Cyn sounds off!

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Surf over to author Janni Lee Simner's Desert Dispatches for my thoughts on Writing for the Long Haul, the first in a series of posts by "writing survivors." Peek:

"I have a respectful patience for the inner artist but always hold her accountable."

Read the whole post.

for Cynsations

Polly Holyoke is the first-time author of The Neptune Project (Hyperion, 2013). From the promotional copy:

With her weak eyes and useless lungs that often leave her gasping for air, Nere feels more at home swimming with the dolphins her mother studies than she does hanging out with her classmates.

Nere has never understood why she is so much more comfortable and confident in the water than on land until the day she learns the shocking truth—she is one of a group of kids who have been genetically altered to survive in the ocean. These products of the "Neptune Project" are supposed to build a better future under the waves, safe from the terrible famines and wars and that rock the surface world.

But there some big challenges ahead of her: noone ever asked Nere if she wanted to be part of a science experiment; the other Neptune kids aren't exactly the friendliest bunch, and in order to reach the safe haven of the new Neptune colony, Nere and her fellow mutates must swim across hundreds of miles of dangerous ocean, relying on their wits, their loyal dolphins and one another to evade terrifying undersea creatures and a government that will stop at nothing to capture the Neptune kids ... dead or alive.

Fierce battle and daring escapes abound as Nere and her friend race to safety in this action-packed marine adventure.

When and where do you write? Why does that time and space work for you?

I've been writing professionally for over twenty years now, and I do like to write in my little office (usually supervised by two lazy cats), but I can make myself write anywhere.

Ellie and Luna

I'm also a big believer in the "bio-rhythms" of writing. Different people definitely have different times of day when they are most productive. Between 8 and 11 o'clock in the morning is my magic time when the words and phrases flow easily. Noon to two or so is a barren, frustrating desert, and then my creativity starts flowing again around three in the afternoon, just when I have to pick up my kids from school.

I knew a successful romance writer whose most productive time was literally from midnight to four or five in the morning. She lived a completely nocturnal lifestyle when she was on deadline, but luckily she was single and could cater to the whims of her personal bio-rhythms!

Most of us have jobs and family obligations which keep us from writing at our most productive time. But if you want to be a professional writer, you have to protect that time as best you can.

Sometimes you get stuck having to produce at a time of day when those creative juices don't flow as easily, but if you're a pro, you still put yourself in front of your computer at home, in the car, at the office cafeteria, or at your kid's school gym between games and make the words come or, at the very least, get some useful revising done.

As a science fiction writer, how did you go about building your world?

The Neptune Project takes place almost entirely in the sea, and one of my favorite compliments from a teen reader was, "I had no idea all that cool stuff was down there."

There is lots of "cool stuff" in the ocean, and I went to great lengths to build an undersea world so vivid that my readers could see it, hear it, feel it, and taste it.

Fortunately, I've been a scuba diver for many years, and I was able to describe from personal experience the light and the visibility and the currents one often encounters beneath the waves. I went to the websites of dive companies which operate in waters I didn't know, like the Vancouver Island area, and I studied their photos and read comments from their guests to collect more visceral details to convey what it's like swimming around in such cold, dark waters.

Even though the entire premise of humans breathing water may seem preposterous to some, I wanted to make it seem as believable as possible. I had to do a ton of research and found out that what we can already do in terms of genetic engineering is both amazing and frightening.

We truly are on the brink of being able to create custom-designed children and genetically-enhanced super soldiers. Creating humans who can breathe in the sea isn't preposterous at all.

Finally, I tried to tap into my own teen years and imagine what it would be like if I were fourteen and suddenly was forced to live in the ocean. What would I notice, what would astound me, and what would I miss from my life on land?

Effective world-building often comes back to the simplest details.

In one of my favorite scenes, my characters float in a circle eating their lunch of raw fish and kelp while they talk about the food from home that they miss, like ice cream and freshly-baked bread. I hope in that moment, my teen readers do realize how hard it is for my characters to have to live in this strange new undersea world for the rest of their lives.

Lindsey signs Riptide

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Debut YA author Lindsey Scheibe launched Riptide (Flux, 2013) yesterday at BookPeople in Austin. From the promotional copy:

For Grace Parker, surfing is all about the ride and the moment. Everything else disappears. She can forget that her best friend, Ford Watson, has a crush on her that she can’t reciprocate. She can forget how badly she wants to get a surf scholarship to UC San Diego. She can forget the pressure of her parents’ impossibly high expectations.

When Ford enters Grace into a surf competition— the only way she can impress the UCSD surfing scouts—she has one summer to train and prepare. Will she gain everything she’s ever wanted or lose the only things that ever mattered?

Read a Cynsations New Voice interview with Lindsey.

Lindsey with Austin SCBWI founder Meredith Davis & Bee Cave librarian Michelle Benavides

Austin authors Jo Whittemore, Nikki Loftin, Jennifer Ziegler, Greg Leitich Smith, Bethany Hegedus, Salima Alikhan & Cory Putnam Oakes catch a wave.

Cory and writer-photographer Sam Bond

Debut YA author Lindsey Scheibe

Here I am, getting into the surfer spirit!

Author-illustrator Mark G. Mitchell & author Julie Lake

Lindsey tells stories of her own surfing adventures.

Lindsey Scheibe signs for fellow Austin author (& fellow Lindsey), Lindsey Lane.

Here I am, sandwiched between Austin SCBWI ARA Samantha Clark & Salima

Erin Edwards & Jo mug for the camera; Austin SCBWI RA Shelley Ann Jackson waits behind them.

Samantha, Shelli Cornelison & Meredith at Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar in Austin

Salima, Bethany & Samantha at Lucy's

Greg, Salima, Erin, Nikki, Lindsey, her husband, Meredith, Bethany, Samantha & Shelli at Lucy's

With Joy, modeling her bling & book!

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Joy Preble spoke to Austin SCBWI about The Sweet Dead Life (SoHo Teen, 2013) at BookPeople on Saturday. From the promotional copy:

"I found out two things today: One, I think I'm dying. "And two, my brother is a perv."

So begins the diary of 14-year-old Jenna Samuels, who is having a very bad eighth-grade year. Her single mother spends all day in bed. Dad vanished when she was eight. Her sixteen-year-old brother, Casey, tries to hold together what's left of the family by working two after-school jobs—difficult, as he's stoned all the time.

To make matters worse, Jenna is sick. When she collapses one day, Casey tries to race her to the hospital in their beat-up Prius and crashes instead.

Jenna wakes up in the ER to find Casey beside her. Beatified. Literally. The flab and zits? Gone. Before long, Jenna figures out that Casey didn't survive the accident at all. He's an "A-word." (She can't bring herself to utter the truth.)

Soon they discover that Jenna isn't just dying; she's being poisoned. And Casey has been sent back to help solve the mystery that not only holds the key to her survival, but also to their mother's mysterious depression and father's disappearance.

Greg Leitich Smith, E. Kristin Anderson, Nikki Loftin

Joy, P.J. Hoover, Cory Putnam Oakes, me & Jessica Lee Anderson

K.A. Holt, Lindsey Scheibe, Shelli Cornelison

Don Tate, Varian Johnson & Greg

Mari Mancusi wins Joy's angel trivia quiz

Joy signs for Cory

After party at Shoal Creek Saloon

After that, I took to it like a bird to the sky. Honing to 140 characters was awkward at first, but that soon came. Not knowing what to tweet, I signed up for Google feeds about kidlit, posting links to articles I enjoyed reading—which, evidently, others did too, as that always brought new followers. I soon grasped how many people out there are ready and willing to help.

By Lena Coakley
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

This week 6000 people attended Canada’s largest children’s literature event, the Forest of Reading, Festival of Trees—two days of award ceremonies, writing workshops, author signings, and other exciting activities that celebrate the shared experience of reading.

Child readers from participating schools across the province of Ontario chose the winning books. The awards in each age category are named for a different Canadian tree, and the winner plaques feature original art by a child reader.

Blue Spruce award winner Martin Springett

2013 Blue Spruce™ Award Winner (K-grade 2): Kate and Pippin by Martin Springett and Isobel Springett (Puffin Canada/Penguin Group)

2013 Silver Birch® Express Award Winner (grades 3-4): Margaret and the Moth Tree by Brit Trogen and Kari Trogen (Kids Can Press)


2013 Silver Birch® Fiction Award Winner (grades 5-6): Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch (Scholastic Canada)

2013 Silver Birch® Non-Fiction Award Winner (grades 3-6): No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs by Rob Laidlaw (Pajama Press)


2013 Red Maple™ Fiction Award Winner (grades 7-8): The Vindico by Wesley King (G.P. Putnam’s Sons/ Penguin Group)

Red Maple Non Fiction winner Bill Swan

2013 Red Maple™ Non-Fiction Award Winner (grades 7-8): Real Justice: Fourteen and Sentenced to Death by Bill Swan (James Lorimer & Company)

White Pine winner Jeyn Roberts and nominee Lena Coakley

2013 White Pine™ Award Winner (grades 9-12): Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts (Simon & Schuster BFYR)

Le Prix Tamarac 2013 (French language fiction, grades 5-6): Le mystère des jumelles Barnes by Carole Tremblay (Bayard Canada Livres)

Le Prix Tamarac Express 2013 (French language fiction, grades 3-4): Billy Stuart: 1. Les Zintrépides by Alain M. Bergeron and Sampar (Éditions Michel Quintin)

Le Prix Peuplier 2013 (French language fiction, grades K-2): Le zoo de Yayaho by Geneviève Lemieux and Bruno St-Aubin (Bayard Canada Livres)

Cynsational Notes

Lena Coakley was born in Milford, Connecticut and grew up on Long Island. In high school, creative writing was the only class she ever failed (nothing was ever good enough to hand in!), but, undeterred, she went on to study writing at Sarah Lawrence College.

She became interested in young adult literature when she moved to Toronto, Canada, and began working for CANSCAIP, the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers, where she eventually became the Administrative Director. She is now a full-time writer living in Toronto.

Witchlanders, her debut novel, was called “a stunning teen debut” by Kirkus Reviews. It is a Junior Library Guild selection and an ABC new voices selection.

See also New Voice: Lena Coakley on Witchlanders.

By Shirley Reva Vernick
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

Funny how we writers shoot ourselves in the foot. I’m talking about the merciless way we pressure ourselves to be successful.

Actually, I’m talking about the way we define success, and how that definition can cripple our creativity.

"Sell more copies!" we command ourselves. "Boost that amazon.com rank!"

How can the creative juices flow on our next project when we’re so worried about the numbers on our current publication?

Clearly, sales figures are important for those of us who are trying to make a living. But obsessing about our stats can trigger productivity-quashing anxiety.

I think we need to expand our definition of success in a way that stimulates a more fertile mindset. A mindset where we give ourselves the freedom, the personal permission, to write from the heart and feel good about it, bestseller list or not.

Here is my new definition of personal success. Aside from the sales reports, I am succeeding if:

• I’m enjoying my work—writing with enthusiasm and honing my craft.


• My teenaged daughters are seeing me working hard in pursuit of my goals.


• I’m getting positive reviews.


• People are visiting my website and Facebook author page.


• I’m receiving speaking invitations.

A word about the first point—enjoying my work. I know the old adage “do what you love and success will follow” can sound Pollyannaish, but it has worked for me.

Take my first book, The Blood Lie, a YA novel based on a real anti-Semitic hate crime that happened in the 1920s. When I first got the idea for the book, some people in my circle tried to warn me off. “Historical Jewish-America—it’s too narrow a subject of interest,” they advised. “No one will buy it.” I, however, saw a broader theme, one with immediate contemporary relevance: intolerance. The book was published and went on to win several awards, including the Simon Wiesenthal Once Upon a World Book Award.

My second book, Remember Dippy (Cinco Puntos Press, May 2013), is also a story from the heart. In this novel, 12-year-old Johnny is dreading summer vacation because he has to help out with his autistic cousin, Remember.

Remember is fanatical about Twinkies. He’s awkward. He watches the weather channel for fun. So Johnny is sure the summer is going to be a bust. But when some jewels go missing...and the local jock gets stuck in the lake during a storm...and a lonely new girl comes to town...things get more exciting than either boy could have imagined.

The story was inspired by the people in my life (some of whom are relatives) who have cognitively-based behavioral differences. I felt I had to write this story, and I think the book’s writing reflects that commitment.

Moving on to the point about positive book reviews. Does this mean that any less-than-stellar review constitutes a failure? No! This is a lesson I’m still learning. I have to remind myself that, no matter the inherent value of my work, there are going to be people who don’t love it and rave about it.

Just as there are professors who never give A’s, just as there are people who like us but don’t want to be our best friend, there are going to be reviewers who criticize. That’s just life.

Shirley's window view

I encourage every writer to develop a kinder, gentler definition of success. The way I see it, if we’re going to do the hard work of writing, and if our sales figures are never going to be as high as we’d fantasized, we should do whatever we can to keep ourselves motivated, productive and sane.

Twinkles, the muse

Jiffy, the distraction

Follow @sharronmcelmeel

By Sharron L. McElmeel
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

For several decades I’ve worked with books for children and young adults and with the authors/illustrators that create them.

I’ve written about the books and their creators, taught educators to enjoy and use the books in classrooms and libraries, built webpages to showcase the books and the authors and illustrators, and in general become an avid promoter of literacy.

Along the way, I’ve watched young readers utilize websites, and I’ve observed educators navigating the World Wide Web, seeking information useful to their work. I’ve developed some opinions about books, and periodicals, and websites.

Often I’m asked about the ins and outs of building a website.

Here are my answers to the most frequently asked questions.

FAQs About Websites for Authors and Illustrators — And What Teachers and Librarians Want to See

1. Do I really need a website?


2. What domain name should I register?


3. What information does a visitor to a site want?


4. Will my site help increase the opportunities for school/library appearances?


5. Isn’t there enough on the web about me without me creating a website, or a blog, or anything for that matter?


6. Should I have something that moves?


7. When I list my books, what information do librarians and teachers really want?


8. Should I sell my books on my site?


9. How do I get people to come to my site?


10. Are there any other hints authors or illustrators should know?

1. Do I really need a website? It seems like a Facebook account or a blog would be as effective — and it is much easier for me to deal with myself. Maybe it would be more effective.

More about this book

Maybe, but one must remember that a Facebook account is only accessible to those who are your friends or who know your page exists—and to those who do have a Facebook account. Some are making efforts to avoid Facebook as intrusive and time-consuming.

Use of Facebook still is not as universal as Facebook promoters would like the public to think – and it is still a “social” network. (Many schools block Facebook and other social networks, making that venue completely inaccessible to teachers and students during the day; some block blog sites as well).

No doubt, Facebook and blogs are much easier for individuals to upload pictures. A web creator is often needed for a webpage.

Major search engines do search blog entries just as they do conventional websites—a major plus for both websites and blogs. Some people have constructed their blogs to mimic the informational status of a website – meaning that there are “book” pages, “about me” types of information, and blogs are able to have the rolling updates posted periodically.

The most effective combination seems to be a website that provides the information that is more strategically organized: background information about the author/illustrator, pages providing the background of a book, contact information and so forth.

A link to a blog from the webpage will allow the author/illustrator to keep her/his fans up-to-date on writing projects or just daily/weekly happenings. The nature of a blog is that the most current information appears on the screen and older entries roll down and are automatically archived on the blog in case someone wishes to access earlier posts.

A webpage encourages an author or illustrator to put their best foot forward on their webpage — to develop a strategically planned virtual home and then to take advantage of the more informal aspects of a blog. A link from the website to the blog will direct visitors to the up-dates.

Visit Jane Kurtz

This plan allows the webpage to be worded in language that does not demand frequent up dates. “Fall 2013 Release” rather than “Coming this Fall” type of language. The blog, since it is the nature of a blog, can be used to provide more frequent and timely up-to-date comments about a body of work.

Jane Kurtz’s website is an example of a site that provides the archival type of structured information while her blog (linked from her website) provides information about her daily/weekly activities in the world of world of literacy. No one thinks that older blog posts are “out-of-date,” those entries are just viewed as earlier posts.

2. What domain name should I register?

I think the very best names mark your “brand” – you, your name. I would avoid cutesy phrases and titles that make me always “think” about the location of your site. But if you insist, try to register your name as a domain and provide a referring page that takes visitors to your domain.

For example, Laurie Halse Anderson’s site is at www.madwomanintheforest.com, and there is no referral from the expected lauriehalseanderson.com. Dori Hillestad Butler’s site is at http://www.kidswriter.com - easy enough to remember if you visit often but she also provides a referral from her “name” domain at http://www.doributler.com.

Some authors find that their “names” are common enough or taken by domain squatters so the author must devise other names for their sites. Avi, a writer of many genres of books for all ages, found his “name” taken by a vision product company. So his website is www.avi-writer.com - an appropriate solution.

Michelle Edwards is a gifted author and illustrator. However, a different Michelle Edwards is a realtor and has claimed the domain so Michelle Edwards the writer cleverly morphed her name into one by using the final “e” in Michelle as the initial “e” in Edwards, making her site www.michelledwards.com . The only problem is that, unless you are alert, you might miss that nuance. I might have preferred www.michelle-edwards.com, but alas that was claimed by a business person who sporadically posts on her site.

Strangely enough, in May of 2013, the business-woman Michelle Edwards has her domain redirected to a blog – her most recent post features Neil Gaiman. Those who might happen upon this post might assume it is the writer Michelle Edwards that hosts the site.

It is very essential one clearly identifies themselves as a writer or illustrator of books for young readers on their home page. If visitors cannot determine who you are within the first six seconds on your site, you haven’t done enough to identify yourself.

Cynthia Leitich Smith has claimed, this site, www.cynthialeitichsmith.com, as her virtual home. Her blog is at cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com and she also has a Facebook page, a Twitter account (@CynLeitichSmith), as well as a YouTube channel. Clearly her presence promotes her brand – her name.

According to several website experts, it is estimated that 40 percent to 50 percent of website visits are the result of direct navigation (meaning the URL is typed directly into the navigation bar); thus, it makes sense to have the URL for your site as intuitive as possible.

3. What information does a visitor to a site want?

There is most likely a different list of wants for every individual visitor. However, in general, visitors to an author or illustrator’s site want something they can’t find elsewhere.

If your site does not offer something unique to the mix, let your publisher or general sites do the job.

A visit to an author’s/illustrator’s site should offer background to a book, bits and pieces of the author’s/illustrator’s life that impacted the book’s creation, or in general comments only available on the book creator’s site.

Teachers particularly appreciate extension ideas and ties to curriculum pieces. The ideas need not be elaborate – just plant the seed such as those ideas accompanying Laurie Lawlor’s book Rachel Carson and Her Book that Changed the World on her site.

4. Will my site help increase the opportunities for school/library appearances?

Possibly. Offer to speak at conferences, libraries, anywhere that those who have funds to invite you are at. Your presentation will be the major selling point as word of mouth is the most effective advertisement. Your website alone will not be a major factor, but it can make contacting you easier. Put as few roadblocks in the way as possible.

Forms always turn me off – just because I am never sure that the message is going to the author or illustrator that I want to contact. And I don’t know what e-mail address to whitelist in my mail program. The forms just don’t seem friendly.

Protect your personal e-mail with a dedicated e-mail for author visit contacts but visitors appreciate the “direct contact.”

Regardless of whether you decide to use forms or an e-mail address or an author visit coordinator, make sure e-mails are answered promptly. Gracious responses will be the key.

Accessibility is often a key, too – check out the experience of Dori Butler who was brought to a school by a sixth grader.

5. Isn’t there enough on the web about me without me creating a website, or a blog, or anything for that matter?

Perhaps, only you can be the judge of that. However, when I am searching for an author for a conference appearance, or searching for information about a new book, I most frequently head to a dedicated website expecting to find the most information, links to reviews, interviews etc. Such a site saves me an immense amount of time. A well constructed website serves as a gateway to other information about the author/illustrator and his/her books.

6. Should I have something that moves?

Yes, but if it is gratuitous then forget it. Make sure it adds something your audience actually might want, not just what you want. Example: "No" to animated flash pages that force visitors to wait through cutesy animations before moving into your site. "Yes" to book trailers that introduce your books or share an interview with you. But even then offer but don’t automatically start the video.

7. When I list my books, what information do librarians and teachers really want?

Title, publisher, and date of publication. Users need to know if the book is new, or published long enough ago to warrant a look in the library for copies purchased previously.

Images from the jacket covers are always helpful. Full citation information makes it convenient for writers of articles/blogs to cite a book.

Actually, as a writer of reference materials about authors/illustrators, I like best those sites that provide a citation such as those on Jim Aylesworth’s site. Example: Aylesworth, Jim. The Mitten. Illustrated by Barbara McClintock. Scholastic, 2009 32 pages. ISBN-10: 0-439-92544-4; ISBN-13: 978-0439925440. $16.99.

I don’t think the ISBN number is crucial, but some do like to have those so if you can include information as appropriate. Definitely include publication date. Don’t make visitors hunt for the details.

8. Should I sell my books on my site?

You can and offering to autograph purchased copies (and perhaps free shipping or a good discount) might give you the edge. Unless you offer something special you will not compete with the local brick-and-mortar store which can offer immediate delivery; or the online stores that offer free shipping and convenience (often one-step shopping).

9. How do I get people to come to my site?

Visit McBookWords

Promote your website address on your business cards, book jackets, anyplace that you are able to put the address in front of readers. It is a vehicle that stretches your other promotional efforts.

At conferences when papers mount up and are too cumbersome to carry – a bookmark or card with your web address will provide all the information I need – provided your website is well developed. Makes following up on your presentation easy and informative.

And in the content mention your colleagues, popular books that your books connect to, anything that legitimately mentions other content that searchers might use and stumble across your site – and be impressed by what you have to say.

And this is a perfect opportunity to use your Twitter account and your Facebook account to keep readers aware of new pages, new books, and other information about your writing.

10. Are there any other hints authors or illustrators should know?

There is much more for the actual developer, but the ideas are more technical than content per se. For example:

Search engines do not like frames as they have difficulties indexing framed pages; and those who want to return to a specific page on your site have difficulty since the address bar no longer indicates the actual page. One should make sure intuitive keywords are used in the site’s meta-tags to make the page as easy to find as possible.

Visitors prefer to click rather than scroll, so make the pages shorter with links for more information. Pay particular attention to resolution and readability especially if you are using dark backgrounds.

But above all else – remember that first impressions are still the most important.

Good luck. If you thought these 10 tips were helpful or informative but have other questions you’d like to ask, send them to sharron@mcbookwords.com - use the subject heading “Website Question.”