Banned Books Week: Books That Get Banned

All week I've been talking about Banned Books Weeks, some of the things that are going on and why you should care. (You should, you know.) But what I haven't talked about yet are actual books. So today I'm going to share some of the most banned and/or challenges books in America, according to the ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom.

The ten most challenged classic books are:

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
3. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
5. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
6. Ulysses by James Joyce
7. Beloved by Toni Morrison
8. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
9. 1984 by George Orwell
10. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

Seriously? The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, and To Kill a Mockingbird? Too bad the general public (and kids in particular) are too feeble to read about the excesses and immorality of the rich in the 1920s, the hardships experienced by average families during the Great Depression, and the appalling reality of racial injustice in the early half of the 20th century. Thanks for protecting us from that, censors.

And, if that weren't bad enough, new books are challenged, too. (Shocked, aren't you?)

Here are some of the more recent books on the challenge list:

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
2. His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman
3. TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle
4. Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
5. Uncle Bobby's Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen
6. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
7. Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper
8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
   
9. What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones
   
10. Captain Underpants (Series), by Dav Pilkey
    

Oh, the horror of gay penguins, bored/spoiled/overindulgent rich kids, and a fantasy world of parallel universes are totally going to warp me into some kind of misfit. Here's why not: What does it matter to me if two boy penguins want to shack up? I'm never going to be rich enough to do overindulge that much. And I'm pretty sure my beliefs can stand strong against the influence of a fantasy novel.

Jeesh, I mean what do censors think is going to happen? A kid reads The Golden Compass and then their soul suddenly pops out of their body and takes the form of a parrot? Really? If that happens, I wanna know about it. Because that's news.

Okay, I think I'm done with the snark for now. Later.

Hugs,
TLC

Buzzing About Banned Books

I'm talking about Banned Books Week over on Books, Boys, Buzz... today. Click over to read my mom's favorite saying about freedom of expression.

Hugs,
TLC

Banned Books Week: What You Can Do

By now you know that this is Banned Books Week, and maybe you're wondering, "What can I do?"

First, you can visit the What You Can Do page on the official Banned Books Week website. A lot of their suggestions are geared toward libraries and bookstores, but here are a couple of ideas anyone can do:

• Write to your local paper.
• Keep a Banned Books Week journal.
• Collaborate with local booksellers and librarians for big events.

Something else you can do is contact other organizations that are supporting banned books week. Here are some:

• Amnesty International — A group dedicated to the protection human rights, they take up the Banned Books Week charge to support individuals who are being persecuted for their writing.
• National Coalition Against Censorship — A major part of Banned Books Week, NCAC works to protect free expression and to aid individuals facing censorship. They have a Take Action page on their site with a list of ways to get involved, as well as a special Right To Read: Take Action page.
• American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression — Calling themselves the "bookseller's voice against censorship" the ABFFE produces the Banned Books Week Handbook, full of great tips and ideas and information.

But the very best thing you can do is educate yourself. Learn for yourself why banning books is bad, read the banned books and judge for yourself. Read this Wikipedia article about Banned Books Week. Google "banned books" and read some of the blogs and news articles and websites on the issue. (Even read ones from opposing or alternate points of view.) Talk to your parents or your friends or your librarian. Only when you are equipped with this knowledge can you hope to share it with others.

As President James Madison once said:

"A popular government, without popular information, or the mean of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

Arm yourself.

Hugs,
TLC

Banned Books Week: Manifesto

In honor of Banned Books Week, brilliant poet Ellen Hopkins (bestselling author of Crank and newly published Tricks) wrote a poem that confronts those who allow fear to turn them into censors. I have never read anything more beautiful on the topic of intellectual freedom.

Manifesto

To you zealots and bigots and false
patriots who live in fear of discourse.
You screamers and banners and burners
who would force books
off shelves in your brand name
of greater good.

You say you’re afraid for children,
innocents ripe for corruption
by perversion or sorcery on the page.
But sticks and stones do break
bones, and ignorance is no armor.
You do not speak for me,
and will not deny my kids magic
in favor of miracles.

You say you’re afraid for America,
the red, white and blue corroded
by terrorists, socialists, the sexually
confused. But we are a vast quilt
of patchwork cultures and multi-gendered
identities. You cannot speak for those
whose ancestors braved
different seas.

You say you’re afraid for God,
the living word eroded by Muhammed
and Darwin and Magdalene.
But the omnipotent sculptor of heaven
and earth designed intelligence.
Surely you dare not speak
for the father, who opens
his arms to all.

A word to the unwise.
Torch every book.
Char every page.
Burn every word to ash.
Ideas are incombustible.
And therein lies your real fear.

This poem has been reproduced on fliers and distributed in libraries throughout the country this week. You can download and print out one for yourself or your library.

"Ideas are incombustible." And they spread like wildfire.

Hugs,
TLC

Banned Books Week: The Source

"Goose-Stepping morons like yourself should try reading books instead of burning them." ~ Henry Jones, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

I've always loved that Sean Connery quote (not just because it's Sean Connery and he has that hunky Scottish accent, but also because of the underlying sentiment). Ignorance (whether willful or enforced) breeds many things, none of them good.

Thankfully, we live in a country that prides itself on individual freedom, on civil rights which, so many times in our collective histories, have been restricted. Or do we? Each year, hundreds of challenges are received, protesting the presence of certain books in schools, libraries, and bookstores. We must not become complacent about our freedoms, must not take them for granted, lest they slip quietly away while we're not looking.

Just what are these freedoms?

From the Constitution of the United States:

• First Amendment. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

From the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights:

1. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
2. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
3. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
4. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

From the United Nations's Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

• Article 19. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.

So those are some of our freedoms that apply to books and reading. Now it's our responsibility to defend them against fear and ignorance.

That's where Banned Books Week comes in. It's a unified effort sponsored by the American Library Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the Association of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the National Association of College Stores. Banned Books Week is also endorsed by the Center for the Book of the Library of Congress.

What can you do to help? I'll be going into depth about some projects and ideas later in the week, but for now you can start by visiting the Banned Books Week website. And you can get a badge from the ALA website to put on your blog or MySpace or Facebook.

Hugs,
TLC

Dynamotheos Powers

I got an email last week asking me about the superpowers in GODDESS BOOT CAMP, whether they were real or made up powers and whether I named them myself. This seems like the perfect (easy) topic for a blog post.


In OH. MY. GODS. the powers of the hematheos (of godly blood) students were kind of vague and unlimited. But when GODDESS BOOT CAMP came around, I had to be more specific. First, I needed to name the powers as a whole. I broke out my trusty Latin dictionary (which was essential in this whole process) and came up with dynamotheos (powers of the gods).

Next, I had to define the individual powers. Because there are twelve Olympians, I needed to be twelve powers, one assigned to each god or goddess. But, because Hades, while one of the coolest gods, is not technically an Olympian, I had to cheat a little. I kicked Demeter to the curb (actually, she decided to pass on her knowledge of the earth through education and outreach, rather than a superpower) and added Hades to the list.

Then I thought about what kind of power each god would bestow on their descendants and, with my Latin dictionary on speed dial, named them. Here's the final list:

• Poseidon — The god of the sea would definitely want his kin to be able to control and move liquids — hydrokinesis.
• Hephaestus — Who but the god of the forge would give his descendants the ability to create an object out of nothing — neofaction.
• Aphrodite — The goddess of love and beauty wants all things to be as beautiful as she, so she gave her offspring the ability to change the appearance of an object — visiomutation.
• Hera — Of course the queen of the gods can read minds, so her descendants have the ability to read the thoughts and emotions of others — psychospection.
• Artemis — As the goddess of the hunt, with a bow and arrow at her side, she appreciates the ability to control and move air and wind — aerokinesis.
• Athena — The goddess of wisdom finds it very helpful to be able to communicate, whether in words, feelings, or other senses, telepathically with another hematheos — psychodictation.
• Hades — The god of the underworld is also the owner of the cap of invisibility, so he gave his descendants the ability to hide, mask, or cloak an object — visiocryption.
• Zeus — As the king of the gods, he chose the most powerful ability for his descendants, that of being able to move oneself to a different location through non-physical means — autoportation.
• Ares — Who but the god of war would want the ability to move objects (like maybe spears and swords) through non-physical means — telekinesis.
• Hestia — As goddess of the hearth, she takes the protection of home and family very seriously, and so she gave her descendants the ability to protect themselves from harm, whether seen or unseen — corpoprotection.
• Apollo — The god of light and the sun bestowed the ability to control light and fire on his kin — photomorphosis.
• Hermes — The speedy messenger god gave his descendants the ability to use the body to its fullest extent — corpopromotion.

Of course, the individual powers are not limited to descendants of that god or goddess. The be fair, all hematheos have some ability in all twelve powers, though they are strongest in that of their ancestor. (You can find out more about the powers and how they're used in GODDESS BOOT CAMP.)

If you could create a power for another god or goddess, what would it be? And what would you name it?

Hugs,
TLC

Happy National Punctuation Day!

When I got an email from School Library Journal about National Punctuation Day I was way more excited than I really should have been. I mean, come on. A holiday dedicated to one of the geekiest parts of the writing process? How cool!


As a recovering grammar hater (I still have nightmares about diagramming sentences) I feel like I should be doubly respectful of the punctuation that differentiates my questions from my exclamation, my interruptions from my pauses, and my side notes from my unrelated thoughts. And so, in honor of National Punctuation Day, I'm going to let my grammar-geeky-self out and talk about my favorite punctuation marks.

Em Dash

I use em dashes. A lot. So much so that my first copy editor said, "The author seems exceedingly fond of em dashes." It's true, I won't bother denying it. I use em dashes so much in my writing because, if my daily dialogue were close-captioned for all the world to read, my own speech would be full of em dashes. I talk in interrupted sentences—sometimes they're interrupted by whole paragraphs—so it's only natural that I write that way, too. Check out this example from OH. MY. GODS.:

We get to Serifos and spend a few glorious steps on an unmoving surface while Damian leads us to the chauffeured—is a private boat driver a chauffeur?—private yacht—yes, yacht—that will take us the rest of the way to the stupid, ferry-less island.

Ellipsis

I love ellipses almost as much as I love em dashes. (But only almost because, honestly, nothing can top my em dash love. Not even parentheses.) I love trailing off speech or thoughts, whether a character is doing it on purpose to torment another character or because some previously unrealized thought has just occurred and it's so profound they can't even finish what they were saying. Here's another example from OH. MY. GODS.:

"Well," Damian continues, "there is more to the Academy's history than most textbooks contain. In the sixth century, the Roman emperor Justinian issued an edict demanding the Academy be closed and forbade formal philosophical education. The ... ah-hem ... benefactors of the school were not prepared to see it closed so they moved it here. To Serfopoula."

I think the reason I like these two punctuation marks so much is because they allow me to control the pacing of my writing, to force beats and breaks where I think they would naturally occur. As a writer, I leave a lot of interpretation up to the reader. (Listening to the audiobook of OH. MY. GODS. I can hear just how very much is left up to interpretation.) Through em dash interruptions and ellipsis pauses, I can control—in some tiny way—how you read my writing. The rest is up to you.

Okay, so let your geek out. Do you have any favorite—or hated—punctuation marks? (I've always kind of disliked colons and semicolons. Probably because I don't really understand how to use them, but the copy chief at my publisher said no one does so I don't feel so bad about it.)

Btw, I'm kind of tempted to order the punctuation posters. If I were an English teacher they would so be on my wall!

Hugs,
TLC

Living My Five Update #2

It's my day to share at Living Your Five. Pop over and see what progress I made toward my causes in the last two weeks.

Hugs,
TLC

Buzzing About Fortunes

We're having an unnofficial superstitions theme this week on Books, Boys, Buzz.... Wanna hear my take on fortune cookie fortunes? Click over and find out.

Hugs,
TLC

Make Your Green Vote Heard

Last week on my Living Your Five update I mentioned that I had ordered recycled boxes from UsedCardboardBoxes.com for my upcoming move. Since then I got an email from the company announcing that they are a "Top 10 Finalist" for the 2009 Green Business of the Year award. They include instructions on how to vote and rally other votes to help them win.

1. Cast your vote! Go to Green America Today and vote for UsedCardboardBoxes.com (#10 on the list)
2. Spread the word. Let others know about the voting via Facebook, Twitter, and email. They even provide samples so you don't have to tax your brain to share:

• On Facebook try this:
  
  I am voting for UsedCardboardBoxes.com as Green Business of the Year and am encouraging others to do the same. They save trees and makes moving easier and greener with their earth-friendly moving kits, shipped free in 1-2 business days. [Option to add personal message]
  
  Click here to join me and cast a vote! http://www.greenamericatoday.org/greenbusiness/peopleschoice/
  
• Twitter users can use these tweets:
  
  I love what UsedCardboardBoxes.com does. Help them win the People’s Choice Award. Vote here: http://bit.ly/jMLd1
  
  Just bought boxes from UsedCardboardBoxes and loved going green. Vote them as the Green Business of 2009: http://bit.ly/jMLd1
  
  UsedCardboardBoxes.com saves trees! Vote them for Green Business of the Year, here: http://bit.ly/jMLd1
• And here's a sample email message:
  
  Hi (Name),
  
  When I moved, I ordered my moving boxes from UsedCardboardBoxes.com - perhaps you've heard of them. If you haven't, go to their website and check it out. It’s a very cool company that helped me reduce my carbon footprint AND saved me money on my move!
  
  They are a Top 10 nominee for the “People’s Choice Award” at Green America. I’ve already voted for them and encourage you help them win, as well. If you are like me, you’ll want to support businesses that help the environment and this is a great way to do so. You can for them, here:
  
  http://www.greenamericatoday.org/greenbusiness/peopleschoice/
  
  Or http://bit.ly/jMLd1
  
  Thanks a ton, and be sure to pass this on to other environmentally-conscious people!
  
  Sincerely,
  (Your Name)
  
  PS: Oh by the way, their website is awesome, the boxes look brand new, the customer service is outstanding, and all the employees are very good looking! You can thank me later for introducing this company to you.
  

So you see, all the hard work is done. All you have to do is vote and spread the word.

Hugs,
TLC

PS--All of the above lovingly stolen from the UsedCardboardBoxes.com email with the sole intention of garnering votes for them. Hopefully this is okay.

There Will Be No Blog Today...

...because I am tired. (Four hours of sleep will do that to a girl.)

Instead, I will give you a taste of FORGIVE MY FINS from the opening page.

Water calms me. It’s like chocolate or hot tea or dulce de leche ice cream. After a rotten day, I lock the bathroom door, fill Aunt Rachel’s old-timey tub with steaming water and bath salts, and then sink into a world where my problems all melt away.

Some days it’s not enough.

“Did you ask him?”

Securing the phone against my shoulder, I scoop up a handful of bubble bath and blow the fluff out over my belly. I can choose to ignore the question, right? Especially since neither of us is going to like the answer.

“Lily . . . ,” Shannen prods.

When the bubbles hit the water and dissolve into a frothy film, I sigh.

The whole point of this bath was to make me forget my disastrous day—including the subject of Shannen’s question—but that seems impossible. Even though I’m feeling slightly more mellow than when I slid in twenty minutes ago, nothing can completely wash away that memory.

Too bad bath salts can’t change the past.

“No,” I admit with a frustrated growl. “I didn’t ask him.”

Hugs,
TLC

PS--If your name is Liz and you emailed my from my website, I tried to respond but the address got kicked back. Try again, please.

A Movie State of Mind

There have been so many great previews for upcoming movies that I find myself eagerly awaiting release dates (like I'm waiting for the final installment of the Hunger Games trilogy). Here are some of the movies that have snagged my interest:


Whip It starring Ellen Page (of Juno fame) and SNL hottie Jimmy Fallon. Roller derby is usually not my thing, but for some reason this movie about the sport looks really fun. The line in the trailer where she tells her mom, "I'm in love with this," really makes me want to find out what is so appealing about speeding around a track on rollerblades while trying to beat the crap out of all the other girls.


New Moon (of course) starring ... do I even need to name them? I have a confession to make. I haven't read New Moon yet. But rest assured I will read it before I see the movie, because I don't want the movie to affect my reading of the book. (For the same reason I haven't seen the last two Harry Potter movies. I need to catch up on the books first.)


Fame starring no one really famous (yet). Since I first saw a preview for this remake I've been dying for this movie. I love the song, I loved the original, I loved the TV show. I'm sure I'll love the remake. There's just something totally captivating about an entire school full of aspiring performing artists, struggling to achieve their dreams. I know I'll be rooting for them to succeed.


2012 starring cutie John Cusack and an all star cast. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a bit of a prophecy nut. I love anything to do with Nostradamus or Edgar Cayce or any of the billions of other psychics who claim to see the future. So the idea that so many cultures and religions around the globe predict an apocalypse on the date of winter solstice of the year 2012 is very intriguing ... and a little terrifying. Thankfully this movie comes out in November of this year so we'll have plenty of time to see it before the world ends.


Any of those strike your fancy? Are there any other upcoming movies you're looking forward to seeing in the theaters?

Hugs,
TLC

Buzzing About Memories

We're celebrating our third anniversary over at Books, Boys, Buzz....Click on over to read my reminiscing and for a chance to win one of my books.

Hugs,
TLC

This is Not the Book You're Looking For

I am thrilled that so many of you are excited for the release of FORGIVE MY FINS. I'm doing the page proofs right now (checking the final copy for typos and mistakes) and I can't wait for ARCs to start circulating.

But I think I need to clarify something for everyone who is excitedly posting about FINS on their blogs and Good Reads and maybe (hopefully) even pre-ordering on Amazon. The edition listed on Amazon right now is not the normal hardcover. It's the library edition. (It also says it's scheduled to release in January, but you guys already know it's a June book.)


A library edition is, well, for libraries. (I think they're bound with extra tough stuff so they don't fall apart after tons of reads.) The normal hardcover edition (called the trade binding) should be up soon, I swear.

If you've pre-ordered this on Amazon (and you're not, you know, a library) you might want to cancel that and wait for the right one to show up. I'd hate for anyone to get a surprise come June. (Plus, the library edition is a little more expensive.)

I'll be sure to announce it on the blog as soon as the Amazon listing is there.

Hugs,
TLC

Short Story on the Horizon

Since it's been a while (a long while) since I posted a new short story here on the blog, I think it's about time. The only thing is... I'm not sure who to write about.

First, there was the holiday tale of the Twelve Days of Stella (which you can still read on the blog or download the PDF) starring none other than Phoebe's evil(ish) stepsister.

Next, Phoebe has her first Valentine's Day with Griffin in Phoebe's Fair Valenting (also on the blog or available as a PDF).

So now what? Here's where you come in. Time to cast your vote on who should be the star of the next short story. It could be either Phoebe or Stella again. Or another character altogether. But, I should warn you--even though I know she'll be the most popular choice--that I can't write the story about Nicole. Not yet. It would give away too much that I am saving (hopefully) for a third book.

Other than that, all bets are off. Whose short story do you want to read next?

Hugs,
TLC

Happy Birthday To Me!

Is it really obnoxious to wish myself Happy Birthday? Maybe, but I think at my age I've either earned it or I don't care anymore. (I suspect the latter.)


The thing you need to know about my birthday is that it makes me, astrologically speaking, a Virgo. And according to astrology.com that makes me:

• industrious, methodical and efficient
• practical and logical
• balanced and fair
• work for the greater good

I would like to think that most of the above are true--I know that I am practical and logical, but I can only hope that I am balanced and fair and working for the greater good.

So what about you? Do you know your zodiac sign? Is it anything like you?

Hugs,
TLC

News of the Mixed Media Variety

Some awesome things have been happening lately in the land of TLC and I feel the need to share. Bear with me.

Firft of all, the wonderful publisher of the OH. MY. GODS. series (Dutton Children's Books) informed me that they'd sold the Scandinavian book club rights to GODDESS BOOT CAMP. This goes along nicely with the same deal for OH. MY. GODS. last year. Now, I don't speak a lick of Norwegian, but I know that in any language Phoebe will still løpe fort (run fast).


Second, I've learned that both the paperback edition of OH. MY. GODS. and the hardcover of GODDESS BOOT CAMP have gone into a second printing! Thanks to everyone who bought copies and made my publisher print more!

(Psst. Wanna know how to find out what printing a book is in? Turn to the copyright page. You will usually find a set of numbers near the bottom, going from 1 to 10 or higher, sometimes with evens on one side and odds on the other. The lowest number you see is the print run number. So if the numbering starts with 2--like on the example from a fave author of mine below--it's that books second printing.)

Finally, OH. MY. GODS. and I have gotten some lovely coverage because of this summer's RITA win. The lovely ladies at Katy Budget Books included a very special congratulations add in their latest newsletter. And the cover of the September Romance Writers Report (official magazine of Romance Writers of America) displayed the covers for all the RITA winners. I'm at the very top, for my Best First Book win, and YA goddess Rosemary Clement-Moore is at the bottom for her Best Young Adult win. Yay us!

Thanks for letting me share.

Hugs,
TLC

PS -- It's my day to share my progress on Living Your Five. Pop on over to see how I've done.

PPS -- Today's date is 9-9-9, which must have some astounding cosmological significance, but I don't know what.

Buzzing About Ghosts

This week on Books, Boys, Buzz... we're celebrating the release of Marley's double release of Ghost Huntress Book 2: The Guidance and The Other Side: A Teen's Guide to Ghost Hunting and the Paranormal. Come check out my (lack of) ghost story.

Hugs,

TLC

Forgive My Fins Character Collages

Now that the cover for FORGIVE MY FINS is officially out in the world (and because Hannah asked for them) I think it's time to introduce you to the cast of this story, via their character collages. (Note: I will probably do a blog series of actual character introductions later down the line, but for today it's just name, role, and collage.)

It's my pleasure to introduce the mermaids and humans of FORGIVE MY FINS. (Click on the pictures to see the full-size image.)

First up is Lily, the heroine of our story.

Next we have the two boys in her life, Brody and Quince.

Her best land friend, Shannen, and Brody's ex Courtney (who, when I made the collages, I thought would play a much bigger role than she does).

And, finally, Lily's bratty cousin Dosinia (who ended up playing a bigger role than I'd planned--she's pushy like that).

There they are, my darlings. Of course, a couple of characters popped into the book after I made the collages, so I don't have any for them. (I might make them as I work on the sequel, though.) Those include Lily's dad, her best mer friend Peri, and Lily's very human aunt Rachel.

Whaddya think? Are these characters you'd look forward to reading about?

Hugs,

TLC

Some Awful Title Ideas

Earlier this week I twittered about needing a title (working or otherwise) for the sequel to FORGIVE MY FINS. (Which I'm writing right now, btw.) I really like to have a title while I'm writing. Even if it's a title I'll eventually have to squabble with my editor about later. (*cough* GODDESS BOOT CAMP *cough*) But on this one I'm completely tapped out. It's FINS2 as far I my files go.

I need your help. After reading the jacket copy for FORGIVE MY FINS you should have a general idea of the series. I want suggestions, peoples. First, I'll share my list of possible titles (some decent, some horrid).

• Fintastic
• 'Scuse My Scales (thanks Kate!)
• Fish Out of Water
• Fins Out of Water
• Sea You Later
• Oceanista (love, but it doesn't fit the book)
• Wish Upon a Fin
• Once Upon a Fin
• Make Mine a Mermaid
• Snail on my Tail (uh, thanks Kirsty)
• Fin Big Trouble
• The Trouble With Fins

Then, if you have any suggestions, leave them in comments. If someone comes up with a gem that ends up being the final title of the book, I'll send you an ARC of FORGIVE MY FINS as soon as I get them.

Now, get brainstorming.

Hugs,
TLC

GBC Book Trailer

I finally connected with my friend and amazing sound designer Will Burns to get the final book trailer for GODDESS BOOT CAMP. (He's been done for weeks, I've just been slacking about getting it from him.) It's up on YouTube for all to see, but I thought I'd share it here, too.

Isn't Will an awesome sound guy? I especially love the seagulls at the begining and the marching sounds for Goddess Boot Camp. Thanks Will!

(Any authors out there interested in hiring Will for their book trailer, check out his website.)

Hugs,
TLC

Beginnings Are Beautiful

For the past few weeks (months?) I've been busy on other projects. Websites, blogs, revisions, copyedits, top secret proposals for books you might or might not ever get to see. But this week I've closed all those little doors and turned my attention to the sequel to FORGIVE MY FINS--and book which, coincidentally, is due December 1st.

I'm not worried about the deadline (yet) because I'm starting early and hopefully will have a (very) rough draft finished before I move in mid-October.


There are so many things I love about starting a new book. (Which might possibly be why I've started so very many in my lifetime, but that's another post.) Here's a quick list of why I think this stage of writing is awesome:

• Brainstorming -- At this point in the writing game, nothing is set in stone. I can change character names, locations, birthmarks, plot points, the color of the love interest's hair, whether or not my protagonist has superpowers. And you know what, it doesn't affect one single word, because none have been written yet. I get to have total control of the world I'm creating, without making more work on the back end.
• Research, research, research -- Going along with the previous point, before the book begins is when I get to do most of my research. It's time to learn everything I can about Greek islands, mythology, cross-country running, travel from Los Angeles to the Aegean, underwater life off the coast of Florida, or traditional beliefs about mermaids. I immerse myself in these topics, because often little bits of research will lead to wonderful plot ideas. Once the writing begins my research becomes limited to those little things that come up as I write. But in the beginning, I get to discover it all.
• Creating characters -- This is my favorite part! I get to create whole people, everything from their hair color to their athletic ability to their astrological sign. This is when I make my character collage, flipping through magazines looking for pictures of people that look like my characters, stuff my characters might own, places my characters might visit. It's like putting together a puzzle of enough things to tell me exactly who this person is. And they don't get to be all closed off and defensive, like real people. (Well, except for maybe Nicole. She's pretty closed off. But she has good reason.)
• A blank page and limitless possibilities -- Nothing is wrong with on page one. There's nothing to fix, nothing to tweak, nothing to rework. The instant you start writing you go from a moment of perfect potential to a reality in which your words and pages and scenes and chapters are going to need revision. Sometimes a lot of revision. But at the very begining, you can believe that everything is going to come out perfect the first time. (Experience has taught me that this is never, ever the case. I can still hope.)

That's it, those are the reasons why I adore starting a new book. (Adore is my word of the week, apparently.) What about you? Any writers out there want to share their thoughts on starting a new book (both pros and cons are welcome)?

Hugs,
TLC

Buzzing About Firsts

It's a very special week over a Books, Boys, Buzz... We're celebrating the release of Heather's first book, Never Cry Werewolf. Buzz on over to see what first I'm buzzing about.

Hugs,

TLC