Today begins the meet-and-greet for Gearing Up to Get an Agent (GUTGAA), a blogfest hosted by Deana Barnhart. Thanks for organizing all of this, Deana!
If this is your first visit, welcome to Unavoidable Awkwardness! I fell hard for middle grades and young adult lit when my sixth-grade students started recommending books to me over ten years ago. I blog about books and writing. Here are the answers to Deana’s meet-and-greet questions:
-Where do you write?
I have a writing desk in my bedroom, but sometimes I take field trips to Panera or Starbucks.
-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?
I have a printed copy of chapters on top of a piece of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil and covered in clear tape. (A trial run for my son’s school book covers.)
-Favorite time to write?
When the creative juices hit me. Usually I write in the morning, though.
-Drink of choice while writing?
Coffee. Or Tea. Or anything with caffeine.
-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?
I need music! Sometimes I’ll be writing, and I’ll just stop without realizing why. It will take me a few minutes to realize that Pandora wants to know if I’m still listening. I’m an alt rock fan, and my Muse, Death Cab, and White Stripes stations are all sound the same these days.
-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?
It always starts with the characters for me. But this concept came from me thinking about alternative histories, and how people are basically the same, despite how different their cultural influences are.
-What’s your most valuable writing tip?
Don’t give up! Keep Writing!
Thank you so much for stopping by! I can’t wait to meet you.
Music for today: I Can Tell That We Are Going to be Friends by The White Stripes
Thank you so much for stopping by! I can’t wait to meet you.
Music for today: I Can Tell That We Are Going to be Friends by The White Stripes
I love the White Stripes! Thank you for the video 🙂
I think for any writer, caffeine and scattered chapters are a must. I'm glad I'm not the only one.
Nice to meet you, Laurie! I must listen to music while I write too.
I'm an SCBWI member too and I love YA novels. I rarely read adult books…which can be awkward because I'm an adult librarian. (makes recommending books a little weird when I'm like, yeah, here's a YA book you'll love!)
Good luck snagging an agent!
Hi Laurie! Nice to meet you. I also require loads of caffeine and some alt rock for writing. My post is up at http://goo.gl/EajsU .
Hi, Laurie. I think your blog title say it all. It's great. And another teacher. I feel right at home in this contest.
Just saying hello from GUTGAA…hope you're having a good Labor Day weekend. I like your theory about how people who are "different" from each other are basically the same.
You and I like the same artists. I adore Jack White and his many bands.
I'm your newest follower. *waves* Very nice to meet you!
AA
http://anallegedauthor.blogspot.com/
Hello! *waves* So nice to meet you!
I need music when I write too! Some great bands you've got listed there.
Mornin'! So glad I am not alone in the music. Or Pandora. Or coffee. Or alt rock fanship…you get the idea. Good luck in the GUTGAA!
Thanks everyone for stopping by! It's great to meet you!
I love The White Stripes. I hardly buy physical copies of music anymore but I actually bought the CD of Jack White's solo album because I wanted to own it. Sometimes I miss the days before digital downloads.
Good luck with GUTGAA! Here's my GUTGAA Meet and Greet post: A Girl and her Diary
It's fun getting to know you. I sometimes start with characters, too. You can't exactly ignore the conversations in your head, right?
Love The White Stripes. Mostly I love Jack White. I'd invite him over for dinner, that's for sure. Nice to meet you, and good luck with GUTGAA!
Yeah, my husband and I were talking about going back and getting all the CDs for Jack and the Stripes.
Thanks for stopping by, everyone. If I haven't followed you back or commented on your blog, please leave me a link! I can't find everyone on the linky list!
I can tell that we are gonna be friends…
Love your blog!
Love that you're covering your son's books:) This might be the teacher in me, but those textbooks get awful banged up and the covers make them so much prettier (and increase their longevity!).
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm a new follower (the 101st, in fact!).
-Jenna
Nice to meet you via GUTGAA!
themysteryofwriting.wordpress.com
midwesternfarmgirl.wordpress.com
I'm intrigued by your source of inspiration. Alternative histories? Good luck with GUTGAA.
Hey Laurie, there's an award for you on my blog if you're interested 🙂