An Interview with Author Lyla Payne

Hey, lovelies!

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with up-and-coming NA author, Lyla Payne. Not only is she fun and fantastic, but she's incredibly honest about her experiences as a writer. Take a look at Lyla's interview to read her secrets and witness her awesome for yourself!

***

Hi Lyla! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your upcoming book so we can get to know you?

Sure! I'm trying something different with this novel, and with New Adult, but it's something I've been interested in for a long time. BROKEN AT LOVE emerged from a strange combination of my love for tennis and my rabid obsession with Gossip Girl. I think it works, though. The story is fun, lighthearted, and--I hope--sexy.

I understand you're writing under a pen name. Why did you decide to write anonymously? 

I write YA that's pretty squeaky clean as far as language and sex, and I love writing that. BROKEN AT LOVE is the exact opposite in tone, expression, and graphic nature so I thought it would be best not to link the two types of stories under one name. Honestly, I love the idea that my YA attracts younger readers and that their parents don't have to worry about what they'll find between the covers. I would hate to think of them picking up BROKEN AT LOVE before they're ready to read this particular kind of story. 

How did you decide you wanted to write NA? What about it is most appealing to you? 

I *love* writing NA. It's been something that has interested me for a long time--for me, college was the time I grew and explored the most in my life, the years where freedom granted me the space to make all kinds of crazy and wonderful mistakes. I was a late bloomer, and I know I'm not the only one. Writing about the kinds of things that can really only take place in a college environment is SO MUCH FUN.  

Can you tell us a little bit about your publishing journey up until now? How did you decide you wanted to self-publish your NA novels? 

I had a literary agent for about a year, and when she and I parted ways I decided to self-publish the YA series we'd worked on together. It was a hard decision but I honestly don't regret it--I would have loved to have had a great agent experience but I didn't, and it's opened my eyes to a lot of things, including the idea that authors need to take responsibility for their own careers.

Self-publishing the NA seems like a no-brainer to me. The readers who adore these kinds of books are voriacious (I'm seeing more crossover from romance readers than YA), and they're hungry for more, always. The slow grind of traditional publishing doesn't work for them. In addition, the majority of major publishing house deals are for NA plucked from the self-published world--that's the way it's working right now. eBooks that prove themselves get print deals, not the other way around. It's an interesting time to study publishing, for sure. Things are changing. 

What are some of the perks of self-pubbing? 

Control is a big one. Of your content, cover, marketing, blurb...everything. It's overwhelming at times but also completely lovely not to make changes you don't believe in. Publishing on my timeline is also a huge plus, for authors and readers. I don't need a year to put out a quality book. Four to five months is great timing for me, and readers get more books.  

What are the biggest downfalls? 

On the flip side of what I said above, there's no one to blame if something goes wrong or people hate your story or cover. Yes, I hire editors and have critique partners and cover designers...but everything you see from cover to cover, I okayed it. It's a lot of pressure. And once you put out books every four to five months, there's a lot of pressure to continue doing so. 

Other than that, even though the stigma that goes along with self-publishing (that we're quitters who weren't good enough/ready enough to get an agent and be traditionally published) is slowly fading, it's still there. I encounter it every day even while my YA series has decent, steady sales and more five star reviews than any other rating. It can be a lot to overcome, although like I mentioned, the stigma is much smaller to begin with in New Adult. Another reason to love it.  

What do you have to do (marketing, finance, etc.) to make sure a book is a success if you self-publish? 

Everything. The biggest thing I tell people just starting out in self-publishing is never say no. Say yes to guest blog posts and interviews (!), to contests and giveaways and reveals. Interact with readers on Facebook and Twitter and Goodreads. Support other authors. Give away copies to people who take the time to ask to review it. Use your money wisely, but you do have to spend it to make it. 

If you had to tell people one thing they should know about self-publishing and authors who self-publish, what would it be? 

I answered some of this above, but I would add this: don't skimp on editing. Don't publish a first draft. At the very, very least, hire a professional copy editor AND implement suggestions from reliable critique partners. Having people dismiss your book because of unprofessional content is the fastest way to lose readers.  

Thanks, Lyla! She's pretty fantastic, right? So is her book. (Bonus: Hooottt cover.) 

When a knee injury ends twenty-year-old Quinn Rowland’s pro tennis career, he’s not only dumped by his hot Russian girlfriend but ordered to attend college by his disinterested billionaire father. A rich kid who’s not used to being disappointed by life, Quinn and his sociopathic half-brother Sebastian create a frat house game intended to treat girls how they see them—as simple game pieces to be manipulated for their pleasure.

College sophomore Emilie Swanson knows Quinn’s reputation—after all, he did send one of her sorority sisters into therapy earlier in the semester—but the game and his charm bring them closer together and soon she starts to believe there’s more to Quinn than people think.

But what if the more is something darker than a game of toying with emotions and breaking hearts?

Quinn and Emilie might be falling for each other, but there are secrets he’s not ready to tell—and lifestyle changes he’s reluctant to make. She willingly stepped on the court, but if Emilie finds out she started out as nothing as a pawn in Quinn and Sebastian’s twisted game, she might never forgive him.

To his surprise, Quinn finds that he might finally care about someone more than he cares about himself…even if that means letting Emilie walk away for good. 

BROKEN IN LOVE comes out in March, but you can add it on Goodreads right now! 

Broken at Love on Goodreads

And make sure to follow Lyla to keep up with her newest books:

Twitter.
Tumblr.
Email.
Blog.

Andrea Hannah is a YA writer represented by Victoria Marini of Gelfman Schneider. She writes stories about criminals, crazy people, and creatures that may or may not exist. When she's not writing, Andrea teaches special education, runs, spends time with her family, and tries to figure out a way to prevent her pug from opening the refrigerator (still unsuccessful). Oh, and she tweets a bajillion times a day, mostly about inappropriate things.

You can find her on Twitter @: http://twitter.com/andeehannah
Drop her an email @: andeehannah@gmail.com
And visit her website @: http://www.andreahannah.com/

"SeCrits" #1 (First 250 words)

First off, thank you SO MUCH to everyone who shared their work with us! If we had time to critique them all, we totally would. If yours wasn't chosen to be critiqued this time, then please feel free to submit to future "SeCrit" events (the next one is scheduled for February 12, 2013!). All entries from this first event will be deleted shortly.

So basically, when choosing which entry to critique, we read every single one that was submitted to us. Then, the person in charge of getting this post up simply picked the one that they thought they could make the most useful commentary on--both the positive and constructive type. There's not really anything scientific about it, and it's not a popularity contest or anything like that. Though, in the future, we do plan to give precedence to people who have participated in the comment section of previous SeCrit posts. You give critiques, you're more like to get them, savvy?

Okay, so without further ado, let's get on with it!

The brave, anonymous, awesome writer's first 250:

Title: GRIT OF BERTH AND STONE

Genre: YA Fantasy

Everything changes at midday. Grit clenched her fingers tightly around the hilt of her dagger as she stared at the ceiling above her straw-filled mat. Her dame, a wiry woman nearing forty, stood by the fireplace, one hand on her hip, the other using a hooked metal rod to replace the lid on the heavy, black cooking pot. A plan formed in Grit’s mind as she inhaled the fragrance of Dame Berth’s porridge. 

“You’ll miss your Branding if you lie there all day gawking at the ceiling,” Berth scowled just loudly enough for Grit to hear, but not so loudly as to wake the three younger children asleep on mats around the room.

Grit rolled onto her side and studied her bare arm. Fifteen perfect circles, starting at her shoulder and reaching nearly to her elbow in two offset rows, scarred her olive skin. Every year, on the anniversary of her birth, the branding rod etched each scar a little deeper before adding a new mark. Like all Threshan youth, Grit had been collecting these tokens of strength since the day she had achieved one year of life. Now, on the brink of adulthood, she determined to present a show of strength rarely seen among her people, to prove to herself as well as to her harsh dame that she, Grit of Berth and Stone, was beyond weakness, beyond pain, beyond fear, beyond control. 

“I’m getting up,” Grit growled.

She tossed aside her thin blanket and pulled her tunic over her messy head. 

And now, after several readthroughs, here are some thoughts:

Everything changes at midday. [This is a bit vague for an opening sentence, and it sort of pales in comparison when you get down to all the awesome fantasy-ish bits in the third paragraph. Could we make it more interesting? Can we somehow establish that this is an awesome, unique fantasy immediately, in this very first sentence? Also, the fact that it's present tense ("changes" instead of "changed") is strange.] Grit clenched her fingers tightly around the hilt of her dagger as she stared at the ceiling above her straw-filled mat ["above her straw-filled mat" isn't really necessary; ceilings are generally "above" things, yes? This is overwriting, however subtle]. Her dame, a wiry woman nearing forty, stood by the fireplace, one hand on her hip, the other using a hooked metal rod to replace the lid on the heavy, black cooking pot. A plan formed in Grit’s mind as she inhaled the fragrance of Dame Berth’s porridge. ["A plan..." This is vague, and, assuming it's referring to her plan to "prove herself" that you mention a little ways down, it's also unnecessary telling.]

“You’ll miss your Branding if you lie there all day gawking at the ceiling,” Berth scowled [you can't scowl words] just loudly enough for Grit to hear, but not so loudly as to wake the three younger children asleep on mats around the room.

Grit rolled onto her side and studied her bare arm. Fifteen perfect circles, starting at her shoulder and reaching nearly to her elbow in two offset rows, scarred her olive skin. Every year, on the anniversary of her birth, the branding rod etched each scar a little deeper before adding a new mark. [ah, see, this is where things start to get really interesting. Totally intrigued by these circles! I can visualize them, am a little grossed out by them, but more importantly, they have me asking questions about this world--questions that I'm eager to keep reading to find the answer to. You might consider moving this to the very beginning]. Like all Threshan youth, Grit had been collecting these tokens of strength since the day she had achieved one year of life. Now, on the brink of adulthood, she determined to present a show of strength ["determined to present a show of strength" feels a bit awkward. I think you might have been going for that lofty high fantasy voice, but I'm not sure it's quite working here] rarely seen among her people, to prove to herself as well as to her harsh dame that she, Grit of Berth and Stone, was beyond weakness, beyond pain, beyond fear, beyond control. [Okay, so on the one hand, love that she has a plan to be strong and to prove herself--strong female characters ftw! BUT, I'm a bit confused here. Because you just said that, "like all Threshan youth", she's spent her life collecting tokens of strength. So I was picturing an almost Spartan-like society of lots of warriors, yet this last sentence suggests this isn't the case? Also, is being "beyond control" really a sign of strength?]  

“I’m getting up,” Grit growled. [you  can growl words more than you can "scowl" them, perhaps, but don't be afraid of just a plain old "said". If you want to show Grit's irritation, body language that gives readers something to visualize (narrowed eyes, fists clenching her blanket, etc...) is almost always stronger]

She tossed aside her thin blanket and pulled her tunic over her messy head. [is her head messy (seems weird), or just her hair(ah, that makes visual sense)? Specificity is a writer's best friend.]


And there you have it! Now, despite the abundance of glowering orange font, would I keep reading? Almost definitely. Because I'm totally intrigued by those circles on Grit's arm, and I want to know more about this world. So, in essence, these first 250 have done their job for me--despite the fact that there's possibly some room for improvement among them. So, why all the nitpicking, then? Did I really have to go sentence by sentence and tear this poor writer's lovely work apart?

Well, here's the thing you should keep in mind: your first 250 words are a sort of microcosm for your manuscript as a whole. That's how agents/editors are looking at them. And if there's a single, awkward sentence, or even the slightest bit of vagueness here or there--then agents and editors are going to assume that it continues throughout the whole manuscript, whether it does or not (though at least in my critiquing experience, it does more often than not). And though I would keep reading despite a few rough spots in an opening page, an agent who has 500 unread queries in their inbox might be a little less enthusiastic to do so ;)

So, thoughts? Feel free to offer your critiquing suggestions in the comment box, whether you agree or disagree with things I said, and also tell us whether or not this helped you in any way (we'd love to know if it did!). And give a round of applause to this awesome writer who shared their work with us :)

World Building Without the Info Dump

As you guys know, I was asking for questions on Twitter regarding writing, critiquing, etc. I only got a few but there was one that really captured my attention. So I decided I would focus on this one question this time around because I feel it's pretty important. But don't worry! For those who asked a question, I'll answer you individually.

Here's the question I received: In fantasy, how do you build a culture in 1-2 chapters without being guilty of dumping?

Let's be honest, we're all guilty of info dumping at some point or another. Whether it's in your first draft and you're just discovering this new idea OR you're really pushing for a certain word count. It's easy to get caught up in the world you're creating and going in depth about what it is you want the reader to experience.

But as a reader, what I look for in a SF/F is the idea that I'm experiencing it with the MC as if I'm right beside him/her. It should feel like it's an every day situation for this character and I want to see it through their eyes. I don't necessarily need everything explained to me. Just throw me in there! Literary agent Victoria Marini (Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency) once said on her blog something about jumping into the manuscript head on and letting the reader catch up. That always stuck with me because when I first started writing I was guilty of info dumping like crazy in my first chapter. I felt the need to explain every little detail so the reader would know exactly what I meant, but in reality, they don't need that. They have their imagination to do the work for them. And isn't that the point? 

Another piece of advice came from my good friend Shannon Dittemore (Angel Eyes Trilogy). What she said made so much sense and is actually the biggest piece of advice I've ever been given. It was this: 

In order to get a better idea of the genre you're writing, you must read the genre in which you're writing. 

Writing is like anything else. In order to perfect your craft, you have to take the initiative to learn more about it. The more you write, the more your writing grows. Same goes for reading. When researching your genre, reading books similar to yours gives you an understanding of the setup and how much or how little background you need to establish your world right off that bat. Now, that's not saying that you can't change it up and drop a bit more in the details than others. I'm not saying you need to do EXACTLY what someone else is doing. What I'm saying is: Get a feel for the way other people have tackled the situation and learn from it. 

When I decided that my writing was more supernatural/horror, I read a ton of books to get a feel for the tension, the buildup, the scares. Things that are really important for that genre. The things that really make it count. Whenever my writing is in a slump, I always pick up a couple of books for inspiration. The characters and their interactions, their dialogue and their adventures––those things put me in the mood to write because sometimes you just need a refresher. 

So before you start on that shiny new idea, take some time to acquaint yourself with the genre. Let's face it, is reading a couple of awesome books ever a bad thing? 

More Awesome Secret Lifer News!

Sooo, maybe some of you have already heard, as our own Kelsey Sutton announced here on her blog yesterday, but it's awesome news, and awesome news needs repeating! Exactly one week ago, we were freaking out for me (Stefanie), but now it's time to FREAK OUT FOR KELSEY BECAUSE SHE'S SOLD ANOTHER BOOK!

Children's: Young Adult:
Kelsey Sutton’s follow-up to SOME QUIET PLACE (Flux, July, 2013), set in the same world of personified emotions, in which a girl wanting revenge on the man responsible for the death of her family is influenced by both Forgiveness and Revenge and must ultimately choose which path to take, again to Brian Farrey at Flux, for publication in July, 2014, by Beth Miller at Writers House (NA).

Getting that second book deal is a HUGE accomplishment, and we're so thrilled for Kelsey. And her writing. Her writing. Oh my gosh, you guys, trust me when I say you REALLY need to have this book on your radar, and if you haven't already added her debut (SOME QUIET PLACE) that's coming out in July to your TBR pile (to the very top of it), then WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Go pre-order SOME QUIET PLACE!

Go add SOME QUIET PLACE on Goodreads!

Go tell Kelsey she's awesome!

So one more time: CONGRATULATIONS KELSEY! Think of all the cheese you're going to be able to buy if you keep getting all these book deals! ;)

Kelsey's Secrets to Staying Sane During Revisions

How's that for a title? Quick, say it five times fast.

Today I want to talk about revisions. Having just finished several rounds of this - although, in my mind, I call them soul-sucking-changes-that-I-barely-manage-to-survive - I've figured out the secrets. Seriously. And yes, that is plural. There isn't just one method to coming out on the other side of the tunnel, squinting up at the sun and wondering how on earth you actually did it. Ready? Here it is, exclusively on S.L.O.W. (How cool is that acronym, by the way?)

1. Focus on one piece at a time.

I think sometimes - wait, scratch that, all the time - we just want to have a finished manuscript. We've toiled over the first draft. Isn't it enough that we managed to write an entire book? People actually expect us to dive back into the abyss? Granted, we've been advised to step away from it for a while before doing this. But still. The prospect of rewriting and changing the very words we agonized over is daunting. 

So the solution is simple. We can't scramble to have that perfect book. It's a process. One step at a time. One paragraph, one scene, one page, one chapter. Clean up the mess in parts. For example, focus on sentence structure first. Then maybe tackle those bizarre punctuation mistakes. After that, we should probably hunt down those typos. (I literally turned in a manuscript with the sentence, I killed two stones with one bird. No joke.)

This whole revisions thing doesn't feel so huge if we take a hammer to it and shatter it into itty-bitty pieces, right?

2. Take breaks.

Again, most writers want to be done and be done now. As a result, some of us tend to sit at the computer for hours, until our butts are numb and our eyesight is permanently damaged from staring at the screen so long. Basically, we just can't become this:

If you have to set a timer, do it. Whether your break is every ten minutes or once an hour. Whatever it takes for you to regroup. Have a cup of coffee. Watch the episode of Vampire Diaries that's been sitting on your DVR for the past week. Take the poor, neglected dog for a walk. (Not now, Lewis, I'm trying to write a blog post! Later, okay?)

Anyway. If we step away every so often, there's a good chance when we sit back down, things will be clearer. You'll finally figure out how your main character escaped that prison when you pretty much made it impossible. Turns out, she can walk through walls. Who knew?

3. Keep your treats on hand.

Enough said.

Good luck, you guys! Let me know how it works out.

Kelsey Sutton has done everything from training dogs, making cheeseburgers, selling yellow page ads, and cleaning hotel rooms. Now she divides her time between her full-time college classes and her writing, though she can also sometimes be found pounding out horrible renditions of Beethoven on the piano and trying bizarre drinks at her local coffee shop. Kelsey lives in northern Minnesota with her dog and cat, Lewis and Clark. She is represented by Beth Miller of Writer's House, and her debut YA novel SOME QUIET PLACE is forthcoming from Flux in 2013. You can add it on Goodreads here!

You can also find her on Twitter @: https://twitter.com/KelseyJSutton
Drop her an email @: kelseyjsutton@gmail.com
And visit her on her blog at www.kelseysutton.blogspot.com

Book Club: Leah reads Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

The cover: My copy was the other one, but when I saw this UK cover on Goodreads, I gotta say, I like this one way better. It fits the story perfectly.

From Goodreads: R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse. Just dreams. 

After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a burst of vibrant color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that R lives in. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.

Initial thoughts: Before reading this, I hadn't heard much about it. I knew it was popular and that the movie was coming out soon, but that's about it. I hadn't even seen the movie trailer. I knew it was a "zombie love story" which, in all honesty, didn't really appeal to me, because EW!

My thoughts now: What were you thinking, Initial Thoughts Leah?! I was hooked after the first paragraph! After the first few pages, I knew I wasn't putting this sucker down until I turned the last page. And that's exactly what happened. Marion's writing is phenomenal! You know how everyone in the publishing industry talks about voice this and voice that? Well, this book is a study in unique voice. So, if you're confused about what critique partners or agents mean when they say, "I need more voice in your writing" then go buy this book and devour it today!

What Meyer says in her blurb there on the cover is spot on. I never thought I could actually care this much about zombies. Not only was I rooting for R the whole way, I was also really concerned for the other zombies in the hive. Plus, I found the relationship between R and Julie to be very real (or as real as a relationship can be that involves a zombie).

I could go on and on about this book, but I really don't want to spoil anything. This book speaks for itself.

Quick Quote: This quote is not representative of the vibe of the book. It's really not as sad as all that, but when I read it, all I could think was, "Damn, I wish I'd written that!"

"I don't want to hear music, I don't want the sunrise to be pink. The world is a liar. Its ugliness is overwhelming: the scraps of beauty make it worse."

Extra Stuff: After finishing the book, I immediately watched the trailer, of course, and the first 4 minutes which were released on YouTube. I also told my husband (who I only recommend the best of the best to) to just read the first paragraph and tell me what he thought. He didn't stop until page 31 and that was only because he had to get up early for work.

Have ya'll read WARM BODIES? What did you think? Do you have any recommendations for us?

Congratulations, Stefanie Gaither!

Here at SLOW we're trying to give insight into what it's like after you've conquered the slushpile. We want to talk about the hardships along with the triumphs. And boy, do we have a triumph to share with you today. I have summoned you here today so we can all take a moment... AND FREAK THE !@#$ OUT FOR STEFANIE GAITHER!

That's right! As you might've heard yesterday, it was announced that Stef (and let's not forget her amazing agent, Sara Megibow) has landed a deal with Simon & Schuster for her book, FALLS THE SHADOW! And let me just say that this book is awesome! It's full of clones and thrills and hotties and mystery. Gaaaah, it's going to be so awesome to see it on the shelves!

It'll be two years in March that I've known Stef. We've chatted pretty much every day since meeting so I'm confident in saying that this girl has worked her ass off to get to this point. Seriously, I can't think of anyone else (myself included) who's worked so hard to write amazing words. Also, I can't think of anyone more deserving. So, in honor of this momentous occasion, I've done something I never do. Because I know Stefanie loves poetry, I've written a poem.

(Disclaimer: I'm horrible at poetry. I had to Wiki rhyming schemes for goodness sake. I decided to go with the scheme from The Raven because... well, I don't know. I just did. Just imagine me as an artsy beatnik chick and it might sound better.)

So there you have it. It can be done, folks. It happens all the time.

CONGRATS, STEF!!!

Check out Stef's own freak-out blog post here :)