"Go With Your Strengths..."

I had a writer's epiphany today. A parent wrote a review for Graffiti Girl saying how much her 13-year-old enjoyed GG. It made me feel great. Just the other day someone was telling me how some of my older relatives couldn't get into GG, that they liked Invisible Touch better.

The thing is when I wrote each book, I aimed for different audiences.

When I wrote GG, I wanted to write a book that kids in high school and middle grade wanted to read. I had a terrible time in high school getting through some of the classics as a teen. As an adult I can sit down and find all the themes and beautiful messages that I missed before because at a young age I felt forced to read them.

When I wrote Invisible Touch, I wanted to try to reach the young reader and possible some older readers. And it seemed I did reach some of those older readers too.

I have to admit, I'm not a literary writer. I enjoy stories with action, great and unique characters, and entertaining story lines. I may never be a literary writer, but I may be an entertainer writer for kids, and I may be the author kids want to read. I can only hope and do my best.

So my epiphany? I need to go with my strengths. I want to write for kids. I want to write entertaining reads that have kids turning the pages, and connect with characters their age.

I still consider myself a newbie writer. I'm still learning new things and techniques. I'm still on my writer journey and learning small and tough lessons.

Lesson learned.

I need to be myself. :)

I wasn't going to show this vlog until Friday with the Readergirlz Teen Read Week Celebration, but I thought this was the right time to show you the real me.

Kinda silly, not very sophisticated, and with untamable hair. *wink*

"In The Mood For Quotes..."

"If I don't write to empty my mind, I go mad." ~ Lord Byron

"A word is not the same with one writer as with another. One tears it from his guts. The other pulls it out of his overcoat pocket." ~ Charles Peguy

"If I fall asleep with a pen in my hand, don't remove it - I might be writing in my dreams." ~ Danzae Pace

"Easy reading is damn hard writing." ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say." ~ Anaïs Nin

"Blogtoberfest Halloween Short & Giveaways!"

It's time again for another Invisible Touch short story with Kara and Anthony. Here's a quick Halloween scene from Kara's sign-seeing world for author Jeri Smith-Ready's month long Blogtoberfest, with many more cool authors and giveaways. So check back to the fest all month long!

In the mean time, read about Kara, Anthony, and a little ghost...and leave a comment to enter to win a copy of Invisible Touch. Contest ends October 16th!


But wait--there's more just in time for Halloween! (haha)

Three more chances to win at Free Book Friday Teen! Read my interview with Jessica Brody and leave a comment to win Touch by October 16th!


Thanks!

~Kelly

"Book Blogging Isn't What It Used To Be..."

The Federal Trade Commission is taking a stand on Book Reviewers and Bloggers with "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials". And it's pretty detailed and confusing.

According to Publisher's Lunch:

"The main point of essence for book publishers, and book bloggers and online reviewers, is the determination that "bloggers may be subject to different disclosure requirements than reviewers in traditional media." They judge that "a blogger's statement on his personal blog or elsewhere (e.g., the site of an online retailer of electronic products) qualifies as an 'endorsement,' -- i.e., as a sponsored message -- due to...the value of the merchandise he has received and has been asked to review by that advertiser," and that such a connection must be disclosed.

In other words, bloggers--as well as "reviewers" posting to sites like Amazon and LibraryThing, or receiving books through programs ranging from Bzz Agent to Nelson's 10,000-blogger initiative--who are writing about a book after receiving a free reviewer's copy are expected to disclose that information. And publishers who "sponsor these endorsers (either by providing free products - directly or through a middleman - or otherwise) in order to generate positive word of mouth and spur sales should establish procedures to advise endorsers that they should make the necessary disclosures and to monitor the conduct of those endorsers."

Wow.

I haven't read through the 80 page document, but apparently even if you "tweet" about it, you have to say if you've been given the book freely. Now if you get the book free and then give it away that's not a lasting compensation. However, if you link as a affiliate (i.e. amazon) when you've gotten the book free, you could be fined. Here on Words of a Writer, I haven't endorsed books in a while, but on YA Fresh I do so a lot and now I'll have to say whether I've been mailed a book or purchased it myself. I'll certainly only be linking as an affiliate to my own books from now on.

You can download the document here. These new guidelines will be put into effect on December 1, 2009. Read more updates on the galley cat at the following links:

FTC Blogger Rules Carry $11K Fines

Book Publishers, Bloggers, & the FTC Guidelines

Who Gets to Be an Online Book Reviewer?

An Open Letter to the FTC

Mind boggling.

"grafangel"

The producers of Graffiti Girl came across this graffiti piece photo. "Grafangel" is my character Angel's tag in Graffiti Girl. I thought this was cool to see. :)