Switching Genres: Author Interview with Linda Budzinski

What drew you to the idea of writing your first YA novel?
My first YA novel was THE FUNERAL SINGER. I had been writing middle grade, and I was at a children's book writing conference in the Pocono Mountains one weekend where T.A. Barron, author of the Merlin series, was a keynote speaker. He made an offhand comment that kids today have a screwy idea of what it means to be a hero. That remark really resonated with me, and on the four-hour drive home from the conference, I decided I wanted to write a book based on that theme. 

At the time, I was working for a nonprofit group in the funeral industry, and I had come to view funeral directors as real-life heroes. Every single day, they have to go to work knowing they are going to be dealing with people who are having one of the worst days of their lives. So I juxtaposed my main character's "heroes" -- a rock band -- with her father, a funeral director. I knew this was a YA theme, not middle grade, and so my first YA novel was conceived!

Was there a specific book or author that made you think - I could write like that?
I love YA. About 90 percent of what I read is YA and I honestly think it's some of the best literature out there, but I can't say I've ever tried to emulate any author. Part of me WISHES I could write like Ruta Sepetys, because she writes so beautifully and with such lyrical language, but ultimately, my style, my voice is mine, and that's how it should be.

How long did it take for you to write the first book? Was it harder or easier to write your second book?
It took more than four years to write and revise (and revise and revise) my first book. Each book since then has taken about eighteen months. So I learned a lot, and in some ways, it has gotten easier, but each book has its own challenges.

Are you active in any writing critique groups?
I have been in several critique groups in the past and highly recommend them. Now, though, I simply don't have the time to spend doing extensive critiques. I do have a critique partner, but she and I tend to share our work when it is "almost ready," meaning we are mostly looking for final edits--the kinds of things a writer simply can't see when she is too close to a piece.

What makes for a good YA romance novel? How do you get into the mindset?
For me, a good YA romance novel starts with a great character--someone whose life and motivations extend well beyond the romance story line, so that the romance ultimately complements that. And of course, you need a swoony boy! Writing YA romance is the most natural thing in the world for me, because I remember very vividly what it was like to be a teenager and to have those teen crushes and heartbreaks, and the awkward kisses and the awesome kisses, and all of those "first" experiences that make for such great stories.

How did you go about finding a publisher?

My path to publication story could fill a book. It had many, many ups and downs. I will just say to anyone out there going through it, don't limit yourself! Explore all avenues. My path included a little bit of everything, including entering contests, blind subs, requested subs, conference contacts, online networking ... you name it. Writing a good book is the most important piece, but putting yourself out there to find a home for it is critical as well.

How do you write? Do you do an outline first? Do you do individual character development before doing the full plot?
Before starting to write, I tend to have a general story arc in mind--a beginning place for my character, an ending place, and a few major scene ideas, including the climax. Other than that, I make it up as I go along. The creative process is such a mystery and a wonder to me. 

My characters and their actions/reactions really do take shape as I write, so I really can't plan too much. If I do, they will end up either feeling forced and unnatural or they will take over and pull the story in a different direction anyway.

What do you know now about writing/publishing now that you wished you had known sooner?
I am a joiner/researcher/learner by nature, so very early on in my writing career, I was on all the message boards and belonged to a lot of writing groups and went to many classes and workshops and conferences, so I knew quite a lot about what to expect of the publishing business by the time my first novel was written. Of course, since then, much of it has changed! 

It is all changing so quickly, and there are so many opportunities and challenges that didn't exist even four or five years ago. So what we *think* we know now about the business side of things may no longer be true or may be irrelevant a few years from now. All of that said, the writing side remains the same. There will always be a place in the world for compelling stories that are written well.

What is the best advice you've been given about writing or that you've learned that you would like to pass along?
Celebrate every victory. This business is so full of rejection and heartache, we as writers have to make it a point to celebrate the good parts. And while sometimes those good parts are contracts or release dates or positive reviews or hitting bestseller lists or any number of things that fall outside of our control, those good parts also can be the steps we take and can control along our writing journey. A chapter completed. A fun bit of dialogue. A perfect simile. Celebrate all of it.

What other works do you have in the process?
My third YA romance, THE BOYFRIEND WHISPERER, came out in November. I am now working on a sequel, THE BOYFRIEND WHISPERER 2.0. It's my first time writing a sequel, and I'm having lots of fun with it.

Are there any writing points you’d like to cover?
We live in such an amazing time, when we can connect so easily with other writers and with readers. I am so grateful to the many friends I have made in the YA community, and I just want to advise people that you never know where those connections might lead. 

My second novel, EM & EM, recently was optioned by a studio for development as a TV series. Now, lots of books get optioned and nothing ever comes of it, so (while I am celebrating!) I am trying not to get my hopes up too far. Let's just say I haven't bought my dress for the Emmys yet. 

The way the producer found out about my book was, I believe, through her daughter's friend, who happens to be the daughter of a woman I took an online YA writing class with a few years back and who has been a great supporter of my books. Be kind, be supportive, and don't take those relationships for granted.

Good words to live by. Thanks for your thoughts, Linda. 

If you'd like to learn more about Linda's books and future endeavors, here are some links to get you started.

Website: www.lindabudzinski.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindaBudz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaBudzinskiAuthor

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Budzinski/e/B00M9QKM9M/

Working Through the Rough Draft: An Interview with Laurel Garver

What inspired you to write YA novels?
Young adult books were what got me hooked on reading. Madeleine L’Engle’s books, in particular, most attracted me to the genre, especially how her characters clearly came from a churched background, but the stories didn’t feel like plodding morality tales. 

Her brainy misfit teens struggled to do the right thing when it’s hard, clearly making choices informed by their faith. Those stories were very life-giving to me. So I wanted to create books like those I enjoyed reading at that critical time in my life, and further, to encourage kids of faith dealing with deeply dysfunctional families.

When did you actually start writing your first book? 
This series grew from an idea I’d had back in the early 1990s and stuffed away in a drawer until I was mature enough to do it justice. I began working in earnest after a trip to England in 2006. It took about a year and a half to draft—mostly during my daughter’s naps and when she was in preschool.

Who encouraged you along the way to complete the first book?
My pastor’s daughter, who was one of my youth group kids at the time, became my chief cheerleader. She wanted to read every draft, and let me pick her brain—especially about living in New York City and what high school is like these days. Her enthusiasm stayed strong when mine waned, which gave me the courage to keep going when I thought Never Gone would never see the light of day.

Are there any stories you’ve written that are packed away that you hope will get published someday? Anything you would like to share about them?
Most of my trunked works really belong there. I do have a couple of flash fiction pieces I might expand into something longer, especially one that explores growing up with a mentally ill parent.

Are you active with any writing groups? Who acts as the sounding board for your stories before they’re prepared for publication?

I’ve been active in a monthly critique group since 2009. They see my work in small chunks as I write, just a chapter or two at a time, and help me figure out what is and isn’t working. Scenes that require specialty knowledge, I send out to sources I interviewed or experts I know and ask for their feedback. 

Once the story is complete (and I’ve done one major revision on my own), I have five to seven beta readers from outside the critique group read the entire book and give me comments. After I’ve incorporated the beta reader comments, I send it along to a freelance editor for a copy editing round, then a proofreading round. At that point, I begin formatting the manuscript for publication, often finding more tweaks I want to make.

What has frustrated you the most in the process of putting together the books?
The most perplexing part of the process has been battling my own perfectionism. I make a living as an editor, and it’s really tough for me to let a messy first draft form. 

What has pleasantly surprised you in the process? 

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my desire to get facts right makes me a diligent researcher and that research always yields big dividends in terms of both cool new plot ideas and my personal enthusiasm for my story.

Why did you decide to go the indie route? Did you send your books out to agents and publishers and try that path first?
I decided to go the indie route after spending years seeking an agent, and hearing that my work wasn’t a neat fit for either the religious or secular market. For Christian fiction, it’s edgy—not shying away from darker emotions—and the character is Anglican, rather than nondenominational. Because I’ve worked for decades in magazine publishing and had a strong network among the indie author community, I felt fairly well equipped to try my hand at independent publishing.

What are some of the promotions that you’ve done for your books that have been the most successful?
When I released my first book in 2012, blogging was one of the most powerful ways to reach readers, so I got a lot of traction out of writing meaty guest posts for high-traffic blogs as well as getting book bloggers to review the book or interview me. Goodreads giveaways have helped with visibility all along, but paid advertising has been the most effective promotion recently, especially services that send e-mails that are customized to reader genre preferences.

Do you write daily? Weekly? What are your writing goals? Will you stick with the teen books or do you think you’ll try any other genre?
I strive to do something writing-related daily, whether it’s brainstorming, research, drafting, revision, editing, graphic design, marketing, or maintaining my social media presence. For me, the variety of tasks is very stimulating. My goal is to continue telling stories I can’t write—the ones that sneak into my head and beg to be told. If such a story doesn’t revolve around a teen protagonist, then I suppose I’ll switch genres. 

What is the best writing advice you’ve been given?

Take advantage of mentoring relationships. As a teen, I was always quick to start writing projects, only to abandon them, until a school program paired me with a favorite former teacher to create a big senior project. Mrs. Wright encouraged me to write an entire novel that year, and I did with her guidance. It was derivative and naïve, but I had so much fun and learned how to complete something large—a giant leap forward in my development as a writer.

What message would you like readers to take away from your books?
Getting to know your parents’ stories is an essential part of growing up the relationship. It’s easy to misjudge them when you don’t know what struggles, hardships, and heartbreaks they’ve endured, and how those things have shaped them. Most of all, I hope readers will gain a better understanding of who God is for them in places where they feel most afraid and hopeless than change or healing is possible.

What plans do you have for other books?
I’m working on a Christmas novella that takes place between Never Gone and Almost There, told in alternating points of view from both Dani’s and Theo’s perspective. It’s their first Christmas as a couple—and the first anniversary of Dani’s father’s death—which makes it a challenging holiday.

I also have several writing resource books in the works, including a book of emotions-based writing prompts I plan to release later this year.

That's it for today's interview. Laurel is a great example of planning ahead in one's writing career. If you'd like to learn more about Laurel and her writing, here are some links to get you started. 

http://laurelgarver.blogspot.com/p/books.html

Laurel's Leaves  http://laurelgarver.blogspot.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4109111.Laurel_Garver

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurelGarver/

Writing for your Audience: Interview with MG & YA Author Jen Calonita

You have a long list of published works. When did you publish your first book? At that time did you think you could make a career at it?
I wrote my first book in 2004 when my son Tyler was a newborn and it was called Secrets of My Hollywood Life. At the time, I was assigned two books and I just hoped I could get those off the ground so I could keep writing! I started and never looked back. I feel so grateful that I'm still writing today.

You write for the MG market. how do you find the voice for characters without writing down to them?
My boys are middle grade readers -- age 11 and 7 -- and I spend so much time talking to elementary school students that I think finding their voice comes easier to me than an older voice. At least at the moment! I love how they have so many ideas and opinions about the characters and I love pulling from my children's lives and incorporating their issues and friendship problems into my own work. I can relate as it feels like yesterday when I was in sixth grade and getting banished from my lunch table over a fight with friends. Those were dark days. :)

How do you decide when to end a series?
Sometimes you know going in when the series is going to end and sometimes you don't. I do know I get a definite feeling when I know my characters are ready to "graduate." With Fairy Tale Reform School I feel like I keep wanting to tell more and more stories so I'm excited that the world of Enchantasia -- and their problems -- will be around for a while.

How many rewrites do you do?
It definitely depends on the book, but I'd say that there is usually two solid rewrites. I find when you're really close to the source material you don't always see the flaws. When my editors get a hold of my work and make comments it shows me what I'm missing and then I'm excited to rework things.

How do you write? Did you do an outline first? Did you do individual character development before doing the full plot?
It depends on the project. I always outline but the last few books have been outlines on sticky notes! I have a wall of sticky notes in my object for a project and I move them around until the story feels write and the pace works for me.

Does your editor or publisher ever suggest you slant your books a certain way or push for a specific point to be made?
No, but my editors are amazing in that they love the worlds as much as I do and they always have great suggestions about how I can expand or improve upon a story I'm working on.

Since you've now proven yourself as a bankable writer, have any of your books been rejected by a publisher?
Of course! I don't know a writer friend out there who hasn't had a story idea rejected. Not every idea I'm going to come up with is going to work for various reasons. It's always disappointing, but I've learned to keep moving forward and start new projects.

What is some of the best writing advice that you’ve received or could give?
The hardest thing for a writer to do is to sit down and write. It's so easy to imagine a story or think about writing a story but actually sitting there and pushing it out? That is hard. You just have to do
it!

What is the next book that will be coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
Battle of the Bands, the next VIP book, was just released in July and it follows Mackenzie's continuing adventures on the road with Perfect Storm, her favorite band, and Tricked, the third Fairy Tale Reform School book, will be out March 2017. Something new is brewing too that I can't wait to share when the time comes!

What message would you like parents and children to take away from your books?
As a parent, I know I want my kids to fall in love with books that inspire them, excite them and help them grow. I hope my books can do that for other kids out there too!
That's it for today's interview. For more details on these books and others by Jen, here's some links to get you started: Amazon link to her books; http://amzn.to/29P2qKD
Jen's website: http://www.jencalonitaonline.com/

Making Your Fantasy Real: Author Interview with Amy C. Blake

Amy C. Blake has written short stories and articles for various publications, including Focus on the Family, Mature Years, Significant Living, Encounter, and Vista. I’ve contributed to Barbour’s Book Lovers’ Devotional, Every Good and Perfect Gift, and Heavenly XOXO for Women. 

Her juvenile fantasy series, Levi Prince, follows thirteen-year-old Levi through his adventures in Terracaelum, a haven for mythical creatures.

Her new adult suspense series, On the Brink, follows the journeys of three homeschooled friends as they step out on the brink of adulthood…and danger.

What made you decide to write fiction with a YA theme and a fantasy twist?

I believe writers should write what they enjoy reading. I love reading YA fantasy, which made creating my Levi Prince YA Christian fantasy series so much fun. The Trojan Horse Traitor, the first book in that series, was released in 2015. 

My other favorite genre to read is mystery/suspense, which led me to write my On the Brink Christian suspense series. Since I homeschool my four kids, I’ve created homeschooled main characters for all of my novels (so far).

How long did it take you to write the first book? How many rewrites did you do on it?

Well, my earliest manuscripts likely will never see the light of day. Those are the ones I learned on, and I wouldn’t subject anyone to them. As for my published books, I started The Trojan Horse Traitor eight years ago. I did countless rewrites and revisions on it before publication. Through that book, I honed my writing skills and learned how the publishing world works.

I began Whitewashed about four years ago and did many rewrites on it as well; it is my debut publication. Colorblind took around two years to write and also went through many revisions.

Who helped you with the editing?

 My husband and children always help with my edits. I also get help from critique partners and beta readers.

Did you attend conferences or seminars prior to publishing your book?

Yes, I attended probably a dozen conferences, read many books on the writing craft, and joined critique circles beforehand. I also submitted my writing to several contests.

How many publishers did you pitch before getting accepted? Did you pitch any agents? How did you learn about your current publisher?

 I pitched to at least six agents and editors at conferences and via email before meeting my agent at a small conference in Pennsylvania. After I signed with my agent, he began pitching my proposals to publishers. It took about a year to find my publisher for the On the Brink series, and a couple months longer to find my Levi Prince publisher.

How do you write? Did you do an outline first? Did you do individual character development before doing the full plot?

I spend much of my pre-writing time just thinking about my main character. I decide on his/her backstory, motivations, personality, appearance, etc. Then I begin daydreaming the plot and setting. Once I have a good idea of the main character and basic plot line, I start writing. I might sketch a rough outline, but not always. I do jot down information about my characters first so I don’t lose track of their attributes during the writing process. I also research my setting carefully beforehand.

What type of publicity do you do to promote your book? What has worked best for you in generating sales?

I promote via social media, and I maintain a website. I also do book signings and events through my local library. I’ve done giveaways through Goodreads and Homeschool.com. Recently, I teamed up with two other homeschool moms who are also published authors to form The Writing Family. Together, we speak at homeschool conventions and have a booth to sell our books. Our speaking has worked well in that people who attended our workshop often bought books. Teaming up with other like-minded authors has been encouraging to me personally and professionally, and it has helped us all by allowing us to divide the expense of purchasing booths, etc.

What did you learn from writing your first book that helped you in the second one?

I learned that my writing can always get better and that I should graciously accept critiques from others, not dismiss them because they sting my pride. That means I’ve had to grow a little rhino hide, but it’s worth it when my writing improves as a result.

What do you know about writing/publishing now that you wished you had known sooner?

I wish I’d realized that having books release within a couple of months of each other is actually not as wonderful as it sounds. The Trojan Horse Traitor released in late November, 2015, with Colorblind due out in early February, 2016. I found myself doing final edits with my publisher for Colorblind while doing all the promo work for The Trojan Horse Traitor, and that just didn’t work well, especially during the holiday season. Though I postponed the release of Colorblind a few weeks, I still put myself and my family through a lot of stress I could’ve avoided if I’d scheduled the releases at least six months apart. Ah, well…lesson learned.

What surprised you the most in becoming published?

I was surprised to find out how much of the marketing portion of writing/publishing falls to the author. No longer can we simply write good books and leave it to our publishers to promote them. As authors, we have to take the primary role in advertising or our books won’t sell.

What other books or works do you have in the process?

My second Levi Prince YA fantasy book, The Fall of Thor’s Hammer, is due out next year. I’ve completed a pretty good draft of book three in that series, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, but it’ll need a number of revisions before publication. 

I’m also in the middle of writing a women’s fiction entitled Gabriel’s Gift, and I really need to get started on the third and final book in the On the Brink series. At this point, I’m still daydreaming about Nat, my main character, and what she’ll face in my story.

What is the best advice you’ve been given about writing or that you’ve learned that you would like to pass along?

Read voraciously in the genre you want to write. Then just write, write, and write some more. 

Any last words you’d like to add?

Pursuing publication isn’t an easy path. After a decade of hard work on novel-writing, I’d pretty much given up on my dream when I met my agent and, a year later, signed my first book contract. It takes a huge amount of effort, a willingness to learn, and a great deal of perseverance to become a published novelist. If you really want it, don’t give up.

That's it for today's interview. You can connect with Amy through: Facebook Goodreads Twitter

Go to amycblake.com for tips on homeschooling, advice for the rookie pastor's wife, and helps for the Christian life.

Her website also includes more details about her novels: Whitewashed, Colorblind, and The Trojan Horse Traitor

Staying True to your Characters: Author Interview with Krysten Lindsay Hager

Most everyone thinks they can write a novel, but they don't realize the time and effort it takes. When did you start writing your novels? I started writing seriously in college. I took creative writing classes where we had to do a novella as our final project and after my second one, I did an independent study with Prof. Thomas Foster who wrote, How to Read Literature Like a Professor, and that’s when I wrote my first story, which….I lost years ago! No clue where it is because it was on a disk and I moved to Europe and my flat flooded. However, right after I finished that novella, I began work on my first young adult novel, True Colors, which is the first book in the Landry’s True Colors Series. I wrote Next Door to a Star after that, which is the third book I had published and the first book in the new Star Series. I did a lot of rewriting on those first two books, so it’s hard to say how long they took.

What writing experience/credits did you have prior to publishing your first book?
I was a journalist writing news, sports, features and a humor column, I also published essays, humor pieces, articles, short stories, and flash fiction before I went about looking for a publisher. I think that experience helped me a lot in my writing, as well as with my confidence in dealing with having my books out there.

What do you want readers take away from your work? 
I hope they'll take away the idea that we all struggle with self-esteem issues and that being yourself is the only way you can truly be of value and feel comfortable. We’re all made unique for a reason and we should honor what makes us special.

How did you go about finding a publisher/agent? How many sources did you pitch?

I have two publishers, but I don’t have an agent. I did a lot of research on publishers first by going to conferences, going through those writing market books, reading writing magazines, going on websites, talking to people, etc. I don’t recall how many places I sent the first story to because I took time away from submitting during the years I lived overseas. During that time when I was in Portugal, I focused completely on freelancing for newspapers and magazines to build my writing resume and get my name out there.

How do you write? Did you do an outline first? Did you do individual character development before doing the full plot?
I don’t outline first, but now that I have two different YA series that I’m working on, I find that after you write the first book, you really do need to know where you’re going with the story. I have what many authors refer to as a “bible” for the series with all the info on the characters, setting, plot lines, etc. I do character studies/profiles before I begin work on any novel. I also do Pinterest boards with pics of how I imagine their houses, rooms, style, etc. When the book gets published, I then make the boards public so readers can see what I picture in my mind for the settings, characters, etc. You can check out mine here for reference: https://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/

What type of publicity does your publisher expect you to do in promoting your book? 
On my own I do tours, book blasts, tweets, etc. I’ve done radio and TV interviews and podcasts, too.

What did you learn in writing your first book that helped you in writing the second book and getting it published?
I think I learned the importance of trusting your own voice when it comes to writing. Once you begin to build an audience there’s a trust there and you realize you have to stay truthful to the characters. I remember a critique I had at a workshop after the first book came out and someone made a suggestion about one of the characters (Landry Albright) and I thought, “No, that’s not staying true to who she is. I can’t have this teen have a revelation overnight about a situation because it’s not true to life and I felt it would insult the audience if I didn’t have Landry deal with it in her own way. Readers get the feel for a character and so I need to stay true to that. That was the biggest thing that I realized. The second book I got published was Best Friends…Forever? (the sequel to True Colors) and now book three will be out January 12th and it’s called Landry in Like (Landry’s True Colors Series: Book 3).

What surprised you the most in writing/publishing your first book?
What surprised me was how much you’re expected to know about the business—I really wish I had taken some business classes in college and while I took some pre-law classes, I wish I had taken some contract law classes. I remember professors suggesting getting a law degree even if I didn’t have the intention to practice law and now I think that would have been useful .

What frustrated you the most? 

I think what most of us find frustrating is the marketing part because all we want to do is write and yet there is so much business admin to do day in and day out that people don’t realize.

What do you know now about writing that you wished you had known sooner?

What I wish I knew was to have more than one book finished before I started to send them out. Once a book in a series comes out, people want to the next one and if you don’t have it ready, you can lose your audience. I can’t tell you how many times people have the idea for a series, but hold off on writing the books in case no one wants the first one, which I understand, but once book one gets picked up, you will wish you had kept going!

What is the best advice you’ve been given about writing or that you’ve learned that you would like to pass along?
Taking literature classes is the best advice I can give someone as well as enjoying the act of writing and the journey and not just the destination. The best advice I’ve been given is to start off publishing short stories, essays, articles, etc. to get your name out there and to give people a taste of your work so they know what to expect from you.

Do you have any other works in the process?

Yes, Landry in Like will be out on January 12th and my YA novel, Competing with the Star, the sequel to Next Door to a Star will be out march 22nd. I’m working on the third book in the Star Series, as well as another YA novel and an adult novel, too.

That's it for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Krysten and her writing, here's some options for you.

WEBSITE: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/krystenlindsay/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KrystenLindsay
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/KrystenLindsayHagerAuthor
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Krysten-Lindsay-Hager/e/B00L2JC9P2/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Giving Voice to the YA Market: Author Interview with L.S. Murphy

What made you decide to focus on YA genre? I went back to college in my late twenties and took a course called Adolescent Lit. I thought it would be an easy A and it filled a requirement. I didn't realize how much the novels we read would impact me. After I read Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. Write books that spoke to people.

How did it all begin?
I read every YA book I could get my hand on. Then I started writing, and tweaking my craft. I started a lot of things. Then I ended up with a complete novel.

How long did it take you to write the book?
About a year and I lost track of all the rewrites.

Who encouraged you along the way?
I joined SCBWI and met some incredible writers. Finding them made everything start to fall into place. They pointed me in the right direction and are the best cheerleaders I could ever have.

How long did it take to find a publisher? 
My debut Reaper found a home at J. Taylor Publishing after only a few months of querying small presses. 

How did you go about getting an agent?
My agent also happened very quickly. I queried a handful of agents with a YA contemporary. One particular agent sent me some fantastic feedback. I took the advice and revised. When I was starting to query again, a friend retweeted an agent who was looking for sports-themed YA. I queried her the next day. A month later, I signed with Julia A. Weber.

Did you ever want to give up on writing the book and getting it published?
I have a few novels I did give up on. Not everything gets published and, in hindsight, they weren't that good. It happens. 

Are you active with any writing groups?
I'm a network co-rep for my SCBWI region and am a member of RWA and Missouri RWA.

What are some of the more difficult aspects of writing a YA novel?
Making sure the voice is authentic. It's so easy for some authors to believe teens sound like we did when we were kids, and they don't. Not anymore than we sounded like our parents. ;)

Any thoughts in publishing in other genres?
My novella, Neighbors is a traditional romance for adults, but I really focus on YA romance.

How do you write? Did you do an outline first or individual character development?
I outline first. The characters grow with the novel, so I don't do a lot of character development. My first drafts are a "getting to know each other" phase.

What do you know now about writing/publishing now that you wished you had known sooner?
That it's hard. It's so very difficult to get your name out there and to keep it out there.

What type of publicity do you do to promote your book?
I do all requests for interviews and contact blogs to see if they'd be interested in hosting me.

What has worked best for you in generating sales?
Each book has been different. What worked for me in 2013 with Reaper doesn't necessarily work this year with Pixelated. What worked for my friend last summer, doesn't necessarily work now. The landscape is constantly changing. It's a marathon sprint to keep up.

What is the best advice you’ve been given about writing or that you’ve learned that you would like to pass along?
Don't give up. If this is what you want, do it. But don't expect to get rich either. Write because you love to write. Write because you have something to say. Don't write to get rich.

What other works do you have in the process? 
 I'm currently writing a YA Contemporary about a boy who did a very bad thing. I know, that's very vague. ;) 

Just a trickle of information to pique our interest. If you'd like to follow up and learn more about this book and others she's written, here's a link to her website: http://lsmurphy.com/