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How They Got Here: 2009 Debut Author Cynthea Liu

This post is part of a year-long series of blog interviews I’ll be hosting with my fellow 2009 Debut Authors, called "How They Got Here."  

It should be an especially helpful series for teens who write, teachers, and anyone who wants to write for kids.  2009 debut authors will be dropping by to talk about how their writing in school shaped the authors they are today, what teachers can do to make a difference, how they revise, and how they found their agents and editors.  (You’ll even be able to read some successful query letters!)  If you know a teacher or two who might be interested, please share the link!

Today… Cynthea Liu, author of PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE!


A photo from ALA: That’s Cynthea Liu on the right, along with her fellow debut author Cindy Pon (SILVER PHOENIX) on the left!

Twelve-year-old Paris Pan’s life is a mess. She’s just moved to a tiny town in Nowheresville, Oklahoma; her family life is a comical disaster; her new friends are more like frenemies; and the boy she has a crush on is a dork. Things couldn’t possibly get worse, until she discovers that a girl mysteriously died years ago while taking a seventh-grade rite of passage–the Dare– right near Paris’s new house. So when Paris starts hearing strange noises coming from the creepy run-down shed in her backyard, she thinks they could be a message from the ghost of a girl. But while she has no plans to make contact with the great beyond, her two new friends have other thoughts. Everyone who’s anyone takes the Dare, and now it’s Paris’s turn.

Welcome, Cynthea! Tell us about the first thing you ever wrote that made you think maybe you were a writer.

One of the first things was my first query letter, but if I go back even further, really, the first thing I DREW when I was in college (sketches of animals), later became the impetus for my full children’s book novel.  A novel that barely got subbed and is now sitting quietly on my hard drive, waiting for me to come back to it again when I’m ready. 

Unlike a lot of writers, I never thought I’d be one when I was younger. Seriously, if you had asked me in high school or junior high, I would have rolled my eyes and said, "WHY WOULD I EVER WANT TO DO THAT?!"

Even when teachers and college professors encouraged me to pursue it, I just laughed them off. I had no idea that what I wrote was actually readable and interesting to people. I just thought, "well, that’s how I talk. That’s not real writing."

Now I know, that being authentic – expressing yourself as a "real" person is exactly how writing should work. Why hadn’t someone said that to me earlier? I could have fifteen novels under my belt by now. 🙂

What books did you love when you were a kid?

I was a freak for animal stories. Talking animals, nontalking animals, animals that played instruments, animals that saved lives, animals that got lost, animals, animals, animals!
RATS OF NIMH
TRUMPET OF THE SWAN
BLACK BEAUTY
MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE
WATERSHIP DOWN
I gobbled them all up. And of course, I had to have an animal in PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE. Go, the dog, is one of my favorite characters.

Is there a particular teacher or librarian who was a mentor for you in your reading and writing life?

Yes, my algebra teacher. Yes, my ALGEBRA teacher left a lasting memory for me about books. I had complained to her one day that I couldn’t find anything to read anymore. I’d read it all. She said, "Well, have you tried some adult books?" She handed me my first DEAN KOONTZ book. Which I LOVED. Of course, now she’d probably be jailed for giving me an adult book, complete with a racy scene, to read. But man, thank you, Mrs. M for saving my reading life when I was in 8th grade.

Moving on to the here and now, most writers admit that making time to write can sometimes be a challenge.  When and where do you write?   Do you have any special rituals?  

These days, I’ve been extremely swamped with my book launches BUT when I do write, it is heaven. I’ve got my Diet Dr. Pepper at my side, my laptop, and my critique partner, the fabulous Tammi Sauer, at the ready, online. I work for at least four straight hours, either laughing my head off or banging my head against the computer. It’s such great fun. And I mean that!

Your favorite strategy for revision?

My strategy for revision these days is to keep going back to the beginning and rereading it as I build each new chapter. This helps me check story flow and work out any kinks before I end up with a huge plot disaster on my hands. Nothing worse than a huge plot disaster.

Best advice for young writers?

BELIEVE that you can do it. START NOW. You’re a hot commodity. Publishers LOVE young writers. When you’re old like me, no one cares. But your YOUNG and cool and so talented. So get crackin’ on that book! Nancy Fan was 12 or 13 when she got her first book published. Christopher Paolini was 15 when he started his book Eragon. 

YOUR AGE IS A PLUS in the book publishing industry. So stop worrying about how long it’ll be before you are 5 feet tall or when you’ll get your driver’s license. You can get a book written and published NOW. That’s definitely cooler than getting behind the wheel so you can cart your younger sister around.

What’s special about your novel?

PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE is actually my first novel. I started it before THE GREAT CALL OF CHINA so it’ll always hold a special place in my heart. There is so much of me and my family experiences in the book, that I feel like the book is actually a "part" of me. So don’t rest a pop can on it or anything. Let’s show some respect for the Pans!

What were the best and worst parts of writing it?

The best parts of the book are the most difficult parts of the book to write. I try very hard to strike an emotional chord with the reader, and doing that is no easy task. So if you ever feel yourself getting scared, laughing out loud, getting angrey, tearing up even, that scene right there was one of the hardest parts to write.

How did you find your agent and/or editor?

Finding an agent and an editor was like courting this cute guy who has no idea what you look like or what your personality is like. All you can do is hand him your book and hope THAT does the trick. Fortunately for me, I nabbed my agent fairly early in my writing process but getting an editor to fall in love was not as quick. I had to give the editors several different versions of my book before they fell for my wiley ways. Hard work, man!

And here’s Cynthea’s successful pitch for PARIS PAN:

Twelve-year-old Paris Pan has moved to a small town where she has a real shot at making friends. But that friendship comes at a price. She must take The Dare, something that killed a girl on the very property she now resides. To make matters worse, Paris must play basketball against her will, eradicate a crush on the least desirable boy in sixth grade, and cope with a family crisis that was possibly caused by a chili dog.

Thanks for sharing your journey, Cynthea!

You can read more about Cynthea at her website, and of course, you can ask for PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE at your local independent bookseller.  You can also order it through one of my favorite indies, Flying Pig Bookstore (they ship!), or find an indie near you by checking out IndieBound!

Making the Leap: Time to Change Manuscripts

My plan all summer long has been to get as far as I can on my new middle grade mystery and then set it aside when my editorial letter arrived for SUGAR ON SNOW, the figure skating novel that will be my second book with Walker Books for Young Readers.  I knew I’d need to make the switch this week, but it didn’t go exactly as I’d planned. 

My editor actually emailed me the editorial letter on Monday with a note saying that line edits would arrive on Tuesday.  I  wanted both before I started revising, so I was going to work one last morning on the middle grade mystery before the UPS guy arrived.  But when I sat down at my computer yesterday, I realized that something had happened — a switch had flipped from right to left in my brain Monday night when I read that emailed editorial letter.  It had transported me out of the world of the middle grade mystery, out of the world of stolen treasures and busy city airports and back to the maple farms and ice skating rinks of SUGAR ON SNOW.  I actually went and stood out front for a little while, willing the UPS guy to come early.  But he didn’t.

So I went for a long run instead.  About a mile from my house, there’s a community college in a big old building at the top of a hill overlooking Lake Champlain.  It is a very big hill, one that I hadn’t tackled on my morning run in well over a year, and I wasn’t sure I’d make it all the way to the top without stopping.  But somehow, trying seemed like a good idea yesterday.  All through the run, I thought about the issues that my editor had raised in her letter, the scenes she’d asked me to consider adding.  I came up with a perfect setting for one of those scenes, a conversation between my main character and her best friend from home.  And before I knew it, the ground leveled, and I was at the top of the hill.  I’d made it.  Because I kept my head down and kept moving, one step at a time.  Not a bad lesson at all to begin a revision day.

I stretched against the stone wall overlooking the lake, ran home, did some yoga on the deck, jumped into the lake in my running clothes, dried off, and picked the girl up from her art camp for lunch.  I was picking Japanese beetles off the aster plants out front when the UPS guy pulled up in his big brown truck. 

And I was ready for him.

Last night, during E’s skating lesson, I sat in the chilly sound booth and made my to-do list, marking the manuscript with ideas next to my editor’s comments, sticking Post-It notes where I could add those scenes she’d requested (I do love my Post-It notes), and making a list of little bits of research that I need to do.  Today, I’ll start on page one.  I promise a process-post later on for those who enjoy nitty-gritty revision details. But mostly…I’ll just be keeping my head down for the next few weeks, taking it one step at a time.

BUG BOY by Eric Luper: Not Your Mother’s Historical Fiction

Eric Luper’s historical YA novel BUG BOY comes out on Tuesday, and I can’t resist a little book celebration for one of my critique pals. If you know  , then you know he’s one of the nicest, funniest guys you’ll ever meet.  If you’ve read his first YA novel, BIG SLICK, you know he can spin a timely, fast-paced gambling story like nobody’s business.  Now there’s BUG BOY – a gambling story from days gone by that shows his talent for writing historical fiction as juicy and fast-paced as anything set in modern times.

This is a book that’s going to make teen boys fall in love with historical fiction without ever knowing what hit them. Set in 1934 Saratoga, BUG BOY is about an apprentice jockey who finds himself living the high life when his big opportunity comes knocking. But secrets from his past, pressure from a race course thug, and the attention of a beautiful young woman from the other side of the fence make his life more complicated than he could have imagined.   One teacher note: BUG BOY is probably best for older middle school and high school students, since the realistic portrayal of rough track life includes some language and sexual situations. Actually, I’m betting that a bunch of adult readers are going to discover and love this book, too – it has incredible crossover appeal, especially for horse racing and history fans. If you need it right this very second (and you probably do) click here to buy it from an indie bookstore near you!

Fascinating, gritty, and full of tension, BUG BOY is a sure win. Congrats, Eric!

All I want to do is read.

How can I possibly pick up the house and do laundry and answer email with all these staring at me?

ALA Chicago – Day Four

Heading to the airport later this morning, but first, here are a few more photos from ALA and Chicago.

Yesterday started bright and early on the ALA exhibit floor, where I ran into   , whose debut YA novel ASH is on the way from Little Brown. It’s a re-telling of Cinderella with a twist — the main character falls in love not with the prince but with the King’s huntress.  I read an ARC of Malinda’s book a few weeks ago, and it’s beautifully written. Don’t miss it when it comes out in September!


That’s Malinda on the left, me on the right.  I do not know why my hair looks like I’ve just touched one of those electricity-static ball things. 

We saw Elizabeth Bluemle’s soon-to-be-released picture book HOW DO YOU WOKKA WOKKA at the Candlewick booth, and the good folks there were kind enough to stand by while we read the whole thing out loud together, doing little wokka dances. 

This book, written in verse, is great fun, with inventive language that you can’t resist reading out loud. Rumor is that Elizabeth is planning a block party at Flying Pig Bookstore for its August release, too.

After lunch, we visited the Field Museum of Chicago, where the Real Pirates exhibit was sold out, unfortunately, but we did get to see Sue, the museum’s T-Rex fossil.

Then it was back to Hyde Park for the Harry Potter Exhibition at the Museum of Science & Industry.

The Harry Potter Exhibition includes more than 200 artifacts and costumes from the movies, as well as an opportunity to walk through Hagrid’s hut, try your hand at Quidditch, and repot a mandrake.  Cameras weren’t allowed, and I understand why.  Seeing too much of this exhibit ahead of time would spoil the thrill of turning a corner and seeing a favorite moment from the series.  Some of what I heard from my kids:

"Look, Mom!  It’s the Marauder’s Map!"

"BUCKBEAK!!!"

"You’re supposed to have headphones on when you pull that mandrake."

"There are death eaters up here in the next room!"

"I could stay here forever."

If you’re a Harry Potter fan and you have a chance to see this show, make it a point to do so; it’s really that spectacular. Chicago is the only scheduled city right now, but the website says more will be added soon.

That’s all for today – it’s time to have breakfast & get to the airport.  More on ALA, including some book giveaways, when I get home.

P.S. I am watching my daughter pack her suitcase as I type.  The books all went in first, and she is now staring, perplexed, at the large pile of clothing on the floor that didn’t fit. At least she has her priorities straight.

ALA Chicago – Day Three

I really meant to blog every night, but last night, after a full day on the exhibit floor, a trip up the Sears Tower, and then the Newbery/Caldecott/Wilder Banquet, all I could do last night was climb the stairs to our room, take off my pointy shoes (how do some of you wear those every day?), and fall into bed after an amazing, amazing day.

It started with a moment I’ve been waiting for 28 years.

I met Judy Blume. JUDY BLUME!!!!!! Her signing was right before mine, so my daughter and I were the first ones in line. She and Beverly Cleary were my first favorite authors, and I remember reading FUDGE and ARE YOU THERE GOD, IT’S ME MARGARET in the beanbag chair in my closet wondering what Judy Blume must be like. She is beautiful and delightful and kind, and I just about cried when I met her. Her books made me want to be an author, so having the opportunity to tell her so and say thank you was something I will never forget.

Then it was time for me to sign advance copies of THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z at the Walker/Bloomsbury Booth. My husband and kids acted as loyal members of the paparazzi and took lots of photographs.

Here’s the whole Bloomsbury/Walker crew!


Bloomsbury Editorial Director Michelle Nagler, me, Walker Publisher Emily Easton, School & Library Outreach Goddesses Katie Fee & Beth Eller

Thanks so much to everyone at Walker/Bloomsbury and to all the librarians and all my LJ friends who stopped by to say hello. It was great meeting so many people who work with kids & books every day, and seeing friends like , , , , , ,

[info]lisa_schroeder

made me feel so much more relaxed.

After my signing, we walked the exhibit floor for a while. Everywhere I looked, there were people whose work I’ve admired for years.


Pam Munoz Ryan signing with Brian Selznick

After we mailed a box of books home (they have a Post Office right there in the exhibits hall!), we headed out for some sightseeing.

The Sears Tower has a new attraction — the Airwalk, where you can step out onto a glass platform that hangs out over the edge of the skyscraper. The bottom is glass, too, so it feels like you’re just hovering there, 103 stories up.

By late afternoon, it was time to head to the Book Cart Drill Team Championships, which were as entertaining as Betsy Bird promised me they’d be. Here’s the team from Des Moines in action.

Then it was off to the Newbery/Caldecott/Wilder Banquet, which was held downtown at the Sheraton, too far from the convention center to walk. Due to a bizarre series of events which included some poor planning on my part and hour-long waits for shuttle buses, I ended up paying $10 for a ride to the banquet in this.

The driver  (I’m convinced he was sent by the literary gods to keep me from missing my first ALA banquet) appeared in the convention center lobby offering rides to those of us stranded at the back of the cab line, so ten of us made quick friends with one another and piled into the limo.

At the hotel, I found Betsy Bird (Fuse #8) who had offered to let me join her table when we met at my writers’ retreat a few weeks ago. How fabulous is her outfit?!

She shared some of her literary tattoos. I ended up with Marla Frazee’s A COUPLE OF BOYS HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER on my left arm.

The banquet itself was unforgettable. The winners’ speeches moved and inspired me. I’d try to recap, but I know I wouldn’t do them justice, so you should probably just listen when they’re shared online.

[info]lisa_schroeder

  also did a great writeup of Neil Gaiman’s speech on her blog.

After the banquet, you could stand in a receiving line to congratulate everyone.

At one point, someone ducked in front of Betsy to talk to Neil Gaiman, and I thought, "Hey! That guy’s cutting the line!" …until I saw that it was Sherman Alexie. Sherman Alexie can cut in front of me any day.

Today, we’re headed back to the exhibit hall for the morning. Then I’m meeting a friend for lunch & aiming for a two-museum afternoon before we head home tomorrow.

ALA Chicago – Day Two

My ALA signing is tomorrow morning from 10-11 at the Bloomsbury/Walker booth (#1711).  That meant today was a free day for me to enjoy the exhibit hall and merrily gather books.  (I am guessing that Heaven is a lot like the ALA floor only with a better food court.)

Random House was one of my first stops of the day, where I was delighted to find this.

I’ve been dying to read Rebecca Stead’s WHEN YOU REACH ME, so one of these signed copies is now on the nightstand next to me – yay! 

It felt like every time I turned around today, there were familiar faces.  At the Scholastic booth, I ran into  , who will be accepting the Morris Award tomorrow morning.  Congratulations, Elizabeth!

And I almost literally ran into John Green on the way to his signing. He was gracious enough to forgive me for the near-miss and stop for a photo.

I didn’t see   at ALA today…but I saw a friend of hers!

Actually, I met another friend of Linda’s, too – the talented Marla Frazee, who illustrates the CLEMENTINE series and won a Caldecott Honor for  A COUPLE OF BOYS HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER. 

We saw Neil Gaiman signing at Harper Collins, and I picked up my ticket to hear him speak at the Newbery Banquet tomorrow night. I hadn’t planned on going, but my husband convinced me that things like this don’t just come along every weekend.  So true.

Kate DiCamillo and Chris Van Dusen signed my daughter’s copy of MERCY WATSON…and we also watched them cheerfully sign a stuffed pig.

Candlewick, by the way, won some major points with us for producing boxes of Mercy Watson popcorn just when we were about to collapse of hunger.

Laurie Halse Anderson was signing after her Edwards Award luncheon…

…and Blue Balliett, which was extra-amazing since E and I just read CHASING VERMEER and THE WRIGHT THREE in preparation for our trip to Chicago. 

We didn’t know ahead of time that Blue Balliett would be here, so we were thrilled. As an amazing added bonus, we ran into her waiting for the train after her signing.  She gave us some insider tips for a walking tour of the Hyde Park setting of her books, including some spots we never would have found (or known that we could go) on our own. More on that later….

I’ll wrap up today with more photos under the cut.  I so appreciated it when folks at TLA and BEA beamed back pictures of GIANNA Z so I could see her out in the world, all grown up. So I spent a good part of today stalking friends’ books (so much so, in fact, that the guy at the WestSide Books booth glared at my Bloomsbury/Walker badge and asked why I was taking pictures. He seemed certain I was some sort of publishing spy, but I finally convinced him that I was just a harmless, if slightly giddy, author.)

Click here for shots from the bok-paparazzi…

Be forewarned.  This is my first time at ALA or any conference this size, and I am excited.  Therefore, I will be posting photos and blogging over the next few days at a rate that only my mother will likely appreciate. 

My family arrived in Chicago this morning and dropped luggage off at our bed & breakfast in Hyde Park.

It’s very close to the Obamas’ home and to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House, which is featured in Blue Balliett’s THE WRIGHT THREE.  We’re planning a walking tour some time over the next day or two, but today it waas lunchtime. We ate at Valois Cafeteria, a neighborhood institution that was apparently a favorite of President Obama when he lived in Hyde Park. And they serve breakfast all day – yay!

Then it was off to the convention center, McCormick Place, which is pretty much the most enormous, confusing place I have ever seen in my life.  Eventually, we made it to the right building and found the registration area for ALA.  The exhibit hall doesn’t open until tomorrow morning, but when I discovered that I had an exhibitor’s badge, I accidentally ended up at the Bloomsbury/Walker booth a little early.  Look who was there to greet me on the banner!

Surreal doesn’t even begin to explain the feeling of working on a book for two years, searching for an agent and editor, revising it for another year, sending it off, and then flying halfway across the country and seeing the cover of that book larger than life on a banner.  I jumped up and down for a bit.  And almost got run over by a little forklift man who was still setting up an exhibit nearby. We decided at that point it was probably time to leave & come back tomorrow.

Then it was off to the Shedd Aquarium.  A friend on Twitter suggested it was a can’t-miss part of the Chicago experience, and I’m so glad.  The coral reef exhibit was beautiful.  We saw dolphins, too.  And beluga whales!

They’re beautiful creatures, and the sounds they make are amazing and otherworldly.  I wondered if they were sharing secret codes or passing on ancient legends, but when I asked the aquarium working about their vocalizations, he said they were likely begging for food, since their trainer was standing where he often stands to feed them. It sure sounded cool.  If I were in charge of the fish bucket, they would have been all set.

After the aquarium, my husband and son headed to the waterfront for the Styx & REO Speedwagon concert, while E and I met a delightful group of author friends for deep-dish pizza.  Yay!  (Also yum!)


From left to right, that’s me, Marybeth Kelsey, Robin Graf Prehn , Lisa Schroeder, Cindy Pon, and Julia Karr.  (E ducked off to the side to avoid the paparazzi.)

Blueboarders! Books! Banners! Breakfast!  Beluga whales!  Day One, and I love Chicago already.

How They Got Here: 2009 Debut Author Mandy Hubbard

This post is part of a year-long series of blog interviews I’ll be hosting with my fellow 2009 Debut Authors, called "How They Got Here." 

It should be an especially helpful series for teens who write, teachers, and anyone who wants to write for kids.  2009 debut authors will be dropping by to talk about how their writing in school shaped the authors they are today, what teachers can do to make a difference, how they revise, and how they found their agents and editors.  (You’ll even be able to read some successful query letters!)  If you know a teacher or two who might be interested, please share the link!

Today…Mandy Hubbard, author of PRADA AND PREJUDICE!

Fifteen year old Callie just wants to impress the popular girls when she buys a pair of Prada heels on her class trip to London. She didn’t plan on tripping, conking her head, and waking up in 1815! Now she’s wearing corsets with her designer pumps, eating bizarre soups, and breaking up engagements. If only the nineteen year old Duke of Harksbury wasn’t so bloody annoying, she might have a little fun in Austen-Era England…

Welcome, Mandy! Tell us about the first thing that made you think you might be a writer.

It wasn’t until I was 20 and wrote a novella called WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE? that I thought I was a writer. It was super melodramatic and half-true-half-fiction. I’m glad it has ceased to exist.

What books did you love when you were a kid?

THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE DOYLE, HATCHET, Z FOR ZACHARIAH, and SHILOH.

Is there a particular teacher or librarian who was a mentor for you in your reading and writing life?

My sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Hughes, used to read aloud to us for the last 15-30 minutes of every day. That was my absolute favorite part of the day! She read us Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, The Black Stallion, and countless others.

Moving on to the here and now, most writers admit that making time to write can sometimes be a challenge.  When and where do you write?   Do you have any special rituals?  Music?  Food & beverages?

I mostly write on the train (a 30 minute ride) to and from work, or after 9pm when my daughter is asleep. I find that I dont really need anything specific around me, but I do love Diet Coke!

Do you have a favorite strategy for revision?

I use track changes and mark up the manuscript. Then I tackle the small things first, so the "to-do" list seems smaller, then the large items. Then I re-read it again.

What’s your best advice for young writers?

A published author is an amatuer who didn’t quit. Don’t quit.

What’s special about your debut novel?

I think the time travel and Jane Austen make it fun and very accessible for reluctant readers.

What were the best and worst parts of writing it?

The worst part? the revision requests that led to rejection! It’s always crushing to work hard on something for an editor and be rejected. The best part? Even at draft 9, I still loved the story.

How did you find your agent and/or editor?

I queried my agent. My agent found me my editor!

Thanks for joining us, Mandy!

You can read more about Mandy at her website. You can pick up your copy of PRADA AND PREJUDICE at your local independent bookseller, order it through one of my favorite indies, Flying Pig Bookstore (they ship!), or find an indie near you by checking out IndieBound!

How They Got Here: 2009 Debut Author Cyn Balog

This post is part of a year-long series of blog interviews I’ll be hosting with my fellow 2009 Debut Authors, called "How They Got Here." 

It should be an especially helpful series for teens who write, teachers, and anyone who wants to write for kids.  2009 debut authors will be dropping by to talk about how their writing in school shaped the authors they are today, what teachers can do to make a difference, how they revise, and how they found their agents and editors.  (You’ll even be able to read some successful query letters!)  If you know a teacher or two who might be interested, please share the link!

Today…Cyn Balog, author of FAIRY TALE!

Morgan Sparks and Cam Browne are a match made in heaven. They’ve been best friends since birth, they tell each other everything, and oh yeah- they’re totally hot for each other. But a week before their joint Sweet Sixteen bash, everything changes. Cam’s awkward cousin Pip comes to stay, and Morgan is stunned when her formerly perfect boyfriend seems to be drifting away. When Morgan demands answers, she’s shocked to discover the source of Cam’s distance isn’t another girl- it’s another world.  Pip claims that Cam is a fairy.  No, seriously.  A fairy. And now his people want Cam to return to their world and take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Determined to keep Cam with her, Morgan plots to fool the fairies. But as Cam continues to change, she has to decide once and for all if he really is her destiny, and if their "perfect" love can weather an uncertain future.


Welcome, Cyn! Tell us about the first thing you ever wrote that made you think maybe you were a writer.

I remember writing things as a kid and liking them, but once I wrote a mystery story in 6th grade and just had so much fun with it, that was when I knew this was something I wanted to do for a living. Before that, it was just a way to spend time.

What books did you love when you were a kid?

Charlotte’s Web, No Flying in the House, anything by Shel Silverstein.

Is there a particular teacher or librarian who was a mentor for you in your reading and writing life?

Nope. I can honestly say I had NO help or mentoring from any adults in my life, so I can’t figure out how I determined I wanted to be a writer so young. Maybe it was divine intervention!

What’s your best advice for young writers?

Do not let anyone tell you that it’s not possible, that you’re too young to be taken seriously in this business. If you want it badly enough and work hard enough, you can get there.

What’s special about your debut novel?

Have you seen the cover?  It’s gorgeous!

Thanks for joining us, Cyn!

You can read more about Cyn at her website. You can pick up your copy of FAIRY TALE at your local independent bookseller, order it through one of my favorite indies, Flying Pig Bookstore (they ship!), or find an indie near you by checking out IndieBound!