Category: book blog tour visitors

Author Visit: Cherry Cheva

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Please welcome author of SHE’S SO MONEY–Cherry Cheva!

Book summary:

What happens when a good girl teams up with a total player and creates the biggest scandal their school has ever seen? Popular guy Camden convinces Maya that the only way to save her family’s Thai restaurant is to do other kids’ homework for cash, and she soon finds out that everything has a price. Especially falling in love.

How long did it take you to write SHE’S SO MONEY?

Hmmm, probably about eight or nine months? Something like that—including revisions and the fact that I was writing it mostly on nights and weekends.

Did you have an agent submit SHE’S SO MONEY, or did you do it on your own?

I was lucky to have an agent already, from working in TV, so my agent handled it.

What’s one of your favorite scenes in SHE’S SO MONEY?

Anything where Maya and Camden are just snarking at each other, like the early scene where they’re hanging out in his basement, and whenever they’re driving around in his car. Scenes with just the two of them interacting were so much fun to write.

You write for FAMILY GUY. That’s so cool! How long have you been writing for the show?

Eeek, I think it’s cool too! 🙂 It’ll be four years this summer.

What does writing TV teach you about novel writing and vice versa?

Well, dialogue goes in both things, so having a background in TV was great for that when writing the book, and obviously in both you always want to have a good strong story. But in TV and especially on “Family Guy,” you tend to want to do things fast and keep everything moving along, because you only have 22 minutes to get everything done, whereas in novels there’s a more leisurely pace and room for details. TV writing is also very collaborative—you write drafts by yourself but then you rewrite them with everybody else, so I was totally used to working with other people by the time it came to working with a book editor.

How do you juggle writing for TV and writing novels?

Um, badly? 🙂 Truthfully, it kind of sucks. I’m at work all day, sometimes until two in the morning, and then I have to come home and write more? Yuck. So I actually tend to be kind of a weekend warrior, at least until there’s a deadline staring me in the face, and I try my best to take advantage of any vacation time we have from the show.

How has the writers’ strike affected you?

It was a bummer—a necessary bummer, but a bummer. Obviously it was all for a good cause, but picketing was not particularly fun (I’m not an outdoorsy girl, so instead of welcoming the hours in the sunshine, I was cowering under a big hat the whole time), and it totally sucked to see a lot of people, like assistants and artists and other crew, get laid off through completely no fault of their own. I’m glad it’s over!

In your opinion, is active self-promotion important for middle grade and young adult authors?

Oh, absolutely. You could leave it to your publisher’s publicity department if you wanted to, I guess, but hell, the more publicity the better! Plus it’s been totally fun getting to do this stuff I’ve never done before—blog interviews and myspace and whatnot. I’ve done a bit of promotional stuff for “Family Guy” before—Comic-Con and some radio interviews—and it’s always fun to interact with fans, so all of this has just been super cool so far.

What are your current projects?

Family Guy as usual, and I’m in the beginning stages of my next book. And by “beginning” I mean mostly “thinking about it but not really writing anything yet unless it’s on a post-it note that I subsequently lose track of.” 🙂

About Cherry:

Cherry Chevapravatdumrong (“Cherry Cheva”) is originally from Ann Arbor, MI. She currently lives in Los Angeles and writes for the hit Fox TV show “Family Guy.” She’s So Money is her first novel.

Website:

www.myspace.com/cherrycheva

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Shes-So-Money-Cherry-Cheva/dp/0061288551/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203715238&sr=8-1

Cherry is giving away an awesome prize! ONE lucky person will win a signed copy of SHE’S SO MONEY and a Family Guy t-shirt. Leave a comment here or on LiveJournal to win. You may enter both places, if you like. Winners will be announced Monday morning and you’ll have 48 hours to claim your prize, or I’ll draw another winner.

Author Visit: S.A. Harazin

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Please welcome author S.A. Harazin! Her novel, BLOOD BROTHERS, has been nominated for an Edgar. It’s also an ALA Quick Pick.

Summary:

Without his job at the hospital, Clay would be lost. The hard work, the struggles of the patients, the drama in the ER—they make his days seem worth something and give focus to his dream of someday becoming a doctor. Clay can’t afford to go away to college like the rest of his class, but what other seventeen-year old has delivered a baby or helped to save a life?

Still, Clay wishes his life could be more like his best friend’s. Joey has it all—a great family, a good college waiting for him at the end of the summer, money, a car. Clay has to bike everywhere, and the miles are starting to wear him down.

But Joey’s bright future shatters one day when he overdoses at a party. Now he’s clinging to life at the hospital where Clay works—and Clay may be blamed for his condition. Clay will do whatever he can to find out what happened at the party, and to help Joey recover. But to survive this ordeal, Clay must draw on a strength he never knew he had.

Here we go:

What was the moment when you KNEW you had to write this story?

I am not sure there was one moment. Many years ago I took care of a kid in the intensive care unit, and during that time I was thinking, this is something I won’t ever forget. Over time, a story grew from that incident, and then one day I decided to write it. I first wrote Blood Brothers as a short story from the viewpoint of a nurse. This story was published in a literary journal. Later I decided I had to write the story from the viewpoint of someone who was not merely an observer.

Are you a disciplined writer or do you write when you feel like it?

I am a little of both, I think. I goof off a lot.

What’s your favorite thing about being a young adult author?

I love getting mail from teens and listening to them. I have never met a teen who is not interesting.

Share a couple of your non-writing hobbies.

I like to sew and play video games. Role playing games are my favorites.

You were a member of the Class of 2k7. How did you like being part of the Class?

I love being a part of 2K7. We’ve helped each other and provided support and advice.

If someone came up to you and said, “I’ve tried a thousand times to get an agent, but I can’t!” what advice would you give him/her?

Have someone who is good at queries read your query. Get your manuscript critiqued or have a professional critique. Join SCBWI. Read the posts on Verla Kay’s message board. It isn’t easy for most people. Don’t be afraid of rewriting or starting over. Keep trying.

What are some of your favorite young adult novels?

There are too many to list. I’ve recently read “The Adoration of Jenna Fox” by Mary Pearson and “Night Road” by A.M. Jenkins and both were terrific.

What are your current projects?

I only work on one project at a time.

I am working on a young adult novel about a teen with a genetic defect. He learns about life from a dog, a girl, and a killer. I plan to rewrite another wip in the near future. It is about a boy and his doctor. I don’t usually say a lot about my wip—I tend to loose steam if I talk about something too much. It’s a little like letting the air out of a balloon.

Bio:

S. A. Harazin lives in Georgia with her husband. She has two kids attending college and one about to start. She worked in a hospital as a teen and became a registered nurse. Much of Blood Brothers is loosely based on real life experience.

Website: www.saharazin.com

BLOOD BROTHERS on Amazon.

Ms. Harazin is generously giving away two signed copies of BLOOD BROTHERS. To enter, leave a comment (on one or as many of the 3 blogs as you like) on Blogger, LiveJournal or Homeschool Blogger to enter. You have until Sunday at 9pm EST to get your entry in. Two winners will be drawn at random. Good luck!

The winner of VIOLET BY DESIGN

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All right! We’ve got a winner in Melissa Walker’s Violet contest. The winner…is… WindyCindy! Congratulations! Please send an e-mail to jessica [@] jessicaburkhart [dot] com with your name and address so Melissa can mail your book.

Tomorrow, I’ve got author S.A. Harazin right here with a new contest, so don’t despair if you didn’t win.

I hope you’re all enjoying the different guests on my blog and I’m pretty everyone agrees that prizes are fantastic. 🙂

Author Visit: Mitali Perkins

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Please welcome author Mitali Perkins! We’re going red, white and blue and taking about the First Daughter books.

What was your writing background prior to writing your first novel?

I’ve always written, scribbling in diaries and journals from when I was about nine years old. Poetry, fiction, confessions about my crushes, prayers … you name it, I wrote it.

How did you get the idea for First Daughter?

Dutton wanted me to write a book about a president’s daughter, so it was their idea, but I added my own signature twist by making her adopted from Pakistan.

Why did you decide to make Sparrow’s family Republican?

I hunted around, and discovered that every other story for kids about a likeable president’s daughter, including books, movies, and television, was about a Democrat. I’ve gotten so used to being different, I can’t swim with the tide.

What would you say to a Democrat teen deciding whether or not to read First Daughter or First Daughter 2?

The book’s more about the process of a campaign, and really doesn’t have anything to do with the parties. If you just can’t stand it, feel free to cross out the word “Republican” in the book and put in “Democrat;” it won’t change a thing in the story.

What’s your writing process?

I write in a local coffee house because I like the background buzz and there’s no internet access. I also make my butt stay on the chair until I’ve written a certain amount of words, usually 1000 or 2000 a day.

What did you do when you wrote the last word of First Daughter 2?

Left for an RV trip across the country (from Massachusetts to California and back) with my hubby, sons, and two Labrador Retrievers.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

“Never give in,” as Winston Churchill urged his countrymen during WWII. My second novel, Monsoon Summer, was rejected over 20 times. I had to revise it so many times, my hard disk was chock-full of different versions. It was finally published ELEVEN years after The Sunita Experiment, my first novel. If you want to see a dream come true, you need thick skin, unflagging hope, and the determination to work hard, hard, hard.

In First Daughter, you infuse Indian culture with such seamless ease into the text. How did you do that without over explaining Indian culture to readers who may be familiar with it?

Wow, that’s a compliment, thanks! It helps that kids and teens as a whole are getting more familiar with Indian culture these days so you don’t have to cover as much of the basics. Also, all my life I’ve jumped back and forth between groups of people who know Indian culture and those that don’t.

What’s next for you? What’re you working on?

I’m revising a novel for Random House coming out January 2009 called The Secret Keeper about an Indian girl with big plans to come to America until tragedy strikes, and she has to find a way to keep her beloved sister safe.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Mitali! This was a great Q&A!

Author Visit: Kathryn Erskine

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Please welcome the author of Quaking, Kathryn Erskine!

First, how wonderful that QUAKING was chosen as a 2008 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers! That’s fantastic! How did you get the news? What was your reaction?

A good friend of mine called me early that morning as I was heading out of town to a critique group meeting. I was SO excited because encouraging reading is one of my goals as a writer. Writing a “Top Ten” book for reluctant readers, those who would rather do something other than read, hopefully means that my writing is compelling enough to make people WANT to read.

How did you come up with the plot for QUAKING?

I was concerned about why we were in Iraq and how people respond to war and violence in general. That’s why I didn’t make it Iraq-specific but it obviously speaks to our current situation. I also wanted to relate the issue of violence in war to a more personal level. Matt is going through her own post-traumatic stress syndrome. War or violence in any form has powerful effects on individuals and society. I wanted to raise questions and awareness but not necessarily answer the questions. Those are issues for thought and discussion. Finally, the Quaker tenets of peace and tolerance were a good backdrop for the story and gave me an opportunity to share with readers what I’ve learned about Quakers.

I’ve read reviews for QUAKING and they’ve been great. But how would you handle a bad review?

I firmly believe everyone has a right to say what they think and how they feel about a book. Books are subjective and are going to appeal to some people and not to others. The bottom line is you have to read a book for yourself to decide what you think. Nobody else can tell you how you feel about it.

I love QUAKING’s cover! Did you have any say in it?

I did but I think my editor had a much better idea. I’d love to claim it as mine! I think it’s brilliant.

Did it take long to write?

It took a little over a year to write. Once it got picked up by a publisher there were revisions, of course, which helped tie the threads together and make it a stronger story.

When you’re not writing, what are your hobbies?

I love traveling, exploring just about anywhere and anything, walking, spending time with family and friends, playing games (card, board, strategy, Sudoku, etc.), and I’ve just taken up fencing (the sword kind) — look for that in a future book!

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Oh, gosh, there are so many! Some of those who have influenced me through their work or their wisdom are Katherine Paterson, Patricia Reilly Giff, Judy Blume, Jerry Spinelli, Patricia Lee Gauch, Lois Lowry, and Christopher Paul Curtis.

Who’s one author you haven’t met whom you’d love to meet?

Christopher Paul Curtis. I LOVE his writing and his voice is so funny and thoughtful and caring all at the same time that I can’t help believing he’s like that in real life, too.

What advice can you give first time authors who have a book coming out soon?

Try get your book and name out there. It’s not something most publishers have time or money to do for you any more. Even if you’re an introvert, like a lot of us are, you can still talk to friends and keep an active website. And don’t get discouraged. Your local Barnes and Noble might not carry your book even if you get on ALA and VOYA lists (mine still doesn’t) but that’s a factor of upper management. A lot still seems to happen through word of mouth and small, independent book stores (love those guys!) so you can still get your book out there.

Are you working on anything new?

Since QUAKING, I’ve submitted a novel about a 14 year old boy that, while it has serious undertones, has some pretty wacky characters. Right now I’m finishing up a novel that handles serious issues but has humor, too. Next is either my novel set in Newfoundland, Canada or my historical novel, both written in draft but needing work. That’s if I don’t get sidetracked by my latest idea (another 14 year old — yes, I seem to be stuck at that age!) or one of my many other novels in progress. So little time, so much to write!

About Kathryn:

Kathryn Erskine spent many years as a lawyer before realizing that she’d rather write things that people might actually enjoy reading. She grew up mostly overseas and attended eight different schools, her favorite being the Hogwarts-type castle in Scotland. The faculty, of course, did not consist of wizards, although . . . how did the headmistress know that it was “the wee redhead” who led the campaign to free the mice from the biology lab? Erskine draws on her childhood—and her second childhood through her children—for her stories. She still loves to travel but nowadays most trips tend to be local, such as basketball and tennis courts, occasional emergency room visits, and the natural food store for very healthy organic chocolate with “life saving” flavonoids.

Summary of QUAKING:

After years of being batted around, fourteen year old Matt has learned to rely on herself at school and everywhere. Biology is good. I am an expert. We are studying morphing, but I have already morphed. I have my own exoskeleton. . . I have spent years developing my armor and I will not let it be pierced. She must call on all of her resources to handle Mr. Warhead, the Rat, and the Wall at her new school, not to mention the Beast in her head. But somehow it is even more difficult to cope with the warm Quaker family, her “last chance,” who has taken her in. Why does Jessica insist on acting like a mom? Why can’t their little boy with his gack covered fingers just leave her alone? And why does Sam have to care about her–and everything–so much? Doesn’t he realize that only gets you hurt? And even though Matt knows that pain very well, why is she finally letting down her armor and allowing herself to care?

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0399247742

Kathy’s generously giving away ONE signed copy of QUAKING and tattoos of the jacket and peace stickers to a lucky commenter! Leave a comment on Blogger, Live Journal or both spots to be entered. Your comment must be received by Sunday at 9pm. A winner will be drawn at random and announced on Monday. Good luck!

Tomorrow’s guest: Kathryn Erskine

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Tomorrow’s guest is Kathryn Erskine! Kathy’s giving ONE lucky comment a signed copy of Quaking, temporary tattoos of the book jacket and peace stickers. Check back tomorrow for the Q&A and enter to win.

And I’m going to actually take the day off! I’ve got a hair appointment and am coming home to watch a movie, slather on a face mask and paint my nails a cheerful spring color. I felt like I needed a day after finishing my new YA before I jump into something new. Know the feeling? It’s cold and rainy outside so it’s the perfect day. 🙂

Author Visit: Christine Norris

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Please welcome author Christine Norris!

What made you sit up and say, “I have to tell this story?”

Wow, that’s right to the point, isn’t it? Let me see. I had the idea for this book, this series, way back in…2004, maybe? I think I wanted to write a bunch of shorter stories about a magical library. Because to me, magic IS in the words, always has been. There’s something so…mystical, I guess, about writing. The process still amazes me, how our human brains can pull a story together. When I sat down to write it, it developed into something so much more than that. I’ve kind of mapped out the rest of the series in my head, and it’s going somewhere I never imagined when I first had the idea. It’s so much bigger now. I was talking about it to another writer, and she said to me, “This could be your signature work.” Which is really, just, a mind-boggling idea to me.

Did you do any research for your novel?

This novel and the next one are heavily researched. Becasue they entail a lot of mythology, I spent a great deal of time looking at Greek mythology. Not as much as I did for the next book, which is based in Egyptian mythology. That one was more difficult to wrap my head around. The third novel (in progress) involves Chinese mythology, which has proved to be even MORE difficult. I take artistic license with many things, but I at least want to know what I’m taking license WITH. LOL.

I also use a lot of maps. THE CROWN OF ZEUS has scenes inside The Parthenon. Wanting to be as accurate as possible, I called up an interior schematic of the temple, to kind of put my characters in the proper space. It was very helpful. For the second book, I had a small map of Egypt I used, because there is a lot of traveling from place to place.

Where do you do your best writing?

That depends. Some days I just sit with the laptop in my living room, TV on. Sometimes I need the quiet of my bedroom. When life gets really busy, I take a notebook to work and handwrite, then come home and type it all up. That way works well, because I have the seeds planted and I just need to cultivate them. I usually wind up with twice as much typed material as I had handwritten, because I get on a roll. I also seem to write better in the evenings. I just can’t get it started in the mornings for some reason.

What are you reading now?

I have a large stack of TBR books. ALEX AND THE IRONIC GENTLEMAN, by Adrienne Kress, and SEARCH FOR THE RED DRAGON, by James Owen, are on the top at the moment. I also have some classics here in the stack, like FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER, which was just reprinted last fall and is one of my all-time favorites.

If your character were real, what would he or she think of you?

Oh, sheesh, I don’t know. She’d probably think I’m some old lady. LOL. Actually I hope we’d get along well, and she’d think I was cool. I’d love to live in her house, I can tell you that!

If your book were a movie, whom would you like cast to play the main characters?

Hmm…I’ve often thought about THE CROWN OF ZEUS as a movie. I honestly don’t know. I’d like to think we’d be able to do something like they did with the Harry Potter movies and cast some great unknown young actresses to play the four girls. It’d be interesting to see who would fit in those roles, because they’re all so different, and they pretty much carry the whole story. Everyone else is just background.

Give us a one-sentence sales pitch for your book.

Ah…this is the tagline from the publisher’s website: Which is worse: Having to start life over, or being eaten by a Minotaur?

What are you working on now?

Well, we’ll be starting on the edits for the second Library of Athena book, THE ANKH OF ISIS, which comes out in e-book format in July. Somewhere in between college courses and work and all that stuff, I have the third novel to finish. That’s my main project for 2008 at the moment.

About the author:

Christine Norris is the author of several works for children and adults. She spends her time divided between her writing, substitute teaching, and caring for her family of one husband-creature, a son-animal, a large dog whose greatest achievement is sleeping in one position for an entire day, and a small feline who is very adept in his position as Guardian of the Bathtub. She also works at English Adaptations of novels translated from other languages.

To learn more about Christine Norris, please visit http://www.christine-norris.com. Send an email to Christine at risseybug@aol.com or through her MySpace page, at http://www.myspace.com/christinenorris.

A little info about the book. Title :THE CROWN OF ZEUS (The Library of Athena, Book One)

Publication date: February 19, 2008 (this is the e-book release date. Samhain does print ten months after e-book release)

Publisher: Samhain Publishing (www.samhainpublishing.com )

Thank you, Christine!

**Winners in the CONVERTING KATE giveaway will be posted tomorrow!

Author Visit: Beckie Weinheimer

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Please welcome author Beckie Weinheimer!


First, congratulations on having Converting Kate being chosen as one of ALA’s 2008 Best Books for Young Adults. That’s fantastic! How did you react when you heard the news?

I was busy writing something else and noticed a congratulations email from a friend in Virginia in my email in box when I took a break. I could not believe it. I clicked on the link she provided three times and then printed it out to make sure I was really on the list!

Then my editor emailed to congratulate me and I guess then I started to believe it really had happened.

In Converting Kate, I noticed that you seem to use the setting of Maine in two ways. First, it’s a little dark and gloomy, but this is where Kate finds a lightness and happiness with her journey of discovery. Does setting play an important role in the novel?

That is such a good question. Since finishing Kate, and working on three other novels right now, I have realized that setting to me is almost as important as my main character. It is very important for me to be in love with the setting. Maine can have clouds which may make it appear gloomy, but they go away and people from Maine are known to say, if you don’t like the weather, just wait it will change. And I guess I felt that fit with Kate’s moods. Also she had moved from the desert, and although it is very sunny in Arizona, it is also brown and Maine, at least in early September, is green, vibrant and flowers are in blown everywhere. It feels so alive! And then with the ocean, instead of sand, and brown, well I felt that this setting, with the contrast from Phoenix (where I spent my own high school years) would cheer her up. I vacation to Maine every summer and the beauty of that place always moves me. The first time I went to Maine was the summer my oldest daughter died. I was very sad and very low, but somehow the scent of the pines, the beauty of the ocean, the ever changing clouds, all brought me peace.

Kate’s mom, a very conservative woman, is such a strong character. How did you form her to be so realistic and forceful, without making her seem like a caricature?

In truth it was very hard. She was my hardest character to work with. I was very angry at the way I had been raised and the way I saw children in strict religious homes being raised and I wanted to make the Mom very mean. But I worked on Converting Kate while I was getting my MFA at Vermont College, and one of my mentors, Adam Rapp, worked and worked with me, to give the Mom some sympathetic traits. And by the time I was done finding ways in which to make her more sympathetic, I found my own anger towards women who were raising their children like Kate was being raised, was diminished. I had more empathy for them. So it really was a great growing experience for me. You should have seen Mom the first draft. Wicked, mean, heartless!

What were you doing when you got the call that Converting Kate was going to be published? How did you celebrate?

I was in my home in Virginia. The first manuscript I wrote was also being shopped by my agent at the time, and to be honest, I cried because it wasn’t the other book. I am doing a major rewrite on that novel right now and because it is very close to my heart and my own life it is harder to achieve the right distance. Not that Kate isn’t close to me, or based on my own emotional experience. But this other book is different, and harder for me to write. My husband pointed out that I would probably have a much easier time trying to sell my other book, now that I had a publishing contract. And I realized he was right, and I realized all at once–oh my gosh–someone, Viking, a really good publisher, bought my book! And then the reality began to set in and I was so happy. I started emailing everyone I knew who wasn’t from my past and wouldn’t hate me for writing about growing up in a strict religion! I’m not exactly the pride of my former community and heritage for what I have done. But I am lucky to have many dear people in my life who were very happy and proud for me.

What’s something writing Converting Kate taught you?

I have learned so much from writing this book, but probably most important is to write from your heart and not worry about whether or not a book has sale potential. When I wrote the first draft of Converting Kate I was warned by published authors I trusted that books about religion probably would not sell to the teen market. But I felt so strongly about writing this, that I went ahead.

What do you hope teens take away from your book?

If my readers could take away a feeling of hope, a sense that life has options and the courage to follow their own spiritual path, regardless of whether their parents approve or not—I would be very happy.

I love the fishing trips that Kate takes. Did you do any research for those parts?

Yes. I went on lobster boats, interviewed lobster workers (trying to be PC here even though they are all called lobstermen in Maine) and wrote one lobster worker several emails. I hope I did enough. But it was fun and I learned a lot.

For writers tackling often controversial topics, do you have any advice?

I would tell writers who dare to consider tackling controversial topics to do it. Go forth with heart and passion and trust that there will be readers out there who want to read what they have to say. I have received the most rewarding emails from teens and adults who say they know exactly how Kate felt because that was like their own journey.

Do you have any upcoming projects?

So Many! I have three novels duking it out in my head right now, all trying to take center stage. I wrote Converting Kate and the other novel I have not sold at the same time and it seems to work well for me, to work on more than one project at a time. Two of the three I am working on now are also tackling somewhat controversial topics and the other, is a lark, so fun, it makes me laugh as I write it or even think about it. It is about a 14 year old girl who time travels back to the year 1850 in Wales. I spent my whole advance from Converting Kate to spend a month on the coast of Wales and had the most lovely time doing research for this novel.

About Beckie Weinheimer

Hi, my name is Beckie Weinheimer. My first YA novel, CONVERTING KATE, Viking Books, 2007 is about a sophomore girl named Kate Anderson who is trying to figure out the difference between faith and religion, find peace with the death of her non-believing father, figure out guys, learn how to deal with public school, (she’s been home-schooled) and a lot of other things.

I was raised in a really conservative religious background and this inspired my story. But Kate is fiction, the church she grew up in The Church of the Holy Divine is fiction.

I have lived in Utah, Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, California, Virginia and now I live in Queens New York in a high rise. I love it. I live near a park so I go walking and listen to books on my MP3 player. I love reading more than I love writing, but I think reading/listening to so many book helps me be a better writer.

I have two adult daughters who are really cool and pretty and smart (because they take after their dad–ha ha!). Seriously I do love my husband, who wouldn’t love a guy who left his church over you and got up at five a.m. every morning so he could edit CONVERTING KATE. He’s my hero!

I also had a daughter that died when she was twelve. She was the love of my life. She had cerebral palsy and was deaf and I learned so much from her and I will always miss her. I learned from her that people are different. We just come wired that way and that made me really think the whole gay issue with my church. I couldn’t believe someone would really choose to be gay, any more than my daughter chose to be born with her disabilities. So I finally left my church and speak out against homophobia any time I can. You get to do that more when you write a book! 🙂

I love to do email and love to hear from my readers good or bad reviews. It means a lot to me. I also love to encourage other writers no matter their age. My favorite word is inclusion. The word I hate the most is exclusion!


I want us to be all one big happy earth family. Okay, I’ll admit, I’m a total optimist and idealist. But I have fun in my little bubble of hope!

Website:

http://www.beckieweinheimer.org

On Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Converting-Kate-Beckie-Weinheimer/dp/0670061522/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202483553&sr=8-1

All right! Beckie is giving away 2 signed copies of Converting Kate! This is a special giveaway because the deadline to enter has been extended to Monday, February 11 at 9pm. The winners will be announced on Tuesday morning. Leave a comment here, on LJ or in both spots to be entered.

Tomorrow’s guest: Beckie Weinheimer

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Finally, back to blogging after being away from the computer most of the day yesterday due to excruciating back/neck pain. Even though I had back surgery for scoliosis just over seven years ago, the back still acts up every once in a while. But it’s better now.

Tomorrow (very exciting!) we’ve got award-winning author Beckie Weinheimer. Beckie has 2 signed copies of Converting Kate to giveaway. Look for her Q&A and giveaway details posted here tomorrow morning.

And coming from a Nashville native, was anyone in Tennessee affected by the storms? Or any other blog readers from the South? I’ve got to make phone calls to check on a few people.