7 Best Articles This Week for Writers 8/13/2010

This week in the blogosphere provided unheard of opportunities for writers thanks to the free resources available through WriteOnCon. A HUGE thank you to Jamie Harrington, Elana Johnson, Casey McCormick, Shannon Messenger, Lisa and Laura Roecker, and Jennifer Stayrook for providing this astonishing opportunity for all writers. And another BIG thank you to all the agents, editors, authors, and industry professionals who shared their expertise and knowledge. For FREE. This is truly an incredible community!

Inspiration

• Writers, Authority, and The Keith Hernandez Rule [Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent] It's important for writers to build their audiencebefore they try to break all the rules.
• Literary karma [Dystel & Goderich Literary Management] Novelist Matt Platt shares his epiphaniespost-publication.
• What Do You Mean My Hero Isn’t Sexy Enough? [Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent] Camille Eide likens her agent-requested revisionsto the Five Stages of Grief.
• From Self-Published Author to 3-Book Deal: The Story of Kiera Cass [There Are No Rules] Yay, @KieraCass! We're thrilled for her success!
• How I Got My Agent: Christa Allen [Guide to Literary Agents] 'The journey has been a series of connecting the dots,with sometimes a thin thread leading me from one to the other.'
• The End of All Our Exploring: The Journey of Narrative [Ingrid's Notes] How to estrange your readers in a GOOD way to make magic in yournovels.
• The fine art of ego management [Writer Unboxed] Techniques for keeping yourself in check as success comes yourway.
• Becoming A Career Author by literary agent Catherine Drayton [Lisa and Laura Write] Have a serious mentor, know your strengths, and keep learning.
• Museunication: Understanding Your Muse (as told to Robyn Chausse by Sprite Bobbins)[WOW! Women On Writing Blog] People think their muse isn't talking to them, butusually they're just not listening.
• REJECTION REVISITED [Jill Corcoran Books] 'Deal with it and move on!'
• What Will You Sacrifice? [Re:Focus] 'There is no sacrifice when the pursuit, the journey, is as rewardingif not more rewarding than the end result.' @janefriedman
• Monday Quote Day! [Wavy Lines] Quotes for writers about writing. Fabulous!
• No, Wait. THIS is the best idea I've ever had! [Creepy Query Girl] Great list of 1st person present POV novels, tips, and someinspiration to boot. Via @CreepyQueryGirl.
• Guest Blogger Shannon O'Farrell: Obsessive Love [The Character Therapist] Plot and character fodder from the Character Therapist.
• 5 Ways to Crisp up your Writing. [.W.I.P. It] Inspiration to tape to your computer.
• The World is Talking...Are You Listening? [Maurissa Guibord] Magical pics and a reminder that you have to look and listenfor inspiration.
• Smiling Makes You Happy - Bob Sutton [bobsutton.typepad.com] via @Doallas - Smiling MAKES you happy and frowning doesn't.Try it!
• It is never the right time. [Claire King] No excuses. Submit when your ms is ready and then start on your newWIP.
• Writing on the Move [The Kill Zone] Tips to help you make the most of flying time by using it to write.
• Classroom Talk » Blog Archive » Summer Fun: Poetry for Kids! [Inspiration» BlogArchive » Summer Fun: Poetry for Kids!] [classroomtalk.com]

Craft

• Should Your Novel be First Person? [Advanced Fiction Writing Blog] When to use first person and how much internal dialogueis too much.
• Tip Thursday [Angels and Demons and Portals. Oh My!] Great resource courtesy of J.A. Souders.
• Walking, Chewing Gum, and Fiction Writing [Advanced Fiction Writing Blog] 'The five main tools that you have at your disposalfor writing scenes in your novel.'
• I Hear Voices (Well Actually, I Listen For Them) [GotYA] 'If you read something and it can only be that character talking, that’svoice.'
• Conflict [GENREALITY] Defining it, crafting it, and ensuring it's in every scene.
• Skip the Boring Parts [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] How to cut the blah from your WIP.
• Protagonist IQ [Mystery Writing is Murder] Equip your MC with a sense of humor, a good vocabulary,and the ability to learn from their mistakes.
• WriteOnCon: Bringing the Funny [Literary Rambles] Keep your jokes consistent and make sure they're actually funny.
• He Said, She Said [Pimp My Novel] Dialog tags are generally distracting, especially when used incorrectly.
• Braincandy for Writers: Post #4 [The Bookshelf Muse] The BEST links for writers: non-verbal dictionary, world-building& more!
• Does Your Novel Suffer From Flat Writing? [C. Patrick Schulze - Author of Born to be Brothers] Five tips to overcome dullwriting.
• How to Start Your Mystery Novel [Guide to Literary Agents] Tips for opening ANY novel successfully.
• Braincandy for Writers: Post #3 [The Bookshelf Muse] Angela rounds up some cool links for writers to explore.
• Act First, Explain Later [The Blood-Red Pencil] 12 dos and don’ts for making the first page of your novelmore compelling.
• Devious Plots part 5: More plot store! [Dancing with Dragons is Hard on Your Shoes.] Possible plot scenarios- part 5 of6.
• The Language of the Senses [edittorrent] 'Pay attention to the way you're using language to evoke a sense onthe page.'
• Writing: How to create deep, vibrant characters within a story? [But Enough About Me!] Show chararacterization and don't contradict by telling toavoid losing readers. Via @Jolina_Joy.
• Devious Plots part 6: Plot store, final sale! [Dancing with Dragons is Hard on Your Shoes.] 11 more plots with roadmaps. WOW!
• How To Write The Ending Of Your Novel [The Creative Penn] 7 ways to ensure your resolution rocks, plus links, tips, andmore. Via @thecreativepenn.
• The wrinkle shield [White Platonic Dreams] An easy system for keeping track of novel revisions.
• 10 Top Novel Writing Mistakes [C. Patrick Schulze - Author of Born to be Brothers] From weak characterizationto POV errors, are you avoiding these mistakes?
• Foreshadowing a Villain Without Giving It Away [Superhero Nation: how to write superhero novels, comic books and graphic novels]5 ways to temporarily white-wash a villain and jump start your plotting.
• How to Use Details to Suspend Disbelief [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] Pile on specific, concrete details ofsetting to help ease readers through unrealistic action.
• The lying art of historical fiction | Books | guardian.co.uk [www.guardian.co.uk] Some is necessary, but it must be subtle and convincing. Makethe drama meaningful. (Via @ElizabethCraig)
• 5 Steps to Dazzling Minor Characters [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] 5 ways to lift your supporting cast offthe page.
• Special Guest Post: Chérie l'Ecrivain On Coincidences [The Rejectionist] Coincidences in real life are inevitable. In fiction they areunsatisfying unless you make them believable. Remember your MC must make thingshappen.
• The Trouble with Dialogue – Part 4 [Write Anything] Read it aloud, show don't tell, edit out the dull stuff, use actionbeats, limit slang and accent, and let your characters speak for themselves. Goodtips!

Self-Editing

• When Editing Doesn’t Work [.W.I.P. It] Keep moving, abandon ship, accept it, or come back later.
• Edit! Edit! EDIT! [Kiersten Writes] Kiersten encourages writers to print out a hard copy and readit out loud.
• Re-Write Wednesday: Where Was I Going Again? [The Other Side of the Story] 'Doing a fresh read helps spot story shifts and remindsyou of the story arc.'
• The Revision Process, Part Three by author Cynthea Liu [Shannon Whitney Messenger] Go through revision in 5 manageable steps instead ofendless cycles.
• The Revision Process, Part Two by Cynthea Liu [Shannon Whitney Messenger] 9 tips to help you evaluate the STORY in your manuscript.Great stuff!
• Guest Blogger Jim Warner on Editing [QueryTracker.net] It turns out that good writing is just really good editing.
• Craft Issue: Revision Checklists [Through The Wardrobe] Use this handy list of items to hunt for as you revise.
• Revision--How Do You See Your Own Writing from a Different Viewpoint? [How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book] A different psychological approach to revision.
• Take care of your verbs, and they’ll take care of you [Write Anything] Remove unnecessary "was" and "had been" verbs from your ms to increasepower and immediacy.
• Italics again [edittorrent] Debate about italics vs underline in mss. Courier only, right?
• 7 Links That Will Make Editing Your Work Easier [www.publetariat.com] Good resources if you're about to start revising or flouderingto get your revisions done.
• Extreme Makeover: Novel Edition [Between Fact and Fiction] Plan out your revision instead of pantsing it to savetime and energy for the work itself.
• SELF-EDITING - MY GUIDE [Help! I Need a Publisher!] Excellent 4-stage strategy plus additional tips. I'meager to try the text-to-voice software suggestion.
• The Truth About Typos [www.publetariat.com] How much time do you spend looking for typos? Statistically,they are going to win. Don't stress over it. Just do your best.
• Revision Readiness Kit [YA Highway] Chocolate, eye drops, tunes, red pens, level head, magical time stoppingmachine. Wait. Where do we sign up for that last one?
• Editing Your Novel: High Level Story Read Through [The Creative Penn] 1st rev look at back story, consistency, pov, scenes & plot,settings. Think back to what made you passionate about the story enough to wantto write it, and make sure that is really the novel you have written.

Critiquing

• The Query Critique Group [* Fiction Groupie *] People who haven't read your story should crit your query.
• Sharing Your Work [Cornell DeVille - from writer to author] Two websites where you can post your workand receive feedback.
• Generatedfeed for "http://writeforyourlife.net/" [http://writeforyourlife.net/ Google feed] Be specific, stick to the format, dialogue,stay positive, be brief, and remember it's one opinion.
• How to Critique Fiction by Victory Crayne [www.crayne.com] Checklist plus procedures and tips for critiquing. Fabulous!
• Coffee & Critique Writers Group: How To Critique Fiction for Fellow WritersPart I Eight Tips on Critiquing [coffeeandcritique.blogspot.com]

Contests

• Website Launch Celebration Giveaway! [Written In Lipstick] Amy Holder celebrates the launch of her author website withAmazon gift cards and an ARC giveaway!
• Richelle Mead signing and Vampire Academy Giveaway! [Candace's Book Blog] Chance to win signed copy of VAMPIRE ACADEMY ends August 31st!
• GIVEAWAY: THE TRUE STORY OF HANSEL AND GRETEL [Finding My Muse] Contest runs through August 31st!
• Win an ARC of Crescendo & Support Literacy [Kid Lit Frenzy] Contest closes August 23rd!
• Who's YOUR Match? [The Michelle Show] Michele gives away four different ARCs!
• Book Giveaway on new HipWriterMama blog!!! [HipWriterMama] Win a copy of TELL ME A SECRET! @VLeeMahoney
• Giveaway: The Queen's Daughter [WORD for Teens] Chance to win Susan Coventry's book!
• Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer Giveaway! [Candace's Book Blog] Chance to win many books on pre-order!
• Win a copy of Girl Saves Boy! [Steph Bowe's Hey! Teenager of the Year] Steph Bowe generously gives away her ownbook!
• August Book Giveaway! [Writer Musings] Chance to win HALO and THIEF EYES!
• ARC Giveaway on 21 Pages!! [Writers' Ally aka ➔ sa larsenッ] Check out this amazing giveaway!
• Giveaway: Unraveled & The Exiled Queen [WORD for Teens] TWO sequel ARCs up for grabs!
• Summer Lovin' Giveaway!! [Reading, Writing and Waiting] Win THE SUMMER OF SKINNY DIPPING by Amanda Howells.Enter by 8/31.
• **TWITTER COMPETITION** Win 2 Signed Sets of GREEK BEASTS & HEROES [Scribble City Central] Giveaway to celebrate all 12 books now being out!
• Writing Contest: The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare [Novel Novice] What would your fav character Tweet? Enter by 8/31.
• Contest Monday! [Sisters in Scribe] Contest round-up with several arc give-aways listed. Don't missout!
• La Lame de Déchirures; or, FLESH & BONE Anthology Give-Away! [Contestséchirures;or, FLESH & BONE Anthology Give-Away!] [The Sharp Angle] Post a comment to win one of two copies by August 20th!

To Market

• The McIntyre Agency [Dark Angel Fiction Writing Blog] New agency alert!
• Agent Spotlight: Steven Chudney [Literary Rambles] He's seeking PBs (author/illustrators only) through YA (no fantasy/sci-fi),and select adult works.
• Five Simple Things Agents Can Do To Make Writers' Lives Easier (and Three ThingsWriters Should Do Regardless) [Guide to Literary Agents] Wouldn't it be nice if every agent did these things?
• Individualizing the Query [BookEnds, LLC — A Literary Agency] 'The most important part of the query is theblurb, the part that tells the agent about your book, the part that grabs her attentionand makes her want to read more.'
• Bowker Introduces Manuscript Submissions Service [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Upload your ms for agents and editors to scan.
• Lessons from Queryfest [* Fiction Groupie *] DO NOT skip this post if it's all you do today. Excellentquery tips from Roni.
• Should You Send a Slew? [Kidlit.com] When querying, send only your strongest, most marketable project. Neverquery multiple projects at once.
• Question from a Writer [Babbles from Scott Eagan] Doing logline, query and 3-5 page synopsis early cankeep your story on track as you write. Don't query unfinished fiction unless youhave a track record.
• Tip Tuesday #49 [Literary Rambles] 3 easy steps to eliminate query bloopers and get your lettersready to send.
• Ten things not to do if you want to get published [The Kill Zone] From suggesting an idea for the cover of your book to skipping betareaders, what you DON'T want to do.
• Publisher Interviews: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary Agency [YA Highway] She's seeking dark YA, clever-concept thrillers, paranormal, mysteries,love stories, and commercial/contemporary MG.
• Golden Oldies: Know When to Hold 'Em [The Other Side of the Story] The signs that it's time to call it quits with yourmanuscript.
• Firing an Agent [BookEnds, LLC — A Literary Agency] What to do when you and your agent come to acrossroads.
• Query question [edittorrent] 'How a query to an editor will differ from a query to an agent.'
• Terms and Definitions Every Writer Should Know [Magical Words] Every writer should familiarize themselves with this mini-dictionary.
• Writers: should your book be an app? [Time to Write] David Carnoy's book goes from free book app. to hardcover.
• Query Bio Mistakes [Words from the Woods » Query Bio Mistakes] Fix them by introducing yourself simplyvia relevant information.
• New, free, online converter does ebooks [TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home] Includes options for Kindle, ePub, Mobipocketand more. Via @JaneFriedman.
• Wanted - Career Writers: Why editors are not looking for one hit wonders [Babbles from Scott Eagan] Learn your craft, build your leadership, and set yourgoals.
• Query Recap [BookEnds, LLC — A Literary Agency] Literary agent explains why she rejected 30out of the 33 queries in her inbox.
• What to Ask an Agent [Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent] Questions that are appropriate to ask ONLY ifan agent has offered you representation.
• Some Words of Advice to Dorchester Authors [www.publetariat.com] If you are self-pubbed, out-of-print, or interested in e-books,read this!
• Easy Steps to Writing a Synopsis [Dark Angel Fiction Writing Blog] Synopsis construction in 5 relatively simple steps.Good reminder to focus on motivation, conflict and goals in the first paragraph,and use action, reaction, and decision in relating the main body leading to thecrisis and resolution.
• #168 [Query Shark] What not to do in a query letter--and why you shouldn't do it.
• Pitching beyond plot [edittorrent] 11 tips to survive the in-person conference pitch. Plus a link tohelp you develop it.
• Interview with YA agent, Mary Kole [Dark Angel Fiction Writing Blog] She stops reading manuscripts that lack voiceand character. Plotting and structure are easier to fix. Believes 99% of ms shereceives aren't ready.
• Top 20 Picture Book Agents in Publishers Marketplace [writingforchildren.suite101.com] Ranked in order of number of PBs sold in last12 mos.

After the Sale

• Ten Things to Consider AFTER Your First Book Deal... [Hilary Wagner] Excellent advice on dealing with what comes after the sale.
• Author Media Kits: 12 Things to Include & Making a Great First Impression| Self Publishing Team | Duolit [selfpublishingteam.com] Excellent one-stop solution for preparing the kit.
• 5 Ways to Use Book Trailers to Drive Sales [There Are No Rules] Once you've made a book trailer, these 5 strategies will promoteyour book even more.
• 8 Secrets for Getting into Bookstores [Author Marketing Experts, Inc. » BLOG] Practical tips for getting in the trenchesto market your book.
• Planning a Book Tour [Mystery Writing is Murder] Excellent tips for maximizing your book tour, and minimizingcosts.
• Leverage Relationships to Sell More Books [Writers in the Sky E-zine] Develop and maintain relationships to promote your book.
• Jill Alexander and Michael Bourret: Your Manuscript is Ready, But are You? [Afterthe Sale] [The Official SCBWI Conference Blog] What happens between the contract and booklaunch. Eye-opening presentation!
• From freemium to paid: the new marketing model [Time to Write] Use digital publishing to sell your hardcover.
• Top Twenty-Six Places Where Your Book Should Be [The LL Book Review] Strategic places to send your book to make it a success.
• How To Plan A Virtual Book Launch Party [ezinearticles.com] A web site, evites, guestbooks & social media promos canjumpstart a launch. Great tips via @LM_Preston.

Twitter, Blogging & Social Media

• Your Online Presence Can't Just Be a Gimmick (Or: Using Twitter Meaningfully WhileUnpublished) [There Are No Rules] Johanna Harness shares how #amwriting has changed her writinglife and where she's headed.
• The Ten Commandments of Blogging (Rerun) [Pimp My Novel] One of the hardest to stick by- 'Thou shalt have no other blogsbefore me.'
• LET'S TALK ABOUT VOICE [Grab a Pen] No one wants to read cardboard. Bring out your personality in yourblogging and all your writing.
• How To Improve Your Blog: Lessons Learned From The Problogger Event [The Creative Penn] Joanna shares lessons she's learned along the way, and divulgesthat the secret is to keep going.
• Common Excuses For Not Using Social Media [Author, Jody Hedlund] For writers pursuing publication, these excuses are commonlyheard and can be overcome.
• Setting up a Blog for the Technologically Challenged, Part II [Enter the Between] Step-by-step directions for creating a blog post and publishingit.
• Tight Writing for Good Tweets [The Blood-Red Pencil] The art of quantifying your point in 140 characters or less.
• Top 10 Ways Authors Can Use Twitter [www.publetariat.com] Twitter can help you promote, network, get answers, and more.
• Women in Publishing Twitter Directory [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] The female publishers, book reviewers, editors, andagents you should be following.
• Rhizome | SelfControl (2009) - Steve Lambert [rhizome.org] Need more writing time? One click tool to block social media likeemail, twitter, facebook and other distractions.
• Do's and Don't's of Twitter [Heather's Odyssey] Authors, use twitter to improve your platform without damagingyour reputation.
• Interview On BlogCastFM On Why I Blog, Traffic Building And Making Money From TheBlog [The Creative Penn] @TheCreativePenn shares her lessons learned on blogging andmore.
• Guest Post: Myra McEntire Talks Fictional Friends [YA Highway] Beautiful post about sharing through social media.
• Why an Online Presence Can Help Every Kind of Writer [Author, Jody Hedlund] Even if we’re writing picture books, early readers, or middlegrade, online success can come when we use social media outlets effectively.
• Battle of Consistency: Don’t Pull the Plug on Your Community [Blogussion] How to keep projects, passions, and expansion from letting down yourcommunity.
• Social Media: Friend or Foe? [Angels and Demons and Portals. Oh My!] Excellent review of pros, cons, and optionsfor aspiring authors. Via @jasouders.
• How and Why to Use Twitter Hashtags [compukol.com] Help others find tips and info of interest to them in your tweets.Via @heisberger

Issues & Trends

• Writing Contest Tips for Writers [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Not all advice is obvious when entering a writing contest.
• Contemplating New Models [edittorrent] Why a model like Netflix for ebooks is not as simple as it seems.
• How Stieg Larsson Changed One UK Publishing House [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Quercus goes from having to prove itself to managinga blockbuster.
• My Way or YA? [Dystel & Goderich Literary Management] The YA boom lies in great storytellingand fresh perspective.
• McNally Jackson Books Will Introduce Espresso Book Machine [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Must-see video shows the machine that can print a bookin minutes.
• Should Pubbed Authors Go to Conferences? [Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent] There are many reasons to attend a conference– even if you already have an agent and/or a publisher.
• Trends in YA [Oasis for YA] Paying attention to these hot trends in YA culture will help youin believable writing.
• Stephenie Meyer's White Twilight Christmas [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Limited edition white background covers to be released.
• Video Games Top Amazon Kindle Store's Free "Bestseller" List [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] The top 2 free downloads are games. And we thoughtthe Kindle was for reading.
• Camden, N.J., saves its libraries [Jacket Copy] For now. Libraries facing budget cuts consider drastic measures.
• So many books in the world [Combreviations] There are 129,864,880 books in the world, according to Google.How'd they count?
• YA genres 101: Cool stuff you won’t learn in school [Novel Novice] Fantastic descriptions for each of the YA genres!
• In Defense of YA-Reading Adults [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Take off those sunglasses and wigs when you're visitingthat YA aisle!
• July 2010 Print Edition of GalleyCat Reviews [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Read reviews, essays, round-ups, recommendations, links,and Twitter directories in a single document.
• Amazon Adds Free Kindle Video Games; Will Anybody Play? [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Jazzing up the Kindle with games- do readers care?
• SPR interviews Mark Coker of Smashwords [Self-Publishing Review] Insight into the change we're experiencing and where Smashwordsis heading.
• Chris Abani's 'Graceland' removed from Florida reading list [Jacket Copy] Brutal violence and sexual torture scene raise parental eyebrows.
• The Other 5 BS Indicators for Writers Conferences [A. Victoria Mixon, Editor] 'These people are trouble not just for you, the attendees,but also for those presenters who really are prepared.
• Dorchester Publishing Switches to eBook & Print-on-Demand Model [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Recap of links and announcements about the decision.
• The Death of (Another) Format [Pimp My Novel] Are mass-market pbs more likely to die than hardcovers?
• Cory Doctorow places DRM-free e-books with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo;Apple and Sony hold out [TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home] He rebels when DRM stops protecting content creatorsand copyright owners in favor of business interests. Anyone else think DRM lawsneed to change?
• First Person Present the New HOT thing in YA?? [Reading, Writing and Waiting] Recent work is changing up perspectives. Annie raisesa point I've noticed--and enjoyed.
• SELLING OUT? [Help! I Need a Publisher!] Does commercial writing = lesser writing?
• What you don't see [Janet Reid, Literary Agent] 90% of an agent's day has nothing to do with readingqueries or manuscripts, attending conferences and book signings, handling reviews,blogging, or participating in contests.
• Feminist Sci-Fi; Links [Cynical, Ornery, Sublime, Lush . . .] Follow the links in this piece. Amazing!
• Reading In Color: My Letter to Borders [blackteensread2.blogspot.com]
• Essay - The Kids’ Books Are All Right - NYTimes.com [www.nytimes.com] Young adult fiction is one of the few areas of literature rightnow where storytelling really thrives.
• THE DORCHESTER BOMBSHELL—How Does it Affect You? [Anne R. Allen's Blog] Can you say lawsuit? The DB move to e-book only publishingmeans authors get an 8-10% royalty on paperback prices, but if they'd self-pubbedthey'd be getting 70%. What do you think?

Congrats

• RWA Nationals and My Contest Win! [* Fiction Groupie *] Congrats Roni! Her manuscript won FIRST PLACE in PassionateInk's Stroke of Midnight contest!!!
• ITS OFFICIAL! [Diary of an Unpublished Wanna-Be Writer] Julie's signed contract is in the mail!Hooray!
• congratulations to kirsten! and miscellany [allyson condie] Kirsten Miller’s THE ETERNAL ONES releases!
• We Interupt this Writing Blog for a Special Announcement [Where Fantasy and Love Take Flight] Congrats Nicole on baby Anthony David!
• Pop the Cork on the Champagne, BABY! [Write-Brained] Congrats, Christina for landing an agent. We're raising our glassesin salute!
• It's a brand new book from THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS! [Texas Sweethearts] Congrats to Jo Whittemore on the fun cover for ODD GIRL IN (Aladdin,March 2011). Looks great!
• Emily's Surprising Voyage, and where ideas come from: Sue Purkiss [An Awfully Big Blog Adventure] Sue Purkiss' new book was released last week byWalker Books.

Just for Smiles

• The Cafe Writer's Dilemma: How to Choose a Lavatory Lookout [YA Highway] OMG, who can't relate to this?
• QP PRESENTS: 5 WORDS GUARANTEED TO GET YOU THE BOOK DEAL [Grab a Pen] Only Tahereh would come up with this.
• Vampire ABCs [Paranormal Point of View] Lisa is a poet and we didn't even know it!
• Road Trip Wednesday #40: Your Character's Skivvies [YA Highway] What does your character hide in their underwear drawer - or othersecret location?
• Do You Suffer From One of These Writing Maladies? [Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent] Ever had the Yoda Effect or The Old Spice GuyEffect?
• Bookstore Cats Profiled in Newspaper [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Read about 8 cats that live in bookstores.
• Twilight Saga Spoofed in Vampires Suck [mediabistro.com: GalleyCat] Okay, I laughed. Jacob, shirt, in the contract. Andmuch more.
• 10 ways to rid yourself of the I-am-unpublished-and-everything-sucks-and-I-hate-the-worldslump. [Jade hears voices] Jade's creativity and sense of humor come together in a perfectblend of you've-gotta-see-this.
• QUERYPOLITAN AUGUST 2010 [Grab a Pen] The cover arrives with plenty of ha-has."
• YA Fantasy Showdown [Literary Rambles] Reminder to vote as your favorite MCs duke it out against eachother.
• Worst Query WINNER is... [Bekah's Stories] Congrats to Trisha Leaver for a hilarious spoof!
• Infographic of the Day: Flowtown updates xkcd’s legendary... [The Daily What]
• B&N is for sale (or: If I were a rich man….) [The New Sleekness] One can dream.