends of what our kids are reading - which may not necessarily be what's trending in the industry. Right when zombies were going hard, all our kids wanted to read were contemporary issues books. So hey - we found them.

What do you think makes kids at your school pick out the books that they do? 
Two answers on that:1) The cover2) UsCovers are HUGE for teens. I can't tell you how many great books with bad covers have totally tanked with my kids because they don't want to be seen carrying them around. Our kids have learned to trust us though, and it's such a great compliment when a kid comes up to me and says, "Pick a book out for me. You know what I like."

Do authors ever reach out to you directly to pitch their books? 
In different ways, yes. I do have people approach me as a blogger for help with a signal boost, but also I've had quite a few YA authors (Simone Elkeles, Liz Norris and Lenore Applehans to name a few) donate copies of their books because they know I'm a school librarian. It also never hurts when I pick up a copy of a book and hand it to a kid and breezily say, "Yeah, I know her." ;)

Is there anything content-wise (language, violence, sex) that restricts you from stocking a book in your library? 
Tricky question. I don't enjoy censorship, but I do enjoy having a job. My library currently serves grades 7-12 and next year due to a building closure it will be serving grades 5-12. Obviously there are some content that is perfectly acceptable for seniors that a seventh grader shouldn't be near, let alone a fifth grader. Typically, because it's a small town, we know the kids, and usually we know the parents, too. We know their maturity levels, but we do make sure there's nothing too terribly shocking going home with someone who shouldn't have it. 

I've always said it's possible to have everything from Doctor Seuss to Cory Doctorow to E.L. Doctorow on the same shelf in my library... and that's pretty much the case.

So much great information here. Thank you so much, Mindy! You can find Mindy all across the web like Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and her blog (link above).

And you can also find me there as well: FB. Twitter. GR.

Writing Realistically Unrealistic Dialogue

When I was a young lad kid, Dawson's Creek was the big cheese. (sidenote: I can't believe it's been off the air for a decade!) The main criticism of the show was that teenagers do not talk like these characters in real life. Dawson, Pacey, Joey, and Jen were too eloquent, using vocabulary that had been deep-fried in SAT Prep books. It was unrealistic. It's true that the characters didn't sound like real teens, but the dialogue was still one of my favorite parts of the show.


I love writing dialogue, and I love reading/hearing great dialogue. Snappy banter, witty retorts, juicy monologues. Yes, please, and thank you. The main purposes of dialogue is either to a) get out plot b) reveal character traits c) expose tension. Lots of writers use workmanlike dialogue: it gets the job done without being distracting. And usually the dialogue is enjoyable to read, even sometimes funny. But then there are writers who go the stylized route. Aaron Sorkin, Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Williamson, Kevin Smith, Shonda Rhimes. Their dialogue is heightened and no way would ever get confused with realism.

Olivia Pope in SCANDAL, aka the best show you're not watching with amazing dialogue and trench coats.

High school films especially can get away with this. Some of my favorites -- 10 Things I Hate About You, Clueless, Heathers, Easy A, Juno, Bring It On, Brick -- feature characters who sound nothing like real teens. They exchange witty banter, infused with unique vernacular, rapid pop-culture references, and intelligence. Again, I'm salivating here. The dialogue is amazing in these films. When I'm reading a book/watching a movie, I don't want to hear realistic teen talk. I am entering a fictional world filled with fictional characters. How they speak should be just as creative as everything else in their world. That's part of the fun!

10 Things I Hate About You is boss when it comes to this. The dialogue in that movie, especially for Kat, was stuffed with sharp one-liners, delicious back-and-forth, and hyper-articulate characters. The film had the sound of Shakespearean language transplanted into high school. (Seriously, I think my SAT verbal scores improved from everything I watched growing up.)

Some choice quotes:
"Has the fact that you're completely psycho managed to escape your attention?"

"Can we, for two seconds, ignore the fact that you're severely unhinged and discuss my need for a night of teenage normalcy?"

"What is it with this chick? She have beer-flavored nipples?"

"Remove head from sphincter, then drive!" 

"People perceive you as somewhat.."
"Tempestuous?"
"'Heinous bitch' is the term used most often."

I could go on and on and on and on but yeah, teenagers (and most adults) do not talk this way. So why does it work? Why is this type of whip-smart chatter so prevalent in teen films without being distracting?

Because even though what they're saying is unrealistic, how they're acting is.  And that's the golden rule. The dialogue may be heightened, the plot may be miles from reality, but what characters are feeling and how they're acting must be relatable or else you'll lose your audience. The teens in Dawson's Creek may talk like Rhodes Scholars, but people watching could relate to them and understand the emotion they felt. If your character is talking in sonnets, sure, we'll go with you on that ride. But if his beloved girlfriend cheats on him with his best friend and he just shrugs it off, then we lose interest. Because that is unrealistic and will confuse/frustrate your reader. (note: unless he has a good reason to react the way he does that makes sense within the story and all that jazz, but this is just a broad example)

I believe that creating realistic, relatable characters with heightened, unrealistic dialogue makes the reader experience much more enjoyable. We read books for escape. Watching a show or movie where characters are like us but with better dialogue lets us live vicariously through them. Who doesn't wish they could have witty banter with friends and crushes?

Ok, some more witty banter for the road, courtesy of Easy A:

Woodchuck Todd: [in Woodchuck costume carrying head] Hey Olive.
Olive Penderghast: Oh my God! The illusion is shattered! This is exactly why they put you in the gas chamber if you take your head off at Disney World.
Woodchuck Todd: Actually I think they just, you know, they fire you. You're thinking of Disneyland. Disney World is much more liberal.
Olive Penderghast: Oh yeah! I always forget Disney World went blue in the last election.

How do you feel about dialogue? Are you delighted or distracted by overly articulate teens? 

Is The Fault in Our Stars Oscarbound?

Shailene Woodley (via Cnn.com)

The Fault in Our Stars movie adaptation is quickly becoming a reality. Recently, they cast Shailene Woodley as Hazel Grace. With upcoming roles in Spider-Man 2 and Divergent, plus a Golden Globe nomination for 2011's The Descendants, Woodley is making a play at being the next Jennifer Lawrence. The producers of the TFIOS movie aren't messing around. It helps that the role of Hazel Grace is a dream for any young actress, especially in a movie biz where actresses are relegated to the "girlfriend" role. Unlike The Hunger Games and Divergent, the storyline of John Green's bestseller is very awards-friendly: dramedy + romance + cancer.

Historically, teen films have a horrible track record with awards. They usually lack the gravitas to appeal to the stodgy Academy who votes on the Oscars. The average Academy member is a 60-year-old white male, and American teen lingo and themes don't translate to the members of the Hollywood Foreign Press who vote on the Golden Globes. But sometimes, a movie is good enough and lucky enough and have the right people behind it to break through at the Oscars. And the last movie to accomplish this was Juno.

via wikipedia

Will The Fault in Our Stars be Oscarbound like Juno? Tonally, the two properties are similar. Both center around whip-smart teenage girls with a knack for sharp dialogue. Both are equal parts funny, romantic, and heartfelt. And screenplays for both films made the Black List, a highly-regarded list of the best unproduced scripts circulating in Hollywood. Juno was nominated for 4 Oscars (Picture, Director, Actress, Original Screenplay) and won Best Original Screenplay.

Juno is the gold standard for teen movies breaking through at the Oscars. (pun intended) The movie was well-received and a box office smash, but five years later, it's still shocking that it got this far. How did a cute film loaded with quirky dialogue ("Honest to blog") about a teen mom win over the stuffy, old Academy members?

Diablo Cody with her Oscar (via Ew.com)

• It was marketed as an adult film. Juno was originally positioned as an indie film for movie-loving, upscale adults. It wasn't marketed to teens at first. The film screened at film festivals and started in limited release in December, in the thick of the Oscar race. Sure, it appealed to teens and twentysomethings, naturally. But it wasn't until it received nominations and expanded into wide release that Fox Searchlight began broadening the target audience. Here, TFIOS is at a disadvantage because despite mainstream success, it's perceived first-and-foremost as a YA story. Whether this will lessen the film's quality in the Academy's eyes remains to be seen.

• It had the right auspices. Juno was always positioned as an auteur's film. Most teen films use hot stars to sell their film, but Juno was sold on the strength of its director and writer. Director Jason Reitman was coming off his debut feature, Thank You for Smoking, which established him as a filmmaker to watch among critics. Juno solidified his position as one of the top emerging talents in Hollywood. Diablo Cody's script transformed her overnight into a star, a rare instance of a movie getting attention because of its screenwriter. Her backstory -- former stripper turned blogger turned screenwriter -- gave the film tons of free publicity and made her a darling of the arthouse crowd. Finally, the studio that released Juno -- Fox Searchlight -- knows how to sell quirky to Oscar voters. The year before, they carried Little Miss Sunshine to two Oscar victories. If any other director, writer, and studio had made this film, it probably wouldn't have made it to the Oscars. TFIOS has a rising star and screenwriters (Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the duo who scripted (500) Days of Summer), but its director Josh Boone is an unknown. His first film Stuck in Love comes out in June, and if it's a hit with critics, then that could put him on the map as a director to watch, which would create nice momentum for TFIOS. 

• It was released in the right year. Most of all, Juno benefited from perfect timing. 2007 had the darkest lineup of Best Picture contenders in recent history. Not standard weepies, but blackhearted, amoral movies: No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Michael Clayton, even Atonement ended on a downer. Other movies in contention that year like 3:10 to Yuma, Gone Baby Gone, and Bourne Ultimatum were ultra serious and violent. Juno was a breath of fresh air, a stark contrast to everything else competing for Oscars, which allowed it to stand out. Had it been released the following year, Slumdog Millionaire would've steamrolled right over it. 

I really like Juno. But frankly, there are other teen films with better, sharper scripts (Clueless, Mean Girls, Heathers). I like to think that the great, ignored teen films of the past were being retroactively recognized with Juno's screenplay Oscar. 

Will TFIOS follow Juno's path? It's very possible. Like with anything in publishing, it's all about quality, luck, and timing. The Oscars are only partially about awarding the best films. "Best" is subjective. So many factors go into who gets nominated and who wins. (marketing, genre, talent, campaigning...wasn't Argo's win last year mostly a "Ben was snubbed" reaction?) It's very possible that Shailene Woodley's role on Secret Life and questionable red carpet choices could've ruined her chances of getting nominated for The Descendants -- you know, nothing having to do with her actual performance. I don't think the people behind the TFIOS movie care about winning awards. I believe they just want to make a film that will please fans and touch general moviegoers. And really, that's the ultimate reward.

Adventures in NY (with no pictures)

Last week, I had a whirlwind 24 hours meeting lots of awesome publishing folk. And of course, I took zero pictures commemorating my experience :( Even after I told readers that they should start taking pictures! Still, I had a great day and will try to fill in with some type of pictures.

It all started last Wednesday night, when writer/blogger/publishing guru Dahlia Adler and I met for Crumbs cupcakes. If you've never had the pleasure of eating a Crumbs cupcake, just think of a regular cupcake on steroids. As it always happens whenever I hang out with Dahlia, there's lots of great chitchat but never enough time. Seriously, we talked for an hour but it felt like 10 minutes. It's like that movie Contact.

Yes, we had the largest one. Are you even surprised? (via the Suntimes blog)

The next morning, I traveled down to the Harlequin Teen offices and met my editor Annie. Her office is located in a gorgeous, old building. The lobby is breathtaking. I openly gawked upon entering. The picture below doesn't even do it justice. It's so nice that they have a sign out forbidding sightseers and picture takers. (so I have an excuse this time!)

They don't make em like they used to (via reuters)

I met Annie and the other two Harlequin Teen editors, and they were all such great people, and so excited about THE BREAK-UP ARTIST! It's a good team over there, and I am even more psyched about getting published with this imprint. We chatted about covers and Chicago and--tip for writers--don't forget to number your pages. Throughout my whole trip, I was pleasantly surprised with how nice everyone in YA publishing is. Oh, and I also went home with some H-Teen books :)

Bam! I'm going to start from the bottom up

 Later, I went to lunch with Annie and my agent Becky. I loved listening to them talk about publishing news. We talked about some marketing stuff, and I learned a few secrets about the NYT Bestseller list. Being in my writing corner in Chicago, I sometimes forget that there's a whole publishing business going on. After lunch, Becky and I got some coffee/tea and talked writing and future goals before I zipped uptown to my next meeting.

With YA author extraordinare Kody Keplinger.

I'm not going to sugarcoat this: she is THE COOLEST. I don't know where the time went, but we talked and talked for like two hours about important issues like Awkward, The View, No Strings Attached vs Friends With Benefits, and a smidgeon about publishing. I was nervous about meeting her, in case she was like that obnoxious old author in The Fault in Our Stars. But she wasn't. She was so friendly and down-to-Earth.

These are her books. Read them. Now. (p.s. Doesn't the Shut Out girl look like Liv Tyler?)

Finally, I rushed up to meet some OneFour authors -- Michelle Shusterman, Lauren Magaziner, and Rebecca Behrens. Yes, I was the token YAer in the group of MGers. And I was terribly late! But it was all good, and we chatted over nachos and waffle cheese fries. Being able to talk about publishing jitters with other debuts was refreshing, knowing that you're in the same boat. And we also discussed quitting Facebook one day. Maybe. Possibly. Probably Not.

When I got on the bus back to NJ, I was beyond worn out, but also couldn't sit still. I had a wonderful day, and like I said before, YA publishing is filled with the nicest, friendliest, my-kind-of people.

And next time, I'll promise I'll take lots of annoying selfies.

Trunked Novels

It was recently announced that actor Jason Segel is going to be the latest celebrity to write a YA novel. What's interesting is that he's basing it on an unproduced screenplay he wrote when he was 21. I wonder how many authors, once they get published, return to trunked novels and ideas and try to make them shine.

From one Siegel/Segel to another, good luck! (photo via imdb.com)

I'm sure authors have been tempted. Your publisher is asking for a second novel in half the time you wrote the first one. And oh, look. Here's this completed novel that was subpar when I first wrote it, but that was before someone considered my work publishable. A little read-through and some spackle, and tada -- shiny new manuscript. Right?

Should trunked novels stay trunked?

There's a reason why a novel was trunked, and it wasn't because you had to get published first. Nobody wins by you trying to prove that everything you've ever written is worthy of getting published. I have two trunked novels. The first one is near and dear to my heart, and I gave up on it after four drafts. I always loved the writing in it, but something wasn't clicking storywise. I'll admit, though, once THE BREAK-UP ARTIST sold, I seriously considered polishing it up and sending it off to my agent. I even had a writer friend read it and give me notes -- notes that were nearly identical to the feedback I'd received years ago.

That's when I realized that this novel wasn't a failure. It was a moment in time, a point on my journey as a writer. The problems I saw in this novel I've since overcome on my next books. When I look back on my two trunked novels, I don't see failure. I see progress. I pinpointed where those books floundered and applied that moving forward. Trying to fix them up and make them publishable would diminish their value. You don't need to validate your trunked novels, your aborted attempts, your former SNI's. If you can learn and grow from those experiences, then they are all successes.

Don't go backward. Keep moving forward. If you want to have a career as a writer, you'll need to develop new ideas. If you are *seriously* attached to an old story, don't salvage the old manuscript. Use the idea and redraft from scratch. Make it your own, for the improved, wiser you.

Do you try to rework trunked novels? Have you recycled old ideas?

Five Things I like about Quentin Tarantino Films

If there are books or movies or shows that I really love, why NOT tell the world the few people who stop by this blog about them? Instead of giving a whole drawn-out review, though, I'm just going to list 5 Things I liked. It's more interesting for me to learn why somebody liked someone rather then that they just liked it.

So last time, it was a book. Now, I'm going to share my love for one of my favorite screenwriters, Quentin Tarantino, who recently won his second Oscar for best original screenplay for awesome, rollicking Django Unchained. I love movies that have a distinct voice, ones that only could've been made by this one person. It's crazy to think that Pulp Fiction is almost twenty years old. But since then, Tarantino has continued to turn out great work. There are endless articles about his style and work why it changed cinema. Google it. For now, I'll talk about five things I personally love about this writing, and how it helped me:

(from Wikipedia)

1) Dialogue serves a purpose: His dialogue is pop poetry. Characters speak in this articulate, cooler-than-cool fashion where long stretches of witty banter bounces between them like balls in a pinball machine. Most movies try to have as little dialogue as possible -- more action -- but Tarantino breaks the rules, and yet his films still work. The long conversation Vincent and Jules have in Pulp Fiction isn't just about the Royale with Cheese; it reveals all you need to know about the characters -- Vincent plays by the rules (which will be his downfall), while Jules is starting to question them. There've been SO many imitators (basically 80% of all indie films in the 90s, e.g. this one or this one), but nobody can come close to matching his way with words. And that's because...

2) The simmering tension: What makes QT's long, dialogue-filled scenes so watchable isn't just the dialogue. There's always tension bubbling just under the surface. Characters speak calmly, eloquently, while crap is waiting to hit the fan at any moment. Think of the opening scene in Inglorious Basterds where Nazi Hans Linda is chatting with a farmer. It's a long scene of two men talking at a dinner table, but what makes it so watchable and suspenseful is knowing that just under the floorboards are Jews hiding. What's important is that his scenes are never just two people talking; there's always subtext. 

3) The Images: In such talky films, QT still manages to present images that stick with you. Think the final shot of Basterds or the needle scene in Pulp Fiction or even the costumes worn by Django, the Bride, and Vincent Vega. It's images and moments that stay with you.

4) The over-the-top, humorous violence: QT's movies are violent, but it's all over-the-top and comical. He finds the humor in the bloody, which can be hard to do. Movie violence is a touchy subject currently, but his violence doesn't try to be realistic; it just acknowledges cinema's brutal lineage. He takes what should be serious scenes, and finds a way to turn them on their head. Think of poor Marvin getting shot accidentally in Pulp Fiction, the ear-cutting scene in Reservoir Dogs, or the blood-soaked final acts of Kill Bill 1 and Django.

5) How he changed movies: Yes, I did state above that there are plenty of article on this, but I'll join the chorus. Pulp Fiction made indie cinema mainstream, started the trend of movie stars going indie for awards cred, helped usher in irony to the 90s. And if you like your Harry Potter, Twilight, and Hunger Games films being split into 2 parts, then thank Kill Bill for that.

What are your thoughts on QT's films?

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

I'm it!

I've been tagged by the amazing SJ Kincaid to participate in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop and answer a few Q's about my book. Check out the answers below:

1. What is the working title of your book?
THE BREAK-UP ARTIST

2. Where did the idea come from?
So much of YA contains intense, all-encompassing romances, and I wanted to write something that turns those relationships on their head.

On a personal level, the further I got into my 20s, the more I saw friends and acquaintances jump into relationships for all the wrong reasons and refuse to see the red flags. I usually kept my mouth shut. That's what you do in those situations, because most people won't listen to you; they would just get offended. I wanted to create a character who was surrounded by that but on a magnified level and see how she would react.

3. What genre does your book fall under?
YA contemporary comedy (is anti-rom-com a genre?)

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I would have Tilda Swinton play every role. 

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
A girl who runs a secret business breaking up couples at her school is tasked with splitting up the seemingly perfect homecoming couple, while also fighting back feelings for her best friend's boyfriend.

6. Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?
It will be published May 2014 by Harlequin Teen books.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
About four months of actual writing. But before that, I got to know my characters and crafted a plot outline.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Tonally, it's very much line with contemporary comedies like ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS and SPANKING SHAKESPEARE -- books that aren't just "light," but can make you actually laugh.

I consider the book most akin to THE DUFF by Kody Keplinger. Jaded-but-complex protagonist, no swooning romance, lots of witty banter.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
See question 1. Also, I was inspired by one of my favorite movies - MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING. The main character is anti-romance until she falls for her best friend on the eve of his wedding and schemes to win him back. I've seen that movie about 100 times, and Julianne Potter is one of the best rom-com heroines hands down.

*cough* It's on Netflix streaming *cough*

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
It's the perfect palate cleanser if you've been binging on dystopian thriller romances. THE BREAK-UP ARTIST is funny, chock full of great one-liners. (Not Dowager Countess or HAPPY ENDINGS great, but close) I promise. Sorta.

As the final part of the bloghop, I'm tagging two other fabulous writers with books releasing in 2014. Check out their posts next Wednesday!

A. Lynden Rolland - author of OF BREAKABLE THINGS
Kristi Helvig - author of BURN OUT

Five Things I Liked About Anna and the French Kiss

I want to try something new on the blog: a recurring series. I've considered them in the past, but I kinda figured I'd never keep up with them. Until now! I've resisted posting reviews on my blog because a) I hated doing book reports in school. Why start again now? and b) I would never give a negative review in public. (disclaimer: yes, I did review one movie on the blog eons ago. It's a great movie, and you should see it.) However, if there are books or movies or shows that I really love, why NOT tell the world the few people who stop by this blog about them? Instead of giving a whole drawn-out review, though, I'm just going to list 5 Things I liked. It's more interesting for me to learn why somebody liked someone rather then that they just liked it.

I'll start this series with a recent favorite: Anna and the French Kiss. Lots of people have read it and loved it. And for a great take on this book, check out Real Man Read YA's review. I was hesitant to read Anna because I'm not a romance fan, and because I assumed it was about an impossibly beautiful girl who frolics around in Paris with an impossibly beautiful boy and they lived impossibly happily ever after.

But I. Was. Wrong. 

As soon as I began reading it, I realized why so many had fallen in love with the book. Here are 5 Things I liked about Anna:

1) Etienne was short: He was not impossibly beautiful. Have you ever read books where the male love interest has no personality except for being hot? That's what I was expecting here. So it was such a pleasant surprise when Etienne turned out to be short and pasty. He was still good looking, but in a normal, earthbound way. He had flaws. He was a mere mortal real person with a real personality. The most attractive part of him was his charm.

2) Anna's a movie buff: And she has great taste in movies! She mentions Rushmore, one of my favorite movies, and Lost in Translation, which is a gem. I wish I could go to those old movie houses she frequented in Paris. When I studied abroad, I'd go to the movies out of homesickness, but the theater by me was a multiplex (which did make me feel at home).

3) Anna's circle of friends: The fivesome had a great group dynamic. They all had chemistry with each other and read like a genuine group of friends, with their teasing and banter. Perkins writes authentic, funny dialogue.

4) Nobody kissed at the Eiffel Tower: In a book that takes place in Paris, I was waiting for it - and waiting to roll my eyes. The Eiffel Tower is the most overused landmark in stories. But nobody kissed here. In fact, Anna only went to the Eiffel Tower once, and very briefly. We got to see other landmarks, which was refreshing.

5) The kiss: Yeah, it was pretty hot.

What say you, readers? Have you read this book? What did you like most (or hate)?

My First Author Interview

Check out this in-depth interview I did on Kristin Lynn Thetford's blog, where I discuss:
-Querying
-Gossip Girl
-How I came to write YA
-and I even threw in a Clueless quote, too!

Changing My Weekend Routine

First off: I am now a member of the OneFour KidLit blog for 2014 YA/MG debuts. Come check us out here.

I can't believe it's Monday again. It's not that this weekend went by so fast. They usually do. But lately, I feel like I can never get what I want accomplished. Friday night, I make my to-do list, and once I get all my usual weekend errands done, I'm either too exhausted to write or I just don't have time for it. I used to be annoyed that I wasn't writing enough, but I think the problem goes deeper than that.

I once blogged about how my writing suffered from the SIFS, the Save It For Sundays. I've learned to set manageable writing expectations for the weekend. (I'm no Taryn Albright, unfortunately.) Yet even those aren't being met. After this weekend, I realized that my non-writing life has been infected with the SIFS. I make big to-do lists, and it's usually the same culprits: grocery shop (I shop at multiple stores), gym, clean the apartment, call my family, make my lunches for the week. I work full-time, and so I always feel too tired on weeknights to do anything. I know I'll have more energy to do EVERYTHING come Saturday. Every Friday, I never believe those regular errands will take long, and that I'll have loads of time to write. And every Sunday, I am proven wrong.

So new goal! From now on, I will try to check off some items of my weekly to-do list during the week. I can push myself to do a little when I get off work. A little grocery shopping, a little cleaning, a little phone time, and other items that need to be done. That way, I'll have more time -- and more importantly, more energy -- on the weekend to write.

Any routines you're looking to switch up?

BOOK DEAL

Big news! THE BREAK-UP ARTIST sold in a two book deal to Harlequin Teen!! Here's the Publishers Marketplace announcement:

Philip Siegel's THE BREAK-UP ARTIST, pitched as Mean Girls meets My Best Friend's Wedding, in which one girl's mission to even the dating playing field will turn her whole high school upside down, to Annie Stone at Harlequin Teen, in a two-book deal, by Becky Vinter at FinePrint Literary Management. 

If I knew how to use gif's, I'd put one here. So I'll share my feelings old school style with jpegs, Oscars edition.

I've read so many posts like this from my years of stalking following authors in the kidlit world. It was five years ago that I turned to writing YA, and I feel truly lucky and grateful that I got this far. I can't believe that in 2014, people will be able to get into their flying cars, teleport to a bookstore (or click onto Amazon), and be able to buy my book. And then trash it on Goodreads

I am so pumped to work with my editor Annie Stone, who has been nothing but super excited about BUA. It's still weird to think people actually like what I write. I have to give a huge thank you to my agent Becky Vinter. She fractured her spine and she still looks like a rock star. She worked on this deal while she was technically on vacation. Talk about dedication! And Michelle Krys and Ruth Lauren Steven, who dug my query letter out from the slush for their Xmas in July contest. Yes, contests and slush work! And the L.A. city bus driver, for taking a chance on an unknown kid. Without which, I might never be tardy. 

I'll be back with more details as they come. (And I promise not to be one of those authors who only tweets about their book!) Thanks for reading!

Five Reasons to Love January

Happy New Year! I can't believe 2013 is here, and with it comes one of the most dreaded days of the year: January 2nd. The day millions of kids and adults return to school/work after a nice, long break. People HATE January. It's cold, long, not special, and we're all recovering from our holiday hangovers. I, however, LOVE this month. Yes, I'll miss the 4-month fall/holiday season with its foliage, pumpkin pie, turkey & stuffing, and cheesy Christmas songs. But there are reasons to love January, reasons why this month rocks!

#1 - You Will Never Be More Motivated
We're so excited to make New Years resolutions. This will be the year we finally put our lives together. After a monthlong holiday gorgefest, it's time to get back on track. It's a clean slate! By February, of course, most of these resolutions will be broken. But in January, you will never be more organized, more motivated, more determined to improve yourself. It's the time of year when we come up with clear, defined goals, when our dreams seem the most attainable. Harness that positive energy. Ride it as far as you can, before you sink back into your old habits. Even if it's temporary, cherish that brief time when you are the most perfect version of yourself. And if you're able to create a new habit, even better!  (resolution tip: think small, then gradually expand)

#2 - The Best Movies Are in Theaters
After a year of popcorn flicks, January is when theaters are packed with awards contenders, the supposed cream of the crop. At no time else will you see your local multiplex filled with so many intriguing, complex, acclaimed films -- and a near lack of franchises and superhero spandex. Smaller films expand to take advantage of awards buzz. You have time to catch up on the onslaught of films released over Christmas. This January, acclaimed, thoughtful films like Django Unchained, Zero Dark Thirty, The Sessions, Silver Linings Playbook, and The Impossible will be crowding your multiplex.

#3 - Awards Season!
January is the crux of awards season. In the past (pre-2003), you had the Golden Globes in January, but you had to wait for the real action in February and March. Now, awards season is on an accelerated schedule. So if you're a movie buff, you have DGA nominations on the 3rd, Oscar nominations and the Critics Choice Awards on January 10th, the Golden Globes on the 13th, then the SAG Awards on the 27th. For those of you who enjoy awards season for red carpet, you have multiple opportunities for dress critiquing, sharpening your live tweeting skills for the Oscars in February. (Disclosure: I'm hoping that Argo wins Best Picture)

#4 -  Exciting Sporting Events
There's more than movies going on in January. The NFC and AFC football championships air, which usually promise excitement and surprises (more than the Oscars, frankly). They determine who will be playing in the super bowl. The NBA is in full force. And...that's all I know about sports.

#5 - Anything Can Happen
A year ago today, who had heard of Gangham Style, fun., or Gotye? Who had read Code Name Verity or The Fault in Our Stars? Who had expected Skyfall to be that good? Who had thought that Tom and Katie would split up and that Kim Kardashian would be pregnant with Kanye West's baby? This time next year, we could be discussing a movie/song/book that we can't even conceive of. There's an excitement in discovering something new and fresh, in those surprises that we never saw coming. As much as we try, we don't know what 2013 will bring.

Happy New Year!

Drafting: A Numbers Game

After reading Leign Ann Kopans's blog about Fast Drafting over at argyle central YA Misfits, I wanted to share my crazy strange method for writing first drafts. For me, it's all about the numbers. When I think about writing a book, I'm overwhelmed by the sheer size. Hundreds of pages! Thousands of words! All coming from me? I prefer to break one big book into lots of little sections.

[WARNING: I'm a bigtime plotter, so I don't think this method will apply to pantsers.]

For those fantasy and sci-fi writers who can churn out 100,000 words -- even writers who can reach 70,000 words -- I am in awe of you. I just can't write that much. I aim for my book to be 60,000 words. That's a solid length for contemporary YA.

1 book = 60,000 words

First, I create a chapter outline, breaking my story into chapters. I make myself create a minimum of 30 chapters. If the story needs more, fantastic! But 30 is an acceptable amount that falls within genre standards. So for my 60,000 book, each chapter will have to hit 2,000 words.

1 chapter = 2,000 words
I think I can do 2,000 words, but it still seems like a lot. So I break it down even further.

I create scenes within my chapters. Instead of each chapter consisting of 1 scene, I include multiple little scenes. The scenes don't have to be interconnected, but the final scene of a chapter should propel the story and make the reader want to keep reading. I aim to have 4 scenes within each chapter. I'll split big scenes in my head even if it's written as 1 scene in the book. For instance, if there's a big "party" scene where the MC talks with some friends then gets in a fight with her boyfriend, that may all happen in one scene, no break. But mentally, I'll count the friends part as 1 scene, and the boyfriend argument as another scene. So in a 2,000 word chapter, each scene needs to be 500 words.

1 scene = 500 words
I can do 500 words. That's manageable. That should take under an hour to write. But sometimes, 500 words can seem like a lot. There may not be enough going on to justify 500 words.

So I look at sentences. On average (based on my unofficial research), 5 sentences equals 100 words. And since it's a first draft, I allow myself to write longer, rambling sentences and break apart my contractions. One extra rambling sentence can net you 30 words. And if you're at 19,940 words, those 30 words can give you the motivation to get you to 20,000.

5 sentences = 100 words
We can all write 100 words. Scribble it on a notepad during a boring meeting, or on a short bus ride. Every little bit helps. I will finish this book 100 words at a time. Each 100 words gets me closer to that 500 word scene, which gets me closer to finishing that 2,000 word chapter.

Will writing this way produce beautifully crafted prose?
No! 

It's a first draft. My main goal is to get the words on the page, to get the story from beginning to end. Nobody said it had to be good. Thanks to overstuffing and stretching out the first few chapters, I usually manage to break 60,000 words, but barely. The words hardly come easily to me. In revisions, I cut the fat. It's better to have fat to work with than to try and create it.

Microsoft Word has the word count ticker at the bottom of the page, so I am forced to look at it. I can't not look at it. And for me, this works. It's a way to feed the analytical part of my brain while I'm being creative. I like to have something to obsess over accountability. This method may not work for you, and that's fine. But if you're a numbers person like myself, feel free to give it a shot!

My Favorite Non-Holiday Holiday Movies

I can't believe Christmas is only 1 week away. One of my favorite unofficial traditions of the holiday season is watching lots of movies on my couch, huddled under blankets while it snows outside. Well, it's supposed to snow, but apparently global warming has come early and Chicago will probably never see snow in December again :(

I love watching crappy Christmas movies and decent Christmas movies and animated specials, even the creepy stop-motion ones. But there are a few movies that I have to watch around this time, even though they have nothing to do with the holidays. Does that happen with you? Are these some movies that you can only watch a certain time of year? Some are obvious, like watching Independence Day around July 4th. But there are others that aren't so obvious. For me, this usually corresponds to when they were first released. I can only watch American Beauty in the fall, preferably September. I prefer watching Can't Hardly Wait and My Best Friend's Wedding in June. These aren't ironclad rules, just weird preferences.

So as the holidays wind down, allow me to share some of my favorite non-holiday movies to watch. (Note: When compiling this list, I realized that all of these movies were released in December. But still, they're perfect ones to watch on a gloomy Sunday afternoon on TBS whilst vegging on your couch.)

As Good As It Gets

(But skip everything James L Brooks made after that -- Spanglish and How Do You Know. And ignore the creepy age difference between Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt.)

Jerry Maguire

(Tom Cruise has never been better, and Cameron Crowe is such a great writer. The dialogue is just beautiful in this film. I'm so happy he won an Oscar, albeit 4 years later)

The Royal Tenenbaums

(I love the look of this movie - so warm and fuzzy. There's so much detail. It's like a moving painting. But I'll admit this film isn't for everyone. Either you love it or hate it.)

Something's Gotta Give

(Every Nancy Meyers film is a non-holiday holiday movie: What Women Want, The Holiday, It's Complicated. And her films are total interior design porn. Just try and NOT salivate over Diane Keaton's beach house. Go on...I'm waiting...)

You've Got Mail

(How is this not a holiday movie? It just FEELS like one. Who wouldn't want to frolic in the Upper West Side? And sadly, Fox Books would probably be out of business today. F-O-X)

Ok, your turn. What are some of your favorite non-holiday films you love watching around this time?

Holiday Reading List

We are smack dab in the middle of my favorite time of the year - holidaytime! Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years. I love it. I am a sucker for anything holiday. Crappy ABC Family hoilday movies. Store displays. I'll salivate over anything red and green. (Sidenote: Yes, I am Jewish and I celebrate Hanukkah, but I love American Christmas, which strips away all religious components of the holiday and replaces them with pure cheese and commercialization. It's not about Jesus's b'day for me; it's about Home Alone.)

And yes, as I write this, I am listening to 24/7 Christmas music on 93.9 FM Chicago.

An added bonus to the holiday hijinx is all the free time I have in these next 6 weeks. I get off from work between Christmas and New Years. I am taking the rest of my vacation days before they expire. Plus the office should be quiet without any necessary late nights. This means more time for writing and reading -- and this year, I am prepared. I have made a list of books I plan to read. And yes, I've checked it twice.
All photos from Amazon.com

#1 - The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen

I read this book a decade ago, but don't remember anything about it except that a guy falls off a ship. I read Freedom two years ago and loved Franzen's writing, which delves deep into seemingly normal American society. He uses the 3rd person omniscient and lets you know every detail about every character, all with a spelling-bee-level vocabulary. (No mention of xylocarp, though) I'm 100 pages in, and so far it's great!

#2 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Everyone and their mother (and my mother too!) has been raving about this book, and I want to read it so badly! The concept hooked me, and I heard there are twists and turns you will never see coming. I've done my best to avoid all spoilers.

#3 - Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe

Tom Wolfe only publishes one book per decade, and he makes them count. His novels are sprawling tomes that hold a mirror up to our current society and capture every detail. The Bonfire of the Vanities is one of my favorite books, and he's definitely had an influence on my writing. Wolfe started out in nonfiction, and it's still reflected in his journalistic 3rd person style. While I write 1st person, my heart will always belong to 3rd person. I fear that it's a dying breed.

#4 - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Every YA blogger, writer, reader and their mother has been raving about this book all year. Amazon just put it in their Top 10 of 2012. It's by far the most successful YA contemporary book of the year. I hear its Green's best book and a total punch in the gut. Sometime in 2013, I want to read Looking for Alaska, too. It'll be the only JG book left that I haven't read. 

#5 - The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

This book has an incredible hook: Two teens log onto AOL in 1995 and discover their present day Facebook pages. I was a teen using AOL dialup in the '90s, so this will be a pure nostalgia trip for me. The book came out last November with a lot of hoopla, but then I never heard a peep about it afterwards. Did it not live up to the hype? I think when Fault in Our Stars came out less than 2 months later, it completely stole the book's thunder. I'm still insanely curious to read it.



What books are you planning to read this holiday season?