San Diego’s having a major book party, and I get to be a part of it. The San Diego County Library’s Book Festival is this Saturday, Oct 1, at the Encinitas Library. Speakers include YA great Ellen Hopkins, bestseller Lisa See, and Skinny Bitch series author Kim Barnouin. I’ll be presenting in the community room […]
Writing for Teens? Then Think Like One
Writing for teens? Free this Saturday? Then come to Newport Beach! I’ll be there presenting “Writing for Teens? Then Think Like One” at the Southern California Writers’ Conference – LA this Saturday, Sept 24, 2011. Here’s the session description: Whether your narrator is your young main character or an all-knowing omniscient being, there are ways […]
Writing on the Sidewalk
I get to talk writing, Legos, and banging on drums today on “Writing on the Sidewalk”, the blog of authors Suzanne Santillan and Sarah Wones Tomp. Thank you, ladies!
WYAFFD Blog Tour July 18 – 27
If you enjoyed the exclusive daily articles featured in the WYAFFD Virtual Book Launch, drop in on the 8-stop Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies Blog Tour July 18-27. It’ll be a fun tour, with me guest posting about craft and promotion, and with interviews, giveaways, and a grand finale FREE novel revision webinar. Full […]
Meet Wiley
Today is publication day for Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies. Huzzah! Friends and family have been sending me the most wonderful wishes and congratulations all week, making this event feel like one big party. And what is a party without guests? Meet Wiley, a surprise party guest sent to me by Barbara Fisch and […]
Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies Virtual Book Launch
Hello, all! My new book Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies hits stores July 5, and I’m hoping you can help me spread the word about my 7-day virtual book launch! From June 29-July 5 on my writers’ advice website DearEditor.com, I’m featuring daily “Free First Chapter Critique” giveaways, free downloads, excerpts from the book, […]
Free Webinar with Deborah – July 27
Please join me and author Katie Davis for a FREE webinar on July 27, 2011, 9:00-10:oo pm EST. We’ll be talking revision and writing craft and including a giveaway (or two). For full details or to sign up, visit our webinar information page.
Dummies is Done!
It happened. On Monday I received official word from my editor that the manuscript for Writing Young Fiction for Dummies is moving on to production. “You’re done!” she said. Woo-hoo! Of course, that meant a chocolatey celebration with the four Halverson men. They chose Extraordinary Desserts in Downtown San Diego. If you haven’t been there, […]
DearEditor.com Now on Facebook
DearEditor.com now has a dedicated Facebook page! I’ll be posting my usual brand of lighthearted, to-the-point writers’ advice and craft tips there, along with inspirational items, publishing news, and alerts when I answer new reader letters on DearEditor.com. I hope you’ll check out the page and click “Like” to get all the latest as I […]
Give the gift of Prom
Got an old prom dress or bridesmaid gown in your closet? Please consider donating it to a special needs student. “A Night to Remember” is a full-scale, memory-making prom for specials needs students. Watch this video to see for yourself how much this event can mean to a young person. (But have tissues in hands, […]
Flying High with Kite Tales
I may have been grounded by the germs for the past two weeks (which accounts for my recent extended silence on this blog), but I still get to soar with kites thanks to SCBWI’s Tri-Regions of Southern California chapter. The chapter has included me in its 2011 Spring newsletter Kite Tales. If you’d like a […]
Newsflash: I Get to Talk About Nothing
Darcy Pattison let me say a few words about the wordless white space between scenes for her blog series about scenes in fiction. Check it out on “Fiction Notes: Scene 29 – Dear-Editor Talks About Scenes.”
News: Podcast Goes Live
It’s live! Hear me answer callers’ questions about the craft and biz of children’s books on the “Brain Burps for Books” podcast, now available for listening here.
News: See Big Mouth on “Good Morning Connecticut”
My novel Big Mouth was featured today in Katie Davis’s Thanksgiving book round-up on “Good Morning Connecticut” (ABC affiliate WTNH)! See the four-minute segment here on the GMC website: “Books Give Kids Good Thanksgiving Message.” Katie’s podcast, “Brain Burps for Books,” promotes children’s literature and the business of writing for young people. With episodes like […]
News: Just Taped “Brain Burps About Books” Podcast
I just spent an hour in my walk-in closet. The last time I did that, I was cowering under an onslaught of infant triplet crying. My boys are almost six years old now, and long past choral crying (and I’m much less sleep-deprived), so I was hanging out in the closet for a much better […]