A Guide to Black Hair #1 – Relaxers, by Justina Ireland
Justina Ireland is a YA author, and as she says, Purveyor of Awesomeness. She is writing a series of articles, a Guide to Black Hair. Here is the first in the series, A Guide to Black Hair #1 – Relaxers. Hair is such an important part of a person’s identity. Most of us have dealt our entire life with one type of hair – whatever ours is – and it would be easy to write poorly about types, textures, processes, and products that are different from what we are familiar with. So… here is valuable information for getting hair right for our characters!
And Justina, one of my protagonists, Jasmine McKinley, thanks you!
Adventures Underground gets Dragon-in-Residence
Artist Herb Leonhard paints the Dragon in Residence at Adventures Underground.
One of our favorite, local bookstores, Adventures Underground, is getting a mural of a reading dragon! Looks great, can’t wait to check it out!
You can see more of Herb Leonhard’s art on his facebook page.
Successful Queries, by Writers Digest
Want to know what makes a successful query letter? Writers Digest has posted over 60 examples of successful query letters. Check out their series, Successful Queries.
Steve Wallenfels signs with Disney-Hyperion
Steve Wallenfels announced today …
Last week was a big one for this writer. Disney-Hyperion picked up my YA novel, BAD CALL. It’s about four teens that sneak away for an ill-fated camping trip in my old stomping ground, Yosemite National Park. I’m looking forward to working with editor Julie Moody and so happy to be part of the Disney-Hyperion family! Read More
How Data Can Help You Write A Better Screenplay, by Walt Hickey of FiveThirtyEight
The data gods at Five Thirty Eight evaluated the success rate for thousands of screenplays submitted through The Black List and have distilled some interesting insights. For example…
Hagen said novice screenwriters find writing good dialogue and characters particularly challenging. Genres that rely heavily on dialogue and characters — namely, comedies — tend to fare worse overall. On the other hand, niche dramas — particularly those set in a compelling time period, or at a particular location or event — claim the top spot. A good setting can compensate for poorer character development or dialogue, whereas when comedy misses, it misses big.
Check out their article, How Data Can Help You Write A Better Screenplay.
Book Release: Myri’s Hands, by Jane Roop
How exciting! On June 30, 2015, Jane Roop published her first novel, Myri’s Hands. Check it out!
Intensive, Two-Day Novel Writing Workshop by Michelle Hansen
Michelle is offering a two-day workshop on novel writing, with attendees receiving a 30 minute “Tapping Your Genius” coaching session from Michelle. Check it out!
Myri’s Hands
Click to buy now.
About Myri’s Hands, written by Jane Roop:
From childhood, Myri saw things other people didn’t see, like pulsating arcs of energy and spirits. Her dad had warned her. Best to keep such nonsense to herself. But in his last moments when he saw Ruby, a spirit, arrive to help him to the other side, he had smiled. After his death Myri’s life became stranger. Her hands often throbbed with heat. When she reached out for objects, they sometimes moved toward her. People noticed and looked at her quizzically. How could she explain? She didn’t know herself what was happening or why.
Cover Reveal: Between Heartbeats
It’s cover reveal day for Between Heartbeats by Donelle Knudsen. Congratulations, Donelle! The cover is lovely! Not long now until the e-book is released, planned for August 28, with hard copies available in September. Can’t wait? Here’s a synopsis:
Can life change between heartbeats? Diana awakens on her seventeenth birthday in a joyful mood. But at breakfast she is told, during a heated argument with her mother, that the man she has loved as her father is not her father at all. Diana decides to unravel the mystery of her childhood and the reason for their secrets, and travels across the country to visit her step-father. And so, Diana begins a journey where she discovers shocking truths hidden just beneath the surface. To further complicate her summer, she meets Kevin Wright, a college junior. When Kevin vanishes without a trace, Diana learns family is more than shared DNA and discovers who will help her when it appears all hope is gone. In Donelle Knudsen’s Young Adult novel, Between Heartbeats, a young woman’s quest to find her roots enables her to discover love and the power of forgiveness.
SCBWI Diversity Resources
Among the many excellent resources for writers on the SCBWI page is this collection of resources for reading and writing books with diverse perspective. Check it out!