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Writer Wednesday Interview with Adam Schmitt

December 21, 2016 By Judi Lauren Leave a Comment

Every other Wednesday, I’ll be showcasing authors who got an agent in the last couple of years. If you’d like to be a part of this, let me know in the comments or contact me via Twitter @judi__Lauren

Today I’m so excited to be interviewing Adam Schmitt! I mentored him during a contest and his voice in this realistic MG is amazing! Welcome, Adam!

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

Finding the voice of my main character.  I didn’t really find it until several revisions and beta readers had gone through it.  I spent so much time on the auxiliary players that impacted my MC, I had neglected to focus on him.  Once I did, it felt like a new manuscript to me.

How did you meet your agent?

I met Marcy Posner during a pitch session at a writing conference.  She was one of 4 agents I met that day.  She was very direct, professional, and personable.  She requested a full and later asked for a revision.   Her feedback was spot on to where I needed to strengthen the piece.  I agreed with her 100% on what needed to be done, but wasn’t sure how to do it.  It took a year, (and an amazing mentor in Judi) to help me get to where I needed to be.

Do you have a rough number of how many queries you sent out before being offered representation?

Somewhere around 30.  I never kept track though.  I sent the bulk of those out in the first year and fully admit my manuscript was not ready.  The more it took shape, I sent out fewer and fewer. I think when I started getting personalized feedback instead of form rejections is when I knew I was on the right track.  In the six months before signing with Marcy I don’t think I’d even sent out five.  I respect the query process, but didn’t want my time to be spent on querying and research instead of revising.  I think that’s an easy trap I fell into the first year I sent Speechless out.

What inspires you to write?

Anytime I hear about a person and think, “I could have never made that up.”  When I witness something people do that sounds far-fetched and fictional…yet somehow make me believe this is reality…that’s what I want to create.  It’s always people that inspire me to write though, and usually not the ones I see coming.

Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process? Where do you get your ideas and characters?

I’m definitely a plotter.  I need to have a skeleton mapped out with basic plot structure and character motivations.  I am incredibly envious of writers who can sit down and start hammering out their story.  Being drawn to realistic fiction, I always focus on character.  The tricky part of the creative process for me is developing a character enough so I know where they are going, but I don’t know what they will do when they get there.  When I wrote Speechless, I knew the set up of the ending, but had no idea what the characters would do until I wrote it.

My ideas and characters, that’s where working in a middle school gives me a wealth of inspiration. Public schools see everything (kids and adults alike) ranging from the brilliantly gifted socialite to the emotionally imbalanced homeless.  Every one of these kids has a story.  All of them.  When I hear something from one of them I couldn’t make up, it goes in the journal.

You also work as a middle school teacher. How do you balance that schedule?

Depending on the time of year, not very well.  I’ve been a middle school educator for 16 years now.  So there is no finding time in the day, and I’m usually too tired at night.  My wife and I have two boys and I am careful to not lose that time with my family.  I keep a journal in my bag at all times, so during the week I will write notes and ideas down, but rarely sit down to do any serious work.  Depending on where I’m at with a WIP, I’ll go to the library on the weekend (I do almost all my writing there).   For the last couple of years that journal has filled up until June.  That’s the flip side of being an educator; I don’t get a lot done during the school year, but then I have all summer to write.  So I try to take full advantage of my summer schedule to be dedicated to writing.

Is there a fictional character or book you wish you had created? Why?

Max Fischer from Rushmore.  Hands down, every day of the week. I am so jealous of the writers for creating such an amazing character.  I have always been fascinated with people who have an altered sense of reality and how they are perceived in the world.  I love that Max Fisher is all at once the best and worst student in a school where he changes the dynamic of every room he’s in.  He’s the perfect balance of headstrong and vulnerable.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

To me it’s a challenge.  It’s not relaxing, it’s work.  I enjoy the challenge of trying to make some kind of harmony out of a group of broken instruments.  My characters have flaws and I truly enjoy seeing how those flaws impact the characters they interact with. It takes a lot of effort for me to see a character and not know what they will do, but put them through some trials to find out.  It’s a great feeling to step back and look at a world you created.

We both know I love your MC a lot. Can you describe him in three words?

observant, articulate, arrogant

Before you leave, would you share the first sentence of your query that got you an agent?

Thirteen-year-old Jimmy has an answer for everything.  Despite his parents’ wishes to keep his quick lips quiet, he’s learned it’s the only way for his voice to be heard.

Thanks for stopping by, Adam!

Adam’s days are spent as an educator in a middle school, his nights as a husband and father, and weekends as a writer. He lives in the town of Oswego, IL where the race of suburbia meets the quiet of farm country.  He and his wife have two boys, Aidan, and Anderson, who keep them busy with sports, cat videos, and traveling anywhere they can (in that order). Adam began writing Speechless a few years ago after witnessing a profound moment at a wake of a former student.  That seed grew into the novel it is today.  Adam is represented by Marcy Posner of Folio Literary Management where Speechless is currently out on submission. You can connect with him on Twitter or at his website.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Interviews, Writing

Writer Wednesday Interview with Regina Garvie

July 6, 2016 By Judi Lauren 8 Comments

Every other Wednesday, I’ll be showcasing authors who got an agent in the last couple of years. If you’d like to be a part of this, let me know in the comments or contact me via Twitter @judi__Lauren

Today I’m so excited to be interviewing Regina! She’s represented by Rena Rossner and writes YA, MG, AND picture books! Welcome, Regina!

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

I usually hit a bump at about the halfway point of each of my novels, and this one was no exception. I stalled out for a few days and thought about what needed to happen next. Then I got a wonderful, horrible idea for my next novel. Wonderful because I loved it so much…horrible because I still had my novel to finish! So that really got me motivated again. I also found a picture online of someone who had an expression that reminded me of the male main character. Looking at that before I started each day helped me power through the rest of the novel – so I could tell his story.

I think a lot of us have definitely been there. How did you meet your agent?

She requested an earlier novel that was in the online contest Pitch Wars, and although she liked it, she wasn’t sure she was the best fit for it. Her rejection letter was so complimentary that, about a year later, I ended up sending her the novel she eventually signed me with.

Do you have a rough number of how many queries you sent out before being offered representation?

For this novel? Maybe twenty? I sent many, many more for my earlier novels, though.

What inspires you to write?

I don’t know. Just that drive, I guess, that seems to exist in all creative people.

Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process? Where do you get your ideas and characters?

I draw all my ideas and characters from real life. Then I adjust them as I need to, bringing them together to live in my story. I try to have a special playlist for my novel, which helps me get into the mood to write the story. Recently, when I was working on revisions, I went back and played the old playlist that went with that novel and immediately I felt like I was in that world again. Sometimes I like associating certain scents with a novel too. I diffuse different essential oils to help me escape into the story.

Oh I love playlists! They’re super helpful for staying in that world. Many people have jobs along with writing. How do you balance that schedule?

I do not work outside my house, but I homeschool three kids full time and am publicity chair for my local SCBWI group. It is give and take with all of it. Sometimes the kids need more attention with their schooling, and sometimes I can give them their assignments and they let me work. I use headphones when I write, to drown out any background noise that might pull me out of the story. I also write when they are at dance, karate, or their theatre classes, or late at night when they’re asleep. Like everyone says, if you want it bad enough and need it bad enough, you can make it happen.

Is there a fictional character or book you wish you had created? Why?

I don’t know, really. It seems like the reason I love characters is because of who they are, and that flowed from the original writer, didn’t it? If I did it, they wouldn’t be the same.

I do write a bit of fanfic – I never even tried it until I saw Frozen and fell in love with the enigma that is Prince Hans – but even him I wouldn’t have wanted to create. I just enjoy imagining his backstory and motivations, and how his future could have played out differently.

Hans was definitely interesting. I totally never saw the ending coming. What do you enjoy most about writing?

Finishing.

Can you describe your MC(s) in three words each?

Probably not, ha ha. I’m all right with being concise in a novel but not so great at doing it that briefly!

Before you leave, would you share the first sentence of your query that got you an agent?

Lots of girls make mistakes.

Oh I love that line! Thanks for stopping by!

Regina Garvie is a young adult novelist represented by Rena Rossner of the Deborah Harris Agency. She enjoys writing about teenaged people kissing and sometimes ventures into sci-fi. When she’s not working on her latest novel, she’s homeschooling her three kids, messing around on social media, binge watching Netflix with her husband, Ben, or working on her secret fanfic. She’s also super active in her local writing group, the Oklahoma branch of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and highly recommends SCBWI for anyone interested in publishing for children. You can connect with her at her website or Twitter.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Interviews, publishing

Writer Wednesday Interview with Alexandra Ott

June 15, 2016 By Judi Lauren 1 Comment

Every other Wednesday, I’ll be showcasing authors who got an agent in the last couple of years. If you’d like to be a part of this, let me know in the comments or contact me via Twitter @judi__Lauren

Today I’m so excited to be interviewing Alexandra Ott! Her book, RULES FOR THIEVES, will be releasing in the summer of 2017 from Aladdin/S&S! Welcome, Alexandra!

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

Balancing writing with schoolwork! I was in college when I wrote it, and making time for revisions in addition to studying and writing papers was a challenge.

Balancing other obligations is definitely one of the hardest parts! So how did you meet your agent?

Querying!

Do you have a rough number of how many queries you sent out before being offered representation?

I haven’t counted recently, but I think it was about 20. I was very fortunate to have found the perfect agent for my book so quickly. 🙂

What inspires you to write?

Mostly I feel inspired by reading other books, or even watching films and television; discovering stories that I love always makes me want to write stories of my own. But inspiration can come from anywhere!

Definitely! Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process? Where do you get your ideas and characters?

So far, my process has been different for every book. With RULES FOR THIEVES, I was thinking a lot about heist novels, which I’ve always loved. I knew I wanted to put my own spin on a heist story, but it wasn’t until my main character’s voice popped into my head one night that I figured out how to tell it.

Your agent has also already sold your book, can you tell us a little bit about that process?

Yes, I was incredibly lucky to have gone through the process so fast! After I signed with my agent in March, we worked on another round of edits on the book, and my agent compiled a submission list and wrote the pitch letter. Once all of that was done, we went on submission in late May, and we received the offer from Aladdin in August! After contract negotiations were done, we were finally able to announce the deal in early November.

Many people have jobs along with writing. How do you balance that schedule?

This is something I’m still struggling with. The most important thing for me is to set a designated time in which to write. I block out as much time as I can each day and use that time for writing (and only writing). It’s still a difficult balance, but I like to think I’m getting better at managing it.

Is there a fictional character or book you wish you had created? Why?

Harry Potter, of course. 😉

He’s the best 😉 What do you enjoy most about writing?

I love all of it: the thrill of creating a new idea and writing the draft, the satisfaction of revising it into something better. There are definitely hard days, but I just have to remind myself why I fell in love with this story in the first place, and then I feel excited to write it all over again.

Can you describe your MC(s) in three words?

Alli is headstrong, smart, and snarky.

Before you leave, would you share the first sentence of your query that got you an agent?

“When twelve-year-old Alli escapes from Azeland’s orphanage, getting cursed isn’t exactly part of her plan.”

Thanks so much, Alexandra!

Alexandra Ott author photoAlexandra Ott is the author of RULES FOR THIEVES, a middle grade fantasy novel coming from Aladdin/S&S in summer 2017. She graduated from the University of Tulsa, where she studied English. She is currently an editorial intern at Entangled Publishing. In her spare time, she plays the flute, eats a lot of chocolate, and reads just about everything. She lives in Oklahoma with her tiny canine overlord. You can connect with at her Website, Twitter, or Facebook.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Interviews, publishing, Writing

Wednesday Writer Interview with Rebecca Hopkins

May 11, 2016 By Judi Lauren 1 Comment

Every other Wednesday, I’ll be showcasing authors who got an agent in the last couple of years. If you’d like to be a part of this, let me know in the comments or contact me via Twitter @judi__Lauren

Today I’m so excited to be interviewing Rebecca Hopkins! Not only is she super sweet, she also has an awesome story, which got her an agent during Pitch Slam. Welcome, Rebecca!

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

The Orchid Girl’s Search was my first novel, so though I loved writing it, many things were hard as I figured out how to do it.  The hardest parts, though, were related to the fact that I was writing a novel outside my own culture.  All the characters are Indonesian. All are Muslim. The book takes place entirely in Borneo, Indonesia. Though I’ve lived in Indonesia for more than a decade, I was so afraid I’d get the cultural elements wrong and wasn’t even sure I had a right to write it. I wasn’t worried just that I’d offend  my friends here, but that I’d miss the depth and richness of this little-known culture that I was striving to communicate. Little to nothing has been written for English speakers about this Borneo people group, so I felt the weight of the responsibility of doing it with the deserved respect for the culture. I’m very grateful for an Indonesian friend (also a talented writer and fluent English speaker) who read multiple versions of my books to make sure I’m on track culturally.

It was also very difficult to write the voice of my main character. She’s 13 and Indonesian. So, to write both a young voice and a foreign voice (written in English, but she isn’t an English speaker, so I couldn’t rely on a foreign accent to communicate voice) was a constant challenge.  I spent a lot of time listening to my young Indonesian friends, reading Asian authors and reading young protagonists. And I spent tons of time rewriting again and again until (I hope) her voice rang true.

How did you meet your agent?

I entered Pitch Slam and I’m so grateful that my novel was picked. I love contests like those because they give us, writers, supporters who champion us in what feels like an otherwise solitary endeavor at that point. My agent, Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media, was one of several agents who requested pages. His request turned into an offer of representation, and I’m so honored to work with him.

Love Pitch Slam! That’s a great contest. Do you have a rough number of how many queries you sent out before being offered representation?

I started querying my novel much earlier than I should have. It just wasn’t ready, though I didn’t know it at the time. So, I faced a lot of rejection. I stopped counting after I reached 100. I’ve collected probably 120-150 rejections over the span of about four or five years.  I used every bit of feedback I could get from those rejections, as well as feedback from gracious friends (both writers and non-writers) who became beta readers, critiquing readers from the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writing contest I entered, and the very talented author and editor Heather Webb. Agents, in particular, often told me I had a good idea, but was struggling to execute it. I desperately wanted to learn, so I kept doing that, kept improving it in the midst of (and because of) those heartbreaking rejections.

What inspires you to write?

The good things and the hard things I see around me inspire me to write. I’m a former journalist, so I’ve always been attracted to true stories and real people. Throughout these years of living in Indonesia, I’ve seen and heard about some tragic events, and some incredibly inspiring people, often in the same moment. Indonesia—this land of earthquakes and tsunamis and incredible beauty—both breaks my heart and fills it. Sometimes, though, I don’t see the good in things yet. Fiction allows me to ask the hard questions in my heart through characters’ eyes, and to see how the characters overcome things that seem impossible to overcome—things I’m not even sure if I would have the courage to overcome. I started writing this novel when I was pregnant with my first son, and right around that time a dear (young) Indonesian friend of mine suddenly died.  On both accounts, I felt vulnerable and unsure of myself and the world around me.  It actually took me several years of rewriting my novel (while simultaneously living and struggling here) to come to the main point that’s special about my main character, Anggreka. Anggreka believes in miracles, even if she has to make them happen herself. She’s who I want to be when I grow up. And I think she has a lot to bring to this often hurting world.

She sounds awesome! Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process? Where do you get your ideas and characters?

I base my novels on real, little-known people groups here in Indonesia.  Indonesians are incredibly friendly, ready anytime for a chat over tea. So, through normal life, I hear many stories that inspire me. I try to write these down whenever I hear of them. And when I’m in research mode, I visit a friend, pull out my notebook full of questions and ask away while our kids play around us in my friend’s simple home. When I’m in writing mode and I get stumped, I leave my house and find an Indonesian friend or neighbor or complete stranger to talk with, preferably in their own home so I can enter into the culture as much as possible. There are many challenging parts about living on the other side of the world from my home country of the United States, but living among fascinating cultures is great for the kind of writing I love doing.

Many people have jobs along with writing. How do you balance that schedule?

I don’t have a paying job right now, but life here is very busy. I have three young kids (ages 3, 5, and 7). I live in a somewhat remote town in Borneo, so housework and cooking take more time. It’s hot here all the time, so simply moving can be tiring. My husband is a humanitarian relief pilot with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). He flies small planes into the jungle to serve remote Indonesian tribes with daily and medical needs. Sometimes the kids and I get opportunities to visit the sick patients he medevacs into our town.

I’m also incredibly privileged to have volunteered alongside some amazing Indonesian and expat workers in the community, working with women and children in various capacities over the years. I’ve also recently started homeschooling my kids due to their education needs here.  Life is full and I enjoy all the variety. I write only about one or two hours a day on a regular basis, sometimes more if I have extra time. It’s not much, but I mostly do it consistently and at the same time every day and I try to work my other activities during non-writing hours. I figured out a long time ago that my writing is so good for me, and I deeply hope, someday if it’s published, good for this world. I also see my other aspects of life as inspiring my writing. My time with Indonesian friends deepens my understanding of the stories here. My kids stretch my heart. My husband cheers me on. And my friends, neighbors and MAF teammates here come around and help me all the time to shoulder my own burdens, which gives me more energy to write. So, even when I’m not writing, my writing is, indirectly, going forward.

Is there a fictional character or book you wish you had created? Why?

Though I write novels based on real worlds, I’m amazed by fantasy writers like Veronica Roth at their ability to create worlds and systems out of nothing.  I also love how Laura Hillenbrand can write biographies that read like theme-rich novels, but are completely true.

Writers who do anything outside of contemporary amaze me! All the worlds and stuff are too hard for me to create. What do you enjoy most about writing?

I love connecting with people, whether in person through a great conversation or through that special writer/reader relationship. Much of writing is solitary. I enjoy that aspect of it, too—the thinking, creating, shaping. I usually start with a theme that resonates with me, that I either believe to be true, or hope is true. My first story holds themes of hope, resilience, forgiveness, redemption, love, sacrifice. My stories may take place in a foreign world, but the themes come from what I’m struggling with or thinking through on a deeply personal level. I enjoy the depth I get to go into within myself and the world around me, through writing. And then I enjoy connecting with readers in those themes, ideas and depth.

Can you describe your MC(s) in three words each?

Anggreka is hopeful, a fighter, and brave.

Before you leave, would you share the first sentence of your query that got you an agent?

I got my agent through Pitch Slam, so we were given a chance to write a 35-word pitch and submit our novel’s first 250 words. Here’s my pitch:

Muslim Borneo teenager Anggreka’s mom dies giving birth to her sister. Disabled—missing one arm—Anggreka leaves her village home to find their polygamous father, their only hope for staying out of an orphanage.

Thanks so much, Rebecca!

Rebecca Hopkins picRebecca Hopkins is an American who lives in Indonesia with her jungle pilot husband and three kids.  She has a passion to write about other worlds to figure out what is familiar in all of us. The Orchid Girl’s Search is her first novel. You can connect with her on Twitter or at her website.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Interviews, publishing, Writing

Wednesday Writer Interview with E. Latimer

April 6, 2016 By Judi Lauren Leave a Comment

Every other Wednesday, I’ll be showcasing authors who got an agent in the last couple of years. If you’d like to be a part of this, let me know in the comments or contact me via Twitter @judi__Lauren

Today I’m excited to be interviewing E. Latimer! She’s represented by Silvia Molteni of the Peters Fraser and Dunlop Agency. She has one of the best titles for an MG, The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryrony Gray. (It’s an LGBT retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray). She’s also mentoring Middle Grade with me in the FicFest contest. Welcome, E!

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

Probably the self-doubt. You write every new book hoping it’s “the one” and it’s hard not to lose faith after several books in a row end up flopping. Then again, the actual writing part is so much fun that you keep doing the same thing over and over. Which I think is the definition of insanity?

Something like that.

I feel like a lot of us can totally relate to that. How did you meet your agent?

I created lists of all the best agents from querytracker.

Do you have a rough number of how many queries you sent out before being offered representation?

Hah. For THIS project it was 55. Lets just keep it at that and not mention previous books.

All right, can’t blame you. We’ve all been there. What inspires you to write?

Everything. I sit down and read a book and I want to put it down and write. I watch a movie and it triggers something that makes my fingers start to get itchy, I want to be at my keyboard. It’s something about seeing story in any form that makes me want to create my own.

Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process? Where do you get your ideas and characters?

Each time it’s different, so I’ll share about this book in particular. This one stemmed from a love of all things Oscar Wilde. The Picture of Dorian Gray has always been my favorite, so I wanted to do a weird, creepy MG spin on the story.

Ohhh I love weird and creepy! Many people have jobs along with writing. How do you balance that schedule?

Right now I’m truly blessed/lucky to say I’m strictly a freelance writer at the moment. But with many creative jobs it’s either feast or famine, so it may be I’m back to “honest work” in the next few months, who knows.  When I get to just be a writer, I set out a schedule for myself (words per day, written by this time). If I’m working full time AND trying to write, it gets squished into the schedule whenever I have a spare moment to breathe.

I think the last time I found myself working around 50 hours per week including commute, so I ended up getting up an hour earlier each morning to get my writing in.

There’s no balance most of the time, just cramming your writing into your work day with a crowbar. If it doesn’t fit, jam it in anyways.

Is there a fictional character or book you wish you had created? Why?

Harry Potter, for obvious reasons.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Having written. Also sometimes the actual writing part, if I know it’s going along swimmingly.

Can you describe your MC(s) in three words each?

Bry: Talented, Curious, Searching.

Mira: Rebellious, Eager, Reckless.

Thompson: Nervous, Loyal, Brave.

Before you leave, would you share the first sentence of your query that got you an agent?

Bryony Gray is suffering a number of indignities.

Thanks so much for joining us!

E.-Latimer2E. Latimer is a YA/MG fantasy writer who was born and raised in Victoria, BC and recently moved to Vancouver. She writes books, makes silly vlogs about writing with the YA Word Nerds, and reads excessively. You can connect with her on her website, Twitter, or Youtube.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Interviews, Writing

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