REPOST: How to: When writers want authors to Guest Blog…

While speaking at the wonderful Whidbey Island Writers Conference this past weekend, I was asked a question: “If you’re not a literary agent, how do you get an author to agree to appear on your blog?” Oooohhhh. It struck me that it must seem MUCH harder than it actually is to interview an author for … Continue reading »

March Hot Blogger: Lisa Rivero~Encouraging Young Writing Talent

“When you’re young, so much of [writing] is trying to be other people. That’s what you do when you start off … and I think that’s perfectly natural and perfectly acceptable.” ~ David Sedaris “Talent is the desire to practice.” ~ Malcolm Gladwell When children exhibit talent for and interest in music, we know what … Continue reading »

February Hot Blogger (a bit unorthodox) Kate Grace AND Bree Ogden

Kate= Purple, Bree= Blue Let’s get this started…this is some intense stuff we are talking about today… Don’t Fear the Reaper… or Commitment. (Visit Kate’s site at http://www.abitofgrace.com, and watch the trailer for Burden of the Soul here.) I stepped off the backline and took the seat next to my improv comedy teammate, mirroring the small, … Continue reading »

Operation Hot Blogger: Gordon Warnock

Ahhh! It’s been so long since I’ve had a hot blogger. Buster Bluth would be so disappointed. So not only am I starting off 2011 with this delicious hot blogger, but I am ending my long hot blogging celibacy at the same time. No pressure, Gordon. Gordon Warnock is a senior literary agent at Andrea … Continue reading »

October Hot Blogger: Jonathan Maberry

Last May, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Simon & Schuster’s Children’s Editorial Director David Gale to hear about his upcoming projects. When he walked back from his bookshelf with a gargantuan looking book and set it on the table in front of me, I nearly passed out. The image in front of me … Continue reading »

For all your Halloween needs…

Continue reading »

And the winner of the Tara Normal original is…

Ellen Erickson! Proud new owner of an HC NOEL original. The winning answer: It took me awhile to embrace my penchant for the macabre and unusual. I’m well into my fifties according to the calendar but not according to me. I’ve watched every episode from beginning to end of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and have … Continue reading »

Operation Hot VLOGGER! Ending August with a BANG

This month’s Operation Hot Blogger Vlogger is so lip-smacking good you won’t believe your skull. This is the way we like to end our summer…with some good old graphic novel action, loud music, kick butt chicks, HC Noel, and OH YEAH…a CONTEST! Watch the vlog. Contest time!! Given my previous blog post about paranormal vs. … Continue reading »

September Operation Hot Blogger: Gitty Daneshvari

Happy September!! One month closer to October. Which can only mean we are getting closer to the spookiest, most delicious holiday ever! And to celebrate what I like to call: the spook factor, we have a very special Hot Blogger to start this month off right. Gitty Daneshvari! Poor Gitty, I’ve been hustling her for a … Continue reading »

Operation Hot Blogger: April Lindner

First of all. I am honored that April Lindner, author of the soon-to-be-released, and highly anticipated JANE, said YES to my propositions of hot blogging. Thank you, April! Second, I’ve asked her to talk about something that I find to be very important in today’s literature: the rebooting/remaking/updating/contemporary retelling of classic stories. This is a … Continue reading »