Blogging 101

When I first started blogging I had no idea what other bloggers, publicists or authors expectations were of me. I am still somewhat confused but here is a document that summarises the thoughts of all these people in terms of Blog Etiquette. I contacted over forty authors and bloggers to get these suggestions and they are a great starting (or refresher) spot. A Guide to YA Blogging

Kristi from Story Siren has posted a number of helpful ideas on getting your head around YA review blogging - where to start and what to avoid.

Books Read in 2009

February
Vampire Academy / Richelle Mead
Crossing the Line / Dianne Bates
Going Too Far - Jennifer Echols
Frenemies - Alexa Young
Red: Teenage Girls in America Write What Fires Up ...
Paper Towns - John Green
Cracked Up To Be / Courtney Summers
Boofheads - Mo Johnson
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side / Beth ...
3 Willows / Ann Brashares

March
How to Ditch Your Fairy / Justine Larbalestier
Samurai Kids: White Crane / Sandy Fussell
Vampire Academy: Shadow Kiss / Richelle Mead
Vampire Academy: Frostbite / Richelle Mead
The Ice Cream Man / Jenny Mounfield
The One and Only / Sophie McKenzie
The Thirteen Treasures / Michelle Harrison
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks /...
City of Glass / Cassandra Clare
How I Live Now / Meg Rosoff
The Beginner's Guide for Living / Lia Hills
The Earth, My Butt & Other BIG Round Things / Caro...
A Great and Terrible Beauty / Libba Bray
Vegan Virgin Valentine / Carolyn MacklerA Year In Girl Hell: Crushed / Meredith Costain
The Hunger Games / Suzanne Collins
All We Know of Love / Nora Raleigh Baskin
Perfect You / Elizabeth Scott
Ten Mile River / Paul Griffin
Stealing Heaven / Elizabeth Scott

April
I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone / Stephanie Kuehnert
Guyaholic / Carolyn Mackler
All We Know of Love / Nora Raleigh Baskin
Perfect You / Elizabeth Scott
Evernight / Claudia Gray
The Lucky Ones / Tohby Riddle
The Forest of Hands and Teeth / Carrie Ryan
Tattoo / Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Top 8 / Katie Finn
Evermore / Alyson Noel
The Good Daughter / Amra Pajalic
Cindy Ella / Robin Palmer
Fate / Jennifer Lynn Barnes
13 Little Blue Envelopes / Maureen Johnson
Sisters in Sanity / Gayle Forman
Crime Time: Australians Behaving Badly / Sue Bursz...
Operation RR: Beach House (RL Stine)
Operation RR: Ten Idol (Meg Cabot)
Skim / Mariko & Jillian Tamaki
What Would Emma Do / Eileen Cook
Shrinking Violet / Danielle Joseph

May
Loathing Lola / William Kostakis
Posse / Kate Welshman
Something More / Mo Johnson
Pearl Verses The World / Sally Murphy
My Extraordinary Life and Death / Doug MacLeod
Surprise / Karen Andrews
Review - A Brief History of Montmaray / Michelle C...
Town / James Roy
Review: Keeper / Mal Peet
Stinky Squad / DC Green
Siggy and Amber / Doug MacLeod

June
Review - Bloodflower / Christine Hinwood
*Review - Eyes Like Stars / Lisa Mantchev
Review - Zombie Queen of Newbury High / Amanda Ash...
*Review - Letters to Leonardo / Dee White
*Review - Wings / Aprilynne Pike
Review - Being Nikki / Meg Cabot
Review - Strange Angels / Lili St. Crow
Review - Vulture's Gate / Kirsty Murray
*Review - It's Yr Life / Tempany Deckert & Tristan ...
*Review - Song of the Sparrow / Lisa Ann Sandell
Review - Lucy Zeezou's Goal / Liz Deep-Jones
*Review - Fairest Of Them All / Jan Blazanin
Review - My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters /...
Review - Sweethearts / Sara Zarr
Review - Stargazer / Claudia Gray
Review - What Supergirl Did Next / Thalia Kalkipsa...
*Review - The Off Season / Catherine Gilbert Murdoc...
Review - Dairy Queen / Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Review - Prophecy of the Sisters / Michelle Zink
Review - Wicked Lovely / Melissa Marr

July
Review - Princess Ben / Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Review - Raw Blue / Kirsty Eagar
*Review - The Book of Luke / Jenny O'Connell
Review - Suite Scarlett / Maureen Johnson
Review - Beastly / Alex Flinn
Review - Pink / Lili Wilkinson
*Review - Saltwater Moons / Julie Gittus
*Review - Knife / RJ Anderson
Review - After / Sue Lawson
*Review - The Demon's Lexicon / Sarah Rees Brennan
Review - Lovestruck Summer / Melissa Walker
Review - Beautiful Creatures / Kami Garcia & Marga...

August
Review - Into the Wild Nerd Yonder / Julie Halpern
Review - Hollywood Ending / Kathy Charles
*Review - Little Bird / Penni Russon
*Review - Outside In / Chrissie Keighery
*Review - Once A Witch / Carolyn MacCullough
Review - The Poison Throne / Celine Kiernan
Review - The Ask and the Answer / Patrick Ness
Review - The Knife of Never Letting Go / Patrick N...
Review - Blood Promise / Richelle Mead
Review - The Eternal Kiss / Ed. Trish Telep
Review - Beatle Meets Destiny / Gabrielle Williams
*Review - The Agency: A Spy in the House / YS Lee

September

Meeting Melina Marchetta

Imagine you are sitting at a bookstore listening to your favourite author talk about her soon-to-be published book and her current WIP. You are among many people, surprisingly more men than you'd thought, all gazing at her intently and then a bizarrely fitting (but very inappropriate) song breaks the quiet of the room....

Believe it or not, I’m walking on air.
I never thought I could feel so free.
Flying away on a wing and a prayer.
Who could it be?
Believe it or not it’s just me.

...And believe it or not, it was my stupid phone. I seem destined to draw attention to myself at book events but never for positive reasons :P

Despite the red blush that crept quickly over my face, Melina made some quick comment about my great choice in music and moved on. She's THAT nice.

Like I have said many times before, I read Looking for Alibrandi when I was 11 years old and immediately fell in love. My original copy looks like it's been left outside for a month as it's been read and lugged around so much. Saving Francesca came out when I hit my twenties and then came the delightfully intense Jellicoe Road four years later and Finnikin of the Rock last year (2010 in the US). I wave my Melina pom-poms proudly but I have never met her...until yesterday.

When I started this blog back in January, my aim was to eventually interview Melina and that wish came true a few months in. I then shamelessly upgraded to wanting to hug her...if she'd let me. Yesterday I got my wish - turns out MM's a hugger!

Meeting Melina was fantastic, I had her all to myself for a hour but it wasn't an interview and so I will keep the specifics of the conversation to myself. Though I will say that I had a brilliant time talking about subjects like West Wing addiction, YA awards, both being English teachers (she was one until 3 years ago), great YA blog reviews and Australian YA in general.

At the bookstore appearance she read a part of her short story called 12 Minutes that details the further adventures of Tom Mackee and Tara Finke from Saving Francesca. Her next novel is called The Piper's Son (March 2010, Penguin Aust.) and the short story is encompassed within it - that's right, it's a sequel! Melina also briefly discussed her work on Froi's story (companion to Finnikin of the Rock) and the progress on the Jellicoe Road script (yep, there might be a movie). It was all kinds of exciting. (Sidenote - Watch the blog because I am going to get my hands on the anthology that contains Melina's 12 Minutes and have a competition!)

Melina is returning to fair Adelaide next month and I'll get to talk to her again. She's enthusiastically recommended Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver to read so I am ripping into that one pronto. We also chatted about the greatness of Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), how much she enjoyed Just Listen (Sarah Dessen) and that Bloodflower (Christine Hinwood) made her cry.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done!

:)

PS Do you know the song? Your awesomeness rides on your answer!

Interview - Lisa Ann Sandell (Song of the Sparrow)

The gifted Lisa Ann Sandell is back again! Song of the Sparrow is a remarkable novel that was published in 2007 - it follows the journey of Elaine as she follows the men in her life in their battles. Integrating Arthurian lore with some of our favourite characters (Lancelot, Arthur, etc), this novel is beautifully written in verse, winding delicately around one's imagination.

Why free verse?
I tried to write this in prose. Really, I did. But I kept having trouble with the voice. Then, one day, "Motherless, sisterless," just sort of came into my head, and I knew, right away, that this was Elaine's voice and that she wanted to tell her story in a song or poem. As I thought about it, the verse just started to seem right. Organic to the time and very organic to her story and voice. Sometimes it let me hear the war drums, other times the bird song, and other times still, the murmuring of the river. I tend to think in pictures and scents and sounds, and free verse lends itself quite nicely to that method of thought and writing.

I first heard about Elaine from watching (then reading) Anne of Green Gables as a kid. When did you first learn about Elaine of Ascolat?
I first heard about Elaine of Ascolat (or Astolat) when I read and watched Anne of Green Gables, too! It's remarkable--since I wrote Song of the Sparrow, lots of people have told me that they learned of Elaine's story from Anne of Green Gables, as well. But, when I got older and saw John William Waterhouse's 1888 painting of the Lady of Shalott, I became obsessed. I remember rounding a corner in the Tate gallery about ten years ago and coming face to face with this luminous, beautiful, totally compelling woman whose face told her whole story. She was doomed to die. That was it, I couldn't stop thinking (and reading) about her. Then writing about her....

When writing, how difficult is it to remember not to write your protagonist as a modern girl in a historical setting?
I think that as a modern writer, it's hard not to take certain liberties frequently. Didn't Harold Bloom claim that psychology didn't exist in literature prior to Shakespeare? Well, I'm not sure how given to interior monologue people living in the dark ages were, but I think it's pretty essential to crafting a truly engaging, character-driven story. Moreover, because we know so little about this period of history, I'm not even sure if Elaine's situation would have been possible. So, while I was able to always keep the setting in mind as I wrote Song of the Sparrow, and I really believe that I told a story that is true to the character, I might have taken some license with some of the treatment in the spirit of spinning a good story that would resonate with readers today.

I have always found Gwynivere to be a rather uninspiring character in Arthurian legend, I loved your take on her. Why the initial 'mean girl' approach?
Gwynivere has always struck me as a pretty unlikable character in this mythology; however the love triangle that she inspires is super interesting, and of course it has extremely significant and tragic consequences. I could never understand why Gwynivere cheated on Arthur. He's so GOOD. As I began writing Song of the Sparrow, I could only surmise that she was vain and given to superficiality. This set her up in direct opposition to Elaine and also made for great tension between her and Elaine. Yet, as I wrote Gwynivere, she became more layered and complex in my mind--especially as the crappiness of being used as a political bargaining chip and of essentially being bartered into an arranged marriage to a stranger, became evident. Then I started to empathize with her and really feel bad about her lot. So, I, too, sort of took a journey along with Gwyn as she matures in the story.

One of the aspects of the novel that I love so much is the relationship between Elaine and her brothers. How difficult was that to write authentically for men and for the time?
Oooh, this is a great question! I hadn't written historical before, and writing male characters is a challenge for me. The men in Song of the Sparrow are all soldiers, fighting men. I know men who have had to serve in the military and I thought about the realities they faced and the various ways in which they approach the concept of war--with grim acceptance, dread, horror, enthusiasm, sensitivity. War spins a whole complicated web of emotions and it was fascinating to sort of thread my way through it and really explore what it might mean to have to fight. One thing war isn't is new. It's one of the very oldest and most fundamental facts of human existence, and so, surprisingly, the fact that my story was historical actually made writing about men and war easier, I think, because I didn't have to teach myself about all of the details of contemporary warfare.

What is your favourite on screen depiction of Arthur and the story of Camelot?
I think it's the Sean Connery movie, First Knight. With Richard Gere as Lancelot. Yum.
Can you tell us about the juicy morsel you are working on at the moment? Well, it's still in a pretty early stage, so I don't want to reveal too much, but I'll just say this...it's going to be something totally new and different for me. I'm venturing into a genre that I've never tried before--still YA--but I think it'll be really exciting for me as a writer and hopefully for readers, as well.

Thank you so much, Adele! Answering your questions has been tremendous fun!

Thank YOU Lisa!

Lisa has a number of novels published - The Weight of the Sky (2006), Song of the Sparrow (2007) and A Map of the Known World (2009) and a contributor to 21 Proms, all which you should definitely pick up when stalking your local bookstores.

Review - The Queen of Cool / Cecil Castellucci

Summary - On the outside, Libby Brin is the most popular girl in school. She has the coolest friends, the hottest boyfriend, the trendiest clothes, and the hippest parents. But on the inside, Libby is dying - of boredom. In a moment of desperation, Libby signs up for an internship at the L.A. Zoo, much to the dismay of her friends, who'd prefer she spend her time with them, shopping, partying, and making fun of everyone else. To Libby, the zoo gig seems like something, anything, different to do, even if it means she has to work with two nerds - Tina (aka "Tiny"), a little person and aspiring actress, and Sheldon, an introverted boy with a brilliant, inquiring mind. But what happens when Libby realizes she actually enjoys working at the zoo and may even like Tina and Sheldon? Will the QUEEN OF COOL be forced to give up her crown?

Review -Cecil Castellucci is an author that had only recently bleeped on the Persnickety Snark radar via the fantastic Beige. Queen of Cool falls into a trio of novels that Castelucci fondly calls her LA Trilogy though the books are independent of one another bar setting and girls realising they aren’t who they thought they were.

Castellucci is an author that is easy to gravitate and attach yourself to. She’s brilliant at telling contemporary fish-out-of-water teen tales. Considerably shorter than Beige, Queen of Cool tells Libby’s story. She’s one of those popular girls who is bored out of her vacant little brain. It’s not surprising that she’s bored when she’s apparently using 0.01% of her brain capacity to get her fellow students to follow stupid crazes ( e.g. pencil day, pyjamas day) just to inspire some spark in her life. So with little enthusiasm, Libby joins the Zoo’s intern program and is forced to spend time with Tina (a dwarf), Shelton (acne sufferer) and a myriad of exotic animals.

Unfortunately this small tome is a little forced. The “new” friends are at the extremes of teen society and Libby’s evolution comes across a little forced and simple. The conclusion of the book sees Libby about to make the jump to actually trying in her life. In a way this book is all about those signposts we have in life that change is necessary. Unfortunately there were a few too many signposts and not enough self-awareness in the character for me. Had this book been longer and contained more development with the secondary characters floating around it would have been more than a surface read.

Published: 2006

Format: Paperback, 176 pages

Publisher: Walker Books Australia

Origin: USA

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http://www.misscecil.com/

Persnickety Snark August Wrap Up

I officially bequeath August: The Month of the Flu. It hadn't been the greatest month for me in terms of reviews as I have been snot-logged (charming I know) with two separate bouts of the flu - what can I say? It loves me!

Statistics:
I have 187 followers.
I am proud of this as there are no "competition followers" in this list.

268 subscribers.

200+ unique visitors a day

Reviews: There are only twelve but I am reading many Inky titles that I am obviously unable to review at this time. About five of them are well over the 400 page mark too which meant more time and more arm muscles!
Review - Into The Wild Nerd Yonder / Julie Halpern...
Review - Hollywood Ending / Kathy Charles *
Review - Little Bird / Penni Russon *
Review - Outside In / Chrissie Keighery *
Review - Once A Witch / Carolyn MacCullough
Review - The Poison Throne / Celine Kiernan
Review - The Ask and the Answer / Patrick Ness
Review - The Knife of Never Letting Go / Patrick N...
Review - Blood Promise / Richelle Mead
Review - The Eternal Kiss / Ed. Trish Telep
Review - Beatle Meets Destiny / Gabrielle Williams... *
Review - The Agency: A Spy in the House / YS Lee
(* Australian and available for purchase)

Interviews:
Reader's Snapshot - Lisa Ann Sandell
Interview - Michelle Zink
Reader's Snapshot - Michelle Zink

Reader's Snapshot - Lisa Mantchev
Interview: Lisa Mantchev (Eyes Like Stars)
Reader's Snapshot - Kirsty Murray
Interview - Kirsty Murray
Eyes Like Stars Faeries Interview Adele
Interview: Richelle Mead (Blood Promise)

The Big Project:
A Guide to YA Blogging

Lovely discoveries:
West Wing - Seasons 1-5
Mad Men - Season 2
(No wonder very little got achieved.)

Reader's Snapshot - Lisa Ann Sandell

As many of you might be aware, I discovered Lisa Ann Sandell's Song of the Sparrow through Scholastic Book Club earlier this year. Published a few years back and written in free verse, this book is a rich exploration of the legend of Elaine of Ascolat, which was famously recreated by Anne of Green Gables by floating down a river in a boat. I loved this book enormously, so much I gave it a rapturous review and a rare unicorn rating (5/5). I am very lucky and inordinately pleased to have the author join me this week as a highlighted guest.

Now time for the not-so-patented Persnickety Snark reader's snapshot questions.

Which book is memorable from your teen years?

Well, I read this prior to my teen years, but A WRINKLE IN TIME is the book from my childhood/adolescence that stays with me the most; I have reread it often, as a teen and as an adult. I loved it and the first time I read it was the moment I figured out that things might be okay someday.

Describe your high school English teacher in three words...

Passionate, dedicated, fun

Your book of the moment?

Lyonesse: The Well Between the Worlds, which is an upper middle grade novel that I edited and with which I am wholly in love

What do you use to mark your page when reading?

I have a big collection of book marks. Some old leather ones that my grandmother gave me, a fabric one that I love because one side is corduroy and one side is silk that a friend made, a metal Dr. Seuss plate that I got a children's books event, and sometimes I just shove post-it notes in between the pages.

Favourite place to read?

On a bench in Riverside Park on the Upper West Side of New York City, overlooking the Hudson River

Favourite word?

Sneaked

Favourite book store?

Elliot Bay Book Co., in Seattle, Washington

Character you wish you had created?

King Arthur

Please come back later in the week to read Lisa's thoughts on writing Song of the Sparrow, her characters and the tasty qualities of Richard Gere.

Review - The Agency: A Spy in the House / YS Lee

Summary - This is a colourful, action-packed Victorian detective novel centred around the exploits of 'agent' Mary Quinn. At a young age, Mary is rescued from the gallows by a woman masquerading as a prison warden. She is taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. The school, Mary learns, is a front for a private investigation agency and, at 17, she is taken on as an agent. In her new role she is catapulted into the family home of the Thorolds to investigate the shady business dealings of Mr Thorold.

Review - Mary Lang is a character that is hard to get a hold of both literally and figuratively. She’s sitting on a secret that she’s never deluged to anyone, she’s working undercover for The Agency and she’s surrounded by individual with suspicious motives all around her. Most fascinating is that this is a life she has chosen for herself – one that she’s trained for and embraced. Lee’s presented the audience with a captivating glimpse at what may have been possible for young girls during the nineteenth century.

Set in the 1850s London the reader is presented with a unique predicament as the Thames befouled the city with a hideous odour. The summer heat combined with the many noxious things (human waste, dead animals, etc) dumped in the Thames River created the Great Stink, a facet of British history most people would be unfamiliar with.

Mary has been placed in the Thorold household as a means of discovering a link between many ships lost and a family’s wealth. It provides an interesting perspective on an orphaned girl’s situation of the time as well as the social politics that ruled every action. The introduction of James Easton brings fun to the seriousness of the investigation. They spark off each other wonderfully, the quips come hard and fast and it’s easy to feel the attachment they unintentionally feel for one another.

At times the procedural nature can slow the evolution of the plot down though anytime the protagonist speaks rectifies this situation. As this is the first in a series, further explanations on the running of The Agency and it’s end goals are probably still to come, as is information on Mary’s ancestry. Lee’s created a vivid world of intrigue, gender constraints, romance and some wonderful dialogue. While the balance of all the themes isn’t perfect, it does make a rip roaring read and the sequel is sure to be much anticipated.!

Published: June 2009

Format: Paperback, 352 pages

Publisher: Walker Books Australia

Origin: Canada

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http://www.yslee.com/