by Joelle | Mar 24, 2008 | Daily Writings
Hi, Everyone. Thanks everyone for participating in the Q&A with Elana Roth. It was fun and informative. And thanks to you too, Elana! If you missed the Q&A, you can access the “live” portion by clicking on the comments below. Click here to view the...
by Joelle | Mar 23, 2008 | Need to Read
If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember that I loved the first two books in this series (even though I read them out of order), Bras & Broomsticks and Frogs & French Kisses. This is another winner! It’s set at sleep away camp and I am...
by Joelle | Mar 23, 2008 | Uncategorized
He wanted me to raise the stakes for my character. So, me being who I am, immediately came up with this brilliant and complicated plot device for raising the stakes. It meant changing a bunch of stuff, introducing family secrets, creating unexpected twists and turns,...
by Joelle | Mar 22, 2008 | Need to Read
I finally got a hold of a copy of this book and ended up reading it in two sittings (one day). I “virtually” know Jo Knowles, but so do a lot of people because she runs that write a book in two and a half month thingie which is a spin-off of the write a...
by Joelle | Mar 21, 2008 | Daily Writings
So a few weeks ago, my agent read my new manuscript and while he was excited, he asked for some changes before it goes out. Click here for the rest of the story….
by Joelle | Mar 20, 2008 | Need to Read
You may remember that Lisa’s book, THE THING ABOUT GEORGIE was on my Fave Fifteen of 2007 and she’s got another winner here. This book was interesting on so many levels. It really makes the reader feel quite uncomfortable because…well, I don’t...
by Joelle | Mar 11, 2008 | Need to Read
I have never been very interested in audio books. The only time I ever wished I had one to listen to was when I had a headache and I was never prepared with one on hand during those times, so I basically never listened to them. The few times I’d tried them,...
by Joelle | Mar 9, 2008 | Need to Read
This is a lovely and delightful middle grade story. A little bit magic and a lot of heart. If you love Jean Ferris’ books, you won’t want to miss TO CATCH A MERMAID because it’s just as wacky and fun, which is unusual and hard to find. It’s...
by Joelle | Mar 7, 2008 | Need to Read
Set on a Wisconsin Dairy farm, this book has a truly authentic (or what I imagine to be authentic, since I’ve never been on a Wisconsin Dairy farm) voice and setting. Small town life is depicted in a way that makes sense – some like it, some want out, some...
by Joelle | Mar 7, 2008 | Daily Writings
Please join me in welcoming Alan Gratz! We met at a workshop a few years ago when Alan’s first book, Samurai Shortstop had just been released. Samurai Shortstop (Dial, 2006), was named one of YALSA’s Top Ten Best Books of the Year and received starred reviews...
by Joelle | Mar 7, 2008 | Uncategorized
What’s the riskiest thing you ever did, and did it work out for you? Easily the riskiest thing I ever did was quit my teaching job to be a full time writer. The decision was partially motivated by the birth of my daughter, Jo, and the decisions we were soon going to...
by Joelle | Mar 6, 2008 | Daily Writings
When we lived in our old house, the cats roamed free and wild. Around dusk, you might catch one of them chasing the other, but that was about it. Here, they also are free to go, but they’ve turned into a couple of chickens and won’t go outside for more...
by Joelle | Mar 6, 2008 | Uncategorized
In this corner, weighing in at ten pounds two ounces, The Orange Menace! Known for his extra toes and shortage of wits, this fighter is capable of squishing opponents noses with one smack of his enormous paw. He’s also capable of sustaining injury and fighting...
by Joelle | Mar 5, 2008 | Uncategorized
Because I think of all this reading as not simply fun, but learning about what I want to write too, I tend to look for YAs mostly in my genre. I choose books with appealing covers, by publishers I like, by authors I’ve read before, fairly recent publication...
by Joelle | Mar 4, 2008 | Daily Writings
As you probably know if you stop by here regularly, I read a lot. More when I’m taking a break from writing, but generally I devour around 150+ MG & YA books a year (plus a few nonfiction and adult titles). That’s an average of 2.88 books per week....
by Joelle | Mar 3, 2008 | Need to Read
Lisa Greenwald on The Longstockings blog, mentioned this book the other day. Read it in one sitting. Found it charming, funny, and chock full of really well drawn characters and just lovely. Add it to your list! I know, I know, I’m giving you so much to read. I...
by Joelle | Mar 2, 2008 | Need to Read
The agent, Janet Reid, recommended this book on her blog a few weeks ago and I read it last night and this morning. It is so great! Very funny, a unique hook, and thought provoking. It also would be great for those reluctant readers or boys who think there’s...
by Joelle | Mar 2, 2008 | Need to Read
This is one of those books that you’ve always heard of but maybe never got around to reading. At least that was true for me. The other day, my librarian friend (who I hope is way too busy to read this or I’ll be caught) was talking about A Tree Grows in...
by Joelle | Feb 27, 2008 | Daily Writings
You know you’ve made it when someone asks you to guest blog on their fabulous website! Okay, okay…I volunteered while she’s away on her book tour, but just the same, stop by Eileen Cook’s website where yours truly is guest blogging about the...
by Joelle | Feb 25, 2008 | Daily Writings
This is my very first dishrag. I have to say it works excellently too. What do you do when you’re brain is too fuzzy to read or write?
by Joelle | Feb 24, 2008 | Uncategorized
Make sure you drop by Carol’s site to find out more about her and her and to read the first chapter of her books, Manderly Prep and Rich Girl. 1) What’s on your CD player? Broadway tunes. I’m a big fan of musicals, especially Oklahoma!, The...
by Joelle | Feb 24, 2008 | Need to Read
I really have been winning the Fabulous Book Lottery lately. To be fair, a lot of the books are recommendations, and not just ones I’ve picked up randomly (thanks, Michael). This is a very good book. The subject matter is a little hard on the heart. If...
by Joelle | Feb 23, 2008 | Uncategorized
I’m posting the picture so you can enlarge it and see the cover for a reason. When I was at the library, I picked up this book. I am not sure why, because the cover is off-putting to me. However, I read the first page, liked it, checked it out, took it home and...
by Joelle | Feb 23, 2008 | Need to Read
I only write about books on this blog that I really like, but this one…this one goes to the top of the book pile. I am totally in love with this book. I read it through in one sitting and was truly blown away by it all: the writing, the story, the characters,...
by Joelle | Feb 22, 2008 | Need to Read
I feel like I’m on a roll here…lots of great books have come my way lately. This is a neat book. I know that makes me sound like I’m twelve, but it’s the word I want to use. It’s just kind of neat how it’s told from many different...
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