Interview with Author Tanya Chernov

Tanya Chernov is the author of A Real Emotional Girl. Her memoir will amuse, enlighten, and inspire. But above all, it will enable its readers to find hope through the darkness of grief and to experience life with new eyes. Reading and using this book, they will discover, as the author has, that even when it feels as if we have been plucked from one reality and dropped into another after losing someone we love, there are ways to find happiness again.

Since this blog is about offering inspiration to writers and artists, my first question for you is, do you have a favorite quote?

I actually do have a favorite quote. I have a blog post somewhere on my website that elaborates on the situation in which I discovered this quote:

Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds,

wake in the day to find that all was vanity;

but the dreamers of the day

are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams

with open eyes, and make it possible.
- T.E. Lawrence 

Tanya, I cannot wait until A Real Emotional Girl is released! While writing this book, what’s the best thing you found on your journey?

It took me eight long years to write this book, and it was a strange experience not only to write a memoir at such a young age, but also to chronicle the undulations of my grief while I was going through them. So of course I discovered much about myself and about my family while writing this book, but perhaps the most astounding thing I learned has to do with endings.

Like all memoirs, I needed to finish mine with some kind of “A-ha” moment, some resolution or illumination that would make grand observations and commentaries on the human condition. I struggled with how to do this, not realizing that the answers did not have to be grandiose or revolutionary in order to be meaningful. In fact, the material that would end up becoming the last few chapters was on my desk all along, staring me in the face. But it wasn’t until I let go of the pressure of making myself a literary legend with this one section of writing that I was able to reach for that material, type it up, and see all the pieces snap into place.

If you could go back in time, what piece of knowledge would you take back with you into the future?

Without disrupting the space/time continuum? Sorry—nerd alert. I would take back with me the information that I would eventually try in earnest to make a career for myself as a writer, so that the younger version of me could hurry up and read everything there is to read. My #1 advice to young writers is to JUST READ EVERYTHING. I wish someone would have told me this early on, because it isn’t until a writer knows what works and does not work in creative writing that she can begin to emulate those things.

If you could make one wish, what would it be?

Oh boy—that’s tricky business. Again, without risking any warp in time, my answer to that is very simple and probably very boring: I wish for health and happiness for my family, for my loved ones to always know how much they mean to me.

What do you love most about life? And what do you hope to share with the world with your writing.

It’s been a hard year for me, but what I love about my life, and about life in general, is that there are so many reset buttons! I bounced back from some things I didn’t think I could withstand, and rather quickly at that. I love that change is always possible, that changing a bad situation is only as difficult as we make it out to be.

I hope to share my love for the written word with those who read my work, as most any writer will say. Beyond that, I hope to share my father’s extraordinary view on life through my memoir. He was a magical person, and he lived his life with an unbelievable amount of joy and exuberance. I want people to be inspired by the way my family chose to honor my father, both in life and in death, and by the way we chose to grieve—with our eyes and hearts open. I like to lift the dark velvet curtains and take a peek at what hides beneath or behind. I try to write about what I’ve found by always stopping to lift curtains, and I hope people see what I’ve seen through my work.

Can you offer some advice for writers trying to follow in your footsteps?

Again, I suggest that young writers read all the literature they can get their hands on, and that they just keep on going forever. It is impossible to be a good writer without knowing what has come before you.

I would also suggest really working hard to sort out what kind of writing process feels right for each individual. Some people prefer waking early to write, others work best at night. It wasn’t until I figured out what kind of process, schedule, and discipline worked for me that I really began taking on and completing big projects. But whatever that process looks like, it must take place every day. All writers say this, because it is undeniably true; to be a good writer, you must write at least a little bit each day.

If you could pick one word to describe yourself, what would it be?

One word? That is difficult, indeed. I could say “creative,” “meticulous,” “compassionate” or some other self-promoting adjective. But the truth is that the one word that best describes me is “list-maker.” I live my life by a series of to-do lists. All my loved ones know that I have three areas in/on which I write these lists, often with some kind of incredibly anal-retentive color-coding system. Without them, I’d languish in a sea of laziness for all eternity.

Thank you Tanya.  I'm so lucky to have interviewed such an inspirational and compassionate author!  If you would like to find out more about Tanya and grasp onto some great knowledge about writing and life, you can visit her great blog here.  A Real Emotional Girl is currently on submission and should be hitting the shelves in your town soon! 

Wednesdays Quote

 Wednesdays quote was sent to me by, Laurie Halse Anderson.  She is the author of Wintergirls, Chains, Twisted, Prom, Catalyst, Fever 1973, Speak, The Vet Volunteers series, Independent Dames, and many others.  Laurie has also won numerous awards and is a huge favorite among readers.

"Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly."

                                                                     -Langston Hughes 

"When I was in fifth grade I was given a poster with this poem on it.  This poem has kept me going ever since fifth grade; through heartache, disappointment, rejection letters, harsh reviews, and those days when the only words that want to flow seem to be the wrong one.  Thanks to Mr. Hughes, I held on to my dream and sheltered it from the storm, when necessary. Now my heart can soar!" - Laurie Halse Anderson

Interview with Author/Agent Mandy Hubbard

Mandy Hubbard is the author of Prada & Prejudice, You Wish, and five other to-be-published novels for teens. She is also a literary agent for D4EO Literary, where she represents authors of middle grade and teen fiction. She is currently living happily ever after with her husband and young daughter in Enumclaw, Washington.

Since this blog is about offering inspiration to writers and artist, my first question for you is, do you have a favorite quote? 

The first quote that really helped me was, 

“Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.” – Henry Van Dyke.

I pinned it above my computer in 2005, when I first started querying. That way if I ever felt “not good enough,” I could look up at it and realize that it’s okay if I’m not the very best, that I still have a place somewhere, and my voice deserves to be heard.

What’s your favorite piece of advice you like to give writers trying to follow in your footsteps?

My blog’s tag line is: “A published author is an amateur who didn’t quit. Don’t quit.”

That pretty much sums it up. I put that tag line up sometime in 2007 or 2008, before I got my deal, and it’s stayed there ever since.

Your book Prada and Prejudice has been flying off the shelves. It is now in its fifth printing, this is a huge accomplishment. Congratulations! When you first started writing it, did you have moments of self-doubt? If so, how did you keep going?

Thank you! And yes, of course, I think we all have doubts from time to time. Prada & Prejudice weathered so many rejections and revisions I wanted to hurl it out the window more than a time or two. But at the end of the day, I still believed in the story. Luckily, my agent did too, so we just kept trying and trying and trying, and eventually it worked out.

There’s no secret or tip I can give you to make it easier, or make the rejections sting a little less. Just remember they are part of this business—forever more--and if you view them as an inevitable part of things, it gets easier. Because even after the deal, there will be someone on amazon tearing your novel apart, or one of the chains will decide not to carry it at all… you just have to have a thick skin and believe in yourself above all else.

What did you want to be growing up? Now that you’re an author/agent did this come as a surprise?

I wanted to be a veterinarian for pretty much as long as I can remember. I grew up on a dairy surrounded by animals, so it made sense.

Well, until I “assisted” one of the vets that stopped by weekly, while he performed surgery. About the time he was pulling the stomach out of the cow, I almost passed out. I remember saying, “it’s getting dark around the edges…” and then rushing away on wobbly legs. I ran into him last summer (more than 10 years later!) and he looked right at me and said, “It’s getting dark around the edges!” I couldn’t believe he remembered.

Needless to say, being a vet wasn’t in the cards.

I kind of stumbled into the writing thing in 2003, but it’s become an overwhelming passion. I can’t get enough!

Who has been the biggest influence on you in your writing career? What have they done to encourage you?

I thanked Lauren Barnholdt in my acknowledgments for Prada & Prejudice. Any time something happened that I didn’t understand or that just frustrated the heck out of me, I’d email her, and she was always around to help. Other than her, my critique partner, Cyn Balog, has been absolutely instrumental in this journey. We met before either of us had agents or publishing deals, and now we have 11 books between us. Every curve and hill on this road has been shared with her!

If you could pick one word to describe yourself, what would it be?

I guess I would pick tenacious. Dictionary.com describes it as persistent or stubborn. I’m one of those two.

WOW!  Thank you Mandy.  If you would like to find out more about Mandy Hubbard please visit her site here. 

   And congratulations Mandy on, You Wish hitting shelves everywhere August 5th, 201o!     

Interview with Heather Petty

Heather Petty graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a degree in English and a minor in Journalism. Her love of reading as a kid quickly turned into a love of writing for kids. But it wasn’t until friend and author Cynthia Cotten nudged her toward fictionalizing her experiences working at Hume Lake Christian Camps that she discovered and fell in love with Young Adult books. Heather is represented by Eleanor Jackson of the Markson Thoma Literary Agency. Her novel CAMP WYLDE is currently on submission.

Do you have a favorite quote? If so, why is it your favorite?

I am so beautiful, sometimes people weep when they see me. And it has nothing to do with what I look like really. It is just that I gave myself the power to say that I am beautiful, and if I could do that, maybe there is hope for them too. And the great divide between the beautiful and the ugly will cease to be. Because we are all what we choose.

-- Margaret Cho

I adore Margaret Cho. And really, this is one of those quotes that inspires giant conversations that go deep into the night fueled by wine and coffee.

Recently you landed a great agent, Eleanor Jackson. Big Congrats! What’s the best way she encourages you?

I think the coolest part about Eleanor, beyond her professionalism and utter brilliance, is that she really gets what I’m trying to do with my work, and her notes reflect that. But she never dictated the way an issue needed to be fixed. Working through revisions with her, she would point out something that needed to be changed, but then let me decide how to fix it creatively. I think that is essential for me—that she trusts me artistically to find a way through the problem.

When you look back on your college days was there a professor/teacher that left an impression on you? What did they do?

Yes, actually. I was lucky enough to have some amazing professors in my degree program. But the two that stand out are Lorena Stookey, who helped me reconnect to my love of folklore and mythology, and fantasy author Susan Palwick, who was my mentor in college. She saw something in my work (as horrid as I now think it was), and even opened her home to me when my work schedule conflicted with one of her fiction seminars. With Prof. Palwick’s guidance, I really started to see kidlit writing as a career I wanted to pursue.

Was there ever a time someone discouraged you? What did you do to turn into something positive?

I think the whole industry is kind of discouraging. It has to allow the best work to come to the top. But really I’m so stubborn that the minute someone tells me I can’t do something, I have to prove they’re wrong. I knew I wanted to do this for a living, and that I was willing to work as hard as I needed to make it happen.

I guess I was lucky, though, in that I never had anyone in my life who went out of their way to minimize what I was doing or discourage me from the path. My friends and family have supported me in every step.

You are also a mother. What’s the best time for you to sit down and write?

I’m a mother and I work full time, so writing time is at a premium. These books would never have been written without the support of my husband and parents, and my mother-in-law, all of whom have spent hours and hours watching and loving on my daughter so that I could have time to work on this.

Really, I treat it as a second job. Depending on how close I am to finishing a project, I eat dinner with my family and then either disappear for writing time then or after my little girl goes to bed. I spend a majority of my weekend writing. I meet with a few fantastic writing friends on Friday night for writing time. I write through most of Saturday, and then our SCBWI Critique group meets Sunday mornings for either work days or critique sessions.

It sounds like a lot, but I love the work, so it doesn’t feel like a hardship.

Are there ever times when you feel your creative spark dying? If so, how do you light it back up?

Creativity is never the problem for me. I usually have so many projects on hold, that when I get stuck on one project, there are plenty of other ideas to kick around. The real problem is my schedule. After eight to nine hours of sitting in front of a computer for work, coming home and opening the laptop again can be very hard.

But, again, I love the work. And I think that’s what keeps me going at the end of the day—I love to spend time in these worlds and create stories where my characters can play.

That’s not to say I never get blocked. The two things that almost always work to break my block are changing medium and venue. So instead of typing on the laptop, I pick up a notebook and pen and write that way for a while. Or, instead of going up to my room to write, I go to the local coffee shop or even to the grocery store and work until closing. I wrote over half of CAMP WYLDE at the little Starbucks closest to my house.

Thanks Heather and good luck with Camp Wylde!  If you would like to find out more about Heather you can here.

Wednesdays Quote

Wednesdays quote was sent to me by, Cheryl Klein. She is Senior Editor at Arthur A. Levine Books (an imprint of Scholastic) and has edited a phenomenal list of books!  This is one of her favorite quotes for aspiring writers…

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all of time this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.” — Martha Graham

Cheryl also recommends, Dear Genius.  She says, "It is a great reading for any aspiring children's writer!"

Interview with Author Kelly Davio

Kelly Davio is the author of Burn This House, forthcoming from Red Hen Press. She's also Managing Ed. at The Los Angeles Review, and a reader for Fifth Wednesdays Journal. 

Since this blog is about offering inspiration to writers and artist, my first question for you is, do you have a favorite quote?

I’m not a writer who meditates on quotes too often—my walls are too covered in sticky notes with plot points or stray lines or phrases that I haven’t got anywhere to hang them! But whenever I am feeling listless in my writing, I imagine Tim Gunn of Project Runway standing over my desk. He tells me either "make it work," "edit, edit, edit," "talk to me," or "it looks like pterodactyl from a gay Jurassic Park." Okay, maybe not the last one, but I always find his simple, straightforward advice useful. What better inspiration is there than being told to get your butt in gear, to turn a disastrous project around, or to better communicate a concept that just isn’t working? I also think it's a good idea not to take ourselves too seriously as writers, and who can help but have a good chuckle when thinking of oneself being scolded by Tim Gunn in a tasteful suit?

What road did you take as a writer toward publication? Would you define it as, straight, twisting, full of hills, or a mountain?

I think the best way to describe my road to publication would be to say I’ve been on a slow but continually upward climb. I haven’t taken many detours in my writing career; I’ve pretty much always known writing is what I wanted to do with my life.

But I credit the steady, upward progression of that road to taking the path of literary citizenship—of putting time and energy into the literary world before trying to take any benefit back out. There are likely hundreds of first poetry collections out there that are stronger than mine, and that are worthy of publication. The fact that my collection was accepted by a fantastic press like Red Hen is due, I really believe, to the fact that I’ve invested myself in the literary world by giving what I can as an editor and a promoter of other writers. Being a good poet is not enough to build a career in poetry; one has to be an invested, active member of one’s community.

If I can give any advice to other poets out there, it’s this: make service to the literary community a priority. Show up to arts events. Buy books. Support organizations that need your talent, your manual labor, or your time. Share what you know with others by teaching or mentoring, or by reviewing and interviewing. You’ll strengthen the arts community and build rapport and connection in the literary world. Only good things can come of it.

If you could go back in time when you first began writing, what piece of knowledge would you take back with you into the future?

I’d give myself this advice: don’t just read a lot, read around. As an aspiring writer in undergrad, I had my nose stuck in T.S. Eliot full-time. Because I wasn’t reading anything contemporary, I was limiting my understanding of what poetry sounded like, talked about, or even looked like on the page. I made an old man of myself in many ways. Now I realize the value of reading many different kinds of poems; even reading poems I dislike is not a waste of time. I can learn as much about the craft from poems I hate as I can from poems I love.

If you could be any super hero, who would it be and why?

Spiderman, definitely. Speed, agility, spider-sense, strength—all attributes I sorely lack in my real life! I’m one clumsy lady. It’s a good thing writing doesn’t involve a lot of wall-scaling and quick reflex.

When you are done working for the day and your brain feels like a slushy, how do you rejuvenate it and get writing?

I’m a big believer in powering through the slush-brained parts of the writing life by getting words on paper without an end product in mind. Telling myself “I don’t need to write my magnum opus today, I just need to write something” can be very freeing. Sometimes I produce some great ideas when I just throw material out onto the page. Sometimes I write a lot of tripe. But at least I’ve done something—I try never to allow myself to give into being blocked.

I also take a lot of inspiration from other art forms. I love to watch dance and listen to music, and I’m a huge sucker for an art film (I took a great deal of inspiration for my current novel in poems, Jacob Wrestling, from watching David Lynch movies). Seeing and hearing others working at the top of their games replenishes my enthusiasm for my own work; I’m like the little kid watching her big brother do a backdive, saying “I want to do that, too!”

Could you tell us a little bit about your new book, Burn This House and what inspired you to write it?

I had a rather unusual, isolated upbringing, not having attended school until I was a teenager. My young personality was a product of the extremely conservative religious culture in which I grew up without benefit of peers, community, or classmates. When I left my home and my roots, I oscillated quite wildly between trying to establish my own beliefs, views, and opinions and my old life, still feeling a great deal of guilt and a tug toward the way in which I was raised.

Burn This House is, in many ways, about looking at the world from the perspective of being a free-swinging pendulum. It’s about being pulled in opposing directions, and about identifying what’s sad, joyous, threatening, and often quite funny about our being-in-the-world.

Writing a collection of what I suppose are metaphysical poems was never really my intention. I embarked on the project of the book by simply writing poems that flowed one to another. But we all have our own inescapable obsessions, and they have a pernicious way of working themselves onto the page, whatever our designs may be.

If you could pick one word to describe yourself, what would it be?

Earnest. It may sound silly, but in any project I undertake, I’m wholehearted in my approach. I don’t take my teaching, my editing, my writing, or my relationships lightly; whatever I’m doing at any given moment is the most important thing in the world.

Kelly, you were such a pleasure to interview, thank you! If you would like to find out more about Kelly Davio please visit her outstanding website/blog here, www.kellydavio.com Also if you are looking for a great read, keep an eye out for, Burn This House hitting shelves 2013!

Interview with Author and Rock Star, Natalie Standiford

Natalie Standiford is the author of a phenomenal new book, How To Say Goodbye In Robot. She’s also the bass player in a band called, Ruffian and in an all-YA-author-band called Tiger Beat. Natalie also has quite the editorial eye and was assistant editor for the children's Book department of Random House for three years. Recently, How To Say Goodbye In Robot has been getting nothing but rave reviews and is soaring into the hands of young adult readers everywhere.


Since this blog is about offering inspiration to writers and artist, my first question for you is, do you have a favorite quote? If so, why is it your favorite?

At first I thought "I don't know any inspirational writing quotes," and then I thought of three. But I'll choose just one:

My purpose as a writer is to loot my life to the very walls. –Thomas Wolfe

I don't consider my work to be particularly autobiographical, but when I'm writing I'm constantly scrambling for details to make my fiction come alive, and those details usually come from something I've lived, felt or observed. I like to say that a story is a monster that eats details, and you have to keep feeding it to make it grow and keep it moving forward. And sometimes I feel as if I am looting my life to feed the story. But I kind of like that, because it means that everything in my life is useful to me somehow, even the most boring and mundane parts.

What inspired you to write, How To Say Goodbye In Robot?

I went to a high school reunion and heard a strange story about someone who'd been in my class, and I realized that in spite of having gone to school with that person for eight years or so, I hardly knew him. It made me think about misunderstood people and the secrets they keep, and that was the genesis of Jonah. I created Beatrice as an outsider who comes in and observes a tightly-knit, closed world, which was what school sometimes felt like to me. Because she's an outsider, she can see things in Jonah that no one else notices.


You create such vivid and real characters. How do you do it?

Thank you! It surprises me when people say that, but I'm glad you think so. When I'm writing I have no way of knowing how readers will respond to the characters, and I just hope they don't seem completely unreal. I try to make everything about them as specific as possible. I try to see and feel the world of the story through their eyes. Also, to invoke another of my favorite quotations about writing (from Friedrich Hebbel, a 19th century German playwright): "In a good play, everyone is right."

In real life there's no narrator telling us who is right and who is wrong; everyone thinks he or she is right. People speak and behave with the conviction that their point of view is the truth. I try to keep that in mind as I create my characters, especially secondary characters. Every character has his or her side of the story, and I try to suggest that, even if I'm writing from only one character's point of view. A character may hurt people, but no one is an all-out villain and everyone's motives are sympathetic or at least understandable.


I find it captivating that you are in an all-YA-author-band. How do you encourage one another? Do you all critique each other’s manuscripts as well?

We don't critique each other's manuscripts (at least not so far), but we do love to read each other's books when they come out. Libba, Dan, and Barney are all very generous good souls, so just being around them is encouraging. And we do talk a little shop during breaks in rehearsal. But one of the best things about being in a band is that we're not writing—we're working together, dancing and singing and playing and getting away from our desks and out of our own heads for a while.

When you’re creating music or literature, have you ever had moments of self doubt and wanted to give up? If so, what kept your thoughts positive?

I have constant self doubt. I think everyone does, at least sometimes. I'm not as hard on myself about music—it's not my profession, I'm just doing it for fun—but with writing it's impossible to transfer the vision in your head to the page without losing something. Often you gain unexpected things too, but my books never turn out quite the way I first imagined them, and that can be disappointing. And of course frustrating things happen to everyone in publishing—bad reviews, rejections, canceled contracts, and so on.

I sometimes wonder what has kept me from giving up. I think it's some unconscious drive. I just really want to write, even though it's hard. I don't know how to do anything else. I get discouraged a lot, but then I forget about it and forge on. And when I feel low, I comfort myself with the knowledge that everything I experience, good and bad, is useful. When something bad happens to me, I tell myself, "Someday you'll use this in a story and that's how you'll triumph over it."

What did you want to be growing up? Now that you’re an author/musician did this come as a surprise?

I've wanted to be a writer since I was little. Not a musician so much—I dutifully took violin lessons as a child, but it was pretty clear that no amount of practice would lead me to Carnegie Hall. (I would have loved to be some kind of singer/go-go dancer, though.) In high school I considered being a journalist, a lawyer (my mother's idea, because, as she liked to point out, I loved to argue), or a translator, but only if writing fiction didn't work out. I'm glad I'm not a lawyer. Legalese makes my eyes glaze over.


What motivates you the most in life?

I like to set goals for myself—small, medium, and large—and go after them. I love having deadlines and meeting them. I'm somewhat motivated by fear—if I don't finish this in time, my life will be ruined! I work myself into a state of anxiety a lot. Not that it's healthy, but it helps me get things done.

But in the larger sense, what motivates me most is that I love my work. I love that my job requires so much reading and writing, the things I enjoy most. And writing can sometimes feel like a form of problem-solving. When you find an answer, it's very satisfying.

If you could pick one word to describe yourself, what would it be?

Plucky.

Thank you Natalie!  I know many of your fans will enjoy getting to know you better (me being one of them!) If you would like to find out more about Natalie Standiford please visit her site at, www.nataliestandiford.com

Wednesdays Quote

Wednesdays quote was sent to me by, Susan Hart Lindquist.  She is the author of, Summer Soldiers, Wander, and many other beloved books for middle grade readers.

                      

Use what talents you have.

The woods would be silent

if no bird sang

except those that sang best.

- John Haffich

Interview with Agent and Musician Extraordinaire, Gordon Warnock

Gordon Warnock has a degree in Creative and Professional Writing. Combined with his industry knowledge and respectful manner, he works diligently with authors to develop and polish their manuscripts and book proposals. With a zest for fresh, new writing and a deep love of the classics, Gordon always has his eye out for works which will not only thrive in the current market but will also withstand the test of time. In that spirit, he seeks to establish involved, long term working relationships with talented and dedicated authors in such areas as memoir, political and current affairs, health, humor and cookbooks. His eclectic taste in fiction focuses on a commercial narrative with a literary edge. His 2010 conferences include the San Francisco Writers Conference, Algonkian’s inaugural Write and Pitch Conference and the American Independent Writers Conference, among others.


Since this blog is about offering inspiration to writers and artist, my first question for you is, do you have a favorite quote? If so, why is it your favorite?

I would have to go with, “He told me not to worry about being him or being me. That if I learned how to begin everything I do or say with love, to fill my heart with it, everything would look different. That it doesn't matter to be right.” – Tanya Chernov.

Gorgeous and poignant. It kind of embodies what it means to be an artist. Not only is it the kind of quote that I try to live by, but it was one of many that made me fall in love with a manuscript that is currently getting a lot of attention from New York.

What did you want to be growing up? Now that you’re an agent did this come as a surprise?

As a kid, I was in the odd position of knowing, yet never having an answer to that question. I simply wanted to not be an asshole. But since that wouldn’t satisfy the question (and would likely get me in trouble for swearing), I would make something up or just agree with whatever that adult wanted me to be. The agenting thing came as quite a surprise. I was a writer looking to learn about “the other side” of publishing for my own personal use, and it just stuck. I love working with authors and helping them achieve the success they deserve.


How do you encourage your clients when they are having moments of self-doubt?

A good agent knows his/her writers as well as their manuscripts and knows that they are all wired differently. Some perk back up with gentle encouragement or a joke, others need more of a tough love approach, and some require dairy products. It’s like any relationship. If you pay attention to what they do and say, you will know how to make them happy.

Has there ever been a writer that made a long lasting impression on you but you never took them on as a client?

My specialty in memoir often has me reading touching manuscripts that for one reason or another have no chance in the current marketplace. I do my best to point them in the right direction, but I simply don’t have the time to work with them (and most likely come up empty-handed). I have also been offered the occasional manuscript from a former writing mentor, which is an odd experience, but they usually aren’t of the type that I work with.


I find it fascinating that you are also a musician. Could you describe the instruments you play and if you write your own music?

I have been writing and recording music since before I knew how to play any instruments. Right now, I pretend to know how to play guitar, organ, drums, harmonica, ukulele, thumb piano, and whatever else I can get a hold of. I quite enjoy using non-instrument items, such as cell phones and remote controls to add character to a song. And as if I didn’t have enough to keep me busy, I am currently writing music for my new band, Lovesies.

Are there ever moments when you feel your creative spark is dying? If so, how do you light it back up?

It’s funny you should ask. I was just discussing this with Tanya. She says it well on her blog, www.tanyachernov.com. Sometimes I’m just not able to power through it, and I need some sort of drastic change to regain perspective and fuel inspiration. I am a big proponent of putting something away and coming back to it whether or not you are having difficulty with it, but she took it one step further and removed herself from the physical environment that she was writing in. That is a good practice, especially if you work and write in the same place.


If you could pick one word to describe yourself, what would it be?

“I,” or possibly “me,” depending upon the grammatical context. I’m really big on grammar, so perhaps “nerd” would be more appropriate.

Thank you Gordon!  If you would like to find out more about Gordon Warnock and the great agency he works for please visit, www.andreahurst.com

Wednesdays Quote

The greatness comes not when things go always good for you. But the greatness comes when you're really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes. Because only if you've been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain. - Richard Milhouse Nixon

Interview with Tracy Clark

Today, I’m excited to be sharing an interview with a very fabulous writer, Tracy Clark. She has been the recipient of multiple grants and has been chosen to mentee with New York Times Bestselling authors. Check out her interview below and be prepared to be inspired!

Tracy you have accomplished so much in your writing career already, how inspiring! Since this blog is about offering inspiration to writers and artist, my first question for you is, do you have a favorite quote?

My writing desk is literally covered in quotes! I’m a quote junkie because I think it’s important to surround myself with good thoughts to counteract the negative ones that sometimes creep in. If I had to choose a favorite that speaks to me as a writer, I’d say it is:

Feel the fear and do it anyway!

I love that quote because I think there is a lot about this business that taps directly into our fears. We put so much of ourselves into our work and then wonder: Am I good enough? How can I possibly succeed with so many amazing and talented people out there? What if I start submitting and nobody likes my work? These are all, thoughts I’ve had and these are the nice ones! Self-doubt can be paralyzing. I feel fear almost every time I sit down to write. But I do it anyway.

You have won many grants. Recently, you were the winner of the 2009 SCBWI WIP grant, congratulations. This is such an amazing accomplishment! Is there any advice or words of encouragement you’d like to offer others who are applying or thinking of applying for this grant?

Thank you! It is beyond exciting to be recognized in that way by the SCBWI. Their support of writers and illustrators is wonderful and so valuable to the children’s book industry as a whole. Winning that grant was such a boost to my confidence and has motivated me even more to persevere.

Initially, the grant application process intimidated me. However, it’s been demystified a bit since receiving three grants from the Nevada Arts Council as well as the Work in Progress Grant form SCBWI. My advice is to adhere strictly to the application guidelines, make sure the work you submit is as polished as can be, and don’t be afraid to show a little personality! Go for it! You’ve got to risk putting yourself out there to reap the benefits.

Ellen Hopkins was one of your mentors for the Nevada SCBWI mentor program. Could you fill us in on what it was like having a, New York Times Bestselling author as your mentor?

Intensely humbling and transformative! Ellen Hopkins is so gifted and brilliant, but people might not know how very down to earth she is also. She was tough at times, but always spot-on in rooting out my weaknesses. And there were many! Poor Ellen, I remember one email where she had to point out that I had switched pov three times…in the same paragraph! I was a mess. From her, I worked on basics, point of view, pacing, and story arc. Plus, she helped me curb my manic overuse of ellipsis…okay...I’m still working on that one.

Building off my experience with Ellen, I was lucky enough to be chosen a second time to participate in the Mentor Program. I just finished working with author, Susan Hart Lindquist on my YA, CHALK HOUSES. That is the novel that won the SCBWI WIP Grant (under the title The Circle Journal). My experience with Susan was very different. This time, I needed to work on finding the heart of my story, making sure I knew and didn’t lose sight of what my characters motivations, wants and needs were. Susan is so great at making a writer dig deeper. And deeper still.

From each mentor, I’ve learned very different things. My writing will never be the same as a result of that program and I’m seriously considering applying again this year. There are some mentors lined up that I would die to work with and learn from.

People might not know that our Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program is open to people outside of Nevada. We’ve had mentees from all over the U.S. and other countries! I can’t recommend it enough. http://www.nevadascbwi.org/Mentor.html

What’s your favorite music to listen to while you’re writing and why?

Okay, here’s the thing; I have to write in complete silence or at least have music with no lyrics. I have the attention span of a gnat and I’m so enamored with music lyrics, I’ll find myself slipping away from my work and into my music. Having said that, I do have a playlist for my books. The theme song for my main character, Talon, in CHALK HOUSES is Breathe, by Sia. If I need to slip into Talon’s head, all I have to do is play that song.

Had you always wanted to be a writer?

When I was in middle school, I wrote a story for a class assignment. My best friend’s mother read it and began to cry. I think I was bitten right then and there. To write something that elicited such a strong emotion from a reader was astonishing. It’s the driving force for me. I want to make people feel.

Was there ever a time you wanted to throw in the towel? If so, what kept you going?

Are you kidding me? Yes. Like, once a day! But I’m sufficiently hopeful (or insane) to believe I can do this if I want it bad enough. I also have an awesome support system of mentors, friends, family, and other writers who are honest and make me a better writer, while kindly encouraging me to never give up.

You have completed several manuscripts, which one would you like to have published first and why?

The first book I completed will probably never see the light of day unless I take what I’ve learned in the past three years and heavily revise it. CHALK HOUSES is such a personal book and so much of me has gone into it, it’s become my sentimental baby. I’d love to for it to be the one that sells first. But you never know, the book I’m finishing now has a pretty strong commercial hook and I’m really having fun writing it.

You are also a mother. What’s the best time for you to sit down and write?

It might not be politically correct to say this, but when my kids both went to school full time, I did a little happy dance because not only would I get to pee in private, but I knew I’d be able to devote time and energy to pursuing this dream of becoming a writer. I used to feel like a fraud, calling myself “a writer”. But as soon as the kids are dropped off, I get to work. I treat it as my day job, my really intense, low-paying day job, but I love it! I am a more fulfilled person for pursuing my passion.

Thank you Tracy for such a great interview! We look forward to reading your books that will be hitting book shelves soon!

If you want to find out more about Tracy you can visit her site at, www.tracyclark.org

Getting Ready For Granlibakken

I was just thinking about how excited I am to be attending Nevada SCBWI’s second novel immersion retreat this May. The first retreat was amazing. The scent of wonderful mountain air and spending time among such amazing, accomplished authors was fabulous, and to watch editors walking around with pans in utter fear of bears was, well, priceless.

The first retreat at Granlibakken was inspiring. During our writing time, I began to truly write. Maybe it was the elevation making me loopy, or great authors like Terry Trueman saying, “Write what you know and don’t be afraid to show it.” When I look back on the manuscript I brought to the retreat, I’m embarrassed. I wasn’t writing from my heart. I learned to not be afraid of those black letters I put onto paper and to come out and say what it is I want to say. I’ve learned that writing takes time and growing a thick skin can take even longer.

I now have a finished manuscript, thanks to the inspiration I left Granlibakken with. I have dyslexia and never thought I could ever finish a book, but here I am. I know my grammar may be horrendous and many may feel queasy at the sight of my manuscript, but that’s OK, because I’m growing. Attending events like these help me grow as a writer, and I’m excited that I finally planted seeds of words that will blossom into something terrific. A dream is never too great, even for a dyslexic writer like me. So bring your manuscripts and dreams to the Novel Immersion Retreat in May, and prepare to be inspired!

Last I heard there are still six slots remaining so head on over to, http://nevadascbwi.org/Granlibakken_Event.html, and check it out.