Author Photos!

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A few weeks back my friend Valeria took my author photos. Taking author photos is a weird experience, especially when you opt to do them outside (like I did), because people stare. They wonder what is this photo shoot for? True, I do not have a fiance or pregnant belly or baby around. Yep, it is just me. Which makes me assume they’re thinking Does she think she’s a model? Because…

Har har har.

Odd looks aside, it was a really great experience because a) Valeria is my friend, so I didn’t feel completely awkward and b) we had a lot of fun! On top of that, she’s an amazing photographer. Proof?

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Oh, hi, look at me casually smiling.

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Why, yes, I do randomly lean on brick walls!

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Sometimes I just post outside of doors. You know, as one does.

Aren’t they amazing? I’m so incredibly happy with them. This was actually our third attempt at taking photos because the first two times we were rained out. Coincidentally, it’s my third choice of wardrobe, too. I sent rather spastic e-mails to my friends Jenny & Jessica questioning the cool-factor of cardigans (since that’s my day-to-day wardrobe). I also had my co-workers pick out favorite author photos to show me, as books were returned to the library.

I may over-think things.

Now on to the important question – which is your favorite?

All images courtesy KV Photography. if you need a photographer, and you’re in the Orlando area, check them out (website, Facebook). They’re the tops.

Begin Again

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About a month ago, I was SUPER PUMPED about writing this new idea I had. It was shiny and exciting and got me into crazy writing again. (Crazy writing is what I call those moments when I don’t want to eat/sleep/breathe, and just want to write word after word after word. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does I absolutely LOVE it.) (I do stop to eat, though. I’m not barbaric.)

It was fun flirting with this idea, toying around with it and seeing where it went. A few days ago I managed to hit close to 30,000 words and just…stalled. Dead stalled. Lost all hope.

Now, this happens sometimes to me. I just start hating my idea, hating my writing. But usually in that time, I have a clear vision of the end, a light at the end of the tunnel so to say. I know that there’s a way to turn it all around, and make it something I might be proud to show my agent.

But for this one? No light. No hope. Nothing. It just felt like a bland, boring idea. Something that needed spiciness. Something  so similar to what i’ve already written. Something that needed to be completely reevaluated.

So i’m dropping it.

It’s kind of sad because I’ve created these characters that I like, and this story that I indulged in. But it’s not the right story at all. I know it won’t go anywhere, and I know in the end it won’t be anything to marvel at. So I have to step aside.

So, I’m saying goodbye to that story, l’m letting it sit on my desktop for a while. I hope in the future that i’ll pick it back up, say hello to the characters and find their real story. Because, if anything, I owe it to them. But right now? I need to say goodbye.

It’s the hardest thing to do. And sometimes, truly, the best.

Pirating Books

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Fun fact: libraries provide free books! I know, right? It’s a bit crazy. You can walk in, grab books, check them out, and leave. And it’s free! No one will stop you! You just have to return them after 3ish weeks (depending on the library). Libraries even have free eBooks! And movies! And CDs!

I know the above is a well-known fact, but sometimes I think people forget. They forget that libraries are there to simply provide free information (such as, you know, books). I bring this up because I keep hearing about the pirating of books, and it makes me a bit angry. Apparently people are ripping eBooks (or even scanning paper books – what!) and putting them online for people to download for free. This isn’t a new thing, it’s been around for a while, but It’s a bit disheartening to say the least. And I don’t say this from an author’s perspective (an author who’s afraid her books will be pirated, too), but from a librarian’s perspective. Because, hello, we’re here to give you free books!

So here are reasons people are pirating:

I want the book, but can’t afford it. Understood. It’s pricey buying every book you want. Does a friend have it that you can borrow? If not, go to the library!

But it’s checked out at the library. Put it on hold, it’ll come back soon! Or, does your school library have it? See if they do. (And if it’s checked out – put it on hold! Twice the chance of getting it quickly.)

But I want it NOW!! Does the library have an eBook of it? An audio book? See! Perhaps that can hold you over until your copy is in. (Also, browse the shelves. There are hundreds of other titles that may keep you busy until the book is in.)

But my library doesn’t carry it. Talk to a librarian, and ask them to order it. We love hearing recommendations. We can’t read everything, so perhaps we might miss a title. Let us know.

But it’s only released as an eBook. A lot of libraries have eBooks now. I know mine does. Check.

But how is getting it from the library different than pirating it? The author still doesn’t make any money. Wrong. First off, authors don’t like when you pirate their books. Period. Second, in libraries, check out statistics are very important. If a book has a lot of holds, there’s a strong chance we’ll purchase more copies. (We just put in a large order for Cuckoo’s Calling, obviously. And even though it’s an older book, my library just received a new batch of Looking for Alaskas because the hold list was just that long.) Also, if we see a book by a specific author is getting checked out often, we’ll definitely order their future books because we know readers want them. Supporting us supports the authors.

A main goal of a library is to give the patron what they want. If you come in and want a book, we’ll do everything we can to get it to you. You may have to wait a few days, but you’ll get it. You’ll see.

The Little Fox

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When I was in high school, my life more or less revolved around the drama department. I was an actress (I was not very good), I created the programs (they had a lot of fonts – it was early Microsoft Word days, after all), I was an officer (secretary, then president), I made publicity t-shirts, I competed in district and state competitions, I was a friend, a coach, a listener. Basically, drama was everything to me. I knew I wouldn’t do it in college (though, crazy enough, I did for a bit), but that didn’t matter. I loved it. I created my identity around it.

As is with most drama teachers, my teacher was crazy. She was this little ball of spiky-haired energy that would literally throw shoes at us when she was upset (or, sometimes, when she was proud). She was a mother, a friend. She knew the right roles for us. She knew what we needed to hear, and, sometimes, what we needed to do. She loved each and every one of us.

Every year when members  graduated, she would give them a copy of The Little Prince, casting them in a role that most suited them. When my year came, I met it with joy and trepidation. I always wanted my own copy, but what was next? What lay on that overwhelmingly large space ahead of me? But during my final drama end-of-the-year party, when I got my copy, I knew i’d be okay. I had friends. I had family.

I met college with that same amount of hesitance and passion. I tried. I joined clubs. I found myself. But…I never forgot what my teacher wrote. Interestingly, I think it’s what led me towards becoming a teacher, and now, a librarian. I’m not sure how she knew it back then, when I was 17, but what she wrote still rings true. Still guides me and pushes me to be the Fox she always knew I was.

Lauren – You are the Fox who teaches all the Little Princes in your life how to live.. Remember your gift always…”

I won’t forget. Ever.

Defending YA

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I love talking about my book (as you might know by reading this blog). I never want to sound braggy, but if someone mentions it, I glow.

But there are also sometimes when I prefer not talking.

And that’s when I know i’m going to get the question. The ultimate question I know other YA authors have received. The one everyone dreads.

“Oh, you write for teens? So, like Twilight?” 

Sigh.

(I’d like to preface this by saying that I read all the books in the Twilight series with no shame. I was addicted. I even went opening weekend to see the movies, even when I knew they’d be ridiculous. I am a fan.)

I hate this question because it doesn’t mean “So, like Twilight, that book series people are crazy about that gave a new light to YA novels and got tons of people read?” No, they mean “So, like Twilight, that stupid sparkling vampire thing?” It’s never meant as a compliment. And it’s always asked with a look of disbelief.

I LOVE YA novels. I read them endlessly. I push them at the library. I know YA books are amazing. And that’s just the thing. I know they’re amazing, and so I’m extremely honored to be joining the ranks of their writers. But so many people don’t see that. They don’t see the wonderful stories hidden behind all of the covers. They don’t choose to. They only choose to see sparkly vampires.

And it’s so annoying.

Not only do they think all of the books are the same, they also treat them as lesser books. As in, not as good, juvenile for the most part. Which makes me so upset because an insane amount of thought goes in to every book, no matter that size or target audience. Just because a book is written for a younger audience doesn’t make it less wonderful.

So for a while I stopped bragging about writing, and later, publishing. I stopped talking when I knew I was around someone who’d ask that question (and you know the people – you can see them coming). But now I’ve decided…who cares? Why should I be shy or cautious around them? Why not tell them about my book, and all of the other fantastic YA novels out there? In the best case scenario, maybe they’ll be enlightened. And in the worst? They’ll think less of me because i’m being published?

Well, there are worse things, aren’t there?