Calling all teen writers and artists in Toronto! The Toronto Public Library’s Young Voices magazine of teen writing and art is looking for art, photographs, stories, poems, rants, reviews and other writing by teens 12 to 19 years old. Deadline is April 6, 2013. For guidelines and how to submit, click here. For last year’s magazine, click here.
As my second young-adult novel with Orca Book Publishers is set to come out in the Fall, I was lucky enough to read advanced copies of four upcoming Spring Orca titles for young adults. I’m always impressed with the quality writing and stunning covers of Orca books, and these four novels do not disappoint.
Allegra by Shelley HrdlitschkaAllegra hopes that being at a performing-arts high school will change her life and make her a better dancer. But high school is still high school, complete with cliques, competition and cruelty. And home isn’t much better. Forced to take a class in music theory, Allegra takes refuge in writing music with her young teacher, who nurtures her talent. But when her feelings for him become more intense, and he seems to reciprocate, Allegra sets in motion a chain of events that could destroy everything – and everyone – she loves.
Allegra will appeal to dancers and music-lovers, as well as any teen who has felt overwhelmed by the complexity of dealing with family, friends, and romantic troubles. A layered, complex novel that does not shy away from difficult subject matter.
Lauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust by Leanne LiebermanLauren Yanofsky doesn’t want to be Jewish anymore. Her father is a noted Holocaust historian, and her mother doesn’t understand why Lauren hates the idea of Jewish youth camps and family vacations to Holocaust memorials. But when Lauren sees some of her friends – including Jesse, a cute boy she likes – playing Nazi war games, she is faced with a terrible choice: betray her friends or betray her heritage. Told with engaging humor, Lauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust isn’t simply about making tough moral choices. It’s about a girl caught up in the turmoil of bad-hair days, family friction, changing friendships, love – and, yes, the Holocaust.
Lauren Yanofsky is offbeat, sensitive, and an utterly original character. Lieberman’s novel is a refreshing take on growing up Jewish and finding oneself within the context of cultural and family history.
Record Breaker by Robin StevensonIt’s 1963, and Jack’s family is still reeling from the sids death of his baby sister. Adrift in his own life, Jack is convinced that setting a world record will bring his father back to his senses and his mother back to life. But world events, including President Kennedy’s assassination, threaten to overshadow any record Jack tries to beat – from sausage eating to face slapping. Nothing works, and Jack is about to give up when a new friend suggests a different approach that involves listening to, not breaking, records.
In Record Breaker, Stevenson effectively portrays a child who is overwhelmed by both global and family events. Jack’s voice is convincing as he struggles to deal with his loss and anxiety in wonderfully unconventional ways.
Damage by Robin StevensonIt’s an ordinary nightmare of a family trip until Theo realizes that the beautiful girl beside the hotel pool is his childhood babysitter – and his first crush. Theo hasn’t seen Ronnie in six years, but when she invites him to join her and her toddler son, Zach, on a road trip to Hollywood, he leaps at the chance to ditch his parents. But it isn’t long before he begins to regret his impulsive decision – especially when he sees Ronnie’s terror at being pulled over by the cops. What is she hiding? And what kind of a mess has he got himself into?
In this Orca Soundings novel for reluctant teen readers, Stevenson keeps the pace moving and the characters believable. Damage is vivid, unpredictable, and satisfying.
I’m pleased to announce that my contemporary middle-grade fantasy novel, titled Bog, will be published in Spring 2014 with Fitzhenry & Whiteside! I’m thrilled to be working with the talented Christie Harkin – a publisher with enormous passion for her titles.
Writing Bog has been a lesson in tenacity. It’s a book that’s immensely meaningful to me, yet writing it was grueling. I first conceived it in 2004, so it will be ten years, and a multitude of drafts, until it will be published. As Walter Wellesley “Red” Smith famously said, “There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.”
Want to know more about Bog? Here’s a sneak peak.
A cave in Northern Ontario
What is Bog about?
Deep in the forests of Northern Ontario, a cave troll named Bog has spent his young life hunting with his father, Jeddal, learning what it means to be a troll, and avoiding humans whenever possible. Until someone called the Troll Hunter begins turning trolls to stone, and teaching other humans to do it, too. When the Troll Hunter’s followers turn Jeddal to stone, Bog learns a dark secret about his origins that his father had tried to keep hidden: Bog is half-human.
Struggling with this news, Bog sets out after the Troll Hunter to avenge his father. On his quest, he’s joined by a large forest troll named Small and a human girl named Hannie, who would rather pretend to be a troll than return to her abusive father. As they venture deeper in human territory, Bog learns of the legendary Nose Stone, a rock rumoured to bring a stone troll back to life. When the Troll Hunter seeks to destroy both the Nose Stone and Bog, his quest becomes a race of cunning, trickery, and wits.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
I first conceived Bog after the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City and the ensuing war on terror. I wanted to write about cultural bias fostered by learned hatred from previous generations. But the novel is also a reaction to ethnic conflicts the world over – anywhere where there is hatred against another culture instead of acceptance and understanding of differences.
Why write about trolls?
I chose trolls because, in literature, they’re traditionally considered vile to humans. The point of view of a troll character sets up humans as “monsters,” asking what morals and values makes us human versus monster. For me, the novel explores what it means to be human as well as the journey from hatred to tolerance.
My upcoming novel, Cut the Lights, is the first of three books in the exciting new Limelights series. Conceived by Sarah Harvey, editor at Orca Book Publishers, the series offers compelling novels about the performing arts for ages 11 to 14. Singing, acting, directing, dancing — this series promises to dazzle and entertain teens who love performance.
In Cut the Lights, a director of a student-written Fringe Festival play is at odds with her cast and crew, until the breakdown of her lead actor forces them to work together. The novel captures the intense relationships that form during rehearsals and performances, and how a student director learns to empower her cast and crew both on and off the stage.
The series will also debut with novels by Tom Ryan, who published his first novel in 2012, and Robin Stevenson, author of over 15 books for kids and teens. Check out all three titles in Fall 2013.
One of the hardest things about being an emerging writer is receiving the dreaded rejection letter. But why do we call them “rejection letters”? And is that really what they are?
As writers, we obviously have a good grasp of language – in particular, how to choose a certain word or words to serve a specific function in our writing. So I’d like to challenge the term “rejection letter” and even re-name it to be more accurate. I came up with three replacements:
Too many beginning writers send out a manuscript to publishers or agents without fully researching their current needs, preferences, and even submission guidelines. One of the most common reasons for a refusal to publish or represent is that the manuscript is not a match to their needs. So do yourself a favour, and read the books championed by each publisher or agent you submit to. You will have greater success if you correctly target your manuscript.
Sometimes, a close reading of a manuscript shows that the writer has more to learn before his or her work is ready for publication. This doesn’t mean that you’re a failure; simply that you’re still learning the craft. Read the writing of authors you admire to discover new techniques, take a course with an experienced and supportive author, and/or start a writing group to exchange feedback on your works-in-progress. Learning more about the craft will get you closer to your goals.
A manuscript that is almost ready is not ready enough. How will a publisher or agent know what you’re capable of writing if you’re not presenting your very best work? Get feedback on your work-in-progress before you send it out, and rewrite until the prose is beyond polished. It will take many drafts to produce a polished manuscript, but it will give you a much better chance of getting the result you want.
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Okay, so my new terms may not be as catchy as “rejection letter,” but they are more accurate and they’re not as discouraging. They imply that writers who receive one of these letters don’t need to give up, wallow in despair, or throw out a manuscript. But they may need to further research their market, perfect their craft, and/or revise, revise, revise.
The only way forward to publication is to take the next step, continuing to write and re-write with increasing knowledge of the craft and a clear vision of the marketplace.