September 2015 Check In

Hello, hello!

Wow--I can't believe this summer is completely over. It started in such a strange space for me. I left my job in advertising to concentrate on writing. I was really frazzled and scared and completely freaked out to take such a huge risk. Now I feel much more settled and am really proud to have a lot of new accomplishments under my belt. 

My writing is going well. I finished a manuscript that I'm really proud of and started a new one last month. I took an entire month to outline and brainstorm--something I don't typically do. Usually, I start a new WIP by diving in headfirst and not really worrying about things like PLOT or STRUCTURE. This time, though, I put in the time and have something really, really solid. If I can manage to write 1-2 chapters a day, I can finish a first draft in 3 weeks. I have no idea if that's actually going to happen, but it's a really great position to be in.

I've been chronicalling some fun stories this summer. You can find them here:
The Birthday When I Almost Died
How I Got Stranded In The VA Mountains

And there was also Pitch Wars! Stephanie Scott and I picked an awesome contemporary YA written by Jenn Kompos. I'm so excited to sink my editing teeth into this MS and help make it awesome for the agent round.

I've been reading everything and anything I could get my hands on. In May I started a Summer Reading Challenge and picked 11 books that had been collecting dust on my shelf for way too long. I ended up reading 29 books total this summer. A few ARCs popped up for review and I strayed a bit from my list at times. 

2015 Reading Challenge

Valerie has read 63 books toward her goal of 100 books.

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63 of 100 (63%)

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I'm still going to yoga about 2-3 times a week and I absolutely love how it helps me clear my head. I've always been a hater of all things exercise and have been anti-movement of any kind. Yoga helps me feel strong and centered. I wish I'd found it a long time ago.

And, of course, I'm still super into Big Brother. I'm completely Team Johnny Mac and absolutely hate almost everybody else left in the house. This season has been really fun and the cast members have been really vicious and brutal. Can Vanessa just leave already? She's such a villain and her crazy switch makes me super nervous. I miss Meg and James and Jason--all the good ones got voted out. *sigh*

Fall is going to be double awesome. I can't wait to get my basic on and start picking apples and wearing Uggs again. See you in October!

Book Signing - Joy Hensley's Rites of Passage

I'm lucky to live in Philadelphia where signings aren't hard to find--and going to NYC for them is always a quick jump in the car. I've been trying to go to more signings to learn more about that public part of promoting a book and interacting with readers.

So when writer friend and all-around awesome person, Joy Hensley was celebrating the launch of her book Rites of Passage, I trekked down to Virginia. Not only did I get to crash on Jodi Meadows' couch, but I got to attend one of the coolest, most unique signings ever!

Because Rites of Passage is based on Joy's own experiences attending a military school, the signing was held at the Staunton Military Academy (SMA) and Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership museum. Joy did the usual reading and taking questions--but then the women who were attending the school presented her with a really nice jacket and showed us some of their drills.

The turnout was amazing, with a lot of Joy's family in attendance as well as her former students (she taught 8th grade), former colleagues and military school friends. She talked about her experience at military school--some of which made it into her book! She advised anyone who is considering military college or an ROTC program that, "It will suck. But it will be worth it in the end."

Plus, she had cool swag and cupcakes!

I loved Rites of Passage. It was full of chilling suspense and gave me a huge appreciation for those who pursue military careers. Add Joy's book on GoodReads here.

Cover Reveal - Robert Lettrick's FRENZY

Who wants to have nightmares tonight?! 

My awesome agency brother Robert Lettrick's middle grade horror book, FRENZY, finally has a cover, and, oh my God, it's so awesome looking! Seriously, what middle grade reader is going to be able to resist picking this one up?

Read more about Robert's book here. It comes out in April 2014 by Disney Hyperion.

Clan MacLeod Gets Wreckless

When our agency sister, Bria Quinlan, first told us that she was publishing her YA contemporary WRECKLESS, we all were thrilled. Then we got the book and let's just say things took a turn for the worse...

Clan MacLeod got WRECKLESS.

Hélène Boudreau 

Mónica B. W.

Robert Lettrick

Valerie Cole

Holly Bodger

Jodi Meadows

Lizzie Friend

**New Addition: Sashi Kaufman**

Slushpuppy AKA Lushpuppy

We love you, Bria!!! <3

And don't forget, you can nab your own copy and get a little wreckless:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, KOBO, GoodReads

Wreckless…Where obsession and rebellion collide. Bridget Larson's never met a rule she didn’t like. Drawing inside the lines isn’t just a way of life – it’s the only way she can make it through the day. And through it all her BFF Leah has stood inside those lines and weathered the unspeakable with her. Then Bridget catches her boyfriend with Leah--and the last thing on her mind is staying safe.

Salvation… A bad boy and his jacked up pickup. Jake Moore was everything she needed and nothing he claimed to be. With one night of freedom and a spontaneously scribbled Rebellion List, Jake leads Bridget down every path she thought was forbidden... And into the one place she'd thought was lost to her forever.

Get Your Channing Friday On

I know. I know...it's been too long. And you know what? This was one of those weeks that we just need to...

CHANNING FRIDAY!

Because I don't know about you guys, but I was STRESSED this week. Like, really, really stressed.

Because writing is hard, and sometimes putting our work out there feels a little like this...

No matter if it's a contest or an agent request or a submission, sending our manuscripts off into the world is SUPER scary.

And we'll spend hours hovering our cursors over that SEND button.

Because rejection feels horrible, like agents and editors want nothing to do with what we have to offer.

It makes us jumpy. So every time we hear our inbox ding, we feel like this...

And then, after we read it, this...

Things like that rough us up. Really, they do.
Because the thought of revising...again...is enough to make us want to vomit.

And the idea of shelving the book of your heart and starting something new is devestating.

Sometimes it's not even you. Sometimes it's our critique partner who gets roughed up and even though we try, there's nothing we could do to help.

It's hard dodging writer stress, and it happens to us all.

I may have even pulled one of these around Tuesday. (Because, yes, I AM A FRAGILE FLOWER!)

But seriously, we can't wallow. Good things happen, and we have things to celebrate this week! 

Let's do this, Channing! 

Because I heard there were some book sales this week (*ahem* Megan Miranda, Dahlia Adler, Nikki Urang, Victoria Aveyard, and Krista Van Dozer)!

Okay, yeah, and Dahlia? You know you get one all for yourself. (CP Love!)

And The Writers Voice started this week and I just know some of you are about to be paired with an awesome coach! (I am SO a fan. #TeamMonicaFTW)

And I hear that some awesome kissing scenes were written (FINALLY!)

And there were some birthdays this week (Oh hey, Jodi Meadows, Rachel Simon, Jessica Shea, Barbara Ellingson, and Erin Harris!)

And I hear Jodi Meadows is giving away an ARC of the last book in the Incarnate Trilogy.

And some lucky people got to go to RT13 to frolic with all their favorite writer friends.

The point is we have to celebrate all the things, big or small. Because otherwise you'll drown in the stress...

Anna Banks is right. Good or bad, no matter how hard it gets, we're in this together...

Because eventually someone's going to want our work and take us home.

And until then, we've got Channing Fridays.

 Now and forever (or just on Fridays. Whatever).

Want more Channing Friday? Clickity click right here.

It's Friday - Let's Channing

Guys, I don't know about you but this week has been pretty awesome. Twitter's been fantastic–contests are going on, everyone's reading great books, people are signing with agents and announcing book deals and just generally being their fabulous selves. I mean, let's face it, it's been an awesome week, and I think we need to celebrate that.

So I'm declaring it...

CHANNING FRIDAY

Has something awesome happened to you this week? Maybe you didn't end up on the New York Times List, but maybe just really awesome stuff happened to you?

Like you got that agent request in PitchWars!

Or you finished your manuscript and sent out your first query letter!

Or you wrote a really awesome scene!

Or maybe you discovered a new author this week and now have a new favorite book (hey, Katie McGarry! I love Pushing The Limits)!

And your husband brought home ice cream (mine did)!

Wait, what? It wasn't a good week, you say? 

That's okay–Channing Friday is for BAD WEEKS too!

Because Channing understands...that you got that rejection letter.

Maybe someone was a jerk to you and it bothered you all week.

Or that agent passed on your manuscript.

Or revisions were really rough this week.

Or your kids were acting up.

Or maybe it was just a disaster of a week and nothing went right at all.

Don't worry, Channing's got your back today. And no matter what, no matter what happened this week...

Oh, and also–