PSA: I appreciate all those who read this.

I realize this website is kind of a fun place for people to come to learn more about writing, publishing, etc. While I do want to keep it fun and lighthearted, I've been realizing that I do have the voice to talk about things that can make a difference. It's like, a lot of the time I feel like I'm talking to myself, but lately I've been realizing that people take the time to listen.

So I wanted to talk about something important.

Almost two weeks ago, I was almost involved in a fatal car accident. I happened to be driving back to my house with my boyfriend when a drunk driver crashed into a vechile directly behind us, sending that car flying 600 feet before crashing into the freeway barrier. One person died at the scene. The driver was seriously injured.

The man who caused the accident was uninjured and immediately fled the scene.

The happened at around 3 am. Two witnesses were able to get out of their vehicles and chase the man who caused this into a nearby neighborhood, where they immediately called the cops.

It look police 3 hours to find the man, as he was hiding. Meanwhile, the four people were immediately taken to the ER. The driver who was hit ended up dying 2 days later.

I'm not telling you this to depress you. I'm quite aware things like this happen every day. However, as a witness to this really horrible event, it really opened my eyes. I'm 23 and I feel as if I'm invincible. The two people who died were only 21 and 22. Not only were lives taken, but lives were taken at such a young age.

The man who caused this was only 24. 3 peoples lives, as well as many other family members and friends, are going to be changed forever.

Here's what I need you to know. Drinking and driving is never okay. It's not okay to mess with fate, to take chances. It's not okay to put not only YOUR life in jeopardy, but someone elses. It's not fair, and it's not right. Without sounding preachy, I feel like this message truly does need to be reinforced. I mean, how many 16, 17, 18 year olds feel like they have their whole lives ahead of them? Although they may not be old enough to drink, they are definitely old enought to text and drive--illegal or not. And no matter what you think, loosing focus on the road--whether from alcohol, texting, calling, etc--is dangerous. It's not safe, and it's not fair to those you share the road with.

The family who lost their son, the driver, is not able to afford his funeral. This devestates me right in the gut. Not only did they lose a son, but they can't afford to give him the goodbye he rightly deserves. I know this because my boyfriend and I visited the family when they hosted a car wash this past weekend to raise money for their son. We were able to pull together a donation for them as well as send our condolenences. I know they're suffering, and worst of all, they're struggling financially with this.

Nobody should ever, ever have to go through this.

I know it's asking a lot, but if you'd like to donate to this family I'll leave you the survivor's email below along with directions. The man who survived the accident was his brother.

If you'd like the link to the news story, article coverage, pre-trial sentencing, or more information on this accident before you donate, please email me at farrahnicolepenn@gmail.com.

The 24 who caused this is already fighting this. His father is a lawyer in AZ and they are already trying to lower his sentencing. I know this not only makes me enraged, but it leaves these families and friends feeling like the justice system isn't exactly just.

I'm so, so thankful to be alive and have consciously been thinking about how fragile life is and how lucky I am to wake up everyday and do what I love. I hope you do too. I hope this leaves an impact, even if you don't donate. I hope you learn from this murderer's actions. I hope you pay attention on the road. I hope you don't make careless mistakes.

From the bottom of my heart, I truly thank you for taking the time to read this.

<3

How to Donate:

Go to http://www.paypal.com/
Click on the "Send Money" tab
Enter donation amount and click for "Friends and Family"
Enter this email address: mikeymeadows2012@gmail.com, and then enter your own email address.

Author Interview: Claire Legrand (Writer Real Talk #9)

Writer Real Talk is a segment where, every Friday, I interview published/agented writers in hopes of giving encouragement, inspiration, and motivation to aspiring writers. I'll basically ask authors a couple of questions that are *hopefully* helpful for you guys as fellow writers!

Today I have Claire Legand on the blog, who's sort of a writing superstar. Read on to discover her awesome writing advice and to learn more about the publishing and agenting process!

Claire is a Texan living in New York City! She writes fantastical stories, and her daemon is an ocelot but sometimes a unicorn. When presented with the choice to high five or not to high five, she will always choose TO HIGH FIVE. Her first novel, THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, due out August 28, 2012 from Simon & Schuster BFYR, will probably give you nightmares. Or at the very least make you buy a nightlight. Her second novel, THE OCTOBER YEAR, due out Fall 2013, also from S&S, involves several ghosts, a girl obsessed with Death, and a rather irascible cat. Her third novel, WINTERSPELL, due out in Fall 2014, also from S&S, is a young adult retelling of The Nutcracker, full of faeries, bloody sword fights, and forbidden romance.


1. How long have you been writing?

I've been making up stories all my life, and writing them down pretty much as soon as I was mentally capable of it. However, I didn't get serious about it (i.e., writing with discipline and a critical eye) until sometime in 2006, when I began writing my first book. Up until then, it had just been short stories about magical horses and, as I got older, the occasional angst-ridden poem. The magical horses are sometimes still there, but at least now I know what I'm doing when I write about them. ;)

2. Do you have a typical "writer routine" you stick to (or try to stick to)?

That really depends on whatever project I'm working on, and on the phrase of said project. If I'm in the middle of drafting something, I usually try to aim for a weekly word count to keep my forward motion steady. I don't like daily word counts because I never know when something will crop up in my non-writing life to derail me for a day or two. I like being able to not write for a couple of days, make up for it on other days, and still meet my weekly goal. If I'm in the middle of revisions, I usually try to hit a certain number of pages (or a certain number of editorial items, if it's at the point when I've gotten notes from my editor) per day. I'm fortunately able to write full-time right now. This is my job. Therefore, I work on something -- whether that's drafting, revisions, brainstorming/plotting, or marketing -- for several hours almost every day. As far as the actual routine surrounding my writing times? I'm kind of all over the place. Some days, I like to write in absolute silence. Other days, I like to write in public around a lot of people. Sometimes I use music. Sometimes I have a favorite movie on low in the background. It really just depends on the flavor of the day.

3. What made you decide to go the agent route with your writing, and was it a hard journey getting there?

For me, there was never a question of getting or not getting an agent. From the first day I started researching the publishing industry, I knew I wanted to find an agent and be traditionally published. I love having a professional (my superheroine agent, Diana Fox) who knows the ins and outs of the industry championing my work, helping me understand the technical side of things, and acting as a liaison between me and . . . well, everyone else. And I love having the power and resources of my publisher, Simon & Schuster, at my back. Knowing that by the time my book hits the shelves, it will have been vetted by a team of immensely talented individuals is a huge weight off my shoulders.

Was it a hard journey? Oh heck yes. I started writing my first book in 2006 and signed with Diana in 2011. For those five years, I wrote a lot and read a lot, I queried a lot, learned a lot, and made a ton of mistakes. Was it worth it in the end? An even BIGGER oh heck yes.

4. What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about or currently querying?

GO. SLOWLY. I didn't, and I therefore endured a lot of frustration that I probably didn't have to endure. It is extremely difficult to have patience -- with yourself, with your book, and with the industry -- but resist the urge to query fifty agents the moment you type "THE END" at the conclusion of that first draft. If you have written a stellar book, it won't matter if you query tomorrow or six months from tomorrow. So, take your time. Write a stellar book. Research the industry. Research agents, publishers, trends (but don't actually write to trends; just be aware of them). Get online -- on Twitter and in the blogosphere -- and start networking with other writers. Establish a presence. Establish relationships. Find critique partners. Explore sites like querytracker.net and the Absolute Write forums. You will learn so much, and, instead of (like me) stubbornly sending query after query out for months and months until you realize that you need to go back to the drawing board, you will have exactly what you need by the time you send out that first query -- and you will land an agent so much more quickly because of it.

Save yourself some heartache. Take your time.

5. Are there any authors or books who influence your writing?

Oh, most definitely! Some authors I just adore are Roald Dahl, Neil Gaiman, Kristin Cashore, Laini Taylor, Philip Pullman, Robin McKinley, Madeleine L'Engle, Ray Bradbury, and Frances Hodgson Burnett. My favorite books are those by the above authors, as well as PLAIN KATE by Erin Bow, THE SNOW CHILD by Eowyn Ivey, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD by Richard Yates, Nabokov's LOLITA, WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead, LIESL & PO by Lauren Oliver, BREADCRUMBS by Anne Ursu, and the PENDERWICKS series by Jeanne Birdsall. Also, ICEFALL by Matthew Kirby and George R. R. Martin's A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. I could go on and on, but . . . I think that sampling is sufficient. ;) These are the books I pick up when I get bogged down in the tough things about this career and this industry. They help me remember how much I love storytelling.

6. You're sort of a rock star when it comes to writing! Your MG and YA novels, THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS (Simon & Schuster BFYR, August 28, 2012), THE OCTOBER YEAR (Simon & Schuster BFYR) and WINTERSPELL (Simon & Schuster BFYR) will all be released within this year and next. First of all, HOW do you find time to write so quickly, and what is the best part of your publishing experience so far?

Well, thank you! You are too kind. :)

First of all, as I said above, I'm very fortunate in that I'm able to write full-time right now. That obviously helps me be more productive than I would be if I had to juggle writing with a full-time or even a part-time job.

Secondly, I'm kind of a workaholic. I go into slight panic mode if I'm not insanely busy. Is this healthy? Mmm, that's debatable. But it certainly helps me get work done! And I'm slowly learning how to balance this workaholism (yeah, I'm totally making that a word) with reasonable expectations and allowances for, you know, real life things like taking showers, shopping for groceries, and breathing.

Lastly, I have learned (and am still learning!) discipline. I go radio silent (read: mostly offline and behind closed doors) when I work. I meet the goals that I set for myself. I make sacrifices. It isn't always fun, these sacrifices, but writing is my job and more than that, it's my passion. I therefore do the work gladly!

7. Do you believe writers need to write everyday to get better at their talent?

As you can see from my answer above, no I do not! Do I think writers need to write a lot? Absolutely. But every day? Eh. It's all about finding whatever works for you, personally. Some people will need to write every day, and other people's schedules simply don't allow for that. Can they still improve their craft? Absolutely. It isn't necessarily about quantity or keeping to a daily schedule (although I would of course recommend keeping to SOME sort of schedule). Rather, it's about the quality of the words we write. It's about thoughtfulness.

8. What advice would you want to give aspiring writers?

Read. Write. Read. Write. READ. WRITE. REEEAD. Forever, and thoughtfully. Never stop learning. Never stop being willing to learn.

9. What's one rule every author should live by?

That old saying: "Write the book you want to read" is something I say to myself often, and I think all writers should have it, like, tattooed onto their brains or something. If you write true to your inner reader, the kind of book you'd see on the shelf and get excited about, then your story will be true. It won't be written to a trend or manufactured specifically to get onto some sort of bestseller list. It will be genuine. It will be authentic. Those are the books that last, that transcend trends and even transcend genres. Those books stick.

*If you'd like to be considered for Writer Real Talk, please email farrahnicolepenn@gmail.com*

A Letter to My Teen Self

Today is my birthday.

I'm trying to be excited about it, really. But all I've been thinking about is, holy crap. 10 years ago today I was officially a teenager. I had my heart broken and started going on really crappy dates and ate way too much sugar and made some of the best friends I've ever had and didn't get enough sleep and had awkward moments and so on and so forth.

Anyway, if you are into horoscopes, you probably are aware I'm an Aries. I seriously think the best way to get to know someone is through their horoscope, because mine are always pretty spot on (even if much of Aries is stubborn and impatient, psh). For example:


Anyway, I honestly think a combination of my sign and my passion is what's brought me where I am today, and I'm incredibly thankful for that.


So to bring in 23 I'm officially writing a letter to my teen self. When I was a teen, I had tons of insecurities and made a lot of mistakes. Not to say I would change anything I went through, but I would have maybe liked to have given myself these words of wisdom, if you will.



(18 year old me with pink hair. omg.)

So here we go.

Farrah,

You are never going to believe the places you'll end up, and I'm not going to spoil the journey. Just know that these are going to be some trying times for you. Know that you don't need guys to make you happy, and it's OKAY to say no to someone you don't want to date. Know that guys who break your heart aren't worth your tears, and you shouldn't lose sleep of gain self-doubt just because those girls came between you. You'll fall hard and fast because it's in your nature to trust and love someone who earns your respect and trust, but it's okay when it doesn't work out with those people. It's okay to be mad or hurt or upset that things didn't work out, but it's not okay to beat yourself up or tell yourself you're ugly or too angular or too gawky or stupid. Guys will
come and go, even if they seem like Mr. Right at the moment. People will tell you that you'll find someone better. Those people are right.

School is important, but it's also not the end of the world. You put so much stress on yourself over so many little grades that don't matter. If you don't need to worry about it, don't. I promise you're going to love where you end up, and you'll have earned every step of the way. But don't say no to social events or lose sleep over a grade that's, in the end, not going to be important to you. In fact, it's even okay to skip class once in a while--as long as you don't make a habit out of it.

Writing should always be important to you, and it's not something you'll grow out of. You don't have to be ashamed of it. If your friends really love you, they'll love your passion and writing as well. Don't give it up, and don't give it up because of something like homework or SATs or finals.

Don't be afraid to open up. People like you, that's why they want to hang out with you and talk to you. Get to know others. Branch out. Trust those who love you and don't hold back.

You don't need to wear a ton of makeup to cover what you believe are your imperfections. Less is better. Caking multi-colored eyeshadow on is making a statement, but don't wear it because you want to cover your true beauty.

In the end, everything will be okay with your family, so don't let that eat away your confidence or trust levels. Things do happen for a reason, and over this period you'll grow and learn to understand why. You'll learn to appreciate your family more than you ever have before.

Your sister loves you, even though you think she's an annoying little brat. Spend time with her, talk to her, laugh with her. She needs you more than she'll ever let on, and one day you're going to regret not hanging out with her as much as you could have.

Embrace your friendships. Don't get mad over trivial things. Keep the ones that matter to you close, because you're really good at pushing people away. In years to come, keep the friendships you see lasting and cherish them to bits.

The right guy will appear when you're not looking for him. Be yourself. Embrace opportunities. Have fun. Enjoy life.

Take risks. Say, when a certain band guy offers to take you on the last leg of their tour during your freshman year of college spring break. It's going to end up being one of the best trips of your life.

Finally, believe in yourself and find the confidence to do what you love. Don't listen to those who try and put you down, because you're capable of all the success in the world. Just don't bite off more than you can chew. No matter what, those who love you will always, always be proud of you.

<3

Author Interview: Kara M. Taylor (Writer Real Talk #8)

Writer Real Talk is a segment where, every Friday, I interview published/agented writers in hopes of giving encouragement, inspiration, and motivation to aspiring writers. I'll basically ask authors a couple of questions that are *hopefully* helpful for you guys as fellow writers!

Today I'm interviewing Ms. Kara M. Taylor, another fabulous author and agent-mate! She has some amazing advice regarding publishing, writing, and agents!

Kara is 22 years old and represented by Suzie Townsend of Nancy Coffey Literary. She lives and writes on Long Island, where she splits her time between her Chihuahua, cupcake decorating, and graduate school. She's a certified English teacher, but she's still trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up. PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL is about a Queen Bee/accidental arsonist and a murder mystery at a creepy Boston boarding school.


1. How long have you been writing?

I've always loved storytelling. In high school, I wrote skits for the theater productions, and I even starred as Pee-Wee Hermann in one of them (thank God there are no surviving pictures. That I know of). It wasn't until my freshman year of college, though, that I was serious enough about a story to write a full novel. I was away in Boston at a school I hated, in a major I hated, and the only way I could deal with my last semester there was through writing.

2. Do you have a typical "writer routine" you stick to (or try to stick to?)

Now that I'm done with my undergraduate degree, I'm lucky enough that I have the time to write every day. So I definitely try to stick to that. It's hard to tune out things like social media and buckle down, but I've pretty much accepted that they've become part of my writing routine. So my typical morning looks like this: 1. Get up. 2. Make coffee and eat breakfast. 3. Check email, Facebook, Twitter, forums. 4. Get more coffee. 5. Repeat step 3. 6. Write.

3. What made you decide to go the agent route with your writing, and was it a hard journey getting there?

Years and years ago, my mother gave me a copy of Janet Evanovich's HOW I WRITE as a gift. It was the best thing that happened to my writing career, honestly, because that's where I got the idea that I needed an agent. I never even considered trying to get my work into an editor's hands on my own. I spent six months querying my first novel, which I eventually trunked. I'm thankful that thing never saw the light of day, because the next book I wrote eventually got me my agent after I did a round of revisions for her. Querying felt like running on a hamster wheel, and there were times I was THISCLOSE to giving up. Yes, luck and timing are a part of querying, but as writers, we have much more control than we think. I made the decision to abandon a book that wasn't going anywhere and write a new one, and I couldn't be happier with how things worked out because of that.

4. What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about or currently querying?

Send queries out in small batches so you leave yourself plenty of options if you need to revise your manuscript. Querying isn't a race; you're going to have to wait for responses, sometimes even for months, so take your time getting your book into the best shape it can possibly be in. And above all, don't compare yourself to other people. It's tempting to log onto forums and see what other queriers are going through, but you'll only drive yourself nuts. "Why did this person get a full request when I only got a partial request?" can easily turn into "Why did this person get five agent offers and I only got one?" It's a slippery slope. Don't do that to yourself.

5. Are there any authors or books who influence your writing?

Janet Evanovich's sense of humor has always been closely aligned with mine, so sometimes I see her in my writing. If I had to describe my style, I'd say Janet Evanovich meets Stephanie Perkins, if that makes absolutely any sense at all.

6. PREP SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL is your YA novel that comes out from St. Martin's in 2013. What is the best part of your publishing experience with your first book so far?

Working with an editor, or in my case, two editors, is really all I could have hoped for and more. I feel incredibly lucky to have an agent and two editors who believe in my writing and always offer encouragement when I need it. Because trust me, I have lots of neurotic-whiny-diva writer moments.

7. Do you believe writers need to write everyday to get better at their talent?

Absolutely not! I think taking breaks is one of the most beneficial things a writer can do. Don't tell anyone, but I didn't write for a few months when I was on submission. I needed a break to explore other things, dedicate time to school, etc...and when I jumped back into writing, I had a fresher perspective. It was like discovering how much I enjoyed writing all over again.

8. What advice would you want to give aspiring writers?

Go at your own pace. Roll with the punches. Expect disappointment, but accept that anything can happen at any time, provided you put the best work out there you possibly can.

9. What's one rule every author should live by?

Worry about yourself! ;)

*If you'd like to be considered for Writer Real Talk, please email farrahnicolepenn@gmail.com*

Author Interview: Dan Krokos (Writer Real Talk #7)

Writer Real Talk is a segment where, every Friday, I interview published/agented writers in hopes of giving encouragement, inspiration, and motivation to aspiring writers. I'll basically ask authors a couple of questions that are *hopefully* helpful for you guys as fellow writers!

Today I have Dan Krokos on the blog, who is basically awesome. He's come to share advice with you regarding writing, agents, and his own publishing journey. Also, you need to be following this guy via Twitter if you aren't already, and be sure and check out his blog for more info.

After recovering from pumping gas for 9 years, Dan Krokos dropped out of college to write full time. He enjoys watching TV, playing MMORPGs, and drinking coffee. He is 26.



1. How long have you been writing?

I started in the summer of 2007, but didn't take it seriously until fall, when I knew this is what I really wanted to do. I finished my first manuscript on March 6th 2008 (it was an exciting day).


2. Do you have a typical "writer routine" you stick to (or try to stick to?)

I do, but I rarely stick to it. I'd like to get up early and write all day and then have the evenings off, but I usually start late and end late.

3. What made you decide to go the agent route with your writing, and was it a hard journey getting there?

It was the only route for me. I wanted to have a book in stores. I wanted to be edited. I wanted to focus on writing and have somebody else do all the other stuff. I write commercial stuff, so I knew if I couldn't get an agent's attention, I was probably doing something wrong.


4. What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about or currently querying?

Query widely. And write your query while you write your manuscript. The query that got me an agent was something I worked on for weeks and weeks, tweaking it here and there, until I was happy with every word. Also, keep it short.


5. Are there any authors or books who influence your writing?

Josh Bazell and Charlie Huston have been enormous influences on me. On the YA side, Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth. George RR Martin has really influenced how I look at a sentence. I want to say I'm a better writer because of him.


6. FALSE MEMORY is your YA novel that comes out this fall from Disney-Hyperion. What was the best part of your publishing experience with your first book?

Working with a team of people to create something a hundred times better than what I would've done by myself. From the cover, to the editing, to the line editing, the interior design of the book, it's all been amazing.


7. Do you believe writers need to write everyday to get better at their talent?

In the beginning, yes. Maybe. It should be fun. Don't kill yourself. But you should also want to write every day. If you don't have that urge, something might be wrong. You should feel a little off, a little guilty. I only say that because you need a huge amount of drive to finish a book. That's why so many people don't. If you can write fast enough, and stay ahead of your doubt, you'll do better.

I was working 15 hour shifts at a gas station, then coming home to write for an hour, just so I didn't skip a day. I knew not writing every day meant I'd be working at a gas station even longer.

8. What advice would you want to give aspiring writers?

Do not make a twitter. Do not have a blog. Write. Every spare second should be spent honing your craft. It's all you have. The other stuff is a time sink. Sure, you might make some connection with a writing pal, or an agent might remember you and read your work a little closer, but in the end it's all time spent not writing.

The amount of time I've wasted on twitter still pains me.

9. What's one rule every author should live by?

Don't get attached. Your first manuscript probably blows. Put it in a drawer and move on to the next one. Keep moving forward. Don't get bogged down in a story you think is "the one." I promise you, you've got something better in you. You'll know when your skill is high enough that it's time to revise and stick with a story, and then query.