Posts Tagged writing exercise

Interview with Dorian Cirrone and Two Great Giveaways

Dorian Cirrone author photo - The First Last DayI’m thrilled to interview Mixed-Up Files member Dorian Cirrone! She always shares a wealth of writing knowledge, and I’m excited to celebrate her new middle grade novel, The First Last Day. Congratulations, Dorian! I’d love to know how you came up with the idea for this novel.

First, let me say thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to talk about my new book and my favorite topic, the craft of writing.

I got the idea for the novel during the summer of 2007, when I was lying in bed thinking about how it was probably the last time both my kids would be home together. My daughter was going to start her senior year of college, and I knew she might not be living with us ever again. At that moment, I wished summer didn’t have to end. When it occurred to me that I’d had similar feelings about summer when I was a child, I decided the whole premise might make a good children’s book. I thought about the novel A Portrait of Dorian Gray, one I was very familiar with because my mother named me after the character. In the novel, Dorian Gray’s image in a painting grows older while he stays young. For that reason, I decided to make my main character an artist. But because that novel’s ending was way too gruesome, I changed the plot and made it so Haleigh’s painting causes her to live the same day over and over, like in the movie Groundhog Day.

How did The First Last Day change during revisions?

The novel that’s being published barely resembles the original version. I revised the manuscript over a period of about seven years. During that time, I would have my agent send it out once in a while, and then after a few rejections, I would revise and/or let it sit for long periods of time before going back to it. Even though I had already published four books, getting this one right was tricky. While the manuscript sat idle in my computer, I read a lot, wrote other things, studied tons of books on the writing craft, attended workshops, and put together material for workshops I taught. Finally, I came to the conclusion that the whole thing needed to be overhauled. The first version, which was written in third person past tense, was not a mystery at all. Once I decided to change it to first person and make it a mystery, things started to come together. The voice became more engaging in first person, and the plot became more complex. I added three major characters and a few minor ones as suspects who might have given Haleigh the magic paints. And in the final version, the person who gave Haleigh the paints is totally different with different motivation. Much was taken out of the original version of the novel, and most of the second half was added. Even after that major revision, I kept refining the language over time so it was true to Haleigh’s voice.Brett in a cow suit

I also made Kevin a little more quirky, and turned him into a sci-fi film buff. And I added his cow suit and the cow puns that he and Haleigh exchange. It might seem unbelievable, but Kevin is slightly based on my daughter’s best friend, Brett, who used to wear a cow suit for fun—all the way up until college!

I absolutely loved The First Last Day and can’t believe it didn’t start out as a mystery! All your hard work over the past seven years definitely shows. Your characters are beautifully fleshed out and you had so many sensory details, I definitely felt like I experienced the Jersey Shore. As a writer, I know details like this don’t appear in a book without putting a lot of thought into them. Do you have any tricks to share about adding details like these to a book or story?

During the writing and revising, I paid a lot of attention to what I thought Haleigh would smell, taste, touch, and hear. I had spent some time at the Jersey Shore one summer and visited a couple of other times, so those things were something I experienced personally. There’s really no trick except to put yourself in your character’s shoes and figure out what he or she might be experiencing at each moment. The tricky part is that you have to take your adult author self out of the equation and be true to what the character would honestly notice in each scene. Sometimes that’s harder than it seems. One thing I paid attention to in this novel was the sensation of touch because I think it’s one of those overlooked senses that can make a story more vivid and help the reader identify even more with a character. I looked for opportunities where Haleigh would realistically experience tactile sensations. And I don’t want to sound all English major-y, but I also tried to incorporate a lot of the sensory imagery into the novel’s themes. For example, Haleigh’s fingertips tingle when she runs them across the rough surface of the mysterious blank canvas for the first time. This not only gives readers a chance to feel what Haleigh is feeling, but it also creates tension. Since readers already have an idea from the flap copy that the canvas is magical, they know even more than Haleigh does what that tingling sensation foreshadows. In addition, when she traces the outline of a fish imbedded in a rock with her finger, the action connects with her being an artist. Later when Kevin’s grandmother talks about fossils being nature’s way of reminding us to remember the past, the relationship between nature, fossils, art, and memory all come together.

Those were some of my favorite moments in the book! I especially loved what Kevin’s grandmother said about fossils. It gave me chills.

You’ve done a great job writing middle grade, chapter books, and young adult novels. What advice do you have for people who are switching between categories?

The thing about switching is that you have to read many more books to familiarize yourself with not only what’s already been written in a specific category but also what the characters care about and what their issues are at certain ages. For example, in my young adult novels, the characters are much more concerned about romantic relationships and future plans for college and a profession. While Haleigh in The First Last Day is also worried about what will happen in the future and whether her relationship with Kevin will change, it’s more about friendship and family rather than love and success. I’ve read that kids in elementary school and early middle school are more concerned with fitting in and finding their place within the family and school, whereas teens care more about being independent and finding an identity apart from family and other institutions. I think that’s pretty accurate. Then, of course, there’s voice. And the only way to really get the distinction between a middle grade voice and a teen voice is to read—a lot.

Thanks, Dorian! You always give great advice. Do you have a writing exercise to share with everyone?

Before I even start to write, I like to know about my main character’s backstory and how it will relate to his or her motivation for taking the journey toward a specific goal. That backstory is so important for understanding why a character does certain things and acts certain ways. It also helps your audience identify and empathize. Here are three questions to ask your main character:

  1. If you could go back in time and change one incident in your life, what would it be?
  2. How would you change it?
  3. How do you think your life would have been if that incident hadn’t happened or if you’d reacted in a different way?

I love this exercise, and can’t wait to use it. Thank you so much for all your great advice and for celebrating your new middle grade novel, The First Last Day, on the Mixed-Up Files.

Dorian Cirrone worked as a door-to-door survey taker, a dance teacher, a choreographer, a journalist, and a college writing instructor before writing books for young readers. She is also the author of several poems, stories, chapter books, and young adult novels. She has never been trapped in a time loop, but because she has lived in south Florida most of her life, sometimes she feels caught in an endless summer.

You can find more of Dorian’s advice on her blog (she has great giveaways there, too). Plus you can find Dorian on her website, Facebook, and Twitter. Teachers and librarians can contact Dorian via her website to request an Educator’s Guide for The First Last Day.

Great news! Dorian has generously donated TWO amazing giveaways. Enter the Rafflecopter widgets below for a chance to win: 

  1. A signed copy of The First Last Day. If a teacher or librarian wins this, Dorian would be happy to send up to 30 bookmarks, too!

The First Last Day Cover

When Haleigh finds a mysterious set of oil paints in her backpack, she uses them to paint a picture of her last day at the Jersey Shore. The next morning, she wakes up and discovers that her wish for an endless summer has come true. She’s caught in a time loop, and nothing has to change.

But Haleigh soon learns that staying in one place and time comes with a price, and she has to make a choice: do nothing and miss out on some good things the future has to offer, or find the secret of the time loop and possibly face some bad things. As she and Kevin set out to find the source of the magic paints, Haleigh wonders if she’s making the biggest mistake of her life.
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  1. A critique of up to 10 pages of a middle grade novel, young adult novel, or picture book.

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Winners will be announced on June 14th. Good luck, everyone!

*Anyone can win the 10 page critique, but the signed book is only available in the United States.

Mindy Alyse Weiss writes humorous middle grade novels with heart and quirky picture books. She’s constantly inspired by her two daughters, an adventurous Bullmasador adopted from The Humane Society, and an adorable Beagle/Pointer mix who was rescued from the Everglades. Visit Mindy’s TwitterFacebook, or blog to read more about her writing life, conference experiences, and writing tips.

Gail Nall Interview and Giveaway

Gail Nall head shotI’m thrilled to welcome Gail Nall to the Mixed-Up Files! Gail lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her family and more cats than necessary. She once drove a Zamboni, has camped in the snow in June, and almost got trampled in Paris. Gail’s middle grade debut, BREAKING THE ICE (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster), is available now. She is also the co-author of the upcoming YOU’RE INVITED with Jen Malone (Aladdin/S&S, May 19, 2015), and the author of the upcoming YA novel, EXIT STAGE LEFT (HarperTeen Impulse, Summer 2015). She’s represented by literary agent Julia A. Weber.

Thank you for joining us at the Mixed-Up Files, Gail. Breaking the Ice really helped me experience what life would be like as a competitive ice skater. How did you learn so much about ice skating?

I lived it! 🙂 I started skating at age three, and while I was never really competitive the way Kaitlin is, I took lessons and went to local competitions for years and years. I pretty much lived at the rink as a preteen and young teenager. I still skate, and even teach kids in the beginner classes once a week. My three-year-old just got her first pair of skates, so I think I’ll be at the rink for many years to come!

Since you’re spending so much time in the rink, I have a feeling we’ll see more ice skating stories from you in the future. 🙂  Do you remember the moment when you were first inspired to write Breaking the Ice? How long did it take from idea to publication?

I grew up figure skating, and I really wanted to write a book set in that world. One day, while watching a skater receive horrible scores at a competition, I wondered what would happen if she showed how she really felt. So that’s how the idea for BREAKING THE ICE was born! I think I started writing it in January 2011 . . . so almost exactly four years from idea to publication. It was the third manuscript I’d written.

I love Kaitlin’s spunk! Is she (or any other character) based on a real person, and what helped you create such a believable, multi-dimensional character?

Kaitlin is completely made up. Although I think, as authors, we all put at least a little of ourselves into our characters, so there are a few small parts of Kaitlin that are definitely me. But mostly, I had to think my way through how a girl who’s very reserved would act after she finally breaks through that wall she’s built around herself. Would she try to backpedal? Definitely. But would she also find herself jumping into situations she might not have tried before? Probably. And then how would all of that affect her skating?

Can you share a writing exercise with our readers?

My favorite writing trick is one that helps with preparation and (ideally) keeps you from wasting time once you’ve jumped into your writing session. It’s pretty simple too – you take ten minutes and simply freewrite your way through your next scene or chapter. Basically, you ask yourself what you want to happen next and write it down. No dialogue (unless you think of something crazy clever that you don’t want to forget), no thinking about structure or using interesting language or following writing rules. It’s more like this: Kaitlin gets of the ice. She’s really nervous about getting her scores. Her coach thinks she did well. Then the scores go up and – oops! – not so good. Kaitlin’s stunned. Then she gets mad. And then… Then, when you sit down to write, you’ve got something of an outline. This works especially well for pantsers and semi-pantsers (like me!). 

Ooh, I love this idea! I’ve jotted down notes like that before spending a timed hour of fast-paced writing with friends (we call it a word war). I never thought to do it before each writing session, and can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing that great exercise! 

What are some of your favorite middle grade books?

My all-time favorite is the Little House series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I must’ve read each of those a hundred times growing up. Anne of Green Gables is another classic favorite. The All-Of-A-Kind-Family books by Sydney Taylor made me want to be a Jewish kid in New York at the turn-of-the-century. And then, of course, I adored contemporary series such as The Baby-sitters Club and Sleepover Friends.

I’ve been lucky enough to read some amazing ARCs of upcoming 2015 middle grade books. A few of the many I love include The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart (heart-breaking and beautiful), Dr. Critchlore’s School for Minions by Sheila Grau (funny with great world-building), My Near-Death Adventures (99% True!) by Alison DeCamp (a humorous historical – hilarious!), and Monstrous by MarcyKate Connolly (exciting and such a fascinating concept). Lots of great MG coming out this year!

Wow, what a fantastic list. I especially can’t wait to dive into the 2015 books. It’s always great to know which books to keep an eye out for! I’d love to know more about your upcoming books, and what it’s like to work with a co-author.

Up first, in May, is You’re Invited, which I co-wrote with Jen Malone. There will be a sequel in February 2016, which we’re working on now. The books are about four girls who live in a North Carolina beach town and start a party planning business. The parties never turn out exactly the way the girls plan, but they rely on each other to get through and make each one a success. We’ve had so much fun writing together! We were friends and critique partners before we started this project, so we knew we had similar writing styles. It’s great to have someone else pushing you to write better and better, and it doesn’t hurt to know that someone is waiting on you to finish that chapter already! We’ve just meshed so well on this, and I hope that’s evident in the books.

Later this summer, my debut young adult novel, EXIT STAGE LEFT, will be out through HarperTeen Impulse. I’m really excited about this one, because it’s a book I’ve been working on for a long time, and it has a really special place in my heart. It’s about a teenage girl whose entire life and future is theater, but when she loses a pivotal role to her best friend, she decides to reinvent herself. It’s light and funny, and I hope readers love it as much as I do!

Congrats on your debut novel, Gail. And thank you so much for visiting the Mixed-Up Files. I loved learning more about you, Breaking the Ice, and your upcoming novels. 

You can find out more about Gail on her website, Twitter, or on Facebook. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below, and one lucky winner will receive a signed copy of Breaking the Ice. The winner will be announced on Thursday, January 29. Good luck!

*You must live in the United States or Canada to enter the giveaway.

Gail Nall - Breaking The Ice

Kaitlin has always dreamed of being a champion figure skater, and she’s given up a lot to pursue her passion. But after she has a totally uncharacteristic tantrum at a major competition, she’s dropped by her coach and her prestigious skating club. When no other club will have her, she’s forced to join the ridiculed and run-down Fallton Club, jokingly referred to as the “Fall Down Club.” At first Kaitlin thinks this is a complete disaster, but after meeting some of the other skaters—including a boy who happens to have the most perfect hair she’s ever seen—she realizes it might not actually be so bad.

Yet learning a whole new program right before regionals is a huge challenge, and when she realizes that all the other area skaters target Fallton for pranks, she begins to wonder if joining the Fall Down Club has any upsides.
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Mindy Alyse Weiss writes humorous middle grade novels with heart and quirky picture books. She’s constantly inspired by her two daughters, an adventurous Bullmasador adopted from The Humane Society, and an adorable Beagle/Pointer mix who was rescued from the Everglades. Visit Mindy’s TwitterFacebook, or blog to read more about her writing life, conference experiences, and writing tips.

School for S.P.I.E.S–Giveaway and Interview with Bruce Hale

I’m thrilled to welcome author Bruce Hale back to the Mixed-Up Files. He’s one of the funniest and most entertaining people I’ve ever met. He’s been busy since his last Mixed-Up Files interview. Today, we’re celebrating the launch of Playing With Fire, the first book in his newest series, School for S.P.I.E.S.

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Bruce Hale and his School for S.P.I.E.S. editor, Stephanie Lurie.

Juvenile delinquent and budding pyromaniac Max Segredo belongs in juvie hall. At least, that’s what his most recent foster family would tell you. Instead, Max ends up on the doorstep of Merry Sunshine Orphanage-their very heavily guarded doorstep. As he begins to acclimate to his new home, Max learns a few things straightaway: first, cracking a Caesar Cipher isn’t as hard as it seems; second, never sass your instructor if she’s also holding throwing knives; and third, he may not be an orphan after all.

I love Playing With Fire! How did you come up with the idea for your School for S.P.I.E.S. series?

PLAYING WITH FIRE represents the coming-together of several ideas and loves.  First, ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved spy stories.  James Bond, Get Smart, The Bourne Identity, Mission: Impossible — all these and more inspired me to want to write a spy story myself.

Second, I had a yoga teacher in Hawaii who was like the ultimate drill sergeant — crusty on the outside, but big-hearted underneath.  She spoke in a kind of hybrid of Japanese and broken English, and she was such a character, I wanted to put her in a book someday.  And third, I had an odd what-if thought: What if an orphanage was actually a covert school for spies?

When all these influences came together, I hit upon the title “Shanghai Annie’s School for Spies (and Merry Sunshine Orphanage).”  For a long time, all I had was the title (which changed), but eventually I developed that germ of an idea into the book it is today, with my old yoga teacher in the Hantai Annie role.

 

The spy school feels so authentic. How did you learn so much about spy techniques?

Sadly, college didn’t teach me any of what spies call tradecraft.  (An education, wasted!) Instead, I learned it all — lock picking, code breaking, surveillance — through interviews and reading.  I read lock-picking articles online (while wondering if the FBI was tracking my reading habits). I interviewed a computer guy about hacking.  In fact, I even took a kickboxing class to help me with the martial arts stuff.  I tell you, if they ever offered a spy summer camp for adults, I’d take it in a heartbeat.  That stuff is fun!

 

Once you get a book published, is it easier to get offers for future books?

Yes and no.  Yes, in that they know you can deliver, so all else being equal, they’re inclined to trust your abilities.  No, in that it always depends on the quality of the book you’re submitting and whether it fits their list.  To my occasional exasperation, publishers will still pass on one of my stories if they feel it’s not right for them.

 

What are some of the pros and cons of writing a series?

First off, I love reading series, so it’s a joy to write the kind of books I like to read.  Series give you the chance to deeply explore the world and characters you’ve created, and to build a relationship with your readers, which will carry over into other books you write.

On the down side, series can be challenging.  You have to strike a balance between familiarity and freshness — introducing new elements and characters while preserving enough of what readers loved in the previous books.  Also (if you’re lucky and your series lasts long enough), you may find you’ve cycled through all your ideas and are having a hard time coming up with plots you haven’t used already.

Bruce Coville once said that series books are training-wheel books, helping kids learn to read more confidently.  I’m honored to be producing these kinds of books for young readers.

 

How do you develop characters strong enough for an entire series?

Main characters need a number of key elements to make them series-worthy.  First, they must be likeable, even if they’re an anti-hero.  Second, they must have some quality that makes them stand out (Harry Potter’s wizarding abilities, Katniss’s archery skills and loyalty, Chet Gecko’s punning, etc.).  Third, they must have a certain optimism and drive that keeps them moving forward.  And fourth (just to keep this list short), they must be active.  Passive characters can’t sustain a series.  When asked to move the plot forward, they just say, “Eh, maybe later.”

Photo of Bruce Hale taken by Sonya Sones

Photo of Bruce Hale taken by Sonya Sones

Can you share a writing exercise for series or humor?

Here’s a fun one for humor: Experiment with the triple play.  A triple play is a list of three words or things, in which the first two are expected and the third is a surprise.  That surprise creates the humor.  For example: in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Bill and Ted say that Beethoven’s favorite works include Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, and Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet.  The first two items set up an expectation, which is subverted by the third.  Like, “Tall, dark, and loathsome.”

Have fun experimenting, and remember comedy writing’s Rule of Nine: For every ten jokes you come up with, nine will suck!  But that tenth one will be a gem. 

 

Want a chance to win one of two signed copies of Bruce Hale’s School for S.P.I.E.S.: Playing with Fire? Click on the Rafflecopter widget below, and you’ll see seven quick and easy ways to enter! The winners will be announced on Tuesday, July 23. Good luck!

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Thank you so much for visiting the Mixed-Up Files, and for your generous giveaway, Bruce! 

 

The second book in Bruce’s School for S.P.I.E.S. series is called Thicker than Water, and is scheduled for June 2014. While waiting for the next spy book, you can check out some of the other humorous series Bruce has written. Bruce has sixteen books in his Chet Gecko series, and four books in his Underwhere series. He recently released his new picture book, Clark the Shark, the first of seven in that series. Clark the Shark – Dare to Share! will be out in January 2014.

 

You can find out more about Bruce Hale on his main website, his School for S.P.I.E.S. site, his writing tips website, or on Twitter. Here’s a link to Bruce’s Chet Gecko activity guide. You can view a message from Agent X: School for S.P.I.E.S., and watch the below video of Bruce Hale reading an exciting scene from Playing with Fire.

 

Mindy Alyse Weiss writes humorous middle-grade novels and quirky picture books. She’s constantly inspired by her twelve and fifteen year-old daughters, an adventurous Bullmasador adopted from The Humane Society, and an adorable Beagle/Pointer pup who was rescued from the Everglades. Visit Mindy’s blog or Twitter to read more about her writing life, conference experiences, and writing tips.