Happy Monday! Congratulations to the winners of my 100 Follower Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card - Nickie Anderson

Starters, signed by Lissa Price - Katy Upperman

Finn Flanagan and the Fledglings - Sara Biren

 

 

Thanks to all of you who follow Unavoidable Awkwardness. The best part about blogging in this YA writing community is meeting so many awesome people who love words and books and young people. Now I start the countdown for my 200 Follower Giveaway!

 

I'm thrilled to be a part of Deana Barnhart's Gearing Up to Get an Agent (GUTGAA) this week. Please stop by and check out the amazing entries. There are so many titles I wish I could go buy at the book store today!

 

Coming soon, I'll be reviewing The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke. I'm also planning a blog series on what music can teach us about great writing. Be sure to stop back by over the next month to check it out.

 

Music for today:  Hold On by Alabama Shakes

Today begins the meet-and-greet for Gearing Up to Get an Agent (GUTGAA), a blogfest hosted by Deana Barnhart. Thanks for organizing all of this, Deana!

 

If this is your first visit, welcome to Unavoidable Awkwardness! I fell hard for middle grades and young adult lit when my sixth-grade students started recommending books to me over ten years ago. I blog about books and writing.  Here are the answers to Deana's meet-and-greet questions:

 

-Where do you write?

I have a writing desk in my bedroom, but sometimes I take field trips to Panera or Starbucks.

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?

I have a printed copy of chapters on top of a piece of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil and covered in clear tape. (A trial run for my son's school book covers.)

-Favorite time to write?

When the creative juices hit me. Usually I write in the morning, though.

-Drink of choice while writing?

Coffee. Or Tea. Or anything with caffeine.

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?

I need music! Sometimes I'll be writing, and I'll just stop without realizing why. It will take me a few minutes to realize that Pandora wants to know if I'm still listening. I'm an alt rock fan, and my Muse, Death Cab, and White Stripes stations are all sound the same these days.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

It always starts with the characters for me. But this concept came from me thinking about alternative histories, and how people are basically the same, despite how different their cultural influences are.

-What's your most valuable writing tip?

Don't give up! Keep Writing!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I can't wait to meet you.

Music for today: I Can Tell That We Are Going to be Friends by The White Stripes