But there's so much more to Az Authors!
There's NYT best-seller Lisa McMann (WAKE trilogy, THE UNWANTEDS reviewed here), Robin Brande (FAT CAT, PARALLELOGRAM Series reviewed here and here), Amy Fellner Dominy (OyMG reviewed here), and James Owens (THE CHRONICLES OF THE IMAGINARIUM GEOGRAPHICA series, DRAWING OUT THE DRAGONS) just to name a few.
So what that Az has the coolest authors? So... local authors are the best resource for fine tuning the craft of writing. And they are most generous in sharing their knowledge and experience with low cost or even free writing workshops.
A few weekends back, I attended a dialogue workshop by the hilarious and talented Tom Leveen. He is an Arizona native and author of the young adult novels PARTY (2010) and ZERO (April 2012). His third novel, MUSTARDSEED (Spring 2013) began as a NaNoWriMo project (yay!). Check him out on his website www.tomleveen.com.
In honor of this wonderful Professor Author, I am giving away a hard back copy 
of his 2010 debut novel PARTY. This edgy, honest teen tale, told from the viewpoints of eleven different characters, will be a great warm up for his next book - ZERO. Simply leave a comment and you're entered. Entries will end Sunday 2/5 (Is it February already?!) at midnight MST with the winner announced Monday 2/6 morning. Get on board! Tweet, facebook, or blog about the giveaway (just tell me in your comment) and I'll give you an extra entry for each one. I'm just cool like that.
Research your local authors and independent book stores. Chances are you'll find a writer's workshop near you. The experience will be priceless!
Happy writing and ¡Buen Provecho!
In honor of reaching 2000 followers (no, not me, I wish!), the most awesome Literary Rambles blog is giving away books at their Literary Rambles: 2000 Follower Awesome Giveaway. There are 18 fabulous MG and YA reads to choose from. All you need to do is become a follower and leave a comment by midnight on January 28th.
While you're entering, be sure to check out their Agent Spotlight. I've researched all over the web for literary agents and never have I come across so much information in one place! It's one-stop shopping for representation. If you're ready to query (we'll talk more about that next week), this is a blog you should follow.
Go, enter, and find an agent who's dying to read your book.
Good luck y ¡Buen Provecho!
¡Bienvenidos más! Más as in more. As in more of me. 10+ pounds of glorious holiday eating. Ay caray. Time to eat better.
So what does holiday weight gain and dieting have to do with writing? Lots, as it turns out.
Holiday pounds are nothing new, especially in my "lard and love" Hispanic kitchen, and neither is the attempt to shed them. What has changed since I started writing, is my attitude toward this most loathsome of chores.
Now I can start knowing that I CAN lose weight, I CAN eat better. Partly because I've done it before, but more so because I wrote 50,000 words in thirty days.
What?!
Let me explain. In November, I participated in, and completed, NaNoWriMo where all us writer types try to write 50,000 words in 30 days. There was a time when I believed that writing that many words that fast was impossible. At least for me. That was something other writers, better writers, did. Not me.
I'm not saying this is how a better writer writes, only that I thought it was outside my abilities to do the same.
I've never been so happy to be so wrong.
So, if I can reach the monumental goal of writing a whole book in a single month, you bet I can lose the 10+ holiday pounds. It took a few weeks of bad eating to put it on, it'll take at least as long (ok, longer) to lose. But if I can do one, I can do another. And so can you.
Pick a goal, something you never thought you could do. Whether it's writing a whole book or just one killer sentence, commit to it, really commit to it, and watch magic happen.
Oh, and the best part about completing NaNo other than the life changing confidence? I brought back my were-jaguars :)
Happy writing y (not so much) ¡Buen Provecho!
