Last week I was asked by the lovely Tina M. Cho to
join a blog hop. I said yes despite never hopped before (and having a very
pathetic vertical leap).
 |
| I hop like a bison. Not so good. |
Say hello to my fellow writer Tina M. Cho...
Tina is the author of
26 guided reading books from Lakeshore Learning and Compass Media. A coloring
book, God Is
So Good, from Warner Press was
published in 2013. She has three nonfiction books forthcoming from Legacy Press
Kids. She is a former elementary teacher who currently homeschools her 6th
grade daughter and 3rd grade son. Though she grew up in Iowa, she is now living
outside of Seoul, South Korea. Learn more about Tina at http://www.tinamcho.com/
This hop requires me to answer 4 questions. That I
can do.
What are you working on right now?
I’m always drafting and rewriting picture books. It’s a continuing (fun!) process. I’m also writing a YA novel. My goal is to have a first draft done by the middle of October. For over a month, I’ve been working on the novel an average of 4 hours a day. When it’s complete I plan on unwinding by cleaning our bathrooms and organizing my closet.
How does it differ from other works in the genre?
The YA involves a tragedy, but I really prefer to write humorous pieces. So I’m taking a strange look at death and grieving. I guess you can also call it historical fiction. It takes place in 2007 and I’ve made every effort to capture the look, sound, and feel of 2007.
Why do you write what you do?
I tried writing for adults when I started, but it turns out I’m very immature. (I actually had an agent tell me that!) I love reading kids’ books from picture books through young adult. I didn’t read much as a kid so I’m catching up on lost time. And the idea of writing books that kids will read (and hopefully love) blows my mind. I’m truly living my dream.
What is the hardest part about writing?
There’s a lot of “hardest parts” when it comes to publishing, from rejections to negative reviews. Yuck! But the hardest part specifically related to the craft of writing is staying in love. At the beginning of every project, I’m in love. Then I go through the period where I want to break it off. And if I followed that urge I’d never finish a manuscript. The reason for the break could be plot or character or even related to the amount of research needed. There comes a point when I feel trapped in a dark hole with no way out.
What are you working on right now?
I’m always drafting and rewriting picture books. It’s a continuing (fun!) process. I’m also writing a YA novel. My goal is to have a first draft done by the middle of October. For over a month, I’ve been working on the novel an average of 4 hours a day. When it’s complete I plan on unwinding by cleaning our bathrooms and organizing my closet.
How does it differ from other works in the genre?
The YA involves a tragedy, but I really prefer to write humorous pieces. So I’m taking a strange look at death and grieving. I guess you can also call it historical fiction. It takes place in 2007 and I’ve made every effort to capture the look, sound, and feel of 2007.
Why do you write what you do?
I tried writing for adults when I started, but it turns out I’m very immature. (I actually had an agent tell me that!) I love reading kids’ books from picture books through young adult. I didn’t read much as a kid so I’m catching up on lost time. And the idea of writing books that kids will read (and hopefully love) blows my mind. I’m truly living my dream.
What is the hardest part about writing?
There’s a lot of “hardest parts” when it comes to publishing, from rejections to negative reviews. Yuck! But the hardest part specifically related to the craft of writing is staying in love. At the beginning of every project, I’m in love. Then I go through the period where I want to break it off. And if I followed that urge I’d never finish a manuscript. The reason for the break could be plot or character or even related to the amount of research needed. There comes a point when I feel trapped in a dark hole with no way out.
I also have a hard time with grammar and spelling.
(But that’s probably obvious.)
The final bounce in the blog hop is to tap three
other kid lit authors. It is here that I have failed. I asked seven authors to
participate and only one said yes (and she’s been double tagged). So without further delay, I give you Mary.
Mary
Cronk Farrell is an award-winning author of Children's/YA books and former
journalist with a passion for stories about people facing great adversity with
courage. Writing such stories has shown her that in our darkest moments we have
the opportunity to discover our true identity and follow an inner compass
toward the greater good. Both her fiction and non-fiction titles feature little-known
true stories of history based on thorough research. Her latest, PURE GRIT;
HOW AMERICAN WWII NURSES SURVIVED BATTLE AND PRISON CAMP IN THE PACIFIC
comes out in February 2014. www.MaryCronkFarrell.com.
If you or a loved one would like to be added to this hop, please send me a note. stacy @ stacymcanulty (dot) com
Thanks for introducing me, Stacy. I am so glad you have found your true calling writing for children. So funny that the agent said that. Not funny at the time, I'm sure. But in retrospect?
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