All Different Kinds of Free review and giveaway

Margaret Morgan is late returning from town, where she was purchasing supplies for her seamstressing business. When she reaches home, she hears two unexpected voices. One is the town constable. The other is the man who had been her neighbor in Maryland. It's not a social call, for bounty hunger Ed Prigg accuses Margaret of being a runaway.

She and her three children are threatened with being sold into slavery—even though each of them is free. So opens Jessica McCann's compelling and gripping debut novel, All Different Kinds of Free (Bell Bridge Books, 2011).

At first Margaret is more stunned than afraid. Why would Mrs. Ashmore, the woman she'd worked for as a free black woman, set a bounty hunter on her trail? In the beginning, the law is on Margaret's side. Eleven years earlier in 1826 the state of Pennsylvania passed a law requiring bounty hunters to provide proof of ownership. Prigg doesn't have any.

When the matter goes before the local justice of the peace, he dismisses the case, even though Margaret, free from birth as the offspring of freed slaves, doesn't have any papers of manumission. Only her husband, a slave who bought himself out of bondage, has written proof. Their two older children were born in Maryland, a slave-holding state, but to a free mother. Only their youngest, Emma, was born in Pennsylvania; that makes her the "freest" of all.

Pennsylvania sees them as citizens. Maryland sees them as property. And with that, Prigg vs. Pennsylvania becomes a prelude to the Civil War as people from all walks of life begin questioning the role the federal government should have in states' rights.

Despite the court ruling, Margaret and the children are taken to Maryland and kept in jail, supposedly for their own protection, while lawmakers and enforcers in both states join the debate. While in jail, Margaret decides to sue Mrs. Ashmore for her freedom. When she appears in court, those who testify lie and Margaret isn't awarded a lawyer or given a chance to speak. The ruling? Margaret and her children will be sent to the auction block.

You'll weep with Margaret as she watches first one then her other son sold away. Because Emma is only 5 years old, she's allowed to be sold with Margaret, who is bought by a master who wants her for only one purpose—to mate with a brutal "stud" and become a breeding woman.

As Margaret and Emma slave for their master, their case goes before the Supreme Court, which upholds Maryland's ruling. Margaret starts to lose hope until she begins receiving letters via an underground route from a surprising source. The ending will leave you weeping and cheering.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica McCann has worked as a journalist, editor and communications professional for more than 20 years and has been a full-time freelance writer since 1998. Her nonfiction work has been published in dozens of magazines and has won numerous awards.

All Different Kinds of Free was awarded the 2009 Freedom in Fiction Prize. As a novel in progress, the work also was a semi-finalist in the 2004 Dana Awards and the 2005 William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing competition.

Learn more about Jessica at www.jessicamccann.com, http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/AllDifferentKindsOfFree and https://twitter.com/#!/JMcCannWriter.

All Different Kinds of Free is available in both paperback and Kindle versions.

WIN A COPY OF ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF FREE

Would you like to have your own copy of this modern-day classic? Here's how you can enter for up to eight chances to win one of two copies of the print version or one of four copies of the ebook—epub, PDF or mobi format—for a total of six copies to be given away:

+1  Become a new follower. (+2  If you're already a follower.)
+1  Subscribe to Bird's-eye View. (+2  If you're already a subscriber.)
+1  Tweet this contest.
+1  Follow my tweets.
+1  Post this on your Facebook wall.
+1  Like my Facebook fan page.

Then comment on this post with your point total and e-mail address! The contest will be open until midnight Sept. 3, and the winner will be announced the week of Sept. 4.

Be sure to watch for Thursday's interview with author Jessica McCann.

What is one of the most moving books you've ever read?

How to write a YA memoir

Marcie Bridges

Author Marcie Bridges of The Incredible Shrinking Woman is phenomenal. Not only is she a teacher, wife and mother, she is a survivor who is writing about her abuse in a unique genre—a young adult memoir. Marcie was kind enough to stop by today to share some advice that will resonate with writers of all genres.

What if you're ready to take the classic advice “write what you know” to a whole new level by incorporating personal information about yourself or your family in your next book. What are some techniques you’ve discovered for opening yourself up to readers in such a way?

For me it was very easy; I’ve always been a “wear your heart on your sleeve” kind of gal. However, not everyone is able to share the darkest parts of their past. I recommend beginning with a journal. Writing is so therapeutic, and there is a certain amount of freedom when you know that others might not ever see it. It’s also important to realize that your story is valuable; there was a lesson in it for you and there is probably a lesson it in for others as well. 


Have you found it different to write a memoir-based YA than a more straight fiction book? If so, has it been easier or more difficult?


I would say it’s both, Michelle. It is easier because I don’t have to make the story up in my head; the characters, settings and events are all there. Because of that, though, you don’t have as much creative freedom when writing a memoir-based piece. There are also issues with a memoir-based piece that you don’t have worry about with straight fiction: Am I going to upset somebody? Is my family going to be okay with this? Should I use real names or pseudonyms? These questions won’t matter if you are writing only for yourself, but I tell you, the writing bug is powerful. Once you get started, you will find yourself wanting to go for publication, so be sure to think of these things before you get in too deep. 


What inspired you to write a memoir-based YA?
Basically, I knew I had a story to tell. The main goal of sharing my story has always been to stop one, JUST ONE, young lady from making the same mistakes that I made. It was through the support of some friends that I put green pen to paper and turned a 12-page term paper into the work in progress that I am calling Tough Love.

What advice would you give other authors who would like to write memoirs or memoir-based fiction?



As I stated above, it might be best to begin with a journal. If you already have one established, search it for ideas, for places in which you can incorporate more details. If you have never started one, now’s the time. It doesn’t have to be fancy—heck, it can be a spiral notebook; what matters is the content, not the package. Another idea is get a book of writing prompts such as The Write Brain Workbook. It is full of fun and quirky prompts to get you thinking outside of the box a little bit. Also, share your work with one or two friends that you trust. Remember, this is your life we are talking about, a life that might be filled with secrets you aren’t ready to share just yet. Start small and go from there.

What is one of the favorite excerpts from/parts of your book?

It’s funny; my favorite chapter was also one of the hardest to write. It is currently the fourth chapter of Tough Love, called Shutting Down. Not only does it deal with the emotions I felt upon discovering that my school would be closing but also the emotional shut down I experienced after being molested. It was quite difficult to face those memories, yet I am very proud of the chapter.

Thank you very much for stopping by Bird's-eye View today, Marcie!

If you'd like to be a guest blogger on Bird's-eye View or participate in a book review/author interview, I hope you'll let me know. My e-mail address is mefayard(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Chance encounter led to writing Underground Gift

Marlena Cassidy, author of the Kitty Malone series, has invited me to stop by her blog today to talk about how my historical YA, The Underground Gift, came to be. I’ll give you a couple of hints—it was very serendipitous, and one scene caused me to stop writing for 17 months.

If you have a moment, I hope you’ll stop by The Words Behind the Writer. Marlena and her blog rock hard, and I’m glad I’ll always be able to say that she was the first person to do an author interview for Gift. :)

GIFT MILESTONE

Thursday, agent Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency asked to see the first 25 pages of The Underground Gift. This opportunity is the result of a Savvy Authors contest.

If you haven’t had an opportunity to visit this site, it’s an excellent resource for authors. They usually hold several contests a month as well.

BLOG ON FIRE AWARD

Last week I was honored to receive the Blog on Fire award from YA author and zookeeper/animal trainer LisaAnn Chickos of Kicked, Corned, Bitten and Chased. I was fortunate enough to recently read the beginning of LisaAnn’s urban fantasy The Mermaid Gene, and it came as no surprise to learn Kathleen requested a partial last month; congratulations!

The purpose of this award is to spotlight up-and-coming bloggers who deserve acknowledgement for all the hard work and dedication they put into their craft.

I would like to pay this forward to Tirzah Laughs of A Clever Whatever. In my day job as an editor for the University of California, I’m also the department’s graphic designer. (This is one time when I loved budget cuts, because I’m just Piscean enough to enjoy wearing both hats!) Well, Tirzah is a phenomenal graphic designer whose wonderfully witty blog never fails to inspire me.

With this award, recipients can feel free to pay it forward if they’d like, or you can just enjoy the fun!

G'day, mates: It's Australian author Margot Finke

Filled with Australian slang, similes and settings, Margot Finke's Taconi and Claude: Double Trouble (Guardian Angel Publishing Inc., 2011) is a chance to glimpse an almost-forgotten way of life through a preteen's eyes. Today Margot stops by to share some behind-the-scenes details.

By the way, Margot would like to send a free gift to all who leave a comment. Details are at the end of this post. Did you miss Tuesday's book review? It's available at http://michellefayard.blogspot.com/2011/08/taconi-and-claude-will-delight-middle.html. And now for the interview ...

Taconi and Claude is filled with authentic details. Did the book require a lot of research?

I did some research, mostly on the general aboriginal traditions and culture. I knew about the flora and fauna, because I spent the first half of my life in Australia close to the outback areas. I have visited and lived in many of these places. Aboriginals often do not do well in the cities. They tend to find strong drink their downfall. This is what Taconi's dad was afraid would happen to him if he went to the Big Smoke. Of course I had no access to deep tribal secrets, so I kept this kind of generic. These secrets are well guarded and not available to the white man or even tribesmen not qualified to know.

When my dad built our house using a kind of double cement brick, each morning he had to make sure the frill-necked lizard that had taken up residence in the lower part of the wall he was building was out of there, or it would end up "walled in" and starve. Flocks of colorful parakeets, parrots and galahs are a common sight in the outback along with snakes, emu, kangaroo and wallaby. Koalas are now endangered, and platypus have always been scarce.

I lived in Queensland, the tropical top part of Australia, on the east coast side of the Great Dividing Range. The western side is where the rain stops, and the outback and bush areas begin to creep in the further west you travel. I simply grew up knowing many of these things, like a person growing up in or near Indian reservations here in the United States.

Did you learn anything surprising-either through your research or about your characters-while writing this book?

Taconi and everyone else in the book are entirely fictional-the disclaimer at the back of the book stresses this. However I used what I knew personally plus what my dad told me about cattle stations in the outback, those who owned them, the way they operated, how they used aboriginal jackaroos to herd the cattle and how they often celebrated a successful year.  

When I was young, my dad often went outback in the cattle season to oversee the slaughtering of the cattle on behalf of the government. One great tale he told was about an old swagman (roaming bum) who often walked hundreds of miles from station to station to work day jobs around the various homesteads. He would get a good breakfast and dinner from the "missus" every day for doing this. However he always slept out under the stars. There are lots of termite mounds in the outback-whole cities of them! So each night the swaggie put his false teeth on top of a mound. And every morning, when he found then picked clean as a whistle and shining white and new looking, he popped them back into his mouth.

What message in your book do you hope will most resonate with your readers?

That there are many things we could learn from the aboriginal tribes, much the same as they have learned from us. When you look deeply at the Dreamtime and their spirits and the way tribes believe that the past and the present all come from-and go back to-the same place, it's a very "green" and ecologically friendly belief.

I want kids who read Taconi and Claude to look at life through Taconi's eyes for a while. I want them to know that the power is in them, as Taconi discovered, to choose their own path and respect the environment and the land they live in. Above all else, the Aussie aboriginals know that you must take from the land only what you need. Take more, and the Dreamtime will exact its revenge by causing drought and food animals to disappear; soon death rides the land. This applies all over the globe-not just the down-under outback.

What marketing have you found works best for your genre?

Because of hip and knee replacement surgery that developed complications, over the past 18 months I have not been able to get out to schools and bookstore signings as before. I have promoted my three latest books, including Taconi and Claude, entirely online with virtual book tours plus a frequent presence on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and JacketFlap. Lots of super book reviews for Taconi and Claude are up on Amazon and on my Web site. I also have received many interviews for all three books, including Ruthie and the Hippo's Fat Behind and Horatio Humble Beats the Big D (dyslexia). This has been easier for me, because I am not unknown in the world of writing for children. Other writers and reviewers have also been generous by chatting about me and my books on their blogs.

I have also looked for niche markets, such as teachers and home schooling moms. These markets would find the historical and cultural differences in Taconi and Claude great topics for classroom discussion and learning, as well as enjoyment.

What do you like best about your publisher, Guardian Angel Publishing Inc. (GAP)?

The fact that they like my writing and the characters I write about as much as I do. The right publisher will always have the same goals for your book as yourself. They are also supportive and encourage us to get together in a private online GAP author list. We all share ideas, support each other and work together to sell out books. Any new promotional ideas we authors come up with are looked at with care and implemented if feasible. Gap's CEO is very approachable.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

Years ago, when I began writing, a small group of established writers took me under their wing. I was so lucky to have them on my side, nudging me in the right direction. I was smartly advised that "waffling on" would not get me published and that "tight and terrific" was the goal to aim for. I never forgot that. I tell it to my critique clients all the time.

I guess these days the best writing compliments I have received have been in the wonderful reviews I received for my three latest books-especially Taconi and Claude. I mean, the proof is in the pudding-or in this case in the reviews! All have been very positive and many absolutely glowing.

Can you share a little about your current work with us?

I have just sent Survival by Walkabout to my publisher. It is a sequel to Taconi and Claude. The main characters are Josh and Bindi, the grandkids of Taconi and the Boss of Coorparoo Cattle Station. They both go walkabout and find themselves in a mess of trouble with a nasty, old medicine man, a pack of lies and sibling rivalry that has become toxic. Not to mention killer dingoes, a rogue Old Man Roo, and having to eat emu eggs and snake to survive.

Josh and Bindi almost don't make it to Bindi's tribe in the red hills. And when they get there, Josh must battle the medicine man for his life. A grand tribal gathering and a friendly No. 1 elder help Josh and Taconi sort through their problems. Back home again, a wiser Josh tackles his older brother, determined to settle the reason for their sibling rivalry forever.

What is something about you or your writing that might surprise your readers?

I was a late bloomer with everything in my life. Common sense and the right man eluded me for years. I gave up looking for a good man, and I feared good decision making would never be mine. I was from an upside down country (down under), and my thinking matched!

Then a wonderful man discovered me, and for 40 years we've been happily married. Trust me: Once you stop looking you are sure to stumble into each other. Time was ticking, so we got going on a family; the last of our three was born after I turned 40. That was the first of many really good decisions I eventually made.

Is it TMI yet? I suspect so, mates. Michelle, thanks a bunch for having me on your wonderful blog. It was a blast!

RECEIVE A FREE GIFT FROM MARGOT

Margot will be giving away a free copy of her time-travel PDF book Taconi and Claude's BIG 2011 Adventure to all who comment on this post. This story takes the characters from her three latest books and brings them together in a plot filled with fun. Please be sure to leave your e-mail address along with your comment. Comments will be accepted until 12:01 a.m. Aug. 21.

Taconi and Claude will delight middle-grade readers

Set in the Australian outback in the 1950s, Margot Finke's new book, Taconi and Claude: Double Trouble (Guardian Angel Publishing Inc., 2011), will take you on a journey where you'll feel the aboriginal boy's two biggest fears: the ceremony that will initiate the 12 year old as a man of his tribe, and his concerns his dad, who's started cooking for Boss and Missus, won't have time to teach him how to become a man.

Because Taconi and his dad no longer live in the hills with the rest of their tribe, Taconie has no one else he can ask. Staying with his tribe has become impossible; Taconi's dad and the medicine man are at odds following the death of the boy's sister.

Taconi feels as if he has one foot in tribe's way and another foot in the white man's world. Yet, Taconi worries, if his dad doesn't get the cookie job, he might never smile again. "I want cookie job more than kookaburra wants to laugh," his father says.

Taconi decides that only a tail feather from a blue kingfisher-like the medicine man has-can help calm his man ceremony fears and help his dad keep his job. "Just one feather from the kingfisher bird, and big problems go pffft  ... away on the wind," Taconi says. And just maybe it will help him understand his dad's advice: "Aborigine man must know how to live in black skin and with white folks."

Taconi goes walkabout to hunt for the talisman as well as for bush meat-things such as witchetty grubs and bandy-bandy snakes. His dad will need extra meat for an important celebration that will bring other cattle station owners from hundreds of miles away. How could Missus help but be impressed with such delicacies for her dinner?

Accompanying Taconi is a cockatoo named Claude whose one liners are as humorous as they are wise. Could it be that the Dreamtime spirits are talking through him? For it's not soon after that Taconi learns the real power is what's inside each of us, the power that lives within our head and our heart.

Filled with Australian slang, similes and settings, Taconi and Claude is a chance to glimpse an almost-forgotten way of life through a preteen's eyes. It's a mid-grade adventure filled with fun—and a dash of danger—that's just right for boys, tomboys and anyone interested in the outback.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margot Finke is an Aussie transplant who writes mid-grade adventure fiction and rhyming picture books including the Wild and Wonderful series of fun facts about animals from the United States and Australia. For many years she has lived in Oregon with her husband and family. Gardening, travel and reading fill in the cracks between writing.

Margot also writes columns, is a writing coach for four organizations, provides a manuscript critique service, and enjoys doing school visits and bookstore signings as well as assisting with writing conference workshops. Visit Margot at:
http://www.margotfinke.com/
http://hookkidsonreading.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=507512148
http://twitter.com/#!/Margot10

Taconi and Claude: Double Trouble is available at http://www.amazon.com.

RECEIVE A FREE GIFT FROM MARGOT

Margot will be giving away a free copy of her time-travel PDF book Taconi and Claude's BIG 2011 Adventure to all who comment on this post. This story takes the characters from her three latest books and brings them together in a plot filled with fun. Just leave your e-mail address along with your comment. Comments will be accepted until 12:01 a.m. Aug. 21.

Be sure to watch for Thursday's interview with author Margot Finke.

When it comes to fiction, which country do you like your book to take you to?

Is a newsletter right for your marketing plan?

Urban fantasy author Alexia Chamberlynn of The Life and Literary Pursuits of Alexia Chamberlynn not only has one of the most informative sites in the blogosphere, she recently launched the monthly newsletter Raven Moon for readers and writers of this popular genre.

I'm delighted Alexia stopped by today to share some behind-the-scenes tips for this marketing tool.

What role can newsletters play in an author's marketing plan?

A newsletter can be used to supplement an author's core social media tools, such as blogging, Twitter and Facebook. I chose to create a newsletter because I wanted something that appealed specifically to urban fantasy fans, since that is the primary genre I read and write, something unique I could offer to my core audience. My other social media tools focus on writing in general and are not genre specific, so a newsletter seemed the appropriate tool to complement the others.

What content should a newsletter include? Should it appeal to writers, readers or both?

Really, I think the possibilities are limitless for newsletters. I think the important thing is for the newsletter to offer something of value to the subscribers. For the most part, I think something that appeals to both writers and readers packs more punch. For instance, I have a list of urban fantasy new releases for the month and will be featuring books reviews and author interviews. I also include a featured book trailer and must-visit Web site. All of these appeal to both writers and readers. But I do have things that are more writer-focused, such as featured publishers and agents.

How often should a newsletter come out?

In my opinion, weekly, biweekly or monthly are all good alternatives. You don't want something that arrives in people's inboxes either too frequently or so far in between they forget they even subscribed. I chose monthly, because that frequency made the most sense in correlation with my blogging schedule.

What tools did you use to create an online newsletter and distribute it?

I chose an e-mail newsletter service called MailChimp. It's free and easy to use, and I've been very impressed. I mainly wanted to be able to create a professional-looking, HTML e-mail newsletter, but once I signed up I realized, that beyond their many newsletter templates, there is a great benefit in having a service that stores your newsletter contacts and makes sending the newsletter easy. There's even an easy way to create sign-up forms for your Web site. And MailChimp is certainly not the only option; there are many other choices on the market.

Alexia Chamberlynn

What are some great ways to let readers know about a newsletter?

I've used my blog and Twitter to spread the word. I offered a book and gift card giveaway to celebrate the newsletter launch and created buttons that people can add to their Web site or blog that link back to my newsletter sign-up page. MailChimp gives a link to a Web preview of the newsletter and even a function that allows you to Tweet the link, so I've done that so people can sample the newsletter before signing up. Of course, word of mouth and interviews like this are golden. :)

How do I know if a newsletter is right for me and my genre?

I'll answer the second part first ... I think just about any genre could benefit from a newsletter. Whether it's right for you is a whole different story. With all the other social media and marketing that writers do, it's challenging to fit in one more thing. I decided it was worth the time it would take each month to produce the newsletter, because I wanted something purely urban fantasy that didn't take over my regular blogging and tweeting. I blog and tweet to connect with all types of writers, and I love experiencing both the diversity and universality of the experience. But for this I wanted to focus on just a particular sliver of the writing pie.

What else should I keep in mind before starting my first newsletter?

Be prepared to learn a ton! I've been amazed at how much I've learned with just the one issue I've produced so far. I learned a lot of technical stuff-formatting, graphics, etc. More importantly, I've learned a lot more about the industry while perusing the Internet to get good stuff for the newsletter. I researched agents, publishers and authors. I found Web sites and blogs and Twitter feeds I'd never thought to look for before. It's been a ton of hard work. And it's all been super fun.

Michelle, thanks so much for having me on your blog today! I love talking about what I love to do, so this has been a real treat. And I'm honored to be featured on such an amazing blog written by such an amazing writer!

SAVVY SENSATION AWARD GOES TO ALEXIA

Yesterday pre-published author and marketing consultant Laura Barnes of Laura B Writer awarded the Savvy Sensation Award to me. Thank you very much! The only criteria is to pass it on to someone who is amazing, inspiring and enthusiastic. Well, that perfectly describes Alexia, the second recipient of this new blog award.

If you'd like to be a guest blogger on Bird's-eye View or participate in a book review/author interview, I hope you'll let me know. My e-mail address is mefayard(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Goodreads now, post blog later

How do you balance having book reviews scheduled in advance but not making authors wait too long to see their review go live on your blog? 

Jackie Burris of Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories offers this great tip:

The book reviews for authors who have requested them I set up to post on an exact date, which can be a month to a month and a half after the author approached me.

One way to handle this is to post the review on your Goodreads page first and send the author the link to the review.

You can copy and paste then post the same review on any of the book review sites you belong to including but not limited to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Shelfari and Library Thing.

That way the review is "live" as soon as you've read the book, and the author doesn't have to worry you didn't read the book. The author also can see what the review looks like prior to the blog post itself, so if they have any issues they can contact me.

This is great advice, Jackie, as it allows bloggers to be organized and mannerly at the same time. Thank you very much for stopping by!

What are some of your best book-review tips?

Is it safe to put your work out there?

YA memoir author Marcie Bridges of The Incredible Shrinking Woman has invited me to stop by her blog today to talk about whether it's a good idea to post online excerpts from the book you're writing.

Marcie and I met last month during Deana Barnhart's Gearin' Up to Get an Agent blogfest, and the story behind Marcie's query and first pages had me instantly hooked. If you get a moment, I hope to see you there. By the way, today is Marcie's birthday!

ONDINE WINNERS ANNOUNCED

CherylAnne Ham of Making Words Happen is the winner of Ebony McKenna's debut romantic fantasy Ondine: Summer of Shambles.

And speaking of Deana Barnhart, she is the winner of the second book in the series, Ondine: Autumn Palace.

Thank you very much to everybody who stopped by and commented. Ebony and I truly appreciate it. The winner was selected by www.random.org.

CherylAnne and Deana, I'll be sending an e-mail message to you, so I can get your mailing address.

CONTESTS

Yesterday I blogged about Gabriela Lessa's Get Your Foot in the Door contest.

Well, YATopia is holding The Huge Micro Synopsis Contest with agent John Cusick of S(c)ott Treimel NY. John is looking for a three-sentence synopsis that covers the set up, story and ending; you don't have to give away the twist or ending, just give a taste of it to spark interest. The contest will be open until midnight Aug. 11.

Then Rachel McClellan of Blackbird in my Window is co-hosting a first-500 words contest with agent Lauren Ruth of BookEnds LLC. This contest will be open through Aug. 11.

JOYOUS MILESTONE

Lauri Blasch, acquisitions editor for Black Opal Books, has requested a full of my historical YA, The Underground Gift. This opportunity is the result of a Savvy Authors contest. If you haven't had an opportunity to visit this site, it's an excellent resource for authors. They usually hold several contests a month as well.

Get your foot in the door contest

Brazilian journalist, writer and editor Gabriela Lessa is hosting a pitch contest with four guest judges, all of them editors at Sourcebooks, for the first paragraph and a one-sentence pitch of completed manuscripts. Sign ups will continue through Tuesday, but through Monday you can post the entry on your blog and receive critiques from other participants.

I have two flavors for you to choose between—a version that does vs. one that doesn't open with a prologue. Enjoy!

Name: Michelle Fayard

Title: THE UNDERGROUND GIFT

Genre: Historical YA

Word count: 80,000

Judge: Leah Hultenschmidt

Original one-sentence pitch:

Sadistic Bushwhacker Benjamin Michaelson becomes fixated with destroying two teens—Josepha, a newly acquired slave, and Reeca Fitzgerald, who he suspects is following in the footsteps of her abolitionist father. 

One-sentence pitch incorporating author Marlena Cassidy's input:

When Josepha, a slave, meets abolitionist Reeca Fitzgerald, she is persuaded to help conceal coded messages—until sadistic Bushwhacker Benjamin Michaelson becomes fixated with destroying the two teens.

First paragraph, if I don't have a prologue: 

Josepha eased the brush through her mistress’ auburn hair. A draft threw light from the fireplace against the walls and into the corners. The woman’s sigh joined the shadows. “You have healing hands, child. I wish they could ease my worried heart.”
 

Josepha slid the brush closer until it reached the older woman’s temples. Her mistress turned to face her. “Josepha. My husband is selling you away.”

First paragraph, if I do have a prologue:

Reeca lifted her head from a hard straw pillow. A greasy quilt trapped her legs. With a trembling hand she touched blood and broken skin on her head, her breasts. She winced.
 

A blade of light cut the gloom as the iron door creaked open. "You didn’t really mean to leave me now, did you, Reeca?" Benjamin Michaelson whispered. His mocking laughter echoed against the stone walls.

Let me know if you're participating in this contest, so I can be sure to visit your blog.

Savvy Sensations series catches me unplugged

Laura Barnes

Pre-published author and marketing consultant Laura Barnes invited me to stop by her blog today to help kick off her new Savvy Sensations series.

The post provide a great opportunity to unplug and talk about the more personal side of writing. And her blog, Laura B Writer? If you're looking for tips about how to work your social marketing faster and/or better, Laura is your go-to contact. It's one of my Top 10 favorite blogs, and if you get a moment, I hope you'll visit her site and make a new friend.


TWO AWARDS GIVEN FORWARD

It's always such a day brightener to learn you've been recognized for your work. That's what happened when Magpie of Magpie Writes selected me to receive the Liebster Blog award, which spotlights up-and-coming bloggers who currently have fewer than 200 followers. Magpie and I met during Deana Barnhart's Gearin' Up to Get an Agent blogfest last month, and it comes as no surprise to learn than an agent just requested the first 100 pages of Magpie's manuscript. Congratulations!

A couple of days later, Laura passed along this award to me as well. Thank you very much, my savvy friend!

Then the next day K.V. Briar of To Think in Ink honored me with the award. Since "liebster" means "friend" in German, this goes to show that blogging authors are one of the best groups of people a writer could ask for.

The guidelines of the award are:

• Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
• Reveal your top five picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
• Copy and paste the award on your blog.
• Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
• And, most of all, have fun!

So here's my list of five blogs that are as cool as cats. (Can you tell I have a feline in my lap as I'm writing this?)

• Sharon Bayliss of The Blue Word has one of the most comprehensive round ups of contests and other writing news in the blogosphere. She's a 10, hands down.
• Marcie Bridges of The Incredible Shrinking Woman is another friend I made through Deana's blogfest who not only is super sweet but is scheduled to be on Bird's-eye View Aug. 25 to talk about how to write a young-adult memoir.
• Ebony McKenna of Ebony McKenna has one of the most beautifully designed blogs and Web sites out there, plus she's incredibly humorous and sweet.
• Marlena Cassidy, of The Words Behind the Writer, whom I'm so glad I met through Deana's blogfest, recently wrote a wonderfully witty and eloquent defense of book prologues. She's so sweet, she didn't even let me know that she used my historical YA, The Underground Gift, as the lead graph of her blog post. Authors like she who generously pay it forward are the ones who'll always shine in the publishing world.
• Jeanne Bannon of Beyond Words, whose debut YA, Invisible, is scheduled for release later this year by Solstice Publishing, consistently has posts that are well written and filled with heart. Plus she's been incredibly supportive of my writing career.

AND NOW FOR THE SECOND ONE ...

Rachna Chhabria of Rachna's Scriptorium passed along the Seriously Cute Blogger Award. For this I need to list five books/films/TV programs I've read/watched in the past 12 months.

Well, since Marcelo and I don't own a TV (Ours died in 2001, and we still haven't gotten around to buying a new one yet!), it will be all about books:

• Stephen Barnett's The Road to Makokota, a novel full of subtleties and symbolism.
• Gladys-Marie Fry's Night Riders in Black Folk History, one of several books about the Ku Klux Klan I've been reading as part of the research phase for my next historical YA.
• Jessica McCann's All Different Kinds of Free, a powerful debut about a free black who not only was sold back into slavery but whose case was the prelude to the Civil War. (The book review is scheduled to run on Bird's-eye View Aug. 30 and the author interview Sept. 1.)
• Ann Carbine Best's In the Mirror: A Memoir of Shattered Secrets, a memoir that reads as smoothly as fiction.
• Karen Walker's Following the Whisper, another powerfully incredible memoir. (The book review is scheduled to run on Bird's-eye View Sept. 27 and the author interview Sept. 29.)

"Cute" can be a difficult thing to define, but I'd like to say it's when someone's written words and voice bring a smile to my face. Any time I need a mental break like that, Talli Roland's blog Talli Roland does it every time. She is seriously funny, if you'll pardon the oxymoron. And she'll leave you feeling a whole lot better about whatever craziness you just went through on any given day.

Interview sequel: It's Ebony McKenna!

On Tuesday author Ebony McKenna talked about her romantic fantasies Ondine: Summer of Shambles (Egmont UK Limited, 2010) and Ondine: The Autumn Palace (Egmont UK Limited, 2011). Today she’s back to talk about what it’s like to be a writer.

Miss the first half of the interview? It's at http://michellefayard.blogspot.com/2011/08/wonderfully-witty-its-romantic-fantasy.html.

By the way, Ebony would like to send a signed copy of one of her books to two lucky winners. Contest details are at the end of this post. And now for the rest of the interview ...

When and why did you begin writing?

I've been writing since high school. I subjected my friends to all sorts of yarns that I would write each night and then bring in the next day. We lived outside of Ballarat, a regional city in Victoria, Australia.
 
Why did I write? This was before the Internet, and we only had two TV channels to watch. Yes, two channels! Talk about deprivations! Books were a wonderful escape from the sheer drudge of homework and the general mayhem and under appreciation of being a teenager.

My mother and stepfather bought a typewriter so they could write job applications, but I would use it to write my "masterpieces." Looking back, I realize now they were thinly veiled Belgariad fan fiction. But we all have to start somewhere, don't we?

I'm so relieved we didn't have the technology to share unready writing with the world. I would have been so eager and impatient. I would have put everything on a blog or collated it all into a novel and sold it electronically. And then been horribly, horribly hurt by the reviews.
 
What marketing have you found works best for your genre?

Twitter has made the biggest impact. I join in writing chats and follow various hashtags and give writing advice where it seems appropriate. I also like to tell jokes and tell people a little about myself or my take on the world. I figure if people like me or like my style, they may like the books.

I'm updating my blog a lot more regularly now for the times when I have more to say about the publishing industry. I'll have a writing epiphany and blog that too in a "this technique works for me, it might work for you" kind of way. I'm trying very hard not to simply "promote" myself all the time because that puts people off. I know it puts me off when someone I follow is only tweeting where to buy their book/s.

What do you like best about your publisher, Egmont UK Limited?

I love Egmont, I love them so hard. They understood where I was coming from and embraced the crazy. The editing suggestions they gave me were brilliant, as if they could reach into my head and say "Here it is!" They made me want to be the best writer I could be. When I saw the covers, I nearly fainted. They captured the essence of the books, the fairy tale qualities, the sense of fun and romance. And Egmont was my first. A gal never forgets her first. :-D

Do you ever experience writer's block? If so, what is your most effective cure?

All the time! I doubt myself. I find excuses. I remember I need to put a load of washing on. I feel the familiar burn in my shoulder from 20 years of bad posture and put a heat pack on it and lie down. I sit for two minutes at the keyboard then get up and go for a walk instead.

The only cure I've found is to sit down and actually write. It may take a few goes (and a few cups of tea and then a quick break for some toast and oh my shoulder, the pain!) but I get there in the end. I've also have to pick a target-say 500 words a day-and keep writing until I get there.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

The toughest criticism so far has been the sales figures. Don't get me wrong, they've been very good, but not quite good enough. I find this truly upsetting because we all worked so hard on the books. The competition is fierce, and the economy is terrible. It's probably the worst time in history to be an author.

The best compliment has been the incredible support from the reading community. I've had the most amazing reviews. They are overwhelmingly positive. Something like 95 percent of the reviews have been four or five stars, which blows my mind. Not everyone knows about Ondine, but those who do know absolutely love her.

If you had to choose, which writer would you like to have as mentor?

Oooooh, a mentor? Well, I sort of had an unofficial one for many years. Frank Muir was an English humorist and author of the What a Mess books. I wrote to him when I was about 11, and he wrote back. So the letter exchange continued right through to my late 20s. I got to meet him in London, and he was fabulous (and incredibly tall). He would send me his latest books, and I would send him essays and silly stories. He got the rough end of that deal! He died in 1998, and I miss him still.

What do you do when you aren't writing?

I love gardening. All year round. I also read and read and read. Sometimes for fun, sometimes because I think it might do me some good. I recently read (OK, I 50 percent skimmed) War and Peace. So that you don't have to.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

The only guarantee is that if you stop, you are guaranteed to get no further. You have to keep going.

What is something about you or your writing that might surprise your readers?

I really do cry when my characters cry, and when they're up to no good, I giggle like a toddler on a sugar bender.

Thank you again, Michelle, for spreading the Ondine love.

Visit Ebony at http://ejmckennablog.blogspot.com/.

WIN A COPY OF ONDINE!

Here's how you can enter for up to eight chances to win:

+1  Become a new follower. (+2  If you're already a follower.)
+1  Subscribe to Bird's-eye View. (+2  If you're already a subscriber.)
+1  Tweet this contest.
+2  Follow my tweets.
+1  Post this on your Facebook wall.
+2  Like my Facebook fan page.

Then comment on this post with your point total and your e-mail address! If you commented on last week’s book review and/or the first part of this interview, commenting on this post will give you an additional +1; give yourself another +1 for retweeting and another +1 for a new FB wall post.

The contest will be open until 12:01 a.m. Aug. 7, and the winners (one for each book) will be announced the week of Aug. 7. Good luck!

Wonderfully witty: It's romantic fantasy author Ebony McKenna

One reason Australian author Ebony McKenna scores a ten with her debut book Ondine: Summer of Shambles (Egmont UK Limited, 2010) and its sequel, Ondine: The Autumn Palace (Egmont UK Limited, 2011), is because she lets her delightfully witty personality shine through on every page. I hope you’ll also enjoy learning more about Ebony and some behind-the-scenes details about her books in this two-part interview. The second part is scheduled to run Thursday, so be sure to watch for it!


By the way, Ebony would like to send a signed copy of one of her books to two lucky winners. Contest details are at the end of this post. Did you miss last week's book review? It's available at http://michellefayard.blogspot.com/2011/07/ondine-summer-of-shambles-and-autumn.html. And now for the interview ...

How did you come up with your ideas for the Ondine series?

I should have taken more notes at the time I started writing so that I'd be able to answer this question more carefully—and accurately! But at the time, I didn't know Ondine would be my break-out novel, so I didn't keep better records! At the time, I was editing Web content for some television shows, and one of them was an animals and pets show with a recent story about ferrets. So ferrets must have been in my subconscious. I also took long walks each day to pick my toddler up from day care. So on one of these walks, I suddenly had the image of a teen girl with long dark hair—wearing some kind of hoodie but really old fashioned—and she had an animal on her shoulder. The animal grew heavier and jumped down to the ground. He then transformed into a naked man, and I swear to you it all played out like a movie.

This type of make believe is incredibly normal for me, so at the time I didn't think anything of it. Except I giggled to myself and thought I had a dirty mind! I'd written six novels by this point, but none of them had landed me an agent or a publishing deal. I really didn't think this book would be any different.
  
Did you decide to have humorous footnotes early on or later in the writing process?

Again, I wish I'd paid better attention. I wanted the ferret to be really cheeky, but if I used too much slang nobody would know what was going on. So I put in a few footnotes—just for myself—so I could go back and try and weave in an explanation along the way. After about four footnotes, something took over and they seemed such a natural fit. Fiction with footnotes? Yes, by this point I was giggling away and feeling very silly. I was also starting to wonder if I might be on to something. So I kept the footnotes and made them crazier as I went along.

How did you know all of the wonderfully clever Scottish slang and phrases?

I didn't know all of them. Thanks to my Scottish heritage and friends, I knew a few, but the rest was research. There are so many hilarious Web sites with lists of Scottish slang—some of them are filthy! I laughed so hard I hurt. I'd take bits from here and there and then change the definitions to suit the way Hamish spoke. The more I got to know Hamish, the more his "voice" grew.

Did you consider any other animals besides a ferret for Hamish's enchanted form? If so, how did the ferret win out?

Yes, for a nanosecond. The animal was initially a rat, but then I changed my mind and he became a ferret. Once I decided he was a ferret, his personality grew so fast I knew I had to write the story down.

What was the hardest part about writing these books?

Writing a proper ending. At the time, I thought it would be a stand-alone novel, with a suggestion that Ondine and Hamish would have further adventures. Well, they're teenagers, there's an expectation that this would happen. But when my agent and publisher agreed on a two-book deal, it changed things.

I needed a proper ending for the first book, but with a definite plan for a second book that would see their relationship grow but also be put under strain. The pressure had to be something that would come from within, although they would also have external factors to negotiate. The second book was a joy to write, but I put myself under enormous pressure to really up the ante. I wanted people to enjoy the first book, but I had to make sure the second book was even better.

What message in your books do you hope will most resonate with your readers?

Oooh, that's an interesting question. I never intentionally put any "messages" in the book because I wanted to write something that was pure joy. I wrote these books so that readers could take time out from their crazy, stressful lives and have some fun. So perhaps the message is that it's OK to let the crazy in.

Can you share a little about your current work with us? Will you be writing more for the Ondine series?

I have written a strong outline for Ondine 3 and 4, and I'm most of the way through a draft for Ondine 3. However, the publishers (the fabulous Egmont UK) are cautious about further books until sales increase for the first two. I wish this wasn't the case, but in this economic climate, I can't blame them either.

In the past year and a bit I have written a time-travel romance called 1916ish. I am also near the end of an unrelated manuscript about a girl and her ghost called The Girl and The Ghost. Both these novels have humor, romance and a big slice of crazy. My agent is excited about them both and is confident she'll find a publisher on either side of the Atlantic to say "yes."

If readers could remember only one thing about you and your books, what would it be?

That girl, she makes me laugh.

Visit Ebony at http://ejmckennablog.blogspot.com/.

WIN A COPY OF ONDINE!

Here's how you can enter for up to eight chances to win:

+1  Become a new follower. (+2  If you're already a follower.)
+1  Subscribe to Bird's-eye View. (+2  If you're already a subscriber.)
+1  Tweet this contest.
+2  Follow my tweets.
+1  Post this on your Facebook wall.
+2  Like my Facebook fan page.

Then comment on this post with your point total and your e-mail address! If you commented on the book review, commenting on this post will give you an additional +1; give yourself another +1 for retweeting and another +1 for a new FB wall post.

The contest will be open until 12:01 a.m. Aug. 7, and the winners (one for each book) will be announced the week of Aug. 7. Good luck!