I'm so thankful for--excuse me, I need to unbutton my pants.

Today, us Americans celebrate the only holiday where getting into a state of undress in front of family members is encouraged, even if you are only unbuttoning your clothes because you are more stuffed than the turkey.

Oh, happy day.

I've been up cooking since 7 am. Insane you say? Well, perhaps, but the smells are so fantastic! The knowledge that I won't have to cook for the next week helps, too. Thanksgiving this year at our house will be celebrated in the fashion it should be. Lots of yummy foods, lots of great companionship, and lots to be thankful for. I did a quick poll on things we are grateful for this year:

DD="I am thankful for cake"
DS="Don't touch" (Actually, that's his answer for any question you ask. He's just happy he can say a sentence)
DH=Didn't answer. He was too busy trying to get outside so he could play with his logs.
Me=Oh, just about freaking everything. We've got a new fab house, I've moved leaps and bounds in my writing, and I have come to know a group of fantastic ladies on textnovel. Who could ask for more?

Not me, that's for certain. We have health, happiness, and love. I wish the same for all of you.

While we are all feeling all giving and smooshy, take a look to the far right of this page. There are links to follow to give a thumbs up for the Divas in the top 10. take a seond to vote, all you have to do is reply on your fave Diva's novel, even if it is just an emoticon. You don't even have to log in, just reply as "unregistered". That's what my DH did while I forced him at turkey baster point.

Happy thanksgiving!

Happy Holidays

It's Wylde Wednesday again, but my trademarked smark (smutty snark) has been shelved in honor of the joy of the holidays! That and I mean, who is really working today or tomorrow? You'll be plump and sleepy, the way it should be.

I'm thankful for so much this season. My family, my friends, the opportunities I've found professionally and personally, and the ability to find beauty and joy in my world.

I wish that for all of you not only this holiday season, but throughout the year. And of course, may your muse dance for you often.

xoxox

Saranna

The Impact of Dark YA on Teen Readers and Responsible Parents

A couple weeks ago I was discussing the idea of "dark" stories with you all--tales that "push the envelope" on topics like sex, drugs and violence. It seems they're very popular now and such topics are also creeping (and sometimes racing) right into YA fiction as well. Some people seem disturbed by the trend and some, flat out, don't want to touch any such fiction with a ten foot pole (consider how YA author Ellen Hopkins was treated by a couple public schools and libraries recently).

From the get-go realize if you're writing things that include "disturbing" topics and teens, you will get flack. When I was hemming and hawing about the mild cussing I included in 13 TO LIFE, my editor pointed out authors will always deal with someone who doesn't like something about their book. You can't make everyone happy, but you can be true to your story.

Got cussing? You'll hear about it (author Maggie Stiefvater of Lament commented in a NaNoWriMo post about the fallout she received as the result of using the f-word once in a novel).

Sex? Author P.C. Cast deals with several sexual incidents in her House of Night series and has gotten a lot of heat as a result.

Drugs and alcohol? Check out other articles about Ellen Hopkins' books (there are tons of others dealing with these topics, too, but hers are currently on my mind).

Violence? Eh. That's the weird one with us in the USA, it seems (still). We can tolerate violence in far greater quantities than sex and violent language.

Some of you may feel horrified about the frankness authors take with teen audiences when it comes to tough topics. However, as authors, it's imperitive we don't talk down to our readers. We can't skirt or gloss over issues if they're important to the story and to a character's development. And frankly, sex, drugs, violence and self-expression (like cussing in certain cases) and the way we handle those issues are very much a part of our character... and our characters.

Here's the reality check: Many teens cuss (usually they pick it up from adults--or their peers). Teens are filled to the brim with hormones and curiosity and (I know, it's as frightening as imagining our parents "doing it") some teens do have sex--and the others have questions about it). And, some teens (waaay too many teens) will experience violence.

Just because the majority of books in the past few decades didn't address these topics head-on doesn't mean that these issues didn't exist. My mother used to tell the story of the girl who disappeared one year in her high school--her parents tried to keep the girl's pregnancy a secret and shipped her away to deliver the baby but the imagination of her peers in her absence did even more to her reputation than dealing with things head-on.

As a writer we have to consider the impact of our words on our audience. We need to avoid gratuitous everything. Unless the topic is inherent in the story and character development, save it for another tale. BUT. There have always been dark stories (think about the Greek myths--rape, murder, incest, the Oracle of Delphi tripping out--all good "Classical" tales; or the original Grimm Brother's tales--pre-Disney; and Shakespeare--come on, have you seriously read Romeo and Juliet?).

Will reading Dark YA make your child experiment with drugs, seek out danger, or sleep around? Not unless your teen already has significant issues with separating reality from fantasy (which is always possible, I guess). Did reading Sherlock Holmes make you want to experiment with heroine? How about reading Cinderella--did you have an undeniable desire to cut off some toes to have a chance at marrying a prince? I hope not. But you probably started considering where your own moral and ethical lines would be drawn. That's an important part in growing up.

Teen literature or YA, whether it be inspirational, sweet or dark gives adults a chance to open up a dialogue with teen readers.

Let's think about the outrage many parents felt over the relationship between Stephenie Meyer's Twilight characters Edward and Bella. Many complained he was an older man stalking an underage girl. Now, consider the ways those same concerned adults could have opened discussions with their teens about those very concerns... Wow! Suddenly you can find even more value to Stephenie Meyer's work.

Teens gravitate to dark and dangerous tales just like we do (partly because we can sit safely at home and fall into darker worlds). I like writing the stories teens like (because I like them, too) and I think they'll be around for a while. As authors we have a responsibility to our teen readers. We need to address things they want to know about and let them experience the repurcussions of certain choices (good and bad) and actions without doing it firsthand.

As parents there is an additional responsibility--know what your child is reading and don't dismiss or ban it out of fear--use it as a bridge to talk to your teen about things that scare you, too. Dark stories can be used very successfully to help teens make good choices--if we talk about those dark stories with them.

What do you think?
~Shannon

TGIF Cheers and Jeers

Happy Friday, Divas and friends!

Before breaking out the chocolate martinis, I was going to write a diatribe basically foaming at the mouth about Harlequin's new self-publishing imprint. But then I read the statement by Russell Davis, President of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, on that very subject. Mr. Davis so brilliantly explains why this move by the two ton gorilla of romance publishing is odious that I knew I couldn’t come close to improving on it, or even equaling it. So I decided to post the link instead: http://is.gd/4Zmc2

According to Publishers Weekly, the marketing plan for the new imprint, Horizons, includes soliciting authors whose manuscripts have been rejected by Harlequin. Harlequin CEO Donna Hayes told PW she was “surprised and dismayed” by the outcry. Say what? Did she honestly think the company could make a business decision to deliberately prey on the vulnerable and no one would get their knickers in a knot? No chocolate martinis for you, Ms. Hayes!

On the other hand, keep the chocolatinis flowing for the editors at Dorchester Publishing Co., who gave the finalists in the America’s Next Best Celler Contest a bonus we hadn’t been promised and weren’t expecting – one-on-one help with our jacket copy. Alicia Condon, Chris Keeslar and Leah Hultenschmidt really know their stuff when it comes to marketing. It’s been eye-opening to see the fabulous copy being posted at http://textnovel.com based on their input. Only one finalist will win the contest, but all ten of us have been given an invaluable learning experience.

What are the rest of you drinking to during this happy hour? Whether you're celebrating or drowning your sorrows, the Divas will be happy to join you.

I wanna sleep with your book!

My Darling Daughter has a charming quirk. On her nightstand (which is actually a Rose Petal Cottage toy washing machine. I think her use of it as a nightstand speaks of her attitude towards housekeeping) are a tall pile of books. Not just Peter Pan, Max & Ruby, and The Tale of Tom Kitten, but also The Encyclopedia Of World Religions, a book on growing trees and shrubs, and Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre.

Every night, at bedtime, we read her a story, tuck her under her blankets, set up her stuffed toys so that they are all around her, then leave her to look through her "big" books.

After about 10 minutes, I go in, untangle my sleeping bibliomaniac and the books from her blanket and put them next to her bed. I usually let her keep a paperback in there with her.

Yes, my daughter sleeps with books. I have no idea where she learned that from. (Okay, fine. It was me.)

She's 3. Why did she choose these books? Because she likes the covers, of course. Why do you choose books? (Only a little sarcasm there.)

While browsing a bookshelf for something to read, we look at the cover. If it passes muster, we usually turn the paperback over or open up the hardcover to read what is called the jacket copy. The Dorchester contestants are now working madly on their versions of jacket copy as we sit here and read. Sometimes, it's the author's copy editor that creates these 200 word insights to the novel. As an author, I would like to have more control over that stuff, if possible.

As I was writing my version of a jacket copy for two of my manuscripts, I went online to the wide, wide web and did some research. The best resource I've found for hints on writing a jacket copy that works was a--ready? Please, don't throw any rotten food my way!--self-publishing site.

Wait, think about it...makes sense now, doesn't it?

Xlibris has a very good "how-to" on what is expected from a back of jacket copy.

As much info you get on a jacket copy, I miss when paperbacks used to have that excerpt in the front of some sexy/intense moment between the two main characters. In a rush, I would just open and read to see if it, well, tickled me in some way. In a good way. I'd take it home, and, if it was really good, I'd sleep with it.