YA in the Alleyway~Getting Ready For Your Young Adult Book Release

YA in the Alleyway is my revised meme to give young adult literature the spotlight it deserves. It also gives YA authors the opportunity to share their signature with the world! Feel free to join me any Wednesday. 

Please welcome today's featured YA Author Vicki Weavil as she shares her wisdom on book releases. This is an awesome post, so make sure you bookmark it or share it with others!

TOUR SCHEDULE

Hello Alleywalkers,
I have been asked to talk about the steps to getting ready for a YA Book Release. Since these vary significantly from author to author, I thought I’d discuss this in a rather “tongue-in-cheek” way, based on my own experience – traditional publication with an independent publisher.

• Step One: You’ve Sold a Book! Now the Real Fun Begins.

Okay, the book has sold. It will be published – hurrah!! But, before it is actually released, you will be revising that manuscript. Not once, not twice, but as many times as it takes to whip it into shape. Somewhere in the middle of this process you will decide that you cannot write, and that you are, in fact, the worst author in the entire universe. Do not allow this knowledge to destroy you. Remember that you have a publishing company (and maybe an agent) depending on your pitiful excuse for a book. So carry on, despite the night terrors that whisper to you that your lack of talent will soon be as exposed as a starlet on the red carpet. Carry on, and beat that manuscript into something that vaguely resembles a book. 

• Step Two: The Cover Reveal.

At some point, while you are still adrift in the sea of revision and self-doubt, you will be shown mock-ups of the cover for your book. You may love the cover immediately – or not. (I’m fortunate in this regard, as my publisher puts out gorgeous covers). Negotiating over the cover may occur (or not, depending on your publisher). At any rate, once the cover is finalized, there will be a cover reveal. This will usually take place on various online venues, such as blogs, Facebook, or Instagram.  There may also be a blog tour for your cover reveal.  Your responsibility at this point is to promote that cover reveal like you have just received another set of stone tablets from Mount Sinai. Tell everyone, more than once.  (Also, thank all the people who help with the cover reveal because they put their time into promoting YOU).

• Step Three: Promotion and Marketing, or – Building Your Platform Without Scrambling    Your Brains.

This isn’t really a separate step, because it begins before the book is sold and continues… basically forever.  You need to create a social media presence as an author, based on whatever platforms you feel comfortable using. (Don’t use something just because it is out there, because that’s too much. Use what you feel works best with your marketing skills and personal style).  Also don’t use your platform just to sell – you want to connect with people on a real level. Engage in online groups that interest you, promote other authors, tweet about topics you find fascinating, etc. Sure, mention your book(s), but don’t overdo it. No one wants “Buy My Book” shoved at them ten times a day. Bear in mind that different promotional strategies work better for different types of books, so study what is successful for other authors in your genre. Not long before the release, your publisher will probably ask you to answer interview questions, or write guest blog posts (like this one!) for your release blog tour. There may be a lot, so pace yourself and make sure you give each the proper time and attention. Also, meet your deadline for the posts so the (very helpful) bloggers have plenty of time to work with your material.

• Step Four: The Book Release! 

This is the step where you need a good support system, lots of (insert vice of choice here), and maybe a paper bag to breath into every once and awhile.  There will probably be a blog tour promoting your release (or some other type of release promotion organized by your publisher). Perhaps you will arrange a book release party with your friends, or through the auspices of your favorite bookstore or library. Or perhaps you (and some friends, if you are lucky) will set up a Facebook release party.  There are a lot of options – just remember to do what makes you feel comfortable, and don’t force yourself to do things that will turn this into a terrible experience rather than an exciting one. Also remember to thank anyone who has helped with your book release, including your publisher, agent, publicist, bloggers, author friends, family, and so on. But most of all – celebrate! You have published a book, and that is a major life achievement.
Vicki L. Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Virginia, a Masters in Library Science from Indiana University, and a Masters in Liberal Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After working as a librarian at the NY Public Library at Lincoln Center, and the Museum of Television & Radio (now the Paley Center for Media) in NYC, she is currently the Director for Library Services at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband and some very spoiled cats. A member of SCBWI, Vicki is represented by Fran Black at Literary Counsel, NY, NY.  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Tumblr | Goodreads

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies 

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks 

Facsimile 

by Vicki L. Weavil

Publication Date:  March 8, 2016

Publisher:  Month9Books

For a ticket to Earth, seventeen-year-old Anna-Maria “Ann” Solano is willing to jettison her birth planet, best friend, and the boy who loves her. Especially since all she’s required to do is escort Dace Keeling, a young naturalist, through the wilderness of the partially terraformed planet Eco. Ann‘s determination to escape the limitations of her small, frontier colony never falters, until Dace’s expeditions uncover three secrets. One offers riches, one shatters Ann’s perceptions of herself, and one reveals that the humans stranded on Eco are not its only inhabitants.

Ann’s willing to sacrifice friendship and love for a new life on Earth. But when an entire species is placed in jeopardy by her actions, she must make a choice – fulfill the dream that’s always sustained her, or save the planet she’s never considered home.

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Care to share any experience you've had with a YA book release or have a question? Vicki would love to hear from you, so comment below!

IWSG~Fasting It

We've all heard of fasting. You know, going without food for xyz period of time. Yeah, but that's not the fasting I'm talking about today. It's actually the total opposite. Fasting as in I'm gonna speed through this draft, kind of fasting it is what I mean. 

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I must completely draft book II in my MG series over the next four weeks, which means consuming more wordage in a short period of time than I've ever done before. 
Feeling a little stressed and insecure, am I? Why yes, thank you for asking. But I'm also feeling empowered. 
Writing is like everything else in life. It's an opportunity to grow and learn more about ourselves as individuals and our place in the grand tapestry of existence. How will I ever grow if I won't push myself? I won't. I'm at a stage in my writing life where it's time I reach for that next hurdle and become more. A lot of pulled muscles and grumbling may be involved, but I'll heal. So if I'm a tad scarce over the next few weeks this is the reason. Feel free to drop by any of my social media outlets to offer a word of advice, encouragement, or even some cyber chocolate. Wine works, too. 
Anyone ever fast drafted a novel? How long did it really take you for how much wordage? Any tips? 
The purpose of the IWSG is to share and encourage, posting on the first Wednesday of each month. You'll find writer doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Support and a common understanding spread throughout the group as many fellow writers can relate. Feel free to JOIN in anytime.
Merci!

Testing The Length Of Reader's Loyalty

Can testing the length of your reader's loyalty by axing a beloved character go too far?
This is a somewhat unconventional post for me here on Writer's Alley. As you know, I normally talk about picture books all the way to young adult literature and mingle in a post about motherhood every-so-often. Not today.
Well, kind of but not really. 
I will eventually wrap the dragon's tail back to its children's storytelling head and tie everything in a neat little KidLit bow. But indulge me for an adult second, if you would. 
I'm going to use an example of storytelling from an adult tale that I recently was forced to ponder. This particular story is from a series of books, but I've been introduced to it through television - the HBO series Game of Thrones. (If you watch the show, great. If you don't, it really doesn't matter for this discussion. This isn't about the show, but about a method of writing. HOWEVER, if you watch the show and need to catch up you might want to stop reading in case I toss in a spoiler or two.)
There are a few First Rules of Storytelling I've gathered since I began writing full-length tales. 

1. Strong opening - show, action, in-the-moment, current world
2. Intriguing world building - visual, unique, eventually changes in some way
3. Memorable main character(s) - multi-dimensional: emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually, economically - be real 
4. Distinct voice - adds to MMC's appeal
5. Agitating Antagonist - love-to-hate, hate-to-hate, hate-to-pity, etc...Endless possibilities

Very simple and brief. We can expound upon those forever another time. Today I want to focus on character(s). And for a series like Game of Thrones there are a multitude of vital MC's via numerous story lines, thus the reason I'm not solely focusing on one MMC from #3 above.

We all know that developing a character isn't all about making him a positive entity or complete eye-candy in a story. Frankly, loads of us rather create the antagonist - the villian, the evil-doer, nature-gone-bad. They're fun to 'play' with and toss at your MC for an intriguing reaction. But both Hero MC or Vulgar Antagonist must have layers to his personality, beliefs ...See #3 above. You need not look hard to find either in the numerous story lines within Game of Thrones. There are so many strong characters carrying so much personal baggage it's almost insane. And beloved. We adore that. 

OMGosh, I hate that character ... That did not just happen to him ... I feel horrible for her ... I could go on and on with emotions conjured by witnessing the boulders tossed at some of these characters. As watchers and readers we hate, love, despise, pine for, encourage, chastise, cheer on, and grow with each fictional life. We take ownership of them, feel responsible. We are moved, which is awesome! 

And despite times when writers take a beloved character to a dark place we never imagined, we understand it's necessary. Life isn't easy. It doesn't hand out a warm blanket when your car breaks down on the side of the road during a snowstorm. And it surely doesn't deliver a fully-cooked turkey dinner to you when you already spent your paycheck for the week on bills and have nothing left to buy food. 

Writing in hardships for our characters is the main ingredient that makes the world they live in tangible. Their reaction makes them real. It gives a watcher/reader something to grip on to, relate to, and escape into. But is it possible for a writer to take a beloved character too far down a dark road of no return? Is it possible, especially within a story like Game of Thrones with a multitude of MCs, to create a character who is untouchable, who isn't expendable, and who death should never come for? This is fiction, where all things are possible, right? But are things all possible in fiction for your story to survive ... really?

If you're creating a franchise, a story monopoly, do you think it would be wise to take one of your most successful story lines and abruptly end it? Kill it off, even though a lot of your popularity and the popularity of the tale rides on that story line/character? 

Yes, I'm referring to the Jon Snow debacle from this week's episode. I am a firm believer that reality must happen in fiction for fiction to be reality. But killing off Jon, at least for this fan/writer, was a wrong choice. As a reader, I NEED at least one reliable within a story. Everything can't be chaotic all the time. It's like in childhood, when I needed my toy stuffed frog. (I like frogs. So what?) Someone could have poured dirt in my hair in the sandbox or bullied me off the swing at the playground. I might have had the flu or lost my TV privileges to my younger brother. At the end of the day none of that mattered as long as my frog was with me in bed to sleep. All set right with the world. 

So, yeah, maybe Jon Snow was my stuffed frog. (Sounds wrong, but go with me here.) As a viewer, I need him. His character is my anchor, my steadfast, my assurance that when all else goes wrong the world still has something right in it. Does that mean that Jon Snow's existence within the story should have been void of heartache and tragedy? No way. Up until this point in the story, whether television or books, Jon traveled a road of potholes, twists and turns, battles, uncertainty, and disappointments. At times, it was hard watching him struggle as he had to, but it was necessary for his growth, the forward progression of the story, and to stabilize the other story lines. 

What made JS untouchable to extinction/death for me? His character was longing, jaded, tainted, torn, suffering, lovable, honest, gentle, lonely, strong, selfless, and brave - the pinnacle of multi-dimensional we all strive for in developing characters. Mostly, he held integrity like no other. And in a stained world like Game of Thrones, integrity is rare. But desperately needed in the small doses that Jon gave. 

Rumors that his character really hasn't met his end and will somehow be resurrected began surfacing directly after the infamous episode ended. If they're true will I feel differently? I'm not sure. If so, I might eventually catch up on story lines and start watching again, but never with such fervor and passion as I did before. I am now a distrusting viewer/reader. 

I feel betrayed by the writing, almost jaded like How dare they do that to him? He's the story's one and only steadfast. What kind of roller coaster ride do they think I signed up for? Now mind you, I was a viewer of The Red Wedding, which was absolutely devastating. It took me three boxes of tissues and a week to recover from that episode. But, despite my horror of losing some of the most beloved characters that make up that story, I was able to find value in their ending and move forward with the show. 

At the end of Jon's death scene - which was totally lame and felt like an afterthought, btw - I made no noise. Didn't scream or cry or anything. I simply turned off the power and whispered under my breath "I'm done." 

What do you think? Is it possible to create a character who is not expendable, maybe one you can bend and prod and twist and burn but who is untouchable and imperceptible to death for the good of the story and the love of your readership? How far can you test your reader's loyalty to your story?

Dodging The Lull Of Summer Publishing

We've all heard it ~ Publishing slows down during the summer months. And that may be true for various reasons. 

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Agents, editors, and publishers do have lives outside of the industry. Some take vacations to warmer destinations, while others simply stall their query and manuscript reading speedway to replenish their working verve. It's natural. We all need to do it. But....
If you're the writer waiting for a response on your query, this season within the publishing world--despite how brief--can wear down one's nerves. If you're anything like me, you'll pace a solid strip of shine off your wooden floors. Looks awful, doesn't it. 
Well, no fear. I have a few ideas to distract you during this time and, hopefully, keep your spirits up. If nothing more it should save the flooring in your home. 

1. Read - Yeah, we've all heard it before. But I mean read with intention. Focus on the author's source of story structure, character development, voice, tone, and mood. Love or hate the world the author created. Invest yourself. And, for gosh sakes, read out of your comfort zone. It WILL not only inspire you, but also will distract the heck out of you. 
2. Free Write or Fast Draft - Yeah, we've all heard these before, too. But, honestly? Have you given either a try? The first time I attempted a fast draft I couldn't get going because I was too worried about the end result needing too much editing. Wrong approach. For either, pull an idea out of the air. No matter how wacky or silly or strange it might be. Give it a try. And if you've decided to fast draft, come up with a beginning, a middle, and an ending idea. Then write. Just write. It might suck in the end, but I assure you, you will have created at least one element you can use in a novel.
3. Live - My third and final yeah. Record all you do, from grocery shopping to attending a parade to an unexpected hike you take with your kids. You don't need a notebook, although I still love using them. Your cell phone is more than sufficient in this day and age. Do the selfie thing or a daily record, Your Story on Snapchat. 

Ultimately, this lull within the publishing world only lasts a few months. For some industry leaders, the break is merely a week or two. And when you think about it, they all don't take breaks at the same time. Continuing to query couldn't hurt. You just might have to wait a little longer for a response. But aren't you doing that by waiting to submit anyway?

How do you plan to dodge the lull of this summer publishing season? Will you continue to query and submit? For those with representation, will you send your manuscripts in this summer or wait? 

#The100DayProject

Sometime ago, I came across this site called The Great Disconnect and the fabulous Elle Luna - she's a fabulous artist, designer, and writer! While there I read a post about college kids, the need to commit oneself, etc... And VOILA! #The100DayProject was born. 

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I won't go into all the logistics of how the project came to be, because you can read about that HERE. And you should. It's quite an intriguing story. My purpose, today, is simply to share its brilliance and how I'm going to participate. 
As you can see in my left sidebar I've chosen a logo to cheer myself on - logo totally provided by the project. If you go HERE, you can choose your own too! In a nutshell, the idea is as follows:
- Choose something you're passionate about. Think about what you enjoy, what helps you relax, what you've always wanted to try your hand at or master. It doesn't have to be work related, but it can be. The purpose is to set our goals free from stress and see ourselves grow. I love how Elle mentions in her post that The great surrender is the process; showing up day after day is the goal. How perfect is that?(Seeing how I'm sure I'm speaking to a lot of writers, we all know what that is.) My choice: current revisions on my YA novel & then on my MG novel.
- Commit to interacting with the passion you've chosen at least once every single day for 100 consecutive days, starting on April 6th through June 14th, 2015. (Yes, it's the 8th, but that's okay. You can catch up.)
- Share your daily progress with the world on Instagram (or anywhere, really) by using #The100DayProject and a hashtag you create - #100Daysof... My personal hashtag is #100DaysofPolishing. Follow or check in with The Great Disconnect and Elle Luna on Instagram. 
- Lastly, choose one of the designed logos to keep your commitment in the forefront of your mind ... and eyes. Once again, you can go HERE to find them. 
If you decide to do this - and why not? We all need a little push now and then - let me know. I'll be cheering you on! I'm on Instagram HERE! I'll follow back, promise. 

Tying Up Plot Lines

Writers find inspiration in varies places and through many venues. There's nature or a crowded area such as a mall or subway station. People-watching can conjure intriguing traits for one's fictional characters - minus any creepy gawking, of course. Two of my most favorite venues for revving up my writing verve can be found in music or artwork. 
There are innumerable elements to inspire, but admiring a fellow writer's work is probably the most common denominator among all writers, myself included. And a lot of book writers also find inspiration while watching a film or television show. Despite being written to stimulate the visual and auditory senses, those are still stories. We writers love stories.
The other day I was reading an article about one of the most popular television shows of the last twenty years - LOST. The article, found HERE, highlighted a conversation between an outside source with one writer from the LOST writing team at the show's peak in ratings. Initially, this person was thrilled that he was about to discover how the writing team planned to tie up the numerous plot lines. But to this poor guy's dismay, he uncovered the show had NO plans on taking any story lines to a conclusive end.
I was like "What? That just doesn't make sense?", basically reiterating what the writer of this article said to the LOST writer. And then the realization hit me as to the reason I stopped watching the show - the lack of answers to the numerous questions drove me nuts!
It got me thinking about how we novel writers take our initial ideas from beginning, a brief idea of a middle, and then to a conclusion at the end of our books. 
For myself, fresh ideas always slam into me as the beginning of a story flows to its middle. I'll admit I definitely write overly-threaded moments and scenes that confuse even myself. But each time I end up seeing a flicker that eventually guides the frayed thread to a meeting place, which answers at least some of the questions I've created. That's called: typing up what is necessary to satisfy the reader. I don't tie up everything, because life is never that easy, simple, or perfect. 
So I read that article again and thought What if I went so extreme with one of these new fresh ideas that I knew a proper conclusion could never happen? Would I just write it anyway and would anyone keep reading it? Most of you probably are having the same initial writer thought I had - Would I tick off my readers to such an extent they'd never want to read my work again?
I guess I'm looking for a reason why the show LOST was so successful, yet used the format for creating that they did. The article stated that they basically thought up the  most messed up stuff they could and just wrote it with no regard for any purposeful conclusion. I've heard that not all 'loose ends' are bad. Granted, that had to do with student learning, but still... Did the creators and writers of LOST know something the rest of us are missing or did they make a grave error in feeding the public fantastic story lines with forever fraying ends?  
What sayzzz U? How many plot ends left loose at a novel's end are too many?

The New Writer's CREED 2015

A writer is not a lone solder, mucking it up among words, phrases, and paragraphs. No, a writer is never alone with his/her work. Each writer is only one thread in the tapestry of communication and creative escape our world desperately needs.
WE are community. 
Three years ago, when I released my first Writer's Rebel CREED, my intentions were simply to give myself a method of self-encouragement and accountability. Being a visual person, I needed to SEE it everyday. After creating it, I decided others might benefit from it too. 
The writing community shares a plethora of strengths and weaknesses. We experience similar creative frustrations that slowly gnaw away our motivation. One writer's grammar sense pales in comparison to another's. Creative ideas seem to ooze from some writer's brains, yet others struggle to come up with that next scene. Despite one's strengths and another's weakness, writers never pin those against each other. Instead, we lend our knowledge and experience out in hopes of aiding each other - a community of generosity.  
This year's creed shares similar messages from the last two, but I've added a few new elements I hope you'll be excited about.
1. Any writer who pledges the creed will be added to a Twitter list, which I will share with all creed members. Using hashtag #writercreed, members can share encouragement, good news, needs, and anything else with all members any time they want. There is no set date or time. My hope is that members will take advantage of this easy way to keep in touch and keep the creed alive throughout 2015. 
2. In conjunction with the hashtag #writercreed, members can also tweet #BR or #CP, indicating you are in need of a beta reader or critique partner.
3. I will also be choosing a writing quote at the beginning of each month for members to retweet on Twitter. If members don't have a Twitter account, feel free to share anything via Facebook using the hashtag. 
4. Finally - and my favorite (thanks Robyn) - in conjunction with our hashtag #writercreed, members can also request a #wordsprint - challenging any other member to write nonstop for at least an hour and then report back to each other. Yay! How fun and productive! This writing method is super worthy to produce lots of wordage from you. I've done these before, but they always seem to fade out. I wanted to create an easy way to organize it and keep word sprints alive. Hope you take advantage of it. I know I will. 
Here is this year's creed:

I would be honored for you to join me in committing to this CREED. 

• Simply add your name & Twitter tag (ex: mine is @SA_Larsen) to the linky list below. (Required)
• Add your blog/site link.
• Copy the CREED Badge and paste it on your site, encouraging others to join us. I've included a smaller size for your convenience. (Not required)

I will continue to share this post via social media outlets now and again, hoping to encourage others to join us. The commitment is virtually effortless, but the gains will surely be great. It's be wonderful if you'd share away too. 
This is my last post of 2014. It's been a tougher year for me and my family than in previous years. We've been presented by many challenges, most of which forced me to cut my already blogging time and posts in half. Most of those challenges I've yet to share with you, but do plan to in the near future. 

I look to 2015 with hope and a positive attitude that all is looking up. I wish you all the same. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your lives and for blessing me with you in mine.
Have a wonderful and safe holiday! Until the new year, Alleywalkers ...

Need an Editor? THE MANUSCRIPT MAVEN

I'm not a surgeon nor am I trained in any surgical procedures, so I know very little about how the fix or cure the inner workings of the body other than for any personal aliments/issues I've experienced or witnessed from caring for my four children. Thus, I wouldn't be a choice when you're looking for a surgeon.
The same applies to writing. 
To no fault of their own, many people have no idea the ins and outs of writing a manuscript with the intent of publication. A writer does, though. From the bright beginnings of an idea to the damp, darkness of revisions, a fellow writer understands what it takes to achieve one's goal of publication. And it takes a special writer who can take another writer's work, edit it for content, structure, and grammar to make it shine.
This is the reason I'm here today. I'm beyond thrilled to share this news with you.

S.K. Mayhew
Blog | Twitter 

Sharon Mayhew aka S.K. Mayhew has recently launched her own editing and writer coaching business. She is not simply a talented writer, but also a dear friend and critique partner to me. My interactions with Sharon have always been positive and led me down a road of growth. Her efforts have gone above and beyond what was necessary as one of my CPs. And she has an uplifting way of sharing her suggestions and edits.
Here's her mission statement, which can be found on her new website The Manuscript Maven:

The Manuscript Maven believes that every writer has potential and she will do her best to help writers improve their writing, while still keeping true to their stories and their "voices."

So to all you authors out there, whether you're looking to join the amazing band of Indie authors or you're agented and just need an extra peek at your work before submitting, contact THE MANUSCRIPT MAVEN for some wonderful advice to bring out the best in your work. 
To celebrate her kick-off, Sharon is offering up one FREE critique of either the first 250 words of a picture book, the first seven pages of a novel, or a query critique/line edit to one winner! To enter, just leave a comment below and I will randomly choose a winner. 
Have you every worked with a private editor or writing coach before? What was your experience? 

New Adult ~ Expanding Beyond the College Campus

A dear blogging friend has agreed to splatter the Alleyway with her thoughts on writing in the latest new genre of New Adult. I absolutely love this post. I'm sure you will, too.

New adult contemporary romance: expanding beyond the college campus

by Kitsy Clare

New adult romance exploded on the scene a few years after St. Martins Press ran a contest that stated: “Since twenty-somethings are devouring YA, St. Martin’s Press is seeking fiction similar to YA that can be published and marketed as adult—a sort of an “older YA” or “new adult” fiction.” Readers clamored for novels that described the college experience, first full-time jobs, and their first steamy adult romances as people hit their twenties.

NA authors delved deeply into issues such as in Tammara Webber’s powerful exploration of abuse in Easy, but the novels were always set in college, the drama often occurring in dorms and fraternity parties.

As the genre grows, authors are eager to expand into new subgenres and settings outside of college walls and break out of narrow confines that squeeze the genre into limited pigeonholes. Courtney Lewis, a librarian and blogger, otherwise known as the Sassy Librarian reports on a recent NA panel she attended: “It was suggested that the genre might gain more legitimacy when readers (and librarians and publishers) begin associating it with other genres, broadening the scope of the label.” I heartily agree.

Gritty NA romance that deals with more universal survival skills than the limited setting of the dorm scene is popping up all over. One example is J.R. Redmerski’s The Edge of Never, where the setting is literally the highway. Camryn decides to take a long road trip to reassess the life she’s lived thus far. Another is Collide by Gail McHugh, where Emily moves to NYC to be closer to her boyfriend, but ends up working in an Italian restaurant and meeting a new love. A third example is Nikki Turner’s Project Chick, the saga of a young urban single mom.

In writing my first NA romance, Model Position I stuck to the well-oiled trope template and set it in college. Well, I did stray a little; setting it in art school, where no one lived in dorms, but already had their own edgy apartments in Manhattan’s East Village. Still, many of the scenes were set in the drawing class.

But for the next in my NA Art of Love series, Private Internship I had a different idea for the setting. Artist Sienna’s bad-boy love interest is a sculptor she interns for. He creates installations out of sugar. What better setting than the factory building I’ve been I’ve been obsessed with for decades: specifically the Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. In it, Caz Mason has tons and tons of sugar to play around with!

You see, I moved right around the corner from that spooky factory before the neighborhood became a hipster paradise. I recall strolling by it when it was still in business, ever eager to see which cargo ship had docked on its East River port. They came from Cuba, Brazil, even Thailand—a myriad of exotic, faraway places. Here’s a summary of Private Internship:

Sienna’s bestie, Harper warned her not to intern for famous bad boy artist, Casper Mason. After all, he just fired Harper who helped Sienna get the interview. But the moment Sienna sees Casper—or Caz—sweaty and practically shirtless and swinging from chains while he works on his sculpture, she’s hooked. He’s the richest, hottest artist in New York, and he lives in the fabulous Williamsburg Sugar Factory. But he’s also an incorrigible game-player, who seems to relish testing Sienna’s loyalty with a string of unsettling tests.

She knows she should get away fast. But by the time Sienna sneaks into his locked storage room and begins to unearth his dark and terrifying secret, she’s fallen way too hard for the handsome, charismatic Caz.

Little did I know that my setting for this novel was going to be a constant fixture in the news last summer when famous sculptress Kara Walker would set up her regal sugar sphinx mama in that doomed place. As Walker explains through her sugar slave boys who, in the heat of the summer, were literally melting—an arm dropping off here, a nose there, the sugar trade was a very nasty business, fueled by oppressed slaves hauled in from Africa to the Caribbean and elsewhere.

Coincidentally, in Private Internship I have Caz quoting from Voltaire’s Candide, when a horrified Candide comes across a slave boy who’s lost an arm and leg. The boy explains: “When we work in the sugar mills and get a finger caught in the machinery, they cut off the hand; but if we try to run away, they cut off a leg … it is the price we pay for the sugar you eat in Europe.”

Caz is no fool; he’s aware of the dark side of his spun-sugar art medium. Ironically, as he tears three sugar packets and pours one after the other into his gourmet blend coffee, he says to Sienna in all seriousness, “Sugar, it’s delicious yet deadly, sweet yet bitter to the arteries. It’s no good for anyone.”

Still, out of Caz and Sienna’s power struggles, a sweet romance just might emerge. And what better place to set it in than an actual defunct sugar factory! So, choose your settings with care. Make sure you’re as passionate about them as you are about your characters and the steamy romance blossoming between them. Don’t get me wrong, a good college romance can still be a fabulous read. But if you’re writing NA romance, be brave, and consider writing beyond the confines of dorm life. If it’s an exciting time and place to you, it will surely be exciting to your readers, as well.

Kitsy Clare hails from Philly and lives in New York. A romantic at heart, she loves to write about the sexy intrigue of the city, and particularly of the art world. She knows it well, having shown her paintings here before turning to writing. Her new adult romance series The Art of Love is about artist Sienna and her friends. Living in a Bookworld says: “Beautifully written! We get to learn things about art & painting, which is refreshing. A colorful story from a promising new adult author.” Kitsy also writes YA as Catherine Stine. Her futuristic thriller, Ruby’s Fire was a YA finalist in the Next Generation Indie book awards. Fireseed One, its companion novel, was a finalist in YA and Sci-Fi in the USA News International Book Awards, and an Indie Reader notable. Her YA horror, Dorianna, launches on Oct. 24 with Evernight Teen.Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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PRIVATE INTERNSHIP: An Art of Love by Kitsy Clare
Release Date: September 29, 2014 Publisher: Inkspell
Description: 

Sugar’s not so sweet and secrets can be deadly … especially with matters of the heart

Sienna’s bestie, Harper warned her not to intern for famous bad boy artist, Casper Mason. After all, he just fired Harper who helped Sienna get the interview. But the moment Sienna sees Casper—or Caz—sweaty and practically shirtless and swinging from chains while he works on his sculpture, she’s hooked. He’s the richest, hottest artist in New York, and he lives in the fabulous Williamsburg Sugar Factory. But he’s also an incorrigible game-player, who seems to relish challenging Sienna’s loyalty with a string of unsettling tests.

She knows she should get away fast. But by the time Sienna sneaks into his locked storage room and begins to unearth his dark and terrifying secret, she’s fallen way too hard for the handsome, charismatic Caz.

Book reviewers are saying:

"Beautiful. Amazing. A fantastic read that left me wanting more." -XoXo Book Blog

"A juicy read full of passion and magnetic chemistry that will have you hooked from beginning to end." -From the Purple Matter Book Blog.

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Bringing the Real World into Fantasy YA

A wise old friend once told me: In order to be successful in anything in life, you mus surround yourself with like-minded people. Learn from each other and grow. 
Taking that advice, I'd like to splatter Young Adult Fantasy Author Vicki Weavil with a round of applause and gratitude. She's here to share wisdom from her writing arsenal about giving tangible breath to tales of fantasy. And lets all congratulate her on the release of her YA fantasy novel CROWN OF ICE.  

CROWN OF ICE by Vicki L. Weavil Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo  Chapters Indigo! | TBD | iBooks | Goodreads
Genre: YA Fantasy Publisher: Month9Books, LLC Release Date: September 9, 2014
Description: Thyra Winther’s seventeen, the Snow Queen, and immortal, but if she can’t reassemble a shattered enchanted mirror by her eighteenth birthday she’s doomed to spend eternity as a wraith.

Armed with magic granted by a ruthless wizard, Thyra schemes to survive with her mind and body intact. Unencumbered by kindness, she kidnaps local boy Kai Thorsen, whose mathematical skills rival her own. Two logical minds, Thyra calculates, are better than one. With time rapidly melting away she needs all the help she can steal.

A cruel lie ensnares Kai in her plan, but three missing mirror shards and Kai’s childhood friend, Gerda, present more formidable obstacles. Thyra’s willing to do anything – venture into uncharted lands, outwit sorcerers, or battle enchanted beasts — to reconstruct the mirror, yet her most dangerous adversary lies within her breast. Touched by the warmth of a wolf pup’s devotion and the fire of a young man’s desire, the thawing of Thyra’s frozen heart could be her ultimate undoing.

CROWN OF ICE is a YA Fantasy that reinvents Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” from the perspective of a young woman who discovers that the greatest threat to her survival may be her own humanity.

Bringing the Real World into Fantasy – Human Emotions in CROWN OF ICE

by Vicki Weavil

Although CROWN OF ICE is a fantasy, its characters are very human. Well, except for the talking reindeer and a wolf pup, of course!

But the main characters, despite a few of them possessing magical powers, are still human beings. Even the sorcerer, Mael Voss, is mortal, although he’s used his abilities to significantly lengthen his life.

With this in mind, I wrote the characters in CROWN to reflect real human emotions, including hate, jealousy, fear, selfishness … and love. Especially love, because at its core, the true theme of CROWN OF ICE is love. Not just romantic love, although that’s part of the story, but also the love of friends and family, and the love animals give us, as well as the love we hold for them.

The main character in CROWN is Thyra Winther, a young woman whose life has been bleak and cruel. Orphaned at a young age, she’s raised in an abusive foster home until an evil mage takes her away and transforms her into the Snow Queen. Thyra is smart and a fighter, so she’s survived, but at a price. She’s had to freeze her emotions in order to endure her lonely life.

I wanted to write about a survivor because I’ve known, and admired, so many people who have overcome impossible odds to create a life for themselves. They may have suffered physical or emotional abuse, or had to live with a disability or illness, but they managed to survive. However, often the very coping mechanism that allows them to function in difficult environments becomes a burden later in life. They survive, but may lack skill in establishing and maintaining relationships. They become highly functional, but find they need to rid themselves of the habits and practices that got them through their most painful times in order to live a fulfilling life.

So, for me (and I hope its readers) CROWN OF ICE is not just a tale about the travels of a girl searching for her lost friend, or even the quest of a young Snow Queen to save her mind and body from the agony of spending eternity as a wraith. It’s also the journey Thyra makes from an icy-hearted survivor toward an understanding of love. It’s a story that asks the question—can someone who has frozen their heart ever learn to feel again?

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Vicki Lemp Weavil was raised in a farming community in Virginia, where her life was shaped by a wonderful family, the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and an obsession with reading. Since obtaining her undergraduate degree in Theatre from the University of Virginia, she’s gone on to acquire two masters degrees, living in places as diverse as New York City and rural North Carolina. She’s currently the library director for a performing an visual arts university.  Vicki loves good writing in any genre, and has been known to read seven books in as many days. She enjoys travel, gardening, and the arts. Vicki lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats. 

Author Links:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumbler

Readers, Writers: What's your take on fantasy? 
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